"So you made yer own path. Good on you, Sergeant." Liquid sloshes inside the bottle as it is lifted in wry acknowledgement, markedly emptier than it'd been some minutes ago. Approval rests heavily within the curve of the smile she aims at Matias.

"'t least you don't have a stick up your arse." Her tongue is heavy inside her mouth as she speaks, and narrowed silver eyes catch the name on the bottle with sudden suspicion.

Ah. That would explain it.

"C'mon Serg, don't leave me high and dry now." Captain Dross leans her torso in Matias' direction, silver eyes gleaming with mischievous intent. "I believe I'm owned a disreputable story."

MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]through nothing more than hard work and dedication, matias had forged a path of his own. he's walked it, he's traveled it, and it's lead him to where he is today.

here, on the mariner two, with a captain on her to being drunk.

"of course. how could i forget?"

he takes another swig as if it'd will the story out smoother. it does, unsurprisingly.

"i went to a picnic in verdanturf the other day. they played events throughout the day, and one of them happened to be a three-legged race. so there i was, waiting at the starting line all high and arrogant like i was sure i'd win. got paired up, took off in a full sprint, and wiped out in front of everyone. face planted into dirt."

the thought, as embarrassing as it might be, makes him laugh.

"worst part was watching fernie slip right by with a woman twice our age. probably more."

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

The tequila hasn't gone fully down her throat when the punchline hits, which inevitably makes it come right back out in a series of coughs and choked bits of laughter. 

Only after she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand does the laughter subside. "I didn't take Fernie for the athletic one in the family. Are ye sure the ol' lady wasn't the one dragging him?"

Her finger reaches out to deliberately poke at Matias' biceps, cheshire grin in place. "Can't believe these are fake. Had me fooled for a while there, Sarge." 

When she puts the bottle to her lips, it serves not only to further inebriate her, but also to hide the shit-eating grin that has overtaken her expression. 

MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]"good point. she was probably trying to get away."

he's laughing when she reaches over to poke at his biceps. it's an act that catches him off guard, but he recovers swiftly. he shakes his head, peering down at them, then her.

"have a feel, captain. might change your mind then."

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

She peers up at him from over the rounded edge of a quickly emptying bottle, but her fingers don't reach out to poke at his biceps again.

Captain Dross likes to do things on her own terms.

Her relaxed posture shifts then, bottle trading hands as she leans forward to press an elbow to the control panel, hand open in invitation. Skyler's no stranger to arm-wrestling and it shows in the confident set of her shoulders. "C'mon then, Sarge."

Muscles tense in preparation. Her grin, slightly lopsided, turns wicked.

"Impress me."

MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]he eyes her invitation, regarding it for moments before accepting. bottle trades hands before he places his right on the control panel, preemptively flexing as if stretching.

"don't say i didn't warn you."

he meets her hand in the middle, grip tight, before tipping his head forward in a gesture for their match to begin.

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

There is no countdown, no previous warning. A hand slides onto hers and calloused digits are quick to curl over his skin.

"If I win," Captain Dross swipes her tongue over her bottom lip, thoughtful, "You buy me a night's worth of drinks. And I get full bragging rights."

Over the time Skyler's spent in disreputable establishments she's learned a thing or two about these sorts of things. She doesn't wait for his nod, doesn't hesitate before muscles tense under sun-kissed skin, willing her hand to slam his onto the control panel.

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MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]a night's worth of drinks? it's a win-win situation either way, so there's no reason to deny it. he nods his head, agreeing, before being caught off guard by the sudden force against his hand.

naturally, he resists, but how well?

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

The alcohol running through her veins has Captain Dross brimming with a certain kind of cheerful overconfidence. And still she can't help the shiver of anticipation that runs down her spine, just as her muscles strain, at the notion of being challenged.

It's a dirty trick, to start before giving a warning. Skyler feels no regret for it, especially as Matias' hands hits the control panel with a dry, satisfying thump.

Instead she presents the sergeant with an open hand, silver eyes gleaming with trouble.

"Best out of three?" Her smile turns taunting. "I promise I'll be gentle."

905AZS49

MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]not very well, apparently.

the back of his hand slams against the control panel, thudding, and he's left reeling it back as his head tilts back at a loss.

"fuck. okay. best out of three."

her promise falls on deaf ears as once again he takes her hand. he doesn't resort to dirty tricks, instead, he focuses on winning this fair and square.

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

Doing things fair and square doesn't, apparently, help you win arm-wrestling contests, not when the other person is much too used to rowdy sailors and fishermen who wouldn't accept defeat from a woman.

She'd forced them to.

When Matias' arm hits the control panel for the second time, Skyler smiles with all the teeth she has in her mouth. "Guess we're taking a detour. I believe you owe me an entire night's worth of drinks, Sarge." She toasts him with her halfway empty bottle, taking a celebratory swig.

"What shall it be? Dewford? Rustboro?"

She highly doubts that they'll make it to Rustboro at this point, though she'd never let that stop her before.

"... Slateport?"

MATIAS SILPH

[attr="class","matias"]his arm hits the control panel, finalizing his landslide defeat. what the fuck. he's left chuckling as his arm falls off the panel.

"i guess i do."

he leans back, falls onto his back, and sighs.

"slateport's fine."

[attr="class","noodles"]skyler dross

The first sign that they're drawing close to their destination is the sound of breaking glass, soon followed by the arc of chair as it is thrown out of a window and onto the streets, followed by the roar of rowdy laughter.

The establishment, all things considered, isn't too bad despite the tang of salt and alcohol that seems to permeate the very air. It doesn't take long for the captain to find a table, and even less before she's slamming drinks onto the table. 

Silver eyes cut through the room before settling on Matias. "Hope you don't mind the detour, Sarge."

MATIAS SILPH