XXIX.

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy hadn't heard from Kate since the ball those fairies threw the other day. Which, judging by his experience with fairies, wasn't really a good sign.

He's about to go out and check her name plate, maybe toss a question about missing persons up on the journal, when he notices a note and a silver dagger sitting on the small table near the door.

He reads the note over a few times, the severe, hard lines of his face unchanging, stoic.

Slipping the dagger into one of the many pouches on his belt, he neatly folds the letter and tucks it into his pocket.]

[Kate]
I hope I never see you back here again. You deserve better than being trapped in a place like this. And I hope something better is what you went back home to. -HB
[/filter]

[A little bit later, after waiting to see if he got an incredulous or confused response from her, Hellboy heads down to the duck pond. He doesn't even bother to check her name plate after all. No sense in it, really.

Sitting at the water's edge, he looks at the dagger Kate had left him, then fishes around in his pockets for a minute, coming up with a string of small bells. They were something he was saving to give to her, but it's sort of moot now. He wraps that around the handle and then sets the dagger down, picking up his journal instead to dictate into it.]

Kate Kane's made it out of here.

[He doesn't think she'd left letters for everybody, after all.]

Just thought everyone should know.

Comments

Dictated forever

[mal_addict]

[She'd got the note, of course, and the ring. It had left an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't used to caring when people vanished from this place. Usually she could go on without much trouble.

But every now and again one who was especially close to her, who wormed their way past her defences left. And she found herself missing them]

To a better place than this I hope.

i agree

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy knew he should be glad whenever someone he's close to leaves. Nobody deserves to be trapped in a place like Paradisa.

But of course, it didn't really work that way. He always felt bad, and a part of him wished they were still here. Especially in this case, especially with Kate.

It was selfish and he hated feeling that way.]

I hope so, too. At least she got out, if nothing else.

[mal_addict]

Exactly, no more...ridiculous monsters or magical castles playing with her mind.

...Still. It won't be the same without her.

[hellshaped]

No, it really won't. It'll be weird not having her around to talk about everything.

[mal_addict]

Yeah, It was nice to have someone who got the woman in the army thing.

[secondchances]

[Steph's still holding onto her letter as she speaks in the journal.]

You two wer--are friends?

[hellshaped]

[He doesn't really have any illusions about the fact that if Kate ever comes back, there's about a fifty percent chance she won't remember him at all.]

She was probably my best friend here.

[secondchances]

[Ouch. Right in the feels.]

I'm sorry. It's really tough when this stuff happens--and I'm not really the best with figuring out what to say.

If it helps, Kate and I are from the same city. She's probably more than fine at home.

[hellshaped]

[He smiles a little, though of course she can't see it!]

It's okay. I'm not great at this kind of thing either, so I understand.

[But oh, wait --] You're from Gotham?

[secondchances]

Born and raised. Did Kate talk about it a lot?

[bezazzled]

[There's no time like the present to feed the ducks in the duck pond! They're still there, right?

Mabel's got a bag of stale bread and a spring in her step as she approaches the water. It's kind of hard to miss Hellboy sitting there looking like a sad rock, so Mabel stands beside him and begins to throw her breadcrumbs into the water, hoping someone will come by for a nibble.]

Hi!

[hellshaped]

[There should be ducks here! Do they go south for the winter? Hellboy had never really paid attention to that.

He does, however, notice that there is now a young lady tossing bread to those waterfowl in question! He takes a break from being a sad rock and looks over at her.]

Hi. I don't think you're supposed to feed them bread.

[bezazzled]

[She makes a raspberry sound and waves a hand.]

Nonsense. They love this stuff!

[She flings some more broken bread bits into the water. Some ducks come by to pick at it but generally show little interest.]

[hellshaped]

[Those are some smart ducks ... he's pretty sure you're not supposed to feed bread to birds, anyway. He can't exactly recall why at the moment.]

What kind of bread is that?

[bezazzled]

[She saw it on TV once! But those were TV birds. They very well could be fake birds. But she peers into the bag of crumbs.]

Stale magic bread? I found it in the kitchen.

/non-dictation...

[gottaknockhard]

[...

Well everyone leaves eventually. Probably takes out some potential problems for him, really. Spike is immune to disappointment, if that's even on the table, so he only makes a note of it and turns the page.

See you, Kate.]

[hellshaped]

[ 8( ]

[perma-dictated]

[whathedoves]

[This is such disheartening news, especially coming what feels so close to the other departures.]

I'm very sorry to hear that. She was very strong in her convictions, and very kind. What a lovely woman! And such lovely hair.

[It's getting harder to say these encouraging things, but ...

He's pretty selfish, after all, but there's still no excuse to think everyone else will be.] I'm sure she's doing well back home!

same!!

[hellshaped]

[LOVELY HAIR no don't..... talk about Kate that way, it's confusing for him.]

She's probably doing a heck of a lot better than here, anyway.

[whathedoves]

I think that's a good guess!

Maybe she's putting her skills to good use! Being pretty athletic, I bet she's just made to do sports.

And the castle is pretty much out of intramural teams, you know?


Yes, that's best ... positiveness is contagious.

[hellshaped]

[this guy......]

I don't know if she was that into sports. She never mentioned it.

Were you good friends with her?

[squartatore]

[is nearby when she overhears. Dude, do you look bummed. This could be a bad time]

I'll let you have some space.

[that was how she'd coped with people leaving, anyway -- mope alone]

[hellshaped]

[sayaka 8'(

Hellboy looks over at her with a small shrug, his face doing that weird sort of smile thing.]

It's okay. How are you?

[When Hellboy is upset, he tends to throw himself into his work. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be much work to speak of in Paradisa, so he'll throw himself at any distraction that presents itself.]

[squartatore]

[has come to recognize the expression for what it is, to a limited extent, but it actually makes him seem sadder]

Just taking a walk. [...

she shoves her hands into her pockets, moving closer in an unspoken suggestion that she's listening, or can simply hang around if he wants her to]

[hellshaped]

[He nods, lighting a cigarette. Her company is welcome, though he's not going to say that out loud. Too awkward.]

That's pretty much all there is to do here, for the most part.