XXI.

[hellshaped]

[Hello Paradisa!

You might come across a small red boy with horns and a tail scampering around the halls. Or maybe he's in the kitchen. Or maybe he's climbing trees outside. Or maybe he's poking around in the stables. Or maybe he's in the lobby, hiding behind a potted plant.

Wherever he is, he just looks curious and excited by everything!!!

And if for whatever reason you don't stumble upon this little guy, there are some nice doodles for you to comment on in the journal.



He's also singing some dumb rhymes as he runs around, so you might hear that too.]

If in Heaven we don't meet, hand in hand we'll face the heat. And if things ever get too hot, Pepsi-Cola hits the spot ...

[ooc. loss start! open over the journal or in person, whichever!]

Comments

[hellshaped]

On an Air Force base in New Mexico. There are a lot of army guys everywhere, but they're really nice. Sometimes they make pancakes for me if the professor is too busy.

[gevurah]

[ Huh, she doesn't remember Hellboy mentioning growing up on base. She takes a renewed interest in him. ]

Do you live with this professor on base?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy doesn't talk about himself very much :T Kid Hellboy has no sense of secrecy, though ...]

Yes! He plays catch with me and makes me pancakes and tells me stories. He's really busy, he's on the telephone a lot -- but he knows a lot of neat people, and they come to visit sometimes.

[gevurah]

[ A pause. ]

Did you move a lot? [ She'd never met any professors (scientists?) when she was living on various bases. ] What was he studying?

[hellshaped]

Hmm, no, we've always stayed on base. Sometimes he goes out of the country for awhile, but I never go with. [He looks down at the dog again, giving him some scratches behind his ears.]

He reads a lot of books; I think he studies everything. He doesn't really like to talk to me about his work, though.

[gevurah]

He sounds like a good person, anyhow.

[hellshaped]

Sure, he's great! He's kind of like my dad.

[gevurah]

[ She can get that. ]

It's good to have someone like that looking out for you.

[hellshaped]

Sure -- I wish he were here, though.

[gevurah]

[ She pauses, feeling sympathetic now. ]

You'll be okay, Hellboy.

[hellshaped]

[He just beams up at her.] I think so.

[gevurah]

And you'll go home soon, too. [ Little does she know it's not a week. ] Till then, you can explore all you want.

[hellshaped]

That's fine with me! I'll have some great stories when I go home.

[gevurah]

[ WHY YOU DO THAT. :( ]

Think the professor will believe you?

[hellshaped]

[baby hellboy: an adventure in shaking and crying]

Well, sure! Why wouldn't he? He's always telling me about fairies and goblins and stuff.

[gevurah]

Just checking. [ What a suspicious army. COMICS. ]

[hellshaped]

[Jeez, Kate!! Can't a father tell his kid fairy tales? Except no, it really is because Comics.]

I bet your dad would believe you, too! They know when you're lying, dads.

[gevurah]

Moms know, too. [ Her mom always knew. Whether it was Beth or her. ]

[hellshaped]

Oh, I don't know anything about moms, but you're probably right.

[gevurah]

It's a parent thing. You can't get past them.

[hellshaped]

I wonder if that's something you learn when you have kids -- or if people who are already good at that sort of thing are the people who become parents!

[gevurah]

I think it's a bit of both, but definitely a learning process.

[hellshaped]

Do you have kids?

[gevurah]

[ AHA... ]

No, I don't.

[hellshaped]

Oh. Well, I think you'd make a really good mom! You're really nice. [WEIRD UNNERVING DEMON CHILD SMILE/GRIMACE his face works stupidly even when he's little]