The Real Mansion Madeleine

Tree's a Crowd

The bus door opened to reveal Wildberry Cookie, who was sitting at the driver's seat with a deadpan expression.

Mala turned to enter the bus, hopping on the steps, "Out in the Dragon's Valley, we don't need maps since everything's right there!"

"Uh-huh," Herb also boarded the bus, his hand gliding along the safety rail as he shared a look with the driver.

The two of them picked their seat and Herb glanced at the map again, still unfolded to give a view of the city.

"We'll have to stop there if we want to get to the tree farm," He waved his hand at an area bordering the city.

Mala Sauce crossed her arms and looked outside the window, "I don't even know why we're going through all of this trouble for a tree anyways."

"Well we wouldn't have to if you didn't burn down the last one."

"I thought it was cold."

"You..." He stared at her incredulously, "You thought it was cold?"

"Aren't you like- part tree or something? You still feel cold." She pointed at the beanie he was wearing.

Herb readjusted the beanie, "Yeah, who doesn't?"

One of the leaves tucked into the brim got loose and floated down.

"Huh. I didn't know you did that," Mala observed.

Herb grabbed the leaf before it reached the ground, shoving it back in the beanie. He looked away, vaguely panicked. "Do what?"

"Shed your hair leaves."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," He shifted the beanie around again and a different leaf popped out, "You didn't see that."

"See what?" Mala reached an arm out and grabbed the beanie, "This?" She ripped it off in one fluid motion.

Leaves scattered everywhere. Both cookies screamed.

"Why would you do that!"

"You're BALD?!"

Herb yanked the beanie back and put it on his head, frantically grabbing leaves, "It's winter! I hate winter!"

Mala Sauce had enough context to put together the pieces herself.

Who knew Herb shed his leaves just like trees do?

The rest of the ride to the bus stop had Herb with his head in his hands and Mala wondering if she should comfort him or just let him have time to grieve for his hair.

Still, though, the two of them made it to the tree farm in one piece. They were finally ready to grab a new tree for the mansion.

Suddenly a voice asks them, "How can I help you today?"

It was Dark Choco Cookie, outfitted in a pretty standard winter getup, a nametag tacked on to one of the pockets of his jacket.

"Dark Choco? What are you doing here?" The last time Mala Sauce saw him was when he was out working an entirely different job, cooking up an 'all you can eat for five coins' buffet.

"I live in a one bedroom apartment with four other cookies, what do you think I'm doing?"

"Oh. Got it," If she had to share the boiler room with four cookies she'd want to move out too.

"Anyways, call me over if you need help or anything. So long as you don't steal a tree or kidnap a cookie, we're good."

Dark Choco walked away and left the others to it. A poor decision, really.