The Legends of Nethiah

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1

Now, you understand,

children... they react to

what goes on around them.

This is not like Gabriel.

I don't mean to pry,

but I have to ask.

Are there problems at home?

No. He's not acting out

or anything like that.

Not with him. With the family.

Stan and I...

we're getting a divorce.

I see.

Gabriel shouldn't be punished

for what's happening at home.

He's not. He's being

punished for fighting.

Can't you make an exception?

I wish I could. School policy.

You should see this suspension

as an opportunity.

Talk to him.

Try to make him understand.

Divorces are never easy,

but they don't have to be final.

You want to tell me

what happened?

I don't want to talk about it.

Gabriel... fighting? Why?

Things are difficult

enough around here

without getting a call

from your principal.

You broke Dougie's nose.

It'll be a miracle

if we don't get sued.

Are you listening to me?

I don't want to talk about it!

I don't know what

I'm going to do with you.

What do you mean, suspended?

I left three messages

at your office.

Well, I was working.

Yeah? I work, too.

Thank you, Susan.

I know you work.

You can't do me

the courtesy of waiting

until our divorce is finalized

before you run around

with that woman.

I was working! Do what you want!

Keep it down, okay?

Gabriel can hear.

There you go again,

trying to avoid the issue.

God, you are driving me crazy.

You ruined my life! Oh, yeah?

Well, that's a two-way street,

sweetheart!

You okay?

Sure.

Heard you had a scrap yesterday.

You want to tell me about it?

Your mother tells me

you pushed that boy down

and broke his nose.

Hey. Look at me.

Fights happen.

It's what you do after

that matters.

What you learn from

the situation. Okay?

You know, fights don't always

have to be with other people.

Sometimes they're just problems that

you're dealing with, you know?

Do you know what I'm saying?

Okay. Well, I gotta go.

You... stay out of trouble.

Okay. I gotta go to work.

I made you lunch,

it's in the fridge.

And you have mine

and your dad's numbers

in case of an emergency.

You gonna be okay by yourself?

Why aren't you shooting hoops?

Hey, Tully. Don't feel like it.

I hear you.

It a holiday or something?

What?

It's a school day.

I'm suspended.

Ah.

I know about that, too.

What are you escaping from?

You wouldn't understand.

Try me.

I've developed a list myself.

Responsibility,

problems, parents.

Yeah?

Always on my case

about every little thing.

"My house, my rules."

My old man always said that.

So what did you do?

What'd I do?

I left.

Hey, Tully!

Ah, gotta bolt.

Thanks for looking after him

while Stan and I work.

I'm close by.

Gabriel doesn't fight.

He does now.

Recess.

How is he?

Him? He's fine.

Few scrapes. Nothing bad.

And the other kid?

A broken nose. Black eye.

I'm worried.

I'll talk to him.

He doesn't respond to lectures.

Gabriel doesn't respond

to much of anything lately.

How are you doing?

I'm managing.

Is that enough?

What?

The kid...

He sees things, I'm sure.

Hears things.

What's he supposed to think?

Our marriage is over.

Of course we fight.

What couple doesn't

when it's all ending?

Sometimes we're loud.

Sometimes we're really loud.

Don't get started.

This is hard enough.

I can't fight a two-front war.

Neither can a ten-year old.

There's more.

What? You're not gonna

send him to boarding school.

He has to choose.

What?

Who he wants to live with.

It's only fair.

And I remember when math

was my only problem.

Talk to him.

I'm glad you're here.

Hey, I'm hiding from

the widow down the block.

How many apple cakes can I eat?

Dad...

You're my daughter.

It's just us now.

No smoking.

You're not my mother. Dad...

I told you, I quit.

Quit buying, maybe.

So how do you like

the Dodgers this year?

Ups and downs, right?

Did you know the Dodgers

originally played in New York?

I remember seeing them when

I lived in Brooklyn as a kid...

before they moved,

before I moved.

Moving someplace new is

always a jolting experience.

I mean, the hot dogs

don't even taste the same.

Grandpa. I'm sorry.

My point is,

they picked it back up again.

Ups and downs, right?

That's what life's all about.

Come here.

Am I in trouble?

When I was your age,

my grandfather...

your, what, great-

great-grandfather...

taught me how to spit

watermelon seeds.

Anybody ever teach you that?

No. Okay.

First, you take

a bite like this.

You work it in your mouth.

Try to get all the seeds

between your teeth

and your cheek.

And when all the fruit is gone,

and the seeds

are all you got left...

you let her rip.

Now you try.

Not bad.

You know...

with all the seedless

watermelons they have now,

this is a dying art.

I got into a fight

the other day.

So I heard.

You aren't mad?

I didn't have

to duck any punches.

But now that you

bring it up, can I ask why?

I don't want to talk about it.

Fair enough.

Mom and Dad say

I have to choose.

Choose?

Who I want to live with.

Oh. Yeah.

You know they both

love you very much.

Lots of boys don't

have that luxury.

I want my parents

to live together.

I think you'll find that

what we want and what we get

are rarely the same thing.

Reminds me of a story that

my grandfather, your...

Great-great?

Good. Grandfather, told me.

It was about...

Nah, skip it. What?

Well, it's just a stupid story.

Something you'd hear

before you went to bed.

You wouldn't be interested.

Is it any good?

Well, I don't know. I liked it.

But I like adventure stories.

Heroes battling bad guys,

people dying,

worlds being saved.

But that's just me.

Tell it.

You sure? Yeah. Tell it.

All right.

Is your mother watching us?

No.

It's a habit.

Drink chocolate milk.

I'm lactose-intolerant.

But you eat ice cream.

You want to hear

the story or not?

Okay. Once upon a time...

Ah, jeez. What's the matter now?

It's a fairy tale.

You're gonna tell me

a fairytale.

No, it is not a fairy tale.

Well, not exactly.

Whatever.

Listen up.

You might learn something.

Okay.

Now, like all stories,

this begins in a place

and time not like our own.

There was a small village

on a distant planet

where simple folks

worked the land.

There was a boy

about the same age as you.

And he lived there

with his mother and father.

And the boy's name was Nethiah.

But life, no matter

what galaxy you're in,

is made up of differences.

And while these people

lived in peace,

there are always those

who thrive on war.

The Strifers were savage.

What they saw, they took.

And those that resisted

were killed or enslaved.

And as they moved

across the land,

they conquered all those

who stood in their way,

regardless if they pledged

allegiance or rebellion.

What does that mean?

Whether they gave in

or fought back.

Oh.

Thoran was the Strifer King.

He was ruthless,

with a hunger for everything

he set his eyes on.

And when his eyes fell

on the village,

the fate of Nethiah

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