Yaaaaaa! My second chapter is posted as promised! This one is REALLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY going to change things! BIG TIME! I hope now that the direction of this story and the synopsis will be much clearer.
Most of all I hope you fans enjoy this because ultimately this is what my story is for :D
Jazmine sighed as she placed the flowers on her parents' graves. Looking around, the only flowers she saw were ones she had placed herself.
Meaning Raleigh had not once visited this year.
If he had, Raleigh would have left his mark; a bouquet of orchids. They had been their mother's favorite flowers despite the fact that it was near impossible to grow or find them in their native Alaska. However, without fail, each year Yancy and Raleigh would each bring a bouquet for their mother on her birthday. That is, they did until 5 years ago when Yancy died. Since then, Jazmine had not seen or spoken to Raleigh except for that day at Yancy's memorial and now, recently, the many times he appeared on tv. Bowing her head Jasmine forced back tears as she fought the onslaught of memories.
Growing up, playing with her brothers in the back yard of their Anchorage home.
Her mum and dad smiling from the kitchen window as they watched their children.
Mum, as she became sick with a cough that wouldn't stop.
Mum, she continued to smoke those horrible cigarettes everyday despite the doctor telling her it would kill her.
Dad, holding Mum's hand as she struggled with her last breath in the hospital.
Mum's funeral. Yancy and Raleigh on either side of her, each holding her hand.
Dad walking away from them as the grief and depression became too much.
Yancy and Raleigh signing up for the Jaeger Academy even though she begged and cried for them not to.
"You'll get killed. You'll leave me. You're all I have left. Please don't go!"
Still, they left.
Watching them on TV as her brothers climbed up the ranks to become world famous Jaeger pilots.
The fame and fortune came to her through them. How suddenly she became the "Youngest Becket" and the "Becket Sister".
Skyping with her brothers or meeting them on their off days. Thank God, once again they survived that last Kaiju battle.
Smiling as they joked about her brothers' battle scars thinking, "Maybe they can actually win this, maybe when this is all over we can be together again as a family."
Watching the Anchorage news in horror as it stated that the Gipsy Danger had fallen to the Kaiju Knifehead. No sign if her pilots survived.
Her heart breaking over the loss of her brothers only to find out a few days later that she would be receiving only one American flag. She doesn't know whether to be thankful or wail at how unfair it all was. When Raleigh finally turns up the day before the funeral and she looks into his eyes and knows that she had indeed lost both of them.
Raleigh standing by her side that time holding her hand like he did at Mum's funeral. This time Jazmine grips his hand because his is so lifeless and she can sense he won't stay long.
Raleigh leaving the next day with barely a goodbye. He later sends her a postcard from some small town north of Anchorage simply stating that he is chasing shifts along the Wall of Life.
He says not to worry about him and fades away into oblivion.
Two years later she finally tracks down their father a few weeks before he dies. All the alcohol and drugs have destroyed his kidneys and liver and, like Mum, it's too late for the doctors to do anything.
He says how sorry he is for leaving them. How sorry he is about Yancy. He wishes he could be strong like his children.
Dad finally passes. Alone, she watches him being lowered slowly into the ground beside their mother. Raleigh has either still not forgiven Dad for leaving or has ignored her letters. No one is there to hold her hand.
As the priest says his last few words for the dead, Jazmine realizes that her greatest fears have come true.
She is truly alone.
Jazmine gasped as pain swept across her chest with the flow of memories. Tears silently streamed down her face. Taking a deep breath, she wiped them away with the back of her hand. She did not come here to cry or to break down. Far from that, she had come here to show them how strong she was. To show that just because they had all left her didn't mean that she was incapable of surviving. No, she had come here to prove that she could live again.
"Well… Mum…Dad…" She looked up into the dark sky, "Yancy. You probably know already why I'm here… I mean besides to visit you."
She paused. She believed in heaven and she believed that they were watching her and knew what she was going to say. Even so, she struggled to voice them aloud. She needed to say it.
"I came here to say goodbye."
As if in response to her shocking statement, the wind stopped blowing and everything became silent.
"I can't take this anymore. I am tired of having my past… having my losses define me and control me. I want to do something with my life. I want to LIVE not merely endure. I want to make a name for myself."
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"I don't want to be that Becket sister anymore. I want to be Jazmine. Jazmine Becket. Known for the work and great things I have done not what Yancy or Raleigh did, succeeded or failed in. I need to be me."
She knelt down towards the graves and slowly she raised her eyes to the skies.
"I'm tired of struggling for breath, of trying to overcome the pain of losing you all. I want to breathe again." Quickly she stood up, her face was resolute in her decision.
"So as I said: this is goodbye. I'll try to visit as often as possible but I am not sure yet at this point how things will go. I just know that I am going and I will make you all proud."
Suddenly her blue eyes became steely with determination.
"I'll show Raleigh. I'll show him I can stand on my own."
Having said what she needed to say, she turned away and walked quickly as if fearful that the voices of the dead would call out to her to try to grab her and stop her from taking such a monumental and potentially dangerous step.
She felt the pull of her family so she quickened her pace. Faster, faster, faster until, almost unconsciously, she found herself running.
She ran the entire way back to her apartment, the whole time chanting to herself, "I will live again. I will breathe again. I will LIVE."
Alaskan Shatterdome
Herc's military boots reverberated with every step he took. He was one of the few people left here in the Alaskan Shatterdome even though he knew that, with the Pacific Coastal governments' new decisions, if all went well and according to plan these places would soon ring again with the shouts of soldiers and chatter of scientists. The world had realized, though some would argue too late, that the Jaegers were their surest line of defense in fighting the Kaiju, should they appear again. The Jaegers could be built and programmed to help assist in construction and redevelop coastlines that previously had been abandoned. In addition, the drift technology could be used to study the brain and human psychology. Most of all, though no one said it out loud, rebuilding the Jeagers would symbolize all that had been lost and all that had been won. They would stand as sentinels and testaments of the strength and resilience of humanity. They would stand to show that even in the greatest darkness there is a light of hope to show the way.
Herc straightened his tie as he approached the doors to the meeting room. It was the last meeting before his deployment to Los Angeles and, personally, he was tired of it all. He was not particularly fond of politicians, particularly PPDC politicians, with their big speeches, fancy suits and their white lies. He was eager to have all of this done and over with so he could continue on to the newly renovated Californian Shatterdome to continue in his work: Chuck's work.
A wave of emotion swept over him as an image of the last time he saw his son, suited up and standing tall, ready for his final battle in the Jaeger that had defined his entire life, came to mind. It took everything in him not to collapse on his knees as his heart seized with the pain of his loss. Chuck was his entire life. Every decision he made, from that split second decision 10 years ago in Sydney, had been for him. And now, he was gone.
Straightening again he entered the meeting room, turning towards the TV monitors which displayed the various diplomats from across the countries that lay along the pacific ocean.
"Ladies, gentlemen," He said with a nod of respect, "Marshall Hercules Hansen reporting. Shall we begin?"
The conference continued for well over two hours as every issue was addressed from which country would donate how much to the PPDC, to what areas of Jaeger research were to be the focus of the Academy, to how new recruits would be chosen and a series of miscellaneous concerns. By the end of it, Herc was truly tired of all the smart talk and banter between the different international powers and was very eager to be on his plane to Los Angeles.
As they began approaching the end of the meeting, the topic, which Herc had been praying would be avoided but knew was inevitable, was finally approached.
"Of course Marshall there is the issue of who will be training the new recruits for the PPDC Jaeger Academy."
"Yes Mr. President. I am aware of that and I have taken the steps in order so that I can step in as head instructor at the Jaeger Pilot Academy. I have also gone ahead and recruited Sergio and Caitlin D'Onofrio, the original co-pilots of Yukon Brawler and the pioneers of Jaeger piloting and drifting."
"Excellent Marshall," the British Prime Minister stepped in, "We are very pleased with all that you have done so far however we do request a few additions to your teaching list, most specifically our current best and brightest functioning co-pilots, Mako Mori and Raleigh Becket."
"With all due respect Sir," Herc replied with a sigh. He had been preparing for this statement, "Miss Mori and Mr. Becket have formally withdrawn from the PPDC. I cannot call them back nor do I feel we should. They have fought a long and hard battle, lost what was left of their families and have had to endure the scrutiny and pressure of the world around them. They deserve the peace and isolation they have chosen for themselves and personally I do not think that should change. I believe that the D'Onofrios and myself are more than capable of training the new recruits and managing the Academy, especially since we will have the support of Mr. Chio, Dr. Gottleib and Dr. Geizler. "
"Marshall," the President of China suddenly chimed in, "We have discussed this extensively and all of us on the PPDC council have agreed that there NEEDS to be at least two functioning co-pilot teams heading the Jaeger Pilot Academy especially should something going awry. A single lone pilot is really no use to us other than for basic instruction. Even you stated this in your files on the set up for the Jaeger Academy. We need the unison and stark example of the unique relationship of the Jaeger co-pilot teams,"
"But Sir they have…"
"Marshall," the American president stated firmly. Herc sighed. He could tell when he was losing a battle whether it was in the board room or in the Jaeger Con-Pon.
"We understand how you feel about Miss Mori and Mr. Becket but we need them desperately. As we said we need a fully functioning, recent co-pilot team, especially considering that the D'Onofrios have not piloted in years. We need them."
"Sir," Herc said exasperated. "Even if I thought that they should come back how would we find them. They have essentially dropped off the map."
At this the Queen of Thailand chuckled, "With all due respect Marshall I believe that all of us in this meeting are well aware of where Rangers Mako and Becket have been hiding out for the past few months, especially you Marshall." With a soft smile she said, "Please do not think us fools. We have certainly advanced far enough to find anyone we wish to on this earth."
Dang. Herc knew he really was holding on to his last strings.
"Sirs, Ma'ams. While I may know the location of the Rangers there is still nothing I can do to FORCE them to come back to lead the Jaeger Academy. I doubt I could even convince or coerce them."
All of the great leaders sighed.
"Well Marshall," the Chilean President finally said, "If you can't find them then we will have to bring in our last pilot."
"Excuse me?" Herc said in surprise, "I thought our whole discussion just now was about our necessity for Jaeger CO-pilots, NOT single pilots."
"Exactly Marshall," she continued, "We still have one last person we can bring in that would give us two full teams for the Jaeger Academy." She paused for a moment, "Your very first co-pilot."
Herc felt all of the blood drain from his face, his hands shook and his vision suddenly became bleary as he lost all sense of control.
"Are you all out of your minds?! You know what he did! You know how he nearly destroyed the Jaeger program! He was thrown out, decommissioned! You cannot bring him back!" Herc shouted with anger.
At this the Australian Prime Minister leaded forward, "Actually Marshall, as head of the Australian Jaeger Council and the fact that he never fully left the PPDC I can call him back and if we cannot get the two pilots we desire we will resort to last measures and get just the pilots we need."
"He is a danger to the PPDC and will be to this Academy and its future," Herc continued in earnest. This could not be happening. This was Herc's worst nightmare; literally. Desperate, he grasped at the last idea that popped into his head."
"Sirs, Ma'ams. Please… What if I can convince Rangers Mori and Becket to come back? If they come as teachers and leaders for the Jaeger Pilot Program will you then drop all plans to bring… him… back?"
For a while there were merely brief whispers as the leaders of the world quietly conversed amongst themselves. Just as Herc was beginning to lose hope the Canadian Prime Minister finally replied,
"Very well Marshall. We will give you one month, the exact amount of time until the Jaeger Academy is in full swing, to convince Miss Mori and Mr. Becket to return. Get them here."
Herc could barely conceal his relief. "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you." He sighed.
"BUT," Herc's head snapped up as the Australian Prime Minister suddenly straightened up. "If they refuse the positions and do not accept their new posts…"
Herc held his breath in fear.
"We will bring back Ranger Scott Hansen."
PLEASE REVIEWS REVIEWS REVIEWS!
These really help motivate me and let me know how I'm doing :)
p.s Also if there is any confusion with characters of Jazmine and Scott I definitely recommend going to the Pacific Rim character Wiki pages :)
Thank you so much everyone! You all are awesome!