fandomhigh | International Cuisine

Class today still met at Portalocity; it wasn't as if a potential hurricane tomorrow was going to stop them from going anywhere else today, after all. It just meant that Hannibal was in a very stylish raincoat.

"We're heading to Morocco today," he told the students. "It will be rather warm, so you'll want to leave your raingear here." As he was. "We haven't yet been to Africa this term, and I thought it might be time to change that."

He led them through the portal and into a bustling street surrounded by stalls. "Marrakech, Morocco," he explained. "Morocco has been a hub of trade for centuries, and its spices and cuisine reflect that. Mediterranean and Arabic cuisines are the strongest influences, and olive oil, fruits, grains, and a number of meats, including lamb, are common."

He led them further down the street. "Today we will be eating at Dar Cherifa, a restaurant meant as a calm oasis in the midst of the souks - the markets. It features a fairly traditional and varied menu. As usual, I will order a number of things for us, and you're welcome to order your own as well."

He nodded at the waiter as they were led to their table. "The predominant languages here are Arabic and Berber, but most people will also speak French, and some will know Spanish or English. Please don't hesitate to ask should you have any questions.

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It was indeed.

"Any way you like," Hannibal said. "The simplest way is to loop them about your neck, but they can also be looped several times around an arm or perhaps a leg, draped around your head," probably even better Peridot's than many others, "or your waist if the strand is long enough, or pinned to clothing."

Peridot kind of awkwardly scratched at her cheek as she looked the beads over.

"I don't really have much clothing," she noted. "Some items that I learned how to darn on in Home Ec."

She fidgeted a little.

"They require money in exchange for these goods, don't they?"

"They do," Hannibal answered. "And you can always buy more clothes, should you wish to."

He glanced over the beads and reached up to snag a long strand of polished dark blue with gold flecks, the dropped it around Peridot's neck and let her enjoy it while he briefly haggled with the shop owner in French.

And Peridot missed most of the French, not that she could speak it, staring down kind of in awe at the length of blue that had been placed on her.

"It's lapis," she murmured to herself. "The stone, not the..."

Well. Obviously not the Gem. She had never really encountered much in the way of non-Gem gems, before.

Hannibal finished haggling and handed over the agreed-upon price, then looked down at Peridot. "Do you like it? Do your people make much use of non-sentient rocks or gems?"

Peridot shook her head a little.

"Not this way," she replied. "We have tools that make use of non-sentient minerals and metals, but we don't wear them this way."

She kind of toyed awkwardly with one of the beads on the string.

"This is completely new to me. But... I do like it."

"I'm pleased to hear it," Hannibal said, giving her a little bow. "It's yours now; you'll have to decide what you want to do with it."

Peridot blinked up from the bead she was inspecting at Hannibal, looking... kind of at a loss, mostly.

"I..." And then she looked back at the beads again. "I..."

Hannibal was only the third person to ever give her a gift this way. She still wasn't sure what to do about it. Except...

"Wow, thanks."

"You are very welcome," Hannibal said. "It's a pleasure to present a gift to someone so appreciative of it.

"If you would like money from time to time," he suggested, "you are welcome to drop by my office or home, and I can find errands for you to run or tasks to perform in exchange for pay."

He wouldn't make her mow the lawn; he liked her and the flamingos too much to want to see that confrontation.

Probably.

Peridot tilted her head a little at that.

"Errands?"

She was intrigued, now. She'd had a job at Stark's, but adhering to a human schedule based seemingly arbitrarily around the position of the sun in relation to the Earth had been tricky. She was getting better at it, now. It took some doing.

Hannibal shrugged. "Sometimes I might want a package taken to the post office, or some help in cleaning the house. You could help me, and I could answer any questions you might have about the process or other things about humanity, and I would pay you money."

"That sounds..." Peridot paused to consider. "It sounds useful. Sensible. I believe I will take advantage of this offer, thank you."

"You are very welcome," Hannibal said. "In the meantime," he added with a grin, "let me teach you how to haggle; I believe you'll enjoy it."

International Cuisine | Friday, 3rd period

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