Summer camp week 6
Of Meat, Fish and Strawberries
“Meat is a very interesting thing from a sociopolitical perspective,” Duo said. “In some places, like Europe centuries ago and the space colonies today, meat was, or is, expensive, so eating it would be considered a sign of prosperity.”
Heero rolled his eyes. “I’m still sticking with salmon,” he said.
Duo pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“I just don’t see the point when I have an entire world, literally, of seafood to choose from. It’s a lot healthier than those artery-clogging things you call a steak.”
Quatre wrinkled his nose at the fat-dripping thing Duo had put on his plate. “Uh, Duo? I’m vegetarian.”
“What!? Since when?” Duo demanded.
“Since twenty seconds ago,” Quatre responded, making Trowa give a small chuckle, and Wufei give a snort of amusement. Mariemaia, sitting with a basket of strawberries in her hand, laughed outright.
Duo pouted again.
“Give it up, Duo,” Hilde said. “Not everyone enjoys a steak like you do.”
“Then they’ve never tasted yours,” Duo said firmly. “Hilde’s steaks were a good enough reason to stay with her during the last half of the war in and of themselves, even without all the other good reasons.”
“Really. And how did you get a hold of steak on a colony during the last half of the war, former Corporal Schbeiker?” Une asked dryly.
Hilde gulped. Everyone in Oz had learned to respect and fear the Colonel, whether they ever actually met her or not. She considered lying, but dismissed the thought and muttered: “Oz contacts, ma’am.”
“After you were dismissed from Oz.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Une opened her mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by a gleeful shout from Mariemaia: “Hahaaa! I have all the strawberries! You can’t have an-aiieeee!” The last word became a wail as she was hoisted up in the air by one leg. Rashid gave her an intimidating glare.
“And I have you,” he said. “Relinquish the strawberry. Children must learn to share.”
“Don’t listen to him! Follow your own instincts, grab life and all it offers you by the berry!” That was Dorothy, of course. Mariemaia glanced at her before defiantly popping the berry in her mouth. Rashid glowered, but his eyes were twinkling.
Heero felt Relena grab his arm, and followed her a short way away. ”Heero, who’s that woman with russet brown hair standing by herself over there?” Relena asked in a whisper.
Heero looked discreetly in the direction she indicated. “That’s Trowa’s sister Catherine. She doesn’t much like me...or Duo and Quatre, for that matter, so she’s keeping her distance.” He added “russet” to his mental list of words that could be used to describe a physical attribute.
Relena gave him a mock glare. “That’s not a good reason for her to be by herself,” she reprimanded him. “I’ll go over to her.”
“Please allow me, Miss Relena,” Pagan murmured from her other side. Relena blinked at him, then smiled her thanks at the dear old man, who nodded at her and made his way over to Catherine.
“He’s been striking up conversations with a lot of people today,” Heero remarked.
“He’s being sociable,” Relena responded. “You would do well to learn from him.”
Heero nodded. “Learn from the butler. Got it.”
Relena giggled. “Well, some things you’ve learned on your own.”
Heero smirked.
There was a thump and a soft “Ow!” as Rashid let go of Mariemaia’s leg and let her fall to the ground.
PS: If you're interested in what Cathy and Pagan were talking about, go here.
“Meat is a very interesting thing from a sociopolitical perspective,” Duo said. “In some places, like Europe centuries ago and the space colonies today, meat was, or is, expensive, so eating it would be considered a sign of prosperity.”
Heero rolled his eyes. “I’m still sticking with salmon,” he said.
Duo pouted. “You’re no fun.”
“I just don’t see the point when I have an entire world, literally, of seafood to choose from. It’s a lot healthier than those artery-clogging things you call a steak.”
Quatre wrinkled his nose at the fat-dripping thing Duo had put on his plate. “Uh, Duo? I’m vegetarian.”
“What!? Since when?” Duo demanded.
“Since twenty seconds ago,” Quatre responded, making Trowa give a small chuckle, and Wufei give a snort of amusement. Mariemaia, sitting with a basket of strawberries in her hand, laughed outright.
Duo pouted again.
“Give it up, Duo,” Hilde said. “Not everyone enjoys a steak like you do.”
“Then they’ve never tasted yours,” Duo said firmly. “Hilde’s steaks were a good enough reason to stay with her during the last half of the war in and of themselves, even without all the other good reasons.”
“Really. And how did you get a hold of steak on a colony during the last half of the war, former Corporal Schbeiker?” Une asked dryly.
Hilde gulped. Everyone in Oz had learned to respect and fear the Colonel, whether they ever actually met her or not. She considered lying, but dismissed the thought and muttered: “Oz contacts, ma’am.”
“After you were dismissed from Oz.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Une opened her mouth to say something more, but was interrupted by a gleeful shout from Mariemaia: “Hahaaa! I have all the strawberries! You can’t have an-aiieeee!” The last word became a wail as she was hoisted up in the air by one leg. Rashid gave her an intimidating glare.
“And I have you,” he said. “Relinquish the strawberry. Children must learn to share.”
“Don’t listen to him! Follow your own instincts, grab life and all it offers you by the berry!” That was Dorothy, of course. Mariemaia glanced at her before defiantly popping the berry in her mouth. Rashid glowered, but his eyes were twinkling.
Heero felt Relena grab his arm, and followed her a short way away. ”Heero, who’s that woman with russet brown hair standing by herself over there?” Relena asked in a whisper.
Heero looked discreetly in the direction she indicated. “That’s Trowa’s sister Catherine. She doesn’t much like me...or Duo and Quatre, for that matter, so she’s keeping her distance.” He added “russet” to his mental list of words that could be used to describe a physical attribute.
Relena gave him a mock glare. “That’s not a good reason for her to be by herself,” she reprimanded him. “I’ll go over to her.”
“Please allow me, Miss Relena,” Pagan murmured from her other side. Relena blinked at him, then smiled her thanks at the dear old man, who nodded at her and made his way over to Catherine.
“He’s been striking up conversations with a lot of people today,” Heero remarked.
“He’s being sociable,” Relena responded. “You would do well to learn from him.”
Heero nodded. “Learn from the butler. Got it.”
Relena giggled. “Well, some things you’ve learned on your own.”
Heero smirked.
There was a thump and a soft “Ow!” as Rashid let go of Mariemaia’s leg and let her fall to the ground.
PS: If you're interested in what Cathy and Pagan were talking about, go here.