It seems that I've left you hanging. My birthday was the following thursday after New Years and this chapter...-- Uh, short chapter will be a belated present to us all.

I hope you won't be cross with me and will kindly accept my apology for making you wait.

Hey, ever notice how Death Note has kick ass music playing almost all the time. Somethin' about it just makes you wanna rock.


Shirley followed where she was leading, and in the midst of their run, she saw a familiar man walking with other Black Knights at the other side of the hallway.

"Z-Zero..." she said. Lola looked to where Shirley was and had a pensive expression on her face as she watched him. His real face was still unfamiliar. She couldn't remember 'Hmph. We can't simply just go up to him like this, we'll need to do something so we can get closer and not just be sent to a room with other students to be watched. Come on, Lola. We've gotten this far...so now..'

"I've got it, but it isn't going to be easy. Heh. Nothing ever is." She turned to the other girl, serious...maybe for the first time "Shirley, we need a way to get to Zero's Knightmare. There's a definite chance he'll be using it tonight. If you're not up to it, I'll go at it alone but let's not waste time standing here if you are coming." Lola pulled Shirley into a close empty room and shut the door behind them. It was dark and convenient. Couldn't risk being caught so easily. Lola looked to Shirley in the dark. Seeming a little sad but hopeful and searching for the same feeling in her, and of course it was there

"So, you in or what? 'Cause...we're going to be doing a few dangerous stunts tonight." As if it weren't dangerous enough already? Shirley looked so worried, even more than Lola hid herself. "B-But Lola-chan... He's surrounded with his soldiers. How can we possibly..." She shook her head. She had to! Shirley wanted to know what it is Zero did to her in the first place, Lola had her sights set on the same thing. They wanted their truth back. So, she nodded "I'm on it!" Lola nodded slowly, resting a hand on Shirley's shoulder

"That's what I like to hear. Remember who we're dealing with and then remember who you're working with. Me. By some odd miracle, everything'll be alright. Now...we're going out the window." She turned away and went to the window and opened it just enough to peek out, not to expose herself. Had to see if any Knight's were close enough to see them.

"THERE ARE STUDENTS IN HERE!!" Yelled one of the armed men and called for reinforcements. Zero was standing not far from the location and he was surprised. He already knew who it could be. Who else would be willing to pull a stunt like this, and who'd be the most likely to follow obediently? 'Shirley.. and Lola together?' Lola cursed aloud. Seeing no reason to be quiet now. "Damn it! I hate when they yell...it's really annoying." She wasn't going to run through the halls. Zero knew this place as well as anyone else. Without a second thought, Lola opened the window wider and jumped out, landing safely on her feet "Shirley, hurry!" Really no use in keeping quiet now. She turned and sprinted off. Who cared where she went, all she knew was that Shirley and herself weren't getting caught! Not now! Quickly, Shirley followed Lola and jumped out of the window, although she lost balance and fell on her knees. When the Black Knights were attempting to follow them, she immediately stood up, setting her pain aside and ran as fast as she could. Lola glanced behind her before going back to searching for a place-- that wouldn't crawling with soldiers set to catch them.

Armed soldiers-- where they could hide. "Shirley, are you alright?" When Shirley came down after her, the fall sounded a little harder than her own, so she guessed she didn't land on her feet. Shirley nodded, though Lola couldn't see it. "I'm just fine. We have to go to a safer place, right?" The question: is there any safer place on campus at the moment? "Honestly, I don't think there is one right now. And if there is, we need a faster way to get there." She stopped suddenly, almost falling over. There wasn't a safer place right now, huh? Nothing in or on the surrounding area of the Academy was safe. Even beyond that…they were at war at it all became a lot more serious to Lola when she realized it would be..quite difficult this way the were going at it "Ah, geez! Well...I have a different idea now anyway. We'll get to his Knightmare one way or another." The other girl agreed, so they only continued on walking to the side of a school building. It was dark over there but not so dark so they couldn't see anything. It was fine for a minute or two, in silence, but on their way stood Zero, alone. Shirley froze where she was. Maybe afraid to move any closer. Lola, as usual, was a different case "Oh..." She just stared for a moment. He was alone? Well, he knew that they wouldn't hurt him and he had no reason to believe otherwise. Lola smiled gently, walking closer and trying to think of what she'd feel like if she was saying these words and knowing well who said it before. She sighed heavily before speaking "You're an idiot in disguise." In her diary, it recalled a day where he used those same words on her.

The day in the pool. Suddenly, he pointed out his gun at Lola, giving Shirley a shock. Behind the mask, his eyes were quivering with mixed emotions of guilt, fear and agony. Lola just stared at it. Not frightened at all, from what one could see. She wasn't thinking of whether or not he'd shoot, she wanted to know what he felt like right now. Hold a gun out in front of two girls, his friends. This could only be killing him inside. Two girls whom he knew very well, and both had feelings for him. For Shirley it was obvious, but not really Lola "You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't." Lola looked back at Shirley, smirking "Shirley. Come closer if you want to. He's not scary. He's just like...a long lost kitty-cat. A cute, smart, inconsiderate, skilled, talented, and...friendly kitty-cat. Isn't that right?" She turned back to Lelo-- No, Zero, still smirking as she was "That's right, isn't it? We're friends. Right? All three of us..." His hand suddenly trembled after he had heard what Lola said. That was right, they were friends... that's why he had to face the consequence of dragging them into his chaos. "I don't remember... having a friend as chatty as you are." The dialogue slipped from them as if it were natural

"Chatty? Hmmmm, does that describe me well?" She pretend to think it over, a hand scratching the top of her head before turning back to Shirley "Yo, Shirley, still got my book? It's..actually in a situation like this I was hoping to show it to him." The girl nodded and handed Lola her notes. Zero, however, had a evil chuckle. His fear, agony, and guilt seeming to momentarily fade "And what is that you'd show me?" Lola didn't answer immediately, she was quickly scanning the pages for what it is she'd show him. It was the drawing "Well, why don't...you see for...yourself?" Finally, coming upon it she held the book open and held it up so he could see. It was her drawing. The Zero outfit on and Zero's unmasked face. It was as lovely and unexpected as it was the first time it was revealed. She huffed a bit, pouting. It was the face of her friend, the man in front of her "And then....the entries stop on this day...-- Atleast, they change." If Zero could've trembled anymore, it'd be considered a seizure. He remembered it.. 'T-That drawing..…'

For a moment, Lelouch hesitated, but he aimed at Lola's left arm…the left arm she used to draw that picture. And he actually fired his gun. He'd shot her and no one could even see the pain it caused him, but how it effected the victim was…nothing short of obvious. A loud, shrill, and pained cry escaped from her. The book fell from her hands as she bent over and fell to her knees, tightly gripping the spot where he'd shot her. Though it was all she could think to do with her body, the gripping only made it hurt more and more blood flow forth. She screamed

"Why?!! What the hell was that for?! That REALLY...!!" It hurt. It hurt so badly. She couldn't recall ever feeling this type of pain before. Whether it be physical or not. Her heart may have actually stopped in the short time it took for that bullet to reach her arm and tear a large hole it, similar in size to the hole in her heart and mind. She could feel her eyes watering up, a couple of tears falling. Lola didn't want that either. She didn't want him to be the reason for her tears, she didn't want him to shoot her "Ahhh...Lulu, why?! Why..?" She whined, her body twitching from the pain. She was just glad he wasn't aiming to kill her. Shirley hurriedly ran toward Lola, and frowned with the wound she got. It was bleeding a lot. "Have you really gone insane!? How could you do this!? Just when we thought that we were your friends, Lelouch Lamperouge!!" That's where she was wrong. Even after being shot, Lola still saw him that way. But she saw nothing but the blurred vision of the ground through her tears. He, Lelouch , as Zero, had no choice but to aim at Shirley as well; he left that name back at Mount Fuji, when he decided to kill his most beloved sibling next to his real sister, and all he was now was Zero. He'd have fired at Shirley's arm too, when suddenly the Viceroy's Knightmare and had intervened, forcing him to leave both Lola and Shirley to load the Gawain Knightmare.

'I'm sorry.... Lola.…' He apologized to her only in his mind, but sincerely. It'd have been nicer if he'd said it to her face. After he was a short distance away she helped herself back onto her feet with her unharmed arm, and just a little pushing on Shirley "ZERO!" Lola looked over to see him leaving. That and that the Viceroy had arrived so he definitely couldn't stay. But, like this there was no way to be sure she'd make it to his Knightmare....which is what she guessed he was going to "You'd better come back, do you hear me?!" She sighed, shaking her head. He'd shot her. At least she reached him and showed him the picture.... again, perhaps. Now, if only she could find another way..and her plan may be fulfilled, but there didn't seem to be a chance for it. "Looks like we won't be following him, Shirley..." Shirley nodded, after helping Lola get up. Shirley was simply Lola's helper in all this. Holding the documents and speaking when it seems right. Lola doesn't even really except Shirley to stay around after all the craziness passes and she does. That surprised her, but also made her happier. No smile, though. Shirley was a real friend to her. Shirley spoke with concern "Let's go find some help. You're bleeding." Clearly.

"Do we have to? I'll live. Nothing vital was damaged." It was obvious she was bleeding, it just took all of her strength not to be rudely sarcastic in her response. You know, straining herself not to say: "Oh, I'm bleeding? I hadn't noticed. I thought my arm was just sad, and puking cherry goo. Jeez, you're dumb.." Of course, that'd be mean and she wouldn't do that to a friend.

"Let's find Suzaku, maybe we can secretly tag along with him.....he's bound to be here somewhere because of all this." Still apparently determined to follow Zero, she started off in the direction the'd just come from. No point in giving up unless you've exhausted every option "Let's get help for me later, there's still a chance we can follow him.." Shirley was worried, and not satisfied with what Lola had said, but she agreed to find Suzaku. As earlier stated, simply a helper. A friend who doesn't seem to have anything to contribute but will obediently follow. Suzaku, at that moment, was trapped inside the Lancelot by Rakshata's Gefion Disturber. A remarkable device, really. Lelouch was engaged in a battle with Cornelia, and eventually had a score with a geassed Darlton. He learned the truth: Cornelia didn't know who was the master mind in his mother's death. It was a bitter-sweet discovery.

It wasn't his other sister, but he still didn't know the culprit. What's more…his mother knew it'd happen that day. After that, he learned that his sister was abducted. He abandoned the battle scene, went to Kaminejima with C.C., with freed Suzaku and Kallen on his trail. Confrontations were made: Suzaku confirmed the fact that his best friend was the one who killed his princess, his love, Kallen was in great shock to see the unmasked Zero before her eyes, guns pointed out at each other and with the yells of their names....

It fades to black...