The Blue Cue

[Guru]

"You can, but I don't think that you will." He said hand raised, waggling his pointer finger in the air as he walked out of the room with a laugh. The conversation muted and muffled as he slipped off to the bar to get the trio of them drinks. Letting the conversation between the trio ebb and flow before coming back with a tray of drinks.


"Allright, allright. I know it looks like a lot but I didn't want to go back for another round so I got all of us two rounds alright. For our more fruity flavored friend I got a Strawberry Daquire to start. Sweet, smooth, delicious. To follow I ordered a Captains Sunrise. Some rume, a hint of cherry, and strong flavor of pineapple. Mmmm.


"For the Cheater," he gave a wink before turning to the tray, "as promised a pomegranate juice, with a little surprise." Wiggling his fingers under his chin like he was a villain from a nineties cartoon before going straight again. "To follow, an old timey favorite to follow. Is it a High Ball, no don't be garish. Of course it's an old fashioned with a nice little orange zest.


"And for the lovely Mads, well I only got you one since you're ahead of the game." He smiled and lifted another of the glasses and took a drink. "I got you a nice micro brewed hefeweizen. I noticed you enjoyed your beers but I couldn't figure if you were dark or light so I split the difference and got you lemon, lime, or cherry to flavor if you prefer."


"For me, well, that's a mystery." A laughed again and took another sip of the red liquid. There wasn't an audience, there was no one to perform to outside of them. He didn't know if they wanted the performance, but really it was for him who didn't enjoy a little showmanship time and again?


Catching back up with the conversation as he went and began looking at the cue sizes to find the length he needed to play. Baking was Chemistry, Pool was Geometry with just a splash of physics, super easy to understand. As Aurora showed off her skirt his eyes really couldn't be helped but be drawn to her shapely legs. He nodded, lips pushing tight in a wide smile. "Leather is good, really stands out."


Guru found the concept of intruding difficult to grasp in the first place let alone in this context. Wait, was this a blind date? Wait, but who's the date? So confusing. Oh well. "Yea, I came here to drink expensive cocktails and play pool damnit. So who's gonne rack and who's gonne break." He pointed the cue out from his hip like it was long gun and pointed it at everyone before sliding it up against his shoulder. "Wait, we should probably decide teams first."


Sliding over to the table to grab a drink as teams were decided. "Not good at flirting? You seem like a pretty direct person. That can be flirting, that can be really good flirting. It's just about how you do it. It's in the lips and the hips." He said as he circled a finger over his own while wiggling his hips. "Shit, at least that's what I notice."

[Skye]

Shrugging, if she said so then that were probably the case.
"Well don't mind if I do then, we haven't talked much besides the BBQ and that beer night. Have you made any new interesting ones since then?" Not really sure what type she made but it was a topic she knew the other shaman were interested in.

A quick shiver.
"True but it is the single one that affects me, luckily I have a little trip planed for short after unless I get kept here." Looking to Phoenyx, she had told her about it before but it might have slipped her mind. "So how many nights training do you have to rely upon?"

Looking over her arm, not that she could see anything.
"Well I am your neighbor if you need someone to look at it. Don't be afraid to ask." No magic true but still who knows what damages she might have gotten, natural healing could take plenty of time. Chuckling "Maybe we should have a good old fashioned sleep over and really doll each other up, but with no mirrors now that always yields fun results. Can't begin to wonder what wine might add to that." Giving Phoenyx a calm kind look as she finishes the sentence.

Waiting for him to come back.
"Not tonight" making sure he looked at her as she lets her body mastery vanish, no fair to play on none equal footings. True he might not see it but if he did so could he see that she would not cheat. "Lets play fairly, even if I do think me and" pointing to Phoenyx "are at a disadvantage here." Looking over the drinks. "So are they both with alcohol or not?" Not knowing one drink from the other. "Thank you though." Handing over 10$ to pay, the list said 5 bucks for nicer stuff so it should be right.

Trying to hold back her laughter, whilst picturing Guru as Ratigan. It was not the right pose but that was the first thing to hit her mind.
"Say have you ever tried a high top hat and cape? Now that I would like to see."

"No clue how to decide teams or if there are any set rules." Grabbing a cue and feeling it a bit before changing to another. "Think this will work with my length though." Sipping some of the pomegrante drink.

Looking at Phoenyx as she claimed to not be good at flirting and then listening to Guru's comment.
"Well I suck at the whole romance deal myself but you must have something, you were even the first no of mine that actually stung."

[Aurora]

“Then we’ll forget it.” Simple.

“It took me years to learn to do anything with my hair.” Though she had to learn on the fly. “But why be practical all the time? Have some fun, go wild.” Live a little. “I don’t remember anything be proven.” A sly smirk, “Plus, you had been drinking quite a bit, so try without. It takes a few tries, but you’ll get it!” she wanted to encourage the Arrow, but she made it so damn hard sometimes. “And I’m not all that great at it either, I just try and have fun.” Shrugging she picks up her beer.

Watching from over the rim of the beer mug, she drinks her beer. “Mads huh? I get a nickname too?” sure, why not. “I don’t really have a preference, but that does sound very good! Thank you!” accepting the glass.

“Could always have the losing team have to buy the winning team a shot. But not tell them what the shot is. A fun way to up the game a bit.” If everyone was game.

She caught the look, it was one she was used to, but usually when on stage. “Looks nice huh?” she teases Guru. “Especially when it’s well made.” There was a lot of cheap stuff out there.

“Teams first would be best. And I’ve never been good at breaking just a quick warning to whoever is on my team.” Cause it was bad. She was lucky if one ball went in. “How did we want to decide?” she asks, looking around.

There was a snort and laughter at her fellow Shamans antics.

A shake of her head, “Not really, just the usual.” But she did need to try something different. Maybe a recipe all her own?

But she stays out of the whole romance talk. Drinking her beer and leaning against the table. It wasn’t her field and was something she’d prefer to not talk about.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx smiles and picks up her daquiri. "Thank you," she says to Guru, though her cheeks begin to flush when he addresses her comment about flirting, words failing her.

She looks to Skye, using her conversation as an escape. "More now I feel better. I am more or less back to my full strength." She sucks on the straw, the pink mixture cold and refreshing. "I know. I haven't forgotten." The words aren't sharp, broken as they are by repeated sips on the straw. Dark eyes look at the other Arrow. "Old fashioned sleep over? You mean like in movies?" It wasn't something she knew a lot about, completely missing Skye's suggestion. The pink creeps back as the talk keeps coming around to flirting. She cursed herself quietly, quickly sucking down more cocktail. It was nice. Relaxing even.

She nods as Aurora empatises over dolling up. "I don't think I do wild very well," she replies apprehensicely, the attention form everyone starting to make her withdraw a little. "I did! I tried! Ty, Um, Penny did that... that thing, and Val tried to show me... I think? It's... a bit hazy..." she protests, trailing off. Still not so good at handling the teasing. "Besides, talking is easier after a drink. I am not a natural in places like this," she explains to Guru.

Doing things together is important. A chance to trust. She looks around sand sips onn the drink again - already half-gone. "How about Skye and myself? She has wanted us to do something for a long time." The Obrimos offers Skye what she hopes is an encouraging smile. It looks a little forced, nervous as she was becoming, but she tries.

[Guru]

The one thing Guru seemed to have in perpetual supply was energy. Even after all that he was still sipping his drink unable to hold still as he shifted near the table. Though he gave Skye a quizzical look. “Not a competition if we don’t play fairly. Winning is fun, the contest, the challenge, that’s what matters.” He didn’t know if those words rang as true to the other Shamans in the room but from what he remembered of the Wilds competition was a factor, for him at least. That’s what he’d taken away from it.

“Not opposed to a top hat and cape, next Halloween maybe, yea?” He was always looking for a good party, his mind drifting off into thought as he pictured the Halloween party next year and couldn’t help but smile. “Yea they have alcohol; vodka one, the other a bourbon drink.”

He took the teasing light heartedly, he gave a one shouldered shrug as the grin spread across his face. “Nice is underselling it. Everyone will get a nickname eventually.” Whether they like it or not, makes it so much easier to remember names and not slip up. Dual lives, who knew it’d be such a pain in the ass. Hands clapping together as Aurora added stakes to the match. “I’m liking the sound of this, competition is always better with stakes! So it’s decided, Mads and myself versus the both of you. I’ll even be so kind as to give you the first break!”

The first break carried an advantage and a lot of power if you knew what you were doing. He’d been around people who could run the table without even giving their opponents a chance, at skill levels that high one mistake is all it took to lose. “Wild doesn’t seem to be part of your nature,” he started as he knelt at one end of the table, positioning the balls into the rack before standing up, “but if you need help letting loose I can help with that.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as his hands started pulling out the pool balls and rearranging them so they were in order. “Gonna play straight, eight, no nine. A reminder for novice friends a scratch when you’re on the eight is a loss.” Back straightened as he rolled the rack back and forth pushing his fingers against the back to make sure it was good and tight before lifting the triangle off and stepping back to grab his drink.

He stood in front of the table, one leg crossed in front of the other, stick leaning against his right shoulder, drink in his left hand as he took a sip. It was their break and they had to figure out who was going to start. Guru never really noticed the blush and as the conversation shifted the topic got left behind in his mind onto the next, new, shiny thing.

[Aurora]

For some reason, she doesn’t picture Phoenyx as the sleepover type. But she did chuckle as the Arrow’s cheeks continued to grow pink, this was great.

“Well, have you tried it?” she asks, “Because you can’t say you don’t do something well if you’ve never tried it. That’s a proven fact.” Yup. “You tried once, after a lot of drinks, so I’m not sure it really counts.” But she decided to back off a bit. The social thing still seemed new to her friend. “But we got you.” Raising her milky green drink and taking a sip.

Putting the empty glass down, “That works for me.” Glancing to Guru, “You better not make me carry the team.” Eyes narrowing playfully.

“Think this was the first year I didn’t go out on Halloween. Well, go out dressed up.” She technically went out, but hung out in a graveyard.

“Underselling it huh?” picking up the beer, “Guess I need to think of something more fitting.” She was in rare form tonight, relaxed and just being herself. When Guru claps at her shot suggestion, she does a little bow.

The Shaman takes a seat on the couch, pool cue off to the side and sipping her beer.

[Skye]

Watching the first talons arm.
"That's good, one never know what strange and odd side effects might come." Who knows what strange things could have hurt her.

Shaking her head.
"No, yes or well I don't know. Potentially some wine, then make up and various hair things and working on one another maybe also some cucumber water and home spa feeling. Probably all of us dressed in pajamas as well and just have some fun." Memories flashing back to her various fun times when she were younger. "Nor am I natural in a place like this so you are not alone with that dear."

Answering Phoenyx's smile.
"Sounds good to me."

A look towards Guru.
"If you really do have a competition so should you always play fairly, what's the fun in winning if you cheat?" What accomplishment would that be? "I meant a lot sooner than that, maybe next month or as soon as we can get ahold of them." Just wanting to see what it would look like.

"Thanks and I agree to the stakes" looking to Phoenyx. "You can break then."

[Phoenyx]

Dark eyes fix Guru suspiciously. "Help how?" Really not very fast on the uptake. "Um... scratch?" It sounded like he was making things up now.

"I... It counts! I had tried!" she protested, scowling a little. "The next morning felt like I had been through something... wild.... Oh." Comprehension finally reached her eyes. "You're teasing me." Her shoulders slumped, and she slurped some more of her drink. "It just doesn't come easy to me!" She sighed.

Phoenyx withdrew her arm from Skye's line of sight. She wasn't some precious flower and disliked being treated as one. "I suppose we could do that? I guess... we don't have to be on duty... all the time?" She says uncertainly, looking to Aurora for confirmation.

Um.... Stakes? She felt a little conscious, but it didn't seem that bad. The Arrow lined up and made the break.

[Guru]

“I’d say it counts, drinks are sometimes necessary to get outta your shell or get comfortable in an uncomfortable situation.” He shrugged but of course he was Mr. Better Living Through Chemistry so he knew he was biased in this instance. “I can help by being an anchor in uncomfortable waters or providing a little something to help you unwind if you’d like.” Another shrug as he sipped at his drink.

“Scratch, to sink the cue ball. Sink the cue and lose your turn normally, on the final ball it’s a loss so be careful.” Offering advice even though she was technically his opponent but it was a friendly competition and they’d all agreed to not cheat so he wasn’t going to withhold vital information about how the game was played. “I agree Skye, no point in competition if you aren’t playing fairly how else are you supposed to find your limits then push past them.”

Guru couldn’t help but smirk back as Aurora continued the teasing or was it flirting? He really couldn’t tell the difference but he was enjoying the banter either way. “Oh I’d like to see that. I think we’ll do fine, though we do have stiff competition. What they lack in experience they make up for in talent so we’ll see how we do.”

Guru took a final drink before sitting the half-empty glass down as he approached the table to check the pockets, not getting a good look at it after Aurora had succeeded in her distraction. “If you sank anything those are your balls from now on. Solids or Stripes, if you sank one of each it’s contested and still to be determined. From then on you’re allowed to hit the other color but never first, only in a chain and any ball of the opposing side you sink is helping the other team. You know, in case you didn’t know already.”

[Aurora]

There was a smirk and shake of her head. She did not feel bad for Phoenyx right now, it sounded horrible. At least to her, makeup and hair things? Nah. She’ll pass.

“Well, I think it depends on the circumstances. Like, if someone is being annoying and you want to up the stakes, placing a bet on something ridiculous that you know you can do is always appropriate.” For her it was typically annoying guys in bars. “But for a nice friendly game among friends, then I agree, no cheating.”

As the Arrow finally catches on, she laughs. “Of course, I am, this is how we get you used to it, and able to tease back.” An understanding nod, “It’ll take time, but we’ll get you there.” Her way of being supportive.

Shaking her head, “Nope, no need to be on duty all the time. It’s not healthy.” All work and no play thing.

“Oh you would, would you?” she asks with a innocent smirk, “We’ll have to see how well you play then.” Nonchalantly taking a sip of her beer.

He was getting way too technical over a friendly game of pool, “So,” she begins, “are you going to take a shot?” looking at the table, “Or is it still her turn?” because things were unclear.