Turning older is a big deal.

I had always loved birthdays. I had spent each of them with my family, and my family members were my favorite people in the world.

But the day I left my pre-teens, my moms and grandma decided to throw me a pool party. Balloons, glitter, fairy lights, you name it we had it. That day, I wore my favorite outfit. Grandma said it made me look like a character from a cartoon. I didn’t know how to take it.

Everybody was here. Miranda, of course, had made the trip from San Myshuno. But there were also my uncle Aaron, my twin aunts Jasmine and Willow, along with their kids, my much older cousins, and every single friend I had asked to invite. Shanna, Charlotte, Hugo, Robin, and Marie, my close-knit group of rascals. That’s what we called ourselves. The Rascals.

The photo studio Grandma had set up was in use all day.

My friends and I played with our voidcritter cards, under Cacahouète the cat’s watchful eye. I’m pretty sure he wanted to eat my Vulpes.

It was a beautiful day. When the sun set on Brindleton Bay, I blew the candles on my birthday cheesecake, and waved goodbye to my childhood years.

Great-aunts Willow and Jasmine, best friends since literally before birth and still sixty years later.

Gotta love a good photo booth. Still don’t know who I reminded Grandma of, though.

This is what I trained you for, Vulpes!

My Vulpes crushed Robin’s poorly trained Bubalus! Void over Water, any day. Cacahouète watched intently.

Couldn’t get Grandma to play, but she did act as referee on some close matches…

Mom, showcasing her talent while Akira inspects the drinks trays. Probably making sure none of us kids had put anything funny in the glasses.

Grandma is blowing into a bright green trumpet off-frame. My poor ears remember that to this day.

Ready to change forever.