In the quiet solitude of the early morning, Zoey found herself seated at the dinner table, indulging in a mixture of sizzling flavors meticulously crafted to meet the dietary demands of a professional fighter. A centerpiece of lean protein, grilled to perfection, dominated the plate with its savory allure. The tender chicken breast, sprinkled with a medley of aromatic herbs and a hint of citrus, bore the marks of a skilled chef's expertise. Its golden exterior hinted at the meticulous care taken to achieve the ideal balance between succulence and char.
Surrounding the protein powerhouse, various vibrant vegetables created a combination of colors. Crisp, verdant broccoli florets stood proud, offering a burst of freshness. Beside them, ruby-red cherry tomatoes and slices of bell peppers added both sweetness and a lively crunch. The vegetables, lightly seasoned with herbs and a drizzle of olive oil, retained their natural essence. Completing the ensemble, a generous portion of quinoa nestled beside the protein and vegetables, embodying the wholesome foundation of the well-balanced meal. Cooked to fluffy perfection, the quinoa grains absorbed the essence of a savory broth, infusing each bite with a delightful depth of flavor. Its nutty undertones provided a satisfying backdrop to the ensemble.
While Zoey doubted she needed to eat this healthily with the Box in potential control of her body, mind, and magji, she still did so for a couple of reasons. The first one was that the food tasted really good here. Two, if they tried to poison her, she would only get stronger. At home, it was just her mom’s cooking.
Zoey didn’t hate her mom’s cooking or anything. There was just a noticeable difference between someone who cooked because they had to feed themselves and their children vs. fairies whose skills demanded it or they would be punished. That difference led her to this dinner table, happily eating a full-course meal inside the enemy’s headquarters. She might as well get some benefits out of acting as a spy.
On the opposite side of the table, Tiffany sat looking pitiful. The lingering bruises on her face was proof that Zoey’s words weren’t to be ignored. Her attempts at a heartfelt apology were evident in the puppy-dog black eyes she cast in Zoey's direction. "I said I was sorry!" Her voice carried the weight of remorse.
“Yeah, I heard you.” Zoey glanced in her direction.
“Then why haven’t you forgiven me yet?! I told you I won’t do it again!” Tiffany seemed to be on the verge of bawling her eyes out.
“I haven’t seen proof that you’ve learned from your mistake,” Zoey explained.
“So, you’re just going to be mad at me for that long!? How can I even prove something like that?!” Tiffany couldn’t believe her ears.
“Respect people’s boundaries and their words if you want to be friends with them.” Zoey thought it was a simple concept.
Tiffany sprawled her hands across the table, looking at Zoey, pouting sadly. Zoey ate without a thought to Tiffany’s gaze. This was really good. She was looking forward to eating this quality of food every day while she was here. Oh, that reminded her. Should she thank the servants or continue acting like a crazy bad guy?
Wait! Inner Zoey just remembered why she begged her other self to be the spy. It was to act however the fuck she wanted! She didn’t need to put on an act for these people. She just needed to make sure they didn’t find out she was a traitor. Who gave a fuck about what they thought about her. As long as it wasn’t stuff like she’s definitely a spy or something.
While Zoey and Tiffany were eating breakfast, a few of the others came to investigate the smell radiating around the mansion. The Minotaur demanded food at the end of the table opposite to Zoey. The Viperian politely requested some live food, like rodents, along with cooked meat. Emi made eye contact with Zoey and immediately decided to leave instead of staying to eat. The Luminari didn’t show themselves.
Neither Zoey nor Tiffany said anything to them as they waited for their food to be prepared. After all, besides the brawl, they didn’t really introduce themselves or interact in any way. But then Inner Zoey realized if she treated them like strangers, she’d be a pretty shit spy. She couldn’t get any information on these people if she kept them at arm's length! So, she made a decision she normally wouldn’t have made in a million years. Zoey introduced herself to strangers.
“I’m Panda. Why are you two here?” Zoey kept it short and simple.
“Breakfast.” The Viperian responded without looking in her direction.
Her hair snakes warily hissed in her direction, though. Zoey thought it was cute. It reminded her of Slinky… Just way tinier and more snippy.
“Food!” The Minotaur banged his fists on the table.
“...” Zoey didn’t know what she expected.
The Viperian had a faint smile on her face after hearing the Minotaur’s response. “I saw you and the Succubi in the gardens late last night. What were you discussing that you felt the need to hide from the rest of us?” She asked with subtly interest.
“If you’re so curious, why don’t you ask him yourself?” Zoey replied.
“I was giving you a chance to prove your sincerity. You wanted to know my reasons for joining this group, and I wanted to know what you discussed with another group member in private. A fair deal, I would say.” She explained.
“Who even are you? Why the hell would I prove anything to you?” Zoey glanced at her.
“You can call me…” A distant, far-off look appeared in her eyes. “Millie. And since you seem interested in getting to know us for some reason, I’d advise you to be a bit more cordial and polite.”
“I’d advise you to get that stick out of your ass when talking to me unless you want it shoved further up there.” Zoey politely recommended herself.
“Crass, violent, and uneducated. As expected of a brutish thug.” Millie scoffed, remembering back to the brawl.
Now, Zoey didn’t know if she was calling her a thug because she was black or because of the way she was acting right now. She was actually willing to give Millie the benefit of the doubt here because she was a magji creature and not someone who was raised and born around regular people. Zoey really doubted she knew anything about the persecution of black people and racism involving background among humans. For all she knew, there were only humans and other species. So, just this time, she would allow the name-calling without violence.
“If you wanna see just how much of a thug, I really am, just keep talking, snake.” Zoey locked eyes with Millie.
“Unfortunately for you, I have better things to do than waste my time with someone like you. Why don’t you go enjoy yourself with that Succubi friend of yours?” Millie rolled her eyes.
“Millie! Gork hungry! When food coming!?” Gork asked.
“Nice to meet you too, Gork.” Millie gave a friendly smile to him. “Soon, I’d suppose. I’m quite hungry as well.” Millie answered him without any snark or sarcasm like with Zoey.
“Food hurry! Gork hungry now!” Gork eagerly awaited his breakfast.
Tiffany was still staring at Zoey, looking all pitiful and shit. Zoey was slightly upset she didn’t manage to infuriate or upset Millie even with her Fighting Aura directed at her full blast. Either she had a super high control over her emotions, or Zoey wasn’t trying hard enough. She could’ve tried to force a fight by being the first to start it, but honestly, Zoey wasn’t really interested in fighting Millie.
Gork or Tiffany was more to her liking as opponents. If she fought Millie, she’d be confused about whether it would be an easy fight or an annoying one. From what Zoey knew about snakes, they either had deadly poison or would squeeze the life out of you. And since these snake people were called Viperians and looked big and tall, Zoey figured they could do both.
Hmm, now that Zoey has thought about it, she’s a little interested in fighting a Viperian. Could she outwrestle a creature known for wrestling? Wrestling is all about control over an opponent. How could she show control over a flexible opponent like a Viperian? Were their human upper bodies less flexible? Could she snap their spines with a backbreaker?
“I’m finished.” Zoey got up from the dinner table as the servants started bringing in Millie and Gork’s food. Zoey told the servants to give the cooks her thanks and that it was delicious.
Tiffany sullenly followed behind her, still silently begging for forgiveness. Zoey didn’t comment on it. She just allowed her to follow behind her. Normally she would go work off the calories she just devoured with some high-intensity training, but this wasn’t really the situation for that. So, why don’t she level up some other skills she rarely used?
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