Not really sure what to put here this time, this chapter is pretty self explanatory. Mako and Raleigh deal with their angst and everyone attacks each other. A pretty normal day in the Pacific Rim world.
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Mako was worried. For her other half, for the Shatterdome, for the Jaeger Corps, and for the world. The rest could wait though, Raleigh was more important. She knew exactly where her own scars were, physical and mental. Raleigh was still trying to hide and ignore his.
She watched her partner who was currently observing and instructing Ariel and Finn as the pair sparred. She didn't like the growing bags under his eyes, the way his shoulders hunched when he thought no one was watching, the way his hands tightened around his staff without cause, and the fact that she knew he was lying every time he told someone he was fine.
While no one left in the Shatterdome was fine, they at least recognized it. Raleigh was alone in his stubborn belief that he truly was fine or at least would be, if he faked it for long enough.
The last few times they had drifted, she had felt his sorrow and pain at the last few years but underneath it all was a fundamental belief in his own guilt that was eating away at him from the inside out. He believed that if he had acted differently when Knifehead had attacked, the world would better. He carried what he saw as the guilt of Yancy's death and every Jaeger pilot since then including Sensei and Chuck Hansen's with him. He did a good job hiding it though, acting as though he really was recovering. She only knew because of their drifts and Herc Hansen was the only other possible person who could even guess at what kept the Ranger up at nights.
Mako had grown up worrying and nothing had changed about that. Having been unable to really help Jaeger pilots and the people she cared about for so many years while she grew and Sensei tried to protect her had been difficult. She hated feeling helpless. It was different now though, she was strong enough and capable to do something this time.
…...
Raleigh leaned against his staff, watching Garza and Kingsley exchange blows in a whirlwind of limbs and blunt blades. The pair moved so fast, never stopping even for a second that the rhythm and movements would be impossible for anyone less than an expert fighter to keep track of. They were unmatched by any other Jaeger pair in speed. Raleigh tried to hide his approval as he watched them, Ariel and Finn were good pair, and they could be a great one soon. Their only issue was that they knew how good they were, and their combined ego could prove problematic.
He glanced over at Mako, it had been three nights in a row now that she had knocked on his door and they ended up wrestling for control of the blankets and pillows in his small bed. He didn't…couldn't…say it but he was glad every time and she knew it despite his abysmal communication abilities. Sleep was beyond his reach if his partner wasn't near him. The alien memories and Yancy's dying thoughts were there every time his eyes closed now. He had to be fine though; for her and for everyone relying on him. Nothing less than perfect.
"Point." Raleigh called out as the flat of Ariel's left blade smacked against the back of Finn's head. They continued on for another few minutes, but when Finn failed to match the point, Raleigh called time. The group had to move on.
"You all have a meeting with the Marshall in fifteen. Mako and I will not be there so I expect to hear nothing from him other than you are the best damn future pilots he's ever seen." Raleigh told the eight as they clumped together in front of him. "Get showered and changed. Be in the main conference room on time. Once the Marshall is done, grab lunch and meet back here. Dismissed."
The groups split quickly, leaving Mako and Raleigh alone for an hour or two while the newest Rangers were briefed on the sabotage attempts and new security measures within the Dome. Raleigh started to go for the locker room, planning on a solo run during the free time but was stopped when Mako tapped him on the back with the base of her staff.
"Pretty sure we're fine without sparring today." Considering the regular Kaiju attacks, sparring was redundant for the pair.
"We don't need it. You do." Mako told him evenly.
Raleigh started to hesitate but was forced to defend when Mako didn't wait, striking at his chest with a sharp blow. He slid to the side, barely avoiding gaining a new bruise and rolled, grabbing his staff with the movement before coming up into a low crouch.
"What's this about?" He didn't think he had managed to piss her off recently. He blocked another attack with his staff and disengaged, backing up a few steps.
"You and your inability to let go. You're viewing yourself and placing yourself worth only on your tragedies and faults." Mako swung her staff out, forcing Raleigh to duck. He realized she wasn't going to give up and he had to engage or lose.
"What do you want Raleigh?" He was surprise by the force behind Mako's words as he shifted to the side, seeking a hole in her defense before attacking. He hesitated while considering her words and had to roll to avoid another hit.
"I want Yancy back." He practically threw the words at Mako who brushed the away.
"You can't have that. I miss Sensei but I know I can't have him and I've accepted that. Move past the impossible. Why are you still fighting?" She punctuated her words with a series of shallow, fast strikes.
Raleigh was purely moving on the defense now, struggling to find an answer while Mako kept pushing him. They were on the edge of the mat now. A single step and he could fall off.
Sudden anger washed over him. Who was Mako to question him? She hadn't had to listen to Yancy scream as he was pulled from Gipsy's conn-pod. She hadn't spent years living with the people who built the wall in a desperate bid for meager rations and a false sense of security.
"I'm fighting so that no one else has to!" He lashed out, blocking her incoming blow and kicking under it. His foot caught her side and Mako rolled away, letting him move forward. "I'm fighting because it's the one thing I know I'm good at! I'm fighting so no one else looses their family! I'm fighting because it means one day I willn't have to anymore!"
They were back in the middle of the mat, both breathing heavily as Mako dropped her staff, grabbing his in mid strike, stopping the spar. "What do you want?" She put soft but heavy emphasis on the last two words as Raleigh realized he hadn't thought about that in months or even years. His life had been a constant series of pointless actions for years, following orders or moving anywhere but forward.
The words formed as quickly as he could grasp the desire he had kept hidden from himself but Mako had still manage to know was there. "I want to be able to retire one day knowing with absolute certainty, that the world is safe from Kaiju."
He let his staff go when Mako tugged gently and she tossed it to the side of the mat. "Good." She rested her forehead against his and he felt his eyes close as he listened to his much wiser partner. "Think of that not the past, not your failures. You are not guilty for anything that has happened. Everyone made their own choices. Forgive your past self and look to the future. There will be more failures; mine, your's, other's. Failure is inevitable in life but without it, there is no measure for success."
Raleigh let out a breath followed by a sudden laugh."I'm an idiot."
"Yes. You are." Mako agreed readily. "But everyone is in some fashion."
Raleigh wrapped his arms around her tightly. The hug conveying all the gratitude he could never easily voice. "Where would I be without you?"
"Lost. I would be too without you. We still have to fight but think of what you want until you have it." Raleigh nodded, bumping his forehead against hers softly. They stood there for an unknown amount of time, thinking of the simple future they both wanted.
The silence was finally broken by Raleigh's poorly timed but very loud stomach asking for food. "Lunch?" His voice took on a hopeful tone as he half asked permission, half persuaded her to come with him. Mako nodded and the pair left the dojo, their staffs still lying forgotten by the mat.
They barely made it back before the trainees, having spent the walk back arguing about Raleigh's impromptu idea for team bonding and training. They both knew that unique training was required for the pairings because of the lack of a formal Academy however Mako still thought that Raleigh's idea was a little too revolutionary.
"We're going on a little fieldtrip." Raleigh announced to the Rangers as they reassembled. Some seemed to notice his change in temperament while others didn't.
"We know you've spent the last few hours with the Marshall reviewing the recent…accidents. The responsibility of the knowledge you have been given is one of the hardest parts of this job and will never get easier. As Jaeger pilots it is our job to know what others cannot, fight what others cannot, and be what others cannot. In part because this is the first time you've had to deal the full weight of that responsibility, rather than return to formal training, Mako and I thought it would be better for you as pairs as well as a larger team to relax some while still working together. Follow me."
Mako and Raleigh lead the curious eight to the construction bays where a notified and already persuaded Nikki was waiting for them. "You all are good to go in the last bay, I managed to find everything. Keep it contained or I'll kick you all out." She told the group before letting them pass.
Raleigh waited behind the others to quickly thank Nikki for her help. He noticed the construction bays were closed to being back at full strength."The crews doing better?"
Nikki nodded. "Thankfully. I've got everyone back except six who are still recovering. You should probably catch up before Mako has enough time to reconsider your crazy plans."
Raleigh shrugged. "She hasn't gotten rid of me yet. I doubt this would be the tipping point."
Nikki rolled her eyes and walked back towards Gipsy Danger's growing form, already refocusing on her job as Raleigh split.
Following behind the group, Raleigh scanned the empty bays. Where Green Beast and Gipsy Danger were bringing life back to some of the bays, others still stood empty, a testament to the fallen. Raleigh didn't mean any disrespect to Cherno Alpha or its courageous pilots for what was about to occur in its former home, but it was a step forward for the entire team. They could bring a spark of life back to the hollow space.
"So what are we doin'?" Luke Beryl finally questioned Mako and Raleigh as the trainees milled around, curious but confused.
Raleigh ignored the question for a moment as he went to the open crate sitting against a wall and surveyed its contents. Nikki had done a decent job despite the short amount of time collecting them all.
"We are playing dodge ball." Raleigh told the team with a grin as he tipped the crate over. A few dozen balls of all types and condition rolled and bounced across the floor. Basketballs, tennis balls, foam balls, soccer balls, traditional dodge balls, ranging from new to ancient and torn bumped up against the surprised team. Some immediately like the idea while others seemed reserved.
"Simple rules. You work with your partner. If one of you gets hit, you're both out of the game. Jaegers only work with both pilots. If you catch the throw, you stay in. It counts as a blocked attack and the thrower is also still in. The entire bay is the battle field; use your surroundings to your advantage. The only off limits element are the harnesses. Jaegers can't fly."
He was interrupted by a pointed cough from Mako who was trying not to smile and failing. Raleigh knew she was thinking about the fight with Otachi just like he was. He pointed a commanding finger at his co-pilot. "That was a freefall Mako, it doesn't count as a flying Jaeger." The joke seemed to relax the entire room as they became more receptive to the idea of the game.
"You can only work with your partner. No alliances. In the real world we are a team, right now it's just you and your partner versus the world. They're all you got." Raleigh bent to pick up a slightly deflated soccer ball, scanning the other options. Some of them could barely be thrown because they were in such bad shape. Others, like a few of the basketballs would hurt like hell if it was a strong hit. He knew that Nikki had been the right person to ask for help in finding the balls. It was a universally acknowledged fact that Jaeger crews had sports equipment in the bays regardless of what Shatterdome you were in. It was how they passed the time when no repairs or updates were necessary on their charges.
Raleigh continued explaining his hastily thrown together rules. "There are no off limits attack areas. You need to learn to protect your entire body. If you get hit in the face, it's because you and your partner weren't good enough to stop the attack or need to work better together. Either way you learn from the hit. We play till there is only one team standing." Raleigh began tossing the soccer ball from hand to hand.
"Any questions?"
Xander and Mia were off running for the scaffolding, grabbing ammo as they went before Raleigh even finished speaking. Apparently the twins had a plan. They knew the bays almost as well as Mako and could be a serious threat in the game.
"You and Ranger Mori are playing?" Alice Flint took the least confrontational route as her partner grabbed the closest basketballs, going for heavy weaponry.
"Of course." Raleigh grinned and the pair took off, followed quickly by Beryl and Belenko who indiscriminately grabbed as much as they could carry.
Garza and Kingsley raced off the other direction, going for the lightest types of balls so they could carry more.
Raleigh glanced over at his co-pilot who picked up a tennis ball in each hand. "This might be a better idea than I initially thought." Mako admitted.
"Did you ever actually doubt me?"
"Only your sanity, never your devotion to their training."
Raleigh let out a laugh. "Game on!" His shout bounced through the bays and as it faded, silence fell for a split second before movement could be heard on the metal floors and a dodge ball flew from the scaffolding at Raleigh. Mako caught it in midair, holding on to her weapons the entire time.
"Should we be offended one of them thought that would actually work or should we be proud they went for the immediate attack?" Raleigh asked as he and Mako retreated below a catwalk. She shrugged and tossed the ball to him, giving him the go ahead to lead their attack.
He nodded. "Let's show them what real Rangers are capable of."
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It was almost an hour before the first team was out. The unique playing field and the athletic ability of every Ranger making the game harder than even Raleigh had expected. Multiple levels and opponents turned it into a test of endurance and cunning as much as a simple act of dodging. It was far more common for attacks to be caught rather than dodged as the pairs worked together.
Finn and Ariel were the first out, their speed was a valuable asset until they got ahead of their teamwork and both went on attack at the same time, leaving them open without any way to easily defend. Finn was taken out by a soccer ball square to the back and the pair were stuck watching the game from the floor for the rest of the time.
Luke and Petro quickly began hoarding balls from every failed attack and once the other teams ran low, they appeared from above, raining them down on the other pairs who were forced to dive for cover. Alice took advantage of their exposed position and slipped past the attack, taking out Belenko with a simple tennis ball to knee.
Raleigh was almost given a broken nose when he turned straight into a carefully targeted dodge ball that he barely managed to duck away from. He couldn't be sure who had thrown it but Mia's laughter bouncing through the massive bay gave him two culprits to choose from. The twins were taken out a few minutes later when Mako took offense to her partner almost being hit and went on the offensive. The two Reeses forgot her better knowledge of the catwalks and were both hit when they failed to pay close enough attention to their surroundings.
Raleigh was surprised that it was Arlington and Alice left against him and Mako but was impressed with their teamwork considering how little faith he had originally had in the match. They lasted almost fifteen minutes longer than the twins, loosing only when Arlington intercepted a sure hit going for Alice when neither was able to dodge or catch in a confined area of the catwalk.
The victorious, experienced Rangers made their way down to the bay floor to join the other teams. Raleigh was impressed by the sheer determination they had all brought to the game as well as the broad skill sets present.
"Not bad." Raleigh told the group.
Finn raised a hand and spoke when Mako nodded at him. "Can we do this again? I like it better than Ariel beating on me for half an hour."
Raleigh grinned and shrugged. "We'll see. Choi should have the individualized simulators done soon so training will be changing in a week or so."
Mako dismissed the trainees then left herself, stating that she wanted a hot shower before the locker rooms ran out due to the other Rangers arriving en mass.
Raleigh embraced the solitude of the empty bay as he meticulously searched for and collected all the weapons that had been used. It gave him time to think about everything he and Mako had talked about and technically fought over that morning.
He had never realized how many of his actions were motivated solely by the past. Since Yancy died, the future had never been more than a word, a concept. He could see now how he had been actively sabotaging himself by never thinking of it as a resource.
The past was a power source, it propelled him forward, forcing him to use the energy or be buried by it. The present was a weapon; it allowed him to do as he chose though he was confined by its circumstances. The future was the most valuable though; it gave him the chance to do whatever he wanted. He could never fix what happened in the past but if he was proactive and learned from his mistakes rather than simply dwelling on them, he could ensure that they never happened again. A quote he from his years in middle school flashed through his mind as he put the last of the balls away into their crate.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
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Yay! Another chapter done! Review it and I'll love you forever!
