Birthday Surprise

Aveline had decided to rest after what she had gone through, deciding to get up a bit later in the day. After resting, curled up almost like a cat, she awoke to two people she wasn't expecting.

"Mama? Papa? Eh?!"

Aveline wrapped herself up in her blanket, after all she felt comfortable sleeping in just her underwear.

"Hey sweetheart. We wanted to see you earlier, but we heard you had quite an eventful time this morning."

Thorin knelt by her bed, leaving a small box on it. As he stood up, he seemed a little displeased.

"Papa, you've got your hug face. I can't hug you right now... so can I have a couple minutes?"

Nilly sat on Aveline's bed, Aveline pulling open her blanket a crack.

"Oh. Dear, Aveline isn't dressed. She'll hug you in a minute."

His eyes seemed to brighten as he nodded.

"Sorry, sorry. I should've expected as much. Your mother is the same."

Aveline sighed when he finally stepped out.

"Mama, I've uh..."

She opened the blanket, all of her tattoos appearing across her body. Nilly opened her eyes wide. She began to touch them, curious.

"Are these?"

Aveline nodded.

"More spirits marked me, but..."

The marks all vanished, besides the Descending Goddess mark.

"...they can hide."

She smiled as she climbed out of her bed, stretching in the warm sunlight. Her mother watched her, admiring the growth in her child's magic power.

"You've grown a lot. Your magic is rather imoressive, surpassing me greatly. Your father would be proud."

Aveline slipped on a cute black skirt and a white shirt before she pulled open the door.

"Papa?"

Thorin was leaning against the wall, turning with a wide smile on his face as Aveline pulled him into a big hug.

"Mama, come here."

Her small smile lured Nilly over, so she grabbed both parents and hugged them tight.

"It's good to see you both! I missed you!"

Aveline shook lightly, pulling at their clothes.

"Dear, you don't look so good. Are you alright?"

Her bright smile relieved them as she spoke.

"There has been a lot going on, but you came! I wasn't sure if you'd actually show up today!"

She finally released them, the slipped on a small pair of sandals.

"You've gotta meet everyone! They'll love you! I made a ton of friends."

Aveline began to drag her parents around, trying to find her friends, as well as lovers.

After nearly three hours, within which Aveline made sure her parents ate as well as met up with her aunt and uncle, Aveline moped as she made her way back to her room.

"Hmm. Are you okay, dear? You look rather sad..."

Aveline pouted as she stared at her parents.

"I'm sorry. I dragged you around throughout the day. You probably had plans today too! Agh... I'm so selfish!"

Aveline placed her head against the door as she moped.

"I got too excited. I wanted you to meet everyone! But... I think they decided to avoid me. I tend to bring a lot of disaster, after all. All of these jerks that I end up fighting... ugh. You can head home now, if you need to."

Aveline was pulled into her mother's arms, slowly getting squished.

"That's not how my baby is supposed to talk. You're a mature young woman that's loved by many! You can't sit here and pout just because you can't find your friends. Your father and I had a good time. We got to see our daughter as well as my sister and her husband. Why would we be here, if we didn't continue to have a good time? Besides, it's your birthday. We made this day cleat for you."

Aveline hugged Nilly, slowly letting her sadness ebb away until she felt a strangely hostile aura. Turning around, she saw a strange bit of glowing blue hair turn the corner.

"Did you..."

She felt her mother nod.

"That's strange. Did I upset someone?"

Thorin was coming back from that direction, his face confused.

"Nothing there. Not even a trace of magic. Someone seems to be targeting you, so we will make sure to keep the school in check with this."

Aveline nodded, grabbing the knob of her room's door. She opened it slowly, pausing when she felt an aura inside. She sighed, then turned to her family.

"I think I'm going to need a second to punish some rather... unsavory brats that are attempting to surprise me."

The door closed behind Aveline, followed by what seemed to be a bunch of girls screaming surprise... only to be cut off by a powerfully domineering aura.

"She got that from you."

Nilly slapped Thorin's arm, laughing softly.

"Damn right she did."

Aveline reopened the dokr, inviting her parents inside. The rest of that night was a mesh of laughing and celebrating Aveline's birthday. Before too long, Nilly and Thorin had said their farewells, and many of the girls had gone to sleep. Anya and Barraden had both got to their respective rooms, while the rest of the girls all shared Aveline's room now.

Slipping out of the room in the dead of night, Aveline walked over to the spot that she had seen the glowing hair.

"So, how long were you planning to just watch from the sidelines?"

Aveline was pinned to the wall, two girls suddenly holding her still. One had glowing blue hair, while the other had flaming red hair. Both wore odd masks that left Aveline speechless. She reached into her inventory, pulling out her mask. A pair of gasps left the girls lips.

"Who sent you?"

Aveline shuddered as her anger began go take hold.

"Answer me, or I'll break you into a million pieces!"

Aveline lifted both girls into the air by their collars. They kicked Aveline hard until they looked down into her eyes and saw her tears. A soft voice came from the blue haired girl. She was slim and tall, but not Aveline's height.

"My father."

Her mask slipped off.

"Princess Orphelia?"