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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/417199055349874689/666755314493947930/maxiTitlecard.png[/img]
[sup]Interacting with: [@Ambra][@Ithradine][@Smike][@dwyer austin][/sup]

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[color=silver]Judging by the apparent reaction of the small crowd assembled at her suggestion, Maxi engaged a smile toward the group. Visibly rather excited in regards to the supposition, she, too, began her steady march toward the Mess Hall, looking over the group. Paloma and Rosie's sheer exuberance meshed with Austin's awkward supposition forced a grin out of her, any onlooker who knew her well knowing full well that she was keenly observing Austin, evaluating when and what to strike. How he sluggishly trailed along with everyone else, to how he constantly bemused their boundless energy, all of which only made Maxi chuckle. Yori, Maxi knew, was just the prickly type. Hard to get ones hands around, but once the outer shell is gone, there is but a pleasant interior in which one may finally bask their fingers in. At least, Maxi had assumed this was the case, for she had the secret hope within her that Yori wasn't just Killjoy Boy all along. Austin? Well, he was just green, and there wasn't much of any manner of practical solution for greenness than old-fashioned experience. The way she figured, Austin would be singing a whole different tune after his first few weeks in the Corps, a jolly brother in this merry little band. As for Victoria...

...well, there was no satisfying Victoria. One could bring down the sky for her, and she would likely shrug at the gesture and suggest you find better people to please. [/color]

[color=8293A0][b]"Ah, cheer up!"[/b][/color] [color=silver]she turned, addressing the "concerns" of Yori and Victoria both with a slight grin,[/color] [color=8293a0][b]"There's been a lot of talk about swapping out the rations after all the field reports."[/b][/color]

[color=silver]As one approached the rather unceremonious entrance to the Mess Hall, adjacent to the door was the daily chalkboard upon which the daily chow was scribbled. Just after, everyone knew, would be the receiving window upon which requests and trays would be distributed. Moving closer, the faint, flickering light of the base above flashed into fullness, illuminating the darkness of the black chalkboard in a yellowish light. And the menu would be...[/color]

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[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/540406624993673226/674733354918215680/vinnysBreakfastMenu.png[/img]
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[color=silver]Maxi smiled, placing her hands on her hips and turning back to the small crowd with clear glee. Truth be told, she was waiting for Rosie or Paloma to explode all over Yori and maybe drown him in some optimistic, sugary sweetness. Perhaps it wouldn't make his morning, hour, minute, or even second, but perhaps Yori and Victoria might show something aside from omnipresent glumness.[/color]

[color=8293a0][b]"See? They're giving us rations so good even Vincenzo's cooking can't screw it up!"[/b][/color] [color=silver]Maxi laughed, shamelessly opening the doors with both hands as if unveiling some grand display.[/color]

[color=coral][b]"Another word like that, and ya' gonna' be eating week-old salt-and-bread for the rest of ya' time here."[/b][/color]

[color=silver]For four in the morning, Vincenzo was, as perhaps expected for an army cook, less than excited to need to prepare so early in the morning. His sullen, baggy eyes traced around his sockets not dissimilar to a raccoon's marks, lazily plucking a lit cigarette into his mouth while he took a long drag. [/color]

[color=8293a0][b]"Vincenzo? Wasn't your shift over at 22-hundred?"[/b][/color] 

[color=coral][b]"Quartermaster told me i'm on double time now."[/b][/color] [color=silver]he addressed, the acidity in his remark clear that their decision came at his expense,[/color] [color=coral][b]"I'm off at 5 today."[/b][/color]

[color=8293a0][b]"Ah...Anyway, what's in Vinny's Surprise?"[/b][/color]

[color=coral][b]"It's a [i]surprise.[/i]"[/b][/color]

[color=8293a0][b]"Oooh~...I like surprises."[/b][/color] [color=silver]she taunted. Her face etched a, "Try me"-grin that stretched from eye to eye, cheek to cheek. Unenthused, Vinny unceremoniously crouched below the counter, grunting a bit as he went down.[/color]

[color=silver]As he came back up, he plopped a red meal tray, atop it a giant bowl of some combination of beans and meat in a thick, dark broth, the contents splattering unto the countertop as he dropped it. Maxi's grin evaporated into consternation, her brow sharpening as she inspected the "breakfast" up for service.[/color]

[color=8293A0][b]"Wait...Vinny, this is just last night's dinner!"[/b][/color] [color=silver]she gently prodded a finger into it. The deepening of her frown on an already displeased demeanor suggested the meal was heated to a lukewarm temperature, at best.[/color]

[color=coral][b]"Sur-prise."[/b][/color]

[color=silver]The lieutenant glanced back slowly at Yori, Paloma, Vicky, and Rosie. Her unamused face told it all: [i]"Whatever you do, don't get the Surprise."[/i][/color]