(A3, noon, Sarita's) Padding (O)

[Padma Bhatti]

As Padma had stood in front of the mirror that morning, others from the unit banging on the door for her to hurry up and let them in, she had prodded at her ribs, her jaw, pinched at her arms and thighs. Ugh, getting too thin, she observed. The routines were getting tougher and more labor-intensive, and her body was reflecting it. She couldn't stand that frail look that other Sihabahu carried when clothed, and needed to make sure she looked healthfully plump-- and she decided she needed some Sarita's. At her prices, she'd be able to get all the extra she needed without spending too much.

Now, as she stood in line at the restaurant, she mentally calculated how many dishes she could get for her luxury credits. A Svatantra-style veggie dish, with all those spices, sounded like a good start, then maybe some whale soup-- though, at the prices Sarita sold it at, she wouldn't doubt that the whale was synthetic. But that didn't bother her-- she just needed something with extra calories. And a mint lassi wouldn't go unwarranted, either, she supposed.

She glanced around. It was fairly busy today, and Padma wondered if she would be able to find a seat at all. Well, at least it's not finals week, she mused.

((Just looking for her to meet new peoples!))

[Siba Suriyanaa]

So much pain. That was the only thing that Siba could register as she dragged herself into Sarita's. Swimming was hell on her body, in the soft state it was currently in. She was going to miss the curves, but she had to be honest with herself. If she was going to get back into competition shape, they would almost certainly be a casualty. She wasn't built to look soft, she was built to cut through the water.

Her braids were still damp and smelled strongly of the chemically treated pool she'd just come from. Her Suriyanaa olfactory mod was making it all the worse and aside from the pain, the only thing that she could think of was that she desperately needed to get food in her belly.

She staggered to the back of the line and saw that she was behind a pretty, plump little thing. A twinge of envy was felt in Siba, looking at even with her little bit of fat from her low impact therapy, she looked like a hulking muscle mass next to the girl in front of her. She looked Sihabahu as well, which only added to the envy. How could she manage to stay pretty like that?

She actually looked familiar... oh wait, that's right! Tentatively, she tapped the smaller girl's shoulder. "Umm... pardon me... I think I've seen you before at the killing floor, haven't I? You performed with a dance troupe two evenings ago there, right?"

[Padma Bhatti]

Padma turned as she felt a tap on her shoulder-- and looked up. My but this was a tall girl. She grinned, though, at the recognition. It meant that someone had taken note of her dancing, as well as her unit-members.

She nodded, "Yes. Yes I did, with some from my unit. Did you enjoy the performance?"

She subtly turned and placed her order, adding a sandwich to the order as well.

"I go there often, do you?" she looked at the dog-tooth tattoos, and supposed that she had seen the girl before, "You do seem somehow familiar."

[Siba Suriyanaa]

Siba smiled down at the girl, a little amused she was trying to pin her down. "Don't strain your brain too hard, I haven't been dancing in a long time. I just got off of therapy not even a week ago, and I was just down at the Killing Floor to listen to the music. But yes, back before the surgery, I used to dance there almost everyday." She tapped the double ring of metal that was midway up her calf. "It's been a while, and I need to get back into dancing, like I've been trying to do with my swimming."

It was her turn to order. She asked for two large bowls of whale soup, extra spicy and four grilled rhea cutlets with a side order of fried bananas with sweet bean paste on top. "Ummm... make that two orders of fried bananas." She smiled at the other girl. "Working out again has been hard on my body, what little roundness my convalescent leave granted me is going to be burned away soon." She played with her braids and tried not to look at the girl directly in the eye. "I must admit I envy your figure a bit..." then she realized she hadn't introduced herself. "Oh! And I'm Siba Suriyanaa by the way, of the Suriyanaa patrol unit." She bowed her head at the other girl. "And perhaps, if you'd like to keep talking I mean, we should probably find an open table."

[Padma Bhatti]

"Certainly," Padma grinned, "I am pleased to meet you, Siba Suriyanaa. I am familiar with the Suriyanaa patrol, you're known for your dedication. You must tell me of your work.

"And thank you," she added, acknowledging Siba's compliment, "It takes a lot to keep it this way," she laughed, hefting her platter of vegetables, soup, sandwich, and lassi. She smiled crookedly at the fact that she would probably order more once she had finished.

She stood up on tiptoes, trying to peer over heads-- or at least shoulders-- for an empty table, "Do you see anything open? Or do we need to go outside?"

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