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Happy Birthday, Shining-Scribe !~~

I commissioned three artists to draw three pictures for your birthday. One of these commissioners, ellenent , likes to illustrate Nintendo Fan Art. And I recall how Taylor adores Donkey Kong so much... but I don't think it would be suitable to illustrate his OCs as monkeys, chimps, gorillas and apes. So instead of that, I illustrated Raina as Rosalina, and Tanya as Tetra. Although Tanya doesn't quite look like Tetra because I forgot to illustrate her thunderbolt hair strands, and her spiral hair bun on top. I wanted to make Tanya look like Tanya, so the most I gave her is a swashbuckler cutlass.

Anyway, I hope you treasure your birthday gifts, my dear Taylor~
May our friendship flourish for many more years to come!

~~~

Raina and Tanya belong to
NO ONE ELSE has permission to Repost, Edit, or Modify.
NO ONE can Use my images as an NFT OR in AI Art Generator Apps!

Other Birthday Gifts for Shining-Scribe on the 8th of October 2023:
Innocent Blood - Tanya's Birthday Pizza“2:43 AM… I hope this is early enough…” Raina observes the digital alarm clock in the corner of her bedroom. She rises out of her single bed with a yawn and slips into her green robe. She combs her long turquoise hair, and her clear halo fades into appearance, yet remains translucent. Her toes carry her into the bedroom beside her own. An odd combination of pastry, BBQ sauce, hairstyle chemicals, and girl sweat greet Raina’s nose. The floor is a mess with clothes and the odd comb and hairdryer. A pizza box with a bottle of McKolesi, both empty, conceal the digital alarm clock on the bedside table. A faint snoring sound emerges from underneath a pile of blankets. Half a leg also dangles outside the bed and is the only sign of life underneath a mountain of bedsheets on this bed.“Tanya is still asleep,” Raina nods and tiptoes out of the room. She proceeds down the stairs, before,*Crreeaaakk….* “Oh,” Raina pauses as one of the wooden steps groans from her step. “Shh… keep quiet…” Raina continues slower than before down the steps. Once her toes touch the cold tiles on the ground floor, she throws a glance at the faint snores from up the stairway. “...still asleep, good. So far, my mission is successful.” The hair salon downstairs is much neater than upstairs, aside from the occasional clump of hair and an empty bottle. The green and white tiles are cold for Raina’s toes, but she continues her slow, silent steps toward the front door. Her fingers connect with the cold metal door knob.*Rattle, rattle…*“Oh, what is wrong with this door? It always opens,” Raina gasps. “It rains a lot in Los Quierslan, so, perhaps that renders this mechanism immobile?” Raina looks around. She grabs a pair of scissors, before, “No, I may damage them. Then, Tanya will be mad at me,” She returns the scissors to the hairdresser's counter. “How else can I…?” She looks around before she sighs. “There is only one way. I am a weather angel. My emotions control the weather. And I must use my emotions to open this door myself.”Raina leans back with a deep breath before her eyes close and a sharp furrow appears on her eyebrows. Her eyes open and her iris glow a deep purple. Her halo also changes to a deep purple shade, and a thunderous dark vortex also covers it like a storm cloud. Soon the sky outside rumbles, and… *POOWWW…!!!* a thunderbolt strikes the doorknob a second later. The doorknob glows red hot.Raina grabs the handle, “Owch!” Her hand recoils. “I must try something else…” Raina’s purple eyes change to a brown shade. Her halo transforms to a brown shade and dust-like clouds envelope it. Soon the bottles on the counter clatter and sway, along with the other hairstyle paraphernalia. The unlit overhead lightbulb sways on its cable. Soon the doors and windows begin to rattle.“Hnnm, not yet. Just a little bit stronger—” *CRACK!!!* Raina glances behind at the rip in the tile floor behind.“Oh! Stop! Too strong!” Raina gasps. She places both hands over her heart and grants a deep inhale. The glow in her eyes fades, and her halo returns to its clear, translucent state. A few seconds later the earthquake also subsides. “How else can I open this door…?” Raina bites the knuckle of her index finger. “Perhaps if I summon a twister, I can blow open this door—”“...or you can ask me for the key.”*Click!* A key inserts the lock. *Ka-Chunk!* The handle turns, and the door swings open. “Oh! Tanya!” Raina leaps back from her friend. A cool morning breeze ripples their hair and clothes. A faint chirp of crickets accompanies the chill, along with the occasional sound of a car from their street.“Next time, ask me when you wanna take a midnight stroll.” Tanya conceals her undergarments behind a green robe that has a monster face (with fangs) as a hoodie.“I’m… I apologize, Tanya, for my creation of noise that awakens you,” Raina’s head lowers. “I will try not to disrupt your sleep like this in the future—”“Don’t apologize, girl. An’ next time PLEASE wake me up. This is a hair salon, not a prison. And those security doors are damn expensive,” Tanya walks back up the stairs. ~~~The sun rises on the cool streets of Callaxo - a city that never sleeps. It brings a thick fog over the surface of the tar roads. Most days have strong sunlight that bleaches the color out of the structures in the city. But today, the moisture in the air is a welcome new sensation for two people who wait under a bus shelter. Yet, the many pedestrians on the streets appear to not notice this change. For instance, a man with horns, red skin, and an arrow tail, all inside formal business clothes, carries his briefcase past the bus shelter. Across the street, a group of girls hover near one another about three meters above ground as they take a selfie. One truck slams on the brakes but fails to stop in time before it plows into a semi-opaque man. “Watch it!!” The truckie yells. Yet, no one else appears bothered, least of all the semi-opaque man who continues to drift across the street without any injury.“This bus is late,” Alex checks his watch. “No, maybe I’m late,” He stands up. “Maybe this haircut is—”“A wise choice,” His female friend completes his sentence. ”You can’t give up now.”Alex is a 13-year-old teen with long black hair and a lean figure from the little food he can afford. He wears a purple shirt and tights, as well as white sneakers. He also has a pleasant flower aroma from an aftershave or perhaps a perfume. Eirina, his friend, is also slim except at a healthier weight range than Alex. She wears a short red T-shirt that shows the skin of her midriff and navel. She wears blue denim jeans that are tight shorts the length of a miniskirt or swimmer’s shorts. She also wears white socks and red sneakers. Her ears, nose, and navel have one stud each, and her brooch has a curious twist that looks like a pentagram in the shape of a Celtic Knot.“I know, Eirina, but…” Alex begins.“But what?” Eirina asks, “But…” Alex looks away. “Why can’t you join me for emotional support?”“I’d love to, but I should go home and check up on my younger brother. I can’t always trust him to take his pills,” Eirina smirks with confidence. “Besides, you need to build some courage and independence.”“I can’t…” Alex’s head shakes. “I don’t have any courage…”“You will find courage once you step onto that bus,” Eirina’s hand rests on his shoulder. “And you’ll find more when you step into that hair salon. And more courage will come the next day. And the next. Trust me!”“But… well, on normal occasions, my mother cuts my hair. But ever since my parent’s divorce…” Alex’s head sinks. “Well, this is the first time I will visit a hair salon. What if I offend this hairdresser by accident—” “You won’t,” Eirina winks, “I know Tanya; we go way back. And trust me, Tanya is hard to offend.”“Oh, but still—”“There’s the bus!” Eirina points.Alex’s eyesight follows her index finger. And true to her words, an engine whirs from past the corner of the road. A few seconds pass before a red and white bus appears. “Come on, Alex! You’ve got this!” Eirina pushes her friend forth.“Alex… Heh. What a name…” He murmurs as he rises from the seat. The bus pulls to a halt, and the doors slide open. Alex steps forward, “Wait,” He pauses and looks back, “Are you sure you can’t come with me?”“Not this time,” Eirina’s head shakes. “You’ll get more courage if you do this yourself. I know you’re nervous, but you can do it! I believe in you!”“Th-Thanks…” He steps toward the entrance of the bus but pauses. “No, I—I don’t think I c—”“Yes, you can! Go!” Eirina pushes him into the bus.“Oof!” Alex stumbles onto the bus. He scans his bus card before he throws a glance back at Eirina.“Remember, Courage and Fortitude!” She smiles with a nod. Alex sits next to a window that looks out at her. Eirina waves from outside with wide eyes and a smile from ear to ear. A few seconds later, the door slides shut, and the bus drives on. Once the bus turns a corner and is out of sight, Eirina departs down the street in the opposite direction. She turns the corner of the block and walks down the street for five minutes before she turns into a dark alley. The stench from the fetid green waste doesn’t appear to affect the young teen. Several rats scamper out from crevases and one dashes through in-between her shoes. But Eirina does not stop, not so much even flinch from the vermin. The Alley is long with many corners and junctions like a maze. After two hundred meters inside the alley, Eirina throws a glance behind her.“...Now, how does that phrase go again?” Eirina withdraws a smartphone that has pink, blue, and white colors on its case cover and chassis. “My Birthday is today, so please bring double the cakes now and again tomorrow. Save a quarter of the cake for me. And don’t forget my Mother’s birthday. She deserves a third of the cake.” Eirina pauses. A second later, she flicks a gnat off the smartphone with her index finger. “Four, Eight, Eight, Two, Nine, Three.” Her thumb taps the number pad and unlocks the smartphone. “Perfect! I’m in!” She smirks, before, “Later, though.” The smartphone closes with a clap. “First, I have someplace more important to be.”~~~Meanwhile, on the bus, “Courage, and fortitude…” Alex tugs his purple handbag by himself. “I can do this…”Alex sits down at an empty double seat and looks out the window. The bus plows through the thick fog on the streets like a snowplow in winter. Shops, streets, and pedestrians soar past his view like candles on top of a cream cake. A moment later, the bus slows to a stop at another bus stop, and more people enter and depart.“If Eirina believes I can, then I should too,” Alex tells himself.“‘ello, young man. ‘Ow are we?” A man in a white robe sits next to him. He carries a thick holy book on a chain around his neck, and the smell of tobacco and tin sardines soon harasses Alex’s nostrils.“Oh! Uh, hello,” Anxiety enters Alex’s voice as the bus drives on.“I always say a conversation with oneself is so much better than a disagreement with a dolt,” The man slides closer to him. “An’ I sure as me wee lad knows dat dere’s a lotta dolts out there. Aren’t there?”“Y-Yeah, a lot—” Alex squirms in his seat.“It be good dat Eirina ‘has faith in ye. Aye, a fine young lass, she is.” He slides extra close to him with enough space beside him to sit an extra person on the double seat. A moment later, *Scratch!* He lights a match and brings the flame close to Alex’s face. “C-Courage and Fortitude…” Alex’s teeth clench. A moment later, a cigarette enters the man’s mouth. He smolders it with the flame before he tosses the match over his shoulder. “Ahhh!” He billows smoke in Alex’s face. Alex coughs and looks away. But a moment later, “Wats dis? A girl’s handbag? With a demoness on it?” Alex looks back at the stranger. His attention is on Alex’s handbag. It has the color imprint of Lilythe, a girl with horns and an arrow tail. Below her is the title of her cartoon TV Series “Anima”. “It’---Cough! It’s a Saddlebag. I ride horses,” Alex blurts out. “I—I mean, it belongs to Eirina! She—Cough-Cough!! She wants me to take it back to her Pony Club. S-She rides horses.”“Aye…” The stranger spits some tar on the floor. Alex’s heart skips a beat. “Eirina disappoints me. No decent girl likes demons.”“Oh–yes, I agree…!” Alex nods with a stiff and tense posture. “Of course, I will never buy bags like this! With demons. They are so not me!”“Good. I’m proud of you,” The man pats his shoulder. Alex squirms again from the stranger’s touch. “An’ were’s dis Pony Club, me wee lad?”“At my school. In Los Quierslan,” Alex stutters. “I–I am on my way to my College.”“Ah! College in another town. Good show. As long as it isn’t Candlibra.” He leans even closer with a leer from his yellow eyes.“No way! I’ll never go there!” Alex blurts out as his body presses onto the window at the opposite end.“Good. Good.” He pats his shoulder and leans back a little.“Who is this man?” Alex thinks to himself. “And why does he invade my personal space?”~~~“Will I… Tell me the truth, Doc. Will I die?” Lilly’s lip trembles.“Not on my shift, you won’t,” Bethany writes down figures on her clipboard.Many dub the Blue district of Los Quierslan as the health district for its many hospitals. There are also several construction sites for old-age residential plots and those with mental and/or physical disabilities. “The Mercy of Skaer” is the largest non-governmental hospital, where most of its funds and profits tie to Dr. Camella Rachel Skaer, a businesswoman who claims to be “A Philanthropist.” As the founder, she insists that her hospital has white carpets despite the many blood stains that result from the surgeries there. The hospital has a faint smell of Dettol along with a foul vinegar smell that is repugnant to the nostrils.“But I broke my arm…” Lilly winces in pain. “I recall blood everywhere… and terrible pain… and the next thing I know, I’m here.”“Your collision has cut an artery in your arm,” Bethany gives her clipboard to a nurse, who nods and exits the room. “But thanks to a successful surgery, a bit of magic from our fairy nurses, and a blood transfusion, you will survive.”“Oh… Thank you, Doc. Just, thank you,” Lilly wriggles her arm that’s in the sling.“Hey, keep that arm still,” Bethany holds the sling still. “I also recommend that you avoid bicycle rides for the next six months for your arm to heal.”A couple more seconds of peace follow before a harsh wind whistles on their window. Five seconds later, “...Come back—Hey!” *Ka-Clunk!* A faint noise emerges from the hallway outside. The wind pressure grows, and both worry that the windows will break open. “I must—see her—!!” A female voice beseeches from down the hall. A few seconds later, “We have an intruder! Sound the alarm!” One male nurse warns. A second later, *Eeeee–Eeee… Eeeee–Eeee…* the alarm siren blares.“What’s that noise?” Bethany looks outside the window into the hallway.“...stop her! Shes—”*Thump-Thump-Thump* A second later, *Klunk!* Their door swings open. “Bethany! Please—” A girl with long turquoise hair and a halo collapses into Bethany’s arms with a huff and puff.A second later, *Click* Handcuffs attach to her wrists. “That’s far enough, miss.”“N–No! Bethany!!” The weather angel cries out.“Please come with us.” The policemen pull her back.“No, wait. I know her! This is Raina,” Bethany combs Raina’s hair away from her eyes. “It’s okay, Raina. Lilly is now in a safe place. Her wounds will heal, and she will be—.”“No, It—It’s Tanya—She’s—” The harsh wind whistle returns as Raina gasps and struggles from the handcuffs.“Calm down, my friend,” Bethany’s hand on her shoulder eases her friend’s panic. “Tanya is another of my close friends. And as a medical doctor and surgeon, I’ll be more than happy to help her in any way I can.”~~~The bus departs from the tall skyscrapers in the city. The sun’s heat rises as they travel across the main highway that splits the open badlands. Only the most resilient vegetation and wildlife can survive in this heat. Many rocks and mountains are a reddish color from the iron oxide they are made of. Alex cannot express much more fascination with this barren landscape. Yet it is still preferable to the stranger who remains beside him.An uncomfortable silence enters the bus. Alex checks his watch almost every minute for the next hour and a quarter. “Agh, how much longer…?” Alex bites his lip.“What’s the hurry, lad? We still miles away from our destination. An’ I say, enjoy life while ye can!” The stranger breathes more smoke in his face. “I enjoy this landscape. Dry, barren, and what isn’t dead is resilient. Not enough people acknowledge that beauty.”Just that minute, a red mountain uncovers the skyscrapers of Los Quierslan as their bus journey continues. Alex sighs upon sight of a dark blotch above the city that looks like a portal to another world. “That’s Candlibra,” He thinks, “That’s where my school is. I wonder if any of my peers will say anything about my… my new haircut.”“Candlibra…” More saliva shoots onto the floor again. “What a buzzkill, Alex. What a buzzkill.”“Oh!” Alex gasps. “E-Excuse me, sir, but how is it you know my name?”“Hah! Because ye tell me, ya daft thing!” The stranger chuckles.“I don’t think so. Maybe Eirina’s name, but not my own—” Alex shrinks back when the stranger throws a frown at him. The skin of his face is dry and matte, with bristles of a salt and pepper color. “Uhh, anyway…” Alex gulps. “What’s your name?”“Oh, I ‘ave many names, me wee lad,” The stranger smirks. “But the most famous of these, and a personal favorite of mine, is Immanuel the Immaculate.”Alex’s eyes widen the slightest bit as he resists the urge to recoil. A moment later, “Oh, well anyway, this is where I get off the bus. I mean, at Los Quierslan College. Gotta go!” Alex rises to his feet.“I know, lad. But let's not get impatient. We still have a bitta time,” The man doesn’t budge.“I’m… I’m late,” Alex squeezes past. He winces when the coarse hair on the man’s legs scrapes the tender skin of Alex’s legs. “Sorry, gotta go!”“Of course, of course,” The man nods with a stiff upper lip. “I always enjoy a conversation with a heterosexual human.”“Heterosexual Human?” Alex’s jaw tenses as he walks to the front of the bus. “And his name is Immanuel?” He sits down in the first seat for several minutes. “It can’t be him! Can it?” Alex looks back, and Immanuel responds with a wink. “It…It is him!” Alex’s attention swings to the front again. Moments later the bus slows down and the front doors open. Alex leaps off at the first bus stop in Los Quierslan. “Don’t look back…” He walks away from the bus. But fear grips him, and he looks back one last time. The man is still on the bus in the same seat as before. He grants a deep puff of his cigarette before he throws another wink at Alex who watches from outside. A second later, the bus drives on and carries the stranger away from sight.“Oh good, he’s gone,” Alex sighs. “Immanuel the Immaculate… as in, the First Immaculate?” Alex’s lithe figure twirls away like a dancer from the bus stop. “I hope I never meet him again,” Alex fumbles in his handbag. “Anyway, this Salon… is on Emerald Avenue, uhh…” Alex looks inside his bag. “No… I think my smartphone is still at home.” His head sinks into his hands. “Agh, why am I so forgetful?” He growls to himself. A moment later, he wipes his face with his hand before his attention returns to the busy streets. “How will I find Emerald Avenue without satellite navigation?”For a late winter month, the sun appears to be much stronger than ever before. Alex begins to sweat the moment he steps off the bus. But despite the unusual heat, he checks every street signpost he walks down for Emerald Avenue. But the minutes roll by, and he soon gets lost. “Excuse me,” Alex approaches a large woman, “I’m lost. Can you please check on your smartphone where Emerald—” “Oh, I never use smartphones, hon,” She regrets. “My grip is too strong and I always crush them by accident,” “Oh, but could you—”“Sorry hon, I must be off for the moss-groom salon. Mind your toes!” Her heavy foot almost stomps his toes as she hobbles past. “Oh, thanks anyway,” Alex turns to another pedestrian, “Excuse me—”“Can’t stop, already late!” The man gallops past him with a loud clap from each hoof.“Okay…” Alex sighs in defeat. At that moment, a loud growl emerges from his stomach along with a pain similar to the grip of an iron claw.“You should eat something, mister,” A child comments.“Maybe you’re right. I often skip breakfast,” Alex rubs his stomach.“No wonder your stomach grumbles!” The child walks past. “Breakfast is the most im—”“Hush!” His mother squeaks. “I warn you not to talk to strangers! Are you a mouse? Or are you a fool?”“But mum…” The child whines.“Ah-Ah!” She waves her claw. “One more word to a stranger, and you’ll get no cheesecake tonight! Now come on, we’re late!”“Okay, okay,” The child says as they scurry down the street.“He’s right, though. I need to eat something. And my mouth feels like the Calamari Desert…” He looks up at the sky. “Why is it so hot…?” Just at that moment, clouds cover the sky in less than a couple of seconds. Rain crashes down like a water sprinkler. Mere seconds pass before the light shower transforms into a heavy storm. Alex dashes across the street and hides from the downpour inside a shop.“Whoa…” He squeezes the excess water out of his T-shirt. “This weather is so indecisive! How can this weather change in mere seconds?” “I’m sorry, but this is a Chop-Chop fast food restaurant, not a pawn shop,” The waitress tells a young lady. “We do not accept these Golden Feathers.”“Oh dear.” The young lady puts the feathers away. “I regret how forgetful I am. I often forget the correct currency you accept in this land. Um. I can swear an angelic pact with you to pay you another time. Please? I need to buy these pizzas for Tanya—”“An angelic pact?” The waitress raises an eyebrow. “If that’s your way of saying ‘Buy now, Pay Later,’ then I’m sorry, but we don’t do that here. Cash or card only, miss. If not, then please move along. I have other customers to serve.”“Oh… Okay…” The young lady’s shoulders droop. “Tanya…” Alex murmurs as he observes the young lady step away. She tries her best to dry her tears with the sleeve of her robe but with little success.“Next, please,” The waitress prompts. “Hello, sir. What can I get for you?”“Oh…!” Alex’s attention returns to the waitress behind the counter. “Hi!” He steps forth. “I’ll have the same pizza that the young lady over there wants. Plus, can I have a can of Guangu Energy Drink?”The green lady pauses at the exit of the restaurant. Her attention returns to Alex with a hopeful smile. And a few seconds later the rain stops and the sun returns.“Certainly. One Meatlover’s Pizza and a 500ml Guangu. That will be 1,256 Zennies, please,” The waitress extends the credit card reader, and Alex scans his ‘Old-Gold’ card. “Thanks. These pizzas will take about twenty minutes. Next, please!”“I appreciate the charity that you express on my behalf, young man,” The lady approaches with a modest smile.“It’s the least I could do,” Alex smiles. “So, you’re not from around here, I take it?”“If that is a colloquial phrase for Austramerica not being my place of birth, then yes you are correct,” She nods. “My name is Raina. Despite my residence in Austramerica for one year, I admit I am still unfamiliar with the customs of this land. The market customs of this land confuse me the most; their credit cards, in particular.” “Don’t worry about that. In fact, you may be able to help me,” Alex smiles. “You want to buy a pizza for Tanya… Who is Tanya?”“Tanya is my friend, and she likes pizza very much,” Raina explains. “I believe she will appreciate a pizza instead of a cake for her birthday.” “Today is Tanya’s birthday?” Alex’s eyes widen. “Hey, lady?” He turns back to the waitress. “Can you please change my order to 5 Meatlover’s Pizzas? All monster-size, please.”“Five…?” Raina blushes. “I appreciate the charity that you— I mean, Thank you! You are very kind..”“Aw, it’s nothing,” Alex scratches the back of his head with a smile.“No, I am serious. You are indeed helpful. You are as generous as the white doves of heaven who bring food to the poor,” Raina nods. “How can I ever repay you?”“Well, maybe there is one way. Is your friend, Tanya, a hairdresser by any chance?”“Yes, she is,” Raina’s head tilts to the side. “How do you know this?”“Oh, good!” A big smile erupts on Alex. “A friend of mine recommends her hair salon for a… certain hairstyle. Can you please take me to her?”“Of course! It’s the least I can do,” Raina’s smile clears the sky of all clouds.~~~The clouds clear from the sky and the sun’s strength eases over Los Quierslan. One of the western districts (known as the “Green District) has a considerable amount of traffic. Most buildings have green paint styles and decor, and many streets have various green shades as their names. One of the buildings on Emerald Avenue is a “Your Hair, Your Rules” hair salon. Like many other buildings in this district, this building features green paint and a few fake gem ornaments. The inside ground floor is neat aside from a few clumps of hair that litter the floor. “Huh. Strange.” A young lady grants quick yet precise trims on a client’s hair. She wears green clothes and a white apron with a green pixie haircut “What is, Tanya?” The client looks back, and her half-cut hair twirls out of Tanya’s grasp.“That religious bastard is one hour late—Hey, hold your head still,” Tanya’s hands guide the client’s head back to her original position. “He shows up at 10 AM every frickin’ Thursday to preach how we’re all going to hell.” “How odd…” The client grimaces. “What’s his name?”“Got no idea, girl. All I know is he returns at 10 AM every Thursday like a Holy Cuckoo Clock that ya just wanna smash. And this is the first time he isn’t here.” Tanya sprays some water on her hair and combs it. “Oh, I have no complaints, girl. But still, I’m gonna bolt my doors for the day after I finish your bob haircut. Something tells me this Preacher lurks around somewhere, and I don’t want anything to crash my birthday party today.”“Oh? Happy Birthday, Tanya!!” The Client cheers.“Heh, thanks.” More quick snips awaken from Tanya’s nimble hands. “What’s your name, girl?”“Eirina,” The client smirks.“...and there! One neat bob hairstyle! Just lemme spray some Mousse so it holds in place.” Tanya swipes a bottle from the counter and shakes it with a chuckle. “This preacher says we should pray. Well, I say we should spray, haha!”“Can I join your birthday party?” Eirina’s eyes light up.“Hmm, I guess we can use some extra company.” Tanya sprays the bottle of mousse on her hair. “Lilly is stuck in hospital after a bike crash, and her sister Milly is away at a funeral. It’s just Raina and myself this year—”*Knock-Knock-Knock*“...and here she is now! ‘Scuse a sec,” Tanya drops the hairspray on the counter and walks over to the entrance. Tanya opens the door, but outside is empty of any people or cars. Silence creeps into the hair salon.“How odd…” Tanya grimaces. “Better not be that protestor, or else my fist is gonna get a workout.” “...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”Several people swoop down from high above the entrance of Tanya’s hair salon. Alex, Bethany, Milly, and even Lilly all grapple onto Raina’s powerful angel wings. They jump out and cheer with party horns and confetti cannons. Everyone also holds a gift wrap box with “For Tanya” on their tags. A curious solar eclipse soon shines a beautiful twilight glow outside, and an amber halo shines down from the sky around Tanya’s feet. “Here is your birthday cake, Tanya,” Raina steps forth and extends the pizza boxes. “Well, it isn’t a cake, but—.”“Meatlovers Pizza! Now, that’s what the Green Beast likes to see!” Tanya takes the five pizza boxes. “So who’s the guy? Wait, lemme guess, it’s Alex isn’t it?”“H-H-How do you know my name?!” Alex’s jaw drops to the floor. “Call it a hunch,” Tanya smirks.“Hey, Al!” Eirina peeks from behind Tanya’s shoulder.“Eirina?! How—” Alex gasps again.“Courage and Fortitude, Alex! Remember? And this test is a pass! Oh, by the way, thanks!” She hands back Alex’s smartphone.“Oh…” Alex takes his smartphone, still in a daze. “I still don’t underst—”“Your friend tells me you need help to come out as a girl. She thinks a Pixie haircut will help,” Tanya grins.“And the satellite navigation on your smartphone helps us to arrive at places on time,” Eirina winks. “Alex, my brother from another mother,” Tanya grins, “For five meatlovers pizzas, I’ll give you a FREE haircut!” “Oh…! How do you that these pizzas are a gift from me?” Alex gasps.“Call it a hunch,” Eirina smirks.“Come on in, all!” Tanya steps aside and welcomes the passage inside. “The Green Beast is hungry for a Birthday Party!”

Description
Happy Birthday, Shining-Scribe !~~

I commissioned three artists to draw three pictures for your birthday. One of these commissioners, ellenent , likes to illustrate Nintendo Fan Art. And I recall how Taylor adores Donkey Kong so much... but I don't think it would be suitable to illustrate his OCs as monkeys, chimps, gorillas and apes. So instead of that, I illustrated Raina as Rosalina, and Tanya as Tetra. Although Tanya doesn't quite look like Tetra because I forgot to illustrate her thunderbolt hair strands, and her spiral hair bun on top. I wanted to make Tanya look like Tanya, so the most I gave her is a swashbuckler cutlass.

Anyway, I hope you treasure your birthday gifts, my dear Taylor~
May our friendship flourish for many more years to come!

~~~

Raina and Tanya belong to
NO ONE ELSE has permission to Repost, Edit, or Modify.
NO ONE can Use my images as an NFT OR in AI Art Generator Apps!

Other Birthday Gifts for Shining-Scribe on the 8th of October 2023:
Innocent Blood - Tanya's Birthday Pizza“2:43 AM… I hope this is early enough…” Raina observes the digital alarm clock in the corner of her bedroom. She rises out of her single bed with a yawn and slips into her green robe. She combs her long turquoise hair, and her clear halo fades into appearance, yet remains translucent. Her toes carry her into the bedroom beside her own. An odd combination of pastry, BBQ sauce, hairstyle chemicals, and girl sweat greet Raina’s nose. The floor is a mess with clothes and the odd comb and hairdryer. A pizza box with a bottle of McKolesi, both empty, conceal the digital alarm clock on the bedside table. A faint snoring sound emerges from underneath a pile of blankets. Half a leg also dangles outside the bed and is the only sign of life underneath a mountain of bedsheets on this bed.“Tanya is still asleep,” Raina nods and tiptoes out of the room. She proceeds down the stairs, before,*Crreeaaakk….* “Oh,” Raina pauses as one of the wooden steps groans from her step. “Shh… keep quiet…” Raina continues slower than before down the steps. Once her toes touch the cold tiles on the ground floor, she throws a glance at the faint snores from up the stairway. “...still asleep, good. So far, my mission is successful.” The hair salon downstairs is much neater than upstairs, aside from the occasional clump of hair and an empty bottle. The green and white tiles are cold for Raina’s toes, but she continues her slow, silent steps toward the front door. Her fingers connect with the cold metal door knob.*Rattle, rattle…*“Oh, what is wrong with this door? It always opens,” Raina gasps. “It rains a lot in Los Quierslan, so, perhaps that renders this mechanism immobile?” Raina looks around. She grabs a pair of scissors, before, “No, I may damage them. Then, Tanya will be mad at me,” She returns the scissors to the hairdresser's counter. “How else can I…?” She looks around before she sighs. “There is only one way. I am a weather angel. My emotions control the weather. And I must use my emotions to open this door myself.”Raina leans back with a deep breath before her eyes close and a sharp furrow appears on her eyebrows. Her eyes open and her iris glow a deep purple. Her halo also changes to a deep purple shade, and a thunderous dark vortex also covers it like a storm cloud. Soon the sky outside rumbles, and… *POOWWW…!!!* a thunderbolt strikes the doorknob a second later. The doorknob glows red hot.Raina grabs the handle, “Owch!” Her hand recoils. “I must try something else…” Raina’s purple eyes change to a brown shade. Her halo transforms to a brown shade and dust-like clouds envelope it. Soon the bottles on the counter clatter and sway, along with the other hairstyle paraphernalia. The unlit overhead lightbulb sways on its cable. Soon the doors and windows begin to rattle.“Hnnm, not yet. Just a little bit stronger—” *CRACK!!!* Raina glances behind at the rip in the tile floor behind.“Oh! Stop! Too strong!” Raina gasps. She places both hands over her heart and grants a deep inhale. The glow in her eyes fades, and her halo returns to its clear, translucent state. A few seconds later the earthquake also subsides. “How else can I open this door…?” Raina bites the knuckle of her index finger. “Perhaps if I summon a twister, I can blow open this door—”“...or you can ask me for the key.”*Click!* A key inserts the lock. *Ka-Chunk!* The handle turns, and the door swings open. “Oh! Tanya!” Raina leaps back from her friend. A cool morning breeze ripples their hair and clothes. A faint chirp of crickets accompanies the chill, along with the occasional sound of a car from their street.“Next time, ask me when you wanna take a midnight stroll.” Tanya conceals her undergarments behind a green robe that has a monster face (with fangs) as a hoodie.“I’m… I apologize, Tanya, for my creation of noise that awakens you,” Raina’s head lowers. “I will try not to disrupt your sleep like this in the future—”“Don’t apologize, girl. An’ next time PLEASE wake me up. This is a hair salon, not a prison. And those security doors are damn expensive,” Tanya walks back up the stairs. ~~~The sun rises on the cool streets of Callaxo - a city that never sleeps. It brings a thick fog over the surface of the tar roads. Most days have strong sunlight that bleaches the color out of the structures in the city. But today, the moisture in the air is a welcome new sensation for two people who wait under a bus shelter. Yet, the many pedestrians on the streets appear to not notice this change. For instance, a man with horns, red skin, and an arrow tail, all inside formal business clothes, carries his briefcase past the bus shelter. Across the street, a group of girls hover near one another about three meters above ground as they take a selfie. One truck slams on the brakes but fails to stop in time before it plows into a semi-opaque man. “Watch it!!” The truckie yells. Yet, no one else appears bothered, least of all the semi-opaque man who continues to drift across the street without any injury.“This bus is late,” Alex checks his watch. “No, maybe I’m late,” He stands up. “Maybe this haircut is—”“A wise choice,” His female friend completes his sentence. ”You can’t give up now.”Alex is a 13-year-old teen with long black hair and a lean figure from the little food he can afford. He wears a purple shirt and tights, as well as white sneakers. He also has a pleasant flower aroma from an aftershave or perhaps a perfume. Eirina, his friend, is also slim except at a healthier weight range than Alex. She wears a short red T-shirt that shows the skin of her midriff and navel. She wears blue denim jeans that are tight shorts the length of a miniskirt or swimmer’s shorts. She also wears white socks and red sneakers. Her ears, nose, and navel have one stud each, and her brooch has a curious twist that looks like a pentagram in the shape of a Celtic Knot.“I know, Eirina, but…” Alex begins.“But what?” Eirina asks, “But…” Alex looks away. “Why can’t you join me for emotional support?”“I’d love to, but I should go home and check up on my younger brother. I can’t always trust him to take his pills,” Eirina smirks with confidence. “Besides, you need to build some courage and independence.”“I can’t…” Alex’s head shakes. “I don’t have any courage…”“You will find courage once you step onto that bus,” Eirina’s hand rests on his shoulder. “And you’ll find more when you step into that hair salon. And more courage will come the next day. And the next. Trust me!”“But… well, on normal occasions, my mother cuts my hair. But ever since my parent’s divorce…” Alex’s head sinks. “Well, this is the first time I will visit a hair salon. What if I offend this hairdresser by accident—” “You won’t,” Eirina winks, “I know Tanya; we go way back. And trust me, Tanya is hard to offend.”“Oh, but still—”“There’s the bus!” Eirina points.Alex’s eyesight follows her index finger. And true to her words, an engine whirs from past the corner of the road. A few seconds pass before a red and white bus appears. “Come on, Alex! You’ve got this!” Eirina pushes her friend forth.“Alex… Heh. What a name…” He murmurs as he rises from the seat. The bus pulls to a halt, and the doors slide open. Alex steps forward, “Wait,” He pauses and looks back, “Are you sure you can’t come with me?”“Not this time,” Eirina’s head shakes. “You’ll get more courage if you do this yourself. I know you’re nervous, but you can do it! I believe in you!”“Th-Thanks…” He steps toward the entrance of the bus but pauses. “No, I—I don’t think I c—”“Yes, you can! Go!” Eirina pushes him into the bus.“Oof!” Alex stumbles onto the bus. He scans his bus card before he throws a glance back at Eirina.“Remember, Courage and Fortitude!” She smiles with a nod. Alex sits next to a window that looks out at her. Eirina waves from outside with wide eyes and a smile from ear to ear. A few seconds later, the door slides shut, and the bus drives on. Once the bus turns a corner and is out of sight, Eirina departs down the street in the opposite direction. She turns the corner of the block and walks down the street for five minutes before she turns into a dark alley. The stench from the fetid green waste doesn’t appear to affect the young teen. Several rats scamper out from crevases and one dashes through in-between her shoes. But Eirina does not stop, not so much even flinch from the vermin. The Alley is long with many corners and junctions like a maze. After two hundred meters inside the alley, Eirina throws a glance behind her.“...Now, how does that phrase go again?” Eirina withdraws a smartphone that has pink, blue, and white colors on its case cover and chassis. “My Birthday is today, so please bring double the cakes now and again tomorrow. Save a quarter of the cake for me. And don’t forget my Mother’s birthday. She deserves a third of the cake.” Eirina pauses. A second later, she flicks a gnat off the smartphone with her index finger. “Four, Eight, Eight, Two, Nine, Three.” Her thumb taps the number pad and unlocks the smartphone. “Perfect! I’m in!” She smirks, before, “Later, though.” The smartphone closes with a clap. “First, I have someplace more important to be.”~~~Meanwhile, on the bus, “Courage, and fortitude…” Alex tugs his purple handbag by himself. “I can do this…”Alex sits down at an empty double seat and looks out the window. The bus plows through the thick fog on the streets like a snowplow in winter. Shops, streets, and pedestrians soar past his view like candles on top of a cream cake. A moment later, the bus slows to a stop at another bus stop, and more people enter and depart.“If Eirina believes I can, then I should too,” Alex tells himself.“‘ello, young man. ‘Ow are we?” A man in a white robe sits next to him. He carries a thick holy book on a chain around his neck, and the smell of tobacco and tin sardines soon harasses Alex’s nostrils.“Oh! Uh, hello,” Anxiety enters Alex’s voice as the bus drives on.“I always say a conversation with oneself is so much better than a disagreement with a dolt,” The man slides closer to him. “An’ I sure as me wee lad knows dat dere’s a lotta dolts out there. Aren’t there?”“Y-Yeah, a lot—” Alex squirms in his seat.“It be good dat Eirina ‘has faith in ye. Aye, a fine young lass, she is.” He slides extra close to him with enough space beside him to sit an extra person on the double seat. A moment later, *Scratch!* He lights a match and brings the flame close to Alex’s face. “C-Courage and Fortitude…” Alex’s teeth clench. A moment later, a cigarette enters the man’s mouth. He smolders it with the flame before he tosses the match over his shoulder. “Ahhh!” He billows smoke in Alex’s face. Alex coughs and looks away. But a moment later, “Wats dis? A girl’s handbag? With a demoness on it?” Alex looks back at the stranger. His attention is on Alex’s handbag. It has the color imprint of Lilythe, a girl with horns and an arrow tail. Below her is the title of her cartoon TV Series “Anima”. “It’---Cough! It’s a Saddlebag. I ride horses,” Alex blurts out. “I—I mean, it belongs to Eirina! She—Cough-Cough!! She wants me to take it back to her Pony Club. S-She rides horses.”“Aye…” The stranger spits some tar on the floor. Alex’s heart skips a beat. “Eirina disappoints me. No decent girl likes demons.”“Oh–yes, I agree…!” Alex nods with a stiff and tense posture. “Of course, I will never buy bags like this! With demons. They are so not me!”“Good. I’m proud of you,” The man pats his shoulder. Alex squirms again from the stranger’s touch. “An’ were’s dis Pony Club, me wee lad?”“At my school. In Los Quierslan,” Alex stutters. “I–I am on my way to my College.”“Ah! College in another town. Good show. As long as it isn’t Candlibra.” He leans even closer with a leer from his yellow eyes.“No way! I’ll never go there!” Alex blurts out as his body presses onto the window at the opposite end.“Good. Good.” He pats his shoulder and leans back a little.“Who is this man?” Alex thinks to himself. “And why does he invade my personal space?”~~~“Will I… Tell me the truth, Doc. Will I die?” Lilly’s lip trembles.“Not on my shift, you won’t,” Bethany writes down figures on her clipboard.Many dub the Blue district of Los Quierslan as the health district for its many hospitals. There are also several construction sites for old-age residential plots and those with mental and/or physical disabilities. “The Mercy of Skaer” is the largest non-governmental hospital, where most of its funds and profits tie to Dr. Camella Rachel Skaer, a businesswoman who claims to be “A Philanthropist.” As the founder, she insists that her hospital has white carpets despite the many blood stains that result from the surgeries there. The hospital has a faint smell of Dettol along with a foul vinegar smell that is repugnant to the nostrils.“But I broke my arm…” Lilly winces in pain. “I recall blood everywhere… and terrible pain… and the next thing I know, I’m here.”“Your collision has cut an artery in your arm,” Bethany gives her clipboard to a nurse, who nods and exits the room. “But thanks to a successful surgery, a bit of magic from our fairy nurses, and a blood transfusion, you will survive.”“Oh… Thank you, Doc. Just, thank you,” Lilly wriggles her arm that’s in the sling.“Hey, keep that arm still,” Bethany holds the sling still. “I also recommend that you avoid bicycle rides for the next six months for your arm to heal.”A couple more seconds of peace follow before a harsh wind whistles on their window. Five seconds later, “...Come back—Hey!” *Ka-Clunk!* A faint noise emerges from the hallway outside. The wind pressure grows, and both worry that the windows will break open. “I must—see her—!!” A female voice beseeches from down the hall. A few seconds later, “We have an intruder! Sound the alarm!” One male nurse warns. A second later, *Eeeee–Eeee… Eeeee–Eeee…* the alarm siren blares.“What’s that noise?” Bethany looks outside the window into the hallway.“...stop her! Shes—”*Thump-Thump-Thump* A second later, *Klunk!* Their door swings open. “Bethany! Please—” A girl with long turquoise hair and a halo collapses into Bethany’s arms with a huff and puff.A second later, *Click* Handcuffs attach to her wrists. “That’s far enough, miss.”“N–No! Bethany!!” The weather angel cries out.“Please come with us.” The policemen pull her back.“No, wait. I know her! This is Raina,” Bethany combs Raina’s hair away from her eyes. “It’s okay, Raina. Lilly is now in a safe place. Her wounds will heal, and she will be—.”“No, It—It’s Tanya—She’s—” The harsh wind whistle returns as Raina gasps and struggles from the handcuffs.“Calm down, my friend,” Bethany’s hand on her shoulder eases her friend’s panic. “Tanya is another of my close friends. And as a medical doctor and surgeon, I’ll be more than happy to help her in any way I can.”~~~The bus departs from the tall skyscrapers in the city. The sun’s heat rises as they travel across the main highway that splits the open badlands. Only the most resilient vegetation and wildlife can survive in this heat. Many rocks and mountains are a reddish color from the iron oxide they are made of. Alex cannot express much more fascination with this barren landscape. Yet it is still preferable to the stranger who remains beside him.An uncomfortable silence enters the bus. Alex checks his watch almost every minute for the next hour and a quarter. “Agh, how much longer…?” Alex bites his lip.“What’s the hurry, lad? We still miles away from our destination. An’ I say, enjoy life while ye can!” The stranger breathes more smoke in his face. “I enjoy this landscape. Dry, barren, and what isn’t dead is resilient. Not enough people acknowledge that beauty.”Just that minute, a red mountain uncovers the skyscrapers of Los Quierslan as their bus journey continues. Alex sighs upon sight of a dark blotch above the city that looks like a portal to another world. “That’s Candlibra,” He thinks, “That’s where my school is. I wonder if any of my peers will say anything about my… my new haircut.”“Candlibra…” More saliva shoots onto the floor again. “What a buzzkill, Alex. What a buzzkill.”“Oh!” Alex gasps. “E-Excuse me, sir, but how is it you know my name?”“Hah! Because ye tell me, ya daft thing!” The stranger chuckles.“I don’t think so. Maybe Eirina’s name, but not my own—” Alex shrinks back when the stranger throws a frown at him. The skin of his face is dry and matte, with bristles of a salt and pepper color. “Uhh, anyway…” Alex gulps. “What’s your name?”“Oh, I ‘ave many names, me wee lad,” The stranger smirks. “But the most famous of these, and a personal favorite of mine, is Immanuel the Immaculate.”Alex’s eyes widen the slightest bit as he resists the urge to recoil. A moment later, “Oh, well anyway, this is where I get off the bus. I mean, at Los Quierslan College. Gotta go!” Alex rises to his feet.“I know, lad. But let's not get impatient. We still have a bitta time,” The man doesn’t budge.“I’m… I’m late,” Alex squeezes past. He winces when the coarse hair on the man’s legs scrapes the tender skin of Alex’s legs. “Sorry, gotta go!”“Of course, of course,” The man nods with a stiff upper lip. “I always enjoy a conversation with a heterosexual human.”“Heterosexual Human?” Alex’s jaw tenses as he walks to the front of the bus. “And his name is Immanuel?” He sits down in the first seat for several minutes. “It can’t be him! Can it?” Alex looks back, and Immanuel responds with a wink. “It…It is him!” Alex’s attention swings to the front again. Moments later the bus slows down and the front doors open. Alex leaps off at the first bus stop in Los Quierslan. “Don’t look back…” He walks away from the bus. But fear grips him, and he looks back one last time. The man is still on the bus in the same seat as before. He grants a deep puff of his cigarette before he throws another wink at Alex who watches from outside. A second later, the bus drives on and carries the stranger away from sight.“Oh good, he’s gone,” Alex sighs. “Immanuel the Immaculate… as in, the First Immaculate?” Alex’s lithe figure twirls away like a dancer from the bus stop. “I hope I never meet him again,” Alex fumbles in his handbag. “Anyway, this Salon… is on Emerald Avenue, uhh…” Alex looks inside his bag. “No… I think my smartphone is still at home.” His head sinks into his hands. “Agh, why am I so forgetful?” He growls to himself. A moment later, he wipes his face with his hand before his attention returns to the busy streets. “How will I find Emerald Avenue without satellite navigation?”For a late winter month, the sun appears to be much stronger than ever before. Alex begins to sweat the moment he steps off the bus. But despite the unusual heat, he checks every street signpost he walks down for Emerald Avenue. But the minutes roll by, and he soon gets lost. “Excuse me,” Alex approaches a large woman, “I’m lost. Can you please check on your smartphone where Emerald—” “Oh, I never use smartphones, hon,” She regrets. “My grip is too strong and I always crush them by accident,” “Oh, but could you—”“Sorry hon, I must be off for the moss-groom salon. Mind your toes!” Her heavy foot almost stomps his toes as she hobbles past. “Oh, thanks anyway,” Alex turns to another pedestrian, “Excuse me—”“Can’t stop, already late!” The man gallops past him with a loud clap from each hoof.“Okay…” Alex sighs in defeat. At that moment, a loud growl emerges from his stomach along with a pain similar to the grip of an iron claw.“You should eat something, mister,” A child comments.“Maybe you’re right. I often skip breakfast,” Alex rubs his stomach.“No wonder your stomach grumbles!” The child walks past. “Breakfast is the most im—”“Hush!” His mother squeaks. “I warn you not to talk to strangers! Are you a mouse? Or are you a fool?”“But mum…” The child whines.“Ah-Ah!” She waves her claw. “One more word to a stranger, and you’ll get no cheesecake tonight! Now come on, we’re late!”“Okay, okay,” The child says as they scurry down the street.“He’s right, though. I need to eat something. And my mouth feels like the Calamari Desert…” He looks up at the sky. “Why is it so hot…?” Just at that moment, clouds cover the sky in less than a couple of seconds. Rain crashes down like a water sprinkler. Mere seconds pass before the light shower transforms into a heavy storm. Alex dashes across the street and hides from the downpour inside a shop.“Whoa…” He squeezes the excess water out of his T-shirt. “This weather is so indecisive! How can this weather change in mere seconds?” “I’m sorry, but this is a Chop-Chop fast food restaurant, not a pawn shop,” The waitress tells a young lady. “We do not accept these Golden Feathers.”“Oh dear.” The young lady puts the feathers away. “I regret how forgetful I am. I often forget the correct currency you accept in this land. Um. I can swear an angelic pact with you to pay you another time. Please? I need to buy these pizzas for Tanya—”“An angelic pact?” The waitress raises an eyebrow. “If that’s your way of saying ‘Buy now, Pay Later,’ then I’m sorry, but we don’t do that here. Cash or card only, miss. If not, then please move along. I have other customers to serve.”“Oh… Okay…” The young lady’s shoulders droop. “Tanya…” Alex murmurs as he observes the young lady step away. She tries her best to dry her tears with the sleeve of her robe but with little success.“Next, please,” The waitress prompts. “Hello, sir. What can I get for you?”“Oh…!” Alex’s attention returns to the waitress behind the counter. “Hi!” He steps forth. “I’ll have the same pizza that the young lady over there wants. Plus, can I have a can of Guangu Energy Drink?”The green lady pauses at the exit of the restaurant. Her attention returns to Alex with a hopeful smile. And a few seconds later the rain stops and the sun returns.“Certainly. One Meatlover’s Pizza and a 500ml Guangu. That will be 1,256 Zennies, please,” The waitress extends the credit card reader, and Alex scans his ‘Old-Gold’ card. “Thanks. These pizzas will take about twenty minutes. Next, please!”“I appreciate the charity that you express on my behalf, young man,” The lady approaches with a modest smile.“It’s the least I could do,” Alex smiles. “So, you’re not from around here, I take it?”“If that is a colloquial phrase for Austramerica not being my place of birth, then yes you are correct,” She nods. “My name is Raina. Despite my residence in Austramerica for one year, I admit I am still unfamiliar with the customs of this land. The market customs of this land confuse me the most; their credit cards, in particular.” “Don’t worry about that. In fact, you may be able to help me,” Alex smiles. “You want to buy a pizza for Tanya… Who is Tanya?”“Tanya is my friend, and she likes pizza very much,” Raina explains. “I believe she will appreciate a pizza instead of a cake for her birthday.” “Today is Tanya’s birthday?” Alex’s eyes widen. “Hey, lady?” He turns back to the waitress. “Can you please change my order to 5 Meatlover’s Pizzas? All monster-size, please.”“Five…?” Raina blushes. “I appreciate the charity that you— I mean, Thank you! You are very kind..”“Aw, it’s nothing,” Alex scratches the back of his head with a smile.“No, I am serious. You are indeed helpful. You are as generous as the white doves of heaven who bring food to the poor,” Raina nods. “How can I ever repay you?”“Well, maybe there is one way. Is your friend, Tanya, a hairdresser by any chance?”“Yes, she is,” Raina’s head tilts to the side. “How do you know this?”“Oh, good!” A big smile erupts on Alex. “A friend of mine recommends her hair salon for a… certain hairstyle. Can you please take me to her?”“Of course! It’s the least I can do,” Raina’s smile clears the sky of all clouds.~~~The clouds clear from the sky and the sun’s strength eases over Los Quierslan. One of the western districts (known as the “Green District) has a considerable amount of traffic. Most buildings have green paint styles and decor, and many streets have various green shades as their names. One of the buildings on Emerald Avenue is a “Your Hair, Your Rules” hair salon. Like many other buildings in this district, this building features green paint and a few fake gem ornaments. The inside ground floor is neat aside from a few clumps of hair that litter the floor. “Huh. Strange.” A young lady grants quick yet precise trims on a client’s hair. She wears green clothes and a white apron with a green pixie haircut “What is, Tanya?” The client looks back, and her half-cut hair twirls out of Tanya’s grasp.“That religious bastard is one hour late—Hey, hold your head still,” Tanya’s hands guide the client’s head back to her original position. “He shows up at 10 AM every frickin’ Thursday to preach how we’re all going to hell.” “How odd…” The client grimaces. “What’s his name?”“Got no idea, girl. All I know is he returns at 10 AM every Thursday like a Holy Cuckoo Clock that ya just wanna smash. And this is the first time he isn’t here.” Tanya sprays some water on her hair and combs it. “Oh, I have no complaints, girl. But still, I’m gonna bolt my doors for the day after I finish your bob haircut. Something tells me this Preacher lurks around somewhere, and I don’t want anything to crash my birthday party today.”“Oh? Happy Birthday, Tanya!!” The Client cheers.“Heh, thanks.” More quick snips awaken from Tanya’s nimble hands. “What’s your name, girl?”“Eirina,” The client smirks.“...and there! One neat bob hairstyle! Just lemme spray some Mousse so it holds in place.” Tanya swipes a bottle from the counter and shakes it with a chuckle. “This preacher says we should pray. Well, I say we should spray, haha!”“Can I join your birthday party?” Eirina’s eyes light up.“Hmm, I guess we can use some extra company.” Tanya sprays the bottle of mousse on her hair. “Lilly is stuck in hospital after a bike crash, and her sister Milly is away at a funeral. It’s just Raina and myself this year—”*Knock-Knock-Knock*“...and here she is now! ‘Scuse a sec,” Tanya drops the hairspray on the counter and walks over to the entrance. Tanya opens the door, but outside is empty of any people or cars. Silence creeps into the hair salon.“How odd…” Tanya grimaces. “Better not be that protestor, or else my fist is gonna get a workout.” “...HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”Several people swoop down from high above the entrance of Tanya’s hair salon. Alex, Bethany, Milly, and even Lilly all grapple onto Raina’s powerful angel wings. They jump out and cheer with party horns and confetti cannons. Everyone also holds a gift wrap box with “For Tanya” on their tags. A curious solar eclipse soon shines a beautiful twilight glow outside, and an amber halo shines down from the sky around Tanya’s feet. “Here is your birthday cake, Tanya,” Raina steps forth and extends the pizza boxes. “Well, it isn’t a cake, but—.”“Meatlovers Pizza! Now, that’s what the Green Beast likes to see!” Tanya takes the five pizza boxes. “So who’s the guy? Wait, lemme guess, it’s Alex isn’t it?”“H-H-How do you know my name?!” Alex’s jaw drops to the floor. “Call it a hunch,” Tanya smirks.“Hey, Al!” Eirina peeks from behind Tanya’s shoulder.“Eirina?! How—” Alex gasps again.“Courage and Fortitude, Alex! Remember? And this test is a pass! Oh, by the way, thanks!” She hands back Alex’s smartphone.“Oh…” Alex takes his smartphone, still in a daze. “I still don’t underst—”“Your friend tells me you need help to come out as a girl. She thinks a Pixie haircut will help,” Tanya grins.“And the satellite navigation on your smartphone helps us to arrive at places on time,” Eirina winks. “Alex, my brother from another mother,” Tanya grins, “For five meatlovers pizzas, I’ll give you a FREE haircut!” “Oh…! How do you that these pizzas are a gift from me?” Alex gasps.“Call it a hunch,” Eirina smirks.“Come on in, all!” Tanya steps aside and welcomes the passage inside. “The Green Beast is hungry for a Birthday Party!”