The Bogey Men

[Star]

Top Golf.

It's as bad as Seerbucks. Well, okay. Not really, because it's the same. It's the Seerbucks of golfing. Golf, exactly the way you want it: no chasing balls, no blazing sun, no caddy's, just whacking balls. Some might say it's like a batting cage, but that really isn't true. Batting cages exist so you can make do without a pitcher. Top Golf? So you can make do without... discomfort.

But. It's a great place for privacy. Especially during the week, when the packed decks are empty for but a handful of salespeople and executives -- usually both with their prey, be it wooing a client or teaching a personal assistant how to swing.

Everyone is selling something.

Want more privacy? Be That Guy. Plaid shorts, pastel polo with a popped collar, and a derby-style golf hat. Socks, pulled up to the knees. Nobody is getting within ten stalls of That Guy, yo. Gar-Ran-Teed.

Reedy arms swung a third-hand club from a pawn shop. Swish. Swish.

"It's over, Anakin. I have the high ground!"

Swish.

Swish.

Because That Guy.

[Truce]

Equipment: Smart-Phone, Mid-size Car (method of arrival)

Top golf seems an odd choice for a meeting place. But then Star always seems a bit odd to Truce in his mannerisms. Still, Truce preferred golf to any other number of venues. It had a sort of peace and tranquility as well as an elegance to the game. He wears a cotton shirt beneath a layered wool one and a pair of corduroys. He pays the fee to enter the driving range and rents a club along with a bucket of balls to maintain appearances. When he finally comes across Star, Truce feels himself grimace at the man's choice of attire. It isn't inappropriate, but again odd.

"Hello, Star," he says in a soft greeting as he comes within earshot of the Guardian.

[Star]

"Hey, what's up?"

The other thing about these places, is that when they're off-peak hours, you can see someone coming from a mile away. Even without a pastel polo.

"Are those corduroy?" The hand not holding the club gestured, waggling at the pants. "Wow. I haven't seen corduroy in, like, forever. I thought they stopped growing it. You know what would set that off? A tan jacket. Maybe with red piping. And a celery sprig."

"Ummmm, anyway. Thanks for coming. I got this sort-of, kind-of, thing, to ask about." A dimpled, scarred ball was fished out of a little pail full of practice balls and dropped on the plastic grass. "Some, uh, help."

Arms slowly windmilled. Stretching is totally a thing. It's all fun and games until someone gets tennis elbow playing golf.

"I'm trying to step up my game with Matter, and kind of need, I guess, someone who really gets it. Like, naturally. Maybe just, like, once or twice a week? Just for a month? Like a math tutor."

[Truce]

Truce follows Star's attention to the fabric of his pants. "Oh, yes, they are," he confirms and considers the man's remarks on fashion. There's a part of him that wants to agree with Star's suggestions, and another that wonders if he's being made fun of. He decides to simply smile and nod.

As Star continues, Truce sets down the bucket on the adjacent driving mat and watches as Star prepares for his next swing. The request is a surprise, but only because he hadn't expected it.

"Ah," says Truce with understanding before falling into momentary silence. Being one of the few Moros in the Consilium, it's no wonder why he would be sought out for training in that section of the Tapestry. Truce wonders if this simple favor might foster positive relations between their two Cabals, or if he aught to ask for a favor in return.

"So, you have alchemic pursuits? And just for a month? I suppose that would be fine. I should tell you though that while it does come easily for me, I haven't given it much focus. I'm not certain what level of training you'll expect."

[Star]

"Oh, not, ummmm, training."

Most sports? They're about learning to use your body as a big axis. It's why a pitcher lifts a knee, and why you keep your elbows in.

tink

The white ball shot outward at a catty angle, slowly curving from the spin of the off-center strike.

"More like... insight? Like, how it feels. How you See it. Kind of like, hmmm. Like I guess people talk about," air quotes, "Ley lines? But they're really rivers of fire. Not lines on a map, or strings you can pull. They're alive, and flowing."

Truth, directly from the Soul.

There's a moment of silence, then a bobbing of the eyebrows and smile. One arm raises, long finger slashing downward, then crossing the imaginary rose line between the two.

"In return, my power will flow with yours, three times, as long as the casts are pure of motive and worthy of cause."

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2015-11-05 17:15:48		Star rolls 4 to Dex + Athletics -5 (target size) + 1 (equipment) (10 Again)		1, 1, 1, 4		failure

[Truce]

"Oh, I see. I misunderstood." Not teach him, but help him. To maintain a spell, in all likelihood. And with the calling of his Path, Truce could possibly improve its efficiency and effect. It made sense, and would only require his time. But what sort of working does Star have in mind? Something to do with Ley Lines, certainly. Perhaps interpreting resonance. Truce had never really worked with such things before. Perhaps the experience would be educational. And Star even offers a service in exchange.

After remaining silent for Star's swing Truce says, "While I'm not experienced with Ley Lines, I will do what I can to help on your terms. Is there anything else I should know about the task you have in mind regarding these rivers of fire?"

While he speaks he sets up a ball and begins to imitate Star's positioning, making gentle arcs with the club without actually hitting the ball.

[Star]

"Nonononono, you were, right. Sorry. The line were just, like, an example. Just, hmmmm, like this, this," a hand spiraled, churning a wheel. "Thing you know, about your stuff, that someone else might not get. Like someone trying, hmmmm, like someone trying to make a Hallow?"

Long fingers plucked at the polo.

"But they'll never get it, because they think of lines as these huge threads they push and pull around? SO now they're trying to, what, create a ball of yarn? And they'll never get it, because they're just... wrong. They don't get that the..." A finger slowly descended into the mop of hair. "The Imago? It's a fountain of fire. A geyser erupting. And, sure, maybe everyone knows that, but, it's just an example."

Insight. It's different than training, yo.

"All six towers have, like, laws. Or rules. We all, like, we know our rules. Whether we knew them before, and that's why, or we learned them when we got called, I don't know. But we know them. You know?"

[Truce]

Truce looks up from his golf posture, confusion spreading over his face as Star clarifies once more. He tries to follow the example Star offers, if only to be polite.

"So...you only want advice...regarding the subtleties of that portion of the Tapestry to better understand them? Since it's under the purview of the tower that called to me? Am I understanding correctly? If so, that wouldn't be a problem either."

How like an Obrimos to speak of things in Ley Lines and Hallows. The details of such things escape Truce all but completely. It is no wonder there are some things lost in translation between them. Hopefully they might bridge a better understanding over the course of these sessions Star proposes. Or it would at least reveal just how different they are from one another.

[Star]

Long fingers dropped a ball on the ground that a sneaker pressed down into the fake grass.

fink crack

Another ball was sent sideways, smacking into one of the large dividers to their side.

"Whoops. Darn. Man, this is harder than it looks. You gonna try? You should try. Totally. Unless you're like, all pro. Then don't. But, seriously, if you are, you can totally throw in some golfing tips, too. With the other stuff."

A ball went sailing in a gentle, but short arc -- this time, thrown by the Angel.

"But, yeah. That's what I meant. And, cool. I mean, that's why, right? Why the Trees. Because we all kinda sorta get different, uh, what you said. Portions? Of the Tapestry."

  failure again lol

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2015-11-08 20:56:18		Star rolls 4 to Dex + Athletics -5 (target size) + 1 (equipment) (10 Again)		6, 4, 6, 6		failure

[Truce]

Distracted as he was, Truce smiles softly at Star's encouragement and returns to a golf posture as he prepares to swing.

"No, not a pro at all, I should think," he answers. "I never really pursued many sports through college."

  failure

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2015-11-09 09:05:05		Truce rolls 1 to hit the golf ball [DEX+Athletics-5(target size)+Equip1] (10 Again, Chance)		8		failure

A swing, and a miss. The inaccurate arch creates enough force to blow the ball off its tee. Truce sighs and bends to replace the ball.

"Hmm, yes, they do make it look easier on television. Why the Trees?" repeats Truce questioningly.