𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤. | 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐢𝗺 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 |

[𝙴𝚙𝚒𝚜𝚘𝚍𝚎 𝟶] 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐

Giants clashed within the city, howls and mechanical cries sounded out in booms. Buildings crashed and crumbled underneath their battle, the shockwaves of their clash toppled cars and trees, even the foundations of buildings.

   The two giants continued their clash, but one clearly had the upper hand, the Kaiju. An enormous monster spanning many miles tall and weighing many a ton.

   This one was a category IV, codename Shankjaw, a name fitting the knife-like armor under its massive, gaping mouth. The Jaeger was a Mark 2, built to speedily take down category III Kaiju and lower. Get in and out as fast as possible. Scraped together back in 2016, it had limited weapons. This Jaeger was the Shadow Gazer.

  It was made to deal with categories III and lower... An armored category IV like this... The American and Australian pilots knew they weren't going to get out of this alive, but they had to try anyway.

   The two female pilots looked to each other just once and nodded, feeling each other's emotions and thoughts. It was a silent goodbye filled with love, and one with regret as well, a day away from knowing...

   They fired up the last of their missiles, letting those distract the Kaiju while they slashed at its legs with the blades that appeared out of their feet, it was iconic for that, the blades reminiscent of an ice skater that slashed through low category Kaiju like butter.

  While it was widely known of the unfortunate environmental impacts of Kaiju blood, with the tougher category kaiju coming from the breach and the decrease in Jaegers, the Shadow Gazer's swords were used more often.

   The missiles exploded onto their target, the worst it did to the Kaiju was make it scuttle back. The slash, however, did massive damage to its movement.

   "We always did say we wanted to tackle bigger opponents." One of the ladies said, her skin glossed with sweat and reddened with heat. The Kaiju went in for a stab, and both women caught it with the Jaegers hands, just barely before it stabbed the Jaegers in the chest.

   "Well, we both knew that wasn't gonna happen unless they upgraded our old lady. But look where we are." The other one, she looked smaller than her co-pilot, sassed. Desperately trying to keep the Shankjaw from throwing them like a rag doll.

   "Ha, yeah. Never did get that upgrade. Later, we should complain to Marissa. She'll have to give it to us after this."

   There was a silence in the air, both heard the same thought. 'If there is a later.' both hoped that thought was just pessimistic, but both were realists in their own ways, both knew that this was a failing situation.

   The Kaiju drew back, and they narrowly avoided getting hit by the knife-like jaw of the Kaiju.

   "Should we use the kinetic charge?"

   "I don't think it'd get through its armor."

   The bigger woman sighed, "it's the only weapon we have left. And with how much we've been moving there has to be enough charge—"

   "Ah!" The Kaiju's tail swept at the purple Jaeger, the giant fell on its side while the monster stomped on its middle, keeping the thin robot in place, even as it struggled in vain.

   "Damn it, isn't there anyone they can send for backup?!" The taller yelled.

   "You know there are no more Jaegers close to this area. We'll just have to deal." The tinier one exclaimed back.

   "BIT, activate the kinetic blaster, full charge!" Blazing eyes almost matched the adrenaline-filled rush inside of the confident woman.

  "Blaster charge at 98% percent, get ready to fire." The voice of a British man, one with a pleasing voice that sounds like he hadn't gone through puberty yet had said.