"And everything is taken care of," I said, sliding the paper work into a folder. I stood up out of my chair. "Now I really should go see Calipso," I stopped right outside the door to the smll office, "or do you all want to share what you have terribly been hidjgn from me?" I opened to door to see all other twenty three friends in the hall.

"Happy Birthday!" theg screamed, some threw confetti and other blew horns while the rest just cheered. I smirked at this. Yes we never truly knew when my birthday was, but I sorta do. Either way when my friends learned of this they decided to do something about it. The tore up a calendar and pinned it to a wall. They blindfolded me and had me throw a dart at it. What ever day it landed on would be known as my birthday. Since that happened they all have thrown these elaborate parties for me on my "birthday", but on my birthday. This was the first time they had done it off of my birthday, if only a couple days early.

"Okay, truth be told I'm a little surprised, but you suck at hiding secrets," I informed my friends with a smile.

"I think it's more that you suck at not finding out secrets," Kouei said. There was a mumbled of agreement.

I rolled my eyes at all of them. "I love the effort you all out into this, but I really have stuff I need to get done," I pleaded with them, not wanting to party.

"We are fine being co-owner of New Hope," Calipso told me, with Mei standing next to her.

"It will be a lot easier with the two of us, and I'm sure you'll be willing to help us in any way," Mei said, putting her hands on my shoulders.

"Well then, I have paper work, we can get it right out of the way," I offered, starting to go into my bag for the papers.

"Nope!" Derra proclaimed, grabbing my bag away from me.

"We are celebrating your birthday first," Shakir declared, pushing me into one of the poker rooms of the casino. I found it had been transformed for my birthday party, which at the time I thought would last a couple hours, not a couple days. On a table against the wall was all my favorite food, mainly fried stuff. And plenty of alcohol, even the special stuff I make, which is basically vodka.

We were in a middle of playing a card game I had taught them all, Uno. Mina was currently arguing with Ivan, cause he played too many plus twos on her. They looked like they were going to fight, if it wasn't for Kouie and Niahoma keeping them from fighting. I looked around seeing all my friends getting along, and drunk.

Calipso, Jamiya, Glea, and Mei were all talking, waiting for the two to stop fighting for the next game to start. Marvu and Vlad were talking near the food table. Gueneth and Nake had joined in keeping chaos from breaking loose. Derra, Mila, Serine, and Jae were all speaking of knee ideas they have. May was entertaining Terran and Catal with jokes and silly dances. Shakir and Fran were having this stare down, that could be mistaken for some sexual tension. Which was present in Kansi and Yukino, both light weights and drunk, making out in a corner. In another corner stood Hasim, looking awkwardly and confused.

"Hey, you alright," I asked walking over to him, "You look extremely uncomfortable."

"Well..." he sighed, his eyes were locked on the two men making out. I sighed, knowing it would be strange to him, unlike the rest of us who some were also homosexual.

"Let me asking you something?" I sighed setting down the drink I had. "What is love to you? Is it having someone accept you for you? Is it having someone willingly give up anything for you? Do you ever want to put someone else before you?" I noticed his eyes shift to the giggling Balbadd magician. "That is exactly what their relationship is. Love is love. It can be between a man and a woman, a man and a man, a woman and a woman. Just someone who accept soul for you and you got the start of love?"

He started to try and say something to refute me, but couldn't seem to formulate the right words. " I get you don't understand, they get you don't understand. But don't think of them as less than human for how they love. If you cut them they shall bleed. If you cut their fellow down in front of them they shall weep. Tell them a lie and you shall lose they're trust. They are human, so treat them as such. Treat everyone in this room as such. " I glared up at him with a menacing green, even if a cheerful smile was still home on my face.

I could see the knew guy gulp in fear. " I've faced people with the power to make this world fall, dealing with a disrespectful brat would be nothing. " I saw him nod in fear. "Don't worry though, just treat everyone how you would want to be treated and you'll be fine." I gave him a smile.

"Ugh," Shakir came and wrapped am arm around Hasim's shoulder. "Audi's givin' ya the treat everyone the same speech."

Fran came up and did the same on his other side. "Don't mind her, she won't hurt a hair on any of our heads. She cares too much about us." He gave me a mocking face.

"You've never had her train you then," Mina laughed. "The first thing that shorty did was hit me in the face and claimed it was never to turn my back on enemy."

"And have you since then?" I pointed out, only getting a grumble in response, everyone laughing at it. "But Hasim, you saw me in that dungeon, of you cross me beyond the point of return I will view you as an enemy."

He looked down at his getting deep in thought. "I won't," he said looking at me with determination in his eyes. "I know there is still so much for me to prove myself with, but you have given me the opportunity to do so. You help people anyway you can, and have gathered all these people to help the world where they will never get any recognition. All of you people are amazing, and I strive to be one in your ranks."

"You chose for him to be a metal vessel user?" Serine asked, her voice was laced in supirority and judgement.

"Yes I did Serine," I told the Artemyrian princess, "and he could hold himself better in the dungeon than you did." She pouted and crossed her arms across her chest as May, her own household member laughed at her.

"Hasim," Glea said, going back to what he said, "We are all grateful for what you said, and if Audria trusts you, know you have all our trust. Return that and you will be one of us." He looked around to see we all had smiles on our faces, welcoming him into the group of misfits.

"Or not be straight," Nake added, taking sip of his ale.

"Says the man married with a kid on the way," Derra teased him with a hearty laugh.

"I wouldn't be talking Mrs. Iverson Locklyn," Niahoma added. The magician pouted into her seat.