Summary:Scarlet Spider goes looking for Keiko. Slight problem - Keiko's never met the Scarlet Spider and he decides her demon wolf is fair game. Poor Ben Reilly. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Get out and do things. That's what Keiko's been told. Silly things. So she's trying.
It's late afternoon and the tattooed woman can be in the park just down the road from where she now lives. She's with a dark haired little girl, who looks to be about five years old, along with a huge demonic looking wolf.
"Mama, you're supposed to throw the ball so I can catch it." Elena chortles as she retrieves the ball for the hundredth time and tosses it back to her mother.
"This is how you learn to be quick, Elena." Keiko answers in a muted sort of way.
"We're not training, Mama. You said you wanted to have fun!"
For anyone looking for Keiko, she is changed. Now 31 instead of 24, the age shows on her face along with the ravages of her last experience.
You know what a real challenge is? Tracking down someone who sometimes isn't even in this dimension. Still, challenge is what Ben has chosen and it's what he gets. When the man has questions, he doesn't just text or google. No. He makes it a -thing-.
"Be yourself, Ben." He grumbles under the crimson mask as he swings through the streets of Brooklyn. All geared up, Scarlet Spider is in full swing(Ha HAAA!). It feels good. He's reluctant to admit it but the sun on his masked face, the pull of wind on that sky blue hoodie, the tacky grip of webbing in a clenched fist. "Easy for you to say, Brenda."
So he's hunting. Sort of. Mostly just going to and observing places he'd seen Keiko before or heard she may frequent. It's been a crap shoot so far. That is, until now. It's not even Keiko that he recognizes at first. No, that's going to be a thing in itself. It's the DEMONIC WOLF AND SMALL CHILD that grabs his attention.
"Screw it, I'll just go get a sandwich from Lou's and-HOLY MOLEY, lookit the size of that thing!" Thwip! Changing direction midnswing, Scarlet Spider lands perched atop a swing set. The heavy impact setting the bars to thrum like a tuning fork as he points web shooter and finger down at Devil Dog. "No eating small children! Bad! Bad, Devil Doberman!"
Keiko had only been missing for 30 hours in Earth time. 30 hours here and 7 years in Limbo. That makes for interesting discussion starters.
This time Keiko slows her toss to the child, grumbling to herself about how this is pointless - but then, that was the point. The ball is missed as Elena fumbles, Bella pounces and comes trotting back to Elena presenting the ball for the child to take.
Just as the Scarlet Spider shows up. "Don't shoot Bella!" Elena cries out, as Bella spins and puts herself between the child and Ben. Growling, eyes red, as she bares her fangs at the hapless future spider.
Keiko doesn't even think as she starts to run. Several things happen: She touches a tattoo on her arm; Her eyes turn yellow; and blue glowing leathery bat wings just appear on her back - lifting and moving her quickly to land beside the demon dog.
Above Scarlet Spider, Onyxia appears - it's harpy head screaming in rage as *huge* eagle dives. It's talons trying to find purchase on the spiders back somehow and lift him into the air.
Never a dull moment. See, this is exactly why Ben Reilly stopped wearing the costume. Madness. Chaos. Broken ribs. Not always in that order. No costume? Boring, life sucking tedium. But no bleeding from the face. With the costume? Well…
"Don't shoot a-what-now?!" Perplexed by the sudden and I mean SUDDEN defense of the snarling demon hound by a small child, Scarlet Spider pauses. Head cocked aside, clearly taken aback. The snarling, red eyed fangbeast sets Ben to tense like a steel spring. It's defending the child, that much is obvious. But now? Now it's a new issue.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hold the mobile communications device! What even IS that thing and isn't there a leash law? Where's your moth-"
Cue Keiko literally flying to the defense. Ben Reilly, dropping his guard as recognition hits home in that split second. "Hey, wait a second. Does Keiko have an older but still attractive and also very similar tattooooOOOOOH NO YOU DON'T!" Screaming Eagle dive almost catching him, that Spider Sense saved the day once again. Pivoting, Scarlet Spider evades the attack almost effortlessly. THWIP! THWIP! Dual web shots at the massive and righteously pissed harpy! "Reflex! Look out, man! Bird on a string!"
Now Ben can see Keiko, he might notice the cat slitted eyes that are slightly yellow at the moment. The wings hang heavily from her shoulders as stumbles when she lands.
Keiko. The scarlet spider said her name. Does she know him? "Elena, behind me. Just like Limbo." She growls at her daughter.
Onyxia is webbed but that suits the harpy eagle, she twists and her wings beat down powerfully, lifting the Scarlet Spider off. "Onyxia, bring him to me."
Ben might well find himself dragged across the ground to be deposited in front of the small, murderous looking, tattooed woman.
"Wait, wait, wait! Bird has a human face! Human face on a bird is a time out! It's literally in the rules and-" Does the man ever shut up? Put the mask on him and it's somehow worse. Speaking of worse, he webbed a Harpy and it's flying. "Limbo?! I am going to have a long talk with Little Miss Hot Topic, this is getting ridiculous! Do you even have a permit for this thing?!"
The woman wants Scarlet Spider? She gets him. As Onyxia dutifully drags the spider toward Keiko, Ben does what Ben is best at. Makes things difficult. Feet plant, stick and he PULLS. Intending to painfully halt the Harpy and project him beyond it. Sling shot. Engaged. With a flourish, he lands… right infront of the snarling, fanged maw of a devil dog.
One hand goes up, the international sign of surrender if paired with another. Instead, it's pulling his mask half up to reveal Ben's Beard. Glorious. Could use work. "It's me! As long as it's you! Remember, you owe me pizza!"
It's not the snarling, fanged maw of a devil dog that Ben's deposited in front of. Somehow in the few minutes this has been happening, her skin has become covered in glowing chitinous … scales? Her cat slitted eyes have gone yellow, her wings hang from her shoulders and with her lips pulled back, fangs are visible.
"Mama…" The little dark haired girl speaks from behind transformed woman.
When Bens hand comes up, and the beard is displayed, Keiko pauses. "Ben?" Slowly the chitinous armour starts to recede.
It all happens so quick. Sometimes even a genius clone from another reality needsbto take a breather. Let the world catch up to him. At some point, he'd taken a knee. Looking up at Keiko-Demon-Lady from behind those white, semi-reflective eye shields, he's wondering if perhaps he should have stayed home and watched that documentary on Tony Stark again. "Mama? Whoooaaaa momma." Ben gestures to the little dark haired girl then, well… everything around them.
"Hold your horses there. Lookin' like a Megadeth album cover, you know. So, how you been? Love what you did with your… your… wings?" Then she says his name. Shoulders sag, Scarlet Spider stands and throws his arms up in defeat. "Why do I even wear this thing? Yeah. It's… me." A wry smirk and he upnods the child, giving a finger wiggling wave. "Hi there."
Late afternoon in the park just down the road from the Willow St house. Keiko had taken Elena out to play. Right now, the Scarlet Spider kneels before Keiko and Bella, Elena at Keiko's back.
Keiko just stares at Ben, those yellow eyes gleaming for the longest of moments. To ensure that he doesn't do something stupid, Onyxia lands behind him.
It's Keiko. There's tattooes on her arms - still incredibly lifelike but more … demonic in imagery. On her stomach which the short t-shirt she's wearing leaves bear is a brand, that covers the width and heads up under the fabric.
A black leather collar with silvery pink lines winding through it, seems to have melded with the skin at her throat.
Slowly, the glowing bat wings fade, leaving the woman to scoop the girl up and hold her on her hip. "You did well, pequena estrella." She says, still in muted fashion. There's a lack … of maternal affection …. there. Not that it stops the girl kissing her cheek. "He looks funny, Mama. Who is he…"
Ben finally gets her full attention. "You should be careful pointing those things at peoples pets. It might get you bit."
"Elena, this is … Ben. He's … a friend." Sort of. "Ben, this is Elena." As to how she's been? She's not answering that yet.
Spider Sense, don't fail now. With Keiko all Demon'd Out, Ben is expectedly tense. Then again, he's always a little high strung, isn't he? Clad in that not so iconic all red body armor, the blue hoodie with the sleeves torn off… He looks like Good Will Spider-man. Mask half rolled up, the bearded anti-hero keeps his hands where she can see them. Not that it's a big comfort considering what he is. Ben snap-points to Elena. "I -do- look funny and that's why you should never go into the heroing business. That and the dental plan is terrible. There are perks but really, if you've made out with one high flying, sentient star then you've… Ahem. You're a child. Nevermind that."
With his attention back on Keiko in full, especially now, Ben is clearly taken aback. "First things first: can you really call that a pet? Looks like something John Carpenter woke up screaming about. Secondly: Hi, Elena. You don't have your mothers eyes. I bet your dad or satanic counterpart is one heck of a looker!" Said with a gigantic smile as he crouches down to get eye to eye with Keiko's… kid? "She keeps saying my naaaaame even though I'm in costuuuuuume."
A heavy sigh and Ben simply gives in. "Ben it is." That said, he simply pulls off his mask. The man barely has an identity, let alone a secret one. "Catchier than Scarlet Spider anyway." And yes, his hair goes wild. Standing up from mask static. Lovely.
Piotr needed to get out of the house for a little while. He has a lot to chew on. But he also has other things on his mind as well. Namely, that before he left the house, he had heard the familiar tune of the ice cream truck rounding the corner. Figuring that Keiko - and really, Elena, could do with some frozen confections. Having stopped the truck, and bought one of pretty much every cartoon themed ice cream on the truck, along with a grape and lime bomb pop for Keiko - purple and green she said were her favorite colors. He hasn't had a chance to ask what her favorite ice cream was - that didn't exist in Limbo.
He's got his own red, white and blue bomb pop in his mouth that he's enjoying as he starts to become more visible to the group. And then he notices someone, standing with Keiko and Elena. In a costume. And bending over his child.
There's a growl, and suddenly there's seven and a half feet of massive metallic Russian moving down the street. Ever seen Jurassic Park? You know, when the ripples are in the water? That. Except it's felt through the concrete.
"That is Bella." Keiko says in that flat way of speaking. "She is mine and Elena's protector." beat "Elena has her fathers eyes." She agrees. The girl has pale blue eyes after all. Just don't see them when there are *real* demons about. "You might say he is somewhat good looking."
"If I knew your code name, I'd use it." Keiko's being even more blunter than usual. "What are doing here, Ben?" No 'good to see you' or anything. She's got Elena held to her side so Ben can't get too close.
Elena isn't shy and has at least had her fathers influence to temper her young life. She reaches out to tickle Bens beard. "I like Scarlet Spider. What does made out mean?" He's sooo going to regret his babbling. Then the girl looks "Here comes Papa!"
"Bella? More like Hella, amirite? Eh? Eh?" Ben Reilly, AKA Scarlet Spider, mask off and costumed up. If anybody asks, he's cosplaying Spiderman on a brutal budget. Mock elbowing at Elena, it's no surprise that Ben is good with kids. He kind of technically is one.
When Keiko pulls the girl closer, Ben straightens up. Hands on his hips, he lets out a huff of a sigh. Eyebrow up, he upnods Keiko in understanding. Better than she may know. Limbo, man. It rubs you raw. "Eeehhhhh, forget it. Gotta do hero work to have a hero name. Ben is fine. I was… actually, I been looking for you. The tattoos. The hoodoo. You know me. Precocious. I… you guys feel that?"
Ben sure can. The vibrations. The increasingly closer vibrations. "Hey, thanks, Elena. Scarlet Spider means I don't wanna get sued for copyright infringement. Oh, here comes… Oh… Oh-ho-ho-hoooooooly crap." Having turned to see Colossus on the approach, Ben goes Very still. "Is his vision based on movement? Pretty please be?"
Ben stage whispers while standing stock still. "Don't tell him I implied making out with space aliens or that I even said those two words and I'll buy you a kitten. Or whatever it is that bird thing eats. Oh god, he's actually metal…"
As he gets at the fringe of the group, the metallic Russian stops. He's tall. Hella tall - at least two, perhaps three feet taller than Keiko. When Elena calls out, it slows Piotr's steps. She doesn't seem to be in danger, though for some reason he was sensing it as he approaches. And then he dearmors - and he doesn't get any shorter or smaller. The metal is just an extra feature.
"Illyana suggested a walk. Heard ice cream truck. Thought you'd want a treat." He holds out the bag to Keiko to sort out what's within. Wait? Did he buy her a gift? Maybe. He's trying. This whole.. dating thing, is still getting taking a whole lot of getting used to as he turns his head towards Ben. "Who is this?" he asks.
Oh, he knows Illyana too. Go figure. It gets better, though.
"Bella. She … spent a lot of time in Limbo. Like we did." Keiko offers. She knows Bens been there as well. There's no apology though for being protective.
Elena giggles at Bens antics but doesn't argue against her mother. Most kids would, right?
Hey. Keiko's protective. Go figure. And yet she doesn't seem to try and stop Piotr as he approaches. Her faith is rewarded. "Piotr. This is Ben. He … is a friend." She seems to have trouble saying that. "Apparently he was looking for me, though I don't know why." Something about tattooes?
"You bought me ice cream?" The small tattooed woman is ever so reserved as she accepts it. "This is Elena's father, Piotr, Ben." Elena's father. How does she define the big man? It's … complicated.
With Piotr closer, Elena bounces towards him. "Papa. He's the scarlet spider!"
"Why were you looking for me, Ben?"
When organic steel fades to flesh tones, Ben doesn't really relax or feel any safer. No, he's pretty much hip deep in weird right now. Luckily, this man is particularly used to being surrounded by impossibility. "Illyana suggested a walk? Russian. Metal. Big. Aaaahhhhhh craaaaaaaaap." Clearing his throat, wild haired Ben Reilly winks and finger-guns at Colossus. "Heeeeeey, big fella. Would you believe Tony Stark?" He asks with a nervous, half-assed smile. He starts to attempt a light arm punch but retracts his arm half way. Probably for the best.
A step back, Ben doing his level best to make it look not at all related to his own personal safety and arm reach. Stuffing his mask down the front of that faded blue hoodie, he casts a sideeye to Keiko. "Just Ben is fine." He says reassuringly, waving a hand at any protest or correction. "I don't have friends. I have people who want to kill me less than… " He clears his throat then and just comes out with it. "It's stupid but tattoos. I… I wanted to get one. You have, by far, the coolest. Wanted to, you know… ask. Not, like, magic or anything, just to feel… ahem… different." Somebody met Peter Parker again. Somebody is feeling his Clone Problems.
"I brought ice cream for you. And Elena. They had Spongebob ice cream." Piotr offers, more than willing to give Elena sugar. And then let Aunt Illyana watch her. Then Ben mentions that he's Tony Stark. "I have met Tony Stark. You are not him." hello, X-Man. The start of the punch is looked at - and Ben may notice that the arm that he was about to punch has it's own tattoo - this one of a massive bear/dog looking creature. It winds it's way up Piotr's arm, disappearing beneath the shoulder.
Then when he mentions that he knows Keiko's tattoos are magic, there's a frown. "How do you know Keiko?" he asks, moving, and interposing all of his height between Ben and his family, arms moving to settle over his chest. The Russian is thick in his voice.
"Piotr. We aren't in Limbo anymore." She steps out from behind the big man, so she can see Ben and he can see her. Her eyes are now the normal brown they are - the pupils still cat slitted though. "He is known to Illyana. Spent time in Limbo with her. She can tell you more." If the blonde will. "We've met once or twice here."
Keiko frowns at the mention of the tattooes and Ben wanting one.
"You want … me to give you one?" Because of course she would. It's a fairly Keiko type of thing to do. "I … Mine marked me as Ploktas. Now, they mark me as Illyana's." Yes, she just staid that. Does Ben understand?
"The icecream is good, Piotr. I like it." He's got the right flavour as well. Just plain chocolate.
"Did I say Tony Stark?" Ben chuckles softly, a shake of the head and dismissive wave of the hand. That old chestnut? "Tony Snark. Different. Totally not a fake name." Says the man whos name has now been said aloud more while he's in costume than it has in the past few years. Then Piotr takes the defensive. Why wouldn't he? Ben's eyes narrow. "Listen, Armor All." He says in a tone that could easily get him mangled. "I'm chatting up the ladies and not -once- did you even offer me an ice cream."
His eyes flick between Keiko and Piotr. Rapid. Illyana is mentioned and he seemed defensive again. Go. Figure. "Errrrrr. Yeah. Pete. Peter? God, I know too many of those. But you're the biggest. So there's that?" He offers a faint smile, a punchable smirk, some would describe it. "I, yeah. We're… Illyana knows me. Must mean I'm cleared, right? Heh."
At the mention of Illyana laying claim on Keiko, Ben's shoulders tighten. Jaw tenses. He's fighting something. An outburst of some sort. Clearing his throat to take a pause of collection, he nods. Swallows hard and nods. "I… I want one to know that I'm… Look." Ben starts over in a hurry, absolutely forcing a false smile to the surface. "I want the best. You're the best. My reasons are lame but your talent? If that's your work there? I'm in. I'll pay. I have money. Probably."
The chocolate was for him. Not that Piotr would ever say that now that Keiko has claimed it for herself. And then Ben calls him Armor All. There's a brief look of confusion. "Not armor. Steel. Do have armor." Wait, there's more? Don't ask. Don't find out, really. There's a frown that pulls upon Piotr's lips as he listens to the conversation. "Tattoo is not a good idea. Not like Russian prison, where you get tattoo for act." he says with a firm nod of his head.
At least he wasn't the one to spinchter clench when Keiko makes the comment that she belongs to Illyana. Apparently there's been some understanding reached there as he stoops down and picks up Elena to set on his shoulder as she opens her ice cream. "This does not look like Spongebob, papa." she says to Piotr, showing him the misplaced gumball eyes and sagging features. "It has melted some. Should eat soon."
Bens not the only one to have a similar reaction to Illyana's claim on the tattoed woman. Keiko gives Piotr a glance, gauging his reaction - the last time. He'd walked away in anger. Not this time it seems.
"Do not say anything." She warns Ben, in a low sort of growl when looks like he wants to say anything. "None of you understand that she gave me more freedom than I've ever had." Strange statement and not one she'd make to just anyone. "I … am … content."
As to tattooes she shakes her head. "I … these were done by the magi of the Nightfall. The art, the ink are all part of a mystical process. I had to undergo trials when I got them but not once did I lay ink on myself or another. My … talent… was in mastering the spirits that inhabit them." She nods to Bella, who at that moment seems to dissolve to smoke that wends its way back to her arm.
"You get a tattoo in a Russian prison if you act? In a play?" That's to Piotr. Her grasp of the language is still fleeting and it hasn't been made any better by the fact they now speak a mishmash of Spanish, Russian and English.
As the joke somehow goes over that elevated head of Piotr's, Ben opens his mouth and a flood of snark fueled by self-esteem issues doesn't come out. "I… you know what? That's cool. Armor. On a dude made of metal. I was wondering if Xzibit was a thing in this reality." Okay, so maybe not a flood. He can't help himself. Brows furrow when Piotr casts a negative vote on Ben's dreams of tattoo ink. "Hold up. I'm not in the mob. Just a dude trying to not be a different dude. It's hard to understand. It's… it's… " Ben snaps his fingers. He's found a convincing lie. "It's a twin thing."
The growl, the forceful demand. This is not a side of Keiko he's seen. Admittedly, he's not seen too many sides but still. Ben doesn't object. The tension eases away with a heavy sigh. "I got no say in the first place. Not a word outta me." Itching the back of his neck with a crimson gloved hand, Ben glances around. Nobody seeming to pay the group much mind. Which is telling of this city and its reluctant acceptance of how strange this world is. "Hrmph. Yeah, that seems like a whole lot of work." Ben laughs softly, not -at- her. Just his usual attempts to diffuse situations that he often escalated himself. "That's wild. So you're saying spirits live in your tattoos? Like… real spirits? Shit on a shingle, I just assumed you were, like… some kinda illusionist." Then Bella goes fwoof and turns into a tattoo. Ben, wide eyed, swallows hard that lump in his throat. "So, that happened. Aaahhhhhhh, that's so weird to watch." He quickly changes gears. "Yeah, Pete. What kind of play do you need to perform to get a tattoo?"
"Murder someone." Piotr retorts dryly. "Want to find out how I got mine?" Sure, Keiko knows the /truth/, but Ben doesn't. And that's kind of the point, isn't it? The large Russian gives a grunt of displeasure at the whole thing, however, he is moving aside at the smaller woman's insistance. If Elena has the large Russian bent around one litle finger, Keiko has his soul on another.
Instead, his attention turns to Elena. "You and Bella were playing? You teach her how to roll over yet?" he asks the girl curiously.
"There are artists in the city, Ben." Keiko turns a dark catseyed look. "Piotrs a wonderful artist, maybe he'll design you something, if that's what you want. But you'll have to find someone to do … it."
"They do yes. And they feed on me, to answer an earlier question you had." She nods to Onyxia who's still standing silent sentinel. She doesn't say much else about how she bound them. He might intuit though with a lot of what she's said. "But I did let them eat demons in Limbo."
Piotr being grumpy gets a flat look. She just doesn't emote anymore. Maybe that will lessen as she's here more. "You could ask Piotr, Ben." Because Keiko doesn't make requests, often, now.
"No Papa. I was playing ball with Mama, teaching her catch." Elena answers and then whispers very loudly "Sh'es not very good at it. Thinks everything is training."
"Ah. Right. Murder." Ben says as if he knew it all along. Nodding slowly in mock recognition. An eyebrow arches sharply at the question posed to him by a man about three times his size. "You're gonna say 'murder', aren't you? He's gonna say murder." Ben says, nodding to the beheamoth dad now paying an adorable little girl all the attention. That's when it clicks. "Jesus. You two. Limbo. Boom. Kiddo." Taking a step back, Ben shakes his head while pulling his mask free from the hoodie front pocket. "You know, I uh… I think I'm good on the tattoo. I mean, with my job and the webs and my streaming options, who has the time to feed a tattoo, right?" A half-hearted chuckle, Ben tugs that mask over his head. "Was a weird thing to ask."
One hand adjusting his mask to get the eyes lined up right, the other points to Elena rather enthusiastically. "She's absolutely right, by the way. Keiko, you need way more practice. Hand-muzzle co-ordination ain't easy!"
"Try teaching her football. She is much better at kicking." Piotr responds, as he gives Elena grin, and reaches to give his daughter an affectionate ruffle. She does have her father's eye. "Yes. She was born in Limbo." comes the firm nod of affirmation from the large Russian, before he snorts. "I am good artist. Use many mediums. But never designed tattoo. Maybe someday." he shrugs his shoulders.
"You are leaving, then?" he asks, curious, as Ben pulls out the mask again. "Thought you were robber at first."
"Long story. It was a long … time." Keiko answers. "But she is mine." Hers. Much a like a demon, Keiko has laid claim to her daughter. Anyone watching her will know that to harm the girl will invite retribution and after what Ben had just seen, it's probably nasty.
Does she lay such a claim to Piotr? Not clear.
"I can catch, I just prefer to skin and kill my prey." She says in response to his quip. Yes - skin, then kill. Murderous little thing that she is.
As he 'dresses' she watches. "We live down the road. You will come by sometime, yes?" That's not going to cause any problems, is it?
"You would design wonderful tattooes, Piotr. Maybe you will design me one just for me."
"Heeeey, hear that? Kicking. One of my favorite things to do. Usually to people but hey, kicking is kicking." Ben nods a vigorous affirmative. He really does enjoy kicking. Able to see correctly, Scarlet Spider, or Ben as he's been outed, cricks his neck sharply to one side. Machine gun snaps, crackles and pops. Loosening his arms, he gives a relaxing wiggle to work the kinks out. Stretching before web swinging is vital, people. Vital. "Limbo baby. Okie dokie!" A thumbs up and he's scanning the rooftops. "Yeeeaaaaah. You know us Spider People. Get all antsy in the pantsy if we stay on the ground too long." He lies. Oh, how he lies. Something has Ben on edge. "You keep drawing and dreaming, big guy. I got faith in you."
Beneath the mask of scarlet, the look of unease and understanding on his face is hidden. Oh, he believes every word that woman just said. The look from mother to daughter spoke it loudly. That demonic flavor of possession. He understands it. "Just prefers to skin and kill her prey. Ayup. Pretty sure I used to have that as my voicemail message when I came back. Or got out. If I did." The depersonalization of Ben Reilly is a strange thing. A nervous chuckle leaves him as he lifts a wrist to THWIP a web line up and away. "Yeah. I'll bring a pot roast and some sidewalk chalk. We'll have a great time pretending not to be fucking psychopaths. Toodles!"
Leaning back, Ben pulls taut the line an… ZIP! Off he goes. Part jump. Part slingshot. All Ben Reilly. Scarlet Spider. Spider-Ben? Scarlet Reilly? Ahhhhhh, he'll figure it out eventually. Again.
As Ben goes slingshotting away, Piotr watches after him for several moments, his blue eyes narrowing in thought. And then his attention turns to Keiko. And there may have been a hint of a smile. "And you say I have weird friends, solnyshko."
"Mi rey, I said no such thing." Keiko answers as Ben zips away. He'll hear that - Her King. "I'm not sure I would class him as a friend, either." What would she class as him as? Good question.
"We should head back to the house. Elena will need to sleep soon." With that, Keiko starts to walk, touching the tattoo of Onyxia as she does. The bird turns to smoke…