Fort Weyr - Pool Table Room
Out of the way of many people sits a regulation sized table carved of the finest oak, the wood polished to a deep, rich shine. Brass accents and pearl inlay add an aura of refinement to this table. The deep green felt is lush and unmarred, and the balls are made of the finest ivory, the colors on them bright and arresting. A glass cabinet on the wall holds a few cues, finely carved as well. It is apparent that the owner of this table intensely enjoys the game, and takes it very seriously as well.
Karona has a long thin and very much non alcoholic glass of brightly coloured juice in her left hand, and a pool cue leaning against the wall to her right. She's sipping the half-full juice idly, and watching the people playing pool. One of them sinks the 8 ball, marks are changed hands, and then the table is abandoned. Karona grins, and puts her glass on a nearby table, setting a blue firelizard to guarding it. She cracks her knuckles and grabs the pool cue, then steps up to the table. "Anyone fancy a game?" she asks, of the area at large.
B'ky is in the lounge, apparently relaxing for once, with a mug of klah and and a pile of paperwork on a table before him. Alright, not so much relaxing as working, but hey, if he's not holed up somewhere it almost counts, doesn't it? He's seated not far from the pool tables, idly rubbing the bridge of his nose as he reads some form or other, sighing tiredly and squinting a little at the words on the page. Hearing Karona, the bluerider tilts his head to regard the pool table a moment with a thoughtful hmm. The papers are given a quiet look, before he turns back toward the candidate with a, "I wouldn't mind a game," and rises from his seat to wander over there, finding a pool cue and chalking the end lightly, with a slight smile, commenting softly, "It's been a while since I last played."
Karona grins at B'ky, and starts to rack up the balls, ready for the next game. "Mmm, it's a good game. Would you like to break, or shall I? Or, we could flip a marker for it?" she suggests, as she straightens up, carefully lifting the triangle thing that she can never remember the name of up, off of the now set up balls. "Had a short game of it the other day, uh. On a break between chores. Half a game, really." She seems a touch shifty about it, but she is telling the truth, more or less. "Father taught me, we used to play a bit."
"Go ahead," B'ky nods toward the balls and then moves to stand a little off to the side, smiling slightly, "I used to play with friends when I was younger. I still do now and again, although, there generally isn't time anymore.." a brief look back toward his paperwork, but the Roc wingleader doesn't dwell on it. The forms aren't going to fill themselves out, but he has time, at least for the moment. "Mm, it's good to take a few moments to relax between work," he comments idly; he does tilt his head a little at her shiftyness, but only adds simply, "I imagine the lounge has been rather a popular place for candidates to come when their chores are done." There's a quiet, "Oh?" when she mentions her father, B'ky vaguely remembering, "Hmm, he's.. a harper Master, yes?" Although perhaps he doesn't quite remember the man's name. He was a little distracted with Avideth attempting to search the girl and all.
Karona steps up to the pool table, and gets into position to break, feet a foot apart, leaning forward, pool cue resting lightly on her hand, with her other on the shaft. She pulls back, and then gives the cue ball a decent whack, sending it careening into the others, and scattering them. She frowns at the clump of balls in the centre, but steps back, allowing B'ky to step up and take the first shot. She picks up her glass again, and takes a sip of the juice. "The lounge is a nice place to unwind." she does admit. Plus, it's too cold to really make the trek out to the galleries all that often. "I was between lessons that day, seemed like a natrual time to come down here." …was that the same day she lost all those papers in the living caverns? Possibly. "Mmhmm, harper master, based at the Hall. Name's Karell." she notes, about her father. As B'ky is actually /shooting/ though, she falls quiet. You don't interrupt the pool player, that's just not polite.
B'ky nods about the lounge, although he spends more time here working than unwinding - when he's here at all. It seems his usual quiet corner has been lacking lately, or perhaps he's taking some of his own advice and relaxing a little? Who knows. In any case, he moves to the pool table, nodding again about her father, and commenting thoughtfully, "It seems we've had more harpers here at Fort recently," though possibly due to the ancient library. "Mm, did you manage to find the missing papers you were searching for?" he asks before leaning down to aim and shoot.
Karona nods briefly at B'ky about the influx of harpers. "Oh, I'm sure. My father has said he'd like to come back to the library, er, when the power's a little more stable, so he can actually /read/." she notes. But she shakes her head, adding, "I think he's only using that as an excuse. He just wants to visit." Visit his little girl. Aww, that's sweet. She puts the glass down again, and steps up to the table as B'ky steps down, eyeing the table thoughtfully. Ball after ball roll towards the edges of the table, and fall into the pockets, soon followed by others with a clickety clack of ivory against ivory. As she steps back, she nods again, looking extremely stunned at her luck. Every single ball from one to seven, pocketed, /just now/. "Ah, yeah, I found them all. Got a bit of a talking to from the harper giving the lessons, won't be doing /that/ again." she murmurs, eyeing the pool table, and the 8 ball. Odds aren't great on knocking it in, she figures about a one in four chance… But she takes aim nonetheless. And knocks it harmlessly against the railing. "Oh well, can't win them all." Such modesty, such /smug/ modesty.
B'ky nods, grimacing just slightly when the power outage is mentioned. His own experience down in those tunnels had been less than pleasant, and he'd likely rather forget the whole incident. He does chuckle softly about the excuse to visit, saying quietly, "Mm, I imagine the harpers in the library would always be glad to have a master visiting." And if he visits his daughter too, so much the better, right? Another chuckle about the missing papers, although those balls being sunk one after the other has the wingleader's eyebrows rising, the man laughing lightly at her smug modesty there and murmuring, "That was rather impressive." Credit where credit is due, after all! When it is finally his turn to take a shot, he aims carefully, but alas, the angle is off. Still, the man chuckles, "Ah well," and stepping back again, "luck is not quite with me today."
"Yes, yes. Well, I don't know about him, still not sure how he made it to master really. He's a bit of an old fool." Karona says, about her father, with a shrug. But, he must have /some/ useful talent, or knowledge? "I suppose he's a good teacher. To harpers." she concedes, as she steps up to the table. The eight ball is where her eyes are drawn now, and she goes completely quiet, lining up the pool cue, and then shifting, adjusting the angle, and then again. Finally, she just closes her eyes, takes a deep breath, and shoots on the exhale. The cue ball collides with the eight ball. The eight ball starts rolling slooowly across the table. The eight ball teeters on the edge of the pocket for a moment, seeming like it could go either way… And then, with a clickety clatter, it topples in, landing on top of the six ball. Karona can't help herself, she lets out a triumphant "Whoop!" And then, she blushes, and tilts her head at B'ky, sheepishly. "Ah, sir, good game, sir." she says, all manners and politeness now, even extending a hand to be shaken.
B'ky chuckles, "Ah, I'm sure he's a fine teacher," though he quiets to let the girl take the last shot. The bluerider has to laugh when the girl 'whoop's, still chuckling lightly as he shakes her hand with a smile. "A good game, indeed," he nods, moving to place the pool cue back against the wall and adding, "I imagine your father must be a rather good teacher," and another quiet chuckle, tilting his head toward the sunken pool balls. "I should return to work, but thankyou for the game," he smiles.
Karona tips her head at B'ky. "Ah, thank you, sir. He's alright. A better pool player than I am. A surprise to everyone, that is. He doesn't seem at all the type." But still, she eyes the table, shaking her head in bewilderment. Luck, luck indeed. "Er, sir, if you fancy a rematch some time, I'm game." she does point out, but she doesn't try to convince him to stay, instead putting her own cue back, and stepping away, picking up her glass, and heading back to the main bar.
