eLayla stared at the useless green stick of a vegetable in her hand, waving it around like a wand in front of her disapproving face. She had just finished eating lunch alongside Ethan, in his room sitting on his table. The food was pretty good and she managed not to vomit at the sight of Ethan's bloody meal, but there was a problem.

Why is it always vegetables?

Back home, her dad would always let her have all the sugar her child-like mind could ever dream of. Her mom, however, absolutely despised giving even a single ounce of sugar to their child. The two completely opposite forces would constantly argue whether Layla could eat some sweets, especially during Halloween.

Owen would say, "She's a kid for crying out loud! Let her be one!"

Then Claire would shove her tablet in his face and say, "Look what it says! Do you know how many people get diabetes each year?"

And Owen would respond, "Fuck your tablet."

Though it would look bad for her future if one of her parent's backed down on his/her beliefs, the two were as resilient as they were loud. They both balanced each other out like Ying and Yang, managing to let Layla always have a decent amount of sugary foods each year.

But being on an island alone with her mother and with her father nowhere in sight...

You get the picture.

Which brings us to her question.

"Ethan, do you know how to make cookies?"

Ethan looked up at her just as he finished polishing blood off his glasses and placed them back on. He answered, "I'm afraid not. Though, I am certain I can learn from a cookbook that I may come across in the near future."

"Great!" the young girl cheered and hopped off her chair. "Let's go then!"

"Um, don't mind me asking, but where exactly do we go?"

"You said you can go anywhere, right?" He nodded, still a little confused over her little plan. "Then we're going to the kitchen that's in the big building!" she said while tying up her shoes. Once done, she grabbed Ethan's hand and dragged him towards the exit.

"B-But why?" he stuttered.

"You said you wanted more wobbies, right?" He nodded again. "Then you can try making cookies for me! My mommy and daddy always have a cookbook in the kitchen so there should be one here too! And if you start baking cookies for me, one day I know you'll be the greatest cook in the world!"

Cooking… Ethan pondered over the word as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. This was the first time cooking ever crossed his mind. Usually because he never really cared whether his food was either raw and bloody or cooked to the human's sense of cooked. But if Layla really believes he can become the greatest cook that's ever lived, what's the harm in trying?

His expression beamed into a smile. "All right, let's go!"

Throughout the entire trip Layla was piggybacked by Ethan, and thanks to his strong powerful legs, the two made it to the park's kitchen in no time. There were no other signs of life around them. Instead was what a person would see in an average large kitchen. Countless pots and pans hanged over the tables and would create a clatter of music if even one of them were pushed, frozen meat stayed frozen in multiple freezers safe from turning rotten, ovens, stoves and the fryers stood neatly side by side awaiting for use, and the cupboards held all the seasonings and oils you could ever dream of.

This particular kitchen wasn't like the ones stationed in the park's various abandoned food stands that really only focused on like one type of food. This kitchen belongs to the hotel that used to be used solely for all park's guests, especially for those who spam room service. Sadly, hardly anyone uses it anymore because the accident had scared off all its chefs from the island, and no chef in the world was really keen on living in an island full of crazy scientists and dinosaurs. That meant the scientists actually had to cook for themselves, and all of them weren't much of a master chef to be honest, which led to disastrous results. So it was mostly Cup Noodles three meals a day everyone. Yum!

But enough pointless exposition. Ethan cracked his fingers together. Time to start making some cookies!

Ethan was a total storm in the kitchen. While one hand held the cookbook, the other mixed and tossed ingredients left and right. Even his tail was helping out, zipping across the table behind him to grasp whatever he needs. His focus on the swirling bowl never wavered. Not even when escaped goop was shot all over his face and pink apron, he never lost focus.

So focused in fact, Layla couldn't get his attention no matter what she tried. Tugging his pink apron for example wouldn't work. The only time he actually paid the human any mind was when he caught her trying to put in some foreign ingredient into the mixture. He roared for her attention, clattering all the pots and pans. "Lalya, what do you think you're doing!"

"Adding orange juice so it can taste like orange juice?" she whimpered. "What's the big deal?"

"The big deal?" Ethan puffed out his chest with pride and said with powerful passion,"The big deal is that cooking IS AN ART. It's like creating famous masterpieces like the Mona Lisa!"

"Mona who?"

"And adding ingredients that you don't even know will make it more beautiful is like dumping gray paint all over it!"

"Soooooooooooo, do you want me to not bother you and-"

"YES!"

Layla was sure to sit still and shut her mouth the entire time.

Minutes later, Ethan came back to Layla with a tray of piping hot cookies in his pink oven mitted hands..

Layla plucked one off the tray, inspecting every part of it. The chocolate chips were melted into the soft golden texture of the cookie and the smell had that nice fresh cookie smell. Looks good, smells good, but now for the taste test.

"Oh, before you consume the cookie, I must warn you that I added a few ingredients that weren't described in the cookbook," Ethan said, gripping his tail nervously. "But I swear my only intentions were to increase the flavors just for you."

Layla's warm smile eased his worries. Such a nice friend she's lucky to have.

Then, without another thought, she took a gentle bite.

…

...

And coughed it out seconds later.

Ethan's jaw dropped.

"It tastes weird," she said simply as she placed the half bitten cookie back on the tray.

Ethan, a lost for words, clutched his apron right above where his shattered heart should be. "W….Weir….weird?". He took her small nod as a yes and both his head and tail sagged together in shameful shame. "Then I guess I'm really that bad…"

"No, you're not Ethan," she assured. "I know that if you try again, your cookies will taste even better! Believe it!" To prove her point, she gave him a thumbs up.

The dinosaur slammed his fist against the palm of his hand, determination coursing every part of his veins. "Right! I thank thee for thy support! And I swear on my honor, Layla, that I will continue creating masterpieces until YOU. ARE. SATISFIED!"

Now, with twice the speed and effort, Ethan went straight back into cooking.

To make sure he was ABSOLUTELY focused, Layla tugged on his apron, and, like last time, seemed completely devoted to his art.

What could he be thinking?

Add more love! his heart said.

Add more sugar his brain said.

A few more tries to see if Ethan was COMPLETELY distracted, Layla walked back to her seat, pulled the tray of still warm cookies closer, and stuffed half a dozen into her mouth.

There's no way Layla could lie to Ethan about his cookies, especially if they were this good! Yes, she said his cookies were weird, but weird in a GOOD WAY. It was weird how the cookie exploded into an explosion of flavor inside her mouth. It was weird how the cookie shut down every function of her senses except for touch and taste. It was weird how the cookie left a trail of lingering sweetness she could taste even when it's down her throat. And it was weird how the cookie made her stomach growl, not out of hunger, but for more.

And Layla technically didn't trick him into making more of his cookies because she technically didn't lie.

Because lying is bad her mother would say.

So try to find a loophole her father would say.

By the time Ethan came back with a whole new tray of steaming cookies, he found the earlier batch he made gone. Not even a crumb. "Layla, what happened to the weird cookies I made?" he asked with pure curiosity.

"I…. ah…. got rid of them" she answered with pure honesty.

The dino shrugged his shoulders and placed the tray over the old one, never catching the gleam in her eyes. "Hmmm… well… I do hope that you won't rid of this new batch I made. This time, I've added more ingredients that should add a bit more taste than the last. So enjoy!"

Layla licked her hungry lips. "Yes I will…."