62/Parfaits and Questioning

Parfaits and Questioning
Date of Scene:	11 July 2023
Location:	Midori-Ya Cafe
Synopsis:	Naru and Usagi try and explain desserts and games to Prismara Bree. It only mostly helps.
Cast of Characters:	Usagi Tsukino, Naru Osaka, 79

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Naru Osaka has posed:
Tuesday late morning is not exactly prime time for the cafe. Breakfast rush is over, lunch rush hasn't started yet. It's a lovely day, although it promises to be warm later, but for the moment the breeze is still fresh and the sun is shining. There's a few mothers with small children collecting treats to take on a picnic, and a few people working 'from home', save with better coffee.

It is absolutely not an every day thing to manage to get away from classes and studying and clubs and all of the rest of everyting around school. It's a lovely treat to head to a favourite bakery and get a coffee and something sweet to eat. Naru is still wearing her school uniform, her satchel slung over her shoulder as she stands in a short line considering her options.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
Rushes were a new thing, at least for some people. There were a lot of exchange students lately, some of them from exotic cultures, some from -very- exotic cultures. Prismara Bree was one such person, though she was also attending the same school as many of the kids around here, and in her uniform, the similarities stopped there. She had a very Western European look to her, which meant she was at the minimum, a foreign exchange student, but even they should have heard of well, many of the standard confections you can get at a cafe like this.

Currently seated with something that is apparently a complete mystery to her, Mara stares at a parfait, as though she's never seen one before and has no idea what to do with it. From the looks of things, she's been doing this for a while. It's even started to melt a little on the table.

Naru Osaka has posed:
It took some deciding, but there's a coffee in one of Naru's hands and a lemon cake in the other one. Now she aspires to not spill anything as she turns to find a table.

Naru pauses her slow and careful steps next to Mara's table and smiles warmly. "I think it works better if you eat it rather than try and win a staring contest with it." There's nothing but warmth in the comment, the teasing gentle and friendly.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
Slowly. Eyes pull from the delectable desert, most abandoned, ignored, well not ignored, but uneaten, a crime is being committed. The criminal? She stares a moment too long then bows her head to Naru and intones, her shame hidden in quite, muffled words, perhaps pressed between teeth,

"I don't know how."

The admission brings great shame and she fidgets a little, perhaps finding Naru just unthreatening enough to admit this great shame. This horror that is occurring in plain view. As if wasting food wasn't bad enough, but this sort of food? Travesty! Arrest her. The slant of her shoulders indicates Prismara feels the scorn and agrees with it.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Oh!" Naru exclaims quietly and then nods. "Best with a spoon. One second, I'll grab you one. They have long ones that make it easier to get to the bottom." No judgement, to arresting. Naru is like that. Her coffee, and lemon cake (much less confusing to eat most certainly) get set on the table without even so much as a 'do you mind' and her satchel settles on the other chair as she is off again.

It doesn't take but a moment for a local who has been here more than a few times in her life to return with a long handled spoon, and a few napkins for people (and the table).

The spoon gets passed over with a smile. "This will help. It's goopy and sweet, like a pudding? Spoons make it less messy." She moves her satchel and slides herself into the chair opposite, available for further dessert emergencies, perhaps. "Do you know which flavour you got?"

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
Mara wiggles a little, from side to side, otherwise staying silent. She's probably getting stared at, but instead of looking shy, she looks a little frustrated or perhaps flustered by that. A moment of listening to Naru and thank goodness, she takes pity on the poor fish out of water. A long spoon. Obviously. She has notes though and once Naru is seated she starts presenting the notes.

"But the .. It comes in a drink container." Is her note. Then, "What do you mean by flavor?"

The treat is off white, it could be a vanilla or banana or lemon? She has no idea, she just asked for the popular item, assuming there could maybe only be so many items on the list. Of course there were menus and touch screens to order with probably, that is to say, Mara would ignore these things, especially those not clearly written out without a screen. Not that this much was obvious except her non-answer.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"It does come in a drink container." Naru confirms with a nod. "But it's too thick to drink effectively. It could be served in a bowl, but it's always been in those tall glasses and you know, I don't know why? Probably because it's pretty." She decides as she considers the melting parfait.

"Mmm. Flavour. Well, if you didn't ask for something specific, you'll just have to taste it and find out what flavour it is." Naru smiles. "My guess is banana, personally." She gestures with a hand. "Go on, give it a little taste and see if you like it. The lighter cream on top will be a different flavour than the more yellowy parfait." She reaches for her coffee to take a sip of it as the pair of them continue dissecting the poor dessert.

"I'm going to guess that you are an exchange student." Naru comments with a smile.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
While Naru explains the mysterious concoction in front of her, clearly a witches brew, some sort of potion made life into the drink container, Mara decides to follow the instructions. She goes for a taste and and and. Nearly spits it out. No it wasn't that she hated it, on the contrary she was a little overwhelmed by how good it tasted, but she was .. Well Naru was on to her.

"How did you know that?" Mara asks, cagey, looking over the whip creamed top at Naru as if trying to determine if this is some sort of crazy stalker or worse, a classmate. She was doing a remarkably bad job at meeting and memorizing who her classmates were.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Because we're having a conversation about how to eat a parfait." Naru points out reasonably. "Which is fine, but also rather points to the fact that you are probably not from Japan." She sets her coffee down to be able to tug her cake closer to her.

"And? Did you like it?" She prompts curiously. "It's alright if you don't, they can be really rather sweet. Usagi's a fan." Naru pauses a moment and then explains. "Usagi is my roommate and best friend. She is very fond of sweets."

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
"Your roommate?" Prismara was getting used to the dorms which she technically lived in but never actually spent any time in. "Oh, yes it is very fine, the flavor is sweet, and I am not used to trying anyhting like this before." She jumps on the new topic, since it's clear she isn't being spied on and so seems to relax.

"I have not met very many people yet.." It's true, classes consisted of Mara keeping to herself and giving short unfriendy answers to the questions, this was probably becoming one of the longer discussions that Mara had even had with someone. "Do you also like sweets?" She asks, well into her next spoonful.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Yep, we arranged to live in the dorms together." Naru's voice shows how fond she is of the idea. "Which is an adventure." She laughs softly, shaking her head. Living in a room with Usagi basically requires patience personified.

"It takes time to get used to all the new all at once." Naru agrees. "New people, new school, new living situation and for you.. new country too. It's a lot of new." She gives her cake a little stab to extract a small piece. "There's no rush, we're all going to be there all semester at least, so ease into it if you can." She gives a little wrinkle of her nose and a half shake of her head. "I prefer tart or savoury rather than sweet. I mean.. I'm eating cake, so clearly I don't dislike sweets, but I find parfaits too sweet for me, for example." It's a safe bet that her coffee is probably not the sugar filled concoction that many girls their age prefer. It's milked to be certain, but doesn't look like a fancy coffee.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
"Too sweet huh," Mara remarks while looking at the cake and then the coffee. She appears to recognie the cake just fine but the coffee gets a little longer scrutiny. "Where did you come from before this?" She starts playing with her food, mixing bits around, making a bit of a mess and turning the seperate layers into something more like a mess of sweet. Probably ruining the whole thing, but suddenly looking more calculating as if this is her chance to learn about this world and it's people.

"You were frinds with .. Usagi? Before now? Did you meet at school?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"If you're not wigged out by sharing a cup, you can try my coffee if you'd like." Naru offers at the examination of the brew. "Or I can get you your own to try." She doesn't comment on the parfait mixing. That's what's napkins are for and hey, she doesn't have to eat it. There's a little nudge of the cup in Mara's direciton in case the other girl is curious about coffee too.

"Ahh, Usagi and I have been best friends since we were four." Naru grins brightly. "So we met at preschool and we've been friends ever since. We grew up here in Tokyo, but our parents both felt that the Academy was a good opportunity, so we've just started there this semester." She takes a small bite of lemon cake and asks innocently. "So where are you from?"

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
"Since you were four," Prismara repeats and then just like that she has a notebook in her hand, but like one of those hand made ones. The sort of thing someone gets when they want to be all antique. Then she starts taking notes. "Oh yes sure," She says as if the coffee occurs to her as an after thought.

The small sip Mara takes is dainty and also gets a few notes added though the expression on her face suggests she doesn't love it, or really hate it. It gets like a quick few sentences scribbled.

"So she is .. a childhood friend, what sorts of things do you do together?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"That is a beautiful notebook." Naru comments and then giggles at Mara's expression after the sip of coffee. "Its a bit of an acquired taste for most people. I liked it right away, but apparently I'm the odd one." She tugs her coffee cup closer to her again, unphased by the notes on just ... life.

Naru has to think about what they do together when she's with Usagi. "We hang out, and chat or watch movies or play video games. We go shopping together. We study together.. sometimes." She declines to point out that she studies and Usagi whines about it. Politeness and all. "We spend time together and enjoy each other's company. That's what friends do." She doesn't press, yet, on the lack of answer on where Mara's from. She'll let Mara get away with it, for now.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
"I see," Prismara says while scribbling, "this is .." She looks at the notebook and replies, "Actually I brought it from home, I am more comfortable with it." The parchment is thick and heavy, the binding is clearly glue and twine, no stables or modern conveniences. Her pen moves quickly, but she holds it oddly, like she's not quite used to the way it writes. She tries more of the parfait.

"What are these video games you play with your friend?" She frowns a little and remarks, "I've heard about these a lot of different times."

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The door to the cafe is pushed open eagerly, perhaps creating a distraction from the question, as a certain twin-tailed blond in pigtails enters the cafe. She's wearing her school uniform, her bookbag slung over her shoulder, and there's a yawn stretching her mouth and jaw as she walks to the counter, bleary-eyed and sleepy despite the mid-morning. She should probably be in some kind of class, but, shh, that's for her to worry about later.

"Can I have a... hot chocolate with extra whipped cream?" she asks the server around another, even wider yawn, pulling money from her wallet with the stilted actions of someone who truly wished they were still asleep. It's not until hot chocolate is in hand and she has to find somewhere to sit that she realizes she actually recognizes someone in the cafe and walks right over, face brightening with energy. Truly, this must be the most extroverted human alive, to go from sleepy and tired to well, sleepy and excited the second she sees a chance to chat with a friend.

"Naru-chan! Can I sit with you and -" she considers the other girl, with her notebook and her mixed parfait, and her striking face, not exactly cute but pretty nonetheless. She doesn't know the other girl. "We haven't met! Hi! I'm Usagi Tsukino, grade 10, Naru-chan's roommate! Do you mind if I sit with you guys?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"Mostly video games.." Naru starts to reply and then the cafe door opens and a sleepy wave of mostly chaos enters. She nods towards the blonde, explaining for Mara. "And that's Usagi."

Naru reaches over to remove her satchel from the extra chair next to them, just assuming that the pair of them are going to completely overwhelm poor Mara at this rate. "Good morning sleepy-head." She teases, utter fondness in her tone. There's a pause at the query about Naru's tablemate and then Naru has to laugh. "We never have gotten each other's names yet." She lifts her coffee in salute to Mara. "I'm Naru Oksaka, for the record." She sips from the bitter drink, only a single bite extracted from her cake so far.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
And then a whirlwind comes in. How it is possible for a whirlwind to be bother sleepy and laid back and also well, a whirlwind, now that is something to take notes on. Prismara doesn't though, she just stares and stares and stares, eventually stammering out a, "Oh, sure." She looks like the sort of person who is in a storm without and idea how they got there, where it came from. If Usagi's mere presence could muss her hair.

"Prismara Bree, but you may refer to me as merely Bree." She manages after taking her eyes away from the blonde, with some serious difficulty. "Grade 10, that is the same as me, I have not seen either of you in any classes I am certain." She is really certain she'd remember one of them at least, and starts taking notes again furiously.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Usagi takes a seat besides Naru gratefully, already sipping her hot chocolate by the time poor Bree answers, a whipped cream mustache forming in an instant. The hot chocolate is rich and sweet, made with milk chocolate rather than dark for an extra sugary delight. "I can't believe you guys have been chatting without an introduction! It's nice to meet you Bree-chan! And - ah."

Her face falls in embarrassment, as the little clock in her brain finally ticks forward once more, and she realizes - "Uwah, Naru-chan, why didn't you tell Bree-chan I was wrong, huh? I'm sorry, I'm sleepy and a liar, we're in grade 9!"

Her milk mustache wilts sadly and she consumes it with a lick, wiping her face with one of those Naru-provided napkins right after. "I *wish* I was in grade 10... then school would be that much closer to being over."

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I was waiting to see how long it would be before you realized that you tried to skip us a grade." Naru comments, nudging the napkins closer to Usagi to make it convenient. She keeps one for herself, in spite of the fact that she's the hold out with a neat dessert rather than something messy.

"Bree is a pretty name." Naru decides with a little nod and a smile for Mara across the table. "It just hadn't come up yet." Naru protests to Usagi, taking another small forkful of cake as she does. "I expect we'd of gotten there eventually. Are you seriously just getting up now? Did you miss social studies this morning?" Clearly they are not in all the same classes, or Naru would know the answer to her own question. "Or did you go back to bed afterwards?"

Naru nods towards Mara's notebook. "Isn't that the nicest notebook ever?" She asks of Usagi.

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
%r
"Actually Bree is my last name, my first name is Prismara, but a lot of people seem to get that confused," Mara is speaking in lower and lower tones as the pair continues to get along in the way that long time friends who really know each other can. She decides to stop talking then, instead taking notes on their interact and taking bites of the parfait to busy herself. She goes from one to the other, her eyes ping ponging. Eventually she does get brave enough to ask another question.

"Can you skip grades that way? And what are video games I keep hearing about?"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
"I *wish* you could skip grades like that," Usagi sighs, sinking into her seat. "But you can only do it if you actually pass all the tests and stuff for your grade. And I definitely can't do that!"

If only. School would be so much easier if she could pass all the tests and get through it!

"Video games are great! They're games, but instead of playing with like, cards or toys, they're in machines, and they have stories and videos. Or sometimes they don't have any stories, but they're still... in a machine! And you use them to play all kinds of games." And yes, that's such a thorough explanation.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"I've read about people skipping grades in stories, they finish say.. grade seven and then are deemed to know enough to just jump ahead to grade nine." Naru comments thoughtfully. "But I've never known someone who has actually done it." She is more invested in her coffee than her cake, but the former is tragically almost gone. "You'll pass, Usagi. We just need to study more." Which is to say study at all, but that's still more.

"Usually they're either in dedicated equipment at an arcade." Naru gestures vaguely. "Which is literally a place that is filled with machine based games, it's often a lot of fun. Usually they have a snack bar too." She adds after a moment. "You can also play video games on your own personal computer, but often those are different games. Some theory, but different games."

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
If there was a look that told you someone didn't know what a personal computer was, let alone have one, that was the look the pair was getting right now. At first while Usagi gave the video game explanation, Mara dutifully took notes, but the pen got slower and slower as the realization dawned that none of this made any sense and she was missing a lot of background information. Most of the time she got past this by nodding and staying quiet, but for once she decided to take initiative and make sense of these video games and boy was that a mistake.

She closes her book, "I see, I understand completely." Mara says, not understanding at all. "Study is very important," she agrees with Maru, but then goes on to asking questions. "What would you two say your greatest weaknesses are?" Straight faced, notebook re-opened.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
That is the look of someone who does not understand at all. Usagi can sympathize, because she wears it nearly every day in math class. And science class. And sometimes history, too. "Do you want to come to an arcade with us sometime? It's hard to explain, but easy to see!"

And that would definitely be an excuse to not study - introducing a friend to video games, one of life's greatest joys.

But then she blinks in abject astonishment. "Greatest... weaknesses? You mean like, for school, or?"

Naru Osaka has posed:
"You have no idea what we're talking about, do you?" Naru asks kindly as she stabs another forkful of cake and then uses it to underscore Usagi's offer. "We'll just have to show you what an arcade is. And a computer. You'll find classes a lot easier if you have a computer to use. There's some to share at school in the lab. It's not so unusual to not have your own."

Naru finishes her bite of cake, only really making it through about half of the slice before she nudges the rest over towards Usagi setting the fork down on the plate as she does.

There's a soft giggle from Naru at the question. "Most people are very bad at recognizing their own weaknesses and even worse at admitting them to people they don't know very well. If you ask that question often, I'd be very curious as to what sorts of answers you get to it."

Prismara Bree (79) has posed:
It was a very good point, Mara frowns a little and taps her pen on her cheek. Two birds ones stone. She nods and says, "You are right, I Shouldn't ask things too personal just yet. That is very good advice. I would love to see an arcade and then we can have all afternoon to talk to each other," about our, or your greatest weaknesses, "and make friends." Mara smiles, but the smile is one of those that doesn't quite reach the eyes. It isn't like she has any reason to assume the weaknesses of two random girls she just met at her school is going to be helpful, but ever the dutiful information gatherer...

Meanwhile, in her notebook, a word for word description of video games courtesy of Usagi recides, ready to test the sanity of whomever has to read it later.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The cake Naru offers is eagerly accepted, fork plunged into the soft cake to scoop up a bite. "Yeah! That would be great! We can show you the games and you can figure out what kinds you like, and we can have a blast! It's great to make new friends. It's the good thing about this new school."

She still prefers their old school, and definitely her old life, but - she has been making a lot of new friends. People she probably wouldn't have met before. And that's been fun - wonderful, even.

"And maybe you'll figure out our weaknesses yourself!" She says it like it's a joke, giggling. "We probably have to go to class soon, but, after school - we can definitely hang out! Do you have a phone? I'll give you my number anyway, here - " and she writes her phone number on a napkin, offering it to Bree to accept or decline at her leisure. It really is going to be time for class soon, as fact she despairs of and is resigned too.

Naru Osaka has posed:
"All in good time." Naru assures Mara. "It will come, but it will be more natural and freely given once there's been some time." She digs out her own phone to check the time and nods. "And you're totally right Usagi, it's basically time to head back to get to class. At least for those of us in Grade nine." She gives her bestie a nudge, gentle teasing for trying to skip them a grade.

"After school AND after homework.. then arcade." She sounds like the parent of the trio, ensuring that work is done before fun. She finishes off her coffee and then leans over to add her phone number to the napkin as well, writing names down to ensure Mara can figure out who is who later. "If you don't have a phone, just ask someone else in class to text one of us to arrange the time."

Naru reaches for her satchel, standing as she notes. "It was lovely to meet you, Bree. I hope we didn't confuse you more."