two ✤ video

[lingeringhope]

[Hope still hasn't quite grasped human niceties, so he appears on the network suddenly, with no leadup and no greeting. As usual, he looks vaguely stressed and displeased.]

It has become obvious to me that I don't quite know how you creatures work. I need your hope, and unlike Fear I don't intend to bombard you with imagery just in case something sticks. Whether you like me or not, we're working together, in a way - without me, you'd all starve, without you, my power is lessened. I know you all so desperately want to go home, and without more power there's really no chance of that. So I have a proposal.

[He leans in, just a little.]

Bring me things that inspire hope in you. Place them on the altar in my temple over the next week or so, give me some idea of what it will take to draw hope out of you humans. If you can imbue them with more power - inspire hope in others with your ideas, work together, form bonds - that's even better.

As you all seem to enjoy being disagreeable, I do have more incentive then simply helping me out. Whoever brings me the thing that gives me the most power will receive my blessing. It's quite rare and valuable, it will impart to you the the ability to heal others for a certain amount of time. Since you all seem quite squishy and easily injured, I've no doubt that would be useful.

In addition, if I receive enough power, I'll waste some of it on a treat for all of you. So there's plenty of reason to help me out. Get to work.

[And that seems to be that. No farewell here, just Hope shutting the feed off. Feel free to ask him questions, if you'd like. He might even answer.]

Comments

[notjustinthemirror]

I'll be the bearer of bad news for you: Every single asshole in this place has only one hope, and that's to go home.

So everything on your altar is gonna suck.

[lingeringhope]

I doubt that's true. You all seem to hope for quite a lot of things, though I'll admit little of it makes sense to me.

[notjustinthemirror]

Aren't you supposed to understand it all? You know, being the personification of Hope and all.

[lingeringhope]

I get my power from it, I don't represent it, exactly. Anyway, how am I supposed to understand such odd creatures?

[notjustinthemirror]

That's a really weird way to recharge your batteries. Best way to learn them is to try and pretend to be one of them, you'll learn real fast.

[lingeringhope]

I've got this body and everything. I'm trying, I suppose. It's extremely tiresome.

[notjustinthemirror]

Being human is pretty tiresome it looks like. Hell it's exhausting to even watch them.

What do you normally look like?

[lingeringhope]

Much more attractive than this.

So you aren't human. Correct?

[notjustinthemirror]

The ladies would probably appreciate the other form then. Or the guys. Whatever. I won't judge.

No. Well, some of this body is, but I'm not.

[lingeringhope]

I have no interest in female or male humans. All those long spindly limbs, ugh.

Did you choose to look that way?

[notjustinthemirror]

I think the long spindly limbs are supposed to be part of the attraction.

No. This was not my idea at all. I'd have definitely gone for some upgrades, maybe the less fashionably challenged package.

[lingeringhope]

So if you didn't choose your form, how was it chosen?

[notjustinthemirror]

For me it was made for me.

People are born into it. They don't get to choose either.

[lingeringhope]

I know that.

[Nope, he didn't.]

Who made yours, then?

[notjustinthemirror]

Someone is going to have to give you the birds and the bees talk aren't they?

The Oro. It's a cult.

[lingeringhope]

Not at all. I know what birds and bees are.

[He says, mildly offended.]

I see. So you're a cultist?

[notjustinthemirror]

Uh-huh. Of course you do.

No. They're cultists. I'm a demon. I'm probably supposed to be a cultist, but I guess something went wrong making me.

[He's too Ethan for the Oro.]

People who think they're good enough to rule the world tend to think they're good enough at everything to do whatever they want. And never make mistakes.

[Sort of like gods.]

[lingeringhope]

Your world must be quite nice if they wanted so badly to rule it. You don't feel any loyalty to your creators?

[notjustinthemirror]

Nope.

And it's a shithole but it's the only world there is so I guess they wanted something.

[lingeringhope]

Clearly they were incorrect about that.

[notjustinthemirror]

No ones perfect.

[lingeringhope]

But plenty of people think they are, yes.

[notjustinthemirror]

Like you?

[lingeringhope]

Or like you, perhaps.

[notjustinthemirror]

I don't think I'm perfect.

But then I'm not the one pretending to be a god.