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Church nearby Luoyang Palace, 1:30 p.m. Xingke and some armored soldiers carrying swords burst into the church where Tianzi's wedding was taking place.

Xingke: People in attendance, answer me this! How does this marriage aid and show the will of China, the land or its people!?
Zhao Hao: Xingke! What is the meaning of this?!
Xingke: Enough crap! The legality of this marriage is nonexistent! Even you should be able to tell!

As Xingke intercepted the guards that attacked him, Zero was watching from the door left of the altar.

Zero: Well, shit, Xingke. Didn't peg you as this much of a badass. Looks like he's got this under control.
Kallen: Um, Zero?
Zero: What is it?
Kallen: (whispers indistinctly)
Zero: What?! Oh, not good!

Xingke continued fighting against the guards, Tianzi shouting his name and crying. Xingke dashed toward the altar and Alistair stepped in front of him, holding his hand out.

Alistair: STOOOP!

Xingke's feet skidded across the floor, stopping himself in front of Alistair.

Alistair: What the hell's going on!?
Xingke: I have no time for this, right now! Move!
Alistair: I'm in the middle of a rescue, pal! I could actually use an explanation, for this interruption!
Xingke: Wait... Alistair?
Alistair: ...Xingke?
Xingke: (pauses) God, you look cooler than I imagined.
Alistair: And, you're taller than I imagined.
Xingke: It's...an epidemic, with this generation.
Alistair: Hair's longer, too. L'Oréal, 'cause you're worth it?
Xingke: How the hell would you know?
Alistair: There's L'Oréal for men.
Xingke: Too fair, too fair.
Alistair: So, what's going on?
Xingke: You may wanna look, behind you.

Alistair turned around and looked at the altar, Odysseus terrified and Tianzi looking at Alistair.

Tianzi: Please help me, Mr. Blue Eyes.
Alistair: (pauses) What the hell is this?!
Xingke: Ah, you didn't get the details. That...actually explains a lot.
Alistair: A party is one thing, but this is illegal! (pulls out Desert Eagle)
Odysseus: What is happening, right now?!
Alistair: (aims Desert Eagle at Odysseus) Alright, listen here...Odyssey, Ogre, whatever the hell your name is! You're gonna step off of this continent, and take your posse and/or clique with you. Start by taking several steps away from the cute girl, and let her talk to her best friend, here, for a bit.
Odysseus: ...And, there will be no repercussions?
Alistair: I won't shoot your kneecaps.
Odysseus: Oddly specific...
Alistair: (cocks gun) Come again?
Odysseus: Nothing! Wedding's canceled!

As Odysseus stepped off the altar, Zero ran out, standing next to Tianzi.

Xingke: Zero?!
Alistair: Hey, man!
Zero: Hey. Um... I'm going to need to take the Empress to safety, if you don't mind.
Xingke: ...Why?
Zero: Well... You may want to check the path that leads to this city's front door.

Immediately, a black Knightmare burst through the ceiling, landing in front of Zero.

Zero: Perfect timing, Zangetsu!
Tohdoh: You're telling me. Sigma's already onto us.

The Zangetsu flew right back out of the building, with its float unit, intercepting an attack from the Lancelot.

Sigma: Impudent rebel! Face the wrath of your new god!
Tohdoh: I'm surprised your still able to move, after going numb.
Sigma: Tohdoh...! Damn ace!

As the Zangetsu fought off the Lancelot, Chiba's Akatsuki brought in a transport crate, carrying the Guren. The crate opened up, Kallen and Kaguya running towards it.

Xingke: Zero... Keep her safe!
Zero: Don't have to tell me, twice!
Alistair: Looks like Schneizel bailed.
Xingke: So have the Eunuchs. Shit! Alistair, come with me.

Back in the sky, the Lancelot shot its VARIS at the Zangetsu, only for a Hadron shield to activate, blocking the shot.

Sigma: What nonsense. A weapon, made to defend? Weapons are weapons. And, everything you make is mine.
Tohdoh: Not everything is about you, you ambitious piece of scrap.
Sigma: Die, then, slave.

As the Lancelot tried to use the Hadron Blaster, the Zangetsu cut the barrel of the Blaster in half, then cut the Float Unit.

Sigma: Mongrel! How dare you defy me!
Zero: (over radio) Tohdoh, we've got our escape route! Hurry back!
Tohdoh: Good timing, on your part, Zero. Sigma shouldn't follow us, now.

As the Zangetsu went to back up the Guren and Chiba's Akatsuki in escorting the crate, Sigma yelled in anger and the Lancelot fled for the Avalon. A limo drove up to Odysseus, and Schneizel rolled down the back window.

Odysseus: This has taken a terrible turn! Schneizel, brother, we need to get out of here!
Schneizel: In due time. You realize how shitty this idea was, now, right?
Odysseus: Yes, yes, of course! It was absolutely horrid! She was much too small!
Schneizel: And, 13.
Odysseus: ...Oh. Well, that's a mistake I won't be living with! Um, how do the urban people do it, again? (slightly raises hand) "Up high"?
Schneizel: Down low.
Odysseus: Huh-?
Schneizel: (pulls out Colt Anaconda) Too slow.

Schneizel shot Odysseus' knees with his revolver, causing Odysseus to scream in agonizing pain. Schneizel exited the limo and threw Odysseus into the back.

Schneizel: Now you know how Nunnally feels. Don't worry. You'll live. With the medical tech Britannia has, you'll be right as rain. In 5 months.

Schneizel slammed the limo door shut, and tapped on the roof of the limo, signaling for it to drive off, as another limo arrived.

Kanon: Was...that really necessary?
Schneizel: No. But, it's good karma.

Meanwhile, the palace guards were looking for Xingke and his group, but to no avail.

Zhao Hao: A disappearing act!? No matter! We must move, quickly, if we're to deal with the Black Knights! Guards, move out and prepare for Knightmare combat!

The guards and High Eunuchs left the area, Alistair peeking out of the tunnel he and Xingke were using to hide.

Alistair: Well, that got them off our trail. What's their beef with all this, anyway?
Xingke: They're trying to sell off the Empress to Britannia, so they can have all the advantages of working with them.
Alistair: Ah, so a stupid reason.
Xingke: Bluntly, yes. Now, what had Zero so spooked that he'd want to get the Empress to safety?
Xianglin: (over radio) Xingke! You're going to want to see this!

Xingke and Alistair went to one of the palace walls and looked out towards the front path. Far, far on the other side, on its way toward the city, was an army of Enclave vehicles and Knightmares.

Alistair: I think we have our answer.
Xingke: How insane are these guys!?
Alistair: Neutral Evil can't be bargained with, so...very. Don't worry, I've got the Yatagarasu above us, in stealth mode. We've got this.
Xingke: I'm still helping!
Alistair: Fair enough. You got a method of helping out? You got Knightmares?
Xingke: (pauses) We stole some, yes. Including a prototype, made by Rakshata, who's with the Black Knights, currently.
Alistair: Nice!
Xingke: Though...versatility is limited.
Alistair: Fight your own way, on the fly. For now, we prepare.

Meanwhile, Chiba's Akatsuki set the crate down in the back of a moving truck, driven by C.C.

Naomi Inoue: (over radio) Sugiyama, Chiba's Akatsuki has landed, back here.
Sugiyama: Alright. (begins walking toward the back) Yoshida, prepare to resupply Chiba and Tohdoh.
Tamaki: (looks at map) Alright, uh... We're going right, next.
C.C.: I feel like I haven't stressed the fact enough, that I've never driven a truck, like this!
Tamaki: Just do your best.

C.C. turned the truck right, causing Tianzi to be frightened as she walked down the stairs, Kaguya catching her in her arms.

Kaguya: It's alright, Tianzi.
Tianzi: We're...outside the palace?
Zero: Yeah. Sorry about the forcefulness of it. Your safety was on the line.

Outside the truck, the Zangetsu and Guren fought off several aircrafts from the Chinese Federation, as C.C. continued driving the truck.

Tamaki: Yeah, I'm not exactly good with this map. I think...we go straight, next.
C.C.: That's right.
Tamaki: Huh? Why do you say that?
C.C.: I...went here, once.
Tamaki: Troubling times in the past, too? Damn, people are trying to make the world hell. Ain't the meaning for it that we're supposed to make.
C.C.: ...You're not wrong.

At the back of the truck, Zero sat at a table, alongside Tianzi, talking to her about his plans.

Zero: We're trying to gather support, Empress. We'll need all the help we can get, to take out Britannia, for good. And, I don't think your "friends," the Eunuchs, are too keen on the idea.
Tianzi: Well...I've never made any real decisions, when I became Empress.
Zero: That's why I think you should be able to. The Eunuchs are trying to use you, to ally themselves with Britannia, and have all the benefits that they please.
Tianzi: This is...hard to follow.
Zero: Hm... Alright, Britannia's trying to take over the world, so that only they control the lives of everyone on the planet, and the Eunuchs want to help them... I'm sorry, I can't speak plainly. Kaguya, please explain things to her. (gets up, walks off)
Kaguya: So, Li Xingke... Do you love him?
Tianzi: Huh? Well...it's actually as Mr. Blue Eyes said. He's...my best friend.
Kaguya: That's...way more adorable than I originally thought.

Zero entered the front of the truck, Tamaki focusing on the map, stressfully.

C.C.: You sure you can trust Kaguya to bring her up to speed?
Zero: (sits down) I sometimes wish I wasn't so used to speaking intellectually. Why do you think I talk to Alistair, all the time?
Tamaki: True, that. You can still be smart, but you can talk however you please.
Zero: How I wish I learned that, years ago.
Tamaki: Hey, don't be like that. I'm getting closer to being middle-aged, and I got smarter, by being friends with Alistair. As well as some harsh lessons on morality, but you get the point.
Zero: Of course. Otherwise, I wouldn't be friends with him.
Tamaki: Now... Oh, shit, wait!

C.C. stopped the truck, right in front of a gap in the road, where a bridge should be.

Tamaki: There should be a bridge, here!
C.C.: How did they get here, so quick?
Zero: Do the Panzer Hummels behind us answer your question?

C.C. and Tamaki looked at their respective rear view mirrors and saw the Last Battalion Knightmares and tanks heading towards them.

C.C.: Yes, actually. Damn Nazis...
Zero: Silver lining, we prepared for this. Asahina!

Asahina's Akatsuki rose from the cliff, as did some other Akatsukis and Burais.

Asahina: You heard the man! Open fire!

The Akatsuki's fired at the Last Battalion's units with their wrist-mounted guns, and the Burais used their heavy assault rifles, destroying them.

C.C.: The weapons we got from the Mavericks work pretty well.
Zero: I'll say.

Meanwhile, aboard the Avalon, Sigma stormed through a corridor, on his way to the hangar, only to run into Schneizel.

Schneizel: Where do you think you're going, Sigma?
Sigma: To kill Wake, and those god damn rebels! I'll purge them all!
Schneizel: Not exactly the peaceful sort, are you?
Sigma: It's all Wake's fault! He took the only one of you wastes of life that I cared about away from me! Everything is his fault! Everything! This world is meant to be run by machines! With me as a god among machines! What's wrong with achieving the truth!?
Schneizel: The truth you believe in isn't the truth that's universal. Hell, there aren't universal truths, to begin with. People make truths, on their own, and your truth is bullshit.
Sigma: Hypocrisy... Hypocrisy...! Everything in this wretched world is run by hypocrisy! And, you're the biggest pile of hypocrisy there is!
Schneizel: And, what I said, last night, has not settled.

Schneizel pulled out a remote and pushed a button on it, stopping Sigma's movement with Suzaku's body.

Sigma: More of this Gefjun shit?!
Schneizel: I asked for the schematics, online. Who'd have thought that getting certain things can be asked for?
Sigma: Rebel...scum...! I'll...kill you...!

Sigma then powered down, Suzaku still unconscious from fighting back against him. Schneizel carried Suzaku's body to a holding cell, and locked him inside. Gino and Anya approach Schneizel, in their pilot suits.

Gino: You have orders, for us?
Schneizel: I do. Gino, Anya. I need the two of you...to assist in the defense of the Vermilion City.
Gino: ...What?
Schneizel: You heard me. If the Enclave has their way, innocent people will die.
Gino: Aren't the Enclave-?
Schneizel: The people that made Alistair's life a living hell? Yes. Now, go and help the Mavericks defend the city, and you'll get the bounty for every kill.
Gino: Well...okay. But, how is there a bounty on the Enclave?
Schneizel: It's best not to question how so much money can be paid, by killing bad guys.