Hey, everyone. I know, i know. Let me just say, i have slowly been trying to address all of the errors and etc that everyone has been trying to tell me about. I'm also sorry about how complex the character conversations and who's talking can be... Again, ive been trying to get to these problems, but please dont assault me if i haven't done my best job with it yet. It's all in due time. Now, if you'd like, please, enjoy chapter 8 of KotR. THANKS!!! :

Kallen looked back at the large plumb of smoke rising out of the forest behind them, the raging flame slowly dying down into a brief crimson flicker, dancing back and forth behind the many different green shrouds. The dark light washed over her haggard face, the black rims beneath the eyes growing incredibly. She sighed and turned around, looking at the unconscious figure only feet away from where she sat. His body was ripped around the torso, many different entry wounds scarring up and down his chest. Blood soaked his outfit, but it had dried due to the heat of the nearby fire. Char stained his skin, and he cringed in his sleep, his face grimacing. She touched her own would, the raw skin cut and ripped, blood seeping out around the small abrasion. Sweat continued to drip off the edges of her hair, the red strands clinging to each part of her head. Taking a deep breath in, she started coughing, the acrid, dirty air nearly a poisonous miasma that encapsulated them both. At her feet sat a small piece of her Knightmare, the destroyed Yggdrasil Drive in shattered fragments. Each piece glowed with energy, yet they were cold to the touch. Turning, she edged back to the boy on the ground, a small tear falling from her face. It fell on his burnt skin, slightly smearing the dark stains that streaked across his face. But, a smile seemed to break out from all the surrounding depression; in the distance, the calming sound of a small waterfall could be heard, her ears pricking up at this. Instinctively, she stood up, her grimy frame begging for the brusque push of water. Did she dare to leave the wounded boy for even a moment, to leave her vulnerability out in the open? Was it worth it, if only for the slim chance of a fleeting comfort? Inside, she chuckled and picked up the bent body, her hefting the surprising heavy body. All the weight pressed down on her tired arms, each one slowly threatening to give out, but she gritted her teeth, smiling as she walked away from the giant wreckage. Lelouch seemed to smile in his sleep. The sun was just starting to rise out of the sky, the light burning both eyes.

Suzaku, making it a habit to never take his mask off, sat in his personal quarters, one that watched over the entire Hong Kong city quarter. His mask was clean, his reflection infinitively flashing back and forth between the glossy sheen that washed over the black oval and the new window pane before him. Behind, the sliding door flew into its bay, a young girl walking in. She wore a small outfit, one resembling a traditional maid's outfit. Both eyes were surrounded by a thin red circle, a permanent smile emblazoned over her face, the old expressions lost in the sea that he now controlled.

"Master Zero, all of the Britannian diplomats in China have arrived. They are all waiting up with the High Council on the top floor. However, we have separated both groups as you had requested." She spoke with incredible speed, yet each word was accented clearly, her chiming in on certain words. Suzaku took it all in at once, turning, his black cape flying back. It washed over the reflected window, smudging out anything that looked back at him. "Is there anything else you wish for, Master?" Underneath, Zero smiled; the purported respect that was being perfected each day was a breath of fresh air for him. Too long, he decided, that it had been since he had been treated as such.

"Not now, Ciao Xing. I will call on you if I need anything at all."

"Thank you, Master." The girl, barely older than 19, bowed low, but Suzaku grabbed her gentle face, staring into the eyes that looked back at him, but they were blank. She didn't seem to care, as it should have been, that he had touched such an unobtainable beauty. Yet, he was never endowed with such a privilege. Inside, a small fragment of his sanity argued, a losing battle, with his current self. He pushed the girl back, her face slowly turning a shade of red, the raw skin barely bothering her.

"Get out of my sight," he shouted, clutching the part of his mask that Lelouch had last touched, feeling nothing like he did that day. The girl left, leaving him in the silence that accompanied him at all times. Holding a small key, Suzaku walked over to a small box that sat near the desk in the room, inserting it into the base of the device. It opened, folding away at the sides. Staring back at him was the same mask he wore, yet this one still had the old, crusted blood stains, the fingerprints that Lelouch last left him with, his only fragment of the old times he wished to revive. Automatically, he slipped off his right glove and brought his hand up to it, touching the flaking material. In his hand it crumbled, each finger embedding the crimson colored dust into each small divot and valley that made his own distinctive fingerprints. Again, the door slid open, another girl walking in. It snapped him out of his small hell, fishing him back out into the cold world. Turning around, he looked at the frail girl. "Nunnally…" That small fragment of him that often fought a seemingly endless, futile battle came out, a genuine smile crossing his old face and person, not bringing up the possessed mind that he now wore as a suit. "How are you this evening, Nunnally?"

"Suzaku, please. What is going on? Why are these people here?"

"People?"

"I am not blind, as I once was. You cannot hide such things from me any longer. Mayhap it was you who my brother assigned to take care of me, but I cannot allow you to keep large secrets from me."

"I don't wish to keep things from you."

"Take off that mask, if only for a minute, Suzaku. I cannot bear to watch myself in it any longer than I already have. Can you not cast it aside; why not embrace another persona?" She spoke with the thoughts of a few others, once when they could have thought on their own. Now, she was the only untainted. "For me," she asked, looking at him.

"Nunnally, if only for you. I can only do this for but a moment." He gripped the back, pressing the hidden button. It slid forth, folding away, leaving his face in the middle. She looked with interest, moving closer to him. His skin was pale, both eyes the same as Lelouch's had once been. At this, she gasped, coving her mouth. "What?"

"Your eyes… You have the devil's power. Why did you not tell me?" She closed both eyes and looked away.

"For your safety. What good would have come if you knew that I had this power? I don't want you to still go through what you had in the years past. I don't want another Euphemia…" He still clung to the girl's death, everything slowly coming back to haunt him.

"But you consider this better for me?" She thought she was looking into the past, looking at Lelouch as he was forced to use the power on her, one of the first things she had seen upon regaining her sight. "I don't want another Princess Massacre either, but what have you done with your power? And all of the Britannians here?"

"Do not worry, Nunnally. Trust me, please." He stepped towards her, his arms out. She held an arm up to her chest, looking at him with betrayal. Still, she cautiously walked into his embrace. "Just believe in me. I am doing everything for you."

"Are you…?"

"Guests," said Zero as he entered the large meeting room again. "Honored Britannians, I am glad to see you here."

"Ah, the illustrious Zero," said one, them all looking the same to him. "I am pleased to see that our forced capture made you happy."

"Would you prefer dying like a dog in our recent conflicts? It is such an easy thing to accomplish in this day and age."

"Now, Zero," said another. He didn't want to bother with names. To him, they were all rubbish, all fools who would be mindless drones, Geass or not. "How about we get down to business rather then waste our times insulting each other."

"Wise decision." He turned, looking at the different waitresses move into the large room. They marched up and down the rows of people, handing out various drinks, each person preferring something different from the man or woman in front of them. It took only a few minutes, with the girls leaving soon after. A few people were frightened by the presence, studying the blank faces with caution. A smaller fraction noticed the red rings around each eye, their minds trying to remember where in the past they had seen such a phenomenon. "Now," finished Suzaku, turning back, both of his eyes open to the entire group of people. The room started getting boisterous; some people slamming the cups into the tables while others sprang up, shouting loudly. Outside the room, the guards kept watch, none of them hearing anything that was happening inside.

"Zero, what manner of games is this," shouted many together. Some had small guns, holding them up to the level of Suzaku's mask. Zero brought his hand up, covering up one eye with arced fingers. Taking them away, he pointing at all of them, each one's attention drawn to the different motions he displayed. None bothered to look away, a transfixing quality he had without the Geass.

"I, Suzaku Kururugi, command you all to serve Zero!" The Geass shot out, flooding into the minds of each person in the room. He watched as they all tried to fight it, some instantly succumbing to it while others clenched their fists as they slowly stood up, the many different weapons clattering to the thinly carpeted floor.

"Yes, My Lord," they all shouted in unison, a resounding chorus coming from the many different Britannians. He looked back and forth throughout the room, each eye shaded with the color red. Laughing, he sat down in the swivel chair beneath him, turning around to the window.

"Now, I have a task for each and every one of you." Outside, the guards turned to the elevator as it arrived on the top floor, the metal doors sliding open. Each one brought the large rifles they carried down to their hips, aiming at whoever was coming out. Nunnally stepped out, surprised by the armed guards. She slightly shrieked, but the guards brought their weapons back up. One came over to her, beckoning to the elevator.

"Excuse me, Ms. Nunnally, but Zero has asked us that no one be allowed on this floor while it is in use." He pushed her, but she struggled a little, trying to look into the glass meeting room. All of the denizens of the room were standing up, their posture nearly perfect. She was confused, but the guard pressed a random button on the control panel, the door sliding closed; the elevator left, moving down over ten floors, the girl closer to the lobby. She tried pressing the top floor button again, but it didn't respond, not even bothering to light up. Having nothing else to do, she punched the control panel and left the small elevator, it closing and leaving the floor almost instantly upon her leaving.

One of the guards came up to the door, knocking on the meeting room double doors. Zero stopped, turning around. He opened it, looking at the guard, each who wore a mask to hide any sense of their facial expressions. "Yes," questioned the masked man.

"Ms. Nunnally just attempted to get a hold of you, even arriving on this floor to see you. However, we stopped her and sent her back down. I don't believe that she saw anything that was happening, but we cannot be too sure."

"I see," he said, but his mind was shouting "damn". "Please, I will do something in a matter of minutes. First, let me see to my business. Make sure that Nunnally does not leave the building."

"Yes, my liege." The door shut, leaving Zero to conclude his business with the many waiting Britannians.

"Now, for your tasks," he said, looking out at the airport, many of the planes coming back and forth, flying nearby as they moved between Japan and all of the other nations near them.

C.C. moved into the embassy with little trouble, her hair hidden in a large hat that she wore. The clerk at the front desk smiled at her, but didn't say anything, her instantly returning to whatever business she first had. C.C. moved past, slowly approaching the elevators with a nonchalant attitude. A metallic ping sounded, the doors sliding open as she passed. A large swell of Britannians walked out, each one moving in an organized line; C.C. looked out of the corner of her eye, instantly realizing what was happening. Glasses hid her eyes, yet they were only the slightest safety precaution. Sneaking backwards, she casually slipped into the newly empty elevator, letting it slowly motor up to the last floor it was on. Hugging against one of the walls, she grabbed a small handgun she always carried with her, sliding back the top. On the small electronic monitor, she watched the floors pass by her. First two, then five and finally eight floors passed before stopping on the 11th, when the doors opened. She held her breath, the time seemingly taking forever before she stepped out. Looking left and right, she found the area empty. A large meeting room sat in the middle of the floor, making itself the prime purpose of the entire area.

"Where are you, Suzaku," she said aloud, checking each empty room. They led into pointless places: either they were empty storage closets or waiting rooms, both of which hadn't been used in ages. However, they were all immaculate, no dust sitting on anything. C.C. walked into one, looking out at the city.

"Beautiful view isn't it," said the sleek voice of Suzaku from behind. C.C. didn't bother to turn around, her gun falling to her side. "But, rather, I'm surprised to see such a beauty here." He walked up, closing the gap between both. It was then that she turned around, bringing the pistol up to his chest.

"I haven't actually ever spoken to you. Did you know that?" She reached a hand out, the boy recoiling a few feet back. He still had nightmares at night, ones that she had caused upon a simple touch. If there was one thing that he still feared, it was the enigma. Suzaku looked at the weapon, but his "Live" command wasn't tugging on his mind. Slowly, he uncovered his eyes, staring at C.C.'s.

"Perhaps a command is in order." Suzaku smiled, his Geass flaring up in each eye.

"Haha," C.C. laughed. "Perhaps I should explain all the rules to your power. But, I have a question first." She walked past, brushing her hand up against the boy. He instantly stiffened up, his mind spinning. "But, you seem a little… down." Suzaku fell over, the paralyzing fear taking over his entire being. His eyes opened wide, him compulsively gagging over and over again. "I'm surprised that you still haven't overcome this hurdle." She pressed the small button on the back of the mask, grabbing it as it folded back into her hand. "I remember this thing fondly."

Carine and Guinevere both walked through the small garden behind the large Royal Manor, both finding a clear patch of jade grass, the blades rising barely into the air. Everything was well tended for, the flowers in full bloom. The girls both smiled at each other, another figure walking out to meet both. It was Gino, a smile on his face. The air was aromatic, each plant passing small wafts of pollen and lilac past his face. There was no wind, the sky completely cloud free. Everything met them as a perfect day. In the distance, that same dark plume had died down, masking wherever the opponents had gone down.

"Gino, I'm glad to see you back safe and sound. I was worried to learn that someone had gotten so close to the city."

"Thank you, Lady Carine. It was only my duty. I would gladly perform such an able task again." He sat down, crossing his long legs. He smiled and laughed, a small butterfly fluttering on by his face, his finger reaching out for the insect to perch on. Hours earlier, Zero had called the girl, his voice still filled with arrogance.

"Carine, I have some news for you," said Suzaku on the other end. It was early in the morning, the sun still asleep. She looked around, a panic filling her mind. "I hope you haven't hung up yet…" She held her breath, but the other girl who shared the room slept on.

"No. What news is it?" She was quiet, holding a shaking hand over the receiver.

"Two have closed in on your city. Perhaps assassins, maybe not. I couldn't tell you any specifics, yet there is truth in what I say."

"How can I believe such idle threats?"

"Are they truly idle? What if they were to make it into the city, to attack the heart of where you live? They could easily take your life, the lives of any one else there." You could not hear him breathing, almost as if he didn't need to.

"Why would you send people after me if you could easily take care of me while I was in Japan?"

"Exactly. They are not mine. I only wish to see you well. Please, take these warnings."

"Zero, what game are you playing?"

"No game." He hung up, leaving the line dead. She only looked at it in disbelief, setting it down with caution. It was only a few steps away to the bedrooms of the Knights, her immediate destination. And so, she carefully walked into Gino's room, gently waking the young pilot.

"Gino, we have a small situation." His trained eyes snapped oven, him sitting perfectly upright. The explanation only took a matter of seconds, the young man suiting up and leaving for the large hanger located underneath the manor. The Knightmare's key hung around his neck, his body showing no signs of fatigue. Carine watched the single vehicle leave the manor, flying up into the sky. It stood there, scanning every direction before darting off to the west, greeting the sun as it started to rise into the dark sky.

"Did you ever find out who it was?" She had a small cup of tea sitting out, one of each of the members joining the small picnic. Gino raised an eyebrow as he took a sip of the drink, setting the steaming liquid down.

"No. The models were familiar, older Japanese ones, but it didn't have any distinct markings on them. Both pilots seemingly ejected, but I destroyed the pods as they landed. After surveying the damage, I couldn't find anything that would tell us where they came from." He took another sip, turning his attention to the silent Guinevere. "Only hint is that they're Japanese."

"That would make sense, but how did they even get close enough to us? I didn't think they had the people experienced enough to do something like this."

"Oh, they do have a certain pilot who is one of the best in the world, but I doubt she would get herself involved in anything like this. Last time I saw her, she was slowly unraveling herself. A bad case of depression, stuff like that."

"Hmm. Do you know her name?" Carine was genuinely interested. It was almost as if they were gossiping about something trivial, as she often use to spend her time.

"Yeah, it's Kallen Kouzuki, but she's also known by Kallen Stadtfeld. Her father is one of the Stadtfelds, but she didn't say much about him; he's dead, isn't he?" Both girls looked at each other, both surprised.

"Mr. Stadtfeld… I can hardly remember the last time I saw him. He was one of our royal retainers over in Japan. He and the Ashfords were the big two, but we slowly lost contact with him. But, if he has a half-Japanese daughter, then that means that he has a wife over there."

"I know his wife is dead," said Gino. "That was one reason that the daughter was so depressed. In all regards, we both had a small meeting over in Japan, when I was stationed north of Tokyo. It wasn't the best meeting, but…"

"So, it could have been her?" Carine shifted where she sat, Guinevere laughing at this.

"I don't think it could have been. Although the Frame the people drove were older models, they almost put up no fight. I did sneak up on them, but it would be hard to believe it was her."

"There is little point in thinking about it," finally said Guinevere, her voice calm as usual. She was the sensible one, thinking the least into most situations. She took everything with a grain of salt, but could be erratic, given a certain circumstance. Intelligent and deadly, she was intimidating, but you wouldn't be able to see that side of her just through basic conversation. It was almost as if she wore a disguise over them all. "It's done and if you took care of the pods, there is little chance that they will prove any problem to us now. Please, can we change the topic to something a little more suitable to this moment?"

"Haha," laughed Gino, smiling at both with his closed eyes. Another was coming towards them, another pilot having seen the small picnic. It was Jeremiah, walking through with the young Anya following behind. The small girl had given up all instances of fighting, turning to a simpler life among the tall man; he had welcomed her, thinking her a more positive light upon him, especially considering he had lost Villette to Ohgi, yet he didn't feel any hatred towards the Japanese for this. He was one of the few who truly opposed a direct conflict with the small island nation. The two walked by, giving their regards, but didn't stop. Anya was interested with the flowers, so both kept walking along the stone path that weaved through the garden. "Anya," asked Gino, confused at seeing the girl. They hadn't see each other in what seemed like years, but was only simply months. He had grown attached to the young girl in the past, the two bonding close although she hadn't a true personality.

"Gino, you may leave and catch up with them if you would like." Guinevere smiled at him, nodding in agreement.

"Then, if both ladies will excuse me," he said, picking himself up. He thanked them for the tea and set the cup and saucer on the ground, turning to the silhouettes on the distance, traveling further by the moment.

"You like him don't you," asked Carine, smiling coyly at Guinevere. "It's easy to read on your face." She blushed at this, looking at the man as he walked away, trying to hush her slightly. "Haha," she laughed.

"Why does that interest you?"

"It doesn't interest me too much, but I could tell you were growing jealous as he spoke of that other girl. I haven't seen you act as such in quite a while. Why not just court the knight? I doubt he'll have any objections."

"No. It just isn't the time to focus on those types of things. I should be leading my people, not bothering with trivial matters."

"And if I court the young knight? We are the same age." Carine smiled that wicked smile again. She looked at her, at how much she hadn't changed in all the years they had known each other. It was that conniving smile that had always gotten her out of whatever trouble she created. Always, she placed the blame on another, escaping to cause havoc elsewhere. It was the same, but subtly different.

"That's a grand way to show how grateful you are of my hospitality. But, do what you must. I will have no major quarrel with whatever you get yourself into."

"I am kidding, Guinevere," she said, smiling. "I only wished to test your reaction. If I may say so, it was worth it."

"I may be in a good mood, but that does not mean that it is time to joke about. We still have other things before we can rest as such. Come, help me clean this up."

"Why not leave it for the maids?"

"That is no mentality to have. Now, grab the blanket and fold it up." She pointed down at the small blanket, moving the porcelain out of the way. Carine grumbled as they moved the small picnic around, cleaning up efficiently. Again, Guinevere looked at her, thinking about her lack of responsibility. "Oh, well. Another battle for another day," she though, moving the china into the kitchen.

Kallen dipped herself into the cool pool that was hidden away from the large lake only a small walk away. Water fell from a small cliff, pouring down into the pool with incredible force. The sound of everything was masked by the crashing torrent, the avalanche of water cascading down on everything. She shook, the cold water running a chill down her spine. Slowly, she moved further into the pool, hanging her head into the icy daggers that poured down. Her exposed body slowly turned blue, the water colder than usual. Like always, she clutched the invisible small hidden knife she always carried around; the real thing was laying atop her pile clothes nearby, waiting on a rock for her to end the natural bath. Lelouch was still asleep, his body closer to the waterfall. A thin mist sprayed his face, cooling him in his sleep, although he first furrowed his nose, the bothersome droplets taking a short while to get use to. His burnt skin seemed to enjoy the water, the inflamed areas slowly losing some of their deadly fury. But, it didn't change the coloring. Kallen looked back over at him, her entire body shrouded by the falling water.

"Lelouch, you should take a dip," she said to him, laughing a little. Although he was asleep, she didn't really care. "It's not as cold as it may seem, but I'll understand if you don't want to come in while I'm here. Don't worry; I'll get out soon enough." She dove under, swimming into the depths below. Coming up, she flung her head backwards, the shorter hair flying back and sticking to her head, gluing in place. She pushed a large wet strand out of her eyes, the hair a dark purple in the dark waters. Finally, she stepped up onto the slippery rocks, grabbing her shirt and lingerie, the knife sliding off to the rock nearby. Out in the forest, a branch broke; in one second, she leapt up to dry land and held the knife out, crouching low to the ground. "Who's there," she screamed out at the dark forest. It reminded her of that instance with Suzaku on that island… Shaking her head, she moved ahead, a figure slowly immerging. Lelouch was beginning to wake up now, his distorted gaze spinning around. His ears only picked up on small things here and there, playing hell with him.

"It's true what they've said, Ms. Stadtfeld." A young boy came out, but he was incredible familiar to the girl.

"Rolo?" It was a splitting image of the boy. "What the hell… no, you died."

"Rolo? Oh, I am sorry. You are thinking of my brother, God rest his soul. We both are twins, identical, both coming from the same place. Maybe you remembered when Rolo entered the Geass Order to exterminate everyone with our power?"

"I wasn't a part of that, but I heard what happened. Every child was killed, or something like that?" She still held the knife firm behind her clothes, trying her best to hide her body from the young boy.

"Yes, but Rolo never told you something. Like, there was a survivor in the entire thing. One that he personally spared, one that he hid away from everyone else. Me."

"So, Rolo died. It wasn't either of our faults. He died by his own power, sacrificing himself." She remembered the battle vividly, as both tried to escape, Rolo pushing his power to the limit. Eventually, his heart would have succumbed to something; it was a merciful thing that happened.

"Either? So, Lelouch is here with you? Show him to me."

"You will do nothing to him." Kallen got in a more defensive position, ready to attack on any hint of movement.

"No, I don't wish any harm to him. I just want to see why my brother felt so… why he loved him as an actual brother. I want to know why he decided to honor him over me."

"He is over there. Be quiet, as he is sleeping." The brother nodded, moving slowly towards the wounded figure lying on the rocks; his face was grimacing in pain, as if he was anticipating something to happen to him. He just looked at Lelouch, studying over his pain-stricken face. It only lasted for ten seconds and the boy turned around, looking directly at Kallen.

"And what do you see in him?" She looked at the downed figure with her own caring gaze.

"Nothing that you would. Believe me, I understand full to well what my brother was thinking. He was a fool in the end, just as I had thought." She looked at him in disbelief, but he just started to walk away.

"Wait. What is your name?"

"Leo. I am your enemy. Do not forget my name." He turned and left, leaving them behind as they struggled to understand what had just happened. She looked back over at Lelouch, his face smiling.

"Lelouch, had you heard that?"

"Yes," he coughed. "Yes I did." She put on her clothes, fully realizing that she was naked the entire time. Her entire body seemed to blush, turning bright red. Lelouch laughed at this, smiling at her. His eyes couldn't seem to open all the way, a brilliant gash in the side of his head attributing to this. "Don't worry," he finished, "I didn't feel very threatened by him. He did look exactly like Rolo, however. And if he wanted to…"

"I know. He had Geass."

Kallen had picked up the boy, dragging and tripping over her feet as she tried to move him through the forest. He had fallen unconscious again, not bothering to even touch the water in the pool. If she were to look back, she would realize how far they were from the destroyed machines. The forest was looking nature and untainted. Old buildings, ones from years bygone, passed by, the wooden structures nearly hundreds of years old. A church rose up at the end of a dirt path, the trees hiding the large steeple. It was in a good condition, yet only small fractions of the roof had fallen to the ground; she looked at the other dilapidated buildings. "Winter must be tough," she thought, looking at how some had collapsed into themselves. She walked inside the church. All of the pews had been moved, leaving the large middle room empty. Only the stained glass was in a decent condition. An alter once stood near the front of the crowds, but now it was a small pile of rubble, crumbling due to time. Grass and other weeds shot out of the floor, creating soft patches in the middle of the wooden floor. She set the boy down on the grass, walking up to the alter. Stone was used to support the back of the structure, hefting most of the work from the foundation. She was amazed at the architecture, amazed at how long it had survived, amazed that they hadn't destroyed and cast it aside. It reminded her of the ancient temples in Japan, yet she would always visit them in a group, standing and gawking over a ticket booth to see such things. After inspecting the place, she sat down, breathing heavily. Kallen grabbed her small cellphone out of her pocket, looking at the device with disdain. It had no coverage, little battery left. But, she had been trained on how to convert the device to a homing beacon or a small radio, yet it wouldn't help them still. "And, I've turned my back on my people. What would they do for me, even if they didn't know that it was us who attacked that base? I can't look back to Japan, not yet. I must redeem myself." She sat on her knees and closed her eyes, going into a semi-meditative trance. Overhead, jets flew over, searching the forests for the last signs of life the old dwindling threat once brought.

"You cannot use Geass on me," said C.C., looking at Suzaku, who was on the ground, his hand clutching over his face. Rage was building up inside, but he tried to calm himself down. "I, no we immortal, are unaffected by Geass. We are Geass, in all aspects of the word."

"It can't affect you… Is Lelouch an immortal?"

"How do you know that Lelouch is alive anyway? What if I am just searching for another contract?"

"I doubt you would come to me, even if I didn't have this power. Only Lelouch would send you to watch me, or to eliminate me. He should have died; he should not even be bothering me with this now! Why, dammit, tell me why he is here!?" He turned and looked at the girl, both eyes dilated and insane.

"Does it matter? It shouldn't." C.C. stood up, moving out of the room, looking out another window. "If anything, you should worry about yourself. It seems like you're building up for a war. That should be your concern; and your Geass… You have an undesirable effect with your power."

"Undesirable effect? What are you speaking of?"

"Do you remember that young boy who called himself Lelouch's brother? Yes, you should as he was partially your responsibility."

"What of it?"

"He had Geass, but you should know that. His was special, almost completely artificial. But, in that, he had a fatal flaw. The power you have slowly affects you, in a subtle way at first. For him, it was his heart and that is how he died. For you, it could be a number of things."

"So, this is slowly killing me?"

"Simply put, yes. And I can tell you've used it incredibly. It's only a matter of time. Perhaps you felt a small pain every time you bothered to use your power?"

"Shut up, you bitch," he shouted at her, grabbing the small pistol around his waste. He pointed it at her torso and fired a round, watching her eyes go wide as she grabbed her sides and collapsed to the ground. He kicked her on the ground, watching her try and react to the pain. "You might not be able to die, but I'm sure you can feel this. Why not call out for him?"

"Suzaku," she started, coughing small spats of blood. "You are… truly pathetic." He stopped and looked at her, pointing the gun down again.

"Truly? I couldn't care now. But, you still have to tell me something. Is Lelouch an immortal?! Tell me!" He pressed the cold steel against her head.

"I can tell you what… your Geass is affecting. You've lost… your humanity; you're losing your mind. Ha..ha. You haven't even fulfilled a contract… but, how… did you get your powers? It matters not." She closed her eyes, barely wheezing any more. Suzaku just got angrier. It took him a short while to realize that he didn't have his mask on, the black orb having rolled away from the girl upon her being shot. Picking it up, he looked at all the blood smeared on the side and threw it at the window, watching as it shattered the glass and plummeted to the ground outside.

"Nunnally," said Schneizel sitting down next to her. "How are you doing, Sister?" His eyes were also still rimmed with the red glow. Nunnally didn't bother to meet his gaze.

"I am fine," she said, exhaling. "I haven't seen you in a while, Brother. What are you doing here?" But, she already knew that answer. Everything, she slowly realized, revolved around Suzaku and Zero, and the more she learned, the more she started to hate the boy who once called her and her brother best friends.

"Zero has summoned me. But, I wouldn't miss a chance to see you." She faked a smile at him, kicking herself inside. She couldn't stand how Zero would change everyone, leaving her with a world build by the compulsive lies that were built up from ages bygone. Often, Nunnally found herself slamming her fist down whatever surface was unlucky enough to be near. And at night, she cried, to herself, cursing her own existence. "Lelouch, if you even saw how everything had turned out, what would you do? Suzaku has lost everything, and he is slowly losing me. I can't even see what will turn out… I-I hate this…" Her nails dug into her palm, but Schneizel just tilted his head in confusion, looking up and down her. "Are you okay, Sister? Is there something that I can do?"

"I'm fine. Please, can I have some time alone? I need to do some thinking…"

"Yes. If you need anything, do not be afraid to ask." He stood up and pushed his chair in, leaving the room. Once outside, the door close, but he didn't leave. Hugging up against the wall, he stood out of sight and watched. Nothing seemed to happen, but he had his orders. That was the only thing in the world that made sense to him.

Kallen sat down next to Lelouch, her head lying on his chest, listening to the slow heartbeat. It was almost nonexistent, barely making an impression as he tried to struggle for a breath, his mouth awkwardly opening to gasp for a few seconds of air. She lifted her head, turning to look up at the gaping hole in the roof. A few birds, their dark shadows masking over Kallen's face, sat and watched, the carrion birds smiling with a disturbing arc. The beady black eyes darted around, not putting their complete attention on anything. Picking up a rock, the red-head threw it at one of the birds, the small fist-sized rubble slamming into the wooden perch. The birds squawked, their voices filled with incredible hatred. Small fragments of wood fell to the ground, dust rising up into the air. She shook herself off, brushing the debris from her shoulders. In the sky, only a fraction of the sun remained; Kallen looked towards the glass, hoping that a small shard of light would light the room, but none did.

"It's not very fun without someone to talk to," she said to the sleeping figure. He edged around above the small patch of grass he slept on, his stiff shirt playing hell with him. She looked at his face, looking around for something to help him. Grabbing her small knife, she opened up the shirt, tearing the flimsy material without much trouble. Already, the wounds had healed, leaving perfectly circular splatters of dried blood around warped skin, the pale discoloration slowly fading as well. It was alien, almost happening directly before her eyes. She looked away, turning to the silence that seemed to follow her. "But, what could we even talk about, anyway? I haven't seen you in what…? A year? It only takes so long to change a person, and considering what you were then, what could you be now?" She moved most of the bloody cloth, his athletic chest slightly surprising the girl. Kallen laughed, remembering the times they all spent at school, all waiting for the young boy to catch up with the rest of them, his breath more than lost by the time they caught sight. He would often double over, both arms clutching his knees as he tried to fill his fragile lungs. She sighed again, thinking. "What the hell am I doing here," she asked him, vexation in her tone. "Why must I follow you; what is my purpose for being here…?" She looked at the breathing face as she spoke, her automatically closing the gap between the two. "It's just… pathetic, isn't it?" She closed her eyes, her only a hair's breadth away from his face. Finally, she kissed him, pressing herself strongly against the sleeping boy, his eyelids quivering in confusion. Kallen let go, and a smile crossed Lelouch's face.

"What was that about," he asked, the strength returning to his voice. One eye opened, looking at the girl with interest. As he tried to lift his neck up, he found a sharp pain shoot itself up his arm. Almost instantly after, Lelouch grabbed it, writhing in pain as he shook back and forth, Kallen looking at him as if he were possessed. For the first time, she noticed the "V" shape appear on his forehead, the shape turning a brilliant rouge as if it were burning into his skull. Another one was on his arm, the color more vibrant than the one on his head.

"Lelouch," she shouted at him, but the words were slurred and hellish, banging against his skull with a blunt instrument. And after an eternity of the pulsating pain, he blacked out, falling into the abyss that seemed to hold every freedom above him, watching and waiting for him to cry out against it, to feel insignificant again as he tried to acclimate to him new self. Kallen watched as he seized back and forth, screaming out, his words so rapid they sounded like another tongue. She didn't know how to react, only to grab him and try and hold him still, but as he hand reached for his arm, she felt the heat emanating from the small "V", the pain coursing into her as she tried to hold on. And, suddenly, she found herself in another world, one in which they both stood upon golden steps, looking up at two worlds and the fleet of people watching both.

"No," Lelouch said, his face fraught with horror. She looked over at the boy, his image slowly converting to that of the figures all looking out; Kallen took a step backward, trying to avert away from whatever it was she saw. However, neither her feet nor eyes would listen to what her brain was screaming.

You know the drill... Thanks for reading XD -AMP