A Pawn in the Game

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

The Brotherhood hideout was not in any aspect a 'welcoming' place to reside and to call your humble abode. The smell, the draft, the taste, and even the thoughts of the building weren't becoming. Everything seemed as if it's purpose was the most important, when in actuality nothing in the building but the inhabitants were important. But one of the most unwelcoming places in the hideout, was it's keepers quarters. The room was thoughtless, emotionless, just sterile feeling, or so Rasputin thought. Everything had a feeling, a thought in Rasputin's world. He had a knack for listening too much to the unimportant things, and listening not enough to the important things.

Rasputin stands at the door of Magneto's quarters. He has only ran into the keeper few times. Rasputin looks at the door as if it's talking to him, or doing something of significance. Rasputin's face suddenly scowls at a sign of the door actually moving, he didn't do anything to it, and wonders who did.

He takes a few steps back and stares at this door, this very plain door to say the least. The Keeper must know I'm here. A sadistic smile rolls over his very clean cut face. Rasputin is very excited to have a meeting with Magneto finally, one on one. Rasputin wonders if he has an important mission, or job for him, something that accommodates his abilities. He walks closer to the door, just about to knock.

[Magneto]

Magneto had a few new recruits added to his list of members as of late and the newest one, a mutant going by the name of Rasputin was currently on his mind. Telepaths and those who could control minds were always an interesting subject and given the fact that Magneto already had one such as Elliot, he was still intrigued by Rasputin. Rasputin had shown complete control over his target, nothing as great as Charles used to do but with time and practice.....maybe he could be.

Being in tune with the magnetic field of the earth gave Magneto a slight advantage over others, one in particular being the ability to see things around him due to the effect that the magnetic field had on them. The iron in someone's bloodstream, loose change in their pockets, or some trinket of jewelry would give most people away if Erik was concentrating hard enough, just as he was now. True he was expecting Rasputin, but the metal rivets of the man's shoes gave him away long before he reached the metal door to Magneto's office.

"Come in Rasputin," he said casually as the metallic door slowly opened, leaving Rasputin fully exposed to the old man who sat at his desk in the cold environs of the metallic room.

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

Rasputin watches as the door opens, he is a bit surprised. He feels like a deer in the head lights. Rasputin has no pre-cog abilities, and is slightly fascinated with Magneto knowing that he was there. The Keeper is indeed a man of great power. This ought to be very interesting. As the door opens as much as it is going to get, Rasputin bows his head slightly to Magneto as a sign of respect.

A moment passes, and Rasputin has a seat in a metal chair that rested in front of Magneto's desk. Of course everything, or just about everything, was made of metal, or had some metal properties in his office. Rasputin takes a quick look around, not wanting to draw attention to his actions. I wonder if he gets some sort of empowerment from having so much metal around, or if he just likes the sterile feeling.

Rasputin looks at Magneto intently. Rasputin was always thinking about something, or was listening to someone think. Either way, his mind was always racing, though he would stay with his own thoughts in the presence of Magneto, he didn't want to chance reading his thoughts and provoking any anger.

"You summoned me sir?" He speaks softly, but in a creepy type of tone. Rasputin was a sadistic individual, his twisted thoughts sometimes reflected in his voice and face. He didn't intend for the creepiness in his voice, it was just him.

[Magneto]

Magneto watched Rasputin with uneasy eyes as the thin frail looking mutant entered into the old man's private sanctum. The unusual metallic helmet which was synonymous with Magneto sat on the metallic desk on Magneto's right side, a precautionary method to be sure, but of course this wasn't the only one, Elliot was waiting in the wings just in case a battle of the minds was needed. The little telepath was getting stronger, still weak in comparison to the urchin who had bested her during the invasion which freed not only Bobby Drake but also gave Pyro John the excuse he had been looking for to leave the Brotherhood.

"Exactly how strong is your ability Rasputin?," Magneto asked, his cool blue eyes staring right through the man sitting across from him. It was clear by the somber expression on Magneto's face that he had something particular in mind, or soon would. The old man was known for using whatever resources he had available to the best of his benefit and now that he seemed to have a telepath and a psychic on his side, he figured it was time to remove a rather potentially cumbersome obstacle, the young man who made such a show during the invasion of the hideout, the one Elliot seemed to be so afraid of lately. If the X-men had a class four or quite possibly class five telepath on their side, then this really did not bode well for Magneto and his plans and obstacles which threatened his plans had a convenient way of disappearing.

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

How powerful was Rasputin exactly? He couldn't take over more than one person at once with his mind melds nor could he keep them for very long, and he sometimes lost barring when it came to his telepathy. But he could take control of a mutant, human, animal, anything with a brain with ease, suspecting or not. There had never been a something that he couldn't take over, sure he might have had to put more effort into others who resisted, but hadn't ever failed. He could also pry into the minds of others (willing or not), and could project decent illusions into people's minds.

Rasputin cocks his head to the left, and darts his eyes to the right. A smile, no a sneer of some sorts creeps over his face. He is unknowingly clicking his hands in a twisted manner as he thinks about what Magneto has asked him. He blinks, and lays his gaze upon Magneto now. "Well, sir. I need much work on controlling my powers. Don't be mistaken, my telepathy is strong, but sometimes it just wont turn off." He immediately stops with the finger clicking. "But that is minor. I have never failed at melding with others. I can easily overcome mental blocks, or securities in my way. And I am fairly good at illusionary work."

He hoped that he could be of some use to Magneto. Rasputin knew he wasn't weak, but wasn't sure what kind of standards Magneto had for him. Perhaps Magneto was having psychic problems, but he didn't know. The thought crossed his mind of taking a peek into Magneto's mind, he wouldn't know, but he quickly decided that would be bad. He couldn't just go peeking into his boss' head anytime he wanted too, he was the boss.

[Magneto]

Rasputin was definitely the odd one, from the way he moved to the way he spoke and the tone he used. The look in the mutant's eyes showed a lot of hurt and suffering, along with the drive to inflict that upon others....eerie yes, but when one had spent so much time around Manslaughter, things like this became everyday occurrences. Magneto of course, was not moved by such intimidating presences, after all, he was used to being in charge and given the level of his power and all the great things he had done with them, well, then, who exactly would you be afraid of?

"What I need to know Rasputin, is can you or can you not stand your own ground with a potential class four telepath?," he asked, making an assumption of the class of the telepath he had in mind. The boy who had assisted in Bobby Drake's escape was impressive, or at least Magneto had been led to that conclusion by the various reports from those that had been here during the assault. The others were of no real consequence, the young Worthington boy and the female from the coffee shop in town. Magneto remembered her well enough, and why shouldn't he? All that metal had to leave an impression on one such as him and now that he had seen her in action and seen just who she was really working for, well....things were beginning to make much more sense.

Magneto began to tap his forefingers together, waiting on Rasputin's reply, the next series of questions totally dependent on the mutant's answer. If Rasputin believed he could occupy Josh long enough, then the visit Erik had in mind to pay the Institute would continue as planned, and if not, well then, he would have to find someone else who could....Then again, perhaps he could find a way to divert the boy's attention...Perhaps by baiting him with something dear and personal to him?

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

Rasputin nods his head gently at Magneto, snickering. "A class four verses a class for should be interesting enough. I will handle him," His eyes widen, he accidentaly took a peek into Magneto's mind without thinking about it. He hopes that Magneto wont be angry with him, and he plays it off like nothing big. "I doubt this other telepath will be able to stand against me. So yes, I can handle myself against this telepath." His nostrils flare, and he sneers at Magneto, "There wont be anything left when I'm finished."

Rasputin hopes that Magneto will be pleased with his answer. What will some stupid, pathetic American boy will be able to stand up to me? He grins to himself, as if he has accomplished something of high stature.

He stares at the ground, as if it suddenly has something constructive to say to him. He looks at it very intently, he is trying out a telepathic technique, he's broadening his senses, trying to feel around for any sort of connection, life other then Magneto near him. He senses a faint connection to the room, but isn't sure who it is. He figures it just someone on the watch to protect Magneto encase of any funny business.

[Magneto]

Magneto had no doubt of Rasputin's abilities, but at the same time he had no idea of the strength of the other. From what Elliot had told him and from the mixed up stories that Madrox was able to put together from the collective intelligence from his copies on the scene, this junior X-man was at least a class four, with a potential to excel that......maybe. So far, Jean Grey had been the only class five that both he and Charles had the luck of finding, but that necessarily didn't mean that she would be the only one to ever come along.

As Rasputin boasted of his ability and assured Magneto of victory, the old man felt a brief poke in his mind and one he was not used to, nor one that he gave permission to be there. Elliot was a familiar presence in his mind, but even she announced herself instead of skulking around, so that left only one person...Rasputin. If the mutant meant to or not, he had to learn the consequences...it was just how things was done and how order was kept and maintained. "Intrude upon my thoughts uninvited again Rasputin," Magneto began as he used his ability to pull the metal chair the other sat in closer to his desk, pinning Rasputin in place, "and I promise you it will be the last time you ever do so," he quickly added, almost in a whisper just as he violently jerked the chair out from under his subordinate and crashing it against the back wall, "Am I understood?," he asked as his icy blue eyes drifted down to the spot where Rasputin would lay in front of his desk.

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

Most would have been shaken when a mutant such as Magneto threatened you, but not Rasputin, he was honored. He had made enough of a ruckus for the boss to notice him, to actually take a disciplinary action against him, this excited Rasputin greatly. Though he did admit to himself that the whole falling out of the chair thing kind of hurt, it wasn't physically exciting, just mentally.

Rasputin sits on the floor, more like is sprawled out on the floor from the unsuspecting attack from Magneto. Rasputin looks at his hands with great interest. He caught his right hand on the chair as it flew underneath him and cut himself. A large gash is slit across his hand, slowly beginning to seep out crimson red blood. A look of sorrow crawls across his face, as if something he loved had just died. He brings his hand up to his face, and licks a spot of the blood with the tip on his tongue. His tongue slowly rolls back in his mouth, and Rasputin closes his eyes, indulging with the flavor of it. He slowly opens his eyes, looking up at Magneto.

"Understood, boss." Rather then sounding like talking, it was a sadistic hiss, a pleasurable one. "Sometimes I have a mind of my own." This made sense to Rasputin, but Magneto probably wouldn't be amused with it. Rasputin slowly stands up, holding his cut hand out to his side, his palm wide open. The blood slowly dripped on the floor. "Is there some way you want me to demonstrate to you my power, what I can do?" He doesn't know who Magneto will have him 'test' it on, or if he even will. But if the boss wanted to see, he'd show him.

[Magneto]

Rasputin was strange, no doubt there, but to be honest, Magneto had seen a lot stranger....and a lot worse. Rasputin wasn't the first to find some sick pleasure in being dealt pain and I'm afraid he probably wouldn't be the last, but his power made him far too valuable an asset to just toss aside because of some freak personality disorder. No, Magneto would tolerate this odd social behavior for a while longer, that is, he would let Rasputin have his flavor for weird things as long as he stayed useful.

The old man arched an eyebrow as he watched Rasputin pick himself up off the floor, apparently enjoying the site of his own blood, something while not entirely nauseating, still turned Erik's stomach somewhat, after all, he had seen more than his share of spilled blood. Torture was not what Erik Lehnsherr was all about, but from all the time he spent in those concentration camps from his youth had taught him much about the fine degrading art. There was no one alive nor dead who could not be coerced into doing or saying what you wanted, just the right amount of leverage and pain had to be dealt first, whether to the person directly or through others they may have cared about.

"Warren Worthington III," was all Magneto said, calmly as if he were reciting something off of a grocery order, "He was one of the foolish souls who broke into our home and took away our guest, not to mention one of our former members. I want you to find mister Worthington and remind him of just who he and all his little friends are dealing with," Magneto said, making sure to keep the other one, Josh, off the record. Elliot had said she detected something between the winged one and the other telepath and thus, from that twisted relationship, was born a hate inspired plan to let the X-men know he would not tolerate any more of their little intrusions.

[Nikkolas Blagetovich]

Warren Worthington III? The last name sounded very familiar to Rasputin, though he couldn't put his finger on it, he had a bad taste in his mouth. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. What could be so important about this, boy he presumed, that Magneto wanted him to send a message to. Sacking the house, and taking a 'friend' was a pretty big slap in the face, and should be dealt with harshly, but what would Rasputin do to him? Finding him wouldn't be that hard with him being a telepath and all, but what to do when he did find him. Would he let the foolish boy know his intentions before taking over his mind, or after?

A sick smile comes over Rasputin's pale face. He knows what he's going to do when he finds this boy, and the thought makes his nostrils flare. "So he was one of the pillagers of our domain?" He quirks his eye brow, "I'll be sure to make the message clear, he will remember what I am going to do to him willingly or not."

He turns around as if about to leave, but pivots back looking Magneto straight in his eyes. "Is there anything specific that I should know about him, to make his pain ever more...unpleasent?" He cracks his fingers, one by one. "I should like to make his pain...memorable." He wonders if Magneto has anything specific to tell him, powers, weakness, vulnerable location, ect.