[b]Alexa![/b]

Cerberus looked at you with a hundred eyes. "Why would [i]equality [/i]with the gods be desirable? Do you know who got treated as an equal by the gods? Molech. Emperor of the galaxy and destroyer of half of it. Say what you will about the man, but Hermes had to manifest in physical form to kill him and still didn't make it in time. The gods lost that one! How'd that work out?"

They're coming out from side streets in ones and twos, but those add up. A constant flow of machine hounds, more than hands can easily reach. Some fluffy, some chrome, steel and wagging tails. 

"Take that further: are [i]we [/i]equals?" said Cerberus. "You're patting me. I can never pat you! If it came to a fight you could kill us by the hundred. All of us together couldn't build a single thing you'd find useful. How should [i]I [/i]bargain with [i]you[/i]?"

[b]Dolce![/b]

Jil set her teeth. "Anyone else, the person is more truthful than the reputation," she muttered. 

Her reaction to invisible threat is profoundly disciplined. While the Alcedi are leveling weapons at the crowd in a panic she is razor still, ears carefully moving independent of an absolutely fixed gaze. There's a prickling on her fur that speaks of a prey species' hyperfocused evasion instinct. For all the apparent calm, any sudden movements from this point on will set her off.

"I thought," she said, "I was dealing with a sad, wet, cowardly boy who was being bullied into sacrificing himself for some bullshit he didn't believe in. Someone who slouched into power by accident and hated every second of it. Someone to be saved. Instead, what?" her ears lock into position; telepathic violence emanates from her like an aura. "You're another Temple assassin, is that it?"