[Silver]

Every year it came around, and every time she found herself unaware of what she should be doing. Her friends tried to make her birthday special for her, but mostly she just felt uncomfortable being put on the spot like that. Nonetheless, she wanted to show them that she appreciated their kindness, so she went out to the marketplace in the hopes of finding them something nice.

The Birthday Boutique. What a strange shop. They only let you in if it was near your birthday. Normally, she walked past it without a second thought, but it occurred to her that the timing was perfect for her to go in and take a peak. She cautiously went into the store and went up to the counter. "My birthday was yesterday," she explained. "Is it still okay if I look around?"

Nian Kuhna
Russet Batti
Stranger Leplora
Guardian Hollowheart

[Delivered]

[zapdragon555]

Kai was busy, so very busy, and it seemed incredibly ludicrous that he had to run these errands at what was probably the busiest time of the year. Of course, the nature of his busy-ness had nothing to do with the holiday season, at least not directly. But the air seemed to crackle with natural magic this time of year, in a quieter, safer tune than the chaotic tendrils of autumntime. As a result, a lot more people found their way to the lab to seek their awakenings.

And yet here he was buying a Christmas gift. Kai sighed and rubbed between his eyes, exhausted. He... wasn't good at this. What kind of gift would Cwtch even like...? He was probably the type to laugh it away and say, 'Oh, wow! You didn't have to get me anything! This is wonderful!' even if the gift was a paperclip and a piece of string.

Kai felt a warmth stir in his chest for the odd man, and smiled, shaking his head to clear it as he walked into the store. That was just it--he didn't need to be nervous. Cwtch would love whatever he got... and if he didn't, they'd have a friendly laugh about it together. Kai found himself laughing easier and easier these days... what a strange thing it all was.

"H-hello," he said, after clearing his throat, once he'd reached the counter. "I'll... oh, maker... let me see..." he mumbled, furrowing his brow as he perused the gift items on display.

1 Nian Kuhna
1 Guardian Hollowheart
1 Annotated Barghest
1 Spirited Evergreen

[Delivered]

[ToxxicRenegadeAngel]

It had been about a year since he'd seen the nice lady who gave him biscuits for running errands, but Timothy was glad to see her - he had been wondering what had happened, and why she too had left him all alone.

For his trouble this time, he had been given a hot cup of soup from a stall, as well as the usual few biscuits,  but the lady had remarked on how bitter the cold was this winter, and he supposed she had noticed how his ribs jutted - without her errands, it had been a very lean year.

He slunk into the fancy shop, grateful for the warmth though he knew he was only here for a little while, and placed the lady's note on the desk before sitting down to wait.

One of each of the following, please, to be given to the young kuhna for delivery:

- Nian Kuhna
- Annotated Barghest
- Ornate Leawolf
- Stranger Leplora

With sincerest thanks, and warmest wishes for the winter season!

[Delivered]

[SpringsSong]

"This is a peculiar custom," Lana remarked, looking at the various wares around the store as she walked in.

"It is, but it's an interesting one," Xyshari said, looking around at their offerings. "Now, do you have that list that that strange three-tailed wolf with the dragon form gave us?"

"I do," Lana said, pulling it out. "I do suppose she would know best what she wants for her own birthday."

"...I was meaning the black one with the blue rings," Xyshari said.

"Oh? The one who gave this to me was green with purple feathered wings," Lana said.

"...oh well," Xyshari said. She looked to the counter, and placed the note down on it. "Excuse me, but could we get the items on this list delivered to this person, SpringsSong? It's her birthday."

- One Grab Bag
- One Elysian Leawolf
- One Dark Crystal Garagnir
- One Champion Battleheart

[Delivered]
[Grab Bag contents; Specimen Jar, Spring Tulip]

[FrostWynd]

Late? Who said she was late? Elizabeth wasn't late about picking up her gifts! She was just... just...

Okay, so maybe she had been late after all. Very much so. But in all honesty, there was just no getting around it. Her birthday had come and gone earlier this month in a flash, things started getting busy, then she hadn't been feeling too well not long after, and her life had only gotten busier...

It had been hectic enough that she was just getting a headache thinking about it again.

But she was here now! And that was what definitely mattered when she made her way to the boutique. Upon catching sight of the girl managing this establishment, she offered them a friendly smile. "Hello! Could I by any chance get a Nian Kuhna? Oh, and the Elysian Leawolf, Eldertree Evergreen, and Dark Crystal Garagnir as well, please!"

[Delivered]

[Adelie]

Birthdays, eh? That's one of those human things I've never really gotten the hang of. Imagine celebrating the passage of a mere year. Or, actually - imagine being born.

Sounds pretty lame to me.

But apparently having a birthday is some prerequisite to getting free stuff, and I can't say I've ever disliked free stuff. I mean, it's only basic courtesy that I, as the benevolent overlord of these people, should accept their supplications and offerings - and of course, it's only natural that people would be so awed by my magnificence and majesty that they'd to give me something for my oh-so-important birthday. Whatever that's supposed to mean.

- One Grab Bag
- One Eldertree Evergreen
- One Dark Crystal Garagnir
- One Champion Battleheart

[Delivered]
[Grab Bag contents; Specimen Jar]

[amapup]

A thunk. Then another thunk, as the Velix banged it's  head on the glass door to get the shopkeeper's attention. Boxes of gloves and masks hung from the robot's horns, cleaning wipes were gripped in it's mouth, and a large bottle of disinfectant spray was wrapped in it's tail. BBPR waited patiently as Briht came to open the door.

[GREETINGS ...BRIHT] it beeped, voice box unhindered by the obstruction. [DO YOU REQUIRE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT FOR YOURSELF OR YOUR SHOP?]

BBPR inclined it's head slightly, inviting Briht to take any supplies that she needed. After a moment it spoke again. [I ALSO HAVE A DELIVERY ORDER TO PLACE.]

A whirring began as the printer in it's stomach dispensed a piece of paper.

Elysian Leawolf
Eldertree Evergreen
Kingdom Grondalith
Grab Bag

Redeeming Livestream Ticket for Lunar Matches

[MESSAGE OF THANKS AND SAFE WISHES.]

BBPR spritzed the door handle before leaving.

[Delivered]
[Grab bag results; Kuhna Nip, Specimen Jar]

[Kylo]

The small man entered the building wear a full gas mask and gloves. He looked like something from a horror movie gone wrong, all that was missing was a chainsaw and gore splattered clothing. He approaches the counter and pulls out a slip of paper with a list on it before sliding it across the counter towards the person behind it.

"I require these things." He says, his voice tinny from behind the mask. "I'll wait here for them." He then goes and takes a seat on a near by chair and watches the person behind the counter. Creepy.

Turning in:
Crows' cake slice for Annotated Barghest
Redd's cake slice for Russet Batti
Livestream ticket for Nightblood Draculi
Cnadycane for the year 2007

[Delivered]
[Candycane Redemption; Rejection Kuhna]

[Jaykobell]

They kept meaning to come here. It would have been nice to visit on the actual day of, but thanks to a busy day and a sudden nap on the couch, well, the date had already rolled over. That was fine, though. At least they could still claim their birthday gifts. It was bad enough that they had forgotten for at least two years before. They ought to stop always putting off coming, but procrastination always found a way.

But they were here now, and they could claim their gifts. "Hi," they greeted, looking a little unsure. "Uh, I'd like to claim some stuff, it was my birthday yesterday. Can I have... an Elysian Leawolf, an Eldertree Evergreen, a Dark Crystal Garagnir, and a Nian Kuhna?"

[Delivered]

[Indigo]

Well. This was rather awkward.

Thracea had never been to this place before, and generally she preferred to ignore it; she had always believed that excessive celebration of one's birthday was a little gauche. She would not have come this way at all if not for an unsettling object that had turned up in the Dead Letter Office at the nearby BCC depot. Some kind of...bag of tails? Maybe? Hopefully not? But that was what it looked like, and she wasn't in the habit of opening other people's mail, given the nature of her business and ethics and so forth.

Anyway, whatever it was, it belonged here, at least according to the label. She'd been checking up on the depot anyway, so she might as well run this small errand.

"Good morning." It came out overly stiff, but she made no attempt to correct it. Too late now. "I'd like to turn in this Bag of Kuhnanip." She dropped it on the counter and snatched her paws back from it as quickly as possible, in case there really was something unpleasant in there.

[Kuhna Nip redeemed for Grasis Kuhna]

[Jaden Wolf]

Kylie slipped in through the door, appearing to be in something of a rush. The girl didn't really look around the shop, despite her usual level of curiosity in a new place. She dashed to the front, weaving around people in the manner that only children can.

When she reached the desk, she slapped down an envelope with something in it and a note attached. Without saying a word or waiting for acknowledgement, she spun on her heel and took off towards the door. That...was bizarre. What was she rushing for, anyway?

The note she left behind read:

Redeeming:
1 Plastic Candycane for a 2007 pet

[Plastic Candycane redeemed for Corbine]

[Lilith Michaelis]

The door to the boutique swung open harshly, the bell clanging as a tall figure roughly strided in . Fur covered the collar of his coat and continued partway down the back. The same fur adorned his cuffs. Approuching the counter, he roughly searched his pockets and tossed a bag of coin and a slightly crumpled note on to the counter with a grunt. "Don't remember if all this costs money 'r not. Here t'pick up some stuff f'a friend. Belated birthday. "

Elysian Leawolf
Champion Battleheart
Dark Crystal Garagnir
Grab Bag

[Delivered]
[Grab bag results; Spring Tulip, Silverin's Birthday Cake]

[Indigo]

Zarya was jumping the gun a little, she knew, by coming here on the first, but there was so much to do at home these days, it seemed best to get it out of the way. Besides, it was a nice break from sitting inside filling out paperwork and squinting at blurry pictures of birds trying to identify them.

"Hello!" she said. "I'd like a grab bag, an Elysian Leawolf, a Gentle Sahound, and a Seegerwockee, please."

[Delivered]
[Grab bag results; Witch's Amulet]

[Jaden Wolf]

Velvet literally had nothing better to do. She never had anything better to do, these days. Maybe her brother was right and she ought to join some chess club or something. Honestly, even if it did turn out to just be a bunch of old people, at least she'd make friends. Old people friends are still friends.

Back on task. The young woman strode up to the desk. "Hi, I'm here for Jaden's birthday selection," she said blandly. Even with nothing better to do, a chore is a chore. She handed over the folded up piece of paper given to her. She was told that was all she needed to do, so she supposed she could just...go back home now.

Ordering:
1 Nian Kuhna
1 Elysian Leawolf
1 Eldertree Evergreen
1 Kingdom Grondalith

[Delivered]

[Freezair]

Homer had spent a lot of time pondering over the question of birthdays. What was the point of celebrating birthdays? Well, that was obvious--it was to celebrate being alive, and living another year. Growing older, wiser, and simply enjoying another year of being onesself. So a birthday is a celebration of being yourself? Yes, that was a good way to look at it.

So what is my birthday? The day I became alive, or the day I became aware?

Homer was never truly satisfied with their answer to this question. But they did decide one thing: It was not the day itself so much that was important, but the celebration.

So it was that they came to the Birthday Boutique to indulge in presents. "Hello, yes. Let's see... the preferred greeting in this situation is... ah. I would please like a Nian Rattegan. As well, I will take a Dark Crystal Garagnir, an Eldtree Evergreen, and a Champion Battleheart."

[Delivered]