Maria 'Mara' Marquez's page

Mara

It still takes about half an hour for the water to drop low enough for people to safely walk the streets without getting their shoes drenched. It then becomes an annoying puzzle of trying to find a good route away from the flooded area.

The interview postponed, Amanda seems a bit more relaxed and chatty, talking mostly about funny and embarrassing situations Rai had been through when he was younger. Among those, are stories of previous girlfriends where she points out how bad they were in comparison to Mara.

Mara does her best to stay engaged with Amanda, but between the stress of being drenched and wondering about the team of heroes she's a bit distant. She does however smile having been handed facts about Rei that she could use to tease him later.

Sending a text to Rei she lets him know the situation with Amanda and the interview, and how she'd need to stay a while longer.

Lastly she shot an anonymous text to the strange 'alien' Ozcoyo.

Anonymous: Your Luchadora is safe, asked me to text you for her sake, something about damaged equipment. Went off to look for more trouble or something I guess?

Mara

"Go outside! Jeez, why would you think that? You think I've a deathwish or something?" Amanda asks, then reaches for her phone and reads a message. "Oh, yeah, the interview is cancelled, but should happen in up to three days." She sighs.

"Oh, crap, I did not bring clothes enough for so many days, but going back home tomorrow and then returning a day or two later will also be a pain..." She trails off, obviously trying to bait you to invite her to stay with you for this period.

"I don't know I just.. look I typically don't have to watch in the crowd and well.. I got worried and didn't think."

She sees and takes the obvious bait grabbing Amanda's hand, "You think we're gonna let you go back out all the way just because of a little mess like this? I'll talk with Rai and we'll sort something out." She then looked down at her own drenched outfit.

"Once we're good to head home though I'm going to introduce myself to a hot shower again..."

Arèspina

By the time you return to the cat café, you see the water has flooded in, not enough to endanger anyone, but enough to cause some damage and to have people balancing on top of chairs, tables and the counter. Amanda is wild eyed. "Oh, thanks God! Where have you been?"

"I thought you ran outside, then I got trapped out the door it wouldn't open back up. I've been trying to get back in." She shows off her soaked self.

"Don't know why I thought you'd run outside in this.. I'm just glad you're safe Amanda. There were some heroes that fought off the water monster. I really doubt you'll have to go to your interview at this rate either."

Mara looked at the ensuing chaos and clicked her tongue, 'Well could have gone worse'

A cat jumped onto her table and started hissing, prompting her to hop down and grab her bag. "Anyway stay away fron the window kaythanksbye!"

She bolted for the back, not the bathroom, but the back exit hoping to slip by unnoticed in the confusion she'd explain to Amanda in a way that made sense later for sure. 'I thought you ran out the back and went looking for you didn't notice you escaped to the bathroom, those cats went crazy.'

In the back alley she looked around several times before putting her hair upand binding it as tightly as she could, one of the reasons she kept it fairly short. Reaching into her bag she pulled out her mask and quickly slipped it on, tying the back fiercly tight.

Mara

Amanda frowns. "Ok, since you are asking... do you know how Raimundo was when he was a kid? Basically how he is today. Carefree and funny, sure, but also stupidly lazy. His grades were always the bare minimum for him to pass, not because he was dumb, because he isn't fore sure, but because he would never stop doing something he liked, like playing video games or soccer, to study." She says it in a way that suggests she feels this outrageous.

"Nothing Mom or Dad told him changed anything, so they've given up and accepted he'd never become an engineer or doctor, or any other profession that would require any amount of boring time poured over books. So what they did? 'Well, Amanda, you are our last hope'."

More people enter the cafe as the water keeps going up.

"Dad fixes electronics and Mom is a teacher, but they've put me in a private school, payed for a year of prep, and helped me through university, so I could get on a good job and hopefully help them when they are too old." She slumps a bit, eyes tearful. "But this is already my HOLY MOTHER WHAT IS THAT!?" She jumps and screams, pointing at the streets. Soon others turn as well and the place erupts in mayhem.

Amid the rising waters are a good a mount of trash, not only domestic, but also a truck tire, a piece of a chair, a lose plastic pipe. There was a wave and with it surges a figure made of brownish and polluted water. Towering over 5 meters, humanoid in shape but made of nothing but water and trash. "TIETÊ!" Is repeated by the other people around.

[ooc]Living in São Paulo for a while, you know that Tietê is the name of the main river crossing the city, always very polluted. You remember hearing/reading some times about a watery monster that have reportedly appeared whenever a river floods.

What do you do?

There wasn't time to respond, though Maria had an inkling as to what she should say. But that could wait, because there was a giant trash-water monster sloshing down the street. She looked to Amanda and things in her brain began to click. She needed to make sure Amanda, and all these other people, got out safely. She couldn't mask up here it'd be too much and then she'd be just as powerless as... she pushed those thoughts away. This was her bread and butter, life was a stage and everyone an actor, and she was one hell of an attention grabber on stage so why not in a café? A perfect time to put her 'pointless' skills to work for the betterment of society and show Amanda just what could be accomplished by someone who 'never' studied.

"Don't worry Hermana I got this."

Game face, Save Amanda from the Tieté's rampage, activate The Mask to swap my mundane and superior, sup(+3) mund(+1)

Provoke(the crowd, to stay calm and strp away from the window): 2d6 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 + 1 = 9

Mara stands up tall on her seat, glad she wore the leggings, and puts on her stage voice, to address the 'fans'. She adds a lot of frill into it to make this seem as nonchalant as possible. Not all heroes wear masks.

"Good evening São Paulo! Welcome to Gateria Cat Café where the drinks are cozy and the kitties are cute. I'm sure you're all excited to see the showdown between whatever heroes come to fight 'O Gigante Das Águas', but the café has some strict rules about these special events. Please remain calm, step away from the windows and proceed towards the back of the café where the lovely staff may inform you where the safety exits are in the case of emergency evacuation. Keep your lovely voices down, and relax with a cozy cup of hot choco and marshmallows. Meet new people, and above all stay dry. Once everyone is sat down and calm, our helpful staff will dim the lights to enhance your view of the upcoming show."

MARA

"I..." Amanda starts, sighing and resting her fork. She has barely eaten. "Everyone is sooo sure I can do this or that. You say it trying to cheer me up, but all I hear is how this is written in stone."

"You just don't know how it is."

The door opens and a couple people rush in, causing many cats to jump and the owner to frown. The small café is now a bit overcrowded and to make things worse, they are all looking outside to a large amount of water building up on the street.

What do you do?

Taking a sip of the hot choco she'd gotten Mara tilts her head in confusion. "Amanda, I might not know exactly how you want things to go or how they'll go. But I know for a fact nothing is set in stone."

She looks to the window at the downpour happening outside still and looking like it's not going to let up anytime soon.

"Life is a stage, and we're all actors in it. But we get to decide what character we play, who that character is, and what their voice is going to sing. I hope you know you have so much choice in how your life goes."

She frowns at the group, granted just trying to get out of the deluge, scaring the cats. "Besides I think the interview may need a rain check." She mutters quietly, "Clima iracundo... I should make sure Papa is alright."

She reaches into her purse and grabs her phone tapping out a message to her father.

'Papa, I hope you are doing well with this rain. I was walking with Amanda to her interview in the city, but at this rate it may get rained out completely. I hope things are going well for you at the farm, stay safe <3.'

She sets her phone down on the table face down returning her attention to Amanda.

"If this keeps up we will have to get to a shelter."

RHYS

MARA

"Hum, I think the small lunch is better. Also my interview shirt is white and I'm for sure drop shoyo on it if we have some Japanese."

While you dress yourself, Amanda takes her travel bag to the small guest room and then spends some time to also change clothes and get ready. She opts for a more formal attire. She also gets an umbrella, since it is already raining.

Amanda calls an Uber to take you to the Vila Mariana Station and then take the green line until Ana Rosa Station. Inside the subway, two guys are moving from wagon to wagon loudly announcing chocolate bars out from a box. It is pretty obvious that it is stolen property, but the prices are really tempting. Many people buy one or two bars.

As you reach street level, the rain has gained strength, forcing you to call for another Uber instead of walking, otherwise you'd be soaking wet in minutes. You enter the café, order your food and wait, with Amanda looking more and more nervous by the minutes.

What do you do?

"Sounds good, we may even find you a cute little friend while we're there."

Mara takes her time to finish getting ready checking the weather and grabbing her own umbrella. Deciding to go with a sturdier pair of shoes for the inclement weather as well as grabbing a purse to carry the essentials including a small notebook for any inspiration she might find on the way.

She even snags one bar herself paying with some of her fledgling cash, 'cheap is as cheap does and everyone likes a little chocolate'. When they exit and the pair find themselves on the street again she sighs.

"This downpour is awful, very glad we didn't bike out."

At the café Mara picks a table a little ways away from the windows as she doesn't want to listen to the rain and the wind outside so much. She also waits for the Gray-faced cat who usually makes his way around to the tables for pets to come near before giving him some well deserved scratches behind the ear for all his hard work. Then she finally takes note of Amanda's nervousness.

"I know that look. You worry about the interview and your performance? I'm sure you'll do fine, you've been prepping for this."

She searches Amanda's features for a bit, "Unless that's, not what's got you so wound up?"
Comfort/Support: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 3) + 3 = 10
Refrain from giving influence

[dice=Qestion to remove]1d3
Amanda seems intent on just go to the interview and spend some time with you. Apparently, she isn't intending on talking about your music career.

"I can imagine... I guess," Amanda answers, a bit evasive. "Not that dad would let me move in with a boyfriend anyway. If I had one." She shrugs, sitting on the couch and grabbing her phone.

"The interview is at 1PM in a hotel in Vila Mariana. Aren't you busy? I know dad wanted Raimundo to drive me there, but I think I can use the subway."

Vila Mariana isn't that far from where you live in Vila Madalena, likely 20 minutes if the traffic isn't bad. The problem is that relying on a good traffic is always a losing strategy, specially around lunch. There isn't much choice, aside from having lunch close to where the interview is, which isn't difficult since there are many restaurants there.

"Don't sweat it hermana, you'll find someone that your padre will approve of, and if not then follow your heart."

Stepping back, into the bedroom Mara answers while drying herself off and gathering up an outfit. Makeup can come afterwards.

"Ehh, I've got a project to work on, but been stuck inside thinking about it too much. Need to feel the city breath, I can walk over with you the metro can be a web to navigate. We can have a nice lunch, I know this place nearby they serve sushi. Get a nice bite to eat before your interview."

She leans back into the living room more decent than when she had stepped away, "Beat the traffic too."

It takes her a few minutes to choose a full outfit. A blue floral patterned blouse, a thigh length skirt with leggings, and shoes best fit for walking, no need to impress anyone today. Then she tended to her makeup.

"If you don't want a big lunch I think there's a cute Cat café nearby the hotel too."

Mara exited the shower room after drying off with a body towel wrapped around her, expecting to see Raimundo, "Oh what's that smell, breakfast in the morning for sweet little- ¡Ay Dios Mio!" She clutches the towel tighter and skitters past the doorway when she realizes it's Amanda silently cursing herself that she somehow forgot, or maybe Rai forgot to tell her.

Leaning back around the corner sheepishly, she smiles as if nothing weird had just happened. "Amanda, hermana, sorry I forgot that you were here. You know how it can be, finding too much comfort in the usual routine. You need a ride to the interview today yes? When was that again?"

ptm: 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (6, 6) + 3 = 15
What do you intend to do? How could I get you to 'not try and talk me out of Music for the thirtieth time'? What do you want me to do?

Today's project had been about composing a piece based on an assigned country's regional music. She'd been putting off the assignment because between all the crime fighting and band practice she hadn't gotten much time to research instrumentation from the Edo period of Japan's history. Amanda was never this 'shy' usually, she'd announce herself if she was over, especially out of the shower. Was the real reason another attempt by her parents to get Raimundo to get with someone else because of my career choice?