testpost #1
[ Lelouch's been hearing voices in his head lately, even recieving accusotory messages on his guide. He's done well to ignore them, of course, going to work and his gambling matches like normal. Filling his mind with chess, with gambling, and work was effective-- having to deal with C.C. is a help too. But when he comes home from a gambling match tonight, his apartment is empty.
He doesn't mind it, of course, but then as he moves to place his guide on a drawer, he hears it-- ]
Lelouch vi Britannia.
[ The cold commanding tone of Zero. His own. But he doesn't quite realize that until he is glaring at his own reflection. Or rather, Zero in the full-length mirror in front of him. The guide falls to the ground then, forgotten as the masked vigilante commands his attention. It's when the video begins. And on the video, they see a blurry reflection on the mirror-- Zero. It isn't the Zero that's arrived on the Thor, but only Lelouch, who is standing right in front of the apparition, may realize it.
Lelouch sneers then. ]
A hallucination.
Yes, and you've been expecting me, I'm sure. Zero, the hand of Justice that seeks to crush the Holy Britannian Empire. You're familiar with me, as I am with you.
So what do you want to remind me of this time? Lying to Shirley, to Nunnally, or perhaps it's making that alien grovel like a dog the day before?
Your crimes as Zero, as Lelouch vi Britannia.
Then your accusations will fall on deaf ears. [ his arm sweeps, and he takes on a defiant posture. ] I've accepted those sins long ago. I don't regret them. If I did, I wouldn't be able to move forward.
And you can say that so easily of Euphemia?
[ That makes Lelouch pause, but he keeps an even face. ]
Even her.
[ Zero smiles underneath his mask, knowing well how shallow that wound had healed. He continues. ]
You used her death as the precursor for the Black Rebellion. And yet you failed.
That was in the past. It was necessary.
Necessary to leave your pieces on the field without the King to guide them. If the King doesn't move first, how will his people follow? In the end, defending your mistake as a means to attack the Tokyo Settlement is nothing more but an excuse. You struck the iron too soon, and all because of your failure-- the irregularity which was Euphemia li Britannia's death. What is Nunnally compared to Justice? Even if she'd been your reason for starting a rebellion in the first place, what of her? The Black Knights was created to defend the weak, not just Nunnally--
[ Lelouch clenches his fists. ]
Without Nunnally, there's no reason to-
She is your raison d'être. Just as the mystery behind Marianne's was. But you realize the truth, now, don't you? While you haven't seen it yourself, you know Suzaku wouldn't have a reason to fabricate that-
Suzaku has every reason to. Euphemia-
He loves you. And the scope of that truth isn't something he would be capable of fabricating, not without Geass. You know that-- you want to deny it, but the pieces fit the puzzle perfectly.
They don't-
Only because should you choose to accept it, you will realize that everything you've done was done based on an assumption. An assumption and your petty childhood rebellions--
Even if they do, the fact remains that Britannia-
oppresses the weak and promotes the right of the strong to trample on the weak and undeserving. It is an Empire that has ruthlessly stolen away the pride and name of every country it has seceeded-- [ And here, Zero begins to step forward. Lelouch steps backward, and is surprised when the apparition fully steps out of the mirror-- a tangible existence. The device doesn't pick up on the full hallucination of Zero, though, and this is when Zero removes his mask for Lelouch, revealing himself, left eye glowing red. ] -- If you can discard the reason that is your mother, then why can't you disregard Nunnally? Britannia has to be destroyed-- what is a little means that is Nunnally dying to that end?
You took away their wills, Lelouch vi Britannia. You were willing to bury Narita in your bid to capture Cornelia-- Shirley's father was buried alongside many others -- and there are the people you Geassed for your miracles. For our miracles. It is, truly, a path that has no turning back-- but one that you threw away for Nunnally. For your mother who was lying to you all this time.
Euphemia tried to fight your will, but you placed the world's hatred on her. And will you take responsibility for that?
You cannot. You will not.
Silence!
Hahahahaha-- That is the truth, Lelouch vi Britannia. In the end, you've become no better than Charles di Britannia. A Britannian royalty. A weakling who places the blame on those who are weaker, and who forces his power upon the weak. A being that doesn't deserve to exist anymore.
Shut up.
Lelouch vi Britannia, you will betray the world in the end, just like the world has betrayed you-
I said shut up!
Ah, but you've already betrayed it, haven't you? At the crucial moment during the Black Rebellion, when you could have captured Cornelia and sealed your victory-- when you could have used Japan as a firmer foothold against Britannia--
You could have had it all if you'd only let Nunnally go--
[ Angrily, Lelouch tosses a lamp at the apparition, but it flies by it, and shatters the full-length mirror behind it. The mirror shatters, sending hundreds of broken pieces flying... ]
He doesn't mind it, of course, but then as he moves to place his guide on a drawer, he hears it-- ]
Lelouch vi Britannia.
[ The cold commanding tone of Zero. His own. But he doesn't quite realize that until he is glaring at his own reflection. Or rather, Zero in the full-length mirror in front of him. The guide falls to the ground then, forgotten as the masked vigilante commands his attention. It's when the video begins. And on the video, they see a blurry reflection on the mirror-- Zero. It isn't the Zero that's arrived on the Thor, but only Lelouch, who is standing right in front of the apparition, may realize it.
Lelouch sneers then. ]
A hallucination.
Yes, and you've been expecting me, I'm sure. Zero, the hand of Justice that seeks to crush the Holy Britannian Empire. You're familiar with me, as I am with you.
So what do you want to remind me of this time? Lying to Shirley, to Nunnally, or perhaps it's making that alien grovel like a dog the day before?
Your crimes as Zero, as Lelouch vi Britannia.
Then your accusations will fall on deaf ears. [ his arm sweeps, and he takes on a defiant posture. ] I've accepted those sins long ago. I don't regret them. If I did, I wouldn't be able to move forward.
And you can say that so easily of Euphemia?
[ That makes Lelouch pause, but he keeps an even face. ]
Even her.
[ Zero smiles underneath his mask, knowing well how shallow that wound had healed. He continues. ]
You used her death as the precursor for the Black Rebellion. And yet you failed.
That was in the past. It was necessary.
Necessary to leave your pieces on the field without the King to guide them. If the King doesn't move first, how will his people follow? In the end, defending your mistake as a means to attack the Tokyo Settlement is nothing more but an excuse. You struck the iron too soon, and all because of your failure-- the irregularity which was Euphemia li Britannia's death. What is Nunnally compared to Justice? Even if she'd been your reason for starting a rebellion in the first place, what of her? The Black Knights was created to defend the weak, not just Nunnally--
[ Lelouch clenches his fists. ]
Without Nunnally, there's no reason to-
She is your raison d'être. Just as the mystery behind Marianne's was. But you realize the truth, now, don't you? While you haven't seen it yourself, you know Suzaku wouldn't have a reason to fabricate that-
Suzaku has every reason to. Euphemia-
He loves you. And the scope of that truth isn't something he would be capable of fabricating, not without Geass. You know that-- you want to deny it, but the pieces fit the puzzle perfectly.
They don't-
Only because should you choose to accept it, you will realize that everything you've done was done based on an assumption. An assumption and your petty childhood rebellions--
Even if they do, the fact remains that Britannia-
oppresses the weak and promotes the right of the strong to trample on the weak and undeserving. It is an Empire that has ruthlessly stolen away the pride and name of every country it has seceeded-- [ And here, Zero begins to step forward. Lelouch steps backward, and is surprised when the apparition fully steps out of the mirror-- a tangible existence. The device doesn't pick up on the full hallucination of Zero, though, and this is when Zero removes his mask for Lelouch, revealing himself, left eye glowing red. ] -- If you can discard the reason that is your mother, then why can't you disregard Nunnally? Britannia has to be destroyed-- what is a little means that is Nunnally dying to that end?
You took away their wills, Lelouch vi Britannia. You were willing to bury Narita in your bid to capture Cornelia-- Shirley's father was buried alongside many others -- and there are the people you Geassed for your miracles. For our miracles. It is, truly, a path that has no turning back-- but one that you threw away for Nunnally. For your mother who was lying to you all this time.
Euphemia tried to fight your will, but you placed the world's hatred on her. And will you take responsibility for that?
You cannot. You will not.
Silence!
Hahahahaha-- That is the truth, Lelouch vi Britannia. In the end, you've become no better than Charles di Britannia. A Britannian royalty. A weakling who places the blame on those who are weaker, and who forces his power upon the weak. A being that doesn't deserve to exist anymore.
Shut up.
Lelouch vi Britannia, you will betray the world in the end, just like the world has betrayed you-
I said shut up!
Ah, but you've already betrayed it, haven't you? At the crucial moment during the Black Rebellion, when you could have captured Cornelia and sealed your victory-- when you could have used Japan as a firmer foothold against Britannia--
You could have had it all if you'd only let Nunnally go--
[ Angrily, Lelouch tosses a lamp at the apparition, but it flies by it, and shatters the full-length mirror behind it. The mirror shatters, sending hundreds of broken pieces flying... ]