Uncharacteristic of the killer-for-hire image he'd fostered for many years, Kiritsugu stated it all. In an attempt to claim the moral high ground against a boy who knew nothing, he put his heart and soul into those words.
That's right. Lelouch Lamperouge knew nothing. Nothing of the world that burned and bled because of human greed and pride. Nothing of the blood spilt due to misunderstandings and conflict. Nothing of the many lives Kiritsugu himself regretfully ended due to the earnest desire to bring justice and peace for all…
For if he did know, he wouldn't scorn the man who took it upon himself to change it.
Changing the world for the better. Such was the dream of a man who willingly bathed in the blood of the few for the sake of the many. Such was his desire for an end to the madness… all for the sake of those he loved to be able to live a peaceful and joyous life.
The birth of a perfect world from the shadow of this sinful one. A miracle beyond miracles. A utopia for all where no one else would cry nor unjustly die…. Even if it meant he'd be the only one to suffer the injustice of paying in blood for it all.
Such was the man Irisviel fell in love with.
"Ngh!" the woman, trapped in her room rigged to blow at the slightest misstep on her significant other's part, moaned in pain.
With one hand to her chest and the other to a security monitor, the boy Master placed nearby, her fingers traced the screen. The garbled image of her husband hissing and crackling grey light on her person was the only source of light in this explosive cage of hers. Her only hope… maintained a steely gaze. As dashing… and resolved… as when she fell in love with him. When Irisviel gained a human heart.
"AGH!" Another pang surged through her being eliciting a gasp-turned-cough as black blood escaped her mouth. Examining it in her palm and under the bleak lighting, she realized it was already the end for her. "Ah… So this… is what it feels like… to die…"
With six Servants, the original prerequisite to begin the Grail's manifestation, all the conditions have been met. As the vessel, there was nothing left for her… but to be broken down and rebuilt in the cup's image.
The regret of not having spent more time living the life of an actual human, the remorse for having lied to the innocent knight, the yearning to hold her loved ones once more, even for a little bit, all of that came collapsing down on the soul that believed itself human. That grew to want to become human.
So were the thoughts and emotions that filled the homunculus as she laid her head to rest on the stone cold floor. Her eyes watched as the image of her husband faded from view, her senses shutting down consecutively till nothing was 'alive' in the room anymore.
Then, the body of the former person named Irisviel von Einzbern burst into mystical flames. Magical energy swirled and burned and melted and formed into the image of a golden cup, the Holy Grail. Or rather, the Lesser version that acted as a conduit for the Greater and True version.
All at once, magical energy from the deceased and fallen heroic spirits filled it to the brim with a red liquid. However… it overflowed.
SssssssSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS—
Concrete sizzled and burned. The monitor on the floor started to melt and its plastic caught fire as soon as it came into contact with the liquid, once-red but now blackened and murky. Like mud.
Said mud continued to flow, overflowing until it consumed the entire room in a flood. The door melted open and allowed the sea of cursed liquid out, corrupting all in its wake, be it the explosives Lelouch had set or the very walls of the building itself, corroding them to nothing.
All the while, the Grail that had once been a person continued to glow as it expelled more of the accursed magical energy, pristine gold surrounded by the black corrupting darkness.
Like a star in the night, the young woman faded into the deep never to wake again.
***
Lelouch chuckled.
"Heh… Heheheh…"
And chortled.
"Hahahahah…"
And laughed.
"… HAHAHAHAHA!"
Like a madman, the boy laughed. He heaved and held his chest, seemingly looked weak in his knees as he kept a hand delicately on the detonator to his chest.
He couldn't believe it. There actually were people more coldhearted and idealistic than he'd ever been. Kiritsugu's statement resonated with him. But he couldn't find it anything… but amusing.
It was only when the boy fell deathly silent and made a wry smile that finally reached his eyes that the man, the wishful knight clad in shadows, spoke again. "Had enough?"
"No," Lelouch let slip a slight chuckle as he restrained himself. "Not in the slightest."
"Is mocking an old man's dream that amusing to you?"
That said, the old man scowled harder than ever and proved his words true. Emiya Kiritsugu really was a dreamer. A realistic and blood-drenched one, but an earnestly selfless one regardless.
It was almost uncanny the Demon Emperor would find one like himself in this world, and so close and so soon to boot.
"Oh… Oh, my dear man, you have no idea." The boy shook his head. "For fate to have dealt me a card like you. Heh… Hahah…. Ah… God must be mocking me right about now."
Karmic justice for using his Geass on the Collective Unconscious? Probably. He'd never been the superstitious type, but after all, he'd been through, there may be merit in somewhat believing the supernatural. Such a coincidence like this out of the left field was too fateful to be a coincidence.
But be that as it may, though he once shared the man's ideals in the past, the same couldn't likely be said of their methods. For when he took it upon himself to change the world, this man sought out a cursed artefact to change it for him. His duties still stood. So he spoke once more.
"May I ask one more thing of you, Emiya Kiritsugu." The boy wasn't asking. In fact, he smiled as if Kiritsugu already gave him a 'yes' and just pressed the gun further into Maiya's cranium as a threat if he refused. "Do you really think your dream is so impossible as to be achieved by normal means? Do you honestly believe there would be no other way but to resort to using the Holy Grail for your desire?" Wasting time was not an option. But there was a yearning curiosity within. 'Answer me. Are you like me… or are you…?'
"Yes." The dreamer of a mercenary assassin stated with a jaded expression. "A world without wars is only attainable through the power of the Grail. When I attain it, there'd be no need for any other solution. Much less continue to act on it through human means."
'Ah… So you really are…' The boy sighed as he replied. "For 'human means' are merely a futile struggle with no end in sight. Considering you'd have to continue murdering all who stand in the way of peace, yes? I agree with your logic, however, I shall have to disagree with your methods."
"What?"
Lelouch's smile all but vanished. Replacing it was a cold stare. One without but certainly devoid of compassion. "You would wish for the Grail to stop all humans in the world from fighting. You demand the impossible, Emiya Kiritsugu."
"Do you take me for a fool, brat? Why else would I seek an omnipotent wish-granting device?!"
'Because you had given up on humanity in the first place…' Lelouch didn't bother verbalizing it.
War was hell itself. There was no hope to be had on one, no matter the noble goal. A single death was the tragic loss of another. Be it, civilians or soldiers, no one was safe. There were no heroes. Just people who paid the price of victory at various degrees.
'But unlike you who'd chosen to throw all your cards into this one gambit… I struggled to control everything.'
Humanity has never openly recognized its flaws as truth for eras long past. Billions upon trillions of the bygone ages had their lives ruined for the sake of something or other. But that was when no one controlled every single one of them. Each time a conflict began, there'd be a dazzling hero leading the charge but also blinding all to the horrors of their deeds. Of that, Arturia Pendragon was one. Every time war ended, people convinced themselves it had to be done but break down when the reasons they fought were worth the very dirt they spilt blood on. Of that, Suzaku used to be.
But Lelouch wasn't like that. He was more… pragmatic about it.
"True human nature has never advanced a step beyond the Stone Age!" Kiritsugu then proclaimed. "It is because human nature itself is flawed. That is what I seek to rectify!"
'And that is where you have failed humanity…'
Human nature implied humanity. Humanity implied the nature of civilization as a whole. There would be no end to man fighting man for there was no end to human beings seeking their wants. Wants beget envy. Envy begets conflict. Over. And over. And over. And over… Human beings would lie, cheat, steal, and take away from one another.
But, so what? What was wrong with being human? What was so wrong with wanting one thing so much that you'd kill for it? Anyone would kill for the sake of their own, especially those they loved and cherished the most. What was wrong with that?
Murder? Sanctity of life? Those are just excuses made by someone who wasn't willing to stain their hands in blood and guilt. If one actually cared about such, they wouldn't trample on the dreams of others.
But in the end, that's what made them humans. Flawed, selfish, greedy, but also honourable, loyal, and willing to die for a cause they believed in… like martyrs.
Which was why he didn't get why the man was angered when the former emperor stated thusly and disappointedly. "Such a naive look on your face, Emiya. To have such an opinion on humanity's oldest and most humane trait. I dare say, you lack creative vision."
Kiritsugu blinked once. Then twice before he muttered. "What…?"
"'Creative vision', my dear selfless hero." The boy let slip a small smirk before schooling his features regally. "That narrow-minded mentality of yours fails to look at the bigger picture. War is hell, yes. To that, I shall not argue. However, you fail to accept it as a fact of human nature. And because of that, I find your dream a pointless endeavour."
"Don't you dare—NGH!" The clicking of a gun safety being turned off had Maiya, who'd been silent until Lelouch's comment, going quiet as she stared into the barrel of a pistol.
"I will dare to insult such a desire, my dear, because I have such a fond respect for humans who live their day-to-day life struggling every step of the way." Turning to Kiritsugu, he continued. "War is hell, yes. But it is through war and conflict that those oppressed can finally break free from their oppressors. Tell me, how many people have you killed fought only to free themselves from someone else? Surely a professional killer has had much experience in putting down small rebellions, or am I wrong?"