Chapter 6: Dinner

Location : Melbourne, Oceania, Earth
Era : Thursday, 22nd November 2283 CE

Ichigo helped Mark into the wheelchair. She then grabbed the dildo from the limo.

<Maybe we could play with this later, > she sent as she dropped the dildo and some of its disposable capsules into her bag.

The wheelchair automatically followed her as she made a bee line to the lifts. <Where are we going?> he asked.

<I booked the penthouse, > she replied. <Are you hungry?>

<A little.>

<I have ordered food and I want you to eat as much as you can, > she insisted. <Your body is going through a lot of changes and you are going to need the energy.>

When they reached the lifts the doors automatically opened. Ichigo did not need to select a floor as the lift already seemed to know where they were going. When the lift opened it revealed a vast open plan space that covered the entire floor. Almost everything seemed to be made of glass. Defused soft lightning revealed tropical fish and sea life under the glass floor. The cityscape was visible through the glass walls and the stars were visible through the glass ceiling.

<How much of this is real?>

<At these prices. Most of it. There are some screens hiding supports, plumbing, and the machinery of the apartment but most of what you are seeing is real.> She led him to a low glass table that was covered with food. She helped him out of the wheelchair and examined his arm and leg.

<The tarka has accelerated your healing but you have a long way to go. Once your body has become saturated with tarka the healing will proceed much more rapidly, > she commented.

The wheelchair trundled back to the lift as Mark took his seat at the table. The padding was comfortable and a pit underneath the table held their legs. The plates were glass and the cutlery was glass chopsticks. Mark watched the fish swim beneath his feet though the tabletop.

<I apologize for the food. I had the hotel add the mineral supplements you need, > she said.

<I don't mind the taste. In fact my body seems to know that it needs the minerals.>

Mark selected a dumpling with his chopsticks, dipped it in one of the sauces, and placed it in his mouth. An overwhelming need flooded his senses and suddenly he was stuffing dumplings in his mouth chewing and swallowing as fast as he could.

<Whoa! Slow down! Also dipping them in a sauce can help with the metallic taste.>

<Sorry, I just felt so hungry. Did you turn up the lights?> he asked.

<No, your night vision is getting better. I am going to connect you to the table. I want you to use the table's interface to move the plates you want to obtain food from, so they are closer to you. I am going to stimulate the interface. Do you feel a tingling? Try to flex your muscles near that sensation, > she suggested.

The dishes started to move around the table. "Whoa, did I do that?"

<Yes, you did. I want you to practice controlling the table during the meal. Consider it part of your training. Also practice sending instead of talking>

Mark noticed that Ichigo's chopsticks seem to change shape on command. They elongated to spear an errant dumpling.

<How did you do that?> he asked.