Ella Evans - Birthday Ball (Generation 3 #9)

 Birthday Ball

    It's just celebration after celebration in this family! The third week of summer is starting, and Ella's birthday is up next- soon Alyssa and Henry will have an empty nest. An odd thought for them, but not one that's on Ella's mind. She wants to have a ball- a formal dance in Willow Creek, worthy of the royal family themselves. And considering it's somehow no more expensive than any of her other parties, her parents are happy to provide it.

    Alyssa spends the day before the party preparing a gourmet spread of appetizers and desserts. They booked the party for Monday evening, at the Blue Velvet Ballroom in Willow Creek. It'll be a coming of age worth remembering.

    After a day spent cooking, the family sat down together for dinner. Alyssa had sent out invitations to the extended family, and Ella had invited her friend Kit. He had suggested they go bowling together before the party, and she had happily agreed.

    "Do you plan to move out right away, Ella?" Alyssa asked her daughter as they ate dinner together.

    "I think so." Ella admitted. "I want to go to Ciudad Enamorada. There's a property there that would make a nice location for a little cafe, I think. It comes with an apartment upstairs."

    Alyssa smiled sadly. "That sounds lovely, dear. But we will miss you greatly."

    "I'll miss you too, Mama, but you'll just have to come and visit!"

    As the evening wound down, Alyssa took some time to play her violin in the art studio while Ella experimented with pottery. It was a peaceful way to finish a busy day of preparations, and a nice way to spend time together.

    Early in the morning, Ella met Kit at the arcade. They'd both been busy, and it was the first time they'd gotten to hang out in a while. 

    "Your birthday's coming up too, isn't it?" Ella asked him. "What're you going to do after graduation?"

    "I actually have a job offer." Kit answered. "At Concerned Citizens of San Myshuno, they've asked me to come on as an Activist. I'll probably be moving for it."

    "That's great! Your volunteer work paid off?"

    "Seems like it, yeah!"

    Ella left the arcade a little after noon, hurrying home to get ready. Her prom dress would do nicely for one final party.

    As usual, they arrive early at the venue to get everything ready. The music was already playing, and it promised to be a wonderful night. Alyssa had outdone herself with the food, a gourmet spread fit for royalty.

    The guests began to arrive not long after that, including Ava, who Ella hadn't seen since Winterfest! Her big sister had been so busy, off at university, there hadn't been time to come home and visit.

    Ella was over the moon to see her, there was so much they had to catch up on. But that would have to wait a little longer, there were lots of other people to greet as well.

    It soon came time for Ella to blow out her candles, and the resulting self discoveries that came with it. (Magical, isn't it?)

    Ella had always had a fondness for animals, but especially for cats even despite never owning one. This manifested in her final defining trait, Cat Lover. Alyssa and Henry's excellent parenting had left her Compassionate and Well Mannered, and to top it off, her diligent studies saw her graduating as class Valedictorian.

    She'd have to make sure she prepared a stunning speech for graduation on Sunday!

    For now, though, it was time to enjoy her cake and catch up with Ava and her cousins. Liliana's engagement was the talk of the party for a while, before moving on to Eirwen's new business and Leia's affair with the Grim Reaper. None of their parents knew yet, but that bit of gossip had spread like wildfire amongst the cousins. 

    Finally, when the discussion circled back to Ella's plans, she made her announcement: She was moving to Ciudad Enamorada.

Eirwen Walter - Small Business Preparations (Generation 3 #8)

 Small Business Preparations

    The evening after her party, Eirwen was ready to leave. She had a completely new wardrobe, some of which had been gifted by her family members. She looked polished and professional, the picture of elegance... exactly the image she wanted to portray.

    Rose was surprised and a little disappointed to hear that her daughter was moving out so quickly, but expressed her support anyway. Eirwen clearly knew what her plan was, and Rose wasn't about to stand in the way of her dreams.

    "You'll always have a place here if you need it, and you'll have to make sure to come home and visit."

    Eirwen's new home in Iverstad was quickly furnished exactly to her tastes, with support of her parents and family members. Her plans for her business were solidified with the registration of Walter's Fine Nectars, which she plans to run as a daytime pub and nectar shop.

    At night, she'll live her life of crime. And when would she sleep-?

    Cute question. As if she was planning on wasting time on something like sleep when there were plenty of ways to work around that particular need.

    Eirwen's new apartment perfectly matched her dark tastes, and even had room to grow a family eventually.

    When she was ready for that, anyway. For now, the wedding dress her mother gave her went away into a box in the closet. Apparently it belonged to her grandmother Eleanor, once upon a time. She would have to try it on another day.

    For now, there was work to be done. She'd brought some nectars she had made at home that were aging nicely, but there wasn't nearly enough to fill the shelves, and she had to be fully stocked for opening day. It would take hours to complete everything, and her first shift as a Ringleader was Friday night.

    There was a little bit of time to spare, though. Eirwen's new home came with a unique pet- a Ravenwood crow! She named him Loudspeaker, because he was always making himself heard as loudly as possible.

    Eirwen had only had this corvid for a day and if anything happened to him, she would burn down Nordhaven.

    Eirwen headed off to work that night in disguise, as the job mandated. She slipped out the backdoor into the night as everyone was drifting off to sleep, off to an exciting night of crime.

    She did spectacularly well- so much so that she was promoted that very night.

    And once she got home, she continued working on the nectars for her business. She wasn't even the slightest bit tired, somehow- as if fueled by her own ambitions.

    It would take another day or two before everything was ready for opening day, but she was pretty darn close. Two shelves were filled and she had some spare bottles aging in the backroom, and she was ready for a little break.

    After dodging the welcome wagon in the daylight hours, Eirwen slipped out to walk along the canal after the sun had set. It was peacefully moody this time of night, no noise except the water lapping against the stone retaining walls and the faint whistle of a train in the distance.

    While she was exploring the canal, Eirwen fished up something odd- a pink bike frame. And it seemed to be in relatively decent shape... who would throw out a perfectly good bike, and in the canal no less? People were disgusting.

    Eirwen decided to take the bike frame home. Maybe she'd find a use for it.

    When she got back to her apartment, Eirwen decided to settle in for the rest of the night with a cup of tea. There would be plenty of time for more work tomorrow, now it was time to rest and relax.

Eirwen Walter - Birthday Gothic (Generation 3 #7)

 Birthday Gothic

    Eirwen's birthday was on Thursday, the twelfth day of summer. For her entry into young adulthood, she requested a spooky or gothic theme. Rose, of course, went all out- she rented out a haunted mansion venue in Forgotten Hollow, and spent the entire evening creating a spread of snacks worthy of a Spooky Day party.

    The morning before the party, as Eirwen freshened up, she reflected on her life so far. Her parents were good to her, she loved her brother, and high school wasn't so bad. 

    She felt a little bad that she was planning on leaving so soon, but it couldn't be helped. The life she wanted was on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from her mother's.

    After the party, she would be moving out. She already had a place picked out- an apartment in Nordhaven with a shop underneath it. She could sell her nectar there during the day, and at night she could pursue her dream of entering the Criminal career.

    The family arrived at the venue early to set up and get ready. Everything was perfect- apart from a patch of allergenic mold in the foyer. Nasty! At least that was easily dealt with by a little bit of scrubbing. It was to be expected, in a mansion this old.

    Eirwen invited her friends Lina and Sterling to the party as well. Lina seemed absolutely delighted by Eirwen's choice of venue, gushing about how gloomy and spooky it was and seeming as equally enthused about it as Eirwen was. 

    There was definitely a reason the two were friends.

    Before she knew it, the party was in full swing and it was time to blow out the candles. It was like magic, in one second she was considered a teen and the next she was a young adult. 

    Eirwen's final core trait was Perfectionist. She took great pride in her work, whether it be her nectar making or her more... unconventional activities. Her parents' upbringing had also instilled her with a strong sense of Responsibility, somewhat at odds with her criminal inclinations.

    Stepping out to get some air as the party carried on, Eirwen was joined by Sterling. He recently celebrated his birthday as well, and would be graduating alongside her.

    "What are your plans now?" Eirwen asked him, beginning to shuffle her tarot deck.

    "Haven't decided yet." Sterling admitted. "Father and Judith want me to go to college, but I rather want to just get away for a while."

    "Where will you go?" Eirwen asked.

    "Maybe Granite Falls. I hear it's beautiful this time of year... maybe you should join me." The look Sterling gave Eirwen didn't quite seem to just be one of friendship. She wasn't opposed to it, but she wasn't ready yet either.

    "Not this time, Sterling. I'm moving to Nordhaven tonight. It's time to get myself established." Eirwen answered him. "But maybe in the future."

    She drew a card from the deck and turned it over. The World, reversed. "You want to get to know someone."

    "Yeah, that sounds about right." Sterling agreed. "You're getting good at that."

    When she went back inside, Eirwen took the opportunity to catch up with Leia, who she hadn't really talked to much since she graduated. Eirwen was intrigued to hear about Leia's new career as a Reaper, and eager to hear all the macabre, supernatural details.

    Philip was thankfully unbothered by this line of conversation and continued to enjoy his cake. You don't last in the Military without a strong stomach.

    Eirwen gathered Ava, Leia, and Liliana on the deck outside for a game of cards. There was much to catch up on, from Ava's studies to Liliana's recent engagement. It seemed all three of them had found love one way or another- Ava was dating Haikili, who had been the popular kid in high school when she was going to Copperdale. Liliana, of course, was engaged to Aukai, and Leia, well...

    "I had a fling with Grim." Leia admitted, cheeks turning red. 

    "Grim as in the Grim Reaper?" Ava gasped. 

    "As in your boss?" Liliana seemed more concerned by this fact than the fact her sister had an affair with the reaper of souls himself.

    "Well, how was it?" Eirwen asked matter-of-factly. The other two stared at her, and Leia laughed and blushed.

    "Incredible, actually. It probably won't last, but... it's fun."

    As the party died down and people started to leave, Eirwen shared a tight embrace with Liliana. "If I didn't already have Leia, I would've asked you to be my maid of honor." Liliana told her. "I hope I'll get to see you again before the wedding."

    "Well, I found my place in Nordhaven. You're always welcome to visit."

    "I will, then. Good luck, Eirwen, and happy birthday."

    "Thank you, Liliana. Goodbye."

Eirwen Walter - Revive and Thrive (Generation 3 #6)

 Revive and Thrive

    Summer is in full swing, and Rose and Philip are itching to travel again. This time last year they visited Mt. Komorebi, and now they must decide where to go next.

    "We could visit Selvadorada?" Philip suggested.

    "Much as I would love that, I don't think Carlos or Eirwen would enjoy that adventure as much as we would." Rose chuckled. "When they're moved out, maybe. No, I was thinking we visit Gibbi Point. There's a new Getaway there called Revive and Thrive, it'll be a good place for the kids to build some fitness and for us to relax."

    "That sounds perfect, then. Let's do it."

    Eirwen's fascination with tarot has continued to deepen, and she constantly practices her readings on her family members- mostly her brother. She must be getting better, since his readings aren't all doom and gloom anymore.

    To Carlos' relief- he was starting to think he was going to die young of a heart attack, the readings she'd been giving him.

    The family was up bright and early the next morning, and Rose prepared a hearty breakfast. They would be leaving for Gibbi Point at 6am and staying for two days.

    Carlos was excited, Eirwen was indifferent. Maybe it would be fun, that was yet to be determined.

    It was still dark out when they reached the retreat, and Eirwen decided to relax on one of the loungers while her brother practiced Diving in the pool. No reason to exert herself so early in the morning. 

    Workouts began at 7am? What kind of sickos were these people?

    Rose joined Freeda's spin class for her first workout. She was awake and revving to go! 

    The spin bikes were interesting, but unfortunately her home gym was pretty much full. Another reason to go to the Oasis Springs one, it seemed.

    When she finally felt awake, Eirwen decided to try some weightlifting- something light, she thought, not too exhaustive.

    She was wrong. Her arms were screaming by the time she was done.

    How did her parents make this their entire lives, basically?? And made it look easy?

    Bear came with them, of course! They wouldn't just leave their ghostly friend behind. Eirwen left the gym to go play with Bear instead, already bored and homesick.

    During free time that afternoon, Rose suggested they go kayaking on the lake. Carlos and Philip were both enthusiastic about this, but Eirwen decided to hang back on the shore. Maybe she'd join them later, but for now she wasn't keen on being on the water.

    To Eirwen's surprise, she did find something she was interested in- an archery range on the shores of the lake. After practicing there for a while, she was feeling in better spirits and ready to join her family.

    Kayaking wasn't as bad as Eirwen thought it would be. Despite the sun beating down, the lake was surprisingly cool, pleasant to be on even to her indoorsy self. 

    Evening fell, and Eirwen and Carlos were off to their cabin to sleep, thoroughly worn out. Rose and Philip stayed up a while longer, though, going down to the lake for an evening swim. 

    The starlight glittering on the water made for the perfect romantic lighting.

    Eirwen bowed out of most of the activities the next day, instead exploring the docks by herself. She found a little papercraft store, and bought a paper mache penguin. A little souvenir of an okay vacation.

    Ultimately, Eirwen was glad to be home when the getaway was over. It was alright, but it seemed nothing would top their weekend trip to Mt. Komorebi. 

Liliana Constantin - Graduation (Generation 3 #5)

 Graduation

 

    On Sunday morning, Liliana took a trip down to Glimmerbrook to visit her aunt Arabella and her new cousin, Lis. The girl is still new to the family, but Liliana has intentions of asking Lis to be the flower girl at her wedding.

    First, though, they've got to get to know each other.

    Liliana engaged in a game of hide and seek with her cousin. It was the first time she'd played this game in quite a while- she forgot how much fun it was. 

    It did take her a minute to find Lis's hiding place behind the toy box upstairs, though. Maybe she'd lost her touch.

    After the game of hide and seek, Lis asked Liliana to go play outside with her. Liliana agreed, happily pushing the younger girl on the swings for a good while until Lis finally got tired.

    Towards the end of her visit, Liliana decided now was a good time to ask the question she'd come here for. 

    "Lis, I'm engaged, and I'm going to be married in the fall. The entire family is coming, and I would like you to be my flower girl!"

    "I've never been to a wedding before." Lis seemed uncertain.

    "That's okay, we'll have rehearsals first. It's not hard at all, you'll have a basket of flower petals and you'll walk down ahead of me and scatter the petals on the aisle. What do you say?"

    "Okay!" Lis agreed happily after considering it.

    With that role in the wedding party filled, Liliana next headed off to San Myshuno. They still needed a ringbearer, and her second youngest cousin seemed perfect for the role. But first, she had to break the news of the engagement to her aunt and uncle. 

    Carin was ecstatic over the news. Not just because Liliana had found someone, but because this marked the first wedding in the family!

    Aurelia was quick to agree to being Liliana's ringbearer, and honored to be chosen. That filled in most of the wedding party- Aukai just had to choose his best man.

    They'd decided on the 7th Day of Fall for their wedding date, which meant there was only a while left to wait, now. And first, there was another celebration.

    Liliana, Aukai, and her family gathered at the Copperdale Auditorium that evening for Liliana and Aukai's formal high school graduation ceremony. 

    Liliana and Aukai both graduated with honors, and thanked Principal Celeste for a great school year. She was pleased to hear they were both well on their way to successful careers, and wished them luck on their university exams.

    Liliana and Aukai didn't stay long after receiving their diplomas, bidding Liliana's family goodbye and heading home. They had a lot of studying to do to prepare for their exams tomorrow.

    Their studies paid off, both of them passed all four of their classes. Liliana scraped by with a C- in Anatomy for Amateurs, but that admittedly wasn't surprising. She'd nearly missed the class multiple times because it was so far across campus.

    To celebrate the end of their first term and passing their classes, the couple took a evening trip out to Sulani. A kiss under the waterfall was said to be good luck, in Mer culture.

    Together, they couldn't wait to see what the next term brought.