Daffodil Delivery

Any good baker worth her salt knew that experimentation was part of the game, and Princess Rosabelle Glitterdazzle was happy to experiment. If anything, it was a relief to make new recipes. Her current work as a member of the resistance against the COGS encroaching on toontown was stressful, even with her supportive group of friends. Not to even mention the other thoughts that had been ringing in her mind as of late.

Chocolate and tea were both bitter ingredients to use, but had a deep, rich flavor when the right amount of sweetness was applied. The aroma of both swirled around the kitchen as Rosie worked hard to clean up her cooking space as the oven brought her latest attempt to fruition. There were even delicate floral notes thanks to the specific blend Rosie had picked out to use- Quite fitting for the Princess of Daffodils.

"There a specific reason ya chose to put tea in the brownies an' not, ya know, a cup?" The bird sitting at the dining table watched Rosie as she carefully pulled the tray of brownies out of the oven. They scraped some brownie batter out of a bowl with a spoon, licking at it as they passed it over to a green cat sitting on the other end.

"Thaaaanks Pants," The Royal Von Meowness purred. They didn't care to have the decorum to use a spoon, instead opting to run a finger around the inside of the bowl. "Maybe it's to save time, this way we don't have to wait for two things to cool!"

"Haha, as much as I appreciate you two cleaning off the dishes for me, this batch isn't exactly for teatime," Rosie laughed, her small bells twinkling as she tilted her head to the side. "It's a... Gift for someone."

"Ooooh?" Maiu kneaded their paws on the tablecloth as they swung their legs. "Someone special~?"

"Maaaaybe," Rosie said, taking out the powdered sugar and checking the temp of the brownies with one hand. Just a minute more, by her acocunts.

"Issit someone we know?" Pants cocked a quizzical look to the Princess.

"Er... Yes and no?" Rosie dodged the question as she turned back to the cabinets to retrieve a box. "This someone we're.... Acquainted with. In a way."

She had to be very careful how she answered her friends, because how would they respond if they knew exactly the type of person that had inspired her to put her heart into her baking for?

Rosie glanced back to be pinned by Miau's piercing stare, a wide-eyed, slightly-glazed over look that seemed to stumble down into Rosie's very soul. Somehow.

"...... Well, whoever they are, they better like your baking!" Maiu leaned back and gave Rosie a big thumbs up. "But if they don't, bring those back for me to nibble up, nya'know?"

"Of course, Miau," Rosie chuckled with relief, turning back to sift the powdered sugar carefully over the brownies.

She paused a moment, thoughtfully, before reaching into another cabinet to withdraw a small jar of dried rose petals. This was one of her few personal effects that reminded her of the Daffodil Kingdom's former beauty. The dried petals of various edible flowers were favorite decorations for cuisine of all sorts before the suit-led company came and placed their factory over the castle.

She thoughtfully turned the bottle in her hands, carefully uncorking it and sprinkling the littlest pinch of petals atop the brownies.

Pants gave the Princess a sidelong glance.

"Where exactly are you delivering these brownies?" Pants asked as Rosie assembled the brownies carefully on a tray. The deer stiffened at the question.

"Just over in the Gardens." She answered. "So, it'll be super quick for me!"

"Ain't there a tonna Cogs roaming around there right now?" Pants asked, standing up from the chair. "Ya want us t'tag along, jus' in case?"

"Nope!" Rosie answered just a little-too-quickly. "I have gotten much better at sneaking around!"

"No you haven't," Miau said.

"No you haven't," Pants also said.

"Wow thank you so much for having confidence in me!" Rosie grit her teeth as she quickly tied off the box of brownies and tucked it under her arm. "Trust me, I'll be fine. Miau, don't drink all my lemonade while I'm gone."

"I make no promises."

Rosie huffed through her snout before taking off, the bells on her antlers jingling merrily as she went.

Despite the takeover by COGS Inc, Daffodil had still retained it's lovely lush greenery, many of which Rosie could remember planting with her mother. As she skipped and sneaked through the many flower bushes, her eyes were actually peeled for something in particular among the throng of Sellbots swarming the main street.

There he was, a slender frame clad in sharp violet plaids, accented with a wide popped collar. His walking was loose and relaxed, his golden head swinging from side-to-side with a cool confidence only an expert salesman could have.

"Hiiii Ben..." Rosie whispered under her breath. She had fought the Bellringer several times before, often unsuccessfully, and they were clearly adversaries by the sides they had pledged their loyalties to. And yet...

There was something about him, the polite way he threw down the gauntlet, the smooth way he joked with his colleagues. He had a softer side, she just knew it- If only he didn't have to work as a street manager! She couldn't stop these thoughts from drifting around her mind, and she sighed wistfully as she absent-mindedly leaned out of the bushes, the branches tinkling the little bells that draped her clothing.

"Eep!" She quickly ducked back, narrowly avoiding Ben as he turned around at the noise behind him. She could hear his own bell ringing at a steady pace as he walked over and investigated.

"That wasn't a bird, ne'er heard one that sounded like that," Ben murmured, pushing the limbs of the bush to the side and shrugging when he saw nothing there. "Maybe I didn't have enough of a kip last night."

He began to walk off, but only got a few steps before he heard that strange rustling again. He spun on his heel, brows furrowed as he listened closely. He followed the sound closely, walking off his usual designated path to find the source of those little sounds.

As the source of those little sounds, Rosie scampered through the bushes, her heart leaping like a spring fawn. Why did she think she could do this?

As she stepped out of the planters, she relized she ran straight to a dead end- A small round space that had served as a sitting area for tired toons before the cogs came to town. Where could she go now? Miau and Pants were right, she couldn't possibly sneak around with all her little bells.

"Now, if I were a strange sound, I would have stopped around-" Ben's voice chimed in behind her, causing her to leap up with a yelp into a nearby tree.

All Ben could see was a little pink blur rocket through the air, making him startle back in surprise. After a moment to let the surprise wear off, he carefully approached the tree, sticking his hands in his pockets as he peered up into the branches.

"Now now, what cheeky business are you up to, leading me out all this way?" He asked to a trembling clump of leaves that sounded like a tambourine.

Slowly, carefully, a pair of eyes peeked back at him, shining in the afternoon light, as blue as the cloudless sky above them. Carefully, a little fluffy face joined those eyes, as pink as a delicate peony.

The two stared back at each other for a tense second, before the deer piped up in a timid squeak.

"I-I wanted to give you something!" Rosie said, awkwardly holding out the box to Benjamin.

"Something? ...." He hesitated, warily eyeing the package tied off with ribbon. "This isn't a surprise attack, is it?"

"No, no! I promise, this is friendly, Princess' honor!" Rosie nodded. "Just a little gift from a secret admirer... Well... Not so secret now, ahah...."

"Princess' honor-" Ben swung his head to one side, before snapping a finger and pointing. "Cor, you're the Glitterdazzle heiress, aren't ya?"

"Ye... Yeah, though heiress is a bit much..." Rosie shrugged.

".... Hmm. I really shouldn't, but..." Ben took the box from Rosie and tucked it under his arm. "I'll look the other way if it's a gift from a Princess."

He looked back up at Rosie.

"Aren't you... Going to come down?" Ben asked. "I'll be polite to let you get away this once."

"I uh. I can't really get down," Rosie admitted. Ben tolled thoughtfully.

"Ah, I see. Then let me..." Ben set the box down on the brickwork, before hosting himself up with a grunt, reaching up to the toon. Gingerly he grabbed her around the waist- Taking care to not harm the toon. She was amazingly light compared to a suit, which led him to wonder what someone could possibly be made of other than metal and wire.

He set her down gently, before sitting down on the brick bench with a hop. As he turned his attention to the box beside him, Rosie took the chance to sit on the other side of him. He quirked an eyebrow at her as he placed the box in his lap, taking the ribbon between his fingers and pulling the knot apart in a single motion.

"Brownies?" Ben asked, the pleasant aroma of fine cocoa and floral tea meeting his senses as he looked at the treats.

"I baked them myself!" Rosie beamed, nodding and kicking her feet a little. "I actually... Kinda prefer baking to fighting, in case you have any favorites."

"Suits have a bit of a different diet to toons, but," Ben hummed as he picked up a brownie, regarding it for a moment before popping it under the lip of his bell.

Rosie couldn't hear him chewing, much less swallowing. It didn't occur to her to ask if Ben even could eat, so it was fortunate her guess was right.

Ben closed his eyes, clearly focusing on the flavor as his head tilted from side to side. Rosie watched him, breathless and heart-pounding that she got to even be this close to him like this.

".... I much prefer these to the pies you toons like to throw at me," Was Ben's verdict, giving Rosie a little wink as he chuckled. "The tea is a delightful addition, love."

"That's wonderful! Thank you!" Rosie squealed, clapping her hands together with a bright smile.

"However..." Ben shifted to face her directly, leaning over her as he straightened his posture.

"What was that about being an admirer?"

"I..... I..." Rosie trembled, looking like a deer in the headlights before she leaped down again and pulled out a portable hole and tossing it to the ground. "I have to go, royal princess business and all that!! Ahahaha! See you next time enjoy the brownies aaaaaa-"

She disappeared to parts unknown, and Ben sat there for a little while longer, thoughtfully eating another brownie as he gazed up at the sunlight filtering through the leaves.

"A bit strange, those toons..." He murmured. "But..."

He chuckled to himself, his bell ringing.

"What a pleasant strangeness that Princess has to her."