1965-02-25 - Koschei the Deathless, Part III
Summary: Hope, Douglas, and Piotr prepare for the upcoming battle
Related: If there are no related logs, put 'None', — please don't leave blank!
Theme Song: None
douglas hope piotr 


Some preparation may be required before going hunting crazy wizards or their souls. Hope has some practical thoughts about what may be needed, which means a quick trip through the Institute to gather supplies. "Grab some clothes," she suggests. "No telling what magic nutso will have done. I'll get some stuff that might work for bait for animals, and we'll of course load up on the weapons…" She moves purposefully, going into the pantry.


"A good idea, Hope," Piotr says with a nod. He's been needing something to wear that's not his basketball athletic clothing. He settles on his red and gold X-men uniform as if there were any questions. "Though I must admit, I don't do much in the way of weapons."


"Ah, hm." Doug puts his fingers over his mouth. "I don't…" He says, "…Have a uniform." He gives Piotr a look. "What? Turns into an iron giant," He points, then at Hope, "Duplicates powers," And then he jabs his thumb into his chest, "Speaks perfect Luxembourgish."


And that's why we're loading up on weapons," Hope says to Doug with a tight smile, loading up a few things in some cheesecloth and then a pack. "Duplicating powers only does me so much good when there aren't powers around or the powers in question don't work or are already doing what they can do. So I use weapons and combat."


"I happen to think your power is amazing, my young friend. Afterall, while staying here in America, it took several years of wishing and hoping I could communicate properly." Piotr clasps Doug's shoulder. "It is marvelous."


"Can you only duplicate mutants? I wonder if you could duplicate Koschei…" Doug looks up at Piotr, and says, "Oh, it's handy in a lot of offbeat ways, and more useful in a fight than I ever realized; but it's good survival instinct to keep a realistic image of my abilities relative to the people around me, that's all." Then he adds, "I think your sister is happy to have you back around. Not that I think Illyana will ever tell you." He looks around, checking to see if she's here. She's not? Whew.


"I think it's mutant-specific," Hope shrugs to Doug. "At least I haven't picked up on anyone who isn't, as far as I know. Plus, I feel like 'wizard' is at least part an education thing, right? Like, you don't just do magic, you kind of have to learn it. Spells and rules and stuff. Maybe? I could be wrong."


Piotr tilts his head as if considering Doug. "I do believe she is happy. However, it cannot be easy to have your older brother critiquing your every move. I must remember to be protective…but not smothering."


"I think the answer is… yes? After I went to limbo I started studying it a little bit. And there's definately a lineage component to it — Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, a lineage of daughters… sometimes it also seems to strike randomly, and sometimes, like with the lwa in Vodoun, a Psychopomp seems to choose a person and it compels them to magic through dreams and visions—" Doug shrugs. "I was able to cast a spell in Limbo, and I can understand the language, symbology and pattern — that's nothing — but the Imago — the part where imagination and willpower effect the reality hack? That part I can't quite grasp, and I don't know if I ever will." Then he looks up to Piotr, and says, "Knowing her as long as I have, you want to aim for a sort of amiable misanthropy, and avoid when she starts to hiss and spit, sometimes with an actual forked tongue."


"Sounds about right." Which part of that Hope is agreeing with is unclear, until she continues. "I can mimic Illyana's ability to make the portals, but I've never felt like I could do any of the other things she does. I'll admit, I've thought a few times about trying to use it to get home, but…chances are too high I'd end up in the wrong time or place, and without any of the good things there are here. Plus it'd make it that much harder for my people to find me, so." She trails off, shrugging again. "She's lucky to have you, Piotr. I always feel better going into a fight with a large man with a metal arm," she grins. That only makes sense to her, but it seems genuine enough.


"Thanks, I think," Piotr says with a chuckle to Hope. "And I think you're onto something," he adds to Doug. "She has changed so much, all things considered."


Doug shrugs. "I befriended her by just being myself, and letting her decide how she wanted to deal with me." He steeples two fingers together, and puts them over his mouth. "I haven't done as much reading on Koschei the Deathless as some. Usually creatures like him have some sort of ban, something that makes their magic fail, or protects others from his spells. Like vampires and garlic."


"Is it pants?" Hope deadpans, then looks to Piotr. "I bet it's pants." Yeah, Hope is probably not going to be the next great magic-user of the world.


At first, Piotr thinks she's making fun of him. "I'll have you know my original outfit gave me excellent maneuvera…Oh." He nods, "Right. Koschei in pants would be much better."


Douglas licks a molar, and seems to sit in silence, thinking about that. "…I know who we could ask. I found him in a rolodex when I was doing some translation work for a guy named John Constantine. Either of you ever heard of a guy named Doctor Michael Morbius?"


"Does he make pants?" Hope leads the way to what passes for an armory, loading up on guns, ammo, and various knives, all of which she handles like she knows how to use them. "I feel like I've seen more than enough of pantsless wizard for a long time."


Piotr shakes his head and tilts it, trying to see if he can remember the name. "I do not recall, sorry." Piotr doesn't hang out much in those sorts of circles. "If you think he could help, it may be worth a conversation. But it will have to be quickly."


"No, but I think he's a specialist in monsters, since I found him under 'monsters' in the rolodex. So maybe he can give us a tip for fighting Koschei." Doug stands up, and puts his hands on his hips. "I'll hunt him down, see if I can get him to give us a consult on the quick."


"Alternatively, he could be a monster," Hope points out. "He might not even wear pants himself. That would be disappointing." Once she's loaded up, she turns to look to the others. Her 'uniform' doesn't do much for her, but it's seen battle, and when it comes to dealing with strange things, sometimes the appearance of not being completely normal matters. "I'm, uh… Gonna go change," she says, pointing toward the bathroom. At least she's picked up on a few niceties. Like privacy.


Piotr looks down to his hand and his uniform. He gives Hope a solemn nod. He's not a fan of everyone splitting up, but there really is no other choice in this circumstance, if they want to save these girls, that is. "A good idea, Hope. Come, there is not much time!"


Doug sighs. "Like I said… I don't have a uniform. So I'll just go… look up this dude, hope he doesn't eat me, and see if he can help! Let me find a phone…" He gestures, and then goes off to find one.


Hope disappears for a few moments, getting changed into the green and gold uniform that contrasts starkly with the ragged bit of cloth that covers her shoulders and offers a hood. It does hide a few of the weapons, though.


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