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Britannian government building, 10:00 a.m. Cornelia forced the door to Euphemia's room open, breathing heavily due to the fact that she ran all the way there.

Cornelia: Euphy! Euphy! Holy shit, that was a lot of stairs...
Euphemia: So, you ran all the way here? I guess that explains why the common courtesy of knocking went out the window.
Cornelia: You know how you're training in piloting a Knightmare?
Euphemia: Hate the current paint job, by the way.
Cornelia: Same. Well, for the time being, you're gonna be needing a bodyguard. Sans the whole "knighting process" bullshit. Scratch it from the equation, not the font.
Euphemia: I know the difference. Besides, whoever you choose might not even be in my age group, and those "advisors" are a pain in my ass.
Cornelia: That's exactly the epiphany I had. I know just the guy to back you up.

2 hours later, Ashford Academy. Alistair walked into the classroom, and saw a group of students gathered around a laptop.

Alistair: What are you guys watching?
Male Student A: Some shit hitting the fan.
Alistair: Huh? The hell does that mean?
Male Student B: You're not gonna like this.

Alistair took a look at the laptop's screen and saw that the news was on. Alistair saw Suzaku, walking down a corridor, towards Euphemia, in a strange outfit that did not suit him, whatsoever.

Alistair: What the hell's goin' on?
Male Student A: Suzaku's gonna be knighted.
Alistair: ...That's freaking ignorant!

Alistair took out his cell phone and dialed Suzaku's number. When Suzaku knelt down, in front of Euphemia, his cell phone rang.

Euphemia: (over laptop) You should get that.
Suzaku: (opens cell phone, over phone) Hello?
Alistair: Suzaku! What the hell do you think you're doing!?
Suzaku: Can you call me, later? I'm in the middle of something important. (whispers) I'm being knighted.
Alistair: I see that! Why!?
Suzaku: Don't do this, right now. This is for Japan.
Alistair: Really!? 'Cause, from where I'm looking, you're just being the biggest dumbass, ever!
Euphemia: Can I see that? (takes phone from Suzaku) Hi, Alistair.
Alistair: Euphy, I swear, if you do wrong by Suzaku, I will personally end you.
Euphemia: Don't worry, he's in capable hands.
Alistair: Don't you-!

Euphemia closed Suzaku's cell phone, hanging up on Alistair, in the process, then handed Suzaku his cell phone.

Alistair: She hung up on me. That tears it! (exits room)

Meanwhile, at the Britannian government building throne room, the crowd was murmuring about the interrupting phone call.

Euphemia: Don't worry about it. It's been resolved.
Suzaku: (normal tone) I have no idea how well that will end.
Euphemia: We should get this done, quick.
Suzaku: I, Suzaku Kururugi, pledge my fealty-
Euphemia: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Didn't you get the memo? This isn't a knighting.
Suzaku: What?!
Euphemia: As far as I can see, you're not even wearing anything remotely similar to a Shinsengumi uniform. That suit doesn't even make you look good. (takes sword from Suzaku) And, this wimpy sword...! It's like a toothpick! (throws sword aside)

Euphemia whistled to her right, and a katana flew at Euphemia and she caught it.

Euphemia: This is a sword! (draws katana) Artistic, single-edged, able to be used with one or both hands... (sheathes katana, hands it to Suzaku) That's the kind of sword, for you.
Suzaku: But...
Euphemia: (pulls Suzaku to his feet, wraps arm around Suzaku's shoulder) Suzaku Kururugi is a very close friend of mine, and is now my bodyguard. If any of you are thinking otherwise, you'd better stop thinking that way. So, play nice.
Aristocrat: This is an outrage!
Darlton: (turns around) I'm sorry, I was completely distracted by such a heartwarming moment, for a friend of mine. Did you say something?
Aristocrat: (frightened) No...
Darlton: And, where's the applause!?
Lloyd: Coming right up! (laughs, then claps)

Back at Ashford Academy, Alistair began tinkering with something on his workbench, when his phone rang, the call coming from an unknown caller.

Alistair: (opens phone) Who the hell is this?
Zero: (over phone) Alistair.
Alistair: ...Zero.
Zero: You sound like something crawled up your ass and died.
Alistair: Well, a dumbass friend of mine decided to do something even more stupid. It was all over the news, apparently.
Zero: Ah. That. Yeah, I just saw that.
Alistair: Oh, and I'm also pissed that Euphy hung up on me. I am the one who hangs up.
Zero: I can actually imagine that. So... About Suzaku...
Alistair: His ass is mine to kick.
Zero: Maybe he needs someone else to kick his ass, too. Maybe, Kallen?
Alistair: Oh... So, you've been messing with her, huh?
Zero: Not what I was getting at. Ace vs. ace, that sort of thing. Maybe, Tamaki, too.
Alistair: Oh, you're talking humiliation! That's actually a different story.
Zero: Yeah, I probably should have led on with that. I'd rather not mess with you, your friends or your girlfriend.
Alistair: She told you?
Zero: Yes. I'm not even mad. Hell, I was actually gonna advise her to do that.
Alistair: Really?
Zero: (pauses) You're actually not giving two shits, right now, are you?
Alistair: Oh, I'm just infuriated.
Zero: Well, I've got a meeting to start up.
Alistair: You do that. (closes phone)

Meanwhile, aboard the Black Knights' submarine, Zero was in the meeting room, looking at his phone.

Zero: What do you know? He was right. (puts phone away)
Diethard: On to the meeting at hand.
Zero: Oh, yes. The purpose of this meeting is to inform all of you of our new structure. These changes include new heads of specific departments. Military affairs will be headed by Kyoshiro Tohdoh. Head of intelligence, espionage and public relations: Diethard Reid.
Black Knight A: That guy!? Come on!
Black Knight B: Wasn't he some big shot media guy?
Chiba: Zero, I'm not trying to be racist, here, but is there a reason on why you're leaving a sensitive position like that in his hands?
Tamaki: Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, people! I know, he looks like some kind of new-age greaser, with his shiny-ass hair...
Diethard: Hold on, what?
Tamaki: But, come on! This guy's been helping us out, for no reason! He's been feeding us intel, right from under those malevolent scumbags' noses. Hell, he might make some mistakes, at times. If his planning's all screwed up, we'll fix it up! Make it better, and all that.
Diethard: Says the man who works for the Tokyo Mavericks, on the side. Talk about playing both sides.
Tohdoh: If he wasn't part of the Mavericks, then where would his respect be?
Zero: That's a burn. That is a sick burn.
Diethard: (pauses, looks at other Black Knights, quiet tone) Okay, is my hair really that shiny?
Zero: Next... Deputy commander: Kaname Ohgi.
Ohgi: Wha-? Me?!
Zero: Yes, you. Why wouldn't it be you?
Ohgi: I won't let you down!
Zero: You never have. Head of R&D: Rakshata.
Rakshata: But, of course. It beats being bored.
Zero: Head of Tokyo Mavericks liaisons: Kallen Kozuki.
Kallen: Huh?!
Zero: Alistair means something to you, and you mean something to Alistair. It's only natural that best friends stick together, until the very end.
Kallen: Thank you!
Zero: Combat squad time! Captain of First Squad: Shogo Asahina. Second Squad: Ryouga Senba. Specialist Force: Shinichiro Tamaki.
Tamaki: Specialist?
Zero: You've shown promise, in combat. With Rakshata here, our Knightmares have been thoroughly upgraded. This includes yours, which now holds the first Knightmare sniper rifle.
Tamaki: Sniper, huh?
Zero: You've had training in that field. (pulls out beret, twirls it on index finger) A gift from Alistair. (throws beret at Tamaki)
Tamaki: (catches beret) "First Recon"?
Zero: Straight from California. Make the words on the emblem come true.
Tamaki: "The last thing you never see." Holy shit, that's cool.
Zero: Meting adjourned. Back to business! (thinking) Now, I just need to knock some sense into Suzaku. Otherwise, he'll be dead, by the end of the year.

2015 a.t.b., Washington, D.C. Alistair woke up, and found himself in a bed, surrounded by soldiers.

Alistair (Age 14): Hi.
Soldier: You're awake. Thank God.
Alistair: (sighs) What's going on, now?
Soldier: Atlas Weapons Manufacturing is pissed about Hawking's death. Civility and the Enclave are gone, they left somewhere. All that's left are Atlas' mercenary company.
Alistair: Militaristic clowns? No big deal. (gets out of bed)
Soldier: They're currently headed for Hawaii.
Alistair: Isn't that where Agent South is?

Meanwhile, at Hawaii, South and Bautista were hiding out in a forest on one of the islands.

South: Just got word that Hawking's kicked the bucket. However, Atlas is on its way, to kill us.
Bautista: The Bloody Lance, or something remotely similar.
South: Well, with all these islands, we should be very hard to find.
Bautista: Technically, Hawaii could be considered an archipelago. Noun. A group of islands.
South: Thank you for the cool word, Bautista.
Bautista: You are welcome.
South: Well, I've got a rebreather, so I think we can just swim our way back. Bautista, are you waterproof?
Bautista: (head wound sparks) I was, last week.
South: Shit. Guess we'll just have to wait them out.
Bautista: Doesn't Atlas Weapons Manufacturing make those elemental weapons? Like, acid and electric?
South: Son of a bitch. There's one of their aircrafts, now. Wait, what's with those rockets? No! They wouldn't! They're gonna destroy all these islands, until they find us!
Bautista: They wouldn't.

South watched the rockets launch from the rocket launchers of the aircraft and soldiers as explosions and fire consume part of one of the islands.

South: My God. They're monsters.
Bautista: They came from the rig.
South: The Poseidon Oil Rig? Along with the entire Enclave?
Bautista: Atlas is just one business created from the Enclave. Atlas is just the "top dog".
South: If they help Britannia, with their Knightmares... Jesus... Wait, how come you haven't been all delirious, this whole time? It's been a week.
Bautista: (looks at squirrel) This is a fluffy bird.
South: There it is.