The Times, They Are a-Changin'

[histruename]

Characters: Hellboy and OPEN!
Date: June 9th - 14th
Location: All over Keeliai
Situation: Hellboy reclaims his bearings


After his short trip through the city, still damp from the basin he'd been summoned from, there was no denying things have changed. There’s a palpable darkness hanging over Keeliai, a new wariness in the eyes of its people, a shadow cast by the blackened palace looming on its horizon. Cultists hiss and scream with their signs and weapons on street corners. Others scurry past like scared animals, head down, looking at no one.

Less than a year ago, Keeliai was a different place, but they had known what was coming. Evandau had warned him of the ancient force of evil they’d been brought here to fight. And back then, Hellboy had offered to go find it, to do everything he could to stop it. But things are rarely that easy.

Evandau had said that the thing had to come to them, that they had to sit and wait with their hands tied before they could even think to fight it. It pissed him off then, and it pisses him off even more now. Because this is the end result, and innocent people are paying for it in blood.

He’s lost too much time. It’s time to get back to work.

Soon as he gets his bearings, gets some much-needed rest and scopes out his new suite in Earth, Hellboy takes off into the city, wanders back to the old noodle shop in the Metal Sector he used to frequent. The shop’s still there, and so is the old man who runs it. Business is bad, and most of the kedan have been relocated to the former Foreigner housing, but things like this just never change.

It's nice to have an anchor in this place, something familiar where lately, he hasn't been afforded that luxury. Keyun has always been nice to him. But now he's much more withered than before, his veined hands trembling over the hot bowls, spilling some of the broth.

Times are hard, and maybe there's still very little he can do to help. But in a small way, Hellboy's glad he's back, because these are people worth fighting for.

((Feel free to ambush Hellboy in the street, at the noodle shop, or even at the market perusing for charms and other odds and ends. He'll be looking for people to talk to about the happenings around Keeliai that he's missed, and will offer to pay for a meal or drinks to whoever's willing. I may put up some headers later for ease of use.))

Comments

[histruename]

"Come on. Clark Kent... Lois Lane...," he tilts his head, waiting for the guy to crack.

But the guy just looks at him, just as surprised and confused and honest as ever. And that's when he starts taking it in--the glasses, the cheesy haircut--and his expression goes deadpan as ever.

"...You're serious."

He's standing in front of God damn Superman.

[andaway]

And it's when he mentions his wife that Clark thinks of another possibility.

"Have you read our articles, maybe? At the daily planet?" A shrug- it's not really all that often that they are recognized instantly, and it's the first time since he got to the turtle around two years ago. But Lois did have her following, and she was pretty known in the community.

"We're doing radio in here, though. Because of the written language barrier."

[histruename]

"Something like that," he says vaguely. He's read articles all right. More like heaps of comic books. TV and radio shows. Movies.

In a way, he shouldn't be all that surprised. Considering the amount of costumed heroes he's encountered in Keeliai. And then there was the Lobster...

Though somehow, Superman is different. He's just one of those guys that's so unreal, so intensely powered and unflawed, he just couldn't imagine him fitting into the real world.

But here he is. Standing right in front of him.

Somehow, it feels kind of rude to just go ahead and say: Hey, I read your comic book. Breaking it to a guy that he's actually a fictional character in his world probably wouldn't make a very good first impression.

So all he says is "I hope I won't be any trouble."

This radio business looks like serious work, and he'd hate to put anyone out. Not to mention suddenly being roommates with a married couple that would probably enjoy their space.

[andaway]

Clark can't help but raise an eyebrow. 'Something like that' is not a yes, and anyone that knows about himself and his wife and doesn't admit how is kind of a red flag, in his book. But the man doesn't look dangerous- and he knows saying that when he's standing in front of a tall, red man with what look to be like horns seems ironic, but he means it. He even took time to greet him and present himself, if he really was dangerous he wouldn't have bothered with manners.

"Oh, I'm sure you won't be. We just got a bit carried away when we realized we were alone." He says, the smile returning to his lips after the confusion. "How about you tell me how much space you might need and we work from that?"

[histruename]

"To be honest? Not much," he says, glancing over his shoulder at the rest of the suite. There's a few other rooms up here, and from where he can see a door ajar, they all look pretty similar. More than big enough for him.

"I'll probably be in and out a lot."

He's always had trouble staying in one place. He needs to be out in the fray, asking questions. Poking around. Trying to do something to help. If he wasn't, he'd drive himself crazy.

[andaway]

"That's alright, we both do that as well. The broadcast isn't 24/7, just 3 times a day, but with all the people we've lost lately... we're kind of short on staff. It's actually hard to find us both in here at the same time- unless it's at night."

He kind of misses her, sometimes, but it's still more than he got back at home. He isn't complaining. "Also I'm a vegan, so the kitchen is kind of filled with that kind of food."

[histruename]

Hellboy would love to offer Clark some help, but mixing him with a bunch of delicate equipment just seems like a recipe for disaster. Never mind he's not really the chatty type.

His eyes were roving over what he could see of the suite until mention of the kitchen situation snatches back his attention.

"Vegans?" He says with the kind of surprise you'd expect after telling someone they only eat insects. The idea of eating that much tofu makes Hellboy's mouth sour. Of course Superman would be a damn vegan. "That's too bad. I make some pretty mean pancakes."

He's joking. Mostly.

[andaway]

That's alright, he's used to that reaction by now. At least Hellboy hasn't asked if he's an actual Disney Princess who talks to the animals.

"Actually you'll also find the ingredients in this place variate a bit from the ones back home- or at least I haven't met anyone who had ever heard of the 'sea prunes' they have in here. I don't advise you try them, by the way." He's only met two other people who were able to digest those, and they were an Atlantean and another Kryptonian. The taste is far too strong for most people.

"Point is, I can make pretty 'mean' vegan pancakes, myself."

[histruename]

Give him time, Clark. They're heading in that direction pretty quick.

"Sure," he teases smartly, "a little tofu. Mix in some sand... What's not to like?"

[andaway]

"If you find Tofu in this place I'll forever be grateful, but there isn't any of that around. You have to be a little more imaginative.

But I'm the vegan one, you can fill the kitchen with whatever you may like."

[histruename]

"Don't worry about it, pal. I'm kidding."

Some people just don't appreciate his type of humor. Though it's hard to get that kind of thing across when your face can't make a proper smile.

"But I'll keep an eye out for that tofu. I try to hit the markets every couple days, see if anything interesting turns up."

He's more into trinkets, little baubles made for luck and bits of stories wrapped in tradition. Gelatinous globs of protein have never really been on the list, but hey, he's stumbled upon worse.