Euphemia stared in horror as Lelouch held out the ceramic gun towards her.

"Now, take the gun," he said with a smile. She would refuse, he knew, but once he used his Geass everything would be in order. Euphemia Le Britannia would shoot Zero in front of a crowd of thousands, on global television. The dream of a free Japan would survive, as would the Black Knights.

"Huh?" Euphemia said.

"There can only be one messiah," Lelouch explained, "and when they people realize that you're a false one, they'll – "

Lelouch groaned in pain as his left eye felt like it was being poked with a thousand needles. He dropped both the gun and his mask and covered his eye with his hand.

"Lelouch!" Euphemia screamed as he collapsed to his knees. She ran forward and leaned down to hold his shoulders.

"Stop it!" Lelouch yelled, pushing her away. "Stop giving me your pity!"

He rose, picking up his mask. He faced away from her as he put the mask back on. He would not show weakness in front of anyone, let alone a member of the royal family.

"Spare me your charity," he said, turning around to face her with the face of Zero. "This is something I have to achieve on my own. And so for that, I will now stain your hands with blood, Euphemia Le Britannia!"

She looked at him with a defiant expression. "That isn't my name! I've renounced it!"

Lelouch's eyes widened in shock, and the pain in his eye dissipated.

"There will probably be a formal announcement issued by the homeland about it any day now, but I've given up my claim to the throne," she continued.

Lelouch took a step back. A dozen scenarios he had never even considered before were running through his mind.

"But why?" he asked softly. "It isn't because you accepted Zero, is it?"

She smiled. "But of course. I have to pay the price for doing something so selfish. Those are the consequences."

He looked to the side. "Yes, but it wasn't very difficult for you to give that up, was it? And I suppose you did it for my sake."

Euphemia giggled. "As conceited as you ever were, but no. I did it for Nunnally."

She turned around and explained. "She told me herself: All I want is to be with my brother and that's all that matters. I want nothing more."

Not even the voice modulator in his mask could hide the crack in Lelouch's voice. "For that petty reason?"

Euphemia turned back to face him. He saw in her smile that she knew she was finally getting through to him.

"That's right, Lelouch. That's how I made up my mind. It made me stop and seriously reflect on what was truly important to me in life. Do you understand now? I'm not giving up anything that has significant value or real worth to me."

"And you don't need to worry," she assured him. "I won't tell anyone about you."

Lelouch laughed. "And Cornelia?" he asked, his strong tone restored.

"It's not like we'll never see each other again."

Behind his mask, Lelouch smiled. "Euphie, you are a fool, an amazing fool."

"I know I'm not as smart as you, Lelouch. I've never been able to beat you at games or studies, however … "

"However, in your usual rash Euphie fashion, you've managed to end up winning all of it," he said, conceding defeat with a smile. "When I think of you, I don't think of a sub-viceroy or a princess. I only see the plain little Euphie who you used to be."

"Then will you join poor little Euphie and help her?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Lelouch sighed. "You are … you are the worst opponent I have ever faced."

He took her hand. "You win. I'll amend my plans to help out your special zone, but not as your subordinate, all right?"

Euphie giggled from relief and excitement. "All right."

Their feud now resolved, Euphie began to make light conversation. "Though you haven't very much faith in me, have you? Did you honestly believe that by simply threatening me I would shoot you?"

"Oh no, you've got it all wrong," Lelouch explained. "When I really want people to follow my orders, they will not resist me, whether it's to shoot me, to grant a pardon to Suzaku, or any order at all."

"Oh, now you're being silly," Euphie said. "Stop playing with me."

Lelouch stared at her from behind his mask. "I'm serious, if I were to take off this mask and look you directly in the eye and told you to, for example, kill all the Japanese, it wouldn't matter how you felt about it."

He turned to the door. "Why do you think Suzaku disobeyed his orders on the island? It was because at the last moment I used my power to order him to live."

Euphie gasped. "Suzaku didn't remember anything about that. It was you? You saved him?"

Lelouch, still facing away, adjusted the cloth part of his mask so that none of his features would be visible. "We should go," he said. "You have a big announcement to make."

She smiled. "Of course."

They stepped out of the control room and stopped.

C.C., Suzaku, and three of Euphemia's guards were sprawled out on the ground, unconscious.

"Suzaku, C.C.!" Lelouch yelled.

"What happened to them?" Euphemia asked in horror.

"I don't know." Knowing that C.C would be fine, Lelouch ran over to Suzaku and placed his fingers on the knight's neck.

"He's alive," he assured Euphemia.

Euphie breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."

Lelouch walked over to C.C. and lifted her head up.

"C.C., wake up! C.C.!"

The green-haired girl slowly opened her eyes. Nearby, Euphie was shaking Suzaku awake.

"C.C., what happened?"

"I-I'm not sure," she responded. "Did you – "

"ZERO!" Suzaku screamed as soon as he regained consciousness. "This was your doing, wasn't it?!"

Lelouch looked at Suzaku, but did not respond. This incident had the potential to ruin the agreement he had just reached with Euphemia.

'That may be better for my plans' he thought, 'but I can't be sure of that right now, not when I don't know what caused this!'

"That's enough, Suzaku," Euphemia said in a stern voice.

"Euphie," Suzaku said.

"Zero has agreed to help us with the Special Administrative Zone."

"He has?" Suzaku asked in shock.

"You have?" C.C. asked in a tone of mild surprise.

"I have," Zero replied.

"I see," she responded. "This is most unexpected."

Suzaku stared at them with wide eyes.

'This isn't like Zero. Even that girl knows it. Why this sudden change?'

"I want you to stay in the Knightmare," Zero said. "You can't be seen in public or on television."

"I understand," she replied.

Zero stood up and faced Euphie and Suzaku. The three security guards were beginning to stir.

"Shall we get going, your highness?"

"Yes," she replied. "Come along, all of you."

"Um, sure," Suzaku said. The guards looked confused, but quickly followed, their instincts to respond to any threat overcome by their duty to obey Euphemia.

They made their way back to the stadium where hundreds of thousands of people were gathered.

The Elevens, now finally recognized as Japanese. They had waited seven years for this day. The cheers that erupted when Euphemia, Suzaku, and Zero emerged together were as genuine as they were loud and overwhelming. The three biggest symbols of hope for the Japanese people were all standing together on one stage.

Hidden in the mountains nearby, the Black Knights gaped in shock as they watched their leader emerge with the princess on their monitors.

"Huh?" Tamaki asked. "What is he doing? Why is he just standing there?"

"I don't know," Colonel Tohdo replied over their communication systems. "For now, we will continue to wait for instructions."

'I thought he was planning to assassinate the princess,' the colonel thought to himself. 'But if that was the case he would have done so during their private meeting. If he made a move now he'd have no means of escape. Perhaps he has an assassin hidden in the crowd who will do the deed, clearing himself and the Black Knights of the crime?'

Ohgi, the deputy commander of the Black Knights, rubbed his chin in thought.

'I was wondering what Zero would do if he found Prince Euphemia's intentions to be genuine. I guess we'll now find out what kind of man he really is.'

Kallen continued to stare nervously at the monitor.

'Come on, Zero,' she pleaded to herself. 'You've never let us down before. Don't start now.'

Euphemia walked up to the microphone in front of the cheering crowds. Zero and Suzaku stopped several paces behind her.

Suzaku stared at Zero out of the corner of his eye.

'Zero, if you're planning anything which will hurt Euphie, I'll kill you.'

Zero stood perfectly still, but behind the mask Lelouch was sweating profusely.

'Euphie, I'm betting everything on you. Nunnally's future is depending on this!'

Euphie was beaming as she began to address the crowd.

"I welcome you all to the Special Administrative Zone! It is wonderful to see so many smiling faces. I thank you all for coming and choosing to be part of this historic endeavor. It is my hope that this place will become a model of peaceful coexistence for the whole world!"

"In this zone, natives will not be called Elevens, but Japanese. All will be treated as equal here!"

Euphemia paused as the crowd began to applaud and cheer. Suzaku smiled as they called out her name.

As the raucous began to die down, Euphemia continued. "There is one other announcement I have to make today. I am pleased to announce that Zero has agreed to help run the Special Administrative Zone!"

Eyes widened and jaws dropped across the country and the world.

Colonel Tohdo slammed his hand into his Knightmare's console. "What the hell does he think he's doing?"

"Did – did he just betray us?" Tamaki asked.

"No … Kallen whispered to herself. "It can't be. He can't …"

Euphemia's speech continued. "Together, Zero and I will work as equals to ensure that this section of Japan will turn into the place which we all dream of!"

Suzaku gaped and turned to look at Zero.

'As equals? Meaning he'll be the most powerful man in the entire special zone?'

Zero did not move a muscle, but beneath his mask he was grinning from ear to ear.

'That's right, Suzaku. Now Zero's fate and Euphemia's fate are bound together. If one of us falls, the other will go down as well. As her knight, it will be your duty to protect me and Nunnally as well.'

He looked forward as the crowd began to chant the name "Zero!" over and over again.

'We're going to need it,' he thought, growing more serious. 'Our proximity to Euphie will only increase the danger of our being found out. If that happens, everything we've done will have been for nothing.'

Suzaku looked to General Dalton, who was clapping though the corners of his eyes and mouth were twitching.

Many miles away, Princess Cornelia Le Britannia slammed both of her hands onto her desk in anger.

"What are you doing, Euphie? That man killed our brother, and now you want to … to … "

"I don't understand what's happening," Kallen said.

Tohdo continued to glare at his monitor. The cameras were all focused on Zero, who remained still, as if oblivious to the attention he was receiving.

'Was it all just a play for power for him?' the man once known as 'the miracle worker' wondered. 'Was he just using us all along?'

Ohgi's voice came over their communicators. "Let's not jump to conclusions just yet. I say we hear Zero out before we do anything."

Tohdo sighed. "Agreed. We can't go off half-cocked."

Ohgi leaned back in his seat and breathed a sigh of relief. He had been the first one to suggest that the Black Knights support the special zone, for the sake of someone he cared for.

The leaders of the non-combat divisions of the Black Knights watched the broadcast with interest from their submarine headquarters.

"My, my, it looks like our great leader has admitted defeat," Rakshata Chawla, the head of research and development, said with her usual hint of amusement.

"Not necessarily," responded Diethard Ried, the head of intelligence and propaganda. "If what the princess said is true, then Zero has succeeded at maneuvering himself into a position of power and influence beyond anything I could have expected. This means that he will have a tremendous influence on how the special zone develops, and may even legitimize the Black Knights."

He grinned. "I wonder how he got such a massive concession out of her so easily."

Suzaku did not try to hide his anger as the chants of "Zero!" continued.

'They cheer him, this terrorist, this murderer who hides his face, more than the woman who defied her own country to give them their freedom!'

He looked at Zero again. 'Why would she agree to this? Is she just being naive and trusting? Did he threaten her? But her happiness seems so genuine. He killed her brother, and she welcomes him with a smile! I don't understand it!'

Eventually the ceremony ended, and the dignitaries and delegates began to leave.

Suzaku followed Zero as the masked man calmly returned to his Knightmare.

"You're leaving pretty fast for someone who's supposed to be running this place," Suzaku observed.

Zero turned around to face him. "I must confer with the Black Knights to see what role they could play in this venture, if any."

"Did you not tell them what you were planning?" Suzaku asked. "What game are you playing here?"

"I have abandoned my original plan. At this point, any new plan I develop will begin with the goal of ensuring the success of this special zone."

Zero looked up at his Knightmare frame. Just two weeks earlier, he had piloted it in battle alongside Suzaku. Together they had stopped the invasion of Japan by the Chinese Federation.

"For a long time I have wanted us to be allies, Suzaku Kururugi. It seems that now I will finally get my wish."

"Do you see now, Zero?" Suzaku asked. "Things can be changed from the inside. Your methods were not only wrong, but unnecessary."

Zero turned back to Suzako and walked forward so that their faces were inches apart.

"It was my methods that created the power vacuum which allowed Euphemia to do this," he said. "It was the threat of me which caused the Brittanian government to go along with her idea."

Zero turned away and walked towards his Knightmare again. "That princess of yours is something else, valiant knight. Look after her."

"I'm surprised," C.C. said as they began to fly away. "I was certain that you were going to disrupt the special zone."

"That was my original plan," Lelouch admitted, "but plans can change."

"Did you use your Geass on her?"

"I didn't have to. She was so anxious to work with me she'd agree to anything I asked."

"I see."

Lelouch removed his mask. "What happened while we were inside? Why were you, Suzaku, and the others all unconscious?"

"I'm not entirely sure," she answered, "but I have my suspicions. Did anything strange happen while you were talking to Euphemia?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. My eye started hurting like crazy. I had to put my mask back on just so she wouldn't see how much pain I was in."

C.C. looked up at him. "It's as I thought. Your power has grown beyond your ability to control."

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"Your Geass is active right now."

"It is?" Lelouch looked at his reflection in the mask. His left eye was glowing with the mark of Geass.

"All this time, it's been active?" he said to himself. "If I hadn't put my mask back on when I did … "

"It seems that, like Mao, you can no longer control your Geass and turn it off," C.C. observed.

Lelouch put the mask down and looked ahead.

"It doesn't matter," he declared.

"Oh?" C.C. asked.

"You are immune to Geass, and I only meet the Black Knights as Zero. They are safe as long as I wear the mask. There is no reason to postpone our meeting with them."

Lelouch picked up one of his chess pieces, the black king, and held it in front of his eyes.

"After we've taken care of things with the Black Knights, then we can deal with this problem."

Author's note: I recently binge-watched the entirety of Code Geass for the first time and I was quite enamored with it. But I was struck by a number of 'what-ifs,' the first of which being what would have happened if Lelouch never accidentally Geassed Euphemia and they worked together as they had agreed to. Rather than change his dialogue, I thought it would be more in-character for Lelouch to just put the Zero mask back on to hide the pain he was in so she couldn't see his eye when he joked about killing the Japanese.