If You Would [Cyrus, Sylvia]

The energy which flowed freely from Sylvia surprised Cyrus for only the briefest of moments, but as he recongized it quite easily, a small, understanding smile crossed his face. Blessed of Mahadeva, hm? Well, he could not say that he was too terribly shocked by such a thing. The woman was an excellent judge of character, after all. Naturally she would impart her blessings upon worthy people. Cyrus allowed the warm energy to embrace him, though his own core of divinity kept the Flame from going any deeper into his heart.

"Being that I have requested the meeting, it has left the location in the hands of the Gotei, and they have requested it be held in the Seireitei as a matter of convenience on their end. It is understandable, if slightly inconvenient. I have several individuals in mind to deliver you to the Soul Society, and if absolutely necessary could send you myself. With that said, if you already have any particular individuals in mind who would take you, please feel free to make your own arrangements."

That last sentence was actually at least partially rhetorical, as Cyrus was decidedly aware that Sylvia knew at least a small handful of people who could quite easily bring her to Soul Society. Mahadeva chief among them, in fact. Still, he would naturally make any accomodations necessary for the success of this particular quest. Which, in fact, brought him to another topic he had meant to address. His lips pursed ever so slightly, suggesting a faint displeasure, though it was hard to say where it was directed.

"Captain Brauer, if I may ask your thoughts on another matter. This rescue will naturally be a matter which will require delicacy and a certain degree of...gentleness, I suppose. Do you consider my demeanor appropriate for such a task? Please, do not spare my feelings. I desire your honest opinion, both as Captain and as a fellow Quincy."

Sylvia thought quietly on the Grandmaster Quincy's offer of assistance in getting to the Soul Society, but in the end, she ultimately decided against accepting such an offer. If she was to be an effective leader, she thought, then she would have to do at least this much on her own. "Nein. I vill manage on mein own."

Her soft grin lessened only slightly while Cyrus seemed to think on something else, then returned as he spoke about what was troubling him so. It was almost funny to see their de facto leader question himself like this, but if honesty is what he'd wanted, then honesty is what he would receive.

"I zink... Vu can be intense, vether or not vu mean to be, und zee men vill be able to zense if vu are unsure of vurself." She paused for just a moment to think carefully over her next words. "Put, I zink vu are honest, und zat is not ein bad thing."

She grew more serious to ask the man a question of her own, "Haffe vu considered zee possibility zat zee vill not vant to come back?"

The Grandmaster listened carefully to Sylvia's words, and though his expression was as unreadable as it ever was, he did very much take her words into consideration. It was crucial that he take her opinion into consideration, not only from his perspective as a divine, but simply as her leader in a mundane capacity.

"Intense... Yes, I see what you mean. I suppose I could not call it intentional or unintentional, it is...simply in my nature."

Cyrus could have gone into more detail about the nature of his Aspects, of the Beneficient Flame, but he didn't think overloading the woman with such information would particularly be pertinent, or intelligent for that matter. It was something for another day, if ever.

"I have considered it, yes. In truth, that was why I asked the question. Observant of you."

He allowed himself a very small smile, impressed with Sylvia's ability to carry the conversation in the same direction he had meant to. She had a great deal more potential, this one.

"I do not wish to see them lost to manipulation they were not prepared for. If there are those among them who have willingly chosen to be there, then so be it. I will not enforce my own will upon them. That would be a moral wrong I could not commit, no matter the cause. But if there are those among them who feel frightened, or worry that they will face retribution for their actions, even those who simply left because they did not feel welcome in this place, then I would surely wish to communicate that they need not worry. My greatest concern is that 'intensity' would only push them away, cement them in their decisions."

Sylvia hummed gingerly in agreeing with his thoughts. That intensity was a good trait for a leader at times, but like this, it was just as likely to scare away the soldat who might be on the fence about returning. Cyrus was hardly alone, however.

"Zat is vy I vill go vith vu, ven zee time comes." The woman continued effortlessly. "Zee men who feel, rightly or not, zat vu are taking zee Vandenreich in ein direction they do not vish to go might still be von ofer, vith zee right reazurance." She paused to brush a stray strand of hair from her face.

"If I may, Herr ast-Auramazda," Sylvia's posture shifted ever so slightly, though she did not wait for his permission to speak. "I vould neffer tell vu not to obserfe your religion, but your talk of divinity und gods does scratch at old vounds. There are rumors, und I cannot say zat zee vorry zat vu might take us down old paths again is not real."

She cleared her throat, and gave him a moment to fully absorb what she was saying. "Ve are not gods. Ve are very mortal, und ve must be careful not to invoke anozer genocide of our people. I truly beliefe zat some of zee men might haffe left because of zis vorry."

Cyrus cocked an eyebrow at Sylvia's advice, though he did naturally listen quite carefully. So the words he had spoken against Mahadeva some time ago still remained in the public conscious, hm? Well, that did not too terribly surprise him, but it did admittedly cause him a semblance of what one might call distress. He made it a point to speak to no one of his divinity unless absolutely necessary, even explaining away his rather obviously divine power as simply an advancement of his own abilities. But, still, the folly of his time as a mere man would not simply disappear so easily. Waiting for Sylvia to finish speaking, he mulled the whole point over before responding.

"I have not spoken of such things in many a moon now, Captain Brauer, except for in the most casual of senses, to share allegory or tales of wisdom with which I am personally familiar. To have made such open claims of divinity in my conflict against Ulv Auber was an error I will not soon forget. A matter of very human pride, one I continue to regret and from which I continue to learn."

Drumming his fingers against his desk in a slow, methodical rhythm, Cyrus seemed deep in consideration. It seemed, for now, that the nature of his current Aspect was not what served him best. Nor, for that matter, what served the Vandenreich best. Sylvia's words were very correct, that the pride he had clung to so desperately as a man would very well invite disaster if left unaddressed. Simply operating differently would not be enough to make up for that mistake. Her mention of the very real fear of genocide once more, when he knew their people had already suffered such fivefold, was simply the last point needed. He would need to approach leadership differently for the time being.

"Give me one moment."

Taking a deep breath, Cyrus closed his eyes and focused inward, toward the core of his divinity. It was something he did not touch unless necessary, but such was the case right now. A different Aspect would serve him well, if he was to understand his people, to serve them more than as merely a distant leader. Then, all at once, he changed. It was not a subtle change, nor one which seemed natural to the eye. In fact, by all accounts, the whole of the change occurred in less than a fraction of a second, a singular moment so brief and so lacking in fanfare that one might easily have missed it simply by blinking. His shoulder-length hair now flowed out quite long, his sharp features now soft, gentle even at a glance. The whole of the atmosphere Cyrus gave off had shifted from one of authority to one of earnest, unrestrained care, and the tranquility of his energy suddenly changed, now seeming to do much the same as Sylvia's flame and embrace the Captain in a warm, caring hug.

Ah, and of course, there were also breasts now.

"It is in my nature, Sylvia dear, to do whatever is necessary for the Vandenreich and for the world. If I have become distant from the Quincy, if the rumors of my arrogance have spread and caused discontent, then I will assuredly do all that I can to remind everyone that all I do, I do out of love."

She smiled, then, an earnest smile that was assuredly far from his typical reserved demeanor. Such was simply the nature of Kouroush Atar Urvazishta. Of Cyrus of the Blissful Flame.

Sylvia had seen a lot of strange things in her life, and most importantly, since she had joined the Vandenreich. Ulv was chief among them, in fact. Though this was yet another moment of strangeness to add to the pile, she did react:

The blonde Quincy had cocked her head in slight confusion, and the smallest amount of understanding, as she had become used to such introspective postures herself. Then, Herr ast-Auramazda had suddenly become Fräulein. The sudden change caused her to jump in her seat slightly, and surely, the elder Quincy would have felt her soul reach out instinctively towards the reishi around them.

However, the sense of tranquility and care that she felt from this new form of the Grandmaster's put her at ease, and she smiled softly in return.

"I vould ask, but something tells me the explanation vould be long." The slightest of a laugh escaped her, and she stood to leave. "Vill zat be all, Fräulein? I haffe people to meet if I am to traffel to zee Zoul Zociety."