The Pacific

The Pilots

The next day, you woke up before anybody else to get some exercise in. Since starting your new life as a Jaeger pilot, you've had specific fitness requirements which you have to meet monthly to remain considered 'fit to pilot'.
You started with a variety of pull-ups, pushups, and lunges, before taking a fifteen-minute break, then another run on the treadmill.

"Those bastards took everything from me… I'm going to become the strongest pilot ever and I'm going to put an end to the Kaiju once and for all!" You thought to yourself as you pushed harder and faster, until you maxed out the speed on the treadmill, dripping with sweat yet refusing to stop. That is when Ichigo entered the gym as well.

"I'ma kill them all… I swear I will. Nothing's gonna stop me now…" You muttered to yourself, not even realizing that Ichigo is present.

Eventually, the treadmill timed out and inched to a stop, when you then realized that she's watching you.

"Hey." You said nonchalantly, panting and wheezing for air.

"Hello, you shouldn't push yourself too hard. You'll only damage your body if you push too hard." She replied with care in her voice.

"I'll be fine. I just have a mission." You said sternly.

"You're getting deployed again?" She asked nervously.

"No. This is personal. The Kaiju have taken everything I ever loved, leaving me as an orphan from a few months back. I made myself a promise that I will stop the Kaiju, no matter what the cost." You said sternly.

"Surely some people you knew made it out though? You can't do this alone, you'll die!" She said nervously.

"Well, it's not like I'll be leaving anything behind. Excuse me if I sound negative, but I refuse to take it easy while those freaks are running around killing anybody that they cross. They took my family and all of my friends. I've got nothing left to lose." You replied seriously, giving her a look of determination.

"Kokoro is your friend now, isn't she? Can we be friends? I don't want you to be in this alone. If you're going to get them, I'm coming with you." She said sternly.

"We only just met yesterday. We haven't done any sort of compatibility test outside of the test we all went through, but I suppose we can be friends if you want?" You said seriously.

"I'm sorry for your loss, just please, don't go out there doing anything reckless. I'll take you upon that offer." She replied, receiving a chuckle from you.

"No promises. As they say, if you know yourself and know the enemy, you need not fear the result of a thousand battles. If you know yourself, but not the enemy, for every victory comes a defeat. If you know not the enemy or yourself, you will succumb to every battle. Keep that in mind." You replied confidently before exiting the gym to go and grab a snack, giving her a wink on the way out.

"Keep that in mind, huh?" She muttered as your words played on her mind.

Upon entering the cafeteria, you encountered Kokoro again.

"Hey, where did you run off to so early in the morning?" She asked curiously.

"I had to get some exercise in. This place has a fitness requirement to pilot. If you fall short then they'll boot you off the base and to the civilian sector." You replied nonchalantly.

"It can't be that bad, can it?" She asked curiously.

"Believe me, the civilian sector is struggling at the moment. Due to a lack of resources for the number of people there, food is scarce, and with just about all food sources in the outside world demolished by the Kaiju, people have to ration their food and make a single ration last the entire day from morning 'til night." You said sternly.