So instead of pranking you, like a fellow author did to his fans (very clever, very clever) I decided I'd write for you guys instead. This one's a little bit later in the year than the last one.

Chapter 37

"What about…Olga?" Aleksis suggested.

Cherno pulled a face shaking his head while Sasha sighed, wincing as the baby kicked.

They found out that the baby would be a little girl a few days ago…and they had refrained from picking out names until they were for sure it would be a boy or a girl.

"What?" Aleksis demanded, "Was my older sister's name!"

"Wasn't she the one that pushed you off pier into icy water when you were three?" Cherno asked, "You ended up with hypothermia and nearly lost two of toes from frostbite,"

Aleksis frowned.

"She never did like me…" he finally said.

"Not to mention, was name of old babysitter of mine who sat on her backside smoking and forcing me to do all of housework," Sasha supplied, wincing as her hands shot to her stomach, "Agh, little one does not like it either,"

"So, Olga is out!" Aleksis called, cutting off his wife, son and unborn daughter's commentary, "What of Nina?"

"Is pretty…" Sasha nodded, "But…is it right for little one?"

Another spasm hit her face and she shook her head.

"She does not want that one either,"

"Ought to call her Masha then," Aleksis growled.

"Ow, Aleksis!" Sasha snapped as the baby kicked hard, "Stop!"

"What about…Anya?" Cherno suggested, "Since you both been shown favor by whatever brought us back. The Voice gave you second child…it seem like favor to me. Or Irina, because by time she born…we should have peace?"

"He does have point," Sasha pointed out, "Besides, she has not shown disfavor, she likes names her big brother chose,"

Cherno beamed and put a hand on his mother's stomach.

"Cannot wait until she get here," he finally said, "She going to be strong like our parents,"

"And like her big brother," Aleksis added, "Not many could say they fought Kaiju with bare hands and won,"

"Heh, I name five others," Cherno chuckled.

"Not sure if I'm glad to be back here or not," Coyote started, craning his neck to look up at the school building.

"Oh? Why?" Gipsy asked, looking at him.

"I miss sleeping in," Coyote smirked, "Nearly blew up the alarm clock by accident this morning,"

"That was you?" Crimson yawned, "I thought that was Cherno!"

"Nyet, not me," Cherno growled, "Why you always assume when something blows up is because of me?"

"Because most of the time, Cherno it is your fault," Striker pointed out, "Coyote…well…'e's the goody-two-shoes of the six of us,"

"I think I'm pretty good," Tacit replied, a little miffed.

"Oh really?" Striker snorted, "Remember that time over break when you nearly skewered Newt with your throwing knives as he walked by?"

"I was aiming for the skin mite,"

"Or when you got in a brawl with Cherno and got stuck…" Gipsy added.

"That wasn't my fault!"

"Or when you stuck a tack on the teacher's chair…by running at a speed that shouldn't even be possible," Crimson added.

"He had it coming!"

"Point is, Tacit," Striker finished, "You're just as bad if not worse than the rest of us when it comes to pranking and stuff,"

Tacit crossed her arms and blew a strand of her hair away.

"I've got a question,"

Cherno looked down at the tiny human girl by his side.

"Question?" he asked.

Natasha nodded, "We might want to go someplace a little bit more private,"

Cherno frowned, but he gave a nod, ignoring the sick, cold feeling that was digging its claws into his heart. He gently took Natasha's hand and they went over to the front of the school building, sitting on the steps.

It was the end of the day, everyone was enjoying the light breeze and warm sun. Gipsy was running around the grounds being chased by Striker as the former had stolen the latter's book and was now playing monkey in the middle with Crimson while Mei stood to the side, dying with laughter. Coyote and Tacit sat on the ground, looking up at the sky with Tacit's head in Coyote's lap. The couple pointing out a strange or neat shape in the clouds every so often.

"What is it you want to ask?" Cherno asked as Natasha sat next to him, taking his hand and rubbing it with her thumb.

"I heard the others talking," she started, "The other Shatterdome Kids,"

That's what everyone had dubbed the six Jaegers. Everyone knew that they always returned to the Shatterdome every night after school. Very seldom did they leave the doors. The kids all thought that the six lived there permanently instead of living off the base in the standardized housing that most of the students lived in.

"Da…and what did you…"

"Why do they call you Cherno?" Natasha interrupted.

Cherno's heart froze and subtle tremors ran up and down his body as she said his real name.

"Afon?"

"H-How…" Cherno stuttered, "N-Natasha…I can explain,"

"Please do," she said, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Cherno is…nickname," Cherno finally said, "Not many know truth, but I truly Sasha and Aleksis Kaidonovsky's son. My parents…they nickname me Cherno because of Jaeger. There is Big Cherno, the Jaeger, and Papa always call me Little Cherno because I was like Jaeger in so many ways. When Mama and Papa died…"

He closed his golden eyes, a tear slipping past.

"I keep name in honor of them," he finished, "That is why I called Cherno,"

It wasn't exactly a lie. But it was nowhere near the truth either.

"I…I didn't know," Natasha murmured, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know they had a son,"

"No one did," Cherno shrugged, "Best bet for me was to keep me out of light. So I could live normal life,"

"For a Jaeger anyway," he thought to himself.

"If you want…I can call you by your nickname if you'd like," Natasha offered.

"It does not matter to me," Cherno shrugged, "You saying my name is enough for me,"

"Honestly, I like the name," she smiled, "Cherno fits you,"

"I bet," Cherno muttered to himself.

"What?"

"Nothing," Cherno waved her off, "Just…talking to self,"

"There's something you're not telling me isn't there?" Natasha asked, closing an eye.

"Nyet!" Cherno said hurriedly, "Not hiding anything,"

"Uh huh," she hummed, "Cherno…I'm going to find out one day. You will tell me…right?"

Cherno gave a light sigh and nodded.

"Da, one day," he said, "But not today. Am not ready for anyone to know,"

"Then I'll wait,"

He prowled around his throne room, growling angrily to himself. There had to be a way to beat them. There had to be!

But what would work?

The large scale attacks didn't work, neither did the smaller ones. He'd tried splitting them up and that almost worked…if the young Marshall hadn't interfered and if Slattern hadn't messed up! He wasn't supposed to keep the Jaeger, he was supposed to bring her to him!

He gave a snarl and reared back his armored fist, ramming it into a support beam.

It split with a sickening crack and broke in two.

He stopped mid curse, examining the beam. There was a weak spot there.

Of course! Everything has a weak spot.

Even the tightly knit group of Six.

Everyone had something that crippled them…

He went to the mirror and the images of the six Jaegers appeared. He looked them over, scanning every inch of them.

He was about to give up…

When he saw something.

All six Jaegers had a weakness, though to which one each belonged to…he didn't know. Some were physical some were mental, but all of them had a weak spot.

He quickly fixed up a concoction of the vilest sort and called one of his servants.

"Take this to the surface world," he ordered, "And slip it to the Six. Do not be noticed,"

He smiled evilly as the servant vanished.

Soon, as early as tomorrow or as late as a few months from now…all the Jaegers would be suffering…

Or they would have killed each other.

Uh oh. What is our villain plotting now? Nothing good I can tell you. Nothing good. Let's put it this way...we find out something about one of the Jaegers. Something that should have come to light when he/she first arrived but it didn't and now the Jaeger and their pilots and their respective other are going to suffer for it.

So which name do you guys want? Anya or Irina for the baby?

Anyway, hope you liked it. If you did, please let me know!

Qui vállë tóquetë, ván tecë (If no review comes from y'all; no story comes from me)

Máriessë ar mára tecië

Farewell and fair writing

Elhini Prime signing off.