1081/Korma Blues

Korma Blues
Date of Scene:	04 February 2024
Location:	Korma Chameleon
Synopsis:	Marinette is having a bad day, and stops in at the Korma to write an upsetting-but-necessary letter and maybe fill her stomach. Rashmi, and later Chiyo, both help lift up the poor Miraculous, and give her new friends!
Cast of Characters:	Rashmi Terios, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chiyo Sakai

---

Rashmi Terios has posed:
There are days when a restaurant can expect to be slammed; holidays, new specials, changes to the menu... Restaurants plan for these days, and make sure they have the people necessary to handle all the business.

Other days, the stars simply align, and even the best manager can't prepare to have all the necessary voids in the schedule filled in time.

Today is just such a day. Luckily, the owners of the Korma have a teenage daughter with a knack for customer service and absolute willingness to help out when needed.

Which is how, as the lunch rush slows to a dull roar, a red-haired young woman of markedly Indian descent moves among the rest of the waitstaff, cheerfully collecting dishes and processing receipts.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Initially Marinette had been looking for a quiet place. A Place where she could get away from too many people. A Place where 'he' wouldn't be. That plan changed however when her stomach started growling. That growl was then challenged by another much smaller growl coming from her purse. "Wow Tikki, Sounds like you are as hungry as I am. Lets go find lunch."

Marinette's feet carried her away from the school. Her eyes would fall on an Indian restaurant that looked rather busy. "Hmmm if they are that busy they must be really good. Lets try some Indian food." She comments as she walks into the building. She idly walks toward the back of the dining room to take a seat away from the crowd. Once there, she looks around and at the menu, waiting for service.

As she waits, she gets out a pen and paper. The dull drone of the crowd was enough to keep her partially distracted from what she was feeling inside but not entirely. She began to write; 'Dear Adrien,' and thats as far as she got. She sat there for what felt like an hour trying to come up with what to say. The words just refused to come out.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
It's not long at all, in fact, before the redhead sweeps up to Marinette's table. "Welcome to the Korma Chameleon," she chirps, notepad out and pen in hand. "Is this your first time here? Because if you're used to Japanese curry, it'll be kind of a surprise."

If she notices the paper, and the words thereon, she doesn't show it; customer business is of course customer business, and it'd be rude to pry. "Would you like some chai to start, or maybe a lassi? Papi does *amazing* things with rosewater if you like that."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette looks up to Rashmi and smiles a little. Through that smile there is a somberness to her. She replies and nods, "Yes its my first time here. I've never had curry before." She then looks down at her paper. A sigh escapes her lips as she idly covers it with her hands.

"What is Lassi?" She asks curiously. "I've never had Indian food before. Mostly French, Chinese and Japanese foods." She shrugs. "I guess lets try the lassi!" She states feeling adventurous.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Okay!" Rashmi says, beaming. One of the true joys of this work, after all, is being on hand to see someone's world open up with that first bite. "So, lassi is a cold drink, made with yogurt and milk, and usually flavored with fruit. Mango's what people usually get, but we also have rose, lychee, and melon and jackfruit in the summer. So... let's start with mango, and when I come back I'll walk you through the menu, okay?"

The redhead grins. "Papi's a *genius* with fusion, but, Indian food usually needs a guide and Bengali food is different even for Indian, so... Oh! Out of curiosity are you vegetarian? Or d'you have any allergies or the like?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"That sounds really good! I'm sold! Lets do the Mango Lassi." Marinette smiles a little smile. "Oh that is really good. My dad had to learn some fusion styles with his baking. My parents run a patisserie in Paris." She smiles again, this time forgetting about the paper she was writing. "I am not a vegetarian and no food allergies that I know of." She responds as she thinks about it to make sure its right. "I'm Marinette. Nice to meet you."

Marinette then goes back to her letter. 'I've wanted to say this since I met you but every time I got in my own way. Even now, I have to write this letter Because my words won't work around you.'

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Paris!" Rashmi echoes, eyes wide. "Oh wow, that's awesome! I'm Rashmi Terios, this is my family's place. It's really good to meet you, Marinette-san! Just give me a minute, I'll be right back with your drink, okay?"

And with that, she dips a quick bow and bops off to the kitchen, returning a little bit later with a tall glass full of pale-yellow drink, which is set in front of Marinette. "Aaaand here you are!"

Noticing that Marinette seems occupied, she waits for the girl to finish before risking rudeness by interrupting.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette looks up from her writing. She smiles as she sees the rather curious beverage. "Thank you very much." She reaches out and takes the drink. Taking a sip her eyes light up, "Oh Wow! This is delicious!" She exclaims as she drinks a little more of it.

Her attention shifts back to the letter for a long moment before looking back at Rashmi, "I'm sorry I am so distracted. Have you ever really really really liked someone but haven't been able to tell them?" She asks already feeling her eyes begin to well. "There is this boy That I really like. I have liked him as long as I've known him. I just was never able to tell him. Everytime I tried something would happen to interfere, I'd trip over my words or many times my own two feet."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I'm glad you like it!" Rashmi answers with a grin... Which begins to fade, as Marinette confesses her problems. And finally at the end, she winces in sympathy, then looks around. Noting that the place is beginning to clear out until the dinner rush, Rashmi comes to a decision really quickly. "I'm really, really sorry to hear that, Marinette-san, that's *rough.* Gimme a sec, I'll get us some snacks and go on break, and we can talk about it, okay?"

Disappearing into the kitchen again, she comes back out with her notepad and a plate of something deep-fried and smelling of spices, with a handful of dipping sauces, but without her apron.

"Okay," she says, plunking the plate in the middle of the table, and sliding into the booth at the far end. "Aloo Pakora for heavy talk, on the house. It's just potatoes in spiced batter, but it's hard to have a bad day when you're eating them, y'know? So... I had a couple crushes when I was in middle school, but, back then I was kind of resigned to being invisible. So I *sort of* know how you feel, but... Could you just not talk around him?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette nods to Rashmi, "Okay, I'm sorry to dump this on you. I am just a little... frustrated." Then Rashmi steps away. The blunette is again left alone with her letter. 'The truth is... I love you.' A tear falls from down her cheeks and onto the paper, blurring some of the ink she happens to be writing in. She takes ahold of the paper and crumples into a ball. That one will be trash. She can't just come out and say it like that! It would seem like she is desperate. But wait, Isn't she desperate? She certainly felt that way.

Then Rashmi returns with those deep fried things. The smell of the spices in them is intoxicating as she breathes it in. "Mmmmmmm This smells really good." She looks at Rashmi and nods, "Kinda like my family's Galette. Much of Paris would come to my family's shop to get them. They are so good!"

Then its down to business. "I have a problem. I'm really clumsy. Like REALLY clumsy. So I'm always running into things and falling. Losing things. The whole package. Then when I'm around him..." She breathes in and lets out a sigh. "He feels unobtainable. We are friends but I wanted more than that. I think I love him." She frowns. "But anyway, I umm... Stumble over my words and get really confused when I speak to him."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"That sounds amazing," Rashmi answers. "I've never heard of Galette before, I'll have to look it up! And don't worry, Marinette-san. Sometimes people just need to talk to someone they don't know to make sure there's none of the baggage, right?"

Settling down to listen, the redhead nods slowly, taking mental notes as if in the classroom.

"...You make it sound like he's out of reach completely," she says, gently. "Is that why you're so upset? Because you feel like you missed your chance?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"He found a girlfriend. I blew my chance to actually date him." She sighs and shakes her head. Reaching out she takes one of the Aloo Pakoras and takes a bite. Her eyes light up with stars, "Oh these are so good!" She smiles and tries another using one of the dipping sauces.

"So anyway, I wanted to write a letter to him. One where I can confess just how much I care about him. I don't want to think I missed my chance. You know?" She sighs. "Every time I try to write what I feel it comes out wrong and I just am having so much trouble."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Okay," Rashmi says, smiling at the reaction to the food. "So... really important question, I guess; *can* you still be his friend if you're not dating? Because sometimes people can, and sometimes they can't, and that's okay. No one expects you to just sit there and suffer for his sake. But if you *can* still be his friend, that matters, y'know? Mami has... a *lot* to say about first loves," she says with a chuckle. "Both of my parents are, like, *super* careful to keep me aware of long-term stuff like that. But mostly it boils down to; if it doesn't work out the first time, that's when it hurts the worst, but that's normal. Just remember that you deserve to be happy too."

Glancing down at the pakora, the redhead smiles. "...So these are *not* going to last long, so how about this; d'you like chicken, fish, lamb or pork better? And I'll surprise you."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Oh umm. Lamb is really good but so is pork and chicken... Umm Surprise me?" Marinette asks as she thinks about what what Rashmi says. "I think we can still be friends. I want us to still be friends but my heart says I want him to love me like I do him."

She sighs and pulls out a fresh sheet of paper. She writes on it, 'Dear Adrien, I tried to tell you this so many times but everytime something got in our way. I couldn't find the words or we were going different ways. Even now I am struggling to find the words to say to you. I am sorry this letter is coming late and it is not my intention to hurt you or your girlfriend. I just needed you to know... I Love you.'

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Will do," Rashmi says, sliding out of her seat to give Marinette space to write. It's not long before she returns, carrying a cup of spicy-smelling tea for herself, and slides back into the seat. "So," she says, reaching for another fried potato, "I told Papi we need a meal for someone feeling heartsick. He said he has just the thing, and it'll be out in a little bit."

Falling silent for a bit, she tilts her head. "So tell me about this boy? He must be pretty amazing if he's got you tied up in knots just existing."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Well he is really amazing. He's a model. Its part of what drew my attention to him. I'm a fashion designer. He actually wore a derby hat I designed in a big photoshoot." Marinette takes a sip of her drink, still really enjoying the flavor. "Hes got these green eyes that you can just get lost in. He is really kind and always polite. He actually defended me against this girl that would bully me at my old school."

She gets another of those fried potato things and dips it in dipping sauce. She bits into it and smiles. "These are so good! I think I'm going to like this place." Then she goes back to the conversation about Adrien. "I kinda know everything about him. I just don't know how to talk to him. Everytime I get around him I get confused and I stumble over my words. I say the dumbest things and get words out of order."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
'...Model... ...Green eyes... ...Paris...'

.......

Oh boy.

"Well," Rashmi says slowly, "then I guess a letter is a good start? If he's not right in front of you, maybe it'll make the words come out a little easier. ...And actually confession letters are a *pretty big* thing in Japan, so... there's that?"

Smiling at the compliment to her family's cooking, she leans back in her seat. "...Can I ask *why* you get so tongue-tied? Like... is he really so pretty you forget how the brain works, or is it something else? Like... I completely get it either way, I have a friend whose roommates are so beautiful it's *criminal.* But I also used to get tied up in knots just trying to talk to people, it's part of why I joined Debate Club."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette nods slowly. "He really is. He is everything that I ever wanted in a boy." She frowns and looks down. When I was in Paris I would talk to my best friend about this. Her and the girls wanted he and me to get together. They set up so many occasions for us talk and hang out. Everytime though something went wrong. Once for Valentines Day I wrote a letter and he thought it came from someone else because I forgot to sign it. For his birthday I made him a scarf and forgot to sign the card. I did all I could to sign it and I succeeded but, somehow his father said the scarf was from him. So that didn't work either."

"He is just that amazing. He's got a good heart, he is gorgeous, and he is the nicest guy I've ever met. I just don't think I am worth his time, sometimes. I've tried so hard to speak with him but it always backfires."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Ahaaaa," Rashmi says, nodding slowly. "*Now* I see the problem. Marinette-san... if *you* don't see you're worth his time, what chance does he have? And I mean... If you're talking about who I think you are, then I *know* you're too hard on yourself. ...But also that you really, really want to have someone else hand-deliver that letter for you, just in case. But like... look. I know you don't know me from your run-of-the-mill Watanabe, but... if you *want* advice, I could probably give you some that at least has a fifty-fifty chance of working?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette nods to Rashmi. Her head hangs down for a long moment. "Is it that obvious?" She asks not really wanting to reveal just who she is pining over. Yet there is the hint that Rashmi might know who she is fawning over. "You know him?" She asks nervously. Part of her hopes that they think its someone else. But deep in her gut, Marinette knows that she probably knows its Adrien. "I've gotta write this letter." She sighs and her eyes tear up again.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I've met him a few times," Rashmi says, nodding. "Pretty sure he's my boyfriend's roommate, so I can get that letter to him if you want. But... hey. Look... I know it doesn't feel that way, but... I think this is a *good* thing you're gonna be doing, Marinette-chan."

Because when you've gotten a look inside someone's heart, it's *perfectly okay* to get more familiar.

Right?

"The problem is you don't think you're worth his time, right? Well... If you're friends, there's *no pressure* to be anything but who you are. And there's a lot that can come from that, especially if you get to be really *good* friends."

Never once does she say 'And maybe he and Naru will break up so you have that option' because that's just not something you want to wish on two of your friends, even if it'll make the life of a third better.

There's a sound from the kitchen, causing Rashmi to look up. "...I'll let you write that letter, Marinette-chan," she says, slipping out of the booth. "Your lunch is almost ready."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette finishes up with her letter. She is just about to sign her name when she pauses. "What if I sign this and he doesn't want to be friends with me anymore?" She winces. "I will go from having him as a friend in my life to him not being in my life at all. I don't know what to do!" She frowns and shakes her head. "I can't do that. I can't lose him entirely." She comments as she tries to figure out what to write. She quickly adds to the letter, 'No matter what I will be your friend. I just don't want you to think poorly of me.' She frowns and quickly stuffs the letter into her purse. She also grabs one of the fried potato things and slips that into her purse as well, which appeases the kwami inside it.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When Rashmi comes out, it's with a tray bearing a plate of long-grained rice smelling of onions and spice, a small plate of buttery flatbreads, and what looks like a hammered-copper tureen, filled with a curry so thick it can barely be called stew; spices mix with mustard oil, ginger and onion and tomato and lemon coating tender chunks of lamb, and between the warmth of the dish and the smell, when Rashmi sets it in front of Marinette, it feels like someone throwing a heated blanket around the shoulders on a cold winter day.

"There's a little chili in there," Rashmi says, "but not enough you could really call it *hot.* Pain isn't the point of comfort food, after all," she says with a smile. "And if it *is* hot, the lassi and that naan will help cut the heat."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"I finishes the letter." Marinette looks pale as she says that. "I put it in my purse but I don't know if I should give it to him. What if he resents me for saying this stuff. It looks like I am trying to ruin his relationship with his girlfriend. I just don't know what to do?"

She sighs and then sniffs the food. A smile forms on her face as she takes a bite of the curry. She smiles bright, "I am so coming back here again!" She laughs a little as she takes another bite and then tries the naan. "The food here is so good! No wonder you have so many people coming here over lunch." She continues eating the lamb curry and just smiles as it melts in her mouth. "This is so good!"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Marinette-chan," Rashmi says softly. "Unless you said 'you should break up with her,' you won't be trying to get him to do that. And, again; if you want, *I* can deliver it to him. I could tell him who it's from, and since he's rooming with the guy I *am* dating I can promise he won't get the wrong idea. Just, like... don't try to put it in his locker. He's already taken steps," she says, clearing her throat. "Like I said; confession letters are a *big thing* in Japan. I think he uses wax to block off the vents."

But the curry is doing its work, and Rashmi's smile brightens upon seeing the French girl's reaction to it. "You're *definitely* always welcome to come back," she says warmly. "And hey... you go to Radiant Heart, right? D'you want my number, in case you need someone to talk to?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette takes a deep breath. She reaches into her purse and is handed the letter by Tikki. She quickly bows her head and hands over the letter. "I have to try." She winces. "I think, After lunch I'm going to go for a run..." Sure that sounds like a reasonable excuse for what she really is going to do. "I just need to clear my mind of this whole thing. Now its out of my hands. I can't do anything to change it right?" She smiles nervously.

Then its right back into the curry. Part of her wants to share with Tikki but that would draw a little too much attention right now. Still she waits for a moment when Rashmi looks away to take a spoonful to her purse. An Audible "MMMM!!" is heard from below the table, which Marinette quickly covers up with an "MMMM!!" of her own. "This food is amazing. My grandfather would enjoy it. He is a chef in China." She smiles.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When you're a magical girl...

A lot of commonalities come into play. Her own type of magic might be more of the super-advanced PDA variety, but when you've encountered enough mascots, you know one when you hear it commenting on food from inside a purse. But, Marinette seems to be nervous enough, and grilling her over her magic *might* not be appreciated at the moment. So, Rashmi simply smiles indulgently at the cover-up, and chuckles. "That sounds awesome," she comments. "Papi stayed around India, but, I've seen videos of Chinese chefs at work, and it's *amazing* how easy they make it look! ...Also you *definitely* need to come back, there's a whole dessert menu you need to look at. I can *promise* you you've never tried anything like them!"

Her eyes flick in the direction the first sound came from, and her smile widens. "And hey, if that's too much for you to have right now, I can get some boxes for you to take home?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette nods, "It really is. He makes this really good soup. Its one of the best soups in china! I don't speak a lot of CHinese though." She laughs a little nervously, Still a bit shaken by Tikki's expression of delight. She takes a few more bites of the food before taking a long sip of the drink. "Yes I think taking some of this home would be a good thing. I don't think I can eat it all." Tikki would be pleased by this assuming she doesn't go crazy. Thankfully she shouldn't as the food isn't all that sweet.

So you go to Radiant Heart Academy too? Thats pretty cool that we go to the same school. I just haven't gotten around too much ."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I do!" Rashmi says. "I'm in grade 10, and I've been thinking of moving to the dorms in April, when the school year starts up again. I *love* having my own place, but... Iunno, maybe it's like practice for college? Anyway... What d'you like to do? Cos I'd love to show you around when you have free time, there's *so much* you could do in Tokyo if you know where to look."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette smiles, "I'm in 9th grade. I am not in any clubs or anything. Just too busy. I am a fashion designer and I do all sorts of arts and crafts. Like one time, I made a container for my diary. If someone tried to read it the container would snap shut on their hand and trap them. I had the only key so they couldn't get out without me finding out. My bully tried to get my diary. She sent her 'friend' to come get it. My parents left her right into my room. She went for my diary and it worked." She laughs a little. "My parents are great but sometimes they can be a little trusting."

She smiles a bit, forgetting about the letter for the time being. "Seeing Tokyo would be pretty cool. I mean I never really got a tour of the city. I mostly stay around the school." And swinging around the city getting to know it from the top down. Of course she can't say that though it would be pretty funny. "What sort of things are there to do in Tokyo?"

Rashmi Terios has posed:
Rashmi gasps at the story, hands covering her mouth when Marinette tells her about a bully's friend just... being let in to take a diary. "Oh wow, that's *super* clever! I guess they apologized or something before you let them out? And you're, like, a *professional* designer now? That's amazing!"

Hobbies are hobbies are normal, but, being good enough to have to pay taxes seems to elevate Marinette to legendary status!

"Well I mean it all depends on what you like to do," she says about Tokyo. "If you just want to see interesting places, we've got *loads,* like all the shrines and museums and stuff. If you want to go shopping, well... I mean there's the Clover Mall, at least a third of Juuban in general, or almost *all* of Shinjuku. Or you could go to Harajuku, that's where most of the cosplayers-for-fun go to just stroll down the street and show off what they can do! And I mean, that's really just a little bit, honestly. *I* like to have fun playing food-tourist, because there's practically no better conversation-starter than knowing where a good place nearby to eat is, y'know?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette reaches into her bag and pulls out her notebook. She flips it open to the derby hat she designed for Adrien to wear. "This the derby hat I designed. I took inspiration from the pigeons. I had to use fake feathers on it though because Adrien is allergic to feathers. It worked though. Chloe, My bully back in Paris. She tried to steal my design. She wasn't expecting me to know every detail of my work and to have put my mark on the real thing."

She smiles and thinks. "Well I like playing video games. Hanging out with friends though I don't have many of those here yet. I designed an outfit for someone already. They really liked it though so that was a win in my book. I like doing all sorts of things. Wait a cosplay part of Tokyo? I need to see that someday. It takes a lot of talent to make good cosplay outfits."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"It really does," Rashmi says, nodding. "I have a friend who's a cosplayer, she's been practicing for--"

Maaaaaybe 'fourteen thousand years' is not a good thing to say offhandedly, like that.

"--a long time."

Rising up on the seat to take a look at the notbook, she draws in a quiet gasp. "Okay that's *good,* I can *definitely* see why someone would be jealous and mean enough to try and steal it! And video games... Well, there's the Game Crown Center in Juuban -- and they do some really good milkshakes too -- and remember; Tokyo's basically where most of the arcade games in the world get tried out. So there's *always* events going on somewhere where a new game is getting put in front of people, to see how it does!"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette smiles a little. "Thats really cool. I'm glad she found something she really enjoys!" She turns a page to show a unisex outfit that looks good on both men and women. Paperclipped to the page is Adrien wearing the outfit as well as a girl with black hair but the bangs are a nice shade of purple, also wearing the outfit. "This one I put up on my blog." She smiles happily.

"Oh! That would be fun! I love playing games. I got to compete along side one of my friends for a tournament in Paris. We did pretty good in the contest. I loved it. I originally got into the tournament because Adrien was in it. It was going to be him and I. Then things went bad and well, I decided to let our friend play instead of me. Then Adrien gave me his controller and told me to play with our friend. It was really chaotic."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Oh you do *good* work," Rashmi says, eyes wide, then settles back to listen to the story. "...That *does* sound chaotic! It's practically something out of a TV show! ...But I see what you mean about Adrien-san being kind, that's really good of him to do."

Turning her cup around in her hands, she tilts her head to one side. "You know... It kind of sounds like part of the problem is you're lonely in a new place. Ever since I came to Radiant Heart, I've found *tons* of friends, and I'd be happy to introduce you around?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Yeah. He is really special." Marinette comments as thinks about Adrien and how nice he is. She really wishes she could have confessed her feelings before he started dating Naru. She lets out a little sigh before shaking it off.

"Yeah. I am still kinda hung up on my old friends. I haven't really made many friends here. I want to make some new friends and get to know some people. It might be really useful in the future to have some good friends to talk to and hang out with, you know?" She smiles and thinks about it.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
It's not far into the afternoon, and a particularly harrowing lunch rush at the Korma Chameleon has slowed to a pleasant, much more manageable murmur. At a booth near the back of the store, Rashmi and Marinette sit, with a half-eaten curry of some sort in front of the French student.

"Well you've got one right here, if you like," Rashmi grins. "And I'd be *super happy* to show you around Tokyo, too, so you could get familiar with the place to boot. Here--"

Flipping to a blank page in her notebook, she scribbles her number down, tears off the sheet, and passes it over. "Also if you're having trouble in class, history and English are what I'm currently doing best in. I know some people who actually have the head for math, but, it's definitely not me."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Though most of the business in the shop had started to die down, and those with full bellies were well on their way out the door, there were some just getting off work from their own jobs that were hungry. Chiyo was one such person who was currently skirting past a couple on their way out so that she can enter giving a quick look over the store to see if there was any room for her to sit. It only takes a moment for her to spy Rashmi sitting with some blue haired girl she didn't know. With a bit of a smile, she steps in the direction of their table.

A few steps away she pauses to lift her hand in a little wave as she greets, "Hi Rashmi. Sorry to interrupt you two. I just wanted to thank you for the curry you sent home for Ojiisan the other week. It really helped cheer him up."

Her glance shifts to Marinette as well to offer a little dip of her head. "Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt, I just wanted to say hi before I grab something to eat."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"I do okay with math most of the time. Honestly I am still learning Japanese. I can speak it for the most part but I am still learning how to write and such." She blushes a little as she tries to wrap her head around Hiragana. "Its a challenge but I'm learning." She takes the phone number and puts it into her purse. She will add it to her phone later.

Then there is Chiyo! She hasn't met her. She may have seen her in passing around the school but really, there was no real interaction. "Oh its okay. I was just getting ready to box things up and go for a run through the city. I'm gonna have to burn off this amazing food!" She laughs a little. Her mood has improved since she's been here and that is clear. "I'm Marinette, by the way." She introduces herself trying to be cordial.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Hi, Chiyo-chan!" Rashmi chirps, beaming. "And don't worry about it, I was *just* suggesting to Marinette-chan that I introduce her around! Marinette-chan, Chiyo-chan's family owns Nounamu Sweets, not far away from here. If you've been curious about Japanese candies, her family's shop's been in the business *forever.* Chiyo-chan, Marinette-chan's a fashion designer from Paris! And goes to our school, and needs to meet more people."

It really is satisfying, when you can make progress on a quest so soon after picking the quest up.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai relaxes a little bit when both girls assure her that she's not intruding. Moreso when introductions are made earning another soft smile from her. She really felt like she could relax again a bit now that there was no looming threat over her or her grandfather's head. Meeting people was good.

"Nice to meet you, Marinette-chan. Feel free to stop by the shop sometime. We have a discount for students at Radiant Heart, and Ojiisan may not say it but he really does like it when new people come in and try things out." She smiles broadly at that. "We make traditional Wagashi--Hand-crafted Japanese sweets--But we also carry some more modern treats as well if those aren't to your taste. Right now our seasonal flavors are yuzu, chestnut and persimmons." At this she pauses, to add, "We just got the persimmons in. They're drying right now to be candied." With a light clearing of her throat she looks between the pair, "Sorry, I work the shop with Ojiisan so I tend to get a bit overly descriptive of things."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Thats really awesome! My parents run a Patisserie in Paris. I learned to make things like bread and macarons from them. Its a lot of fun. I am looking forward to trying some of the local sweets." She pauses and giggles a little. "I don't really know what to expect. I mean some of the stuff I grew up with was really rich and very sweet. But I've noticed that some of the stuff around here is not as sweet but still really good! So I am excited."

She then looks at Rashmi and smiles before speaking again. "Yes I am a fashion designer. I love designing clothes and making them. I don't know if you've heard of Jagged Stone, He is a rock and roll star. I actually made a pair of glasses for his tour of France. It was a lot of fun and as for Jagged Stone himself? He is really cool but his alligator is kinda freaky."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
When Marinette says she doesn't know what to expect, Rashmi glances at Chiyo and grins. Oh, there is one wonderful way to find out, isn't there. "It is *definitely* gonna be a treat," says the redhead with feeling.

"...I don't think I've ever heard of Jagged Stone, no... but that's *so cool!* You really *are* a pro!"

...Look when 'work' is at best a part-time waitress/konbeni gig, 'designing glasses for rock stars' is indeed the height of professionalism, and Rashmi is quite visibly impressed. "...Okay I have to ask what the alligator's name is."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai looks a bit surprised as the mention of a rock star owning an alligator comes up. She blinks rapidly trying to imagine how that may be, and shakes her head when she comes up with a blank. "... I'm curious about that to. What do you name an alligator? Chompy?" Still she grins and nods to the pair. "That is very cool though. I'm not really much for fashion but I can appreciate it. I read a lot of manga," she admits sheepishly with her voice lowering. "The artists always come up with such pretty outfits."

Again she grins, nodding. "Japanese sweets try not to focus on just being sweet, but on the flavor of what it is they're made from. That's true in a lot of things, though. You'll find 'seasonal' items pop up in many food places around here because using fresh seasonal ingredients is considered the best way to experience the fruit, or vegetable."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Fang."

Its a short and sweet answer to the question. What do you name an Alligator. Or a Crocodile in this case. Why not name it fang! "Its big and he keeps it in his hotel room. Dunno why he has a pet Crocodile er Alligator, I can never tell the two apart. But he's got one." Marinette laughs a little bit.

"I enjoy designing outfits, hats, scarves, all sorts of things. Its fun to do and to see people enjoy the outfits I design is just... I always smile over it because I know it makes them happy."

Then Chiyo explains why the sweets are less sweet in Japan. Marinette smiles and takes in the reasoning, understanding the reason why now. "I think that makes sense. It will be a real change for me. I know how things are made in Paris and they are really rich and decadent."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"Well, let me get those boxes for you," Rashmi says with a grin. "And maybe I can sweet-talk Papi into giving you a brief idea of what sweets are like in Bengal." With that, she slides out of her booth to hop off back to the kitchen... And returning with take-out boxes, and one more plate.

They look like glazed Twinkies.

Smaller, perhaps, but they have that golden-brown sponginess to it that resembles Twinkies, but are clearly soaked in some kind of syrup. "And this is *my* favorite; chom-chom," Rashmi says, setting the plate on the table. "There's one of each for each of us. Rose, Hibiscus, and Lavender-flavored. Usually Papi makes more normal syrups, but he's kind of been on a flower kick lately, so. Let me know how you like them, and then I'll tell you how they're made!"

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
"Oh, Japan really loves French baking as well," Chiyo assures with a small chuckle of amusement. "Especially macarons because they're so cute. You can find them anywhere, though I don't know how good they may be compared to the traditional ones. Plus the bread is different here. Softer, chewier." Though she seems prepared to try and expound on it further Rashmi runs off to get boxes, and she flashes another grin.

"There's really a lot to experience here, but as much as some of the older generation might still be a bit hesitant about foreigners, you'll see a lot of influence from other countries in our food lately. We love food," she says with a laugh.

As Rashmi returns with the sweets she looks avidly interested. "I'm always up to learning about new sweets!" She assrues. She waits a moment only to gingerly take one holding it so that it doesn't drop any crumbs by putting her other hand beneath the one holding it to take a nibble.

"Oh. OH. Very sweet, but... Sour? Tart?" Her face contorts as she continues to chew. "Not dough or mochi. It's... what is this?"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette takes one of the confectionaries and takes a bite. the first thing she notices is the cheesy goodness inside it. Then there is the floral taste of it. "This is really good. The flower taste is a little intense but it is yummy." She giggles a little bit enjoying the mix of flavors.

She turns her attention to Chiyo and nods. "Oh I see. That is good. I will be able to find a taste of home whenever then. I make macarons from time to time." She doesn't say she makes them once a week every week. Specifically one for Adrien. Should she continue that? Just because Adrien is seeing Naru now, doesn't mean that they will always be together. So what if she made a few macarons in Adriens favorite flavors and colors every week... "I know how to make Croissants too.

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"It's cheese!" Rashmi says, as though revealing a magician's secret. "Like, *fresh* cheese, it's one of the first things Papi makes in the morning. Then you knead it like dough, and simmer it in syrup! And yeah the flower flavor comes in a *lot* stronger than it normally would, mostly because the syrup soaks in really, really deep."

Nodding along with Chiyo's talk about French desserts, the redhead smiles. "It's true... Pretty much any bakery that has a French word in the name is gonna at least *try* to have macarons, because, well... It's common 'wisdom' here that French means fancy, y'know? And Tokyo's nothing if it's not a city of trends."

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai is a bit surprised on hearing that. She wasn't personally lactose intollerant, thankfully, but cheese was such a specialty item that she rarely if ever had it. Maybe a bit mixed in with some ramen.

"Oh this is good! I wouldn't have guessed," she remarks as she reaches out to snag a napkin and dab at her mouth. "I've mixed savory and sweet before but not like this. It's really interesting." Looking up she flashes a grin. "Thanks for sharing it with us, Rashmi."

Shifting her attention back toward Marinette she also smiles, looking quite pleased. "Both are really good skills to have. Cooking in general, too."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Yes thank you so much Rashmi! This is delicious. I really like it." Marinette smiles as she goes for another one of the very tasty Cheese dessert confectionaries. "They are so good." She quickly finishes the thing off. Her stomach is definitely full by now and she is feeling it for sure. I think, maybe, I need to go soon. My eyes are bigger than my stomach!"

With that she starts boxing up the food from lunch. She grins, "This is going to be dinner tonight too!" And a snack for a certain Kwami. "Thank you again Rashmi. It means a lot to me that you're willing to introduce me to some more people. I really need to make more friends."

She turns to Chiyo and smiles to her, "Thank you too. It was a pleasure meeting you. I really will have to check out your candy shop. That sounds really cool! I wanna try some more Japanese candies and such."

Rashmi Terios has posed:
"I'm *always* happy to make a new friend, Marinette-chan," Rashmi chuckles. "Have a good day! And don't worry, it's all on the house today!"

Beaming as Marinette makes her goodbyes, she takes a moment to just bask in the warmth of a bad day, given light.

Now, what to tell Adrien about today if it ever comes up. ...Important considerations to make, this.

Chiyo Sakai has posed:
Chiyo Sakai dips her head toward Marinette while she was still slowly finishing her first of the treats, savoring it. It wasn't that she wasn't hungry. It's just typical for her to eat sweets slowly. If she didn't, she'd be liable to be a glutton at her work after all. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Marinette-chan. Please stop by some time, I'm sure you'll like it!"

Glancing over to Rashmi she nods along in agreement with her remark on freinds. "Yeah. I didn't have many before last year myself. It's always good to meet new people."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Thank you so much, Rashmi-san. Or should I say, Rashmi-senpai." She smiles to her and bows politely. "It was a lot of fun trying new things and getting help with that note. I just really needed to find a place to get away and actually write the dumb thing." Marinette smiles a little.

She turns to Chiyo and nods before bowing politely to her. "Thank you. I will definitely come by your candy shop and try some of the things there." She grins, "And maybe the next time I make Macarons I will bring you some. You too Rashmi." She beams over the idea. "Anyway I will see you both at school. Good bye!" She gathers the boxes with the food in them and exits the restaurant.

Once outside she tucks down an alleyway. Then with three words she starts her afternoon workout. "Tikki, Spots On!"