With the latest fight revealing the organisations of DEMOHN and MECH being the ones creating the mech Obsidian, it came to Morato and Commander James' attention that these terrorists might be preparing for something big. However, they decided to keep it under wraps and not tell anyone, not even Matilda or Ritsuko. They didn't want anyone else to know about this.
At the same time, both Linx and Shinobu arrived in Manhattan-2.0, and they were informed as to what has happened over the little while. They soon met up with Kieron and Hawk, the four of them having known each other beforehand when they were actually cadets in flight school before becoming Jaeger pilots. Shinobu was a bit slow to talk to Amy, the latter being a bit hard to talk to. Linx was excited for meeting Shawn, the latter rather interested in Linx's Jaeger and what there is as in terms of weaponry. However, Linx didn't seem to really like Asuka, which Shinobu also agreed with, and they didn't seem to keen to hear Asuka again smack-talking about Braedey. Shinobu and Linx were curious about Braedey, but they couldn't find him on the base. They took a guess that's he's home, but Shawn explained that he's in the medical ward after the recent fight with the rouge Jaeger Obsidian.
~*~*~
Right now, both Linx and Shinobu were looking at some footage of the latest fights with the SHIELD Jaegers against the Demons and the rouge Jaeger, although they were more impressed by the sheer strength by both JetBlackStar and Prime.
"I have to say, that's some wicked fighting styles." Linx commented to Shawn. "Where did you guys learn something like that?" He asked.
"Actually, I had some training, but Braedey has no training at all with piloting Jaegers. I'm not even sure he knows any of those fighting styles." Shawn replied back, much to Linx and Shinobu's confusion. "It's something that the doctor has been trying to fix, but to no avail."
"I see. Is that the reason why he's over in the medical ward?" Linx asked.
"Yeah. It's been like this for a little while." Shawn sighed. "It seems like there is something deep within Jaeger Prime that's been causing the mental blackouts to Braedey, but nobody seems to know what or why."
"Well, whatever it is..." Kieron looked to the screen, just as Jaeger Prime performed the killing blow to the Demon. "It is really making a name for itself around Braedey, and some aren't too pleased about it."
"However, with the introduction of this rouge Jaeger and the appearance of DEMOHN and MECH, what does this mean?" Shinobu asked, getting the other's attention. "You've never heard of DEMOHN?" She asked to the other pilots.
"Don't you mean Demon? Like the things we've been fighting against?" Shawn questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"DEMOHN. It's an acronym." Shinobu clarified to them. "It translates into 'Demonic Empowering Man Over Humane Normality'. They are a terrorist organisation who believe the Demons are the saviours to exact their revenge against any who are the against the Demons. They believe in nothing but the Demons and that they are the superior race compared to humanity, and they will stop anyone who tries to get in their way."
"Do you think they're responsible for sending in the Jaeger Obsidian?" Amy then asked, walking into the room to see the other pilots.
"That is already confirmed, thanks to finding the very symbol of DEMOHN inside of the core." Kieron reported to them, producing a file with what's found. "And it seems that MECH assisted with the construction of the main body and systems of the rouge."
"But how did they get the parts?" Shinobu asked.
"Possibly salvaged parts from prototype Jaegers that had been abandoned in a decommissioned scrapyard." Kieron took a guess. "And there is one in the USA that stands out." He then pointed to the map he had in hand.
"Santa Monica, of all places." Shawn sighed. "If any Demons find out about Jaeger activity there, we'll be fighting on the Eastern AND the Western Fronts."
"It won't be a problem at the moment, Shawn." The others all looked to see Matilda Katsina standing by the door. "Right now, we are all focused on those that are approaching America and in the Europe area. Any sign of Demons heading South towards Oceania, they shall be dealt with by the Jaegers there."
"Alright, then. That takes a bit off my mind." Shawn sighed to himself. He then looked to Matilda. "How's Braedey?" He asked in concern.
"He's recovered from the last fight, but yet again, no recollection of any memories regarding the fight." Matilda clarified.
"Man, you weren't kidding." Shinobu commented to the others, Asuka in the background rolling her eyes. "When will he be operational?" She asked.
"Not for a little while. Unless the Commander orders me to get him ready." Matilda replied back to her. "He's currently in one of the new medical chambers."
"Could we go and see him?" Kieron asked.
"Perhaps. He's still asleep at the moment in the ward, but we might be able to see him." Matilda replied to him.
So, Matilda began to lead the teens off towards the medical ward, Asuka just looking at her nails, while Kieron and Shawn were concerned for Braedey, and Linx and Shinobu and Linx were curious of him. As they enter the ward, they enter a decontamination section, cleaning them up, then they enter the medical wing. Matilda gave her ID card to the head of the wing, who acknowledged their business being here, then they go over to where Jaeger pilots were stationed here. They arrived in one of the rooms, where they could see a pair of chambers standing before them.
"Braedey, you in there?" Shawn asked. He walked up to one of the chambers, then wiped the condensation off the window, revealing the brunette fast asleep in the chamber. "Well, at least he looks okay." He sighed in relief.
"Seems like so." Amy agreed softly. She was oddly reminded of somewhere she knows of, but it was top-secret from anyone except the Commander.
"How long until he gets out of that chamber? I'd like to see him in action soon." Shinobu asked to Matilda.
"I'm afraid he won't be fighting for a while. Given what has occurred, he has to stay here for about 48 hours or so to recuperate." Matilda replied reluctantly, looking to a clipboard she has in her hand. "I just hope the Commander doesn't make me force him awake."
"It'll be a bit of an annoyance for Braedey." Kieron commented, patting the side of the chamber. "I mean, this whole blacking-out thing is getting out of hand, and nobody seems to know why."
"And I want to know why it's happening to him, both in the mental and the physical." Matilda sighed.
Eventually, the group began to leave the medical ward to go and either head home, or maybe to get in some training. But as they do, Amy stood near the chamber housing Braedey, looking at his sleeping face. She shows a tiny smile, wondering what he could possibly be dreaming about, then she left the room.
~*~*~
By the next day, Braedey was still under medical watch and being tended to by the doctors and nurses, but all the while, Ritsuko was doing all the checks she can on the internal systems of Jaeger Prime. Matilda would at times come into the medical ward to see how Braedey was doing, with slow but progressing results. At the same time, the Jaegers were undergoing A.I upgrades and the hydraulics system undergoing modifications for faster reaction times.
As this happened, another Demon suddenly appeared out of thin air in the middle of New York City. It just appeared out of nowhere, much to everyone's surprise. However, it stood about 300m tall, but looked about as thin as a piece of paper from the side, with a set of wings, and nothing but a blank slate of body, as well as a creepy smile on its face.
At once, everyone was set into Condition One battle stations, as they began to go through scans and checks of this new Demon, as well as trying to see if there was anything new about this particular being. They were all working around to get people out of the city and evacuated, plus keeping an eye out for any sign of movement from the Demon.
"Evacuation of the ward will take five more minutes!" One technician called in.
"Target advancing slowly. Rate of speed, 1.2km/h." Hyuga reported.
Dr. Ritsuko looked over to see Matilda running into the command centre. "What kept you?" She asked.
"Sorry! What happened?" Matilda asked to Maya and the technicians. "No report from the radio observation post?"
"It wasn't on their scopes!" Hyuga informed back to Matilda. "It appeared out of nowhere right on top of us!"
"Is it a new type of Demon?" Ritsuko took a guess.
"The Magi are reserving judgment." Maya informed back. "What's our next move?" She asked next.
"Prepare to deploy the Jaegers." James suddenly announced, the women and others looking over to him. "Send out JetBlackStar, Eva, Giant, Striker, and Prime." He ordered.
"But, sir." Ritsuko spoke defiantly, something she rarely does. "Jaeger Prime's Pilot is not ready for deployment. Braedey is still under medical-"
"Jaeger Prime will launch alongside JetBlackStar, Eva, Giant, and Striker." James announced back firmly to the blonde woman. "No exceptions."
With much reluctance, Matilda and Ritsuko got Braedey woken from the medical wing, and he was brought over to Jaeger Prime for deployment. Braedey was still feeling a little sluggish in his movements, much to Ritsuko's concern. Despite this, Braedey was ordered into the Jaeger, and he was deployed alongside the others.
A few minutes later, Jaegers Eva, Giant, JetBlackStar, Striker, and Prime were all deployed in Manhattan, all of them hiding behind some of the buildings and structures, as they eyed the new Demon with both curiosity and concern.
"Do you all read me? As you can see in the data we sent, we don't have a lot to go on." Matilda said to the pilots over the Comms. "Approach the target carefully, and see how it responds. If possible, lure it outside the city. One of you will take point, with the rest providing cover. Got it?"
"Acknowledged." Shawn reported in.
"Understood." Hawk added.
"Roger." Amy replied back.
"I hear you." Braedey replied in addition.
"Ooh! Ms. Katsina! I think Braedey is the best man who should take point!" Asuka called with a smirk, Braedey taken aback by this, the other pilots all narrowing their eyes. "This is obviously a job for the man. For the one who has the grades, one who is the most hold, and who has the number one synchro rate, right?" She smirked to herself.
"Asuka, you're making that stuff up. Stop trying to make Braedey be the lead man." Shawn spoke harshly. "You can be lead woman, for all I care. Don't go dragging Braedey into this."
"Or don't you think you can do it, Braedey?" Asuka asked, seemingly ignoring what Shawn just said, much to his frustration.
"Fine." Braedey snapped suddenly, much to everyone's surprise. "If you want me to do the fighting, then so be it, Asuka. I'll show you how it's done!"
"What did you say to me?!" Asuka demanded in anger.
"Cool your jets, you kids." Hawk spoke out next. "Let's not try and kill one another as of yet."
"Jaeger Prime, moving in to intercept!" Braedey announced, now charging forth.
Asuka fumed in frustration. "Jaeger Eva, providing cover!" She spoke in.
"Jaeger Giant, also providing cover." Amy spoke up next.
"Jaeger JetBlackStar, taking flight now." Shawn then said, the Jaeger firing its engines and taking to the air at once to take a look at the Demon.
Braedey began to sprint towards the Demon's position, the red/blue mech slowing to a stop, now hiding behind the skyscraper, the brunette taking slow breaths as his 3D radar tracked the Demon, which seemed to stop in its tracks. It is like it's sensed Jaeger Prime's position.
"Amy, Shawn, Asuka, what's your 20? Are you in position?" Braedey asked over the Comms.
"Not yet." Amy reported back.
"I'm about 10 minutes away from your current position." Shawn called in next.
"We can't cover that much ground that quickly!" Asuka called back, sounding frustrated.
"I'm about 5 minutes away, Braedey. Hang in there for a little while." Hawk then called in next.
"Where are they?" Braedey asked himself. He looked to his hands, then he clenched his fists. "Alright. I'll take the first shot."
Without a second thought, Braedey deployed Jaeger Prime's right Plasmacaster, and fired two shots at the Demon. The shots strike the beast, the black form now suddenly looking like glass shattering, red cracks now forming across the body as it stands still.
"Bullseye. I've got it." Braedey said to himself. But then, he got some warnings on his screen. "What?"
"What is it?" Matilda called in on Comms.
"Pattern Red! Demon detected! Wait... abnormal wavelengths and gravitational forces being detected!" Hyuga suddenly informed. That made everyone stop.
Shawn flew down onto the top of one building. He could see Jaeger Prime and the Demon, taking note of the cracks and red shattered lines across the body of the latter, but he had a bad feeling going on inside of his body.
Before anyone could say much more, there seemed to be some kind of swirling vortex starting to appear in the middle of the Demon's chest, as if it was being created from all of the red cracks converging onto one single point. In addition, the shadows and lights around the area were all being turned towards the appearing vortex, as if being sucked towards it. A split-second later, there it was; now forming on the Demon's body was...
"BLACK HOLE!" Shawn called out at once.
"A black hole? A Demon just created a black hole?" Ritsuko asked in shock and bewilderment. It sounds far beyond anything they've seen these Demons perform, and this blows this out of proportion.
"Get clear." Amy now called on the Comms.
The other Jaegers all began to try and fall back, some dodging the incoming debris that's being sucked up into the black hole, Shawn taking flight at once. Cars, trucks, billboards, lights, chunks of road and buildings were starting to be drawn towards the black hole, the gravitational forces slowly growing in strength and power during each passing moment.
"The black hole is trying to suck in Jaeger Prime! He's much too close to the Demon!" Hyuga informed suddenly.
"Braedey, get out of there now! Braedey!" Matilda called out on Comms.
Braedey suddenly felt the shifting g-forces now getting to him, and he began to try and run off after the others and their Jaegers, but the gravitational forces being applied by the black hole was starting to pull him in. Thinking fast, Braedey deployed both of Prime's OP-7 Chain Swords, forcing the mech to try and stay fixed to the ground and not be sucked into the black hole. But, despite the strength of the mech, the ground started to give away, and it was slowly starting to draw in the red/blue mech closer to the Demon.
"Braedey!" Amy called.
"What are you doing, you stupid idiot?!" Asuka snapped.
"Move, man!" Shawn called out.
"Miss Matilda! What's happening?! Shawn! Amy!" Braedey called, his voice laced in fear and horror. "I need backup and fast! Miss Matilda, do you read me?!"
"Evac-Pod eject plug! Send the signal!" Matilda ordered.
"Negative! There's no response!" Maya informed, much to Matilda's horror.
"Moving in to intercept!" Shawn called next. He began to fly in close to Jaeger Prime's position to try and get both pilot and mech out and away, but with the gravitational forces now effecting his flying, he had no choice but to fall back, nearly slamming into one or two buildings nearby. "I can't get close!"
Before anyone could say anymore, both swords had snapped in two at their bases, Jaeger Prime becoming airborne for a moment, then slam into the ground. The mech was now being dragged into the black hole by the sheer untold force of the gravitational pull, until eventually, Jaeger Prime was sucked into the black hole, and it sealed shut!
"Braedey!" Shawn and Matilda yelled out.
Nobody moved nor could say a thing after they had just seen what happened. They weren't sure of what to do now, whether to attack or converge, but they knew that if they did, they could risk being sucked into the black hole as well.
"Asuka, Hawk, Shawn, Amy, fall back to base." Matilda ordered suddenly.
"Wait!" Amy called out. She went silent for a moment. "Jaeger Prime and Braedey..."
"They're still inside that monster." Shawn finished.
"That's an order. Retreat now." Matilda ordered again.
The Jaeger pilots all looked to one another, then over to the Demon that had absorbed their fellow pilot and friend, and they've been ordered to abandon him. With that, Shawn fired a flare signal from the Conn-Pod, a signal to tell the pilots to retreat, and all mechs began to walk away.
~*~*~
Sure enough, day had finally turned to a setting sun. Everyone was feeling down and uncertain after what had happened to Jaeger Prime and it's pilot. After that had happened, everyone had gathered up at the centre of Manhattan, so they could discuss about what to do next.
"This must be hard on Major Katsina." Maya sighed deeply.
"When they performed a deep-earth scan on the Demon, there was no response back." Dr. Ritsuko said to Maya.
"But that means..." Maya trailed off.
"There's not much with the Jaegers, especially with the core going into shutdown mode, but if Braedey can refrain from moving around and stay in life-support mode, he can stay alive for 16 hours." Dr. Ritsuko sighed, looking over towards the Demon's form.
Right now, UN forces were nearby, while SHIELD had set up base camp over in Central Park, with the Demon 600m away from the park. Jaegers Eva, JetBlackStar, Giant, IronMech, and Striker were all standing at the ready on all sides of the park, all armed with weapons and armaments.
"UN Forces have set up a perimeter." Hyuga informed to Matilda.
"And the Demon?" Matilda asked.
"No movement." Hyuga reported in next to Matilda, then eyed the many tanks and missile carrier vehicles. "How are ground forces going to be any use against that, though?" He asked incredulously.
"They're here as a show of strength. Directed at us." Matilda scoffed with narrowed eyes. She then looked over to the pilots as they stood nearby, all of them looking at the
"What a mess. He rushed in by himself and ignored the plan. He has no one to blame but himself." Asuka ranted off, her gloating at the fact Braedey got his just-desserts as a result of all this. "Just because the idiot did okay on the tests, he goes, "I'll show you how it's done!" He got too big for his britches!" She laughed mockingly.
Shawn finally had enough, his metal arm snapping into motion. He stormed forward, reared back his metal arm, and he slugged Asuka in the face, knocking her back. Asuka held the right side of her face in pain, then she glared at Shawn, only to see the sheer anger and disgust in his eyes at her.
"You scumbag of a woman..." Shawn spat out. Amy seemed to just give a glare at Asuka, Hawk gripping her revolver's handle, almost like she'll pull it out of the holster. Kieron, meanwhile, he just looked away, eyeing the Demon in the distance.
"What, you don't like it when I bad-mouth Braedey?" Asuka countered, despite the injury she sustained.
"If it wasn't for you and your attitude, Braedey and Jaeger Prime wouldn't have been sucked into the black hole that Demon created!" Shawn barked out angrily. "It's because of you and your attitude at him that lead to this!"
"Ask me this, Asuka. Do you pilot your Jaeger to be praised by others?" Amy then asked.
"No, not by others! I pilot because I want to praise myself!" Asuka spoke back.
"That's enough, all of you!" Matilda spoke out loudly, everyone looking over at her. "It's true, he rushed in without permission. That's why I have to chew him out when he gets back." She then glared at Asuka. "And as for you, Asuka... your fate remains to be seen." That left Asuka a little uncertain of what'll happen soon.
~*~*~
Inside of the Conn-Pod of Jaeger Prime, all was silent. Nothing seemed to move. No lights were on, no sounds being emanated or being created inside the helm of the mech. Braedey seemed to be slumped in the harness and armour, all the while looking like he's not had any sleep or any strength.
"I never thought that sleeping could be so exhausting." Braedey muttered to himself. He looked to his right hand, and he pushed the button on the console next to him.
The front HUD and visor came to life, but as it did so, there was nothing out and beyond Jaeger Prime, all but white like there's nothing at all. It was like a blank canvas beyond Jaeger Prime.
"Nothing but white. No radar or sonar returns... This void is either too big or there's nothing out there." Braedey muttered to himself, then he shuts down the HUD and visor, leaving him in darkness around him.
Braedey then looked to his left wrist, seeing a timer that was on since he ended up here. "It's been almost 12 hours since I had switched over to life-support mode. I guess I only have four to five hours or so to live." He muttered to himself, slumping in the harness. "I'm starving..."
'Please, guys. I'm here. Please come and get me.' Braedey thought to himself in worry and sadness. 'Is anyone out there? I'm all alone...'
~*~*~
Back in Central Park, Dr. Ritsuko and Matilda, alongside Maya and Hyuga, they were all discussing about the Demon and what it was, while the pilots were all listening in.
"The Demon, from all calculations, is roughly 300m tall, while being no more than three nanometers thick." Dr. Ritsuko explained about what the beast was. "It's supporting that super-thin space. The interior is an imaginary numbers space known as the Black Sea. It may be connected to a completely different universe."
"So our target is the black body that had swallowed up Jaeger Prime." Matilda muttered to herself.
"Then there's nothing we can do about it!" Asuka sighed.
"What do you think is inside the black hole?" Hawk asked to Kieron and Shawn. "What might Braedey be seeing inside of there?"
"I don't know, Hawk." Kieron muttered softly, looking to the two damaged remains of the OP-7 Chain Swords that were stabbed in the ground. "I really don't know..."
~*~*~
Back inside of the Conn-Pod, Braedey was slumped in the harness. However, as he now looked around at his surroundings, he saw that the LCL fluid was becoming murky or so.
"The water is getting murky! The filter systems are starting to fail and shut down!" Braedey spoke out in worry, looking left and right, eyeing the fluid floating around him.
Braedey then coughed and gagged at the horrid taste, trying to block out the smell and taste. "Gross, it smells in here..." His eyes snapped open when he then picked up on another smell. "Blood! It smells like blood! Is it... it this my blood?" He asked himself in horror.
Braedey now started to struggle to try and wrench himself out of the harness and his armour, trying to get himself free of this nightmare. But no matter how much he struggled, the clamps and armour stayed firm and locked onto him, keeping him secure and unable to get out. Without anything else to do, he slumped in the harness, his breathing now becoming slow and barely noticeable, as he looked to have accepted death.
'Please... Somebody help me.' Braedey thought with pain and sadness, wanting to get out of this nightmare.
~*~*~
"Am impossible recovery mission of Jaeger Prime with brute force?" Matilda snapped angrily.
Right now, Ritsuko, Matilda, Shawn, and Hawk were all standing around nearby Jaeger JetBlackStar, all four of them talking about the plan that was announced by Commander James back at SHIELD HQ, the latter three of the group of four aghast and furious about the whole plan.
"As things stand, it's the only viable option. We drop our remaining stock of 992 EMP mines on its core area. Concurrently with this, our other Jaegers will use their weaponry to disrupt the Demon's imaginary numbers circuit for one millisecond. At that instant, we focus the explosive energy to destroy the Demon, along with the Black sea that forms it."
"But the Jaeger's frame can't take that kind of force of ordinance... What will happen to Braedey?!" Shawn demanded angrily, Hawk threatening to pull her gun out of the holster.
"What kind of rescue operation is this?!" Matilda asked to Matilda with anger in her eyes.
"The top priority of this operation is the recovery of Jaeger Unit 0-1 Prime." Dr. Ritsuko said back calmly to Matilda and the teens. "Regardless of how heavily damaged the body may become. Under these given circumstances, the pilot is expendable."
Shawn suddenly lunged forward with a yell, knocking Ritsuko down to the ground, and in his hand was one of Hawk's revolvers, which he now had pointed right to her forehead.
"How could you say such a thing?" Shawn demanded from the blonde woman. "You, someone who actually supported Braedey in trying to cure him of his mental blackouts, and you were willing to keep him out of the Jaeger before all of this happened, and now, you see him as expandable?!" He snapped.
Kieron and Linx soon arrived, grabbing Shawn and forcing him off of Ritsuko, Shawn dropping Hawk's gun who she had caught, with Shawn trying to claw and grab at Ritsuko, who got back to her feet, dusting her clothing off.
"Matilda, please trust me. As of right now, I am taking command of all aspects of this operation." Ritsuko said to Matilda, now walking away from the group.
Shawn wrenched himself free from Linx and Kieron. "She doesn't seem to care about Braedey anymore. All that she cares about is Jaeger Prime." He spat out.
"We all are worried about Braedey." Kieron said calmly to him. "But at the moment, there may not be anything we can do to get him or Jaeger Prime back. The theory of black holes is a strange one."
"But, I just hope Braedey is alright." Shinobu sighed, her and Hawk
"Right now... who knows what's going on inside his head or let alone inside that Jaeger..." Kieron sighed, looking back at the Demon.
'Come on, buddy. I know you're still fighting in there. Keep going, not just for us, but for your little sister.' Shawn thought to himself, his metal fist clenching and unclenching. 'I know she wants to see her big brother come home soon.'
~*~*~
Darkness. Alone. Total isolation. Nothing to be seen or to be here. There seemed to be nothing for miles and miles within the pitch blackness.
All except for a lone white silhouette, one with a set of blue eyes, one that was looking at a blue silhouette with white eyes.
"Who's there? Who are you?" Braedey's voice asked with confusion.
"I am Braedey Martin." Braedey's voice replied back? It sounded just like him, maybe a bit lower.
"But that's me." Braedey #1 spoke back.
"I am you." Braedey #2 clarified to his original. "People have another self inside them. The self always consists of two selves. The self that is seen by others, and the self that observes that act."
"I... I guess I understand." Braedey #1 spoke back.
"There are even multiples of the individual that see named Braedey Martin: The other Braedey Martin that's in your own heart." Braedey #2 continued his explanation. "The Braedey in Matilda Katsina's heart. The Braedey in Asuka Soryu's heart. The Braedey in Amy Watanabe's heart. The Braedey in James Martin's heart."
"We don't speak of that man." Braedey #1 snapped.
"Each is a different Braedey Martin, and yet, they're all the real Braedey Martin." Braedey #2 continued. "You are afraid of the Braedey Martin that are inside others."
"I'm afraid of being hated or left behind." Braedey #1 spoke back.
"No, you're afraid of being hurt. Whose fault is that?"
Braedey #2 asked to his counterpart.
"It... it was James' fault. The man who was once my father." Braedey #1 answered back. "He was the one who did this to me. Left me and Mom behind, then sent for me seven years later, and even now, doesn't seem to care about what he did to me or the family."
"Don't you have faith in your own father?" Amy's voice then echoed around, as images of Amy appeared.
"I hate him. I loathe his entire existence." Braedey #1 stated back. "He never cared for me."
"Will there ever be a point in time that you'll be able to reconcile with the man you once called your father?" Braedey #2 asked.
"Only until he realises the sins he has committed over the years, and he says that he was sorry for all he has done." Braedey #1 pointed out. "After, and only after he says that, I can go on living."
"Just like that?" Braedey #2 asked.
"Everybody does it! Everybody does that to go on living!" Braedey #1 snapped.
"You need to believe in yourself for who you are. Otherwise, you won't be able to go on." Braedey #2 said calmly. "If you don't, it'll become painful and hurt you more."
"The world is a dangerous place now." Braedey #1 said. "And I know my little sister Jessie will have to live through these times."
"See? People can't handpick a series of pleasant events to make up their lives. Especially not me." Braedey #2 said softly.
"I have something that I enjoy. Finding something you enjoy and doing that..." Braedey #1 sighed then got angry, as everything went white. "What's wrong with that?!"
Braedey groaned, his thoughts of the second individual of himself now fading from his mental eyesight, as he slowly opened his eyes. All was silent around him, the power having gone out, and no lighting either. It was now cold and there was little to no oxygen left for him to breathe. He was now knocking on death's door, the Grim Reaper inching closer to him.
"The heater and oxygen circulation have both stopped... I'm so cold..." Braedey hugged his arms and legs closer to his form, trying to stay as warm as he can with his last breaths. "It's hopeless... My Drivesuit's just about had it." He muttered, feeling the last of his strength starting to fade away. "I guess this is it. I'm so tired... Tired of everything."
Braedey's form now seemed to stop moving, no more movement coming from him, as if he had just become frozen in time. It is like he had finally chosen death. Within his head, there was nothing happening. But as this happened, a luminous apparition of a woman appears before him and caressing his cheek gently and softly, Braedey's eyes snapping open suddenly, as he looked to the apparition as it embraces him in a hug.
"M...Mom?" Braedey asked in surprise.
Braedey now started to relive a merely-forgotten memory of himself as a child on a sunny day, smiling as he holds a small red flower up to his mother in his hands. His mother, whose face is obscured by shadows as she stands with her back to the sun, seemed to kneel to his height, looking at the flower in curiosity.
"Will you be okay?" His mother asked, and he smiled gently. "Oh? I'm glad to hear it." She added.
Just as a bright white light began to form, it took the shape of Jaeger Prime itself, standing tall and mighty.
~*~*~
Eventually, day had turned to night. Anyone in part of SHIELD had been sent over to Central Park to try and find a way to get rid of this Demon, as well as try to retrieve Jaeger Prime.
"The reserve power is almost at its theoretical limit. His Drivesuit's life-support system is also entering the danger zone." Maya said to Ritsuko with reluctance.
"Let's move up the schedule by 12 minutes. While there's still a chance that Braedey is alive."
As everyone was getting ready for the operation, B-2 bombers were flying in about 30 miles away from the site, ready to drop their ordinance. The Jaegers were getting prepped and ready, the pilots waiting orders. But, as they do so, the sound of something breaking like grass could be heard. They all looked over to the Demon, as what could be white cracks starting to form across the body, the beast stopping in its tracks.
"What's happening to it?!" Asuka asked in shock.
"It's... breaking apart." Shawn muttered. "Like a piece of glass."
"Give me a sit-rep!" Matilda ordered.
"Unknown, ma'am! All the metres and readings are off the scale!" Maya informed.
"But we didn't do anything!" Ritsuko said.
"Wait, could it be Braedey?!" Matilda asked in shock.
"That's not possible! Jaeger Prime's energy is down to zero!" Ritsuko countered back.
Suddenly, a familiar broken sword pierced through the head of the Demon, as well as the sound of blaster fire, holes now forming in parts of the Demon, just as the sword split apart the middle section of the beast. As everyone watched on with shock and bewilderment, Jaeger Prime suddenly broke free from the monster, as it now landed on its feet, the mech stained in red blood-like fluids, while the Demon fell back and faded away into a black smoke. Jaeger Prime stood tall and mighty, with everyone uncertain about what happened or how it did happen. But it didn't matter right now.
A few minutes later, Matilda made her way to the Conn-Pod of Jaeger Prime, her and Shawn managing to open the hatch to inside, the LCL fluid having been drained from the inside. They could see Braedey's slumped form in the harness.
"Braedey!" Shawn ran up, taking the helmet off of Braedey, shaking the brunette away. "Come on, man!"
"Braedey! Are you okay? Braedey?!" Matilda asked, gently cupping Braedey's face.
Braedey's eyes slowly opened, as he takes a deep breath, one he might not have taken for some time. He looked to Matilda, who now had tears in her eyes, and she hugged him tightly, crying into his shoulder.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." Shawn smiled to Braedey, gently patting his back.
"I just wanted to see you. One more time." Braedey muttered, still feeling like he'll fall asleep.
"Weren't you going to chew him out?" Asuka then asked to Matilda, the former standing at the hatch to the Conn-Pod.
"Does that matter now? Braedey is alive, and that's all that matters to us." Shawn countered back.
~*~*~
Eventually, Jaeger Prime had been returned back to SHIELD HQ, and was currently undergoing a thorough cleanup and washout. Doctor Ritsuko was standing on the gantry platform alongside Commander James, the two of them looking at the red/blue Titan before them.
'I've never felt more afraid of a Jaeger than I did today.' Ritsuko said to herself. 'What is Jaeger Prime? What makes it so different from that of the other Jaegers?'
Ritsuko looked over to the Commander. "Crimson Dynamo and Champion Knight's pilots will be staying for a little while more until they go back to Australia. However, I've requested that one of their Jaegers be sent over." She reported in.
"I see. That's fine for now." James replied back monotonously, his eyes locked on Jaeger Prime.
Ritsuko looked to the Jaeger, then to the tablet in her hand, taking note that the Conn-Pod's voice recorder had been shut down when Jaeger Prime was sucked into the black hole. She sighed to herself, knowing that this'll not go well with the council itself regarding the events.
~*~*~
In the medical ward, Braedey's eyes slowly opened as he finally woke up. He looked to the roof to see he was indeed in the base's hospital. Braedey then turned his head to his right, and he saw Amy and Shawn next to his bed.
"Hey...." Braedey spoke in a low tired voice.
"You can stay in bed today. We'll take care of the rest." Amy said to Braedey in a gentle voice.
"You just take the time to recover. You deserve it." Shawn added in, as Amy for her school bag to leave.
"Thanks, but I..." Braedey sighed, looking to the roof. "Okay. I'll stay here."
"Sleep well." Amy said softly.
Braedey watched both Amy and Shawn leave the room, even noticing Asuka at the door, who was surprised when they walked out of the room. Braedey gave a small snicker to himself, then he settled into bed. But, as he does so, he sniffed his arm, then he shuddered.
"It's still there. The smell of blood." Braedey muttered.
Outside of the room, walking down the halls, Shawn and Amy were leading onward, with Asuka, Kieron, Linx, and Hawk following on after them.
"So, does anyone know how things will go with the council regarding what happened to Jaeger Prime?" Linx asked to the others.
"Well, I don't think they'll be too happy about what had occurred, and they'd be wanting answers immediately from Braedey." Kieron took a guess. "I mean, why wouldn't they?"
"Still, I don't Braedey will be wanting to answer any questions at this point in time." Shawn noted. "I mean, he's been through a traumatic experience just 24 hours ago, and he might not have the right mindset to answer."
"Major Katsina will answer the council's questions on Braedey's behalf." Hawk informed to the others. "After that, who knows what'll happen..."