XXV.

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy's outside in the garden today, sitting on a stone bench. And also cleaning his gun. Because now that he actually has one again (that he's not renting from the shooting range ...), he should probably take care of it so it doesn't explode again.

Not that this was his fault, for reals.

A lot of people have been leaving lately, people he knows, and it's making him nervous -- why does the castle continue to hold him here, when so many have left?

He opens his journal after awhile and flips to a blank page.]

There have been a lot of departures in the past few months. Or maybe I'm just more aware of them because I've been here this long.

[Long enough to build friendships to the point where it's distressing when they leave, despite this meaning they're escaping the castle.]

The number of people returning has been dwindling, too. It seems like the castle's developed a really particular taste lately.

[He pauses, not really sure if he wants to voice this next bit. But --] I wonder if it's possible for the castle to starve itself by being so choosy. And what'll happen to those of us still here if it does.

[ooc. open in person or over the journal!! i'll be at work until the evening so tags will be scarce until then.]

003. [dictated]

[fatetransfer]

[for the last week, things have been bothering her regarding the murder. And not in the way you would expect murder to bother a 10 year old. First there was the pang of regret that being the way she is without her diary meant she couldn't do anything to help before it happened, which she would have been able to 16 years ago... at a price of course but still. But there was something else bothering her now.]

...Is death different in this world? I've heard people say things like "this person will just come back" and I'm confused. People don't rise from the dead... but they do here?

[she's not so sure how this affects her feelings and thoughts about this world yet.]


[filtered to Ringo]

[and now for the OTHER thing bothering her]

Do you remember what the spell to transfer fate is?

(no subject)

[akito]

[ If anyone happens to wander a short distance into the forest they will find a small child having a fancy picnic of fruits and nuts and... quite a fair chunk of ice cream, chocolate, and candy. His 'guests' happen to be any birds and other animals that are brave enough to come take some of the food. He's even dressed up in something fancy for the occasion.

Those browsing through the journals will be greeted by the sound of numerous bird songs, chirps, and tweets as well as a few smudged foot prints on the pages by the bolder of his avian visitors. ]

(no subject)

[save_the_souls]

[Filtered from villains, children and people who would find this to be a too sensitive topic to speak of.]

Ah...I'm sorry if this may bring you some discomfort but...

I was wondering if there could be anything made so that we would...have a way to look after all the bodies of those who have...passed, as there has been some troubles with that in the past.

To be honest, I admit I know very little about the subject. In my time and religion, it is customary to bury a person but it seems as though many people dislike that idea in this castle.

And I do understand the importance of funerals and respecting the death and I feel that should still be done and it should be left to those who are closest to the deceased to do decide those things, but...um...surely there can be something we can do to ensure that things are done respectfully and does not cause harm to those who could be returning?

[Man this is an awkward subject]

Um, thank you for your time!

[ action in the library/dictated ]

[peacockherald]

[Vanyel is in the library, looking through books about music. It aggrivated him some that he could read amount music and hum it in his head, but try and produce a sound through his lips and - nothing. His fingers couldn't come close to strings or wood or metal and it made him itch all over. But, he found the music of the other worlds equally intriguing, and enjoyed reading up on 'bands' and famous songs through years. It seemed the 'Earth' types were full of them. 

He sat back in his chair, having finished reading about some group called 'The Beatles', and considered the journal.]

Does anyone ever wonder why it is some of us have skills taken away, others memories, some items? It makes one wonder what sort of system this Castle has in place to determine such things, or if it is completely random somehow. 

I like to think it has some sort of system, just because I don't like thinking my luck is that cruelly bad. 

first quack [ dictated ]

[asaraindrop]

[ Katniss had told her about the journal. Katniss had also told Prim not to use the journal. Except that Katniss had gone out, just to the kitchen to get them some food. Except that Katniss was taking longer than she'd promised, and Prim was a little worried. She didn't like Paradisa, or the chance that something could happen, or had happened to her sister.

What if she'd left? Or something even worse had happened?

That's why when you hear the voice (she at first thinks she's just talking to Katniss) it's very panicked ]

Katniss? [ Pause ] Katniss? Where are you?

[ And then Prim notices that her words are all over the journal, which isn't quite as private as she'd thought ]

Hello? [ Pause ] This isn't just to Katniss, is it?

[ Oops ]

( o59 )

[gevurah]

( anyone she ran into/spoke to on her kid loss )

( tim drake )

[ And with that, Kate can be found in the music room today, tuning her acoustic. In the background, she's got some music playing quietly.

Though she does have a question to pose to the rest of the castle. ]

Has anyone heard from Nudge? I haven't seen her at lessons in quite a while, but it doesn't seem like her to be so quiet for so long.

And while I'm at it-- [ A split-second pause. ] If anyone's interested in learning to play guitar, I don't mind offering lessons. It's not like I don't have free time, after all.

I'm feeling all adult-like now

[waterproofed]

I'm moving down to the fourth floor. I'm actually doing it. It's... yeah.

Karp! Magi, magikarp!

You're not coming!!

♫6

[both_neither]

[Gren is in the kitchen, enjoying an early cost-free breakfast. He's learned over the last few months to relax about the castle a little. Enough, at least, to help stretch his meager budget from his job in town.

He leans on the counter with a half-eaten plate of scrambled eggs near his elbow and a piece of toast poised in his mouth as he pages through the journal to get the latest news.

When, of course, a drop of jam falls onto the corner of the page. Automatically he goes to speak, but it's a bit muffled by food.]

Oh man...sorry about that.

[He wipes most of it away, but smears it around in the process, then a moment's pause as he takes a drink of milk and speaks again, this time much clearer]

Man, at least if you spill jam on your morning paper, you don't have to worry about getting it on everyone else's.

Oh, hey, while I'm at it, I was kind of wondering about the food situation in here. Is this is all wished up food, or does the castle refill it by itself? Do any of you bring in your own? I hope I didn't steal anybody's eggs...

[A short pause as something occurs to him]

And, uh, not that it concerns me, but where are the ghosts? They're usually hanging around in here. [He's had to shoo one away from taking his dishes away more than once.]

((Replies will be very slow through the weekend. Work is a harsh mistress...))

♛ 51

[ardor]

[Dictated]

I think a little time in the Dead Zone did me some good. Damned place is a ghost town sometimes, but it's relaxing in a way. For some reason, it feels... freer.

[Kallen sighs, tapping a finger on the page.]

Gotta wonder sometimes, though.

( Zelos )

( Rin )

( Ino )

[Filters done, Kallen can be seen headed from the kitchen up to the game room. Anyone fancy a bite or a challenge?]