XXXIV.

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy dictates idly to the journal from a little distance away; he's working on something in the background, and sounds a little distracted.]

Aside from all the magic kissing, this place likes to give people presents around Christmas, too. Which sounds a lot more ominous than it really is, come to think of it.

I didn't get anything last year, so don't be disappointed if you don't, either. Most people get cars or horses or little trinkets from home. Something like that.

If you ask me, the only thing I want for Christmas is a solid answer from this place. For once.

[And if anyone happens to be around the church in town, they'll see what he's so distracted by -- he's constructing an Advent wreath to place on the bannister. The first candle is already in, but obviously he hasn't lit it yet.

He's just happy to be keeping busy.]

[ooc. open over the journal or in person. kissmas or kiss-free tags are both ok!]

Comments

over the journal!

[bezazzled]

[WHOA WHOA THERE HB. Back up a second.]

What do you mean by "magic kissing?"

\o/

[hellshaped]

Yeah. [Wasn't this common knowledge already.....]

Every year, the castle likes to get us to kiss one another. Well, sometimes a few times a year. But always at Christmas.

[bezazzled]

[Oh no... THERE ARE SO MANY OLD PEOPLE HERE THOUGH.]

Whaaaaat! Do we have to kiss everyone?

[hellshaped]

No, no ... there's usually something that triggers it. Last year it was fairies. I haven't heard anything about this year's trigger.

[bezazzled]

So what you're saying is, if you figure out what causes the kissing, it's possible to rig it so you can kiss whoever you want?

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia hovers near the church's entrance to watch him work, waiting until he finishes dictating into the journal. It would be rude to interrupt. She speaks up once he has been silent for long enough. ]

What is the question?

[hellshaped]

[He's a little startled when she speaks, having not noticed her standing around there.]

Jeez, you're like a ninja or something ...

[Shaking his head, he puts another few leaves on the wreath and then steps back to look at his work.]

The question ... why it chose us for its needs. If there's even a reason for it.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia grins at his reaction, even if she doesn't know if ninja means a good thing, taking a few steps closer to see that wreath. ]

I wonder why are chosen to be anything at all, to have certain privileges, a certain name.

[hellshaped]

[He pauses for a long moment, just looking at the wreath. But really he's mulling over her words.]

Fate. If you believe in that.

[heloise]

[ Lucrezia comes close enough to play with the leaves. He is among those she remembers clearly enough from before. ]

Predestination.

Dictated forever

[huffythedragon]

I'd be glad if this place never gave me a gift.

yesss

[hellshaped]

They're pretty innocuous, like I said. But I don't blame you. I wouldn't want to take anything from this place either.

[huffythedragon]

It's not that. I can't have any gifts from anypony. I kind o have this...uh problem with greed. It's why I had to leave when the illness happened.

[hellshaped]

[OH, RIGHT. DRAGONS...]

Is that something you have to deal with every day? [Does Spike just not own any material possessions, or ...]

[huffythedragon]

It's okay, so long as I don't get given too many things. That's what triggers it, I think. Too many things at once.

It's kinda hard to know for sure. No dragons go to Equestria, and the ponies know almost nothing about them.

[molotov]

They are not always from home.

[hellshaped]

No? That's the first I heard of that.

[molotov]

My gifts have been from dreams and world changes.

[hellshaped]

Dreams? That one's actually kind of concerning.

[molotov]

It was a castle-induced dream. They happened to everyone.

[abelard]

[Cesare rides by on a horse, then frowns and stops.]

What are you doing?

[hellshaped]

[CESARE GET OFF THE HORSE no it's fine, it's just weird. Who rides horses in cities ...

People from before cars, Hellboy.]

You don't know what an Advent wreath is?

[abelard]

Why are you making one?

[hellshaped]

Did you miss the part where I'm Catholic?

[abelard]

You have not seemed the most devout of this small flock.