2025-06-21: Chili Cookies and Catching Up
- Log: Chili Cookies and Catching Up
- Cast: Flay Allster, Kira Yamato
- Where: The Archangel
- OOC - IC Date: June 21, U.C. 0100 (2025)
- Summary: After the battle against the kaiju and the Gaia Sabers in the Gaia Sabers, Flay and Kira have a moment to themselves. They share snacks and have an honest conversation, two things that have never happened before.
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Whenever the Archangel is on Earth, it's nearly constantly on the move to avoid detection from NUNE's forces - and now that some of their units assisted in stopping the kaiju attack in the United States of South America front, it's once again a hot target to pursue. With even the Freedom Gundam needing repairs, it's even more urgent they avoid an attack. This brings them to the Pacific, docking in close proximity to OCU waters, which don't really have a reason to shoot them down.
Because of that, many of the crew took the opportunity to get some air in the OCU's cities, even after word reached them that there was another kaiju (?)-adjacent attack in downtown Tokyo just last night. Flay, however, decided to stick around on the ship... at least for now. While it would be nice to do some shopping while they have the chance, and she knows logically that it's probably safe by now, the urge to withdraw from everything won out in the end.
Flay's never quite fallen to the same depths as in the First Bloody Valentine War, in part, thanks to Miriallia and the others making a more active effort to drag her out of her room this time - as well as the greater responsibility she's taken on for the ship. And it's not like she's making a conscious effort to avoid Kira, either. It just seems like her conversations with him never really last long, perhaps because of a fear of dredging up too much of the past.
Regardless, he'll be able to find her in the observatory section of the ship, spending her break watching the waves crash against the shore. Part of her is still lost in thought about that battle with the Gaia Sabers, and the stress of having to fight against someone she once trusted, even if talking about it with Miriallia helped her a bit. She wonders if maybe it would have been a better idea to just check out the city after all...
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
In some ways, Kira Yamato has it easier. His anonymity isn't airtight - obviously the NUNE still has record of his time on board the Archangel - but he's not a public figure, and this close to Orb, he looks more or less like any other student, which affords him a lot of leeway in situations like this.
Which is not to say it was his idea to leave the Archangel. Kojiro had just finally requested that if Kira was going to look so crestfallen the whole time, he should focus on doing a bit of human maintenance instead of fretting over the Freedom and distracting him. And while it was a little embarrassing to get shooed away from the hangar like that, it did inspire a thought for the young man. A little bit of a supply run.
It's not that he's looking for Flay, exactly - they just happen to have certain things in common. Getting out there can be a little bit exhausting. By comparison, the ocean is peaceful, even when it's always in motion... He settles himself down, letting the bag in his hand softly rustle and raising a hand, doing his best to get her attention without startling her out of her thoughts.
"Flay! I just made it back. If you want anything picked up, I think there's still a few folks who are still making plans. If you haven't asked Miriallia yet, or anything."
That soft tone never leaves his voice in times like these.
"I'm glad you were there to back me up. It would have been a lot to handle on my own."
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Back during the war, the crew was always on high tension whenever Kira wasn't aboard the Archangel. It was only natural considering they were on the run, and he was the only one capable of piloting their only available mobile suit. Perhaps it's a sign of changing times that now, they have to specifically encourage him to spend some time away from the ship. Flay wasn't expecting to see him specifically, either - but maybe it makes sense he'd prefer the view of the ocean over a bustling street.
...And a distraction from her thoughts isn't particularly unwelcome either. "...Oh, Kira! Welcome back." She turns from the crashing waves to face the young man, as she hears the rustle of a bag. "So, what did you end up picking up?" She asks, with some curiosity, and then glances back outside when he asks if she needs anything.
"I certainly wouldn't say no to being able to do something about my hair..." She starts, "And do you have any idea how hard it is to come by good skincare products when we're stuck hiding away in the ocean all the time? Miri always says it's not that big of a deal, but..." She stops herself before she starts rambling about stuff she knows Kira wouldn't have any interest in. Honestly, she's not sure why she still cares so much about that, when it's a means to end she's no longer pursuing. Maybe it's pride that keeps her that way. "That can all wait... I wouldn't mind the company if you don't need to be anywhere."
She gazes back out into the ocean, until Kira brings up the last battle. "I think Mr. Murdoch is probably mad at me for wrecking another Striker pack..." She admits, with a wry smile. "But I'm just glad I could help out. I didn't want to just... watch the Gaia Sabers pull something as crazy as that." Especially not if Kira was flying out to stop them. "How are you feeling, Kira? The Freedom took a lot of damage against that kaiju... but it's not really the Freedom I'm worried about."
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
Kira gives a sympathetic, if not a little clueless, smile as Flay starts in. He might not get it exactly, but if it's that serious to her - well, at the very least, he definitely remembers how cooped up he felt back when he was more or less confined to the Archangel. Not being able to maintain your 'normal' eats at you. "That does sound tough, honestly. I was thinking about your situation a bit while I was out, and I didn't think to grab anything like that, but I do have something we can share while we hang out. I wouldn't mind the company, either." He takes the opportunity to sit down, casting his eyes out the window for a moment before settling back towards Flay.
"Well. Actually, I thought I might make you something. But I realized I don't really know much about baking, and something out of a box felt pretty impersonal... So I asked around a little." He looks up from the bag, keeping his eyes on Flay as he withdraws the different packages, confections from what must be at least a decently high-end establishment.
"But once I got there, I realized I didn't actually know what flavors you like, Flay."
Something twists in his smile for a moment, but he busies himself with presentation, and the wave calms.
"So I just got a few of the most popular ones. I tried them myself and they were pretty good! I hope you like them too." He does stop to separate out one package, taking a quick peek to confirm something. "Oh. These are the chili ones. I'm not sure you'll enjoy those." That does make him crack a grin, briefly. "Anyway, feel free! And don't worry too much about Mr. Murdoch. He won't take it personally." He had, actually, laid into Kira a bit - but he'd been cutting pretty close.
"I'm fine. I got a little shaken around, but the Gundam held up." That much is obvious to the both of them, but it takes a few more moments of letting the waves roll before he can get to the rest of it. "I guess I was hoping the Gundam wouldn't be needed, but... that was kind of naive. Even if things calmed down between Earth and the Plants, there were still people who have been struggling all this time. I think Lacus felt the same way."
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
Not having to deal with the structure of a military anymore does wonders for getting to have those small reminders of an 'ordinary' life, at the very least. But while Kira understandably wasn't thinking to stop by the beauty section of the store, Flay can appreciate that he was thinking about her at all. "I thought I smelled something good..." She comments, as Kira brings out the marvels of store-bought baked goods. And the fancy kind, too...! "I don't know much about it, either," She nods about baking (after all, she could always just buy whatever she wanted). "But this is good, too! ...Thanks, Kira."
She doesn't blame Kira for not knowing exactly what she likes, since they weren't all that close before getting entangled on the Archangel, but considering the way she presented herself back then, getting the popular kinds is a pretty fair bet. "That's fine, they all look good to me~" Flay smiles, and reaches for... one of the chili-flavoured ones. "W-Wait, what do you mean 'chili ones'?" She just as quickly stops in her tracks, reaching for the other package instead. She wasn't really aware Kira had such a unique flavour profile... but maybe Kira really is built different. "I'll stick to something sugary, thanks!" She settles on a particularly sprinkle-filled pastry.
"I guess that's true..." Flay nods, about the repairs. "I mean, if the machine got busted up, that means it did its job in protecting the pilot, right? Same goes for the Freedom." She gives Kira some time to think while she bites into her pastry. Sometimes, there's just no beating fresh out of the bakery. "I wish we didn't have to intervene either," Flay agrees. "But I think things could have spiralled out of control if we couldn't stop that kaiju." Maybe Kira's perspective is naive, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
"If things worked the way they should, maybe we wouldn't need Gundams, or weapons at all..." She shakes her head, then, remembering the attack on Heliopolis, and all the chaos at the Battle of Jachin Due. "But we can at least use them to make the world a little more peaceful, right?" She doesn't like that Kira has to take on that role anymore, but at least she knows it's the path he's chosen. "...I don't always understand the way Lacus thinks, but I'm sure she feels that way too." Flay agrees, though with a bit of hesitation when she mentions Lacus. "But at the same time... I'm sure she's worried about putting you in danger." She adds, perhaps projecting a little bit of the way she feels onto Lacus. Previously, she accused Lacus of using him the exact same way she used him. But as she's gotten to know her better, she's not sure if it's that's simple, anymore. "...So if there's anything we can do to help make things easier, just let us know."
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
"Yeah. To tell the truth, it didn't seem like those Gaia Sabers had much control over the situation. I was pretty worried. Monsters like that as part of a military operation... I don't like fighting in general, but there's something terrible about being willing to use a weapon that carelessly. Putting their soldiers in the line of fire like that makes me think they're willing to hurt anyone." It's not the first time he's seen that kind of horror, after all. He sighs, reaching for one of those chili-chocolate cookies and taking a careful bite. "These are really good, actually..."
Despite the serious topic, Kira's tension drops, and he settles in close to the window, enjoying the steadiness of the water and some time with a friend. He nods as Flay talks through it, one of those soft smiles spreading again.
"That's just it, Flay. I think most people want a future like that, actually... they just don't know how to get there. Most of the time, I don't either, really. But I have to do what I can, I think, as long as I believe things can get better... I guess you could say it's because I have hope that I have to fight."
Despite his confidence, there is a moment of quiet when Flay brings up the idea that Lacus might be concerned she's putting him in danger. "Do you think so...?" It's not as if he's given it no thought - especially lately, there's been plenty of danger for Lacus to worry about, too - but... "She understands. She's the one who gave me the Gundam to use, after all." He closes his eyes briefly, settling back into that easy-going smile. "Mhm. I really appreciate it. Honestly, I'm glad you're settling back in here. You've been through a lot, and even when you're doing the right thing... it's not always easy. I hope everyone here's been understanding... If you need any help, I feel the same way, okay? I don't want you to be uncomfortable now that I've finally got my friend back."
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
"I think it might be even worse than that..." Flay nods, with a grave expression when Kira mentions the relation between the Gaia Sabers' presence and the kaiju. "The commander I was up against said they were taking advantage of the kaiju to prove the Gaia Sabers are necessary. That's the way of thinking we're up against..." Kira's perspective here, about the amount of danger they're putting their own soldiers in makes sense too. The expendability of her own life was just one of the many reasons she left. "The pastries are good, too, but I wonder... does the spicy of the chili and the sweet of the chocolate cancel each other out or something?" He did say it was one of the popular flavours.
Flay relaxes a bit when she sees Kira doesn't seem to be struggling, like she assumed he must have been. It does feel a lot easier when they're not facing it alone... and talking about it over sweets helps in its own way. "I think even most of the people in the Gaia Sabers feel that way - at least I did. After all the wars the Earth Sphere's been through, I don't think it's hard to convince themselves their methods are the only way to secure peace." Especially not after many people experienced exactly what she did in the wake of the Break the World incident. "Now that I'm here, all I want is to find a better way... even if we don't know what it is yet. But... I don't think there's anyone else I'd rather find it with than you and everyone else here." She smiles.
"You know her better than I do, but... it seems like there's times where I think she wants to do something, but she holds herself back." Flay explains, mostly thinking about the Gaia Sabers making an idol of their own, and even ZAFT seemingly using a doppelganger with her face now. The only reason Flay even really points it out is because she feels if she were in Lacus's position, she would probably act a lot more impulsively. "...Right, I think it's because she cares."
At the same time, Kira offers his own kindness. "Don't worry, everyone's been nice. Miri took me down to the onsen just the other day, it's been a long time since we just got to chat like that, you know?" For some reason, it hits her particularly hard that Kira is trying his best to acclimate her here... that he genuinely wants her here. "I'm... I'm really glad to hear that." She smiles, watching the crashing waves roll and then smoothen out. "It just feels good to have someplace to go back to."
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
"Mm... kinda. I mean, people like cinnamon in sweets, right? It's just a more intense version of that. Is it really that strange?" The little smile on his face betrays that Kira knows it is, but it's still true that it is popular. It doesn't take a Coordinator's palette to enjoy.
"That's just it... just like the last war, I can't convince myself that it's as simple as one side or the other being evil. They're fighting to protect the things that are important to them. But it's not hard to convince people that anyone who doesn't feel the same way must be their enemy... and that's really dangerous. And it seems like things are getting more complicated, lately... there are aliens coming to Earth again, and now if kaiju attacks start picking up again... well. It's easy for people to end up being misled by their anxieties..." His voice drops a little, contemplative. "And even some of the people who say they want peace... I guess I don't know how to feel about that girl who dresses like Lacus, if I'm honest." He sighs. "Lacus is so kind, but I worry they're taking advantage of what she means to people..."
Hearing that Flay's been welcomed so well does cheer him up again, though. "Oh nice! I need to take advantage of that while I'm here, actually. A trip to the onsen sounds great for later, especially after getting kicked around like that in the Freedom. It's so different from last time... the atmosphere was way more strict when I was piloting the Strike." He nods as she talks about needing a place to come back to. "Yeah. That was one of the nice things about going home after everything... I could take some time to think about things. And helping out around the orphanage helped me feel... like I was still changing things, in my own way. I don't think I could ever really just... hang around, you know?"
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
"Ehh? I mean, cinnamon is just a spice. You can put it in your coffee or something and it doesn't change the flavour that much. While chili can make a whole meal on its own." Flay blinks, desperately trying to wrap her head around Kira's reasoning. For all the ways they've come to understand each other, maybe this is one avenue they can't. "Well, I guess it's not that different from putting so much cream and sugar in your coffee it doesn't even taste like coffee anymore. Not that I do that or anything!" She has no idea that would be like, an actual crime on the Eternal.
"Mhm... that's exactly it. Once colonies are dropped, and nuclear weapons are fired, it's hard to reverse the damage that does in people's minds. It's even harder to go back to the way things were before... even though it's what everyone wants." So much has happened in the last year, it's almost a small miracle they aren't in the middle of another war. But it's not just the Gaia Sabers and the Space Assembly League, either, as Kira says... "It feels like a bad sign if we've drawn the attention of other solar systems and galaxies. There were some really.. weird ones, when I was in the Gaia Sabers who claimed they had some kind of mandate to 'restore order' to the Earth." Flay reminisces, about the Keepers of Order. "It kind of makes you think about how small our lives really are... but that doesn't mean they don't matter, right?"
The 'fake Lacus' mention also gets a frown out of Flay. "I think there's a lot of people who envy what Lacus is able to do," She agrees, with a flash of a memory of threatening to kill the pink-haired songstress. "But it makes me wonder if that girl's just being used like Lilium Valerie is," she adds. If she is, then who is it really that envies Lacus's abilities?
"It really hit the spot," Flay nods enthusiastically. "I still can't believe Ms. Murrue found the time to get that installed... but I'm not complaining~" As for it being far more strict back when they were an Earth Federation ship... "I can't help but wonder what Ms. Badgiruel would think of all this." She laughs a little, because despite everything, she still thinks fondly of Natarle during her time on the Dominion. She listens to Kira, then, as he explains what he'd been doing during the war. "I think that really suits you, Kira." She smiles - for some reason she can imagine him staying up all night to invent new toys for the kids. "Even if the fighting finally ends, there will always be people who need help." It'd be nice to do that sort of thing one day... if she was saved, it feels right to be able to pay it forward somehow.
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
"Ehhhh? A... Flay--" Kira legitimately stops in his tracks for a second, and then snorts. "I mean. I guess that is why the dish is named that but--" For someone who is usually thinking constantly, spinning out this hard is hard to recover from. He nibbles at his cookie blankly. "It's... it's a pepper..." It actually takes him a moment to even process the coffee comment, and he simply doesn't have the heart to contest it. He does, briefly, consider mentioning that you can put chili powder in coffee, too, but the risk is just too great.
"Yes, that's it. We're just human... well, and the other types of people who live on Earth now, like the Zentraedi. But I think we mostly all want the same things..." He nods when she brings up the possibility that ZAFT's Lacus might be in a similar situation to Lilium. "It's hard for it to not feel similar. I'm just not sure what they're trying to accomplish by taking advantage of Lacus's image like that..."
Genuine enthusiasm wells up in him when Flay comments on his helping out at the orphanage. "You know, I was actually a pretty average student for a while. I didn't really have any passion for what I was doing until Athrun gave me Birdy. I was so impressed, I ended up learning a lot just so I could make something like him myself. I kinda hope... well, it's not like I want anyone to follow in my footsteps, precisely. But I'd love to be able to inspire others like that, I guess. It's something I admire about him... Being able to connect with others outside of the battlefield."
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
"Why else would they call it that?" Flay immediately shoots back, and then there's a long, awkward silence. "Oh. Ohhhhh! So they're like hot chips. That makes..." Flay puts aside what's left of her own pastry. "A lot more sense actually!" ...Maybe it's for the best to let this whole painful part of the conversation slide.
As much as actors like Blue Cosmos or the Patrick Zala-aligned remnants might try to influence otherwise, Flay tries to keep Kira's words that they're all just people in mind. She'd had so many of her beliefs about Coordinators proven wrong directly in front of her, so she wants to believe that anyone can have the capacity to learn and grow the same way. "It must mean they're doing something the real Lacus wouldn't approve of... but I have no idea what it could be." The PLANT's public image has been clean for a while now, and they're even garnering more public support over the Gaia Sabers. What could they be hiding?
Instead of trying to rack her brain even further brainstorming about the fake Lacus, Flay listens to Kira explain how he got his passion for engineering. "Athrun... that must've been your friend in the Aegis, right? The one who made all the mini Haros?" She recalls (over)hearing that one of the enemy ZAFT pilots was his best friend... and she also remembers Lacus mentioning the name in relation to her Haro collection.
"I get what you mean. It's nice to be able to make something to show how much you care about someone," She agrees. "I don't love getting swarmed by a bunch of loud robot toys whenever Lacus is around, but I can tell they're precious to her, too." She decides not to mention that Birdy would simply never leave her alone either after Kira went missing in action, but... "It's like a reminder of that connection even when they're far away, right?"
<Pose Tracker> Kira Yamato has posed.
"That's right. I was completely shocked he'd ended up at Heliopolis... I guess it's not that surprising. His father was Patrick Zala, so him ending up as a ZAFT pilot makes sense. I guess he was just as shocked to find me inside the Strike. Thinking about it, that confusion might have been the reason I survived... Even the two of us, good friends, ended up fighting and nearly killing each other. That's how terrible things had gotten. But in the end we both wanted to help Lacus, and we were able to understand each other again..." He stares out the window for a little while, solemn.
"But yeah, those little Haros are something he built, too. They're pretty cute, following her around like that. They definitely do get loud when they all start going at once, though!" The thought of Flay being swarmed by a bunch of small chatty robots is enough to start another giggle. "Exactly. It really helped me keep it together back then. Even with everyone together on the Archangel, we were so busy and worried about attacks that it wasn't like we had a lot of time to just hang out... I'm glad that seems to be a little better these days, too. It got lonely."
<Pose Tracker> Flay Allster has posed.
When Flay had heard that Kira's friend was the pilot of one of ZAFT's mobile suits, she'd blamed him for holding back and causing her father's death. Sometimes, it's still difficult to let go of that feeling... but now that she's able to look back on it, it feels like an incredible stroke of luck that they were even able to survive the situation - and that Kira was able to survive the battle against the Aegis. She doesn't say anything on the matter, just letting Kira speak and get his own feelings out.
"You can't even have a proper conversation without getting interjected with 'I can't accept that! I can't accept that!'" Flay points out, doing her very best impression of Haro - and can't stop giggling by the end of it. "...I have to admit, they are kind of cute, though. I wouldn't mind having one of my own." (As long as she can turn it off when she needs her peace and quiet.)
Flay probably shouldn't be surprised Kira relied on Birdy for emotional support during the war - her smile fading into a frown. She played a major role in it, but it was true the two of them were especially isolated from the rest of the crew, and eventually each other. She stares off into the ocean again. "They weren't good times for any of us. We were all scared, and..." It really is just like Kira to only worry they didn't have much time to hang out, she thinks. "I'm glad things are different, too." She agrees, after failing to really find the right words.
"I've got to run some errands for the ship, but it... really was to be able to spend time together like this." She finishes the last of her dessert. "I mean, I don't think I've ever heard you laugh and smile so much." In a sense, it feels like the first time she's seen a glimpse of who Kira really is. "...And I'll definitely have to surprise you with something nice in return, sometime~"