Now...we see Max is officially 12 years old!

Chapter 20: New Morning, New Age

The next day comes up and as the sun rises up, Max groaned in his sleep and as he got out of his covers, he lets out a big yawn and scratched his back a little bit and just took a look in the mirror and as a little sluggish as he was, he could tell that he's getting a little older now and as he took one look at himself, he can tell that he's getting a little older now. He looks at the further side of the mirror and sees a note attached and he slips it out of there and it was a birthday card from the Jade Palace. Up until now, Max had never received a birthday card from the Jade Palace masters before and as he opened it, he sees a note there and it read...

Maximus...as you grow into an amazing person, we hope that this special day will be 1,000 times more special for you. We are very happy about the person you're becoming and as you come of age, always stay true to who you are and never let anyone tell you different. Just know that you are loved and all of us at the Jade Palace wish you the best birthday you will have. Happy 12th birthday, Maximus! Signed, the Jade Palace masters

After reading the card, he definitely felt the love coarsing through every inch of his body and that the Jade Palace masters are thinking of him and sending him love for his birthday and that was the best way to kick off being 12 years old. He took some time to sit down on the ground, cross his legs and meditate for a while and as he's meditating, he begins thinking back to all the good times he's had ever since Musaki and Arizona came into his life and being taken in by the Bushido-Akio family and also meeting the Jade Palace masters along the way.

And it even reflects back on his early years that his birth parents' volatile relationship with him has been broken and although he's been marred by all of what was going on, he knows that none of those things he went through was his fault. And he doesn't want to place any bad blood between the two, despite them being dead and all. That was their burden and not Max's. In a way, he's kinda thankful for those horrible things he went through because it made him a much stronger person because he survived through it all and got a second chance to live a normal childhood with kind and loving adopted parents and an extended family.

If it hadn't have been for those moments, he wouldn't have the life that he has right now and as today marks his 12th birthday, he thinks about how far he's come and that he is deeply grateful for the family he has now.

Max smiled as he meditated because he is now at peace with the world...and by a huge margin, with himself.

'I've come so far...I'm just the luckiest tiger cub ever. I would not trade this in for anything.' Max thought.

The age is a reflection period for Max where he transitioned from shy, scared little orphan cub to a young tiger and where he came from and how his life became a happy one and he's very fortunate to surround himself with positive people in his life. Stay tuned to see more of Max on his 12th birthday!