Bruiser flies back into the camp with five huge bags in his hands. The smell of takeout Chinese fills the camp as he walks around giving out the packages to the group. He holds one of them and looks up at the moon.

“Maybe, I can fly it up to her,” he laughs looking your way. “Let’s eat.”

You and Bruiser sit together on a picnic table he’s dragged over into the pasture. He’s got a banquet in front of him and even though he is big, you can’t help but wonder where all of the food is going.

“We never got to eat like this back in the academy,” he says with his mouth full of food, but he pauses reflectively. “Well we never actually had to eat would be more accurate.”

He explains that in his world they don’t experience things like tiredness, hunger, or pain. They have to go through simulation courses of each feeling, so they have an idea of what it feels like, “they said they felt more like curses than something we get to enjoy.”

Eating through the rest of the food and downing a few beers, he lets out a belch and leans back onto the bench. He looks over to your meal.

“Are you going to eat that?”

You shake your head and push the remaining food over to him. You’re absolutely stuffed.

“I think it’s something you humans take for granted,” Bruiser says. “Hunger, I mean. You get to satiate it and feel satisfied in the process. During our training at the academy, we were told to keep our eye on the ball during the mission and not get distracted by the Earthly pleasures we were sure to encounter.”

He looks over to the rest of the team who are still eating. Ranger is using a fork and knife. Tech is using chopsticks. Soldier is too distracted by his holo projector to eat. And Warrior is using one of his swords to shovel his rice into his mouth.

“I bet they’re all really enjoying the chance to eat again,” Bruiser says. “They’ll never admit it, but believe me when I say we are having the best time of our lives being out here with you.”

He takes a look at his watch and swipes through some information on local take out places. You and him discuss some of the different food you’ve tried and what you suggest what he should try next.

You continue to talk for a while, but decide to get some rest after he flies off toward the nearest Pizza Hut.

Get some rest

— Page 33 —