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Triton had gone out and fetched Black Bolt, who apparently has a serious mountain fetish, since that's where he's always found, this mountain or that, staring down at things. Maybe he's just got the opposite of a fear of heights? He isn't saying one way or another. But Black Bolt is, at the moment, without a residence in New York, so it is to his hotel room that he beckons his fellow Inhumans now that he has returned to town. There's a couch, a couple of chairs, a low table, and a window that looks out on the skyline — it's pretty nice digs. He sits on the couch, looking out at the city lights while he waits for the others to arrive.
Karnak arrives precisely sixty seconds before the invitation indicated she should be here. In an effort to 'blend in', she is wearing a white turtleneck sweater with a green skirt. It does look fashionable enough, though more by accident than any actual intention as she has been making an effort to be 'personable'.
Which typically involves not giving into the urge to punch certain members of the Royal Family. In any event, she actually smiles slightly when she sees Black Bolt, nodding towards him, "It is good to see you again."
The Royal Boltagon, Maximus, is nervous. It might be notable to those that know him well enough. He comes in dressed properly in the attire of Attilan, of course, a perfect welcome for his brother. His eyes, though, dart back and forth before residing on the others in the room, and in particular his brother. His words bolster him, and his stride strengthens, quipping with some sass an echo of what Karnak greets with, "It is good to see you again /finally/." he ammends the end.
Triton stepped out of the bathroom, mask off for now, and the wet towel around his neck. This was slightly nicer than his mundane living conditions. WIththeh mask off he actually had expression visible which was a rarity, and it was the faintest hint of a smile when his sister showed. "Karnak. Cousin." Somene was, inddeed, a very very busy fish.
Blackagar rises from where he was seated when everyone begins to arrive. The first to arrive is Karnak, and so he reaches out to take one of her hands, covering it with his other in a warm clasp, a smile for her and a dip of his head, then a motion to make herself comfortable in one of the chairs or couch if she likes. Then there is Max. Blue eyes fix on the younger Boltagon as he approaches. Black Bolt is dressed in a neatly pressed suit, black and white, with a blue tie that matches his eyes, rather than his own Attilan garb in an effort to blend into the city. At first he levels a penetrating gaze on Maximus, his expression nearly unreadable, until he moves forward and clasps Max's shoulder, and the smile returns to his lips. He nods to Triton then as well, when he emerges from where he was settling in. He motions for everyone to sit and make themselves comfortable. His hands move then, coming up to gesture to the group as a whole. «Tell me how you have been.»
Karnak hrms, "I have been acceptable, I suppose. Learning more about this culture, as my lack of understanding has caused some… complications." She takes a seat on a chair near Black Bolt, as if situating herself in a spot where she could best respond to threats that might arise. Then she glances over at Maximus, as if waiting to see what he says, before saying more.
Maximus draws in a deep breath as his brother comes to clasp his shoulders. "Well brother, quite well. Some of our more…loose ranks have fallen away, and that is a comfort to our security. Such amazing things have been done in your absense. What will you do now that you are returned? If you leave again…I cannot promise you what I would do." He tilts his head and squints his eyes.
Triton watched them and said drily, though without modulation, "I spent my time learning the interconnectivity of New York below and then, inexplicably found myself in more mountains. Amazing." He so had no love for elevation but it would seem Blackagar knew the rest. He too looked to Maximus curious how this reunion wound go and concurred, "It is a fair assessment and the culture here is…complicated."
Blackagar nods his head to Karnack and makes a slight gesture toward himself that seems to indicate that he too, still suffers from a bit of a lack of understanding, which seems to dovetail into his acknowledgment of Triton, a flicker of a wry smile touching his lips before he signs, «I was saying goodbye to the mountains» in explanation for what he was doing when Triton found him, which then flows into his next thoughts as he meets his brother's eyes. «I return to solitude. It is familiar.» Safe. Like the room he grew up in, where he could do no harm, but also where few could reach him. He answers Maximus then. «I will learn these people.» He nods to Karnak, a gesture encapsulating perhaps her example of learning. «I will learn this place.» He nods to Triton, another gesture encapsulating the city, and what Triton has been learning, and then to Maximus «And we will build a place for us here,» a final gesture that includes the two of them, building something together.
Karnak nods, "I understand, but it is… far different from Attilan, my ki… ah, Black Bolt." She tilts her head, "But whatever I can help you with, I shall be ready to assist, as always." She glances over towards Triton and Maximus in turn, then hmms slightly.
"I have seen the places of the others…a great mansion…large building…and I believe we can create an atmosphere within a similar structure that would allow us to not sicken." Maximus offers, bowing his head some, steel eyes never leaving the other man, "But you…cannot make these decisions alone. You don't know them like we do. And none of you know them like I do." He taps his own chest.
Triton listened and was prepared for there to be a defensive barrier. He wasn't the only one. Calmly he offered, "Hence why your brother wants to do wthis with you. With us." He looked to Karnak and agreed, "My sister's right. The pursuit of the knowledge of this place is not ours yet. We will need it." He sat to her left and let the brothers stand and catch up and just took it on good faith nothing would catch fire. He was too tired to be caught in a fish fry.
Blackagar smiles at what Maximus says and nods his head, gesturing to his brother, and then once more to each in the room in turn, «You have all learned.» Then he gestures to himself, tapping his own chest before spreading his hands out toward them. «I will learn from you.» He rises then and steps toward Maximus once more, resting a hand on his shoulder and meeting those steel eyes with his own blue gaze, «Together.» He gestures to his chest and shakes his head, not him alone, but a gesture that encompasses them both. Us. It is clear that he has no intention to make these decisions alone, but to bring the learning that they have all done individually together. He removes his hand from Max's shoulder then so that he can sign more fluidly, «Build it. I will help.»
Karnak nods, and looks at Maximus, her demeanor thawing just a bit as she regards him and Blackagar together, "I will assist in its construction, finding the structural weak points and shoring them up will help immensely."
|ROLL| Maximus +rolls 1d20 for: 7
Maximus stares at his brother while the hand is on him, but when it pulls away, emotion distorts his face. It bubbles and churns, not favoring one over another, just a chaotic mix of things that is hard to pinpoint. He turns to walk a few paces and puts a hand on a couch back to steady himself. "And what will be our purpose…our goal? Do we still help with the Skrulls and the Kree…or is there something new in store for us now?"
Triton fell silent shifting the damp towel around his neck letting Blackagar speak on his own behalf and not nevcessarily interceeding at all. A quiet unspoken glance was given to Karnak however with one elevation of an eyebrow ridge. He got up and went to remoisten the towel lingering by the door.
Blackagar nods to Karnak at her offer, seeming to agree on that assessment, and then he looks back to Maximus, watching those emotions that shift across his features as though reading each one, like a flip book, each one moving quickly but in itself a distinct image. He doesn't move to follow when Max steadies himself, but instead once more sits down on the couch, resting his hands on his knees. His brow furrows slightly and then he nods, to both the Skrull, and the Kree. «We must.» Then he signs, «Build. Make allies. Assist.» Then he gestures outward once more, before signing, «From there. We choose.» And once more there is emphasis on we, not him alone, but them, together.
Karnak nods, "Medusa and Crystal have already made some ties with those that are similar to us, these… mutants." She hmms, "But we should prepare as the Kree and Skrull will not leave us be. The former for the slaves that we were, the latter because we were the weapons of the Kree." She sounds rather disdainful of that.
Maximus turns in time to 'see' most of Blackagar's reply. Handy tool, making people look at you when you speak. He comes over into the group again. "I get every sensation that the Skrulls would /very much/ care to be left alone…of course, to secretly discover old palaces and cities, like Penglai, and rifle what powers they can from them. But…I do not think them as much a threat as they are to the humans. The Kree are just annoyed. Again, not to make light of such things, but…we are in more immediate danger from humans deciding that all powered people need to go."
Triton wasn't the tactician in the room, but he was the spy. Seeing things calm down he went about using the hotel tiny coffee maker poking at buttons. He stopped and poked at it like why does it have a tail sticking to the wall? but let it do its job. "Where priority lies there is another groop addressing Skrull activity right now. The Humans are about to erupt in war over the ruins of Penglai for its salvage. How long before Akkad follows? I am… pleased to repot I and my oeratives cleared most of Penglai out of its prime value. The army was moved, hammer moved, and what we could salvage as well. We are presently having that penetrated nuclear sub nearby be deterrant for progress by teh humans."
Blackagar listens to what all of them have to say, his attention fully focused first on Karnak, then Max, then Triton as each voices their thoughts on the matter. He considers the various points. He settles back into the corner of the couch for a moment, arm resting on its arm, chin balances in his palm, fingers curled in front of his lips. He seems to mull all of this over while Triton has a conversation of sorts with the coffee maker. Finally he looks to all three and seems to invite them to offer their suggestions with a gesture with both hands, as though welcoming input from each of them, a quizzical look turned to each.
Karnak glances over at Maximus, "True. Humans are a fear-driven people. They treat their own with such disdain, unless they need their help." It's a cynical view, but this is Karnak talking. "However, we should take care that such preparations aren't perceived as a threat."
Maximus looks at Triton, seemingly acknowledging the man head on for the first time since he arrived. He's just mostly been staring at his brother, though surely he heard his cousin. "I…am involved with that.I mean, I am involved with the search for the Skrull. And its not humans, but…mutants. I …have not revealed something to my fellow Inhumans, though it should be known to some anyway. But, I have…a mutant connection that is…very fond." Maximus glances to his brother. "And shockingly mutual."
Triton nodded evenly seeming to be particularly patient with Max through his many moods. He was not as good as interpreting them as Black Bolt, certainly, but serving 10 years under the man got him used to trends. "Anything in particular that we ought to know? Does Crystal know them?" He paused and had to finally ask, "Are you alright?"
Blackagar takes in all of this information with a thoughtful expression on his features, a nod for Karnak once more as she provides her insights, gesturing to her in agreement that care to not present a threat would be necessary, at least for the moment. Then he looks to Max and his interest seems to be piqued as he slowly reveals his connection to the mutants. At the mention of the shocking mutual nature of this fondness, Black Bolt's lips twitch into a smile and he inclines his head to his brother, seemingly pleased by this development.
The conversation continues for a little bit longer, but eventually it grows late and while the family has just begun to discuss their plans for the future, it is a first step toward their next chapter in New York.