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The tavern was packed, workers, mercenaries, adventurers, all mingled in a joyful cacophony. Drinking games, darts and arm wrestling were held in all four corners of the establishment.
Vox Machina was scattered about and enjoying the atmosphere, having won a handsome reward after rescuing a region of Tal'Dorei from a necromancer. Scanlan, on the stage, had been singing for over an hour about their feat, parts of which were quite embellished, but the audience was asking for more so why not?
At one of the tables, the girls were chatting happily while watching Scanlan, commenting on his verses. Vax and Percy were playing a game of pool, the loser paying for Grog's bender. The Goliath was watching the game with great interest. When the second pool table became available, Vex waved to Pike and Keyleth and they made their way to it.
As they reached the front, another woman leaned over and gave them a look. She had horns on her forehead and bore the marks of the satyrs. Her lower body was completely humanoid, the only thing that showed she belonged to the satyr tribe were the tattoos and the small penis amulet she wore around her neck. Vex stared at her, her left hand on her hip and said, "This table is ours”. The woman in front of him smiled and laughed before replying, "I don't think so, Miss.”
Keyleth, not wanting a confrontation, looked at Vex, mentally begging her not to get involved with the woman, but Pike added to the conversation: "And you're going to take this table from us, beautiful? Come back when you have people to play with.".
"Oh, but the gnome stings.” the woman replied, looking at Pike in turn.
"The gnome is fucking with you! And the eternal light too!". A smirk appeared on the satyr's face "Oh such ungodly words from the mouth of a holy person ~"
Vex and Pike moved towards the horned woman, but Keyleth stopped them, "Calm down girls. We're not going to start a fight when we've just been accepted back inside!" This seemed to calm the two women down as they stopped. This made the satyr laugh at them. "You are Vox Machina, the 'protectors' of Tal'Dorei, but we seem to have forgotten your less than stellar past a few months ago. Sometimes one wonders how your gang managed to pull this off."
"Don't worry about our reputation, we've got it covered and the Emperor appreciates our efficiency. So now you're going to leave that pool table to Tal'Doreil's protectors. Bitch," said Vex, clearly still drunk from the pints she'd had. Keyleth behind her made a face palm while next to her Pike nodded as if accepting Vex's argument.
A sigh of amusement came from the satyr's mouth again. Cheers of voices grew louder, and she turned her head towards the origin. Scanlan had just finished yet another song and was jumping off the stage to join the boys in their game of pool. She stared at the group of men and her gaze lingered on one in particular, she watched him as she ran her tongue over her lips. An idea came into her head, and it would kill two birds with one stone, humiliate these three tipsy mercenaries and spend the evening and night in excellent company. She stared at her target a little longer and then turned to Vox Machina.
"I propose a challenge. A one-on-one game against you" she pointed at Vex "If you win then I'll let you have the pool table for the night and buy your next round in honour of Vox Machina."
Vex, Pike and Keyleth listened to the satyr, the eyebrows of the archer furrowed, It smelled like a rotten counterparty. She replied, "and if you win?"
The satyr's smile widened, and she turned back to the group of boys, still looking at the girls: "I want the elf. For the night."
"Half elf. And he’s my brother."
"Even better. He must have the vigour of men and the endurance of elves." Her smile deepened as she looked at the trio.
" ..... Beat that bitch, Vex." said Keyleth.
"With pleasure," replied Vex, taking one of the snooker cue and glaring at the satyr.
"So, we have a deal," said the satyr, placing the pool balls and taking a cue in turn. "I can't wait to have some fun with... what's his name ?"
"Vax." said Pike. She shrugged as Vex and Keyleth turned to her.
"I can't wait to hear Vax begging me all night ~".
Vax bent down and, aiming, hit the white pool ball which hit the black one and after a bounce, ended up in one of the holes in the pool table. He straightened up and smiled victoriously at Percy, who sighed. He was going to have to pay for Grog's binge tonight and his wallet was already hurting. Grog cheered Vax's victory as he ordered several tankards.
"Too easy," said Vax, giving Scanlan a high-five. "Looking forward to playing with you again, Percival."
"Don't get too excited Vax. The score is still 8 to 6 in my favour," replied Percy as he put the pool balls and cues away.
"Maybe, but tonight I won!" Vax turned to their table but stopped when he found it empty. He turned to the boys. "Uh, do you know where the girls are?". He didn't have to wait very long for an answer because he heard Keyleth's voice encouraging his sister.
He turned to one of the other pool tables where he found his sister playing against what appeared to be a satyr. He turned his head to the boys who responded with shrugs, none of them understanding the situation. They then approached and arrived at the table as Vex stood up. The satyr leaned over and adjusted her aim, before she took aim, Vax was sure she had given him a look with a particular smile. Vax looked at his sister and asked, "What's going on there?"
Pike replied nonchalantly, "Your sister bet your ass with that satyr. If she wins, you spend the night with her”. The reactions were varied, Vax widened his eyes and turned to his sister, ready to yell at her. For their part, Percy blushed and sighed, despairing of his friends' attitude while Scanlan laughed and then showed his jealousy that the satyr had chosen Vax over him as the prize.
"Can you explain my dear sister?" asked Vax.
"She started it," replied Vex.
"Oh, and you couldn't just say no and wait until we finished our game to play?”
" .... Okay I didn't think of that! But she'd come after you anyway and use her satyr trumps but if I beat her, she can't do that anyway! I'm saving you so thank me."
"Or maybe you're selling my ass like Pike said. If you lose, I'm obliged to spend the night with her!" said Vax, raising his voice.
"A night you won't forget, my dear half elf," the satyr said, winking at him before playing and turning back to the game.
Vax stared at the woman and then turned to Vex, "I beg you Vex'halia. Win this fucking game.”
The half elf bent down and aimed a pool ball which she put directly into the hole in the table, "I intend to, my dear brother.”
The game went on, each one putting little by little all her pool balls in the holes. Only the black pool ball remained. The whole Vox Machina felt the pressure rising, not for the same reasons but the silence reigned around the table, nobody dared to speak and disconcert the players.
It was Vex's turn, she bent down and aimed at the black ball. However, the tip of her cue deflected at the last moment and the white ball hit the black one on the side sending it in the wrong direction. She swore through her teeth, knowing that such a mistake would have cost her victory - and Vax's ass - at this stage of the game.
The satyr smiled and quickly analysed the location of the pool balls. A twinkle passed through her eyes, and she looked at Vex, "I think the game is over. Thank you for the game" then turned to Vax "Have you ever done it with a satire my dear Vax? It's even better if I'm your first ~ "
Vax didn't answer, but he wasn't giving her a hard time. She was right, -for the game and for the fact that he had never done it with a satyr-, the pool balls were perfectly placed, she could put the black one by simply making it bounce on the opposite edge. He and Vex knew it, and so did Percy who put a hand on his shoulder. He sighed and prepared himself for what was soon to come.
And as the satyr gained momentum to hit the white pool ball, a burp was heard, so powerful and surprising that the satyr flinched and missed, moving the balls slightly, making it count as a hit. The burping continued for a while and then stopped and Grog's voice could be heard laughing "whoaw, that was a powerful one! Thanks Percy, for the beers! Can I recommend some more?" Vox Machina turned to the Goliath, and they cheered.
"Grog! you're the best!" said Vax.
"For once you've come up trumps, Grog. Go and order some more," Percy told him, happy for once to have heard the Goliath's bad manners. Pike left with him, congratulating him, and explaining why everyone else was so happy.
Vex smiled at the opportunity and turned to the Satyr, the latter had her arms crossed and had already realized that it was well and truly over.
"You are right. It ends now." Vex aimed and struck. The white pool ball hit the black one, which hit the edge of the table and went into one of the holes in the table. Ending the game with Vox Machina's victory.
The whole team shouted happily. Vax took his sister in his arms and hugged her. "Thank you Vex. But the next time you do this, I'll get even worse revenge my dear sister."
Vex smiled and squeezed him too "I believe you my dear brother. And I swear to you that I won't make that bet again. Except perhaps for a few exceptions.”
"Vex'halia!"
"Okay, okay, never again, I promise.
The twins separated and Vex turned to the satyr. "So, you're leaving us the table for the night, and more importantly, you're buying us a round of drinks in honour of Vox Machina, the best mercenary band in all of Tal'Dorei!" At this, the whole tavern raised its tankard and cheered.
The satyr bitched and was accompanied by Vex and Scanlan to make sure she paid her debt. Percy accompanied them, leaving Vax and Keyleth alone. The Ashari smiled at him, and he responded before blushing and looking away. She spoke after several seconds of silence, "I'm glad Vex won and you don't have to honour the bet. Not that I don't like the idea of you spending the night with someone! You do what you want of course! I mean, what I mean is... .... You do what you want! So, if you want to spend the night with her, of course you can. Not that you're not entitled, it's just that, well, that's the bet that - ".
She was cut off by Vax, "I get it Kiki, don't worry. It's nice of you to worry" he smiled at her again. The young elf continued, her voice calmer, "It's just that you shouldn't be forced by a bet to do things you don't want to...".
"And I don't want to spend the night with that satyr. I want to spend the night with you and the others. Drinking beers and laughing with all of you and then going home, all of us together," said Vax.
Keyleth smiled and joined the others with Vax where they continued the evening and night playing pool and making stupid bets.
As they all walked back to the Keep in the early morning, Vax and Vex walked last, watching their friends stumble through the streets and continue their betting game. Vax smiled as he watched them, their friends, their family, and he was happy to spend his time with them.
"When that satyr gave her betting reward, namely you, Keyleth ordered me to 'beat that bitch'," Vex said to his twin, clearly showing the Ashari's exact words in his voice. Vax turned to his sister, surprised at this revelation, and then turned back to their friends arriving at the Keep, and his smile grew even wider.