[center]The Cake shop[/center]
[center][IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/qn4bpw.jpg[/IMG][/center]

[b]“Me, I think I’m gonna stick with the cake. This is… good, Mr. Cuddles. Ith realth goodth.”[/b]

The bear let out a hearty laugh before he puffed out his chest in pride. "I'll assure you, I'm the best cakesmith Nowhere's square has ever seen." He beamed at Vincent. Mr. Cuddles always felt giddy with joy whenever people enjoyed his desserts, and whenever he saw them eating happily, he felt like he was on cloud nine. "If you like Vincent I could send you off with a batch of my best tarts, maybe a few of my chocolate rolls. I make more than enough, so what's a few treats to help the four of you on your quest. What do you say, would the three of you not mind some extra luggage?"

"Mr. Cuddles...you have to be kidding. Your desserts are to die for, I wouldn't mind carrying a cart-full of your cake." Riley walked out of the kitchen with the pie in one hand and the axe in the other. "Thanks Inadi," oddly, Mr. Cuddles' axe was really light, but eh, Nowhere was a strange a place.

The bear blushed. "Ho ho, you humans love to flatter, don't you? And ugh, the boy is still working?"

Riley nodded as she placed the pie in front of Lesley and grinned rather deviously. "Watch your hands, boys." The girl brought the axe down, cutting not just the pie, but the pie tray and a part of the table. "Oh...oops" she left the Axe in front of Lesley and scrambled to sit on the couch, both hands folded on her lap. The girl was rather good at feigning innocence. Poor, poor Lesley.

[b] "I'd love to join boss but I'm afraid there are still some orders we have to take care of. I have to check to see how the angel loaf is doing in oven number two and after that I still have to prepare the dough for those tarts. The customer is supposed to be coming in for them in about..."[/b]

Mr. Cuddles let out a sigh and marched towards the kitchen. The bear was almost eight feet tall so lifting Inadi off the ground by his shoulders was quite an easy task. "You listen here, Inadi." His voice was now stern. "A family that stays together eats together so goshdarnit, you are eating cake with the rest of us." He marched out of the kitchen with Inadi in hand and plopped him down on the free chair between Vince and Lesley. "I don't want you working yourself to death, boy, and you're leaving today so at least relax." He dusted some of the flour off of Inadi's shirt before he started to get emotional.

"You okay, Mr. Cuddles?" The girl asked from her spot on the couch.

The giant grizzly let sniffled. "Oh...I'm going to miss you dearly." He pulled Inadi into a very tight hug before giving the lad a pat on the head. "I appreciate everything you've done, but you must be with your own kind now!" He placed an arm over Vince's and Lesley's shoulders before pulling them into a fluffy embrace. "Promise me you'll watch over my little assistant, he's not the bravest person out there and oh...I feel worried." The unfolding drama was a little bit awkward but Riley was spared from the hugs and snickered at her fellow human's discomfort and at Mr. Cuddle's crushing display of affection.

Riley reached for the bowl of chocolates as Mr. Cuddles pulled the three boys into a hug.

"Don't worry about me though, I won't be alone! In no time Mrs. Panda will find me irresistible." And after that he began telling them all about the Panda bear who ran an ice cream parlor in the south side of Nowhere. He launched into a tale of how pretty she was and how he was trying to win her heart with his pastries.

Just outside the window, a cloaked figure stared, took one last, long look then walked away.

Riley waved then returned to the hilarious soap opera that was unfolding in front of her.