Chương 33: Grabbing a bite

There was still one more class left, but it was reserved for the following day: tactics. It was supposed to be a lessons course on how to plan for what is to come on the field.

Lilo was curious which of the famed cohort of Shepherds would teach that course... perhaps the beautiful Miss Pepper herself?

He took a deep breath, allowing his tiresome aching muscles - not that he had any to speak of - droop as he lazily walked down the hallways towards the mess hall to grab a bite to eat.

'Gods... what an eventful and treacherous first day of the academy. If the rest of my journey to returning home will be this exhausting... I'm not sure how much patience I have left to endure it all.'

Soda nodded in agreement. He had his own plans that he wished to request to Lilo, once he was able to. Starting with killing his evil brother... but his patience was waning, and the progress Lilo was making was excruciatingly slow.

The aroma of the mess hall made Lilo's stomach lurch, reminding him of his devastating hunger.

'Ohhh please be something scrumptious.'

The smell of delicious freshly baked bread permeated into Lilo's agape nostrils.

It made his spine tingle. He was in disbelief. An actual cooked food? He recalled the description of how grain was used to restore energy, and how bread is mostly just grounded up grains.

But he also remembered that cooking was forbidden for mundane people... did the kite riders really go out of their way to make them a meal? Why?

So many questions and yet, there was only one thing on his mind.

He was famished, and the scent of simple bread was enough to make his mouth water.

He eagerly grabbed a tray and began nibbling on it on the way to finding his seat.

With the bread in his mouth, his thoughts sang praises through his tongue, chewing into the soft embrace of the warm loaf.

The mess hall was full as usual, only this time, the spot next to Chalant was also taken up and it seemed like his brother had no intention of inviting him back over.

It was for the best anyways, Lilo doubted he wanted to sit there if given the option to.

With a hesitant take, Lilo's gaze slowly made it's way to the secluded corner of the mess hall, where glass shards still littered the floor from the skylight above it that was shattered.

There was that disholved table again, with Lemon sitting in her usual spot... only this time, the entire cohort of misfits were accompanying her.

The notorious cohort of Shepherds were enjoying their meal with the sour herder, cracking jokes and immersed in their own lovely conversation amidst a tightly nit company of friends.

It was a sight Lilo envied. All of his meals in his past life was mostly partaken alone.

He wouldn't even consider them to be meals; they were strict diets, and closely monitored by his nutritionist. The few times after his fights when he celebrated and strayed from his diet; he was surrounded by people who wanted to leech off of him.

The only memory he had of enjoying a meal beside people he loved or cared for was his mother and his wife.

Growing up, he remembered his mother's cooking as a way for her set a heart felt trap to keep him from leaving the table in order to ask him about his day. At the time, he took it for granted and never thought much of that shared moment.

As he grew older he yearned to have that sacred moment back; eating his mothers delicious food, unburdening his thoughts to his hearts desire... to have the listening ear of a loving mother was priceless when paired with soul filling food.

His wife was not much of a cook, but she was very supportive when he had to suffer through his diets. He remembered nights when they would share an apple in secret, veering ever so slightly on the diet plan that the strict nutritionist set.

She would peel oranges for him on late nights that he couldn't handle the pain of hunger any longer. Her frequent visits to the gym, bringing him his protein smoothies after practice.

It was very simple. Nothing out of ordinary. But for the amount of pain that his profession demanded of him. Every bit of ebb and ease that his wife provided felt like a landslide of burdens that was off his shoulders.

All these memories and thoughts in relation to food and the company that would go along with it, flashed through his mind as he witnessed the scene of Lemon's friends dining with her.

This was what she was trying to protect and keep from Lilo. He understood her brash behavior before.

If she already had a premonition of him being bad news - which she probably may have plenty good reason for - he would understand why she would want to push him as far away from the precious group of loved one's she had.

A quick cold glance of distain from Lemon's hazel eyes was all it took for Lilo to understand to avert his gaze.

With a sigh of mixed feelings, Lilo turned to leave. He would have to eat alone, just like all the other moments in his life.

His earlier success in the gym did not matter. None of anything he had done did. He was still utterly and pity fully alone; in this life and his last.

'Well, at least I have you to keep me company buddy.'

"I know the feeling all too well. Nothing new. It can honestly be quite peaceful. We need a bit of that. Ironically, we can't even get a damn ounce of it in this cursed spire."

Soda's playful comment was meant to cheer Lilo up, but it only made the somber mood deepen.

His feet dragged with each step as he turned to leave and the once delicious bread in his mouth turned crummy and bitter.

"Yo Breaker!" It was Pepper's chipper voice.

Lilo turned his head so fast, it was a little too telling that he was excited in anticipation to be addressed.

He pointed a finger at himself, even though with her eyes locking on him and no one else being in the vicinity was a painfully obvious tell that she was talking to him.

"Yeah you, Mr Breaker... Jawbi told me all about the spar! You broke the Jaw Breaker's jaw?! That's so funny! Come sit with us, I gotta hear all about that special move you did!"

Her smile was welcoming, and so was everyone else's demeanor. Even Lemon, who always had that sour expression, seemed some what neutral. Had he imagined the glare she had given him earlier?

Suddenly the bread in his mouth turned exquisitely sweeter, making his mouth water as a warm smile spread across his face.

'Wow, they say food tastes better in good company... maybe there's some truth to that.'