2267/Illegal Curry

Illegal Curry
Date of Scene:	27 January 2025
Location:	Dorms #1
Synopsis:	It's Monday night after school! Molly visits Rashmi's dorm room, and the two have a great chat while illegal curry is cooking (the best kind); they talk about devices, cars, mutual friends and foes, and foolish choices; it's a discussion interupted by Nicomachea detecting a Dimensional Incursion -- which means it's time to go!
Cast of Characters:	Molly Skyline, Rashmi Terios

---

Molly Skyline has posed:
Monday night, after school. And, after Dinner. Molly didn't actually go home on this occasion, she went to the nearest place to Radiant Heart she could to get fried chicken, ate said fried chicken while doing her homework, then ordered more fried chicken and put it in Starcrash's storage to keep it nice and hot and... well, greasy. And then she flew straight back to Radiant Heart academy, dropping Henshin just so she could walk through the dormitory halls like a normal person without arousing suspicion.

The purplenette hums as she walks; specifically, she's humming the theme to the Dungeons and Dragons movie (the good one with Chris Pine, not that weird one from the 90s with the villain who wore blue lipstick). She carries on until she gets to the room her best friend has been in for a few months now, and knocks on the door, before taking a step back with her hands clasped behind her, rocking back and forth on her feet as she waits for the door to open.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Finished.

Rashmi's initial design work and study is finally -- *finally* -- finished.

And lucky thing too, as she's managed to fill up the *entire* journal Bow gave her for Christmas with scribbles, notes, *extremely* rough technical drawings, diagrams, and more; all to serve her as a reference for when she is ready to start taking Nicomachea apart, and risking his existence on her ability to achieve the next-to-impossible.

...Maybe it's time for a break, before she frets herself into Rashmi shrapnel...

As if on cue, there's a knocking at her door, and she shuts the journal with desperate finality. "Who is it?"

Whoever it is? It is a break, and a distraction, and both are *perfect* right at this exact moment.

Molly Skyline has posed:
"It's me!"

The door slowly opens, just enough for Molly to confirm that it's okay to come in, before doing precisely that. She shuts the door behind her, throwing up a hand and waving, all with that big goofy grin on her face that she only manages when she is in the absolute best of moods.

"Hello!" she says, still grinning. "Thought I'd drop by because... because. Do I need a good reason to come visit? I had a feeling that you were busy and stressed out so I figured hey, why not show up and be my usual goofy dorky self and see if I can be some kind of distraction. ...Or like, something along those lines."

The purplenette's eyes dip to the journal in Rashmi's hands, and she tilts her head. "I am correct, right? you just finished working on diagrams of Nicomachea for the upgrade you're planning. ...I mean that's my primary guess, it's been the number one thing on your mind since you got given that task."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hello~!" Rashmi chirps, waving Molly in. And while she looks like she's been stressing... there's also that 'finished-the-essay-due-in-five-minutes look of relief about her, as she sinks into her chair. "I mean... I *have* been worrying like mad, yeah... But I'm *done.* Everything's finished, all the variables worked out, I have done *everything I possibly could* to prepare for disassembling my Device. And now that I have a reference guide I can use when Nicomachea *can't* be one... I'm taking a break from thinking. So hello, good timing, I was about to make illegal chicken curry rice, have a sit!"

Waving at the bunkbed above her desk, she moves to a large closet with three sliding panels. The middle third is slid aside, revealing Rashmi's clothes, some odds and ends, and a rice cooker.

And then out of Nicomachea's charm comes a bowl of cubed, yogurt-marinated chicken, a bag of rice, and a few other things. Sheepishly, she grins as she starts assembling what will be dinner in about an hour. "I need to clean this out anyway, the storage matrix destabilizes when everything that creates it is disconnected from each other..."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly accepts the offer of a seat, unslinging her backpack and leaving it by the door. (Even if you do have functionally infinite storage -- at least as far as a teenager is concerned -- in your device, you still have to produce stuff like schoolbooks from somewhere normal.) "Well! Sounds like you've got part one licked," she observes. "I'm pretty sure the only person who's worried about it is you -- which I understand of course. But you're smart. You've got this. And Nicomachea is going to be amazing when you're done."

The purplenette watches as the illicit rice cooker and related items are revealed or taken out of storage, "Yeah, actually, food would be amazing. I literally just ate fried chicken before I came, and I have more of it stored, but like... after my fight yesterday I'm still not topped off. I'm good to go if anything happens, but I'm not... full, y'know?"

After a pause, she blushes softly, "Anything I can do to help with the cooking?" she adds. "I'm not really too far beyond the 'mac and cheese' end of cooking, honestly, but Mom is trying to teach me stuff every time I help out in the Okujoo Ramen kitchen." She pauses. "Mostly, I get to stir broth while she talks about things like rice."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"If I was working in a whole kitchen," Rashmi chuckles, giving everything a quick stir, before closing the lid and pushing buttons, "I'd absolutely love the help, Molly-chan. This is just quick I-don't-feel-like-a-whole-kitchen-or-takeout, so it's not necessary. And... yeah. I know it's mostly in my head, but like... Failing this test is a *lot* more than just a bad grade, so this is *really, really* making me fret even if I don't have to."

With that, she sighs, and sets the journal firmly on her desk. "Papi did a lot of that for me too," she says, bobbing her head. "It's still kind of surprising how important it is to keep stirring, even if you think it'll be fine. Sometimes it will be... but when it's not, you won't know if the food's gotten scorched until you're done."

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Yeah," Molly agrees, "But your Papi probably started when you were much younger than my Mom did. ...Which isn't her fault, my Moms didn't adopt me until I was busy turning into a teenager, and as cool as the woman who ran the orphanage was she was absolutely way too busy to be doing stuff like teaching me how to cook." She shrugs her shoulders, and instead of bouncing to her feet like she was about to, just leans back in her seat. Well, as much as it allows.

"Oh, before I forget. Retreive: Shop Key." She holds out her hand and a fairly chunky key appears in it, which she puts down... somewhere. On a counter or whatever's within reach. "As promised, a key for my Mom's shop. you'll wanna work in there with a barrier up, obviously, but at least that saves you from having to blow a hole in the wall every time you wanna get in."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Ooh," Rashmi says, reaching up to accept the key, and for a moment she just... Looks at it, turning it over in her hands as she soaks in what this means. Even if it'd be under Barrier, she has permission, she has *trust,* to make use of someone else's very expensive and difficult-to-replace equipment. Looking up, her eyes are suspiciously shiny as she smiles at her best friend. "Thank you, Molly-chan," she says softly. "I'll take good care of it."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly grins. "I know you will," she replies. "And you're welcome. There is nobody I'd want more to have that. ...And I got it cut off of mine," she adds, holding up her own small set of keys before stuffing it back in her jacket pocket, "So no need to worry about Mom missing a key -- so no time limit either." She swings her legs back and forth below where she's sitting as she watches what Rashmi's up to with the cooking and the stirring.

"So, remember I told you my Moms said if I do well on my exams this year, they'll buy me a car? Well, there's this... I mean I dunno if it's something they got, or if they like, listened to me gushing to you at some point about cars or whatever, but there's this white, eighty-six Toyota Supra in the shop that's been just sitting there for a week, and I'm just kinda wondering if it's, like, you know." She sucks in a breath. "If it's it. 'Cause I been studying really hard and my marks are good."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
There's actually no stirring involved, now; with the rice cooker active, all the two have to do is survive the steadily-increasing smell of cooking chicken curry rice for the next hour or so. Which means Rashmi's full attention is on Molly, and the redhead actually jumps a little in her chair, making a noise like a teakettle beginning to boil.

"Molly-chan! That's *amazing,* I hope it is too! That would be *so wonderful!*"

For some people, it is *incredibly* easy to just be joyful at someone else's good fortune, and Rashmi is definitely that; no jealousy, no 'aw but I really want one' just 'My friend hopes for something huge to be true so I do too.'

"And you're gonna spend the next two years fixing it up? Cos they don't give you a driver's license until you're 18, here."

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Yep!" Molly grins, "Two years to learn intimately about how cars work, how to fix one, and how to not just make a car run properly but tune it for racing so that when I cat drive, I'll be ready." She pauses. "Or, well, at least my machine will be ready." She leans forwards, dropping her voice conspiratorially, just in case anyone's listening. "I might even see if I can convince Mom to give me some early driving lessons. Y'know, like in the middle of the night in a parking lot out of town or something. I might have to be a really good girl for that one, but it'd be worth it."

Molly pulls up a picture on her phone, which she hands down to Rashmi so she can see. "I know cars aren't your thing, so... I'm really honored that you're this excited on my behalf," she adds. "And I meant what I said the other day, I'll be fixing your car eventually. ...You might even get a few extra ponies running around under the hood out of it. You never know."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hey it's enough that *you're* excited," Rashmi answers, taking the phone and giving the picture a good looking-over. "Besides, I can't *wait* to see what you do with it after you've gotten it!"

When Molly offers to tune her car as well, Rashmi can't help but chuckle. "I mean, eventually I'm gonna need to learn to drive, but like... in Tokyo? Between the trains and the bus you can get *anywhere,* so it might not be until we're in college that happens. But this? This is *cool,*" she says, hadning the phone back. "And I'm really, really happy for you."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly grins like an absolute dork as she takes the phone back. "I can't wait to get my license," she replies. "Day one I'm getting it, as soon as I can. And I'll take you for a drive sometime, down some winding mountain road at night, and if you wanna be in your barrier jacket the whole way down I won't be offended."

Molly inhales, enjoying the smell of cooking food, and trying to resist basically just tearing it open to eat it now. It's not ready yet afterall. "So," she says instead, "I'm guessing you filled that entire journal with notes about Nicomachea, so like... what's the plan? Tell me about it! But not like, stress or anything. Just tell me about what you're gonna do and how awesome it's gonna be."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Deal," Rashmi says of the driving plans with a wide grin. "But I'm not the one you need to worry about making nervous; if you can scare Setsuchan worse than Haruka-san could, *then* you'll know you need to tone it down. Ask Setsuchan sometime about the story of how Haruka-san learned Setsuchan was magic, it's hilarious."

But then Molly does the possibly-dumb thing; asks Rashmi about what's been on her mind all this last month. "OKAY SO," she begins. "Since I've got access to more emitters and newer... sort of... mana conductors, I'm gonna be boosting output efficiency a little bit across the whole board. Still can't swing on your weight class, but if the numbers hold up I'll be able to fight *longer,* if not harder, which is almost as important. ...Also I'm doing a complete rebuild of the accumulator based on an idea Alo-chan's entire Device gave me; It's one module, but it's paired on my Barrier Jacket, so I can just look down at my arm to know how full I am. And then there's the big thing."

Drawing in a deep breath, she launches into her explanation. "...So the problem with coming up with new configurations for spells is always gonna be, to have to restart the whole cycle of effciency, right? Change a shield enough to deserve its own spell, it's gonna drain you as much as the *first* shield you ever cast, not the hundredth. But there's been more than one moment where I *really really wished* I could use a major-class alteration to a spell... like a shield that can cover a the width of a street. ...And I was also thinking about what Alo-chan said about Catridges, and how I shouldn't be looking for an *increase* in power if I wanted my health to hold out. And I was talking to Entrapta-chan, because she doesn't think at *all* like I do and the perspective is valuable, but more importantly girl has no idea what *should* be impossible so to her it's not--"

Deep breath.

--and after *all of that* I was poking at an electronic copy of your DnD books and well... Metamagic. So the *real big* part of this whole upgrade is gonna be, like, rechargeable metamagic sticks I can use to add parameters a spell without paying that mana cost."

"I call it the Index System," she says, cheeks flushing. "'Cos they're shaped like the bookmark you got me."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly doesn't think she did a dumb thing; she listens with rapt attention throughout Rashmi's description of what she's planning, and by the look on the purplenette's face she's getting more and more impressed as the discussion deepends. By the end of it, she's definitely properly impressed.

"All of that sounds awesome," she declares. "Coming up with new spells and having to pay an outrageous mana tax is just super frustrating... and in combat it can really suck! You wanna use your new trick that you know is going to turn the tide in your favor, but if you do it means you're just draining yourself that much faster. The first time I cast Stellar Convergence I had to double my food on the sly for almost a week! And, you gotta introduce me to Entrapta, she sounds delightful, and if she gave you ideas then I doubly gotta meet her."

The bit about the DnD books and the metamagic and the bookmark... leading to the Index system, just has Molly beaming, and blushing a little at the same time. "Okay Rashmi-chan, that's awesome. And you have no idea how much joy it brings me that something I did gave you help. ...And like, metamagic? I told you my first DnD character was a sorceress, right? A tiefling sorceress, named Serenity and she was just anything but, and I was using metamagic every two minutes to twin my spells or make them hit harder or whatever as needed at the time. I am OVERJOYED for you, and I can't wait to see it."

Molly stops, having that 'I'm thinking' look on her face before she ohs! "Before I forget. Retrieve Emerald." She holds out her hand and the green jewel she sealed after the fight with Prinzessin Nicht's first challenge appears in her hand, which she holds out to Rashmi, "I dunno if this is helpful in your efforts with Nicomachea, but I figure... when Aloe-chan's back to normal she'll probably need your help with her device, yeah? So you might as well have this in the meantime."

She waits for Rashmi to take it, before popping a big grin again. "When you're ready to do your build, I want you to keep me on speed dial, and call me if you need anything. Missing a tool? Call me. Crisis on the field? Call me. Need more coffee? Call me."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"You really, really do!" Rashmi agrees, bobbing her head. "And I mean she's the kind of person that would *love* to take apart an engine and figure out how it all works, *just because she doesn't know.* ...And forget to ask if she can first, but I mean. We try our best to teach her."

And as Molly talks about her character and how that maps to her Index, the redhead just nods along, clearly delighted at the parallels...

...When Molly hands her the Emerald. And when she does take it, she stares at it for awhile, then sighs heavily. "Yeah, Molly-chan... I *can* use it. I was thinking about these, before, but like... Molly-chan these held the *reconstruction of ancient Belkan Knights.* Like maybe not their whole *personhood,* but as near enough as can mimic their personality and tactics... That's Intelligent Device-level agency, Molly-chan. I'm pretty sure I can use this as a Core to rebuild her whole Device."

Looking from the gem, to Molly, Rashmi looks dead serious... and transcendently grateful. "...You've just ensured that no matter what happens, when we save Alo-chan we can fix her friends too."

"...Of *course* I'm going to call you, Molly-chan. I may not be able to answer every question while I'm in the middle of a build, but, I'm assuming you *will* have questions, and I'll answer the ones I can so you have an idea what I'm doing."

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Well, I'll just make sure Entrapta knows not to take apart any of the cars in Mom's shop -- including mine when I've got one which I hope is gonna be a certain white Supra -- before I take her there." Molly grins, watching as Rashmi studies the emerald. "And, if that helps get Aloe-chan get put right again? Then I'm entirely glad it's in your hands and I'm glad I've handed it over. What's happening to her isn't her fault, and I don't want her to have to suffer for it. ...Even if she does go back to Obsidian and beats me up in a fight again. No hard feelings."

"I will definitely have questions," she adds. "Probably loads of them, but I'll also just write most of 'em down so I can ask afterwards, when you're not working, if you're cool with me watching. I mean, I'm not gonna sit there like some weird statue or something, but I wouldn't want to distract you. I know how important this is to you and I'm more concerned with supporting you than anything else. I'd love to learn more about device maintenance, but I am never going to approach your level, Rashmi-chan. You're incredible."

Molly glances towards the rice cooker, and tilts her head. "It's getting warm in here," she pornounces, peeling off her denim jack that she's invariably wearing over her school uniform and uniform code be damned. (If any teachers ever had a problem with it, they've given up trying to enforce it by now.) "Oh, I got new patches sewn on too," she adds, pointing out a couple -- one a Hello Kitty clutching a strawberry, and the other a big pink lizard with the word GIRLZILLA. "How long do I wait before I get metal spikes in the shoulders or something, like I'm into Punk Rock?" she asks, as she folds the jacket over itself and plops it down beside her.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Molly-chan I am the *wrong* person to ask," Rashmi chuckles. "Chrono's had spikes on his uniform for forever. But how are you gonna have *room,* if you give it another year everything's gonna be covered in patch! Which the new ones look great by the way."

And she's about to go on, but the rice cooker sings its song of readiness, and Rashmi practically teleports back to the closet to get bowls and spoons. And there was *just* enough in the cooker for two full bowls, one of which is handed immediately off to Molly.

"Honestly it'd probably be a good idea anyway, even if you didn't intend to be a Meister. There's a lot the self-repair modules can do, but there's also a lot they *can't* without taking more time than maybe you'll have. So yeah I'd be *tickled* to teach you how to maintain Starcrash, while I'm doing my thing. Also, and mostly I'm asking you this *now* in case there's another Arthrafall and I'm not around for it again; *I need Device Cores.* If it's a chunk of the repair depot that hits Earth and I'm not there for it, please please *please* look for just a crate of Device Cores. If we're lucky enough they store em in crates. Because uh... I talked to Mamo-kun and Usa-chan. ... ...Mamo-kun asked if I'd build his daughter a Device cape. And now I want to build a cure pink Device cape for a five-year-old."

Molly Skyline has posed:
Molly gratefully accepts the food, and chows down immediately, with a comment that's not entirely intelligable with her mouth full but the word 'delicious' is definitely in there. Thankfully she finds her presence of mind to do things like swallow before she says anything else.

"If I come across any device cores, I will claim them for you and fight anyone who tries to say otherwise. ...Even if I have to go another round with Fate." She forces herself to slow down her eating, so she can actually enjoy the flavor. But, it can't be denied; girl was hungry. Maybe there's an obvious reason for that.

"At least my Barrier Jacket is back in fighting trim," she says, between mouthfuls of food. "I was worried about that, on Saturday night, I dunno if I've ever had it in such a thrashed state before. Like, more than half of it was straight up missing."

She grins, giving a shrug of her shoulders. "But anyway. I'll watch out for cores, and... yeah, I would love to spend time with you learning about device maintenance. I'm definitely not cut out to be a full meister like you, but... hey, if DnD ever taught me anything, it's that being able to look after your own gear and maybe manage the odd upgrade here and there is a very, very good thing."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"...Molly-chan did you try to *solo Fate?!*"

'But anyway is a weak defense and will not save you, Molly. But Rashmi just sighs heavily, taking a moment to eat her food and *not* yell at her friend.

"...You're still alive," she sighs after a bit, "so things didn't go as bad as they could have... But Molly-chan... c'mon. We've talked about risk assessment, I'm *pretty sure.* Next time, backup? *Any* backup?"

Molly Skyline has posed:
"Trying to solo Fate was... not actually my plan," Molly protests. "Starcrash detected a potential Jewel Seed, but it was a really weak signal, so I figured I'd just check it out before I got anyone's knickers in a bunch over it, but then Fate was just... there, and it was either defend myself or run for it, so..."

A look crosses Molly's face as she realizes she's admitting to exactly what Rashmi is accusing her of, "So yeah I tried to solo Fate. I hit her a few times; her barrier jacket was definitely looking beat up by the end of it. And she said I was dangerous." She shrugs he rshoulders lightly. "I told her we'd call it a draw. I don't think she believed me but when I left she didn't try to stop me from going, so there's that I guess. I... doubt it was actually a Jewel Seed, but on the off chance it was, she got it."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I mean... I'm glad she wasn't out for blood," Rashmi says carefully, "but like... Now that she thinks you're dangerous, she *will* come at you hard next time. And trust me... that's *terrifying.* Like, *I've* fought against her twice. One time I accidentally knocked her out because she didn't expect exploding Shields, and before that I survived her biggest gun... mostly. It chewed through three Shields and still hurt like heck."

Shaking her head, she finishes off her dinner, then plucks a pair of sodas out of Nicomachea's charm, offering one to Molly. "So I'm not gonna yell at you. You've definitely come a long way from getting hurt soloing a vending machine, though, and that's--"

    << *BONG!* >> << ALERT. MASTER. ALERT. DIMENSIONAL INCURSION IMMINENT. PRELIMINARY READINGS CONSISTENT WITH ANOMALOUS CORROSIVE ENERGY PATTERN. >>

Interrupted by Nicomachea abandoning subtlety and just speaking a full-voiced alert definitely stops Rashmi in the middle of opening her bottle... which gets tucked back into her Device with a sigh. "Speaking of not going alone... C'mon, Molly. Looks like they're doing something stupid again. Nicomachea? Set Up!"