13528/A Night at the Bar

A Night at the Bar
Date of Scene:	08 December 2022
Location:	Luke's Bar
Synopsis:	No description
Cast of Characters:	Luke Cage, Mary Jane Watson, Hercules, Cassie Sandsmark

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Luke Cage has posed:
It is a typical evening at the bar. A few of the locals are drinking away their sorrows as Katie pours their drinks. Not /TOO/ liberally because she is doing so under the watchful eye of the bar's owner, Luke Cage, sitting off to the side at a table in the corner. Why does a man impervious to most any attack sit in the corner, with a wall to his back, and visibility to everything before him? Habit.

There is a drink in front of him, but for the moment it is untouched. His eyes sweep over the patrons once or twice before returning to one of the mounted televisions. While football is not a sport he has much experience with, he can appreciate the global sensation of the World Cup. And it does bring in patrons.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson has been dealing with a courier run down in Hell's Kitchen. It's where she's given something, told where to put it, how to put it, and to ask no questions whatsoever. That sort of thing totally drives her bonkers and she almost swears she's given so many of them as it amuses wahtever superior gives out such trivial tasks.

So she goes over into the bar, looking over the menu as her lips would purse. The Sonja part of her wanting to go through each and every libation, the part of her that was Mary Jane strongly resistant..

Hercules has posed:
    No swaggering man in a toga and sandles came swaggering through Luke's door but rather just a rather tall and burly fellow with short, curly hair and a well trimmed beard and a warm disposition despite the slight chill in the air outside. He wore a pair of grey slacks and a black sweater... that looked to be a size too small by the way it clung to him.

He looked around the room... and of course, he saw the red head at the bar.

He should be a better man, he's married after all... but he had difficulties with fidelity.

Such were the circumstances surrounding Mary Jane's new neighbor as Hercules claimed the stool beside her.

"Ah, Foot Ball!" he invited himself into conversation with her, gesturing broadly at the television Luke was watching.

"I invented the sport, you know."

Luke Cage has posed:
The Hero of Harlem had seen this act play out before. An amused smile appears on his lips for a moment before it fades away behind the glass of beer as he takes a sip. His attention lingers on the tv, if only because it allows him to observe how this particular would-be pick-up plays out with just the periphery of his attention.

He takes brief moments to observe each of them in turn. Hercules gets a bit of a longer look, if only because he at least presents the physique of one who could be trouble. And Luke hates trouble.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
As Hercules comes in out of the corner of her eye, there's an instinctive hesitance from the part of her that is Sonja right before the change of body posture, of position relaxes her just enough.. She mutters, "Not that idiot by Crom." Apparently not directed at Hercules for some reason.

"Ah, hello there." She would wave over at Hercules, then look to Luke. Her eeys taking on a 'good luck' expression of sympathy.

Hercules has posed:
    The Lion of Olympus was not met with the expected disbelief. There was a momentary hiccup in his game. He blinked, eyes fluttering as he sought the thread of where things went... Ah, there, yes. He straightend his posture and turned away for a moment, clearing his throat into a closed fist. A reset.

"Hello!" he enthused, yes. There we are. A big warm smile, brown eyes a-twinkle, "Might I join you for a while?" he wondered, "For the trouble of my company I have many a story to share! True or not, they are, at the very least entertaining."

Luke Cage has posed:
Watching the Olympian struggle with his words after the failed bait brings a more earnest smile to Luke's face. As does Mary Jane's expression, which earns a nod from him, and a brief raise of the glass in salute. Not that he is about to get in the way of Hercules and his attempts to sway her. One way or another.

He does, however, give a visible eyeroll as Hercules proclaims his skills as a story teller. And yet, this is proving to be far more interesting attempt to score than the nil-nil draw currently playing out on the tv.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
There's a more sour but still amused expression on Mary Jane's face as her other takes charge for just a moment as she grins, flashing teeth ferally. "Well then, oh Lion of Olympus.. Are not the best tales those that have an inkling of truth to them as well as entertainment? Where si teh point if they are all but nothingness of real life, of just fantasy?"

She would rest her hand over on the bar. "But very well, do feel free to spin me a tale. But an entertaining one."

Hercules has posed:
    Watched as something, someone else came across her features, behind her eyes. A bushy brow arched upwards, curious and considering... Skrull? Were... Skrulls a thing yet? Whichever the case, when she bade, nay, challanged him to her his tale, he could not back down."It is as you say my friend, just so!" he agreed, smacking his hand down upon the bar with just enough force to rattle every last cup and glass upon it from one end to another!

"As you know of me, I will dispense with my introduction and draw you back along my many myths and legends to the time following my greatest feats! Freshly finished with my 12 labors-" don't ask why he had to do said labors, that gets awkward, "I gathered unto myself an army of great and heroic men to wander the world and put right the wrongs as I saw them. To bring justice to those that refused to keep their words and vows. These tales are largely lost to history save for the broadest strokes but allow me to tell you of the birth of the game that is played the world over! A game that at the time held in it's sway the fate of the known world!"

He gestured as he spoke, speaking as much with words as his hands, eyes cast away as if into history itself.

"Come with me back, back to the bloody, screaming birth... of Foot Ball."

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would stare over at the television, then over at Hercules, then at the television with a shrug. "That sounds more like a rugby sort of thing. But sure!" She would go to hold up her hand over at Luke, "Bartender, give the man one of your barrels of ale. Nothing too good, for he might think too highly of himself if he's given something higher than his status befits." THere's a bit of joviality in her tone.

But, she at least knows the proper place to start with. Namely, barrels.

Luke Cage has posed:
Oh, there is amusement on the face of the owner of the bar by now. How could Luke not show some appreciation for the performance? He inclines his head as if in answer to Mary Jane's proclamation, and Katie bustles off to find something appropriate for such a god to consume.

For his part, Luke simply sips at his beer from his corner table as Hercules prepares to launch into a tale of all tales in an effort to woo the redhead sitting beside him at the bar.

Hercules has posed:
    "Ho' Bar Mistress, no that no inn keeper has ever beggered themselves by keeping a story teller in their cups!" he called after Katie, entreating her with an extended hand, pal upwards to the heavens! Yes, his lead off there might be poorly chosen for Harlem but never the less!

He pauses, a hand lifted to his chin in thought. Where was he? Ah yes, a light in his eyes, he had it!

"Many a untrue king had fallen before us on this day and many more yet lay ahead. I and my troup of heros yet marched on in our vengeful and righteous duty when we came upon Hermes, the very messenger of the gods in his gleaming helmet and winged sandles! Good Hermes brought us Grave tidings. In those times, the riches of the living could indeed follow you into the world beyond. Knowing this macabre fact, a bereaved and grieving queen had poured her late husbands fortune into his tomb in hopes that he might grease the wheels of the under world and return to her." he spoke low of his uncles domain, lest he invite the fellow here to share in their repast, his gaze sweeping the room as if to find Hades himself sitting in a corner booth when he should be enjoying his reunion with the Queen of the Underworld.

"But lo, her husband had not a return to his merital bed on his mind as he passed coin after coin into the palm of the Ferry Man... but REVENGE!" a sinister, sneaking voice that raised into a thunderous boom, a fist lofted to the sky!

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
The privileges of being a true and official adult: bars!

Cassie shoulders her way in through the door, dressed for the coolish fall weather with a brown hoodie jacket thrown over her more colorful athletic attire beneath. There's a few reasons she's wandered afar of her usual stomping grounds: a few stops on Museum Row for her mom and Di, a jog in the park (yes, she can fly, but who knows if that burns calories!), and PERHAPS, just maybe, the fact that someone just tweeted a picture of Hercules giving the full song and dance and recollection of heroic deeds at a local bar. It may have been the last one that really did it!

Thus, as she arrives, Cassie looks around curiously, although it's not exactly difficult to spot the guy. Kinda the sort that stands out. She heads that way, up to the bar. "Yo, big bro." It's a... big family!

Shortly after, she reaches in her hoodie and starts rifling around for her wallet, finding her ID. She's at the age where she's still proud of it! "So hey, what's on tap?" she wonders, of whoever's serving.

Mary Jane Watson has posed:
Mary Jane Watson would go to listen over to hercules as she would glance over at the Prince of Power. "I'm noting a theme here of sour marital relations here. They should have spent more time trying to resolve things as a couple or separated before they were attempting to bribe the ferryman.." Mary Jane's eyes would twinkle. She's fully caught up over in the story now an dthe part of it.

It's definitely worth buying the drink for the bard of the evening that is regaling them. Her attention is fully upon Hercules and then over on Cassandra as she would givea a wave, "Hey, you're just int ime to hear the stories."

Luke Cage has posed:
As if on cue, Katie returns with, while not quite a barrel, a flagon of certain size that she presents to Hercules. Luke had had enough encounters with bigger than big personalities to know to keep a supply of such things on hand. He hopes it is large enough to not insult them. His eyes drift over towards Cassie as she arrives, and taking note of her familiarity with Hercules. Or alleged, at least. Realizing that this night has gone interesting swiftly, he slides out from his table in the corner and heads over towards the bar, a brief nod towards Katie to acknowledge that he is joining the fray as Katie sets about the long task of pouring into the flagon.

Hercules has posed:
    "Ah, and Angel, fairest Bar Mistress." praised Hercules of Katie, a hand laid over his heart as he cast moony eyes upon her... but mostly the flagon! Truly, a place worthy of heros! He tipped the drink to his lips and drained half of it in but a few quaffs. He gasped his satisfaction before lighting up at the sight of Cassie, "Come my Kin! Hear the boast and bluster of your elder!" he all but bellowed warmly, raising out of his seat, so taken withg his favorite subject (himself), that he forgot he was trying to woo Ms. Watson.

"Now, where was I...? he wondered, retracing his steps. "The Kings, the Queens, the Money, the Ferry-" and from the room came an impatient reminder, "Revenge!" cried someone, "Ah yes!" shone Hercules, and truly he did, a subtle golden hue as if he were center stage at broadway.

Like a glazed Ham.

"Revenge!" he seethed with the word, clutching his fist again. "And so did Herme warn us of this wicked and now Undead King who had bribed the Ferry Man to secure passage not just for himself, but his army back across the River Styx. An army aching to feel once more the pleasures denied them in the underworld. Pleasures of drink, of appetite and thirst. Worldly pleasures that they had lost."

"As all warriors know, a man bested once, is wiser for it. So I and my fellows girded our loins for war and cut off our foes at the very gates of Hades realm! We went to face a foe that we knew would not die yet we did so knowing that if we fell, all would be lost." he was animated, alive in the glory of himself, meeting the eyeline of all around him.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
While of course Cassie is happy to wait a bit on a drink, the massive flagon of heroic size definitely has her attention. And interest! Big wide eyes. "Uh, so how much are THOSE?" she wonders when Luke eventually resumes his own place behind the bar, still tracking the mega-drink and watching Katie's lengthy pour with outward fascination. Admittedly, the young woman does not really look up to the task of handling such a drink. Physically. But then again, she's purporting to be related to the Big Guy. Maybe she's big in... spirit, or something.

Either way, she spins around on her seat to better observe the yarn Herc is spinning.

"Are they NEW stories?" she wonders, ahead of his resumed performance. "Cuz I know all the old ones." Blame an archeologist mom!

Still, even if he's recycling the greatest hits, Cassie is happy to sit on on the performance. Well, mostly sit in on. "Yeah that underworld stuff is serious business. We had some spill over last year. Undead centaurs and stuff. Very not cool." But after that bit of an addition, she quickly shuts herself up to let him tell it properly!

In the spirit of the younger generation, she pulls out her phone, and shoots off a quick text.

Luke Cage has posed:
Nodding along with Hercules narration as any good bartender does (always keep them talking, if not drinking!), Luke laughs heartily at the punchlines. It is affected, of course, playing the role well, and no doubt comes across that way to most. But he also knows that Hercules is paying little attention to anyone other than himself, so even a token effort is effective enough.

"If you are the big guy's sister, then it's on me," rumbles the Hero of Harlem, with a subtle nod to Katie. She slips off into the back room where the found the first flagon, leaving Luke to tend to the bar for those others who seek libations in the interim.

He arches an eyebrow as Cassie almost immediately turns to her phone after placing what had appeared to be an order. But such is the way, and Luke has no ill comment.

"Sounds like a more epic version of the time we kicked the Squires off the court after stomping them in a three on three, and they came back with all their buddies." Luke grins. "That was a fun day."

Hercules has posed:
    "New." he asides to Cassie, a reassuring hand cast towards her, "But true, every word." he claimed with a smile that hitched higher at one corner than the other and a game wink.

Then he was back at it. "At what would be the gates of hell today we met them. A narrow tunnel. Beyond us, the world of the living and all that we had ever loved before. Before us, the Malicious Dead." he let that note hanf in the air, pointing into the fictional, mythical battle ground, drawing his breath as if he was steeling himself for that very battle once more.

"The initial clash was said to circle the world three times before it quieted. There in those dark tunnels we fought for four weeks. Even my strength was tested. It was then, with a sudden stroke of my club that I struck the Dread King's head from his shoulders. He of course did not fall, cursed or blessed for what is dead cannot so easily be slayed again! Battling the body, I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my foot only to look down and see the bastard's head had bitten my big toe!" he bellowed, gesturing dramatically at his foot!

"Pained and enraged by his lack of civility, I kicked the head and sent it hurtling through the gates of the underworld and across the river styx!" he pantomimed that very kick as a Soccar forward might take a shot at goal and watch as the ball sail away.

"Chasing his head, the body fled and with him, his undead army! So routed, we at last won the day!" he surmized at last, arms held wide in presentation. "This tale did proliferate from one corner of the world to the next. Two armies meeting upon a field of battle... and of course, balls are so much easier to kick than heads. They bite far less often, you see."

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Technically half-sister," Cassie clarifies to Luke, just to be precise about things, but also to verify that there's no mistake. "But it's the half that's, well, you know." She points straight up. "Thunder and lightning and animals dubious in their practice of consent."

"Cassie," she offers, after she's done with the quick text back and forth. "You know, like 'Wonder Girl.'" Has anyone heard of her? Sidekick woes! And while she'd never apologize for her zoomer-isms, there is a good cause in this case, and so she holds up the phone so Luke can see the screen. The contact is listed as just 'WW.' That one's probably not too hard to decode. "Checking if she wanted to come out, join the family circus. But no answer just yet. Might be burried under work at the embassy still."

Twirling back to listen to Herc's Very Original Tale, her attention becomes more focused. "Gawd, I hate it when the unattached heads stay bitey," she comisserates. Relatable problems! However, with the grand conclusion (and perhaps lacking some context as she missed the very beginning of the tale), she stops and gawks a bit when he gives his summary, turning it all into some sports origin story. "Uh."

Doubt.

But hey, not polite to argue with your elders, so she doesn't argue the point! Instead, she can't help but peek off after a notable departing presence, and then back between Hercules and Luke. "So... this whole thing was to impress that lady, yeah?"

Luke Cage has posed:
"I'm gonna guess that was the right half, then?" Luke asks as he returns to lean back behind the bar, watching Cassie. Katie returns with the flagon and begins the long process of filling it as Hercules eventually draws toward the punchline of his tale. "Luke. Pleased to meet you." He gives her an appraising look, particularly after she shares the name and the initials. There is a certain skepticism on Luke's face, likely more about why such folks would come to his bar. He has seen th4 heroes often enough. "Well, tell her if she comes out, /SHE/ can have a flagon too." he glances sidelone at Katie. "We should have two more back there, huh?" A nod in return, and the looks to Cassie. "You all can fight over who gets the fourth, unless you have another you can invite." Either he is convinced, or he is playing along.

"See, when I kick balls, they stay kicked," he murmurs in agreement with Cassie, although he does allow another belly laugh with Hercules conclusion. But no detail is lost on Cassie. He nods in the direction of the door, and the recently departed Mary Jane. "May have been at the start, but I don't think he could help himself." He grins. "She could, though."

And then, finally, the flagon is presented to Cassie. "Enjoy!"

Hercules has posed:
    Arms wide, Hercules basked in both skepticism and belief alike. When he turned and found a certain seat empty, his bluster and braggadocio left him like air from a balloon. It could be watched in his shoulders as they slumped, deflating, lowering, his features settling into a certain crest fallen cant. "Haah..." he breathed, "Perhaps I Should have said it was Rugby afterall..." she did look slightly more like a rugby girl. That Look in her eye. His fondness for red heads once more leaving him with a bit of egg on his face.

He joined Cassie, slouching onto the bar, hands clasped sulkily around his drink. "I don't suppose either of you could tell me where I lost her?" he wondered of Luke, Katie, and Cassie

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Will do!" she chirps back at Luke. And in fact, Cassie does more than tell the supposed superheroine on the other end. She puts a hand (arm?) around her big flagon, leans in close, and... well, naturally, holds her phone out a bit of a distance to take a selfie with it. Then another quick text, sending the image off into the ether along with some text about free beer for Olympians. It is up to the Fates, now!

If its any consolation to Luke worrying that this is all some very oddly specific swindle, despite the flagon's awkward (and in fact, compared to her, arguably comical) size, she hoists it as if it weighed no more than a typical glass, raised to her lips for a grateful glug-glug-glug sip.

"Ahh!"

Setting the thing down with an appropriate CLUNK, she looks back around sidelong to the now forelorn Herc. "Aren't you supposed to be an epic womanizer, too? Got the godly genes for it. So why am I dispensing tips, here?" She scrunches her face a little, as if thinking. "Or are you lacking experience pulling in 'present year'?" The sour look turns toward a grin. "Dunno bro, couldn't say without knowing the lady better. But yeah, maybe you gotta work on a little bit of, you know, back and forth, some rapport before you pull out the epic tales. Guys who spend too much time talking about themselves can come off as self-centered." That, at least, seems good-natured and perhaps legitimate advice!

Luke Cage has posed:
Watching Cassie pose with the flagon, Luke cannot help but smile at her exhuberance. That quickly turns to admiration at the ease with which she downs the flagon. He peers at her for a moment, and it seems that his mind has been made up. "Well. That /IS/ impressive." He nods towards Katie, who slips away to attend to other patrons. Luke has these two managed. Even if it is just refilling flagons. Easy work.

He watches as Cassie lays out the lesson for Hercules, once again nodding along. "Listen to your sister here, big guy. She's got it." He reaches below the bar to retrieve a glass for himself, of normal human size, and starts filling it. "I kinda think you never had her to begin with, but the fact that she was gone halfway through your tale and you didn't even pose..." He tsks. "Not a winning strategy." Then he does his own imitation of downing the drink, although it is far less impressive than either of the two Olympians.

Hercules has posed:
    "Every loss should be mourned duely." Hercules had a way of saying things that gave them the veneer of age old idioms. Taken at surface value and it might seem just that. Squint however and one might discover he is just sulking. He nursed his beer, paying heed to Cassie and Luke in turn. It would be kind t think that he gave Cassie's words just as much before Luke's two cents as after. He had enjoyed a rather lovely evening coffee with Wonder Woman recently so maybe such kindness wouldn't be entirely unwarrented. He chewed over these modern ideas. Features shifting as he turned the ideas around in his head... One might almost see the gears move between drinks.

"Next time, I'll take off my shirt." he vowed. He thought about doing so now... but no, the time had passed.

"Never the less!" he clapped a hand gently upon the bar, it lacked the gusto of the last one. "To good company yet still!" he toasted before draining the rest of his flagon.

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
"Yeah. She was super pretty, too. Looked like a model. Probably has a guy already. Or a gal." Cassie is naturally rather inclusive of such things, as a bona fide dual citizen of Lady Land (tm). "Either way, uphill battle from the start. Don't take it too hard, anyway. Gotta put yourself out there, and you did."

Now, whether Herc has properly internalized her and Luke's advice or not is up to debate, particularly when he goes right ahead to showing off his god-bod. But Cassie is pragmatic. And... a member of this bizarre family, whether she wants to be or not. So she has to consider the 'glorious demigod' approach respectfully, and tailor her advice accordingly:

"If you're going that route, I'd say, hit the park, weekend mornings. Well, uh, not in the middle of winter. The jogging paths, too. It's where I go to work out, if I'm not at the Arts Center." The Themysciran Arts Center, that is, a placeof cultural exchange and outreach built by the Amazons as an extention of the embassy.

"Or..." And here she comes in with the true wisdom of the modern era: "You should really get an Instagram. Put up some pics. You know what tinder is? Shirtless meta definitely applies." Dangerous forces she's unleashing!

... but then again her insta is extremely popular.

She looks back to Luke, grinning at his echoed, if human-sized drink. Then there's a notification sound from her phone (it's some kind of weird yodel), and she looks at it, before holding it up, again for Luke to see. It's a short embeded video, with Wonder Woman herself (albeit in dress-down working attire, surrounded by papers and some old stone bust. "Hi everyone! Sorry I couldn't be there! *mwah!*" It ends with a blown kiss.

Luke Cage has posed:
There is a brief moment where Luke feels like Hercules /actually/ got it. And then it is dashed as he talks about taking off his shirt. Luke shakes his head slowly. "My friend, if that is what you need to do to attract a woman, that is not the sort of woman you want to attract." He watches the draining of the flaggon, and mentally calculates what it will cost him if Hercules asks for a refill. At the end, Luke opts not to simply offer to refill it, waiting to see if the god asks for it himself.

"Oh, he put himself out there. WAY out there." He grins at Cassie, but then nods as she offers sage advice. "That is a far better approach than just running around shirtless." He pauses for a moment. "I'd think so, anyway. Can't say that I've tried the former."

Something about her comment about a shirtless meta on instagram gets Luke to drink from his glass a bit more rapidly. Not the subtlest of reactions. But he sets the glass aside, and does not refill his, either. Maybe that will help avoid Hercules making a similar request.

Then it happens. The video of Wonder Woman. "You're shitting me." He had accepted that these were not mere mortals, but he had not actually expected them to be friends with...her.

He laughs. "Now you've got me thinking about a flexing duel with your bro here if that would lure her out here. Never had the good fortune to run into her myself."

Hercules has posed:
    Cassie drove her point deeper and deeper, even twisted it to make sure that Hercules could savor the bitterness of his rejection. It sat on his palete like a thick syrup. He groused as she extolled MJ's virtues and glanced down at his empty flagon and then up to Luke Cage... who did not meet his eye. A bard's throat should never go dry but Hercules had sang his song and gotten his supper. Fair enough, Mr. Cage, Well played.

Yielding this first round of getting free drinks from Luke Cage to... well, Luke Cage, Hercules fixes his attention upon Cassie as she tempts him with the wonderous sorcery of technology. He strokes his chin, fingers running along the bristles of his beard. Trolling the parks had proven bountiful before. He looks to Luke and offers a suggestion, "Perhaps you should." he said warmly, "It might help with revenue. I know I would be tempted to visit again." he, a shameless flirt, did in fact wink with this note and half lifted the flagon to his lips... only to recall why it was so light. He glanced downwards, into it's emptiness, and then back to Luke Cage.

Round 2

Cassie distracts him from his flagrant philandering, "I have tried such thing once or twice... but it is so difficult to rmember passwords... or not break them... or to remember to wear something with pockets." A litany of excuses. Maybe if he had a phone, he'd be an avenger now instead of a thot.

That Hero Over There.

A glaring flaw in her plan comes to light when he hears Diana's voice. "Diana, Hello! It is I, Hercules!" he greets... the video.

The man lights up, beaming once more at the very mention of the woman, "Hah, Wonder Woman would not be so easily lured. You know I sat with after this Thanksgiving past. Saw her face down a fiendish Turkey Man and talk to him." he boasted of the woman, pride and woman. "Talk!" he echoed, flabbergasted! "The gift of battle lay at her feet and she let it pass her as easily as a cool breeze in the fall. With but her words did she undo his wroth and render unto him his gentle and merciful defeat!"

Cassie Sandsmark has posed:
Catching Luke's reaction, Cassie grins a bit wider, momentarily almost to the degree of looking predatory, even leering. "This guy /definitely/ knows what I'm talking about."

Ahem! Maybe these two are more alike...

She resumes her more typically wholesome smile shortly after, seeing the reaction that even the short Wonder-vid gets. Diana has that effect on people! And her young sidekick is resigned to forever playing second fiddle. "I shit you not," she echoes Luke. "Told you, she's like, my boss!" And family beside, but the shared Wonder-title thing seems like it should make it obvious enough.

Of course, Hercules takes it entirely, completely the wrong way, and she only briefly tries to correct him. "She's not there now... I mean, I could get her on facetime but I figured she was working. That's just... a moving picture, yeah?" Ooof. Maybe the insta-plan will need some fine-tuning. "I didn't hear about the turkey battle..."

Still, she turns back to Luke with an offer of hope. "Next time I drag her out to actually enjoy herself, which admittedly happens basically once in for-never, we'll swing by up here, yeah? For the mega-flagons." Speaking of, she turns to lift hers again, glug-glug-glugging a good bit of the rest. The family resemblance continues to grow, in demeanor and manner, if nothing else!

Yet, while Herc may be eager for another flagon, it seems Cassie is not quite so thirsty. Well, not that way, anyhow. After gulping down her own, she pops off her stool, fishing out her wallet again. The uber flagon may be on the house, Katie's working hard, lugging those things, and she shoves some cash in the tip jar.

"Alright. Much as I'd love to party it up like Dionysus, I've got my own 'Great Labor' to perform, and it's called 'exam week.'" She glances at Herc as she starts out past him. "Uh, maybe swing by the Embassy sometime and I can try helping you with your phone." It may be a lost cause, but she's willing to do what she can to support his lusty ambitions. It's what sisters do? ... Erm, wait. Well... Olympians. Yeah. Kinda checks out.

Luke Cage has posed:
Watching Cassie blur out of the bar, Luke chuckles before turning back to Hercules. "You do have a way with women, my friend," he says, offering something of a smile. "But your sister is right." He pauses. "Except about the technology thing. Clearly that's...not your style."

Katie heads off to stash some of those tips as Luke turns more fully to Hercules now. "Impress them with your attitude, not your storytelling. Ask about them. Ask /them/ to tell you a story." He shrugs. "I mean, it's not like you can come down to Earth as a lightning bolt, turn into a bull, and just have your way with every woman you want, right?"

He pauses. "Right?" Suddenly dubious.

Hercules has posed:
    Hercules nodded slowly, allowing things to sink in slowly through that thick skull of his. "No, no, you're both right. Including on matters of this more modern technology." he admitted. He had mastered the phone some decades ago, to think that now he would have to do it again. "The worl is a thing that moves at the behest of mortals, not gods. If we wish to remain, we must do our best to keep pace."

He falls quiet once more, hand poised near his chin. Consideration, thought. Wheels turn. "Yes... yes, hm? Oh Hah! No-no." he prattles, coming back from his introspection, waving the thought of golden rays of light and swans away. "No, the only bull about me is some of my stories." he offered that with a rhy smirk.

Reaching over the bar, Hercules sought to lay a hand on Luke's shoulder for a gentle, grateful squeeze... Surprise registered when the muscles did not yield so readily. His lips working into a curious perk... Before he started to manhandle Luke however, he remembered what he wanted to say, "Ah, right, pardon me. You and my kin have offered me sage counsel, Friend Cage. I am a old fool who is twice as foolish as he is old at times. It is good that I am reminded of such from time to time." he pontificated as he pulled his handaway and reached down into his pocket to retrieve a very new looking wallet. He'd have a few bills in the tip jar himself soon enough, his departure imminent.

Luke Cage has posed:
"I am sure you will get it at some point," assures Luke as he watches the literal god wrestle with the concept of technology. "But I would stick to what I was good at, for now, and see how you make your way forward."

He chuckles as Hercules reaches over to his shoulder, and notes the confusion. He decides to come a bit cleaner, and so he reaches over to clasp the other shoulder, the two of them looking for a moment like gladiators in salute. Luke gives the shoulder a squeeze with all of his massive strength, confident now that Hercules can endure it. But granting him a small notion of what kind of power resides in that man.

"Well, this old fool is more than welcome at my bar any time, friend." A brief pause, and a grin. "Doubly so if you can bring your sister back with you."