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Ashford Academy, three weeks after the appearances of the Black Knights and Tokyo Mavericks. Alistair was in class, sitting next to Suzaku and taking notes, all the while thinking of all of the feats that he had accomplished.

Alistair: (thinking) God, we're cool. Saving hostages, on the first day they get the job. The JLF haven't surfaced, since Kusakabe went renegade. They must be thinking about a new approach to things. Zero's actually learned something from me, just being badass, like that. The Black Knights, huh? God, what a name. I don't think Britannia can beat them down. They can shoot 'em, but it'll be just a flesh wound.
Kallen: (shouting) The Black Knights!

After Kallen yelled out of nowhere, Alistair yelled in surprise and fell backwards in his chair.

Alistair: (laughs) You scared the crap outta me! Oh, good lord!
Suzaku: You alright?
Alistair: (stops laughing) Yeah, I'm good.

After class, Alistair joined his fellow student council members to chat.

Shirley: It's not like you to doze off, like that.
Alistair: You were napping?!
Kallen: Sorry.
Rivalz: You should take lessons from Lelouch. He's a master at sleeping in class.
Alistair: What? No freakin' way. He looks like he's thinking. (pauses) I'm gonna wake him up.
Rivalz: Oh, boy. He's gonna be so pissed.
Alistair: (walks toward Lelouch, yelling in Lelouch's ear) Lelouch!
Lelouch: (screams) Alistair!
Alistair: (laughs) Serves you right, pally! Get plenty of sleep, beforehand!
Lelouch: Dammit! You could have made me piss myself!
Alistair: I doubt that.

Meanwhile, at a Britannian military train yard, Cornelia and Euphemia were talking about a situation on the streets that had gone rampant.

Cornelia: There's been a rapid production of Refrain, causing other productions to go down the crapper. I caught one guy taking it, and he didn't even know I was there. At first, I thought he was taking acid, but the vial said otherwise.
Euphemia: So, there's a problem with this "Refrain"?
Cornelia: Users and abusers, Euphy. Basically, there's so much addiction to the shit, that it's become more common to find it. Unfortunately, I'm needed elsewhere, and can't deal with the problem.
Euphemia: Therefore, you need me to do it?
Cornelia: Hell no. I'm just saying this, out loud.
Euphemia: What about the Black Knights? Or the Tokyo Mavericks?
Cornelia: Honestly, I don't know which one's worse to fight. The strategist, or the sniper.
Euphemia: Didn't he also steal a Sutherland prototype?
Cornelia: Yep. He kicked Guilford's ass pretty hard, the way I heard. Two SMGs, a grenade launcher, a light machinegun... It's a god damn army, put into one being. Pretty sure he can't beat me in Knightmare combat, though. Beat me without it, so... Oh, God help us.
Euphemia: Where are you going, anyway?
Cornelia: El Alamein. The E.U.'s acting up, again. For some reason, I don't want to trust Germany. I mean, Hitler's dead, so everything's good. Right?
Euphemia: I'm certain.

Back at Ashford Academy, two hours later, Kallen arrived at the student council room, still tired from her second life as a freedom fighter.

Kallen: (yawns) This whole double life thing is a killer.
Lelouch: (behind door) Dammit! Get off of me!
Milly: (behind door) Hold him down, Suzaku!
Kallen: What the...?

Kallen entered the student council room and found that all of the student council members, including Nina, were dressed up like cats. Lelouch was tied to a chair, with Shirley painting his face.

Lelouch: You think this is funny!?
Suzaku: Sorry, Lelouch. President's orders.
Shirley: Hold still.
Kallen: What the hell is going on!?
Milly: Good meow-ning.
Kallen: (confused) Wha...?
Rivalz: Don't you remember? It's our welcome part for Arthur.
Kallen: Wait, I though Alistair was taking care of Arthur?
Shirley: The cat house wouldn't fit in his room.
Milly: Since the rest of our classes are postponed, we can have fun with it, right?
Kallen: True enough, I guess.
Shirley: I set some stuff aside for you. Take your pick, as an apology for the other day.
Lelouch: She doesn't really need a costume. You're already wearing a mask, aren't you?
Kallen: (sarcastically) Very funny. Maybe you should be on TV.
Rivalz: Speaking of which...(looks at Shirley)
Shirley: Quit joking about that! People won't stop bugging us about it, even in the bath!
Milly: We haven't been able to leave the school grounds, since.

Alistair entered the room, unaware of his friends' attire choices.

Alistair: Hey, guys. I heard Lelouch screaming, then he stopped.
Arthur: (meows)
Alistair: (looks at Arthur) Hey, Arthur.
Kallen: (normal tone) Weren't you going to take care of Arthur?
Alistair: (looks at Kallen) I was. But, Busty took him from my room.
Kallen: Why didn't you woo her over?
Alistair: Why the hell would I do that?
Kallen: I know your type! I can see that trail of broken hearts you've left behind!
Alistair: Oh. (nervous laugh) You can see that, huh?
Kallen: Oh, yeah.
Alistair: Kinda makes you wonder how I survived all that.
Kallen: What are you talking about?
Alistair: All 17 of those broken hearts? Those are mine.

An awkward silence filled the room, and Kallen was dumbstruck by what she heard.

Kallen: (thinking, concerned) What the shit does that mean?
Lelouch: (whispering) Kallen... I think you made it awkward.
Alistair: Moving on...(looks at student council members)

Alistair saw that Milly was wearing an outfit that revealed her legs, and he was not pleased by it.

Alistair: (upset) Milly... What did I say, when we first met?
Milly: What are you talking about?
Alistair: It was very important that you remembered the information about myself that I gave you.
Milly: Not ringing any bells.
Alistair: (takes a deep breath) Excuse me... I need to relieve some anger.

Alistair exited the student council room, angrily.

Shirley: Ohh, no.
Milly: What?
Shirley: You do know that Alistair's not a pervert, right?
Milly: Yeah. What about...? (realizes her attire) Uh... I'm...sure he'll be alright.

Immediately, everyone could hear Alistair roar, then hear and feel him punch one of the walls, outside the room.

Suzaku: I wouldn't count on it.

2013 a.t.b., Navarro military base, California. Members and staff of the Enclave were testing new experiments for their artificial intelligence allies from Civility.

Enclave Officer: Testing, testing. Can you hear us?
Civility AI: Yes. I can hear you.
Enclave Officer: Good. We've designated a name for you.
Civility AI: I thought that my name was Alpha?
Enclave Officer: No, you're a clone of Alpha. You're name is Wyvern.
Civility AI Wyvern: Wyvern? Like the dragon?
Enclave Officer: Yeah, like the dragon.
Enclave Scientist: It is good to meet you, Wyvern. I aided in your birth, which is why we're able to talk, right now.
Wyvern: Birth? Gross. I'm an AI.
Enclave Scientist: True enough. I am Professor Altair, head of R&D for the Enclave.
Wyvern: Enclave? What Enclave?
Professor Altair: The Enclave of the Confederate States of America, of course.
Wyvern: The Confederacy? Oh, God, you're one of those jackasses?
Professor Altair: Now, now, Wyvern. You're brothers and sisters don't think of us that way. Except for Alpha, Epsilon and Delta. We haven't got a response from the twins, though.
Wyvern: Twins?
Professor Altair: Eta and Iota. They've been...pretty mute, ever since they were born. Sigma's pretty ambitious, Omega's got rage issues, Bathory enjoys murder, no wonder, Cerberus is damn loyal and Garuda's like the second-in-command.
Wyvern: What about Alpha?
Professor Altair: Don't worry about Alpha.
Wyvern: Where is he?
Enclave Officer: He said not to worry about it.
Wyvern: Dammit, where's Alpha!? I swear to God, if you hurt him...!
Professor Altair: Marianne the Flash.
Wyvern: The hell does that-? (screams in pain)

Professor Altair turned off the communication signal between the real world and the Enclave mainframe.

Enclave Officer: The hell did you do?
Professor Altair: It was a trigger phrase, in case of insubordination or going rogue.
Enclave Officer: But... You used the name of the Britannian emperor's dead wife? Why?
Professor Altair: I had to use something. Why not Marianne the Flash?
Enclave Officer: So, Wyvern's a defective clone?
Professor Altair: Not defective. He just grew a heart. Faster than even Delta or Epsilon. He might cause problems. Be careful with him.

Meanwhile, at Raven Rock, Enclave officers and Generals were in the middle of a meeting with General Oliver.

General Howard Oliver: Nice base. Built right into the mountain, huh?
General Brooklynn Augustine: We actually did some renovations, for the place to match our looks. The base was already here.
Major Zanzibar: Other than this place, there's also Adams Air Force Base, nearby, a base in Navarro and our coup de grace, Fort Helios.
General Oliver: Fort Helios? I assume that you built the fortress?
Enclave Colonel: Civility built it, and it's only a last resort. No one but us and Civility are able to enter.
General Oliver: Cool. So, about my offer...
Augustine: President Hawking looked it over, and he agreed.
General Oliver: He can get me into the history books?
Major Zanzibar: Indeed, he can, General Oliver. All you have to do is expand your territory throughout the country.
General Oliver: Expand the California Republic, huh? Sounds good! I'm in!
Major Zanzibar: Really? Just like that?
General Oliver: I'm a glory hound. What do you expect?
Major Zanzibar: You even admit to being a glory hound?
General Oliver: It's true, isn't it?
Major Zanzibar: Fine, then. You'll expand your territory, seemingly in the name of peace, causing the second Civil War to erupt.
General Oliver: Thus causing Hawking to get a boner. I can appease.
Enclave General: Good. Now, the Enclave has three allied factions: the California Republic, the Lost Legion, and Civility. Everything shall go according to plan.
Major Zanzibar: As long as no one gets in the way, everything will be fine.
General Oliver: Don't worry. I can control any good actions, on my side. They won't be a problem.

2017 a.t.b., Ashford Academy, student government clubhouse, Alistair's room. Alistair was busy working on the sniper rifle that he acquired from the secret armory when he heard someone knocking on his door.

Alistair: Yeah?
Milly: (behind door) It's...Milly.

Alistair got up and walked near the door and pulled out one of his Desert Eagles.

Alistair: The hell do you want?
Milly: I...wanted to apologize for the other day. You know...about the cat costume...?
Alistair: Make your damn point.
Milly: I'm sorry that I forgot, alright? I need your help with something.
Alistair: (aims Desert Eagle at door) Give me one good reason why I should open this door.
Milly: Alright, I'll tell you a secret. I'm... My family is forcing me to marry somebody, to rekindle the Ashford name. I'm not liking the idea, and you wouldn't, either.
Alistair: (sighs, lowers Desert Eagle) Screw it. (opens door) You are very lucky. I was going to fill your head with leadened absolution.
Milly: (enters room) You were going to kill me?! Why?!
Alistair: Considering that you were pissing me off, and kept pushing that button again, and again, and again...
Milly: Okay! Jeez. Why didn't you say anything about it?
Alistair: My expressions should have been enough. Also, you should have remembered...
Milly: Apparently, I did remember. It's just that, somehow, my brain ignored that fact.
Alistair: Whatever. What do you want?
Milly: I need you to accompany me.
Alistair: (pauses) Do you realize that what you just said does not apply to me? After everything?
Milly: Look, I'll be waiting by the front gate. Get ready. (leaves room)
Alistair: Are you freaking kidding me? You give no damns!? (sighs) I've got nothing better to do. If anything, I'll die because of her.

Meanwhile, at the Japan Liberation Front's hideout, Lieutenant Colonel Kyoshiro Tohdoh and a group of elite soldiers called the Four Holy Swords were talking about the Black Knights.

Kosetsu Urabe: The masses just flock around those who saved Euphemia. This just doesn't seem right.
Shogo Asahina: I've done some research, and the Tokyo Mavericks get around, quick. No Knightmares, whatsoever.
Ryoga Senba: I heard that Kyoto is going to send the Guren Mk. II to the Black Knights.
Nagisa Chiba: Why? They're not part of the resistance, and they killed Kusakabe.
Asahina: Didn't Zero say that Kusakabe injected mescaline into his own testicles?
Chiba: That is painful and disgusting.
Senba: I think I'm out of the loop. What's mescaline?
Urabe: A hallucinogenic drug.
Senba: So, Kusakabe was hallucinating...?
Chiba: And attacked Zero, out of nowhere...
Four Holy Swords: (in unison) Justified.
Asahina: What do you think about this, Tohdoh?
Kyoshiro Tohdoh: The Tokyo Mavericks impress me. I'm thinking that both the Black Knights and Tokyo Mavericks are separate resistances. The Black Knights can fight Britannia, head-on, while the Mavericks are focused more on domestic affairs.
Asahina: Yeah, they've been working on getting construction workers on their forces. They're also getting Japanese civilians jobs.
Chiba: Jobs, huh?
Urabe: So, these jobs pay the people?
Asahina: The Mavericks are making sure of that, yes.
Chiba: Their symbol, though. A star, raven and eagle?
Tohdoh: Hope, Freedom and Change.
Senba: Where'd you hear that?
Tohdoh: From the toughest woman on the planet.
Chiba: Toughest woman, huh?
Tohdoh: Considering that she was married, could snipe an infinite amount of heads from any distance and has illegally fought in World War II... That really says something.
Chiba: (surprised) Huh. I...think you're right, then.