With the cats out of the way and enjoying their new room, Zoe and Emma were free to tear up the rest of their home. The last time Zoe had done any serious renovations was over forty years earlier, back home. Her parents had bought a new house that wasn’t quite finished, and many of the walls needed to be torn down.

It was one of the most fun experiences of her adolescent life, but tearing down her own home made her realize how much effort her parents must have put in behind the scenes. Important furniture kept out of reach of her tiny hammer, boxes of memories hidden away in their cars.

Everywhere they looked, there was something they wanted to keep. A wall façade that the cats had scratched against time and time again, wearing through even the admittedly weak enchantment Zoe had put on them. Drawers and cupboards full of junk they didn’t want to have to replace. Furniture and even just the wall façades that hadn’t been damaged, just because they could be reused.

Tearing down their home was less of unleashing their pent up anger on the walls and more of a careful, organized deconstruction. The basement they had already carved out came in handy for letting them store everything they cared about, and the rest was just tossed outside next to their garden for the time being.

In the end, what Zoe had expected to be a few hours of wanton destruction ended up being a few days of strolling through memory lane as they chatted about everything their home had brought them. The remnants of the old attempted forge left behind in Emma’s room, the long since covered up pool of water in the library.

They spent another week after, planning out all of the rooms they were going to be building. Zoe created small knee high walls of earth and slid them around until they settled on a layout that felt large enough for everything they wanted, but small enough to still be cozy for them.

“You ready for tomorrow?" Emma asked.

“For what? Getting started on finally building it all?" Zoe asked.

“No, silly. Sally’s birthday. Joe told you, right?” Emma asked.

“Oh. Oh! Right! I totally forgot. Shoot. I don’t even have a present for her. Oh crap. What do you even get for a nine year old?” Zoe groaned.

“I don’t think they care about presents, you’re fine. Sally will be excited to see you again, I’m sure.” Emma said.

“No, no. You don’t get it. I’ve gotta be the cool aunt who’s basically never around but always has cool things. It’s my whole persona. Dammit.” Zoe paced back and forth in the empty cavern lit by hanging, glowing rocks she’d enchanted.

“You could give her money. Everybody likes money.” Emma said.

“No, no. Money’s too boring. It’s gotta be exciting. Something her parents would never get her, but not something her parents would be upset at me for giving her.” Zoe said.

“Storage item?" Emma suggested.

“Maybe. I should be able to empty one of my bracelets, but that feels too mundane. How much stuff does a nine year old have that they’d need a storage bracelet?" Zoe asked.

“True. I’m sure it’s fine, you don’t need a present.” Emma laughed.

“Oh actually, I have this cloak. Check it out.” Zoe summoned the cloak she got from Brick’s party and tossed it to Emma.

“What is it?” Emma asked.

“Put it on.” Zoe said.

Emma shrugged and put it on, then tore it off the next moment with a disgusted look on her face. “You’d give that to a kid?”

“I dunno. Seems kinda harmless?” Zoe asked.

“I’d check with Peter and Lauren first. If she’s getting into trouble, being hard to see would be a great way to get into more trouble.” Emma said.

“Yeah, but it’s not like she’s really going to be able to see with it on anyway, so what’s she gonna do? She’d just be really good at hide and seek.” Zoe said.

“Yeah it’s probably fine, just check with Peter and Lauren first.” Emma said.

Zoe nodded. “Maybe I take her to space and get her the space skill. She doesn’t have a class yet, so that would be pretty good for her, I imagine.”

“I like that. That sounds a lot more practical than a terrible cloak.” Emma said. “Plus if you took Lauren with you, I think she’d even be okay with it.”

“Alright. I’ll give her a skill for her birthday then. And the cloak. Cause I think a kid will like the cloak. Plus I’ve never used it anyway so I don’t know why I still have it, really.” Zoe said.

“Just check with them first, alright?” Emma asked.

“I know, I will. I’m not that crazy.” Zoe said.

Emma laughed.

“Okay I am, but not to kids. They’re just kids.” Zoe groaned.

Emma and Zoe spent the night relaxing with the cats, and in the morning made their way down to Peter and Lauren’s home. The door was closed, though there were some colourful, festive ribbons hanging from the front porch.

Zoe knocked on the door and Lauren opened a moment later with a red pointed hat tied to her head. “Oh hi!” Lauren said with a bright smile. “You’re the first to arrive. Come in, come in.”

Inside, everything was covered in colourful ribbons. Chairs, the couch. Even the dinner table had ribbons dangling from the tablecloth.

“The theme is colours?” Zoe asked.

“Well, Sally really likes colourful things, so we went all out.” Lauren chuckled.

“Where is she, anyway?" Emma asked.

“She’s still in her room playing with Idu and Peter right now, they’ll be down in a minute. We didn’t expect anybody to show up so soon.” Lauren said.

“We can come back in a bit, if that’s easier?” Zoe asked.

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“No! No, no. Don’t worry. It’s great that you’re here. She’ll love to see you. Actually, it’s great that you’re here early. We’ve been wanting to pester you with some questions.” Lauren said.

“Oh?" Zoe questioned.

Lauren nodded. “Sally’s almost nine, now. And she still doesn’t have her first class. We told her that she didn’t have to pick one until she had one that she really likes, and she’s absolutely insistent that she gets a strong mage class like you, because she wants to fly. We haven’t told her about the feat yet, and we’re not sure we want to. But do you have any advice? I’m sorry to put you on the spot like this, we just thought you might know something we don’t.”

“Actually, I brought a couple of birthday presents for her.” Zoe said.

“Oh you didn’t have to do that, really. You’ve already done so much for us.” Lauren shook her head.

“No, I wanted to. The first is this cloak. I got it from a dungeon reward a few years back, but I’ve never found a real use for it. It’s a bit uncomfortable to use, but I thought she might enjoy it. It’s safe, you can try it on.” Zoe summoned the cloak and put it on for a moment then handed it to Lauren.

Lauren put the cloak on and looked around for a moment. “I see. Or I guess I don’t.” She laughed. “I think Sally would like it, but we’ll have to check with Peter first. Are you really sure?" Lauren took the cloak off and handed it back.

“Yeah, of course. Like I said, I haven’t found a use for it yet, really so I may as well give it to somebody who will have fun with it.” Zoe said.

“Then I’m sure she’ll be very grateful for it, but you really don’t have to do anything, honestly.” Lauren said.

Zoe shook her head. “I want to. It’s fine. But the second present I have for her is a little more relevant to your question. I can get her the fire and space skills, and just learning from me at all should be enough to get a decent magic class if I understand the system right.”

Lauren pursed her lips. “You’d have her kill a fire elemental? Is that safe?”

Zoe nodded. “Yeah. I can keep her safe while she kills a fire elemental, I guarantee it.”

“And the space skill? You’d take her to space? I know I went with you, but it’s a bit scary having her go all the way up there.” Lauren said.

“If you and Peter are okay with it, that’s my birthday present to her.” Zoe said.

“I’ll talk to Peter about it, thank you, Zoe.” Lauren said.

“It’s no problem.” Zoe smiled.

“I brought nothing.” Emma laughed. “Sorry.”

Lauren chuckled. “It’s really okay, we weren’t planning on presents. We don’t want her to expect everybody to always be giving her things for her birthday. It should be about the people, not the things. I’ll go get Peter, if you two could distract Sally for a bit while we talk?”

“Sure.” Emma said. “Bring her to the living room and we’ll play with her for a bit.”

“Thanks, you two. She’s got a few friends coming over today too so if you hear a knock just let them in, alright?" Lauren asked.

Zoe and Emma both nodded then waited in the living room. Sally came down alone a few minutes later and jumped down the final few stairs to run over and hug Zoe and Emma when she saw them.

“Zoe! Emma!” Sally shouted. “You came!”

“Of course we came. You’re turning nine! You’re so old now.” Emma smiled. “I remember when you were just a little baby, watching my cats.”

“Are your cats still alive?" Sally asked.

Emma laughed. “Yes, they’re still alive. We just built them their own bedroom, actually.”

“Idu doesn’t have his own bedroom.” Sally pouted.

“Oops.” Zoe chuckled.

“Idu’s got the whole house!” Emma said. “Every room is his room.”

Sally giggled and pointed at the rocking chair in the corner of the room. “He thinks that’s his chair, too.”

“You disagree?” Zoe asked.

“It’s our chair.” Sally nodded.

A knock on the door interrupted them and Zoe walked over to open it. Kiara was on the other side, with another level eight little girl who ran inside to the living room as soon as Zoe opened the door.

“Zoe was it?” Kiara asked.

“Yeah, Kiara, right? You were one of the merchants right? Aren’t you on the council now, too?” Zoe asked.

Kiara nodded. “I am. I think Joe and Doris should be coming too. It’s almost a council meeting.” Kiara chuckled.

“Well come in, come in. Lauren told me to let anybody in, they’re just discussing whether my birthday present is appropriate or not.” Zoe laughed.

Kiara pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh my, were we supposed to bring presents? I thought we weren’t.”

“No, I don’t think we were. But I did, I don’t see the kid all that often so I like to bring little surprises whenever I do. Usually cat toys, honestly.” Zoe shrugged.

“Okay, you had me worried for a moment there.” Kiara laughed.

Peter and Lauren came down a few minutes later and nodded to Zoe who followed them to the kitchen. Kiara and Emma stayed in the living room with the two young girls.

“We’ll accept your presents. The skills will help her get a better class, and the cloak will be fun for her. But you really don’t have to do anything, honestly.” Peter said.

“It’s fine, dear. I already told her. She’s insistent.” Lauren said.

Peter sighed. “But I’m coming with you when you get her the skills, and I’m getting them too.”

“I already have space, but I’m coming for the fire skill. We’ll get them first, and then we’ll let you give them to Sally.” Lauren said.

“That’s fine. We can go after the party?" Zoe asked.

Peter nodded. “That would work best.

A few more people showed up as the celebrations continued and Zoe enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere for a while. Everybody was given pointed, colourful hats to wear and Sally insisted that they be colour coordinated, though to Zoe, Sally’s coordination looked just as much a mess as it did before.

Lauren prepared some sandwiches for lunch, and before Zoe knew it, the parents were already heading out with their children to get home in time for their dinner and bedtimes.

“Alright, Sally. Zoe’s got a couple of presents for you.” Lauren said when all the other children had left.

“Really!?” Sally shouted.

“I do.” Zoe summoned the cloak and put it on. “First is this cloak.”

“Woah! Where’d you go?” Sally’s eyes darted around, looking around the room.

Zoe took off the cloak and handed it to her. “It’s yours. But you can’t see very well when you have it on, so be careful, alright?”

Sally looked at Peter who nodded, and then she grabbed the cloak and put it on. “Everything’s so bright!”

Zoe chuckled and watched Sally run around the living room giggling as she bumped into almost everything. She took the cloak off for a moment and looked around then Zoe watched as she crawled her way towards Peter and grabbed his ankle. Peter shouted and jumped when she touched him and Sally laughed.

“I love it!” Sally said. “I’m like an invisible mage!”

“Yes you are, sweetie.” Peter said. “But you’re only allowed to play with that inside, and only when we say, okay? You don’t want to go running around outside where people can’t see you and then get hurt, alright?"

“Okay.” Sally said. “It’ll go with the rest of my inside toys.”

“Exactly, honey.” Lauren said. “Thanks, Zoe.”

“Yeah! Thanks Zoe!” Sally shouted.

Emma chuckled.

Zoe looked at Lauren who nodded. “But I have another present for you, too.”

“Really?” Sally ripped off the cloak and stared at Zoe. “Another one?"

“Mhm! You wanna be a mage, right?" Zoe asked.

“Yeah! I wanna be a mage like you and fly in the air.” Sally said.

“Well, if you want, I can get you a couple of skills.” Zoe said.

Sally looked at Lauren who nodded. “Really really? You can give me magic?”

“Well I’m not really giving you magic, but I can help you unlock a couple of skills. Only if you want to, though.” Zoe smiled.

“I do! I do! I really want to!” Sally said.