Arc-V: The Geass Switch

by MoonlightWright

Things weren't supposed to go this badly. All Zero had to do was trap the Lancelot on Shikine island and get Suzaku to join him, easy. So how in the world did Zero end up in another dimension? This new place is in the middle of a war sure, but they don't have guns. They have duels? And monsters? Whatever happened to chess! Well, at least Zero has a hobby, taking down Academia.

43. Ch41 Private Conversation and Dark Pasts

Yeah! It's therapy time guys! That's basically what this entire chapter is, a therapy session. Sad times for Zero, but it all gets better, sorta. Shun coming in to be a mother hawk and save the day! …Dude really does need some help.

Quick important recap and addition here!

"I have an announcement to make!" = A flashback

I wonder what he's up to? = Thoughts

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" = Speech through a radio, microphone, or other electronic device.

/I can't talk vocally. I can only sign or write./ = Talking through either sign language or writing.

With that out of the way, let's get right into it.

Ch. 41: A Private Conversation and Dark Pasts

Zero was too proud of himself to say he ran.

He knows my name.

He doesn't run. His enemies run. He doesn't.

He knows my name.

He refused to believe that he ran away. It was just a tactical retreat. He just needed time to regather himself.

He just needed to breathe.

He knows my name! He knows!

Through his daze, Zero rushed, and his blood pumped loudly in his ears. The racing of his own heartbeat drowning out any other noise and anyone trying to get him to acknowledge them. When the masked man arrived at the contestant tower everyone was surrounding Yuya and demanding the tomato haired teen answer how he learned to Synchro Summon. Most of the Lancers didn't so much as look at Zero's direction, and the masked man liked it that way.

Most everyone, except Ruri, Yuto, and Shun.

"Zero?" Yuto questioned seriously. Stormy gray eyes quickly noted multiple things. His leader's chest was heaving, like he had run the entire way here. The man's black gloved hands were shaking rapidly, and the revolutionary looked like he was about to keel over and die of a heart attack any second. Zero's legs shaking like a new fawn just beginning to learn how to walk.

"Are you alright?" Ruri's question caused everyone's attention to turn from Yuya towards Zero. Something that the masked man himself didn't appreciate, but he was more focused on his own shaking hands to notice or hear anything.

Zero's vision was blurry, and he didn't notice any of the things Yuto and the others were noticing. All the masked man knew was that his chest hurt and it was getting hard to breathe.

Roger knows my name.

No, Zero didn't run, but he most certainly did rush up the stairs of the contestant tower as quickly as he could. Everyone else back at the lobby blinked in surprise at the masked man blatantly ignoring them.

"What the hell is his problem?" Yugo questioned in his usual oh-so-eloquent manner.

Shun scowled over at the stairs where Zero had quickly retreated to. Sharp eyes narrowed into slits as he spoke. "Something big just happened." The Raidraptor user had a pretty good idea of what it was that caused such a reaction from their leader. Especially after the duel Yuya just had and that chaos with the Lancelot Conquista.

A card that belongs to Zero, that Shun knew for certain, but Yuya was certain it belonged to a teen by the name of Lelouch Lamperouge.

"Shun…" Keen eyes looked over towards his longtime friend Yuto. A grave expression on the Phantom Knight user's face. "He looked scared."

Before anyone else could comment on such a disturbing statement as that the sound of chaos coming from upstairs caught everyone's attention. All of the Lancer's snapped their heads up towards the sound, and everyone was out of their seats if they were sitting moments before. The gang wasted no time strapping on their duel disks and sprinting up towards the scene. Some thought it was Security trying to mess with their lives again. Others thought it was Academia finally starting an invasion on the Synchro Dimension.

Nobody could believe what it actually was.

. . .

As soon as Zero slammed the door shut in his room that was it. What felt like a small, horribly frayed string had suddenly been snapped from too much pressure.

The masked man stilled, and looked all around his room. His perfect, luxurious room that had everything anyone could possibly want or need. Something everyone wished and dreamed they could have. A perfect room for a perfect life.

A gilded cage that was Zero's own personal hell.

Zero looked at this room sealing him away. Stealing his life force. Killing him. Roger was right, he couldn't run and he couldn't hide. Not anymore. Not like this. All alone.

It took a mere second of taking it all in, and those thoughts slipped into his head like poison.

The pain in his chest increased tenfold like a hot iron burning his insides, and Zero raged.

His vision went blurry once again, and at some points it even went dark. Completely black. But he could hear everything with crystal clarity. The sound of wood splintering, plastic breaking, glass being shattered over and over. Wires being pulled and a fizzling sound of electricity dying out. Glass scattered everywhere and crunched underneath his heel, but that didn't matter at the moment. Curtains and fabric were pulled and torn and then tossed like the trash it was. Drawers were completely pulled out of their cubbies and then tossed carelessly across the room. The action caused the discarded drawers to hit the wall with loud bangs and even leave marks or holes in the wall.

All the while, a modulated scream tore out of Zero's raw throat. The sound so visceral, so twisted and hateful, it was terrifying to hear on the normally so composed and collected revolutionary.

Anything he could get his hands on was subjected to nothing short of destruction. It caused the pain in his chest to subside just a margin at the action.

Roger wanted to play games did he? Well, that man would find out just how hard Zero can play. Let him watch and see that everything he did here Zero was going to unleash tenfold on that pretentious bastard. Roger wanted to dangle his name in front of his face like a fishing line and threaten all he worked hard to protect by wearing this mask? Okay, then he was acknowledging that anything could be put on the table in this game.

Zero would grab that man's neck and sink his fingers in until he could pull out the vocal cords in that man's throat and tear it apart-

"GET OUT!"

Zero swung his fist back without even realizing it, only for said arm to get caught in a steel-tight grip.

The masked man reflexively tried to pull his arm back out of that grip, but it held on regardless of his struggles. Only then did everything start to come into true clarity. As if the storm was finally passing and the sea's waves were finally being quelled into a calm lulling motion.

The first thing that came to Zero's mind after his bout of insanity was how exhausted whatever just happened made him. The rebel was heaving as if there wasn't enough oxygen left in the world, and his muscles burned from exertion. Everything felt so fragile and his limbs so unstable one soft breeze would cause him to topple over. Despite his attempts to stop it, Zero just couldn't prevent his body from shaking. He felt so rattled. It wasn't a feeling the man loved at all.

The second thing that was registering into Zero's exhausted brain was his room. It was absolutely wrecked, and that was a polite word for its current state. It honestly looked more like a hurricane had rushed through his room, purposely and deliberately destroyed everything in just his room, and then peaced out. If it wasn't for the fact that his wall to wall windows were made of basically bulletproof glass they would be shattered alongside everything else. Though, there was a pretty nasty amount of spider webs cracks decorating said windows, and Zero didn't doubt he would've been able to break them down if he just had a few more minutes to rage. It was clear he was the one responsible for this destruction. His body practically screamed guilty from how tired it was.

Finally, Zero was better able to focus on just who was the one that stopped his rampage short, because what had just happened couldn't be anything short of one. Shun Kurosaki stood strong in the middle of the chaos beside Zero. The Raidraptor's hand was pale from how tightly he was holding onto his leader's arm to prevent him from hitting Yuto. The other Xyz rebel had tried to reach out to Zero when the masked man had lashed out at who he perceived was attacking him. When it was really the complete opposite.

Just a few inches more, and Zero would have backhanded Yuto in his fit of rage.

All of the other Lancers that weren't locked into their rooms stood at the wide open doorway, stunned speechless. Their jaws dropped to the floor as they stared at the carnage Zero had unleashed upon his own room. The disbelief and fear entered their eyes as they all looked towards Zero who was solely responsible. At how he was about to fight and hurt Yuto if it wasn't for Shun's forceful intervention. About to so carelessly hit a man Zero had fought besides for months without a second thought or hesitation. Ruri covered her mouth as tears began to water her eyes at the sight.

That same gaze of fear entered Yuto's own eyes as he stared not at Zero's face, but at the offending hand that now hung limply in Shun's hold mere inches from his face. Zero had stilled as his brain began to process and catch up on all that had just happened in the span of a few seconds.

The ferocity in Shun's gaze as he looked towards Zero was enough to cow even the masked man. He had nearly fucked up, big time.

"I-" For once, Zero was speechless, and when he tried to tug his arm out of Shun's grip the Xyz user finally allowed it. The co-leader of the Lancers stumbled backwards, cradling his hand and looking down at it as if he was horrified by what he had almost done. "I'm sorry-! I didn't mean- Yuto, I-" The masked rebel breathed through his mask harshly, causing a hissing-like sound to emit from his modulator. He shook as he brought his shaking hands up towards his masked head, and dug his fingers into his mask. As if that would help him gather himself together.

It really was bad if Zero was apologizing.

Roger was right. He was unraveling. He was starting to self-destruct, and he had nowhere else to go but back into the gilded cage.

Molten yellow eyes were like an inferno as Shun Kuroski glared over at Zero. "We need to talk." His tone left no room for argument. "Now." Zero didn't fight it. He didn't want to either. When Shun gently, almost hesitantly wrapped an arm around Zero's shoulders and began to guide him out of the building he didn't object. He felt like he didn't deserve the right.

Nobody else dared to follow the two rebels out. Yuto and Ruri really wanted to though, yet they weren't allowed out by the guards since they already had used up their two hours. Everyone else knew that this conversation was meant to be private. That, and it was now clear that Zero was so unstable they worried that if anyone else tried to tag along it would cause him to snap again.

So they all scattered, off to do their own things in the tower. Yet, after seeing one of their leaders so badly rattled none of them felt safe in the tower anymore. Even when they were together.

. . .

The two didn't talk at all throughout their journey in the City. It was clear both parties had a lot on their minds after these past couple of hours. One was a dark storm cloud of boiling anger and frustration while the other was a different storm cloud of discouragement and pessimism. One pair of yellow eyes always kept a look out for trouble and Security, occasionally spotting a guard tailing them from around the corner. The other pair didn't even try, and instead mostly focused on the ground. For once the boisterous masked man was trying to shrink in on himself and disappear instead of boldly show off.

If that wasn't a testament to how badly things were going for them in this City, Shun didn't know what the hell would be a sign.

They eventually reached the D-Wheel garage and made it to Zero's D-Wheel. The state of the art vehicle was in pristine condition as always, and was being strictly watched by Executive Council guards in case Security tried to confiscate it under Zero's nose. It really was an impressive ride. One that had even Shun lightening his scowl in respect to Zero's tastes.

However, it was clear that Zero wasn't in a good enough state of mind to drive, so he would have to.

Thankfully, there wasn't any trouble with the guards to get the D-Wheel out on the road. Shun's previous experience with driving a D-Wheel in the illegal duel ring really came in handy now that he had a near catatonic passenger to watch over. The Raidraptor user taking so many twists and turns he nearly got himself lost in the City in a successful attempt to lose any Security tails they had. The pristine and beautiful architecture of the Top's area of the City dulled and cracked until they finally got to the Common's side of town.

The first place Shun turned to once he was certain they had lost Security was down the subway tunnels they first took to leave the bunker they had hid in. All the way back when Yusei Fudo was making Zero's D-Wheel and the others were in the Detention Facility before it got destroyed. When they finally arrived at the only place Shun knew for certain would be safe from Security and bugs it was completely abandoned. It was as if Yusei had never been there to begin with. The only thing left was the pull out couch he and Yuto had slept on, and it was horribly dusty now. Yusei most likely moved on to a more secure location after Zero and them had moved on. Just in case so Security wouldn't catch and arrest him for helping wanted criminals at the time.

A wise decision on the man's part in Shun's opinion.

Once the D-Wheel was parked, the Xyz user helped move Zero over to the dusty couch and made him sit down in it. It brought up a cloud of dust that caused a coughing fit for Shun, but seemed to not affect Zero even the slightest bit. Probably due to the filters the man had built in his mask. The damn thing caused a lot of issues in Shun's opinion, but it was also pretty useful in other cases such as this.

The older brother to Ruri looked down at Zero as the masked man wordlessly stared at his own hands and the ground. The temperamental duelist's anger had lessened during the drive, but was still burning in the back of his mind.

Instead of getting right into the thick of it, Shun searched the place in an old habit he had begun to pick up from Zero himself. Only he was more conscious of his actions, and wasn't so freaking paranoid as to do it three or four times in a row. Looking for and destroying anything suspicious or what looked like cameras or bugs yet finding none, as he had expected.

By the time he was done, Shun's anger had cooled completely. He didn't want this conversation getting side tracked or derailed because of his anger. It was something he and Ruri were working to curb but sometimes it was so hard. That moment when Zero nearly hit Yuto, Shun had almost lost it and lashed out on the masked man himself.

But it was clear Zero had instantly regretted what he had almost done. It hadn't even happened, and it would've been a certain accident if it had, but Zero had acted as if he had nearly just backhanded an infant in that moment instead. The way the man buried his head into his hands now just proved how tired, how sorry he was about his actions. The rebel didn't even need to say it verbally; he spoke so often through his body language alone. Maybe that was another reason as to why he wore that mask. He would be too easy to read without it.

It was also clear that during that bout of rage Zero wasn't completely himself. Shun had seen Zero and Roger bicker and threaten each other on the TV after Yuya's duel. Hell, everyone had seen it and it was certainly a sight. However, whatever Roger had said to Zero at the end had most certainly spooked his leader. Everyone else thought Zero had just walked off whatever kind of threat the Head of Security had made and went about his business. That wasn't the case it seems. Whatever Roger had said, it had scared Zero, causing him to lash out.

Something Shun had originally thought not possible. Then Shun remembered that even though the masked man can perform the most insane moves and greatest of miracles with seemingly no troubles, he was still human.

And humans can feel fear. It was a natural response and people reacted to it in many different ways.

"..." It was clear Zero wasn't going to start talking first, and Shun didn't want to stand here all day. It was a delicate situation, and the Xyz user needed to take his time and think of what he wanted to say first lest his leader snap again or even worse, clam up even more. "... When was the last time you've slept, Zero?"

That sudden question wasn't the one he expected if the way Zero's head slowly looked up at Shun was any indication. Thankfully, the out-of-left field topic also successfully managed to gain all of Zero's attention and focus on Shun. It helped the masked man begin to gather himself up and pave over the fractures that had appeared in his fragile psyche.

But paving over the problem can only hold out for so long.

"Yesterday night after the exhibition match, when Serena went to check on me." The masked man answered back quietly, but in the empty subway tunnel it practically boomed and echoed out down the dark tunnel.

"And before that?" The Raidraptor continued on that train of thought. Just one night of good sleep wouldn't be enough if Zero hasn't been getting any sleep before that. "You've taken a moment to just sit down and decompress since coming to the Synchro Dimension, right?" Good Lord, even Shun took breaks from time to time to decompress, he wasn't insane.

"I-'' The rebel paused, and that masked head tipped down to study his hands once again. The man taking his time to try and think back and remember when he last had a good night's rest. Probably when he and Yuto first arrived at the Talisman Casino and dealt with all of the trouble that laid within it, right? "I don't remember." Insomnia was a bitch.

How have none of us realized how messed up this man is until now? The thought had shame building up in the back of Shun's throat, never noticing until now. Not until it was completely obvious something was seriously wrong with Zero and his way of thinking. When everybody began to demand why and what was wrong with him. When all of the little bits and pieces leading up to one big explosion were visible to everyone's face this entire time.

They just chose to ignore it.

Antisocial behavior. The atrocious eating and sleeping habits. The complete behavior changes that happened on a dime. Sudden explosions of anger like back at the Standard stadium after the battle royale and now. The lack of empathy and signs of apathy when talking about war and death and torture. God it was all obvious now, but everyone chose to just look the other way when it all came to a head.

Most still chose to look the other way now. Most probably will keep being ignorant after Zero returns and begins acting normal again. At least, until it all boiled over once more like clockwork.

Not this time, Shun wasn't going to continue ignoring this. Not anymore.

"When was the last time you've eaten something?" Shun asked after a few minutes of silence. Zero had spent that time finally taking in his surroundings while one hand was rubbing his chest as if he was having heartburn or something. Looks like the co-leader of the Lancers was finally rooted back in reality.

"Back at the Talisman Casino." Zero stated confidently now. "I at least remember that." That's right, he had made pancakes for himself and Yuto for breakfast that one time.

"Are you joking?" Shun said rhetorically. "Zero, that had to have been days ago. You're telling me you haven't eaten anything since then?" Holy fuck what was wrong with this dude.

"It's something!" The masked man objected hotly. He was getting his full range of emotions back. Good. It was disturbing to see Zero be so numb and empty. "I don't exactly have the time to stop and sit down for a break, you know."

"Ugh." The Raidraptor user rubbed his eyes with his hands and felt a migraine starting up in the back of his mind. Why is it always the weird ones that get pulled into my circle? Ruri could admittedly be an airhead and clutz sometimes, especially when they were younger. Yuto was always shy and quiet. He liked to stay more in the shadows and stay up late at night instead of being in the sun like a normal person. A prime target for bullying back before the Academia invasion. Now it's a masked man that breathes war and has anger issues. "Okay, we're going to be dealing with that when we get back to the tower." Shun stated firmly and crossed his arms across his chest as he stood over Zero. The masked man stayed seated and craned his neck to look up at the dark haired duelist. "That's one of the reasons why you lashed out so badly at the tower. You haven't been taking care of yourself. Simple things like rest and food are important to how your body functions. Dammit Zero you know that." Shun chastised firmly and his stare turned into a glare. "I can't believe I have to lecture you on this."

"I'm not a child that needs to be reprimanded, Shun." Zero hissed.

"Then stop acting like one!" Shun snapped back in challenge. The Xyz user baring his metaphorical teeth at Zero's sass. "You almost hurt Yuto because of your self-destructive tendencies! It's starting to get out of hand and I'm putting my foot down on this matter right now. This isn't going any further, not getting any worse, and since you seem to not want to do anything to fix it then I will. You're unraveling!"

"I'm not unraveling!" Zero suddenly yelled, and stood up from his spot on the couch to be almost eye level with Shun. Those little inches in height really made all the difference now as the two glared at each other. "I didn't mean to almost hit Yuto! It was an accident and I've already said I was sorry for it." Though, the masked man could definitely work on giving another, more proper apology to Yuto after they went back to the tower.

Shun's words hit a little too close to what Roger said, and Zero attacked back in response.

"The real reason for all of this is because he knows your real name." Seeing an opening, Shun took it and grasped it in his talons like one of his many mechanical falcons. Cutting off the air in Zero's sails right then and there. The remark hit the nail right on the head judging from the way Zero suddenly crossed his arms and turned his head to look away from Shun's gaze. He really did speak in all body language. The man didn't need a face to convey how he was feeling.

When Zero sat back on the couch it was a sign of surrender. For once, Shun didn't feel like savoring the rare victory against his superior. It wasn't something he liked to do anyway, and especially not in a time like this.

Shun reigned in his anger that had begun to rise again, and sank down to sit beside Zero on the couch as well to be at eye level with him. He didn't want Zero to think he was holding this sudden development over his head. Didn't want Zero to believe he was doing this out of malicious intent. This needed to be treated carefully, and Shun was doing his damn hardest to tread lightly, but to also not treat Zero like glass. Neither side would appreciate the other being babied, not after everything they've been through.

"Roger knows your real name, doesn't he?" Shun asked again in the calm quiet. Zero didn't respond for a solid minute at least, but eventually, he gave a slow, soft nod.

"He does." Zero admitted like a damned man confessing to all of his sins.

"Lelouch Lamperouge." Shun tasted the name on his tongue, playing with the words in his mouth to try and familiarize himself with it. It certainly had a fancy ring to it, and was quite a mouthful compared to an alias as simple as Zero. The masked man himself had tensed tremendously at hearing his own name being reflected back at him while still wearing his mask. "Well, I suppose it's a much better name than what it could've been." That actually got a quick chuckle of amusement out of Zero before they fell quiet again. Molten yellow looked over towards that blank mask. "Why is it such a big deal if Roger knows your name? If you don't live in this Dimension, which I doubt you do, then it shouldn't be a problem. He can't do anything about it since his power only extends to this city."

Zero growled, a near animalistic sound thanks to his modulator, and he spoke whilst clenching his gloved hands into fists. "He's threatening me with it! Dangling it over my head like it's the greatest blackmail material ever, and it is!"

The rebel suddenly punched the couch cushion underneath him, but Shun didn't say anything or react to Zero's sudden anger. Instead, he let Zero continue speaking to try and understand. He listened.

"Knowing my name gives Roger a lot of power, because he can use it against me like he tried to use Crow's kids against him." Zero began to explain rapidly in a near fit of hysteria. "There's no way 227 got that Polymerization card from me to summon the Lancelot Conquista. I don't even have that card in my deck! That means Roger had to have it, and he had to have gotten it from someone else. I know for a fact that he got that Spell card from Academia. I'd bet my identity on it!"

"So you figured that out too huh." Shun didn't doubt that for a second. When Zero was at his regular peak he was quicker at connecting the dots than Shun ever could be. "I'm surprised an agent of Academia climbed up the ranks in this Dimension so quickly, yet I suppose I shouldn't be seeing how this place functions."

"Point is that Roger is a part of Academia, which I know he knows that I know that." Good lord wasn't that a tongue twister of a sentence. "He has the ability to hop Dimensions. Roger got here somehow, so it's obvious he has to have a way back to Academia or even to the other Dimensions." Zero took out the pocket knife he had gained when arriving at the Synchro Dimension and began to fidget with it in a nervous tick. "Since he knows my name Roger could give that information away to Academia or any of my enemies at any time he pleases. He's threatening my sister and everyone close to me that I'm trying to distance and protect by becoming Zero. I don't doubt Academia will find a way to find where I live and card my sister as a way to get back at me." Zero's blank mask finally looked over at Shun again after staring straight at the wall for so long. "Shun, if that happens, it will kill me." He sounded so vulnerable saying that, admitting to a fault, a weakness even to someone as loyal as Shun.

Zero's only way back home was through the technology Academia had, yet, it could just as easily be his downfall too.

"Nunnally." Shun said, and just saying that name caused the masked man's anxiety to increase tenfold. "That's your sister, isn't it? Ruri told me about it." If there was anything Shun could relate to with Zero, it was being a protective older brother to a younger sister.

No one was supposed to get this close to him. He should be back in his own world by now. Where the hell did Zero go wrong to be in this situation? To be where he is.

"The whole reason I am Zero is because of her." The masked revolutionary admitted as he returned to staring at the wall in front of him again. The fidgeting and playing with the pocket knife got worse, yet he miraculously didn't cut himself. While Shun wasn't exactly comfortable with the way Zero treated a weapon as a fidget toy, he didn't say anything to oppose it. They'd get to that problem another day. "She said that if you fold a thousand paper cranes you can make a wish and it will come true. You know what she told me?"

"What?" Shun questioned at Zero's prompting.

"She said she wished the world was a gentler place." Zero revealed. A nostalgic air about him as he reminisced about his sweet, kind younger sister. He missed her so, so badly right now, but it was probably for the best that she wasn't here. Not with Roger as the Director of Security. Not now. "I plan to make her wish come true. To make the world a kinder and gentler place for even strangers. To where everyone is accepted whether they are weak or strong. Come hell or high water." The revolutionary grabbed a tight hold of his pocket knife and stopped playing with it as he reaffirmed his vow.

"... Pardon me for asking this." Shun began once he knew Zero was finished. "But why would she ask for a gentler world? You two are royalty, right? You're a prince."

Zero's mood immediately soured from his original determination at Shun's words. "Yes, I am a prince." He said it so bitterly.

The Raidraptor continued his train of thought. "I would think royalty wouldn't get into so much trouble, or get as traumatized as you are- Don't try to deny it!" Shun pointed at Zero as the masked man was about to object. "It's clear you have problems. Trying to deny it now would only make you look like a fool in denial."

"Hmph." Zero crossed his arms and turned his head to look the other way. That pocket knife was tucked back to wherever it came.

"When Riley was first set to join us you stated that he had no innocence left in his eyes. You had a similar experience to whatever Riley had that made him the way he is now back when you were a kid." Shun recalled. It seems Reiji wasn't the only one to make that connection. "What happened?"

"..." This was the crossroads. Finally, Shun had arrived at where he first wanted to start this conversation. To the fact that Zero was a prince yet he was off fighting in wars and revolutions at 17. "... That would be because of our bastard of a father."

"What?" Shun blinked. He certainly didn't expect that.

Thus, Zero finally began to explain his past. He opened up, and told his story, or some of it at least.

"Back when I was younger, around ten years old, tragedy struck at the Aries Villa my mother, sister, and I lived in." The revolutionary put his head on top of his hands. "My mother, Empress Marianne vi Britannia, was struck down and killed in cold blood while my sister was crippled from the attack. She was so traumatized by it that she became blind." Zero said darkly, and suddenly growled in rising anger. Shun's skin had paled rapidly at the thought of something like that happening to him and Ruri. A living nightmare. "But I know better. I know the truth. It wasn't terrorists that killed my mother, it was assassins sent to kill her! Someone else in the royal family hired someone to kill her because she was a commoner by birth and was my father's favorite consort."

Vi Britannia? Then that means his actual name is Lelouch vi Britannia. Not Lelouch Lamperouge. Another separate identity. That made three now. Maybe Lamperouge was Lelouch's real name, or maybe he just preferred it being that way. In the end Shun said nothing about it, and Zero continued.

"I confronted my father about it one day, and you know what he did?" A mocking, fake laugh escaped the masked revolutionary's lips. "He said 'what of it?' and merely moved on with life. Like he didn't give a damn that my mom was dead! That his wife was shot and killed in the palace grounds that were supposed to be the safest place in the world! She died and he didn't CARE!" Zero roared, and suddenly the man was up out of his seat and pacing before the Raidraptor user. "I demanded justice! I demanded an investigation on my mother's murder, and he denied it! He made them drop the investigation and took the body! He didn't even give her a funeral when he made my brother Schniezel take the body away! I knew as soon as he commanded that he had to have something to do with her demise! I know he's involved in it somehow!" Zero ghosted the left side of his face as if reminiscing the day he stood up to his father. Then that hand turned into a fist and shook in rage.

Frankly, the man sounded eerily similar to Leo Akaba. Seeing how Reiji turned out thanks to being abandoned by his father and getting stuck with his toxic mother. Shun found their situations to be concerningly similar. Does every genius need to have bad parents or something? Good Lord.

"He banished me and my sister in response to my words." Shun practically choked on his spit at that revelation. The man was definitely like Leo Akaba. "He exiled us to Japan to be used as bargaining tools. As political hostages!" Zero kicked at a stone wall, but it didn't budge, yet Zero didn't even register the pain as he continued pacing. "Then a year later just as everything was starting to look up for us he went and declared war on Japan! Britannia brought in their knightmare frames and destroyed everything, killing anyone they could." Shun stared at Zero, shocked to his core.

Wait, knightmare frames?

"Are you saying knightmare frames are REAL in your Dimension?!" Shun said incredulously. In all four of the Dimensions Shun has never heard of a country named Britannia. The most he heard about Britannia was in history books, and that was more based on Arthurian Legends and the Knights of the Round Table of Camelot.

It was clear now that wherever Zero came from it wasn't from the four Dimensions they originally thought were the only ones. He didn't belong to Xyz, Synchro, Standard, or Fusion. Zero originated from somewhere else completely.

God, Reiji would be having an aneurysm at the mere possibility of alternate universes and even more Dimensions than just four. This brought the multiverse theory to a whole new level.

"As I'm sure you know by now, I'm not exactly from around here." Zero gestured to all around them. "Or anywhere near here." The man crossed his arms and jutted one hip out to the side. "To be frank, I actually got here by complete accident."

"How?" Shun demanded, but didn't doubt it for a second. Seeing Zero's luck the Xyz user didn't doubt that Zero was unlucky enough to get tossed to a whole other Dimension by accident. It's happened before with Ruri.

"My best friend was about to kill me without realizing it and C.C sent me away." Wow. If that wasn't a lot to unpack right there, but Shun was going to brush it to the side for another day. Right now he was focusing on Zero. "Don't ask me how the hell she did it, because I still don't know but I sure intend to find out when I get back home." The confidence was appreciated at least.

"That's how you suddenly popped up in the Xyz Dimension." Shun realized. The puzzle pieces are all starting to slide into place. "You got dropped off at our Dimension after whatever the hell happened and that eventually led you to meeting us."

The Lancer co-leader gave a single nod. "I originally led a group called the Black Knights in my world to help free Area Eleven from Britannia and return it to its proper place as Japan. When I was suddenly sent to your world I did the first thing I could think of and gathered as much intel as I could."

"Smart." Shun nodded in approval. He would've done that too. Get to know the enemy first before striking and all of that.

"When I finally got the full story of what was happening in Heartland." Zero paused, and rolled his shoulders back to try and release the tension that was stuck in there. "It was too similar to what was going on between Britannia and Japan, with my entire world. Seeing as Britannia controls over a third of my world last I was there." Shun cringed subtly. Zero's home world was a hell of a lot worse than what their Dimensions were going through if that was the norm for his Dimension. "Yeah, my home planet isn't so nice and pretty like Standard. More like a mix between the Fusion Dimension with Academia as Britannia and the Xyz Dimension as a stand-in for Japan and the other suppressed countries around the world. With the Synchro Dimension's ideologies mixed in between."

Dear God. That sounded like a living hell. No wonder Zero was so screwed up.

"Is that why you decided to help us?" Shun questioned as the rebel started to calm down once more. He really was going on a rollercoaster ride of emotions today, and frankly Zero hated it and just wanted to get off as soon as possible. "Because the scenario in Xyz is so similar to your world and the battle you were originally fighting in you felt a connection to it? A need to stop it like what's going on between Britannia and Japan?"

Zero tipped his mask both ways. "Mostly, yes." That mask tipped over towards Shun. "However, I admittedly do have other motives." The Raidraptor tensed under Zero's sudden scrutiny. "Once we defeat Academia it will allow me to gain complete control over their Dimensional travel. I'll be able to learn and implement this into my own duel disk… With Academia's demise, I'll finally be able to go home." I can return to my sister. It didn't need to be said out loud for Shun to understand. "I can finish the fight between Britannia and the rest of the world, and I can win. With the help of my duel disk and monsters. This virtual reality that can become real."

Well, at least Zero's other motives were mainly noble. Ish.

With Zero's story finally explained, Shun understood him better. The Raidraptor user could see Zero's motives and reasons. He could understand Zero.

With this understanding also came trust. A trust so fragile and weak it could break with a single harsh tug in the wrong direction, but could become something more, something greater if carefully tended to.

Shun would try his hardest not to squander it.

"Why didn't you just keep your card?" Shun didn't see the need to stray on bad memories any longer, to stay stuck in the past. So he decided to ask a question concerning the present to help bring Zero back out of that rabbit hole. "I mean, you could have lied and just said that 227 still had the card when in reality it would be hidden in your Extra Deck. So why all of the deceit on Yuya's part."

Did he have to worry about such deceit being turned on himself, Yuto, and Ruri. Honestly? Probably. Hopefully though it wouldn't come to that. Hopefully, Shun would be able to see through Zero's bullshit better now that he got to know Zero more than before. Hopefully.

"Because I want to keep Lelouch and Zero as disconnected and far from each other as possible." Zero stated firmly. A statement which demanded no arguments or objections. "To have anyone else know my identity would be disastrous. The more people that know, the higher a chance that secret gets spilled, and that's the last thing I want."

"You know, all of these lies are going to come crashing down on you eventually." Shun warned as he crossed his arms once more before standing back up. They were just about done here anyway. Shun got his answers. "Why not just tell them the truth? It would certainly make Yuya feel better knowing that his friend Lelouch has been safe this entire time."

"Because some of the Lancers have a big mouth and like to gossip." Zero didn't need to say anything more as Sylvio immediately came up in each of their minds. "Not only that, but there is that Academia spy Dennis still in our ranks." Shun scowled, so Yuto and him really were right about that hunch. Jolly. "Also, Yuya has a soft heart. If Yuzu or someone else he cared about were to be taken and threatened I don't doubt that Yuya would crack and spill about my identity if it meant that he kept his friends safe and alive. The same could be said for anyone else if the roles were reversed." That was a disturbing thought, and it was even more tragic that it was a possibility. "Best to just keep it all a secret and hide the truth to prevent such a thing from happening."

"Makes sense." Shun agreed lightly.

It was all sound reasoning in Shun's mind, and the teen couldn't see a reason to object to it. However, the Xyz user had a feeling deep in his gut that there was another less logical reason as to why hidden behind it all. Stemming from Zero's deep rooted problems with trust throughout his entire life.

The Lancer stretched his arms back and gave a loud sigh. "Well, I suppose with all of my questions answered this conversation is over. Something I'm sure you're relieved about." From the way Zero's shoulders slumped just a margin, he was actually really glad about it. It was a movement that Shun had to actively look for to catch.

Good, it meant Zero had finally got all his shit together and was acting normal again. Or, as normal as a masked man that leads revolutions could be.

"Let's get back to the tower." Zero ordered, and Shun didn't need to be told twice before starting to head over towards the masked man's D-Wheel. "I'm sure the others are starting to worry about us."

"Well, it has been over two hours." Shun stated as he checked the time on his duel disk. Honestly, the Raidraptor was kinda shocked that this conversation took so long, but it was one that needed to be had.

It seemed to have helped Zero in some way as well, which was a huge relief off of Shun's shoulders.

"They probably think Security got us or something." The Xyz rebel continued before scoffing. "Tck, as if." After a moment of not hearing Zero respond. Shun turned away from the man's parked D-Wheel to look over his shoulder. "Zero?"

"..." If Shun didn't know any better he would think Zero was debating with himself on something. "Shun, who else knows about this?" The terrorist finally asked the dreaded question. "Who else knows my true name?"

"... Not many of the Lancers if that's what you're asking." The dark haired duelist finally answered back after a bit of debating with himself. If this would help lower Zero's paranoia and anxiety, then it was worth it. Better to answer honestly unless he risks Zero doing something reckless in unfounded fear. "Yuto, Ruri, and I know, but I don't believe Yuya and the others have connected the dots yet if that's what you're worried about." Shun pursued his lips in displeasure. "Though, Reiji has probably figured it out by now too."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from the son of the ruler of Academia." Zero remarked as he moved over to his D-Wheel. One black gloved hand rubbing at the vehicle's polished side before ghosting over the strange glass orb in the front. "I suppose if anyone else had to find out about this I would prefer it to be them. Not Reiji obviously, God no. I don't doubt for a second that if he sees an opportunity to curb my authority he'll take it. He wants to control me too." Zero seethed for a moment at the thought as he grabbed the handles of his D-Wheel and sat in the driver's seat. "But at least he won't sell me out to Academia if given the chance. The man has too much sense for that, and I'm too useful to let go, for now." That was certainly ominous.

Both teen's knew however that while Reiji could be cold he's not that much of a cold-hearted bastard. Even the CEO wouldn't sell someone out like that to his worst enemies. Not even when Zero acts like an annoying shit to him.

As Zero turned the D-Wheel on, the masked man patted the back seat behind him. "Get on. I want to get back to the tower and fix this mess I've made as quickly as possible."

Shun raised both of his eyebrows at Zero, and barked a single laugh that wasn't amused at all. "Ha, fuck no." When Zero looked over in shock at his answer the cyan banged duelist stepped forward. "Move over. I'm driving us back."

"This is my D-Wheel!" Zero objected hotly as he fought with Shun over who got to drive. "I may have let you drive it on the way here but I'm better now so I'm driving! Now get in the back!"

"I'm not letting a sleep-deprived, starving masked hobo drive me anywhere." The Raidraptor replied just as stubbornly as he forcefully pushed Zero to the back of the D-Wheel and sat himself in the driver's seat. "I'd have a higher chance of dying to you than I would getting carded by Academia if I did." It really was a pathetic sight how easily it was to do that. Zero really didn't stand a chance or have a choice in the matter with how weak he was at the moment.

"I am NOT-!" Zero began yelling, before cutting himself short and thinking about it for a minute. "Grr, I'm not even going to comment on what you just said, but trust me when I say I will get you back for this." Though technically Shun was right, at the moment he was homeless.

"Ahuh, looking forward to it." Shun said without paying any real attention to Zero's threat. Right now he just wanted to get back to the tower safe and sound. "Now hold on, I'm going." The revolutionary didn't need any more warning, and quickly latched onto Shun's back as the two floored it out of the tunnel and back towards the Friendship Cup contestant tower.

It had Shun deeply concerned. How light Zero felt when he easily plucked the man up from the front and moved him to the back of the D-Wheel. It was less like picking up a human and more like picking up a sack of potatoes honestly. It was sheer stubbornness and a miracle of God that Zero could even walk right now he was that light. The Raidraptor user was shocked he couldn't see any signs of starvation through Zero's suit. Shun didn't doubt it would become noticeable soon if there weren't any changes made to their current situation though. He would have to find a way to fix that when they got back to the tower, and fast.

Yet, if Zero couldn't think of a solution, what could he do?

Luckily, Shun had a pretty simple idea in mind by the time they arrived at the D-Wheel garage. While it didn't deal with any listening devices it would certainly take care of any cameras. Something that could be enacted in not only Zero's room, but in everyone else's room too and even the lobby.

. . .

It was a good thing he had come up with a solution, because Shun just couldn't watch how Zero slowly fell apart anymore. It was honestly torture seeing how someone normally so strong and stubborn struggle to even stand up and get off of a D-Wheel. Hell, Zero would've face planted if not for Shun's quick intervention to catch him.

"It's fine. I'm fine." Zero panted, and weakly clutched to Shun like he was his only lifeline. Already he was beginning to reach his limit, again. "I just- I just- need a minute. I'm fine." He wasn't fine. He was feeling weak and he was starving. It would only get worse from here if someone didn't do something.

"Just relax. I'll take it from here." Shun stated firmly as he took hold of the reins, and when Zero didn't fight back it was the biggest boost of trust the Raidrapter had ever seen Zero give to someone. For the months Shun had known Zero this was the biggest handout of trust he had ever seen Zero risk. The biggest boost of determination just short of fighting for Yuto and Ruri.

Whether Zero liked it or not, he had joined Shun's fold, his flock of people he cared for most.

"You're my leader, I won't let anything get to you. I'll fight by you and stand by you till the end. That's what it means to be a Lancer."

"...okay…" Zero said weakly. The response barely escaped past his modulator and into Shun's ears. The man finally went limp. He stopped fighting it. Stopped trying to pull away from it. Stopped refusing the helping hand that was being held out to him.

He gave his trust, and he finally let go.

Someone finally caught him before he shattered on the ground. After all of the other failed tries with other people, someone caught him.

No one else had ever done something like this. No one else except for Suzaku Kururugi.

Wordlessly, Shun motioned for the executive guards to attend to Zero's D-Wheel, and while they took the vehicle away the Xyz user helped get Zero on his back. A piggyback ride certainly wasn't the most dignified or graceful of carries, but it was a thousand times less embarrassing than being in a bride's carry. Shun was certain the man would rather keel over and die then be brought before the rest of the Lancer's again in a bride's carry.

He'd honestly bet money on it.

Once Zero was situated comfortably with his arms locked around Shun's neck and his legs being held in Shun's arms they started off towards the front entrance of the tower. Thankfully there wasn't any press nearby or staking the place out to catch this less than dignified act on Zero's behalf. Something the Xyz user would have to begrudgingly thank the executive guards and the Council for, much as he didn't want to thank them for shit. They were part of the reason why this was happening in the first place.

Zero's head rested on Shun's shoulder, his face tipped to the side and away from Shun and whatever was in front of them. "...how humiliating." He muttered to himself derisively. "Disgraceful."

"This is nothing to be ashamed of." Shun said mildly as they began to head to the tower's lobby. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. They won't mock you for something like this. You're hurting. They'll understand that, and they'll only show concern for you. You'll see."

"And if they don't?" Zero retorted back. The guards at the lobby entrance bowed their heads in acknowledgement towards the duo before they turned to open the big double doors for them.

"Then they were never our friends in the first place, and they don't deserve their spot or title as a Lancer." Shun responded back just as confidently, and finally the double doors were fully opened.

Instantly, the two could spot Yuya, Yuzu, Yuto, Ruri, and Serena all still sitting in the lobby talking about nothing and waiting. As soon as the group spotted the duo they were up out of their seats and immediately coming over as quickly as they could. Serena and Yuzu split off from the rest to go and rush up the stairs. Most likely to inform the rest of their arrival.

"You're back!" Yuya exclaimed in relief as they rushed over to the two. Yuto hung back to let Ruri and Yuya meet with the two first so no one got warped away by accident.

"Thank goodness you two are alright." Ruri sighed as she engulfed Shun in a hug. Zero leaned back from the action to avoid it, something that everyone noticed. "It's been over two hours! We all thought Roger and his goons had done something to you two. We've all been so worried."

"We're fine Ruri." Shun gave the girl a small smile. Something that was solely reserved for those closest to him. "I just had to talk some sense into this idiot." Shun readjusted his grip on Zero, causing the masked man to be jostled in the process.

"I know for a fact my IQ is higher than yours Shun, so if anything you're the idiot." Zero murmured softly. "Plus, I totally kick your ass in chess, and that's the game of kings."

"Yeah yeah I know." Shun rolled his eyes at his leader's remark. "You tell us that every single time a chess board is in sight. How can I forget?"

"You're such an annoying shit sometimes." Zero grouched now, no longer amused.

"Funny, I could say the same to you." The arms wrapped around Shun's neck tightened to a near choking hold in warning. "Okay okay I get it. I'll stop."

"I'm too tired for this." Zero admitted. Normally the banter would be fun and well reciprocated, but today wasn't the best day for it.

Any mischievous attitude Shun had gained vanished within an instant. "Yeah, I know."

"What took you two so long?" Yuto finally spoke, getting everyone's attention. "Security didn't try and stop you guys, did they?"

"They tried tailing us." Shun admitted as the group began to walk towards the stairs. Said stairway sounded like a stampede was happening from the floors above them. "I lost them easily with Zero's D-Wheel."

"Where did you guys go?" Yuya questioned with a tilt of his head. Tomato colored hair being jostled around his goggles at the action.

"Around." Zero answered vaguely and twitched his hand in a gesture for it. "Stop asking questions like that. You won't be getting any straight answers from us." That was another way of saying what they did was private and the others had no business trying to stick their noses into it.

Yuto and Ruri probably had an actual right to know though. Zero was still debating about the pros and cons of it with himself.

"I'm just glad you're safe." Gray eyes went from Shun over towards Zero. "Both of you."

… Well, that helped sway the decision in Zero's mind. Just a little bit though.

"You mean Shun got to drive Zero's D-Wheel first?!" The sound of a loud Yugo echoed out, causing everyone to look at the stairway. The rest of the Lancers not stuck in their rooms quickly filled out the lobby as they got down the stairs. "Man, I really want to take a look at it. It's a work of art!"

"After Zero is feeling better though and we have the time for it, right?" Yuzu asked with an arched eyebrow. Periwinkle eyes narrowed towards the Synchro counterpart in warning.

Yugo quickly nodded his head without even looking at her. He didn't even notice the look he was getting as he answered. "Well duh, of course after he's feeling better!" Yuzu didn't even need to do anything for Yugo to say that, it just came naturally. A scowl briefly crossed the banana banged duelist's face. "Everyone knows it's terribly rude to mess with another person's D-Wheel without their permission. A D-Wheel is like an extension of yourself. It's a part of who you are!" He cracked his knuckles loudly. "Hell, if anyone were to mess with my D-Wheel without my knowledge I know they'd be getting socked in the jaw. Hard."

"Hey you guys are back!" Dennis exclaimed happily as he did a light twirl. "Some guys came in and fixed up your room while you were gone, Zero."

"Yeah, glad to know you're not dead or captured or something." Sylvio agreed as he stuffed his hands into his L.D.S jacket's pockets. "It would've been annoying breaking you guys out. Though it certainly would've been a sight with me leading the charge." He smirked wickedly at the thought.

"Glad Security didn't get their hands on you guys." Shinji nodded in greetings to Shun and Zero. A frown twitched on the man's lips. "Those bastards have already taken enough from everyone."

"Did everything go okay?" Crow put his hands on his hips as he stood before Shun and Zero. The orange haired teen's eyes looking between the two as an eyebrow slowly rose. "Did you get hurt or something? Why is Shun carrying you?"

"I-" Zero began to make an excuse, but stopped himself. Perhaps the truth would be best for this one. "I'm exhausted." He explained with a sigh.

"I'm not surprised." Crow nodded as if he had expected that and just rolled with it so easily. "You've been going non-stop for how long now? Frankly, I'm glad you're stopping finally. Hope you feel better man." With that, the City citizen turned as Amanda, Frank, and Tanner all rushed down the stairs. The trio ran around the room playing a game of tag that Crow eventually got dragged into alongside Damon. Not that he minded that much.

"Hi you guys!"

"Glad you're back. Tag, you're it!"

"Oh it's so on."

"Hope you feel better soon Zero!"

What the hell? Zero wondered to himself as he looked around at everyone as if they had sprouted two heads or were just plain crazy. Where's the belittling comments? The mockery? Aren't they going to make fun of me for being so weak? They were supposed to, weren't they? That's how everyone back in his world acted. Well, nearly everyone in his world. There were a few exceptions, but it was mostly a general thing.

Apparently Shun could sense Zero's confusion and smirked. "See, I told you." Yuto grinned and stepped up besides the two as Yuya stepped back.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Serena asked last. A no-nonsense expression on her face as she stared Zero down. As if she would maul him if he tried to lie.

Zero blinked over at the Fusion user, admittedly a bit touched. "I will be, eventually."

The Moonlight user nodded in approval, that would have to do for now. "Good." As long as he got better in the end. That was all that mattered.

"As great as this is, I'm going to have to cut it short." Shun interjected as he once again shifted his hold on Zero, causing the man to stiffen his hold at the unexpected action. "I do need to ask you all a favor though."

That got everyone's attention.

"You? A favor?" Sylvio raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "I'd never thought I'd see the day." Shinji elbowed the teen in a knock it off gesture.

"What do you need?" Yuto asked right after. That stern scowl that meant business was back on his face. Anything for his best friend. It wasn't often Shun asked for favors.

"I need you guys to get some stuff for me while I get Zero to his room." Even Zero was interested as to where this was going as he tilted his head to better look at the Raidraptor user. "I need a lot of paper, some pens, and a few rolls of tape."

Everyone grew quiet at that rather odd request.

"Seriously?" Yugo said at last. A perplexed expression on the Synchro user's face. "What do you need all of that junk for?"

"And here I thought it was going to be a life or death situation." Dennis remarked as he dramatically wiped faux sweat off his forehead. "Glad that's not the case."

Shun glared over at the Performage user's antics, but otherwise said nothing about it. "Yeah, well, I need a shit ton of it. I have an idea of how to stick it to Roger and his freaky spying devices." Now THAT caused everyone to perk up like Shun had offered a million dollars.

"You do?" Zero reeled back in shock, caught off guard. How could Shun come up with a plan to deal with the cameras when he couldn't? There's no way.

"Finally!" Crow exclaimed as he and the kids broke off from their game to lend a helping hand.

"Why didn't you just say that first!" Yuya said happily as everyone began to eagerly scramble around for paper, tape, and pens. "Sure thing!" Everyone was rushing around looking for what Shun had requested.

"I'm sick of feeling watched when I go to my room." Yuzu spat as she gathered some papers together in her hands. Though, she nearly ripped them from her rising anger at the thought of being spied on. "I want it to end as quickly as possible."

"Put them at the table!" Shun yelled as he and Zero began to make their way up the stairs towards the masked man's room. "I'll be back down in a second!"

"Got it!" Everyone yelled back, and then the duo was gone once more.

It got quieter the more floors the two passed. The jostling of fabric was the only sound being made now as they finally got to the floor Zero's room was at.

"Do you really have a plan?" The masked man asked. The Xyz rebel didn't say anything about the hope he heard at his leader's words. If he addressed it directly the revolutionary would most certainly clam up.

"I do." Shun answered instead with a nod. "Kinda simple really, but it doesn't do anything about the listening bugs that are probably scattered around the place." Zero hummed and nodded to confirm that there were indeed bugs planted all over the place to eavesdrop. "At the very least you'll have some privacy." Molten yellow eyes looked over his shoulder as they stopped at Zero's repaired door. "You'll be able to sleep and eat in peace."

Zero tensed tremendously at the thought. God, it sounded so nice.

"Even in a gilded cage like this hell hole?" Zero pestered. The skepticism was clear in his tone now as they stepped into Zero's room. The place was pristine and cleaned down to the last dust particle. It was like the rampage earlier never happened at all. Even the windows were replaced to get rid of the cracked glass.

There were a few more painted pictures and frames in his room though. Conveniently placed over any possible dents or holes that were made in the wall. The Council had a lot of influence and power, but even they didn't have enough time to fix everything in so little time.

"Zero." Shun stopped, and finally allowed the masked man to squirm out of his hold. He was getting tired of giving him a piggyback ride anyway. There is only so long someone can hold another person up, no matter how light and starved they are. The Raidraptor user turned to face Zero as the man made his way over to the bed. The sheets were freshly cleaned, pressed, and folded over the bed to perfection. It irked even Shun at the sight. "You've trusted me this far. Give me just a little bit more for this. It's going to work."

It had to. Neither teen knew what to do otherwise if it didn't.

Finally, Zero nodded, and acquiesced to Shun's request. "Very well, you're in charge. Whatever you need."

Holy shit. Shun couldn't believe his ears. Did he really just hear that? Zero was backing down completely. He was letting someone else take charge and call the shots. He just admitted that he would follow Shun's orders. Not his own wants or demands. He was letting Shun lead. Oh fuck.

This was such a huge moment. Shun was suddenly terrified he would screw it up and make everything a thousand times worse. If this is the kind of anxiety and shit Zero has to deal with everyday I might just throw up. How the hell does he do it? This sudden fear of failure wasn't appreciated in the slightest. Don't screw up. Don't fucking screw up. Everyone is counting on you-

"Shun?" He blinked, and yellow eyes looked up towards Zero as he spoke. "What do you need help with?" This was why Shun let Zero and Reiji lead, or fight over leadership mostly. The thought, the fear of failing anyone on this team like Yuto or Ruri terrified him. Failing his family over something this important, letting them down when they needed him most, was his worst nightmare. He was better suited to fighting on the frontlines, to be the first line of defense, not lead others to battle.

"Right. Right." Shun ran a hand through his dark cyan hair. "Sorry, just thinking for a second." Running a hand down his face, the Xyz user regathered himself and returned to his stoic behavior. "Honestly, this shouldn't take long. Just stay up here and I'll be back in like ten minutes or so. I'll send Yuto up here to pass the time." Cause nobody likes having to wait long for something like this. They were all about to get the privacy they deserved the first time they arrived at this damn tower. "You two need to talk anyway."

"Ah." Zero nodded after a second of thought before he wobbled and collapsed onto the bed. Thankfully for his dignity, the masked man made it look mostly like a controlled fall as if he had planned to sit down on the bed instead. Though Shun saw it for what it really was. "I suppose you are right. I do need to talk to him." Noticing the way his arms shook to keep himself upright, Zero decided to just lay down completely on the bed. "Send him up."

At least he was still giving some orders. That made this more bearable.

"Right." Shun turned on his heel and headed out the door. "I'll be back in a bit." He made sure to close the door behind him to give Zero some semblance of privacy. Something that would soon become reality.

It was time to end this surveillance bullshit. Permanently.

. . .

"Where's Zero?" Yuto questioned as soon as Shun stepped off of the steps. The taller teen speed walking over to the table as quickly as possible. "Isn't he going to be here?" Isn't he going to lead? Was the unasked question Yuto asked with his eyes alone.

"He's resting in his room right now." Shun answered calmly as he joined everyone else at the table. The counterparts all carefully distanced away from each other to prevent any trouble. "I'm taking over for now."

That caused quite a lot of raised eyebrows and shocked expressions. Did Shun just say what they thought he said?

"What? You mean Zero isn't going to lead?" Yuzu asked in surprise, certainly caught off guard at this revelation.

"And he allowed it?" Yuya asked alongside her. It was hard to believe such a stubborn individual would give in to allow this so easily.

"No, he's not going to lead us for this and yes, Zero knows about it and allowed it." Shun rubbed his forehead for a second while the other hand leaned against the table's surface. "Look, I'm not going to explain everything to you guys because what we talked about was some pretty private stuff. Point is Zero is too exhausted and weak to lead the Lancers in his current state. He's literally starving." That got all of the Lancer's to reel back in either shock, horror, or extreme concern.

"This is because of Roger and the others watching us, isn't it?" Serena demanded angrily as she slammed a fist down on the table in her frustration. "Because of all those damn cameras!"

Yugo followed suit and slapped both his hands on the table too. "Dammit, they're stalking us!"

"I didn't think he'd actually do it." Ruri muttered softly to herself, and quickly leaned against Yuto for comfort. The Xyz user wrapped an arm around her and stayed as a solid presence when she needed it. "Zero…"

"Well, we're going to fix it." Shun stated as he reached over the table to grab a pen, a piece of paper, and some tape. "This shit is ending tonight."

"What's the plan then?" Crow asked. His arms crossed and an expression on his face that meant business.

"Yuto." At being addressed, the teen in question stiffened up and looked to his best friend. "Go up and talk to Zero. You two need to have a conversation anyway, and I don't want to leave him alone at a time like this. Not when he's so weak."

"Right." The Phantom Knight user gave one nod before turning on his heel and rushing up the stairs. Though he wasn't looking forward to the awkward conversation with Zero after what happened earlier Yuto could bear it if it meant everyone was safe.

"Ruri, lend him a hand and get a meal ready for Zero." Shun said next, and Ruri was already heading over towards the sink before he even finished his sentence. As if reading his train of thought. "Make it something light so his stomach can handle it. He's eating tonight and I'm not taking no for an answer, not anymore."

"On it."

Shun pulled a chair out and sat down in it before flicking the cap off of the pen and writing on the piece of paper. "The rest of us are going to be taping these all around the tower." The Raidraptor user stated as he wrote a rather offensive insult onto the page. "Your rooms, bathrooms, the lobby, hell even the hallway for all I give a shit. You see a camera, you tape a piece of paper over it so they can't see squat anymore."

"Then what's the pen for?" Yuzu asked as some people broke off with their own papers to do just that.

Shun raised one eyebrow before side eyeing the Melodious duelist. "What else? To write shit on and then tape it to the wall." He scowled. "If Roger or whoever wants to see something then they can read all the insults I've got to say about them. I know I've got quite a few."

Sylvio grinned brightly in mischief. "Well damn, that's pretty clever. I didn't expect an idea like that coming from you Shun. Why didn't I think of that?" The brunette took two papers and began to start drawing after getting another pen.

"Aw hell yeah!" Yugo cheered and did a fist pump at the thought of sticking one to Security. "Give me a piece of paper. I've got a couple of good ones already!"

"What if they take them down?" Yuya asked as he merely drew a smiley face on one page. He didn't feel comfortable with writing insults or doing bad drawings, but he certainly wouldn't stop his comrades from venting their anger out in a less violent way. "I mean, as easy as it is to put them up it'll be just as easy to take them down. I don't want to have to do such an annoying back and forth for the entire time we're here."

"There's always going to be a couple of us here in the tower since we can only leave for two hours at a time." Serena pointed out as she stabbed her pen on the paper, nearly tearing it. "Whoever is here at the time and sees someone trying to take them down can simply stop them. Dueling or fighting I could care less. I'm done with being watched too."

"If they try to stop us anyway then we simply stop participating in the tournament." That got everyone to look at Dennis in surprise.

"Stop playing in the tournament?!" Yugo exclaimed in disbelief. "We can't do that!"

"They won't let us." Shinji muttered darkly as he finished writing a dark insult and moved on to another page. Frankly, he was all for this plan. "Bastards gotta use us for their entertainment after all."

"That's exactly it though, they need us." Dennis emphasized as he too finished a doodle. "They need us to all cooperate and give a show for the rest of the City. This tournament was made to help quell any rioting from the Commons after all. If it stops then I don't doubt those same fights will start again, and Security doesn't have a Detention Facility anymore to put such a huge influx of rioters away." The Perforamge user grinned, and that look just spelled trouble. "If we all refused to continue participating in the tournament because of this then there won't BE a Friendship Cup anymore. If it were only one or two of us refusing they could just disqualify us and move on."

"But if we all refuse at once they can't do that!" Yuya clapped his hands and pointed over at Dennis in his excitement. "They can't disqualify all of the participants! Dennis, you're a genius!" The Performage user merely just laughed the compliment off and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"So we strike if they refuse to let us do this then." Crow nodded in approval as he and the kids turned and went up the stairs to their room with their papers. "I'm in."

Sylvio took his stack of drawn paper and fixed them up into one neat pile. "Sounds like a plan to me too. I'll give some of these to Gongenzaka and the old man for their rooms." With that the brunette turned and left the lobby to go tape up his fantastic drawings in his room.

"I'm honestly kind of embarrassed none of us thought about this solution sooner." Yuzu looked down at the table guiltily. "We could have avoided so much trouble if we had."

"Well, we thought of it now." Yuya said in an attempt to cheer his friend up. "We're making a difference now. That's all that matters."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Yuzu agreed softly.

"Here." Ruri came back just then and took half of the papers from Shun's complete pile. The Lyrical Luscinia duelist placed down a bowl full of steaming chicken broth with a huge assortment of vegetables in it. The smell coming from the steam had everyone's mouths watering. "I think you have enough pages for Zero's room. Take this and hurry on up there. I'm sure he and Yuto have had enough time to make up for what happened earlier, and Zero needs to eat as soon as possible."

"Right." Shun needed no other prompt than that to gather his pages and tuck them under the crook of his arm alongside a ton of tape. Being extra careful of the hot soup Shun took it with both hands and slowly made his way up the stairs. The rest of the Lancers went throughout the tower and finally fought back against the oppression that was being forced upon them. The group coming together and working as one well oiled unit.

Just as it was originally planned when first forming the Lancers.

. . .

That's right. The most important and unpredictable element in war is the human one. Never forget about the human heart. A loud modulated sigh escaped Zero's mask as he sank into the soft mattress beneath him. It looked like it was trying to eat the masked rebel in comparison. Kallen helped me realize that the first time we fought together in Shinjuku. Seems like Shun is reminding me of that now. It didn't seem like Shun was the only one either. Yuto and Ruri were always there too, Yuya and the others not too far behind.

Hell, even Dennis was getting in on it. His act became a more genuine response with each and every hour that passed. It looks like the geass command was finally kicking into high gear.

If he were a true sociopath he would say they latched onto him like leeches and refused to let go. For once, Lelouch was grateful that he wasn't. That he still had some of his heart left.

I wonder how they're all doing. It's been a while. Lelouch pondered lightly as his vision grew spotty once again. This time, he didn't try to fight against it, but even still sleep evaded him. I wonder if they've all moved on already. If only he knew how wrong he was. Nunnally must be so heart broken. I wish I could see her.

The sound of the door getting knocked twice brought Zero out of his stupor. His head tilted to the side in the direction of the door. "Zero, it's me." Yuto, so he finally arrived. Not like that much time had passed anyway. "Can I come in?"

"Doors unlocked." Zero responded as he turned onto his side with only light effort. He was starting to get some of his strength back after letting Shun carry him. Good. He needed as much energy and strength as possible in a time like this.

With no further prompt needed, the door opened with a soft click and silently slid open. The hinges had been oiled while Shun and Zero were gone. Those bastards are doing it on purpose. They want me to know that I have nowhere else to go and rub their wealth in my face. That no matter what I do I can't change anything. Well, I'll show them.

Yuto slipped into the room like a phantom and closed the door behind him the next moment. The owner of Dark Rebellion stood there by the door stiffly. One hand still on the door knob while gray eyes stared down at the carpet instead of at Zero.

Did I really hurt him that much? Damn, now Zero was really feeling guilty over almost hitting Yuto in his anger. He had to make it right.

"You can relax, Yuto. I'm not going to hurt you." Zero spoke lightly as he remained on the bed on his side.

"I know." Yuto said as he finally, slowly let go of the doorknob and began to fiddle with his cloak instead. Big emotional conversations were never his thing. Shun had more of a stiff backbone for it, and Yuto could do it if no one else would, but if he could avoid it he would.

"Never." Zero swore vehemently, gloved hands curling into fists in front of him on the bed. "...You can sit down. I have quite the apology I need to give to you."

"If Shun put you up to this-" Yuto began.

"Shun didn't put me up to jack shit." Zero stated resoundingly, and pushed himself up to sit criss-cross on the bed. The leader's attention was solely focused on Yuto as the Phantom Knight user sat down in the new white recliner that replaced the old one. "This is something I need and want to do myself. I don't need anyone to push me to show me that what I did was wrong."

"You were angry. You weren't yourself." Yuto justified for him. Something that grated on Zero's nerves. "It's fine-"

"It's not fine!" Zero raised his voice, and that caused Yuto to cringe. The sight had Zero groaning loudly before dragging his hands down his masked face. "Nothing I did during my bout of rage was okay. Yuto I nearly hit you just because you were within my vicinity. I was so angry I couldn't tell the difference between what was just an object and what was a person. I just wanted to destroy. Grab it with my hands and just-" He gestured ripping something apart. "None of that was right. Don't try to put words in my mouth or justify things for me. Having someone speak for me, that gets on my nerves like no other. It makes me think you believe I can't speak or stand up for myself, so stop it."

"I- okay." Yuto nodded once as he copied Zero to sit criss-cross in the chair.

"Why would you even try to justify that?" The rebel leader questioned with a tilted head. "That's not normally like you, Yuto."

Yuto pursed his lips in response, and averted his gaze over towards the wall-to-wall windows. "It's just. I know what it's like." He admitted softly as he began to rub his hands together nervously. "Losing your composure, your control like that. To be so angry you just want to hurt someone and you don't care who it is."

Ah, Yuto was talking about the times he went berserk. Now it made sense.

"To see you act like that." Yuto scowled and faced Zero head on with a resolute expression. "I don't blame you. It wasn't your fault. I know it."

"But you were scared of me for a moment there regardless." Zero said and after a few seconds of debate, Yuto begrudgingly nodded.

"I was." He admitted without a stutter, and that gave Yuto a ton of respect in Zero's opinion. Admitting to something that scared you to someone else was very, very hard. "For a second there, when you swung at me, I thought back to how Yugo had acted back in Standard and… Yeah." The purple banged duelist finished lamely, and shrugged with one shoulder. As if admitting to being scared for your life wasn't that important.

"I'm sorry, Yuto." Gray eyes widened minutely, and Yuto snapped his head up in shock. "I'm really sorry for nearly hitting you. I'm sorry for scaring you, and I'm sorry for being so angry and lashing out so badly over something so small. I promise that it won't happen again." Zero's hands tightened into fists within his lap as he made another vow to both Yuto and himself. "I won't allow it. This isn't happening again."

Stormy eyes looked from the masked man, to the windows showing the City, then towards the floor. A million thoughts and feelings rushed through Yuto's eyes in just a few seconds, before finally settling. When he looked back up to Zero again, Yuto gave a small smile. "Thank you. Apology accepted, Zero."

Yuto wouldn't know it, but Zero was giving that same smile back.

The door suddenly opened without anyone knocking, and Yuto was instantly out of his seat with his duel disk activated on his arm.

"Woah, chill." Turns out the action was kind of overkill since it was just Shun who had opened the door. The teen had quite the handful with the bowl of soup and papers he had. "It's just me."

"Sorry about that Shun." Yuto apologized as he quickly went over and helped take the bowl of soup off of Shun's hands. "Didn't know who was trying to come in since you didn't knock."

"Yeah, well I kinda had my hands full." The Xyz user rolled his eyes and directed his look towards Zero. "You're going to eat tonight, and we're going to watch you do it. I don't care how you feel about that either. I just want to make sure you're taking care of yourself."

"We both do." The owner of Dark Rebellion agreed right alongside his best friend.

"How am I-"

"I'm getting to it, just wait a second." Shun interrupted Zero before he could even try to find an excuse out of it. Once Yuto had put the bowl to the side the Xyz user gave half the stack of papers over to him. The purple banged duelist flipped through them, and his eyebrows slowly rose higher and higher with each page he read. "Holy shit Shun, you really didn't hold anything back when writing these. What the hell are these even for?"

"You." Shun pointed over towards Zero, who stiffened up at being addressed. "Are going to point out every camera you see in this room and your bathroom." Now the Raidraptor user pointed to himself and Yuto. "We are going to tape these over the cameras so that whoever is watching can't see what is going on in here anymore."

It was silent for a moment as Zero processed what Shun's plan was.

"Ughh." An annoyed modulated groan sounded out as Zero buried his head into his hands. "Why the hell didn't I think of that? It's so fucking obvious!"

The sight had an unwarranted snort of amusement escape Yuto. This caused Shun to crack a smirk at the noise. "Well, sometimes it's the simplest things that work the best, or are the last thing we think of."

"Whatever, I'm going to forget this ever happened." Zero snapped as he shook his head clear of any fuzzy feeling. One black gloved hand instantly pointed out to a spot above the huge wall mounted plasma TV. "There's one over there, right above the TV." Next he pointed over to the four corners of the ceiling. "And there's one hidden in every corner of the ceiling there, there, there, and there."

The trio got to work, and soon enough all of the cameras Zero could find in his quarters were covered up with paper and taped. Blocking the view of what was going on in his room, but not destroying them at the same time. It was such a simple move that Zero was utterly humiliated by not thinking of it first. Perhaps he really was too busy making bigger plans for the future that he didn't stop to focus on the here and now.

Point is the cameras were dealt with, no one could spy on him and look into his room anymore. Zero could safely unmask without anyone getting a look at his face, and while it didn't stop the sound bugs it took care of the main threat. He could eat and sleep in peace now. He could heal up and regain his energy levels, and start fighting back at peak performance again.

The masked man really owed Shun and Yuto a favor now, and he knew just how to repay them.

Once they were done taping up all the papers, Zero spoke up. "Thank you, you two. I really owe you."

"It was nothing." Yuto waved the gratitude off with a single gesture. "We ALL have been looking forward to doing this since we first got to this tower."

"While that may be true it doesn't change that I owe you two a pretty big favor now." Zero stated as his hands lightly ghosted over his masked head. "I know just how to repay it though."

"Really?" Shun raised a single eyebrow in curiosity. While he didn't do all of this just to get a favor it was interesting to see how Zero's mind dealt with kindness. It looked like the man took shows of goodwill as a transaction. If someone did something nice for him, he would pay it back eventually. If he did something good for someone else, he would expect them to owe him a favor, and eventually cash in on it. "What is it?"

All it took was a single gesture to get what Zero was implying. The revolutionary slid one hand across his blank mask before stopping there. "Go get Ruri. It's time."

The boys' jaws nearly dropped as what Zero was implying fully hit them. He was going to take off his mask for them. He was going to show them his face. It was the biggest sign of trust Zero could ever give someone, and they were finally, finally receiving it.

Something that not even Zero's best friend Suzaku Kururugi or his sister Nunnally had received. Not that the two boys knew that.

Shun was the first to break out of it, and the Raidraptor didn't even say anything as he sped out the door like a fire was on his heels.

"Are you sure about this?" Yuto asked after a moment of silence when Shun left. The duelist's eyebrows furrowed as a memory tried to come to the forefront of his mind. Didn't he experience something like this before? There was a really big feeling of déjà vu creeping up at the back of Yuto's mind. His head was starting to hurt. What was Yuto forgetting?

"I'm sure." Zero's modulated voice interrupted Yuto's train of thought and brought the teen back to reality. "You three especially have proven yourselves time and time again. There just wasn't a good enough time for this once we got to the Synchro Dimension. But now…" Now with the cameras out of the way it was about as good a time as any. The revolutionary doubted that he would get another shot at this if he didn't do it now.

"If you're sure." Yuto agreed with a light nod of his head. That weird feeling and headache was gone now. It was probably nothing anyway.

"Zero?" After a knock, the door opened once more and Ruri's head poked through the gap. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, come in, and lock the door behind you." Zero nodded and gestured to the two siblings to hurry. Seeing this, the Kurosaki siblings hastily did as the man asked and closed the door before locking it with a resounding click. "I'm sure Shun has managed to convey why I asked you three here, yes?" The trio wordlessly nodded. "Good. Then that means I don't have to repeat myself."

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ruri asked as she looked over to her leader. "We're not pressuring you into this. I know how important this is to you, and I don't want you to do this if you feel you are being forced to."

"No." Zero shook his head. "Lately I find myself in need of people who need to know. In the past, that person was C.C, and she always knew when to get me to stop and rest so I didn't accidentally kill myself. You three will be just like her in her stead. You three know when to stand up to me and prevent me from self-destructing like I did this morning. Besides, you've earned it, and this is my way of saying thank you and repaying the favor I owe you three."

"We won't tell a soul." Shun swore, and his expression proved he was dead serious. "Only if we get your expressed permission, but what we see here today stays in this room and between all of us."

"Naturally." Zero agreed, and everyone could feel the smirk he was giving his comrades. "Though, I only ask for two things before I do this."

"Name them. We'll get it." Yuto said immediately. The purple banged duelist covered himself up with his cloak as he did so.

"First, I ask that from this point onward the rest of our conversation remains silent if it is related to what you're about to see." The revolutionary began, and pointed over towards the leftover papers from earlier. "While the cameras are dealt with, the listening bugs are not. I don't want any details of this getting out to anyone else but you three, and I don't want anyone to know what my true voice sounds like. So to prevent that, from now on I ask that we communicate by writing on what paper we have left and keep silent. If you wish, you three can converse amongst yourselves about it later, but only in a secure location that's free of any devices."

"Done." Shun nodded his head once, and that topic was closed.

"What else?" Ruri tilted her head to the side.

With one hand, the terrorist ghosted the left side of his mask in thought. "I need some sort of eyepatch or cover for my left eye." Zero turned his head away to look at his own reflection in the windows. "I am… uncomfortable with others seeing it, so I ask that I keep it covered for my own comfort."

He didn't tell them the real reason behind it, so they wouldn't see he had a geass of his own. That he lied to them earlier about not having one. They didn't need to know about everything, and this little white lie wouldn't hurt.

"Very well." Ruri acquiesced to her leader's demands. "Here, I've got a spare rebel handkerchief in my pocket, that should work." The Lyrical Luscinia duelist brought out a long strip of bright red cloth and handed it to Zero. Something the masked man took silently. "It's washed. I just always keep a spare in case my first one gets lost or broken."

"I appreciate it." The masked man said thankfully before giving out one last sigh. "Very well then. Are you three ready?"

Were they? After so long, were they really ready to see what hid behind the infamous mask?

Yuto looked over to his family in all but blood. To his best friend Shun and his love Ruri. The looks he got in return revealed their steadfast determination in the face of this new challenge. They were ready, and they weren't backing down.

"Yes." Yuto spoke finally and all three turned to look at Zero. The masked man had begun to take his mask off, and a loud hissing sound filled the air. "We are."

Zero grinned, and took his mask off completely, and placed it by his side on the bed.

The first thing that came to the trio's sight was smooth, silky black hair. The hair had grown long once again and needed to be trimmed, and fell over the top half of Zero's true face. His human face. Acting quickly, Zero momentarily turned away to wrap his left eye up with Ruri's spare handkerchief. He made sure it was secured, before finally looking up into the eyes of his Xyz comrades in arms. His allies.

His friends.

A smooth, white pale complexion devoid of any blemishes. The only mark on Zero's skin was the huge black bags under his eyes to show the man's exhaustion and lack of sleep. A sharp chin and prominent cheekbones revealed themselves as Zero lowered the dark cloth covering the lower half of his face. One bright near glowing violet eye looked into the eyes of his stunned comrades one by one.

He looked good. Really good, and from the way Zero smirked widely over at Ruri who was blushing like mad, he knew it. Who knew that under the mask Zero was a damn flirt.

Of course, Ruri loved Yuto, and that would never change. Ever. However, that didn't mean she wasn't affected by a handsome face when she saw one. Thankfully, she was quick to shake the blush off, and in retaliation to Zero's newfound behavior she nearly shoved his bowl of soup over towards him. It didn't tip over and spill, but just barely. Once that warm bowl was placed in his hands it seemed to be the only thing Zero could focus on.

If he had any less self restraint, Zero would be drooling right now. It smelled so good.

"Eat." Ruri commanded in one word, and for once Zero obeyed without hesitation. He took up his offered spoon, and he began to consume. The man practically inhaled his food, he was going so quickly. It looked like a starved man that was terrified of this meal being taken away from him, like it would be his last.

Sometimes that was the case, way back in the past. Back when he, Nunally, and Suzaku were still trying to survive in a war torn Japan.

Once the bowl was emptied of all its contents and passed off Zero gave a quiet, near mute sigh. He raised both of his black gloved hands, and began to quickly gesture with them.

/Thank you. The soup was really good. What is it made out of?/ Seconds after the rebels realized that Zero was doing sign language. Something that none of them learned or had time to learn after the Academia invasion.

"What?" Shun raised a single eyebrow. "None of us understand sign language."

"Here." Yuto quickly grabbed some papers and a pen before handing them over to his leader. Honestly, he was still kind of stunned at seeing Zero's real face. He looks so young. Hell, he's probably only a few years older than me. Eighteen at the most.

Zero nodded his head in mute gratitude, before writing down what he had originally said and showing it to them.

The group devolved into silence as they traded pages back and forth quickly. The only sound ever made in the room was the rustling of paper. Eventually, Ruri and Yuto got caught up on what Shun and Zero had talked about when they had left. Both had two varying emotions. Yuto looked like he could rip a man in two with his icy glare alone; he was so mad at hearing what Zero had to go through. Ruri on the other hand, looked greatly upset at the story. After hearing the story in its entirety, Ruri couldn't stay still any more, and quickly went over to Zero and gave him a big hug.

The rebel stiffened in his seat, blinked once, and then silently looked over at Ruri in confusion. Whether the confusion was on why Ruri was hugging him, what he should do, or if he should return the hug back remained a mystery. The only person he really accepted hugs from was his sister, and very rarely Milly since they knew each other back when he wasn't banished from Britannia.

It felt very weird to be comforted and proven right. That what his father did was indeed wrong by someone else's eyes and perspective. Someone that wasn't him. It was almost uncomfortable.

/I'm sorry./ Ruri wrote after she stopped hugging Zero. /You and your sister never deserved to go through something like that. What your father did was wrong, and he's a horrible, terrible person for exiling you and your sister just because you spoke out of turn for your deceased mother's sake./ It brought a fierce burning pain into Lelouch's chest. It nearly brought tears to his eyes. To see that someone was finally validating what he has been screaming all this time.

Most people hated Charles zi Britannia because he was a dictator and the ruler of Britannia, because of the social darwinism mentality he spread across the globe like a sick parasite. That, or it was because he established the numbers system, and enslaved so many countries and countless amounts of people under his cold hearted thumb.

Nobody hated Charles zi Britannia because he was a terrible father. Only Lelouch had the guts to say that to the man's face. Nobody was ever brave enough or cared enough to listen or agree with him.

Lelouch took in a deep calming breath, and that familiar ache of grief in his chest lessened. He gave one single nod in agreement, before taking the page and writing his own response. /I know. Thank you./ He wanted to write more, to say more, but words couldn't describe what he was feeling now. It all just got jammed up in his chest and froze his hands up, so he didn't even bother to try besides those four words.

Shun and Yuto were exchanging their own silent dialogue through eyes alone. It was a kind of connection that had to be made through years of knowing someone. Once the two came to an agreement, Yuto wrote something and passed it over to Zero too. Both had resolved looks on their faces.

/Once this battle with Academia is over… If you ever need any help fighting back against Britannia besides just your Black Knights. We'll be there to lend a hand if you need it./ Yuto wrote.

The next section was written in Shun's handwriting. /Kaito and the others can help repair Heartland in our absence. If you ever need us to help kick your father's ass, we'll be waiting./

They really were trying so hard to get Lelouch to cry, and they were getting so damn close to it too. This is why he rarely opened up to anyone. These feelings striking his chest, his heart, they were so confusing and painful he could barely stand it.

This time, the raven haired teen didn't even bother to say anything, and instead just nodded. Not wanting them to see his flustered state, Lelouch turned his head away from them and took a moment to regather himself. Something that his Xyz friends allowed without complaint.

Half an hour later when everyone was done talking exhaustion finally hit not only Lelouch, but everyone else in the room. The day wasn't even over and already so much stuff has happened. Hell, the sun was only just now beginning to set. Through a ton of pestering and stubbornness, Zero managed to convince them that he would be fine sleeping on his own, and made the others go back to their rooms. Admittedly, each person was looking forward to the comfort of their own bed and a long night's rest.

After Shun, Ruri, and Yuto had left, Zero once more took off his mask after seeing them off and placed it by his bedside drawer. He pulled back the perfectly made covers on his bed, and sank into the mattress with a sigh of relief.

Yes, he was still being spied on, but Lelouch could sleep just a little bit easier knowing that they couldn't see him anymore. That the gilded cage had been permanently bent, and was opened just enough so that he could finally break free. That he had others to back him up when he really needed it the most. He wasn't alone in this fight, not anymore.

He would take what he could get.

Ahh, you gotta love the family/team dynamics of the Lancers. I know I sure do. Shun comes in as clutch and emotional support though! Yeah baby! Bro can be my best wingman anyday. This is why he's Yuto's best friend, my guys! Dude literally scruffed Yuto by the neck and said 'I'm taking this' and they've been best friends ever since. Just imagining Yuto standing there all alone and Shun going like 'Is anyone going to adopt this?' and then just make Yuto his best friend without waiting for a response is golden in my book.

This is what finally got Lelouch to unmask and open up about himself to them. Character development baby! We all love it so much. Out of all of the people Lelouch would unmask to first. I believe it would be Shun. Serena would have to come second.

Let me tell you they did Shun SO dirty at the end of Arc-V though! Guy loses not only his best friend but also his sister all at once and they don't come back. Ever. Hell, Ruri was his entire motivation and it was all for nothing in the end. He has to deal with watching Yuya and Yuzu go on with their lives all happily whilst his life is just ruined. God I DESPISE how they ended Arc-V! They did all of the counterparts and so many others SO dirty. Did 'em dirty I tell you!

Also, my man Zero left out some pretty important details *cough cough geass cough cough*. That most certainly won't come back to bite him in the ass. Not at all! : D

If you have enjoyed the story so far leave a REVIEW, Follow, and Favorite the story so you can keep track of when chapters pop up. Because FYI, I don't have a posting schedule and I just post whenever I feel like it.

Until the next chapter everyone! -MoonlightWright