HOME | DD

Description
Sword of Akasha, 2:30 p.m. Charles had shown the full image of the Sword of Akasha, the dark pillar representing the collective consciousness of humanity spiraling towards Venus.

Marianne: How wonderful! The Sword of Akasha is on the verge of slaying God!
Alistair: (chuckles) Hate to burst your bubble, but you’re nowhere close to being able to slay any monstrosities. You can’t even hold...whatever that is. It looks kinda like it’s...made outta people.
Charles: Very observant, Wake. That is the collective consciousness of humanity. That is the God that must be destroyed.
Alistair: So...you lied, again? That’s way darker than gold, pal. The hideous part’s correct, but it doesn’t reek of law, like you do. This was never about that abomination, at all, was it?
Charles: You’re the one who took it, too literally. In the end, your grudge will be for nothing.
Suzaku: And, how do you suppose that this will be completed, in the first place?
Lelouch: We won’t let you carry out this apocalypse! I reject your so-called plan!
Alistair: So do I. You’ve caused enough suffering, Emperor of Ego.
Marianne: Lelouch, why do you associate with someone so vulgar? You can make better friends, than him.
Lelouch: No. I really can’t.
Alistair: Wow, I thought Hawking had it bad! Worse than Minnesota, even, you reek of ego!
Marianne: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was but a commoner, before I became the wife of my darling Charles.
Alistair: Didn’t ask, and doesn’t help you, bitch.
Marianne: How dare you! Apologize to your Empress!
Lelouch: No, he’s got the right of it. You are an egotistical bitch.
C.C.: Very much a bitch.
Suzaku: Unforeseen levels of bitchiness, even.
Marianne: (glares angrily) Stop saying that!
Lelouch: I think we struck a nerve. And, thank you for complimenting me, guys.
Alistair: Up top!

Alistair high-fived Lelouch, both of them smiling.

Marianne: I raised you better than this, Lelouch! And, you! Wake, was it!? How can you be so ungrateful, after all that we’ve done!?
Alistair: I can tell that the two of you are a perfect match. You’re both assholes that hate being told they’re wrong. Like children.
Charles: And, you continue to be the very representation of humanity that I despise! Talk all you want, Wake, but you will never stop my plan-!
Lelouch: Shut the hell up! All you’ve done, ever since we first encountered you, was talk about your stupid goddamn plan!

Outside, above Kamine Island, Hawking was writing on his whiteboard, while the battle continued, not caring that his limitless forces were becoming not so limitless. On the whiteboard were drawings, sentences and graphs showing Charles’ various flaws and how wrong he was.

Hawking: Something else you might now realize about Charles is that he simply, for the life of him, will not shut up about his stupid goddamn plan. He’s got no contingencies, and only looks one way, as his mind only works one way.
Tamaki: (Michizane cuts through several Knightmares, with its electrified MVS) Yeah, we got that, from Zero and Alistair!
Schneizel: What I don’t get is this belief that the Ragnarok Connection will work. (Avalon destroys two airships, with its cannons)
Hawking: Ah, but you already know that answer. He’s basically a child, under all that muscle mass and age. As I said, there’s no Plan B, no backup plans, in the slightest. He’s banking it all on this. Only, he’ll realize too late that relying solely on the Ragnarok Connection, himself and Marianne are what doomed him, either in there, or in the afterlife.
Kallen: What makes you say that?
Hawking: Simple! (puts lid on marker, looks at the window of the bridge) I sent all his assets into the ice age.
Ohgi: You...what?!
Hawking: I was a lawyer, remember? I know how shit like that works. Charles can’t access his cash and resources, anymore, so Britannia is over, as of his death. And, the only one who can thaw out said assets is one Lelouch Lamperouge.
Ohgi: Specifically, Lelouch? And, you say that, right in front of Charles’ other children?
Cornelia: To be fair...I wouldn’t know what to do, with all that.
Euphemia: Neither would I.
Schneizel: I’d probably just buy more weapons to kill bad guys with, if I had it.
Nunnally: I certainly take after my brother, in the strategy and leadership sense. I mean...I can captain a ship! But, I don’t know a thing about money!
Hawking: See?
Ohgi: Why would you even-?
Hawking: I’m evil, not an idiot. Besides, Charles wouldn’t use it, anyway, he just kept it locked up! Another of Charles’ biggest flaws is that he can’t accept the fact that he doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Ohgi: (pauses) So...we caught an actual glimpse of the people that were trying to take over the world… And, now you’ve explained to us the leader of the people that were trying to take over the world.
Hawking: That’s Britannia, for you. Akin to Nazis, built on Social Darwinism and terrorism, but overall a military and governmental fuck-up.

Back within the Sword of Akasha, Alistair, Lelouch, C.C. and Suzaku glare at Charles and Marianne, angry at them for their reasoning with trying to erase existence.

Alistair: It’s just amazing how much of this is so damn stupid, Charles. You want to create a world without freedom and choice, simply because of a petty grudge against humanity. You never grew up past your own mother’s death, same as V.V.
Lelouch: A world without freedom and choice can’t be considered life. Stagnation does nothing, but create sorrow. You two...are not my parents!
Marianne: Lelouch, darling, you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Alistair: Oh, I think he does. He has every right to insult you, for the failures of parenting that you are.
Charles: We’ve failed at nothing, Wake. We actually raised our children, much more than whatever you believe.
Alistair: Drop the act. We already know you’re lying. You’re a nihilist, admit it!
C.C.: He can’t drop the act.
Suzaku: What?
Alistair: What do you mean?
Lelouch: Don’t you see, Alistair? He’s been at this, since childhood. The Emperor of Ego will always remain as he is, right now, because he burned every possible bridge that could be better for him, save for the one of revenge. He’s wholeheartedly committed to this asinine plan, because he’s got nothing left to go back to. Not only does he refuse to go back, he can only go forward.
Alistair: What kind of an idiot are you, Charles? You hate humanity, you hate freedom, you hate those that think differently than you do. You claim to want to stop lying from being a thing, yet you’ve been lying, the entire time. Where does the temper tantrum stop? The erasure of humanity?
Charles: Your lack of gratitude is even more amazing. Even you, Wake, fail to comprehend that things like normalcy are childish dreams. Change? Freedom? Choice? That would just create more lies! The Ragnarok Connection is the only option for humanity to truly evolve! You cannot stop this! In a few short minutes, it will commence! Alistair Wake! Once you see how powerless you are to stop this, you will finally admit that I am right!
Alistair: (closes eyes, scowling a little)
Lelouch: No, you’re wrong! We’re going to stop you, here and now! There will be no Ragnarok!
Alistair: (holds up left index finger) No, no, no. Wait. Hold the phone. (opens eyes points finger at Charles) Run that by me, again, Charles?
Charles: (smiles) I am right. (folds arms) About humanity.

Alistair scoffed, as he dropped his arms, then slowly started chuckling and putting his hand to his face, in exasperation, which then turned into a laugh that echoed throughout the dimension.

Charles: Behold, a man who has realized the folly of his actions. A man who laughs, as he is thrown into the precipice of madness.
Lelouch: Nope. That’s not an insane laugh. He’s just maxed out on handling your shit.
C.C.: You can’t back down, now, Charles. You and Marianne dug this hole.
Suzaku: I can tell. That’s an angry laugh. You pissed off the one guy you should never have pissed off.

Alistair’s laughing slowed down, and he looked at Marianne and Charles, his Geass activated.

Alistair: You? Right?
Charles: Oh, yes.
Marianne: (smiles) Now, Alistair, sweetie, when this plan is complete, the worlds of the living and dead will merge. The people that were lost, in America, will be revived, including dead family members. Don’t you want to be reunited-?
Alistair: That big-ass airship that you came in on, the one that’s currently sinking into the briny deep. You were planning on using that, to fix the supposed problems with the world, in case this plan failed, is that right?
Charles: (blinks twice, stops smiling) Well...yes.
Alistair: And, you saw these problems, in the countries you took over. Now...what sort of progress was made, in fixing those problems, when you took over? I can’t quite remember.

Charles inhaled, as if he were about to say something, and was about to point a finger at Alistair, but his eyes widened in realization, as he immediately retracted his hand and stopped himself from saying anything.

Alistair: What was that?
Charles: I didn’t say a thing.
Alistair: You were about to say something.
Charles: You’re obviously mistaken.
Alistair: What were you gonna say, Charles?
Charles: (sighs) The problems showed themselves, the moment we took over.
Alistair: Wait a minute! That can’t be right! That would mean that you were the cause of the problems that you were talking about! So...correct me if I’m wrong, but every single problem with the world that Britannia caused, during your time on the throne, has been entirely your damn fault! In fact, had you never taken up such a childish mentality, or, better yet, if Britannia didn’t exist...none of this bullcrap would be happening! I’d probably be in bed, right now!
Charles: How long are you going to keep this up!? It’s over! You cannot win!
Alistair: I’ve killed the apocalypse, before. I’ll do it, again, starting with you.
Charles: (growls slightly, takes a step back) You claim that I act like a child, while I am a grown adult! And, as an adult, and the ruler of a country, it is my duty and right to correct the mistakes of humanity-!
Alistair: Let me guess, kill “God,” and erase all lies? You’ve used lies to get where you are, and even lied about trying to kill God, when we first met. You’ve been lying, ever since our first encounter.
Charles: You must have experienced it, yourself, Wake. Plans change.
Alistair: Plans change, do they? You spent our last encounter hamming it up about wanting to erase lies from existence, along with humanity, yet you’re entirely comfortable with lying, yourself, especially to your own people and children. How is this any different?
Charles: Need I remind you that not everything in the world can be described as black and white-?
Alistair: Because, I didn’t realize that the entire basis of your plan was to become a giant freaking hypocrite.
Charles: You’ve insulted me, for the last time, Wake!

Charles’ eyes widened with anger, furious with Alistair’s words and obviously affected by his Geass, with his response, and he went to strike Alistair. Alistair then unloaded both of his Desert Eagles into Charles, making him stagger back and cough out blood.

Charles: (coughs) Damn you...!
Alistair: (smirks with determination) Sit. Lelouch! I’ll hold off these two! Fix this!
Lelouch: With pleasure. (activates Geass)
Charles: You think you can do anything to stop this, Lelouch!? Your Geass cannot affect me, or anyone else, here!
Lelouch: Wrong! I am not Lelouch vi Britannia! I have discarded that part of my life! I am Lelouch Lamperouge! I am Zero, the forger of miracles! And, there’s just one thing, here, that my Geass will work on.
Charles: No...! You can’t possibly-!
Lelouch: Collective unconscious, hear me, now! Do not halt the march of time, for any reason!
Marianne: Lelouch, you ungrateful child!

Marianne started running towards Lelouch, but Suzaku and C.C. pushed her back, blocking the way, with Alistair.

Suzaku: Where do you think you’re going, bitch?
Marianne: We worked so hard, for this! You can’t ruin this, now!
Charles: We worked to perfect the world, so that there would be no more sorrow...!

As Charles continued spouting further nihilistic, Social Darwinistic and indistinct nonsense, C.C. handed Alistair a new clip for his pistol, Alistair looking a bit surprised, and reloaded his silver Desert Eagle with the clip, curious to try it out.

Charles: Ergo, your Geass will not do you any favors!
Lelouch: I bet you lost control over your Geass, some time ago! I’ve been in control, this entire time! I’ve put up with bullshit after bullshit, this whole time, and I will not see this world taken from us!

Lelouch’s other eye began showing the Geass symbol, as well, and the Geass symbol appeared on the orange planet above, and the pillar started to react to it.

Charles: Do you even understand the consequences of such an action!? You can't do this!

As Charles tried to approach Lelouch, Alistair shot him, again, with his Desert Eagle.

Charles: Again, with shooting me? You know I'm immortal, so what's the point of even-? (looks at the blood and wound on his hand) ...Why isn't the wound healing? It...it hurts... What did you do?!
Alistair: Special bullets, made from Gae Bolg.
Marianne: Cu Chulainn's spear?!
Charles: That doesn't make sense! That spear can only deal fatal blows to mortals! I'm no longer mortal!
Alistair: Oh, didn't you know?
C.C.: His teacher, Scathach, made her own version of Gae Bolg. One that shared her prowess of killing gods.
Charles: No... (body starts disappearing) What?! C's World...! It's taking me?!
Alistair: I'd guess that it's karma, for your attempt at destroying the world. Don't worry, I'll finish you off, soon enough.
Charles: (growls angrily, charges at Alistair) ALISTAIR WAKE!

Charles reached out to Alistair, with his right hand, which had the symbol of his Code, and Alistair aimed his pistol at Charles, time slowing down.

Suddenly, two figures were walking through a purely white space, nothing like the dimension of gears and masks Charles had brought Lelouch, previously. Two children stopped in front of each other, with angry looks on their faces, one was Charles, the other was Alistair, before he lost his arm and leg.

Charles (child): How could you!? How could you do this!?
Alistair (child): It's the right thing to do, obviously. You're trying to kill off humanity.

As the conversation went on, Charles and Alistair's forms kept changing, as well as their voices.

Charles: (changes into teenage form) It's for the betterment of the world! Everything about this was perfect! And you ruined it!
Alistair: (changes into Lelouch) Perfect? You were willing to sacrifice every life on the planet, for your precious ego.
Charles: (changes into adult form) Why aren't you grateful, to me?! I lead the world and bring order! Why can't you appreciate my actions, for what they are!?
Alistair: (changes into Suzaku) Because, people suffered, for your actions. You think you're a hero, in all this, but you're not. You're delusional, egomaniacal, and a cynic.
Charles: (changes into present form) Idealism is a blight! It has no meaning, there are no good things, in the world! I realized that, when my mother died!
Alistair: (changes into Seth) And, that's your problem. You're lost in a desire for some petty revenge, instead of moving on from such a tragedy. You still have the mindset of a child, who can't take being told he's wrong, and wants everything one way over the other.
Charles: I'm no child! I'm the Emperor of Britannia!
Alistair: (changes into Kallen) A country of terrorism, born from a conspiracy.
Charles: I brought law and order!
Alistair: (changes into Ohgi) And, enslaved and killed people that didn't agree with your law.
Charles: Freedom is chaos!
Alistair: (changes into Tamaki) That's just your opinion.
Charles: Why should things change!?
Alistair: (changes into Phoenix) For the betterment of humanity.
Charles: Ever still, do you mock the peace I brought!?
Alistair: (changes into Cheryl) Your peace is a joke.
Charles: You...! You can’t win! (tears up) You just can’t! I am the Emperor of Britannia! I rule the world! I know what’s right, for the world, for humanity! You can’t judge my dreams, the dreams of humanity! There’s no other way, to fix the world’s problems!
Alistair: (changes into present form, points pistol to Charles’ head) I’ve heard your stupid opinions, before. This is the last one. It’s over.

A gunshot rang out, and Charles fell to his knees, back in the Sword of Akasha, crying in anger as he looked up at Alistair, who aimed his gun at him.

Charles: I...hate you.
Alistair: Tell me something I don’t know.

Alistair shot Charles, in the forehead, and Charles felt his life fade from his body, as it disappeared. A few seconds later, Lelouch’s Geass command took full effect, as the pillar disappeared, freeing the collective unconscious of humanity.

Lelouch: Alistair... Thank you. For all the kindness you’ve shown me...I will forever be in your debt.
Alistair: It’s been my pleasure...Zero.
C.C.: It’s not over, yet. Marianne hasn’t been taken, just Charles.
Alistair: Not for long. (aims Desert Eagle at Marianne)

Marianne looked shocked at the death of her husband, then started quietly chuckling. Alistair looked confused as he kept his gun on Marianne, then she started laughing, insanely.

Marianne: You think...that you can just...shoot your problems away? It must feel so great, having the power of a godslayer, in your very hands. (looks at the group, smiling) Fine. You don’t want to play along. You don’t want to obey the orders of the leader of the world. You’d rather play Robin Hood, and treat myself, my husband and Britannia as the bad guys. That’s just fine. But...not only have you insulted my darling Charles and myself, but you’ve also killed the greatest husband in all of history, destroyed any chance of the Ragnarok Connection from ever happening again, and effectively drug the Holy Empire of Britannia through the dirt. (claps hands in applause) Good on you, Lelouch! Good on you, Suzaku, C.C. and Alistair! You’ve managed to gain the hatred of a country built on justice! (stops clapping) With Charles dead, all that’s left to lead it...is me. You want to kill me? I’d like to see you try. You want to play rough? Fine by me. I can play rough, too!

Marianne grinned egotistically as she brought out the vial that Hawking gave her, which revealed itself to be a strange syringe, with shark fin-like needles. Marianne injected herself with the strange, red liquid, and her eyes were covered by Geass symbols. Suddenly, the very surroundings of the Sword of Akasha started to shift, as portals opened up, with Knightmares that were not of the world Lelouch and Alistair came from coming through them.

Alistair: I’m starting to think Hawking wasn’t kidding about there being other dimensions!
Lelouch: I think it’s time we took this outside!
C.C.: Agreed! (Geass symbol on her forehead starts to glow)
Marianne: I just wanted to live happily, with my family, in a nice, perfect world! I wanted my husband to be happy! I wanted all of you to join me in completing the Ragnarok Connection! But, no! Fuck you! Once I revive him, all of you are going to suck my husband’s perfect dick!