And the Hazards share their advice about being 12 to Max!

Chapter 16: Advice from the Elemental Hazards

As Max's birthday dawns quickly, Max hangs out at the Peach Tree with the Hazards as they played a few games and look up at the sky to try and guess what clouds they're identifying with and both Kiba and Max became good guessers as they saw clouds that looks like a rabbit, panda, chicken and dumplings and both of them always joked with each other over random things and aside from Blaze, he and Kiba are inseparable. Soon afterwards, Max looked at them and he sees the Elemental Hazards as their bonus siblings in spite of different ages, species and elemental powers and he asked one of them, "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, what is it?" asked Layla.

"It's about me being 12. Do you guys have any advice about that age and how I should go through it?" asked Max.

Ryo became the first one to answer the question for Max and he replied, "When you're 12, things about you start to change...like what type of girl you've got a crush on, your body changes, how looks matter to someone and unstable emotions. But when you're 12, you try to figure out what the world is like from your perspective and try to figure it out as you go along. When I was that age, all I could do is try to contain myself from my dark powers otherwise it'll consume me. I still carry that same feeling with me everyday and I'm always afraid I'll lose control and forget the people I love. You...you have a chance to just enjoy being a kid and live life to the extreme fullest. And I hate saying this...but I had been a little jealous of you because you have so much positivity because you went through a very heavy position in your life, but you made it out the other side...something I wished I had."

"You do have it, Ryo...you have people who care about you. Just look around." Max said, with a reassuring smile.

Ryo looks at the rest of the Hazards and realized that he is surrounded by those who do care about him and Max said, "I didn't know you were jealous of me, but at the same time, it doesn't matter. I would never be jealous of you or anyone else."

"Max's right. There's no reason or a need to be jealous of someone just because they have what you don't have. You just have to appreciate what you have." Takami added.

Ryo nods in agreement and he looks at the white tiger cub with a smile and said, "You're a remarkable little guy."

"Max...my advice to you about being 12 is just be very aware of who your friends are and just don't let other people influence you into doing something that you know is wrong. If they do that, find some new friends." Takami added.

"Or punch them in the face." Skyler said, smiling.

Max was taken aback from that instruction Skyler just laid out and then she giggled in response and said, "I'm just kidding."

"Sure you were." Ryo muttered.

Skyler swatted Ryo in the head hard and she asked, "You say something?"

Ryo rubbed his head to soothe the sting of being swatted by Skyler and said, "Also...Max, if you have a girlfriend that swats you..."

"Don't encourage him to what you were about to say." Skyler said, sternly.

Max seemed a little unsure about that advice Ryo was gonna give him, but Skyler turned to Max and said, "12 is a really crazy age. You're a guy and of course, you'll have to deal with girls a lot. But what I can tell you is just be nice to them and be good friends with them before you go to the next step when you hit 16 or 17. Enjoy being a kid because you're only a kid once."

"And I would have to agree with Skyler, particularly about girls. You're obviously very respectful towards girls and you treat them the way you would treat your sister. But when it comes to being 12, you have to deal with certain events when it comes to friends. Sometimes you'll get asked to do something that may consider stupid or that you know isn't right. But if they persist, you have to back down and refuse to take part in whatever they want you to do. You might lose a few friends because of that, but don't let that be your regret because if they were your real friends, they wouldn't want you to do stuff like that. Just choose your friends wisely." Faith added.

"Precisely. Friends are everything to you, but family is the best thing you could ever have. And it's not just blood relative, but it could be those around you. Like us, Akashi and Miyo and the Jade Palace masters. Always appreciate them and never take them for granted." Layla added.

"And one advice I have for being 12...just don't grow up too fast and think you know more than anyone else. Always learn something and take whatever mistake you may make and turn in into a life lesson." Kaizer responded.

"People are gonna say whatever they want to say about you that may not be true and they would expect you to be torn down, but don't let whatever they say get to you because they don't know what they're talking about. They don't make you who you are. Only you make yourself who you are at the end of the day." Hope added.

"I agree with Hope. Just be true to yourself and stay humble as the same kindhearted person you are. If anyone tries to sabotage you, let us know and we might fly by to Shanghai Secluded Valley to teach them a thing or two. But don't fight back at them because you'll be the same as they are. Just walk away from it." Kiba stated.

"I would fight those jerks who tried to hurt you. I was 12 once and it's a very complicated age. You have to deal with a lot of things like someone making you do something you don't want to do and you just rebel against it and do whatever you want to do. But I can clearly see in you that you're the total opposite. What I would say is always just be yourself and always treat people the way you to be treated." Ligress added.

Max took in all of those words of wisdom from most of the Hazards and in sharing their experiences to him, he's able to soak those in and absorb them into his mind and into his heart. Max looks at Layla and he said to him, "I'll write you and Takami and the rest of you guys everyday when I leave. Until then, let's enjoy some of the time we have left together."

"Exactly." Layla replied.

"Do you guys remember the time that I lead this mission a few years ago?" asked Max.

"Are you kidding? You were the best leader ever! You made simplicity the main core and kept us all together, even when we're going insane." Kiba added.

"Yeah, I gotta admit...you were a much better leader than I would've been. Watching you lead has made me a much better leader and that's what I'm trying to strive for." Takami agreed.

"Especially with all the moves and quick thinking. Plus, you weren't a dictator at all. You just treated us very fairly and took charge...for someone who was eight years old at the time was remarkable." Hope stated.

"Where was I?" asked Ligress.

"Well, we didn't meet you then." Kiba answered.

All of them kept conversing and reminiscing about Max's first mission as well as other memories they had with him and those are the types of memories that they'll keep in their hearts. Although in the next couple of days, Max's birthday is coming faster and faster and Max is gonna live up the final days of being 11 before hitting the pre-teen stage soon.

Stick around for more Maximus!