Brianna's Birthday

In the morning, It was Brianna's day to become a young adult; a date that River and Haruo were both anticipating, yet dreading. Anticipating because it would be a happy day for their oldest daughter, yet dreading because that birthday marked yet another milestone of their own life; one step closer to the end.

But all that melancholy was placed to the side as their daughter stood in front of the cake and wished her silent wish and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered. And in a wink of an eye, the young teenage woman became a young adult. Everyone watched as she took the opportunity to take the first slice, sit down at the table and partake of her birthday cake. Then the cake was devoured as everyone else grabbed their slices.

After the birthday party others did their own activities, such as Elsa playing video games on the TV and Jerad enjoying a meal.

Afterwards, Brianna got up and headed out to the school to obtain a career in the field of education. She had worked at the bookstore for quite some time, but now, she had to find her life's work and she felt that working with children was in her best benefit and the most enjoyable occupation that she could have. She took a taxi there but found out that her father had sent over a newly bought Kompensator for her to drive from now on.

...and thus Brianna aged up to young adulthood, secure in the knowledge that she had herself a potentially well-paying occupation that would allow her to mold and shape the minds of tomorrow's youngsters.

Your Average Family Week

When Greta got home from CROTP, she took a shower, then headed to the bookstore to pick up a few skillbooks that she needed.

Haruo went off to Aleister's the next day

...and the children had homework to do, which didn't make them feel all that great, but well, if they didn't study; they wouldn't learn and well, that wouldn't be good, would it?

The adults in the house ate dinner after they came home from work. As fall progressed, the days were getting shorter and there was a bite in the air.

Since it was still warm enough that the lake out front wasn't frozen, Haruo and one of his sons went out and fished.

River headed down to the grocery store and bought a few supplies to make a meal.

Greta, Simone and Jerad were downstairs in the Science Room; Greta was inventing and Simone and Jerad were concocting potions.

River was busy with sculptures trying to make some more income (even though they were rich, well, income flow was income flow and with an enormous bill, things could easily go from cash inflow to cash outflow in a matter of a few days). On top of that, some wise-acre decided to plant a grove of money trees and you know what potential that has.

The Watcher has given up trying to figure out why Abacadabra does the things he does.

Brianna sat down with her grandfather and had a meal.

...and well, Haruo and River...did what Haruo and River do the most.

If you two aren't careful, you just might pop out another one.

Greta's Birthday and Other Things

Greta stared at the cake sitting in the center of one of two dining-room tables (at one point with over 18 people in the family household (now considerably less than that), the family needed two eight seat tables). It was the day when she would take a big step in life, gathering up responsibility and maturity to become a productive young adult.

She still wasn't sure what to make of all this, after all, she had been through one heck of an upheaval, losing her dad, her mother and her moving into the Chikamori household. And then becoming engaged to Braden. What a whirlwind of events. She had to look at Haruo in order to be reassured that it was alright, that the cake candles were hers to blow out. He nodded to her and said, "Go ahead...Greta, it's your day..."

She nodded gratefully and proceeded to blow out the candles.

It certainly felt great thought Greta as she grabbed herself a piece of cake. It certainly doesn't seem any different, but I guess I'm taller and well...I guess I'll get the hang of young adulthood as I go along.

Everyone got a chance to partake in the birthday cake, as they grabbed a slice and then a seat.

...and then it was back to the daily grind of daily tasks.

Brianna went down to play pool with Aidan and Alanna. After all, the pool table was fun and improved her accuracy in sinking pool balls with the cue stick. Brianna broke and sunk three right from the start, then lined up a string of sinks which caused Braden to go, "Wow...Bri...you ever gonna let the rest of us play?" grinning, letting her know that it was a joke.

"Maybe..." retorted Brianna with a winsome smirk. "I might let you two have a few balls to sink...if I don't sink them all."

Alanna rolled her eyes and Aidan grinned as Brianna finally missed a shot, "Gee, thanks for letting us plebians play...Bri."

"You're welcome..." Brianna quipped. "What can I say..."

First Yasunobu fixed the computer that was broken in their room and secondly he went out to the greenhouse and revived the deathflower plant, for yet another harvest.

Afterwards, he headed downtown to go sort and sell some of his vegetables, keeping the perfect ones to form the basis of a new stockpile of perfect plants to be able to plant in the ground.

Haruo and Yasunobu returned from doing the same task (sorting and selling vegetables and fruits), And Haruo had to start cooking.

After all, restocking the fridge meant a lot of time in the kitchen and Haruo couldn't let the family starve, could he?