Author's Note: The land slide victory for Cielle in last chapter's poll was sothing... I expected. Apparently, everyone just loves crazy... I wonder what would happen if I made a, "Which girl do you hate the most?" poll...
One Sided Negotiations
Early in the morning, just as the first rays of sunlight began leaking into the windows, I got up and prepared to leave. I had decided yesterday to make a sort of “deal” with the cafeteria group.
While eating so of the leftover food from last night, the first thing I did was move over towards the raw at and inspect that damage from last night. It had been sitting out here, for over 9 hours, so I feared a bit whether that was enough ti for at to spoil.
I confird that a slight odor perated from it, but otherwise, the at looked fine. A nice, red-pinkish tone was present while the raw muscle glead in the morning sun. Be it a combination of the night’s cold weather, or the fact that monster at lasts longer, but the promised food was still in good condition.
I nodded in satisfaction to myself just as I caught sight of so stirring from the corner of my eye.
Turning around, I noticed that my earlier, trepid movents awoke the others.
Glancing at the corner of room with the two beds pulled close to each other, I could see all three girls groaning as they lifted themselves up into an upright seating position. The tiredness and usual morning fatigue was present in their sluggish movents.
Cielle, whose ssy hair now stood up on ends, glanced around the room. Her gaze montarily paused on before the landed onto the pot of pan cooked at. Without a hint of hesitation, she imdiately walked over towards that pot, an orchestra of grumbling stomach following her wake. Cher also soon arrived at the pot montarily after Cielle did.
“Are you preparing to leave?” Hina asked, still in bed, while rubbing one eye in an attempt to shoo away the sleepiness. Her clothes were wrinkled and ssy, revealing a fair amount of skin which she didn’t seem to notice in her stupor.
“Ah, yeah.” I replied. “If we wait any longer, the at might spoil.”
Hearing this, Hina paused, before she nodded slowly. An affirmative murmur followed as she slowly raised from her position.
The first thing I noticed was that Hina wasn’t wearing any pants, nor a skirt. I found this odd, considering last night in particular was pretty cold, and wearing nothing but panties isn’t really going to help that. Although in retrospect, a skirt over panties doesn’t really make much of a difference when it cos to conserving body heat.
Anyways, despite her embarrassing attire, Hina didn’t seem to notice as she too walked over to where her sister and Cher were currently at. Eating peacefully alongside the others, Hina was unaware that she was exposing a fair amount of skin for to see. Well, it wasn’t like I purposely looked, but neither did I go out of my way to avoid seeing it either.
The first to point it out was Cher. While chewing on a piece of at, she nonchalantly looked out before stating in mild surprise, “Ah, Hina, what happened to your skirt?”
“Skirt?” Hina tilted her head while maintaining sleep induced droopy eyes. As the word “skirt” registered in her mind, she blankly looked down, only to later express a face of confusion before that ultimately shifted into one of late understanding.
Hina realized what was going on, and just as quickly as her mind was snapped into alertness, her face reddened with haste. She shot a glance my way, while simultaneously covering her midriff with her hands.
In response, I simply shrugged, and floated a question towards everybody present. “I’m going to need help bringing the at to the library. Anybody willing to co along?”
I posed this question, because I needed a look out while I lugged the supplies around. Stray survivors or wandering monsters would prove problematic if they discovered what I had to offer.
In the face of my question, both Cielle and Cher exchanged quick glances. Hina, who had a complicated expression due to my lack of reaction, walked over towards the beds in order to retrieve her skirt.
As she dressed herself, I directly asked her, “Hina? How about you? Do you want to co with ?”
Hina’s current mood lately has been rather complicated. How she felt of the current situation, whether she wanted to run back into the open arms of the president… I wasn’t sure. While I stayed unassuming regarding the human condition, at the very least, I presud that Hina wanted to at least see that guy again.
In response, she paused montarily. She mulled my question over while looking squarely at the door, before she replied in a way I hadn’t expected. “No…I don’t think- I think it might be better if I didn’t go…”
She had on another indecipherable expression which held many emotions. Most of those emotions I could not interpret, but I at least recognized the longing that was present.
Upon my rejection, I rely shrugged nonchalantly and turned back over to the other two. “Then… maybe Cielle?”
I said while I shot a quick glance towards the raven haired girl, making brief eye contact with her. As she held my gaze, she chewed on her lower lip. An agonized expression took hold, as if she was torn between what to do. In the end, having apparently given up, she let loose an uncharacteristic sigh. “No can do…” She regretfully said. “... I wanted to go with Hide… but… no…”
Her shoulders dropped and she made pouted rather cutely. While maintaining that sa expression, she lethargically continued to eat.
“Well, if that’s the case, then there’s no other choice, I guess…” I laxly spoke, while gripping the ropes which connected to the makeshift sleigh/table. “Let’s go Cher.”
“Ah, um… I-I also don’t want to go.” She quietly uttered while maintaining a rather cramped smile.
“Eh, what are you saying?” I dubiously asked while my eyes widened. “You don’t have a choice.”
“Wait-what’s with that…” She spoke dejectedly. “Everyone else got to choose…”
“That’s just the way it works. Hurry up.” I urged nonchalantly, while I began to move, pulling the table along the tiled floor.
“W-what’s with this feeling of inferiority…” She mumbled sadly. “This is definitely preferential treatnt! Preferential treatnt, I tell you!”
“Geh- for a slave, you sure complain a lot… Enough, just hurry up.”
I ordered with a rather irritated voice as I left the classroom, a still weary and dejected Cher behind .
***
We arrived at the library entrance 45 minutes later. In truth, the walk over from the english classroom, to the library wasn’t all that long, but lugging around a 200 sothing pound pile of at slowed us down.
Currently, we were in the library, in an archive room next to the 2nd floor set of stairs that connected to the 1st floor. The lump of at was currently masked by white sheet, which, unsurprisingly, was stained by a mixture of red splotches. Cher sat next to . From the expression on her face, it was easy to tell that she was bored.
Right now, we were waiting. I knew full well that the president used the library as an interdiary whenever he left the cafeteria. Seeing as how I couldn’t easily just walk in there, all I could do was simply sit and wait for the other party to stumble along.
I waited which such blithe hope for another 30 minutes before I finally heard the 1st floor door open. After such a long ti, even I couldn’t help but jump to my feet in mild excitent.
“He’s here…” I quietly hissed under my breath. This warranted a reaction from Cher, who has almost fallen asleep in the midst of waiting. She bolted upright, as her face began perspiring with sweat. It seed as if the trauma and nervousness from our past eting still affected her.
Wordlessly, I motioned for Cher to follow out the room. We left the archive room, and stood a couple feet away from the stairs. Our positions were that I stood in front while Cher timidly kept her distance from behind.
I quietly waited, listening on each individual footstep they made as they drew closer. The sound of foot against stairs filled my ear, and soon enough, the top of the President’s head ca into vision as he climbed upwards.
Soon, he too noticed my solemn figure, standing- almost blocking his way further. He widened his eyes in mild surprise before squinting them back. Below him, the rest of the scouting party also followed close behind.
In a sowhat lax voice, he questioned, “I checked back yesterday to find you guys gone… and now I see you're back again?” His tone held a bit of mock derision in it, but it was clear to see he had other intentions. For one, his eyes restlessly scanned the vicinity, as if looking for soone.
“If you’re looking for the other two, then I’m sorry to disappoint but they’re not here right now.” I said, as if reading his mind.
His eyes widened once more, before his face switched over into a friendly smile. “I see…”
anwhile, the rest of his party which by now, had all caught up, were all redirecting interchanging glares between Cher and I.
“What do you want then?” His “friendly” smile vanished, just as he donned on a mask of indifference. Behind that mask, it was clear that a sowhat heavy sense of hostility was present.
Hearing him ask, I couldn’t help but part my lips in a soft smile. “What do I want?” I repeated, mostly to myself. “I just want to make a deal?”
****
We sat at the sa table as last ti. This ti around, only Cher sat besides , holding a small backpack tightly in her arms. On the other side, was the usual set up involving the President’s scouting party.
Whether its because the other two mbers of my respective party were missing or not, but it seed as if the scouting party were much more hostile than before. Even their leader, while maintaining a smiling poker face, had sowhat less enthusiasm than yesterday. It was almost as if he were in a bad mood.
“So what’s the deal about?” He was the first to speak. Cutting aside all trivialities, he jumped right to the point.
“Food.” I lightly responded.
The single word, brought on a series of reactions from the opposing group. The most prevalent reaction though was them grasping at their stomachs as their faces irked in both desire and despair.
Only the president was unfazed, blithfully laughing. “Food, you say? Did you happen to stumble upon so sort of underground bomb shelter or sothing? We’ve already scoured the majority of the school, there’s no way you have-”
“I didn’t find it.” I quickly interrupted. “I hunted it. You know, you told last ti, the thing about the boars.”
I flashed a light smile, which contrasted to the President’s crumbling expression. At the ntion of the boars, he grew silent. As if pondering over it, he remained his silence. Eventually, he spoke simply, a mix of assurance and confident bravado in his words. “You’re lying.”
The rest of his party, all murmured in agreent, as if the very idea of hunting down a boar was a simple pipe dream to the them. An understandable conclusion. If I had been a normal person without any teammates, upon seeing that herd of smart car sized monstrosities, I too would have buckled under their sheer presence.
Upon his denial, my smile grew only wider. “I am not lying” I reassured. “It was quite a pain, you know, hunting down one of those things… to call all my efforts a re lie, that makes sad.”
This story originates from . Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
My reassuring words only further increased the president’s squint. “There’s no way you could have- Even we couldn’t-”
“Cher.” I called out, interrupting him once more.
In response, the silent girl who sat besides , reached for her bag. With slightly shaky arms she unzipped the bag, and, following through with the motions we rehearsed, dumped the bag’s contents onto the table.
What resulted was a simple ss. The contents of the bag spilled over. Slabs of cooked at, oozing with slightly heated fat. The scene was rather ssy, but to the eyes of the starving, this was a picturesque scene straight from a dream.
The opposing group had expected answers. Their eyes locked onto the contents on the floor, while a small trickle of saliva began oozing out from their agape mouths. Even the Prez, who had tried earnestly to maintain a stern and serious expression was reacting with widened eyes of disbelief.
After a while, he spoke out once more. Amidst the murmurs of his fellow friends, the President stated, “You… are you trying to poison us?”
Like a douse of cold water, the scouting party reacted to those words. I could only imagine that they were recalling the event with the sli, as their faces cooled and they recovered from their over excitent.
I laughed sarcastically at his words. It was rather ironic actually, he had the sa worries I shared last night. “Don’t worry, it’s not poisonous. After all, I’ve already tried it out myself. If you want an example, then- Cher.”
I nudged at the girl besides , who reacted with a small jump in her seat. Catching herself, she began ripping off a piece of the at with her hands as she slowly and deliberately placed the sole piece into her mouth and chewed.
This set of actions caused a simultaneous gulp to resound from within the group. They all stared listlessly as that piece of at floated through the air and enter Cher’s soft lips.
As if further inciting them, I made a grandiose motion, and said, “Try them. A little heads up- they taste sort of like pork and beef.”
Like a key to a locked cage, at my words their inhibitions unhinged, as they jumped at the al before their eyes. Devouring it like crazed hyenas, they stuffed every last piece of at down their fat guzzling throats. Things like poise and manners were out of the question right now, as they practically inhaled what I offered to them.
Even the president, who showed mild resistance at first, was in on the carnage. After seeing his fellow teammates greedily eating, sothing stirred within him as he too joined the fray.
I watched this scene with cold and calculating eyes. A sowhat dark smile plastered on my face, as I remained seating. Besides , Cher was taken aback at their sudden change. She had a rather cramped expression on as she reeled back onto her chair.
Just as the last piece of at entered their throats, I chose this ti to interject once more. “Now, I’m sure you’ve confird the authenticity to what I have to offer.”
The president bit back his lip, as if he had just realized what he had just done at the spur of the mont. He had on a small scowl, as he held back his tongue. On the contrary, the attitude of his team mates had 180’d. They nodded vigorously, ecstatically bobbing their heads up and down. It was easy to tell that they were eager for more.
And more I had.
“You know, there’s more where that ca from.” A resounding gulp ca in response to my words.
A round of murmurs from their group reassured of the current power which I held.
Finally, the President spoke up once more. “You… Hide, you don’t exactly seem like the good natured type of guy who shares… Why exactly do you…”
“Don’t get wrong now. This isn’t a freebie.” I coldly spoke, glaring at each and every one of them, which in turn, caused them to shrink back into their chairs. “Think of it as equivalent exchange. I get sothing, you get sothing.”
“...” A wordless respond at first, before the President apparently attained his second wind and spoke up once more. “what do you want?”
I shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, for one thing, I need a freezer. Killing just one of those things nets at least about 200 pounds. Preserving that much at is quite troubleso…”
My light words were t with heavy shock. From the teacher next to the President, I could hear him take in a brief intake of oxygen. “2-200 pounds… th-that much is just…”
Once again the President’s eyes widened. He had on a sowhat dark expression which masked a fair bit amount of negativity, before he tiredly shook his head as if he couldn’t believe what was going on. “How exactly did you hunt down such a thing…”
In response, I simply smiled. While wagging my index finger in front of , I replied. “Ah, ah, ah- That’s on a need to know basis only, and I’m afraid you don’t need to know.”
Hearing this, the President broke off into an awkward laugh. Those next to him exchanged glances, before the President’s expression once again shifted, turning dark and foreboding in an instant. The small bubble of hostility from before seemingly exploded as he glared daggers at .
“And what makes you think we won’t just take it by force.” He threatened. “With our combined strength-”
“Stop.” I interrupted. Crossing my arms, as I leaned back onto my chair, the President followed my every movent. Just as tension rose to unapproachable levels, I continued to speak. “First of all, let just say this once so you don’t develop any misunderstandings, but I am stronger than all of you.”
A cold, indifferent glare reassured them that I held absolute confidence in my statent.
“And second, and probably the most important reason for you all- Even if it's 200 pounds, for a group as big as yours, you won’t last long.”
As if doused in cold water, the scouting party hung their heads at this sudden realization. Even the president bit down on his lip harsh enough for it to start bleeding.
I continued. “The important thing here is, I can hunt, and you guys can’t. I can provide an indefinite amount of food, and you guys can’t.”
I allowed my words to sink in, almost forcing the library into a natural stillness. For a while, for a long while, nobody talked. The scouting group sat motionless, their eyes firmly rooted to the ground. Their leader, held on a darker expression. Oddly enough, his expression did not express anger or desire but rather unexpectedly- regret. A regretful expression during such a great offer… it was weird indeed.
As if finally having given up, the President breathed out a long bated breath. He looked up at with weary- aged eyes. His smile was twisted into self mockery as he spoke. “Very well then. I would be lying if I were to say your offer wasn’t… tantalizing. Then, since you be so willing, let these blood stained hands of mine accept your generosity…”
While his statent was sort of worded weirdly, I payed it no particular heed. Although as expected, the President was one to catch on quick, as he further elaborated. “Although, you’re giving us such a valuable commodity, to think the only thing you desire is refrigeration… While we can certainly do that, I doubt that’s all you want in return.”
Hearing this, I smiled slightly. Seeing my smile, the President, while maintaining that sa, bitter, regretful expression, lightly smiled. “Enough playing around. State your conditions already.”
“Okay then…” I began. “Simple really, I have only a few things I want in return. First, there shall be absolutely no ntion of my existence to the rest of your group. Not a word is to be spoken about , even when the others ask you how you managed to get the food. Lie if you must, but leave my na out of it.
Second, I want cooked food. While, I may have brought fully cooked at with today, I’m afraid that won’t continue to beco a regular pattern. After all, cooking itself is troubleso, so in exchange for my cooperation, I expect about 10 or so pounds of cooked at ready for us each and every morning.
Third, the assured cooperation of the Cafeteria group during the final boss dungeon raid. Any sort of interaction before such an event is prohibited.
Lastly, potions. Any type of potions- be they health, mana, or stamina potions, I would like to have them.
I will bring freshly hunted at once every 2 to 3 days, most likely in the mornings. In exchange, I want the complete obedience of all the agreed upon conditions. Sounds good?”
I left the additional goal of misdirection out of my initial demands for obvious reasons. That type of subterfuge was not sothing you openly declared to those you wished to deceive.
At the end of my demands, I heard a heavy sigh coming from the president. With a sort of tired expression on his face, he dejectedly replied back. “It’s not like we have much of a choice, now do we?”
Hearing this, my smile widened. “No, no you don’t. Although I may have said I ca to you because I needed the functional freezer your group has, truthfully, finding a way to preserve the food is easy. In this regard, I hold full control of the negotiations.”
Hearing my final words, the President once again let loose a tired sigh. He lowered his head, and muttered incoherently to himself, occasionally he’d shoot a pleading glance back at his friends, but in the end, they all shared equally defeated expressions.
The president was a naturally cautious man. Normally, I could tell that he was the type who would bargain and argue until he reached favorable conclusions. But when I held practically all the pieces in my hand, the natural course of actions would be to concede
Finally, with a heavy sense of loss floating above his head, he nodded unwillingly. “You know, if you only ca sooner, then maybe I wouldn’t have-” He started, but quickly cut himself off with a shake of his head. With another regretful expression, he looked back up at . “I agree to your conditions. As long as you supply the at, we will listen.”
As if in response to his words, the rest of the scouting party, all nodded their heads.
“While the first three conditions are easy to et, as for the last one…” He muttered. “Truthfully, I’ve never once seen a potion before. Considering the whole rpg-esque scenario of this whole apocalypse, I had an inkling as to their existence, but I haven’t personally gotten the pleasure to find one.”
Hearing these, words, all I could do was nod. “Well, if you find any make sure to bring it to . As for our deal, I’ll hold up my end as long as you keep yours. The mont you break it, not only will our deal end, but at that ti, you will earn a new enemy…”
I nonchalantly threatened while I began rising to my feet. Cher, who had been quiet this whole ti, had a strangely flushed face as she too began to rise. I looked over the president and his scouting group once more, before I began walking away. “The rest of the at is in that archive room, over there.”
As I pointed at the room we had secretly hidden in earlier, I began walking away while Cher followed close behind.
I left the library with those simple parting words, leaving behind a group of expressionless survivors in my wake.
****
Author's Note:Thanks for reading. If you liked this chapter, or this story in general, please rate or review. I really appreciate the feed back.
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