PRIVATE- Elias and Hellboy Go To Vegas

[gentlemanmonster]

A few years ago after the second World War, Elias had been approached by the BPRD. With England still bearing fresh scars from the war, their visit was a melancholy one filled with apprehension as they were only starting to deal with faeries-otherwise known as Neighbors-and they hadn't the slightest idea what to expect.

However Elias was pleasant as could be-tea and books and a little anxious around humans-but agreed to work with the Bureau as another branch of sorts until an actual one was created not long after. He also filled Professor Broom and his team in on how the faerie world worked and how to best approach them.

He didn't meet Hellboy until Red was out of his teens so to speak, coming over to the states for his first visit to the Bureau in person, and the US in general. The odd pair seemed to get along rather well. While his and Abraham's love of books was quite prevalent, Elias found himself with more in common with Hellboy. They both wanted the humans to accept them as they appeared-though Elias was far less ready to just jump out and show himself-and enjoyed the things they created, like food. Though the mage preferred less TV.

Elias' visits were few, once or twice a year, more often only if there was something that needed a mage's hand to deal with. Not that he didn't like coming to the Bureau but the jump with magic across the Atlantic was taxing even for him, he couldn't always count on the England BPRD to fly him, and flying even first class was uncomfortable as keeping up a glamour spell for such a flight was stressful, especially with children on board who could often see through it.

Today's trip was to the Bureau and then to Vegas to negotiate some troll territories in the desert mountains. He didn't like fae politics but there wasn't a mage on the continent to do it and the BPRD had already overstepped their bounds. Manning was such a bastard... Elias wasn't officially Bureau so they'd listen to him. He hoped. Trolls could be very stubborn.

After packing his things and Silky handing him a large paper bag of homemade delicious goodies to share at the base, he teleported to a designated location in the BPRD.

One moment there was a flash of blue light and thorny vines, the next, Elias Ainsworth stood in the lower lobby of the Bureau.

Comments

[apocalypsenah]

The lower lobby has, as usual, none of the quiet austerity of the upper. And while Elias's appearance is a little more showy than anything the various gaggles of agents gathered around or moving swiftly through the central hub of the Bureau are up to, it's also scheduled - unlike much of the standard, day-to-day chaos around here. His little section of the lobby has even been neatly cordoned off, and there's an agent standing by to greet him with a politely enthusiastic Welcome back, Mr. Ainsworth, before he's ushered further in.

While Elias is busy getting the usual VIP debriefing, Hellboy is several floors further down, minding his business in the armored vault that serves as his cluttered, crowded living space. Or at least pretending to, while he paces around in impatient circles, instead. He's not exactly on lockdown, but he's not exactly not - which is why he made such a compelling case for Elias to take him with, on this business in Vegas.

It's definitely not because he's so interested in the political disputes of trolls, or because he thinks Elias might actually need the backup (in all likelihood, he doesn't, especially when he's going out there to do little more than talk shop with a bunch of surly fae creatures).

Either way, though, it's a chance to get out, to stretch his legs, and if he's lucky, maybe even see the sights a little. (A dreary trek through the desert is probably a more accurate prediction for what's on the menu, but he's always been kind of an optimist.) So he's playing it cool. Sort of. If chainsmoking cigars while a bunch of kittens jump and claw at his ankles as he makes the thousandth circuit of his room this hour counts as "cool."

Probably not.

[gentlemanmonster]

Elias followed the agent to a debriefing room and sat with several agents and Broom himself. ten minutes of going over things-ie Manning droning on-before Elias interrupted.

"I want to take Hellboy with me."

Silence. Someone dropped a pen.

Broom chuckled softly, "Absolutely not."

"His record with me is clean" Elias pointed out "Never one incident."

"You've only done two field trips alone with him" Manning said "Not exactly a long record.

"A record is a record no matter how many is on it. Also I'm the only one who can handle him." the mage said confidently "Vegas is fairly colorful and there just so happens to be a convention in town. The little time we'll be among people, he'll blend in without issue, or I'll glamour him enough so."

Broom sighed and sat back "I'll send a team with you then."

"No. The Bureau has already done enough damage to negotiations with the trolls." Elias's red eyes fixed upon Manning, who sunk into his chair a little before the mage looked to Broom. "Its either the pair of us or I return to England tonight."

"You back out of this and you won't be allowed back" Manning glared.

Elias slowly stood, and while the agents had all seen some shit in their day, there was still something very imposing about a skull-faced creature over six and a half feet tall. "I am not under the Bureau's control. I offer my help on my own terms. If you don't like it, then find another mage." He looked to Broom, who seemed to be the only cool head at the moment. "I expect an answer by dinner." With that, he left the meeting and went to see Abraham first.

"How did it go?" Abe asked

"As expected. I really shouldn't take Hellboy with me but I know his irritation at being locked up." Elias said, handing over a book wrapped in soft animal hide. "First edition. Don't get it wet." he chuckled.

They had a short talk on the rare books he'd brought before Elias finally went to see Hellboy.

"If you get anymore cats I might have to reconsider my visits." He said to him as he came in.

[apocalypsenah]

As long as he's been waiting (or as long as it feels like he's been waiting, anyway), it's impossible to keep the anxious relief from bleeding into his expression, when he turns around and finds Elias standing there. The mage cuts an equally imposing figure to his own, something that always feels a little off-kilter, at first. Hellboy's used to looking a lot further down, when he's talking to just about anybody. It always takes him a minute or two to not be so impressed by the opposite.

But that's not going to stop him from taking totally insincere affront to Elias's greeting.

"You're really gonna walk right into a man's house and disrespect his family like that?"

[gentlemanmonster]

"I always speak my mind, blunt some may call it. You should know this by now." he cast his red eyes among the felines milling around. One, a tortoiseshell, glared at him from atop the table where it sat. "You're new."

"And you're rude as ever, Thorn." the cat said, but all Hellboy could hear were meows.

"So, finally one among you is old enough. You must be one of the first Hellboy got in that case." Elias said walking over to the cat.

"You and the professor shouldn't be so hard on him, he's alone down here a lot of the time these days. We're his only company, and even we have our ways of sneaking out." the cat said, leaping up onto the mage's shoulders and rubbing against a horn.

Elias looked to Hellboy, then to the cat. "I know. I try to get back as often as I can"

"He can't hear me you know." the cat seemed to smirk

Elias grunted and plucked the cat off from his shoulder "Now who's being rude." he set the cat down on the table again and looked to Hellboy. "I think I convinced the professor that you can come with me. Manning was a bastard as ever about it but I think Broom will come around." He carried on like he'd not just had a full conversation with a cat.

[apocalypsenah]

"...Talkin' to cats, now, antlers?" Come on, he's not gonna just let that one slide. Hellboy arches a brow, eyes darting skeptically between the cat in question and Elias, himself. "And they say I'm crazy."

Stircrazy, maybe. Which could account for the way his eyes light up when Elias changes tact, reminding him of the reason for this visit. Other than courtesy, anyway.

"Outlook's good, then, huh? I knew you'd come through." Not that they're totally in the clear, yet - but if Manning was only his usual stingy self, then Hellboy's willing to consider that a good sign.

"We oughta celebrate."

[gentlemanmonster]

"As cats go through their lives, they grow more intelligent and learn to speak. You can't hear them because you're not a mage, nor fae." he stated bluntly as the cat trotted over to Hellboy and meowed to be picked up.

Elias folded his arms, "Yes. I think the only reason Broom might agree to it is because of the convention in Vegas this weekend. Costumes are more elaborate than ever these days, so blending in will be no problem. Still, the primary goal is to settle with the trolls. Manning becomes more of a liability with each passing year, for his sake I hope he learns better one day."

Or he might have to get rid of him.

The mage would not risk all the hard work and trust he'd helped build between the world of the fae and Bureau for the sake of a human who treats the deals like all can be forgiven with a handshake after an insult. Fae are not like that. They hold grudges and know by your very scent if you're not worth their time.

Elias cocked his great head, "Celebrate?"