The Untold Story of Texas and Lappland (Arknights)

Antics at Breakfast

The trip back to Rhodes Island went as expected. And by expected Texas meant very cheerful and loud. Her friends piled into the car close to the afternoon. Being a punctual person, Texas had been ready hours before but her friends refused to go anywhere without getting some decent breakfast first. And so they found themselves at a little diner across from the hotel they stayed at the night before.

A long necked giraffe looking guy came up to them ready to take their order. He seemed to be the most awake person in the little café. Even the host up at the front had been drooling on the waitlist when they first walked in. Out of habit, Texas was sitting next to Exusiai. Across from them was Sora and Croissant.

"So what would you wonderful ladies like to order? Or do you need more time?"

Exusiai eyed the menu in front of her curiously. The walls of the café were red, much like the lipstick she had on. There was a bar at the center of the establishment, currently closed in the early hours. Lightbulbs hung in the air like Christmas decorations. Perhaps this was why the place was named café Santa.

"Do you have anything like apple pie here?"

"Hmm, pie isn't exactly a breakfast food so . . ."

"We'll pay you extra if you bring her some pie." Texas told him sincerely. An Exusiai with pie was a happy Exusiai. She wanted her friend to be happy, especially when it would make the journey back to Rhodes Island all the more smoother.

The waiter nodded. "I'll see what I can do. What drinks would you ladies like?"

"I'll have a water."

"Diet Coke."

"Orange Juice."

"Coffee with cream and sugar." Sora told the waiter.

"How much?"

Sora gave him a flabbergasted look. "All of it of course."

"She'll have two scoops of each." Texas told the waiter. Sora pouted but said nothing. Both of them knew she did not need to be on a sugar high for the ride back. The man wrote down their drink orders studiously with his felt tip pen.

"Can I get any appetizers for you, or would you rather just order?"

"I have a question actually." Croissant began. "It says on your lunch menu that you except no changes on your appetizers, but what if I want cheese fries with extra cheese or without the jalapeños? What then?"

Here we go again. Texas resisted the urge to bang her head on the table. Sometimes her friends were truly ridiculous. "Well Miss, I'm sure we could do what you ask for extra charge. Not that it matters though, because we don't serve cheese fries for breakfast."

Sora looked outraged. "Wait. Hold up, so we can't have lunch for breakfast? Since when was this a rule?"

The waiter gritted his teeth. He was more animalistic then most people on Terra, looking almost exclusively like a giraffe aside from walking on two legs. The spots down his long neck were huge blobs. "Appetizers aren't breakfast food. You'll have to bring it up with the cook if you have any complaints. He says breakfast is for breakfast and lunch is for lunch."

And this was where Exusiai butted in. "But what about brunch? Do I not get to have my pie because it's dessert?"

"Yeah! What about her pie?" Croissant was asking. "She deserves her pie." Her hands were waving in the air passionately, like pie was a cause worth going to war over.

"Yeah, give her pie!" Sora agreed.

"Give me pie! Give me pie!" Exusiai was chanting. Sora and Croissant were joining in. Her angel friend was giving her a side arm to join in. Texas just let out a groan.

And I deserve a vacation from this vacation. Good thing we're headed back today. Of course, these types of shenanigans from the other members of Penguin Logistics were to be expected, Texas knew how picky her friends could be. But still, this all was a bit too much at 10:00 in the morning. Her own stomach started to rumble as the aroma of breakfast food from the back filtered through to her awaiting nose. Knowing her friends wouldn't stop arguing with the waiter anytime soon she pulled out another pocky stick and stuff it in her mouth. The sweet chocolate would have to do for now.

"And I'll ask about it. Is there anything else you guys would like to order?" The waiter, bless him, was clearly trying to keep his patience with the other three women. He shot Texas a pleading glance.

Texas sighed. "I'll have the pancake special. Bring out extra syrup please."

The waiter nodded. "Of course. Would you like any toppings?"

She studied the menu, searching for the one topping she liked the most. Texas did not find it among the seven available. There was strawberries, blueberries, whip cream, walnuts, peppermint, cherries and honey. "Can I have some chocolate chips?"

The waiter frowned. "We don't have any chocolate chips Miss."

"You guys don't have chocolate chips! What in the world is wrong with you people? Chocolate is like one of the best things ever. How is Texas supposed to survive without her chocolate intake!?" Sora exclaimed. When the waiter went to open his mouth Croissant cut in.

"No no, don't say anything. We'll just take our drinks to go and the pie too."

The waiter looked perturbed, his eye twitching with barely concealed rage. "But there is no pie. None are made up yet."

"There's no pie! What a shocker! Maybe that's why no one else is eating here this early cause there's no pie." Exusiai exclaimed.

"If you're going to be this disruptive then I'll have to ask you to leave."

"Fine! We didn't want to eat here anyways," Croissant said firmly. Texas found herself getting dragged out the door by her friends, holding the four drinks in a to go holster. She offered the fuming waiter an apologetic smile before he was cut off from her view with the slamming of a door.

AND that was how the four Operators from Penguin Logistics found themselves at the McDonald's drive thru window ordering food. Thankfully, no one had any complaints about their food. The drive back to Rhodes Island was uneventful. Texas knew she went slower than normal, not sure she would be ready to face what was waiting for her there.