Chapter 99 ~ A Chapter Closed

When Yuuji returned home after spending time with C.C, he didn't return alone. 

He had messaged Lelouch, Tatsuya, and Satoru about what happened to C.C this morning and asked them  to meet together in the mansion to discuss their plan with Mao. So, he air-lifted Lelouch and returned to the mansion with him. 

When they arrived, no one had arrived yet. Tatsuya and Satoru had just made their way back to the mansion from the Black Knight's base.

  So, while waiting, Yuuji prepared some tea and snacks for himself, Lelouch, and the other two.

Half an hour later, Satoru and Tatsuya arrived and they sat together in the living room with a cup of tea and some tea snacks. 

"I saw your message… Did he really appear?"

Tatsuya asked with a frown, his eyes looking directly at Yuuji. Satoru was similarly concerned about the situation, as well as Lelouch. 

"Yes…"

Yuuji nodded and began to tell them what had happened from the moment he saw C.C and Mao from the windows of his classroom until his return with Lelouch. 

And after he told his story, silence fell upon the room.

"Hah… Troublesome work always piles up when you're busy, huh…?"

Satoru let out a deep sigh that came from his tired, overworked, salaryman soul. But it wasn't just the veteran salaryman who thought that way. Tatsuya also nodded in agreement.

"Yes… Just as we're getting busy preparing for the next operation…"

"I know… It'd be nice if we could deal with Mao first. After being agitated like that, I doubt he'll stay quiet for too long. He might do something to Nunnally, Shirley, or Karen to threaten us and get C.C back."

Lelouch's brows furrowed at the thought of his little sister in danger. Especially since he had seen her in danger because of Mao in the anime.

"We'll need to act quickly… General Katase had been relocated to the Oil Tanker in Port Yokosuka. And Cornelia seemed to be mustering her forces to attack him there."

Lelouch had used his [Mind of the World] to know if things would go according to the "plot" in the anime. And although Cornelia was tethering between going through with the mission or not until the very end due to their deal back in Narita, she chose to attack. 

And if General Katase along with the Japan Liberation Front were to fall during this attack like it did in the anime, they would have a much harder time completing their last and final mission in this world…

"So she refused to abide by our deal in Narita?"

Lelouch looked down and let out a sigh at Tatsuya's question.

"...She was conflicted until the very end. But her generals convinced her to strike now."

"I see…"

Silence fell once more between the four before Satoru raised a suggestion.

"Maybe I can have my phantoms guard C.C, Nunally, and Shirley and keep them safe while we go to Port Yokosuka."

Tatsuya nodded.

"That's a good idea. But it'd be better if we could deal with him now. There's no guarantee that he'll only target those three. He could target anyone Lelouch and Yuuji are close with."

"That's true…"

Yuuji closed his eyes, falling into thought, before opening them once more. 

"I'll stay with C.C for the time being. If Mao came to them, then I'll deal with him."

Without his geass, Mao was just a regular lanky guy with a lot of screws loose. And even if he procured a weapon like he did in the anime, a simple gun won't be a threat to him. 

"You guys can focus on your preparations for our operation in Port Yokosuka. And… Well, tell Karen and the others I'm busy with something and that I will return for the operation if they ask."

Lelouch held his chin in thought for a moment, before turning towards Yuuji and nodded.

"...Alright. I'll leave this matter to you, Yuuji."

"Of course."

--------------------------------X--------------------------------

As the days passed and the nights grew long as the Black Knight's operation in Port Yokosuka drew near, "Mordred", the ace knightmare frame pilot and owner of their most powerful and key unit, "Excalibur", was absent.

Needless to say, Ohgi, Tamki, and many members of the Black Knights questioned his absence, including and especially Karen. 

But Zero simply told them  that Mordred would be doing another mission that he wouldn't tell anyone about. 

She was… upset, to say the least, and she had been in a bad mood ever since. She would sigh one moment, and then punched a crate in frustration with a pout on her face in the next. 

The red-haired girl was a porcupine no one wanted to bother these days. 

Meanwhile, Yuuji felt a cold wind blow past his face, and to his surprise, also felt shivers down his spine at that moment.

"Hm…? Are you cold? Should we head back?"

C.C asked with concern apparent in her eyes and voice. She was wearing a thick cardigan, long pants, and a cap, so she was fine with the cold night winds. 

Him, on the other hand, was only in a regular black collared shirt and long pants. 

He didn't bring any jacket since they only planned on hanging out in her room all day. But, C.C wanted to go on a walk around Ashford Academy's courtyard spontaneously after the night fell, so they went.

But even then, Yuuji shouldn't be feeling cold from just a little night breeze… His [Divine Physique] should've made his body unaffected by such a small change in temperature. 

Which was why Yuuji was quite surprised when that little breeze made him shiver.

"No, I'm fine. It's rare to be able to see the academy at this time of night. And the sky is clear today. Let's enjoy it. We've been cooped up in your room eating pizza all day for too long."

He shook his head and looked at C.C with a smile. But despite his assurance, C.C didn't seem entirely convinced.

She stared at him in silence for a few moments, before letting out a sigh.

"Alright, suit yourself."

They continued to walk in silence just like before. But soon, Yuuji noticed her walking closer and closer to him until they're shoulders were almost touching, and occasionally not even almost.

Is she… trying to keep me warm by getting closer to me…?

His eyes widened at the realization and looked down on C.C, who was only around his shoulder height. 

A few moments later, C.C glanced up and saw his gaze directed at her, and she immediately averted her face away.

"..."

Yuuji's mind short circuited. C.C was acting… extremely cute right now… Normally, she would be aloof and cold, and would only talk when he started the conversation. 

But now… S-She was acting so cutely!

I-Is this really C.C…? C-Could she be an imposter?! There's no way C.C could be this cute!!!

"Ow!"

"....Why did I get the feeling that you're thinking something rude right now?"

Yuuji flinched, more so in surprise rather than in pain from the pinch C.C did to his waist. She was furrowing her brows as she stared at him accusingly.

"I-I wasn't, I swear…"

"Hm..."

Her golden eyes continued to look at the handsome boy by her side, still clearly unconvinced. But fortunately for him, she let it go in the end, and Yuuji managed to get off free from the crimes he was guilty of as accused.

Just then, Yuuji stopped in his tracks and pulled C.C behind him by her arm.

"Ah-! What are you doi-"

"Stay behind me."

C.C froze when she heard the grim tone in his voice. She followed the direction of his gaze, which was a complete 180 degrees from his normally relaxed and caring gaze he had, and her eyes widened in shock. 

She heard footsteps of boots on grass that didn't belong to them. And from the veil of darkness, a familiar figure that she met just a few days ago appeared. 

"Ahahaha… I've finally found you~"

A wide, mad grin spread across his face as Mao made his approach. The headphones he would always wear that would play C.C's loving words to him and help him subdue to incessant noise coming directly into his mind were down to his neck instead of his ears. 

And the purple visor glasses he always had covering his eyes were absent, revealing the two bird-shaped marks of geass, madness, and hatred in his eyes. 

"You know… It's interesting how I can't read your mind… Alexander."

Venom spilled down every single one of the words he had spoken to Yuuji with hatred clear in his voice.

"I even took off my glasses and headphones so that I can hear the voice inside your pretty head. But even when I'm this close… I still can't hear it. I wonder why… Ah, perhaps…"

His eyes narrowed as he gazed directly into Yuuji's eyes. 

"Did you receive a geass from my C.C that allowed you to block other geass?"

"I have no reason to answer your question."

He shrugged as a smirk returned to his face.

"It's fine. I don't care either way. After all…"

Mao reached into his coat and pulled out a glock 17 with a silencer equipped on its muzzle, and aimed it straight at Yuuji.

"I don't need it to get what I want."

"Mao!!!"

C.C tried to move in front of Yuuji, but his arm kept her from doing so. Instead, he moved to cover her even more. 

Although he knew C.C would not die from a gunshot, the pain she felt would still be painful as any other normal human would experience. And he didn't want her to suffer that kind of pain anymore. So, he covered her small body with his since such little thing would not be able to even reach him.

But C.C didn't know of his power and yelled at him in a panic.

"What are you doing?! Do you want to die!"

"It's fine, C.C. Don't worry."

"How can I not-"

"Oh, how chivalrous~! You make me sick…"

"Stop!!!"

C.C yelled once more as Mao raised his gun slightly to aim at Yuuji's head. But Yuuji kept his calm and kept C.C from coming in front of him. 

"C.C, come with me and I won't pull this trigger. It's going to be okay. Everything will return to how it should be. No one will get hurt."

While the tone of his voice was gentle and reassuring, C.C could feel the chilling madness lacing each of his words. 

She could no longer see any semblance of the innocent little boy she knew and cared for in the silver-haired man before her. 

In her silence, Mao continued to "persuade" his beloved C.C as he kept his gun trained on the point in between Yujii's calm eyes. 

"I don't want to do this either, C.C. But you left me no choice… I don't want to dirty my hands, but I will if it means you'll come to me. So please… Come back, C.C."

"You don't have to listen to him, C.C"

"Alex…."

Mao's frown deepened when he heard Alex's words. His eyes widened with rage and his voice no longer held any semblance of gentleness and persuasion.

"Come to me before I shoot him at the count of three! One… Two… Thre-"

"Fine! I'll come with you!"

C.C broke away from Yuuji as strongly as she could, shocking him. He was ready to lunge at Mao the moment he was going to shoot. And with his speed, he could reach him and subdue him before he could even pull the trigger. 

But C.C's voice pierced the silent night right before he could do so.

C.C looked down to the ground as she began to turn her body towards Yuuji. And then, she looked up. 

C.C rarely showed her emotions on her face. Instead, she showed them with her eyes, and Yuuji loved observing her various cute emotions that would appear in her beautiful golden eyes. 

But this time, her eyes were cold, devoid of any emotions that would normally be present. And yet, there was a tear that flowed down the corner of her eyes. 

"...I enjoyed the time we spent together."

The time they've spent together… The pizzas they've shared… And the conversation they've had. 

The last few days had been the happiest time she have had for a long time. And she thought this time… it would last a bit longer. 

But of course, life still found its way to rip her away from her happiness, just like it always has. 

"Don't worry… You'll be safe… Everyone will be safe this way… I will keep him away from you. Goodbye…"

C.C turned her face away, unable to look at him for another second. 

If she did… she was afraid that her heart would waver. And she would regret it her entire immortal life if Alexander died because of her.

A large, childlike smile spread across Mao's face when he heard her decision. Finally… Finally, C.C will return to him!

But as she was about to walk towards him, Yuuji caught her hand and held it firmly.

"No… I won't accept that kind of parting, C.C."

"Alexander…"

He pulled her closer, and with his other hand, he turned her tear-stained face towards him. 

"Stay with me, C.C. You don't need to tear yourself away from happiness. Not anymore. For as long as I'm by your side… I won't let anything tear you away from your happiness."

Tears continued to flow as she looked up into his beautiful eyes. She felt the strength she had mustered to make the decision to leave him disappear as if it had never existed. 

She tried to pry away the hand holding her, only to find herself holding onto him even more.

"What do you wish for, C.C…?"

She looked down to the ground, her body shaking like a trembling child. 

"An end… An end to this suffering… An end to my abominable life…"

She had enough… All her life, all she had known was suffering and pain. The pain of having her happiness ripped away from her.

All she wanted… was to be loved. Was it so wrong for her to wish for such a thing? 

Was she wrong to yearn for happiness, just like everyone else?

If it was… Then why was she even born…? 

Rather than continuing a life of suffering… She'd rather find peace in the C's world once and for all…

"Then I will end it now."

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her and pulled her into a warm embrace, causing her to stiffen and froze in place. 

"C.C…. Your life of misery ends here… From now on, you will live in happiness."

"You…"

Warmth spread across her chest, like a gentle, warm spring breeze that blew away the chilliness of winter.

And his words, like a heavenly commandment that declared the end of her life of suffering, lifted the heaviness that had been weighing down her heart and replaced the darkness with a brilliant light. 

"Alex…"

She felt her body lose its strength as she melted into his embrace. But suddenly, a loud voice startled her, causing her to stiffen once more in his embrace.

"Y-You… W-What are you doing to my C- Kuh-!!"

Mao raised his voice. But the moment he was about to pull the trigger, he felt a child ran down his spine that froze his entire body in place.

He saw Yuuji's glare directed at him, and with it, he felt a tremendous pressure pressing down onto him from above, causing his legs to tremble with fear.

Yuuji released C.C, raised her face up towards him, and wiped her tears with his thumb.

"You look so ugly with a tear on your eyes…"

Her eyes widened for a moment at his unexpected remark. But in the next moment, she pinched his waist with narrowed eyes and pouted lips.

"Is this the time to say that…?"

Yuuji let out a small chuckle and smiled at her cute pout. 

"You're right. Let's deal with him first."

"...He has a gun."

C.C clenched her hands onto his shirt and pulled, trying to stop him from going. But Yuuji held her hands, and removed them softly. 

"Don't worry."

He let go of her. And in a blink of an eye, his figure disappeared and reappeared in front of Mao.

"WHAT TH-! AARGHH!"

A burst of pain hit Mao's hand, causing him to let go of the gun. Then, he felt an arm around his neck and legs wrapped around his torso and arms from the back, preventing him from moving. 

"Y-YOU BIT-! URRGHH!!"

"Stay down or I'll snap your neck."

"HAH! LIKE HELL YOU WILL! YOU DON'T HAVE THE GUTS FOR THAT!"

"Oh really?"

Mao immediately felt a chill down his spine when he felt Alexander slowly tighten his hold around his neck. Air began to stop flowing into his lungs as his eyesight slowly became blurred. 

Mao struggled as much as he could, flailing his arms and legs around to try and free himself from Alexander's hold. 

But nothing… Instead of a human, he felt as if he was held by steel beams wrapped around him.

But suddenly, he felt the hold around his neck loosen, allowing him to finally gasp for air. 

"Well, I won't kill you. After all, it's not my place to do that."

Yuuji looked forward, and Mao instinctively followed his gaze. And in that moment, his eyes widened in surprise when he saw C.C picking up the gun he had dropped and walked towards him. 

She kneeled down beside him and Yuuji loosened his hold on Mao when he felt his body relaxing in C.C's presence.

"C-C.C… Y-You've finally come to your senses… You've finally come back to me."

He said with a genuine tone of happiness and relief in his voice. His eyes sparkled in happiness as a wide grin spread across his face.

"No, Mao… It's time to end this…"

"Huh…? What do you mean…?"

Mao froze and the smile left his expression when C.C looked at him with sad eyes. 

"I did love you, Mao… You were a pure, innocent, and bright child… And I did regret ever giving you your geass."

A bad premonition began to sink into his heart, and he began struggling once more, trying to hold onto C.C with his one broken hand. 

"No, it's okay, C.C! I can use this geass properly now! We can just go to a quiet place, just the two of us, and live happily ever after!"

She shook her head. 

"I'm sorry. I can't do that."

"Eh…? Why…?"

She placed the silenced pistol on his neck.

"I would've said to wait for me in the C's world, but… Maybe you shouldn't."

She glanced up at Yuuji for a moment before looking back down at Mao.

"Because… I don't think I'll be visiting that place soon."

"Ah-"

C.C pressed the trigger. The geass in Mao's eyes finally disappeared. 

And in that moment… She finally closed one of the chapters in her misery-filled past with her own hands.