Date for the Divine [Arcadia, Cyrus]

Yes, this was where she wanted to take him. It was wild and untamed, a place completely overrun by nature. There were the odd ruins of a town from centuries ago which the land had reclaimed but Arcadia did not care too much about the ruins of the past. This place was for just them now, two divinities to walk the world.

Arcadia had been promised a date, if she thought about it in mundane terms but they were not mundane. This little outing was far more meaningful than that and she knew that it would lead to a climax, one that she had made a in an agreement for him. She knew in her gut that such an event was one she wasn't looking forward to, one of them wouldn't be leaving here the same after all.

The gift she had really wanted was this nice outing, though his offerring of letting her meet another side of him was a pleasant surprise. She had gotten everything she wanted and more. Such was what she was entitled to though, right?

Though there had been some degree of hesitation in accepting this outing from Arcadia, ultimately Cyrus knew that such a thing had been promised to the Danava. She was many things, but she was not a liar, and so she had accompanied her counterpart to this abandoned place with little hesitation.

"I am faintly surprised that you would choose a place such as this, away from all eyes. Is it not in your nature to remind the world of your existence?"

It was not exactly intended as any sort of taunt or tease, given those sorts of things were not in Cyrus' nature. It was, rather, a legitimate observation on her behalf.

"You think so?"

Arcadia asked from ahead of her, the long golden hair that hung at her thigh length blew around from the sudden twist on her heel when she spun around and cocked her head. It was a curious expression, one that didn't have any taunting behind it. She just never gave it much thought as to how other people saw her, beyond a goddess obviously. That's not to say she was wholly ignorant either though.

"I was born before others. Though I did not suffer loneliness for long, my father's tears did rain down and sprout the trees and creatures themselves before demons, however. I suppose I feel most comfortable in that brief period where the world was still untamed. The time when I myself had to learn the new world around me and make sense of it all."

Creation didn't occur quickly from her memory. It was slow, the sentient species that became known as demons didn't form in a day. There was not massive period of time, but neither was it small, when she was by herself and didn't receive worship from her teaching the demons what she had learnt so they could benefit from it.

"I see. I understand the appeal of such a primal simplicity, then. I world which is most familiar to you, and far less outside your control."

Cyrus was no fool, and she knew perfectly well that Arcadia's ego and her aims did not match her current capabilities. She was, for lack of any polite way to word it, weak. It was not something to be celebrated, but rather a tragedy of the highest degree.

"Then I am grateful that some simulacrum of that world exists for you to find some peace in, Arcadia dear, and I am honored that you would ask I join you. I will do my utmost to create such a place for you, both within the City of Lights and in the world that we will make."

Her voice was affectionate, motherly, genuine. Despite any of her opinions of Arcadia, there were few that she held in higher esteem than those few who had chosen to assist in her aims.

"I have never thought of it that way. Here I simply assumed it to be nostalgia of when I was younger."

Arcadia did consider Cyrus' input onto her, she was the only person in this world that could get away with such a thing after all. It was not the place of the subjects to criticise their eikon.

"If not you, then who would I bother sharing my private thoughts and experiences with?"

That was another genuine question. Arcadia didn't know why Cyrus felt honoured, she was the only one candidate to receive them in the first place. Ah, so she did have such a soft spot for her. Her cute. Chitchat aside though Arcadia did continue leading them into the woods, occasionally stopping to inspect the trees like she was getting insight on them all. Whether to remind herself of those simple things or to reconsider things she didn't in an earlier experience. Basics is where growth came from after all.

"These trees are quite old. Do you care for the world Cyrus, like you care for the people? I've never asked you before."

Arcadia cared equally about the world as she did the people in it, she remembered that Cyrus only ever spoke about the people and the paradise she'd build for those people.

"Perhaps it is. I have found that I am one to overcomplicate matters quite regularly."

It was a very honest admission on Cyrus' behalf, but one she considered wholly true. She had little doubt that other aspects of hers would likely disagree, but that was far from unusual.

"I do care for the world, quite dearly. Without it, there can be no life, and its beauty is something to be preserved. Each creature, each blade of grass, carries with it great meaning and the intentions of Ahura Mazda, and as such should be cherished. To destroy anything in this world is a heavy burden, one for which we must always hold ourselves responsible."

Cyrus followed Arcadia without hesitation, fascinated to see her in this way. It seemed rather unlike her usual behavior, so much so that Cyrus could not help but assume it was some manner of trickery. Of course, assumption meant nothing, and Cyrus would not call her into question based merely on that.

"I agree with that."

Arcadia chimed in her own opinion, the goddess did have a habit of getting all worked up with nuances and complexities. Sometimes the greatest solution is acquired when the problem is looked at simply though.

When she heard the words of Cyrus in regards to the world she nodded with satisfaction, that was nice to hear. They argued so much about the people in the world they never really spoke much of the world itself. Arcadia pulled her hand away from the tree, she thought it'd make fine lumber if ever it was required just from her assessment. What kind of builder couldn't identify decent materials?

"Do you like flowers? I must admit it took me a while to understand where they fit into the world, it seemed so strange for such useless things to exist before their properties became more clear to me. A thing like that, which only looked pretty until it became apparent their nature as ingredients could be quite potent."

"I love them as I do all things. They propagate not only their own lives, but benefit countless insects who, in time, will nourish greater creatures and help yet other life in time. That they are beautiful even beyond this is simply all the more praiseworthy."

This sort of conversation was rather pleasant, Cyrus would be the first to admit. But, that did not change what she held to assuredly be true; that Arcadia was testing her, by one metric or another. She was not necessarily guarded, but she would not simply speak freely, either."

"It can often be difficult to understand the place of small things in the world But those small, seemingly inconsequential things often keep all other life aloft. The truth of something's meaning can only be understood when one sees the greatest possible picture."

Arcadia listened to the goddess behind her talk, the golden figure of her reaching down and plucking the pretty flower from the ground and twirling it between her fingers. Such an elegently simple thing, not just the design but the many symbolisms people attached to it. For a little bit of fun she spun it by the stalk a little more before walking up to Cyrus and putting the flower tucked behind her ear.

"So we do agree on some things."

When the flower was secured on Cyrus she twisted on her heel to resume the trek and keep her eyes peeled for anything else. Maybe she should await to see what Cyrus wanted to pick out of the landscapes.

"Of course. I could not care for you as I do were you simply disagreeable in all ways. You may be that which I am not, but there is still much we share."

Cyrus accepted the flower being given to her, even straightening it out a touch and better letting it rest without threat of falling. It was quite nice, to speak so honestly with Arcadia about the nature of their dynamic. It was, however briefly, not a matter of opposition.

"You are far older than my own mortal incarnation, and I was brought into this world only shortly before the advent of the Third World War. From my mortal perspective, and that of many others, that was when the world turned down this dark path. But you and I both know, surely, that such is not the case. It marked the greatest failing of all the realms, of all peoples, and of all the divines to this point."

Looking upward, at nothing in particular, Cyrus sighed almost wistfully.

"Whatever must be done, I will do it. There is no god or man that I will not destroy for the sake of a greater world."