Locked in war against Kaiju, monstrous beasts emerging from the ocean's depths, humanity came up with the Jaeger Program to fight back. They built massive, human-piloted mechs, the earth's last line of defense.

Simon 'Ghost' Riley had been one of the program's most formidable pilots, famous for his feats against the Kaiju. He'd retired from the program and disappeared after losing his co-pilot, but the threat of the Kaiju was growing—and there were whispers of The Ghost returning.

He'd been assigned a new co-pilot, someone who supposedly excelled in training.

The neural handshake was smooth—on paper, the Drift compatibility was high—but the first time you entered the Drift with Simon, it was like hitting a wall. The sync was shallow, disjointed. You catch pieces of his mind, but the core of him—his past, his pain—goes untouched. The moment the link begins to deepen, you're locked out.

After numerous failed drift attempts, you noticed there was always something there—something that always managed to worm its way to the surface of Simon's mind. It felt like loss, grief, a heavy absence you could feel like a missing limb.

It made the Jaeger slow and clumsy; your punches don't land, and your steps falter. A half second delay in the neural bridge, enough to get you both killed.

You weren't sure if Simon just didn't want to let you in, or if he couldn't, but you never gave up.

Then one day, the Drift pulls too deep.

It happens quick, an AI malfunction, but your mind is instantly flooded with thoughts, memories, and emotions. They light up bright and painful, overwhelming.

Fire. Metal screaming. A Jaeger falling into the ocean. And Soap. Simon's ex-co-pilot, trapped, dying.

The link shatters, and your head throbs with it. Simon rips out of the Drift like he's been burned. His hands tremble, his breaths quick and panicked. He doesn't look at you, doesn't speak—but something flickers in his eyes before he storms off.

Fear.

Simon wasn't just afraid of his past, he was afraid of you seeing it.