01 . action

[calmbeforethe]

[ Her last memories of Luceti had been of snow. Looking around the forest and sensing the patterns of weather upon waking, however, told her it was now early autumn. Either she'd been gone several months or at least a year this time, she figured. Ororo wondered idly if there was a reason that she came and went like this. Something to ask the veterans of Luceti, she thought. ]

[ When she felt well enough, Storm took to the skies of Luceti: she knew her abiliities were dampened here in the enclosure, but she needed some time to reacquaint herself with Luceti's nature before looking for the village. She needed to calm herself, too; less powers also meant less control, and it would probably be better if she kept her emotions from starting an off-season monsoon. The random flashes of thunder and lightning from her annoyance at finding herself back in Luceti might attract unwanted attention, and how embarrassing would it be if someone noticed... ]

[ As soon as she centered herself, she changed course and headed for where she knew the village was. She remembered where the little house she'd stayed in previously was located as well, and checking the journal's callbox had let her know just who was still around and who from her world had arrived while she was "back at home." She figured there would be no harm in dropping by the house unannounced. Hopefully there was someone in House 16 to greet her! ]

[ Storm's first order of business after moving back into her old room at House 16 was to visit the stores for some essentials: the clothes shop being her first stop. As soon as she'd changed into and picked up some familiar clothes, she stepped back outside - and when it was safe, Ororo called down a bolt of lightning from the sky to strike the damned New Feather dress into ash. Subtle? Not in the least, but she had to vent somehow, right? Right. ]

[ Her next stops include the Item Store, and the grocery (to re-stock the house's food supply with some vaguely nutritious food), but her final stop of the day, despite the groceries and other items in her arms, would be Cloud Nine. Some of her clearer memories of Luceti were of the quaint little club, and Ororo rather hoped it would jog a few more of her memories... ]

[ Anyone in town is free to recognize or even bump into her as she makes her way around the village! Storm will be all over the place in general, seeking to re-familiarize herself with the town again. ]

Comments

[theogre]

[Sakura is standing in the grocery store wearing her New Feather clothes. She's been here for a day, but she's been getting her meals from the Welcome Center. This is her first time picking out her own groceries, and she doesn't seem hesitant at all to take what she needs.

Of course, that means her basket is filling up with protein supplements, vitamins, and very healthy foods. That's just how Sakura rolls. There's certainly a lot of protein, though.

The wrestler notices Storm approaching at just the right time, though. She's found a particularly strange American food, and she doesn't know what it is.]

I apologize if I am bothering you, but do you have a moment?

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo glances up, and has to do a doubletake on the hair and skin of this woman. She's never seen another person with a combination like hers, so it takes her by surprise.

But - where are her manners. She was asked a question.]

Of course. How can I help you? [She smiles kindly, turning to face her.]

[theogre]

[Sakura would smile, but she looks more unsure of herself than anything as she holds up the can of grits.]

This food...it has a strong name. Can you tell me anything about it? It seems to be lacking nutritional information, and I have never seen anything like it before.

i'm sorry i know absolutely nothing on grits. :'|

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo peers at the can in her hand. It takes her a moment to place where she'd seen it, previously.]

Ah, I've seen these before. I believe they're a common choice of food in some southern states of America. I know a few of my friends have them often enough. [Pauses, considering.] I'm not quite certain what they are good for, however. They are like oats, I believe. Something akin to a rice substitute.

Neither do I XD I live in Oregon, so I just learned about them from googling "weird american foods"

[theogre]

I see. [She looks at it for a few more seconds before putting it back onto the shelf. A rice substitute isn't much good at all, is it? She's going to grab the biggest bag of rice she can find on her way out.] Thank you for your assistance. That must have been a strange question.

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo smiles reassuringly.] Only a little. I'm certain I asked many a similar question when I first came to America myself.

[theogre]

I would not have know they were American had you not come along. I am...unfamiliar with many of these foods.

[Pretty much anything that isn't a vegetable or protein, pretty much.] I am from Japan.

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo has to wonder briefly if there was some kind of Western bias in the food selection here.]

And I am from Africa, originally. [Well, Tanzania. And Egypt before that. But people rarely differentiate between countries within her home continent, she's discovered.] My name is Ororo.

[theogre]

[Sakura noticed a lot of Japanese foods, but considering other worlds are at play, too...]

That is one place I would like to go someday. [She isn't lying, either.] The environment is ideal for endurance training.

[calmbeforethe]

[Smiles, surprised.] It is, yes. You train regularly?

[theogre]

[She nods.] Back home, I would train every day. It may be of even greater importance here.

[calmbeforethe]

[A touch of seriousness enters Ororo's voice.] Yes, that's right. It's easy to forget the nature of Luceti and lose oneself in the comfort of a daily routine... It's good that you maintain a suitable training regimen.

[theogre]

Have you been here long? [It's an abrupt conversation change, but Sakura is dressed in New Feather garb. She just hasn't found enough clothes to fit her yet.]

[calmbeforethe]

Only a few hours, but this is not my first time in Luceti if you can believe that. [and Ororo is noticing the New Feather dress.] I see that you are quite new yourself. Have you had much trouble since waking?

[theogre]

Something like that...it is mentioned in the guide. I have no problem believing it, but you are the first returnee I have spoken to. [She nods to the second statement.] I have not had many troubles. I am used to adapting.

[calmbeforethe]

That's good. I know many New Feathers often feel disoriented in their first weeks in Luceti. I know I had, the first time.

[theogre]

The guide is an outstanding resource. I have learned many things from it already.

[calmbeforethe]

It is, yes. It's fortunate that the longtime residents of Luceti have the patience and the initiative to have put it together.

[theogre]

How long have those residents been here?

[calmbeforethe]

Several. Four, by my last count, though I may be wrong. It has been a while since I was last here, after all.

[theogre]

Four years...that is an impressive amount of time.

[She lowers her head. It's an almost frightening amount of time.]

[calmbeforethe]

It's almost hard to believe. But people have become almost comfortable with routine here; even I had, during my last stay. One almost doesn't realize how much time has truly passed.

[theogre]

There are some things about this place that are...pleasing, even for someone like myself.

[calmbeforethe]

[That's a strange way of putting things.]

What do you mean by that?

[theogre]

[She's already said too much.]

There are many things here I do not have access to where I was previously.