Chapter 149 - 149. Finally, Cookies!

The group changed areas so that they were far away from the rainbow mushrooms that were still affecting some of them a little. Louis was almost dead silent the entire time that they were working making Sammy glance at him constantly in worry. The only person that seemed happier than ever was Laura.

"Since we are just sitting here, why don't I lay out what I think everyone should be working on these few days? I had some very good insights this past hours or two." Garnet smiled as if she was a kind goddess, but everyone knew there might be torture in their future.

The mood was a little tense but there was a sense of curiosity. "Asher, Jane, and Art will wait until later. I have more to work on in your training plans. But the rest of you have some very clear goals to work on."

Jackson could already sense that he knew what he needed to improve on, but had a feeling that there was more to it than he expected. "Can I ask what you would think is the most important thing for me to focus on?"

"For you it is simple. You need to understand your body more. You are a big lumbering clutz. So try and get moving more. Do the things you would normally sit to do standing up. Go on hikes through the roots and rocky areas. Keep practicing footwork with those three." They were all surprised that Garnet knew about that training but at the same time knew it was her job to keep up with what the campers were doing.

Jackson had expected this but was glad to hear the suggestions on how to improve. He already had felt the changes to his understanding when he had done the foot work tag game and now with the other methods, he could push for more.

Garnet turned to Sammy, "I heard about your little floating down the cliff trick. It will be useful when you fall but if you can't control your power more than that it is not all that good. Work on controlling the air around you and get your bearings early. You might be flat footed on the ground, but in the air you can be sideways, upside down, backwards, any which way. You will need to be comfortable being uncomfortable."

"I can learn to do that!" Sammy was sure that she could figure out how to be comfortable like this and already had her own theories on how to do that. It sounded easy but would take some time more than anything. Laura was eagerly awaiting what she would need to work on. She had already started on her processing speed with the wooden puzzles and slowing her body.

"You need to focus. When you had a goal to get points to get more ingredients for those cookies you were more focused than you had been yet. When you increased your speed you were still accurate. How else do you think you ran to find me so far away from your little camp site?" Garnet kept it short and sweet for Laura. What she needed to work on was simply focus.

Laura was a little put off since she had thought it was a disconnect between the speed her brain processed and the speed that her body moved. Hearing that it was the degree of focus made training seem even harder. "Just try and slow down first and remember your goals to why you are doing something. As you do that you should get more control of your focus over time." Laura was pensive but still fairly upbeat from the smell of the fresh campfire cookies cooling.

"Louis, you have the biggest potential here. You have no control over a large amount of lightning your body produces. But when it is lower in strength you can easily make it shock people or leaves. Just keep doing little things like that as you recover your lightning and then you should feel you have better control/ One day I expect you to be able to send a lightning bolt flying."

Louis was more excited than he had expected. He hadn't thought of ever being able to control it all to that degree. His lightning body had only been a burden so far. But if Garnet really thought that he would be able to control it to such a large degree he would try. Before Garnet even finished speaking he was already trying to zap small little pieces of leaves again. His focus ever increasing as he tried to only zap parts of it.

"Now Art, pass me a piece of your master piece over there. Asher has already raved about your cooking capabilities all over camp. It's time to put your money where your mouth is." Garnet had her doubts about how great these were but was enticed by the smell.

Art grabbed the still warm skillet and cut the chocolate and wild nut cookies in to even servings. The group eagerly grabbed their own pieces and could barely contain themselves while waiting to bite in to them. "Well, don't wait on my bubble gum. Ugh, my account." Art gestured for them to all take a bite while he sighed in frustration.

The looks on everyone's faces showed that they had just found the key to heaven. They had not tasted something so perfect in their lives. The soft and chewy cookie was perfectly balanced by the woodiness of the wild tree nuts that Jackson had provided. Even beyond that the small amount of smoke that came from the campfire reminded them all of the peaceful nights roasting marshmallows. It was an enlightening experience.

"These came out pretty good. Thanks for letting me work with a new ingredient Jackson." Art was happy to taste the difference in the cookie since he had not known how well the wild tree nuts would blend in to the recipe.

"I will get them a hundred times for you if you want. Actually no, I will bring them home and grow them for you to use every day if you want." Jackson was realizing that he had the skills to provide Art with a myriad of ingredients. Everyone would have laughed if not for the fact that they were too intent on enjoying their own campfire cookie.