I mean, it's not quite deja vu, but it's... I dunno what to call it. Unsettling familiarity? Is there a word for that? There really should be a word for it. I bet there's a word for it. Probably one of them weird ones. Y'know, like defenestration or something. 

Anyways, the five of us were headed back down stairs, to the kitchen/living area. 

"Hmm... what to make, what to make..." Charolette muttered to herself as we made our way down.

Oh, she's planning on cooking? That's an useful skill, that's for sure. I know how to cook a little, myself, but that's mostly thanks to FACs classes back before I, y'know. In other words, I basically know how to use a knife and make the most basic of dishes. But I can make one mean cinnamon roll, let me tell ya! Well, provided I have a recipe in front of me. Anyways! Cooking's cool. 

"Crap, what food-makings do we even have right now..." Charolette continued muttering. 

"W-we could, uh, just throw whatever together and make a hot pot, probably. I-If you wanna." Zramazos suggested.

"OOOH! That sounds tasty!" Michaus exclaimed. 

"'sthat include meat?" S inquired.

I probably shouldn't say anything. I don't wanna sound demanding. I took a sip of my cola.

"Yeah, I guess that could work, but it seems kind of..." Charolette began. "OH!" They interrupted themselves. "Spark of genius, what if we do, NOT THAT!" 

"W-what do you have in mind?" Zramazos said.

"Well, I just remembered, a while back, my parents brought home this weird city food. All you've gotta do is heat it up and cut it, it's like a shareable pie thingy, supposedly good for groups. It's a P... something. Starts with P." Charolette explained. 

"Sharing? AWESOME!" Michaus said. That's a... Weird thing to be excited about.  

"Right, that thing! Yeah, I think I've seen that around. P... man, what is it? Never had it, but it, but I've been curious for a while." S said. 

Wait a minute... Pie... Good for parties... No...

"Oh, you guys from the city?" Charolette asked. 

Surely this isn't...

"Yeah, well, kind of. I get around." S said. 

C'mon. There's no way...

I took a nervous sip of my drink.

At this point, we're already at the bottom of the stairs, and heading for the kitchen area. 

"Think they're just in here..." Charolette said, opening the freezer below the refrigerator. 

It'd be ridiculous...

I could see her pulling out a couple familiar looking, circular packages.

No, no no no no no no.

"Ah, here it is..."

C'mon, it couldn't be...

Despite my adamant refusal, I think, deep down... I already knew. Yeah... I knew. 

"Pizza! That's what it's called!"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH PIZZA!? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

On reflex, I found myself looking up and almost fell backwards, in sheer comedic surprise. Fortunately caught myself, though.

Unfortunately, it was a little needlessly obvious. Everyone seemed rather confused. 

I took a sip of my drink.

"Yo, Beyes, you sure you're okay?" S asked.

"Not a fan of pizza?" Charolette asked. 

"Ooh! Do you need someone to carry you to the church?" Michaus asked excitedly, ever eager to help. 

Oh, shoot.  

"Oh, uh, yeah, no. I'm good. Everything's good. Yeah. Just had to... sneeze... Yeah." 

"Rrrright." S said.

Charolette shrugged. 

"I don't believe you!" Michaus said, enthusiastically.

Zramazos didn't say anything, but I did feel some strange response from him. 

"Anyways, uh, pizzas." I said, trying to get everyone back on track. I ended up doing finger guns at the pizzas, I don't know why. I was flustered, I guess. I took another sip of my drink.

"Oh, yeah. Oh, looks like we got four-cheese, and... They're both just cheese." Charolette said, inspecting the packaging of the pies.

"Rats. Well, I'm sure it'll still be good." S said. Rats? He said 'rats'? I mean, nothin' wrong with that, but, like... 'Rats'. Huh. 

"Uh... do I make 'em both? Or just one? Anyone do this before?" 

Everyone just kind of shrugged awkwardly. Y'know, all the "ehh, can't say I've..." mumbling "ehIdunno...", the works. 

Heh. Fools. 

Looks like it's finally time for me to use my skills as a reincarnator. Alright, uncultured masses, prepare to be impressed. Okay, actually, they're probably more cultured than me, thinking about it. But! The modern world! I know that! Well, sort of. Mostly. Actually, thinking about it some more, good chance they know about that more than me, too. I mean, it's not like I was a shut in or anything, it's just, y'know... Maybe I enjoyed a good book every now and then. Or a show. Or a video game... for a thousand or so hours... I had friends! I did things! 

... Anyways, at the very least, I know more about frozen pizza than anyone else in this room right now. So. There's that. 

I took a sip of my drink before I made my move.

"Hold on. Let me see 'em." I said, cooly, and moved over to the counter where they were placed. 

"Oh, uh..." Charolette said in surprise. 

I picked up the pizzas and inspected them a bit. 

"Hmm... 'Bout medium thickness... For a frozen, 'least." I mumbled just loud enough for everyone to hear. "Toppings..." I continued mumbling. Wait, it's cheese. There's no toppings. "Cheese looks... Uh huh." Alright, that's enough mumbling. "5 of us, right? Ehhh, in truth, even 2 might be low balling it. Should be fine, though." 

I took another sip as I concluded.

I noticed Charolette and S whispering to each other and glancing at me, I think S shrugged at some point. Surely all in awe of my performance. 

"Wow! Nice!" Michaus said, ever enthusiastic.

"Alright, uh, 2 then." Zrarmazos said.

For whatever reason, even though they both complimented me I almost feel... A little dissatisfied? As if, like, I grabbed low hanging fruit? Bah, I'm sure it's nothing. 

"Uhm, anyways, pizza. I gotta preheat the oven, right? What temperature I gotta put it at?" Charolette asked me.

Oh, shoot. Ah... That's gonna be a...

"Well... somewhere between, 175 and 250? Or maybe 350-475?." I said. I dunno what they use over here, don't wanna sound silly... Wait, that's the least of my worries! 

"Yeah, well, which is it?" She asked, standing in front of the oven.

"Oh, well, that's... ah..." Ooh... Y'know, it's a lot more embarrassing than I thought...

S walked over and peeked at the packaging. 

"'Bout 492." S said. Kelvin?!

"Right, 4 9 2." Charolette said. 

*Beep. Beep.*

"Dang it." 

*Beeeep. Beep. Beep. Beep.*

"There we go." 

*Beep.* 

The gentle hum of the oven filled the room. 

"And now we wait." Charolette said.

...

I took a sip of my drink.

"Right... now what?" S asked. 

"Well, standing here waiting's boring! Let's go see if anyone needs help in the next town over!" Micahus suggested. 

Next town over? Thinking back to the map... Jeez. That's far. Though, I could bring us over. 

"Y-" I began. 

"O-or, we could just, uhm, tell stories." Zramazos suggested. 

Ah, the television before television. Also, crap, I almost revealed my hole thingy. That was close.

"Yeah, sure." 

"Right, I got stories."

"Oooh! Yeah, yeah!"

I nodded. 

And thus, the 5 of us sat around the table, ready to tell our tales.  

Or, if nothing else, figure out how to kill some time so we can all eat our darn pizza.

 

Reminder that I'm in a fantasy world, filled with magic and wonder as far as they eye can see. Drinking a cola, and waiting for a pizza.

Cool.

I wonder how weird fantasy animal meat tastes on pizza? I've never been a meat pizza guy, but, who knows? Might be worth trying.