for striker_eureka

[gipsy_danger]

((starting here))

True to her word, Gipsy waits.

Of course, she can't do much other than that -- she's fairly constrained by previous injuries, and though her arm has been reattached and repaired she still can't quite walk on her own. This, Gipsy makes abundantly clear in beeps and grumbles, but it's mostly ignored because there's nothing they can do about it quite yet. Progress is being made, but it's not nearly fast enough for her satisfaction.

It's why she's grumpy as hell when he comes the next day; beeps decidedly irritated and far too loud for someone that had been drifting solo with a jaeger the previous day.

(( other conclusions Here. ))

Comments

[striker_eureka]

He snorts, and rolls his eyes as he shakes his head a little. Well. Thank you, darling.

Her explanation makes sense, though, and he finds himself nodding slowly as he ponders that.

Jaegers were built for a purpose, during a time of need. Humans...we don't really have a purpose like that. We just are and that makes things pretty complicated.

[gipsy_danger]

It's hard for me to understand.

She hums quietly, almost regretfully.

I enjoy my purpose, I enjoy fighting. I do wish I was more, though. What happens when the war ends? She says 'when' because losing isn't an option. What happens to Gipsy Danger, Hercules?

[striker_eureka]

I don't know.

This kind of question deserves complete and utter honesty.

I never really thought I'd live to see the end of it, so I've never let myself think about what life would be like after. But if we live to see the end of all the fighting...

I won't let them decommission you, love. Nobody's going to just switch you off.

[gipsy_danger]

You will see the end. She's very sure of this. This won't last forever.

Not the war, not the Jaegers, not...this. Whatever this is that's happening between them.

[striker_eureka]

So will you, Gipsy.

He's still basically cuddling with her, so he squeezes her in a fond hug and strokes a hand over her hair.

I meant what I said.

[gipsy_danger]

They've already decommissioned the program. That much, she does know.

She leans against him, arms wrapping around him to keep him close against the avatars body.

It's alright, you know. If that does happen.

[striker_eureka]

In his mind, she and the avatar are one, so he's fine with this.

Hey. You don't get to freak out over the thought of me dying if I don't get to freak out over the thought of you dying, okay? Tit for tat.

It won't be alright. I'll miss you.

[gipsy_danger]

That gives her a little rush.

You'd miss me? Truly?

She can't hide the pleasure that brings her.

[striker_eureka]

Of course I'd miss you, silly girl. You're my friend.

[gipsy_danger]

And you are mine, Hercules.

She gives him an affectionate rush of emotion before leaning in to kiss his cheek.

You should go. They are going to wonder.

[striker_eureka]

It's so much simpler to communicate like this, when words aren't necessarily needed and emotions are easily felt. He likes it.

Oh, they're already wondering. That little stunt you pulled with the music is going to have be teased endlessly.

I hope you're happy.

To lessen the blow, he winks at her, smiling.

[gipsy_danger]

That triggers laughter all around.

Very happy. I cannot regret the means I used to get your attention, because it worked. Therefore I am very happy, Hercules.

[striker_eureka]

Good. I don't like you being sad.

He kisses her cheek in a mirror of what she did with him.

Will you let me come visit you tomorrow?

[gipsy_danger]

I don't like you being sad, either. I'm sorry I hurt you.

She smiles at him, happy and giddy.

Of course. I was hoping you would.

[striker_eureka]

He smiles and cups her cheek in his palm.

Then I will see you tomorrow, young lady.

Behave yourself, now.

[gipsy_danger]

I will try. Goodbye, Hercules. He gets a final embrace before they disconnect, and Gipsy is left alone with her thoughts and he is again by himself in the pod.

This time though, no one is angry or hurt.

[striker_eureka]

As anticipated, Hercules gets a lot of shit about Gipsy and her apparent crush from his fellow pilots and the support staff alike throughout the next few days, but it's mostly good-natured, so he doesn't make a big fuss over it.

It's almost peaceful, really. He pops in to see her during the day, they have a brief chat, and then he leaves. He's getting better at piloting her solo, even though they're not actually running or fighting or anything, and she gets the company she so clearly craves.

Everything is going fine, until it comes time for Hercules to test out piloting Gipsy with another pilot.

[gipsy_danger]

She knew he'd get reamed for it, but Gipsy cannot bring herself to be too upset about it. She got to see him, she accomplished her goal.

Besides, it's not Gipsy that's getting teased and made fun of. So, there's that.

But she enjoys the visits and the time she spends with him, though he tells her they have found another pilot that's Drift compatible with him, Gipsy isn't terribly sure about it. She's become so accustomed to him that she's immediately jealous about the introduction of someone else.

She knows that him piloting alone isn't an option, though. So, she tells Hercules she'll allow it -- though she knows she doesn't exactly have much of a choice.

[striker_eureka]

Herc takes a moment to warn Mako about just how nosy this Jaeger really is, and not to be alarmed if she starts poking around in her head. It's nothing personal, Gipsy just likes to know everything.

Mako seems excited and not at all put off by the thought of a behemoth reading her thoughts, so he has high hopes for how this is all going to go.

It would be impossible for him to get in the drift before Mako, so he's not quite sure what to expect when they try it together. But there's no Gipsy-avatar waiting for him, just that nebulous sense of another presence in the back of his mind. He smiles around at her, though, and nods encouragingly to Mako.

Gipsy, love, this is Mako. I was hoping she could be your new pilot.

[gipsy_danger]

It's for the best that he warns Mako, because Gipsy really is a nosy little brat. She doesn't prod too deeply into the woman's thoughts though -- the girl is clearly a rookie and Gipsy doesn't want to trigger anything that would be potentially harmful to Hercules.

Mako will notice that Gipsy is fiercely protective of the man.

Hello, Mako. Gipsy's voice is hesitantly terse as she settles in to both Hercules and Mako's consciousness. Are we training today?

[striker_eureka]

Mako seems to clue in on that remarkably quickly, if the sideways looks she's giving Herc are any indication. Someone has clearly been talking to her about Hercules Hansen and his robot girlfriend.

He suppresses a mental sigh.

I just wanted to see if you two were compatible. Or rather, if the three of us were.

Mako always seemed like too sweet a girl to really make things difficult for him, but who knows. Gipsy is the only Jaeger with an AI as advanced as this, the other pilots don't seem to understand that, for all intents and purposes, she's a human being residing inside this metal machine. If Mako says the wrong thing and upsets Gipsy...

[gipsy_danger]

She can hear that mental sigh, Hercules.

So far, Gipsy remains professional about it and her voice stays entirely robotic. Mako is fine, really, and hasn't said anything outright that has irritated or frustrated the mech. Not yet, anyway.

Initiating launch operations; Gipsy Danger. Are you ready to activate the Jaeger?

[striker_eureka]

Hey, he didn't actually do it, she can't yell at him for it.

He doesn't like hearing her voice be so emotionless; Herc has grown really used to Gipsy having all the range of inflection of a human being. In fact, sometimes it's hard for him to remember that in reality she's a giant robot first, and her sweetly naive avatar second.

"Ready," he says out loud for the control room, and the switch is flipped that loosens Gipsy from her moorings.

Ready darling? he asks Gipsy, giving her a reassuring smile.

There's a flash of something in Japanese in the back of his mind, there and gone too quickly for him to process it. His Japanese is rudimentary at best, despite all his efforts — old dogs and new tricks and all that — and so even if he had time to study it, he probably wouldn't have gotten very far with it. Oh well. He can only hope it was Mako being excited about their new adventure.

[gipsy_danger]

She would apologize for sliding into the robotic role; but this is official. The AIs lilting voice continues speaking, as if he hadn't just called her 'darling'.

Calibration complete. Two pilots engaged in neural bridge. 3...2...1...Connection complete. Proceed with caution.

Except, Mako -- you really should not think such thoughts while inside of the Drift, especially when the Jaeger can speak Japanese and take offense. Now, Gipsy knows that it probably wasn't intentional and that Mako is a rookie.

However.

Gipsy is also a protective and petty little thing and when comments are made -- even quietly -- she retaliates.

It's a very subtle retaliation too, though Hercules can probably feel the discontent bubbling inside of Gipsy as something is snapped back in Japanese, sans robo-voice.

[striker_eureka]

Hercules is not used to not knowing what's going on inside the Drift, but that's what he gets for having a copilot whose native tongue is something other than English. Memories are one thing, but thoughts...

He was just trying to make Gipsy feel a little more comfortable; the last time they walked together, he had been so exhausted by the experience that he needed a few days to recuperate. The last thing he wanted was for her to react badly to the thought of him getting injured or something. He knows how protective she is of him.

Which is why, in hindsight, he shouldn't be surprised that she snipes back at Mako for whatever it was she said.

Mako was pretty surprised, though, jumping and letting out a 'meep' of surprise that sends her rocking in her harness. Which, apparently knocked her out of her current mindset and into a tailspin.

"Shit!" He can't reach her from where he is right now, being separated and all that, but Herc still tries. "Mako!"

Mako! Dammit, focus! You're chasing the rabbit, do not do this. Mako!