Raxx Billards

Raxx Billards, on Elm, offers only two real selling points. Cheap beer and cheap pool. One of it's current customers was only properly configured to make use of one of these.

Creaking leather heralds Tony as he stalks around his table in the smoky pool hall, practicing alone (apparently) with an off-putting intensity. He make one shot after another as he leans over the table, neon light from signs hawking lamentably domestic beer gleaming in his greased back hair, sinking more balls than he misses. Rather than drawing the hostile suspicion of locals common in this sort of local dive, the regulars keep their distance. Had they been rebuffed, or did survival instinct merely tell them that attempting to provoke him would be unwise? Who could say. Is Tony someone you can can hang with? It is unclear.

Wandering the city can get old fast. Especially so when about 90% of the people William knew had already locked down their roosts and had more than one means of putting feelers out to the rest of the world. He, on the other hand, had to travel through damp street just like a pale skin tourist on safari. Stopping inside of Raxx Billards to add another land mark to his internal map, He spotted a familar face among the crowd of breathers. From the way he was drawing his cue and settleing more balls into pockets than he thought luck could account for, William stopped to watch to see if he could possibly pick up a sudtle body mechcanic that could help. Should he ever encounter a pool shark that needed some skill other than a poor man's oral surgon, he would like to be prepared. He tried to make himself something less than obvious for the sake of not ruining the man concentration. Though it did appear a bomb could have gone off and his attension was would not suffer too greatly for it.

While he might try to make himself politely inconspicuous, the Predator's Taint would not be denied. Feeling his beast snarl inside him at the proximity to another, Tony's grip on the cue tightened, the wood creaking audibly before the instinctual urge to tear it in half and bury the pieces in the other kindred's eyes passed.

Instead, Tony straightens from the table, head inclining as he visibly sizes up the Gangrel.

"An' what're youse doin' here?"

'Mission Failed' came to mind in Williams mind. Still not one to leave questions unanswered he responded simple enough.
"Trying to pick up something akin to land marks out in these parts. Helps with the navigation end of things in a new city. As a side note I was watching to see if I could pick up any techique adjustments for my game." He kept a respectful distance as he did not know what to make of Tony, this being the longest conversation with him to date. "From what I can tell your draw and your english on the table are damn impressive. Reminds me of "The Hustler" back in the day." William felt he had to give credit where credit was due.

Shifting where he stands to lean forward over the table as he stares at William, Tony offers an ambiguously hostile smirk. Though, much of the Carthian could be described as 'ambiguously hostile'. He cocks a brow as he glances this way and that, glaring away any rubbernecking patrons before turning back to the Gangrel.

"Oh yeah? Gearin' up for Dillinger's next "gala" ball?"

The quotes are palpable.

William waved off the idea of showing up to a "gala" and being anything other than out of place.
"Guys like me belong in the street, not at parties. Balls are for people who can actually deal with others. Me? A place like this is fine most nights. Barbrawls included." Keeping a his back to the wall, he eyed the table and noted how neatly the pool balls had disappeared.
"More likely than not I will end up at it anyways, someone always needs their backs covered even in something as ritzy as the Prince's get-togethers. How about you? You seem to get by well enough last time I saw yah. Any tips for a knuckledragger like myself?" William smiled slightly then. The idea of a someone like him actually somehow managing a civil conversation in a place like Elysium was enough to make him smile on even the worst of days.

Tony's brow furrows as if parsing the Gangrel's words before leaning over the table with his cue and taking what could only be described as an angry shot. "I get by," he says as the ball clacks about, seven ball stopping just short of the corner pocket, "wit' a little help from my friends." He takes a step back from the table and leans on the cue, a sort of self-satisfied smirk, more pleased with his reference than he is irked by the miss. It is fleeting, though, as he turns to study William with an off-putting intensity.

"You want some advice kid? I got some, I bet. I didn' hear you aligned up wit' any of the big five when you were gettin' all intro-duced. You gotta reason to be on that fence, there?"

William leaned against the wall and relaxed. Sticking his hands in his leather coat, he shrugged. "As soon as I pick up a cause, my job's oppertunies drop down to the single digits. As long as I keep open about who it is that I watch I don't have'tah worry about showing in court and running off at the mouth. 'Sides, what if someone in my...covenent I guess, does something that sinks our ship? I'd be of the mind to knock his teeth out and leave it at that. But if one screws the pooch, the whole lot takes a beating." William eyed the table and shuddered at the number of screw ups he could make in a single sentence. "I'd rather fuck myself over and be done wit it than screw up and make someone else take the hit."
He tapped his own head with is palm easily enough. "Bettah the guy whose meant to take the hit gets hit. More pay and a handshake feels better then a pink slip and a kick in the ass."

"So, what, youse just sell yourself to the highest bidder?" Tony's expression is visibly unimpressed, "Cause if youse are just in this shit for the money, let me tell you- there is a group for that with one big fuck-off Ponzi scheme of suck-offs and double-super-secret-swearin' to honor an' obey in the middle of it." He goes back to his game, taking shots again.

"Me, the things I do? I do 'em for a Cause. Not just 'cause I think it's the easiest way. Everyone fucks up, kid. Don't wanna have nobody at your back when it happens."

"You know any bodyguards who don't do it for the money?" William asked as he pushed himself off the wall, still smiling. "Because if you do, then you met a damn liar." Looking at the clock on the wall, William checked his own time piece and his smile faded slightly. Still a long night of walking ahead and only a few places having been set in his mind. "As for Causes? I protect those warded to me. Easy enough and more often than not unneeded as far as affairs are concerned. Besides, I'd rather make my own cause's rather than have a list handed to me."
William headed to the door and gave Tony a wave as he left. "See yah around. Remind me to bet on you if the prince has another after party at a pool hall. Who knows, if I make enough I can avoid 'selling myself' for a few nights."

Tony's attention is back on his game as the Gangrel leaves. "Youse make your own list, kid. We'll talk."