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"Well at least this bearded doofus isn't woefully out of touch like Thor is. No wonder he lost Mjolnir to Jane."

He nudged Theo

"What is it, Andrew? If it's that Skrull lady with laser powers having issues because she got knocked up again, I can't be bothered right now."

Jingyang had played like 3 songs before stopping his play. He then looked around to observe the surroundings, finding Xueqing having her soul in Sue's right hand, and just watched. "Huh?"

"That Astartes guy isn't like Thor...."

Esme’s son John walks into the bar. He is not much of a spectacle at first glance and indeed he tries not to be, but closer inspection would tell you the man is armed to the teeth. Revolvers, daggers, plasma cutters of various sizes, and a few grenades are strapped to his body beneath his overcoat. Arcane sigils tattooed on his hands glow a hard-to-miss vivid purple.

When he sees his mother leaning against the bar, cane in one hand and an empty liquor glass in the other, it’s hard not to say something. But give her some credit—she actually seemed to be talking to people! And he hadn’t had to bribe her into doing it. Maybe miracles were still possible. “I see you’re taking my advice and making some friends, mom? That’s great.”

He extended a polite little nod to her conversation partners, the other patrons she had been talking to. “Hello. Name’s John.” If he had noticed any of the weirdness going on in the bar, he didn’t show it on his face. Probably just trying to be polite.

"Heh?" The girl noticed a newcomer, and while she turned to see him, her soul flew back into her chest.

From how he interacted with Esme, Xueqing was certain John was Esme's son. But... that seemed needlessly over-equipped. She was a lot confused, of course, and the firearms actually brought her bad memories that unnerved her.

"Umm... hello, John." She mustered up a bit of courage and greeted, albeit she couldn't hide her nervousness.

John blinked as the soul flew across the room. Well, you don’t see that everyday.

He noticed Xueqing’s apprehension and buttoned up his overcoat so at least the weaponry wouldn’t all be staring her in the face. “Pardon the uh… arsenal. I hunt demons and necromancers; it’s not a lifestyle that makes you feel comfortable walking around unarmed. Promise I won’t use them unless we’re in danger.”

“Its good to meet you, in any case,” he smiled gently. In more of a whisper, he added, “And thank you for talking to my mother. I know she can be a little unstable.”

"I know, he's a lot smarter."

"I can assure you, Inquisitor, that your mother is a completely normal individual. She is a fine Tech-Adept and I am proud to have her in my retinue."

John was about to retort ‘maybe completely normal is an overstatement’ but stopped himself after taking a good look at Harkoth. No, she really was pretty normal in comparison.

“Just make sure she’s careful. I do support her in this, no matter much she’s probably given you the ‘he stands in the way of progress’ line. I was her lab assistant for years, you know.” He paused. “Not that I want to get involved in… whatever you and her are up to now. I have my own matters to attend to. Vile magic I must find a way to purge from my body. You know how it is.”

"Of course. [*binharic squawk*] I have already ensured that a cyber-familiar will be monitoring her, as her assignment to me was initially punitive, but I have petitioned the Fabricator-General to let me take her under my wing and ordain her within the Cult Mechanicus."

John had his doubts. But Esme desperately needed someone around who knew what they were doing with cybernetics, and so he tried to set those doubts to the side. Mostly.

“Good. I appreciate your willingness to teach her. But just to make sure we’re on the same page—if anything happens to her, there will be hell to pay. Am I clear?”

Esme looked up from her second drink, appalled. “How many times must I tell you? Do not threaten people on my behalf.”

"[Error] Damn not found."

Setsuna doesn't say anything, he just raises an eyebrow at the machine.

John hesitated, taken slightly aback. Maybe a little insulted by the knowledge he wasn’t all that intimidating. He had to take a minute to regain his composure before responding in kind.

“Very well. Whether or not a threat is taken seriously does not affect the veracity of the threat.” He smirked. “But I’d rather not have to make good on it. I didn’t come here to start anything. I came here because I’ve been on the hunt for a particularly slippery necromancer for a while now, and I’m damn tired and need a drink.”

He looked around until he spotted Mathius, and waved him down. “Sir, when you get a moment. I’d like a cosmopolitan.”

Harkoth stares at Esme, his head tilting sideways to indicate a confusion that he believed she could explain.

“John is just much, much too overprotective of me. That’s all.” She shook her head. “Thinks I’m going to botch a surgery and die or something. Or that I will under your watch, I suppose? As if that’s happened before. I’d like to think I know what I’m doing.”

“Surely you’ve dealt with his like before. Witchhunter types. Inquisitors, I believe you called him. A lot of zeal put to less than efficient use.” Esme laughed. “He made a better lab assistant.”

"uh... sure..." Xueqing was still sweating. At least though, she did seem relieved.

"And, unstable?" Xueqing raised her right eyebrow in mild protest, "There doesn't seem to be anything wrong? Well except she has an obsession with mechanical organs and endin't test them beforehand..." Awkwardly scratching her head while sitting down on a stool, the girl continued, "In fact, she seems quite social?"

John settled into a seat near Xueqing. “Social, you say?” He couldn’t help but smile at that one. “Maybe I underestimate her. There was a time when our conversations were nothing but her saying ‘pliers’ or ‘soldering iron’ or what have you, and I would say ‘yes ma’am’ and hand her what she was asking for, and she’d proceed to work silently up until she needed something again. Must be she’s getting lonely with me out of the house.”

“Now, indulge my curiosity, if you would,” John asked her. This had been eating away at him and he desperately wanted answers. . “I saw something fly into your chest when I first spoke to you. What was that? Do you know?”