XXII.

[hellshaped]

[Kate]
[dictated!] Hi! I was wondering if you wanted to go to the beach with me today?

[A pause.]

Oh, it's Hellboy.
[/filter]

[Molotov]
[dictated!] Hi Molotov! It's Hellboy. I'm meeting a friend at the beach if you want to come with.
[/filter]

[After waiting for a very long time for a response (like, two minutes -- a small eternity for a child, you see), Hellboy gets impatient and decides to go in the Four Seasons Room himself.

If you happen to be in there for the beach today, you might see a small red child with horns and a tail just walking around with his mouth hanging open. AMAZING...]

Comments

[hellshaped]

Oh, okay! Will you come with me?

[He takes the things anyway, just beaming at her expectantly. Not ... to change his clothes, by the way. He's asking if she'll help collect shells.]

[molotov]

Of course. Go get changed, and then we can collect shells.

[hellshaped]

[And he does! He returns shortly, all fancy in his little swim trunks, swingin' dat pail.]

[molotov]

[Molotov just stands up, leaving her shoes on the blanket, and moves to accompany him. Shells!]

[hellshaped]

[Wonderful shells!! Hellboy merrily collects some smaller ones, planning on using them as like ... face brick on the sand castle.]

[molotov]

[Molotov collects the larger shells, for no real reason other than bigger is better. Mostly she's just wading in the waves, though.]

[hellshaped]

[After Hellboy has got a fair collection of shells in his pail, he just pauses to gaze at Molotov a little. Hellboy, stop ...]

[molotov]

[Molotov glances at him when he pauses, then smiles and hands him a huge conch.]

[hellshaped]

[
:O

HE TAKES

THE CONCH]

Wow!! Where did you find this?!

[molotov]

On the sand, just back there.

[hellshaped]

[HE RUNS BACK TO SEE IF HE CAN FIND MORE]

[molotov]

[Molotov laughs and watches him, just standing where she is to wait for him.]

[hellshaped]

[Eventually he comes back with his bucket topped off with conches. They're cool okay!!!]

I don't think we can do anything with these for the sand castle, but they sure are pretty ...

[molotov]

They can be the hedgerows, maybe. But here, do this, listen.

[She picks up a conch and places it to Hellboy's ear.]

[hellshaped]

[He looks at her a little skeptically, because what is this, but then his eyes go wide.]

Oh!!

[molotov]

Da. So anywhere you go, even in New Mexico, all you need is a shell to be at the ocean.

[hellshaped]

[Molotov, you're being a cutie pie.

Hellboy just clutches the conch to his chest, smiling widely.]

Boy, I hope I can get my hands on one when I go home! Do you think I can take this with me?

[molotov]

[See, Brock, you were wrong to not marry her twenty years ago and pop out babbies

Molotov smiles, perhaps a little sadly, and nods. She wouldn't usually lie, but it's not like he's going to stay this way forever. He'll come off the loss, and know that she was lying to make him happy.]

Da. We can decorate that one, put your name on it, so everyone on the base knows it is yours.

[hellshaped]

[Yeah, I wouldn't worry about HB being mad about this when he's back to his old (literally) self again, Molotov. He'll be happy she was nice to him.]

How should we decorate it? Should we paint it?

[molotov]

We can paint it, or put glitter, or stickers. Whatever you want.

[hellshaped]

Glitter is kind of ... girly, isn't it?

[molotov]

Not if you draw skulls or fire with it.

[hellshaped]

[hellshaped]

I never even thought of that!

[molotov]

Exactly! We will do that when we go back home, da?