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There are few places in the City quite as uncomfortable for a country-girl as Times Square. Yet, for the promise of 'proper pizza', Danielle braves the crowds, the noise, the heat. It helps that she has a secondary task, namely protecting Amanda from the impersonal press of the native hordes. She isn't quite growling, but she does grumble as she scans signs and windows while they walk. "..find the stupid place, if they aren't gonna put a stupid sign up where people can… Oh is that it? ..no. No. C'mon. This better be the best damn pizza…"
*
If you want to find the best pizza place in New York? Follow the Gorgons. Or in this case, look where you could find one. Delphyne currently sits at a small table in front of the pizza place, using the nearby light to read from a book. Her snake-like hair is tied up behind her, but even so… most people are giving the green girl a pretty wide berth.
*
So the long white winter coat has been traded for a long white spring jacket. She gets cold easily. Amanda tries to keep in front of Danielle, but finds herself having to constantly dart to and fro. Darn crowds. "I think it's this way!" she calls over the head of a woman that just pushes between the duo, leading to a cavalcade of people pushing Amanda aside in order to get by. Right. Why is it they had to brave the crowds for this?
*
The crowds, the bustle, the sights, the sounds, even the smells cause no such discomfort for someone else coming from another direction, intent on a delicious slice or two. Sophie Rousseau is a city girl, after all, no matter whether the city is Paris, London, Amsterdam, Geneva, New York…
Dressed in a chic white blouse and a black pencil skirt with a stylish tan trench coat belted loosely over the ensemble, the young blonde's graceful, long-legged stride atop modest heels carries her quickly toward her destination. Intent on navigating the crowd, she has yet to notice any possibly familiar faces among it.
*
Rrrrfff… Danielle doesn't swim through the crowd so much as plow through, anxious not to get /too/ separated from Amanda. But soon enough, they reach the alleged best pizza place. A breath of fresh air. An oasis in the madness. A calm in t— oh, it's because people are avoiding the green girl sitting in front. Oh well. Either way. Stopping in front of the door, Dani peers up at the sign, then checks the scrap of paper in her hand. Grunt. With a bemused nod, she glances around, as if an alternative pizza joint might mysteriously appear across the street. "I think this…" She trails off, peering at a blonde converging on their location. "Is.. hmmmm. Hm."
*
The Gorgon in question glances over at the pair that get to the door, and says simply, "I hope you're here for pizza." She has a slice of pepperoni pizza, and water, herself, though she seems to be letting it cool first. "I'd hate to be asked to leave to avoid scaring away customers." With that, she takes a bite of the pizza, then goes back to her book. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.
*
She's seen things in her years being all magic-y. Her mother told her about things. And her books… Yeah. Okay. Amanda knows there are people out there that don't look human. Of course, out of habit, she ascribes a magical reason rather than genetic. But regardless, she barely seems to register Delphyne being all Gorgon-y. "I've done that too," she sympathizes. Though in her case it's because Romani, not Gorgon-y. Still. "Think they'd let us in?"
*
The blonde Danielle noticed breaks into a bright, warm smile. "Dani!" she calls out, waving, as she hurries through the last distance between them. "It is good to see you! I did not know you were in the city!" The girl has probably grown up a bit since the last time Danielle saw her, given their age difference. She's yet to spot the green girl, or to note that Dani has a companion.
*
It takes Danielle a few moments for pieces to click together. It's been a few months of objective time, and a couple of years of Dani's subjective time, after all! "Oh! It's… Sophie, right?" She smiles cheerfully, offering a hand of greeting. "Yeah, it's been a little .. crazy. Spent some time back home, found out I just couldn't stay away." And because it's the Miss Manners thing to do, she gestures between her companion and her former classmate, "Amanda, this is Sophie. We were at the same school. Sophie, this is Amanda. We were.. going to get some pizza. Though I'm inclined to loiter long enough to prove some customers aren't so easily scared away." She raises her voice slightly towards the door, as if defying it to defy her.
*
Delphyne smiles slightly at Danielle's proclamation, eyes occasionally flickering to the trio from her book as she reads with one hand, eating at her pizza with the other. However, she doesn't interrupt, as that would be rude, though she does study the new arrival with some interest.
*
Amanda lifts a hand to wave at sophie afer the introduction. "Good to meet you, Sophie." Her accent is… German, but not quite. Some of the sounds are slightly off. She considers, and then nods with Danielle's proclamation. "I am all right with showing we're not going to be scared off." She glances at Danielle with that same look that always precedes her joking 'I can turn him into a frog' comment she's often used to calm them both down after an irritating incident.
*
Sophie takes the offered hand, while looking toward Amanda as Dani introduces her. "Bonjour. A pleasure to meet you," she says, still smiling cheerfully and looking every bit /not/ the stereotype of the snooty French girl. Her gaze returning to Danielle, she asks, curiously, "Scared away? How do you — oh!" She's only just now seen past Danielle and Amanda and spotted Delphyne sitting there. It's an exclamation of comprehension, not of startlement or fear — Given where she goes to school, she probably has at least two stranger-looking classmates in her homeroom.
*
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," Danielle turns her smile and attention towards the green-skinned girl. "I'd hate to just intrude if you'd prefer time to yourself, but would it be a bother if the three of us joined you? Once we've gotten some food?" It would solve a couple of problems, not the least of which is finding a place to sit and chat in a busy little pizza place. She's calm. She's totally calm. She hasn't yet reached the 'frog him, Amanda' level of frustration. Yet. "Oh, uh, unless Sophie, were you meeting anyone?"
*
Delphyne blinks, as she is addressed directly. Probably because it doesn't happen often. Then she smiles back towards Danielle, "Ah, my name is Delphyne. And I would… really like some company, as a matter of fact." She blushes a bit at that, "I mean, well, I'm sorry, I'm not used to actually having people ask to join me." With that she marks her place in the book, setting it aside as she mmms, "Though, would you mind if I asked a favor? I can save the table, but could you get me another slice of pepperoni pizza? I do have coin for it, of course."
*
"I can get that," Amanda offers. "Fair price for a place to sit and chat," she says to Delphyne with a slight grin. "And it beats being in a crowded place." Assuming people other than themselves managed to find Delphyne not-scary. Pepperoni is easy to remember. It's what she was going to go for herself, her pizza-eating experience being extremely limited.
*
"A pleasure to meet you, too," Sophie says to Delphyne, with a smile and a quick wave, being a little too far from her to offer a hand. "And no, I'd love to join you all, thank you, Dani. I came into the city to visit my parents earlier today. They're at a function now, and I was coming here to grab a bite before I headed back to campus."
*
Satisfied, perhaps even pleased with herself, Danielle nods briskly. "Then it's settled. Hold the fort until we return," quips the Cheyenne. She doesn't /quite/ herd Amanda inside, but she also doesn't quite /not/ herd the other girl either. "Pepperoni is always a solid choice, but…"
When they eventually emerge once more, Dani's plate has a large slice of supreme, as well as the largest Coke the place has. With two straws. She takes a moment to assess the seating options, then picks the spot directly across from Delphyne. Thus, Amanda (with the requested slice) can take one side, and Sophie, the school chum, can take the other. And so Danielle can keep watch to make sure nobody tries anything sneaky when Delphyne isn't looking. Defensive Mode Activate.
*
Delphyne looks up towards Danielle when the group returns, and smiles, "Thank you, I do appreciate it." She takes the extra slice from Amanda, placing the money for it on the table in front of her. Then she looks over at Sophie, "And, if you don't mind my saying so… your accent is very peculiar. In a very good way, mind." She tilts her head, her own accent definitely sounding Mediterranean, or Greek, but still a bit different.
*
"You're very welcome," Amanda says, sitting down. If she can, she shifts the chair a little closer to Dani's side before she settles into place. She has a big slice of epperoni for herself. "Are we counting how many people end up scared off?" she asks with a grin. "Because I think together we'll be more efficient."
*
Sophie has opted for a slice of pepperoni, and one of white garlic pie, along with a not-quite-so-vatlike Coke. Grinning at Delphyne, she explains, "I'm French, and I learned English from a British tutor, and more than a few of my American friends have been confused by the result. Thank you, though. And where are you from, if I may ask?"
*
Danielle begins the gnawing of her slice as soon as Amanda is comfortably settled, the large Coke positioned more or less between their plates. "That was always the interesting part of each school year… Finding out where all the new students came from," she muses. "They pulled in people from all over the place. All kinds of … situations."
*
Delphyne smiles back at Sophie, "I am actually an Amazon, from…" She pauses, then hmms, "It translates as Paradise Island, into English." She takes a bite of the pepperoni, though she looks curiously at the white garlic pie that Sophie took. Then she glances at the others, "I was one of a few sent to explore this world of Man, to see what was going on here while we remained isolated." She pauses, then looks between Danielle and Sophie, "What sort of school do you go to? I must admit, such a process is something I find interesting. I mean, I am not familiar with the learning here, I'm still picking it up as I go."
*
"From an island away from the rest of the world?" Hunh. Amanda takes a bite of her pizza, chewing thoughtfully. "….so what has surprised you the most so far?" she wonders. "I'm only new to this country, and I keep finding new things myself."
*
Sophie listens as Delphyne answers her question, her eyebrows rising a bit. "I… was not expecting that," she comments, not quite sure what to think of what the green woman said. She glances to Dani for a moment, before beginning to answer Delphyne's question. "Well, Danielle is a graduate, but I am still a student there, though I am also nearly done. It is a school for students of diverse backgrounds, seeking to cultivate particular talents they bring with them. At times, it almost feels like the United Nations in miniature." She glances to her former upperclasswoman again, quirking a brow. To anyone else, it looks as if she's asking if that was an adequate description. To Dani, it will read as its true intent: 'Vague enough?'
*
"Amazon. Like… Greek?" Dani digests the word while the others talk a bit, though she doesn't seem bothered by the news. "The 'World of Man'.. Interesting description." When Sophie glances her way, the older girl gives a nod of approval. "Sophie's right. I don't have the brochure handy, but it's a private school, with a highly rigorous and selective recruitment process. Very different from the more common schools around here. And Amanda's traveled quite a bit around Europe, before her Circus landed here…" She gives Amanda's hand a gentle squeeze of affection.
*
Delphyne nods towards Danielle, "Yes, like that, but not exactly." She hmms, "Curious, this school seems." She glances to Amanda, "The most surprising thing… frankly, is all the men walking around. It's, very strange. Though the best thing has been the pizza. And your writers." Then she looks over at Sophie, and smiles slightly, "What were you expecting?"
*
Amanda's cheeks redden visibly when Dani gives her hand a squeeze. "Around /western/ Europe," she tries to correct and, you know, take attention off the fact that she's blushing. "But we came here after we spent a few months in the United Kingdom. So far… Management is happy with how many people around in this part of the country. We have nearly full shows every time we perform." There's something.. odd about the way she says 'Management'..
*
Sophie glances again to Dani, with just a hint of a sly smile, and if she gets her attention, will give the slightest of nods toward Amanda as she flicks her gaze there, then toward Dani as she looks back to her. For whatever it's worth to the older X-alumna, the French girl approves of the pairing. Turning to Delphyne, she replies to the Amazon's question, saying, "I did not know, to be perfectly honest. But something less… exotic, and more easily located on a globe, I suppose." She shrugs, giving the green woman a slightly sheepish smile.
*
A long sip of Coke gives Danielle a bit of cover before she starts to blush herself. "It /is/ a very popular Circus," she agrees. "You girls should swing by sometime. See the sights, pet the horses." As pizza is consumed, the various threads of conversation continue. More importantly, any concerns about 'scaring off customers' or 'what other people think' are easily forgotten.
*