A/N: Here it is, the last chapter for Code Overwatch: Battle for Europia. Man, I didn't think I'd get so far with this story. I'm happy to know I brought some experience to you readers in this story.

That said, Please Enjoy the Show!

Chapter 24: Zero's Requiem

One month later… Britannian Main Road, center of Britannia

"We are now standing here, live, in front of the main road to the Tokyo Settlement," A report stated, as a camera looked to a large parade like float. Several Knightmare Frames guarded the float, along with Haka who stood at the front and several Honor Guards. "Here, we will watch newly proclaimed Emperor Rai Sumeragi SI Sablier make his way to the Tokyo settlement, along with those who opposed Emperor Rai's power. All hail Britannia! ALL HAIL RAI!"

"All hail? This is mutiny, he's cut off all opinions of the public. He killed the Emperor from earlier, why would he make us follow him." Civilians would mutter to one another, nervous at the Honor Guards who wielded powerful weapons. An attack from either the military or public could state a conflict with Sablier. "This is ludicrous, he's just waiting for one of us to slip up…."

As the float moved, the whole form was revealed to be a royal carriage for Rai. It was pulled by two armored BTR's, and guarded by 40 Honor Guards and 5 Knightmare Sentinels. The BTR's connected to a front bow, which held Schniezel El Britannia's chained form. Behind his chained form were the members of Overwatch on the left, and the leaders of the Black Knights on the right. Finally, Nunnally sat, chained to the floor in front of a ramp that led to Rai's throne.

Rai sat on the throne, happily humming to himself. Though he didn't notice it, several remaining rebels now waited in old abandoned buildings. "Alright, the plan is to take the float by force and free Rai's prisoners." Princess Cornelia explained, readying her rifle. "Clear?"

"Understood." Several Britannian Honor guards acknowledged, including Jeremiah Gottwald, James Liveiele, and Geno. "Ready to move."

"Wait, look…" Jeremiah moved to the window, his eye enhancing to see a figure at the far end of the road. "Is that….?"

Outside the building, the front BTR's stopped, forcing the float and Knightmare's as well. "Who is that?" A Knightmare Frames asked, enhancing its eyes to see….

Him.

He stood, masked in front of all.

Rai knew, deep down, this next move would end with only one living. He knew it from the start of this campaign, so now it was time for that thought to really mean something.

Standing there, at the far end aboard the repaired Knightmare Shinkiro, was Zero. The real Zero, no robotic suit, no insane suicide attempt for a truce, no rage or powerful moving speech, no.

Just Zero, in his dramatic cape and mask. "It's Zero!" Rikoto gasped out surprised.

"Zero?! That's impossible, wasn't Lelouch killed?!" Kallen asked, before looking to Rai, who simply raised an eyebrow. "Wait, does this mean Lelouch is challenging Rai?!"

The vigilante made no speech, no announcement of his arrival.

He suddenly charged forward, somehow faster than a commoners speed as the Shinkiro fired its ADS beam. Knightmare Sentinels fell, and Zero rushed through the 2 BTR's before they could turn to fire. All the while, Shinkiro fired another Hardon blast at the BTR's turrets, hovering above the prison float.

"Seize fire, I'll finish you myself!" Haka growled, rushing forward with his blade. He attempt failed, but allowed the mask vigilante to force his purple and gold blade into Haka's side. "ARGH!"

The samurai knight Haka tilted to his side, allowing Zero to take up his blade. Zero threw the twin bladed sword towards Rai, weaving past the few Honor Guards. "Rai, face me you coward!" Zero spoke up, rushing to Nunnally and finally coming to Rai's throne. "Unless you want to step forward, and talk like the good old days?"

"As tempting as that sounds, I'd rather fight, you terrorist!" Rai roared in anger, pulling out a pistol. Zero quickly slapped the pistol away, making Rai blink in concern. Suddenly, Rai smirked and forcefully kicked Zero back. "You think you're the only one with a sword?"

Picking up Haka's first sword, Rai readied himself for this fight. "You wish to face me, Lelouch VI Britannia? Fine, then let us FIGHT!" Rai roared, charging forward. He swung first, making Zero swing to counter. As he did, Rai forced Zero back into the center space between the prisoners. "You're a fool, Lelouch! You will die here, and I will reign supreme!"

"You're more insane than I thought!" Zero replied, quickly swinging his Zero Sword at Haka's. Both young Emperor's dodged and weaved one another, but still continued to fight.

Above, Shinkiro rushed forward and jutted its sharp fingers into a Sentinel's chest. "Damn, they're faster and more upgraded than me," Shinkiro's pilot muttered to himself, before his green eyes narrowed at the next two that came up. "Then again, I wasn't a Knight of Round for nothing."

As they did, Honor Guards rushed to help. "STAY OUT OF THIS!" Rai screamed at the Guards, who quickly moved away. "THIS IS MY FIGHT, STAY OUT OF IT!"

Suddenly, the Honor Guards were attacked by another Guard. "You're right, Rai." The Honor Guard stated, before it shimmered and became the form of Orpheus Zevon, wielding a Sablier battle rifle. "This is between you and Lelouch, no one else."

Zero moved back, struggling to keep on guard. To be honest, this was Lelouch's first physical fight with a weapon, so he really had little experience. But then again, those days of exercise and fencing with Suzaku did pay off for the moment.

As they fought, Orpheus fired rounds to the other Honor Guards trying to attack Lelouch. "I won't let you attack his majesty!" Orpheus yelled out, shifting forms as he fought off the horde.

Rai grunted, forcing his sword into the ground to stop himself. "You aren't as weak as I hoped." His Geass suddenly came to life, and his smile became ever so insane. "All I need is to take off your mask, Lelouch! Then you will bow to me, one way or another!"

Zero dodged once more, weaving through the prisoners as they fought. "Don't do this, Rai! You know how it will end!" Zero heard Kallen plead out, before Rai grabbed her neck and looked to her with that eerie smile.

"Oh, yes I do." Rai whispered calmly, throwing her head back as he charged, roaring, "IT ENDS WITH ME RULING THE WORLD FOR THE REST OF YOUR MISERABLE LIVES!"

As both Emperor's continued in this struggle for power, before Zero had an idea, something he got from Suzaku. Moving his sword, Lelouch rushed forward to Rai. Rai laughed horridly, and charged forward.

"You fool, I order you to-!" All of a sudden, Zero jumped over Rai and was now behind him. Rai moved to attack, but Zero managed to spin before Rai could react, and gave a battle yell as he thrust his sword to Rai's back. "NO!"

Rai jumped up, stumbling as he stood next to Rikoto's prison wall, and smiled. "You think I wasn't prepared?" Rai asked, suddenly pulling another sword from the side of the prison wall. "I never leave without some type of contingency plan!"

Damn he's smart to do that, clever bastard, Lelouch thought to himself. I see three possibilities, One: I win and Rai dies, Two: I die and Rai rules Britannia with an iron fist, or three: We stop fighting and negotiate a truce. No, scratch that third one.

"I'll kill you, you exiled terrorist!" Rai snapped, rushing forward. Zero dodged to the side, managing to snag Rai's second sword and elbowed Rai in his back. "What the?!"

Zero spun fully, creating an X with the blade to stop Rai's attack. He countered with a charge, but Rai kicked both blades away. "You know what? How about we fight like the good old days, huh?" Rai mocked, dropping his sword and pulling up his fists. "Come, you exiled child!"

Zero looked to his empty hand, before both rushed to one another. Rai threw a punch first, before Zero punched back in his face. Rai stumbled back for a moment, but countered with another punch to the purple vigilante's mask.

While it left a noticeable dent, Zero never the less continued to attack. Rai dodged it, and tripped Zero onto the ground. "Now," Rai looked to his side, and took his sword back up. He rushed forward, raising his blade. The Black Knights and Overwatch members yelled or cried out in fear, while Nunnally looked away in fear. "Now, you die!"

Before he could, Zero kicked him back. "Ack, you brat!" Rai roared, running forward. He swung down, but Zero rolled to the side and took his Zero Sword. As he did, he shifted momentum, and forced himself to kneel and cut his purple blade deep into Rai's chest. "AAAHHHHHGGGGHHHH!"

The whole street went silent as Rai screamed, with Zero now pulling out his sword. Rai looked to his chest, a very large cut was now embedded into his chest. "A-A-Ahh!" Rai screamed in pain as he fell to his knees, blood exited the wound and his mouth. He coughed blood up furiously, before falling to his side. "D-D… Damn you!"

Zero sheathed his Zero sword, and stood up as he took off his mask. As he did, though, he stopped. For a moment, he seemed to be in thought, before he put both his hands down. An eye openings on the opaque like visor opened to reveal Lelouch's violet eye, narrow and glaring down at Rai.

"H-How dare you, I am Rai…..S-Sumeragi SI….S-Sablier!" Rai coughed more and more, struggling to stay alive against his cut. He finally stood, on both feet, and slowly shuffled to Zero. "And I…. will not stop….. Until I kill….. Y-You!"

Rai moved to choke Zero, but slowly felt to Zero's side. As he did, Zero grabbed Rai by his shoulder, just before he could fall.

"You're just like me, Rai. Pained by torment, loss of family, betrayal, and simply lost in pain. But I will not let your insanity live on any longer. You deserve peace, and the right to see your parents once more." Lelouch whispered into Rai's ear, as quiet as the eerie silence. "You will die, here. Fall, Rai Sumeragi."

Rai's eyes turned watery, and he slowly let go of Zero. As he did, he placed his bloodied hand on Zero's left mask cheek to stand, the blood lines fading though as he fell. "T-Thank you, Lelouch…" Rai whispered, turning so he laid on his back. He stared off, into the sky, the calm blue sky. "T-Thank you…"

Zero made no comment, and his eyes were covered once more by his mask. "Rai, The Devil of Sablier, is dead! Free his prisoners!" Cornerlia yelled out, as troops and civilians rushed out buildings.

As they did, Zero walked up towards the throne and stood before it. As he did, he held Rai's sword, and looked to it. Looking back to the throne, Zero finally forced the sword into the seat of the throne, a…. proper burial for a person of Rai's character. He deserved that much atleast, Zero thought to himself. Rest in peace, Rai Sumeragi. Perhaps we weren't so different, you and I.

"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!" Civilians now chanted his name as he turned to face them, his purple cape flying in the wind.

"I, Zero, hereby proclaim this war to be over!" Zero exclaimed, unsheathing his blade and pointing up to the sky. Thousands now cheered in happiness and delight, and Sablier Knightmares and Sentinels shut down or fell apart. "For several years, the war between Japan and Britannia has separated us as people, made us discriminate one another, turned our world into an eternal vision of Hell. But I say, we are past that point, and we should only towards the future!"

Civilians chanted loudly in delight and gratitude, happy to know this war was over. Military troops fired empty rounds into the sky, and fireworks now lighted the sky.

10 weeks later…

New Britannia now stood, life once more flourished through the streets. Japanese and Britannian's now talked and conversed together in peace, the Shinjuku Ghetto was now fully rebuilt into the Japan Special Zone Memorial. Area 11 was fully rebuilt into New Japan, the Chinese Federation and US giving supplies for more construction.

Sablier, being dead during Rai's rise to Britannian power, was repurposed into Overwatch's new Base of Operations codenamed: Watchpoint Ural. At the moment, Overwatch was silent, but for some reason, deep down Lelouch knew the world would turn to them in its time of need.

"You know Suzaku," Lelouch looked to his companion, who stood in his Zero clothing. "With Zero Requiem over, a lot has changed over the past. I retook my memories, fought for Europia and now my father, Talon and Rai have been defeated."

"You can say that," Suzaku stated, removing his Zero mask and looking across the G1's roof railing to New Japan's SZM. "And with me as Zero, you and Nunnally will be able to rule New Britannia for now, so things are looking up."

"True," A voice said, and both turned to Rikoto who walked to them. "But with Shaing, Monica, Reaper and Widowmaker unaccounted for, we still have some loose ends to deal with. Not to mention James looking into his grandfather's whereabouts and Unit 11's Totenkopf."

"Worry not, my friend." Lelouch told the two, walking to his younger sister with a happy smile. He sat next to her, and placed his hand on Nunnally's. "For we have strength in our allegiances, and I can tell Overwatch will easily deal with these threats."

"After all," Lelouch looked to the Britannian Government Bureau, which now had the Overwatch symbol on its concrete front. "Overwatch is the best of the best. I wouldn't be here without them."

"Ain't that the truth?" Suzaku asked, looking out to New Japan, a grin surprisingly forming on his face. Now they could live in peace, with no lies or betrayals, for now….

A/N: So, there you have it. The end of Code Overwatch: Battle for Europia. Please leave a review, good, bad, random. I hope to someday make a sequel, you never know. But, yes this has been a good experience writing this. This was my second story to write, so I may remake the first story.

That said, this is the KnightOfZ3R0 signing off!