Agents of the Multiverse

Hellboy was brooding. Admittedly, he always kind of looked like that, but really he was just a kind of quiet guy under all the gruff. He talked when he had something useful to say, and he let everyone else around him run their mouths like they usually did. It was the best way to learn about people. Today though, he really was in a bad mood.

He'd dreamed about Liz last night.

The last time that Hellboy had seen her, he had been on his way out, getting onto a plane to the Andes to have a diplomatic 'talk' with a snow spirit who kept freezing tourists. They had hugged and said goodbye, but it had been brief because he had been late for takeoff. It was supposed to have been a long mission, but not a dangerous one-- just tedious. Hellboy had known for sure that he was coming home, even if it would be a while.

Except the plane had never come back for him, and when he had finally fought his way back home through a world gone to dog shit, Liz wasn't there anymore, and there was no way of knowing exactly what had happened to her either. Would it have been any easier if he knew for sure if she were alive or dead, he wondered? If he had seen the body, would the dreams have come less often? Was she out there somewhere still, scared, starving, alone? Was Abe with her? Or had they--- Had she been scared when--

Damn it! Hellboy's stone fist curled tighter around the mug resting between those rough digits, and the metal creaked warningly as he squeezed. He should have spent longer with her, told her he loved her, he should have--

Hellboy grunted, looking up from his beer. There was someone standing next to his table at his elbow, and the noisy background of bustling servers and cheerful idiots that was the Sparrow and Hare Tavern slowly came back into focus.

"What do you want?" The half-demon growled.

As the irate devil addressed the squeamish-looking human approaching him, he'd come to find an unfortunate trembling young man. He was one of the servers in the tavern, dressed accordingly in wait staff garb. He swallowed thickly while scanning his eyes over the hellish-colored fiend at the table.

"I-I'm so sorry to disturb you but.. you're Hellboy? The one who handles all the... things," he addressed very carefully. His eyes darted up and down Hellboy's frame and then jumped to the nearby tavern windows. Strangely, the windows had become fogged with perspiration. "At least, I REALLY hope you're Hellboy, because we might have one of those situations. Right now. Outside," the young man winged as the tavern suddenly shook with the force of what felt like a thunderous earthquake. He lifted his tray above his head quickly, and the patrons looked at the ceiling briefly as dust and specks of debris showered from the ceiling. The light fixtures swayed briefly.

"I mean of course unless that's your pet...? or.... mode of transportation?" the young man tried to guess sheepishly, sinking back and away from the filed-horned being sat at the table. The way he addressed whatever was outside seemed to be mixed with confusion and fear that didn't quite fit the wait staff, they were used to the odd patron. It must've been something a little... different than their usual to have them approach Hellboy in the middle of service hours.

The door opened and slammed shut as another waiter barged in, panting briefly. He had gone to take the trash out only seconds ago, but now he was back inside with said trash bag, unwilling to face whatever was outside. A sickly green light poured in through one of the windows, startling some guests. Other guests however had the odd reaction of... not reacting at all to it, as if aware of what was outside at that very moment.

Another time, Hellboy might have tried to soften his response to the clearly terrified server. Today though, he was tempted to tell him to get lost and deal with whatever it was himself. Couldn't a man brood in peace anymore?

Lucky for the server though, the half-demon kept his displeasure to a low growl, though it dropped a few octaves as the tavern shook and the windows fogged. The old timers weren't panicking though, so Hellboy figured that he didn't have any real reason to get involved outside of wanting some personal peace and quiet. Hellboy's red tailed behind stayed stubbornly glued to the little wooden stool beneath him. A mulish expression crept across his face. He could live with the noise if it meant not having to get up...

A moment later though, a grey feathered head stuck itself out of the kitchen, and a rather matronly looking sunbird flounced out a moment later, all four hands on her hips. Hellboy heaved a heavy sigh as he met her eyes across the tavern, and mentally relented to the call of duty. He owed Grey, and it seemed like she was cashing in today.

Pushing to his feet reluctantly, Hellboy groaned. He took a moment to steady himself against the side of the table with his smaller hand. He was far from drunk, but he had already had a few drinks by the time the server had disturbed him. The room wobbled a bit as Hellboy stalked across the tavern floor to the front door.

"Hey!" He snapped. He shoved the heavy wooden door open, roughly enough that it bounced against the outside wall of the tavern a couple of times. A blast of early winter air met him as Hellboy stepped out, and the light coating of snow on the ground outside was cold against his hooves. Not for the first time this week Hellboy reminded himself that he really needed to start going out with his boots on when he visited Sanctuary.

The half-demon titled his head up to squint sulfur yellow eyes at whatever was causing the racket, his expression still thoroughly crotchety. "You mind pipin' down out here? I'm tryin' to have a drink."

The waiter all but eagerly shuffled out of Hellboy's way when he made his way to step out into the cold. He didn't waste any time to shuffle back to the kitchen with some hearty thank you's to the iron-stared Grey.

The resounding bark of a not-so-friendly hello and the mad bouncing of a door on wooden walls put Hellboy in the spotlight suddenly... Quite literally. Green lights whipped to face him, casting him in dim lighting through the falling snow. It seemed whatever he had so suddenly addressed didn't seem very AMUSED to say the least with his mad barking. An immense shadow wafted through the falling snow and came to loom over him. A sleek metal helm now hung not a few feet away, piercing green eyes stared into wild yellow. It seemed maybe Hellboy had met something just as ill-tempered as him. A deep rumbling growl intermingled with the sound of an engine. It was 25ft at LEAST, not counting the ornate helmet of horns wrapped around its head. It looked... unpleasantly sharp in just about every part of its body.

Massive dagger-like jaws parted in his direction, a deep huffing breath causing hot air to blow past the demon.

The smell of Hellboy seemed to offend the red menace as its head pulled back sharply, only to shake wildly, sending shed mane to fall into the snow. "You're beer battered but you're not the fish I ordered," a grave voice grumbled at him, only to turn its head to peer into one of the windows once more.

" And you're not the only one trying to get a drink, complain to someone who isn't 30 tons," the stranger remarked. The titan Hellboy was faced with was sat rather... docilely. Staring into a window in hopes of catching the attention of some of the wait staff. He sure did catch their attention though, in all the wrong ways. His head lifted upward to one of the windows on the upper floor, coming snout to snout by accident with a nosey patron who had decided to peek out and see what was happening. The older gent very HASTILY shut the window in the metal machine's snout. The robotic thing sighed.

Green eyes slid back to the demon that had so brazenly stepped out to face him. He sure was confident for something that only reached his shins in height. ".... What? they send you out here to get rid of me?" he questioned since Hellboy had a certain look about him. One that seemed to be looking for a fight. A fight he might've been a little too tipsy to handle appropriately.

Heretic wasn't the only one looking thoroughly unimpressed. He was a big one, sure, but he wouldn't have been the first mountain that the half-demon had been pitted up against. Besides--

"Hey! I know you, don't I?" Hellboy growled. His tail lashed behind him, whipping back and forth beneath the oversized trench coat that he wore. "You're the trouble maker that wrecked the lab, aren't you? What, they kick you out of there so now you gotta go make problems here?"

Hellboy thunked the side of the tavern pointedly with his stone hand. "Why don't you get a clue, jumbo? You're a one trick pony and people are getting sick of it. Everybody's too busy hanging onto their beers and catching the nice china to bring you din-din, and I sure as hell ain't gunna wait on you."

Muscular arms crossed over that broad crimson chest. "Grey wants you to stop rattlin' the joint and dinging up the windows, and I wanna get back to getting drunk if you don't mind, thanks."

Sure, Hellboy understood that some of the gruff was defensive. Looking like he did, he wasn't immune to resorting to that kind of reaction himself, but if there was one thing Hellboy couldn't stand, it was bigger guys thinking that they could pick on the little guys, just because they were big. There was nothing he liked better than cutting that sort down to size. Today though, he wasn't in the mood. Not with Liz still on his mind.

Instead, he fixed the mech with his best non-nonsense stare.

"You know how hard it is to get a good drink out here? You so much as scuff The Sparrow and we're gunna have problems you an' me, got it? Now what do you want and how do I get rid of you?"

Heretic's demeanor visibly changed when Hellboy declared he recognized him, and began to lead on a tirade about his past transgressions. His shoulders slumped and his eyes lidded at the small half-demon. A tight, unamused breath was sucked into his jaws, and then was sighed out in exasperation. His head turned to face the building, until Hellboy thunked his fist against the building, dragging his eye to the angry little devil nipping at his proverbial heels.

What a pleasant little thing he was talking to. "If it gets rid of you I don't mind whatsoever," Heretic spoke dryly.

"The only one scuffing the building right now is you," he pointed out wryly. He damn near threw the door off its hinges when he exited but Heretic turned his eyes to the fogged windows as they began to dry. He tried to spy out any of the staff but so far got... nothing. That was because all the blinds were shut, no longer allowing him to peer in. Damnit.

"I'm trying to bargain with the owner or the staff with this," He responded suddenly. Large talons raised from the snow, and held between harp claws was an immense, and very dead, wild boar. It had some nasty-looking tusks and was covered in wirey fur that merged into a mohawk-like mane down its spine. A neat puncture was sliced into its chest, that was suspiciously shaped like one of Heretic's immense claws. There was no presence of blood on the body, its hair appeared wet with frost. Heretic had cleaned it previously.

" It's a couple hundred pounds. I'll estimate about 350. Plenty of meat to turn into whatever pork products to sell," he explained while holding up the fresh kill. Rigor mortis had yet to set in. "Wanted to see if the owner would be interested in trading it or parts of it for a keg or something cooked," He stated finally, leaning back onto his other hand and sighing. He rested his other arm holding the hefty boar onto his lap, almost seeming to frown. An attempt to QUIETLY flag down a waiter or staff member hadn't gone very well, and it was likely the rattling was just a result of him sitting on the ground in front of the building.

"Is that a problem?" He asked then, turning that sharp helm to look down at Hellboy. The way Heretic stared indicated he was waiting for a response and was expecting the worst answer from Hellboy.

Hellboy's answer was a growling grunt, but whatever he might have said in response was cut off by a feathered head poking its way out of the tavern door behind him. He made a disgruntled noise of surprise and stepped to the side to make room for the sunbird to squeeze out after him. It was, of course, Lady Grey. Not the owner of the building anymore, perhaps, but certainly the undisputed matron of it.

She took a moment to compose herself once she was out in the snow, brushing fingers down across her rumpled, powder blue apron to smooth out any wrinkles. Then she put her hands on her hips, all four of them, and squinted up at Heretic and his offering through the watery sunlight.

"You're too big," she said bluntly, her tail twitching-- not in an angry way like Hellboy's had, but there was something scolding to the way the feathers on the end of it shifted. "You scare away my customers."

She took in the boar appraisingly, however.

"Bring me two more of those today, and another at the beginning of every week, and you can eat and drink here. To make up for the business you scare off when you come around." Her gaze shifted to windows. Some of them were beginning to defog, but with the growing cold, others were beginning to frost over. Lady Grey roused her silvery feathers and huffed in disapproval. "And stop breathing in my windows or I'll make you clean them."

She came around Hellboy, though not without a pause to turn her beaked head and peer into his face. Whatever she saw there, it made her sigh and reach out one of her four hands to pat his arm before continuing over to Heretic.

"I knew you boys would be trouble together. I shouldn't have sent you out here," she said, looking back over her shoulder at the half demon. "Not in your state. I'd tell you to sober up," she sighed, "but I know that look..." Grey turned her head to Heretic and clacked her beak at him. "And why are you so bristly? What've you even got to prove anyway? You're as big as a house! Stop fussing. It's unbecoming for something as big as you. Now, bend down here and tell me your name. And turn your head when you do it. I have no desire to smell your breath with teeth like those."

Heretic could only watch in befuddled surprise when a grey-colored sunbird came bustling her way out of the tavern. Apparently, he was too big for HER liking, causing him to give the biological a skeptical stare.... but that was when her attention drifted to his boar. 2 more today and one every week for food and drinks at the Sparrow and Hare. The green-eyed titan seemed to appraise the matron differently than he had Hellboy, causing the pools to drift over her frame and soak in her demeanor and treatment of him. It was a tense and quiet few seconds of him staring at her.

"Deal," was his simple answer to her service demands. Whatever he found different about her than Hellboy's approach to him, the machine seemed to find Grey more agreeable to deal with, for whatever reason. Then again... There was a stark difference between her scolding tone and his angered one. Despite her ruffles, she treated him as a person, not a threat. That and she didn't pick a fight with him either.

The Titan failed to miss how Grey turned her attention to Hellboy briefly, patting his arm consolingly. What the fuck was that about? There was something else going on just under the surface, it caused Heretic to squint thoughtfully at Hellboy while the sunbird's attention was off of him.

That stare didn't last long when a beak clack drew his eyes back to Grey while she snipped and fussed at him, mentioning his breath. The red-colored titan drew in a deep breath and then sighed. It was different in tone than how he had done so to Hellboy, more tired, but accepting. It might've been a surprise to Hellboy when that immense metal hide began to bend to Grey's will, lowering that massive head down to meet her height. His head turned to the side ever so slightly; so that one of the 2 immense green pools he had for eyes came squarely level with Grey's face. Her reflection was captured in the pit of green. His head was now just an arm's length away from Grey.

"Heretic," He responded, giving his name easily. He seemed more keen to forgive her jabs than he was Hellboy's. Just the half-demons' luck. "With respect to how experienced you seem, I think you know why the bristle," Heretic responded to her questioning of his demeanor. He had to pay homage to the weathered appearance of the sunbird, the way she carried herself indicated she held knowledge from experience. Unlike a certain drunken someone- Heretic's focus drifted to Hellboy yet again, just over Grey's shoulder. This time the stare wasn't so angry, but it was piercing. Now Heretic's stare was more appraising of Hellboy than it had been, really taking in the finite details.

Maybe Grey got Hellboy into a different kind of trouble, a curious titan was a problem he likely wasn't expecting to deal with. She had inadvertently tipped Heretic off something wasn't quite right with him.

It was the sunbird's turn to scrutinize the giant as he gave Lady Grey his name. Her pale blue eyes narrowed into a somewhat thoughtful expression as she studied him. A name like Heretic was a warning. To who though, was the question? Maybe he was just the rebellious type. Lots of young sunbirds liked to go by silly names like Fierce or Fallen instead of their hatchnames before they finally were old enough to receive their adult names. Or maybe he had truly earned it. Heretic certainly seemed like the sort who had seen plenty of serious clashes in his time.

Her eyes settled on those teeth. The other possibility was that someone else had given him that name. How cruel, then, but Grey had been exposed to enough technology now to recognize that someone like Heretic had been built, not born, and with jaws like that, yes, perhaps cruelty was the point.

Poor, lost creature.

Whatever the case, he was being polite enough today for Grey's tastes, though that allowance didn't seem to save Heretic from further scolding, and she delivered a sharp rebuke to his grumbled protest.

"Oh? And that's done you some measure of good then, has it? Snapping your beak at the little folk and then expecting to make nice? Honestly, you'd think you were barely out of your down." She followed Heretic's gaze back to Hellboy and lifted an eye ridge, appraising them both. "No matter. I've got cooking and cleaning to do. I'm going back inside now--"

Gray half turned, then paused in front of the tavern door to rouse her feathers threateningly at them. "I'd better not hear you two out here measuring crests the moment I'm gone, or I'll have you both scrubbing this place from top to bottom. Is that clear?"

Hellboy answered with a non-committal grunt. He turned away as she shut the door and lifted his head, only to find Heretic's luminous green spotlights staring down at him. The weathered red skin of the half-demon's nose wrinkled derisively and he uttered a warning growl, though one not too loud.

"You see somethin' interesting, pal?"

He hated being stared at.

Heretic tilted his head at the sunbird as she continued to chew him out. He failed to point out that he wasn't trying to be nice to Hellboy. That was kind of the point. However, he'd let her have this and stayed quiet while she snipped her beak at him and Hellboy, warning them to play nice and then retreating into the tavern. He hummed quietly before his attention was turned to Hellboy.

The titan paused at his question, only for a snicker to rise from his throat, a sinister-sounding cackle almost... " Careful, she'll come back out here and make you dust the cookware," he stated. Heavy talons shifted and hoisted the dead boar, followed by the immense machine standing from his sitting position. He might as well put the animal somewhere it couldn't be tampered with until he returned with 2 more boar. He stepped clear over Hellboy, briefly casting him in his shadow while he stepped behind the tavern. The titan had to take a moment to think back to some of his appointments with Razputin, he had to make nice with the folks around here, frustratingly enough.... He had an opportunity to now. Consideration flitted behind his eyes as he laid the boar carcass into a nearby tree where wildlife would have a hard time reaching it.

"You're just here to drink?... If that's the case, I'm sure if you help spot an extra deer I can wheedle another keg out of this deal today, And if not then you can take the one the sunbird already agreed on," he offered. The half-demon was here to enjoy some booze and peace, and he wanted to make amends, so 'paying' for a drink for him might be his best chance. At least, that was his understanding from his brief time dealing with organics that liked a bit of alcohol.

"I'd rather get back here sooner than later before they close for the evening. An extra set of eyes would make the process less time-consuming. And I have the feeling some payment-free drinks might pique your interest...?" He stated carefully, peering over his shoulder at Hellboy.

He stepped around Hellboy, making for the treeline. He stopped at the edge of the woods, heavy footfalls shaking the earth somewhat when he turned his helm to face the demon again. " For what it's worth, I'm trying to eliminate any reason for you to be a nuisance in the future. If that means subsidizing a meal and a few drinks tonight then that's a price I'm willing to pay," he explained, waiting to see what Hellboy's answer would be. In other words? He was trying to make amends for the rocky greeting they had, and trying to show his hand that he didn't truly mean any harm. Even if he had the approachability of a cactus.

"I can pay for my own beer," Hellboy growled.

Surprisingly though, he did follow Heretic. Hellboy recognized an olive branch when he saw one, and though he wasn't always inclined to accept, despite his grumblings, it seemed to be a better idea to make friends with the gigantic living weapon rather than another enemy. He already had plenty of those.

There was that, and the fact that Hellboy was a mopey drunk. He was starting to get a little too much into his feelings with half a dozen flagons in him, and left to his own devices and the mercy of recent memories, he knew that he was bound to make a scene eventually. Lady Grey was already annoyed with him as it was. Hellboy really didn't want to do something that jeopardized him being allowed back.

"I, uh, I don't really hunt," he admitted, making his way out into the snow with his hands in his pockets. Nor was he equipped for a trek through Sanctuary's wilderness, particularly since he wasn't wearing his boots at the moment. "I mean, I hunt, but monsters, not animals. You know?"

The half-demon's eyes lifted, scanning the landscape, almost hoping that there would be nothing there. Damn it. He was too tipsy and too sappy for this right now.

"You don't... gotta kill one right now, you know."

Did Hellboy have a secret soft spot for woodland creatures? Maybe a little. Would he ever admit it out loud? He'd see Heretic rust first.

"I've seen you at the Omphalos," he said, opting for a subject change instead. "I mean, everyone has. You make a damn mess. But just... around too. You an agent?"

"Of course, you can, but only a real monster doesn't like free beer," he mentioned in passing at the devil's growling retort.

The red menace found himself surprised to see Hellboy following his tracks anyway. Maybe the offer of the company was more enticing to him than just a mutually beneficial hunt. That was understandable enough, so he didn't make a fuss about the tipsy devil following just behind him. The immense machine's steps slowed when Hellboy admitted he didn't hunt animals, only monsters. That had to draw him to a pause. A thoughtful look crossed his faceplates as he hummed. " Do you hunt for the trophy or insurance of safety for those who can't?" he questioned then. It was an important question in his mind, but one that didn't bear too much weight, something easy to answer without thinking too hard about it.

That was when he heard the 'offer' that he didn't have to kill anything at that moment. His head shifted down to the demon curiously. He knew it wasn't an offer, Hellboy didn't want him to kill something in front of him. Guess he'd have to make Lady Grey wait on that extra boar or two. "Alright," he agreed easily.

"Mh. No. Not yet at least, I'm only a civilian at the moment. Working towards a security position. Been doing odd jobs here and there to keep busy, something to spend energy on," he responded. "I'm an old dog, I've ben working too long to be cooped up, start getting antsy," he tacked on. A sigh escaped him before he spoke again. " When you get to be my size it's hard to not make a mess. Some of the smaller organics don't help, I swear 50% of them try to weave through my feet like a cat," he mentioned, giving a hearty eye roll. How many times had it been now he had to scold a perfectly grown adult human to not run between his legs? Sure he had an easy time avoiding them with his senses, but that didn't mean accidents didn't happen.

"What about you? This is my first time seeing your face," he pointed out.

Heretic looked out at the snowy landscape, so far spotting nothing of interest... That was until a bird or 2 landed on his side horns. He glanced at them briefly, if only to turn his gaze away and hold steady, seeming unbothered. That stoic frame held steady even when one of the small birds began to steal some tufts of shed mane for its nest.

Hellboy barked a laugh at Heretic's question, then waved a hand over his own face, indicating the bright red skin, yellow eyes, scruffy beard, and shaved horns.

"Looking like this?" He snorted. "No, just the ones that can't play nice." Hellboy glanced up at the giant appraisingly. That question had been personal. He couldn't say that he was surprised, though. Someone like Heretic was bound to have enemies, whether he earned them or not, and he probably had friends, or at least allies who were in the same sort of boat. Freaks tended to flock with freaks. Hellboy would know.

Heretic's complaints about his smaller compatriots earned a grunt of agreement from the half-demon. "People don't look where they're going," he growled. "Any time one of the new guys got a good look at me for the first time, they'd stop to catch flies. I put up with it for a while, but then I just started knocking them over. Gets the point across faster. One of the more refreshing things about being here is I don't have to deal with that anymore."

Of course, it was a poor consolation prize for losing everyone and everything you knew.

Hellboy paused to rest his shoulder against a nearby boulder while the mech scanned the landscape around them. "I'm in artifact requisition," he answered when Heretic asked about his own status as an agent. "It's not too different from what I used to do. You know… go weird places. Punch some monsters. Pick up the occasional cursed ring. I guess it's nice to have something of a familiar routine in all of..." Hellboy waved his smaller hand about them. "--this."

"Haven't been going out much besides work, though. And I guess the occasional drink." Hellboy nodded pointedly towards the tavern in the distance behind them. "Wasn't really... ready. Still not sure I am now. But if I don't get some fresh air occasionally, they sic the shrinks on me."

Heretic probably knew a thing or two about that, he was willing to bet.

Heretic followed his trail of motion when that hand waved over his face. Once the gesture was over, Heretic was left... staring. It was easy to see the confused mutt look he had on his face. It wasn't malicious, if anything Heretic seemed confused about the connotations behind the meaning. The way that titanic head suddenly tilted to the side was strangely innocent. It almost looked wrong on that jagged frame.

Only after Hellboy continued speaking, did Heretic look out into the field. He made a hum of acknowledgment in return to Hellboy's complaints. " Humans are nosey. One that minds their own business is a miracle," he agreed. "I can't say I blame you, some forget their manners when faced with the unfamiliar," he thought out loud.

Green optics flicked to Hellboy when he explained his status among the staff. Heretic's eyes scanned him over briefly, taking in his posture, demeanor, and attitude about what he said. There was a weight to those words that implicated more than Hellboy likely intended to let loose.

"No one is ever ready. It's not something you prepare for. It's something you adapt to. Sometimes the only thing holding one back is hesitation," Heretic responded. A hesitant hand got him in trouble more often than he'd like to admit or ever remember. A split-second decision could kill a man or save one. Of course, this situation... whatever Hellboy was dealing with wasn't the same. He was starting to get the idea that Hellboy hadn't come here willingly. Not like he had.
"As long as you haven't met Razputin I think your prognosis should be fine," Heretic responded on his notation of the shrinks. Whatever the hell he meant by THAT.

Heretic was about to speak when his head shot out to face a field. Any sounds of his body functioning seemed to silence. His breathing all but stopped and his chest ceased to rise and fall while his head pinned to face something of great interest to him. A doe. It was a small one by all means but a doe nonetheless. It was sauntering out into the field, ears flicking this way and that way. Its eyes were wide and glossy. By all means it was a beautiful little animal.

Heretic pulled back from the treeline and lowered to be knelt on one knee, head leveling with the animal while he placed his claws against the ground. Heretic's eyes drifted to Hellboy as he recalled his earlier offer. He didn't HAVE to kill one right now. Two focused green moons slid back out to the doe.

"Ever hand-fed deer before?" he whispered.