⇢ two - show me what you're made of ⇠

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

ELLIE SAT WITH HER FEET PROPPED UP ON THE TABLE IN THE HANGAR with the other pilots as they waited to meet their instructor for the mission. She sat next to Daniel, both of them sitting in front of Bob and Natasha.

Bradley sat on the other side of the aisle, along with Hangman and the others. Daniel was talking with Natasha and Bob as the blonde kept her focus ahead.

She was wondering why Maverick was back at Top Gun, she knew there was no way he would come back willingly. Then the blonde realized, was it to come and teach them for the mission?

"Hey, who do you think they're gonna get to teach us?" Daniel asked as he leaned over to her.

"I'm not sure, but I have an idea on who it might be," Ellie replied.

"Who?" Daniel asked.

"All I know is that if I'm right, Rooster won't be happy with it," Ellie told him.

Daniel furrowed his eyebrows before he quickly realized who she was talking about. "Oh, they're still not on good terms?"

"No," Ellie shook her head, her eyes gazing over to Bradley for a moment.

"Do you actually think it's gonna be Maverick?" Daniel asked again.

Ellie nodded. "I have a feeling."

"Attention on deck!"

Everyone quickly stood from their seats, standing at attention and looking ahead as Warlock walked over and stood in front of the podium, his eyes gazing over the aviators.

"Morning," he said. "Welcome to your special training detachment. Be seated."

They all took their seats, sliding their chairs back towards their desks. Ellie sighed and leaned forward, her hands clasped together as she trained all her attention on Warlock.

"I'm Admiral Bates, NAWDC commander," Warlock introduced himself. "You're all Top Gun graduates. The elite. The best of the best. That was yesterday. The enemy's new fifth-generation fighter has leveled the playing field. Details are few, but you can be sure we no longer possess the technological advantage. Success, now more than ever, comes down to the man or woman in the box."

Ellie watched as Hangman turned in his seat, his eyes landing on her and Natasha. Phoenix only raised her middle finger, resting it against her temple as Ellie held eye contact with him. Jake smiled at her, but he was the first to look away.

"Half of you will make the cut," Warlock continued to explain. "One of you will be named mission leader. The other half will remain in reserve."

Hangman turned in his seat again, looking at Rooster, who held eye contact. Ellie rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat as she crossed her arms.

"Your instructor is a Top Gun graduate with real-world experience in every mission aspect you will be expected to master," Warlock said. "His exploits are legendary and he's considered to be one of the finest pilots this program has ever produced."

Ellie heard footsteps approaching, so she looked over her shoulder and her eyes landed on Maverick. She chuckled to herself, knowing she was right before her eyes landed on Rooster, who didn't look too thrilled.

Hangman looked over his shoulder, his smile dropping in realization and he groaned quietly, covering his face with his hand. Ellie smiled at that, her eyes following Maverick as he made his way to the front.

"What he has to teach you may very well mean the difference between life and death," Warlock told them. "I give you Captain Pete Mitchell. Callsign: Maverick."

Maverick approached the podium, giving Warlock a small nod as he took his place. His eyes moved over his students for a moment, his gaze staying on Rooster for a second before he looked away.

"Morning," Maverick greeted, almost directly to Hangman, who only gave him a nod and an awkward smile in return.

Maverick held up a book. "The F-18 NATOPS. It contains everything they want you to know about your aircraft. I'm assuming you know the book inside and out."

"Damn right," Payback spoke up.

"Damn straight," Hangman said a little louder than Payback.

Maverick nodded and then tossed the book into the trash can, causing some of them to straighten up in their seats. Ellie only smiled to herself, leaning back in her seat. Well, this was going to be fun.

"So does your enemy."

"And we're off," Hondo muttered quietly.

"But what the enemy doesn't know is your limits," Maverick explained. "I intend to find them, test them, push beyond. Today we'll start with what you only think you know. You show me what you're made of."

They were all dismissed and Ellie walked with Daniel toward their F-18. Daniel stood on one side of the aircraft and Ellie stood on the opposite, noticing how Maverick walked after Rooster.

"Rooster," Maverick tried first, but he was ignored. "Bradley," ignored again, so he raised his voice. "Lieutenant Bradshaw!"

Bradley slowed to a stop, turning around to face Maverick. "Yes, sir."

"Let's not do it like this," Maverick told him.

"You gonna wash me out?" Bradley asked him.

"That'll be up to you," Maverick replied. "Not me."

"Am I dismissed?" Bradley asked.

Ellie wasn't able to pick up the rest of the conversation because of the other engines firing up. The blonde crossed her arms, leaning against the aircraft, noticing that Phoenix and Hangman were also watching their interaction before Bradley finally walked away from Mav, leaving him behind.

Ellie now sat in front of the radio, sitting with Phoenix, Bob, and Daniel as they listened to Maverick talking to the ones he was flying with, who included Fanboy, Payback, and Rooster.

"Good morning, aviators," Maverick's voice crackled over the comms. "This is your Captain speaking. Welcome to basic fighting maneuvers. As briefed, today's exercise is dogfighting. Guns only, no missiles. We do not go below the hard deck of 5,000 feet. Working as a team, you have to shoot me down, or else."

"Or else what, sir?" Payback asked.

"Or else I shoot back," Maverick replied. "If I shoot either one of you down, you both lose."

"This guy needs an ego check," Hangman commented from where he was sitting.

Ellie rolled her eyes, turning in her seat to face him. "You first."

"We'll see to that," two other pilots commented, high fiving each other.

"What say we put some skin in the game," Payback said.

"What do you have in mind?" Maverick asked.

"Whoever gets shot down first has to do two hundred push-ups," Payback replied.

"Guys," Rooster sighed, trying to get them focused.

"That's a lot of push-ups," Maverick said.

"They don't call it an exercise for nothing, sir," Fanboy chuckled.

"You got yourself a deal, gentlemen," Maverick agreed. "Fight's on. Let's turn and burn."

It took less than ten minutes for Maverick to shoot down Rooster, only after he saved Fanboy and Payback. Ellie stood at the window, watching as Bradley did his push-ups before Phoenix, Fanboy, and Payback joined her side.

"That should be us down there," Fanboy said.

"But it's not," Phoenix replied.

"And now you know a little something about Rooster," Ellie commented before walking off.

It was now Bob, Phoenix, and Hangman's turn to go up against Maverick. Ellie sat at the radio once again, her arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair.

"Say, Phoenix, how's about we tell everybody 'Bob' stands for something," Hangman said. "Other than Robert, I mean."

"Don't take the bait, Bob," Phoenix said to him. "Want to know why we call him Hangman?"

"Oh, wait, I got it," Hangman said. "Baby on board."

Hangman busted out laughing over the radio before a jet engine sounded only seconds later, causing Hangman to curse loudly.

"Greetings, aviators," Maverick's voice sounded. "Fight's on."

"All right, Phoenix, let's take this guy out," Hangman said.

Bradley joined Ellie's side, placing his hands on the table and leaning forward. "Watch your back, Phoenix."

Ellie chuckled to herself, her eyes settling on him. "Hey, Bradley?"

"Hm?" he turned towards her.

"I, uh," Ellie cleared her throat. "I just wanted to apologize for what I said all those years ago. You know, when I said that maybe you weren't meant to be a fighter pilot."

"Don't worry about it," Bradley reassured her. "We were both upset, it was the heat of the moment."

Ellie raised her eyebrows. "You sure?"

Bradley nodded. "Yeah."

"Thought you would hate me or something," Ellie said quietly as she looked down at her hands.

"I could never hate you," Bradley replied, patting her shoulder as she gave him a small smile.

"Shit," Hangman cursed over the radio. "Phoenix, I can't see him. How close am I? Phoenix?"

"I'm dead, dickhead," Phoenix replied.

"See you in the afterlife, Bagman," Bob commented.

"Where is he?" Hangman muttered to himself. "Where is he?"

A beeping came over the radio, indicating that Maverick shot him down. Ellie rolled her eyes, getting up from her seat.

"Same old Bagman," she commented before she left the room.

Ellie sat in the front of the jet, Daniel in the back as they flew forward in the air. Their wingman was Fritz, all of them were looking around for Maverick.

"You see him anywhere, Flash?" Ellie asked her backseater.

"He's nowhere in front of us," Daniel replied. "Nowhere behind us."

"Must be below us," Fritz commented.

All of a sudden, Maverick came from above them, flying his jet through the gap between them. Ellie felt the jet jerk to the side and she gasped, quickly regaining control.

"Oh, shit!" Daniel cursed. "He's already on us, Winters!"

"Break left, break left!" Fritz told her.

"Breaking left," Ellie said, breaking left as Fritz left them behind.

"Where the hell is he going?!" Daniel asked.

"Damn it, Fritz," Ellie rolled her eyes as she pushed down on the controls, flying their jet down.

"Leaving your wingman, Fritz?" Maverick asked over the comms.

"They'll be fine," Fritz replied, flying around and coming up behind Maverick.

"I can't shake him," Ellie said as she flew the jet side-to-side. "Talk to me, Flash."

"He's gaining on us," Daniel replied. "Fritz, help us out, man!"

Ellie continued to fly forward, Maverick hot on her trail. She knew that Maverick was close to getting her out, so she suddenly pulled the jet handle up, flying them up into the sky.

"Nice move," Maverick complimented. "But not good enough."

"Fritz, he's about to get us," Daniel said. "Cut in front of him!"

Fritz didn't even try to help them, trying to tag Maverick himself as he flew after him. Ellie cursed quietly, continuing to go toward the sky before she heard the familiar beeping sound.

"That's a kill," Maverick said. "You're out, Winters."

"Fuck," Ellie muttered, unclipping her mask from her helmet.

Ellie began to fly the jet away, letting Fritz and Maverick continue. Fritz continued flying after their instructor, getting more confident by the second as he gained on Maverick.

All of a sudden, Maverick hit the brakes and flew up toward the sky, causing Fritz to fly right by him. Maverick pulled back down, coming up behind him and tagging him out.

"That's a kill."

"Damn it," Fritz sighed.

Back on the ground, all three of them were doing their push-ups. Ellie grunted as she went back down, glaring over at Fritz.

"Thanks... a... lot..." she managed to get out.

"Wasn't... my fault..." Fritz replied.

"It... definitely... was..." Daniel grunted back.

"Down!" Hondo yelled. "108!"

Rooster and Hangman were up next, they flew side-by-side for a while before Hangman decided to speak up.

"Hey, Rooster, you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"Would it matter if I did?" Rooster retorted.

"What's the story with you and Maverick?" Hangman asked. "It seems he's got you rattled."

"That's none of your business," Rooster replied. "Now where the hell is he?"

"Been here the whole time," Maverick replied as he flew up and inverted right above Rooster.

"Ho-ly shit," Hangman commented, his eyes wide as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.

"You see me now?" Maverick asked Rooster. "Come on, let's get it over with."

Rooster's eyes filled with anger. "Fight's on!"

Maverick and Rooster both began to fly down towards the ground, going in circles and never taking their eyes off of one another.

Hangman watched in confusion before he began to fly after them. "What is with these two?"

As they got closer to the ground, Maverick raised his eyebrows at him. "All right, you put us here. How you gonna get yourself out?"

"You can bail out anytime," Rooster replied.

"How low you wanna go, Rooster?" Maverick asked, checking the altimeter.

"I can go as low as you, sir!" Rooster shot back. "And that's saying something!"

"What's past is past," Maverick said. "For both of us."

"You'd like to believe that, wouldn't you?" Rooster asked.

"Hard deck is 5,000 feet, fellas," Hangman spoke up. "You are running out of room."

Rooster's eyes landed on the altimeter, it was declining rapidly as he and Maverick got closer to the ground. "Altitude. Altitude."

"Your strategy is about to run us into the ground," Maverick pointed out. "What's your move?"

"Altitude," an automated voice warned both of them. "Altitude. Altitude. Altitude."

Rooster looked in between the altimeter and Maverick, his mind racing. The ground was getting significantly closer, his hands tightening around the controls.

"Pull up! Pull up! Pull up! Pull up!"

Maverick was the first to bail, pulling up on his controls as he flew right in the middle of the mountaintops. Rooster was quick to follow him, keeping his distance as he flew after Maverick.

"You got it," Maverick said. "Don't think. Just do."

"Come on, Rooster, you got him!" Hangman said to him. "Drop down and take the shot!"

"It's too low!" Rooster replied.

"Too late," Maverick sighed. "You had your chance."

Maverick pulled back on the brakes, flying backwards over Rooster's jet and coming up behind him. He aimed his gun, the beeping sound sounding through Rooster's helmet.

"That's a kill," Maverick said. "Knock it off."

Rooster sighed. "Damn it."

Hangman shook his head as he began to fly off. "Same old Rooster."

Maverick came up beside Rooster. "Go see Hondo about your push-ups."

Ellie stood with Natasha as they both watched Bradley do his push-ups. Hondo had tried to get him to stop after he went above two hundred, but he eventually gave up and walked off.

The Kazansky girl shook her head as she walked with Natasha, approaching Bradley, who was sitting on the ground with his arms resting over his knees.

"Breaking the hard deck, insubordination," Natasha was the first to say something. "Are you trying to get kicked out?"

"Don't worry about it," Bradley replied.

Natasha crouched down in front of him. "Look, Winters and I are going on this mission. But if you get kicked out, you leave us flying with Hangman. Talk to us. What the hell was that?"

It took Bradley a moment to respond. "He pulled my papers."

"What?" Natasha asked. "Who?"

"Maverick," Bradley replied. "He pulled my application to the Naval Academy. Set me back four years."

"Why would he do that?" Natasha asked.

Bradley didn't answer and just looked away, so Natasha sighed and straightened back up and looked at Ellie. The blonde motioned her head back toward base, indicating she wanted to talk to him alone.

Natasha nodded and sighed, patting her shoulder before she walked away. Ellie glanced back at Bradley, taking a deep breath as she sat down in front of him.

"I still don't understand, Ells," Bradley said as he looked at her.

"Then talk to him," Ellie replied. "You'll be wondering why and making up all kinds of stuff in your head when you can go find him and just ask him. Stop being so damn stubborn."

"I'm not being stubborn," Bradley defended himself.

Ellie gave him a look. "Really?"

Bradley just looked at her and they both smiled, sharing a laugh. Ellie rolled her eyes playfully, getting back to her feet. She held her hand out for him, wiggling her fingers.

"Come on, we gotta get back," she said. "And you need to take a shower."

Bradley chuckled again, taking her hand as she pulled him to his feet. Ellie pulled him up a little too hard, causing them to be touching chest-to-chest.

The blonde's eyes met his and they both stood there for a moment and Ellie noticed that he glanced down at her lips. But before anything could happen, Ellie cleared her throat and took a step away from him.

They both began walking back to base and Ellie walked a few feet ahead of him. She sighed and squeezed her eyes shut, scrunching her face as she mentally scolded herself.