Pacific Rim: Legacy

Chapter 24 - Analia/Ezra

Ezra's grip tightened on the controls, his knuckles white beneath his gloves as Gypsy Avenger hurtled through the shattered remains of Tokyo. The city's neon lights blurred past in streaks of blue and red, the distant flames from burning buildings casting eerie shadows on their path. The thruster mounted on their Jaeger's arm roared to life, the powerful force propelling them forward with a bone-rattling intensity that made every metal joint in the Jaeger groan.

"We only got one shot at this," Ezra muttered, the weight of the mission heavy in his chest. He could feel the responsibility pressing down on him like the weight of Gypsy's massive frame, the reality of what they were about to do sinking in.

"Yeah!" Jake shouted over the roar of the engines, his voice cutting through the chaos with raw determination. "Then let's make it count."

The thruster's blast sent a shockwave through the Jaeger, the entire frame trembling as they shot forward, weaving between the skeletal remains of skyscrapers and dodging debris from crumbling structures. The speed was exhilarating and terrifying all at once; the cityscape blurred into a streaked tapestry of chaos, and Ezra could feel the vibrations reverberating through every inch of his body.

Behind them, Scrapper, the small Jaeger that Shao had sent to assist, struggled to keep its balance. The force of Gypsy's thruster had launched it backward, and Ezra watched as it tumbled over the top of their Jaeger before becoming lodged in one of the shoulder joints. Metal scraped against metal, the high-pitched screech echoing through the Conn-Pod as sparks flew.

"I'm stuck!" Shao's voice crackled through the comms, panic edging her words.

Jake's eyes flicked to the display, assessing the situation. "Stay there!" he barked. "You're an extra ton we can drop on that thing!"

The added weight threw Gypsy's balance off, and Ezra gritted his teeth as he fought to keep their trajectory steady. The Jaeger lurched, tilting to one side as it plowed through the remains of a collapsed building. Glass shattered against their armor, and chunks of concrete and steel skittered across the ground as they skidded, sending tremors through the cockpit. Ezra's hands moved quickly, making split-second adjustments as they struggled to regain control.

The Jaeger's frame shuddered violently, the whole structure creaking under the immense pressure. Ezra felt the vibrations rattling up his arms, every jolt a reminder of how precarious their situation was. Finally, with a concentrated effort, he and Jake managed to align Gypsy Avenger with the glimmering face of a nearby skyscraper. The building's glass surface reflected the Jaeger's battered form as they used it as a makeshift ramp, launching themselves into the air. The sensation was dizzying; the city fell away beneath them, and for a split second, they were airborne, suspended above the chaos.

"She's coming apart!" Jake yelled, his voice strained as Gypsy Avenger's frame groaned, pieces of armor snapping off and plummeting to the streets below. The Jaeger's arms quivered, barely holding together as they ascended the building.

Ezra's heart pounded in his chest. He could see the cracks spreading across the Jaeger's HUD display, red warnings flashing like angry eyes. "Almost there!" he shouted, eyes locked on the target ahead. The wind howled around them, debris whipping through the air as they rocketed upward, the city shrinking below.

As they reached the peak of their ascent, the thruster sputtered. Ezra's breath caught in his throat as the Jaeger's momentum faltered. Suddenly, they were weightless, suspended in the air for a heartbeat before they began their freefall. Gypsy Avenger plummeted, their trajectory now a steep dive aimed directly at Mount Fuji. The wind rushed past, a deafening roar that filled the Conn-Pod.

Ezra's stomach lurched violently, the sensation of freefall making his insides twist. The ground rushed up to meet them, the jagged landscape below a blur. "I'm gonna puke," he managed to say, the nausea threatening to overwhelm him.