A group of teenagers were waiting in the corridor by the door to the principal's office for their parents. Neteyam, Aonung, Roxto, Ernest and Ophelia are still bloodied and battered from the fight.

- How mad do you think our parents will be at us? - Roxto asked everyone.

- What do you think, Skxawng? I'm not sure yet if the sunrise of the next day you will live. - said Lo'ak, who was sitting next to Neteyam.

- Skxa... wng? What does that mean? - Lily asked.

- It means moron. - Kiri replied  to her.

- Oh...

- This time it won't be me getting a lecture from dad for fighting, but my older brother. - Lo'ak laughed and patted the elder on the back.

- Shut up, Lo'ak. - Neteyam hissed and sighed heavily, burying his face in his hands.

Neteyam wouldn't say it out loud, but at the mere thought of his father's rage he was overwhelmed with great horror. It was always Lo'ak who got into fights and trouble, and it was Neteyam who always had to shine his eyes for him in front of their father, but now, things are very different. Neteyam has never yet fallen foul of his father so directly, only taking the blame for Lo'ak. Because that's the role of the older brother.

- Jesus... Mom is gonna kill me. - Aonung groaned and leaned back in his chair.

- Is it that bad? - Flame asked.

- Unfortunately. Our mum is a tough prosecutor and dad.... Is a military man like Neteyam's dad and Spider's dad. - Tsireya said, stroking Aonung's shoulder to comfort him.

- Well... My elder is the future king of Knighton. - Ernest said.

- My mum and dad are the prince and princess of the mysterious kingdom. - Lily said.

- My mother is a big hot head. - Ophelia said with a light laugh.

The group fell uncomfortably silent, then they began to hear voices in the distance from the corridor. And they were not pleasant voices at all. Just angry and hard voices. The teenagers looked at each other in horror and got up from their chairs.

- Here we go. - Spider said with sigh.

And out of the corner came Tsireya's and Aonung's parents, Lo'ak's, Neteyam's and Kiri's, Ernest's and Ophelia's and Pedro's mother.

- Aonung. What happened to you? - asked the woman and approached him, taking his face in her hands.

- Nothing. A minor argument. - He answered her and hissed in pain when the woman touched his bruised cheek.

- A minor argument? You look very awful. - Aonung's father said sternly. Tonowari Tsakarem.

- Tsireya. What happened? - mother of both teenagers asked. Ronal Tsakarem.

Tsireya was shaking slightly from the fear of her parents' anger and disappointment and tears shone in her eyes.

- I... Aonung with Roxto and Neteyam got into a fight with Ophelia and later with Ernest and Pedro. - she said quietly.

- And you did not stop your brother from unreasonably fight? - Ronal asked with a stern expression on her face. - How I raised you, daughter!

Tsireya looked down and pulled her nose, Lily felt sorry for her and stepped forward.

- She couldn't stop it, because when the fight started she wasn't even there! We were helping the teachers and when we ran into the cataferia, Tsireya, the only smartest one of us all, went to get the teachers, not like us, we did it on our own. - Lily said and grabbed Tsireya's hand to comfort her.

Ronal and Tonowari's eyes shifted to the ginger-haired girl.

- And who might you be, young lady? - Tonowari asked.

- I'm Lily. Lily Fox and it is a pity that I meet you in such an unsympathetic situation.

The couple looked at each other.

- Nice to meet you. - Ronal replied with evident reluctance. - I am Ronal Tsakarem, mother of Aonung and Tsireya. This is my husband Tonowari, father of Tsireya and Aonung.

Lily smiled falsely. - It's a pleasure to meet you.

From the woman there was this aura of haughtiness and coldness directed at probably all the people around her, and even her own children. So Lily also played along and took the woman's words with grace and detachment.

- Who started this fight? - Lo'ak's and Neteyam's father asked. Jake Sully.

Jake immediately looked at Lo'ak as if it was immediately his fault, but the black-haired boy only wore a wide grin.

- It was not me this time, sir. It was Neteyam who started the fight and, I was splitting them up. - He said as if he was proud of that fact.

- Neteyam? Why did you do that? - Jake Sully demanded.

Neteyam looked down at his feet, not wanting to look his father in the eye. 

- I don't know.

- What do you mean you don't know!?

- I was defending Aonung and the others. What was I supposed to do? Sit and watch? - Neteyam asked reproachfully.

Jake Sully sighed heavily and shared a conflicted look with Ney'tiri, the mother of the two boys. The woman sighed.

- You're grounded. No outings with your friends to the skatepark for a month. I'm also taking away your skateboard. You let me down, Neteyam, from you I expected sanity.

Neteyam sighed sadly. - Yes, sir.

Lo'ak still wore a smile. Jake looked at him sternly.

- You, Lo'ak, stop enjoying this!

- Sorry, sir.

- What happened? - Clay asked with concern, looking at the injuries on Ernest's face.

- Can't you see, Clay! He got into a fight! - Macy growled.

- I'm fine, guys. It's not the kind of injuries you've had. - Ernest replied with confidence.

- You say that like you're glad you fought. - Clay furrowed his brows.

- Even if I did, I did it for a good cause. - Ernest replied.

- Fighting for a good cause!? - Macy rebuked.

Ernest sighed and wiped his lip of blood. - I'll explain everything.

- What were you thinking! Have you lost your mind!? - Aspheera roared with rage at Ophelia.

- Fighting is not a sensible solution. - Pythor added.

- The humiliation you have caused our family will be noticed. - Aspheera hissed.

- Wait, wait, mother! You don't understand! - Atlas began.

- Yeah. Aonung and his friends were picking on Atlas. They called us freaks. - Ophelia said softly, casting a glance in Aonung's direction.

Aspheera sighed in surprise and Pythor looked down.

- Wait! FREAK!!? - she roared with hot fury, rattling her tail.

Atlas and Ophelia sighed, burying their faces in their hands.

-----

Parents and teenagers sat in the principal's office with Professor Strickler, who stood by the window behind Principal Finch's desk. The students sat in chairs in front of the desk with their parents standing behind them.

- As you understand the situation, you know that behaviour and actions such as fighting will not be tolerated at our Academy. - Principal Finch said.

- We understand. We promise that our children will meet the consequences of their antics. - Jake Sully said.

- I doubt it would have any effect. - Professor Strickler spoke. - I have noticed that there is a... racial conflict here. Therefore, I suggest that this problem needs to be fought at school and not at home.

- What are you suggesting? - Macy asked.

- I am suggesting that your children, starting tomorrow, get detention after school. For a week, there we will try to reconcile them with each other through various activities and talks. We will highlight to them the situation they are in and how to combat... racism. - Professor Strickler spat out disgusted by the last word.

- Are you suggesting that my son is a racist? - Ronal demanded.

- I see here a passive aggression for students of other species. Laughs, inappropriate jokes. That's why I want to talk to them about it.

- Well, if this is to be their punishment.... - Tonowari began.

- No, sir! It is not the fault of Aonung or his friends. - Atlas said.

Everyone looked at the young hybrid surprised. And the teenagers, as if they were crazy.

- What? - Ophelia hissed in a whisper.

- What do you mean, Atlas? - Principal Finch asked.

- It's not the fault of Aonung or his friends. This fight, it's my fault. I insulted him, called him an imbecile and an idiot. I was the one at fault. - Atlas said.

- What are you talking about, dude!? - Jake hissed.

Atlas silenced them and looked solemnly at Finch. Aonung and Neteyam looked at each other in surprise, as did Roxto, who exchanged a look with Kiri.

- Was it as he says? - Finch asked.

Aonung looked at Atlas and he nodded.

Aonung looked at the principal and swallowed. After a moment, he nodded. The parents of the teenagers looked at each other in amazement and disappointment with their children. Principal Finch looked at Mr Strickler, who was surprised.

- Aonung, Roxto and Neteyam, you are dismissed, but you still get remark. And you will have two hours of punishment by helping teachers with decorations for the Festival of Colours. But Atlas, Ophelia, Ernest you have detention from tomorrow. 

- If they have detention. So do I! - Lily said.

- I do the same. - Rose said.

- Mhm! - Eshter agreed.

Mr. Finch raised his eyebrows in surprise, but nodded. - If you want it that badly. Let it be.

- Why are you doing this? - Ernest asked.

- We are siblings. We are in this together. - Lily replied.

------

All the teenagers were waiting outside the school for their parents, who were talking to each other about today's events.

- Why did you do this? - Aonung asked.

- Why did you take the blame? - Neteyam asked.

The siblings looked at each other.

- We want to make friends with you guys. And friends support each other. - Atlas said.

- Awww. - Tsireya and Neona sighed. 

- Do you want to be friends with us after all this? - Roxto asked in shock.

- Yes. You guys are assholes that's a fact, but.... with you guys life in this building will be more interesting. - Rose replied.

Neteyam allowed himself a small smile of adoration for the girl. Rose noticed this and blushed slightly.

- But no more being assholes for us. - Ophelia demanded.

- Okay. - Aonung laughed and high-fived her.

Then their parents came up and ordered them to go home. Mr Strickler was in his room typing something on his computer with a monotonous expression on his face. It was already evening and there was darkness outside.

Suddenly there was a quiet knocking on the window to the man's left. Strickler raised his gaze and his face grew stern and cold. He saw a large, dark figure with big burning red eyes. Strickler walked over to the window and opened it.

The figure leaned in and his face emerged from the gloom, showing the face of.... Monster.

Professor Strickler's eyes turned from green to fiery yellow.

- You're late, Bular. - Strickler said monotonously.

- Better this way than not at all. - replied the monster named Bular. - What does the Queen of Nightmares expect of me?

- She has a great plan for you. - replied Strickler calmly. - You must capture all the descendants of the League of Heroes.

- Kidnapping? That's it? - sneered Bular and laughed darkly.

- It's not just that. You have to capture them and bring them to the Skeleton King. There, the Basilisk, will bring HER back to life.

- The Skeleton King?

- Yes. You had better not let the Basilisk down, or there will be nothing left of your tribe. - threatened Strickler.

Bular growled and clenched his hands into fists. - Catching little kids is a piece of cake for me.

- Let's hope so. Come here tomorrow afternoon, but the Sun is still high. Don't be late, or the whole plan that Basilisk has planned will be lost, and with it our lives will disappear. - He hissed with seriousness.

- The Basilisk will not be disappointed in me, Strickler. I will appear here tomorrow. - announced Bular, before turning and starting to disappear into the darkness.

- War hangs in the air. - sighed Strickler and closed the window.

= END OF THE CHAPTER  FIVE =