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2017 a.t.b., 7:00 p.m., Lake Kawaguchi hotel. Alistair arrived at the hotel, wearing his hooded jacket and the hood covering his face. The sky had turned dark and Alistair was about to walk through the front door until he heard a man screaming above him. Alistair looked up and saw a man falling towards him, then caught him with ease. Alistair noticed that the man was bound by ropes.

Alistair: Yeah, I don't think you should ever go onto the roof. (unties man) If you're too scared to go back inside, I suggest you go home. (points to manhole) I used that to get here. It's pretty clean, down there.
Man: Thank you! I'm out of here! They're crazy! (runs off)
Alistair: I'll be the judge of that.

Inside the hotel penthouse, Lieutenant Colonel Josui Kusakabe had finished making his demands to Cornelia and was talking with his subordinates.

Josui Kusakabe: That should do the trick. Let's see if those Britannian pigs can top that.
Soldier: Sir! There's someone entering the hotel! He's at the reception desk!
Kusakabe: What?! Put it on the screen!

The TV in the penthouse showed footage of the reception desk, with a hooded man in front of it, ringing the bell.

Alistair: (over TV) Hello!? Anybody here!? I walked my ass here, dammit!
Kusakabe: Where the hell did he come from?! No, no! Better question: how the hell did he get here?!
Soldier: He clearly said he walked...
Kuskabe: Past the blockade, you dumbass! Is he friggin' blind, or something!? They would have shot him down, for approaching this place! I mean, seriously, does he watch the friggin' news!? Does he even know what the hell is going on!?
Soldier: We could inform him, sir.
Kusakabe: Good idea! Send someone down there and put him with the hostages.
Soldier: Usui's en route.

Back at the reception desk, Alistair was still waiting for an employee to show up.

Alistair: Judas Priest, where the hell is everybody?
Voice: You, there!

Alistair turned and saw a Japanese man in a military uniform, pointing a gun at him.

Alistair: Hey, now! You must be the Japan Liberation Front! I like that uniform.
JLF Soldier: Put your hands in the air! Now!
Alistair: Bravery and audacity, to boot. You've been at this for a long time, huh? Name and rank, soldier.
JLF Soldier: (scoffs) Junichi Usui, Lieutenant Junior Grade.
Alistair: A Marine? Nifty. I'm a Marine Captain, myself.
Junichi Usui: You? A Captain? Please.
Alistair: What, you don't have your own fleet, at Lieutenant Junior Grade? I did, back in America.
Usui: Wha-? America? (lowers gun) Wait, you're not Britannian?
Alistair: No, but I do have Native American, Scottish and Irish heritage. What about you? Do you have any other heritage, besides Japanese?
Usui: Uh... No. Do you...know what's going on, here?
Alistair: What are you talking about?
Usui: Look out the door.

Alistair looked outside and saw the Britannian blockade, with Cornelia's G-1 mobile base near the bridge.

Alistair: The hell did they come from!?
Usui: We took over the hotel. And we have hostages.
Alistair: (looks back at Usui) I can't believe I was right about something stupid happening, today.
Usui: (whispers) Help us.
Alistair: (confused) Huh?
Usui: Kusakabe's gone nuts! Look, we need to get the hostages out of here, before he kills any more of them.
Alistair: Oh, so that was a hostage, huh? I saved a guy from falling to his death, when I got here.
Usui: (sighs with relief) Thank God. The hostages are at the center of the hotel. A storage room.
Alistair: Hang on. (opens cellphone) I gotta make a call.
Usui: (thinking) How the hell can he make a call, at a time like this?
James: (over phone) Hello?
Alistair: Hey, James. Uh, remember when I said that I would be at Lake Kawaguchi?
James: Yeah?
Alistair: Well, the hotel got taken over by some renegades of the Japan Liberation Front.
Usui: And how did he know that Kusakabe's gone renegade?!
James: Wait, they have renegades?
Alistair: Yep. Tell the guys to gear up. I used a sewer tunnel to get to the hotel. Wear your designated outfits and bring everything.
James: Got it. Hey, guys! We're going to Kawaguchi! (hangs up)
Alistair: (closes phone) Alright, lead the way, Lieutenant.
Usui: (out loud) Who...are you?
Alistair: The original mercenary benefactor.

At the storage room where the hostages were held, JLF soldiers were taking the recently discovered Euphemia to Kusakabe. Upon their arrival, Alistair and Usui stopped at the door to the storage room.

Usui: They're in there. There's two guards, as well.
Alistair: I got this.

Inside the storage room, Milly, Shirley and Nina were still shocked at the events that transpired. One of the guards stationed inside was still upset at Nina.

JLF Guard A: I don't care about orders! I'm still doing this!
Nina Einstein: No!
Shirley: Lay off her!
JLF Guard A: I'll still teach you a lesson, for calling me an Eleven!
Nina: Stop it! No!

As the JLF guard was dragging Nina, he felt a pistol tapping on his shoulder. He turned around and the pistol was in his mouth. He saw a hooded man holding the silver pistol.

Alistair: I take it that you didn't hear me come in?
JLF Guard A: (whimpers)
Alistair: You really should have thought this through.
JLF Guard B: Hey! (points gun at Alistair) Drop your weapon!
Alistair: You do realize that you're outgunned, right?
JLF Guard B: All you have is that pistol-! Shit.

The second guard noticed the black pistol aimed at him, under Alistair's right arm and reacted accordingly.

Alistair: Here's how this is gonna go. My pals are gonna be here and you will be under their supervision, until further notice. You will hand your guns over to them and you will play nice. Get me?
JLF Guard A: (muffled) Uh-huh.
JLF Guard B: Yeah, sure.
Alistair: Good. Get out.

Both of the guards left the room and Alistair holstered his Desert Eagles.

Alistair: Everyone cool?

Alistair noticed that his fellow student council members were in the room, with him.

Alistair: (thinking) I should have guessed that they'd be hostages, too. Nothing else to do about it. (out loud) Well... You're free. You can, uh, head back to your rooms, if you like.
Milly: I don't think that's happening. After all that's happened, we need to get the hell out of here.
Alistair: Well, you can't take the bridge, you'll get shot. Take the sewer tunnel, to the left of the exit.
Hostage: What about the service tunnel?
Alistair: Oh, yeah. That would work...if I didn't check there, first, and saw that there was a...(shouting)...mastodonic-sized cannon down there!
Hostage: Oh... Shit...
Alistair: (normal tone) Yeah. Sewer's your only option. It's pretty clean, actually.
Nina: Are you...an Eleven?
Alistair: The correct term is "Japanese," adorable one. But, no, I'm not.
Shirley: Why are you helping us?
Alistair: It's my job. Get your crap and get out of this hotel. They might blow the crap out of this place. Speaking of which... (opens cellphone) Bomb squad, check everywhere, every floor. Don't want this place blowing up, with innocent people in it. (closes phone)

Alistair left the room and turned his attention to Usui.

Alistair: Where's Kusakabe?
Usui: Penthouse. Top floor.
Alistair: Let's get this clown.

Back at the penthouse, Zero was speaking with Kusakabe, who was sitting on a couch.

Kusakabe: Intriguing offer, Zero. However, I have to decline.
Zero: Really? I'm trying to free Japan, you know.
Kusakabe: I've done that, too. But, I've learned...that I don't give a shit about Japan.
Zero: Now I get it. You're renegades. You left the JLF.
Kusakabe: Oh, yes. I've learned of a man that took over his own country, solely for civil war. Me, I'd rather Japan become an empire, again, and take over the world, rather than Britannia.
Zero: How can you think like this? You're a soldier.
Kusakabe: Well, before you got here, one of the soldiers suggested that I inject mescaline into my balls.
Zero: (pauses) I don't think that's healthy. Or a safe place to inject...anything, really.
Kusakabe: Please, you're overreacting. (pauses, eyes widen)
Zero: Mescaline? Doesn't that cause hallucinations...?
Kusakabe: Friggin' monster in the room! (draws sword, charges at Zero and screams)
Zero: Oh, shit!

Outside the door to the penthouse, the soldiers escorting Euphemia heard gunshots and screaming, then barged into the room. Zero was holding a pistol, all of the soldiers were dead and Kusakabe had been stabbed with his own sword.

Zero: It's not what it looks like! He attacked, first! He had mescaline in his balls! It was self-defense!
Soldier: Doesn't mescaline cause hallucinations? Who-? (sighs) Dammit. Well, we're free. You can have Euphemia.
Euphemia: Wait, what?

The soldiers shoved Euphemia into the room, closed the door and left. Zero and Euphemia were alone in the penthouse.

Euphemia: Zero...
Zero: Hi.
Euphemia: You killed my brother, Clovis. Why?
Zero: He wanted innocent people dead. For no damn reason. Destruction of homes, lives and an entire, already destroyed neighborhood.
Euphemia: I find that hard to believe. I also find it hard to believe that a member of the Japan Liberation Front would resort to taking a hallucinogenic drug.
Zero: It's true! He said it, then he attacked me! Didn't you hear me yell "Oh, shit!"?
Euphemia: Wait, you said that?
Zero: Yes. It's part of my vocabulary. You understood it.
Euphemia: Are you going to kill me, too?
Zero: Well...you haven't really...done anything, so...no.
Euphemia: Then, why am I still here?
Zero: Please, don't leave through the front. You're innocent enough, as it is.

Immediately, there was a knocking at the door.

Alistair: (behind door) Room service!

The door was then launched off of its hinges and a hooded man rolled into the room and pointed two pistols at Zero and Euphemia.

Alistair: Break yourself, fools! (notices Zero and Euphemia) What the...? Zero? Euphemia?! The hell is this!?
Zero: Who the hell...?
Alistair: (gets up and walks towards Zero) How'd you get here? Where's Kusakabe?

Alistair looked and saw Kusakabe, dead and with a sword thusted in his chest.

Alistair: (exclaims in annoyed tone, looks back at Zero) You prick!
Zero: What...?
Alistair: I wanted to kill him, jackass! Screw it. (holsters Desert Eagles, approaches Kusakabe's corpse and grabs katana) You won't be needing this. (pulls out katana) Hey, where's the scabbard?
Zero: Over by the curtain.
Alistair: Thanks. (walks towards curtain and picks up scabbard)
Euphemia: Are you the third party from Saitama?
Alistair: How is Cornelia, anyway? (sheathes katana)
Euphemia: Fine, no thanks to you.
Alistair: (turns around) What? All I did was kick her ass.
Zero: Same with me. I didn't even land a hit.
Alistair: I don't think you're used to Knightmare combat.
Zero: You would be right.
Euphemia: Why fight Britannia, at all?
Alistair: I live to help people. I take down bad guys, assassins, evil pseudo-military punk-asses, you name it.
Zero: No wonder you're tactics beat Cornelia. Doing that sort of thing is your job.
Alistair: Hell yeah. By the way, why'd you kill Kusakabe before I did?

Alistair saw an empty syringe on the floor and picked it up.

Zero: I believe that syringe was carrying mescaline. Kusakabe injected it into his testicles.
Alistair: Wait, what?!
Euphemia: That's the stupidest thing he could ever do.

Immediately, the building began to shake underneath the three, after hearing an explosion.

Euphemia: What was that?!
Alistair: That would be someone destroying the mastodonic-sized cannon. They better not think of sinking the hotel...

As Alistair looked out the window, he saw a white Knightmare firing at the hotel's support foundation. The building shook, again, but the building did not fall.

Alistair: Figured as much.
Zero: Why aren't we falling?
Alistair: (looks back at Zero and Euphemia) The hell are you still doing here? Get outta here! Shoo!

Outside the hotel, the white Knightmare landed on the bride to the hotel, Cornelia looked at the hotel and saw that it was not sinking.

Cornelia: What?! What's going on!?
Guilford: Those shots should have caused damage!
Darlton: So, why isn't it sinking!?

Immediately, Cornelia, Guilford and Darlton's speakers inside their Gloucesters turned on and static could be heard. A familiar voice rang out from the speakers.

Alistair: (over speakers) It's not a very wise idea, trying to sink a hotel with hostages in it.
Guilford: Him, again?!
Cornelia: Is that the third party!?
Alistair: Hi, Cornelia.
Cornelia: You son of a bitch! Come out of the hotel and face me!
Alistair: Remember the last time that happened?
Cornelia: Or, we can just wait out here.
Alistair: Suit yourself. To answer your question about why the hotel ain't sinking, I had the supports layered with an indestructible substance. No missile, rocket or energy weapon can destroy it, let alone make a dent.
Cornelia: Great. You're also a scientist. We're even more screwed.
Alistair: You think? By the by, Zero's already gone. Also, this hotel is my turf.
Cornelia: Turf?
Alistair: Business keeps going on, but I've got a foothold and a hideout. Incredibly defensive, of course.
Cornelia: Wait, where, exactly, did Zero go?
Alistair: I dunno.
Guilford: Princess Cornelia! Zero's hijacked all the broadcasting stations!
Cornelia: Found him.
Alistair: Got a radio I can listen to?
Cornelia: Be my guest.

Cornelia found the frequency of Zero's broadcast and let Alistair listen in.

Zero: People! Fear us, or rally behind us as you see fit! We...are the Black Knights!
Alistair: A faction, huh?
Zero: We, the Black Knights, stand with all who have no weapons to wield, whether Elevens, or Britannians. The renegades of the Japan Liberation Front were stupid enough to take innocent Britannian civilians hostage. Drastic measures had to be taken, mostly because Kusakabe resorted to mescaline, in his testicles, of all places!
Cornelia: (laughs) What? Mescaline? In his balls? Is he serious?
Alistair: I found the syringe.
Zero: Like how Clovis ordered the mass slaughter of innocent, unarmed Elevens, we could not stand for such cruelty to be carried out, and we were left with no choice but to kill him. I will not deny battle on a fair and level field, but neither will I tolerate a one-sided massacre of the "weak" by the "strong". The only ones who should kill are the ones who are prepared to be killed! Wherever oppressors abuse their power by attacking the innocent, we shall appear again, and again, and again, no matter how "mighty" our foe may think they are.
Alistair: He's learning. He's even sounding badass.
Zero: Those with "power," fear us! Those who suffer under such, rally behind us! We, the Black Knights, shall be the ones who stand in judgment of this world!

At the end of Zero's speech, the transmission was cut off.

Alistair: Well, then... My turn for introductions.
Britannian Soldier: Fear not, Viceroy! I will take on the third party!

The Britannian soldier ran across the bridge, straight towards the hotel, screaming. A minute and a half passed, and the soldier came running back, screaming in fear, instead.

Cornelia: That can't be good.

Immediately, people came running out of the hotel, holding firearms and wearing outfits that hid their identities. Some were wearing coats and hats, while others wore hooded jackets. Alistair walked in the center of the line-up, turned around and pointed to the symbol on the back of his jacket. The symbol was that of a star with an eagle and a raven, mid-flight. The people in the line-up held their weapons in one hand and reached into their pockets to pull out their wallets. They opened their wallets to reveal a badge that was the same symbol as the one on Alistair's back and pointed the badges at the Britannian blockade.

Tokyo Mavericks: We are the Tokyo Mavericks!
Cornelia: Tokyo...Mavericks? Dammit, that sounds cool.
Alistair: Don't you know, Cornelia? I'm a mercenary benefactor. I live to kick your ass. And, until you give Japan back to its rightful people, we're going to annoy you to death.
Cornelia: (thinks) What's a "mercenary benefactor"? What does that mean?
Guilford: I think we should go. Before his blue Sutherland shows up.
Cornelia: Another time, another place. (out loud) Time to go!
Alistair: Just so you know... Japan will be free. That's a promise. Britannia? It'll be nothing more than a bad dream reduced to ashes.