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[ video ]
"Everything is clear now," Lelouch is heard saying as the slightly grainy video reel plays. This is a different, younger, Lelouch, dressed in his Zero outfit, maskless and holding out a small pistol towards a pink-haired girl: Euphemia li Britannia. "Zero will die, then be miraculously reborn." A smile forms on the exiled prince's face, and the camera overhead takes that moment to focus on him; though his words seem to be far-reaching, the sincerity is easily identified in his face. He means what he's saying at the moment. "The people will love him for it," he continues with the same confident expression, but his voice dips when he casually lays down the reason for this statement: "People are most suspectible to miracles, not logic, you see."
His hand tilts upwards, to allow Euphemia an easier access to the pistol in his hand. "Now, take it," he implores, and the princess is only able to utter a confused 'huh?' and stare before Lelouch continues talking again.
"There can only be one Messiah. When they see that you're a fake, the people will--" And suddenly, his monologue is cut off as a sharp pain seemingly erupts without warning in his head-- no, his left eye as is evident when his left hand automatically goes up to cover it. The pistol falls to the floor, forgotten, as Zero loses his composure for a few moments, obviously in great pain.
With a gasp, Euphemia is suddenly kneeling beside him; "Lelouch!" she cries in a voice that is filled with nothing but pure concern. And for her trouble, Lelouch rewards her by violently slapping that extended hand of concern and struggling upwards... on his own, still reeling from whatever pain he was suffering from.
"Stop it! Don't you dare cast your pity on me!" he exclaims angrily. He distances himself from her, but that hand remains, covering the offending left eye.
"I don't need your charity!" he continues, looking down at Euphemia. "I will make this happen on my own! To that end, you will be my Pilate, Euphemia li Britannia!" And as he delivers this angry statement, he is visibly shaking; as if he was all but ready to strike the defenseless woman on the floor, looking up in confusion towards him. As he is about to finish, he removes his hand from his eye-- and glares--
He seems all but ready to say something, to do something, when the pink-haired young woman cuts in with urgency.
"I have relinguished that name," she says, plainly, and it forces a little gasp of surprise from Lelouch. It is something he clearly did not anticipate. And grabbing that opportunity, Euphemia stands up and continues, her voice possessing the authority only a Princess could have had.
"I expect the mainland will announce it shortly, but I have given up my right to succeed the throne."
"Why...?" Lelouch is still in disbelief, but he continues, "Because you've accepted Zero into your heart?"
In contrast to the deepening look of disbelief on Lelouch's face, Euphemia is finally smiling. "I made you participate in my little endeavor, so surely you expect something in return."
"You gave it up so easily." Lelouch says finally, after having gathered his composure. That, of course, isn't something that took him too long. "Did you do it for me?"
And here, Euphemia laughs, one hand brought up to cover her lips for modesty's sake. "You're self-centered, as always... I did it for Nunnally." She pauses there and turns around. There is a slightly distant look on her face as she seems to recall something pleasant. "She told me that if she could be with her brother, that was all she needed."
"That's why?"
Euphemia turns to Lelouch; and the smile on her face seems a bit more confident. "That's what made up my mind," she cheerfully says. I asked myself what is really important in this world. But Lelouch, I haven't given up anything that I really, truly, treasured."
Euphemia continues on, talking-- "Don't worry, I haven't told anyone about you!" -- but while she is doing this, Lelouch sighs in what seems to be an act of resignation, of defeat... and he makes a small 'hmph' before laughing suddenly.
"And Cornelia?" he mockingly asks.
"Well," Euphemia answers, clearly not affected by the mocking tone in Lelouch's question. "it's not like we'll never see each other again..."
And this is where Lelouch, appearing to have come to a realization of sorts, finally says, "You're such an idiot." Then he corrects himself, "A total moron."
Euphemia retorts, "Well, I've never managed to beat you at study or at a play, but..."
And here, there seems to be a change in the atmosphere. Whatever tension was there... evaporates as the look on Lelouch's face softens, and he seems to become, once more, the young teenager that he is.
"Well, it's not exactly how I envisioned it, but I really will have gotten all I want... When I think about it, you were Euphie long before you were Deputy Vicereine, or the Third Princess..."
"If I'm just regular old Euphie, will you help me?" Euphemia takes this moment to extend her hand outwards, and, at first, Lelouch merely stares at it with a serious look. But ultimately, he concedes to the silent request that hand represented.
"You were my most worthy opponent," he declares proudly before accepting that hand and squeezing it tightly. "You win."
Euphemia looks surprised, speechless, but that surprise quickly turns to one of delight when Lelouch continues his speech:
"We'll work out a way to make this Special Administrative Zone of yours work. And no, I will not be your subordinate."
"Of course not! You really don't trust me, do you?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you really think that I'd shoot you if you threatened me, Lelouch?"
Lelouch's expression softens here, "Ah-- no, I didn't."
And this is where the laugh track plays-- "Awwwwww." It effectively keeps Lelouch from dwelling further down memory lane, and what followed that.
Click to view[ end ]
[ooc; Note that Lelouch opened the network today, intending to check on the progress of things when this video quite literally sucked him into reliving that part. So while it played, you could say he was literally inside it-- until the end. After this, he is staring in a mixture of disbelief and anger at it, but torn... because that moment had been sweet, and what could have been... is a painful thought to have. ]