The Real Mansion Madeleine

Tree's a Crowd

The two of them walked through the bunches of trees, tracking footprints through mud and sloshy snow that was melting.

Mala Sauce looked around. She was determined to find the perfect tree to make Herb feel better.

After a few minutes, she was about to give up when something caught her eye.

"Look!" She physically turned Herb around and pointed, "That one is super green and- uh, tree looking!"

The tree was indeed very tree looking. Decorated with bright lights and even a star on top.

"We won't have to decorate that one!"

Herb gasped, "Yes, that's perfect!"

"I know right! Quick, before anyone else decides they want it!" Mala Sauce ran off and grabbed the tree. The whole thing. She confirmed running off and out of the tree farm.

Herb followed after her, pretty sure that they were skipping a part of the whole tree buying scheme. Well, if he couldn't remember, it probably wasn't important.

Dark Choco, who was busy helping out another cookie, turned around and started chasing them at breakneck speeds, yelling out something neither of them could hear.

Oh, right. Buying a tree.

Herb kept running. They were too far into it now.

Mala ran back to where they came from at the bus stop and suddenly the bus arrived again, almost like Wildberry knew that they wanted to get back home.

The both of them, including the tree in tow, boarded the bus.

"Quick, can you get us back home?" Herb asked between pants.

"Is that one also here for the bus?" Wildberry pointed to Dark Choco, who was rapidly catching up.

"No, he's uh," Mala looked outside the bus windows to the flower shop on the other side of the street, "He's really excited to buy a bouquet of flowers. The shop will close soon."

Wildberry shrugged and closed the door, "Sit down or I'm not driving you."

"Oh, yeah." Mala yelped as she found a seat and put the tree down next to her. Herb sat in front.

The bus departed, barely cutting off Dark Choco in the process.

Mala cheered, hands up in the air as she slumped in her seat.

Herb stared off into the void, the crime they just committed finally sinking in. He'd be lying if he said he didn't have a blast. That was way more fun than it should've been.

All of the leaves had fallen out of his beanie while he was on the run, but by some stroke of luck there were still some littering the floor.

Did he take the floor leaves and pretend like they were his hair? Yes.

He leaned back in his chair with a groan, slightly turning his head to look at the tree they just stole, "How do you keep your hair so green all year?"

The tree responded, "Usually it just stays like this, I don't do anything to it."

"Oh, that's nice," He wasn't expecting a response, but it was unhelpful anyways.

"Wait, did that tree just talk?" Mala raised an eyebrow with a suspicious glare.

"Huh?"

"I could've sworn- nevermind, let's just get home."

Soon enough, the two find themselves at the front door of Mansion Madeleine, surprisingly well before curfew.

Mala Sauce opened the door wide, slamming it against the door stopper, "We got a tree!"

A cluster of children immediately stormed the entrance, and with them, a chatter of excitement and awe. There was a paused game of Smash Bros on the living room tv.

"It's about time," Cocoa huffed. There was a speaker on the counter next to her blasting seasonal music.

"Oh, be nice," Grand Madeleine elbowed her and escaped to the kitchen.

"Yeah. After all, now everything can go on without a hitch!" Mint Choco added cheerfully. He was wearing a Santa hat.

"I guess so," Cocoa's glare softened to a smile. The holiday schedule was back on track again.

"Herb and I spent a lot of time finding the perfect tree, so this better be worth it!" Mala started peeling off the copious layers that she was wearing. She only needed to wear two pairs of socks in the house, not five.

The kids stormed past her for a second time to resume playing their game.

Grand Madeleine returned with a cup and marched past Mala to the doorway again, "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"That would be wonderful, thank you!"

Herb glanced sideways at the tree. Mala Sauce turned around. Hell, Cocoa's Christmas music stopped.

Vampire, hung upside down from the lights in the living room, stared for a solid five seconds before saying something that no other cookie was brave enough to:

"It talks?"

"And what might your name be?" Grand Madeleine's head tilted with the question.

"Carol Cookie. I don't know how I got here, but I love how festive it is!"

Herb's eyes bugged out at his newfound moral dilemma, "We didn't just steal a tree, we kidnapped a whole cookie." He let out a distraught laugh.

Cocoa was stressed, how were they gonna find another new tree?

Grand Madeleine giggled, "I love it when we get new guests. You're welcome to stay here if you don't mind."

Mint Choco sighed, "I'll add her to the chores wheel."

The Christmas music continued again and Carol hummed while looking at the decor, "I don't think I'll mind at all."