Plates flew into the air as the three of us lunged over to grab the remaining piece of food. I stretched my fork out, dashing through all three of theirs as I aimed straight for the heart of the meat. Only to be deflected by Daphne, who then got elbowed away by Haya.
We all stood upon the table, battling for the meat high above, maintaining balance as we fought to push each other off. 'ding' 'ding' ding', the clashing of utensils rang across the cottage.
Eventually, among the ringing and clashing, our weapons converge upon the meat. Stabbing it together. But knowing that pulling it away would destroy the meat prevented us from going any further.
"Let go." I told them, "I haven't eaten yet, show proper courtesy."
"I'm still hungry," Haya replied, "You can just ask Twain to cook you another."
"I haven't eaten meat in a while, partner." I glared at her.
"Proper courtesy?" Daphne went in between us, "Proper courtesy is first come first serve!" All three of us kicked each other away. Sending us back, yet the meat remains intact.
The two eased themselves up and prepared for another fight. Yet, simultaneously, they grasped their stomach and rushed to the sink and vomited. Fighting one another for extra vomit space.
Neil went over to them and opened the faucet, letting the vomit go down the drain as Twain went and put the remaining food, soup, vegetables in one plate and brought it to me. "Uh, thanks." I told him.
"No problem, just say if you feel hungry. I got some food in the cupboard." I nodded and went to eat what he gave me. Letting them clean the rest of the table as the dishes piled up beside the vomiting women.
The food's texture was fascinating, it felt smooth as butter as I cut through the meat. Then, once I put it in my mouth, the smoothness stuck, and the taste sent reverberations, chills throughout my entire body. "Mmmmm."
The girls went down, sitting on the floor as they leaned on the kitchen. Holding their knees in a fetal position as they groaned about the pain.
"Hey, can you guys move?" I heard Neil say, lightly kicking the girls away as he dropped the dishes on the sink and began cleaning it. The girls just scootched a bit to the left.
I continued with my food as the night went on. Eventually, I finished it, being the most satisfying dish I've tasted in a long time. "Thanks for the meal, Twain." I thanked him, he just smiled at me.
"I figured you didn't remember, but during the war I was your main chef." He says, "You were cheap so, whenever Neil's stag dies, you tasked us to retrieve it to be cooked. Trained myself then."
"Ah, I see…" I slowly looked over to Neil and apologized, "Sorry about that." I say.
He doesn't even turn to look at me, only saying, "It's alright. I got him back anyway."
I looked back to Twain who just shrugged at me. At the very least I put the dishes into the pile that Neil is washing. He just nods his head at me. "Do you hate me for what I did back then?"
"No." Neil replies, "You were effective, efficient. That's all there is to it." He scrubbed too hard on the plate as the deafening ring rang across the cottage. "Sorry!" He yelled as the others just ignored it.
A soft screeching noise came from Cassandra's spot as she calmly kept on typing. "I see. Could you tell me about it then?" I asked Neil, "I want to know how I affected all of y-"
He scrubbed roughly once more, I felt his words through gritted teeth, "The past is the past. Is what you always told me."
"Partner." I saw Haya glare at me from her position, "Just let it go. He's washing dishes." She just stands up, being woozy and all. But in the end, she maintains herself. "Just know he prefers you now, than you then."
Daphne tried to stand up herself but felt woozy once more, running out the back and vomiting. The rest out. I hear her from outside and the rest just don't mind it.
Haya then walked over casually to the bed, "I got the top bed." She says.
"There's only one?" I questioned her.
"The rest get a futon, I, as your savior, get the top bed, HAHA!" She sheepishly smiles. I tried to argue, but with the limited knowledge I have of her, I know there's no point in arguing.
"That's… unfair. But," I heaved a sigh, "That's okay. Are they in the van?" I asked her. She just nods as she prepares the bed as her own.
I went outside, feeling the chill down my feet as I stepped into the grass. The winds blew across my entire body, going under my shirt, almost seeming like it'd float me away.
I looked up, seeing the moon, whose gigantic crater can be seen. Along with the gigantic ring of debris that still floats around it from the second machine war.
I relished the feeling of calm. A feeling that was destroyed when I felt someone push me into the van, pinning me beside it. I turned around and no one was there, then looked down and noticed Daphne.
"What the hell are you d-" She interrupted me.
"Listen here, commander. If you start acting like a clueless shithead, I'd lose all the respect I once had for you."
"What do you mean?"
"It's just…" She eases herself up, letting go of her pinning, "All the shit you put us through, it always seemed like we'd win by your side. And now you're.. This."
She looked straight at me, "Sorry." I gave her a chuckle, scratching at the back of my head, unable to think of anything else to say, "I'm still trying to figure out what to do."
She grabs my collar and pulls me down to her level, I could perfectly see her eyes, glaring at me, her irises shaking as if to cry, "The moment you start messing up shit. I. Will. Replace. You." She lets go, forcefully pushing me to the van, "It's what you would've wanted."
"I… see.." She storms back to the cottage as I turned around, opening the van and trying to find the futons. I thought about what she said, and the qualities of my past… It almost makes me think, "who really am I?"