CHAPTER EIGHT, bionic birthday fail

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"Adam, that was the rebel leader." Donald began to remind the boy after pulling the bionic trio out of the simulator. "The whole purpose of today's mission simulation was to interrogate him."

"I did, and his answer was, Aaaah!" Adam chuckled to himself before walking towards Leo, Emilia and Donald.

Bree stopped beside the auburn-haired girl while looking towards Donald to suggest. "Hey, next time could you maybe throw in a cute, blue-eyed rebel?" Emilia giggled, looking over at Bree before noticing the look that Donald had before Bree added. "What? I'm just sayin'. It's not gonna kill you to add a little somethin'- somethin' for the ladies."

Emilia's attention turned to Leo who pushed aside the boys while saying. "Step aside, amateurs." He grabbed the goggles before placing them on his face. "Go ahead, Big D. Set it to 'awesome'." Emilia stifled a laugh, sharing a smile with Bree.

Donald walked towards his stepson, taking the goggles off of Leo. "Leo, these goggles are not a toy." Leo looked at his stepfather in disbelief while replying. "Come on! My birthday's coming up— globally known as 'Dia De Leo'."

"No. I designed the mission simulator to fine-tune their bionics not to go on 3-D joyrides. Besides, you're not trained for it." Donald explained, walking away from his stepson.

Leo turned around to follow him with Emilia sitting down on top of the stage. "Well, how about as a birthday gift, you give me a bionic ability?" Emilia laughed causing Leo to whip his head towards his bestfriend to glare at her before turning back to Donald who remarked sarcastically. "Or I could gift-wrap reality and you could play with that for a while."

Chase started to approach Leo with his siblings behind him, crossing his arms over his chest as he smirked. "So Leo's having a birthday? What are you, like nine?"

Leo looked at him with a void expression while he deadpanned. "Fourteen."

Chase laughed, before noticing the look on Leo's face. "No, seriously."

"So how are you going to celebrate?" Bree asked, looking at him curiously as Emilia wrapped her arm around Leo's shoulder.

Leo smirked. "We're all going to celebrate? Isn't that right Em?" The auburn-haired girl nodded as Leo continued. "Every year my mom throws me a big surprise party."

"Really?" Adam perked up, before Leo smiled at him, replying. "Last year she baked a cake the size of me. I'm not gonna brag but I was delicious."

Emilia shook her head in disgust. "Yeah, no."

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As soon as Tasha came in, she informed Leo that she wouldn't be able to do anything for his birthday because she was going to the awards with Donald, and Emilia didn't know what to think. She felt sad for her friend who was in belief that his mother lied to her but she knew she wasn't because otherwise Tasha would have mentioned it to her.

Leo turned to his mother, playing along with it as he believed she was lying. "Mom, go get your award." He leaned to the side before fake coughing. "Chocolate frosting."

Tasha looked at her son to reassure. "I promise we will celebrate the following night."

They all turned to Bree who questioned the millionaire inventor. "Hey, why haven't we have had a birthday party?"

Tasha turned to her husband in shock. "Donald, you never celebrated their birthdays?"

"Of course I celebrated their birthdays." Donald scoffed in attempt to defend himself before he sighed in defeat. "Yeah, I never celebrated their birthdays."

"Did you also eat all the cookies before Santa came down the chimney?" Tasha rose a brow at the Davenport man, although before he could answer, Bree did for them without even trying as her question made Emilia, Tasha and Leo fall into disbelief. "What's Santa?" She asked.

"Oh, come on!" Tasha groaned, sending her husband deep glares before walking out of the lab with her husband following her. "And why would you give him cookies?" Donald asked.

After finding out that Tasha was definitely telling the truth about the awards night, Emilia and the bionic siblings decided to cheer Leo up by throwing him a surprise party. However, Emilia had to physically jump on Adam's back to stop him from spoiling the surprise to Leo.

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Emilia had spent the day with Bree, getting Leo presents and decorations for the party. The boys joined them and decorated the living room for the party whilst Leo was downstairs in the lab.

Emilia wore a pink and blue balloon hat on her head which made Chase think she was even more adorable. She approached the front door with a huff watching as Bree greeted the party guests as they came in. "Welcome to Leo's surprise party. When he comes up, remember to scream real loud and pretend you're his friend."

Emilia frowned, scanning over the living room as it was now coming to her, that most of the stuff the bionic trio brought for themselves and not for Leo. She turned back to the door, hearing Adam gasped at seeing a breakdancing clown walk in.

The auburn haired girl then turned to see Chase smiling in excitement when Shark man and Flipper boy came walking through the door. He smiled at them before greeting. "Welcome Shark man and Flipper Boy! Eee! Eee! Eee!" He placed his hand on his head as he mimicked a dolphin causing a genuine smile to cross Emilia's face, thinking it was the most adorable thing she has ever seen.

"I knew the second I saw you guys something was fishy." Chase punned, causing the two to shake their heads as they walked off. "Oh come on guys, I don't want to make waves."

"Ok I'm gonna get Leo." Emilia announced, rolling her eyes when their attention seemed to be on Glitterhead that had just arrived. She grabbed the present for Leo before making her way down to the lab. She approached the doors just as Eddy popped up on the screen.

"Eddy open the doors." Emilia demanded, a huff leaving her mouth as Eddy denied her request almost immediately. "Nah, sorry can't do it."

She stood there with one arm over her chest while she threatened. "I'll scream." And since he knew about her abilities, the smart home system opened the doors almost instantly so Emilia could walk in before the doors locked behind her.

"Em! What took you so long! What are the guys doing? And I know you're planning a party for me!" Leo gasped, happy to see his friend downstairs with him.

Emilia gave him a small smile. "Sorry Leo, I don't know but I have your present." She apologised before placing the gift box on the table and Leo rushed towards it.

"You didn't have to get me anything." Leo smiled happily at the girl who waved him off. "Of course I did, you're my best friend." She reminded him.

As soon as Leo unraveled the wrapping paper, he gasped in delight to see Emilia had gotten him the latest xbox — with the help of Tasha of course. The Dooley thanked her multiple times and rushed over to pull her into a hug.

"How did you even get this?"

"Well unlike you, I save most of my money." The Hunter girl smirked at her friend who gave her a look. "But also, your mom helped me."

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A few hours later, Leo was filled with anger and betrayal after him and Emilia found out that the bionic siblings were still celebrating Leo's birthday without either of them there.

Emilia turned to her friend who was slumped down on the chair. "I'm sorry Leo. It was your birthday party but I think they just got caught up in everything since they haven't celebrated their own birthday before. But that's still no excuse to forget about not only one but two of their friend's presence."

A small smile crossed Leo's face while he replied to his best friend. "Thank you Em. I'm glad you're here for me."

"And I always will be..." Emilia smiled softly at the boy before adding. "even though you're annoying." She let out a laugh before Leo soon joined in.

Finally having enough, the two teenagers walked over to Eddy's screen and asked him to show them what was happening in the living room — to see that Donald and Tasha have finally returned.

"Speaking of which, where is Leo?" Tasha looked at Adam, Bree and Chase in question. "And Emilia?"

"They're right here." Eddy perked up before he turned his screen off to show the lab to the people in the living room who were met with an angered Leo, glaring at them unlike Emilia who stood behind him, munching on her Doritos.

"Where we've been for the past three hours!!"

Chase widened his eyes, placing his hand on his forehead as Eddy continued. "Yep, just waiting for the signal."

Chase groaned. "Eddy, let them upstairs now."

"All rightie, there's my signal." Eddy said before disappearing off the screen and unlocking the doors so the two teenagers could leave.

Soon, the two teens walked out of the elevator with a slump, looking up as the others yelled out to Leo. "Surprise!"

Emilia slow clapped, while sarcastically telling them. "Wow, great party."

"I thought my first birthday with you guys was gonna be awesome. And you know what? It probably was. But I wouldn't know, because I wasn't invited!" Leo snapped at the group before turning to his best friend. "Come on redhead, let's have some fun of our own. At least you remembered." Emilia gave the guys one last look of disappointment before silently following Leo out the living room.

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The next morning, Emilia was laying upside down on the couch, glancing across to Leo who was eating his cereal with his mother stood in front of him as she said. "Honey, I know your birthday was a bit of a bust, but I think I know what will make it better."

Leo's eyes lightened up. "Playing video games on the new Xbox Em bought me?"

"No. I didn't mean that, although that was a nice gift Emilia got you." Tasha chuckled before she turned to her husband to suggest. "Donald, give him your gift."

At that moment, Donald spat out his drink and accidentally spluttered it onto Emilia who groaned in disgust. "Are you kidding me? That's just gross."

Chase grabbed a washcloth for the girl before walking over to her causing her to flinch at his presence, not knowing he was there because she still had her eyes shut.

"Hang on, let me help you." Chase softly said, placing one hand on Emilia's arm before using the other one to slowly wipe her face, while the others were deep in conversation.

"Thanks." Emilia smiled at the boy who nodded silently as at that moment, he had a fluttering feeling in his stomach. Thankfully, the group grabbed their attention and pulled their eyes away from each other and towards them to see Adam bringing out Donald's gift for Leo who immediately rushed over to it.

The two followed them over with Emilia sharing a strange look with Chase, hearing Leo cackle while Adam opened the lid before their faces dropped at the broken hexacopter. Leo turned to his stepfather, holding up the broken item as Donald tried to defend himself, throwing out his arms with a scoff. "Well, great Leo, you broke it."

Later on, Emilia walked down into the lab to see Donald looking at the others with a raised brow, after catching them stealing his cyber key.

Emilia turned to him before challenging. "I dare you to go into the simulator as one of the ninjas to catch them out."

"Alright." Donald happily accepted the challenge before the two fist bumped each other. Emilia walked over and slumped down on one of the chairs and watched as Donald grabbed one of the goggles and fit into a space on the stage without the others noticing his presence.

She smiled, seeing him start to mimic the ninja moves, laughing at the others who imitated the actions to try and fight him. The teenager turned around to see Tasha walk in, staring at the others in confusion causing her to laugh as the guys were just holding out their arms.

"This place is never gonna stop being weird."

"Amen to that." Emilia chuckled before she soon joined in, helping them to kickbox on Mars.

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