Summary:A run-in at an event at the Met talks about stolen children and their magical lojack. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's an early evening at the Met. A formal function is going on tonight, a small gathering to look at new Nordic art. New painting styles - honestly, any art work really would hold Piotr's interest. And he's always wanted to go to a formal function at the Met. Admittedly.. he had conisdered asking Kitty to come with him to this. But at the last moment, he chickened out. Perhaps out of concern that the young woman would find it lame. Or something.
So stepping out of the taxi, the seven and a half foot tall and extremely muscular man is dressed in a suit that clearly had to be made from him. Black on white, a thin tie is around his neck, his hair short and squared off as he reaches into the vehicle to offer his hand to his escort for the evening. Though he's speaking in Russian. "«We could have taken a stepping disk, yes. But it is nice to do something normal for the change.»" he offers to the young woman within.
Koa had invited Keiko to come with him on this. It's partly work. Okay it's mostly work. There's a couple people on at the function that he has to catch and some of the things they have to say may requrie Keiko's expertise at least from Koa's end. It means she has to clean up a little bit, but she does have Koa's museum credentials to get her in.
The work part of the evening is just wrapping up for the Agent and informant. Informant is way better than sidekick by the way. Far superior in every single way.
He doesn't have to house or feed an informant. Well. House. He does have to feed her which he's seeing to when he spots someone familiar looking etting out of a car at the curb.
"Oh hello… is that who I think it is?"
The blonde sorceress puts her hand in Piotr's much larger one and lets him help her out of the vehicle. She has red high heels on and a purple dress that hugs her upper body with full sleeves while leaving her shoulders bare. The skirts flare out a bit at her hips and a wide gold bracelet complements her hair that she's left loose.
While not an artist like her brother, being exposed to his art when she was younger gave her some small appreciation of it, so she's not likely to find herself overly bored. Besides. Piotr's here, and that makes it all worthwhile. Tucking her arm into his so he can lead them into the museum, she chuckles at the tall man. "«You are far more attached to the idea of 'normal' than I am.»" She notes.
Keiko's idea of 'dressing up' might have made Koa's eyes roll. It's a clean pair of jeans and nice-ish shirt the young woman has arrived in. At least she'd showered and washed her hair. She kinda had to - the last job had been a bit messy.
Alls that really visible of her tattooes at the moment are the bits that peak under her cuffs and collar.
In the process of trying to work out just what she wants to eat, the dark eyed woman turns to look at the car and … freezes. "Yes." She says flatly. "It is." At least Piotr was threatening to take her soul, or … was he? Is he like his sister as well?
With Illyana secured, Piotr chuckles to the woman. "«Perhaps it is because I think we can still be normal. As normal as anyone else.»" he points out to her. He can see past the demoness. He still sees his snowflake in all of that sulleness and nonchalantness she carries around. "«And this is only until I.. well.. Katya.»" he says, sounding unsure as he straightens back up.
"«But is a nice night, and my sister looks quite lovely. I will have to get a picture.»" Because noone will believe that Illyana wears anything outside of black and metal, right?
"Trouble?" Koa says as he guides Keiko toward the entrence where the other two will be coming. They're going to have to go through a metal detector and that's going to be highly amusing to watch. But mostly he wants to wait by the first display and catch the two as they come in.
"Your expertise was helpful tonight, by the way, thank you."
By the time the two russians make it in Koa has corralled his informant over by a display of… he's honestly not sure what. He doesn't really do art. "Good evening Mister Rasputin. Miss Rasputina."
Koa himself is in a suit which marks him out from the others here. There's a lot of tuxes and expensive suits. His is not expensive. What? He's on a government salary. At least it fits.
Illyana Rasputina gives her brother a soft chuff of amusement, the pair's use of Russian drawing a few looks but hey. It's New York, lots of people speaking all sorts of languages. "«I promise you, brot, I can't be normal. Not to outside eyes, anyway. Perhaps my own.»" Something she'd told Doug. They are each their own normal.
The mention of Kitty has her looking up at him with a smirk. "«She sent me a picture of the flowers. Partial to the classics, hmm? I'm guessing things went better a second time?»"
Illyana doesn't have trouble with the metal detector. She doesn't need to carry her weapon with her. She nods over to Koa and Keiko. "We're not going to end up having to fight of demons tonight are we?" She sticks out a heeled foot and wiggles it. "I'm wearing the wrong shoes if we are."
"No, not really." Keiko murmurs, letting Koa guide her towards the entrance. She does stick out, dressed down as she is. She hadn't thought that 'cleaning up' meant dressing fancy. Of course, she probably doesn't have anything that would have suited, anyway.
"I didn't do much, Agent Turner. Except look at that artifact but if it was helpful, and it helps us stop the Nightfall, then I'm pleased."
"Miss Rasputina. Mister Rasputina. I … don't think so but you never know." It's a reserved greeting for certain as the small dusky skinned woman adjusts her backpack.
To Illyana, there is a hint of color. "«It went well. Yes.»" Piotr's sister can probably tell there is a LOT he is leaving out. But in his mind, she is his little sister, even if she is older than him now. A smile tugs at the corners of his mouth as he starts to say more, but they find themselves intercepted.
There is a moment of surprise at Koa's arrival, pausing as he moves slightly - as if protecting Illyana from the SHIELD agent. Some fears still die hard. And there was a time, not too long ago, that mutants would have been sought after and dogged by SHIELD. "Agent Turner?" he asks, glancing to the blonde on his arm for confirmation. "I am surprised to see you. However. This is good. I was given a child that was rescued by Deadpool. His name is Brian Freeman. And he is five and has markings." he says quietly, hard to do for the gentle giant.
Amusement touches Piotr's blue eyes when Keiko greets him. "..Rasputin." he corrects gently. "Rasputina is the female suffix. As we are no married - it seperates us as brother and sister. Rasputin. Rasputina."
"Oh the worst demons tonight are in the suits." Koa says with a wry smile, gesturing out toward the well heeled crowd attending to the rest of the displays. "I'm not expecting we'll fight any of them tonight. Some other time perhaps. They do like their gatherings."
The protective move from Piotr has a slight frown from Koa. Not one of offense mind, he gets the place it's coming from even if it were PURELY coming from fraternal protectiveness. No it's that Piotr might consider him a threat. But then he does represent the AUTHORITIES and there are a number of beings that recact to his presence like that.
"I have ties to the Museum though. I do authentication for them. Did that before I ever got into SHIELD and still do. It's a good way to keep my ear to the ground for things that might interest me in my new line of work. Miss Kurita was assisting me with her particular expertise. What brings you both by tonight?"
Piotr's news has him pausing and glancing to Keiko. "It's good that one of the children has been rescued. Those markings. Keiko was mentioning to me that they're for tracking. I take it he's safe?"
Illyana Rasputina doesn't even try to hide the smirk at Keiko's faux pax, but she doesn't draw more attention to it either. For her, that's being nice! She can't help but lean to the side a bit to look at Keiko's… backpack. Looking back at the woman, Illyana can't help the look of amusement. "You don't get out much… do you?" The clothes she could pass off, what with CEO's going to high-power meetings in hoodies. The backpack? Not so much.
The blonde woman doesn't try to reign in Piotr's reaction, but she does stroke her hand down his sleeve, as though to assure him it's alright. "I've had a few more run-ins with Koa and Keiko." She doesn't bother with the formality. Illyana starts them moving into the museum itself, so they're not just hanging out at the entrance. There *is* art to see. All of them should be able to walk and talk.
Keiko frowns as she processes what Piotr's saying about the names, clearly tucking that information away for later reference. What the woman with a questionable grasp on the english language might make of it, is anyones guess but for now, at least, she seems to have to got the message. "Mister Rasputin. I'm sorry for the mistake." she answers quietly.
Piotrs protective move gets a frown from her and she shifts slightly in front of the SHIELD agent.
Illyana's comment, she can't decide if it's mocking, has her shaking her head. "To my work and Agent Turner said this was work."
"Brian Freeman? He was one of the first children taken. His parents were offering a reward. They mark the children early, so they can be found and so that Lord Plokta knows he has another follower."
She doesn't even realise how she refers to the Splinter Lord.
Illyana's touch causes the large Russian mutant to stand down, taking her lead to head into the museum. "He was with his parents. Deadpool. And someone that called herself Spider-Woman. When I first left America, there was only Spider-Man. I come back, there is Spider-Man, Spider-Woman, Spider-Girl. Did not know there was a family." he says, confusion touching his voice. In Russia, they probably do keep it that simple.
"They are at a safehouse. Though they will need to be moved. I assume that SHIELD will assist?" he asks, glancing to Koa for confirmation on this. "Is there way to remove tattoo once it is placed?"
"I can send a protection team or offer housing or both. Whatever is convenient." Koa turns to follow the general movement of the group deeper into the museum. There IS indeed a lot of art to see and that is why the russian siblings are here. Koa certainly doen't mind taking time to look at the art.
Unlike many in the more… rigedly run parts of SHIELD, Koa won't insist on immediately having the child relocated. If he's safe he's safe. Better to leave well enough alone in these cases. Though he has NO idea who any of the spiders are beyond Spider Man. And Deadpool sounds like the name of a particularly scummy pond.
"One of your run ins with me was more of a three car pilup."
He's going to add to that but Keiko gets a sharp look. "Stop that." He hisses. Lord Plokta indeed. "Seriously. Worship HER if instead, if you have to worship something. I promise you that it's an improvement over your present allegiance."
Though the comment is flippant god knows how either Russian will take it. Or Keiko for that matter. They should probably address in a moment that the marking on Brian can be tracked but Koa got a bit sidelined.
"I dropped the little girl from Salem off with him so they could find her parents and keep her safe." Illyana notes to her brother. "His house has bagels." She notes brightly. Which means she's been in his house and thus, knows where he lives. So y'know, if anything was to happen to those kids and they needed to 'talk' to Koa… She gives Koa a sweet smile. Which he's never seen on her before. Which means he should be worried.
"If it's magical, I can probably get it off." Illyana notes. "But it might be traumatic." Her staff disrupts magical spells. That can occasionally come with unwanted side effects.
The suggestion that Keiko worship her has Illyana snickering slightly in amusement and she notes over to the other woman: "My preferred offerings are ice cream and vodka."
"Stop … wha … oh." Keiko's face sets into a stubborn sort of look, eyes sliding to Illyana and then to the sculpture they're passing. "This is interesting…" she says instead, trying to ignore the chiding and the 'suggestion'.
"Remove … the mark?" That has her blinking and turning just a little too fast. The back pack swinging out and heading to the sculpture. "I don't think so. When they do it, they use a spell and ink with special properties. I'm led to believe there's more involved but remove it? Not without killing him."
Illyana's comment gets a nod "I don't know about your magic, but it *will* bring you to the attention of Lord Plokta … Plokta … and Brian may not survive the process."
"You should put a paranormal guard detail with him, Agent Turner. They can find us with those marks. I've … been lucky."
"You do not think my sister can handle the magic of some would be child thief?" In Piotr's eyes - Plokta is no god - just a stop above the child preadtors that Chris Hansen catches on TV. And perhaps, it gives Illyana the first glimpse that Piotr has come to terms with.. the other powers his sister has.
That is until she starts talking about what she wants in worship and he sighs. "Then you already do plenty of self-worship." he says to Illyana dryly with a chuff of breath, before he nods to Koa. "I will make the arrangements I need to have the child turned over to you."
Gulp. That smile. That is not a good smile. It is a sweet smile. Sweet enough to give diabetes. Those can kill you, you know.
Cough. He shakes himself and recovers, glancing back to Piotr's objection with a smile. "Oh of course she could handle any of the nightfall sent to collect him. Is she going to watch him 24/7 until we've driven them from the area?" He's going to guess no. Illyana doens't seem much like the babysitter type and Koa glances back at the (somewhat frightening) blonde to confirm this.
"We'll take good care of him." Koa says that because it's his job and because he is a relatively decent person all things considered and not at ALLLLLL because he thinks Illyana will come to his house one night and spear him with the staff of hers in his sleep.
Okay yes he does think that.
The news that tattoo removal can be fatal has Koa glancing back at Keiko slightly concerned but he doesn't say anything. To that. Instead what he says is…
"I kind of owe Keiko a drink and some dinner for helping me out. What say you two let me treat you as well once we've gone through the exhibits?"
Illyana Rasputina pouts almost cutely at her brother. "C'mon, it's for a good cause! We'll be saving Keiko's soul. Or something."
On a more serious note she says to Koa, "Let me get a good look at it, and I'll see if it's something that can be undone through spellcraft." She's pretty sure that Keiko's skill in spellcasting isn't likely as extensive as her own.
With the matter of Brian at least mostly covered, Illyana gives Koa an actual smile. Which is much smaller and almost bittersweet. But real. "That would be lovely. And maybe you'll be able to hold an intelligent conversation with my brother on the pieces. I just know what I think looks nice and what looks like someone threw paint at the wall."
Keiko has no skill in spellcasting, not really. Hers is limited to initially mastering the souls that were bonded with her and now, calling them. Illyana might, after she examines the tattoo determine it can be defeated - but still, it won't be easy.
"I …" Piotrs question has Keiko flushing and looking away. "I don't know your sisters capabilities, I only know what I know of the process." None of them will miss the look of pain and fear that plays over her features briefly.
There's not a lot more to say. Keiko's hungry and entirely out of place at this exhibit. "Dinner would be nice, Agent Turner."