Girls und Panzer / Pacific Rim

Girls und Jaeger

Chapter 3: R.A.B.I.T

Or

How I nearly blew a hole in the ceiling

She winced as the spinal clamps locked down on her back, the final piece to her suit. With it, the whole thing felt like it tightened up. White suit with green armor plates, like the school uniform. At least the helmet was a large open visor, rather than some goggles-visor-thing piece (those Pravda girls loved them for some reason.) Oorai lacked a proper Drivesuit Room, so the Conn-Pod was the next best thing. With a salute, the other technicians left the pod, leaving her and her partner alone. All that was left to do was strap in and then interface.

[Well well! Look at you two! How does it feel to be back in the saddle, Nishizumi?] the eternally cheerful Anzu Kadotani spoke through her helmet radio.

"Familiar." That was all Miho Nishizumi willing to say. She still felt a bit bitter towards the Student Council for putting her up to this. While she did willingly accept the role, she did so after a lot of protest and plenty of inner struggle.

"This is so exciting! I never in my life thought I'd ever be a Ranger, let alone as Nishizumi-dono's partner!" Yukari Akiyama gushed, sparking eyes taking in every detail of the Conn-Pod. "This is such an honor!"

Her cheer was infectious. Miho couldn't help but smile as well."Ahaha, I'm honored too!"

"By the way, are these suits always so form-fitting?" Yukari fidgeted in place. She didn't like how it clung to her sides and butt like that.

"You get used to that…" Despite her experience, Miho couldn't help but feel self-conscious about her appearance. Why were these Drivesuits always so tight? Even with the armor plates, they showed off way too much of her figure!

[Alright, let's hook you guys up and start the ignition process]

The wonders of automation allowed the two to merely step into place and hold their hands out, and everything was taken care for them. Tiny arms attached oxygen tubes, control handles, and the mounting harness as the rest of the Conn-Pod ran through diagnostics.

Ugh. Relay gel. This was her least favorite part of the start-up process. She cringed as it flooded her helmet, then letting out a tired breath as it drained. Next to her, Yukari sputtered as some got into her mouth.

[Alright, girls, we're starting the uplink now.] Among mission control was Saori, taking the pivotal role of Mission Controller for this operation.

Flashing lights and distant hums, an odd prickling in the back of her brain. It felt like the world's smallest vacuum was sucking on her consciousness, matching the Conn-Pod's buzzing, as the Drift opened up. All familiar feelings. To Miho, the Drift was both a sanctuary and a nightmare, as flashes of memories blinked by. Hand to hand training with her sister; being scolded by mother at on losing an early match; her first victory; a rare smile from mother; things she wanted to remember and things she wanted to get away from… the Drift would always show her.

[Miho! Yukari is falling out of sync! We're losing her!] Saori's worried voice shocked Miho out of her dream-like state. The glazed, distant look Yukari had told Miho everything.

"She's getting lost in her memories…" Miho muttered, frowning as she learned as close as her restraints would allow her. "Yukari! Listen to me! Don't chase the rabbit! It isn't real! Yukari!"

A sunny day in a packed classroom.

It was her turn to present now, a history report about the Kaijuu War. While she did cover the topics the teacher asked for, she also went further on the impact of Jaegers in saving humanity. Her classmates cheered as she pantomimed Gipsy Danger punching Leatherback with Elbow Rocket. Her teacher gave a tired sigh.

Miho stood among the young students, towering over the children as she called out to her friend. "Yukari? Yukari, you need to ignore this. This isn't reality."

But childhood friends left her, their interests no longer matching. Some went for clothes, others looked at boys. Yukari collected Jaeger models and spent her time watching battle recordings. One day, they surrounded her, pulled at her hair and tore at her clothes. Mocking laughter. They called her terrible, hurtful names. Someone found her precious model and threw it on the ground. Fragile plastic shattered on the concrete. They all laughed.

-o-

Back in reality, the Auto Club scrambled out of the way as the Jaeger struggled against its restraints. Steel groaned and shuddered. A loud cha-thunk echoed in the massive room as the Jaeger's shoulder-mounted cannon loaded a heavy shell.

In the Local Command Center - LOCCENT, one of the more technically-savvy girls frowned from her monitor.

"Ehh… we might have a problem."

Student Council President Anzu sighed tiredly, resisting the urge to groan. Another setback? "Of course. What else do we need to worry about?"

"Carbon Angler's cannon just loaded high explosive. It's trying to acquire a targeting solution."

"Oh. Crap."

Though it was aimed upwards at the moment, if it went off, there was no telling where the munition may land. Not to mention the grievous damage it would cause to the hanger...

Anzu grabbed the microphone. "Miho, this goes without saying, but you need to get Yukari situated as soon as possible!"

-o-

Miho frowned. Children could be so cruel. Looking down, she saw her hands clenched in fists of rage. If she were there… no, it wouldn't change anything. This had happened already. There was no changing the past.

"Random Access Brain Impulse Trigger. This is the RABIT. You need to let it go, Yukari."

They were alone. She was alone, crying in her room. Curled up on her bed, her tears soaked her comforter. Her parents didn't understand her interests, but their hearts broke all the same. Their precious daughter was so lonely, bullied relentlessly, and they couldn't do anything to help. A model of Gipsy Danger lay broken. A poster was torn in half.

Miho had never been here, but she understood Yukari's love for Jaegers. She kneeled next to the child, laying a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey. It's okay. This isn't real, Yukari. It's just some bad memories." Painful as they were, these scenes couldn't really hurt them. Miho rubbed the young Yukari's back in gentle, soothing circles. "You're not alone anymore. Remember, you're part of the Jaeger team now! Everyone's looking out for you!"

"Re-really?" the child Yukari looked up with the large, hopeful eyes. Miho wished she had a hankerchief to wipe away those tears.

"Yes! We're all with you. Saori, Hana, even the StuCo! They wouldn't be here if they were as interested as you are. And aren't you my partner in this? We're Rangers, Yukari! Not some boring high school girls, but Jaeger pilots! There's no more Kaiju to fight, but there are some Gloriana girls that need a knuckle sandwich. Are you with me?"

A smile blossomed on the tiny girl, looking down to quickly wipe her eyes with a sleeve. When she looked up again, she was that happy nerd Miho knew. "Yeah!"

Miho blinked. She was back in the cockpit, the holographic representation of their neural link now a calmer green. The young lady looked at her friend. Yukari sniffed, a hand ineffectively rubbing her helmet's glass helmet.

"Are you okay now?" Miho spoke softly.

Yukari nodded, still sniffling a bit. "Un. I'm so sorry. This is supposed to be our debut, and I got lost in my own head."

"Don't think that way! It's a common mistake. Really, more people lose themselves the first time they enter the Drift than not. It just takes getting used to. Also, don't sniffle too hard. Otherwise you'll get relay gel up your nose, and that's just nasty."

"Un-Pfff-hahahahah!" Yukari couldn't help but laugh, soon joined by the other girl.

[As much as I'm happy you two are getting along, am I gonna have to scrap this pairing?] Anzu interrupted, not sounding all too pleased.

Still smiling, Miho answered. "Negative, Anzu. It was just a rookie mistake. We're fine now, I believe."

[Yeah, well, that 'rookie mistake' nearly sent a high explosive shell through the roof]

Yukari looked absolutely heartbroken, something Miho decided was completely unacceptable to see happen to her friend. "And she's sorry for that. As much as we're told not to, chasing the rabbit happens to the best of us."

[I understand that, but we can't have that kind of scare happen again. Something like that could get the whole program scrapped, or worse]

"I understand, Anzu-san. It won't happen again!" Yukari said with steel. Miho smiled, watching her change frustration into determination.

A pause. Then, Anzu made a sound of approval. [Mm. Alright. Let's continue then.]

[Brainwaves are looking good. Synchronization at seventy-two percent. That's pretty good, right?] Yuzu Koyama spoke. She was the Neural Bridge Operator. Maybe not the best job for her.

[It's the best one so far. We didn't have time to test everyone else.] Momo Kawashima… wait, what was her role?

Anzu interrupted. [It's fine, it's fine! The two of you together can now punch those Gloriana girls in the face!]

Mark-3 Jaeger, Carbon Angler's massive form took an uncertain, shaky step forward. With each following step, however, its gait grew more confident. The Auto Club cheered to see their latest baby rise from the dust and decay into the noble warrior it was.

[Distant Avalon is up ahead. You guys can do this!]

Inside, Yukari and Miho nodded as one.

"Jaeger vor!"

Next time, on Girls und Jaeger

"I got a surprise for everyone!"

"Is it another Jaeger?!"

"Even better! I found us a real deal Kwoon Fightmaster!"

"Ehh… those guys trained Rangers how to fight, right?"

"Yup! And since his sisters are students in the school, he'll work for free!"

"I read in Mori-sama's memoirs that training with a Fightmaster could take up to fourteen hours a day!"

"You can all thank me later!"

"Ah. Mako fainted."

The chapter number isn't wrong. I did this for fun, but I don't expect to do more.