A/N: Hey guys, this is gonna be the last chapter I put out for a little bit. I'm gonna switch over to writing my 'That time I got reincarnated as a slime' story that I'm working on. Feel free to check it out, I think it's one of my best stories I've put out lately and its one I'll be working on frequently as I'll be switching between this story and that one. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, until next time. Bye!

After changing into your uniform and saying some parting words to people you hoped you could call friends after having an interesting, mostly positive interaction with them, you were walking through the academy grounds and going through the garden part of the school as you walked behind Marida and Darren. It was a quiet walk for the most part as your mind was more focused on Nika, Chuchu, and Martin, feeling saddened that your time to try and make them your friends was cut short. Your eyes wandered as you turned your head back to the educational building centers that you left, staring at the main grounds longingly as they grew farther away from sight. Just as you were thinking about how your school life would go on after this, Darren decided to break the silence that was floating around you three.

"How are you liking school so far, Y/N?" Darren asked as you turned back towards him as he was glancing back at you.

"Huh? O-Oh, I guess it's okay so far." You answered as you averted your eyes from his.

"Are those the only people you met?" Darren asked as you continued to walk behind him with your head down.

"No, there are others that I've met, but I don't think the other students here are quite what I expected meet when I got here." You said to him.

"Oh? What are they like?" Darren asked in wonder of your encounters with the other students.

"Well...Some of them are pretty close-minded and arrogant..." You said as you remembered the encounter you had with Guel. "Others are frustrated and angered as they are ostracized by whatever company or faction they come from..." You spoke about the split between the Spacians and the Earthians in the school. "But there are others who also can't stand aside when they see something wrong being done..." The image of Suletta flashed in your mind and how you and her stood up for Miorine.

"Well, that sounds about right...No one's perfect, and not everyone can understand each other's feelings. That's human nature..." Darren said as he stopped in his tracks, making you and Marida stop as he turned to you. "Even so, we have to work together in order survive with one another. If we can't even do that...then it's over for us. You're not guaranteed to get along with everyone you meet, but once you meet someone that you know you can put your trust in, you'll know you're with the right people." Darren said as you were surprised by his words of relief as you just smiled.

"Thank you, Brother." You said to him as he wrapped an arm around your head and pulled you close as he began to scruff your hair around.

"I'll do anything to keep my little brother at peace." Darren said as you chuckled at his antics.

"Ensign Darren, we still have to make the trip to the inquiry. Let's get a move on." Marida interjected as you two broke apart and you fixed your hair.

"You're right, Lt. Marida. Thank you for reminding us." Darren said as he gave her a smile and she just shook her while choosing to take lead of the pack, but stopped when she saw someone coming.

"Huh? You're..." You heard a voice from up ahead and to your surprise, Miorine was standing in front of the path.

"O-Oh, Miorine..." You spoke her name as Darren and Marida seemed surprised by what you just spoke.

"Huh? Miorine? As in Miorine Rembran?" Darren said in surprise as he and Marida stood at attention and saluted her. "Good afternoon, Ms. Rembran." Darren said to her as you were surprised by their actions before following them with a salute.

"There's no need for that." Miorine said as she walked up to you three.

"We appreciate your leisure attitude towards us, but as the daughter of the President, we feel it is necessary to show you the same amount of respect as we do to your father." Darren said as you looked at him in confusion.

"W-Well, do however you please. Though, why are you with them? And what's with the uniform?" Miorine asked in confusion as you lowered your hand from your salute.

"O-Oh, the thing is...I've been summoned to attend an inquiry with some officials from my company. It's in regards to Suletta..." You said as this surprised Miorine.

"Huh? Why do they need you? You're only a student, aren't you?" Miorine asked as Darren decided to chime in.

"Y/N is an important person among the company." Darren said as Miorine looked towards him. "I'm not at liberty to say much to anyone, even if you are the President's daughter, but all I can say is that Y/N may have some impact in what goes on during the inquiry between your father and the representative who sent Suletta here." He said to her as Miorine turned back towards you.

"Take me with you." Miorine said in an assertive tone as you were dumbfounded.

"Huh?" You said in shock.

"Take me with you! I need to see Suletta and give that lousy father of mine a piece of my mind! You'll take me, got it?!" Miorine yelled while grabbing you by the collar of your uniform.

"Huuuuuh?!?!" You yelled in confusion of her aggressiveness as Marida took hold of Miorine's hand.

"We must apologize, for we cannot allow you to accompany us on this trip, Princess." Marida said as Miorine pulled her hand away from the two of you as Marida turned away. "However..." She spoke up as you and Miorine looked at her with wondering looks. "...It takes time for our ship, the Garenceries, to start its engines and we are still in the process of refueling to begin our trip to the site where the inquiry will take place. All members of our crew will be busy during the refueling process, which could give anyone the chance to stowaway on our ship, if they were brave enough, that is..." She glanced over at Miorine who was surprised by this 'leak' of information that she could use to get aboard your ship. "Then, Princess Rembran, we hope you have a good day." Marida gave her a salute as you and Darren were shocked by what Marida just said before giving Miorine a salute as well before leaving her.

After leaving Miorine to her own personal matters, you, Darren and Marida all made it back to the ship docking bay where the gravity system was switched off and you saw the Garenceries refueling their tanks for the trip. After greeting the two men you recognized who were in charge of refueling the tanks, Gilboa and Tomura, you floated over to the loading doors that were open in the ship and flung yourself inside the cargo hold.

"Hey!!! Captain Oldie!!! I'm back!!" You called out while floating through the cargo hold carefree.

"I knew I should've ejected you out of the airlock when we brought you here." You heard a familiar voice as you looked over to see Zinnerman next to Flaste as they were standing on a scaffolding above you in front of a computer console.

"Don't be so mean to hide the fact that you missed me." You said as you bounced off the Kshatriya and floated up to the two of them as you grabbed onto the railing to stop yourself. "How have things been?" You asked Zinnerman.

"Well, they were going fine until that Mercurian girl got herself and her mobile suit arrested. Char told us now that this has happened and the Shin Sei group is under question, you were to be there when he and Iilya attended the inquiry." Zinnerman said as you three noticed Darren and Marida float up next to you.

"Are preparations ready?" Darren asked Zinnerman.

"Just about, give us about five more minutes." Zinnerman said as he and Flaste walked off to finish things up.

"I'm sorry again, Y/N." Darren apologized as you looked over to him.

"Well, at least I got to see you guys again so soon, so I guess it's not all that bad." You said as a beeping noise came from the computer console you were next to.

Taking a look at the alert on the console, you three saw that an emergency hatch on the port side of the Garenceries had been opened. Assuming that it was 'you-know-who' that opened the hatch, Darren tapped a few buttons on the screen to make the alert go away as you all went about your business and you headed off somewhere else. Floating through the halls of the ship, you made a few turns before stopping emergency room and opening the door to see Miorine sitting inside the dark room.

"Why didn't you turn on the lights?" You asked as you pressed the light button on the side of the door.

"I didn't wanna attract the attention of anyone outside." Miorine said as you floated into the room and the door shut behind you. "Why do you have to be there at the questioning? What did the man that was with you mean you might have an impact on what's said?" Morine asked as floated over to the wall on the left and grabbed a Normal Suit for Miorine.

"I can't tell you that, I'm sorry." You said to her as you grabbed the suit off the wall and handed it over to her.

"Just who are you? Why did you come and help me? I didn't ask, you know?" Miorine said as you grabbed a helmet for her from a case.

"I know that, and so does Suletta." You said as you turned around and held out the helmet for her. "Though you didn't ask, we could stand by and watch as Guel did those cruel things to something that was precious to you. I still intend to duel him as well to make him apologize." You said as Miorine was surprised by what you said.

"She wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for my lousy father and the ridiculous rules he imposes on others..." Miorine cursed her father in irritation of all he's done as this topic piqued your curiosity.

Play
Title: More... (Gundam Unicorn OST)
Link:

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

"Why does the person in the position of 'Holder' at the school get engaged with you? Don't you have any say in any of this?" You asked as Miorine sat down on a small bench with her head down.

"He's always like this. It's even worse now that he's told me leave the school and that he'll decide a new fiancé for me. It was him who decided that my fiancé would be selected through duels. He never consults me, he never explains...Whether it's enrolling me at this school or forcing me to quit piano. Or deciding who I should be friends with...!" Miorine was venting as you could feel the frustration and anger that welled inside of her as a few tears welled in her eyes before splashing out as her sad look turned into rage. "Even my own mother's funeral...!" She gripped the helmet in her hands tightly in anger.

Silence fell between the two of you as the Garenceries was being taken out of the docking station and moved to a departure zone and the engines came online. You didn't know what to say at the time, and it didn't feel like should say anything at all with how much anger she feels towards her own father. Though it was none of your business and that its a matter between Miorine and her father, something inside of you compelled you to try and help her.

"Maybe..." You spoke up as Miorine glanced up at you. "Maybe...it's the only way he figures he can do anything for you..." You said as Miorine turned her head, not wanting to hear you try and defend him, which was not your intention. "We're still only children in the eyes of our parents, even if we learn so many new things and try to mature as fast as possible, we still can't perceive what others are thinking, something that adults have gained through their experience of growing up. I agree that your father sounds irresponsible. An adult is supposed to listen to their child and hear out their true feelings and desires." You said as she snapped her head at you.

"Then why--!?" Miorine was about to say something, but you cut her off.

"However, it's probably the only way he can do anything for you now." You said as she seemed conflicted and surprised by your rationale. "Being the President of the Benerit Group, managing corporate and governmental clauses, always being tied to his work to keep the other adults in check...It all sounds like so much for any one person to burden by themselves." You said as you turned towards her to look eye to eye. "It's true that what your father imposes on you and others can be unfair and horrible...but I believe that if he truly is an adult, and your parent...then there's still that feeling of wanting to protect and watch over you lingering somewhere in his soul that has gone cold for years now. Somewhere in him...there's still a warm light that he must be clinging onto as a parent..." You said as Miorine felt herself encapsulated by your words.

"That sounds like a nice dream..." Miorine said as she watched through a window on the side as they exited the academy and entered space.

"I wouldn't call it a dream. Dreams aren't real. If I had to call it anything..." You trailed off as she turned back to you as you had a serious and hopeful look on your face. "...I'd call it a desire..." You said to her as she seemed shaken by what you just said. "A child's only desire..." You said as you turned around and went to the door to leave, but once you opened it and put one foot out the door, you stopped in your place. "When you see your father, make sure to tell him how you feel. Don't give up just because of the limitations he sets on you..." You said as you turned back around to Miorine. "I see strength in your eyes. Strong eyes that can feed off of adversity. As long as you don't give up, you'll be able to seize whatever opportunities come along. It's the same strength that I saw in Suletta's eyes." You said as she was surprised when you brought up the Mercurian girl. "Everything you two have been through so far may have been a coincidence, but even then, she's the one who came to your rescue and chose to stand by your side. That's why you have to take responsibility as well, and stand up for her now in her time of need. What was it that Suletta said to you? If you run, you gain one..." You said as Miorine remembered the phrase that Suletta seemed to idolize as her eyes seemed to fill with determination.

"If you move forward, you gain two..." Miorine said as you gave her a nod and turned to leave. "Y/N!" She called out as you stopped and turned towards her. "...Thank you." She said as you were surprised by her gratitude, but just smiled as you pressed a button to close the door and floated back through the ship as the Garenceries set course for the sector where the inquiry would take place.

While floating through the ship, you had to go through the cargo hold in order to get to the bridge so you could ask how long the trip would be. Once you entered the cargo hold, you pushed yourself off a rail and floated across to the other side, but as you looked around, you finally noticed something that you didn't see on your initial entrance to the Garenceries. You were beyond surprised to see why it was there as you grabbed onto the railing ahead of you and stopped.

"Why are you here?" You thought in confusion of seeing a mobile suit that you thought was still sealed away.

Darren and Marida were in the Bridge of the ship with Zinnerman, Gilboa, and Flaste as they were reading some more information about what would be discussed during the inquiry of the suspected Aerial Gundam. While they were spending their spare time reading up on the situation, their attention was caught when the door to the Bridge opened and you came in.

"Why is Unit 02 here?" You asked as you floated in and came to a stop next to the Captain's seat as Darren closed the information docket he was sent.

"Now that we have promising results from the Unicorn, we're going to try and use the data to help us get the Banshee online. We were going to perform a test flight once we dropped you off and left the academy." Darren said as you felt uneasy about the machine.

"Who was going to pilot it?" You asked him.

"I am." Marida said as she stood up from her seat.

"You can't!" You said which surprised both Marida and Darren.

"Why not?" Darren asked in confusion of what you meant.

"The Banshee...It's not like the Unicorn. It's a whole different beast..." You said with a concerned tone as this surprised and confused Darren even more.

"Don't worry, Y/N. We're prepared for whatever happens during the flight test." Marida tried to reassure you of the activation of the Banshee.

"Captain! Please, tell her that this is a bad idea! The Banshee is not ready to be switched online." You pleaded with Zinnerman who was now also concerned about Marida piloting this machine.

"Hey, Darren. Is what this kid's saying true?" Zinnerman asked with a stern glare on his face.

"I-I'm not sure. This is the first time I've been told to do anything with the Banshee." He said to Zinnerman before looking towards you. "Did you attempt to activate the Banshee? When?" Darren asked as you held your left arm nervously.

"It wasn't too long ago...Just before I left for the academy. Mom and Dad wanted to see if the Unit 02 could respond to me in an attempt to get it online. At first I did get a response, but..." You trailed off as they looked at you with worry.

"But...what?" Darren asked as you felt a shiver run down your spine.

"That machine...I felt myself being sucked in by its power. The system almost activated and I felt like I wasn't going to have control over it, so I hit the emergency power shut off and ejected. Even with the Psychoframe, I could feel the machine pulling at my mind...the warmth I could feel from the Unicorn, it wasn't the same...it was dangerous." You said as this did raise some concern in Darren.

"Why wouldn't they tell me?" Darren said in wonder.

"Once they saw the data we received from the Unicorn, Emily must have felt that if we could tame the Banshee next, it would be a guarantee victory against Elnora. She must assume that Elnora's already reaching the final stages of her end goal." Marida suggested as this put Darren in deep contemplation.

"Darren..." You spoke up as Darren turned towards you in surprise as he knew you were serious when you spoke his name instead of calling him Brother. "...I know it's not my place to say, but please...don't awaken the Lion." You said as he was surprised to see how scared you look. "I don't want you or Marida to be sucked in by that machine. It's still not ready. Promise me you'll tell Mom. Okay?" You said Darren could only sigh at the situation now presented to him.

"...I can't promise you that, Y/N." Darren said as you grew shocked from this. "We're at a critical point now where we have to be ready for Elnora and whatever she has waiting for us. She knows we're coming after her, and that it's only a matter of time until we reveal ourselves. When that time comes, we'll need more than just the Unicorn's strength alone." He said as you felt frustrated that your warnings were being pushed aside. "But, I won't ignore what you say either." He said as you looked back to him. "You're the pilot who's carrying all of our hopes, and you're the only one so far who's managed to get a reaction from both machines. I value everything you say greatly, and I'll talk to Mom about it before we even attempt to power on the Banshee. Is that enough for you, Y/N?" Darren asked as you felt a little relieved and could tell that he was being sincere about his words.

"Y-Yeah...I guess.." You said as he smiled at placed a hand on your shoulder.

"Okay, get some rest. It'll be a little while until we reach the council hearing site." Darren said as you turned around and headed for the door. "Y/N..." He called to you as you turned back towards him. "Thank you." He said as you just smiled at him and nodded before leaving the Bridge.

After warning Darren about the Banshee and what it can do to its pilot, you went to get some rest as some time passed before you managed to reach the hearing site where the Witch Trial would begin. The Garenceries made contact with the Rewloola and docked in the bay next to the ship as you returned to Miorine who was wearing her Noraml Suit and holding her helmet. After throwing on a Normal Suit yourself, you signaled to Miorine to put on her helmet as you both prepared yourselves to exit the ship. Once you were ready, you looked around through the window of the hatch to make sure there wasn't any sort of security or authorities around, and once you were sure the coast was clear, you decided now was the time. Pressing a button on the side to decompress the room, you began to turn the large wheel as a few supplies in the room began to float, and a few moments later the hatch door opened. You put on a thruster pack and held your hand out to Miorine as she grabbed onto your arm, and putting your foot on the edge of the door, you stepped out with her and into the docking bay. Using the thruster pack to float across the bay, you managed to avoid being spotted from below as the ground crew workers were busy taking care of the ships in the bay. You and Miorine floated towards the other end of the docking bay where you saw a scaffolding to land as you grabbed onto the rail and set yourself and her down. The two of you looked around to see if there was any way your should head, and turning your head to the right, you saw a walkway with an exit heading further in the facility. The two of you bounced your way to the hatch across the scaffolding before making it to the entrance and stopping in front of it as Miorine entered the airlock.

"This is as far as I can take you. I have to remain with my crew." You said to Miorine as she turned back to face you.

"Thank you, Y/N." Miorine said as you nodded to her.

"Take care, and good luck." You said as you closed the airlock for her and watched as the doors separated the two of you. "Let's hope we can save her in time, Miorine..." You said as you turned back and launched off the scaffolding to return to the Garenceries.

Meanwhile, all members of the council and subsidiary representatives of each company under the Benerit group were all gathered in a grand hall as they sat above at their respective stations looking down to the podium below. Iilya who was accompanied by Char and sat next to her, sat with perfect posture as they had their fingers intertwined with their own and positioned in front of their masks as a single light switched on and shined down on the podium in the center of the hall where the representative of the Shin Sei Development Corporation, Lady Prospera, now stood on trial.

"We will now begin the inquiry." One of the President's liaison's announced as Delling Rembran sat at the head of the council, looking straight down on Prospera.

"Lady Prospera, representative of the Shin Sei Development Corporation. Are you a witch?" Delling asked her.

"No." Prospera responded.

"Do you have ties to the Vanadis Institute?" Delling asked his next question.

"No." Prospera repeated the same answer.

"Then how did you build a Gundam?" Delling asked in reference to the Mobile Suit built by her company.

"The Aerial is not a Gundam. It's a product of Shin Sei's newly developed drone technology." Prospera revealed to everyone, putting shock and confusion amongst some of the members.

"What?" One of the representatives whispered to another in confusion.

"Did she say drone?" Another representative asked in wonder.

"Shaddiq." The representative of the Grassley Defense Systems, Sarius Zenelli, turned to his son who was accompanying him on this inquiry as Shaddiq pulled up some information on the console he was sat at.

"Yes, Father." Shaddiq said as he began typing on his console to share this information to the others who were attending. "During the duel, that machine's Permet influx values exceeded the standards. This is a unique characteristic of the GUND Format, the core system of all Gundams." Shaddiq spoke some of the proof being put against the Aerial.

"If that machine is equipped with the GUND Format, you should have also detected a data storm. Well?" Prospera turned to Shaddiq as she put her hand on her hip.

"There was none detected." Shaddiq did confirm the absence of the data storm that should have been present.

"Its control system is based on a conventional Permet link. I'm confident that it complies with all of the group's technology provisions." Prospera said while looking back to the President with an off putting smile.

"That alone doesn't prove it isn't a Gundam." A representative from Peil Technologies said as Prospera turned towards her.

"You can't prove that it is, either." Prospera countered against her argument.

"Lady Prospera..." Sarius Zenelli spoke up as the Shin Sei Representative turned to face him. "You are merely using the lack of evidence as an excuse. Are you trying to tell us that black is white?" He asked her as he seemed to think that she was trying to make a fool of everyone.

"We're one of the smallest, but still a member of the Benerit Group. We are, of course, aware of the Cathedra Agreement. I ask for your trust." Prospera said as she put her right hand to her heart.

"I can't help doubting when you come dressed like that." The head of the Jeturk Heavy Machinery, Vim Jeturk, spoke in reference to the mask and shady style of business clothing Prospera wore as the woman in question turned towards him with what seemed a stoic look.

After he said that, Prospera began to do something that seemed to confuse everyone in the hall as she unbuttoned her blazer and dropped it to the floor before raising her right arm and pulling the sleeve up. Once the sleeve went up towards the shoulder, it revealed that she had a prosthetic machine arm as she disabled it and pulled it off, shocking everyone as she threw the robotic arm towards Vim Jeturk to catch.

"This arm, as well as the face behind this mask..." Prospera trailed off as she turned towards the President and raised her robotic arm stump towards him. "...were both claimed by Mercury's magnetic field. Environmental conditions on Mercury are severe. However, utilizing our drone technology, we'll be able to mine for Permet without putting anyone in danger. Please allow us to continue the Aerial's development. We are in need of the group's support." Prospera made her plea deal to the President as silence filled the hall for a few, but thrilling moments, before the President finally spoke up.

"No. That thing is a Gundam." Delling outright denied her plea and arguments.

"Why is that?" Prospera asked.

"Because I said so. Any objections?" Delling said as Prospera lowered her robotic stump a little with her strange smile turning back to a stoic look as the President gave a few moments to see if anyone would be brave enough to object.

Play Song At Ttop
Title: 4th Mov. :Neo Zeon (Gundam Unicorn OST)
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"If the President himself can call anything he seems fit, a Gundam, then all members of the Group should begin preparations for further trials like this to occur." A voice spoke up as all eyes turned towards Char as they watched him sit with his hands in front of his mouth.

"Neo Zeon Systems representative, Iilya Von Zabi, what are you objecting to?" Delling asked as Iilya turned her head to the President.

"President and other members of this hearing, please allow my liaison, Captain Char Aznable, to speak of a possible proposal to this matter." Iilya said as all eyes were on Char now as he bowed his head to Iliya before standing up.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, it is without doubt that the Aerial has displayed abilities that the Cathedra Agreement had long ago banned and bid taboo for the creation of mobile suits. However, as developers of mobile suits ourselves, we cannot deny also the clear advancement that the Shin Sei representative has made with their 'drone' technology. Please, if you could all turn to your screens in front of you." Char said as he plugged in a data drive to the console and pressed a few buttons before a video popped up on everyone's console of the mock battle between the Unicorn and Kshatriya at the academy.

"What is this?" Vim Jeturk asked as the video played that part where the Kshatriya deployed the funnels weapon system.

"This is the latest in drone technology that our engineers have been able to come up with. The large green mobile suit, code name: Kshatriya, is equipped with a drone-type machine system that is controlled through a series of sequential inputs performed by the pilot. As you can see, the funnels will scatter through the space and begin to fire beams at the target from multiple angles, making it nearly impossible for an enemy to defend themselves completely. However, with the complexity of producing the drones and further difficulties coding the on board targeting systems on each funnel, the drones lack any real impact behind their beams and are more or less just a diversionary tactic." Char lied about the system the Funnels on the Kshatriya used as he began to walk away from his seat and head to the stairs next to his aisle.

"What are you trying to say, Captain?" Sarius asked as he watched Char walk pass him and head down to the lower level of the hall.

"In short, even though there may be clear signs of the Aerial being a Gundam, the fact of the absence of the data storm is a key factor in this situation. The data storm, a product and side-effect of the use of the GUND-Format, was not present in the pilot of the Aerial or detected on the Permet sensors. It is as if the Aerial itself is pretending to be a Gundam by displaying all the signs, while also leaving out the biggest form of proof that all Gundams and Gundam pilots share before their untimely deaths, the data storm." Char said as he stepped onto the same floor Prospera stood on as he headed over to her. "Lady Prospera, where we have fallen short in terms of drone technology, you have succeeded with a machine that performed far beyond what any other mobile suit from any other developer has created in the past three decades. This has pulled many interest from our engineering department, as they feel with the cooperation from your engineers that worked on the drone technology for the Aerial, a new age of drone technology may be born." He said as Prospera smiled at the praise her machine was receiving.

"I'm flattered by the praise you give our machine, Captain. Thank you. The Aerial is indeed a precious, special machine to us." Prospera said as he stepped in front of Prospera and the two masked individuals stared each other down.

"President Rembran, I will now inform you of our objection." Char said as he turned towards him. "Please allow Neo Zeon Systems to enter a Developer Co-Prosperity Agreement between us and Shin Sei Development Corporation." He said as this surprised and shocked all members of the hearing even more. "Neo Zeon Systems would head the relationship between our corporations and be held accountable for the actions of Shin Sei Development Corporation. If you grant us with your blessing, I believe a new age of machines will come, and may lead the group into an even greater future that your top engineers and scientists could not have foreseen coming." He said as Prospera turned her head to stare over at Iilya, who just stared back at her through her mask.

"Elnora...I won't let you do as you please..." Emily thought as she stared at her old friend with a glare through her mask.

"So do you still want to be friends, Emily?" Elnora wondered as the two women prepared themselves for the dramatic future, should this proposal from Neo Zeon Systems gain the blessing from President Rembran, as this Witch Trial was barreling towards a dramatic and thrilling climax.