Metalocalypse: Impending Doom

Chapter Twenty Three: Nathan

"How has your first night been for you all?" Abigail sat with her leg crossed over the other as she studied everyone who sat in front of her in their respective seats around a circular table.

"Please don't tell me that you'll be our therapist," Salem said dryly as they leaned back in their seat. They were at the edge of the table, seated a little further away than the rest. Pickles was the closest to them, obscuring Nathan's eyes so he couldn't see what Salem's face looked like. They were the least excited to be here, surprisingly enough. Despite Salem previously seeming a lot more mature to handle this (generally speaking), now they just had their arms across their chest like a stubborn toddler (at least that's what it looked like). Nathalia even looked like she was embracing it a lot easier, but Nathan wouldn't trust her to handle it with genuine maturity. Those dark eyes were gleaming like she was plotting. She sat next to Toki, who was between her and Pickles.

"Is it a problem if I am?" Abigail raised her eyebrow. 

"Aren't you supposed to be steering this fucking boat?" This was true because Abigail was one of the only ones technically allowed to steer Mordhaus. None of the Klokateers were given permission. Nathan was the other one allowed to drive Mordhaus as long as he followed the path set, but he couldn't because he was in 'rehab'.

Earlier, when they had officially set sail before the meeting started, just the jostle of putting Mordhaus into gear sent nearly everyone off their feet (except Bones). The fact that the citadel was supposedly driving at a quicker-than-average pace consistently was a terrifying concept. Let alone that the captain wasn't even watching where they were going.

Abigail pulled up from her lap, a screen panel with a bunch of dials and buttons on the front. Nathan supposed it had something to do with seeing where they were going and controlling it to a certain extent. "Solved. Any other issue?"

"You also already know too much, and I don't feel like letting my brain get picked at," Salem replied, "when it's irrelevant."

"Is it irrelevant, Salem?"

"Yep."

"I guess we'll see about that. Perhaps we should start with you, then?"

Salem seemed taken aback, snapping their head back slightly. "I'm good."

Nathalia snorted but otherwise didn't say anything. Everyone could tell that the friendship was falling apart, but Nathan couldn't judge that. Despite the amount of big talk from Nathalia, she couldn't hold a flame to her words at all - but chose to have a lot of empty words to say. Whereas Salem's stubbornness was both killing them and getting on multiple nerves. All they seemed to do was highlight the worst parts of each other. How did they last this long as friends?

Better yet, why did everything seem so fine for the two until... Murderface fell into the picture?

Even worse, Nathan couldn't judge because he was equally stubborn as Salem and as empty as Nathalia's words. He nearly ruined his friendship with Pickles for petty reasons and generally being uncommunicative. And also ruined his relationship with Charles through, well... multiple ways. Mostly stubbornness.

Nathan had tuned out of the conversation until he heard his name being called. He jerked to attention with surprise, noticing a few people had started staring at him. Pickles' head was craned to look at his best friend; he smiled awkwardly at the other when their eyes met. Skwisgaar, sitting next to him on the other side, was also turned to look at him.

Murderface, who was pretty much by himself on the far end opposite of Salem, was watching from the side of his eye though it was still noticeable to the brute singer. He noticed Nathalia purposely avoiding his stare, and Toki decided to drop his head and let his hair fall over his face. Like he was trying to hide from Nathan's searching gaze.