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Inside the vehicle that was taking the Black Knights to Kyoto's headquarters, Zero, Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki were sitting in the back, Tamaki being bored from the long drive.

Tamaki: Must be outside the settlement, 'cause it's taking a while to get there.
Ohgi: Kyoto's influence seems phenomenal, nearly legendary.
Kallen: You want to talk about influence? Try the Tokyo Mavericks. They've got guys outside of Tokyo, dealing with Britannia throughout the rest of the country. By the way, you've been pretty quiet, Zero.
Zero: I'm fine. I learned some dark shit.
Ohgi: Whoa!
Tamaki: Zero, I'm pretty sure you know this, but I'm not the guy to base your speech patterns on.
Zero: I'll talk however I damn well please. We're going to meet with Kyoto, get any necessary equipment to combat the three enemy factions that we're caught up with, peacefully, mind you, and we make some new friends. I don't want screw-ups on your end. Got it?
Tamaki: I'd rather not start anything with those guys.
Ohgi: So, what's the dark thing you learned?
Zero: Ever heard of America?
Tamaki: Yeah. They're our allies.
Zero: Well, it turns out that Britannia attacked America and took over, 10 years ago, by testing out the Knightmares. The total death rate was 50,000.
Ohgi: 50,000 people were killed?!
Zero: That's not the only thing that pisses me off. The other thing is that the Knightmare pilots were indulged by one Samuel Hawking.
Tamaki: Oh, Jesus... Why'd you have to mention that asshole?
Zero: You know him?
Kallen: Who hasn't heard of Malefactor Extraordinaire, Samuel Hawking? We really didn't know about the part where Britannia invaded, though.
Zero: Just thinking about that asshole pisses me off.
Driver: Would you like me to turn on the radio?
Kallen: What stations do you have?
Driver: Tokyo Mavericks stations. Rock and roll, and the like.
Kallen: Damn...
Zero: Turn it up.

As the driver turned on the radio, a song that was greatly familiar to Zero began to play.

Zero: You hear that? That's the sound of my childhood.
Kallen: You...listened to Metallica, as a kid?
Zero: You're damn right. Oh, right to one of my favorite parts! (singing) Uncross your arms, take and throw him to the cure, say, "I do believe"! Uncross your arms, now! Take him to it, say, "I do believe"! "I do believe"!
Kallen: Even with that voice filter, he's a good singer.
Tamaki: You learn something new, every day.

2015 a.t.b., Salt Lake Ciy, Utah. Bautista, Florida, North and South were stranded in a street, with Hawking standing at the opposite end.

Florida: I am getting sick of this guy.
Hawking: What, you thought you could run from the world's greatest malefactor? You're lucky I found some Mephisto on me, otherwise, I would've been dead.
South: Shit.
Florida: I'm taking this asshole out!

Florida charged at Hawking, roaring with all of his rage. When Florida reached Hawking, Hawking punched Florida in the throat, and the sound of bones breaking could be heard across the street. Hawking lifted the prone Florida by the throat, with one hand.

Hawking: Any last words, goody-goody blue dude?
Florida: (unable to speak any words)
Hawking: Aptly put. (inverses grasp to the back of Florida's neck, pulls out plasma Glock, aims it at Florida's spine) Good game.

Hawking shot the plasma Glock and a flash of green light appeared, resulting in Florida having a hole in his stomach, possibly without a spine. Hawking threw the body aside and holstered the energy weapon.

North: (enraged) You bastard!

North began running towards Hawking and was met with a head-butt from Hawking. Hawking picked North up by the hair and forced his hand into North's chest. When Hawking pulled his hand out of North's chest, he pulled out a microchip holding North's AI and kicked North's body away.

South: (thinking) Huh. I actually never would've thought that another case of psychological damage could undo the previous adverse affects.

2017 a.t.b., Tokyo, Diethard Ried's office. Diethard was typing a report on his computer when he heard a knock at his door.

Diethard: (thinking) Huh? I thought only Jeremiah and Villetta knew about this office. Unless... Oh, God, I'll probably go deaf. (out loud) Come in.

The door opened and a familiar man in a uniform that resembled Ashford Academy's entered the office.

Alistair: 'Sup, Mr. Diethard Ried?
Diethard: It's you! How did you know where this was?
Alistair: I asked.
Diethard: Wow. It's really that simple?
Alistair: Anyway, I'm here to ask for some information.
Diethard: Information? I may be a news reporter, but I'm not an informant.
Alistair: Really? 'Cause, that really doesn't explain how the Black Knights knew where to go.
Diethard: You're here to rat me out.
Alistair: Rat out a fellow do-gooder? Hardly. (sits down in chair) I need every bit of information you have on the Primebloods and the Renegades.
Diethard: Hmm... Very well. However, I want some information, in return. Let's say... America. What's been going on?
Alistair: Dude, you can just check that out on the internet.
Diethard: Are you kidding me?
Alistair: Some things are just so simple.
Diethard: (sighs) Dammit. What do you want to know?
Alistair: Everything.

Meanwhile, outside of Tokyo, Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki exited the vehicle, with Zero playing the air guitar on top of the car, while the guitar solo of the Metallica song was blaring.

Kallen: Okay. I think it's safe to say that we've officially seen what charisma looks like.
Tamaki: I'll say. (looks out window) Oh, my God! We're in freaking Mt. Fuji!
Ohgi: You mean...the mines?!
Tamaki: The Sakuradite... It's right below us!
Ohgi: God help us.
Elderly Voice: Turn off that music. Now!

The driver in the car turned off the radio and the window closed, causing red lights to turn on.

Zero: I was listening to that! (gets down from car) Can't people unwind, in their own way?
Elderly Man: Do you even comprehend where you are?
Zero: Mt. Fuji, a very important and popular landmark, found only in Japan.
Elderly Man: Correct. However, it has been bent to the empire's will, destroyed, albeit a little.
Zero: The view's good, though. Cloaking the metal parts would make the inside a neat little attraction. After getting rid of all the Sakuradite, of course.
Elderly Man: I doubt that. I apologize for not showing my face, but you hide your face, as well, Zero. To trust you, you must show me your face!

The elderly man behind the curtain pointed his cane at Zero, and Burais appeared from the shadows, aiming their guns at the Black Knights.

Tamaki: Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the phone!
Kallen: Please, wait! Zero's given us hope, victory, even! Isn't that enough to trust him!?
Elderly Man: Silence! Zero, remove your mask, now!
Zero: What the hell is this?
Elderly Man: Hm?
Zero: I said that I wanted these talks to be peaceful. Is this peaceful!?
Elderly Man: Do as I say, or die!
Zero: (walks towards elderly man) I didn't ask for this bullshit!
Elderly Man: Shoot him!
Zero: What part of "peaceful" don't you get!?
Elderly Man: What are you waiting for!?
Zero: Aiming guns at people you invite, threaten them...! What kind of hospitality is that!?

As Zero walked up the stairs to the man behind the curtain, the guards standing near the elderly man aim their pistols at Zero.

Guard: Freeze!
Zero: Take a walk.
Guard: Back away! Now!
Zero: (leans towards guard) Do you feel in charge?
Guard: (frightened) ...No?
Zero: Then, take a walk, bitch.

The guards holstered their guns and immediately walked away, fast.

Zero: Not how thought it would go, Taizo Kirihara?
Taizo Kirihara: Damn. How much do you know about me?
Zero: You founded Kirihara Industries, monopolizing Sakuradite, alongside being a backer of the Kururugi regime, nearly a decade ago. When Japan fell, you started collaborating with Britannia, to keep yourself out of harm's way. "Kirihara the Traitor", they called you. In truth, you are a head honcho of the Six Houses of Kyoto, supporting resistance groups throughout Japan. Pretty sucky, being a double agent.
Kirihara: That's not really common knowledge for any Japanese citizen.
Zero: That's because I'm not Japanese.
Tamaki: Get the hell out...
Kallen: No way...
Kirihara: Then, why fight for Japan, at all?
Zero: Because it's the right thing to do. Imperialism is a dead practice, after all.
Kirihara: So, you'd fight Britannia? Because it's the right thing to do?
Zero: You haven't pieced it together, have you? (takes off mask)
Kirihara: (surprised) You... It can't be...
Lelouch: Hello, Kirihara. It's been a good couple of years, hasn't it?
Kirihara: Yes. Ever since we received you as hostages.
Lelouch: We were never hostages, to begin with. I was more like a freeloader, trying to take care of his sister.
Kirihara: Very true. You're right.
Lelouch: You should have realized it was me, by the music.
Kirihara: I didn't even realize that it was Metallica, until now. You've always been calmed by that music genre. So, you're here to ask for assistance?
Lelouch: Of course.
Kirihara: (chuckles) Well, then. Let's get interesting. (to Ohgi) You, in the turtleneck! Are you Ohgi?
Ohgi: Yes!
Kirihara: Zero is a man to be trusted. His face must be hidden for the most vital reasons. I urge you to follow Zero, with all of your heart. If you do so, you will be supported, tenfold!
Ohgi: Thank you very much!
Lelouch: I'm grateful, Kirihara. We'll meet again, I hope.
Kirihara: So, you're off to embark on the path of blood?
Lelouch: No. This is the path to end bloodshed. (puts mask back on)
Kirihara: But, there is no such path.
Zero: (walking away) Then, I'll make one.

Back at Diethard's office, Diethard laid two files onto his desk, for Alistair to see.

Diethard: Who do you want to hear about, first?
Alistair: Renegades.
Diethard: The Renegades were founded by a former backer of the last prime minister of Japan. A politician named Oda Nanbu. The man is ruthless, when it comes to military might.
Alistair: A former war hero?
Diethard: The most infamous soldier and commander to ever come out of the Japanese military. He greatly opposes the idea of peace without killing anybody. Instead...
Alistair: Peace through tyranny.
Diethard: Exactly. Nanbu wanted Japan to become an empire, again, and got to Kusakabe of the Japan Liberation Front.
Alistair: Thus, the Renegades were born.
Diethard: Of course. I don't have information on leading members, though.
Alistair: That's alright. Now, the Primebloods.
Diethard: Not much to say on origins. They've been opposing Britannia's law for about 10 years. One of their rants said something about plunging the world into chaos.
Alistair: That's just how they are. They're anarchists who want to bring about the apocalypse.
Diethard: A major case of insanity, then. I have information on the leading members of the Primebloods.
Alistair: Fire away.
Diethard: Second-in-command, head of stealth operations and master assassin: Jackknife.
Alistair: You'd think a butterfly knife.
Diethard: Scientific genius, Knightmare designer and master hacker: Decker.
Alistair: What's he got? Some kind of neo cyber-punk fashion statement?
Diethard: Only him. Finally... Brutal criminal, devastating murderer and head of all assault operations: Sledge.
Alistair: And the boss-man?
Diethard: The leaders have changed, over the years, founded by a teenager with a god complex. The current leader is an unknown man in his 60s... One Kane Truman.
Alistair: So far, nothing on Kane?
Diethard: He doesn't even show up on any database.
Alistair: Right. So, you need these files back?
Diethard: Take them. I have spares.
Alistair: Thanks, Diethard. (gets up)
Diethard: Are you an informant, as well?
Alistair: Not really. I'm a mercenary benefactor. I live to take these guys down.

Hours later, at the opera house, Lelouch was walking through the rainy sidewalk, holding an umbrella, after realizing that Shirley wasn't there.

Lelouch: (thinking) Why did I come here, anyway? I told Shirley that I couldn't make it. Oh, well. Maybe I had the time to go.

At that moment, Lelouch noticed that Shirley was standing alone, in the rain, without an umbrella. Lelouch held his umbrella over Shirley, to shield her from the rain.

Lelouch: (out loud) Sorry that I was late, Shirley. Come on, let's get out of the rain.
Shirley: Lulu... Zero... Zero fights for the weak...right?
Lelouch: Yeah. Of course, he does.
Shirley: (crying) Then... Then, why did he kill my father? My father... He wouldn't hurt me. He did nothing wrong. Yet, he was buried alive. He... He couldn't breathe. Lulu, why did my father have to die!? Why!? (hugs Lelouch) Why did this have to happen, Lulu!?

Lelouch was unable to respond, due to the horror that filled his mind and the rage flowing through it.

Shirley: Lulu...
Lelouch: (looks at Shirley)
Shirley: Forgive me... I have to...

Shirley kissed Lelouch, despair flowing through her mind.