~~NOTOC~~ ![[chatgptimage11.4.2026klo20.36.48.png]] <font 26px/inherit;;inherit;;inherit>**Black File — Interlude: “Mai’s Protocol IV — Load Distribution”**</font> 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.**