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[hr][center][h3]P A R T  2[/h3][/center][hr]
[color=C8C7CB][b]Time:[/b][/color] Noon
[color=C8C7CB][b]Location:[/b][/color] Alexei's

Vivian walked towards one of the side pockets and pulled out a pool ball to set on the table. It took her a bit of searching to find the cue ball.

[color=C8C7CB]“I hope you know the white one is the one you’re supposed to hit.”[/color] She placed the cue ball at one end of the table, and the blue ‘two’ ball near the center. [color=C8C7CB]“Let’s see your stroke—just try hitting the cue towards the two.”[/color]

After set-up, Vivian leaned against a nearby barstool. [color=C8C7CB]“What made you interested in billiards in the first place?”[/color]

[Color=gold]"Hit the white one... Into the two. Of course."[/color] Alexander placed the money he had taken out back into the envelope that he set down on the barstool with his pool cue case. He then positioned himself at the end of the pool table holding his cue. [Color=gold]"A few things honestly."[/color] Alexander leaned in like he had observed others do. [Color=gold]"The turn-based strategy. The many elements of physics..."[/color] Alexander's stroke did not have the best form, but he shot anyway. The cue ball sped past the two ball, bounced off the cushion and hit two. He frowned. [Color=gold]"...and I thought I might find it enjoyable."[/color] He shrugged and took a step back from the table. His eyes met hers again. [Color=gold]"Yourself?"[/color]

[color=C8C7CB]“I started playing by chance. The first bar I worked at also had billiards tables, so I played on my breaks. They had small tournaments every now and then, and I liked winning.”[/color]

Vivian got up from her barstool and stood next to Alexander. She leaned towards the table and into her pool cue to demonstrate, resting the tip of the cue on top of her fingers, her palm slightly raised from the table's surface. [color=C8C7CB]“This is an open bridge, easier for beginners.”[/color] She switched her hand position, arching her fingers over the stick. [color=C8C7CB]“This is a closed bridge. Keep your grip on the base of the cue loose, and swing your forearm like a pendulum. Imagine your elbow as a hinge.”[/color] Vivian got up from the stance, and leaned her back against the rail of the table. [color=C8C7CB]“Try again.”[/color]

[Color=gold]"Interesting. I didn't think so much finesse was necessary in this game."[/color] He grabbed the cue ball and placed it on the table. His face was was serious as if he was preparing for a paramount action. He leaned in towards the cue ball and tried the closed bridge hold. [Color=gold]"But I should know that things are always more than what they seem."[/color] He made his breath shallow and exhaled. This establishment contained witchcraft that dulled his senses, but a dull blade could still draw blood with enough effort. He hit the cue ball into the two, knocking it against the cushion allowing it to roll to a stop at the center of the table. 

A smirk painted on his face. This game was not completely uncharted territory. The elements of many other "hobbies" he picked up over the course of his life were applicable. [Color=gold][i]Get the ball in the hole by any means necessary. Hmm. No, that's too simple. There must be more to the game.[/i][/color] He place the cue ball back in place. He leaned in again, but looked to Vivian.

[Color=gold]"So far so good. I guess I'll have to invite you to continue these lessons."[/color] His eyes then focused on the table. [Color=gold]"It would be at my residence, if that's fine with you."[/color] He shot the cue ball into the two and both rolled into the same corner pocket. [I][color=gold]Interesting[/color][/i].

[color=C8C7CB]“Scratch,”[/color] Vivian called, watching both balls fall into the pocket, [color=C8C7CB]“That’s what it’s called when you sink the cue ball in the pocket—you generally don’t want to do that, just control the strength of your stroke.”[/color] She noticed that Alexander caught on quickly with her feedback; she estimated that it wouldn’t be long before he started to grasp the right angles to shoot as well.

[color=C8C7CB]“Truthfully, you caught on fast, I’m impressed with your progress.”[/color] Vivian smiled, walking around the table to empty its sockets, rolling all the solid and striped balls towards the center. [color=C8C7CB]"I'd totally be down to continue this at your home..."[/color] Vivian paused, standing idly by the table as her mind focused again on what calculated question to ask to get more information about New Paeonia. [color=C8C7CB]"I hear New Paeonia is...a little [i]exclusive[/i], from a co-worker who moved there. What is it like to live there?" [/color]

As if gears in Vivian's heads started spinning once more, she unfroze and grabbed a triangle rack and placed it in the center of the table. [color=C8C7CB]"Ah, let's play a practice round as well."[/color]

Alexander had been a bit quiet. He was fond of the concept of the "scratch." Why could one not go all or nothing. Sometimes sacrifice was necessary for victory, just how the failure of the Art Exhibition gave wind to new opportunities. As Vivian spoke of New Paeonia, something about her caught his attention. A beat. A pulse. It was faint and he knew that if they had been anywhere else, it would sound like a lonely yet peppy war drum. Alexander kept his amusement inward in order to maintain the current mood. There was little pressure and therefore no threat. It was how any predator in the wild wanted their prey to feel. At ease.

[Color=gold]"Practice round? The best way to learn is by doing after all."[/color] Alexander took a step back so he could watch how Vivian set up the game. [Color=gold]"New Paeonia... Honestly, it's quite boring. Nothing but rich geezers who don't know what to do with themselves and spoiled brats trying to suck anything of little worth dry... It is quite nice to be amongst your own though."[/color] Alexander seemed to show genuine pride and happiness as he stared off for a moment. [Color=gold]"Who is your friend by the way? Don't tell it's... Alissa. If I remember she moved into the community a bit ago."[/color] Alexander [i]guessed[/i]. 

Vivian immediately perked up at the mention of Alissa’s name, looking towards Alexander with widened eyes. [color=C8C7CB]“Oh shit, do you know her? New Paeonia must be close knit.”[/color] A smile instantly grew on her face knowing she was getting closer to finding her, but her next thought wiped it off just as fast. [color=C8C7CB][i]Maybe she’s safe and well after all. She's deadass[/i] ignoring[i] my messages though, if that's true.[/i][/color]

[color=C8C7CB]“I also had the impression that your community was full of rich old people,”[/color] Vivian laughed, [color=C8C7CB]“Devin gave me that impression about you too.”[/color] At this point, she finished setting up the table and took a spot to the side, leaning against the rail. [color=C8C7CB]“You can try breaking if you want, shooting the cue ball to disperse the others.”[/color] Vivian nervously tapped the varnished wood of the table before deciding to inquire more about Alissa. [color=C8C7CB]“How is Alissa, by the way, if you know? Haven’t heard from her since she moved there.”[/color]

Alexander was grinning as he moved around the pool table to break. He had seen this before in media and as excited as he was to perform such a well-known action, he also had questions to answer. He had flashed a bright smile when Devin was mentioned. He wished Devin had not been so honest with Vivian. He leaned towards the table with his cue in ready to strike.

[Color=gold]"Sorry, but I only know [i]of[/i] her. She's quite new to our community, and I haven't met her yet..."[/color] He focused on the balls across the table. [Color=gold]"I will say that her ignoring you is pretty common among some of the people that find themselves in the community. They start over. New place, new life... new purpose."[/color] He shot the cue ball that hit the other balls with a loud crack. One of the balls jumped a bit, but they all remained on the table except for the two solid colored ones that found a respective hole to roll into. He raised an eyebrow as he waited for Vivian to explain what came next. [Color=gold]"I can assure she's not chopped up in some scary man's basement... or a new member of the Illuminati."[/color] Alexander joked honestly. New Paeonia did not chop people up in basements!

[color=C8C7CB]“That…”[/color] Vivian thought about what to say, finding it a little hard to believe, but tried to keep poker face of sorts. [color=C8C7CB]”...sounds kinda melodramatic if you ask me.”[/color] The whole notion of cutting away your past life to start anew sounded a little cult-like in Vivian’s perspective. Her suspicions only rose, despite Alexander’s reassuring words. Something about his mention of basements and the Illuminati didn’t quite sit right with Vivian, but she dismissed it as an off-color joke.

[color=C8C7CB]“I would love to see Alissa anyway, maybe after our lessons at your residence.”[/color] Vivian raised an eyebrow at Alexander with a mischievous glint in her eye, to gauge his reaction and test the boundaries of what might be acceptable in New Paeonia. She would try to sneak around either way, regardless of what the rules were.

[color=C8C7CB]“You sunk some in so you can keep trying to score until you miss. Your points are the solids, mine are the stripes.”[/color]

Alexander nodded proudly at the mentioned results of his break. He found this game to be far less difficult than painting but he would have to admit it was a lot more fun, even in the company of a human. 

Vivian's attachment to this Alissa woman presented some risk, but Alexander was not concerned.

[Color=gold]"I can try to help with that. Maybe have her call you or we could all meet for our next session. It's just a matter of me making contact with her first, but it's definitely doable."[/color] Alexander assured with his attention seemingly on her instead of the table. All to appear genuine.

Vivian gleamed at Alexander’s response—it seemed like meeting him was the luckiest thing to happen to her in the entire time she's been in Ember Grove, even if she found him a little odd. She didn’t expect her detective work to end so soon, but she was glad Alissa was safe either way. Her grin stretched from ear to ear, [color=C8C7CB]“That would be great! I appreciate the help.”[/color]

With her objective met and guard now more relaxed, Vivian realized that it’s been a while since she ordered her drink with Elias—she assumed he was busy with an influx of orders since they were all being paid for by Alexander. [color=C8C7CB]“Excuse me for a brief moment, if you don’t mind, I’m going to go grab a drink for myself on your tab.”[/color] Vivian gave a quick wink and smirk to Alexander before she walked off to the bar.