Summary:Illyana and Piotr find Keiko to take her to breakfast. The truth finally comes for Piotr and he really doesn't like it. Log Info:Storyteller: {$storyteller} |
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After getting rescued from the dream realm, and then getting everyone back to Earth from Limbo everything moved pretty fast. Illyana headed back to Limbo because despite people being hurt, and needing to be seen to, as Limbo’s true ruler, Illyana had Responsibilities. Which meant leaving the others to start picking up the pieces on their own.
Once she’s got things in some semblance of order, her first stop is to check in on her brother. Who wasn’t where she left him, but that’s alright. She’s used to tracking down people she wants to drop in on.
A stepping disk opens, an opaque two dimensional disk of light that Illyana steps through. She still shows some of the signs of being in Liveworld for several weeks, looking thinner and tired. It’s not a great look.
For a change she’s not decked out in black leather. Unless you count the boots. Those look per usual. But otherwise she’s in jeans and a T-shirt with an oversized blue flannel over everything. The shift in clothing and color pallette makes her look softer.
It may be the first time that Illyana gets a good look at Piotr. He's currently leaned back in the study chair in his room, and asleep. He has a half-typed report of what happened, but he's not bothered to even try to describe things yet - he's kept it as bare bones as possible.
He looks older. Even if he didn't have the beard that he sports now, she can tell - he's passed her in age again. She's no longer the oldest child. His frame is thinner, but the muscle structure is increased - is he taller in his human form? Signs point to yes.
As for why he's sleeping in the chair? That's because there's a pair of lumps in his bed. One of them is a young girl, no more than six, that's fast asleep - the other is a demon. She'd recognize it as one of hers, and when Illyana enters, it stirs awake. The demon moves - not to attack Illyana, but instead back to defend the child /against/ Illyana.
Because why else would the Queen of Limbo show up but to try to take out a would-have-been usurper?
As Piotr continues to sleep, Illyana takes that quiet moment to look at him. She can see the additional years on him and the way Limbo has chipped away at his softer edges and pared him down to something lean and, likely, deadly.
The movement on the bed draws her attention and pale blue eyes narrow as the demon looks to stand against her. It’s a smaller demon, and those rarely have enough will to do so. Finally, she looks over to the child. The child they brought back from Limbo. That is in her brother’s bed. Her gaze shoots back to Piotr, suddenly startled at the thought and she steps towards him.
Placing a hand on his shoulder, carefully, she shakes him gently to wake him. "Piotr Nikolaievitch."
There's a snort and snuffle, as Piotr comes awake - and without realizing it - his body jumps to its metal form. She can feel the eldritch armor that makes up his right arm as it forms, and when his steel eyes flash awake, his lips are pulled into a thin line that warns of eminent attack.
Then he realizes who it is. "Snowflake!" he offers, shifting back to his flesh form and picking up his sister with ease as he squeezes her with whole-hearted affection. His soul.. mostly… is back. Then he quiets down and straightens.
"Do not wake Elena. Remy tried to give her sugar." There's a roll of his eyes. "I did not want to have to peel her off the walls. Would have been like angry wet cat in burlap sack."
Illyana shifts back when Piotr transforms into metal, her guard going up and giving herself space if things go south, but as he recognizes her she relaxes and then gives a little yelp as he picks her up.
She wraps her arms around him as return as he hugs her, and she takes the time to enjoy that moment. Of her brother’s love, without letting anything else intrude. She holds on *tight*, her breath leaving her in a shudder as other thoughts and emotions start to crowd out that moment.
Of seeing shadows of him in the dream world, designed to torture her. Of knowing first-hand of how it feels to have last so much time.
Illyana pulls back, sniffing a bit, so she can look at him. She looks over to his right arm, flesh now, and runs a hand over it before looking at him with a pained expression. She can guess where that change came from.
But he’s bringing her attention back to the little girl, and she turns enough to look over at her with the protective demon. She looks back to her brother. "Elena. Piotr, is she…?" She can’t quite finish the question.
The arm is tattooed, marked forever now, flesh or metal. His expression is kind, concerned for his sister. Forget his /years/ in Limbo. "What happened?" he asks her quietly, his worries clearly on her.
Then after they settle, and she looks at his arm, he looks away. Ashamed. Admonished, in his own mind for his actions. At least, until the question comes up.
"Is she mine? Da." he responds quietly. He closes his eyes. There's no regret in his words. No sadness. "We were there seven years, from what we figure. Elena came in the second year."
It’s unexpected, to see that kindness and love so readily apparent, given the marks on him, both obvious and implied. It causes hope to bubble up inside her that then goes still as he looks away. Her brow furrows, not upset but perhaps pained.
He’s moving on to talk about Elena before she can say much, so instead of words she just reaches out to drag his much larger right hand into her lap to hold, petting his hand and arm in mute reassurance.
"Limbo likes its seven year stints, doesn’t it?" Her words are kept pitched a bit low so as not to wake the girl, but the bitterness is clear. It’s stolen even more from them, now. A shake of her head and then she looks back to Piotr, and again, she has to ask. Has to be *sure*. "*Keiko*?" Because she was the other one brought back, and so the obvious answer but…
*Keiko*?
The reassurance is needed. He feels his sister's touch and closes his eyes. He's not going to cry. He hasn't since he got home. Not since he got his soul back.
"It does. There is not much to be done. What is, is." It's the way he has to look at it - and it's a very Russian way to look at it. "They were going to kill her if we didn't." he finally says, "Not that it…" he pauses. Does Illyana really need to know that her brother is prone to feelings? She's seen it first hand with Kitty. He whole-hearts.
"Yes, Keiko. Her name is Elena Kurita Piotrvenia Rasputina." comes the confirmation finally. "From what we can tell.. she can feel the demons and control them."
Illyana gives a slight nod at Piotr’s acceptance. Hasn’t that always been how she dealt with it herself? Sure, there’s the occasionally moping about it, but for the most part, it’s happened, and nothing can change that.
Finally, she gets around to his original question. What happened. "From what I’ve pieced together, a powerful malevolent entity was trapped in a dream realm. She managed to make contact with Sam and trick him into coming to rescue her. He and I went to do that and were trapped there while she escaped."
She leans into Piotr’s broad chest, wrapping his arms around her like a comforting blanket. She’s always been smaller than him, but now it’s even easier to play at being his baby sister and still fit in his lap. "Because Time moves differently in Limbo, while we were trapped there the demons started to think I was gone-gone so they went looking for a replacement." Her mouth settles in a grim line at who they chose.
Koa realized I was missing and got to Limbo to try and find out what was going on and found you guys. From there he was able to use you two to find me and get me and Sam out of the dream realm and back to Limbo, then I brought us all back to Earth. We figure Sam and I were likely only there for like, seven weeks."
That’s very much the ‘nutshell’ approach to the whole thing, of course.
"Seven weeks. Seven years. Witches like sevens." Piotr keeps from spitting because curse, but when Illyana gets comfortable, his arms wrap around her to hold her tight. "I could not let them kill her, Yana." he finally says quietly.
"I hope you are not upset with me." He, who has every reason to be upset with her - is asking for her forgiveness? Yeah, he does that.
Illyana turns her head from where it rests on his shoulder to look up at him as she holds onto his arms and shakes her head. "The Keiko I know is a frustrating woman, so while I can’t quite believe it, I’d never be *upset* with you over who you choose." The idea that, even under Limbo’s influence that his attentions might have been unwanted never even occurs to her.
She squeezes his arms around her in a hug. "I’m so sorry, Piotr." Her words are little more than a whisper. "I never wanted you to have to see, to know Limbo." To know what she actually lived through, from a child to teen, and then again as a teen to young woman. She gives a bitter laugh. "I should have known. Limbo has a way of tainting everything."
Apologies aren’t something Illyana usually does. Even when there’s *not* a demon around and right now? There’s definitely one present and watching the siblings with far too much interest.
"Maybe Limbo wanted me to know. I have always treated you like child, my little Snowflake. I forget that you are woman. And the things you had to endure. Were forced to." He leans his head against her shoulder - she can easily feel the warmth of his beard.
"I endured. It may have changed me. But it gave me as well." His eyes fall to his child, the blue in his own softening. "I always knew you would return." he finally says quietly. "Keiko can be frustrating. But she is loyal." Was. He's not so sure now. "But we are home. She does not have to stay if she does not want. Just.. wanted Elena to be here. To know she is not alone. There are no others like her. You are the closest." he admits as he looks back to his sister.
"I could not tell Keiko how I felt. Weakness in Limbo…" she knows this all too well. "Could only show. And she.." he trails off. He's not sure /how/ she feels.
"Maybe it did." Illyana says, her tone entirely serious. She’s just spent weeks in a realm far more psychoactive than her own, and she *knows* that Limbo is shaped by her, both consciously and unconsciously. Did she want Piotr to understand her? Is that why he was stolen away? If she were entirely human, maybe she would feel more guilt over that possibility instead of mostly grim acceptance.
His comment about weakness in Limbo gets a soft sigh and a nod. Yes. She does know that very well indeed. She turns from where she’s been watching Piotr’s daughter sleep back to him and then arches a brow. "Tell me you didn’t bring her daughter out here without telling her." Her tone is dry there. Because even though she has really no relationship experience, she knows that would be a bad idea and there’s something in Piotr’s manner as though he might be trying to run away before he’s *turned* away.
"No, I left a note that I was bringing her to the school. I planned to go back to Keiko, but Elena fell asleep." Piotr admits with a sigh, shaking his head. No, he's not going to just walk away.
"I will be at SHIELD in the morning to have breakfast with her and Elena. I want to see her face when she learns about pancakes." he says in some amusement.
"She was always a bit like me, you know." Illyana says, laying her head back against him. Despite her long stints trapped in a literal hell, she’s always managed to hang on to the love she has for her brother. "The cult that raised her taught lessons similar to Limbo." That soft emotions are weakness, and weakness is to be exploited. That power is more important than friendships. To rely first and foremost, on yourself. "Try not to jump to assumptions? I figure any relationship of a power couple in Limbo wasn’t one built on affection."
As to getting back down to the City, "I can take you back." She smirks. "I can probably even get us back into SHIELD. They seem to think WAND’s whole ‘magical wards’ thing is a bunch of hoohah."
Illyana finally looks back over at Elena, a long sigh escaping her as she wonders if the child will be as bad as Illyana herself was when she first came back. Used to every social interaction being one of potential pain and conflict.
There's a difference between Illyana and Elena's returns. Illyana was alone for that seven years. Elena had her parents. Even if Keiko wasn't terribly close, Piotr was affectionate, telling her stories, teaching her art, doting on her. He's a good father. Or at least has the instincts for it.
"Would it be bad to want to have good pancakes?" he finally asks with a chuff of amusement. "I see why now you want ice cream all the time." he points out with a smirk. "K'nert would not let us leave Limbo.. and you know.. demons. Shopping." There's a roll of his eyes and a sigh before he heaves a soft yawn. "But for now, I want to rest just a little longer, da?" he asks his sister.
Illyana chuckles, stretching up to kiss his cheek lightly. "Alright." Boy, does she know about being tired. Maybe she’ll take a nap as well. There’s enough room next to the kidlet. If the demon will let her without needing to be smacked around first. That wouldn’t help the whole ‘trying’ to sleep bit.
It’s the quiet moments like this to savor. To hold onto to warm yourself later when the world is bleak and cold. Something Illyana had hoped to share with Keiko when she gave her that lost memory.
FIN
It’s really easy to open a stepping disk back to the house that Illyana’s claimed as her own. The dimensional weakness there often means that Illyana needs to force them back closed instead of just stop holding the portals open. And she never needs to pull one from elsewhere. One has taken up ‘living’ in the house, even if no one else can sense it most of the time.
The two-dimensional circle of light opens in the main room, Illyana stepping through first as she brings her brother and new niece back from the visit at Xavier’s. The blonde is wearing jeans and a T-shirt with a too-large flannel over it along with her usual style of knee-high boots with all the silver buckles. She still looks a bit pale and thin, which makes her seem more severe.
Brought along by Illyana, Piotr had tried to find some clothes that fit, but realized except for his X-Men uniforms, most of his clothes were made for the six and a half foot him. Not for him to be stuck at seven feet plus forever. He was eventually able to find a pair of jeans that worked - and a black t-shirt that strained against his chest as he arrived.
Elena is dressed in a tie-dye t-shirt. It's been turned into a dress by the ribbons cinched around the middle, and a bow has been added to her hair. Apparently someone left Piotr gifts for the new child, since he brought her in wearing demon leather. +2 against demons, -2 Charisma.
Keiko whirls as the stepping disk opens, pulling a small bone knife from the top of her boot, setting herself in a defensive position and growls softly. Those stepping through will get a glimpse of her back, the silvery outline of the tattoo that now has its form set. Both Illyana and Piotr will recognise the demonic shape of a flier.
The small Peruvian’s cat slitted eyes flash, a hint of yellow starting to tinge the dark brown they once were. Lips pulled back in a snarl, the slightly sharp canines are obvious and she looks ready to fight all comers.
It's Keiko - Illyana can see that but older with the ravages of the seven years writ of her face. Still in the scant demon leather outfit, the brand is obvious as are the changes to her tattoos.
With a visible effort the woman forces herself to calm, eyes falling on the child with Piotr. "She is well." Not a question and yet one at the same time. It's not clear what the feral little spirit caller thinks of the bright colours her daughter is dressed in.
"You both are too."
Behind her on the couch is a pile of clothing, some spools of thread and a sewing kit.
When Keiko turns on them aggressively, Illyana lifts her chin and arches a brow. The message is clear: Are we going to do this? The blonde doesn’t raise a hand, though there’s a set readiness that says she’s not assuming that Keiko is going to play nice. When she does force herself to calm, Illyana gives a small nod and then steps out of from between the small family.
Illyana is still watching Keiko, a frown of consideration on her lips and she glances back to Piotr. Then back to Keiko, a bit torn as to handle the small woman. Normally, she might be inclined to just get a better look at what’s happened to Keiko. But, given the Peruvian has a relationship with her brother that gets a bit awkward.
"Worse for wear, like we all are, but ‘well’ enough I suppose." Illyana finally says, and then waits to see how the trio interact.
Holding up his hand to mainly block Illyana, Piotr's eyes meet Keiko's. "She fell asleep before we could come back." he explains to her, before he steps forward to set his hands on her shoulders. "You look well." he responds to her, reaching up to brush a hand into Keiko's hair, before letting her go as Elena approaches to stand next to her mom. She's learned not to hug her without permission.
"I was going to see if you wanted to change and get something to eat? If you want." There is no shame in his voice - he knows her changes intimately, he was there for all of them. Releasing her, Piotr waits for Keiko's decision.
The last change Piotr hadn't witnessed in full, the effects of the completion of that ritual still playing out. With his hands on her shoulders, Keiko gazes up to meet his eyes, letting him brush the hair back without flinching.
Not that she's ever flinched when he's touched her.
Meeting Illyanas cool blue gaze, the Peruvian nods her acknowledgement of the words before dropping to her knees, bringing herself to Elena's height, and resting her forehead against her daughters. "You were very brave, pequeno." Illyana will make out some of that - it's a mix of English, Spanish and Russian all said in the Latin mutts accent of hers. "and did as you were told." She can't imagine how terrifying it must have been.
The pink and silvery lines that twist through the collar that has melded to her neck glow faintly as she takes this moment with the child.
Looking up again, she nods. "Agent Turner had food when I awoke but more… Go out. I'm… mending clothing to fit."
Do they really want to take her out like this?
"You were… taken." that's to Illyana.
Something touches Illyana’s expression. Something almost like. Sadness. While Piotr and Keiko were thrust into the forge and hammered into steel, Illyana was tormented by her own hopes, dreams and nightmares, and it took some of that sharp edge off of her.
The blonde looks at Keiko for a long time, watching her, before her gaze moves back to her brother. She hasn’t gotten the whole of *their* story yet, and so why Piotr still has the loving brother about her and Keiko seems even further removed from humanity is a little confusing. And more than a little concerning.
Illyana looks over at where Keiko has piled clothing and then gestures with a hand at the other woman. Eldritch flame moves over Keiko in a rush, transforming the Peruvian’s clothing into something more fit for the streets of New York.
It still kind of screams heavy metal reject, but Limbo always twists things a bit no matter how Illyana might try otherwise. Still, leather pants, tight T-shirt and boots with a thin series of chains for a belt that’s more form than function.
At Keiko’s statement, Illyana draws in a deep breath, and then lets it out and nods. "I was. When I was maybe a bit older than her." A nod is given to the child.
"You going to be able to go out in public and not make a scene? I remember when I came back." Illyana says, the question honest and for a change no mocking in her tone.
"Oh." That's all Piotr can say when Keiko mentions that Koa's already tended to her needs. The large Russian's head dips slightly, as he turns from her to glance to Elena. Reaching down to pick her up, he draws in his breath. "I was never not proud to have you with me, Keiko." comes the rumbling baritone. "And even now.. with all that has happened, I am still the same." Yes, she's had physical changes, but Piotr is not running from her.
"If you do not want to go out, that's fine. But it is not because I did not want your company." He decides family. "But I am a seven foot tall Russian that becomes metal. I am not sure you would be as distracting." he points out to Keiko - even as Illyana changes her appearance, there's a small smile, then he frowns. "There is a whole section of New York that is for people that are like us. But we do not have to go there, either."
"Leave her." Keiko hasn't let go of Elena's shoulders and doesn't seem inclined to want the child to be far from her. "… please." the last word spoken quietly and with great effort.
"That is a pretty dress, Elena. Papá gave it to you." Still no questions from the woman.
She had called Koa, Agent Turner in deference to Piotrs presence. Not that she'll explain that, stubborn woman that she is.
Seeing the look that passes over Illyana's face, those cats eyes glitter for a moment before she looks back to Elena. "We will get food, pequeno with Papa and Tía."
As her clothes change, her face tightens when fabric hits her back. Everything hurts but that more than anything.
"If we go somewhere not busy." The Peruvian answers Illyana. She doesn't know. "And I meant now. Taken this time. It is why they took us." She tries to clarify as she stands and holds her hand out to Elena.
"I know, Piotr." the words come quietly. "I was proud to stand with you. You know that. I would never let harm come to you." but does she feel the same way as he? Who knows?
Illyana ‘ahs’ quietly and nods. "Well. Not ‘taken’. More like trapped by our own sense of heroism but, yeah. At a guess, the way I was cut off from Limbo meant I wasn’t regulating the time like I normally do. I try to keep it close-ish to Earth, so when I’m here, well. Yeah." Her demons aren’t freaking out because she’s been gone a day on Earth and centuries in Limbo and go looking for replacement Rasputins.
The flinch as the magic crawls over Keiko gets a narrow-eyed look of consideration. She’s going to want to get a much closer look at Keiko Very Soon.
A wave of her hand and the stepping disk "door" opens and Illyana tilts her head towards it. "Come on, Pancakes." It’s a weekday, and so the diner she and Piotr like to frequent should be fairly quiet.
Releasing Elena so that Keiko can hold her, there's a smirk from Piotr. "Remy tried to give her sugar last night." There's a roll of his eyes. "And they seemed more interested in her demon than her." he sighs at that. "I tried to separate them." But that was like trying to take a puppy away.
His hand drops down next to Keiko's and touches it in offer. Accepted or not, Piotr will head through the portal to the diner that he and Illyana often travelled to in order to get breakfast when they are on Russia time.
"Remy." A name Keiko's heard once. Memories that now seem so distant. She'd endured, survived, by holding some thoughts close but to think of what they'd lost would have undone her.
In many ways, Keiko had lived in the 'now'.
"She wou…" the Peruvian draws a breath, closing her eyes for a moment, squeezing Elena's hand gently "Did she like it?" Sugar. "I prefer they take no interest in her. The more unusual she is, the better."
"Sense of heroism." that draws a frown in Illyana's direction. "I think we all have stories to tell."
Hoisting Elena onto her hip, remarkably easily for a woman of her size, Keiko hesitates as Piotrs hand touches hers. Long enough he'll think she'll ignore it, but her fingers curl in his at the last moment, as they pass through that portal.
, The diner has likely been around since the early 70s. And hasn't had a remodel. The tables are faded, the vinyl booths cracked, the linoleum flooring's color forever dimmed by the amount of dirt. Illyana brought them in to an alley around the corner, and then the odd little extended family pushes its way through with the bell and the door tinkling in a manner that seems entirely too cheerful for who it heralds. While there isn’t a press of patrons, those that are there turn to stare for a moment. Mostly at the huge figure that Piotr presents. Keiko’s clothing isn’t *that* outlandish and Illyana is dressed fairly normally, for a change. Illyana leads the way to a table towards the back, handing out the menus with the delaminating edges and faded-yellow pictures.
"They’re used to odd children. Demons are something of a novelty." When Illyana went to school there, she didn’t rule Limbo, and so the demons that invariably follow her everywhere *now* didn’t do so then. The blonde glances between the pair of them. "I’m going to want to have a look at her." She says, words said slow and careful as her gaze moves to Keiko. "I’ll be gentle." Something she wasn’t particularly to Keiko.
"I didn't let her try. She needed sleep, and the sugar would have kept her up all night." Especially since Elena has never had refined sugar, much less candy - Piotr was not going to be the one to start her on that path. As he looks around the diner, he laughs, a chuff of one. "It has weathered. As I have, da?" he asks his now (and back the way things should be) little sister.
"You can. Eventually. First, this is shock. Like it was for you. Let her get used to things. Then when Keiko and I are ready - yes." And only when Keiko is ready. While Illyana may have collared Keiko and has Piotr around her little finger most of the time, she knows how stubborn he can get when it comes to it.
Waiting for the three to sit at the table, before he sits himself, he is at least grateful that Illyana did not choose the booth - he doubts he'd fit anymore, due to the new girth from his new size. But he raises his eyes to watch Elena as she looks over the menu, ready to explain things to her when the inevitable rush of questions come.
"She should try." Keiko murmurs, slipping into a chair at the table. People are looking, but that's something she's used to - with those tattooes, she usually draws some attention.
At least no one makes any quick moves.
Running a hand over Elena's head, smoothing her hair back. "Let her experience life as little girl. Something … I never did." Or Illyana.
The menu is a challenge, it has some images on it but reading isn't something that Keiko learned well and seven years of not doing it, just makes it harder now. "I'll have whatever you think is best." She says, folding it back up and pushing it away from her.
She heard Illyana speak to Piotr, not that she gives any indication. It's his response that gets that. "You can look at me. We need to know … what has been done and how dangerous I've become."
Piotrs natural protectiveness draws the faintest of smiles. "I am strong, Piotr. Not weak. I can do this, on my own but if you want to stand with me, you can." Small allowances, it's all she can do right now.
"In the Nightfall, not all who finished the final ritual, returned to the compound."
"I should get a look at you all." Illyana says, nodding as Keiko gives her own permission. "But we can wait a little bit, yes." She hasn’t tried hauling them into her magic Circle just yet.
The blonde falls quiet as the waitress comes over. At least the usually chatty woman keeps things brief today, though she stares at Piotr a bit as she recognizes the siblings but is somewhat thrown by the changes in the large(er!) man. Illyana waves to Piotr to let him order for the lot of them. Everything here is light years better than food in the dream realm or Limbo. Only after the woman steps back away will she continue.
Illyana has been watching the pair of them, and Keiko’s the one that gets her attention this time. "I know between the Nightfall and Limbo it’s pretty much been drilled into you to be hard and strong, but it’s OK not to be sometimes. With the right people." Which might come as a bit of a shock to Keiko from Illyana.
"I know you are strong, Keiko. But I believe Illyana wants to look at Elena. She is probably the first child to be born in Limbo." Piotr looks to Illyana in confirmation. Because he doesn't want to /consider/ the alternative. Just no.
Demon Queen or no, she's innocent little snowflake. And then he pauses for a moment. "You keep telling me you are strong. I know this. I never doubted in your strength. When I was young. I worked in mine. Deep in ground. Dark. Dangerous. Many of my friends died. In accidents. Collapses. Falls. Explosions. I know I was not beaten, humiliated, subjected as you and Yana were. But I know what my sister went through, you went through similar. I know that it made her stronger. And made you stronger. I call Illyana my snowflake because in my heart, she always will be. I know many do not see her that way. Because she is cold. Sharp, like icicle. But I still can see the girl in the field of flowers."
"You are my spark, Keiko. You ignite a fire. You burn with your emotions, your strength. Yet you temper it. Like forge, you let it mould and shape you. But I am not scared to get burned. I know that the flame threatens and flickers, but it is still a flame. And when I stand near flame, there is warmth." he is trying to put Russian concepts into English, and it's not working well.
"Then Elena is the star. Forged from fire and steel - now our little guide light." he shrugs his shoulder. "Star is like snowflake. Bright. Pretty. But hides many things."
After speaking his piece on things, he looks at the menu. "I will have steak and eggs. Raw steak and sunny side up eggs. And pancake stack. Lumberjack stack." He's hungry. "And coffee. Black."
It wasn't Elena that Illyana's gaze had lingered on. Keiko is aware of that. She's also aware that she's not as she was, that she has changed. Being a conduit, her time in Limbo, completing the final ritual, have left their marks.
Those cat-slitted eyes seem to pale a little, turning more yellow for a moment, as she holds Piotrs gaze. "She should look at Elena as well, this is true. Our daughter will be brave when this is done." It's quiet and controlled but she's fighting for that control.
When Piotr speaks his mind, Keiko's expression softens just a little as the yellow in her eyes fades again. "You still have the soul of an artist. You didn't let it take that…" beat "I am the spark to start a fire that will burn the world down around us. I know this, Piotr and I know you will be by me, whether I can tell you I want that or not."
Cat. She's a damn cat. Piotr had learned that the hard way.
As Illyana speaks, the silvery pink lines in her collar glow faintly again and Keiko swallows, closing her eyes momentarily before looking at the Demon Queen again. "You say this. You, who tore me apart because you needed to know something. Something I would have told you willingly. Is it around you then, I should not be brave and strong?" For the first time in a very long time, Piotr hears the bitterness in her tone. "I must protect them. Piotr and Elena. They will use me against them."
They? Probably the demons. It's possible Keiko can't quite believe she's back.
Illyana looks to the server as Piotr orders. "He meant ‘rare’. His English isn’t so good, somedays." She also gives Piotr a pointed glance to tell him to hush even if he *does* want it actually rare. Pancakes and waffles and omelettes are ordered all around with bacon and sausage and crispy hashbrown sides. More coffee, cream and sugar, thanks and some OJ for Elena.
The blonde gives a faint smile at Piotr’s descriptions of them, nodding when Keiko speaks of that artist’s soul of his and then sighs as the other woman speaks to her. "I did." Illyana admits, without any sort of shying away. Because expedient and because I have a very hard time giving anyone consideration that I’m not," She frowns a bit as she thinks on how to describe it. "Close to me."
Illyana draws a breath and lets it out. "When Belasco took me, he tied my soul to the Heart. It’s what makes me as much demon as I am human and a lack of empathy is one of the easy-to-spot takeaways from it." There’s a certain bitterness to her own tone there. "It’s one of the reasons I took you as mine, before we went to Plokta. That which I take, I keep." Which might be a bit more awkward since y’know, that whole relationship with Illyana’s brother going on.
"Yes. Rare." Piotr accepts the correction in stride. He’s just used to raw food by this point. When Elena is looking at the menu, he flips it to the kids side and points at a pancake that has cherry eyes, whipped topping mouth, and chocolate chip freckles. "Trust me." he says to his daughter with a smile.
Then his attention returns to the others. "Yours?" he asks Illyana with a lift of his brow. He knows of the collar around Keiko’s neck. And he knows when he was in Limbo, his touch reacted to it as well. Whether that was because he was Limbo, or because he shares Illyana’s blood, he hasn’t sussed out yet.
"I am unsure of the ways of magic. Of all of this. I am just strong dumb bear sometimes." he admits with a rolling shrug of his shoulders as he reaches up to rub at his beard. He’s gotten it trimmed since he returned, but he’s not getting rid of it. "But I know what I want." Even if he can’t put it into words.
At this point, Keiko will eat just about anything put in front of her, food wise, except a hot dog. The memory of what the demons had returned with when she expressed that desire … still haunt her. The smell of bacon has her mouth watering though - so there's that.
It was the memory embedded in the gem in the collar that had responded to Piotrs. Perhaps the only thing that had Keiko able to soften a little. That memory though now enfuses the leather with those silvery pink lines … the gem and filigree clasp dissolved long ago.
"Hers." Keiko nods, eyes never leaving Illyana. Not that she meets the Demon Queens gaze directly. It's always just to the side, looking over her shoulder. Never challenging, her time in Limbo just driving that home.
"And it is to this you want me to appear weak." It's going to be a hard stretch for all of them. Not just because she's Illyana's but for what else has been done. The things that none of them can guess at right now.
"You're a bear, Piotr. Not dumb. You played the demons off against each other for all that time, never letting one faction get more dominant than the other. When Belascos minions thought to try our defenses, you foiled that as well." Praise in the only way she knows how.
There is the mildest of grimaces from Illyana as Piotr follows up with that question and she turns to face him, not flinching at least. "It’s not the way most people would think of it." Maybe she’s trying to reassure him. "I figure you’ve picked up how Demons have a hierarchy. And everything belongs to someone. Only the strongest can claim independence. When I came back when I was a teenager, that was one of the hardest things to get. Everyone considered themselves as their only authority." It was really kind of maddening. "That which is yours, you keep and you protect. That which isn’t yours you can do whatever you want to, so long as you’re willing to risk the wrath of whoever claims them."
Coffee is brought, and Elena’s OJ, and Illyana takes a moment to add copious amounts of cream and sugar to hers. It lets her buy some time before she goes on. "Keiko and I hadn’t been terribly friendly, but we were committed to seeing the job done and if I was going to ask something like that of her, then," Illyana shrugs. "She deserved to be mine."
She wrinkles her nose a bit, the action more like Elena than a full grown woman. Some of her habits from before her time in Limbo have carried over. "I didn’t plan to press that claim. Mostly. Unless forced. And she’d gotten, well, she was still frustratingly stubborn, but she didn’t push so hard I felt the need to put her in her place."
Now Illyana turns to fix Keiko with her gaze, the full weight of it. "I don’t want you to be weak. I want you to be human. Or as human as you’ll ever manage to be again."
There’s a look in Piotr’s eyes. It’s a calm. In that deepest and clearest of blues, his eyes lock down on the coffee. His grip around the mug tightens, the fingers flexing around the heat as he feels it. Illyana knows beneath that calm blue sea, the turmoil that is there. Keiko has seen it once or twice in their time in Limbo.
"That is not how it works, snezhinka." comes Piotr’s rumbling response, the growl of the thunder in his response. "These are not demons. They are not possessions. She is, as you said, human, not a pet to be belled." Now that he’s starting to understand things, that bubbling undercurrent of frustration is starting to peek through.
"I remember this plan now." he continues, a glare levelled at his sister. "That you maddeningly wanted to take on a splinter lord. So you took what he claimed with tattoos and instead replaced it with a collar. You replaced a master with a mistress." he’s angry now, and there’s no slowing him down, even as he tries to find what words to say, but he slips into Russian.
"Do you plan to put a collar on Elena as well?" the growled tone speaks volumes to how Piotr would probably react to that idea. There was more he wanted to say, but the ceramic of the coffee mug creaks and cracks, before shattering, spilling its contents over Piotr’s hands and he hisses in anger, shaking his hands to chase away the pieces of glass that cut into his hands, and the heat of the coffee that stings him.
Frustration, anger, it’s all there on a vivid display as he tries to pat himself down and finally pulls away. That moment of retreat is right there. Before that fuse burns out completely. This is why Keiko said she could never be what he wanted. Because she already belonged to others.
"She will never be free." It’s what she had said to him in Limbo. And now, he understands why.
"It is why your demons chose me." That's a question to Illyana "When they sought a consort. I was yours, they could use me as they wanted." Deep down, hidden so well, there's a sadness for that. If Illyana hadn't bound her, the demons would have found another woman. One that wasn't broken in the ways that Keiko was. One that give Piotr the love and tenderness he deserved.
But that had taken her with cold and aloof ways.
As Piotrs anger rises, Elena fusses a little. Keiko sets her hand on her daughters dark head. "Mama is here, pequena estrella." she murmurs. Little Star in Spanish, not Russian.
"Do not speak to her like that, Piotr." the Peruvians eyes slowly turn yellow again, slitted … looking just like one of the demons he had ruled over for so long. Her voice she manages to keep low and placating. "She did what had must to make this world safe. Just as I did." beat "I was already broken and in a way, she saved me."
Twisted and horrifying loyalty. To them all. Piotr, Illyana, Elena and even Koa. It will tear her apart.
"I wasn't free from the day the Nightfall placed their first mark on me." And no, she never will be. Not now. "I do not know if I know how to free."
Her hands move, reflexively, to reach out to touch him but she stops, clasping her hands together on the table in front of her.
The question he asks of Illyana has her looking at the woman. "You will not." She had understood the Russian. It's almost a challenge to the Limbo Queen.
With a slight snarl of her own, Illyana grabs the sugar dispenser and pours out some of the sugar onto the table. She dips her finger into her coffee and sketches out a quick series of runes. When she finishes, there’s a POP and those within will see the hazy edges of a dome around them, like a soap bubble as Illyana tosses up an illusion so they don’t garner unwanted attention. THEN she turns to look back at her brother, her eyes flashing in return. It doesn’t matter that he’s so much larger than her or so much stronger. She’s always been smaller and weaker than her opponents.
"Yes. I went up against another splinter lord. ANOTHER. Because that’s what *I* am, Piotr. Yes, I took her and I used her. Just like I did Koa but by the Dark Lords at least they volunteered." It’s not entirely a given that she wouldn’t have used them if they hadn’t. But they *did*. "I claimed her from the god she worshiped that steals children so he can feed on their souls like sucking marrow from the bone and I will not apologize for it!"
When he asks if she would put a collar on Elena she closes her eyes and looks away. Her jaw works a bit before she replies, able to guess what Piotr’s response will be but refusing to lie to him. "I don’t need to. We share blood. That’s claim enough."
The blonde lets out her breath in a long exhale, looking over to Keiko, her words an echo of Piotr’s. Just as hollow. "She will never be free."
So much she didn’t tell her brother about what she went through and how that changed her.
"Yes, I know you *did*. I *asked* to help you." Piotr snaps in return. And instead, you rejected me. And I didn’t know why. But now I do. He seethes, his blue eyes narrowing on his sister’s. "You see me as weak."
"You see my soul, and you assume that because my heart is open, that I will fail you. That I will let you down. And at some point, you will probably be right."
"But for seven years, I sat there, waiting. Fighting. Knowing you would return. I never gave up that hope. You do not have claim on me, Illyana Nikolivena. I love you because you are my sister. There is little I will not do for you. But I will not allow you to harm my family. Despite the good intentions of your thoughts - you play them as pawns and you will find me on your wrong side."
Shoving himself from his seat, perhaps to prove what it is he’s learned from his time in Limbo, his lips set in a thin line. "Part of me - part of that weak soul - it’s still there. I do not know what happened to the weapon that was created from me. But it is still there. And I hope you never have to find out how strong that is." With that, he takes the salt and slams it into the middle of Illyana’s summon to break it as he turns to walk away.
"You wanted to end up like me?" Keiko asks quietly, knowing Illyanas words about their daughter to be truth. "She didn't see your weakness, she saw your purity and love and didn't want to lose it. So she took me, with my soiled soul and morals … because I offered them."
She doesn't shift from beside Elena but neither does she try to shield the girl from this. Maybe Keiko doesn't realise she should or maybe she feels it's a life lesson. Elena goes quiet, watching the three.
"Why do you think your sword ended up melting demons, Piotr? The sword that housed your soul for seven years? The sword that was no effect when Strange and Agent Turner arrived." The peruvians eyes are full yellow now and there's the shimmer of scales over her skin. Black scales, just like the one the demon she mastered sported.
Illyana might not be aware of the swords effects - but Keiko had been watching and thinking.
"She can harm me if I want. I gave her that right and damn it, Piotr, I'd do it all again. Because what we did was the lesser evil."
As he turns to go, Keiko doesn't try to stop him. Free will. It's a thing for some.
Illyana can’t help but push to her feet as well, even if it’s just to talk to Piotr’s back. "I *never* thought you weak! Yes, I wanted to protect you from this and it wasn’t your strength I needed in that fight. I needed hers. I needed the link she had to Plokta."
The anger on her expression breaks then, and there’s a quiet anguish that makes her pale eyes bright. "You are my True North, Piotr Nikoliveitch. You are how I keep my steps this side of the line and don’t fall into the darkness. I will do anything to protect your daughter, because she is your light, and that scares me. Because Belasco made me to make all the worlds burn for his dark gods. That’s the destiny I try to avoid." The secret she would never give him.
"I can’t help what I am, I can only try to keep it in check, but I’m tainted, brat. And I fear everything I care for will burn with me."
It’s got to be some kind of cosmic joke, or the gods’ own irony on Piotr Rasputin? The first girl he considered feelings for - after she spent five years wearing him down, was Illyana’s best friend.
And now he’s stupidly fallen for Illyana’s pet. "I went to Limbo for you, Illyana." It’s all he needs to say, really. He went through that. He was warped, changed. He had his soul /ripped/ from him.
But he never broke his connection to his sister. And now? In the midsts of one conversation, he’s never felt so much hurt at one time in his life. It rips at him worse than when his soul was ripped from him. Because he knows the truth now.
And he knows not what to do with it. Keiko has sided with Illyana. He’s not going to make a scene with Elena. Instead, the large Russian’s shoulders slump, and walks past the waitress as the food arrives at the table. He needs space. He needs to think. And he probably is going to find a copious amount of vodka and the nearest quarry to smash into stones for the next several hours.
Keiko doesn't stand when the siblings do, she clenches her jaw though as she watches the pain Piotr experiences. She … doesn't know how to stop that. Everything she said is true.
She hadn't sided with Illyana, exactly. Not that Piotr will understand - at least for a while. She'd sided with herself. The last vestiges of freedom she can grasp. The ability to be able to make decision that is hers, and hers only.
"Papa is going for a walk, pequeno." she murmurs as Piotr walks out. "Tia will take us home soon, yes."
She can't look on Illyana's anguish either. She's her own demon to master, after all.