Oh look, they're not dead!

[reactorhead_russians]

[1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F_ZqflQ0IA

After the battle of Hong Kong, the Unity Group has a new addition to its roster, slowly trucking its way into the hanger bay on a flat industrial yellow crawled. Its armor covered with dents and scars, and its right arm has been squeezed into scrap, but that nuclear cooling tower head is unmistakable.

Cherno Alpha: last of the Mark-1 Jaegers. Unconquered guardian of the Siberian coast.

At its feet, clad in bulky mo-cap armor, sit its two Rangers, national heroes of Russia: Alexis and Sasha Kaidonovksy.



Currently they're sitting in-between an open medkit, swabbing at cuts and bruises on their faces with alcohol and cotton. Alexis grunts as Sasha dabs at one gash on her forehead. Sasha jostles his shoulder playfully.

Then you make a noise. Their heads snap up, and they stare at you with the unblinking intensity of owls.

Will you be the one to break this uncomfortable silence?

[2]

[Locked to participants in "Double Event" mission]

Later on, while walking through one of the Unity Group's holdings, you run into Sasha and Alexis. They've changed into some swanky fur-lined jackets and golden skull rings adorn their fingers.

The stare at you for a good moment. Then Sasha nudges Alexis, and Alexis pulls a tiny flash drive from his pocket and hands it to you.

"You did good out there." He says gruffly. "Spacebo."

Comments

1

[herodrawing]

Umm. Hello.

[Izuru suddenly finds himself being stared down by a pair of Russians.]

I am not a spy or anything, really. I just wanted to see if you're alright.

[Once again, he holds a sketchbook in his hands as Izuru is wont to do.]

Re: 1

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha leans forward, glaring. She points at the sketchbook in your hands. "What." She hisses. "Is that?"

[herodrawing]

Ah? That!

[Izuru quickly opens up, showing some kind of frowny face robot with a lance.]

This is my... wrong page.

[Changed to a rough sketch of Cherno Alpha standing in a large Shatterdome like hangar.]

Here.

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha reaches out and plucks the sketchbook from Izuru's hands. How rude!

She stares at the Cherno Alpha sketch intently.

[herodrawing]

Ah!

[Izuru's surprised at first but now he actually looks expectantly, as if judging the Ranger's reaction to the drawing.]

I made this picture when Unity Group visited the Shatterdome. Do you remember?

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha stares at it, then fumbles the sketchbook to a blank page and hands it back.

"Could you...draw us? WIth Cherno, I mean?"

[herodrawing]

I can. I mean, you want me to do it? Right now?

[Izuru's whole person starts to shine with enthusiasm.]

Awesome!

[reactorhead_russians]

"If its not a hassle." Sasha amends.

She and Alexis peer over Izuru's shoulder as you start sketching (which may or may not interfere with his work, depending on whether he's a memory sketcher).

"Are you a pilot?" Alexis asks suddenly.

[herodrawing]

[Izuru looks down on his sketch as it slowly takes form, up on his models, down on the sketch, up on... the models are gone! Or rather, behind him!]

Ahh, please don't move for a bit!

Yes, I am the pilot of MJP use AHSMB Red Five, Hitachi Izuru! Nice to meet you!

[Looks like he decided to be extra polite in case the Russians take offense or something.]

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha and Alexis glance at each other as they stay still for your sketches.

"You're very young." Alexis rumbles.

[herodrawing]

Well, Tamaki's even younger than me. But I guess that means everyone's in Team Rabbits is young from where you stand.

After all we were born to be pilots. It's just that Wulgaru and all the other bad guys attacked so we are needed to help save everyone.

[Izuru talks like it's no big thing.]

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha inhales sharply.

"That's sad." She says quietly.

[herodrawing]

Ehh? Why is it sad?

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha glances away. "You had no choice." Alexis says after a moment.

[herodrawing]

Did I really have no choice? I guess you're right, but...

[Izuru glances down at the sketch and adds a few more lines.]

It's not that everyone else who fights, or who is caught in a fight, had a choice - right? There are a lot of innocents who can't help it that they're under attack by bad guys.

And that way, at least I can try to save them.

[reactorhead_russians]

Alexis and Sasha glance at each other.

And then they nod briskly. "Good!" Alexis says. "Remember that."

"That its never about glory or victory," Sasha chimes in, "But guarding people's lives."

"Delivering them from fear." Alexis adds.

[herodrawing]

Yes! I agree!

You guys...

You are real heroes!

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha preens a little. "Well," She says, "we don't like to brag..."

She leans closer. "Can we see the sketch?"

[herodrawing]

Ah, sure!

There you go.

[Hope you like anime style because that's how you look like on the drawing, Kaidanovskys. Looks like Izuru was watching some JoJo recently. And Cherno is standing as it does just now, a pretty faithful if a bit rough sketch... but in the corner, Izuru already started to draw the same robot in a more super robot-y kind of pose, arms spread wide like it was the end of an anime opening or something.]

2

[abugslife]

I could say the same thing. You did well at holding the line before the reinforcements arrived.

What is this?

Re: 2

[reactorhead_russians]

"Our little tradition." Sasha chimes in.

"Whenever a fellow pilot saves our lives," Alexis clarifies, "we give them our personal song mix. Twenty hours of classic Ukranian Hardhouse."

[abugslife]

I will make sure to listen to all of it. And not just that; expect to receive a disk with the songs of my people some time in the future.

How often did this happen before?

[reactorhead_russians]

Alexis frowns and counts on his fingers. "Hmm....Horizon Brave's crew at the Baltic Straits, and Hyperion Nova's Rangers at Port Arthur. "

"Don't forget Anton, back in the Supermax." Sasha points out.

"Da, da, so three times." Alexis concludes. "Well, four. We tried giving songs to the Wei brothers...." His face darkens. "But they dislike Ukrainian Hardhouse. Heathens."

Sasha spits to the side.

[abugslife]

Just as many pilots owe their lives to you, I presume. If not many more.

And the Wei brothers are quite young, to my knowledge. Unfortunately, that might mean they have not developed good taste in music yet. That takes experience.

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha grunts. "Children have fine tastes." She points out. "Older folk have balanced tastes. But young adults try so hard to have mature tastes that they...don't."

"Da," Alexis agrees. "They focus too much on appearance." He eyes you. "Is it the same on your homeworld?"

[abugslife]

I think it is the same on every world where the concept of a young adult exists.

2

[caressthedarkness]

[After 'large wizard' finally manages to return to her human form and get some fresh bandages, this happens.]

Thank...you...

[She seems to be wondering what's inside the drive, and stares at it.]

Re: 2

[reactorhead_russians]

"Our song mix." Sasha explains.

"Twenty hours of our favorite Ukrainian Hardhouse melodies. We give a copy of it to everyone who saves our lives." Alexis clarifies.

[caressthedarkness]

But...you saved mine as well...when I was stuck in my other form...

Hmm...

[She starts to think.]

[reactorhead_russians]

"Separate favors." Sasha says with a wave of her hand. "We pay you back for your live saving now, and you buy us dinner at a nice restaurant later, da?"

[caressthedarkness]

[Nod.]

...Is there any such place you know of...?

I am...not so good with directions...

[At least the money isn't an issue.]

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha taps on her phone. "Korean Barbeque." She says briskly. Your own tablet/phone/datapad-whatsit chimes. Oh look: its an address in Hong Kong!

"Find a time in your schedule next week." She commands you. "Bring someone you like."

1)

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Well that may be difficult, Volya's having something of a fight or flight reaction because its the goddamn Kaidanovskys in the flesh right there.]

Ya dazhe ne-

['I don't even-']

Eep!

[Volya slaps his hands over his mouth and for all the world looks like the tremendously nervous kid he is and actually backs off a little, gulping anxiously as he stutters out a few quick words before attempting to scamper off to hide somewhere.]

Iz... izvinite za bespokoystvo... Ya prosto ostavlyu!

['I'm sorry for disturbing you, I'll just leave.']

Re: 1)

[reactorhead_russians]

"Stoji!" Sasha says hastily, raising a hand. "Er...Nichevo strashnava!."

Her impassive, frost-giant expression cracks to reveal a hint of nervousness. * "Please stay if you want."* She says.

* "What's your name, kid?" * Alexis chimes in, twisting one of his skull rings. "Otkuda ty?"

[mistaken_for_monster]

...Volya Alkaev... ot Rodiny..

[He looks up at the pair anxiously as he answered. Its been a while since he was back in the motherland... though the last time he was held only bad memories.]

The only home I have anymore is here though...

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha glances at Volya, then Alexis, then back to Volya. She reaches out a hand, hesitates, and then ruffles Volya's hair.

[mistaken_for_monster]

[Which has him freeze in place. Honestly how would any kid react to something like this?]

Uh..

[He's looking up to the Kaidanovskys, wide eyed and confused and trying to ask 'why' but unable to.]

[reactorhead_russians]

Sasha draws her hand back as if Volya's messy hair was a hot stovetop. "*Oh!" She says. "Was that weird? I didn't mean to be weird!..*"