To Fight Monsters, We Created Monsters (Pacific Rim)

Chapter 17: Parachute

2025, January 4 – 17:25 – Hong Kong Shatterdome, Hong Kong, China

Raleigh Becket had walked into the Kwoon in hopes of getting in a few spars with Greyson Darcy. Entering the place was an easier feat than trying to get the girl up from the mat. "What are you doing?"

She was sprawled across the training mat, fingers laced behind her dark hair in a form of a pillow. "Resting," was what Greyson answered. Her face scrunched when the overhead lights appeared to dim. Upon peeking open her eyes, Greyson blinked up at Raleigh's expectant face. "Hi."

"Twenty says you can't beat me on the hanbo," Raleigh challenged, extending his hand to assist his friend to her feet.

Greyson took it gratefully, already sporting a look of amusement. "Make it fifty and you're on." After walking off to shrug out of Chuck Hansen's jacket (the leather one with the ten Kaiju head decals on the back; that of which she may or may not have 'borrowed' from its owner), she kicked off her shoes and picked up a hanbo.

"I'm telling you the same thing I did Mako," Raleigh said quietly, maneuvering the long stick in his grasp.

"Rals, we've been in each other's heads. I think I know—"

"The focus here is Compatibility."

"Do you ever get tired of hearing your voice?" Greyson placed her phone on top of the pile of her belongings, adjusting the music volume to its maximum. A familiar set of bars weaved into the air, and the nostalgia of late-nights and mediocre school dances came rushing back to her.

Like a gift from the heavens, it was easy to tell / It was love from above that could save me from hell

Raleigh and Greyson passed each other on the mat, almost sizing each other up. Greyson could hear her heart beat in her ears; it's been a long time since she's fought in the Kwoon. Even longer since she's fought with Raleigh.

The latter bowed to the former when she turned around, albeit mockingly. Standing up straight, she warned, repeating his words from before: "I'm not going to dial-down my moves."

The music wafted throughout the combat room, and Greyson's movements appeared to follow it easily. She had fire in her soul, it was easy to see / How the devil himself could be pulled out of me

Raleigh's brow arched before he nodded to her. They both swung the hanbos in their grips, advancing slightly to the other. He made the first move, though she had anticipated it. After one block, Greyson came face-to-face with the stick. Déjà vu.

"One, zero."

There were drums in the air as she started to dance / Every soul in the room keeping time with their hands

Greyson's teeth clenched when her jaw set, and she angled a swing to Raleigh's hip. As she had expected, he deflected it. With the other end of the hanbo, she made a confirmed hit. There was a bittersweet grin that pulled at her lips.

Raleigh huffed. Focus: it was the only word he said to her then. There was a look he gave her that she couldn't quite decipher.

Like a piece of the puzzle that falls into place / You could tell how we felt from the looks on our faces

They both took a few strokes of the arm, circling each other, striking; their movements were swift, fluid thoughts. Greyson could feel it in the air; their actions were mirroring each other's. Becket had gotten ahead of her with a 2-1. She immediately retaliated by swiping at his feet, bringing him down on one knee.