It would be preferable if comprehension dawned like the sun--if a wave of light had broken the horizon, clearly illuminated the untrod paths of thought, and all she had to do was walk them to their conclusion.

Alexa can't help but feel that comprehension is coming like trench warfare.

All around her, dogs huddle and press for attention. Has she pet that one yet? She's sure there was one with that pattern, but was it fuzzy or metallic?

And isn't that just proving Cerberus's point? She wants to say that they [i]could[/i] be equals. They could give her pets, and she could want them. What's stopping them from creating something she could find useful?

But already, she can feel the lie dying in her throat. They can be equals, yes. But only if she wants them to be. Only as long as she tolerates them. Only as long as she lowers herself to be like them, or raises them to be like her. Equality, but only on her terms. 

Surely power to kill isn't the only metric? Power to give? Power to use? But what else is power good for, if not to push yourself onto the world? What is power, robbed of its teeth?

The dog metaphor makes it harder to swallow, somehow. She knows better than to pit herself against the gods. She had front row seats on what pitting yourself against the gods got you, thanks much for the reminder.

But to sit and have someone--have a [i]dog[/i]--tell you that the only way you can bargain with the gods is by being [i]cute--[/i]

But is it [i]wrong?[/i]

She's seen the philosophers. Seen the amount of state-sponsored work, all to uncover whether the rituals are wrong. Whether maybe, there's a better way. Arguing with each other, arguing with leaders, arguing for change, for greater purity of understanding.

The ceremonies. The rituals. The rites, the prayers. All, nothing more than clever tricks to please indulgent masters?

It would…

She's staring at nothing in particular, fingers working mechanically with the force of thought. 

It's galling, to have it put in her face like this. The gods don't need anything from them, from servitor, from human. They never have. Why does the sun shine brighter when offered this than that? Why does Poseidon grant passage through his waters to some, and not others? They don't [i]need[/i] to be worshiped. The gods will continue without them, and have done for eons.

She stares at the neon around them, at the advertisements promising to bring the gods to heel if you just invest wisely. Suddenly, she can all too easily see herself in those same ads. Offer this to Zeus for favor in kingship. Perform this augury to divine the will and favor of Athena in battle. Pay the gods, and they will pay you in return.

And all along, arguing from false premises. 

"No wonder those in power want things to stay the same," she croaks.