#when nunnally wants something

[lured-into-wonderland]

So, she did it again. Did not recognize the direction. Almost got lost. Although Nunnally was pretty much used to it, she was still ashamed. She could almost see her father’s disappointment clearly painted on his otherwise handsome face. That his daughter was so clumsy. So unlike her mother? Nunnally wouldn't know. She had never met her. Her father had never talked about her, and the people she had asked usually avoided the topic. Not to displease her father as she learnt (or understood) at some point. She sighed quietly. Nunnally assumed Ravein must have noticed her embarrassment. He was observant; he needed to be, but she had also witnessed he was.

“It happens to me all the time…” – she confessed not looking at him, but then - after a brief moment - she turned to him smiling – “It’s not that bad, though. It takes you longer to get to places but gives you a chance to explore and discover.”

“As long as you are not being judged for that…” – a soft whisper that was more for herself than for Ravein to hear, but nevertheless these words slipped her lips. She was a disappointment. For her father, but in that very moment she was also a disappointment for herself. She felt bad that she was pitying herself so much knowing what Ravein had gone through. And what she knew was probably only a tiny bit of all the hardship he experienced.  

She smiled to him when they started to discuss the lighter topic. The pumpkin latte. Nunnally liked smiling. Though she didn't think she had too many reasons to do so.

“Oh, so you have tried it…” – she started but then... Then the girl read his second note. Oh, so it did mean he knew she was not seeing anyone. Did he make any research on her? Her family? That wouldn’t be surprising. She should have felt uneasy about it, but Nunnally didn’t. It only seemed natural. How odd!

“I assume you are also alone…” – probably not by choice. She was alone because she wanted to back then (when she was very young) and now she simply didn’t meet anyone she’d want to date. Or was afraid to put them into trouble. Because of what her family was.

What about Ravein? She couldn’t really describe her feelings towards him. It simply was complicated. And just a start.

“There’s the street we should follow.” – she pointed towards the street nicely shaded with trees – “I am sure this time as I can already see the signboard of the café I mentioned earlier...”

 “Ravein…” – she suddenly asked – “Would you like…”

“Would you like to hold hands with me…?” – she was surprised she didn’t get embarrassed immediately after asking this question – “I mean like friends…” – I am missing to be close with someone.

Was he?

Yes and yes. Ravein did not understand and he noted her embarrassment, so he opted to gloss it over in hopes she’d recover from the humiliation and feel better. When taking Ravein’s history into account, it was fair to say that Ravein didn’t have much experience with going outside for any amount of enjoyment. He’d lived the majority of his childhood away from others as he lived in seclusion with his parents. Then after the incident, the times he spent outside were probably due in part to his assassination missions. He never had the freedom to spend outside, much less to go on dates. That was such a foreign territory for him that even if someone had been hitting on him, he may not understand what they were doing.

He’d missed out on crucial socialization periods of his formative years, so he didn’t know how to act around people. He was slowly learning what was socially acceptable from observing others and occasionally asking Roberto about it.

That said, he knew about dating in theory, as some of his targets have been involved in relationships before, so he’d actively avoid them when his target was on a date as to not involve an innocent bystander with his job. IF they were to witness the assassination of his target, they were sure to be next on the list, and he didn’t want that.

Having good ears and eyes, he could hear her comment about not having a boyfriend or anything. He couldn’t respond while they were in the dark, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t table the comment in his mind for later. He’d done some research on her before and he knew for a fact that she wasn’t romantically involved with another individual. If her father was deemed a ‘threat’ for the Don he was forced to work for, Ravein may have been forced to take him out. It was important to research aspects of his targets such as their schedule, their weaknesses, etc. As luck would have it, her father was never made out to be a target, but Ravein had done some rudimentary research nonetheless as an occupational hazard.

Shaking his head, he motions to a direction more towards the right to signify that the park was actually in a different direction. He does remember Roberto trying to make something pumpkin before as he considered adding it to the menu, but he decided against it to not get caught up in fads.

[It’s okay. Sweet] [I know]

Maybe she wouldn’t know what he meant by the last one? He jots something down really quick to add context just in case.

[No boyfriend]

He leads them quietly to the park and once they get closer, he's sure that she would recognize the area so she can start pointing out where to go next from there.

[lured-into-wonderland]

This was a violation against his rights!

He who has served without failure, who has gone above and beyond, who has done everything that one could do, who has worked for so long to make the world as it was, he who shines the brightest, the strongest of the strong, a frog! This was a violation, that witch, she had no right to take one look at him, dismiss him, mock him, think that he was not good enough at all, and he had lashed out, killed her, he was sure he had shredded her to pieces, but she came back, mocked him more and then cursed him.

A frog in the mud then it was.

This would not be the end of him, this would not be how it ends, he will live, always, he always comes back, he always finds a way to overcome everything that is thrown at him and this will be no different than all the times before, as he sat there for a moment and sighed, this pond, he hated it, he hated this lilypad, he hated everything that there was here, he had no powers, none he was trapped and so he was going to have to try and escape, get out of this pond, this garden and try and find, someone, anyone at all that can help him!

“Oh, there you are!” – a pale hand with long, elegant digits grabbed his green body gently; lifting him up from the green leave of the water lily; he was almost invisible there - “I have almost not noticed you on that leave. You’re so green now.” – still holding him in a way that prevented him from jumping, or running away from her, she moved him closer to her face. Two bright blue eyes were looking at him with curiosity and some amusement. And some sympathy. Nunnally was not sure what she thought about this whole affair. Certainly, she wouldn't let him get hurt. But a part of her remembered all he did, all he did to her, and that part was rather glad about the current development. In a way, he was getting what he deserved. Not that she wanted him to always remain the frog. Oh no, she would miss him too much. His golden eyes, his silver hair, his gentle (but clumsy) hands.

Right, his hands were not always gentle, she reminded herself again taking some odd pleasure in how hopeless he looked on her palm.

“Naughty frog.” – she cooed – “Were you trying to escape from me?” – she wondered what was now going on in that cute green head of his.

“Hmmm…” – she hummed – “Don’t try to kick with that tiny legs of yours, it will not help you.” – she stood up carrying him gently towards the palace. She was truly enjoying herself.

“Oh, what a cute frog you are. I wish you could talk.” – she laughed – “Although probably I should not be wishing for that. Seeing you but not hearing you it’s not such a bad thing.”

As she was walking through the beautiful gardens, both of them were wandering across not so long ago, she hoped his punishment would not last too long. Though when he is back in his human form (and she never doubted he would) he’s be so difficult for some. She could almost hear his complaints about his rights being violated. She hummed again and restrained herself from mocking him. The most powerful man in the world being turned into a frog. Although Nunnally said nothing, she could not help herself but to let out a small laugh: --

“Are you hungry? I am sure we’ll find something you like. What do frogs eat?” – she was teasing him – “Flies? Or slugs? I am sure we’ll be able to find you something to your liking.” – she patted his little head – “But perhaps you’ll still prefer some human food?” – she asked not expecting any reply – “I would put to into my pocket so that you could enjoy this little trip more.” – she continued sighing – “But I know you. So, I won’t.”

She was sure he was furious. Fuming inside that green body of his. Good that frogs could not bite. When she finally reached her chambers, she sat down at the desk and put him gently in front of her.

“There’s no need to be so annoyed, Regulus. But I understand. It is hard to be green.”  

@fallesto

[alicent-vi-britannia]

The philosophies of the Zero Requiem

"I’ve seen it over and over. The people who struggle against sadness, those who seek the future. How they all carry on wishing for happiness. Human nature is why I chose Geass and to wear a mask."

Schneizel and Lelouch's conversation in episode 24 of R2 is one of the most important passages in Code Geass because it reflects the precious evolution of Lelouch, as well as expresses the ideals and meaning of the Zero Requiem: the power of the will, the nature human and the future.

Lelouch rejects both the Ragnarök Connection and The Damocles not only because imposing peace is an evil act by transgressing the will of humanity, but because Charles and Schneizel intended to impose an eternal peace and an eternal peace implies the stagnation of the world and, as Lelouch explains, a life without change is nothing more than an accumulation of experiences. C.C. is the best example of this.

The Zero Requiem precisely embraces that ideal of Lelouch and ensures the progress of humanity, in what way? To begin with, Lelouch realized that the world had fallen into a state where fighting each other was the immediate response to disputes. If you revisit the final episode and pay attention, you will notice that in the first half of the episode all the characters explain why they are fighting and, by extension, why there is still war in the world. As long as there is a reason to fight, people will inevitably clash. That's why Lelouch takes that reason away from them by becoming a greater evil than the one before him.

He manages to unite the nations of the world against a common enemy, demilitarizes them by allying under the flag of the UFN and immediately unleashes a war so fierce that it would wear down the entire world in every aspect. In this way, global politics would be reset and humanity would decide of its own will to change. That nuance is truly significant as it implies that the Zero Requiem doesn0t technically bring peace, rather, it establishes all the conditions for peace to be the best option. Therefore, peace in Zero Requiem is a choice of humanity (and not the will that someone else wants to impose).

Despite everything, there is a strong possibility that after the Zero Requiem was completed, the UFN disintegrated and all nations returned to fighting against each other. In fact, Lelouch is aware that the Zero Requiem itself is no guarantee of absolute peace and it is certain that another war will occur in the distant future. Hence Schneizel says that "the future may be worse than the present." However, just as there are people who will start war for their interests, there will be people who will defend peace and, even if Lelouch dies, the people who will stay behind him (Suzaku, Kallen, Nunnally, etc.), just as those who come after them will preserve the peace he helped bring, because, in Lelouch's words, "people will continue to seek happiness."

Something I had never noticed until I recently revisited episode 24 of R2 is that when Lelouch states: "I’ve seen it over and over. The people who struggle against sadness, those who seek the future. How they all carry on wishing for happiness. Human nature is why I chose Geass and to wear a mask" we have a quick succession of multiple flashbacks in which we see certain key moments and various characters. They all acted according to their will and sought happiness in their own way, even if it led them to an unfortunate destiny (as in the cases of Mao, Euphemia, Rolo and Shirley) or a happy destiny (as in the cases of Tianzi, Xingke and Milly). Each and every one of these characters taught Lelouch the value of the power of will and that it is in human nature to pursue happiness. I find it surprising since even minor characters like Mao and Kallen's mother shaped this ideology of Lelouch. But it makes sense if you carefully study the motivations behind the actions of these characters in their brief, although shocking, passage through the work. These characters in one way or another are connected to the main themes of this series: will and the future.

The Zero Requiem is based on Lelouch's philosophy that all people need a future and the future in Code Geass is translated as "purpose." However, the future takes on a special connotation, especially in this conversation with Schneizel, since it also means "hope." That is, hope that even if things are not good today, they can change for the better later. Zero himself is the perfect example. He embodies both Lelouch's purpose to make the world a better place and the hope that the world can be better one day. In the end, Zero establishes himself as a symbol of this hope and gives meaning to the fight. The murder of the Demon Emperor at the hands of Zero represents that "we must never stop fighting for a better tomorrow, even if the present is gloomy."

The message that Code Geass conveys is that "it is preferable to have a temporary peace than an eternal peace since it is a real peace, honoring human will and nature."

The world is condemned to fall into conflict again and again, but sooner or later it will find a way out as it will never stop changing. This is how humanity moves forward and that is Lelouch's wish. For all this, the Zero Requiem is a love letter to humanity.

PS: Well, this is another post about the Zero Requiem. It hasn't been long since I last talked about the famous Zero Requiem. You must be tired of this topic by now. I'm too. Much more than you, in fact. Writing these long analyzes exhausts me mentally, although it may not seem like it. Honestly, today I just wanted to talk to you about the flashbacks. Hence the image that heads this publication is a collage with most of the flashbacks that the conversation presents. But I didn't think you could understand how these characters contributed to Lelouch's narrative arc and how the learning he gained from them became the backbone of the Zero Requiem, if I didn't explain to you what the ideals of the Zero Requiem were.

Also, I wanted to redeem myself for a post I made months ago. There I tried to explain to you what the ideological confrontation was between Lelouch, Schneizel and Charles based on the color symbology of the final montage with the close-ups that they give us of these characters from the fifth opening (I will leave the link here, in case you would like to read it). At the time, I thought it turned out well. Nevertheless, now, looking back on it, I think I didn't explain Lelouch's part well and since I made some notes on the conversation between Lelouch and Schneizel when I revisited the episode, I decided to re-explain just focusing on Lelouch and this conversation (so if you noticed I recycled words and sentences from that post, that's why).

I may also talk again in the future about the similarities of Schneizel's and Charles's plans since I think that old post I mentioned wasn't clear either, although I'll do so in the distant future. I fear I'm repeating myself. I hate having things repeated to me and me repeating things to others, however, it is necessary on certain occasions. Don't worry.

I think I'll soon upload an old review I posted on my Facebook page comparing Lelouch, Suzaku, and Kallen to their Knightmares. I had fun writing it and I think it's a good analysis. Well, maybe I'm rushing. Lately I'm hating everything I've written in the past that once made me feel proud and satisfied. Maybe it will happen to me with this post I just made. It's nonsense. I'm too hard on myself. I know. But I can't help it and my rational side doesn't console me. Lelouch's tragic flaw may be pride, mine are procrastination, insecurity, overthinking and lack of will. I'm no good as an anime heroine. How sad! I have failed all anime protagonists who are armed with a strong will. Forgive me, Lelouch. I don't deserve you :'(

Well, enough of hating me for a few seconds. Thanks for your likes, guys. It makes me happy, even if it's just for a few moments.

[rolorules]

How Rolo Rolls Special 6: I Saved You Because You're a Liar!

Warning: Monstrously long text and a stupid screenshot ahead under the cut.

August 17 is a good day to revisit Turn 19, particularly Rolo's dying scene and Lelouch's and Rolo's final dialogues (the first one being more of a monologue since Lelouch is always cut short by Rolo stopping the time). I already wrote about it in the respective regular instalments of How Rolo Rolls, which can be found here and here. However, I would like to go a little more into detail and add a few thoughts, particularly on the issue whether Rolo really believed that Lelouch was lying when he told him he hated him and had repeatedly tried to kill him.

So let's rewind to the scene where the two of them break up (in a manner of speaking). Rolo and Jeremiah had to seize Lelouch's Knightmare Frame because he had completely lost it (Lelouch, not the Knightmare). They are back at the Ikaruga, and Rolo has to half-carry Lelouch to his quarters. Lelouch is devastated, but Rolo does a REALLY poor job at reading the room. He takes his brother's presumed loss WAY too lightly, and when Jeremiah calls, he talks FAR too casually with him, dismissing Nunnally's supposed demise as "not a big deal". Ah well, only Rolos rush in where angels fear to tread. Or something like that.

This complete lack of empathy practically asks for an angry outburst on Lelouch's part, and all his pent-up anger and resentment about Rolo taking Nunnally's place (in different ways) comes to the fore. Lelouch spits it in Rolo's face, aiming at maximum emotional devastation (even stylistically: "I hate you, I loathe you, I despise you." climactic enumeration), and he is extremely successful. Rolo may have suspected something, but his shocked face reveals that he did not expect THAT. This row is really ugly, but, as I wrote before probably a necessary step in their relationship.

Right now, they are both hurting. Take a look at the scenes at 10:37 and 10:42, how lonely and forlorn they both look. Rolo looks at the Locket, and it is safe to assume that he is reassessing his and Lelouch's relationship, first and foremost asking himself whether he should leave Lelouch and go away. Approaching him and trying to reconcile would have been difficult, but the need to save Lelouch facilitates things in a way.

The episode is called "Betrayal", it's a story of estrangement on various levels, between Lelouch and the Black Knights (who betray him) and between Lelouch and Rolo (who remains loyal). When they confront him, Lelouch chooses not to explain himself but to be defiant. He does this to protect Kallen, but maybe also out of false pride. Why does he tell the Black Knights that he had only used them (like Rolo) and that they were only pawns in his game? Yes, he did not reveal his true identity to them and he clearly had his own agenda, but it was not just a game for him, and his goals more or less aligned with those of the Black Knights. So this seems like false bravado to me.

Anyway, Rolo comes to the rescue, and off they go. Lelouch tries to convince Rolo that saving him is a bad idea, but his appeal is permanently interrupted by Rolo's time-stopping Geass. In total, it goes like this:

"Stop it, Rolo. You've done enough. - Rolo, I have no reason to live anymore. - Using your Geass over such a large area! Rolo, it's way too much. Your heart can't take so much strain. - That's enough, Rolo, I don't want to live anymore. - Don't do... this, Rolo. Why are you still trying... to save me? You know that I... I was only usi... using you. Rolo!!! - No, stop using your Geass like that. Do you want to die?"

All in all, this is a somewhat disturbing mix of Lelouch having lost his will to live and being worried about Rolo. (The last question is probably meant to be rhetorical, but is it really? Did Rolo intend this to be a suicide mission?)

In his reply (which Lelouch can't hear), Rolo tentatively acknowledges that Lelouch has been using him, but his rationale is that despite this fact, "only the time I spent with you was real." We all know that this is not the case, much if not most of it was fake, and Rolo knows that, too. What he means is that, for the first time, he felt alive, and these experiences helped him find his own humanity. This is probably why the English dub goes for "only the time I spent with you seemed real."

(As a quick aside, the scenes that appear before Rolo's inner eye when he talks about "those memories that finally made me human" are: the two brothers riding Rivalz' bike, peeling potatoes - with Lelouch touching Rolo's hand, Rolo keeping watch by Lelouch's bedside, and finally the closet scene during the Cupid Day hunt for Lelouch, the one thing I am a hundred per cent sure Lelouch was really grateful to Rolo for doing. So Rolo enjoyed that. Figures.)

When they have finally landed, Lelouch seems to have stopped wallowing in self-pity and asks Rolo in a really gentle voice: "Rolo, why did you save me? After all I've done to you." Rolo's reply is also well known: "Because you're a liar, Big Brother." Lelouch's reaction is a kind of gasp, he really has not seen that coming. In the Japanese dub, it sounds even more like an "Eh, eh?" in the sense of "I can't believe my ears." After all, the Black Knights just tried to execute him for being exactly that.

But Rolo continues to explain that he means that Lelouch was lying when he said that he hated him and tried to kill him - but still seeks confirmation from Lelouch - and Lelouch does confirm it. Whether he really means that or just tries to comfort Rolo has been a controversial issue ever since that episode aired (and I already threw in my tuppence on it), but there is one more detail that I previously overlooked: Rolo tells Lelouch that he knows everything about him (in the English version, Spike Spencer has to say a little more to be in sync with Rolo's lip movements and fills in "I know who you really are inside your heart", once again hitting the nail on the head. Kudos to the people who made the English dub).

Anyway, to this, Lelouch replies: That's right. (Eng. dub.) Yeah. You did. (Eng. sub) そうだよ。/Sou da yo. (Jap.) In other words, he agrees with him, probably not in the sense that Rolo can never be fooled by him, in fact, Lelouch has deceived Rolo many times, but in the sense that Rolo knows what the real Lelouch is like (like the English dub implied). The interesting thing here is that Rolo is already dead, and Lelouch has no more reason or motivation to lie. In other words: he might actually be truthful about it.

But what about Rolo? Did he really believe that Lelouch was lying? On one level, I think that Rolo believed that Lelouch meant what he said. His words may have been an exaggeration because he was agonising, but they were certainly fundamentally true, as for once, there was no reason for Lelouch to mince words or dissimulate. Rolo was able to accept the idea that Lelouch had been using him, so he was probably also able to accept his resentment (he'd had his doubts all along, after all, and maybe also a guilty conscience because of Shirley). Maybe he found it a bit harder to believe that Lelouch had tried to kill him repeatedly, as he had claimed, but that's not true anyway, at least to my knowledge. Lelouch made preparations once to blow up Rolo in the Vincent, but he did not carry out his plan. And that was that. (I'm taking this too lightly, too. Killing is just too common in this world.)

However, Rolo probably also assumed, even knew, that this was not the whole truth and that deep down, Lelouch liked and cared about him. And to all we know, he was not wrong. Should he have been more nuanced and talked things over with Lelouch? Not in this situation. He was running out of time, and his priority was to reconcile with his big brother before the end. He was able to do that, so this is fine.

I've had this lying around for ages. Finally the time has come to use it. It looks tragic and funny at the same time.

[marxism-lelouchism]

Can I ask something from Code Geass? What do you think are Lelouch and Suzaku’s greatest personality strengths and weaknesses? Why? What do you love about their dynamic? Sorry if you've answered these questions before.....

i'm delighted you asked! always love talking about these guys :) full response under the read more because i ended up writing an essay lol

i think what makes lelouch and suzaku such compelling characters to me are their contradictions and complexity. i resonated immediately and especially with lelouch's character so i'm obviously biased towards many of his traits but i like how his aloof, intellectual front masks someone who cares deeply, emotionally about the people he loves. he's thoughtful, kind, and has a strong sense of justice (or perhaps more accurately revenge), and yet he's also capable of cold, calculated cruelty. he does everything in the name of a better world for his sister but he never once asks nunnally if she wanted him to lie, deceive, and kill for her. he claims to be a "knight of justice" but his desire to destroy britannia is not rooted in anti-imperialist values but rather the personal injustices he, his sister, and his best friend experienced. (i do think he has some genuine principles, they're just not his primary motivation.) in a story about resisting imperialism and colonialism, he is a white ex-prince whose power is the ability to force people to bend to his will. in many ways, lelouch is still the 10 year old boy whose world was ripped from under him, first with his mother's assassination and his sister's disabling, then with the invasion of japan, and he never grew past that, desperate for a sense of control over his life. his greatest strength is his love for his friends and family, and his greatest weakness is that he forces that love, his own concept of love, onto them. that he recognizes he must die for his loved ones to see a better world—and that he will not see that world with them—speaks to the strength of his resolve and is an incredibly satisfying, and tragic, ending to his character arc.

suzaku, similarly, is a hypocrite. i never disliked his character (unlike many fans who hate him for all the wrong reasons), but it did take me a while to really warm up to him and appreciate his role in the story and as a foil to lelouch. as the son of japan's last prime minister who became a soldier in the force occupying his own country, suzaku's biggest weakness is his stubbornness in clinging onto liberal, reformist ideals of change. it's easy to dismiss this as naivety or ignorance (he is the 17 year old son of a politician, born into an upper class family after all), but i think it's much more interesting to think of suzaku's liberalism as a deeply repressed recognition of how destructive and irredeemable the system he's trying to "change from within" is. i think, deep down, he must know that being a cog in the machine means that the machine will tear him apart—and he wants that. he says he wants the fighting to stop, the war to end (and yes, i also do believe that is a genuine desire to a degree), but what he really wants is to die, a punishment for killing his father and thereby surrendering a whole country to exploitation and degradation. suzaku, too, has a good heart (in any other story he would be the protagonist!), but it's often buried by a tremendous amount of guilt and self-hatred. his character development especially in season 2 is really interesting to watch. he turns some of that hatred outward, onto zero, and in the process he grapples with the question of if he's really much different from that which he hates. whenever i want to be harsh to suzaku i remember he was just a boy when his country was destroyed overnight and that he spent seven, very lonely years growing up in the jaws of a system that certainly did not show him much mercy.

as for what i love about their dynamic...short answer is probably everything LOL. the long answer is that they are really excellent narrative foils to the extent that their relationship, its ups and downs, is the primarily driving force of code geass. i've already mentioned how their contradictions mirror each other and i personally love how their conflict draws out a deeper political question of reform vs revolution. but despite all their differences, they work really well together. they complement each other's strengths, cover for each other's weaknesses, "there's nothing lelouch and i can't do together". there is a deep amount of respect and implicit trust they have for each other. they have their own secret codes and signs! their relationship and its development feels very real, intense, and fleshed out to a degree i don't feel like many other fictional relationships achieve. they go through/put each other through a lot in those 50 episodes. the miscommunication, betrayals, backstabbing, selling out, deception, and yet also genuine friendship, understanding, and reconciliation. it works and feels very believable. they start on opposite sides at the beginning of the story and you can see how they slowly come to understand each other and eventually meet in the middle. taking over the britannian empire to destroy it from within is their final compromise. it's a harebrained (politically implausible in the real world) scheme that only worked because they worked together.

i love how they are the one person who truly understands the other, who has seen the good, bad, and downright reprehensible. there are so many sides to lelouch, and suzaku is the one character who has seen them all. lelouch who thinks of suzaku as "my first friend and worst enemy", and suzaku who thinks of lelouch as "my worst friend and first enemy". there are many reasons why their relationship should be unequal, marred by the obvious power differences between a white colonizer and japanese colonial subject (an imbalance they're quick to recognize in their first meeting when suzaku beats up the trespasser in his home), and yet in their personal relationship, they are equals. lelouch goes through great pains to respect suzaku's free will and avoid using his geass on him, and even when he does geass him, the order isn't to force suzaku to listen to him but instead to live. when they become emperor and knight, it's clear that their relationship isn't one of lord and servant but instead of co-conspirators. "emperor" and "knight" are just roles they're playing. suzaku kneels before lelouch not because he's the emperor's knight but to pay respect to lelouch's resolve. they play many roles throughout the story, classmates, civilian and pilot, terrorist and soldier, emperor and knight, but at the end of the day they are just lelouch and suzaku to each other. despite, or because of, everything they've been through, lelouch still leans on suzaku as he dies and suzaku still sheds tears for him.

[rolotouto]

"Jiman no Otouto" translated lines

(Some lines are missing from this video because they aren't included in the in-game voice gallery despite appearing when you have him at Home. I will collect and post them some other time)

When you get him from gacha: This is my own will! I will protect Brother. For that purpose, something like my life is…!

Home lines: The inside of the Ikaruga is too quiet… I have a bad feeling. Brother!

Sayoko was [caught/killed] by FLEIJA, Jeremiah is searching for Nunnally… I’m the only one who can be by Brother’s side… And yet…

Should I do something for Brother…? But even if I do that, won’t he dislike it…? (<-He's probably thinking this when he's alone, after Lelouch told him to leave) No… I want to protect Brother. Even if he hates me for it, I’m the one who knows that I want to!

I don’t want Brother to be in pain. I will protect Brother! This… is my will!

Lines that are unlocked together with Trust levels: Brother hates me. He merely used me to get Nunnally back… When Brother said I’m an imposter, he wasn’t lying. Yes… I can tell. When it comes to brother. Anything. (<-In case there was any doubt that he did lie to Lelouch when telling him he knew he was lying. He definitely knew Lelouch wasn’t lying… 😢) I was a tool. Just a being to be used by someone. But if someone like that (lit. “such me”) could turn human, it was thanks to Brother. During the time I spent with Brother, Brother truly looked at me. That time at least is real! At last, even the life of someone like me has found a meaning! … That’s right. For Brother, who was the first to treat me like a human, I will use this life! (<-No, Rolo, your evil brother HAD promised you a happy, normal life which was going to be better than having to kill yourself… But it doesn’t even occur to Rolo to lament or resent that he didn’t get that… like he never really was hopeful that he could deserve such a thing… 😭)

Battle lines: Because this is… my own will! I will protect Brother. If it’s for Brother’s sake… I’m going out. (<- into the battlefield) Not yet! If there’s anything I can do… … I don’t care about my life! (<-this line comes after the previous one, so he's not saying he doesn’t care about his life on its own.) Result S: Complete victory. Not as a tool, this is the result that I have obtained as a human! Result A: Will Brother be happy about this result…? Hehe, Brother would have done better, so he won’t be satisfied, right? My Brother is so incredible, as expected! Result B: Winning alone isn’t enough. I want to better live up to Brother’s expectations!

When his Trust levels go up:

TRUST 1->2) I’m sure the fact that Brother hated me is true. And the fact he thought of me as a tool, too…

TRUST 2->3) Even so, I like Brother. Because being by Brother’s side, I turned human for the first time.

TRUST 3->4) Even if Brother thinks I’m a fake little brother, the memories he gave me are real, so I want to protect him.

TRUST 4->5) Brother… to me is a sibling that I’m proud of and care about!

--- What do you think? I liked the other two previous Rolos' lines better in the sense that these are a bit... too similar to what he already says during the episode? I mean, "I became human" works once, but if he's going to say it 3 times or so, it would have been nice if he was more specific and recalled a moment when Lelouch was kind to him or a memory where he made a new observation. Lost Stories has previously referenced the Illust Dramas, so referencing Turn 19.02 would have worked too.

What I hope for is that now that Rolo has "redeemed himself", he can actually show up a bit more during extra events, and maybe receive another alt? Getting to know how he felt about Lelouch buying clothes for him was so cute and also showed us a side of him we hadn't seen before! I believe Lost Stories is much more successful than Genesic Re;Code and that the app still has years before it closes down, so sooner or later he should be included somewhere again. Euphy got at least one alt during an event which took place after she'd died in the story, so it's not like he can't be used anymore.

[tunichtgxt-archive]

@lured-into-wonderland•*⁀➷ sacred romantic moments | available

╰┈➤ ❝ [  “ i didn’t know where else to go. “ for Vic ]  ❞

victor had barely managed to come home after that big board meeting, drenched down to his socks. he was quick to take off his shirt and slip into some jogging pants when he heard the door bell ring. not bothering with putting anything on his upper body, he simply opened the door. victor expected for a package delivery to come his way, maybe for his old neighbour lady to tell him another one of her stories or even for that old couple to ask him to babysit their cat, but no. it was nunnally.

"come on in then." he was quick to invite her inside before strolling over to grab one of his button downs, simply throwing it on without buttoning it back up. gently nudging her into the kitchen, he prepared a mild mango tea for her before sitting down, head tilted curiously.

"i have a few clothes to change into, but they might be a bit too big on you." she certainly didn't seem to be as wet as him, but that didn't mean he would want for nunnally to get sick. but why was she here in the first place?

was he going to ask? no. victor thought, that if she wanted to tell him, she would. there was no need to ask. maybe her father did something to her or told her she'd never be independent. he could imagine a lot of things happening, things he would never hear for he was a man and she was not.

[animeyanderelover]

I’m going with platonic Yandere here since it makes me more comfortable.

Tw: Yandere themes, unhealthy mindset, unhealthy relationship, possessive behavior, obsession, manipulation, paranoia, manipulation, gaslighting, abduction

I’m still your family!

♟️He's always been doting on Nunnally and you during his childhood, before he lost his mother and started despising the empire. Lelouch is quite protective over his sister, no matter if she's younger or older than him. If you're older than him though, he's very clingy in a childish way. He's often found attached to your hip and is sort of embarrassed if you treat him like a naive kid. He often tells you that he'll protect you when he's older so that you can rest easy and don't have to worry about anything. He wants to grow strong so he can take care of both you and Nunnally. Whilst he is a bit embarrassed when you coddle over him, he secretly also enjoys it. If he's older than you, he treats you accordingly. If you have problems or worries, he insists that you always come to him and chides you when you do something stupid. As the older brother he believes himself to know better than you so he wants you to follow his advice and rely on him.

♟️ Lelouch is a very perceptive and intelligent child so he might sometimes sense that something is a bit odd though. You don't look very much like his parents and at times he sees how other nobles look at you or how they start whispering. He's still only a kid though, runs to his mother at one point and asks her why everyone is acting so strange around you. She gives him a smile and tries to ease his mind by distracting him, tells him that nothing is wrong. Lelouch has a feeling that it's a lie though, especially since the very short look of shock and surprise on her face didn't fly over his head. He tries to ask his father who isn't quite as gentle as his mother, telling him sternly that nothing is wrong before sending him away since he's busy and doesn't want Lelouch to question him further.

♟️ For a short time he might wonder if you're a child conceived by another woman instead of his own mother but he quickly throws that suspicion out of the window since you still look nothing like his father. That's when he suddenly has the idea that you might not be related to him at all and that thought suddenly worries him. It would make sense though considering how other nobles talk about you or look at you. Because if his suspicion really is true, they most likely don't think that you belong within the Imperial family. What if they would treat you rudely because of it? How would you feel if you would ever find out? Would you still want to be with Nunnally and him? He's scared even if he tries to tell himself that this isn't confirmed but the "what if" question latches onto his mind like a leech.

♟️ You find yourself surrounded by Lelouch the following days a lot after but you're happy since he's your beloved brother. Seeing you all happy and smiling when he's playing with you breaks his heart a bit. If you really aren't related, he can't let you find out. You think that this is your family and he just knows finding out that they might not be would shatter your heart and in the worst case you might avoid them and be kicked out of this family. He could never let that happen. Lelouch has to know the truth though so he tries to investigate as good as he can even if it's hard to do so since he's still only a child. When the fateful day arrives where his mother is killed and his father decides to banish him, he decides to give his son the last and final push. He admits to Lelouch that he's aware that his son has been trying to dig into your past and reveals to Lelouch the truth.

♟️ You were adopted, your real parents nobles who were close to his mother which is the reason why she decided to adopt you. Other nobles were aware of that and not happy that someone who isn't even related to the king was taken in by the Imperial family and received immense power thanks to it. It was forbidden to talk about it though. Hearing that you two truly aren't siblings breaks Lelouch's heart, especially since you genuinely think of Nunnally and him as your siblings. He's distraught but the final blow is given when Charles announces that if his dear fake sister is so important to him, he'll banish her together with Nunnally and him. He shall not reveal your true identity to you yet though, a last mercy for his son. It's that moment that makes Lelouch hate his father truly.

♟️ Lelouch keeps this truth a secret from both Nunnally and you as he just can't bring himself to tell you nor her the truth. He thinks it's better that way, if both of his precious sisters never find out. Lelouch tries to act normal so none of his siblings notices but sometimes it just slips through. Especially if someone points out that you don't really look anything like Nunnally and Lelouch. He's filled with indignation as soon as he hears someone even joking about it, turns more intimidating and demands an apology. After that he reassures you that you shouldn't listen to such people. After all you three are the only family you all have left now. He's constantly a bit on edge though when Japan is conquered by Britannia. He is scared that you three might be found and that you'll find out the truth then.

♟️ He goes all platonic Yandere when he receives the Geass from C.C. He grows over both of his sisters very obsessive and protective, set on his goal to create a world where both of them can be happy and where you will never be confronted with the truth. Everyone will treat you like you're truly of royal blood. Lelouch follows a path of violence and destruction which slowly starts gnawing away his sanity. He knows that he can't stop what he has started though and seeing you spending time together with Nunnally and both of you laughing despite everything you two went through, he regains his bitter motivation. With him being Zero though, he also grows more paranoid for your safety. It goes without saying that both of you are never aware of the atrocities Lelouch commits and the lives he sacrifices. He could never let you find out, terrified that both of you would end up being scared of him and not seeing him as your brother anymore.

♟️ With the increased encounters and involvements of the Imperial Family he dreads that by any chance they might encounter you and tell you the truth. He found out during his first ambush on Clovis that by now all the other members of the family have found out the truth about you so he can't let you meet you under all means necessary. Whilst he has a feeling that Euphemia would be gentle and not confront you with the truth since she knows how precious your family is to you, he's not so sure when it comes to other princes and princesses. He has lost almost complete faith in the royal family, except as already mentioned Euphie. He doesn't even view most of them as his real family anyways, the only family he wants and needs, the only family you need, has been with him for the last few years.

♟️ He considers using his Geass on you but for now he has no reason to do so. You're still unaware and knowing that he can only use Geass once on a person makes him more careful. He has to think this all through. Lelouch wants you to spend all your time with Nunnally when he has to leave, sometimes calls you and begs you to stay inside when there is a battle going on. The moment you end up finding out or even suspecting, it's over though. At first he tries to tell you that this is a lie and that you shouldn't fall for it but when he sees the tears stinging your eyes and the pain in your gaze as you ask him if he knew about this, his mask cracks. His composure falters as he starts raising his tone, telling you that he's always seen you as his beloved sister, that all he ever wanted was to protect you and that he's your family as much as Nunnally is. You love both of them after all too.

♟️ Then suddenly he stops as he regains a semblence of sanity and looks at you calmly. He walks over to you and takes you in his arms, apologizes softly for shouting at you. You're terrified but are even more sad and betrayed that he never told you. Then he looks at you, his Geass activated, and tells you to forget everything you've just found out. He'll always be your brother, Nunnally will always be your sister and you will always love them as your family. Then your mind suddenly becomes all fuzzy and hazed as all your memories suddenly disappear. When you snap out of it, you feel a bit dizzy but luckily your brother is there to secure you. Your brother, Lelouch. You ask him confused what you're doing here, unable to recall why you even went here in the first place or what happened. He just gives you a small smile and tells you that you haven't felt well and went to him. You truly don't feel good in that moment but your brother takes you home, advices you to rest a bit.

♟️ C.C praises him sarcastically for his lack of remorse for keeping the truth from you, something Lelouch counters with his own beliefs. You were suffering when you confronted him about the secret, finding out the truth would have only made you unhappy and depressed. Isn't it better to remain oblivious and instead have a happy life surrounded by the people who love you and who you love instead of feeling lonely and betrayed when finding out the truth? When the green-haired woman counters that Lelouch is just scared that you'd leave him and never see him in the same light again if you were to know that your real parents died and that you were adopted, Lelouch gives her a short glare. She's wrong, this is for the best. This is to keep his family save.

[theyareweird]

Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2, Suzaku Kururugi's Imperial Knight —Aesthetic

Suzaku Kururugi's Character & Personality

Through out the warfare, Suzaku's ironic justice and naive decisions caused him to loose his dear ones. Upon which, he sullied his hands with the blood of thousands. Due to this, Suzaku decided to fulfill his own destiny, The Ultimate Destruto. The experience in the thought elevator expanded his perspective and he decides to ally himself with his fondly known equal: Lelouch. Suzaku understands the cycle of hatred must be broken for a peaceful future. Though it can only be done by Zero, no one would accept Lelouch as Zero because of the Geass. Thus, Suzaku devises the Zero Requiem with him. With a strong willpower, he's viciously dedicated to the plan's completion. Suzaku then takes the responsibility of being 'Lelouch's Sword' to conquer his enemies and weakness. He fakes his death in battle, reappears under the guise of Zero and stabs Lelouch. Lelouch thinks of the Geass as a gift, which allows one to do something the other can't. He then touches Zero's mask to offer Suzaku the Geass and tells him Suzaku Kururugi is no more. Now, only Zero exists, who should strive for peace and justice to bring about a brighter future. Suzaku accepts the Geass as he killed his best friend. Later, he's protecting Nunnally while wearing the guise of Zero. Suzaku had accepted the fate of Zero and would never lead a normal life as himself. As a result, despite his frequent changes when facing grief, guilt and self-loathing; he's a dedicated and loyal man who wanted peace.

[yoyoyo-idk]

lelouch feels like someone who wanted to be emotionless as a kid and would get So Angry at himself when he'd feel something. like no i am supposed to control my feelings and expressions why did i laugh at nunnally's joke.

[gutsberserkson]

What I Believe Is The Answer To Solving The Problems Of Code Geass. Spoiler Warning!

Let me first clarify that I'm not talking about personal issues that fans have with Code Geass, like the Black Knights betraying Lelouch. Those are not the problems I'm referring to. I'm referring to the problems of the world in which Code Geass takes place.

What is the answer to how broken characters like Lelouch and Suzaku are? What is the answer to healing a world constantly at war (not helped because of Britannia and its rule of Social Darwinism)? I think the answer is simple, yet so hard to truly understand.

Cheesy and corny as you might think, the answer is this: Love.

By which I mean truly unconditional love. And which characters represent this kind of love so perfectly? Those characters are Shirley Fenette and Euphemia li Britannia. Both of these girls demonstrate how incredibly loving and compassionate they are.

It is Euphemia who encourages Suzaku to keep living, because she loves him (and after her declaration, he is able to come to terms with his feelings for her and realizes he loves her too). It is Euphemia who wishes to bring Lelouch and Nunnally back together in her life with her well-intentioned Special Administrative Zone plan, which would also give Suzaku and Japan their rights back. And she's willing to give up her status as princess to do so, since she wants to be equals with Suzaku. She even manages to convince Lelouch to stand down and go along with her plan, and Lelouch admits that Euphemia is his most formidable enemy. Not Clovis, not Cornelia, not Schneizel, not V.V., not even Emperor Charles zi Britannia and Empress Marianne vi Britannia. No, this honor goes to Euphemia.

As for Shirley, it is she who comes to terms with Lelouch's secret life as Zero. It is Shirley who encourages Suzaku to forgive Lelouch for his misdeeds, just as she has forgiven him for accidentally killing her father and seeing how lonely Lelouch is. She is also lonely, as she's the only student at Ashford Academy who, thanks to Jeremiah Gottwald's Geass Canceler, has an idea of the truth going on, and immediately takes action when she knows something isn't right. The fact that, at that point in time, Nunnally is suddenly the Viceroy of Japan when she knows that simply can't be right allows her to empathize with how lonely Lelouch is in a world full of lies, and why she declares that she wants to be someone he can be honest with. This love she demonstrates shows that, if she had lived, the Zero Requiem would have been unnecessary.

And it is because of Euphemia's death that Suzaku spirals further and further into madness, not helped by the fact that Lelouch is Zero, and the fact that Lelouch is leading a rebellion against Britannia much like how his own father, Genbu, wanted to fight Britannia even when there was no hope of victory. Many of his actions against Lelouch are both to uphold his view that Britannia can be changed from within, like Euphemia was about to do had she not been accidentally subjected to Lelouch's Geass at the exact worst possible moment with the worst possible command. It is also out of spite, as he believes Lelouch is compromising any hope of peace between Japan and Britannia out of spite. Not helped by how Lelouch callously blames the deaths of the SAZ on Euphemia to rally the Black Knights in further rebellion, and by how he lies to Suzaku's face about how "horrible" Euphemia is. This foreshadows how the Zero Requiem will happen at the end, as Lelouch constantly makes himself the worst possible person for people to hate him, because, like Suzaku, he is full of self-hatred, especially after killing Euphemia to stop the massacre he unwittingly started.

As for Shirley, had she lived, there was hope for Lelouch and Suzaku to at the very least manage a bittersweet ending to their lives while keeping world peace, like they do in completing the Zero Requiem. When she dies, Lelouch loses any hope of a happy ending, and his life from Ashford Academy is permanently closed off, and his friendship with Suzaku is further strained. Her death starts a domino effect of pain and suffering for Lelouch and Suzaku, which (literally) explodes with the F.L.E.I.J.A. nuke, directly caused by Suzaku's "Live!" Geass, and indirectly caused by Lelouch placing that Geass on Suzaku in the first place.

When they both think Nunnally is caught in the explosion, only then does their relationship finally start to heal, as they come together to bring down both Emperor Charles and Schneizel to bring about the peace they want for Nunnally and the world. But any hope for Lelouch and Suzaku to have a happy ending for themselves is gone, because the girls who loved them unconditionally, Shirley and Euphemia, are gone. In completing the Zero Requiem, Euphemia's "sins" are taken away by Lelouch as he makes himself the Demon Emperor, and Suzaku runs him through as Zero. Lelouch's punishment is to die as the most hated man in human history, and Suzaku's punishment is to live while desperately craving death. Their acceptance of their fates as penance for their sins, and their sincere desires for mankind to move into the future with happiness, is made possible only by the love that Shirley and Euphemia freely give to them. That love is then passed on to Lelouch and Suzaku, who, in completing the Zero Requiem, share that boundless love for mankind to finally be free from war and move into the future with (hopefully) unending peace.

[lured-into-wonderland]

A WONDERFUL DAY, TRULY.

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and everything was perfect in such a place. It was a new world, free from the constraints of the old. The witch had brought those who desired a fresh start away from the chaos and madness of a world that was crumbling. It was only a matter of time before it shattered into endless shards that could not be repaired, no matter how hard one tried. The only issue with such a move was that it was to a better world that had not yet been touched.

A witches duty to nature and the people.

"To protect, not destroy; to aid, not harm." It's truly odd that one sinful being of greed did not understand this. He was confined to a small dwelling within the forest, and starting a new life was not an easy feat, hardly. The urges, needs, wants, and wishes - a new cult was calling, a world not graced with sin. So many hearts, so many in need of being harmed and then turned into loyal and devoted followers.

Yet that was not the witches intentions.

An argument erupted, filled with insults and accusations. The man asserted his power and warned of the dangers that could befall anyone who defied him. The woman, a witch, expressed her concern about her partner upsetting the balance and causing harm. She felt that he behaved irresponsibly and could not allow him to harm anyone or venture into nearby villages. In order to protect others, she cast a curse to limit him, preventing him from causing harm in any form.

In the morning, she could hear it: the routine was as perfect as ever. He would be in the gardens of the endless forest, trying to figure out a way through to people. It was always the same - he would go through and come back defeated. This time, when the wife went into the kitchen, it wasn't the white-haired partner she was linked to, but something else entirely. There stood a white-furred jackass, a donkey, at the kitchen table eating breakfast, fully unaware of what had happened to it and how much it had been cursed to learn a lesson.

She knew Regulus didn’t like his prison. She knew that every morning he was trying to leave their (new) home. Always unsuccessful. Always defeated. And although her heart was sad for him, and although her heart urged her to help him, Nunnally didn’t believe the right time had come. She resisted her heart. Though it was PAINFUL. And it wouldn’t be too difficult to help him. To break the spell that restricted him. No matter how odd it may have appeared, it was her husband who was restricted. Not her. Whatever little powers she possessed (or whatever that was, indeed, as Nunnally refused to accept she was something else than a mere human), it allowed her to see through things. It allowed her to leave (and guide him out of) his prison.

 Was is because there was a part of a witch in her? Or was it something else?

Love for him? She loved him. She truly did. Her LOVE was UNCONDITIONAL, and yet it wasn’t blind. She was aware (at least partially) what kind of man her husband was. And yet she didn’t care. And yet she wasn’t to follow him blindly. Nunnally had her own little agenda. Her own desires and wishes. And she considered a witch A FRIEND.

A friend, though Regulus should be protected from the witch. And the witch should be protected from Regulus. She wanted both of them. But as far away from each other as she could separate them. Though sometimes she couldn't.

Humming, she welcomed another morning. Nunnally was sure, she would find the other side of the bed empty. Regulus was probably out there seeking a way out, while he could not realize that it was not anywhere there, but here so close to him. She was his way out. How foolish of him not to notice!?

When she was ready, she looked at herself in the mirror. She liked what she saw there. She liked their life here. He cared for much less things than Regulus would assume. Did the witch of greed understand her better?

“Nunnally  you are beautiful. Charming and smart. And you’ll get all you deserve.” – she hummed coming downstairs to the kitchen. Not that she was hungry. Quite opposite actually, but she was almost sure she’d find Regulus there. It was their ritual. He would be complaining about his failure, or pretending it had never happened, or do yet another thing. It didn’t matter. There was there to support him. To love him. To spoil him. To listen to his endless words. To caress his hair. She was there for him until he was to notice the obvious.

But when she entered the kitchen, the hum stopped as Regulus was NOT there. Instead, she saw a donkey eating breakfast prepared for Regulus and her!?

“Tsk…” – the annoyance was visible on her pretty face – “What are you doing here, little donkey? My husband will not be happy to find you here…” – not that she was worried about the animal’s well-being nor the ruckus Regulus might be causing seeing the donkey finishing their breakfast. Such an encounter could actually be rather funny to watch. Though probably not for the animal with the white fur.

“Come on…!” – she hurried the donkey gently – “You need to move…”

But there was something weird about this donkey. Something…

“Regulus…is that…you!?” - what has he done again to annoy the witch?

@fallesto

[yurisorcerer]

pbptptpbptptptpbpbpbptptptptptpppppbpbpbhph.

Okay.

So! Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection, huh? Took me five years to get to it. I do not know what I expected. This was not nearly as bad as I feared but also not as good as I hoped. I guess I'd say it's good as a movie for huge Code Geass fans, but it also kind of walks back some of the core ideas of Code Geass as a series, so Hm.

Like, ok, let's just start with the premise. The very idea of Lelouch coming back to life after the end of the series (or rather the alternate continuity to the series as presented by the Lelouch of the Rebellion compilation movies), is already a bit wonky. If Code Geass works on any level *thematically,* it's because Lelouch, as the 99th Emperor Britannia, dies. He dies not because it's necessarily the right thing to happen to him *morally,* but because he knows he has so much blood on his hands that he can't live with himself. It's suicide-by-Suzaku. That's how the original series ends.

Here, of course, he is just back. In of itself, that would be fine, but everyone is SO accepting of it SO quickly. There's a couple quick scenes of Kallen crying over him and Suzaku beating the ever-loving shit out of him (he deserves worse honestly), but for the most part everyone is completely happy to start taking orders from History's Greatest Monster again. With some of these people, like Cornelia and even his own sister Nunally, this kind of strains credulity. Especially with how the latter goes out of her way to exonerate Lelouch of any wrongdoing and blames herself for not truly understanding her brother's motives. I'm sorry, like, I've seen the show. That's just kind of bullshit. Lelouch's motives were *extremely* selfish and the fact that he never told Nunnally what he was up to was kind of the whole point, he didn't respect her as an equal, and just thought of her as someone he needed to protect. Due to, you know, pick one; misogyny, a generally privileged upbringing that may have rubbed some concept of noblesse oblige into him, ableism, the fact that he's a smug bastard who assumes he knows better than everyone, etc.

The unfortunate thing about the movie, though, is that Lelouch Lamperouge is cool as shit and it's really fun to watch him do anything.

Where it gets brought back, at least for me, in spite of all these flaws, is that I do just pop when Lelouch is on-screen Doing His Thing. C.C. has a fantastic little exchange with him when he gets discouraged late in the film where she talks about how she wants to see the arrogant, unwavering Lelouch. That's a good moment and it's pretty in keeping with their relationship, but it's also a sly nod toward the fourth wall I'm pretty sure. Unfortunately, to some extent, I will just watch this fucking bastard with his fucking hair and his fucking cloak and mask and his fucking violet shoujo manga-ass eyes and his fucking fruity little hand gestures whenever he talks, play everyone like a fiddle yet again while making grand pronouncements and saying "checkmate" unironically when he's got someone cornered even though no one has ever played a game of chess on-screen in Code Geass that made a lick of sense.

There are certain characters that just have such unreal amounts of charisma that watching them do basically anything is fun. (The voice acting in this thing is magnificent, of course, and helps sell that. I'd listen to Fukuyama Jun read a phone book.) Lelouch is one of those. If I'm any Code Geass character in spirit, it's Tamaki. Any time Lelouch puts on the Zero mask I scream and point at the screen and go "that's my man right there!!" like we're close personal friends or something. It's a disease, and I have to live with it. God forbid I ever get super into UC Gundam, I don't know WHAT I'd do if I ended up being like this about Char.

Everyone else returning from Code Geass proper has at least one really good moment, too. Kallen, Suzaku, and C.C. predictably get the best of them and the new characters that are introduced as their antagonists are, at least, very strong. The way the middle east is portrayed in this movie is WILD problematic, but a side effect of how Code Geass tends to write its antagonists is that at the very least the antagonist characters here have actual, like, human motives, and Lelouch's opposite number Shamna is a worthy foe; he does of course beat her but it's really down to the wire. Lot of good mecha fights in here, too, with Kallen and Suzaku both getting a lot of good screentime doing what they do best. There's more CGI than I'd like (CGI can work very well in a mecha anime IF the mecha are designed for it, but Code Geass' largely were not and you can tell), but not enough that it saps the movie of its dynamism, so, full marks there.

And then there's the ending of the movie which, hmmm. Basically, indirectly, the film makes C.C. x Lelouch canon, and in the postscript they seem to have formed a Geass Master power couple (complete with a very sharp gothic lolita look for C.C. that is absolutely fabulous. Lelouch's new outfit in that sequence is pretty snazzy too). I know Suzululu was always the more popular pairing (at least I've always gotten that impression), but I think this actually mostly makes sense, and I think they look good together. OTOH, Lelouch---sorry, he's going by L.L. now---seems like the sort of person who has a lot of different people in his life without necessarily being *totally* bound to any one of them. Maybe that's my own polyamory coloring the text, but it didn't feel exclusionary to me.

Anyway, yeah. Kind of betrays the spirit of the original a little bit but as far as being essentially a fun fanservice movie it was pretty good. They're making more, I'll probably watch those, too, especially if Lelouch continues to be cunty in them.

[fightingthetides]

“Uh, where’s MY kiss?”: Nunnally jokingly at Ravein

[Original] ||Accepting|| @lured-into-wonderland (One day i'll learn the skill to just actually reblog memes on respective blogs instead of just going you see a meme on another of my blogs you like? Send it wherever)

...

Blink blink

The guy was rather flabbergasted. He was petting a neighborhood cat that he'd gotten acquainted with recently. It wasn't a stray, so it wasn't like he could take it in. Her name was 'Mozzarella' according to her collar, and on the note attached to her collar, it said that she loved to roam the neighborhood so she wasn't lost.

She'll find her way back home when she wants to. She's on a restricted diet due to allergies, so please don't give her treats. However, she does enjoy kisses.

As such, Ravein always made it a point to give Mozzarella some kisses whenever he came across her. What kind of monster would he be to deprive such a lovely cat of deserved kisses? She always flops over at his feet, so he could only assume he formed a rapport with the feline. He was cuddling the cat, giving her a little kiss on the forehead when Nunnally said something.

Though she said it jokingly, he wasn't entirely sure if she was joking in earnest or not.

Gently putting Mozzarella down, he walks over to Nunnally and places a kiss on her cheek.

[rolotouto]

Lost Stories 2024 New Year's Event

I got 2024 New Year's Lelouch because, after watching the event, I suspected he might mention Rolo in his lines, and he does indeed! Lelouch: Tomorrow, Nunnally, Rolo, and I are planning to spend time together as siblings, just the three of us. It feels like a dream to be able to spend time peacefully like this... As you might guess, the story of the New Year's event (not voiced, so I'll post screenshots from here on) is in fact a dream that Mario/Maya has, where, among other things, Nunnally and Rolo are both siblings to Lelouch. Although Mario/Maya's brain didn't fix Rolo's antagonistic attitude towards him/her...

Rolo (to Mario): You are inconveniencing others by standing in the middle of the path like this. How about being a little more considerate?

Nunnally: Oh, Rolo, come on, speaking like that again... I always tell you you shouldn't do that.

Rolo: But Nunnally, this guy is the one who... Like in every other instance where Rolo and Nunnally have interacted, they address each other without suffixes, so they seem to treat each other as equals rather than one of them clearly being the older sibling. Also, Rolo referred to Mario as "koitsu", which is openly disrespectful, especially since Mario is older... The reason Mario is standing there dumbfounded is that he still hasn't realized that he's dreaming. He is confused after seeing Britannians and the Black Knights working together, and also when he meets Rolo and Nunnally with one another:

Lelouch: Mm? They are my little sister and my little brother. Isn't it obvious for them to be together? Mario: Your little sister and little brother... I guess there's nothing wrong, right... Why did I think it was strange...? Sorry for saying something weird all of a sudden...

Nunnally: Fufu, you're an odd one, Mario-san. (TN: Uses my username rather than Mario)

Rolo: He was already odd before... Lelouch: Hahaha, you're being called out, Mario. Mario: Ahaha... You got me. Then Mario wants to understand what's going on with some new event at Ashford, but the bell indicates that they need to go to class.

Lelouch (to Mario): I'll explain later. Rolo, take Nunnally to the classroom.

Rolo: Yeah, got it, Brother. Let's go, Nunnally.

Nunnally: Yes, please, Rolo. Brother, Mario-san, see you later.

Lelouch: Yeah. See you later, you two. After this scene, the characters teach Mario about the event. It seems that there's going to be a competition to decide the future of Ashford Academy. And there are three teams, each with different members and intentions for the kind of school life Ashford Academy should promote: ・Suzaku's WHITE team (Suzaku, Nunnally, Savitri, Anya, Schnee): "Disciplined school life with a focus on morals" ・Kallen's CRIMSOM team (Kallen, Rivalz, Benio, Gino, Shirley): "Energetic school life with a focus on passion" ・Lelouch's BLACK team (Lelouch, Rolo, Ledo, Milly, Nina,): "A free school life with a focus on individuality"

They will play different games, and Mario will join a different team each round. The first round is a karuta game where you need to guess a country after hearing a hint. At first, it seems like Nunnally's team will win (but Kallen's, the team Mario is part of this round, does):

Rolo: They are strong, huh? Nunnally and the others.

Lelouch: As expected of my little sister. To think that she would remember all the kaminoku... (TN: A karuta term) The next game is hagoita doubles, which is more or less similar to badminton, and where Suzaku's physical strength makes his team win (Mario was also part of the winning team this time). Rolo has to make his snarky comment against Suzaku too:

Ledo: One more point and it will be match point. What could we do?

Rolo: There's no point in asking. Nothing can be done against that monster. So they apologize to Lelouch for losing, but he understands the situation:

Ledo: My apologies. We couldn't win against Lord Kururugi after all.

Rolo: Sorry, brother.

Lelouch: It can't be helped. Kallen is about the only one who could compete head to head against Suzaku. The next game is about flying kites, and Lelouch asks Mario, who is on his team now, to control the kite.

Lelouch: So I leave the 3rd event, High Altitude Kite Battle, to you.

Mario: But I'm lost… What even is that? The "High Altitude Something"…

Rolo: It's the High Altitude Kite Battle. You don't even know something like that?

Mario: I don't think you'd usually know, though... Milly and Ledo explain that the objective is to cut the opponent's kite string.

Mario: Ah, so it's fighting kites. (TN: "Kenkadako," which is an existing word, unlike the fancy term Lelouch used)

Rolo: No. It's High Altitude Kite Battle.

Mario: Why is Rolo so fixated on such a strange thing... A-anyway, in a nutshell, I have to win at the fighting kites, right? I think Rolo is being pedantic about the term just to go against Mario or maybe to defend the term Lelouch used. Maybe he's jealous because Lelouch entrusted the game to Mario? The dialogues don't point the reason out explicitly, though! By the way, it's mentioned that Milly drew the design of the kite, which is Zero's mask, and Rolo says "I also helped paint it".

Well, since Mario wins, there's yet another tiebreaker round which involves KMFs and where everyone ends up having to work together, until Mario wakes up from the dream. I don't think the rest of Rolo's lines are all that interesting, so I'll stop the translation here. You can probably find videos of the whole event if you search for its name: 三色志開幕！~新しい朝に願いを新たに~

As I mentioned last time, Turns 12&13 should arrive in a couple weeks, and I assume that, afterwards, together with Turns 14&15, it will be the moment to release a new Rolo alt with his plugsuit version (other characters have their plugsuit version as separate units too). Hope my sakuradite is enough for then...

[kinglyisms]

♚ — @lured-into-wonderland ;; Eric & Nunnally. ❛  why me?  ❜ 𝑻𝑾𝑶 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑫 𝑺𝑬𝑵𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑪𝑬 𝑺𝑻𝑨𝑹𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺.

   Eric has no idea why she keeps coming back when it was clear that she was confused and more than likely didn’t want to be here. But she does, she comes back every so often with her questions and her confusion. Sometimes she hangs out in the office with Eric, other times she’s downstairs in the kitchen with Zero, helping him out. Zero likes her a lot, but he tends to like everyone. Surely it doesn’t mean anything that Zero enjoys her company so much. 

   Adriel had never met Eric’s wife, and he can’t read Nunnally’s soul without her permission. So he tells him that she could be distantly related to her, a reincarnation or something else entirely. That’s all he has to offer Eric and none of it is comforting. He wishes that the Angel could have just read her soul and given him a straight answer, something to settle the thoughts running through his head. 

   Today she had spent some time in the kitchen, Zero and her making cookies and other baked sweets. Artemis was eagerly carrying an entire tray of lemon bars to his room apparently, and if it keeps his father from causing problems he really doesn’t care. They brought some of the cookies up here with tea and he isn’t much of a sweets person, but he’ll probably eat a couple just to make them happy. He glances over toward Nunnally as she prepares her own tea and then the silence that always settles over them does once again. 

   Eric leaves it at that too, silent and tense as he sips his own tea, a book open in his lap. He turned a page in the book with his thumb when he finally heard her ask that question. There’s a hundred and more different ways to answer that question. He is certainly colder toward her than anyone else, but not impolite or straight out rude. He doesn’t kick her out because it’s clear he wants her here, but he doesn’t want her here at the same time. 

   He doesn’t know how to answer it though.

   Words don’t quite explain the thoughts that run through his head over it. So he closes the book and sets it down on the table beside him with the teacup. He stood from the chair and reached behind his neck, unclasping the chain hidden beneath the collar of his white button down shirt. The well taken care of, very old locket, is held by the chain and dropped into her open palm. 

   He doesn’t meet her gaze as he turns to leave the room. “Figure it out yourself.”