[ W-Wow! That's not something she'd expected at all. She'd invited him to try and help him become his better self, and now he's turned this around completely. Not entirely unexpected, but still surprising! More importantly, there's the way he's holding her jaw!! T-That's the kind of thing you would expect when there is romantic tension between the characters in a human novel.
... I-Is there romantic tension between them? Hopefully not! There's no way she would betray Quetzalcoatl by dating her boyfriend after her death!! There would be nothing more shameful and undignified than that. Ishtar would absolutely do it, but thankfully she's the better sister here.
(Also who told him of the whole Master/Servant thing? She would reassure him that she absolutely refuses to be called a Servant, but there is far more pressing, isn't there?) ]
... Set.
[ Past the initial shock and surprise, Ereshkigal manages to remain surprisingly calm and composed. She'd expected things could go wrong with him and had prepared to it. That and she feels very strongly about this topic. It resonates deeply with her, it is not her first time considering such thought. So she gazes back straight into his eyes, unflinching. ]
Human thoughts dictate our existences. [Without them, her essence would return to being a thoughtless aspect of nature. Does he not know that...? Now that she thinks about it, he may come from a reality where the fundamental laws of existence are different - like with Ryoji and Yato. Though he knew Quetzalcoatl, they did meet in a world not unlike this one.] Fear not, the concept of Death shall remain beyond the passing of my sentient self. If the new prime species wills it, perhaps a new me shall even rise.
[ It's not unlike reincarnation for humans, in a way. But she doubts there will be a new prime species after human... And if there is, it may be a species born from humanity, such as AIs. They would have no concept of death. In such a world... She would be an enemy, for death would be a sin they have rejected.
She's not sure she would want that. ]
And though it may be selfish... I, too, wish to know death. [She slowly moves her hand, bringing her fingers to wrap around his, to try and delicately pull them away from her chin.] There is no one in the Underworld. It is a cold, desolate and lonely land. The souls sleep in warm little cages crafted for them, but the one who watches over them? She does not sleep. She can never leave, for she is bound to her realm. She used to have dreams and hopes, but she now understands none of those things she longs for will ever come true. All she can do is conduct her duties, and pretend her dreams will become reality - to ease the pain.
Her only relief is knowing one day - it will end.
[ She still holds his hand and smiles at him. It may sound sad - and her fate has made her feel miserable for thousand upon thousand of years. But she wouldn't change a thing even if she could. Because all of it led to this day, and she's proud of her work. But should it continue for a small eternity, as Set suggests...? ]
And you would have me remain, caring for species after species, for all eternity? [She shakes her head.] I did not think you that cruel, Set.
[ Wanting to help make someone better is not any more "right" than wanting someone to become worse! ]
They do not dictate mine. Where I hail from, the concepts of life and death are unrelated to the will of humanity.
[ And he bares his teeth. Like her, he feels just as strongly about his stance — and does not plan to be swayed from it.
Nothing that she says is attractive to him; wishing to know an end? It will come in time, but to long for it was not right of an endless being. Did Osiris long for death, in his own way? ( Would Anubis? He hates that idea more than anything; that his precious child could one day become inquisitive about ending his existence, and join Ereshkigal in such perverted thoughts. That consideration is the one that drives him insane more than anything. He will never lose his child, never. ) ]
I do not find it cruel. We will return to the origins of our existence one day, after all. But to yearn for it? To find your life lacking enough that you are miserable in it? That is not the way a god should live. We do not live for our own desires, but for the will of the world. How could you have come to stray so far from it?
[ He tried, once. To usurp the throne, to destroy his brother — god of life, god of death. None of it worked in his favor.
He tugs his hand away from her, frowning and not — not furious, but not happy either. There's no making him better, that's not the way he was made; all that he is and will and could be already is within him. Humans are the individuals who were made with the ability to change themselves and make their own paths. He didn't envy them ( no, really!! ), but neither did he not want things that they created. Like familial lineage. :) ]
— I know my place. The flowers are lovely, though. Thank you.
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... I-Is there romantic tension between them? Hopefully not! There's no way she would betray Quetzalcoatl by dating her boyfriend after her death!! There would be nothing more shameful and undignified than that. Ishtar would absolutely do it, but thankfully she's the better sister here.
(Also who told him of the whole Master/Servant thing? She would reassure him that she absolutely refuses to be called a Servant, but there is far more pressing, isn't there?) ]
... Set.
[ Past the initial shock and surprise, Ereshkigal manages to remain surprisingly calm and composed. She'd expected things could go wrong with him and had prepared to it. That and she feels very strongly about this topic. It resonates deeply with her, it is not her first time considering such thought. So she gazes back straight into his eyes, unflinching. ]
Human thoughts dictate our existences. [Without them, her essence would return to being a thoughtless aspect of nature. Does he not know that...? Now that she thinks about it, he may come from a reality where the fundamental laws of existence are different - like with Ryoji and Yato. Though he knew Quetzalcoatl, they did meet in a world not unlike this one.] Fear not, the concept of Death shall remain beyond the passing of my sentient self. If the new prime species wills it, perhaps a new me shall even rise.
[ It's not unlike reincarnation for humans, in a way. But she doubts there will be a new prime species after human... And if there is, it may be a species born from humanity, such as AIs. They would have no concept of death. In such a world... She would be an enemy, for death would be a sin they have rejected.
She's not sure she would want that. ]
And though it may be selfish... I, too, wish to know death. [She slowly moves her hand, bringing her fingers to wrap around his, to try and delicately pull them away from her chin.] There is no one in the Underworld. It is a cold, desolate and lonely land. The souls sleep in warm little cages crafted for them, but the one who watches over them? She does not sleep. She can never leave, for she is bound to her realm. She used to have dreams and hopes, but she now understands none of those things she longs for will ever come true. All she can do is conduct her duties, and pretend her dreams will become reality - to ease the pain.
Her only relief is knowing one day - it will end.
[ She still holds his hand and smiles at him. It may sound sad - and her fate has made her feel miserable for thousand upon thousand of years. But she wouldn't change a thing even if she could. Because all of it led to this day, and she's proud of her work. But should it continue for a small eternity, as Set suggests...? ]
And you would have me remain, caring for species after species, for all eternity? [She shakes her head.] I did not think you that cruel, Set.
AA MAYBE WE CAN 🎀 THIS ONE NOW
They do not dictate mine. Where I hail from, the concepts of life and death are unrelated to the will of humanity.
[ And he bares his teeth. Like her, he feels just as strongly about his stance — and does not plan to be swayed from it.
Nothing that she says is attractive to him; wishing to know an end? It will come in time, but to long for it was not right of an endless being. Did Osiris long for death, in his own way? ( Would Anubis? He hates that idea more than anything; that his precious child could one day become inquisitive about ending his existence, and join Ereshkigal in such perverted thoughts. That consideration is the one that drives him insane more than anything. He will never lose his child, never. ) ]
I do not find it cruel. We will return to the origins of our existence one day, after all. But to yearn for it? To find your life lacking enough that you are miserable in it? That is not the way a god should live. We do not live for our own desires, but for the will of the world. How could you have come to stray so far from it?
[ He tried, once. To usurp the throne, to destroy his brother — god of life, god of death. None of it worked in his favor.
He tugs his hand away from her, frowning and not — not furious, but not happy either. There's no making him better, that's not the way he was made; all that he is and will and could be already is within him. Humans are the individuals who were made with the ability to change themselves and make their own paths. He didn't envy them ( no, really!! ), but neither did he not want things that they created. Like familial lineage. :) ]
— I know my place. The flowers are lovely, though. Thank you.