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Unknown area, 2:57 p.m. Lelouch found himself in a strange place, surrounded by gears and white masks.

Lelouch: What is this place...?!
Charles: I must admit that I am disappointed in you, Lelouch. You shrouded yourself in lies, and now you seek the truth.
Lelouch: I'm through with lying. I've been through, for nearly a year.
Charles: If that is the case, then why are you Zero? You hide behind a mask and a false name, and look where it has led you!
Lelouch: Well, the outfit isn't solely for style, to be honest. I saw something similar, in an American comic book.
Charles: You've lost Suzaku, your dear friend. As well as Nunnally. Your lies have brought them pain!
Lelouch: That's your opinion. They already know I'm Zero. I'm not in this, for fame and glory, you know.
Charles: (appears in front of Lelouch) How can you speak that way, with a straight face, in such a calm tone? Are you not enraged by my words, as I reveal the truth, to you!?
Lelouch: I'm calm because I'm pissed at you, for all the shit you've done. You speak of lies as such terrible things, when you're lying, yourself. Or, is it that you don't know how people really feel?
Charles: What?! You can't turn this in your favor!
Lelouch: You've isolated yourself from others. That's why you don't know a god damn thing about the world we live in. You only have theories, based on reports and rumors. You don't know, because you don't go out and see the beauties life has to offer. You establish your dogma, just to reflect your stained-glass ego!
Charles: This... This can't be...! (slowly steps back)
Lelouch: Not how you thought this conversation would go? Did you think I would just whine and complain? I know what bullshit sounds like. I've had practice, in speechcraft.
Charles: But...! But, you hide your Geass! You've become a demon!
Lelouch: Even a demon can become a hero. I used to be cynical, because of you. Now, I realize the hope people have, for the future. The possibilities are endless...and, you scoff at it.
Alistair: Well said.

Alistair appeared in the dimension, walking up to Lelouch.

Alistair: Thanks for ditching me, by the way.
Charles: You, again? How...?
Alistair: You're not the only one with Geass, Emperor of Ego. Now, we can settle this.
Charles: There is nothing to settle. My plan is already in motion.
Lelouch: What plan?
Charles: You shall soon find out, foolish son of mine.
C.C.: Enough, Charles.

Two of the large gears moved aside, and C.C. walked up to the group.

C.C.: You can't do much, with the likes of them.
Charles: I can see that, now. Shall I grant your wish, then?
Alistair: And, in flows the Illuminati conspiracy theories. (takes off hat, dusts it off)
Lelouch: You know what C.C.'s wish is?!
C.C.: I never did tell you that, did I? Lelouch...my wish is to die.
Lelouch: ...What? Why would you want to die? Nobody could wish to die!
C.C.: I think the answer to that is obvious.
Alistair: The insanity of immortality. (puts hat in jacket pocket) I bet V.V. succumbed to it, too, but not of the suicidal variety.
C.C.: You already know that gaining a Code grants immortality. However, it doesn't come naturally, from mastering Geass. Whether you willingly accept the Code or not, you lose the power to use Geass, and it comes from the one who gave you the power.
Lelouch: That still doesn't change the fact that I don't want you to die!
C.C.: (smiles) Kind words. But, I'm afraid that's not enough, for me.

A pedestal emerged next to C.C. and she placed her hand on it, the Geass symbol on her forehead glowing.

C.C.: Farewell, my friends.
Lelouch: C.C.!
Alistair: Don't you-!

Lelouch and Alistair suddenly fell through the dimension, and found themselves surrounded by fog.

Alistair: Damn... We better find a way out, before the Emperor of Ego kills C.C.
Lelouch: How can you-?! Right, you've seen weirder crap, than this.

As the fog cleared, the surroundings were suddenly a medieval village, Lelouch seeing a girl stumbling down the road.

Lelouch: Hey! (runs towards girl)
Alistair: I wouldn't do that.

Lelouch tried to catch the girl, as she was falling, but his hands phased right through her.

Lelouch: What the hell?
Alistair: This is the past. Considering that the dimension we were in was connected to Geass, C.C. put us here. This is her head.
C.C.: Correct.

Alistair and Lelouch looked behind them, and saw C.C., but wearing a navy version of her straightjacket.

C.C.: You catch on, quickly.
Alistair: Part of the job. Since this is her head, you have a kind of function, here. You represent her memories.
C.C.: (smiles) Intelligent, indeed, Alistair. I'm sorry about what happened, in the Sword of Akasha, Lelouch.
Lelouch: What?! How do you-?!
C.C.: Like Alistair said, I represent C.C.'s memories. Considering the bond you two share with her, I shall show you the past she never wanted to tell you.

Lelouch and Alistair saw the young girl, who they realized was C.C., as a child, talking with a nun inside a church.

Young C.C.: Please...help me...
Nun: Do you have a reason to live, child?
Young C.C.: I... I just...don't want to die...!
Nun: You appear to have suffered, greatly. Then, let us make a contract. You will be given a special power, and you will survive. In return, I ask that you grant me a special wish, one day.
Alistair: She was an orphan, huh? No wonder she looked like she needed a hug, at all times.
C.C.: Too true. This was the day she first gained the power of Geass.

Lelouch and Alistair were led through memory after memory, seeing C.C.'s life, and how she grew up.

C.C.: As you know, Geass is a random power generator. Hers was the power to make people love her.
Lelouch: Love, huh?
Alistair: Makes a bit of sense. She was lonely as hell, and looked like she was abused, to boot.
C.C.: Yes. It was because of her past treatment that she wanted to be loved by someone, anyone. As you saw with Mao, her Geass couldn't be turned off, at one point, and the love lost all meaning. Her therapy was already complete, yet the limitless love became...obnoxious.

Lelouch and Alistair then saw C.C. back in the church, with the nun.

C.C.: I gave the gifts back, just like you told me to. I honestly can't help it. My Geass can't be controlled, anymore. And, with all the proposals and flowers, there are even people trying to make a religion around me.
Nun: It is unfortunate, I know. Shall we end it, then?
C.C.: What...are you talking about?
Nun: Our contract. Your Geass has become strong. Strong enough for you to take my place. The eternity can finally end, this agony can be over!
C.C.: You're scaring me!
Nun: (grins insanely) I've tricked you! Now, you can taste eternity!

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, then C.C. screamed in agony. When the light cleared, the nun was dead, and C.C. appeared to have been tortured, gaining a scar on her chest that was the Geass symbol.

Alistair: Once again, the insanity of immortality. You live so long and see so much that you don't want to live, anymore. Especially with C.C.'s brand, where she can still feel physical pain.

Lelouch and Alistair then realized they were in a hall of paintings, next to the C.C. in navy.

Lelouch: That was pretty damn heart-wrenching. And, I thought Alistair went through some shit.
C.C.: Oh, she was never amputated, to that degree. You want to know something sweet, for once?
Alistair: What's that?
C.C.: After receiving so much love, in the past, she finally learned what it felt like, to give love. She started with the one who dared to give a damn about her.
Lelouch: Alistair.
Alistair: Not an entirely comforting thought.
C.C.: (giggles) Not in the romantic sense, Alistair. C.C. never really met anyone who genuinely cared about her. Your words had weight. In...more ways than one.
Alistair: What does that mean?
C.C.: Don't read into it.
Lelouch: So, why are we even here, besides just to see all this?
C.C.: I'm not one to give that much away, but I'll tell you this much... You two are important to her.
Lelouch: In any case- (eyes widen) Holy shit...!
Alistair: What?
Lelouch: Look.

Lelouch pointed at something and Alistair looked at where Lelouch was pointing. Approaching the group was Alistair's parents, Cheryl in her Desert Ranger uniform and Phoenix in his Silver Shroud costume.

Alistair: Ah. That's, uh...something.
Cheryl: Hey, kid.
Phoenix: Sorry we weren't bulletproof against giant robots.
Alistair: That's...yeah.

Alistair walked off, a bit, his parents following behind.

Phoenix: Guess this is why we can't stick to his head.
Cheryl: Alistair, sweetie? You alright?
Alistair: You know, you coulda just not talked to me, stayed hidden. Then, C.C. would have someone to talk to, when she's lonely, and I wouldn't have to be constantly reminded of my past.
Phoenix: Are you...mad at us? For abandoning you?
Alistair: No. I'm not mad, and you didn't abandon me. You died. In a situation that you couldn't survive.
Cheryl: Then, why aren't you making eye contact?
Alistair: (stops walking, faces Cheryl and Phoenix) You wanna know why I rarely ever say a damn thing about you? Because the nightmares stopped repeating. I couldn't take remembering the faces you made, as you died, in front of me, the wounds you had. You weren't to blame, I don't hate you. I just... I didn't want to cry, until I couldn't cry, anymore, again. I wouldn't have eyes, at that rate. I don't just have scars, on my body. They're on my soul, too. I don't...want people to know what this pain feels like.
Cheryl: (hugs Alistair) You'll never be alone, Alistair. We're here, for you, even if we can't be, physically.
Phoenix: (hugs Alistair) I really wanted to bond with you, more, wanted to see you grow up, under normal circumstances.
Alistair: (hugs his parents, smiling) Luck sucks like that, doesn't it?
Cheryl: (tears up) I'm glad that you're my son...
Phoenix: (tears up) You're not just our son, anymore. You're our hero.
Alistair: That's the job I took up. And, you should know what I say.
Cheryl and Phoenix: (in unison) It's our job to give a damn.

Alistair and his parents hugged, for a while longer, and Alistair noticed a strange wing of the "museum".

Alistair: What's with that?
Cheryl: I dunno. Never seen it, before.
Phoenix: Looks...kinda new.

Lelouch and the navy C.C. watched Alistair properly bond, with his parents.

Lelouch: (smiles and sighs)
C.C.: Jealous?
Lelouch: I've never had parents, quite like his.
C.C.: I can tell. You want to go back? The door is over there. You can still save her.
Lelouch: Thank you. Really, I mean it.
C.C.: Just get out there, and show that bastard of a former father what it's like, to be human.
Lelouch: You don't have to tell me, twice. Alistair! We've got our exit! Let's-!

Lelouch saw Alistair walk up to him, with a shocked look on his face, which was blushing.

Lelouch: Uh... Alistair?
Alistair: ...There is...so much porn of me, over there.
Lelouch: And, that is our cue to leave! Thanks for everything, memory guardian C.C.! (pushes Alistair towards exit)
Alistair So much, Lelouch.
Lelouch: Let's not talk about that, right now!
C.C.: Alistair! You know what to do, with his hair.
Alistair: (smiles with determination) Damn right.