text: In a small town called Fairwalk there is a mom and pop shop on Sunshine street called the Mary Sue Cupcake Factory. The owner, a young widow by the name of Mary Sue Meadow lives on the top floor of the store. She lives up there, all alone in a tiny apartment with the bare amenities. She is the sweetest little thing that you’ve ever crossed paths with, to everyone. Her baking is even sweeter than she is. Her shop reflects this, in its pastels of pink and green and blue, the whole building decorated and patterned off of a strawberry cupcake, complete with sprinkles and a giant plastic cherry on the roof. It looks so good that on a less sane day you might consider taking a bite out of the brick and mortar, but you don’t of course because that is ridiculous. The delectable aroma doesn’t help our case either, the scent of sugar and fruit, chocolate, caramel, and every good thing that could ever go into a dessert is so thick in the air that you can taste it from the other end of the town. It’s so enticing, the icing and frosting that she does daily from behind a display window in her shop being a free show to any lucky passersby. Then there is what happens when you actually taste Mary Sue’s delicacies. I swear the first time I took a bite I died right there and then, by soul being wrenched away and transported to heaven. Mary Sue’s cupcakes saved this town. You see, there used to be three feuding families that lived here, all of them big and important. One was the Butchersons, they were in charge of any and all meat that was brought, sold or otherwise kept in the town. They were fighting with the Millers, they ran anything to do with machines. And I mean any machine, even the Butcherson’s tools came from them, and of course they thought this made them indispensable and they were quick to remind anybody that passed by. Lastly, the Cointrees. They handled commerce. All three of them vying for power and it got ugly. Then one day, Mary Sue showed up. She just set up shop in the middle of the town square and started baking. It wasn’t long before the families noticed. She hadn’t even consulted them about it, so they all went down there in a fuss, but they didn’t scare Mary Sue. She just ignored them all while she put the finishing touches on her first cupcakes. I think it was chocolate with coconut cream... Anyway, they all took a bite and then suddenly their fight didn’t seem so important anymore. Course, they all went and wanted the recipes, but Mary Sue wasn’t budging. Before any more ruckus could start she decided to put them all to work for her, swearing them to secrecy and the town was saved. Nobody ever did see any of the big three so much as walk the streets again. Then there was the school house opening, she gave out free cupcakes to every boy and girl in the school. Everything was much calmer and quieter after that, these magic cupcakes can even calm down and fix the behavior of children, imagine that. Then farmers moved in and started bringing their families into town to buy supplies, and of course there was Mary Sue, handing out samples of her delicious cupcakes, always new flavours to try. I haven’t seen a farmer in years though. Oh but I’m rambling on again, here why don’t we both head down and get ourselves some cupcakes? What do you mean, you don’t want to? It would be simply rude to come to town and not try one, I insist. My treat, if that’s what you’re worried about. I’m sure she’ll have a flavour that you’ll like, I think she said something about trying out cherry today, something to cheer up old man Wentsky, his dog went missing yesterday.