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.

47. AWOL!

He stands before the gate in the cave of Kamine Island.

Flashes of light wave around him.

A cloud made of skulls emerges.

Shadows walk among the living.

All of it is beginning, all of it is ending.

Charles laughs gleefully as the world changes into his form. A mysterious figure behind him.

Voices scream. So. Many. SCREAMS!

"STOP RAGNAROK!"

...

*GASP*

Joseph sucked in a huge breath as he shot up.

"JOE!" A voice cried out in relief as they quickly wrapped their arms around Joseph tightly. Those arms and voice belonged to Kallen. "Thank Kami, you're okay!" She said tearfully.

Joseph continued to take deep breaths as he felt like his whole body got electrocuted.

"Kal Pal?" Joseph asked with a scared tone as he slowly returned the hug, his muscles still feeling stiff from that sedative he was injected with. "What...where..." He had trouble asking, trying to understand.

"Rolo got us away. He saved us." Kallen told him but her eyes went downcast. "But...he's..." She started to say wearily as she looked behind her.

Sitting a few feet away from was a broken down Shinkiro.

It was then it all started coming back to Joseph.

The Black Knights betrayal,

Schneizel manipulating them,

and Lelouch geassing Rolo to get them to safety.

He remember how he used his ability over and over again.

"ROLO!" Joseph said as he shot up to his feet, only for him to fall flat on his face.

"Joseph, your legs are still weak from the tranquilizer!" Kallen tried to tell him.

But he didn't care, he needed to see if his brother was okay!

So he put all the effort he could into his legs and ran towards the Shinkiro, if not a bit sluggishly. He reached the cockpit and saw an unconscious Rolo laying inside, he was breathing shallowly and he his eyes were sunken.

"Little bro!" Joseph exclaimed with fear and concern as he pulled him out of the cockpit and laid him on the ground. "Wake up! Come on!" He said as he shook him.

Rolo slowly opened his eyes, red rims still around them, and saw Joseph and Kallen looking at him with concern.

"Joseph...Kallen...are you guys...did I get you to safety?" Rolo asked weakly.

"Abso-toda-lutely, little bro." Joseph with a strained-optimistic voice as he held his head up to look at them.

"You did so good." Kallen told him with strained-encouragement.

"Oh...good. I'm glad...I was able...to do one more thing...for you big brother..." Rolo said as the red left his eyes, a small weak smile on his face.

"No, no! No say that. Gonna be okay." Joseph told him determinedly. "Damn it! He used his Geass too much!" He thought with angry-sadness.

"Joseph...it's okay..." Rolo told him.

"NO! Gotta hang in! Please, little bro! We're safe! Did it!" Joseph told him irritably, tears gathering in his eyes, same with Kallen.

"Joseph...just listen...all throughout my life...people have used me like a tool. I was used by the Order...even Lelouch used me..." Rolo started to say.

"No, not like that..." Joseph tried to explain.

"Maybe you've both...been using me for your own ends right from the very start...but…being with you..has been...the only the time I felt real...the best time of my life..." Rolo said as he weakly grasped Joseph's hand, his breathing getting slower.

"Rolo, come on..." Joseph said weakly, knowing his brother was saying his final words.

"From the start...you accepted me with open arms...you treated me like family...even when you barely knew me...It was those memories that finally made me human." He continued as tears rolled down his eyes.

"Little bro, please!" Joseph said tearfully, not wanting to hear this.

"That's why I'm not…I'm not a tool...I do this of my own free will as...as a human being..." Rolo said with gratitude, eyes getting heavy. "Thank you...for...every...thing..."

And with that, his eyes shut and his head lopped to the side.

Joseph's eyes grew wide and Kallen's head looked down in sadness.

"Rolo?" Joseph asked, his brother didn't respond. "Come on, wake up." He said, shaking him a bit, still nothing. "Come on, little bro!" He said, shaking him harder.

"Joseph, stop!" Kallen told him tearfully. "He's gone." She said with finality.

Joseph's breathing grew deep, more rapid. His vision becoming blurred.

First the Tokyo Settlement.

Then the Black Knights betray them.

Now this!?

"No...NOOOOOO!" Joseph shouted with fury as he laid Rolo down flat and started CPR. "Come on, little bro. Not over." He said quickly as he started compressions.

"Joseph, it's not going-" Kallen tried to intervene.

"NOT. LETTING. GO!" Joseph told her with gritted teeth.

He couldn't give up.

NOT NOW!

He breathed air into Rolo's mouth and started compressions again. When he saw it wasn't working, he tried a different approach.

He took his fist and slammed it right on Rolo's heart.

"Not today bro! Come on!" Joseph said determinedly, hitting his chest again. "Can do this! Come on!" He continued, hitting his chest even harder.

"COME ON!"

He shouted with all his might as he slammed one final fist on his chest.

*GASP*

And suddenly, like a surge of electricity that ran through his hand and into his little brother's heart, Rolo sucked in a huge amount of breath, full of life and alertness.

"Holy shit!" Kallen said with shock.

"YES!" Joseph said victoriously.

"...Ow..." Rolo said as took a few more deep breaths while clutching his chest. He then looked at his brother in atonishment. "I'm alive."

Joseph then wrapped him into a tight hug, making him groan in pain. "Yeah, you are!" He said with relief, tears of joy filling his eyes this time.

"Thank goodness." Kallen said with relief as well as she joined the hug.

"You saved me, big brother." Rolo said with surprise and joy as he returned the hug, before rubbing his chest. "But I think you may have broke a couple of ribs."

"Yeah I did!" Joseph said with a bright smile as he ruffled Rolo's hair.

"Are you still able to use your Geass?" Kallen asked as they stood back up.

"Let me try." Rolo said as he tried to activate his power.

Only for him to groan in pain as he fell to his knees and clutched his chest.

"Little bro!" Joseph said with concern as he checked on his brother, along with Kallen.

"It's no good. The Geass put too much strain on my heart. If I were to try to fully use it, there's a good chance I won't recover." Rolo said as he took deep breaths.

"Then no more use! Too dangerous!" Joseph told him sternly.

"But big brother..." Rolo tried to argue.

"No buts! No Mounds Bar! Big Brother has spoken!" Joseph said in a strict teacher tone.

"(Sighs) Yes sir..." Rolo said defeatedly.

Joseph nodded before he remembered the events prior. "But Lelouch..."

Rolo's and Kallen's faces faltered at the mention as well.

"Rolo, did you see anything when you left?" Kallen asked quickly, worried for friend and leader.

"I-I used my Geass to escape. Anything that happened to him, happened after I left." Rolo said dejectedly.

"So...Lelouch could be dead for all we know..." Kallen said, the dreadful feeling returning.

Joseph clenched his fists tight enough that blood started to ooze from them. His eyes shook with rage and he gritted his teeth that they could break.

"RAH!" Joseph yelled with all his might as he took the broken Shinkiro and threw it into the ocean. "Damn it!" He screamed with fury.

Kallen and Rolo stared on with shock at Joseph's strength. They heard their friends tell them about what happened before, but to actually see it in person was something else entirely.

"Betrayed! Judased' and Brutused'! By own comrades!" Joseph yelled with angry as went to his knees and slammed his fists into the ground, causing a little crater in the ground. "My little brother..." He said quietly as new tears sprouted from his eyes.

"I just can't believe it...Ohgi...why?" Kallen asked herself as her fists tightened in frustration.

"After everything big brother did for them, this is how they repay him?!" Rolo said, eyes filled with rage.

Kallen then kneeled down next to Joseph and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry Joseph. Please know this isn't your fault." Kallen told him sympathetically, not wanting him to end up like he was earlier.

"Oh, not blaming self! Blaming Schneizel! Prick older brother! That manipulating, that conniving, that bamboozling, speckledorf!" Joseph ranted as he stood up swung his arms around in anger.

"That's not a word but I agree 100%." Rolo said venomously.

"So what do we do? I don't have the Guren and the Shinkiro was out of commission even before Joe chucked it into the ocean." Kallen said, wanting to get some justice but not knowing how.

Joseph thought about it for a moment before his face lit up with an idea. "Jerry?"

"Jeremiah would be very helpful." Rolo said as he took out his phone.

"And I'm sure he's going to wanna kick those Britannan asses once he learns what happened." Kallen agreed. "But how are we going to go up an army with just one knightmare?" She asked

Joseph then noticed something in the sky. "Maybe not one..."

Kallen and Rolo looked up in the direction where he was in confusion, seeing their answer in the shape of two Sutherlands approaching the island.

...

Tokyo Settlement

Suzaku continued to stare into the large puddle of water that was before him inside the crater, thoughts rummaging through his head.

Glad Eup's knight now, will help find light side. Gotta meet halfway though.

Maybe I am punishing myself for what I did back then.

Who gets to sit in judgment? Who decides whether it's right or wrong?

"I didn't know…" Nina said quietly, breaking Suzaku out of his thoughts. She struggled with every word. "I didn't understand that…that it would be this horrible…that so many people would…that it would be a…"

"Massacre." Suzaku finished for her, shocking her. "Congratulations, Nina. We just gave Britannia its greatest weapon." He said blankly as he walked passed her.

...

Island

"There's no sigh of the Shinkiro here, your majesty." A Britannian Soldier said through his comms.

"Understood, keep looking for them. Once you find my brother, take him into custody." Schneizel told them.

"Yes, your highness." The soldier said before hanging up.

"Can't believe we got stuck with searching for that retarded prince." Another Britannian Soldier said in annoyance.

"Well one of our men got a good shot at that knightmare, so he can't be too far." The Britannian soldier told him.

"Still, we should have just shot him dead when we had the chance." The other Britannian soldier said bitterly.

"Well, if we do find him. We can always tell his Highness the Shinkiro was lost at sea." The Britannian Soldier said with a smirk.

"As long as I'm the one who gets to put the bullet in that dimwit." The other Britannian soldier said evilly.

The Britannian soldier didn't get to respond as he was grabbed from behind and had his neck broken by said dimwit.

"Now your chance." Joseph said darkly.

The other Britannian hastily brought his gun up only to have a small knife poke his knife from behind him.

"Drop it." Kallen said with a low voice.

The soldier complied begrudgingly.

"First off. Is Zero still alive?" Kallen asked.

"I don't know, I wasn't in the damn ship. I wouldn't be surprised if they already took care of him though." The soldier said with attitude.

Joseph and Kallen looked at each other with fear, wondering if they were truly too late.

"Where Schneizel? With Backstab Knights?" Joseph asked angrily.

"He's heading towards Kamine Island. Something to do with the Emperor." The soldier said.

Joseph's eyes widened at that, remembering the nightmare he had.

"Why? What dad doing?!" Joseph asked quickly, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

The soldier responded by elbowing Kallen in the gut and pushing her away. He quickly grabbed his ankle gun and aimed at Joseph, only to be shot in the head from the side. The one who fired was Rolo, who walked out of the bushes.

"Damn it." Kallen muttered in annoyance for not seeing that coming. "Nice shot." She commented to Rolo.

"Thank you. Unfortunately it still doesn't give us any answers to whether or not big brother is still alive." Rolo said, disappointed.

It was then they heard a phone ring. Rolo's phone to be exact.

He took it out and they saw the name of the caller: Urabe.

Their eyes widened in surprise. Urabe wasn't one of the Black Knights who confronted Lelouch in the warehouse, and one of the few people who actually knew of Lelouch's identity and power before now. But could he be trusted?

Joseph decided to take the chance and nodded to Rolo, who answered the phone and put it on speaker.

"Urabe?" Kallen asked cautiously.

"Kallen! Thank Kami. Are Joseph and Rolo with you?" Urabe asked with relieved tone.

"Here, Uru!" Joseph said excitedly.

"Also present." Rolo said professionally.

"I'm glad you guys are okay. Things have gone crazy since the three of you escaped." Urabe said with a weary tone.

"Where are you, Urabe?" Kallen asked.

"A utility closet. I needed to make sure I could talk to you privately." Urabe told them.

"He gets it." Joseph said with a knowing smirk, making Rolo raise an eyebrow in question.

"The Black Knights betrayed Lelouch, Urabe. They know about his Geass." Kallen told him bitterly.

"I know, Tamaki gave me the full story after it happened. He's keeping watch right now." Urabe told them.

"Yes! Tom-Tom still good guy!" Joseph cheered.

"He was still part of that damn ambush, Joe. I wouldn't be so forgiving." Kallen reminded him.

"That's not important right now, there's something you guys need to know." Urabe said quickly.

"What is it?" Rolo asked.

They heard Urabe took a deep breath as his next statement rocked their world.

"It's Lelouch. He's still alive." Urabe revealed.

...

(Flashback)

Warehouse 4

"Look! Zero's still here!" A Britannian soldier said quickly he and many others aimed their guns at Lelouch.

Lelouch, however, just stood there in silence, a sad but calm smile on his face as he looked up at the blue sky.

"What the Hell was that?!" Tamaki asked, his anger directed at Schneizel as he approached him.

"You said you weren't going to harm him!" Tohdoh said, voice filled with rage, doing the same.

"You need to back off!" Cornelia said threateningly.

"What I said was we would postpone the issue. Seeing how Joseph came back unannounced, we had to take proper measures." Schenizel told them.

"And drugging him was the only option we could think of that wouldn't require us to kill him." Kanon reasoned.

Tamaki and Tohdoh looked down in angry shame, knowing that Joseph was going to hate them for this.

"Now, back to the matter at hand." Schneizel said casually as he looked Lelouch, who was still staring at the sky.

He held his fingers up in a snapping formation, the soldiers prepared to fire.

"Goodbye..." He thought to himself before closing his eyes.

But instead of gunfire, he heard a yell of pain.

He opened his eyes and saw a Kunai stuck in the soldier's back.

Suddenly, a certain ninja lands on him and kicks the soldier beside her in the face. That ninja was Sayoko and she quickly threw more kunai at the surrounding soldiers, wounding them intensively. She then stood in front of the shocked Lelouch in a protective manner.

"Master Lelouch!" Sayoko said as she stood on guard.

"Sayoko?!" Lelouch said incredulously. "But...but she was inside the blast area!" He thought to himself.

"What the Hell is she doing here?!" Chiba asked angrily.

"Take her out!" Another Britannian Soldier said.

"If she's here, then...that must mean..."

"STOP!" The voice of a young princess shouted, capturing everyone's attention.

Especially Lelouch as his eyes grew wide with shock, disbelief, relief, and honestly joy all mixed together.

He could see her as she rolled from the shadows. Her eyes were still closed but she looked very furious.

"Put your weapons down. Now!" She ordered with a powerful voice, the soldiers complied immediately. Even Tamaki felt it necessary.

"N...Nunnally...?!" Lelouch asked with quiet stunned voice, afraid that what he was seeing was just an illusion.

Nunnally turned her head towards Lelouch with a solemn expression.

"Hello Lelouch." She said with a tone of sadness.

"Nunnally?" Schneizel said with a bit of surprise in his voice.

"What are you doing here?!" Cornelia asked with surprise.

"I thought the carrier had you going back to Pendragon." Kanon said.

"It was. And then I personally had them turn it back around. Thank Goodness I did because you were about to have my brother murdered right behind my back." Nunnally said in a calm voice that had a lot of darkness underneath it.

"Nunnally...you're alive?" Lelouch asked, still in shock as tears gathered in his eyes. "This is what Joseph was trying to tell me..." He realized as he fell to his knees, making him hate himself even more.

"Yes, brother, I am. And you're Zero, this whole time you were Zero." Nunnally said with an even tone, but people could sense the betrayal in her voice, surprising people there.

"You figured it out?" Cornelia asked with shock.

"It took me a bit to finally connect the dots but Sayoko finally confirmed it for me inside the carrier." Nunnally started to explain.

"I'm sorry, Master Lelouch." Sayoko told him, feeling ashamed.

However, Lelouch was still in shock that his sister was still alive. "Nunnally..."

"When I learned the truth, I had the soldiers quickly turn around the ship to confront him." Nunnally continued.

"By yourself?! He could have had you killed!" Cornelia said incredulously.

"No. He wouldn't. That's the one thing I know he wouldn't have done." Nunnally said as she wheeled towards him.

"You came back. ...Why?" Lelouch said, not understanding.

"Because I wanted to understand why. Why you became Zero, why you've done everything you've have up to this point, why you killed Euphie." Nunnally said, her voice starting to break at the end.

"Nunnally..." Lelouch said, feeling ashamed.

"But it seems I wasn't even going to get that chance as you were about kill him!" Nunnally said angrily as she turned back to Schneizel. "Without even allowing him to explain himself! And now I'm learning my brother Joseph and my friend Kallen had to flee because you were about to kill them as well!"

"Nunnally, you have to understand. Joseph ahd no intention on coming back to his family and was willing to die for Lelouch. I incapacitated him because I didn't want him to be killed for Lelouch's mistakes. I had no idea that boy was going to take him and that girl away." Cornelia told her.

"And with all the atrocities that Lelouch has committed, it better to end his life here, before things take a turn for the worse. It pains me to do so but it must be done." Schneizel reasoned with her.

"That is not for you to decide! He deserves to have his side be spoken. So as of now, I'm placing Zero under my custody." Nunnally decreed.

Everyone gasped in shock at that. Even Schneizel showed an expression of surprise.

"You cannot be serious?!" Cornelia asked with angry disbelief.

"After everything he's done?!" Ohgi asked, also peeved.

"It's only fair for Lelouch to get a trial like any other criminal." Nunnally told them.

"Nunnally, he confessed everything to the people here. The Black Knights heard it all from his own mouth. I think a trial would be useless at this point." Schneizel tried to convince her.

"Then perhaps this is just me not wanting anymore bloodshed today. There's already too many people dead, Schneizel. Do we really need to add my brother to the count?" Nunnally asked bitterly.

"What about Euphemia?! What about her blood on his hands?! Doesn't she deserve justice?!" Cornelia asked with rage.

"Having the Black Knights betray him and gun him down? That's justice to you? I would have thought the Goddess of Britannia would be better than that." Nunnally said.

"Nunnally please-" Lelouch tried to speak up.

"Do not speak, Lelouch." Nunnally said in a firm tone. "You will be taken into custody and then you can share your defense." She said in a professional tone. "Soldiers, secure my brother and blindfold him so he doesn't get any ideas." She commanded a soldier near her.

"Uh, y-yes your Majesty." The soldier said nervously.

Sayoko rose her kunai up in defense as she wasn't going to let her Master be harmed.

"It's alright, Sayoko. Let them through." Lelouch said quietly with his head down, making Sayoko look at him in surprise.

"Master Lelouch..." Sayoko said with shock.

"My battle is over. I transfer your services over to Nunnally." Lelouch said as he looked at Sayoko with a defeated look.

"But..." Sayoko tried to argue, tried to say something that would change his mind.

But instead he looked at her with a sad smile.

"It's okay. Please just protect Nunnally." He told her as the soldiers came and cuff his arms behind his back and blindfolded him.

Sayoko looked at her master with sadness, seeing him so broken hurt her. But who was she to deny his wishes.

"Yes, Master Lelouch." Sayoko said as she put away her Kunai and stepped beside Nunnally again, putting a hand on her shoulder. "At the very least, Mistress Nunnally wants to protect him."

"Hold it." Schneizel told the soldiers handling Lelouch as he came down with Cornelia and Kanon to approach Nunnally and Sayoko. "I'm sorry, Nunnally. I know this is personal for you, but this is a matter that needs to be taken care of now."

"Then I suppose you'll want the schematics of your weapon shared to our enemies then?" Nunnally asked casually.

That definitely made the people there tense up.

"Excuse me?" Schneizel asked, his tone having a tiny bit of edge to it.

"You thought with my responsibilities as Viceroy I wouldn't have caught on to your project? The time you spent going back and forth from the settlement to your lab, the fact that Nina, who I used to go to school with, was the lead scientist behind the weapon, you really think I wouldn't realize what was going on? That I wouldn't get my hands on those blueprints?" Nunnally asked as she took a flashdrive out of her pocket.

"How did you...?" Schneizel couldn't help but ask.

"Like you Schneizel, I have my own connections. And if anything happens to my brother while under my custody, perhaps an anonymous email is sent to the ambassadors of the E.U. and the Chinese Federation. I'm sure they would love to get their hands on a weapon that would truly make Britannia their equal." Nunnally said like the lion she was.

Lelouch listened to what Nunnally said and couldn't help but be impressed. He never heard Nunnally like this before.

The sweet, innocent girl spoke with a cunningness that he never knew she possessed. Perhaps she always did and he was just too blind to see it, and maybe he just didn't want to see it.

The Black Knights looked at the princess with shock, not realizing just how dangerous the blind, crippled girl could be.

"Damn, she is definitely Zero's sister." Tamaki whispered.

Schneizel slightly narrowed his eyes at his sister. "So you intend the blackmail me, the entire nation of Britannia, just so Lelouch isn't killed?" He asked curiously.

"Why Nunnally? Why do this for him?" Cornelia asked in astonishment.

"This family has always played dirty with its politics, Cornelia. Perhaps I'm tired of being left behind." Nunnally said blankly.

"Your highness..." Kanon said with worry as he looked at Schneizel, who held his hand up for him to be quiet.

Schneizel analyzed Nunnally, studying her expressions and body movements to figure her out. To see if he could get something out of her.

She had a stone cold expression on her face, one that could easily rival their father's. He could see that she was serious about her threat.

But then he saw it. It was subtle, subtle enough that Schneizel could have easily missed it had he not been paying attention.

The tiniest twitch in her eye and the slightest furrow in her brow.

And with that, Schneizel chuckled.

"I commend your love for your brother, Nunnally. Even after everything he's done, you still wish to protect him. Very well, he shall be placed in your company as you see fit." Schneizel conceded without frustration.

Once again, Cornelia and the Black Knights looked at him in shock.

"Schneizel! You can't!" Cornelia said angrily.

"Hold on! What about our deal?!" Ohgi asked.

"It still stands as of now. You completed your bargain, we'll discuss details later." Schneizel said with that charming smile.

"I-I see. Thank you, Prime Minister." Ohgi said with a short bow.

The rest of the Black Knights, specfically Tamaki and Tohdoh looked on conflicted.

"Are we seriously going to let this happen?!" Tamaki whispered angrily.

"There's not much we can do right now." Tohdoh told him quietly.

"We'll have you come back with us so you can have Lelouch properly situated, does that sound fair?" Schneizel asked politely.

"Yes, thank you Prime Minister." Nunnally said as gestured Sayoko to push her wheelchair away from them and back to their ship, a cuffed and blindfolded Lelouch dragged behind her.

"How dare you follow through with this, Schneizel! He doesn't-" Before Cornelia could finish her rant, Schneizel put a delicate finger on her lips.

"Patience Cornelia. Good things come to those who wait." Schneizel told her with a smirk. "I'll play your game for now, Nunnally." He thought to himself.

(Flashback End)

...

"As far as I know, they're with Schneizel on his ship now." Urabe concluded.

Joseph, Kallen, and Rolo breathed with so much relief.

"Yes! Nunne, you lion!" Joseph said with joy.

"Lelouch..." Kallen said with both relief and worry.

"Big brother..." Rolo said with relief as well.

"Look guys, I gotta go. Wherever you are, lay low for now. Schneizel's men and by extension, The Black Knights, are going to be looking for you guys. I'll try to call again as soon as I can." Urabe told them.

"Thanks, Uru." Joseph said gratefully.

"We owe you one." Kallen added.

Urabe made a sound of achknowledgement and hung up.

"Alright, new mission! Save little bro and sis!" Joseph declared.

"Didn't he just say to lie low?" Rolo asked with a curious brow.

"And wait for what exactly? Sure, Nunnally was able to save Lelouch, but who knows how long she'll be able to stall Schneizel before he decides they're no longer of any use to him." Kallen said.

"Then Kamine Island visit." Joseph told them.

Kallen and Rolo looked at him in confusion.

"Have recurring nightmare. Images, chaos, destruction. All one word: Ragnarok." Joseph began to tell them. "First Eup. Then mom. Over and over again. Now links to Kamine Island, old temple on Kamine, dad going to Kamine, Schneizel following. Not coincidence. All connected. Lelouch felt it too." He continued.

"Kamine Island is the location of one of the Elevator that connects to C's World. That must be the reason why the Emperor came to Japan in the first place." Rolo realized.

"But why? Why make a big speech against Zero and not even bother with him when coming out here? What is so important about this 'C's World'?" Kallen asked as more answers led to more questions.

Joseph remembered what V.V. told him.

"The man who conquered dozens of countries and promised me we kill God actually grew a soft spot for you! I let it slide by because I thought you wouldn't cause a hindrance in our plans!"

"...Think dad do something very bad." Joseph said with a scared look in his eyes.

"'Rid the world of liars.' That's what V.V. said..." Rolo said with dread.

"'Stop Ragnarok!' Last words heard before woke up. Screaming at me, begging me! Whatever is, dad doing it, and giving 'Armageddon' vibes!" Joseph said passionately.

"So what can we do?" Rolo asked.

"If he and Schneizel going there, then Lelouch and Nunnally along for ride. So we follow. Find little bro and sis, save them, stop dad!" Joseph told them determinedly.

"Not a great plan, but better than nothing. I'm in!" Kallen said with a smirk.

"Anything to save Lelouch." Rolo quickly agreed.

"Good. Now phone calls!" Joseph said with a pointed finger in the air, confusing Kallen and Rolo.

...

Ikaruga

"What's the Shinkiro's location?" Diethard asked

"Sir, we don't know yet." One of the Black Knights said.

"We're assisting the Britannians for now. As soon as you find it, alert all forces and secure it." Diethard told them.

"Yes, sir." The Black Knights said as they went on their way.

"A damn shame, just when the dimwit's story was starting to get interesting." Diethard said to himself.

What he didn't see was C.C. watching them from afar.

"Master is in danger." C.C. whispered with worry as she hid behind the pillar.

Suddenly she heard the Mordred approach her, "Anya" descended from the pilot seat and walked up to her with a pep in her step.

"C.C! It's been ages since we were face to face like this. It's me!" 'Anya' said with a rare excited voice. C.C. however just backed away from her in fear. "Anya" Looked at her in confusion. "C.C., don't tell me that you've actually…"

"I'm so sorry!" C.C. blurted, scared.

However, they were both met with a blinding light.

...

C.C. sat on her chair as she glanced at her memories in boredom.

"What are you doing? Closing yourself up in here again like this. C.C.? C.C.!" 'Anya' yelled as she approached her, starting to get annoyed.

C.C. looked her way and raised an eyebrow with slight wonder.

"Who are you?" C.C. asked curiously.

"It's me. See?" She said as the image of Anya disappeared and instead one of a young woman with long black hair, purple eyes, and a brown dress.

"It's you." C.C. said with quiet surprise. "So you've chased me all the way in here now. Are you that worried about Lelouch, Marianne?" She asked.

"Oh, c'mon. Do you really think I'm such an ideal mother that that's all I think about?" Marianne, the former Emperor's consort and the mother of Lelouch and Nunnally, said with a playful smirk.

...

Ikaruga

"So, what do you plan to do, Villetta. Stay with the Black Knights?" Cornelia asked Villetta, surprising her. "Neither my brother nor myself plan to punish you. After all, now that things have moved forward to the next level, I'd say we have no authority to act against you." She told her.

"Well… I…" Villetta said nervously.

"I'm probably the last person to say this but noble rank isn't everything." Cornelia told her kindly.

"Thank you your Highness." Villetta said kindly.

Cornelia nodded and made her way towards her personal ship carrier.

"Your Majesty, if I may ask. What do you plan on doing about Prince Joseph?" Villetta asked.

Cornelia paused at that. After a moment, she could only deeply sigh in frustration.

...

"Have they managed to spot them yet?" Ohgi asked on his cell phone.

"No, Britannian forces are still searching the islands." Hinata told him.

"Make sure they're just taken prisoner. Relay that to them." Ohgi told her before hanging up.

"There's no choice. We have to announce that Zero was killed in battle." Diethard told the Tohdoh, Ohgi, Rakshata, with anguish.

"You want people to believe he's dead?" Tohdoh asked bitterly.

"What else can we do?" Ohgi asked.

"Pardon me. I understand that Zero has betrayed us in all of that, but do you plan on telling everyone about Geass?" Rakshata wondered with her relaxed position.

"We can't. They'd say we're crazy. We'd lose all credibility. There's no way." Diethard told her.

"And what if another Zero appears later? A copycat?" Chiba asked.

"How exactly would they prove that they are the real Zero?" Diethard asked, surprising the others. "In the end, the masked hero was merely a symbol. He can't be reestablished without us." He told them.

"So that's it huh? You couldn't kill him so instead you use his name against him." A bitter voice said as he entered the room.

That voice belonging to Urabe, he now had a bandage wrapped around his head. Tamaki was not far behind him.

"Urabe?" Tohdoh said with surprise.

"Shouldn't you be resting?" Chiba asked with concern.

"Spare me." Urabe said blankly as he walked past her and straight towards Ohgi.

"Urabe, what's-"

*POW*

Ohgi didn't get to finish his question as he received a hard to the face by the Holy Sword member.

"Urabe!" Tohdoh said with shock as he rushed to stop his comrade from doing any further damage.

"You! Stupid! Idiot!" Urabe yelled with each punch he landed on Ohgi.

"Urabe, that's enough!" Tohdoh shouted as he and Chiba pulled him off Ohgi.

"Get off!" Urabe said as he pushed them off him. "After everything we've been through. After every that's happened...you all go and pull this crap." He said viciously.

"I guess Tamaki told you what happened." Diethard said with annoyance.

"He had every right to know our screw-up!" Tamaki said angrily.

"Screw-up? You can't be serious, Tamaki?" Ohgi asked incredulously as he stood back up while rubbing his face.

"He betrayed us! What were we supposed to do?" Chiba said angrily.

"You didn't even give him a chance! You just fed him to the wolves and now you're trying to save face." Urabe accused.

"You weren't there, Urabe! You didn't hear the tape! You didn't see how he called us pawns." Ohgi said angrily.

"Well considering he thought he lost his sister and was betrayed by his comrades all in the same day. I can't imagine why he would be so willing to just go along with your dog and pony show." Urabe said sarcastically.

"He's right! We should have let him tell his side of things. How can we even call ourselves Black Knights anymore?" Tamaki said bitterly.

"Oh my God, like we need more commentary from the janitor." Chiba said dismissively.

"Hey! I'm a vital member of this team!" Tamaki said angrily.

"And why are so willing to defend him, Urabe?! You almost died because of him!" Chiba asked with disbelief.

"Maybe because I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, I actually take the word of my friends first, NOT my enemies!" Urabe argued.

Tohdoh pondered that statement and then realized something.

"You've known, haven't you?" Tohdoh asked, surprising the others except Urabe. "How long?"

Urabe took a deep breath at that. "Since we rescued you guys at the consulate. Joseph, Kallen, and C.C. told me everything." He admitted.

It was then Chiba and Ohgi became angry.

"You knew as well and didn't say anything?!" Ohgi said angrily.

"What the Hell?! Why would they tell you but not me? Joseph's my second best bud!" Tamaki asked angrily.

"I saw his face prior to the rescue, I asked them straight forward what was going on and they told me." Urabe said.

"Why Urabe? Why not trust your own comrades?" Tohdoh asked, more disappointed than angry.

"What if I had Colonel? Would any of you have reacted differently than how you have now? Or would you have still just thrown him away like he's disposable. It's clear I was right to keep this a secret." Urabe asked sternly.

"He's the one who treated us like we were disposable. He fooled us from the very beginning. With that despicable Geass power!" Ohgi said accusingly.

"We learned the truth. Think about the Black Rebellion. He was ready to dispose of Ohgi then. No, even before that." Chiba said.

"That's right. People are more than just game pieces. The lives matter. That's why we're fighting." Ohgi argued.

"Really? So what does that make Kallen, Joseph, and Rolo then? Collateral damage?" Urabe asked.

Ohgi grunted regretfully, Tohdoh looked down bitterly, Tamaki looked regretful, Chiba turned her head away in frustration, Diethard watched the event play out with keen interest and Rakshata continued to smoke her pipe.

"That's not how I wanted it to go down." Ohgi said guiltily.

"It was never our intention to harm them." Tohdoh reasoned.

"No, you just stalled long enough for the Witch of Britannia to drug Joseph and leave him defenseless." Urabe accused.

"I didn't know she was going to do that!" Tohdoh said angrily.

"Me either!" Tamaki added.

"It wasn't the Colonel's fault, Urabe! Show some respect!" Chiba said, rushing to Tohdoh's side.

"He lost my respect the moment he betrayed our leader." Urabe said viciously before taking a deep breath to calm himself. "I understand why you're angry with Zero, I was too when they first told me about his power. I wanted to take my sword and slice him in half in the name of justice for all of those who perished at the SAZ, I even wondered if he was just playing a con game with us, wondered if we we're nothing but pawns to him." He continued in a quiet manner.

"So why not tell us then? Why keep the secret unless Zero geassed you too?" Diethard asked with a suspicious eye. That made the rest of them look at Urabe suspiciously too.

"Because I saw he changed. I could see he wasn't driven by vengeance or thirst for power but for justice." Urabe told them. "If all he saw us as were pawns then why go through all the trouble to rescue you, huh? Why go through all this effort in creating the UFN if none of it mattered to him?" He asked them.

That threw the group for a loop, making them ponder.

"Yes, that does raise good points." Rakshata said in her relaxed tone.

"We were so close, guys. For one fleeting moment, we had that power to finally change things. And what do you do? You trade in our leader for a bad deal and turned three of friends against us." Urabe said ruefully before narrowing his eyes at Tohdoh. "One of whom clearly considered you a father-figure." He added, making Tohdoh look down in shame.

With that, Urabe turned to leave but not before pausing at the door.

"And consider this, if Zero had put us under his Geass to follow him, do you really think you would have been able to betray him in the first place?" Urabe asked before leaving the room.

And that was the final nail in the coffin as Tamaki slumped down into a seat and bury his face into his hands.

"What did we do...?" Tamaki asked regretfully to himself, tears sprouting from his eyes.

Ohgi just looked away with gritted teeth, refusing to admit what he did was wrong.

"The moment of glory...wasted..." Diethard said bitterly as he also left.

"Well this has become awfully dreary for me. I suppose I'll take a look at my children." Rakshata said as she got up and also left.

Chiba saw how depressed Tohdoh looked and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't listen to him, Colonel. You were just doing what you thought-"

"Chiba...Shut up." Tohdoh told her in cold, firm tone.

This shocked Chiba as the Colonel pushed her hand away and also left the room. Leaving a heartbroken Chiba, a guilty Tamaki, and morally-conflicted Ohgi.

...

Ashford Academy

OSI Surveillance Room

Shirley, Rivalz, and the kids sat together waiting anxiously for Joseph to come back. They tried listening to some of the tunes on his walkman and play some games, but it wasn't doing anything to lessen their nerves. So now they just sat quietly in their seats, hearing the clock tick.

"...Joseph's been up there for awhile. You think everything's okay?" Rivalz whispered to Shirley.

"I hope so. For now, we have to keep on a brave face for the kids." Shirley told him.

"You got it." Rivalz agreed. "Hey guys! How about another round of Pictionary!" He said excitedly to get their mind off things.

"No thanks, Uncle Riv-alz." Potestas said quietly.

"Yeah, you're kind of bad at it anyway." Animi said with sad bluntness.

"I am not!" Rivalz said, feeling insulted. It did get a giggle of Shirley though.

Suddenly Shirley's phone pinged, that got the kids' attention.

"Is that Papa?" Kaecus asked quickly.

"Did he help Uncle Lelouch?" Longe asked as well.

"Is everything happy again?" Umbra asked optimistically.

"Sorry guys, it's just a text from Milly." Shirley told them, they deflated at that. "Hmm. She's says to turn on the news, she's about to report live." She said with a raised eyebrow.

"Oooh! Aunt Milly's gonna be on TV!" Umbra said excitedly as she scurried to the monitors.

"Hold on! I wanna see!" Longe said quickly.

"Me first!" Animi said as she pushed Longe aside.

Shirley and Rivalz couldn't help but laugh.

"Guess we know who the favorite aunt is." Rivalz teased.

"It's not a competition!" Shirley said angrily as she punched his arm, though there was a tinge of jealousy coming from her red cheeks.

They turned on the television and it showed Milly with a grave look on her face.

"This is KT television. Since our studios were lost in the blast, we've setup a temporary studio at Ashford Academy to bring you this emergency news alert. A short while ago, we received official word that Prince Schneizel has signed a cease-fire with the Black Knights." Milly began with her report.

That surprised the group there.

"A ceasefire? Why the Hell would Lelouch call a ceasefire with the Prime Minister?" Rivalz asked.

"Maybe he's making up with Uncle Schnitzel." Kaecus said optimistically.

"In addition, according to an official announcement, Zero, leader and CEO of the Black Knights, was killed in the final battle." Milly continued.

The group gasped at that.

"W-What?" Shirley said, stunned by the proclamation.

"Zero was wounded in the fight for the Tokyo settlement and subsequently received medical treatment aboard the flagship Ikaruga, but he's succumbed to his injuries before daybreak this morning." Milly concluded, trying to keep a straight face.

"U-Uncle Lelouch...is dead?" Potestas said with shock.

"No! No no! That has to be a mistake! Joseph would have said something if he saw Lelouch injured." Rivalz tried to reason.

"What if he didn't see him get wounded?" Longe asked.

"What if Uncle Schnitzel did something?!" Animi said with worry.

"What about Papa?! Is he okay?!" Kaecus wondered with a scared tone, trying to remember Joseph's deep breathing exercise.

"Hey, hey. It's okay guys. Lelouch has taught me a bit about politics in media and the story they give to the public is always half truth." Shirley reassured them as she gathered them together.

"Like half a pb & j sandwich?" Umbra asked curiously.

"Sort of. What I mean is that Aunt Milly probably wasn't given all the facts. Whatever's going on up there is a lot more than what's being told." Shirley told them.

Suddenly her phone went off again, this time it was a phone call.

"Papa?!" The kids said in unison as the quickly rushed past Shirley and to the phone on the table.

They saw the Caller ID and saw it was Rolo.

"It's big brother Rolo!" Longe said excitedly as he grabbed the phone.

"Give it here, Longe." Shirley said quickly as he handed the phone to her and answered. "Rolo! Thank goodness, are you alright? I have you on speaker." She told him with relief.

"Hi, big brother!" The kids shouted excitedly and loudly, making Shirley wince at their volume.

"Oh. Hello kids, I'm glad you're all okay still." Rolo said politely.

"HEY GUPPIES!" Joseph yelled excitedly, glad to hear his kids.

"Can you not shout right next to my ear, Joe?" Kallen said with annoyance.

"PAPA!" The kids shouted even louder, making Shirley and Rivalz cover their ears.

"You're okay!" Kaecus said with relief.

"Papa! This is Umbra! CAN YOU HEAR US?!" Umbra shouted towards the phone.

"Okay! How about we just use indoor voices?" Shirley said with a cringed smile, fearing her hearing would be lost due to all the shouting.

"We're not in a door, Aunt Shirley. We're in a secret underground base. Duh!" Longe said in an obvious tone.

"Definitely taking after their father..." Shirley thought tiredly.

"What's going on? We just saw Milly report that Lelouch died. It's not true, right?" Rivalz asked with concern.

...

Across the Japanese Ocean

"THEY WHAT?! OH! THOSE DICKS!" Joseph said.

"Joe..." Kallen said, getting aggravated.

"Sorry possible girlfriend." Joseph said sheepishly.

"What did he just say?" Rivalz asked over the phone.

"Nothing!" Kallen snapped back.

"The Black Knights are probably trying to save face considering what happened." Rolo theorized over the monitor.

"Can you explain what did happen?" Rivalz asked over the phone.

"The Black Knights betrayed Lelouch, that's what." Kallen said bitterly. "They sold him out to Schneizel after he revealed Lelouch's identity to them." She continued.

...

OSI Surveillance Room

Shirley, Rivalz, and the kids stood there in stunned silence before screaming "WHAT?!" in unison.

"Doh! It horrible! Little bro's comrades, friends! Turned backstabbers!" Joseph said with anguish. "Except Tom-Tom and Sensei!" He added.

"They were still part of it, Joe!" Kallen said angrily.

"Yeah, but changed minds!" Joseph reasoned.

"Ba-but...but why would they just take his word for it! Him over their own leader!" Shirley asked, trying to understand.

"Suzaku recorded their confrontation, Lelouch told him everything about what happened at the SAZ." Kallen said bitterly.

"He taped him?!" Shirley asked furiously.

"That spy!" Potestas said aghast.

...

Across the Japanese Ocean

"Yes, but Suzaku no part in betrayal." Joseph made sure to add.

"Then why the Hell would he record him?!" Kallen asked angrily.

"Don't know! But Suzaku not helping them! Gut feeling!" Joseph told them determinedly.

"I have to agree with Kallen, big brother. The odds that he's changed are very unlikely at this point." Rolo said wearily over the monitor.

...

OSI Surveillance Room

"So what's going to happen now?" Rivalz asked, hoping they had a plan.

"What we know so far is that Nunnally was able to come back and save Lelouch from being killed and are both in Schneizel's command ship, the Avalon." Kallen told them.

Shirley couldn't help but breath a sigh of relief at that. "Thank goodness." She said before realizing something. "Wait, so Nunnally knows that Lelouch is Zero too?!" She asked with shock.

"Yep! Little sis smart like lion!" Joseph said proudly.

"We have a lion for an aunt?!" Umbra asked excitedly.

"Oooh! I call riding on her back first!" Animi said with a raised hand.

...

Across the Japanese Ocean

"We managed to take a couple of Britannian Sutherlands, right now our plan is to infiltrate the Avalon and rescue both Lelouch and Nunnally." Rolo told them from inside his knightmare.

"And afterwards?" Shirley asked.

"Improv!" Joseph said passionately over the monitor.

"We're still working on it. At the moment, we're going to call Jeremiah and catch him up to speed and then head to Kamine Island. For now, just stay hidden with the kids. We'll let you know as soon as we have Lelouch and Nunnally." Kallen told them over the monitor.

...

OSI Surveillance Room

"Please get them back. You're the only ones they can rely on now." Shirley pleaded.

"Will new little sis. Scout's honor!" Joseph told her determinedly, who was probably doing the scout's honor on the other line.

"Don't get hurt Papa!" Kaecus told her father with concern.

"Yeah! You still have to teach us what Planking is!" Potestas said encouragingly.

"Dapping too! No worry! Love you!" Joseph said cheerfully. "Now forward, new little bro and possible girlfriend!" He said excitedly before ending the call.

The group stared at the phone for a moment or two.

"...So we all heard that right? I wasn't imagining it?" Rivalz asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh boy, Milly is going to have a field day." Shirley said with a shaky smile. Happy that Kallen finally confessed her feelings, but scared for her sanity that was about to be tested by Milly's wrath.

"Does this mean we have a new mama?" Longe asked curiously before gasping, his Geass shining brightly in his eye.

Same thing happened to the other kids.

"Whoa! Guys, what's going on?" Rivalz asked with concern.

"Something's happening..." Kaecus said with a scared tone in her voice.

...

Across the Japanese Ocean

Joseph felt it too, he wasn't sure why but he could feel the surge running through his bones.

"Gotta move fast." Joseph said wearily.

"Huh?" Kallen asked with confusion.

"I can feel it too. The Emperor is going to initiate Ragnarok soon." Rolo said with his Geass shining in his eye over the monitor.

"Then let's not waste anymore time." Kallen as she shifted the Sutherland into full speed.

...

Emperor's Personal Flagship

"All relic systems are now synchronized." A Geass Priest told Charles.

"With this shall end the world of the existing God. Destruction and creation. Ragnarok has finally begun." Charles said with glee as he watched all the gates activate on the monitor and connect with Kamine Island.

Suddenly Monica appeared on said monitor.

"Your Majesty, Prince Schneizel is making his way here." Monica reported to him.

"Did I not tell you to leave these mundane affairs to him?" Charles asked dismissively.

"Mundane affairs?" Monica asked with surprise before Charles shut off communications with him.

"Has the truth finally begun to dawn on you, Schneizel? If so, it's too late. This game called war is already obsolete." Charles said with a sneer.

...

Avalon

"Why are we making our way towards the Emperor's flagship, Schneizel? Shouldn't we settle affairs with Lelouch first?" Cornelia asked.

"Call it curiosity on my part, Cornelia. I'm intrigued to know what exactly it is my father considers so important on that island." Schneizel told her, remembering the entrance that Bartley told him about.

"We've found artifacts similar to these in a number of places around the world. Except for this one that I discovered, all the other sites are directly under imperial control. This is mere speculation on my part, but I think the real reason we're invading other countries is to obtain these objects."

"Is this what all your schemes were about father? Did the world ever matter to you?" Schneizel asked himself.

...

Inside the Siegfried

"What's the meaning of this, Ohgi? Is it true that Zero is dead?" Jeremiah asked Ohgi furiously.

"Yeah. I'm afraid it's just as the media's reporting." Ohgi told him over the monitor.

"Could I at least see his face to confirm it?" Jeremiah asked patiently.

"Sorry. But we are busy right now, Jeremiah. It'll have to wait till later." Ohgi told him before shutting off communications with him.

Jeremiah gritted his teeth in anger and frustration.

"Damn those bastardized traitors! My Lord gave them victory and this is how they repay him! They're lucky my first and main concern is saving Master Lelouch otherwise they would get a taste of what true loyalty is." Jeremiah said viciously as he made his way towards Kamine Island. "Stay strong, my Prince. Jeremiah Gottwald will not fail you."

...

Ikaruga

Urabe went down the elevator, his pilot suit on and a determined look on his face.

"I have to do this. For Joseph and Lelouch."

...

Avalon

Gino, Cecile, and Lloyd were currently playing pool. Cecile was currently in the lead as she just struck another ball into the hole.

"Damn, she's good." Gino said, quietly impressed.

It was then Suzaku entered the room, his face deep in thought.

"Hey Suzaku. You doing okay?" Gino asked with concern.

Suzaku didn't hear him though.

"I think you know I'm right, and it's why you won't let yourself forgive Lelouch. Because if you forgive him, it means you can forgive yourself for your own horrible actions."

Suddenly he felt a hand touch his shoulder, he turned and saw it was Cecile, looking at him with concern.

"Are you alright, Suzaku?" Cecile asked.

Instead of answering her, he turned his attention to Lloyd.

"Lloyd. Why didn't you tell me a second detonator was made for the FJEIA?" Suzaku asked solemnly.

"Because he didn't know." Schneizel said as he entered the room with Cornelia and Kanon.

"Your Highness?" Gino said in surprise.

"It's all right. You can relax." Schneizel reassured him.

"Princess Cornelia, it's been far too long, Your Highness." Lloyd said cheerfully.

"Right." Cornelia said unamused. "Where is Lord Guilford?" She asked.

"Well…" Cecile said sadly.

"Cornelia, I'm afraid Lord Guilford was caught in the…" Schneizel said with sympathy

"He went missing after he launched the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead. It was his heroism that saved all of us." Kanon told her.

"Guilford?" Cornelia said with shock, not sure what to say.

"We may not know if he's alive or dead but he did a great deed. You should be proud of him. He served you well as your knight." Schneizel told her.

"When exactly did you have this second trigger made, your highness?" Suzaku asked with a bit of an edge to his voice.

"You need to watch your tone, Kururugi." Cornelia said with scrutiny.

"It's alright, Cornelia." Schneizel assured her. "I had Nina create a backup in case drastic measures had to be made. And it seems I was right to make such precautions considering you chose to spare Zero." He said disappointedly.

"I wanted to avoid more bloodshed. Forgive me if I don't feel your strategies are all suitable." Suzaku said as politely as he could.

"Suzaku..." Cecile said with worry.

"Someone's rustled up." Lloyd said with a smirk.

"It doesn't matter now, I suppose. Zero gets to fight another day." Suzaku said, not wanting to dig a bigger hole for himself at the moment.

"Actually, that is one thing you were able to help us with." Kanon told him.

"Huh? Help with?" Suzaku asked.

"Because of the information you gave us about Zero and his power, we were able to convince the Black Knights to hand him over to us." Schneizel told him.

This shocked the others, especially Suzaku.

"You...you captured him?" Suzaku asked shellshocked, not sure if he heard that right.

"Hold on! We have Zero in custody?!" Gino asked in disbelief.

"We were initially going to have him executed but Princess Nunnally had other plans." Kanon explained.

"Nunnally's alive?!" Suzaku asked, both in relief and shock.

"Yes, the revelation of her brother being Zero was hard blow for her but she insisted that him being held prisoner was punishment enough. We're headed towards Kamine Island to deliver him to his Majesty." Schneizel continued.

Cornelia looked at him in confusion.

"Wait, wait, wait. Brother?" Gino asked, completely at a loss. Same with Lloyd and Cecile.

"Where is he? Where's Lelouch?!" Suzaku practically demanded.

"I suggest you stop, Suzaku." Kanon said with a warning tone, getting in front of Schneizel.

"I'm a member of the Knight of the Round, Kanon. I could just order him to tell me if I wanted to." Suzaku said, having enough of these games.

Before the conversation could get any more hostile, a soldier walked in.

"Your Highness! Those two Sutherlands that were scouting the islands earlier are heading back in our direction." The Britannian Soldier told him.

Schneizel smiled at that. "Good. Perhaps we should head to the main bridge before I answer your question." He told Suzaku as he walked away with Kanon and Cornelia.

Suzaku tighten his glare but begrudgingly followed him, along with Gino, Lloyd, and Cecile.

"Did you just say Lelouch?" Gino asked curiously.

"Not now." Suzaku shut down immediately.

"Yeah, okay." Gino said, not wanting to poke that bear.

They made their way to the bridge and saw the two Sutherlands on the screen.

"Prince Schneizel, do you believe it's them?" Kanon asked.

"There's no doubt in my mind, Joseph and his friends are in those Sutherlands." Schneizel said.

This surprised the group.

"Joseph?!" Suzaku said with shock.

"Incredible. That tranquilizer was enough to take down a full grown elephant." Kanon said with a bit awe.

"You tried to kill him?!" Suzaku asked with disbelief.

"Come now Suzaku, we're talking about someone who can jump many feet into the air and smashes through walls with ease. I doubt a light sedative would have done anything to him. But knowing him and his friends were out there, I had a feeling he would be stubborn enough to try something all by himself." Schneizel explained.

"But how do you know he's in one of those Sutherlands?" Gino asked.

"I purposely had a couple of scouts canvas the area. Knowing the Shinkiro was damaged earlier, I suspected Joseph would interrogate the soldiers for information and hijack their Sutherlands." Schneizel continued to explain.

"You willingly sent two of your men out to have their knightmares taken, not even knowing whether or not they be killed?!" Cecile asked incredulously.

"A small sacrifice in the grand scheme of things. This way, Joseph is brought back to safety." Schneizel said simply.

"And where is this Lelouch, if I may ask?" Lloyd asked curiously, not even bothering to debate with Schneizel the morality of his strategy.

"In our prison section. But once Joseph and his friends land in the hangar, we'll have them arrested and joined with Lelouch." Schneizel explained, Cornelia couldn't help but eye him suspiciously.

"You keep saying his friends, what friends exactly?" Gino asked.

"We know Kallen Kozuki is with him, as well as a boy known as Rolo." Cornelia said.

"Rolo? You mean Lelouch's brother?" Gino asked in surprise.

"Fake brother. But you would know all about that, wouldn't you Suzaku?" Schneizel asked knowingly.

Suzaku looked at the screen blankly for a few moments until he turned to Schneizel.

"I request to go out there and retrieve them myself, your highness." Suzaku said professionally.

Schenizel quirked up an eyebrow at that.

"And why should I let you do that, Sir Kururugi? You failed to kill Zero or release the FIEJA. How can we be so sure you won't try talking to them like before?" Schneizel asked fairly.

"Because I've been naive up until now." Suzaku said.

"No? You?" Lloyd asked sarcastically, which ended with him being elbowed by Cecile.

"Stubbornly maintaining that the means are more important than the end result. I was idealistic and self-righteous.' Suzaku told him.

"Perhaps, but…" Schneizel tried to say.

"In any case, I must insist I do this, Your Highness. Joseph, Kallen, and Rolo need to be stopped and I will use force if I have to. You can even send Gino out with me if you need to be sure I won't fail." Suzaku said determinedly, surprising Gino.

Schneizel pondered this but still wasn't sure.

"Please allow me to join him, your highness. I'll make sure he doesn't screw up." Gino offered as he swung his arm around Suzaku's shoulders.

Schneizel stared at them, contemplating, before chuckling.

"Very well. Redeem yourself Kururugi, and perhaps we can forgive your earlier blunder." Schneizel told him.

Suzaku and Gino both nodded and saluted the prince before going towards the exit with Lloyd and Cecile.

"Lloyd, can you give me an update on the status of the Lancelot?" Suzaku asked.

"You know the status. You saw the condition of the core luminous." Lloyd told him.

"No. I'm talking about the Lancelot Albion." Suzaku said.

"It's ready to roll out." Cecile said.

"Albion? What's that about?" Gino asked curiously.

"Oh, shouldn't have mentioned that. It's a custom Knightmare built for Suzaku." Lloyd said awkwardly.

"Suzaku, are you sure you're up for this?" Cecile asked with concern.

"I'm fine, Cecile. I can do this." Suzaku reassured her.

When they left, Cornelia looked at Schneizel with a curious look.

"What are you up to?" Cornelia asked, wondering what he had planned.

"Call it a Plan B, so to speak." Schneizel said with a smirk.

...

Xingke's Personal Ship

"Now then, Your Majesty, as he previously arranged, I'll conduct negotiations with Prime Minister Schneizel in Tokyo." Kaguya said quietly.

"But Kaguya, after all Zero was your husband…" Tianzi said with concern.

"Losing Master Zero is a terrible blow. It's true. But we can't dwell on that. When our nations are in danger we must turn his death to our best advantage." Kaguya said professionally, but she could not stop her eyes from watering. "And honestly, I know I called myself his wife but he and I were just…That is in the end… we were married but...in heart only…" She said with heartbreak in her tone, tears ran down her face.

Suddenly she heard her phone ring, she took it out and saw it was from Rolo. She sort of forced her contact info into his phone. Kaguya couldn't help but smile a little.

"Hello, Rolo. I'm sorry, but this really isn't the best time." Kaguya said after she answered the phone.

"Miss Kaguya, you need to listen. Is the Empress and Xingke with you?" Rolo asked urgently.

"Um, yes? What's going on?" Kaguya asked with confusion.

"We need to talk to them. To all of you." A new voice said.

"Kallen?" Kaguya asked with surprise.

...

Across the Japanese Coast

"I hope you don't mind, I'm patching Kallen and Joseph through with this call." Rolo said as he made a two way call with Kallen's comms on the line

"Hey Kagu-ya!" Joseph said cheerfully from the other line.

...

Xingke's Personal Ship

"Everything alright, Lady Kaguya?" Xingke asked.

"It's Kallen and Joseph, they're with Rolo." Kaguya said before putting them on speaker. "Guys, what's happening?"

"Is that you, Uncle Joe?" Tianzi asked.

"Hey Niece Tia! Brother from 'notha mother there?" Joseph asked excitedly.

Xingke just sighed in annoyance.

"There he is!" Joseph said happily.

"Guys, if this has to do with Zero's death..." Kaguya started to say.

"Zero's alive." Kallen said immediately, shocking the three of them.

"He's what?!" Xingke asked in surprise.

"And he little bro, Lelouch" Joseph added.

"Wait, he's who?!" Kaguya asked, now very shocked.

"It's okay to tell that secret now, Uncle?" Tianzi asked innocently.

"Wait, you knew?!" Kaguya asked, not sure how many bombs she could take.

"Would someone please tell me what's going on?!" Xingke asked, completely out of the loop.

"Lelouch was betrayed by the Black Knights, Schneizel revealed his identity to them." Rolo explained.

"And his Geass." Kallen added.

"Oh no! So they think he's a bad guy?!" Tianzi asked with concern.

"Wait, wait. What on Earth is Geass?" Kaguya asked.

"Look, we don't have time to explain everything. Just know we're going to get Lelouch back and not to trust anything that scumbag Schneizel tells you." Kallen told them.

"Trust giving backstory, Tia?" Joseph asked.

"Yes, Uncle." Tianzi said confidently.

"Cool. Laters!" Joseph said.

"A pleasure to catch up with you, Lady Kaguya." Rolo said professionally.

"Oh! And Me, Kal Pal, possible dating!" Joseph quickly added.

"Wait! Wait! That's not-" Kallen tried to refute those claims but the line had been disconnected.

Xingke and Kaguya sat there, completely stupefied.

"...Your highness, forgive me if I sound too forward. But just what the Hell is going on here?" Xingke asked.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"Why exactly did I tell him how I feel?" Kallen asked herself tiredly.

"Now that we warned Kaguya and the others, hopefully they can clean up the mess the Black Knights have caused." Rolo told Kallen and Joseph on the screen.

"Or at least salvage whatever's broken." Kallen said bluntly. "Still can't believe you actually told the Empress. Why didn't you tell us?!" Kallen asked with annoyance.

"Uh, didn't ask. Duh." Joseph said as if it was obvious, making Kallen sigh and roll her eyes.

"At the very least, it means we still have an ally." Rolo encouraged.

"And now we can hopefully get Lelouch back and make things right." Kallen said determinedly as she pumped the gas on the Sutherland.

Joseph looked on in anticipation, excited to get his brother back.

He saw the Avalon coming into view, the Emperor's ship and his army weren't too far away themselves as they had gotten close to Kamine island.

"Alright, Joe. Plan is simple. Enter the knightmare hangar, move through Schnitzel's ship in a stealthy manner, find out where they're keeping Lelouch, rescue him and Nunne, get him to be Zero again, discipline those who betrayed him, and win against our dad once and for all!" Joseph thought excitedly.

Oh yes. This was going to be easy!

...Perhaps a bit too easy.

...No.

...NO!

"STOP!" Joseph yelled as he impulsively pulled the controls back and halted the Sutherland from going any further.

"Joe! What the Hell are you doing!?" Kallen asked incredulously.

"What's wrong, big brother?" Rolo asked with concern over the monitor, stopping his own Sutherland.

"This easy. Too easy!" Joseph told them.

"What are you talking about?" Kallen asked, confused.

"Schneizel ship notice us. But no message? No confirmation? No 'Hiya, buddy'?!" Joseph told them with paranoia.

"So?" Kallen asked, not understanding.

"Wait. Now that you mention it. It is strange that Schneizel or anyone in his command have tried to intercept us yet. As if they were expecting us." Rolo said, catching Joseph's drift.

"Exact-a-mundo!" Joseph exclaimed. "Seen in many-a-films! Get good guys guard down. Then BOOM! It a trap!" He explained to them, imitating Admiral Ackbar at the end.

"You really think so?" Kallen asked unsurely.

"Schneizel a weirdo, but smart weirdo. Him and Lelouch, like Ping Pong! Hitting ball, back and forth!" Joseph told them. "Got friends to betray. Think no plan-within-plan?! Trust, Kal Pal!" He said with absolution.

Kallen thought about it and couldn't argue Joseph's legitimate if strange logic.

"Alright. So what should we do if we can go through the hangars?" Kallen asked, supporting Joseph.

"Got idea. Might just work." Joseph told them with a determined smile.

Kallen and Rolo nodded in approval. He may not be Lelouch, but he had his own smarts.

Suddenly, Joseph clicked on the intercom button of the Sutherland and shouted out to the Avalon:

"YO SCHNEIZEL! COME OUT HERE! LITTLE BRO GOTTA TALK!"

Of course, trusting those smarts could only go a long way as Kallen and Rolo had both concluded.

...

Avalon

"Hmm. Well, he's certainly making this easier." Schneizel said with amusement.

"Really, cause it feels a lot more difficult now." Cornelia muttered as she pinched her nose in frustration.

"Let's hear him out. See where he goes with this." Schneizel said, wanting to play along.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"Why did I have to fall in love with a moron?!" Kallen wonder defeatedly as she hung her head down in shame.

Rolo on his end wasn't doing any better. "How...is he related to Lelouch?"

"Joseph. I'm surprised you came all this way back to us." Schneizel said with his false charisma. "Tell me, are Kallen and that boy with you?" He asked.

"Are you absolutely positive this plan will work?" Kallen asked tiredly.

"Luck and faith." Joseph told her with his dopey smile

Kallen looked at him in surprise. Staring into the eyes that stole her heart. And in the end, all she could do was chuckle.

"Well, in for a penny. In for a pound." She said to herself quietly before pushing on the intercom button. "Yeah, we're both here your royal Anus! And this is your first and only warning. Return Zero back to us, or suffer a thrashing like never before!" She warned.

"Yeah! What possible girlfriend said!" Joseph said proudly.

"Joe!" Kallen said with gritted teeth.

...

Avalon

"So they're also aware Lelouch is still alive." Kanon stated.

"Always a possibility. Tohdoh and that custodian were sympathetic for Joseph after all." Schneizel commented.

"The audacity of this woman!" Cornelia said angrily. More at the fact that said woman managed to somehow seduce her little brother than them being threatened.

"Just go wait inside the prison section, Cornelia. It'll all be fine." Schneizel told her.

Cornelia grunted by did as he said.

"It seems we have to take drastic measures, your highness." Kanon told him.

"Apparently." Schneizel said with amusement.

"Your highness, are you sure it's necessary to send the Lancelot and the Tristian out there?" Cecile asked with concern.

"If Suzaku wishes to redeem himself, let him do so." Schneizel said before opening communications with the Emperor's flagship.

...

Emperor's Flagship

"Lady Monica! I have Prince Schneizel on the line." A Britannian Operative told her.

"Accept it." Monica ordered.

Schneizel appeared on the screen with his go-to smile.

"Greetings, Knight of Twelve. I appreciate your time." Schneizel said kindly.

"Prince Schneizel." Monica greeted politely. "Would this happen to be about the outburst from the Sutherland just now?"

"Yes. It seems my brother and a couple of his friends have somehow hijacked a couple of Sutherlands. I have Suzaku and Gino going after them to make sure they surrender but perhaps you can send some troops out to give a helping hand, just in case." Schneizel suggested.

"Seems unnecessary if it's just a couple of Sutherlands." Monica said blankly.

"Yes well, we have reason to believe Joseph, along with the Ace of the Black Knights have come not only to rescue Zero but to assassinate the Emperor. Seeing how you're the Captain of his Royal Guard, you would want to make sure such a thing doesn't happen." Schneizel told her.

Monica didn't necessary believe him but she felt that giving him a few soldiers would get him out of her hair.

"Very well. They'll be there shortly." Monica complied.

"Thank you. One more thing though..." Schneizel told her.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"No telling twice, Schneizel! Give Lelouch back or things go down and dirty! Real filthy!" Joseph warned again.

"Big brother, please..." Rolo said tiredly through the comms.

"Joseph please, this doesn't have to become worse than it already is. Just surrender now and I'll make sure you and your friends get a fair trial." Schneizel bargained.

"HA! 'Fair trial'. And wood made from wood!" Joseph said accusingly.

"I don't know what you said to convince the Black Knights to betray Lelouch, but we're not gonna fall for your bullshit!" Kallen said, ignoring Joseph's strange statement.

"We're asking one last time. Release our brother or you will suffer the consequences." Rolo stated firmly from his knightmare.

"Interesting you call Lelouch your brother when you have no relation with us at all." Schneizel said dismissively.

...

"Blood doesn't matter, what matters is the bonds we make. Lelouch is my brother, as is Joseph. And calling yourself his brother is an insult to family!" Rolo said passionately.

...

Avalon

Schneizel couldn't help but chuckle at this proclamation.

"Yes, we do rather have a twisted sense of what family is, don't we Kanon?" Schneizel asked.

"You always did what you could, your majesty." Kanon said.

"Your highness. Sir Kururugi and Sir Weinberg are making their way towards the Sutherlands as we speak." A Britannian Soldier told him.

"Excellent." Schneizel said as he pushed the intercom button. "I suppose it doesn't really matter, I have Suzaku and the Knight of Three coming to take you in. You can either come with them willingly or they will use whatever force they deem necessary." He told them.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"You mean kill us?" Kallen asked rhetorically. "Couldn't kill Zero so now you're just settling with his lackeys, huh?" She asked bitterly.

"I'm trying to be reasonable, Miss Kozuki. Whatever happens next is no fault of my own." Schneizel said casually.

"Damn right!" Joseph said in a sure tone, making Kallen look at him questionably.

"Guys! The Lancelot and Tristian are coming this way." Rolo informed them.

They looked at the monitor and could see Suzaku's and Gino's knightmares heading towards them.

"Well that's just great." Kallen said in annoyance.

"Suzaku..." Joseph thought, unsure of what was going to happen.

...

"Let's try not to kill them if we don't have to, Suzaku. Capture is the key." Gino told him over Comms.

Suzaku just gave a grunt in confirmation from inside his knightmare as other things we're still on his mind.

"Using Zero's methods offers no future."

"And what about your future then?! To just live the life of a conqueror's subjugated lapdog, an honorary Britannian?"

"Said you good person! Still are! But trying hard not being one!"

They stopped several feet away from the two Sutherlands.

"I see this is where your true loyalty lies, Rolo." Suzaku said.

"I'm more loyal than you ever were, Suzaku." Rolo said bitterly.

"If you're going to try to use idealistic words on us again, Suzaku. Then just skip it. We're not surrendering, we're going to get Lelouch back, even if we have to go through you." Kallen told him with hostility.

"It's a shame, Kallen. You could have been an amazing Knight of the Round." Gino said disappointedly as he brought out his spear.

...

"Pssh. As if." Kallen scoffed from inside her knightmare.

"And what about you, Joseph? Do you feel the same way?" Suzaku asked the dimwit as he moved the Lancelot closer to their Sutherland.

Joseph stared at the monitor for a moment before pulling the switch to open the cockpit.

"What are you doing?" Kallen asked tiredly, not even fazed by Joseph's actions anymore.

Joseph didn't answer and instead stood on top of the Sutherland, looking at Suzaku's knightmare directly in the eye.

"Abso-toda-lutely." Joseph said solemnly, anticipating Suzaku's next move.

...

Time stood still for the five of them.

No one made made a move.

Suzaku stared at the monitor, looking Joseph dead in the eye.

"Because killed dad, think deserve bad things! Be insulted, ridiculed, help bad guys, die even!"

"You want to keep running away from your problems and blaming others, even though your faults hit you like a brick wall!"

Suzaku closed his eyes.

"He may have robbed the Japanese people of their choice, he still gave them a fighting chance today, and for that I thank him."

"You fool! You think ideals alone can change the world?!"

"More than anything, you hate when people die. Yet, you are in the military. Why is that?"

He took a deep breath.

"Regardless whether you win or lose, you will achieve nothing unless you're prepared to sacrifice everything! And that goes for countries as well as individuals!"

"We all have a choice, Suzaku!"

Gripped his controls.

"That light side you! Don't distinguish, let burn, before too late!"

"I love everything about you! So please, don't hate yourself!"

"Euphemia loved you Suzaku, she cared about you even knowing what you did. Joseph loves you, Nunnally loves you, the Student Council loves you. I love you."

And opened his eyes in determination, having made his choice.

"Know who I am. Do you?"

"So be it."

...

Gino saw the Lancelot raise it's VARIS in the air and aimed it...

Right at him.

"What the?!" Gino said, completely flabbergasted.

The VARIS fired and the Tristian barely dodged it in time.

...

"HUH?!" Kallen shouted in shock.

...

"What?!" Rolo said, also equally shocked.

...

Joseph's eyes and smile grew wide.

...

Avalon

Schenizel sighed in disappointment.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"Suzaku, what the Hell are you doing?!" Gino asked.

Only to be quickly met by the Lancelot's sword, which he quickly blocked with his spear.

"I'm sorry Gino, I really have appreciated your friendship." Suzaku said apologetically before he pushed the Tristian away and giving it a round kick.

He then turned the Lancelot towards the Avalon and raised its sword.

"Prince Schneizel. My name is Suzaku Kururugi. I am the Knight of Seven. Former Honorary Knight to Princess Euphemia. The son of Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi. And a student of Ashford Academy. I have been called an Eleven, a traitor, a white knight, a Grim Reaper. But one thing I know for sure, is that I am the best friend and brother of Lelouch vi Britannia. And I am ordering you to let him go! Or prepare to face my wrath!" Suzaku proclaimed, not a hint of doubt in his voice.

"YES! YES, TRAINING BUDDY! YES!" Joseph cheered at the top of his lungs as he jumped up and down on the Sutherland.

...

"Well that's unexpected." Rolo said with surprise.

...

"You have got to be kidding..." Kallen said tiredly.

...

Avalon

"Suzaku..." Cecile said shock and worry.

"Did I just lose my Lancelot?!" Lloyd asked with annoyance.

"How disappointing." Schneizel said sadly before switching his monitor to Monica. "Lady Krushevsky, I'm sure you heard all of that." He asked.

"I did, it seems you were correct in predicting Kururugi's betrayal. I'll contact Sir Waldstein right away." Monica said quickly.

"I thank you for the help." Schneizel said before shutting off comms.

"A shame. Kururugi showed such promise." Kanon said with disappointment.

"Indeed. But it's problem that will soon take care of itself." Schneizel said offhandedly.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"TRAINING BUDDY! YOU DID IT! YOU'RE BACK!" Joseph said as he suddenly jumped from Kallen's knightmare and hugged his arms and legs around the Lancelot Albion's head.

"Whoa, Joseph! As much as I would like to have this reunion, I think we have bigger issues to deal with right now." Suzaku told him from inside his knightmare as his radar detected more Sutherlands coming inbound.

"What the Hell is this, Suzaku? Some ploy?" Kallen asked with hostility.

"No Kallen. This is very real, you can consider me your ally." Suzaku told her with determination.

"You say that, but you have betrayed your friends before." Rolo said cautiously.

"Come on guys! Give chance!" Joseph said as he stood on top of the Lancelot Albion's head.

"Suzaku! What is this?! This isn't you!" Gino said as he put the Tristian in a defensive position, trying to understand.

"I haven't been me in a long time, Gino. All these years since my father's death, every decision I made, I told myself it was for the people of Japan, that it was for my friends, that I was doing the right thing. And each time I did, I always felt this pit in my stomach, a pit that wouldn't go away. Maybe it was my conscious telling me I was wrong, maybe it was my inner peace telling me that I strode too far away from a straight path. All I know is that it's a pit that has grown bigger and more painful over the years and I can no longer ignore it." Suzaku told him solemnly from inside his knightmare.

"But you're throwing everything away! Your status! Your friendships! Your loyalties!" Gino told him angrily.

"Perhaps I am. But for the first time in many years, I finally feel that pain lessen a bit. So if it means being branded as an enemy of Britannia, so be it." Suzaku said with pride as he readied his sword on the offense.

"Alright! That my training buddy!" Joseph said as he clapped his hands in applause.

"Suzaku..." Gino tried to reason with him more, but was soon interrupted by the entourage of incoming Sutherlands.

Both from Schneizel's airship and the Emperor's airship.

"Suzaku Kururugi! You are now considered an enemy of Britannia! Surrender now and you and your comrades can still be taken in alive!" Monica threatened from her knightmare, the Florence.

"That's Monica Krushevsky. Knight of Twelve and in charge of the Emperor's Personal Guard. This can get real bad..." Suzaku said to himself from inside his knightmare. "Kallen, Rolo! Lelouch is being held in the prison section of the Avalon! You need to go to the backend, 20 meters down on the right! Take Joseph and rescue Lelouch!" He said as he readied for battle.

"But what about you?" Rolo asked.

"I'm the only one who can hold off the Knights of the Round and the rest of this fleet. While you two are very skilled pilots, there's only so much you can do with Sutherlands. Go! Before more show up!" Suzaku told them quickly.

"Yeah! Prison riot!" Joseph said excitedly as he jumped back onto Kallen's Sutherland.

Kallen wasn't sure how to feel about this as it was a lot thrown at her in just a couple of minutes. But she really have time to argue about it either.

"This doesn't make us friends again!" Kallen warned him as she flew with Joseph on the knightmare's shoulder.

"I didn't expect it too." Suzaku said with a smirk from inside his knightmare, knowing he had a long road ahead of him to get their trust back.

"Suzaku, please...stand down." Gino warned for the last time from inside his knightmare.

"Sorry, Gino. I've stood down long enough." Suzaku said before charging into the fray.

...

"Told ya, Kal Pal! Told ya!" Joseph said excitedly as he did a little celebration dance on the sutherland's shoulder.

"Gloat about it later, moron! Let's get your brother!" Kallen said with annoyance as she and Rolo raced towards the Avalon's prison section.

"Got it! You shiv! I drop soap!" Joseph proclaimed determinedly, making Kallen sigh tiredly.

"Wait, what does that mean?" Rolo asked curiously.

"It's better you don't know." Kallen said, not wanting to explain it.

Kallen wasted no more time and accelerated her Sutherland, Rolo following close behind her. She locked onto the wall where Suzaku said the prison section was and blew a hole in.

"Joseph, you go in and get Lelouch. We'll stay here and cover you." Kallen told him.

"Right-eo!" Joseph saluted before jumping inside. "Have none fear, little bro! For I..."

Before Joseph could finish his proclamation, he realized he was surrounded by dozens of Britannian soldiers pointing their guns at him, Cornelia being at the center of them. While it was indeed the prison section of the Avalon, it looked like there weren't any prisoners of any kind there.

"...am confused." Joseph finished, feeling as such.

Before Kallen or Rolo could react, they suddenly were surrounded by multiple knightmares.

"Damn it." Kallen said bitterly from inside her knightmare.

"Where did they all come from?" Rolo wondered from inside his knightmare, his guard up.

...

"What the Hell?! How did backup get here so quick?!" Suzaku asked himself from inside the Lancelot as he took out Sutherlands here and there.

"You can thank me for that, Suzaku." Schneizel said as he appeared on his monitor with a shit-eating smirk. "I foresaw the stunt you were going to pull so I made extra precautions just in case."

"Damn you Schneizel." Suzaku said bitterly as he blocked attacks from both Gino and Monica at the same time.

...

"Enough is enough, Joseph. It's time for you to surrender." Cornelia told him solemnly as she raised the tranquilizer gun she used earlier on him.

"...Lelouch never here." Joseph said angrily.

"No, he wasn't. Not that Suzaku knew that. Schneizel saw his betrayal coming a mile away and now gets to join the others of being disposed of." Cornelia told him.

"Son of a...trap within trap! Of course!" Joseph said as he slapped his hand to his head.

...

After pushing Gino and Monica back, Suzaku started to race his way to where Kallen, Rolo, and Joseph were.

"I have to help them!" Suzaku said quickly.

And it was only thanks to his Geass command that he stopped short from a blast on energy that would have surely killed him.

"Going somewhere? Knight of Seven?" A voice called out to him.

That voice belonging to Bismarck from inside the Galahad.

"The Knight of One?!" Monica said with shock from inside her knightmare.

"Damn it, I was hoping it wouldn't come to that." Gino thought to himself bitterly.

"Lord Waldstein! What happened to being at the Emperor's beckon and call?!" Suzaku asked sarcastically.

"Please. Who could be foolish enough to relax his guard with a man who constantly betrays everyone who trusts him?" Bismarck asked rhetorically as he brought out the Galahad's sword for combat.

...

"I'm sorry it's come to this. But you left us no choice." Cornelia told him before firing a tranquilizer dart at him.

However, he was ready for it this time and caught it effortlessly.

"Always choice, Cornelia! Just choosing bad one!" Joseph said angrily, dropping the nickname for his sister.

"I am trying to protect you, damn it! Despite how many obstacles you keep trying to put up, I still care about this family!" Cornelia tried to reason.

"Just not Lelouch." Joseph stated for her bitterly.

Cornelia just sighed, realizing this was getting them nowhere.

"Talking to you is obviously pointless. So let me make this easier. Give up now, and your friends won't be obliterated to Kingdom Come." Cornelia negotiated.

This caused to Joseph to look at Kallen and Rolo in concern.

"Don't listen to her, Joe! We can take these guys!" Kallen told him over the intercom. But then she switched over to her private comms to have a conversation with Rolo. "Be honest with me, Rolo. How good is your knightmare combat without Geass?" She asked.

"A little above average, but without the use of my Geass and the Shinkiro, I doubt I'll last long." Rolo told her bluntly.

"I could definitely take all these guys out in a cinch if I had my Guren, but there's only so much a Sutherland can do with skill alone." Kallen told him honestly.

"I don't plan on giving up." Rolo said solemnly.

"Neither do I." Kallen said with a nod.

...

"Sir Bismarck, we're here to assist!" Monica told him as she and Gino went to his side.

"Leave Kururugi to me. Go and handle the prince and his comrades and see if you can contact Anya." Bismarck ordered them.

"Sir!" Monica and Gino said, though a bit more wearily for Gino since he didn't want to hurt them.

As they went on their way, Suzaku and Bismarck finally confronted each other.

"What caused this fallout, Kururugi? I thought you hated Zero for what he did." Bismarck asked from inside his Galahad.

"It was my own decision, Bismarck. I appreciate the patronage of his Majesty. That cannot be questioned. But, he is guilty of two crimes." Suzaku told him from inside as he brought up the Lancelot's sword.

"And what's that?" Bismarck asked from inside the Galahad.

"First, abandoning his responsibilities as Emperor. And second, dirtying his hands with the blood of his children." Suzaku told him solemnly as he swung his sword at the Galahad.

"Really now?" Bismarck asked with a humorous tone going in for his own attack.

"He could've saved Euphie, protected her. It would've been so easy. But instead he abandoned her and left Lelouch to commit heinous crimes and live with the guilt afterwards. And then he used Nunnally, his own daughter, as a tool to try and compel him to do what he wished!" Suzaku said angrily from inside the Lancelot as his Geass flared in his eyes, letting him dodge Bismarck's attacks.

"You certainly didn't have a problem with it!" Bismarck reminded him as he tried to blast him several times.

"Yes, and that's more guilt I'll have to live with. But for now, this is all I can do." Suzaku said steadfast, not ready to give up.

Bismarck couldn't help but chuckle from inside his knightmare. "Foolish boy. Let me know show you why I carried the title of the Knight of One for so long."

...

"If Lelouch not here. Then where?" Joseph asked.

"He and Nunnally are already long gone. Somewhere you won't get to him." Cornelia told him.

...

Britannian Personal Carrier

He sat on his knees in silence.

He was strapped to a prisoner uniform and his eyes covered with a blindfold.

It was safe to say, Lelouch vi Britannia had truly lost this time.

"...So am I to be your prisoner?"

Sayoko looked at him with concern before turning to Nunnally who kept a neutral expression.

"Whether you believe it or not Lelouch. I'm just trying to protect you." Nunnally said.

"I guess we're not so different that way. You create a better mask than I ever could." Lelouch said complimentary.

...

(Flashback)

Ikaruga

Lelouch could feel himself being pushed into what he was assuming was a carrier ship.

"We'll have you transported to the Avalon where Zero will be properly marked as a prisoner, your Highness." He heard a Britannian soldier tell her Nunnally.

"Thank you, and please keep me updated on the situation with my brother, Joseph and Kallen. I want to make sure they're okay." Nunnally told him professionally.

"Understood." The soldier complied before taking his leave.

Once the soldier left, Lelouch was surprised to hear an exhausted gasp from Nunnally.

"Mistress Nunnally!" Sayoko said with concern as Lelouch could hear go over to Nunnally's side, who he assumed slumped into her chair. "Are you alright?!" She asked worriedly.

"Yes...yes." Nunnally assured her softly, regaining her composure it sounded like. "I just never realized how stressful lying under pressure could be." She joked halfheartedly.

Lelouch snapped his head up at that. Realizing what she meant.

"You...you were bluffing?" He asked with surprise.

"I managed to learn a thing or two from you, Lelouch. You were quite good with how often you lied to me." Nunnally said with an edge to her voice.

Lelouch couldn't help but wince at that.

"Yes, I suppose that is true." Lelouch said quietly.

"Just tell me one thing, Lelouch. Please tell me why you did that Euphie?" Nunnally asked steadily, though he could hear voice wavering a bit.

"...Because your brother's a demon, Nunnally. Always has been, always will be." Lelouch said defeatedly, no longer denying what he knew was true.

"Master Lelouch..." Sayoko said sadly.

He didn't hear Nunnally say anything, but he knew she was hurting. And as much as he wanted to comfort her, he knew he no longer had or deserved that privilege.

Instead, he heard her wheel past him.

"Then I guess there's nothing more to discuss." She said blankly.

(Flashback End)

"So what happens now? Will Schneizel make a spectacle of my capture? Show off my identity to those who try to oppose the empire again? Lelouch asked.

"The Black Knights already told the public you were dead, so it no longer matters." Nunnally told him blankly.

All Lelouch could do was chuckle humorlessly at that. "Already taking me off the board. I guess I should be bitter but..."

"As long as Schneizel believes I have the an upper hand, he won't kill you. But he also knows we can't let others see you and get any bright ideas. So we're going to a base he had set up awhile back." Nunnally explained.

"Where's that if I may ask, Mistress Nunnally." Sayoko asked curiously.

"Cambodia."

...

Coast of Kamine Island

"If I could just use my Geass one more time. Joseph might still be able to escape." Rolo thought to himself as he tried to use his Geass again only for him to collapse against the controls, it was too much strain to even attempt to turn it on.

Monica and Gino arrived near the prison section and took aim at Kallen and Rolo.

"Sorry it's come to this, Kallen." Gino said wistfully.

"Keep your apology, Gino. Let me know when you stop being Britannia's lapdog." Kallen spat back, making Gino grunt with regret.

"Gino..." Joseph said with a sad tone, hating he would have to fight him.

"So what's it going to be, Joseph?" Cornelia asked. "Will you finally stop this charade?"

"Charade? This never charade. Charade have no talk. Talking whole time!" Joseph told her angrily, making Cornelia roll her eyes in annoyance. "And tell you, I never stop not stopping! Take day, take week, take millennium, no care! Will get Lelouch and Nunne back! Have family time with kids, and you and Schneizel not invited!" He told her determinedly.

Cornelia just looked at him sadly, hoping it wouldn't come to this.

"Very well." Cornelia said as she raised her hand to give the order to have Kallen and Rolo fired upon.

*BOOM*

That is until a couple of Britannian knightmares were destroyed from the outside.

"What the Hell?!" Cornelia asked in shock.

"BEHOLD! THE TESTAMENT OF MY LOYALTY!" A certain cyborg yelled as his Siegfried spun through the barrage of knightmares, forcing Gino and Monica to back away.

"JERRY!" Joseph cheered excitedly.

"About time, Orange-Boy." Kallen said with a smirk from inside her Sutherland.

"Sorry it took me so long, your highness." Jeremiah said as he fired upon the soldiers inside the prison section, making sure not to hit Cornelia or Joseph.

He then launched one of the Siegfried's spike inside so Joseph could climb aboard.

"Hold it!" Cornelia said as she pointed the tranquilizer gun at Joseph again. "I can't let escape! I can't lose you too!" She practically begged.

"Already did." Joseph said sadly as he grabbed onto the cable and zipped back to the Siegfried.

Cornelia could only stand there as she gritted her teeth in regret.

"Perfect timing, Jerry!" Joseph said gratefully after he flipped onto the top of Jeremiah's Siegfried.

"Not perfect enough, unfortunately. I'm guessing they had Prince Lelouch transferred out?" Jeremiah asked.

"He was never even here. Schneizel planned for everything." Kallen said angrily as she fired at enemy knightmares here and there.

"It's safe to say our mission failed." Rolo added as he continued to fight as best he could.

"Not over yet! Still gotta stop dad!" Joseph told them encouragingly.

"But how are we suppose to get to Kamine Island? Leap frog our way there?" Kallen asked rhetorically.

And of course, that struck a lightbulb in Joseph's head. The others could see the wide grin spread on his face.

"Wait. Joseph, no. That was a joke." Kallen told him quickly.

"Kal Pal, you genius!" Joseph said excitedly before jumping onto one of the Siegfried's spike and gripping it. "Jerry! Spin, please!"

"Don't even think about it, Jeremiah! It was a joke!" Kallen said angrily from inside her knightmare, really wanting to stop this before it began.

"What's going on?" Rolo asked, not understanding at all.

"I...I don't know, your highness." Jeremiah said, unsure about it either.

"Do or tell kids you bad influence!" Joseph threatened as he pointed his finger at the Siegfried.

"What exactly are they arguing about?" Gino asked in a confused manner from inside his Tristian.

"Does it matter?" Monica asked back from inside her Florence.

Jeremiah could only sigh as he started to spin the Siegfried, but not too fast as he didn't want Joseph to slip off by accident.

"YEAH! ROLLER COASTER!" Joseph yelled excitedly.

"ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" Kallen yelled with rage from inside her knightmare as she continued to take out other Sutherlands.

"What is happening...?" Rolo asked from inside his knightmare, utterly confused.

"FASTER! ALMOST GOT IT!" Joseph yelled in anticipation, getting ready to launch himself. "FIAR!"

He then let go of the Siegfried, zipping past towards the raging battlefield that contained Suzaku, Bismarck and multiple enemy knightmares.

"JOE! YOU FREAKING IDIOT!" Kallen said in annoyance.

"Good luck, your Majesty!" Jeremiah told him proudly.

"That's...certainly a strategy I never seen before." Monica said simply from inside her knightmare, not sure how else to respond.

"I love that guy." Gino said with an amused smirk from inside his knightmare.

...

"ZUUL MOTHAFUUCCCCCKKAA!" Joseph yelled as he reached for his first knightmare.

He was starting to lose altitude but thankfully was able to grab onto the leg of the Sutherland.

"What the?" The soldier said from inside as he felt something slam into his knightmare's leg.

He then heard something thump on top, before he could question it further, Joseph's face appeared upside down on his monitor.

"Hi." Joseph said as he waved to the knightmare's head.

"Hey!" The soldier said angrily.

With that, Joseph stood on top of the knightmare and jumped off, grabbing onto another Sutherland.

"Look! There's the traitorous prince!" Another soldier said as he caught Joseph gather his footing.

Suzaku saw this too and was utterly confused. "Joe?!"

"Hey, training buddy! One sec!" Joseph yelled as he soon jumped from one knightmare to another.

"Don't just sit there! Get him!" A soldier told the others in annoyance.

Before he could help his friend, Bismarck came and blocked his path.

"I would be more worried for yourself right now." Bismarck told him.

Suzaku could feel his Geass command flare brightly inside his soul.

"No. The Geass command that compels me to live. It's screaming at me to run away! Is the Knight of One really that dangerous an opponent?" Suzaku asked himself from inside his Lancelot. "I won't give up! I left my weakness!" He told him determinedly.

"Weakness? Fool! What you call weakness… That was the source of your strength. Gentleness and compassion are what drove you." Bismarck said as he swung his sword at the Lancelot, which Suzaku blocked.

"I'm not talking about that." Suzaku said as he forced the Galahad beside him and delivered a swift elbow to its face.

"It matters not. Either way, you and your friends will die here, Suzaku Kururugi." Bismarck proclaimed.

As they continued to fight, the Britannian soldiers were having their own trouble trying to catch Joseph, who continued to leap frog back and forth between knightmares.

"Alright, that's it!" An annoyed soldier said as he decided to take the initiative.

He aimed his guns at Joseph, who landed on another knightmare and fired.

"Oop!" Joseph yelped as he barely dodged the bullets shot at him.

"Hey! You're shooting at me too, asshole!" The other soldier yelled angrily as the bullets were hitting his Sutherland.

"Just hold still, I got him!" The soldier told him as he tried to shoot Joseph, who just flipped and climb his way all around the knightmare.

As that was happening, Kallen, Rolo, and Jeremiah were finally able to make their way towards Suzaku's and Joseph's direction. Unfortunately they were also being chased by Monica and Gino, Kallen and Rolo were up front while Jeremiah defended them from the back.

"Joe!" Kallen said worriedly from inside her knightmare as she saw Joseph's predicament.

Eventually Joseph stuck his tongue out at the soldier shooting, which just made him even more angry. And letting his pride take over his thought process, he decided to use the heavier artillery and launched a missile at the dimwit.

Joseph managed to dodge but the missile also happened to destroy the wiring around the Sutherland's fuel thrusters.

"You damaged the fuel thrusters, you idi-" Before the other soldier could finish, he was suddenly blasted through the battlefield with Joseph barely hanging onto his leg.

The speeding Sutherland zig-zagged back and forth through the barrage of knightmares, who barely had time to dodge the runaway machine, even the pilot himself ejected.

The Britannian soldiers, Kallen, Rolo, Jeremiah, and even Monica and Gino had to stop a moment to make sure what they were witnessing was real.

"...Should...should we do something?" Was all Rolo could think to ask from inside his knightmare.

"No, it's better we just let him do this thing..." Kallen said tiredly from inside her Sutherland.

"Oh your highness..." Jeremiah quietly said, couldn't help but be amused.

"It's a wonder how he's survived for so long..." Monica couldn't help state as she stared at the scene in bewilderment from inside her Florence.

...

Avalon

Main Bridge

"The prince does always seem to find himself in peculiar situations doesn't he." Lloyd stated as he watched the scene in amusement.

"Is it the situations that are peculiar in nature or simply because he gets involved?" Cecile couldn't help but asked.

"An interesting question, Miss Croomy." Schneizel commented with a smirk.

"Should we send extra help, your Majesty?" Kanon asked.

"Hold on that, Kanon. I want to see where this goes." Schneizel told him.

...

Coast of Kamine Island

Joseph saw he was starting to lose his grip on the knightmare and saw a target coming his way.

"FREE FOR ALL, BABY! HAHAHAHA!" Joseph cheered as he let go of the Sutherland and slammed into the Galahad's head.

"Why you little!" Bismarck said angrily.

As that happened, the runaway Sutherland slammed into another Sutherland and they both launched themselves towards a small carrier ship. The Sutherlands crashed right into it, destroying it on impact.

"...Oh wow..." Suzaku said with a small voice as he witnessed chaotic buffoonery work successfully.

"...Cool." Joseph said in amazement after he climbed on top of the Galahad's head, only to swiftly miss the hand that was trying to get him.

"Joseph, what the Hell is going on?!" Suzaku asked, trying to understand.

"Little bro not here, training buddy! Trap by Schneizel!" Joseph quickly explained as he Spider-Manned his way around the Galahad.

"Damn it. I should have known Schneizel have a trick up his sleeve..." Suzaku thought with regret inside the Lancelot. "Then we should retreat while we still can." He told him.

"Negative!" Joseph said as he jumped onto the Lancelot's shoulder. "Dad doing bad thing! End worlding thing! Gotta stop him!" He told him quickly.

"End of the world? What are you..." Suzaku asked, completely out of the loop. Only to quickly dodge another attack by Bismarck.

"We don't have time to explain! We just need to make sure Joseph gets on Kamine Island!" Kallen said as she continued to fight off other Sutherlands.

"Yeah! What possible girlfriend said!" Joseph said cheerfully as he pointed his thumb at Kallen's Sutherland.

"JOE!" Kallen said with angry annoyance.

While Suzaku had a million questions, he simply nodded in cooperation. "I'll take you there myself, Joe." He told his friend from inside his knightmare.

"As if I would allow that!" Bismarck threatened as he swung his sword at them.

"No need, training buddy! Have quicker way!" Joseph told him as his eye caught a knightmare approaching the island.

A knightmare that happened to be Anya's Mordred.

"TALLY-HO!" Joseph exclaimed as he jumped of the Lancelot, with Suzaku yelling "THAT'S NOT QUICKER" at him. He then slammed onto the back of the Mordred before swinging his way onto its chest. "Thanks!" He said with a salute before placing his legs on its chest and pushing himself off towards the island at rapid speed and then using the tail-ends of his coat to help him guide.

He skid onto the low coast of the island before tumbling onto the shore and then somehow landed perfectly on his feet again. He tugged on his coat with his dopey smile and ran his way deeper into the island.

Back inside the Mordred, Marianne(currently possessing Anya) looked at the monitor with a very perplexed expression while C.C. just stared on with a deadpan expression.

"...Did Joseph just launch himself off the Mordred like a cannonball?" Marianne asked.

"Always the spontaneous..." C.C. said blankly.

"Anya! Do you read me?!" Bismarck asked her through her comms.

"Is the Mordred required, Lord Bismarck?" Marianne asked with a blank tone, impersonating Anya.

"Kururugi has betrayed his Highness and is staging a coup with a couple of the Black Knights and the traitorious prince. Monica and Gino can testify to it." Bismarck told her.

"Acknowledged. Do you wish for me to stop the prince?" Marianne asked.

"Please see to it. How damaged is your Knightmare?" Bismarck asked.

"Minor damage. I'll intercept him on the island." Marianne told him.

"Understood. I'll deal with the insects here." Bismarck told her before cutting communications.

"You're quite the actress, aren't you?" C.C. asked with a smirk.

"We don't have time to explain things to Bismarck right now. As long as he thinks I'm following orders, he won't bother us." Marianne told her.

"Putting a moment to fence it. That's just the sort of flash I'd expect from Marianne the Flash. And it's just perfect for Lelouch's mother." C.C. said nostalgically. "Still, it is surprising to learn that Suzaku of all people is staging a coup. I guess Lelouch was somehow able to get his head out of his ass after all." She said as she observed the Lancelot battle from the monitor.

"So what comes next?" Marianne asked.

"Hm?" C.C. hummed, not understanding.

"My surrogate-nephew is trying to stop his father. Should we intervene? Or just meet him inside?" Marianne asked her casually.

...

Back at showdown between the knightmares, Suzaku came to Kallen's side.

"So you finally told him, huh?" Suzaku asked teasingly.

"You looking for a smack?" Kallen asked threatened, making Suzaku chuckle.

Soon Jeremiah joined by their side too.

"We meet again, Suzaku Kururugi." Jeremiah said with a respectful tone.

"Lord Jeremiah." Suzaku said with surprise.

"It warms my heart to finally fight by your side." Jeremiah said with a smile inside the Siegfried.

"Sorry it had to be under dire circumstances. Do we have a plan?" Suzaku asked from inside the Lancelot.

"Keep these guys occupied long enough for Joseph to stop the Emperor from whatever he's doing." Kallen told him from inside her knightmare.

"And then hopefully find a way out of here." Rolo concluded from inside his knightmare.

"Let's not disappoint, his Majesty shall we?" Jeremiah asked with determination as he spun the Siegfried at the enemy knightmares and the Knights of the Round.

"Starting to regret joining our side, Suzaku?" Kallen asked as she shot at her own group of Knightmares.

"Not one bit." Suzaku said with a smirk as he charged Bismarck.

...

Avalon

"Do you think Anya will be able to stop Joseph?" Cornelia asked.

"It doesn't matter. If he fails, we still have the FIEJA, and if he doesn't, that just means I can rise to the occasion." Schneizel said, surprising the rest there.

"Brother?" Cornelia asked in shock.

"He considers our affairs trivial and mundane. That's how His Majesty referred to our mortal struggle with the Black Knights." Schneizel told her with a slight bit of annoyance.

"But…" Cornelia started to say.

"You've seen it, too, Cornelia. How absorbed father is with his dangerous research, how he abandons the throne. It's true. He treats diplomacy and war like they are meaningless trifles. A man who's lost interest in this world, who sees his people locked in a life and death struggle and shrugs with indifference. Such a man has no right to rule." Schneizel told her.

"I see. He's finally made up his mind." Kanon thought with acceptance.

"A coup d'etat…?" Lloyd asked quietly with shaky eyes and a nervous smile.

"But...that's wrong…" Cecile said quietly, fear in her tone.

"I don't know what father has planned down there, but Joseph feels the need to stop him, I see no reason to get in his way." Schneizel told them as he leaned back into his seat.

...

Ikaruga

"Ohgi, we're getting a call request from Lord Xingke's carrier ship." Hinata told him.

"Go ahead and accept it." Ohgi told her.

She did as such and Hong Gu appeared on the screen.

"Ohgi, this is Hong Gu. Requesting landing clearance. We brought Her Majesty and Lady Kaguya with us." He said.

"Right. Then I'll contact Schneizel's staff as well." Ohgi told him.

"Actually, we prefer the Prime Minister stay out of this conversation." Kaguya said with a professional tone as she appeared on the screen, she had a very obvious glare in her eyes though.

"Ah, Lady Kaguya?" Ohgi asked, not understanding.

"You have some explaining to do, Ohgi." Xingke said as he also appeared on the screen, his own eyes narrowed at him.

"A lot of explaining." Tianzi concluded as she appeared on the screen with an angry pout.

Ohgi couldn't help but sweat-drop as he had a feeling he was about to be scolded like a child.

"I thought Ohgi had finally changed a bit. But no, definitely miscast. His true nature is to be defensive." Diethard realized to himself, bruises on his face.

...

Kamine Island

Joseph ran as fast as he could as he made his way to the cave. The same cave that helped him wake from his coma, the same cave that he knew would lead him to C's World and his father.

After he got pass the clearing, he stopped himself right in front of the entrance of said cave. He caught his breath and looked back at the roaring battlefield between his friends and the bad guys. He wished he could do more for them but he knew they would be fine, he felt it in his heart.

"Keep them distracted guys. I got this."

He looked back the cave with a determined expression.

"Once this is over. I'm coming to get you, Lelouch and Nunne."

He ran into the cave, full speed ahead. He could feel the electricity surging in his head again but he ignored it as he reached out his hand towards the Geass symbol. And as if it could feel his presence, the symbol started to glow red and a light flashed in his eyes as he touched the wall.

...

C's World

Joseph could feel the light fade from his eyes, when his vision cleared he couldn't help but gasp in awe at his surroundings. Clouds hovered around him, a long shadow stood below him as if to illuminate a sunset, and he could see the platform he was on hover by itself.

"Truly interesting." A voice boomed out to him. "All these years, I always thought Lelouch would be the one to end this constant game of cat and mouse with me. Instead, I deal with the child of the lowest-common denominator, it would be impressive if it weren't so inconvenient."

Joseph's eyes scrunched in anger as he knew who that voice belonged too.

"Hello...poppy."

To Be Continued...

GUESS WHO'S BACK? BACK AGAIN!

So sorry it's taken so long to come back guys! Between the holidays, starting new stories, and personal projects, I just never found time to solely focus on Do Something, Do It Stupid as I used to. But I am determined to finish it this year as 2024 marks the FIFTH YEAR ANNIVERSARY since this story started! I'm so thankful for all the followers and favorites this story has received since then.

I'm happy that so many people have fallen in love with my OC and I want to make sure his story gets a proper conclusion! I can't guarantee when the next chapter will come out but I am determined to finish this year!

And considering Lelouch has been captured, Suzaku has joined Joseph's side, and Joseph himself is about to confront his father after so many years, it's going to be one Hell of ride! So buckle up and stay tune!

Comment and tell me what you think!