14475/Guess Who's Coming To Lunch

Guess Who's Coming To Lunch
Date of Scene:	22 March 2023
Location:	Ramen Empire
Synopsis:	Marie and Julie reconnect after years apart, restablishing a friendship.
Cast of Characters:	Julie Power, Marie-Ange Colbert

---

Julie Power has posed:
It's been a little over a week since Julie moved back to the east coast, and having settled for now, Julie had called a number almost untouched since 2020. Almost 3 years of radio silence. Was the number even still good? Would Marie even answer? Well...

In the end, she had offered to meet at the Ramen empire after a short call, and was waiting there. Not the most updressed, not downdressed, a pretty fashionable sweater against the cool march air, Jeans, Converses and a jacket, plus some kind of baret-cap.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie, being the sentimental type, still had the same number. She even still had the contact saved. It might have been telling when she picked up the phone. Her voice was surprised, but she agreed to the meeting without hesitation. Marie being Marie. When things happen, they're meant to happen.

Marie dressed casually... well, for her. Silk blouse with a light-but-fuzzy jacket over it, knee-length skirt with leggings underneath. A yellow rose tucked into her hair, otherwise worn loose. When she steps into the Ramen Empire and sees Julie? Memories start flooding back.

---
Almost three years ago...

"So, Marie... uh... my family's talking about moving to California..."
"You... do not wish to go? Is not fame your dream, Julie?"
"Yeah, but I don't want to leave you behind, either..."

A quick look at the cards. Julie's future was in California. She'd be able to follow her dreams. Without Marie.

"...I think it is best that we stop seeing one another."
"What? Why!?"
"Things are going too fast... I need... space, oui?"

---

It hurt to do back then, but it was the right thing to do. The cards made it clear that Julie's success in California wouldn't come /with/ Marie. She wouldn't find it without going, either, and as much as Marie had come to care about the other girl... she was nothing if not self-sacrificing. Her happiness could stand aside for the sake of another. It was the way fate meant things to be.

Marie forces a demure smile to her lips, moving to approach Julie with a little wave. "Mademoiselle Power... it has been quite a while." she offers softly. There's a lot that's changed over the years. Marie doesn't even know where to start!

Julie Power has posed:
"Mademoiselle Power?" Julie raises her eyebrows as she offers a smile bask, lifting the hands juuust a little in an offered embrace, but not going through with it. "You look great Marie-Ange. I mean... You always do, but the things suit you... oh god, that must sound so corny..."

"When have I become a Mademoiselle anyway?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie's a hugger. She hugs friends. She hugs loved ones. Occasionally a complete stranger. Of course, she is... /now./ Back when she and Julie were together, she was starting to get used to that. Julie was a big partt of helping her through it.

...so when those hands start to go up? Marie launches herself forward, trying to ensnare Julie in a tight hug. "You... Julie. I thought you would hate me forever." she admits; her English has gotten better. Her French accent? Still in full-force. Some things never change.

If the hug is successful, she's going to hold on for a long few moments and just enjoy it silently. Letting words come only when they will.

Julie Power has posed:
"I admit, it wasn't easy..." Julie mutters as she answers the hug, just not as forceful as Marie-Ange as she dards in, but offering to hold ehr just a little. Not too long so it would look awkward or that they were like, dating.

"How have you been?" Julie finally asks as she tries to ever so gently indicate that for the moment, hugging time was over.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
After a few moments of embrace, Marie releases. Nodding over towards one of the booths for them to take a seat; standing around in the middle of everything will probably just earn more eyes than she's comfortable with. Never one for the spotlight, that Marie.

"Life... has been... how you say... a carnival ride?" A roller coaster. "You left. I was turned into a dinosaur. Things got better." A pause. "...then they got much worse. I lost everything. Fate demanded my solitude for months." When fate demands, Marie obeys. That's always been the way of it.

"...but things have gotten better again. I am back in college. I have a job doing what I love. I..." Best to rip off the bandaid carefully. "...am seeing someone." A moment to brace for any negativity that comes her way.

After dodging or weathering those potential bullets, Marie continues, turning her eyes to face Julie more directly. "How was California? Every bit as wonderful as your dreams, I hope?"

Julie Power has posed:
"It has its ups and downs. Roller coasters of emotions and tragedies..." Julie picks up as they slip onto the booth, decidedly onto the side opposite of the table as she offers a hand over it.

"Was it at least an awesome Dinosaur? I mean, large and eatth shattering?" There's a tiny smile creeping into the face of the nigh-blonde as she hears the short version. "So you're in good hands I hope? I didn't mean to... you know,.. try to rekindle old things."

"Ohhh, California? Well, Movie makers can be... awkward. I mean, one tried to put on pressure to get... you know what... though... Well, I beat up Snarks before I was a teen, I managed to handle it. Without doing that." Julie lets the actual point unspoken. "But in general? Not the life you see on the silverscreen."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie will take the offered hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and letting hers linger there. It's nice to have connection. "Ah... not terribly larger than me." She admits, "Although I did spit some form of acid on the wall of the poor Doctor trying to help me..." Yup, she was a spitter. "I spent weeks cleaning that up." Not because she was being told to. Because she wanted to. It's Marie.

"Oui, good hands." she admits with a little smile, bowing her head. "Do you remember Mary...?" Marie had met them both the same day. There's a moment to dig into her purse for her cellphone, and a few button presses later a picture appears for her to show to Julie. A clearly intoxicated -- but happy and sharply dressed -- Marie in green, next to Mary Bromfield in red, clearly caring for the French girl. It's not Marie's most flattering picture, but the love that it shows between the pair is unmistakable.

The talk of rekindling gets a blush and a shake of her head. "Non, non! I would not expect such of you." Marie dumped Julie -- which although was meant for her own good, the French girl still sees as a barely forgivable sin. "I am just glad that we can speak again. I have missed your company, n'est-ce pas?" she offers with a little smile.

...then a bit of a frown when she relays how California went. She'd seen success in the cards. Maybe it was further away than just /going/ to Cali. "I... am sorry, Julie. I am glad you were not hurt, or..." She blushes scarlet. She's not finishing /that/ sentence. "...but it is good to see you back. How long have you been back in New York?"

Julie Power has posed:
"Spitting... small... Sounds like that Dilophosaurus from Jurassic Park." Julie answers, fingers dancing almost around, but not *quite* making old contact.

"Mary, Mary... Mary Bromfield? I Actually do. She tried to set up a D&D Game with Barry and me and offered to do the GM." Then the photo is shown and she nods with a little smile. "Girl, you wear that dress like it's sown onto your body."

"Well, I havn't dated seriously like then. I mean, I had tried going on dates but... nothing permanent." A shrug is added to emphasize that she was over that part in the moment. "Like... 10 days or such? Oh! Can you believe that I met a girl that was a literal living Rainbow!"

She doesn't mention that she has been seen fighting Klaw. though.

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"That is the one." Marie replies; her hand is still, mainly. The middle of a table is a comfortable enough spot, and she's trying her best not to be too nervous. Julie's already shown that she's not hateful towards her. That's a big relief.

"...and oui, Mary Bromfield. When you left," That's a slip of the tongue, not 'when I broke up with you'. "...she was my comfort, we became closer friends, and when she and Monsieur Bart parted... well. It came together naturally." Of course, Mary was also part of what she lost during the lowest time of her life... but also something she's regained, as evidenced by that recent picture.

The compliment, though? Keeps her cheeks burning. Marie's easy to make blush. Julie may or may not remember, but it's something that hasn't changed! "Merci beaucoup, Julie..." she trails, glancing down for a moment. "It was taken at my birthday party. I wished to do something special for everyone." Julie might've noticed that none of the decorations referenced a birthday; leave it to Marie to have a party that's supposed to be dedicated to her and make it about everyone else!

Then, there's a gentle smile of support at the talk of 'nothing serious'... before green eyes widen at the talk of living rainbows. "Rainbow... like you are, when you fly?" Marie asks; she's clearly never seen or met a Majesdanian. She /also/ missed the bit about Julie fighting the Klaw... but Marie's never been one to keep up with the news unless it's literally banging down her door.

Julie Power has posed:
"Kinda. More like... Aurora Borealis. Like, I leave a rainbow trail and all, but she was like all glowy and rainbow and pretty... too bad I didn't manage to get her number or anything." Julie replies with a little sigh, then shakes the head.

"How's the whole Tarot business coming along?" Julie offers a smile and a shrug. "You told Mary about it?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Oh my." A couple of blinks to that. That's surprising. She's never heard of such a thing! Of course, going to Xavier's... "Do you think she is a mutant?" she asks, tilting her head to the side. "If I ever run into her... I can try and get her number for you? It would be very cute, rainbows and rainbows." Yes, Marie's more than willing to be a wing-woman for her ex-girlfriend. The French girl /has/ happiness. Why shouldn't she want Julie to be happy?

As for the cards? A little grin, "Better than I could have ever dreamed. I make a living doing readings at a place known as the Hellfire Club... where very wealthy people go." A pause. "Mary knows about the cards, oui... and what I can do with them." Pause. "Everything." Mutant and magical powers alike. Marie doesn't like keeping secrets. "I have not told her of the Club, yet. It..." she purses her lips a bit. "It is a difficult place for me to explain in the detail I feel I should to her."

Julie Power has posed:
"Hard to tell. On a technicality, I am one, but got no X-Gene and it was induced by a Kymelian... Eh... She could also be a pretty alien or empowered by some artifact. In either way, I doubt that she wants it discussed publicly. I mean..." Julie sighs a little, then shrugs. "Besides she got public eyes on her enough and doesn't want it known. I mean, I know who she is, but... I can't just call her."

"The Hellfire Club? That one where people like Emma Frost and the Black Panther and the Richards and such frequent?! Oh god, the Richards! I need to meet up with them some day. I mean, Franklin and the Pack go way back..."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie nods slowly, letting Julie talk. Sometimes, that's the best way to be a friend! She does reach out to try and take Julie's hand for a quick squeeze, though, with a supportive smile. "Well. If it is meant to be, you will reunite. If not? You will find someone in time. You are a beautiful gi-- well, woman now, Julie. I do not feel you will have trouble in this, oui?" There's a playful wink, there.

When the other girl describes the Club? Marie nods. "The very same. Madame Frost is a good friend of mine... as is King T'Challa. I have not met the Richards', yet, but I am friends with their children, Franklin and Valeria." Julie's not the only one with contacts!

Julie Power has posed:
Two well connected young women, that just... happened to have been dating in the past. "Oh really? I met Princess Shuri! At a burger joint, but really!" Julie offers with a wide smile, almost snickering.

"And of course I will find someone some day, and then I call you to tell you everything, ok?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie nods excitedly... and the laughs a bit when Julie mentions Shuri. "I have also met Princess Shuri!" she admits, bowing her head a little bit. "...I do not think she cares for me much. She is... very serious, non?" The Panther threatened to throw Marie off of a cliff if she went rogue. Shuri she thinks might actually do it. She doesn't mention that, though.

Marie grins at the second part, though. The positivity just radiating off of her. "You had better, we can... how you say... girl talk." She got that one right! "It is what friends are for, oui?" A pause, and a wide-eyed, hopeful smile follows. "We... can be friends, oui? Even though we..." Dated.

Julie Power has posed:
Julie Power nods at the accounting how Shuri appears to be. "That, and very secretive about Wakanda. Very direct. If she'd tell someone to jump and they don't comply, she'd actually do what she threatened with."

"Girl talk, hm? Of course I'd call you for that if you want, but you better repay in kind! All the jucy tidbits! And of course we can be friends."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie nods grimly to the description. That tracks pretty well with what she experienced. "Not a bad person, though... and I understand what they are trying to protect, so I understand where she is coming from." Thankfully, T'Challa has been very enlightening on the whole situation!

The second gets a giggle and a blush, then a nod. "I..." she laughs, bringing her hands up to hide her face. "Okay. I... you know me, Julie. It will not be /easy./" She gets embarassed a lot! "...but I think it will be good to have someone who I can speak to about such things, too." Especially with Jenny being MIA.

Julie Power has posed:
"That's what you got Family and friends for. Like, I can rely on Katie, Alex and Jack to be there for me. To back you up when you need help or a word of advice." Julie offers with a smile, chuckling a tad as Marie hides her face a moment. "There's nothing to be embarressed about that. Well, some things with girl talk might be embarressing, but not to have a friend to lean on."

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
Marie lowers her head a little at the mention of family; she never quite got into this discussion with Julie, but her own? They don't want anything to do with her. "Well, I am glad I have friends like you to help me in times like this. Especially navigating these waters." She makes a bit of a face. "Most things I learned about romance when I was growing up," At only 21, it could be argued she still /is/ growing up. "...were intended for a boy. Girls... we are different. In a good way, though."

Julie Power has posed:
"Don't you got other female students in school?" Julie inquires, the head turning a little as she looks in concearn to Marie-Ange. "Comeon, you have friends and they make the best family. Either case, there's a lot of people that are there for you when you need them. Me for example, and then I call in a few favors, call Mary and the Avengers and whoever else I can whip up and we bust you out, ok?"

Marie-Ange Colbert has posed:
"Oui, but... it can be difficult, sometimes." Not that she doesn't love her friends. Some of them she's less likely to seek advice from for various reasons, though. The efforts to cheer Marie up seem to work, though, and she offers a brilliant smile. "You are right, Julie. You have always been wise... and it is good to have you back in town once again. In case I ever need, as you say, 'busting out'." she replies with a little giggle.