[closed] throwing out a boomerang

[hellshaped]

CHARACTERS: Hellboy and Dipper
DATE: Backdated slightly to just post-storm
WARNINGS: idk maybe some spooky stuff
SUMMARY: Hellboy tries to get Dipper's mind off Mabel's disappearance.

[The volcanic explosion and the subsequent typhoon have taken a toll on a lot of people. Hellboy is worried for the disappearance of practically half of their team, but it's not like very much can be done while the water is too rough to traverse. It seems almost like a repeat of what happened to Komo on their arrival -- except then, nobody got swept away on a gale.

Hellboy is also feeling out of sorts for different reasons; the explosion apparently sapped him of the uniqueness of his physiology. He feels aches and pains that he never had before, and has apparently developed a cold. It's all very strange, but he's trying not to let it get to him. There are bigger priorities here.

The market square on Pu'ulai is largely deserted these days, as nobody has money to buy wares at their inflated prices, so he won't not that difficult for Dipper to find. Hellboy is meanwhile keeping an eye out for pickpockets -- as the Nalawi have become very desperate lately -- though he's not exactly worried about being a target. It's more that he's worried for Dipper.]

Comments

[twinpeak]

[ Likewise, Dipper isn't all there, either. Worn completely to the bone, it helps matters none that he's anxious enough to make himself sick over the disappearance of the only family he had around. It's hard to say he'll ever rest easy until he can make contact with either Mabel or Ford.

(Which he attempts once again on his way to meet with Hellboy; it ends up as futile as all his other tries.)

Utterly disheveled from recent events, it doesn't take long for Dipper to show up, cautiously jogging over to close the distance as soon as the familiar red figure comes into sight. Luckily mug free—though he did catch eye of some nearby Nalawi who took ill-intended interest in the backpack hanging off his back, and it isn't as if Dipper is much bigger than them—but in the state he arrives in, one may as well think he'd just been jumped.

At least he's there a little less outwardly panicked, so perhaps not. ]

Hey, HB.

[ He tries for the casual, if somewhat forced, approach instead. ]

[hellshaped]

[Dipper is still wearing his backpack, so Hellboy figures he didn't get robbed on his way over -- he's also not screaming about being robbed, which is another good indicator -- so he quits looking around and instead focuses on him instead. He looks stressed, understandably so, but Hellboy knows better than to ask how he's doing. He already knows the answer.]

Hey. [He's better at sounding casual under duress, but his voice is a little husky from the cold. He jerks his head toward the jungle surrounding them.] Ninat's hiding. We can pick her up and then start looking around.

[twinpeak]

[ Dipper nods once, more than okay with getting started immediately. He doesn't think he could sit still for very long if he wanted to, anyway.

But first, he cocks his head to the side, peering around Hellboy and into the foliage of the jungle, eerily silent aside from the rustling of leaves in the wind. ]

Who– [ Or what—Dipper at least remembers Hellboy mentioning cryptids just a bit ago. ] –is Ninat?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy nods in return, then just turns and heads into the forest, expecting Dipper to follow.]

She's Kida's pet, I guess. Sort of a fish thing. [He holds his flesh hand out to the side, wiggling his fingers to mimic a quadrupedal animal.] Except she walks around on land, too. The only fish/land person I ever met had a particular diet, so I don't exactly know what to feed her.

[twinpeak]

[ And follow he does, falling into step behind Hellboy. Dipper frowns thoughtfully, gripping at the straps of his backpack. ]

It might not be as complicated as it seems. Is Ninat from Atlantis, too?

[hellshaped]

[Hellboy pauses perhaps a little awkwardly, which should say it all, really. It never really came up before.]

Honestly, I have no idea.

[twinpeak]

[ For the first time in a while, the corner of Dipper's mouth twitches into a subtle smile, as if holding back a short laugh. He decides he'll spare Hellboy the slight embarrassment for now. ]

If we assume yes, then she'd be limited by what they have down there, right? ... Do you think an underwater, uh—cave city thing would have a lot of options for dinner?

[hellshaped]

[Glad to amuse you with his own foolishness, Dipper... jeez..... what a pal.

But no, Hellboy doesn't mind. The important part right now is actually figuring out how to feed Ninat. Kida -- wherever she is -- would not be happy with him if he let her pet freakin' starve.]

From what Kida's said, they eat a lot of fish and, er... seaweed. [He doesn't particularly want to go to the beach right now, so --] We can probably find some fish in the river, no problem.

[twinpeak]

Fish. I figured that'd be it.

[ When you narrowed it down, it was a logical conclusion to come to. ]

I hope she's a good hunter, because I've got nothing for fishing.

[hellshaped]

[Well, she is a cat... thing. So it does make sense.]

Oh, yeah. She's got these claws and teeth...

[As if on cue, something roughly the size of a horse comes bounding out of the trees. It's sleek and dark, bioluminescent spots glowing brightly along its back. This might be an alarming sight, but it doesn't take a chomp out of either of them, instead ramming its plated nose playfully against Hellboy's arm.]

so this is better late than never.... right........

[twinpeak]

[ There's no room to get a response in before the creature in question slips out from the foliage. The size of it alone is enough to startle Dipper into a halt, gasping aloud.

Rather than be a threat, however, it approaches Hellboy much like a cat fishing (ha ha) for attention. When it becomes evident they're not in any immediate danger, Dipper only manages: ]

—Is that...?

embraces you...

[hellshaped]

[He's sort of absently scratching the thing behind the ears, and glances over at Dipper's question. And tries not to smile at the look on his face, that too.]

Yep. This is Ninat.

thank...

[twinpeak]

Whoa.

[ Despite the complete lack of hostility from Ninat, Dipper takes an experimental step forward, sizing her up as he does. ]

... She's a lot bigger than I was expecting.

[hellshaped]

[The big cat-thing makes a low snuffling sound, turning her attention toward Dipper and sniffing at him.]

Well, she's sort of like a horse. For Kida, anyway. [Hellboy would probably be too heavy...] I think she likes you.

[twinpeak]

[ Dipper lifts a hand to allow her to sniff, a gentle gesture to show he means no harm—even though Ninat has a better chance of completely wrecking him than the other way around. But if it works for normal cats...

He follows up with a light chuckle, scratching softly at her nose when all seems well. ]

I hope so—I wouldn't want to get on her bad side already. [ Or ever. ] You're probably hungry, huh?

[hellshaped]

[OR EVER, yeah. Please don't do that, Dipper. He would not like to have to tell Kida that her babby mauled a kid.]

Yeah, it's been awhile. So, now that you got a look at her -- you're still thinking fish?

[twinpeak]

[ Giving it a second thought, Dipper gives the creature another look over with a tentative nod of his head. ]

It seems like the likely option, if she's from Atlantis. Not to mention it's basically the primary diet of aquatic creatures, for obvious reasons...

[ He trails off, idly gesturing behind him. ]

The Nalawi are lacking in steak these days, too.

[ Okay, he's joking. They don't have steak like ever. ]