2019-09-15 - The Mad Monk

Summary:

The Rasputin siblings discuss Mikhails pending career descion

Log Info:

Storyteller: None
Date: Sun Sep 15 19:14:08 2019
Location: 46 Willow Place

Related Logs

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Theme Song

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illyana-rasputinapiotr-rasputinmikhail-rasputinkeiko

Mikhail has been taken some classes at the Institute so has been spending time there during the day. It's not like the commute is an issue. He still hasn't officially joined it though beyond the classes. When he's not there, he's been exploring New York City and learning about his new home.
Today, he walks in from the back yard, looking to see who's around.


Out in the shed - which is so not a she shed, Piotr currently has most of a lawnmower motor taken apart and is working on putting it back together. The Russian's hands are grimy and oil covered from the work, but it gives him something to do when he's not teaching. Glancing up as someone steps on the underbrush, he pauses for a moment before giving Mikhail a smile. "Keiko and Eleyna are out at the moment. I thought I would fix this, so that I can groom the yard. And sharpen the blade."


The kitchen opens onto a large deck which overlooks the back yard, and Illyana's standing at the kitchen door with two glasses in hand and looking at the sliding glass door with a perturbed expression. Because her hands are full and opening it is a bit of a pain with no hands. Finally, she just huffs her annoyance and opens a pair of stepping disks. One inside the door, the other out on the deck, and steps through. Skipping the door entirely. But she still just walks to where she's going.

September means it's still fairly warm in Brooklyn, and Illyana has lemonade! That… someone else made. Or bought. It was in the 'fridge and that's all that matters. She was bringing some out for Piotr, but as Mikhail shows up she graciously surrenders her glass to the (formerly) eldest Rasputin. "Isn't it 'cut' the yard or something? 'Groom' sounds like you're going to do weird artsy things to it." She pauses, then acknowledges who she's talking to. "Whiiiich, I suppose you might."


Mikhail gives Illyana a smile but declines the glass. "Groom is a man in a wedding, I think?" English is such a complicated language. "I am glad you are both here. I want to talk to you if you do not need to fix that right now?"


"Perhaps I will make design, I do not know yet." Piotr responds with a small smirk as he accepts the glass of lemonade from his sister. "Thank you." he offers to her, before Mikhail says he wants to talk, and the large Russian nods. "Is there a problem?" because when isn't there a problem, should be the real question here as he sips some of the lemonade, and presses the glass to his forehead to cool it. "Summers here. So oppressive."


Illyana Rasputina gives Mikhail a mildly curious look as he says he wants to talk, but just nods and pulls up a spot to sit that's in the shade of Piotr's's He-Shed. A chuckle is given to Piotr's question. "If there is, it can't be *that* bad if it'll wait until you're done."


"No problem." Mikhail assures them and walks over to the deck to sit on the edge. "Tell me about SHIELD." is his request. "What I know about them was told me by the government." The Russian government, of course. "I do not trust what they say any more." To Illyana specifically, he says "You work with them, you said. This house…"


"Is from SHIELD. Not the US government. It is not the same. The US government - they wanted to have mutants registered.." Piotr trails off, shaking his head at that. "For a time, no better than home. But more opprotuinity here. You are not considering returning, are you?" he asks Mikhail with a lift of his brow in worry.


Illyana relaxes a bit as Mikhail confirms it's not a problem. "Well, I mostly deal with WAND, which is kind of under the SHIELD umbrella, I guess? I never really looked into how the overall organization is put together. WAND is the one that got everyone set up with IDs, that owns the house, that's been working with us on mystical problems that come up. SHIELD's been a bit annoying in reassigning people to remote locations…" She adds the last bit there with a wry smirk. First Doug, who she was living with and recently Sam. "But that's a personal peeve."


"To Russia?" Mikhail asks Piotr and shakes his head. "Never. They lied and betrayed me. All of us. I will never return to them. No, I was at Institute the other day. Hank - the one with blue fur" he asides to Illyana in case she doesn't know him. "Hank asked me to go on mission with him. SHIELD mission. After, one of the agents asked if I would want to join them."


"How do you feel about this? I will not join SHIELD. They were ready to help when mutants were told to regsiter - and were willing to help register. I could not accept that." Piotr admits as he sits from the lemonade again, looking thoughtful. "It does not mean I will stop others. Keiko is considering joining WAND." that brings a grimace. "And Illyana works with them. It would help with good pay, you can find your own place to live if you want. Start working on life. But, it is up to you."


Illyana Rasputina listens as Piotr voices his thoughts, and then hitches a shoulder. "The way I see it, their place was to enforce policy, so they did. They didn't push it, that was the legislators. And it's not like you can't walk away if you decide it's not for you. They already know about you, so it's not like they're going to find out secrets you want to keep hidden. Doug and Sam both worked for them. Koa and now Keiko dealing with WAND. And Doug was definitely prone to doing his research before stepping into anything." When Illyana speaks it's much more a sort of rambling of thoughts than a thought out, reasoned argument.


"I do not know which is why I ask." Mikhail replies, making note about the point regarding Registration. "I am… bored. And getting soft." He's put on two pounds! "I am trained cosmonaut, used to doing things. Now I sit in classroom and walk around city. I can not go home and while America is not the enemy now, it is not my home either. SHIELD is with United Nations." So neutral.


"I did not say it was bad idea. Just one to consider. You could chase Eleyna around the yard if you need to lose weight." Piotr offers to his brother with a chuckle, then shakes his head. "It is understandable to want to do something." he responds finally. "We will support you, of course. You are family."


"Depending on what they do with you." Illyana notes. "Given your background and abilities, I'd *think* they'd put you to work. But you might want to clear that before signing on the dotted line, as the saying goes. They might want to keep it quiet so as not to ruffle Russia's feathers." She lifts her shoulders in a shrug. "Who knows. Just tossing out ideas. But SHIELD is generally good at being proactive about problems. The X-Men have always been a lot more *re*active." While Illyana could probably use help with things in Limbo, the last thing she wants to do is drag more of her family into dealing with it on a regular basis. Just look at poor Piotr.


"Put not your trust in princes." Mikhail quotes and looks at them both in turn. "Can SHIELD be trusted? This I need to know. And if I want to leave, will they send assassins?" Once burned, twice shy and al that.


"Well, they haven't sent assassins yet?" Piotr asks with a glance to Illyana. She'd know better than him. "Trust? Yes. But I would verify as well. Illyana makes a very good point. They will need to know your limitations. Space travel is not exactly as advanced as it sounds like it was where you were from."


"Make sure they don't stick you in SWORD then. I think that involves a lot of sitting around." Illyana jokes. At the question of assassins, she shakes her head. "Not that I know of. But they'd likely be poor assassins if I *did* know. They surely wouldn't go under a SHIELD banner. They should also know that it would be a terrible idea to do so." Right now, Illyana's just annoyed. They don't want her really *upset*.


"Where I was from?" Mikhail asks. "Russia? Where we were from. There was not a lot of space travel. Rift was on island. Ship was special design to pass through it." Nodding to Illyana, he runs a hand over his hair. "So is not a bad idea then. You trust them." Which he assumed since she worked with them but she could just be using them.


"Just remind them that if they treat you wrong, that your sister can bring a whole mess of demons in very quickly." Piotr says non-chalantly. Almost more threatening than a seven and a half foot tall man of literal steel.


Illyana Rasputina chuckles at Piotr. "I don't think that he wants to start things off with a threat. If SHIELD is half as good as they're rumored, they should know how I'm likely to respond." And WAND should have a very good idea just what Illyana can bring to bear.

As for Mikhail's question, Illyana nods. "Enough, yes. I know you'll never follow them blindly, so yes."


"No, once I believed what I was told without question." And look where it got him. "No more. They did not approve of SHIELD. They did not like how they might interfere in operations." Mikhail tells them. "That is point in SHIELD's favor but I want to confirm and get opinions before making decision."


"I would speak to some of the others in the X-Men that have had experiences with them as well. Such as Scott or Jean. Not at the same time, you may get two different answers." Piotr responds as the group of them are outside of Piotr's shed. He's putting the finishing touches on a lawn mower that he's put back together. "This was easier on farm." he says as he moves to set the carboureteur. "Had tractor. Easy to fix. Tractor break down? Pull plow myself."


As Mikhail is already clearly asking people questions, Illyana doesn't feel the need to repeat Piotr's warning. "Some of the Avengers are involved with SHIELD. Maybe go knocking on their door and talk to them?" Illyana could probably force a drop-in on someone, but that rarely puts people in the best mood to answer questions.

Piotr gets a shake of her head from the blonde sorceress. "You could always get some scissors and cut the lawn yourself too. It's not that big."


There's the sound of soft footfalls and Keiko appears in the doorway, holding a reader and the Elena standing beside her. The girl has her face painted like a butterfly and she's munching on pink candy floss, some of it stuck in her hair.

"Papa, Tetya, Tio." The child says, moving to hug each in turn.

"You could just get a push mower if you want the exercise." Keiko had caught some of Piotrs last statement herself. "Are we interrupting?"

"Mama was going to practice her reading, I was going to help." Elena adds, smearing more of the candy floss goodness through her hair and possibly on one of the adults clothing.


"I will." Mikhail tells Piotr followed by "I do not know any Avengers." to Illyana and then he laughs at the picture of Piotr cutting the lawn with scissors. "Keiko. Elena." he greets. "You are not interrupting. I was asking for opinions of SHIELD."


Picking up Elena, Piotr's smile warms immediately. "You are a very pretty babochka, Elena!" He tosses her in the air for a moment before catching and setting her back down. "Did you have fun at the street fair?" he asks, setting down Elena to greet Keiko with a quick kiss as he feels his hands are sticky from handling candy flossed child. "You should wash up." he tells Elena.

Then he nods to Mikhail's comment. "He says he is bored." there's a smirk at that. "And I could do either. Are you suggesting I need exercise?" he asks, an accusing look towards the two women.


"You're never an interruption, Keiko." Illyana assures the Peruvian, ruffling Elena's hair very carefully. And then stealing a bit of the cotton candy while grinning at her niece. It's her due as being higher on the family social ladder! Really.

Illyana shrugs over to Mikhail. "So what if you don't know them? They have a headquarters, drop in. The worst they're likely to do is say they're too busy right now and you're at the same place as before."

When Piotr looks to her she holds up her hands in surrender. "I didn't say a thing!"


"Da Papa. I did. There were clowns and magicians and … nothing as good as my friends at School…" The child babbles, earning a ruffle of her hair from the peruvian. "Tetya! We bought you some! It's in the house!" Someone knows the hierarchy, clearly.

"Go and clean up, estrella. I will be in to help you bathe a bit later. I think you have toys in your room that need to be put away, yes?" It's a strange sort of fondness from Keiko, but it is fondness for the girl.

Elena waves and toddles off to do as she told.

"SHIELD? There is nothing wrong with them. They are work and they do good things. Things that many can't, or won't do." She says quietly. "I joined WAND. Started this last week." No Piotr, she's not just *thinking* of doing, she did it.

Mikhails comment about Avengers finally sinks in and she hands over her phone "Agent Rogers phone number. Call him, tell you're my … friend. He'll talk to you. He's … nice."


Mikhail Rasputin takes the phone and pulls out his own to add the number to his contacts. Agent Rogers. "Very well." he agrees, giving the phone back. "Once, I joined without second thought. Not again so I ask people about them and what they think." So one sister works with them and a pseudo sister in law works for them. Food for thought.


When Elena says that there's some for her in the house, Illyana nods, pale eyes glinting a bit. "Well. Hopefully no little imps help themselves to it before I get there.

"SHIELD is also a large organization, which means that parts of it might be involved in something you don't like. Or that it doesn't even know it's helping to do." Illyana points out when Keiko gives her own endorsement of SHIELD. "That's just how things happen. How it deals with that is much more important. And so far, it's looked alright."


"I know that, Illyana but … " Keiko points to herself "cult… everything we did was bad."

"It doesn't matter what you job you do, really, there will always be parts you don't like. It's … life. You just need to know what it's here …" Her hand is placed over her heart "… and use this …" she puts to her head "and be guided by it. If things are wrong - fix them."

It's a simple wisdom and misses a few key points. "But I like the idea that I can be the thing that stands between the shadows and the light …" Koa is so going to regret letting her hear that speech.

"I'm sure Elena will protect your candy floss, Illyana. She might eat it herself, but it will be safe from your imps." It's delivered in a flat sort of way, but Keiko *is* joking.


"Doesn't standing between shadow and light mean it's your shadow?" Mikhail asks as he deciphers that saying. Anyway. "I know sometimes protecting people means doing things that are not what many would call good. But is important it's protecting people and not protecting themselves. I read saying on internet about omelet and eggs. Seems right."


"I think Elena *is* a bit of an imp some days." Illyana jokes back to Keiko. "For Halloween we just need to get her horns and a tail."

Mikhail's observation gets a faint smile from Illyana. "Sometimes, it is your shadow. That's always the one you need to be most mindful of."


At the mention of the halloween, Keiko looks concerned. That might be a discussion for later.

"Sometimes it is but also means the shadow, or the light, has to come through you. I would rather that than see my family, friends or innocents suffer." The peruvian answers.

"Omelet and eggs?" No, she's not heard that one and Keiko's grasp on the language is still tenuous. "We all have to do things that we might not like. Elena must clean her room up and I must learn to read better. For example." Keiko … telling the jokes. It's going to rain cats and dogs next.

There's a flash near Illyana, accompanied by a blast of cold air, Elena appearing out of nowhere. "I bought your candy floss, Tetya…"


"To make omelet, necessary to break eggs." Mikhail quotes then blinks at Elena. "I did not know she could do that." he says mildly. "We are a talented family, we descendants of the Mad Monk. How does she do it?"


Illyana Rasputina straightens a bit in surprise as Elena appears next to her, accepting the treat while looking at her with serious eyes for a moment before dragging the messy child in for a quick hug. "You're a good niece." Illyana offers Elena some of hers, since the sorceress had stolen some of the child's.

Mikhail's comment gets a glance from Illyana. "I wonder if there's something to that." Though certainly other families have multiple children that are mutants. The Summers, the Guthries.


"Elena!" Keiko blinks and goes to grab the girl, but Illyana's on it already. "I told you to clean your toys up!"

"I know Mama but I wanted to give tet——" beat "I'll go now …" after stealing more Candy floss than Illyana had taken from her, she wanders off again.

Walking this time. One thing Illyana can be sure of, is that the teleport didn't involve stepping disks and probably didn't involve Limbo either.

"I … what was …. I don't know, Mikhail, she's never done it before." Keiko sighs "It might be just being born and spending time in Limbo too. SHIELD medics didn't know what to make of her or what to expect…" It's worrying but what can they do?

"Who is the Mad Monk? That doesn't sound good." beat "Oh. Right. You mean that we sometimes have to do things that others think are bad? Like me when I … fight to kill."


"My trainers, they told me that. Government watched our family for years which is how they came to recruit me when I turned 18." Mikhail tells Illyana. "They said we are descendants of Grigori. Rasputin." he adds for Keiko's benefit, nodding at her analogy. "He had powers and those of his blood have powers. I have wondered for years if our father did." But if he did, he never said anything to them or displayed them.


Illyana Rasputina presses her lips into a thoughtful line as Elena wanders off, looking over to Keiko. "It didn't scare her, and it didn't seem to hurt her. We'll just work to keep an eye on her." So she can try to have a childhood. Her first five years were spent in Limbo, but children also don't remember those well. Hopefully they can do better over her next ten.

Mikhail's comments get a 'huh' from Illyana, and she explains to Keiko: "Rasputin is a decently common surname in Russia. But there is one that is famous. Grigori or the 'Mad Monk'. I didn't realize we were actually descended from him. There are all sorts of stories, one of the best known being that he managed to escape death so many times."


"You mean … the man the song is about?" Oh hell, Keiko is referring to the Boney M song, surely. "Ra Ra Rasputin?" Yes, yes she is. Little witch.

"It makes sense. Elena has power where I have none. Not like that. I figured it came from Piotr. It's strange that the powers are so different though." She looks at the two siblings "Not just … what that's word? Expressions? of something similar." Interesting too that the Russians had known of this.

"Maybe SHIELD will give you access to resources to research it if you want." They'd offered to help Keiko find her parents after all. She … hadn't accepted.

"I'll make sure to tell the school, Illyana. It's going to make keeping her in one place that much more difficult."


"It might be lie but they would know. And they did come for me." Mikhail notes with a shrug. "This, I think they tell the truth about. Song?" He looks to Illyana to see if she knows what Keiko is talking about. "There is nothing similar between our powers." he points out to Keiko. "Illyana makes discs. Piotr turns to metal. I control energy." Though since they're talking about it, he asks Illyana "Is sorcery mutant ability or talent? If talent, do Piotr and I have it?"


Illyana Rasputina also looks blank at the song, shaking her head to Mikhail. "My knowledge of media is admittedly, a lot less than most people's." Since she's only been on Earth for like, 5 years since she was first taken.

"They can keep a closer eye on her, and if she ducks out then I'll go find her and bring her back. I'm sure we can get through to her that she can't just disappear on her own." Even if Illyana used to do much the same when she went to High School there…

"I don't actually create the disks, I just tell them when to open, close, move, that sort of thing." As Mikhail lists things, she chuckles. "Piotr controls flesh, if just his, you control energy, I control dimension." It's mostly a joke.

As to magic? "It's a bit of both, I believe. Skill, definitely. It's like… the skill builds the machine, but you still need to power it somehow. And most people don't have enough of that power within to accomplish much."


"If she ducks out and you aren't around, Cullen will find her as well." Keiko's sure on that. She's not too worried about the fact they might have an escape artist on their hands. "She'll listen though. She knows how dangerous it is to not be near those who can protect her. Piotr was good at instilling that in Limbo."

Keiko too, but that doesn't matter.

"The song … here …" Fumbling with the phone that Mikhail had returned to her, several songs start as she finds the right one. "no, no … not that one… THIS ONE!" Yep. She's going to make their ears bleed.

Illyana's admission has Keiko frowning. "Are you saying, that if I have enough power, I could learn sorcery as well?" It's an interesting thing and she's not considered it.


"Do Piotr or I have the power?" Mikhail asks since Illyana intentionally or not ducked that part of the question. "Who is Cullen? Someone who can teleport and trace her?" … … … "Thank you, Keiko. You can turn it off now."


Illyana Rasputina winces a bit, one eye closing and the other squinting at Keiko. Luckily, Mikhail asks so very nicely for it to be turned off. The question though, gets a slight shrug, the usually smirking blonde's expression more serious. "Maybe." She admits. "But mine is black magic, and not something I wanted either of you to dip into. Most of the time you have to grow that power within you. I don't recommend the ways it's done in the darker arts."


Mikhail is polite, Keiko will give him that much. Most others … well. The phone is turned off. "Him, yes?" Probably. Though in reality he was never quite so … peppy.

"Cullen is …" Keiko points to the tattoo of the now demonic Barghest on her arm. "My hell hound. He's a good tracker and can find most people. It's why I'm not worried about Elena being at the school and not knowing where it is. If I need to find it, I will."

She's only ever admitted that to Piotr. Now these two know. If Elena was ever danger, Keiko *would* find her.

Not having power and being told it's not a good idea gets the small woman nodding. "Well. I need to check on Elena and try to get the reading Koa wanted me to done. If either of you are around tonight, I might like some help to understand some of it. The words… " She can't read well but she's trying.

Also. Big step. She just asked for help.


Hell hound. Mikhail accepts those without blinking now, a big change from when he first showed up. "I think I'll go to our farm and think about everything. It's all run down now." Farmland in Siberia not being in great demand. "But it was home."


Illyana Rasputina can only remember the farm back in Siberia vaguely. More impression than image. She nods to Mikhail. "Make sure to check in when you get back." Because she wouldn't put it past the Russian Government to be watching the farm if they've heard he's back.

Keiko gets a nod from Illyana, "Koa's giving you assigned reading, hmm? Sure. I'll help." The slight smirk might be a clue that the blonde might bring Keiko some… extra reading material. That Koa would be far less likely to assign.

Finishing off her lemonade and taking her cotton candy with her, Illyana just teleports out. 'Bye' isn't always a big thing with her, either.


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