Payback (dialogue dump)

Villetta: So why is it that you wanted to see me, Zero?

Suzaku, as Zero: I was thinking about something. People have always chased after happiness. Sometimes, at the expense of other people.

Villetta: Are you talking about Lelouch, the Demon Emperor?

Suzaku, as Zero: It's ironic that you mention that very name, considering that YOU used him as a stepping stone towards nobility and then committed falsehood against him during the meeting between Schneizel and the Black Knights, under the pretense of helping Ohgi. You have been against him every step of the way for your own reasons, while it was he who fought for the very freedoms people now enjoy.

Villetta: The Black Knights were nothing but pawns to him. All he wanted was world domination.

Suzaku, as Zero: You still don't get it, do you? How someone else could be using his identity, or what he really wanted?

Villetta: Su-, Su-zaku! You're alive! And now you're Zero! But I thought you were Lelouch's knight!

Suzaku: I was. His plan was to unite the world against him, so that they would work towards peace after his death.

Villetta: But... that means...

Suzaku: He gave up his life for everyone else, including his enemies.

Villetta: He also killed thousands of people in the process.

Suzaku: I know that. He had the strong desire to die since he thought Nunnally had died, and the Black Knights had just turned on him.

Villetta (sensing anger in Suzaku's eyes): I take it that you are holding this against me?

Suzaku: Hmph. You should know that already. (to Ohgi, who is silently listening in the background) Isn't that right, Ohgi?

Ohgi: * gasps *

Suzaku: Anyways, I listened to some recordings of that very meeting, and realized that Schneizel had been using half-truths to implicate Lelouch, including a recording from a meeting between the two of us over at the Kururugi Shrine. He only played the part where Lelouch admits that he deliberately gave Euphemia the geass order to kill the Japanese.

Ohgi: So, that proves he used us all as pawns, only to abandon us when he sees fit. Besides, shouldn't you hate him for doing all of this to Euphemia?

Suzaku: What was left out of the recording was that Lelouch was lying. In reality, he had lost control of his geass the moment he made an off-hand suggestion of what he could order Euphie to do, and she would have to do it. It was an idiotic thing to do, but it was also one that Lelouch never lived down.

Ohgi: So why did he lie about it all along?

Suzaku: People lie because they are chasing after something. At our private meeting, he begged me to protect Nunnally from being used by his father against him. He never believed in excuses. And how did I return the favor after Schneizel interfered with the meeting? Going into battle once again, and almost killing Nunnally when I fired off FLEIJA.

Ohgi: Which is all on you.

Suzaku: I know, and I'll have to live with it for the rest of my life. The difference between you and I, Kaname Ohgi, is that I've recognized and accepted atonement for my sins and ignorance, while you get by, completely oblivious and scot-free. I can't let that be.

Ohgi: What are you talking about?

Suzaku: You know, it's ironic that you called out Lelouch for using everyone as pawns, and abandoning them. Well, you're no better yourself.

Ohgi: What did you just say?

Villetta (rushing towards Suzaku): Why, you-

Suzaku (pulls out a gun on Villetta): I wouldn't make another move if I were you. I could kill both of you where you stand.

Ohgi: Chigusa!

Suzaku: Heh, sometimes it really is true, that the woman led the man astray. (Villetta seethes) You let your guard down in front of Villetta, who shot you during the Black Rebellion, causing Ashford Academy to fall out of the control of your comrades.

Ohgi: I was disposable to Lelouch!

Suzaku: How do you know that? He was making a practical decision to have someone substitute for you, which again, was because of your own negligence. His own flesh and blood sister who he had sworn to protect, Nunnally, had been kidnapped because of that, and that is why he abandoned the Black Rebellion. He never returned because I captured him and turned him to the Emperor, who gave him false memories. Your woman, by the way, had been watching over him for the year as the head of a surveillance to make sure his memories had not returned, and to have him killed if he did, to keep him from returning as Zero. He had to fake amnesia until he found out about your little tryst.

Ohgi: Is this true, Chigusa?

Villetta: Yes.

Suzaku (to Ohgi): Just think, you might have been executed because of her. More to the point, you secretly abandoned your post at the Black Knights to see her in China, knowing full well that she still wanted you dead. How the Black Knights accepted her and trusted her over Lelouch is beyond me. (to Villetta) Speaking of which, Villetta, I have reason to believe that you were not being anymore truthful in your evidence against him.

Villetta: His geass, you mean?

Suzaku: All you presented were documents suggesting who he was suspected to have geassed, painting him to be more dangerous than he really was, supposedly leading the Black Knights to believe he either had the ability to give commands as he pleased, or just had them all geassed into complete obedience. There are a few important things you never considered, or even realized. Lelouch's geass only works once on any single person. Why do you think he had to be careful around you when you were head of the OSI? Plus, why would he kill Euphie, one of his most beloved sisters, if he could negate the command he accidentally placed on her? Second, did you ever consider the commands Lelouch had given, and the reasons why? I ask this because of a couple of the other people mentioned: Clovis, who ordered the Shinjuku massacre that nearly killed Ohgi and his allies before they were the Black Knights, and which by the way, you were part of. The other person, Shirley, he geassed to forget the recent trauma she had experienced partly because you had used her in hopes of capturing him and claiming nobility. She was someone he wanted to protect, and you used her.

Villetta: But that was then...

Suzaku: That still doesn't change how selfish and inconsiderate of the truth you have been. Isn't that also proof, along with his wish to get Nunnally back from the Britannian Empire, that he had people he had cared about, and that he had more noble motives? She even forgave him for killing her father! When she realized everyone else in Ashford had fake memories to uphold the masquerade, she clearly knew something was wrong, and that Lelouch had been alone, so she wanted to help him out. That was until Rolo had murdered her, because he had become too possessive of Lelouch.

Ohgi: Rolo, that kid Lelouch had secretly let into our ranks?

Suzaku: Only because he wanted to use him. In reality, Rolo was a replacement for Nunnally while Lelouch and everyone else had fake memories. In reality, he was also an assassin who was under orders to kill Lelouch if it became clear that he regained his memories. He had his own special geass that allowed him to stop the sensation of time for everyone else. Villetta knew all of this this. Lelouch managed to convince him to be loyal to him as a brother over Britannia, but deep down, he was angry that he had been a replacement sibling for Nunnally, and for what he had done to Shirley, so he plotted to have him secretly killled. Of course, he gave his life to save Lelouch from the execution you had plotted.

Suzaku: (continuing, to Ohgi) So I guess you're beginning to realize there's more than meets the eye regarding geass, pun intended. With that in mind, Lelouch would have never geassed his allies, as he believed in free will. Besides, do you believe you would be able to turn on him if he did geass you into complete obedience?

Ohgi: This still doesn't change that he used us. He even said so!

Suzaku: Which I am about to get to. You had been using him as well, for one particular reason, to get back Japan. And you were going to sell him out to Schneizel in exchange, not suspecting that he might have been using you. Worse, you used Kallen as a pawn herself to bait Lelouch, and threatened to shoot her down with him when she tried coming to his defense, just because you suspected him of using geass. His speech about using everyone was a lie designed to have Kallen spared, since he knew he had no chance of escaping the execution. Naoto Kouzuki would be rolling in his grave, Ohgi.

Ohgi: Kallen, forgive me.

Suzaku: I'm sorry, but it's too late for that. Kallen never wants to see you again. She even ordered to have you shot on sight if you came near Naoto's grave.

Ohgi: Isn't this all a bit unfair?

Suzaku: Unfair? At least she hasn't beaten you up for using her like that. She gave it to me good for threatening to use Refrain on her when she was imprisoned.

Ohgi: Refrain? She's hated that drug since her mother got herself addicted!

Suzaku: I know. But I'm not even done yet. When you made the deal with Schneizel to turn over Lelouch to have Japan back and stop the war, you turned your back on the rest of the world represented by the UFN, who you were assigned as sole military force. For your accusations against him for abandoning you during the Black Rebellion, you nearly committed something magnitudes worse. I can't believe you're actually Prime Minister. Well, not anymore, you're not.

Ohgi: You wouldn't.

Suzaku: I would. Now get down on your knees. (stomps on Ohgi, slamming his foot with emphasis on each of the following words) Treachery, foolishness, and incompetence. I of all people know these two things. No one should ever be rewarded in spite of these things, like you have. I've sought punishment all of my life, only to dig myself even deeper, but at least I know my place. One final thing for you, Ohgi, how did it serve you to trust the word of the most threatening Britannian royal, and a Britannian noble who until recently had been against you, over Lelouch? It is true that he was a Britannian prince. Emphasis on was, however. He had been exiled from the Empire with his sister after he spoke out against his father for showing no concern over the death of his mother, Marianne vi Britannia. He and Nunnally had been sent to live with us until the day Britannia invaded Japan. That was the reason Lelouch declared war on Britannia. He had his reasons for keeping his identity from you. (noting what Kaguya had told him) Taizo Kirihara knew him from his time in Japan, and that is why he funded you, and said it was important that he keep his identity a secret. His intentions were pristine, Ohgi, even if his methods were extreme. But I understand that you, too, valued results.

Ohgi (in pain): No... It's not possible.

Suzaku: You never cared to understand what his issues were, in the end. That is why he snapped, in the end. And that is also why I am also stuck playing a role I am ill-suited for, Zero, a charismatic genius. Just who the hell does he think I am? (solemnly closes eyes and looks down) Then again, it serves me right for getting in his way for my misguided and self-serving objectives. (to Villetta) And you, Villetta, you did nothing but to impede him at every critical juncture, regardless of the side you were on, and you did absolutely nothing beneficial for the revolution. All this time, you've sought glory, relied on other people's good graces, whether they be an evil empire or a rebel fighting it, and even stepped on other people in the process. Lelouch may have hurt other people, but at least he wanted to create a better world. The irony that you've been redeemed while he's dead and seen as the worst person ever, after what was a hard life, sickens me. Not to mention that he died a young boy who never got to enjoy a relationship, among many other simple pleasures, while the both of you, who are nearly a decade older than him, still live on, and have just started a family with a child. That's one other thing I can't let pass.

Villetta: Not... little... Chigusa...

Suzaku: I'm sorry, Villetta. Chigusa's being taken into the care of Kallen as her adopted child. She wanted to begin a family with Lelouch, but now she'll never get that chance. There are a couple of other things you should know. Kallen Kouzuki is now Kallen Lamperouge, having adopted the fake surname Lelouch had used while he lived with the Ashfords. Here's the story: a month prior to the ascension of Lelouch vi Britannia to the throne of emperor, Kallen consummated a relationship with Lelouch Lamperouge, who died in the Mt. Fuji blast, but not before leaving behind that baby. Kallen has just chosen to rename her Shirley. She hopes that both Lelouch and Shirley will live on with her.

Ohgi: No...

Villetta: But she's my baby...

Suzaku: You don't even deserve her. Neither of you should even be alive, you sniveling little runts. If only the both of you had died at the bottom of that waterfall. There would be no Zero Requiem, and Lelouch would still be alive to help keep the peace.

Villetta: You're not going to kill us?

Ohgi: But I thought this was about eliminating the hate, at the very least...

Suzaku: I'm not going to kill you. It wouldn't serve me. Lelouch never said I had to let anyone off the hook. I confronted Cornelia regarding her past atrocities, and she's agreed to stay under house arrest for the rest of her life.

Ohgi: What's our punishment?

Suzaku: You will both be my lackeys. There's an important secret: Schneizel is under a command to serve Zero for the rest of his life. You are both to keep him from breaking free of this command. (to a concealed Jeremiah) Take them away, Jeremiah.

Suzaku: Lelouch... I don't know how long this peace of yours will last. I know it won't, because people are predestined to come into conflict. That is the price of free will. It is only because you weren't in your right mind that I do not begrudge you for not thought this through. That, and opposing you at nearly every step, when I should have joined you in the first place. We could have averted so much. Wait for me, along with Euphie and Shirley, in C's World.