Alex couldn't help but chortle when she repeated her name for him. "Meesh-KA." He repeated, like an echo. As she timidly shook his hand it was almost like static electricity arched across, but without the shock. His mind was suddenly aware of something that had happened, something... that was probably nothing to worry about. He blinked once, but paid it no further heed. To Mishka, however, a lot would become clear. The overwhelming blue of his confidence was merely a layer, a shield to protect the precious emotions underneath which boiled and bubbled in mixtures of grief, anger, a smidge of fear. Lowett himself seemed entirely unaware that his façade had so easily been broken.<br/><br/>He did notice the reaction to his showing off, smugly committing it to memory. Not quite the icequeen after all it seemed. However, with how she was being treated he couldn't really blame her for shutting off her emotions. Maybe he could get her to show off that smile a little more often. Although it was probably best not to be too pushy. His grin shrunk a few teeth as she explained her "purpose". Of course, he'd known this. The Tainted were essentially just living weapons. And judging by the rumors, this girl was a WMD. A WMD he would soon hold the big red button to.<br/><br/>"<i>Alors</i>, Meesh-KA." A good-natured wink. "I don't doubt it, you're powerful alright! I can practically feel it from over here!" He raised his arms as if to shield himself, but his chortling laughter assured her of the joking nature of this gesture. "But you won't be alone out there,<i>cherie</i>." Her new partner flexed his replacement arm proudly, admiring the synthetic musculature for a moment before sending a current down the limb seemingly by tensing it. "This one-armed bandit's got your back!"<br/><br/>Lowett got up from his chair, rolling his shoulders and stretching them. Maybe he was acting a little too much like the hero of the story, after all it'd been a while since he'd actually faced off with a Shade. But every story needs a hero, right? Every damsel needed a knight in shining armor. Though as of this moment it was not quite clear who exactly would play the part of the damsel in this two-part team. For now it appeared that Alexandre Lowett was excited - perhaps even giddy - to work with Mishka Vorona. Not as attack dog and handler as Scala had put it, but as partners.<br/><br/>"I heard we're going out to the streets tonight, so I'd like to...<i>tu sais</i>, go over some things? I know, I know. It's boring! Buuuut... could save your life! My life. Probably my life." He sat back down with a friendly smile, it was hard to say how she would react to what he was about to say. He sighed, rubbing his face with his organic hand. "Mishka, first of all. Fuck what Scala says,<i>quel salaud est il..</i>." he trailed off into a muttering string of curses before coming back to the subject at hand. "You're not my attack dog and I'm not your handler. We're partners,<i>d'accord</i>? You like buddy cop movies? We'll be like the guys from the movies. Just... probably less donuts and more fighting Shades, eh?"