Author's Note: Hello! This isn't a new chapter, but for fans of this story, I wanted to share some scenes that haven't seen the light of day. These include alternative versions, retcons, removed sections, and new additions. I've added notes on what each scene was meant to convey and my thought process behind them. I thought this would be a fun way to wrap up the story and give readers a glimpse into its evolution. Enjoy!
Aiden x Suletta and Aaliyah Scene
"So, how much for this?" Aiden's voice broke through the quiet as he pulled out his wallet. Suletta's gaze was fixed on her fidgeting gloved hands as Aiden flipped through the bills.
Daniel glanced down, while other members of the Sons of Harmony headed toward his ship, rummaging through boxes of alcohol. Some were unloading massive crates from other ships, and Suletta's eyes widened as she recognized a…
"Zaku," she murmured. Aiden paused and turned toward her, eyebrows raised.
"Yeah, looks like your mom sent another supply drop," he said, nodding at the heavy equipment. Suletta watched as they pulled up trucks, loading the mechs onto the truck beds before driving them down into the thick artificial forest near the academy.
"Where are they taking those?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"They're going to the hangar with Deke. Deacon wants our standby troops trained and armed with mechs," Aiden replied.
"Really?" Suletta questioned, tilting her head. "We already have a strong team."
Aiden shrugged. "Deacon wants everyone prepared, just in case. I'm not sure exactly why, but hey, we don't have to worry about losing a Titan with the Zaku around. Those things are surprisingly efficient. Losing a Titan would be a disaster because of the oath, but the Zaku is versatile, expendable, and easy to modify. Your mom's really created something special, Suletta."
Her face flushed, and she looked away, trying to hide her pride.
"Mercurian engineering really is something else," Aiden added with a grin.
Aiden handed the dealer some cash, receiving a pen-shaped object in return. Suletta's curiosity got the better of her. "What is that?" she asked.
"An electric weed pen," Aiden replied bluntly as the dealer counted the bills.
Aliyah was there too, her wide brown eyes taking everything in. "Whoa… this is my first time seeing something like this outside of a movie."
Aiden facepalmed as they turned to walk back down the dirt pathways. Suletta and Aliyah fell in beside him as he slipped on his headphones, bobbing his head to one of his own tracks.
Aliyah tugged on his jacket a little. "Aiden, Suletta's trying to talk to you."
Aiden pulled out one earbud and looked over. Suletta took a breath, steadying herself. "Okay, now that you've got your 'creative inspiration,' are we going to work on the jingle?"
Aiden nodded, coughing into his elbow as the two girls exchanged a look. "Yeah, yeah," he said, chuckling. "Just needed a little creative boost."
They continued along the path, Aiden smirking for no apparent reason as he looked up at the night sky. "Wow… everything looks so beautiful tonight," he murmured, tilting his head to take in the stars above them, a dazzling, boundless spread across the dark sky.
Somehow, Suletta's fingers had slipped into his palm.
"You ready to see pure awesomeness?" Aiden grinned.
Suletta rolled her eyes. "That's not even a word."
"Neither is 'Aidy,' but that doesn't stop you." He smirked, taking another pull from the pen.
"You'd better ease up on that," Suletta warned. "My mom's been waiting for this forever."
"It's going to blow her pants—or maybe her whole suit jacket—through the roof!" Aiden teased, winking.
"Oh my god, Aiden." Suletta slapped him on the back, but he only laughed harder. "You can be so annoying sometimes."
"You love it," Aiden shot back quickly.
"I don't love fighting your exes," Suletta replied a little louder than she meant to. Aiden's eyes widened, and Aliyah turned, her mouth forming a surprised "O" as she glanced back at the couple. "Do you have any others I should know about?" Suletta asked, crossing her arms.
Aiden looked around, feigning innocence. "Well, maybe. But I'm sure you'd handle them with a quick, old-fashioned beatdown." He pumped a fist in the air. "You really kicked the crap out of Renee."
Suletta's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, she drifted from the present, pulled back into the cockpit where the fight had taken place. She felt it all over again—the thundering vibrations, the overwhelming pressure, her desperate pleas to make it stop...
"Suletta, are you alright?" Aiden's hand on her shoulder jolted her back to reality.
"Huh?" She blinked, disoriented.
"Sorry, that was a bad joke," Aiden said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Sometimes, I honestly wonder if I'm just… kind of stupid or something." He let out an awkward laugh.
Suletta took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment to collect herself. "I'm fine. Let's just head to the manor and work on this video."
Notes: I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking with this scene. Did it make its way into the actual chapter it was from? Maybe I edited or rewrote it differently. The others have their own differences, but does anyone have a preference?
Aiden x Suletta and Oscar Snow and Music
Aiden stood outside the grand Atistica Music Building, nestled atop a snowy slope. He and Oscar leaned against the red-brick exterior, both bundled in heavy jackets and scarves. Snow fell softly, tinting their cheeks a light red. Suletta, wearing the rich gray scarf Miorine had gifted her, played joyfully in the fresh snow, kicking it up as she laughed.
"There's no snow on Mercury!" she called out gleefully, her voice echoing. Aiden and Oscar shared a warm smile as they watched her.
Aiden's face shifted to a thoughtful frown. "I still can't believe she used my disability like that during the incubation show," he muttered.
Oscar sighed, his breath visible in the cold air. "I get how you feel, but you were in a tough spot. Miorine wanted to prove that Gundam tech could help people, not endanger them. You and I—well, we're living proof of that."
Aiden looked down at his hand, or what resembled one, the artificial nerves almost convincing his brain it was real. "It's strange. It feels like my arm's still there. When I touch Suletta's face, it's… like I'm really touching her."
He exhaled heavily, his breath mingling with the falling snow. "Prospera Mercury… she really created something incredible."
Oscar glanced away, nodding. "And those mechs... I heard Deacon checked them out. They're not Titans—just some mass-produced line."
Aiden's expression darkened. "So, we're betraying Harmony…?"
Oscar's tone was blunt. "Aiden, we're low on resources. More Titans would be ideal, but we're running out of options. If you want to protect Suletta and Miorine, you're going to have to make use of what's available."
Aiden paused, then nodded with conviction. "For Suletta, I'd fight," he said firmly.
Oscar gave a satisfied nod. "Then get in the Zaku, Winters."
Suletta approached, brushing snow from her hair, and Aiden broke into a grin. "Oh, Suletta, you're covered in snow," he chuckled, reaching out to brush the flakes from her head.
Suletta shook her head with a mock glare. "You're terrible, Winters," she teased as he laughed. He nudged her playfully, then slipped his arm around hers, drawing her close against the winter chill.
She yelped. "Yo, Oscar, get a picture of me and my future wife!" Aiden shouted, grinning.
"M-marriage…," she stammered, her face red as she fidgeted in Aiden's hands, her voice barely a whisper, flustered and taken aback.
Oscar chuckled as he pulled out his phone. "Freaking lovebirds," he muttered while Aiden flashed a confident smile.
"Look at the camera, beautiful," Aiden said, his hand casually slipping around her waist, fingers brushing past her long ponytail. Suletta felt a shiver run down her spine.
She managed a smile, though her cheeks still burned. "Y-you're going to pay for that!" she yelled, trying to regain some composure.
"For what?" Aiden replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh, Aiden, you made her mad," Oscar teased from the side.
Suletta lifted a finger in protest. "You've been teasing me nonstop, and—"
"I tease the girls I like," Aiden said with a sly smile. "And you seem to like it."
That shut her up, leaving her face even redder.
Oscar groaned, loudly and dramatically. "Okay, you two can flirt and kiss and whatever you want, but… I'm still here!" He waved his arms for emphasis. "Or, Aiden," he added, fishing a joint from his pocket with a smirk, "we could just smoke this."
Aiden glanced at Suletta. "You're not having any," he warned, eyebrow raised.
Suletta shot him a look, unimpressed. "I wasn't even going to ask," she retorted.
"Sheesh, Suletta," Oscar chuckled. "You're getting snappier these days."
Suletta's face softened as her fingers intertwined shyly. "I don't know," she admitted with a small smile. "We've been through a lot together… fighting alongside each other, dealing with everything around Mr. Ceres… I know I can actually talk to you guys."
Oscar and Aiden shared a smile.
"That was beautiful, Suletta," Oscar said, raising the joint in a mock toast. "To friendships and creative inspiration!" He took a hit, coughing and passing it to Aiden with a laugh.
They passed it around a few more times, laughing and taking in the snowy night.
"So, what's the next project?" Oscar asked as he exhaled. "Classes run through Christmas… winter break isn't for a while."
Aiden shrugged. "I just have to watch a documentary for class and write an essay," he said, pausing as he turned his head toward Suletta, his red-tinted eyes meeting her teal gaze. "Suletta, you know you can keep me company."
Suletta fell silent, her face turning bright red. Oscar watched her reaction, almost wondering if he'd need to call an ambulance—she looked so flushed he thought she might pass out. She was trembling.
"Y-yeah, that could be fun," Suletta finally stammered.
Aiden waved his hand, still holding the joint, and all Suletta could think about was the taste of his lips and the way she'd felt pressed against him earlier.
"Yes, I'd like that," Suletta blurted, perhaps a bit too quickly, nodding her head eagerly. "You… you have a TV in your room, right? For, you know… privacy?" She batted her lashes in a way that seemed almost involuntary.
Aiden smirked, his eyes glinting as he flicked the joint and crushed it under his boot. "There's nothing like a smoke while it's snowing," he mused, clicking his tongue thoughtfully. "So, you two coming back to the manor with me?"
Oscar raised an eyebrow. "Didn't we just come out here for a smoke break? I thought you were going to head back and practice more."
Aiden waved him off. "I already played for a good hour," he replied, grinning. "Besides, Christmas is creeping up fast."
Notes: This is a new one, showing an example of what could've been. Notice the tone shift here? This scene was meant to take place right after the chapter following the party and the first Gund-ARM meeting, where Aiden and Miorine get into that heated argument. The vibe here is happy, flirty, and relaxed—days have passed since that incident, and Suletta is absolutely giddy, hyper-fixated on Aiden. Oscar already knows about the Zaku, which comes up a few chapters later in the final version. Looking back, I remember why this didn't make the final cut. This chapter was initially meant to be another Aiden x Suletta-focused one, and I toyed with that idea for a bit. But there had already been many scenes featuring them, and I felt we really needed to push the story toward Shaddiq. I'm glad we did, ultimately. The draft feels a bit all over the place, but this is also where we first see Suletta's reaction to snow. Ironically, I'd planned two or three moments like that, and we only got around to one in the final version. In hindsight, I'm glad I didn't finish this scene—but I'm curious, what do you all think?
Marko and Space
The Sons of Harmony's transport ship moved steadily through the open veil of space. The coordinators and main pilot guided it forward, cutting through the endless darkness of the abyss.
Once rugged and battle-scarred, the vessel had been meticulously repaired, courtesy of Miorine dipping into her funds. Now, it soared with powerful engines and a pristine frame, though it still bore the deep blues and purples of its battle-hardened past, streaked with the electric, violent strands of untamed lightning.
They maneuvered through the galaxy's infinite stretch, their thrusters roaring like predators in the black ocean of night. Within the ship's quiet hum, Aiden stirred softly in the confines of his Titan.
He preferred it here—its metal shell far more familiar than any bed, more secure against the shuttle's occasional shudders. His eyes closed, yet he could sense every fiber of his Titan around him, fingers idly brushing against the controls, the buttons, the gears, the intricate mechanisms. He knew this machine better than the transport shuttle, better even than his home. In that moment, he understood how Suletta must feel toward her Aerial unit. A constant companion, a fierce defender—more than a machine, it was family.
Jack stood at the window, gaze fixed on the vast expanse, catching glimpses of comrades loading magazines into assault rifles and donning the armor of the Sons of Harmony. The pulsing hum of anti-mech and anti-Titan weaponry being prepared filled the air. War was coming.
Then, Jack saw it: ships, heavy and hulking, rose through space's darkness, casting shadows over the bright blue planet below. Massive, battle-worn dreadnoughts—few in number but formidable—appeared across the expanse, followed by waves of transport ships.
One colossal dreadnought loomed largest, its metal hide scarred from countless battles. It bore the distinct colors of its warband, a testament to a world's final stand. Even after Harmony's fall, after years of vengeance-fueled conflict, it continued to carry the memory of a lost world, an unyielding warrior in its own right.
From the smallest transport vessel to the hulking dreadnoughts, squads prepared for battle. Each Son felt the weight of the impending fight. Whether they were true Sons of Harmony—young warriors with neural implants, trained to connect seamlessly with their Titans—or captured boys, kidnapped in raids, now motivated by ambition or desperation, each was part of this unstoppable force.
Aiden heard the knock before he felt the ship dock with Marko's dreadnought. They had arrived; they had answered the Warmaster's call.
"Aiden," came Jack's voice.
Aiden opened the cockpit of his Titan, and the fluorescent light of the shuttle's interior spilled into the darkened space around him. Jack stood at the edge, clad in armor with a weapon strapped to his chest.
"We're here," Jack said simply.
Aiden's gaze drifted over their surroundings as he pulled himself free from the cockpit, feeling the anticipation settle over him like the weight of armor.
Notes: I wrote this scene about a year ago, and it's been sitting on my laptop ever since. It was initially meant to come out around Chapter 19 or 20. After the crash of their transport shuttle, this scene would've revealed the truth about what Jack, Aiden, and Oscar had really gotten themselves into. Originally, I planned for it to unfold as an epic war sequence, likely stretching over 2-3 chapters. But as I worked on it, I hit a major writer's block, so I decided to move forward without it—and I'm glad I did.
Leaving the specifics a mystery until last chapter, especially with how it will impact the cast in the next book, feels so much more powerful. That said, would you guys have liked to see a chapter focused on Aiden, Jack, and Oscar like in the beginning? Watching them take the final fight to the IMC would've been cool as hell, but ultimately, I think leaving it out saved time and space and kept the momentum. What do you all think?
The Love between The Druid, and The Witch
The mobile suit floated within the endless black of space, the faint lights of distant stars twinkling across the deep abyss. They orbited a strange, unfamiliar planet, a solitary refuge within the void.
The cockpit of the titan was larger than standard mobile suit cockpits, lined with rugged foam to brace against the brutal jolts of battle. The seats were equipped with heavy-duty buckles to secure any passengers within the massive machine.
Inside this enclosed space, two figures sought shelter—the woman and the man.
Fortunately, the air supply hadn't been compromised despite the heavy damage sustained in the previous skirmish. The bad news was that the titan itself had taken severe hits. The comms were destroyed, sparking sporadically within the tight confines and casting brief bursts of orange light.
Suletta had shed her thick pilot uniform, leaving it crumpled in the corner. Aiden's shirt lay similarly discarded nearby, adding to the sense of quiet vulnerability shared between them.
Notes: Want to know something crazy? I think this scene is one of the reasons I wrote this story. The last time I accessed this chapter was 7/24/2023. I started writing it after a great sandwich and a smoke—I felt so inspired. This scene was meant to connect to Aiden Winters and the vision he shared with Suletta. It was always intended to be the final chapter, capturing the solitude of the Witch and the Druid. Though I didn't finish it back then, I knew where it was going. This scene would've been intimate between Aiden and Suletta because, in my stories, human connection and love are big themes. I wanted to capture the depth of Aiden's love for Suletta and the love she's grown to feel for him. I hope, dear reader, that you felt captivated by this journey and this romance. Because, at its core, this is a love story. Thank you for reading, and to those who made it to the finish line with me…thank you. I made it, we made it.