I knocked on the door to the dining hall three times, to let Dan know that we were back. Thankfully my hands were still covering Shun's eyes so he couldn't see anything but my palms.
"Why are we at the dining hall again?" Shun asked "We were just here exactly thirty seven minutes, and five point three seconds ago" I rolled my eyes looking up at him.
"Just wait for another minute, okay?" I told him, slightly annoyed. Shun folded his arms across his chest and stand still.
Soon enough, Dan opened the door, to reveal all of the other brawlers either sitting at one of the chairs or standing upward on their feet.
Runo and Julie were still blowing into the balloons, and Dan rushed to the table to continue lighting the cake. I still can't believe that Shun hid this from us. Can you guess what it is?
Zephyr traded spots with me, not letting Shun see a thing as he guided him to the table.
I walked over to the table that Emerald was currently sitting at, trying to finish up, something, with gold in it.
"So what are you working on?" I asked her, trying to get a good look at the object that she was hiding. She covered it up with her hands.
"What do you think?" Emerald questioned playfully, lifting up the sheet that was hiding her treasure. Beneath it, was s stunningly bright golden sword, with a single silken black ribbon, tied around the handle.
"He'll love it," I whispered, glancing over at Shun. Zephyr had his hands in front of Shun's eyes, careful to not let him see anything.
"The entire planet celebrates this every year!" Emerald exclaimed softly, lying the sword beside her. I sat next to her, as she took my hands in hers.
"And what did you get?" Emerald asked softly, lowering her voice really low. I smiled, and delicately pulled a small object out of my coat pocket.
I opened my palm leisurely, as Emerald grinned brightly.
"It's perfect," She whispered lowly, closing my palm around the object. I nodded, looking around the room to see everyone settling down. Emerald nodded silently, as I sprinted off to my seat next to Shun.
Zephyr cautiously removed his hands, as Shun jumped at the sight before him.
"Happy Birthday!" Dan exclaimed, not taking the chance to wait for the others. Runo punched Dan in the arm, just as the rest of the brawlers shouted out the same, well known phrase.
"Happy Birthday Shun!"
Shun, still shocked, scarcely ginned, and then became suspicious.
"Who told you?" Shun asked, as everyone, including Zephyr, pointed to Emerald. She just shrugged her shoulders and smiled.
"PRESENTS!" Dan shouted out loudly, setting a huge red box in front of Shun. I rolled my eyes, while Runo hit Dan again in the arm.
"Come on Dan!" Runo complained "Can't you at least let him blow out the candles?" Dan pouted.
"But my present, is awesome" Dan urged, pushing the box toward Shun.
"Let him blow out the candles first!" Runo exclaimed louder, making Dan cower behind me. I grinned playfully while watching the two bicker and fight. Even Shun seemed to be enjoying the show.
Finally though, Zephyr stepped between the two, picking each of them up off the ground with one hand. Everyone burst into tears laughing.
Even in the air, Dan and Runo tried to land a hit on the other!
"Enough!" Zephyr bellowed "There will be no conflict in my Palace today!" Runo and Dan froze in fear, their faces as white as snow.
Zephyr set them on the ground once again, as they each resumed their normal positions.
"Now, let us begin," Zephyr said calmly, snapping his fingers.
Almost instantly, two cooks zoomed out of the kitchen, with a six tier, chocolate cake in their hands, which they set neatly in front of Shun. Around each tier, three candles were spaced evenly among the cake, holding eighteen in all.
Shun was eighteen.
The brawlers, along with Elright, Emerald, Zephyr and I, began to softly sing "Happy Birthday". (Everyone except for Dan, who ended up screaming the entire song)
In one quick wisp, Shun blew out every single candle on the cake, all the flames extinguishing at once.
Shun turned toward me just in time, to see me wrap my arms around him, and press our lips against the others. All of the brawlers let out a gasp as they continued to watch the sight before them.
When we broke apart, barely audible, I whispered, "Happy Birthday, my one true love" Shun smiled faintly, pulling me into a tight hug, unambiguously stroking my hair. I hugged him back, honestly not wanting to let go.
But at last we did separate, just as Dan slammed his box down harder, quaking the table. Shun and I jumped back in alarm.
"Open it," Dan said calmly, but obviously very proud. He used his index finger to point to the package sitting in its bright red wrapping paper.
Shun and I straightened up together, our hands tightly wrapped around the other.
"Go ahead Shadow," Emerald told him nervously "Open Daniel's present" Shun raised an eyebrow, slowly reaching over the box. Cautiously he began to neatly unwrap the box, not letting a single piece of the red paper be damaged.
When Shun had finally removed the paper, folded it into a neat stack, and set it aside, he reached over the opening of the box, and opened it.
I almost lost it when I realized what was inside.
A tiny, white, Pomeranian, leaped out of the box, landing right in front of Shun. Dan had given Shun, a dog.
A bright red bow was loosely tied around the dog's neck, making it look like a Christmas present from a movie I watched once.
"Well?" Dan urged, expectantly "What do you think?" The little puppy leaped into Shun's lap, tugging on his silken cloak.
"Well," Shun began "Its perfect" Shun began to play around with the little dog, finally just giving the dog his cloak to play with on the floor.
"Well, there's more in the box" Dan continued, stepping forward and taking out an assortment of different chew toys.
"And last but not least!" Dan exclaimed, holding his hands out to indicate the box. Very cautiously, Drago stepped out of the box, with a giant red bow tied around his head. (Yes, he was in ball form)
"Ugh, this is humiliating," Drago mumbled "Shun, Dan would like to give you….the Electro Leash 5000" Dan grandly pulled out a bright red leash, and pressed a tiny black button toward the top of the handle.
A bright blue shock traveled down the leash and zapped Dan, making him jump before the other brawlers. They all giggled a little bit.
"Would you just name it already?" Dan asked, his voice strained.
Shun thought for a moment, probably thinking about the perfect name for his new pet. I was thinking something like, Koki, Kody, Snow, Lily, or maybe Skyl-
"How about Skylar?" Shun asked, holding the puppy in his hands. Dan nodded.
"I like it!" Dan said taking Drago into his palm "Come on buddy, let's go get cleaned up" Together they left for Dan's room, walking right down the hallway, as the door closed behind them.
"A dog," Shun commented "This will be interesting" I laughed lightly, as well as some of the others.
"Can I go next?" I asked pleadingly, hoping Zephyr would pick me. Luckily he nodded, as I pulled my object out of coat pocket.
Shun turned to look at me surprised.
"You didn't need to get me anything," He whispered quietly, as I took his hands and pressed my gift into them.
"But I wanted too," I told him, as Shun held my gift inside of his hands.
Shun opened his hands, gaping at what he saw. I smiled; glad to know that he liked it.
"Hawktor" Shun whispered, holding his hands out before the others. The little green sphere opened up to reveal Shun's old partner, who was extremely glad to see him.
"Shun!" Hawktor exclaimed, leaping onto his shoulder.
"Fabia, Thank you," Shun told me, as we hugged each other tightly. I gave him a quick kiss, startling the life out of Hawktor.
"You two…like each other?!" The bakugan questioned loudly.
I rolled my eyes as Aranaut floated down next to him.
"I'll explain everything over there on the cake" Aranaut told him "You too Skylar!"
The dog, and Hawktor followed Aranaut toward the large rolling table that held the cake, and together they all sat under the surface.
"Our Turn!" Emerald chimed in, using a very pleasant sing-sing voice.
"Your Father and I, would like too present you with this," Emerald told Shun, placing the golden sword in Shun's hands.
Shun held the sword carefully in his hands, looking up to see Zephyr cross his arms playfully.
"Thank you, Father" Shun told him, as Emerald wrapped her arms around Shun. Zephyr finally wrapped his arms around them both, hugging them tightly.
"It took a lot out of your Father to get him to do this," Emerald said, once Zephyr had ended their group hug "But I finally convinced him to give it to you"
"Thank you both, really" Shun told them, treasuring the sword in his arms.
I placed my hands on his shoulders, peering down at sparkling surface of the blade. I happily watched Shun's diamond glow with envy, as he ran his hand up and down the golden metal.
Maybe, just maybe, today wouldn't end in tears of sadness, but tears of joy.
Fabia: I'm really getting tired of doing this by myself, but hey, at least Dan isn't here to bug me about his food fountain for the millionth time. :)
"Hey!"
Fabia: :( So close, and Yet so far. Anyway, hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as I did. Please Read and Review. And Ashlyn wanted me to tell you that there will only be eight more chapters before we head on to the sequel. See you later!