BLACK STORM: The Abandoned Son

Chapter 6: Adaptation

From this point on the power structure of the orphanage is formed. Me and Jubilee are basically in charge, this isn't official or anything, but people naturally listen to the strong.  It's just human instinct. Of course, we're still subordinate to the older kids. Me and Jubilee are allied, but only by circumstance. We still disagree radically, and we constantly bump heads. So, we split power. conveniently we have bedrooms on opposite sides of the Mansion. Naturally, each of our followers are already on our respective wings of the mansion. 

So, the agreement is I have my sphere of influence and she has hers, and never shall the two meet. Months have passed, but I feel years older. I'm now eight years old. Hooray. The voice in my head hasn't stopped. It's a good thing that plenty of things have kept me busy, so I barely notice it anymore. It's just background noise to me now, a part of daily life.

I've basically become a despot. A benevolent one at least. I'm not trying to make excuses, it's just easier to prop myself up as a false king than to sit back and watch Katz destroy the orphanage, our orphanage. The pictures on the wall, the stains on the floor, all of these are proof that we are here, and we do not intend on living in fear. Some of these pictures are quite old, Mother is in many of them. I wonder how old she really is.

How's the training going? Good, I guess, they made progress, but they're still very weak. Compared to me at least. I'm not sure how I become such a powerful fighter, but It's probably from marauding around the streets like I own the place. That didn't stop me from training myself, however. I think I reached a dead-end though. I haven't been making much progress. 

I was able to increase the volume of the sludge I can create, but not its functionality. I still have the same few tricks up my sleeve. If I fight Katz now it would be defeat again. I don't think Mother can save us this time, the local police as well as our friends from the Terror corp. have been stalking us ever since that day. If she hits him again, they might throw her in jail forever, Katz's father has that kind of power. I doubt she could peacefully end the situation either.

"Newt get out of your own head, we saw another one of them today."

"Damn! I think we're running out of time here, Grid."

Grid has basically become my second in command. He informs me of the goings-on of the mansion and keeps me from daydreaming too much. Occasionally Wayne helps out too, but he's often a pain in the ass. It sounds like he found another kid lurking outside the mansion. We have reason to assume they're Katz's friends. They're probably casing the mansion to attack it. How much manpower is he gonna bring, ten? No twenty? Why go through so much effort over a bruised ego and a bloody nose? I'm wasting time, I'll head to the kitchen while I think.

If we defeat him this time, will he stop coming back? Maybe we should beat him up so hard he never comes back, just in case? I don't want to be cruel if I don't have to, but I  do want things to end once and for all. I can't cripple him or anything. And I'm not planning to, I have to humiliate him so much that he never comes back. 

As I walk through the crowded cafeteria, I spot the children I'm training as well as Jubilee's number, It's a large contrast. My wards are less optimistic and cheery than they were a few months ago but they still have some brightness in their eyes while Jubilee's wards are downright cynical and hopeless. I should talk to her soon; tell her she isn't fulfilling our promise of taking it easy on them. Or maybe I should take it easy on her, this isn't easy. At least she isn't bullying them anymore. Although that's really just the bare minimum, isn't it?

I walk into the kitchen, haven't been here often so it's still an unfamiliar place. With white ceramic tiles on the floor, brown wooden counters and slightly stained wallpaper it's quite a cosy place. Why am I here? Since I turned eight and Mother noticed me taking some of the younger kids under my wing, she used that as an excuse to give me some responsibilities. Nothing too hard, just defrosting the chicken, filling the ice tray and other little tasks here and there. Whatever I can do to help the family, I guess. Usually, I spend an hour or so just helping in general.