380/Grand Re-Opening

Grand Re-Opening
Date of Scene:	12 May 2017
Location:	New York City
Synopsis:	In which Dragonfly and Chat meet each other anew in their workaday identities at the grand reopening of the Whole Foods they destroyed.
Cast of Characters:	Dragonfly (Arazello), 142

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    GRAND REOPENING!
    So blare the television ads. The web ads. The mobile ads. Even the local newspaper nobody uses for anything but lining bird cages.
    Whole Foods Flatbush is reopening after repairs from the unfortunate incident involving robbers and supers that damaged it so badly a building inspector had to be called in to check the status of a supporting beam. Pronounced safe, the store rebuilt the affected shelves and refrigerators, slapped on a coat of paint, and called it a day, opening with a bunch of in-store specials to draw both old customers and the curious back to their hallowed precincts.
    Nancy is there checking out the repairs and assuaging her mildly guilty conscience. And gawking at the morbid "disaster tourists" that are themselves checking out the site of a minor disaster.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"You know, you almost cant tell supers had been here," Adrien notes. He had come by for more cheese and upon spotting Nancy he had moved over. He may have chestedn drawing on the cat-like grace Plagg grants him in tiny threads (thouh the drawback is bad luck), and the frace from fencing and martial arts and dance and modeling to sneak up om Nancy. He stands there, one hand in pocket, collar stylishly turned up. A warm almosr roguish grin on his face.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy practically jumps out of her skin at the sudden words, especially echoing, as they did, the thoughts running through her head. She spins and ... relaxes on seeing Adrien.
    "Couldn't stay away from Hipster Heaven, could you?" she says with a relieved grin. Then, "And dammit you scared me!"
    She self-consciously adjusts her clothing, apparently reflexively, subconsciously comparing her too-casual look to Adrien's fresh-off-the-pages-of-GQ look.
    "It's kind of amazing how well they concealed the damage, isn't it?" she asks, running her hand over where Dragonfly's shoulder nicked a supporting pillar. "They must have really good insurance or something."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Seeing Nancy jump brings conflict to Adrien. The part od him that's Chat, and much closer to whi he really was, wanted to laugh warmly at startling her. The perfect face of the Agreste company demands he just smile nonchalantly. The expression he wears is somewhere in between.

"Their cheese is really good," is all Adrien says in reply. His eyes drift to the damage that he didnt cause. Not this time. Which was a thing. Normally, he's the destructive one.

"They must have," he repeats softly, mind working back to the hole he put in a street in Gotham because giant killer crocodile wanted to eat him... and Batgirl.

America is wack.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "They do, yes," Nancy agrees, looking in the direction of the dairy. "Although I tend to go for the Italian stuff over the French you probably like." She returns her eyes to Adrien. "You're French, right? I'm not remembering things screwy, right?" She sighs. "I've been really busy at work and a little distracted lately."
    Then.
    "Uh ... I'm going to ask what's probably a silly question, but ... uh ... last time you said you were late for a ... photo shoot?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien nods. It's an automatic response, keeping up with the small talk as his mind is elsewhere. The direction questions bring him back and he smiles to cover the moment spaceiness.

"Yes. Im French and yes. photoshoot. Im a model."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy blushes. Flushes really. "I knew it!" she practically crows before quickly covering her mouth in embarrassment.
    "Oh, sorry," she says. "It's just that it was bugging me for a while and I was trying to figure out which side of the camera you were on. And I guessed you were on the receiving side."
    She pauses, then appears to realize what that sounds like.
    "Because you dress so spiffily, I mean," she blurts out. "Not because you're good looking." She reddens and digs in deeper. "I mean yes, obviously you're good looking, but it's the clothes that made me think you were the model, not the photographer."
    She throws up her hands in self-disgust.
    "Oh, I give up. I'm a clod. Sorry."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Of all the uncomfortable responses Adrien's gotten to 'im a modeln ya know what i mean' this was by far the most amusing. He smiles winningky, that picture ready smile. A shoulder rolls.

"Itx's fine Nancy. If you had asked, I would have told you. Im a model, no skill using a camera, and thank you for thimking me and my clothes look nice." As warm as his tone is, its a little false as his mind begs silently: pleae sont let tjis be the only reason you'll wabt to stay friends...

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
"Anyway," Nancy says, bravely trying to recover from the gaffe. "It's nice to see you again. I thought maybe the robbery might scare you off; that would have been a shame. I was planning on introducing you to cheeses from my people and learning from you the cheeses of yours." She grins. "And then once we got bored with those, we could try those incredibly smelly German and Danish ones."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Oh god. She is a cheese nut. She and Plagg could go on for hours. Adrien smiles so perfectly, so fakely. He really doesnt like cheese all that much.

"Sure," he says despite thos fact, fsr too polite to Nancy and needing to maintain that swcret of his that he cant find a way out of it.

"Soubds great." please God no.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Of course," she continues, "Italians use cheese mostly as a seasoning; I mean yeah we put it on sandwiches and sometimes eat it straight, but mostly it goes into our dishes."
    She looks across at the pasta section she was in the last time they met.
    "So I was wondering if you'd like to maybe try one of those dishes sometime. I'm ... well, I can cook, but I'm not restaurant-grade. I'm not sure what you're used to in that regard. If you don't want to risk someone burning a pot of water, I know some good authentic places."
    She makes a grimace.
    "Pro tip: if an 'Italian' place has chili flakes in a shaker on the table, walk out."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Once again does the model smile and nod to.Nancy's wordsn though he seems to warm at the prospect of food.

"Im sure you're fantastic. Im used to catered food, restaurant food, or the family chef. Ive always wondered how food cooking goes. Tell you what, id you dont me staring at you while you cook? I'll buy the ..things? materials?"

Poor thinf doesnt even even know thw food is made from ingrediebts and that its called groceries

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Well, the first thing we're going to need is ..." Nancy shrugs ironically. "... Cheese. I'm more of a northern kind of girl, so prosciutto, basil, pine nuts, ..." She goes off on a long list, taken apparently, straight from memory since she isn't pulling any kind of paper or electronic device out of her voluminous purse.
    "The key," she finishes, after essentially listing half the store, "is freshness of ingredients and small batch preparation."
    Small batch. And apparently a hundred of those small batches...

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien blinks four ingredients inn looking lost. His non pokcrt hand rubs the back of his head.

"And we xan get rhese rhings here?" he asks, confused again. "fresh enough? "

Gives the impession that buyinf the heese or rrying to was probably the first bit od grocery shoping hexd ever done (readv it totallu was)

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Yes, we can get everything here," Nancy reassures Adrien. "The rest of the stuff I need is already in my townhouse."
    More. She has more stuff. Apparently an army is dropping by for dinner as well.
    Nancy guides Adrien through the shelves and counters deftly, picking out ingredients with an engineer's precision. The result is an astonishing number of different ingredients ... but not an astonishing bulk. She seems to really believe in cooking in small batches after all.
    "There we go!" Nancy exclaims triumphantly. "Enough here for an acceptable meal."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien just follows along, csrrying rhings onky if asked. otherwise n he appears the perfect mix of cooly interested, detachedly confodent, and warmly.disinterested.

All fake. Adrien is none of those things.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    The tally is rung up. The goods are bagged ... in the cotton shopping bags and nets that Nancy pulls out of her garish purse. ("Got to take care of the environment, right?" she shrugs.) The pair walk over to her nearby townhouse. Now that she's out of her area of expertise, Nancy goes a little bit awkwardly silent, unsure of what to talk about.
    "There it is," she finally says as they arrive at her door. "Casa Arazello. Forgive the mess."
    She opens the door ... to a spotless home with nothing out of place.
    "I keep meaning to hire someone to tidy up," she sighs, "but then I forget. It's my job, you understand. It's a bit distracting at times."
    She steps aside to let Adrien pass. "Make yourself at home; I'll organize the ingredients and then we can get cooking. Do you mind occasionally being asked to hold a bowl or something?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
He had been here before. To dry his shirt. He just nods to her rambling n taking in the warmth and life found in the not mess of the clutter of life.

"You'll let me?" he asks, stunned, rurnkng to regard Nancy. There is no mistaking the truth of this smile, not with how it lights hom up from the inside.

"Oui. I csn help. just tell .e what to do..."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Well, if you want to learn anything about cooking, it's best to be in the thick of it," Nancy opines. "Just standing and watching ... you'll learn some. But nothing beats having hands on. Just ... uh ..." She flushes a little. "... Seeing as your looks are a big part of your profession you might want to keep away from the knifework. It's very easy to have an accident."
    And with that warning she starts through the ingredients, explaining which dishes they were for and how to work them. Her technique is not Michelin-star grade, but she's obviously comfortable in the kitchen and, if her relaxed voice and stance are anything to judge by, quite happy.
    "I need to thank you for coming, Adrien," she says as the last dish gets put in place for actual cooking -- a baked gnocchi dish layered in three cheeses. "I don't cook often enough; it's terrible cooking for one."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien is a quick lesrner, studious and eager and intelligent. So as Nancy directs him, Adrien does exsctly as told. Clearly the boy has never been in a kitchen.

"Thank you for inviting me, and letting me be here," he replies, tone genuine.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "And ... voila!" Her pronunciation is atrotious. "Have a seat at the dinner table; we've got food coming!"
    In decidedly non-restaurant style she delivers the plethora of small dishes to the table in no particular order, arranging them for fit. She then slides into the chair one space removed clockwise. "Dig in. That..." she indicates a dish "...is antipasto and that's..." another gesture "...an appetizer, along with this and that one over there. These are the salads..." One greens. One pasta. "...That's the pizza. Real style, not New York style."
    She continues rattling off the list of foods and their recommended order of consumption.
    "Oh, and save some room. I have some gelato in the freezer. There's nutmeg, peach brandy, champagne, ... and ... uh ... I think raspberry, but I'm not sure."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Sure, Adrien eats well. But its nearly always a carefully planned and executed menu to keep him in a camera ready body. never mind that he 'works out' way more than anyone would expect. The fact that all the food is here at the same time is slightly over whleming and so Arien just takes one of everything.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"Yhis is amazing," he manages to pronounce around the dood in his mouth. because home cooked is not something hexs used to at all.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy actually blushes a bit. "It's not THAT good," she says, waving dismissively. An impish grin spills over her face. "But it's nice to hear. Thanks." While she may not be a "supermodel looks" type, it is surprising that she's not approximately five times her weight given the amount of the food she shovels into herself. One of those "fast metabolism" people obviously. Or very active.
    "No, I'd reserve amazing for one of the pizzas at Gianno's. Or the risotto at Christopher's. I've offered the chef at the latter a lot of money for his recipe but he won't budge. Says I have to go to the restaurant if I want to taste it."
    She self-consciously pushes back a stray strand of hair as she looks over to Adrien. "But really, thanks for accepting the invitation. It's so much nicer to cook for someone else than it is to cook for yourself. And the food always turns out better too."
    A nibble on a focaccia. "So, you're a model, but ... honestly ... you seem more. You sling around more money than I've ever seen any model sling around. And, I hope this doesn't come out too badly, but you're not a vapid, empty shell of a human being."
    Her left arm gestures to encompass the food at the table. "I mean you're eating, for starters. The models I know--and to be fair they're mostly women--would nibble on a slice of cheese and an apple and then pronounce themselves full. Or they'd gorge and then go to the bathroom for a suspiciously short time right afterwards."
    "What's the deal?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"Me thinks you are too modest, Mademoiselle, but you are very welcome nonetheless," Adrien says formally, a soft smile on his face and a light not real bow just before he takes another measured mouthful.

"I am absolutely the one that needs to say thank you for the invitation. My cook's good, but seriously? This stuff is so good," he gushes lightly again, pausing in eating to drink some wine. He smiles into the question. There it is. He knew it was going to happen. The smile only tenses in his eyes.

"Well.. My father is Gabriel Agreste..." As if that explains everything.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy actually blushes a bit. "It's not THAT good," she says, waving dismissively. An impish grin spills over her face. "But it's nice to hear. Thanks." While she may not be a "supermodel looks" type, it is surprising that she's not approximately five times her weight given the amount of the food she shovels into herself. One of those "fast metabolism" people obviously. Or very active.
    "No, I'd reserve amazing for one of the pizzas at Gianno's. Or the risotto at Christopher's. I've offered the chef at the latter a lot of money for his recipe but he won't budge. Says I have to go to the restaurant if I want to taste it."
    She self-consciously pushes back a stray strand of hair as she looks over to Adrien. "But really, thanks for accepting the invitation. It's so much nicer to cook for someone else than it is to cook for yourself. And the food always turns out better too."
    A nibble on a focaccia. "So, you're a model, but ... honestly ... you seem more. You sling around more money than I've ever seen any model sling around. And, I hope this doesn't come out too badly, but you're not a vapid, empty shell of a human being."
    Her left arm gestures to encompass the food at the table. "I mean you're eating, for starters. The models I know--and to be fair they're mostly women--would nibble on a slice of cheese and an apple and then pronounce themselves full. Or they'd gorge and then go to the bathroom for a suspiciously short time right afterwards."
    "What's the deal?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"Me thinks you are too modest, Mademoiselle, but you are very welcome nonetheless," Adrien says formally, a soft smile on his face and a light not real bow just before he takes another measured mouthful.

"I am absolutely the one that needs to say thank you for the invitation. My cook's good, but seriously? This stuff is so good," he gushes lightly again, pausing in eating to drink some wine. He smiles into the question. There it is. He knew it was going to happen. The smile only tenses in his eyes.

"Well.. My father is Gabriel Agreste..." As if that explains everything.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Well," Nancy says, spooning out another ravioli onto her plate, "I have no idea who that is. I'm not exactly big up in the social pages; been too busy to keep track. I assume that means, though, he's some kind of man of means?" She carefully cuts an arc-shaped piece from it. "If so, good on you! The best way to become rich is to have a rich parent. Trying to do it yourself is a lot of hard work that doesn't always pay off."
    Her face darkens a bit. Her voice goes soft as she stares down at the plate.
    "Ken and I were working on that. Now probate is interfering with everything and the company is going to pot. I've had to take a job elsewhere because it could be years before that wrangling is straightened out."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
She's never heard of Gabriel Agreste? For real? Adrien's eyes widen in surprise at this revalation. His head tilts.

"..Yeah. I have a rich family you really don't know who he..." Arien stops himself the moment Nancy's face darkens. His own discomfort immediately forgotten, he puts his fork down to lean forward, offer his right hand.

"Is there anything I can do?" he asks... perhaps recklessly.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy dabs at her eyes quickly and pastes on a smile.
    "No, sorry. I was taken by surprise; wasn't ready for the topic." She attempts a chuckle, but it gets caught in her throat and turns into half a chuckle, half a strangled cough. "I'm the one who brought it up but I wasn't ready for it. How stupid is that?" she says in a desperate attempt to remain light-hearted.
    She forcibly lifts her spirits. Well, forcibly raises the glass of wine--some cheap table wine or other, not really the strong point of the meal, and certainly not spirits--and takes an audible gulp.
    "But I honestly have no idea who Gabriel Agreste is. Having wealthy parents, though, that's got to be a nice thing. It lets you work on what you want instead of what you must."
    She shrugs, her face now with a more steady smile on it, but eyes still looking somewhat haunted. "I didn't do too badly in that realm myself. I mean I'm not rich, but I never had to do anything just to survive; it let me go to school, get a degree in something that interested me, co-found..." There's that slight choking sound again, quickly suppressed. "...a company. Just... you know, just enough leisure to be able to afford doing what I wanted instead of what had to be."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"As long as you're okay?" Adrien asks, making sure before pulling his hand back. With Nancy not knowing about his father, Adrien seems to relax just a touch right before the smile turns a bit... conflicted? Sad, but not.

"Yeah... Nice." Oh, the tone though. The tone Adrien ddn't hide.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy's mood drops like a concussed bee as she hears the tone.
    "Oh, here I am wallowing and thinking you have the perfect life. I'm an idiot. Everybody has their problems and it's unkind to pretend otherwise. How about I stop and we get back to an amicable meal between friends?"
    She picks up a fork, squeezing Adrien's outstretched hand briefly, before concentrating on eating.
    "Did I ever mention," she asks conversationally, "that I can understand every form of spoken communication in the world? I mean except for Greek. I have a mental block over that language for some reason. It's pretty weird."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
"Every? That is... really interesting actuslly." he says, forcing himself away from that tone he heardcome out of his mouth fsr too late to stop it. He saw how her mood dropped and he cgides hinself for having been unfair.

"Like all.of them? I wonder ehy greek holds you up? i havent studied that one..."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    Nancy looks up with a modest smile. And something else in her eyes, hard to identify. "Well, try me," she says quietly. "Say something in any language at all. Just not Greek."
    She returns her attention to her food, picking a small cherry tomato out of a salad and popping it in her mouth to chew thoughtfully. She swallows.
    "I try not to show it off; it makes people jealous. But it lightens conversations when it's needed. And this conversation needs a whole lot of lightening."
    Her eyes swivel back up to Adrien, sparkling as she awaits her test."

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien purses his lips faintly, and then speaks in Mandarin, "Iam not quite what to say here..." And he waits expectedly. lame test was lame.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    The glint in Nancy's eyes turns triumphant, even as her grin widens into a victory grin.
    "Sorry," she says, shrugging. "That's all Greek to me."
    She turns her eyes down to her food, grabbing another ravioli, as she stifles a giggle.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien looks confused, head tilting faintly. "but.. ut was Chinese?" she was giggling though so, that was a thing.

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    At that Nancy bursts out in full giggling form.
    "That's the joke. Common English expression when you don't understand something: That's Greek to me!"
    She regains her composure. Mostly.
    "Sorry, I guess that's a joke that only works on people steeped in American culture." Her mouth is still crooked into a lop-sided smile, but she's still in an obvious merry mood. "I guess it's pretty telling that the most exotic language we could think of is Greek, right?"

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
Adrien grinsn thought there is a note of confusion to it. the smile is more thab warm enough. "yeah. that is a new one.. all greek to me... ill remeber that one." happy that the mood he lightened he starts to relax when his phone rings. His back st4aightens as he answrra, in french: "Yes maam. ... yes. ... how long? ... ok. i'll be ready." he hangs up and wipes his mouth before moving to stand. "im sorryn nancy. i have to work now. thank yiu. it was amazing. i'll see tou aroubd ."

Dragonfly (Arazello) has posed:
    "Oh, it was all my pleasure, I assure you. I meant it when I said I hate cooking for one," Nancy says, brushing off the thanks with humility. "And thank you for putting up with my bad jokes and everything. You go to your work; I'll pack up and clean up here and then go for a quick flight before bed time."
    She pauses, blinking, then glancing over at Adrien.
    "Computer simulation," she says, by way of explanation. "I'm an aerospace engineer and I'm working on a new control system in the simulator."
    Her lie isn't very convincing.

Adrien Agreste (142) has posed:
And yet Adrien excepts it completely at face vakue. cok. have a good flight ans sont fake crash too much."

380/Grand Re-Opening

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