Homeville

[:D]

*Moseys in*

*Sets a huge punch bowl filled with glowing green liquid next to the cake, then exits stage left*

*Returns with a tall stack of cups and a large ladle, arranging them around the punch bowl*

*Hand-prints the word "ANTIDOTE" in large block letters on a piece of paper, then tapes it to the bowl*

Well, I think that about covers it...

Who's feeling lucky... er... recklessly hungr... er... ready for some cake?

(Here's wishing Aja a very happy birthday, and many happy returns of the day!)

[Saint Cy]

... Did I hear something in here just now?

Happy birthday Aja! Best wishes!

That's quite an amazing looking cake! Here, I brought some more special tea.

[Aja]

Thank you, guys!

*hugs :D and Cy*

*glances up as the 2021 Shadowcake rends it way through the fabric of time and space*

...

*watches as the cake settles itself demurely onto the newly materialized cake stand*

...

*notes that the cake appears to be subtly expanding and contracting -- and/or rhythmically warping reality around itself -- almost as if breathing*

*furthermore, its candles have a certain sentient twinkle to them as they orient in the direction of any nearby movement*

*also, the frosted eldritch tendrils are still visibly undulating*

...

Um.

I'm sorry, Shadow, but I don't think I can eat this.

It's...

It's just...

TOO CUTE.

*pats the side of the cake, which flails its tendrils and makes a sound like PRRRRGHLFHTAGN*

D'awww.
_________________
"The one concession a sane man will never yield the universe is that of considering it seriously."
~ James Branch Cabell

[Tulsileaf]

Sorry I'm late.

Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday, Aja!

I brought cake.
_________________
Use your powers for gazpacho.
Donate and earn the right to say, "Tulsileaf exists thanks to me!"

[Saint Cy]

Happy birthday Aja! Best wishes for the new year!

[Aja]

Thank you for the great wishes (and cake)! There's a lot of work to do this year, but also a lot to look forward to.

*serves slices of cake to Cy and Tulsi*

*also feeds one to the 2021 Shadowcake*

Who's a good boy~

RLLLYAGHLR*mew*FHTAGN

That's right~
_________________
"The one concession a sane man will never yield the universe is that of considering it seriously."
~ James Branch Cabell

[Shadowstorm]

**From within the depths of last year's birthday cake, amidst the noise loud chewing, growling, and demonic chanting, a familiar voice is heard, as if coming from a radio**

"Ah...hello? Testing, testing...if you're hearing this, then I fear the worst has happened. I really didn't mean to cause the total erosion of the laws of physics, but let me preface this lengthy explanation with the most classic of excuses; "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

You see, from my...uh, voluntary exile here at an unidentifiable point in space and beyond time, I was able to catch a glimpse of...well, what you call the future. and I found out, to my horror, that someone else would beat me to creating a cake for Aja's birthday. A feat that I figured would be impossible in this impossible place, where I could spend the equivalent of centuries on a cake and still send it in on time. So, not wanting to be outdone, I decided to go for quality over punctuality. I labored to create the best birthday cake for her that there ever was, and ever would be.

To my delight...but eventually to my (and everyone else's) horror, I succeeded. The tearing at the fabric of reality should have been a red flag, but I dismissed it as a simple localized distortion of space as with most of my cakes. And when I sent it to the birthday party...my hubris has damned you all. And the efforts to which I have gone to right this unforgivable wrong have all failed. And so, I can only offer my deepest and most heartfelt apologies to you all, the people of the year 2043, and....wait a minute, this is a CHOCOLATE cake...that means...

Uh, false alarm! You can ignore....most of that. Happy belated Birthday 2022 Aja! I hope your day went well, and I hope this year goes well for you too. Sorry about the cake this year, you...MIGHT get it in about 21 years...if you do, bring sprinkles. For the good of the universe."

**The 2021 cake coughs up a shaker of sprinkles, and the radio**
_________________
"Can it be that those in power are on the verge of repeating a senseless and deadly mistake?"~Final Fantasy VI

[Aja]

Thanks for the heads-up, Shadow!

*sets a reminder on Cthuugle Calendar for 2043*

*tucks the sprinkles safely into a pocket dimension*

Hope you're also doing okay there... er... wherever "there" is.

*no response from the radio*

Hmmm...

*tries adjusting the knobs*

*the radio starts playing smooth jazz*

...Nice.
_________________
"The one concession a sane man will never yield the universe is that of considering it seriously."
~ James Branch Cabell