PARADISA

( private )

[Hellboy dictates thoughtfully into the journal, meanwhile scribbling out a Tic-Tac-Toe board to the side, in the margin, in case anyone is as bored as he is -- though he probably shouldn't think that way.]

I don't even know what's considered a long time to be here anymore. But I feel like the longer I'm here, the more complacent I get about everything. The harder it is to keep track of what's happened. The harder it is to be surprised by anything that gets thrown at us.

Sometimes I really wonder what it is that makes us so special to this place. And why it keeps people here even when they just don't care anymore.

[He has some more to say on this, some thoughts he's been brooding about, but he doesn't like being this negative publicly. So whatever. He switches tacks.]

We should have nice weather pretty soon, right? Last year we had that whole Spring festival thing, but it looks like the castle doesn't really like to repeat itself with that kind of thing. I don't know.

It would be nice to see some change, anyway.

[After the last person is cured from the virus, the following is written in the journal. Anyone who's had a written conversation with Hellboy before will recognize the left-handed scrawl; he isn't bothering to disguise himself or filter this. But some things are just easier to write out.]

For those of you who don't know what happened this past week, you deserve an explanation. Closure. There wasn't enough time to explain before. And I know sometimes things don't get put out in the open here. So look here first: [page number.]

And here's the rest of it:

[He transcribes the words that appeared in his journal a few days ago.]

We found the cures that the last castle didn't. And that's about it.

If there's anything more you want to know, I'll do my best to answer. I'm sure other people will try and help explain, too.

But the important part is, we're all safe now.

( Nancy Downs and Zeke Tyler )

( Gaudium Tower, Room 1908 )

( Kate Kane )

[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.

[Hellboy's outside in the garden today, sitting on a stone bench. And also cleaning his gun. Because now that he actually has one again (that he's not renting from the shooting range ...), he should probably take care of it so it doesn't explode again.

Not that this was his fault, for reals.

A lot of people have been leaving lately, people he knows, and it's making him nervous -- why does the castle continue to hold him here, when so many have left?

He opens his journal after awhile and flips to a blank page.]

There have been a lot of departures in the past few months. Or maybe I'm just more aware of them because I've been here this long.

[Long enough to build friendships to the point where it's distressing when they leave, despite this meaning they're escaping the castle.]

The number of people returning has been dwindling, too. It seems like the castle's developed a really particular taste lately.

[He pauses, not really sure if he wants to voice this next bit. But --] I wonder if it's possible for the castle to starve itself by being so choosy. And what'll happen to those of us still here if it does.

[ooc. open in person or over the journal!! i'll be at work until the evening so tags will be scarce until then.]

[this is dictated, and also backdated to a more reasonable hour!]

So for those of you who have been around longer than me -- the kid thing. The magic kids that hang out for a week and then disappear, I mean.

[a pause, because that is both weird and sad. bluh. magic castle.]

What happens to them if your ... partner ... has gone home since then? Does the same kid show up? Or do you, er ... get a "new" one?

[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.

( Doodles that all look something like this. )

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!]

( Rose Tyler )

[dictated]

Easter's coming up pretty soon. For those of you who weren't here last year -- or ... I guess were "indisposed" or however you want to call it, the castle gave us a bunch of plastic eggs to fool around with.

You guys think we're getting something like that again? Or maybe we'll get Passover or something this year. Paradisa seems to be trying to be more inclusive lately, anyway. Not sure why that is, or what its reasonings are ...

Still. I wouldn't mind those little marshmallow birds. I think I could live with that.