It was a sunny afternoon at Rhodes Island, with the gentle hum of the air conditioning and the soft clinking of mugs echoing through the common room. The operators were busy with their tasks, but today was different. An unusual challenge had been proposed, and some very peculiar participants had taken the bait.

"Are you serious?" Texas stood with her arms crossed, glaring at Lappland, who was practically bouncing on her heels with excitement.

"You bet I'm serious! It's going to be so much fun!" Lappland grinned widely, her sharp teeth gleaming. "We'll fish, we'll compete, and the winner gets a headpat from dokutah! What's not to love?"

"Fun?" Texas' voice dripped with skepticism. "You want to fish. I want to get some work done. And now you're dragging me into this ridiculous competition? Over a headpat?"

"Uh-huh! Not just any headpat," Lappland teased, twirling a fishing rod in her hands like it was the greatest prize she'd ever received. "Dokutah's headpats are legendary. You know you want one."

Texas was not convinced. She shook her head and turned away, but Lappland was having none of it. She had already decided this was going to happen. A little competition was good for everyone, and besides, the idea of getting one over on Texas was irresistible.

"Come on, Texas!" Lappland grabbed the other woman's sleeve and pulled. "What's the worst that could happen? I mean, it's just fishing!"

"I don't need a headpat," Texas muttered, trying to free herself from Lappland's grip. But her resolve started to weaken. The thought of dokutah giving her a headpat was... actually tempting. She had to admit, a small part of her was curious about what it would feel like.

"You're right," Lappland said, sensing Texas' hesitation. "But you don't know what you're missing until you try! Trust me, you'll thank me when you win!"

Texas shot her a sideways glare. "I'm not trying to win. I'm just here because you dragged me into this."

Lappland snickered. "That's the spirit! Now, let's go! The fishing grounds are just outside the base."

Texas sighed, but with no room for further protest, she allowed herself to be pulled outside.

The fishing area was nothing extravagant. A small pond surrounded by rocks and trees, with a few makeshift docks sticking out over the water. It looked more like a vacation spot than a place for serious competition, but to Lappland, this was perfect. The smell of fresh air, the peaceful sound of water rippling—it was everything she wanted. And the best part? It was going to be Texas' misery. She could already see it in her mind: the grumpy mercenary having to hold a fishing rod while she, Lappland, would be victorious and bask in the glory of getting a headpat from dokutah.

"Alright, this is it!" Lappland shouted, spinning in place as she flung her arms wide. "The rules are simple: first one to catch a fish gets the headpat. No cheating, no using our operator skills. It's just pure skill, alright?"

Texas gave a dry chuckle. "Pure skill, huh? You sure you're not just using this as an excuse to mess with me?"

Lappland winked. "Maybe a little. But it's still a fair competition! Ready?"

Before Texas could respond, Lappland had already grabbed a fishing pole and started setting up, humming a cheerful tune. Texas, for her part, walked over to a different part of the dock, not bothering to hurry. She pulled a rod from the nearby pile and inspected it. It was surprisingly well-maintained. Probably better than the gear she had used on past missions. Not that it mattered.

"You know," Texas muttered under her breath, "I've been in worse situations. I've fought giant monsters. I've dealt with explosions. But this? This is new."

Lappland leaned over, peering at her competition. "Are you scared, Texas? You should be. I'm the fishing champion!"

Texas raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I guess we'll see."

There was a moment of silence as the two women prepared their rods. Then, in a swift motion, Lappland cast her line into the water, watching it with intense focus.

Texas did the same, though she didn't seem to care much about the results. She was here because, apparently, it was fun? She was still trying to wrap her mind around that concept.

The minutes ticked by. Lappland was quick to snatch up another rod and cast that one out, too. She was practically dancing around, her energy unmatched. Texas, meanwhile, sat down on the dock, her arms folded across her chest as she watched the water, waiting.

Lappland's voice cut through the quiet. "Come on, Texas! You're not even trying! Get that rod in the water!"

"Not in the mood to rush things," Texas replied, lazily flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Fishing's not exactly my thing."

"You're just mad you're going to lose," Lappland teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Texas didn't respond. Instead, she watched the water. Her patience was one of her strengths in combat, but she had no real interest in proving herself to Lappland. The thought of winning this ridiculous challenge? It wasn't even on her radar.

But then...

A slight tug on the line.

Texas' eyes flicked toward the rod. It was barely perceptible, but she'd felt it. Slowly, she stood, walking toward the line. Lappland noticed and immediately rushed over, her excitement bubbling over.

"Did you catch one?" Lappland asked, a smug grin on her face. "I bet you did. You must've gotten a big one!"

Texas, calm as ever, simply grabbed the rod and began reeling it in slowly. She was methodical, focused. There was no panic in her movements, no rush. Lappland was hopping from one foot to the other, watching closely, her hands practically twitching.

And then, with a final tug, Texas pulled the fish out of the water—a large, shimmering catch, flapping helplessly on the end of the line.

Lappland froze. "No way," she whispered, her voice a mix of disbelief and admiration. "You actually caught something."

Texas pulled the fish into her arms, holding it up with a slight smirk. "Looks like I won."

Lappland blinked. "But... but... I was so close! Noooo!"

Texas didn't rub it in, though she was definitely enjoying the moment. The competition had been ridiculous, but there was no denying that it felt good to win.

"Well," Texas said, walking toward the makeshift dock, "a deal's a deal, right? I think I earned that headpat."

Lappland sulked, but the playful gleam never left her eyes. "Fine. I'll admit it. You're a better fisherman than me. But this isn't over, Texas. I'll find a way to get my headpat one of these days."

Texas chuckled and stood tall, the fish still in her hands. "We'll see, Lappland. We'll see."

As they walked back to the base, Texas held her catch with pride, and Lappland, though defeated, was already scheming up her next challenge.

And Dokutah? Well, he had a very, very surprised look on his face when the two women entered, Texas with her fish in hand and Lappland with her ever-present grin. But he kept his promise—giving Texas a gentle headpat.