Bad luck

[Immortal Methos]

"It's Duncan," MacLeod replied, seemingly not put off by her forgetting his name. "Duncan MacLeod."

"Well, if it's food you want," Joe said warmly with his gentle southern accent, "then let's get you folks a table." He came around the bar, using a cane and walking with a stiff-legged stilted gate. As he led the way to an empty table, he continued with great amusement, "Duncan says Adam is taking you on as a student, Phoenix."

"Don't start, Joe," Methos growled with fake menace.  

[Immortal Ghost]

Another small shrug, not even thinking about the fact he couldn't see that right now "Uh-hu, if I don't drive him nuty." Heavy amusement danced in her tone on that as she glanced to Adam, with a questioning look.  

[Immortal Methos]

"Too late for that," Joe chuckled, not even trying to keep it under his breath.

Methos shot him a poisonous glare. "Must be the present company I've been keeping," he said. "Phoenix is doing fine. You clowns, that's a different matter entirely."

MacLeod smiled and waggled thick eyebrows at Methos before ordering a cheeseburger, french fries, and a pitcher of beer for the table. As a bar, Joe's menu was small but good, simple comfort food. Methos ordered some chicken fingers with his fries.

"And what can I get for you, young lady?" Joe asked Phoenix, pouring on the fatherly southern charm.  

[Immortal Ghost]

That got her to pause a bare moment before she shrugged, "Do you have hot dogs?" Randomish question, but hey she wanted a hot dog, or two, or three, most likely three, and possibly fries, and a soda, hell throw in a winning lottery ticket and she'd be set for a good while. She skipped the whole people be nuts or not part of the conversation, normal was over-rated, very much so in her mind.  

[Immortal Methos]

"Sure thing," Joe said. "How many? Fries? Beer alright? I'll--" He shrugged, glancing at Methos. "I'll need to see an ID."

"I expect she'll want a Coke," Methos said nonchallantly, remembering how gamely she had nursed the beer he gave her that first day at the warehouse. He smirked to himself, amused since even he still got carded at some bars, depending on how immersed he was in his Adam Pierson personna.  

[Immortal Ghost]

That pulled an annoyed sigh and she rolled her eyes, "Three, yes, coke." She answered everything in order, manners slipping clearly given the hints of coldness entering her eyes before she ended up smiling. Alright it was a slightly forced smile, but hey being stuck looking 19 was annoying as hell some days.  

[Immortal Methos]

"Sorry," Joe said, looking just a tad uncomfortable. "Liquor liscense, and all." Before he left to place their orders he whacked Methos in the back of his head with an open palm.

The very young-looking ancient Immortal grabbed the back of his head and stared at Joe's retreating back, outraged. "What th' devil was that for, Joe?!"

"For being a smart a**," Joe tossed back. "Apologize to the lady."

Duncan was watching the whole by-play with amused interest, raising his eyebrows at Methos when the old man looked at him. "Well, Adam?"

"She's my student," Methos growled, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't have to apologize." He glanced at Phoenix's cold expression, then said to her uncertainly, "Do I?"  

[Immortal Ghost]

With an even brighter smile she flicked him off in way of answer, she was such a kind person, but then continued verbally, "No, personally I don't give a damn, don't really drink for one, happy with caffeine, there are other things that piss me off though." She even got her tone to go back to being kinder, barely, but hey after playing happy for so many years it wasn't that hard.  

[Immortal Methos]

"Adam still gets carded sometimes," Duncan said casually, ignoring Methos' narrow-eyed glare. "Where are you from, Phoenix?"  

[Immortal Ghost]

She almost didn't answer, not out of spite or anything, or even because she minded answering, it was just she wasn't good with conversations, and it already seemed like she annoyed one person at the table. "Manhattan." Nice simple answer, and hey it was even an answer that wasn't sarcastic or annoying, at lest she hopped not.  

[Immortal Methos]

MacLeod nodded at that. "Exciting place to grow up," he acknowledged as Joe's second bartender Mike brought the pitcher of beer, glasses, and Phoenix's Coke over on a tray.

"Food'll be up soon," he said, smiling at Phoenix's unfamiliar face.

"Thanks, Mike," Methos said, thinking instead of how the island of Manhatten had looked from his little boat in the late 700's, all gnarled pines and brambles and native people. God, I still hate boats.  

[Immortal Ghost]

Phoenix gave a dull nod to Mike, not really taking note of him to be truthful, that was normal for her, to not pay attention to others, something that had often gotten her in trouble, not that she learned from that. However she did gladly take the coke before responding, "It's annoying, loud, over populated, and dangrouse place to grow up if you're in the wrong parts."  

[Immortal Methos]

"Just like Rome," Methos muttered as Mike arrived with their food. "Places change, times change, people in large cities never really change."

"Aye," Duncan agreed, drinking his beer. He decided not to ask Phoenix any more questions, it seemed to be making her uncomfortable. Methos had been right -- she was a moody young thing.  

[Immortal Ghost]

To which she was highly greatful for, that topic with her never ended up going well, leading to her being highly ticked or close to tears, normally highly ticked given she wasn't one to like water works. As it was she merely held her glass of soda and stared at it, thinking more than likely, not so much about her past as what she was going to do in the weeks to come, for one the dingy little hotel was really annoying her, or rather her neighbors were annoying her.

With a soft sigh she glanced up, apparently going back to her normal cheer, "I would ask how you two met but I'm kinda afraid of the answer."  

[Immortal Methos]

Duncan used the moment to take a bite of his cheeseburger, making it clear to Methos that he could shape the encounter any way he felt safe to do so. Methos smiled at Phoenix, his agile mind going over that incredible day and what he could actually tell of it.

"Mac was hunting a personal enemy of his," he said cheerfully, "and picked up my presence instead. Walked right into my flat like the rude barbarian child that he is." He popped a french fry into his mouth and chewed. "So I cut his head off."

Duncan snorted beer.