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[Anastasia]

"No victory is as sweet as one you've earned," The Red Knight agrees, "Be it through blood and steel or wisdom and intellect."

"It's satisfying," Jessica adds, "From the small victory of a loaf of bread coming out just right to seeing the last moments of a fiend as my rapier punctures their heart." Now she adds her own smile, "I have no love of violence, yet the knowledge I've made Creation that little bit better is sweet as sugar."

"We're made to do things, made to create, made to tend and grow," Syala finishes her cider, the faintest ripple of the Red Knight's will refilling it. "Another reason why Shar is so terrible. All she does is destroy."

[Ebiris]

"Even that's not strictly true, is it?" Alicia says after Syala, much as she enjoys coming down on Shar. "She builds and creates things, even if in the service of subsequent entropy."

[Anastasia]

"Things that destroy others, net negatives," Syala frowns at that, "Nothing that matters, nothing worthwhile. Even something like Hell builds, no matter how wicked, built to last forever."

The Red Knight chuckles here, a warm and deep sound. "Is that the purpose of creating that's important or the mere act of creating, no matter what the end result and aim is? Is a poisoner still creating worthwhile when his poisons see a wise king to an early grave and a kingdom into chaos?"

At this Jessica sips her drink and puts it down, levitating in midair. The faintest ripple of will from her, unfocused, yet sufficient to do that. "Then the question is if any creation is worth it, or if creations that destroy more than the save still an act of creation. I say no. The work of destruction, the work of entropy: It matters not how it clings to the letter of the idea of creation, if it hews so sharply against the spirit of it."

[Ebiris]

Alicia wonders if Red Knight's example is a pointed one considering what Beth did. But even in divinity Jessica still has no recollection of that woman, her original sister lost to the Styx forever.

"Poison or a blade or a spell... you can't blame the blacksmith if the blade he forged is used to murder the innocent, the hand that wields it is at fault," she says. "Of course Shar does use her own creations, and use them terribly. But she's startlingly industrious by any standard, and that ought to be respected even if also feared and detested."

[Anastasia]

Drinking again and then sighing, "Damn her industriousness," Syala says, a sour note in her voice. "Now I feel as if I should go hunting unusual animals and specimens again, to benefit Sylica in the long term. The phase spiders are a success, and there's so many more we could have success with. All to keep up with that industrious whore of a deity."

"Then let's do real work, real constructive work of creating," Jessica says, "If the shadows must be a shield to blanket those who wish to create, then let shadows cover every creator there is."

"I see now why you are with us," The Red Knight raises her mug to Jessica, "With that attitude, you will Compete and Compete well with us."

[Ebiris]

Alicia raises her mug as well to join the toast. "Well said, sister," she agrees, pleased with Jessica's resolve.

Then to Syala, "More reason to look into those behemoth animals, then. The Cauldron is preoccupied with war, and we should take advantage of what chance we have to prepare before we too are drawn in."

Though calling Shar a whore reminds her of that time G'renna took her to task for using those sorts of insults against another woman, and she decides to give voice along those lines. "Not sure Sharess would care for damning Shar for being a whore when there's so much else to criticise her for. We all know how she came to possess that tree you used to guard, after all," she says, tone light.

[Anastasia]

Syala laughs at that, mood lightening with your tone. "Point to you," she concedes, "Fine, she's a bitch instead."

Frowning herself at that, giving way to a smile as she speaks, "But what about all the female dogs and wolves in Sylica? Aren't they kindly and worthy mothers?"

Syala's answer is to dump her mug of cider on Jessica's head, getting a squawk of protest from her and a hearty laugh from the Red Knight. Syala's look is pure dry pique, as if she's wondering why she's seeing this shit yet again.

[Ebiris]

At least Syala is dry, but hopefully Jessica can dry herself - she'll help if need be, but for now Alicia just laughs at Syala being boxed in so. "Good thing we're not Competing or you'd be in trouble right now, dearest."

[Anastasia]

"Why dearest," Syala rises as Jessica attempts to dry herself, somehow getting the cider all over herself with it. Standing up and shucking the blankets and even turning her glow off entirely, "I think it's time to have a good, old fashioned wrestling match. The Red Knight appreciates warfare of all kinds, and what is wrestling but another time of warfare?"

[Ebiris]

Alicia looks down over Syala's now entirely revealed body and then back up at her face. "Syala, please. Not in front of Red Knight and my sister," she says, mildly scandalised. Naked outsiders thinking they're above clothes is one thing, but Syala's implication right now is pretty clear.

[Anastasia]

Jessica shrugs, "Sister, we do share baths and hot springs, and it is just us girls here."

Syala turns her lights back on, "Wrestling. Just wrestling," she corrects with an even look at you.

[Ebiris]

"Alright then, if you insist," Alicia acquiesces, putting her cider aside and standing up from under her blankets. "Red Knight, do you have an open space where Syala can try to work off her aggression on me?"

[Anastasia]

With an amused smile, the Red Knight gestures points ahead. That section of the cabin instantly becomes a cleared space, a large circle perfect for wrestling. Her chair turns so she can watch, appearing next to Jessica's, which does the same.

Syala strides in and slowly cracks her knuckles with a smile.

[Ebiris]

Alicia walks over to enter the opposite side of the circle from Syala, stretching out her arms before her chest in response to Syala's knuckle-cracking posturing. "I'm ready when you are," she says, holding herself back a little since it's well established she can strike without warning before anyone else is ready.

[Anastasia]

Are you aiming for normal init or just letting Syala go here, to be clear?