ic inbox

[lingeringhope]

[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.

Comments

Voice

[amos_moses]

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.]

Voice

[lingeringhope]

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

Voice

[amos_moses]

[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?

Voice

[lingeringhope]

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.

Voice

[amos_moses]

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.]

Voice

[lingeringhope]

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

Voice

[amos_moses]

[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.

Voice

[lingeringhope]

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

Voice

[amos_moses]

[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.

Voice

[lingeringhope]

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