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Time could pass and be marked by more than clocks now, marked by stars and shifting dome of sky above from dawn to afternoon, then evening, dusk, night, and blushing dawn again. All the gods had managed that much. Or at least some of them had come together under greater direction to do this.

He wondered, idly, if the puppets had known, at the time of their labours, what it was they were gathering pieces and parts for. Had they been happily buzzing away, little bees, completing mundane tasks with no greater picture in mind? Had Harmodius told them what it was for? Like as not he hadn't, just 'do this' and then sent them off with a task.

Well, Creation was resting now, so no more enigmatic machinations for a little while. Thank God.

Is that sacrilege?

Was it swearing by Harmodius, at Harmodius, when that thought passed his mind? The constant paradox surrounding the Twin crown gave him a headache, and brought a sour turn to his lips.

He was tired of skulking, covered in book dust and trying to re-learn all that he was and that he should be, amid personal tomes of the Twin Crown that were to be found in his personal quarters. Tired of everywhere he looked being filled with Presence of the elder god-personal effects, abandoned trinkets, countless critters, a mess of wardrobe haphazardly decorating furniture. Aris wanted to feel, for even a few minutes, like he'd been a person all along.

There had been a person, a boy. Souls, bones, blood, odd objects all gathered and forced on the first thing that had been a person with a life that had existed whole and normal from a natural birth to adulthood. The memories were there,but they as removed as a movie on a projection screen. Come to think of it, holo-projections were foreign, too. There was knowledge of technology and space ships in his head and he'd never even SEEN a piece of technology more advanced than a coffee maker at the pantheon.

So he was on his way OUT. Outside the immediate lofty buildings and onto the grass, striding purposefully towards the shadows of city-ruins beyond the treetops and idyllic wonderland that surrounded the land of the True Gods. He wanted to see something that didn't involve magic for a day. The regeneration of All was inevitable and inescapable, but he could at least replace surrounding, palpable Origin, with some other sort of environment.

You need to find something to do. You're brooding too much.

Alice grimaced at the goddess who spoke into her mind, voicing her annoyance with a grunt. And what should I do, huh? If you've got any actual ideas, I'm open.

You could be more social, for one, and make some friends - that dog does not count. Kyrjadis cut the woman off before the thought could even cross her mind. It was all well and good that her pet made her happy, but it was not enough; she was still lonely, melancholy, and it was obvious.

I wasn't going to say he did, Alice protested, standing from the bench she'd been sitting on. And I've been social. I've met people! Not that she was at all antisocial, it was just that this whole situation was so awkward, so weird, that it complicated things, added a certain amount of reluctance to her manner. There was a 'Why bother, when I'm just going to die?' element at the root of the problem. It was tempting, in that it would be simpler, to just wait for it to happen.

But the dilemma was soon put aside, at least for the moment, when Hector jumped up from his napping-spot with a 'whuff!' of alert and charged off towards a nearing figure. The big, scruffy dog was halfway across the distance when his mistress whistled sharply, attempting to summon him back. He stopped, but didn't return, looking from her to the stranger, suddenly uncertain. She was calling, but..but...person! No no, people! There were two of them now! One of them was on the roof, like a cat! Oh, oh... The decision was made even more difficult when she reached into her pocket and waved her hand to attract his attention, promising, "Cookie!"

This time, people won out, and the brindle mutt bounded over to bark and wiggle with friendly enthusiasm at Consort and high-up Goddess. He didn't jump on the human, though, having at least learned that basic lesson in manners.

"Dammit," Alice grumbled, jogging after him. "Sorry!"

“Enough to last me as many lifetimes granted by my station, “He turned his eyes up, first, thoughts interrupted by a voice that sounded as much to be purring as speaking. Exotic. He recalled it without trouble from the ceremony. “Councilor Greed, you look luxuriant.”

“I suppose much of Greed is want, and what else is the sky now but a blanket full of the brightest jewels to covet for a horde. Still, you were the only one to-“

A dog was suddenly wiggling about, groveling and happy in its very doggy way. They were loyal, fierce if trained well, he supposed. This one was apparently friendly. He pushed its muzzle away from anything important, and ruffled its collar while looking for the owner. “I take it the beast is your charge? Not much of a warhound. Pet?”

Substitute eyes? She was wearing a blindfold 24/7 apparently. May as well wear sunglasses at night. “It’s no great trouble.”

Taking his hands from the dog so that it would return to its owner, he noticed they two(three, with dogface) were not the only ones seeking the airs of the outdoors. “You spoke at the celebration. …Kyrjadis…wasn’t it? “

And that man not far off, he had the shimmer of a bearer- the distinct shift in aura that came with bearing one of the god-jewels. Would his complete his approach to speak? Or continue to skulk off in the limelight. Time would tell, “As I was saying, Greed, you were the only one to do honor your being. I reiterate, I was impressed and glad. I *am* tired of gods afraid to be what they are. Afraid for what reason? Because they fear the fading? Who does not act has already lost, in fear that they act too rashly. But what is there to fear that you would act rashly always? Greed can be….but does she not weigh all things nicely in each hand, calculating and careful?”

“Do you not agree?” He posed it to the other two…the woman with her dog and the stodgy man.

By the time the dog had completed his wiggling greeting/investigation, Alice had caught up, and hooked her fingers around his collar. A firm tug prompted him to sit, though he still waggled in place. "Yeah, he's mine," she answered with a touch of embarrassment. The trials of dog training! "He's kind of a work in progress."

"Alice, actually. Kyrjadis is the goddess. You're...Aristogeiton, right?" That was what the black dragon had called him, if she remembered correctly. He was important for some reason - Consort - and had been somewhat less than pleasant during the discussion that had led up to the vote for the Council. And still singing the praises of this cat-goddess? Hmm. Another approached and she turned her head, smiling to see that it was the priest. "Hey, Laurence."

The smile faded when Aris asked for their agreement with him, and she glanced at Greed. "I can't say. I barely know any of them."

With the woman distracted, Hector took the opportunity to snarf the treat out of her other hand, but her only response was to wrinkle her nose at him in faintest annoyance. He wasn't doing anything especially distressing, so she'd let it slide rather than fuss at him in company.

... Kyrjadis. Why was that name familiar? Phaedra frowned, the expression a brief flicker. She couldn't quite place it, but she gave the blindfolded host a quick, sidelong glance before turning her focus back to Aris. "An enviable philosophy. Would that all were so practical, rather than hiding their desires behind pretty veils of custom and manners... though such things are amusing to twist and mold to one's own ends. The pleased grin was back, this time tinged with nostalgia. Ah, she'd had such wonderful times over the Ages, hadn't she...

The other presence resolved itself in her mind at last. Another dragon. There were altogether too many of them, in Phaedra's opinion. How boring.