Jaegers in Mustafa
Chapter 10
This is going to be a bit more about the trouble that was hidden behind the scenes. As well as a few people getting some projects up and running. There will be less fights in this chapter compared to previous ones for that reason. So on with the show.
(No POV)
After the battle with the newest threats to Japan, the Rangers took their time to celebrate and reflect a bit on their victories. With the pilots of Chimera Ronin thinking of ways to mark their victories on their machine. As well as a name for the AI of their machine.
"How about… Macca?" Anna asks while looking up the names that a few of the other Ais used. "Going off of one of the Celtic goddesses? Nah doesn't feel right. They sounded more like a male," Terry said while checking some readouts the technicians shared.
Will hummed before bringing up his own thought. "How about Shiva? Seems right for a righteous destroyer." His siblings look at him a bit funny but agree and confer with the AI itself. "I suppose that will do. Jaeger AI support, designation: Shiva. Operating in Chimera Ronin," the data entity says within the conn-pod.
With the general affairs in line and the new Shatter Dome completed, the newest Rangers to protect Japan set off. With some pomp and circumstance both when leaving and arriving to their new home.
With Izuku and Melissa though, they had decided to approach something they had been avoiding for a while. "So… about the kiss. And what I know you saw later." Melissa started with her cheeks scarlet and looking away from Izuku.
"Yeah….. Look. I'm not really sure either of us knows what a relationship could hold. Not to mention, we've got other things to worry about. Maybe…. We could see where it goes when we've got more room to stand. Because as things stand, we kind of alone with protecting Japan and the world. Sort of."
Izuku was blushing the whole time, but his words did make sense to Melissa. As much as either of them may have wanted to start a relationship, now isn't the right time. "You're right. Until we can get some more Jaegers and Rangers here. We….. we don't have that kind of luxury," the engineer turned pilot says while looking down.
But when she looks up, she gets a pleasant surprise. Izuku was right in front of her, and he quickly kissed her. She reciprocates and they stay there for a while. When they separated, Izuku said, "Something for later. I guess."
Elsewhere around the country and world, the information or rather theory that the Precursors could have unleashed some kind of virus to mutate and weaken humanity had been circulating. Which led to increased attacks by certain groups. Namely the CRC and Humarise.
The former of which used it as a reason to justify their persecution. The latter though eased off of their dangerous pursuits and actions. "We may have sought to end all those with quirks originally. But now is the time that we help find a path back toward our humanity!"
The leader of the cult, Flect Turn, was saying this during a meeting with his members in Otheon. He and many other leaders sought redemption by offering some of themselves up for testing of ways to remove quirks. While some of their quirkless members were sent to I Island to begin the testing and training to become Rangers.
"This will not end the doomsday that is approaching us quickly. But it will help to slow it. If only for a time," the blue skinned man said before releasing some of the scientists. Hoping that they, with the help of others, could find a true cure for quirks.
Before some of them left though, he pleaded with some to find a way to remove his own quirk. A few looked at him like he was mad, but others could see the hint of suffering in his eyes. "Perhaps we could find a way to make a gaseous version. But we need to find the cure first."
Flect Turn nodded and wished them luck on finding just that. He then addressed the rest of the members and told them to turn themselves in to be a test subject for a cure. "Or we find those who are still human. And we protect them. From the monsters like the Meta Liberation Army."
But these are more stories for another time. At UA, Mei and the rest of the support students were testing the newest version of the small Jaegers. Though mostly in the practical application or potential movement.
After Bakugo almost cooked his brain, they had taken to building the pieces such as the muscle strands or joints of the machines first. "Okay….. this is the bare minimum when we start to get some complications. Thanks, Saku-ojisan." Mei says to her grandfather who was quirkless.
The older man was a bit annoyed at having to be a part of these tests for "gadgets" as he saw it. But he couldn't refuse his granddaughter when she gave him the puppy dog eyes. Which did look a little odd given her scope eyes.
"So then. What exactly were you hoping to learn or find?" he asked after being let out of the drift machine. Mei and a few other students were focused on analyzing the data, so an upperclassman explained. "We were hoping to find the limit of where a normal human can manipulate a small Jaeger. Then we can get an estimate on who with quirks could use the technology."
The old man just looks at the student as to say that he didn't understand. The senior clears his throat before simplifying the explanation with, "we needed to get a scale to adjust to." Which is easier and the old man takes his leave. But not before getting a hug from his granddaughter again.
With the baseline set, the support students spent weeks preparing a smaller model of Jaeger. Finally getting it right after half a dozen failed machines. They took to making a machine that seemed similar to a small version of Gipsy Breaker. The height of it only came to 50 ft or so.
But that wasn't the part they were proud of/ concerned about. They tested the drift potential and found that they could use it to make the machine move. Even with their quirks. "Though I don't think we'd be the best ones to pilot this thing," one student says while looking over the readouts.
Another student agrees and notes that they don't have the combat potential or training to make the most out of it. "Which is why we need to get to testing some of the hero course students to see if they can do it." Power Loader says over a hologram projected into the development studio.
"We also should consider that we shouldn't stick to one type. We could make a few others!" Mei says with a manic look in her eyes. And while some were skeptical, others did see her point. Especially if they were other small Kaiju that could attack.
With some plans set, the students agree to send out a few emails and put-up flyers around campus to tell those same students that they need subjects. Once some of the various course students see it, they all start to contemplate the merits.
"Think you'll do it? Don't know. I've heard there's a serious risk if you aren't compatible. I'm not risking my brains leaking out! It's a chance to, even if only as back up, be a bigger hero than most are! Yeah, but is that worth the danger of….. well you know."
With the top students at UA, the Big 3, they were also discussing the matter. "As much as I'd like to help, I don't think it'd be a good idea." Togata Mirio says with a serious face opposite of his usual demeanor. His nervous friend Amajiki Tamaki is surprised by this and asks why.
"It's because of our quirks period. Our instincts at using them would actually be a bad thing," the blonde student note. Acknowledging that since everyone has different instincts for different quirks, that would cause problems when linking minds. The periwinkle haired Hado Nejire hums for a moment before saying, "you have a point. But maybe we could help in a different way!"
The two look at her funny before asking what she had in mind. While they were discussing the matter, the classes of 1-A and 1-B were considering the merits of testing the small Jaegers.
"It'd be a chance to be as heroes just like the Rangers! We'd get to show that we can be heroes as cool as them!" Minoru Mineta says to a few of his friends during a break period. "Maybe. But my brain already shorts out as is. I don't need something else breaking or hurting it." Kaminari Denki says with a shake of his head.
Hanata Sero notes that Bakugo got into some trouble when he tested the smaller piece. "Maybe it has something to do with the power or…. Strength of the quirks. It could be that only those with weaker of more subtle quirks would have more potential." Saying that makes Todoroki Shoto question the idea in his mind as well.
'I've got more power than my father. Bakugo and I were roughly at the same level of power potential. So I'd be useless or in the way in situations involving Kaiju.' Shoto thinks and puts in his own thoughts on who would be better to test the Jaegers. Noting Mineta, Sero, Mina, Koda, Uraraka, and Kirishima as the better options for testing.
While a few thought he was being arrogant by saying they would be safer given their weaker powers, the class rep Yaoyorozu agreed with him. "In general I'd say that the emitter types would have the greatest variety and yet the most likely capability to be able to operate in the drift."
She then notes that heteromorph and transform types would probably be the least likely. "Given the…. Radical changes and capabilities of those quirks." Momo says with a slightly ashamed look. Shoji chuckles a bit before agreeing with her. "Given how much we've been changed, it could be that we've had more neurons lost because of that," he says while rubbing his mask a bit.
After thinking that a few of them start contemplating and make plans to help with testing. Though it would have to wait for another day. As it was time for their next class with All Might. He'd initially focused on combat classes, but with the greater threat of the Kaiju he'd shifted his plans.
Starting with the focus on evacuation and rescue from destruction. Namely caused by him as he'd use his power to cause a bit of damage from his punches and shockwaves. He'd then have the students running through the cities to find the various victims and help with triage and evacuation.
'This is the best way I can help them get ready for what could come next.' All Might thinks in his true form while observing. Since he'd made this change and was always sending out the entire classes, he didn't need to be in muscle form constantly. So, he could preserve his power for later.
After the classes were done, a few of the students of 1-A headed to the Development Studio. And they were met by a few from the various other classes. Even one or two from the General Course.
"We couldn't make it into the hero class because our quirks weren't flashy or powerful enough. But here, that is more of a problem." Hitoshi Shinso says with a look to the other first year students. Ochaco feels nervous about the matter, but she hopes this could give her more of a chance to be a hero and give her parents a better life.
Once in the studio, the gravity girl was a bit surprised by the machines involved. It seemed to be more of a medical set up rather than something to link them to a Jaeger. "Oh you the next one? C'mon in," an older student said before directing Ochaco to table to lay down on.
Once there, they put on a few medical sensors and then the helmet to test the drift potential for their current subject. They start the tests with a brain donated from an average hero that had donated his organs after his death. The hero didn't have a strong quirk, and they noted that he had the bare minimum needed for half of the drift. At least for a small Jaeger.
This was when Ochaco felt the memories of the hero in question. Getting caught up in the emotions and panic that the hero felt at times. Especially when he died due to trying to save people during the first attacks by the Kaiju.
She has impulses of wanting to fight back and tries to use her quirk or attack the phantom enemies. "Hey! Calm down! You aren't under attack and you at the location you think you are!" shouts Nejire while gently holding Ochaco's arms.
The third year was among a group of stronger quirked students who thought that they could help by bringing some of the test subjects out of panic if necessary. Working to help the teens focus on the moment, not the visions and memories they were experiencing. Ochaco hyperventilates a bit before following Nejire's voice back to reality.
"I'm…. I'm okay. I'm okay. Oh this is giving me a bit of a headache. But I think I'm okay." Ochaco says while calming down. Nejire nods and helps her to relax. Ochaco eventually gets the hang of the drift and can get a feel for the sensations.
With the testing done, she is let out and would be told the results another day. "We'll let you know who you might be more compatible with later. For now, we have more to test." Mei says before trying to push the brown-haired girl out of the studio.
A dozen of tests later, and the Support Course students have their test pilots. Though they also go about grouping some of the applicants based on other factors. Which is especially important for the first two test teams for the smaller Jaegers.
"Mineta, Sero, Uraraka, and Koda. The four of you are excused from afternoon classes. Head to the development studio. They need your help." Aizawa says before explaining the scenario for the next hero studies class.
Each of them gulp but are also excited for the new ways they can become heroes. "Wonder what the machine's they'll have us testing will be like." Mineta says with a little spring in his step. The others from his class chuckle before noting they'd see soon enough.
Once they reached the studio, they saw a few from 1-B and Shinso as well. From 1-B: Kodai Yui, Kendo Itsuka, and Nirengeki Shoda. "So we're the chosen few. Wonder how this will go?" Shinso says with a slight chuckle.
The door open and they are suddenly ambushed by Mei. Or at least a few of them were. She rushed forward and grabbed Mineta, and Ochaco to pull them in. Or in Mineta's case, she picked him up and carried him in. Him stuck under her arm and getting his cheek pressed into her boobs. 'This is the greatest day of my life!' he thinks while a bit of blood trickles out his nose.
But that changes when she tosses him at one of the machine cockpits. And seeing that it wasn't as cool as he thought. "It looks like a piece of junk!" he thinks aloud. Only to slightly regret it when he sees the looks from a few of the students.
"He's not entirely wrong. I wouldn't say this is the most impressive Jaeger we've ever built." Power Loader jokes from his holoprojection. While they had a small Gipsy Breaker, they had wanted to make variation for other options. Some looked better than others.
The one Mineta was tossed to was a turtle looking machine that seemed to have parts scavenged from other machines. Like excavators and even some of Power Loader's mechs. It was a bit shorter, about 40 feet tall.
Mei then steps forward to explain a bit about what the machine could do. "It's true that it isn't pretty, but it has some other potential. Namely it can move a bit faster than some of the others, and it has multiple missile launchers for combat." She brings up the specs and shows it to Mineta and Sero. Saying they were chosen to be the pilots for the machine.
Shinso and Koda were directed to a different machine that seemed to have sonic types of weaponry as well as shoulder plasma cannons. Shoda and Itsuka were to pilot a defensive machine with expandable shield arms and a few cannons. With Yui and Ochaco piloting the mini-Gipsy.
Power Loader cleared his throat before telling each of the students to get to their machines. "We need to test the power and potential each of you have to make the machines move," he said before cutting off the transmission. As there was a new threat Titan Might had to deal with.
Yui and Ochaco shared a look before looking up at the machine they were to pilot. Ochaco shrugs before saying, "well. Shall we?" Yui's expression doesn't change but she nods as they climb up to enter the small Jaeger.
Once inside, they see the drift hardware is waiting for them and they put it on. As well as stepping into the foot links to make the legs move. "Okay. We're going to start with some minor things. Testing if you can drift with each other properly and you'll make the arms move." Mei explains before shouting to some others to monitor the vitals and reactions.
The two brunettes look at each other with a bit of fear, but with a gulp they ask for the tests to begin. They feel the shock and strange sensation of linking their nervous systems as the drift was powered up. They get lost in a few of the memories but when Ochaco latches onto the memory of Nejire talking her down the two can focus in on the moment.
They take a few breaths before saying they were ready. "Okay! I want you to move the arms and try to lift up a few of those barrels!" one upperclassman announces while watching the monitors. The two gulp before moving their arms in sync to reach over and pick up what was asked.
And it works perfectly! They don't feel massive strain as they reach out for the barrels. Bringing them up and not bending or breaking the metal drums. "Okay! Shut it down!" Mei shouts after Ochaco and Yui had made the small Jaeger move. They return to a neutral position and the drift is stopped.
"It worked! It worked perfectly!" the support students cheer after seeing the mini-Gipsy moving and no strain to the pilots. This even gets the other test pilots excited as they climb up to their own machines to test the drift and links.
The results are a bit mixed over the week or so of testing. Mineta and Sero have some trouble making their machine move at times. Partially due to the fact that it is a bit bigger in build compared to others. And it has the capability to roll rather than just running.
"We're lucky they finally got the rolling gyros working proper." Mineta said after one day of testing. The first time they tried the rolling function, they were sick in minutes because the whole body rotated. Rather than it being a free-floating cockpit that didn't rotate in sync with the body.
After the testing was done, they were relaxing in the development studio. Where they saw that Titan Might and Chimera Ronin were each engaging new Kaiju threats. "How many is that now?" Sero questioned while drinking from his water bottle.
But before anyone could answer, an alarm rang out down by the docks in Mustafa. A small Kaiju had arrived. When Chimera Ronin killed the Jawhide, it had been implanted with a few eggs to grow and become Kaiju. Now a few of them were rampaging through the streets of Mustafa. And the main Jaegers were too far away to deal with them.
"Looks like we'll be getting some more practical data today!" Power Loader shouts before calling UA and telling the students to prepare the small Jaegers. When they hear this though, most of the test pilots think the pro is crazy.
With Mineta shouting, "we just barely gotten these things to manageable level! We can't fight those things!" Sero agrees with his partner and cries out, "we don't even have weapons!"
Mei pipes up and says, "oh yes we do! But we need to finish a few of them! So, mini-Gipsy and Coyote pup will have to be the first ones out!" She then grabs Ochaco and Yui to get them up to their Jaeger while some of the others grabbed Shinso and Koda to get to their machine.
Koda signs that this whole matter is crazy and they can't do this. But his partner grabs his shoulders and gets him to focus on the moment. "Right now we've got a variety of monsters barreling towards the city. We have to be the heroes. Just like I hoped for and you have been training to be!"
The rock headed student gulps while still trembling in the cockpit. But he remembers the memory that Jason shared to remind the Rangers of what they were up against. And the last moments of the hero they had originally drifted with. How he gave everything to save others.
"Okay… Let's….. let's do this!" Koda says after taking a few deep breaths. He quickly changes and gets ready to drift with Shinso to face the small Jawhides. Ochaco and Yui have less to worry about and they quickly get into the head space to get their little Jaeger moving.
And with a breath and punching their fists into their hands, they move out to try and save the city. "You ready for this Yui? Yeah. Time to bust those gators," the pair say to each other as they start their march into the city. Just a bit ahead of Koda and Shinso.
Back in the city, the heroes are attacking the creatures and having mixed results. Mt Lady herself is taller than the beasts, but the creatures are much stronger and more ruthless than her. Proven by her being cut apart by the claws and her hand and legs getting badly broken by the beasts biting down on her.
She only avoids permanent disfigurement by the arrival of the small Jaegers. With Shinso and Koda blasting a few of the beasts from long range with the cannons on their shoulders. And then mini-Gipsy runs in to attack the Kaiju head on.
This diversion gives Mt Lady the chance to shrink down so Death Arms and Kamui Woods can get her to an ambulance. "Okay! There's four small Kaiju here! There might be more but these are the ones that made landfall. Coyote! You need to get down here too!" Ochaco says after they punched away two of the Kaiju.
While Koda would prefer to keep their distance, Shinso's will, and influence is enough to make him more willing to charge in. They run towards the Jawhides and use one of the sonic cannons on the arms to disorient the creatures. Then laying into the monsters with their fists.
Yui and Ochaco are in much the same place as they focus on fighting hand to hand and then using some of the environment. "Just like we'd do if we were using our quirks! Right partner?!" Ochaco says as they pick up some containers and throw them or use the items to enhance their blows.
The blue-eyed girl smirks before saying, "Yeah. Now let's crush these things!" They punch the sides and other softer looking spots on the Kaiju while waiting for backup. Which comes in with an excited "wooo hoooo! Incoming!"
That being the announced words of Mineta and Sero as they barreled towards the fight in roller form. With Coyote taking advantage of this by disorienting a Kaiju with their sonic cannons. And then tossing it into the path of the scrappy machine.
It impacts the center mass of the crocodilian Kaiju and sends it flying back towards the water. "Whoa! Okay then! Eat this!" the two pilots say as some of the defensive plates shift to the side. Revealing missile launcher beneath them.
Mineta makes sure they are locked on and the munitions unleash from the back of the small Jaeger. Then breaking apart into smaller cluster munitions. Impacting the small Kaiju and blowing it up from all around and inside. Given the munitions were anti Kaiju burrowing rounds.
While the two inside were celebrating their victory, they were about to be ambushed by another Jawhide from behind. But they were saved thanks to the arrival of a slower but crazy armed machine. The one piloted by Itsuka and Shoda.
They first took to firing away with the cannons from the wrists and chest before getting into close range. And then the arms rotated to a set with better defenses and striking capabilities. Punching the head of the creature before grabbing the mouth to hold it open.
When the small Jawhide tried to claw at them, they expanded the arm shields. "Okay Shoda! We're safe for now! Take the shot!" Itsuka commanded while holding her position. The shorter boy nodded before taking aim with the chest cannons. And unloading bullet after bullet into the throat and head of the Kaiju.
With their backup arrived, the other two machines focused on their small Kaiju. With the mini-Gipsy giving the creature a solid hit to the sides of it's head. Then turning one hand into a plasma cannon and blasting the stomach and then face of the small Kaiju.
Koda and Shinso meanwhile used sonic blasts to make the Kaiju sick and collapsed to the ground. They then used a special set of secondary cannons to blast into the side of Kaiju while it was down. With that the fight of the small Jaegers was done.
Or so they thought. Right as they were recovering from the maneuvers and combat, another larger Jawhide surged up from the sea. The students tried to get back in sync, but they couldn't get the drift systems started quick enough.
But they were saved by the return of Titan Might. With it firing a short Minnesota Barrage to kill the 100 ft tall Kaiju. It marches up and sees the small machines and Kaiju. With some of the students coming out to see better.
"Well now. It seems Power Loader and the support students' project bore some fruit. You all had better get used to hearing this so we'll say it now," the Rangers say while looking down at the small Jaegers and pilots.
You can almost see the smile on Titan Might's face/head as well as those of the Rangers as they say, "thank you. For saving everyone." The UA students are surprised and it grows as they hear cheering and applause from some of the heroes and clean-up crews nearby.
A few of them had expected this, but some it was more than they believed would happen. With Shinso crying a bit as he thought, 'I did it. I'm really a hero!'. And back at UA the support students were celebrating as well. Looking forward to the creation of more small Jaegers. To help protect the world from all the forms of Kaiju.
I know most of you probably can't guess what these machines look like in entirety, so I'll eventually put out a chapter explaining the four ideas I had for these small Jaegers. Though I will say, they were meant to follow a few ideas. Itsuka's being an odd version of Atlas Psycho, Mineta and Sero piloting a bigger and better armed and armored Scrapper, While Koda was in a Coyote Tango type of machine. Please review!