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1society report events 09
2               (Straight To The Heart(SRKatyushka):SRKatyushka)
3
4        [Sun Sep 16 2018]
5
6In Somewhere In Russia - a Windowless Room with Stark Lighting
7With dull concrete walls and floor, this room is bland and uninteresting. There are no windows, and 
8the only light comes from the strip bulbs ubiquitous to commercial buildings worldwide. In the 
9centre of the room is a metal table, a comfortable looking desk chair on the side closest to the 
10heavy duty door to the south, apparently the only exit out of the room. On the other side of the 
11table is a simple wooden kitchen chair that has been painted a dark red.
12
13It is about 65F(18C) degrees.  
14
15The color begins to pale out of the face of Chris, going from that slight flush to colorless in 
16short order at the muttering behind him and his hand reflexive jerks backward toward 'safety'. 
17There's a physical jump from him at the sound of the metal clanging and he has to catch his breath 
18without seeming to, a desparate attempt to seem less phased than he actually is. "I .. I dunno 
19either" he says defensively still "but I ain' gotta add on t' th' pile" he mumbles before his head 
20is distracted by another question, keeping him on edge? "Tested? I ain' got no .. oh.. Headmaster 
21Granson thinks so. He jabbed me with a needle full o' that stuff they use to light you up for x-
22rays? Almos' crippled me for near a week" he says, his face pulling into an even more worried kind 
23of grimace as he scatters his eyes toward the Matvei, afraid to look behind him now. 
24
25"Err .. Spilsbury maybe. That day got a lil' hazy" Chris says quickly, hurrying the words out. 
26
27Lifting his hand, Matvei holds it out in front of himself, fingers spread and palm down, telling 
28Chris, "Right hand, like this please Chris," a glance behind the boy going to the man beyond before 
29he nods a few times, "Katya's head is a mess. Between Misha, myself and Arkady, the good Doctor 
30Spilsbury, and I vould put money on Jaecar as vell, ve have vorked some things out. Trigger vords 
31are easy enough one you get the generalised theme, but everything in there is...slippery. Coated in 
32good old fashioned indoctrinisation. Teasing out vhat is imprint and vhat is beaten in with a vhip 
33is proving somevhat problematic. Arkady vants to open her skull and see if he can use a heated 
34needle to burn out those bits of her mind. But ve are keeping that on the backburner, for now. A 
35rather extreme response. I vill talk to Granson about it, eventually. After she turns eighteen, most 
36likely. The cut off looms. But yes, radiation is not good for our kind." 
37
38Chris doesn't say anything to that at first but with a gulp, he doesn't really see anything to do 
39but comply. He sticks the right hand out, spreading his fingers palm facing downward. The hand is 
40broad, wide palm and calloused from finger tip to heart-line easily though these are beginning to 
41fade. He sucks in a breath still shaky and he the muscle at the crux of his jaw tenses, tightening 
42in anticipation of something painful. "I ain' votin' 'fer that" he says weakly. "I'd try anythin' 
43'fore I'd try that ... mus' be runnin' out of options" he says frankly, but trying to prove he won't 
44shy from the conversation. The comment of 'our kind' is over-glossed perhaps, a bit of self-denial 
45from the young man. 
46
47Finally Arkady moves around Chris, casually putting a metal kidney dish on the table in the way of 
48the busily scribbling clerk with the quiet smugness of a demon who knows he's doing something 
49annoying that cannot be commented upon. He looks back to the boy, suggesting, "Jacket off, sleeve up,
50your choice," in the shorthand staccato that seems to produce the vaguest direction required to 
51presumably get his need across without offering a single utterance more than absolutely necessary. 
52Matvei, on the other hand, chatterbox that the man clearly is, rolls his grey eyes, giving rise to 
53the rather curious question of how the pair went from employer/employee to what seems to be 
54inseperable friendship. Either way, he looks to Chris, "Arkady knows vhat he is doing, but burning 
55the brain is never exactly a good thing. If ve do it after her blood explodes, it vill heal over 
56just fine, but there is risk of other memories going. -Obviously- he has been -practicing-, but all 
57medical " 
58
59"...procedures involve risk. Katya says you like Amerikanskiy futbol? She said you vanted to play at 
60a college? You know I could write you a ticket to vhichever you vanted, yes?", Matvei finishes, 
61eyeballing Chris critically, "Valk away, play for...I do not know vhich ones have good sports teams. 
62Stanford?" 
63
64Frowning a little, a tidbit of knowledge unknown, Matvei casually uses Chris's own phone to check 
65the internet, "Ohio State, or Notre Dame, according to the vorld vide veb. That is good. Cheaper. 
66Plenty of dollars left over for comfortable living as vell." 
67
68With a breath, a slow breath there's a minor relaxation maybe from Chris, but barely. He slowly 
69moves, his eye shifting toward Arkady as he rolls up his sleeve trying to put on a brave face. His 
70hand returns to its outstreched position but his words are for Matvei. "She said you'd done that 
71'fore .." he murmurs but his head is quick to shake. "I already decided she was worth not playin' ...
72it was hard" he says honestly. "Real hard ... probably the bigges' thing but .. I decided" he says, 
73a nod almost affirming to himself. "So it's easy to decide 'gin. I ain' gon' be bought off. If you 
74wan' rid o' me ..." he sucks in a breath that stutters from the shaking in the boy's frame. "You'll 
75have t' do it permanant." 
76
77Skeletal fingers reaching to grasp Chris's wrist, Arkady pushes the boy's forearm down gently 
78against the arm of the chair, twisting it so that his palm faces upwards. There isn't much Chris can 
79do to resist, the red-eye doesn't seem inclined towards bothering to pander to his ego, although the 
80chilled grip doesn't squeeze too firmly, pinning his arm into place with efficiency rather than 
81malice. Stretching, he plucks a blood draw out of the dish, suggesting, "Breathe," and deftly stabs 
82the butterfly needle into the boy's inner arm to find a vein with practiced confidence, unkinking 
83the short tubing that leads to a test tube. 
84
85After watching Chris's reaction, Matvei comments, "Not that I do not trust the good Doctor, but he 
86did not even know you vere dating, and vas under the firm believe you vere a useless human. You say 
87you had a reaction to radiation, but you might vell have had an allergic reaction to something else. 
88Knowledge is vorthless vithout certainty. Or at least unable to be actioned.". He turns his 
89attention to Chris's phone, nails digging in as he casually starts prising the case apart, "Misha 
90vould not be bought to go avay, never thought he vould, but a demon vould have diluted my blood even 
91more. He understood this, accepted that it vould -never- be allowed, and took the best alternative 
92offered. Money meant nothing to him, he had none and lived fine, but family? His father vas 
93unpleasant, he vas emancipated already, this vorked out. Jaecar vanted gold, veaponry, power in his 
94homeland, I rather thought he vould return vunce his hold there vas stable." 
95
96"But he has not, and Katya assumes he left because home is more important than future," Matvei 
97continues, shaking his head a few times, "I did the same vith Volodya's choices. Andrei is vorthless 
98for passing on the genetic inheritance. Yelizaveta...von't. And Misha obviously does not have my 
99blood. Vhich brings me to Katya. I appreciate a hard choice, you can still back out. She is a demon, 
100despite housing my blood as vell, and the chance of you being harmed by her purely by accident is 
101strong. She has vun extra limb, and she vill be capable of ripping yours off. A happy life can still 
102be had, normal, qviet, playing futbol. It vill be a lesser life. Less money, less glory, less 
103excitement, but if you keep her, you become family. She thinks you have it in you, she thinks vith 
104practice you could step into place and do vhat needs to be done...qvestion for you is, vill it -
105haunt- you? Because you vill need to let go of such human feelings, veakness." 
106
107Chris grunts, but his arm is man-handled and he looks toward someone with a knowing look as he 
108hisses out from the needle piercing into a vein. "I .. I don' know if I'm gon' be somethen' more n' 
109what I am now. But if I am? What'll I be if always wonderin'? Football is one kin' glory but ... for 
110her, it's not what makes her smile. I 'cin get through Blackfield 'fer that smile, then I 'cin be 
111what she needs too." A tiny bit of that athlete's stubborn streak showing, He tries now to keep his 
112arm real still, not wanting his own shaking to shake the needle and cause harm. "That's .. family is 
113somethen' I don' have either, now. An' it might almos' be enough" he admits more quietly. "But not 
114without. So It's all or nothin' But that's where I live" he says, sounding more confident in that at 
115least, a momentary burst of his own self-confidence. "If 'yer gon' give anything, give everything." 
116
117Chris grunts, but his arm is man-handled and he looks toward Arkady with a knowing look as he hisses 
118out from the needle piercing into a vein. "I .. I don' know if I'm gon' be somethen' more n' what I 
119am now. But if I am? What'll I be if always wonderin'? Football is one kin' glory but ... for her, 
120it's not what makes her smile. I 'cin get through Blackfield 'fer that smile, then I 'cin be what 
121she needs too." A tiny bit of that athlete's stubborn streak showing, He tries now to keep his arm 
122real still, not wanting his own shaking to shake the needle and cause harm. "That's .. family is 
123somethen' I don' have either, now. An' it might almos' be enough" he admits more quietly. "But not 
124without. So It's all or nothin' But that's where I live" he says, sounding more confident in that at 
125least, a momentary burst of his own self-confidence. "If 'yer gon' give anything, give everything." 
126
127After poking around inside the charging port of Chris's phone, Matvei pulls a box of electrical bits 
128and bobs over towards himself, picking up a set of pliers as he starts tugging at the port, yanking 
129it out with brute force and some wiggling, finding another, almost identical bit of complicated 
130metal to work into the hole. Short thumbnail forcing it into place with a click, he nods, "She's a 
131demon vith a tail, and the proverbial monkey of her Grandfather resting on her shoulder. Three 
132reasons she is not...normal. Ve tend not to prize normal, but she is damaged in vays even Viktor 
133cannot fix, not me, not him, not Arkady. Viping her mind has been mused, but her scars, internal and 
134external, make her vhat she is. Strong. Force of nature, yes? Removing that vould remove everything 
135else in her as vell. I am not sure about this smile, but I do remember how giddying love can be. It 
136is your life, yours to ensure you are certain." 
137
138The man ponders, smiles, and adds, "Family trait...ve do not do things by half measures. Not her 
139mother's side, not mine. She is the strongly condensed version of both. She vill protect you vith 
140everything she has, but she vill also get angry and accidentally shove you through a vall...even if 
141she does -not- activate. No half measures.". The pliers get tossed away, and he starts putting 
142Chris's phone back together, "But no, you might just hold latent blood. The town you are in has a 
143reputation for activating the latent. If you leave for futbol, you might never activate. If you stay,
144your chance rises. Vhy do you think Blackfield is there? Vhy do you think -Katya- vas sent there? Ve 
145have plenty of similar places to Blackfield here in Rossiya, but the gates make Haven useful for 
146such things. That and normality vill do her good. She has done having nothing but pain and blood, 
147done being sent avay to school to be alone and unvanted, done being spoilt. Time to breathe." 
148
149Arkady shifts, unscrewing one of the tubes and calmly placing another in with calm movements, 
150commenting drily, "She vill grow up soon enough. Childhood, belated, is important," almost whole 
151sentences, how unusual. The man still doesn't smile, fingers absently rubbing at Chris's arm just 
152below the elbow, helping this second vial fill up with the boy's rather needed blood. 
153
154Chris can't help but nod at that, his expression growing almost confused. "I think so too" he says, 
155his voice returning to something normal. "I think she needs me much as I need her" he comments, 
156looking upward at the messing of and with his phone. "Or ... someone who wants t' treat her normal 
157an jus' like her or love her 'fer who she is no questions. There's pain .. but usually it's me 
158thrashin' someone else so she 'cin take off the edge. The rest? It's a risk. I've had a couple 
159scrapes n' bruises but I've had worse" he repeats trying to find something of his normal smile. 
160
161"Vear a cup," comes Arkady's unsmiling reply, unscrewing the second vial and bolting on a third, 
162apparently planning on draining Chris so dry the boy can't either blush or get aroused. But Matvei 
163laughs, nodding along, "True, good plan. But you are right, I am aware of how much pressure she 
164feels. To fit in, to accept fate or destiny...I...love the children I have in this generation, they 
165are all over achievers, even if they have not achieved vhat vas vanted, they have run vith vhat they 
166have. She vorries she vill be discarded if she fails. Volodya's daughters still might provide an 
167alternative, so it is not that. I get the impression that she vants to earn this. I cannot blame or 
168fault her for that. You should sometimes ask qvestions though, although I appreciate teenage love is 
169the ever-after-no-holds-barred sort. As for thrashing somevun else, honestly? You vant to keep her, 
170you have the choice. It is hurting somevun, or it is you being hurt." 
171
172"Yeah ... that was clear" Chris says before looking toward Arkady again his face a shade pale for 
173reasons not to do with fear. "I .. I'd like t' help her dream, an' I don' know how. She sleeps okay, 
174when I'm there" he says without even thinking of it "but she says she don' dream at all, or it's 
175always nightmares. I 'cin change that sometimes" he says with a blink before he pushes on before he 
176loses the courage. "If you 'cin help me with that then maybe I 'cin help separate some of what's in 
177her mind an' what ain't. Her ... imprints .." the words rolls with unfamiliarity, "I 'cin fade those 
178away, an' see what remains." This sounds at least like he's given it some real thought. His voice is 
179a little faint now though, more and more blood taken out of his arm. 
180
181Apparently the third vial is enough, a flick of a finger from Matvei and Arkady removes it and 
182neatly plucks out the needle before capping that last vial. He inspects the mark in Chris's arm with 
183discomforting closeness, apparently looking for something, but whether he sees what he was expecting 
184or not, cotton wool soaked in surgical spirit gets used to mop up the seeping blood, his bony thumb 
185pinning it in place for the time being. Matvei frowns a little, lines forming on his forehead before 
186he smiles, all fatherly amusement, "You von't be able to just fade imprints. But vhat is coiled 
187around them? Perhaps. I know about her dreams, Misha pointed that out qvickly enough, stumped him as 
188vell. Light off, she vakes from vhat I vould bet easy money on are nightmares, even if she does not 
189remember them. Light on, she still has the nightmares, but they do not vake her. From vhat ve can 
190tell, it is Alexei's torture being relived. She begs, squirms, she...drowns, suffocates." 
191
192Drumming his fingernails on the edge of the metal table, the Russian oligarch muses before shrugging,
193"She never remembers, and Misha says getting into her dreams is like breaking into a fortress. He's 
194done it...and is not...fond of the idea of going back, but he does not remember vhat happened in 
195there -either-. It is concerning, that there is a bubble of defense, that it prevents memories. But 
196I am not opposed to trying again if you vish to. I get the impression that Blackfield vill not allow 
197dreamsharing, and you vill have to do it by -force-. She cannot let you in, so you vill have to 
198break into her sleeping mind yourself. But she is sleeping, she is used to three hours at best, 
199split over the entire night, but she vas also used to starving. I can fund vhat you need, or if it 
200is information, that vould be Arkady or Yelizaveta...depending on how much detail you need. My 
201eldest daughter retains almost as much data as I do, already. But I do not dream." 
202
203Chris takes that in for the moment but he shakes his head slightly. "No ... that's the wrong way. I 
204don't want in her dreams. I want her in mine" he says simply still staring at Matvei. "If she is in 
205my dreams, I can make her believe that she is anyone I want. I can make those things th' very least .
206. less. An' I don' ... do that" he says growing red again, "but it could help. Anything, anything 
207about her I 'cin use to help her .. to help me? I want t' know it. I'm all in" he says again. "I 
208already chose" he says changing topics. "I'll hurt someone else if it's n' option. But I'll let her 
209hurt me if it's th' only option. " 
210
211"You don't need to convince me of this, you convince her. In case you had forgotten, I am not the 
212one you are trying to voe into kissing you," Matvei points out in amusement as Arkady releases 
213Chris's arm and collects up the vials into the metal kidney dish. Holding it in one hand, his bony 
214fingers extend, casually probing Chris's inner elbow, and then pushing his head aside to look at the 
215back of the boy's neck beneath his hair, then tilting it the other way to peer at his collar bone 
216before commenting to the rotund Russian, "Neck or elbow. Hip? Ankle," back to cryptic words, but he 
217does release the boy to set the dish down on a hidden table. Matvei chews on the corner of his mouth,
218yet another familiar familial trait, grey eyes raking over Chris as he answers the boy instead, 
219"Vork up a list of practical questions. Vhat I know, I vill share. So will Misha, Arkady, my other 
220children. Othervise ve vill be here for veeks discussing her psyche as a whole." 
221
222"I trust that you have no plans to hurt her. I am vell aware that in Amerikanskiy culture a father's 
223wrath can be terrifying. Ve are both vell aware that plucking your head off your neck like a cheese 
224cube off a cocktail stick is not outside my capabilities. Or that I vould never -have- to do that...
225hunting you vould be good sport for the boys to expend some competative foolishness. Or should I say,
226no plans to intentionally hurt. Ve all make mistakes, or so I am told," Matvei muses, going back to 
227looking Chris over before abruptly segueing, "Did you ever touch her feet? Her ankles?" 
228
229Chris blinks but he turns to glance at someone, "N-no not really I suppose. I mean we've been 
230swimmin' an' I've even helped her with like ... gymnatstic stuff? But ... no, not off-hand" he says 
231with a shake of his head, the question again throwing him a little off. "Why?" He asks plainly, 
232before nodding and kind of distracting himself. "I uh, I'll write something up proper. Promptly" he 
233says. 
234
235Chris blinks but he turns to glance at Matvei, "N-no not really I suppose. I mean we've been 
236swimmin' an' I've even helped her with like ... gymnatstic stuff? But ... no, not off-hand" he says 
237with a shake of his head, the question again throwing him a little off. "Why?" He asks plainly, 
238before nodding and kind of distracting himself. "I uh, I'll write something up proper. Promptly" he 
239says. 
240
241"An' she knows" Chris adds then, more confidently. "But I get you" he says more seriously, his 
242eyebrows pulling down. Arkady's question doesn't even register to the young man, and he has no idea 
243what he means though perhaps he should be paying more attention. "I mean t' make that somethen you 
244ain' never gotta do" he says the -most- serious. "If there's more in here" he says, his free hand 
245thumping his chest lightly, "Then I'll find it, so I 'cin take what she dishes out." 
246
247"Oh, no reason," Matvei responds with a vague wave of his hand that suggests he is most definitely 
248covering something up. Intentionally, perhaps, or more likely enjoying the breadcrumb trail. He 
249looks Chris over before commenting to Arkady, "Not the shoulder blade, too perilous, same vith the 
250shoulders," a smirk coming as he adds, "Back of the knee could vork?". Arkardy, dish set aside, 
251casually leans over Chris's shoulder, red eyes glancing down at the ripped jeans of the boy, "Need 
252access," before spooking off back away from the lad again to lurk behind him. Matvei rubs his palms 
253together, telling the boy, "Can't risk her tearing it out by accident, guess you vill be dropping 
254the jeans, might vant to stand up," blatently amused by the turn of events, "I get the impression 
255she knows though, and you make a list, email it. Em-dot-konstantinsky-at-cikavac-dot-are-you. Some 
256point ve need to organise svimming lessons, drowning looks...bad, embarrassing." 
257
258Chris grunts, but with a sense of indignation he stands. "I tried, but right now she'd think she was 
259drownin' on th' shallow end. I am workin' on that too, if it helps when I can" he says. There's a 
260huff as he undoes the belt and button of jeans before dropping them. 
261
262Standing in his skivvies, Chris scowls slightly as some idea begins to dawn on him. Not so much 
263stupid or slow just ... resistent to the uptake let's say. "What're you putting in me?" He demands 
264to know, his teenage affront not at all hesitant to flare at this particular issue despite his 
265present company. 
266
267"Pretty sure she'd think she vas drowning on the side too, doesn't help that Andrei pushed her in 
268once. Volodya and Misha held him under for about an hour, but aside from being grumpy, it didn't 
269leave him vorse for vear," Matvei muses, watching Chris unbuckle and drop his jeans down, expression 
270suggesting the man is tickled that the boy did as he was told without complaint, question, or 
271hesitation. Tickled and pleased. He gestures to the arm of the chair, "Von't hurt, but you might 
272vant to hold on if you feel vobbly." Standing does let Chris see Arkady though, the tall demon 
273holding what looks to be some sort of firearm that is mostly pistol with a distinct overtone of 
274crossbow, checking it over before he strolls over to the boy, leaving Matvei to say, "Despite your 
275resistance to the idea of fleeing, keeping tabs on you has become important. I vould suggest you 
276don't try to dig it out, it vill not go unnoticed, and vill be noted vith -concern-." 
277
278With a grunt, Chris steels himself as he glances at the injection contraption and he grits his teeth.
279"Alrigh' fine ... Blackfield prolly would done it worse" he surmises though he's not entirely happy 
280about it. "Do it, then" He says, his muscles tensing, clenching along shoulder blades and along his 
281arms and chest tightly. 
282
283"Ankle. Vhen you get back," Arkady points out before bending, skinnier than Chris but a little 
284taller, and there is the cold swipe of an alcohol swab and then the chill of the gun barrel just 
285below the crease of the boy's knee, snug enough to be protected by his broader calf, but not deep 
286enough to be a problem when his leg bends, again the command comes, "Breathe," and with his next one 
287comes the shot. It cracks loudly, and the chip gets fired, embedding deeply into flesh with a sting 
288not unlike getting skewered by a hornet, the site heating up in a flare of pain response before it 
289begins to settle around the grain-of-rice sized tracking device. For that is what it is, dogs, 
290satnavs, Chris, chipped for GPS, and probably other details all things considered. But Arkady is 
291already moving away, and before he has much of a chance to recover, Matvei responds, "Blackfield 
292always does vorse. Best to choose the good option, you can get dressed." 
293
294Chris hisses out when the injection hits, "JEEEE-zuss" he hisses out before flexing his leg a few 
295times after. He nods and breathes in sharply through his nose, and out through pressed lips. He 
296shimmies back into his jeans and slumps back into the chair, the pressure on the knee joint from 
297putting the jeans on enough to flare up the whole area and he takes a short breath. "Yeah well .. 
298they also serve a purpose. I don' pretend t' understand it but .. " he shrugs, accepting that this 
299however is definitely the better option. 
300
301"Cikavac first," Arkady offers coldly over his shoulder, almost certainly responding to the unspoken 
302thoughts rumbling around Chris's mind, either the man is seriously on the ball with Chris' mental 
303state and Blackfield proverbs, or something is not all kosher with his ability to penetrate the 
304skull of potential victims. But Matvei nods along, ignoring the man, "Don't run for a day, valk 
305slowly, sleep on your side. Vill be fine in the morning, or if not then, the morning after. As for 
306Blackfield, they are good at vhat they do. Toughening children. Katyushka is tough enough, she is 
307like a prickly diamond, but she needs other things. You vill get the benefit from the pressure. Tell 
308me about your family. She says you have one, but they do not exist in your phone," and with that the 
309phone gets tossed over to Chris, closely followed by the lego figure, the boy's football prowess 
310trusted enough that it is assumed he will be able to catch them. 
311[Hit Return to continue]
312
313
314See society report event 9 2 to continue.
315
316society report events 09 2
317The objects are swiped out of the air easily enough by Chris, who grunts at Matvei for a moment as 
318he settles his weight in a different spot. "I do. They .. ship me out t' Blackfield right after some 
319kin' settlement help save our farm out in Wyoming. Ain' heard from 'em really since then. Even when 
320I got sick an' had to go back home ... I never saw 'em. Not once, jus' some nurse they'd hired t' 
321keep me in good health. I stopped tryin' months ago" he mutters, the sour note in his voice truly 
322tinged there. 
323
324"Killed mine," offers up Arkady, deadpan and out of sight, but from the eyeroll coming from Matvei, 
325it is probably not the entire story. This time, however, it is the rotund Russian that seems to be 
326tracking Chris's thoughts, "Family sometimes do vhat is best for you. Sometimes in vays you do not 
327understand. Sometimes in vays you do not understand but appreciate all the same, and sometimes just 
328in vays that are confusing and painful. My father is obtuse at the best of times, flakey at the 
329middle ground, and frustratingly opaque at vorst. You get used to it. But, turn it around. Your 
330parents pushed you into Blackfield, it hurts. But the pain of parents vhat hurt you gave you 
331something instead. Common ground vith Katyushka, yes? The scenario is different, familial 
332relationships skewed, but there is one point of context, an understanding of the pain of rejection 
333of those that society says should love you unconditionally. Hurtful, but beneficial. Agree?" 
334
335Chris is blinking and it's really -now- that he's picking up on the skimming of his inner thoughts 
336as he is still very unused to dealing with ... powerful types. "I wouldn' take it back now I think, 
337that's true enough" is all he says though he perhaps does his best to keep his thoughts to himself 
338this time. "One day, they'll still regret it" he says with the sound of a promise. "Apart from that, 
339what I do is 'fer me now so I don' give 'em much thought anymore or ... I try not to." 
340
341Matvei glances past Chris towards Arkady, but whatever the demon is doing is apparently not counted 
342as helpful advising, and the rotund Russian looks back to the boy again, "You're eighteen. Not sure 
343I can remember -that- far back, but you are still young. You vill never stop wanting your parents. 
344To both be the adult, the future, the brave man, but also to know that the safety of that cocoon 
345still exists. There is no good answer, Chris. Be your own man, I suggest, do it for you, and let 
346them see vhat they cast aside. Focus on vhat you can be. On vhat new cocoon you can build. New nest, 
347new safe place to hide vhen the vorld is terrible and terrifying. Speaking as someone who doesn't 
348find much scary, it is still good to have somevhere protected. Defensible position. A place you can 
349stand, and protect vhat you have come to decide is your responsibility. If it turns out to be Katya 
350long-term, then, so be it. You seem intelligent, determined enough." 
351
352Chris nods his head affirmatively, his ears picking up more than just the words coming from Matvei, 
353"I will" he says more solemnly. "My drive t' be th' best I can, th' best at what I do .. it's mine. 
354And .. hers. I do do it 'fer me." He doesn't add on much else after that, still flexing and rotating 
355his knee. "Now I jus' gotta survive th' cat" he says almost to himself as he takes another breath. 
356"I'm determined enough" he confirms, for him and for Arkady, Matvei. 
357
358A glazed expression comes over Matvei's face for a moment, not looking at either the boy or the man 
359beyond, although his attention snaps back soon enough, "The cat vith the game? Green eyes vere 
360mentioned? I did not get a lot of sense out of Yelizaveta vhen she said she vas asked if she had 
361anything on green-eyed cat monsters." 
362
363Chris both nods his head and shakes his head at the same time. "Yeah, that's about all I got myself" 
364he admits before rubbing at his knee gingerly and continuing to work the joint as if effected by a 
365sports injury perhaps. "Not a monster, I think. Base on what she say ... the books in th' library at 
366Blackfield point to a uh .. godling or a Fae or somethen'. I don' pretned to know enough." He shakes 
367his head again. 
368
369"I know a few fae, but not many. I could ask my Father, but the chance of him offering to look into 
370it, let alone help, must be countered by the fact that you are -not- Russkiy, and the chance of him 
371deciding to crush you for his own amusement run high," Matvei replies, absently scrubbing the back 
372of his thumbnail over his forehead as he thinks, "Best that meet gets done at a time vhen more of 
373the family is around and approving. And not start it off vith asking him for a favour. If you vere 
374older, I'd suggest a trip to the varehouse to explore the archives, but if Yelizeveta is coming up 
375empty, vell, the chance anything is there is extremely unlikely. Least, I assume she came up empty. 
376Alvays have to not just tell her about how you met the green-eyed cat, but actually ask her if she 
377knows anything too...daughters...they are a lesson in patience, both of them." 
378
379Chris perhaps wisely, chooses to remain silent in that but he nods his head vaguely in agreement 
380only, waiting still in uncertainty. Still ... the longer he goes without being maimed the more 
381relaxed he becomes trying to make the best of the current situation. "I ain' but, it didn' stop 
382Capone, or Gotti, or Ray Liota" he says, trying a small hand at a joke. "Ain' gon' stop me. I 
383understand her need not to jus' be handed somethen' We'll earn it." 
384
385Absently adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, Matvei nods a few times, "That as may be, but vhile I am 
386villing to go outside of Rossiya for certain skill sets, for certain bloodlines, my father is set in 
387his vays on the Rossiya is best train. He is half right. Ve are, but there are occasionally good 
388reasons to expand the net and create -new- Russkiys. Ve shall go vith the theory that as long as 
389Katya performs to standard, ve can slip you in as part of the package, the tilt of the balance to 
390ensure the demon is burnt off qvickly. But do not get me vrong, just because you are unlikely to be 
391able to stand on your own feet vith my Father does not mean you get to be useless. Katya is more 
392stable, calmer. Arkady tells me she is doing better vith control, suggested you vere key. That is 
393the concern, Galina's father vas violent, and volatile. Tempering that blood is vital, if you are 
394helping, then this is something I can vork the sales pitch around." 
395
396Chris nods his head slowly, trying to focus on that but he nods. "I understand" he says, and he 
397sounds as though perhaps he does. "We're pretty focus' on makin' graduation, and seein' what lies 
398from there. She knows campus is safe 'fer her so we'll stay but in more free capacity. From there .. 
399she has plans. I'm gon' help her make 'em happen. An .. I like t' think I'm helpin'. If I really am 
400that much then we definitely gotta look at why." 
401
402"Problem of Haven, everyone has protection. Outside of that tiny bubble, she vill be on a higher 
403footing than others, although I vill accept that vith the tail...certain things vill alvays be 
404beyond her," Matvei admits honestly enough, "Lucky ve can get her to secluded beaches, and vork on 
405trying to force her to stop vearing leggings and maybe consider long skirts? Yelizaveta is no help 
406there, and neither is my vife, but perhaps Volodya's vife vill have more luck. Probably be more like 
407trying to vestle an octopus out of its skin...". He shakes his head, amused by the image, and then 
408nods, "Either vay, vun thing at a time. Graduation first. Vell, her turning eighteen, and the trauma 
409that vill potentially cause, or vhatever happens vith her imprints, and -then- graduation. She says 
410she vants to stay there to be vith you. Apparently her English is better than your Russkiy, and the 
411teachers are all ameanable to being bribed, it is easy. Ve'll get you Rosetta Stone." 
412
413Chris nods his head slowly his expression turning toward a frown. "Yeah ... it's ... I've been 
414meaning to learn but school keeps us ... busy. Restricted" he says quietly, his face turning inward, 
415thoughtful and confused before it kind of just ... fades off and the concern is lost as if it never 
416were. 
417
418"Graduation gift it is, for vhen you are in college, have all the time in the vorld, and vant to 
419heckle her in another language? Could also do you Chinese, doubt many people in Amerika speak it, 
420and bundles is easy enough. That or you get lessons vith Arkady," Matvei decides, before looking 
421past Chris at the man who has been doing a good impression of a statue, "Should probably sign you 
422into tutoring anyvay. Veekly bench press top lifting veight, changes in apetite, and vhat are you 
423vorking on right now Arkady?". The dry voice of the austere Russian comments simply, "Mont Sainte-
424Victore, Musee D'Orsay in Paris." 
425
426"My plan is t' maybe teach on an intern ticket while we figure out school" Chris agrees, that coming 
427from him quickly. "I'll use it" he says though, ensuring Matvei of his interest. "I think ... it'll 
428come alrigh' to me" he says. 
429
430"Don't like to keep it simple...", Matvei mutters before looking back to Chris, "If memory serves, 
431that vould be a Cezanne. Should be easy enough to vork out how best to get the painting out of the 
432Museum, yes? Paintings are not terribly problematic, final exam vill be harder, but I am sure Katya 
433vill fill you in on it...it is less exam, more...presentation on the project.". He shakes his head a 
434little, refocusing on the boy, "Teach if you vish, ve can vork out money if it is required. 
435Education is important, even if it is practical, useful, rather than academic. But, speaking of 
436academic, I should get you back before my phone starts ringing from Paul. You may vant to let him 
437know you are back safely once you are...although I suggest not mentioning your knee. Doubt he minds 
438the grab or the blood. Unless you have qvestions?" 
439
440Chris gives a shake of his head. "Tons, but I'll keep 'em crisp when I email so it ain' all jumbled. 
441None worth gettin' into now I think" he adds with a shrug. He stands and he has to limp a little but 
442he nods again. "I can walk through it when I get back, -if- I'm awake ... an' act like it's fine." 
443He takes a breath and glances around. "AHh .." he says, picking up on some of the conversation if 
444not all. After a moment he shrugs, tyupical teenage attitude toward danger or criminal choices. "I'm 
445in, I'll ask her an' see where I fit in." 
446
447"Knowing her? You'll be the vun doing the heavy lifting," Matvei responds with a snort, "Vhile she 
448bosses you around." He wriggles, dropping down onto his feet, a hand waved towards the clerk who's 
449table he's been loitering on, the cheap-suited man starting to busily pack away notes, files, turn 
450off the tape recorder, and generally start tidying. Extending his hand towards Chris's left one, 
451Matvei offers to help haul the boy to his feet, "Feel free to email. No promises for instant replies,
452but I keep on top of it. It vas good to meet you, Chris. I think Arkady is going to drop you off, 
453less requirement for Dana's pack to thump you over the head that way." 
454
455Chris nods his head again and he doesn't hesitate to shake the man's hand and he pockets the phone, 
456so blatently bugged right in front of him. "I will ... if I keep my neck on, I expec' I'll bug you 
457often enough." He turns to Arkady a little more uncertainly the man's demeanor is definitely cold 
458though ... some of the humor while belated to put the pieces together isn't lost on the boy. 
459
460Shaking hands is for American's, and the still mostly human Chris doesn't get much of a chance to 
461object despite being taller than Matvei as he gets dragged in for a more Russian hug, any flailing 
462or squawking ignored during the crushing squeeze before he is released from the fatherly bro-mance. 
463"Vould recommend heads remain attached, vear a platemail scarf if needs be," comes the sage advice, 
464and then he is shooed over towards Arkady. Who most certainly, despite being Russian, does -NOT- do 
465'cuddling'. Or even handshakes, apparently, the man's hands tucked neatly behind himself in a 
466mannerism that also seems oddly familiar, the tiny Russian of Chris's affections apparently a sponge 
467for mimicing family and not-quite-family traits. Arkady doesn't smile either, but he does wait, 
468querying, "Ready?" in his usual chilly tone. Wouldn't want to let a hint of a smile show and break 
469the habit of a lifetime, after all. Heaven forbid wrinkles might result! 
470
471Chris nods at Arkady. "Yeah, let's do it" he says, uncertain what exactly he's ready for. 
472
473"Don't take a detour and drag him off to your lair to snack on him, betveen the blood loss and being 
474around both of us, he's probably about ready to faint now, you don't need to remove body parts to 
475see vhere they go...I'll get you a different chew toy," Matvei happily teases the unsmiling, barely 
476blinking Arkady. Without response, not even an eye roll, Arkady unfolds his hands from behind 
477himself and places skeletal fingers on Chris's shoulder, the air around the pair of them starting to 
478warp even as Matvei points out, "I'll find a cart-volf to drop the boy's blood off, I'm sure Andrei 
479vill be delighted..." before getting cut off as the austere stand in for Vetinari sucks Chris into 
480the pathing forest, and off towards home, or at least Blackfield. 
481
482And dropping him off neatly with a little shove towards the Union Building, Arkady doesn't hang 
483around either, ditching Chris to head home and go play mad scientist with his blood. Shame nobody 
484could ever imagine him manically cackling really. 
485
486But this concludes Chris's whirlwind tour of the fun of Russian scary people. Your friendly SR 
487thanks you kindly, and she thinks if you go down, you will probably find a sleepy teenage girl in 
488your bunk directly below us.