He didn't answer her, at least not audibly, but instead raised his hands slightly - in a subdued version of what Saga had done upon first meeting him, he realized.

Suddenly, from within the sleeves of his coat there emerged a slender, metallic rod. It bent along several joints as it made its appearance, twisting like it was some sort of snake and Alabaster the charmer. The end of it split into three fingers, twisting and flexing. More arms of a similar nature slid out of the man's jacket sleeves - some of them were tipped with hands, blades, needle-fine points, all manner of things. Alabaster himself was a veritable Swiss Army Knife.