Do Something, Do It Stupid

by codegeassfan123

Everyone knows about the Britannian Imperial Family, even Lady Marianne's deceased children have their place in history. Yet everyone often forgets about the one prince that left Pendragon 7 and a 1/2 years ago, and that's the Dimwitted Prince, Joseph Du Britannia. Now that he's crossed paths with his brother on a highway in Area 11, there's no telling what adventures might ensue.

50. A Foolish Fool!

Unknown

The ringing slowly left Charles' ears as the white surrounding his vision slowly faded away.

He blinked a couple times as his view came into the focus and saw he was.

It looked to be the inside of an old cottage. Nothing too big, a nice quaint size for two people.

Speaking of which, the first thing that came to his mind was Marianne. He quickly looked around and found her.

She was laying down on a couch, sleeping.

He went to go approach her before something caught his eye.

It was an old stuffed cow, had a rainbow scarf around its neck.

He looked at it in surprise and then noticed other things that seemed familiar to him.

The daisies on the kitchen table, painting of a cat on the wall, the small fireplace that could hold a couple of logs.

"This was my family's cottage..." Charles said in quiet realization.

He then spotted a mirror and saw he looked different as well.

He was younger, with long sandy brown hair and a beard to match. Like how he used to look when he first met Marianne.

"Yeah, I figured this place would be nostalgic for you." A familiar voice said to him.

Charles turned his head up and saw it was his son, giving him a small smile.

"Joseph." Charles said with bitterness.

"Why don't you come outside? We can talk for a bit." Joseph suggested as he waved his hand towards the door. "Don't worry about Aunt Mary, she's going to be out for another hour or two. I wanted some quality time with you anyway." He told him.

"I will not stand here and be told what to do. I demand-"

"Oh my DNA Mom. Enough with the Darth Vader bravado already, dad. For once in your life, just relax and come outside." Joseph said tiredly as he went outside.

Charles stood there for a moment, thinking about his situation.

He started to realize that said situation was now out of his control and could only sigh in resignation as he went out towards the porch.

His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the grassy field in front of him, a few trees here and there as well. There was even a sun shining down on them. It would have seemed like he really was in his old family cottage again if it wasn't purple, red, and white colored barrier that was at least one football field away from the house.

"Sorry it's not bigger, only so much free space I can give you in this realm." He heard Joseph say apologetically. "Come on, sit." He said with his dopey smile as he patted down to a spot next to him on the small staircase he was sitting on.

Charles stared blankly at him for a moment before sitting down behind him.

"It even has the same smell." Charles finally said.

"It's a nice place. How come you never came back after the Emblem of Blood was finally over?" Joseph asked curiously.

"There was no point. This place was a just a reminder of my failures." Charles said bitterly.

"Well maybe it can be a place to start over?" Joseph suggested with hunched shoulders.

"What are you talking about?" Charles asked suspiciously.

"During the whole obliterating thing, I managed to convince my DNA mom to let you two stay here. A way of absolving your misdeeds." Joseph explained.

"So what? We're prisoners? Stuck in a childhood memory for millenniums?" Charles asked blankly.

"I like to think of it as house arrest. I picked this place because I know it's the last time you felt truly happy." Joseph told him.

"I rather be dead." Charles dismissed.

"So what? You want end up like your brother? No soul to wander in the Collective Consciousness? No remnants of who you were? Just tofu?" Joseph asked.

"I don't need your pity!" Charles said angrily.

Joseph could only sign tiredly.

"...Do you remember when we first met? I was about five years old?" Joseph asked.

"What of it?" Charles asked.

"Let's do a flashback huh?" Joseph asked excitedly as he waved his hand and showed the sequence that occurred.

...

(Flashback)

Pendragon

Charles was walking back to the throne room with V.V.

"What is the process with securing the gate in London?" Charles asked.

"A few minor delays. Nothing that we can't handle. Another day or two, it should be ours." V.V. informed him.

"Good. One step closer to our goal." Charles said with a smirk.

"...I heard Marianne had another child." V.V. stated after a moment.

"Yes, and another mouth to feed. What of it?" Charles asked casually.

"...No reason." Was all V.V. said, but Charles could sense some bitterness there.

"What?" Charles asked.

"Nothing. I'll update you on our changes." V.V. said as he made his way into a secret door.

Charles quirked an eyebrow up at him but didn't say anything.

Another banquet was going to start so he was going to need to put up another show of being the mighty emperor he worked so hard for everyone to see.

He still had an hour to kill so he decided to take some time to relax in his throne room.

When he walked inside however, the first thing he didn't expect to see was a small, reddish-brown headed boy who looked at him with a gleeful smile.

"Papa!" The boy shouted as he ran towards Charles and hugged his leg.

Charles stared down at this child, completely stumped by what was happening.

"Your highness." Bismarck spoke up, getting Charles' attention.

"Bismarck...who is this?" Charles asked calmly.

"That is your child, Joseph du Britannia." Bismarck told him.

"The dimwit?" Charles thought with an unamused eye. "I see. Why is he here?" He asked.

"This letter will explain things." Bismarck said a bit tiredly as its clear he already went through the contents.

Charles took the letter and could see it was Rebecca's handwriting.

Dear Charles,

I thought after 5 years of neglecting your son, you two could finally use some quality time.

And if you try to get out of it, you can say goodbye to those property rights I promised you.

XOXO

Rebecca ;P

After done reading, Charles crumpled the letter in his hand furiously.

"Bismarck, have I told you that I hate that woman?" Charles asked with angry mutter.

"Many times, your highness." Bismarck responded.

Charles could only sigh as he looked down at the wide-eyed, curious child.

"Papa time!" Joseph said excitedly.

Charles responded by staring at him intensely. In return, all Joseph did was tilt his head, still smiling his dopey smile.

This surprised Charles, that stare of his usually made some of Britannian's bravest knights squirm nervously. The boy didn't even flinch.

Was it bravery? Or simple stupidity?

Intrigued, Charles decided to see where this went.

"Come, I want to show you something." Charles said as he gestured Joseph to follow him.

"Yay!" Joseph yelled gleefully as he quickly followed his father.

They walked down a long hallway as Joseph trailed behind his father, tugging on his cape and swishing it back and forth while making farting sounds.

"Stop." Charles muttered in a stoic manner, not wanting to let his son see him be annoyed.

"Ok." Joseph said happily as he let go.

Eventually, they found themselves in a hall full of portraits.

Different rulers, different consorts, different Britannias throughout the ages. The Royal Family.

"Here." Charles said simply as he stopped in front of one particular painting.

It was a woman of pale complexion with dirty blonde hair on her head. She wore a blue dress to match her blue eyes and wore a small smile.

"This is Virginia zi Britannia. My mother." Charles told Joseph.

"Grandma!" Joseph said with glee as he ran to the painting and hugged it.

"She was a good woman. Always treated others with kindness, had a love for nature." Charles said in an almost reminiscent tone. "Most importantly, she was a fool."

Joseph turned toward his father, confused by that word.

"Despite all the warnings, despite what was coming, she never wavered her kindness. She chose to be soft until the very end, and it was the very foolish thing that took her life." Charles said bitterly. "The day she was murdered was the day I realized I couldn't be soft, I couldn't be a fool like her." He continued.

"Nor was this a world worth saving." He added in his thoughts.

He then felt a tug on his hand, he looked down and saw Joseph standing on his tiptoes to grasp his dad's hand.

"Sorry papa." Joseph said sympathetically as he patted his dad's hand.

Charles just stared at him before kneeling down to his level.

"Do you know why I'm telling you this?" Charles asked.

Joseph just tilted his head in curiosity.

"It's because you're just like my mother, a fool." Charles said blankly. "Fools are the ones who end up being on the end of people's boot-heels. They're walked all over until they're trampled in the streets. That is what happened to my mother and what will happen to you. So continue to be a fool, dimwit. See where it gets you." He said with a hard tone.

Joseph just looked at his father with confusion for a few moments before breaking out into a huge smile. "OK!" He yelled happily.

Charles blinked in a flabbergasted state. Before he could say anything further, he was suddenly had arms around his neck.

"Love Papa!" Joseph said as he tightly hugged Charles.

Charles honestly didn't know how to respond to that, he hadn't received a hug like this in a long time.

And before he knew it, Joseph let go and ran past him. He waved at the portrait of Virginia and said "Bye Grandma!" before skipping his way out of sight.

Charles just watched in silence.

It felt strange to see such jovial and ecstatic energy. As if seeing a ghost of the past.

He got back up and looked at his mother with a hint of regret one last time before going back to the throne room.

(Flashback End)

...

"That was nice day." Joseph said happily.

"You were and continue to be a strange child." Charles said blankly.

"And darn proud of it!" Joseph said gladly as he puffed out his chest, making Charles roll his eyes in annoyance. "But I really did take to heart what you said that day. 'Continue to be a fool.'" He said nostalgically.

"It wasn't suppose to be encouraging." Charles said dismissively.

"No, but they're words I live by to this day. And honestly, I think I've gotten on pretty well from it." Joseph said. "Plus, we made a connection that day." He added.

"Did we?" Charles asked sarcastically.

"Yep. It was when you compared me to Grandma Virginia." Joseph said happily.

"I didn't-"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It was suppose to be an insult at my intelligence, blah, blah, blah." Joseph mocked before getting serious. "You said it like an insult, but I know underneath the spite, you meant it as compliment." He said.

"...And how can you possibly know that." Charles asked as he looked down at the ground.

"Because you loved her. A mother is God in the eyes of a child. You cherished her kindness, you respected her methods, she was your Dora the Explorer." Joseph told him softly, to which Charles deadpanned at him. "That's why I can never hate you, Dad. Despite how much you tried to make us do so, I know you truly did love us deep inside." He said gratefully as he finally looked back at his father. "And it's why I made this place for you. Not because I pity you, but because I love you, and I want you to finally have the chance to heal."

Charles stared at him solemnly. "...So what? What you said about us not truly caring, that was all for show?"

"Hey, it runs in the genes." Joseph said with a smirk.

Charles couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Honestly though, I think I'm starting to realize how nuts Aunt Mary is." Joseph confessed.

"You should talk." Charles said simply.

They sat there in silence for a few moments, not saying a word, just taking in the atmosphere around them.

"What about Lelouch? You truly believe he wants a better world?" Charles asked.

"I do. It's true, both of you lost your mother in a horrific way. But when your mother was killed, it was easier to just start hating the world then to acknowledge the pain. For Lelouch, he used that pain to make the world better. Sure he stumbled a bit here and there, but he always stayed on the same path." Joseph explained. "And do you know what the main difference was that caused your paths to differ?" He asked.

"Enlighten me." Charles said simply.

"The support system. Duh." Joseph said as if obvious as he waved his hand showed various images of Lelouch's friends and family. "Ever since he came to Japan, he's been surrounded by people who kept him on the right path. People who encouraged him, people who checked his flaws and kept him humble." He said happily. "You on the other hand, just had an entourage of yes men, people who fueled your hatred instead of dowsing it." He continued as he showed images of V.V., Marianne, Bismarck, and the Geass Order.

"I'm going to make sure he continues to have that support system, because I know in my heart he deserves it." Joseph said determinedly.

"With what Schneizel has planned, it's a feat I doubt can be accomplished." Charles said in his usually Charles manner.

"Well I guess I can't let him get his way, can I?" Joseph asked playfully. "Besides, can't let a world be run by atomic bombs when I know these little guys are running around in it." He said as he showed his father his children.

It was them in present time inside the OSI's secret base.

Potestas and Kaecus were tugging on Shirley's arms excitedly, Umbra was dancing around with Milly in a circle, Animi was getting a piggy-back ride on Rivalz's shoulders and tugging on his hair, and Longe was conversing with a stunned Nina.

"Children from the Geass Order?" Charles said in surprise.

"Those are your grandkids, Dad. Five little munchkins who are awesome in every way possible." Joseph said as he smiled like the proud father he was.

Charles didn't know what to say to that. Out of all his children, Joseph wasn't even on the list of people he expected to be a father.

Before he could say anything, Joseph compacted the image and formed into a 5x7 photo in a frame.

"You're right, Dad. I am a fool." Joseph said peacefully as he placed the frame next to Charles. "And a fool keeps trying no matter what." He said with his dopey smile.

With that, he stood back up and walked towards the barrier.

"Goodbye, Father." Was the last thing he said before disappearing.

Charles just sat there with his thoughts before taking the frame put next to him and looking at his grandchildren.

"Farewell...my Son."

...

C's World

Joseph opened his eyes and saw that he was back with his friends.

The purple glow around him faded away and the Geass disappeared from his eyes.

He brought himself back down and his friends circled around him.

"Joe?" Kallen asked with concern.

"Sorry guys. Didn't mean to go all extreme like that." Joseph said awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It was pretty intense. But are Charles and Marianne..." Suzaku started to ask.

"Don't worry. They won't be able to bother anyone ever again." Joseph reassured.

Jeremiah looked down with a shameful expression.

"I really am sorry, Jerry. If there was any other way..." Joseph tried to explain.

"It's alright, your Majesty. It's clear the woman I had admired was a mere shell for the beast she was. She had to face the consequences of her actions." Jeremiah said solemnly.

"But are you okay, Joe?" Kallen asked, knowing he had to just kill his father and surrogate aunt.

Joseph looked at Kallen solemnly before going up and hugging her. She looked at him in surprise before resigning and returning the hug.

"I'm glad you're here." Joseph said gratefully.

Joseph then looked over to Rolo and broke into a huge grin.

"You too, new little bro!" Joseph said happily as he tightly hugged Rolo and swung him around, making the others laugh as Rolo gasped for air. "How are you holding up?" He asked as he put him down and then ruffled his brother's hair, making him chuckle a bit.

"A bit overwhelmed by everything I learned, but fine nonetheless." Rolo said.

"Joseph." C.C. said getting his attention.

"C.C., you're staying?" Suzaku asked.

"What happened to your death wish?" Kallen asked with a suspicious tone, still not fully trusting her.

"When death comes, you want to at least be smiling." Joseph said for C.C, surprising her. "That's what Lelouch told you the last time you were here, right Cecina?" He asked with a small smile.

That got a gasp from C.C. and a surprised look from the others.

"Cecina?" Kallen asked in confusion.

"Wait...is that...?" Suzaku started to ask.

"It's rude to look at other people's memories like that." C.C. said bitterly.

"Sorry, it wasn't on purpose. But it helped me realize what your wish." Joseph said.

"A death wish is all that's necessary for a witch like me." C.C. said full of shame.

"Even witches want love. Just like you." Joseph began as he started to walk up to her. "And I don't mean the kissy-kissy love that porn sites do..."

"Oh my God..." Kallen muttered as she facepalmed.

While Jeremiah coughed into his hand, Suzaku scratched the back of his head awkwardly, and Rolo just looked in confusion, not knowing what that word meant.

"I mean real love. The type of love where someone looks at you and lets you know you're important to them. The type of love where someone holds you and you're filled with content. The type of love where someone says 'I love you.' and they mean every aspect of what makes you you." Joseph told her as he put his hands on her shoulders.

"It's something you craved for hundreds of years, you gave up on the hope of ever achieving it. But I could see it in your eyes when you were with Lelouch, when you were roommates with me and Kallen, when Kaecus called you her big sister. It was that hope coming back to you." He continued.

C.C.'s eyes started to water.

"Kaecus?" Suzaku whispered.

"Shh!" Kallen, Jeremiah, and Rolo shushed.

"I can tell you right now, that you no longer have to hope. You can believe. Please believe Cecina. Please believe that you are loved and it's not going to leave for a long while." Joseph said as he pulled her into a gentle embrace.

And that started the waterworks for Cecina.

She pulled down the mask she wore, she dropped the shield to protect herself, she laid herself bare for the first time in LONG time.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Cecina said as she tightly gripped Joseph.

"There, there. Let it all out." Joseph said as he patted her back like a baby.

Kallen watched the scene with a pout and a jealous red blush while the others just smiled warmly.

After they let go, Cecina wiped her tears and had a heartfelt smile on her face.

"Thank you." She said with real sincereness.

"No prob, Seaweed!" Joseph saluted.

"Still hate that nickname." Cecina said, this time with an amused smile.

"Too bad." Joseph said with smug one.

"So what are you planning to do now?" She asked.

"Well, given the current situation, I think it's time to get back to my kids and explain the situation with the student council." Joseph said.

"I agree, with Schneizel and the..." Suzaku started to say until he realized something. "Wait...your WHAT?!"

"Story for another time. But I'm surprised you don't want to try get back to the Ikaruga and try to rescue Lelouch and Nunnally." Kallen said with confusion.

"Yeah, did the Dimensional Supervisor tune more than just your DNA?" Cecina asked jokingly.

"I'll explain in due time, right now the safest place to be is Ashford." Joseph said.

"Then I say we get out of here, make contact with Kaguya and the others, and lay low for awhile." Kallen suggested.

"The Siegfried should still have enough energy. You can all make shelter inside while we travel underwater." Jeremiah offered.

"Right-eo Jeremiah! Let's do it!" Joseph said excitedly as he pointed towards the exit.

"Let's just hope we can get off the island before Britannian forces reach our location." Rolo said wearily.

"Oh chill-lax, new little bro. I doubt they'll even find us." Joseph said confidently as they left C's World.

...

Kamine Island

Only to see several guns pointed at them by Britannian soldiers.

Joseph's group just stood there silently for a few moments.

"...So turns out they found us..." Joseph whispered apologetically before realizing something. "Oh hey! I can still speak in complete sentences!" He said optimistically.

The others just glared at him with annoyance.

Alongside the soldiers was Bismarck, Gino, Anya, Monica, Kanon, and Cornelia. In the center was Schneizel with his shit-eating smirk.

"Good work, Lady Anya." Kanon told the Knight of Six.

"Of course." Anya said with her monotone.

"Anya..." Joseph thought sadly as he remembered what Charles and Marianne did to her.

"Did you have a nice visit with father, Joseph?" Schneizel asked.

"Hello, Shit-zel. Not nice to see you." Joseph said blankly as he flipped him the bird, Kallen joining him.

"Joseph...your speech pattern..." Cornelia said, shocked that her brother could speak in full sentences.

"Where is his Highness?!" Bismarck asked angrily.

"He's...in the bathroom." Joseph said after a moment.

The soldiers and knights just stared at him blankly.

"Really? The bathroom?" Monica asked with a deadpan.

"Yep. Had to go back to his ship while you guys were coming down here. Apparently he has some very cool toilet." Joseph explained.

"Sprays water right into his asshole." Cecina added, making Kallen have to hold back a guffaw.

"C.C. you backstabbing..."Bismarck said with gritted teeth, ready to pull his sword out.

"It's Cecina. Always has been." Cecina said firmly.

"Well Cecina. While I would love to learn more about you, I'm afraid you have to join my brother and his friends in a grave." Schneizel said casually.

"Kallen, Suzaku, please. You can still walk away from this." Gino pleaded.

"Pass." Suzaku said blankly.

"I think I'm good right where I am." Kallen said dismissively as she looked away from him, making him look down in shame.

"Suzaku Kururugi, how the mighty have truly fallen." Kanon said disappointedly.

"And I don't regret it one bit." Suzaku said with a glare as he pulled out his sword.

"In any case, it seems you have proven there is something special about this temple. I'll have to run more tests once you're disposed of." Schneizel said gratefully.

"Glad we could help." Rolo said sarcastically.

"Hey! Learning sarcasm! Great job!" Joseph said proudly as he lightly punch Rolo in the arm.

"I'm sorry it's come to this, Joseph." Cornelia said regretfully.

"Maybe you are, Cornelia. But actions speak louder than words." Joseph said disappointedly.

Cornelia could only look away.

"Get behind us." Jeremiah told Joseph, Kallen, and Rolo as he and Cecina walked in front of them.

While he wasn't completely bulletproof, he could still give Joseph and his friends a fighting chance if needed.

With Cecina still being immortal, she could at least act as a meat shield.

"Slow your rolls guys, not necessary." Joseph told them.

"You have a plan?" Kallen asked quietly.

"Depends. You guys trust me?" Joseph asked.

Kallen looked at him for a moment before putting on a determined smile and grabbing his hand.

"Always." She said passionately.

"Always." Rolo said warmly.

"Always." Jeremiah said without a hint of doubt.

"Always." Suzaku said firmly.

"Not always. But I'll make an exception." Cecina said casually with a smirk.

"Good enough for me." Joseph said with a smile.

With that, his hand clutched into a fist and he slammed it into the temple wall.

*CRACK*

The slam shook the entire cave and the walls cracked all around them.

Schneizel and the others looked in shocked.

It was then a bright white light started to shine through the cracks of the temple and the sounds of electric guitar strings filled the air.

"I'd probably run if I were you!" Joseph shouted with a crazed smile.

"Damn it!" Bismarck said angrily as he and the Britannian soldiers ran out of the crumpling cave.

The light got brighter and brighter and the sound got louder and louder.

Schneizel and the others managed to get out before the cave entrance crumpled before them.

"Your highness, are you alright?!" Kanon asked with concern.

"All is well, Kanon. Though I am disappointed I won't be able to see what that temple holds." Schneizel said.

"Do...do you think Joseph..." Cornelia started to ask.

"If he and his friends weren't crushed, then they're trapped inside. I think the problem has finally solved itself." Schneizel said with ease.

"Wait! Where's Anya!?" Gino asked with worry as he looked around, not able to find her.

"Oh no..." Monica said sadly as she realized what happened.

"What?" Gino asked, wondering what she meant.

He looked where she was and his eyes widen in realization.

Anya was still in the cave when it collapsed.

"ANYA!" Gino said with anguish as he ran over to cave and tried to pull of rocks with very minimal result. "Come on, help me!" He said quickly.

"It won't do any good, Sir Gino." Schneizel told him.

"We can't just leave her! You said so yourself they could be trapped in there!" Gino said urgently.

"And by the time we dig this cave out, she would have already suffocated. I'm sorry, Gino. But this cave must act as her tomb." Bismarck told him firmly.

Gino stared at Bismarck appalled but he knew he was right.

He could only sigh with sadness as tears sprouted from his eyes. "Anya...Kallen..." He whispered as he quietly mourned for them.

"I'm so sorry Gino." Monica said with sympathy as she put her hand on his shoulder.

"We'll make sure she receives the highest honor for her sacrifice." Kanon reassured.

"Indeed. The Knights of the Round need to get affairs in order if the Emperor is truly gone." Bismarck said professionally.

"Of course. We have our own affairs to take care of in Cambodia." Schneizel said just as professional.

"Would these affairs happen to do with your experiments?" Bismarck asked with an intense eye.

"If they are, what action will you take?" Schenizel asked, not even breaking a sweat.

The two stared at each other for a long while, the others looked wondering what would happen next.

It was then Bismarck finally spoke first. "I suppose I owe you for making sure his Majesty's killers were taken care of. Consider us even for now." He said as he started to walk away with his soldiers.

"My thanks, Knight of One." Schneizel said with a bow.

"Experiments?" Monica asked Gino quietly, who could only give a sluggish shrug in return as they followed Bismarck.

Cornelia looked the cave with sadness and regret.

"Joseph..." Cornelia thought with anguish.

"Will you be joining us, Cornelia?" Kanon asked as he and Schneizel started to leave.

"To make sure that justice for my sister's killer is brought swiftly? Absolutely." Cornelia said firmly as she walked away from the cave with them.

As they walked, a soldier approached them.

"Prime Minister. It seems Earl Asplund and Lady Croomy have taken a personal carrier ship from the Avalon. He's requested to bring the Lancelot along with him." The soldier told them.

"What? Where are they going?" Cornelia asked.

"Pendragon. With the traitor Kururugi gone, he wants to find another pilot who can man the Lancelot as soon as possible." The soldier explained.

"Then by all means, let them proceed on their journey. The Lancelot has proven a worthy knightmare after all. Let him have the red knightmare and the Siegfried as well, I'm sure he'll make good use of them." Schneizel said gladly.

"Right away, sir." The soldier complied.

Schneizel could only smile at what lied ahead.

"Soon the world will head towards a better future." He thought to himself.

...

Across the Pacific Ocean

Lloyd and Cecile travel across the ocean as he just ended his call.

"Good news! Not only is Prince Schneizel letting us hang onto my Lancelot, he's giving us Rakshata's Guren and the knightmare Jeremiah piloted! This day didn't end badly after all." Lloyd said with relief.

"Lloyd! Suzaku could be hurt or even dead!" Cecile said angrily.

"Oh right, that would be bad. Especially when I'll have difficulty finding a new pilot with half his skills." Lloyd said with an annoyed tone.

"UGH!" Cecile groaned as she could only slam her head into the console. "I swear to you, Suzaku. Next time, I'll be by your side no matter what!" She thought determinedly.

...

Ikaruga

Meanwhile, the Black Knights were making their way towards Kamine Island.

"Looks like the Britannian forces are leaving." Kaguya said wearily.

"Does that mean we're too late?" Tianzi asked with worry for her surrogate uncle.

"I don't know, your Highness." Was all Xingke could say.

"Lord Xingke! Our scanners are picking something up in the ocean." Hinata informed.

"Bring it up on the monitor." Xingke told them.

The image popped up and it showed a cockpit floating in the water, the camera zoomed in and they could Urabe through the opening.

"Urabe!" Tohdoh said with surprise.

"Thank goodness." Chiba said with relief.

"Get knightmares out there right now to retrieve him and have him sent to the med-bay immediately!" Kaguya ordered.

"Right away!" A Black Knight complied.

"If Urabe's here, that means Joseph and the others have got to be too!" Tohdoh said determinedly.

"Well what are we waiting for! Let's get down there!" Tamaki said excitedly.

"Suspended from activity. Remember Tamaki?" Minami reminded him.

"Oh, right..." Tamaki deflated.

"I wouldn't get my hopes up." Xingke said solemnly, the others look at him with confusion.

"What do you mean, Xingke?" Tianzi asked.

"If Schneizel and his forces are leaving, then that means one of two things." Xingke began. "Either Joseph's group isn't here anymore, or..." He trialed off, the others knowing what was being implied.

"Uncle Joe..." Tianzi thought with worry.

"Joseph...please have survived..." Tohdoh thought with regret.

...

Ashford Academy

OSI Surveillance Room

So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999

"Come on Aunt Milly! You gotta keep up!" Umbra said as she danced rapidly to the music.

"You have just as much energy as your dad!" Milly said with a laugh as she tried to keep up.

"Come on Uncle Riv-alz! Faster!" Animi cheered as she continued to pull his hair while riding on his shoulders.

"I need to exercise more." Rivalz said with an haggard breath as he tried to pick up the pace.

"It's so cool, Aunt Shirley! Papa has an upgrade!" Potestas cheered.

"He's more Papa than papa was before!" Kaecus said excitedly.

"You keep saying that but I'm not sure what that means." Shirley said with confusion.

Nina stared at the kids that played with Shirley, Milly, and Rivalz.

When they told her who they were, she could practically feel her heart almost stop beating.

Five kids. Five little children that her prince took upon himself to adopt and care for. As if it wasn't possible for her to respect Joseph more than she already did.

She wondered if perhaps she could care for these children too, that is if Joseph would even want her to. Given everything that's happen.

"Excuse me, Miss Nina?" Longe asked her suddenly, breaking her out of her thoughts.

"Uh, w-what?" Nina asked, not hearing the first time.

"I was wondering if I could try on your glasses?" Longe asked innocently, making Nina look in surprise.

"Oh! Um, of course. Here." Nina said kindly as she took of her glasses and gave them to Longe.

Longe looked at them with curiosity. "So people are really able to see better with these?" He asked.

"That's the idea." Nina told him.

Longe put them on his own face and he gasped in surprise.

"Wow! Everything's so much clearer!" Longe said with amazement.

"You had trouble seeing before?" Nina asked.

"I can see things just fine up close, but it starts to get blurry the farther away it is." Longe explained.

"Does Joseph know?" Nina asked.

"Papa's already done so much for us. I don't want to bother him with small problems like that." Longe said like it wasn't a big deal.

Nina could understand that, but she's come to learn keeping things to yourselves lead to severe consequences.

"You should tell him when you see him again. I'm sure he'll want to help." Nina said encouragingly. "For now, you can have those." She offered.

"Really? But what about you?" Longe asked worriedly.

"I have contacts as a backup, you just make sure you can see properly." Nina said happily.

"Thanks Aunt Neat!" Longe said joyfully as he hugged Nina.

Nina silently gasped at that, knowing that was the nickname Joseph gave her. She couldn't help but smile warmly as she returned the hug with tears sprouting from her eyes.

"You're welcome." Nina said softly.

"Ok, I think Uncle Riv-alz on Wheels needs to take a pit-stop." Rivalz said, exhausted from all the running around, and collapsed onto the table.

"Awww! You're no fun, Uncle! Papa could keep this up for hours!" Animi complained with a pout as she got off him.

Rivalz just mumbled something unintelligble from the table.

"I hope he gets back soon." Kaecus said worriedly.

"Don't worry, Kaecus. Knowing big brother, he'll probably pop up soon." Shirley reassured her.

And in a sudden flash of light, Joseph and the gang popped up in the room just above the table.

"WAH!" The group yelled as they fell to the ground.

"OH SHIT!" Rivalz shouted with fear and barely dodged the bodies they fell from above.

They landed with a hard crash.

"Whoa!" Milly shouted with surprise.

"What the Hell?" Shirley shouted with shock.

The kids just looked on with curiosity.

The gang groaned with pain as they slowly got back up.

"Alright! That worked!" Joseph said with glee as he suddenly stood up with a jump.

"GUYS!" Shirley, Milly, Rivalz, and Nina shouted in surprise.

"You didn't think it would?!" Rolo asked incredulously as he rubbed his head.

"Nah! I had like an 80% inkling!" Joseph said proudly.

"You're so lucky that you're adorable." Kallen said with annoyance as she got back up.

"Kallen!" Rivalz said happily.

"Thank goodness!" Shirley said with relief as she came in for a hug.

"You're back!" Milly said excitedly as she and Rivalz came and joined the hug.

"Hey, I missed you guys." Kallen said with relief as she returned the hug.

"You couldn't teleport us on the actual ground?" Cecina muttered with a glare.

"It was basically a slingshot, can't be 100% accurate. Especially when you're thinking on the fly." Joseph explained.

"PAPA!" The kids shouted with glee as they tackled their father.

"Hey! There's my kids!" Joseph said happily as he brought them into a tug hug.

"You're back!" Potestas said happily.

"Like you said you would be." Kaecus said with relief, tears sprouting from her eyes.

"Told you I would be." Joseph said with a fatherly tone as he kissed their heads. "Looking after your siblings, Potestas?" He asked the oldest of the bunch.

"Of course, papa! Just like you taught me!" Potestas said confidently with a palm-facing forward salute.

"Good man!" Joseph replied proudly as he gave his own salute.

"We kept your walkman safe like you asked." Kaecus said softly as she handed it back to him.

"I knew you would." Joseph said kindly as he patted her head. "My goodness! Did you guys get taller while I was gone!?" He asked excitedly as he they got up and looked at each of them.

"No papa! We became better dancers though!" Umbra said excitedly.

"Well I grew taller than Longe." Animi said.

"You did not!" Longe argued.

"Did too!" Animi argued back.

"You only got fatter!" Longe spewed.

"At least I don't look like a nerd!" Animi spewed back.

*CLAP*

"Kids! Zen mode!" Joseph said with a firm tone as he loudly clapped his palms together.

"Sorry papa." Longe and Animi said, heads hung low.

"There's nothing wrong with glasses. I wish you had told me sooner, Longe, otherwise you wouldn't have walked into the girl's bathroom by accident the other day." Joseph lectured.

"You know about that?" Longe asked with surprise.

"Only recently. And Animi, I know it was you who put spicy hot sauce in Chiba's sandwich last week!" Joseph said sternly.

"But Papa! She called you dumb!" Animi said defense.

"No excuse! Use retaliation to protect your siblings, not your old man." Joseph said with a firm tone.

While that was happening, Kaecus went over and hugged Cecina.

"I missed you as well, big sister C.C." Kaecus said sweetly.

This caused tears to sprout from Cecina's eyes and crouch down to return the hug. "Call me Cecina." She said softly.

"Wait a minute! You're talking like a normal person, papa!" Umbra said with shock, suddenly realizing it.

"Yep." Joseph said casually.

"How is that possible?" Shirley asked as she came in with her own tight hug.

"All will be explained soon." Joseph told her as he returned it.

"H-Hello, Joseph..." Nina said awkwardly, not sure how he would respond to her.

Which was a bear hug and swinging her around. "Hey Neat! Long time no talk!"

It was then Jeremiah groaned and sat back up.

"Not the worse landing I've had." Jeremiah muttered out.

Suddenly he felt someone patting his side.

"Jeremiah. Can't breathe." Suzaku said with a strangled breath.

To which Jeremiah realized he was sitting on top of Suzaku.

"Oh dear! I am so sorry, Sir Suzaku! I forget how heavy my cyborg body is." Jeremiah said apologetically as he got off Suzaku and helped him back up.

"It's alright." Suzaku said as he gathered his breath.

The kids and student council looked at him with surprise.

"Suzaku?" Shirley said with quiet surprise.

"What are you doing here?" Rivalz asked cautiously.

"Guys..." Suzaku said with a wearily tone.

"Hey! Aren't you Papa's training buddy?" Umbra asked curiously, bring Suzaku's attention to the kids.

"Are you here to betray him again?" Potestas asked suspiciously.

"Papa, is this guy bothering you?" Animi asked bravely as she and her siblings stood in front of Joseph.

Suzaku did a double take and looked back and forth at Joseph and the kids.

"Wait...you...they...YOU'RE A FATHER?!" Suzaku asked, completely flabbergasted.

"And a darn proud one at that!" Joseph said as he pulled his kids into a hug.

"Can someone explain this to me?" Suzaku asked.

Only to hear the sound of a gun cocking.

"You first." A blank voice said to them.

They turned to the direction of the voice and saw it was...

"Anya?" Shirley asked with surprise.

"How the Hell is she here?" Kallen asked, pulling out her own gun on her.

"I brought her here." Joseph said casually, making the others looked at him in shock.

"Why?!" Kallen asked with angry disbelief.

"Because she deserves to know the truth." Joseph said.

"Where am I? Did it happen again?" Anya asked blankly.

"Lady Alstreim, if were going to have a conversation. I suggest you put that gun down." Jeremiah said as he walked in front of the others.

"Please Anya, we're not the enemy." Suzaku said calmly.

"Recent events would say otherwise, Suzaku. It seems I'll have to make you recordings." Anya said, prepared to shoot them.

"Hold on, Annie." Joseph piped up, moving in front of Jeremiah.

"Your highness!" Jeremiah said, trying to get Joseph to go back.

"It's okay, Jerry. I got this." Joseph reassured him before turning back to Anya. "Just now, you wondered if it happened again. What did you mean by that?" He asked.

"That's none of your concern." Anya said simply.

"Would it happen to be blackouts you've experienced in the past? One moment you're in one area and suddenly in another? As if your brain was put on pause and someone else pushed the play button?" He asked as he got closer.

"Stay back." Anya warned, inwardly though, what he was saying was starting to get to her.

"Always a surreal experience, wasn't it? Never understanding why it was happening or how to make it stop. Like 50 First Dates, all those memories, just lost." Joseph said with a sad tone.

"Memory? What memory? I remember nothing. I have no memories..." Anya said as tears leaked from her eyes.

The others, especially Suzaku, couldn't help but look at her with sympathy.

"I know. And I think it's time you have those back." Joseph said with understanding as he gently pushed Anya's hand down.

"What?" Anya asked with confusion.

Suddenly, Joseph moved his own hand to Anya's forehead and she froze in place.

This surprised the rest.

"What's happening?" Milly asked quickly.

Joseph didn't say anything and just concentrated.

Anya's eyes shook as the irises were surrounded by a purple glow.

She could see it all.

The night Marianne was shot and she looked at her with a red glow in her eye.

The constant visits to Charles.

The times she spent with Gino, Suzaku, and the Student Council.

It all came flying back.

She sucked in a huge breath and collapsed to her knees as more tears leaked from her eyes.

"Anya!" Suzaku said with concern as he came by her side.

"What'd you do?" Kallen asked.

"He gave her a gift." Cecina said with surprise.

"They're back." Anya whispered.

The others looked at her in surprise.

"What?" Suzaku asked.

"My memories, they're all back." Anya said in a state of shock. She then at Joseph who kneeled down to her level. "You gave them back." She said with a small voice.

Joseph simply smiled at her.

Anya's leaks of tears became a full on faucet as she bear-hugged the dimwit.

"Thank you...thank you..." Anya whispered over and over again.

"No prob, bob." Joseph said kindly.

The others looked on in shock.

"He...he took back the Geass placed on her." Suzaku stated with amazement.

"Yeah! That's our papa!" Longe said excitedly.

"Badass all the way!" Animi said just as excited.

"Okay! Can someone please explain what's going on?!" Rivalz asked angrily.

"Man, do we have a recap for you guys!" Joseph said with a crazed smile.

...

What felt like hours of explaining, the kids, Anya, and the Student Council finally had the lowdown of everything that had happened.

The Black Knights betrayal, the rescue attempt, the confrontation between them and Charles and Marianne, and the conversation Joseph had with the Dimensional Supervisor.

To say they were surprised would be an understatement.

They all stood in a silence for a bit, processing the whole thing.

"Holy shit...I'm friends with a God?!" Rivalz said shock and excitement.

"Demigod, but yes." Joseph corrected.

"Seriously, Rivalz! That's what you pulled out the conversation?!" Milly asked with annoyance.

"Come on! Tell me you're not excited by that aspect either!" Rivalz encouraged.

"Papa's Super Papa" Umbra said excitedly, stars in her eyes.

"YAY!" The rest of the kids cheered.

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around that." Suzaku said as he still trying to figure out how the relationship between Joseph and the kids came to be.

"Is that's why you were able to cancel Anya's Geass even without my device?" Jeremiah asked with astonishment.

"I guess when I transported back to you guys, I was able to inherit some abilities along the way. Turning off Geass commands being one of them." Joseph explained.

"And not speak with just every other word." Cecina added.

"Exactly!" Joseph confirmed.

"Joe, you said that when you left limbo, you saw all the memories of those both alive and dead." Kallen began to say, before turning shy. "Did...did you happen to see..."

Joseph responded with a kind smile and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Naoto misses you and your mom very much, and he's very proud of the woman you've grown into." Joseph told her kindly.

Kallen's eyes shook with surprise but then they sprouted with tears and a watery smile appeared on her face.

"And warning about not being too rough on our first night together. Whatever that means." Joseph said offhandedly, making Kallen blush very red.

"Eup is proud of you too, training buddy." He continued as he looked over to Suzaku, surprising him.

"S-She is?" Suzaku asked with trepidation.

"Yep, come a long way in a year." Joseph told him happily. "And that the time she spent she spent with you, was the best time she ever had." He told him gently at the end.

Suzaku looked at him solemnly before he nodded with a small smile.

"Mine too." He said emotionally.

"So Zero was not only Lelouch...but a prince as well..." Anya said quietly, still processing the whole thing as she looked at the photo she had of the guy when he was a kid.

"Lelouch..." Shirley said with quiet distress.

"I'm sorry, new little sis. I failed in protecting him." Joseph said shamefully.

"No, it's not your fault. You never could have predicted Schneizel would do something like that." Shirley said wistfully.

"Besides, not like you're the one who helped him." Kallen said as she glared at Suzaku.

Suzaku tried to defend himself. "I didn't know I was being followed! I never would have recorded Lelouch if-"

"Why the Hell did you record him in the first place then!?" Rolo asked angrily.

"I thought he was going to lie to me again! I was...I was planning on using the recording to show Nunnally who her brother really was..." Suzaku said regretfully.

The group looked at him aghast. Except Joseph, who looked at him sadly.

"Oh training buddy..."Joseph said softly.

"Wow! Not enough you turned Lelouch over to his dad, you were going to turn his sister against him as well!" Kallen said angrily.

"I thought..." Suzaku tried to explain.

"So now the Black Knights not only have lost their leader, they also have a weapon that can destroy half a city." Kallen said with rage.

"The FLEJA was not my doing!" Suzaku insisted.

"We know that-" Joseph tried to intervene.

"It's mine! If I had known what the damage it was going to inflict, I never would have-" Nina tried to say.

"Wait a minute, you created that weapon?!" Jeremiah said with shock.

"You almost got our Uncle killed, Aunt Neat?!" Longe asked incredulously and a hint of betrayal.

"I thought he was keeping Joseph under his control!" Nina tried to explain.

"Are you insane?! Are you that crazily obsessed with Joseph?!" Kallen asked angrily.

"At least I don't try to whore myself-"

"ENOUGH!" Joseph shouted at the top of his lungs, getting everyone's attention on him.

"Come on guys! I just had to banish my dad and my aunt to the nether realm because of their hatred, do we really need more hate?! Has it gotten us anywhere?! AT ALL!?" He asked with annoyance and rage, making the others look down in shame.

He looked down to his kids and could see them whimper in fear a bit. He sighed and ruffled their heads to let them everything was okay.

"We can't be each other's throats anymore. Especially with everything at stake. I know it'll be a process but we have to wipe the whiteboard clean, otherwise Schneizel is going to end up running the world with his big purple bombs and Lelouch is going to end up like King Henry the VIII." Joseph continued.

"Wasn't he ruler of the Empire until he died?" Anya asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Exactly." Was all Joseph said before turning to Nina. "Nina, I'm sorry that I let you believe there was something that could be between us. Had I known you were really serious about me that way, I would have spoke up sooner. But the fact of the matter is, I don't 'like' like you. You're just a friend, a good friend, but just a friend." He said solemnly, Nina hung her head low in sadness. "And it's not cool to make big, scary, purple bombs just because you don't like the people I hang out with!" He reprimanded, making Nina cringe.

"But I also know Schneizel shares in that blame. He cranked your anger and envy up to the max and fooled you into making those things. You thought you were protecting me, and I appreciate that." Joseph continued more softly, making Nina give a small smile. "I know you want to make up for it, and I'll gladly accept your help."

Nina looked at Joseph in awe, so well-spoken and exquisite in his mannerisms that she didn't know existed.

But one thought still lingered in her mind.

"And Kallen? Are you two...?" Nina started to ask.

Kallen glared at Nina a bit before looking at Joseph, wondering what he would say.

He thought about it for a moment.

"Not yes." He said simply.

Kallen couldn't help but feel her heartbreak a bit, the others couldn't help but sad about it either.

"But not no either." He continued as he turned to look at Kallen, whose eyes lit up in surprise.

"I never really knew what it meant to 'like' like someone. But when Kallen, Cecina, and I were roommates, I felt this feeling inside. A feeling that was warm and pulsating..." Joseph started to explain.

"Ooooh my..." Cecina muttered.

"Shut up." Kallen snapped back.

"It was a feeling that got stronger and stronger the more time we spent together." Joseph continued. "And when you almost got taken prisoner, I could feel that feeling about to burst and splatter all over the place." He said as he waved his hands around.

Shirley, Rivalz, and Rolo groaned at that last part, red in the face.

Jeremiah and Suzaku sweatdropped.

Cecina and Milly both said "Ohhh my!"

"Joe..." Kallen muttered as she was starting to get annoyed with a red blush on her face.

And the Kids and Anya just looked on blankly and said, "I don't get it..."

"What I'm trying to say is that this is all new for me. I never thought I'd be the Adam Sandler to a Drew Barrymore." Joseph said softly.

The kids' eyes lit up as they understood the reference, while the others looked on in confusion.

"But I would like to figure it all out with you, Kal Pal." Joseph said with a hopeful tone. "If you want to." He asked with a small but nervous smile.

Kallen looked at Joseph with surprise. She had never seen him look nervous before. It was strange to see, but she could tell he was serious about it.

So with that, she returned a hopeful smile, walked up to him, took his hands into hers,

and gave him a kiss on the lips.

"I think that would be great." Kallen said, no longer afraid.

This action made the others gasp, especially Milly and the kids.

Joseph stared at her, having a red blush on his face for the first time ever. But then he gasped in surprise.

"Whoa! That warm feeling's back! That's good right?" Joseph asked as he looked down at his chest in surprise.

"Depends on who you ask." Kallen said, couldn't help but laugh.

"Kallen!" Shirley squealed.

"About time, you two." Milly said with a cheshire smile.

"Took them forever." C.C. said tiredly.

"KAL PAL!" The kids shouted with glee as they ran towards Kallen.

"Uh oh. WAH!" Kallen muttered in a panic before being tackled by the barrage of children.

"Does this make you our new mama?" Kaecus asked excitedly.

"Are we going to learn how the pilot your cool red robot?" Animi asked with a crazed look in her eye.

"You like music as much as Papa right?" Umbra asked with intrigue.

"Are you going to forget who he is each day?" Longe asked curiously.

"You're not going to break his heart are you?" Potestas asked suspiciously.

"Uh..." Was Kallen could say, a bit whiplashed from all the questions.

"I think they like you." Joseph loudly whispered to her, making the others chuckle.

Except Nina, who could only look down in sadness, tears sprouting from her eyes.

Joseph saw this and spoke up, "I really am sorry, Nina. I'm not asking you to be happy about it. But if you really are my friend, you'll accept my choice and not fight it, and especially not cuss out my new girlfriend, or kill her for that manner." He said with a gentle but firm tone.

Nina looked at Joseph with heartbreak, but knew he was right.

She caused so much damage because of her foolishness and unwanted hatred.

She wasn't going to let it make decisions for her anymore.

"You're right. I'm not happy about it, it breaks my heart honestly. But it would be even more devastating if I were to lose you both as a friend." Nina said quietly before turning to Kallen and bowing to her. "I'm so sorry, Kallen. You didn't deserve to be treated like that, especially by me. I hope one day you can forgive me." She said with all honesty.

Kallen stared at Nina, not sure how to feel about her apology.

That is, until she saw Joseph staring at her and giving her a knowing look, which made her sigh tiredly as she got back up.

"It's okay. I mean it's not okay. But I'm not going to bear a grudge about it. Especially with everything that's going on. We were friends once Nina, and I don't want us to continue resenting each other over a guy of all things. So...I'm willing to start over if you are." Kallen said with a small smile.

"...Thank you." Nina said with a small smile.

"Awww. See! Already making up!" Joseph said happily as he wrapped Kallen and Nina around his arms into a tight hug, making them blush.

"I guess we should be taking notes, huh?" Rivalz asked Suzaku as he looked at him unsurely.

This made Suzaku breath through his nose with shame.

"Guys...I...nothing I say will ever make up for what I did to you back in the summer last year. I was filled with so much anger and hate at Lelouch, that I was willing to look the other way at the Emperor's actions. But that's no excuse! I never should have let you guys get involved. I should have defied the Emperor the moment he even suggested it, but the fact of the matter is, I didn't. I betrayed you. I let that man warp your minds, making you forget Nunnally, and I have to live with that fact for the rest of my life, among other things." Suzaku said shamefully as he looked down at the ground.

His mind flashed back to the Kururugi Shrine when he killed his father and then to when Lelouch fell to his knees and tears leaked from his eyes.

"Only now have I finally realized that the guilt I've felt over the years, is what Lelouch must feel everyday after he Geassed Euphie and had no choice but to kill her." He said with understanding as he looked at the Student Council determinedly before getting on his knees and bowing before them, shocking them.

"Suzaku, what are you-" Shirley tried to ask.

"I know you can't forgive me for what I did. But please let me try to pick up the pieces of the mess I made! I want to help Lelouch and Nunnally! Not just to make up for what I did, but because they are my family, and I can't let them down anymore!" Suzaku pleaded as tears sprouted from his eyes. "I know it'll take a lot of work and I know you'll never be able to fully trust me again, but I beg you, please..." He started to trial off as he arms wrap around his neck.

He looked up and saw it was Shirley who was hugging him. Milly and Rivalz were right behind her, smiles on their faces.

Shirley pulled back and looked at him with a heartfelt smile. "We forgive you."

Suzaku's eyes widen in surprise. "But..."

"We know you messed up and it took awhile to stop being mad at you. But the fact that you're here, that you're willing to do anything you can to atone, says more than enough." Shirley said kindly.

"It's like Joseph said. We have to wipe the slate clean. And if it means we can get the entire Student Council back together, I'm more than willing." Milly said encouragingly.

"Honestly dude. I forgave you the moment Joseph said you told Schneizel to go screw himself." Rivalz said with a smirk.

That got gut-busting laughter from the others, especially Cecina. Anya only gave a small chuckle and the kids were confused.

"What does that mean, Papa?" Kaecus asked curiously.

"When you're older, Kay." Joseph said as he patted her head.

Shirley helped Suzaku back up. "And don't forget, this is your family too. We have your back, no matter what." She said sweetly as she gestured to the rest of the people there.

Suzaku looked at the others.

Joseph gave him a big smile and two thumbs up.

The kids saw this and did the same thing.

Rolo gave him a genuine smile.

Jeremiah put his fist to his heart in respect.

Cecina rolled her eyes but gave an amused smile nonetheless.

Milly and Rivalz waved happily at him.

Anya took a picture of him on her phone with a small smile.

And Kallen stared at him for a moment before giving him a small smile and nodding firmly at him.

It all made tears leak down on Suzaku's face. "T...Thank you..." He said happily.

And for the first time in a long time, the pit in his stomach was gone.

For the first time in forever, he truly felt at peace.

Suddenly, he felt Rivalz jump onto his back.

"Ah! Rivalz?!" Suzaku said with shock and confusion.

"Come on, dude! Why do you always gotta be so sappy!" Rivalz teased, making the others laugh.

"Hey kids! Dog-pile Uncle Suzaku!" Joseph encouraged as he charged his training buddy.

"Yay!" The kids shouted excitedly as they charged as well.

"Wait, guys, no!" Rivalz tried to say.

It was too late though as they dog-piled onto them, the room howled with laughter.

"Ahh. I missed these days." Milly said reminiscently.

"Unfortunately, there going to be very far and few from each other if Schneizel gets his way." Anya said in a solemn tone, bringing the room back to the main topic.

"Which is why I brought us back here." Joseph started to explain as he got back up. "With the manpower Schneizel has, I knew facing him head-on right now would be a losing battle, even with the Black Knights helping us." He continued.

"And even with Nunnally's blackmail, he'll most likely have her taken prisoner as well once he reveals the FIEJA to the world." Cecina said.

"Exactly. Big bro runs his world with nukes and Lelouch and Nunne end up behind six foot concrete for the rest of their lives if not executed." Joseph continued.

"But didn't you just say you're the son of Geass?! Can't you just go Thor on the guy's ass?!" Rivalz asked incredulously.

"Trust me, I'd loved to! But DNA Mom told me herself that I can't use my full power, otherwise its curtains for me." Joseph told him.

"But curtains are nice." Umbra spoke up innocently.

Joseph couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah they are." He said softly as he went over and brought her into his arms. "As much as I hate to say it, and I mean really hate to say it. We have to be patient and take our time with this one." He said defeatedly.

The whole group looked at Joseph, completely stunned.

"...Seriously?" Suzaku asked, still reeling from the shock.

"Wow, big brother..." Shirley said with disbelief.

"And here I thought I've seen everything." Cecina said with a bit of awe.

"Is it really that surprising?" Joseph asked with a raised eyebrow.

"YES!" The whole group, minus Anya and the kids, yelled unanimously.

"Pretty sure you're the same guy who decided to dress up in a clown suit to rescue his Sensei." Kallen commented with a smirk.

"Who also went into a war zone during the battle of Narita." Jeremiah added.

"And the Chinese Federation" Rolo added.

"And decided to adopt five kids out of the blue!" Rivalz added.

"Hey!" The kids said in unison as they glared at Rivalz.

"Not saying it was a bad thing." Rivalz recoiled with a nervous smile.

"I like being spontaneous..." Joseph muttered with a pout.

"We know Joe." Milly said teasingly.

"We're proud of you." Kallen said as she patted his head.

"I really mean it though. This is something we can't screw up guys. It's not just Lelouch's and Nunne's lives on the line, it's the entire world's. We're talking Endgame shit here!" Joseph insisted.

The room suddenly changed temperature, and the gravity of the situation really started to sink in.

"Which is why if we're going to do this. We're gonna have to go BIG. Bigger than anything than even Lelouch has ever planned!" Joseph said determinedly. "And I know I can't do it alone. So while it's unfair for me to ask-"

Before he could finish, he felt a firm grip on his shoulder.

"Come on, Joe! What on Earth made you think I was going to say no? I'm with you all the way." Kallen said with a determined smile.

"Same here, Joseph. This is just the first step in making things right!" Suzaku said without hesitation.

"I've come much too far into this adventure to walk out now. Consider me in." Cecina said with a smirk.

"Your love for the the Vi Siblings and this world only gain the upmost respect and loyalty from me, Prince Joseph. I shall be your knight at hand." Jeremiah said with admiration as he bowed forward.

"Careful, Jeremiah. Too much boasting might end up with a lecture from Sayoko." Shirley teased.

"A risk I'm willing to take to see my fair maiden again." Jeremiah said proudly.

Joseph and Shirley couldn't help but "Awwww" at that before she herself turned to her big brother.

"Count me in as well, Joe. I can't just leave my boyfriend and Nunnally at the hands of a sociopath! And when I get my hands on him, he's gonna wish he never even played chess with my man!" Shirley said threateningly as she held her fist up in anger.

"Yeah! Up top, Orange Avenger!" Joseph said excitedly as he raised his hand up for a high-five, which she gladly returned.

"Wait, why is she Orange?" Jeremiah muttered, a bit jealous.

"I have your back no matter what, big brother. I may not be able to use my Geass anymore but I can't stand back and do nothing." Rolo chimed in next.

"Well hey! Don't count us out either! Just because we don't have fancy fighting skills or superpowers like you guys, doesn't mean we can't help too!" Rivalz said determinedly.

"That's right! I wasn't chosen on the Tokyo Settlement's list of most promising careers for nothing!" Milly said with pride.

"The people who died from the explosion. That's blood on my hands. I need to atone. No matter what!" Nina said solemnly.

"I'm always with you, Papa!" Potestas said excitedly.

"Me too!" Kaecus said next.

"Me three!" Umbra said after.

"We'll take our mean uncle down like Voldemort!" Longe said determinedly.

"And make it hurt, A LOT!" Animi said with raised fists and a crazed smile.

"That's my kids!" Joseph said proudly as he roped them into a hug.

"Joe." Kallen and Shirley said with a deadpan.

"But again, leave the butt-whooping the adults need to do." Joseph added quickly. The kids groaned in disappointment.

The only one to not speak yet was Anya as she watched the spectacle with amazement.

Every single one of them offered to help without any hesitation. They must have truly respected and loved the Dimwit Prince.

Soon all eyes were on her, and looked down at the ground to avoid the attention.

"I get if you don't want to participate in this fight, Annie. But I hope you understand why it needs to happen. If Schneizel succeeds..." Joseph started to say.

"I know. I'd basically be trading one prison for another." Anya said quietly before looking back up at Joseph and the others. "You helped me, Prince Joseph. You gave me back something I never thought I would have. And for that, I'm eternally grateful." She said solemnly before she kneeled and bowed her head towards him, surprising his friends.

"I will do anything you command. I am at your service." She said professionally.

There was silence for a moment before Joseph walked up to her.

"I'm not really into servitude as I am friendship." Joseph told her happily.

She looked up at him in surprise and saw him extend his hand towards her.

"And I would very much like to be your friend." Joseph said with his dopey smile.

Anya looked at him with shock before a small smile came upon her face.

She took his hand and rose back up. "Thank you."

He nodded before suddenly pulling her next to him and taking her phone.

"Selfie!" Joseph said gleefully before taking snapshot of them together and then tossing the phone back to the beguiled Anya.

He then jumped onto the table.

"ALRIGHT! We got our team! The hardcore rebel! The emo immortal! The white and pink knights! The badass cyborg! The time assassin! The genius scientist! The student council for the ages! The Mini Avengers! And the Dimwit Prince himself right in the middle!" Joseph began dramatically. "The journey will be long! It will be tough! But damn it if we're not ready to go to work! RIGHT TEAM!?" He asked with a raised fist.

"YEAH!" The group shouted excitedly, except Anya and Cecina who gave it half the effort.

"So where do we get started?" Suzaku asked.

"How else, my fine training buddy?" Joseph asked smugly. "It begins with transportation, and ends with a wacky designation." He hinted with raised eyebrows and his dopeey smile.

"Uh..." Suzaku could only say, not sure what he meant.

That's when the kids gasped in realization.

"Papa, do you mean...?" Potestas started to ask.

"Yep-per-rooni, kids! I'm talking Road Trip!"

...

One Month Later

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"It has been one month since the destruction caused by the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead." Milly began professionally, her station in a corner by the ceremony.

The auditorium was filled with many nobles and guards.

...

Horai Island

"Today His Majesty, Emperor Charles, will make an important announcement to the entire nation." Milly continued

Naomi sat tiredly in her apartment, her diet consisting of ramen and bad-tasting energy drinks. Wondering if she'll her daughter and her friends again.

When Ohgi told her what happened and that she was currently missing, she slapped him so hard he ended up landing on the ground. She cussed him out and told him it was his fault if anything happened to her.

She thought about using refrain but she couldn't go down that road. Not again.

...

Ikaruga

"We will be bringing you live international coverage of this from the Pendragon Imperial Palace." Milly continued.

Kaguya, Tianzi, and Xingke watched the ceremony from inside the main deck along with Urabe, Rakshata, and Tohdoh.

They tried to look for Joseph and the others, but they couldn't find any evidence of where their whereabouts might be. Tianzi couldn't help but worry about her surrogate uncle while Kaguya was distressed about Rolo and the capture of Lelouch. Xingke was trying to keep things afloat among the Black Knights but he couldn't do much with the morale being so low since Zero's 'death'. Tohdoh was brought back on a probationary level, still no real command but he could participate in missions again.

When Urabe had awaken that night, he immediately told everyone what happened when he came to assist Joseph and his friends.

The revelation of Suzaku helping them was definitely a shock for all of them. The question of Geass did come into play, but Urabe had confirmed that Lelouch had already geassed Suzaku long before he was taken prisoner as he was told by Joseph, Kallen, and C.C.

Kaguya and Tohdoh had all but lost hope for their cousin/pupil, thinking nothing could change his ways at this point. But if Urabe said was true, maybe there was some light at the end of the tunnel.

...

Horai Island

"Even though His Majesty has not made any public appearances in the past month." Milly concluded.

Tamaki was currently deep into a glass of saki.

He tried to quit the Black Knights but Tianzi gave him a paid vacation instead to think things over.

...

Ashford Academy

Rivalz sat with a bunch of other students as he observed the announcement on his phone.

"Here we go...all or nothing..." Rivalz thought anxiously.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

Internally, Milly was a bit nervous to say the least.

I sure hope this works..." She thought worriedly

The royal siblings were gathered in front of the room.

"Didn't somebody say that the Emperor was missing?" Carine asked.

"Bismarck was the one who reported that. Now he is gone." Cassius said.

"As for Schneizel and the others, where are they?" Odysseus asked.

"Don't know. There's been no word from Cambodia yet." Carine said.

"Have you heard anything, Guinevere?" Cassius asked.

Guinevere didn't respond and just stood there, staring blankly ahead. Her hair was a bit unkept, her clothes were wrinkled, and she looked like she hadn't slept well in days.

Not since Schneizel reported to them about Joseph's death.

"What's wrong with you?" Cassius asked with a raised eyebrow.

Guinevere responded with a silent glare in his direction.

"Fine then, nevermind." Cassius said with annoyance. "...bitch..." He whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

Guinevere just sighed tiredly.

"Just get through this ceremony and then you can be done with it all..." She thought tiredly.

"Presenting, His Imperial Majesty!" A soldier said, red surrounding his irises.

The horns made a triumphant noise to introduce the Emperor, but it was then followed by silence.

...and more silence...

The people were started to get confused.

A moment later, a keyboard riff started to play from the stage.

It's the FINAL COUNTDOWN

"Is...is that music?" Odysseus asked with utter confusion..

Guinevere's eyes widen in recognition.

"It...it can't be!" Guinevere said with shock.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Carine said angrily.

...

Horai Island

Tamaki looked up at the TV in confusion.

"Huh..." Tamaki said drunkenly.

...

Naomi stared at her television with new interest.

...

Ikaruga

Tohdoh, Kaguya, Urabe, and Tianzi also looking with surprise.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

It was then the brown reddish-haired man in the black overcoat slid onto the stage and danced to the center of it, his back towards the audience.

The final countdown (final countdown)

(Oh)

It was then he spun around and revealed to be who else but the Dimwit Prince himself, Joseph Du Britannia!

With a new look at that.

Instead of his usual messy beard and mustache covering his face, his cheeks were clean-shaven while he had a nice square beard connecting to his mustache. It also looked like he had a bit of haircut, it was still the same Starlord-style as usual but a bit thinner than before.

"Here we go." Milly mentally thought to herself as she prepared herself for what came next.

"Well now! It seems we have a surprise guest at the Imperial Palace!" Milly said professionally.

...

Ashford Academy

"The first domino falls..." Rivalz thought to himself as he couldn't help but gulp.

...

Ikaruga

"Uncle!" Tianzi said happily.

"Joseph?!" Tohdoh said with shock.

"Son of a bastard." Urabe said with a relieved smirk.

"Always full of surprises that one." Rakshata said with her relaxed smile and Kaguya nodded in agreement with her.

...

Horai Island

Tamaki had to spit-take his drink by what he was witnessing.

"Holy shit. I-I know that guy." Tamaki said, quickly overcoming his drunken state. He then started to get really excited. "Hey. HEY! I know that guy!" He said excitedly.

...

"Joe...?" Naomi said with a hopeful expression.

If he was there, then could be that Kallen...

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"Hey everyone! How's it been?!" Joseph yelled out with a wave.

...

The Knights of the Round watched the event with wide eyes.

"He's alive!" Gino said with surprise.

"How?!" Bismarck said angrily.

"Damn parasite..." Dorothea Ernst, the dark-skinned Knight of Four said bitterly.

...

"It's really you?" Carine said with shock.

"You're alive?" Guinevere said with stunned tone but also a sense of relief as well.

"Hey Gwen! Good to see you!" Joseph said as he happily waved to her.

"Bismarck said you were dead! How the Hell are you here?!" Cassius asked angrily.

"My death was...greatly exaggerated." Joseph said in a dramatic fashion. "Sorry to just drop in but I've actually come here on a mission." He explained.

"Joseph, how good to see you. When Bismarck said you perished, we were all sadden by the news and it relieves me to see you still alive. But now, aren't you carrying this joke a bit too far? Father could appear at any moment…" Odysseus started to say.

"Uh, yeeeahhh...about that." Joseph started off awkwardly. "Dad's not going to be coming tonight. He's sort of...occupied." He tried to explain.

"Occupied?" Odysseus asked, murmurs of confusion surrounded him.

"Well, he no longer exists on this dimensional plane anymore and he won't be back for...ever." Joseph explained with a awkward shrug of his shoulder.

This begun even more murmurs around the auditorium.

"Joseph, are...are you saying..." Guinevere started to ask.

"But not to worry! That's why I'm here! Now that Dad can't be Emperor anymore. I'm going to gladly give my services to the job." Joseph said optimistically.

If there was a record scratch, it would have been at that exact moment.

"...What?" Was all Cassius could think to ask.

...

Ikaruga

"What?" Xingke asked with a twitching eye.

...

Horai Island

"Huh?" Tamaki asked, doing a double take.

...

Cambodia

"WHAT?!" Cornelia screamed furiously at the top of her lungs.

She was with Schneizel, Kanon, Nunnally, and Sayoko who were watching the event on television. Kanon had to cover his ear a bit from the shouting.

"Oh my..." Nunnally said with surprise by the sudden turn of events, Sayoko gripping her shoulder in support but just as surprised.

"Well this was unexpected." Kanon said with surprise in his voice.

Schneizel didn't say anything and just continued to look at the screen.

...

Ashford Academy

The student surround Rivalz stared blankly at the screen for a few moments.

"Are we being Punk'd?" One of the asked.

...

Horai Island

Diethard stood with a group of flabbergasted people as he watched the events on a big screen.

"How interesting." Diethard said with a sense of intrigue.

...

Europia United

Leila, Akito, Ayano, Ryo, and Yukiya, who were out getting groceries, stared at the television in the window, completely dumbfounded.

"You have got...to be kidding me..." Akito said between annoyance and deadpan.

"Guess he found that 'hope' after all." Leila said with a small smile.

...

Pendragon

"Ugh! That damn retard! Why can't he just go away!" Lohmeyer said angrily as she watched the screen with others in the city.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"That's right! Your new Emperor...is moi." Joseph said proudly as he pointed his thumbs at himself.

And boy, did the cussing start.

"Our Emperor killed by a retard?!"

"Absurd!"

"Blasphemous!"

"And trying to take his mantle!"

Music to Joseph's ears.

"Keep hating haters!" Joseph said as he waved his hand in a dramatic fashion.

Guinevere would have scoffed in amusement if she wasn't still reeling from shock.

"What are you saying?! Are you nuts?!" Carine asked incrediously.

"Is that even a real question?! Guards! Take that fool and execute him! He's guilty of murdering our Emperor!" Cassius said angrily.

As the guards there tried to charge him with their spears, two blurs of motion came from the ceiling and knocked them all down to the ground.

They landed in a dramatic fashion and rose back up, heads held high.

"No one lays a hand on the Emperor!" The White Knight said.

"Not unless they want to face the wrath of our almighty might!" The Hardcore Rebel shouted.

It was Suzaku and Kallen! Both of them wearing their Ashford uniforms, except Kallen still had her hair styled in her usual rebel fashion, just without the headband.

"Really wish Joe came up with better lines for us..." Kallen deadpanned in her head.

...

Horai Island

"KALLEN!" Naomi said with joy and relief as tears sprouted from her eyes.

...

Ikaruga

"Suzaku..." Tohdoh said with shock.

"He really is helping them." Kaguya said with wide eyes.

"Told ya." Urabe said with a smirk.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"Allow me to introduce you to my new Knights of the Round!" Joseph said proudly as he came to stand between them. "Suzaku Kururugi! Who I give the position of the Knight of One!" He proclaimed as Suzaku looked on with a proud smile. "And Kallen Kozuki-Stadtfelt! Who I now give the new title that is the Knight of Zero!" He said with pride as Kallen looked on with a smug grin.

...

Horai Island

Ohgi and Villetta looked on with shock from inside their apartment.

"Kallen...why...?" Ohgi asked with shock.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"Who also happens to be my girlfriend." Joseph decided to add in as he wrung his arm around her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Joe!" Kallen said with embarrassment as her face blushed, but she didn't reject the kiss either.

...

Ikaruga

"(Gasps)! The Rebel and the Prince coming together!" Kaguya said excitedly with stars in her eyes.

"Oh brother..." Xingke muttered with an eye roll.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"Joseph, Lady Kallen, Sir Kururugi, this just won't do. Pulling a bad prank like this on an international broadcast…" Odysseus tried to say.

"It ain't no prank, Ozzy! It's time for a change around here and it's time for me to put my big boy pants on!" Joseph said determinedly as he emphasized by pulling his pants up to waist.

"You're a traitor to the crown! You lost your title as a prince which means you can't be Emperor!" Carine tried to argue.

"Very true. But I'm pretty sure I'm a still a prince." Joseph countered.

"Last I checked, you took yourself over to Zero's side!" Cassius said angrily.

"Once again, accurate. But if I'm not mistaken Dad never took away my title as a Prince." Joseph explained. "Did he Suzaku?" He asked with faux uncertainty.

"Not while I was working for him." Suzaku said cheekily.

"And I'm pretty sure I never gave up my title, did I Kal Pal?" Joseph asked.

"Nope, never did." Kallen said smugly.

"Then I don't see a problem with me taking over the mantle." Joseph said with his dopey smile.

"This is asinine! You don't even have what it takes to be Emperor! You're nothing but a half-brained retard who lets everyone do everything for him!" Cassius said callously.

"Hey! Don't talk about our Papa that way!" Potestas said angrily as he and the rest of the Mini Avengers came out onto the stage as well, confusing the royal family and nobles.

"Kids! I was going to introduce you properly!" Joseph chided in a friendly matter.

"Sorry Papa!" The kids excitedly in unison.

"Papa?!" Guinevere asked with wide eyes.

"Um, Joseph. Who are..." Odysseus started to ask.

"I'm glad you asked Ozzy! Allow me to introduce you." Joseph began.

"Peter du Britannia! Leader of the Mini Avengers, brave and true to a fault!" He introduced Potestas, who bowed professionally towards the crowd.

"Kaitlyn du Britannia! A little lady where Kindness and Virtue drive her instincts!" He introduced Kaecus, who curtsied to the crowd in a graceful manner.

"Unique du Britannia! An enthusiastic free-spirit who sees all life with newfound curiosity and optimism!" He introduced Umbra, who twirled around before bowing dramatically with a laugh.

"Leif du Britannia! Intelligent, quick-thinking, and a friend to all!" He introduced Longe, who gave a simple wave and smile.

"And last, but definitely not the least, Angelina du Britannia! Headstrong, fierce, and not afraid to bite back!" He introduced Animi, who gave a sharp grin and stuck her tongue out at the crowd, and got a head ruffle from a chuckling Kallen.

"Most importantly, they're my children." Joseph said sweetly as he gathered them into a tight hug.

That got a gasp out of the people in the auditorium.

...

Cambodia

"My nieces and nephews..." Nunnally whispered to herself with tinge of excitement.

When Sayoko told her that Joseph had adopted five kids, she was surprised to say the least but happy for him nevertheless if not still a bit angry at him for lying to her about Lelouch as well.

Basically she was an emotional mess right now.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"He fathered children?!"

"Impossible! Who on Earth would want him?!"

"A damn fool, that's who!"

"Fools! All of them!"

Several comments like that were being made it was making Kallen and the kids angry. So much so that Kallen was ready to pull out her knife and start cutting people and the children were ready to activate their Geass and wreck havoc!

Thankfully, Joseph decided to step forward at that moment.

"If it was fools who took down my father, then perhaps it takes a group of fools to run the world!" Joseph began.

"That doesn't make any sense." The Emo Immortal said tiredly from behind the curtain.

"Just give him a second." The Orange Avenger said encouragingly.

"Because fools take risks! They do what no one else will do! They bend the status quo no matter who says what! My dad said the strong devour the weak! A quo he lived by and I dare challenged to bend it. And guess what suckers! We won!" Joseph said determinedly as he waved to his family and friends.

Guinevere couldn't help but be in awe of her little brother, so unrelenting and passionate, but without the hatred of their father.

"And if you don't like it..." Joseph said before he snapped his fingers.

*CRASH*

Which caused three giant knightmares to crash through the ceiling and point their guns at the nobles.

The Siegfried, the Mordred, and a newly made Vincent to be exact. Piloted by the Badass Cyborg, the Pink Knight, and the Time Assassin.

"You can take it up with Sir Jeremiah Gottwald, the new Knight of Two. Anya Alstreim, the newly promoted Knight of Three. And Rolo du Britannia, the stoic but gentle new little brother of mine." Joseph said with a smug grin.

The three of them opened their cockpits to show their faces to confirm it was them.

"The Emperor's word is law!" Rolo said sternly.

"Those who defy the Emperor may as well be against Britannia itself! You swine need to learn your place!" Jeremiah said boldly.

"Consider this my word of recommendation for the new Emperor." Anya said simply before she took her phone recorded a memory.

...

"Anya! S-She's alive." Gino said with shock and relief.

"And a traitor to his Majesty." Dorothea said with venom in her voice.

"Indeed." Bismarck said darkly.

...

Ikaruga

"Rolo..." Kaguya said with a small smile and a red blush.

...

Cambodia

"Jeremiah..." Sayoko said with relief, red blush on her face.

Nunnally smiled at her and put her hand on top of hers.

...

Pendragon Imperial Palace

"Good thing Lady Kaecus was able to sneak us into the knightmare hangar with her invisibility Geass." Rolo thought to himself.

"It also helped that Lloyd and Cecile were willing to assist us once they learned of our plans..." Jeremiah thought to himself.

...

Lloyd and Cecile watched the event with the Genius Scientist inside the knightmare hangar.

"I'm surprised you were able to make the Vincent so quickly, Lloyd." Nina commented.

"It was no problem was Jeremiah sent me the schematics." Lloyd said pridefully.

"I'm just glad we had the Mordred on hand as well." Cecile said with relief as she watched the event with a smile, especially at Suzaku.

...

"Thanks guys!" Joseph said cheerfully as he waved at them before turning back to the stunned crowd.

"There's a new Sheriff in town, people! And he's going to make some changes around here!" Joseph said determinedly.

"All hail Emperor Joseph!" Kallen and Suzaku proclaimed with raised fists.

"All hail Emperor Joseph!" Rolo, Jeremiah, and Anya chanted with raised fists.

"Yay Papa!" The kids cheered happily.

"Hey, why don't you go meet your extended family." Joseph whispered to them.

"Okay!" The kids said unison excitedly as they rushed over to the family down the stairs.

...

Ikaruga

"Well everyone! It seems things are going to start shaking up here in Britannia! Stay tune for more!" Milly Ashford said with her Cheshire smile.

The group stared at the screen, completely flabbergasted. Except Tianzi who just clapped excitedly.

"Hooray, Uncle!" Tianzi cheered happily.

"...Please tell me this is a dream. This is a nightmare and I just need to wake up..." Xingke said with a blank voice

"Oh, it's very real, Xingke..." Kaguya said with a sweatdrop.

"Oh, Joseph. You never cease to amaze me..." Tohdoh said with an amused smile and shake of his head.

...

Horai Island

"...Wow..." Was all Naomi could think to say.

...

"YEAH! THAT'S MY SECOND BEST BUDDY, EVERYONE! DRINKS ARE ON ME!" Tamaki cheered at the top of his lungs, making everyone cheer as well at his last statement.

...

Cambodia

"What should we do, your Highness?" Kanon asked.

"We'll continue as planned. If anything, this will justify our own project among the masses." Schneizel said with a relaxed smile.

"You're not worried?" Kanon asked.

"Don't be concerned. Let Joseph have all of it. Because it doesn't matter. He can have Britannia, the whole nation. The question is what comes next. Which will control the world? Will it be the Dimwit or will it be someone who gets things done." Schneizel said with a smirk before looking at Nunnally. "Can I presume I have your cooperation as well, Nunnally?" He asked his sister.

"As long as Lelouch is kept safe, do what you need to." Nunnally said professionally.

"Very well." Schneizel said simply.

They finally noticed that Cornelia was still standing there in frozen shock, and a twitching eye, as she continued to look at the TV screen where Joseph inserted himself as Emperor.

"Big sister...are you okay?" Nunnally called out to her as she grabbed her hand.

She stayed silent for a few moment before her face broke out into blinding rage and she screamed:

"WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK?!"

To Be Continued...

As Joseph had said, there's a new sheriff in town!

I know, making Joseph the Emperor seems kind of lazy to write as that's sticking to canon but I can assure you right now that the Zero Requiem is NOT HAPPENING! Things are still gonna be shaken up and I'm determined to finish this year!

Now I know it would probably be harder for Joseph to initiate a coup than Lelouch since he a Geass like his. But remember that he has a bigger group of people to help him out than Lelouch did, people who can help him plan it out and take over, as it's shown at the end of the chapter.

To answer CodeTransformers' question about how many chapters are left. I would say about 8 or 9, somewhere before or just at 60 chapters totals. And it's my goal to get them all out by the end of the year if not sooner!

I'm ready for Do Something, Do It Stupid to end and I hope I write a satisfying conclusion for all you readers when the time comes.

Until next time, comment and tell me what you think!