-1John pounded on the heavy, thick door for the fiftieth time that day, trying hard to get his friend to leave his room. It had been a month or so since Liz had left and Hellboy hadn't left his room since. He wouldn't even let John or anybody else come in to bring him food or laundry. The most John had managed to get him to do was to let all of his cats go so they wouldn't starve.

"Hellboy, c'mon! It's been over a month now! You're gonna die if you don't eat soon! Manning is about to have your door completely removed!" John threatened loudly before pounding again. It wasn't in his nature to be pushy or loud but this excessive self-abuse from his friend was enough cause to be. "I'll play Charlotte Church every hour of every day until you come out! I know you hate her!"

There was no response. There never was one. The most response John had gotten out of the month was a stubborn force holding shut the door when he tried to open it. Frustrated with his depressed comrade, he kicked the iron door hard, managing to bruise his poor, human foot.

"You are being so pathetic! You are acting as if life is completely over! Be a man! Get over it!" he hollered finally, getting ready just to turn and leave to attempt luring him out another day. But then he heard it. The tromping sound of a 6'9'' demon, weighing 350 pounds, charging to the door.

John managed to jump out of the way before the door flew open, banging into the defenseless wall behind it, causing quite a pretty dent. What came out of the room, however, was so much more pretty.

Hellboy's black hair was untied and unreasonably wild, hanging about his naked shoulders, which seemed a bit thinner than normal and a shade paler. His beard, no longer a goatee, had similarly gotten out of control, unkempt and in desperate need of a trim. The stubs of horns had grown partially, small but seeming quite satanic in their length. Golden eyes glared out at John above purple circles, threatening death in various interesting ways. Hellboy's uncovered chest seemed slightly deflated as if he had been poked and drained of vitality.

"Hey, Myers! Are you trash-talking me?! Are you saying I ain't a man?!" he barked angrily, his long tail twitching agitatedly. John wisely backed up a few feet, keeping his face as placid as possible. Hellboy held up his large hands, looked about as if demanding someone to answer him. "What? Do you want me to go out and act normal? You want me to prance about like a fucking weirdo, acting like everythin' is okay? Fine! I will! Watch me!"

And with that, he jumped about, waving his tired arms like some demented puppet. It was an amusing sight for John, watching this obviously deprived demon dancing in a circle, a cynical and frustrated expression on his haggard face. He would have laughed if he wasn't in fear for his as-of-yet undamaged body. Finally, Hellboy stopped, holding out his arms and glaring at the human.

"There. Happy, Boy Scout? I'm out and prancing about! And now I am going back to my room!" he growled, turning to leave. Jonh opened his mouth, finally, to protest but quickly stopped when the other man turned around again, pointing a long, threatening finger at him. "And don't you dare play that stupid music! I hate that annoying, screeching bi-"

"Ahem, Hellboy!" an older man's voice interrupted, sounding more than a little flustered. Both agents turned to look down the hall where there stood two more people. Manning eyed Hellboy distastefully, obviously not happy with how his self-imposed damage had taken a toll. His shiny black shoe tapped in an irritated fashion on the equally shiny floor, quickly getting on Hellboy's short nerves.

"So glad to see that you're out and about. I've come to introduce a new team member. Boys, this is Mary McArthur, a Psioncist," Manning introduced, a very cranky tone in his voice at the state of his top agent. Standing timidly next to the older man was a young woman, her hands clasped in front of her nervously. Hellboy stared at her fixedly for she was staring straight at him. If there was one thing he hated the most, it was staring.

Somewhat fidgety, Mary reached out a hand to shake John's, who looked quite puzzled before extending the same shaky hello to Hellboy. He stared down at the proffered appendage, eyeing how much larger and rougher they were compared to Liz's delicate, doll-like hands. After a moment she dropped her hand, looking to Manning for help before turning back to him.

She had shoulder-length spiced brown hair, curling about her chest and back slightly, the bangs pushed to the side along her forehead. Bright, curious hazel eyes scrutinized and analyzed every inch of him though her expression was honest and open. Her face was oval, the skin a nice light caramel tone with a light blush along the high cheekbones. Large but demure lips the color of dusty rose, quirked slightly at the sides in a laughing smile, hidden but visible.

Hellboy was frankly shocked that she gazed so directly at him, not in horror or fear but in polite curiosity. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or frustrated by that. But there was that expression of slight disapproval on her gently furrowed brow that annoyed him. Of course, he wasn't in the healthiest state of life and he hadn't bathed in a month but that didn't soothe his annoyance.

"A what?" he wisely demanded in a growl, hiding an even ruder question. The woman looked up at Manning who shrugged and nodded toward Hellboy and John who seemed equally perplexed.

With a sigh, Mary stared straight into Hellboy's golden eyes, her hazel ones taking on a brighter hue and seeming to flare slightly with some inner fire. He began to feel this strange, crawling sensation up inside his skin, as if there were tiny fingers digging into his flesh and shimming up and down. It vaguely horrified him but he held still, not sure of what she was doing.

Suddenly, his left hand came up and slapped him, hard. Shocked, he stared down at his now limp and treacherous arm before feeling the side of his face with his stone hand.

"What the hell did you do?" Hellboy demanded lowly, amazed and angered that she could do that. Mary merely smiled sweetly before he felt a flush of freezing cold rush through him as if he had been dumped in a pool of ice.

"She can manipulate people's minds, making them do what she commands through changing the chemical flows in their brains. If she focuses enough, she can convince the body to choke the air or blood to vital organs. Hell, she could make the body implode if she convinced it enough. She can plant ideas and thoughts in their mind. But one special trick is her ability to touch, see and feel without her body," Manning droned, presenting and explaining her as he would a horse. Hellboy got the gist of it and was more than glad when her mental grip slid from his brain. He didn't like someone controlling his arm and forcing it to hit him.

"How?" John asked curiously before he could stop himself. Mary smiled at him again.

"By using my mental forces to direct and suggest. Other than that, I'm not too sure," she replied, finally speaking. Her voice was a bit higher than Liz's had been but was more melodic and expressed more feeling. "Watch."

John suddenly tightened up, his hands gripped into fists at his sides as an invisible finger trailed up his neck and down his back, through his clothing. It felt like flesh, warm with even the tip of a fingernail. But there was a solid wall behind him and she stood in plain view, hands again clasped easily.

Hellboy was about to demand what the hell she was doing before he felt it himself. He felt a warm hand rest on his thick throat, the fingers drumming on his pulse before sliding away. She stood right in front of him, her grin a bit diminished but her eyes still a bright green.

"Oh."

"Its not an exact science yet but I'm hoping to make progress by working in the Bureau. I've already met Abe and I have to admit that its interesting to meet another pseudo-psychic," Mary said lightly. She laughed and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Its really rather odd to have someone else in my mind."

Hellboy grimaced at her cheerful attitude. He was only used to one semi-cheery person and that was John, who was so quiet about it that it generally shouldn't be called 'cheer'. Curious, he glanced out of the corner of his eyes to spot John smiling slightly at the new member.

Personally, he didn't want her there. He wouldn't have minded if she was male or someone he wouldn't have to bother with but from the stern look Manning was giving him, he would have to.

"Why don't you get cleaned up and take Miss McArthur for a tour through the rest of the complex? I have other matters to attend to," Manning said, puffing up slightly. Hellboy had come to like the older man somewhat but he couldn't resist the temptation to puncture his ego bubble.

"Like what? An interview with Oprah?"

A muffled laugh escaped Mary and all three men looked at her as she covered her mouth and looked away. Manning's face turned a fascinating color of purple before he turned and stomped off, finding himself above arguments with the demon.

"Well, this has been interesting," Mary muttered, looking down at her feet before stifling another laugh. Hellboy glared at her, hoping she would take the hint. The pleated brown skirt and button up white business shirt bothered him in its normality, along with the pink high heels and nude stockings.

"What's so interesting about it?" he growled suspiciously. He could feel John's eyes upon him, inquiring as to why he was being rude. But Mary merely looked up at him, from her 5'6'' height, her large hazel eyes flickering over his face.

"Why do you hate me so much already?" she queried in return, her voice soft and somewhat sad. Hellboy tensed slightly, a snarl forming in his throat. It was bad enough that Abe could get into his head so easily but for this small woman to be able to infuriated him terribly.

With a rumbling roar of anger, the demon turned and disappeared into his room, slamming the door behind him, the sound banging like a gun resound. John flinched and sighed, knowing he was never going to get him out now.

Suddenly, he was quite aware that Mary had turned from eyeing the door to studying him. He watched as her smile disappeared and a frown cloud her brow.

"I don't understand."

"You don't? I thought you could read minds."

"No, I can't. I can only control the body and plant ideas. Thoughts are beyond me," she sighed and looked at the door again, sincerely frustrated. John stepped a bit closer, feeling a bit sorry for the rude welcome.

"Then how do you know he hates you?"

Mary snorted softly before turning a reprimanding look upon him.

"You don't have to be psychic to see that he wanted nothing more than to punch my face in. It happens a lot with people around me. But I really want to know why," she explained firmly, before turning away to head back the way she came. John hesitated before running to catch up, not sure of what to say.

"Maybe he'll be kinder in time. It usually takes a while for Red to warm up to anyone," he suggested half-heartedly. Mary cast a half smile at him before looking down at her pink shoes as she walked.

"Perhaps."

For a few moments they walked before Mary stopped and turned to him again. She seemed to have covered her sudden melancholy easily and was again clear browed and eyed.

"Where is my room?" she asked politely. John thought for a moment before shrugging pathetically.

"No idea."