Hello all you happy people. Sure been a bit, eh? Yeah, this chapter is around as long as the last, but it took longer to write out because of certain character moments I wanted to get right. Even now I'm a little nervous about them, but you can't learn until you take the first step, so you know.
Before we move on to the chapter, big mcthankies from mcspankies to TakanaMakana, my current editor! He was the one who made sure all the Spanish was correct and beta read this chapter for me. Couldn't have done this without him.
Just a heads up, we move away from action and more to character interaction this chapter. Hope y'all enjoy!
Chapter 4: Stay a While
In 1944, the U.S. army sent a squad of soldiers to a small town in East Bromwich, England. Even a hero from the time, The Torch of Liberty, was sent down. His sources claimed that the nazis were in the final steps of a plan called "Project: Ragnarok". Three members of the British Paranormal Society were also assigned to the case, consisting of Professor Malcom Frost, Professor "Broom" Bruttenholm, and top medium Lady Cynthia. Lady Cynthia too confirmed that something was about to occur in the abandoned church they were directed to, being told so by psychic visions…
"Well, "Broom"? Your reputation got us here, but so far all we're doing is freezing our dainty little butts off." Sgt. Whitman stated, frustrated.
"Sergeant, I have spent the last nine years studying this place, trying to discover what happened here long ago that was so horrible it erased all willingness of the locals to even discuss the matter." Bruttenholm replied. "When Lady Cynthia told me the disturbance she had sensed in the ether was centered here…"
"No, wait." Lady Cynthia interrupts. "There is… another… a second center."
How the Nazis went about their plan and where they were, and why the soldiers were at the church and not where the nazis were, is something only the government and the BPRD know for sure. But it was at that moment that everything went to hell…
Quite literally.
"We are not alone here. There are troubled spirits. Holy spirits. A priest. A nun. Their shades are with us." She pauses before continuing. "They have… a message. They say… They say… something is coming."
"What the…" Was all The Torch of Liberty could say.
"Cynthia…" Bruttenholm muttered in shock. Suddenly, the ground began to shine with a fierce intensity. Broom, sensing danger, threw himself at Lady Cynthia. "Your ladyship! GET DOWN!"
The ground in front of them erupted, lit with the fires of hell… when that fire subsided, in its place sat a child, red skinned and wielding an indestructible stone right hand.
"Shoot it! Kill it! It's a demon come from hell to destroy us all!" Frost shouted.
The Torch of Liberty wasn't so afraid. "It… doesn't look too dangerous to me, Professor."
"It looks… like a little boy!"
And it was there that Professor Broom gave him his name.
"Hellboy…"
1945, one year after the Hellboy Incident and after Broom and the army took the child in, Professor Bruttenholm would establish the BPRD… the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense. Its mission was to travel across the world, protecting humanity from the paranormal and supernatural.
Years later, on August 6, 1952, Hellboy was granted honorary human status by the United Nations, after foiling a plot by Nazi remnants in Brazil involving mind controlled zombies and cybernetic monkeys. Ever since, Hellboy has been known all around as the world's greatest Paranormal Agent…
"And that's Hellboy! The supernatural fighting paranormal agent ready to deliver evil a brutal right hook!" Luz finishes.
Her audience isn't so amazed. She moves forward to show several pictures of me on her phone. There's the photo the army took when they first found me, the picture from my first mission in 1952 with the burning nazi flag behind me, several newspaper articles, comic books, movie posters… guess the kid really is a huge fan.
"So… he's a big red hellhound puppy the humans trained to attack his own kind?" Eda said, giving me an unimpressed look.
"Careful. I bite." Still, I always kinda forget how much information we actually gave away to the public. Oddly, the professor really pushed for the transparency. Thought that keeping everyone aware of the problem would convince us to stick together. Honestly, I agree, but I can't stand the publicity. Luckily, we've done a pretty good job of making it clear how people shouldn't interfere in cases. We're not celebrities, we're agents. Gotta do my job unhindered.
"Oh come on, Eda. I know you two got off a bit rough, but it turns out everybody just thought I was in danger!"
"Still think you are." Both the witch and I say. We raise an eyebrow at each other.
"…Er, the point is, turns out we're all friends here! We have so much in common! Like how we don't want me to die!"
"Like I would be friends with someone like him. You go around hunting your own people and expect me to be all chummy now?"
Time to nip that bud. "The BPRD acts on cases where humanity is directly threatened or attacked by the supernatural. We don't go frolicking around demon realms for giggles. Poking big monsters with a stick isn't our style. It's when they go around stomping on people that we take issue with."
"Sure." The witch barely listens, scrolling through Luz's phone.
The little skull headed thing watches over her shoulder. "Ugh, I think I'm with you, Eda. "BPRD's finest agent punches out horned devil in Brisbane"? And you call yourself a demon…"
"I don't, actually. Guess you weren't listening." The thing squints at me, trying to intimidate me.
"Hold on a second… "BPRD takes down occult group in Appa…lack-een Mountains"?" The witch snorts. "That's cute."
I don't take kindly to that remark. Those cultists terrorized the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians trying to control spirits called "Thunderers". "How exactly is that cute?"
"Oh please. Humans can't do magic. It's common knowledge." She says with that smug grin of hers.
My turn to chuckle. "Who told you that load of crap?"
"Oh no no no, don't start with me. The human world has no magic to speak of. Everyone knows that. Sure, you've fought magical creatures, but they all have the organs or affinities to use magic from their own bodies. Humans don't really have anything."
I look at the kid. "You did tell her, right?"
Luz shrugs. "I tried, but she kept laughing it off."
"Figures. Considering a bartender told me this place has been cut off from the human world, guess that myth caught fire quickly."
The witch waves a key around. "Perhaps everyone else. But if you didn't notice, I've got a way to the human world."
"And have you done anything else besides stealing people's stuff?"
"Of course. I went to that place called "Vee-gas". Apparently, there was supposed to be magic there. But it was all parlor tricks. I wasn't impressed." She suddenly looks aside fondly. "Though I did meet that handsome fella with good taste…"
"You have a human ex-boyfriend?" The skull headed dog asks.
"Ex-husband, actually."
"In any case," I say to get her attention. "Magic is all over the place on Earth. It's just in hard to reach places. Physical… and metaphysical."
She shrugs. "If you say so, red boy."
In one ear and out the other with this woman. I'd better stop wasting my time before I get a migraine. "Speaking of which… you've explained me to her." I turn to Luz. "Now, time to explain all of this to me."
"Careful, Luz. This could take hours." She flashes a grin before relaxing on the sofa.
"Funny."
Luz herself looks a little nervous. "Right, uh… where to start… well, it all started when I was waiting for the bus. I had, uh… thrown my Azura book in the garbage. When I went to go get it, it was gone, stolen by a small owl… this little guy." She points to the same owl I encountered, who seems to be preening himself. He hoots when he realizes people are talking about him. "I chased him for my book into an abandoned shack, and before I knew it, I found myself on the Boiling Isles!"
Alright, matches up so far. "I'm assuming you met this character about then?" I gesture to our classy host.
"Yeah. I, uh… um…" She suddenly clams up.
"…Kid?"
"Ok, so… Eda might have… kidnapped me a little. At first."
I shoot a glare at said witch. She doesn't seem to be fazed. "Oh, don't give me that look. I just needed her for a favor, is all. She was completely safe, uhh… 90 percent of the time."
"Yeah, that doesn't make me feel better." As if I didn't have enough reasons to be pissed off with this woman. "What did she have you do, exactly?"
"Oh, uh… you know. Just an errand."
"Ah, an errand. And would that errand be attacking a prison to obtain some item from behind a barrier?"
She gives me that "caught with her hand in a cookie jar" look. "…Yes."
I pinch the bridge of my nose. "So If you really were… "kidnapped a little", then how exactly did you decide to stay on your own?"
"Uh, well… after that little adventure, Eda held her word and let me go home. But…" She starts rubbing her arm all guilty like. "…I really didn't want to go to the summer camp mom had sent me to. So, I stayed. And I asked Eda to teach me magic." She starts to wave her arms in a panic. "B-but it's fine, though! With Eda's portal I can go back whenever I want. So, I just stay here for the summer, and then go back home after! My mom won't even know I'm gone!"
"Except…"
Her face gets even more nervous. "E-e-except?"
"There's a problem with this scenario, Luz. Why exactly would I be here looking for you?"
She doesn't answer me. She's actually slightly shaking. I know she's not naïve enough to not figure it out. From the looks of it, she's knows, she's probably just dreading the severity of the answer.
Well… might be best to rip this band aid off quickly. "Luz, what do you suppose happened when your mom signed you up for that camp?"
This time she opens up her mouth, but it seems she can't find an answer.
"…Luz. You were registered in their computers. When you didn't show up, they called your mother." The bomb drops. Her eyes widen in horror. "She's been worrying herself day and night, thinking you'd been kidnapped or… worse."
Luz looks a little sick to her stomach. "I… No… what?"
Oh boy. That bomb dropped really hard. "Why don't you sit down kid?"
She follows my advice, taking the nearest seat she can find. It almost seems like her legs give out from under her. I myself pull up a chair next to her.
"Luz… what did you think was gonna happen when you didn't show up? That they would just pretend you were there and try to trick your mom?"
"I… I thought it would just be like a roll call sheet. Like in school. And that they would, you know…"
"Mark you absent and do nothing else about it?"
"You know, when you say it out loud, it sounds… pretty stupid."
I sigh. I speak to her gently. She didn't mean to do anything wrong… but she did, and she needs to be aware of it. "Kid… you know how a lot of my adventures go, right? They aren't always happy endings. A lot of people go looking into the dark… and they don't come back out. And the ones who do, come out different. This could've ended badly."
"I'm… I'm sorry."
"It's alright. But you need to know how reckless this choice was. Trust me, I've made plenty of reckless choices of my own. All of em came with consequences. And all of 'em hurt, one way or another."
"…I… I didn't mean to hurt her."
"I know you didn't." I don't say anything beyond that. I mean, I don't know if I'm already overstepping some bounds here, since I'm not her parent.
A patch of silence. Her face is reading all kinds of distress. "Back home… I… I'm a weirdo. I stand out in all the wrong ways. Always have… anything I tried to do to be noticed, I just prove how much of a screw up I am." Now, I'm no fool. I know that high schools and even middle school can cause self-esteem issues in kids. But for her to think she was always a screw up? There's something deeper here. "When I read about Azura and my other books and comics, it always feels so much better to lose myself in those fantasies. The idea that I'm meant for something greater, that my weirdness is actually something special just feels… comforting. So, I felt like this was my last chance to be special before… before I had to give up on all that stuff."
"But I didn't mean to hurt my mami. Honest. I didn't do this to get back at her, or because I thought she was being unfair. I know how much she loves me and just wants the best for me. She works so hard for me to have a good life… she's always been there for me." She pulls a book out of her bag. "But… after the incidents at school, she's been pushing me to leave my hobbies. She wants me to start showing restraint, reach out, socialize more. I just wanted one chance to live my fantasies before I gave them up. I thought it wouldn't hurt my mom as long as I pretended I went to camp and started doing those things after summer. But I guess it was just a confirmation that I'm a screw up to everyone… all she's done for me, and I go and hurt her." Her eyes well with tears.
I can't help but remember one moment from the start of this case. "Please, I'll do anything to have my daughter back. My parents disowned me for getting pregnant out of wedlock, my cabron of a husband left us when she was young, I-I just… she's all I have left. I'll give my soul, even-"
"It's okay." She looks up at me. "You made a mistake. And you're gonna have to deal with the consequences of it. But she ain't gonna love you any less. I've gotten to know your mom this last week, so trust me on this. Now, I won't lie. She'll probably be hurt. And she'll probably be upset with you. And that's not gonna be fun. But you'll get through this. And maybe… you two can talk about this thing once everything cools down."
I'm not sure if I convinced her. She kinda looks away, trying to rub off her tears. That's about when snaggletooth pipes up.
"Luz… how about you go with the whole "me kidnapping you" story?" She suggests.
"Wha-?!"
"Hang on, hear me out. Your mom means a lot to you, so why not pin the blame on me? That way, you won't have to end up hurting her with the truth." That's surprising to me. That she'd stick her neck out for the kid… then again, she did send me through several buildings trying to protect her. Still, I'd rather not teach the kid she can lie her way out of her own mistakes.
"But… I can't just throw you under the bus like that."
"I don't know what a bus is, but don't worry about it. I've got plenty of crimes pinned on me, what's one more?"
Luz looks like she's thinking on that. I'm about to throw my two cents in, when she gives me the second surprise of the day. "No. Hellboy is right. I owe it to my mom to tell her the truth. I need to own up to my mistake." She stands up and looks at her straight on. "Besides, if she thinks that you're to blame… I might not ever get the chance to see you again." The witch looks stunned. Guess she wasn't expecting that answer. "If I tell her what happened, that it was my fault, I think there might be a better chance I could come back. So I can still see you, King, Willow and Gus." Willow and Gus?
Don't really have the chance to think on that. The Owl Lady finally gives a sort of respectful smile. "Okay, kid. If that's what you want."
Luz nods at her. The dog… King thing scuttles up to her. "So… you're leaving already?"
"Yeah. But I'm sure we'll see each other again." She picks him up and pulls him into a hug. "My widdle cutie pie." Is that bone marrow starting to glow on his face? Genuine question. Anyway, she walks back up to me. "I'll go get my stuff, Hellboy."
As she strolls upstairs, the witch watches her go off. She must've forgotten I was here, because I can hear her sigh. She widens her eyes when she remembers who else is here. "What're you staring at?! Don't you have something to pack too?!" I don't get into banter with her this time. I just stroll outside and decide to have a smoke. "Yeah, that's right. Mind your own business."
I don't know about her staying or coming back here. But it is a little surprising that she and the witch have made an impression on each other. You know, one that isn't some old hag preying on an innocent kid. Still, I don't know how much of that is genuine on the witch's part. She seemed pretty defensive about it. But I haven't really run into a good witch before. I'm not really sure what to believe.
At the least, it gives me something to think about as I stare out across the purple sea.
No…
You are not leaving yet, Hellboy. And neither is she…
It doesn't take long for Luz to pack up. She's still sullen about the whole situation, and from her point of view, I'd guess I'd be too.
The witch lady pulls out a key of her hair and presses an eye on it. Before I know it, a door with the same eye pops out of the ground. The same one from the glyph. I still haven't pinned down where I saw that eye.
"Oh, Eda!" Luz suddenly shouts. "If you see Willow and Gus…"
"Don't worry, Luz." She rustles her hair. "I'll tell them what went down."
She smiles. "Thank you."
"Who're Willow and Gus?" I'm curious enough to ask out loud this time.
"Oh, yeah… they're two friends of mine here on the Boiling Isles. I lost them at the magic fair, and they might be pretty worried about what might've happened to me."
Friends? Well… I'll be damned. I don't mean that as a comment on the kid, more that she actually did what her mother was hoping she'd do. I can't just let her stay for that alone unfortunately. But it might be something to mention to Camilia.
"So, just open up and go through, and we'll end up at the shack?"
"Yes, Captain Obvious. I'm glad, too. Can't get rid of you soon enough. Go chase some leprechauns or something."
"And you go back to selling garbage. Hope that's fulfilling."
"It's only one of my jobs thank you very much. My much more lucrative business is selling people proper potions and elixirs."
"Right. And I'm sure you don't jack up the prices or anything."
She seems genuinely confused. "What's your point?"
Right. We're done here. "Why don't you step on through, kid. I'll be right behind you."
She nods, then wraps up her two… housemates in a hug. "Goodbye, Eda. Goodbye, King." She opens the door and moves through the portal.
But I got one last message. "Look… I don't like you all that much and you don't like me. But if you want to see the kid come back, just don't give us a reason to think you're out for her soul or anything. Alright?"
She doesn't say anything to me. She doesn't even really change expression. Probably best to leave now before we start going at each other agai-
"Uh, Eda?" We're interrupted by a… very familiar voice. "Did I go through this thing wrong?"
We watch as Luz steps out from behind the portal. Not through it, behind it. She looks as confused as I feel. I raise an eyebrow at the witch again.
She notices. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, don't look at me like that!"
"What're you up to?"
"I didn't do anything! Look, it was probably just still activating. Luz, go back through from that side. It should be done by now." Luz nods warily and steps through.
Only to run into us, back where she started. The Owl Lady can already predict what I'm about to ask. "Uh uh. I'm not doing this. If I was really trying to keep Luz here, why wouldn't I just push you through the portal first? Besides, I can't control who goes through the portal and who doesn't. The magic needed to even begin to think about doing that outscales mine by tenfold."
"Then why can't she go through?"
"I don't know!"
The little guy, King, jumps on Eda's shoulder. "Did you try turning it off and on again?"
"You're not helping."
Luz intervenes before things get heated. "Hold on! …Hellboy, there are BPRD agents on the other side, right? Why not just stick your head or arm through and tell them to come over? Maybe they might figure something out."
"Not a bad idea. But you," I point at the Owl Lady. "Better not take an interest in drawing circles in the air."
She puts her arms up defensively, giving me a flat look.
I didn't really need this case getting more complicated. But thankfully, it seems manageable. Kate will get a kick out of the stuff I've seen, though. Better stick my head out.
…
You know, last time I checked, the abandoned shack didn't have a damn thing in it. But right now, I'm looking at some familiar décor from a certain witch's house.
I pull my head back and look at my three onlookers. I put my arm through, and stick out to the side, showing them that I seem to have run into a similar problem.
"Okay, you and I both know I wouldn't want this." The Owl Lady says. And she's got a point.
Yeah. I'm thinking things just got a lot more complicated.
"Aw, crap…"
It's been about 7 hours since Hellboy disappeared this morning. Along with most of the front of the cabin. Liz and I hadn't been there, but from what Kate says, it happened very suddenly. One moment, everyone had their backs turned, scrambling to take advantage of the latest breakthrough. The next, a flash of light engulfed the front door and most of the porch, and Hellboy was gone.
We rushed back as fast as we could. We didn't really have time to explain to Miss Noceda, but we informed her there might be a turnaround in the case. By the time we had got there, the agents were already trying to scan the area, drawing a weird glyph of some kind.
Kate also informed us of a small owl who stole most of our evidence. It might've been working for whatever kidnapped the young girl.
Despite all of that, we were actually less worried than we were before. Hellboy disappearing is nothing new, and if anything, it tends to be good news. Usually, Hellboy ends up exactly where he needs to be. At that point, missions tend to wrap up quickly.
But we hadn't relaxed entirely. There was still a live hostage in this case. We still didn't know her status, other than the fact that she wasn't dead. And while Hellboy often disappeared to where the case was occurring, we knew it was still best to continue our own efforts as well. Unfortunately, we still seemed to be having trouble.
"That's the last book." I say, dropping it on the table. "Even with the image of this glyph, I found little of anything useful."
"Great. So, we really haven't moved forward whatsoever." Liz groans as she also puts her last book down. "Hopefully, Hellboy is having more luck than we are."
"That he probably is. Though he's probably already gotten into a fight as well."
"Twenty bucks says four." Liz states, smiling at that. Some other agents nearby join in.
"Nah, in this time, he'd be at five. Thirty bucks."
"I'll take some of that action. Forty for Three!"
"Sixty bucks on six!"
"Benjamin Franklin says seven! One for each hour gone!"
Liz turns back to me. "What about you, Abe?"
"…Two."
"Only two? Can't say that's a usual number for him."
I shrug. "I've got a hunch." The bet is really only to break tension anyways.
"Well, let's hope your hunches are more accurate than my machines." Kate walks by, frustrated. "We've got a far better understanding than before, but we're still no closer to cracking this egg. And Russell's visions are still pretty vague." She gestures to the psychic over in front of the house.
"I see… a moonlit tree… destroying the darkness…"
"That doesn't even sound remotely relevant…" Kate mutters. "Unless something happens in the next five minutes, we might as well be blind until Hellboy comes back."
"Professor Corrigan! You may want to see this!"
The few of us run to the voice. A lone agent waits in front of the broken cabin. "Over here, ma'am. It just showed up."
A door shaped beam of light was shining where the cabin's door used to be. None of us had any doubt as to what it could be.
"Hmm. Well, if it's really that easy, I guess I should say it more often. Abe, Liz?"
We nod, gearing up as fast as we can. We're only scouting for now, so light ammo and armor is what we pack. Can't be too sure what might be on the other side of this portal. While we readied ourselves, Kate had much of the debris swept away, and a ramp placed in front of the doorway.
"If you find Hellboy, be sure to ask him how he managed to get himself into this one." Kate says jokingly.
"I'm sure it'll be as inconvenient as it is funny." I reply. After all, that tends to be the case most of the time.
I feel Liz nudge me in the shoulder. "You should also get your wallet ready. I've got a good feeling about this bet."
"If you say so."
Kate's face switches to her usual serious mode. "Joking aside, priority number one is the girl. You take her and bring her back ASAP. We can concern ourselves with our new friends after."
"Hellboy can probably keep them bus-"
"Ah hah! I knew this thing wasn't broken… sort of." A sudden voice brings us out of our planning. A middle aged looking woman with a sharp gold tooth is poking out from the portal. "Still don't know why it isn't letting that big red buffoon through… maybe the connection's bad. Man, this place is more of a dump than I remember. Was it always this… rubbly?" It's about that point she takes notice of us. Her eyes dart around, before she assumes a nonchalant look. "How's it hanging."
She gets her answer quickly, as I swiftly raise my pistol to her face. "Not much, ma'am. You see, we're with the BPRD. We were wondering if you could tell us about this "big red buffoon" of yours."
She groans. "Oh, peachy."
"Hey, trenchcoat." The Owl Lady says as she steps out from the portal. "These friends of yours?"
It's only then that we notice the pistol to her head… attached to a very fishy hand. As she backs up, I can see Abe stepping through.
"Well, well. Cavalry's arrived right when all the fun's ended." I say with a smirk. Abe matches that with a smile of his own.
"Ah, there you are, Hellboy. Kate's dying to know how it happened to you this time."
"Hmph. She'll have to coax it out of me."
"Guess it must be pretty embarrassing then." Liz comments, also stepping through the portal.
"Oh, for the love of- I'm not hosting a house party all of the sudden!" The Owl Lady complains. Abe keeps his gun to her.
"Yeah, don't bother, Abe. My Good Samaritan did little more than piss her off. Gave her a few good cracks in her skull though. She's pretty harmless now."
She scoffs. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
I draw their attention to a certain girl. "'Sides, we found who we were looking for." Said girl was hyperventilating. The two seem a little worried about that. "Breath, kid. Just let it out."
"Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh! You're Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman! Oh, first I get to meet Hellboy, and then the Fish Fighter and the Cool Flame themselves!"
"Fish Fighter?"
"The Cool Flame?"
Both seem more confused than anything at those names. "I think those were your monikers in the comics." I explain. "Turns out she's a big fan of the BPRD."
"The biggest!" She says with glee and a wide smile.
"Hold on, if she's a big fan, how come her mother only sort of knew of our existence?" Liz asks a fair question.
"Yeah, mom never really focused on your agency when reading the news. Y'all don't make the front page or main story anymore. Everybody's gotten so used to the supernatural existing. I mean, I do think she's seen your agency come up, but it's all politics and finance. I have told her about you guys a few times, but even then, I think she might've thought that Abe and Hellboy were just fictional comic characters." Luz adds.
"This is what happens when you don't pose for photos." Abe does a little tisk tisk motion with his fingers.
I shrug. "Ah, who cares. We get the job done whether people know us or not."
"So, mission finished then? The girl's right here, the threat's neutralized…" Liz asks me.
"Eh, threat's a strong word." I correct.
"If you're gonna talk smack about me, do it to my face!" Our lovely host shouts.
"Anyway… yeah, I'd like to say the job's done. But we've got a problem. Both the kid and I can't step through that portal. And though she pisses me off, I know it's not the witch."
Liz sighs. "And there's the twist."
"Yeah. So, I'm gonna need Kate to come over and start researching this thing pronto."
"I'm not feeding them." The witch states.
"Didn't want your cooking anyway."
"So, I guess this means I'm not going home just yet." Luz says, and I hear the relief in her voice.
She probably shouldn't be so relaxed. "Kid… you realize this just means we're bringing her to you, right?"
That relief look on her face suddenly turns into one of terror. Guess she wasn't prepared as she thought.
"Oh, farts."
I run as fast as my legs will take me. I was just about to head to work when I had gotten the call from the BPRD.
They found her. They found her, and she's ok. My Luz is ok!
It fills me to the brim with happiness to hear those words. I don't even bother calling my boss, I just run for the cabin, desperate to see my little girl.
The first one I see is Professor Corrigan. She is on a call with someone. Her superiors from what I can tell.
"No, no. Look, other agents can handle those cases, Manning. Yes, but considering the circumstances, I'd rather have Abe and Liz still here… Manning. Manning, we'll talk about this later." She hands up rather abruptly. "Ms. Noceda! Sorry to call you on short notice, but I'm sure you're glad to hear the news."
"Yes! Is she here? I don't see her…"
"Wait, did they not…? Ugh, I'm going to have words with that agent… Listen, your daughter's fine. She's not hurt. But there is still one complication."
"A… a complication?"
"Look, why don't you come with me? I'm sure you've been all too eager to see her."
She takes me up to the cabin, which has… oddly lost some vital parts. I'm stunned to see a glowing light coming from the doorway. It's almost blinding…
"Don't worry, it's safe. Just step right on through."
I'm a little nervous. But I trust Professor Corrigan. With my breath held, I take a step forward.
It takes a while for my eyes to adjust. As my vision slowly comes back, I notice my surroundings. Some kind of… home? It is filled with odd looking liquids and terrifying imagery.
However, I also notice the many BPRD agents filling the room. Including… "Hellboy!"
"Hey there, Ms. Noceda."
"Please, I came to find Luz, but Professor Corrigan said there was a… complication? I do not understand."
"I'll tell you in a second. I think you've been waiting long enough."
As he moves out of the way, I find my daughter standing there. To see her again after so many days of fearing the worst… I'm overcome with joy.
"¡Mija!" I fling myself at her, wrapping her in my arms. I hold tight, hoping that she'll never be taken from me again. When she hugs me back, I know she's really here, that this isn't a dream. "¡Estoy tan feliz de verte sana y salva! ¡Pensé que nunca te volvería a ver! ¡Oh, mi Lucecita! ¿Estás herida? ¿Esos monstruos te hicieron algo?"
"Estoy bien, mami. Yo también estoy feliz de verte. Por favor suéltame un poco, me estás aplastando..."
I release her. The tears are flowing down my eyes. "Oh, thank you, Hellboy. I owe you so much."
"Nah, I'm just paying you back for telling me about that neat chimichurri place."
Always so modest… because of him, I can finally take my daughter home. "Come on, Luz. I don't want to spend another minute in this place…"
"Uh…"
Luz's unsure response confuses me. Doesn't she want to go home? "Ahem." I hear Hellboy clear his throat. "That's… where the complication comes in. See that portal thing?" He points to the wall of light I came through. "We're experiencing technical difficulties. Neither me nor the kid can go through it for some reason."
My feelings of joy begin to leave me. I just found her… and yet I can't take her home? "I… w-what? But…"
"Hold on now. Breathe, Ms. Noceda." He kneels, speaking directly to me. "We don't leave a job half done. We're still with you every step of the way. Your daughter's safe and sound. All we need to do is keep an eye on her and figure out what's wrong with the door. We're almost there."
"…You're right. Gracias, Hellboy. I just wish this ordeal in its entirety could be over already."
"I know. Unfortunately… there is one more thing. Something I believe your daughter needs to tell you herself."
My daughter? Did something happen to her after all? "What does he mean, mija?"
"Uh… well… it's a… a funny story. You know, I wouldn't want to put stress on you or anything."
"Kid, the longer you wait to pull that pin, the more you're not gonna wanna do it."
Luz sighs at Hellboy's words, and looks at me with extreme guilt. Is this why she looked so nervous? What could have her feeling so ashamed?
"Mami… I have a confession to make."
"¡INCONCEBIBLE! ¡DÍAS ENTEROS PENSANDO QUE TE HABÍA TRAGADO LA TIERRA, CREYENDO QUE TE HABÍA PASADO LO PEOR! ¡ME MENTISTE EN LA CARA Y ELEGISTE QUEDARTE EN UN LUGAR PELIGROSO CON GENTE PELIGROSA! ¡CON COMPLETOS DESCONOCIDOS! ¡¿TIENES ALGUNA IDEA DE LO QUE PODRÍA HABERTE PASADO?! ¡VÁLGAME DIOS, QUE ESTOY PENSADO SI NO DEBERÍA CASTIGARTE POR EL RESTO DE TU VIDA!"
Oof. This is brutal. Poor Luz is cringing, looking like a sad puppy dog. I'd be too if I was receiving a verbal lashing like that. Still… it's going a lot better than I was expecting. She kinda scared me for a moment there. After Luz said everything she kinda just sat there quietly, unmoving. Then this happened.
"Uh… what is she saying?" King questions me.
"Tough parental love."
"Uh… okay?"
"I just cannot believe you, Luz!" Cam says, going back to English. "Making such a reckless decision! Putting the fear of God into your mother's heart! Why would you do such a thing?!" Luz was quiet for a moment, but she realized her mother indeed wanted an answer.
"I… wanted to learn magic for this summer instead of going to Reality Check… before I had to start giving up on all of my hobbies."
Camilia looks taken aback at first. However, she regains composure. "So you decided to stay with someone who kidnapped you-"
"O-only a little-"
"Kidnapped you," Camilia emphasizes with a glare, and Luz realizes she shouldn't be talking right now. "You decide to stay with her just because she seemed somewhat nice? On top of that, you had no idea what kind of cost or repercussions this magic would have, and yet you still chose to learn it?!" Camilia kept going. "Not to mention, the fact you chose to stay on an island with creatures that have indeed said they want to eat you!"
"Well… I…"
Camilia takes a deep breath. "You have a room here?" Luz nods. She turns to me. "And there is nothing in it that will harm her, yes?" I nod too. With that confirmation, she turns back to her daughter. "This is what will happen. You will go to your room and stay there until these good men and women find out how to get you home. You will not step foot outside this house, you will not use any magic, and you will not talk to that woman." She points to the Owl Lady.
"But she's not-"
"This is not up for discussion, Luz! I will not have you near that woman, or anything having to do with this place! As of this moment, you're grounded." She pauses a moment. "When we get home, I will hear nothing more about these Boiling Isles. And then you and I are going to have a long talk about your hobbies." She finishes.
Luz looks completely defeated, sulking up to her temporary room. When she disappears upstairs, I see Camilia take off her glasses and rub her face.
"Geez, a little harsh on the kid there, don't ya think, human?"
Oh, bad timing, Owl Lady. With that one comment, I can see the anger in Camilia reignite.
"¡TU CALLATE! ¡¿Cómo te atreves a actuar tan tranquila después de haber chantajeado a mi hija?! ¡Debería retorcerte el cuello por ponerla en peligro!"
"Huh?" The Owl Lady said, not understanding.
"I said, you will not address me so casually after kidnapping and extorting my daughter in the first place!"
She rolls her eyes. "Like I told big red over there, she was under my protection. She-"
"ENOUGH!" Camilia aggressively advances on the witch, catching her off guard. "I will not sit here and let you feed me excuses for why you kept my daughter hostage! You kidnapped my daughter! Simple as that! And if you dare act as if that is no big deal, I will show you just how angry that makes me!"
"Well, I-"
Camilia keeps pressing forward, causing the witch to start backing up. "Secondly, you will not call me human, or Cam, or Camilia! To you, it is Ms. Noceda! Do you understand?!"
"U-uh…" Her casual demeanor's been completely snuffed out.
"I said, do you understand?!"
"Y-yes, Miss Noceda." Even I'm not prepared when Camilia takes her by the collar of her dress, pulling her down to eye level.
"Finally, and most importantly, you will never set foot near my daughter again! You will not talk to her or send messages to her! If you even think of looking at my daughter again, I will use your head as my next Halloween decoration! Am I clear?!
"B-but-"
"I said, am I clear?!"
"Yes!"
"Yes, what?!"
"Yes, Miss Noceda!"
She finally releases the Owl Lady, who ends up sitting there, frozen.
The little guy, King, seems shocked. "Wha… but… how did she…" He has trouble finding the words. "I've never seen anyone frighten Eda like that!"
Abe is the one to reply to him. "I believe the saying goes, "Hell hath no fury like a mother scorned". Just so you know."
"Simply put, don't mess with moms." I add.
Camilia walks toward us, her rant done. King jumps in surprise and balls up, covering his head. "Please don't hurt me!"
She ignores him for now. I can see she's stressed again, massaging the bridge of her nose. Maybe it's time for everyone to take a breather. "Ms. Noceda. Why don't you sit down for a while? I'll get one of the agents to bring you something to calm your nerves."
"…Y-yes. Perhaps I should."
Things sorta quiet down at that point. But it ain't a relaxing quiet. I'm not sure where Luz and Camilia go from here. Hopefully, they can work things out.
At some point I find myself outside again, wanting another smoke. A little strange that I have yet to light it. My mind's too occupied.
The door to the shack opens, and out steps the Owl Lady. She's got this disgruntled look on her face, like somebody's broken her window. To be fair, I suppose I'd be unhappy too if I had a bunch of unwanted houseguests.
"Nice weather we're having."
She gives me a scowl. "You're a funny guy. Your agents said I was making Ms. Noceda in there "uncomfortable". So, now I'm not allowed in my own home. Go figure…"
"Look, I know you feel inconvenienced and all, but that woman in there has been worrying all week about her daughter being kidnapped. And you did do that, no matter how much you sugarcoat it. So you're just gonna have to take it for now."
"Alright, alright, I get it. Maybe I should've checked with the kid's mom before I got that favor from her. And taking her in as my apprentice. Responsibility and all that."
"I think not using her for a prison break at all would be ideal." Still, if she she needed it that bad… makes me curious. "What exactly were you looking for in there anyway?"
"Oh, we just needed King's Burger Queen crown."
"…Come again?"
"His crown. That little headpiece meant a lot to King. Poor guy felt lost without it."
"You kept a young girl from going home because you wanted a dime a dozen paper crown? One you could get from the trash of any Burger Queen in the human realm?"
"If it meant that much to King, then it meant that much to me. But hey, we lost it anyway when the warden showed up. Crushed it and then tried to make me date him."
"Hold on… if you only went in there for a crown, what the hell was the prison break I heard about?"
"Oh, that was Luz. I tried to send her home, since she had already helped us, but the rascal rounded up some prisoners and fought off the warden."
"You're telling me the kid set up the prison break herself?"
"I was surprised too. The warden is a mean dude. I sent her home first chance I could. But she apparently found a kinship with those prisoners."
"That's… not encouraging."
"What? Oh, you're under the impression the Conformatorium is a legit prison. No, it's just where the Emperor sends the riff raff who don't 'conform'. It's in the name. While he uses it mostly for renegade witches, he turns a blind eye to anyone Warden Wrath sees as freaks. The people holed up in there barely did anything wrong. Wrath just doesn't like weirdos in his town."
"Weirdos? How exactly would you classify weirdos in a town like this?"
"Well, the ones Luz freed were a girl who wrote fanfiction of romance between foods, a guy who ate his own eyeballs, and a conspiracy theorist. We couldn't do much for the others, but they pretty much went along those lines."
Alright. I'll admit. Being locked up just for that is bullcrap. "Why does the Emperor ignore this?"
"Because he's an authoritarian who's tricked everyone into believing he's a savior. Really he just wants the Boiling Isles to work exactly how he thinks it should be. Anyone who doesn't fall in line, especially witches that use wild magic like me, pay the price."
"If what you're saying is true, why take the girl under your wing? Doesn't that put her in more danger?"
"Not under my watch. I take care of my own. If she wants to learn the proper ways of Boiling Isles magic, then I'm sure as hell not gonna let that guy rain on her parade. Course that didn't stop her from getting interested in Hexside, but I'll make sure she knows how much of a scam that is."
…Man, I can't pin this woman down. She's all over the place. She seems to care for the kid and has integrity… sorta, but she's also a con artist criminal. At least I've got a possible suspect for this whole portal thing. If what Owl Lady here says is true, anyway.
I don't have time to finish my conversation with her. Two kids suddenly come running into the clearing. Both have pointed ears and are wearing a similar kind of uniform. "Eda!" The one with green hair shouts.
"Yo, pintsizes. Guessing you're here for Luz?"
"Yeah, she disappeared before all the craziness started!" The shorter one confirms. "Is she alright?"
"And who is this guy?" Glasses asks.
"Take it easy, kids. Luz is fine. I just had to take her home for… reasons." She gestures to me. "Ask this guy."
The two look at me, confused. At that point, it clicks in me who these two are. "You Willow and Gus?" They nod. "Luz is inside, but… you might not be allowed to see her. Her mom is here and ain't really happy with her right now. She's grounded at the moment."
Gus, I'm assuming, gasps. "She buried her?!"
"…No. She's just confined to her room."
"Oh."
Willow steps forward. "Do you know when we could see her? We were so worried."
The two eye me in anticipation. "Not sure. You'll have to ask her mom."
"Yeah, she's inside. Go on in, you little twerps." Before I can register, she opens the door, and the two scurry in. I give her a look. "What? They wanted to know."
I head inside to stop them. Not sure if Camilia really wants to be pestered with that right now. The little guy seems to be jumping the gun though. And also incredibly misinformed. He's in front of Abe. "Hello Luz's mom! Do you know when Luz won't be imprisoned in her room anymore?"
"Uh…"
"Why do you want to see my daughter?" The two kids' attention is drawn to the actual mom in this room. She's got this confused look on her face.
"Oh, sorry lady." Gus apologizes. Abe looks more baffled than ever.
Willow speaks first. "We lost track of her at the magic fair before things went bonkers. We heard she got punished, though. Do you know when we'll be able to see her?"
"And… you are…?
"Oh, sorry! I'm Willow and this is Gus. We're Luz's friends."
"Well, Willow and Gus, I'm sorry to say…" She pauses in the middle of her sentence, a surprised look on her face. "…Did you say you were her friends?"
"Yep."
"You betcha!"
Camilia's getting curious now. "How… How do you know my daughter?"
"Well, it was the other day on my way to school that we met. We hit it off nicely. She pretended to be an abomination, I showed her around Hexside School… pretty fun day, all things considered. And thanks to her, I got moved into the Plant Track instead of the Abomination track!"
Gus speaks up. "And I got to learn about humans from the source! She even gave me a human nickname! My real one's Augustus!"
"Yes… seems she really struck a chord in you two." Camilia seems to smile again, if only briefly.
"Yeah! Is she alright by the way? We still don't know what happened to her."
"Y-yes, my Luz is okay. I'm glad to see she has friends who care for her so much. Why don't you two stay here for just a moment?" She gets up from her chair. "Hellboy, may I speak to you privately?"
"Sure." We walk into a room while the agents continue their work.
"Sorry for the sudden conversation." She says after the door closes. "But I need your expert opinion on this."
"Fire away."
"So… I know what I said to her. That I wanted absolutely nothing to do with all… this, after we got home. But now… I find out she's finally made friends. I always believed she could, if given the right push, but… I never expected it to happen in a place like this." She sighs. "I… I don't know what to do now. This place, it's so dangerous. And yet Luz has friends here. Teens who don't seem dangerous whatsoever. She's connecting to people. Can I really take her away from something I wanted for her?"
She must be leading up to the paranormal. But even so, I'm not sure where exactly she's going with this.
"How… dangerous did this place seem to you?"
"…It actually seemed pretty normal at first." She cocks her head. "By that, I mean it's as if I was walking in any other town. Just with strange looking demons. The only trouble I ran into was the witch. And even then, she thought she was protecting the girl from me."
Her posture tenses up. "That doesn't excuse her. She still took my daughter and kept her here like a hostage. I still don't trust her."
"And I understand that. Not faulting you there. But she does seem to care what happens to her. It was something I didn't know about at first, and it's sent my thoughts on the matter for a loop."
"Perhaps." She seems nervous now. "Did she… did she tell you any different why she decided to stay?"
"You don't have to worry about that. She didn't want to hurt you. She knows how much you love her. I think this place just really… connected to her. Especially with what you told us about her."
"…She did seem pretty devastated to never come back."
"She was hoping to convince you to let her come back and see these folks. She was ready to take her punishment otherwise. Sort of…" I remember a small detail. "It's funny. Snaggletooth actually offered to be the fall gal. Said she would've taken the full blame, even if it wasn't true. But your girl turned it down 'cause it meant she'd be even less likely to see her."
Camilia looks shocked but doesn't say anything.
I pause for a moment, wondering what next to say. "…What do you think is best for Luz?"
"I… I don't know. All I know is that she made two friends. And that she really enjoys being here. A small part of my mind is suggesting that I actually let her stay here. But I don't want to reward her for lying to me and running away and staying with strangers. And I most certainly don't want her to get hurt."
"…Maybe you need a little more context." Camilia looks at me questioningly. "Get all sides of the story. See what's happened to Luz so far. If you've got a bigger picture, you might figure out why she wants to stay here so much."
"…Yes. Maybe it'll clear my head a bit." She sighs. "Even this 'Eda' character… Could you go get her for me?"
We exit the room. Willow and Gus seem to have taken an interest in the agents, poking around them and asking tons of questions. As Camilia asks them to sit down, I poke my head out of the house. "Hey. Owl Lady. Ms. Noceda wants to talk to you." She only looks at me curiously before coming inside. When we head back in, it looks like Camilia even got King.
As the Owl Lady sits down, she begins. "I want you all to tell me everything that Luz has done while she has been here. Leave no details out."
I steel myself, as I stand outside the door of my daughter's room. Considering everything I just learned, I believe I was right to be worried about this place. But perhaps I shouldn't have been so harsh.
But before I can decide anything, I need to know what happened from Luz's perspective.
I quietly open the door. And what I see astonishes me. Several small lights are floating around the room, glowing with a shining brilliance. I can see Luz drawing on a piece of paper, before tapping it. The piece of paper is sucked into yet another ball of light.
I make the mistake of gasping, which makes Luz jolt. She starts to panic. "Uh, mom! This… this isn't… I was just-"
"Shh. It's okay, sweetie. Never mind that now." I sit down beside her on her sleeping bag. Her eyes are red. She's clearly been crying. I pull her into a hug. "Lamento haberme enojado tanto, mija. Yo solo… estuve tantas noches preocupada pensado que te había perdido para siempre. Me afecto tanto saber que me habías mentido."
"Lo se... perdón por ser una carga."
I pull away, looking her in the eyes. "Oh no, mija. You made a mistake. But you're not a burden. You could never be such a thing to me. I would never see you that way."
"I… I never meant to hurt anyone. I didn't think this would hurt anyone at the time…"
"I know. But it did. You must learn to look before you leap, mija. Making decisions so rashly can affect more than just yourself."
She nods, looking down in shame. "Si, mami. I understand. And I also understand if you want to leave this place."
"…Luz…" I begin, and she looks to me, perhaps expecting more punishment. "While I was down there… cooling off... I happened to meet two friends of yours."
Luz straigtens up. "You saw Willow and Gus? Are they okay?"
"Yes, yes, Lucecita. They're fine. In fact, they came around asking about you. They told me how you met, and I just need to say… I'm proud of you, mija." Luz is stunned by this. "I don't condone you running away and staying here. But you finally have friends. I always knew you could connect to people if given a chance. And while I certainly didn't expect that to happen in a place like this, I couldn't be more happy for you." I fix a tuft of her disheveled hair. "No matter what happens after this… I will be okay with you seeing them again."
She smiles for the first time in a few hours, the grin growing wider in excitement. "You… you mean it? I can come back here and see all of them?"
"Now, hold on, Luz. Your friends are one thing. But this place and this… Owl Lady are another." Her excitement fades away at that. "Now, after your friends arrived, I decided to do some… questioning. I asked your two friends, the cute little bone cat, and even this 'Eda' what happened during your stay here- with help from Hellboy of course. What I heard from them… varied. Like how you nearly got eaten by an octopus monster after accepting a quest from a man you didn't know."
"Uh…"
"Or how you were almost dissected because you pretended to be an… 'abomination'."
"Er…"
"Or that your mentor turned into a giant monster and tried to eat you after you had taken her important medication."
"…Yeah…" Luz chuckles sheepishly.
"You might've guessed, but this really didn't help my view of this place. But…"
"But?"
"I also heard how you protected the Owl Lady and the cute fox-thing from that octopus. And how you've been incredibly diligent in doing her errands. I heard how you supported Willow's interests and helped her stand up to her bully. And while I don't want you thinking all prison riots are okay… you did free people wrongfully imprisoned for being different. I'm proud of you for those things too. But that doesn't take away from the danger you've been in…" I scooch to face my daughter. "I'm not sure what to think of this place. But the fact is, until the BPRD can get you home, you are stuck here. For who knows how long. I am… open to letting you visit places on the island. However, I'm also considering still keeping you within this house the entire time, just to be safe. But before I can make any kind of decision, there's still one thing I need to know. I want to know why you really decided to stay here."
"Why… why I really decided?"
"Yes. I know you did this because you didn't want to go to Reality Check, and because you knew I would start pushing you to move away from your hobbies after summer." I place a hand on her shoulder. "But now I want to know why you're so interested in all this that it would compel you to make those decisions. Why you want to live out these fantasies. Why you wanted to learn magic so much. Why you were so eager to be a 'chosen one'."
Luz shifts around, squirming at the question. I think I already know… but I need to know for sure. I take her hand in mind, to comfort her and let her know she can tell me anything. "I… I wanted to feel special. To stand out… but for something that I actually liked. …I wanted to feel like being 'me' meant something." Her lips purse, as she tries to hold back tears. "I just wanted to believe that I wasn't a mistake."
Sometimes I wish I wasn't right. She still hears the words from that night too well. I swear… if I ever see that man on my doorstep again, I will pay him back the pain our daughter has been through tenfold. "Luz… my sweet girl. You aren't a mistake. Being yourself is not a mistake." I pull her into another hug. "But… I know I didn't help. I pushed you towards a place that didn't speak to you. I made you feel that it was wrong to be yourself. Something I never wanted to do. I meant what I said in that phone call. I do want to talk about better ways to help you outside your comfort zone. I want what's best for you, Lucecita, but I also want you to be happy."
"But it wasn't really just this Reality Check thing. I know I stick out like a sore thumb. Every time I be myself I just mess up and look like even more of a weirdo. I just thought this place was my real calling. The only place I could stand out in the right way."
"Mija, no one is born special. No one has some destiny waiting for them in a scroll. We all come into our own through our own choices. It may take some of us longer than others, but with a little help, we can all find out what we want to live life for."
Her face lightens up. "Heh… you know, that actually sounds a lot like what Eda said. She told me that if we waited around for someone to tell us we're special, we'd die waiting. That we have to choose ourselves."
"Si. She did mention that." I'm… a little shocked. I was skeptical when she told me that she had said such a thing to my daughter, but it appears it was true. The Owl Lady said something to my daughter that resonated with her. This must be what Hellboy meant when his perceptions of things were shaken up.
"…I know what I did was selfish and reckless. But I really think there might be something for me here." She looks up at me with a hopeful expression. "Is there any way I can convince you to let me to stay?"
I sigh. "I just don't know, Luz. This place is very dangerous. And while she has surprised me, I still don't trust that woman. I would need some way to know that she can take responsibility. To know that this place is… manageable."
Luz thinks on this, furrowing her brow. "…What about a demo run?"
I look at her quizzically. "What do you mean?"
"Well… since I'm stuck here, maybe we could really give this island a test. Especially since Hellboy's stuck here too. He could watch over me the next few days, and we can try out a thing or two on the island. And after all is said and done, he can tell you what happened so you can decide if this place is okay!"
It's… an idea. But I'm reluctant to go along with this. 'Testing' like this doesn't keep her safe, necessarily. Having Hellboy with her could help, but… "I'm not sure… I've already asked so much from Hellboy. And he is dealing with his own agency matters at the moment." Then again, he's a very kind man. "If he can't do such a thing, Luz, then I'm afraid we may have to just go home. But if and only if he accepts, then I must lay down some ground rules." She nods profusely. "One, you will not go anywhere on the island without Hellboy for the time being. Even with your friends. If he allows you to go with other agents, then I trust his judgement. But If he or another agent aren't available, then you cannot go."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Two. You are still being punished. Since you can't do chores at home, you will be doing work for the BPRD agents that are watching over the portal… within reason, of course. And if we deem the Owl Lady's errands safe to do, you will continue doing those as well."
She cringes a bit at that, but nods.
"Thirdly, I will coming by everyday to hear from Hellboy what you've done and what has happened. If it becomes too risky for my liking, I will call it off. No buts."
"Understood."
"And finally… for the time being, no magic."
"H-huh?!"
"Luz… the week I spent with the BPRD, they were openly honest about many things. Including witches on earth. Hearing about the vile things they do, and how much of their humanity they have you sacrifice for their powers, I'm almost glad that this Eda is the one who found you." I give her a stern look. "You could have very easily been targeted by one of them for your interests. And we might've found you in a very different state. As for the magic… Hellboy and his agency are investigating this place already. Until he can determine the safety of this magic, you will not practice it. If he finds it to be harmless… I may consider letting you learn it. But until then, even your light spell is off limits."
Luz looks conflicted and disappointed but agrees. "Si, mami. Uh… and Eda?"
"…I guess I can't see if I can trust her if I don't give her the chance to earn it… but Hellboy's authority comes first, understand?"
She nods again.
"Good." I breathe deeply. I'm probably about to make a very questionable choice in parenting. "Then I am open to the idea. Let us ask Hellboy, before anything else."
I just hope that questionable choice is the right one.
"So, you're a babysitter now?" Liz asks, amused.
"Maybe."
"Manning might not be happy about that. He might consider you getting too close to the case."
"Screw 'em." I put out my cigarette in my hand. "It gives me a chance to help out both of them while also letting me learn more about how this place works."
"You really think it's this emperor fellow?" Abe questions, not taking his eyes of his scanner.
"I don't know. But Snaggletooth said blocking the portal would take a bunch of magic. He's my biggest culprit. What's really irking me is… why the two of us? There's no relation as far as I can see. I don't know what connects the both of us, what it is the kid and I have in common. I'm not seeing all the pieces here, and I hate that. Just means the bad guys have the advantage."
Liz sips a bit of her coffee. "So, what's up first then?"
"The kid says there's some kind of convention in a few days where the covens recruit and show off. I figure that's a good place to start."
Abe snaps his fingers. "Before I forget… how many fights did you get into while you were here?"
"Hmm?" Weird question. I know I fought Snaggletooth, but there was also… the… "One."
Liz gives me an incredulous look. "One? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. The Owl Lady."
"That's funny…" Abe says, a smirk on his face. "Because I was having a lovely conversation with the door earlier…" I tense up. "And he says you and he fought. Claims he got quite a few hits on you-"
"If you don't mind, I think I'm gonna go have a talk with that door." I state before walking away.
Before I get out of earshot, I can hear the two of them talk. "I believe you and the others owe me."
"Yeah, yeah. So much for my good feeling…"
"And you're sure that is how you would describe him?"
"Y-yes, my Emperor. Sawed off horns, stone hand, red skin. I… I apologize greatly for not apprehending him. I-"
"Don't be so foolish. I do not wish to detain him. Nor did I expect that you and the guards would. Go and rest up. Just know that I expect you to pull double duty for not coming to me or my subordinates sooner."
"Yes, my Emperor!" The guard scurries off, glad to not be greatly punished. As he should be…
"Lilith." The Owl Lady's sister steps out from the shadows and bows. "Should you or your guards see this creature again, question him. Do not apprehend him, however. I simply wish to know his intentions for being on the Isles."
"And… if he interferes with capturing my sister, or vice versa?"
"Incapacitate him if you must." I wave her out. "Be on your way. I am aware that you must ready yourself for the coming Covention."
"Yes, my emperor." As she exits the room, Kikimora is quick with her curiosity.
"Sire, might I inquire why you do not wish to apprehend this trouble maker? His fight with the Owl Lady tore up much of the grounds of Hexside. Should we not find out who he is and arrest him?"
"I already know who he is, Kiki. Long have I prepared for the day he would arrive here… and yet I still do not feel ready." I stare out, looking the petrification statue in the eyes. "Anung un Rama… do you even realize who wanted you here?"
I dunno, I think King had the right idea about the door. What about you guys?
Next time, Covention is in town! Will things go the same? Will they be different? Will Hooty get a breath mint? I mean, those first two are up in the air, but the third one's pretty much a no.
Review Response Time! Not as many this time:
Zackattack- I've actually been looking for someone to draw a fanart cover for me. I just need to find someone to commission who can capture the Mignola style.
Coldblue2015- 1. Comic books, with Sword of Storms movie grafted into his past since it doesn't affect anything. 2. Hmm… well, Hellboy got those over several decades and from all around the world. Not sure if I believe Luz could do the same here. 3. Hellboy's got his own job, as evidenced by this chapter, so I'm afraid not. 4. Nope. *he says sarcastically while looking at the top of this chapter with a cheeky grin*
Guest Austin- I mean… there is a writer who made a crossover with Constantine. Halo20601-AKA-MastercheifMan's "Raisin Some Hell". I recommend it. Though I don't have interest in Constantine, what I saw was pretty fantastic. *Points at MasterchiefMan and clicks tongue* Hell Title Buddies!
I've… not actually spoken to him yet.
That's it for now, see you next time! Watch the right hook!