One day, as Rikki and Suzy were enjoying the morning's breakfast, Max came hurrying over to them.

"Hey," she said, only slightly out of breath.

"Max, hey," Rikki said.

"What is it?" Suzy asked her.

"Aoi just told me something serious," Max replied.

"What is it?"

"She's turning 19 on Friday!"

"Wow."

"So do you think we should throw her a party?" Rikki asked.

"Hell yeah," Max agreed. "Should we theme it?"

"Animals," Suzy spoke up, everyone looked at her. "What's wrong with my idea?"

"Nothing," Lotus said, stepping over, having overheard. "But why would you automatically assume that the theme should be animals?"

"Well... I just thought that it would be kinda fun, ya know?"

"Oh sure," Lotus said with a slightly sarcastic grin.

"Anyway, I know just the place," Max said.

Later, in Ms. McCracken's room

"A birthday party?" she asked.

"Yes Ma'am," Max said. "It's for Aoi."

"Oh, Ms. Hashimoto's turning 19 this Friday?"

"Yes Ma'am."

"That sounds like a lot of fun. Alright. Let's do it. But what's the theme?"

"Animals apparently," Cass said, having joined in earlier.

"With a traditional Japanese flair, obviously," Lotus added.

"Okay," Ailsa said, finishing her notes and standing up. "Are you all the only attendees?"

"Well yeah," Rikki said. "We figured that she'd want it to be a small party with her friends."

"I understand." She glanced from person to person, studying them closely. "Hm. I think I know just what to do."

After a while

Ailsa came back with several costumes in hand.

"Alright," she said. "I have the outfits right here for each of you." The others looked at the outfits layed out on a table. "Rikki."

"Yes?" he asked.

"You'll be a bear."

"A bear?"

"Of course. It suits you." The outfit included the round ears of a bear and fur-colored clothes. "Now go make sure it fits," she said pointing to some changing rooms that were somehow on the other side of the room. "Alright then, Suzy."

"Y-yes Ma'am?" she asked.

"You'll be our bunny-girl." Suzy's face instantly turned a deep, vivid red.

"Huh?!" she asked in disbelief.

"Yeah. You're the perfect role for it. It'll look really cute on you!"

"Uh... um..."

"Come on," Max urged.

"Fine! I'll do it!" she whined, blushing as she went off to change.

"Okay, then. Lotus?" Ailsa asked.

"What is it?" Lotus asked back.

"You'll be an arctic fox."

"Why so specific?" she asked, taking the outfit.

"It's all they had that matched your hair."

"Alright, fair enough." She took her outfit over to the changing room.

"This is too sexy!" Suzy yelled from her booth. "I can't wear this!"

"Yeah you can," Max said.

"Ms. Wheeler," Ailsa said.

"What is it Ma'am?" Cass asked enthusiastically.

"You'll be a puppy."

"Yay! I love doggies!"

"Okay, I think that's everybody," Max said. "I'll just changes a few things with me, and I'll be ready."

5 minutes later

"Okay everyone," Ailsa said, standing outside the changing booths. "Let's see those animals." Everyone stepped out and Ailsa's face lit up. "Wow, you all look wonderful!"

"Are you kidding?" Suzy asked, covering herself. "This is too revealing!"

"I think it looks nice," Rikki said.

"Really, Babe?"

"Yeah." Suzy giggled.

"This is interesting," Lotus said, stroking her fox ears and tail. "They feel so real."

"I know!" Cass agreed as she felt Lotus' ears too.

"Nice hair, Max," Ailsa said.

"Thanks Professor," Max said. She has styled her hair to look more bird-like.

"Now it's my turn." She stepped into the changing booth, and came back out wearing a very flattering black cat outfit.

"Whoa," everyone said.

"Hey, don't stare at me," Ailsa said, blushing playfully. "You're making me feel self-conscious." She giggled. "But enough about me. Let's get the woman of the hour down here so we can get the party started."

"Wait," Lotus said. "We need to finish setting up."

"What's left to put up?" Lotus then unrolled some traditional Japanese-looking wallpaper and put it up on the walls. She put her phone on the radio and played some low-volume Zen music. "Oh, that's left," Ailsa muttered. Then, Lotus put a sign on the door. It read 'Aoi Hashimoto' in Japanese characters.

"There we go," Lotus said. "It's perfect. Rikki, is the kotatsu set up?"

"Yep," he said, putting the low table in the center of the room.

"Okay, the cake's ready. I think we are finally done. Professor, get Aoi."

"Right," Ailsa said, sending an e-mail to Aoi.

In Aoi's room.

She was lying on her bed when her phone vibrated. She checked it and sat up.

"What would Ms. McCracken want at this hour?" she asked to herself aloud. Still wearing her kimono, she stepped out and walked downstairs. When she arrived at the classroom door, she saw the sign that Lotus had put up. "What the Hell?" She stepped inside the dark room. "Professor?" she asked. Then the lights turned on.

"Surprise!" Everyone said. Aoi gasped and stepped back, seeing them cosplaying as animals.

"W-what the-?!"

"Happy birthday Aoi!" Aoi covered her mouth with her hands and her shoulders started to shake. Rikki and the others thought she was crying but then she started laughing.

"Holy shit," she laughed. "You guys... do you have any idea how ridiculous you look?"

"Hey, we look fine, thank you Ms. Hashimoto," Ailsa defended.

"Sorry," she continued to laugh. "It's just so funny!" Her laughter subsided she smiled. "Wow. You guys threw me a party?"

"Of course!" Max said.

"I... I don't know what to say. Thanks."

"We made you some cake!" Cass said, running over to her and hugging her.

"Really?"

"Mm-hm."

"Cool. Let's have some then." They all sat around the kotatsu and Ailsa cut the cake. "Thanks again guys, this was the best birthday ever."

2: Fire Punch

    One evening, Coach Loguinov walked outside to prep the practice field for tomorrow's classes. But he heard a sound. The sound of someone practicing with the punching bag.

    "What the-?" he muttered. He walked over to the punching bag to see Yin hitting it. "Ms. Harmony," he said, causing her to jump slightly and look over.

    "Oh! Coach L." she said. "You startled me."

    "Sorry. What are you doing out here?"

    "I'm practicing."

    "Practicing what?" He looked at the bag and saw small burn marks.

    "Well, I noticed that when I punch, if I focus some of my energy, I can make some flames come out of my fist." She took a breath and punched the large, heavy bag and Dmitri saw the light of a small flame.

    "Oh," he exclaimed, intrigued. "I didn't know you could do that."

    "I didn't either. That's why I want to keep trying it."

    "I'm sure. That's good to hear. But it's almost passed the outdoor curfew. You should head inside. I'll let you practice more tomorrow." He led her back toward the doors.

    "Really?"

    "Why wouldn't I? I know Jack love it when you kids find other ways to use your Gifts. I'm sure he'd say the same thing."

    "You really think so?"

    "Of course!" the man laughed. Yin looked at her closed fists and they glowed with energy. "Alright, well power down now." The light disappeared.

    "Thanks again, Coach," Yin said before heading upstairs to her room.

3: Never Make Assumptions

Yin walked inside petting Flame, her new pet cat. Aaron was with her. He let Yin keep her until the following Monday when it would be delivered to Damian and Emma. They were willing to take care flame. Aaron walked over to the snack bar for something to eat while Yin sat down at a table. Aoi walked by and glanced over.

"Hey," she said and Yin looked up at her. "Yin, right?"

"Yeah," Yin said. "That's me."

"Is that a cat?"

"Yep. I found her outside in the cold."

"Jack doesn't let us keep pets," she said sitting down.

"I know. We have some surrogates in Secret City who'll take care of her."

"That's nice." She pet the cat with her finger.

"So you're Aoi, right?"

"Yeah." Yin looked at her, having only really met her for the first time.

"Why are you wearing a shock collar?"

"Why aren't you wearing a shock collar?" Aoi defended.

"I don't know. Aren't you a hybrid?"

"Shut up!" she said. "No one's supposed to know. Who the hell told you that?"

"Lotus."

"How'd she know?"

"I don't know. But hey, if you're part cat, can you tell me what Flame is saying?"

"Just because I'm part cat doesn't mean I speak their language!" Yin laughed.

"Relax, I was joking."

"What's all the yelling about?" Aaron asked, sitting down.

"Shouldn't you know?" Aoi asked him.

"Not really. I don't have to look everywhere." Aoi shrugged.

"Whatever. I'll see you guys later." She stood up and left.

"What did you say to her?"

"I just wanted to know if she could understand Flame," Yin answered.

"Really?"

"Well I said I was sorry." Aaron laughed. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just..." he trailed off and laughed again.

4: Jaylen's Confession

Jaylen sat alone during lunch. Rikki and Suzy walked over and sat with her.

"Hey Jaylen," Suzy said. "What's wrong?" Jaylen looked up with sad eyes.

"I'm... I'm so alone," she said.

"That's not true," Rikki said. "You always have friends."

"Yeah, but I want someone who'll be... ya know... more... than just... a friend."

"Ask Luuk."

"No!" Jaylen said, blushing a bit. "Um, I mean... I can't."

"Why not?" Luuk asked, having not heard their conversation.

"Oh, butt out," Suzy said."

"Sorry," he said, walking away.

"So why can't you?" Suzy asked, turning back to Jaylen.

"I... don't... like him," Jaylen said.

"Well, Lotus doesn't either."

"No, I mean, I don't like him."

"So you wouldn't ask Aaron, Harry, Rey, or Will even?" Rikki asked.

"No!"

"Why not? You don't like them either?"

"Rikki, what I'm saying is... I don't... like boys." Rikki and Suzy stared at her, listening intently, understanding what she meant.

"So," Suzy said. "Jaylen, you're saying that you're..." Jaylen nodded, finishing her sentence.

"Yeah," she said in a small voice. She held her necklace. It had a Bat Man charm on it. She moved one side of it, causing it to open up. It was painted with a rainbow on the inside.

"Oh," Rikki and Suzy said, smiling and understanding.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, I remember," Suzy said. "When we met outside a while back, you called me pretty so I guess I was right."

"Wait, you knew?"

"No, I just put two-and-two together and made a guess." Now Jaylen smiled with understanding.

"That's okay. Thanks for understanding guys." Jaylen reached across the table and gave Suzy a hug. Suzy laughed, hugging back. Then Jaylen kissed her cheek, laughing. Rikki and Suzy laughed too.

5: Yin's Nightmare

It was any normal day. Yin and Aaron were in their yard, playing with their young daughter Alexis.

"I'm gonna get you, Daddy!" Alexis said, running after Aaron with a toy sword.

"No you aren't," Aaron said back playfully. Yin was sitting on a tree stump, watching with a smile. But there was one thing that wasn't right. Yin felt, that even though Aaron and Alexis were smiling, they didn't seem to be truly happy. Something was off, and Yin felt it. She watched as Alexis poked Aaron in the back of the leg with her toy sword.

"I got you Daddy!"

"Ah!" Aaron said, falling over and laughing. "You got me." Alexis laughed to. Yin wanted to, but she felt that something wasn't right.

"Okay," she said. "Aaron, let's take her inside for a snack." Aaron and Alexis were still on the ground, laughing and looking toward the sky. "Aaron?" Alexis' laughter died first.

"Hey Daddy?"

"What's up, kiddo?" he asked.

"You think Mommy's up there... watching us?"

"What?!" Yin cried out, standing up. "Sweetie, I'm right here!"

"I'm sure she is, Alex, but someday, you're going to have to learn to move on."

"Aaron?! What do you mean?! I'm right here!" Yin cried. "What's wrong with you?!"

"Okay..." Alexis trailed off.

"Alexis?" Yin cried. "Aaron, Sweetie... why are you doing this?" Yin wanted to cry into her hands, but when she saw her hands, she noticed that she could see straight through them. "What the...?" She reached out for Aaron, only to be pulled back by some unseen force. "Aaron! Alexis!" She continued to reach out for them, but kept getting pulled back.

"Come on," some strange voice said.

"No!" Yin cried.

"It's time to go."

"No! I can't!"

"Come on," it repeated. "It's time to go."

"No! Aaron! Alexis!" Then everything went black.

Yin sat up with a start, breathing heavily, a couple of tears falling from her eyes, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked over, and saw Aaron asleep in the bed with her. It was just after midnight. Then, the bedroom door opened a little bit. Yin looked over and saw Alexis.

"Mommy," she said. "I can't sleep."

"Aw. Come here, baby," she whispered. Alexis came over with a stuffed rabbit in her hands and layed between her parents. "It's okay. Mommy can't sleep either." She layed back down, and Alexis hugged her, before falling asleep. Yin wiped her eyes and took a quiet breath, before falling back asleep.