A.N.: Terribly sorry for the delay in getting this story updated. I have had the biggest writers block. But fear not, for I have returned to continue my soon-to-be legendary work!
Thank you to those who were kind enough to leave me reviews for this story. Your input was very helpful. I know that this is not my most popular of stories currently, but it's good to have fans of this.
Just a little heads up, at this time, the most recent model of Jaegers to come out are the Mk. VI's. This should help out with timelines.
Now then, the continuation of Pacific Rim: New Generation. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the Jaegers I made.
Chapter 1: Graduation: Welcome to the War
Date: Sept. 22, 2085
Location: PPDC Academy, New York City, New York
New York City. Always a bustling metropolis of people and cars, even when the sun goes down. In the heart of the city, gigantic towers of steel and glass that dwarfed the skyscrapers that were once here decades ago are decorated with advertisements and newscasts. In the streets below, the people are on the sidewalks under the fading light of day with their eyes and hands in their state-of-the-art computer-phones. Driving past them are cars that are both sleek and environmentally-friendly, thanks to the many leaps in technology.
While crime is a problem in New York City, the people here live in relative safety. This is due to the fact that, unlike the cities that line the Pacific Ocean, this Atlantic hub is in no direct threat of the many Kaiju attacks that occur on a regular basis. While highly destructive, the monsters don't get that far inland before they are destroyed by Earth's robotic guardians; the Jaegers.
This doesn't mean that this city isn't affected by what goes on in the Pacific. The destruction done to just one city thanks to the Kaiju is felt by the entire world. This is why the people of the Pan Pacific Defense Corporation work tirelessly to create the tools necessary to keep the planet safe from destruction.
Based in the relative safety of New York City is the PPDC Academy. Here, the next generation trains for years in multiple choices of occupations in the Corp., including being a technician, a medic, a Kaiju biologist, and - the most well-known and dangerous career - a Jaeger Pilot.
Location: Academy, Training Room 7
The room is filled with the sound of grunts, shouts, and wood hitting wood. Only three people occupy the room. One sits on the side with a stopwatch in his hand while he watches his companions spar with Bo staffs on the mat.
The young man on the side is wearing the standard grey uniform that all trainees are required to have on during the day. He has short brown hair and emerald green eyes. This is Benjamin Kirby Tennyson from Bellwood, Kansas.
The only female of the three is currently on the offensive with her strikes. This young woman, named Korra Grey, has long brown hair tied in a ponytail, and sapphire blue eyes. Her darker skin tone is a token to her Alaskan origins.
Her opponent is a young man from Kyoto, Japan. He has spikey blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and three whiskers on each of his cheeks. His name is Naruto Uzumaki.
Naruto is blocking his opponent's strikes while occasionally throwing a jab of his own. Korra then swings her staff under his knees to try and trip him. But Naruto jumps high over the sweep, while at the same time readying his staff for an overhead strike. Korra responds by positioning her staff horizontally to block the strike. The two fighters then put force in each of their staffs, trying to overpower each other, gritting their teeth while doing so.
Until their friend's voice snaps them out of it.
"Time's up!" Ben calls out as he stands up and walks to the mat.
Naruto and Korra relax for a second. Naruto catches his breath while Korra throws Ben her staff. Ben takes her position on the mat while she sits on the side with the stopwatch.
"And go!" Korra starts the time again, and her two friends begin their spar.
This is a training exercise that the three came up with. Two of them would spar for five minutes, and then the third would swap with one of the two on the mat. Training such as this is essential for those who are working to pilot Jaegers. Pilots train for hours at a time to be in top physical condition in order to effectively fight in their machines.
While he has had formal martial arts training, Ben's fighting style is more of a brawler compared to his companions. This is evident in his spar with Naruto. Unlike the blonde in front of him, Ben prefers using power instead of grace. Unfortunately, this means that he doesn't move around much during a fight.
Naruto, on the other hand, likes to maneuver around his opponent and wait for a chance to make his move. This is why he is currently dancing around Ben's attacks, with an occasional block with his staff. It's in the last bit of their spar that he sees his chance. Naruto swings his staff at Ben's ankles, sweeping his feet from under him. The blonde then goes for an overhead strike, only for Ben to roll to the side and stand back on his feet. He sends a strike to Naruto's side, which is blocked by the blonde's own staff.
After two more minutes of this, Korra speaks up. "And time!"
Both of her friends stop and recover from their spar. Naruto grins at Ben. "You're slipping up, Ben. I almost had you with that sweep."
Ben just gives the blonde an incredulous look. "Seriously dude? Last I checked, dancing around isn't gonna get Kaiju killed."
"It's called "moving the feet", my friend. Something that you can learn a thing or two about."
"Boys! Quiet down." Korra walks up and puts a hand on their shoulders. "Let's not forget the most important part of our training here." A grin appears on her face. "That both of your asses have been consistently beat by yours truly."
Both young men look at each other with an 'is she serious?' look. They turn to give their rebuttals, only for a finger to appear on each of their lips.
"No talking. Dinner's being served." Korra makes her way out of the training room. Both men recover from being silenced before following her.
In the hallway to the mess hall, the three friends find a new type of excitement enter their systems.
"A whole week until graduation! I can't believe that it's just around the corner." Naruto said with pent-up anticipation.
"I know. It feels like just last month that we all first came to this academy." Ben said to his old friend.
The blonde shares Ben's sentiments. Naruto and Ben have been roommates since they first joined the academy. The Japan native thinks back to when they first met.
Flashback: 5 years
A door opened, and in walked a blonde teenager with a large black duffel bag strapped to his back. Naruto looked around the room that he would be staying in for the next 5 years. It was empty except for two beds, two dressers, and a bathroom.
'Cozy'. The blonde started unpacking his things.
He enlisted into the Jaeger Program right after high school. A large number of universities wanted him to enroll thanks to his excellent grades, but Naruto turned them all down. The young man had only one plan for his future, and it didn't involve sitting behind a desk all the time.
Naruto was in the middle of getting his things settled when a voice interrupted him.
"So, you're my roomie." Naruto turned to see a brown-haired teenager with his own bag enter the room. "Nice to meet you. I'm Ben."
The blonde turned to his roommate. "I'm Naruto. Nice to meet you, too."
Ben raised an eyebrow. "I recognize the accent. Japanese, right?"
"Hai. I grew up in Kyoto. What about you?"
Ben started to unpack his things. "I'm from Bellwood."
Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of it."
Ben grinned. "Good. That proves that I'm from the middle of nowhere."
Naruto chuckled at that. "I think that we're going to get along great." Naruto finished unpacking his gear, and then sat on his bed. "So, since we're going to be sharing this room for a while, why don't we get to know each other better?"
Ben sat down on his bed. "What do you have in mind?"
"Maybe talk about ourselves. Our likes, dislikes, dreams and such?"
"You want to start?" Ben asked.
"Sure." Naruto started. "My name's Naruto Uzumaki. I like ramen, martial arts training, and reading manga. I dislike those who hate on ramen, people who judge others before they get to know them, and stuck-ups with poles shoved up their asses. My dream is to one day become a Jaeger Pilot, and end the war against the Kaiju."
Ben was impressed. Someone's got it all figured out. "Alright, my turn. My name's Benjamin Kirby Tennyson. My likes include smoothies, video games, and playing soccer. I dislike jerks who are full of themselves, and idiots who like to talk about themselves all the time. My dream is to also be a Jaeger Pilot."
Naruto smiled at this before asking his roommate, "So what made you want to be a Pilot?"
"My grandpa, Max, was a Pilot. He and his friend Phil were in the Rust Bucket."
"The Mk. II out of Anchorage? I heard it took down twenty Kaiju before it was decommissioned."
Ben grinned. "As Grandpa Max told me, 'She looked like garbage, but she got the job done.'" He then asked the blonde, "What about you? Any Pilots in your family?"
Naruto's eyes softened. "My parents were pilots." He then brought up a framed photo. "Here's a picture of them." The photo had a beautiful red-haired woman and a man that looked like the blonde - except for the whiskers - holding hands and smiling.
Ben gasped as he recognized the two. "Wait a minute! Isn't that…?"
Naruto nodded with a sad smile. "Yeah. My father, Minato, and my mother, Kushina."
Ben remembered them. Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki were famous pilots of the Mk. III Tokyo Jaeger, the Crimson Flash. The robot was the best Kaiju killer in Asia, until…
Ben shook himself out of his thoughts before turning to Naruto. "Let's talk about something else, shall we."
Naruto nodded as he put the photo down. He then turned to Ben with a sly grin. "So. Any special ladies in your life?"
Ben shook his head. "Naw. I had a girlfriend in high school, but she broke up with me. To be honest, I was kind of a jerk back then. What about you?"
"No. I never really focused on intimate relationships. I figured that with me going into a career with a high death rate, those kind of relationships wouldn't turn out well."
Ben raised an eyebrow. "You planning on dying?"
Naruto narrowed his eyes with a serious look. "Not before they do."
Ben processed his roommate's words for a moment, before a feral grin appeared on his face. "Naruto, I believe this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."
Naruto's smile returned at his friend's words. Ben went back to unpacking his gear.
He turned to Naruto again. "By the way…"
"Hm?"
{You're English is very good.} Ben complimented in Japanese
Naruto responded, {I have had very good teachers.}
Flashback End
They became fast friends after that day. The two guys met Korra, a potential first-generation Pilot, a year later during one of their martial arts classes. She admired their personalities and determination (and the fact that they could last against her in a fight), so she became their training buddy.
"Let's focus on the future here, Ben." Korra says to the young man. "As in the future of us finally getting the chance to fight in real Jaegers and give those monsters what they deserve." She declares with her fist in front of her.
"Just remember, Korra. I get first dibs." Naruto tells her.
"I'll try to remember that, Whiskers." Korra giggles while Naruto grumbles at the nickname.
Ben shakes his head at his friends' antics. "So, do you think there's a chance that some of us might be co-pilots?"
"You kidding? After those simulators that we've done together, odds are two of us are going into the same bot." says Korra.
Along with hours of physical exercises, there are also simulations where cadets get experience in drifting with each other and moving in machines. This type of training was implemented not only for pilots to get a feel of being in a Jaeger, but also to reduce the risk of pilots latching onto and disappearing into their memories when they're in the field. The last thing anyone wants in a Kaiju battle is for a Pilot to 'follow the rabbit'.
"Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if all three of us ended up in one of those Typhoon models." Korra adds.
"Pass. It's weird enough having one guest in my head, thank you very much." Ben replies, earning him a Gibbs Slap from Korra.
Naruto stops walking and turns to his companions. "In any case, let's not forget that, no matter where we go, no matter what we fight, no matter what shit this war throws at us, we still have each other's backs."
"Amen to that." Ben declares.
"Ditto." Korra nods. The three start walking again. She turns to the blonde. "You know, if being a pilot doesn't work out for you, you could be a good motivational speaker."
Naruto scratches his head and grins at her. "It's a gift, 'ttebayo."
As they near the mess hall, Ben decides to bring in some gossip. "So, did you guys here about Eren? Apparently, the guy got himself into another fight."
Location: Detention Room 2
Sitting in a Spartan-style cell is a brown-headed, silver-blue eyed young man. This cadet, coincidentally named Eren Jaeger, is currently sporting a black eye and a busted lip from his fight with an older mechanic trainee.
Eren accidentally bumped into the man and made him spill his drink. The mechanic threw some heated words at the boy, while Eren tried apologizing to the pissed-off man. At least until the man called Eren's mother a loose whore.
That did not end well…for the mechanic.
A tapping at the bars snaps Eren out of his thoughts. He looks up, and his eyes widen at the sight of Captain James 'Wolverine' Logan, the commanding officer of the academy, looking down at the cadet with his arms crossed.
Eren stands up and snaps to attention. "Captain Logan, Sir!"
The Captain holds his hand up at the young cadet to silence him. Capt. Logan then opens the cell door.
"Walk with me, bub."
Location: Hallway
Young Jaeger is walking through a surprisingly empty hallway. He glances at the Captain next to him, the older man having a neutral look on his face. No words are spoken between them, but the pressure is building.
Eren steels his nerves and turns to the Captain. "Sir, I can-"
Capt. Logan raises his hand, which quiets Eren.
"Jaeger, what have I told you about throwing your fists at others?"
Eren sighed. "'Do it on the mat like a big boy'…sir."
Logan nods. Both men stop walking. Logan turns to the cadet.
"Case you're interested, the other guy's gonna recover…eventually." Logan narrows his eyes. "You're lucky the guy was a prick in the first place."
Eren's face doesn't show anything, not even a smirk. His thoughts, however, are a different story.
'Hope the guy pisses blood for a week'.
"He said something about your mother?" Logan guesses, getting a nod from the cadet. "Listen, kid, you can't let that kind of stuff get into your head. We've been through this already."
"I know that, sir!" Eren blurts out, before continuing in a more subdued voice. "I know that. But I couldn't just stand there and just brush off what he said about her." His head sinks solemnly. "Especially after what happened to her."
Logan sighs at this. After the first fight Eren got into, the Captain had read into the cadet's background. The young man had apparently lost his mother in a nasty Kaiju attack that hit Santa Maria back when he was 13.
Logan puts his hand on Eren's shoulder. "Look. You're not the only one who's lost people because of this war. I've lost people too."
The burly man was a former pilot of a MK. III Jaeger in Tokyo named Feral Rampage. Unfortunately, he lost his Jaeger and his co-pilot, Victor Creed, during a Kaiju attack in South Korea.
"I've lost people that have been like family to me. Trust me when I say that throwing punches at every guy that talks bad about your loved ones isn't gonna solve anything."
Eren sighs. "What do you suggest, then, sir?"
"Answer me this, kid; did that prick of a mechanic kill your mother?"
"…No sir."
Logan prods on. "Who should you really be throwing those punches at, then?"
The dangerous look on Eren's face tells Logan his answer.
The Captain has a small smirk on his face as he pats the cadet's shoulder. "Get going, bub. Dinner's being served."
Eren gives a quick salute to Capt. Logan, a small, thankful smile on his face. He starts heading to the mess hall.
"Jaeger!"
Eren turns back to the Captain, who starts lighting a cigar. Logan takes a puff before speaking up.
"Latrine duty 'til graduation."
Eren pales as a minor look of terror appears on his face. He composes himself quickly and mutters a quick "Yessir" before heading out, leaving a chuckling Captain in the hallway.
Location: Mess Hall
Naruto, Ben, and Korra enter the mess hall to find people already chowing down on dinner. Pilots, mechanics, and scientists alike are sitting, chatting about many topics, especially the coming graduation. The three cadets search around the hall for any familiar faces.
"Well, if it isn't the Three Musketeers."
A voice snaps them out of their search. Their attention is turned to another Pilot cadet approaching them with a friendly yet cocky smirk on his face. This one has jet-black hair spiked like a duck's behind, and onyx-black eyes. This is Sasuke Uchiha, a friend/rival of Naruto.
Another Japan-native, Sasuke comes from a wealthy family with a long history of piloting Jaegers. His great-grandfather, Madara Uchiha, and Madara's brother, Izuna Uchiha, were the original pilots of the second Jaeger created in the Second Kaiju War; the Tokyo Mk. I Susanoo. A Jaeger that has been maintained and upgraded to this day, thanks to the wealth of the Uchiha Clan. Almost every Uchiha in the PPDC has ended up in the Mk. I.
Sasuke, as expected of one of his background, came into the academy with an ego that screamed 'I'm better than all of you.' At least until halfway into his first year, when he was put onto his back by one Naruto Uzumaki during a spar. Royally pissed, Sasuke swore that he would beat him the next time around. This began a back-and-forth rivalry between the two cadets, with one beating the other and vice-versa. It wasn't until fourth year that Sasuke actually put the effort to try to get to know the blonde. The two boys realized that they had more in common than they thought before. This, along with some attitude adjustment for Sasuke, turned their rivalry into more of a friendly competition. Sasuke still has a bit of an ego, but it's much more subdued.
"Let me guess, dobe. You guys spent so much time on the mat that you forgot to eat?" Sasuke jokes.
"Very funny, teme." Naruto deadpans. "What's on the menu tonight?"
"The same thing every night. Bland with a side of Greasy."
The three newcomers blanch at this, but follow Sasuke to the serving line. "I swear the guys in prison get fed better than us." Ben complains.
As the cadets get their 'food', Naruto continues to talk with his rival.
"So, how's your week been?" the blonde asks.
"Peachy." Sasuke grumbles slightly.
"What's got your panties in a bunch?" Korra asks from across the line.
"The dobe's cousin, that's what." Sasuke responds, nodding to the blonde.
"Karin?" Naruto asks. "Has she been sending you love letters again?"
"Worse." The group starts to move to where everyone is seated. "Three days ago, I found that my favorite t-shirt was missing from my room."
Naruto raises an eyebrow at this. "And how are you so sure that it's my cousin that took it?"
"She gave it back to me yesterday. She said, 'it has served its purpose.'"
Naruto and his companions stop walking, trying to process what they just heard.
…wow. That was the thought that goes through all three of their heads.
Ben turns to Korra. "Are most women like that?"
"Don't look at me. I'm not like most women." Korra answers.
"Understatement." Naruto says.
Korra glares at the back of Naruto's head. "Repeat that?"
"There's our table." Naruto replies quickly. He walks a bit faster to the table as Korra gets an annoyed look on her face.
The three rejoin Sasuke at a rectangular table. Across from them sit some more friends of theirs. These three others include a pretty young woman with blonde hair in a ponytail named Ino Yamanaka, a bored-looking man with pineapple-styled black hair named Shikamaru Nara, and a rather rotund man with brown hair reaching his back named Chouji Akamichi. These three Japan-natives are Pilot cadets that have been close friends since childhood. Their fathers were Pilots together in the Mk. III Jaeger from Tokyo known as Delta Whirlwind.
"Hey guys!" Ino greets the newcomers. "Took you long enough to get here."
"Training took longer than we thought." Naruto responds as he, Ben and Korra sit down with their trays. "At least all of the food's not gone."
"No thanks to Chouji here." Ino says, gesturing to her portly friend chowing down on his dinner. She turns to the man. "Seriously, how are you able to stomach that stuff?"
Chouji swallows what's in his mouth before answering. "Once you get past the chewy bits, it's not so bad." He looks around to see incredulous looks on his friends' faces. "What? I have a high metabolism."
Shikamaru finally speaks up. "Chouji, that guy over there has a high metabolism." His friends turn to where he's pointing at. They see a skinny young man with short black hair and a scar under his left eye happily wolfing down a large pile of food on his tray.
Needless to say, they are astonished by what they see.
"Should we ask him his secret?" Ben asks.
Shikamaru shakes his head. "Naw. It might be even more troublesome if we knew."
Ino turns away from the seen in disgust, making her face one of the entrances. Her eyes then widen at what she sees.
"Guys! You have to see this!" Ino says in a hushed voice.
The others turn to look in her direction. All around the mess hall, everyone's conversations quiet down as they see who just came in.
Eren Jaeger, still sporting his bruises from his fight, stiffens at the looks he is getting from his peers. His eyes turn to the ground as he walks to get his food, trying to ignore the murmurs that are growing in the hall.
"Guess the rumors were true after all." Ben whispers to his friends as he notices the black-eye.
Eren begins putting food on his tray as people continue to talk about him behind his back. 'Just great', he thinks. 'As if I didn't have enough troubles'. He screws his eyes shut, wishing he would just have his food and be done with it.
So he, along with the rest of the hall, is surprised when the sound of clapping fills the large room.
All heads, including Eren's, turn to see two young men standing up and clapping. One of them has short, spiked brown hair and red, triangular tattoos under his eyes. The other has the same markings, but has longer, unkempt red hair. These twin brothers are Kiba and Akamaru Inuzuka respectively. Both have feral grins on their faces as they clap for the young man in front of them.
After a few moments, more people stand up and start clapping. Eventually, more than half of the hall is applauding for the young man. Even Ben and Korra are among those standing and clapping. But surprisingly not Naruto.
Eren has a small smile on his face as he walks to a table and sits to eat his dinner.
As everyone settles down, Ino turns to Korra and Ben. "Seriously, guys?"
"What?" Ben asks.
"I know the other guy was a jerk, but was that response really necessary?"
"Ah, come on, Ino. You have to admit, the guy got what he deserved." Korra defends.
Sasuke speaks up. "If anything, Eren should have put him in a body cast. Kami knows I would have."
Ino turns to her two companions for support.
"Sigh. I'm not getting into this." Shikamaru groans. "This whole situation is too troublesome."
Chouji nods his head while continuing to eat his food.
Ino then turns to the other blonde sitting across from her. "Naruto?"
All heads at the table turn to see the Uzumaki's perspective. Naruto just sits there with his hands in a thinking position, looking at the bruised brunette young man at the other end of the hall.
Finally, Naruto sighs and speaks up. "While I'm glad that Eren stood up for himself, he keeps letting his anger get the best of him. If he keeps going the way he is now, he's only going to hurt himself more in the future." The blonde brings up a cup of ginseng tea.
"Besides," He takes a sip of the tea. "He's forgetting who the real enemy is."
All occupants of the table have thoughtful looks on their faces as they take in what Naruto said. The normally carefree-looking blonde just gave them a reminder of what they all came to the PPDC Academy in the first place.
However, everyone's thoughts are interrupted by another reminder.
ERRRRRP! ERRRRRP! ERRRRRP!
Everyone in the building stops what they're doing. Food, maintenance, paperwork. They are all dropped as everyone heads to the Main Viewing Room.
Every person in the building is familiar with that siren. The same one that sounds off every twenty-nine days. The siren that means one thing;
A Kaiju attack.
Location: Control Room, Shatterdome 4, Sydney, Australia
More alarms blare as the workers of Shatterdome 4 get to their positions. In the Control Room, analysts type furiously on a super-computer with multiple large screens. During a battle, everything is monitored here. Maps, Jaeger stats, Kaiju descriptions. Every detail is observed and analyzed.
A blond man wearing a military uniform approaches the monitors. This is Commander Erwin Smith, the head authority of Shatterdome 4.
"Kankuro. What are we dealing with?" Erwin's voice is clearly heard over the commotion.
The chief analyst, Kankuro Subaku, speaks up. "Sir, we have four signatures. Three Category 3's and one Category 4; codename: Shukaku."
"Where are they headed?" Erwin continues.
"Brisbane, sir. E.T.A. 1 hour 40 minutes."
"I want Desert Tornado, Kaiju Bomber, and Amber Banshee ready to launch in 10." Erwin ordered.
"Yes sir." Kankuro presses a speaker button. [Pilots for Desert Tornado, Kaiju Bomber, and Amber Banshee report to your Jaegers for deployment.]
"Commander Smith." Erwin's attention is turned to a rather short officer approaching him. Capt. Levi Rivaille is second-in-command of the Sydney Shatterdome.
"Capt. Rivaille. Glad you can join us." Erwin comments.
Levi stands next to the Commander before speaking. "What do we have?"
Erwin sighs. "If I'm to be honest, Levi, this is gonna be a tough fight."
Both men turn to the monitors, watching everything be prepared for the hurricane to come.
Location: Academy, Main Viewing Room
All of the trainees fill the Main Viewing Room. Each person's attention is turned to one of the giant televisions on three of the four walls. This very large room was built so that everyone in the building could have a chance to view what goes on in the outside world. More specifically the Jaeger versus Kaiju fights that occur around the Pacific Ocean.
Naruto was able to stay by Korra and Ben's sides during the rush to the room. Unfortunately, they lost their other friends in the crowd. This left the three stuck in the middle of the room, listening to the people talk about what's going to happen soon.
"Where's it going down?"
"Somewhere in Australia, I heard."
"I heard that it's quite a few Kaiju coming."
"Do you think there'll be a Category 5 in there?!"
"No. The last Category 5 was in Sendai-"
"Shh! We're not supposed to talk about that!"
Naruto's face doesn't change at the last comment, but his hands clench tightly. Ben and Korra notice this and look to each other in a concerned manner.
Korra turns to Naruto and puts her hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Hey. You alright?" Korra asks worriedly.
Naruto gives her a reassuring smile. "Yeah. I'm alright,"
Korra accepts this for now. All three turn their attention back to the center screen.
Location: Control Room
Commander Erwin and Captain Levi continue to watch as everything gets prepared for the battle. Erwin turns to the chief analyst.
"Status report."
"Pilots are entering their Jaegers as we speak sir." Kankuro answers.
After a moment of silence, voices are heard out of the speakers.
[Kaiju Bomber standing by.]
[Desert Tornado standing by.]
[Amber Banshee standing by.]
Kankuro types on the computer as three mini-screens pop up. Each of them has an image of humanoid shapes side-by-side. "Preparing for Neural Handshake."
A computerized voice speaks up. [COMMENCING NEURAL HANDSHAKE IN 3…2…1.]
A moment of silence, before each of the mini-screens shows a green bar with the word 'IN SYNCH' inside. [NEURAL HANDSHAKE COMPLETE.]
Kankuro lets out a breath before turning to the Commander. "Everything is ready, sir."
Erwin nods. "Begin deployment."
Location: Main Hangar
The ceiling opens up in certain areas of the hangar, allowing multiple V-22 Ospreys to enter through large holes. The aircrafts release grappling hooks meant for carrying heavy loads. Once the lines are secured, the Ospreys rise out of the holes carrying their cargo; three large, metal behemoths ready for battle.
Location: Control Room
"Jaegers deployed, sir." Kankuro says.
Erwin takes a glance at his second-in-command, and smirks at what he sees.
Levi looks at the commander, and frowns a bit more. "Something the matter, Commander?"
Erwin's smirk grows. "I know that look, Levi."
Levi narrows his eyes. "What look?"
Erwin just looks ahead. "Don't worry. You'll be getting your shot soon."
Levi just looks at the Commander for another moment before turning his attention to the monitors.
Location: Brisbane, Australia
The sun is shining brightly in the morning sky of Brisbane. The weather today is perfect for some fun on the beach and roaming the city.
Unfortunately, the peaceful scene is shattered by the loud alarm blaring through the city. The people have already fled the streets and taken refuge in the Shelters strewn throughout the underground areas. There are a few of the more wealthy citizens that have hidden in their personal-built Shelters. And then there are those who have just hunkered down in their office buildings, hoping to stay out of the fight to come.
It is these people that hear the sound of dozens of rotors approaching. They turn to the direction of the sounds. The people are treated to the sight of three giants carried by numerous amounts of aircraft into Moreton Bay.
A sense of hope swells inside of the people. Help has arrived.
Location: Moreton Island
Massive shadows appear over a sandy beach with a large forest behind it. The sound of lines unhooking is heard, before three hulking figures drop onto the shore face.
The first one is a dirt-brown Jaeger with sandy-yellow details. The body of the mecha is eerily similar to that of Striker Eureka., except with the arms of Gipsy Danger. On its chest is a bright red Coyote Tango symbol. This is the Mk. V Desert Tornado.
Next to it is the Mk. V Amber Banshee. This Jaeger is nearly a carbon copy of Crimson Typhoon, except for having a dark-orange color scheme. Its left arm is also bulkier in the lower arm area and has a five-fingered hand instead of a claw.
Behind these two robots is a third Jaeger. The Mk. IV Kaiju Bomber is a pitch-black color with red details. Its body resembles Striker Eureka, with the arms and upper legs of Gipsy Danger. On its shoulders is the symbol of the PPDC in bright red, with a red Crimson Typhoon symbol on its chest.
News helicopters surround the beach from a safe distance, watching and recording the scene for the world to see.
Location: Academy, Main Viewing Room
Naruto, Korra, Ben, and all of the Pilot cadets in the room take in the sight of the metal monsters. Their minds drift to the near future, thinking of their coming positions in the war.
A gruff voice snaps them out of their thoughts. "Alright, everyone, quiet down!"
All of the voices in the room trickle down at the sound of Capt. Logan's command. They turn to see the officer standing under the right screen. The Captain pauses for a moment before speaking.
"Every cadet in this room…take a good look at what's on these screens. In the very near future, one of those Jaegers is gonna be you."
Location: Kaiju Bomber
A dimly lit, ovular room makes up the cockpit of the Mk. IV Jaeger. In here, the pilots are hooked up through their suits to machines that connect to the entire robot. One pilot controls one side of the Jaeger, the other pilot controls the other side.
On the right side, in a black Pilot suit, is a man with long blonde hair and a cybernetic implant in his left eye. The Pilot, named Deidara Nendo, has a manic grin on his face.
"Hehehe. I can't wait to show these mongrels my art, un." Deidara says with glee as he does a final check on the weapons.
Next to him is his co-pilot, Sasori Akasuna. Sasori has red hair and an annoyed look on his face.
Sasori shakes his head at his partner's antics. "How is it, out every single person in my graduating class, that you were the one that I'm most Drift Compatible with?"
Deidara turns to his co-pilot with a playful smile on his face. "You sure do complain a lot for someone piloting a giant robot, un."
Sasori sighs again, but slightly concedes to that point. Since he was a child, the redhead has had a love for robots and puppets. The idea of actually being in and controlling a robot was the sole reason for him becoming a Pilot.
Location: Desert Tornado
Meanwhile, the pilots of the Tornado are busy doing their own checks, when Kankuro's voice is heard in the cockpit.
[Everything a-ok in there?]
The blonde young woman on the left in a sand-colored Pilot suit smirks warmly before answering, "Yes, brother, everything is 'a-ok' here. No need to get worried here."
[Aw, come on Temari. You know I do this out of love. How about you, Gaara? Is my otouto ready for action?]
The pilot on the right looks to the communication systems. He has short, red hair and dark rings around his eyes.
"Kankuro, what have I told you about calling me that?" Gaara asks in a monotone.
[…To stop doing so or you'll kill me.]
"Thank you for remembering."
Their chat is interrupted as Commander Smith's voice cuts through the intercom.
[Alright, pilots. Here's the game-plan.]
Location: Amber Banshee
The three pilots inside the cylindrical cockpit do their final checks as they listen to the Commander's message to the fleet.
[Tornado and Banshee, you take front positions on the right and left respectively. Bomber, stay back and provide cover fire. We'll start with the Category 3's first. Try not to get caught with more than one Kaiju at once. After that, all three of you take on the Category 4 at once. Remember, none of the Kaiju leave the island alive. Understood?]
"Yes, sir!" One of the Pilots of the Banshee sounded off. The pilot has a bald head and bandages around his mouth area. His name is Dozu Tebukuro.
The other two Jaegers give their confirmation.
[Well done… Oh! Before I forget, Hanji has a message for you guys.]
"Oh, joy." Another Banshee Pilot grumbles. Zaku Bakuhatsu has spikey black hair underneath his helmet.
[She says not to decimate the Kaiju this time. Says to at least give her a chance at getting some specimens.]
A chuckle is heard in the back of the cockpit. It comes from Kin Tsuchi. The blackette woman is in charge of the third arm of Banshee.
"Tell her to not get her panties in a bunch." Kin quips. "We promise not to destroy her pets too badly."
[Alright, Pilots. Get your heads in the game.]
Location: Control Room
"Kankuro. E.T.A.?" Erwin asks.
"Any moment, sir." Kankuro responds.
Location: Moreton Island
The Pilots get their robots into position. After a few moments, Kankuro's voice is heard through the intercom.
"Here they come!"
The Jaegers get visuals of their opponents as they crawl out of the sea. They roar at the mechas as a challenge.
The Jaegers respond by pulling out their weapons. The left arm of Desert Tornado unsheathes a set of Sting-Blades. Both arms of Kaiju Bomber shift into large Plasmacasters with claws at the end of the barrels. It is Amber Banshee, however, that has the most dynamic changes. The single left arm shifts into a large gun capable of shooting high frequency sound blasts. Zaku's left arm shifts to a simple Plasmacaster, while Kin's arm shifts to a sharp-talon claw.
Each Jaeger picks a Kaiju. The battle begins.
Location: Desert Tornado
The desert-themed Jaeger stares down at the Kaiju in front of it. The monster appears to be an overgrown bipedal iguana. Tornado positions itself with its bladed arm held in a defensive position while its other arm is ready to throw a punch.
The monster charges at the mecha. It reaches the Jaeger and tries to slash at it with its claws. Tornado blocks the slash with its blades and swings the lizard's arm away. This leaves a perfect opportunity for the mech to throw a strong uppercut to the monster's jaw with a loud CRACK!
Disoriented, the Kaiju is unable to defend itself as Tornado swipes its blades across the Kaiju's face, slicing through one of its eyes in the process. The beast gives a loud cry of pain, before ramming its head into Tornado's torso. The Pilots, not expecting that attack, stumble as they are forced back.
Temari recovers enough to throw her left arm at the beast, sinking her blades into the lizard's lower mouth. The blades hold the Kaiju in position.
"Gaara!" Temari calls out.
"Understood." Gaara replies steadily. He shifts his right arm to a blasting weapon. An Air-Cannon that fires hyper-compressed air bullets. He feels the cannon filling with air while the Kaiju thrashes on his sisters Stinger Blades.
"Gaara!"
"Almost…"
Gaara watches as the lizard gives one final roar.
FWSHOOM!
A hyper-compressed air bullet fires right at the creature's head, sending it down with a crash. The lizard gives some moans of pain before a pair of blades sink into its skull.
Temari pants heavily. "That…was close."
"Indeed." Gaara responds with his monotone.
Location: Kaiju Bomber
A bulky, rhinoceros-like Kaiju glares at the black and red robot in front of it. It grunts and claws at the ground while the Jaeger holds up both of its arms. The monster gives one last grunt before charging with a roar, ready to gut the metal giant into scrap.
It's at this moment, though, that both arms begin blasting their Plasmacasters at the beast. Burst after burst of energy is sent at the Kaiju. After a few moments of blasting, Bomber ceasefires, as the smoking and cauterized body of the monster slides to the bot's feet. Bomber's right foot crashes onto the Kaiju's head. The right arm aims its caster at the Kaiju and resumes its firing, making holes in the body.
Inside the cockpit, maniacal laughter is heard as the blasting continues.
"Deidara, cut it out!"
The firing stops. "What? I was just checking for a pulse, un."
Location: Amber Banshee
Amber Banshee is currently fighting a reptilian wolf-like Kaiju with large upper canines. The monster keeps shooting forward, trying to take a bite out of the machine. But the mech keeps dodging away in the nick of time. At the Kaiju's third attempt, Banshee swings its right leg for a roundhouse kick, which connects to the monster's head with a CRACK! The beast is stunned for a moment before trying another attempt at biting the bot. Only for said bot to use that moment of hesitation to latch its claw onto the beast's head.
Dosu brings up his left arm. "Enjoy some music, mongrel!"
The sonic gun activates, sending high-pitched sound waves right at the Kaiju's skull. The monster's already sensitive ears can't handle the screeching and thrashes about in pain, still caught in the claw's grip.
"Zaku, finish him off already!" Kin yelled into the cockpit.
"With pleasure." Zaku aims his Plasmacaster at the wailing monster. Three blasts in the head puts the beast out of its misery.
"Piece of cake." Zaku gloated.
Dosu speaks into the communicator. "Our Kaiju is exterminated."
[So is ours.] Gaara responds.
[Ours is very crispy, un.] Deidara reports.
[Which just leaves Shukaku.] Sasori muses.
[Kankuro, where is it?] Temari asks her brother.
[…Uh, guys. This is strange.] Kankuro says unsurely.
[What is it?] Temari questions.
[According to the scanners, the Kaiju's right in your area.]
[What? Are you sure?] Sasori asks.
[Yeah. In fact, it's right on Banshee's position.]
The crew of the orange Jaeger is shocked, and moves the bot's head in multiple directions. "You sure those scanners are working right?" Zaku asks. "We don't see anything."
"Maybe it's a flyer." Dosu guesses.
[We don't see anything up there, un.] Deidara states.
"Where could it be?" Kin muses.
Multiple gasps are suddenly heard from Desert Tornado, before Temari screams in the intercom.
[BANSHEE! GET AWAY FROM-!]
RUMBLE!
The crew of the Amber Banshee fails to heed the warning as they feel the ground underneath their Jaeger give way.
Location: Control Room
Everyone in the Control Room, including Erwin and Levi, have looks of complete and utter shock on their faces. Their attentions are fully on the screen in front of them.
One minute, there were three Jaegers standing on the beach. The next, Amber Banshee falls into a massive sinkhole. A large plume of dust follows the crash into the hole.
After a little while, voices of the crew can be heard through the intercom.
[Kin, ahh, you alright?]
[Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.]
[What the hell just happened?]
[We fell into a giant hole, that's what the-!]
[RRRRRURRR…]
[…What was that?]
[RRRAWRRRR!]
[KAIJU!]
[ZAKU, SHOOT HIM!]
[FSHWOOM! FSHWOOM! FSHWOOM!]
[RARRR! CRISSSSHHH!]
[GAHH! MY ARM!]
[ZAKU, WHAT…oh no no NO!]
[AAAAAAAAAAAHH!]
[RRAAWWWRRRR!]
FSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
The only sound for a few moments is the sound of static coming from the speaker. Everyone in the room is stunned silent.
Kankuro shakily pushes the speaker button. "Banshee, can you hear me?... Banshee, this is Control. Can. You. Hear. Me?" Still static.
Erwin is the first to speak again.
"My God."
Location: Academy, Main Viewing Room
Silence is also felt in the room at the Academy. Every one of the students is scared stiff at the sight that they saw. A Jaeger that just about decimated the Kaiju before it had practically vanished in a second. Soon, frightened whispers and murmurs travel through the room as people try to figure out what the fuck just happened.
However, the voices die down as they get their answer. A shape can be seen in the hole.
And it definitely wasn't a Jaeger.
Location: Moreton Island
The two remaining Jaegers, Kaiju Bomber and Desert Tornado, have their visors turned to the hole that is being filled with seawater. Both mechs have their weapons aimed to destroy anything coming out of there.
They are surprised, however, when a relatively small object is shot out of the hole and lands across the beach. Both heads turn to see the wrecked and severed head of their fellow Jaeger.
A low growling turns their attention back into the hole. The dust clears, revealing the one that destroyed their brethren.
It is a hunched, rotund mix between a dog and a raccoon with a large lower jaw. Its skin is the color of desert sand, with black markings strewn about its body. Its tail is massive and has spikes all around it.
The Category 4 Shukaku lets out a roar at the two Jaegers, before its body and cheeks expand greatly.
Gaara's eyes widen at what he sees. "It's using a special attack!" Gaara aims his Air Cannon at the beast. He fires a single air bullet to take it out.
Only for him to be shocked when Shukaku releases its own air bullet. The two blasts intercept, kicking up more sand. Their vision obscured, the Pilots position their Jaegers to be ready for a charge.
Sure enough, Shukaku comes barreling out of the sand, its front legs up and claws out reaching for Tornado. The robot's bladed arm blocks most of the force of the hit, though the claws leave some scratches in the torso. Shukaku, seeing the arm as an obstacle in its way, opens its mouth and bites down on the appendage.
Inside the cockpit, Temari cries out at the pain she feels through the connection. Her youngest brother sees this and narrows his eyes. He glares at the Kaiju in front of him and pulls his arm back.
"Elbow Rocket engage."
A turbine at the metal giants elbow ignites, providing extra propulsion. Gaara swings his arm in a massive hook. The Elbow Rocket gives extra force, resulting in a solid hit to Shukaku's head that practically knocks it onto its side. Unfortunately, this also makes its tail swing and knock Tornado down to the ground.
Meanwhile, Kaiju Bomber watches the fight and waits for an opening to help. The pilots see the two giants get knocked away from each other.
"Deidara! Now's our chance!"
The blonde doesn't need anything else as he prepares the AKM Chest Launcher. The torso opens up, revealing six large barrels pointing at the Kaiju.
"TASTE MY ART, KAIJU SCUM!" Deidara cries out as he hits the launch button. Eighteen Anti-Kaiju missiles fly out towards Shukaku. More than half of them get a good hit on the beast.
The smoke clears, revealing a charred and holed, but still alive, Kaiju, groaning in utter pain. The beast's eyes turn to see a brown Jaeger approaching it.
Gaara glares at the fallen Kaiju. He points a charging Air Cannon at its head.
"For Amber Banshee." He declares in a dangerous monotone. He fires the Cannon, ending Shukaku's life.
Gaara turns to his sister. "Let's go home."
Location: Academy, Main Viewing Room
The people of the Academy take in the bittersweet victory that they have just witnessed. The Kaiju were killed and the no civilians were killed, but the PPDC has lost one of their own. And a fairly young crew to boot.
Their thoughts are broken by Capt. Logan's voice.
"Like I said, cadets. Soon, very soon, one of those Jaegers is gonna be you."
Date: Sept. 27, 2085
Location: Academy
[All Pilot cadets please report to the Auditorium. Repeat, all Pilot cadets please report to the Auditorium.]
The Three Musketeers make their way to the auditorium. Graduation Day has arrived, and the cadets are on their way to find out where they will be sent out for the rest of their careers. The Battle of Moreton Island is still on their minds, so they are less than jumping-for-joy for that prospect, but they are still feeling a lot of emotions.
Naruto coughs awkwardly and turns to his friends. "So, how are you guys feeling right now?"
Korra has a nervous tone of voice. "Um, I'm not sure exactly."
Ben is no better. "Uh, could you ask me when we get to the Auditorium?"
Naruto chuckles. "Yeah. I'm with you guys on that." He then gets a serious look on his face. "Look guys. Just like I said a week ago. We're a team, even if we aren't under the same roof. We will get through this war together. Agreed?"
"Agreed." Ben and Korra firmly say.
Naruto nods. The three of them enter the Auditorium. They are greeted to the sight of every single cadet in their class all chatting with each other in excitement.
"Um, now that we're here, I can honestly say that I feel scared, excited, happy, and nervous all at once." Ben admits.
"What he just said." Korra agrees.
"Ditto." Says Naruto as he looks at the crowd. His attention is then drawn to a young woman approaching him. She has long black hair, pale skin, and lavender eyes. Naruto recognizes her as one of the Hyuuga Twins.
"Hey Hinata, good to see you." Naruto greets her.
Hinata gains a nervous blush on her face. "H-hello Naruto-kun. I-I just w-wanted to say g-good luck."
The blonde grins at her. "Thanks. Good luck to you, too."
Hinata's blush increases, but she is able to nod to him before heading back into the crowd.
"Well, that was nice of her." Naruto comments, getting sweatdrops from his friends. Naruto then notices another woman approaching them. This one is like a clone of Hinata, only with tanner skin and a more confident vibe to her.
"Hey Hanabi, what's-oh!" Naruto is surprised when Hanabi throws her arms around his next.
"Hi, Naru-kun. Just wanna say good luck." Hanabi purrs at him, before giving the blonde a peck on the cheek. She then leaves him standing there, but not before giving him a wink as she walks away.
"Well, that was…something." Naruto says, surprised at what just happened. 'Talk about Yin and Yang.'
"Man, what are we? Chopped liver?" Ben says to his female friend, only to see a slightly angry look on her face with one of her eyes twitching. "Hey, Korra. Are you alright?"
Korra looks to her friend, her upset look wiped from her face. "Huh? Y-yeah, I'm alright." Seeing his incredulous look, she clears her throat. "So, I heard that the Marshal's gonna be here today."
Ben raised his eyebrows at that, before turning to his blonde companion. "Naruto, aren't you and the Marshall real close?"
Naruto snorts a bit at this. "You kidding? The man's like a grandfather to me."
"Attention, cadets!" Capt. Logan's voice is heard throughout the Auditorium. Everyone quiets down and gives him their full attention.
"We have a special guest today, runts. I expect you to give him your full respect. Marshall Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
All heads turn to an older gentleman in a navy-blue officer's uniform. He has a white goatee, noticeable wrinkles, and a balding head. Even so, he has an aura of authority that is felt by all in the room.
The man himself is looking over the young recruits. He notices a mop of blond hair in the crowd, and he smiles internally.
'He's grown up.' Sarutobi looks at the rest of them. 'They all have. I certainly hope so, at least.' He begins to speak.
"Seven years ago, you were all fresh recruits, some with little to no knowledge of what awaited them. You have fought and persevered through many tests and trials. And now, today, you will all take a giant leap into a war of incredible proportions. As such, I must tell you this; some of you will likely not survive your first battle. Most of you will not live to see the end of the war. But the Jaeger Program will live on. Humanity will live on. And with that, you will live on. Thank you."
Marshall Sarutobi steps back, no applause after his speech. Captain Logan steps up, with a datapad in his hands.
"Speak up when I call your name."
A.N. And now, the moment you all have been waiting for.
"Akamichi, Chouji."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo. Albarn, Maka."
"Sir!"
"Sydney. Bazaka, Jugo."
"Sir!"
"Los Angeles. Evans, Soul."
"Sir!"
"Sydney. Grey, Korra."
"Sir!"
"Los Angeles. Hoshizoku, Burakku.
"Sir!"
"Lima. Hozuki, Suigetsu."
"Sir!"
Los Angeles." Hyuuga, Hanabi."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo. Hyuuga, Hinata."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo. Inuzuka, Akamaru."
"Sir!"
"Anchorage. Inuzuka, Kiba."
"Sir!"
"Anchorage. Jaeger, Eren."
"Sir!"
"Sydney. Monkey D., Luffy."
"Sir!"
"Madang. Nakatsukasa, Tsubaki."
"Sir!"
"Lima. Nara, Shikamaru."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo. Salazar, Rex."
"Sir!"
"Panama City. Tennyson, Benjamin."
"Sir!"
"Los Angeles. Uchiha, Sasuke."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo. Uzumaki, Naruto."
"Sir!"
"Los Angeles. Yamanaka, Ino."
"Sir!"
"Tokyo."
With that, Capt. Logan turns to the new Pilots.
"Congratulations, new Pilots. Welcome to the war."
End Chapter
A.N. Wow. This was, literally, the longest thing that I have written in quite some time. It has taken me weeks, but now the Chapter is done. Now, for some things to cover;
About the names of some of the characters, since some of them in their animes did not have last names, I had to make them up as I go. This is also why I had to name Black Star 'Burakku Hoshizoku'.
Also, I hope the fight scenes were good. Please let me know if there are tweaks needed for future fights.
And, as always, PLEASE REVIEW! Thank you.
End Transmission.