~~NOTOC~~ {{ :foodwars:chatgptimage11.4.2026klo20.36.48.png?nolink&500x333}} **Black File — Interlude: “Mai’s Protocol IV — Load Distribution”** The table was full again. That was expected. ---- What wasn’t— was how little it mattered. ---- Shammy didn’t even slow down this time. “…no.” ---- Mai: “Yes.” ---- Ace was already seated. ---- Grouse took position across from her. ---- Badger looked at the table. Then at Mai. Then at everyone else. “…I don’t like this one.” ---- HeavenlyFather: “…you won’t.” ---- Mai placed the food. Not equal. Not assigned. ---- A shared pool. ---- Shammy blinked. “…what are we looking at.” ---- Mai: “Distributed load.” ---- Badger: “…that sounds illegal.” ---- Mai placed the device. No timer this time. ---- That was worse. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== “Rule,” Mai said. ---- Silence. ---- “The total must be consumed.” A beat. “You decide who eats next.” ---- Silence. ---- Badger: “…no.” ---- Mai: “Yes.” ---- Shammy: “Absolutely not.” ---- Mai: “Required.” ---- Ace: “Eat.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== First move. ---- No one moved. ---- Badger pointed. “YOU go.” At Grouse. ---- Grouse: “Accepted.” ---- He ate. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Second move. ---- Grouse looked at Ace. ---- “…you.” ---- Ace: “Confirmed.” ---- She ate. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Third move. ---- Ace looked at Badger. ---- “…you.” ---- Badger froze. “…betrayal.” ---- He ate. ---- Regret immediate. ---- “…why did I agree to this.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Fourth move. ---- Badger pointed at Shammy. “YOU’RE UP.” ---- Shammy: “NO.” ---- Mai: “Non-compliance invalidates participation.” ---- Shammy stared. “…fine.” ---- She ate. ---- “…this is manipulation.” ---- Mai: “Yes.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Fifth move. ---- Shammy pointed at Mai. “…you.” ---- Mai: “Accepted.” ---- She ate. No reaction. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Sixth move. ---- Mai pointed at Badger. ---- Badger: “NO—NO—ABSOLUTELY NOT—” ---- Mai: “Assigned.” ---- Badger ate. ---- “…this is targeted.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Seventh move. ---- The pattern broke. ---- Everyone started choosing— strategically. ---- Badger pointed at Ace. ---- Ace: “Confirmed.” ---- She ate. No hesitation. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Eighth move. ---- Ace pointed at Shammy. ---- Shammy: “…I hate you.” ---- She ate. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Ninth move. ---- Shammy pointed at Badger. ---- Badger: “STOP PICKING ME” ---- He ate. ---- “…this is bullying.” ---- HeavenlyFather: “…this is consequence.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Tenth move. ---- Grouse observed. Calculated. ---- He pointed at Mai. ---- “…optimal.” ---- Mai ate. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Midpoint. ---- The food remained. ---- But now— everyone was watching each other. ---- Not the table. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Badger snapped. ---- “OKAY—NEW RULE—I PICK MYSELF” ---- Mai: “Invalid.” ---- Badger: “THIS SYSTEM IS BROKEN” ---- Mai: “No.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Shammy slowed. ---- “…I’m not doing another one.” ---- Mai: “You will.” ---- Shammy: “…I won’t.” ---- Ace looked at her. ---- “…you will.” ---- Shammy sighed. “…I hate all of you.” ---- She ate. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Late phase. ---- The choices got sharper. ---- Badger stopped picking randomly. ---- Started targeting. ---- Grouse. ---- “…you.” ---- Grouse: “Accepted.” ---- He ate. ---- No hesitation. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Ace waited. ---- Watched. ---- Then pointed— ---- Badger. ---- “…you.” ---- Badger: “OF COURSE IT’S ME” ---- He ate. ---- “…this is personal now.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Final phase. ---- Only a few portions left. ---- Everyone slowed. ---- No one wanted the next pick. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Mai spoke. ---- “Completion required.” ---- Silence. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Grouse moved first. ---- He pointed at himself. ---- “…accepted.” ---- He ate. ---- Badger: “…that was illegal.” ---- Mai: “Within rules.” ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Last portion. ---- Silence. ---- Everyone looked— not at the food— but at each other. ---- ===== ⚖️ ===== Ace pointed. ---- “…Grouse.” ---- Silence. ---- Grouse looked at the portion. Then at Ace. ---- A beat. ---- “…accepted.” ---- He ate. ---- Finished. ---- ===== 🧾 Outcome ===== ---- Mai: “Load completed.” ---- Badger: “THIS WAS WAR” ---- Shammy leaned back. “…this was worse than all of them.” ---- HeavenlyFather: “…yes.” ---- Grouse nodded once. ---- “…optimal distribution.” ---- Ace: “Effective.” ---- ===== 🧠 Epilogue ===== ---- Later. ---- Empty table. ---- No leftovers. ---- Shammy: “…I feel manipulated.” ---- Badger: “I WAS TARGETED” ---- Mai: “System functioned.” ---- Ace walked past. Paused. ---- “…inefficient.” ---- Mai: “Yes.” A beat. “Effective.” ---- Grouse stood still. ---- “…balanced.” ---- Ace nodded once. ---- “…noted.” ---- And moved on. ---- Because sometimes— it isn’t the food— ---- It’s who decides who carries it. ---- **End.**