I figure that it was Moustafa who persuaded the others to go talking to Pierre-Renard.
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BTW: Remember Strange and Charm? Those two seem to be participating in a battle against the superhero duo Lady Spectra & Sparky right now... ;-)
It's simply that this is supposed to be the cafeteria of the École du Jules Verne.
(The cafeteria of Gernsbeck University has similar food-themed wall decorations.)
(And by next strip, you will know why this is a pun! ;-) )
(The cafeteria of Gernsbeck University has similar food-themed wall decorations.)
Also as I was about to exit, the third panel reminds me of something. A 5 person group. Why does that look familiar? :]
And regarding the 5 people, you are on the right track there: Tarik noticed this familiarity too when he first met them... ;-)