"What?!"
"Yeah."
Ruby stared at the nightmarish little trash dump that was ahead of her. The prickling heat of what Fanatic had called 'Radiation' washed over her Aura cover, causing the hairs on her everything to stand on-end. She stared at the place, watching as the air rippled and fluctuated in several spots, dancing as if it had been poked with a hot rod of iron. Fanatic stated, "Those are Springboards. Nasty gravitational anomalies, but easily avoidable..."
"It's not funny, Fanatic," Ruby noted, looking to him with worry, "The heck do they do!?"
"... Slam you with a shockwave and shake you a lot. To the point it can probably tear you apart limb from limb," The man offered, crossing his arms to his chest as the young girl he'd taken under his wing stared with eyes wide as saucers at him. He smirked, "Like I said, they are easy to avoid. Just don't get pulled into them and use bolts to locate the closest ones. I'm here to teach you specifically how to avoid anomalies, Roza."
"Roza?" Ruby quirked a brow up, despite the fear slowly stalking its way up her spine.
"Translation of your family name to my language," He nodded, then looked over toward the place. He hummed, stroked his chin and said, "Pull that bag of bolts from your left pocket..." and he motioned to it. Ruby undid the pocket's zipper and pulled out a bag of what looked to be standard-issue bolts made for construction and assembly of various things like vehicles. She plucked one bolt from the bag of dozens, then looked to Fanatic. The man lifted his own bolt, then threw it.
The anomaly caught the bolt. A blaze of fire surrounded the metallic item made for construction as the air rippled emerald-yellow for but a moment. Then, the item was torn asunder. She hummed, narrowed her lips, then looked over to him, asking, "What're we doing in this part, anyhow? There's gotta be a bigger reason you brought me here beside teaching me about... Springboards?"
"Well," He nodded, "You aren't wrong on that. In truth, I'm also here to teach you about Artifacts. Part of the Zone's lifeblood, a bunch of weird shit that started popping up after the supposed Second Accident. They're useful pieces, but they have negative side-effects, too, not to mention the fact that they spout enough radiation to be a problem. It's why we have specialized equipment to find and contain them. You can get a boatload of money for'em if you find an Ecologist, AKA a scientist, to trade with," and he pointed inside the pit of crap. next to a tree, a strangely-shaped crystalline formation or something shimmered with power. He stated, "That there? That's a Jellyfish artifact."
"I see," Ruby hummed, then looked over at the bolt in her hand. She looked to him, then asked, "What kind of equipment are we talking about?" as her mind thought about what 'radiation' meant for her body. Considering she was feeling a slight prickling sensation just by standing near this dump site. She didn't even wanna consider what it could do to her.
First, she was handed a yellow, rusty device with a cap of sorts and a single blue light strip down the middle of its bulky frame. Fanatic said, "That's one of the old models of artifact 'Echo' detectors. It'll beep louder the closer to one of'em you are, but I'd be aware. That thing doesn't register newer artifacts that have appeared courtesy of the last major storm in 2012."
"Okay..." Ruby nodded, stowing the information in her mind, then she stowed the device close before being handed, or more-so tossed, a heavy box. She caught the item and almost fell over as she pretty much hugged it. It was a gigantic, chromed box of some kind with a really hick, heavy inside. She looked at Fanatic and raised a brow. She blinked, looking at the chuckling man and raising a brow.
"A lead-lined container. Artifacts, as I said, emit Rads. This thing will keep the radiation inside and make sure you don't get poisoned by it the moment you shove it in there... Though it is a heavy piece of shit," He remarked nonchalantly, slinging his AKs-74u onto his back by its strap. Ruby hummed, then set the box down. It was actually decently-sized, but would fit in her current backpack.
She then looked over to him as she packed the box, before having to catch two bottles of clear liquid with a black label in some strange, alien alphabet to her. She looked up to him, then raised a brow. He explained, "Nemiroff Vodka. See, Radiation is not something you can 'get rid of' or 'avoid' in the Zone so easily, especially not as early as you are as a rookie, Roza. This'll help you... Pass some of the Radiation..." And he smirked.
Ruby blinked, looking at the item, then hummed and nodded. She was handed one last item. A Geiger counter. Fanatic explained, "The closer you are to the radiation, that thing will click continuously, warning you... Then again, the sickness you should feel the moment you enter one of the bigger pockets will probably be enough warning. Anyways. You have all that you need, Roza. I'll cover you from over here."
"Alright," Ruby nodded, "Thanks...?"
She turned toward the dump and walked forth, detector device in her left hand and a bolt in her right. She looked around, examining possible routes. To her immediate left, there was an irradiated, destroyed truck with no windows acting as a barrier. To her right, there was a tall, steep hill and a fence. In front of her, various pieces of trash, old tires and even an irradiated loaf of bread, from what she could tell. Aside from that, there was the trunk where the Jellyfish artifact was 'hidden'.
She leaned forward out of instinct, slowly creeping through the place. She looked around, passing between the truck and a line of tires as the Geiger counter started clicking, as her current observer stated, almost incessantly. She felt uneasy, feeling her Aura weaken a bit. She looked at herself, to see she was glimmering red, sight to which Fanatic called out, "Holy shit, Ruby, are you okay!? If the rads in that dump are potent enough to make you glow red, it's best if you get out!"
"I'm fine!" Ruby replied awkwardly... It was probably best not to let anyone know about the Aura for now, if that's how Fanatic reacted. She stated, "... Might be a side effect of something or other?"
And, in her inattentiveness, Ruby activated one of the Springboards just in front of her. She felt the wind get knocked out of her lungs as her own feet no longer touched the dirt. Before she knew it, the girl flew into the truck to her left with the force of a thrown baseball, slamming into the side and cracking the old wood and metal of the trailer. Fanatic called out, "Shit! Ruby! I'm coming!"
She grunted, grabbing onto her head as her Aura dissipated, then said, "I'm alright... Ouch..." She winced as she felt her hip. She'd hit the damn thing and broke her Aura, which was odd. It was supposed to resist to far more than just that minimal amount of damage. She chuckled, grunted, then looked to the shocked Fanatic, stating, "I think that's... Gonna bruise."
"Apologies. Gotcha distracted there, sister," He hummed, then grinned and chuckled, "You must have some strong bones."
"Yeah," Ruby partially lied, "Very..." and she stood to her feet, dusting herself off. Never again would she do that. Not watching where she went, she thought. She started walking carefully, throwing bolts ahead. Whenever an anomaly showed its face, Ruby turned, walked around it and threw a bolt in front of her. If it didn't evaporate, she recovered it and went on. If it popped, she found an alternate route.
In the meanwhile, the Echo detector continued to beep the closer she got to the Jellyfish. It grew to the point it was an almost continuous ring instead of the standard staccato beep that it had started out as. She stowed the device, seeing herself approaching her objective, then took a knee and grabbed it. She felt it burning through her gloves as Radiation worked its magic. Quickly, she took the lead-lined container from the bag, slammed it inside and shut the cap, sealing it shut with a nice hiss.
Breathing a sigh as the tension in her body left her extremities, Ruby leaned against the can, giving a thumbs up toward Fanatic as she hefted the can and retraced her steps out of the place. Walking up to the man, she handed him the can and said, "... Thank you for the training, but holy heck, I'm really not cut out for this..." as her own thoughts were jumbled.
"I'd say you have a knack for it, honestly," The man shrugged, "Plus... Your sister went in there, looking for your friends and you."
Ruby sighed. He was right, "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Fanatic... What's next on the menu?" She raised a brow.
"We're done. Basic practice for survival... You know how to shoot your gun and how to survive radiation and find artifacts," The man explained, then hummed and stated, "Also... Drink your Vodka. Just for your own safety. If you want more work after me, you can go talk to Sidorovich in his bunker, or to Wolf, who's sat just outside as a bodyguard for the fat old bastard."
"Gotcha... And info?" She raised a brow, "I wanna know where Yang went."
He shrugged, "Also Sidorovich and Wolf. They're most aware of what goes on in the Cordon and Sidorovich has contacts deeper inside, as well, considering a lot of people owe him things."
"Okay. Thanks... You said their bunker was there, right?" She raised a brow and pointed to the backwoods near the village. The man nodded, to which Ruby breathed in, out, then sighed deeply and said, "Thanks again, Fanatic. I think I owe you a lot."
"Just survive and find your friends. I think that's payment enough. Use the cash I gave you to buy yourself a nice gun. An SKS, maybe," Fanatic smirked, then took out a cigarette, slid it between his lips and lit it with a special lighter. He gave her a nod, then the two marched back into the town together. From there, Ruby moved toward the bunker where 'Sidorovich' was.
She was first met by Wolf. The man was a tall, well-built soldier-looking fellow. He was shaved, unlike Fanatic, mildly younger and carrying what looked to be a light machine-gun of some kind, its bipod folded in and acting as a sort of side-grip for the man. He greeted Ruby with a nod, his face like a steel mask. He spoke to her, "You're the new kid. Doesn't speak an iota of Ukrainian or Russian, right?"
"Yeah," Ruby nodded, slightly shy and... Worried the man was gonna plug her full of bullets.
"Small piece of advice from me, malen'kyy. Learn either language... You'll probably live longer," He stated calmly, leaning the LMG onto his shoulder. He motioned to the angled bunker door, from which a faint orange light shone, then said, "If you want to talk to Sidorovich, he's at the bottom. Get yourself a better weapon than that PM, too. Things out there will take more than 9mm FMJ to kill."
Ruby smiled and nodded, "Sure.. Any idea how I can make more money, by the way? I figure I'm... Gonna need something to keep myself supplied."
"You can take jobs from anyone willing to give. I and Sidorovich each have a few jobs to give, so," He shrugged, "Come to either of us if you think you need work and cash for the stuff you want to buy..." before he turned and retrieved a can of soda from his pocket, popping it open with a loud, deep hiss. Ruby nodded, descending down the stairs. Wolf seemed like a dangerous fellow. Very much so.
Taking a left and going farther down, deeper into the bunker, the girl was met by a heavy, armored door embedded into a thick concrete wall. She pulled on the door's main handle, hearing it screech as metal scraped against rusted metal, before it swung open. From within, the scent of gun oil, sweat and cooked food assaulted Ruby's nostrils as a cacophony of awfulness. She wrinkled her nose, listening as a song sung in the local language played on the radio to the right.
Ahead of her, sat behind a gun storefront like the ones you'd expect to see on Remnant, with all the things needed for it, including the wall made out of bulletproof material and corrugated steel through which the store window had been cut. A fat man sat in a chair in front of the counter, while, behind him, there were weapons and kit lined up on shelves, as well as armor and better uniforms than what she was wearing currently.
The fat man was a grey-haired, balding man, probably in his late fifties. He hummed, munching on a chicken leg, before looking up and gasping. He wiped his hands and mouth with the napkin he was using as a bib, tossing it and the half-eaten chicken leg onto the table to the left, before stating happily in her language, "Welcome! Welcome! The New Face in town! How are you doing, girlie?" though with just as thick an accent as Wolf and Fanatic.
"Hi," Ruby waved awkwardly, "I'm fine, I guess... Still trying to wrap my head around how I got here."
"Ah," The man nodded, "I understand. Not here of your own design, then? Not seeking some big getaway adventure to the world of the Zone?"
"Nope..." Ruby shook her head, "I wanna find my friends and sister and get outta here if possible."
"I see..." The man hummed, rubbing his chin, then grinned and said, "You're that blonde girl's sister, then! She described you and your other two eccentric friends, too!"
Ruby smiled. Of course, Yang would've been here. She nodded, "Yeah. That's my sister, Yang... Been through your place, then?"
"Been through? She's visited twice this past week to sell some stuff to me for extra money! Even got a couple of jobs from yours truly! Oh," He stood up, then quickly added, "Look at me, being a dumb old man. I'm Sidorovich. Local trader that helps most Rookie Stalkers in getting good equipment. Your sister has a KS-23 Shotgun from yours truly with her while she's hunting out there, as well as a Sunrise Stalker suit."
"Ooh," Ruby smirked, "She paid high prices for'em? Cuz Fanatic told me she swindled some poor guy out of his shotgun."
"Well," Sidorovich chuckled, "Let's just say she has a way with words... And fists."
Ruby giggled, "Yup. That's my sister. Anyways, hi. I'm Ruby Rose. Nice to meet you, mister Sidorovich."
"Ahah. Please, just Sidorovich. Calling me 'mister' makes me feel old. What is it you're looking for in my humble store, then, miss Rose?" He then asked, turning and motioning to the wide array of firearms, boxes of ammunition and armor and suits on the walls. He also quipped, "If I may make a suggestion, an SKS would suit you well for your first few days."
"What's it fire?" Ruby inquired. The man pulled a box of stripper clips from the rear and placed it in front of her, opening it up to reveal steel-case ammunition.
"7,62 by 39 millimeter ammunition. This here is a full box of full-metal jacket. A hundred and fifty rounds, a total of fifteen full stripper clips of ammunition," Sidorovich noted. He stroked his chin as Ruby gave the ammo a once-over, turning to bring the strange wood-stock rifle to Ruby. He showed it to her, pulling the bolt back to reveal the 'feed lips' that would catch the 7,62 stripper clips to feed rounds into the rifle's internal magazine, then said, "This is an SKS. Simionov semi-automatic carbine."
"Interesting," Ruby noted, "Can I hold it?"
"Sure. Not like you can use it without the ammo, unless you use it as a throwing spear with the Bayonet. Careful, though. She may be a bit heavy for a dainty little flower like you," Sidorovich quipped and nodded, handing the girl the gun. She felt the weight of the wood and metal stock as he let it go in her hands, noting the weapon's serial number on the top of the receiver, the strange sights with the adjustment notches and the factory it must've come from, written in the local language.
She saw the folding bayonet at the front and hummed, extending it and seeing a single bead of sweat fall off Sidorovich's brow. She aimed toward the wall, feeling the weight, then hummed and said, "Huh... It's actually pretty light," before turning to a surprised Sidorovich and flashing a grin as she folded the Bayonet. She stated, "She'll be right at home with me... How much for it and the whole box of ammo?"
"... Well, normally, all of it combined would cost you a whopping thirty thousand roubles, but..." He hummed, "Seeing as you're a friend of Yang's, I'll just waive the bill if you do a job for me."
"Sure, can't hurt..." Ruby smiled.
"Okay..." The man stated, "Here's what I need you to do..."