2590/Beers and Billards

Beers and Billards
Date of Scene:	24 July 2020
Location:	Harry's Hideaway (Bar)
Synopsis:	Lorna and Logan play pool, Laura and Gabby join. There are rootbeer floats.
Cast of Characters:	Lorna Dane, Logan Howlett, Gabby Kinney, Laura Kinney

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Lorna Dane has posed:
Training had been progressing better than expected in some ways. Lorna had ended up on her back in the mud more than she'd have liked that day, but all in all it wasn't a total loss. And beyond a few instances where her powers had reacted as more of a reflex than anything intended, she had been able to keep them in check. Still, she was sore, bruised, and needed a drink. So the offer of heading to Harry's was made.

t Lorna had dried off her hair, and the green locks hung wildly about her face. She wore a simple band T-shirt, and a pair of ripped skinny jeans. More metal jewelry covered her fingers and wrists, and as she leaned against the pool table, she smirked.

The balls were magnetic and sung in her senses more clearly than even Logan's skeleton. She sipped at her drink, leaning back on her heels as she glanced down the green table top. "So how good are you at pool?"

Logan Howlett has posed:
The scruffy man wears a black t-shirt, rugged up jeans, boots (with a thick heel to give him a couple more inches), and an outback hat. After training, he took some time for a shower and to run a comb through his hair. The harley was parked out front, his choice of locomotion to get to the bar.

"Heh. Pretty good. Been playin' for a long time. Before smart phones, that'd what ya did, bowl and play pool." Taking it as an invitation, he begins to pull balls out of pockets and grabs the triangle to start racking them up. He makes sure to alternate his solids and stripes properly, planting the eight ball in the center with the one at the tip.

"I racked, you break." He nods firmly, crossing his arms over his chest. "What you want to drink?"

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna had already snagged a light beer from the bar, and handed over her ID for the pool balls. She glanced back to Logan and arched an eyebrow upward. "You know not everyone in my generation grew up with smart phones and the internet, right?" She murmured, "Next thing you'll going off on how my generation has no taste for drinks." She shot back, her lips twitching into a dry smile as she picked up one of the pool sticks and leaned it against the table. She set her drink down and came about the front to break the triangle.

"Few people are ever willing to play pool with me, one too many times I kicked ass and it's all Lorna cheats with her powers and the balls are all magnetic.." She murmured, and leaned over to carefully aim the pool stick and fire off the cue ball down the center. It was a clean break, and she stepped away after.

"But I'll go for a lager or something next. You?"

Gabby Kinney has posed:
It was easy enough to get to Harry's since Gabby had been here several times before. A few times even as herself! Enough so at least that Harry recognized her as one of the students around here and that she didn't try to get alcohol with fake IDs like some. So when she traipses in making a beeline for the bar it was for one reason and one reason only: "Rootbeer please!" Okay so he had some good rootbeer. Sue her.

"You should try it, Laura, it's really good I think. I mean for rootbeer. I guess? I've only had like two different ones but I like this one--" she starts off explaining to her older sister that she'd dragged along only to taper off when she spots the familiar green hair of Lorna. The hat temporarily threw her off of Logan.

"Hey Lorna!"

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan didn't really have to ask for his drink. Harry already had the bourbon on stand-by and poured a tall glass as Logan approached. He mentions the need for a lager soon and gets a nod in reply. Logan then salutes the man with the glass and returns to the pool table.

After a quick sip, he sets the glass aside and chalks up a pool cue. "Eh, I trust people to not cheat. Gotta trust the honor system with folks like us."

He squints and walks the table, looking for low-hanging fruit with good follow-ups. He settles on an opportunity to sink three stripes. He aims the cue and cuts one across some long green, knocking another into a corner pocket. He quickly follows up to sink the same ball he hit prior, and then he pivots to sink another stripe at the adjacent corner.

After that run, he didn't have great prospects, so he takes the asshole approach. He lightly taps  the cue ball until it kisses up against one of his remaining stripes, leaving Lorna in a tricky situation.

He offers a low laugh, "Your shot, Lorna." then grabs his glass. He offers a salute toward Gabby and Laura as they arrive than calls out, "Hey Harry, put the rootbeer on my tab."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura looks doubtful. "They told me Ginger Beer was good, too. It was not." Laura seems certain enough on this, still not able to figure out the odd flavor Ginger Beer had presented her with. She squints at Gabby. "But, if you say it is good, I will try it." Because it's her sister. And, there's a code, or something, right?

"Two rootbeers," Laura states to the bartender, or hostess, or whoever is getting them the drinks.

"Logan. Lorna," Laura greets, simply, and concisely. "I am sorry I was not present to assist you with the invader. I had smelled him, but I did not have time to track him. I should have." She looks upset with herself, for not being on the ball where it comes to having prevented Sabretooth from coming back to take a tussle at Logan.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna looked up from her lean against the pool table, drink in hand to spot Gabby as she greeted her. A smile warmed her expression, and she waved. "Hey Gabby, Laura." She offered as each came up. Another sip of her drink followed as she looked back to Logan.

"Ooh, asshole." She drawled, but it held no heat. Same as when she'd called him that earlier. Her gaze lingered on the various balls and colors, but it was hardly cheating if she could sense exactly where each was better than she could with her eyes, was it?

It wasn't like she was nudging them anywhere.

She came back up with her pool stick in hand, and with a practiced hand, one surprisingly so for a 'Princess', she knocked the ball away from the one that had only just kissed it. Sure there were easier shots she could take on the board, but it was a matter of principal. And she took that as her sole shot as it flew out and away, into the center pocket on the other side of the table.

"I wouldn't feel too bad about it Laura. I'm sure he'll be back. If the reports of his past behavior are any indication."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney blinks as it becomes obvious that Logan was here too hiding beneath that wide brimmed at. Unlike Laura and he she didn't quite have the nose for things. "What intruder?" She asks curiously, looking between them only to shrug a bit. Either they'd tell her or not. She reaches for the rootbeers and offers one of the glasses to Laura. "I dunno about gingerbeer. I mean ginger is pretty strong to begin with. I bit into a chunk of it once in some chinese and it was kinda... gingery."

"Oh yeah I meant to say there might be something weird in the woods. I was out on my morning jog and found this..." She pauses, hesitating as her face scrunches up trying to decide just how to describe it. Holding her glass in one had the other makes vague gestures in the air. "Uh. Lump...? Skin and muscle. Just laying there. All bloody and gross. I poked it with a stick."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan frowns at Laura for a moment. He squints, thinks hard, and then decides. "I'd rather you not fight Sabretooth, Laura. Prefer you detect and then get others to safety."

He watches Lorna take her shots, grunting as she sinks the ball like a pro. He rubs his chin as he reads the table, considering his options. He glances momentarily toward Gabby. "That was likely a hunk of Victor Creed, Sabretooth. Blink was tryin' to separate us... and accidentally separated 'him'."

He sips from his glass once more. "He was the intruder. He's gone. Hopefully for a long time."

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura watches as the rootbeers arrive, she takes hers and sniffs it, tentiviely, looking at he foam with that same dubious expression, certainly not sure what to make of this concoction.

"I have not smelled him before." But, now that she has, she can attribute the face to the scent. "I am aware of him. He is dangerous," she agrees. "But so am I." She makes no promises that she can't keep. Laura, for all intents of purposes, is not one to 'run' from a fight. But she's not going to argue too much with Logan about the fact just now either.

She watches the game, before taking a sip of the root beer. Her expression changes, and she takes another drink. It would appear her reservations are gone. Laura likes it.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glanced to Gabby over the rim of her drink, her hip leaning against the pool table slightly, her other hand still holding the pool stick in an idle manner. "Yeah, like Logan said." She left out the parts that Logan had told her, of how the man had urinated all over the woods and left out the bloody mess he'd left Logan in too.

"We're on alert just in case he does return all the same. Scott agreed to have a curfew out for the students. There are a lot of kids on the grounds coming back from Summer break and we don't want anyone to get a nasty run in." She offered, and bit back her own musings on the subject. She wasn't sure that it was over either. Her focus returned to the pool table for a beat, and she slid in for a far simpler shot this time. Her ball bouncing to knock one of the striped ones into another cluster on its way. Another sip of her drink followed as she moved out of the way after.

"We should get you a rootbeer float Gabby, you might like that even more than just straight rootbeer."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Yea, you are. Though I'd wager Victor has a lot more practice fightin' others with healin' factors then you." Logan leaves it at that. Even if Laura decides to fight Sabretooth, hopefully, she'll remember that remark.

He takes another healthy sip of his glass, downing an obscene amount of bourbon. A content sigh follows before the glass is deposited back down, and he rechalks his pull cue.

When it's his shot, he's merciless, playing a couple of shots ahead. He has to with the shark that Lorna is turning out to be. What he lacks in table awareness, he makes up in pure treachery, pulling every trick he can to not only sink a ball or two, but put enough english on the ball to put it in a touch spot for Lorna. Of course, she seems to be doing the same to him. So there's a bit of grumbling as he has to undo some of the clusters she's made for him.

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney is already half into her rootbeer chugging it down as if it were the very elixir of life. When you didn't have to worry about caffiene who cared? Nevermind it was caffiene free to begin with. The one drawback of rootbeer. Her face scrunches at mention of what she found being a part of Sabertooth but she takes it in stride. "Yeah it kinda looked like human skin and all. Stank too," she adds with another pulled face.

Though her eyes roam around the balls moving on the table watching the game, she risks a glance aside toward Laura when she tries the drink herself. When she takes another drink she grins brightly in evident cheer. "See? Glad you like it!" Moving back to the topic she nods a bit. "I don't know what he looks like but I'll keep an eye out too."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Agreed," Laura admits, without hesitation to Logan's opinion on the matter. "I will not forget that. But I am not entirely at disadvantage. It is unlikely he has fought someone who has a weapon upon each appendage." As far as she's aware, she's the only one like her.

There is a nod of approval to Logan as he begins to sink some of the balls, and she comments to Gabby, "It is unusual, but pleasent," she agrees. "I have never tasted anything like it. It does not, however, appear to have any sustenance. Much like your moon pies, and popcorn. You need to eat more sustaining food of proper proteins, and vitamins and minerals."

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna always played to win, no matter what it was, perhaps that was a sign she'd played too much chess with Magneto on Genosha. It had taken some time, but eventually she had beat him at his own game. She enjoyed the competition of it, and Logan was proving to be a challenge. "A rootbeer float adds in ice cream. So that's some fat and diary. So there's your protein." She only half joked, "It gets all fizzy too." She nodded to Laura as if that solved everything. A smile curving on her lips.

But as Logan shot the balls once again, she cursed under her breath. Though for all three of those with enhanced senses at the table it was it audible. So was the way her heart rate sped up as she set her drink down and shifted around the table to take her next shot.

"Logan has been training me in hand to hand combat, he suggested I ask you Laura for a chance to spar at some point."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Victor never seems overly concerned with baths." Logan agrees with Gabby then nods to Laura. "Yea, you might surprise him with that."

He offers a low chuckle of amusement as he briefly imagines what Victor's face might look like when he gets a foot claw to the groin. He tilts his head as Laura speaks then hums. He looks to Lorna, "You know... I think some of us need to take a road trip. Or maybe some of you... That one." He thumb over toward Laura. "Needs a few more missions where 'fun' is the objective."

When he catches a hint of Lorna's rising heart-rate, he offers a knowing grin. "Oh. I think I'm makin' the shark sweat now. You wanna win bad, don't you?"

He walks around the table next to her and hovers. "No pressure. If you lose, I'll lord it over you for a year. That's not too bad, huh? Worse thing is.. you won't pay me back for dunkin' ya in the mud a couple of times."

He chuckles then looks to Laura. "I'm not always the greatest sparring partner, considerin' my bones. Not very nice on the hands. Figure you'd benefit from practice teachin', and she'd benefit from another perspective. Since you are trainin' Gabby too. Doesn't seem like a big ask."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
Gabby Kinney stares at Lorna wide eyed with the description of a rootbeer float coming. And she stares with wonderment before her eyes dip down to her glass of just rootbeer. "Icecream," she mumbles as if it were a reverent word, and then she adds, "I love you Lorna. Do they have any iccream here?" A longing look is shot to the bar hopefully, but without much luck no doubt. Alas.

"I know, Laura, proper nutrition. We were served a half cup of steamed rice, a cup of mixed veggies and either fish or chicken all the time. Fruit on occasion. I had proper nutrition all my life. I want pizza and icecream and cake and FUN stuff I missed out on. You should try some too!"

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura nods to Logan. "I've already begun training Gabby. However, I had to ask Jean to supervise so she could telepathically make certain no students stumbled upon us. I wanted to make sure she would come back from her intense mission without fail." Because next to Logan, Gabby is the only family Laura has. Or at least, she feels she has. It will take her some time yet to understand and grasp the concept of the non-blood take on 'family'.

"I would be happy to train you, Lorna. Do you have a prefence in a particular style of martial art, or weapon you wish to be proficient at?" Laura finishes off her root beer, but - unlike Gabby, doesn't seem to be all that eager for a float. At least, not yet.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna smirked at Gabby, "This is a greasy spoon not just a bar. There's always ice cream. I mean, store bought and cheap crap, but I know they have it. I'd ask Gabby." She murmured, pausing to take a long sip of her drink. Her green eyed gaze flickered to the bar in question and then back to the younger mutant. "I'd also ask for an order of bacon cheese fries." She was definitely encouraging everything Gabby asked for there.

Her focus shifted back to the table and as Logan came up beside her and teased her about winning, her gaze narrowed. "I dunno about that. I'm thinking about all the things," Her eyes rolled over him, "..around me are made of ferrous metals." She drawled, her chin lifting as her focus shifted to Logan's features. A challenge accepted in the way her posture shifted to frame his, her hip cocked against the table's wooden edge. She shifted back to the pool table, and made to fire off another shot. Just as tricky as before, and just as annoying to work around.

As Laura spoke though, Lorna straightened. "I'm learning what I can do without my powers. Just incase something happens and I can't rely on them. Something beyond the basics.. But not necessarily any style beyond.. stay alive, I suppose. We haven't considered weapons yet."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"Thanks, Laura." Logan glances toward Gabby then hums, "Ice cream socials used to be a thing. Maybe we can get somethin' setup back at the mansion. Then all ya need is the rootbeer."

He shrugs at Lorna's remarks about it being a greasy spoon, then eyes Harry hopefully. His eyebrows rise as Lorna responds to the taunting. He gazes down and then grunts. "Alright maybe, I shouldn't antagonize 'masters of magnetism'." He watches her sink the shot then mutters, "Shit. Guess your focus is better then I hoped. I'll have to up my game."

The truth is. He's as good as beat. All his ploys to control the table and try to even the score have been foiled by Lorna's sharpshooting. With the table rapidly emptying, all he can do is make sure Lorna has to take long shots, which unfortunately for him, she seems to have no trouble making.

"Well, unless you screw up. That's game." Logan murmurs as he reads the table then drains his glass. "Thought I could have gotten under your skin easier."

Gabby Kinney has posed:
SO many good ideas floating about. Gabby's weight rocks from one foot to the other as she's torn from staying to listen to tales of such things as icecream socials, and going to see if she can get that icecream right now to add to her drink. Along with bacon cheese fries because that combination sounded amazing even if she wasn't really hungry at the moment. Nodding quickly she grins at the end of that idea. "I like that idea. Icecream social huh? And it's all hot out so this is a good time for it. Julian might like that too..." he trails off, considering, before shaking the thought out of her head. There were other things to consider for now.

Laura Kinney has posed:
Laura nods to Lorna, then considers, "I have a few ideas." This, afterall, is where she shines. Talking to people, understanding relationships, functioning in society? Barely. But combat skills, hand-to-hand or weaponry - there's not many as good, or better than her at Xavier's, period.

"We will start tomorrow. 6am sharp. Meet me in the gym. Be prepared to fall, a lot. You may wish to wear padding."

Then, her focus moves to Logan. "I have instructed Gabby she is not to kill. Under any circumstance. That is what you and I are for. So she does not have to," as Gabby leaves, making sure Logan is aware of this and, what Laura's wishes are.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna shot Logan a look over the rim of her drink as she finished it off. A smirk pulling at her lips. "Mistress of Magnetism." She corrected, and set her empty glass down. As Logan called the game, she raised a hand, her fingertips coloring with green magnetic power. The cue ball flitted about the table then, knocking the various balls into their pockets that remained until she'd cleared it.

"You'll have to do better with distractions next time." She mused with a grin, he might be better at hand to hand than her, and still knock her down more times than she could count.. But pool was something she was good at. "And you can get me a second drink in payment for my victory." She added. Her focus shifted to Laura some of her amusement fading slightly as the conversation shifted to something more serious.

"Okay. Do you want the Danger Room or just the standard gym?" She asked, tilting her head. She fell silent as Laura spoke of killing and how she'd meant to keep Gabby from doing so. It wasn't her conversation to be part of.

Logan Howlett has posed:
The older man looks between Laura and Gabby then offers her a single solemn nod. From his grave expression, he clearly agrees with her. A single grunt provides final affirmation.

His blue gaze then settles on Lorna, "She's decent at the basics. I was workin' on her footing on uneven ground and startin' to try and get her to learn how to feel out an opponent. Don't let her get flashy,  Laura. Keep it efficient.  Police and military techniques."

He frowns as he watches the balls be manipulated into their pockets. A bushy raised eyebrow is the respond to her challenge to be more distracting. He steps over to the bar to grab Lorna's lager and ruffles Gabby's hair while he's over there.

When he returns, he offers the beer to Lorna and then drinks from his now refilled glass of bourbon.

Laura Kinney has posed:
"We will not have a need to use the Danger Room," the young mutant tells Lorna, matter-of-factly. "The gym will suffice. The Danger Room can be utilized after I am satisfied you have a moderate understanding of balance, offense, and defense. Additionally, we will work with wooden weapons so as to prevent your temptation to make use of your abilities." Laura sounds like she already has this all planned out in her mind - which is a likely enough scenario.

Her own rootbeer having been consumed, she does not get herself another drink, but does move to reset the pool table at a methodical and precise pace. Perfection. Laura ensures it is in everything she does, because it's the only way she knows.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna arched a brow upward as warned Laura to not let her get flashy. It wasn't her fault she'd been trained in basic hand to hand in a mostly formal fashion. Prior to her time with the X-men the most she'd ever fought was in her high school bathroom with some girl that didn't like her green hair.

Still she took the drink he offered, sipped at it as she watched Laura put back all the pool balls and arrange them neatly. "I haven't cheated with my powers in training.." She drawled, glancing to Logan for confirmation. She could have.. but she had taken stipulations seriously.

A sigh pulled from her lips and she shook her head, "Laura, I'll be honest. I'm working with Logan on this just in the event my father comes out of the bottle looking for a fight." She pursed her lips together.

"We have the same powers, but he has more experience than I do. He can shut me down. Over power me. Hand to hand and getting in something surprising is my best bet if it comes down to it." She took a sip of her drink. "And yes, I know there are other reasons to train in physical combat but that is what motivated me to start all of this."

Logan Howlett has posed:
Logan offers a low chuckle that rumbles deeply within his adamantium laden rib cage. "You might just be beggin' for my trainin' routine once Laura is done with ya."

He listens to the exchange between Lorna and Laura the nods in agreement. "Yea, this is why I wanted somethin' efficient. If she gets an unexpected opening, be good for her to make the most of it. She doesn't need to win an extended fight."

"Might join you for that 6am too. Kinda been fun, and sometimes its easier to instruct when you are just observin'." He waves a hand, "Your plug to pull if we start demandin' too much of your time. We don't have your same levels of responsibility."

Laura Kinney has posed:
"Do you wish to learn how to use firearms too? There are plastic firearms that can fire rubber bullets. Which, against their design and intent, can certainly be lethal if aimed properly." Laura's time in Assassination School is well-versed in not only killing normal people, but also other mutants, or others with powers. She has ideas, certainly.

She nods to Logan. "If you wish to join, certainly you will be welcome. I - would like time to learn your means of combat." This admission comes a bit more slowly, though no less certainly.

Lorna Dane has posed:
Lorna glanced back to Logan and laughed softly as he warned he that she might beg for his training rather than Laura's by the end of it. She sipped her drink, pulling a stool from a nearby overly tall table to sit on. It would seem she was done with playing pool for the moment at least. "And miss getting tossed into the water?" She added, arching a brow upward as amusement flitted over her expression.

Her gaze returned to Laura at the mention of firearms. "No. I am not looking at firearms. If my powers are down and I am looking at firearms then there is something that has gone very wrong. I don't mess around with guns." She murmured, as if they didn't get pointed her way more often than not. Though, most guns weren't a threat to her.. what Laura spoke of most assuredly could be and she knew it.

"And I'm not looking for ways to kill my father either, Laura."

Logan Howlett has posed:
"I'll train with you, kid, but you don't need to learn my 'means'.  You are already skilled beyond form. At your level, you should only be worryin' about refining your own unique style. Last thing you need is to fight like a short man who weighs three hundred pounds." He squints at Laura then considers, "I can share a few tricks and experiences though. Be good to fight with someone on my level. It'll keep us both sharp."

Logan decides to break since Lorna declined to play. He wasn't going to leave Laura hanging. "Sendin' you for a tumble into the water was pretty fun. May just dump a glass of water on your head next time we play pool." He pauses, "But then again, that might get me flying out a window."

He manages to sink a solid off the break, so he lines up another shot, managing to pocket one before having an impossible shot afterwards. He tucks the ball somewhere defensively. "Did say I wanted to wear you out and then try out your hand-to-hand.. or maybe with you drunk. Point bein', everyone should practice when not at one hundred percent every once and awhile. Same goes for trainin' in street clothes."

He frowns, "I'm about to start lecturin'. I'm gonna talk to Gabby for a bit. Talk about ice cream instead of fightin'." He starts to wander over to the bar.