And the invites come flying in!

Chapter 4: Invitations

The next day, Musaki was walking down towards parts of the Valley of Peace, knowing that it's only six more days until his 17th birthday comes along and he was thinking about who he'll invite on that special day. He brought out his list of invitations of whomever's gonna attend there and he knows that it might be held at the Jade Palace soon.

Luckily for him, he didn't have to look far for he saw his friends Kendall, Naomi, James and Spencer heading their way to Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop and is pretty much unsurprised that Kendall and Naomi are holding hands together. He caught up with them as he went inside and said, "Hey, guys."

Naomi turned around and sees Musaki coming in and she immediately came over and embraced him with a hug and said, "Hey, Musaki. Heard you're turning 17."

"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're hugging, Saki-man." Kendall said, in a joking manner.

Musaki chuckled softly at that and he said, "What up, K.D?"

They both did their handshake/high-five greeting together and hugged each other as well and James and Spencer were next as well and Musaki said, "How are all you guys?"

"Doing really awesome. You know, Arizona told us that you're having a birthday in a couple of days and we just wanna know if we're invited?" asked Spencer.

Musaki lets out a sly chuckle and in his hand, popped out four invitations for each of them and asked, "What do ya think these cards say?"

They didn't even have to respond to that question because they already know they're invited and all of them got their invitations and James said, "Man, you really know us that well."

"Hey, you guys are my friends. My best buds." Musaki added.

Kendall lets out a smile and asked, "How does it feel to turn 17?"

Musaki takes a deep exhale on that question and he responded, "I don't know. It's like...I'm stepping out on being a kid and headed for adulthood soon. I am excited, but I'm also a little nervous."

Kendall understood where he's coming from with that particular coming of age thing and he said, "Take it from someone who's actually 17. I used to feel that way too, but my aunt and uncle told me to make those last moments of being a kid count because you can only be a kid once and when you hit 18, you'll gracefully grow into an adult. But one thing you'll never do...never lose those childhood memories you have for they'll always stay with you when you have your own kids."

Musaki was surprised to hear Kendall being so wise as if it was something that Master Shifu would normally say and he asked, "Did you get it from one of Master Oogway's scrolls without us knowing it?"

James and Spencer started laughing at that and Kendall just shook it off like it was nothing and said, "Just advice."

Naomi came over to him and said, "We'd love to come to your birthday. I gotta say, you're what I consider like a great friend to me, my boyfriend and these two."

"Yep. And if anyone of those bullies you had to deal with come crashing to my party, they'll have to answer to my other friends; Brute and Strength." Musaki added.

Spencer was confused with that one and asked, "Who's Brute and Strength?"

With that, Musaki showed Spencer his sais and twirls them around just to show that he's not playing around if there's party crashers coming in. Naomi looked surprised to see this come out of him, but was grateful to have them around him. She said, "I like them already."

"They've got me through some crazy stuff since I've been here and in case any peril or threat comes our path, this is what I'll use...if necessary." Musaki added.

All of them started laughing and Kendall said, "We'll be there for your birthday. Where's it gonna be?"

"In the Jade Palace, hopefully."

"We'll show up!" James and Spencer shouted, in unison.

Naomi then asked him, "What should we wear?"

Musaki laughed at this and said, "Just come as you are. Nothing formal."

"We can do that." Kendall added.

Later on, Musaki walked around parts of the Valley and he sees a certain badger walking past his way and he could recognize him anywhere and he turns around and said, "Hey, Jo."

Jo turns around and sees Musaki and said, "Hey, Musaki. How's it going?"

Musaki chuckled softly and replied, "Doing well. You?"

"Just fine, I guess."

Musaki got down to him and he said, "Hey, I'm having a birthday this week and I'm inviting you over to celebrate it with me and some of my friends and family."

Just hearing that made Jo completely excited about that and he said, "Absoultely. When is it?"

"Sunday."

Musaki then gave Jo the invitation card and Jo said to him, "I'll be there!"

"Thanks, Jo! It'll be lots of fun!" Musaki exclaimed.

"See ya then!"

After that, Musaki went around the bookstore and no surprise, he saw Ichi, Fu, Kaguya, Ren, Shiissaa, Xiamou hanging around the manga section and Ichi noticed him heading this way and he said, "Musaki, how's it hanging?"

"Pretty good. What are all you guys doing this Sunday?" asked Musaki.

All of them looked at each other and wasn't sure what they got for this Sunday and Fu responded, "I don't think we got anything then."

Almost immediately, Musaki brought out six invitation cards and he said, "Guess who's having a birthday that day?"

Then it hit them...that day is Musaki's birthday. Ren gasped in shock after he heard this and asked, "Seriously?"

"Yeah!" Musaki exclaimed.

All of them swiped the invitation cards and they were definitely stoked up about this and Ichi said, "Man, you're getting older, aren't you?"

Xiamou looked up at him and she thought that she might be the same person he is when she first met him and said, "You don't look any older."

"I'm turning 17." Musaki added.

Kaguya gasped at this and she said, "You're getting to be Ichi's age...although I think he'll lose any sight of being a kid."

Ichi laughed sarcastically after that official statement and said, "Very funny, Kaguya."

"Anyways, we'll be there at your party. And I'll keep Ichi away from cake." Fu added.

"Hey!" Ichi shouted.

"You know how you get when there's chocolate cake around." Kaguya said.

Musaki bit his lip after that comment and he said, "I'm not sure what kind of cake it'll be yet."

Shiissaa then told Musaki, "But whatever kind it is, it's gotta be good, like vanilla."

"Who knows? I'll see you guys then." Musaki said.

All of them said goodbye as he walks off and as soon as he left the bookstore, he seeks his old friends; Sonic, Ty, Brian, Joey, Mookie, Sudoku, Miko, Seth and Shanghai walking past him and he said, "What up, guys?"

All of them went around him and gave him a hug and they all said, "Happy soon to be 17th birthday, Saki!"

Musaki was touched to see that these guys already knew about his 17th birthday coming up and said, "Aw, you guys."

Miko went over to him and he said, "We've known you long enough to know when your birthday will be."

With that, Musaki handed out 9 invitations to his 17th birthday and all of them were completely stoked up about this party and Ty asked, "Where's it gonna be?"

"At the Jade Palace." Musaki replied.

"Whoa..." they all said.

Sudoku chuckled lightly and said, "Man, Master Shifu is so cool to let you have a party there."

Musaki chuckled sheepishly about that and he said, "Yeah, we haven't gotten there yet, but I hope it does."

"Well, either way, we can't wait to see you at your party." Joey said.

"Yeah, thanks, guys."

As they walked off, life is starting to get really good for Musaki and he checked out all of people he gave the invitations to off the list and made his way back to the palace.

Meanwhile, Po is out shopping around to see what kind of gifts Musaki might like while the others went in separate directions, finding something to outdo each other's gift for Musaki's birthday , all determined to see which one is better and Po lets out a devious smile and said, "Good luck finding an awesome present for Lil' Saki...because I will give him something he'll like."

Keep your eyes open on that competition later in the story. Also, Kendall, Naomi, James and Spencer are owned by Angel of Darkness, Jo is owned by Joe 'Po' Navark and Ichi, Fu, Shiisaa, Ren, Xiamou and Kaguya are owned by Wonder Panda Tan-Tan. As for the other characters...Musaki's orphan friends are owned by me. Stick around for more!