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Rain ([personal profile] rainfall) wrote2019-02-05 12:09 am

[TRANSLATED] CODE GEASS: STAGE-4-Zero (Alone)

What It Is: a chapter from Mamoru Iwasa's fifth CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion novel, Stage 4: Zero. Part of the novel's adaptation of Stage 25.
Where Is It: "Alone" is an interlude that takes place after Stage-4:3-Zero. It ends the novel.
Part Of: Scenes from the CODE GEASS Novels

CODE GEASS
Lelouch of
the Rebellion


Alone

——DECEMBER 2017, KAMINE ISLAND

Two hands were held out to her.

And, as they often did, the boys attached to those hands were having the same old argument. The girl caught between them, Nunnally, tipped her head to one side uncertainly. She was a little bit uncomfortable.

"No, I'm going to carry her!"

"Like I said, that'd be dangerous."

For every stubborn argument the boy in western clothing mustered, the other boy — wearing hakama, with his fishing tackle tucked under one arm — had an exasperated retort.

"Look, it's already easy to slip on the sand at this beach! A wimpy prince like you? You're gonna fall on your face for sure."

"Don't call me wimpy! No one's allowed to lay a hand on Nunnally, and that's final!"

"It's a little late for that. Come on, with all the times I've already carried her? I've even helped her change clothes."

"Wh— What?! Suzaku! Since when—"

"I'm just saying, you're weak and clumsy, right?"

"Not that! What sort of things have you been doing behind my back?!"

"...Hey, what if someone heard you? You're making me sound like a total creep."

They didn't seem about to stop any time soon. So, Nunnally intervened timidly.

—Um, Brother?

It's not that I don't appreciate it, but... you
have gotten hurt trying to take care of me before.

While Lelouch instantly wilted, Suzaku cracked a grin.

"Hmph.... are you sure, Nunnally?"

"Y, yes. Suzaku's very strong, after all."

"B, but—"

"Oh — come on. Man up, Lelouch! You heard Nunnally, you should be more like me."

"That's not what she said at all! Don't put words in Nunnally's mouth!"

"Look, don't worry about it. Just take this, okay? You should be able to carry that much without falling over."

"Dammit..."

Lelouch scowled but accepted the armful of fishing tackle Suzaku foisted on him while the other boy effortlessly lifted Nunnally from her wheelchair onto his back. For a ten-year-old boy, he certainly was unbelievably strong.

They headed off towards the beach where waves were breaking gently on the shore, Suzaku setting a jaunty pace with Nunnally on his back and Lelouch trailing behind, still grumbling. With a fleeting glance over one shoulder at him, Suzaku lowered his voice so that only Nunnally would be able to hear when he said:

"He's a good big brother, though."

"Huh...?"

"I've never seen anybody get so worked up over a piggyback ride."

Nunnally was blank for a moment. Then she smiled. "Yes."

"Oh, um... but keep that to yourself, Nunnally."

"Huh? But why? My brother would be so happy! Knowing you'd said something like that..."

"No way. Gross."

"G— Gross?"

"Him getting angry like this, it's perfect."

"H, huh... so — that's how things are?"

"Yeah. That's how things are."

"Hey, Suzaku! Just what are you and Nunnally whispering ab..."

"What a nag. Just shut up and carry my fishing pole! That one's my favorite, you know. Drop it or anything like that, and your sentence will be to get buried alive out here."

"Excuse me?! Just for that, I'm gonna do this—"

"Hey, stupid! Don't you dare! Have you forgotten why we even came out here?"

"Br, Brother..."


—However.

After all this time, Nunnally thought she might have finally understood what Suzaku had meant that day. That this was how things had needed to be between them. To Nunnally, they had been irreplaceable: her one and only big brother, and his one and only friend. As much as they had fought over her, they'd always seemed like they were having fun. They didn't have to hold anything back with each other — they could just be themselves. So they'd fight and make up, then do it all over again. Over and over, but that was their way of accepting each other: of trusting each other. Nunnally was actually a little jealous. The bond that connected them was so powerful. The kind of bond that would last through anything and everything.

Or at least that was how things should have been...

Before Nunnally's eyes, they were now facing each other down. But it wasn't a memory, wasn't the boys from her childhood. It was her brother and his best friend in the present. Somehow, even though she shouldn't have been able to see them at all, Nunnally could see them both very clearly — which would have been something to celebrate. Except...

Why?

Why are my brother and Suzaku looking at each other with such frightening eyes?

As if they're looking at an enemy they'll never be able to forgive — as if they're looking at the person they hate most in the world?

How can this be happening?

The two of you were supposed to be together always, to watch over me always...



A single gunshot exploded in Nunnally's ears — and suddenly she came back to herself, the world around her dark once again. She could no longer see Lelouch or Suzaku. However, with her keen intuition, it didn't take Nunnally long to realize that, wherever she was, it wasn't the student council room at Ashford Academy where she had been only a moment before.

"Oh. Looks like you're awake, Nunnally."

The voice came from much too close to her. And Nunnally was sure that she'd heard it somewhere before. Yes, she'd heard it — just before she had lost consciousness. The voice of a young boy.

"Wh, who are you? And — where are we...?"

The voice responded with a startled chuckle. "Yes, forgive me. I wasn't originally going to make this detour. But I thought if we came here, we might be able to catch a mildly amusing show."

"A show...?"

"Hmm... Well, that would have pretty much ended it, I guess. Personally, I would've enjoyed seeing them mess each other up a little more, but... since I don't have all the pieces yet, this was the best I could do, you know?"

None of his murmured words made any sense to Nunnally, but she could hear footsteps coming closer to her while he spoke. They stopped in front of her, and Nunnally had the sense that the boy had extended a hand to her.

"Huh...?"

"Now, then. Shall we head out again, Nunnally?"

"Oh, um... where are we going?"

"Isn't it obvious?" He laughed again. "To the world..."


*


A weak voice all but vanishes into the silence: "Did you... shoot?"

The response is low and cold. "Yeah... I did."

The world has begun to close.

The past has been painted over, the present is meaningless, and the future is hazy.

A new age begins now...

(Anonymous) 2020-08-26 08:07 am (UTC)(link)
I don't get the last bit. 'Did you shoot?' who said this?