County Fair

[Circe]

"Oooh ho ho ho ho!" The goat looks at the strange noise's source briefly before going back to his meal. "My shooting was not only great but ironic," she smirks at Josh. There is no hiding the pride in her voice, "Ya ever seen Despicable Me? Kinda like that."

"Nice ta meet ya too Maddie," she looks at the goat eating Ram's pants, "True. Ya might want ta start petting the lil' fella again bro." She laughs at the cute. "Well I am a fun and annoying person, great ta be around when I am not annoying you," Circe gives an explanation to Madison. "Plus, I always look out fer my team. Sometimes they got problems I can help fix. Getting my hands dirty ain't a big deal, love fixing and broke shit."

A mixed statement that could mean she liked repairing stuff or fixing problems by breaking stuff. Her attention moves back to Ram himself. "Don't worry about it," Circe shakes her head in the negative at Ram's offer to become a porter. Then Madison puts 2+2 is 4. No wing-woman moment for Circe. "Ah, so Maddie, yer not kidding. Cute animals really float yer goat? Or is this interest," she nods her head towards Josh, "Related ta the yoga Josh mentioned?"

"Ooooh fun," so the two mortals looked playing pool then? Not exactly thrilling. But the dusky Italian's lips slowly grow into a large smile. "Ya mean pool right? Can ya chalk about it or too may trade secrets?"

[Guru]

“Goats are fascinating creatures; Ram’s can be real assholes though they’ll headbutt anything. They have almost superhuman balance, can eat almost anything, and make a great alternative to a lawnmower for lawn care. Not to mention you can get milk and cheese from them, they’re a great animal to have around.” He smiled as he took a bite of his corndog and then offered the rest to the goat before scratching behind its ears. Lesson not for anyone, he was just a bit of a typical Shaman who enjoyed nature.

He snapped his fingers as Andrew got his name. “Yep! Good to see you again Andrew.” Was easier to remember his name over Mary’s since their encounter had been more recent. The only thing he remembered from that night was meeting someone connected in the local scene who was like a walking work of art. He remembered Mary but he remembered her friend more, mostly for her looks though. She’d had an edge about her that he’d liked.

He shook his head when he was asked about Despicable Me. “If I did, I was high as a kite so I can’t say I remember much.” He nodded along, slowly rising to his feet and dusting off his knees, the corndog stick placed into his pockets for now. Nodding as he took a sip of his own lemonade. “I hear that, I love tearing things apart to see how they work sometimes. I like to know if I can recreate something or at least understand it better.”

He couldn’t help but groan at the puns though. “Oh those are so bad.” Though as he finished the statement, he couldn’t help but laugh, that smile stuck to his face still. “Yoga and Meditation are a good combo; I do an hour everyday as part of my morning routine. Good way to start the day, get yourself nice and centered. And you’re not wrong.” He raised his own lemonade in a toast before taking a sip that sounded as if it were nearing empty.

He returned Madison’s wink, smile morphing to a smirk. “Only one shark here with your record. I don’t think you’ve lost yet.” She might have but drinks had been flowing and he was usually more worried that everyone was having a good time. “Just about having fun, no trade secrets really. Sorry if that FELT lacking.” He said returning the pun with a big, dumb smile on his face.

[Ram]

Ram gave a small laugh at the idea of the goat switching to Circe's stuffed animal.

And in many ways he was relieved that Aurora shared his disinterest in making their previous conversation nonsexualized.

"I do yoga a bit," he admitted "Not good at it but at this junction that's kinda the point." In many ways 'muscle bound' described his state since escape. And he wasn't fond of it. "Been doing some meditation too," he added with a more easy grin. "Never easy; but worth it." Was that weird? Shit, he was not used to talking with mortals.

"Yes and no. If you find something that fits it feels like a miracle. Find that something you know you got friends but you've got to make sure there's enough to let out." Which wasn't always the case. But yeah, now that he'd gone once, he wasn't as afraid to visit the Spring Queen again. Now he just needed to get over the guilt of imposing his queen. Not that Aurora knew anything about that.

"Pool sharks?" That kind of fit with Josh's unstated past. "Cool." He didn't want them to feel judged. Ram was hardly one to talk of past occupations after all. At least pool shark didn't entail killing people.

Ram stepped a step away from the goat. Hopefully letting Circe know he could hand off and pet if she wanted. Sparing his knees till then.

[Aurora]

Mary was…different. Nothing wrong with different.

“Knowing how these games are usually setup, you had to have been one hell of a good shot.” And lucky as fuck. Fair games were rigged. Not to mention the five bucks you spent to get a stuffed animal that cost the fair about ten cents. Sometimes knowledge sucked.

“Then I think we’ll get along just fine!” she declares, holding her drink up. "I kind of fix things too. Well, breath new life into old and broken furniture. Not as exciting as being a crack shot to win a stuffie, but it's something." smirking.

Shrugging, “The cute animal was a good way to meet someone new. One of those things that are easy to get a convo started around, and nothing with a lot of pressure.” Then both could move on if talking was weird and shit.

Laughing, “I just play for fun and have no secrets.” And that was the truth.

Then comes Guru with weird goat and ram facts.

“You have me beat then. I’m lucky if I can sit still for ten minutes.” It was just so boring for her.
“And I’ve lost many times. I’ve just gotten lucky the few times we’ve played.” All it was, luck. Then he adds his pun, and she groans and rolls her eyes, but laughs.

Back to Andrew, “You’ll have to let me know you’re tricks then. Sitting still just has never been my thing.” Hanging by her skin? Totally her thing. Sitting still in her own thoughts? Nope.

“Philosophy?” she asks the giant with interest. Not something she expected out of someone like him.

[Circe]

Circe can't help but laugh when Josh says rams can be assholes, "Oh ho ho ho, least they ain't jackasses." As way of covering up her amusement at the accidental insult of Ram.


"Yes," was Circe's response to Madison praising her shots, "Not as fun as laser cannon," she looks at Josh, "That must have been awesome ta see while high," then back to Madison, "But what I did? Was awesome too."


"It is always good ta learn and get better," she concurs with Josh and throws Ram a little praise. "Practice breeds perfection and that." And the poor man gets an angelic smile from Circe when she calls her puns bad. "Oh, I hear that Maddy," Circe agrees with Madison, "I'm too energetic fer that kind of zen." She nods her head, "Getting hot, sweaty, and sore muscles from a long session can get ya in the zone," Circe is fully aware of how that sounds. She watches the mortals, "Plus the resulting metal product can be nifty," and does her best to make her smile come out as a Troll face.


Ram gets no ire from Circe for his choice of garment sources. But she doesn't hand the puppy poppet over either.


"Such a shame ya sharks will never bite inta MY wallet," Circe taunts the pool sharks, "Because now I know I will lose ta ya so," the goat bleets at Circe and she tries to rub it with her leg. It doesn't work so the goat tries for the next person for head pats. She recovers her thought, "Why bet?"


"Sophistry?" Circe however didn't hear what Madison asked Ram, resulting in an ironic choice of words.

[Guru]

"Yea, Mary's right it's all about the hours. You might see an expert but they got there the same way you will, time." He said while tapping his wrist that did not have a watch on it at the moment. Guru was unshackled from Time right now, care free, the night taking him where it will. Then when Mary and Aurora started talking about work out high and not being able to sit still. His feet gave a little shuffle as he shook his head. "No, no, no. Andrews got the right of it. Energy? Have you met me. Oh. Well, I guess not really." He laughed and gave a playful, probably overly friendly bump to Mary's shoulder.


"Uh, well. I agree runner's high is great and all but that's endorphines. Different part of your brain. Uh, where was I, oh, yea, uh, so meditation activates a different part of your brain. I can say I've definitely lost hours in a deep meditative state before that didn't feel longer than a minute. It's the only time my brain can quiet down sometimes. Sorry. I gotta stop doing that." He gave a deep laugh, tears dripping from his eyes before he stopped to catch his breath. "Aw shit.But yea, not everyone's thing I get it."


He took a break to let others get a word in edge wise and get his ADD back under control. Trying to clear his thoughts and focus on the moment instead of the moment and everything else that was on his mind. He looked to Aurora as she spoke of her love for restoration. "Yea, I think that's a beautiful art in itself. It takes a deep understanding of the art to be able to restore or recreate something in such exacting detail." And his mouth opened to continue and he took a moment and a breath and reigned in the diatribe he was about to go. Shit he needed to smoke.


He fished into his pocket and grabbed the corn dog stick, put that back in and then pulled out his pod as he put it between his lips and took a hit and then another deep one in quick succession. Letting out a deep breath he visibly seemed to relax, feet no longer shuffling, shifting much less as he put the pod away quickly. "That's better. Sorry. Lights, Sounds, really gets my ADD going." Looking to Mary about despicable me. "Shit man, you should see Into the Spiderverse on shrooms." He put his fist to his head and then shot it backward and exploded it with added sound effect.


"Why Bet? What? Oh the pool shark thing, inside joke. We just have a group of friends that play pool for fun is all." already having forgotten if they'd even bet anything, though there was an itch at the back of his mind he was to hazy to nail down now. He heard one of his favorite words though and looked over at Aurora with a raised eyebrow. Had he missed something? Probably.

[Ram]

Ram smiled knowingly at Circe’s admission of being a good shot. They had no idea.

And he laughed at Aurora’s comment about cute animals helping to start conversations with new people. “Accurate,” he agreed. Though it didn’t take away all the awkwardness the Ogre felt.

He gave a shrug when they both admitted to not liking meditation “It takes practice. I guess my first trick would be making sure you’ve got the right equipment. Had to borrow some guys mat last time,” he winked at Josh, even though that was yoga.

“Yoga though, if you do it right, should feel like a work a workout. You should make sure you’re doing poses that are at your skill level and trying to challenge yourself to be doing more difficult ones.” It was probably the only thing that let Ram be good at it. His flexibility was crap but his core was strong.

“Philosophy?” he scratched his neck “I guess I know some?” He remembered sitting around the campfire with the other troops, trying to figure out what was happening to them, or reciting poems, or telling stories from whatever books Fairie hadn’t taken from their minds. Did that count as philosophy? “Though probably most has to do with what someone is trying to say through how places are built,” he mentioned only slightly more comfortably.

[Aurora]

“I have to agree with that, practice breeds perfection. People always seem amazed when they see you perform and ask how you learned to do something. And it’s like, practice, years upon years of practice. Nothing comes easy.” Well…some do. If you are a Life Master.

A smirk, “I only play for fun, you should join us some evening. Just a lot of drink, a private pool table and good times. And we usually only bet with the loser being the next to buy shots and drinks. So, harmless fun.” Least it was fun to her.

“Runner’s high?” she asks, “I used to get some sort of high performing, but now it’s gone.” Laughing, “Age catches up with you.” A little smirk and shrug. Then an eyebrow raises, “Stop going what? Talking? I know I enjoy listening to you.” Or maybe he was talking about something else? Whatever, here statement remained true.

Nodding, “I’ve enjoyed the creative outlet. Turning it into a viable business has been a bit of a problem, but I still enjoy it.” Her goal had been to turn it into a way to make money.

Laughing, “I actually have one. My friend insisted I get one before she started to teach me. Not sure what it’s supposed to do or help with,” shrugging, “I mean, you could just as easily use a towel.” At least to her. Cause the mats were not all that special in her mind.

Looking thoughtful, “Maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy it. The poses were not a challenge to me, and most were stretches I do normally. I’m not opposed to try it again though.” Always willing to try things again.

“What you had said just sounded philosophical to me. I know it’s not everyone’s cup of tea so to speak. And it might be more fun to talk about random, but fun topics!” knelling down to pet the goat, who seemed to want the attention. Not that she blamed it, attention was good. “Through how places are built?” she asks, eyes looking to Ram.

[Aurora]

As the chitchat dies down, Aurora finds herself saying her goodbyes and heading home for the night.

It's been a week with no posts

[Circe]

Circe gives her farewells and departs as well. Naturally she wishes the little goat goodbye too.

This thread got away from me, sorry for not posting.