A/N: The majority vote was 'update faster', so here you go. :3

Also. Can I express how much I love you all? Honestly, this is my best received story so far, and I love everyone who's reviewed or put this on story alert or already favorited it. 8D

Sadly, this chapter does not live up to what I planned it to be. So no Lelouch point-of-view yet, and it's basically just setting up for things that will happen in future chapters. I tried to make it the least bit interesting, though. Hopefully I don't disappoint too badly.

Another also— SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE SERIES. Seriously, don't read if you haven't watched the last episodes. The ending is only mentioned, but I'd hate spoiling someone.

Disclaimer: I don't own it— yet.


This is coming from a third perspective,

all I'm saying is you need to be selective—

iii.
every sweet has its sour; every evil its good

-

Kallen was herself, and then she wasn't. She found herself walking behind a girl who looked exactly like her, standing next to a man in white, decorative robes. A man who looked exactly like Lelouch.

She tried to turn away when she realized that this wasn't just a man who looked like Lelouch; this was Lelouch vi Britannia, the Demon Emperor. At the same time, she didn't want to. Maybe this dream would hold the answer to all her questions.

Why did Lelouch seem so familiar to her? Why did he provoke such reactions? Why did her world fall out of focus when he only looked at her?

Then she stared, in wide-eyed, open-mouthed shock as the girl who looked like herself leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "Sayonara, Lelouch," she whispered, and walked away, holding her head high.

What the hell? she screamed, watching incredulously. No sound came from her mouth, but she half-expected that. I can't be dreaming of him just when I first met him!

Then the landscape started to blur. A mirror appeared in front of her, and she stared at her reflection as it changed. Once she was the girl who'd just kissed the deceased Emperor, and in the next second younger, dirtier, with missing teeth and bruised arms. Again and again her reflection ripped and transformed, exchanging each disturbingly similar face for another.

There were princesses with gold on their fingers and sapphires gleaming icily at their throats, and there were knights with swords and feral eyes. Nobles who sashayed out on a ballroom floor, their embroidered skirts swirling like water around white knees, and peasants with trembling lips and cold fingertips, so hungry their stomachs were swollen.

She felt their pain and their joy; their love and their sorrow; their peace and their wars. A million lives stuffed into one skin, pressing close and hurried and ready to burst at the seams, begging for release. For death. But there was one life she recognized the most, the life of the girl who had kissed the Demon Emperor. When the face in the mirror was hers, Kallen placed her hand on the glass and asked: "Who are you?"

"I'm you," the reflection replied, and—

The glass broke.

"Bad dreams, Kallen?"

"You could say that," she replied, fiddling with the catch of her purse. She fixed a smile on just to reassure Kaguya, who grinned in return and began to annoy their driver.

It was a pretty day. The leaves had started to turn, mixing in golds and oranges with greens and browns. Autumn chill was just starting to worm its way into the air, but it was still warm enough to have soirees outside, like this would be. Kallen knew what to expect: geezers and their trophy wives, hanging onto their arms and simpering. Old men with faces crinkled like crumpled paper talking of war and showing the scars written over their arms. She remembered her mother holding her shoulders tight when her father would talk about his business to other men, telling her just to smile and say good things. She remembered—

"Ladies of the court!"

Kind hands, draping a coat around her shoulders.

An eye spinning into dark purple, washing over with crimson, stained and dyed in blood.

Her heart beating fast; the metal cuffs chafing her wrists; screaming and screaming as she watched the blood smear the ramp, leaving behind a trail. She should be screaming for Zero; Zero was the one she believed in, the one she loved. Lelouch was a liar and a murderer. Lelouch wasn't Zero. But she was screaming for him.

"Hey, Kallen! Earth to Kouzuki! Hello!"

"Huh?"

"Jeez, Kallen! People say I'm air-headed!" Kaguya exclaimed, before doing her best 'cute' expression and clapping her hands. "We're here! There won't be any cameras or anything, because it's a mostly private function, so you don't need to worry about that. But there will be Knightmare races later this afternoon, after the ceremony— which will be super-boring, by the way, so be prepared— and then the dancing!"

"What Knightmares?" she asked, looking at the building in front of them. It was a cheery white house, the shutters and the door painted red, the knocker shaped like a lion. Beyond its gates, wrought out of black iron, were endless green fields, bordered by tall oak trees.

"Kallen, one day you'll need to stop being so interested in Knightmares and more in boys! I swear, I'll get you dancing tonight!" Kaguya frowned. She instanteousnly brightened again as she knocked on the door. "I don't know; one or two of the Rounds. Play-fighting, you know. Then there'll be some traditional sword dueling, for show. First blood and all that, since the snobs can't seem to handle some good bloodshed and bruises without needing their smelling salts. It'll be fun, though!"

"Hey, you make me sound like a nervous old hen," she said, as the door swung open. A prim butler stood behind it. He bowed to them and told them to walk until they reached the inner courtyard.

"Not a hen," Kaguya said, off-handed. They were passing by several people, now; more butlers balancing trays of lemonade and small sandwiches, and guests chattering amonst themselves. "Maybe a tigress, or something. Or a tiger's prey. They do stalk it, y'know."

"Nice joke." She rolled her eyes and scanned the area, before stopping herself. There wasn't anyone here who knew her, let alone wanted to hurt her. A plus, Kallen. Not only do you have a psycho stalking you, but you're starting to act like everyone's out to get you. You should put that on your college application!

"C'mon, let's go sit over her—"

"Excuse me, dear Kaguya, but may I steal your friend for a moment?"

Correction, the voice in her head commented dryly. You do have someone out to get you. Him.

Kallen blinked in mixed astonishment and horror as Kaguya whirled away, her green kimono blurring around her, a smile spreading ear-to-ear. She rushed at Lelouch and flung her arms around his neck, and he chuckled.

"Lelouch!" her friend called, sounding elated. When she was done hugging him, he set her back on the ground, and she looked back at Kallen with sparking eyes. "Kallen! I didn't know you two knew each other! Here, let me introduce you— Lelouch, this is Kallen, my friend. Kallen, this is Lelouch, my future husband!"

"Uh," Kallen said, lacking any words to say. This is turning into a really bad shojo manga. "It's nice to meet you, uh— Lelouch."

"A pleasure," Lelouch said, smiling kindly. She was gaping when he stepped around Kaguya, bowed, and kissed her hand. There was no temporary blackout or electrical feelings this time. All she felt was a tingle and a rush of blood to her face as she turned red. "We've already met before, though we were never formerly introduced. I came over Friday to try and get one of my sister's toys fixed. However, Miss Stadtfeld— I apologize if you prefer Kouzuki— was busy. I can see why."

"The same," she muttered, avoiding his gaze. The bastard. Thinks he can win his way in through flattery! I'm not that easy. "I'll be able to take you on Monday, if you want."

"That would be perfect," Lelouch replied, clasping her hands between his own. She looked everywhere but him, focusing on Kaguya, who was frowning. "I actually have some school matters do discuss with Ms. Kouzuki, so if you'd please excuse us, Lady Kaguya—"

"I could never deny you anything, Lelouch," Kaguya said, fluttering her eyelashes. Kallen wondered if it was possible to choke on air. "Please be nice to him, Kallen. He's a very conscientious person, and my fiance. You can't be mean to my fiance!"

"Right." A conscientious person who poisons people. Hm, there's a conundrum.

Kallen glared down at the arm that was offered to her, but looped her own through it anyway. She plastered a fake smile on as Lelouch wove through the crowd, waving and greeting people he knew. Some grinned and winked knowingly. She wasn't sure if she'd ever been this red in her entire life.

"Lelocuh," she grit out, after they'd sat down. "I am going to kill you."

"As stunning as ever, Kallen." He looked at her in amusement, his head on his hand. He even had the utter gall to put his arm around her chair.

"I told you I don't need this." Her hands unconsciously bunched up her skirt, fingers making folds of bright red fabric. Casually, as if he were picking up an object, Lelouch reached out and plucked her fingers up and caressed them in his own, her white gloves the same shade as his skin.

"No," he said, thoughtfully. "I think you do. I think that, once you understand this all a little more, you'll want this."

She had no idea what he was talking about. Kallen swallowed, hard, as his lips brushed her fingertips. "How can you be so sure?"

"I'm not." His smile was lopsided. Every image in the background had melded together. All except for him, standing stark and clear and blazing bright. Hesitantly, she leaned forward. Her free hand was clutching at the edge of the seat.

What the hell?! What the hell is this?! she wanted to scream, but her mouth wouldn't work. It was like she was nothing but a passenger, a slave to her body's will— which sounded kinky. No time for having Tamaki-influenced thoughts! Quick, Kallen, get this under control! Remember the last time you kissed him?

All those thoughts swarmed through her head, buzzing like a cloud of locusts, until she realized that she wanted to. At least physically. The touches weren't electrifying anymore, as far as she could tell, and they were—nice. Externally so.

What could it hurt? plead one voice. Another instantly rebutted, I don't know; perhaps your pride?

"Hel-lo! Lulu! You didn't say hi to me!"

Everything refocused. Kallen surfaced from the weird experience with a headache. She fished around in her pockets for her medicine, probing into the deepest recesses and finding a mint and two pieces of gum, but nothing of any use. Not even a Prozac or a nonprescription antibiotic. She settled back into her chair, unconsciously leaning back against Lelouch's arm.

The girl standing in front of them was a girl their age, with red waist-length hair and eyes that were practically emerald. She was smiling brightly. Kallen felt a twinge of recognition and put the name Shirley to the girlish face in front of her. Her eyes kept flickering between her and Lelouch, and her smile seemed to be fixed on.

"Sorry, Shirley," he said, and then he looked up hopefully at her. "Hi?"

Shirley laughed, flinging back her head and exposing the curve of her neck. Kallen felt something stirring as she looked at the two of them.

Correction. Now it's a really bad shojo manga.

She sat there, smiling dumbly and feeling like a piece of candy attached to his arm as they chatted about school. Not that she was angry at Shirley. She'd never actually say that Lelouch was attractive, but the truth was that he was. Just not appealing to her. A good kisser, maybe, but still not mentally appealing. Shirley could flirt with him all she wanted. It wasn't like she cared.

Or at least she didn't until Shirley said, "Lulu, I didn't know you had a girlfriend."

Kallen's suspicion that you could choke on air was confirmed. She spluttered, face going purple, gasping out: "No! W— we aren't—"

"Shirley." Lelouch looked at the redhead dispassionately. "You ruined the surprise."

"Oh! I'm sorry, I—"

"I think your mother is calling for you." Kallen, as she regained control of her lungs, could only see the back of Lelouch's tilted head. He was looking towards a group of women, none of which were looking them.

"She is? Lulu, I'm so sorry—"

"Shirley! Come over here; I have to introduce you to someone!"

The person in question turned towards her mother, who had just called her. She looked pleadingly back at Lelouch. "I'm sorry," she whispered, before turning around and walking towards the women. It was hard not to feel bad for her. She had been funny and sweet, if not a little naive, when Kallen had met her at school. At the same time, the 'jealous' feeling she was getting did make it hard.

"Kallen."

"Don't say my name like that." She told him, tempted to dig her heels into the ground, her hand still in his own. He was gripping it so tight it was almost uncomfortable, now. "You say it like you know me."

"Well," he said, and his smirk was definitely cheeky. God, he needed a wrench thrown at him. "Let's say that I think I do."

"What do you mean?" she turned to him, fierce blue eyes meeting calm lavender. "I don't want to play mind games. Just get it out."

"First, I want to ask you to dance. And second"

"No," she said automatically. "To the first. Go on."

"I'm not telling you unless you say yes."

"Fine, then." Damn it, but her curiosity had gotten the better of her. "Yes. Now what's the second?"

"You'll call me crazy, but—" He leaned in close, and she leaned backwards. She had felt his breath against her face, minty and tangy, for a mere moment. It had made her legs go gelatinous, just as the sudden transformation from joking to solemnity in his expression.. Stupid hormones! "Would you believe me if I told you that I knew you once, a long time ago?"

"What do you mean, once?" She looked at him steadily.

"As in a past life, perhaps?"

Kallen had steeled herself for such an answer. Nevertheless, she had to struggle to keep herself under control. Half of her wanted to laugh at him, and another half almost wanted to believe him. It would explain why she had those weird blackouts, the dreams, the headaches— it would explain all of it. But she barely knew him. Two days and one stalking; one chance meeting at a party and that was all. She wanted to believe him; she really did, and that just made it worse.

"I'd believe you were lying."

"What if I could prove it to you?"

Any sensible girl would have laughed. They would have stared at him like he was a nutcase, excuse themselves, and then go ruin his social life in style. Kallen, then, wasn't sensible. Instead of doing all of the above, she gave him a challenging look and tilted her chin upwards. "Fine, then. Prove it."

"I can," he replied, slipped his hand out from hers, and took a slip of paper out of his pocket. He began to write on it, scribbling down a number and a house address. "Go to there Sunday, around noon. I'll be expecting that first dance now. I'll see you on the floor."

She closed her eyes and nodded, and he was gone.

You're a silly fool, she told herself. You're a silly fool, and the problem is that you don't realize it.


A/N: I accidentally lied. Dx Sorry! The party will last for another chapter, I think, though the next half of it will probably be around four thousand words. After that we'll get to Lelouch point-of-view, and maybe we'll meet a certain witch in the mix... But before that, we get to see them dance!

Ha, I know this chapter is a little bland. (I blame algebra.) :v Bear with me, please?

Feedback appreciated!