🍪🏠Cookie Run: Week in the Slums🏠🍪

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mansion Madeleine

Gingerbrave gazed out of the porthole of the Madeleine family's airship as it passed over the republic. It's been over a year since he and his friends visited the Crème Republic, Madeleine's aunts decided it would be nice to invite them all back for a week since they never really had much time to actually visit the Republic and enjoy some of its features, including the Grand Opera House, the museums filled with artifacts that would make Eclair jealous, luxury spas, the archives, the fresh gourmet seafood restaurants that serve a seven course meal, and a boat tour to the surrounding islands complete with a night stay in one of the beach villas dotting the coast.

It had been an extremely grueling trip, first Madeleine was sent to pick everyone up with his family airship, but didn't like his outfit he was wearing, so he turned back to get changed before heading off to the Vanilla Kingdom to pick up Espresso and Gingerbrave who had arrived in the kingdom by train, which got delayed because of a worker's strike, sending Espresso into a huge fit because he had been ready to go since three that morning. Then by the time Gingerbrave finally arrived in the Vanilla Kingdom, Strawberry Crepe thought it would be hilarious to unleash a pack of rouge bots into the city, so they had to deal with that whole mess.

After that, they headed for the Hollyberry Kingdom to pick up Wildberry, but then the winds changed direction blowing them back, so they had to re-route. Once they got Wildberry, they headed for the Dark Cacao Kingdom to pick up Crunchy Chip Cookie. But they also had issues there when Crunchy Chip's Cream Wolf turned out to get motion sickness when high up in the air on a blimp, resulting in the cream wolf throwing up in Crunchy Chip's hand.

"Guys! I think we're over the Republic now!" Gingerbrave eagerly pointed out the window, "whoa! Look at some of the buildings! They've been rebuilt. They were almost in ruins when we left, you can still see scorch marks from where the dragon attacked. And what's that wall being built around the shoreline?"

"From what I read in my mother's letters, the Republic has been working on fortifying itself after Dark Enchantress attacked." Madeleine explained while he polished his armor, "The elders voted for building a defensive sea wall surrounding the Republic to protect the Republic from any future attacks. Mulled Juice Cookie is leading the construction."

"Which is an absolute waste of time and energy." Espresso snorted loudly, slamming his book shut, "The elders are stupid to think that a wall would benefit the Republic at all! We've seen how Dark Enchantress attacks first hand, and no stupid wall is going to stop her. Also, it will only disrupt the Cookies in the lower city might I add. If they really want to protect the Republic, why not use the funding towards actually training the paladins to actually fight, and develop new weapons that are magic resistant?" Espresso crossed his arms.

"Actually, I would have to disagree with you there." Crunchy Chip said while steadying his sick wolf, "Our kingdom's wall has kept out the licorice sea for years, having a first line of defense is always a good strategy."

"Alright, so let's say the Republic has a wall as a first line of defense in case sea monsters and pirates decide to attack, that's great! But you do realize that Dark Enchantress Cookie can still go over the wall, right? Or under the city via the network of sewers, is a wall going to work in that situation?"

"No, we'll just plug all of the drains." Madeleine laughed. Everyone chuckled along with him.

Espresso rolled his eyes, "that was not my point."

The airship docked behind Mansion Madeleine, everyone let out a sigh of relief that their grueling trip was over, and no one got hucked out of the airship. They were immediately greeted by Madeleine's family.

"Maddy! You're back! Give your auntie a great big hug! Aw you sweet baby!" Madeleine got pulled into a hug by one of his aunts.

"My! You've gotten so handsome from when you left! How is that even possible?" The second aunt grabbed hold of Madeleine's cheeks and pinched them hard.