Welcome to Gaia! ::

Niksia nodded at the repetition of her name, it wasn't stumbled over or queried as it could be on occasion. Something about Alex made her relax in degrees and she was glad to meet properly like this. The number of welcoming and open people she'd met via the Lab seemed to grow over time. At the confirmation about familiar faces and the smile Alex gave her, Niksia smiled shyly in return.

The cake that was wheeled in must have caught the eye of nearly everyone in the room. It was huge! Without the warnings the other woman had about its creation, the redhead could only laugh and look shocked at the fact someone had been able to make it. Following Alex to it, she shook her head faintly in surprise.

'I have never seen a cake like that before.' It was a comment anyone could of made, but Niksia took the added step of not getting too close.

Alex immediately started to feed off of Sevilin's nervousness, her smile collapsing a bit as she took an instinctive step back. She practically growled as the singing started, easily lost under the vibration of the harmonious apartment, feeling that sinking pit in her stomach go even further. It's not that she didn't appreciate the party, the well wishes or all the new and familiar faces. It wasn't that at all! It was that it was all under the mastermind of We`rika, or else why would they be in his apartment? It was because he wasn't here yet, and that cake--

--exploded into a We`rika.

She stared. What else is a person supposed to do when a naked shaman wearing nothing but gold foil panties sauntered out of your cake? Part of her wanted to run, part of her wanted to laugh, but the dominant part just stood and stared with wide eyes. It was something like a train-wreck; she couldn't look away. As she thought on it (while trying not to burn the image of cake-We`rika into her brain), Alex was almost impressed that he'd gone through with everything he had for her birthday: knowing the date, gathering a party and getting such an elaborate cake to destroy it for the sake of...whatever the sake was.

Her train of thought popped as the poor man fell out of the cake and onto the floor in a lump of frosting and precious little else. She heard Sevilin next to her, and she couldn't help what followed; her shoulders started to tremble, her lips fought against the curve of her smile before the laughter threatened to start. Alex covered her mouth politely, desperately trying to staunch any laughing as she commented to the watery Frei, "You shoulda cooked it with him inside, Sevvie."

Kneeling down, she gently prodded a mostly frosting-free portion of We`rika's shoulder. "He-ey, tall, dark and frosted in the golden chonies*, you okay?" Inwardly, Alex was begging him not to react. All it would take would be a disgruntled glance or mild cursing and she knew she'd be fit to laugh unto tears.

((Chonies: (Slang) Underwear. Derives from the Spanish word calzones or calzoncillos.))

Just as her legs had begun to grow sore and her hands fidgety, the door swung open and Namini, along with all the other hidden Lab members, jumped out and cried celebratory, "Surprise!" Balloons seemed to explode into rainbow confetti and entrancing music as the birthday girl grew flustered but dawned a lovely, appreciative smile. Namini felt the sides of her mouth pulling into a grin of their own as she slithered out of the closet and took in the other birthday attenders. For a moment, her sapphire eyes caught sight of Isi, struggling behind the couch with a mysterious brown gift tucked beneath his arm and she felt the sudden urge to rush over and help him up, but a vaguely familiar face redirected her focus instead.

"Nao? Namini? Is that you?"

Namini's curls bounced curiously around her face as she nodded instinctively but continued to stare into the other's face. Messy brown hair. Pale skin. Such tired eyes...Who was this girl?!

"H-hi," Namini purred as calmly as she could, hoping to perhaps go with the flow and pretend as if she truly did remember the other girl. The face was fairly recognizable, especially the eyes, but besides that, the brunette did not recognize anything more. "How are---"

Again, her attention was stolen as a bubbly looking Frei pushed a majestic cake forward, embarrassing the birthday girl even more when suddenly a scantly clad man jumped out of it! Feeling her face flare up at the sudden exposure, Namini tightened her hands around Alex's bouquet and card and looked away just in time to miss We'rika's fall. Attempting to continue the conversation like normal, Namini stuttered, "I...H-how are y-you a-again?"

Josh was just about to reply to Chris and wave a pleasant goodbye to Alex. However, he was thwarted by a sudden rumble of chatter aimed at the kitchen. The boy spun on his heels just in time to get an eyeful of gold speedo. He released a groan and doubled over as if he was physically wounded. Who knows... his eyes may have suffered some damage. He knew his mind was scared for life.

The boy straightened up from his pained position and tried to take in the sight of the once glorious cake... rather than the nearly naked man floundering about in its remains. Well, the cake had looked really nice before the impromptu demolition. He had to admit that fact. Though he doubted he would be asking for a slice anytime soon.

Momentarily distracted from his conversation with Aphismet by the humongous cake that was wheeled out, Kyou chimed in on the song along with the crowd. Until that is, when We`rika popped out of the cake. His voice died then and there. And there he was all night wondering where was the dark skinned shaman. He facepalmed and shook his head sadly at We`rika's further embarrassment when he fell out of the cake. He just couldn't bare to look. "Such a waste of a good cake..." he muttered sadly. He was looking forward to tasting it a few seconds before too. Now he just had to settle with the other candies in the kitchen. At least Alex seems to be enjoying We`rika's silly act. He thought as he nibbled on a piece of chocolate with caramel center.

Lazarus had been clapping to the chorus out of politeness and respect, since he don't feel like singing. But his apathetic expression turned into a mock horror when We`rika popped out of the cake. That was definitely unexpected. Like Kyou, he was rendered speechless by the sheer stupidity of the entire situation.

Aphismet's brain had taken a REEEEAAALLY long time to realize that Kyou had asked him if he was going to be participating in the STRIP POKER games. The white-haired chef finally giggled and was about to answer when a huge chocolate cake was wheeled out by Sev. Wow, who made THAT? it was HUGE!

The Happy Birthday song began then and Aphi joined in happily, bobbing in place and grinning widely. Suddenly there was some kind of commotion and Werika was standing IN the cake, wearing golden panties. Aphismet startled himself into silence, squeaking the last few notes awkwardly. Wh-what the hell?!

"Well, I'm not eating THAT cake now," Aphi commented when Werika slid out, falling on his face. "Ew. ...And erm, I guess I might play poker."

Rivener had been about to look at his cards when the cake made its appearance. Good, thought Riv, cause my cards SUCK again. The Scorpion began singing, and while Laz wasn't looking Riv sneakily took the deck of cards and delt himself a better hand, a Full House. Grinning, he put the deck back where it was, and later he'd show Laz his winning hand. Heh.

"WHA!" Riv yelped in disgusted surprise as Werika popped out of the cake. "OH, god, that's just not right!" He made a face, sticking his tongue out. A moment later Sev came zooming towards him, whining his name and hiding behind Riv's back. The dark Frei was about to protest being used as a shield, but instead he just sighed and shrugged. He'd want to hide too, if Aphi pulled a stunt like that. Riv spread his wings a little, to give Sevilin better hiding space. "Jeez," Riv sighed, frowning at Werika. "Tasteless."