Players:
Summary: A chance encounter between Dashenka and Taylor in a Deli.
Date: February 1, 2012
Log Title: A Deli-scious Meeting
Rating: PG
Location
Mutant Town, also known as District X, has become a haven for mutants. This section of town doesn't care what you look like, accepting all mutants no matter what their appearance. Most of the businesses in this section of town are mutant run ranging from small convenience stores to clothing shops to restaurants to night clubs. The buildings here aren't the high rise buildings you might find in mid-town but most are about 5-6 stories high. Mutant Town might not be the most luxurious section of town, in fact it's fairly run down, but this section of where mutants are safe and welcomed regardless of race, religion and culture.
There's a familiar looking GTO parked alongside the sidewalk, next to a deli whose claim to fame is the 'best subs in Mutantown. Sitting in one of the window booths is a similarly familiar Russian girl who seems to be enjoying the very same sub that had been advertised.
Taylor is just walking down the street, once again having picked up a new article of clothing, and presently just wearing a black dress with a rather short skirt and a few chains on it. Even though it's cold out, the felinoid seems comfortable with only a light jacket, unzipped, worn over top of it. The feline pauses at the sub place upon seeing Dashenka in the window, and tries to get her attention from outside with a wave, before heading on in.
Noticing movement from the corner of her eye, the big Russian girl looks up from her sub to see Taylor there. With a big grin, Dashenka waves back and motions for the other mutant to come and join her. "It is Taylor!" she exclaims, once inside. "Come and be joining me. I have just sat down to eat."
Taylor smiles in return at Dashenka and then sits down across from the girl, "Heya, Dashenka, nice running into you again!" The feline slides into the booth and leans forward on the table, "So are they really the best subs?"
Dashenka looks thoughtful of the question as she chews. "Is good sub, yes," she admits. "Do not know about best sub. But is good." She tears off a bit from an uneaten end and slides it over to her companion. "Here. You be judge. Sub is not Russian thing, so I do not think I know what a good sub is."
Taylor peers at the offered sub and says, "Well, my tastebuds are kind of rearranged, I wouldn't know either…" The feline pulls off the veggies from the sub and puts them aside, before eating the bit that is offered. "It's pretty good, though… Thanks."
Dashenka laughs heartily at that and nods. "Yes. I, too, have found my tastes have changed since becoming bear. It is not as visible as yours, but it is still there."
"Oh, yes, I guess it is," says Taylor, nodding absently at that, "I guess you probably like meat more, too. I can't eat many veggies anymore. Makes me a little sick." The feline smiles and says, "You seem still able to tolerate them though!"
Dashenka nods at that. "Yes. Not too much. None at all when bear." She shakes her head and mumbles to herself, "Gde moi manery. Would you like sub? I will get you one. Meat only. Soda?"
"Oh, um, thanks. You don't have to, I can get my own," says Taylor, glancing over and then adding, "And I usually just drink water at places like this. Soda makes me burpy."
Dashenka waves a hand, tutting, and gets out of her seat. "Is my treat," she insists, "What kind of meats do you like?"
"Well, if you insist," says Taylor, smiling gratefully at Dashenka, "I usually like beef a fair bit. It's pretty flavourful."
"Beefs it is!" declares the large girl, and orders a large roast beef and a water. Once it's done and paid for she brings it back and sets it in front of the other mutant. "One thing I have also found I have taste for. It is this sushi. It seems that I like raw fish." And under her breath she adds, "ili syrye nichego."
Taylor smiles at the sub being brought and the felinoid says, "Thanks, Dashenka!" A smile is offered and then Taylor nods at her, "Oh, yeah, raw fish. I know the feeling! It's weird, but yeah, I could just devour sushi." At the last bit, Tay's ears flick forward slightly and the feline says, "Oh. Sorry. I don't understand Russian. Well, a couple words, from my grandpa, but not much…"
Dashenka blushes slightly when she realizes she lapsed into her native tongue. "I… um…" she begins, her voice slowly getting quieter in embarrassment as she talks. "said there are other…. meats I like raw." Her eyes dart about the table, looking desperately for a thought to latch onto. "So. Um. Grandfather was Russian?"
"Um, don't worry, I also eats lots of other meats… raw… I'm sure it's normal. I sure hope it is," admits Taylor, seeming a bit embarrassed as well. The felinoid picks up the sub and adds, "Yeah. I mean, I think my last name is actually from somewhere else, but my grandfather lived in Russia until he came to America…"
Dashenka looks relieved at the revelation that there's another mutant out there that does the raw meat thing. She takes a chunk out of the sub and asks, "What is last name? If okay to ask."
"Marinov," replies Taylor, shrugging lightly, "Taylor Marinov. I like my last name, has an interesting sound to it…" The feline takes a bite of the sub and seems to enjoy it a fair bit.
"Is good Russian name," agrees Dashenka. "Mine is…" she trails off, shaking her head trying to come up with a good English adjective. "Plain. Ivanov. Is like Jones. Or Smith. Half of phone book Ivanovs."
"I guess I wouldn't know. It seems like a good name, though… Dashenka Ivanov. It still sounds pretty, but maybe that's the English ears," says Taylor, shrugging one shoulder lightly.
Dashenka can't help but grin as she finishes off her sub. "Spasiba," she says, taking the compliment graciously. "English ears…" she repeats thoughtfully. "Yes. I suppose so. You have good name, too."
"Thanks, Dashenka," says Taylor, smiling at that. The feline takes another bite and says, "So are you just having dinner out here? Were you out shopping, or just visiting the town?"
"Shopping," Dashenka answers. "Trying to find good dress my size." She shakes her head, "Is not easy, for girl my size. They are made for girls who are too thin… that could blow away in wind, da? Or girls who are round." She makes a disgusted sound with an sudden exhallation of her breath. "Pah. Not for girl who is built like man."
Taylor laughs softly at what Dashenka says and then nods, "I think I sorta know what you mean. Though I'm a bit short. But I don't have a feminine build, not for most dresses, and I like to wear dresses sometimes…" The feline trails off and then shrugs, "Now I have to worry about tailspace, too!"
Dashenka laughs heartily at that. "Yes. I do not have much of tail when bear." She shrugs. "Is fortunate you have one form. While bear I am naked. Is hard to find pants that fit eight foot tall animal."
"Oh, yeah, I'd bet," giggles Taylor softly, "Though I'm kind of jealous that you can go back and forth, so I guess we're even. I miss how pretty I could look." The feline considers and says, "Though… when you change, does it rip what you're wearing, or do you usually strip first?"
Dashenka just sort of blurts, "You are pretty," and then immediately blushes furiously. Another slight cough to change the subject. "When I know I need to change, I take off clothes. But I have destroyed good clothes before, too."
Taylor blushes slightly at being called pretty, but that blush on the inside of the student's ears gets a little bit darker at noticing that Dashenka is blushing. The sub is used for Taylor to munch on while recovering from that. "Well, thank you. And that's too bad with the clothes. Do you sometimes change not on purpose?"
"Sometimes, da." Dashenka admits. "Not so much now. When… it started… it was like first time of month." She shifts uncomfortably in her seat, since this is the first time she's ever really talked about it, and it kind of shows. "I would wake up in middle of night, after strange dream, larger than bed and furry." She purses her lips in remembrance of the events, "It was hard to keep secret. In Russia… after Cold War there was more freedom for Mutants. Not much, but there was progress. But Putin has…." she shakes her head. "It is not good over there for mutants anymore."
Taylor listens to what Dashenka has to say, ears flicked forward slightly in interest, before Taylor nods slowly and says, "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad you're in a place that's at least a bit more tolerant, I guess… I mean… I know there are some bigots and stuff, but… it's not like systematic or anything?"
Dashenka gives Taylor another shrug. "It is… not talked about. Mutants disappear into thin air." She shakes her head. "Nobody knows where they gol."
Taylor blinks a few times and frowns, "Wow, that doesn't sound good at all… I'm even more glad you're here if that's the case."
Dashenka chuckles. "Thank you. It is good to be here," she admits. "Though I do miss home sometimes." There's a slight pause as she thinks about something before grinning widely. "But in Russia it is very hard to find 1970 GTO."
Taylor laughs and says, "Well, there's that too!" The feline smiles that feline smile and takes another bite of the sub. "I'm pretty glad that I live in the US in general. Works out for me in a lot of ways."
Dashenka watches as the cat-mutant eats, having finished her meal herself. "Will you be needing ride home? I have American driver's license."
Taylor glances up from the sub and says, "Oh, yeah, that'd be great. I hate the public transport…" The feline student smiles and says, "Thanks, Dashenka!"
