2025, January 2 – 18:12 – Hong Kong Shatterdome, Hong Kong, China

Greyson gawked at him as they walked, wondering if she was even dreaming. When Raleigh caught her staring, he grinned, switching the umbrella into his other hand and throwing an arm around his old friend's shoulder. "Sorry I never picked up a damn phone," he muttered, pretty proud of himself.

"Oh, you heard about that?" Greyson laughed under her breath. She almost didn't catch Marshal Pentecost's singular sentence: "We will tour the facility first, and then Ms. Mori will show you to your Jaeger, Mr. Becket."

Raleigh looked into the aquariums when he entered. By the time everyone had settled inside the lift and out of the rain, an animated sort of voice started screaming to hold the door. Greyson's face lit up when she saw her favorite K-Scientists and newly transferred J-Tech officer.

The doctors had shaken off the rain from their coats and stomped out their boots. Newt Geiszler, Noah's older brother, shook his umbrella closed, and called out, "Stay back! Kaiju specimens are extremely rare, so look, but don't touch, please."

Hermann Gottlieb, Lars's son, merely rolled his eyes. Noah stifled a laugh, covering the grin on his face. "Raleigh, this is our research team," Greyson introduced in amusement. "Dr. Gottlieb and Dr. Geiszler. And, of course, you know Noah."

"No, no. Call me Newt. Only my mother calls me 'doctor'." Newt turned towards the man, pulling his jacket off his shoulders. No one besides Newt found that the least bit funny. Greyson rolled her eyes; Mako and Pentecost both were impassive; Raleigh nodded cautiously, not sure what to do, but keeping the atmosphere as un-awkward as possible.

"Ah, you're Noah's infamous brother," Raleigh figured, seeing the resemblance between the two.

Noah huffed, shaking his head. He spoke so only they could hear. "Please don't remind me."

"Hermann!" Newt continued, calling his partner and ignoring the short exchange. "These are human beings" – he motioned to the others — "Why don't you say 'hello'?"

Gottlieb slid off his soaked hood. "I have asked you not to refer to me by my first name outside of the laboratory—"

"Oh, no, yes, I didn't realize," Newt started to bicker, mocking Hermann with an overly dramatic, low-toned British accent. "Ten years of experience, oh, I'm very sorry!" Rolling up his shirt sleeves to show off his tattoo sleeves, the shorter man grumbled to himself.

"Who is that? Yamarashi?" Raleigh asked to make small conversation.

Newt looked down to his forearm and pointed. "Oh, this little kaiju? Yeah, you got a good eye."

A ghost of a smile passed Raleigh's lips. His confident demeanor had come back, after all. "My brother and I took him down in 2017."

"Did you know that he was one of the biggest Category 3's ever? He was two thousand, five hundred tons of awesome." The six others on the elevator exchanged exasperated looks; there went the doctor, as insensitive as ever.

Raleigh shifted closer to Greyson, and she could feel the heat radiating from him. Looking sideways at the blond, she noticed how set his jaw was. He was staring quizzically at the two doctors, although she didn't think it anything than the usual.

After a few moments, Newt started talking again. "Or, you know, awful. Whatever you wanna call it."

Hermann spoke up, pointing a finger in Newt's general direction. "Please, excuse him. He's a Kaiju Groupie, he loves them."

The two of them always bickered like an old married couple. Many had, up to this point, just learned to deal with them. Greyson wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being Drift Compatible.

"Shut up, Hermann, I don't love them. Okay?" Newt snapped, "I study them. And unlike most people, I want to see them alive and up close one day."

When the doors opened to the hall, Mako and Pentecost walked ahead. Greyson waited for Raleigh, but he had placed a hand on Newt's shoulder, shaking his head. "Trust me, you don't wanna."

As they continued out, Newt called after Raleigh, apparently not done with the conversation. "Uh, no. I'm sorry. Excuse me. Uh… Hey, um, guy?"

Raleigh turned his attention back to the frizzled scientist, and Greyson stopped with him. Both Mako and Pentecost slowed a few paces ahead, listening to the good doctor's rant.

"Kaiju are the most immense, complex living entities ever to walk the earth," he marveled. "And guys like you, you don't know anything about them. See, the way I see it is, if you wanna stop them, you have to understand them."

"Right," Raleigh replied, nodding his head once. "Or we could just blow 'em to pieces."

Newt took a moment to recollect himself. "Oh, that's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? Let's just blow them to chunks. That's great—"

"Gentlemen," the Marshal said to diffuse the argument and get on with their day. "Debrief in ten." It was to the Geiszlers and Gottlieb.

The latter saluted in the Marshal's direction. "Sir."

"Be ready."

As the lot of them turned around to enter the Shatterdome bay maintenance area, Greyson overheard Newt say to Hermann, "What are you doing? You look like an idiot. Put your hand down." The doors began to close. "You're not an officer; you don't need to salute anyone. What a jerk that guy was."

Halfway down the corridor, Raleigh called to the Marshal, "So that's your research division?"

"Things have changed…" Their party waited for Mako to put in the three-digit pass-code, and the hangar bay doors opened to reveal its interior. Pentecost angled himself and met Raleigh's eye. "We're not an army anymore, Mr. Becket. We're the resistance."

The doors made noise as they widened, and Raleigh walked forward. Marshal Pentecost said, "Welcome to the Shatterdome." The three of them went ahead with the door whereas Greyson took to her right, in the direction of Striker Eureka's holding bay.

With her echoing footsteps came other voices. She weaved in between carts and staffers trying to get across the bay floor. Greyson had missed the hustle of a 'dome, having been made to sunset the last few ones.

She heard Max bark at her as she approached. In a higher voice, Greyson called to him. "Hi, buddy!"

Herc and Chuck Hansen both turned, eyes falling on her form. A broad grin spread across the son's face before he got to his feet. "Come on. Get her, Maxy!" he called, nudging his beloved bulldog in her direction.

Greyson saw very little need for it as Max ran to her, barking playfully, dragging his leash behind him. Max went behind Greyson's legs and nipped at her heels as she went towards Chuck. She pressed her lips into a thin line, hiding a smile. "Hey," she greeted lamely.

Chuck smiled directly back, brushing his lips against hers. "Hey," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her middle section. The DriveSuit was firm against her. "Where've you been?"

"Oh, you know, getting into heaps of trouble." Greyson batted her eyelashes at him mockingly.

The young Hansen head-butted her lightly, leaning his forehead against her own. "I was lonely."

"I'm sure your father would love to hear that you just adore his company," she joked, combing her fingers through the hairs at the nape of his neck. She braced one hand on the sturdy battle armor, meeting his eyes. "God knows what you'll do without me, Charlie."

His brows furrowed together, and he made a face. "Die, probably."

"Or worse," Greyson started, "be expelled."

Chuck only groaned in return, muttering something about her being such a nerd, before leaning back down to lock lips once more. Herc had turned to them then, grumbling to his self and muttering, "Get a room, you two." He had gotten out of the DriveSuit, pieces of it strewn across the tool shelving behind him.

Marshal Pentecost called over the ruckus: "Herc! Chuck!" Chuck and Greyson immediately pulled apart. Herc grabbed Max's leash and they all took a few steps forward. "Gentlemen, welcome to Hong Kong!"

"Wait here." Herc met with Stacker, Mako, and Raleigh, leaving his son behind. Greyson's brows furrowed, confused.

Mako called for Max with a big, toothy grin, crouching down to his height. "Hey, Max! Remember me?"

"Don't drool over Ms. Mori!" Herc called, as if the old dog could understand him. To the boys, he said, "He sees a girl and he gets all wound up."

Greyson noticed an absence of warmth and turned away from the little welcome party to see Chuck sauntering over to some tools not a few paces away. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." Chuck's eyes landed on Raleigh's form. He tensed, nodding in the man's direction. "So, we've got Becket."

She stepped towards Chuck, moving her hands around his torso and pulling her chin up. "Yeah, and you've got me." Greyson met him halfway with a kiss. One of his hands moved up to hold her chin before the Marshal called for their attention.

"Yes, sir Marshal, sir?" Chuck answered, detaching himself from Greyson. The Marshal raised a brown at him menacingly and the smug look on Chuck's face vanished quickly. Without looking, Greyson jabbed him in the ribs. It proved to be difficult, and stupid, because of the DriveSuit.

The Marshal continued. "What have I told you about public displays of affection on the bay floor?"

Chuck blinked, raising a brow himself. "Nothing, sir?"

Greyson decided to speak up then. "Please excuse Mr. Hansen, Marshal. He doesn't like his father's company at night," she said, pulling off with keeping a straight face. Very quickly, she threw a mock-glare at Chuck to which he replied with a grin.

Under the Marshal's scrutinizing eyes, Greyson stood just a bit taller. "Please bring Mr. Becket to his Jaeger," he ordered.

It took a second before the lieutenant realized that Pentecost was talking to her. "Sir, I was under the impression you had wanted me back in the LOCCENT—"

"That can wait," Pentecost interjected. "Mr. Hansen and I need Ms. Mori for another moment."

She only nodded respectfully, not bothering to argue. As Pentecost, Herc, and Mako turned to leave in the direction of K-Science, Greyson gave Raleigh a real, genuine smile when she was in his peripheral vision. "Ready to go, Rals?"

Raleigh asked bluntly, "Would you give me a minute?"

She nodded, almost unsure. Greyson watched as Raleigh called after the Marshal and jogged to catch up with the group. She didn't quite overhear what he was asking, though, she surely made out a few words here or there.

It was evidently known when Stacker Pentecost dismissed Raleigh. She turned towards Chuck, placing a hand on his arm momentarily. "Get settled, okay?"

"Alright, love," he answered. Chuck planted a kiss to her lips when he knew Raleigh was watching.

Both Darcy and Becket were on their way to the platform and galley in Gipsy Danger's hangar when the latter spoke up. His only words were, "How long?"

Greyson slowed down to allow Raleigh to fall into step with her. "Really? We don't talk for five years and all I get out of you now are two words?"

Raleigh was looking everywhere, at everything, except for her. "Sorry, I just…" He took in a much-needed breath. "How long have you and Hansen been — exclusive?"

She had shrugged nonchalantly at the question; however, Greyson held no intent on giving him an answer. "A while;" it was the only given reply Raleigh would get.

In the past, Raleigh had been considerably skilled at masking his feelings and emotions; however, when he looked away from her, Greyson knew the last handful of years had done their toll on him. She had never heard him so silent, so closed-off to the world. In that, Greyson had also realized she was as much of a stranger to him as he was to her now.

Five years and nothing much as a word—

When they reached the gantry high enough to fully see the beauty that was Gipsy Danger, all of Greyson's worries seemed to evaporate. "There she is," she breathed out. Raleigh all but melted. A small grin plastered his lips when his eyes fell upon the supported Jaeger. Awed, he muttered a nearly inaudible 'oh my, God.'

Greyson followed him to the railing. They both squinted past the flying sparks made by the tech crews and out to the Mark 3. "Look at her," Raleigh mumbled. "Gipsy Danger. God. So beautiful." He could not seem to peel his eyes off her. Neither could Greyson.

Raleigh continued, "She looks like new."

With those words followed a broad grin from Greyson's lips. "Oh, Rals, she's better than new. Gipsy's got a double-core nuclear reactor and, not to mention, a few new odds and ends that Ms. Mori and I managed to add to the blueprints." Greyson closed her eyes as she leaned on the railing, listening to the hum of the world around her. "Mako said she's one of a kind now. But that girl always was."

They both stood there at the railing. The ever-present wonder on his face whenever he would lay eyes on Gipsy was familiar, like every time he'd see his old 'bot. It was the same look of wonder that Yancy used to wear.

Greyson looked at his profile before starting, "You're okay with… being sucked into this all over again?" She shrugged, having no other way to string the proper words together in a more articulate sense. "The Marshal doesn't want me saying, but you can still back out. You still have that option. We can find—"

"Look me in the eye and tell me you really thought I would leave again, after coming all this way." Raleigh had given a halfhearted smile. To Greyson, Raleigh seemed to have eased toward the environment, eased toward her, and it made all the difference.

Even she could feel the good shift in the air.

"How do you like your ride, Becket boy?"

But then again, one can always hear Tendo Choi before seeing him. Greyson and Raleigh turned to see the Jaeger tech chief coming up the landing.

"Solid iron hull, no alloys. Forty engine blocks per muscle strand. Hyper-torque driver for every limb and a new fluid synapse system." Tendo ended his listing with a flourish of his hands.

Raleigh dropped his bag to give his old friend a long-overdue embrace.

Tendo said, "Come here."

"Ah, Tendo! It's good to see you, buddy."

The man in question was beaming from ear to ear as he patted Raleigh on the back. "It's good to see you, too, brother. It's just like old times." He gave Greyson a discreet look when he saw that she was standing some ways away, but he didn't voice his observation.

Eventually, Greyson did make the few steps towards the two men. She threw an arm over Tendo's shoulders and teased him about his never changing style.

"The magic's in the mystery, G," Tendo replied in ease. "Wardrobe's just a bonus."

Raleigh laughed when Greyson punched the guy in the arm. "You always were the melodramatic one.