TBVF: Chapter 4: Lunch Talk with the Family
Title: The Blue Vast Future
Author: Ariel Chew
Genre: Sci-Fi, Humor, Friendship, Family
Summary: A SB#187 team aged-up to be in a Kaiju battle. Ariel’s merely a 21-year-old supervisor of Gamma Rapper, but with all the training of the Academy she has, will it prepare her for the biggest turns of events of the century?
~*~ Finally, Achik concludes the meeting and dismisses everyone, but not before reminding Iris and Ariel on their evening meeting. Everyone obediently leaves in an orderly manner, each returning to his or her respective duties. A growl is heard from her stomach, leading Ariel to sigh as she recalls she’s been so distracted with this morning’s events that she has yet to have breakfast. Turning to her charges, she asks the two if they want to join her for breakfast.
“Mm? Yeah. That sounds really good right now. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole elephant!” Aaron exaggerates, prompting Eric to roll his eyes while Ariel mock frowns. This guy…
“Eh~? Are you three going on a lunch date without inviting us?” Amirul teases, Talha and Iris by his side as he walks over and prods playfully at Ariel’s shoulder. She pouts, a smile never wavering from her face.
“Of course you all can join us! Right, sis~?” Instead, she bounces herself towards Iris, wasting not a second in attaching herself to her senior. “Unless a certain someone wants to go out instead~?”
“That someone will be having her brunch in the Mess Hall, if you would.” Iris skillfully dodges the landmine; eyes gleaming as she completely understand the underlying meaning in Ariel’s words. “But I’ll be going out for tea later, regardless whether you’re coming with me or not.”
“Eh?!” Ariel immediately protests. “B-But! I want to go too!!”
“[Pfft… So cute…]” Talha murmurs, soft eyes and fond look as he speaks in Malay. Ariel only tilts her head to the side in response: Was there something on her face?
“[Right? But some things she’s so innocent, we always worry over her about that.]” Eric replies, prompting a confused Ariel to change her attention between the two pilots ever so often. Worry? Worry about what? Having a weak grasp on their mother tongue, Ariel can barely keep up with their conversation.
“You two are so terrible, speaking in your own language so she couldn’t understand.” Iris tuts in disapproval, reaching out to ruffle Ariel’s hair and subsequently ignoring the younger girl’s squawk of surprise. What’s with people messing her hair anyway?
Maybe she has a hair magnet. Yeah, that must be it…
“Oi! The six of you; Don’t feel like eating is it?” Without looking, she already knows the owner of that rude voice. “If you guys want to talk so much, go somewhere else. You guys are disrupting me from enjoying my food in peace!”
“More like your mind is occupied because Achik delegated a newbie under your care.” Iris snorts derisively, unaffected by his words while Ariel looks shaken. Noticing Ariel’s expression, Iris adds. “Don’t mind him; He lost his brain filter a long time ago. He means no harm, but I highly doubt he’ll get a girlfriend if he keeps this attitude up.”
“[Hey! I have a girlfriend, okay?!]” Laughter bursts all around while Ariel resumes her confused character. Hmm…
“Mundzir, oh Mundzir~” Asyikin’s singsong voice is heard shortly before she slings an over-friendly arm around Mundzir’s shoulder. “I was wondering where you disappeared to when I turn to talk to Zul, only to find you bullying our little sister.”
“[Ew! Don’t want! I don’t want a younger sister!]” Mundzir makes a face, removing her arm from his neck. “[Also, I especially hate being the lamp post for you two! Just because I’m tall doesn’t mean I want to be a lamp post!]”
“You--!” Asyikin swats at him, the J-Tech dodging her attack. “[Don’t say weird things! Zul and I are just friends! Colleagues! Stop spreading rumors when it’s not true!]”
“[I only speak the truth, because I’m an honest man—Ack! That hurts!]” Asyikin finally lands a hit on his arm, causing the man to rub his sore arm while exaggerating his pained moans.
Iris rolls her eyes. “Oh come on; It’s just a swat, not a whack.”
“[Yeah.]” Talha rubs salt into wound literally by a punch to Mundzir’s arm, the same place where Asyikin attacked, Mundzir responding with a yelp of pain. “[At the very least, treat Ariel as a teammate. She is your colleague, so be respectful.]”
“So, about that lunch…” It is then Aaron awkwardly starts when Ariel holds up a hand to his face.
“Yes, yes. Let’s go and queue before food runs out.” Ariel moves first, the others following after her towards the food counter where a delicious buffet of food awaits them. Ariel catches the eye of the Mess Hall operator, Shamim, who nods in greeting at her as the group closes in on their soon-to-be food. Shamim summons Babul, his assistant, in preparing the plates and utensils for their customers, in a deep baritone voice that is a large contrast to Babul’s higher pitched reply.
“Heya Babul! Okay; I want to have this fried egg, and then this vege, as well as that meat over there…” Aaron points out his order of mix-rice, the order starting to sound more like a recital of a food spell in Ariel’s ears while Babul struggles to keep up with the order.
“It’s okay. I’m sharing with him.” Next to Aaron, Eric speaks to Shamim, who shook his head at the growing pile of food on Aaron’s plate. Eric notices Ariel’s stare, a smile crinkling the corner of his lips as he explains. “After the last time that ended with him being temporarily residing in the toilet, I became more attentive to his diet. So I usually just order plain rice to share the side dishes to avoid a repeat of that time.”
Ariel nods, feeling grateful and embarrassed at the same time. Grateful to have an older pilot to watch over his younger partner, and embarrassed from her inability to supervise them even though supervision is her job.
“You don’t have to feel so down about it.” Eric gently pats her on the head, thanking Shamim as he receives the requested plate of rice before continuing. “I’ve been with him long before you join the team, naturally I would know what to be aware of when it comes to him.”
“Okay…” She softly replies. There’s truth in what Eric said, after all the Gamma Rapper pilots have been together for almost two years now, and Ariel is in the Shatterdome for only four months.
Nevertheless, she absent-mindedly picks out a bruschetta toast with bulls-eye on the side, the ‘perf-egg’ western breakfast with a cup of English Breakfast tea, because she doesn’t trust the Mess Hall’s so-called coffee. This time Mundzir and Asyikin is nowhere to be found, probably ditching the four pilots to the two supervisors.
Talha is perhaps the oddest among the four, who takes to eating like a koala to sleep, savors his food slowly as Amirul piles some meat onto the taller male’s plate. “Eat more,” is all Amirul says, chiding his older counterpart while ignoring Talha’s obvious sulk towards the sudden dwindling portion of meat on Amirul’s plate. Iris rolls her eyes at the familiar sight between her pilots.
“There’s still more if you all want. So stop bickering like an old married couple and just eat normally like the rest of us.” Iris huffs. To Ariel’s left, Aaron responds to all this by eating faster, going at a rate like he’s inhaling food just as one takes in oxygen.
Or maybe it is, Ariel bites back a grin as Iris immediately narrows in her attention at the well-known beat boxer.
“You, on the other hand, slow it down or you’ll choke.”
Aaron sets his plate down and grabs a tissue to wipe his lips, no trace of food evident on his plate. “I won’t! I have a stretchable organ called the oesophagus that enlarges to help me swallow my food.”
“He means he’s an idiot.” Eric promptly replies before Iris can, calmly scooping a spoonful of rice and vege into his mouth as though Aaron is not glaring (or pouting) at him. “If he doesn’t eat at that speed, he insists that his stomach will protest that it is not well fed, resulting in him being hungry for the rest of the day.”
“Besides, it’s not like he’ll choke. Have you seen him eating Krispy Kreme donuts? He finishes a dozen of it in the same time as Talha eats one.”
Ariel can only watch Aaron sputters and points at Eric in shock. “Y-You traitor! How could you?! You’re not suppose to tell others that! You’ve broken the bro-code!”
“The what?” Ariel repeats in disbelief. Iris mutters something suspiciously like ‘I’m surrounded by idiots, and they are suppose to be the saviors of this world. Unbelievable.’ under her breath, but Ariel’s not too sure if she heard it right, just as Eric retorts.
“Telling the truth is not breaking the bro-code. Also, I just saved your skin from being chewed out by Iris.”
“Yeah, gee; Thanks.”
“Now which of us are the old married couple now?” Amirul teases, even Talha looks mildly amused while he sneaks a piece of chicken meat back onto Amirul’s plate. Amirul responds by swatting the other’s hand and swiftly returns the meat.
Iris sighs, while Ariel shrugs helplessly.
In the eyes of the younger supervisor, both are equally as bad.
~*~
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Author: Ariel Chew
Genre: Sci-Fi, Humor, Friendship, Family
Summary: A SB#187 team aged-up to be in a Kaiju battle. Ariel’s merely a 21-year-old supervisor of Gamma Rapper, but with all the training of the Academy she has, will it prepare her for the biggest turns of events of the century?
~*~ Finally, Achik concludes the meeting and dismisses everyone, but not before reminding Iris and Ariel on their evening meeting. Everyone obediently leaves in an orderly manner, each returning to his or her respective duties. A growl is heard from her stomach, leading Ariel to sigh as she recalls she’s been so distracted with this morning’s events that she has yet to have breakfast. Turning to her charges, she asks the two if they want to join her for breakfast.
“Mm? Yeah. That sounds really good right now. I’m so hungry I could eat a whole elephant!” Aaron exaggerates, prompting Eric to roll his eyes while Ariel mock frowns. This guy…
“Eh~? Are you three going on a lunch date without inviting us?” Amirul teases, Talha and Iris by his side as he walks over and prods playfully at Ariel’s shoulder. She pouts, a smile never wavering from her face.
“Of course you all can join us! Right, sis~?” Instead, she bounces herself towards Iris, wasting not a second in attaching herself to her senior. “Unless a certain someone wants to go out instead~?”
“That someone will be having her brunch in the Mess Hall, if you would.” Iris skillfully dodges the landmine; eyes gleaming as she completely understand the underlying meaning in Ariel’s words. “But I’ll be going out for tea later, regardless whether you’re coming with me or not.”
“Eh?!” Ariel immediately protests. “B-But! I want to go too!!”
“[Pfft… So cute…]” Talha murmurs, soft eyes and fond look as he speaks in Malay. Ariel only tilts her head to the side in response: Was there something on her face?
“[Right? But some things she’s so innocent, we always worry over her about that.]” Eric replies, prompting a confused Ariel to change her attention between the two pilots ever so often. Worry? Worry about what? Having a weak grasp on their mother tongue, Ariel can barely keep up with their conversation.
“You two are so terrible, speaking in your own language so she couldn’t understand.” Iris tuts in disapproval, reaching out to ruffle Ariel’s hair and subsequently ignoring the younger girl’s squawk of surprise. What’s with people messing her hair anyway?
Maybe she has a hair magnet. Yeah, that must be it…
“Oi! The six of you; Don’t feel like eating is it?” Without looking, she already knows the owner of that rude voice. “If you guys want to talk so much, go somewhere else. You guys are disrupting me from enjoying my food in peace!”
“More like your mind is occupied because Achik delegated a newbie under your care.” Iris snorts derisively, unaffected by his words while Ariel looks shaken. Noticing Ariel’s expression, Iris adds. “Don’t mind him; He lost his brain filter a long time ago. He means no harm, but I highly doubt he’ll get a girlfriend if he keeps this attitude up.”
“[Hey! I have a girlfriend, okay?!]” Laughter bursts all around while Ariel resumes her confused character. Hmm…
“Mundzir, oh Mundzir~” Asyikin’s singsong voice is heard shortly before she slings an over-friendly arm around Mundzir’s shoulder. “I was wondering where you disappeared to when I turn to talk to Zul, only to find you bullying our little sister.”
“[Ew! Don’t want! I don’t want a younger sister!]” Mundzir makes a face, removing her arm from his neck. “[Also, I especially hate being the lamp post for you two! Just because I’m tall doesn’t mean I want to be a lamp post!]”
“You--!” Asyikin swats at him, the J-Tech dodging her attack. “[Don’t say weird things! Zul and I are just friends! Colleagues! Stop spreading rumors when it’s not true!]”
“[I only speak the truth, because I’m an honest man—Ack! That hurts!]” Asyikin finally lands a hit on his arm, causing the man to rub his sore arm while exaggerating his pained moans.
Iris rolls her eyes. “Oh come on; It’s just a swat, not a whack.”
“[Yeah.]” Talha rubs salt into wound literally by a punch to Mundzir’s arm, the same place where Asyikin attacked, Mundzir responding with a yelp of pain. “[At the very least, treat Ariel as a teammate. She is your colleague, so be respectful.]”
“So, about that lunch…” It is then Aaron awkwardly starts when Ariel holds up a hand to his face.
“Yes, yes. Let’s go and queue before food runs out.” Ariel moves first, the others following after her towards the food counter where a delicious buffet of food awaits them. Ariel catches the eye of the Mess Hall operator, Shamim, who nods in greeting at her as the group closes in on their soon-to-be food. Shamim summons Babul, his assistant, in preparing the plates and utensils for their customers, in a deep baritone voice that is a large contrast to Babul’s higher pitched reply.
“Heya Babul! Okay; I want to have this fried egg, and then this vege, as well as that meat over there…” Aaron points out his order of mix-rice, the order starting to sound more like a recital of a food spell in Ariel’s ears while Babul struggles to keep up with the order.
“It’s okay. I’m sharing with him.” Next to Aaron, Eric speaks to Shamim, who shook his head at the growing pile of food on Aaron’s plate. Eric notices Ariel’s stare, a smile crinkling the corner of his lips as he explains. “After the last time that ended with him being temporarily residing in the toilet, I became more attentive to his diet. So I usually just order plain rice to share the side dishes to avoid a repeat of that time.”
Ariel nods, feeling grateful and embarrassed at the same time. Grateful to have an older pilot to watch over his younger partner, and embarrassed from her inability to supervise them even though supervision is her job.
“You don’t have to feel so down about it.” Eric gently pats her on the head, thanking Shamim as he receives the requested plate of rice before continuing. “I’ve been with him long before you join the team, naturally I would know what to be aware of when it comes to him.”
“Okay…” She softly replies. There’s truth in what Eric said, after all the Gamma Rapper pilots have been together for almost two years now, and Ariel is in the Shatterdome for only four months.
Nevertheless, she absent-mindedly picks out a bruschetta toast with bulls-eye on the side, the ‘perf-egg’ western breakfast with a cup of English Breakfast tea, because she doesn’t trust the Mess Hall’s so-called coffee. This time Mundzir and Asyikin is nowhere to be found, probably ditching the four pilots to the two supervisors.
Talha is perhaps the oddest among the four, who takes to eating like a koala to sleep, savors his food slowly as Amirul piles some meat onto the taller male’s plate. “Eat more,” is all Amirul says, chiding his older counterpart while ignoring Talha’s obvious sulk towards the sudden dwindling portion of meat on Amirul’s plate. Iris rolls her eyes at the familiar sight between her pilots.
“There’s still more if you all want. So stop bickering like an old married couple and just eat normally like the rest of us.” Iris huffs. To Ariel’s left, Aaron responds to all this by eating faster, going at a rate like he’s inhaling food just as one takes in oxygen.
Or maybe it is, Ariel bites back a grin as Iris immediately narrows in her attention at the well-known beat boxer.
“You, on the other hand, slow it down or you’ll choke.”
Aaron sets his plate down and grabs a tissue to wipe his lips, no trace of food evident on his plate. “I won’t! I have a stretchable organ called the oesophagus that enlarges to help me swallow my food.”
“He means he’s an idiot.” Eric promptly replies before Iris can, calmly scooping a spoonful of rice and vege into his mouth as though Aaron is not glaring (or pouting) at him. “If he doesn’t eat at that speed, he insists that his stomach will protest that it is not well fed, resulting in him being hungry for the rest of the day.”
“Besides, it’s not like he’ll choke. Have you seen him eating Krispy Kreme donuts? He finishes a dozen of it in the same time as Talha eats one.”
Ariel can only watch Aaron sputters and points at Eric in shock. “Y-You traitor! How could you?! You’re not suppose to tell others that! You’ve broken the bro-code!”
“The what?” Ariel repeats in disbelief. Iris mutters something suspiciously like ‘I’m surrounded by idiots, and they are suppose to be the saviors of this world. Unbelievable.’ under her breath, but Ariel’s not too sure if she heard it right, just as Eric retorts.
“Telling the truth is not breaking the bro-code. Also, I just saved your skin from being chewed out by Iris.”
“Yeah, gee; Thanks.”
“Now which of us are the old married couple now?” Amirul teases, even Talha looks mildly amused while he sneaks a piece of chicken meat back onto Amirul’s plate. Amirul responds by swatting the other’s hand and swiftly returns the meat.
Iris sighs, while Ariel shrugs helplessly.
In the eyes of the younger supervisor, both are equally as bad.
~*~
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