The story begins in the middle of bustling Yumport - We begin on a cityscape of the tops of skyscrapers, slowly making our way down into the heart of the city. We pass pigeons, radio antennae, laundry lines, and, finally, we focus on a modest yellow building, clearly worn and dilapidated, but bursting with heart. We fly into the building, past the pies and cakes displayed in the windows, past the room of empty dining tables, past the cheery but empty bar area, and straight into a dispersing cloud of flour to reveal...Basil Von Rutabaga! He is currently hard at work, stretching pastry dough over a pie pan. He glances up to a corkboard with various overdue bills printed bright and pink pinned to it. Basil frowns and continues to knead the dough. The tiny bell above the door sounds and Basil looks up, surprised to hear a customer. There stands Glouster Fry, world-renowned chef! Basil all but trips over himself in his haste to greet such a prestigious guest. As he wipes his hands on a towel, Fry surveys the bakery. He seems to not notice the younger chef, at first, and when his eyes land on him, his gaze is guarded and suspicious. Finally, with one great sniff of disdain, Fry manages to reach his hand towards Basil in greeting.
"Hello. I'm Glouster Fry," he says.
"Yes, hello, pleasure to meet you - have you - um...I'm Basil. Von Rutabaga. Basil Von Rutabaga," Basil stammers, as he grasps Fry's hand.
"Yes, I know who you are," Fry cuts in. "The Devious Desserts Competition board has been...abuzz...with news of the up-and-comer, Von Rutabaga. Tell me, are you attending the competition this year? It's in Bintaneo, you know."
Basil looks down and shoves his hands into his pockets. "No, I'm afraid not. I've sent in my application...the fee was so high! But no word." Basil looks around his ramshackle shop, seeing what the great Glouster Fry must see in its modest decor. "A shame, though. The winnings really could have fixed this place up..."
"Yes, how awful," cooes Fry, as though it really weren't. "I'll be going now." As he turns to the door he stops abruptly and glances over his shoulder. "Here," he said.
Basil fumbles to catch the parcel. He turns the box over in his hands to reveal the signature logo of Glouster Fry Incorporated Frozen Desserts and the picture of Glouster himself in the corner, endorsing the reheatable cream puffs depicted on the front.
"For luck," Fry says, then the tiny bell once again chimes his departure.
Basil stares after him. Just then, the back door flies open with a slam and Basil's charmingly hapless assistant chef, Lavender Drupe, barrels into the dining commons, flushed and out of breath. She has an official-looking envelope clutched tightly in her tiny fist.
"Basil!" Lavender shouts, impatiently harumphing a stray curl off her face. "Basil! Look! Look at this!"
Basil takes the envelope in one hand and turns it over. His eyes go wide as he recognizes the seal of the Devious Desserts Competition Board, a red wax circle with an indentation of a dipped strawberry. He promptly drops the box of frozen cream puffs in his excitement.
"Lavender! Do you know what this means?!" Basil picks her up and begins to dance around the dining room. "We have a shot, Lavender! We have a real chance!"
He sets her down and she flounders for a second or two, regaining equilibrium. "I've already told Mrs. Von Rutabaga. She's packing a bag for you, then it's to the port and off to Bintaneo!" She runs out the front door with a hoot of excited laughter. Basil follows, turning to give his home one last glance. He stoops to retrieve the frozen dessert and flips the sign from OPEN to CLOSED, locks the door, and makes his way down the street to the port.
***
Basil and Lavender arrive in Bintaneo and stand on the pier, completely gobsmacked by the beauty of the city. Cafes and bistros lines the cobblestone streets and little strings of lights criss-cross overhead. They dart in and out of the busy streets, Lavender often distracted by shop windows and women in giant hats. They finally find their way to a giant banner with the words "Devious Desserts Competition Sign In". As they walk towards the banner, Basil sees a man on a ladder untying the top corner.
"What's going on?" Basil asks.
"The competition is canceled, young man!" A portly man in a three-piece suit appears, one hand on his lapel, the other holding a business portfolio.
"Cancelled?!" Basil exclaims. He looks to Lavender, who seems to be on the verge of tears, her giant doe-eyes filling to the brim. Basil turns his attention back to the small man. "Why?"
"It seems that the main competitors have gone missing," he explains. "Ginger Boysen, Caraway Lingum...Every one of them! Every city! Even Taragon Clove of New Cardinal!"
"Missing?" Bail repeats. The little man nods emphatically.
"I'm sorry you've come all this way, but I'm afraid we're just closing up shop."
"No! You can't!" Lavender cries.
"There's nothing we can do, miss. No chefs, no competition."
"We'll find them!" Basil bursts out.
The man looks flustered and surprised. "H-how?" He asks.
"We'll...search for clues!" Basil clearly grasps for straws of ideas.
"Well, I suppose it can't hurt," the man sighs. "I'm the competition director, Parsley Risotto. Let me lead you to Ginger and Caraway's kitchen. Maybe it will prove useful in your search."
...and the hunt, my friends, is on.
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