Birthday Surprise (1)

"Mors!" I groggily opened my eyes. When I woke up first, I would see the ceiling. But not when Vita got up first more often then not. Spit flew at my face due to her trouble talking fluently early on.

"What is it?" I wiped my face with the sleeves of my soft pajamas. Dad made these for us saying that it would protect us.

"Come on!" Ignoring my reluctance, Vita grabbed my clean sleeve and dragged me out of bed. Catching myself before I could fall on the floor, I pulled my arm free of her grasp.

"What is it?" I repeated with a frown. I could tell in her eyes that she was too excited to calm down now. Vita was jumping up and down so much her hair flopped on and off her face, tickling it.

"It's our birthday!" I thought before a bit and only then did the realization strike me. I hit my palm with my fist. Vita recognized this habit and puffed her chest out with pride. "That's right! We are turning three today, so you better get ready!"

Vita had always been one excited chatterbox. She led me out of our room where dad was waiting for us with our birthday breakfast. It consisted of our favorite foods. Dad smiled at us when we walked up and sat at the table.

"You finally up, sleepyhead Mors?" This was his nickname for me. Though it irked me slightly, it was not enough to falter my rising joy. Birthdays were always my favorite. After all, who didn't like presents?

Though, I don't really care for surprises much.

Vita was gobbling up her share like there was no tomorrow. Dad had to tell her multiple times to slowly eat before she would actually. When she looked down in disappointment after being scolded, she looked up to see me smirking at her.

She pointed at me and looked back at Dad. Before he could catch a glimpse of my expression, I stuffed my face. When he saw that there was nothing, he chuckled.

After breakfast was like a normal day. Dad told us that we had to wait until lunch to get our presents and cake. Vita's favorite part was also the presents so she was restless unlike me. Sitting on her bed kicking her feet out like it was painful to wait.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

"There goes your habit again!" Vita sighed. I looked down at my hand and realized I was tapping my desk.

It was a bad habit I picked up somewhere. It helped me focus, but it also pissed of Vita. She kept saying things like: 'It's a creepy rhythm' or 'Quiet down, I'm trying to sleep!' Why not just tune it out like I do?

Though, she had always had trouble shrugging some things off, unlike me. Something about me being able to focus on the little things in life. Heck, I would hear her muttering under her breath about how much she hated some flying bugs, saying they were too loud.

Meanwhile I was just a few feet away and I couldn't hear a thing. Maybe it's just some weird trait that she has and I don't. But anyways, I'm getting off topic.

Back to reality, I checked the clock and saw that it was almost noon. Just a few minutes and we would eat lunch and open presents.

"Hey sis, it's almost time." Her ears perked up like some of the animals that dad told us about. The ones that are gone. Vita whipped her head around and elicited a giggle from me before I promptly closed my mouth.

"Don't laugh at me!" She fumed while playfully hitting me. I stopped her after a little bit when we were both laughing. I pointed to the door and we both walked out of our room.

Dad was waiting for us. "There you two are." His warm smile had a soothing effect on me and Vita. For her, it was even enough to calm her restlessness just enough for her to think of him first. She hugged him and looked towards the modest but comfy cake that was sitting on the countertop.

I sat on my seat and started tapping the table rhythmically without noticing. I got a look from Vita, who was in the arms of our dad, and she stuck her tongue out at me. I taunted her back. Dad broke up the deadlock and set down Vita. He then went to the cake and cut our slices.

It really was delicious. The cake melted in my mouth pleasantly while the aftertaste was perfectly sweet. Vita was similarly satisfied by this god-sent treat. Her cheeks were filled like the chipmunks I read about. Dad and I both smiled at this sight.

After I finished, and dad pulled the cake away from my gluttonous sister, he got our attention once again. This time it was for the presents. I couldn't resist the urge to pool all my attention on the twin boxes dad was holding.

"Now that you both are now 3 years old, I can finally give the gifts that I have been holding onto for a while." He let us open the intricate boxes to find identical silver pocket watches. They had an insignia of some sort that was a silver colored dragon that seemed to be looking back at us.

When flipped open, it had the clock and a picture of the three of us standing side-by-side and smiling at the camera. It was my favorite memory. Our second birthday was the first one that we could actually comprehend. Unfortunately, Vita also discovered the divine dessert that was cake on that day.

Seeing that the two of us were similarly enthralled by such a trinket, he continued. "And that is not all. Starting tomorrow, I will be teaching you two aura and other basic stuff like history and math."

Vita's smile drooped, but I was ecstatic. I always tried to find my way into Dad's study to read his books. I was allowed in there, but he always specified not to check the massive cabinet next to his bed. Though tempted, I followed his rules obediently.

"Now, you may be reluctant to learn such trivial things, but aura is different. It will allow you to become super strong!" Vita's frown was turned upside down when she heard 'strong.' After all, it was her fantasy to become some sort of warrior princess.

I wonder if she could really be something like that.