It began, as most disasters do, with a single sentence from Celia.
> "Let's have a friendly cooking competition!"
There was silence. The kind of silence where everyone could feel the coming storm.
Mira slowly looked up from her book. "Define friendly."
> "Fun! Team-building! Full of laughter and culinary excellence!" Celia said, gesturing wildly.
Eira sipped her coffee. "So… another explosion waiting to happen."
"You're just jealous of my enthusiasm," Celia said with a grin.
"No," Eira replied, "I'm traumatized by it."
The "Great Cooking Competition of Base 13" was officially scheduled for that afternoon. The rules were simple — no outside help, no instant meals, and absolutely no "creative chemical enhancements" (a new rule, added after Liri's last "energy soup" experiment).
Rina was already bouncing with excitement. "We should have prizes! Like, the winner gets extra dessert for a week!"
> "Or the loser cleans Celia's room again," Mira muttered darkly.
"That's too cruel," Eira said. "That's a punishment, not a game."
Celia clapped her hands. "Perfect! Let's divide into teams. Mira and Rina versus me, Liri, and Eira. May the best cooks win!"
Liri pumped her fist. "Operation: Culinary Domination, go!"
Eira sighed. "Operation: Regret Everything, also go."
---
The Preparation Phase
The kitchen of Base 13 looked like a battlefield before the first shot was even fired. Ingredients covered every surface. Flour, eggs, vegetables, and a suspiciously large amount of instant noodles were scattered everywhere.
Mira took charge of her team with the efficiency of a commander.
> "Rina, you handle prep. I'll do the main dish. No unnecessary chaos."
Rina nodded seriously. "Roger that!" Then immediately dropped an egg on the floor. "Minor setback!"
Celia's team, on the other hand, had no such structure.
> "So what are we cooking?" Liri asked.
"Surprise!" Celia said proudly.
"You mean you don't know yet," Eira said.
"Details, details. The spirit of creativity will guide us."
Liri, armed with a ladle, nodded like she was about to perform alchemy. "If we mix ingredients with love, success is guaranteed!"
> "If we mix them with logic, it's also guaranteed," Eira countered.
"Where's the fun in logic?" Celia laughed.
---
The Battle Begins
The competition timer started, and chaos immediately followed.
Mira's team moved like a well-oiled machine—if that machine occasionally smoked and sputtered. Mira was slicing vegetables with terrifying precision, while Rina, somehow, was narrating their progress like a cooking show host.
> "And now, our brave chef Mira is adding salt—oh no! That was sugar!"
Mira froze mid-motion. "You what?"
Rina smiled nervously. "Um… plot twist?"
Meanwhile, on Celia's side, things were less "organized effort" and more "experimental science project."
Celia was trying to flip pancakes using a frying pan and what looked suspiciously like battlefield reflexes.
> "Why are they sticking?"
"Because you didn't add oil," Eira said calmly.
"No, I did!" Celia protested, pointing to a bottle.
Eira leaned closer. "That's vinegar."
A sizzling sound followed. Then coughing. Then chaos.
Liri, undeterred, was mixing five sauces into a pot. "This combination will revolutionize flavor!"
> "It's glowing," Eira observed.
"That means it's alive with taste!" Liri said proudly.
> "Or bacteria," Eira murmured.
---
Tensions Rise
Halfway through the timer, Mira's team had managed a semi-functional dish — something that looked like pasta and smelled suspiciously edible.
> "We're actually doing okay," Rina said. "If we win, can I name our dish?"
"Depends. What were you thinking?"
"The Passion of the Pasta!"
"Denied."
On the other side, Celia was humming while trying to hide the burnt pancakes behind a stack of napkins.
> "We can salvage this," she said optimistically.
"By doing what?" Eira asked.
"By adding syrup!"
"To everything?"
"It's the universal solution!"
Liri nodded. "Syrup covers all flaws, just like hope!"
Eira sighed. "You're both beyond saving."
The smell of sugar, smoke, and something vaguely metallic filled the air. The kitchen looked like a war zone. Pots boiled over, spoons clattered, and flour dusted the air like fallout.
Then the power flickered.
> "What did you do?" Mira shouted from across the room.
"Nothing!" Celia yelled back.
"Then why is the blender making that noise?!"
"It's expressing itself!"
The blender exploded.
A puff of flour covered everything. For a moment, the entire base went silent except for Eira's voice.
> "I told you this would happen."
---
The Judging
Despite the carnage, both teams managed to produce something resembling food.
Mira and Rina presented "Pasta à la Regret." It looked decent, smelled okay, and didn't move — already a win.
Celia's team presented "Sweet Victory Surprise." It sparkled unnaturally and occasionally emitted steam.
> "It's supposed to do that," Liri said.
"Is it supposed to hum too?" Rina asked.
Celia cleared her throat. "We need a judge. Someone unbiased."
Everyone looked around. Then all eyes turned to the doorway — where a young soldier stood holding a clipboard, looking completely lost.
> "Uh, sorry," he said. "I was told to deliver a message from Command?"
Celia gasped. "Perfect timing! You'll be our judge!"
> "Wait, what? I—"
They didn't let him finish. Within seconds, he was seated with two plates in front of him and five pairs of expectant eyes watching.
> "So," Mira said, "which one looks more… edible?"
The poor man hesitated. "Uh… the pasta, I guess."
> "Good choice," Eira said. "We'd like to keep you alive."
But Celia wouldn't give up that easily. "You have to taste both to be fair!"
The soldier's eyes widened. "Do I have to?"
Liri handed him a fork full of the glowing "Sweet Victory Surprise."
He looked at it, swallowed hard, and muttered a prayer. Then he took a bite.
The room held its breath.
A moment later, his eyes sparkled. "This is… actually sweet. Kinda weird, but… good?"
Celia gasped. "See?! I told you it had potential!"
Eira sipped her coffee. "Either that or it's numbed his taste buds."
Then the soldier blinked a few times. "Although, um… my tongue feels funny."
> "Define funny," Mira said, concerned.
"Like it's… tingling?"
Liri tilted her head. "That means it's working."
---
The Aftermath
Ten minutes later, the young soldier was fine (after several glasses of water), the kitchen was a disaster zone again, and the squad gathered around the table for the final results.
> "So," Celia said proudly, "that's one vote for Sweet Victory Surprise!"
"He was hallucinating halfway through, Celia," Mira said.
"Art transcends reason!"
Rina giggled. "At least we didn't burn anything this time."
> "You burned the spoon," Mira reminded her.
"It was for artistic effect!"
Eira yawned. "I think we all lost."
Liri raised her ladle in defiance. "No! We gained experience!"
Celia smiled, flour still in her hair. "And teamwork. That's what really matters."
> "Teamwork doesn't clean the kitchen," Mira said dryly.
"No, but teamwork delegates cleaning!" Celia said, pointing. "Rina, Liri, you're up!"
Rina groaned. "Why always me…"
As they cleaned up the battlefield, the group laughed together, the warmth of their chaos filling the air again.
Mira leaned against the counter. "You know… Command mentioned we'll be getting a new recruit soon."
> "Really?" Rina asked. "What's his name?"
"Haruto, I think," Mira said casually.
The others exchanged curious glances.
Celia grinned. "Well, whoever he is, he'd better be ready. Because life in Squad 13 isn't for the faint of heart—or stomach."
Everyone laughed, the sound echoing through the base like a promise.
To be continued on Chapter 10: Operation: Surprise Birthday Party (Without Explosions… Hopefully)