Analia stood at the center of the room, her gaze locked on the massive holograms towering over them. The images of Hakuja, Shrikethorn, and the hulking Raijin flickered in ghostly blue, casting an eerie glow across the presentation room. Each Kaiju was grotesque, nightmarish in design—towering, monstrous figures of muscle and alien rage, their details so vivid that it was hard to believe they weren't standing right there. The low hum of the hologram projectors filled the air, but it couldn't drown out the palpable tension.
The room was dim, illuminated only by the light of the projection and the soft glow of monitors lining the walls. Outside, the shattered remnants of the base were still smoldering, the devastation left by the rogue Jaeger attack fresh in Analia's mind. The destruction was staggering—Jaegers were torn apart, equipment smashed beyond recognition, and everywhere she looked, she saw the scars of battle. And now, they were faced with something even worse.
Her pulse quickened as she glanced around the room. Nate, Jake, Shao, and Raleigh were all gathered around the map, their faces hard with grim concentration. Everyone knew what these three Kaiju meant—another catastrophe on the horizon. The weight of it all bore down on her shoulders, heavier than the smoke that still hung in the air.
Nate leaned in, studying the shifting lines on the map with narrowed eyes. "Well, the spiky guy and the big idiot are moving away from the cities and toward the ocean. What does that mean?"
Analia turned her attention to the map, her sharp eyes following the Kaiju's movements. She could feel the exhaustion creeping in—her muscles ached from the long hours of battling and strategizing, but she couldn't afford to let it take hold. There was no room for weakness right now. Shao, standing near the edge of the room, broke the silence.
"Maybe they're trying to link up with Hakuja in the East China Sea."
Analia clenched her jaw. The implications were terrifying—if these Kaiju were strategizing, acting with purpose, then their threat was far more coordinated than they had anticipated. Jake's voice broke through her thoughts, pulling her back into the moment.
"Yeah, I bet Newt would know what they're up to... if we can get it out of him," Jake muttered darkly, his arms crossed as he studied the holograms. His words dripped with bitterness, and Analia couldn't help but share the sentiment. Newt, their former ally, now twisted into something dangerous by the Precursors.
The group moved closer to the map as if proximity might make the situation any clearer. The air felt thick, heavy with unspoken fear and uncertainty. Analia crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on the glowing lines that represented the Kaiju's trajectory. She could hear the distant rumble of equipment being moved outside, the clatter of repairs being made in the wreckage of the Shatterdome. It felt like a countdown had begun, each second ticking away as the Kaiju drew nearer to their target.
"Yeah, we'd have to find him first," Analia said, her voice sharp with determination. "Any Jaegers closer to those Kaiju than us?"
Raleigh, standing beside her, shook his head grimly. His face was lined with exhaustion, but his eyes remained fierce. "What was left of the Chin-do and Sakhalinsk domes tried to intercept."
Gottlieb, always the bearer of bad news, stepped forward. "Emphasis on tried," he said, his tone filled with the resignation of someone who had seen the worst. "I'm afraid we're on our own."
Analia felt a knot tighten in her chest. The reality of their situation was becoming painfully clear—they were outmatched, outgunned, and running out of time. Her mind raced, searching for answers, for something that could give them an edge. The flickering map of the Pacific loomed large before them, but it was Jake who voiced what she had been trying to figure out.
"Maybe that's not where they're headed," Jake said, his tone thoughtful as he turned to the tech. "Pull up a map of Kaiju movement from the war."
The tech worked quickly, and the display changed, showing a chaotic web of lines—paths the Kaiju had taken during the war. The dots of destruction marked each city that had fallen in their wake. But this time, Jake was looking deeper.
"What do you know that we don't?" Raleigh asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at Jake.
Jake didn't hesitate. "We need to understand our enemy's objective to know we've beaten them. What if the Kaiju weren't blindly attacking our cities during the war? What if we were just in their way?"
The room fell silent as the implications of Jake's words sank in. Analia felt the cold weight of realization settle in her gut. The Kaiju's attacks had always seemed random, but what if they had been after something specific all along?
Her eyes locked onto the map, following the lines of attack until they converged on one point. Her breath caught in her throat. "Right here. Mount Fuji, Japan."
Everyone's gaze snapped to her, the gravity of what she had just said hitting them all at once. Mount Fuji—the dormant volcano. It wasn't just a symbol of Japan. It was something far more dangerous in the wrong hands.
"Extrapolate for Hakuja, Shrikethorn, and Raijin," Raleigh ordered, his voice tight.
The map shifted, tracing the likely movements of the Kaiju toward the towering mountain. The room seemed to grow colder as the reality of the situation sank in.
"Mount Fuji?" Analia whispered, her brow furrowing. "But why?"
Gottlieb stepped forward, his face pale, but his voice steady as he explained. "Rare earth elements. Mount Fuji is a volcano rich in rare earth elements. Kaiju blood reacts extremely violently with rare earth elements. It's the basis of my fuel-thruster experiments."
As he spoke, Analia's mind raced through the implications. Rare earth elements. Kaiju blood. The connection was terrifying. If they reached Mount Fuji, the reaction could be catastrophic.
Nate broke the silence, his voice low. "That sounds bad. That's bad, right?"
Analia nodded, the weight of the situation pressing down on her. "Very. Mount Fuji's active. A geological pressure point."
Gottlieb continued, his voice growing more urgent. "Based on the blood to mass ratio of the Kaiju, the reaction would cause a cascade event," he explained, bringing up a detailed holographic image of the Pacific Rim. "Igniting the Ring of Fire around the Pacific Rim. Billions of tons of toxic gas and ash will spew into the atmosphere, wiping out all life."
As he spoke, Analia's pulse quickened. The hologram showed the Earth cracking open, magma spilling out, the entire Pacific Rim ablaze. The destruction would be unimaginable.
"And finish terraforming the Earth," Shao added, her voice grim, "for the Precursors."
The air in the room felt thick with dread. The world as they knew it could end if they didn't stop the Kaiju. Analia exchanged a glance with Raleigh, his eyes filled with the same realization—there was no going back. They had to stop this.
"We can't let them reach Mount Fuji," Raleigh said, his voice hard with resolve.
Nate stepped forward. "I'm gonna check with Jules for Jaeger repairs," he said quickly, already moving toward the door. But Analia knew time was against them. Even if they had all the Jaegers, they wouldn't make it in time.
"Even if we had a hundred Jaegers, there's no way to intercept them in time," she said, her voice tight with frustration.
"What about your thruster pods?" Jake asked, turning to Gottlieb.
Gottlieb looked flustered. "Oh, no, no, no. They're not ready."
"Can they be?" Analia pressed, her voice firm. She didn't care if they weren't ready. They had no choice.
Gottlieb hesitated, then nodded. "Well, in theory… maybe with your help."
Raleigh stepped forward, his tone demanding. "Gottlieb, what does that mean, 'in theory'?"
Gottlieb took a deep breath, his face a mixture of determination and fear. "Today, it means yes."
Analia felt a surge of determination as she turned to face the others. "Then that's our plan. We outfit as many Jaegers as we can with the thruster pods and intercept those Kaiju before they reach Mount Fuji. It's our only shot."
Jake nodded grimly. "I'll help Gottlieb get the pods prepped for installation. Nate, coordinate with Jules to prioritize repairs on our most battle-ready Jaegers. We're going to need every ounce of firepower we've got."
As the team dispersed to their tasks, Analia lingered, her gaze fixed on the holographic map still flickering with the menacing paths of the Kaiju. The weight of what they were about to attempt settled heavily on her shoulders, but she refused to let it crush her. They had faced impossible odds before and come out on top. This time would be no different.
"Let's see if we can get your anniversary gift out from the under bay of the hangar." Raleigh said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
Intrigued, Analia allowed herself a brief moment of curiosity, pushing aside the ever-present weight of responsibility. Her boots echoed against the cold, metal floor of the Shatterdome as they walked through the chaos of repairs. Jaegers were in various stages of destruction and reconstruction—massive arms being hoisted into place by cranes, engineers scrambling to get vital systems back online, sparks flying from welders as they patched up the colossal machines. It was controlled chaos, the air thick with tension, smoke, and the pungent smell of oil and burnt metal.
Around them, mechanics and engineers shouted commands, their voices barely audible over the sound of heavy machinery. The distant clang of metal being lifted, the hiss of hydraulic systems, and the hum of power tools created a symphony of urgent activity.
But amidst all the noise, Analia's thoughts were laser-focused on Raleigh's words. A new Jaeger? For them? It didn't make sense—how had he managed to pull something like that off without her knowing? She worked alongside him every day, in every battle, yet somehow he had kept this a secret.
They reached the main hangar bay, and Analia immediately noticed the team working on clearing debris that had been piled up from the earlier attacks. Massive chunks of concrete and twisted steel were being hauled away, revealing a large, secured area beneath the floor. Her eyes widened slightly—there was something under there.
"Are you serious?" she asked, a mixture of disbelief and awe creeping into her voice.
"Let's get those doors open," Raleigh called out, his voice booming with authority. The team of engineers responded quickly, nodding in acknowledgment as they hustled to follow his command. With a creaking groan, the sub-level doors began to slide open, revealing a hidden platform deep beneath the Shatterdome's main hangar.
As the doors fully opened, the soft glow of lights illuminated the massive figure resting below. Analia took a sharp breath as she caught sight of it.
The Jaeger was unlike anything she had seen before. Its sleek, ice-blue armor glistened under the dim lights, and the white accents that lined its limbs gave it a polished, almost ethereal appearance. Thin streaks of orange ran along its joints, creating a striking contrast that gave it an air of power and grace. The Jaeger seemed to hum with energy, even while dormant, like a predator ready to pounce.
Her heart pounded as the platform began to rise, slowly lifting Razor Angel to the surface. Its twin plasma blades were sheathed at its sides, their housing integrated seamlessly into the forearms. But what really caught Analia's attention was the intricate design along its back—nine long, segmented appendages, sleek and deadly, tucked neatly against the Jaeger's frame.
"That… that's incredible," she whispered, taking a step closer as the Jaeger reached the surface. The scale of the machine was overwhelming, towering above them like a sentinel of destruction and protection all at once.
Raleigh grinned, a hint of pride in his expression as he walked beside her. "Razor Angel," he said, finally revealing its name. "Custom-built. I wanted something fast, something powerful, something that can keep up with us. She's got dual plasma blades, a nine-tail whip system, plasma cannons, and…" He pointed to the center of the Jaeger's chest, where a reactor was housed. "…a chest reactor beam that'll burn a hole through any Kaiju that gets in her way."
As Analia stared up at Razor Angel, the sleek and powerful Jaeger gleaming under the hangar lights, something clicked into place in her mind. The countless nights when Raleigh had been distant, slipping away without explanation, returning home late with vague excuses, and the moments when he seemed preoccupied, distracted even in the rare quiet moments they shared—it all made sense now.
Her chest tightened, a mixture of admiration and a faint hint of frustration rising in her. He had been working on this. Razor Angel. This was what had consumed him, the reason he had been so distant. It wasn't neglect, she realized—it was devotion. He had been building this Jaeger for them, pouring everything into creating something that would give them a fighting chance against the Kaiju. Something that could protect their family, their future.
She turned to look at him, a soft smile playing at her lips despite the chaos still swirling around them. "This is why you've been so distant, isn't it?"
Raleigh met her gaze, his face softening. "Yeah," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I didn't mean to pull away, but I wanted to make sure this was perfect. It's why I've been sneaking out to work on the blueprints and overseeing the construction in secret. I wanted it to be ready for us, for when we'd need it most."
Analia let out a breath, understanding and pride washing over her. She stepped closer, her hand finding his. "You've been working on this for us."
He nodded, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. "I wanted to give us something that could fight at our level. Something that could keep up with us in battle. I couldn't stand the thought of being caught off guard again."
Her eyes softened as she looked up at him. "You did it. She's perfect."
A quiet moment passed between them, the weight of their shared battles and the looming threat hanging over them heavy in the air, but Razor Angel stood tall beside them, a symbol of their resilience and their commitment to each other and the fight.
Analia let herself lean into the warmth of his presence for just a moment, the familiar hum of the Jaeger's systems a soothing backdrop to their connection. Then, with a teasing smirk, she glanced up at him, the memory of another moment—years ago—flickering in her mind.
"What are you thinking over there, Leigh?" she asked, her tone playful, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she remembered their first fight together in Gypsy Danger.
Raleigh laughed, the same memory flashing through his mind. "No point in telling you," he replied, a grin spreading across his face as he stepped closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. "In a few hours, you're gonna be inside my head."
Before she could respond, he scooped her up effortlessly, pulling her close and planting a devastating kiss on her lips. Analia melted into the embrace, her heart pounding in her chest, the world around them momentarily fading into the background. Despite everything—despite the war, the loss, the looming danger—there was this. There was Raleigh, and the fire that had kept them together all these years, stronger than ever.
As Analia and Raleigh stood side by side, gazing up at the towering form of Razor Angel, the reality of what lay ahead settled between them. But the quiet intensity of the moment was suddenly interrupted by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching.
Turning, they saw Ezra jogging toward them, his little sister, Grace, perched on his back, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as she giggled. Ezra's face was flushed from the run, but there was an unmistakable gleam of curiosity—and something else—in his eyes.
"Mom! Dad!" he called out, slowing to a stop just in front of them. "Is this it? Is this the new Jaeger?"
Grace wriggled excitedly on his back, her small voice chiming in. "Is that Razor Angel? Is that what you were talking about, Daddy?" she asked, her eyes wide with awe as she stared up at the gleaming giant.
Analia smiled at the sight of her children—her heart swelling with a mixture of love and amusement. "It is," she said, ruffling Grace's hair before turning to Ezra, who was eyeing the Jaeger with a very familiar look of envy. "And I can tell by that look on your face that you're already jealous."
Ezra folded his arms, raising an eyebrow as he took in the sleek design of Razor Angel. "Jealous? Me?" he scoffed, though the grin tugging at the corners of his mouth gave him away. "Nah, I mean, it's only the coolest thing I've ever seen. Dual blades, plasma cannons, and a whip? Seriously? You didn't think to mention this sooner?"
Raleigh chuckled, stepping forward to ruffle Ezra's hair playfully, despite his son's attempts to duck away. "You'll get your chance, kiddo," he said. "But for now, this one's your mom's new toy."
Ezra rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the excitement in his voice. "You guys get all the fun," he muttered, glancing up at Razor Angel with longing. Then, turning back to his parents, he added, "One day, I'm gonna be the one piloting that. You just wait."
Analia laughed, shaking her head. "You've got a few more years of training before you're ready for something like this," she teased, her eyes twinkling. "But when you're ready, who knows? Maybe we'll let you take her out for a spin."
Grace leaned forward on Ezra's back, resting her chin on his shoulder. "I wanna be a pilot too!" she declared, her voice full of determination.
Ezra chuckled, shifting her weight on his back as he grinned at her. "You'll have to wait even longer, squirt."
Raleigh shared a knowing look with Analia, the warmth of their family moment providing a brief respite from the chaos surrounding them. The world was still falling apart outside the hangar, but in this moment, they were together, united, with their future standing right in front of them.
With a final glance at Razor Angel, Analia bent down to plant a kiss on Grace's forehead, then turned to Ezra, squeezing his shoulder. "All right, you two. Head back inside and get some rest. We've got a long fight ahead of us."
Ezra nodded, casting one last longing look at Razor Angel before turning toward the exit. "Fine," he said with a sigh, shifting Grace on his back as they headed toward the door. "But don't think I'm not gonna bug you about piloting it every chance I get."
As they walked away, Analia felt a surge of pride and love for her children. Her family was everything—and they were fighting for them, for the future they deserved.
She turned back to Raleigh, her heart full. "We've got something to fight for," she said softly.
He nodded, pulling her close once more. "And we've got something to fight with," he replied, his eyes drifting back to Razor Angel.