7. PROTECTOR OF THE DRY GARDEN

The Cookies arrived at the Syrup Garden but exhausted from the journey.

GingerBright: "So... thirsty...!"

They then collapsed on the ground.

GingerBrave: "Ugh.... Why's this garden so dry...? Not a drop of syrup in sight..."

Wizard Cookie: "This garden is bone dry.... Almost as dry as the oven..."

GingerCandy: "I don't see any caretaker here... must have abandoned the place."

That was when Strawberry Cookie realized something.

Strawberry Cookie: ".... OH?! My bag! Oh, my bad! The bellhop packed us some snacks!"

The Cookies eyes sparkled.

GingerBrave: "Oh...!!!"

Wizard Cookie: "What are we waiting for?!"

Strawberry Cookie gives her back to GingerBrave.

GingerBrave: "OOOH!"

Wizard Cookie: "What is it?!"

GingerBright: "JUICE?!"

But it was a stale bread.

GingerBright: "Crusty... bread..."

Strawberry Cookie: "Yup... bread..."

GingerCandy: "Well, the breads are not that bad."

Wizard Cookie: "Anything else?"

GingerBrave checks again.

GingerBrave: "OH HOOO!"

GingerBright: "Juice...! JUICE!!!"

But once again, it was bread. That was when GingerBright gave a dark aura which made GingerCandy back away since she saw her little creepy smile.

GingerBrave: "Ha... ha! What else...?!"

GingerCandy: "Bread again...?!"

GingerBrave hugs GingerCandy feeling scared at GingerBright's sinister laughter and here eye twitching. She then happily hops back at the hotel swinging her lollipop back and forth.

GingerBright: "I'm goin' back to the hotel!"

Strawberry Cookie & Wizard Cookie: "GingerBright, wait!"

GingerBrave: "We can't just sit around. There's gotta be something here! Let's search the area!"

And so, the Cookies started searching for food. "HEY GUYS! I THINK I FOUND SOMETHING!" shouts GingerCandy as she spots three filled golden syrups hidden under a pile of leaves.

Cookies: "WHOA! SYRUP!!!"

But suddenly, Wizard Cookie stops his friends.

Wizard Cookie: "Oh—STOP!"

GingerBrave: "What's the matter?"

Wizard Cookie: "Not a step further! That... is a trap!"

Strawberry Cookie & GingerCandy: "A trap?"

Wizard Cookie: "I've read about such things in a book about survival and camping."

GingerBrave: (A camping book?)

Wizard Cookie: "There's the bait.... Then the camouflage.... And a suspicious someone nearby..."

He points at someone hiding behind the leaves.

Wizard Cookie: "Yes.... This is defiantly.... A DELIBERATE TRAP!"

GingerCandy: "You know what, you could be right Wizard Cookie."

GingerBright: "Oh ho...? The book I read didn't say that!"

Wizard Cookie: "Eh...?"

GingerCandy: "And what which pray tell did you read such book?"

GingerBright: "My book said stuff like this is safe!"

GingerBrave: "The book I read said that too!"

GingerCandy: "What?! I've never seen you read GingerBrave!"

Wizard Cookie: "And the title of that book was...?"

GingerBright: "'Safe Food'..."

GingerBrave: ".... 'Found on the Ground'!"

Wizard Cookie and GingerCandy sweat dropped at this. Clearly those two were putting danger to themselves.

Wizard Cookie: "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

GingerCandy: "YEAH!!!"

But the girls ignored them and reached out to the syrup.

GingerBrave: "Let's go for it!"

GingerBright: "YIPPEE!"

As they stepped onthe leaves and touched the syrup. The trap got activated and the twogingerbread sisters fell and were now stuck in a deep hole. GingerCandy sighedat this and wonders how they will survive in the future without her. That waswhen they heard laughter. "I warned ya to stay away!" said an unknown voice,that was when a cookie comes out from her hiding place. She looked like agarden and caretaker.

Cookie: "I, Radish Cookie...! Will always protect this garden!!!"

The cookie named Radish Cookie jumps up and down happily.

Radish Cookie: "Who'll I'll meet today? Is that you, Churro Golem?!"

She peaked at the hole and the gasped to see GingerBrave and her sister.

Radish Cookie: "COOKIES?!"

GingerBrave: "We come in peace!"

Wizard Cookie: "So do we..."

She sees the other three who have not fallen in her trap.

Radish Cookie: "Cookies?! Here in the garden? Quickly, follow me! we can talk over there!"

GingerBrave: "Okay, just give us moment!"

GingerCandy: "We'll help you, please hang in there sis!"

And so, the cookies helped the twins escaped from the hole. Radish Cookie then took them to her secret hiding place filled with so many syrups and strange technology equipment.

Radish Cookie: "Sorry about that back there. I thought you were intruders. Y'all triggered an alarm on the system!"

GingerBrave: "You can see the entire garden from here!"

Radish Cookie: "Yup! Fancy, eh?!"

GingerCandy: "Indeed. Did you make all of this?"

Radish Cookie: "Yup! Built it all myself from scraps!"

Wizard Cookie: "All this on your own?"

Radish Cookie: "Exactamundo! Everything was made by yours truly with these here pliers!"

GingerBright: "Oh, a tinkerer!"

Strawberry Cookie: "That's so cool!"

Radish Cookie: "These skills of mine are needed to keep Syrup Garden safe and secure, all by myself!"

GingerBright: "The 'Syrup' Garden???"

Wizard Cookie: "It's a rather... arid garden."

Radish Cookie: "It wasn't always! Fresh syrup used to flow everywhere. The garden was always teeming with life! That is... before the Churro Golem..."

GingerBrave: "Who's that?"

Radish Cookie then explained about them.

Radish Cookie: "The Churro Golem's been here for a long time. He used to be rather quiet.... But then the main faucet went faulty. That faucet was a vital piece of equipment. Since then, the garden has dried out. All the residents fled to... somewhere.... Some place called Earthbread."

The gingerbread siblings gasped.

GingerCandy: "You mean the Guardians of Light allowed the residence to go there!?"

Radish Cookie: "Yup, one of them told me to come also. But I refused. And now, here I am, all alone."

However the four cookies got distracted seeing the golden syrup as Radish Cookie explained to GingerCandy.

Radish Cookie: "That golem will pay! I swear it!"

GingerCandy: "Um.... Radish Cookie, I think our conversation has come to a stop."

Radish Cookie: "And what makes you say that?"

GingerCandy points at her twin sisters and friends still staring at the syrup with their eyes all sparkly.

Radish Cookie: "Are y'all... thirsty?"

GingerCandy: "Yup."

Radish Cookie: "Syrup's a bit too scarce. So I can't just give it to ya. But... I know just the spot to visit! It has enough syrup for everyone!"

GingerBrave: "That sounds great!"

GingerBright: "This is the best news ever!"

Radish Cookie: "Alright then! Follow me, and stick close!"

The cookies have arrived at the place where they see a huge faucet.

Radish Cookie: "Feast your eyes on a magical engineering marvel! This faucet supplies the garden with fresh syrup!"

GingerBright: "Er, Radish Cookie...? This thing is completely broken...!"

Radish Cookie: "That's exactly what we're here! We can fix it! After all, I am a skilled engineer and a tinkerer!"

GingerBrave: "Oh ho! Syrup here we come!"

GingerCandy: "Wizard Cookie, let's use our magic to lift heavy objects. That would be easier."

Wizard Cookie: "An excellent idea GingerCandy! Hm.... You mentioned the Churro Golem before. Did the golem break this?"

Radish Cookie: "Correctomundo! We've been repeating history forever...! I fix it, the Churro Golem breaks it, again and again. That lunk of dough and sugar is really strong! And a quick runner too! There are so many broken faucets around the garden.... And I'm just one engineer..."

Strawberry Cookie: "You must've been so lonely..."

Radish Cookie: "But then y'all showed up! If you're willing to help, I'm 100% sure we can fix up this faucet in a jiffy! And once it's fixed, y'all can have a proper drink to quench that thirst!"

GingerBrave: "Okay! We're in!"

Radish Cookie: "Just like that?"

Wizard Cookie: "Yes, just like that, it seems. Well... we are very thirty too."

GingerBright: "Hooray! Let's hurry up and start fixing things!"

Radish Cookie: "Alright then!"

GingerBrave: "So... what do we do?"

Radish Cookie: "Fixin' something this big calls for bigger tools! The witch should've left behind a bunch of things nearby."

GingerBright: "Oh, there's a big winding, handle thingy!"

Radish Cookie: "Yup, and it looks like it'll be perfect for the faucet!"

Wizard Cookie: "There's a cork too."

Radish Cookie: "It'll be perfect for sealing the leak! This is awesome! I haven't felt this excited in a long time! If you can bring me the stuff, I'll be able to fix the faucet in no time!"

GingerBrave: "Alrighty! Let's work together to fix that faucet!"

Radish Cookie: "Together...? Fix??? Those are two of my most favourite words!!!"

And so the Cookies started fixing the faucet. It was once again good as new. The cookies then started a count down.

Cookies: "Three...! Two...! One...!"

Radish Cookie turns the wheel of the faucet and the syrup appears. Suddenly, the whole place starts to change.

Cookies: "AWESOME!"

Radish Cookie: "Would you look at that! This is all thanks to you, friends!"

Strawberry Cookie: "So this is what the garden was supposed to look like...!"

GingerBrave: "SYRUP! IT'S SYRUP!"

GingerBright: "YIPPEE! FINALLY!"

Radish Cookie: "Haha! Drink up, friends!"

The cookies drank the syrup and felt like they were in heaven. It was the best syrup they had ever tasted. But suddenly, the ground started to shake.

Wizard Cookie: "Eh?"

That was when some odd-looking mushrooms appeared from the ground.

Wizard Cookie: "OH! What's that?!"

GingerCandy: "That can't be good...!"

Radish Cookie: "That's...!"

Radish Cookie then checks at the mushroom.

GingerBrave: "Whatcha doin?"

Radish Cookie: "Gotta pull... before it's... too late...!"

That was when a living mushroom was pulled out.

GingerBrave: "OH! Are you okay?"

Mushroom: "RADISH COOKIE!"

Radish Cookie: "It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Mushroom: "You.... Then does that mean.... The garden?!"

Radish Cookie: "These new friends of mine helped!"

The cookies cheerfully waved at the mushroom.

Mushroom: "Thank you! THANK YOU!"

GingerBright: "We're happy to help!"

Radish Cookie: "Let's save the hello's for later! We need to help the others!"

GingerBrave: "Right with ya!"

Mushroom: "Hurrah!"

And so, the Cookies freed two more mushrooms.

The first mushroom was called Choco Mushroom Farmer.

Choco Mushroom Farmer: "Everyone's awake! Thanks for helpin out once more!"

Strawberry Cookie: "Hehe.... We're glad to be of help...!"

GingerBrave: "Erm, excuse me...? Why was everyone sleeping in the ground?"

Choco Mushroom Farmer: "Ya heard about how the garden dried up once the faucets broke? Well, we can't live in such a dry spot. So we decided to hide underground, where the dirt was still kinda wet."

Radish Cookie: "It's all because of that Churro Golem..."

Choco Mushroom Cookie: "I'd bet a whole bushel of crops that the other residents are deep underground too. But thanks to y'all, we're back on top!"

GingerBrave: "Hehe, it was all Radish Cookie. We just helped a bit is all!"

GingerCandy: "She's right!"

Choco Mushroom Cookie: "There's an ole sayin' in these here parts. If ya receive a helpin' hand, ya gotta pay back with BOTH hands. If it's okay with ya, I'd like to repay ya somehow!"

Wizard Cookie: "We appreciate it, but it's quite unnecessary."

Choco Mushroom Farmer: "Ya sure? Shucks, I should at least treat ya to a lil snack at least, but if you insist-."

Wizard Cookie: "Well, if you insist!!! We are extremely grateful to accept!"

Choco Mushroom Farmer: "Harhar! Right this way then! There should be some preserved snacks stored in the mill."

Radish Cookie: "Wow! Do y'all know what this means? The farmers don't just let anyone into the mill! It took me years to get invited to the mill! This means y'all're already friends, haha!"

GingerBrave: "Oh really? Wow!"

GingerBright: "Off we go! Off we go! La dee da-da de!"

The mushroom farmers took them to their mill where they had a wonderful feast and how they have so many syrups.

Strawberry Cookie: "AAAAH! That hits the spot..."

GingerCandy: "These syrups even taste better than before!"

Radish Cookie: "Wow, y'all must've been really parched!"

Choco Mushroom Farmer: "Here, try some candy powder as well!"

Wizard Cookie: "What is it? Crushed Candies?"

GingerCandy: "Even I have never seen anything like it...!"

Radish Cookie: "This here is candy powder is the signature crop of the Syrup Garden."

Choco Mushroom: "It's made from the sweetest candies that grow deep in the syrup soaked soil! Go ahead, try some!"

They took a bite of the crushed candies.

Wizard Cookie: "This.... THIS.... THIS IS AMAZING! It taste like pure magic!"

GingerBright: "Yummy! Is does what snow taste like???"

GingerCandy: "Actually this taste more like cotton candy."

Choco Mushroom: "If you don't mind my askin', how'd y'all end up here? I dunno how long it's been since we've had outsiders come in these parts."

GingerBrave: "We're looking for our brother. He was... taken by the witch."

Radish Cookie: "The witch?!"

GingerBrave: "Our friend's name is GingerDozer. He always sleepy and sorta cries a lot.... We think he was taken somewhere along this way."

Radish Cookie: "Hm.... My security system didn't pick up anything outta the ordinary."

Choco Mushroom: "Ain't seen anything either. After all, we been sleepin' in the ground for who knows how long."

GingerCandy: "I see..."

Choco Mushroom: "Hey, I've got an idea. Why don't y'all ask Rosemary Cookie for help? She knows the Syrup Garden's in's and out's!"

GingerCandy: "Rosemary Cookie?"

Wizard Cookie: "Who's that...?

Choco Mushroom: "Oh boy, where do I begin with Rosemary Cookie? Welp.... She's the gardener of this place, a real trustworthy and hardworkin' Cookie. Rosemary Cookie leads the garden and our community, smart and wise one."

Radish Cookie: "And more importantly.... She's my sister! HAHA!"

This surprised the cookies.

Strawberry Cookie: ".... OOH!"

GingerBrave: "So that's why you know so much about the garden! Because you know the gardener!"

GingerBright: "Where can we find Rosemary Cookie? Can you show us the way? We can ask her if she knows anything about GingerDozer!"

GingerCandy: "Great thinking, GingerBright."

Radish Cookie: "Well.... That's the thing. You can't really meet her right now."

GingerCandy: "Huh?"

GingerBright: "How come?"

Radish Cookie: "When the Churro Golem made the garden dry up, Rosemary Cookie also dried up a bit too...."

Strawberry Cookie: "Oh.... Then..."

GingerBright: "So... if the garden isn't dry anymore, we could meet Rosemary Cookie?!"

Wizard Cookie: "And Rosemary Cookie is why you were so determined to fix the faucets, right, Radish Cookie?"

Radish Cookie: "Exactamundo. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to bring this garden back to life! And I'm gonna see Rosemary Cookie again, no matter what!"

Choco Mushroom: "Hold up a moment.... Do y'all hear that?"

They went outside to see what was going on only to see that the faucet was once again broken.

Choco Mushroom: "What in tarnation?! The tap is broken! HOW?!"

Wizard Cookie: "Huh? We literally just fixed it!"

GingerBright: "Did something happened?"

GingerBrave: "Don't worry! I'm sure Radish Cookie will be able to fix it up again! Right?"

Radish Cookie: "Of course I can!" (The repairin' wasn't faulty or anything.... Nothing breaks this fast.... Unless.... You're around here somewhere ain't ya, Churro Golem?)

Once again the faucet was fixed.

Choco Mushroom: "Well, I'll be...! You fixed that in a jiffy!"

GingerBrave: "Easy peasy, hehe!"

Suddenly, an earthquake appeared.

Wizard Cookie: "That doesn't sound good!"

GingerCandy: "What was that?!"

Strawberry Cookie: "Everything's shaking!"

That was when the shaking and noise became louder and louder.

Radish Cookie: "No, not now...!"

It was the Churro Golem.

Strawberry Cookie & GingerCandy: "WHAT'S THAT?!"

Wizard Cookie: "M-m-monster!!!"

The Churro Golem roars at them.

GingerBrave: "GAH! He looks angry...!"

Radish Cookie: "It's cuz we fixed the faucet!"

Radish Cookie comes in from and tries to stop him.

Radish Cookie: "Get back, you! GO AWAY! We literally JUST fixed this! Don't break it! DOOON'T!"

Radish Cookie was about to lose hope but the five cookies stepped in to help her.

GingerBrave: "You won't scare us that easily!"

Strawberry Cookie: "We won't let you hurt anyone!"

GingerBright: "This is your home too! Why are you trying to ruin it?!"

Radish Cookie: "Y'all..."

GingerCandy: "Don't worry Radish Cookie. We'll help you save the garden and reunite with your sister!"

Radish Cookie: "We need to stop him!"

Wizard Cookie: "I've got just the thing! FACE MY MA-geh?"

But GingerBright and GingerBrave charges at the golem.

GingerBright: "Face my lollipop!"

The two cookies started hitting the Churro Golem. The golem tries to catch them but they were too fast, he felt very dizzy and runs away.

Strawberry Cookie: "It worked!"

GingerCandy: "Well what do you know, those two are good at something at last..."

Strawberry Cookie: "I can't believe THAT worked?!"

Wizard Cookie: (Why did I ever learn magic...)

Radish Cookie: "What a show...! Y'all're like.... REALLY STRONG!"

They smiled at this.

Radish Cookie: "This is really all thanks to you! You woke up the residents, you fixed the faucet, you even taught the Churro Golem a lesson! I never imagined getting so much done in a short time was possible!"

GingerBrave: "Haha, we make a pretty good team, don't we? Nothing beats teamwork!"

Radish Cookie: ".... Teamwork! You mentioned that you were looking for your little brother of yours, right? GingerDozer?"

GingerCandy: "That's right."

Radish Cookie: "Rosemary Cookie knows everything. She'll show you where GingerDozer is! I'll take you to meet Rosemary Cookie!"

GingerBrave: "That sounds great!"

Radish Cookie: "But, I'll need your help once more. We need to wake her up first!"

GingerBright: "How do we wake her up?"

Radish Cookie: "The Sweet Heart."

Wizard Cookie: "I... me? Sweetheart?"

Radish Cookie: "It's a magic thingamabob apparatus in the middle of the garden that's been enchanted to create syrup."

Wizard Cookie: "A conjuration spell? Or perhaps evocation? Regardless, it's one of the most advanced forms of magic!"

GingerCandy: "Indeed."

Radish Cookie: "Before the Sweet Heart malfunctioned, there was enough syrup to keep the garden in tip-top shape with no hassle! Rosemary Cookie and I kept an eye on it at all times to maintain peak efficiency. If we can get the Sweet Heart fired up, the entire garden might be able to return to its former glory! And Rosemary Cookie will be restored to her cheerful self!"

GingerBrave: "And then she'll help us find out where GingerDozer is?"

Radish Cookie: "Of course!"

GingerBrave: "Alright, Radish Cookie! We'll help you fix the Sweet Heart!"

Radish Cookie: "For Rosemary Cookie and the Syrup Garden! Woohoo!"

GingerBrave: "And for GingerDozer! Woohoo!"

And so they went to fix the Sweet Heart. The silhouette cookie watched them.

Silhouette Cookie: "Their maybe hope for Rosemary Cookie... but I wonder what will happen to the Syrup Garden when she is restored...?"

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