The aftermath of Principal Stain Trust's arrest completely transformed Neo-Verdia High Academy. Prime Minister Spersen Treyman wasted no time. He officially appointed himself as the acting principal, personally managing the school's administration to guarantee that students from all backgrounds—whether Earth-born, Colonial, or refugees—could study together without fear of institutional prejudice.
Inside the sophomore wing, the classroom environment was completely chaotic. The moment the morning bell rang, Zaki and Maki's desks were violently surrounded by a dense crowd of classmates.
"Zaki! You were seriously piloting that massive white machine?!"
"Maki, you're literally an icon! How do you balance homework and saving the city?!"
"Can I get your autograph on my notebook? Please?!"
Zaki sat rigidly in his chair, his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his face twisted into an intensely uncomfortable grimace. He hated the attention. Every question felt like an invasion of the privacy he had fought so hard to maintain. Maki, on the other hand, was absolutely beaming. Her previous fear had completely evaporated, replaced by an enthusiastic energy as she leaned forward, answering every single question with animated gestures.
"Yes, yes! The neural link is actually super smooth!" Maki laughed, waving her hands around. "And no, Zaki isn't always this grumpy in the cockpit, he's just focused!"
Slide—
The heavy classroom door slid open, cutting through the loud chatter. Every student turned their head to see AIRIS walking into the room. She was wearing the standard Neo-Verdia High female uniform, her long digital hair tied neatly back. Airi Kimeza had finally granted her full clearance to return to school after verifying that her synthetic android chassis and neural lattice were completely stabilized and unaffected by the previous battle's residual stress.
AIRIS blinked her emerald-green eyes, staring at the massive crowd blocking the twins' desks. She walked over to Aurora, who was watching from the side line with a soft expression.
"Aurora," AIRIS whispered, her voice carrying a sweet, mechanical clarity. "What is the nature of this gathering? Is there an emergency protocol currently active within the classroom?"
Aurora let out a gentle, warm chuckle, turning to the android sister. "No, AIRIS. It's not an emergency. They are just trusted by many people now. Everyone wants to be near them because they realize how much Zaki and Maki have sacrificed for this city."
AIRIS tilted her head, her processing matrices trying to fully grasp the emotional weight of 'popularity,' but as she saw her younger siblings laughing and being embraced by their peers, a beautiful, genuine smile broke across her synthetic face. "I see. They have acquired many friends. This is an optimal outcome for their emotional development."
Later that afternoon, the school bell rang to signal the end of classes. As the group walked through the massive iron front gates of the academy, they noticed someone leaning against the concrete wall, looking around nervously. It was Aoki Nakayama, still wearing his own elite corporate academy uniform, having rushed straight over the moment his own classes ended.
"Aoki!" Tasya shouted, a bright smile lighting up her face as she broke into a quick run toward him.
Aoki's eyes lit up behind his glasses. "Tasya! Hey!"
Tasya practically dragged him back toward the approaching group, gesturing proudly. "Everyone, this is Aoki! Aoki, meet Zaki, Maki, Gills, Aurora, and AIRIS."
Aoki quickly straightened his tie, bowing politely to the legendary group. "It's... it's an absolute honor to meet the pilots of the White Ghost. I've read all the tactical flight data that leaked into the public servers. You guys are incredible."
Maki narrowed her eyes, a mischievous, teasing smirk spreading across her face as she looked between Tasya and Aoki. She nudged Tasya's shoulder with her elbow. "Oh, wow... look at you, Tasya. Sneaking off to quiet cafes, and now you've secretly got a boy waiting for you at the school gate? Since when did the Lavender pilot get a boyfriend?"
Tasya's face instantly flushed a brilliant crimson. "M-Maki! Shut up! He's not my boyfriend! He's an engineer who wants to help us with maintenance!" She quickly pointed an accusing finger back at Maki, her voice cracking with embarrassment. "Besides, you have no room to talk! Look how close you're standing next to Gills right now! You practically live at his mom's boutique!"
"W-What?! That's completely different!" Maki's face exploded into a matching shade of red, her hands waving frantically as she looked at Gills, who merely closed his eyes with a calm, amused smirk. "We are just... he was just helping me! It's not like that!"
The two girls instantly degenerated into a frantic, embarrassed argument, bickering back and forth while Anette laughed hysterically in the background.
Ignoring the noise, Zaki stepped forward, his expression serious but calm. He extended his right hand toward Aoki. Aoki looked down at the hand, his breath hitching slightly, before he eagerly reached out and gripped it in a firm, respectful handshake.
"Welcome to the team, Aoki," Zaki said simply. "We need all the help we can get."
"Thank you, Zaki. I won't let you down," Aoki replied, his eyes shining with determination.
As night fell over Neo-Verdia, the group sneaked Aoki into the primary hangar of the White Ark.
The moment the heavy blast doors slid open, Aoki's jaw dropped to the floor. His glasses practically slid down his nose as his eyes darted from the massive, gleaming frame of the White Gundam to the newly upgraded Lavender Gundam. He looked like a child entering a magical kingdom, his hands trembling with sheer excitement as Gills, Aurora, and AIRIS acted as his personal tour guides, explaining the unique titanium-alloy structures and neural processing units.
While the loud tour was happening on the lower decks, Zaki stood on the high-level catwalk, leaning against the cold metal railing directly in front of the White Gundam's chest armor. He stared intensely at the dormant white machine, his grey eyes reflecting the pale green maintenance lights.
Tap. Tap.
Quiet footsteps echoed behind him. Feres walked up to the railing, her short hair brushing against her cheeks as she stood right beside him. Zaki didn't turn his head to look at her, keeping his gaze locked on the Gundam.
Feres leaned her back against the railing, crossing her arms as she glanced at his sharp profile. "Still thinking about the broadcast, Zaki? Is the weight of the world getting a little too heavy now that everyone knows who's inside that cockpit?"
Zaki pulled his hands out of his pockets, taking a slow, deep breath of the cold hangar air before shaking his head. "No. I'm not worried about that anymore." He looked up at the massive white visor of his machine. "Everything we've done up until now... fighting out there with Maki, risking AIRIS's life... we always knew there would be massive consequences. If we want to stop this endless war, if we want to fulfill our parents' dream of building a harmonious future where Earth and the Colonies can live in peace... then exposing our names is a small price to pay. It's my choice. Our decision."
Feres stared at him, a deep look of profound admiration swirling in her eyes. The sheer maturity and unyielding resolve radiating from this high school boy made her heart flutter. A warm, playful smile spread across her lips. She stepped closer and gently nudged Zaki's shoulder with her elbow.
"You really are something else, you know that?" Feres purred softly, her voice dropping into a tender tone. "Don't forget, Zaki... no matter how heavy that burden gets, I will always be right beside you. I'll pilot my IBIS custom into the depths of hell if it means helping you achieve that dream. You can lean on me anytime."
Zaki's cheeks flushed a sudden, faint pink. He quickly averted his gaze, looking down at his shoes as he mumbled, "Yeah... thanks, Feres. I appreciate it."
Feres chuckled softly at his boyish awkwardness.
However, deep in the shadows of the secondary catwalk just a few meters behind them, Aurora was standing quietly. She had heard every single word of their conversation. Her fingers tightened around the metal railing, a strange, unfamiliar ache blooming inside her chest. Her heart beat with a heavy, uncomfortable rhythm.
What is this feeling? Aurora thought, a bittersweet smile forming on her lips as she watched Feres make Zaki blush. Is this... jealousy? Am I actually envious of her being so close to him? She took a soft breath, forcing a positive thought into her mind. No... it's okay. It just means I care about him even more than I realized. I just have to stand taller next time.
Meanwhile, far outside the sovereign protective border of Neo-Verdia, a dark storm was gathering in the desert canyons.
A massive renegade force of anti-colonial terrorist soldiers had assembled. Dozens of heavy combat transport vehicles and mobile missile launchers were lined up in the shadows of the red rocks. Among them were several squads of customized Pioneer Mobile Suits, their thrusters humming with a low, menacing growl. Their objective was simple: launch a brutal surprise attack on Neo-Verdia to force the White Ghost out into the open and capture it by any means necessary.
But standing at the vanguard of this terrorist army was a highly specialized, pristine machine that didn't belong to a ragtag militia. It was a terrifying, custom-built Mobile Suit with massive, elongated physical claw arrays on its arms and a heavy, high-output beam cannon mounted on its left shoulder.
The unit was the Gundam Polar White.
Inside the high-tech cockpit, a cold, elegant woman adjusted her neural interface helmet. Her eyes were sharp, devoid of any maternal warmth. It was Dr. Lena Lowe, Tasya's mother. She had formed a temporary alliance with this extremist group, using their numbers as a distraction to fulfill her own twisted scientific desires.
"The border security grid is completely blind to our current frequency," Lena muttered into her comm-link, her lips curving into a ruthless smile. "All units, initiate primary thruster ignition. Let's show my runaway daughter and her little friends the true power of a completed project. Advance!"
"URRAAH!" the terrorist commanders roared over the radio.
The canyon erupted into a deafening roar of mechanical power as the massive army breached the perimeter, speeding directly toward the peaceful borders of Neo-Verdia.
BZZZZZZZZT—! BZZZZZZZZT—!
Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere inside the White Ark hangar was completely shattered by the piercing, blood-red flash of the emergency sirens. The central computer screen flashed violently: WARNING: LEVEL 1 COMBAT ALERT. ANOMALOUS FORCE BREACHING SECTOR 4 BORDER.
Zaki and Feres instantly snapped out of their conversation, their expressions turning dead serious as they exchanged a sharp, unspoken nod.
"This is it! Move, move, move!" Zaki barked, turning around and sprinting down the catwalk toward the pilot changing rooms.
Within minutes, Zaki, Maki, and AIRIS had slammed into the primary cockpit of the White Gundam. AIRIS slid into the command operator seat, her fingers flying across the holographic terminals as she initiated the core startup sequence.
"System link: one hundred percent," AIRIS announced calmly. "Engaging the primary nuclear drive. White Gundam... activate!"
SHIII-NG!
The massive white machine's visors instantly ignited with a brilliant, blazing emerald-green light, the heavy armor plates locking into combat configuration.
Beside them, the other pilots were already launching. Feres vaulted into her high-mobility IBIS Custom. Augustina's Sunflower Gundam hummed to life with its massive sniper rifle charged. Tasya's Lavender Gundam extended its newly restored claw and heat dagger, while Agnes's Deep Blue drew its twin sabers. Commander Salia led the vanguard in her crimson Red One Gundam, flanked by several Neo-Verdia defense soldiers piloting specialized Pioneer Custom units.
The massive hangar ceiling slid open, and the squad of Gundams soared into the night sky, flying like a formation of shooting stars. Behind them, Feres's IBIS Custom and the regular Pioneer units were loaded onto heavy combat transport flyers to save fuel for the drop.
As they flew over the dark mountain ranges, AIRIS's scanning radar began to ping frantically, mapping the approaching enemy forces on the main tactical HUD.
"Data analysis complete," AIRIS reported, her voice echoing in the cockpit. "The invading force consists of standard anti-colonial terrorist militia units. Primary mobile suits are basic Pioneer models. Total count: thirty-five units."
"Hah! Just a bunch of low-tier rebels?!" Augustina's arrogant laugh crackled over the comms from her Sunflower Gundam. "They think they can take over a sovereign city with basic scrap metal? This is going to be a walk in the park. Let's wipe them out in one sweep!"
"Wait... stop," Maki suddenly gasped from her co-pilot seat, her hand flying to her temples as a violent wave of static rippled through her mind space. "Zaki... something is wrong. The air... it feels incredibly heavy."
"I feel it too," Agnes's panicked voice cut through the radio from the Deep Blue Gundam. "My neural sensor is picking up a strange, suffocating pressure from the rear valley. It doesn't feel like normal pilots."
"It's... it's a trap," Tasya whispered, her voice trembling violently inside the Lavender Gundam. "Zaki, we can't just charge in together. We need to split up!"
Zaki's eyes went sharp. He trusted his team's instincts. "Salia! We're splitting the formation into two groups! Group 1: White Gundam, Lavender, Sunflower, and Deep Blue will sweep the surrounding valley ridges to check for hidden ambushes. Group 2: Red One and the transport flyers will engage the primary vanguard head-on!"
"Understood, Zaki! Watch your six!" Salia ordered, veering her crimson machine left.
The formation split, but as the White Gundam turned toward the dark canyons, a loud metallic hiss echoed through the air. Feres's IBIS Custom forcefully detached itself from the heavy transport flyer, its flight thrusters igniting as she dove straight after Zaki's group.
"Feres?! What are you doing?!" Salia screamed over the radio. "Get back to the main vanguard formation!"
"Sorry, Commander, but my place is right next to Zaki!" Feres shouted back, her machine executing a sharp roll to catch up to the White Gundam. "I'm not letting him go into a dark valley alone!"
"Dammit, Feres! There's no time to argue, just stay alive!" Salia cursed, forced to continue her charge toward the terrorist army.
The four Gundams and Feres's IBIS Custom hovered silently over the deep, jagged stone canyons. The night was pitch black, the silence eerie.
Maki, Tasya, and Agnes closed their eyes, initiating a wide-range Mind Space sweep to locate the hidden anomaly they had felt earlier. Their consciousness expanded into the valley like an invisible web of psychic energy.
Suddenly, a violent, blinding surge of raw, malicious neural energy slammed into their minds like a physical brick wall.
"AHHHHHHHHH!"
Maki, Tasya, and Agnes screamed out in unison over the open channel, their voices full of pure, agonizing pain. Inside the White Gundam, Maki clutched her head, collapsing against her control console as tears streamed down her face.
"Maki! Tasya! Agnes!" Zaki yelled, his heart stopping in shock. "AIRIS, cut the neural link! Disengage the mind space connection right now!"
"Disconnecting primary psychic lattice! Overriding system!" AIRIS commanded frantically, smashing her emergency terminal.
The heavy purple static on their screens snapped off. Maki let out a ragged, panting gasp, her body shaking as she slowly recovered from the mental assault. The sheer malice behind that psychic wave was identical to the experimental jamming device that had almost destroyed Aurora's mind days ago.
"Zaki..." Tasya wept over the radio, her voice completely broken with terror. "It's... it's her. She's here."
Zaki's teeth ground together so hard they clicked. A cold, absolute fury took over his senses. He gripped his control sticks and slammed his foot onto the thruster pedal, forcing the White Gundam into a sweeping 360-degree camera spin, his eyes scanning the dark rocks beneath them.
Through the gray dust of the canyon floor, a massive, pale silhouette began to glide smoothly out from behind a cliff face.
"There you are!" Zaki roared.
He slammed his left trigger, the White Gundam raising its standard beam rifle and firing a thick, brilliant green plasma bolt straight toward the shadow.
BARK!
The green beam illuminated the dark canyon, but the pale silhouette moved with terrifying agility, its massive thrusters flaring as it executed a sweeping sidestep, letting the green energy detonate harmlessly against the rock wall behind it.
As the dust cleared from the explosion, the machine soared directly up into the moonlight, hovering right in front of the White Gundam. The massive long-claw arrays on its arms gleamed like silver knives, and the heavy shoulder cannon hummed with a terrifying blue charge.
Zaki stared at the monitor, his blood turning to pure ice as he recognized the terrifying technical specifications of the machine. It was the monster responsible for destroying Tasya's childhood, torturing Aurora, and ripping AIRIS apart.
"Dr. Lena Lowe..." Zaki growled through his microphone, his voice dropping into a dark, murderous whisper. "You finally decided to show your ugly face."
To be continued...