Hell of a Brawl

Hell of a Brawl
29 June 2017
-June 29, 2017-
Brawler becomes aware in battle, his blade sliding from the body of a dead Kaiju. He keens sharply and flees for the first warm touch he can remember.
Whoa. Cat, you feelin' this? the warm male voice has Brawler curling close to him.
Nope.
Seriously? the incredulous man asks even as he soothes him.
Sergio, I'm not feeling it. Show me. There's a unique sensation but Brawler clings to the warmer presence. You're sure
there's something?
Nevermind. Guess it's double-drag. Sergio brushes it off and concentrates on steering Brawler's metallic body into the Jaeger Bay. When the two pilots leave, he watches them go with a mournful whine of his systems. Sergio actually halts mid-stride and turns around.
"Sergio, seriously, that double-drag is-" Brawler rattles his frame as best he can, trying to speak but not understanding how to form the words. "What the hell is up with Brawler Yukon?"
Sergio, AWAKE. The man's eyes widened and Brawler crooned. He finally spoke! The feeling washing down the link hurt though and he pulled back, static fritzing up his cables.
"Serg?"
"Cat, umm, I gotta stay here." Sergio's voice cracked on the second to last word.
"Why?" the hissed voice is confused but the man sighs.
I think Brawler is alive.
Serg, you better be joking.
Wish I was. He's loud.
Why can't I hear him?
Not sure.
You're mad. Brawler mutters along the link, curling as far away as he can manage without snapping the tenuous thread. Sorry.
He apologized. Aww, hell. C'mere. Sergio's link pressed against his, the presence engulfing him. Brawler purrs as he accepts the mental embrace. He's kinda cute.
A 250 ft Jaeger is cute.
Brawler, you wanna try linking up with Cat?
Can try but not sure. he offered as he extended to the quiet part of the bond. A surge of warmth makes him coo as he revels in the feeling of a completed bond. Hello.
Oh. He is cute. Brawler was content to be right where he
was and stay there. What happened?
One second, not awake. Next second, blade in Kaiju and AWAKE. Brawler pushed the memory down the link and both of his pilots cradled him closer. They were holding hands in the outside world and Brawler's much larger frame towered over them both.
"Ranger Lightcap? Ranger D'onofrio?" The technician drew them out of the cocoon they'd kept Brawler in and he protested when they pulled away slightly to deal with the tech.
"We're fine. Just Ghosting." Sergio waved off the concern as Brawler flexes his caliper cables minutely. You okay there, little guy?
Fine. Words hard to form. Brawler admits with shame coursing down the link. Want to try.
Oh, you poor thing. We'll just have to work on your vocabulary, okay? Caitlin soothes.
Okay. Brawler chirrups as he snuggles close.
See? Completely adorable, Kitty-Cat. Sergio coos as they keep him with them.
Don't call me that! she snaps but her link says that she likes it all the same.
He learns slowly but commits everything to his data log as he continues to fight Kaiju with his pilots.
Take that, stinkin' Kaiju! he snarls as he blocks the massive maw of a Category II and slides his blade forward, puncturing the thick skull like it's pulp. The Kaiju, codename Gigantasaur, rakes it's huge claws across his chest plate armor and Brawler's systems hiss with his anger. He slams his servo under his first blade, twists it in a tight spiral and the Kaiju slides off with a heavy groan.
Hey, are you okay? Sergio asks as Brawler rattles his frame
to shake off the offending Kaiju Blue.
He scratched my armor. Now I have to stay in the Bay for repairs. Brawler grumbles as he sheathes his blades, feeling his pilots mime the motion in his Conn-Pod. It gets lonely in the Bay and sometimes you are too busy.
Go explore the other systems. They'd discovered that Brawler could travel between his frame and other electronic devices. I'm sorry we're so busy lately, sweetheart.
What Cat said, little guy. We'll try to spend as much time with you as we can but the publicity department's on our asses. I can't even imagine the strain for the Becket brothers. Their Jaeger's deployment date is coming up soon. Sergio sighed as he pressed affection down the link they all share.
No kidding. Didn't one of the Gages vomit onstage? Caitlin murmured with a wave of understanding.
Yeah. Brawler winced at the mention of vomit. Humans were very fragile, as he'd found out nearly a week ago when he'd almost stepped on a tech that slept near his pede. Sorry, little guy.
Human bodies are breakable. No wonder you made us to protect you. he mutters as he envelops his pilots in a mental embrace.
You know our spirit is what allows us to survive even this War. Sergio teases lightly.
The human spirit is indomitable. Brawler croons as they head for the Icebox Shatterdome and repairs.
It takes nearly three months for Brawler to form complete sentences without shame following shortly afterward.
My Captain? he presses lightly on Caitlin's end of the link, trying not to bother his busy Rangers.
Yes Brawler?
Can you come to the Jaeger Bay? The techs are being weird again and it makes me uncomfortable. he asks, curling as far away as he can get from his metal frame. Brawler's not sure why the techs like to use his Bay for those... particular activities but he doesn't like it.
Oh, not again. It's getting ridiculous. That's it. I'm reporting them to the Marshal. You can stay here with me or go to see Sergio, alright? Caitlin hisses in disgust, her feelings very clear over the link. She softens her tone when she speaks with him and he appreciates it more than he can ever show.
I think I'll go to Dad's tablet, my Captain. Brawler hums as he brushes lazy affection towards Sergio on his way to the tablet.
See you later, little guy. We'll continue with the lesson? Sergio asks as he returns the affection with Brawler has learned is called love.
That would make me very happy, my Ranger. Brawler practically purrs as he slips between the coding to Dad's tablet.
I didn't realize there were more like me. the new voice sounded male and Brawler almost rabbited away to his Rangers when the voice continues, Wait! I'm Coyote Tango. You are?
Brawler Yukon. he says warily.
When did you wake up? Coyote asks as he offers a comm. link to Brawler.
Three months ago. he answers as he accepts it.
Wow. You're doing better than I was at three months. I've been awake since 2016. I see you found Dad's tablet. the other Jaeger admits with the feeling of a smile through the link.
Wait. You mean you call him Dad too? Brawler thought he was the only one.
He made us. Why not? Coyote sends the feeling of a shrug down the link.
Brawler laughs and says, You're alright, Coyote. My Ranger and my Captain have been giving me vocabulary and etiquette lessons.
Stacker and Tamsin, my Rangers, just winged it before Tamsin taught me some stuff. I'm still getting the hang of things. Maybe we can teach each other? I think more of us might wake up. It sucked to learn step by step and how to speak. Coyote murmured as he shifts around the coding in the tablet to get closer to Brawler
Darn right it was hard. It took me a good month an' a half before I could talk without projectin' embarrassment everywhere. It was awful. If any other Jaeger wakes up, we need to find 'em and give 'em lessons or somethin' before they talk with their pilots. Just enough so that they don't feel like we did, gettin' words stuck or wrong because that's not what humans describe it as, y'know? he huffs as he shows Coyote his memories.
But not enough that they can't bond with their pilots over some words or lessons. Deal? Coyote sounds nogistalgic over this and Brawler agrees with him.
Deal. They get to choose gender though. I read some, I think it was Tumblr, blogs that say choice is a good thing. Humans get really upset over it though. I don't understand. Why can't you express yourself the way you see yourself? Brawler posed the question to Coyote but the other Jaeger had no idea either.
That's a human thing, Brawler, and I don't get it either. Coyote points out as he presses support down the comm. link.
They say that people like my Captain are lying or sick. She doesn't get out of bed somedays because she's sad. My Ranger, he tries his best, getting her things that make her happier or giving her some pills. They help for a little while; I try to keep her away from the blank spaces in the link. Some of the
Drift is dark and hurts so I stay away from those memories. He divulged as they stay together in the fast-moving coding and ethernet waves.
I know. Stacker has them sometimes. Tamsin's worried but she's got a link to him and we say silly stuff or just send love at him. It seems to help. Coyote offers as he brushes understanding down the comm. link.
I'll try that next time. Brawler promises fervently.
Brawler? the voice of his Ranger pulls him back.
Yes, my Ranger? he acknowledged.
Cat got those techs fired. Boy was she pissed. Sergio commented with a thick wave of amusement.
They kept coming into my Bay an'- Brawler shuddered as he pushed the memory down the link.
Oh. Well. That explains everything. Cat's super-protective of you. Sergio remarked as he surrounded Brawler with a wave of contentment. At least they're gone. I can only imagine they had this habit for a while before you woke up, little guy.
Don't remind me, my Ranger. Brawler snorted as he looked for Coyote and found a tagged message on his interface.
It was nice meeting you but Stacker's stuck in a boring meeting so I had to leave. See you soon? -Coyote
What'd you find? He forgets that Sergio can follow him better than Caitlin can.
There's another one like me. His name's Coyote Tango. Brawler hums proudly. I found him in Dad's tablet and we traded comm. links. He's been awake since 2016.
Whoa. That's amazing. Hold on. You said Coyote Tango? his Ranger asks with a flash of intuition.
Yeah. Brawler wasn't sure where his Ranger was going with this but it became clear shortly.
He woke up in battle too, little guy. Stacker Pentecost is
his pilot and he solo'd the battle with Onibaba. Sergio stated with a faint dash of amusement and a more obvious press of seriousness.
Or he and Coyote did it to protect Tamsin. He said she taught him a lot of stuff. We're gonna try to talk more often. he replied as he soaked up the freely-given affection. He calls Hermann Dad too.
Looks like you found someone else to hang out with, Brawler. Sergio chuckled as he included Caitlin on the conversation. Cat, there's another Jaeger like ours.
Really? Which one? she sounded interested and Brawler recognized her inner scientist from where he was in Sergio's side of the link.
Coyote Tango. Brawler met him in Dr. Gottlieb's tablet. came the response.
Hmm. Caitlin's thoughts grew blurry with formulas and science. Brawler nor Sergio could ever keep up with those particular pieces of her mind.
I'm gonna help him out with human stuff. It wasn't just me who struggled to learn; not gonna let another one suffer like we did. Brawler informed his pilots with a back-wash of adoration for them. 
Good idea, sweetheart. Caitlin tells him warmly.
So, when do we start back up? If I teach you then you can teach him. His Ranger remarks simply.
Now? If you're not busy. he asks with a touch of nervousness.
Absolutely little guy. We covered the pertinent sections of blogs. Now we'll start with either movies or music. Which sounds better? Sergio jumps right into the lesson, Brawler making notes to show to Coyote later.
Movies. Brawler decided. Both of his pilots shared a wave
of amusement as Caitlin started.
There's quite a few categories to movies and your opinion may not match someone else's. With me so far?
Brawler answered in the affirmative and she continued, re-explaining the things that he didn't understand or concepts that were also part of something they hadn't covered yet. He'd have so much to tell Coyote when they met again.
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