During this chapter I had a little "writers-block". It was hard to come up with the ending of this one but I guess it kind of worked out. :)

I'm sorry if Nutty's kinda missing but he will come soon. ;)

Lifty is sitting on a couch outside of the principal's office. His hand is red and he's got a burning pain in his knuckles. He's using a bag of ice to cool it a little and ease the burning feeling.

The door to the principal's office opens and a brown beaver with a black eye comes out. It looks pretty nasty and like it hurts a lot. When he sees Lifty, he almost runs out of there.

"You can come in now, Lifty!" The principal calls to the raccoon who's glaring after the beaver.

He rises and goes into the office.

"Close the door behind you, please." She mutters.

Lifty obeys and takes a seat in front of the principal's writing table. He kicks with his legs as to say: 'just get it over with!'.

She eyes the raccoon male in silence for a while before she says

"You've grown since last year."

Lifty nods slowly. The principal adjusts her glasses and looks through some papers on her table.

"So, how was your summer?" She doesn't look at him when she asks that, she's focusing on the papers.

"Nothing much. I've been chilling."

Lifty looks at his feet, going back and forth.

"I see, met any girl?"

Lifty thinks for a while.

"Not really, no."

She just nods emotionless, as if she really don't care for the answer.

"You're still in therapy?" She then asks but this time she seems to care a little more. She looks directly at him, reminding of a mother who's having a serious talk to her child.

"No, I'm not allowed to be any closer than 100 yards to my psychologist now. Otherwise I'll go to jail."

She lets out an annoyed sigh.

"Lifty!" she mutters disappointed.

"What?"

"You can't go on like this." She takes her glasses off and rubs her eyes.

Lifty crosses his arms and looks out the window on his left.

"It's because of things like that you keep ending up here so often!"

Lifty doesn't answer.

He has been in this room more than most of the pupils of this school, always in some kind of trouble. Of course there's other pupils getting send to the office, but he's been here many times, all right.

"So tell me, Why did you whack your classmate in the face with your fist like that?"

Lifty mutters something that she can't hear.

"What was that?" She asks.

"I said: He's a motherfucking asshole that deserves whatever he gets!"

The principal looks chocked.

"Lifty! Don't call your classmates things like that!"

Lifty turns back to the window again.

"Lifty, come on, tell me now." She puts her glasses back on and looks at him.

Lifty sighs and turns to her.

"He said something I didn't like..."

"And what was that..?"

Lifty bites his lip.

"It's okay, Lifty. You know you can tell me."

He closes his eyes hard, takes a deep breath and stops the leg-kicking.

"He said: Lollipop-licking freak with ADHD..."

She raises an eyebrow.

"To you?"

"No, who do you think?"

She thinks for a while before saying

"That squirrel Nutty from your parallel class..?"

"Duh!"

He looks out the window again, biting his lip.

"Pardon me but, Lifty, Since when do you care about what they're saying about another kid, you've never done that before...?"

She tilts her head slightly to the side.

Lifty can't help that he's blushing. It's only the first day and he has already beaten somebody up.

"Is this why I'm here? To be asked stupid questions? Just give me detention already, this is a waste of time!"

The principal doesn't look amused. It's an awkward silence between them and Lifty just wants to get out of there as quickly as possible.

"Lifty, why did he call him that?"

"..." Lifty stares at her in silence with eyes that's big and puppy-like.

"Do you want me to make you an appointment with the school psychologist so you get someone to talk to?"

"Good, I'll get a restraining order in no time!" Lifty gives her a sarcastic smile.

He is definitely not the teacher's pet. In fact, most of the teaching staff hates him and his brother.

"You're right. This is a waste of time. But if I gives you detention you'll be back here soon again. So you'll talk to this guy instead." She hands him a business card.

"The office next to the library."

Lifty looks at it. "...'Doctor of Philosophy and...inner peace'..?" Hefrowns at her.

"Go now, he's a busy man."

Lifty leaves the office and puts the icebag in the trashcan next to the door. As he begins to walk he's having a little conversation with himself.

'Why does she think that I want her or anyone elses help with my life? I nor want or need it! I can take care of myself, like I've allways done!'

'Admit you want someone to talk to that's not your brother.'

'Yeah, sure!'

The raccoon's footstepps echos in the empty hallways.

'Who are you trying to fool? You're not really the tough guy you're trying to be.'

He has noticed the change he's made during the summer. He's not as shy now, actually pretty lippy but not as much as his brother though. At least he doesn't stutter as often anymore.

'Shut up.'

'Why? Because it's true?'

'I'm just making sure that no one can step on me!'

'Why care? You've got a brother who's treating you better and better, a house to live in...and Nutty!'

'I'll just ignore you now.'

'Ignore yourself? Well, good luck with that!'

He's almost there, he just have to take to the left and go through one hallway. He's not sure why he's doing this but he guess it wouldn't hurt. He doesn't get the chance to go on with his discussion inside of his head because of the collision with someone when he's taking to the left by the corner. It makes him fall backwards and land on his butt. He's getting pretty annoyed by the way he always falls when he bumps into someone. The raccoon looks up to see who it is this time. As he does, his face becomes pale and his eyes big.

"S-Splendont..."

The red flying squirrel looks down at the smaller raccoon with a self-righteous grin.

"Hey, aren't you one of the klepto-twins?" two, not as big or bright, hectors walks up to the raccoon too take a look at him. They're known for allways hanging out with splendont and helping him terrorise people.

"Hey, he asked you a question!" The yellow bear next to splendont growls.

Lifty doesn't answer. He tries to back away still on his butt. His way is beeing blocked by one of the goons who's standing behind him, making it inpossible for him to go any further. Lifty tilts his head back and looks up at him. The light blue rabbit grins at him and grabs him by the arms and lifts him up. Lifty is face to face with Splendont now.

"What do you want?" Lifty frowns when he sees the amusement in Splendont's face.

"Let's say it like this: You and your bro are the most skilled thieves in town, right..?"

"Uhm...yeah..?"

"Well, I've wanted to talk to you guys for a while now, about business. Are you getting where I'm going?" The flying squirrel smiles superior.

"Not quite..."

Splendont sighs annoyed.

"I want you two to steal stuff for me in exchange for a suitable profit."

Lifty doesn't feel like stealing things 'for a small profit'. This guy is bad company, even for a guy like Lifty. He bites his lip, trying to think.

"I don't...t-think I...w-want to..." Lifty realizes he shouldn't have said that since he don't know how the satanic red devil will react. The bullies laughs amused.

"You must be kidding me! You don't have a choise little man."

Lifty don't like the sound of that, he really don't. He takes a deep breath and decides to do something drastic.

He's slugging his foot with all his strenght into the 'goods' of the one who's holding him. The rabbit lets go of him and bends over, crying in pain.

"OUCH! FUCKING RAT!"

Lifty lands on his feet. The bear tries to catch him but it's a easy task for the quick-moving raccoon to glide across the floor, under the big clumsy bear and run through the long hallway. Splendont looks unamused and goes after him. At first the squirrel is running normal but he starts to run faster, and faster, and faster...and faster! Like a red lightening, he runs up next to the raccon and dashes him into the wall. He then lifts the dizzy raccoon up with one hand and presses him against the wall.

Lifty stares into his brown eyes. They're staring back, focusing on his eyes. Lifty think it's strange, why would he stare like that? He gets an answer to his question when the eyes he's staring into turns redder and redder and the air becomes slightly warmer as the eyes becomes more of a neon color. Lifty gasps and struggles to get free. Just as he thinks his head will get penetrated by two laserbeams.

"Splendont! What do you think you're doing?" Splendont's eyes becomes brown again and he turns to the green bear in camouflage who just talked. Lifty looks at him as well.

"Get the fuck out of here army boy, this is none of your buisness!" Splendont shouts.

Flippy doesn't seem to care.

"Just let go of the raccoon and leave before someone gets hurt!"

The classroomdoors opens and pupils starts to come out and crowd the hallway. Splendont mutters

"If you're not in I'll tear your insides out!"

He lets go of him and disappears with a red lighteling. Lifty sits on the floor, biting his lip.

Okay then, what do you think? R&R :)