06

"Your Majesty, I have a request," Lelouch heard Suzaku speak up once again. "Please sire, allow me to join the Knights of the Round."

"…As a reward for capturing Zero," the Emperor spoke observantly. "Is that it?"

Lelouch felt deep anger surge through his body. "You…" he managed to growl.

"I told you before Lelouch, I was going to change this world from the inside," Suzaku replied emotionlessly and steadily.

That only made Lelouch's fury grow ten times over. "Even if it means selling out your friends to the man that caused the bondage and death of your people!?"

If Suzaku had been shaken by that last part, he didn't show it. It had only been fourteen days since Japan's destruction had been carried out, and Lelouch had only heard about it from a suicide watch officer during his time in the Avalon's brig. He had hoped that had been the final straw with Suzaku, one that would break him of his naïve and overly hypocritical "change from within" ideology. As well as his misplaced loyalty to Britannia.

"…That's right." Suzaku said simply, as if it were an obvious fact. Simultaneously destroying any hope that he at last saw the error of his ways.

"Traitor!" Lelouch spat with newfound hatred, refusing to believe his former friend was capable of what his ears were telling him.

Still observing, the Emperor appeared rather amused by the exchange. "Very well," he finally exclaimed. "I like the answer you just gave him."

Lelouch turned his eyes back toward the Emperor, but he still couldn't get clear focus.

"Now then…" the Emperor said, finally rising from his throne. "As a Knight of the Round, I order you: cover Zero's left eye."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Suzaku acknowledged, lifting Lelouch up by his hair while placing the palm of his left hand over the renegade's one and only chance of escape. All Lelouch could do now was watch as the man responsible for the deaths of over one hundred thirty million people - as well as his own mother - casually walked toward him with an unwavering gaze.

"My unworthy son…" the Emperor began again. "Who dared raise the banner of rebellion, in spite of his lineage and bearing."

The Emperor then stopped, looming over the two boys with his great height. "Still, there is another way that we can make use of you."

"What?" was all that Lelouch could exclaim. Which was when he saw the Emperor's eyes shift in color, a familiar sigil appearing in both.

"I will rewrite your memory," the Emperor explained as his eyes fully formed. "Of your being Zero, of the death of your mother, of the existence of Nunnally. Even of your time spent in Area 11…"

"No… Geass…!" Lelouch murmured in despair. Of all the things he had expected, that was the one he had never considered. How does he have that!?

"You will remember none of it. You will only live to serve me…" the Emperor's smile grew. "Yes, you will be a most effective pawn."

"No stop! You're stealing what's most precious to me again!" Lelouch struggled to the last against Suzaku's hold. "First my mother… And now you're taking Nunnally!"

"Charles zi Britannia engraves into you…!" the Emperor started, drawing his cape outward so that Lelouch could only see him.

"Stop it!" Lelouch cried, even knowing that there was no mercy in this man.

"…false memories of a false life!" the Emperor finished.

The last thing Lelouch could do, even as he felt Geass' power come upon him and his memories shatter one by one, was cry out in denial. All that remained after was darkness.