52:- Flounder

As Ichiro worked on his mobile suit, Ogre, in one corner of the hangar, the Turbine trio, Azee, Lafter, and Eco, were busy with their own tasks on Barbatos. The atmosphere was buzzing with the sound of clanking metal, tools, and lively conversation among the mechanics.

Eco, however, seemed to be in an unusually irritable mood. She muttered to herself, loud enough for her companions to hear, "What does he think he is? Acting all high and mighty. He's just a decent mechanic."

Lafter, intrigued by Eco's grumbling, couldn't help but ask, "Did you have a fight with him or something?"

Eco crossed her arms, a scowl on her face. "No, it's just... he's so prideful. Thinks he's the best at everything."

Azee chimed in, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Well, you're not entirely wrong. Ichiro does have quite the ego when it comes to his skills."

Lafter, ever the inquisitive one, decided to dig deeper. "Is it because he's handsome?" She gazed over at Ichiro as she spoke, openly admiring his features.

Azee chuckled softly. "Well, that might be part of it, but there's more to it than just looks."

Curiosity piqued, Lafter leaned in closer. "What do you mean?"

Azee explained, "Miss Amida once told me that she wants Ichiro to be a part of our family somehow, someday."

Lafter blinked, clearly surprised by the revelation. "Really? Why?"

Azee shrugged, her gaze still on Ichiro. "I don't know the full story, but Miss Amida sees something special in him, something that makes her hold him in high regard."

As they continued their work, the Turbine trio exchanged glances.

Bladwin approached the hanger with two cups in hand, one in each. As he walked towards Ichiro, Eco couldn't resist taking a jab at him. "Here comes the wannabe, the third-rate subordinate of a cheap villain." Azee, unamused by Eco's teasing, smacked her lightly on the head and went back to her work.

Bladwin, reached Ichiro and took a seat on a nearby ledge. He extended one of the cups towards Ichiro, his helmet hiding his expression. "Hey, Ichiro, what's up?"

Ichiro glanced at Bladwin . "Not much, just working on Ogre. What brings you here?"

Bladwin gestured towards the cup he held. "I brought us a drink. Care to join me?" He had a straw fitted into his helmet, ready to take a sip himself.

Ichiro nodded and reached for the cup Bladwin offered. "Sure, why not." He took a sip.

Ichiro sipped the drink Bladwin had brought, finding it quite refreshing. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Bladwin. "This is good, but what is it?"

Bladwin leaned back slightly, a mischievous glint in his helmeted eyes. "Take a guess."

Ichiro pondered for a moment, then took another sip. "Lemonade?"

Bladwin was momentarily stunned. "H-how did you know that? Have you been to Earth before?"

Ichiro chuckled and waved his hand playfully in front of Bladwin's face. "Nah, nah, nothing like that. I had it once back on Mars."

Bladwin sighed in relief, his helmeted head bobbing slightly. "You had me worried there for a second. I thought you had some secret Earth visits going on."

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The surprise arrival of a car at the makeshift Tekkadan base had everyone gathered around, curious about what it might contain. As the driver presented a large cooking pot, Atra, the kitchen-incharge for Tekkadan, approached cautiously. The driver explained that Mr. Makanai had sent the pot as a gift.

When the lid of the pot was opened, to everyone's surprise, a flounder fish sprang out and flopped around on the ground. 

As the flounder fish leaped out of the cooking pot, chaos ensued among the Tekkadan members gathered around the car. Atra, who was in charge of the kitchen, had a particularly startled reaction, seeking refuge in Mika's arms.

Atra: "What is it?!" She exclaimed, her voice trembling with fear as she clung to Mika.

Lafter, with a more composed demeanor, approached the fish and identified it.

Lafter: "Isn't it a flounder?"

Azee and Eco, both intrigued and hungry, commented on its delicious appearance and suggested it might be a sole.

Atra, still curious but cautious, asked a question to clarify.

Atra: "What? Is that something you can eat?"

Akihiro chimed in, expressing disbelief and concern.

Akihiro: "No way."

Ichiro, with a knowing smile, confirmed Atra's suspicion.

Ichiro: "Yeah, you can. It's pretty tasty. A friend of mine from Earth told me about this when he was in Mars."

Mika raised an eyebrow at Ichiro, a hint of curiosity in his expression. Shino, always ready for a culinary adventure, was intrigued by the new discovery.

Shino: "Can you really eat this?"

As the driver returned to his vehicle, his gaze landed on the back of Mika. His expression soured, twisted with disgust at the sight before him. However, before Mika could react to the unsettling vibe, he asked the driver, "What?"

The driver, likely realizing his own prejudice and bigotry, quickly denied any issue and hurriedly got into his car, driving away. Shino, ever the inquisitive one, couldn't help but question the driver's strange behavior, asking, "What's wrong with him?"

Old Man Nadi, perceptive and well-versed in the nuances of life on Earth, understood the situation. He explained, "It's your backs that look gross to him. There's no one here who possesses Alaya-Vijnana." Mika, taking in the explanation, simply responded with a quiet acknowledgment, "I see."

Old Man Nadi, with his mechanical leg, added to the conversation, "My legs are the same on this planet. They just can't accept it, not as long as the memories of the Calamity War remain fresh."

Ichiro turned to Mika and asked, "Where's Orga?"

Mika replied with a calm tone, "Orga, Biscuit, Kudelia, and Merribit went to meet Mr. Makanai."

Ichiro nodded in understanding and returned to his work on White Yuri, focusing on the maintenance of the mobile suit.

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At the dining table, the Tekkadan members were struggling to eat the flounder, unsure of how to approach this unfamiliar dish. The Turbine trio, on the other hand, was enjoying it with gusto. Ichiro, taking his time, savored each bite of the flounder, savoring its unique taste.

Ride expressed his skepticism as he watched them eating, saying, "Seriously?"

Shino chimed in, "No way. This is definitely not food."

Akihiro looked at the flounder's head grilled on his plate and remarked, "It's glaring at us."

Yamagi, trying to encourage Ride, suggested, "You go first."

But Ride countered, "No, you go first."

Mikazuki, who had been silently observing the contents on his plate, started eating Mars palms from his pocket. Atra, noticing this, was a bit irritated and urged Mikazuki, "Mikazuki, you could at least take a bite. Everyone from the Turbines helped me, and it was really hard."

Mikazuki, continuing to munch on Mars palms, replied casually, "Oh yeah."

Atra, frustrated with Mikazuki's indifference, grabbed his plate, mustered her courage, and took a bite of the flounder. She opened her eyes wide, astonished by the complex flavor she had just experienced. "I didn't know it had such a complex flavor," she exclaimed.

Ride couldn't believe it, saying, "No way."

Atra insisted, "It's true," as she continued to savor the unexpected deliciousness.

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Ichiro and Bladwin stood atop a hill, gazing down at Orga and Biscuit engaged in a heated argument. The distance was too great for them to hear the specifics, but they could sense the tension in the air. Their conversation unfolded below:

Orga's voice rose passionately as he argued his point, but his exact words remained a mystery to Ichiro and Bladwin.

Bladwin, observing the scene, remarked, "Seems like they're having quite the discussion down there."

Ichiro nodded, his eyes fixed on the two friends. "Yeah, something must be bothering them. Orga doesn't usually get this worked up."

Bladwin leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of their expressions. "Any idea what it's about?"

Ichiro shrugged. "Not a clue. We've been away on our mission, so it's hard to say."

As the argument continued, Biscuit seemed to be defending his position, his gestures animated as he spoke his piece.

Bladwin observed, "Biscuit looks pretty determined. He must have his reasons."

Ichiro, his arms crossed, replied, "Yeah, he's always been the rational one in the group. If he's taking a stand, it must be important."

Down below, Orga's frustration was evident as he tried to convey his perspective to Biscuit.

Bladwin, studying their body language, commented, "Orga's not backing down either. Whatever this is, it might be a matter of principle for both of them."

Ichiro nodded in agreement. "True. They've come this far together. I doubt they'd fight like this without a good reason."

Their discussion continued, voices carrying some of the emotions that had driven them to this point.

Bladwin, his gaze unwavering, said, "It's moments like these that really test a leader."

Ichiro, still watching, replied, "Yeah, Orga's got a heavy burden to bear. Making decisions that affect all of us can't be easy."

As the argument raged on, it became clear that Orga and Biscuit were both deeply invested in their positions, unwilling to yield.

Bladwin, thoughtful, said, "Let's hope they can find a way to resolve this without causing a rift in Tekkadan."

Ichiro, watching the scene unfold, added, "Yeah, we've faced enough challenges as it is. We can't afford to lose our unity."

In the distance, Orga and Biscuit continued their impassioned conversation, their voices carrying the weight of their convictions.

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