9148/Musing at the Museum

Musing at the Museum
Date of Scene:	17 December 2021
Location:	American Museum of Natural History
Synopsis:	Gilgamesh and Monet discuss the finer things at the shark exhibit
Cast of Characters:	Gilgamesh, Monet St. Croix

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Gilgamesh has posed:
Gil hasn't been to the museum in like a week. Last time he was here he fought some giant anthropomorphic mammals and managed to save an ancient magical book from a ninja woman. Enough time has passed that he thinks it's safe to go back to just enjoy the rest of the exhibits. He's dressed pretty casually, got a pea coat and jeans and hiking boots on. Nothing out of the ordinary. He may have even left his apron at home.

As he goes through the museum he notes a slight increase in security and frowns when he learns that the Japanese exhibit they'd had has been shut down. Instead, they have SHARKS! Gil makes a bee line in that direction, wanting to check out the ferocious underwater predator exhibit.

The museum itself has kind of slowed down temporarily. Most of the field trips there have gone home already and everybody else that might come to check things out is still at work or school. Aside from the tourists. There's a bunch of them here right now, taking pictures where allowed and examining the exhibits and the placards near them that talk about what the viewer is looking at.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix is wearing a far, far too fancy looking outfit for someone going through the museum and is managing to no matter how many people are present make sure that she's given at least two meters of space between her and anyone else that's touring. She's passing by Gilgamesh and seems to not have noticed him or be paying attention to him at all. She's going to glance over at the shark exhibit, and what has up a Megadolon tooth in it and a few drawings of what it was thought to have been like.

So Monet looks in passing at what was supposed to have been one of the largest predators ever to swim in the seas, and would watch at it i curiousity.

Gilgamesh has posed:
The fancy lady in her very nice attire gets a glance as she passes Gil, who also gives her a polite nod. He faces one of the big, life size shark models and can't help but smile at the size of the thing. Approaching the particular exhibit he looks both ways to make sure he's not getting in anybody's way and produces his cell phone to take a selfie i front of it. There's a big grin on his face as he snaps a couple of shots before checking the pictures and putting his phone back in his pocket.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would take her moment to inspect the artist's rendition of the large undersea predator, and then for hwatever reason her attention would turn over to Gilgamesh, "What happens to fascinate you so much on this thing?" The Moroccan mutant would speak in an ever so casually, not paying particular attention to what she took as just another tourist.

Gilgamesh has posed:
Gil can easily pass for a tourist, not that he'd mind being confused for one. He's only been in town for a few weeks. When the young woman addresses him he turns towards her and smiles softly, "I love the ancient beasts that strode, flew and swam across Earth. The idea of predators this mighty..." He gestures at the giant shark picture. "Is fascinating to me. The fact that changes in our world led to them going extinct is amazing, as well. I like to imagine how people would react to these creatures today. Probably with fear and hatred, if I'm being honest, but also with wonder."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would glance over at Gilgamesh for a moment, "Perhaps. But also are there not enough things in the modern world that exist? Aliens, monsters and the like? So much something so trivial as but an ancient shark seem almost boring in comparison to all these things which wander the world and are experienced regularly?" She would inquire while glancing over at the exhibit once more.

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Perhaps," Gil says with a shrug. "I've met aliens and monsters and whatnot, but I'm still fascinated with what nature managed to produce here without much external interference. Now, that's not to say that an exhibit on ancient mutants and aliens and metahumans or something wouldn't be equally fascinating. Plus, the idea that the megalodon isn't around any more makes them mysterious. Could that shark beat up the Human Torch? Probably not. Could it eat a dinosaur? Maybe."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Now that has her attention over for a moment as Monet St. Croix would look at him quizzically, "And are you someone that has spent a great deal of time in the city then? And has encountered such things?"

Gilgamesh has posed:
"I've spent some time in the city," Gil says with a chuckle as he looks at Monet. "You can meet them anywhere, though. Just need to get lucky. Or unlucky, as the case may be." Some more laughter escapes from him, "I work diners sometimes, as a grill cook. I was at one that was almost robbed by people who had some of the properties of fish, like a marlin guy who could grow his nose to be extremely long and sharp in an instant! And a puffer fish person who could become an extremely resilient ball." He goes on, "Before they could really hurt anybody some superheroes showed up and stopped them. Hell of a day."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
How one can spend so much time in this chaotic world of threats and dangers and keep such an outlook of joy and interest is by the very faint expression on the face of Monet St. Croix that of confusion which would quickly pass along. It takes all kinds after all. And someone that has learned to go through things and not be phased, at least as seh would think, might not have an issue. "It sounds like it.. Made your day."

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Getting to see people who are willing to risk their lives to protect others doing their thing is really cool," Gil exclaims happily. "Superheroes and soldiers of all kinds are, in general, admirable folks. If you put yourself on the line for people and good ideals then you can count me as a fan. I just don't always keep up on the newest of those things and stuff."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
That has her attnetion for just a moment. "Soldiers?" That is a rare enough thing, though one might not be able to tell her surprise from the relatively blank expression on her face. "Those who do are particularly brave."

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Yeah, I have a great appreciation for folks that put on the uniform and swear to defend their country," Gil says with a shrug. "Bravery is a thing that deserves respect. I mean, you see someone putting themselves between a threat and something they're protecting and it's really awesome." A smile appears on the man's face and he says, "I'm Gil, by the way. Best grill cook you're ever likely to meet."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix can't imagine taking in food of such a low quality that is almost entirely of grease. but reminding herself that she is out in public and this man is but a starry eyed naive but joyous individual present in the world, Monet can only put up a blank smile, "I am sure that you enjoy your work."

Gilgamesh has posed:
"I love it," Gil says happily. "Helping people, even if it's only by cooking them a good meal, pleases me." He chuckles, "Plus, cooking is fun. Even if it's nothing exotic like at the diner. I think the most exotic thing on the menu that I cook with any regularity might be chili. I can cook pretty much anything, though, unless you're looking for something alien or from the future or that uses extinct ingredients. Sometimes, for fun, I'll cook up stuff from medieval recipes to see just how much people's taste palates have changed over the centuries."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would shrug, "Then as much as you enjoy it might you find a more challenging thing to prepare a change of pace? An attempt at pressing your talents to something more refined?" She does give in to 'such a waste' while putting over 'refined' in her discussion. "Such as that." The medieval recipies.

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Working in a diner helps me keep track of the comings and goings of people in the city way better than being stuck in the kitchen at a fancy restaurant," Gil explains. "I host dinner parties sometimes if I want to feed people something really difficult or high class. After paying for my mortgage and utilities most of my paycheck goes into ingredients for cooking." He stops for a second, "Tonight I'm working on an Ethiopian-Southern US fusion of doro-wat and shrimp and grits. Probably going with a wedge salad and creme brulee. Keep it kind of simple."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There's a moment while Monet St. Croix goes to process what that food is, cross-references it in her brain, and then evaluates it from the available information. And then lightly inclines her head over in respect as she completes the visualization. And gives a rare statement of praise, "That sounds intriguing. I wish you the best of luck in your pursuit of it and preparation."

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Thank you very much," Gilgamesh says proudly, his chest puffing out a little bit. "I go on kicks where I study a particular culture's recipes for a while. I'm on Ethiopian now, I even brewed some traditional tella, which is a kind of beer. It's pretty good. Ethiopians also prepare a honey wine that's similar to mead called tej. The longer you store it the more flavorful and potent it becomes. I've got a little space set aside for when I undertake brewing that."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Ethiopia has excellent cuisine. It is better in the country itself. But I have found that to be true in most places. There is often very little that matches the food than where it originated, no matter the skill of the cook or quality of the ingredients."

Gilgamesh has posed:
"Pizza is better in Brooklyn than Italy, I'd say, but otherwise I tend to agree with you," Gil says with a smile. "I've long admired Ethiopia as a nation. That and Wakanda are, as far as I know, the only two nations in Africa that were never colonized."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod, "Wakanda is among the most technologically advanced nations on the planet and has maintained it for most of their modern history." she would speak, while admittedly not knowing much of Wakanda's history beyond what was widely known (or at least what she was awar eof)