Back At Mischief (1)

"Soon, the owner of our dear beloved Orphanage would be coming around. I want the best atitudes put on. Now, if you did your chores - and i know who did what, you can trust me - go eat."

There was a groan from the ones that were left out. Some of them did not actually care and began doing any chore they could find to prepare themselves for the rest of the day.

Where she had been standing in front of, was where there were glass trays attached to moveable tables where. And the kids would line up behind each server pointing what they wanted.

Break fast was usually bread.

Bread and mayonnaise, bread and butter, bread and jam, bread and sardine, bread and peanut butter, bread and marshmallow... And with that, juice or tea could complement it.

Tumunomi Escaver either mixed sardine and mayonnaise, or jam and mayonnaise. He only took butter and mayonnaise occasionally. But if he did take peanut butter it was alone, bread and caramel or chocolate was what he took on occasion, too.

The boy picked a seat and began eating when Jacob joined him.

"You did not have to do that, you know? I did not know you cared mich about other people suffering that much."

In the distance Andrew, Jake, John and Ivan sat together with shaking hands, shaking legs, tears and careful sitting in their positions as they used their breakfast to console them for today.

"I don't care if everyone joined us or not. Yesterday night i asked that no one should deny what they did, but today they seemed relevant to admit it and so i got angry."

Jacob laughed, "yeah i was wondering if you were some goody two shoes or something."

"And if i was," Tumunomi Escaver swallowed before looking at him. "What would you have done about it?"

"Sheesh, do you know how to keep friends?"

Tumunomi Escaver resumed eating.

"You know, both of us, we have not been picked."

He kept on chewing.

"We could have like our own thing." He nodded to his comrades in arms who had been disciplined. "They would listen to us."

"If and When i find a reason to do so," he drank the last of his tea." Then i would.

When they were done, they went upstairs to the first floor to have their classes. Preschool to kindergarten had their hands full. Primary School classes were less because kids usually were picked from orphanages by their age range .

Tumunomi Escaver at Primary 4 sat at the middle of the class and glanced at the teacher who entered not too early or late.

Out of General Studies, Math, Languages, Basic Science, Fine Art, Music, Clubs, Social Studies, P.E., he could not say he had a favorite. But General studies usually talked about cool stuff.

Like how Hyol was 100 Jupiter's and how Earth's gravity was a 100 times less than theirs. Or how Epic Beasts cultivated. Or how humans cultivated!

This excited him.

There was a time his teacher spoke about how cultivators found it easier to gain political titles. Or how cultivators cab simply earn because of their strength and heir plethora of skills.

Or how cultivators could easily win wars.

Or how cultivators were powerful enough to be owed by governments.

How they did not lack in prestige, suitors or comfort.

Screw all the times he had not been picked by a loving family. If he would cultivate, families and nations and governments would need him.

Ha!

But apart from that, cultivation was freedom.

One of the reasons he envied those who had been picked by foster parents was that they escaped the repertoire of sleep, chore, food school, sleep, chore, food and then sleep.

He wanted what they felt. He would never personally admit to being lonely at not having people around him as he was almost numb to it by now. But it would be nice to be loved.

He sighed and could not wait for math class to finish.

When they were done for the day, Tumunomi Escaver was on his way back. And he met the group of five who had been at a corner.

Jacob waved at him and he just stared back as he was heading to the cafeteria.

"Wait." He stopped and turned to Ivan. "We need to get back at peter."

"Yeah, he was the cause of our pain." Jacob said nothing, as if he was waiting for Tumunomi Escaver's opinion.

"As long as its between ourselves, i don't care. But i don't want to be a part of it either."

"Why?"

"He did not even tell us sorry!"

"Is that the first time you are being caught?"

Ivan could not answer.

"Don't break any bones and don't leave any scars."

Jacob was curious. "Why?"

"I'll interfere if that happens."

He and Jacob traded stared at each other until the other kid raised his hands too. "I am out if i can't even do just that."

Now that Jacob was out too, Ivan was struggling if he should still go on with it.

John's voice dissuaded him from everything as he placed a hand on its shoulder.

"We are all we have in this place. What happened was not cool but if we do things at least we do not need him to rat on us."

Ivan turned to Tumunomi, "I heard about why you counted for us."

"Yeah, i won't promise you anything, next time."

Tumunomi Escaver walked away to the cafeteria and when he got back to his room, he saw Jacob sitting in a wide circle with all his roommates. He himself went to his mattress and stared at the ceiling. Not long after, he picked up a magazine.

Plus Tumunomi Escaver, they were 22. Usually, a room had 30 but a lot of people had already been picked to foster parents. So there was easier ventilation, relatively.

"Hey Tumunomi!"

He looked down.

"We were thinking of another one tonight."

The boy laughed and then continued reading.

"We know the owner is supposed to show up soon, but don't you think they are going to be bringing the juicy stuff out soon?"

"Not interested.

"Have you thought about the all the goodies and everything we can have to ourselves."

"Okay, let's say i was interested. Do you not think they would be more protective about it?"

"Well, that is why we have you."

He smiled a bit, "what does that mean?"

"I heard you pulled it off before."

Tumunoni Escaver looked through all their faces and there was not a single trace of remorse from the earlier incidents at the cafeteria.

He laughed again and then closed the magazine trying to ignore his face that actually wanted to look grave.

He then excused himself by simply walking into the bathroom, getting into a bathroom stall and then stared at the ceiling as tears poured from his face. He remembered how fun it was to take things from people who held power.

The feeling of being in charge of them, even if it was through theft.

He clenched his fist and whispered. "This one is for you."

Stepping out after wiping his tears, he focused on them. "What's the plan?"

It had three steps and the this was the hardest.

So, by the next week in the summer season of the year 10,200, Tumunomi Escaver and his Roommates that were in on the plan stood at the front of the building because they knew that a delivery truck would be coming.

Considering that food will be needed this week because they would have exceptional delicacies because of the arrival of the owner of the place, they had ran to the front immediately they saw the truck from down the road.

By the time it parked, they had reached the entrance door and run despite the secretary telling them to stop.

Rose Marilyn turned back to regard them and they watched her face twist in anger but they had already jumped on her calves, so that she almost fell.

And she was not just shocked because of their audacity, but she was a cultivator, which meant that she either had the choice of allowing them hit the ground or hit her.

She gritted her teeth. "What are you doing, brats!?."

"Please, please let us help you carry the boxes." John had bee agreed to start since he found it easy to cry.

"Yes, yes we need contribution points from you." Jacob spoke next.

"And, we are really sorry." Andrew went last.

Her face tightened then relaxed. "You want me to show you were we keep the food so that you can go take it?"

"No," John was crying already. "We just want to help."

Andrew went to pat John on the shoulder and shot her a glare.

The lady was taken aback and went through all their eyes before settling on Tumunimi Escaver who was not facing her and instead the ground.

"Fine, fine"

Every time he was supposed to be picked, the foster parents always spoke about his morbid eyes; they way he had dark circles and they were sunken but they held whoever decided to stay on them because it begged for pity in a hopeless way.

So, he kept his head down until she agreed.

"Thank you, thank you." John kissed her calves until she pushed him away with her foot. But she timed it so well that when a pedestrian turned to look he was already away. But for jake she had to shake her leg until he dropped.

When the driver had dropped down and greeted Rose Marilyn, he caught jake that jumped into his arms and struggled to catch john who had followed after Jacob and Tumunomi Escaver stayed on the ground while Andrew and Ivan chanted.

"Open it!"

"Open it!"

"Open it!"

1

The man laughed. "Okay, here we go."

The door began slowly opening downwards after the driver manoeuvred to press a button on his keys and kids ones on the ground started jumping in delight.

"Yay!" They chorused but Tumunomi Escaver really was not good at acting. So, he just smiled.

The older man told them to give space after holding his arms wide as he took steps backwards so that they would not be hit by the doors or the incoming cargo. Then, the door landed open and they scrambled inside.

The man laughed and allowed them to take what they could, albeit having to deliberately and slowly balance the boxes in their arms for better position as they waddled to the front door.

By now, the kitchen staff were coming out and they held out the door for the kids.

"Hard working men, you are."

One snorted, "these were the ones that were whipped."

Tumunomi Escaver and his crew ignored all of that and dropped the boxes where they were told to before continuing to help out.

They were treated to their own private lunge after they were done and went back upstairs with fat stomachs.

First phase was complete.