BECAUSE THE WORLD NEEDS THIS

[jameshunt]

The Pacific Rim Meme



We always thought alien life would come from the stars. But it came from deep beneath the sea, a portal between dimensions in the Pacific Ocean. Something out there had discovered us. The first Kaiju made landfall in San Francisco. The second attack hit Manilla. Then the third one hit Cabo. Then we learned this was not going to stop. In order to fight monsters, we created monsters of our own. We needed a new weapon. The Jaeger Program was born. Two pilots, our minds, our memories, we were connected. Man and machine became one.

In the near future, giant monsters identified as "Kaiju" have begun attacking Earth's coastal cities, resulting in a war that takes millions of lives and quickly consumes humanity's resources. To combat the monsters, a special type of weapon is designed: massive robots, known as Jaegers. The Jaegers are controlled simultaneously by two pilots who are bound together in a process called Drifting, creating a neural link between their minds. The link lets them share the mental strain which would otherwise overwhelm a single pilot. The Jaegers are the last, best hope for humanity's survival.

Instructions:
1.Choose a role (or multiple roles!) and post with your character/fandom.
2. Others will post to you with a scenario.
3. All Jaeger names must made up of two words that have little to do with each other. This is mandatory.
4. Go big or go extinct. Or just have fun, that works too.

Roles:

1. Jaeger Pilot: The rock stars of the kaiju wars. You and your partner may be siblings, spouses, parent and child, or just two people who have the trust and compatability necessary for a successful Drift. Get out there and kick some ass.

2. Engineer: The war against the kaiju isn't just fought by the pilots. You're one of the countless support staff that design, repair, and enhance the Jaegers for maximum kaiju-smashing potential.

3. Scientist: Biologist, physicist, kaiju groupie. You study these horrific monsters so you can figure out how to destroy them...or you just really have a thing for alien anatomy.

4. Mission Control: Off the front lines but not out of the battle. You're watching the monitors, dealing out the orders, and generally making sure your Jaeger pilots don't do anything more stupid than normal.

5. Civilian: A black market dealer in kaiju organs, a reporter trying to get her big scoop, or just some poor schmuck trying not to get stepped on. You're one of the folks that the Jaegers are fighting for.

6. Other: Go wild.

Scenarios:

1. Preparations: Dealing with kaiju is a process, not a moment. Pilots need to physically and mentally hone their strength, engineers need to perfect the Jaeger weaponry and armor, scientists need to run their experiments, and black market dealers need to make their money.

2. First Neural Handshake: It's time to Drift with your partner. You'll experience each others' most painful secrets, joyous memories, and the time you got drunk and made out with the captain of the football team. Hang on, it'll be a bumpy ride.

3. Downtime: Chill out, have a beer, pretend the world isn't ending. You can explore the thriving towns that have grown up amongst the kaiju remains or just stay in the Shatterdome doing combat practice. However you relax, you've earned it.

4. Kaiju Detected: Battle stations, folks. Get to your cockpit, your command post, or your underground bunker. The monsters are coming, and they ain't gonna stop until someone does something about them.

5. Combat Mode: It's go time! You're in the heat of things, punching these otherworldly abominations in the face with your awesome. Remember to call your attacks; it makes them more powerful if you shout their names first.

5. Aftermath: Job well done, folks. Sit back, enjoy the celebrations, put another tick mark on your kill count...and if necessary, mourn the dead.

6. Other: Go further wild.

Comments

[symbiosys]

[Very few people know the whole story about her past. The truth is that some of that sharpness was innate, and some of it was Root's overwhelming need to do better than everyone around her-- to be better than all of them-- at everything she set her mind to. Hacking, fighting, manipulating, piloting: everything she does is rooted on the overwhelming need to be better, stronger, just because she can.

She's been shaped by war, certainly; everyone has. But she isn't mentally scarred, or seeking vengeance, or mourning hypothetical people she's lost: Root is being herself, focusing exclusively on being the best at her job and on keeping the kill count high. She fights without fear, because there is nothing left for her to lose: no one is waiting for her to come back from battle, and she has no one to defend or fight for. Sure, she cares about the fate of humanity as a whole-- it's the principle of the thing, really-- but everyone she ever loved or cared for is dead. It's just her and The Machine, and if She dies, Root dies with Her.

She feels Shaw's gaze on her like a physical touch, sending a very pleasant shiver down her spine. Is she...? Oh, Root really hopes she is. She can't be imagining things just because she's so exhausted, can she?]

Flattery will get you everywhere.

[To be fair, Shaw wouldn't even have to flatter her to do whatever she wanted with her: Root would surrender very willingly indeed. Taking Shaw's cue, Root slowly but surely stands up, hissing at the pain and soreness she feels in her entire body. Oh, she's going to be sore for days, and she just can't wait.]

Might want to wear a scarf for the next few days. Everyone will wonder what sorts of interesting things you've been up to.

[indigo5a]

Hn.

[ Everywhere? She's already explored quite a bit of her. But somehow, she doesn't think that's what Root means, not even teasingly. It's not the first time a woman has made a pass at her, but it's definitely never happened after she beat the shit out of them. She smirks.

Shaw rises to her feet, swaying a little unsteadily at first before gaining back her balance. She glances at Root when she mentions the scarf and tilts her head at her. ]

Do I look like a own a scarf?

[ Besides, who cares, it's just a bruise. People already think all kinds of things about Sameen Shaw. Stone cold bitch. Bad attitude. Maybe if they added kinky to that list, they wouldn't think she was such an automaton. ]

[symbiosys]

[Root really wouldn't mind it if Sameen explored so much more of her, and it shows on her expression, from the way her eyes darken at the sight of the other woman and the state she is in, to the way she bites her already bruised lip at the sight of Shaw smirking. A girl can dream, right?]

I don't know, Sameen. Your file didn't mention fashion styles or accessories you're fond of, [she says with a shrug, but her nonchalance quickly turns into mischief when her lips curl into a devious smirk. It's just so much fun to toy with her that Root has already decided she's going to do it whenever she can.] Personally, I think those bruises look very nice around your neck.

[She really wishes Shaw could have given her a matching set.]

[indigo5a]

[ She probably thinks so because she's the one who put them there. Shaw doesn't really care one way or the other how busted her opponents look after a fight with her. But maybe there is some degree of satisfaction in marking someone if you actually find them worthwhile. ]

You shouldn't rely so much on files, then.

[ Though maybe it's easier to condense someone like Shaw into the pages of a file. None of the emotional baggage and psychiatric work-ups to complicate things. She turns and walks toward the showers, unraveling the tape on her hands as she goes. ]

[symbiosys]

[It's equal parts satisfaction at marking a worthy opponent and genuinely enjoying the sight of bruised skin. Root has never been particularly fond of gentle touches and tender lovemaking: she approaches sexual intimacy like she approaches sparring, handling both situations like they're a fight for dominance, and most of the time, that's exactly what they are.

But there's something about bruises and broken skin that speaks to her, that reminds her of everything that she overcame on her way to the top, of everything she's been battling against ever since. Bodies can be bruised and broken, but they heal again; pain helps to keep her grounded, and it reminds her that she's stronger than everything she has faced in her life.]

Is that a subtle invitation to get to know each other better? [She follows after Shaw and walks by her side, glancing at her hands as she unravels the tape.] If I can't rely on your file, maybe meeting up for coffee or hard liquor would be a better course of action.

[indigo5a]

[ She balls up the tape as it comes off her hand, tossing it into a bin by the door of locker room they pass through. She flexes her fingers, cracking knuckles that look a bit red from all the blows they've put in. Her hands are calloused too, from holding weapons during training. Bruises are already blooming on her skin here and there ... not just around her neck. To her, they don't mean anything, good or bad. Though she does note that it's been a while since she's sustained this many marks.

She snorts at the suggestion that she meant it as an invitation. Nothing will discourage this Root, will it? ]

Thought we agreed that neither of us are looking for a co-pilot. [ She stops in front of her locker and yanks it open, pulling off her dog-tags to hang inside. She tugs off the tie from her ponytail, tossing that in the locker too as her hair shakes loose. ]

[symbiosys]

[In contrast, Root's hands are smoother, almost delicate, from doing mostly tech work on her Jaeger. She could fool anyone into believing she's fragile if it weren't for the bruises forming all over her body, or the blood staining her skin and clothes.

Shaw's reaction makes her pout in a very exaggerated manner. No, nothing will discourage her from trying to get closer, or from trying to get a reaction out of Sameen Shaw, not when she's just realized how interesting it is to push her buttons and find out what makes her tick.]

We did, but I'm new here and the teachers told me I should play nice and make some friends.

[Well, she isn't lying, not completely. The big names back home did tell her to play nice, and she really doesn't know anyone else in this base. As for not wanting or looking for a co-pilot, well... she'd rather not admit that she's terribly curious about what it would be like to drift with Shaw.

She watches the other woman for a moment, before realizing that watching someone you just fought while she's getting ready to take a shower is probably frowned upon by most societies. So Root tears her eyes away from that beautiful hair and goes on to locate her own locker, just a couple of rows to the side.]

[indigo5a]

Hn.

[ Friends. Shaw doesn't have friends. Well, she had Cole. But not anymore.

What Root really means is that the higher-ups wanted them to meet 'n' greet to see if they'll mesh as a team. Maybe they even predicted that they'd end up sparring. A number of teams actually start out this way, because there's a certain rhythm to it that can help in getting in-tune with each other. Of course, they usually don't end up in a dirty brawl like Shaw and Root just did, with all the hair pulling and underhanded moves like choking.

She strips her clothes off without hesitation. It's not like she has anything that the other woman doesn't. And even if there were men there, they would know better than to gawk. She'd cut them.

She wraps a towel around herself and walks past Root toward the showers, glancing back over her shoulder with an arched brow that seems to say that she knows Root was looking, earlier. ]

[symbiosys]

[The lack of a proper verbal response is disappointing, but not at all surprising, given what she knows of the other woman. She's right, of course: the higher ups did want them to meet and test out any possible chemistry between them, but Root wouldn't have done it if she hadn't been genuinely curious about the other pilot. She's had enough of half assed drifting with mediocre co-pilots: she'd rather fly solo, perform beautifully and have a shorter lifespan, than resort to shitty co-pilots and have a less skillful performance in battle. Those are her priorities; it's not like Root ever thought she would have a very long life.

She doesn't look at Shaw while the other woman is undressing, respecting her privacy, but she can make an educated guess on how confidently and casually she's doing it by sound alone. Root doesn't waste any time, either: she takes her own clothes off without any hesitation whatsoever, wrapping a towel around her body when she's done. It's only when Sameen walks past her that she looks in her direction again, and she smirks in reply to that arched brow, defying her now just like she did when they were sparring.]

Do you need a hand with washing your back?

[Her voice is saccharine sweet but her smile is positively devious. Root walks past Shaw and towards the nearest shower stall, not expecting any kind of answer from her.]

[indigo5a]

[ Nope, it doesn't get an answer. But Shaw does eye some of that damage she did on Root's body. She carries it well, considering. Lots of people would be bitching and moaning after taking a beating like that. Shaw wonders if Root is like her, and senses pain a little differently. ]

You've got blood in your hair, [ she says instead, maybe a little smugly. She pulls off her towel and hangs it on the hook outside the stall before stepping in and turning on the water full blast. It's cold, and takes a few seconds to heat up. It stings, but feels good. ]

[symbiosys]

[Root feels Sameen's eyes on her, and if it makes her feel warm all over again, well... she's doing her best to hide that, really. The pilot definitely senses pain a little differently: her ridiculously high tolerance to pain has earned her very strange looks, as well as snide remarks about how S. Groves and her Jaeger are both machines. (Which she has always considered a compliment, so the joke's on them.) But on top of tolerating pain levels that would bring most humans to their knees, Root genuinely enjoys pain, to an extent. She enjoys feeling it and she enjoys inflicting it, and her very peculiar tastes definitely made her fight with Shaw a lot more interesting.

At Shaw's comment about her hair, Root smirks at her, hanging her own towel on the hook outside the glass stall. Anyone else would probably feel self conscious about showing their body and their scars to a complete stranger, but Root isn't like most people, and her scars aren't just battle scars: there are several gunshot scars to her upper arms and shoulders, a cut scar on her abdomen, and various other scars scattered throughout her body, showing all the places where she suffered cuts or burns. She led a very interesting life before becoming a pilot.]

Thank you for noticing, [she purrs, turning her own shower on. Unlike Shaw, she waits for it to get warmer before stepping in.] Is it my blood or yours?

[It doesn't really matter, either way, but she just can't resist teasing her.]

[indigo5a]

[ She's not gonna lie, Root has a nice looking body. Of what she could see of it in the glimpse before she steps behind the frosted glass divide. It's not much of a divide, but provides some modicum of privacy in this public shower. From the quick peek that she got, Root has apparently been through just as much battle as Shaw has. She wonders for a moment that maybe she should have read up on this woman, after all.

And then she reminds herself that she shouldn't be curious because she doesn't need a damn co-pilot. ]

Everyone bleeds red, [ she says with a shrug. It sounds pretty diplomatic, but what she really means is, you and I. ]

[symbiosys]

[Shaw isn't the only one who likes what she's seeing: Root definitely thinks the other pilot has a very nice body, too. It's been a long time since she's been this attracted to someone, but her attraction is far from being purely physical: it's also her fighting skills, her Jaeger kill count, her high tolerance to pain, her personality, and how she never stopped fighting until she had no more energy left in her to do so.

She wonders what it would be like to Drift with her, but most of all, she wonders if Sameen Shaw would be able to keep up with Root and Her. She doesn't want a co-pilot-- she certainly doesn't need one either-- but even she can't help wondering what they could achieve together. Would Drifting work at all? And if it did, just how powerful would they be?

Root is distracted from her thoughts when she hears the other woman speak, and watches her shrug through the frosted glass. Her smile is audible in her voice.]

How philosophical of you. [Idly, she can't help thinking how there's something weirdly intimate about having someone else's blood on her skin, mingling with her own.] I don't mind blood, as long as I still have enough left in me to keep on fighting.

[indigo5a]

[ Pretty much. Blood and gore, it doesn't bother Shaw the way it might normal people. Then again, it's hard to be squeamish and still be a soldier in times like these. Shaw probably would've made a pretty good doctor too, able to patch people up without blinking an eye at the suffering.

But piloting Jeagers, that's what she's best at. And she'll be doing it until it gets her killed. Jaeger pilots have a short lifespan, and she doesn't expect to defy expectations on that score. Not with the kaiju coming at the rate that they are. ]

... why do you do it?

[ For humanity? To protect the innocent? It seems somewhat wishy washy for Root. ]

[symbiosys]

[It doesn't bother Root, either; she's used to seeing things that would make most people recoil in horror. Indeed, injuries and wounds don't affect her... unless it's the Machine that's been 'injured', that is. Root's connection to Her goes beyond being Her pilot, and when She's damaged during battle, Root's perky demeanour quickly changes into recklessness and desperation.

Root rinses her hair as she answers that question.]

Because I can, [she says simply, with the clear certainty of someone who is absolutely confident in their abilities. She's cocky, of course, but Root never saw the point in being modest about her skills when she's so damn good at what she does.] Because after becoming the greatest hacker alive, I needed a bigger challenge-- the ultimate challenge, if you will. Having my own action figures and saving the world are very nice bonuses.

[She turns around and leans back against the tile wall, hissing at the sudden coldness against her warm skin. Root lets her head fall back, and glances at the other woman through the glass.]

And you? Why do you do it?

[indigo5a]

[ Root's cockiness earns her an eyeroll, but Shaw doesn't doubt that it's well earned. You don't take a beating like that without having some skills. The hacking thing could be exaggerated, but it doesn't really matter.

The idea of having a challenge is something Shaw could related to, because she is a competitive person. Mostly it's against herself, because people tend to get a little pissy when you beat them too many times. It's just easier to mark your progress against yourself.

But the real reason why she does what she does ...]

I'm good at it.

[ Killing things, that is. And if she wasn't killing kaiju, she has a feeling she would probably be killing something else. It's better this way, to channel her focus on things that won't actually land her in the brig. ]

[symbiosys]

[Root thinks she can see an eyeroll through the glass stall, but she could be wrong. Let her eyeroll all she wants, the hacker really doesn't mind; she knows she's the best at what she does.

Well. As far as hacking goes, that is; she has quite the competition when it comes to being the greatest pilot alive, and the only thing separating her from her best competitor is a thin wall of frosted glass. They're evenly matched, on the mat and out of it-- even their kill counts are frighteningly similar-- and Root doesn't know if she wants to defeat Shaw or partner up with her.

Probably both. Definitely both.]

You really are, [Root agrees, thinking back to all those videos she watched of her while doing her research. Indeed, Sameen Shaw is very good at killing things, and Root almost wishes she could see her ripping Kaiju apart with her bare hands. Her strong, very talented hands.]

Our kill counts are some of the highest in the entire Jaeger program and we are two of the best pilots alive. I guess that trying to partner us up just proved irresistible to the higher ups.

[indigo5a]

[ And maybe her CO wants to teach her some life lesson. Losing someone is painful but you can't be stuck in a rut forever or some kind of bullshit like that. The loss of Cole is more complicated than just any other death. Shaw didn't think she needed a partner in the beginning either. But they started from the ground up. It took a lot of work and patience, mostly from him. In a lot of ways, Cole was the stronger one than Shaw ever could be.

Idiot dies protecting her, and that's just inconsiderate. Didn't he know he wasn't doing her any favors?

She stands under the shower, letting her hair fall over her face. ]

And two killing machines make one bigger and better one?

[ There might be a slight edge to her voice, the darkness she can't quite keep at bay on her own. ]

[symbiosys]

[That is new. The slight change to her voice draws Root's attention immediately, and so does the way the other woman lets her hair fall over her face, almost like she's hiding. Root frowns, but doesn't let her own change of expression show on her voice.]

Not quite.

[She read about Cole, too, of course; she had to, because he was an essential part of Sameen's life as a Jaeger pilot. It didn't take long for Root to realize that Cole and Shaw shared a bond far greater than the bond Root had created with any of her temporary co-pilots, and losing someone that close to her was bound to have an effect. Maybe that's why the other woman is so adamant about not needing a co-pilot, or maybe it's something else; Root doesn't know. She would really like to find out, though.]

We aren't machines, Shaw. Our job would be a lot easier if we were. [She speaks calmly, as if she's talking about something as ordinary as the weather.] As it is, we are made of the same organic matter as everyone else, with our flawed minds and our flawed hearts.

[Is she rambling, or even missing the point? Probably a little bit, but Root really can't help it. She has a lot of feelings and thoughts about machines and humans.]

[indigo5a]

Hn.

[ The flaws of man. Shaw knows all about that. Not just because she's seen what desperate people are capable of, but because she understands herself better than anybody. It took her a while to realize that she possessed a defect. Though to her credit, she's used it to great advantage and made something of it in this bold new world.

Somehow, it surprises her to hear such lofty philosophy from Root. Maybe Shaw has the wrong impression of the woman. She's not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. She runs her fingers through her hair, washing out the sweat and blood that's tangled there from the fight. ]

And what's your flaw?

[ And to Shaw's own surprise, she wants to know how she'll answer. ]

[symbiosys]

[Root knows herself better than anybody, too. She never let anyone else slip past her walls, not since she was twelve, and she's quite comfortable like that. Establishing actual human connections makes it harder to manipulate and use other people in the long run, after all.

Her biggest flaw? Well, that's easy. Root has spent far too long wishing she was made of metal and circuitry to know what her biggest flaw is.]

Being human. [She steps under the water again, seeking its warmth. One glance down at her arms and legs is enough to show her the many bruises that are already forming under her skin.] We're too soft, too pliable; our minds break almost as easily as our bodies. No one programmed us or designed us, we're just bad code. Random accidents in the global gene pool, with far too many glitches and programming errors.

[So much for making a good impression. Not that Root would be able to hide her thoughts as a misanthrope and a transhumanist for too long; it's not like she keeps them a secret, anyway.]

It would be easier, being a machine.

[indigo5a]

[ And yet, Shaw is as close to a machine as a human can probably get. At least, this is what she used to think about herself. She could push herself harder and further than most people precisely because she felt so little, emotionally and physically. Like a machine. And sure, it's easier to deal with this fucked up world when you can disconnect like Shaw can. But she never really thought that anybody would want to do such a thing.

Maybe sometimes, people experience so many bad feelings that they think it's better to not have any at all. Seems like a cop-out, to Shaw. But it's easy for her to say, isn't it? ]

Is that why you don't need a partner?

[symbiosys]

[It's not that Root needs to escape from her thoughts and feelings, not exactly; she just doesn't like the restrictions of a human body. Because she's human, she can't pilot the Machine alone for long periods of time, or her brain will pay the price; it would be easier if she could have her human soul inside of a machine's body. Root has always loved efficiency, after all. (Or maybe she could just merge with the Machine's core system after she's gone... she'd like that quite a bit.)

It's not like she doesn't enjoy or feel comfortable in her body, either: Root likes pain almost as much as she likes pleasure, and even craves intimacy on occasion. Nothing that an affair with a bright eyed technician in awe of S. Groves can't fix, but she's tired of reverence and admiration: just once, she would love it if she could find an equal, someone who she can fight for dominance in bed just like she always fights for dominance in battle. Someone just like Shaw.

She wonders if the higher ups predicted that would happen, too.]

I don't need a partner, but my nervous system does. You know as well as I do just how damaging it is to Drift alone. That's the only reason I've accepted temporary partners.

[Root shampoos her hair again, just in case. While she absolutely doesn't mind the scent of blood, she hates finding bits of clotted blood in her hair after showering.]

I haven't found anyone worthy of Her yet. At this rate, I'll probably die from neurological damage before that happens.

[indigo5a]

[ And there she goes again with her reverse psychology bullshit. Well if Root wants to trick her into accepting the co-pilot chair, she's gonna be sorely disappointed. Yeah, Shaw's a bit curious about The Machine. Who hasn't heard about it, after all? Shaw knows all about the Jaegers that have impressive track records. And yes, she can be a proud type who doesn't take any put-downs like you're not worthy to pilot that Jaeger. But she's also smarter than these mind games. ]

Well I'm not gonna be your little neural conduit.

[ Root isn't looking looking for a partner. She wants a damn stopgap. Shaw isn't sure if she should be annoyed or disappointed. ]

[symbiosys]

[Root rinses her hair for the second time, running her fingers through the wet strands. She blinks at both Shaw's words and her tone, slightly surprised that she sounds so annoyed. Shockingly enough, Root didn't want to use reverse psychology this time, unlike what happened during their fight: she was simply stating a fact, and she didn't want to offend the other woman. Oh, she has no problem trolling or even offending other people, but only when she means to do so; she doesn't want to be a little shit accidentally.]

I don't want you to. You're one of our best pilots, and I would never disrespect you and your career by using you as a tool.

[It's the truth. Is she curious about what it's like to Drift with S. Shaw? Absolutely. Would she use her like she used those novice pilots, as a means to achieve an end? Never.

Root sighs. She doesn't kiss and tell, and she has always kept the Machine's secrets, but she's starting to think that the other woman needs to know a little more about this situation so she can understand everything a little better.]

I can't choose my hypothetical partner, Sameen, and neither can our bosses: only She can make that decision. [Root turns the water off and stands there for a moment, pondering how much she can-- and should-- reveal.] None of my previous co-pilots have been actual partners because She thought they weren't good enough for me, or for Her.

[Every Jaeger is lifeless, devoid of anything but metal, hydraulics, and basic Jaeger programming... except for the Machine. The truth is that, inside that metal skeleton and all of its components, the Machine isn't an empty shell at all.]