#earthrunes

"Oh, this is the worst..."

"Well, it was his idea. Original Series style, ala Dr. McCoy I'm told"

"Dammit Jim, I'm a gardner, not a doctor!"

"And so it begins" She says and nods "Well, I'm off. I'm glad you like the outfit"

"I will never take it off! Not even for laundry!"

"That's a story for another time" The steward retreats goes to check on applicants.

Emma bounces off to her room, to try on said shirt!

(End scene)

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ANd so it is, the Truthbranch family faces that most dangerous of modern challenges, that conundrumic mix of maze and accuracy; the Mini Golf Course.

Coradel is bemused by the miniature constructs. "So...the ball goes in the hole, but through the obstacles first?" She may be asking guilelessly, except for the smile she gives August.

Claire says "I wonder what evil nocker made the first one of these" Fortunately no none fae nearby

"Ha!" Coradel smiles. "Oh, wouldn't that be clever? Shrink your enemies, too, and keep them inside a game?"

"Wow, mom, you have a dark imagining at time" Her son and fellow Fiona smiles as he tries a shot

A shrug. "I might have a wicked side."

August fingers his ball, waiting his turn.

A smile at August as she tees up to take her turn. A slightly flirtatious hip wiggle at him as she takes a shot...and gets denied by an obstacle. "Hey...." A pout.

He smiles. "It's ok. Try again." He encourages.

She does line up and takes another shot...and at least gets closer.

"Your turn, Dad"

August drops his ball on the tee-up, and lines up... swings... and.. well.

Coradel's well-angled and well-timed bend might have something to do with August's aim.

Magnus winces "Ouch. NO books on golf in that library?"

"Don't mock until you've tried yourself against the windmill of doom," Claire says

"Oh, the windmill is near the end, isn't it?" Coradel looks at the course, noting the numbers of each obstacle. "It's pretty hard?"

August clears his throat. "I can do better."

"My turn," Magnus takes a shot, "We're allowed to use cantrips right?" Despite his joke, it goes pretty well without any glamour. He's had practice.

"What he didn't tell you is he's played mini golf more than most of us" Claire tells the others

"He's a sneak that way," Coradel smiles at Claire.

"Hmmphm."

A smile to August. "Surely you're not going to fault him for practicing a skill? Okay, Magnus...show me how to make this shot?"

August nods, subsiding as Magnus shows how it's done!

"I was undercover for a time, whole month near one of these places" He says "Okay, Mini Golf is like pool..but with a club and the table is wonky. Ever bounce a shot off something deliberately?"

August looks at him blankly.

"Yes, I think I can say I have...." A grin, and she aims not at the target, but at one of the bumper walls. "Like this?" And she aims and shoots.

This time it goes further as it rebounds past the first obstacle

"Case in point" He grins

"Ha!" A little victorious cheer. "Okay, I got this now...."

After that, the game goes smoother for all involved . Magnus offers to put money down on it. Claire shushes him

"Dross, maybe?" Coradel says.

"Oh goodness, don't tell me you're where he gets the betting bug?"

That from Claire of course

"Well, what's wrong with a little wager? It can be motivational." Then to Magnus. "I've got a trinket or two with me. You?"

"Sparkly dice with two ones"

A long-suffering sigh from August.

Claire looks heaven ward

"You're on." And Coradel lines up a bank shot...which ends up being a lot more successful than perhaps might be reasonably expected given her earlier failures.

"Heeeey" Suspicious look on Magnus' face.

Claire laughs though, and takes her own turn "if she's a shark you deserve it"

An innocent blink at Magnus and an expansive shrug. "Luck!" Then a smile to Claire and a wink to August, and she watches him take his next shot.