The cake tasting was…interesting. There was the usual stuff, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, even a few out there choices like lemon. But Bakery had apparently taken the stylishness challenge to heart, because there were more than a few unique options too. Fish, beef, spicy pickled cabbage.

I had a bite of a lobster pate cake that was surprisingly good with scallion cream cheese, though the raspberry pistachio goulash cheesecake was a close second. “None of this should be edible.” I said as I chowed down on a cheddar macadamia white chocolate bundt cake with a chicken stock glaze. “It’s weird that it is. But the flavors are weirdly modulated so they set each other off instead of clashing.”

“The turkey rhubarb isn’t half bad.” Said Callie consideringly. “But I think you’re right. It’s just exceptional cooking Skill balancing it out.”

I bit into a caramel carrot cheesecake, enjoying the flavor. “But it’s not enough. The actual dessert type cakes are still much better. No need to balance, it’s just leaning into the harmony of the flavors head on.”

“He’s right.” Said my sister. “Hate to say it, because that shrimp and onion butterscotch cream cake was definitely on my short list, but I think going for something edgy is going to deprive you of the cake that will serve you best.” She held up a fork to my fiancee. “Which, in my opinion, is this.”

Callie took a sip of milk to cleanse her palate, then took the bite from Chelsea, and her eyes went wide. “This…this is amazing. What is this?”

“Brown butter pecan poundcake with a bacon caramel cream cheese frosting.” My sister said smugly. “The bacon isn’t as out there as it sounds. It stops the sweetness from overpowering the taste. Here, try it.” She passed me the plate, and I took a big bite, closing my eyes and groaning in exultation.

It was amazing. The poundcake was soft and fluffy, but still dense, the butter was blended into the taste, with the pecans exploding across my tongue like starbursts during a delicious meteor shower, and the bacon caramel frosting was creamy, but with a slight bacon tang that pulled the cake back JUST before it dove off the edge of decadence.

“This one.” Calle and I said as she grabbed another plate with the same cake on it and took a bite.

My sister grinned smugly. “Obviously.” She said with a lofty tone that she barely pulled off without bursting into laughter. “My taste is flawless and impeccable, you know. Speaking of which…the bridesmaids dresses.”

Callie shook her head. “I know we were going to use the ones we picked out shopping on the Tricorn, but then my mom wouldn’t have one. I didn’t know she was pregnant, so the fitting is going to be useless. I’m afraid you’ll have to make do.”

“But they were so pretty.” Whined my sister. “And the new ones are so…” She trailed off as Callie raised a brow. “Also pretty.” She finished lamely. “In a different way. A worse way. I’m sorry, but orange silk? They look like they’re made of pumpkin.”

My fiancee shrugged. “Orange goes well with my black dress. Most of the wedding is black, but we needed a color for a power accent.”

“This is ok with you?” My sister demanded. “You realize you’ll be wearing an orange silk vest and tie with your tux, right? You can talk her out of this. We don’t need an accent color,it can be monochrome.”

Callie flicked an amused glance at my sister’s black and white hair. “Really? Because that color scheme definitely doesn’t favor anyone.”

“I didn’t INVENT monochrome.” Said my sister in exasperation. “It’s a noted style choice. It just so happens to work with my hair but…oh my gods, you won’t do it because you don’t want me to steal your thunder.”

“I am APPALLED that you think so little of me.” Callie gasped in offense. “I would never do something like that. Now you’ll wear your ugly dress and stand in the background so I look pretty on my wedding day and you’ll like it.” She winked to show she was teasing and we all burst out laughing, even Chelsea.

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Callie wasn’t a petty person. I was sure the dresses looked fine, Bethy would be wearing one, and I wouldn’t want to be the one to try to convince Bethy to wear an ugly bridesmaids dress.

“How about you?” My sister asked smugly. “You going to get your groomsmen outfitted in time?”

I shrugged. “Suits, ties, vests.” I said with a lazy wave. “Easy as cake. And speaking of-”

My fiancee cut me off. “No.” She said bluntly. “We’re not bringing any of these home. We’d both gorge ourselves and be sick of cake by the wedding day. I’d like to take some back too. That ravioli spinach layer cake with alfredo frosting was delicious, and would make a fantastic dinner.”

I sighed, but she was right. “Fair enough. Maybe we can grab one to go after the wedding.” I held up a hand, calling over one of the attendants. “Hey, we picked the one we want.” I gestured to the poundcake.

“We’ll take a thirteen layer, and we want the custom topper. Use our faces, but we’ll send you the outfit details.” Callie said excitedly.

The woman from the shop, whose name tag said Amelie, smiled. “A wonderful choice Madame. I’m quite fond of that one myself.” She winked. “I taste test for Bakery when she tries new recipes, so I’ve tried almost everything.”

“Dream job.” Groaned Felicity, who hadn’t spoken through the whole conversation. Turning to look at her as she talked, I realized WHY. All the plates within arms reach were clear, and my cousin (easiest way to think of her in my mind) was greedily glancing at the other plates around us, as if ready to pounce across the table.

Chelsea raised a brow. “Liss?” She said hesitantly. “When was the last time you had sugar?”

“I never eat sugar.” Said Felicity, eyes darting around. “I never needed sweet food. Da- my father said it was an indulgence. And since I’ve come to live with you I mostly take my own meals in my rooms.”

My sister reached over and gently uncurled the girl’s hands from the fork. “Why don’t we just take that away.” She said slowly as she pried away the eating utensil which was being held point down in a fist like a murder weapon. “You guys can clear the plates.” She said as the attendants approached warily. “Liss, why don’t we go to lunch and get something a bit more filling for you to eat.”

I wasn’t sure if a C-ranker could GET a sugar rush, though if it was possible, Bakery would probably be the one to make it happen, at least on this planet. More reasonably, it was probably just excitement at trying something new and an inability to deal with positive emotions, since she was only starting to feel them.

She pouted a bit (albeit subtly, I was getting used to her dim expressions, and my Perception helped me recognize what she was feeling) and the rest of us chuckled. After we convinced her, I noticed a small smile quirking her lips, and became convinced she was messing with us a bit, too. I didn’t mind. She hadn’t been able to mess with anyone for most of her life, a little teasing was to be expected.

After we left the details of the cake with Bakery, we moved on. Callie had memorized the layout of the town, and led us effortlessly through the streets until we stopped at an unassuming looking shop.

Pushing the door open, we were greeted by the heavy scent of paper and ink. I froze as I took in the neat, handwritten sign behind the counter.

“The SCARLET SCRIBE!” I hissed at my fiancee. “I thought he was dead!”

A chuckle rang out from behind the counter. A tall, thin man with a monocle and a well trimmed mustache smiled genteely at me. “You were meant to. That’s why it’s called retirement. Welcome to the Scarlet Scribe’s Seamless Stenograph. Did you call ahead?”

“We did.” Callie answered, talking over me. “The Wyndham-Reynolds wedding. I commissioned you for the invitations?”

“Ah yes.” He said with a nod. “I got your requests. I have a few samples for you to choose from before I begin the final product. I was led to understand that these are collectible invitations? Meant to be given to the guests as mementos?”

I hadn’t been aware of that, but it made sense. Why else would we be coming to talk about invitations after everyone was already invited. I could see the reasoning too. Invitations would be a good gift for the guests too. Cheaper than most things but also personalized. Callie nodded enthusiastically. “That’s the one. What do you have for me?”

Nodding slowly, the Scarlet Scribe (a particularly terrifying Rajak villain I’d heard about during my early days in the city who wrote notes in the blood of his enemies) withdrew a box from behind the counter and began laying out a variety of cardstock invitations.

I had to admit, there were some really interesting ones. Some beautiful night sky designs with glittering silver stars, a couple of deep forest scenes (which we both immediately nixed) and finally settled on the last one. The image was of a beautiful sunset, with a dark sky and shining stars overhead spelling out the invitee’s name.

The sunset incorporated the black and orange that Callie wanted to use as the wedding theme, and we had all the details ironed out within about ten minutes, after which we set out again for that lunch we’d promised Felicity.

As we were walking though, I felt a strange sensation. I stopped, scanning the road around us, looking between buildings and across rooftops. I flicked on Eye of Revelation scanning between trees and in shadows, searching for…something. Callie looked at me worriedly. “What’s wrong?” She asked, trying to see what I was seeing.

Which was nothing, until…I caught a flash of movement, my eyes flicked over to the spot on my periphery but nothing was there. I blurred forward, triggering State of Grace, and was across the intervening distance in a second. When I arrived nothing was there, but I was already on the trail. Eye of Revelation caught some disturbances in the grass and I was off.

Felicity was alerted, but the thing was E-rank, based on my brief glimpse of…whatever it was. Callie and Chelsea and I were on it though, and I kicked on Mephisto’s Waltz, pushing myself as fast as I could, but the thing was smart. It kept changing directions and I was going so fast I needed to double back.

Finally, we reached the edge of the city, and we hit the icy cliffs surrounding Wintervale at speed. I triggered Ripple Running and went straight up the side, emerging out into a howling blizzard I hadn’t even noticed from inside the valley. Off in the snow, I caught one last glimpse of a lumbering form with icy white fur before it vanished.

Callie saw it for a second as she arrived, but didn’t get a good look, and Chelsea was barely able to see the outline based on her timing, but she DID spot it. “What the actual fuck is that?” She said in horror as it vanished into the sleet.

“Well.” I said grimly. “Been a year or two since I’ve seen one, but they’re hard to forget. If I’m not mistaken, that was a Wendigo.” In the distance, an unearthly keening howl rose above the wind and snow, and within moments another dozen of the same cries rebounded off the air around us. “Nevermind.” I grimaced. “My mistake. WendiGOS.” I turned and headed back to the valley. I wasn’t letting those things ruin my wedding. We needed to put together a hunting party.