Blue Cue Take...3?

[Corn]

"I totally blame it on the drinks!" he replied to Aurora with a smile.
To Phoenyx he said "I do play pool but I am not a pro or anything. I may play a couple of games a few times per year. I prefer arcades, that's for sure. Any chance we could go to a different one Madison?" Cause he had some lingering ... not-good associations with that place he crushed into by chance while grieving.

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx smirks, standing up and doing a twirl before moving elegantly over around the table and back again. The heels click on the floor as she shows off herself as she looks to Aurora with a smile. "Satisfied?" She says, smiling broadly.

Whether she could keep that up after a few drinks remained to be seen, but the Arrow certainly seemed to be enjoying showing herself off. A shake of the head. "No... well, I have been feeling little constrained. It is summer, and nothing says summer like the beach. A weekend?" She pauses, frowning, as if concerned, but seems to push past it. "Yes... Yes! That would be different. A new experience."

There's a shrug about going to the arcade. "I am not sure I would be any good, but we can try." She sucks on the straws again, clinking the ice absently.

"Madison keeps telling me I do not have to be good at pool to enjoy it, but I also don't like it when I lose," she replies to Corn, changing tracks abruptly.

[Aurora]

The smile was returned as she laughed. Whatever he had to tell himself.

“No one here is really a pro or anything, we just have fun with it.” A chance to try and forget about work and just enjoy their friendships. “A different one?” looking thoughtful, “Well, I can take a look online and see if they have any local competition. If they don’t, I have some old school systems that I found at a store downtown. I could always host something.” Wouldn’t have the same feel as an arcade, but could be fun.

She had to admit, Phoenyx seemed to have the heels down. “Color me surprised.” Praise in her voice, but hey, she was surprised.

Nodding, “I get that.” Constrained was a good way to put it. “It doesn’t have to be a weekend; I was just tossing it out there. Cause you have to admit, it’s hard to visit the beach only for one day or evening.” It just called out to you to bury your feet and stay as long as you could.

“I think you’d surprise yourself at an arcade. It’s about dexterity and working your hands with your eyes. Some never master it, but I think you’d be good. Plus,” a shrug, “it’s fun.” And she was all about getting the Arrow to try new things.

Smirking with a giggle, “She really doesn’t, but,” looking to Corn in an over exaggerated ‘whisper’, “it’s what makes the game more entertaining.” A wink. “I sent a message to a few of our friends, see if I can talk them into coming out to join us.” If not? No biggie, they could rotate players.

[Corn]

The thought of Phoenyx going angry over loss made Corn seem momentarily taken aback. "You don't get angry - actually angry - when you lose, do you?" he asked. Then he said to Aurora "we can go to the same arcade then. It was a nice one. As for a weekend on the beach, I could ask my wife; she organizes such things and has friends and connections in that business. I won't ask specifics but she may now some new resort or motel or bungalow chain that has acquaintance offer to get recognition and draw attention. I won't be able to attend though. But I can still ask for you."

[Phoenyx]

The Arrow was beaming with pride at the compliment. It was nice to surprise people with hidden talents. "I like the idea. I cannot recall the last time I went away without business being involved. Would you like to go?" She asked Aurora.

Phoenyx was thoughtful. "I do work hard at my coordination. I... suppose we could try it. It would be different." She was getting better at trying out these things other people took for granted. Perhaps she was finally getting used to this social challenge after all.

Aurora's teasing is met with a narrowing of the eyes, but there is also a small smile. "Does anyone enjoy losing?" She sucked on the streaw, this time there was the rattle of her pina colada ending.

Corn's reaction gains a cock of the head. "Is something wrong, Jacob?" Phoenyx drew herself up straight; she was still barely 5' 7'' but she was watching Corn with an amused glint in her dark eyes. "Do you find that idea concerning?"

[Aurora]

Hearing Corn’s question, there was a smirk as she took a sip of her beer, “Now where would the fun be in her telling you? Some things are best experienced.” Of course, she was joking, cause the Arrow didn’t get too bent about losing. At least, not enough to make a scene or anything. “I’ll still take a look and see if I can find another one, might be nice to have a second place.” Change it up and all that. “That’s a nice offer, thanks. Though I’m not used to planning things, I usually go someplace and play it by ear.” But that was a long time ago.

“Really?!” clearly excited at the offer, “I’d love to go! But don’t, like, feel you have to invite me if you were looking to take a solo trip.” She totally got the need for those.

Smiling, “That’s the right frame of mind!” it was nice to see Phoenyx willing to try new things. A couple years ago, Aurora would have laughed if someone said the Arrow would be wearing heels and playing pool.

An innocent shrug, “I don’t know, some people have weird kinks.” True fucking story right there.

When Phoenyx stood straight, the Shaman was tempted to walk over, place an elbow on the Arrow’s shoulder, and look cocky. Why? No reason, it just sounded fun. But, she doesn’t think her friend will see the humor in it, so she remains in place, watching as she drank her beer.

"Did you two want to start and I'll get drinks and fries?" she offers, "Soda or whatever, up to you." a nod to Corn. He didn't seem all about drinking like she was, so she'd respect it.

[Corn]

Corn replied to Phoenyx 's teasing "I don't think you as the person that would cause a scene in a pool bar, Alice. But I will try to not win so much that I would have to look over my shoulder in dark alleys towards the way home." He said, trying to suppress a laugh. He failed and he chuckled at that thought.
"I have no doubts about your ability to defend yourself, but the most skilled fighters are usually the ones that are most reluctant to start a fight over nothing. Take my cousin Francis for example; when in middle school he was worth nothing in a fight and he was always getting into fights. Another guy we had in the school was already 150 pounds, mostly muscle, at 8th grade. He was never getting into fights - not that we challenged him - except to save Francis' butt from the 9th graders."

When Aurora offered to go get drinks and fries, Corn nodded. "Sure, as I can't stay for long and I would like to see how much you have taught Alice about pool. However, you're always the one paying for fries and drinks. I will get the tab this time."

He then turned back to Phoenyx and extended his intertwined fingers so they would crack and so some mock stretching.
"Ready when you are, Alice." he said with a smile - quite expecting to lose. Sure he did play a little bit of pool but he doubt his little experience could beat Phoenyx's natural training and talent.

How do we do this? Dex+Athletics? Man, I am screwed...

[Phoenyx]

Phoenyx shakes her head. "I have never been away with friends - not just my friends, I mean. From my late teens I was overseen by tutors - I did not really have any friends. Not like I have here. Going away sounds like it would be fun!"

There's another confused look as Aurora mentions weird kinks. "How do you mean? I don't see how losing could ever be enjoyable." Sometimes the little Arrow really struggled to see other points of view.

She nods as the Thyrsus offers drinks and food. Looking to Corn, she arches an eyebrow. "Not for a long time," she says simply before turning away to start setting up the table. "Lashing out in anger is a failure of discipline. It is not impossible for it to happen, but I have been trained for a long time to control such impulses," she adds thoughtfully, gathering the balls into the rack. Phoenyx frowns, looking at the rack. "I forget - is there a specific way of setting up? Arranged by colour or some such?"

Previous sessions have used Int+Dex - Int to work out the angles and Dex to convert that thought ointp a shot that works

[Aurora]

Oh! Corn throwing out the challenge!

“I’m the one you don’t want on your side in a fight, I suck at it.” Yup, fighting was not her thing. Though she could cheat it a bit and maybe be better. But, eh. Fighting just was not her style.

“Taught? She learned all on her own!” a proud nod to the Arrow. “You sure? I don’t mind.” The drinks were pretty cheap here, shrugging, “Thanks!” but she knew she needed to accept someone else buying the drinks.

She simply looks to Phoenyx, and part of her wants to walk over and just hug her. Cause the girl didn’t have friends growing up! Then again, she really didn’t either, unless you count the other carnie’s kids. But she doesn’t go hug her, knowing the hugs wouldn’t come until she had more to drink. “Well then, we’ll just have to make it a weekend to remember!” it was on now.

A shrug, “I don’t either, but I would imagine it falls somewhere under the umbrella of Dom’s and Sub’s.” another shrug, “Don’t quote me on it, it just sounds like something that would fit that category.” Maybe? She has no clue.

“Uh,” looking at the setup, “I believe the number one ball is placed on the top corner of the triangle, then the eight ball, which should be in the center of the rack, right below the one. Now you just need both a solid and a stripe in the bottom corners, and put the rest wherever. Well, as evenly as you can.” Cause you don’t want to group stripes or solids.

[Corn]

No friends as a teen? Just tutors? That was simply sad. But Corn didn't want to pry more, so he said. "I hope you can make memorable experiences with your new friends now, then. Here, Let me help you set up."
He helps Phoenyx set up the pool table and like the gentleman he is, allows her to play first as he picks his soda from Aurora and grabs a couple of fries, watching Phoenyx play, measuring her.

Then, it is his turn and time to check how his skills would hold against a woman that had so much training and so little fun growing up. He doesn't expect to win.
And it doesn't seem as he will.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-06-23 17:19:17	Corn rolls 5 to Dex + Intelligence (10 Again)	5, 4, 4, 6, 2	failure

"Are you sure this is just Soda, Madison?" he says with a self-depreciating smile after a few calamitous turns. "Man, I am probably too drunk to drive!" he said shaking his head.