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KS HOTLINE WEEKLY MEETING#7
RACK’EM UP part one
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Context: This is the sequel to Large and in Charge. By then the meeting weren’t really meetings anymore. This one is the about a pool tournament with a twist. Copyright acknowledgment: The pool game idea belong to Star’s. I just modified it a little
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<Saturday early morning>
All was quiet in the game room. Star had left sometime ago. When three persons holding pool sticks were discreetly slipping in. «You know, we have to practice, the meeting is this afternoon and we’re not that good.» «Don’t worry, Kara, I’m quite good at this game, in fact, I’m known in some parts as the pool queen.» «How appropriate, Ap. The pool queen! Now that’s original.» muses Cokie.
«Now, we are here to practice our skills. We better be very good. I heard Nannyboo has the team to beat.» «Yes, but Kara, she was quite busy yesterday.» replies Cokie. «I heard some big strip down game with Star and Herk» adds Ap with a smile.
«Now, ladies, it seems we had the same idea.» All three heads turned towards the door where the Okie team was standing. Calico, MMMuffin and Star (still a little sleepy and with a dreamy look in her eyes. I wonder why. Note of the author. LOL) with pool sticks in hands we’re looking ready to rack them up.
«Well, isn’t this a popular place? Who do we have to bribe to get some space?» The Okie team turned around and faced Nyxx, Princess and SaraQuinn. Before long it might have turned very ugly so Star being co-acting manager assigned tables and practice time.
«Ap’s team, you can use table one for the next 90 minutes. SQ’s team, table two, equal time. Okie team table four near the window. 2 hours.» Calico and MMMuffin hid a smile. Protest was immediate but calmed down very quickly when Star mentioned the no practice on the day of the meeting rule. «I am willing to forget it. I am the specialist in charge of the grape addiction group. But don’t push it!» she said with a very stern tone.
Each team practiced very hard. It was one of the strangest therapy approach they had experienced but if it was half as fun as the last one… Some still had a very far away look in their eyes whenever art therapy was mentioned. Others simply let out a small scream and smiled.
Calico was a bit curious about it. She intended to grill Star a little. Their team partner had not let anything slipped about the grape meeting except for the pool approach.
«Now, Star, what does pool have anything to do with grapes? I don’t get it. The art, yes. And I’m still a little miffed about it. Having it while we were in Burbank on a business trip. Ha! I have heard accounts of the afternoon and evening that followed. Naughty, very naughty!» «Now, don’t fret, Calico. You’ll see, it’s a very therapeutic modern approach. Freya and I came up with it while grocery shopping.»
«Of course, in the fruit section, no doubt» mused MMMuffin. «Right in front of the grape display, I bet» «How did you guess? Of course in front of the grape display. The deep blue almost black grape display» laughed Star holding the eighth ball in her hand.
SQ, Nyxx and Princess (back from her acting gig that had gotten her rave reviews btw) were practicing while trying to spy on the other teams. «Look, Ap is quite good with her stick. She’ll be hard to beat.» «Well, we’ll just have to distract her, Nyxx, don’t worry, I have my ways.» said Princess with mischief in her eyes. «One word for you » added SQ. «Kull».
<around 10 am>
As the practice winded down, the door opened. There stood Nannyboo (a little sleepy but with stars in her eyes), Angelika and Becky. «Well, I see, we are not alone. Ladies, I believe you should be on your way. Star, dear, how sneaky of you.» asks Nannyboo.
«Hey, friend, don’t worry. I’m sure you’ll have company very soon. There are still two other team we haven’t seen yet… You have one hour, I’m the specialist in charge, I’m pulling rack <weg>. I’ll come back to check.» replied Star as she and her team walked out. As MMMuffin was almost out the door she turned and said very calmly «Be afraid, be very afraid, we’re the best.» and she left.
«We’re not afraid of you. Intimidation won’t work MMMuffin. I’m known as a shark pool in Canada. You should be afraid.» answered back Angelika. Then she said to Becky «Two can play at that!» Nannyboo’s team had been practicing a few minutes when Castalia, Tailtiu and Tedras showed up. Soon followed by Shauna, Deeva and Freya.
All three teams worked very hard. Showed off their best moves, trying strategies but everyone was trying to get out information from Freya. She was remaining silent. All she let out was a «Oh, you’ll see, I’m sure, it will be a good venting outlet for your grape addiction» with a far away look in her eyes.
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<Around 1.00 PM Saturday >
The game room was finally empty. All the teams had left. Some under protest. The fist annual grape addiction pool team pool tournament was to begin at 3.00 PM . The staff in charge was to report around 1.00 PM.
The door opens. Star, the tournament technical/specialist, came in. Followed by Sal, the tournament manager, carrying the infamous Herk Grape standee. Melite was the last one to arrive. She was master of ceremony for the event with a surprise honorary president/announcer.
Melite was reviewing her game plan. «First, I introduce Sal, thank him for hi work in getting the prize, mention Star, for her technical support. That reminds me, I have to check if the table are all up to standard. Can never be to careful, I don’t want rioting Amazons at my tournament. Then welcome and present each team., introduces the tournament honorary president and announcer, Bruce Campbell. I except him to describe the games with charm, wit and a touch of arsenic. Oh, I need a drum roll for the unveiling of the grand prizes…» A smile slowly appears on Melite’s face. Her eyes start to glaze a bit. She phases out in daydream land.
«Hey, Melite, snap out! You are in charge of the prize, right, where do put it?» Sal is holding the standee and is waiting for some clue.» «This is the raffle prize, Sal not the tournament grand prize.»
«Not the grand prize, after all the effort and difficulty I had getting it. Have you ever tried to get Herk merchandise, girl . It’ s not pretty. Not to mention keeping it safe.» Sal was a little miffed.
«I’m sorry Salmoneus but Chantal and I thought we needed a decoy to draw the attention away from the real prizes. And all merchandise request are usually handle by Calico, she very good at it. You just talk to her. But boy are the grand prize fab. Some amazons are going to be very sorry they don’t know how to play pool. Those are the grand prize…» Melite whispers to Sal.
«Really? Wow! How did you pulled that off. I mean, the third place and second place prizes must not have been to hard to convince but the first place prize. How did you do it?»
«What else? Charity! KS HQ made a very large donation to the Pediatric fund and promised to double it after the tournament.» «Shrewd, very shrewd. Remind me to come to you for business advice, lady»
«Sorry, Sal, my talents are under an ex clusive contract to the sorbo-list and its joint ventures.» replies Melite.
At the covert operation control, Nyxx was listening carefully. The little bugs she had planted earlier were working fine. «So, the Herk standee was a decoy. I’ll have to talk to the boss. Double crossing the covert operation not a smart move. But considering the highly explosive quality of the grand prizes… I think I understand. Not» (Note of the author: hey, I’m in Ares’ detox. What to did you expect honesty, manipulation is the name of the game, mawwwww)
Thinking of those grand prizes Nyxx’s eyes start to glaze and she puts herself in a daydream haze.
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