Pete watches on in amusement as Macau totally fails to shimmy himself into the skintight layer of his pilot suit.
“Hey, it’s because I’m swole now, okay, I lift,” Macau says petulantly as he finally manages to roll the suit past his hips.
Pete finishes zipping up his own suit. “Mhmm.”
“This is a super old suit,” Macau complains, “they took my new suit for repairs, and let’s be honest, I was basically a stick back then–”
“Until you became hot,” Pete says, having heard this spiel only about twenty times before. He moves to help Macau squeeze his arms through the suit.
“Until I became hot!” Macau grins at Pete. “See, you get it. Hey, I bet my biceps look real good in this–”
“The kaiju will definitely be blown away by your biceps.”
“They sure fucking will.” Macau looks inordinately pleased with himself. “The final, secret weapon that will save humanity.”
Pete rolls his eyes. “Okay,” he says, “hold your breath – good,” as he yanks Macau’s zipper all the way up. He pats Macau on the back. “Let’s go.”
–
Once they’ve made their way to the jaeger cockpit, the technicians start encasing Pete and Macau in their protective armor, along with all of the hook-ups that give them control over the various limbs and weapon attachments on the jaeger.
“Helmets,” one technician says, and Pete swiftly pulls on his head sock, making sure his bangs are securely tucked under the cloth before slipping on his helmet as well. He hears the familiar hiss of the hydraulics as the technician locks in a large attachment to the back of his helmet – the critical cabling that enables the pilots’ neural link.
“Step back,” the technician says, and Pete does. The exoskeleton clicks into place around him. “Preparations complete.”
“Testing comms,” a voice says, directly into Pete’s ear.
“Menace-L, copy,” Pete responds.
“Menace-R, copy,” Macau follows. “‘Sup, Hia.”
“Brat,” Vegas says placidly. “Operations confirmed that the kaiju is a Cat-3, and it’s headed for the Philippines. You’ll be in-flight for a little over 2 hours before the drop.”
“Yeah, right,” Macau mutters.
Pete snorts. After that one time they were stuck waiting to drop for over 12 hours, Pete doesn’t blame him for his skepticism.
“Tell yourself 4 hours, and then maybe you won’t be so cranky when the estimate isn’t spot on.” Vegas says. “The shelf on that side of the island falls off pretty quickly. Luckily, we don’t think you’ll have to wait until the kaiju makes it to the shallows. He doesn’t look like a swimmer.”
“A runner?” Macau says, a hint of glee in his tone.
“Yep. Four-legged. You should be able to fight him along the sea bed.”
“Phi,” Macau says. “Phi. Can we wrestle him, please–”
“Absolutely not,” Vegas starts.
“Sure,” Pete says.
Macau whoops. “Fuck yeah! Underwater wrestling, baby, let’s fucking go–”
Vegas sighs. “If HQ asks for Menace’s damages bill again, I’ll make sure you’re the one taking that call. You can be the one to explain exactly how critical it is to account for underwater wrestling in the budget–”
“We’ve, like, improved,” Macau says. “We’re good at it now. Tell you what – I’ll make you a bet. External damage only. No dents in the framework this time.”
“Deal,” Vegas says immediately.
“Here we go again,” Pete says under his breath.
“We’re ready for the neural link, sir,” another voice interrupts. “Are we cleared?”
“One moment,” Vegas says. “Yes, you’re cleared.”
“Neural link for Apocalyptic Menace going live in sixty,” the voice says.
“Copy.”
Pete exhales, leans back into the exoskeleton. The jolt of the neural link is always nauseating, but thankfully it’s short-lived. Pete is very used to it, though. And the drift itself is wonderful.
He hears a faint click, and an indicator pops up on his helmet’s interface that he’s been switched over to a private line.
There is a long silence.
“Wish I could come with you,” Vegas says quietly.
Pete smiles, fond. “You’ll just have to wish harder for a Cat-4. For next time.”
Vegas’s injury means that he’s not allowed to be on a standard pilot rotation, not like the rest of them. But he’s so damn good that HQ can’t bring themselves to bench him, either. So he gets sent out with Pete on the really tough drops, the category 4 and 5 kaijus, and Macau subs in on all the rest.
They’re lucky that all three of them are drift compatible with each other. Otherwise, HQ would force Vegas into the cockpit far more frequently. And then Vegas would re-injure himself, probably, and Pete would have to go kill someone over it.
“Next time,” Vegas says. Then, firm, “You’ll come back.”
“I always do,” Pete says, voice soft.
Vegas hums. “And bring my idiot brother back intact, please. Keep the wrestling to a minimum.”
“Can’t believe you’d throw a bet like that,” Pete says, amused.
Vegas scoffs. “It’s a win-win for me. Less repairs, and HQ doesn’t come for my head... or, Macau does laundry for a month.”
Pete shudders. “Maybe not laundry this time? He’s not very, um. Good at it.”
“How else is he going to learn, Pete,” Vegas says pleasantly, “if we don’t give him the opportunity to improve himself.”
“Uh-huh. And it’s a total coincidence that you hate laundry.”
“Like I said,” Vegas says, “win-win. Oh, wait. Macau is speaking.” And Pete hears another click.
“Phi,” Macau says, very seriously.
“Nong.”
“Friendly reminder,” Macau says, “to not think about Hia.”
Pete laughs.
“No thoughts!” Macau screeches. “None! Not a single one, or I swear to god, I’ll break the neural link and jump into the ocean.”
“That was one time,” Pete says. Plus, it wasn’t like it had been Pete’s fault. Vegas shouldn’t have given him horny thoughts from 2000 kilometers away.
“Once,” Macau says, “was plenty.”
“Link in three,” the technician’s voice counts down, “two, one–”
And as the neural link kicks in, Pete’s vision whites out, and the pain is sharp and bright right behind his eyes – until, suddenly, it settles.
Hey, bro, he hears. Ready to rumble?
Pete grins. Macau’s emotions are infectious, all excitement and anticipation and dogged determination. And in the far corner of his mind, a tiny hint of nervousness.
It’s good for Macau to have that. Keeps him from being reckless.
Let’s do this, Pete thinks. And then, just for a brief moment, he pulls up a memory from this morning – Vegas standing in the bathroom doorway while brushing his teeth, shirtless, ratty sweatpants riding low on his hips–
Oh my fucking god. Why would you do this to me. Why would you make me suffer like this.
Pete laughs, harder this time.
“Drift is stable,” the technician says. “Cleared for lift-off.”
“Copy,” Vegas says. There’s some murmuring from his end of the line. “Operations says you’re good to go. Good luck. Remember to cut down on the snarking this time. Maybe it’ll improve your kill time average.”
“Maybe I’ll stop snarking,” Macau says pointedly, “once Phi is done inflicting mind crimes on me–”
Describe to me, Pete thinks, in great detail, exactly how you picture this wrestling going. Just so we’re on the same page.
The distraction works. Pete feels a huge wave of glee hit him. Phi. I have so many ideas.
–
(thank you to @suzteel and @kissporsche for all of the ideas ❤️ and especially to suz for saying that every combination of mvp would be drift-compatible, because i swear i wasn't going to write anything until she baited me with that)
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Ride 740: Sugimoto driven in a corner
Pag 1
3: Pinch and crush him, Danchiku!! Crush Sugimoto-san!!
Pag 2
1: As easy as crushing dry leaves!!
Yeah, Issaa!!
Pag 4
3: You're slow
Pag 5
1: You're slow, Sugimoto-san – Bamboo Hop Shot!!
2: He's fast!!
4: He got even faster.... than the second day...
But
5: But!!
Pag 6
1: It's not so easy to crush my heart, Danchiku!!
Kuaaaaagh
Pag 7
2: The battle between those two has started!!
3: The last battle of the training camp's fourth day!! The rule is simple, whoever crosses the sensor line first wins!!
4: The serious battle between Danchiku and Sugimoto, betting the spot in the Inter High!!
5: Sugimoto....!!
6: Danchiku!!
7: But.... this battle....
Pag 8
1: That's right, Onoda
4: He.... Sugimoto understands everything
And he's fighting upon understanding that
6: He's running with that resolution
And he has no intention whatsoever of stepping aside!!
Pag 9
2: What....
I really settled this with one attack
3: It was easy
5: Kuaaagh
8: Kuaaaagh
9: …. no
Pag 10
1: Kuaaaaagh
He's still chasing after me!!
Pag 11
1: Sugimoto-san
2: Dan.... chikuu!!
3: I wonder what's this feeling
I was thinking I could win against you, and it's true that I said I could defeat you with one attack
4: But, I don't know why, but my heart is beating fast
And for some reason the corners of my mouth are pulling up
5: Maybe it's because I know we've practiced and desperately ran together until now, but when earlier I turned back and I didn't see you, I though “ah of course”, but there was also another feeling....
Pag 12
1: I thought- there's no way that that Sugimoto-san was beaten by just one attack!!
Pag 13
1: Ha
2: Kuaaagh
3: He chased me and kept going until he passed me!!
5: Dammit, even though I couldn't defeat him in one blow, right now I feel so good!!
6: I'm thinking that this is the spirit!!
Pag 14
1: Sugimoto-san!!
2: It's so hard....!!
Danchiku really got stronger than on the second day
3: But this is the basis of road racing: don't let your opponent understand how it is for you!!
4: Looks like you're having a hard time, Sugimoto-san
Pag 15
1: He noticed!!
2: But there's no way I'm giving up the lead position
Until my breath calms down, I'll keep just the right pace....
3: He jumped ahead!!
4: Can you follow!?
6: Mh
7: Easily!!
Pag 16
2: Well you're so reliable!!
Danchiku used his “Hop Shot” again
Pag 17
1: Garuaah!!
2: He left me behind!!
3: Kuaaaaagh
Keep up, Sugimoto Terufumi!!
4: Sugimoto-san, you followed!! I'm happy that we're clashing seriously now
5: Issa told me not to tell you
But I'll tell you, Sugimoto-san
6: There's another secret to my special technique “Panda Shout”
Panda Shout is....
Pag 18
1: A breathing technique
2: When humans breathe, oxygen weaves into their lungs
3: And when they work out, they need a lot of fresh oxygen
And they become conscious of their “inhaling”
4: But if they do it too much, their breathing becomes uneven and shallow, and they inhale the oxygen around their mouth that it's not “fresh air”
5: Exhaling is more important than inhaling!!
“Actively pushing out the air in your lungs”!!
6: That way, you can naturally take in a lot of “fresh air”!!
Panda Shout uses the abdominal pressure to squeeze out all the air from my lungs
Pag 19
1: It's the ultimate technique to intake oxygen!!
3: Technique to intake....!!
4: If he can accelerate even more....!!
5: I'll use it right away
Ah, and there's one more thing
Huh
6: When I use this
Pag 20
1: My acceleration with Hop Shot becomes twice as fast!!
2: Two.... ice
Please hold on tight and follow me, Sugimoto-san!!
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