Summary:"I would say thank you."
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
Starscream
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
When he was little he wanted nothing more than to actually have a chance at a childhood. His parents adored him, yes, but this was difficult for a child to grasp when all he knew was lessons and work. He was separated from the masses and even his family was pushed to the side. He became the perfect heir, prim and proper and almost soulless.
He hated it.
Everything he did was done in an attempt to spend time as a child. Everything he did failed. So he rebelled. He stopped being perfect and began to drive the advisers off the wall. They began to try and tell him to act like the prince he was and restrict him.
He flew.
He fought to be with his family and when he achieved it, he was so, so happy. His first friend made him almost scream in joy. But he needed to get back to it or his siblings might be stuck in his shoes. It was worse and he hated it and he hoped it would end.
But he persevered and worked hard. His father slowly weeded out the advisers and his mother finally, finally managed to put an end to the Pit that had taken root in their government. They were victorious and he took their titles when they died. He mourned and he wished he hadn't had to outlive them.
...It all gets better.
Smiling, he pressed his hand to his parents' grave markers.
"You'd be proud of me. Of all us Seekers. We've gotten so far."
Cyclonus
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
When he was little he met a Seeker that took him home after he was lost. He was cared for and loved and treated as well as any Seeker might be. He still remembers the language he grew up speaking despite it no longer existing. His first fight with his caretaker was over the idea of sharing him. To him that Seeker was his and to share him wasn't right. It was like sharing his favorite toy.
He told him as such.
The slap was a shock and even though his parents were furious something finally clicked. He'd begun to cry and like always he'd been scooped into his caretaker's arms and a soft song was crooned at him. His Seeker had asked what punishment they'd like to be given (not to him but to the Seeker for hitting him).
He refused.
Every fight and every other horrible thing came to a head when he left for the Jaeger programs and the Seeker downright forbade his leaving. He wanted him to live in Vos like his parents were. He wanted him safe. And so, for the first time in his life, he purposefully caused his caretaker pain.
...It's worth it.
Hiding a smile for the kid trying to mimic him, he was reminded of their first lesson in Seeker cant. Of how he'd called him Lagrishi and not Laagrissi until finally he was able to do it. The joy he'd felt was mirrored on the kid's face. And his language, which was now long dead, was finally back in use.
"Close enough."
Ratchet
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
When he was little he remembered saying he wanted to save the world. His goal was to keep everyone happy and make sure no one was ever sick again. It was a good goal, for a child, but it lacked substance. Still, he followed people around, learned from medics, firemen, police officers, and even mail workers.
(He was so proud of himself, later, when he realized he'd fulfilled his childhood dream.)
He decided on being a doctor when he realized his teacher (his favorite) had been diagnosed with something. He wanted to help her, make sure she survived. He found out later it was cancer but for the first time in his life he had a purpose. He visited her daily, even when she was getting worse and worse. He cared for her despite the fact that she had wonderful care in the hospital.
She wanted him to grow up strong and though she fought, she eventually died. She had good days and she had bad days and on those bad days he would cry himself to sleep and hope for a good day to follow. For a miraculous recovery. When she died, he considered giving up his goal of being a medic. Maybe he could go into something else. But then the kaiju came and he ended up being needed.
...Don't lose hope.
In his hands, the medic held a picture of his teacher and him taken on one of the few good days that happened in her final days. When asked why he always looked at it by one of his closest friends, he couldn't help but laugh softly.
"Well old friend, we all have reasons for doing what we do... this was mine."
Predaking
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
When he was little he was a fierce warrior. He outdid his peers and was raised to take his father's place. His rage was so great that he managed to make it into the most elite of fighters. However, he was a spoiled brat and when he couldn't get his way he pulled rank or beat the offender until they were black and blue. He was kicked out and raged and fought to get back in.
He laughs at it now, how stupid he was. Though at that time he'd been less than amused. His father had been disappointed in him, forced him to spend a year living like a common person. Despite their very much... well, near equal society, he hadn't realized how different it was to be someone other than the one in charge.
He returned home with a little sister in tow.
His father had fought him on that, said that instead she could be his wife. But why would he do that No. This was his sister, he could feel it. For the first time in memory, his mother had all but dethroned his father. She'd stood up to him and he'd snarled back. He'd learned that he didn't get his rage from his father that day but from his mother.
His sister married eventually, though both he and his mother had spent years keeping suitors away. When he was a little older but still a child, she'd moved away. She wanted to see the world. She wanted to see what was out there. So he went with her. After being sure she was in a good place, he'd gone back home. When the kaiju came to his home, his first thought was of his sister and the children she had with her dolt of a husband (he did like the man... a bit but it was only a little). He couldn't find her or her husband and he was left to take care of two children when he'd never had to worry about that before in his life.
...Don't give up.
Though he found them eventually, he couldn't help but be happy about his nephews wanting to stay close. As he looked over his family (those he fought for in the first place and his new family) he couldn't help but smile. He was asked about it, especially by his copilot as they sat side by side.
"Nothing. Just a thought."
Arcee
If I could meet my younger self I would say...
When she was little she lost everything to the kaiju. Her home, her family, her friends, all of them. But she gained something too. Her early life was too vague for her now. She couldn't remember her parents and only really remembered her best friend. The worn out picture she kept with her kept him fresh in her mind. Her new father had found amusement when she had healed in asking her if she had a crush.
It wasn't funny.
The rest of her childhood was spent training and learning and moving from Shatterdome to Shatterdome. She kept few friends and even fewer family. Her father was a Marshall and this was all that mattered. She achieved the highest score on the simulators, she was able to do everything a pilot needed to do. But she waited.
Her father promised that one day she'd be able to pilot a Jaeger. She wanted the monsters to pay. Blackarachnia had taken everything from her and she wanted it back. But she could never get it back, could she? So she trained and worked and made herself better, stronger, everything she needed to be to be a pilot.
...You can do it.
As she sat with her copilot and best friend (found again, thankfully), she couldn't help but grin to the empty hangar. She'd almost died and would have but she lived and she couldn't be happier. Her fingers curled with her friends', usually reserved expression melted away.
"We did it."
Thank you.
Laagrissi has been covered before but lagrishi means idiot.
Starscream is a rebel. Cyclonus is a brat. Ratchet is a sweetie. Predaking is a silly. Arcee is a badass. Arcee is also one of the parallels to Mako. Cyclonus essentially adopts her (like Pentecost), and Starscream is confused why are so many ground pounders in his family now.