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Description
Among the tall, modern skyscrapers that dotted the landscape of the Britannian Central Square, the white-washed glass building stood out like a thumb, its floor to ceiling windows shimmering in the sun. Right at its center stood a tall statue draped in a grey cloth, ready to be unveiled to the world. After months of construction, the memorial of the Honorary Britannian Suzaku taking down the terrorist, Zero, was finally completed and scheduled for opening in a day.

Beyond the untouched lawns of the memorial, the police stood guard in front of erected barriers to prevent curious onlookers from getting too close to the building. But their presence did nothing to deter the small crowd that milled around to watch the workers put finishing touches to the memorial. The crowd was a mix of Britannians and Elevens, some of them watching with curiosity and excitement, others with pride, and a small few who wore their disgust and disdain openly on their face.

Among them was a young female student with brown hair, dressed in the Ashford Academy uniform. She stood purposefully away from the crowd, her blue eyes scanning the grounds of the site. One hand raised to touch the earpiece that nestled in her ear, she spoke in a low tone.

“Two exits here on the south side. Not many escape options.”

A male voice responded, “Understood. We found a royal mobile unit on the east side. Some noble’s here to inspect. All units, be on guard.”

Her eyes drifted to the left. She almost didn’t catch the vehicle on the first sweep but then, she glimpsed a tinge of gold and silver amongst the dense bushes and a concentrated number of guards encircling the immediate area. From where she stood, she was out of earshot range but still too close to it for comfort.

She turned away, ready to relocate when a tap on her shoulder startled her. Her body tensed and her head swiveled back slowly.

A young man dressed in military garb smiled gently at her. “Are you Maku Seshiro?”

Stunned by the question, she couldn’t mask the slight stutter in her voice as she replied, “Y-yes, I am.”

The man’s blue eyes twinkled. “I’m Kanon Maldini. My lord would like to meet you in his private mobile unit. Please follow me.”

Maku gulped and her gaze followed his outstretched hand to the royal vehicle. Half of the guards were watching their exchange, ready at the drop of a pin to intervene. She looked back, desperately raking her eyes over the crowd in search for her fellow Black Knight members. None were in sight.

“Please come this way,” Kanon reiterated. His smile never faltered but his tone was more authoritative, almost daring her not to comply.

After much hesitation, she reluctantly nodded, unwilling to further rouse his suspicions. His friendly demeanor returning, he beamed and led her to the mobile unit.

She trailed behind by a step or two to buy herself more time to think when a sudden crackle in her ear almost had her jumping out of her skin. She quickly coughed to mask her reaction as one hand discreetly reached for her earpiece. Digging it out, she thumbed the little button to power it off and dropped it non-surreptitiously onto the ground. Hopefully, it would serve as a clue for her comrades to find.

As they reached the mobile unit, a guard decked in pure black stepped forward to search her. Obediently, she held her hands up as he swept a wand over her body. Finding nothing, he nodded at Kanon.

“After you, Miss Seshiro.” Kanon bowed as he opened the door to the vehicle.

She gave him a wry smile and stepped in, Kanon following close behind. As the door shut behind them, the lights inside flickered on automatically, illuminating the posh interior. A full screen covered the entire length of the wall opposite them, its set of controls neatly laid out on the table to its left. Off to the right was a well-stocked mini-bar, absent the bartender.

“Please do make yourself comfortable.” Kanon gestured to the long, plush couch that dominated the center of the interior, encircling a short glass table. “My lord will be here shortly.”

Maku complied, taking a seat on the farthest edge of the sofa that was close to the exit. Her gaze darted around the space, identifying possible weapons and escape points. She noticed Kanon take a standing position right behind the door and as their gazes met, he flashed her a smile.

Her lips cracked as she tried to smile back and she hurried looked away. Beads of sweat collected on her forehead despite the cool air that circulated in the vehicle, her nerves a complete wreck. Fingers wrung in her lap, a million thoughts raced in her mind. She was stuck in an enclosed space with no backup, awaiting a Britannian noble who knew her and who quite possible knew her past as well. There were too many unknowns, too many outcomes.

The more she tried to rationally plan out her next move, the more her head throbbed. When was this damn noble coming??

As if on cue, the door swung wide open, cutting short her train of thought. Kanon bowed with his hand placed on his heart. “Welcome back, my lord.”

Maku’s heart raced. Under the glare of the sunlight that streamed in, she squinted, her eyes narrowing into slits, but she could only make out the shadow of a tall man. When the door finally closed behind him as he walked inside, she inhaled sharply. Standing in front of her was no other than the Second Prince of the Britannian Imperial Family – Schneizel vi Britannia.

His lips curved up into a smile. “It’s been a while, Maku.”

She stared at him uncomprehending until the sound of Kanon clicking his tongue warned her that she was still in the presence of royalty. Jolted out of her stunned silence, she quickly stood and bowed.

“Oh there’s no need for formalities,” the young prince chuckled as he walked towards her and lightly touched her elbow.

Freezing at the physical contact, she stopped herself from recoiling at his touch. Her wary eyes met with his warm blue ones but she knew better than to believe his expressions.

He flashed his usual charming smile. “After all, we are old friends, right, Maku?”

Friends? Biting back a more snarky response, she replied flatly, “More like acquaintances, I would say.”

With an airy chuckle, he ignored her blatant hostility and signaled to his aide to leave. As the door to the outside world slowly shut, leaving her alone with the prince, a growing dread built in her chest. Blood raced through her veins and her head throbbed in pain.

“Please sit, Maku. We have plenty to catch up on,” Schneizel said as he settled back comfortably into the couch across from her.

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs, screaming at her to just run away but her legs wouldn’t budge. She knew there was no running away from Schneizel. Instead, she awkwardly dropped into her original seat without a word.

“So, how have you been?” he started off.

She watched him cross one leg over the other, uncertain with where he was steering the conversation. “Fine.”

“I see you’re attending the Ashford Academy now.” He lifted a finger to point at her attire. “How’s that going?”

Her shoulders lifted in a half-hearted shrug. “Alright, I guess.”

Schneizel’s lips curved up and he leaned forward. She stiffened at his sudden movement but instantly relaxed when she saw that he was only reaching for the pitcher. Pouring out two glasses of water, he slid one over to her and raised the other to his lips. She refused to take hers, silently watching him as he sipped leisurely.

“You used to be much livelier last time,” he pointed out as he eyed her over the rim of the glass.

For a second, she was transported back to her childhood days, of a time where everything was perfect. Her eyes glazed over as the distant sounds of children’s laughter rang in her ears. But when the giggles turned into piercing screams, she was instantly shaken back to reality.

The coppery taste of blood still lingering on the tip of her tongue, she reached for the glass of water and took a long gulp. The glass returned to the table, she used the back of her hand to dab her lips. The taste had disappeared but not the fear. Never the fear.

She took a deep breath to calm her nerves and steady her voice. “Times change… People change.”

Schneizel gave a thoughtful hum before placing his glass down on the table. “You mean the war changed you.”

At his pointed words, she bristled, her eyes narrowing as she held back from lashing out at the prince. Every morsel of her being wanted to lunge at him and rip his tongue out but that would do her no good. Patience. She had to be patient if she was to find out what he wanted.

Seeing no reply from her, the prince’s lips curved up in a faint smile. “Anyway, I’m glad to see you’re doing well. Honestly, it came as quite a pleasant surprise to me when Cornelia told me that you were still in Area 11.”

Cornelia... that means- Maku’s eyes bulged as she realized that he knew her alliance with the Black Knights. She shot off the couch, hands clenched into fists and ready to launch into action.

Looking unperturbed at her reaction, Schneizel lifted a hand up. “No don’t worry, I’m not here to arrest you. After all, you haven’t done anything wrong.”

He paused, the smile on his lips morphing into a simper. “Yet.”

The insinuation of his words sent chills crawling down her spine and she struggled to keep her voice even. “What.. do you want?”

A cynical laugh erupted from him, prompting her to flinch, the fists by her side clenching and unclenching. Her nervousness only seemed to tickle him further; he rested his chin in the palm of a hand and looked at her with a bemused expression. “Is it so wrong of me to catch up with an.. acquaintance?”

Unable to retort, Maku could only fix him in a cold stare.

The smile on Schneizel’s face faded into a thin line. “I admit though, I’m a bit disappointed.”

“Dis…disappointed?” She licked her lips, swallowing down the clump of nerves that built up in her throat.

Straightening up in his seat, he dusted the imaginary dust off his knees. Expression now serious, his eyes never left her form. “I thought, given our- your past, you would be more sympathetic and understanding of Britannia.”

Her apprehension gave way to rising anger as the blood rushed to her face. Through clenched teeth, she sniped, “Just because I used to live in close vicinity of some rich noble Britannia folk..” She glowered at him pointedly. “..does not mean I sympathize or understand them.”

Tension permeated the air as the two of them locked in a silent battle of wills, neither moving a muscle for what seemed like ages until Schneizel leaned forward. “Yes you do.”

The corner of his lips dipped almost imperceptibly, his tone dripping with bitterness. “Some of us, at least.”

Maku stiffened at his veiled reference to his brother, Lelouch. Where the two siblings were concerned, there was always some amount of sibling rivalry and from experience, it almost always turned into a heated situation. She watched him closely as his features shifted to one of indifference. But she knew that was only a mask.

Disregarding his previous words as if he had never said it, he returned to the topic at hand. “You know, Maku. That’s exactly why we built this memorial. To remind the people that Britannia has the best interests for Japan,” he said with a flourish of his hand.

Bristling at his blatant propaganda speech, she scoffed. “Best interests for themselves you mean. At the cost of our freedom and rights.”

She no longer cared if she offended the prince. For months, she had held in her contempt and hatred for the memorial. Each time she passed by it on the way to school, it served as a fresh reminder of all that she and the Black Knights had lost. Standing her ground, she glared at Schneizel even as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

“I think you should understand one thing.” The prince slowly rose to his feet, his towering height forcing her to look up at him as he moved closer to her. “The power to bring about change comes from a single talented individual, and not an organization.”

The overhead light blocked by his tall build, a dark shadow was cast upon her and his icy blue eyes seemed to glow even more maliciously as he stared her down. “Like the memorial symbolizes, even a mighty cobra without a head will crumble into naught but ash.”

The sibilance in his last words filled the space between them. It coiled like a snake around her, slithering into her ear as its forked tongue darted out to graze her skin. The hairs on the back of her neck raised, her veins turned to ice.

Struggling to keep her composure, her voice was curt. “I think I should leave now.”

Her head swiveled away from him until a firm grip on her chin held her in place. She grimaced as Schneizel forcefully brought her gaze back to him. Though his tone was soft, it was no less imposing. “My desire is peace, whatever the Emperor is after is not what I seek. Rebel groups like the Black Knights have no purpose without a leader and can’t bring about change. If change is what you seek for.”

Lips pressing into a thin line, she shook his grip off and snarled. “Goodbye, Schneizel.”

As she turned away, the prince bent down, his face barely an inch away from hers. A slight smirk curved his lips as he brought his lips close to her ear. His breath lightly brushed against her skin, he whispered.

“Tread carefully, Maku.”

~ ~ ~

“Don’t be so reckless, Maku.”

Remembering C.C.’s words to her earlier that day, she scoffed. Schneizel knew too much. Time was of the essence. How could she just sit around waiting for C.C.’s big plan to be executed?? That would be weeks away.

She crouched down and shrugged off her backpack. While she busied herself taking out her equipment for the night’s mission, she kept an ear out for any approaching people.

Her plan was simple – get into Lelouch’s room and use her Geass to undo Emperor Charles’ rewritten memories. With just her going it solo, it would be easier since she was an Ashford student. But C.C. had been unnecessarily worried that Maku’s Geass powers were not enough to go against Charles’ since her power was limited to only memories concerning herself. If it failed, it would only affect Lelouch poorly if he were to only remember snippets of information, thus letting on to their enemies, which would jeopardize their entire mission.

Would it be that bad though if Lelouch were to remember something? She pondered as she tied the last knot around the grapple hook. Pausing in her actions, C.C’s last words to her echoed in her mind.

“Do you want Lelouch to remember his identity… or do you simply want him to remember… you?”

At the recollection, she felt a pinprick of guilt, only to shake it off hastily. Steeling herself, she puffed out a breath. This was for Lelouch’s sake, not hers.

With one last look around, she swung the grapple hook around several times to get the feel of it before launching it into the air. A soft thunk signaling that it had found purchase on one of the balcony pillars, she tugged on it to test that it was secure. Satisfied that it would take her weight, she shimmied her way up and climbed over the short ledge, landing softly on both feet.

Crouching down low to the floor, she surveyed the dark interior. The large French doors were open, allowing the cool night breeze to flow into the large bedroom. White curtains billowed out and as she padded cautiously into the room, it rippled around her form like a ghost.

Thanks to the clear night sky, the moonlight filtering through the room allowed her eyes to slowly adjust until she could make out the shape of a bed to her left. She edged closer, all the while keeping an ear out for signs of trouble. When her foot bumped into the wooden frame of the bed, she halted. Underneath the thick covers, a body shifted and stirred with a soft mumble.

She froze, her heart pounding furiously in her chest. Seconds passed and only when she heard the gentle breathing resume did she breathe a sigh of relief. She edged around the bed and came to a stop just inches away from Lelouch’s sleeping face.

The moonlight threw a soft shadow over his features, highlighting his boyish and innocent looks. A gentle smile lifted the corner of his lips as she studied him. Her hand lightly ghosted over the locks of his hair and he hummed in contentment.

What was he dreaming about, she wondered. He seemed so peaceful and free of worries, just like when they were kids. Yet what she was about to do to him would pull him back into the hell that was Zero. The reality that he knew now would shatter into pieces and he would have no one to trust. Could she condemn him to that?

Her smile disappeared, her hand pulled back to her chest. She bit her lips as she reasoned it out with herself. If she didn’t do this now, eventually the Black Knights would. Lelouch had to know now, before Schneizel took action. This was the right thing to do. Even if his sense of reality fell apart… she would be here for him. That’s right, Lelouch had her.

Her mind made up, she bent down and lightly touched her lips to his forehead.

“See you soon, Lelouch,” she whispered as she straightened up.

She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. When her eyelids fluttered open, a glowing bird-shaped symbol appeared in her left eye – the symbol of the accursed Geass. An invisible spherical red bubble grew until it was twenty feet wide, demarking the limit of her abilities, encircling her and Lelouch.

Her lips parted and a melancholic tune filled the dark room.

Please say my name.
Remember who I am.

The colorful soprano tone of her voice gave life to each word, breathing emotion into the song. As the powers of her voice-based Geass forced its way into Lelouch’s memories, she felt the strong pulsing waves of the Emperor’s rewritten memories. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she fought against his Geass.

You will find me in the world of yesterday.
You drift away again.

Pouring all her energy into her own Geass, her voice increased in volume until she noticed creases appearing on Lelouch’s forehead and movement behind his eyelids. He groaned and shifted around before one eye peeled open slowly. Glassy and unfocused, it rolled up to meet her gaze.

The shadow she cast over him didn’t register in his mind for a few seconds and when it finally clicked, he bolted straight up in bed. A startled yell left his lips and he scurried backwards across the bed to put as much distance between her and him. Slapping a hand down on the light switch, the bedside lamp lit up, illuminating his pale face.

“Wha- wha- what the hell?!” he croaked out through parched lips.

Never halting in her song, she squinted at the sudden intrusion of the new light source. It seemed more blinding that it should have been and the back of her eyeballs throbbed in pain. She could see double of Lelouch, a sign that she was over-using her powers.

“Ma-maku? Is.. that you?” Lelouch asked hesitantly as his eyes slowly made out her form.

She wanted to reply him, to tell him who she was. But she couldn’t stop now. Her Geass was losing out and she couldn’t just leave him like this. She grew desperate, her notes lilting and strained.

Too far from where I am
When you ask me who I am

Ascertaining it was her, Lelouch crept forward on his hands. “What are you doing here? Why-why are you singing??”

I’m singing to make you remember. I’m singing because you need to know, Lelouch. I’m singing-

“Oh my god.” She heard him gasp. “You’re bleeding!”

Her vision swam before turning completely dark and she crumpled to the floor. She lifted a trembling finger to her cheeks, feeling a cold, dark liquid creeping down her skin. Her heart clenched painfully at the realization that her sight was gone. But more than that, she felt hollow, her powers sapped.

Feeling his hands on her arms, she lurched forward and grabbed at him, her fingers latching onto his shirt. Her tone carrying a sense of urgency and desperation, she blurted, “Do you remember, Lelouch?”

“Wha- what? We got to get you to a hospital, Ma-“

She shook her head vigorously. This wasn’t the time! Near hysterical, she cried, “You have to remember something… anything!!”

“I…” There was a slight pause and she waited with bated breath, hoping against hope that her Geass had worked, even if just a little.

“I do remember that song you sang… I think,” Lelouch said slowly while in deep thought.

Her heart skipped a beat and her lips parted with anticipation, waiting to hear more.

“Maybe you sang it to me before… although I don’t know when. But more importantly, you need an ambulance,” he finished, the sound of a dial tone following as he hastened to call emergency services.

He didn’t remember anything. Her grip on his shirt loosened and her hands dropped limply to her side, his voice in the background blurred and faint. She had failed.

Numb to everything, she barely heard him hang up before feeling his hand guiding her arm around his shoulder while his other arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her up. She had no energy to move and she leaned on him, causing him to grunt in exertion.

“God you’re heavy..” He wheezed as he maneuvered her around towards the door. “Don’t worry, Maku. Everything’s going to be just fine. Just have to get you outside so we can get you cleaned up first.”

No, nothing was fine, she thought bitterly.

As Lelouch wrestled the doorknob open with a few grunts, he paused for a second. “This situation somehow feels familiar though… have we met before outside of school?”

A small spark blossomed in her chest and her lips curved up in a faint smile. Her tone weak, she confirmed his memories. “Yes… I… saved you a long… long time ago.”

“Really?” Surprise in his voice, he almost stumbled under their weight. “Sorry I forgot about that.”

“That’s why you snuck into my bedroom and started singing?” He chuckled, his movements sluggish and slow. “Well, thank you for saving me, Maku… even though I still don’t remember the details.”

Her name sounded so sweet when he said it now. He remembered her – the old her. Weak, powerless, and blind she might be now, but just hearing him say that was enough for her.

C.C. was right. All she needed was for him to remember her, even if it was just her song. She smiled as her body functions started to shut down, the last thing she heard being his warm voice saying...

“You’re going to be fine, Maku.”

~ ~ ~

She was everything but fine.

Stuck in a hospital bed for a few weeks, she barely had contact with anyone, let alone the Black Knights. Lelouch had visited her once after she was admitted but after that… nothing.

If everything had gone according to plan, C.C. should have initiated the plan today. Her fingers dug into the bedsheets as anxiety coursed through her veins. Had everything worked out well? Did they manage to bring Lelouch’s memories back without her?

Chest clenching in agony, the constricting bandages that wrapped around her head and covered her eyes served as a painful reminder of what she had lost. Her world now plunged into darkness, she was lost in a sense of hopelessness. With every day that passed, a part of her withered away. The only thing that kept her going on was the sliver of hope that Lelouch would return as his old self.

Sighing in restlessness, she leaned back on the headboard. A knock on her ward door rang out in the small room but she didn’t have the energy to budge from her position. Hearing low whispers followed by the sound of the door closing quietly, her head tilted towards the sound.

“Are you awake, Maku?” Lelouch’s quiet voice filled the silence.

Her heart leapt into her throat and she jolted forward, her arms stretched out furtively in search of him.

“No no no, you shouldn’t move too much,” he fussed, his hands resting gently on her shoulders to ease her back. “How have you been?”

“Not too well,” she murmured as he placed his hand over her searching one, fingers interlacing with hers.

He clicked his tongue in disapproval. “Who asked you to act so rashly and use your Geass on me? What are we going to do about you now?”

Her heart stopped. “Gea-“ She gasped, her hand squeezing his tightly. “Do you.. remember?”

An airy chuckle tickled the goosebumps forming on her skin and his next words took her breath away. “Call me Zero.”

Her chest heaved with emotion and one hand reached to cup her mouth to cover the trembling of her lips. A muffled cry left her throat as she released all her pent-up feelings. All those years of battle and sacrifice, of loneliness and frustration… all leading up to this day. It was all worth it just to have him back by her side.

Choking back her emotions, she raised his hand to her lips and whispered, “Welcome back, Lelouch.”

A soft hum given in response, he ruffled her hair. Feeling warm breath on her cheeks, she flushed as his moist lips gently pressed against her forehead.

“I’m home.”