Advancement

[Anastasia]

"Then we need to go gather talent," Syala says, tapping her foot and arms crossed. "Even if only one in twenty is a success, we'll still bolster our ranks, and even those who are faithful and do not grow are still a victory for us."

[Ebiris]

"So where do you expect to find it? Generally heroes don't just hang around in taverns waiting for goddesses to come recruit them," Alicia points out.

[Anastasia]

"I was thinking we'd inspire lower rank celestial champions, who in turn net us more heroes on the Prime." Syala admits, "Who can help them forge bonds and serve us. A bounty by gathering up others who are willing to work for ourselves."

[Ebiris]

"When you say inspire..." Alicia begins slowly. "Do you mean something specific? I think we do lots of things that I'd class as inspirational but the way you phrase it sounds more like directly tasking people. That's fine too of course, I'd just like to better know exactly what's involved."

[Anastasia]

"Directly," Syala agrees, "Some sort of demonstration or way to get their attention and inspire them to serve us. There's a fair number of free or loosely aligned celestials who serve various righteous causes. We can target them."

[Ebiris]

"What sort of demonstration?" Alicia asks. "I'm sorry Syala, I'm not trying to be awkward I'm just not as comfortable with this sort of calculated action. I try and embody what I'm about every day and if people aren't already interested in my deeds I feel like making some special demonstration to get them on side cheapens what I do for everyone else."

[Anastasia]

A little nod to that, a comfortable silence as Syala takes your hand. "It's fair to everyone if you treat everyone the same way, then?"

[Ebiris]

Good thing it was a comfy silence and not an awkward one. Alicia squeezes Syala's hand when it takes hers, "I don't know that I think of it in those terms. Maybe it's more fair to me, though? I'm doing so much for so many people, and I don't begrudge any of it. But the champions I want are the people who respect that and want to join in, not the ones that are staying at home waiting for me to come make them feel even more special."

She pauses a moment to think and then says, "Like Latha. She wasn't the only one I rescued from the Halls of the Vanquished, there were others I've never heard of since. But for Latha - and Dawnhope, that was enough for them to want to join me and help. I didn't do it because I wanted helpers though, it just happened because it was right."

[Anastasia]

To this Syala smiles. She holds your hand and smiles, "Well, there goes the plan of us making out to inspire those in Rapture," she says lightly, and with a bigger smile after a beat, "If my dear wife feels like that about it, who am I to go against her wishes? Besides, you've developed a great left hook over the last decade. You need my support to keep being that example of what's right."

Waving her free hand, as if waving it off, "It means I'll follow your example to support you - after all, there's so many fiends and worse to be violently right against."

[Ebiris]

"If you think it's a good idea I'm not saying you shouldn't do it. It might work well for you," Alicia shakes her head. "It just doesn't quite go with my own style of doing things."

[Anastasia]

"I'll think about it," Syala says, "I struggle with that. I've become the wife, even when I want to be the husband, to find that balance of supporting you and being myself." A squeeze of your hand, "It's easier to fall back on some trite saying about smashing things around."

[Ebiris]

"You do fall back on that quite often," Alicia agrees dryly. "Just be yourself, whatever form that takes. If all this business with Antenora and One can teach anything, it's the value of having a clear self image and sticking with it."

[Anastasia]

"That we agree on," Syala says, "You're right, I was trying to support you too much. Not that you don't need a lot of support," Syala adds just as dryly.

[Ebiris]

"And I'm grateful for it," Alicia's tone turns indulgent, letting Syala have that win if only in her own mind.

[Anastasia]

As Alicia demonstrates one of the techniques of a successful spouse, meanwhile...

You were waiting, as I recall?