[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FjVCFoQ.png[/img][/center]
[center][color=cyan][h2]Etoile[/h2]
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It almost [i]hurt[/i] to grind teeth together as hard as Etoile ground hers when Pythia responded with...well, pretty much exactly what she'd expected. [i][color=cyan]But expectation doesn't preclude disappointement,[/color][/i] she groused to herself. The sting in the tail of Pythia's remark didn't exactly improve her mood.

"[color=cyan]He'll probably rush in without thinking,[/color]" she mocked, pitching her voice up in an exaggerated imitation of Pythia's, "[color=cyan]someone has to watch his back.[/color]" She scoffed, returning to her normal voice: "[color=cyan]Of course, you're right. It's not enough to have three magi, all of whom have magic which is more useful for utility applications than direct combat, watching someone's back when they run in. It'll all be better if instead of that, we have a primarily offensive magi with a comparatively frail body run in next to him, be immediately crippled, and subsequently lose a great deal of direct combat magic. That's far more strategically sound than having other people drawing attention in a major conflict and said frail but powerful magi delivering an unexpected surgical strike and everyone [i]being fine.[/i][/color]"

She placed a hand on her chest, heaving out a heavy breath. She needed to stay calm. If Pythia got under her skin, she'd be compromised, both in strategizing and in fighting. Best to just let her barbs skate off. She wasn't [i]that[/i] much taller than Pythia. Five or six inches, if she had to guess. But she moved closer and straightened her back up, doing her best to emphasize the height difference as she threw her arms and shoulders into an exaggerated shrug.

"[color=cyan]But if, in your opinion, what a veteran strategist thinks is wrong and you know better, Sparky--[i][b]kid:[/b][/i] then who am I to argue with you?[/color]"

She stalked away, taking up a position behind Clara, who...well. [i][color=cyan]Perhaps it's best if I stay back here after all, with how she's looking. Wouldn't do for her to collapse and only Pythia to be there to help her if something unforeseen happens and we're separated.[/color][/i] 

"[color=cyan]I'll just be back here if you actually want some advice. Zestasia, you've been promoted to a name. There's another person here who merits the moniker 'kid' [i]far[/i] more than you do.[/color]"

She lowered her voice to just above a whisper, moving closer behind Clara and murmuring into her ear: "[color=cyan]Hey. What's going on?[/color]"