Summary:Caden stops by the Rasputin home just in time to hear about how the world is going to shit. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
Related LogsTheme SongNone |
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The Rasputin Residence (more properly the Rasputin + 2 residence) is kind of quaint. The decor is from the 30's and 40's and resists any effort to drastically update it. Half of the fixtures and plumbing are from the same era. And on top of that, it's haunted.
Okay, it's not haunted in the usual sense. There's a dimensional weak spot that leads to things sometimes either disappearing or slipping out. This is why the present owner, WAND has a certain baby splinter lord (and her family) sitting on it. And it would be the place to which a certain friend of a certain baby splinter lord would be invited to meet and greet those he has not already met and greeted.
One of those might be a bit of a surprise. There's a grey pickup parked in front of the house and a rather well built man getting out of it with a messenger back and a REALLY thick, leather bound book. Like, put it on your coffee table and never speak of it again levels of thick. His blue collared shirt has the sleeves rolled up and there's a gleam of gold on his arm. A bracer that looks like a snake with a head at each end and ruby eyes.
He knocks on the door. Tap-ta-ta-tap-tap.
Keiko has been quiet this morning and moving rather gingerly. There's blisters covering her the exposed parts of her body … a lot of them and her eyes … they're tinged yellow at the moment.
Getting up from the couch where she's been sitting, the small tattooed spirit caller goes to answer the door. On the couch - which can't missed by the other residents of the house is a SHIELD information pack complete with application form and all.
"Come in Koa." Keiko steps back to let him in. "Who are you here to see?"
"Keiko, can you get that?!" Piotr calls out from the kitchen. "I almost have the last of dinner ready." Since his return, he's taken on most of the cooking duties for the family, handling making the meals. Elena is sitting at the table nearby working on her homework. If he's noticed the SHIELD packet, he's said nothing on it as the large Russian works on putting the final touches on the meal. "Is that Caden?" he asks, sticking his head out and when he sees it's Koa, his demeanor cools almost to the same temperature as Christmas in Siberia. Without the Orchestra. "Agent Turner." he greets, turning his attention back to the kitchen.
"I will set another plate." he responds to noone in paticular as he works on getting things together. But hey, at least they may know how he feels about the whole SHIELD thing now.
The invitation that Caden received from Piotr and Family had been for roughly five minutes ago, but to be fair there was some construction on the way. Though it did take a bit to find parking as the sedan he's driving isn't technically his vehicle and he's being careful since he'd feel bad if he returned it with a ding or a scratch.
But, eventually he pulls up. Parks, makes sure everything is locked. Then he gets out and starts to walk along the way to their spooooky house. Though after a few strides he snaps his fingers and turns around, half-jogging back to the car to open the back seat and grab a bottle of wine from it.
Once that's procured he nervously pushes a hand through his hair, makes sure his dress shirt is properly buttoned, then makes his way towards the door once again.
The well built man at the door glances as Caden comes up and then gestures to him to come inside. Clearly he's coming here and if the residents don't want him he's quite sure that they can deal with him.
And yes, Koa has a key being something of the landlord but he rarely uses it.
"Any of the Rasputins would be good. Is that Piotr's cooking I smell?" Koa says as he sets down his burdens on the coffee table. "How's your… everything?"
Because he was there when Keiko got hurt. Cough.
"I don't think we've met." Speaking of Caden, Koa turns to him. "Koa Turner. WAND. And you are?"
"No, it's Koa." The tattooed woman calls back, not bothering to point out that she already was answering the door. Piotrs chilly response gets a sigh from Keiko as she glances at the WAND agent.
It's not Koa's fault that Keiko wants to join WAND, after all.
"I … think this is Caden.?" A statement and question as she follows both men in. "I'm alright. The burns will take to heal and I need someone to read the pack to me." Cause you know, Keiko can just barely read.
"Vodka?" It's probably not strange that's the first thing she offers. This *is* a house full of Russians after all.
No, but it's possibly Koa's fault that Keiko got burned.
Okay. Not fair
But he did give the 'speech'.
As Keiko announces the arrival - and of course points out something else that Piotr has been reluctant on - the packet, the large Russian frowns for a moment. His mood for company has lowered considerably. "Priveyt, Caden! I'm putting the last bits of dinner ready, and Illyana may be along shortly. Uh.." he pauses.
"This is my parter, Keiko Kurita. Keiko, this is Caden Pryde. The one that went to England I told you about. Except he didn't go to England. It's confusing."
As Caden walks up the burley fellow at the door offers his hand. So the youth smiles and gives the man a firm and fair handshake, business-like, three-pumps and done. "Hi, Caden Pryde. Piotr's and Illyana's friend, Not of WAND." Since he wouldn't presume such of Keiko having not met her yet.
There's a small smile that lingers as he leans around the larger man and greets Keiko, "That's me, you must be Keiko." His features shift to concern almost instantly. "What can I do to help?" He asks, looking beyond to where he hears Piotr's voice though he still speaks to her. "I'm pretty handy in the kitchen."
He'll make sure to keep the wine in hand but then will present it to Piotr once he's near enough so Keiko doesn't have to carry it. "Piotr, s'good to see you again." Another handshake. He meets her eyes and says, "It's good to meet you formally, Keiko." Though considering her state he just gives a small wave and that smile.
"Hello Caden. I'd say any friend of Illyana and Piotr's is a friend of mine but I am not sure you actually want that to be the case…" Koa cracks a small smile and starts to open up the stuff he brought. The messenger bag is full of random things. A flake of black and gold metal here, a chip of stone there. The book has a title in honestly no earthly language. It's nearly as thick as the stack of papers Keiko is signing and that gets a brow from Koa. So. She decided to do it.
Piotr's gonna kill him.
"How good a friend, if I may ask?" That's sort of prying but Koa came here for trouble. "Or I can come back later if this was going to be a family dinner or something. I DID drop by somewhat unannounced." Beat. "England but not england?"
Keiko being burned isn't Koa's fault either. That was due to the demon banishment that one of the thirteen had hit the small peruvian with.
And her wanting to join SHIELD - the woman has a mind of her own. People seem to forget that.
"Nice to meet you too, Caden. Piotr and Illyana mentioned you, yesterday. Koa is a friend, as Piotr says." No, he didn't really. "I'm not sure there's much you can do, Piotr gets very protection about his cooking."
"If you weren't in England, where were you?"
The chestnut haired youth sort of grins at Koa, "Like soooo good friends." He spreads his hands as if indicating a significant amount. But he turns to face both Koa and Keiko as he reples, "But yah, Japan. Long story, six months."
There's a beat.
Then he adds, "Beautiful place."
That said he looks back to the kitchen, "So, I'm here. Put me to work?"
A stepping disk opens near one of the walls, and the only blonde Rasputin steps through. She takes in the room with a glance and there's a pursing of her lips as she sees Caden. "Oh. You're here." Time and Illyana aren't terribly good friends, but she doesn't apologize, or say she's late. After all, a wizard is never early nor late. She catches the compliment and that gets a chuckle. "You should have seen it when we moved in a few months ago. Most of the credit goes to Keiko, along with Piotr and Sam."
As Piotr ducks off with Elena to get her washed up, Illyana gives Caden a small push to the kitchen. "Plate up dinner?" And then she turns to look at Koa, and the things Koa's brought.
"Yeah, I've been a few times." Koa says with a smile. Mostly on his way to China or on his way OUT of China but he's been. If Caden's a 'pretty good' friend though - and no one is saying he isn't - it should be safe for Koa to continue. Well. For some definitions of safe. Illyana just showed up and that's a 'look' he's just gotten he thinks.
The book is a grimoire. Looks old but not the oldest thing Illyana's ever seen. Belasco's library is pretty extensive. The other stuff? Sort of looks like random trash.
"You remember that geomantic barrier, Illyana? The one with the pillars that your friends were guarding?" Wait. Illyana's 'friends' were guarding something? "Someone with a lot of juice tried to breach it yesterday. Second attempt in two weeks. I suspect Siffror. Shortly after that a group of his goons and two of those missing mutants showed up. That's how Keiko got burned." Beat. "No one got stabbed this time though."
Keiko watches as Piotr leaves. Illyana and Koa won't miss the look on her face when he does.
"Illyana, you're here. If you've time, will you read this package to me? Help me sign it?" At least she's asking for help, right?
The mention of the house gets a snort. "It has a mind of its own. I have to find original fittings, or near to original fittings, or the house makes them break. It rejects them." Strange thing to say, isn't it?
"Two more of the Thirteen showed up, yes." Keiko nods, eyeing the Grimoire as Koa pulls it out.
"Hey Illy," Caden grins and gives a wave towards her, still standing near Keiko for the moment. He steps around now the mildly convoluted way as Piotr heads off and he'll make his way over for the required one-armed hug of greeting. "Hi."
But then she's gesturing and urging him towards the kitchen for when the magical folks talk shop. "Plating up, roger. I can do this." He replies, voice upbeat as he makes ready to assail the kitchen and not snoop around at all.
A few moments later there's most likely the sounds of ceramic plates clattering as he does as he's bidden.
It should say what kind of friend that Illyana just slits Caden into the household without batting an eye. "Caden went to school with Sam and I." And the Rasputin siblings seem to put a lot of stock in the alma mater. Well, just Illyana's. Piotr was already an adult.
As Koa and Keiko break their news, Illyana's expression pulls down into another of her 'serious face' frowns. "Think they're getting close?" And they still don't have all the answers they need. Or at least, all the answers they want. "I asked Scott to help protect the pillars." She says, raising her voice enough for Caden to hear. "Should we try to track down the other members of the 13, do you think?" She nods to the junk he's pulling out of his bag. "You're going to clean up after, right? And yeah, of course I'll help, Keiko." Illyana is Serious about reading contracts before signing.
"I think they're getting close or getting desperate. And I think they're particularly keen now that they've gotten some secret sauce…" Koa holds up the little flake of metal. It's kind of pulsating. "This isn't innately magical by itself. And it seems to be the key to their little reality anchors that are showing up around New York. The only reference I can find for it in ANY of our libraries is that it is the 'blood of the machine.' There's another note in this book in a language I don't know, but unless that note says something of import the only thing I can tell you is that it is from 'beyond the stars'."
Whatever the hell that means.
Caden gets a look. "If you know Illyana you're accustomed to weird right? Because we've got a lot of weird going around right now. Keiko's knee deep in it. Illyana and Piotr are Knee deep in it and Sam is chest deep in it."
In fact, it stabbed him through the heart.
"I'm thinking of trying to track them yes, Illyana. And…"
The little metal flake starts to gravitate toward Keiko. "Oh yeah… it keeps doing that."
If Koa doesn't clean up, Keiko probably will. Though it might be best to not let her handle some of those tomes. Who knows how they'll react to her … condition.
When Keiko holds up that piece of metal, she rolls her shoulders a bit. The tattoo on her back - the silvery one that goes from the base of her neck to her hips - sort of itches. "Will you put that away …" It's a small growl that comes out, her eyes going a little more yellow and the blisters, the tattooes of her animals seem to writhe.
That *has* to hurt her but there's no sign of the pain.
"The two we found yesterday, what were they're names Koa? They'd learned magic, Illyana and they were pretty good at it as well."
Caden heading to the kitchen gets a look from the Peruvian. "Let me help you…" Unless she's stopped, but there are drinks to pour!
From the kitchen, Caden's voice is heard, "What was that?" There's the clack of more plates and then the click of utensils as he starts the actual applying of food items to each one. He calls out again.
"Yes, Illyana is very weird." Perhaps he heard perhaps he didn't. But then he reappears in the doorway, "Getting it most set up, what do we want to drink with everything? I brought a red wine, but what does everyone want?"
Even if he doesn't do much in the way of magic… at least he can take drink orders. Then Keiko steps over towards him, "Oh hey sure, but please let me do the lifting and carrying. It's my strong suit." It is not his strong suit.
As Keiko joins Caden in the kitchen, Illyana nods Koa to head over to the table so they can all sit down and have dinner. "Remember when I said someone saved Piotr and Keiko in Limbo and Sam and I from the dream realm?" Illyana nods over to Koa. "That'd be Koa. He's also in chest-deep in the weirdness that is my life." The choice of terms isn't just an echo of Koa's words, and the way she pins the man with her gaze says that. Loudly. She's not likely to let him leave tonight before she can talk to him about his nightmares.
"Caden's a wizard with computers. I'm not sure how much help that'll be but…" Illyana shrugs. She thinks so highly of his skills! Isn't that sweet. Of course, not knowing computers very well, she doesn't have much concept of how they might help.
Jerking a chin over at the metallic flake, "Where'd it come from? Or are you just finding it around their anchors? 'Beyond the stars' might me meteor. It might mean another dimension." The blond watches the flake drift over to Keiko thoughtfully. "What flavor of magic were they using?" The last is to Koa.
"To be fair my life was pretty weird before I met you…" Koa murmurs. "Um. Wine is good. Or Vodka." He'd suggest mixing the two but that might get him stabbed again. One does not desecrate Vodka in a Russian household. And this IS a Russian household, Peruvian murderbug notwithstanding.
"Cerise Baker and William Thale." Koa answers Keiko. He frowns and cants his head. "Is it doing that thing again? Where it's resonating with the promethium in your back?" It is. And that might be news to Illyana. Since she's never encountered this stuff in Limbo there's not really a good reason that it should be doing that.
When Caden comes by again that little yellow metal flake actually turns intangible in Keiko's fingers and just falls - through the table - to the floor.
"Uh. Never seen it do that before…" Koa says, quirking a brow.
Or at least he is quirking a brow until Illyana fixes him with that look. Ah yes. Keiko said she'd talked to the hellqueen. That's going to be an extended conversation, likely.
"We're finding it ON the anchors. It seems to be a part of it and it acts like it's alive. It certainly spreads like it's a… moss or something. Keiko and I recently discovered that the Nightfall used to be Siffror's and their defection to Plokta seems to have been part of a long con. They're using… it's hard to say. Vampiric magic? They drain energy sort of like I do but on an industrial scale. Though one of them did have an Anti-Demon ward the other night."
Poor Caden isn't likely to get much of that but Koa focuses his attention on the young man again as he leans over to try to pick up the little metal flake. He can't. As long as Caden remains standing nearby it remains intangible. "Why IS it doing that?"
"Yeah, it is." Keiko confirms as she helps Caden. Pulling down wine glasses by climbing on the counters to reach the shelves. She also takes out two tumblers - if she's right, Piotr and Illyana will have vodka. If not, the unused glasses can be put away.
"I'll *let* you do the heavy lifting, but I'm stronger than I look." Of course she is. All 4'11", 140 lbs of her.
In short order, they've got the food plated to be laid on the table.
"What did it just do?" She frowns as that flake falls through Koa's fingers. "But yes, that metal makes my promethium tattoo itch - like it's moving. When they activated the pillar yesterday, it was much worse.
The side-eye that Caden had been giving them as they walk in changes a little at the mention that Koa was responsible for helping them and the sentiment changes just as quick. "Then, I owe you a great debt, Mr. Turner. I regret I wasn't around to help them and dealing with my own things. We're lucky you were able to help."
Of course he's saying this as he's pouring one of the drinks and then alllllmost overflows it, quickly catching it and taking a sip. "Sorry guys, sorry. This one is mine. Wait Keiko, let me get that."
It's only then that he looks at the floating mote and tilts his head. "That's strange." He steps closer and holds up a hand, exerting his power though nothing obvious happens but it might trigger the thing again. "Feels a little harder to phase. Just a little bit."
Caden is only just back, and while Illyana and Piotr mentioned that he'd be coming by they mentioned him as an old friend. Not a mutant, nor what his power was because really, that didn't matter. He's not his power. His skills seemed much more relevant to the overall problem, so those did get mentioned. So when Caden says it's harder to phase, she nods to the other two as she takes her tumbler of vodka. "You might have to explain the phasing thing." She points out to him as she starts into her dinner. Because she's not letting food get away, damnit. And she's used to that. Food running off of her plate.
The blonde's chewing slows down when Keiko says it's causing the promethium to act up, gesturing her closer so Illyana can try to get a look at it. "But your collar isn't reacting?" Illyana asks, glancing to Koa. That ring of silvery shark's teeth that march around Koa's throat. Somewhat different from the markings on Keiko's own neck.
"The life-sucking seems right up Siffror's alley. I wonder if that's his own flavor of magic." Illyana muses.
Koa quirks a brow when Caden starts to go all see through. "So, that's odd." He reaches out to put a hand near but not on or through Caden. He might has some passing interest in things that phase. "You're not magical…"
The problem with having a skillset like Koa's is that it's kind of like having a hammer. Suddenly a whole lot of things start looking like nails. And while Koa knows intellectually that mutants can do a lot of things that magic can, it's not something he experiences on the regular.
Illyana's question has him reaching up and touching the markings on his neck. Nine sharks teeth picked out in silver between two parallel bands. Two of them are entirely filled in.
"Faintly…" He says. "But not much." Keiko is getting a lot more of it on her own collar. Like it 'likes' her somehow.
As for Caden, this thing is WEIRDLY solid when phased. Almost like it is MORE solid when he is phased than when he isn't. Though at the moment Caden is the only one who can experience that solidity. It's projecting some kind of… aura or field around it. THAT is what is making it harder to phase. It's almost like it's exists on several levels at once.
"Don't… worry about it too much Caden. It's what I do. And honestly we got lucky." Also honestly, there aren't many people who COULD have done it. If Caden had been around he'd have been as helpless as the rest of the X-ers and that's IF he had known it was happening.
Keiko might feel her arm start to go somewhat intangible. Just a bit. It tingles. When Caden exerts his power.
"Illyana…" Koa murmurs to the blonde and nods to Keiko and Caden, calling her attention to it.
"You have some very interesting friends." He's said that before. But she really does. Fortunately by this point she shouldn't be worried that he's going to start a database or anything that could get turned over to anyone they don't trust.
"Who knows how many more years we would have been in Limbo." Keiko murmurs about Koa saving them. "He risked a lot and it cost him a lot to do what he did." she's frowning though as Caden goes intangible.
And of course … she just has to move her hand through his form. "What are you doing?" Wave, wave because personal space doesn't exist for Keiko.
It's then she looks at her arm, the frown deepening "What are you doing to me." Because it has to be Cadens fault, doesn't it?
"Uh I can feel it in my collar, Illyana. It itches really. Like I know its there but … it's annoying really."
Lowering his hand, Caden says, "Whatever it is it projects itself or like… an aura maybe? I can sort of sense it when I phase. It's more than it's showing, or like there are… several versions of itself there?"
He's not doing the best job of explaining it as he looks toward them, but then he nods in response to Illyana's sentiment of disclosure. So he turns to face Koa again, "My mutant ability is to be able to turn intangible for a time. I can pass through objects and that, might be what it is doing."
But then he admonishes Keiko with a sort of incredulous half-smile, "Hey, quiddit." He steps to the side and returns to tangibility, making sure she's clear.
His blue eyes shift back to the mote then to them again. "Looks like you guys are keyed into the mote and what it absorbs?"
There's a bit of a grimace that crosses Illyana's features as Caden asks about the promethium under their skin and she lets out a long breath in a quiet sigh. "There's a magical metal that's part of Limbo. You don't find it outside of there often but since I'm in charge of the place it holds a certain… resonance for me. Keiko and Koa and I had to deal with another Splinter Lord that was supporting a cult that kidnapped children. Part of the gambit to get them to break ties was dangerous verging on suicidal. In order to give Koa and Keiko the best chance of getting out of it alive I put a claim on them and marked them with the promethium. And then when I was trapped in the dream realm it had an… unexpected reaction and now it's fused to their skin. Whatever this metal fungus is, it seems to have a reaction to that metal." Once again, Illyana is giving much longer speeches than she normally does.
The is clearly Caden's fault.
The intangibility on Keiko's arm lasts for about five seconds after Caden returns to normal and then slowly fades. The tingles fade too. It kind of felt like having her arm fall asleep but not quite so painful.
"Okay… just real quick…" Koa pushes a few other odds and ends toward the edge of the table nearest Caden to see if they react. They do not. That makes Koa make a little bit of a face.
"All of these things came off what I can only describe as a dimensional anchor and that chunk of magically inert metal is not only interacting with the promethium in some of us, but also with your ability to phase…" He'll get to the part where Illyana is friends with a mutant ghost in a minute. "And it's the ONLY thing interacting. Sort of makes me think it's important."
Koa huffs. "Okay. SOMEONE has to know about this stuff. Seems like those computer skills Illyana was talking up might come in handy after all. That is, if you're willing to maybe do some… questionably legal stuff for a big scary spy organization?" Beat. "Though to be fair I work for the witches and warlocks part of that organization." Does it make Caden feel better or worse that SHIELD knows about magic and 'has people for that'.
He looks back at Illyana and Keiko. "I'd really like to know why this stuff likes promethium so much. But I'm not sure taking it to Limbo is a good idea? It… grows. And behaves alive in some ways." And he's seen what happens to 'live' things that get left in Limbo for long enough. "Any… ideas?"
Beyond searching Belasco's library that is.
Koa doesn't… follow up on what helping Keiko or Illyana or Piotr or Sam cost him.
Or is still costing him, as the case may be. Cough.
"Intangible?" Keiko looks between the others there. Not a word the Peruvian understands. "Oh… that's what the hazy thing is?" She does step back when Caden admonishes her. There's no apology or even hint of it. Maybe she doesn't think there's anything to be sorry for.
"You can sense it …" Keiko frowns at Koa "… just like that pillar, yes? Where we were seeing it but it wasn't here?" That might not make sense to the others.
Sighing, finally taking a bit of her meal, Keiko thinks a bit. "Hanks a Scientist, isn't he? Would … he be able to help?" beat "I've already told Koa we should look through the Limbo library but he's being stubborn about asking."
For what it's worth, Caden is fairly decent at absorbing information. He gives a nod as Illyana speaks to the properties of promethium and one can almost see him concentrating as he files that information away in his 'memory palace.' "Could it be the same or a similar material in a different state? When I phased I could feel it having… a tiered existence. If that makes sense." He does not know much about magic.
But then Koa intimates that Caden could help with computers and he can't help it. His features twist up a little like an irate athlete getting a low score from the Russian judge. He looks over at Illyana and then takes a deep breath. Back towards Koa and he says, "I could maybe be convinced. If you can get a framework of what you need to me I can build a data acquisition plan." Such a nice way of phrasing it.
Then he looks around at everyone and says, "Anyways guys, dinner's getting cold." And he'll make a token effort at herding people towards the kitchen and the fooooood.
Illyana Rasputina chuckles as Caden pulls that face. It's a face she knows well. "Caden's not a big fan of SHIELD. Hank and I had some good things to say, and Sam's working with them, but he's not a fan."
Illyana's already sitting down. If no one else wants to eat, then they're just out of luck. She has no problems eating their portions. She does set her tumbler down near Keiko to get a refill on her vodka though.
Koa gets an arched brow as Keiko tattles. "Did you not want to go to Limbo? You don't usually have an issue asking." The blonde points out. She could understand not wanting to go to Limbo. Especially after Keiko told her what happened.
"More that I figured I'd ask you before I left, since I didn't see the need to go right now." Koa says as he fixes Keiko with a look. The Peruvian's tendency to address issues directly is often a boon. But it also leaves her with all the tact of an extremely confused bull in a very expensive China shop.
Koa would like a portion of food though. If that's on offer and it's not meant for 'family'. He is, again, keenly aware he didn't tell them he was stopping by.
In truth it's also that the look Illyana fixed him with could have pinned him to the wall and he suspects he's not getting out of here anyway without the opportunity to ask to use her library.
"I get it, not being a fan of SHIELD. Big secretive organizations maybe don't inspire the most trust." Koa nods to Caden with an understanding smile. "But if you're willing to help I'd like to have it. I'm used to working with people who value their independence and anonymity. Which is most mages as it turns out." WAND is a lot more laid back than the rest of SHIELD. Hell, it even pays for help. That's how Keiko makes some of her money. Or made it, at any rate.
"I can sense it yes, Keiko. And what Kaden is saying about a tiered existence makes sense. In fact…"
Koa sighs. He was going to bring this up later. "We should probably search Limbo for anchors like this. I've got a theory that I hope is wrong. But I think this might exist here, Limbo and in the Lifeless Realms all at the same time. Which is why we can't destroy them."
"He's worried about the effect on us." Us. Not just him. "But I thought there might be something in your library that told us something. It seems the most logical place. I know it's a risk but I'm already corrupted, better me than someone else."
It's a simple logic and she's likely to get more looks.
Caden does try to keep up with the back and forth, but after a time he sort of shoots a look at Keiko with his eyebrows raised as if seeking a friendly face amongst this tidal wave of spiritualism, only for her to join in as well and he nods as he listens. He's trying, it's all data and he's collating as best he can. But he has nothing further to contribute until Koa turns to him.
"I can understand that, Mr. Turner. I'll see what I can do. After all, better to learn from experience than to just believe second hand."
That said he takes up his fork and starts to work on the meal, though keeping his attention on them as they speak.
"Well we're definitely not going right now. It's dinner time." Illyana states, her tone very much a 'duh'. You don't leave good, home cooked food to go spend time in a dusty library! Illyana points at a chair while looking at Koa. "Sit."
The thought of the metal existing simultaneously across the realms gets a thin-lipped look of concern and nods once, sharply. "We'll go poke around before looking through the library. We can talk while we look." Yeah, he's not getting out of *that* conversation.
Koa sits. There might be a small sigh. This is going to get interesting. He doubts Illyana will hurt him, much, but from the looks of things she might be Humperdink levels of put out.
"Um." There's a pause. "Who is Hank?" Keiko had after all suggested seeing Hank. Of course Illyana and Caden both know that Hank is at present Hetty.
At least Koa can get a decent meal before whatever comes next. And his arm isn't mostly cooked through either. So on the whole things are looking up for him. It's just a pity that they waited until someone was trying to end the world to do so.