Milly's arm had just stopped by the time Hiroki, Aelita, and Yumi got to the infirmary.

"Such strange puncture wounds." Nurse Yolanda mused as she bandaged Milly's arm. Milly was still out cold.

-----------------------

Lucy smiled sweetly at Jeremie as he prodded the broken mass on his floor.

"We'll be right back." She said before grabbing Ulrich's arm and dragging the confused boy out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Where are we going?" Ulrich asked as Lucy tugged him down the hall.

"What's his problem?" Lucy demanded, swinging Ulrich against the wall, her hands on either side of his shoulders, preventing any form of escape.

"What?" Ulrich asked, thoroughly embarrassed and confused, did Lucy not know that Yumi could be wandering the halls?

"Jeremie, we mention Aelita's name and he becomes cold as stone. Why?" Lucy asked.

"Er, Right, Well," Ulrich stuttered, "Let's go somewhere that we can talk with a few less distractions." Ulrich glanced down the hall nervously, hearing Nicholas's stupid laugh coming up the stairwell.

"Oh," Lucy said, pulling her hands away from the wall, letting Ulrich have some more space, "Your dorms closer."

"Great," Ulrich muttered, walking towards his dorm, "Odd's a little biased, don't let it get to you."

"Ok," Lucy said, following Ulrich into the dorm.

"Any luck?" Odd asked from where he lay on his bed, propped up on one elbow, Kiwi snuggled into his chest.

"No news yet, Einstein turned to ice again, Lucy's demanding answers." Ulrich said nonchalantly.

"It's not my fault he didn't care about anything other than his computer." Odd muttered darkly, he noticed the confused look on Lucy's face and added calmly, "Don't mind me, Ulrich's probably warned you I'm a little biased on the matter."

"That's the understatement of the year." Ulrich murmured.

"Why?" Lucy asked, making her way over to the desk chair and plopping herself down.

"Well, because Aelita and Jeremie used to be together, and they broke up." Ulrich explained, "Jeremie's a little bitter that Aelita's with Odd now."

"A little?" Odd scoffed, "Yea right, there's the understatement of the year."

"Oh," Lucy said, sounding a little confused still.

"It's his own fault," Odd explained, seeing the confusion that still clouded Lucy's eyes, "It's not like we didn't all see it coming, he only cared for his computer."

"As you said before." Ulrich growled at Odd.

"It's true." Odd said simply, flopping onto his back, "Also why I couldn't really come with you guys to ask Jeremie for a favor, he wouldn't do it if I had asked."

"He needs to grow up." Lucy said.

"I like the way you think." Odd smiled at Lucy, "Yumi said the same thing, about a week ago."

------------------------------

"Is she gonna be alright?" Hiroki asked Yolanda, trying to keep the worry out of his voice, and failing miserably. Yumi and Aelita had already been ushered away, but Hiroki had refused to leave.

"She'll be fine." Yolanda replied, trying to remain patient, "Just a few scars."

--------------------------

Lucy had returned to Jeremie, hoping that her presence would lighten his mood. Odd lay staring at the ceiling, and Ulrich sat on his bed, watching Kiwi paw at Odd's chest, and Odd's hand lazily flick it away.

"Oh, busy huh?" Yumi said sarcastically as she walked into the room, followed by Aelita.

"Yea, busy as bees." Odd replied, pulling himself to a sitting position, much to the annoyance of Kiwi, who growled and went to try his luck at getting attention from Aelita.

Aelita smirked and picked up the little dog before going to sit next to Odd.

"Where's Lucy?" Yumi asked.

"With Jeremie." Ulrich replied shortly.

"Oh, I forgot about our icicle friend." Yumi growled.

Aelita looked at the floor sheepishly.

"Guys! Come here!" Lucy called, bursting into the room.

"What?" They asked in unison, all leaping to their feet.

"We got something! It's not much but it's still something!" Lucy exclaimed excitedly, turning and running hurriedly back to Jeremie's dorm.

The other four teens followed, quickly and wordlessly.

Jeremie was staring at the computer screen, Lucy craning over his shoulder. Ulrich and Yumi positioned themselves on either side of Jeremie, leaving Aelita and Odd to crowd with Lucy behind him. The clip played, a boxy white creature appeared suddenly out of the bushes, it's teeth long, extending to just below it's square lower jaw, a black symbol on it's chest, it's collar etched with small words as well as a sash that wrapped from it's collar under it's ribs and back. It lunged towards the camera and there was a scream, then it was over. Jeremie played part of the clip again, pausing so that the group could get a full view of the creature.

Aelita stared at the screen; the symbol on the creature's chest was one that she could never forget. The eye of XANA.