The Outcasts I - The Beginning

Plotting Against The Enemy That Is Debt

After the fighting had stopped, Luke quickly dragged everyone back into the bus.

"Marco, open!" He shouted, and the bus doors quickly opened.

He thanked her and rushed everyone inside, throwing himself into the driver's seat. They tossed him the keys, then ran back to their sister.

Upon rushing everyone into the bus and starting to drive off, Luke had the teens who had started the fight keep watch in the back of the bus to make sure no one was following.

Thankfully, no one was following them, and Luke sped home before the cops could catch them.

Once they arrived home, they let the children off first, Karma quickly going ahead and opening the door for them.

Luke sighed in both relief and annoyance, letting everyone else off before he took the keys out and stepped off of the bus. He locked it up as Karma finished rushing everyone inside.

"Anyone who was involved, stay down here!" Karma called out, lowering his voice so the kids didn't hear him yelling.

The few teens who were involved stayed downstairs. Those who knew the drill had let Karma know on the bus that they were hurt.

"Whoever's hurt and knows it, head to the medical room, we'll be there in a sec." Karma announced.

On cue, Hypno and a few others quickly began to walk themselves to the medical room.

Luke sighed, and turned to Karma. "So no one else is hurt?"

Karma quickly examined the rest of them, but then waved his hand in dismissal. As the others left, he turned back to Luke, "Nah, we're fine."

"What happened this time?"

"They say we still owe them."

"But we gave them their money!" Luke exclaimed, irritated.

Karma nodded, "I know, that's what I told them! But, they insisted for some reason." He huffed, rolling his eyes.

Luke sighed, pinching his nose bridge. "And how much do we appearantly owe them?"

"They didn't say."

"They didn't even say?!"

"No! It makes no fucking sense, we PAID them-"

A voice interrupted their ranting, "AYE! Can I get some help in here? Hypno's pretty drained!" Someone yelled from the medical room.

Luke sighed, "I'll go help. If you need any help figuring it out, call me or Jack. He's good with numbers and I'll try to figure out what we 'owe'." He slightly mocked their enemies when he said 'owe', annoyed.

Karma nodded, and sent him away to go help with Hypno. Once he was gone, he quickly took out his phone, and called someone.

"Hey, Jack?"

"You couldn't have just came up here?" A gruff, mildly irritated voice responded. "I'll be down in a second, just let me get my stuff."

Karma rolled his eyes, "'Kay." He hung up.

After about a minute or two of waiting, Jack quickly went downstairs and into the kitchen where Karma was waiting.

"So, did they say how much we owe them?" He asked, pulling up a seat at the table and splaying his things out on it.

"No," Karma huffed, "But I have a feeling they might double it from last time."

Jack clicked open a pen and got writing, pushing up his gold-rimmed glasses. "And how much last time?"

"Nearly $100."

Jack stopped. "... Karma how the FUCK did we get that much in debt-"

"I have no fucking clue! We just did!" Karma's voice was just below shouting, but not shouting at Jack, more shouting in annoyance. "I have no idea!"

Jack sighed, "Well, alright then. So thats... appearantly $100. And then they claim we owe more, so..." he figured out the time span calculation and quickly scribbled it down.

Karma waited patiently, occasionally glancing down at Jack's work.

Jack stopped. His pencil froze with his arm, and his eyes were wide.

"What?" Karma questioned quickly, concerned.

"... that's- I might be wrong, but I think they somehow think we owe them over $400." He responded, shocked. They did NOT have that kind of money, especially judging by the fact that they don't owe anyone in the first place.

Karma restrained a gasp, "What?! We don't owe them shit! How the fuck-"

"Alright, alright. Well, maybe we can get something on them to avoid it?"

"The hell do you mean?!" He snapped, aggravated.

"Blackmail them into dropping our supposed debt." Jack responded quickly, deadpan. He held eye contact.

There was a long pause.

"... that actually might work. Go get your computer and get into our database, I'm gonna call Nala." Karma quickly took out his phone.

Jack nodded and quickly got up, running upstairs to go get his computer.

Nala picked up, "Mhmm?"

"Hey, can you come down? I need some information."

"Sure thing! 'Bout what, though?"

"The people who attacked us. They say we still owe them and we're trying to find a way to get out of it."

"... how would I be of help? What, you want me to do something?"

"No, we just need blackmail."

"Oh! Alright, sure, I'll be down in a minute. Viv's got me in a literal pillow again." Nala sent Karma a picture of them wrapped up in multiple pillows like a cocoon.

Karma couldn't help but laugh when he saw it, "How'd she- oh, wow!" He giggled.

Nala chuckled, "Yeah, just gimme a sec to convince her to- HEY! No biting!" Karma heard them quickly scold one (or maybe more, he couldn't tell) of the kids for biting, though he couldn't tell if it was for biting them or for biting another little. Either way, he just laughed.

"Alright, well, come down when you're able to sneak out of your cocoon." Karma said, restraining a giggle. "I'll see you in a sec."

"Alright, thanks!- Mal! I JUST said no biting!-" Nala hung up quickly to deal with the naughty children.

Nala quickly put their phone down, having managed to wiggle an arm out. "Ok, this butterfly is ready to come out of the cocoon now!" They called out, making the kids laugh.

Vivi, their sister, quickly took the hint and had Nala unwrapped from the massive amounts of pillows.

"Do you gotta go?" Vivi whined at her sibling, not wanting them to go just yet.

Nala smiled softly and ruffled Vivi's hair, "I'll only be gone for a little, kid. Karma needs some help," she explained gently, but didn't say what he needed help with. They actually didn't even really know what he needed help with.

Vivi whined, but was quickly silenced when one of the other kids ran over and gently whacked her on the arm, "TAG!" The child yelled, sprinting away and giggling.

Nala chuckled, "Looks like you're it, Viv! And when I come back, if you want me to, I'll play." They offered to appease their little sister.

Luckily, Vivi was easily distracted, and let her sibling go happily. She sprinted full speed at the next child she saw, earning a startled scream from the kid as they bolted away from her.

Nala laughed, taking pictures of the chaotic game of tag, then headed down to see Karma.