Summary:Piotr returns to the Institute after being gone for seven years. That would be 36 hours in Limbo time. Changes are noticed. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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It's a rare thing for a SHIELD SUV to visit the Institute. Pulling out in front of the school after getting clearance for a dropoff, the door opens, and out steps the large figure of Piotr Rasputin. Just two days ago, he was a twenty-three year old mutant from Russia. Instead of clean cut, the man that steps out at his full seven and a half feet is bearded, though he has taken the time to trim and clean up. He's dressed in some SHIELD sweats, and as he turns to the car, he reaches in.
When he comes out, he sets a small girl on the ground, no more than six years old, who reaches up to immediately take his hands. There's a few words exchanged before the large man leads her inside the Institute itself. "You wil stay with me here tonight while Illyana prepares a safe place." he explains to the girl. "In the meantime, I want you to meet my friends that I used to tell you stories of. And to find something to eat."
Speaking of something to eat, Dani Moonstar, resident Valkyrie, is currently wandering through the foyer with an apple in her hand, munching on it as she is looking down at her cellphone. Not exactly having a conversation so much as trying to figure out the cryptic messages that it's giving her when she's trying to install this latest app. Muttering in Norse under her breath, she pauses in the foyer, not quite noticing Piotr or his charge just yet…
Entering the foyer is a visibly shaken Hank McCoy, he too looks a bit older, though not /years/ older. He pauses just after entering the foyer, a dinner plate spanning hand rests a moment on the railing to the stairs heading up, and he looks behind him towards the lavender lioness — who might be looking a tad smug. "Well, you…will likely pass your formal exam, Catseye. Of course I might suggest less — aggressive — driving, the instructors at the DMV are less…durable than I am."
Blue eyes shift to note the arrive of the S.H.I.E.L.D. vans — and the heavily changed, and BEARDED, man of Rus and…child. Straightening, Hank's focus shifts. "Is that…Piort?" He's half asking, half scenting the air, and mostly bewildered at the huge changes.
Catseye does indeed look smug, and is currently in her feline form, padding along beside Hank. "Instructors smooth skins, will go easy on them." She bumps against Hank's side, "FurryHank tough. Can take it." Her head lifts at the mention of Piotr, her mouth opening and scenting the air. Piotr is less interesting to her than the small person with him. She looks at the little girl, and Catseye very carefully lays down off to the side against the wall, and tucks her tail forward and around. Very much a resting pose, one that makes her look smaller, as much as a large lavender lion with a curly mane can look smaller. "Catseye says hihi," she says, addressing the child.
There's mild bickering coming from the way to the cafeteria, in a pair of voices with differing takes on southern accents. "There is no way I am making gumbo tonight, so just figure out what we've got around we can make happen for decent eating, or I'll just make us mac and cheese and you can suffer." Rogue is stating to Remy, teasing making the tone of her voice light. Her hair is loose in waves over a green t-shirt paired with some beat up jeans, and sandals. She will playfully elbow the Cajun as they are almost into the foyer, green eyes bright in her face.
Remy dons a dark violet v-neck teeshirt, some dark blue jeans and a pair of steel toed leather boots, his hands are at his sides and he's look over at Rogue as they walk together. "So its decided then." He replies back to her about the Gumbo. "We get back on my bike an' we go back t'the store n'get that four foot tall chocolate bunny rabbit that they were sellin' by the registers." One of his hands goes up to his flat stomach and presses there against his teeshirt. "I got myself a powerful need for dat bunny's delicious body, Chere." He cracks a half-cocked grin at the Mississippi Belle before he looks ahead of them into the foyer. "Ooo, we got a crowd. I bet dey wanna piece'a dat bunny too."
"Privyet, Dr. McCoy!" Piotr calls out to Hank as he notices the furry man. And then Elena is tugging on Piotr's hand and pointing. "Demon?" she asks.
"No, not a demon. Mutant. He has fur like papa has steel." he explains.
Elena's mouth makes a little 'oh' shape, and then more so when Catseye comes over. She eyes the lavender lion curiously, and then says, "Sit!" But the lion doesn't sit. But Catseye may feel an inquisitive tug of a child on her feline mind - Elena hasn't learned about limits yet.
"I have explanation." he says to the doctor, reaching up to rub his hair with his free hand. "This is Elena. She will be student here. And staying with me, until we find a regular home. And this is…"
Before he can say more, Elena turns, and a little purple ball that she was carrying rolls over and unfolds. It's a demon. A demon from Limbo. "Aggie!" Elena introduces the demon with a bright smile. It's show and tell for her, but she's also sticking close to the Russian's side.
Dani blinks, "Whoa, Piotr, that beard looks nice." She grins at the tall Russian, then looks at Elena, "Um, okay, I'm guessing your sister has something to do with all this, right?" Particularly when the demon makes their appearance. She's not exactly reaching for her sword, but she's definitely got a bit of a wary eye on the little imp.
"Well, as long as you take it easy on them…very well." Hank says, good humor evident as he addresses Cat. And then he's spoken to in turn. "Most definitely not a demon." Hank confirms, hunkering down so he's at least not overwhelmingly taller than little Elena. "Privyet, Piotr…I see that there is much to discuss." One hand rests on one of Catseye's shoulders, the other braced on the ground before him as he crouches. He notes the veritable flood of people. "Miss Moonstar, Mister LeBeau, Miss Raven." The demon, however, that gets a closer look. "Hello, Aggie." He's trying really hard here, keeping a calm demeanor. Not easy!
Catseye says solemnly to the child, "Catseye says hello Elena." She eyes the demon, then yawns and stretches. Such big teeth! Such sharp claws! But she pulls them back in and does not claw the expensive hardwood floor, and grooms the shoulder that is towards the child and demon. "Hello Aggie," she says in a tone that sounds a little bored and very cat. She headbutts Hank reassuringly.
"Looks like there's a party startin'. MAybe we should order pizza or something." Rogue will say to Remy, her hand reaching to grab Remy's to tug him along to see what's going on. The large purple lion and all don't phase the belle even a little bit. "Hey y'all, we gettin' a party started?" She will grin, before she looks uuuup at Piotr. "Nice beard, Pete."
Remy is tugged along by the southern gal he likes to spend so much time pestering and once they're in greeting range of the others he is showing a faint grin and looking from one of them to the other. When Hank greets him, he nods once back in return. "Hot Lips." He says with a singular nod before he then regards the 'beard' in question that Rogue speaks off and he looks upon Pete more closely. A slow quiet whistle goes through his teeth then, an airy little sound. "You lookin' like a Deadwood character like that, Petey." He then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a rolled up length of paper, on the sides of it is a lot of brightly colored cartoon pictures. He lifts a hand up and starts to open one of the pouches, taking out a sugary stick he then opens one of the kool-aid pouches on the side of it and dips the stick in to swirl it around. Yep, Gambit's eating a Fun Dip, wherever he found one, probably at a store though! Maybe.
Aggie, or Ag'thaaz, is staying right next to Elena. Those with empathy towards such things may realize it's like a dog staying close to it's owner to protect her.
"It was not Illyana." Piotr would never blame his sister for what happened. "She was missing from Limbo, and the demons needed Rasputin blood for the throne." He glances down, and touches Elena's hair with his hand, protective himself of the child. "I have been told it has only been 48 hours. For me, it's been seven years."
"They.. wanted a heir. Illyana returned, however, and balance has been restored to Limbo."
Elena is glancing curiously at the colorful package, but she doesn't say anything on it, but it's clear she's never seen anything like it before. Or so many humans before. She's used to only two humans and a lot of demons of different shapes and sizes, so it's not overwhelming her, but her curiosity is showing.
Hank's gaze turns to Elena's after he finishes studying the demon - the headbutt from Cat having sufficed to shift his attention. He offers Elena a genuinely warm smile. "Enchanted, young lady." The hand on the ground is extended in friendship. "I'm Hank, and you're most welcome here, Elena Piotrevna Rasputina." His voice is a warm rumble, very deep. A glance up to Rogue. "Pizza might not be a bad idea, Miss Raven." And then he flushes a bit at Remy's greeting. "Um…hello." Yes, very glib, nope…not at all embarrassed. Okay, yes he is, no doubt Remy will enjoy the hell out of flustering the normally calm and collected Beast.
When Piotr answers Dani's query about Yana, Hank relaxes a smidge (and is grateful for the distraction!). "Ah…most interesting, Piotr. Seven years in an alternate reality peopled by demons. Clearly the time shifting properties of the plane are consistent." He turns his head to one side. "Are you quite well?"
Catseye lays her head on her front paws, her eyes closing to mere slits. The twitching tip of her tail gives away that she is not asleep, however, nor are her eyes truly closed. The demon just smells… odd. And it seems to be guarding the human kitten, so Catseye pretends not to be worried and watches. She wasn't friends with Piotr before all this, so she is content to let the others address what happened to him.
Dani Moonstar blinks at Piotr, then looks carefully at Catseye, moving over towards the lioness and giving her some reassuring scritches. She smiles a bit at Elena, "So, does Limbo have flying horses? From the way 'yana described it, I suspect not, but it never hurts to ask." She keeps one eye on the demon, just on general principles, but she doesn't really have any malice in her right now.
Rogue beams at Hank, before she's laughing at Remy. Then she sobers a moment, staring up at Piotr. "Seven years?" She sounds a little stunned. She looks down at the little girl, green eyes thoughtful. "So uh… pizza sounds good, right? I mean, Limbo doesn't have good pizza right? You and the kid should really enjoy it. " So she's not super smooth, thinking about all of this.
Remy is swirling that sugary stick around in the cherry packet of the Fun Dip when he notices the little eyes up on him, well on the candy more specifically. Slooowly he stops and then just stares down at this Elena. "Wait now." He softly says. "What dat?" He asks and points at the girl. "Right there…"
Remy moves to crouch down in front of her while the others do their adult chatting. "One second, I got it. No worries here, LIttle Bit." He tells Elena as he reaches up toward her left shoulder and then sweeps a hand past her left ear. "There, got it." He holds up a single playing card, with a Joker on the face of it, a silly joker with balloons in his hands a goofy happy face on. "He was hidin' back dere, Bitty Bit. Don't worry, I make sure he get lost."
"Here." Remy rips the cherry packet off of the Fun Dip then and offers it over to the girl with the sugary stick untouched inside it waiting for the kiddo to have.
After breaking away from the rest of the group, and spending the evening in Piotr's room, he and Elena were up early. They had appointments scheduled to get Elena registered in classes, but there's other things that Piotr wants to discuss. But first, breakfast. Sitting down in the kitchen of the Institute, Piotr has put together a large stack of pancakes for himself and Elena, as he brings them over to the table. "Did you sleep well, zvyozdochka?" he asks the girl, no more than six, with darker Peruvian skin, and Piotr's dark hair and eyes.
"I did, papa!" she offers, and starts to eat away on her pancakes as Piote sits down with the registration form and frowns.
Catseye has, alas, had to change into smoothskin for breakfast. Meals and classes she isn't allowed to attend in feline form, a cause for a great many sighs for the young feline woman. Entering, she smiles at the pair, "Hihi LargePiotr, littleElena." Then heads for the fridge and snags a frying pan… scrambled eggs and sausage links! If she hurries, she might escape before someone ruins breakfast by trying to make her eat vegetables. Her lavender fur tail twitches behind her as she pushes things around with a spatula, as if poking at it will make the food cook faster.
Jean is still an infrequent presence at the school. Just when it seemed she might be back for a while, things changed. All she tells anyone is that a friend offered her a room for a bit and she's still working at the diner as a waitress, so it's just easier to save up this way. Just what she's saving up for, no one's quite sure, but she doesn't seem inclined to go into more detail than that.
She's back this morning, though, having spent the night after showing up for some exercises, and on her way to breakfast herself. Though the sight of Piotr with registration forms gives her pause, quirking a brow. "New recruit?"
As for Hank, he occasionally leaves the lab, no…really! He does! Case in point, he enters the kitchen right now, fiddling with a smallish device, and muttering. He's wearing, admittedly, his lab coat…still! Out of the lab! A pause when he sees Piotr and Elena, and then a smile. "Good morrow, Piotr, and greetings to you, young Miss Rasputina." His nose twitches as he smells the decidedly meaty and eggy scents of Cat's efforts, but also can't help thinking pancakes sound good. His smile is warm, and waxes the warmer when he sees Jean. "Jeanie! What an unexpected pleasure, please, have a seat…I'll either rustle up something for you, or make off with Catseye's efforts." Yes, he's totally teasing.
When Jean arrives, the large Russian rises, a warm smile for the younger student.. now much younger. Piotr's aged. At least five years from what could be easily seen, with a full, if trimmed beard on his face that brings out his Slavic features. "Good morning, Jean." he greets the redhead, before she asks her question. "Da, it is.. complicated?" he starts to say, when Hank shows, and makes it well, pretty easy.
"This is my daughter. Elena." he says, in introduction to Jean. "Elena, this is Miss Jean Grey. She is one of my friends and a member of the school. You remember Mister Hank and Miss…?" he didn't catch Sharon's name last night.
Elena gives a timid little wave. "Hola." she greets quietly, before tucking back into her pancakes.
"I'm enrolling her." he explains. "She.. is already showing abilities. And I would like to talk to the Professor about her mother having visitation when she's in school." Which means the mother is not a mutant. Or known.
Catseye smiles at Piotr. "Is Catseye. Was large purple lion." She shakes her spatula at Hank. "No stealing Catseye's food. Meaner then you are." Her voice is filled with mirth, however, and she makes up two plates, giving Hank a smaller portion, but still sharing. She makes up for the lost food by adding several slices of smoked salmon to her plate from the fridge, then pours herself a glass of milk. "Felt littleElena push at Catseye's mind last night." She gives the child a look. "Is rude to push. Catseye is people, not pet." She doesn't seem at all angry, just firm.
Jean takes a moment to take it all in, looking between the girl and Piotr, marking the changes…and not pushing. Strange things happen fairly regularly at this school. It certainly wouldn't be the first time. Instead, she crouches by Elena, offering over a hand. "Nice to meet you, Elena," she greets with a warm smile. "And welcome to the school."
She winks over at Hank, waving off the offer of food with a free hand. Catseye's comment gets a curious look though, and another arch of her brow in Piotr's direction.
There's a frown at Elena, but he sighs. It's apologetic. "I did not know, Catseye." Piotr offers. "She was only with her mother and I and the demons of Limbo. She is still.. testing her limits. As children are want to do. But please, Elena, do not go prodding unless you ask first."
When Jean leans down to speak with Elena, Elena takes the hand. She's warm, not overly so - but she has that same light in the back of her eyes that her mother does. Otherwise, she seems human. Except for her empathy.
"She was able to control them." the demons, that is. "Illyana is aware of her. And that I was regent in her stead for seven years and Elena is a result of that." See, confusing.
"Would you like some pancakes?"
"Ah, yes, that would be the plethora of authorization forms, then. If you need help, Piotr I would be happy to offer my aid." Heck, Hank probably helped write the darn things! He grins to Catseye, and accepts the plate of food, then gets some bagels and cream cheese to round it out for him. Big man, need many calories! Which fact Piotr is assuredly familiar with being rather a lot bigger than Hank.
It is important to note that Hank did not correct Catseye's assessment of their relative meanness. Nope. She is!
A nod to Jeanie as she declines foodage, and then he takes a seat at the table. The explanation given…yeah, that's definitely going to take some parsing. Regardless, he smiles. "In any event, complicated or not, should my assistance be needed it is ever and always yours. ANY of yours." A faint frown. "ALL of yours?" A warm laugh. "All, yes, we'll go with all." And yes, he is definitely looking interested in pancakes!
Catseye smiles reassuringly at Piotr, "Is ok. Catseye not angry at littleone! But not say something, badthing happen later, could be Catseye's fault for not saying. Better to say." Her tail is up and lazily curled behind her head, so it would seem she is being honest about not being upset. She sighs a little, and reaches for the knife snd fork and begins to eat with oh-so-carefully correct manners.
"I see," Jean says to Piotr. Chances are, she does. She's got the general idea of how Limbo works, after all, so that explains the age. The only other questions are why, and who's the mother. Both of which aren't really her business just yet.
"Sure, I could do some pancakes," she agrees. "I was just going to raid the pantry, honestly. Maybe some cereal. I've got a shift back in the city later tonight, so I wasn't going to stay too long. Unless you need me to help out?" she asks, looking between Piotr and Elena again.
Starting to pour some batter on the griddle to start to make Jean a stack, Piotr considers, as he nods to Hank. "Thank you." he offers gratefully. "I would like her to just be a student during the day. I hope that she wil stay with her Tatya and Mama and I at night and weekends." At least that suggests that the Rasputins will be living together - as will Elena's mother.
"You are not working at school anymore?" he asks Jean in confusion. "You decided not to be a teacher?" There's a slight frown there. He had hoped, maybe. But with Jean's statement, he sets that aside, as Catsye speaks up. "Elena, what do you say?" Piotr asks.
"Didn't mean to." Elena glances down. She's not used to sayibg sorry yet. Sorry, apologies, all of that was a weakness in Limbo. And it will take a while for them to adjust.
Hank digs in, a huge mug of coffee used to wash his food down as he eats with almost fussy neatness, then again, he's rather fuzzy - he might need to do so. After all, getting syrup out of fur is likely nightmarish!
An approving smile as Cat not only stays SmoothSkin, but eats with proper decorum. "Well said, Catseye." She doesn't like her SmoothSkin name, so…Catseye it is!
Settling back in his seat, Hank looks between Jean and Piotr as he asks about her teaching. That affects him too, after all, he's one of the teaching staff himself.
A smile to Piotr. "My pleasure, droog. Any time." The device he was fiddling with is clipped together at last, and then Hank affixes it to his chest, and presses a switch. With a shimmer…he's human looking!
Hank also nods approval to Elena, apologies can be hard!
Catseye stops eating, and goes down on one knee to be eye to eye with Elena. "Need to learn to only when mean to. LittleElena small, easy for people overlook. Push mind without 'mean to' and suddenly strangers not see littleElena as littleone anymore. Maybe see threat. First rule always, is survive. But sometimes means be small and hide. Sometimes means be strong and fight. Always, always means control. Lose control, lose before fight starts. School is here to teach control. Teach many other things too. Lessons hard, but worth learning. Catseye is learning too. Catseye not mad, littleElena's papa not mad. Okgood?"
"I think she's got it covered," Jean points a thumb to Catseye with a wry smile, settling into a chair. "I may still. I've been thinking of taking a position as a counselor, rather than as an instructor. I don't think I'm really suited to being an instructor. But helping people through all of this…That I can do."
When Hank goes suddenly 'normal,' she blinks, sitting up a little straighter. "Is that a new one?" she asks, curious.
"When in Limbo, can never be weak. Demon will eat you." Elena says quietly. "Papa would rip demon in half. Mama would make clothes with skin." she explains to Catseye. "Never hide. Always with them." Which explains why Elena doesn't stray far from Piotr.
As Hank turns more human - of closer to what he looked like before the fur, Piotr's eyes go up. "A new invention?" he asks. "It will do well for those…" he starts to say, when Jean speaks up. "A counselor, and we will need to know what restaurant you are at." To leave good tips, of course.
Catseye nods seriously to Elena. "That is what goodparents do. Protect their littleones. Catseye live her first 16 years as cat. Understand fight. Understand protect kittens. School is safeplace. No one here try to eat littleElena. Promise. And if get scared, not just littleElena mamma and papa to protect. All teachers protect littleones. Is sometimes harder to learn 'safe', harder to learn 'trust' than is to learn math or history. But is worth it. Teachers will help."
"I could not have put it better myself." Hank agrees with Jean as to Catseye's explanation to Elena. "Survival hinges on our ability to control our various gifts and talents, Miss Rasputina. It is hard, sometimes I have terrible anger inside me, but I have learned to control it - the worst thing that can happen is to let one's emotions, to let ones POWERS dictate our actions. In that moment we become, as Cat has said, threats to all around us." A sigh. "It is not easy, I struggle with the anger always, but I will never just give in."
A smile to Jean and Piotr. "An old one, actually. A prototype the Professor made for Kurt Wagner, but it never really worked all that well, so I thought it might be useful to get it operational." A nod. "He called it an Image Inducer, this is pretty much what I'd look like without my fur, as Jean and Piotr can attest. It is visual only, of course, and it has limits, still. Working!"
Elena's explanation makes his heart go out to the girl. "I am sorry that you had to live so, things are much different up here, young Miss Rasputina…or may I call you Elena?"
Once he has her answer, he grins to Jean. "Counselor Grey? I think that would be a stellar avocation for you, dear lady, you have a heart like no other."
Catseye's commentary is firmly agreed with. "Oh yes, and the students as well. We protect our own, but through control we work towards a world where we can live in harmony with others too." Hank is quite firm about that!
"No way am I telling you where I'm working," Jean chuckles to Piotr. "You'd break the booths." That's probably true. Even if it's said fondly. "But yeah. Thinking about it. Just…taking a little time to be sure. And since school's out for summer, I figure it's probably a good time to figure things out. Besides, it helps me save up some money."
"If you need help, I am trying to learn to use my hands again in sculpting." Piotr says, a lift of his shoulders. "I could offer to pay you to model." She does have a figure that could be usable for it, and there's nothing leery about the offer. She wouldn't be the first classmate or teacher he's done art for. He likes doing it, it's a way to take his mind off things.
And he has a lot to have to take his mind off of. Setting the pancakes in front of Jean, he sighs. "So, serious question. Would her mother be allowed to visit her, Counselor?"
"So mysterious, Jean." Hank looks thoughtful. "Is there some difficulty…are you in some kind of trouble?" The underlying growl to his voice backs up his anger thing, he clearly isn't very tolerant of threats to friends and allies. Not at all.
Hank listens to see what Jeanie has to say about mother visitation rights, he's pretty sure it could be arranged, the circumstances would have to be pretty controlled, however.
Catseye returns to her seat, and resumes eating her sausage and eggs. She's perhaps overly careful about how she uses her fork snd knife, her manners a little too perfect for a breakfast with friends. She tells Hank casually, "Image inducer could be improved a little, yes? Scent… little like ozone, little like hot battery. Maybe need to decrease power consumption or increase source? Get rid of battery smell and test for…" She rumbles deep her her throat and chest as she struggles for words. "Ozone scent… is energy, yes? Maybe putting off some not needed, wrong place?"
"No, there's no trouble," Jean assures Hank, reaching out to set a hand to his shoulder. "Not real trouble. Things with Scott got…a little weird, and I've just been trying to give him some space, is all." In all of their years at the school, things have never been 'weird' between Jean and Scott. Though it's probably not a large jump to guess why they would be now.
Which is why she's grateful to turn back to Piotr's question. "As long as she can pass the usual tests, I don't see why it would be a problem, Piotr. We do let parents know what we do here. Usually. Sometimes. If her child is here, it would be pretty cruel to keep her from even seeing her."
There's a nod from Piotr as he listens. Though honestly, he isn't even sure if Keiko could pass the tests. Reaching over to ruffle Elena's hair, Piotr sighs thoughtfully. "Alright, I need to get breakfast down and work on registering the little star here." he finally offers a smile.
"Thank you." he says to the group. "It has been a confusing seven … well, fourty eight hours, apparently." It appears he's going to finish breakfast. "And I should get her on the school tour, I know most of the kids are older than her.. but hopefully she'll find a place to fit in."
Hank nods to Catseye. "Actually, yes, this is definitely the case—I could smell a bit of ozone myself, but your senses are much keener than mine, would you be up for helping me tune the adjustments? I should be grateful for the assistance." A thoughtful look. "Perhaps some of the light emissions are bleeding into other spectra, triggering the olfactory…" He grins to Cat. "…definitely could use the help with tuning it."
As Jean explains, Hank's fur un-ruffles, and yes, he feels the same under the image inducer's imagery and he nods understanding. "Ah, yes, that DOES make sense. Apologies for prying, dear girl." Hank covers Jean's hand at his shoulder for a few moments. "Space is good. Getting one's head on straight…" A wink. "…especially for a telepathic telekinetic is important."
When Piotr speaks of his plans for the day, Hank smiles. "Drop by my lab later if you want help with the forms and such, Piotr."
Catseye nods to Hank, "Catseye glad to help, yes. Will try not to bother with too many questions."