Summary:With the threats mounting, Keiko and Piotr start planning Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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Piotr had received a message from Keiko telling him to ensure that Elena was protected at all times. It was terse and to the point, so very Keiko and likely worrying at the same time.
Tonight, Elena is in bed and Keiko is seated at the table, books spread out before her as she studies. This has been her routine since starting with WAND and it's now somewhat familiar.
Coming down from where he had been telling Elena a bedtime story, Piotr glances over and notices Keiko at the table. Going over to the fridge, he opens it, takes out a carton of milk and after a cautious sniff - you never can tell - pours a glass. Coming back over to where Keiko is, he sets down the glass and glances at the books before kissing the top of Keiko's head.
"She insisted on the story of Baba Yaga twice." Complete with witch noises. "The windows are secure. I set bells on them in case someone tries to open them." he explains as he sets a hand on her shoulder. And then back to the books. "What are you studying?"
The milk is good. Keiko has been good at keeping the groceries fresh and ensure things are running smoothly. It's a knack she seems to have.
"Right now, math. I have an essay due as well but that's not for another week." One of the things SHIELD has offered her - insisted on - is an education.
"I am not expecting a problem here. It's the school and between she will need watching. N'astirh and Witchfire see her as the key for something and that can't be allowed."
"A lot of things see her as a key, Keiko. Ever since we decided to conceive her." Piotr admits. There's a brief frown. His hand gives her shoulder a squeeze of support and affectionate as he moves to sit next to her. His hands fold together in front of him as he considers.
"I need a way to go after them. You have your magic. And Koa. And Illyana is away in Limbo. And whatever she can do to help. But right now, I am on the bench. I know you want me there to protect Elena." he says quietly.
There's a glance up to the room the child is in. "I feel like I could do more."
"Go after who, Piotr? People we can't find? A demon? You can go after Belasco and N'astirh whenever you want. If you can find them." That's the problem they're having, finding them.
"We need to makes sure she's safe at school though and I'm even less happy that I'm not allowed on the grounds now." That's not going to change soon. Keiko isn't a mutant and if anything, she poses a threat in the Institutes eyes.
"Then perhaps we should pull her out of the school. At least for now." Piotr offers as he frowns. "They have a piece of me, Keiko. Did you consider that perhaps if you could.. find me - you could find it as well?" he asks her.
"If I'm splintered, then that means there's another part of me that would show up, right? I don't understand magic. I don't know what it is that you and Koa and Illyana do. I just know there is a threat to those I care for most. And sitting and waiting leads to what happened the other night when we went out." he frowns.
"I want to help, because maybe, when we get through this.. we can consider.." he shakes his head. "Nevermind." he finally decides. "This is a bigger threat than to consider the 'what ifs' at the moment. I don't want our daughter being corrupted. I don't want to meet some future version of our child that tells me that we failed."
"Our daughter is corrupted, Piotr." that's the first thing Keiko picks up on. "You can ignore it but she is. She was in born in Limbo to parents who were already corrupted. She spent her first five years soaking in that corruption." Keiko closes the books and piles them to the side. Done for the evening by the look of it.
"It doesn't make her a bad person but it does mean she'll have challenges and no one knows what that she will be as she grows. I don't consider that a failure." Keiko's outlook on life is skewed, there's no doubt on that. Growing up in a cult that took and brainwashed children would do that.
"They are warded in Limbo. Do you not think we have tried to find the sword? Or do you think I'm just waiting for them to attack us?" It's delivered in her usual way, blunt and to the point. "If you want to try that again, we will. There's a possibility that we could get lucky. Those aren't our biggest concern though - there's Belasco as well. He wants you and I think you're going to have to face him."
"I want to look for another school for Elena. I'm not happy I'm not allowed on campus. I'm sure she's as safe as others can make but it's not right, Piotr and you know it."
"If they are coming here to attack us, can we not set something that alerts you when that piece of me crosses over?" Piotr asks. "I mean, they have tech to track a mutant /anywhere/. If it has mutant DNA in that blade…" he shrugs his shoulder, and he sighs.
"I never ignore it, Keiko. But it's not going to keep me from loving her. She's my daughter." he folds his hands together and he meets her eyes. "Did you ever think about having another one?" he asks her finally.
"But I know you don't like it. And I took here there because I thought she would be safe. Do you know someplace safer?"
"They're warded. It doesn't matter how good tech is, sometimes others are better but as I said we keep trying and maybe we'll get lucky. You still have Belasco to deal with though, that's personal as far as I can tell."
Keiko meets Piotrs eyes and holds his gaze. She doesn't seem to blink for the longest time.
"There are schools that we should look at. They might not cater to mutants specifically, but they might do. I haven't looked yet. I wanted to talk to you about it first. If you agree then I can start looking, ask at SHIELD maybe the magi's have places they send their children."
It's not Witchblade and N'astirh that worry her though. "What will you do if you find Belasco, Piotr? How do you plan on stopping him?"
At least her eyes didn't go yellow. Piotr holds Keiko's gaze for several moments. "Is it a school that Captain America would send his kids to? Natasha? What happens the first time Elena demonstrates her talents?" he asks her. "This was never about keeping Elena away. I wanted her someplace that we felt that she could be herself and there would be staff to help her understand. If you think a SHIELD school could do such? I will gladly let you. She's our daughter. I never wanted to take that decision from you."
There's a grunt and Piotr reaches up to run a hand over his face. "I will punch him. Over and over. Until I am tired of punching." It is the only solution he has at the moment. "Or I find that sword. And I drive it into him. And I never pull it out and leave him impaled. Against a wall. For all eternity."
"SHIELD doesn't have schools. And I said see where the Magi send their children. They have almost as much to worry about as mutants do with their children showing talent. I also said I would look - I didn't say I'd move her immediately. In the meantime, Hank and Caden can watch her with you and bring her home when you are delayed or away."
Keiko's eyes haven't gone yellow but the brand on her torso is pulsing faintly. "It is a decision we will make together, Piotr." Another blunt statement. "She is your daughter as well."
"And you think that will stop him? You will probably have to deal with Belasco before we find Witchblade and your sword. It is unlikely he will come to Earth, his power in the outskirts of Limbo - will you go to him and call him out?"
"If it keeps you and Elena safe? Yes. And I said she's /our/ daughter. Even if you may forget you were there when we made her." That is said in just the slightest of teases. "I know he cannot die. So we will need to find a way to imprison him. And if it is Rasputin that does it - then we have the instrument. We will just need to take it from her." Piotr responds.
Reaching over, he places his hand on her brand. He's accepted it - like everything else about her. "We have a good support system. If it needs to change, we will change it."
"But I doubt that SHIELD has Hogwarts."
"Do you not listen, Piotr? I said SHIELD doesn't have schools and that I would ask the magi where they send their children." Keiko shakes her head. Clarity is important to her, particularly in this matter.
"So you intend to wait and let Belasco keep trying while Witchblade is loose?" Because it's entirely possible that Belasco will keep trying to hurt them and is ramping up his efforts.
"I was making a terrible joke, Keiko." Piotr shakes his head. "I need to learn to find a way to make you smile outside of offering to undress." Smirking at her, the large Russian glances towards one of the sheets of paper. "Is that not what you are doing? What we are all doing. Waiting? Reacting."
He frowns. "Without Illyana to be percise, any incursion into Limbo to take an offensive? Will be dangerous at best." he admits finally.
"It was a joke based on incorrect information." Keiko answers, not smiling at all. She hasn't smiled since they returned.
"No, it is not what we're doing, Piotr. We're investigating, researching. Working out what they're doing and how to stop it." It's all they've been doing since the stelae appeared.
"Why do you think I went to Peru? Why do you think I'm allowing my spirits to be caged while Illyana works something on me so I can *go into* the network? We're not waiting, we're planning and preparing and tipping the playing field in our favour."
No, they aren't waiting. They might be reacting to the instant threats but that's not *all* they doing.
"Everything is dangerous, Piotr. But if you want to wait till Belasco gets the drop on you, there's nothing I can do about that."
"Did I not start this conversation with the question of what I could do to help?" Frustration shows in Piotr's voice as he pulls his hand back. "You're doing all these things with Agent Koa, and my place right now seems to be 'Watch Elena'. It does not feel well. It does not fit easily on me. I want to be able to do something."
His attention falls away from her as his hand withdraws, fingers curling on himself as he lays his fist on the table.
"You can deal with Belasco, so he stops coming at us."
It's that easy. "I've put things in place so that Elena has care if you do. That is not something I, Illyana or Koa can do. I'm doing what I can to address the other threat but Belasco is still a problem that needs dealing with." beat "Not once, Piotr, have I told you to 'watch Elena'. That is something you chose for yourself."
"Then I will go after Belasco." It's that simple. "I just need to figure out the how. And what to do once I have him." he looks at Keiko for a moment and then lifts a brow. "No. Not once did you. Nor once did you ask me to help you, either. It's our daughter." With that, he's rising to his feet. "I am ready for bed. I do not have a plan on how to get to Belasco, but I know what I will need to do. Would you like to come with me? Or do you need to study still?"
"I believe, Piotr, that your memory is failing. You were asked to help when we have a plan - we will need everyone we can get then. You were asked to watch the Stelae with me." He retreated to the school and had been away as well. Where? He hadn't said, probably because he couldn't.
"There is only so much that can be done though and sometimes that's how it will be."
"If you want to go after Belasco, I will help you plan. We … have a way to get into Limbo if Illyana isn't available but it might be possible to get Belasco to take you." Keiko scowls. "That imp, K'nert, has his uses. Belasco has his spies in the citadel, K'nert can seed a message to send him." They'll have to be careful, of course, but they could turn a trap back on the ex-Splinter Lord.
"I will study a little longer and then follow."
"Then we will plan. And until then, I will watch the stelae with you." Piotr offers. "I did not forget. I have just been busy. But that did not stop my thoughts for you, Keiko." he responds. As he stands to leave, he leans over, kissing the small Peruvian on the cheek. "Try not to be too long." he comments, and then turns to head up the stairs.