are you in or out, or in or out?

[hehaseatenthepancake]

Who: Hellboy and semi-open to Hellsing personnel.
What: Hellboy calls a meet-and-greet.
Where: Hellsing Guild Hall.
When: Sukkardi, 25 Kavadry, shortly after dark
Notes: This will probably involve a fair share of back-tagging. Players should feel free to mingle their characters around, so they know each other a little when the crap hits the fan in the upcoming plot.
Warnings: Hopefully not, but we'll see.

The call goes out on the Hellsing channel in the morning, a rare burst of text that more experienced members of the guild can probably guess was facilitated by Hellboy handing his CiD to someone from the clerical staff and dictating:

Sol's return reminds me that we've had a bit of churn lately. In the interests of everyone knowing who their fellow guild members are, I'm calling for a little get-together in the dining hall this evening. We'll be starting at dusk, so everyone can do their socializing before the evening's work gets into full swing. Attendance is not mandatory, but it is highly encouraged. Refreshments will be provided.

Come dusk, an area has been cleared out for people to meander and mingle. With Maggie gone, the kitchen hasn't really been the same since, but Hellboy has somehow connived for a couple of tables to have a few platters -- cold cut and cheeses; fruits, veggies and dip; nachos, queso, and salsa -- a couple bowls of punch, and even a bowl filled with ice and some bags of donor blood for the vampires on staff. One of the tables has nametags and markers.

Comments

[hehaseatenthepancake]

"Yeah, well, I'd say she could join the club, but she already has."

Which is to say, most of Hellsing tends to focus on their work above and beyond other priorities. Hellboy adjusts his tie and the fit of the button closing the shortened right sleeve of his shirt in self-conscious acknowledgement that he's very much in that club as well.

"Still, I'm glad it's working out for her. She seems like a good kid. How about you? You settling in okay? Adapting to the kind of cases we get?" His instincts in recommending the guild to her in the first place suggested that she should be fine, but as a senior agent he considers it a responsibility to ask anyway.

[ruinedu2]

"Astrid's a bit quirky in her own way. She's got a great sense of humour once you get used to knowing where to look for it." There's no attempt to obscure the fondness Olivia feels for her teammate.

As to whether she's settling in okay, "Yeah," Olivia is quick to assure. "Some of it's a little weirder than I expected, I'll be honest, but it's nothing I haven't been able to handle so far. The cases back home might actually seem boring after this." She laughs quietly. It's a joke, and it isn't, but if it's anything heavier, she doesn't dwell or reflect on it more than a second. "I wouldn't mind tagging along on whatever you're working on, if you need a hand."

[hehaseatenthepancake]

"I haven't had much chance to encounter it yet, but I'm sure it's there," he says with a chuckle. They haven't known each other long, but Hellboy makes his friendship decisions pretty quickly, and he is definitely already fond of Astrid as well.

"I did warn you about that. I'd already seen lots of crazy stuff back home, but here there's that, plus a few other variations on the theme. Also, outside of cases, I had an angel come up to me a few weeks ago and ask me why I wasn't causing trouble. I don't mind admitting that does a guy's head in a little." He shakes his head as though to say what is my life. "My long-term case has been back-tracking a Shoggoth's path through the sewers. I'm hoping to hit the end of the trail soon, but I've run into a bunch of stuff along the way that needs following up on. I wouldn't mind some extra hands on some of that."