[Victor/Ashtaroth/Chisaki] - Let's Get Drunk!

[a_wrong_turn]

Who: Victor, Ashtaroth, Chisaki
When: Thursday the 11th, at night!
Where: A bar in the Nenakret.
Before/After: After Chisaki's e-mail to Victor.
Warnings: TBD. Probably swearing because Chisaki.

[A little bit of conferring with Victor led to an amazing plan: GETTING DRUNK. Chisaki is looking forward to this, even if she has no earthly clue whether molavvas can do that or if it takes epic amounts of booze to affect them. Whatever, she has loot stolen from druids from the war and nothing to spend it on. Booze time.]

[She stands outside of one of the Nenakret's bars. News of the war meant the curfew was relaxed through the weekend, for celebrations to occur, which Saftans and French are doing happily. She leans up against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. She has a black, form-fitting shirt and baggy Saftan pants on, instead of her usual gear. She's bathed and washed too. She feels almost good.]

[It's easy to push the bad parts of what happened, everything with Ravindra, the lack of communication with Nova, to the back of her mind. It's time for drinking!]

Comments

[vast_oceans]

[ they are the worst worries, victor, how can you not be reading her mind right now???

no sigh that's not fair. ] I don't know why it wouldn't listen to you, if you had it for so long. What does it matter if you aren't a hunter? [ it doesn't make sense that it wouldn't recognize him, or somehow be averse to him just because he isn't a hunter. it just sounds silly to her.

she blinks at the suggestion. ] Me, play? [ she's clearly never even considered learning it for herself. ] Well... we could try...

[ the mention of sports and chisaki's going on clearly confuses her ] I'm sorry- games of what?

[ leaning in to victor a little, ] Could I try something else now?...

[a_wrong_turn]

Yeah, food seems like a good idea... [Oh, so it wasn't a skeleton. Even cooler! She never had an animal buddy before. She saw a landsquid and wanted one, though.] I mean, you can feed, like, dogs and kids and pets like that? Right?

[She nods her head enthusiastically to the notion of Ash playing. But she doesn't comment. Instead, she grins broadly.]

Baseball! You ever seen it played? It's a lot less bloody than the tournament.

[pulledunder]

Kids aren't-- [Already, he gives up.] It's true. All the call did was let me reach him wherever he was. I doubt he's forgotten who gave him all those treats.

[He's affectionately annoyed. Another reason to want to go back to the Undertow...]

[Wow Ash he is impressed. And maybe a little intimidated. He waves the bartender down for real this time to order a sweeter, fruitier cocktail to help her get that taste out of her mouth.] Here. Try this.

[To Chisaki:] Base... ball? I don't think I've heard of it.

[vast_oceans]

Where did you see it last? We could try looking for it there... we'll remember to pack a bunch of apples with us. [ ah, there, that's something possibly fixable! she feels better already.

actually she feels a little off, but she can't pinpoint why exactly. ]

I have no idea what baseball is. We haven't- I haven't- seen very many Earth things.

[ there's a small pause ]

I'm going to have to heal Rhys during the tournament next year, aren't I.

[a_wrong_turn]

Yeah, give that a shot! It'd probably do the trick.

[Kids are like pets, Victor. They crawl around on four legs a lot, they ask for food, and they make messes. She doesn't see a big difference here.]

Baseball's like... uh... so there's a diamond in the ground, right? And there's three plates on it. Guys smack a ball with a bat, and the ball goes flying, and they try to run across the diamond in a circle before someone can throw the ball at a guy standing on the plate.

[She makes a face.]

That didn't help at all, did it?

[She looks at Ash sympathetically. She doesn't know the Ahura's name, but she does know that look. A guy she cares about is going to do something stupid! Oh, Nova.]

[pulledunder]

[The longer Victor looks at Chisaki, the more confused he gets. He is doing his best to pay attention. Really.]

No. That didn't help. How... big is this diamond? Are they more common on Earth? And where do the plates come in?

[Victor has smirks instead of sympathy.]

Do you trust anyone else to do it?

[vast_oceans]

[ she isn't sure about kids or perytons but they're moving on to the next subject, and she listens to chisaki's explanation with a furrowed brow and with her new drink in hand. she takes a sip while she's going through the motions and looks at the glass in surprise. it tastes so much better! ]

Are they... are they supposed to hit the person with ball? [ that sounded pretty brutal actually...

she sighs at rhys ] I wouldn't trust the Vahishta with him.

[a_wrong_turn]

Oh, the diamond's made of dirt. And is like the size of this room, and the plates are, like, points you're supposed to run to...

[Chisaki's face screws up more. She's losing them! How to explain it, how to explain it...]

You don't hit them with the ball. Like maybe gently tap? It's about trying to catch balls flying high in the air after smacking them with a stick. Everyone likes smacking balls with sticks, right?

Right?

[pulledunder]

[Victor flashes a grin at Ash. There you go. That's your answer.]

[He's trying to follow Chisaki's further explanations. Hitting someone with the ball actually make more sense.]

How many balls and sticks are there?

[vast_oceans]

[ she makes a face at victor for the grin. smarty-pants.

she looks back to chisaki as she keeps trying to explain baseball, taking another (long) sip of her drink, but she's only shaking her head, frowning ] Why do people watch this?

[a_wrong_turn]

Just one stick. Like, uh, there's one guy who hits a ball and sends it flying and everyone else tries to catch it.

[She's completely losing them! No fair, no fair! She waves over the bartender and points at a shotglass instead of ordering, this time. Something vile gets slid over to her.]

It's fun! There's people running and jumping and catching balls! Everyone likes catching balls? And you can get drunk while you watch it!

[She slams back her next shot.]

[pulledunder]

[... Totally lost. Sorry Chisaki.]

I think I would have to play to understand it.

[Because watching it sounds even more confusing at this point.]

[He's still on the same glass of whiskey ohoho. Hopefully the other two either haven't noticed or don't care. It's not the best stuff, but he'll probably sleep well later all the same.]

... They don't get drunk while they play, do they?

[That might explain a few things.]

[vast_oceans]

It sounds ridiculous!

[ maybe it's because chisaki's getting worked up, but there's what victor would know as a familiar note of chiding in her voice that's ramping up to equal it ]

It makes no sense. A bunch of people standing around, waiting to catch a ball that someone hits with a stick? What if they don't catch it? Are they even aiming to hit it at anyone? And what does getting drunk have to do with anything?

[ irritable sip! ]

[a_wrong_turn]

Oh my God, no! It makes perfect sense. I just haven't explained it right! You have to see it--or play it!

[She looks at Victor, one eyebrow raised. She calms down just slightly.]

Not usually. Oh, God, I have to show you guys now, you don't understand. Baseball will blow your mind. You don't even know! Uhhh--

[She pulls out her phone and pulls up some baseball on YouTube. It's of a player hitting a ball out into the outfield and people running and balls flying and generally basebally antics.]

See! Diamonds! Plates! Balls! Guys running! NOT RIDICULOUS IN ANY WAY.

[pulledunder]

[Victor quietly sips his drink while the two of them begin to grow heated. He is almost certain trying to suggest they calm down about something as probably trivial as baseball would have exactly the opposite effect.]

[He turns to the video, watching and genuinely trying to understand what's happening. Running, catching, hitting... He's not able to yet pick on that the ball bouncing first matters, or why the teams appear to be unevenly stacked.]

There's so many people on the field, but so few act at any one time...

[Wait was that unwise to say.]

[vast_oceans]

It's blowing my mind how silly this is. [ she stares at the screen pretty much over victor's shoulder and scowls at it, not understanding at all why a bunch of grown men in tight pants wait a minute would be chasing after a ball ]

What do they get if they win?

[a_wrong_turn]

Well yeah, if they have to get the ball, not all of them run for it, it's like--uh-- [She shoots a frown at Ashtaroth. Not cool, Ash. :( Then she looks back down at the screen.]

They get... pride? Pride's good.

[She sighs.]

It's better live. We should go! Like when my friend gets back from Earth. Like a double date. [WHY THE LASER JESUS DID SHE JUST SAY THAT] EXCEPT WE'RE NOT DATING.

[pulledunder]

It is silly... [He murmurs it, hoping that one blends into the bar noise as he sips his drink. Whether or not silly has to be bad, he's not sure. He just doesn't understand this at all.]

[But he's not sure Chisaki is wrong, except--]

[Victor sighs and sets his glass down.]

Neither are we.

[vast_oceans]

[ chisaki

you are getting judged right now

full on, teenager-level side-eye judged.

she may need more convincing about the whole "it'll be fun we should all go together" thing.

she's in the middle of another sip, keeping silent this time, when chisaki's outburst shocks her and she coughs, nearly choking on her drink. omgosh chisaki you don't just go planning dates for a bunch of people that aren't dating!

... omgosh victor. betrayal?? no don't be stupid ash he is telling the truth. and she knows he is ouch that's even worse. ]

Nope. [ did that sound a little dismal? she sticks the straw in her mouth again. ] What is your friend like? [ on to a new topic, quick! deflect, deflect! ]

[a_wrong_turn]

[Chisaki's face screws up further at that. How does she describe Nova? The answer might be 'not very well' because she's had a few drinks. She waves a hand at the bartender, pointing at the selection of liquor. He sighs and starts preparing something.]

Uh, he's... [Not talking to her much. Damn.] ...kinda doofy but in a good way? He's funny. He rolls with my bullshit pretty well.

[She nods.]

So yeah, we should go. Baseball. Not double dating. It'll fucking rule.

[pulledunder]

[Oblivious to Ash, alas. It's just the truth!]

[Hey Victor you know what would be a good idea: not saying what you're about to say.]

Is this the guy you've been living with?

[vast_oceans]

[ she makes another noise, almost snorting, and she covers her mouth this time. it isn't meant to be like a laugh, but more startled surprise. not dating, but living together?

... shut up ash that is dangerously close to your own situation. ]

[a_wrong_turn]

Victoooor!

[There may be flailing. No, there is flailing.]

IT'S NOT LIKE THAT.

[pulledunder]

[He is trying so hard not to smile and you guys it's not working at all. It's not just her reactions, but the dawning realization that joking around isn't completely lost to him. Apparently, pointing out the obvious is effective. It might be the most effective.]

I didn't say it was like anything.

[Teeheehee he didn't. Sip. He looks to Ash to see how she's doing with her drink.]

Are you still feeling all right?

[vast_oceans]

[ she looks between the two of them while they joke. joking! really! victor was finding a way around it to tease the other girl. she felt the urge to say something rising up, but she pushed it down. they got along very well, after all, and she had to be stupid, incredibly stupid (more stupid?) to realize that the girl was clearly harbouring some feelings for her 'friend'.

...unless she was trying to make it clear to victor that he really was only a friend. just so victor knew. ]

H-huh? What?

[ startled to have his attention on her again, she flushes slightly, having been stabbing at the ice in her glass with the straw ]

Yes! Yes, I am. Fine. This is good. Thank you. Can I get another? [ and that she asks the bartender putting down chisaki's newest drink. zenderael doesn't seem to care much about drinking age, by the looks of it. ]

Your friend! How long have you been together? I mean, how long have you known him. Is what I mean.