The Auspicious Maelstrom

by R0tatcid

In the aftermath of conflict, those who survived find themselves trying to find peace with the new path in front of them. Yet the stranger from another world somehow finds himself reflecting on his past and the paths of others. Questioning if he did the right thing despite staying true to himself. (Possibly the only Naruto x Code Geass story that isn't a harem story)

Japan (formerly Area 11), 2019 A.T.B.

It's been about a year since the Holy Britannian Empire lost its grip on the world. Now, it's the Principality of Britannia. There were still many loyalists, nobles and opportunists that wanted the old way. However, none were popular enough or even remotely powerful to try and bring back old Britannia. Not that they would do it for Emperor Charles, most of them cared about gaining power for themselves.

The world is cruel, even to this day with Britannia having lost its power and conquered lands. The numbers were given back their rights and Britannia was forced to compensate them. But as mentioned earlier, things were still not perfect. Sure, Japan wasn't suddenly powerful and able to provide for everyone but that just means everyone has their own struggles.

Even still, everyone now had tomorrow to look forward to regardless of how difficult it would be. Still, no matter how tomorrow will look. Everyone had the power to decide how they wanted to live their life. Then again, there's only so much people can do with what's going on around them.

Still, while some are willing to fight for freedom once more, some just want to live in peace. It is reasonable to feel tired and wish for rest. Sometimes, it's best for others to do the fighting even if it sounds selfish. But there are those who are still willing to fight in the name of others.

Whether they be the former leader of the Black Knights or his great ally who radiated like the sun.

Ashford Academy, 2019 a.t.b.

For Lelouch Lamperouge, he would have normally been up to his schemes or secretly going out to gamble on chess. Instead, he was finishing up the final bits of his work for his final challenge.

High school.

That in itself is filled with challenges which even Lelouch deems trivial. Even in the most awkward or delicate situations, Lelouch somehow just ignored whatever typical tension he's meant to feel. Whether it's fear of exams, a decision on what to do for the future or even relationships. At least for now, Lelouch can handle the first two while he thinks he's figured out the last one.

"Kallen." Lelouch spoke up.

The red haired girl, now revealing her true personality and wearing her hair how she wants, looked up at Lelouch. She looked at the man who was once the leader of the resistance group she was part of. The man who wore the mask (helmet) of Zero and challenged the Britannian Empire despite his initial selfish reasons. As much as she hated Lelouch for who he was at first, she thought she loved the masked man he chose to be.

Ironically, Lelouch found himself feeling something akin to love. At least that's what he tells himself, he admits that if love was a course, he would have failed and constantly repeated it.

"Yes?" Kallen asked.

"You are stressing out again." Lelouch said.

"It's these stupid exams!" Kallen said, not bothering to hold back her frustration.

Lelouch sighed, even when Kallen pretended to be this well mannered but sickly girl. She wasn't very scholarly despite the insistence of Kaname Ohgi. Even if he let her join the resistance, he still wanted Kallen to get a decent education. Maybe it was because of the promise he made to Kallen's late brother.

"Come on, we've been through a lot together. So I know you can handle a few science and literature problems." Lelouch said.

Kallen sighed, "This is impossible. How did this become the most important thing in my life?" she asked.

"Well you have the freedom of choice now. The freedom to live how you want and no one can tell you otherwise." Lelouch said.

Kallen rolled her eyes, "Okay Mr. Philosopher, then help me with this." she said as she pointed at her textbook.

The two continued to study for a few minutes. When Kallen suddenly broke out of her stupor and suddenly had something unrelated to say.

"Lelouch, it's way too quiet." Kallen said.

"Kallen…"

"No, don't interrupt. Look, just listen to how quiet it is." Kallen said.

Lelouch pinched the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. Initially, he thought Kallen was just losing her mind to test anxiety. Despite being the best pilot for the Black Knights, it seemed like the girl was losing herself to something so trivial. However, that didn't stop Lelouch from feeling a tad anxious from the lack of noise.

And it wasn't test anxiety that attacked him.

"Where's Naruto?" Kallen asked.

Lelouch was about to stand up when C.C. suddenly appeared like a ghost.

"He's outside, taking in the peace as if he had just witnessed nature for the first time." she explained.

The two students wanted to sigh in relief but didn't trust their local shinobi to hold still in one place for too long. It's not like they thought of him as this idiot who is as destructive as a warhead. However, it can get a bit messy if they have no idea where he went, given how this world is too advanced and different compared to the shinobi world.

It was like a spartan waking up in the industrial revolution. Everything was loud, advanced and the people dressed and talked differently. At least given the past year and a half, Naruto has managed to get a good understanding of the world without accidentally walking into traffic anymore.

"Don't worry, he's not alone." C.C. said, making them feel relieved. "Just alone with Euphemia." she added.

Kallen stopped caring by this point but Lelouch's brotherly senses kicked in. Prompting C.C. to sit him down forcefully.

"Move out of my way!" Lelouch said.

"He won't harm her and he won't do anything dirty. Our shinobi friend isn't that type of person." C.C. said.

"It's not that, you know how sensitive Euphie is." Lelouch said as he struggled in her grasp.

"Naruto is blunt and can slip up, but he's empathetic and thinks of others first." C.C. said.

"I'm not talking about that either." Lelouch said with a sigh. "It's just that…"

"I know, your little sister has a way of coping. Time passes differently for some people and some are forced to move on." C.C. said.

Lelouch scoffed as he sat down, "Easy for you to say. You lost track of time." he said.

C.C. let go of Lelouch and reached for his face where a ring on her finger shined brightly.

"Time is irrelative to me, but the memories are always present." C.C. said, giving a rare genuine smile.

That made Lelouch calm down but made Kallen feel a bit sick. So she began to pick up her book and stuffed it into her bag.

"Okay, it looks like you two love birds need some personal space." Kallen said as she started walking out.

As she left, Kallen sighed as she thought about Lelouch. Sure, she had a crush or some romantic feelings for him but it wasn't for Lelouch. It was for Zero, the persona he embodied and despite the messy truth between Zero being Lelouch and a liar. Kallen somehow found herself sticking with him until the end.

Still, as sweet as it was to see an emotionless woman and a man who only felt anger find a sense of peace and unite. Kallen decided that subjects such as love were meant to stay a mystery for her.

Outside

With the sight of a bright sunny day under a blue sky with an average temperature. Naruto Uzumaki could immediately understand why Shikamaru would consider this paradise. Although the skies appear clear so there are no clouds and Naruto wouldn't mind some ramen to further enjoy this nice day. Being loud and energetic, Naruto didn't ever think about just stopping to rest and appreciate the world for what it is.

"Are you awake?" Asked a soft voice.

Naruto smiled as his eyes looked to the side and saw a beautiful young woman with long pink hair, fair skin and colorful eyes that would outshine an amethyst. It could be the fact that Jiraiya has attempted to get Naruto to follow his beliefs in appreciating beautiful women, but Naruto would be insane to not fall for such beauty. Being around her made for a better substitute than ramen on any day.

"I don't see any pearly gates or wings on your back. So I guess I am awake." Naruto answered as the young woman giggled. "Was I out for too long Euphie?" He asked.

"I think you rested for as long as you needed." Euphemia li Britannia answered as she kneeled beside him.

Naruto covered his mouth as he yawned, "Well, you shouldn't let me do that. I don't want to be lazy like my friend Shikamaru." He said. "I think his life goal was to find a wife that won't beat him up for being lazy and spend his life looking at clouds." He added.

Euphemia sighed, "Naruto, there are only so few patient women like that. I have my doubts there are more in your land." She said.

"I knew it." Naruto said with a chuckle. "Still, a patient woman who can understand me is enough for me." He said with a smile on his face.

Euphemia smiled as she ran her fingers through Naruto's blond spiky hair. She could also see Naruto making a face to show he was in deep thought.

"And one that keeps me in check isn't so bad either." He said with a soft voice.

Euphemia stopped moving her fingers around and slowly adjusted her position. The next thing Naruto realized, his head was being lifted up onto Euphemia's lap. He looked at the princess in surprise as she further adjusted his head's positioning.

"Euphie, what are you doing?" Naruto asked with confusion in his voice.

Euphemia bent her head down and whispered, "Kissing my prince." before capturing his lips with her own.

Naruto was surprised by the sudden gesture. It wasn't the first time he's felt this passion before. Yet, it always catches him off guard whenever one of them kisses each other. It wouldn't be too long before Naruto relaxed and gave into the kiss.

He let his eyes close and let the indescribable mixture of emotions overtake him. As he did this, Naruto's arm unconsciously moved upward and gently touched Euphemia's cheek. In response, Euphemia grabbed the arm and took off the glove Naruto was wearing before placing it back on her cheek. The soft contact of skin brought the two lovers closer together.

Then moments later, the two broke their kiss and took a deep breath. Both continued to look at each other with loving looks.

"Let's get you inside before your siblings get mad." Naruto said.

"Why would they get mad?" Euphemia asked.

"If not for kissing boys from strange lands. It's for procrastinating." Naruto answered.

Euphemia laughed as Naruto stood up. He helped her stand up before kissing her on the cheek. Naruto would then take the former princess's hand and escort her back to the Ashford dormitory.

"Speaking of romance, when are Lelouch and C.C. getting married? Forgive me if I don't know how marriage works." Naruto said.

Euphemia shrugged, "I don't know, but I was surprised by how he asked for his friend's hand in holy matrimony." she said.

Naruto sighed, "Yeah, I always compared Lelouch to Sasuke. Although Lelouch was at least honest and less unhinged. That and the fact I thought he was asexual too." he said.

"Oh, is your friend not attracted to anyone?" Euphemia asked.

She heard Naruto mention Sasuke before. Though over time, the story of him being a friend of a brother did change a bit. Naruto didn't suddenly change and describe Sasuke as a villain that embodied true evil or anything. He just started realizing that Sasuke was a bit more of an asshole than he realized.

"To be fair, Sasuke didn't show interest in other girls in our school. Then again, maybe he hasn't met the right girl… or guy… sentient thing." Naruto said with a shrug.

Euphemia could tell Naruto was messing around a bit, but just assumed that was how boys banter. Still, despite the evil things Sasuke had done, it sounded like Naruto still considered him a friend. It was an aspect that she liked about Naruto, where he can see the good in people and fight to help understand them and make them understand the consequences of their actions.

The same goes for Lelouch who was more manipulative and less caring for those he led. As well as Cornelia, who while caring of her own men, was biased towards the Honorary Britannians. As well as the Japanese in general and yet, Naruto still saw the humanity in her despite how small it seemed to people. It almost felt like a fantasy, but the former princess was amazed to see someone with that kind of will.

"I'm sure your friend will find happiness someday." Euphemia said.

"I'm sure he will, probably not a perfect marriage. But as long as he's there for his spouse and kids if he has any through the best and worst days and always there when they need him. He'll be just fine." Naruto said.

Naruto could still imagine Sasuke being mean and impassive, but at least try to be a father. However, Naruto had to admit, being in this world almost made him break when he saw how evil humans can be. Meeting Emperor Charles taught him that some people can't be saved. Though surprisingly, people can be evil and uncaring despite having seemingly good intentions.

'I wonder how he and Obito would react to each other.' Naruto wondered.

Naruto quickly got to his feet and helped Euphemia stand up.

"Let's get you back inside before one of your siblings accuse me of doing something bad to you." Naruto said.

Euphemia giggled, "They're just protective, a bit overprotective but they just care." she said.

"Yeah, but that's the thing, Euphie. Even if I lost myself to rage and had all the power in the world… Nunnally's pout would annihilate me." Naruto said, pretending to be serious.

Euphemia laughed at the face he made. If anything, Nunnally is the only other pacifist in the entirety of the royal family. Except maybe Odysseus as he was more naive and a lot less open to conflict like her and a few others. Although it's said that the First Prince is a lot more naive compared to more ambitious siblings like Schneizel.

"Well we better go inside. If she thinks I'm not studying, I might be a victim of "The Pout"." Euphemia quipped.

Later that evening

Unlike everyone else who was a student at Ashford, Naruto had plenty of time on his hands as he didn't have much to do. He couldn't really train without going to some discreet location to avoid prying eyes. He also didn't find much entertainment in those video games he's seen around and the television shows he's enjoyed were not on at this hour.

Which left Naruto to sit around in his room with his own methods of entertainment. Which came in the form of practicing some new craft he tried ever since he came to this world.

Surprisingly, Naruto did prove to be able to be skilled in some things despite being easily confused by a lot of the modern aspects of this world. While he did have some difficulties like trying to use a cell phone or using a VCR, he did manage to pick up on a few things. Perhaps he was a savant or something.

Although Naruto tends to credit the Geass that C.C. gave him. Which he initially didn't like as his gave him a lot of headaches and made him dizzy at first. But to her surprise, Naruto didn't show any sign of losing his mind or losing control of his emotions. Perhaps his experience with Kurama and fighting in the world was too traumatic for a discount dojutsu to harm him in any way.

"Am I a cheater for learning this way?" Naruto asked himself. "Maybe, but as long as I harm anyone or gain something in a negative way." he said.

Why was Naruto questioning himself? He was trying to learn a new song on a guitar. Sometimes Naruto questioned if he really learned or if he used his Geass to help him learn faster.

"Calm down Naruto, music is supposed to be fun. Not stressful." Naruto said as he strummed a few chords.

As Naruto relaxed himself and took a few deep breaths. He didn't notice someone slowly opening the door to his room as he began to play.

Nowhere to turn

Nowhere to hide

Between a rock and a hard place

Someone to find

I know the times are tough, just down and out

Putting my faith in tomorrow

The surprise visitor slowly opened the door quietly and was surprised to see Naruto singing and playing.

I'm ready to go but I don't know where to start

Each and every road seems to be calling me

Pulled in every which way, so I made my own path

A deep breath, and my best foot forward

The visitor creeped in and revealed themselves to be Cornelia, the oldest of the Britannian siblings on campus. She is quite cold and harsh and as already mentioned, she was a racist. Still, Naruto spoke on her behalf and saved her from being executed by the angry people of Japan when Britannia lost the war.

Now the former Second Princess found herself watching a mini concert in Naruto's room. She stayed silent and let him play his song.

One small step from zero, I'm not afraid

'Cause the world, that we want, is right here for us to make

Just taking one small step to "hero", I'll take the chance

And when I do, I'll be thinking of the same thing I always do

It's always you

Naruto played a few chords before stopping as his senses picked up Cornelia. He turned and the former viceroy suddenly looked like a deer caught in the headlights. The surprise look on her face caught Naruto off guard as he always saw the woman with an intense stare on her face.

"Oh hey, uh… did you need something?" Naruto asked, feeling awkward.

Cornelia felt a bit embarrassed, feeling like a stranger who barged into someone else's room. She hated feeling flustered as it took her a minute to think of a clear response without looking sheepish.

"No, I was merely… I apologize for interrupting your concert. I'll be going now." Cornelia said.

"H-Hey, it's okay, I mean you could have knocked but if you need something. I'll hear you out." Naruto said as Cornelia almost closed the door.

The woman sighed and before deciding to come out with the truth. She knew Naruto was a human lie detector and it was thanks to Kurama's gift of detecting negative emotion. Though Naruto wasn't a perfect detector, it's easy for him to notice someone slip up these days.

"Look, I was just keeping my eye on you, for Euphemia's sake." Cornelia admitted, showing her cold side again.

Naruto nodded, "I get that, I can't blame you for that." he said.

"You are not taking me seriously, are you?" Cornelia asked, thinking Naruto was too relaxed.

"No, I should be annoyed but I get it. I saw how Lelouch is with Nunnally, quirks aside, he loves her like you love Euphie. Given the whole mess with Suzaku nearly a year ago, I imagine you're more protective than ever." Naruto explained, catching Cornelia off guard.

"My sister has a strong will, but she's helplessly naive. I don't want her to fall into despair because of her sense of love." Cornelia said.

"I get it, trust me, the whole Suzaku mess is still fresh in her mind. Sometimes I'm scared I might say the wrong thing." Naruto admitted. "I mean, methods and beliefs aside, I can't deny that you love your family." he said.

Given how Nunnally didn't initially like Lelouch's methods involving overthrowing the Britannian rule over Japan. Naruto already understood that sometimes familial love makes people do stupid and crazy things. That's why he doesn't blame Cornelia if she found any reason to hate him. Despite voicing her opinion, Cornelia has some level of self restraint.

At least after he got rid of all the weapons she hid on herself.

As for Cornelia, she still had her stern expression despite seeing how truthful the shinobi is. She almost expected Naruto to try and impress her seeing as he's Euphemia's new lover. At the same time, despite him being nice, it wasn't like he's forcing himself to like her. He was trying to be professional despite their circumstances.

Funny enough, Naruto from the recent past would have likely been more quick to anger and likely get into fights with the woman.

"How is it that despite all your fighting, your disagreements with Lelouch's and my ways but you somehow have this sense of mercy?" Cornelia suddenly asked.

Naturally, Cornelia would have seen such naive acts as stupid and weak. Not that she would call her little sister that because she is the same. Yet, Cornelia could see that Naruto isn't someone who just drops his guard right away but genuinely tries to see good in people. If humanity was determined by fire, Naruto looked like the person who would embrace the smallest flame in the dampest environment.

"My sensei, he told me that people learn to hate because they are hurt and they have this desire to hurt others." Naruto began to say.

Cornelia raised a brow but stayed silent.

"Because people hurt others, they become hated and racked with guilt." Naruto continued.

Cornelia continued to listen and for some reason her mind drifted to people calling her the Witch of Britannia.

"But knowing Pain allows people to grow, it's just a matter of how people choose to grow. Look at me, I could have snapped any time and while my source of pain is gone… it wouldn't do anything for me." Naruto said.

Cornelia looked down at the floor for a moment and nodded.

"I suppose that last part makes sense, but I'm still entitled to my opinion." Cornelia said.

Naruto sighed, "Okay, I hope I fulfilled your curiosity or whatever." he said.

Cornelia reached for the door and began to close it.

"What was said here, it stays confidential." she said before closing it.

Naruto fell back onto his bed, "I can't understand that woman." he said.

As Cornelia left, Naruto thought about what they talked about. From protecting Euphemia as ehr feelings were sensitive to what it meant to know empathy. Neither realized that Nunnally was listening nearby and just smiled as she rolled beside Naruto's door.

'You are a good person, Naruto.' Nunnally thought.

A few days later

A week passed since the exams and everyone in the student council passed. It was also the day of the graduation and the ceremony was about to begin in a couple of hours. Naruto was currently working in the kitchen, hard at work with one of the other skills he picked up.

One that made him wish he had Choji here to help him with cooking. For now, Naruto had to use the skills he picked up in the last few months along with his Geass. Surprisingly, it also helped with understanding what ingredients are used in food but its not like it could give him exact instructions like how much of what to cut or how long to cook it for.

"Choji, you would be super useful to have right now." Naruto said as he was making a special dinner for Lelouch and his friends.

Then Euphemia came in and smelled the food being cooked.

"Oh that smells nice, what are you making?" Euphemia asked.

"A bit of everything and since Sayoko hurt herself a couple days ago. It's just me here." Naruto said.

"May I help?" Euphemia asked.

Naruto looked around, "Yeah sure, just uh… keep an eye on the oven. The lasagna is almost ready." he said.

Euphemia nodded and grabbed the oven mittens that were on the side. She then noticed that Naruto was making quite a bit of food with all the plates along with a few finger foods that were ready.

"Oh I see, this was for the graduation party. Isn't it?" Euphemia asked.

"That's right and hopefully Lelouch doesn't ask me to cater his wedding." Naruto said.

Euphemia snickered, "That's right, you have to be the best man and my date as well." she said.

Naruto blushed lightly, "And now I have to learn how to dance." he said as he sighed.

Euphemia smiled at how bashful he seemed before hearing the oven finish. She pulled out the lasagna and reeled her head back as the smoke came out.

"Shoot, I didn't overcook it did I?" Naruto asked.

Euphemia looked at the food closely, "I think it's fine. Nothing too noticeable." she said. "I think it depends on the taste." she said.

"Well everyone better eat everything. Otherwise, I'm going to force feed everyone." Naruto said.

"Okay, okay, there is no need to be upset. You are an amazing chef." Euphemia said.

"Euphie, you are way too nice. I don't deserve you." Naruto said as he pulled out a plate of sandwiches.

Euphemia was about to say something when she saw two Shadow Clones slowly walking in with a cake. Out of all the techniques she's seen Naruto use, Shadow Clones are one of the two that always mesmerize her. The fact that she can see multiple solid copies of her boyfriend sometimes messed with her head.

"Euphie, I appreciate that you realize how good looking my clones are, but could you write the congratulations message on the cake?" Naruto asked.

Euphemia snapped out of her daze and grabbed the frosting and did her best to write 'Congratulations' on the cake. Although she did feel a bit bad with the result as the letters looked a bit messy in her opinion.

"Good job, I'm finally done. I bet Choji would be proud to see all this." Naruto said.

"Cho-jee?" Euphemia asked, trying to pronounce the name.

"Yeah, he's a friend of mine that likes to eat. His clan are also great cooks since they know all about food and how to make it good." Naruto explained.

"A family of chefs then." Euphemia said.

"Pretty much, that's just the basis of it." Naruto said as he moved the cake to the table.

When he heard the sound of Nunnally's wheelchair in the near distance.

"I better not come in here to find you two flirting." Nunnally said.

Euphemia giggled at her little sister, "No Nunnally, we're not going to rob you of your innocence." she said.

"Euphie, I may have been blind until recent days, but we have all lost our innocence in one way or another." Nunnally said.

Euphemia frowned for a moment as the past started entering her mind. That is until Naruto interrupted them to change the mood.

"Guilty or innocent, you're both cinnamon rolls in my book." Naruto said.

"I'm sorry?" Euphemia asked.

Naruto sighed, "There's a joke I heard. Basically a "punnett square", I think it's called. Where you're either a dangerous killer or a cinnamon roll. Or you're a combination of both." he said.

"Care to elaborate more?" Nunnally asked as she wheeled closer.

Naruto pointed at the sisters, "Looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll." he said.

At that moment, Cornelia arrived and was about to say something when Naruto pointed at her without looking.

"Looks like they could kill you, but is actually a cinnamon roll." Naruto said.

"Excuse me? Why are you calling me a pastry?" Cornelia asked, thinking she was insulted.

Nunnally just giggled, "He's saying you're sweet, big sister." she said.

Cornelia's face softened but kept her eye on Naruto. If the boy didn't hold back and she understood the joke. She would say that Naruto looks like a cinnamon roll but could kill you. She then noticed all the food and her suspicion skyrocketed as she had various theories that spun in her head.

So much so that Omoi of Kumo would be impressed by the amount of theories she came up with.

"Shoot! What time is it? Shouldn't you all be congratulating Lelouch on his graduation?" Naruto asked as he put down his apron.

Cornelia sighed, "That's what I was going to mention. I was looking for the both of you. Instead, I see you all having some kind of cooking show going on here." she said. She then pointed at all the food, "Where is the maid?" she asked.

"Sayoko injured herself, it's just me and me alone." Naruto said as he pulled out the last plates. "Anyways, you three should get ready. The Student Council won't leave until they have one last party and I'm the one in charge of keeping this place from burning down." he said.

Euphemia giggled at how he was overreacting.

"Take care." she said before kissing his cheek.

"Bye Naruto!" Nunnally said.

Cornelia didn't utter another word and just escorted her sisters out the door. Leaving Naruto to prepare the food for the graduating class. He was right about the party thing, despite Rivalz succeeding Milly once she graduated. He wasn't able to motivate everyone as much as she did as a leader and a party person. So Rivalz hoped this party would at least be fun enough to be memorable for his class.

However, as far as Rivalz knew, Lelouch hired a proper catering company that could handle all the cooking. As he and Shirley were not aware of Naruto's existence, he was working as the caterer. Hopefully Rivalz wasn't smart enough to wonder why Lelouch didn't spend much of the budget he was given.

A little while later

And to further avoid suspicion, Naruto used his Shadow Clones and had them henge into random people. The clones didn't really stand out and that was something Lelouch probably would have hassled him on. Still, the clones were useful as the whole clubhouse filled. It has not been this packed since the day Suzaku was knighted.

Naruto sighed at the thought.

'Deep down, I knew the guy the least. Why am I hung up?' Naruto wondered.

Naruto shook his head, wondering if the recent past made him feel guilty. Naruto did genuinely like Suzaku, he had his heart in the right place. He did agree with him more than Lelouch but the boy was more blind and optimistic. Sure, Naruto is the same but Suzaku was difficult when it came to understanding what peace is and how to obtain it.

'I need to snap out of it. I don't wanna bum anyone out or bring it up.' Naruto thought as he set up the food.

The last thing Naruto needed was to be distracted when there's this massive party going on. With everyone likely saying their goodbyes or trying to stay connected after high school. Although from what Naruto understood according to the satire of television shows, a lot of people might disconnect from one another.

'Technology has brought us closer together but only to build walls. We're not farther, we're just subconsciously building barriers.' Naruto thought

That's when Naruto sensed C.C. coming up behind him.

"May I have the first plate? I am the fiancee of the valedictorian." C.C. asked.

Naruto grumbled, "Fine, but you better not mock my cooking." he said.

"I have faith in you. You have the power to be a god, so how difficult can cooking be?" C.C. asked.

Naruto's eye twitched, "There's an insult there and you're waiting to add on to." he said as he gave her a plate.

C.C. accepted the meal and gave him a smile. Naruto couldn't tell if she was still messing with him. Luckily Naruto didn't have to hear an insult as C.C. wasn't proud enough to lie. Which led her to making a rare cute face.

"H-Hey, don't make that face!" Naruto said.

"Oh? But it's so good." C.C. said as she held her cheek.

Kallen, who appeared only a few seconds ago, sighed as she overheard their banter.

"I swear, you two are like siblings." Kallen said.

"I want seconds." C.C. said.

Naruto groaned, "I'll get to you in a minute, Kallen." he said.

As the banter continued, Cornelia was surveying the whole place. She also did her best to try and keep her face hidden away. It wasn't like she was particularly popular despite being spared. A lot of Japanese refused to forgive her for her actions even when she realized the immorality of her actions. There were also quite a few Britannian nobles who stayed in Japan that also hated her for losing despite being called the Goddess of Victory.

Still, that didn't stop her from keeping an eye on everything. The woman was too battle hardened to drop her guard at any moment. Cornelia almost found herself reaching for her gun once she felt someone grab her hand.

"Sister, you are very tense."

Cornelia looked down and peered into Nunnally's purple eyes. For a brief second, the former viceroy saw her reflection in the innocent girl's eyes. Cornelia thought she saw a woman willing to fight to protect but instead saw a woman ready to jump once fear consumed her. Cornelia shook her head and took a deep breath.

"I'm fine, Nunnally." is all she said.

Nunnally narrowed her eyes, "Cornelia, it does not take special senses to know how anxious you are." she said.

"And you should know that regardless of my position. That I am taking precaution to protect all of you." Cornelia said.

Nunnally pouted and the older Britannian suddenly felt like she was about to collapse onto her knees.

"Cornelia, I know you are afraid and that this is a form of tough love but there is no conflict anymore. I know peace isn't everlasting but everyday I'm grateful that I have my family… at least a part of it." Nunnally said.

Nunnally looked at Lelouch and Euphemia who were having conversations in different parts of the party. As Cornelia also looked, the two girls started thinking back to their childhood. When they played together under the watchful eye of Marianne. The one person they all wished was here.

This would have been the part where Cornelia forgot her concerns and just moved on. Had this been a conversation with Euphemia, she probably would have told her the same. Yet, it felt like it wouldn't work with Nunnally for some reason.

"I'm not dropping my guard." Cornelia said.

"I wouldn't expect you to." Nunnally said before pulling on her sister's hand.

As Cornelia left, she focused on Naruto. Acting as if he was ready to snap at a moment's notice despite proving himself to have a big heart. In her mind, she has a reason to not be absolutely cautious.

At the same time, Rivalz suddenly had a reason to complain despite the party seemingly going well.

"Seriously, am I the only one that didn't know Lelouch was royalty?" Rivalz muttered, hoping no one would hear him.

Despite everything being revealed, the world was somehow seemingly not aware of Lelouch and Nunnally's identities. There's probably a whole set of details that should have pointed out that they were the supposedly dead prince and princess from Britannia. Yet, the world seems to not notice. Which is why Rivalz was keeping his voice down as he and Shirley were the only other ones to learn this as to make them help with getting Euphemia adjusted as a student here.

"Well they had their reasons to hide, Rivalz." Shirley said.

Shirley also felt disappointed to not be told sooner either. However, she couldn't really argue after the whole mess that was her life in the past few months. Which included her parents almost being killed at a couple of points in time and some other events that she cannot remember for some reason.

Then a new voice piped up.

"I'm sorry you two, you probably feel betrayed."

The two students along with everyone else turned and saw Milly Ashford arrive. Their former council president and the granddaughter of their principal.

"Milly!" everyone exclaimed, happy to see their former classmate again.

"Hey everyone, who missed me?" Milly asked.

Of course, Milly was greeted with hugs and all sorts of affection. Milly met old and new faces as the party continued.

That evening

After a couple of hours of partying, everyone started to say their goodbyes. Leaving Naruto to start cleaning up the mess and putting away all the empty trays.

"Oh, that food was so good." Kallen said as she rubbed her stomach.

"It really was." C.C. said as she lied back in her chair.

"Do you even need food? Wait, do you just continue to live or do you starve to death and come back?" Kallen asked bluntly.

C.C. just stared at her Kallen, leaving the red haired girl feeling uncomfortable. C.C. then looked around and saw her soon-to-be husband speaking with Shirley. The girl was wiping a tear from her eye but put on a strong smile before hugging Lelouch who hugged her back. Lelouch and Shirley then parted from each other before the former prince approached the table.

"I'm guessing Shirley let out her feelings." C.C. said.

Lelouch sighed, "She did, to be fair I felt caught off guard despite expecting this." he said.

Kallen rolled her eyes, "I was caught off guard that you feel empathy." she said before standing up and stretching. "I'll let you sort out your things. I'm getting a drink." she said as she left.

"Well then, I'm glad you didn't burn any bridges." C.C. said as Lelouch sighed.

"I'm not that rude." Lelouch said.

C.C. just stared at him with a smug look on her face.

"Why are you making that face? Stop that!" Lelouch said.

"I'm getting seconds." C.C. said.

"Why don't I make Naruto the caterer at the wedding?" Lelouch asked rhetorically.

"Amazing idea." C.C. replied, making her future husband sigh again as she left.

'At least she's right about one thing. At least things turned out right with Shirley and I. It's not significant, but it just speaks volumes about me.' Lelouch thought.

The boy wasn't trying to sound full himself by being a nice guy. Rather, he was reflecting on how he used others to gain things for himself. Such as using the Japanese and the Black Knights to get revenge on Britannia without really concerning himself too much for their wellbeing. Sure he felt bad and knew his homeland was evil, but his priority wasn't to give them a nice life.

Lelouch was a realist and saw Suzaku as his foil. The optimist who saw the good in even evil but both were just two sides fighting until one stopped the other. Then a certain shinobi came and forced the two to either work together or break together.

Lelouch shook his head and looked towards his remaining friends. With all of them surrounding Milly who was ready to leave.

"The thing about having lower classmen is being able to visit them. I guess this means after Lelouch's wedding, it's goodbye." Milly said, trying to put on a strong face.

"Aw come on, it won't be that bad." Rivalz said.

"I'm sure if we put in the effort. We can continue our lives together even if we grow apart." Shirley said, trying to be optimistic.

Milly smiled at Shirley but her face softened as she looked around. Everyone noticed that Milly started to look a bit sad.

"I just wish Nina was still here." Milly said as she saw the now empty tables.

Everyone looked away, feeling like there was a hole where Nina used to be. After the war ended, Nina was on one of the first boats to leave Japan. The girl was xenophobic and only saw the Japanese as dangerous individuals. Sure the rogue JLF who abducted everyone on the train she was on didn't help with her opinion but a race isn't defined by good or bad.

"I feel like I could have done more." Milly said. "I could have been a better friend. Half the time I felt like a joker more than a reliable senior." she said.

"Milly, don't be like that. Nina just… made her own choices." Rivalz said, trying to comfort her.

"You can't be expected to understand everyone." Lelouch spoke up. "At least, not in a way where you can help them." he said.

Milly nodded, "Is it wrong to wish you could do things better in the past?" she asked.

Regret was a heavy thing to bear and it was worse when there really is nothing you can do. Just feeling bad because you always think about, "What if" or "what could have been" but even if an individual couldn't do anything. They feel that even with their limited abilities, they could have helped make a difference.

"Milly, the only thing wrong is living in regret. You can't live for the past and ignore the future." Lelouch said.

Milly was silent for a moment before snickering.

"When did you become a philosopher?" Milly asked.

"I didn't, my friend became a philosopher." Lelouch answered while discreetly looking at Naruto.

"Well, I can see you have a reason to live for the future. A family, a wife and probably a new life. I'm happy for you Lelouch. I hope all of you know what you want to do after today." Milly said.

Rivalz suddenly burst into tears and tried to cover them with his sleeve.

"I know what I'm doing, but I have no idea what I want!" Rivalz said.

"Aw Rivalz, don't be sad. Come here." Milly said as she hugged him. "Feel better?" she asked.

"A bit." Rivalz answered.

"Group hug!" Nunnally cried out.

Suddenly everyone started hugging the pair with Kallen even being dragged into the massive hug. With Cornelia just staring at Lelouch's friend group and wondering if that's what friendship is. Then again, she doesn't have friends of her own unless loyal subordinates count.

Okay, no they don't.

A couple of weeks later

Naruto was swimming around in the school pool and trying to get some exercise in. Despite how late it was getting, Naruto felt like burning some energy. Which in itself is impossible given the amount of stamina Naruto has and what it took for him to be exhausted during the war. Still, Naruto never tried swimming before appearing in this world and it seemed fun.

'I can see why C.C. finds this fun.' Naruto thought before someone splashed down next to him.

Seconds later, the green haired woman surfaced and stared at Naruto with her ever impassive stare.

"For someone with the power of a god. You were not prepared for my arrival." C.C. said.

"For someone who's lived centuries. You have not gone insane." Naruto replied.

C.C. stared at him before smirking as she grabbed him by the shoulders.

"Turn into a dolphin." C.C. said.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Turn into a dolphin. I know you can do it." C.C. said.

Naruto groaned, "I don't want to. Besides, you know…"

"Yes, I do know. I gave you a Geass and it gave you an extraordinary ability." C.C. said.

C.C. was well aware of what Naruto's abilities were and while the Geass she gave him may seem insignificant. It was more than just destructive power and had more variety compared to some lesser abilities. Added with what else she learned, C.C. would dare say that Naruto's Geass is basically like the Sharingan but instead of copying techniques or predicting movement.

"At first, I thought of your power as nothing more than a 3D printer. Yet you can store that knowledge and make so much." C.C. said as she leaned close.

A downside of the Geass is Naruto can scan organic things. Naruto can't conjure things like food, animals or even limbs. Yet it doesn't stop him from scanning a sentient's biology and taking in that information.

"Please, for me." C.C. said, trying to make puppy dog eyes.

"That look does not match your personality." Naruto said.

For Naruto, it felt weird to see someone who behaves coldly or without empathy to suddenly show a variety of emotions. Especially the new playful behavior that C.C. has been developing lately.

"If I were Princess Euphemia, you would use your Shadow Clones and give her a school of Dolphins to swim with." C.C. said.

Naruto frowned at her, "I hate you." he said.

"Just do it, I'm getting married and this can be my wedding gift." C.C. said.

Naruto groaned before going underwater. Seconds later, Naruto transformed into a dolphin and came jumping out. C.C. smiled before climbing on top of Naruto and grabbing onto his back fin. Where he started swimming around every corner of the pool at a high speed to C.C.'s delight.

"Next time, you should scan a shark." C.C. suggested.

"Are you kidding me?" Naruto asked, thinking this woman was a psychopath.

After a few more minutes of riding, Naruto came to a spot and C.C. sat on the edge of the pool. Naruto sighed as he swam around in circles while C.C. squeezed the water out of her hair. After a moment of silence, C.C. decided to say something that was on her mind.

"Naruto, the wedding is this weekend." C.C. said as a reminder.

"Yeah I know, I'll get food ready." Naruto said, having been given the task of being a caterer again.

"No, not just that. I have a couple of small requests." C.C. said.

"Define small." Naruto said, thinking he would be annoyed.

"They are both for Lelouch and subsequently, for his family." C.C. said, earning an odd look. "I know, I am this emotionless witch who detached herself from humanity. Except deep down, I still have emotions but just pushed them aside given how cruel the world is." she said.

Naruto turned to her with his dolphin eyes staring into her eyes.

"Firstly, I want to ask you to be by Lelouch's side. I know I'm not obligated to ask you something so random. Yet deep down, of all the atrocities you witnessed and how badly he wanted to damage the world. You still tried to see good in everyone, even the former Viceroy." C.C. explained.

Naruto nodded, he had chased down Sasuke and tried to make him see the error of his ways and redeem himself. Deep down, despite what Lelouch did and for his reasons which he didn't agree with. Naruto would say Sasuke was worse than Lelouch since the latter was inclined to use people but at least had some sense of remorse. Even more, he understood sacrifices had to be made and wasn't willing to punish the whole world despite not caring who got in his way.

Sure he was spiteful and almost lost his mind a few times but it wasn't like he hurt innocents for the sake of it. Heck, Lelouch may have believed that sacrifices were necessary but would avoid civilian deaths if possible. Luckily Naruto was there to step in from the shadows.

"I know, outside of his sisters, Lelouch looks like he has the empathy of a rock but you know he cares. He even cares about you but won't admit it." C.C. said.

Despite closing her emotions away, the recent years have made C.C. open minded again. She was even surprised to see that Lelouch kept his sanity and never stray away from his humanity. Perhaps that was her main reason for learning to love him.

As for Naruto, he was someone who was open minded. Lelouch may act like a jerk and be distant as well as sometimes put on a fake smile. Except that didn't fool Naruto as he knew the young man had humanity in him.

"Don't worry I'll keep him from taking the wrong path, even if I have to punch him in the head or break his chess set." Naruto said jokingly. "Not that he needs me, he's got a lot of friends and family to help him too." he added.

C.C. snickered before telling him her other request.

"Lelouch's mother, Marianne, even if she had a twisted way of saying how she loved him and Nunnally. Deep down, I know Lelouch still misses her despite what she and Charles planned." she explained.

Naruto grimaced, he remembered Marianne was more than happy to side with Charles. The plan was to make humanity "equal" despite saying how bad it was. By destroying what he thought was God, those two wanted to combine humanity's collective unconscious. Unfortunately for them, "God" had other plans and Lelouch didn't need to be the one to stop them.

Naruto didn't like how Marianne disregarded her children and allowed all the suffering to happen. Especially when it turned out to be for nothing. For "God" had been watching them and just like how Charles sat there and allowed everything to happen. That powerful being that created C's world was much worse than anyone but Naruto could comprehend.

Naruto shook his head as C.C. finished her piece.

"While we made a vow to never tell Nunnally or anyone else the truth about Marianne. I feel like Lelouch and his family should remember her for what she was and not what she did." C.C. said.

Naruto gave her a wide eyed stare, "You're not asking me to Transform into Marianne are you?" he asked.

"Of course not. I just want you to play a special song during the reception." C.C. replied.

"Eh?"

"A song Marianne sang to her children."

"Okay, just tell me what it is." Naruto said with a sigh.

C.C. smiled as she rubbed his head, "Thank you dolphin. That will do." she said before whispering the name of the song.

Naruto made a happy squeal sound before spinning in a circle and jumping into the air like the majestic creature he was. A moment later, Lelouch arrived looking for C.C. when she saw Naruto messing around. He just stopped and stared, not bothering to question what he was witnessing.

"Do you think he would let Nunnally ride him if I asked?" Lelouch asked.

"You're such a siscon." C.C. said with a snicker.

A few more days later

Naruto groaned as he adjusted his suit jacket and tie. The whole thing felt uncomfortable and his Geass was not going to help him adjust the clothes without making a mess. He wasn't sure if he was wearing the suit right and felt like the tie was constricting him.

'I probably look like a struggling salesman.' Naruto thought.

While today may have been about Lelouch and C.C., Naruto didn't want to look like an idiot. At the very least, he understood such ceremonies deserved respect and he had to be considerate.

"This is hopeless." Naruto said as he accidentally untied his tie.

"Where is this negativity coming from?"

Naruto turned and saw Euphemia in a simple looking yet cute looking dress with a skirt that stopped at her knees. For a beautiful elegant princess, Euphemia sometimes knew how to tone it down a bit. Not that she was conservative as Cornelia or flashy like some of her other half siblings.

"Naruto, for someone who welcomes tomorrow with a smile. You sure find an excuse to complain." Euphemia said as she walked up to him.

She then got started on helping Naruto tie his tie. With a few moments where she stumbled and almost choked him a couple of times.

"Too tight!"

"Sorry!"

But in the end, the tie looked right and Naruto looked presentable. Euphemia smiled as she gently patted his suit and double checked for anything out of place. She could see Naruto was a bit uncomfortable but at least he can breathe and move properly. That's when her smile faltered, as if she was in deep thought.

"Euphie, are you okay?" Naruto asked.

"Sorry, I'm just thinking about the past two years." Euphemia answered. "I knew there would be struggles and sacrifices. Yet, while I'm happy for my brother and that I have my family. I'm sad that not everyone is here." she said.

"Who do you mean?" Naruto asked, wondering who visited her mind.

"Although I barely knew her, Nina. She was so sweet and despite her self-loathing and desire to overcome her fear and prejudice. She also made me realize the work needed to unite the Japanese and Britannians." Euphemia explained.

Naruto nodded, Nina was a scared girl who didn't have a superiority complex. She was just xenophobic and saw fear around those different from her. Even immediately looking at Kallen like a time bomb once she revealed her half Japanese heritage during the battle for Tokyo.

"Next, there's Clovis. He was a good man despite his actions." Euphemia said before further explaining.

To which Naruto felt uncomfortable because the man committed genocide until Lelouch stopped him. Cornelia literally tried to do the same to draw out Zero/Lelouch. Naruto didn't really forgive that despite not meeting Clovis. Then again, while Naruto has forgiven and talked things out with people, he's never tried the same method with Orochimaru and Kisame who were more apathetic compared to even Obito and the same for Danzo if Naruto ever met him.

Then again, Naruto had tried something with Charles at the end but he was as much of a maniac as Madara. Hopefully Euphemia wouldn't say she missed Charles despite him being her father who had no love for his kids.

"And finally, despite what happened. I miss Suzaku." Euphemia said, avoiding Naruto's gaze.

Naruto replied with complete silence this time. Euphemia feared that she offended her current boyfriend by talking about her past lover. Instead, Naruto pulled her close to his chest and stroked her long pink hair.

"Euphie, it's okay to miss all of them. There's nothing wrong with missing Suzaku either." Naruto said, surprising her. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm the right guy for you or that you just wanted to move on. Deep down, despite his issues, Suzaku was a man who fought for good. His issue was losing himself in what it meant to fight and how he fought for his dream." he said.

"What do you mean?" Euphemia asked as Naruto took a deep breath.

Flashback, an hour after Suzaku's execution

Naruto sat on some stairs of an abandoned building where he saw Suzaku stopping to look at the night sky.

"You didn't accept that guy's help." Naruto said, referring to Zero.

"I'm grateful for the help, but I can't join him. I want Japan to be free, at least enough to where the people have their rights again." Suzaku explained.

"I get that, you don't like fighting." Naruto said.

"I don't, I know it can't be avoided but I don't want bloodshed." Suzaku said as he turned to face Naruto.

Naruto sighed, "I agree with you, believe me. It can't be avoided but if you can fight to stop it or at least reduce it. You have my support." he said.

Suzaku just stared for a moment before taking a seat next to Naruto.

"For a guy I barely know. One with weird abilities I can't wrap my head around. I'm glad there's good people to help even if it means putting themselves at risk." Suzaku said.

Naruto shrugged, "Hey, I can handle a lot of stuff." he said.

"Well I hope you know your limits. For now, I'm returning to prison." SUzaku said, confusing him.

"Pal, they just tried to kill you! They freaking made a parade about your death!" Naruto exclaimed.

Naruto has done stupid things and even now, he feels embarrassed but won't deny what he did. However, returning to the people who tried to kill him was stupid beyond his own comprehension.

"I know, while Britannia has its issues and other problems. I don't want to work against the order and hope to work within it and fix it." Suzaku said.

Naruto was still confused regardless of how ignorant he may seem. It didn't make sense to work with people who hated Suzaku.

"And what's to stop them from just killing you again?" Naruto asked.

Naruto can see petty people when he sees it. Even if the true culprit behind Clovis' murder came out.

"I'll take that chance." Suzaku said. "Besides, isn't loyalty about putting your trust in those who work above you?" he asked.

"Yeah but…" Naruto stopped as his mind raced.

It trailed back to Konoha and how he fought and defended them despite how they saw him as a monster or ticking time bomb. At the same time, he earned everyone's respect. Could Suzaku do the same or were the circumstances different?

"It's fine, maybe I'm foolish in some ways, but that's not stopping me from achieving my goals." Suzaku said.

Naruto wanted to agree wholeheartedly with Suzaku's determination but his mind was split on the decision.

"I'll see you around…"

"Naruto, the name is Naruto."

Suzaku chuckled and this offended Naruto.

"My name doesn't mean fishcake! It means…"

"Maelstrom, I know. It's cool because it means you're an unpredictable force of nature."

Naruto was surprised by the compliment. Everyone always mocked him about being named after a ramen topping. After that, Suzaku bid his farewell and thanked Naruto for trying to help him.

During Zero's attack, Naruto attempted to use his techniques to help Suzaku without hurting anyone or being spotted. Naruto never knew a crazy attempt to help an innocent soul would lead to a mental debate that would affect his mind.

End of flashback

"Euphie, Lelouch said it's selfish to force your ideas. Maybe it can be in a way, but it's not about forcing your way. It's about staying true to yourself, even when others challenge your ideals." Naruto explained.

Euphemia thought that she and Suzaku stuck to their ideals. Neither of them reached a point where they would use dishonorable methods to get their point across. She silently listened as Naruto had finished his piece.

Flashback, the Battle for Tokyo

As Suzaku had finally located the knightmare Zero was using. He used all the power his knightmare could muster to finally confront the man and end this war at once. However, just as Suzaku flew across the skies of Tokyo, he was suddenly hit by a golden blur. Which then resulted in the Lancelot crashing into the ground and hitting an abandoned building.

Suzaku grunted as his knightmare slowly got up. Only to watch an armored figure surrounded in golden energy.

"Suzaku stop!"they shouted.

"Naruto!" Suzaku snarled. "Get out of my way! You made your choice! If I have to, I will fight you." he said.

Naruto crossed his arms as Lancelot stood over him. The machine is about five meters tall and stands about three times bigger than Naruto. Yet, this intimidating appearance wasn't enough.

"Suzaku, we know how this will end. Trust me, I don't like being the realist."Naruto said.

Suzaku gritted his teeth, "Naruto, I see it now. I see it clearly, you don't agree with Zero. You actively acted neutral. Only ever fighting the Black Knights and the military when people were in danger and yet you limited yourself." he explained.

It was true, Naruto sympathized with the Japanese freedom fighters but didn't like the fact that they would have let people die, even if on rare occasions. At the same time, Britannia had an organized sense of order but it was corrupt and filled with nobles who would turn on their own if it meant status and praise. Both had their issues and thus, Naruto was forced to be neutral for most of his time here.

"But what I see is you're beyond anyone. Beyond a normal human, not just some man with a few flashy tricks," Suzaku continued before taking a deep breath. "You have the power to wipe out either side or both in a single strike. You can…"

"Change the tide of war. I can, but how would I do that?" Naruto asked.

"It's obvious, you…"

"I what? Wipe out the Black Knights? Annihilate the Britannians? Maybe I should go all out, stop holding back, burn these lands at the risk of innocents dying? Become a god with the intent of a demon? Suzaku, no amount of power entitles me to decide what's right and wrong." Naruto explained.

Suzaku then aimed his VARIS rifle at Naruto despite knowing how futile it would be.

"Then you're a hypocrite. You're standing here, stopping me from doing what's right." Suzaku said.

Naruto lowered his head slightly, "Maybe I'm a hypocrite. Maybe I'm an idiot. Maybe I'm weak." he said but then looked up. "Tell me Suzaku. If I lost control and became a monster. Then who would stop the monster?" he asked.

Suzaku was silent for an eerie three seconds before firing. Only to hit nothing as the Lancelot hit the ground hard again. With Naruto standing on the chest piece and looking straight at the head.

"Tell me Suzaku, is this about good versus evil? What is just and unjust? Or is this about making up for your mistakes?" Naruto asked as he removed his helmet. "Suzaku, let me help you! I know you don't care about whether you're seen as the hero or villain but at the end of the day, you're thinking about yourself!" he exclaimed.

Suzaku scoffed, "And you're any different? Don't lie! You told me about how you wanted your people to acknowledge you by becoming their leader! Didn't that motivate you to help everyone!?" he asked angrily.

"Yes, it was selfish to want to be someone so important and powerful just to earn respect." Naruto admitted as he put his hand on the knightmare.

"Then how are you any different than me?" Suzaku asked.

"There's wanting attention and wanting to do good for the sake of others. Are you still fighting for your people's future or for your goals?" Naruto asked.

Suzaku made the Lancelot stand up and knocked Naruto away. The shinobi then recovered in the air and landed on the ground again. Suzaku then drew his Maser Vibration swords and prepared for the final battle.

"You abandoned me. I thought you were my friend." Suzaku said as tears started to well up in his eyes. "Even Euphie left me too." he said.

"The princess never left you. I never fully understood love Suzaku but damn it, if what you two felt for each other isn't love then I'm the biggest idiot in the world." Naruto replied as he put on his helmet.

"Then this is the battle of the fools. The ninja and the knight." is all Suzaku had left to say.

End of flashback

"Suzaku lost himself to the dream and the path he took. Suzaku didn't do bad things for the sake of good things. It's his desire for good that he didn't realize when he was doing bad things." Naruto said, sounding solemn.

"Naruto, thank you. I just needed someone to tell me that. I can move on now, but I will always cherish my memories of Suzaku and the others. Especially when we first met." Euphemia said.

Naruto should be hurt that the woman he loves thinks that. Most would call him a fool and an idiot for letting Euphemia think of another man. Still, Naruto didn't care as all people should be honored in some way.

Naruto then hugged Euphemia again.

"Euphie, if I ever make you uncomfortable. Just know…"

"Naruto, don't talk like that. You and I love each other and I wouldn't want you any other way." Euphemia said, stopping him.

The two stared at each other before entering the chapel hand in hand and taking their seats. Both earned a few looks from Nunnally and Cornelia. The former just smiles away as she can practically sense the emotions leaking off of them.

Nunnally also felt a lot of anxiety coming from her brother. She didn't need her restored eyesight or the power of a sensor to know her brother was anxious today of all days. Nunnally stifled a laugh as she saw Lelouch was checking his tuxedo for the slightest fault from his bow tie to the cufflinks on his sleeves.

'Sometimes the least significant problems are the best ones.' Nunnally thought.

After a life of strife and the daily stress of needing to be taken care of. Nunnally was happy that her older brother could have a special day for himself.

Luckily, Lelouch stopped fidgeting with his tuxedo once the bride walked down the aisle.

That night, the reception

"A toast to the couple!" someone announced.

"Cheers!" the guests said.

Everyone clinked their glasses together and drank the apple cider from their glasses. Of course, some felt underwhelmed due to the lack of alcohol. Which Cornelia was thankful for despite Britannia and Japan keeping drinking age restrictions at 18 and not 21 as in some countries. At least everyone found a way to be entertained without the need to be hammered.

Drink less, party more! A good saying, right?

"My personal feelings aside, I would have still preferred my younger brother to be married in a more grand but formal manner." Cornelia said, not exactly enjoying the reception design.

Euphemia laughed in response, "Had you said that in another way. I would have confused you for Guinevere." she said.

"Euphemia, don't lump me in with that woman." Cornelia said knowing her older sister had more expensive tastes.

Euphemia just giggled before taking Cornelia's hand and dragging her across the room to congratulate their half brother and his new wife.

Meanwhile, Nunnally had already congratulated her brother and new sister-in-law. Her attention then turned to the special guest who was standing outside and looking out into the stars.

"For someone so energetic, I expected you to be fun at parties." Nunnally quipped.

"Oh, you want me to embarrass your brother?" Naruto asked, making Nunnally giggle. "I'm just getting some fresh air, Nunnally. You know, moments like this where I don't run around wasting energy. I just take the time to appreciate the small things these days." he said.

"That's nice." Nunnally replied simply. "I just appreciate being able to see." she said.

Then again, Nunnally may be grateful for what she has plus more. There are some big things she still wants but accepts that she can't have. The one thing she would want most of all is her mother, even if just for one night. Nunnally wished her mother was here to see her son become a man and marry the woman he declared his love form.

Naruto could briefly sense the sadness and placed a hand on her shoulder. If he knew what the girl was thinking about, he would feel worse. That's why Lelouch made a pact with him and C.C. to never tell Nunnally the truth about Marianne or how she was killed for good. The pact also added that Euphemia and Cornelia would never know either.

"I think we stood here long enough. Let's enjoy the party." Naruto said with a smile.

"I'm afraid there's only so much I can do." Nunnally said, discreetly referring to her immobility.

Naruto sighed, "Nunnally, I wish there was a way to help you too." he said as he kneeled to her level.

Nunnally frowned and shook her head before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Naruto, some part of me still can't fully understand you or what you are." Nunnally said, trying to avoid sounding rude but direct. "To be truthful, I was scared of you. Before I could see, I felt this cold anger. Like a caged animal that was trapped and demanding to be free." she began to say.

Naruto looked at her with a bit of worry but quickly hid his reaction. Nunnally then smiled at him.

"But then I felt this harmony. This heavy weight that was able to move. It's hard for me to explain, but I could tell you were good." Nunnally continued. "I never felt this sensation before. It was hard to ignore and I was surprised to meet you when you came out of hiding." she said.

Naruto smiled as he reached for his eyes, "You said that to make me cry, didn't you?" he asked playfully.

"It's not my fault you're emotional. I'm just being honest." Nunnally said with a pout.

Naruto chuckled, "You're right, it's my fault. I always tell myself to stop crying because it won't fix anything. Now I'm being wimpy because someone said I'm a nice guy." he said.

"You are a good person. You're a good friend to my brother, a good boyfriend to Euphie and you're even being a considerate person to Cornelia despite how much she pushes you away." Nunnally explained.

Naruto chuckled, "I just wished I could save everyone." he said.

Nunnally frowned and was about to argue when Naruto interrupted her.

"Still, I did what I could and I know that. My failures and mistakes, those are just long life lessons." Naruto said before standing up.

"There you two are!"

The two turned to see Lelouch standing at the doorway.

"Naruto, are you filling my little sister with weird thoughts?" Lelouch asked.

"Nunnally refuses to join the congregation of the Holy Food." Naruto said in a joking manner.

Lelouch rolled his eyes, "You and your stupid ramen. How are you not diabetic?" he asked.

"How are you not aware of the sacred food? Do you wish to live in ignorance?" Naruto asked as he and the siblings returned to the reception.

Nunnally laughed at the banter between the two.

"You two are such good friends." she said.

"He is not my friend, he's a business partner that won't mooches off of me." Lelouch said.

"You're such a tsundere, Brother." Nunnally said, making Naruto burst out laughing.

"...who taught you that word?" Lelouch asked, looking shocked.

A little while later

During the final hour or so into the wedding, guests were starting to call it a night. A few people were still waltzing on the dance floor, the happy couple included. Which left one more thing left to make this party a success.

As Lelouch and C.C. danced, the former prince noticed a smirk on his wife's face.

"What? Are you impressed by my dancing skills?" Lelouch asked.

"I find them satisfactory." C.C. said bluntly, making Lelouch frown a bit. "Actually my beloved husband, I have a surprise for you." she said.

Lelouch prayed that C.C. didn't lose her mind and plot something stupid. At the same time, Naruto was nearby and twirled Euphemia.

"I see you learned to dance as well." Euphemia said.

"And it only took multiple cramps and a broken femur to learn." Naruto said as he hid his pain behind a smile.

Euphemia just giggled as she leaned closer to him. As they danced, Naruto looked towards C.C. and nodded at her. Before gesturing to the piano where a shadow clone disguised as a random musician took the piano and played a couple of keys.

"Hm, what's this?" Euphemia asked.

"My gift to Lelouch." Naruto answered.

"Naruto, what did you do?" Lelouch asked, stopping his dance.

"Buddy, I may not be your best man but I'm your best friend no matter how many times you deny it." Naruto said, making Lelouch groan.

He was about to argue before a familiar tune was played.

When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

"It can't be." Lelouch said, looking stunned.

And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be

Euphemia also looked surprised, but was too stunned to speak.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Nunnally started to tear up as she remembered the words exactly. A famous song that virtually anyone could recognize but there's only one person she remembered who sang it for her and her brother.

And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree

There will be an answer, let it be

For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see

There will be an answer, let it be

Cornelia's hand began to twitch as she reached for a napkin. She looked away as wiped her eyes and avoided being seen in a vulnerable state. Her mind wandered back to her youth.

Flashback, 11 years ago

Marianne was singing as she slowly pulled the covers over Lelouch, Nunnally and Euphemia. Euphemia and Cornelia were possibly the closest to Marianne's own children. Yet she started growing closer to Euphemia but had a tricky time with Cornelia.

This all took place before Cornelia respected her stepmother.

"And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me. Shinin' until tomorrow, let it be." she sang, her voice reaching a whisper.

Lelouch's eyes flickered as he wrapped his arms around his sisters. Marianne stumbled with her words as she smiled at the cute scene before her.

"I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me. Speaking words of wisdom, let it be."

Cornelia was sitting on a chair and slowly falling asleep as well. The teen started to lower her guard despite desiring to take Euphemia home to her own little villa. Yet it was late and Marianne's soft voice was not helping.

"And let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be."

And with that, Cornelia fell asleep. Marianne just stifled a laugh as she gently picked up Cornelia and used all of her strength to carry the girl into the bed. Where she gently tucked her into the bed next to Euphemia. Marianne smiled at her children and step daughters before bending down and kissing them all on the forehead.

"Good night you four. At the very least, I hope you stay like this forever." Marianne said before turning off the light and leaving.

End of flashback

And let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And with that, the guests clapped for the "musician" who promptly left to explode into smoke.

Naruto then let go of Euphemia who ran up to hug her brother. Who was then joined by Cornelia and Nunnally. All just holding each other, forgetting about their differences and pain. Just embracing each other, knowing all they had was family and they didn't want to lose that.

"Thank you Naruto." C.C. whispered.

"Don't thank me, just be there for your husband. I'll keep him out of trouble, but you keep his heart together." Naruto whispered back.

Naruto then stepped back while several of the guests cooed at the sight of the cute siblings. With the resident shinobi deciding to grab some drinks for himself. When Rivalz decided to make things awkward.

"Hey, haven't I seen you before?" he asked.

"No."

"Are you sure, I-"

"No."

"Were you the caterer at-"

"No."

The same ended up happening with Milly and Shirley who had never properly met Naruto and he was not about to go through his life story again.

At the same time, C.C. secretly took a peek at her gifts. She noticed there was a fairly large set of scrolls inside of one of the bags. She knew they were from Naruto and realized they were meant for storage and can only imagine what he got her and Lelouch.

That night

Naruto was finally able to get undressed from his "monkey suit" and was ready to collapse into bed.

"If I get married, it's going to be a quick ceremony and then we're going bowling. No fancy dinners, no speeches, no dancing of any kind, just hitting some pins. If I get a gutter ball, that means my marriage won't last." Naruto said as he stumbled towards his room.

"Sounds like a fun wedding." said Euphemia from behind Naruto.

"Oh hey Euphie, are you going to bed too?" Naruto asked.

"In a moment, but can I bother you about something?" Euphemia asked.

"Sure, I can spare some time." Naruto said before following Euphemia into the kitchen.

It took Euphemia a moment to collect her thoughts and to speak to Naruto. Her mind trailing back to when they started to get together.

Flashback, six months since the SAZ incident

Standing in Lelouch's quarters, Euphemia stared at Lelouch in horror as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

"No, no that can't be right… Brother, tell me… please tell me… you have to…" Euphemia stuttered, unable to comprehend what she was told.

Lelouch rarely showed emotion and could see his sister was destroyed by what he said. There was no beating around the bush or putting it aside. This news was like a bandage and Lelouch had to rip it off rather than peel it as slowly as possible.

"I'm sorry." Lelouch apologized.

"Brother don't lie, I know you twist words but…"

"Euphemia," Lelouch said, using her full name. "I'm not lying, this isn't one of those times where I say things to sound good or make the situation look less bad." he said.

"Lelouch, please…" Euphemia begged as she began to cry.

"Suzaku is dead. There's no other way to say it. He's gone, Euphie, we can't undo it." Lelouch said, his eyes also welling up.

Lelouch didn't expect himself to also get emotional. He didn't feel happy about Suzaku dying and he didn't feel depressed. It was a sad fact of life and what hurt is knowing how his little sister reacted to hearing the boy she loved had died. All for nothing in his opinion.

"Lelouch please." Euphemia begged as she fell to her knees.

"I'm sorry, I'll let you mourn but we have to move on." Lelouch said as he looked away.

"But how can I move on?" Euphemia asked.

"Like everyone else. People die, no matter one's actions and purpose. Sometimes death comes sooner for some than others." Lelouch said as he walked out of his quarters.

Euphemia began to cry and begging for this nightmare to end. That was when the door opened and she saw Naruto looking down at her. In this stage, Naruto's armor had been cracked and badly damaged during the final battle. Even though he should be in a hospital bed, he couldn't help but feel the woes and pain in everyone.

So he bent down and placed an arm on Euphemia's shoulder.

"Princess, I know how you feel." Naruto said.

"How can you!?" Euphemia asked, her emotions getting the better of her

Naruto could tell she wasn't being rude to him on purpose. Other than the time that Nunnally and Lelouch supposedly died, Euphemia must have never felt this depressed over someone's death.

"I know what it's like to lose a loved one. I know, your pain may be different from how you feel it. That experience makes you feel like your world is broken." Naruto explained.

Euphemia sniffled as she looked away from him.

"You don't want to hear this. In fact, you probably want to be alone and drown out the world, but there's one thing you need to do. One thing you need to understand is how today shapes you." Naruto said.

For someone so optimistic and open to others. Euphemia really didn't want to hear another word but didn't have the strength to tell Naruto to leave and take his inspiration with him.

"Live."

"..."

"Live. If not for yourself, then for those who believe in you."

"..."

"I will repeat as many times as I need to. Live."

Euphemia was feeling more confused than annoyed. She looked at Naruto and saw only a single blue eye and some blond hair sticking out of the helmet he was given for the suit.

"Princess, I may be a stranger and I probably have no business telling you what to do but promise to live." he told her.

"I don't understand what you're saying." Euphemia said, her voice sounding hoarse.

"Live for the dead. Honor those who fought for you. Hold onto the wish Suzaku and those like him had for a better tomorrow." Naruto told her.

"How can I? I'm just a dreamer." Euphemia said as she began to cry again. "Cornelia is right. I'm a fool. All my efforts for an equal system and all it did was lead to more people being hurt." she said.

"Don't say that! That's not living!" Naruto yelled, startling her. "Princess, if you give into that kind of talk. Then you that makes you a hypocrite!" he said.

Euphemia stared at him in shock.

"I'm sorry if this is rude, but you need to hear it. If you stop believing in yourself then all of your hard work will mean nothing. Do you want to forget everything you and those who believed in you worked hard for?" Naruto asked.

Euphemia was stunned and her memories flooded with every promise. Her desire for a better world, her desire to be the one to build it and even when she was told it was stupid and was on her own. Little by little, more and more people supported her from Suzaku to Schneizel (before he went insane).

"You're right, but what can I do now?" Euphemia asked before noticing Naruto's mask crack.

"Princess, I won't be a narcissist and tell you to figure it out on your own. Deep down, there are people willing to help you if you can still take a stand. The world is hurt and still needs good people to fix it." Naruto explained.

Naruto then helped Euphemia stand up and grabbed a cloth to help wipe her tears.

"One more thing, the worst thing in the world isn't being alone. It's being surrounded by people that make you feel alone." Naruto said, his mask breaking some more.

Euphemie then witnessed half of Naruto's face as part of the mask broke. Before she found the strength to say anything else. Naruto just smiled at her and helped her to a seat.

"Don't worry about your insensitive dunderhead of a brother. I'll kick his butt for letting you cry." Naruto said, surprising her.

She didn't expect someone else to know Zero's identity.

And to this day, Lelouch still feels the lumps on his head.

End of flashback

Euphemia smiled at the fondness of the memory. She remembered how she later caught him off guard by recognizing him later. With Naruto stumbling with his words and trying to make up a story as to who he was.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Naruto asked as they sat in the kitchen.

Euphemia took a deep breath and found the words she needed.

"Naruto, I am not a princess anymore and I am no military officer, that much is obvious. What I ask of you is not a request so I apologize if this comes off as selfish." Euphemia said, turning serious.

Naruto was surprised with how direct and serious she sounded. He listened to what Euphemia had to say as she would never ask anything selfish of anyone.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I order you to live." She said.

"Eh?"

"It is as I said, I order you to live. To continue living with no regrets. To live remembering the past, but not to live in it. To live in the present and use the experience you gained to pave the way for the future. To live happily, no matter how selfish it may seem to others." Euphemia explained.

"Euphie, what are you telling me?" Naruto asked, clearly confused.

"Naruto, when I spoke about Suzaku. I saw a look in your eyes. You stayed composed yet I saw a glint in them." Euphemia said.

Naruto was caught off guard and heard her continue.

"I am an ordinary human and I cannot read minds, but I understood how you felt. I didn't see jealousy or anger, but rather, I saw regret." Euphemia said.

Naruto's hand twitched, he looked at his right arm. It was mechanical; it was one of the many prototypes Rakshata made on Lelouch's behalf. She was no genius when it came to prosthetics yet she worked hard to help Naruto once he joined the fight. Despite being unable to feel anything, it still reacted to his emotions.

Naruto always questioned if his relationship was right. If he was just a rebound to Euphemia, if he did love her or just enjoyed someone giving him positive encouragement and affection or if the two were stuck in some kind of fantasy. Euphemia saw this and gently grabbed his hands, stiffening at how rough the prosthetic felt.

"Naruto, I may not know how much you endured in your life. Except I know one thing, you are a good person and I will never regret falling for you because my feelings are real." Euphemia said.

"And how do I know when love is real?" Naruto asked.

Euphemia slowly picked up his prosthetic arm. She removed the glove that obscured the metal and placed it against her cheek. She hid her feeling of discomfort as it rubbed against her.

For a second, Naruto thought he felt warm flesh against his fake palm.

"Euphie…"

"Naruto, please never feel guilty like I did. As you told me to live. Live in a way that makes you happy."

Naruto's mechanical hand twitched as Euphemia held it close.

"You say you don't know love but you felt it. As you have felt happiness, sadness, anger, passion, every portion of the emotional spectrum. It's what makes us human. It doesn't matter how different you are because we are the same." Euphemia explained.

"Listen to her," said a familiar voice. "She's the only other person willing to use words over weapons like you." It said.

"Do you really think you will be happy with someone as loud and wild as me?" Naruto asked her.

"Naruto, we're talking about your happiness." Euphemia said.

"If that's the case, shouldn't I be happy when the woman I love is happy?" Naruto asked.

"You're finally understanding." The voice told him.

"I will always love you, Naruto. I just want you to remember to love yourself and never give into self doubt. Do you promise to fulfill my order?" Euphemia asked.

"I will, my princess." Naruto said.

"Thank you, my prince… my shinobi." Euphemia said.

As they stood up to kiss, Nunnally was hiding around the corner and listening in.

"Then its really settled." She whispered.

"Nunnally, it's rude to listen in on other people's conversations." Cornelia said, thinking she surprised her other little sister.

Nunnally just smirked, "I suppose you have an excuse as to why you were listening in as well?" She asked.

"I am protecting my little sister from a distance. I do not need an excuse to warrant this." Cornelia said sternly.

"Tsundere." Nunnally said.

"Stop using those words!" Cornelia said, earning a laugh from her sister.

Meanwhile, with Lelouch and C.C.

(Diamond is Unbreakable OST - Great Days)

"You have to be kidding me!" Lelouch exclaimed.

He stared at the bed he shared with his new wife. Who was buried under a massive pile of stuffed toys with Cheese-kun lying next to her. C.C. just looked at him smugly as she enjoyed herself.

"I am the Empress of the Kingdom of Stuffing." C.C. Said.

"What?"

"Bring me Pizza, peasant." C.C. Said, clearly enjoying herself too much.

Lelouch grew a tick mark on his forehead and blamed the one person who gifted C.C. with so many stuffed animals. Almost as if they knew this would annoy him.

"NARUTO!" Lelouch shouted.

Over the skies of Asia

Leila Malcal stood on a blimp heading towards South East Asia. She looked towards her new raven haired companion that was missing an arm.

"You know, we had prosthetics for that injury of yours." Leila said.

"And for the 20th time, I appreciate it but I don't care. This is my punishment." The young man said.

"I think everyone onboard knows you are a good person despite your tendencies." Leila said.

"Well, let this be an eternal mark." He said stubbornly.

Leila sighed, "You are impossibly stubborn." She said.

The young man snickered, "Me? Stubborn? When we reach our destination, I will show you stubbornness incarnate." He said.

Suddenly, Akito poked his head out from the pilot's station.

"Speaking of destinations, why are we going to Japan of all places?" he asked.

The young man just gave a rare smile, "That's where my best friend is." He answered.

"And how do you know this, Achiwa?" Akito asked.

"First, it's not 'Achiwa", my name is Sasuke Uchiha. Second, I recognize that idiot's signature from across the world. Knowing him, he gave a stupid little speech and forced everyone to be nice and happy." Sasuke explained.

"That sounds stupid." Akito said.

"And impossible, even illogical. I know the conflict with the Black Rebellion is over but still." Leila tried to explain.

Sasuke just shook his head, "My friend is the antithesis to all that. Just wait until we get there." He said.

"You must care deeply for your friend if you have so much faith in him." Leila said, sounding fairly impressed.

"Not really, he's just the only one that puts up with me anymore." Sasuke admitted, making Leila and Akito face fault.

"I hate you." Akito said.

"I'm the aspect of hate." Sasuke retorted.

And with that, the Summer of 2019 would still continue. People would either treat the next day like any other or welcome it with open arms.

Perhaps it was also a good day to set boundaries between certain people who call themselves friends.

THE END

---

Notes: I know, at this rate I could have written a whole Code Geass story on its own. I'm probably making excuses by this point, but honestly making a short Code Geass story was difficult since my ideas were too big. Meanwhile the Lightning and Himiko stories are just simple wholesome stories.

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this one to an extent. Since I did really expand on it. Honestly, I considered this as a placeholder for a potential prequel in the future but who knows. Anyways, with this done, I'll finish up the FGO story and I know you're probably more eager to see that.

Damn, Himiko has 10 votes with Lightning having 9. I might as well make a second part for the FF13 story and give FGO two parts at this stage as well. But I'll figure it out later.

I thank anyone who was patient enough to wait for this. Honestly, I didn't expect that many to care for Code Geass like I did. So with this out of my system, you can all be excited for the release of whatever comes next.

Oh and if everyone is wondering about Guilford and Jeremiah… they are either lost in the multiverse as well or got killed during the final battle. Yeah, if a prequel or second part does happen, it will be elaborated further from there.

Goodnight everyone!