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xp_logsPyotr takes advantage of a pleasant spring day to sit out over the water and think. Invites his sister to join him and they start to try to understand one another. Also, side-trip to Limbo.
It was a lovely spring day, refreshingly cool and sunny out. To most Americans it was probably a little chill for their liking but he liked it on the colder side of the spectrum. So he sat out on the dock to the lake with a thermos of hot tea, two cups, and a basket full of baked Russian goods. Now to see if his sister was feeling sociable. He tapped out a message on his phone, clicked SEND, and waited patiently.
To amuse himself while he waited he pulled his sketchbook out of the basket and began to draw the lake from his perspective, just in pencil. Nothing too fancy, just capturing an idyllic peaceful moment.
It was nice, not hearing, smelling, or tasting everything in sight. And several things that were not in sight, and had not been in sight for hours. Illyana still wasn’t sure how Matt lived with all of that sensory input day-to-day. Still, once she’d gotten over the massive headache and finally eaten something more substantial than a sandwich, she’d actually been almost in the same neighborhood as something resembling social.
Which mostly meant actually responding to things on the journals, but also meant accepting this visit with her older brother.
As she neared the dock, she noticed a distinct lack of fluffy white fur. “Where is my sweet boy Boris?” she asked Pyotr, gracefully sitting near him with her back to one of the dock’s posts. “You cannot just convince me to be social and not bring goodest boy with you.”
"Goodest boy Boris is currently asleep with April." he said in Russian, then nudged the basket in her direction. "Take one." he offered, then sipped at his tea. "Is beautiful out here today, no?" he continued in the same language.
“Yes, it is nice day.” Illyana dug through the basket, grabbing a pastry and napkin and settling back with her own cup of tea. “Why did you want me to be social?”
"Caught up on the journals." he said, still in Russian. "Heightened senses, hiding away from the world. Now that that's gone, thought you might like some food and some tea and maybe even some company." he said. "I've been doing a lot of thinking of late." he admitted after a bite of one of his own pastries and a sip of tea. "About you. About me."
“Please, brother. It is too early for gushy emotions, do not do this to me.” Illyana gave him a stern look over her cup of tea. “Emotions require at least one full cup of tea. Possibly two.” She took a sip of her own, and a giant bite of pastry, chewing slowly and savoring the taste. “Would not wish heightened senses on people I do not hate, but would not want people I hate to have that advantage.”
Pyotr just nodded and then out of mercy switched to English. "Very well." he said, and chewed his pastry and drank his tea in silence. "Is nice day out. Reminds me a little bit of home. Lake's too small and wrong shape, but being out over the water like this … this is nice."
“It is good place to sit and collect thoughts,” she agreed. “How did art thing in the city go?”
"Poorly." he said with a shrug. "Turns out did not enjoy style of art I prefer to use. Still, had to put foot forward, try to make sale." he admitted. "Am disappointed, sure, but life goes on." he said then snagged another pastry and held one out towards his sister for her to take if she were so inclined. "Still do not fit on most of bus. You would have laughed at my discomfort."
“Should learn how to drive, bus is made for small and you are not.” Illyana did laugh at the mental image, her tall, broad older brother trying to fit his bulk on a bus that was at nicest designed for an average height, average size body. She snagged another pastry, and finished her first cup of tea, holding the cup out politely for a refill.
He obliged her desire for a refill gladly, topping her off neatly before re-capping the thermos and setting it aside. "Probably should." he said agreeably, polishing off another pastry. "Oh! Also forgot to mention - went for a run outside this morning, tired the puppy out." he said with a small smile. "Puppy has not learned that I have great stamina and Colossus does not get tired at all."
Illyana let the corners of her mouth quirk up. “Is probably best, keep him tired, will be less destructive, yes?” She tore off a piece of her second pastry and ate it. “Have had first cup of tea, you may get emotions on me now. If you must.”
He just sighed. She seemingly adored making what should have been a simple, natural conversation the most difficult version of itself it could be. "Been thinking." he said. "Have come to the unfortunate truth that I keep expecting you to be the Illyana I remember. You aren't her, as much as I might wish it, and I need to accept that. Just do not know how to be big brother anymore, to even be acquaintance." he said. "And everything I try gets mocked."
“Am… unused to this. Having family.” It was difficult to put into words, and Illyana preferred deflecting. Mocking, as he said. It was easier to keep a buffer around herself, only let people in as far as she could handle. “But cannot be that small girl anymore, Pyotr. Am older, for one. Have been through hell and come out the other side. Limbo… it changes you.” She finished off her pastry and wiped the crumbs onto her napkin before gently setting her cup of tea down, then rolled gracefully to her feet. A few steps away, and she was still in his line of sight as she pulled Soulsword from herself. Armor rippled down her arm and across her torso, and a slash across the air had a portal appearing in front of her. She stepped through, blinking out of sight and appearing behind him with a tap to his shoulder. “This.. this is who I am now, brother. Not the child, not the missing girl. Can you accept that?” ’Can you accept me?’ she didn’t ask, because that was more raw than she was able to be at the moment. “Get to learn woman I am, instead of being blinded by child I was?”
Pyotr just looked at the portal, her armor, the sword. "Am trying." he said. "Ask for understanding. Claim not same woman. Can understand that." he said. "Show me. Show me the hell you went through. Help to understand circumstances. Believe you, of course, But for understanding woman you are now, circumstances, context would be good."
She thought about it for a moment, bending to pick up her tea and finish it off. “You want to see Limbo.” It wasn’t a question. She huffed out a breath. “Okay. Finish tea. We can leave basket here, will not be gone for long.” Her tea cup was placed onto the top of the basket. “Might be a little unsettling.” Generally not, but who knew? Better to give a warning. “Can clothing stretch for Colossus if necessary?”
Without another word, he _shifted_. Gleaming, muscular, and yes, still clothed. "Da." he said, still him but with a deeper, more resonant voice. He did make sure that all their picnic supplies were well out of the way of the portal. "Do I want to see Limbo? No. Have respect for dangers. Do I need to see Limbo? Also yes. Need to understand."
“Am not sure what you will understand better by seeing, but enter portal.” She made a sweeping motion with her hand, following behind as Pyotr stepped through, the portal winking closed behind them.
They stepped through into a rocky void, sky bright and hot, and a low, odd chittering noise filling the area. “Welcome to Limbo,” Illyana said flatly, hand flashing out with a sign and sending a crackling burst of red at a leaping body. The two connected mid-air, and the small demon fell flat to its back, stunned. “Hm. Someone is getting too big for britches,” she continued with a frown. “No matter. Will deal with him later. What would you like to see?”
He paused to just look at the alien sky, kneeled down to examine the dusty ground. "Nothing could grow here." he said, letting the dust trail through his metallic fingers. Then he stood again to look at the foolish little demon that he'd barely even seen before Illyana zapped it. He was starting to get an idea of what this place was like and, in a fairly rare occurrence for him, he was starting to get angry.
“Most demons do not think too hard on growth,” Illyana replied. “Things are guided different here. There is forest, but is not the same as earth forests. Is darker. Magic fuels much of this place. Demon magic tends towards dark. Chaotic. Perhaps evil as humans know it. What is saying? Might makes right? Strongest rules Limbo. Others submit or fight for right to rule.” She created another portal and ushered him through, landing in what looked like a small, serene garden.
“Sanctuaries. Almost gone now. Am slowly replacing them, but takes time and much effort. These are… where I eventually escaped to, as child. Found teachers, others who had been kidnapped to sacrifice or lost, taught me things. Healing magic, using portals and stepping discs, words and maths and plants.” Her eyes were distant as she tilted her head towards Pyotr, seeing people and things that no longer existed except in her memories. “They are all gone, now. Sacrificed so I could live, in hopes I would thrive. I miss them every day.”
He just nodded to her words while fighting with his own emotions. Even as non-magical as he was, he could dimly feel the evil of this place closing in all around him. He felt stained by it, like it would seep into his metal bones if he stayed in this place too long. But he'd asked for context and now he was getting it.
Things were beginning to make sense. "So even among all this evil, some good remained." he said cautiously, wary of giving offense.
“Limbo is not inherently evil, as humans understand it. It is chaos, it is power ruling. But at core, is a neutral space pulled in direction by leaders. Always struggle, fight. Hardship. But not… hatred. Black magic.” She struggled to put the concept into words. “So now, I struggle to move back to neutral. Do not want to make sacrifices, bring back Old Ones like Belasco. But demons have place in universe too. It is difficult balance.”
He grunted in acknowledgement, then looked at the sanctuary. Then at his little sister. "How can I help?" he asked with absolute sincerity.
“Cannot do much here,” she admitted. “Can probably fight some demons, but time here… changes you. Changes everyone, eventually. Is nature of this place.” She opened a portal back to Xavier’s. “But you are trying. Be patient, is all I ask. Try to understand I am not exact same girl who was taken. Edges are sharper, harder. Do appreciate you trying, even if am brat. Am reliably informed by American TV that little sibling is supposed to be butt to older one.”
"Am not sure which is worse - evils of Limbo, or evils of American television." he mock-pouted. "Am being patient. This helps, see for self what you endured." he said. "Probably best I do not meet any demons in charge. Would be difficult to avoid turning into demon paste."
Illyana let out a laugh. “I am demon in charge, brother. You are welcome to attempt to turn into demon paste at mansion, do not think you are ready to rule this place. Hope you are never ready.”
He made a face at that. "Ugh. Do not joke. Do not want. Offered to help make this place better, even if it's just because strong and tough and willing to go up against monsters." he told his sister. "Better they break themselves against me than hurt you." he pointed out. "If make feel better, can pretend they are runaway tractor. Crunch!"
“Is not the way it works. Current demon holding seat warm works for me, because as say am baddest bitch in room. Dimension. Whatever.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Come, we should get back. Time gets weird, longer you are here.”
He just nodded to that. She was the expert, after all, "Fine. Still, keep in mind what I am if demons get, what is word, uppity? Yes. Uppity."
“Yes, yes, will consider bringing you as muscle. Will have to test how magic resistant you are in that form.” Illyana waved him through the portal, and they stepped out just a few feet away from the basket of pastry. “Are there more pastries? Portal is heavy energy work.”
"Should be." he said, waiting for the portal to close to shift back to being Pyotr. "Tea and pastries, sister?" he asked as he settled back down onto the dock.
“Yes, thank you.” Illyana settled next to him, leaning over just enough to bump shoulders. “May not be mushy child you remember, but think we can build something from this, da? Will not cease tweaking nose. You are too funny when flustered.”
"Mushy? MUSHY? You were never mushy. You loved and were loved in return, a little scrap of a thing, but mushy? Nyet." he said with a grin on his face. "Still too skinny, but can take care of self when things get hot."
“Yes, will drop in portal. Or ask Namor nicely to punch things. Both. Last mission, open portal, ask Namor to punch in face, kick through portal, open back on dumpster. Did not kill, but would have hurt.” Illyana smirked a bit. “Cannot do continuously, but is fun strategy.”
"Usually I just slap people into unconsciousness." he said blandly in return.
It was a lovely spring day, refreshingly cool and sunny out. To most Americans it was probably a little chill for their liking but he liked it on the colder side of the spectrum. So he sat out on the dock to the lake with a thermos of hot tea, two cups, and a basket full of baked Russian goods. Now to see if his sister was feeling sociable. He tapped out a message on his phone, clicked SEND, and waited patiently.
To amuse himself while he waited he pulled his sketchbook out of the basket and began to draw the lake from his perspective, just in pencil. Nothing too fancy, just capturing an idyllic peaceful moment.
It was nice, not hearing, smelling, or tasting everything in sight. And several things that were not in sight, and had not been in sight for hours. Illyana still wasn’t sure how Matt lived with all of that sensory input day-to-day. Still, once she’d gotten over the massive headache and finally eaten something more substantial than a sandwich, she’d actually been almost in the same neighborhood as something resembling social.
Which mostly meant actually responding to things on the journals, but also meant accepting this visit with her older brother.
As she neared the dock, she noticed a distinct lack of fluffy white fur. “Where is my sweet boy Boris?” she asked Pyotr, gracefully sitting near him with her back to one of the dock’s posts. “You cannot just convince me to be social and not bring goodest boy with you.”
"Goodest boy Boris is currently asleep with April." he said in Russian, then nudged the basket in her direction. "Take one." he offered, then sipped at his tea. "Is beautiful out here today, no?" he continued in the same language.
“Yes, it is nice day.” Illyana dug through the basket, grabbing a pastry and napkin and settling back with her own cup of tea. “Why did you want me to be social?”
"Caught up on the journals." he said, still in Russian. "Heightened senses, hiding away from the world. Now that that's gone, thought you might like some food and some tea and maybe even some company." he said. "I've been doing a lot of thinking of late." he admitted after a bite of one of his own pastries and a sip of tea. "About you. About me."
“Please, brother. It is too early for gushy emotions, do not do this to me.” Illyana gave him a stern look over her cup of tea. “Emotions require at least one full cup of tea. Possibly two.” She took a sip of her own, and a giant bite of pastry, chewing slowly and savoring the taste. “Would not wish heightened senses on people I do not hate, but would not want people I hate to have that advantage.”
Pyotr just nodded and then out of mercy switched to English. "Very well." he said, and chewed his pastry and drank his tea in silence. "Is nice day out. Reminds me a little bit of home. Lake's too small and wrong shape, but being out over the water like this … this is nice."
“It is good place to sit and collect thoughts,” she agreed. “How did art thing in the city go?”
"Poorly." he said with a shrug. "Turns out did not enjoy style of art I prefer to use. Still, had to put foot forward, try to make sale." he admitted. "Am disappointed, sure, but life goes on." he said then snagged another pastry and held one out towards his sister for her to take if she were so inclined. "Still do not fit on most of bus. You would have laughed at my discomfort."
“Should learn how to drive, bus is made for small and you are not.” Illyana did laugh at the mental image, her tall, broad older brother trying to fit his bulk on a bus that was at nicest designed for an average height, average size body. She snagged another pastry, and finished her first cup of tea, holding the cup out politely for a refill.
He obliged her desire for a refill gladly, topping her off neatly before re-capping the thermos and setting it aside. "Probably should." he said agreeably, polishing off another pastry. "Oh! Also forgot to mention - went for a run outside this morning, tired the puppy out." he said with a small smile. "Puppy has not learned that I have great stamina and Colossus does not get tired at all."
Illyana let the corners of her mouth quirk up. “Is probably best, keep him tired, will be less destructive, yes?” She tore off a piece of her second pastry and ate it. “Have had first cup of tea, you may get emotions on me now. If you must.”
He just sighed. She seemingly adored making what should have been a simple, natural conversation the most difficult version of itself it could be. "Been thinking." he said. "Have come to the unfortunate truth that I keep expecting you to be the Illyana I remember. You aren't her, as much as I might wish it, and I need to accept that. Just do not know how to be big brother anymore, to even be acquaintance." he said. "And everything I try gets mocked."
“Am… unused to this. Having family.” It was difficult to put into words, and Illyana preferred deflecting. Mocking, as he said. It was easier to keep a buffer around herself, only let people in as far as she could handle. “But cannot be that small girl anymore, Pyotr. Am older, for one. Have been through hell and come out the other side. Limbo… it changes you.” She finished off her pastry and wiped the crumbs onto her napkin before gently setting her cup of tea down, then rolled gracefully to her feet. A few steps away, and she was still in his line of sight as she pulled Soulsword from herself. Armor rippled down her arm and across her torso, and a slash across the air had a portal appearing in front of her. She stepped through, blinking out of sight and appearing behind him with a tap to his shoulder. “This.. this is who I am now, brother. Not the child, not the missing girl. Can you accept that?” ’Can you accept me?’ she didn’t ask, because that was more raw than she was able to be at the moment. “Get to learn woman I am, instead of being blinded by child I was?”
Pyotr just looked at the portal, her armor, the sword. "Am trying." he said. "Ask for understanding. Claim not same woman. Can understand that." he said. "Show me. Show me the hell you went through. Help to understand circumstances. Believe you, of course, But for understanding woman you are now, circumstances, context would be good."
She thought about it for a moment, bending to pick up her tea and finish it off. “You want to see Limbo.” It wasn’t a question. She huffed out a breath. “Okay. Finish tea. We can leave basket here, will not be gone for long.” Her tea cup was placed onto the top of the basket. “Might be a little unsettling.” Generally not, but who knew? Better to give a warning. “Can clothing stretch for Colossus if necessary?”
Without another word, he _shifted_. Gleaming, muscular, and yes, still clothed. "Da." he said, still him but with a deeper, more resonant voice. He did make sure that all their picnic supplies were well out of the way of the portal. "Do I want to see Limbo? No. Have respect for dangers. Do I need to see Limbo? Also yes. Need to understand."
“Am not sure what you will understand better by seeing, but enter portal.” She made a sweeping motion with her hand, following behind as Pyotr stepped through, the portal winking closed behind them.
They stepped through into a rocky void, sky bright and hot, and a low, odd chittering noise filling the area. “Welcome to Limbo,” Illyana said flatly, hand flashing out with a sign and sending a crackling burst of red at a leaping body. The two connected mid-air, and the small demon fell flat to its back, stunned. “Hm. Someone is getting too big for britches,” she continued with a frown. “No matter. Will deal with him later. What would you like to see?”
He paused to just look at the alien sky, kneeled down to examine the dusty ground. "Nothing could grow here." he said, letting the dust trail through his metallic fingers. Then he stood again to look at the foolish little demon that he'd barely even seen before Illyana zapped it. He was starting to get an idea of what this place was like and, in a fairly rare occurrence for him, he was starting to get angry.
“Most demons do not think too hard on growth,” Illyana replied. “Things are guided different here. There is forest, but is not the same as earth forests. Is darker. Magic fuels much of this place. Demon magic tends towards dark. Chaotic. Perhaps evil as humans know it. What is saying? Might makes right? Strongest rules Limbo. Others submit or fight for right to rule.” She created another portal and ushered him through, landing in what looked like a small, serene garden.
“Sanctuaries. Almost gone now. Am slowly replacing them, but takes time and much effort. These are… where I eventually escaped to, as child. Found teachers, others who had been kidnapped to sacrifice or lost, taught me things. Healing magic, using portals and stepping discs, words and maths and plants.” Her eyes were distant as she tilted her head towards Pyotr, seeing people and things that no longer existed except in her memories. “They are all gone, now. Sacrificed so I could live, in hopes I would thrive. I miss them every day.”
He just nodded to her words while fighting with his own emotions. Even as non-magical as he was, he could dimly feel the evil of this place closing in all around him. He felt stained by it, like it would seep into his metal bones if he stayed in this place too long. But he'd asked for context and now he was getting it.
Things were beginning to make sense. "So even among all this evil, some good remained." he said cautiously, wary of giving offense.
“Limbo is not inherently evil, as humans understand it. It is chaos, it is power ruling. But at core, is a neutral space pulled in direction by leaders. Always struggle, fight. Hardship. But not… hatred. Black magic.” She struggled to put the concept into words. “So now, I struggle to move back to neutral. Do not want to make sacrifices, bring back Old Ones like Belasco. But demons have place in universe too. It is difficult balance.”
He grunted in acknowledgement, then looked at the sanctuary. Then at his little sister. "How can I help?" he asked with absolute sincerity.
“Cannot do much here,” she admitted. “Can probably fight some demons, but time here… changes you. Changes everyone, eventually. Is nature of this place.” She opened a portal back to Xavier’s. “But you are trying. Be patient, is all I ask. Try to understand I am not exact same girl who was taken. Edges are sharper, harder. Do appreciate you trying, even if am brat. Am reliably informed by American TV that little sibling is supposed to be butt to older one.”
"Am not sure which is worse - evils of Limbo, or evils of American television." he mock-pouted. "Am being patient. This helps, see for self what you endured." he said. "Probably best I do not meet any demons in charge. Would be difficult to avoid turning into demon paste."
Illyana let out a laugh. “I am demon in charge, brother. You are welcome to attempt to turn into demon paste at mansion, do not think you are ready to rule this place. Hope you are never ready.”
He made a face at that. "Ugh. Do not joke. Do not want. Offered to help make this place better, even if it's just because strong and tough and willing to go up against monsters." he told his sister. "Better they break themselves against me than hurt you." he pointed out. "If make feel better, can pretend they are runaway tractor. Crunch!"
“Is not the way it works. Current demon holding seat warm works for me, because as say am baddest bitch in room. Dimension. Whatever.” She waved a dismissive hand. “Come, we should get back. Time gets weird, longer you are here.”
He just nodded to that. She was the expert, after all, "Fine. Still, keep in mind what I am if demons get, what is word, uppity? Yes. Uppity."
“Yes, yes, will consider bringing you as muscle. Will have to test how magic resistant you are in that form.” Illyana waved him through the portal, and they stepped out just a few feet away from the basket of pastry. “Are there more pastries? Portal is heavy energy work.”
"Should be." he said, waiting for the portal to close to shift back to being Pyotr. "Tea and pastries, sister?" he asked as he settled back down onto the dock.
“Yes, thank you.” Illyana settled next to him, leaning over just enough to bump shoulders. “May not be mushy child you remember, but think we can build something from this, da? Will not cease tweaking nose. You are too funny when flustered.”
"Mushy? MUSHY? You were never mushy. You loved and were loved in return, a little scrap of a thing, but mushy? Nyet." he said with a grin on his face. "Still too skinny, but can take care of self when things get hot."
“Yes, will drop in portal. Or ask Namor nicely to punch things. Both. Last mission, open portal, ask Namor to punch in face, kick through portal, open back on dumpster. Did not kill, but would have hurt.” Illyana smirked a bit. “Cannot do continuously, but is fun strategy.”
"Usually I just slap people into unconsciousness." he said blandly in return.
