Britannia Personal Carrier
Nunnally and Lelouch gasped as they both felt it.
The Geass in Lelouch's eye under the blindfold flared with purple.
"Master Lelouch, Mistress Nunnally. Are you alright?" Sayoko asked with concern.
"I-I'm fine." Nunnally said a bit nervously.
Lelouch just remained silent.
"Did...did Lelouch/Nunnally feel that?" Nunnally and Lelouch both wondered.
...
A Few Moments Ago
C's World
"GERONIMO!" Joseph yelled crazily as he dived towards the RPG.
Joseph heard the others scream after him but it was already too late as he reached his hand out towards the collective consciousness, making contact with the strand.
It felt strange, as if pulling on a guitar string. Suddenly, a bright light seemed to envelope over him, and he started to feel that wave of electricity surge through him again.
But it was stronger this time, more forceful, he couldn't help but scream before the bright light blinded his vision with nothing but white.
...
White noise slowly left Joseph's ears as his vision started coming back to his eyes. He was still surrounded by white, but he could see a blurry figure in front of him.
As his eyes adjusted to the setting around him, the figure came into focus.
It made his eyes widen in shock, for it was the same figure he saw a few weeks ago before shit hit the fan.
It was his mother, who looked at him with a smile full of joy and eyes filling with tears.
"My little Joe...you've gotten so big..." Rebecca said tearfully as she took his face into her hands.
She then wrapped her arms tightly around the shocked Joseph, who stood there frozen for a few moments.
And then it hit him that his deceased mother was hugging him again after all this years!
Tears came out of his eyes and he returned the hug, just as tight.
"Mom." Joseph whispered, feeling so much joy in the moment.
They stayed like that for a few moments before looking at each other with tearful happiness.
"Mom...I...how..." Joseph jumbled his words, finding himself total discombobulated for the first time in his life.
"I know you're feeling a lot of things right now, honey. But there's someone else who wants to see you." Rebecca told him with a gentle smile.
She turned her head to what was behind her and it made Joseph go speechless.
"I'm glad we were able to get our message to you, big brother." A pink-haired teenage girl said with a small smile.
Joseph's eyes showly and his jaw stayed agape as he slowly approached her. As soon as he stood over her, he slowly brought his hand up to her cheek with trepidancy, afraid that she was just an illusion.
"...E...Eup?" He asked like a timid child.
Euphemia's smile grew bigger and gave him a silent nod.
Joseph broke down at that and tightly wrapped his little sister into a big hug.
"EUP!" Joseph shouted with glee as he spun her around, making her laugh joyfully.
Rebecca laughed happily at the signal as well.
After he put her down, they stared at each other nostalgically.
"This is really happening? This isn't an illusion?" Joseph asked a bit warily. "Wait, if it is, I need SpongeBob to show up right now!" He said quickly.
Euphemia giggled at his spontaneous thinking.
"It's really real Joseph." She insisted.
Joseph couldn't help but smile back. "I really missed that smile of yours." He said happily before bringing them both in for a hug. "I missed you both so much." He said tearfully, they returned the hug with just as much joy.
"Hope you guys know I still haven't given up on Part 2! It's why I jumped in here in the first place!" Joseph said determinedly.
"Oh, we know, Joe. Always my brave little man." Rebecca said as she squished his cheek together, making him laugh.
"How's Cornelia and Suzaku?" Euphemia asked gently.
"They both miss you a lot. Corn is unfortunately letting revenge get the better of her while Suzaku was acting like a dingus for awhile, but he finally has his head on straight! He tried to help us get Lelouch back!" Joseph started to tell her before turning to his mom. "Oh, and mom! I have a possible girlfriend and kids! Five of them! You gotta meet them!" He told her excitedly.
"Oh I know honey! I wish I could! But there's a reason we brought you here." Rebecca told him with a sad smile.
"Where exactly is here?" Joseph asked curiously as he looked around.
"A place outside of the space-time continuum. There's many names for it, but you humans often refer to it as Limbo." A voice spoke up.
It was the same voice he heard when Euphemia first warned him about Ragnarok.
The same voice that reverberated around him as if it was everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
The same voice that he could tell carried so much power inside them and could easily destroy him with just with a blink of their eye.
And it was the same voice that currently came from behind him.
He turned around and was surprised to see it was the appearance of a woman.
Their features gave a reminder of C.C., but Joseph could tell just by looking at them that they had been present long before man even existed.
They had pale skin and purple eyes, their hair was black with purple edgings and was styled in V-shaped bangs. They wore an outfit that could resemble something from a spy film, all black except a white turtleneck that patterned itself with the symbol of Geass.
They stared at Joseph blankly but he could sense a small ounce of intrigue in their eyes. He looked back at Euphemia and his mom and he could sense a bit of weariness coming from them.
And he didn't know why, but he had a sense of familiarity with them. As if they had met before.
He looked back at the mysterious being and asked the only thing he could: "Who are you?"
"I'm nobody, to Humans, I do not exist. But, I'm visible to those who are able to see me." They said with a mysterious tone.
"...An imaginary friend?" He asked quizzically.
He felt a hand gently grasp his shoulder and saw it was his mother, who looked at him with a sad smile.
"This is the Dimensional Supervisor, Joseph." Rebecca told him.
"What am I, or we are is the collective consciousness of the Universe. I think that falls into your terminology. We intervene in the Evolution of the Universe." The Dimensional Supervisor explained.
Joseph stood there confused for a moment but his eyes became as wide as saucer as he realized the implication of that sentence.
"Holy shit...you're God?" He asked with a dropped jaw.
The Dimensional Supervisor smirked at that. "Not sure the word we would use, but it always has a nice ring to it."
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! If you're God, then answer me this! If I were to take all the poop I ever pooped-"
"2.7 miles." The DS said blankly. Rebecca laughed happily, while Euphemia sweat-dropped.
"...Wow." Joseph said with awe.
"If you think that's cool, I had 3.1." Rebecca said, feeling proud of herself.
"(Gasps) I'm close to your record!" Joseph said excitedly.
"I know!" Rebecca squealed, just as excited.
"You two are definitely related." Euphemia said with a tired smile.
"Of course! I eat my vegetables and take each day one duck at a time!" Joseph said proudly.
"Just like I taught you!" Rebecca said just as proud as she hugged her son.
"You two are an enigma." The Supervisor said emotionlessly.
"Ironic considering you're God." Joseph countered.
Joseph could feel his mother's grip pull him tighter, he looked at her confused.
"Mom?" He asked with concern, he saw the wary look on her face.
"They're not just God, Joseph...they're your mother." Rebecca said with a lump in her throat.
Joseph's brows furrowed at that, confused by that statement. After a moment, his eyes widened in understanding.
"Mom! You remarried!" Joseph said with glee.
Rebecca chuckled wholeheartedly at that, Euphemia couldn't help but giggle too.
"I missed that innocent brain of yours, Joe." Euphemia said happily.
"But no, that being is your actual mother." Rebecca said solemnly.
Joseph looked at her then at the Supervisor, then back to his mother.
"Naw, it...it can't be." Joseph denied, but that feeling of familiarity just wouldn't leave him. "You're my mother, you gave birth to me." He told Rebecca without doubt.
"Both those statements are true. But it doesn't change the fact that I'm still your mother as well." The Supervisor told him.
Joseph just became more confused at that.
"Perhaps I should start at the beginning..." Rebecca began.
...
(Flashback)
"Come on, son. Let's go find a second opinion for you." She said in a motherly tone, making the child wave his arms in happiness, from her perspective anyway.
"Don't worry, my little Joe. I'll find a cure for you." Rebecca thought determinedly.
For the next several days, she researched medical journals, textbooks, and seminars to see what could be done to help Joseph. She barely gotten any sleep knowing time was of the essence.
When none of that helped, she decided to look outside of the country for resources.
One of those stops was in India where she met a mellow if not blunt 6 year old scientist.
"Sorry, as much as I would like to help, I'm still in the theory stage with my research. Nothing's been tested." The small but intellectual Rakshata told Rebecca.
"There has to be something you can do. Please, I'm running out of options!" Rebecca pleaded, she held Joseph in her arms.
He had an air mask around his mouth that connected to an oxygen tank that was on Rebecca's back. He looked paler than before, his time becoming shorter and shorter.
"I can offer herb and spices but I was never one to really believe in Eastern medicine, despite my origins." Rakshata told her with her relaxed tone.
Rebecca could only sigh from exhaustion and worry as she held her little Joe close to her. Rakshata wasn't one for making familial connections but she did sympathize with the woman.
"I really am sorry. I hope you find peace through all of this." Rakshata told her.
"...I appreciate you taking time to meet me with me Miss Chawla, but I'll find peace when I know my son is well and thriving." Rebecca told her sternly.
With that she took her leave, making Rakshata sigh tiredly.
"I can't give up. Not now!" Rebecca thought determinedly as she clutched her son tightly.
"Excuse me, miss." A voice called out to her.
Rebecca looked to where the voice called out and saw what looked to be a couple of Sikhs.
"Forgive me, but we couldn't help overhear your conversation with our resident doctor. We are sorry to hear of his condition. May we ask how much longer he has?" The Sikh asked.
"Five days. Every day he gets more and more weak." She said with a quiet voice as she brushed his little hair across his little head.
The Sikh thought about it for a moment before looking towards his companion, who nodded in agreement.
"There might be something that can help." The Sikh told her, making Rebecca eye's flash up in shock. "It's by no means a guarantee, but it is a chance."
"What is it?" Rebecca asked quickly.
"There's a small village in Shikine-jima, Japan. Ask to speak to the Nanushi of the village and tell him your story. Your real story, Lady Rebecca." The Sikh told her, surprising Rebecca.
"How'd you know?" Rebecca asked.
"When you've grown a reputation as big as yours, it's hard to not to know." The Sikh said with a smirk.
"If you know who I am, then why are you helping us?" Rebecca asked, more suspicious of the man now.
"Our faith emphasizes the importance of family. We can see how much you truly love your child, Lady Rebecca. If we have the power to help, then it's what we must do." The Sikh explained in a wise tone.
Rebecca could see he meant it gave him a small smile. "Thank you."
And with that, she made her way to Japan.
It took three days to get to the country, and another two just to make it to the village.
She practically bulldozed her way through the civilians so she could speak to the Nanushi. She told him who she was, what was happening with her son, and pretty much begged to help the dying child.
After careful consideration, the Nanushi decided to help her and told her to go to an island not too far away from their village,.
Kamine Island to be exact. It was there she would find a cave that would be the key in saving her son.
She took the rowboat they had as it was the only transportation they used and used every bit of muscle she had to get to the island before it was too late.
She only had three hours left, and one oxygen canister that was half empty.
This was her last hope.
It took two hours for her to reach the island and when the boat hit the shore, she jumped out with her dying son and ran as fast as she could.
Joseph was paler than ever, his breathing was become more and more shallow with every passing second.
"Hang in there, Joe! Just hang in there!" She pleaded to him as she passed through the trees and bushes, praying she would make it in time.
It felt like forever until she found and it practically was considering the canister had now been used up and Joseph had to rely on his own breathing, which was not much at this point.
"No, no, NO!" Rebecca screamed with fear and anger as she threw the empty canister against the rock wall. "Come on. Come on." She chanted as she continuously patted her son's back, making sure he kept breathing.
When she entered the cave, her heart stopped.
There was no one here. No priests, no shamans, not even a deer. Just an empty temple that had some symbol on it.
"...No...no,no,no,No,No,NO,NO,NONONONONONONONOO!" Rebecca yellled as she charged the wall with the symbol on it and slammed her fist against it.
"THIS ISN'T SUPPOSE TO BE IT! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO BE THE SOLUTION! YOU'RE SUPPOSE TO SAVE MY SON! GET OUT HERE AND SAVE MY SON! DAMN YOU!" She raged as she continually slammed her fist against the wall, even when it was bloody and purple.
By the time she used up all her energy, her fits of rage became fits of weeping as she slumped her head against the wall and slid down to her knees.
She looked at her son and saw he was taking his final breaths.
"...Please...please don't let him die...please spare him...please..." She wept with her all heart, the tears fell on Joseph's pale chest.
And just when she lost all hope, a bright purple light glowed over the wall.
Rebecca looked up in shock and felt the light grow brighter and brighter as it suddenly enveloped around her. She closed her eyes to protect her vision, and when she opened them again, she was surrounded by darkness.
But that's not what caught her eye. What caught her eye was the black-haired woman standing in front of her with a blank look on her face.
"You are one persistent human, you know that?" The woman said to her blankly.
Rebecca's sat there in frozen shock, her eyes shaking with fear.
"Are...ar-are you..." Rebecca struggled to ask, afraid to ask.
"We have been referred to that many times before, even if it's not entirely accurate. You can call me the Dimensional Supervisor, Rebecca du Britannia."The Dimensional Supervisor said.
"If you know who I am, then you know why I'm here." Rebecca said quietly.
"Indeed." The DS said as they made a gesture with their hand and Rebecca could feel her son fly out her hands and into the woman's.
"Give him back!" Rebecca demanded as she got back up. But before she could do anything else, she felt herself unable to move, as if stuck in place.
"You humans are so fragile, it's honestly a wonder how you survived for so long." DS said blankly as they examined the child.
"Don't you hurt him." Rebecca said angrily, tears threatening to leak from her eyes again.
"He's already on the brink of death. I doubt we'll do anymore bodily damage to him." DS said carelessly as they poked Joseph's cheek.
"Then help him! You clearly have that power!" Rebecca pleaded.
It was then the DS looked at her straight in the eye before waving their hand again, letting her be able to move again.
"Why?"DS asked. Not out of malice, but more out of curiosity.
Rebecca stumped at that, not expecting that question.
"Wha...Why not?!" Rebecca said with disbelief. "You're God! Aren't you all about helping others, making miracles and all that shit?!" She asked angrily.
The DS actually laughed at that, between their blank expressions and their careless attitude, this was their first real emotion they showed.
"You humans and your so called religions. You all make up your rules and technicalities and whenever you cause trouble for yourselves, you call it the will of your Lord. When the reality, you're all just hiding behind an invisible figure to forgive your own mistakes and flaws. It would be funnier if it wasn't so sad. The man who fathered this child doesn't even care for the world or the people around him." DS said dismissively. "What would make his child so different? What would separate your son from the many?"
Rebecca thought about it for a moment, knowing she was in a tight spot.
"...He would have been saved by you...isn't that different enough?" She asked the mysterious being, who couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that.
"You're right...the human race is a screwed-up species that somehow make things worse for themselves each generation. But I know for a fact there are good people out there, and no matter what happens to the world there will continue to be good people and my son will be one of them!" Rebecca told them determinedly.
"And how can you be so sure?" DS asked.
"Because he would have been healed by you, God's touch. I know some like to use higher power as a form of abuse but I believe it to be a gift. A gift that only a rare few people get to have. And because I believe in him, even if it means at the cost of my own life. I'll see to it that he gets to live long enough to show you how good he is." Rebecca said wholeheartedly.
"You would give your life for his?"DS asked, becoming more and more curious.
"Yes. Every single time. Because that is what a mother does. Sacrifice themselves so their own can flourish." Rebecca said before getting on her hands and knees and bowing before the entity. "Please, I doubt any of my resources will benefit you here. So the only thing I can do is offer myself. I'll be your servant, your vessel, your slave, whatever you wish to call me, as long as he lives. Please, let him live" She begged the caretaker, tears streaming down her eyes.
The Dimensional Supervisor looked at the woman with intrigue, they have only met a handful of humans over the span of time but never did one request them to use their abilities in such a way. First time a human was actually willing to sacrifice their self if it meant saving the life of another.
They could have simply denied her request, erased her memory, and never hear from them again.
And yet, in what seemed like the first time in a very long time, their curiosity got the better of them.
And an idea struck their mind
"A mother is God in the eyes of a child."DS said to itself.
Rebecca looked up in confusion. "What?"
"Very well. We shall grant your request and take you up on your offer. You don't have to worry about serving me now though, that will come later." DS told her.
"W-When?" Rebecca asked, still shocked that the being said yes.
"You'll know."DS said simply "However, like any fragile human body, one can't always properly put it back together. With how long his already weakened body has been exposed to the natural world, we can't guarantee he'll be a regular functioning person.DS warned her.
"I don't care, I'll help him in anyway I can. Just let him live. Let him truly live." Rebecca told her with tears continuing to stream down her face.
The caretaker nodded at this and proceeded to bite into their finger. Their blood, which was came out as a glowing purple, dripped onto the dying baby's chest. The blood seeped into Joseph's skin and a large Geass symbol formed on his chest.
"Just remember. This was your choice." DS said with finality in their tone as a large figure formed behind them.
The figure of a large purple phoenix, which made Rebecca's eyes widen in shock.
"Until we meet again."
And the phoenix roared.
Rebecca woke up with a startle and found herself back inside the cave. She had her back against the wall and saw that her hand was healed.
She then heard a sound.
It wasn't crying or shallow breathing, but rather playful laughter.
She looked to her left and saw the sound came from a baby.
But not a pale baby that was on the brink of dying, but rather a pink one that looked at woman with joy and glee.
"...J...Joe..." Rebecca called out, wondering if what she was looking at was real.
The baby reached out to her, wanting to interact.
Rebecca leaned over towards the baby and moved her hand over his, still wondering if this was some kind of trick.
In return, the baby grabbed her finger, newfound laughter escaping his throat.
And that sealed the deal for Rebecca who started weeping all over again. Not from sadness, but from joy.
Pure, unadulterated joy.
"My little Joe." Rebecca said with a tearful smile as she scooped up the child and hugged him with all her might.
She didn't care about what just happened, she didn't care they she basically met God, nor the fact that she signed her life over to them.
She was just happy that she saved her son.
She was happy to he got to live.
(Flashback End)
...
Joseph looked at his mother in shocked amazement while she just looked at him solemnly as this unspoken truth was suddenly all dropped on him.
"…So…this whole time…they were the cure?" Joseph asked with surprise and intrigue.
Rebecca could only nod sadly, dreading the day she would have to tell her son any of this.
"…Then…does that mean I'm…like them…?" Joseph asked cautiously, looking down at his own hands.
"Not entirely, you're what your Greek culture would call a demigod." The DS told him.
"Holy crap, like freaking Hercules! Or Perseus! Or all the other 'es'!" Joseph said with awe and excitement.
"And they're the reason why you have your abilities." Euphemia chimed in.
"Abilities?" Joseph asked with confusion.
"Come now, child. Your high pain tolerance, jumping feet into the air, breaking through walls, lifting heavy weaponry without stress. Do you really think you're able to accomplish all of that simply from good diet and exercise?" The Caretaker asked blankly.
"Well…tree bark has a lot of protein!" Joseph insisted. "But let's back up for a moment. You said that she would have to work for you at a later time. When exactly was this?" He asked suspiciously.
The Dimensional Supervisor just looked over at Rebecca, who sighed sadly.
"Do you remember the night I collapsed at that ball?" She asked.
…
(Flashback)
Pendragon - 2009
The party was in full swing, not that Rebecca cared too much. She was never one for these parties, always to extravagant for her taste. Her and Joseph came as moral support for Marianne and her children. Luckily for her, Joseph was having plenty of fun with his siblings, making sure to cheer them up. She was greeting one of the soldiers of Marianne's Personal Guard, Jeremiah Gottwald, when she suddenly felt a pressure inside her head and heard a voice she hoped she'd never have to hear again.
"Rebecca du Britannia. I am here to collect your debt." The DS echoed inside her head.
Rebecca grunted as she clutched her head a bit.
"Are you alright, Lady Rebecca?" Cornelia asked in concern.
"Oh yes, just a bit of a headache today. Nothing to worry about." Rebecca said in reassurance. Internally, though, she was sweating bullets.
For years, she dreaded this day to finally come. By the time Joseph reached his 10th birthday, her fear started to dwindle and thought maybe the Supervisor had forgotten about her.
Apparently that was not the case.
That's when the piano kicked into a new song.
"Care for a dance while we catch up?" Rebecca asked Jeremiah as she extended her hand to him. Right now she needed the distraction.
"It would be my honor, your highness." Jeremiah said with a smile.
While her son and his siblings decided to also take up dancing partners, Rebecca was having her internal argument.
"Please not now." Rebecca thought calmly as she began dancing with Jeremiah.
"We believe you gave us your word 13 years ago." The DS told her.
"But he's still just a child!" Rebecca insisted.
"And that's plenty of time you've got to spend with him." The DS said blankly.
Rebecca clutched her head again and groaned in pain.
"Are you sure you're alright, your highness?" Jeremiah asked in concern.
"Uh, yes. Of course, just need an aspirin ." Rebecca said as she could feel something trickle down her nose
Rebecca could see Joseph and his siblings start to look at them. Joseph and Cornelia called out to her in concern.
"Please, just a little more time!"Rebecca begged.
"Perhaps we should continue this conversation elsewhere." The Supervisor said.
She wiped her nose and saw the blood, suddenly she felt her vision fading around her.
"Damn it." Rebecca quietly said to herself as she started to slip into unconsciousness.
...
Rebecca found herself waking up in the same void when she first met the Dimensional Supervisor, who was currently staring at her with a blank look.
"Do we really have to remind you of your own words? This is why I hate dealing with humans."The DS said with feign annoyance.
"I just...I thought...after so many years so were going to let me stay with him." Rebecca said tearfully.
"We never forget the deals we make. Unless of course, you want me to take away the cure we gave him?"They asked.
"NO! Please! Alright. I'll go with you." Rebecca said defeatedly. "...Just let me say goodbye?." She requested.
The Supervisor stared at her blankly.
"Very well. I suppose we can make your death appear as a disease. That should give you time to get your affairs in order."The DS barter.
"Thank you." Rebecca quietly before she felt a white light envelope her vision.
Next thing she knew, she was waking up in a hospital room.
(Flashback End)
...
Joseph stared at his mother in shock, eyes wide as saucers.
Rebecca couldn't even look at him this time, feeling nothing but shame. Euphemia watched them with sympathy.
"You...you were never sick?" Joseph finally asked like the scared child he felt like.
"...No..." Rebecca said with quiet anguish.
"The leukemia was merely a ruse so your doctors wouldn't ask questions. Plus the way your mother nagged us, we didn't have any other choice." The DS said blankly.
Joseph's head slowly turned towards the being, rage seething in his eyes.
"You killed my mother?" Joseph asked, venom pouring his tone.
His voice had changed at the end, it had that same edge as the Dimensional Supervisor's voice. Honestly, it frightened both Rebecca and Euphemia.
"Joe?" Euphemia asked cautiously.
And suddenly,
before anyone could even blink,
Joseph's fist was just millimeters away from connecting to the caretaker's face.
The fist itself was still struggling to make contact, his whole body shaking like crazy!
Rebecca looked on in shocked silence.
When Rebecca had been held back by the DS, she couldn't even budge. Joseph was practically fighting against it!
"Remember who's realm you're in, Boy." The Supervisor said with a dark tone as they used an invisible force to push Joseph back.
He slid on his feet, still keeping his posture.
"YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!" Joseph yelled with hate and rage pouring out of his mouth.
Power surged around him, not realizing the giant figure forming behind them.
"I simply collected her debt. Don't blame us for her decision." The DS told him.
"FUCK YOU!" Joseph screamed, the realm around them reverberating.
"Joseph, please calm down!" Rebecca said frantically as she went to her son's side.
"They killed you!" Joseph said angrily, tears sprouting from his eyes.
"It was as they said, it was my decision. And I would do all over again if I had to." Rebecca told him solemnly.
Joseph started to calm down as he took deep breaths.
"But...they took you away from me..." Joseph said sadly as tears ran down his eyes.
"I know dear, and I'm sorry I couldn't stay with you longer." Rebecca said as her own tears fell from her eyes as she brought him into a hug. "But I'm eternally grateful for the time I did get to have and the time you've continued to have." She said with a smile.
"Me too." Euphemia said as she joined the hug, which Joseph and Rebecca gladly let her join.
That's when Joseph noticed the giant phoenix behind them.
"Damn it, giant phoenix guardian! Why didn't you stop them?!" Joseph asked with annoyance. Rebecca was unfazed by it but Euphemia still felt nervous with its presence.
"The Phoenix is not your guardian, it's your power source." The DS said as she suddenly appeared by the bird.
"Power source?" Joseph asked.
"Here in C's World, you don't have to worry about the restrictions that Earth gives you. However, the energy you harness is too much for an organic body. I created the Phoenix so it could properly store it away and have you only use trinkets of it whenever useful." The Supervisor explained as the Phoenix lowered its head and allowed them to pet it.
"Useful? Like when I was able to wake up from my comas? But if that's the case, why did it took so long to help me with my second coma?" Joseph asked.
"The Phoenix was in still in a stasis of recovery at the time, the more power that's required, the longer it is in stasis. Use too much, and your organic body will likely give out." They told him.
Joseph had a pretty good idea what they meant by that.
"...But why do all this then? You clearly don't care for humans. Was it because of what my dad and aunt Mary were planning?" Joseph asked.
"Oh, we knew what Charles and his brother had planned long before your mother was even born. All they would have done was break the connection between us and the humans, leaving them to fend for themselves." The Caretaker said dismissively.
This surprised Rebecca and Euphemia.
"But...but you said..." Rebecca stuttered, realizing she may have been deceived.
"What about the hive mind?! C.C. said-" Joseph started to ask
"A simple piece of misguidance on my part. We wanted them to go on their little hate spiel to make sure everything lined up to what we had planned." The Supervisor said.
"And what plan is that exactly?" Joseph asked with a quirked eyebrow.
"A proposal for you." The DS said.
"Whoa! I know we barely know each other, but we still share the same DNA you weird-"
"Not that kind of proposal, Joe." Euphemia chimed in quickly.
"Oh." Joseph said simply.
"When Charles and Marianne are completed with their little plan, we want you to watch over C's World." The Supervisor told him.
That definitely shocked the three of them.
"Wait, WHAT?!" Joseph asked, very stunned.
"You never told me this! You just said it was important we warn him!" Rebecca said angrily.
"I had no reason to . We just needed you to make sure our son came to C's World when the time was needed." The Caretaker said blankly.
"B...but why? You're an all seeing, all knowing God who says they intervene in the universe! You're practically Zeus up in this bitch! Why would you want to give that up to me?!" Joseph asked.
"And what good will it do when the connection between this world and the human one will be lost?!" Euphemia asked frantically.
"It will finally give us the peace we long deserved. However, there's still many souls and dimensions to look after and since you have my DNA, you will do just fine to take over our duties." The DS explained.
Joseph's eyes widen in both horror and realization at that statement.
"This...this is what you wanted the whole time, wasn't it? You giving me your DNA, the warnings. You never wanted Ragnarok to be stopped! It was all suppose to give me here so I could be your replacement while you take a vacation!" Joseph said angrily.
"You used me! You used my son!" Rebecca said angrily.
"You let that choice be made for you when you decided to give your life up for him. I simply used that choice to my advantage." The DS said simply.
"What about Lelouch and Nunnally?! You led them and all their friends astray with your goal!" Euphemia said furiously.
"Collateral damage in the grand scheme of things." The Supervisor said dismissively.
"They're worse than dad." Joseph muttered to his mom with annoyance.
"Imagine having to work for them." Rebecca muttered back just as annoyed, Euphemia nodded in agreement.
"Now is that anyway to talk about your mother?" The Supervisor asked in a slight mocking fashion.
"Well so far you've been doing a pretty bad job at being one." Joseph told her disappointedly. "This woman here is my mother, not you." He said confidently as he wrapped Rebecca around his arm, who looked at him with surprise.
She thought for sure he would be angry at her for making him come here in the first place but he really didn't care. It made her smile with tears sprouting from her eyes.
"And if you wondering what my decision is, it's a hard NO! I'm not going to abandon my family and friends just because you don't like some of humanity!" He told her determinedly.
"It won't matter once Ragnarok is complete. You'll never be able to see them again anyway." The DS told him.
"But you could stop it if you wanted to. We could stop it completely if we really do share the same DNA." Joseph tried to persuade.
"And why should we do that? The human species is a lost cause. If we were to put a stop to it, your brother Schneizel will just go along with his plan of taking the world hostage with his FIEJA." The Caretaker told him.
"Oh come on! Seriously?!" Joseph asked with exasperation. It was one headache after another.
"Which it's why it's better you just stay here. You can be with your mother and your sister, you'll get to be a God and rule an entire world to your liking." The DS proposed to him.
"And what? Just let humanity suffer under my douchebag brother's rule? Leave my kids to fend for themselves? Let my brother rot in a jail cell for the rest of his life?!" Joseph asked angrily.
"Why not? Tell me, what has the human world done for you? Besides spit on you, trample you, and scorn you for your existence?" The Supervisor asked him as she showed various images of Joseph being both verbally and physically abused by people, including his own family.
"I just thought I give my condolences. After all, her royal highness is no longer around to protect her retard son." Cassius said with a sneer.
"Get off our streets you bum!" A passerby in a car yelled as he threw a bottle at Joseph's head.
"Because that's what you are! A STUPID RETARD, WHOSE MOTHER SHOULD HAVE LET DIE INSIDE HER WOMB!"
Lelouch's harsh words rung throughout limbo.
Joseph looked down sadly at that remark.
"Oh, Lelouch..." Euphemia said sadly.
Rebecca gritted her teeth and clutched her fist in anger. She knew Lelouch was grieving at the time but that didn't give him the right to talk to her son that way!
"You don't owe them anything, let your world go and embrace who you really are." The DS reasoned.
Joseph continued to stare down at the ground, contemplating everything the Dimensional Supervisor told him.
And in very little time, he looked at his DNA mother with a very determined expression.
"I am embracing who I am. The person that I am, the person that my mom raised me to be, is the person who doesn't abandon his family and friends when things get tough. The person who does the right thing even when others tell you its wrong! And let me tell you something right now 'Mother', you are so in the wrong right now!" Joseph told her determinedly.
"Are we?" The Caretaker asked blankly.
"Like mom said, people can suck sometimes. I've seen the worst of it throughout my travels. But every time I've seen the worse of humanity, I've always seen the best of it as well." Joseph told them.
He then waved his hand and various images of people helping each other and caring for it each other showed up. Including the times when Lelouch saved people as Zero, and when his friends saved him as Lelouch.
"Rebels are hereby exiled. Nothing holds us back now. Forward, to the land of freedom!" Lelouch told the Zeros as he took off his mask.
"The human heart is the source of all our power!" Zero told his comrades.
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.
"Suzaku..." Euphemia said with a warm smile.
"You're family. We love you." Milly told him sweetly as she and Rivalz engulfed the crying Lelouch into a hug.
"You say the human species is a lost cause but there's always people who want to do better. Yes, Lelouch has screwed up before but he always comes back and protects those he loves." Joseph continued.
"I love you Rolo. Now get Joseph and Kallen to safety." Lelouch ordered with a sad smile as his Geass shined into Rolo's eye.
"And if you expect me to leave all these people behind. You got another thing coming." Joseph said.
Various images appear of his family and friends, including his kids.
"So maybe...you could be..our papa?" Potestas asked nervously.
"Yeah! I want that too! I want you as our new papa!" Umbra said elated, jumping up and down.
"Me too!" Longe said, just as excited.
"That would be so nice!" Animi said, eyes twinkling.
"Please Mr. Joseph. Could you be our papa." Kaecus asked sweetly, hands clasped together to her chest.
"Oh! My grandbabies!" Rebecca said with a tearful smile.
"I'm an auntie!" Euphemia squealed happily.
"Oh, I wish you two could meet them! They're so precious!" Joseph said excitedly. "They all love music as much as I do and they have such great dances moves! That's not all though! Potestas takes such great care of his siblings when I'm not around, Longe loves reading, Animi eats so much, and Kaecus-"
The DS cleared their throat, wanting him to get back on track.
"Anyway. What I'm trying to say is that while there are reasons for me to stay, there's many more reasons for me to go back! And God or not, you're not going to stop me!" Joseph told them determinedly.
"What makes you think we can't? I gave you this power and I can easily take it away if we want to." The DS threatened as the Phoenix looked down at the three of them with narrowed eyes.
Rebecca and Euphemia stood next to Joseph, ready to back him up if needed.
"You could. But you won't. You wanna know why?" Joseph asked.
"Please, by all means, tell us." The Supervisor said blankly.
"Because I think you want to see me pull it off." Joseph said with a smug smile.
Rebecca and Euphemia looked at him questioningly while the Caretaker raised an eyebrow in intrigue.
"I remember what you said to me almost two years ago." Joseph said as he waved his hand, letting another image appear.
It was when Euphemia warned him about Ragnarok and he heard their voice speak to him.
"I always thought of humans as a defective form of life. That's why they shouldn't be allowed to touch or possess Geass. It be better if that became extinct. But maybe you'll be the one to disprove my opinion." The DS said to him.
"Now why would you say that to me unless you wanted to see if I could do it?" Joseph asked rhetorically.
"Using my own words against us?" The Supervisor asked with a smirk.
"Just giving you a taste of your own medicine." Joseph smirked back. "But come on. Tell me you're not curious to see if I'm capable of making it happen. Same way you were curious when you decided to give me a part of your DNA." He kept adding on.
"Just because we're curious doesn't mean we think you're capable." The DS pointed out.
"If you'd believe that then you never would have said anything. If you really didn't care, then you would have taken my mom when I was still a baby, leaving me to fend for myself." Joseph pointed right back.
"I had no use for her at the time. Besides, we're not completely heartless." The Caretaker said dismissively.
"Exactly! The fact that you have the memories of all people, I know you've seen the good side of humanity as well. A part of you still carries that hope, so let me show you it's worth hanging on to. Let us have our Return of the King, damn it!" Joseph told them determinedly.
Rebecca smiled warmly at her son. "Son..."
"Joe..." Euphemia said quietly, also smiling warmly.
Joseph held his hand out to them and the Dimensional Supervisor stared at it, contemplating.
"Come on. You know you want to. Come on. Come oooon. Come oooooooon." Joseph insisted with his dopey smile.
"(Sighs)You're worst than your mother." The DS said tiredly as they took his hand and shook. "I suppose I could always wait until you die and then force the position on you." They relinguished.
"Doy! Thanks DNA Mom!" Joseph said happily as he pulled the Caretaker into a tight hug and swung her around.
The Supervisor just sighed in annoyance.
"That's my boy." Rebecca said proudly.
"Never change, Joe." Euphemia said happily.
After he put her down, he went into business mode again. "One more thing. You gotta let my mom stop being your slave. She did her job and got me back here like you wanted, so give her rest." He said with a firm tone.
Rebecca looked at her son with surprise.
"...Very well. I suppose she served her purpose." The Supervisor said after a moment.
Joseph turned back to his mom and gave her two thumbs up and a huge smile. Rebecca smiled warmly and put her hands to her heart, Euphemia gave her an encouraging grin and put her hand on her shoulder.
"Your father and Marianne don't intend on stopping their plans. You know what you'll have to do once you go back." The DS told him after he put them down.
Joseph looked down sadly at that. "Yeah. And it's probably going to be the hardest thing I've ever had to do. But they made their bed, I accept that." He said solemnly.
The Caretaker just hummed at his statement.
"Alright, how do I get back to the others?" Joseph asked.
"You've done it before, you can figure it out. Be warned though, if you do take on Schneizel, the battle will not be easy. There are many people like him who share his ideology." The Supervisor warned him.
"Well then it's good thing I like bologna." Joseph said proudly before turning back to his mom and sister. "I wish I could stay longer guys. So much I want to tell you." He said quietly as he gathered them into a hug.
"We already know sweetie. Go back to your friends, they need you." Rebecca said with a sad smile before she kissed her son on the head. "And don't be afraid to ask out that Kallen girl, she's a lot more stable then that Nina person." She said bluntly.
"Aunt Becky..." Euphemia said tiredly.
"What, she is!" Rebecca insisted.
"I'll try mom." Joseph said happily.
"Tell everyone I miss them a lot." Euphemia said before realizing something. "Oh, and give Lelouch this message." She said before getting close and whispering into Joseph's ear.
What she said made him smile.
"I think he'll appreciate that." Joseph said warmly, to which Euphemia gladly nodded at.
She then quickly gave him another hug. "It was so good to see you again, Mr. Man." Euphemia said with a tearful smile.
"You two, Lady Ladington." Joseph said, tears coming out of his own eyes.
"Whatever happens next. Just make sure you continue to live the best life possible." Rebecca told him.
He nodded in affirmation. After he let Euphemia go, he walked a few steps back.
"Bye Mom! Bye Eup!" He waved goodbye to them before turning to the Supervisor and the Phoenix. "Bye DNA Mom! Bye Phoenix Power Buddy!"
The Dimensional Supervisor and the Phoenix just stared blankly at him.
"Alright. Like I've always done before." He said to himself.
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and cleared his mind.
The energy here...it was clearer, stronger, more intense than anything he ever felt before.
Was it because he was near the Phoenix or something because he was in the Dimensional Supervisor's domain?
Whatever it was, it was ripe, and he was going to take advantageous of it.
He started to glow a purple hue and vibrate.
He could feel it all.
People's lives, their memories, their hopes, their fears. It all came like a lightning bolt and for Joseph...
It was beautiful.
In a flash, he disappeared.
Rebecca, Euphemia, and the Supervisor looked on with solemn expressions.
"Good luck, my little Joe."
...
Everyone stared at Joseph in awe as he slowly floated his way back to the ground as the purple hue around him started to fade away and the Geass disappeared from his eyes.
"J...Joe...?" Kallen asked with trepidation as she slowly got back up, afraid that what she was seeing wasn't real.
"Hey everyone! Sorry it took me so long to get back!" Joseph said as he happily waved at them.
To which Kallen barreled into him, slapping him across the face..
"YOU MORON! WHY DID YOU SCARE ME LIKE THAT?!" Kallen asked angrily as tears sprouted from her eyes again.
"It wasn't intentional, Kal Pal." Joseph said with an apologetic tone as he awkwardly shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry." He said with a small bow.
Kallen just groaned in annoyance and soon put her arms tightly around him.
"Don't do that again!" Kallen ordered into his chest.
"No promises." Joseph said with his dopey smile as he returned the hug.
Soon they joined by the others.
"Big brother!" Rolo said elated as he joined the hug.
"Hey, new little bro!" Joseph said happily as he ruffled Rolo's hair.
"You really know how to give us heart attacks, Joseph." Suzaku said with relief as he also joined the hug.
"It's a talent!" Joseph said proudly.
"I am relieved to see you well, your highness." Jeremiah said with a smile, but keeping his distance as he felt it appropriate.
"Oh, quick being so stoic and get over here you lovable cyborg!" Joseph said as he grabbed Jeremiah's vest and pulled him into the hug.
Jeremiah couldn't help but laugh.
After they broke off the hug, they could see C.C. still sitting on the ground, staring down.
"Welcome back..." C.C. said with a timid voice that didn't fit her personality.
Joseph couldn't help but smile.
"Shyness looks weird on you, Seaweed. Keep being Garfield." Joseph said jokingly.
C.C. didn't respond, just continued to stare down at the ground.
"She okay?" Joseph asked with confusion.
"I think she's still processing." Rolo told him.
Charles and Marianne, however, were not pleased at all.
"What the Hell is this! How are you still alive?!" Marianne asked angrily.
"Well I think Seaweed made that pretty clear, my dear 'auntie'." Joseph said with a smirk
"You said he was the child of the Dimensional Supervisor, C.C. What does that mean exactly?" Suzaku asked.
"I heard rumors..." Rolo muttered with surprise.
"That's impossible! My brother would have known!" Charles said angrily.
"Not even I knew, Charles. Clearly his aura was never suppose to be detected, going inside the Collective Consciousness helped him unlock it." C.C. said looking up back at Charles and Marianne.
"Can someone please explain what on Earth a Dimensional Supervisor is?!" Kallen asked in exasperation.
"A physical form of the Collective Consciousness. They see, hear, and know everything that happens in this world, inside and out. They're the one who created Geass." C.C. explained.
"If I didn't know any better, I say you were describing God." Jeremiah said.
C.C. looked back at them with a blank face.
The group was confused at first, which slowly turned into dread and realization.
"Wait...you...you're saying that Joseph's..." Suzaku stuttered, not sure if he could complete the sentence.
"That's right, training buddy! I'm a bonafide Wonder Woman!" Joseph said proudly as he brought the stunned Suzaku around his arm.
"Holy crap..." Rolo muttered in atonishment.
"Amazing..." Jeremiah said, mystified.
"You have got to kidding me..." Kallen said with a twitching eye.
"Which means I can do something like this!" Joseph said excitedly before pointing up to the sky.
Whismical music started to play around them.
And suddenly, Joseph started singing.
Oh, who, who, whoooooo
The Wonderful thing about Tiggers
is Tiggers are wonderful things
Joseph sung the kids song as he sidestepped back and forth at super rapid speed.
Tops are made out of rubber
Joseph then pulled his face in a cartoony manner as if it was made of rubber.
Their bottoms are made out of springs
Joseph then proceeded to bounce on his bottom, completely flabbergasting the people watching.
Their bouncey, trouncey, ouncey, pouncey
fun, fun, fun, fun, fun
Joseph then bounced all around the place, as if taking the form of a ball. Before proceeding to smack Marianne repeatedly on the head.
"HEY!" Marianne yelled angrily.
But the most wonderful thing about Tiggers
is I'm the only one
Joseph continued to bounce around Charles and Marianne in circles before suddenly appearing behind him, flipping his cape over his head and smacking his bottom.
"Why you little!" Charles said with anger.
I'mmmmmmmmm the only one!
Joseph then took the center stage and belted out the last lyric before growling.
His friends stared at him, feeling like they needed to reevaluate their beliefs.
Jeremiah gave a polite clapping to respect his Majesty.
Suzaku scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
Rolo could only go, "Uh..."
Kallen could only rub her face tiredly as she muttered "I need a drink..."
"I need a mountain of adderall..." C.C. added.
"Joe...how is this even possible?" Suzaku finally asked.
"Turns out mom's cure required a little bit of DNA tuning." Joseph explained.
"So that's why..." Kallen said in realization as to why Joseph was able to do everything he could.
Charles and Marianne were not impressed though.
"You think just because you learned some parlor tricks it means you can stop us?! Ragnarok will continue!" Marianne said, seething with rage.
"There was never going to be a Ragnarok, you idiots!" Joseph said with annoyance, which shocked the rest.
"What are you talking about?" Charles asked suspiciously.
"You were duped! If you had succeeded, all you would have done is sever the connection between Geass and the human world!" Joseph said angrily.
"You're...you're lying! My brother saw-"
"Simple illusions you wanted to see. You would have given my DNA mom an extended vacation and they would have smiled gleefully for it." Joseph told them.
His friends looked just in much shock.
"Wait, then that means Geass..." Rolo started to say.
"Would have ceased to existed. You and Lelouch would have lost your power, and I most likely would have died." Joseph told them. "Not only that, all the people that would die later on wouldn't be able to join the Collective Consciousness. Their memories, their souls, they would just...fade away." He said sadly.
"Oh my God..." Kallen said with shock.
"On the upside. It would have meant you wouldn't have been immortal anymore, Seaweed." Joseph said optimistically.
C.C. stared at him, flabbergasted for what felt like the first time in a millennium. Despite how she used his brother and what would have been the end of his life, he still found it a positive that she would have gotten her wish.
Charles and Marianne looked at Joseph, completely stunned.
It couldn't be true...
All their hard work, all the sacrifices they made...
Was it really all for naught?
"So...how did you convince them otherwise?" Suzaku asked.
"That...! Is a story for later, training buddy. Right now, we still have the elephants in the mouse hole." Joseph said, referring to his dad and aunt.
Marianne started to breath heavily as she stared at Joseph with pinpoint pupils, she could feel her blood boiling, her teeth clenching, and her fists tightening.
"RAAAHHHH!" Marianne yelled as she suddenly lauched herself towards the group.
"Marianne!" Charles yelled after her.
She then tightly grasped her hand around Joseph's throat.
"Joe!" Kallen said as she quickly came to Joe's side. Suzaku brought up his sword as well.
Joseph, however, simply raised his hand as he stared at Marianne with an blank look. "It's alright guys. I got this."
"You little retarded shit! This is all your fault! If you had just stayed in your lane, none of this would have happened!" Marianne said, filled with rage.
"So you're angry at me for something out of my control? That's some V.V. talking right there." Joseph said simply.
"DO NOT COMPARE ME TO THAT MONGREL!" She yelled, practically spitting in his face. "That boy cared for no one but himself. Ragnarok is suppose to save this world and if you think we're going to stop just because we hit a bump on the road then you are just as stupid as the others have called you. Lelouch couldn't do anything, and neither will you. Ragnarok will be this world's reawakening and it will finally be rid of its lies!" She said in a maniac state.
The others stared at her with shaky eyes, they could see just how delusional she was.
Joseph just continued to stare blankly at her before turning to his father. "And do you agree with her, dad?"
"We've come too far to quit now. It's as she said, Ragnarok will be this world's rebirth. And if we need to start from scratch, so be it." Charles said solemnly.
Joseph closed his eyes and gave a sad sigh, knowing what he had to do next.
"So be it." He said before grabbing Marianne's hand and causing it to explode with purple light.
"WHAT?!" Marianne screamed as she looked at her now disintegrated hand.
"Marianne!" Charles said with shock as he quickly went to his wife's side, only to notice that he too was starting to disintegrate. "No, it's not possible! I'm supposed to be immortal! We're being absorbed? Consumed by Cs' World?"
C.C. stared in shock and then looked at her own body, surprised to see it wasn't being absorbed.
"Holy crap! What'd you do?" Kallen asked.
"When I was discussing things with my DNA mom, they knew if were to keep things going in this world, I would have to stop these two in their tracks. Knowing dad is immortal and Marianne doesn't have a physical body, the only way to stop them is to keep them here. Forever." Joseph said with finality.
"You mean...?" Jeremiah asked, dreading the answer.
"Yes, Jerry. I'm afraid so." Joseph said sadly.
"What are you saying!" Charles asked angrily.
"It means that I reject you! And I reject everything you believe!" Joseph proclaimed. "It's true, the world is full of deceit. Some of it used for bad, some used for good. But at the end of the day, sometimes the lie is necessary! Look at Batman! You think the city of Gotham would have finally had peace if he hadn't taken the fall for all the murders Harvey Dent committed?!" He asked dramatically as he showed clips of The Dark Knight ending around him.
"Joe, I don't think-" Suzaku tried to put a word in without success.
"What you guys want is a world at the beginning of the The Invention of Lying! A world where people told the truth all the time." Joseph continued as he showed clips of the film. "Yes, people were honest, but they were also miserable, damn it!" He added.
"He may be right. At the very least Euphie never said that Lelouch was Zero. Even to the very end. Nor did Shirley. That's why I…" Suzaku thought to himself.
"But with this, people can truly be themselves!" Marianne reasoned.
"You don't want want that! You never wanted it! You just wanted a place where people felt just as miserable as you two!" Kallen said angrily as she joined Joseph by his side.
"A world without change. It's a life I had for years, if I can even call it that. Just a world that's closed and completed. That's a place I wouldn't wanna live in ever again." Rolo said as he joined his brother's side as well.
"In time, the people will come to accept it." Charles insisted.
"You can rejoin all the people from whom we've been separated. You can be reunited with those who have died. Even Euphemia." Marianne continued.
"Nobody would've wanted this! NO ONE and especially not Euphie!" Suzaku said, joining in as well, angry that she would try to use Euphemia like that.
"Exactly! And it's why I'm going Ricky Gervais on you guys!" Joseph proclaimed, confusing the others to no end. "Because the fact of the matter is, you never cared for any of us in the first place."
"That's not true! We protected Lelouch and Nunnally from V.V. by sending them to Japan." Charles argued.
"And I'm glad you did, otherwise who know if I would have even reunited with them. But you could have stopped the the war between Japan and Britannia at any time. You cared more about your stupid plan than whether or not they were alive or dead. Not that it would have matter to you two considering you thought you would be reunited with them after Ragnarok was done." Joseph said solemnly.
"That's not true!" Marianne insisted.
"You just told us! You said that the dead would rejoin the living!" Jeremiah shouted angrily as he too joined the others.
"Jeremiah-"
"Don't! You don't give a damn about your children! You don't care for the future! To think I ever looked up to you! To think I loved you!" Jeremiah said with disappointed rage.
That last part caught Joseph's attention though.
"Wait, you had a crush on my aunt?" Joseph asked with curiosity.
"Focus, Joe." Kallen reminded him.
"Right." Joseph quickly said, getting back on track.
Soon the entire Collective Consciousness had rebuilt itself, stronger and brighter than ever. C's World was rebuilding itself.
"The Thought Elevator is falling! The dream that I and Marianne and my brother all shared!" Charles said with shock.
"Charles, just stop already. It was presumptuous of us to even attempt this." C.C. said quietly.
Marianne tried to plead. "The future is the Ragnarok Connection. Once it's finally done, the gentler existence that Nunnally spoke of…"
"Shut up! The world you're speaking of will be kinder and gentler only for you! The world that Nunnally wished for is one in which kindness is extended to everyone, even strangers!" Suzaku said angrily.
"You can't do this! Not against God nor all of humanity itself!" Charles said angrily.
"Wrong dad, we can. Because what I want…" Joseph started to say before taking Kallen's hand, surprising her. "What we want, is tomorrow!" Joseph said proudly.
Kallen stared at him in awe before she smiled proudly as well, grasping his hand in hers.
Charles and Marianne's bodies continued to disintegrate, already to their waists.
"Damn it!" Charles said.
"But what about C.C.? Why isn't she disappearing as well? You supported this plan as much as we did." Marianne asked furiously.
Before C.C. could say anything, Joseph spoke in her stead.
"Because she's part of this family, whether she likes it or not. And call me selfish, but I'm not ready to let her go just yet." Joseph said as he reached his other hand out to C.C., a smile on his face.
C.C. stared at him in shock, not sure how to respond. In the end, she could only shake her head in amusement and stood back up.
"Sorry. But I finally realized. The love you have…is only for yourselves." C.C. said blankly as she walked away from Charles and Marianne, without even looking at them, and went to Joseph's group.
"No, that's not true at all. We love our children very much!" Marianne pleaded.
"Do you know why Lelouch became Admiral Zero?" Joseph asked suddenly.
Charles and Marianne blinked in confusion at this.
"For revenge of course." Charles said, as if it was obvious.
Joseph scoffed at that. "No. That's how he wanted everyone to see it. If anything, that's the first lie that started all of this, the first lie he told himself, so much so that he believed it for awhile. The truth is he wanted to create the gentler world Nunne wanted. But not just for her, for everyone! He wanted happiness not for himself, but for others! He was willing to sacrifice himself for it if it meant the others around him could live peacefully!" He proclaimed as he showed various clip of Lelouch with his friends and family.
Clips of him helping others, clips of him just being at peace around others he loved, clips of him just appreciating life.
"Lelouch..." Suzaku said with a small smile.
"Big brother..." Rolo said with eyes filled with tears.
"That is what Admiral Zero stands for! That is why the people rally behind him. Because he believes the world can change for the better! Like I do! And I will fight for that world tooth and nail just like he did!" Joseph said passionately as he started to glow purple again.
"You're harboring under a delusion!" Charles said angrily.
"IT'S NO LIE YOU ASSHOLE!" Joseph shouted as he started to float in the air, surprising the rest there. They could feel the power he carried, it was unnerving to say the least. "You've refused to face reality! Content to watch us from afar! I've had it!"
Suddenly, Charles and Marianne felt something tug them towards the floating Joseph, the purple glow surrounding him again, Geass in his eyes.
"There's only one truth here! You, Charles zi Britannia and Marianne vi Britannia, abandoned my little brother and sister! You tried to reshape this world without its consent. And for that, you must be stopped!" Joseph said with contempt as he raised he hand to the both of them.
"Can't you understand that if you refuse me and what I offer, you will inherit his world, Schneizel's world!" Charles told him angrily.
"And we will fight to keep it from being that way. In the end, we will always reject the world you envisioned. You only have yourselves to blame." Joseph said solemnly as a purple ball of energy started to form in his palm.
Marianne's eyes started to widen in fear.
"Joseph, please! You don't do this! You're not Lelouch!" Marianne pleaded hastily.
"I once threw a mind-reader across 30 miles in the air, we have more in common than you think. The only reason you're not going to suffer like he did is because you're still family. I'm sorry things turned out this way, but this is where we are." Joseph continued, the ball of energy becoming bigger and bigger.
"Do not judge me, good and evil intentions are on each side of the same card! Even then, you still have-!" Charles tried to say.
"Enough, father. No more excuses." Joseph said with finality in his tone.
"Don't do this!" Marianne pleaded, trying to wriggle out of the invisible bond she was in.
"No more planning." He continued.
"This world will be in ruin!" Charles yelled.
"No more Ragnarok." Joseph concluded, the ball of energy ready to fire.
"Joseph!" Charles and Marianne yelled.
"Begone now."
The energy blasted through them, disintegrating their bodies, atom by atom.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" They yelled with fear as they felt themselves get obliterated from the world.
...
Avalon
Bismarck's head lifted up in shock.
"It can't be!" Bismarck said incredulously.
"Can I assume that…?" Schneizel started to ask.
"Yes, His Majesty has now been…" Bismarck said with gritted teeth, angry and bitter at the turn of events. Anger that the plan had failed and bitter that he wasn't there to protect his Majesty.
"Perhaps you would like to go down and get justice for his Highness?" Schneizel asked with a smirk.
To Be Continued...
Okay, so I was originally going to have this chapter be A LOT longer.
But I also realized, like when Lelouch and Joseph invaded the Geass Order, there's a lot that happens that I don't want to jam into one long chapter.
So here I decided to just have the backstory of Joseph's cure and the defeat of Charles and Marianne.
Next chapter will be the aftermath, which I'm currently writing as this is being read and is already halfway done.
As for my characterization of The Dimensional Supervisor and just the afterlife itself in the Code Geass universe, I decided to mess with it a bit since it's kind of open-ended. I have the DS switch between "I" and "they" because I like to think they're a being who sees themselves as singular and multiple, they can have a body present while also being everything, everywhere, all at once(:D).
The twist with Ragnarok itself I felt like fit with how The Dimensional Supervisor saw humans and would want nothing to do with them, thus using Ragnarok as an excuse to finally get away from it all.
Gotta get back to writing, but I hope you're liking all the twists and turns so far.
Comment and tell me what you think!
Until next time!