XXXV.

[hellshaped]

[There are some tiny hoofprints in the snow around the castle.

There are also some high snowbanks on either side of the road leading out of the courtyard, and there might be a quiet, stifled laugh coming from one of them as you pass by. If you choose to keep walking and ignore it, there will be a snowball whizzing by. Maybe it hits you, or maybe it misses you completely.

Either way, the assailant is nowhere to be seen. As long as nobody looks behind the snowbank, that is.

In the meantime, this is written in the journal in a sloppy, left-handed scrawl:



Occasionally a tally mark will be added to either side.]

Comments

[molotov]

[Not every bear in the castle is sentient and willing to distribute bottles of delicious soda. Molotov is coming back from checking up on her precious babies, white fur coat slightly dragging in the snow, when she sees a snowball go flying. She frowns, and turns to where it came from.]

Knock it off.

[hellshaped]

[There's nobody there!! How spooky.

A bit of snow falls off the top of this snowbank, though, like someone just brushed against it before she turned around.]

[molotov]

[She sighs, as this is obviously a child (or potentially her idiot husband being "cute"), but she doesn't want to be pelted with snowballs! She approaches the snowbank casually.]

You cannot hide from me, you know.

Tiny harbingers of the Apocalypse unite?

[kid_apocalypse]

[Evan's been going on a lot of outdoor walks lately. As much as Paradisa reminds him of home, he still feels stifled remaining indoors all day, so he's out and about today, earmuffs on his ears, and a big fluffy winter coat on. He hears the giggle as he passes by, and he narrows his eyes, checking his surroundings before diving behind the opposing snowbank, sensing in his teen mind what was about to go down. With his back pressed to the snowbank, he pokes his head over the top of it, briefly.]

I don't know who you are, but you're on!

\o/

[hellshaped]

[There's a moment of stunned silence from the other snowbank, before a little red person with horns lifts his head over the edge with a slightly exasperated look.]

You're not supposed to do that.

[kid_apocalypse]

[Before responding, Evan lets fly with a snowball he's made, before peeking his own gray-skinned head over the edge.]

Oh yeah? I thought this was a snowball fight! Or aren't you man enough for the challenge?

[There's a silly confidence in his voice. Among many other things, Evan has never been in a proper snowball fight, just read about them and witnessed them on the grounds of the school, so he's entirely making it up as he goes.]

[willrememberthat]

[Why does she keep getting hit by snowballs :(

Clem gasps, shaking the snow out of her hair. It's cold.]

Hey! Who did that?!

[hellshaped]

[HEE HEE HEE, there is some snickering coming from behind this big mound of snow. He is not very good at this stealthy thing.]

[willrememberthat]

[Oh, someone's playing! Hmm, Clem can play, too. Maybe it's that nice elf she met earlier.

She smirks and quietly approaches the snow mound... to give it a great big shove.]

[huffythedragon]

[Spike is wandering around in the snow, oblivious to what's going on, but the journal has made him pause to squint at it]

...What foes?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy pauses in harassing people to eye the journal, dictating back.]

There are foes everywhere. Enemies of justice!

[huffythedragon]

[Spike glances around]

...Do you mean the penguins? Because I thought there was something fishy about them.

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Swoosh!

That one was close! But the snowball only flies past right beside his ear. It is enough for Cloud to turn to where it came from--SPLASH! ... Alright that one hits him fully in the face.]

What the--

[hellshaped]

[He is getting better at this aiming thing! But a little worse at the hiding thing -- he's ducked behind the snowbank, but the tips of his horns are visible over the top.]

[shrugs_a_lot]

[Swipes the snow off his face and peeks at the snowbank... Heeeey, there's someone there! What is it... a bug?]

I see you!

[originalcopy]

[An oblivious Church is walking though with an armful of wood for his bonfire when he gets pelted.]

Hey!

[hellshaped]

[SCORE. Hellboy hides behind the snowbank, stifling his laughter. He is so great at this, for real.]

[originalcopy]

[Church looks around for his attacker... and since he doesn't have a lot of mobility in turning his head, this means he has to physically turn around a lot to do so. Leaving him wide open for more snowballs.]

South, if that's you I swear I'm gonna'....

[heloise]

Winning, are we?

[hellshaped]

Justice will always prevail.

[heloise]

Who are your foes? Tyrants and tormentors?

[emboldens]

[ Fortunately for him, the snowball finds its mark and she lets out a surprised noise. Unfortunately, she is very familiar with children and their sneaky habits.

With a grin, she approaches the snowbank she believes the snowball came from and, after scooping up a bit of snow, deposits it atop of the assailant accompanied by some laughter. ]

.. I've found you!

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy gives a little surprised yelp when he's bombarded with snow, and scrambles a bit uselessly (hooves and snow don't really work well together) as he tries to get away.]

That's cheating!

[truestsciences]

[Getting a snowball to the side of his head is the opposite of what he wanted. He's cold and miserable enough as it is, and

He adjusts his glasses quickly, turning towards where the snowball came from.]

Where the fuck are you hidin'?

[hellshaped]

[WOW Hellboy immediately lifts his head from behind the snowbank, eyes wide with judgement.]

Don't swear!