video;

[deadlystar]

[The video shows a disheveled looking Gamora who appears to have been in some sort of fight. There are scratches all over her face and her arms, wherever skin is visible. Her blood is dark green, by the way, if you were wondering. She looks into the camera, not caring how she appears to issue the warning.]

A strange creature entered my room last night and assaulted me! He kept hitting me with a sharp branch, but I managed to fend him off and escape.

If you see him, take care. Call for help immediately. He's large, with black fur, horns, and a long, disgusting tongue. He also carries a sack.

[The sound of chains rattling is then heard and Gamora turns to look. She might be in for round 2 very soon.]

Comments

video; not late

[ofletters]

Gamora?

[ Sam is acutely aware that the last time they spoke, he didn't have a soul. It's why his incoming call is a little tentative, wary in case she's pissed off for some dumbass thing he'd said to her. ]

I'm glad you're alright. I'll keep a lookout for that thing; I might know how to deal with it.

[deadlystar]

You know how to defeat a monster like that?

[Because she'd like to hear of his methods.]

[ofletters]

Maybe. I could figure it out if I had some time to... study it.

[ And to try a few different things to kill it, but that might be the difference between injury or not. ]

Do you know why it came after you?

[deadlystar]

Apparently it's been abducting people to lock them up and make them feel guilty about things they've done.

[She sounds like she doubts that would work on her. Locking her up makes her feel angry, not guilty.]

[ofletters]

That's... a new one.

[ He actually seems taken aback and, despite himself, a little amused. ]

He didn't hurt you, though. I wonder what he's trying to do?

[deadlystar]

He hit me with a stick until I hit him back enough that he fled.

[It's not like he didn't try. She's got the scratches to prove it. Perhaps his powers is waning.]

[ofletters]

See? You showed him who's boss.

[ His lip twitches at a smile, but he knows how dangerous Wonderland (and its creations) can be. ]

Just a stick? Like, from a tree, or something? That sounds a lot like something a pagan god might do.

[deadlystar]

A pagan god?

[She raises a brow.]

Do many humans perceive creatures that wave sticks to be god-like?

[Because that's kinda sad, Sam. Poor little humans with their stick-waving gods to fear.]

[ofletters]

Yeah, a... it's kind of hard to explain. They're gods, but they don't have a lot of power anymore because people stopped believing in them. They can be kind of petty, and a little ridiculous.

[ Thinking of you, Paris Hilton. ]

Oh- Nah, not really. [ Sam laughs. ] But this one sounded like he might be.

[deadlystar]

[The idea that something like that creature could be perceived as a god in any circumstances is hard to wrap her mind around.]

Are there many gods on Earth?

[ofletters]

Depends who you ask. Most people believe in one thing or another, depending on their religion. The truth is that most of the gods exist... all of them, more or less. Some are more powerful than others.

[ And some because people believe... or they're weak, because people don't. ]

[deadlystar]

You are very knowledgeable about such things, Sam.

[But he talked about reading and similar things before, so she already gathered that about him.]

What do you believe? Compared to most people?

[ofletters]

It... kind of comes with the job. [ But he admits a sheepish sort of smile anyway, scratching at the back of his head. ] You've gotta know about these things to know how to kill 'em.

[ OH NO does that make him sound like a serial killer tho ]

Me? [ Uhhhhhh. He quickly clears his throat, brow twitching at a way sort of amusement. ] ... Trust me, you don't want to hear about that. It's-... Not that interesting.

[ Really, it's complicated, and he isn't completely sure where he stands on the whole 'faith' and 'belief' issue anymore. ]

[deadlystar]

[Since Gamora was just going on about killing the stick-monster that attacked her, she doesn't think poorly of Sam for talking about killing creatures like it.]

If I did not want to hear about it, I would not have asked.

[ofletters]

Honestly? I'm not sure.

[ He can't exactly explain the entirety of Christianity to her... or why he isn't as close with God (if He exists) than he'd once been. ]

I used to believe in one god, just called 'God,' but... I guess I grew up. A lot of bad crap happened to good people and it got harder to see why He'd let that happen.

[ And for so many other reasons. He'd use to pray every night, but since he came back from Hell... not so much. ]

[deadlystar]

It can be difficult to place faith in someone who isn't there when you need them the most.

[She's not religious, so she doesn't struggle with that particular burden.]

Instead, we might put our faith in others. Ones we know we can count on.

[ofletters]

That's one way of putting it.

[ And sums up well the way that many people feel about God. ]

Yeah, I've found that, too. Much easier to believe in someone you know and trust from experience, not just... stories.