Snowblind IC Inbox

[godsspeed]

@whatisthis

This device is meant to be a means of long-distance communication. It seems remarkably impractical.

Regardless, if you leave me a 'message' I will do my best to respond.

Comments

[godsspeed]

I understand. It can be difficult. Especially in times like these. If you want me to leave you to your rest, I can, but thank you for reaching out to me. I'm glad Royce has someone looking after him.

[devoutish]

[He hmmms, but doesn't hang up.]

Who did you talk to, before here?

[godsspeed]

Other angels, mostly. The rest of the Earth garrison and my commanding officers. We spent a lot of time watching humans, but weren't allowed to interact with them at all without explicit orders to do so.

I miss them. I've never been separated from my brothers and sisters for this long before.

[devoutish]

Would it be too impertinent to say I know how you feel?

[godsspeed]

No, it wouldn't. Pack bonding is a key part of the human psyche. I think you form closer bonds with each other than angels do, but it's impossible for me to tell.

[devoutish]

Do you love your siblings?

[godsspeed]

[ There's a slight but noticeable pause before he responds. He has to think about this one. ]

Yes. Even the ones who are... difficult, at times. And even the ones I've never had the chance to speak to personally.

[devoutish]

How many have you got?

[godsspeed]

[ Another pause. If Alfie's listening closely enough he might hear Castiel mumbling to himself, as if he's counting. ]

My Father created eighteen choirs of angels, the first of which consisted of the four Archangels, but each after contained roughly a myriad of myriad angels. It varied, though, depending on when each choir was created and what duties it was meant to serve, and some have suffered heavy casualties over the course of time.

I know all of them by name, though. I could count off the ones who remain, but we could be here for a while if I do.

[devoutish]

Woof. And I thought I had a big family, mate. No, I won't ask you to list them all off.

[godsspeed]

There are a lot of us. Less than there once were, though. [ And with God's long absence, it's possible there will never be any more. It's... sobering to think about. ]

What about your family, though? You're close to them?

[devoutish]

Yeah, I am.

[The family that commits crimes together stays together.]

I haven't been away from them this long since the war.

[godsspeed]

I'm sorry to hear that. Which war would that be?

[devoutish]

The Great War, the first world war. I served in France.

[godsspeed]

Ah. That was a dark time. I was assigned to watch the northeastern quadrant of North America at the time, but it was difficult to miss what was happening in Europe even so.

[devoutish]

What was going on in the northeastern quadrant of North America?

[godsspeed]

A small handful of notable demonic possessions, responsible for a number of bombings, sunk ships, and a typhoid epidemic. Most importantly it's where Lucifer's prison is located, though. At least five of us are required to be watching it at all times. It just happened to be my turn when the Great War broke out.

[ And normally he'd hesitate somewhat to share that information, but he's already told Royce, and this conversation is private. It probably isn't an issue. ]

[devoutish]

Mm. And that's where it gets a bit odd for me, I think.

[godsspeed]

In what way? [ Castiel is pretty sure he can guess, but it doesn't hurt to ask anyway. ]

[devoutish]

Well, it's very Christian, isn't it. I don't know much about it. It's interesting, but--

[It's pretty foreign to him.]

cw: discussion of religious "accuracy" in a fictional context

[godsspeed]

Yes. That.

[ Despite how non-expressive he usually is, Castiel manages to come off as very uneasy at this. ]

If it makes you feel better, they didn't get all of it right in what they recorded either. The Bible has a considerable number of factual inaccuracies in the structure of the afterlife and other matters that the Tanakh renders correctly.

[ He pauses. ]

I'm not at liberty to explain most of them in any greater detail than that, though.

cw: discussion of religious "accuracy" in a fictional context

[devoutish]

Honestly, mate, I'm not religious enough to be bothered, and I'm not gonna try to challenge you. Don't worry too much about it.

[He's not an atheist or not religiously Jewish, but he's also not prone to crises of faith.]

[godsspeed]

Okay.

[ Castiel seems to relax somewhat at that. ]

It's been an issue for many of the people I've spoken to, and the fact that it is one at all is... largely our fault, for failing to communicate ideas clearly in the first place. [ He feels pretty bad about it. ]

[devoutish]

People here? Really?

[godsspeed]

No, not here. Most have been fairly understanding or unwilling to accept that I am what I say I am. I mean in the past, when we made contact with humanity more often.

I think those complications may be part of why we don't appear to them as much anymore.