Sorry it took so long this time. But hey, school really cracks down on what little free time you have with homework. Anyways, Happy Valentines day, and please review, favorite, follow, or do whatever you see fit. Please enjoy.

Chapter 11

Preparations

Part 1

It was late, and Nina Einstein stood alone in the student council room, hardly believing she was really going through with this. After all, it was wrong, and it was against school rules to do so. But even so… She told herself, her body feeling an urge sweep over her. She looked around one last time, seeing no one around her. She sighed heavily, switching the lights off for good measure. And as she walked over to the table, she thought about what she was doing, and what would happen to her reputation if she was caught by the teachers, or worse… Milly.

She hardened her will, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do. Now is the time… Nina told herself, taking out her photograph of the only person who had ever helped her out without a asking for anything in return. And as the moonlight subtly revealed her image, Nina felt the urge grow stronger. She looked at the pink haired girl as if she were a goddess, and she felt the doubts she had melt away, like ice in boiling water. She grabbed herself, being as silent as she could possibly be, her entire body energized. For the first time in her young life, Nina felt truly alive. The feeling of her body was more than she could take, and it was making her want it even more. She let out subtle gasps, her body enjoying it even more as she went on.

But, out of nowhere, the door flew open, the light in the hallway leaving Nina totally exposed. She turned quickly, hoping to whatever was in charge of the universe that it was not a teacher or Milly. Her eyes stung as she looked into the light, her glasses making it even more painful as the silhouette of a girl appeared before her. But as she readjusted to the light, she recognized the girl, the one who had almost no enthusiasm for anything. It was Cecilia. However, there was one thing that was different about her this time. Her long, lime colored hair was flowing freely for a change, instead of being bound into pigtails like it normally would.

C.C looked at the scientist with a startled look across her face. Because for once in her immortal life, she had found herself in a state of shock. Nunnally had told her that Nina was going to do something weird tonight, along with the fact that Nina herself didn't want to talk about it. And as she told her it was nothing, Nunnally said she looked scared. Now I know why. "Nina? Are you…" She said softly, unsure about how to approach the situation, and to maintain her cover as an ordinary school-girl at the same time.

As usual, Nina found herself frozen, dead in her tracks, and unable to speak. She never talked to Cecilia much, so she wouldn't know a lot about her, or how she was with gossip. Especially gossip like this. After all, she was the one who Milly trusted to hold Shirley down when we tried to get Lelouch to confess. She thought to herself, her fear growing worse by the minute, spreading through her entire body like a virus. But then again, she was the one who made me feel better when we went to the hotel… Her mind stopped right there, the memory of the hotel hijacking nearly scaring her to death. She knew she had to respond soon, otherwise Cecilia would get suspicious. "Oh… Cecilia." She stuttered out, unsure how to lie about what she was doing.

She was one of the smartest girls at her school when it came to the books, but socially, she was pretty ignorant about what was cool and what was not. Most of what she knew about the social world she learned from Milly, and none of it was any good here. She wished she could be as creative as Milly, or as good of a liar as Lelouch. But ever since she was born, she knew that she was nothing real special. She tried to speak again, her voice sounding even more frightened than before, and her breath became more shallow with every word. "I was… I was… umm…."

C.C's mind flashed as it replayed what she had just seen, but just as fast, it settled almost as instantly. Well… I see then. That's why she was so obsessed with Euphemia, and why she had hated Lelouch so much after he killed her. I suppose it all makes sense now. The green haired witch deduced, seeing as the scientist in front of her was gasping, looking as terrified as she had been after the FLEIJA incident. She tried to think of another possibility, one that could explain her position if her first theory turned out to be wrong.

But as she thought about it, the more it made sense. She threatened to use the original design for the FLEIJA when Lelouch killed Euphemia, practically on the verge of insanity. She let out a sigh, and began to speak, her tone sounding calmly serious. "It's alright. I know a thing or two about these kind of secrets." She said with a mild tone, her golden eyes looking calm and bored. "By the way, I'm curious about this project you've been working on. You spend all of your free time working on it, but you never show it to anyone. Why is that?"

Nina's eyes widened, then looked away from the green haired beauty in front of her. She didn't want the others to even notice her half the time, let alone what she was doing. "Oh, I don't know…" She said nervously, never being asked questions about her research before. She wanted Cecilia to leave, hoping that she would keep her promise about keeping her feelings about Princess Euphemia a secret at the same time. But on the other hand, she wanted to display her work to someone that wanted to see it, even someone as mysterious as Cecilia. But what if she doesn't like it, or find it interesting. I'm not much to bother with, and it's not right to potentially waste her time. "It's not all that interesting, I guess." She finally said, her tone as nervous and shy as ever.

C.C narrowed her eyes, determined to complete her assignment for Lelouch. C.C., I need you to get close to Nina, and then talk her out of creating the FLEIJA. I'm counting on you to make this a success. He had ordered her earlier, his tone sounding as serious as he ever was. Not that she could blame him though. Even though Lelouch knew how to create and use counter measurements against the FLEIJA, he did not want the world to know what they were truly capable of, and thus, she was assigned to get rid of the possibility of FLEIJA ever becoming real again. "Nonsense. If it takes that much effort, then it's got to be something good, right?"

Nina gasped at the girl in front of her, unsure of how to respond. She had never heard kind words like that from anyone except her parents. She knew it was rude to refuse from this point, but she was uncertain of how the green haired beauty would react to it. But even so, I have to show her. She thought to herself, immediately walking over to her computer. She cringed at the possibility of negativity, hesitating even. "Well, for the last few weeks…" She began, C.C walking up right behind her. "I've been working on a way to use Uranium 235 as a viable source of power. However, even if I had sakuradite, all I'd manage to achieve would be…"

"A way to create a nuclear reaction capable of massive power output?" C.C suddenly said, knowing full well what FLEIJA was capable of. It was all according to the plan so far, but Nina was an unknown factor when it came to these things. When she developed FLEIJA last time, she was under the influence of Schneizel, and her hatred of Zero. But now, after all of the changes Lelouch had made, C.C couldn't be certain as to how she would react. She looked at the screen, knowing little on how the data in front of her actually worked. However, in order for the plan to proceed, I must pretend to be somewhat interested. At least for now.

Nina couldn't believe Cecilia's response, and she felt as though the girl was like Lelouch besides just being his cousin. Could she be a genius too, but lacking a drive to use it? She thought to herself, finding herself smiling at the possibility. Most girls at Ashford were only into clothes, shopping, and boys. It was hard for her to fit in because of that, let alone make friends. But if Cecilia was like Lelouch, she could finally have another girl to talk to besides Milly or Shirley.

"Right." She spoke, her voice sounding shy and nervous all at once. She couldn't compare herself to anyone like Shirley, Nunnally, Milly, and especially not Lelouch. She was an ordinary girl after all, with no power or status whatsoever. And she had no real talent either, other than being a wall flower. But when it came to science, she was glad that she finally had someone to talk to about it. She quickly perked up, her enthusiasm quickly rising within her as she explained her project. "And if you can get that uranium to absorb active neutrons, then it should split into high-speed neutrons and atomic nuclei. The problem is that you need to fuel the reaction with U-235, which only makes up 0.7 percent of all natural uranium. So even if we came up with some means of induce fission, we'd never have enough raw materials. That's why-" She managed to get out, before she was cut off by the green haired girl again.

"It would create a mass of energy large enough to engulf most of the Tokyo settlement, correct?" The immortal witch asked with a mild sarcasm in her voice, having seen the power of FLEIJA first hand. C.C didn't know what her exact reaction would be, considering that she was completely unfamiliar with the scientist's personality. However, if I can learn what she intended to do with this before deciding to use it as a bomb, perhaps it will prevent FLEIJA from coming at all, or perhaps create something that will promote peace. She kidded herself, knowing what she'd most likely do with her research. Or more likely, cause more destruction?

Nina turned around, staring in awe at the girl behind her. She really is a genius. Even I didn't see that at first. She could feel her heart lift away at the thought of someone who could really understand her. But at the same time, she had her doubts. But what if… She thought to herself, before she reminded herself of what the girl had just said. She took in a breath, trying to muster up the little courage she had, and began to speak "Wow." She said, trying to sound enthusiastic about the lime haired girls knowledge of the subject. But in truth, she was cowering on the inside, unsure as to what to do next. But she really didn't care at the moment. Her mind went blank, and she continued to talk to the immortal witch. "I didn't think you had any interest in this field. But you really know your stuff." She concluded.

C.C turned away from her, giving her a classic sideways glance as she sat down in her chair. "I don't have any real interest in the science behind it." She admitted, turning Nina's smile into a curious expression. C.C had her, and it was now the time to put Lelouch's theory to the test. If the laws of Equivalence cannot be broken, then it is merely a matter of making sure they work in our favor. No matter what, we cannot stop now, not after coming this far already. He had told her earlier, his voice full of despair and insight as he said those words.

She got out of her seat, and walked towards Nina with her bored expression. However, I am curious though…" She began, her voice sounding as manipulative as Lelouch's was when he used his geass. She walked behind Nina, allowing her to get the best angle for what she was about to do. She breathed in a small breath, and began to whisper. "What do you think Princess Euphemia would say to this kind of weapon?"

Nina gasped at the question, her entire world seeming to be conflicted with itself. Emperor Schneizel would really appreciate this technology if it were successful, Viceroy Cornelia as well. But Euphemia… She caught herself right there, imagining the horrific look that would cross her face if she ever saw what kind of damage it would do. It would be a massacre at the least. And even though Britannia would be more than willing to use it on Elevens and other numbers, Euphemia would hate it too the highest extreme. She concluded, her eyes staring straight at C.C. Thank you for the warning, Cecilia. "Your right, Cecilia." She admitted, her will and goals contradicting each other. "She would never approve of this, and so… neither will I. Perhaps, if I rewrite my entire research plan, I can find a way to use the energy as an alternative to Sakuradite."

C.C smiled at the notion, convinced that she had done her job. Now was her chance to seal the deal, and put FLEIJA out of the way for good. "Now that…." She began, making her voice as enthusiastic as she could. "Sounds like a real challenge." She leaned into her chair, her back slowly arching forwards, and she began to speak again, sounding more puzzled than enthusiastic. "But would it work?"

Nina's eyes widened slightly, then sunk at the very thought of what she didn't know. It was almost overwhelming for her. "Who knows." She sighed timidly, her mind completely at a loss. She had been experimenting with this for months now, and now, she was starting over, with an actual goal this time. But as I'm told, that's what we scientists do. She told herself under her breath, making sure that Cecilia didn't hear her. We explore the world around us, learning and developing as much as we can, until the hunger for knowledge within us is finally satisfied.

(Saitama ghetto, 06:43)

It was nearly sunrise in Japan. It was dark, cold, and the smell of decay was filling the air with it's pungent with every minute, Katase and his remaining troops became even more exhausted, making them look like the living dead. It had been nearly 10 days since Narita had occurred, and the last of the JLF was all but extinguished. Nearly all of Katase's most valuable men had refused to join the Black Knights, considering that Zero was a wild card in this whole thing. If we hadn't listened to Zero when we did though, we could've lost a lot more lives, and Japan's hope would be even worse off than it is now. Katase tried to tell himself, becoming less convinced everyday. And now, after nothing but complete silence for 9 days, Zero had told them to meet him in the Saitama ghetto.

However, as Katase looked around he saw that Zero was about 30 minutes late. He was cold, but in spite of that, Katase could feel like he was boiling on the inside. Where is he already? He asked angrily in his head, his mind feeling like it had been played like a fiddle. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense that Zero had been lying about letting Katase and his remaining men join up with the Black Knights. I should've known better than to trust a man who hides their face from his own army.

But from the shadows, Katase heard the distinct sounds of footsteps heading in his direction, the sounds echoing off the walls of the old subway. He turned towards the sound instantly, his mind filling with possibilities, most of them becoming unpleasant as he saw a Britannian soldier stand in front of him. He was about 190 centimeters tall, or 6 foot 3 inches since he was a Britannian, had teal colored hair, golden eyes, and looked like he was a high ranking officer. But rather approach them with a gun or some racist comments about them, he smiled politely. "General Katase." He spoke to them, his ruggedly deep tone of voice sounding rather enthusiastic. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Jeremiah Gottwald. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Katase couldn't believe what he was seeing. For right there in front of him, though he couldn't believe it, was former margrave Jeremiah Gottwald, the supposed traitor to Britannia. This doesn't make any sense. He tried to convince himself, his mind racing with thoughts as he tried to process what he couldn't believe. There's no way a Britannian like him would ever change sides so suddenly. But the more he thought about it, the more Zero's success made sense. With a man like him on the inside, Zero could easily get a hold of top secret information, as well as supply his troops with the black Sutherlands he was hearing about. And after all that happened at Narita, Katase was just about to believe that Zero was capable of anything.

He took in a deep breath, his body filling up with the foul air, and regained his level head as he spoke. "Where is Zero?" He demanded, his temper returning to it's boiling point. "I don't like sudden changes in plans." But even as he spoke, he still couldn't believe he was talking to a Britannian without a gun in his hand, or that he wasn't making death threats. But what he couldn't believe the most was that Zero had made an appointment, and then decided to send a messenger instead. It was flat out insulting.

Jeremiah's smile faded from his face, his expression becoming all the more serious with every passing second. He knew that General Katase was not someone who was willing to waste time, and Jeremiah needed to use that to his master's advantage. Lord Lelouch wanted me to give Katase his orders. But for what reason? He tried to deduce, remembering the hidden pain that was in his master's eyes as he gave him his orders. Something must've happened between him and the red-headed girl from Ashford. She's the only one he really hurt at this point. He realized, remembering the Laws of Equivalence that C.C had informed him about. "The predicament Zero is troubled with right now came out of nowhere, and it is in your best interest that he handles it on his own." He explained, his mind still wandering a bit at the moment.

Katase's scowl grew deeper, his anger and frustration building up inside. Zero makes me and my men come out here to Saitama, leaves us here in the cold for half an hour, then sends us his… Britannian spy to greet us! He raged in his head, having never been insulted this much from anyone but Britannia. But just as he began to boil, he took a deep breath, remembering that he was a man of honor, and would do anything for Japan. Even if it gets me killed in the process, I will liberate Japan, whether that means being a leader of terrorists, or a pawn of Zero. "Fine then." He finally grunted out. "What are his orders? He would only send us all out here if he had some orders for us." He demanded, his patience on the verge of collapse.

Jeremiah smiled at the response he just just received, knowing that Lelouch would be pleased. "Straight to the point I see. Zero told me that was your style of doing things." He lied, knowing little about the general from the previous timeline. "Tell me, are you familiar with the Chinese Federation?"

(Student Council Room, 10:32)

It wasn't very long since the school day begun, but Milly was certain that the entire Student Council would show up for what she had in mind. Lelouch and Nunnally were the first 2 to show up of course, the other members arriving shortly after Milly herself showed up, one by one. But as they all greeted each other, it became apparent that Shirley was avoiding Lelouch's gaze, and Nina was paying a significant amount of attention this time. Kallen seemed to be acting awkward around them both though, which meant that she knew something about what happened between them. Cecilia was looking as bored as ever, her golden eyes wandering all over the room. Suzaku had gotten bitten by Arthur again, and Rivalz was the one who had to get him off this time. But after everyone had greeted each other, a dead silence befell them, making it unbearably quiet.

Well, this is only going to get more awkward as it goes, so...may as well make the best of it. Milly thought to herself, putting on her best smile, even if it was a fake one. She looked over at Shirley, seeing misery in her eyes. This ones for you, Shirley. "Alright everyone, now that we're all here, I have an announcement to make." She proclaimed, sounding as cheery as she could get. But in reality, she was quite nervous about what she was going to do. Even after 2 years of her hard work, her entire plan was all but destroyed in a few moments. Shirley wouldn't talk about it of course, nor would Lelouch. But from the way they were acting around each other, Milly knew it was tearing them apart inside. But that's why I'm doing this. She reminded herself, confidence coursing through her veins.

Shirley wasn't exactly thrilled to be here, with all of her friends watching her like this. She had to tell Milly today, but she didn't want to have to say it in front of everyone. But, she was the only one who could tell her about it at the moment. Her father was going to take care of everything but this. But even so… She thought to herself, the pain beginning to swell in her heart, making her ache wildly inside. "Wait… Madam Pres…" She spouted out in a brief second, completely forgetting the fact that she had just spoken out of turn.

Milly blinked as she heard the words come out of Shirley's mouth, somewhat surprised that she spoke out without being spoken to, considering the condition she was in. She looked over at the redhead with a strange curiosity about what she wanted to say, her mind racing with possibilities. "Yes Shirley?" She asked, her voice sounding honey sweet, but concerned at the same time. The last time they spoke to each other, Shirley looked like she was dying on the inside, wanting nothing more than to be left alone. But now, when she looked into Shirley's eyes, she saw that the pain was leaving a scar on her heart, a scar that would haunt her for the rest of her young life. "What is it?"

Shirley felt her heart drop, her expression reflecting the despair that was in her heart at this point. After all, it was hollow, and filled with nothing but sadness. I never knew what pain felt like before, but now… Shirley could practically feel herself drowning in a sea of invisible tears at this point. But in reality, she was just standing there, frozen in place by her own despair, She didn't want to do this. She wanted to keep it to herself until the time came. But if what Dad said is true then… She reminded herself, her heart struggling to allow her voice to be heard. "I have an announcement to make as well." She finally got out.

Milly smiled at the girl, knowing that she needed to keep her image at the moment. Now wasn't the time to start up a one on one conversation when you were about to make an important announcement. "Alright then." She said in her fiendishly kind voice, hoping to make sure that she was sending the right message. "But it'll have to wait until I'm done, OK?" She asked the girl, knowing that she was more than willing to wait until it was over. However, Milly could see all the pain that was in the red-headed girls eyes, reminding her of what she was doing all of this for, the reasons repeating themselves over and over in her mind, like a broken record.

Shirley sighed, shifting her gaze downwards as she gave her answer. "That'll be fine." She said halfheartedly, unsure if the blonde bombshell had even heard her. It was all so much to take in at once, and it seemed that things were only going to get tougher down the road. That's life though. Or at least… that's what it seems like to me. She thought to herself, wondering what life was like for everyone else for a brief second.

Milly smiled half-heartedly at the redhead, seeing that the topic was difficult for her. In any case, it's probably hard to be around the guy who broke your heart. Milly told herself with a weeping heart, but quickly shook off the feeling. And that's why I'm doing this in the first place. "Now then…" She said aloud, readying herself for what was sure to be a flood of mixed reactions. She had given these kinds of speeches before, but there was always something about the way the council reacted afterwards that made her nervous. "Members and honorary members of the Student Council, I've finally decided what were going to do for Nunnally's celebration party. I christen it…" She paused for a moment, making certain that everyone was paying close attention. "Cupid Day!"

And as the words rolled off of Milly's tongue, Lelouch could feel his heart stop, and his throat felt as if an entire gallon of water was being poured down into it all at once. He could feel sweat running down him, but yet he was not sweating at all. It was the familiar feeling he had come to know quite well, but never thought he could truly feel it again: fear. Cupid Day. Oh no, not again! He panicked, his eyes widening great, his breathing becoming shallow and rapid. That's not supposed to happen. Not yet at least!

"You okay, Lelouch?" Suzaku asked him, his voice sounding a bit concerned, but mostly surprised at what he was seeing. Lelouch Lamperouge, aka Lelouch vi Britannia, had just lost his cool for the first time since Suzaku enrolled at Ashford. Lelouch was never one to lose his cool about anything... ever. He didn't even freak out when Suzaku brought him before the Student Council during his first week there. He struggled to get away, but he didn't lose his cool once. "You look like you've just seen a ghost."

Lelouch looked at Suzaku with a slightly disturbed expression across his face. His breath was normal, his vision stable, and his thoughts were clear. Or rather, that was how he appeared on the outside. But inside, he was struggling to make sense of all that was happening. He could feel his blood run cold, his breath was dry and shallow, and his memories burning through his conscious in rapid, horrific images.

He knew that Cupid Day was Milly's trump card, the last move she could make when it came to pairing him and Shirley together. However, the last time it happened, she was graduating from Ashford Academy, and... Shirley died the very next week. He remembered, his heart beginning to ache feverishly. "I'm fine. It's nothing really." He told his old friend in a rather mellow tone. He turned towards the blonde bombshell, and began to speak in a more enthusiastic voice. "So, how does Cupid Day work exactly?"

Milly could sense the fear growing within Lelouch, and to her, it was thrilling. She hadn't seen him so worked up since he and Nunnally first came back. She could feel her inner demon wanting to break free, and send him straight to hell right then and there. But… She reminded herself, hoping to keep the beast within tame for a little while longer. We have to make preparations for that. And they're not quite ready yet. She pulled open a drawer in her desk, taking out two identical hats that were in the shape of a valentine. "Well, on the appointed day, I'll have every student in this school wearing one of these hats." She began, loving every second of it. "The boys will get blue, and the girls will get pink. Then…" She explained as she put on her pink hat, making certain that everyone could see what she was doing. She held up the blue hat next to her own, and began to swap the hats. "If you steal the hat of your target, put it on."

Kallen had been avoiding to understand what all of this meant, just as she had been trying to avoid Shirley's gaze. But she knew Milly, and the kind of things she could come up with to mess with people. but even with her mind off of it, she could still feel the pain deep within her heart. Shirley had died because of Lelouch last time, as did her father die at Kallen's own hand. No. She told herself, remembering exactly where she was. I am not a Black Knight right now, nor am I even Kallen Kozuki. Right now, I'm Kallen… She stopped herself right there, remembering the thing Lelouch had done for her. She wasn't Kallen Stratfield anymore, nor would she ever be again. "And then what?" She asked without thinking, instantly regretting what she had done. She lightly bite her lip, her fears slowly rising to the surface of her being. She looked over at Lelouch, and knew that this had happened before. But if that's the case, then he didn't bring it up because it was painful. She deduced, having a bad feeling in the pit of her heart.

Milly smiled devilishly at Kallen's enthusiasm, silently thanking her for making this too easy. "Glad you asked." She stated, her tone sounding as if she had been expecting that question to come up. She had been of course, but to her, it was still fun to act surprised. She closed her eyes as her grin grew wildly, making her look like she was about to let loose something completely insane. however, on the inside, she was laughing like it was going out of style. It's perfect. She kept telling herself, seeing that it was both the best plan to turn things around, and the best form of punishment she could ask for. "By order of the student council president, me, those two will be proclaimed boyfriend and girlfriend!" She proudly proclaimed, her voice echoing against the wall.

Suddenly, the air became cold and thin, and Lelouch could feel deja vu running through his mind. It was just like the last time. But now, he didn't have Rolo or the underground area to retreat to. Lelouch felt his heart grow numb, along with his security. He was certain... that this time, he was royally... screwed. Is this the witch's fault? He pondered, remembering what happened the last time Milly executed one of her infamous plans. But the more he thought about it, he could only conclude one thing: That this… was his fault. So, this is what the Laws of Equivalence can do? He thought to himself as he subconsciously tried to figure out how he was going to escape from Milly's clutches. However, as he reviewed his memories closely, he remembered that the last time this happened, he didn't escape and Milly got what she wanted anyways. Dammit! If this is what can happen from me saving her father from his death, then I'll have to be even more careful than I thought.

"What?!" Suzaku and Kallen said in complete unison, their minds filling with all the possible consequences that could occur from this. Suzaku could feel his heart sink down his chest, his brain becoming dumbfounded at what Euphie might say about all of this. If he knew the real her, she would probably be as conflicted about it as he was. He didn't want to be saddled with another girl, but at the same time, he had to follow the rules. That was the bottom line, and it would only be worse if he told her about it. My God, this is such... such a... mess. He proclaimed to himself, not knowing another word that could describe his situation. But at the same time, he found himself wondering how Lelouch felt about all of this.

"That's a bit rash, don't you think?" Lelouch chuckled out, trying to ease the tension within himself. But behind that smile, he was struggling inside, like a fly caught in a web. He knew that Milly was going to get him after what he did, but he didn't expect her to do this. The first time was bad enough. He kept thinking to himself, thinking of all the ways that Milly could corner him this time. Not to mention, all of the possible teasing he could get from C.C. Dammit! This is beyond bad. And what's worse, I have to deal with… He stopped himself right there, instantly thinking up a way to keep some of the heat off of him during the event.

That would work. He told himself, his confidence returning back to it's proper level. But even with that in mind, there is one real obstacle left to deal with: Kallen. He thought to himself, wondering how to get her off of his back. Shirley and the others were easy enough to trick, but Kallen knew him, and what he was capable of. If she could grab my hat, it would only make things with Shirley worse. However, I doubt that Kallen would even consider playing into this game, especially considering that it is Milly's game.

But out of nowhere, Rivalz snuck up on Lelouch, grabbing him across the shoulder like the old friend he was. He had an excitable smile all over his face, probably ecstatic about the fact that he actually had a chance of getting Milly's affection, or at least her attention. "Lelouch my friend…" He began, his happiness becoming more apparent by the second. His voice was brimming with excitement, and his thoughts were clear and simple. His mind was always an open door to Lelouch, considering that there wasn't anything he had to hide, especially from his friends. "All I've really got to say to you is this: good luck." He told Lelouch, his enthusiasm for the event bringing thoughts to everyone around him, especially Suzaku.

Suzaku looked at Lelouch and Rivalz like there was something they weren't telling him. "Why are you telling him that?" He said out loud, before he realized how stupid the question was. Of course he would be wishing him good luck. The girls at the school were practically going berserk trying to catch him when I first enrolled. He thought to himself, slightly embarrased at the fact that he had asked such a stupid question.

Rivalz blinked twice, turning towards Suzaku with an dumbfounded expression. "Your kidding, right?" Rivalz asked with a slightly confused look on his face. However, as he looked into Suzaku's emerald eyes, he could see that Suzaku was dead serious when he said that. He turned back to Lelouch, then began explaining as he walked over to the former demon emperor. "Among the high school group, Lelouch is the most desirable guy in the entire school. Nearly every girl in Ashford is infatuated with the guy." Rivalz proclaimed, knowing full well the number of girls that were dying to get a date with the raven haired teen. "After all, he's a genius, good looking, and he really knows how to have a good time." He said with an honest to God smile on his face, unaware of the demon that was hidden underneath the mask of a student. "His only problems are that he sleeps in class and gambles in his spare time."

As soon as she heard those words rush from the blue-haired boy's mouth, Shirley's expression hardened into a scowl. In truth, she could still feel the dagger that was in her heart, killing her from the inside out. But at the same time, she wanted to have some sense of normality in her life. She took in a deep breath, firing herself up with every second that passed. "Lelou, I thought you said that you quit!" She raged at him, her irritation with him reaching a boiling point. But at the same time, she caught herself feeling another emotion towards him: Regret.

She wouldn't admit it openly, of course. But deep down inside, she knew that she regretted not telling him about how she felt. And even more so, she regretted ever finding out about how Lelouch felt about her, and how he felt about Kallen. It was all too much to bear. This might be the last chance I get… She reminded herself, her subconscious showing her all of the vivid images of her past with the Student Council. And with every thought she had, the pain inside became more and more distant from her mind. However, when she returned to the real world, she was reminded of it by simply being near Lelouch and/or Kallen. But that's not important right now. She reminded herself, remembering that she was supposed to be scolding Lelouch. "Why do I even bother with you? Everytime I take my eye off you, even if it's just for a second, you're off somewhere, doing who knows what. I thought you said you were going to quit gambling!"

Lelouch gasped as he backed away from her, his body seeming to be scared of her at the moment. "I did!" He promised her quickly, trying not to look her in the eyes. But in reality, he had to continue gambling. It wasn't just a hobby like it was in the previous timeline, nor did he require the money for Nunnally or himself. He had to keep gambling so that Kallen and her mother could live in the Tokyo settlement under the radar, at least until Sayoko had finished with helping that woman get off of her addiction to refrain and got her a suitable job.

It tore him apart though. Just being near Shirley was enough for him to begin to question whether or not setting back the clock was a good decision or not. But talking to her like nothing had happened at all was enough for him to go mad. That is, if he wasn't insane already, which he knew he most likely was. He returned his attention to the blonde bombshell, his mind trying to figure out how he was going to escape the clutches of Cupid Day again. Last time Cupid Day happened, Kallen, C.C, Nina, and Nunnally were not here. Additionally, I don't have Rolo's geass to bail me out of it this time. It's an old game, but it has a whole new set up.

Nunnally looked at Milly with concern filling her eyes. She had only been able to see since she got her memories back, but was wishing all the more not to see her brother or her friends act this way. She had always known Milly was like this, but that was not what troubled her. She could feel the pain that Lelouch had within him, as well as the pain within Shirley and Kallen. It was sad, but at the same time, it had some joy in it. But even so… She thought to herself, wanting to say something to make this all stop. She pondered at the notion, thinking of something that would undermine Milly's attempts to make Lelouch sadder than he already was. What if… That's it! She proclaimed in her head, thinking of the best way to prevent this event from happening. She quickly put on a confused face, making her voice as innocent as possible. "But how is all of this celebrating me?"

Milly's eyes widened for a second, afraid that Nunnally was almost onto her. Crap. I've got to come up with something, or they'll figure it out before I get my chance. She told herself, her mind racing to find a good explanation. "Well... here's how I see it..." She stated aloud, hoping to stall them long enough to come up with something. Come on Milly, you made the cross-dresser's ball a success, so this should be easy. She thought to herself, her head scouring for possible reasons for Cupid Day.

She pondered this concept, her mind coming up with every possible excuse she could come up with until… Aha! That'll work. She proclaimed to herself as she began to speak again. "Well, you're a sweet girl Nunnally, and you like to see people happy. And now that your eyesight is back, you'll have to exercise it." She began to explain, desperately trying to make sense of what she was saying. "So, and stay with me here, I began to think that the best way to strengthen your eyesight is to practice your aim. So, that made me think of archery, and applied to your personality, it would make you Cupid. And thus, Cupid Day was born." She finished, convinced that her elaborate and hard to comprehend lie was too much for the girl to actually understand all the way. This may be your celebration, Nunnally, but it's also Lelouchs punishment. Her inner demon spoke in her mind, practically marveling at what would be the greatest event of her high school presidency. Now that he broke the heart of the only girl who loves him for who he is, he's going to pay. Big time.

C.C. looked at Milly with her usual bored expression, not sure as to why she would hold such an event. Using Nunnally as an excuse for this kind of thing. It's not exactly nice, but it might be amusing to watch Lelouch squirm for once in his life. "That makes a lot of sense." She told the blonde haired bombshell sarcastically, rolling her eyes for effect. "So tell me, what is the real goal of this little stunt?"

Milly felt as if that one little phrase had punctured a massive hole in her big plan, and she found herself staring at the lime haired witch. She already figured it out?! She gasped in her head, wondering just how smart this girl really was. Ever since Lelouch brought her to the school, he hid her real identity from everyone, herself included. At first she thought that they were really a thing at first, but after seeing the way they interacted with each other, she knew that wasn't the case. Lelouch has been really tight lipped about it, so I'm sure it must be juicy. She thought to herself, her subconsciousness drooling over the very thought of discovering the mystery behind the mysterious girl. But I suppose that's a mystery for another day. She told herself, finally answering her question. "Well, if anyone can catch Lelouch's hat and bring it to me by the time the event is over, they get more funding for their budget."

Kallen's eyes widened at what she heard the she demon said, and suddenly, she could clearly see the scheme that she had come up with, and why. She's not doing this for Nunnally at all. She's doing this to get to Lelouch. She quickly deduced, her conscious telling her that it was her fault it was going to happen. And deep down, she knew it was. She was the one who kissed Lelouch, which caused Shirley's heart to break, which had to have been noticed by Milly, which set this plan in motion. And the worst part of it is that she is using Nunnally as the excuse for it. Lelouch loves her more than anything in the entire world. And he would never reject anything that Nunnally would approve of when the world was not at stake because of it. She concluded, her mind in mere shock of how much more devious Milly was this time around. But on the other hand, it was exactly who she was before, and who she was now. "Bribing everyone again?" She asked rhetorically, knowing exactly how Milly would answer. "That is so like you."

Milly smiled at Kallen's comment, her doubts about whether or not she was acting suspicious clearing from her head. It may have been figured out by people like Lelouch or Cecilia, but in the minds of her friends, this was just another one of her famous/infamous school events. "Of course." She assured the sickly school girl in front of her. "Who else could come up with something like this?" She giggled out as she walked over to the desk, placing both of the hats back inside of the drawer. And as she shut the drawer, her entire being wanting to burst from the anticipation she was having inside. She could hardly wait to see Lelouch squirm like a mouse inside the paw of a tomcat, begging to be spared. But... that will have to wait. She reminded herself, knowing that she had to savor that feeling for as long as she could. She turned back toward her friends in an instant, looking over in Shirley's direction. She could still see the pain in the girls eyes, as if all she had one up until this point was for nothing. She took in a deep breath, her stomach churning at what she was afraid Shirley was going to say to her at this point. "Alright Shirley, go ahead." She told the red headed girl, hoping that her news wouldn't make things any harder than they had to be.

Shirley sighed heavily, hoping that she could've stalled as long as she could until the time came. She didn't want them to worry about her, or even to see the pain that she felt inside, gnawing away at her with every hour that passed. "Well…" She began, feeling her insides twist and turn with every word that came out. For every time she looked at Lelouch, or even at Kallen, she could see the memory that plagued her mind all the way to it's core. It drove her mad, and made her heart extremely sore. She didn't blame them though. As Rivalz had said, Lelouch was one of the popular guys in the entire school, and it was only natural that he would eventually get a girlfriend, especially with his good looks. But… She thought to herself, her mind feeling numb as she thought about the many thinks she dreamed about Lelouch. I wanted to be… She stopped herself right there, making herself accept the fact that she had lost the race for his heart. She took in a deep breath, the pain drifting into the back of her mind, and began to speak again. "You guys remember what happened in Narita, right?" She asked them all rhetorically, knowing that they knew all about what happened at Narita.

Kallen could feel her eyes widen at her words, and she could feel the cold wind of fear running up her spine. Narita? She asked herself, fearing the worst news from her. The last time she was involved with Narita, it was because her father had died in the ensuing avalanche that she had created. But it was different somehow. She would've been told sooner if her father had been one of the casualties, and Jeremiah would've informed them about it even before then. Jeremiah told us that it Joseph Fenette wasn't among the casualties, from the battle or from the avalanche. But even knowing that, she feared for the worst. She didn't want to cause her anymore pain, not that she'd have a definite choice though. Fate, as it would seem, had other plans for her, and this life is as dependent on fate as it choice. Balance… The Laws of Equivalence... She pondered to herself, wondering if there was a way to ensure that the pain was lessened this time around.

Lelouch could barely breath when he heard her say that phrase. No… it can't be… He kept trying to tell himself, the fear increasing the adrenaline in his body by more than half. He knew it couldn't be what he thought it was. Jeremiah had given him solid evidence that joseph Fenette was still alive and well. But even with that knowledge, Lelouch could still feel the guilt, fear, and excruciating pain that was in his heart. Shirley… He thought to himself with a saddened tone, his heart feeling as if it had been punched by Suzaku. He didn't want to think about it, but ever since he… kissed Kallen, he had struggled to even look her in the eye. Talking to her about it only seemed to make things worse. That's just the kind of girl Shirley was, and is… he thought to himself, remembering all the hard times he had been put through because of her, and all the pain he had caused her as Zero.

Suzaku found himself unable to say a word, his ability to speak seemingly taken from him. He was sure it was bad news, and it somehow involved Zero and the Black Knights. That has to be it… He kept telling himself, hoping to whatever was in charge of the universe that he was wrong. But in truth, he knew that there was no doubt that he was right, and that it was his fault for allowing Zero to escape. If I had stopped him, right then and there, then maybe… He tried to think about, his frustration and confusion with Zero driving him towards the brink of madness. But outside of his own little world, he heard Rivalz familiar voice. "Of course we remember what happened at Narita." The blue haired teenager said, his voice sounding only slightly discomforted. "Why?" He asked the red headed girl in front of him, blissfully aware of the sheer reality of the entire situation.

Shirley sighed heavily, wondering if she was supposed to be happy or upset with them for remembering the Narita incident. It was something that made her uneasy, and even scared when her father first told her. And now that she thought about it, it made sense of what he was going to do. But still… She thought to herself, wondering what her life would be like after it was all over. The very thought, however, was making her ache all over, crawling under her skin like a parasite. "Well, you see…" She tried to explain, feeling more tongue tied with every word. "...My dad was there while it was going on-" She managed to get out, before being interrupted by the fearful cry of Nunnally.

"He didn't get caught up in it, did he?!" The crippled girl asked in absolute fear, clamping her mouth shut the moment the last word rolled off of her tongue. She had done the one thing that Lelouch had told her specifically not to do: She mentioned something from the previous timeline. Oh no. She kept thinking to herself as the others, including Lelouch and Kallen, gasped as they looked in Shirley's direction, unsure of what to think at the moment. All she knew was that she had said something that was a terrible thought, and the thought had worked its way into the imaginations of everyone in the room, herself included. But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel as though she had jinxed the whole situation by merely mentioning it, like Sayoko had always taught her when she was little.

Everyone stared at Shirley with wide eyes, looking for some kind of assurance that was not what happened. "No!" she tried to assure them, knowing that they had a tendency to overreact to certain things, especially things of this nature. "Well, yeah, but he wasn't injured or anything like that." She admitted, her heart instantly becoming heavier as she collected her thoughts. It was painful news, to her and them, news that she would rather not speak of. But that wouldn't be right. She told herself, trying to be strong enough to say what had to be said. She let out a heavy sigh, then began to explain exactly what she meant. "You see, my father thinks that Area 11 is becoming too dangerous for us to continue living here. He says that Zero and the Black Knights are disrupting the delicate peace that we need to be safe." She finished, her mind expecting the worst of the worst of reactions. It was a heart-wrenching feeling for her, especially because of what happened between her, Kallen, and… Lelouch.

For the first time in her life, Nunnally couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was all… all so horrible. She was glad that she didn't lose her father this time, but she could also she what happened to her, just by looking her in the eye. She had fallen in love with Lelouch a long time ago, never saying a word about it. But it was more than that. Is she… Nunnally thought to herself, her eyes widening as she put the puzzle together. She could see her pain, as clear as day, and the origin of said pain. She could feel how Shirley's heart shattered, and see that it was Lelouch who did it. Lelouch… She thought to herself, finding herself surprised yet unsurprised at the whole thing. She had seen the way they acted around each other, and knew that they had shared a closer history together than Shirley did. Kallen was there at Shinjuku, at the Black Knights debut, at Narita, during the Black Rebellion, during Zero's return, and during the Second Battle of Tokyo. It was only when Kallen and the Black Knights fought against him during the Battle for Damocles that she ever disliked him, and it was mostly due to a broken heart.

But now, after seeing the Zero Requiem unfold and the restart, Nunnally knew what they meant to each other. Lelouch was the leader of the Black Knights, and she was their ace. His ace in the hole in every battle she was in. By all means, Lelouch was the king of their army, and she, the uncrowned queen. But even so… She thought to herself, wondering how the world could be this cruel. But when she thought about it, she knew that there was good and evil in everything, even love. Love was a fickle, cruel, and taunting force as much as it was a kind, gentle, and beautiful thing. It could hurt people as much as it could help them, and from what she had seen in the previous timeline, it was more prone to cause people pain, just as much as hate was. She began to speak, her eyes slowly feeling the need to burst. "Shirley, are you saying that…" She tried to get out, before she found herself tongue tied at her own question.

Shirley felt as though she didn't need to answer, for they had probably already figured it out by now. After all, you didn't need to be as smart as Lelouch to figure out where the conversation was about to go. But even with that in mind, it still stung her heart, and it felt heavier than ever. Dad told me to tell them so I wouldn't be a burden on their minds. She thought to herself, wondering the same thought over and over in her head. But now that I see the looks on their faces, I'm beginning to wonder: Did I take away the burden, or just point it out? She took in a deep breath, certain she had just inflicted a fair amount of pain upon her friends hearts, and began to speak in a half hearted tone. "Yeah…" She said softly, unsure of how to actually go about all of this. "My family and I will be returning to the homeland in 2 days." She finally got out, closing her eyes to avoid the saddened gazes of her friends.

Silence fell upon the student council, all of them unsure of exactly how they should feel about it. They were upset of course, but they also knew that it was a smart decision to leave a dangerous area before the danger could ever really occur. Milly, however, had a heavy heart on the matter, knowing that her efforts had officially become fruitless. So… She sighed in her head, wondering if she had done any good in her attempts to play matchmaker between Lelouch and Shirley. Is this it? Is this all they're ever going to be? Just 2 teenagers who never reciprocate each others love? She pondered, wondering just what the universe had in store for them. Her mind began to look back, her heart feeling hollow and empty inside. She looked back over their entire friendship, and saw how they were doomed from the start. Every time Shirley had the chance, she would always be too shy or too scared to anything about it. And Lelouch, he was probably clueless about how she felt about him until it was too late. She deduced, wondering where it all went wrong.

Lelouch, for the first time since the incident happened, found himself utterly speechless. His breath was shallow, his heart beating slowly enough to make it ache all the way through his body. He had taken her father away from her, took away her memories, watched her die right in his arms, and now… after coming all the way back in time to prevent the tragedies that happened to her and the others, he still broke her heart, and he was driving her away. Shirley… He kept thinking to himself, despair crawling up his spine to his mind, and tears beginning to form in his eyes. "Shirley…" He said out loud, his tone full of half-hearted sorrow and regret. He could barely feel his heart beat now, and his eyes were beginning to sting from the tears that were forming. he looked around the room, noticing that the others had said nothing, most likely agreeing with the thought that Lelouch had. It was a sad day today, and not much was going to change that.

Kallen lowered her gaze, unsure whether to feel relieved that she didn't kill Shirley's father, or sad because she still ruined Shirley's life. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense to feel sad. She felt like crap inside, and worse, she felt more guilty now than she did during the first timeline. Why do I feel worse now than I did then? She asked herself, unsure why she felt like that now. Last time, when her father died, I was so confused about what I was doing. It felt good to help people, but it also hurt other people. But now, after I've gotten over this before… She stopped herself right there, instantly realizing the reason she was feeling upset. It wasn't the fact that she did any of these things, or at least... it wasn't the sole reason. She was feeling upset because, despite her knowledge of the past and best efforts, she wasn't able to keep Shirley from getting broken up by her and Lelouch's actions. She sighed, reminding herself that all she could do now was press onwards. "How long have you known about these plans?" She asked the red headed girl, finally breaking the awkward silence between the Student Council members.

Shirley looked over at her fellow redhead, and sighed as she spoke. "2 days after Narita happened." She simply said, her heart beginning to numb with pain. She knew it would be hard, but she didn't imagine it would be this sad and awkward. Or rather, as sad and awkward as it really was. Milly had just announced some plan to get to Lelouch, and probably an attempt to get them together at the same time. Milly was just that kind of girl, as Shirley was the kind of girl who would miss out on opportunity. "That's when my father made up his mind."

"And… you didn't tell us sooner because...?" Milly asked, knowing that the answer would probably be something that Shirley didn't want to talk about. Or rather, it was something to do with Lelouch, which would only cause her to be reminded of the pain she went through. It was bad enough that she felt the pain once, but to have to talk about it in order to move on… I simply can't put myself in her shoes right now. She told herself, never knowing the real pain of moving away from friends, let alone the pain of heartbreak. She looked at the redheaded schoolgirl with sorrow filling her eyes, waiting to hear an answer that was sure to tear at their souls.

Shirley was nearly on the verge of having a mental breakdown, her mind inching towards the edge with every second that passed. No. She told herself half-heartedly, her own thoughts and heart beginning to either fail her or betray her. I can get through this. "There was something I wanted to do before you all found out." She said with a fake smile on her face, her heart beginning to feel lost in a sea of despair. But she knew that if she started to cry, it would only inconvenience everyone, especially Lelouch. It hurt, but it was better than to make everyone feel worse than they already did. "But... I guess I was too late." She said, the tears finally breaking through her eyes, though only enough so to make her eyes water.