Greetings to those that find their way to my little corner of creation here on this account. You may call me Celeste; a writer and creative soul that wishes to indulge and share a plethora of ideas and stories, with a lot of fun to be had with each story you may find in my archive here. If it wasn't obvious already, a number of my stories here will be focused on tickling, though their will be moments where you'll see some lore centered stories here as well, especially with my own little worlds that I have created.
You'll come to see those stories and worlds shared over time, and I cannot wait to show them too you!
Overall, I wish to share my stories to those with an open mind and a sense of creation and fun that can be brought with these. Some stories might be of your interest, others may not, some might grasp your interest in newfound ways, and a rare some might be a bit too...spicy to bear. But I wish to share my ideas along with supporting such creative minds and friends that I have come to know! Be sure to read below for the rules and boundaries for the blog itself!
Hope you enjoy your stay here, Welcome to my Archive~
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🚫MINORS and no-age blogs DNI🚫
Within this blog you'll mostly see stories that are either platonic, romantic, or all around fluff-centered with its writing. However their will be times that some writings will have suggestive themes or tags within them (Mostly found with my #Dusk-Lit Story or the rare #Midnight Story tag and the respective warnings). Such stories would not be fully explicitly sexual (If that were to change on the rare occasion such warning will be given). Due to this as a standard and strict rule of thumb for my account will be as followed...
If you don't have your age in your bio or pinned and if you are of minor age, I will block
I will also cement the fact that with any post, story, or idea ramble i have for it to NOT have any language that promotes incest or ships involving minors.
I wish for my blog to be one to share my stories and ideas with those that wish to see along with those I've come to know as friends...but I also wish for it to be one that is safe and carefully kept together with such understanding of sense and boundaries. Decency isn't an odyssey, please respect such boundaries of this and such other rules of the blog.
RULES AND BOUNDARIES 🌟
As I stated before in this post, I wish for this blog to be one to share my stories and ideas with those that wish to see, but also one that is safe and carefully kept together with such understanding of sense and boundaries. As such I have comprised this set of rules that I established for the blog and its contents and activity. I would wish for these rules and boundaries to be respected and adhered too for this blogs activity
Interaction
1. In a general sense, the blog's and people that can interact with me are that of Adult's with confirmed age and are legitimate. I will not interact with Minors and those with no age and such will not change. Please respect this boundary.
2. I am open to DM's from those I've come to know and interact with who genuinely interact with my work (For those that know me closely I see you). But I would wish to request to please keep conversation to comfortable boundaries until close understanding and relationship
- No teases of any kind from the get-go (except from those I have known for a while and have come to know me)
- No Kink talk of any kind from the get go or of any indication of such (except for understanding and genuine closeness and for those that have come to know me and/or no talk of such at all) ie. kink talk, kink tickling, flirting (Not looking for a romantic relationship)
- I can be a fair bit busy at times with responses and can be delayed with responses, apologies with such delays for it doesn't come purposefully
Request
1. Within this blog I won't take public or general request when it comes to making stories, what I create is from my own personal (and ever growing, god's help me/lh) docket that I have
2. When it comes to occasion's for request, I will take them from close friends and/or people I've come to know genuinely over time. However, I will not make guarantee's for the amount of time it'll take to complete said story request. My process is the living definition of a ricocheting bullet, so please be aware that time constraints and due dates will very much be up in the air.
Post and Reblog's
1. The following is a list that shows what I will be seen posting and reblogging on my blog...Please respect such following limitations and list within such that I'll have.
- Art and fics that have romantic tickles
- Art and fics that have Platonic/friendly tickles
- Art and fics that have Cuddling
- Art and fics that have General Fluff
- Light bondage and restraints depending on the scenario
- Some occasions of slightly suggestive/intimate themes that will be tagged under #Dusk-Lit Post
- Heavily Suggested themes and post (when they are of rare occasion) will be tagged under #Midnight Post
2. The following is a list that shows what I will not be seen posting and reblogging on my blog...Please respect such following limitations and list within such that I'll not have.
- Real-life tickling gifs/photos
- Content involving sex acts
- Content involving minors
3. The following is a list that shows the type of blogs and the content that I would usually be following and finding myself following...Please respect such following limitations and list within such that I'll follow.
- Other tickling art and story blogs run by an adult
- On occasion Kink blogs run by an adult
Any violation of such rules would result in a block and restriction of my blog immediately. As I said before, Decency isn't an odyssey, please respect such as you explore this place.
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FAQ's 🌟
At this moment (and for the current foreseeable) I do not intent to open up FAQ Messages as a means to keep a balanced and comfortable setting within the account. If such was to change for certain event's or special occasions, then FAQ'S would be open for such limited time. Other than that, this message will ALWAYS apply unless such changes.
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Do I accept drawings based on my stories? 🌟
YES...ABSOLUTELY...I adore and admire the creative minds and talents people are able to show and share with art and animation and I feel great honor that my writings can inspire such drawings in turn. I would very much welcome drawings based on any of the stories you may find in my archive...all i ask is that you follow these guidelines when doing so.
1. Please be aware that the DNI's of my account are still in affect with art based on my stories...as such Minors and No age blogs aren't permitted within drawing and/or sharing art based on my stories.
2. When creating such art pieces please be sure @ me in the case of respective credit along with the common courtesy that such ideas and/or stories were stolen in any way.
3. If possible when creating and posting the art piece in itself, please link the story it was inspired on just in the case of referencing for the story itself...not a strict rule but would still be very appreciated.
4. When it comes to stories that were gifted to another individuals based on their characters and/or versions of characters in their AU’s…I would wish for their to be that respect that art is reserved from said stories unless given permission from said individuals themselves
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MY ARCHIVES~ 🌟
This little post can help direct you to the post that holds my archive (aka: the collection of stories I created) and the archives dedicated to specific series of stories. These archives will be updated over time as stories are created...
Welcome to the Archive~
Sasha couldn’t believe it…well…she could believe it…it was sitting right in front of her…but it still left her starstruck. While she had always been an avid enjoyer of the supernatural and the occult, she hadn’t thought that her enjoyment would lead her into attempting to commune with such, much less an attempt that actually worked! Even though a few hours had passed since she summoned the rather timid incubus, Sasha was enthralled with how she was able to even bring Misha to her world in the first place. Misha had his own disbelief in turn, brought into a world he knew little about…and yet…one that felt welcoming thanks to Sasha’s presence. While the human was very…eager…when it came to meeting him, the shy incubus would find her company much more welcoming to…that…which he had to deal with in his realm. It would be then that questions would lead to Sasha making quite the discovery in how to help her new friend within a world unknown to him, and which his origin as an incubus, allow him to experience a form of affection that made his welcome all the sweeter~
If it wasn’t evident already, I’m a sucker for the mystical and magical when it comes to storytelling and story making. Fantasy tropes of all types have a chokehold on my heart in the best ways possible and I’m so happy that there are so many that can connect to many other creatives. But if there's one type of fantasy trope that I find myself getting more intrigued by, it’s the ideas of the occult and fantasy themes surrounding it. There's something so intriguing when it comes to how a demon can find themselves within the realm of humanity and the connections they make with others…especially when said demon find themselves completely alien to the idea of tickling. And from the moment I learned about these two sweethearts and the bond they have, I couldn’t help but want to write about it. So all the flowers go to my dearest friend @overtheimaginationwall for allowing me the honor and privilege to write this story for Sasha and Misha. Hope I did them justice, bestie, and I hope you all enjoy~
She didn’t believe it…
“Oh…”
She couldn't believe it…
“My…”
And yet she was looking at it…
“Gosh…”
Those were the only words that could be mustered from the lips of a starstruck girl currently sitting on the bean bag chair within the bedroom of her apartment. The girl in question was slightly short in height, but make no mistake, her personality definitely was one to not be ignored. Her ivory colored skin complimented well with her vanilla colored hair that reached just a few inches below her shoulders. At the moment, this girl could be seen wearing a rather casual set of comfortable clothing; consisting of a magenta colored shirt with the design of a star upon its center, along with a pair of khaki colored sweatpants for color consistency. A pair of light brown slippers would be heard tapping upon the wooden floor beneath her from pure excitement alone. Lotus iris eyes would sparkle from growing exhilaration as a multitude of thoughts swirled within the girl's mind.
Now, Sasha wasn’t apologetic when it came to her love of the supernatural, anybody who knew her knew that fact very well. Whether it was anything revolving the otherworldly, the idea of the existence of magic in reality, or even the curiosity of different realms of fantasy; the girl wasn’t just a fan of it, she was a full fledged believer. But what she was most curious about above everything else, was in fact the existence of demons and the occult. It wasn’t a gothic fixation per say, rather, Sasha found herself fascinated with the idea that such unique and powerful beings could possibly exist within another plane of existence not seen by human eyes. It was a shame that not many others were as interested in such beliefs as she was, but she wouldn’t let that deter her; instead, she’d let such beliefs motivate her fascinations further. So much so, that she’d decided to conduct a little…experiment…to see if her beliefs could be proven true. It wasn’t anything major, mind you, just a simple invocation ritual that Sasha read about through one of the books of the occult she had bought in her free time; besides, what she was even “attempting” to summon didn’t seem to pose any real danger in her eyes; and it wasn’t like she was expecting results anyways. If only the Sasha of the recent past realized just how wrong she was as she sat upon her chair, looking towards her bed to see the result of her beliefs looking right back at her with a rather…timid…expression.
“U-Uhum…a-are you…okay…?”
That timid voice would belong to a rather tall individual who looked…anything…but human compared to Sasha. Instead of smooth skin, the individual’s body consisted of light grey fur; however, such fur looked to be rather silky and well kept. Instead of normal fingers, the individual looked to have a set of dull claws that gleamed slightly within the sunlight streaking through the window. Slightly arched, three toed paws would shuffle upon the floor under the individual, as small black claws clicked on its wooden surface. Behind the individual would sit a very thin and very long tail that looked to end with an arrowhead colored a deep royal purple; just as the curved horns that sit atop the individual's short, flowing black hair. At the moment, this individual was only wearing a pair of black shorts and grey t-shirt he was currently borrowing from Sasha; considering the fact that well, when he appeared within the girls room he wasn’t really…presentable…in the first place. Long, elf-like ears would twitch instinctively as the individual’s deep violet eyes looked towards the person responsible for his arrival with confused nervousness.
No singular word would be enough to describe what was going on within the head of Misha as he found himself still reeling from what had just happened. If the incubus was honest with himself; he never believed that he had any chance of being noticed, let alone summoned, by anyone in any realm in existence. While he may have a demonic origin, the incubus found himself being a rather…soft hearted…soul; he had no thirst for chaos, nor found himself wanting to influence any bedlam. In other words; Misha found himself being a bit of an outcast from standard demon society…which…was as confusing as it sounded when he explained it to Sasha. This incubus, or rather fluffcubus as he’d been called, didn’t think that he’d have influence over any demonic magic that may have found its way to the human realm. Now here he was, sitting upon the bed of the human who had summoned him, looking as perplexed as he had been the moment they first set eyes upon each other. It didn’t help that the prolonged silence was starting to raise Misha’s concerns that he had said something wrong.
“You um…haven’t said much since I finished…explaining…” Misha stuttered as he shuffled where he sat, staggering a little as the mattress’s squishy memory foam was completely alien to him, looking towards the human with worried eyes, “W-Was that too overwhelming or confusing or…?”
It took a minute for Sasha to realize how awestruck she was after Misha broke the silence. The girl would shake her head before looking back towards the fluffcubus with a sheepish smile and giggle.
“R-Right, sorry about that, just was a bit too amazed is all…eheh…” Sasha reassured as she scratched the back of her neck, leaning forward on her bean bag chair as her eyes practically gleamed like stars with amazement towards Misha, “I just didn’t think this was actually gonna work! I mean I had hoped it would work, sure, but I wasn’t really banking on it. And yet here you are; a bona fide demon, sitting on my bed, talking to me!”
Misha would huff out a sigh of relief, his head drooping down slightly before raising it back up to look towards Sasha with a small, sheepish smile. The assurance that he didn’t overwhelm the human did put the fluffcubus at ease, though he was still caught off guard that she was fascinated by him. If anything, it only served to grow his confusion further about this strange realm; were all humans this fascinated with demons, shouldn’t they be terrified of his kind…well…those that weren’t him?
“I…um…wouldn’t dub myself as anything…amazing…as you say…” Misha would respond with a hushed tone in his voice, looking to the side to avoid direct contact with the human, “L-Like I said before I’m…not like the others of my kind…they’re the ones that are all-powerful while I’m…well…me.”
“Are you serious! The fact that you even exist is something amazing in its own right!” Sasha would exclaim in turn, jumping up from the beanbag chair as she began to pace in front of the guarded growing demon, “I mean demons have been nothing but myth and legend since…forever-ago…and to think that they actually exist is amazing! Each of them so unique in their powers and forms just makes it more fascinating to think about! And even for an incubus like you–!”
Sasha would proceed to turn her head back to Misha as she was about to continue speaking; only to see that he had been looking away during the entirety of her impromptu rambling. It was then that the human took notice of the expression in Misha’s eyes; for not only did they look fraught with confusion, they also seemed to be fraught with…loathing…self-loathing. Sasha soon realized the true weight of what Misha had been telling her; how even within his own realm, other demons would see him as lesser than others…how those of his kind were given the name fluffcubus out of pride…but of shame. And now that very same demon has found himself in a realm that isn’t his own, one where he has no knowledge or experience being in. Couple these two thoughts together; and you get someone who must be feeling an unfathomable amount of isolation, in more ways than one no less. It was this realization that sparked a good bit of guilt within the human, she couldn’t imagine just how much Misha had gone through in his realm; and now with him practically flying blind in the human realm, she didn’t want him to feel as alone as he did back home…
“Hey…I didn’t mean to get you down like that…you’re really just as amazing as any other demon,” Sasha spoke as she made her way toward Misha, taking a seat next to the demon at the foot of her bed as she looked towards him with a gentle smile, “No one person could ever be similar to another person, i’m sure that applies to demons too, and in my mind…that's what makes each of us special…”
Misha jumped a bit as he felt Sasha sit next to him on the bed before letting himself ease; another sigh escaping his lips as he looked down to the ground below him, tail slowly waving behind him as he spoke, “It’s…not your fault…I know you didn’t mean anything offensive from your speech. I just…I’ve lived with this understanding for a long time…that I would be seen as weird or strange for who I am…that in some cases it would be shunned by others. I…could hardly imagine that humans experience the same thing…”
Sasha would snort for a moment as she took a moment to look down to the ground just like Misha was, a gentle look of understanding seen on her face, “You kidding? A good few people I know aren’t really into…mythological beings…like I am. A few of them kinda called me crazy when I told them I was going to try this out in the first place.”
Misha’s eyes would soften a little as he’d slowly looked up towards Sasha, reading the honesty on her face as she spoke, which only grew his own curiosity, “Is that really true?”
“Yeah…and while it can be discouraging…I never let it deter me cause, well, I’m me for myself…not for others,” Sasha would continue, a soft smile growing on her face as she looked back towards Misha, moving to pat the demon’s leg in comfort, “Just because I’m different, doesn’t mean there's something wrong with me. It just means that there's something special about me that not many others have, and that can be said for a lot of different people, even demons too. But it’s those unique, special things about those people that make them absolutely amazing.”
The fluffcubus was silent for a moment as he registered what Sasha said; just as a normal incubus could, Misha was able to read the emotions that stem from the human and her words, and he knew she wasn’t lying. Misha found it strange, how someone could accept themselves being different despite being ridiculed for it; and yet, he also found it comforting how strength could be drawn from that mindset. Perhaps…perhaps there really wasn’t anything wrong with being a fluffcubus; and if humans are each as unique as Sasha says they are…then maybe he wasn’t as alone as he thought he was when it came to being himself.
“Maybe…Maybe there is truth to such a belief,” Misha whispered as he’d find himself lost in thought, unaware of Sasha’s hand getting closer to his leg as he spoke, “Maybe it just takes time to–”
Before the demon could finish his sentence however, a rogue sensation would snap him out of his train of thought. His whole body shivering as a gentle touch would spark from what seemed to be his leg; the same leg that Sasha’s hand was gently pressing with her fingertips. And within that same moment, a rather interesting noise would escape the fluffcubus’s lips…
“–E-Ehehehehemph!?”
Sasha would perk up upon hearing that sudden noise, moving her hand from the demon’s leg out of cautious instinct. Her face grew worried as she looked around in an attempt to find where the noise came from…only for her to turn to see Misha looking…nervous?
“Misha, are you okay?” Sasha asked as she attempted to gauge what the incubus looked to be nervous about, concern showing within her voice, “I didn’t hurt you or anything, did I? You seem tense.”
Misha would look back to Sasha as a string of feelings began to swirl within his head; nervousness, exhilaration, and…excitement? Why was he excited over a touch to his leg that felt like electricity to him, and yet, a touch that didn’t seem to be…harmful? And why did he find himself making that strange noise through it that sounded like…a laugh…just what did Sasha do to him?
“I-It’s nothing, Miss Sasha,” Misha would respond, clearing his voice the best he could as he felt that lingering sensation against his leg, looking down to the place of “impact per say, “It was just that when you touched my leg it felt…strange…like I was struck with gentle lightning, I don’t really know how but it was what caused me to…make…that sudden sound.”
Sasha did her best to listen to Misha’s explanation as to what had happened, but as she listened, she couldn’t help but put a few pieces together with what the incubus was describing. He was surprised at the sudden feeling of her touching his leg, and yet, it didn’t seem to hurt him. The noise that she heard came from him upon touching his leg, and yet, she could’ve sworn that it sounded like a giggle. And the way he was describing that it was like being touched by electricity, the only thing that could feel like something like that was…
…Wait A Minute…
The pieces began to click together in the human's head as a realization dawned on her, one that made her look back up to Misha with newfound curiosity. There was only one thing that could have made the incubus react the way he did when she touched his leg…but it was impossible…there was no way this could be the case right? She had to at least see if her suspicion was true, and luckily for Sasha, she knew just how to do it. While Misha continued looking down to his leg, Sasha would raise her hand towards the demon’s torso; and with a single finger, proceed to gently poke against the middle of his side. And with just a single finger, the human would get the answer she was looking for; and in turn, make a discovery that would change her life forever.
“E-Ehehehahahahamph!” Misha would yelp out as he would feel his whole body shudder upon the invading sensation upon his side, jumping a little before instinctively hugging himself as he looked to Sasha with a jittery expression…one that in turn…showed a small dash of red upon his face, “Sahahasha, What was that?”
That yelp alone was enough to confirm Sasha’s suspicions as she looked to the fidgety state that the incubus was now in; and as she saw the soft fluster that began to form upon his face, there were only three things that were echoing in her mind.
Incubi Were Ticklish…
Misha Was Ticklish…
And Misha Doesn’t Know He’s Ticklish…
In that moment, a small smile began to grow upon the human’s face as she continued to gaze at her flustered friend. To think that a discovery like this was even possible to make, and she would be the first one to make it no less! But even more important; she might have just discovered a way to not only help her new friend get accustomed to the human realm, but also be able to cheer him up in the process. Sasha would give a little giggle as she moved closer to the incubus, sitting shoulder to shoulder from him as he looked to her with a concerned furrow on his face
“S-Sasha…?” Misha began as he would look down to see Sasha begin to move each of her hands towards each of his sides, his nervousness beginning to bubble to its boiling point as his voice began to stutter, “W-What are you do-EHEHEHEHEMPH?!”
Misha wouldn’t have the chance to finish before that strange feeling began to shock through his body once more, only this time, he knew exactly where it was coming from…and even more so…who it was coming from. As the incubus would find himself squirming as Sasha’s fingers began to gently tap against his sides, prodding through his shirt with a gentle yet shocking touch. Her touch was soft yet swift; each finger that poked along his side never stayed in one spot as she would slowly move her hands up and down his sides. All the while an impish smile would be seen upon her face as she witnessed the stuttery giggle fit that threatened to spill from Misha’s lips.
“Whaaaat? Just want to give you a chance to loosen up from all these nerves of yours,” Sasha hummed with a little giggle as she’d move her hands up towards the upper half of Misha’s sides, skittering her fingers along the covered zone, “Think of this as a little welcome gift in coming to the human realm!~”
Misha couldn’t help the squeak that came from his lips as he felt the human’s hands move up his body, the sensation shocking him to no end; and yet, this sensation seemed to be making him laugh? Confusion and Fluster would swirl within the incubus’s mind as he’d find his squirming and laughter to raise an octave as those fingers got close to his ribs; the small splash of red on his face spreading with every passing second. And while he found himself trying to gently bat Sasha’s hands away, he found himself feeling this strange feeling swelling within him…a sense of…enjoyment?
“Eheheheheahahahaehehehe A-A Wehehehehehehehehehelcome gihihihihihihift?” Misha sputtered out as he tried his best to keep the giggles bubbling up from getting loose, looking to the human with a wobbly smile of confusion, “H-Hohohohohohohohow is this w-wehehehehelcomihihihihing?!”
“Because it’s a way to bring a smile to your face, silly,” Sasha replied with an impish giggle as a playful smile reflected within Misha’s eyes as she answered, “Though I would have never guessed that an incubus could be ticklish~”
Misha would feel himself crumble by the second as he heard Sasha’s rather mischievous answer, but through it, he was able to at least learn what exactly she was doing to him. The incubus had never heard of a feeling such as “ticklish” before in his life, no records or knowledge of such of this was ever present to him during his time in the demon realm. Though he had overheard some demon’s discussing different methods of human interaction with each other; and one of them had said something about witnessing a human experience some sort of shocking sensation upon feeling contact with another human. Misha had waved that off as a passing thought that resulted in some sort of harm to a human, but this was nothing like what he believed it to be…in fact…it felt like quite the opposite. But that still left him confused as to why he was feeling this way in the first place, and why was this simple act making him feel so…happy?
“T-Tihihihihihihicklihihihihihish? W-Whahahahahahat are you tahahahalking abohohohohout?!” Misha squeaked out in question as he felt his body begin to try to escape from Sasha’s touch, his efforts in suppressing his laughter getting much harder as the tickling continued, “D-Dehehehehemohohohons dohohohohon’t seheheheheem to behehehe tihihihcklish from whahahahat I kn-knohohohohohow!”
“Really now,” Sasha hummed with curiosity as she would begin to move her hands down the incubus’s sides, slowly but surely getting close to his belly as she spoke with a wondrous tone, “It must be a special fluffcubus trait then, a rather cute trait at that, just listen to those adorable giggles~”
Misha found his face warming up upon hearing that strange…compliment…was that sort of compliment for humans? Before he even had a chance to think further on it, the incubus’s eyes would widen upon feeling the human’s fingers touch down on his belly. A tender touch that seemed to rock the demon with a loud yelp echoing from his lips, his body instinctively falling back upon the bed with surprising ease. A gentle thud echoing around Sasha’s room as she looked down to see the demon fidgeting where he was laying, not a finger upon his body as small giggles continued to escape his lips.
“E-Ehehehehemph O-Oh my goodness,” Misha huffed out softly as he hugged himself from the sudden fluttery feeling that seemed to be swirling within his belly, looking up to Sasha with that same puzzled wobbly smile, “I-I dohohohon’t know why I d-dihihihid that…i-it juhuhuhust fehehelt s-so…t-ticklish I-I guess?”
Sasha couldn’t help but giggle upon seeing Misha’s reaction, poor thing really didn’t know what tickling was if he reacted like that before she even started on his belly. She would move up the bed to sit beside where the demon was laying, giving him a gentle smile as she looked down to him, “Man oh Man, your belly must be really sensitive if just placing my hands on it got you this jumpy, you need a break?”
The question only seemed to confuse Misha further as he looked up to the human’s gentle smile, now she was asking if he needed a break from something that was making him smile? Well, he did feel like he was getting a little tired from the prolonged ticklish sensation, so perhaps a break was needed. But the demon couldn’t deny that this was a weird way to carry out a ritual, regardless, he would give a gentle nod to Sasha to answer her question. What was most strange to Misha however, was that while he felt exhausted from the tickling he experienced, he also felt like his energy was being restored in some way; which only further his confusion through his sputtered squeaks.
“Y-Yehehehehes…Yes please…” Misha would giggle out with gasping sigh, lying back against the pillow on Sasha’s bed as he continued to hug himself, the blush on his face unchanged from it’s cherry red glow, “I-I hahahahah-have never experienced anything like this, it feels so strange and yet…feels so…good…is that normal?”
Sasha found herself having to hold in an “awe” upon hearing that question, unable to contain the warmth of affection she felt from this sweetheart of an incubus. Someone so new to the idea of tickling yet finding himself unable to hide his feelings about it, it was too cute for her to handle. She had to hold her cuteness aggression at bay however…she didn’t want to overwhelm the poor sweetheart with too many tickles…not yet at least. Instead, the human would give a soft chuckle as she patted Misha’s leg while giving a gentle nod towards the demon.
“Completely normal in my eyes, honestly,” Sasha would respond with a gentle tone in her voice, comforting the fluffcubus while he recovered, “Tickling can be a fun way to show affection between people who trust each other. Along with the mischievous fun it provides, it also helps people forget about their worries for a bit while they laugh and giggle themselves silly. In some cases, people find themselves enjoying tickling because of that, it can be a rather sweet thing to like frankly.”
Misha would find himself lost in thought for a moment, taking in what the human knew about tickling and connecting it to his own feelings about it; he seemed to be very ticklish based on what Sasha told him, but it wasn’t like it was something that was hurting him…in fact…the demon couldn’t help but find it pretty fun. He couldn’t really control how his body moved or reacted to the human’s ticklish touch, but it wasn’t like he was in any danger as Sasha tickled him. In fact, the demon couldn’t help but feel like he was…safe…while in Sasha’s care…even though he was giggling like a madman the entire time. It was a strange confliction that Misha felt as these thoughts continued to clash in his mind, tickling seemed so strange to him; but he couldn’t deny that it helped him forget about his worries about being in the human realm, and once more, the compliments did give him a gentle confidence boost. He couldn’t imagine that someone would actually like him for who he was, especially with going so far as to tickle him because of it, and yet Sasha would break every expectation he had when it comes to having such connections.
“I sehehehehehe-see,” Misha would giggle out as he would turn to look at Sasha with soft curiosity as he found himself getting comfortable upon her bed, “Do you…find yourself being one of those individuals that…like it too?”
Now it was Sasha’s turn to blush as the question caught her completely off guard, finding herself turning her head away from the sudden fluster that came from such a sweetly innocent sounding question; she couldn't deny that indulging in some tickling was enjoyable, but it was something that she usually kept to herself. She had her fair share of sneaking some tickle attacks to her friends here and there, and she had been on the receiving end on more than one occasion; but none of the people who she interacted with were the wiser of her true enjoyment of such indulgences. Although given the current situation she has found herself in, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to change that.
“W-Well…I would say that I’m a person that…enjoys it, yeah,” Sasha would answer with a bit of a stutter in her voice, trying her best to ease the blush on her face while turned away so only Misha could see a hint of red on her cheek, “B-But I find myself liking to give it a lot more, it’s just a nice way to show a bit of silly affection to someone I appreciate, and it’s nice to see them smile and happy too…”
The incubus couldn’t help but give a sweeter giggle upon seeing the blush of Sasha’s face upon hearing her answer. She was a one of a kind human, Misha couldn’t deny that, but it was becoming something he found himself appreciating. For all the uncertainty that he felt about being in the human realm now, he believed that he was lucky that he was summoned by such a sweet human. And while he couldn’t explain it, this strange form of affection seemed to truly resonate within the incubus with every word she spoke about; almost like the thought of such affection was invigorating him as much as the act of it. Perhaps their were a few benefits when it came to being a fluffcubus…and frankly…the demon found himself wanting to give himself the chance to embrace that.
“W-Well then, i-if y-you’re okay with it,” Misha found himself saying, the blush on his face glowing a bit as he looked away from Sasha for a moment before continuing, “I f-feel as though I have…recovered a decent bit, i-if you so wish to…I wouldn’t mind if we continued too…”
Sasha found herself perking up as she turned her head right back around to look at Misha; caught completely off guard from what he was saying, “You…You mean you want me to tickle you again?”
A little shiver washed over Misha’s body over hearing the word again, and yet, the little bravery he had urged him forward as he would nod softly to the stunned human, “I-It is still strange to me how something like this can bring so much joy…and yet…I can’t help but find myself resonating with it. Along with that, the kindness you showed me proved that the good soul I sensed you have is genuine and pure; and so, I trust you to…well…make sure I’m…well cared for?”
Sasha couldn’t even find the words to respond to Misha’s statement, her own thoughts swirling in a never ending whirlpool of warmhearted emotions. As ironic as it was, meeting misha was probably one of the biggest blessings that Sasha could ever think of happening to her; and if he truly was here to stay, she was going to make sure to be the best human friend she could ever be for him. A weirdo from the human realm and a weirdo from the demon realm, a dream team that felt as though it would be one of the greatest friendships she’ll ever have in her life. Of course, there was one thing Sasha had to take care of first, for that cuteness aggression that was festering within her was threatening to explode at any given moment.
Sasha would put on a mischievous face that would almost make her seem like a gremlin as she moved up on the bed while proceeding to straddle Misha’s legs from underneath her. Looking down at Misha as the blush on his face proceeded to glow brighter upon the sudden position change, the demon quickly realizing that he had nowhere to go as he looked up to see her sparkling eyes.
“I hope you know that you got yourself into this,” Sasha would muse as she would move her hands down towards the demon’s belly once more, “Because now I have the chance to see just how sensitive this fluffy tummy of yours really is, you ready?~”
Seeing as though Misha had accepted that he got himself into this predicament, there was no reason for him to hide what he wanted; besides, he was still an incubus, he was letting himself enjoy what he was good at. Only this time, he found someone to share that enjoyment with in the sweetest form imaginable; and in turn, found a true friend that he will cherish for the rest of his life.
“D-Don’t expect it to be so easy now,” Misha would do his best to challenge Sasha as his confidence was as wobbly as the smile that was painted across his face, already squirming with the hands sitting at his belly, “R-Recall that incubi h-have potent endurance…”
“Oh I know,” Sasha would return as she would lean down and give Misha a little wink in turn, “That’ll make this a lot more fun, let’s see how long it takes for me to get you to laugh again~”
With that declaration, Sasha would proceed to follow through with her promise with impish mercilessness. Her fingers would begin to skitter softly along the sides of the demon’s belly, fingertips gently pressing against the fluff that hid under the demon’s shirt with devilish dexterity. To her it felt as though she was playing a piano; a soft, squishy, adorable piano that made some of the sweetest music she had ever heard in her life.
“EHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA w-wait wait wahahahahahahahahahait!” Misha squealed as he found himself already squirming as those fingers would skitter along his torso, any chance he had at repressing his laughter instantly rendered useless as he whipped his head back from the get-go, “Ohohohohoho my gohohohohohosh th-thahahahah-THAHAHAHAHAHAHAT FEHEHEHEHEHEELS Sohohohohohoho muhuhuhuhuhuhuhuch wohohohohohohohohorse!”
“Awwwwww sweet fluffcubus is already giggling up a storm,” Sasha cooed out as she would move her hands over to trace over the middle of the demon’s belly, before proceeding to give the soft fluff a few tender squishes with a little playful smirk, “What happened to not making it easy for me, huh?~”
“YOHOHOH-YOU CHEHEHEHEHEHEATED!” Misha would retort as he found himself yelping with every squish he felt against the middle of his belly, his whole body arching out of pure instinct yet he found himself loving every second of it, “IHIHIH-I DIHIHIHIHIDN’T Thihihihihihink ihihihihit wohohohohohould behehehe-be this BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAD!”
“I asked if you were ready and you said yes~” Sasha chuckled back as she would proceed to slowly move a hand down to the hem of the demon’s shirt, slowly raising it up as she continued to squish along the middle of his belly, “It’s not my fault that you’re just so ticklish~”’
The incubus couldn’t muster a response as a bubbly laughter echoed from his lips while he felt his belly being uncovered. Slowly but surely a mass of gray fluff would be seen well kept upon a lean yet soft looking belly that made Sasha swoon a little upon seeing it again. She couldn’t help but imagine how soft it would feel upon her fingers, and based on today's events, it seems as though she’ll have plenty of time to indulge in it.
“You know, I think giving you a small shirt really didn’t do you any favors in showing off this cute tummy,” Sasha would muse as she fixed up the demon’s shirt so that his tummy was laid bare for her, seeing the blush on his face from being in such an exposing position, “How about tomorrow you and I go shopping for some clothes that you’ll like, they’re a few stores I think you’ll like; it’ll be my other little gift to you to welcome you to the human realm, deal?~”
Misha couldn’t help but continue to giggle as Sasha made that rather flustering offer to him; even when she had him at her mercy, she couldn’t help but show how sweet she was. The demon truly felt blessed to have been summoned by her…perhaps with her…he might be able to find a new life where being himself was something celebrated instead of shunned…and that was something he couldn’t wait for.
“D-Deheheheheal,” Misha would respond, looking up to his new friend with a gentle smile through his sweet giggles, “Ihihihits a deal, Miss Sasha.”
“Just, Sasha would do, okay Misha,” Sasha would hum before a devious glint would be seen within her eyes as she proceeded to lean down towards the demon’s belly, an impish giggle in her voice, “Now hold still, I wanna try something…”
“Wait…Wait W-Wahahahat are you doing…” Misha would stutter out, not realizing that those were the last words he was going to be able to say for the next hour, “W-Why are you taking a deep bre-EHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEATH S-SAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHASHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!”
Maybe being a fluffcubus stuck in the human world wasn’t so bad after all~
Peace comes as the result of Conflict, just as Conflict cannot exist without Peace. Those who face such conflicts find themselves confronting struggles that can rupture their lives in more ways than one. From losing their sense of self, conflictions with their wants and desires, even confusion and hurt from things they had once believed were true. But when the dust settles from conflicts long fought; peace can make way for healing to help those who have struggled find new purpose and light within their lives. Such is the case with The Lights Retaliation, a war that shook Earthbread to its very dough and altered the lives of all cookiekind forever. With their battle now over and their lives now their own, the great Beast Cookies find themselves adrift in what their futures hold. Conflict and Suffering was all they knew, and the transition into peace was something they were unfamiliar with, much less finally being the masters of their own lives. But in their moments of aimless thought, it would be their heroic counterparts that would help them see what their lives can become with their battles now over; as the ancient cookies take time to understand their counterparts better, and in turn, bring some well needed light into the Beasts lives~
WARNING: Story will contain
Grief
Loss
Combat
Life Lessons Followed By Lots of Tickles
A Very Long Story So Brace Yourselves
Facing Conflict is never easy; just as a world cannot exist without peace and prosperity, it also cannot exist without tribulation and struggle. No matter who you are, you will find yourself facing your own type of conflict; whether it be physical, mental, spiritual, or even emotional. Some conflicts might be minimalistic in scale, being something as little as an inconvenience; but there are moments where a conflict grows so large that it ends up affecting a multitude of people, and in some rare cases, affecting the entire world. Viewpoints of the world would see themselves altered forever; belief and sense finds itself ruptured to their core; even a person's self-identity would be put into question thanks to Conflict's cruel hand…
One particular case of such a Conflict would be that of The Lights Retaliation; a war that saw the fate of Earthbread itself at stake in a climatic battle waged between forces of the light and the dark. Cookie-kind found itself on the brink of disaster as a sinister Enchantress would assemble the greatest powers in the known world for her malevolent scheme; almost subjecting the entirety of the world to her warped vision of Freedom. In the midst of her plan; the Enchantress would assume the role of a maestro, manipulating the emotions and purposes of five particular cookies like puppets on strings, the great Beast Cookies. Each of these cookies, legendary in their own right yet corrupted through tragedy and secrecy, would find themselves ensnared in the Enchantress's crooked shadow; as their reawakening was only done as a means to fuel her own twisted “dream”. It was at that moment that the Beasts truly believed that their definitive end would be written, manipulated and used to the very end; but fate…or perhaps…freedom had other plans, as their heroic counterparts would then become their unexpected saviors. With the combined forces of the Ancient Heroes, the Alliance of Light, even what remained of the Beast's strength at that time; the Enchantress’s plan would be thwarted as she was rendered defeated once and for all.
The whole of Earthbread would rejoice over this prominent victory; the fall of the Dark Enchantress signified a new age of peace for all of cookie-kind, marking a time of celebration and glee for all who believed in the Light’s hope! That sentiment didn’t resonate for all cookies however; as the cookies around them would cheer with triumph and relief, the five Beasts would find themselves feeling…silent…lost…hollow. Their “Alliance” with the Dark Enchantress was the source of their newfound purpose to defy their holy creators who they believed had wronged them; a belief that was nothing more than a lie used as a means of protection against their own corruption, and a purpose that was left as shattered as their alliance with the Enchantress. It was then that newfound emotions would begin to swirl within each of the Beast's minds; Confusion, Sadness, Betrayal, even Fear for what this unknown future holds for them. What would this new world, a world far from their own in times long since past, would do for five cookies who knew nothing but misfortune and strife? Little did the Beasts know that the answer to their questions would find itself looking back at them; as each of the five heroes would swear to guide their counterparts during their moments of adrift…and in turn…holding onto hope that they’d be able to help heal the damage that was done.
Each of the Five Beasts would find themselves kept under the care of their respective heroic counterparts, taking solace in each of their sanctuaries away from public eye as a means to help them heal from the reputation their past actions may have brought them. Days would pass as the Beasts slowly became accustomed to this unfamiliar way of life, though despite the newfound peace in their lives, there was still that sense of uncertainty that was housed within each of them. An uncertainty that a particular cookie felt in the wind as they currently sat at the foot of a giant tree in an extravagant forest; meditating under the shade of the tree’s ever growing leaves, the cookie would see that the Beasts still had smaller internal conflicts that were troubling them. The cookie showed no concern however, as he’d sensed that each of the heroic souls who had come to know their counterparts better would bring them the peace that they yearn for. In fact…that moment may come sooner rather than later…as the cookie would open their eyes, a gentle smile growing upon their face.
“I have faith that they will see that their other halves are given the healing they need,” The cookie hummed with a little giggle, “And perhaps that healing will come with a little bit of bliss in turn~”
-----
“Are you ready?” A cookie’s gentle voice would speak out towards the other cookie they were currently sitting beside.
“Pft! Ready? Ready is my middle name! I’m ready for anything and everything!” A playfully sarcastic voice would ring out in answer as the other cookie looked back to his caretaker with a…semi-confident…smile…
The caretaker in question was a cookie of orange-tan dough that seemed to radiate with the gentlest of light. His long and creamy blond hair braided neatly as it flowed gently behind his back, well kept regardless of what it may have gone through. At the moment the cookie could be seen wearing a silky vanilla colored night dress designed to look like that of a wafer cone; as a pair of comfortable vanilla colored leggings and sandals made up the rest of his outfit for this quiet afternoon. And while the cookie's eyes looked to be closed at the moment, they seemed to look towards the sarcastic cookie with a gentle, yet knowing, expression of doubt.
“You know that I can tell when you’re lying at this point, right?” Pure Vanilla Cookie responded with a soft but shrewd tone towards the cookie who was currently attempting to keep that hesitant smile as best as he could.
“Whaaaat? Me? Lie to you? Over something like this?” The ‘confident’ cookie shooed as waved his hand idly in the air to deflect the question thrown at him, only to see the gaze of the hero unchanging from its awareness.
Said ‘confident’ cookie was one of soft, powdered blue dough that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight that shone through the windows of his abode. His hair was long as it was sharp, carrying a glossy bicolored mix of royal blue and solid black; though from the blue underside of his jester hat hair, a plethora of blue eyes could be seen scattered about exchanging nervous glances towards each other. On this tranquil afternoon, the cookie would be seen wearing a comfortable set of clothing upon his dough; clothing that consisted of a loose fitting dark blue sleep shirt that was patterned in black diamonds, with one diamond cut upon the shirt to show a bit of his midriff. A pair of black wool sleep pants patterned with blue stripes would match with the dark blue slippers he had on his feet to round out his outfit. Heterochromic eyes of cerulean and cyan would look towards his gentle counterpart with that same faux confidence as his tone had, confidence that slowly faltered upon seeing the knowing look that was painted across the hero's face. Instead, the cookie's look would be that of the same timid expression that was seen upon the eyes along his hair.
“Are you sure that…this…won’t hurt…?” Shadow Milk Cookie would ask in a gentle yet slightly anxious tone as he felt his whole body shiver with nervousness from what his counterpart wanted to do.
After the war’s conclusion, Pure Vanilla wanted to take some time to understand his counterpart better after all the conflict they had gone through together; from experiencing the tragedies that the Beast of Deceit had gone through, the Hero of Truth wished to help Shadow Milk open up more after all that had transpired. It was difficult at first, almost impossible at times, with how Shadow Milk became a cookie that personified Deceit itself; the beast wasn’t one to easily display his true emotions, the jester's role being as much of a safeguard for himself as it was a method of expression for who he came to be. But as time progressed; Shadow Milk slowly began to show his true self around his counterpart, and while he still kept the identity of a sly jester within him, he allowed himself to be a bit more honest with his feelings with the help of his counterpart. However, both Shadow Milk and Pure Vanilla soon learn that such honesty would come with a bit of…excess timidness…when it comes to certain things that the jester isn’t exactly…used to…so to speak.
Such was the case for this particular moment, as the two cookies sat upon one of the spacious window nooks within Shadow Milk's personal quarters in the Spire of All Knowledge; where the hero wanted to make an attempt at something new with his beastly counterpart. The war had taken a toll on the jester of deceit, leaving him scathed and scarred more than any cookie should be; and while Shadow Milk was able to heal himself for the most part thanks to his basic skill of healing magic, there were still some bruising wounds he wasn’t able to fully mend on his own. Because of this, the Hero of Truth wanted to try to help his counterpart through his own magic; with Pure Vanilla being much more proficient in healing than Shadow Milk was, he believed that it would prove to completely mend the beast’s remaining bruises. And though the idea itself was of sound mind and came from a good place; Shadow Milk, who was as reckless and unpredictable as a cookie can be, found himself being a bit…hesistant…about the idea of being given that type of care.
Pure Vanilla’s expression shifted as he heard the Beast’s question, his studious face showing a more caring and understanding look as he began to answer, “I’ve practiced healing magic over the course of most of my life, and I take great care in ensuring that it leaves no ill effects upon anyone I use it on.”
Shadow Milk listened well to Pure Vanilla’s words as he spoke, paying close attention to how they were uttered. Over the years, the beast had perfected the art of knowing when a cookie was telling a truth or a lie through the pattern of their speech; it was a talent that came from his role as both the Fount of Knowledge and the Jester of Deceit. It served as a great tool when it comes to assuring that his “games” were played with absolute fairness, or sometimes, when he wants to assure himself that he can truly trust someone. And while Shadow Milk can tell that Pure Vanilla was not lying when it comes to his proficiency in healing magic, he still couldn’t help but hesitate upon an answer.
“In the end, it is up to you whether you truly want to try this or not, and I will not hold it against you if you wish not to,” Pure Vanilla assured as he gently moved a hand to pat the Beast’s shoulder, giving a soft smile towards his counterpart with pure sincerity, “But I promise you that I will not let my magic hurt you, no matter what.”
The Beast thought in silence for a few minutes, contemplating the choice he was given in this moment, unable to ignore the tension he was feeling both in mind and body. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Pure Vanilla, the hero saved his life for Witches sake; the problem however, revolved around if Shadow Milk was able to trust himself to accept his help. It had been a long time, if ever, that the beast was offered this type of care…and if he were honest with himself…he wasn’t sure if he was truly deserving of such. Even before he became the Beast of Deceit, Shadow Milk had to look out for himself, even among his fellow Beast; the idea of someone caring about his genuine well being was a far fetched ideal, who would show genuine care to a world-acclaimed “god” amongst cookies, right? But deep down, even from that long ago, Shadow Milk wished he was shown that type of compassion for his true self; he just had gotten so used to looking out for himself that…he believed that he was truly unworthy of it. Now here he was, being given the chance to have what he had been wanting for so long by someone who cares about him for who he truly is, so why was he hesitating? The Beast felt…confused…as he reminisced on such memories, such…wishes…that he kept to himself for so long. Could he allow himself to accept something he thought was just a pipe dream? Would he make Pure Vanilla uncomfortable if he did something foolish or stupid by accident in the process? There were just too many variables to think on but…but…he trusted him…and he knew that he trusted him…
A few more minutes of internal rumination passed before Shadow Milk gave a gentle murmur, gaining Pure Vanilla’s attention once more. The Beast would proceed to lean back against the hero, letting his back rest against the hero’s chest with a soft huff before he whispered just enough for Pure Vanilla to hear, “Just…please…be gentle with it…okay?”
Pure Vanilla sat in stunned silence for a moment after hearing, and seeing, Shadow Milk’s answer. In truth the hero had hoped that the beast would take up his offer, but he didn’t fully expect him to actually agree to it. The hero couldn’t help but give a soft smile of pride for his beastly counterpart, he’s come a long way from the recluse trickster he was before, as ironic as using that word was. Pure Vanilla would proceed to move his hands around so they hovered over Shadow Milk’s upper body, getting himself ready to begin this new type of treatment.
“I wouldn’t think of doing anything otherwise,” Pure Vanilla reassured as he gave a gentle hum of understanding, “Now then, where would you say most of the remaining bruises are, Milly?”
Shadow Milk shuddered for a moment as he felt Pure Vanilla reposition himself, along with the sudden moment of hearing that particular nickname, his nervousness still present before taking a deep breath as the question was asked, “A-Around my torso, I’d say, gets a bit sore when floating around for a while…n-not that it’s any biggie at all but…yeah there…”
The hero would nod as he began to channel his magic into his hands, and in no time at all, a gentle golden hue of light began to envelop his palms as they began to hover over the Beast’s torso, “Alright then, try to keep still for me okay? We’ll go slow so it doesn’t feel overwhelming.”
Shadow Milk simply nodded in response as he closed his eyes, preparing himself for whatever was going to happen. Taking that as a gesture to begin; Pure Vanilla would lower his hands towards the Beast’s sides until they were just a few inches above his body. Once they were close enough; the golden light radiating from the hero’s palms began to extend itself towards the Beast’s body, enveloping a small area upon the middle of his sides in its gentle hue. Shadow Milk felt his whole body flinch upon first contact with the light, the feeling something the Beast had no prior experience with; but after that initial contact the beast felt a…warmth…begin to spread over his torso. It was as if he was being covered in the softest warmest blanket in the whole world, a comfortable feeling that seemed to focus on the areas where he had felt lingering pains upon his sides. A few seconds would pass and the Beast would begin to feel the places where those lingering wounds were begin to slowly disappear from his body, the irritation and aching from said wounds slowly following suit. A soft sigh would involuntarily escape from Shadow Milk's lips as the healing magic made quick yet gentle work upon his sides; the hero definitely was being modest when it came to his proficiency, because this felt incredible
“Woah…it’s…it’s like they were never there,” Shadow Milk hummed gently as he felt himself subconsciously stretch out from the alleviating feeling of his counterparts healing, the eyes upon his hair showing a range of blissful and relaxed expressions, “I know it’s your whole thing to be humble about your abilities, but this genuinely feels…just…amazing, you definitely should give yourself more credit.”
Pure Vanilla gave a small smirk chuckled a little as he began to move his hands from the Beast’s sides and towards his stomach, the healing light upon his palms following with him as he did so, “Well I’m glad you think so highly of it, considering it’s coming from one of the most egocentric cookies in all of Earthbread~”
Even though he knew the hero meant no ill will in that statement, the Beast couldn’t help but want to egg his counterpart on, it was in his nature to be a bit of a button pusher after all.
“Well, at least one of us has to be a bit more prideful in our talents,” Shadow Milk mused as he would move one of his hands up to boop Pure Vanilla on the nose, unaware of how one Pure Vanilla’s hands had just made its way onto the middle of Shadow Milk’s belly, “And knowing you, you’d probably be unable to show any type of ego because you’re just too mee–”
Just as the Beast was about to finish his playful taunt, an unexpected feeling would rupture his concentration almost entirely. The feeling in question would be that of one of Pure Vanilla’s hands; for as the healing magic enveloping his palm began to wash over the middle of Shadow Milk’s stomach, a single stray finger would get a bit too close to the Beast’s dough. So much so; that Pure Vanilla’s finger was able to swiftly, yet accidentally, trace down the length of Shadow Milk’s belly with the gentlest of touches. But that gentle touch was enough for the Beast to tense up, as an unexpected noise suddenly erupted from his lips.
“E-Eheheheheek!?”
Shadow Milk’s eyes widened upon hearing the noise that came from his own mouth, a mixture of confusion and growing fluster painted upon his face as he wondered what had just happened. Pure Vanilla however, didn’t need long to realize what had caused that sudden noise from the Beast; and once he did figure it out, a rather impish smile began to slowly grow on the hero’s face. It had become common knowledge between the two cookies that the Beast of Deceit was a very…sensitive…soul, in more ways than one in this case; and ever since the day Pure Vanilla had discovered this little fact, he’d never miss a chance to use it as a means to provide a bit of fun for the healing Beast. Besides, if the hero had to admit it, he rather enjoyed seeing the smile that came from Shadow Milk’s face whenever he was having fun; he found it rather cute, and he did need an excuse to correct that cheeky comment from the Beast anyways.
“I’m sorry, Shadow Milk, it seems like you were interrupted from finishing your sentence,” Pure Vanilla noted in a sweetly impish purr that sent shivers down Shadow Milk’s dough, moving his face to lean against the Beast’s shoulder for him to see the hero’s playful smile, “Did you want to repeat that for me?~”
Upon hearing that familiar tone and seeing that familiar look on his counterpart's face, Shadow Milk realized just what the hero was about to do; and that realization alone was enough to make the powdered blue dough on his face turn a soft red. This hadn’t been the first time the Beast of Deceit found himself on the receiving end of such…playful..trickery such as this, especially considering most of these occurrences had happened at the hand of the Hero of Truth; but it never failed in flustering him to no end. Shadow Milk’s eyes darted from looking at the playful smile on Pure Vanilla’s to seeing how Pure Vanilla’s hands had begun to inch closer and closer to his already trembling belly. At this point, the Beast realized that he was probably already too late in trying to stop the hero’s mischievous scheme; and that fact not only made his hair begin to liquify from sheer anticipation, but also brought about a growing sense of…excitement…
“U-Uhuhuhum, n-now now, h-hohohold on a second…” Shadow Milk stuttered in a hopeless attempt to reason with his counterpart, seeing as the hero’s fingers began to slowly twitch as they only got closer to his belly, “Y-You know I-I dihihihidn’t mean it like that and–o-oh gosh N-Nilly w-we can talk about this!”
“Hmmm, well that is some sound reasoning, I cannot argue with that,” Pure Vanilla started, giving a playful hum as he pretended to consider Shadow Milk’s rather adorable plea, before opening his yellow eye that sparkled in a sweet wink, “But I can’t help but wish to listen to something a bit…sweeter…from my sweet counterpart~”
“W-Wait Wait Wait Nilly please we can–!”
“Giggle for me, Silly Milly~”
Upon hearing that statement, Shadow Milk’s fate was sealed by means of a sweet squeal that resounded throughout the entirety of the Spire. Pure Vanilla’s fingers wasted little time as they landed right on the middle of the Beast’s belly, before beginning to slowly flutter upon his shirt-covered dough. The hero’s touch was gentle but Witches above was it deadly; every trace of his fingers had a precise softness that could almost be mistaken for a feather. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Pure Vanilla’s healing magic was still in effect, making Shadow Milk’s dough feel a bit more sensitive than usual because of its nurturing light. Even if the hero didn’t know his magic could be used as a devious softening tickle tool, he was using it to great effect; as the Beast already found himself in a steady, and rather precious, giggle fit.
“E-Ehehehehehehemph! Ohohoho-Oh cohohohohohohohome ohohohohohohohon!” Shadow Milk squeaked out as he squirmed from the hero’s gentle devilish touch, trying with all of his might to wiggle and curl out of his grip with little success, his smile growing more wobbly by the second, “Ihihihihihihih dihihihihihihihihidn’t mehehehehehehehean ihihihihihit! Eheheheek! N-Nihihihihihilly plehehehehehehehehease!”
Pure Vanilla couldn’t help but feel an affectionate warmth upon seeing his counterpart so giggly from his gentle tickling; ever since he discovered that Shadow Milk was ticklish, he believed that it was one of the cutest things in the whole world. The Beast would do his best to deny it of course, as a trickster talented in acting like him would do, but the hero always found a way to get that cute giggly side out of him. If the hero were honest with himself, Shadow Milk’s laughter was downright infectious; it had that playful spark that always seemed to light up the room, while also providing a good bit of sweetness to boot whenever he was genuinely happy about something. Being able to get that type of laughter from the Beast through a playful tickle proved to be moments that the hero held close to his heart; besides, for all the squirming and protesting Shadow Milk seems to do during these little sessions…
“Oh I know you didn’t, but I just couldn’t help myself, you look to cute when you laugh~” Pure Vanilla used as he would inch his face close to Shadow Milk’s cheek; his fingers now lightly tapping up and down the Beast’s belly, changing positions and directions on the fly as he did so, as he would give a softer purr for Shadow Milk to hear, “Besides, I don’t see you really trying to get away, in fact, you seem rather comfortable in my arms right now, aren’t you?~”
Shadow Milk’s blush would spark a bright shade of red upon that statement, that gentlehearted imp, he knew that he couldn’t answer that! Not because he wasn’t able to, but because he knew that he’d be giving the hero the satisfaction of the answer he already knew was true; because he was right. Despite how squirmy he was in this moment, the Jester of Deceit couldn’t hide the truth from himself nor from the Hero; he was loving every single second of this type of treatment. Not only did tickling fuel that endless playful energy that Shadow Milk held within his soul, it also provided a form of gentle care and affection that he so desperately needed and wanted. During a good amount of his life; Shadow Milk hadn’t ever gotten any real chances at indulging in such affectionate desires, for the people he trusted with such…vulnerabilites…were few and far between. But now here he was, giggling himself silly under the hands of a cookie who genuinely cared about him; indulging in his silly wishes with acceptance and joy, and healing him in the process with that ticklish magic. No amount of Deceit could cover up just how grateful Shadow Milk was to have finally been given this chance to be himself, even if he couldn’t really say it.
“Now then, are you going to say sorry for saying something so mean,” Pure Vanilla cooed out playfully, wearing a faux disciplinary tone through his impish pitch as both yellow and blue heterochromic eyes opened to give the giggling Beast a look of pure adoration, “Or do I need to get that one spot for you to learn your lesson?~”
The hero was gently tracing along the Beast’s stomach as he talked in a slow rhythmic pattern, allowing the Beast to catch his breath before giving his answer. A bright blush was painted across Shadow Milk’s face as he huffed out breath after breath, his whole body feeling tingly as the healing magic continued to linger upon his form. Though as giggly and flustered as he was, the Beast of Deceit was not one to be defeated so easily; and besides, he didn’t want the fun to end so early. And so, the jester would tilt his head up towards the smirking hero, and with a flustered blush still on his face, gave a sharp toothed grin of challenge as he uttered two simple words.
“Bite Me!~”
Pure Vanilla expected this answer…and if he were honest…he was hoping for this answer. The hero would shake his head in faux disappointment before looking towards his grinning, blushing counter and giving a playful wink.
“You asked for it~”
The hero would proceed to dart his hands towards the Beast’s exposed midriff, and in no time at all, begin to skitter all of his fingers upon his exposed and defenseless dough. While Pure Vanilla continued to keep his ticklish touch gentle, he decided to get a bit more…playful…with his mischievous counterpart due to his endearing stubbornness. Instead of a slow, methodical approach filled with the lightest teasing and traces; the hero would let his fingers skitter up and down the jester’s bare midriff with gentle quickness, like he was tickling the ivories of a beautiful piano, as ironic as that was. Coupled with his healing magic still active, Pure Vanilla’s palms would make the jester’s exposed dough all the more sensitive to his impish skittering, causing a loud squeal to erupt from Shadow Milk’s lips practically lit up like a firework!
“GYEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAAH W-WAITWAITWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAIT OHOHOHOHOHOHO GOHOHOHOSH!” The Jester of Deceit howled as he squirmed and squealed with pure mirth from his counterparts touch, his body instinctively arching from reaction, only giving way for those devilish fingers to tease more exposed dough on his midriff, “YOHOHOHOH-YOHOHOHOU’RE SOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO MEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEAN!~”
“You know what to say if you want this to stooooooop,” Pure Vanilla sang as he’d let his fingers explore the ticklish dough provided to him, relishing in the sweet melody that was Shadow Milk’s laughter and the fun it brought with it, “Unless the sweet Silly Milly wants the big bad tickle monster to continue getting that cute sensitive dough~”
Pure Vanilla hummed with content upon hearing Shadow Milk’s giggly apology, deciding that it was a good time to show mercy to his “poor” counterpart. He’d slow his ticklish skitter to a halt as he’d move his hands away from the jester’s midriff, letting them rest on his shoulders instead. The healing magic would begin to dissipate from the Pure Vanilla’s palms, but not before giving one last wave of light to help with the jester’s ticklish fatigue while he’d give the jester a soothing shoulder rub. Shadow Milk huffed out as he went slack against Pure Vanilla’s chest, still a bit exhausted despite the healing magic working wonders for his weariness. The jester would nudge his head to look towards the hero as he heard a gentle giggle come from his lips, before seeing the soft smile on the hero’s face.
“See, what did I tell you,” Pure Vanilla mused as he gave a little head tilt and rather smug hum, “I take great care in ensuring my healing magic leaves my patients healthy and happy~”
Shadow Milk gave a giggly sigh as he’d let his head rest upon the Pure Vanilla’s shoulder, taking this time to rest in his hero’s care, and for the first time in a very long time, feeling safe and in good company, “Ehehehe-Ehehehe…well now…looks like you can have an ego~”
-----
The idea that training can be seen as a form of relaxation was something not many cookies would consider as normal, but in this one particular case, any sense of normal logic could be thrown out of the way in place of pure stubbornness. That was of course, what one particular cookie believed as she glided too and fro from her impromptu “sparring partner’s” attacks.
“I don’t understand why you decide that fighting of all things is a good way to relax,” A radiant yet posh voice called down from the sky as the cookie looked below with a confused expression on her face, “I would have believed that you would know what proper leisure should be considering how you were once royalty yourself!”
The cookie in question was that of a radiant soul whose lean dough was a rich, dark brown tone. Her hair could be seen shaped like a burst of sunlight, colored in a shimmering golden hue that could almost be mistaken for treasure. Upon the Cookies back however was one of her more defining features; as a pair of large arch-shaped golden wings with green triangle patterns could be seen beating in the air, keeping her airborne. At the moment, the cookie could be seen wearing a simple yet radiantly grandiose outfit; consisting of a long golden poncho that is like in triangular emerald gems upon its hem, which matched perfectly with the dark brown skirt that went right below her knees. A pair of golden sandals would be seen affixed to the cookie’s feet, just as a small yet beautiful golden headdress was affixed upon her head. A pair of shimmering golden eyes would look down to the ground as the cookie hovered in the eyes, white outlined eyebrows and green underlines furrowing with confusion and exasperation.
Golden Cheese Cookie, the ever radiant Hero of Abundance, is a cookie who knows very well how one should take care of their self interest. As a cookie that quite literally embodies greed on a multitude of levels, it's no surprise that this regal queen knows how to be spoiled rotten with the most abundant of personal upkeep. From baths in the most relaxing of waters, indulging in her favorite meals, even something as simple as a midday fly; the queen knows how to treat herself right. But today she found herself facing a different challenge; a challenge that included the boulder that was currently being thrown in her direction, which she easily dodged before hearing a roar of smug laughter from below.
“Relaxation leads to frailty, and I will not become frail!” A gruff but proud voice yelled out in challenge, gaining the queen's attention as she looked back down to the ground, “The body and mind must always be trained in order for the spice to burn eternal!”
The source of the voice, and by extent the boulder, would belong to a rather burly and muscular cookie whose dough carried a deep rose-terracotta tone; and upon such dough, an abundance of umber tattoos would be seen painted like the stripes of a butter tiger. Long, charcoal black hair would be seen flowing behind the cookie’s impressive frame; flickering like the twin ruby red antenna that could be seen upon his forehead, small flames licking upon its length. The cookie’s upper body was laid bare to show more markings etched upon his dough, with the middle of his chest holding a crimson triangular gem that was engraved within; the Soul Jam of Destruction. The only piece of clothing that could be visible upon the cookie was the pītāmbari worn upon his lower half; a long, deep yellow cloth akin to a skirt wrapped around his waist that went down to his ankles, held up by a ruby red and orange colored waistband with a golden buckle. A wide, tarnished gold grin would be seen upon the cookie's face; as fiery orange eyes with a black curled brow looked towards the queen with heated defiance.
While most cookies celebrated the fact that the Light’s Retaliation had concluded, Burning Spice Cookie still believed that the conflict never truly ended. Even when he was betrayed by the Enchrantress, the Beast of Destruction relished for the fight that came with the defeat of his deceiver; but with the war won the Beast felt…incomplete…like there was still a battle to fight. To say that it was a trial to convince the Great Destroyer that he had no reason to fight anymore would be one of the biggest understatements in Golden Cheese Cookie’s life; but she was able to at least reason with the Beast to return to his home in the Land of Spice to recover from the carnage that had transpired. The Queen would take it upon herself to make frequent visits to the Beast’s domain; checking up on his condition and making sure that he doesn’t inflict any senseless destruction upon others, and by extent, upon himself. Her visits were…interesting…to say the least; some were at least a bit more peaceful than others, mostly because Burning Spice was too busy punching mountains to keep himself “in peak battle condition” as he called it. While other visits went more or less like what she was currently facing, involuntarily becoming the victim of the Great Destroyer's fist in a very strange high stakes version of tag upon his personal training field. Burning Spice always says that Golden Cheese makes for the perfect sparring mate, and regardless of if the queen decided to take that as a compliment or a threat, she wasn’t sure if the destructive cookie truly understood the definition of sparring…or relaxation…or any word that has any relation to peace.
“You’re not going to become frail if you take at least a moment to relax,” Golden Cheese retorted as she descended a few inches so that Burning Spice was in earshot of her, looking to the destructive beast with her arms crossed, “But you’ll definitely crumble if you keep pushing yourself past your limits without taking care of yourself fir–”
The queen's eyes would widen as she would see another boulder heading her way, courtesy of the stubborn cookie below her. Luckily she was quick enough to dive down out of the way of the boulder’s path as she found herself a few inches above the ground, standing at least a foot away from the Beast. Her face grew more annoyed by the second as she whipped her head back to look at the arrogant beast with irritated eyes.
“Witches above can you stop throwing boulders at me while I’m talking!” Golden Cheese shouted, her wings fluttering to show her annoyance as she hovered above the ground, “It’s rude to interrupt the word of the queen as she is bestowing such radiant wisdom!”
“Your wisdom carries no importance in this moment, greedy queen,” Burning Spice spat as he began to charge towards the radiant queen, pulling a fist back in preparation to strike, “My leisure comes when I am certain that my strength remains permanent! And that the only thing that is crumbled is the enemy that stands in front of me!”
Golden Cheese groaned in irritation before beating her wings to sidestep from Burning Spice’s punch, his fist hitting the sandy floor below her resulting in a bit of dust scattering into the air. The destructive cookie wouldn’t relent however, as he’d wound up his other fist before swinging it right at her face; an attack she easily read as she’d maneuver herself away from the incoming swing. At this point, the Beast’s attacks were as predictable as his stubbornness was infuriating; but deep down, the queen wanted to help her counterpart see reason in taking a bit of time to slow down. There was a secret sense of respect Golden Cheese had for Burning Spice; he was brash, yes, but he showed his strength and brashness with pride, a form of self respecting greed that the queen couldn’t help but be impressed by. Though she wished he held self care and personal well being in the same high regard as his self respect; because she wasn’t going to be able to get him to consider taking time to relax if things kept up the way they were going.
“At this rate, sparing any more time in talking is going to prove pointless when he’s this riled up, along with wasting my precious counsel!” Golden Cheese thought to herself as she dodged swing after swing from her counterpart, almost dancing around him as her wings fluttered left and right with her movements, “The only chance I’m going to have in making him calm down is if I can wear him out, but how do you wear out a battle-hungry beast who seems to have no end to their energy?”
It was during her internal pondering and subconscious dodging that Golden Cheese wouldn’t notice how her wings have gotten closer to Burning Spice with every punch he swung. And as the destructive cookie was preparing another punch to send the queen's way, this one sparking with a bit of fire, the tip of the queen's left wing would find itself brushing against his ribs. That single action alone would be enough to halt the Beast in his tracks, the entirety of his body shivering as the flame faded from his fist in an instant. The queen had found herself standing behind the Beast, confused as to why he didn’t attack; it was only when she turned around that she saw the answer to her question, and what a peculiar sight it was. Golden Cheese would find herself seeing Burning Spice holding his left ribcage with his arm, almost covering it up entirely in a rather usual way; an even more unusual sight would be upon the Beast’s face, a wobbly nervousness that seemed to falter the arrogant smile he previously had. But the most unusual sight of them all would be what the Beast uttered as he looked to the queen with a rather…tense…glare.
“W-Whahat di-mmmph! W-What did you do to me!” Burning Spice growled, or rather, attempted to growl; for he seemed to be trying to keep his composure from…something…that the queen apparently did, “W-What foul attack did you execute to staggeheher-Hmmph-stagger me like this?! Answer me, greedy queen!”
Golden Cheese was just as confused as Burning Spice was, just what exactly did she do? It was only then that the queen would listen close to the tone of the Beast’s voice, believing she heard something that seemed to be out of place; he seemed to have growled when he asked her that question but…did she…hear a giggle in between his words. The hero’s attention would suddenly perk up as she looked towards her wing, before looking back to what the Beast’s arm was covering; she did feel something touch her left wing after dodging that last punch, could it have been his body? But then why would he look so nervous for something as simple as that? It wasn’t like it hurt him, she didn’t intend for it to hurt him even if it was an accident; if anything, all that it could have done would be that it tick–
“Wait a minute…” Golden Cheese’s eyes widened in sudden realization; the pieces finally coming together as she looked back down to her wing, before looking back up to the staggered beast with renewed interest, “Could it be? This cannot possibly be true? But…if it is then…”
It was in that moment, that a spark flickered within the queen’s mind, and a rather cunning smile began to grow on her face. It seems as though the solution to her problem had come floating into her hands, her luck was just as radiant as her benevolence. A plan began to form within Golden Cheese’s mind as her wings began to pick up pace in their beating as she looked directly at her counterpart; if she was going to have any chance of not only pulling this off, and satiating her greedy curiosity, she couldn’t spare any second thought. She had always been the riskiest among the Ancient Heroes, and it seems as though that risk might pay off once again.
“Hmph! What use is telling you when clearly words don’t seem to do the trick for you to see reason,” Golden Cheese declared as her wings began to flap faster and faster, preparing herself for what she was about to do, looking towards the Beast with an impish gleam in her golden eyes, “Instead, allow me to show you just what this ferocity is truly capable of!~”
Before Burning Spice got the chance to react, Golden Cheese blitzed forward with a huge beat of her wings; catching the beast completely off guard, just as she wanted him to be! Taking advantage of her counterparts' confusion; the queen positioned herself behind the destructive cookie, landing just an inch away from him, and reached her arms out to hold the Beast by the sides. And to ensure that he doesn’t overpower her, the queen called upon a small portion of her golden immortal power to invoke more strength into her hold; ensuring that she’d be able to keep her grip upon the Beast’s torso, while also ensuring that her hold wasn’t forceful enough to harm the Beast in the process.
“Bwugh?!” Burning Spice grunted from the queen’s sudden blitz; already attempting to overcome the grip she had on him, confused as to how she was able to surpass his strength he realized he couldn’t budge not even an inch, “W-What are you–?!”
“Behold, Brutish Beast!” Golden Cheese proclaimed as she’d extend her wings to their full length; her voice posh and proud, but in turn, carrying a growing pitch of greedy mischief, “Bear witness as you face the true radiant might of the Immortal Golden Queen!~”
With that resounding statement, the queen proceeded to thrust her wings down upon the bewildered Beast with the greatest of fervor! Burning Spice braced himself for a barrage of powerful strikes, expecting the queen’s strength to be shown to him in full fruition; but he wasn’t able to brace for, was something that he had never experienced before. For the Beast would find himself feeling the edges of the queen’s wings begin swiftly brushing along both sides of his ribs, trailing their length up and down the area. While the queen’s plumes looked like they were made of solid gold; in reality they consisted of the softest feathers that could possibly be found in all of Earthbread, with a gentle warmth that could make it seem like they were touched by the sun itself. The swiftness in how she directed those plumes to brush upon the destructive cookie was enough for him to feel the full extent of their god-like softness, and in turn, invoke an unfamiliar…bubbly…feeling within him that was released almost instantly.
“G-GWAHAHAHARG?! H-HUHUHUHURGH?!” Burning Spice Guffawed as a peal of boisterous jumbled laughter resounded from his lips as he felt himself involuntarily squirm from the queen’s feathery touch; looking to her with glaring, yet wobbly, confusion, “W-WHAHAHA-WHAT HAHAHA-HUHUNGH-HAVE YOU DOHOHOHO-DONE TO MEHEHEHEHEHE?!”
Golden Cheese cookie chuckled in triumph as she kept her grip on the Beast firm but gentle; allowing for her feathers to glide up and down his ribs despite the squirming resistance he showed, while she looked at his reactions with growing amusement, “Well, Well, Well, seems as though the strong Beast of Destruction didn’t know that he was ticklish, hm? What an intriguing discovery~”
The Beast felt himself almost double over as those wings trailed along his ribs with such enthusiasm, baffled at the words that the queen said to him. Ticklish? Him?! That’s impossible! A cookie of his strength and fortitude shouldn’t be ticklish! It was a childish notion just as tickling itself was a childish act! Something that exhibited a cookie's weakness to such a simple and gentle touch; it was unbecoming of cookies of strength like him, especially with him being a cookie that is supposed to define the pinnacle of strength! And yet here he was fighting against such a juvenile touch…and he seemed to be…losing to it?!
“THIHIHIHI-THIS IS FOHOHO-GRWUHAHAHAHARF-FOOLISHNHEHEHEHEHESS!” Burning Spice growled through his laughter, pulling with all of his might in attempts to pry the golden queen off of him, fighting against the soft brushes of the feathers upon his ribs as his flames sparked into a gentle stillness, “RELEAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH-RELEASE ME NOHOHOHOHOHOHOW YOHOHOU INSUFFERAHAHAHAHAHAHABLE–!”
Golden Cheese had to admit, this unexpected turn of events was a pleasant surprise to witness. She wouldn’t have believed for a moment that the Beast of Destruction would even be a hint ticklish if it weren’t for that chance occurrence with her wing. Though she found herself rather surprised, Burning Spice’s laughter usually resounded with an amount of snarkiness that was to be expected for such an arrogant cookie like he; but as her feathers continued to flutter up and down his ribs and close to his sides, the tone of his laughter now sounded more…hearty…escatic even…like a hidden treasure that has been waiting to be uncovered. Golden Cheese herself didn’t think much of tickling in itself, though she did find it an amusing way to “reprimand” her advisors whenever they seemed to slack in their duties, Smoked and Burnt Cheese Cookie being her main “repeated offenders”; she had to admit that it was rather fun seeing them crumble over something so playful. But to think that this very same method of play was enough to make that brute of a Beast’s flame falter, now that was something worth appreciating in the queen’s eyes; besides, with all that has happened in the past few weeks, she was in need of some entertainment.
“Hush now, it’s rude to show such brash defiance when the queen is simply trying to lend a helping hand~” The smug queen would muse as she would tilt her head to see the struggling, wobbly smile that was upon the Beast’s laughing face, “And if this is the only way to get you to see reason, then I see no reason to not give it my all~”
Burning Spice cookie wouldn’t get a chance to respond to such an outlandish statement before his eyes widened upon feeling something new. For the queen’s hands had begun to skitter up and down his sides with swift and playful vigor; her touch gently but her speed deadly to his newfound sensitivity. To make matters worse, the queen’s wings decided to find a new treasure to appraise; as they would begin to make their way higher and higher from the Beast’s ribs. It would only take a few seconds before the destructive cookie would feel those golden plumes begin to swish and sway against his underarms, tending to the untouched dough lying in wait. Burning Spice felt his whole body spark with ticklishness; unable to keep himself upright as he instinctively took a knee, his willpower crumbling under the queen’s devious attack. Though his laughter was all the more resounding for the queen to hear.
“GYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHARG CEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE THIHIHIS!” Burning Spice bellowed as his struggling became less and less potent by the second, feeling himself become worn out by these childish antics, “IHIHIHI-I DEHEHEHEHEMAHAHAHAHAHAHAND YOHOHOHOU TO RELEHEHEHEASE ME!”
“I will only consider doing such if you concede to my wishes and accept some leisure time~” Golden Cheese stated as her fingers begin to skitter right along the center of the Beast’s sides, a “diplomatic” impish tone in her voice while a gleaming eye and arched brow looked towards her counterpart playfully, “If not, then I suppose I’ll take it upon myself to make this the leisure time you spend for the day, be grateful that your queen is benevolent enough to provide such a rare show of personal attention~”
As if to further prove her point, the Queen proceeded to dig her hands into the Beast’s sides further; replacing soft skitters with playful squeezing upon his sensitive dough. At the same time the tips of the queen’s wings would begin to swirl along the hollows of the Beast’s underarms; switching methods on the fly as she’d go from swirling with the tips, to brushing the edges against the entirety of his underarms and a bit of his ribs. Burning Spice just about lost it at that point; reduced to a kneeling giggling maniac in the clutches of the playful queen, his defiant strength nowhere to be found as he succumbed to her ticklish touch by the second. The Beast couldn’t believe that he was brought down to this juvenile level…and yet…he couldn’t help but feel…relieved? It was like all the tension he was feeling through training was slowly washing away with every squeeze upon his sides and brush upon his underarms. It was strange, bewildering even, did the simple act of tickling allow him to feel this at ease, this…soothed, or was it something else? Perhaps…Perhaps the queen was right when she said that leisure wasn’t something that made you frail, perhaps leisure truly allows one to build strength of self just as any training would. Those thoughts would swirl within the Beast’s mind as he felt his strength begin to wear out fully, and in that moment, he knew that he had no choice but to give in.
“GYAHAHAHAHAHARG FIHIHIHIHIHIHINE IHIHI-AHAHAHAHA-I COHOHOHONCEHEHEHEHED!” Burning Spice bellowed through his laughter, looking towards the golden queen with a rather loopy smile on his one ferocious face.
Golden Cheese hummed with satisfaction upon hearing her counterparts surrender, knowing well that he meant what he said and decided to spare him from this “torture” of his. The queen would proceed to move her wings away from the Beast’s underarms, letting them rest upon her back as she stood on the ground; she’d also move her hands away from his torso, leaving him knelt on the ground as he caught his breath. The hero would proceed to walk around the Beast before standing in front of him; looking down with a gentle smile on her face as she extended a hand out towards him.
“Excellent, I knew you’d see sense to take my radiant wisdom to heart,” Golden Cheese chuckled with smug triumph before her tone became a bit more gentle as she looked to her counterpart, “Now then, how about we take a walk and you can show me the history of your land, and the treasures your people kept all these years~”
Burning Spice took a moment to catch his breath, the fire in his eyes slowly returning from the mirthful loopiness he was feeling beforehand. Despite how exhausted he had felt, the Beast couldn’t lie, he felt…relaxed…for the first time in a long time. He’d look up to his radiant counterpart, seeing her extended hand; despite all the battles they waged against each other, she still went out of her way to show her that fighting doesn’t have to be all he knew. Burning Spice gave a huff before taking the queen’s hand and pulling himself up, standing beside her as they began to walk from his training field.
“Grmph…Very well…there are a few prominent places that mean much to my people,” The Beast noted before glaring at the queen with a low growl, “But if you so much as think of taking one of those treasures–”
Golden Cheese simply chuckled as she lifted herself a few inches off the ground, her hands behind her back as she gave a smug smile and wink, “I make no such promises~”
-----
“It…feels different…”
That was the statement that lingered within a particular cookie's mind as she strolled down one of the wintery paths of the Dark Cacao Kingdom; seemingly lost in thought with every step she took even though the path itself was fairly straightforward. She was a slim cookie of average height whose dough of a pallid white color, almost pale by normal standards but still just as healthy. Her hair was long and carried a pure white tone as it flowed behind her, curled bangs swaying softly beside each side of her face as she walked. At the moment; the cookie could be seen wearing a simple yet elegant kimono made of soft, pale white silk and covered the entirety of her lower body. A golden necklace would be seen worn upon the cookie’s neck, just as a small golden circlet could be seen upon her head to keep her hair neat. Pure white eyes would look outward to the gentle falling snow before her as she continued to ponder the thoughts that plagued her mind.
As enlightened as she was; there were still some things that eluded Mystic Flour cookie in terms of meaning, and in understanding. The master of the Ivory Pagoda once believed she understood the true meaning of peace, where all would seek a quaint stillness that held no change nor pain, an endless futility that cannot be matched. Yet over the past few days, the Beast of Apathy had found herself…questioning…the beliefs she thought were true over the years of meditation she underwent. She sought to find certainty in her belief that true peace is found through futility, believing that The Lights Retaliation would be what shows her belief true. Imagine her surprise when she found herself witnessing how celebration made way for peace amongst the cookies who had fought against the Enchantress; she couldn’t understand it, why did cookie-kind fight so desperately to just continue struggling the next day. While these questions plagued her mind to no end; she was at least fortunate enough to find a new, and rather unexpected, teacher to guide her through these bemusing moments.
“Hm? What feels different?”
The deep toned question would come from the cookie who was currently walking beside the Beast on this chocolate-tiled path. He was a tall cookie whose dough carried a carafe brown color that was slightly worn in condition, but still healthy from years of experience. Long, black hair would flow neatly behind him, showing a few strands of white billowing in the wintery wind as he walked. Like his beastly counterpart, the cookie could be seen wearing a kimono made of elegant pure black silk; this kimono would couple with the dark grey haori worn over it, along with the similarly dark grey hakama worn upon his lower half. A pair of black kegutsu boots lined with purple fur would crunch against the snow that lingered upon the ground the cookie walked upon, his steps slow but weighted. Deep violet eyes would look beside him to his counterpart with intrigue and concern as the two cookies continued to walk together.
If there was anyone that could relate to the internal struggles that Mystic Flour was currently facing, Dark Cacao cookie would probably be on the top of that list. The Hero of Resolution had faced his own fair share of personal struggles throughout the course of his life; dealing with the wavering trust of his people, the constant conflicts of the licorice sea, even the mistakes he made as a father. But despite all the strife he faced, even the internal conflict of wavering determination brought upon by the cookie he was walking beside, the great king soldiered on; leading his people against the darkness in The Lights Retaliation. It was Dark Cacao who had personally given the order to his troops to spare the life of Mystic Flour at the war's conclusion; He believed that the cookies of Earthbread had suffered through enough time that wasn’t given to understanding instead of conflict. He understood that the Beast had been wronged in her life by avarice souls who cared little for anyone besides themselves, for he had fallen victim to such a cookie himself once before, and wanted to see if he can counsel the Beast through showing her that Apathy doesn’t need to be the answer to peace. The great king would personally invite Mystic Flour to visit the Dark Cacao Kingdom, an invitation he was grateful the Beast accepted; upon her visits, the king and the beast would take leisurely strolls around the kingdom, exchanging experiences and viewpoints in order to find common ground. This arrangement had been going on for a few days now; and while the king believed that they were making decent headway in their talks, there were still a few things that seemed to trouble the distant mystic.
“This quiet, it isn’t like the one I envisioned in my meditation,” Mystic Flour responded, her tone hushed as she looked to the trees rustling rhythmically against the gentle cold wind, “The quiet I envisioned was that of pure motionlessness, no movement, no esse, a stillness that never wavered. But upon this walk, the quiet is more…alive…or perhaps natural…”
“And that is strange in your eyes?” Dark Cacao questioned with a gentle hum of curiosity, slowing his steps to keep pace with the Beast as she ran her hand along the trunk of one of the passing trees.
“Perhaps in my past life, it may not have been, but now…” Mystic Flour stopped for a moment looking down to see one of the leaves of the tree she touched fall to the ground, resting upon the snow beside her, “I once believed that true peace can only be attained through the acceptance of apathy, that a sense of absolute futility would be enough to bring the tranquility all cookies wished for…and yet…they choose to suffer through personal strife and the burdens that come with it…why?”
The king grimaced a little upon hearing his counterpart's question, knowing why she asked it; after being so distant from the rest of the world, normal emotions would be hard to understand, especially when it comes to one's purpose and drive. Mystic Flour’s corruption steamed from greedy cookies who sought to only take what they wanted from the benevolent Beast, when all she offered was guidance and good fortune to virtuous souls. Having found herself isolated from the rest of the world, it only made sense that the Beast believed the silence found in isolation was the true answer to peace, considering that it was what she went through for most of that time. The king sympathized with the Beast’s experiences, but he also understood that there can be more to learn from a picture than just one viewpoint can show, and he wanted his counterpart to see that.
“It…is a difficult question to answer, for the answer itself can vary from cookie to cookie,” Dark Cacao replied stepping a few inches forward as he looked up towards the sky solemnly, “But I would like to believe that the experiences a cookie goes through, the triumphs and the struggles, are what make each of our lives memorable. Only we can choose to pick ourselves up and soldier on despite the obstacles we may face, so that one day we can look back and know that it has all been worth it to get to where each of us want to be…”
Mystic Flour turned to her counterpart, attempting to grasp the viewpoint he had upon her question; she’d kneel down in order to pick up the fallen leave from the snow, still brimming with life as it rustled within her hand, “Even if those struggles are daunting, that they’d bring pain and loss with them, you still believe it to be worth it to continue on with such zeal?”
“No cookie’s life is lived without struggle, even the strongest amongst us has come to experience suffering in one form or another,” The king admitted, looking to the Beast with a gentle smile that spoke of his experience with said struggles, “But it is those struggles that have made us stronger in mind, body, and spirit. It allows us to grasp a better understanding of ourselves, our beliefs, our aspirations, what makes us who we are…and who we wish to be. It can be daunting, yes, but what comes from reaching the other side of that mountain, will be a view the likes of which you were grateful to climb for.”
The Beast pondered in silence for a moment, looking towards the leaf in her hands once again as she saw the conviction in her counterpart’s words; they weren’t without merit, and spoke of personal experience that he had gone through, perhaps some of that experience was even caused by her own hand during their time as adversaries. Mystic Flour found it strange; seeing how there could be testament to a viewpoint that she long thought was just wishful thinking, it was standing before her after all. Yet she can’t help but feel that the words that the king had spoken were…familiar…like they had been words she had heard before…or perhaps…she had said them herself?
“Perhaps…,” Mystic Flour began to mutter as she looked back up to Dark Cacao, “there is truth to be found in that ans–”
The Beast would find herself interrupted by a sudden rustling in the bushes beside the king. Both Dark Cacao and Mystic Flour went on alert as their attention shifted towards the foliage, prepared to face what might be hidden within despite their lack of armaments. The rustling would continue for a few seconds before a group of figures darted out from the bushes to stand a few inches away from the two cookies, five figures to be exact. The figures in question were canine beasts of pure white creamy fur that flowed within the wintery wind; their ears tipped sharply with eyes that carried an ocean blue hue. And while they looked vicious at first glance, this particular group of beasts seemed to be a bit more docile as each of them looked at the two cookies with different ranges of curiosity.
Dark Cacao would be the first among to two cookies to breathe a sigh of relief, dropping his guard as he slowly approached the group of canines with a gentle smile, “Ah, it seems as though the adolescent cream wolves have been hunting around this area, I was not aware that our walking path happened to meet with their grounds.”
Mystic Flour was still a bit tense from the sudden appearance of the cream wolves, though she allowed for her guard to drop slowly as she looked towards the king inquisitively, “These cream wolves belong to the Dark Cacao Kingdom?”
“If I may, they’re part of the Dark Cacao Kingdom,” The king reworded, looking towards the lead cream wolf with a gentle smile; extending a hand out towards their head, which the wolf happily bumped in acceptance as the king proceeded to pet it, “When young cream wolves come of age, we allow them to prowl around the forest of the kingdom. They are creatures of nature that deserve to embrace their true home, while still having the kingdom as a second home to come back to if they so wish; it serves as a promising training method for wolves that join our army, or just a common courtesy for the wolves who wish to live widely among our kingdom.”
Mystic Flour looked on with silent caution as she witnessed the king petting the seemingly happy beast, it puzzled the cookie as to how such vicious creatures could be so at ease amongst individuals not of their kind. What Mystic Flour wasn’t aware of however, was how one of the cream wolves began to approach her slowly; they weren’t as big as the rest of their brethren, but still large enough to be noticed when the cookie looked to her left, she never expected such large creatures to have such silent steps. The Beast flinched as the wolf stood a mere few inches away from her, her eyes meeting the curious gaze of the canine as they tilted their head towards her. Mystic Flour took a deep breath as she slowly extended her hand out towards the wolf, offering it for the beast as a show of camaraderie. The wolf looked at the hand for a few seconds, leaning their head down to sniff it slowly as the cookie tried her best to stay still to show that she could be trusted. Suddenly, the wolf would perk up as he looked towards the concerned cookie; and before the Beast had a chance to utter a word, she’d find herself gently pounced on by the wolf!
“GYAH–?!” Mystic Flour yelped out as she found herself stumbling to the ground, her back leaning against the tree she was standing beside as the cream wolf looked to her and barked out happily!
Dark Cacao would give a small and soft chuckle as he witnessed the wolf standing over the sitting Beast, their tail wagging like a propeller upon meeting a new friend, “Cream wolves are good judges of true character, and it seems like that one likes you.”
Mystic Flour found herself more confused than she was before, her gaze going from her counterpart to the wolf currently in front of her that seemed as energetic as a pup. Did that mean that this wolf believed that she had a virtuous character? After all that she had done? After all the suffering she had caused to the Dark Cacao Kingdom, the cream wolves included? There was a sense of doubt that began to fester within the Beast as she found herself in disbelief that such a foolish assumption could be made so easily, she was no virtuous soul, not anymore…
The cream wolf seemed to sense the doubt that the Beast was feeling, their head tilting in slight concern before their ears perked up as if they had gotten an idea. The wolf would lean his head down towards the cookie, making her flinch at the sudden closeness of the canine; but instead of a ferocious bite, the wolf proceeded to rub their muzzle against the cookie's neck. The fur of the cream wolf was unbelievably soft and fluffy, the perfect protection against the cold climates of this wintery kingdom; but in this special case, that fluffy fur would find itself serving a different purpose.
“E-Ehehehehemph! H-Huhuhuhuh?!”
A rather unexpected sound would erupt from Mystic Flour's lips the moment she felt the wolf’s fur against her neck, a sound that the Beast had not made in a very long time. For what erupted from her lips was that of a giggle; soft and quiet just as her demeanor was, but gave a purity of sound that could be akin to the water of a trickling stream. But that single giggle would be enough for the other four cream wolves to perk up in attention, all of them looking towards the cookie as the fifth wolf continued to nuzzle against her neck. And as Mystic Flour saw the other four wolves look to her like a beacon; the Beast’s whole body seemed to slightly shiver, and this time, it wasn’t because of the cold.
“W-Wahahahait w-what is going–?”
As if to answer her question before she finished asking it, three out of the four other cream wolves bounded over towards the Beast as she found herself squealing out in surprise! Two wolves would pace around each side of the cookie, their excitement visible in their flicking ears and wagging tails; it was then that both wolves would move their own muzzles towards each of the cookies' sides before giving gentle energetic nuzzles against her kimono-covered dough. The wolf in front of her wouldn’t relent in their own excitement however, as they’d let their muzzle nuzzle across the base of the Beast’s neck as they gave off a gentle purr that vibrated against her dough. And what followed next was something neither Mystic Flour nor Dark Cacao expected to ever happen in any of their walks.
“E-Ehehehehehehehehehehehemph! W-Wahahahahahahahahahahahait a mohohohohoment!” Mystic Flour squeaked out as a stream of gentle giggles bubbled from her lips, squirming to and fro within the playful pack she found herself in the center of; a small smile growing upon her wobbly lips as her eyes closed from the tickly sensations, “W-Whahahahahahahat ahahahahahahare thehehehehehey dohohoh-ehehehehehehemp-dohohohohohohoing?!”
Dark Cacao found himself smiling a little as he bore witness to the rather unexpected occurrence that came at the expense of his counterpart; he’d proceed to take a seat upon a tree stump as the cream wolf he was petting stayed with him and rested against the trunk, “Looks as though they want to say hello, and help rid of that confliction that you had been carrying upon this walk~”
Mystic Flour found herself feeling a swirl of emotions as the wolves continued to nuzzle upon her dough. They wanted to cheer her up? Did they really sense how conflicted she was? She couldn’t understand why such creatures, whom she had just met, would have so much care for her; especially considering all that she has done to harm their home. But she wouldn’t have enough time to dwell on those thoughts as the fourth wolf finally decided that they wanted to play too. Moving their head down towards one of the Beast’s hands, the wolf would bark out before extending its tongue as it began to gently lick against her palm. The moment that tongue met her palm, Mystic Flour’s eyes shot wide open as a louder squeal erupted that could practically be heard throughout all of the Dark Cacao kingdom; it even made the wolves stop in surprise…before going back to playing with her just a few seconds later.
“GYEHEHEHE-Eheheheheheheheheheheheek! P-Plehehehehehehehehehease I-I cahahahahahahahahahan’t!” Mystic Flour pleaded as she began to feel an unfamiliar warmth rush to her face, in fact, it felt as though her face was being splashed with an unnatural shade of bright color, “I-Ihihihihihih hahahahahave done nohohohohohohothing to deheheheheserve thihihihihihihihihis!”
“It isn’t about doing something in order to deserve such care,” Dark Cacao sighed as he shook his head, looking towards his counterpart with gentle sincerity, moving a hand to stroke the mane of the wolf beside him who purred gently, “All cookies deserve to have a chance to be given a helping hand, or in this case, a helping paw as a means to show their care for one another…to show them that despite all the hardship…their can always be a brighter day to be had for all of us if we choose to strive for it.”
Mystic Flour couldn’t explain it; but as she heard her counterpart’s words and felt the affection from the cream wolves, she felt this all too familiar sense of…hope. It was almost as if the fog she had been lost in for so long had finally started to dissipate, and in its place, a bright ray of sunlight pierced through to guide her way. Perhaps the answer that she had believed during her years of isolation wasn’t the truth of the world itself; perhaps that truth lies within each cookie in the world to discover in their own way. To learn and grow, to hurt and to heal; to experience all that living has to offer, and in turn, make the most of it in each of their own special ways. And as that truth resonated within the Beast’s soul, a gentler smile grew upon her giggling face in understanding of what her counterpart had been trying to teach her.
Dark Cacao would chuckle lightly as he got off of the stump he was sitting on as he looked towards the playful cream wolves with a faux disciplinary glare, “Alright, Alright, I think she has had enough, give her a moment to breathe.”
The cream wolves whined a little, but understood that the Beast needed to have a break. Each of them would decide to take a turn licking the cookie’s face, earning a squeaky giggle from the Beast with each lick, before finally relenting in their tickly attack. Mystic Flour huffed out with a gentle sigh as she leaned against the tree trunk she was sitting against, the blush on her face lingering for a few moments as she got her bearings. The cream wolves looked on with a bit of concern, worried that they might have gone a bit overboard with their energetic play as each of their ears were pinned against their heads. The Beast would see their concern, but quelled it instantly with a small smile, raising a hand towards the nearest wolf and rubbing their head gently.
“Do not worry, I am well, thank you for showing me such kindness,” Mystic Flour spoke softly as she slowly rose from where she was sitting, looking towards her counterpart as the wolves all looked happy that their new friend was okay, “I don’t suppose you would mind if our new friends joined us for the rest of our walk?”
Dark Cacao simply smiled as he saw the virtuous light within Mystic Flour finally show itself, grateful that he was able to guide his counterpart into this new life of peace; a peace that brought not through futility and apathy, but through living and understanding, “I don’t see why not, now then, what is that wonderful tea brew that you have come to be a master of making?”
-----
“M-Mhmhmhmhmph!”
“I barely started and you’re already shivering, are you sure you can handle this?”
“Y-Yes d-dear it’s just that-Ahahamph-GentleGentleGentleGentleGentleGentle!"
“I am being gentle, perhaps your wings are a bit more sensitive than you realized?”
This was the ‘argument’ that has been going on for a few minutes between two cookies within a secluded gazebo in the illustrious Garden of Sweet Delights. What was supposed to be a peaceful day spent within the garden turned into a rather…amusing…situation that the cookies have found themselves in. All because of a single item that could be found within one of the cookie’s hands, a soft bristled hairbrush.
“Perhaps it is best if we put this on hold,” The cookie holding the brush suggested with a soft but robust tone in her voice, “I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you if you aren’t prepared for it.”
She was a rather wide and muscular cookie whose dough carried a rich orange-brown hue; brimming with both strength and life just as her soul was. Her bright pink hair was fairly long, but at the moment, it could be seen tied in a ponytail that allowed it to reach just below her shoulder as to not have it get in the way of her current task. The cookie could be seen wearing an outfit that showed both elegance and fortitude; consisting of a ruby red colored skirt with golden lines streaking down the sides of its silk, along with a matching pair of ruby red silken pants and dark green loafers. A bracelet could be seen worn upon the cookie’s left wrist, the face of the bracelet showing the insignia of the Hollyberry kingdom engraved within its golden metal. Bright pink eyes would look at the cookie she was currently sitting behind with both concern and, if the cookie had to admit it, gentlehearted amusement for what she was witnessing.
Anyone who knew Hollyberry Cookie well would tell you that she was someone who always wore her heart on her sleeve. The Hero of Passion was one to show the utmost care to any cookie she may cross paths with, whether it be her subjects, her fellow heroes, or even a cookie she had just met. She’d never falter in sharing her hearty joy and compassion whether it be in the grandest balls or the fiercest of battles. However, only a rare few cookies would come to learn of the gentlehearted aspect that comes with Hollyberry’s caring nature. An aspect that she was currently trying to provide to the cookie who was sitting in front of her, with unexpected results.
“N-No! I-I promise I’m fine dear,” The cookie assured through a soft, yet warbly tone in her voice, “I really…really want to try this, it's just…well…maybe my wings are…well…they haven’t really been cared for by another before…”
That warbly voice would belong to a gracile cookie who was a bit shorter than Hollyberry Cookie in terms of height; her dough carrying a sweet misty pink color that was given great care. Her hair was both perfectly pink and perfectly symmetrical; styled with four flowing ringlets that ended in curled tips at her ankles, two laying in front of her shoulders while the other two rested behind her back. An ivory, whipped cream halo could be seen hovering above the cookies head with angelic beauty; just as a pair of large pink feathery wings, which were currently shivering, could be seen upon the cookies back. The only feature that differed from the cookie's angelic appearance was the small magenta tail that resembled that of an imp swaying, or perhaps wagging, behind her as well. In terms of clothing, the cookies were an angelicly comfy outfit that matched her personality; consisting of a flowing violet monochiton dress tailored with the softest alabaster, paired with an ivory angle-length skirt with flowing silken ruffles. Silver circles would be worn upon the cookie’s wrist that would match the small silver tiara that would be seen upon her head. Bubblegum-pink colored eyes would gleam with timid excitement as she looked behind her to assure the hearty hero.
It was rather ironic to see Eternal Sugar Cookie this nervous over something so trivial as a form of self care; as the Beast of Sloth found herself becoming a master of self indulgence within her paradise of delight. But the conclusion of The Lights Retaliation had caused the Beast of Sloth to go on a bit of…soul searching…to say the least. The pain she felt upon witnessing so many cookies fall into despair and suffering turned into an obsession to keep them in constant happiness; her heart was in the right place, but her soul had been corrupted by the idea of twisted permanence. A corruption that festered further upon her meeting with her counterpart; for Eternal Sugar had found herself becoming obsessed with Hollyberry, wishing to keep her as a treasure instead of seeing her as a cookie. When Eternal Sugar was left battered and bruised from the war’s end, it was Hollyberry cookie who extended a hand out to her; the hero didn’t want to see her counterpart suffer alone, but she also wanted to help her find true genuine happiness again. The Beast was…conflicted…to say the least, upon hearing of Hollyberry’s wish; the feelings that she had for the hero…they were real…she knew they were real…and she suspected that the hero knew that as well. But Eternal Sugar wasn’t ready to confront her about it yet, not with all that has happened, and especially not with the way she is now. Hollyberry understood well when someone needed time to understand themselves better, such is why she offered a different deal; they would visit each other in their respective homes, taking time to get to know each other as genuine cookies instead of adversaries locked in a twisted conflict. It took a while, but the Beast would open up to that idea, and as such, they decided upon making weekly visits with each other to commune. Though this week, the hero wanted to take some time to try something new with her counterpart…and well…
“No? But they seemed to be so well taken care of!” Hollyberry noted with surprise as she looked towards the Beast’s wings with amazement, “I would have expected that you had some of your servants or advisors tend to them when they needed it?”
“They are tended to, just through my hands alone, not by my servants,” Eternal Sugar explained softly, her voice still carrying that shy tone as she looked away from her counterpart, a small splash of red painted along her cheeks, “I’ve…never really had anyone else tend to my wings…let alone touch them for that matter…”
Hollyberry’s expression shifted into a soft understanding, so that's what got her so nervous when she offered to brush them. It seemed like a simple suggestion at face value to the cookie, a gesture of kindness while also showing a bit of care to her counterpart; but with this revelation, she understood why the Beast would be so nervous in doing this. Seems as though in her endless quest of spreading happiness to others, Eternal Sugar had neglected giving the simplest of delights to herself; for a cookie so spirited in joy, the Beast of Sloth took her title to heart in more ways than one. But Hollyberry didn’t let that deter her; she wanted to show her counterpart that she cared about her for the cookie she truly was, not for the twisted mask she was forced to wear through her pain.
“I understand if it’s a bit nerve wracking, to experience something new that you haven’t even thought of before,” Hollyberry hummed as she placed her free hand on the Beast’s shoulder with a gentle smile, “But I swear to you that I will never try to harm you in any way through it, I’ll go slow for this, all I ask is for you to trust me.”
Eternal Sugar looked to her counterpart, her worried eyes meeting the comforting gaze of the hero’s; her timidness was still at the forefront of her mind, and yet, she felt safe upon hearing the hero’s words. It was almost like a lock within her soul had been opened after so long, a lock that she kept sealed because she was afraid to show it to others. It was no wonder that the hero had found a way into her…no, not yet…one moment at a time. The Beast would take a deep breath as she repositioned herself to sit properly, slowly extending her wings outward for the hero to see, accidentally blocking the view between the two cookies in turn.
“Please,” Eternal Sugar whispered as the blush on her face glowed a bit, “Do be careful, they’re…tender…”
Hollyberry nodded as she looked towards the Beast’s wings in awe; Golden Cheese Cookie would have probably smacked her with the face of her spear if she ever admitted aloud that Eternal Sugar’s wings were by far the most stunning she had ever seen. She couldn’t help but slowly raise her free hand towards the Beast’s left wing, her fingers slowly tracing down the length of the appendage; they were unbelievably soft, like they were made from the softest clouds imaginable. Though it seems as though there was much more to these wings besides softness…
“G-Gyehehemph o-ohohohoho goodness,” A soft giggle escaped the lips of the Beast as she covered her mouth with her hand out of sheer embarrassment, grateful that the hero couldn’t see it.
Hollyberry snapped out of her awed trance the moment she heard Eternal Sugar’s reaction to her touch, realizing that she had been telling the truth when it came to them being tender. The queen would have to keep that in mind as she looked back to the wings, ready to get to work; but then again, a good laugh never hurt anyone, and it seemed like her counterpart desperately.
“Alright, like I said before, we’ll take it slow and steady,” Hollyberry repeated, raising the hand holding the brush and beginning to slowly move it towards the Beast’s left wing, “We’ll start with your left wing.”
With that said; Hollyberry would place the brush down upon the middle of Eternal Sugar’s left wing, the soft bristles pressing against the soft yet strong appendage. The hero would proceed to slowly move the brush down from its original spot, smoothing out the plumes in its path with the gentlest of care. The bristles themselves easily glide upon the feathers as if a boat sailing upon a steady stream of water. But while the brushing itself was seamless, the reaction from Eternal Sugar Cookie was anything but…
Eternal Sugar felt her whole body bristle upon feeling the brush press against her wing, her eyes widening at the newfound ticklishness she was feeling as it moved down her plumes. She never felt this sensitive when she had brushed her own wings, perhaps it was because it was in the hands of someone else that made it feel more tender, more…vulnerable to her. It took everything in the Beast’s power to not move her wings away from her counterpart, but that didn’t excuse the small twitches and flaps the tips of her wings gave as the brush continued its journey down her left appendage. The laughter that she was desperately trying to keep in wasn’t fairing any better, those bristles were brutal upon her plumes, a merciless softness that seemed to make her fortitude crumble by the second.
“You know, I don’t mind if you laugh through this, I can only imagine how much this tickles,” Hollyberry mused, giving a little smirk that the Beast couldn’t see, but she knew that the queen had one, “Besides, doesn’t the cookie of happiness deserve to be happy herself?~”
“T-Thahahahahahats behehehehe-besides the pohohohohohohohohoint!” Eternal Sugar retorted in gentle protest, keeping her hand over her mouth as more giggles threatened to spew out from the brushing, “I-Ihihihihihihihim just nohohoh-not uhuhuhu-eheheheheheek-not used to thihihihihihihihihis!”
“Well then, I guess we’re just going to have to take our time getting you used to it,” Hollyberry hummed as she moved her attention back to the wing she was tended to, “Because I feel as though this won’t be the last time we do this if it goes well~”
As if to punctalize her statement, the queen would raise the brush up before moving it towards the base of Eternal Sugar’s wing. She’d then slowly move the brush down the length of the base, taking her time in letting the bristles work their magic among her plumes. She’d even raise the brush back up towards the top of the base of the Beast’s wing before making another journey down the length, ensuring that nothing was left unattended by such gentle care. Eternal Sugar had to physically stop herself from flying away as a small squeal erupted from her lips upon the brush's contact with the base of her wing.
“EHEHEHEHE-Ehehehehemph ohohohohohoho Wihihihihhitches abohohohohohohohohove!” Eternal Sugar squeaked, her laughter sounding like a beautiful siren song that could entrance anyone who hears it, with an added bit of squeaky cuteness to the mix, “Whihihihihihihi-Why dohohohohohohohoes ihihihihihihihit tihihih-tickle sohohohohohohohoho muhuhuhuhuhuhuhuch!?”
“You said it yourself, you have tender wings~” Hollyberry reminded, moving the brush back up for another pass down the base of the Beast’s wing, earning yet another squeal from the Beast in turn, “Though I have to admit, that laughter does sound rather adorable, like a melody of joy that had been waiting to be sung for a long while, it suits you~”
Eternal Sugar cookie felt her face flare up upon hearing those words; doing everything she can not to flutter her wings out of happiness, well, happiness that wasn’t being caused by ticklish brushing. The Beast had always felt as though she had to be happy for everyone else’s sake, to ensure that they are cared for before herself for her dream to be realized. But as she found herself being under the care of another, she’s come to realize that such happiness isn’t a one way road; it is both give and take, for true happiness comes from a genuine place of care shared between cookies, not a forced idea founded upon a singular cookie. After having worn that mask for so long, the Beast thought she’d never be able to take it off; but now, someone is helping her through that healing, someone she never thought she’d meet in her entire life. She didn’t know if it was fate, luck, or freedom she had to thank, but Eternal Sugar found herself grateful that the person who became her counterpart was Hollyberry; perhaps one day, she’d be able to tell her how much she appreciates her, with her true, genuine self.
“Alright then, I’ll take a pause on your left wing for now,” Hollyberry informed as she moved the brush away from the Beast’s wing, allowing her to breathe a loud sigh, earning a hearty chuckle from the hero as she patted the Beast’s wing, “All okay over there?~”
Eternal Sugar jumped a little upon feeling the gentle pat, the ticklish sensitivity still lingering from that devious brush, a few lingering giggles escaping her lips before taking another breath, “Y-Yehehehehes I-Ihihihihihi’m fine, ahaha-all is well, th-that felt…really…really nice…thank you, Hollyberry.”
The hero gave a bright smile and thumbs up for the Beast to see, grateful that she was able to show her counterpart the care she had been waiting for so long, “Don’t thank me just yet, we still have your right wing to tend to; and if all goes well, we might start doing this weekly. If I’m being honest, this is a rather relaxing experience.”
Eternal Sugar couldn’t help but feel a smile of excitement grow on her face, the warmth resonating within her soul. She’d fixed herself back into a proper sitting position as she’d extend her wings out for her counterpart once again. And as she felt that gentle brush from her gentlerhearted other half begin to sail upon her plumes; there was only one thought that was going through the Beast’s mind as she allowed herself to giggle in true happiness.
“I can’t wait”
-----
“I don’t feel certain about this…” A deep but gentle voice spoke while looking towards the table in front of him.
“It isn’t a bad idea, I think it’s actually rather sweet.” A soft tone responded with a bit of bubbly encouragement within her tone.
Within the meeting room of the Stronghold of Silence, two cookies found themselves standing in front of a table where four letters sat upon its face. Each of these four letters seemed to carry a seal that is shaped in the insignia’s of four distinct individuals; Deceit, Destruction, Apathy, and Sloth. And as one cookie looked over each of the letters once more, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of growing dread.
The cookie in question was a rather tall individual whose dough carried a ghost white color that greatly contrasted with how youthful and healthy he was. The ponytail styled hair upon his hair was not unlike a cookie’s normal icing; for it carried an almost spectral nature, as dark gray wisped locks flowed softly over his shoulders. As for the cookie’s outfit, he decided to don his casual regalia for this meeting with his companion; consisting of a matching tunic shirt and chausse pants that held a deep grey color, with violet lines etched across the sides of both pieces of clothing in a simple pattern. A pair of black loafers would be worn on the cookie’s shoes with matching black socks to go with them. Upon the cookie’s chest would be a crest that held a black, gem-like sigil that carried the shape of an upside down fork. A grey scar would be seen upon the cookie’s face, as amethyst eyes looked towards the letters nervously.
There weren’t many things that would make Silent Salt Cookie nervous; he led the charge against armies with his knights beside him, faced betrayal and pressure the likes of which no normal cookie would be able to stomach, and even faced his own demons when confronting his fellow Beast once more. And yet, the Lord Commander of Solidarity found himself on edge over the simple task of writing four letters; but it wasn’t the letters themselves that unnerved him, it was who he was writing those letters to that did.
“Who’s to say that they won’t bat an eye towards these invitations?” Silent Salt thought aloud as he placed his hand upon the table as a means to steady his nerves, “ after everything that has happened, they just might want to stay as far away from each other as possible, especially much farther away from myself…”
The cookie beside Silent Salt would look towards him with a gentle frown of sympathy. Her dough carried a pale brown color that showed an ample amount of wear from her journeys in lands near and far. Her long, pure white hair would be seen braided to the side of her with what looked to be natural vines from earthbread itself, resting upon her shoulder as she stood; though the tips of hair seemed to show a bit of a charred grey color in their pigment. The cookie would be seen wearing a simple forest green dress with white lines etched upon the sides; a pair of closed forest green slippers worn to match her dress, as lilies could be seen affixed upon the face of each slipper. Dark fuchsia eyes would look towards the Lord Commander solemnly before looking back down to the letters before them.
White Lily Cookie related to the nervousness Silent Salt was currently feeling all too well, as the two of them shared the similarity of having…complicated…relationships with their companions. When the Hero of Freedom and the Beast of Silence executed their plan to defeat the Enchantress once and for all, they had hoped it would be executed without little consequence. Unfortunately, their hopes would go unanswered, as the Enchantress would take it upon herself to reveal the truth of the Beast’s banishment; and how the individual responsible for their imprisonment was standing beside them the entire time. When the war concluded; Silent Salt would take his leave with the Knights of Kala Namak, unnoticed by everyone but White Lily, who would follow suit to catch up with him. The Lord Commander didn’t know if he’d be able to face his former companions after all that had transpired; deciding that they needed time to heal before going forward with any interaction, and he needed time to reconcile with his past deeds against them. White Lily found herself in the same boat, seeing as though there was much she had to answer for if she were to meet her fellow heroes once again; she decided that she’d take solitude in the Stronghold of Silence until she was ready to face them again.
As a few weeks passed for both cookies to recover enough strength to get them back to their normal selves; it would be then that Silent Salt decided to try his hand at meeting his fellow Beast once again. He’d devise a plan to set up a meeting between all the Beast at the Stronghold of Silence; a means for all of them to reunite after the war’s conclusion and check on their collective condition with all that they had faced. White Lily would even help Silent Salt in the preparations by suggesting that he’d write letters to each Beast to personally invite them to the stronghold. And while the idea itself held good intentions, the Beast of Silence couldn’t help but feel a daunting unease within his soul.
“It…can be difficult to face the sins of your past…when all that has happened left a lasting impression upon others around you,” White Lily began as she moved a hand up to pat the commander’s arm, “But we will never truly know if there is a chance to make things better if we don’t try.”
“But what if the damage done turns out to be irreversible,” Silent Salt questioned, looking down to the ground as his hand curled into a fist, “I’ve cast aside my mercy for a chance to seek vengeance against those who had destroyed all that I protected, only to realize that they had been suffering in the same way that I have…to imprison us all for countless years over the fear that our corruption would wrought the world if we weren’t stopped…how can you be sure that they would spare even a chance to forgive me?”
“I…can’t be certain about it…it’s something nobody would be able to predict,” White Lily answered, looking towards her counterpart with a gentle smile on her face, “But a good friend once told me that a second chance isn’t something that just comes about, we must be brave enough to take the chance ourselves and step forward into a better day.”
Silent Salt would sigh as he looked back up to the letters solemnly. He knew that she was right, even if he didn’t want to admit it, the Hero of Freedom’s words rang true. It was those very same principles that he founded his alliance upon; the idea that every cookie deserved a chance at something better, to make something better for all of them. It had been so long since he had given thought into those principles, with all that has occurred and with all the time that has passed, he had long believed that those words were meaningless…and yet…
White Lily could see the hesitation in Silent Salt’s posture; he looked like he wanted to go for it, to write those letters and send them out, yet he seemed to lack the courage to do it. The hero wanted to show her friend that he had nothing to fear when it comes to trying, yet she didn’t know how she would do it. That was of course, until a certain idea came across her mind; an idea that would let a rather impish smile begin to grow on her face. A rather interesting tidbit of information that she had come to learn about the Lord Commander that she hoped would help in easing his worries.
The hero would steadily shimmy her way to stand behind the Beast, ensuring that his attention was still focused on the letters so as to not catch her in the midst of her scheme. Once White Lily found herself standing directly behind Silent Salt, she’d put her plan into action before he had a chance to retaliate. Extending both of her arms out, the hero would place her hands upon each of the Beast’s hips before giving a gentle squeeze to his dough. This would result in a rather amusing jump from the Beast, followed by an even more amusing sound to come from his lips.
“E-Ehehehehahahahamph?!”
Silent Salt felt his hair spark upon feeling that unexpected touch upon his hips, almost toppling over from the table from a single squeeze alone. The commander would quickly turn around to see the playful smile upon the hero’s face, knowing that it looked all too familiar, as his solemn worry would soon be replaced with a giddy nervousness.
“W-White L-Lily Cookie, l-lets not resort to any rash action,” Silent Salt attempted to reason as he found himself slowly backing up against the table, inadvertently trapping him in front of the impish hero, “W-We could j-just discuss this further before–”
White Lily wouldn’t give her counterpart the chance to finish his statement before she darted her hands back towards his torso. Not wasting a second, the hero would begin to gently skitter her fingers along the commander’s sides, tapping them lightly upon his dough with gentle finesse. That impish smirk on her face only grew by the second as the Beast of Silence found himself being not so silent…
“EYEHEHEHAHAHA-Ehahahahahahaha n-nohohohohohohohohohoahahahahahahahaha! P-Plehehehehehehehehehease White Lihihihihihihihihihilihihihihihihihihihihihihi!”
“You need to stop worrying about things that haven’t happened yet, basing predictions over worrying, it’ll just make you feel even worse,” White Lily mused as she gave a little wink to the giggling Beast as her hands continued to dance upon his sides, “Have the hope that something good can come out of it, and face the unknown with a smile on your face, just like you’re doing now~”
“Y-Yohohohohohohohohou ahahahahahahahahahahare the one thahahahahahahahahahahat is cahahahahahausing ihihihihihihit!” Silent Salt retorted as he felt his face warm up as a bright splash of red painted his cheeks, trying to squirm away from the hero as best as he can, “Ihihihihihihihit dohohohohohoes nohoh-ehehehahahahahahahaha-does nohohohohohohot cohohohohohohount!”
“Semantics,” White Lily simply answered as she moved her hands up towards the commander's ribs, those skittering fingers unrelenting in their gentle attack as they journeyed up his rather ticklish torso, “Besides, your smile is nice to see, just as nice as you are~”
“Thahahaha-I dohohohohon’t thihihihihink thahahahats the rihihihight way to uhuhuhuhuse that wohohoho–EHEHEHEHACK!” Silent Salt would squeal out mid sentence as he would instantly wrap his hands around his body, finally squirming his way out of the mischievous hero’s grasp as he huffed out bubbly giggles through his bright blushing face, “N-Nohohohot the rihihihibs, anything the rihihihibs, plehehehehease not the ribs…”
White Lily’s eyes would alight upon that potent reaction from her counterpart, seeing as though she had found a sweet spot she hadn’t yet been aware of. Unfortunately for the stoic lord commander, this would only serve to fuel the hero’s mischievousness further as she began to slowly approach the giggling cookie once more. Hands raised as they wiggled in the air for Beast to see, his eyes practically shrinking as those instruments of destruction got closer and closer to him.
“Oh? Anything but the ribs, you say, now isn’t that an interesting offer,” White Lily mused as she took another step towards the Beast as her eyes seemed to sparkle with every word she spoke, “I suppose then that you’d be open to giving this meeting a chance and write those letter, that is of course, unless you want me to tend to those ribs of yours?~”
Silent Salt squeaked out as he heard that playful “threat” from his counterpart as she took yet another step towards him. While he might be giggling out of sheer giddy fear and blushing like a madman, he understood why his counterpart was doing this for him. She wanted to show him that dwelling in fear only serves to isolate us from the steps one wished to take in life, and it's through facing that fear with a smile that they can grow as a person in ways they never thought possible before. Every cookie has the chance to grow, the chance to make something better for themselves, a chance to start anew. It was a message that had been lost to the Lord Commander for quite some time…but now…now he has remembered the true meaning behind it.
“V-Vehehehehehery W-Wehehehehell…” Silent Salt conceded, continuing to hold his ribs out of fear from the hero’s impishness, “I-I wihihihihihill write the letters, and make this reunion a reality.”
White Lily gave off a hum of satisfaction as she began to lower her hands, content that she was able to convince her friend to give himself the second chance he deserved to have, “Good, I’m sure that things will go well, just have a little faith~”
But just then, a stray thought would come to the forefront of the hero’s mind, one that only seemed to make her eyes relight with that familiar mischief. She trusted that Silent Salt would keep his word in writing the letters, but it wouldn’t hurt to show him a bit of care for all the stress he had been carrying these past few weeks. Besides, if the hero was going to face her companions with her true, complete self, she might as well embrace it herself for a bit.
“Howeveeeeeer…” White Lily would sing, as she’d raise her hands up once again while giving a playful glare towards her stalwart companion, “I think it would help to get you loosen up before you get to writing, just to make sure you don’t have any writing roadblocks~”
Silent Salt’s eyes would grow wide upon hearing that statement, his head whipping back to see the mischievous hero continuing to approach him. Realizing that he wasn’t going to have any chance of stopping her, he would instantly make a run for it as White Lily followed suit in pursuing him across the halls of the stronghold.
“W-Whihihihite Lily! Please! I said I’d write the letters! Y-You don’t need to do–EHAHAHAHAHAHAH NOHOHOHOHOHOHOT THE RIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIBS!”
-----
As the Cookie meditating below the great tree saw each Soul Dyad spending time with each other, he couldn’t help but smile softly. From accepting one's true self, understanding ideas we haven’t thought of, accepting other viewpoints of the world, allowing kindness into one's own heart, and embracing the belief of a second chance; each Beast has found themselves learning something new thanks to the efforts of their Heroic counterparts. And through the laughter they shared in each of their own special ways, they find themselves upon a new road once thought impossible; a road towards peace from the conflicts of their past, a road to brighter days. However, it seems as if their roads would find themselves joining once again in the near future…
“A meeting amongst the Beast, one where they all find themselves upon lives they never thought they would have,” The soft spoken cookie would hum, a smile growing upon his face as olive colored eyes looked to the sky as a chuckle elicited from his lips, “Now that is going to be one interesting reunion~”
This is a rather special mirth muses that I wanted to share as a means of inspiration to other tickle content creators of all walks and paths for the projects and ideas they have, hope you find some inspiration in this.
Hey...!
Hey you...!
Yes you, you tickle muse!
Oh? What is a tickle muse, you ask? Why, their is a rather simple answer to that! A tickle muse is someone who has such creative drive and imagination to embrace the mirthful ideas that come to their mind. Now, these ideas can come from a multitude of paths and origins, just as a tickle muse can find themselves embracing their own form of tickly creativity. Perhaps you are writer who finds themselves loving a fandom or two and have ideas on how the characters and themes of such worlds can connect to such ticklish delights; or the possibility of making a separate world based on that fandom that embraces tickling as a whole. Or maybe you're someone who dabbles in the art of voice acting, loving the idea of creating logs and stories filled with mirthful teases or sweet ticklish pleasing's with the power of your voice. You may be someone who wishes to embrace the idea of creating video games that embrace the ideas of mirthful adrenaline or smiley-filled anticipation through an abundance of ticklish traps or challenges. You could even be someone who wishes to create a world or universe all of their own that appreciates and embraces the fun and laughter that comes with tickling and all who come to know it within that wonderful creation.
But do you know what all of these different types of tickle muses have in common? It may not be obvious at first, but their is one striking similarity that they all have! And that similarity is that they find true enjoyment in what they wish to create just because they're creating it! Tickle musing doesn't follow one set path or road, it can branch and change depending on the persons creativity! And as they create such delightful teases and devilish scenarios in any of their desired paths of creation, the true fun that comes from it, is that the creator enjoys every single second of making it for themselves and for those who they share it with.
Don't you see?! You're free to use your voice to make such mirthful fun! You're free to use your pen to scribe an endless amount of euphoric odysseys! You're free to take up a laptop and make the digital delights that you wish to see in the world! And you're even free to make an entire world filled with ticklish embrace in any way, shape, or form that you wish. Embrace your creativity how you wish for it to be used, for you can be a Tickle Muse too~
So…how we feeling about the first update in the Dark Enchantress War…personally…I think we’re about to experience a peak finale to this whole saga…and I can’t wait!
@ voice actors that are In The Community/friendly towards making tk content. You're missing out on the Big Bucks pretty please pop off cuz god knows we're both starving for food i promise you it's gonna slap
At first glance, Ellis should have realized that what he was investigating was obviously a trap; truthfully, who would be so gullible as to announce the scene of their next crime with a letter addressed to his specific address knowing he was a hero? Yet the ice prince just couldn’t let even the most oblivious of criminals get away with their deeds, and so, he’d take it upon himself to investigate the supposed target of this unimpressive announcement. If only the hero knew just how much trouble he’d get himself into…for even the silliest of schemes…can house the most clever of intentions. And when the culprit of such a ruse was in a determined mood to get some answers, he was going to use every trick in the book to make sure his victims squaks…or rather…squeals. Even if Ellis had no idea what he was being accused of in the first place…he was going to be in for it whether he liked it or not~
Note: I cannot help how excited I am to be able to post this story, now of course, this story has existed for a bit than when it was posted...buuuut with my dear friend making themselves a tumblr for their wonderful world of characters, I can't help but wish to include this piece I made inspired by such wonderful creativity. Massive shoutout to @merrymaking-magician for this wonderful duo of dorks (plus one more dork) and hoping that your creativity knows no limits in the future. Hope you all enjoy!
Ellis knew he was walking into a trap…
Ellis knew that the villain couldn’t be this oblivious…
Ellis knew to understand when he should pick his battles…
Yet here he was; standing in front of a craftwork store within the local mall…that was currently closed to the public…without any security…whatsoever.
“It can’t be this easy”
The fair skinned hero had donned his signature outfit with pieces of his hero attire, deciding that it would be best to keep things simple for the night, especially considering the circumstances of the night itself. He wore a glacial blue faded shirt that held an icy crystal that acted as a broach for the collar; with long fabric epaulets fixed on the shoulders that carried silver crystal diamonds on the ends of them. He’d match the shirt with a pair of dark grey dress pants that were specially tailored for combat use…which was perfect for hero work…and style. A pair of black dress shoes with icy blue socks would be worn on the hero’s feet, shoes that were also specially tailored to transform into ice skates should the need arise. Finally, an icy blue face mask would be worn over the hero’s face covering up his mouth. The hero would brush a bit of his icy blue hair away from his face before looking down at the piece of paper in his hand with cautious…and rather unamused…icy blue eyes.
Dear Ice Prince,
Surprised? I knew you would be. The last thing you probably expected was getting a letter from me out of all people, and yet here you are, reading it with what I assume to be the most shocked expression on your face. I propose a little challenge to you, you say you’re a rising star that cannot be taken down, I want to see if you aren’t just talk. After all, I out of anyone would know that when the pressure’s on, your cool and collected facade can shatter easily. So if you truly think you can beat any challenge in front of you, then you’ll make your way to the crafts store in the mall near your home. See if you have what it takes to stop me, or maybe, you’ll be too afraid to act thinking that this is a trap, who’s to say, hm? Who knows, maybe I’m already on my way and ridding the store of every single item it has, I do love a good clearance sale after all. Don’t get cold feet now prince, come and get me~
See You Soon,
M~
If the Ice Prince was honest, he was looking forward to having an uneventful night at home; from promoting his latest skating performance to previous hero work during the day, he thought that he was going to relish in rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, the universe would have other plans for the young hero as he found a lone letter sitting atop his staircase, seemingly awaiting his arrival. It was only after reading the contents of the letter that he knew well that his night was going to go from calm to chaotic real quick, however, it was going to be his choice to deal with it. And yet, as Ellis now stood outside of the store, he couldn't help but think that this whole chain of events felt…strange. The hero had a good feeling that the person who wrote the letter was who he thought it was; but there was something about how it was delivered, and parts of the wording that seemed off somehow. There was no way that the villain who wrote this letter made it so simple, and he was much more theatrical with his words than being straightforward in his plans, unless this was all a part of his trap? Ellis groaned as he rubbed the temple of his forehead, stuffing the letter in one of his pant pockets; thinking about this too much was only gonna give him a headache, and if it is who Ellis thinks it is he can’t afford to have a headache…not yet anyway.
“Trap or not, If it is him, I can’t just do nothing about this,” Ellis reminded himself while preparing for whatever he was about to face through the doors in front of him, “As harmless as this might be, it would cause a lot of problems for the mall, much less the store. At least there isn’t anyone around, no risk of anyone getting hurt, alright…alright…let’s do this…”
Not wanting to waste any more time, the hero took a deep breath and extended a hand out and pressed it on one of the double doors of the craft store. Surprisingly, the door easily gave way as it creaked open to welcome the hero into its abode, well someone was definitely gonna get fired for that. The unlocked door would only raise Ellis’s suspicions further as he’d slowly step into the store, cautious eyes scanning the area for anything out of place. The store itself was somewhat sizable but carried this quaint and cozy atmosphere that made it seem like a small business within the mall; the open windows on the upper walls of the area welcoming in the moonlight of the mall and the outside together. Different kiosks and shelves held an assortment of paints, markers, and blank canvases up for sale; while tablestands and counters held craft supplies such as brushes, pieces of wood, even a few model kits. A few small desks and chairs were littered around the store for use, while the cash register at the back of the store didn’t seem to be tampered with in the slightest. No matter where the hero looked, he saw no signs of a break-in of any kind nor any trace of robbery, just what exactly was going on here?
“Nothing or No one seems to have even stepped foot in here besides me…” Ellis mumbled to himself as he stepped into the middle of the store, eyes closed as he contemplated the peculiarity of the situation, “Why would the letter say that something was going to go down here if nothing even–”
“YOU!”
Ellis’s eyes would shoot open the moment that voice would ring out within the store…a voice he knew…a voice he dreaded to hear tonight. Whipping himself around; the hero would look towards the entrance of the store, and in turn, look towards the Individual whom that familiar voice belonged to.
“I KNEW that it had to be you! No one else would even dare try to pull this stunt on me besides you!”
The Individual in question was a young man who was a fair bit taller than Ellis by comparison, but could be considered a tad short in comparison to other people. He had rather pale skin but looked to still be well kept and cared for despite how it may look to the naked eye. At the moment, the individual was wearing his signature supervillain attire; one that consisted of a matching pair of dress pants and buttoned suit, both pieces of clothing carrying a dual blend of black and purple. A black tophat with a purple rim would be worn on top of the individual's short and messy black hair, a trio of three differently sized green feathers affixed to the hats left side. Similar green buttons would be seen along his suit just as a green gem broach was affixed to its collar, gleaming in the moonlight. Black dress shoes would be worn on top of purple cotton short socks as a pair of pure white gloves were worn on the individual's hands. Half of a white mask would be seen on the left side of the individual's face, quickly taking off the mask to reveal scar-like face paint worn across both of his ocean blue eyes. Eyes that were currently looking at Ellis with what could only be described as pure unpredictable annoyance.
“Looks like I'm not the only one who likes to put on a show here,” The individual grumbled out as he stepped into the store, shutting the door behind him with one hand as his other hand began to glow with orange energy, “Deciding to confront me before you pull the trigger, huh? You really are cold, Ice Prince~”
“M-Malchom!” Ellis would exclaim as he found himself taken off guard by the villain's sudden appearance, well, he expected that it was Malchon who was the one who sent the letter but, “So you are here and…wait…what do you mean by pulling the–?”
Ellis wouldn’t get the chance to finish his sentence before a bolt of orange energy would shoot towards him, causing him to yelp out before jumping to the side to avoid the incoming attack. Looking behind him, the Ice Prince could see the bolt hit one of the mugs next to the cash register, materializing into a pair of orange cuffs that locked around its porcelain surface. The hero would give a mixture of a sigh and a wince, relieved that he wasn’t caught by the bolt, before looking back towards the villain in front of him. Ellis knew Malchom well enough to know that his magic was nothing to take lightly, they knew each other for a long time after all, but he also knew that the villain was much more patient than how he was acting right now. The Malchom that Ellis knew wouldn’t begin to charge up more orange energy in both of his hands as he slowly walked towards the hero, something was definitely off.
“You know I never really thought you’d have it in you to play dirty,” Malchom would purr out, that signature teasing tone mixing in with a growl as the energy in his hands was reaching its peak, “Guess you’re still full of surprises after all these years, aren’t ya?!”
Malchom wouldn’t give Ellis a chance to respond as he slung out two more bolts of energy from his hands, faster than the first bolt he fired at the hero. Ellis would backflip off from where he was kneeling, avoiding one of the bolts as he concentrated his energy into his left hand. The hand would quickly turn cold and as the hero would thrust it out, a large icicle would shoot from his palm like a kunai, clashing with the second bolt of energy in midair. Ellis quickly realized he wasn’t going to get any answers from Malchom as long as he was in this state of chaotic “rage” so to speak, the best he could do for now was cool him down to figure out what exactly he was even annoyed about…literally.
“And you never learned to look before you leap, cause I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Ellis would attempt to explain as he’d place both of his hands on the floor below him, concentrating his power into his palms, a line of frost would begin to streak its way towards the villain, “If you could just calm down we can talk this out!”
“Ohohoho, don’t try to pull the ‘mightier than thou’ card on me now, princey!” Malchom would retort as he leaped out of the way of the frost, avoiding the hero’s attempt at capturing him by standing on one of the desks, looking towards Ellis with that signature chaotic grin of his, “If you wanted to talk, you’d be the one looking first before doing anything rash in the first place, as a matter of fact–!”
The villain would raise his hand as orange energy began to surge through his fingertips; the hero looking up in preparation for another direct attack. What Ellis wasn’t aware of, however, was that rolls of large cloth were beginning to become enveloped in that very same orange energy from Malchom’s hand. Ellis wasn’t going to wait to see what the trickster had in mind, as he’d begun to conjure ice to encompass the entirety of his hands, prepared to blast the villain before he could make a move. Unfortunately for Ellis, that was exactly what Malchom was waiting for; as he’d snap his fingers, two rolls of cloth would unfurl and shoot towards the hero on either side of him.
Unaware of the ambush, Ellis wasn’t able to stop the two rolls from wrapping each of his arms up in their cloth, lifting him into the air as they’d tied themselves to the ceiling above him. What was worse was that the ice the hero was conjuring would course through the cloth that was holding him, freezing the bindings along his arms, keeping his forearms nice and secured above his head. The Ice Prince could only grunt in alarm and frustration as he found himself trapped by frost-covered cloth, all while Malchom would giggle out with glee as he hopped off the desk he was standing on.
“–I think you’re better suited to cool off right now,” Malchom would finish with a clap of his hands while slowly stepping towards the bound hero, “After all, thanks to your recklessness, you’re in the perfect position to answer alllll of my questions~”
The Ice Prince would grunt as he’d tug on his frosted bindings, hoping that he had a silver of a chance to break free. Unfortunately Ellis would soon realize why his adversaries always said that his ice was not to be trifled with, even with all of his strength, the hero couldn’t even make it crack. A frustrated groan escaped the hero’s throat before he looked back down towards Malchom, and the sight itself made his lips quiver in newfound fear. Malchom had a wide smile on his face; a smile that Ellis knew very well; a smile that sent shivers through his body; a smile that always brought chaos in a very…unique…way that always left the hero in a very…flustered…state of exhaustion. That smile was the very essence of Malchom’s villainous title, and now, Ellis had no means of escaping that title’s wrath.
“M-Malchom L-Listen to me!” Ellis grunted as he’d squirm within his frosted bindings, kicking his legs in hopes of boost his efforts, “P-Please if we could just talk this out we can—“
Malchom would snap his fingers as orange energy sparking from his hand, interrupting the hero in his attempt at negotiation. In no time at all, two chains of orange energy would materialize from the ground and shoot towards the hero’s legs. Cuffs on the ends of the chains would open up to then clamp over the hero’s ankles; keeping them nice and still as it left him in a comfortable, yet inescapable, “X” position in the air. Ellis’s lips would warble as he saw Malchom shake his head while he moved his arms behind his back.
“Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, don’t think you’re getting out this one easily, princey,” Malchom snickered as he stood an inch away from the hero as his eyes glimmered with growing mischief, though still showing hints of his previous annoyance, “You aren’t just gonna worm your way out of the hole you dug yourself into! Especially when it pertains to my plans!”
“Your plans?! What on earth are you talking about?!” Ellis retorted as he’d give an annoyed glare of his own right back toward Malchom, though through it, a small blush dusted his cheeks as he realized how defenseless he truly was, “Malchom if you could just listen to me—“
“Save your breath snowflake, you’re going to need it tonight,” Malchom interrupted as he’d give a rather mischievous snicker as he looked directly into Ellis’s eyes, seeing the flustering fear behind them, “Because if I can’t get your stubborn self to admit to your wrongdoings honestly—”
The villain would begin to move his left arm away from his back, and within his left hand, an item could be seen being held between his fingers. The item in question…a feather…a long feather…a long, fluffy, well kept purple feather. To the average person, it wouldn’t seem as harmless as it looked; but as the hero saw those soft fronds sway in the villain’s hand, he knew he was doomed.
“—I have the perfect way to get you to tell me what I want to know~” Malchom would finish with a devious wink towards Ellis.
Ellis’s instincts had pushed him to struggle greater than he had before as Malchom began to raise that feather closer and closer to the hero’s vulnerable form. That small dust of a blush slowly started to grow into a rather potent glow as those fronds were just a few inches away from his face. Ellis found himself starting to get desperate as a special brand of “fear” was starting to fester from his inevitable fate, and any hope he had of escape was rendered obsolete as Malchom giggled out with devilish intent.
“M-Mal P-Please y-you don’t have to d-do this,” Ellis stammered out as he tried one last time to reason with the villain, hoping that their somewhat blended relationship would help him out, “I-I really have no idea what you’re talking about I was just–”
“Oh Ellis, Mal isn’t available right now,” Malchom purred out as he twirled the feather between his fingers, excitement bubbling from every word that dripped from his lips, “You’re interrogation is now in the hands of The Tickler~”
With that resounding statement, The Tickler would begin his attack on the hero that seemed to have done him wrong. The feather in Malchom’s hand would touch down right on the base of Ellis’s neck, and just a second after, would begin to slowly trace along the defenseless skin that laid exposed to him. The feather’s length had allowed it to reach a good amount of the hero’s neck, as those cloud-like soft fronds would brush seamlessly on their desired target. And yet something so harmless and gentle would yield a rather potent result in terms of the hero’s reaction.
“E-Ehehehehemph m-mhmhmhmpheheheph,” Ellis sputtered out as giggles already began to bubble up through his throat, keeping his mouth shut in attempt to stop the wobbly smile on his lips from growing, “N-Nohohohohohomph M-Mal d-dohohohon’t!”
Despite how harmless the name itself was, The Tickler was a villain that struck a chord to all who hear of his deeds, and even more so to those that fall victim to them. Malchom made it his mission to spread mirth and merriment to those that think little of it, he isn’t truly evil unlike other villains, but he is someone that should never be underestimated. Even if the biggest acts of villainy he commits involve ticklish acts of mischief; they more often than not leave all who oppose malchom, all who become his prey during his work, and all who just so happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in a state of pure fluttered exhaustion. Ellis would be lying if he said that this was the first time he had found himself in a ticklish situation, and even still, it never failed to fluster him to no end. Yet he had to be strong through this, even if Malchom wasn’t making any sense, he had to get answers somehow…though…it could help if he was able to look serious without the blushy wobbly smile currently on his face.
“The Tickler is speaking now, dear, and he expects to hear truthful words from here on out…less you want to make this much more fun,” Malchom chuckled as he’d flutter the feather under the hero’s chin, dusting along the middle of his throat as a few squeaks erupted from his lips, “Now then, question one, how did you find out where I was stashing my supplies for my newest gadgets? Was someone so bored that they decided to play super spy?~”
Ellis found himself stammering as the feather worked its way around his chin and neck, trying his best to pay attention to what Malchom was asking so he could at least figure out what was going on. Unfortunately, the villain’s question only left the hero with more questions of his own; and it didn’t help that through his state of constant giggling, the hero couldn’t even get himself to think through a clear answer. If Malchom had some sort of supply stash for building new gadgets, Ellis definitely knew about it now, but he also definitely didn’t even know that the villain had a supply stash to begin with. Why was he accusing him of discovering something that he didn’t even know existed in the first place?
“S-Suhuhuhuhuhupplihihihihih Stahahahahahahash?!” Ellis attempted to answer through his giggles, mustering up as much energy as he could to keep his mouth closed enough to speak clearly through his puffed blushed cheeks, “I-I D-Dohohohon’t know whahahat yohoho-you mehehehehean, wh-whahahat s-stahahaha-stash?!”
Malchom’s eyes glowed a bit as he heard Ellis’s response, a snicker mixing in with a snarl as he’d direct the feather up from the hero’s neck. In one quick motion, those devilishly soft fronds would now begin to dance their way along the shell of the hero’s left ear with slow vigor. The feather was long enough to be able to cover the entirety of the shell, along with the back of the hero’s ear as well, like a blanket made of the softest down imaginable. Combined with The Tickler’s dexterous movements, the tool had no trouble tending to every single inch of Ellis’s ear that it could touch, and it had no trouble in crumbling the hero’s resistance either.
“E-Ehehehehehehemph N-Nohohoho no no plehehehehehehehahahahahease!” Ellis snorted out as he’d shake his head instinctively, though finding no reprieve as the feather easily followed every quick movement from the poor giggling hero, “C-Cohohohohohome ohohohohohohohon Mahahahahahahahahahahahal!”
“Now what did I say about hearing truthful words,” The Tickler growled out with a devilish smile as he’d circle the feather an inch into the hero’s inner shell, earning a silent whine from Ellis before more giggles followed, “Thinking that just because you’re a hero, that means you can go spying on my business. I think that’d be more than enough to punish you, much less now answering my question honestly~”
“B-Buhuhuhuhuhuhuhut I’m tehehehehehehehehelling thehehehehehehehehehehehe truhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuth!” Ellis squeaked before feeling the feather brush its way into the inner walls of his ear, making him shut his eyes out of pure embarrassment from how ticklish it felt, curse that feather for being too soft, “I dihihihihihihihihihin’t knohohohohohohoh yohohohohoho-ehehehehehehehehahahaha-you ahahahahaha-had a stahahahahahahash ohohohoho gohohohohohosh!”
“And I didn’t know that you were such a good liar,” Malchom retorted before he huffed out in disgruntled acceptance, moving his free hand out as he’d continue to speak, “But if you want to be stubborn with that question, perhaps you’ll be a bit more compliant with the next one, giggle-prince~”
The Tickler would channel more orange magic through his free hand, all the while, an item from one of the kiosks of the store would answer the magic’s call. It didn’t take long for that tool to float its way over towards the villain, gripping it gently into his fingers with a devious chuckle. The tool that answered Malchom’s call was a paintbrush, more specifically, a mop brush that seemed to have been made of horse hair fibers dyed in purple…how ironic. The villain would twirl the brush in his hand before using his index finger to channel more magic, this magic however, beginning to seep its way along the hem of the giggling hero’s shirt. Malchom would then flick his finger up as his magic sparked with recognition, and in turn, the hem of Ellis’s shirt began to slowly lift higher and higher from where it was resting. The hero realized what was going on through his giggle fit, and it only served to fluster him further as he dreaded what the villain was about to do with that new toy of his. After a few agonizing anticipatory seconds, the hero’s shirt was lifted high enough to expose the entirety of his torso to the waiting villain; and to ensure that it stayed exposed to him, the villain would direct his magic to tie the hem of the hero’s shirt to his back as a makeshift crop top.
“Fit and Slim, yet probably just as sensitively soft as I remember,” Malchom cooed out as he’d brush the feather in his first hand under the hero’s ear while twirling the paintbrush closer and closer to its target, “Question two, princey, why did you decide it was a good idea to take photos of the blueprints to my latest tickle machines? And do be sure to speak clearly, I can’t hear a word you’re saying over that cute giggling of yours~”
As if to completely disregard what he had just said, Malchom would quickly lower the paintbrush right onto the middle of the exposed belly before him. The Tickler would then proceed to dust the mop brush across the defenseless skin with a quicker pace than the feather. The fibers of the brush held a semblance of firmness in their shape, but were still silky enough to drift across the hero’s belly with relative ease, and soft enough to shock through the entirety of the hero’s body. Just as the tool was meant to be used, Malchom was aiming to create a masterpiece of truth with Ellis’s sensitive stomach as his canvas. Though in this case; truth was mixing with mirth in a blend of vibrant colors, and those colors resounded through both the poor hero’s physical reactions, and more importantly, the poor hero’s profound laughter.
“E-EHEHEHEHEHEHAHACK! W-WAHAHA-Wahahahahait nohohohohohohohoahahahahaha wahahahahahahahahit!” Ellis squealed out as his eyes shot open from the newfound sensation dusting across his belly, bucking and squirming as best he could as the brush never ceased in its devilish painting across his skin, glaring at Malchom the best he could through that wide smile of his, “Y-YOHOHOHO-Yohohohohou jeheheheheheheheheheheheherk!”
“Lying and Insulting, not a good look for a hero, princey~” Malchom teased out with a soft purr as he’d let both feather and brush dance at their own paces in his hands while reveling in the music that was the hero’s laughter, “Now about that answer, why’d you take the photos?~”
Oh the nerve of Malchom! Trying to turn it on Ellis on why he couldn’t give an answer while he was the reason the hero can’t even think straight! The Ice Prince was having a hard time to even make a coherent deduction as those devilish tools worked his body seamlessly. Every shake only rendered him more helpless as his ear was grazed with the gentle touch of the feather; Every buck only made him more exposed as the brush found a new section of skin to dust along his belly. And through it all, the hero’s laughter started to become less restrained and more bubbly by the second; and even more so, the hero found his subconscious start to register the euphoria he was feeling through this. There was no way he was starting to genuinely have fun through this, well granted, there were moments that Ellis found himself having fun whenever he was tickled…but…but that wasn’t the point right now! Right now Ellis had no idea what pictures Malchom was referring to, in fact, Ellis rarely if ever took any photographs for any hero work he did regardless! So why was he trying to say that he took any photos when…oh no…was that brush reaching his navel?
“IHIHIH-I Dohohohohohohohon’t knohohohohohow whahahahahah p-pihihihihictUHUHUHUHURES YOHOHOHOHOU’RE TAHAHAHAHAHALKING A-ABOHOHOHOHOUT!” Ellis tried his best to answer as his laughter grew more desperate, The Tickler directing the mop brush to swirl quickly along the walls of the hero’s defenseless navel, icy cool tears beginning to form from the corners of his eyes, “IHIHIH-I dihihihih-IHIHIHIHIDN’T KNOHOHOHOW YOHOHO-You wehehehehehere mahahahahahaking ahahahahahanyTHIHIHIHIHING NEHEHEHEHEW! P-PLEHEHEHEASE ihihihihihi’m tehehehehehelling thehehehe-the TRUHUHUHUHUTH!”
Malchom found himself grumbling a bit more hearing the hero’s answer, brows furrowing as he continued to direct his toys in playing with his prey. It was only then that The Tickler looked up towards those wide teary eyes of the hero. And when Ellis looked down; the only way he could describe the expression on Malchom’s face was through one word alone…determined.
“You reeeeeally wanna be stubborn huh? Fine then,” Malchom huffed out with a more energetic huff in his throat, seemingly ready to get the answers that he wanted, “One more question, one more chance, or else I’m making you suffer the entire night…”
To prove his point, Malchom would snap his fingers, orange magic beginning to envelop the quill of the feather and the handle of the brush. Both tools would begin to float a few inches away from the Ellis, allowing the poor hero a moment to breathe, though that moment would be short lived. Through every huff the hero took, he’d see the villain raise both of his hands closer and closer to his defenseless torso; at the same time, the tools would reposition themselves along the hero’s body as they waited for further command. It was then that Ellis felt a shiver run through his spine that would put his own ice to shame…and that was saying something…considering he wasn’t going to be able to say anything else if Malchom didn’t get what he wanted.
“Now…third and final question…and don’t disappoint me this time,” Malchom would purr out slowly as he’d let the hero be able to actually answer the question this time, “How…did you…find a way…to get a letter…into my secret base?”
The moment that he heard that question, Ellis’s eyes widened in realization, immediately looking down to his pant pocket. Malchom got a letter from him? But he got a letter from Malchom? That didn’t sound right, nothing about it sounded right, but that gave the hero all the evidence he needed to answer the villain’s question.
“A-A lehehehe-letter? M-Mal w-wahahahait,” Ellis attempted to speak out with newfound urgency as he’d look to the villain with pleading eyes, “I-I cahahan explain I didn’t send you a letter and don’t even know where your secret base is because I–EYEAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
“Wrong answer, princey~”
In an instant, The Tickler’s gloved hands planted themselves right onto the hero’s defenseless stomach. Ten devilish gloved fingers wasted no time as they began to rapidly skitter along every inch of exposed skin that was opened to them; the silken material of those gloves proving useful in tickling the ivories of their newfound piano with ease. Malchom spared no expense to ensure that every poke and prod by his eager fingers sent shockwaves through his victims body with merciless vigor.
The feather close to the hero’s face would begin to imbue itself with The Tickler’s magic, and with such magic, seem to get longer by the second before the hero’s eyes. The feather grew and grew until it was about as long as a ruler, and about a second later, warped its length around the entirety of the hero’s neck like a snake. About a second later, the feather would begin to swish and flutter its length up and down the prince’s skin, like a vibrating necklace that was fluffy enough to make the poor hero yelp out second after second.
“EHEHEHEEK EHEHEHEHEEK W-WAHAHAHAIT WAHAHAHAIT PLEHEHEHEHEASE MAHAHAHAHAL PLEHEHEHEHEASE!”
Last but not least, the paintbrush would circle back to the hero’s waiting navel, like a shark hunting its game. And when it felt like it was the right time to strike, the mop brush would dive into Ellis’s navel with excited vigor, making the hero squeal out in alarm. The brush would then proceed to spin its soft fibers round and round against the walls and inner section of the hero’s navel, like a drill mining for treasure. And Treasure did this devious drill find, as the hero found himself unable to stop himself from arching his stomach into the brush’s waiting touch…and in turn…the devilish fingers of the villain.
Ellis completely lost it! All three sensations coursed through his body at one time; making it feel as though a large feather duster was tickling every single inch of his body. Imbuing itself with magic, and making him more sensitive as it continued to tickle him! Malchom’s fingers were absolutely devious, how each of them poked and prodded at his defenseless skin with dexterous precision sent the hero into new fits of hysteria. That feathers' newfound magical ability rendered the entirety of Ellis’s neck vulnerable to its gentle yet devilish touches as no inch of skin was spared regardless of how much he scrunched. And the brush, heavens above that brush, to say that it was torturing his navel would be an understatement in of itself; every second the hero felt those fibers circle upon that sweet spot only served to break him down more and more. And yet all the hero could do was yelp, squeal, and laugh as Malchom showed no inch of remorse against him, and despite how flustered he felt, Ellis couldn’t help but realize that he was starting to enjoy the treatment from The Tickler. Even though he was fighting for his sanity to get out of this situation…he had to admit…the euphoria he was feeling helped the boredom he had for most of the day disappear in an instant. It was almost enough for Ellis to find himself forgetting what exactly he was even captured for in the first place.
“Tiiiickle Tickle Tickle, Poor Precious Princey, laughing himself silly under The Tickler’s grasp,” Malchom cooed out with a devilish purr as his fingers skittered up and down the hero’s belly as he’d squeal out in turn, the villain’s eyes glowing with pure devious delight, “Better at laughing and squealing himself silly than answering such simple questions, if that is what you want to do, then I’m just gonna tickle you all night, don’t worry, I’m sure the news would be thrilled to discover the Ice Prince all tuckered out while a nice little message is written on his tender ticklish tummy~”
Oh right, he needed to prove his innocence, if only he had enough composure to actually speak in coherent sentences. Unfortunately for the poor sensitive hero, all that would come was a babble of words seeped within loud mirthful laughter; squirming and wiggling in the villain’s ticklish grasp, unable to escape every second of torture he was inflicting. All he could do right now was give one last push through his laughter and maybe, just maybe, he’d be able to get through the devious tickle monster of a villain.
“MAHAHAHAHAHAHAL P-PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHA-PLEHEHEHEASE!” Ellis would shriek out as he’d buck and shake in the frosted bindings that held him, unrestrained in his laughter through it all, “IHIHIHIHIHI-I GOT AHAHAHA LEHEHEHEHETTER TOHOHOHOHOO, IHIHIHIHIHI GOT A LETTER TOHOHOHOHOHOO!”
“Ohohohoho don’t try to pull that now, no excuse is getting you out of this,” Malchom would retort with a playful growl of determination, his hands not letting up no matter how frantically the hero squirmed, “Since you can’t answer my questions honestly, you’re going to become my ticklish masterpiece, I can’t wait to see how the city takes my work~”
Fortunately for Ellis; just as the universe can work against someone, it could also work for someone. As the hero bucked and squirmed against the villain’s ticklish assault, the letter within his pocket slowly pushed up against his pants pocket, wiggling itself free from its fabric prison. After a few more minutes of agonizing ticklish torture, the letter would slip out of the hero’s pocket, floating down until hitting the floor right in front of The Tickler. Malchom would catch the letter floating from the corner of his eye, lowering his head towards its landing point in front of him. The Villain would instantly cease his attack; moving his hands away from the hero’s pinkened belly, just as the feather and brush would drop to the floor when the orange magic around them subsided. Ellis would huff out with a loud sigh of exhaustion as he went slack in his icy shackles, at the same time, Malchom would kneel down to pick up the fallen letter in front of him. After a few seconds of reading, the villain’s eyes would widen as he would rummage through his own pocket with newfound confusion.
“Th-This is impossible! I never wrote this!” Malchom exclaimed as he continued to rummage through his pocket before his free hand finally got hold of what he needed, “Th-This might be my handwriting but I wouldn’t put it in an envelope like the one I got too!”
At that moment, Malchom whipped out the item he was searching for in his pocket; and through his talking, Ellis was able to regain enough energy to comprehend what he pulled out. The breathless hero would only find himself surprised as he saw that what the villain pulled out, as luck would have it, was a letter that looked perfectly identical to the one he had received. Pink envelope, clean sealed, reading the letter itself even showed that it had the Ice Prince’s handwriting! But…that's impossible…Ellis never wrote a letter to Malchom recently…and he certainly wouldn’t have written one with a pink envelope…so what…
“Ihihihihihi…I d-didn’t wrihihihihite that…” Ellis huffed out through fits of giggles as the phantom tingles still lingered on his blushing body, looking towards the villain with pleading eyes, “I-I have n-nohohoho idea wh-whats gohohohoing on…that letter tohohohold me you’d be here so I–”
As Malchom listened to what Ellis was saying, his eye caught a gleam from the ice that was holding the hero’s arms, something that looked to come from its reflection. Looking closer at the ice…the villain noticed that the gleam wasn’t going away and…wait…was it moving towards…him?! Malchom’s eyes widened as he twisted himself towards the direction of the gleam, conjuring orange magic into his free hand in the process; and before the gleam could move any further, launched a larger bolt of energy towards its direction. At that moment a loud yelp could be heard before something whistled through the air towards the duo, and in a flash, something struck through the ice holding the hero and breaking it with relative ease. Ellis found himself falling from where he’d been held before being caught in Malchom’s arms, surprised by the whole ordeal, the hero found himself looking towards the distracted villain…before then looking towards the item that broke his ice. What laid behind them in turn…was an arrow…a silver and pink arrow…a silver and pink arrow with a heart shaped head. At the same time however, the source of the yelp would suddenly find itself caught by Malchom’s magic; tumbling into the craft store through one of the open windows against the wall before landing on the floor with a soft thud. Malchom and Ellis’s eyes would widen as they realized just who was caught in the villains' orange chains of magic.
“O-Ouch! T-That definitely wasn’t supposed to happen…”
Squirming on the floor would be a rather unique individual that found himself sitting within the chains that now held him. His lotus pink skin for starters was quite eye-catching when looking at his lean figure, along with the six wings that floated behind his back. Not to mention the glowing pink halo in the shape of a heart that hovered over the individual's short but well kept dandelion hair. The individual was wearing a long vanilla robe with golden silk pants and sandals; golden threats found along his belt and his heart insignia upon the robe. Golden eyes would look with newfound sheepishness as the individual saw the surprised faces at the villain and hero who had caught him.
“CUPID?!” Malchom and Ellis exclaimed together before realizing they were in each other's arms, taking a moment to inch away from each other and fixing themselves up respectively while Cupid looked up with a little shimmy in the orange chains.
“E-Ehehe…h-hello f-fellas…” Cupid would stammer out as he did his best to look innocent in the situation he was currently in, “F-Fancy s-seeing you two here of all places…wh-what are the odds am I…right…?”
Once Ellis caught his breath and fixed himself up, he’d look back towards the arrow that almost struck Malchom…before looking at the two letters on the floor…before looking back to the arrow again. It didn’t take long for the pieces to click as he slowly turned to the sheepish cherub.
“Cupid…” Ellis spoke slowly as a look of annoyance began to grow on his face, “Did you write the two letters that were sent to me and Malchom?”
Malchom’s own eyes would widen after hearing what Ellis asked before the pieces clicked in his mine after he looked back towards the arrow. Shooting his gaze straight at the cherub's golden eyes while his own glowed with growing annoyance of his own.
“You were the one to get us here together…” Malchom recounted slowly, the annoyance in his tone only mixing with the energy he had leftover when tickling Ellis as he looked towards Cupid, “And while I was tickling the daylights out of Ellis…you were….you were gonna try to hit me with one of your arrows to…!”
“E-Ehehehe guys, guys, come on now, l-lets now be so tense,” Cupid tried to ease, realizing that there was no point in hiding his plans since the two of them already read him like a book, struggling in the chains as he attempted to make peace for his little ploy, “A-All I was trying to do was give you guys a little moment just like you two had before and…well…mission accomplished! S-So I-I thought that maybe it’d be a good idea too…well…you know…?”
Cupid was a kind soul, no one could hold that against him, but Malchom and Ellis learned quickly that such kindness also comes with a fair bit of…obsessiveness over love…or more so obliviousness. While the hero and villain had parted ways from their previous relationship, the cherub wasn’t really one to let old love die so to speak, and would make little plans in trying to get them back together. Neither of them believed that Cupid would put this much effort into a plan that almost worked…and well…that did annoy the two of them quite a bit…
“Argh! Y-You! You little minx!” Malchom groaned with annoyance as he began to roll up his sleeves, “I should make sure you’re the one to blame for the store being a mess and–!”
“Wait a moment,” Ellis stated, putting a hand on Malchom’s shoulder, making the villain whip around irritatingly. The Ice prince would only nudge his head towards the cherub as he noted the position he was in through his expression, “I believe I know of a better punishment fitting for the cherub that brought all of this in the first place~”
Malchom would look back towards Cupid…before slowly realizing…that the cherub was now trapped in his chains with nowhere to go, utterly and perfectly helpless, and that realization alone would make that signature smile of his return to his face, “You know what, I think I can see where you’re getting at, Princey~”
“And you know…cupid’s are all about giving love…but sometimes they never get it right back,” Ellis would continue as he began to slowly approach the bound cherub as he cracked his knuckles with an impish smile of his own, all the while beginning to channel his ice in order to cool his wiggling fingers, “Personally, I think we should show how grateful we are to this dear cherub in uniting us in a common cause, don’t you think, Malchom?~”
“You know what,” Malchom would add as he began to conjure magic through both of his hands, as a multitude of brushes, feathers, and markers began to float around the villain as a low chuckle escaped his lips, “For the first time in a long while, Ellis, I couldn’t agree more~”
Cupid slowly began to realize what was happening as anticipatory fear began to course through his body. Instinctively backing away from the two approaching metahumans before finding himself bumping against the wall behind him. Eyes widened, the cherub would look back towards the duo as a soft blush began to grow on his face “N-Now c-come on you two, y-you don’t need to do this, w-we could just all have a laugh about this and forget this ever even–”
The poor cherub wouldn’t be able to finish his sentence before a loud squeal erupted from his lips as the Villain and Hero launched themselves toward him. Those in the vicinity of the mall the next morning could only describe what they heard during the night to be the equivalent of a shrieking bird followed by an endless stream of laughter that resounded around a few blocks. Nobody would ever truly know how one cupid was able to bring about a one time only team up between devious Tickler and the dexterous Ice Prince…all in the cause…of thawing out the truth~
Tis the season for a holiday themed Mirth Muses, with this one I felt as though this type of thought can be attuned to that of a sort of game that can be played between lees and lers in rather flustering and endearing ways, maybe you'll have your own thoughts of such a game as your read...
Here's a little game that I've come up for the holiday season, for it is the season of giving, what better way than to have a little fun with it. Guide your lee into the living room of your home, the early hours before you celebrate a Christmas party with you and your friends, let them marvel at the assortment of presents that the two of you have for each other and for your friends...but...their is something different upon the fireplace. For upon such a spot would sit a total of eight different stockings, which seemed out of place as you look at it. But it would be then that you tell your lee you wish to play a game; four of those stockings hold special gifts they can use at any time, while the other four stockings hold some...special...surprises. You can tell your lee that they have eight rounds to choose a single stocking each to see what each holds just as a way to pass the time. It would only be then that your lee, unsuspectingly, will go and choose their first stocking, the one on the far left...and within that stocking...would sit an electric toothbrush with a small little card that read the number "10" on it. My, My, My...looks like the surprise within that stocking will be that the poor lee will get their sweet soles tickled with that brush for ten minutes. And as the bright blush of realization starts to settle on their face, the truth comes to light about what those "surprises" actually are. Choose a tool or a duo of tools for each of the four "surprise" stockings: brushes, feathers, any you can imagine and get, along with a card that indicates how much time they must be tickled by each of those tools. And when the lee picks a "gift" stocking, make it be something memorable or heartwarming to show them how much you care about them as a friend along with being their ler. And well...when the round is over...give them a special prize by tickling them silly with all of the tools they found in those stockings before getting ready for the party...that is of course...if they don't want to have a round two~
This was too good to be true, you would even consider this karma that was a long time coming. For a good while you had been at the receiving end of many mischievous ribs and pranks from one certain purple bunny; and while you have grown to have a…unique…friendship with him, it didn’t grant you any mercy to the antics that Jax brings upon you. Today though, one of those antics had backfired on him, beautifully you would even add; as you found Jax tangled up in a mess of colorful streamers in your room. You had to have guessed he was “attempting” to set up a trap that would leave you being the one tangled up like a web…but it looks like fate has rewarded you mercy, and jax punishment. And while the rabbit was attempting to course you into letting him loose, trying to play coy that the prank was all a “big misunderstanding, " you couldn’t help but feel your own sense of mischief grow. The universe has given you the opportunity you waited for in a good while, the chance to get back at Jax; and luckily for you…you knew just what method of revenge would bring a helping of laughs for both you and the rascally rabbit~
“Oh…”
“My…”
“God…”
Those were the only words you found yourself able to muster when you were looking at the situation in front of you. Ever since you found yourself trapped in The Amazing Digital Circus, you quickly grew to learn to expect the unexpected within this digital world. From the over the top ‘adventures’ and ‘quest’ you go on, the slightly overwhelming scenery and locations around you, and the very…enthusiastic…ideas from the ringleader Caine; it became second nature to always keep your head on a swivel while within this new world. The only reprieve you'd find yourself having would be the downtime you spent with the other troupe members in the circus grounds, well…most of them; and the comfort and quiet of your own room within grounds as well. At least, you had believed that to be true, until a loud crashing sound rang out within the grounds as you were hanging out with some of the other troupe members; a sound that seemed to come directly from…your room?!
The moment you heard the noise; alarm bells were already going off in your head, as you excused yourself from the group before dashing towards your room. Possibilities of what exactly could have caused the noise began to race in your head…and almost all of them weren’t good. At best it was probably something that dropped and caused some sort of chain reaction in your room, a simple cleanup job needing to be done; but at worst, you knew of the chaos that Caine could bring on any day so long as he wishes it…along with some of the more…uncontrollable dangers found within this world. Your thoughts only drove you further to find the source of the noise as you had finally made your way to your door; hoping with everything you got that nothing…abstracted…found its way in there.
But…as you began to turn the knob on your door, you began to hear a new noise…or rather…a voice…one you recognized all too well.
“Argh, well…ain't this just lovely.”
And as you slowly opened your door to find the answers to your questions, it took every bit of your power to hold back the smile that was forming on your face when you saw what…or rather…who made the noise.
“H-Huh?! O-Oh…well…fancy seeing you…here?~”
That voice would belong to that of another denizen of the circus troupe that you have come to know…in some very mixed ways. This individual was in fact a rabbit-like individual who looked to be fairly tall and lanky for the most part. His fur had a light purple color which looked to match well with the yellow color that both his eyes and mouth had. His ears were fairly tall in height and his three-toed paws were fairly large too; two stark contrasts to the rest of his lanky body shape. As usual, the rabbit had on his signature outfit of red overalls with yellow gloves; two colors that would compliment each other well clothing wise.
The sight that you would find to welcome you as you opened the door would be the sight of the rascally rabbit you’ve come to know as Jax. The very same rabbit that was currently tangled in your room by a plethora of colorful streamers that looked to be tied up by your room's chandelier. The rabbit’s eyes looked to try to feign innocence as you tried your hardest not to laugh at the current situation…as hints of curiosity, and a bit of annoyance, began to grow.
“J-Jax…” You attempted to state as a giggle almost escaped your lips, trying desperately hard to look upset at the obvious attempt at mischief that the rabbit tried to pull, “I’m only going to ask you this once, what…are you doing…in my room?”
It hadn’t taken long after your arrival into the circus when you had the…pleasure…of being introduced to Jax. That pleasure being that you found yourself running into the wrong room in the circus grounds; the very same moment that when the rabbit stated that signs were swapped “accidentally”. Since that first day, you have been one of Jax's favored targets for his schemes and pranks. You tried to ask just why he pranked you a lot more than the others, he would say—
“—because your a treasure trove of trouble waiting to be made doll~”
However; over time you would begin to see that while you were the rabbits favored victims to prank…he would never go too far or do harm with them. Once more…he would take a moment to show a genuine smile when you had begun to play along with these pranks as well. It was this…severely unexpected turn of events where you two would share this…unique form of friendship. A friendship that entails a good amount of chaotic pranking and ribbing…but one that in truth, was fairly genuine and sweet.
However…that would not excuse the rabbit of the current situation of being in your room right now! And when the rabbit heard your question laced with growing annoyance; he didn’t waste a second to respond as he tried to untangle himself from the streamers he was trapped in.
“W-Well it’s funny you ask actually,” Jax would begin as he gave a small grunt of effort to bring down one of his arms from the tangled streamers to no avail, “You see, I thought I forgot something in your room the last time I popped in to say hello-”
“-You mean when you wanted to steal one of my pillows because yours weren’t ‘too fluffy enough?’,” You would clarify as you crossed your arms while hearing that rabbits “explanation”
“Eh details, details,” The rabbit would blow off before giving an absolutely innocent smile to you in turn as he finished his explanation, “So I only came in here to get that thing back, but you weren’t in your room so…I let myself in with the keys I got.”
Now at this point you knew for a fact that Jax wasn’t just here cause he “forgot” something. And you had a pretty distinct feeling that due to the current spiderweb of streamers that were now around your room and the rabbit; he had something else in mind. But at the same time; you could not help but find the fact that one of the rabbits' pranks actually backfiring on him absolutely hilarious. This was absolutely an attempt at a prank…but you just had to hear it from the rabbit that it backfired.
“Uh-huuuuh,” you replied with a sarcastically convinced tone as you raised a brow and motioned to the streamers the rabbit was in, “So how did all these streamers get here then huh jax…cause last time I checked I wasn’t planning on throwing a party in here…though, I can’t say I oppose the gift that came with it.”
As you stated the obvious of the current situation before you, you could see that Jax was trying to come up with the perfect excuse for the streamers. You pretty much had his whole idea figured out that these streamers were meant to tangle you…and not him. But now that the rabbit was cornered from his scheme, he’s already trying to worm his way out of it.
“O-Oh this…oh it's nothing really,” Jax tried to play off with another grunt of effort to escape the streamers, “These streamers were the things I forgotten is all and I just-hngng-just tripped on them while trying to–”
“You were gonna trap me with those streamers weren’t you?” You asked the question before even letting Jax have the chance to finish the story he was trying to spin to get out of this web he was in…figuratively and literally, “Buuuut…seems as though it backfired on ya didn’t it?”
Jax would in turn give a dramatic gasp of supposed “shock” as he would hear what you said; knowing full well he was caught red handed…but didn’t want to deter his prankful pride. “Me? Trap you? I’m honestly offended, doll,” Jax would declare with a smug smile, “I am much more professional with the pranks I pull…this…this ain’t backfired at all just…all part of the plan.”
You couldn’t help but give a small annoyed pout at the reply from Jax and his dodge of the question. Figures, the rabbit was as stubborn in being wrong as he was prideful in his trickery; so the fact that he wouldn’t admit that this prank backfired on him was honestly expected. But this was a moment that you couldn’t just pass up, it was like catching lightning in a bottle for Pete’s sake! Here he was, tangled up in the trap that he tried to spring on you; and now you had the chance to not only make him admit he isn’t as masterful in pranking as he claims to be, but to also get back at him for even trying to pull this prank in the first place. It was the perfect “two birds with one stone” chance that you couldn’t just pass up! There was only one question that crossed your mind as you looked at the rascally rabbit…just how would you go about your revenge in the first place?
“You know if you keep staring at me like that I might think you like me or something~” Jax would interrupt your train of thought as he would give a smug look in your direction, a clear attempt to throw you off from the idea that the rabbit failed in pranking you as he tugged at the streams he was trapped in. “So how’s about we pretend this never even happened and you can kinda just…help me out, how’s that sound doll?~”
You could practically feel your annoyance flare up the moment that the rabbit made that comment. He’s trying to turn this on you when he’s the one all tied up?! The nerve of this rabbit! Your eyes would shoot back at him as you gave yourself a moment to get a good look at just how tied up the rabbit was at the moment through your annoyed glare.
From where you were standing you saw that the streamers had tied up Jax enough to have him hover a bit off the ground. His right arm was tangled up a bit higher than his left arm; but both arms were definitely raised above his head with little room to get pulled down again. The rabbits left leg was also unlucky in being tied up in the streamer; tangling just below the knee so that it was raised up. His right leg however was free and simply hovering just a few inches off the ground; barely touching the floor of your room with his paw. Simply put, he was practically in a colorful spider web of his own creation; and as you walked up to him, your annoyance would resort to you finding the answer you needed…and you wouldn’t even know it…for about a few seconds at least
“Help you out? You’re kidding right, after trying to pull this,” Your retorted, moving a hand over to give a firm but harmless poke to the rabbits side out of annoyance, “I should just leave you here just to see how long it takes you to get yourself out of your own mess.”
Jax was smug when it came to hearing your annoyed reply, which was the typical reaction whenever he pulled a prank on you. But the moment that you had poked him in his side, you could see that the rabbit's expression…changed. What was once a smug smile had slightly shifted, the corners of the rabbit's mouth almost shivering. And…for whatever reason…you could have sworn that you heard him squeak…did he squeak?
“Jax…” you asked with a look of growing curiosity on your face, with hints of that annoyance still evident as you looked at the rabbit, “What was that?”
Jax on the other hand looked as though he was trying to regain his composure. His face still showed that shifting wobbly smile that seemed to grow from his smug one. His eyes also looked a bit…nervous? And as you continued to gaze at the tangled bunny, you started to see hints of a growing blush show on his face as well.
“N-Nothing at all doll, it ain’t the point anyways,” Jax answered as he cleared his throat as he gave another tug to the streams around his arms, “B-Besides…I didn’t pull anything on you, but that ain’t stopping you from pulling me free right?~”
At this point it was apparent that something changed the rabbits tempo from the smugness he was showing before. But you couldn’t for the life of you figure out just why he was acting so…flustered all of a sudden? Why was he blushing? Why was his smile wobbly? All you did was give him a…poke on his…side…
…wait a minute
A realization dawned on you that you had not even considered in all your time knowing the rabbit. A realization that in hindsight would have been so obvious to at least try but had never crossed your mind to do. But that one poke would be all the evidence you needed to confirm the realization you made. At the same time, that one poke would also become the answer you were looking for to get back at the rabbit. As the gears began to turn in your head, your face began to change as well; shifting from a look of annoyance, to one that showed pure…unrestrained…mischief. It was a look that Jax took note of with growing nervousness as you looked to him with your newfound idea.
“H-Hey…w-what’s that look for?” Jax stuttered out as he squirmed a bit in his colorful bindings, “Y-You wouldn’t actually leave me hanging like this would ya doll?~”
As Jax attempted to reason with you, you would begin to take a few slow steps toward the rabbit. You would begin to circle the tangled prankster, walking around him like a shark circling newfound prey. Your face was unchanging as all the fears clicked into place and were ready to enact your revenge.
“Oh not at all Jax, I wouldn’t dream of just leaving you here with no way out,” You began with a mischievous lull in your voice as you circled, “But…that doesn’t mean I’m just gonna let you go without getting something in return~”
“O-Oh yeah?” Jax would reply as he attempted to follow your circling with his head, a shiver coursing through his whole body in anticipation of what you were scheming, “And what exactly would you want from me even?”
“Simple,” You stated as you stopped yourself right behind Jax, out of the rabbits sight and perfectly defenseless, “Admit that your prank failed…and that I’m the better prankster~”
The moment the rabbit heard your terms of setting him free, he would grunt in sarcastic amusement. Though he couldn’t see you, he could feel that you were right behind him, inches away from his back. He would motion his head while rolling his eyes in response to your statement, shaking the streamers a bit doing so.
“In your dreams,” Jax would retort, “You ain’t gonna make me say it doll, might as well just set me free~”
Those words would be exactly what you wanted to hear from the rabbit. As you would give an impish…almost teasing snicker as you stood behind the trapped rabbit. You would begin to raise one hand towards Jax’s right side; utterly defenseless…and now…utterly at your mercy. It was payback time…and you were going to enjoy every minute of it as you said a simple, yet decisive response.
“Suit Yourself Bunny Boy~”
Without another second wasted, you would go on and execute your little…revenge plan. With that raised hand now at the rabbits side, you’d lift a lone finger that would touch down on the lower base of the spot. You’d see the initial touch send a small visual shiver through the rabbits, just as you wanted it to, let him realize what’s about to happen. You would then direct that finger to begin slowly tracing from the base up to the bottom rib. It would be that slow teasing motion that would elicit the sound you wanted to hear from the rabbit.
“Gy-Gyehehehe h-hey!” The rabbit would stutter out as a giggle looked to escape his mouth, trying to look over to you from the side of his head in almost flustered fear, “W-What do you thihihink you're doing back thehehere?!”
Giving a little hum of amusement at the rabbits initial reaction, you’d then decide to kick it up a notch. As the lone finger finished its ascent up the Jax’s right side, you’d move your other hand towards the rabbits left side as well. With both hands now primed to attack, you’d extend two fingers out towards their desired targets. Those fingers would then start to slowly flutter right on the middle of the rabbits sides, gently pressing into the soft skin under the fur.
“Just getting some well deserved payback for all the times you pulled something on me,” you’d answer with a impish tone as you’d flutter your fingers directly on the rabbits defenseless sides, “I mean if you aren’t going to admit your prank failed, I can always just make you admit it. After all, I think that’d be much more fun too, don’t you think?~”
It didn’t take long for the Jax to put the pieces together as to what you intended to do, and for a split second you could see a blush forming on the rabbit’s face before he turned his head away to hide it. Though it didn’t help that most of his strength was being used to hide the growing smile on his face and to squirm out of the fluttering fingers that were now attacking his sides. The rabbit attempted to shimmy between the attacking hands, however, for each time he’d squirm he’d only be met by the gentle but unbearable touch of your fingers wiggling on his soft fur. Once more, the sputtering giggles that were coming from the rabbit also looked to grow as well, it seemed like someone’s got a sweet spot on his sides.
“M-Mghghghghgh I-I swehehehehear when ihihihih g-get outtahahahaha here–,” The rascally rabbit attempted to threaten before sputter of giggles escaped from him as your fingers moved up to gently skitter on his upper sides, “G-GYEhehehehemph! I-Ihihihif yohohou think th-this is gohohohohonna wohohork, thehehen yohohohu’re just as gullihihihihible as yohohou ahaha-are ohohoblivious.”
That little jab would make you glare at the rabbit; both out of sheer disbelief of his resilience, but also out of a growing surprise at his stubbornness. He was in the midst of being tickled and he was still trying to find ways to get at you; you were supposed to get him riled up, not the other way around! Though that little jab wouldn’t deter you from your revenge against the rabbit, if anything it would only drive you to up the ante on him because of it. And as you would continue to flutter your two fingers on each of Jax’s sides, you could only wonder if there were other sweet spots that you could discover, or even better…a death spot.
“Well then, I guess I'm just gonna have to try harder, won't I?” You’d retort with a glaring smirk as you began to move your hands from the rabbit’s sides. Thoughts of where to strike next circling your mind before you finally decide on your next target.
Moving your hands upwards, you’d begin making the journey up from the rabbit’s sides and towards his raised arms, much to the rabbits lack of realization. Just before Jax could even ask where you were going; you’d proceed to hook your hands into the rabbit’s underarms, letting all your fingers touch down on the defenseless area’s. Once hooked on, you’d begin to rapidly skitter your fingers into the fur of your temporary prisoner, pressing your digits into the soft fur as if you were typing out an essay. Attacking this spot also allowed you to get closer to the rabbit's large ears, a perfect opportunity to whisper into them just to add on to the rabbit’s situation.
“Awwww, look at you trying so hard to keep those giggles in,” You’d coo out impishly as you skittered your fingers around the rabbit’s hollows, the quick but gentle pace almost unrelenting as you teased, “What? Can’t the funny bunny handle a few tickles, you were soooooo certain of that earlier so why not find out?~”
The moment your hands hooked onto Jax’s underarms was the same moment you heard a squeak escape from his mouth. But it was the moment you began to skitter around his underarms where you saw, and heard, the walls start to come down around the rabbit. At first, the rascal was able to keep his composure from the initial skittering touch on his fur; but when you began to type around his hollows, he wasn’t able to hold the dam back any longer. The stutters Jax elicited before would begin to grow into steady giggles as he would squirm in the tangled binds around him, sometimes attempting to arch away from the attacking hands for a few seconds before falling back into their relentlessly soft touch. His smile would also start to wobble and grow as the ticklish attack would begin to crumble his defenses,
“Gyehehehehehmhmhmhmhph I-I cahahahahahan hahahandle ahaha-anythihihihihihing yahaha-ya throw at myehehehehehehehe!” Jax would declare before falling into a giggle fit as your fingers started to skitter directly on the rabbits hollows, making him squeak out and arch away from the playful hands, “Yohohoh-You ahahahahain’t gehehehetting ahahaha-anything ohohohohoutta-Ohohohohoho gahahahahahawd c-cuhuhuhuhuhut ihihihihihi-ehehehehe-it ohohohohohohout.”
As you heard the rabbit start to crumble under your playful touch, you began to notice something….awfully peculiar the rabbits reactions. Specifically, the moment you had peered down towards the rabbit's small tail as you continued to skitter along his underarms. As the tickling continued, you would start to see that Jax’s tail was…moving…albeit it was in small bouts but it was…wagging? Such a discovery would prompt you to look back at the smiling and giggling rascal and prompt another new realization about him. Could it be that the rabbit was…actually enjoying this?
Oh…Ohohoho now you just had to be certain if this little discovery was true. To think that the rabbit would actually enjoy this form of attention despite his outward protest and resistance. Such curiosity would lead you taking your playful attack another step further as you showed mercy to the rabbits underarms. You would hear Jax huff out a sigh of possible relief; unaware that your mercy would only last a few seconds as you walked over and knelt down next to his raised left leg. Jax would turn his head to see where you were; the blush on his face now openly visible as a look of nervousness met your look of mischievous intent.
“H-Hey now,” Jax would stutter out as he squirmed his leg a bit out of instinctive anticipation, “Y-You back away frohohom there right now and get me outta he-GYEHAHAHAMP!”
The rabbit wouldn’t be able to finish his sentence as you quickly raised a hand towards his large paw; a paw utterly exposed with the help of the streamers that raised his leg…a perfect target. You had quickly directed your fingers to begin skittering right on the middle of the rabbits sole to test your hypothesis. You would skitter your five fingers along the soft but squishy surface; crawling along the defenseless spot like a spider trying to make a web. A web that was now squealing out in a newfound giggle fit, attempting to shake away the attacking spider that was your playful hand.
“Yohohoho-OHOHOHOHO JEHEHEH-EYAHAHAhahahaha-Jeheheheheheherk!” Jax would blurt as his giggles would turn into bouts of loud laughter for a few seconds at a time, his paw shaking and twitching in vain against your skittering fingers, “Geheheh-GEHEHEHEHET OHOHOHOFF’AHAHAHA TH-TheheheheheheHEHEHERE FAHAHAHAHA-#%@&!”
While you continued to skitter your fingers along the plushy sole of the squeaking rabbit; you’d take the time to look back over to his tail just to see if anything changed. Sure enough, the newfound tickling on Jax’s paw has sent a shockwave through his body, including that small adorable cotton ball behind him. The rabbit's tail was wagging almost a mile a minute, definitely much faster and prolonged than the original small bouts of movement that you saw beforehand. Regardless, that would give you more than enough proof to confirm your suspicions; which would only help in growing that impish smile on your face as you continued to skitter along the rabbit's paw.
“My My, I didn’t know that your tail could wag that quickly bunny boy~” You’d tease as your fingers began moving up from the rabbit’s sole and towards his toes, rapidly poking at each of the beans in rhythmic succession, “If I didn’t know any better…i'd say that you’re enjoying this~”
You could practically see the moment that the rabbit's blush shifted to a deeper crimson when you teased out his secret enjoyment of the situation he was stuck in. It didn’t help that his laughter would become more bubbly and squeaky as his toes were now the victim of your ticklish scribbling. His paw would squirm from side to side in unavoidable vain while his head would twist and turn in flustered feedback from the ticklish onslaught. Jax would try to muster up a glare in response to your teasing proclamation; which had only lasted a few seconds before that wobbly smile returned on his face.
“MMMHMHMHMHMH-AHAHAHAHAHAHA IHIHIHIH-ITS NOHOHOHOHOHOHOT,” Jax shouted through his laughter while he continued to writhe in ticklish recoil, the blush on his face showing an almost comical amount of heated steam, “YOHOHO-YOU SEHEHEHEHEHEHE NOHOHOHOHOHAHAHAHAHAHATHIHIHIHIHING!”
“Uhhhhh-huh, so you’re telling me that you would want me to continue tickling you then,” You’d respond as you with skitter your fingers on each of the rabbits toe pads in kind, “If you aren’t going to admit that i’m a better prankster than you should be able to take a whole lot more~”
“SHUHUHUHUHUHU-EHEHEHEHEEK-SHUHUHUHUT UHUHUHUHUP, G-GEHEHEHEHET AHAHAHAWAY FR-ohohoho-FROHOHOM MIHIHIH-MY FOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOOT!”
“Nooooot really helping your case here bunny boy, though you are pretty adorable when you’re laughing like that~”
“IHIHIHIHIHIHI SAHAHA-SAID SHUHUHUHUHUHUT UHUHUHUHUHUP!”
You’d give off a playful snicker while relenting from the skittering onslaught that you subjected to the rabbit's foot; standing back up as you moved your hand away from his leg. That brief moment of reprieve allows you to hear the rabbit take a few short huffs of breath, giggles still lingering from his wobbly and unchanging smile. Hearing the rabbit’s genuine pure laughter was something you never thought you needed to hear, but it was an experience that you had to admit was downright adorable. But you decided that it was time to finish off your revenge; and you were gonna finish it with a bang that you knew the rabbit wouldn’t be able to handle.
From where you stood up, you’d begin to slowly walk around the rabbit once more, all the while letting a single finger take a gentle trace on the rabbit's ribs. That little motion would earn you a squeak from the trapped rascal as you finally stood a few inches in front of him; his bright blushing face and nervous wobbly smile now in full view for you. An almost devilish smile would beam on your face as you raised both of your hands so that Jax could see them, shaping your fingers into claws before scrunching and grabbing at the air just to rile him up. The action alone would send a visible shiver down the rabbit's body, but what you’d say next would be the real kicker to his already unbearable fluster.
“Last Chance Bunny Boy,” You began as you continued to claw and grab at the air inches away from the rabbits defenseless body, “Admit that you failed at being this big bad master prankster…or else you’re really gonna start squealing~”
You could tell that the threat left a potent effect on the rabbit’s nervousness; but at the same time you had begun to notice that the rabbit…wasn’t…squirming so much? Curiosity couldn’t help but brim in your mind as you tilted your head, still keeping that clawing teasing motion in the rabbit's view to keep him riled up. As you teasingly threatened him…you would see that Jax wasn’t…really trying to escape anymore; so much so that you had to question to yourself if you had already worn out the rabbit to exhaustion. But as you looked closer at his reactions, you would see that his blush was just as prominent…if not more so…as it was before; and that he wasn’t…stopping his tail from wagging. His wobbly smile would look up to you in turn after your threat, the fluster on his face showing as clear as day; but that face would also share another reaction, one that would show challenge…or rather…enjoyment.
But what would surprise you the most…would be the words you’d hear from the rabbits mouth, showing nothing but…enjoyable defiance.
“Not…A…Chance…Dollface~”
It had taken a few seconds for you to register exactly what the rabbit said before you settled on the truth that the rabbit…really did enjoy this. It may have been an unexpected turn of fate for the both of you, yes; but it also seemed to be one that, while he looked peeved by, Jax actually didn’t mind much. In honesty you’d think he rather liked egging you on to get as mischievous as he does…and it looks as though he just found another way to do it…and one that he genuinely found fun.
Though…it wouldn’t take long for that surprise to slowly shift into a more wickedly playful grin. Well…if the rabbit was so defiant as to want to be wrecked more…who were you not to oblige and give him what he wanted.
“Fine then,” You declared with a impish snicker towards the bunny, your claws primed to strike at their prey, “Just know…I gave you a chance~”
With that declaration, you wasted no time in diving your hands right at the rabbits upper body before he could even register where you were targeting.
You directed your left hand back towards the rabbits left side, a spot you had already attacked before sure, but you were banking on a new method in order to wreck the rabbit. With fingers already shaped into claws, you’d begin to squish and squeeze along the rabbits open side with devilish speed. To make it worse for the rabbit, you made sure that the squeezes would never stick to one place at a time; as you would move your clawing hand up and down the rabbits side at different intervals, just to keep the rascal guessing as to where you were gonna squeeze next.
While your left hand would attack and tend to the rabbits side, you would direct your right hand towards a spot that hadn’t been given any attention as of yet…and that would be the rabbits overall-covered belly. Once your hand touched down on the rabbits belly, you would begin to rapidly poke and prod at the cloth-covered spot, not showing an ounce of reprieve or mercy. Your movements were practically unpredictable as you skittered and spidered up and down along Jax’s stomach, never keeping that hand still as it circled almost every part of the spot. And while his stomach was indeed covered up by a piece of clothing, you had a feeling that the cloth would help in making that merciless skittering ever worse against the rabbit's soft fur just as the squeezing at his side was…
The reaction was instant the moment you heard the resounding squeal echo around the walls of your room. Almost a second after your hands touched down on the rabbits torso he was already squirming and wiggling as a means to dodge the attacking hands before they struck. But his escapes would be in vain as the skittering and squeezing sent him into a full blown laughing fit. Jax would shake frivolously under your merciless touch, finding no amount of mercy through your attack, bucking and arching with every ticklish touch on his torso. Each squeeze up and down the rabbit’s side would result in a short squeal that would both grow his laughter and blush an octave before it goes back to its steady yet manic rhythm. The Skittering along his belly would make Jax keep that stream of laughter going the saw no true end, as the cloth that would brush with the help of your devilish fingers would send shivers along his once defended stomach.
And the only thing that made it much more merciless…was when you began to tease him.
“Kitchie Kitchie koo bunny boy, I warned you i’d get you squealing~” You began as you rapidly squeezed the middle of Jax’s side while skittering his belly, “You know, I might just wanna keep you like this for a while, if you aren’t gonna give it up might as well right? Besides…I know you like this~”
“EEYEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OHOHOHO F-FAHAHAH-@&@*&#%-GEHEHEHEHEHET OHOHOHOHOHOFF,” Jax squealed out as he bucked from the squeezing as small tears started to form on the corners of his eyes, “P-PLEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE IHIHIHIHIHHIHIH-I EHEHEHEHEHEHEAHAHAHA CAHAHAHAHAHAHAHANT.”
“Begging Already? Awwwww I thought you were too proud for it~” You sang while moved both of your hands to claw feverishly along the rabbits belly, earning a little shriek from Jax as he arched and squirmed to see your teasing face, “Well you know what I wanna hear if you want this to end~”
“Sayyyyyyyy iiiiiiiiiit~” You would coo out as your hands began squeezing up and down the rabbits sides, its pace feverish and unpredictable, “coochie coochie coochie cooooooo~”
It would be that final tease and attack that would at long last break the camel's back. And despite his attempt to hold on as long as he could, the rabbit had no choice but to cut his losses.
“OHOHOHOHOH-OKAHAHAHAHAHAY OKAHAHAHAHAHAHAY,” Jax yelped out through echoing laughter and fluster, “THEHEHE-THE PRAHAHAHAHANK FAHAHAHAHAILED YOHOHOURE BEHEHEHEHETTER, YOHOHOHURE BEHEHEHEHETTER PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”
At the sound of the words you wanted to hear, you’d give off a satisfied giggle of your own as you finally showed the trapped rabbit mercy. You’d move your hands away from the rabbits torso and take a few steps back as you looked at your handiwork once the wrecking subsided. Said handiwork resulted in a huffing and giggle-drunk rabbit that sat limp and exhausted in the tangle of streamers that kept him above the ground; a wobbly smile practically glued to his face, and a bright red blush to match it. All in all…not a bad job you did in getting your revenge; though there was still that part of you that wanted to make sure that you didn’t overdo it…just in case.
“You still alive there Jax?” You’d ask gently, empathy beginning to show through your impish expression as you looked towards the huffing and blushing rabbit.
A few seconds would pass without any response from the rabbit, which would begin to slightly worry you from the idea that you may have overdone it. However, those fears would soon be quelled when Jax would huff out a big sigh of air before flopping his head towards you. You’d be able to see that despite the exhausted and practically glowing blush on his face; that Jax wore a genuine, and rather satisfied, smile as he breathed out another giggle.
“Yohohoho-you’re suhuhuch a jerk you know that?” The rabbit would respond with a rather smug tone despite the lingering giggle fit that elicited from his mouth.
You’d breathe an internal sigh of relief from hearing that signature smugness from the rabbit, absolutely relieved that you hadn’t gone too far with your own mischievous antics. That comment alone would also prove that…despite the ribbing that either of you pulled on each other…you still held a genuine connection of care, one that showed true when there were times those walls were able to come down. You would give an impish grunt and smirk towards Jax, crossing your arms in mock annoyance at the rabbits smugness.
“Well it definitely doesn’t help that you’re around to influence it,” You responded before raising a brow to get one last rib on the rabbit, “Though it looks like you don’t really mind it now do you huh?~”
Jax would in turn squeak as his blush would give off a little glow of warmth, turning his head away in an attempt to hide the obvious truth of what you said. “We never speak of this to any of the others you hear me? Or else i’ll start planning my payback a little early~”
Hearing that little threat would make you blush a little, knowing well that the rabbit was always true to his word when it comes to pranking. However…despite it you couldn’t help but feel a bit…comfortable about it. You had never expected that a little slip up would turn into a discovery about the rabbit that proved to be rather enjoyable for the both of you. And while you two may still share in that impishness towards each other, you’d come to see that…through it…there can be a true friendship that can be born from it. Perhaps it was these very moments that made you realize that being in this digital plane…wouldn’t be as bad as you thought it was.
“I make no promises on if they heard anything or not…but,” You’d give a gentle smile to the rabbit as you uncrossed your arms and a nod of agreement, “I won’t say a word bunny boy~”
The rabbit would give a little sigh of relief as he looked back up to you, giving a small smile of his own…knowing that his secret was safe with you.
“Good…now…with all that said and done–”
Jax would motion to the streamers that he was tangled in, that smug smile returning after the fun that ensued from a bit of strung up luck.
A Newfound Day in the Sun - A Honkai Star Rail Story
Awkward was an understatement when it came to how Sunday was feeling the moment he stepped foot on the Astral Express. Despite all that he had done within his crazed plan's of reviving The Order, the starward trailblazers had accepted the idea of him joining the crew without a second of delay...although there had been a bit of a...shock factor to such an idea in the first place. And while the express crew had been as welcoming as they could; the former Halovian of the Oak Family still remains a bit...shaken on his first steps to atonement...and of the new journey ahead of him. Even now Sunday couldn't help but feel that he wasn't making the right choice by joining the express crew...that it was nothing more than pity for the trauma that he had to endure when his vision was clouded by Order. Though he wouldn't have accounted for three certain trailblazers that would be spying on him as he sat in the parlor car alone; As March, Caelus and (begrudgingly) Dan Heng would see the visual changes on Sunday's demeanor. The trio genuinely wanted their newfound companion to find comfort in having the express as his new home...but the only question was how to do it? It would be at that moment that Caelus would remember a specific piece of information from a certain singer about Sunday that would bring about a "brilliant" idea. Such an Idea would result in the trio of trailblazers working together to bring about a rather...playful...orientation to show Sunday that despite what has happened in the past...there is always a chance to have a fresh start.
Change…an ever existing force that, in one way or another, affects all life regardless of who they are. Sometimes change can be as big as the shifting of the stars themselves, or sometimes change can be as small as finding a new favorite snack to eat. It is change that can drive someone to venture into new horizons and learn about themselves and the world around them in ways they may have never imagined possible; a primordial feeling that embraces those that trailblaze towards those new horizons. But for some, embracing change can come with feelings of hesitation and confusion…where change might not be something fully prepared for….
For a certain individual, such feelings are so profound…that others would begin to notice it in turn.
“Is he still sitting there?” A soft pitched voice would ask in confusion
“Yeah…it doesn’t even look like he’s moving…like some sort of statue.” A mellow voice would respond with equal confusion
At the moment two individuals would be seen peeking through the door of the Astral Express’s party car, making every attempt under the stars to not look suspicious.
One individual was a girl with snow white hair with shades of pink at the end. At the moment, she was wearing a comfortable cyan t-shirt with matching cyan sweatpants with pink stripes on the sides. She was also wearing a pair of cyan slippers with the design of a blue bunny on the end of each of them. Mixed iris’s of cyan and pink would be looking outward to the party car; showing the ever growing curiosity of March 7th, the astral express’s resident photographer.
The other individual was a young man with light grey hair that complimented his golden colored eyes. He was wearing a light grey shirt under a black hoodie with gold stripes along the back of it. Black sweatpants would end with a pair of brown slippers with the design of a dark furred bunny with a red conductors hat at the ends of them. A comfortable yet chaotic type of fashion choice for Caelus, the newest trailblazer of the Astral Express crew…
Or…rather he was…if it weren’t for the newcomer that he and March were currently spying on.
Said newcomer was that of a young man with fair cream colored skin. His hair was smooth and went as long as his shoulder, its color was that of pure silver, just as the unique pair of wings behind his ears were. Once more, a golden halo could be seen hovering behind his head in turn, a symbol of his heritage and connection to one specific path. At the moment, the man was wearing a blue fitted nightshirt with golden lines on the sides of it; matching blue and white night pants and loafers to go along with it. Navy blue eyes with golden irises would show an unchanging look of contemplation as March and Caelus observed the newcomer.
It had been about a few days since the Astral Express crew had welcomed Sunday to travel with them for the foreseeable. The once head member of the Oak Family has his fair share of history with the trailblazers…or rather…a fair share of bad history. Once upon a time; the Halovian would stand against the crew of the Astral Express under the following of The Order, and with the rest of the Oak Family, attempted to establish a paradise of eternal sleep through the revival of the fallen Aeon…with countless dreamers in Penacony seen as collateral damage. After a grueling conflict, the trailblazers would succeed in breaking Sunday free from the twisted visions of the Oak Family’s idea of a paradise. Though this was the last time the Halovian would see the trailblazers at the time, it would not be the end of his own journey. For it would be a blessing in disguise that Sunday would receive a chance at atonement by none other than the IPC; freedom exchanged for a single favor. When the deal was made; the former head of The Oak Family would go on one last odyssey in Penacony, bidding a final farewell to his home, his sister, and the demons of his past. With a newfound goal to find new meaning to build a true paradise; the Halovian would take his first step by asking to join the Astral Express crew on their voyage.
From the get go, both March and Caelus were shocked that Sunday would want to join them just as much as the rest of the crew did. But it would be Caelus that saw the truth emanate from the Halovian’s words. And if the crew was able to welcome someone with a Stellaron residing within them with open arms, then welcoming someone trying to find atonement for his past actions would be no different!
However, based on what the duo noticed, it looked as though the Halovian himself was still reeling from the newfound changes.
“Is he even blinking at all,” March whispered to Caelus as she squinted her eyes, “It doesn’t look like he’s moved an inch…”
Caelus would nod as he gauged that while the Halovian wasn’t moving an inch…he was luckily still blinking, “Just how long has he been-?”
“About three hours now,” A voice would answer the unfinished question with a disapproving tone, “two hours more from the hour you two had started to spy on him.”
Both Caelus and March would turn around to see the unamused face of the man who that voice belonged to. He was tall and rather slender with fair skin in turn; which complimented well with his black hair. At the moment he was wearing a casual green crew-neck sweater with patterns of white cherry blossoms at the bottom. Dark grey sweatpants would be worn on his lower half, all while a pair of green dragon slippers would be worn on his feet…one of March’s signature gifts. Blue eyes would look to the two trailblazers as the Express’s archivist would shake his head in disbelief.
“Dan Heng!” Caelus and March both shouted in surprise before covering their mouths so as to not rouse Sunday’s attention.
“What are you two doing?” Dan Heng would ask as he looked over to see the Halovian still unmoving before turning back to the duo, “you do realize that you two could be seen as incredibly creepy to him while he’s still trying to adjust right?”
March would huff at the archivist and cross her arms with an innocent expression, “We aren’t trying to be creepy, we just wanted to make sure that Sunday was okay so we…kept an eye on him…right Caelus?”
“It was all March’s idea,” Caelus would answer as he began to type on his phone, hoping to receive a message in turn while March gave a look of betrayal.
“In any case, you two really need to cut it out,” Dan Heng stated as he rubbed his forehead out of exhaustion, “he hasn’t moved from there for a while and looks to be in his thoughts at the moment.”
“Huh, How do you know that?” March questioned as she raised an eyebrow, “or were you also spying on him, that’s low even for you.”
“I wasn’t—listen,” Dan Heng started with a sigh as he looked to March and Caelus, “The conductor had been checking up on him the entire time he was sitting there, he’s been muttering about how he regrets what he had done to make his paradise…Pom Pom said his eyes looked watery.”
March’s expression softened as she looked back towards Sunday, uncrossing her arms as she rubbed her shoulder. “Well if I knew that I wouldn’t have spied for so long…poor Sunday,” March whispered as she tilted her head, “I know we were enemies and all but…no one deserves to feel that down on themselves.”
“Can’t really blame him,” Dan Heng responded as he leaned against the wall, “he’s going to be leaving the only home he knew after trying to resurrect a fallen Aeon, homesick might be the least of what he’s feeling right now.”
“I just wish we could help him in some way,” March sighed with a slump, “But…I have no idea how…”
At that moment a ping could be heard coming from Caelus’s phone, and after a few seconds the trailblazer smiled at what he read, a smile that was laced with mischief.
“Actually,” Caelus mused as he turned his phone towards the other two, “I think I have a plan~”
As the other two trailblazers looked at the message Caelus read, their differing expressions told the story. March would share the same mischievous smile that Caelus had; while Dan Heng gave a disappointed frown.
“Oh this is perfect!” March exclaimed quietly with newfound giddiness in her voice.
“Please don’t tell me I’m getting dragged into this,” Dan Heng sighed, already knowing the answer.
“You have no choice!” Caelus answered with a smug smile
“It’s the three of us or not at all!” March added with her arms crossed
“This is going to be…interesting” Dan Heng would mutter as the trio would discuss their newfound plan to bring a smile to their companion’s face.
____________
Sunday found himself feeling rather nervous as he started to approach the door to Caelus’s room. The Halovian received a text from the trailblazer that requested him to come to his room as soon as he could…or at least that’s what Sunday registered from a text that said “meeting in my room with March and Dan Heng, be there or be a curio” followed by a Pom Pom heart emoji. Sunday didn’t know what exactly this meeting would entail, the vote for the express’s next destination wasn’t set to happen until a few more days, so the reason for this meeting had puzzled him. Though he couldn’t help but feel as though this meeting had to do with his past with the express…finding himself worried that he was about to get an earful from the rest of the trailblazers. Despite that nervousness; Sunday knew he needed to atone for what he had done, and if that included being reprimanded within a meeting by the trailblazers, then he’d face it head on to make that new path for himself. After all…it’s what she would have wanted him to do…and what he wanted to achieve.
“Let’s just hope it doesn’t involve a baseball bat this time,” Sunday muttered with a little nervous shiver as he made it to the door to Caelus’s room, Taking a deep breath to ease himself before knocking.
“Come in!” Caelus’s voice would call out just a few seconds after Sunday knocked, had they been expecting him to arrive so quickly?
Sunday would put a pin in that question and he slowly opened the door and entered the trailblazer’s room. It was one of the most spacious rooms that the Halovian had seen on the express thus far; fitted with an entire kitchen and dining area, a memoriam section, and even a walk-in bathroom. Sunday would look over to the lounge area of the room and see not only Caelus sitting there, but March along with him as well. Just what was this meeting supposed to be about and…wait…where was Dan Heng?
“Glad you could make it Sunday,” Caelus spoke with a rather comforting tone as he motioned for the Halovian to sit on the large couch they were sitting on, “you can take the seat across from me and March if you want.”
“The pillows are extra comfy too,” March would add as she gave off a smirk of pride, “after all, I was the one to pick them out for his room~”
Sunday would give a nod to Caelus before making his way over to the couch, letting the door close behind him. The Halovian would cautiously begin to sit down on the couch, hints of worry still lingering in his mind. Though they would be dispelled for a moment once he felt himself sink into the cushioned pillows that filled the couch. March was right, these pillows were extra comfortable, perhaps Penacony could learn a thing or two from her sense of aesthetic…but that would have to wait.
“I appreciate that…but I’m curious as to what the purpose of holding this meeting is,” Sunday would ask as he looks to both Caelus and March each with concern on his face, “I hope I have not acted in some way to cause any complications for the express…”
“No no no! That isn’t what this meeting’s about at all!” March would answer with a sheepish wave of her hands before looking to Sunday with a softer expression, “we’re holding this meeting because…well…we wanted to make sure that you were okay.”
Sunday would blink at what March had said, not expecting that type of answer in the slightest, “to make sure that…I’m okay?”
“She’s right,” Caelus continued as he with a frown of care to the Halovian, “we’ve been seeing you down in the dumps for a while now and…we didn’t want you to feel isolated from the rest of us, you’re part of the crew now…and we do everything we can to ensure that each of us are taken care of and comfortable, including you.”
Sunday couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions as he heard the concerns of the trailblazers, unsure of even what to say. They weren’t wrong when it came to how he was feeling, the regrets of his actions under the followings of The Order had been hitting him rather hard during most of the day. Along with that, echoes of doubt had begun to ring in his mind, making him reconsider if joining the Astral Express was the right decision…especially after what he has put them through. Yet here they were now, worried about him when they had no need to worry…or rather…he didn’t want them to worry over something that wasn’t their responsibility to begin with.
“I…appreciate the concern,” Sunday began as he lowered his head in order to hide the small look of sorrow on his face, “I am just experiencing some…adjustment issues with joining the express…it is nothing major and nothing that you have to concern yourself with.”
“But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to help,” March would retort as she crossed her arms with a small pout, “in the entire time you’ve been on the express, I haven’t seen you show at least one smile!”
The Halovian tilted his head at that comment, his worry now turning into confusion, “but…I did smile when you all allowed me to join the express in the first place?”
“She meant a genuine smile,” Caelus noted with a shake of his head, “one that wasn’t forced while still feeling regret or guilt, or even one that wasn’t just to look good in the newspaper…a smile that comes from the heart…from genuine comfort and happiness.”
Sunday found himself staying silent for a few seconds; for not following the path of Harmony, these two were rather skilled in reading someone’s emotions. Regardless, he didn’t want to cause so much commotion over something so miniscule, there was no need for it in the first place in his mind.
“The concern that you two have is not lost on me, but I assure you that I’ll be okay,” Sunday conveyed with a monotone voice and expression, “it is nothing I cannot handle myself.”
If only Sunday knew at that time that saying those words would seal his fate, for the plan that the trailblazers had hatched would start to come to fruition. March and Caelus would look at each other with a nod before looking back to a rather confused Sunday. Their faces now showing rather impish looking smiles from what the Halovian said.
“Sorry Sunday,” Caelus said as he crossed his arms just like March did, “But we can’t let an answer like that slide~”
“Mhm, not by a long shot,” March agreed before looking above Sunday with a little giggle, “Dan Heng, if you please~”
Sunday wouldn’t have time to ask what March meant by that before he felt himself being grabbed from behind the couch. Two arms would wrap around the Halovian’s torso before moving upwards to raise his arms above his head. Sunday would turn his head as best he could in order to see what had grabbed him. Only to be met with the sight of a black haired man who now has him held in a full Nelson from behind the couch.
“D-Dan Heng!?” Sunday yelped as he attempted to squirm out of the Vidyadhara’s strong yet gentle grasp to no avail, “H-How did you…where did you even—”
“You’d be surprised how easy it is to be inconspicuous when hiding behind an open door,” Dan Heng stated plainly before giving a gentle sigh, “besides, I had to do this or else those two will let me have it worse than what you’re about to go through.”
In that very same moment, Sunday would turn his head to see both Caelus and March shifting over towards his side of the couch rather quickly. The grey haired man would situate himself on the Halovians right side with a grunt of content; While the pink haired maiden would plop herself on the Halovians left side with an impish giggle. Their smiles seemed to only grow with excitement as Sunday would find himself surrounded by the trio of mischievous trailblazers.
“Now don’t be so monotone about it Dan Heng,” March mused as she would pat Sunday on the leg impishly, “after all, our noble mission to see Sunday smile is something that only could be done by the three of us together.”
“Working together like this is where we thrive, such is the will of the Trailblaze,” Caelus mused while leaning on the couch next to Sunday, “and right now, our trailblaze mission is to see our new friend feel welcomed...and we know just how to do it~”
Sunday couldn’t help but feel himself grow nervous as his eyes darted towards each of the trailblazers as they talked. His mind was racing as to why they all conspired against him over something as trivial as a smile. Such a silly thing like a smile shouldn’t have to merit this much effort, especially not for someone like him. Once more, the Halovian felt his nervousness give way to a primal sense of curiosity…wondering what exactly Caelus meant when he said they knew how to make him smile.
“G-Guy’s listen,” Sunday attempted to reason with the trio as he shuffled in his newfound trapped position, “Th-there’s no need to resort to any drastic measures, I-I assure you I-I’m fine!”
“No can do Sunday, not until we see a genuine smile on your face,” Caelus retorted as he’d turn directly towards the Halovian, ready to put their plan into action, “I hope you don’t mind, but there's something we have to check first, just to make sure our plan goes off without a hitch~”
As the trailblazer spoke, he’d slowly extend an arm out towards the Halovian’s exposed side. Giving him no warning whatsoever, Caelus would let his hand grasp right on the middle of Sunday’s side, before giving a soft squeeze right on the shirt covered skin. It’ll be that single squeeze alone, would answer the one question that Caelus needed the answer to; as Sunday’s face would shift into one of impeached surprise, and a new sound would escape from between his lips…a rather curious sound.
“Gyehahahamph!” The Halovian squeaked out before closing his mouth as tight as he could, eyes widened from what Caelus had done as he looked to the trailblazer with newfound realization.
All the while, the trio of trailblazer’s would perk up from the squeak that echoed from the Halovian’s lips, realizing that their intel had been correct…perfect.
“So it is true,” Caelus mused with a softer…more teasing tone coming from his smile, “You are ticklish after all~”
Sunday would start to feel a fluster bubble up from within him as what the trio were going to do became clear. Sunday was in fact very…very sensitive in regards to ticklishness, so much so that it was one of his biggest weaknesses. But it didn’t make sense, the Halovian had kept his ticklishness under wraps from almost everyone who knew him, how were they able to figure out that he…wait a minute…she didn’t.
“W-Who told you?” was all Sunday could muster in regards to asking such a question towards the trailblazers.
“Let’s just say,” March would answer as her devilish grin gave way to an equally devilish giggle, “A little songbird told us~”
The Halovian made a mental note that if he ever returned to Penacony, he was going to make sure his sister would pay for such a betrayal tenfold. However, that wouldn’t help him now as March would place her hands on each of Sunday’s thighs, making him shiver from the initial touch. In a literal instant; March would begin to gently squeeze the Halovian’s thighs, ensuring her hand’s clawed with soft pressure right along the middle of such tender areas. Her fingers were nimble in their squishing, like gentle claws that didn’t scratch or dent, but felt unbelievably tickly on any sensitive skin they made contact with.
This would be proven true Sunday felt his nerves flare as ticklish sparks coursed through his entire body, eliciting another squeal of surprise from the trapped Halovian. Sunday was doing everything in his power to keep his laughter from escaping, his lips already growing a wobbly smile as he shook his head in resistance, even going so far as stomping his feet just from instinctive reaction alone! To think that just one spot would make Sunday fight for his life not to break, he couldn’t be defeated this easily could he?
“G-Gyehehehehehahmph M-Maha-March Plehehehehehease,” Sunday stuttered out through his growing giggle fit in the midst of keeping his mouth closed, “Th-Thihihihihihihis ihi-is uneccessarihihihihihihi!”
“Oh I think it’s absolutely necessary Sunny~” March would retort with a playful coo, continuing to squish up and down the Halovian’s tender thighs with relative ease, “Who knew that someone so prim and proper could be so sensitive, I could only wonder where you’re most ticklish though~”
“Let’s find out,” Caelus would follow up with a giggle as he would extend his arms towards the giggling Halovian in turn with as much impish intent as March.
It didn’t take long for Caelus to choose a spot to test out, extending his arms towards Sunday’s exposed torso, specifically, his ribs. The trailblazer would set his hands right on the middle of both of the Halovian’s sets of ribs; a rather cheeky smile on his face as he saw Sunday shake his head in protest…but he wouldn’t be able to stop it regardless. Not wasting another second, Caelus began to skitter his fingers along the Halovian defenseless ribs, fingertips typing up and down both sets as if the trailblazer was playing a piano. Every poke held enough ticklish pressure to bring about a new note of laughter from Sunday, even eliciting a few squeaks that blended perfectly in this mirthful melody.
“EYEHAHAHAHAHAHAH W-WAIT N-Nohohohohohohahahahahahaha!” Sunday squeaked out as he arched and bucked against the hold he was trapped in, trying to get away from the attacking fingers the best he could…all to no avail, “C-CahahahahahAHAHAHAELUHUHUS K-Knohohohohohohock it-gyehehehahahahaha-ohohohohohohohohoff!”
“Gotta hand it to your sister, she really knows how to inspire people to get into music,” Caelus cooed out in response as his fingers continued to poke at each of Sunday’s ribs one at a time, “I always considered learning to play the piano but never knew it could be this fun, who knew that your laughter sounded so melodic~”
“He’s probably been holding out on us all this time, shame on you Sunday,” March would add as she gave a few rapid fire skitters along the Halovian’s thighs as she continued to squeeze them, a playful frown on her face in the process, “You can’t just hide such a wonderful voice like that and get away with it, consider this your just deserts!”
“I…Don’t think you’re using the term right, March,” Dan Heng would sigh as he continued to hold Sunday within the full nelson, a small smirk form as he looked down to the laughing Halovian, “Although it is a rather endearing laugh to be kept hidden~”
As those teases invaded Sunday’s ears, he found his face starting to flare with growing fluster, his cheeks now starting to glow with a rather bright blush. The Halovian had only been tickled a rare few times in his life, but never had he found himself in such a predicament such as this one; the teasing itself made it even worse for the Halovian, making his laughter get bubblier with every word from the trailblazers. However, while he laughed himself silly from this devilish attack, Sunday found himself feeling rather…relieved? No…No that wasn’t right, he was trapped in the devious clutches of three people who wanted to tickle him to pieces all because they wanted him to smile, this was pretty much the equivalent of an unprovoked attack! But…why did he feel so…jumpy from something so simple and childish as tickling?
Why did he feel lighter than he was just a few hours beforehand?
Why did he feel so…happy?
Could he…Could he be beginning to like this?
“HEEYAHAHAHAHAHAHA P-PlehehehehahahaHAHAHAHASE I-I’LL SMIHIHIHIHIHIHILE,” Sunday would attempt to bargain through his laughter those four hands continued to strike at the poor Halovian, “J-JUHUHUHUHUST Cuhuhuhuhuhuhuahahahaha-Cut it ohohohohohohohohohohout!”
“Hmmmm, were getting warmer on where he’s most sensitive,” Caelus hummed as he started to poke between each of Sunday’s ribs, earning him a few more bubbly squeaks, “But I think he’s still holding out on us, but where would his sweet spot be?”
The moment the question was asked, something rather unexpected would occur; something that would even make Sunday do a double take through his laughter, never believing for a second that it would happen. For a grunt from Dan Heng would catch the attention of both March and Caelus as they continued to play with the Halovian.
“I…may have a suggestion,” Dan Heng began as he looked away, trying to hide the small smirk on his face, “The archives held some information when it comes to Halovians, and some of the note’s on their biology state that the wings found behind their ears hold more nerves than other areas on the body…which in turn…makes them more sensitive.”
The way that Caelus and March’s faces lit up from hearing that piece of information was almost terrifyingly quick from Sunday’s point of view. Both trailblazer’s would turn to look directly at the Halovian, their smiles now wide with devilish intent, like a light bulb of mischief had just sparked within their minds. Sunday found himself starting to panic, knowing full well just what the two mischief makers were thinking as they both stopped their attacks for a moment.
“W-Wait Wait Wait,” Sunday stuttered out between rather panicked breaths, bucking in Dan Heng’s hold as best he could to escape, but finding the Vidyadhara’s hold unbreakable, “Y-You don’t have to do this, w-we can just let this go right? N-No need to take this f-further!”
Caelus would be the one to inch closer to the panicking Halovian, a soft gaze blending with the devilish smile on his face. He’d slowly reach a hand up towards Sunday’s left ear, reaching around until it was inches away from the small wing behind it, fingers wiggling in the air…itching to attack. The Trailblazers next words, while laced with genuine care, would seal the Halovian’s fate…a ticklish fate that he couldn’t escape if he tried.
“Don’t be scared, all we want is for you to feel welcomed, you’re one of us now,” Caelus cooed with an impish giggle in turn, “So sit back, relax, and give us a smile now, won't you?~”
With those words said, Caelus’s hand would gently descend upon the Halovian’s quivering left wing. His fingers would take their time to slowly graze along the feathery fluff of the wing, their touch as soft as could be as to not induce any harm to such sensitive areas. The trailblazer was rather dexterous in their attack, his finger’s tracing along the fluff of the wing as if it were the most delicate of dances. The feathers were unbelievably smooth and silky, the equivalent of the softest fluffiest blanket that you could find in the universe. Such silkiness however, would come at the cost of unbelievable sensitivity, for a Halovian’s wings are one of their most delicate parts, and in turn…
Sunday practically exploded with laughter the moment those fingers touched down on his wing, his eyes widened as his body felt like it had been struck with lightning. The Halovian couldn’t hold back his laughter even for a second, as squeals would erupt from his lips as his blush would turn a deep scarlet. All the while, the three trailblazer’s looked on with amused surprise; seeing that Sunday’s face was now showing a rather wide, laughing smile.
“Awwwwww there's the smile I was looking for!” March would cheer as she’d use a single hand to continue to squeeze along the Halovian’s thigh, “It looks rather cute on you Sunday, and that laugh of yours is lovely to listen too.”
“NOHOHOHOAHAHAHAHA-NO IHIHIHIHIHIHITS NOHOHOHOAHAHAHAHAT!” Sunday tried to protest before whipping his head back in another bout of loud laughter brought from the tickling along both his thigh and his wing.
“She’s not wrong Sunny,” Caelus agreed with a cheeky giggle as he continued to let his fingers graze gently along the base of the wing, “Your laugh is simply too cute not to listen to, no wonder your sister said that it was as much of a treasure as your smile~”
“SIHIHIHIHIHIHILEHEHEHEHEHEHEHENCE!” The Halovian denied as he shook his head in protest…Aeons above why was this getting to him so much…and why was he having fun?!
“Little bit of advice, can’t really change their minds whenever they’re set on what they believe,” Dan Heng mused as he looked onto the scene with silent amusement, “Just gotta accept it for what it is, if they think you smile and laugh is cute, then that's what you’re gonna have to live with.”
At this point, all Sunday could do was laugh himself silly as the devious antics of the trailblazer’s had crumbled every bit of resilience that he had. The Halovian’s thoughts were in a whirlwind as fluster and relief would mix together in a feeling of confusion that he couldn’t understand for the life of him. The ticklish attack was absolutely maddening to Sunday’s senses, but at the same time, he felt like the stresses and regrets he felt were being lifted from his shoulders. Every new bout of laughter felt and sounded more vibrant than the last…more free…more genuine, and it really did make the Halovian feel…happy. But as much as these newfound feelings were impacting him, a more familiar feeling would start to weigh on Sunday, and that was exhaustion; And soon, the Halovian found himself needing to throw in the towel.
“AHAHAHAHA OHOHOHOHOHOKAHAHAHA-OKAHAHAHAHAY PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE,” Sunday squealed out as he quite literally tapped out on the couch cushion he was sitting on, “MEHEHEHEHERCY MEHEHEHERCHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIH PLEHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAAHA!”
All three trailblazers would note the exhaustion that came from the Halovian’s plea, along with seeing how he was tapping his hand on the cushions, it was obvious that he had enough. With a collective nod; Caelus and March would slow their ticklish onslaught until both of them reached a full stop. Cealus would retract his arms from the Halovian and return to leaning on the couch, while March would let her hand rest on his thigh as she started to give a gentle massage along the tickle tendered spot. Dan Heng would also release the full Nelson he trapped Sunday in, walking around so that he could sit on the couch with the rest of his companions; making sure to keep watch on Sunday’s condition just in case.
“Alright now, there we go,” March would hum softly as she continued to massage the Halovian’s thigh, a soft look of concern on her face as she did so, “I hope we didn’t overdo it…did we?”
“I don’t think we did,” Caelus responded as he patted the Halovian’s shoulder gently, “You okay Sunday?”
Sunday found himself slumping on the couch the moment he felt himself be freed from the full nelson, deflating like a balloon as he reeled from the aftermath of the tickle attack. He’d still feel the phantom tingles course through his body as residual giggles would continue to sputter out from his lips, his smile almost stuck to his face just as his blush was. It was only when March began to massage his thigh that the Halovian was able to start catching his breath, taking in slow huffs of air as he tried to regain his composure. He’d take a moment to look up to each of the trailblazer’s, seeing the concern on their faces as they ensured that he was okay, did they…really care about him that much?
“Ihihi-I am fine,” Sunday would stutter out as slowly sat up on the couch, “J-Juhuhuhuhust n-need to get my bearings after…all that.”
The trio of troublemakers would breathe a collective sigh of relief from hearing what Sunday said, glad that they didn’t go too far with their impish antics to hurt their new companion…that would be the last thing that they would have ever wanted.
“His breathing seems to be steadying, so he wasn’t pushed past exhaustion,” Dan Heng noted with a shimmer of care in his eyes, “You two have gotten good at knowing when someone's limits have been reached.”
“Well yeah,” Caelus noted as he flashed a smug look towards the Vidyadhara, “You were a big help in making that possible~”
Dan Heng’s eyes would widen a little before he turned away to clear his throat, his face showing traces of a rather small blush from Caelus’s comment, “We…do not need to bring that up.”
Caelus and March would laugh as Sunday looked on to the scene playing out in front of him, unable to stop himself from feeling a soft warmth within his soul. The Astral Express crew cared for each other more than usual friends would…no…they treated each other like a family. Each of them ensured that one another felt like they belonged, that they didn’t feel left out or isolated; even though their past and paths were all different, they all shared the spirit and heart of the Nameless. Now, Sunday was one of them, they treated him like one of them…even if he wasn’t a true nameless…they all wanted to give him that second chance. The Halovian’s smile started to show its true genuine warmth as he realized what he had been given…was this what true Harmony felt like?
“Thank you all…for making me feel welcomed,” Sunday would look up to the trailblazers as that genuine smile shined for the three of them to see, “I am forever grateful for you all giving me this second chance.”
The Trailblazers would return a smile towards the Halovian as they collectively decided to hang out in Caelus’s room for the rest of the evening. Dan Heng would prepare something for the four of them to eat while March was in charge of picking a video game for the four of them to play. All the while Caelus would take out his phone and send a final text to their messenger bird before spending some time with their newfound companion.
Mission Accomplished, we were able to get his smile back, thanks Robin
The serenity found in silence, it was one that N appreciated much more than any average person would in their life, and it was for good reason. Throughout his life, the enigmatic trainer had faced an abundance of hardships that no one person should ever have to face on their own. The betrayal of people once thought of as family, the internal struggle of one's own beliefs and identity, the ever present feeling of isolation and loneliness…wherever the wandering trainer would go…these demons would always haunt him. It was only through the quiet found within peaceful nights that he’d find mercy from his own mind…though at times…his mind would prove to be too much for him to handle. Fortunately for N, he wasn’t truly alone when it came to facing his demons; and when his Zoroark would join their trainer within the solace of the night, the vulpine pokemon would help N realize that resounding happiness can quell even the most silent of pain.
WARNINGS - Story will contain
Trauma and Grief
The Still Darkness
The Purest Quiet
The Absolute Peace
Within each and every aspect it has, many would come to believe that the night would be something that was highly welcomed after the hustle and bustle the day can bring. It would be a time where one would be able to bring themselves to rest after venturing to parts unknown, relaxing from a long day at work, or even just a simple reprieve from the chaos that the day can bring. For many souls, the night was something appreciated when a moment of serenity and calm was needed. Though of course…that wouldn’t always be the case when it comes to some individuals…especially for those whose minds are the loudest when the rest of the world is quiet.
Such would be the struggle that one individual was currently facing as he sat on the ground within a forest clearing, looking outwards to the hillside he had made camp on for the night, the moon gazing back at him with its ivory light.
The individual in question was that of a tall yet thin young man who was fair skinned despite looking a bit pale at first sight. He had long, flowing tea green hair that was currently tied in his signature low ponytail style…though the shorter streams of his hair would frame his face. At the moment he was only wearing a black t-shirt as a top due to his white mid-sleeved overshirt currently being dried from being washed. A pair of beige skinny fit pants would be worn with a set of cider green sandals to compliment the comfortable style of his nightwear. Of course that wouldn’t stop the individual from wearing his signature white and black fitted cap on top of his head; along with his signature blue and black pendant that he was always seen wearing around his neck. A golden cube with a black center would be seen within the individual’s hand as he raised it up towards the moonlight. Ocean blue eyes would look towards the cube with a mixture of emotions…seemingly telling a story within his own mind without saying a word.
Once upon a time, a prophet proclaimed that the man known as N would be destined to become a proud and kind king. He promised that the man’s dream of happiness for all pokemon would be realized by the power of his ideals. He molded the man into becoming the legendary hero that he preached Unova needed; guiding the man towards the future he only dreamed of. However…the prophet would reveal his true colors…deceiving N for his own personal greed. Twisting the man’s innocent wishes and dreams into a distorted vision of power and control over the entire region. It was only through the efforts of souls that pursued their own truth that the man’s ideals were untangled from the prophet's grasp. Thus would the man decide to venture into the world in order to learn more about the truth of his own dreams…to understand what he had been missing for most of his life…and to atone for all that he had done under the prophet's influence.
Throughout this new adventure, N had come to learn about the true nature of the connection between people and pokemon. Within the lands he ventured into; he would see how trainers form such strong bonds with the pokemon they come to meet. Within stadiums and arenas across the world; he would see how the pokemon battles he despised so much as shaped courage and strength within the hearts of the pokemon that battle with their trainers. Everywhere the young man went, he'd come to see just how much both Pokemon and People thrive from being together…how much they cared about one another. And in nights just like this one, under the seclusion and quiet of the stars, was where the young man’s thoughts would ring resoundingly.
“No matter where I went…their voices never spoke of anguish or pain…” N would mumble to himself as he’d look at his cube in the gleam of the moonlit sky, his eyes shrouded with confusion, “the voices of the pokemon I would listen to have never lied…and even now they showed no hatred towards their trainers…they were happy, content, even fulfilled…”
As N would continue to mumble to himself, his eyebrows would begin to furrow as he’d set his cub down. Looking at the grassy landscape below him as he recalled all that he had seen on his journey thus far. Recollection that wouldn’t come without a feeling the young man knew too well…regret.
“If I followed through with the guidance of-” N stopped himself…unable to muster himself to say the name of the prophet they deceived him, a shaky breath leaving his lips before he continued, “I would have robbed all those pokemon of the happiness they all have seemed to found…but why…what could muster such profound love? What could have made it worth it to give up their wild free lives?”
The young man would clutch the cube in his hand as a wave of emotions started to stir within his heart and mind. Anger from being fooled by the deceiving prophet, Sorrow for not understanding why pokemon were so happy being with people, and most of all…remorse for what he would have done if he truly became King of Unova. Voices would ring within the young man’s head; echoes and whispers of his former followers, those who swore loyalty under the banner of Plasma, and one voice that outspoke them all.
We stand with you against the oppression of those undeserving of having Pokemon!
“I would…”
You truly are the one capable of bringing this cruel world to order!
“I would have…”
Together…we will liberate them all from the privilege they do not deserve…and together…we will make your ideals a reality~
“I…” N would whisper through his lips, as small tears began to escape the corners of his eyes…with a small droplet splashing onto the cube, “I would have been just like him…and taken away something that so many people cared about, how could I have been so blind…”
Just as N felt himself start to succumb to his own thoughts, a soft rustle would be heard from behind him. It was faint at first and easily dismissable…until it started to sound louder and…closer? The young man would perk his head up in alarm as he’d turn himself around to see what was causing the disturbance. But he was left unprepared for what would welcome his gaze when he did so.
“Who is-?”
The moment N would turn around, his ocean blue eyes would meet the gaze of…another identical pair of ocean blue eyes…followed by an identical head of tea green hair…followed by an identical face that looked right back at him.
“What the-!”
N couldn’t help but stumble back a little as he saw his own figure looking back at him; currently kneeling on the grassy floor below them. It was like looking into a mirror that decided to give life to his own reflection for crying out loud! Anyone in their right mind would have been scared stiff by the sudden appearance of an exact copy of yourself! But just as quickly as he found himself surprised did the young man just as quickly realize what had happened…as his eyes would squint in disappointment from the true culprit of this prank.
“Was that really necessary when it came to getting my attention,” N would huff out as he recovered from the sudden scare, making sure to keep his head down in the process, “You could have just said something instead, Zoroark.”
The doppelganger would give an impish giggle behind their hand before jumping up into the air in front of N as a glowing magenta light enveloped the entirety of their body. Once they landed back on the ground, a doppelganger wouldn’t be standing in front of the trainer, but rather a pokemon that belonged to him. The pokemon in question was that of a bipedal, fox-like being with crimson and black accents in her fur. She was rather large in comparison to N but not overwhelmingly tall when standing next to him. She had a large red mane of fur atop her head that held black tips within its ponytail shape; a teal bangle making up the item that tied the mane together in that specific style. Her upper arms were of a thin shape while her lower arms are much bulkier; three crimson red claws could be seen shimmering upon her hands and feet. A pointed snout would twitch a little as the pokemon’s blue iris eyes looked on with curiosity at the rather peculiar position of her trainer.
Zoroark was one of the first pokemon that N had ever befriended, long before he even became a legitimate trainer within the Unova Region. He had known the illusion pokemon from the days when she was a Zorua; living together in the forest when he was but a child, and staying by his side during his false journey to kinghood. Zoroark had been by her trainer's side through every up and every down he had during the entirety of his life…and she had come to learn how to read the enigmatic young man very well.
Right now, the vulpine pokemon was squinting her eyes with a hint of curiosity to her trainer's current condition…more specifically…the little specks of water she caught sight of on the sides of his face. She would give a little growl of concern as she inched closer towards N from where he was sitting.
N would quickly notice his partner’s gaze towards his bubbling tears as he’d turn his head away from her equally as quickly, wiping them away from his face to hide the evidence of his true emotions.
“I-It is nothing to be concerned about, just staring too long at the moon is all,” N attempted to lie to Zoroark as he’d look back towards his partner with a small faux smile, “I am fine, no need to be worried…”
Zoroark would in fact start to worry as her trainer's attempt at dismissal was rather lackluster in comparison to the visual evidence before her. She has come to know that N has a difficult time expressing his more…personal…emotions; instead of talking about them to someone, pokemon or otherwise, he’d instead bottle it up and place blame of his struggles on him alone…even when he wasn’t at fault. What is worse is that the struggles that the young man had been recently facing had only served to strengthen that habit of his; placing the blame of the hurt that Team Plasma wrought upon the region in his hands when he had not been the one responsible for it! Zoroark wished that she could have protected her beloved friend from all the lying and trickery that was used against him by that vile false prophet and the organization that used him. N was an individual that wished to see the good in the world he lived in, wanting to see the genuine happiness of pokemon blossom into something truly eternal, but his happiness was just as important…and right now…the vulpine pokemon wanted to make sure that her friend knew that.
Zoroark would take a moment to approach N slowly and sit herself down beside him on the grass; She’d then lean her head against the young man's shoulder before turning to get a clear view of his face. Just as she suspected, no matter how hard N tried to hide his grief from others, he couldn’t truly get rid of the marks that those tears left behind on his cheeks. The vulpine pokemon’s face would soften to that of genuine worry as she’d give out a soft growl towards N, and while normal humans wouldn’t be able to understand it, the special young man was able to hear the words that such a growl was trying to resonate.
“You don’t have to hide how you’re feeling, you know…” He could hear Zoroark attempting to say.
N couldn’t help but wince at that growl as he’d lower his head in shame, unable to stop a few residual tears from falling from his eyes onto the floor below. He was good at hiding his emotions from others, he’d had done so more times than he could count, but he could never lie about them…especially to his own pokemon…especially to Zoroark. He never wanted his pain to be something others felt like the need to deal with, he didn't want others to feel like they had to shoulder the burdens he carried, especially after everything that had transpired with the false prophet. Though that didn’t resolve the fact that he was rather terrible at hiding his emotions for long…and right now…that fact was rather evident in Zoroark’s eyes.
N would wipe the tears from his cheeks before looking at his friend with a soft sigh, “I’m sorry for hiding it…I just…with everything that has happened, I can’t help but feel responsible. All those trainers in Unova, much less the world, if he…if he succeeded and used me to rid all of those trainers of their pokemon…”
Zoroark would huff out in protest as she nudged the trainer’s shoulder, looking at him with compassionate eyes that told him that it wasn’t his fault in the first place.
“I know, I know, in the end such a vile plan didn’t come to pass…and I’m grateful for that,” N would reply before looking towards the moon in front of him with a solemn frown, leaning against Zoroark’s shoulder close to her mane, “I just wish I wasn’t so gullible to have fallen for his lies…I could have stopped all of this before it even began…and that is where I feel like I failed…”
The vulpine pokemon couldn’t help but resonate with the grief that her friend was feeling, for she wanted nothing more than to protect him from the harm that vile man put him through. Just as he felt like he failed in stopping the prophet, she felt like she failed in protecting the one human she deeply cared about; and she wasn’t going to let him wallow in his grief alone, not when she is there to remind him that he isn’t to blame. Zoroark would nuzzle her face close to the young man’s cheek before giving a soft purr that reverberated against him…a pleasant feeling that helped soothe his grief if only for a moment. N would keep his gaze towards the moon…but he’d let a hand make its way towards the base of the pokemon’s neck…giving a gentle scritch of affection in return.
“Thank you, my friend,” The young man whispered as he’d give a mellow sigh, “Despite everything that has transpired, I am glad that you are still with me through it all, I am forever grateful…truly…”
Zoroark would give a small chirp in response to N’s kind words, happily receiving the scritches from her friend as she continued to nuzzle into his cheek. As she was doing so however, she wasn’t aware that her soft mane was nearing the base of the young man’s neck. So as the vulpine pokemon continued to nuzzle gently into the young man’s cheek, her soft mane would soon find itself beginning to slowly graze against his neck in the process, tracing along the base of the exposed surface it was against. And it would be that gentle graze in turn that would set off a rather…intriguing…reaction from the young man.
“M-Mhmhmmfff O-Oh goodness,” N would squeak as he’d scrunch his head a little in reaction to the sudden feeling against his neck, “Z-Zoroark h-hohohold on…”
Zoroark would perk up as she heard the sudden change in her friend's voice, taking a moment to look up towards N’s face for any trouble. But what the pokemon would see didn’t seem to be any trouble in her eyes, rather, she saw a small smile beginning to grow on the young man’s face…and…was that a blush on his cheeks? Zoroark would give a little growl in response to the young man’s reactions, tilting her head wondering what had caused him to get so jumpy.
N in turn would find himself blushing more as he realized how he reacted when he felt his partner’s mane on his neck. He’d shiver a little before giving a sheepish smile as he’d rub the spot on his neck where he felt that gentle graze, as newfound fear began to push into the forefront of his mind; but the fear the young man was feeling didn’t come from danger, rather it came from a very…flustering…aspect of himself. The truth was that N was fairly…very…sensitive, specifically…when it comes to being ticklish, and this was a truth all of his pokemon knew of. But none of the young man’s pokemon knew that truth better than Zoroark, and it wouldn’t take long for the pokemon to realize when he was feeling ticklish during any given moment, and this was one of those times. N’s only hope was to downplay his friend’s curiosity by giving some excuse from the top of his head…that should work…right?
“U-Um…i-it was nothing,” N would stutter out as he’d look away from the vulpine pokemon in an attempt to hide the evidently growing blush on his face, “J-Just felt a chill on the back of my n-neck is all, the wind was feeling a bit tickli-”
N stopped himself before he finished his sentence, but his realization would come too late; as he looked back towards his vulpine friend, he’d see the smile that began to grow on her face. Even if he didn’t finish the word, two and a half syllables were enough to get the message across to Zoroark, like a switch that didn’t need much effort to be flipped. The young man would see his friend slowly rise from where she was sitting, snickering with rather devilish intent, as she began to step closer and closer towards him. N in turn would begin to back up farther and farther from the pokemon, knowing that the gears were beginning to turn in her head, but never truly gaining any ground from her as she continued to approach.
“N-Now Z-Zoroahahark, h-hold on a m-minute,” N would try one last time to talk his way out of facing his partner’s fury, a wobbly smile on his face as he found himself stumbling while he inched away from her, “Th-Their’s no need to do anything r-rash now, s-so don’t get any ideas and–”
Alas, N’s final attempt at peace would be in vain as he’d soon find himself being tackled down to the ground by his partner; letting out a yelp of surprise as Zoroark would pin the young man under her, somewhat straddling his thighs with her weight. The vulpine pokemon was surprisingly heavy despite how lean her body looks, rendering any attempt by the young man useless as he’d wiggle underneath his friend to no avail. As N would come to realize that he had no true means of escape, he’d slowly look back up towards his impish partner as a sense of “dread” began to loom over him. The vixen’s eyes sparkled with pure mischief, as she raised her arms into the air in front of her trainer, those glimmer crimson claws beginning to slowly wiggle in a very threatening manner that would seal his fate.
“W-Wait wait wait Z-Zoroark please you don’t need to–GYEHAHEHEHEEK!”
Zoroark wouldn’t give N any more chances at negotiation as she’d quickly dive her arms down towards him to begin her attack on her newfound victim. She would set those crimson claws to start lightly fluttering against the shirt covered surface of the young man’s sides. The mischievous vixen would ensure that while her claws were sharp, her movements would be soft and delicate against her trainer's sensitive skin as she moved them slowly up and down his sides with energetic glee. Over the course of their time together, Zoroark had come to learn just how to break down the walls that her N’s reserved nature had built; and it wouldn’t take long for him to give the reaction she wanted, as a flurry of squeaks would begin to rupture from the young man’s lips.
“Ehehehehehehehemph! N-Nohohohohohahahahahahahaha,” N would bubble as he’d squirm from those devilish claws in vain attempt to avoid their teasing touches, only to find himself being drawn closer to each set as they gently dug into his delicate sides, “Z-Zoroahahahahahark p-plehehehehehehehehehehahahahahah ohohoho gohohohohohosh!”
Now this wasn’t the first time that N had fallen victim to his partner’s mischievous tickle attacks, and more than likely wouldn’t be the last either, but he couldn’t help just how sensitive he felt when he was at the mercy of her wrath. Over the years she’s come to learn just how to push his buttons, figuratively and literally, to the point that it takes little effort to get him giggling from the get go. Her claws would skitter gently down towards the young man’s hips before moving back up to his lower ribs, continuing that pattern until she stopped to focus her efforts on the middle of his sides. Even with his shirt protecting his bare sides it made no difference to how ticklish the sensation was regardless. The smile on his face was only matched in light with the blush across his cheeks, as he found it hard to repress the torrent of giggles from his throat…and yet…he wasn’t necessarily against such either.
“L-Lihihihihihistehehehehehehehehen w-wehehehehehe cahahahahahan d-dohohohoh somethihihihihihing ehehehehehehelse!” N would plead through his giggles as he shook his head as the ticklish sensation of those delicate claws coursed through his entire body, trying to use his hat to shield his blush from his partner, “Ihihihihihi feheheheheheel-ehehehahahaha nohohohot thehehehere-Ihihihihihihi’m fihihihihihihihine I prohohohohohohomihihihihihise!”
Zoroark didn’t heed her trainer’s false pleas as she continued to let her claws skitter along his sides for a few more minutes before slowing her movements down; eyeing up and down the young man’s body as if she was scouting where to strike next. The answer to that question would come as the pokemon would snicker under her breath as she moved her claws down towards the hem of the trainers shirt. N’s eyes would widen instantly as he’d realize what she was planning to do, as he felt his only means of protection being raised slowly but surely…until he could feel the brisk night wind brushing against his bare stomach.
The trainer wouldn’t even get a chance to protest before he felt just one of the trickster’s crimson claws begin to trace along the middle of his stomach. The motion of that claw was slow…fluid…like it was mapping out the entirety of the young man’s stomach in a quest to find the sensitive treasures hidden within it. Every shiver, every squirm, every wiggle that the young man couldn’t help but elicit wouldn’t hinder the claw’s journey; as she’d keep the agonizingly slow movement constant as she explored the defenseless canvas before her. N couldn’t help but whine as his giggling became much bubblier from that single method alone, it was tortuous how just one claw was all it took to melt him to a giggly puddle! Yet in the back of his mind, the young man knew that his partner could do worse, much worse.
“Nyehehehahahahaha-EHEHEHAHAHAHA-nohohohohoahahahaa nohohohohohot the behehehehelliehehehehehehe cohoho-cohohome ohohohohohohon!” N would whine as he peaked up to see Zoroark’s impish smile looking down at him…which would only make him hide his blushing giggly face under his hat once again, “Geheheheh-Gehehehehehet ohohohohohout ohohohohohof thehehehehehere yohohohohohou meheheh-mehehehehehenahahahahahahce!”
Zoroark couldn’t help but smile as she saw her trainer in such an adorable position, unable to hide his laughter and smiling like the dork that he was, this is what she treasured close in her heart. The pokemon had seen the joy that came from N when he interacted with pokemon…how their happiness truly resonated with his own joy. Something like that was truly one in a million in the trickster’s eyes, it was that happiness and kindhearted spirit that forged the close relationship that she had with the young man in the first place. After everything that they had been through with the rest of their friends, Zoroark could see that N’s light was dimming from those who’d dare harm his kind ideals, and she feared that it wouldn’t even exist by the end of the tragedies they faced. It was in moments like this that she was relieved to see that the light she saw within N time and again never truly dim…and even more grateful that she was able to make it shine even bright by being by his side.
However, that wouldn’t excuse that little comment her trainer made when it came to her oh-so gentle method of fun. She wasn’t being a menace at all; All she wanted was to see her trainer smile and laugh after everything that he went through! But if N really wanted to see just how much of a menace she could be…Zoroark knew the perfect way to make that happen. The trickster would take a moment to stop the lone claw right on the middle of the young man’s belly, making him squeak in turn from the sudden shift in movement. And before the young man could even take a peak as to what the pokemon was planning…
He would feel another claw touch down on his skin…
Oh no
And another one…
Oh Arceus No
And another one…
She wouldn’t dare do that
And another one…
She would
This would continue on until N could feel all six of Zoroark's claws touch down on his defenseless stomach…and just sat there…motionless…like a beast preparing for the right moment to strike. The young man would slowly raise his hat to be able to see his partner…only to be met by the wide smile of mischief plastered on her face…and her glimmering eyes that were fueled by trickery. No amount of convincing would be enough to even have a chance at stopping Zoroark now, N knew that, so there was only one thing that he could think of to say at this point.
“Oh…Arceus…”
Such would be the last words spoken by the young man before he would squeal out in pure mirth. Without warning, Zoroark would begin to scribble all of her claws right onto the middle of N’s belly, lightfully poking and prodding upon every inch of bare skin she could touch. Her claws were like miniature drills that were looking to excavate the treasures that she had mapped out with that lone claw…and it seemed as though she hit the goldmine. No matter where the trickster’s claws dug, the same result was produced.
N had shattered, the walls that he kept up well were completely broken by his partner’s hands, and they weren't being repaired anytime soon. He was bucking and squirming under Zoroark’s weight, instinct taking the wheel as he’d trying to escape his partner's grasp; alas, his attempts at escape would prove futile against her merciless attack. The smile on N’s face was practically beaming with pure mirth as his hat wasn’t enough to hide the bright blush that was plastered across his cheeks. His laughter was as bright as it was vibrant, piercing the quiet of the forest night with its joyful reverberations spreading across the clearing. It was evident enough that N’s stomach was one of his most sensitive spots, but if there is enough pressure and dexterity added to the tickling, it could pretty much be labeled as his sensitive spot number one. And unfortunately, or rather fortunately, for N…Zoroark had come to learn just how to make such a miracle happen. Yet despite it all, the joy that the young man was feeling, it was genuine…it was pure…it was euphoric…and it was helping.
“GYEYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOHOHOHOH NOT THE DIHIHIHIHIHIGGING NOHOHOHOHOHOHOT THEHEHEHEHEHE DIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIGGIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHING!” N would squeal as he tried to push and bat his hands at his partners arms to disrupt her attack…although his attempts were hardly genuine if one looked hard enough, “THAHAHAHAHAHA-THATS NOHOHOHOHOAHAHAHAHAHAT FAHAHAHAHAHAHAIR EHEHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHEHEHEHEEK!”
The trickster would give a growl of amusement at her trainer’s plight before deciding to up the ante just a bit more. As she continued to gently drill her claws along the middle of the young man’s belly, she’d direct one of her claws to target a fairly specific spot, the young man’s navel. Not giving him a chance to register the change in her tactics, Zoroark would gently dig that claw into N’s navel as she would drill with the same ticklish pressure as she was using for the rest of his belly. At the same time, the vixen would lean down towards N’s face and press her nose right onto the base of his neck; she would then begin to nuzzle her face right along the defenseless surface of his neck, allowing bits of her mane to brush along the sensitive skin just as it did at the start of this playful game. To make things even worse for the young man, the trickster would begin to purr deeply, allowing her fur to brush and vibrate against his skin as she was nuzzling him.
Needless to say, the combination of all of these devilish methods was enough to melt the poor trainer completely, and he knew that despite how much he enjoyed this game, he needed a moment to breathe….thus he decided to throw in the towel.
“GYEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH OHOHOHOKAHAHAHAHAY, OHOHOHOHOHOKAHAHAHAHAY!” N squealed out as he scrunched and shook his head against the playful nuzzling of his devilish partner, tears of mirth bubbling up from his closed eyes, “I GIHIHIHIHIHIVE, IHIHIHIHIHIHI-EHEHEHEHAHAHA-IHIHIH GIHIHIHIHIHIVE, MEHEHEHEHERCY ZOHOHOHOROAHAHAHARK, MEHEHEHEHEHERCHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIH!~”
Zoroark was quick to understand that her trainer was reaching his breaking point and knew it was time to call it quits. After a few more minutes of merciless belly drilling and neck nuzzling, the trickster would slow her attack until it was at a full stop, sparing the young man from any more tickling. She still laid herself against N’s chest as she snuggled up to her trainer, eliciting a soft purr to help soothe him from any phantom sense he might be feeling. Zoroark would look up towards her trainer's face, soft concern on her face as she made sure that he was okay.
From the moment the tickling subsided, N would flop back onto the grass behind him, huffing out breaths of air while recovering from his partner's merciless attack. He could still feel his stomach tingling even after Zoroark moved her claws away from it in order to snuggle him. After a few more minutes of regaining his composure, the young man would look down towards his partner and see the concern on her face, how she cared about him even after tickling him senseless. N couldn’t help but feel his wide smile shift into a soft grin, realizing that despite everything that had transpired, he was never alone on this newfound journey; and regardless of what may come his way, he would always have friends that would make sure that he still had joy through every step of the way. The young man couldn’t help but feel a few more tears drip from his eyes as a small sniffle ruptured from his nose; this made Zoroark nervous but N would easily calm her nerves by gently stroking her mane.
“D-Don’t worry, I’m okay, I promise,” N would whisper with a soft hum as he assured his partner with that soft smile plastered on his face, “I just…forget how it felt to let go of my worries for a while and just…smile…I honestly…really needed that…thank you Zoroark.”
Zoroark would smile and purr happily as she snuggled closer to her trainer after hearing what he had said. She felt relieved that she was able to bring that joy to someone she cared about so much, and no matter what they may face in the future, the two of them along with the rest of their friends would face it with light in their souls and smile on their faces. And should that light ever fade a little…well…she’d personally ensure that there is always a chance to bring that light back even brighter than before. Something that would hold true as Zoroark heard her trainer stammer a little as he stopped stroking her mane, making her look up to him with newfound curiosity.
“Y-You know,” N would find himself stuttering out as he’d look away, a small smile on his face as he did so, “I-I don’t see myself sleeping anytime soon because of that stunt you pulled…b-but if…if you wanted to continue I…maybe…wouldn’t mind a bit more–”
The young man wouldn’t need to say anything else before he found himself being tackled down to the ground once again, squealing out joyously as his partner would grant his wish for round two. It was then that N would come to realize just what made the bond between humanity and pokemon so special…and ironically enough…it was the very same thing that made the bond between him and Zoroark so strong.
It was trust…and he was forever grateful that he had hers…and she had his…
Shadow Milk was…stumped…and that in itself was a problem for many reasons. The cookie of deceit wasn’t one to be left puzzled, he was the one to do the puzzling onto others for crying out loud! And yet within a peaceful night spent with two other cookies, the beast found himself in a rather strange situation he had never faced before, or rather, he didn’t even think could exist in the first place. Shadow Milk had invited Pure Vanilla and White Lily to his spire to spend some quality time away from their heroic duties…an impromptu sleepover so to speak…and everything seemed to be going well. That was of course, until Shadow Milk would begin to feel a sense of…longing…within his jam…longing that would spark whenever he would gaze at either of his two newfound companions. He couldn’t make heads or tails as to what these new feelings were or even why he was feeling them in the first place, and yet he found himself slowly longing for…affection? Could he muster up the resilience to hide these newfound emotions that seem to fluster him to no end, or would the unexplainable cuteness of his two companions force a rather…playful side…of the cookie to reveal himself?~
How? How did he get so stumped?
“Shadow Milk?
How? How did he get caught off guard by someone so naive yet so…sweet?
“Are you listening, Shadow Milk?”
How? How was so…lucky…to be able to befriend the two most oblivious…selfless…stubborn…endearing–?
“Milly?”
That nickname was all it took to snap the heterochimic eyes of a certain cookie out of the trance they had found themselves in; a pair of eyes that were seemingly staring into space…or rather…staring at something more important than the current conversation being had with the other two cookies that were in the room with him.
The ditsy looking cerulean and cyan heterochromic eyes would belong to a cookie whose flour was that of a soft powdered blue. His sharp and glossy black and blue hair akin to a jester's hat would be flowing behind him…with eyes on its blue underside that were currently looking fairly ditsy as well. At the moment, the cookie looked to be wearing a rather simple yet comfortable outfit, which in of itself, would be a very strange thing to see when it comes to this particular jester. Such an outfit consisted of loose fitting dark blue sleep shirt that was patterned in black diamonds, with one diamond showing a bit of his midriff; along with a pair of black wool sleep pants that were patterned with blue stripes, matching well with the dark blue slippers he had on his feet. The final piece of clothing would be found within a silver broach that he connected to his shirt with his magic for comfort's sake; that broach in turn would house a cyan gem shaped like an ice cream cone, with a single opened eye to reveal the Light of Deceit.
If Shadow Milk Cookie was honest with himself, and he was always honest, don't let anyone tell you otherwise, he really should start putting more consideration into what he offers others before he offers it in the first place. A lesson that holds especially true in moments where he seems to be making a few new…discoveries…when it comes to his own emotions. Emotions that revolved around the two cookies that were currently sitting within his library a few inches away from him on a bundle of blankets and pillows that Shadow Milk himself had brought for this fairly…unexpected…occassion.
“Are you feeling okay Milly? You seemed to be lost in thought for a moment?” The cookie on Shadow Milk's left asked with a soft and concerned tone in his voice.
“Something tells me he didn’t hear a word of what we were talking about…or he was too busy scheming again~” The cookie on Shadow Milk’s right would chide lightheartedly with a little huff in her voice.
On Shadow Milk's left is a cookie with orange-tan dough sitting rather courteously on a big wafer pillow. Long and creamy blond hair would be neatly flowing behind the cookie’s back, relaxed and free due to the comfortable conditions of the library and the company he was present with. At the moment, he was wearing a silky vanilla colored night dress designed to look like that of a wafer cone; a pair of comfortable vanilla colored leggings and sandals making up the rest of the cookies attire for the night. His own heterochromic yellow and blue eyes would of course be closed…but the expression they gave showed that of concern when looking at the jester.
On Shadow Milk’s right however would be a cookie with pale brown dough that was sitting in a more laid back but polite manner on the green jellybean bag chair that sat on the blankets below her. She would be seen wearing a cozy looking mint green nightshirt with the silvery design of the fairy kingdom etched within its fabric; a matching long mint green night skirt and slippers. Her pure white hair would be seen braided to the side of her with what looked to be natural vines from earthbread itself…along with a few bandages wrapped around each of her hands…although not as many as usual. The cookies' dark fuchsia eyes would match the tone of lighthearted annoyance that she had with the jester when looking at him.
Shadow Milk would admit that the relationship that he had come to forge with Pure Vanilla Cookie and White Lily Cookie was…unique…to say the least…if unique was even the right word to say about it. Once upon a time; the Jester of Deceit did battle with the Heroes of Truth and Freedom, a faceoff that tested their beliefs and pushed their resolve to the limit. It was during this conflict that the beast would come to learn just how determined the two heroes were in what they stood for, and in turn, they’d help the jester understand how much the world had changed while he had been imprisoned. More importantly, it would be the Hero of Truth that helped the jester realize that he no longer had to feel alone in his internal struggles, wanting nothing more than to stand with him not as enemies…but as friends. To this day, Shadow Milk couldn’t understand just what the two heroes saw in him that would make them want to help him; and yet here he was, currently sitting with them in his personal library within the Spire of All Knowledge like they had known each other for years…which wasn’t really far from the truth now that the jester thought about it.
The day in itself was rather boring for the beast of deceit, all things considered, all he had been doing was checking off items in his monthly to-do list just to get it out of the way. Tidy up the spire, make sure Black Sapphire and Candy Apple were doing well, find out whether cake hounds are capable of speaking fluently like cookies, and of course play a few harmless pranks within each of the kingdoms of Crispia. It’s not like Shadow Milk despised taking care of these little errands of his, it kept him busy when he didn’t want to deal with a whole lot of nothing instead, he at least wanted something to shake up the normalcy a bit. How surprised he was to find the universe answering his call when he’d find himself in possession of a letter that had flown through one of the open windows of the spire, a letter from the Vanilla Kingdom no less! Pure Vanilla and White Lily wanted to take some time to relax and discuss their next steps in their travel across beast yeast and, within Pure Vanilla’s gentlehearted handwiring no less, requested an opportunity to commune with Shadow Milk as a means of gathering their thoughts while taking a much needed reprieve.
At first the jester was dumbfounded when he read the letter, he even went back to reread it a second and third time just to make sure he wasn’t seeing things; out of all the places those two heroes could go to so they could take a break, they chose his home to be where they would do so? It was in that moment that Shadow Milk felt…something…flipped inside of him like a switch that had been waiting to be turned on for millenia. Was it disbelief? Was it confusion? Was it excitement even? The jester didn’t really know what exactly that something was, what he was certain about however, was that he felt a bit giddier than he usually was. He’d quickly send a letter back to the Vanilla kingdom inviting the two heroes to his spire, even suggesting that they could sleep over if they so wished; and soon after that letter was sent, the jester would make quick work of preparing the spire for this unexpected sleepover. From gathering the coziest blankets and pillows he could find in the spire, snacks of plenty that he stored in his secret “Out of Candy Apple’s Grasp” reserve, and making sure they’d have all the time they needed to themselves; Shadow Milk made sure that nothing would ruin this night…which even surprised him…why was he putting so much effort for something as simple as a sleepover? It didn’t help that the moment Pure Vanilla and White Lily arrived at his spire for the sleepover, the usually eccentric and witty jester, found himself at a loss for words. All he could do was simply invite them inside as they’d spend time settling into the spire together, as Shadow Milk found himself getting lost in his own thoughts looking at the two cookies that seemed to vex him to no end.
Which brought the poor jester to the position he was in right now, caught red-handed as the two heroes looked at him with expressions of confusion and amusement plastered on their faces. Shadow Milk would stagger a little from where he was sitting before sitting up straight and looking towards White Lily Cookie with a feigned smile of understanding.
“N-Now that is just absolutely absurd! You’d think I’d be so oblivious as to let myself be distracted from such important conversation,” Shadow Milk tried to rebuttal as he cleared his throat, giving that signature giggle of a showman as he'd flip his hair with smug pride, “I’m honestly hurt dear Lily, of course I was paying attention to what we were talking about!”
White Lily would raise a brow before crossing her arms, not buying the jester’s lie for a second, as she’d give a smug smile of her own, “Really now? Then by all means, what exactly were we talking about, Shadow Milk?”
Shadow Milk would snicker as he’d cross his arms right back at Lily, “Oh that is simple, you were just…um…well…”
The cookie of deceit would find himself faltering mid sentence, attempting to piece together thoughts in his brain that didn’t revolve around how cute Pure Vanilla looked or how White Lily made him feel so giddy…wait why was he thinking about that in the first place?!
“You…um…were talking aboooout…how many steps it would take to get across the entirety of beast yeast on foooooooot…?” His answer would sound more like a question as that smug smile of his wavered a little after he finished speaking.
The hero of freedom would snort a little as she shook her head the moment she heard the jester’s answer. Pure Vanilla couldn’t help but raise a hand over his mouth as a small giggle escaped from his lips as well. The jester found himself blushing a little the moment he heard that giggle as he could practically feel his lively hair start to fizzle from pure emotion…how ironic.
“Well at least you were close, Wolfsbane~” Lily would respond as she uncrossed her arms and pointed towards a map that she had placed in front of her that depicted the entirety of the continent of Beast Yeast, “What we were discussing was how to easily traverse through the domains of the other beasts, along with finding the location of the fifth beast as well, don’t you remember?~”
“Or maybe,” Pure Vanilla would add with a small, and rather adorable, smug smile of his own as there was a bit of a teasing tone within his voice as he looked towards his counterpart with knowing eyes, “He was too busy paying attention to…let’s say…something else instead?~”
Shadow Milk would stammer from White Lily’s retort before his eyes widened from hearing what Pure Vanilla had said, looking at him directly with newfound fluster flushing the entirety of his face. Of course Vanilla would have figured him out before Lily! They were counterparts to each other for witches sake! The Hero of Truth had learned to practically see through the Jester of Deceit like he was an open book! Shadow Milk felt his jam start to bubble as he wondered just how much did Pure Vanilla figure out…was he onto how the jester was truly feeling…did he even understand what he was feeling more than the jester did? The beast would fidget a little from where he was sitting before he looked back towards Pure Vanilla, so what if he knew, all the jester had to do was play it cool and it’ll all be okay. He was good at acting; he was a jester, a showman for crying out loud, and he did it before with this adorable dork…this shouldn't be too hard to do…Right?
“Pffft! Oh r-right I knew that! I was totally paying attention to that!” Shadow Milk would retort while warbling with that signature clever tone of his, looking down at the map as a means to avoid contact with the small smile he knew that Pure Vanilla still had on his face, trying to keep to the topic on hand as a distraction, “Weeeeeell, if you wanted to f-figure that out, I may have a few maps that detail some of the safest routes between the domains of the beast stashed somewhere h-here…”
White Lily would perk up with curiosity as she looked towards the jester, noting how his tone changed rather quickly in the process, as a part of that smirk remained in the corner of her mouth, “Really? You charted out travel routes across the continent and just…had them stored here?”
Shadow Milk would look at the Hero of Freedom with a smile, slowly getting his groove back from that flustered episode, eyes closed as he put his hands on his hips in pride, “But of course! Don’t you know cartography pertains to knowledge, Silly Lily? Besides, how else would I be able to sneak into the other beasts’s domains constantly without being spotted?~”
“I thought you liked to be the center of attention?” White Lily would state with a deadpanned look in her eyes.
“Yeah, when it is fun to be so, knowing I would be getting what I want!” Shadow Milk would retort with a little huff as he turned his head away from her, “The main character always has to show up when the moment is important to them!”
Pure Vanilla found himself interjecting with a little giggle as he tilted his head towards his counterpart slowly putting two and two together from their previous meetings, “Is that why you’re always showing up in my kingdom whenever I’m not busy doing anything?~”
The jester would audibly wince as he’d open his eyes, faltering in his smug stance in the process, as his act of obliviousness was completely blown by that one sentence alone. He’d shoot a quick glare towards the pure hearted hero as he saw the little smirk that was on his face, he was practically toying with him at this point, and he probably knew that too! In that moment, Shadow Milk felt his body get wobbly just from looking at the two cookies; since when did he start to feel flustered from witty wordplay, he was the king of witty worldplay! What magic did these two sweet, dumb, pure, dorky cookies have that made him feel so…shy…he was feeling shy?! That’s it, Shadow Milk had to get out of there, he needed to escape the two cookies for a bit before he lost any more of his dignity!
“I-If you two don’t mind!” Shadow Milk would proclaim aloud before standing up from the bundle of pillows he was sitting on, beginning to walk away from the two other cookies who exchanged rather knowing smiles towards each other, “I’ll go see where I put those maps, it shouldn’t take long but you could never be too–”
Unfortunately for the jester, fluster-induced wobbly walking doesn’t pick favorites when it comes to choosing its victims, and not even the beast of trickery and deceit was safe from its wrath. For the moment Shadow Milk took a single step off of the blanketed floor, he’d find his foot landing on a rouge piece of paper, unaware of the fact he even stepped on it in the first place. It would only take a single second later for the jester’s legs to betray him as he felt himself slipping off of the paper and being launched a few inches into the air. Shadow Milk yelped aloud as he couldn’t stop himself from falling, not even capable of activating his levitation, closing his eyes as he braced for the moment his body would hit the floor. But instead of feeling the hard yet cushioned surface of the spire floor, the jester would feel himself landing on something softer…no not just softer something…squishier? Shadow Milk would slowly open his eyes to see what exactly he landed on, only to be met with the sight of being in an unexpected position, as a small giggle could be heard right above him with a teasing purr quick to follow.
“Mhmhmhm, well aren’t we being forward~”
Instead of landing on the floor of the spire when he fell, Shadow Milk would instead find himself landing right on the lap of a surprised Pure Vanilla Cookie, sitting between the hero's legs as he sat on the wafer pillow under him. The jester would squeak out as he saw the smile of adoration Pure Vanilla wore across his face as he’d attempt to make his way out of the hero’s lap. Shadow Milk’s mind was racing in that moment; unable to even form a coherent thought that didn’t have to do with how sweet Vanilla’s smile looked, how comfortable he felt on his lap, and how embarrassed he felt for being defeated by a mere piece of paper!
“U-Um! S-Sorry about that! I um…” Shadow Milk stammered out in an attempt to save his dough as a soft shade of blow began to glow on his cheeks while he attempted to get off of the hero’s lap, “I-I didn’t mean to trip up and falling for–I mean–falling on you…I-I’ll be sure to watch where I’m–”
The beast would find his sentence being cut short as he felt something, or rather, two somethings begin to slowly wrap around his torso. When looking down, the jester’s eyes would widen upon seeing just what exactly was wrapping around it; the culprit was none other than Pure Vanilla’s own arms, holding him in a soft hug that prevented the jester from moving away from his lap. Before Shadow Milk could say anything however, he’d feel himself being pulled closer into the hero’s embrace, leaning against Pure Vanilla’s chest as one of the hero’s eyes opened with a knowing look.
“You know,” Pure Vanilla would hum as traces of an impish tone could be heard through his words, making the jester’s hair stand on end, “I feel as though we aren’t really focused enough to continue on with discussing things further at the moment, especially when one of us is too distracted to watch where he is walking, don’t you think Lily?~”
“Agreed Vanilla,” White Lily would answer as she rolled up the map in front of her and put it to the side before getting up from her beanbag chair, slowly making her way towards the other two cookies with an equally impish tone beginning to grow in her voice, “In fact, I think we should take some time to relax and let ourselves have a little fun for a change, we can continue on discussion later on…after all…”
It would be then that Pure Vanilla and White Lily would look down towards the beast that sat between them, showing equal parts confusion and worry, as he’d start to realize just what exactly they were planning. Shadow Milk would look to see both cookies wearing a smile that he was very familiar with, a smile that would instill an ample amount of unique…fear…within him.
“...It seems that someone has been wanting some attention…rather than paying attention~” White Lily would finish with a little wink towards the shivering jester.
The way the blush on the Shadow Milk’s face went from a soft cyan to a deep azure could almost be seen as lightspeed the moment those words left the hero of freedom’s lips. It was in that moment that the jester could feel Pure Vanilla’s hands begin to slowly make their way towards his sides, sitting nice and still as if they were lying in wait for further instruction. At the same time; he could see White Lily move a pillow in front of the lower half of the jester’s body, sitting herself comfortably on it while her lands sat against her legs, her fingers seemingly twitching in excitement. Anticipation began to build within Shadow Milk as he quickly realized that he was trapped between two devilish monsters of his own creation…and now…he seemingly had no way of escape! He squirmed and wiggled as best as he could to release himself from Vanilla’s clutches, but his grip was surprisingly secure despite it being gentle and sweet, since when was he so strong?! The beast had no way out, no way of escape, no way to avoid what was about to happen, and yet despite how nervous he felt, a good part of him was starting to feel…excited about it.
“N-Now N-Nilly, Lily, I-I’m sure that w-we could do s-something else to pass some time,” Shadow Milk attempted to bargain as a wobbly smile threatened to grow from his already warbling lips as he spoke, looking to each of the smiling cookies in a flurry of flustered terror, “Th-There are plenty of other ways to H-Have fuhuhuhun than to resort to a-anything rahahash!”
Silence would follow after the jester made his attempt at peace…and yet…that silence would speak more than words could ever do. The Hero of Truth would look up towards the Hero of Freedom, who would give him a confident nod in turn, before they both looked back down to their newfound “center of attention” with sparkling eyes. And without any warning, the jester would feel the king’s fingers begin to lightly flutter along the middle of sides. Shadow Milk’s eyes would widen the moment that gentle touch would graze his dough as he’d elicit the sound the two heroes wanted to hear from him.
“G-Gyehehehemph! W-Wahahahahahahahahait!”
A stammered giggle would bubble up from the jester's lips as the reaction towards the hero’s gentle touch would be almost instant. There are very few things that the beast of deceit couldn’t get away with when it comes to lying, and unfortunately for him, one of those things was how ticklish he was. It wasn’t something he could easily hide either, one of the only “curses” that came with choosing to be a jester, as his love of laughter and chaos was pretty much a dead giveaway to the fact that he’d have close familiarity with tickling. Shadow Milk's fellow beast had known of this fact for the countless millenia they have known each other, and have had their fair share of teasing him about it, but no one could ever match his resonance to tickling than Vanilla and Lily had. From the moment they had both discovered his little secret, it was like it triggered a hidden side that he never imagined either of them having; well he did imagine it once or twice and have seen it as well, but he still couldn’t believe in nonetheless. The two heroes would not only confide their own resonance with the playful method of affection to the jester, but they’d even indulge in it with him as a means of bonding together to each other after everything that had happened. And right now, it seemed as though the two heroes wanted nothing more to see the jester crumble into giggling crumbs after how he’d been acting during the entirety of the sleepover.
“D’aaaw listen to that little giggle of yours, Milly~” Pure Vanilla would coo out as he’d direct his fingers to move slowly up and down Shadow Milk’s sides as he continued to skitter along the protected spot, snuggling him close as the hero kept his voice at a hushed whisper, “I’ll admit that I missed hearing your laugh a bit since our last visit, it’s nice to be able to listen to it now. I think we can both agree on that, can’t we?~”
Shadow Milk would shake his head as he’d continue to succumb to the gentle touches of the hero's devilish fingers. Even with part of his shirt protecting his bare dough, the jester’s raw sensitivity was potent enough to make it feel like it didn’t even matter, which made those gentle flutters even worse! It didn’t help that he was shifting between the covered zones of his side and the more revealing zones around his midriff at random intervals. Every trace, every graze, every brush of Vanilla’s fingers felt like electricity coursing through the entirety of the jester’s body; even his hair was fizzling between a solid and a liquid, its eyes showing mixed emotions of nervousness, surprise, even joy. Shadow Milk would scrunch and squirm in his counterpart’s grasp, unable to stop the flurry of giggles from flowing from his lips with surprising ease…but not too surprising…if you were either of the three cookies.
“Ihihihihihihihi-It’s nohohohohohohot ahahahahahahahahall thahahahahat sp-spehehehehehehahahaha-special!” The jester retorted through his giggling while trying to shoot a glare at Pure Vanilla, but failing fairly quickly as his wobbly smile easily overtook the “annoyance” he was trying to portray, “C-Cuhuhuhuhuhuhuhut ihihihihit ohohoho-out Nihihihihihilly! G-Gehehehehehet yohohohohour hahahahahahahands ohohohohohoff mehahaahahahahahai sihihihihihihihihides!”
Pure Vanilla and White Lily would exchange a dramatic gasp as they both looked towards the giggling jester with very "disappointing" looks on their faces. The Hero of Truth would even show his disappointment further as he moved his hands up from the jester’s sides. He’d then very quickly begin to skitter his fingers up and down the beast’s ribs, along with the zones between each of his ribs, ensuring each and every prod of his fingers was delicate enough to ensure the best results. Shadow Milk would yelp and squirm against Pure Vanilla’s chest with a torrent of bubblier laughter as the king looked down at him with an impish smile.
“Nonesense! Your laughter is one of the sweetest sounds I’ve ever heard, to say that it is nothing special is criminal in my mind,” Pure Vanilla replied sweetly as he’d nuzzle the jester’s cheek a little, resulting in a brighter blush from the jester in turn, before looking up to White Lily Cookie with a wink, “So criminal in fact, that I think ample punishment is necessary to prove out little jester here otherwise, agreed Lily?~”
“You’re exactly right, Nilly,” White Lily would happily reply, borrowing the jester’s little nickname for the king, as she’d begin to slowly lean towards the beast as her hands slowly approached him in a teasing threat, “And luckily, I know just how to punish the jester to make sure he learns his lesson properly~”
Before Shadow Milk had a chance to get a word in, the hero of freedom would gently place her hands at the middle of the jester’s thighs. The jester would then find himself squealing a little as he felt White Lily begin to gently squeeze up and down the dough of his thighs in a torturously slow rhythm. Unlike Pure Vanilla’s devilish fingers, that were gentle and sweet in their attack; White Lily’s was precise and potent, making sure to take full advantage of the poor jester's sensitivity. This method worked best on squishier parts of Shadow Milk’s dough, like his thighs, and the hero of freedom knew the best ways to make sure that it elicited the reaction she wanted…just as it did right now.
“GYAHEHEHEH-Hehehehehahahahhahahaha nohohohohohohahahahahaha nahahahahahahaht yohohoho-YOHOHOHOU TOHOHOHO-hohohohohoh!” Shadow Milk would squeal out as his legs would twitch and shake from the newfound attack against them, it was a good thing Pure Vanilla made the effort to drape his legs over the jester’s to make sure they didn’t go anywhere as he’d look towards the sage with squinted eyes, “Whahahaha-Whahahat did I dohohohohoho-HAHAHAHAHA tohohohohoho deheheheseheheheheherve THIHIHIHIHIHIHIS ohohohohohoho gohohohohohohohohosh!”
Pure Vanilla and White Lily would both snicker at the question as Lily would look towards the jester with a playful smile, “You seriously didn’t think we’d notice how head over heels you were acting during the entirety of the night, me and Nilly here both know that you aren’t ever that clumsy on any normal day~”
“In all honesty, your letter was the first giveaway when it came to how excited you were about this sleepover, Milly,” Pure Vanilla would add as he’d open both of his eyes to gaze at Shadow Milk with unconditional adoration as he’d continue to skitter along the jester’s ribs, “It’s probably been a long time since you were able to even have downtime like this, so as your friends, we wanted to spend our downtime giving what you had been missing out on. Besides, we couldn’t really resist tickling you after seeing how cute you were being clumsy~”
“Besides,” White Lily would conclude with a little wink as she looked down to the jester’s choice of clothing for this specific night, “You picked a rather interesting outfit to wear tonight out of all nights just for this specific occasion~”
“IHIHIHIHIHIHIT Wahahahahahahahas puhuhuhuhuhuhurely cohohohoincidehehehehent-AHAHAHAHAL!” Shadow Milk protested as the blush on his face spoke of pure fluster and denial…while the hearts forming in the eyes of his hair spoke a very different story, “IHIHIHIHI Dihihihihihidn’t dohohohohohoho ihihihihihiht ohohohoh-OHOHOHON Puhuhuhuhuhur–eheheheheheep–purpohohohohohose!
“Maybe not,” Pure Vanilla would hum before nuzzling into the base of the jester’s cheek, “But something tells me you wouldn’t have minded if we gave you a good bit of attention anyways~”
Shadow Milk couldn’t help but whine the moment he heard the devilish remark of his counterpart, closing his eyes out of pure fluster; not over the fact of him saying it, but over the fact that his counterpart was completely right. The jester couldn’t explain it, but ever since he’d come to form these bonds with Pure Vanilla and White Lily, there was something within him that started to resurface that he thought was lost forever. Memories that had laid dormant within his mind that existed long before he had been sealed in the tree, memories that he had treasured so dearly before tragedy would turn his life around in the worst of ways. And yet as the two heroes tickled him silly, as the two heroes saw the jester not as a beast but as a friend they sincerely care about, he could feel it returning; something that he missed for so so long. It was that very same thing that had perplexed the jester throughout the entirety of the day…it was belonging…and after so long he felt like truly belonged within the earthbread he resided on. And so; the jester would accept the affection and care that his two friends wanted to show him, and in turn, make it even “worse” for himself in the process.
“EHEHEHEHAHAHAHA! C-Cohohohohohohome ohohohohohon! Ihihihihihihihis thahaha-AHAHAHAH-ahahahat ahahahahahall yohohohohou gohohohohohot!” Shadow Milk would squeak out between bouts of giggly laughter as he glared at the two heroes in playful challenge, “Ihihihihihihi thohohohoho-OHOHOHOHOUGHT thehehehehe heheheheherohohohohoes weheheheheres suhuhuhuhuppohohohoed tohohohoho behehehehe mihihihihightieheheheheheher thahahahan thihihihihihihis!”
Pure Vanilla and White Lily would halt their attack the moment those words came from the jester’s mouth, as they were taken aback by the sudden change in his mood, giving Shadow Milk a chance to catch his breath while he could. The two heroes would look towards each other for a moment before slowly looking back down to the huffing jester before them. A mixture of curiosity and giddiness festered within their smiles as they began to shift their positions as they spoke in sweetly devilish tones towards the jester.
“You sure about that, bluebird?~” Vanilla would ask as he’d move his hands towards the jester’s defenseless belly.
“P-Pohohoho-Positive! Y-You two g-got nothing on me!” Shadow Milk would answer as he’d felt his belly shiver from that simple touch alone, but still remained strong in his statement!
“Is that right? You really think we aren’t mighty, Wolfsbane?~” White Lily would add as she’d raise one of the jester’s ankles onto her lap, slowly slipping off his slipper and letting it fall to the floor to reveal the foot hidden underneath.
“A-Absolutely, I’m certain I c-cohohohould tahahahake anything you dish out!” Shadow Milk would enforce as he'd curled his clawed toes when he saw Lily’s fingers getting dangerously close.
Shadow Milk was readying himself for the two heroes to let him have it, preparing to laugh himself silly for the rest of the night, closing his eyes as he braced for the inevitable. But it would be in that moment that the two heroes would do something that would prove to be the jester’s demise.
“I don’t know,” Pure Vanilla would purr as he kept his hands completely still on Shadow Milk’s belly, “I don’t think he’ll be able to take it~”
Oh no…
“You know, you might be right,” White Lily would add with a smirk as she’d let her fingers trace the air inches away from the jester’s scrunching sole, “I think he’d just crumble to pieces if we really got him good~”
No, don't make him wait…
“He’d probably be too ticklish to even handle it,” Pure Vanilla would continue as he’d use a single finger to trace along the middle of the jester’s belly slowly, leaving him a shivering squeaking mess without even truly touching him.
Come on, he didn’t want to wait…
“Perhaps it’s best to call it quits while we’re ahead,” White Lily would conclude as she’d slowly inch her fingers away from the jester’s foot as she gave a knowing look towards her fellow hero.
He wasn’t gonna be able to handle leaving it be! He wanted it now! He…
“Maybe we should, after all,” Pure Vanilla agreed as he’d share that same look towards Lily while eyeing the blushing jester with a playful smirk from the corners of his lips, “it wouldn’t be fair if we went ahead with it without even considering–”
Oh that does it!
“Oh for Witches sake!” Shadow Milk shouted with flustered confidence as the eyes within his hair even looked alarmed by the sudden bout of bravery from their master, “I can’t stand the wait! Just please tickle me already!”
The two heroes' eyes would alight with glee the moment they heard what they were waiting for from their dear friend. They would both giggle at seeing the flustered jester with devilish smiles as they’d each give their own separate winks before speaking together.
“As you wish, Silly Milly~”
Without further delay, the two heroes would give the jester exactly what they wanted, and strike as one.
Pure Vanilla would let all of his fingers begin to tickle rapidly along the middle of the jester’s belly, with each of his hands going at different patterns to keep him guessing. The king’s left hand would move around the middle of the jester’s belly in slow circles as all his fingers skittered at a playfully unpredictable rhythm, every poke sending ticklish shockwaves through the jester’s body. The king’s right hand would focus its efforts along the jester’s navel, using a single finger to trace along the rim of his button before giving a few pokes within it in an impish pattern.
White Lily would hold the jester’s foot still with one hand as she’d direct her attack with her other hand. Using two of her fingers, the sage would begin to quickly flutter up and down the defenseless sole of the jester’s foot. Even when the beast would scrunch and squirm his foot, the sage would keep pace, as she’d move her free hand up and down the jester’s foot as she continued to flutter along his sole.
Shadow Milk, simply put, was done for…
“EEEEYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH OHOHOHOHOHOHOH CRUHUHUHUHUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAMBS!” The jester squealed as he’d lean his head against the king’s chest as unrestrained bubbly laughter erupted from his lips, “WAHAHAHA-WAIT WAIT WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAIT THAHAHAHAHAH-THAT TIHIHIHIHIHICKLEHEHEHEHEHEHES SOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO MUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUHUCH!”
It was absolutely maddening! Each of the two heroes was a menace in their own right, but when they worked together, they were a mirthful force to be reckoned with! It felt like lighting was coursing through the entirety of Shadow Milk’s body as the ticklish sensations sparked against each other again and again, leaving him no room to even get used to either of the heroes methods of attack. Every time he tried to suck in his sensitive belly, the jester’s laughter would let it buck up into the Pure Vanillas waiting fingers; and every time he tried to move his foot away, White Lily’s fingers wouldn’t be far behind to continue their devilish attack on his sole. All poor Shadow Milk could do was squeal, squeak, squirm, and laugh as the two heroes tickled him to his wits end…and if the jester was honest…he was loving every single second of it.
“Awwwwww, listen to my bluebird sing,” Pure Vanilla cooed as he’d lean close to the jester, giving him no warning as he’d blow a few small raspberries along the base of his neck, eliciting a few more squeaks from the jester as he’d look to him with those adoring eyes, “Such a wonderful melody your laughter brings, my dear, I could never get enough of it~”
“EHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA IHIHI-I’M GLAHAHAHAHAHAD YOHOHOHOHOU LIHIHIHIHIKE IHIHIHIHIHIT!~” Shadow Milk yelped out as he’d fought his instinct to not scrunch his neck from the playful raspberries from his counterpart, he didn’t want to hurt him, plus they were really sweet.
“Looks like you were able to handle our best,” White Lily would tease as she’d trace her finger up towards the jester’s clawed toes before going back down to skitter all of her fingers along his sole, “Are you enjoying your treatment, dear Wolfsbane?~”
“MOHOHOHOHO-MORE THAHAHAHAHAHAN YOHOHOHOHOU KNOHOHOHOHOW!~” Shadow Milk answered happily, closing his eyes as tears of mirth swelled, the eyes along his hair practically sparkling with hearts.
Pure Vanilla and White Lily would giggle as they continued on tending to their favorite jester, feeling a gentle warmth alighting within their jam. Despite everything that has happened between the three of them, the two heroes wanted nothing more than to show the beast of deceit that he no longer had to feel alone, that the world had forgotten him or taken him for granted. They wanted him to realize that he was more than just his title or status, just as how the two of them care little for their own labels, and to be able to be the friends that he wanted for so long. No matter what may come, they will always be there for him whenever he may need it, just as they know now that he would be there for them. And if he’d ever find himself needing a little pick-me-up, the two heroes would be more than happy to provide the merriment that he wanted. Although there was a time where one could take so much merriment, and for Shadow Milk, he found himself getting to that point fairly quickly. And soon the jester had no choice but deciding it was time to throw in the towel.
“EYAHAHAHAHAHAH OHOHOHOHOKAHAHAHAHAY OHOHOHOHOHOHOKAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAY!” Shadow Milk blurted out as he’d shake his head out of pure instinct, bucking and squirming as those tears began to trickle down his cheeks, “IHIHIHIHI GIHIHIHIHIVE, IHIHIHIHIHIHI GIHIHIHIHIHIHIVE, N-NIHIHIHIGHTSHAHAHAHAHAHADE, B-BLUHUHUHUHUHUHUEJAHAHAHAHAHAHAY!”
Pure Vanilla and White Lily would perk up the moment they heard their respective magic words, realizing that their jester needed to breathe, and decided it was time to truly call it quits. Pure Vanilla would slow down his skittering fingers until he came to a complete stop, keeping his hands on the jester’s belly as he’d move his face away from the jester’s neck. White Lily would ease up the fluttering along the jester’s sole before coming to a complete stop as well, gently lowering his ankle from her lap as she’d then look at the jester. Both of the heroes showing concern and care in their faces as they’d check up on their close companion.
“Are you okay, Milly?” Pure Vanilla would ask softly as he’d begin to gently rub the jester’s belly as a means to soothe him from any phantom sense he may have, “We didn’t go too far did we?”
“Make sure to breathe slowly,” White Lily guided gently as she’d move a hand over to rub the jester’s leg, her eyes softening into a compassionate gaze, “We’re here Wolfsbane, you did absolutely amazing.”
Shadow Milk found himself flopping back against Pure Vanilla’s chest as he’d feel the tickling slow to a stop. Large huffs of air escaped his lips as he could practically feel how warm his jam felt by how bright his blush was even after the tickling was over. His body still tingled from the phantom touches that traced along his sensitive zones; his stomach would heave as he felt the gentle rubbing along his belly by the king, he would scoop his slipper up with his foot in order to cover it up while it continued to tingle. Small giggles would continue to flutter out of the jester’s lips as he’d slowly but surely regain his composure. He couldn’t help but purr a little as he’d felt the gentle rubbing as he’d look towards Pure Vanilla and White Lily respectively with a gentle smile on his lips and small tears of mirth in his eyes. The eyes on the jester's hair sparkling happily to show just how grateful he truly felt.
“Ahahahare you k-kihihihidding, it was you guys whohoho did amahahazing,” Shadow Milk answered as he’d scooted himself off of Pure Vanilla’s lap, which the king happily allowed him to as he’d stretch out with a little stumble before giggling happily, “Thahahat was the most fun I had all month…you two really…really are something…and I couldn’t be any more happy because of it…”
The two heroes would smile warmly after hearing what the jester had said, closing their eyes as the same sentiment resonated within their jam, truly happy to be able to spend time with a new friend they care about deeply.
“However…I don’t think I can let something like this go…unrepaid~”
Vanilla and Lily would open their eyes in confusion as to what Shadow Milk was talking about, that was of course, until they saw him raise a hand to snap his fingers. Before the two heroes could even react, Vanilla and Lilly would feel puppet strings materialize around each of them; and in no time at all, they’d wrap around each of their wrist and direct them towards two respective beanbag chairs. Both heroes would squirm with newfound concern as the strings would raise their arms up until they held them still over each of their heads, rendering them utterly defenseless to the jester who’d turn around to look at them with an impish smile of his own.
“N-Now M-Milly, I-I thought that you were the one who wanted attention,” Pure Vanilla would squeak out with open eyes as he’d find himself squirming a little, knowing well there was no true way out of this predicament, but it still didn’t hurt to try, “Y-You don’t have to drastic n-now!”
“I-If you’re at least going to do what I think you’re about to do,” White Lily would stammer as a soft blush began to glow on her face before nudging her head towards her fellow hero, “ At least start with Pure Vanilla, he was the one who suggested we get you!”
“Hey!” Pure Vanilla would retort as a blush of his own would soon glow on his face
Shadow Milk simply giggled that signature impish giggle of his as he looked to his two closest friends as he’d begin to walk closer to his two new victims. He would forever be grateful that the two of them were able to bring him into the light and give him something he had missed so much…and he was going to make sure to repay that kindness with every chance he got.
“Now, Now, Now, let’s not point fingers my dearest heroes, after all–” Shadow Milk would declare before raising his hands towards the two friends and wiggled his fingers with an impish wink, “–You both are gonna be in for a long night of vengeance~”
From that moment on; a duet of squeals, squeaks, and mirthful laughter would ring out from the Spire of All Knowledge as the jester of deceit kept his word towards the two heroes he held close to his heart. Even if they really didn’t get back to discussing information and just spent the rest of the night laughing and enjoying each other's company, it wouldn't really matter. They knew they had all the time in the world…and they were gonna make sure to relish every single second of it.
Time for a prescribed does of Mirth Muses to drop for the day, this one we're delving into a more supernatural line of thought I had for this one, spooky cute mischievousness in a rather adrenaline-filling way, this might be a bit of a longer one...but I think it'll be worth it in the end...
It seemed like a simple job at first, this manor rumored to be haunted with stray spirits that seemed to influence the aura of the manor itself. You lead a small group of ghost hunts, four at most, along with yourself to see if the rumors upon this haunted abode were true. Urban legends spoke that during the darkest of nights, gentle melodies of laughter and squeals seemed to erupt from this foreboding place, like an endless party was being held despite being desolate as can be. When you and your group enter this abode from its large twin doors, the atmosphere is...quiet...still...yet not malevolent. The manor looked to be well kept, as if it were being prepared to be sold off by a well esteemed housing agent than abandoned to time. You'd lead your group into what you assumed to be the main living room, although, seems as though one of them decided to look elsewhere before you gave a word. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, even the gear you brought showed no signs of spectral occurrence, though the place in itself still seemed strange. You then decided to check each of the guest rooms with the remainder of the group that was with you; one room, two rooms, three rooms, all of them looked empty...but...why weren't two of the people in your group with you anymore. It was then that suspicion began to fester within your mind, something wasn't right, and the only person left in your group sensed it too. It was then that something sparked within your pocket, the spirit box you brought on this expedition, it now was beginning to hum with newfound life as it rested in your hand. Your attention was too far gone to realize that the last member of your group had vanished before you had a chance to look back up to see them. There you were, alone, yet now you know you weren't truly alone...as the spirit box finally spoke to you...in laughter...laughter that sounded close.
You'd run towards the direction in where the laughter came from, one of the first guest rooms you check. Their you saw the member of your ghost hunting crew that vanished in front of you, and while unharmed, was still caught in supernatural grasps. There they laid on the lavish bed of the guest room, ankles and wrist gently tied and stretched by the very bedsheets themselves; squealing with bubbly giggles as their shirt seemed to have been pulled up to reveal their taut tummy, being brushed in slow, long circles by a floating makeup brush. And if you squinted your eyes just enought, you could have sworn you saw the image of an esteemed looking noblewoman holding the brush in her hand while she held a mischevious smile on her face
More Laughter from the box would then garner your attention from the flustering sight, as you found yourself forcing down the blush on your face in order to find your other companions. It was then that you'd find yourself within what seemed to be the library of the manor, where two more of your companion. Their they sat on two large plush seats with well designed lavish footstools; bound with the softest of silks on their wrist held above their heads, while their ankles seemed to be held in place by some unknowable force upon the stools. From there you can see writing quills of an assortment of shapes and colors dive upon their poor trapped forms; feathers dusting along their sides and bellies and underarms, while their soles were laid bare and at the mercy of ink drawn upon their feet. The images of wisp-like specter's catching your sight for just a moment as two esteemed-looking authors seemed to be narrating their own mirthful stories with the help of your two companions.
The box would ring out with new laughter one more time as you'd let it guide you to what you hoped was your final companion safe and sound...but...you couldn't shake the feeling you were being followed. A presence that seemed to draw closer and closer as you walk...then jog...then run to where the laughter seemed to come from...but it never faltered...never strayed...just kept getting closer and closer. Until at last you make it to what looked to be the main party room of this manor...a lavish place...that seemed to have found it's new centerpiece. Their your companion stood, floating above the ground, safely held in the grasp of spectral energy; their arms above their head, legs stretched out softly, shirt risen to show their torso, and their shoes and socks removed. An assortment of items looked to lavish every single inch of ticklish skin they could find upon your companion; feathers teased and sawed between toes and soles, paint brushes traced along sides and ribs, a feathery boa brushing and tease their next, and a large duster playing with their belly. They'd laugh and squeal and squeak with a wide blushing smile on their face...and yet...they seemed not to be in any danger. In fact, not a single one of your companions looked in any peril in the slightest...they all seemed...happy.
It was then that you'd find yourself being welcomed to the sight of the truth of the manor, as your eyes would catch an assortment of spirits within the party room. Nobility, musicians, artist, commonfolk, all within the party sharing in each others company, laughter ringing out between themselves and through your group through one shared cause...tickling. A cause that seemed to carry with the person who had been following you, for as you turned around, you'd see the sight of a large spectral Nobleman. Tall and foreboding...yet...gentle and playful, as he'd give a soft impish smile while slowly brandishing a long feather to "float" in his hand. They'd be sure to let you and your group go once they had your fill, but the voice from the spirit box would give you all the meaning to what they intend to do with you too...
"I hope you don't plan on leaving now, for the party has just begun~"
The road of redemption is never easy, for it is a road that is filled with heavy burdens. The actions of one's past can catch up to their present, and one way or another, they must face their consequences regardless of their outcomes. This was the truth that Silent Salt Cookie knew too well, for even Solidarity cannot exist without Regret being close behind. After seeing the truth of his mission in a new light, the reborn beast sought solace in an isolated garden in the stronghold of silence. Silent no longer, the lord commander felt the anger he had suffered through for thousands of years turn into grief, remorse over his past now resurfacing just as he had. It was in those moments of remorse that the renewed Hero of Freedom would find her newfound companion on his lonesome, wishing that she knew of a way to help him through his burdens and accept the change that is possible to make. It would only be then that the Soul Jam’s power will alight within White Lily Cookie once more, and through the help of vision from the past, the Hero of Freedom will restore the delight within the Beast of Silence that he didn’t know he needed~
WARNING: Story will contain
Grief
Loss
Combat
Their is Good Fluff Here I promise
Time…it is a fickle thing…one that holds as much mystery as it holds dominion over all living beings. It inscribes the deeds of one's past, oversees the actions of one’s present, and awaits one’s unknown within the future. And through time, memory itself is born, as those moments across seconds and minutes hold lasting effects on one’s self; whether it be physically, or emotionally. Some memories can hold hope and merriment within their echoes, carrying joy that someone can hold so close to their heart, reminding them of the good that can always be seen within the world. While other memories can hold sorrow and regret, as their reflections depict the struggles that someone had to face through their darkest hours, and embody the demons they housed within. As time moves forward, such memories find themselves either forgotten by the world…or even more so…remembered in someone's most pivotal moments, such would be the case for one cookie…who has found themselves at the mercy of time once more.
“Despite the millennia that have passed since that fateful day…this place…it is as if it had been frozen in time within a picture…”
Those were first words that would come from the cookie returned to the world by fate, as he takes his first steps into a place he had not been in for a long time. Within the stronghold found among the Land of Silence, the bastion and home of the order of blades once known as the Knights of Kala Namak, a lone refuge sat unknown to all except for that one cookie. This refuge was in fact a garden, not very large by any means, but was still rather sizable for the quaint and peaceful presence it radiated. Within this garden, a number of plots and planters were scattered amongst the cobble and obsidian flooring that surrounded this refuge; with these areas housing plants one could find within the Faerie Kingdom, as trees of silver and obsidian would be seen hanging its dropped branches overhead. A small river would be seen constructed within the far end of the garden, its calm waters streaming down its predetermined path, as lily pads radiating flowers of pure light drifted within its flow. A few small benches of pure silver craftsmanship would be seen scattered amongst the garden, with one particular bench looking a bit larger than the others; this bench could almost be seen as a couch, as soft white and silver cushions were affixed upon it with cobalt silk drapes was set neatly upon it, untouched even by the world itself. It was this particular bench where the sentimental cookie would find himself walking towards, placing a gentle hand along the cool surface of one of its arms.
“And yet…a part of me is glad…that this place was spared a cruel fate…”
The cookie in question was a rather fit tall figure, whose imposing presence severely contradicts the honorable disposition he holds. Normally this cookie would be seen clad in his signature obsidian armor, but within this rare moment, he wore a more informal outfit that showed him in full light. While his dough carried a ghost white color that seemed worn and crumbled, it was in fact very well kept, as youthful and healthy as it had been in days long since passed. The cookie's hair however was rather…unique to say the least; for instead of a normal head of icing hair…his ponytail styled locks carried an almost spectral nature…as dark gray wisp flowed softly over his shoulders. At the moment, the cookie could be seen wearing a rather comfortable yet simple outfit during his time of solace. Such an outfit consisted of a matching tunic shirt and chausse pants that held a deep grey color, with violet lines etched across the sides of both pieces of clothing in a simple pattern. A pair of black loafers would be worn on the cookie’s shoes whose steps were as soundless as the air around him, with matching black socks to match. Across the chest of the cookie’s tunic however, would sit something that almost seemed to be engraved into the very cookie’s body itself, though truthfully was only worn as a crest over his shirt. That something would be a gem-like sigil that carried the shape of an upside down fork, whose glowing color was as black as the night itself. A single grey scar would be seen across the left side of the cookie’s face, as amethyst colored eyes looked towards the bench with both recollection…and regret.
Once upon a time, this cookie was known as the Salt of Solidarity, a name that was both renowned and feared across all of Beast Yeast. This cookie's mission was noble just as his heart was kind, wishing for nothing more than the freedom and happiness for all of cookiekind; that power and choice was not reserved for the few, but was something easily obtained for the many. With the Knights of Kala Namak under his banner, the Lord Commander would let the virtue of which he represented resound throughout the continent; allowing the message of solidarity be one that doesn't just represent the united belief of a better world, but be seen as a calling for cookies to lend their aid to one another in order to make such a world a reality. Through his unwavering belief and steadfast conviction, the Salt of Solidarity would travel across the world, seeking knowledge that could bring about the world he dreamed of. It was through this journey that led the commander to a kingdom that would not only house the answers he sought…but in turn…a friend that he could share such a vision with. With the support of the faeries and the pride of his order; the Salt of Solidarity believed that his vision of a liberated world, free from godly power and dominion, would finally be realized. Alas, the Lord Commander would be a victim of betrayal the likes of which he’d never believed possible; blinded by the corruptions of destruction, sloth, apathy, and deceit, these distorted forces pointed their blades towards all that he built. With his order destroyed, his beliefs shaken, and conviction shattered…the once renowned commander…would become a demon that made all who had wronged him fall to silence. And in the end, the cookie known as the Salt of Solidarity would make the ultimate sacrifice; sealing himself and his fellow beast away with silver forks, with the hope that the tree his friend had cultivated would become the beacon of hope for cookiekind to thrive despite their mistakes.
Now, after all these years, Silent Salt Cookie found himself walking upon Earthbread once again. Roused from a heinous act, the Lord Commander felt as though he awakened in an unfamiliar world. So much has passed…much more than he may even know…and that alone brought a heavy sense of surreality to the cookie. And despite what he had faced during his reawakening, learning that the world can indeed change for the better, the guarded cookie couldn’t truly erase the ghosts of his past. It was for this reason why he found himself stepping into this garden again after so long, through all the commotion found within the stronghold, it was this refuge where Silent Salt felt as though he could find true peace from his own burdens. Yet even as he heard the gentle ripples of the river, the calming wind through the trees, and the gentle cold of the bench…the Lord Commander couldn’t help but feel himself swell with sorrow.
“So much has changed, the world itself doesn’t feel like the one I once knew,” Silent Salt whispered as he looked down to the bench, rubbing his thumb across its silver surface as if he were talking to it, “I cannot help but think what would have happened if our plan didn’t work, and what you had to face ever since that day, I could only imagine the trouble I brought you because of our grievous mistakes…”
As he talked, Silent Salt felt the memories of bygone days drift within the throes of his mind. From campaigns filled with merriment and pride alongside his knights, to camaraderie that grew within the cookies who found themselves under his protection, and to the friend that had guided and supported his dream since the moment they met. The stoic cookie’s hand shook before he gripped the arm of the bench a little tighter as the silence of the garden was taking a hold on his grief.
“Yet you never wavered in your vigil, ensuring that the chaos that once infected us would not wrought the world once again, up until your final breath…” Silent Salt continued, as his mumbled tone held a shaky hitch in breath as he looked towards one of the silver trees that hung over the bench, “If I hadn’t been so careless in believing my comrades wouldn’t be corrupted…handn’t I been blind to the idea that the world could change…then this needless sacrifice wouldn’t have needed to be made…”
Silent Salt would close his eyes for a moment, steadying his breath as the brisk wind brushed against his face, easing his sorrow if only for a moment.
“I only hope that you could forgive me…” He’d finish, his words not even loud enough for the leaves to catch their sound, “…wherever you are…for what this fool has made you suffer through…”
The garden was still for a moment once those words were said, the trickling water being the only sound reverberating through this secluded domain. That was of course, until a gentle rustle stirred the stoic cookie’s attention towards the garden’s entrance. Turning his head rather quickly, Silent Salt would see the figure that had found their way to this hidden refuge. And in truth, the stoic cookie had a lingering feeling that she would have discovered this place some way…or rather…one specific way.
“I…I’m sorry if I’m intruding,” A gentle voice spoke from the garden’s entrance, stepping into the open in order to avoid any alarm from her arrival, “I did not think that the Soul Jam’s light would have the flowers lead me here…”
The voice would belong to a cookie who Silent Salt had just recently met, and yet, felt as though was a cookie he had known for a very long time. She was slightly shorter in height in comparison to Silent Salt Cookie, though was still partially tall all things considered. Her dough was that of a soft pale brown color that seemed to blend well with her snow white hair…although at closer glance…the ends of the long braid of her messy locks would show small grey burnt marks scared along it. The cookie was wearing her signature attire; consisting of a grassy green sleeveless dress that was donned under a dark green cape. A pair of white slippers clicked under the obsidian flooring within the garden, though such shoes couldn’t usually be seen due to her dress. Within one of the cookie’s hands lay a staff; green in color as vines twisted along its length until meeting as leaves with the faded white calla lily as its head, and at this head, the emerald gem-like sigil shaped like a rightside up fork sat with a gentle glow. Ruby red eyes would look towards the stoic cookie of silence with concern before hearing a gentle sigh escape his throat, relaxing his vigilance at the sight of the familiar face.
“It is nothing to fret over, I had the impression that your connection with nature would lead you to the flora of this garden,” Silent Salt assured, giving a gentle nod of understanding towards his unexpected visitor, “Though I would have also assumed that the Soul Jam would have guided you to me, and knowing your curiosity, you would have followed it without hesitation, O Freedom.”
The Hero of Freedom, White Lily Cookie, would breathe a sigh of relief upon hearing Silent Salt’s words. Infamous as she was amongst earthbread, it would be an injustice to say that this gentlehearted cookie hadn’t atoned for her own sins through the actions of her current adventures. It hadn’t been long since the Hero of Freedom clashed with the Devil of Silence, a test of ideals and convictions between the two wielders of the Light of Freedom. It was Silent Salt that forced White Lily to confront her darkness, and in turn, helped her understand what true freedom meant for oneself. It was through her awakening that the two cookies would find a mutual understanding, aligning in the hopes of stopping the enchantress that threatens not just the other beasts but cookiekind itself. It did take a while for White Lily to convince Silent Salt that the other beasts could atone just as he had, and while he still had his doubts, decided to put his trust in the answer that he sought for so long. Though right now, it seemed as though something else brought the hero to his garden, as she’d set her staff against one of the tree trunks beside her.
“T-There is no need for such formalities,” White Lily assured with a soft stammer, giving a sheepish smile as she rubbed one of her arms while walking up to the knight, “If I’m being honest I…never really was one to follow through with…noble etiquette…”
Silent Salt’s eyes squinted a little, for the renewed hero she became, White Lily still seemed to carry that self-conscious scholar that he viewed she was in her past; though he would wave the thought off while clearing his throat as he looked to her, “Of course, I wouldn’t wish to force such decorum upon you, what has brought you to this garden then?”
The hero would perk back up at the question, shaking off her nervousness as she stepped beside the knight as she looked out towards the garden, “To put it simply, the Soul Jam did, I don’t know what it was but it seemed to sense something troubling…so I followed it through the flowers and well…it brought me here,” White Lily explained as she took in the serenity of Silent Salt’s refuge with mellow amazement in her eyes, “I did not believe a garden like this existed within the stronghold.”
“It is a natural reaction, this garden was kept secret to a good many, even amongst the Knights of Kala Namak,” Silent Salt replied, glad that this shift in topic by the hero allowed him a moment of reprieve from his own thoughts, “I had this place made as my own…personal haven, a place where I could have but a moment of peace from the bustle of the world…and from my own duties…”
White Lily listened quietly as she took in the purpose of this garden, she couldn’t help but feel sympathy with Silent Salt’s want of peace, she always sought the quiet corners of Blueberry Yogurt Academy’s libraries whenever she needed time away from others. The sorceress would observe the flora within the garden, recognizing the origins of a few of the flowers and trees due to their illuminated silver sheen with growing intrigue.
“Some of these flowers…they look like they originated from the Faerie Kingdom,” White Lily voiced as she looked up towards the tree that was above the bench Silent Salt was standing beside, “And these trees…they’re almost akin to the Silver Tree…”
“You…have deduced the flora here well…” The commander would answer softly after a few seconds, he’d loosen his grip on the arm of the bench as his breath became slightly shaky as talked, “Apart from my advisors, such as the one you know as Salt Cellar Cookie, Elder Faerie Cookie would come to visit the stronghold to discuss current events or plans with me. It was in fact he who insisted on growing the flowers of his kingdom here…it was a welcoming idea…just as many of his ideas were…”
It was only then that White Lily would look down towards the Beast of Silence upon hearing the warble in his words. The hero’s eyes then saw the gentle sorrow that seemed to pain across the knight’s face, even the knight’s own eyes seem to slowly shift from a gentle violet to a soft black. As the hero’s gaze went down further, she’d take notice of the bench that the knight was standing against, and the arm that he was holding. White Lily focused her attention on the design of the bench, the sleek sheen of silver seemed to weave with grey lines, painting different patterns under the cushioning almost like…fairy wings? The realization would hit the hero hard as she looked back up towards the beast, understanding now what her Soul Jam was trying to tell her, the source of the troubling aura…was Silent Salt’s grief…
“It’s…been troubling you…hasn’t it?” White Lily asked softly looking down with her own sense of sympathetic guilt once she realized what was going on, unable to piece the words she wanted to say very well, “I…I know you two were close friends and…I could only imagine after everything how…strange it must feel to see how much has changed, and even still with him not…”
“It…is something I am still trying to grapple with, admittedly,” Silent Salt responded, looking away from White Lily with a gentle huff of sorrow, his free hand clenching as if to calm the anger that lingered within him still, “There was so much more I could have done…If I hadn’t been so blind to my companions’s woes…maybe they could have been saved before all this tragedy took place…and no other lives would have needed to be taken so senslessly…”
White Lily stood quiet as she heard what Silent Salt said, wondering how she could even respond to help ease his pain. She wasn’t as good with comfort as Pure Vanilla was, and she knew for a fact that wittiness wasn’t going to help like it usually did for Shadow Milk. The hardship that the beast of silence was facing didn’t just stem from his own form of corruption; but from the burden of loss and duty that he had to suffer through before, and even during, his imprisonment. No cookie should ever have to carry the guilt of other cookies at this type of caliber, especially when that cookie wasn’t even to blame in the first place. There was only one cookie that could possibly know just how to quell the knight’s sorrows, unfortunately, that cookie was no longer among the living.
“It’s in moments like these where I truly wish you were still with us,” White Lily thought to herself as she looked down, lost in what she could do as she saw a tear drift from Silent Salt’s cheek, “I could really use your guidance in how to help your friend, Elder Faerie…”
Just then, a shimmering light began to glow from behind the hero that would garner her attention. Curious as ever, White Lily would turn around to see what that light could be; strangely enough, the light itself seemed to be pulsing from the Soul Jam upon her staff. The Light of Freedom shimmered with newfound life as if it resonated to the hero’s thoughts, and for some reason, Silent Salt wasn’t taking even a hint of notice to it. Before White Lily could call out to the knight, much less even question what was going on, the light of the Soul Jam would spark into a blinding flash. A flash that would disorient the hero’s senses to the point of feeling that she had been knocked unconscious…but in truth…was merely connecting to the power of her light.
—
“Your swordsmanship is improving greatly, my friend! But I would advise you not to get so stagnant!”
That distorted voice alone would snap White Lily’s senses back to normal, as the hero would open her eyes slowly to adjust to the bright light she’d been flashed by, expecting to see the garden she was standing in. Instead, the hero would find herself standing somewhere completely different…and yet…somwhere that carried a sense of deep familiarity within her. Looking around, White Lily noticed that Silent Salt was nowhere to be seen; instead, she would gaze at a dense forest filled with silver and green trees surrounding her from all sides. As her eyes met ground below her, the hero would see a multitude of different flowers that she had seen within the beast’s garden, only there were much more growing as far as her eyes could take her. Gentle chirping could be heard overhead while the scenery in front of her seemed…hazy…like she was standing within a dream. It didn’t take long for White Lily to realize just where she was from the scenery alone…
“I…I’m in the Faerie Kingdom?!” White Lily spoke, or rather, tried to, as her voice sounded more like a lingering whisper in the wind rather than being a tangibly audible noise, which only served to confuse her further, “B-But I was just in Silent Salt’s garden, how could I be here? Could the Soul Jam have brought me here? And where did–?”
The hero wouldn’t get to finish her question before the sound of clashing blades would break her concentration. Looking in front of her, White Lily could make out two distant figures that looked to be in the midst of battle, as sparks flew from the meeting of steel. The sorceress would take a few steps forward, confirming that she could walk within this strange instance, before making her way towards the where the sound of battle seemed to be. After making her way through the trees and into a rather sizable clearing, the hero would look towards the center and see the source of her bewilderment, and what she saw surprised her immensely. For the two figures that were in the middle of a heated duel…were in fact two figures that she was very familiar with…
The first figure looked to be Silent Salt Cookie…however…his attire was different from what the hero had seen before. Instead of his armour being colored in pure obsidian steel, this Silent Salt’s armour was a mixture of grey and white; As grey steel molded his shoulder plates and helmet, while pure white could be seen along his chestplate, cape, and faulds. The cookie’s spectral hair wasn’t dark like the hero knew either, rather, it was a ghostly white that seemed to spark and flow with life while two green horns could be seen on the sides of his helmet. The cookie’s broadsword, nor his Soul Jam, wasn’t as black as the night; instead both carried a silver sheen of white that glowed magnificently in the moonlight. This wasn’t Silent Salt Cookie, this was the Salt of Solidarity, the cookie who previously held the Light of Freedom that White Lily now possesses.
The second figure was a slim cookie that was just as tall as the Salt of Solidarity, and just as notable in his attire as his companion was. His dark magenta dough could be seen in nice complexion to the dark slate gray and light blue gray armor he adorned, armor fit for royalty as its metallic grey finish shimmered under the moon. A royal blue suit could be seen worn under the cookie’s armor; while on the top of his head, a spiked jet blue crown sat with a sharp diamond ornament sat perfectly. Long, pale lavender blue hair would flow from the cookie’s head down to his feet; two tufts being styled into triangle bands on the sides of his head, while a longer ponytail was fixed for the rest of his hair. Just as this cookie’s heritage would hold, a pair of large light gray wings akin to a monarch butterfly would be seen spread wide as the cookie flew to meet the Salt of Solidarity’s blade with his own. A large silver gladius would make the cookie’s reflection glimmer as soft periwinkle eyes looked towards their opponent with keen determination. Elder Faerie Cookie; Guardian of the Silver Tree, friend of both Silent Salt and White Lily, ghost of each of their pasts, was now flying in front of both of them in a point in time long since passed.
That was at least what White Lily deduced as she observed the duel between the two legendary cookies, analyzing each of their appearances with notable differences to how she remembered them. They seemed younger than how they were when the hero had met them, and it seemed as though her own presence was something neither of them took note of, or rather something that wasn’t relevant in their time to begin with.
“This must be another glimpse into the past,” White Lily spoke aloud as looked down puzzled, confirming her theory as the two cookies were unable to hear her voice within earshot as they continued fighting, “just like how the Soul Jam showed me the past within the catacombs…but…what does it want to show me here?”
White Lily decided that the best way to get her answer was to play the role that she had been given, looking back up to watch the scene in front of her as its audience. Solidarity and Faerie were locked in a stalemate, their blades clashing against each other in a power struggle before the force of their strikes knocked each other back. Elder Faerie was the first to recover, using his wings as a boost, he’d launch himself off the ground the moment he stepped foot on it. Holding his gladius in both of his hands, the guardian would swing left towards the knight’s side. The beast stood his ground, prepared to deflect the incoming strike with his blade; but at the last second, the faerie twisted in the air with the help of his wings and swung his blade to the right instead! An audible gasp would be heard from Salt before a resounding grunt echoed as he was knocked back by the flat of the blade. Elder Faerie wouldn’t slack behind, gliding towards the knight as he pressed the attack with a flurry of slashes. White Lily was in awe at how different the guardian’s fighting style was in the past in comparison to how he fought when they met. During their time together, the hero saw the faerie focusing on slow but strong strikes, using just one hand to hold his sword as he attacked through countering his opponents. But here, the guardian seemed to be much quicker in his attacks; each strike having almost seamless fluidity as he’d feint and dodge with ease, it could almost be seen as a dance rather than a duel when it comes to his fighting. Coupled with how the guardian used his wings to maneuver his body when swinging his sword, it was easy to see why the stoic knight of solidarity was having trouble keeping up his defense.
“Don’t keep yourself in one place! Move with your blade less it’ll leave your hand before you know it!” Elder Faerie would shout, a mixture of determination and encouragement as he continued to swing his blade at his opponent, his tone seeming to show hints of honorable excitement, “Use that power of yours not just as a shield but as a weapon like the sword you wield!"
“I-It isn’t I-Intended f-for direct assault!” The Salt of Solidarity would retort in a grunt as he positioned his blade wherever the guardian’s gladius swung, losing ground by the second as he was pushed back inch by inch, “I-It’s purpose is for protection against those who’d be so reckless in their attack!”
“It isn’t about using it for direct assault! The best offense can be found through defense!” The Guardian would shout back as he feint another sword strike for a kick, knocking the knight off-balance as he went in for another strike with his gladius from below, “Read your opponent’s strike, and once you found their target, redirect their power and make it your own!”
The beast seemed to hesitate for a moment as he saw the guardian’s blade coming towards him. It was only then that the knight would put his friends' words to the test as he prepared his sword against the incoming strike. White Lily looked on with intrigue as steel clashed with steel, Solidarity directing the face of his blade to push Faerie’s gladius down to his hilt. Once the guardian’s blade got caught on the knight’s hilt, he’d sidestep away from the guardian, in turn flinging the faerie away while in midair. The knight would then direct the force that was used against him by the guardian to support his next strike. Channeling the power of his Soul Jam, the knight’s blade would begin to glow with a silver light, thrusting his blade towards his staggered opponent. Elder Faerie only had a second to position his gladius in front of him before Solidarity’s sword struck, knocking him back with almost unnatural strength, as he’d tumbled to the ground before hitting a fairly cushioned bush. White Lily found herself amazed at witnessing how different the Salt of Solidarity’s fought compared to how he was now; usually the beast’s attacks were unpredictable and relentless, but here he seemed more calculated, judging his opponents strength and measuring it with his own. His Soul Jam served more as a conduit than a weapon, helping him channel power into his strikes, as evident with how the guardian was currently trying to move himself off of the bush he found himself in.
The Salt of Solidarity would chuckle at seeing his friend’s position, holding his blade up towards the guardian in challenge, “That enough redirecting for you, my friend? Perhaps you need some help getting unstuck?~”
White Lily couldn’t help but giggle as she saw the halfhearted glare that came from Elder Faerie before he pushed himself off the bush with his wings. Hovering in the air as he held his gladius in one hand, looking down towards the smile that he knew the beast had behind his helmet. The Hero of Freedom would look to see how the guardian was positioning his sword, raising it to his side as the moonlight seemed to shimmer across the blade. She could have sworn she saw that same maneuver before…but…where did she?
“An impressive maneuver, my friend, very impressive,” Elder Faerie would commend as he saw how confident and proud the beast was of himself before he grew a confident smile of his own, “But don’t let yourself get overzealous, after all, if you look up too high–”
Before the guardian could finish his sentence, he blitzed down towards the knight at blinding speed; the hero of freedom almost didn’t notice he moved, and neither did the knight! He perked up with alarm and readied his sword to counter, unfortunately for the beast, he would be too late to act. With just one slice of his blade, Elder Faerie struck through Salt’s defense; and from what White Lily could see, it was through what seemed to be the guardian’s version of the End of Silence! It took a few seconds for the Salt of Solidarity to realize that his sword had been knocked clean out of his hands, before he heard the sound of steel piercing the ground behind him. When he turned around, the beast would see his sword planted into the ground as the guardian planted his gladius right beside it with a smug smile.
“–You might just forget about the ground below you~”
The Salt of Solidarity stood perplexed at what just happened, just as how White Lily stood in awe of witnessing such a breathtaking duel. Once a few seconds passed, the beast would give a soft defeated sight, looking down with a bow of defeat.
“Once again, you found a way to best me, my friend,” Salt conceded as he looked back up to Faerie with a nod of understanding, “It…seem’s as though I still have much to learn…”
“That may be true, but I was not lying when I said you have been improving,” Faerie noted as he walked up to the defeated beast, moving a hand up to gently pat his shoulder, “That power coupled with your own personal strength and skill will make you a knight not to be underestimated, I’m sure of it.”
The beast would listen to his friend's words, and yet, there was an air of concern as he tilted his head down in shame, “The Soul Jam’s power is great, but the Virtue of Solidarity shouldn’t be seen as nothing more than some divine force, none of the virtues should. We Beast weren't made to be seen as gods among cookiekind…this power…it should instead be seen as something attainable for all cookies…”
Elder Faerie’s smile would turn into a soft frown upon hearing the knight’s distress, a soft sigh escaping his lips as his voice would shift into a gentler tone, “I understand, you have not been shy in expressing such grief to me, nor can I imagine the burden you and your comrades carry with these virtues. But it is through these virtues where we can guide the world so that a dream such as yours can be realized, after all, we already have a plan set in motion…”
The beast was silent for a few seconds, his mind lost in thought due to his woe, resorting to nodding silently in response to his friend's words. White Lily would look on with solace, even in the past, the beast of solidarity was not spared from the weight his responsibilities brought. The Hero of Freedom didn’t know how this stoic knight had been able to push through such strife with all that he had to face, and even still, how the guardian of the Faerie Kingdom could soothe such worries…
Little did the hero know, she was about to receive the answer to that long unsettled question. As she looked on, White Lily would see a small smirk start to grow on Elder Faerie’s face, as he began to move his hand down from the beast’s shoulder. The hero would look on with confusion as she witnessed the guardian maneuver his hand around to hover beside the unsuspecting knight’s side, just over the undersuit of his armor. Then, without warning, the guardian would gently latch his hand onto the exposed area of the knight’s side, before squeezing gently along it. And what happened next would leave the Hero of Freedom stunned beyond words.
“G-Gehehehemph!” The beast stammered out, startled at the unexpected contact before another sound began to come from his lips, “F-Fahahah-Faerie n-nohohohomph!”
The Salt of Solidarity…
The most stoic of all the beasts…
The wielder of the Virtue Solidarity himself…
Was…giggling…?
“Don’t let yourself get so worked up over so much, less you forget to take a moment to enjoy the good of the world itself,” Elder Faerie hummed out with a growing teasing tone in his voice as his hand continued its gentle squeezes along the middle of the beast’s side, “And we can’t have you losing that smile now, can’t we?~”
White Lily couldn’t believe what she was seeing; the idea that the Salt of Solidarity was even a hint ticklish didn’t cross the hero’s mind until this exact moment. But here she was, witnessing the guardian teasing the knight in the most playful of forms, reducing him to a giggling fit. Elder Faerie would move himself behind the beast as he attempted to squirm away from his devilish hand, leaving the poor knight in a state of wobbly confusion. Just a second later, the faerie would sneak both of his hands along the knight’s sides latching on with added playfully dramatic effort. Solidarity would yelp as the guardian would proceed to flutter his fingers against the fabric of his undersuit, his gentle touch grazing along the defenseless spots exposed to him. That gentle touch alone was enough for the composed cookie to crumble into a rather adorable flustered state.
“C-Cehehehehehehe-Cease thihihihihihis!” The beast grunted through his giggling, struggling to get free from his friends playful grasp, only to find himself trapped within the devilish hands that held him, “T-Thihihihihihihis ihihihihi-mhmhmhmhmph-ihihihihihis uhuhuhuhuhunbecomihihihing ohohoho-of a knihihihihihight!”
“Now who dictated that to be true,” the guardian retorted as a gentle chuckle elicited through listening to the beast’s giggling, his hands unrelenting in his gentle attack, “Even the most stoic of knights should grant themselves moments to laugh, letting down those guarded walls could do you some good, especially if this way works so well~”
“T-Thahahahahaha-That is irrehehehehehehhelevahahahahahant!” Salt attempted to respond before a lighter yelp escaped from his lips, feeling one of the guardian’s hands abruptly squeeze his hip, causing him to jump a little, “I dohohohoho-do nohohohohohot neheheheheheheed ihihihihihit!”
“If that were the case, why aren’t you truly trying to escape?~” Elder mused as he moved both of his hands up and down the knight’s torso, switching between fluttering along his sides and goosing both of his hips.
White Lily would perk up from the guardian’s statement, looking towards the knight to see if what he was saying was true. And as luck would have it, the guardian was right; for even though the knight was squirming against the guardian’s grasp, she couldn’t see any true effort put into escaping. Instead, the beast was letting himself giggle despite the stoic stubbornness that seemed to echo from his words, and the hero could have sworn she saw a small hint of a blush peak through the openings of his helmet. White Lily was starstruck upon witnessing what was taking place before her, was the beast actually enjoying this attention? It was then that the hero made a sudden realization, could this have been what the Soul Jam wanted to show her?
As if to answer her question, the scene continued forward as Elder Faerie would move his hands from Salt’s sides. Only giving the knight a moment to breathe before those hands snaked into the openings of his armor, setting themselves upon the knight’s stomach. Salt felt his whole body shiver as he snapped his head behind him to look at Faerie, who in turn, flashed him a smug smirk.
“E-Ehehehe-Elder I-I swehehehear,” Salt began as his stammering tone did not do the beast’s threat justice, “I wihihihill ensure that yohohohou feel my wrath if you–!”
Elder Faerie chuckled at his friend’s attempt at a halfhearted threat before simply giving him a playful wink, “Noted~”
Once he said that, Elder Faerie would enact the climax of his mischievous attack. Both of his hands would begin to gently skitter along the beast’s belly, scratching lightly against his undersuit. The guardian seemed to be as fluid in his tickling as he was in his swordsmanship; every poke was quick enough to look like a blur, while still carrying enough gentleness to bring about the sweetest reactions. Of course, this method of attack proved fruitful if the poor knight's instant reaction was evident enough for it.
“E-EHEHEHEHEMPH N-Nohohohohohoho w-wahahahahahahait whahahahahahahahahait!” The Salt of Solidarity would squawk out before finding himself crumbling to the ground, kneeling against the grass below him in a futile attempt at escape, all the while Elder Faerie followed close and continued his assault, “Th-Thahahahahahahahat’s uhuhuhuhhuhunderhahaha-HAHAHAHANDED!”
“There’s that laugh I wanted to hear,” Elder Faerie would muse teasingly as his fingers continued to poke and probe against the knight’s sensitive belly, a gentle smile on his face through it all, “Never lose that laugh, my friend, for that laugh can bring more light than you think~”
As she continued to observe the scene before her, a small smile would grow on White Lily’s face. Never did she think that the answer to her troubles would be so simple, and yet, its simplicity is what made it so great in the first place. The Hero of Freedom wasn’t new to the idea of tickling, after all, she had her fair share of playful mischief when it came to Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk. But to see that this memory practically confirmed the best possible path for her to help her new friend was enough to ease her worries of enacting such a plan in the first place. The hero would watch as the faerie’s playful attack would continue for a few more moments before he decided to relent, moving his hands away from the poor knight's belly. The Salt of Solidarity would lay on the floor, huffing out large breaths as his helmet crept up enough to show a small part of the beast’s face. And through that peak, both Elder Faerie and White Lily could see the gentle blushing smile that was painted across the face of the Salt of Solidarity.
“Y-Yohohohohou…you’re truly unbelievable,” The beast attempted to scold through the genuine smile that crossed his lips, looking up towards his friend gratefully.
The guardian would return the smile as he extended a hand towards the beast in turn, “And yet you never seem to have a problem with it~”
White Lily would clasp her hands together gently as she saw the two cookies appreciate each other's company. Though at that moment, the hero’s vision seemed to become fuzzy once again. The hazy, dreamlike scene before her beginning to ripple and fade like mist. And before the hero knew it, another flash of light would blind her, as the Soul Jam of Freedom would return her to where she needed to be.
—
When White Lily reopened her eyes, she’d find herself standing in the garden within the Stronghold of Silence once again. Looking around, she’d see that Silent Salt Cookie was still beside the bench as he was before the Soul Jam took her into the past; And as the hero looked towards the Soul Jam, she saw that its light had dimmed to a gentle glow. White Lily was amazed, what felt like minutes within the vision seemed to only occur in a matter of seconds in reality, it was like the vision didn’t even happen in the first place. The Hero of Freedom’s curiosity would grow upon this thought, just what other powers did her Soul Jam awaken to after she awakened to her full potential? White Lily would shake the thought for now, those were questions she’d find answers to later; right now however, she had more pressing matters to deal with in regards to helping her new friend. And with the knowledge she attained while peering into the past, she now knew just how to do it.
Slipping closer to Silent Salt’s side, the hero would slowly raise her hands towards the unsuspecting beast’s sides. She made sure she was out of sight by standing right behind the beast, all the while her careful hands inched closer and closer to their targets. Just a second later, the hero would gently latch her hands onto the beast’s hips, her fingertips pushing slightly against his shirt-covered dough. White Lily practically saw the shiver that ran through Silent Salt’s body as a soft gasp escaped his lips while in the midst of turning his head out of confusion. But before he could get a word in, the hero would begin to gently squeeze the middle of the beast’s hips, which would invoke the reaction she was looking for.
“U-Uhuhuhuhuhumph! H-Huhuhuhuhuh?!” Silent Salt grunted out as he felt himself hunch over from the involuntary reaction of White Lily’s hands against his hips, as a feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time started to build up within him, “W-Whihihihite L-Lihily?! W-Wahaha-What are you–?!”
The hero of freedom smiled in triumph upon hearing the stammer in the beast’s voice, despite the years that have passed, it seemed as though the beast was still just as ticklish as he was in the past. It turned out to be the perfect case scenario for White Lily; because not only could she use what she had learned from that vision, but at the same time, put her own unique effort when it came to dealing out such special “attention” to the beast. Using her indexes and thumbs, the hero would goose along the center of each of the beast’s hips, gently digging into the soft dough that laid behind his clothing. White her fingers may not be as soft as the guardian’s when it comes to such attention, she definitely makes up for it with her dexterity and gentleness. And of course, there was also the gentle yet mischievous teasing nature that always followed whenever White Lily was tending to anyone within her grasp.
“Well, it looked as though you needed a bit of cheering up, so I decided to take matters into my own hands,” White Lily hummed out with a playful tone, tilting her head for Silent Salt to see the small mischievous smile that grew on her face, “And it seems as though I discovered the perfect way to bring a smile back to your face, haven’t I?~”
Unlike the vision, Silent Salt didn’t have his helmet on, so the hero was able to see the gentle purple blush that began to dust the beast’s cheeks along with the wobbly smile on his face; Confusion and fluster mixing into one as those soft giggles threatened to escape from his lips, “H-Hohohohohohohoh-How dihihihihihi-did yohohohohou–?!”
“You can thank the Soul Jam for that,” White Lily answered as she gave a little wink to the beast, finding it quite adorable how a cookie so stoic can have such a sweet looking smile, “Looks like I’m not the only one that wanted to help cheer you up, speaking of which…”
White Lily would maneuver her hands up the beast’s hips as she began to skitter her fingers along his sides. The material of the knight’s shirt was soft to the touch, so much so, that the hero’s fingers could glide against the silken fabric with relative ease. She’d poke and prod up and down the beast’s sides, moving her hands along the length of his torso as to let the ticklish shocks of her fingers course through the entirety of his dough. And shock it did, as the beast’s concentration seemed to take a heavy blow as a higher squeak escaped his lips, his squirming also becoming more apparent as he’d try to escape the hero’s mischievous fingers.
“N-Nohohohohohohomph P-Plehehehehehehehehehease!” Silent Salt giggled out, closing his eyes out of pure instinct as he tried to gently push White Lily’s hands away from his sides as he squirmed, “T-Thihihihihihihihis ihihihi-is uhuhuhuhunecessarihihihihihihihi! I-I dohohohohoho not neheheheheed to-ehehehemph-to be cheheheheheered uhuhuhuhuhuhup! Ihihihi-ihihihihit’s uhuhuhuhuhunbecohohohohoming!”
White Lily couldn’t help but giggle upon hearing that familiar statement, as Silent Salt was in a state of utter giggly confusion from what was going on. It was one thing to discover that he was still just as ticklish as he was before he imprisoned himself; but it was an entirely other thing to learn that your successor had learned one of your greatest weaknesses from the artifact you once wielded! The beast of silence wasn’t one to express his emotions, and a rare few have ever seen his walls come down upon the rare occasions he did, but tickling always seemed to work to get him to open up. But this was impossible! There was no way that the hero could have learned that just from the Soul Jam alone! What did she see? What did it tell her? And how on earth did she know his exact spots? But what was the strangest part about this whole moment…was this underlying feeling…that the beast of silence had been in this particular situation before. The deja vu would only last for a short while, however, as the beast’s dwindling focus was centered on the gentle yet impish fingers that continued to dance along his torso.
“Nonsense! You are just as deserving of being cared for just as much as any cookie, especially after all you have done for the sake of others,” White Lily retorted before a gentle giggle escaped her lips, prodding her fingers close to the beast’s ribs which earned her a yelp in turn, “As a matter of fact, I think you’re long overdue to be given a real reason to smile~”
The Hero of Freedom would slowly move her hands away from the knight’s torso, giving him but a moment to breathe as he wobbled where he stood in confusion. But before Silent Salt could ask what she was talking about, White Lily would snap her fingers as green sparks around her hand. Upon the snap, a few vines along the trees surrounding them would start to resonate with the hero’s magic; and within an instant, started to move and grow upon her command. Silent Salt would lie unprepared as two of those vines crept from the silver tree he was standing below, and without warning, quickly wrap themselves around the cookie’s wrist. The beast’s eyes would widen as he was gently pulled up a few inches into the ear by the strength of the vines, his arms moved to be raised over his head in their cautious yet stout grip. The vines would also turn the beast around to face the hero standing behind him, allowing her to get a better look at the blushing face of fluster he wore. Four more vines would also extend towards the defenseless beast and the hero strut closer to his exposed form, an impish smirk on her face upon seeing the anticipation begin to build up within the beast.
“N-Nohohoho-Now W-White Lily Cookie, L-Listen,” Silent Salt stuttered out as he squirmed against the vines that were holding him, unable to make their hold budge even an inch as he looked towards the hero with a wobbly smile, “I-I promise t-thahahahat this is unnecessary, I-I sw-swear y-you don’t need to do anything b-brash and–”
White Lily would simply giggle as she raise her hands towards the defenseless beast, stopping him in his tracks with a single word, “Noted~”
Oh…so that’s why this felt familiar…he had been in this situation before…
With that resounding word, the Hero of Freedom would execute her own climax of a tickle attack to the blushing beast, as the vines and her hands all dived towards Silent Salt cookie.
A pair of vines would find themselves targeting the beast of silence’s face, snaking their way toward him with gentle vigor. The vine on Silent Salt’s left would begin to dance its tip along the center of his cheek, brushing gently against his dough almost like a feather would. Meanwhile the vine on Silent Salt’s right would move itself towards the cookie’s neck, allowing the bulk of its length to graze along the middle of that spot. The vines themselves felt incredibly soft, so much so that they didn’t feel like vines to begin with; instead they could almost be akin to a feather boa, or long ropes of fuzz from the softest of blankets. Regardless of their material, it was all the more effective, as it left the beast in a state of perpetual giggling as his blushing cheeks began to glow brighter.
The other pair of vines would focus their efforts along the beast’s arms. Both vines would work in tandem as they’d use their tips to slowly brush from the cookie’s wrist down the entire length of both of his arms. The culmination of their journey would come when the vines found their way to the beast’s underarms, where they would proceed to slowly glide along the exposed dough. The vines worked like they were paintbrushes, dancing their tips along the canvas before them in order to create a work of mirthful art. And based on the beast’s growing laughter, they aimed to be making a masterpiece.
But the true threat of this finale would come from the Hero of Freedom herself, as her hands would prime themselves upon the other spot that she discovered through her glimpse into the past, the beast’s stomach. White Lily would begin to quickly skitter her fingers along the middle of Silent Salt’s belly, brushing against the cloth that covered the defenseless spot. When the hero of freedom usually tickled Pure Vanilla or Shadow Milk on this spot, she focused on prodding her fingers like she was playing a piano, she wondered if this same method worked with Silent Salt as well. And well…in the hero’s eyes…the results spoke for themselves.
Silent Salt was anything but silent as all three methods of ticklish torment worked over his body. The stubbornness he attempted to muster when resisting such gentle devious touches had crumbled into mere pebbles. What started as soft and low giggles shifted into a loud but deep sounding laugh, a laugh that almost sounded melodic upon listening to it. Like an ocean in the midst of crashing waves, it pitched and dived in a sweet rhythm of mirth that the hero of freedom couldn’t help but find sweet as she heard it.
“Now isn’t this a sweet surprise, who knew that the great Lord Commander had such a lovely laugh,” White Lily teased as her fingers scribbled against the sides of the beast’s belly while the vines worked over his other spots.
“EHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHA L-LIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIHIES!” Silent attempted to retort as he shook his head in flustered defiance, the vines along his neck and cheeks not relenting in their efforts of ticklish affect, the blushing smile on his face was as wide as it was bright as he looked towards the hero, “YOHOHO-YOHOHOHOHOU SPEHEHEHEHEHEAK OHOHOHO-OF DEHEHEHEHECIET!”
“And yet, you don’t seem to be putting in any more effort to escape~” White Lily would reply with a sing-song tone as she flashed a wink towards the knight, “If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you’re enjoying this, aren’t you?~”
That question alone was enough to make the blush on Silent Salts face practically radiate with a bright royal purple hue. He couldn’t explain it, but there was something about this type of playfulness that had always felt so…safe…with him. He was always seen as the stoic and steadfast leader that never seemed to have a moment of rest for himself, much less was one to express how he felt. When it came to this brand of mischief…it was as if he could let down all those burdens if not for a few minutes in order to just be…himself. He had almost forgotten the last time he experienced anything like this before his imprisonment, but thanks to the hero that has brought him out of the dark, all of those memories began to surge back into his mind. And with those memories came the familiar welcoming feelings of joy and mirth that he felt whenever he allowed himself to embrace this silly form of play.
White Lily would smirk a bit more as she continued to tend to the gentlehearted beast for a few more minutes. His laughter would ring out across the entire garden as vines and hands alike danced and played with his ticklish form. It was only after those few more minutes passed that the hero decided that her new friend had enough for one day and decided to spare him. Moving her hands away from the beast’s belly, White Lily would snap her fingers in order to direct the vines once more; as one, the vines along both the beast’s face and arms retreated back into the trees before being released from control. Silent Salt would huff out slow breaths as the two vines that held him would lower him slowly to sit upon the bench he was standing beside, giving him the rest that he needed. The vines would proceed to release the beast’s wrist, as one vine patted his head, before retreating back into the trees as well. The Hero of Freedom would move around in order to sit on the other end of the bench, looking towards the Beast of Silence with gentle concern.
“Are…Are you okay, Silent Salt,” White Lily asked gently as she moved a hand up to soothingly massage the beast’s shoulder, “I…I did not go too far did I?”
Silent Salt couldn’t muster a word for a good few seconds as breath after breath was drawn back into his dough, his head leaning against the bench he sat upon. The fluster on his face not sparing an inch of reprieve as small giggles mustered from his lips due to the ticklish phantom feelings that coursed along his body. Once a few more seconds have passed, a long, yet gentle sigh would resound from the beast of silence as he lowered his head toward the hero beside him. The hero would then see that upon the beast’s face would sit a gentle smile that spoke of relief and gratitude as he looked towards her.
“I…hahahahaha-have not had that much fun in…such a long time…” Silent Salt spoke with a gentle yet giggly tone, “ahaha-and yet you reminded me that not all hope is lost…and that there is always a moment for joy to shine…I thank you for that, O Freedom.”
White Lily would breathe a sigh of relief as she nodded happily towards her new friend. There was so much that needed to be done; a threat still lingered within the world that needed to be stopped, and the combined forces of heroes and beasts alike would be needed to stop her. But right now, in moments like these, the Hero of Freedom was able to see that when all is set and done, happiness can still exist even in the bleakest of days. When this whole ordeal was over, she’d ensure that the beast of silence would have the freedom to live how he wanted to, and even more so, be able to see that his companions can be redeemed to have the same freedom as he does.
“Of course, we’re friends after all, and I wouldn’t want you to lose that smile for anything,” White Lily responded before giving a sheepish giggle of her own, “B-But still…theirs really…no need for noble etiquette…eheh…”
Silent Salt would give a soft chuckle as he’d look back up towards the silver trees above him. What he once believed would be nothing more than bygone days now have become a future the likes of which he never thought he’d have. Through the light he found from friends old and new, the future that the Salt of Solidarity had fought for has never been so close to becoming a reality, or perhaps it already had. There was much that the beast needed and wanted to do, but whether it be protecting the world from the coming threat or reconciling with his former companions, he’d have the freedom to choose how to go about it. And as Silent Salt’s amethyst eyes looked towards the silver tree above him, a gentle wind would brush against his face as those glimmering leaves seemed to show their own happiness, just as the beast showed his.
“You were right my friend,” Silent Salt thought as he sat with White Lily to discuss the different flowers that he had planted within the garden, “A laugh can truly bring more light than I could have ever imagined.”
It should have been a rather normal day within the Hotel as you had taken a moment to check on a rather one of a kind friend that you have come to know within this haven within hell. Never have you believed that you could ever become friends with Lucifer himself, but the down-to-earth king had been one you’ve grown to develop a rather comfortable and trusting bond with. So much so that he entrusts you when it comes to helping him get ready when some important issues arise within hell…such was the reason you made your way towards his room. That was of course, until you heard a rather loud bang come from Lucifer’s room, which would make you hasten your pace towards the door to see if he was alright. Nothing would prepare you for the rather…amusing situation…that you found the king of Hell in; as a wardrobe malfunction would result in a one of a kind opportunity to help the king loosen up before taking on his kingly duties for the day~
WARNING: Story will contain
Implied Rejection
Implied Isolation
Traces of Grief and Trauma
Bare Torso Exposure
CRASH!
Well that sound definitely made you pick up your pace as you jogged down the hallway of the hotel you resided in. Ever since you found yourself being welcomed under the roof of the Hazbin Hotel, you have come to expect the unexpected when it comes to loud noises, after all…hell definitely isn’t a place where peace and quiet are the first things that come to mind. From the multitude of accidents that you’ve come to witness within the hotel, some little disagreements that mostly result in something being destroyed on accident, or even when the Radio Demon wanted a bit of…fun, it had become second nature to be prepared for when something’s about to get destroyed. But this time was different; not because of hearing the sound itself, but because of where the sound came from…and that worried you.
“Oh geez that sounded loud,” You’d mutter in a growing panic as you started to get closer and closer to your destination…and in turn the source of the noise, “I hope he didn’t hurt himself while he was getting ready, I thought I told him to wait for me.”
After a few more seconds of panicked jogging, you’d finally make your way to your destination; which in fact was rather regal looking red double doors with golden vine-like designs, an apple along the handle of each door. Just as you made it towards the door you would hear another crashing sound which only made you more worried than before, just what was he doing?
“Your majesty?” You called out as you’d knock on the door in a slight paced panic, not letting your emotions get in the way of your sense of courtesy and respect, “Are you okay in there? What was that crashing sound?”
A few seconds, and another crashing sound, would pass until a rather surprised voice would sound from the other side of the door. Well…what was more so the sound of a squeak followed by a stream of stutters that you attempted to make out as words.
“O-Oh?! Is that you out there buddy?” The rather peppy and bright voice would call out with growing nervousness from the other side of the door as a grunt would echo between their words, “D-Don’t you worry about that noise it was just-hng-just bumped into a little something is all! No need to panic or anything, it's peeeerfectly-gah come on-Perfectly fine!”
You didn’t believe that statement for a second as you’d begin to move a hand up towards the handle of one of the doors. If anything, that statement would only strengthen your worries as every new crashing sound just added to the concern of what exactly was going on.
“R-Really your majesty?” You’d voice out again with a bit more earnest and concern in your tone, “Because you asked me to come here to help you out but I feel as though you went on and—”
“L-Like I said bud, noooo need to worry!” The voice would interrupt with a bit of faux cheer in its tone, another grunt seeming to echo out between his words as he did so, “I got everything perfectly under control and there’s no need to go out of your way to—”
KA-CRASH
“—Oh come on!”
That crash alone would force your hand as you would turn the handle on the door. Concern and caution in your step as you would push open the door and enter into the room that the voice resided in. You were bracing yourself for some sort of fight to welcome you when you entered, thinking that someone attacked the individual within the room. But nothing would prepare you for what you would come to see as you entered the room…and the giggle you had to stifle as you looked to the culprit responsible for the commotion.
“H-Holy shihihit…” You stifled out as you held in the laughter that was threatening to escape from looking at the scene before you.
Surprisingly, the room itself looked to be okay in terms of condition. The room was fairly spacious, with walls and flooring colored a soft scarlet lined with patterns of gold. On one side of the room sat a doorway that allowed entry to an open bathroom…with enough space to give someone a full spa day. A large bed would be seen across on the other side of the room with an assortment of dressers and cabinets around it…along with a walk-in closet close to the bed itself. Some of these cabinets looked to be pushed around a bit as if some sort of struggle had occurred within the room. Your attention however would be focused on the center of the room itself, where a large couch with very soft cushioning and an…absurd amount of duck pillows…sat across from the mounted television on the wall. Well…you shouldn’t say your attention was focused on the space itself, but the individual that was squirming in the messed up couch in front of you.
The individual in question was a fairly tall man with a rather lean body shape, but was very fit despite the shape itself. He had claw-like hands with rather dull tips for how sharp they looked to be. Short hair of golden blond color would be seen in a slight mess on the individual's head, a definite sign of a unique kind of struggle he had been facing. Golden eyes with red pupils would look wide eyed in surprise at your arrival before your attention would be drawn to what he was wearing…or rather…the lack thereof. The individual looked to be in the midst of changing as he was wearing sleek black dress pants; something that definitely didn’t match with the grey socks he had on, socks that were designs with small yellow ducks along it…which was rather cute all things considered. The same couldn’t be said for his very bare torso however, as his pale white skin would be exposed to you from the current situation he found himself in.
That situation being that the individual's arms looked to be trapped above his head while in the middle of putting on what seemed to be a dress shirt of some kind. The individual would squirm slightly as you looked at him with a hand covering your mouth, trying desperately hard to hide the smile growing on your face. He would in turn look with the soft red circles making up his cheeks glowing in a soft blush of embarrassment.
“Okay…I know it looks bad,” he began with a slight fluster in his tone as he tugged at the shirt that was stuck over his arms, “but trust me when I say I have a perfectly reasonable explanation for this!”
Now, any demon in existence wouldn’t hesitate to say you were crazy if you told them that you have had a few run-ins with the king of hell himself. But they would more than likely have called you insane if you were to say that you were friends with Lucifer Morningstar, and yet, it was as true as can be. It was a rather unexpected turn of events to have come to know the king of hell, as he would come to take residence with the Hazbin Hotel run by his daughter, and in turn…getting the chance to meet you as one of its other residents. The idea alone of meeting Lucifer would still shock you to this day, even going so far as believing that you had to be dignified and proper with him. But over time, you began to see that the king was probably one of the most down to earth people you have ever met in your afterlife, and in turn, one of the nicest too. You and Lucifer would slowly become good friends as you spent more time together; even going so far as helping him out whenever he had any royal duties to attend to that he wasn’t too keen on doing alone, not to mention the rather fun outings that the two of you would have whenever he had some free time on hand. It was a bond forged from mutual trust between you two, and it had earned you the privilege of being one of Lucifer’s closest friends within hell.
So much so, that the king had requested for you to help him out for an upcoming meeting he had to attend with the rest of the Sin’s of Hell. It had been a long time since Lucifer had gone to any meeting of such caliber due to fairly…personal reasons…and he wanted to make sure he looked presentable after not seeing the others in so long. After reading a rather long winded text from the king asking you to come to his room and help him pick out an outfit, you would agree to his request with the belief that it would be a peaceful task to complete to help the king get ready. Though nothing could have prepared you for the scene that now laid before you as the king seemed to have started getting ready without you, much to his own…rather amusing misfortune.
“L-Lucifer, I thought I told you to wait,” you found yourself saying as you stifled a little giggle as you walked towards the struggling king, “hohohow in the hell did you manage to even do this?”
“W-Well it’s a pretty crazy story actually,” Lucifer began as he tugged at the shirt above his head as he turned to you with as much confidence as he had left at the moment, “you see after I messaged you, I thought that it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to get a head start when it came to getting ready. A king’s gotta be able to make himself presentable after all, so I wanted to try on a few outfits before making a choice and I…well…I may have—”
“—Got yourself stuck while in the midst of changing?” You finished the king’s sentence as you raised an eyebrow seeing his face scrunch up rather stubbornly.
“I did not get myself stuck!” Lucifer retorted with a huff as he turned himself away from you, almost tumbling off the couch in the process as he saved himself at the last minute, “I simply wanted to test the flexibility of the outfit, just because it’s a formal meeting doesn’t mean I can’t be comfortable…eheheh…”
You’d take a moment to hear what the king said before looking at the expression on his face as he said it, and in turn, saw the slight trace of what seemed to be…worry? It didn’t take long for you to register that there was truth in what Lucifer was saying, but the reason as to why he wanted to start getting ready before you arrived was what made all the difference. You knew that it had been a long time since Lucifer had ever attended meetings with the other Sins…much less had even seen them. The king had been in isolation due to his burdens and guilt for such a long time, it would be fair to reason that he was probably nervous about seeing his fellow rulers after so much time passed…and the way he was acting proved it. You would approach the couch to sit beside the trapped king as he looked to you with that sheepish smile of his, only to give a gentle look of concern in return.
“Lucifer…” You began to question softly as you tilted your head towards the king, “Are you that nervous about the meeting?”
Lucifer would take a moment to disregard your question with a shake of his head, giving an almost convincing huff in the process…almost. “Pfff! Me? Nervous?” He dismissed, “What would I have to be nervous about seeing all of my good buddies after oh so long…who have definitely probably thought I abandoned them…and are more than likely going to hate my guts seeing me again after isolating myself for a good few centuries…”
You couldn’t help but feel your heart ache as the king of hell slowly but surely admitted to his own fears. Isolation was never something easy to deal with, especially when it came to the hardships that would cause it. But the aftermath of such isolation was just as difficult…and the confrontation that comes with it. Now of course, you weren’t one to fully understand the more intricate details on how Hell’s hierarchy goes; but you knew for certain that bad blood doesn’t exclude anybody, royalty or eldritchy included. It was a valid fear to have when it came to reuniting with people you were once close with after such a long time…but such fear could always seem much more than what it actually is. Right now however, it seemed as though that fear was starting to get to your royal companion.
“Hey…nobody can truly predict how they’re gonna feel seeing you again after so long,” You began in a hushed tone of comfort, raising a hand to gently pat Lucifer’s leg in an attempt to ease his worry, “You’ve gone through a lot and needed time to…get your groove back. I’m sure if you just took a moment to talk to them honestly, they’d understand. But assuming the worst before it even ever happened won’t do you any good…”
As you spoke, you would see the nonchalant facade the king had on slowly begin to fade. His body became a bit tense as he laid back on the couch behind him and looked up to the ceiling above. His eyes drooped slightly as his once sheepish smile would turn into a soft frown of worry and dismay. Your hand would even begin to feel his leg twitch slightly from pure anxiety…he must have been holding this in for hours…if not the whole day. It was only after a few seconds passed when you finished speaking would he sigh and tilt his head slightly in your direction.
“It’s just…been so long since I last saw them, I don’t even know if they’d even care if I returned or not,” Lucifer admitted as his eyes showed worried guilt as he looked at you, “Bee, Oz, Levi, all of them…I can’t help but think…maybe they wouldn’t want me back after everything…”
“You never know, maybe they miss you just as much as you missed them,” You’d retort while beginning to move your hand up from Lucifer’s leg to his side, “I know it’s…pretty ironic given where we are but…have a little faith that it won’t turn out as bad as you think it would.”
Lucifer wouldn’t give a verbal answer as he lowered his head down and released another anxious sigh. You had a feeling that words alone wouldn’t help the king with his anxieties, though you really wished this was one of the cases where it did. All you could do now was simply pat Lucifer’s side with that raised hand in attempts to comfort him the best you could. You wished you knew of a better way to help him de-stress, but nothing came to mind, not even the things that the king would like to do probably wouldn’t do the trick either. It seemed like you truly wore out all of your options in that moment…that was of course…until that single hand of yours accidentally traced down the bare skin of the king's side.
“E-Ehehehmph…”
You perked up at the newfound sound that rang through your ears, unaware of what exactly was causing it in the first place. Eyeing around the king rings, you couldn’t make out what exactly would have caused that noise; that was of course, until you looked at the king of hell himself and was greeted by a rather…peculiar…sight.
“Um…are you…okay Lucifer?”
Looking at Lucifer, you wouldn’t see the anxious frown of grief that was spread across his face. Instead, your eyes would catch the sight of the king wearing a rather…nervous…expression? No, No it wasn’t just nervousness; something about it seemed…tense…or rather…surprised? It didn't help your curiosity at all as you saw that the frown he once wore was starting to wobble a little into a…smile? Why was he looking like he was just sprayed with cold water and…wait…was that a blush on his cheeks?
“N-Nothing! Nothing at all!” Lucifer was quick to stammer a response to snap you out of your train of thought, as he started to but a bit more effort in trying to get himself free from the shirt he was still stuck in, bare torso beginning to slowly shimmy away for your unaware touch as he failed to free himself, “J-Just felt a little chill is all, everything is a-okay with me!”
Well that was even less helpful to your curiosity as that answer only served to strengthen it, just what exactly caused the king of hell to get so jumpy around you? You tried to think back to what you had done these past few minutes; you first heard how the king truly felt about the meeting, then you tried to counsel him when it came to easing his worries, and when that didn’t work you tried to comfort him but rubbing your hand on his bare side to—
“E-Ehehehehehemph b-buddy please!” A sudden squeak would erupt from Lucifer’s lips that brought your attention back to him as he’d shoot you a rather…nervous…glare, “Y-Your hand ihihis—”
In that moment; your eyes would slowly gaze down towards where your hand was placed…before your eyes moved back up to see the wobbly smile growing on Lucifer's face…and then back down to the bare side that was exposed and defenseless to your touch. And in that very same moment did the pieces finally snap into place within your mind, and the answer to cheering up the king of hell would find its way to you, all thanks to the king himself no less.
“You know, ” You would hum as you’d begin to slowly begin to move your hand up towards the middle of the king’s side, as your other hand would start to make its approach on his other side away from his prying eyes, “I think all this stressing’s got you too tense to think straight and, well, gotten yourself stuck in your clothes. Right now, it feels as though you need a moment to…let’s just say…loosen up~”
Lucifer would shiver a little hearing what you had said, narrowing his eyes as that wobbly smile had hints of curiosity and concern, unaware of what you were planning…well…maybe partially aware, “W-What do you mean by loos-Ehehehehehemph H-Huhuhuhuhuh?!”
Before the king had a chance to finish his sentence, you’d situate your hands right on the middle of both of his sides. And in no time at all, you’d begin to gently flutter your index and middle fingers along the sensitive skin that was left open for you to exploit for your plan. You decided to keep to a slow rhythm to start off this little idea, directing your fingers to brush up and down the king’s sides like paintbrushes stroking along a blank canvas. It was with this canvas where you would create your own work of art, one that in turn, would bring a smile to your dear friend's face.
“I can’t believe I almost forgotten how ticklish your were,” You’d purr with a sweet teasing tone in your voice as that small smile turned into a pure impish smirk hearing the small giggles begin to erupt from Lucifer’s lips, “I’m really glad I was able to discover this little tidbit about you from Charlie, it seems to help you out quite well when you get moody~”
It was by complete chance that you had discovered that the king of hell was ticklish, if you were honest with yourself, you couldn’t believe that you got lucky enough to discover it in the first place. Who knew that walking down an average hallway within the hotel would result in you catching the sight of Lucifer getting poked by Charlie during the midst of a meeting they were having. It was only after Charlie and Lucifer spotted you would be where the princess of hell would spill the beans over her fathers rather adorable weakness. Ever since that day, you’d find yourself using that treasured info to play little pranks on the king whenever he had any free time or needed a distraction; of course, he’d always make sure to get his revenge and leave you a giggling blushing mess. But through these little moments, the two of you had grown a fondness for sharing that rather endearing form of bonding that helped bring a smile to both of your faces. And right now, it would be the very thing you needed in order to help relieve the king of the stress he was facing.
It was even proving its usefulness right now, as the king of hell was currently squeaking out just from your four fingers alone. Lucifer’s giggles were rather bubbly and sporadic, but at the same time, they carried its own unique melody that was sweet sounding to hear. Every brush on his left side would force him to squirm to the right; And Every graze on his right side would force him to shimmy right back to the left. Leaving him in a constant ticklish loop as he found no true means of escape from your soft yet devilish touch against his defenseless skin. If he wasn’t regretting getting stuck changing his clothes before…he definitely was feeling those regrets now…as his wobbly smile would give way to a cherry red blush growing on his cheeks.
“B-Buhuhuhuhuhuhuddy ehehehahahahahahaha n-no no no no w-wahahahahahahahahait,” Lucifer would stammer out through his giggles as he’d wiggle his hardest to get unstuck from his shirt, unfortunately for the king, that shirt wasn’t gonna be easy to negotiate with, “Y-Yohohohohohou dohohoho-don’t hahahahahave tohohohoho dohohohohoho thihihihihis ohohohohohoh gohohohohosh!”
“Awwwww but I just got you giggling, I can’t stop now,” You’d retort with a playful coo as you’d sit yourself closer to the king’s squirming body on the couch, continuing to wiggle your four fingers along his soft sides with a curious smirk, “After all, gotta make sure aaaaall that stress is outta your system; now let’s see where else we can tend to, shall we Luci?~”
You paid no mind to the squeaks of protest from the king as you’d look over his body to find your next target. It didn’t take long for you to make your choice as you’d move your hands up from Lucifer's sides and towards his ribs. The king’s body was rather slim, but not too slim to make him look like a skeleton, though it did leave it easy to see where his ribs were; though in this case, seeing his ribs would prove useful with your current goal. Unleashing all ten of your fingers, you’d begin to quickly skitter along both sets of ribs on the king’s bare body; ensuring every poke and prod was as gentle as can be, you’d leave no rib unattended from your devilishly sweet assault. You’d even take moments to gently dig your fingers between some of Lucifer's ribs just to get a mixture of different reactions.
Of course Lucifer…graciously…provided such for you.
“YEEAHAHAHA-Ehehehehehehehehahahahahahaha nohohohot-not the ribs not the rihihihihihihibs!” He’d squeal out while shaking his head, arching himself off the couch trying to escape from you, though he wouldn’t really get far as he flopped right back down on the cushions behind him, “D-Duhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhucklihihihihihihihihing plehehehehehehehehease I-Ihihihihihihihim fihihihihihihihihine!”
Your soul melted a little as you heard that sweet nickname Lucifer gave you as those sweet squeaky giggles resounded from his lips, it was a nickname he gave only to those close to him that he felt truly comfortable around. A part of you still wonders how you got to become one of those lucky few…and yet…you’d always find yourself grateful that you were. Even through his protest, you could see it as clear as day; it was in the king's smile, it was in his laughter, it was in the way his eyes sparkled, he was truly enjoying this. Slowly but surely you could see that Lucifer was starting to let himself embrace the affection, setting aside the stress at least for a moment to relax. Despite all that he had gone through, the king of hell was still able to smile, he still held that joy that you only heard existed centuries ago. And in the end that alone made this whole plan worth it, to be able to remind him that he was cared for, to be able to provide the light he needed in his darkest moments…those were moments that you’d treasure dearly. Lucifer wasn’t just a king in your eyes, he was a friend you cared about deeply, and you were gonna make sure he knew that.
“Hmmmmm…I dunno…you might say your fine but I just can’t be sure yet,” You’d muse as a playfully puzzled tone would come from that teasing purr in your voice, all the while you were drilling your all fingers between the king's ribs which elicited a squeal from his lips, “Maaaaaaaybe I’ll be convinced if I just check a biiiiiit more~”
A small whine would escape from Lucifer's throat that almost made you coo from how cute it was…but you couldn’t get distracted…not before tending to one last spot. Slowly you would turn the king around on the couch, until you had your friend’s back facing you. It didn’t take long for Lucifer to realize what you were planning as he’d begin to shimmy away from you, a bright blush and “fearful” smile on his face as he’d do so. You’d chuckle a little as you pulled Lucifer right back into your grasp, resting your hands right on the middle of his spine, earning you a shiver of anticipation.
“W-Wahahait d-duckling p-plehehehease,” Lucifer attempted to negotiate while given the chance to breathe, turning his head around the best he could to look at you with those sparkling “pleading” eyes of his, “Y-You don’t have to do this, we can just get me ready like we were supposed to do, I’m fine, I promise I’m–!”
“Shshshshshshshsh~” You would hush as you’d trace your hands softly up and down the king’s spine, leaving him shivering and squeaking in suspense as he’d suppress the wave of euphoria threatening to come from his lips, your own eyes sparkling with mirthful mischief knowing that this was going to be the ticket to curing your friends woes, “No need for any more words…just do me a favor…and laugh for me Luci~”
Upon those words, you would shoot your hands right up to the king’s upper back, right where his wings would be whenever they sprouted. In that very same second, you would begin to rapidly skitter your fingers up and down that spot with gentle mercilessness. Your fingers would brush and graze and claw along the soft pale skin that “welcomed” you without objection, making sure that no spot on the king's back was left untouched. You had seen Lucifer's wings come out a few good times during your tenure of knowing him, and you were able to discover how sensitive they were when you were given the chance to brush them once or twice. But the one thing that never crossed your mind was if the king’s back was just as sensitive as his wings, after all, they came from his back right? That had to mean his back was just as sensitive as his wings, it would make sense, right?
You weren’t just proven right with your theory, but Satan below, you were much more than right.
Lucifer wasn’t just quacking like a duck, he was full blown honking like a goose! A single touch was enough to make him squeal out instantly before falling into loud bountiful laughter. The king would arch and buck as that wide smile shined as bright as the blush painted over his entire face, hell he bucked so much that he found himself flopping down on the couch belly-first. Something that would only serve to further expose the king’s back as you’d scritch and skitter your fingers up and down the spots where his wings would protrude. Tears of mirth were forming in Lucifer's eyes as he’d kick his legs out of pure instinct while you sat there with an adoringly mischievous smile on your face watching him melt under your touch.
“Awwwww there’s the sweet Luci-Goosey I know~” You’d tease as you scribble your fingers down the middle of the kings back before going right back up near his shoulder blades, “Laughing so cutely just from a few tickle tickle tickles, you’re too adorable for you own good, your majesty~”
“SHUHUHHUHUHUHUHUHUHUT UHUHUHUHUHUHUP!” Lucifer would protest as another louder whine would escape from his laughter, hiding his blushing face in the cushions after hearing that little nickname, “YOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOU KNOHOHOHOHOHOW IHIHIHIHIH H-HAHAHAHATE THAHAHAHAHAHAHAT NAHAHAHAHAHAME!”
“And yet you never told me to stop using it all the times I said it,” You’d retort with a knowing smile, Lucifer may be the king of hell but he was a terrible liar at times, “I oughta punish you just for lying to me…but should I?
As you pondered the question you would use all ten of your fingers to begin to slowly graze down the entirety of the king’s back, earning a loud yelp followed by more of that resounding laughter.
“EHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHA P-PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEAHAHAHASE!”
You would then direct your fingers right back up the king's back as you kept the slow and “torturous” rhythm as more yelps and squeals escaped from Lucifer's lips while you wore an impish smile.
“Shooooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuld I?~” Down the king’s back again
This rhythm of “torturously” slow traces would continue again and again and again until a few more minutes had passed. Lucifer's small tears would begin to stain the cushioning on his couch as smaller hiccups would begin to fester from his bright laughter. Even if he was the all powerful overlord of the underworld, Lucifer has his limits, and it wasn’t long before he knew he needed to throw in the towel.
“EHEHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SEHEHEHEHEHERPENT, SEHEHEHEHEHEHEHERPEHEHEHEHEHENT!” Lucifer would squeal out as he’d sink into the couch out of pure instinct and defeat through his laughter, “SEHEHEHEHEHERPEHEHEHENT PLEHEHEHEASE DUHUHUHUCKLIHIHIHIHING!”
Your eyes would widen as your focus was snapped right back from your mischief the moment you heard the magic word. In an instant your fingers would halt their ticklish tracing and scribbling as they stayed completely still on the middle of Lucifer's back. A softer expression would begin to grow on your face as you heard the loud huffs of air that the king was taking, your brow furrowing with concern over his well being; you didn’t take it too far, did you?
“Easy Luci…Easy there…” You would whisper softly as you’d direct your hands to begin gently massaging along the king’s spine, thumbs pressing and kneading soothingly into the soft skin of his back as your tone was a compassionate hush, “It's okay…you’re okay…breathe for me hun…”
Lucifer would cease his squirming the moment he felt the tickling stop, limbs flopping in exhaustion as the movement of his back would indicate how deep he was breathing. Small hums and whines would escape from his lips through small bouts of giggles that elicited through phantom senses that lingered along his body, ticklish sparks mixing with soothing massaging waves. After a few minutes of catching his breath, the king would slowly turn himself around to look at you directly, shivering a little as those ticklish sparks still grazed his exposed skin. It was then that you saw the traces of the tears that came from the king's eyes, and yet, the smile and blush that was glued to his face were ones of true euphoric joy.
“Ehehehehemph…y-yohohohou suhuhuhure know how to mahahake a guy feheheheel better,” Lucifer would huff out as he’d sit back against the couch with a gentle glimmer in his eyes, eyes that looked truly grateful for your presence, “I thihihihink I really n-needed that…”
You would breathe a sigh of relief the moment you heard those words, content that your friend was okay, you’d move close and hug the king as gently as possible. You were just as grateful to be able to be his friend just as much as he was grateful to be able to spend time with you. Even within the underworld, in a place for the wretched and vile, there were things that held so much happiness that made being in this hotel worth it…and you would never take it for granted.
“I’m glad it helped, I really really am,” You hum before letting go of the king to look at him with a soft smile, “It may take some time…but give yourself the kindness that they want you there…that they care about you just as much as you care about them…and I’m sure they’ll forgive you.”
“Yeah…You’re right…I’ll try to make that effort, maybe they’ll be happy we’re all together again,” Lucifer would nod with a bit more hope in his voice before he looked towards you with a rather playful glare, “I hope you know that after the meeting is done, I am so getting you back for every second of torture you put me through, little duckling~”
“E-Ehehe…I-I wouldn’t expect anything less,” You’d find yourself stammering a bit as a small blush formed on your face, boy oh boy were you gonna be in for it later, but right now, “Although I think we need to get you ready for your meeting first…and well…get you unstuck.”
You would point up towards the shirt that was still snug over the king’s chest, trying to stifle the giggle that threatened to escape when he remembered that he was stuck. Lucifer would give a sheepish giggle as he’d look back down at you, truly this was a friendship you’d cherish for the entirety of your afterlife; cause even if you were in hell, you knew that you were there with some very good people.
New day, means new Mirth Muses, though this one is a little different. My thought process decided to go down the route of fantasy, through worlds such as dungeons and dragons, and decided to make my brain think of something rather devious, but still very cute.
Their is something so wonderful when it comes to how ticklish desires can be implemented into Dungeons and Dragons, or more so, how tickling itself can be thought of within such worlds of fantasy within such a realm.
Just imagining how different classes of heroes and warriors can implement such ticklish mischief for themselves or for others can be so fun to think about and flustering as well. Imagine a necromancer whom summons skeletal servants to brand an assortment of tools or to hold their lee down in order for themselves and their servants to tend to such a trapped lee in full. Or perhaps a bard whose capable of creating songs through their magic that courses a lee to be more sensitive, indulge in being teasy or bratty, or perhaps tickle themselves or others to be tickled. An artificer can create an assortment of machines and gadgets fueled with technological and magical properties to give the most playful mixtures of ticklish science. Perhaps a druid can commune and create new breeds of plant life that have an assortment of ticklish properties to tangle their lee in. Maybe a paladin can command gentle radiant light and holy healing to give a gentle brand of ticklish blessing to any who grace its touch to give their own giggly blessing.
And not just with classes within such fantasy worlds, but the races within such worlds too can carry so much potential. Perhaps once could be curious if the scales of a Dragonborn can be softened with the sweetest of traces in order to make their stoic strong souls giggle with delight. Faerie's can be mischievous lers if given proper incentive to play impish ticklish tricks, but how impish would it be to let them be trapped in a bundle of large feathers with no way of escape. Changelings could shift themselves to bring their own ticklish curiosities to light if they so wish; Maybe they'd wish to shift themselves to seeing what it's like to have sensitive wolf paws or ticklish bunny ears. A slim graceful elf may indulge themselves into just how sensitive their soft silky skin can be, if they don't tumble over on themselves in the purest of laughter. A kenku can be elusive and a kobold can be tricky; but a bird's wings and a draconic's back could be lovely spots to try out.
All of this and so much more can be imagined within such wonderful words. And the most amazing thing, for players and dungeon masters alike, they have the freedom to make all of this and more come true. See what you can imagine within such fantastical worlds, and roll the dice to see if mirth is in your favor~
New Mirth Muses coming your way, this one centered upon a more...teasing...aspect of how lee's can give such adorable messages, Continued Below...
Their is something so lovely about how a lee can give an assortment of messages to when they want to be tickled to their ler, both subtle and prominent. It can start with clothing, the outfit of which a lee wears that gives clear visual indication of their wishes, a nice cozy crop top, a soft fluffy sweater, loose sweatpants or shorts, a pair of wool socks or slippers, each of these pieces of clothing are like beacons as to where the lee wishes to be tickled. Then comes the remarks, verbale indications to what the lee wishes to have done to them or how they want to egg their ler on; From comments about their exhaustion while saying "I wish I got a good pick-me-up", to out loud thoughts about their current condition in saying "Maybe this wasn't the right outfit to wear in this weather" or "Feels a bit too chilly today", and of course the remarks of challenge that can bring about a bit of battiness in "Nothing can break my focus" or "You don't got a chance at beating me in this game". Then of course, the most prominent messages of them all, the lee's actions that bring about physical indications to their wants. From stretching out as much as possible to show off a nice tummy or their exposed sides, laying or sitting themselves close to the ler so they can see their opened arms or neck, letting themselves brush their soles across soft carpet to get a little giggle out as they tickle their own feet.
Each and every message carries its own lovely meaning, and yet, all of them carry one true purpose. Your lee wants to get your attention, and they want you to make their day absolutely memorable~
