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[Hope's voice is clear and clipped.]

If you would like to leave a message, you may do so here. I can't promise to respond. I have many demands on my time, and this sort of thing is far down the list. Still, if you would like to, you may.

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Well, a god having a voicemail is a new one on me, but since you don't seem the type for divine appearances...

[Amos chuckles a little. He'd been to the temple of Hope several times to ask his questions, and when no visitations or answers had been forthcoming, had gone on the hunt for a better means of communication.]

I have a coupla questions, an' you seem like the guy..sorry, god who might answer me straight. That Fear guy, he seems the sort to play head-games just for the hell of it, an' I'm just not keen on mind-fuckery.

So, first off, I hear we're all from different worlds. This true? Because this place seems awful similar to my own home.

Secondly, I've been told we're here in this ruined city as replacement believers for the...divine quarrel you've got going on with Fear. Is that true, too?

And if that's true, then what do you need from us as tribute? Existing? Sacrifices of some kind?

That's the main ones for now, I guess. I've got others, but I'm always asking too many questions, as my grandmother has told me many times. Oh, an' thanks for the food an' supplies, I hear that's your doing, too. We appreciate it.

I've no intention of appearing to any of you until I know you are trustworthy, which is not likely to ever happen.

But I can answer your questions, yes. In order: yes, sort of, and I need your hope.

Anything else?

[Ah, how interesting. Trustworthy can mean several different things, of course, from loyalty to faithfulness to honesty...but it can also mean the being in question might not be immune to harm from mortal hands. Amos tucks this away for later consideration. He considers his reply, and the phrasing, because while short-spoken, Hope has not resorted to the kind of twisted misleading phrasing some of the supernatural love to use.]

Can't say I blame you, as not a lot of us are happy with what's happened.

Sort of? So we're not pawns, or you're not quarreling with Fear?

An just hope in general? Seems easy enough....

You're all quite angry, Rage must be delighted. You're all also awful at placing blame where it belongs.

You're not pawns. You're more like batteries. And yes, hope. That's all.

Well, humanity has an unfortunate flaw of hanging the blame on the first available scapegoat they can see. Whether or not it's the right place to hang the blame...well. That tends to be less important than the satisfaction and security of having a visible target for frustration and outrage.

So if we're here to be emotional batteries, so to speak, you've certainly found the right species.

May I ask where we should be placing the blame for being...suddenly transported here?

It is extremely rude, considering I'm the only reason any of you are still alive.

Fear is the one who opened the Door. The blame lies with him.

[There is amusement in Amos's voice: Hope is not wrong and it is a little funny that he's so offended by this.]

Sadly, the vast majority of humanity is capable of being very rude. But not all of us. Thank you very much for keeping us alive: I promise we do appreciate it.

I certainly appreciate you taking the time from your busy schedule to help us out.

So we blame Fear, gotchya. This "door" literal or metaphorical?

[Amos has questions about that, too, but he's content to let the conversation meander along. Either he'll get answers from Hope or he'll find out more along the way: as it is, this conversation has been very illuminating already.]

I'm glad someone understand that, at least. You're welcome. I am working quite hard, appreciation is always nice.

And I suppose it's both.

Ah, one of those magical things, then.

So we came through it to here. I suppose going home again is more complicated than going back through this door?

[Amos is curious, okay. Probably too curious for his own good.]

I wouldn't know. I've no idea how to get any of you home.

[There's a beat of silence. Huh. Amos had not really expected that.]

Well. That answers that.

Can I ask about why you and Fear are at odds with one another?

Because his existence is a constant irritation to me, and he has never done anything in his life that was even remotely decent. Any relatively intelligent being would be unable to stand him.

Of course. I don't like rude people myself.

[Well, that sorts that out. It's at least not as complicated as sibling rivalry or incest or stealing of brides or offspring or kingdoms. Amos is getting a decent idea of what exactly the situation might be here, and it's a pleasant change to charging in blind.]

So is what's going on between you an' Fear what happened to this place and its...previous occupants? Or was that something else?

[Something vaguely apocalyptic, from the looks of things, and Amos really hasn't been able to get much information from the cave-fish in the river. For one, the majority of them are blind, for another, fish don't live all that long, and finally, fish-brains are very specific kinds of brains, and they generally aren't interested in history or mythology, just eating and mating.]

You'll find that Fear is to blame for most things. He certainly hasn't assisted in any of the cleanup.

[So that's presumably a yes, though not a particularly informative one. Amos isn't sure if Hope is being deliberately obscuring or if it's just his nature to only be so direct.]

I see.

Just one more question, then I'll stop pestering you for a bit. I'm sure I'll probably find new ones, but...

Were there ever any regular animals here? Like, there's the fish, but anything else? It's just so barren here, it's a little creepy.

Do monsters not count as regular animals? You creatures are so picky.

[A small laugh, very soft.]

Ah, it's in the name - monster, something unnatural or frightening to us.

I was just wondering. I'm used to places with more animals, a lot more 'chatter' going on.

Thanks for answering all my questions, it's very kind of you.

There's no need for animals here. And you're welcome.

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