first sortie.

[unbr8kable]

[Six hours previous, everything had been so much simpler. The Eta cohort had made it to live combat training, out in one of the few areas the Tenno had claimed back from the invaders. Xia had been vibrating the whole day, grinning wide as she suited up in the boring steel training mech (hers would be blue, she decided, or maybe black, with bold red stripes on the limbs) and deployed to the field, not even cracking on Wimperson, the Support (not his real name, but it may as well have been).

The Heralds didn't come up on radar until they were practically on top of the trainees. Maybe if there'd been more lead time, it would've been less of a shitshow, but who the hell knows.

The grimy details aren't important, but they aren't great. Damage to all suits, with two damaged beyond repair; the Leader froze under pressure, the Shadow couldn't keep up with the speedy Heralds. Wimperson actually came through. Johnson the Medic went down right there, in front of them.

Xia and Jacob have only just gotten out of their debriefing, another unexpected first for the day.

She and Jacob did good, Xia knows. They kept their heads, were barely hurt, they moved together well. "You'll make a good team," Corporal Kuwahara tells them before turning towards the medical ward to check on Johnson's surgery. "Go get some rest."

But no, rest is pretty much the opposite of what they need right now, Xia thinks. She turns to Jacob, giving her best attempt at a normal expression.]

Wanna get out of here?

Comments

[unbr8kable]

They're not going to let us do anything, much less schlep us out to Saitama. We're not even on the reserve squad yet.

[but her hands twitch until she digs her nails hard into her palms]

...Guess we didn't get 'em all, after all.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His hands are holding so tight on the railing that the knuckles have gone white.]

What do you think the sirens mean? They didn't go off earlier... did they?

[unbr8kable]

Didn't notice, was kinda busy.

[but he knows that, being equally busy, and she lets out a breath, shifts to fold her arms tight around herself, tap tap tapping on her metal arm]

Must be near a town or something. When you hear the sirens, you're supposed to go to the shelters. Not that that necessarily helps any.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Glances at her sidelong, trying to gauge her expression - then gets a look at it and decides he doesn't want to see, eyes skittering away and back out toward the city.]

It'll help this time.

The whole project's based here. They'll get someone out in time.

[unbr8kable]

[more flashes light the clouds to the north, but the wind has shifted and there's just the sounds of Tokyo at night for now. she shrugs, not quite casual, continues to tap out a rhythm of nervous energy on her arm.]

Whatever. Not my problem.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He's quiet for maybe a beat too long.]

Pretty soon, we'll be the ones they get out in time.

[Which isn't what he wanted to say, exactly. But it - kind of toes up to the edge of it a little. For someone who's so good at people, he's bad at this.]

[unbr8kable]

...Yeah.

[and it's not an enthusiastic or even a disbelieving type of yeah, it just--it doesn't matter. she doesn't to think about this anymore. --well, being the one they depend on, that part's not so awful, she decides, making an effort to uncross her arms, take a less-defensive stance]

Either way, should we head back?

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah. Let's get out of here.

[He lets go of the railing and half-turns toward her - gives her a kind of nudge, in lieu of the things he couldn't say. Then he turns from the flashing lights and now-inaudible sirens, back toward the elevator.]

[unbr8kable]

[she is nudged, and--well. only half a breath and she's falling into step beside him, again keeping a somewhat smaller bubble than usual but maybe it's just that kind of evening, and really who the hell cares?

the elevator has actually been waiting for them, though it is just as dubiously safe as when they took it up. she takes a breath, casts for a new subject because it's just that kind of evening.]

...We should get some chairs for the roof.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...yeah. We're gonna need em, if we plan on spending time up there.

Something we can fold and tuck away when we're not there, though.

[unbr8kable]

You think someone'd steal them? Who all even goes up there?

[it's an honest question, she hasn't been paying attention]

[crossmyheartandhope]

No one up there but the birds, usually.

[He jams the ground floor button on the elevator and slouches back against the wall, decidedly low-energy. The smile's still missing from his face, and he doesn't seem to mind the smaller space bubble.]

It'd just be a pain, if someone spotted them from the air. Corporal Fielding would have some dumb new regulation posted in half a day.

[unbr8kable]

Ugh, Fielding. Chairs'd be banned altogether or something, and there'd be a million stupid reminder notes posted everywhere... What a lamer.

[she makes a face, probably one more dramatic than necessary, but if it gets a reaction...]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Mission accomplished; he cracks a crooked sort of smile at that.]

You're giving him too much credit.

It'd be like, all chairs are banned except for Thursdays, when they're requisitioned just for command, and every other Wednesday, when you can fill out paperwork in triplicate and check one out from supply in fifteen minute increments.

[unbr8kable]

You are waaay too good at that.

[she elbows him in the side, somehow ending up shoulder to shoulder even as she makes a face at his expense, this time]

Don't tell me he's rubbing off on you, one Fielding is enough.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Huffs a laugh and scrunches up his nose.]

One's too much. I'd hang myself in all the red tape, first.

[unbr8kable]

[sticks out her tongue]

Don't let it come to that, then!

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yes, ma'am.

[Gives a sloppy little mock-salute.]

Seriously about the folding chairs, though. We can stash em between the intake vents and the stairwell down.

[unbr8kable]

Watch your form, soldier.

...But seriously, about the chairs. I bet we could get some at Don Quixote without breaking the bank OR having to answer any questions about going out shopping during the day.

[crossmyheartandhope]

If we ever figure out where they stuck the chairs. I can never find anything in that place.

[unbr8kable]

That's the point. Every trip is a treasure hunt. How is that not exciting?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Hands up.]

I'm not saying it's bad. I just always come out with a bunch of snacks and have to go somewhere else for what I came in for.

[unbr8kable]

[clucks her tongue]

I feel like that's less the fault of the store and more a personal failing. Gotta keep your eyes on the prize and your snacks out of the bag.

[crossmyheartandhope]

You can keep me in line.

[Slowly, like it's reluctant to actually function instead of crashing, the elevator lurches to a stop.]

[unbr8kable]

Well, yeah, duh. Stick with me, kid, you'll go places.

[impulsively she wraps an arm around his shoulder, points out towards the horizon...or the elevator door that--really though, could it open more slowly? can't it tell she's trying to make a point here!? geez!]

...