[Video]

[histruename]

[Ghosts. At first, Hellboy's not all that surprised by them. Over the last few years he's spent plenty of time with ghosts. When he's alone, it's kind of nice to have that kind of company again. Ghosts don't care much about the future, only the past. No speculating, no worrying over what's gonna happen next. It's strangely relaxing.

So over the last few days, when he's not checking up on Liz, he's found himself some new pals. He keeps to himself. They play cards, he drinks, tells old stories, and they come and go as ghosts tend to do.

It's not until he gets a chance to do some roaming around Keeliai does he realize how widespread the haunting really was.

It's a little unsettling, to say the least. He's pretty used to this kind of thing, but ghosts don't usually appear this solidly and in this great a number. Not unless something especially big and nasty came around to stir them up. Though if what they say about this place is true--about it existing somewhere between life, dreaming and death--maybe it's not that rare.]

Guess we've got ourselves a ghost problem. They seem pretty harmless, but if anyone has any trouble, I know a few ways of getting rid of them.

And don't waste your time with the guys in the masks. I think they're just out to make a buck.

[That pissed him off a little. Earlier he had seen a guy with a ridiculous mustache claiming to be an "expert" try to chase an especially irritated poltergeist out of a florist shop by banging pans together and doing some kind of crazy Macarena. And he tried to charge ten juulan for it. That was just painful.]

Comments

[video]

[thatimaysleep]

How do you get rid of them? They seem to like disappearing whenever they want.

[she's more curious about his ghostbusting methods than anything else. never hurts to know, especially when you're on the edge of ghostliness yourself.]

[video]

[histruename]

[Oh, he remembers this girl. Still doesn't like the look of her either. Gives him a bad feeling. But he plays it off for now.]

Yeah, they do that. It's just keeping them gone that's the hard part.

[He shrugs.]

But that depends on the ghost.

[video]

[thatimaysleep]

Mind sharing a couple methods? I'd like to keep my apartment intact.

[partly true. if anyone's going to trash her apartment, it's her.]

[video]

[histruename]

Well, you've got the basic stuff. Burn some sage, tell them it's time to get going. Then you've got the Bad Stuff. But I don't think we have to worry about that. Seems like most of these guys just don't realize they're dead.

[video]

[thatimaysleep]

I don't know. A few seem a little more mischievous.

[she leans her head on her hands, an eyebrow slightly raised.]

What's the Bad Stuff? I like to be prepared.

[video]

[histruename]

Yeah, watch out for those guys. They can be trouble.

[Man, is she curious. More than most people, that's for sure. She's probably just one of those goths or whatever the kids are calling it. The kind of kids that wear too much eyeliner and hang out in graveyards in their spare time. Hellboy never really could understand the appeal.

Though there's still something about this girl that gives him a bad feeling, and it's not something he's gonna ignore. But as long as she doesn't cause trouble, he'll leave well enough alone.]

But the Bad Stuff... that's the stuff you can't prepare for.

[That's when they call in the big, indestructible guy and hope for the best.]

[video]

[thatimaysleep]

[she smiles, slightly, already knowing partly what he means by the Bad Stuff and partly wondering what kind he runs into on a daily basis if he's so familiar with it.]

I think I can handle them, considering. So you're talking about waves of ravenous undead. Huge things pulled from forgotten seas to run rampant on the land. Much more interesting creatures than a couple of grumbling ghosts, yeah?

permavoice;

[arches]

You sure your methods'll work, here?

video;

[histruename]

Pretty sure.

[As in like 98% sure. Or is it more like 80%? Either way, his level of sureness is high. Though that's less to do with where he is and more to do with how he operates all the time. But usually things like this turn out all right. This is just little stuff. Ghosts can be unpredictable, and sometimes getting rid of them isn't all that straightforward, but he doesn't think being in another world would change things much.]

[arches]

That's comforting.

[histruename]

[He shrugs.]

I'm not gonna lie to you. Stuff like this... it's not always a sure thing. But I'm pretty good at what I do. And these guys seem pretty average for ghosts.

[It's just the number and the sheer strength of their presence that's a little concerning. Still, this's far from his first rodeo. Not the first time he's seen something like this. Probably won't be the last.]

[arches]

The fact that they are ghosts makes them pretty un-average, if you ask me.

_{( he pauses, for a second. )}

But they don't seem that malicious. Not like I'd imagine, at least.

[histruename]

[Yeah. Generally not something most people deal with on a regular basis.]

Most of them are just a little confused. But there's been some bad ones hanging around here too.

[arches]

I'm mostly worried about the ones that might want company.

Video;

[imlikeabird]

A lot of good that does you if you're not going to fix the tear.

Video;

[histruename]

Yeah, well I'm open for suggestions. Because I still don't have a damn clue where these ghosts are coming from.

Video;

[imlikeabird]

We'll have to go look for it.

Video;

[histruename]

[He thinks about this a moment. Look for the tear? If there was a tear to be found you'd think someone would've seen it. Not like Keeliai is all that big of a place.

But it's something. It might be a wild goose chase, but it's better than nothing. Blowing the place full of sage is only gonna herd these guys around. If he's gonna do better, he needs more information. Maybe this guy could help him find it.]

So let's say we find this thing. Then what?

[He's considering the idea, sure. He just wants to know what the hell he might have planned.]

Video;

[imlikeabird]

Hit it and tell it no.

[That's how he solves all of his problems.]

Video;

[histruename]

Guess I'll go get the rolled up newspaper.

[Seriously, this is a wild goose chase, but what the hell.]

I'll meet you in the Earth Sector, where those suites burned down. Most of the activity's been around there. You can probably guess why.

Video;

[imlikeabird]

Sounds like a party to me.

[Hawke grabs his nearby staff and gets ready to set off.]

[plumlucky]

What 'ways' are you talking, here?

[She WOULD have a poltergeist.]

[histruename]

Depends on the ghost.

[wholenewstory]

[A slight shrug, and a faint smile.] Don't...mind the company.

[Then she frowns, sharp and concerned.] They can't - hurt them, can they?

[histruename]

[The corner of his mouth twitches. For those who've known him for a long time, they would recognize it as something of a smile. But to most people, it just looks like a tic. These ghosts really aren't so bad. But they're bothering people, and he feels it's his duty to stop that.]

Pretty hard to hurt a ghost.

[Being stuck here is probably hurting them more than anything.]