[wavehawk]

...must not listen to Pacific Rim Soundtrack while trying to write Muv-Luv fanfics. Wrong ideas come out. Very wrong ones.

"Look, Shirogane, I know you're still a bit upset about that...that whole massed G-bomb thing. I can see why you're really cracking the shits about it, though." The mech mimicked his movements, causing the humanoid machine to shrug. "Decisions were made, I and the other civilian consultants thought interstellar travel was the best option. No sense crying over spilt milk now."

There was an awkward silence. Tony thought the Takemikazuchi 00C in front was giving him the stare of death.

Okay, I made him angry. Might be the best time to apologize. "Ooops?"

The answer was a metalshod punch to the face.

Although Japanese TSFs looked spindly compared to his own machine, the punch sent Tony's mecha reeling backward. In the back of his mind, he figured there was no way he could resolve this peacefully. Addendum to that, he could already imagine Walken screaming at him for being a civilian testing tech without US government approval.

And making a mess of the Seattle seaboard. There was a loud crunch as Tony's mech planted a step backward. Oboy. That was Pier 86. I guess they won't be serving their clam chowder again anytime soon.

Another punch. This time Tony stepped on the Bell St Deli.

"Dammit, Shirogane! Remember I told you, this thing is a test unit. It's not meant for actual combat."

"You think this is a game?!?" The 00C hadn't drawn its guns or swords out yet. Japanese and American onlookers in the distance were watching; the collateral damage would be catastrophic. "More than half the world is underwater. The remaining half is either wasteland or dead salt plain. The BETA are still out there!"

The 00C shoved him back some more.

"And THIS is your answer?!? A big shiny red TSF with your company's brand logo all over it?!" Shirogane was audibly disturbed. "I don't see how one TSF can change the world for the better, especially not one of yours!"

Okay, now he's making ME angry. "The Mark-3 is better than anything the idiots at Boeing can ever build. It's NOT a TSF." Tony took a deep breath. "The Mark-3 represents the future."

The 00C kicked the Mark-3's midsection, sending the red machine onto the ground.

"This is what your future looks like, Mister Stark." The angered, hoarse voice could be heard despite the translator's efforts. "You're just a grown man playing with a toy. Do you have anything left to say?!"

"Yeah." Tony's red machine raised one hand that glowed. "Smile for the birdie."

The repulsor blast sent the Takemikazuchi over-and-under to the gasps of the crowd. It then landed facedown on the Alaskan Way asphalt. Butt-up, face down. A very bad impression of Japanese TSFs, one that the Royal Guard would never live down.

Okay, now I made him REALLY angry. A few crackles and Tony's HUD read malfunctions in the Mark-3's weapons systems. All of a sudden, he realized that maybe--just MAYBE using the Repulsor was a bit premature. ...this is gonna hurt.

"I'm going to kill you for that, Mister Stark." The 00C drew its swords.

Yikes.