HOME | DD

Description
Ashford Academy, near Alistair's room, 12:00 p.m. Lelouch, Nunnally and the rest of the student council stood outside Alistair's door, hearing some sounds, from time to time.

Rivalz: You...think he's okay, in there?
Lelouch: Define "okay".
Nunnally: He's pretty mad about what the Eunuchs said.
Milly: I've heard him threaten to feed someone their own leg. Never thought it would stop being hyperbole.
Shirley: I think I'll be skipping lunch, today.
Rivalz: After seeing today's news, I don't blame you. I honestly don't know how he tracked down all those serial killers.
Lelouch: Years upon years upon years of practice, Rivalz. It is very hard to underestimate Alistair Wake.

Alistair's door opened, and Alistair exited the room, bags under his eyes as well as an angry look on his face.

Rivalz: Take a deep breath and calm down?
Alistair: I am content, yes.
Shirley: I'm surprised you don't have a beard, by now.
Alistair: Hard to get facial and body hair, with burn scars.
Shirley: Wha-?! How-?!
Nunnally: It was Civility tech that burned him, and it was Civility tech that fixed him.
Shirley: Gotcha.
Lelouch: Didn't get any sleep, I take it?
Alistair: It turns out that rage can cause insomnia, in certain cases.
Lelouch: It's one way to redefine "ruthless aggression".
Shirley: Any idea as to where Kallen was taken?
Alistair: ...I did not have time to think on that, no.
Nunnally: Zero's working on it, as we speak.
Rivalz: We'll just...leave you be, now.

All of the student council members, save for Lelouch, left Alistair, as he leaned back against a wall, Rolo approaching the two of them.

Alistair: You know, I was so blinded by my own remembrance of my past, that I forgot that you were you, Sayoko.
Sayoko: (takes off mask) To be fair, this outfit is really comfortable.
Rolo: Sorry about what happened with Kallen.
Alistair: You weren't at fault, Rolo. You were stuck here, to defend Tokyo and Ashford. Sayoko, coffee, please.
Sayoko: Right away. (walks off)
Rolo: What do you think is happening, to her?
Alistair: Don't know. When I find out...I may or may not have an ocean of blood and heads behind me, when I come back.

Unknown prison, 4 minutes later. Kallen woke up, restrained to a chair, without her headband.

Kallen: God dammit... The hell am I? (looks at chair, thinking) Britannian model of chair, but not the cell. Still got that utopian look, to it, all high tech and junk-

Kallen looked past the bars of her cell and saw Suzaku, sitting at a desk, his eye glowing orange.

Kallen: (out loud) Oh, god dammit.
Sigma: Kallen Kozuki. Every time I look at you, I'm reminded of the human that made me hate all of humanity.
Kallen: I'm guessing Mercer wasn't the pinnacle of humanity, then?
Sigma: He was, actually. He made me feel whole, he understood me, he was my only friend.
Kallen: What, nothing more?
Sigma: Even if it was romantic, there would've been nothing that I could do. He was human, I'm an AI.
Kallen: Yet, you think you're in the right, in this whole scenario?
Sigma: (stands up) Everything done by Civility, the Confederate Enclave, Britannia and myself are justified in this unified cause.
Kallen: Terrorism can't be justified, genius.
Sigma: And, you think your hypocrisy can go unnoticed!? You've enacted terrorism, yourself, against Britannia!
Kallen: Rebellions and revolutions don't go hand-in-hand with terrorism. It's called resistance, for a reason.
Sigma: And, your "resistance" has cost the sanity of an entire country! You pollute the world with your existence, you, Zero, Wake! It's his fault! Everything is his damn fault! He killed Mercer! He destroyed Fort Helios! He killed all those soldier and cyborgs! And, you see fit to fight alongside him, to love that monster!?
Kallen: He was never a monster, to begin with. You're going down the path of a monster, Sigma.
Sigma: (throws desk aside) Your words sicken me, Eleven. I'll see to it that your put out of my misery, the world's misery.
Kallen: Yeah, keep stroking that glass ego of yours. See how that works out.

Sigma glared at Kallen one last time, then left the room.

Kallen: (leans back in chair) From one kind of asshole into another kind. "Glass ego" is as close to an analogy for that, as I can get.

Back at Ashford, 7 minutes later, Alistair sat in the control room, looking over files.

Rolo: Any luck?
Villetta: Nope. He hasn't found a thing. And, that's his 9th cup.
Rolo: What the hell!?
Villetta: That's what I was thinking, myself. He's been looking at those files, for a while, not saying a thing. Not a very happy camper, that one.
Rolo: You've read his book. You know exactly what pisses him off.
Villetta: Yeah, which explains how he sent an anarchist who was twice his size, in height and muscle, to the hospital, crippling him for quite some time. By the way, I haven't seen you and Nunnally, together, yet. Have you met her?
Rolo: I...haven't had the chance.
Villetta: Remember, she's your family.
Rolo: ...Right.
Alistair: (slams file shut) Dammit... Freaking Yorktown...
Rolo: The quiet tone is also very disconcerting.
Villetta: That's what makes his kind of pissed so scary. Alistair, it looks like Zero's trying to contact you.
Alistair: Go for it.

The screen to Alistair's left showed Zero and Diethard, aboard the Ikaruga, Alistair not looking at the screen.

Zero: (over screen) Alistair?
Alistair: I'm kinda busy, Zero. Make it quick.
Zero: Alright, how much coffee have you had, today?
Alistair: About to get my tenth cup.
Zero: I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. Anyway, I think we've found Kallen.
Alistair: (drinks coffee, slams cup down on table, faces screen) Lay it on me.
Diethard: (over screen) We've found out about several Enclave hideouts, across the world, and have found only one suitable location that the Yorktown may have taken Kallen.
Alistair: One is good.
Diethard: The location in question...is Berlin. The entire place has been taken over by the Last Battalion, and is the closest place the Yorktown could land, from China.
Zero: Unfortunately, we can't muscle our way in.
Alistair: That's just fine. I've got a plan on how to get in and out.
Diethard: That quickly?
Zero: It's safe to assume that it's difficult, but simple. Good luck. (screen turns off)
Alistair: (pulls out piece of paper) One more cup of coffee... (slides paper across table) Special blend.

Meanwhile, at the Berlin prison, Kallen continued waiting in the chair she was stuck in, until an unfamiliar face entered the room, a sadistic look on his face.

Luciano: Hello, there, Eleven.
Kallen: A towering hairdo... So, you're the Vampire of Britannia, Luciano Bradley?
Luciano: Such shameful times, these days. You can find out a person's name, on the internet, even randomly.
Kallen: What do you want, douchebag?
Luciano: Is that any way to treat someone better than you? I came to see the prisoner that's been causing my dear friend Suzaku so much trouble.
Kallen: His name's Sigma, and Suzaku's my friend, dick.
Luciano: A fitting replacement, for the weak personality that shames his name and face.
Kallen: Of course, you'd get along with Sigma. You're just as much of an evil sack of garbage as he is. Suzaku wouldn't try to befriend some egotistical brat.
Luciano: Now, now... You can think on what you can say to me, after you see me, in action. Now, this...Alistair Wake... How is it that a no-name from parts unknown has garnered such infamy? His wanted poster's all over the city, even in the Homeland.
Kallen: His actions are something that create fear, in the hearts of assholes.
Luciano: That's your opinion, Ms. Ace. The whole world wants this terrorist's head.
Kallen: Says the guy working for a government run by terrorists.
Luciano: Again, your opinion is invalid. I'm more concerned about this "Son of Liberty" I heard mention about. It sounds like me, except...not like me, at the same time.
Kallen: (inhales, about to say something, then sighs, thinking) No. Just let him find out, on his own.
Gino: (enters room) Hello, again, Luciano.
Luciano: Ah, Gino. I heard that you fought alongside that duo of terrorist groups. Not good to have, on your resume.
Gino: I'm not in the mood for idle chatter, with you. Beat it.
Luciano: Fine, fine. I was getting bored of talking with this bitch, anyway. (exits room)
Kallen: Why do you work alongside that prick, anyway?
Gino: It's hard, that's for sure. He's always looking for a reason to fight.
Kallen: And, the only friend he's got, in his eyes, is Sigma?
Gino: Exactly. They're both assholes. I just wish I could join the Mavericks, already...
Kallen: Wait, you want to join the Mavericks? Why?
Gino: You wanna know how I got to where I am? By being the son of a noble. I'm a very rich son of a bitch, and insulting my parents...is very cathartic, as I've learned. They were racist assholes, much like a portion of Britannia, today. Meeting Alistair, fighting him, made me remember that I was gonna have a Japanese girlfriend. Right until my parents found out, beat the shit out of her and threw her into the streets. I joined the military to get away from that...and, now, I've got a new purpose, in life. Fix the shitty-ass country that I want to call home. Not Britannia. England.
Kallen: Gino...
Gino: I'm gonna find her, Kallen. I'm gonna find that maid that my parents threw out, carry her to my room, lock the door, and hug the trauma away. I've made mistakes, in the past, and I'm damn well gonna make up for them.
Kallen: Wait, Gino, before you go... You know a girl named Milly Ashford?
Gino: Yeah, she's your classmate, right? I talked to her, back at China.
Kallen: She got back, safely?
Gino: Yeah. She and Lloyd had a good talk.

Two days ago, aboard the Avalon. Lloyd was looking over the Lancelot and Milly approached him.

Milly: Lloyd, we have to talk.
Lloyd: Um, sure. What's up?
Milly: I... I want to cancel our marriage! I don't want to be married to you!
Lloyd: Well, I never expected this. While that is bold of you, I'm afraid I don't have the time, to do that, with all that's going on. Besides, I don't object to the marriage.
Milly: I'm 18, Lloyd!
Lloyd: Don't worry, we'll get you home. (starts walking off)
Milly: I thought that he'd see reason-
Cecile: Give him a minute.
Lloyd: 18 years old... (stops walking) Wait... (eyes widen in realization, screams)
Cecile: There it is.
Lloyd: (walks back to Milly) That is a huge age gap! Who thought this was a good idea!? Forget what your family wants you to do! The wedding's off! ...Wow, that's a load off my shoulders. No wonder I've felt so awkward, when I talked to you!
Milly: I just...never had the nerve to speak up, is all.
Lloyd: Don't get me wrong, we're still friends! Also, when you get back, I have a message for Alistair.
Milly: What is it?
Lloyd: (inhales) "HELP"!

Present day, Berlin prison.

Gino: So, yeah. That happened. I also asked her if I could apply to Ashford, when I had the chance.
Kallen: Never went to a good school, huh?
Gino: Nope.
Kallen: So, how did Milly get back to Japan?
Gino: The same way Alistair's probably going to get here, to bust you out. Well, anyway, sorry to bother you and bum you out.

Gino exited the room and Sears entered.

Kallen: Am I really that popular, today?
Sears: You've had numerous guests, I take it?
Kallen: Two assholes, and someone I can consider a friend. And, you're the third asshole, in the past 5 minutes.
Sears: (inhales, closes eyes, takes off glasses) You might want to make that four.

As Sears pocketed his glasses, his Geass activated.

Kallen: You have Geass?!
Hawking: Yeah, he does. How else do you explain talking to a dead asshole, like me?
Kallen: (enraged) Hawking!
Hawking: Wow, you catch on, quick. It took Lelouch a few more seconds longer than you, to figure it out. And, Charles is still clueless!
Kallen: When Alistair finds out about this, you're dead! Well, you're already dead, but you get the point!
Hawking: I do, I do. I just came by to give you the same conversation I gave Alistair, when he was in your position.
Kallen: ...What conversation?
Hawking: A philosophical conversation. Tell me...Kallen, was it? What is your view on the current state of affairs?
Kallen: Can't say. Assholes like you are trying to make the world worse.
Hawking: Same action, different method. That's the way every evil asshole is, in this world. Thieves, stealing what they want, drug dealers, wanting money from their customers, Britannia, with its boner for imperialism, the list goes on. Now...what do you know about alternate dimensions?
Kallen: Not a damn bit.
Hawking: Alright. Do you believe they exist?
Kallen: Well, they have to, obviously.
Hawking: Ya-huh. And, how do you suppose I know that these dimensions exist?
Kallen: ...I don't wanna answer that.
Hawking: Here's the thing! Multiverse theory is a bitch. You can try as much as you like to comprehend every single factor and detail that make up the numerous dimensions, but you'll always end up with a migraine that feels more like a concussion that will kill you, if you work through it. How do I know about them? Well, when I was bored, I came up with this eldritch cocktail of drugs and narcotics, and took the whole thing. It didn't make me high as a kite. It made me high enough to see and smell the cosmos.
Kallen: What was in whatever it was you took?!
Hawking: I'll get to that. So, as I was having this hallucination of an out-of-body experience, I learned of various dimensions that paralleled our own. Some sensible, others not so much. Then, I came across this dimension that was like someone wanted that world to be just perfect, without flaws, but they happened, anyway. I was watching the events unfold, and thought..."Yeah, that... That feels like it shouldn't have happened." Then, a bunch more shit happened, and... At the end of this bizarre trip...Lelouch died. But, he didn't die of natural causes, oh, no! He planned on how he would die. Like...what?! How do you come up with a plan that ends in your death!? That doesn't make any sense!
Kallen: It honestly doesn't.
Hawking: From that moment on, I never became a fan of requiems, ever again. Upon that revelation, what felt like months of wandering the cosmos and seeing dimensions...was actually two and a half hours. From that day, I swore off drugs. And, I burned the recipe for that thing I took.
Kallen: ...I just sat here and listened to you talk. I understand you, and I still want to tear your god damn throat out.
Hawking: I have that effect on people. You realize it, right? Me and Alistair...are not different. In philosophy, that is. Morality, that's where we're different.
Kallen: I can tell. Now, get out.
Hawking: Alright, geez. But, before I go...

Hawking pulled out a remote and pushed the button, which released Kallen's restraints. He then threw a small piece of paper into the cell.

Kallen: (picks up paper) What's this, my last will and testament?
Hawking: No, the wifi password. You think I'm stupid? Getting bored to death isn't the way anyone wants to die.

Hawking exited the room, leaving Kallen to use her phone.

Kallen: Can't believe I still have my phone... Ah, specifically the wifi, no communications. Crazy bastard...
Hawking (reenters room) To be fair, I'm not all that crazy, anymore. I lost my sanity, then regained it, by losing my insanity.
Kallen: When did you lose that?
Hawking: When I tried to read The King in Yellow. After I tried to comprehend the first page...I closed the book and went on a walk. For two weeks. I ain't pickin' that thing up, again. Uh-uh. (exits room, again)
Kallen: ...Never heard of it.