Vivi ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

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[bunni-v1]

Fool King and the Glass Queen

🍓There is no garuntee I do anything more with this. I just wanted to write out the actual idea, since I enjoyed it so much. Think of it as filler between all the other things I’ve been working on (I promise I’m doing more than just crk behind the scenes 🥲)

TW: Descriptions of mental illness; SMC is VERY ooc for this au…; ESC is kind of a weirdo, but in a charming way I promise; Silent Salt Cookie wants you so bad and you do not care; kinda rushed and messy please forgive me

“He’s losing his mind, your majesty,” the healer cookie states, “I don’t believe there’s anything to do for him at this state; we can only hope he recovers on his own, or at the very least becomes lucid enough to make appearances in public again.”

You sigh, licking your lips in frustration. Across the room was your dearly beloved husband, shifty eyes observing your hushed conversation with scrutiny. The news was expected, but not what you wanted. This was the fifth healer who’d come to the palace and the fifth who’d told you the same, nothing could be done. He was hopeless.

What was the point of them if they could do nothing, really? Saying the same thing over and over, rather than making an effort to help their king. The very king who allowed their practice in the first place, who supported the medical guild financially when they were first getting their footing. You should have their heads for such disrespect toward him.

Instead of spitting that bile at him, you take a breath and nod.

“I understand. Thank you for your effort,” you dismiss, closing the bedroom door behind him.

Silence stretches a beat too long; your shoulders tense, the start of a headache coming on, and yet all you're worried about is your husband. You haven't slept properly in weeks, too busy tending to him and his fits of night terrors. Searching for any healer who might see him for the chance at an answer, only to be disappointed over and over. No one knew what was wrong; his symptoms were too confusing, conflicting with one another. One moment he was fine, the next he was mumbling about some... playwright you'd never heard of.

"Bad news?" He calls, voice scratchy from the fit of rage he'd had in the middle of your night.

You exhale, straightening yourself out before facing him, trying to be strong, "No news at all. Nothing you should worry about, my sweet."

You take his hands in yours as you sit next to him, smoothing over their tops to soothe him. Perhaps to soothe yourself. They are more delicate than yours, always have been, a silver spoon in his mouth keeping him from using them all his life. It always struck you as odd that he still chose to love you, despite just how differently your lives started. It's exactly why you are choosing him now.

He stops you by sliding his fingers between yours, squeezing them together in the gentle way you knew and loved, "You think I'm crazy."

"I think you're sick," you correct, "you're not eating, not sleeping... You mutter nonsense to yourself-- Witches, Shadow Milk, look at how weak you are."

He shifts uncomfortably at the accusations, never being one to take kindly to perception, especially not of his weaknesses. But you are his wife, and you want to be his pillar of support too. Gently, you bring your knuckles up to caress his cheek.

"I wish you would tell me what's happening to you, so I can bring you peace."

He stops you again, pulling your hand to his lips in a kiss of devotion, "You being here brings me more peace than you know, my starlight. That is all I need from you."

It is these moments he has that convince you he can be helped. Perhaps it's foolish to believe these private moments mean anything, to believe that his fracturing mind can be put back together again, but you want it to be true more than anything. You want your Shadow Milk back. At any cost.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

Another day with Shadow Milk confined to the west wing of the castle means another day of you dealing with jesters in regal clothes alone. They spew propriety laced with venom, their distaste made palpable without Shadow Milk to drown out the sour with his sweetness. You're unsure what, exactly, they expect of you. You've done everything your husband has and then some, and still they criticize each decision you make. Advised by them or not.

"Your proposal is nonsensical," a snooty-looking cookie near hisses, "in what world would it be acceptable to send out such a large party for so few supplies."

You give what must be your hundredth sigh of the meeting, tired of having to refute or defend every single thing said. This argument in particular was given to you by Burning Spice Cookie himself: a proposal to recover a small village after a natural disaster ravaged it and a caravan belonging to the kingdom. Notably, he'd asked you to propose it in hopes of helping you gain favor with the court. Only, he hadn't realized any legislation you give them goes unread until the meeting. They believed you an idiot not worth the time, because you are not of royal blood, and because you have suddenly replaced the King without any explanation.

"The supplies are the smallest part of this expedition; the village east of the kingdom is in shambles and needs the official support of the crown and our knights. The majority of our efforts will be focused in rescue, rehabilitation, and rebuilding. The supplies are--"

A particularly annoying cookie interrupts, one who'd caused you more trouble than most, so quick to tear you down with a smile, "Does the king know of this plan? His approval would be pertinent for an operation of this scale."

"This is a village in desperate need of help, the King--"

"Has to give approval, as he does with everything. You understand that, don't you?"

You have to bite back the vile words you'd like to spit at his smug face. Your chest heaves in the effort it takes not to jump from your seat and strangle him to death. Were Shadow Milk here, no one would be so bold as to address you in a disrespectful manner, but he is not here.

"If you read the proposal," you address the entire table, "you would see that King Shadow Milk has already given his written approval at the bottom of the page. He took great care to sign each individual document between his busy schedule; not reading it would be disrespect to the crown. You understand that, don't you?"

The fire in the room cools at the cold words, cookies flipping through the document to find, indeed, you were right. Thank goodness you'd thought to have him do this small thing for you, so you could keep face only a little while longer with your scheming. They don't say a word about anything for the rest of the meeting, and leave in a stuttering silence when you dismiss them.

When you are truly well and alone, you shudder out an exhale, pressing your head into the cool wood hard enough that it would leave imprints on your dough. You had it easy with your husband at your side; he'd spoiled you with his never-ending protection. Without it, the eyes and the expectations on your shoulders were slowly burying you alive. You weren’t baked for this kind of life, it didn’t suit you, and yet… you trusted no one else to do his job for him. He trusted no one else but you.

You take another few beats, take a breath, and lift your head. Greeted by the wide, staring eyes of Burning Spice Cookie. You nearly fall out of your chair in fright, yelping as you jolt upright.

“Bu— Burning Spice! When did you get-? Stop doing that!” You sputter.

A grin splits his face, leaning back from you to his full height, “If you weren’t so easy to spook, I wouldn’t do it so much.”

Straightening yourself out, you grumble, “I can’t imagine how someone your size moves so silently.”

“How’d the meeting go,” he prompts, leaning against the table.

And all the grief you’d just processed comes back in a wave, deflating in your chair in defeat. You felt worse to let down his hopefulness, his attempts to help falling flat in the end.

“It was a sweet thing to do for me, but they’ve already decided upon how they feel about me,” you huff, “they nearly laughed in my face— I mean, how could they be so unfeeling? Our people are suffering, and all they care about is making an example of me!”

“Precisely why I avoid these proceedings,” he drawls, “so boring, watching everyone go at each others throats.”

“I’m so sorry my suffering isn’t amusing enough for our great general,” you shoot back.

The words come out sharper than you’d like, but he’d well and deserved them. Making fun of you like this, in your time of despair, he should get more than an earful. Then, he reminds you why you put up with it, setting a large hand on your back and patting it gently. For someone seemingly so rough, he had his moments that made you rethink him.

“Next time, I will attend to defend your honor,” said so courteously, you feel a little flustered.

Pressing your hand to your mouth to cover your suddenly shyness, you give a curt nod, “I appreciate it, Burning Spice. And, I hope this expedition you and your men go on is smooth. Please report back to me regularly about any supplies you might need.”

“Right back to the politics,” he scoffs, “I can’t imagine how this court of yours thinks you’re so unfit, you’re more stingy than Silent Salt Cookie.”

“You are dismissed, Burning Spice,” you chide softly.

He doesn’t argue at all, doesn’t like to stay in one place more than a few moments at a time, “Send the King my wishes in his recovery.”

Then he is gone again, quick as he arrived. You feel more secure with his assurance, you had a few cookies in your corner at the very least, but was it enough. You shrug, so far it has been, and it’s not as though you have much of a choice.

Carefully, you collect the documents from today’s meeting, and make your way to the next stop. A quick visit to the private chapel your husband had built years and years ago. The head priestess, Mystic Flour Cookie, was a close friend of his in their youth — so they claim, at least. The two of them truly could not be more different from each other. How they managed to get along was beyond you. Yet, Mystic Flour had become quite the companion since your husband had started slipping.

The chapel itself had become a place of quiet solidarity and peace for you when cookies got beneath your skin too much. Refusing to put that upon your husband’s shoulders when he was struggling as is. Adding on the fact that you’d rather the court not see him when he slips into his fits of madness — and he certainly acts mad when it comes to your wellbeing.

You set your belongings by the door, slip the delicate crown from your head, and step up to the pulpit to pray. Like this, you are just a bakers child, a citizen and not the queen. If you close your eyes and fold your hands, kneeling in front of the great altar, you can pretend you are just another cookie. That the witches see you, and they see the most delicate parts of you, not the ones everyone else must.

Beneath your breath, you whisper out your prayer to the witches. Beginning with your thanks for baking you, as is custom, then pleading out your needs. It’s the same words you’ve said a thousand times, help the prosperity of the kingdom under your guidance, let the court finally see the good you’re trying hard to achieve, and find answers for your husband. It’s become repetitive, at this point, you know the lines by heart. You’re sure the witches are sick of hearing them, but if they’re so sick, why don’t they give you some goddamn guidance?

It is wrong, you know it’s wrong, but you’ve come to resent them as much as the court. They were your creators, the very reason you existed, why would they step away and leave all of cookiekind floundering? All you needed was a whisper of a sign, but they couldn’t even bother with that. Blinking open your eyes, the statue of one of your great creators looms above. Beautiful and ethereal, laughing in your face like a cruel joke.

After what feels like only a few moments but must’ve been nearly an hour, if the setting sun’s light is any indication, you stand from your knees. The shaggy carpet indents the dough there, leaving you a bit sore and creaky. Still, you readjust yourself, and turn back to the entrance.

Mystic Flour is already stood there, holding your things with her usual reverence. It brings a small smile to your face, the first one of the day, no doubt. She hands you your items, then takes great care in setting your crown upon your head, making sure it is centered and comfortable. No words are needed between the two of you, and she opens the door with a polite bow.

Night is falling soon, you should return to the private wing of the castle for dinner with Shadow Milk cookie. He causes such a fuss now that the two of you are separated for most of the day. You don’t blame him for it, honestly, you feel the same. Something… strange catches your eye… however. A flash of pink dodging around the corner.

The smart idea would be to alert a knight, or even step inside and ask the priestess to come with you. You don’t do either of those things. Instead, you follow after the strange sight, zipping around the corner to see where it’s gone. As soon as you do, it’s moving fast around another, then another, and another until you are so far from the west wing you might as well say your prayers for the fit your husband will have.

Somehow, you end up in the gardens, moving through flowers and shrubbery planted especially to your tastes. The strange pink object staying just out of reach until you reach the furthest edge, then you finally see it. See her. A beautiful, delicate cookie dressed in strange patterned clothes — like a detective of sorts. Though what one might be doing here is beyond you.

“Hello?” You call, unsure of how to address her.

She smiles at you, “Hello, what a pleasure to finally meet you.”

The phrasing is not lost on you, but you choose not to question it. There was something about her that made you uneasy, and somehow calm at the same time. Three fingers press to your lips, holding yourself back from any sudden decisions. She waits for your response patiently, like she could stand here all day as still smile that sugary sweet grin.

Finally, “Who are you?”

Her lashes flutter, eyeing you with something you’re sure is affectionate, and not knowing why makes your stomach flip, “Just a curious cookie, is all. I’ve been wanting to see what kind of cookie you are for a long time now, I must say, you don’t disappoint little queen~”

It’s so familiar, like she knows you, but you’ve never met this cookie. Never seen her in your life. The strange conflict in your chest rings alarm bells in your head, too, but her presence is soothing. You swallow.

“I’ve never seen you about the castle…”

She shakes her head, “No, I tend to work behind the scenes. I’ve not had the chance to come meet you in person until today. Such a shame too…”

“Behind the scenes? What kind of work do you do…?”

A grin, “Ah, you could say I’m a playwright of sorts. Nothing you need to worry about~”

You go to ask another question, but a voice calls your name before you can finish. The sweet looking cookie in front of you scowls for the first time, a gross expression on her features.

“Too bad, we’ve hardly begun to get to know each other,” she hums, “Ta-ta now, sweetling~ Send your husband my well wishes!”

You frown, watching her wave before another more worried shout of your name sounds. You turn your head toward the sound, and when you turn back, she is gone. Like a whisper in the night, until it is only you and the flowers.

It strikes you as so odd, all you can do is stand and stare at where she once stood. Unsure if you had begun to lose your mind as well. A shiver climbs up your spine at the thought, perhaps you were misjudging your husband… or perhaps you were overworking yourself. You wrap yourself up in a hug, tightly grasping your shoulders in comfort.

Then two other hands place themselves on top of yours, turning you to face the familiar visage of Silent Salt Cookie. Even through his helmet you can see that he is terribly worried for you. Checking you over quickly, before settling on the disturbed face you give him. He does not ask questions, only pets your cheek with armored knuckles that offer little warmth.

No words are exchanged as he quietly guides you back to the west wing, hand on your lower back. No one dares say a word at the intimacy of it all when you pass, they know better than to comment on such a thing. He was your dearest friend, after all.

“The king is worried sick,” he comments as you step closer to the dining hall, “it’s nightfall and you’ve yet to eat, he was near ready to send out a brigade for you. Almost went looking himself.”

You smile a little, “Thank you for not allowing him to. Thank you for coming instead.”

“It’s no thing to thank me for,” he pauses, “I… was worried, too.”

You give a sigh, nodding. It was reasonable, you’d been chasing that strange cookie for much longer than you’d thought. You can’t imagine how worried Shadow Milk must be, such an extreme deviation from the routine you had enforced yourself. You were a failure of a wife to disappoint him.

Tears are falling down your cheeks before you realize, your shoulders shaking with the weight of everything. You had yet to cry, in all the weeks you’ve endured, nothing had made you cry. But… the very idea of being the cause of your beloveds suffering? It tore you apart, and tears finally fell.

“Your majesty…” Silent Salt worries, pausing outside the dining hall doors.

His hand comes up to cradle your face, wipe your tears away, but he hesitates. For the split second he does, you move away from his touch. Comfort would only make you feel worse, when you cannot offer your husband comfort the same way.

“My apologies for all the trouble, Silent Salt,” you apologize softly, wiping your face yourself, “He is in our room?”

“Ah, yes, you are right, your majesty,” he affirms, “if you need a moment—“

You shake your head, “I’m alright, don’t worry about me.”

You turn from him quickly, not wanting to feel the sting of his pity any longer. You know he means well, but you hate the way he looks at you. He’s known you your whole life, you know he’s never been fond of Shadow Milk, and you hate how… vindicated he seems now that your husband is losing himself. He wants to be your rock, your knight, and you don’t need that. You just need your husband.

You step inside the room to quite a sight, though not one you’re unused to. Shadow Milk is staring at himself in the mirror, a twisted grin stretched across his features. His crown missing, hair a disaster from his fingers tugging at it, and his nightgown is wrinkled and displaced. He doesn’t seem to notice you entering, so you approach carefully.

“My love,” you call.

It’s hard not to flinch when he turns all at once, near angry at your intrusion. A tiny, weak part of you is afraid one day he might turn and attack, but you know him better than to believe that. As soon as his mind catches up to his body, he relaxes visibly, posture slouching back to something more comfortable. Words don’t work with him like this, you learned the hard way, so instead you stretch your arms out.

He is drawn to them like a magnet, throwing his arms around your middle and resting his head upon your bosom. Like this, you can pet his hair while he trembles in your grasp. He almost seems small, despite being larger than the average cookie. You like that he relies on you, and that alone makes your stomach flip… because what sane cookie would find pleasure in such a thing. But… you’re sure neither of you are quite there anymore.

“She came again,” he whispers, more fragile than usual.

You nod, “I know, my love.”

“No, you don’t understand,” he gasps, lifting his head.

In his eyes you see terror, a terror you’ve never quite seen. Something is different this time, you realize. He’s not raging, not going on a tirade about rewriting his story, there is no anger there. He’s just terrified. So unlike him, not within the usual boundaries of these fits. It puts you on edge, too, grabbing his face carefully as if to assure him you’re listening.

“She mentioned you.”

“Me? What did she say, Shadow Milk Cookie?”

He shakes his head adamantly, eyes unfocusing, mind drifting away. You shake him a little to keep him there, trying to get anything more. It was hard to make sense of his ramblings, but if it had shaken him to fear… that was something worth trying to understand.

“Shadow Milk Cookie—“

“I will not allow her to get to you, too,” he says with urgency, “I will never, never lose you.”

Those mismatched eyes are staring into the depths of your soul. He means his words, and you realize for the first time… he’s not really gone. He is still there, despite this sudden fit, he is fully conscious. You nod, petting his cheeks.

Perhaps it was the strange cookie in the garden, or perhaps it’s his own conviction, but you find yourself believing every word he says tonight.

“You will never lose me,” you whisper back, “I swear it to you.”

[dogsohavoc]

Awakened Pure Vanilla is a little bigger than you remembered~

Content warnings: AFAB bodied reader with no specific pronouns used, size difference, quite dubcon with reader mostly just being shocked over what's happening rather than explicitly nonconsenting, you are PVs spouse, technically occurs in public but it's only you two, couch defilement, I formally apologise for being shit at dialogue

Pure Vanilla Cookie was always a gentle soul, and it reflected wholeheartedly in his relationship with you. Always patient, always kind, especially when it came to the bedroom.

The two of you even had your first times together, where he'd shook underneath you as you sat down on him, sliding into you smoothly, like a lock clicking into place.

It felt right. He was the perfect, adorable size for you.

Then, when he left for Beast Yeast you missed him so terribly, so deeply.. and yet you couldn't bring yourself to touch yourself without his presence. You knew he loved to make you feel good, so something in the back of your mind told you he'd be disappointed if he wasn't there to witness your pleasure.

When he came back? He was different. Taller, his beauty like no other. A presence, a radiance that outshined all else. To stand beside him was an honor- a fever dream to know he was all yours.

But his awakening posed a problem you hadn't seen coming.

His dick was fucking massive. Every part of him was, really, but especially that log between his legs. Before, he was, well, modest. You loved him and you loved his body, and you were glad he previously could fit into you so easily with… some of the activities you put him up to.

You knew he'd never hurt you. He'd sooner crumble than soil a crumb on your body.

Yet it was hard to not feel intimidated when he first showed his face, sunnier than ever… you could barely keep a straight face because of the very pronounced bulge in his robes.

It should have been flattering– and don’t take that the wrong way, it definitely was– but the idea that he was so openly aroused in public by the mere sight of you set off alarm bells. 

Before, he'd been a little more shy in his affections, only letting himself become worked up in the privacy of your own chambers. ‘I'd prefer to not expose any of my subjects to that side of me.’ He'd told you one night, flustered as you curled his vanilla cream hair.

But now, he was absolutely shameless. Proudly displaying his need for you in public– even as the castle servants glanced, mortified by seeing their king in such a way. 

On the first night of his return, he'd followed you around like a lost puppy, desperate for a chance to decompress with your company. You still had one more request to polish off before you could retire for the night, and you found yourself in the castle's library reading over some old manuscripts that hadn't yet been modernised. 

He sat with you quietly, providing small inputs on the translation. Getting to share such a comfortable silence with you was what he’d been yearning for. Beast Yeast was hectic, and he’d had barely a moment to rest– the cracks still ran deep in regards to the Spire, too.

And well, you couldn't really blame him when the crux of his robes started rising the moment your thigh bumped his. It was innocent- you’d merely been reaching over for a change of ink, but it sent his heart leaping, body temperature quickly rising. 

You didn't notice his suffering at first, absorbed in reading over your work while your husband squirmed beside you– in fact, you didn’t until he gingerly took hold of your wrist. You looked over to him inquisitively, gasping as you witnessed him. Flushed just lightly, tilting his head so his hair cascaded down his shoulders like liquid gold. 

When he spoke, his voice was low, tentative, but sure. 

“Dear… I apologise for doing this but…”

He slowly guided your hand, feeling your stomach jolt as you realised just what the big problem was. 

“I need you. Please, may I have you?”

You’re speechless. It feels… superheated, like the scalding surface of an oven. His silky robes slid so smoothly over him, thin enough that you could feel the shape of his cock with distinction. It felt thick, heavy in your palm as you squeezed him, in shock over what you had your hand wrapped around. 

His hips tilted forward just barely, chasing the gentle constrict of your hand. Soft lips part as he sighs in content, head falling lax into his collarbone. Robes bundled up around him, inviting as they reminded you of disturbed sheets. 

Witches– they barely hid anything. You watched in awe as the bulge swelled, growing harder beneath your very fingertips… and it was big. Sure, he may have been on the smaller side before, but this had just gone overboard. Even though you were only feeling the top of it, your fingers would have no chance of meeting each other if you’d tried.

How did it feel so hot, so heavy? Was he not even wearing underwear? You’re practically jerking him off already with how thin these robes are.

You squeeze him just barely, trying to process just how much you were dealing with here, and found yourself suddenly melded to him. He hooked his arm around your hip, unashamedly taking a fistful of ass as your face is pressed into his generous chest. His hips bucked against your limp hand. 

“I'm sorry about this my dear,”

The situation was devolving way too quickly for your liking– he’d slipped off the top of his robes in a fervor, letting it pool around his waist in a bid to free his heated skin. You weren’t safe either, as he lifts you effortlessly and sets you face down on the couch. He wasn’t rough– but there was no room to squirm away from his roaming hands as he kept you stationary with one hand on your shoulderblades. 

His warm weight settles atop you, rolling his needy cock against the back of your thighs. Your pants and underwear are yanked mercilessly down your ass, he doesn’t even bother to remove them completely, simply leaving them caught between your thighs. It only made you feel more vulnerable.

You gasp as he grips your hips and gives one heavy grind, sliding the fat base directly against the seam of your lips. You're genuinely afraid he's just gonna try and shove it in– previously, you could take him without any prior prep, but now? Witches, no.

You hiss again as he gives another languid grind, your slick only just barely starting to coat him with how terribly big he was. 

“You're so… petite, now. Y/N”

Anybody would be little next to you dude– oh no.

The wide tip presses wholly against your hole, the light pressure he exerted not even beginning to spread you apart. There was no relent even as you wriggled nervously against his hold on your hips, even daring to coo at your nervous sounds.

He simply nudged himself against you, making a mess as his size smears your own slick around like a too-big paintbrush. 

“I missed you so much my love. Every night– I thought about you. I yearned for you. I saved myself for you.”

Your heart skipped a beat at the confession. Did he really feel the same way–?

“And… I'm sorry if it's a little cruel of me, but I just can't wait anymore,”

And your heart subsequently drops as you feel the widest pressure you’ve ever felt down there grow, fat tip teasing your tiny hole open. It could barely even start to nudge past the tight ring of muscle, and you grit your teeth as some part of your makeup starts to shift. You’d never experienced something like this, like he threatened to tear you apart and shape you anew.

But, besides for that first opening feeling, and as he pants and whimpers with how much he needs to be inside you, he can't just fit himself past your tight entrance. 

There's a pause as he audibly pants, giving a tiny little moan that you knew so well– and unfortunately, it meant he was aroused out of his mind.

You feel cold wetness land on you down there- did he really just fucking spit on you?

Even though it was gross, it was the extra bit of lubrication that did the trick, as you feel the pinching stretching start with distinct horror. You can’t help but give a tiny sob as the tip of him pops into you all at once. The sound of it was embarrassingly loud, and your hips grew weak as you regretfully experienced what it’d be like to sodomize yourself with a soda can. 

How could your husband be so cruel when he's so much larger than you? You were reduced to breathy whimpers, begging him to be gentle repeatedly. He didn't even let you go completely limp, holding you up as he ever so slowly displaced your insides with his cock.

Your head hangs heavy as all you can feel is your husband and how cruelly he's shoving himself into you. Is this karma for how thoroughly you've tortured him in the past? 

Your head hangs heavy, unable to keep the strength up as though him shoving his cock into you had sapped it all away. All you can feel is him, your beloved husband, and the cruelty he’s putting your body through to satisfy his own needs. Is this karma for how thoroughly you've picked him apart in the past?

Him being so dominant was unheard of in your relationship– being gentle was simply a part of Pure Vanilla. It was ingrained into his dough, and you'd gleefully taken the role of dominating such a darling cookie. 

You suppose it was hypocritical to blame him when you’d subjected him to the worst of your own desires.

Sure, you’d been a little mean with it, but did the Witches really think it was an appropriate punishment to give your husband a strong libido and a literal fucking horse cock?

He gave tiny, mean little ruts into your body, fighting against the resistance just enough to not tear you, but still unrelentingly opening you up further and further. You’re horrified to see only a quarter of him has sunk into you. 

Witches– You’d really been calling upon them alot tonight. But it was warranted! You’d realised the two of you were still in the library. This was public!

He only smiled at you when you told him with a panicked expression, patting your head like it was just all something he’d planned.

The old Pure Vanilla would never do something like thisssSS-!

Oh-!

With a hiss, he sank several inches into you at once, your whole body locking up praying he wouldn't just shove the whole thing in. Until he bumped into a wall deep inside you, sending you reeling. Oh no way! 

Only half of him had fit, and he was shoved right up against your cervix, leaking pre directly into your womb. There's no way he could fit any more!

But he didn't acknowledge that. Leaning over you, he presses ghosts of kisses to the back of your neck. Uttering quiet praise and, most ominously promising you that ‘we can fit the rest next time,'.

It was completely still, only the flicker of candlelight convincing you time hadn't stopped as you tried to cope with being smothered from the inside and out. His hair fell over you like a curtain, blocking your view so that there was nothing in your world but him. 

Everything was hazy, his warmth seeping into your body soothing your tensed muscles. There was only so much you could relax, feeling him push against you from all angles.

But the moment's rest was long deserved– if he moved at all right now you think something would actually break. 

His skin feels so smooth as he nuzzles into your cheek, pressing tiny kisses to the edge of your lips.

“You feel so lovely… like I've truly come home.”

He claims your lips, using one hand to tilt your jaw up, then shakily breathes out.

“This is new for us isn't it? Normally you treat me so well. Every night in Beast Yeast, I'd imagine you touching me– riding me, so perfectly like you always do.”

His arm– so much more toned then it used to be– slides under your tummy, squeezing just barely into the plush… you could feel just how strong he'd become, even with him exerting barely any pressure.

“I feel close already just thinking about it. Do you think tomorrow night, you could do that for me?”

Witches. He wasn't lying. You felt him pulse inside you in exquisite detail, and shivered as a shock of heat dribbles into you. An omen that made you shiver just thinking how much he'd cum if he was leaking this much already.

Tomorrow night...?

You breathed out, before your voice locked up as he began to pull out.

Bracing yourself on his arm underneath you didn't stop it from feeling like he was pulling out your insides with him. Sticky fluid bubbled from where he stretched you open.

There was no way you could even begin to think about tomorrow when you're not sure you're going to survive tonight.

It was hot. So very hot– the copious amounts of slick that coated him as he pulled out. A lewd mix of his overwhelming pre and your body frantically trying to keep up with what it's being subject to.

You could feel in terrible detail the relief that settles into your pelvis when he pulls out until his tip kisses your hole, ready to shove back in to fill your stomach to bursting.

The poor library sofa… it'd have to be replaced with how badly it had been defaced.

He presses his lips to your temple before breaching you all over again, a slick sound ringing out. His moan vibrates against your skull, barely able to process the pleased sound as he purposely grinds against the deepest part of you.

There's barely any time to rest before he's pulling out again.

Everything about it reads gentle– how he kisses you, and holds your head up when it lolls weakly. But there was no room to be gentle with how big he was compared to you. 

The pace he set, ever so slow, felt brutal all the same. In fact– it felt even more torturous as he let you feel every single inch and every ridge of him scraping along your walls.

You reach back and steady a hand on his thigh, the other gripping the couch for your life, feeling how the solid muscle tenses. His neglected robe had pooled over his knees, brushing against the backs of your own as he moved.

“Ng-”

Feeling his thigh shove against your hand as he thrust makes you dig your nails in on reflex, earning you the roughest buck into you yet, a wet squelch accompanying. 

“Ah-! Do that again!”

You’ve made a big mistake.

His pace picks up, rocking your body helplessly while giving light hums of pleasure. He had absolutely no right sounding that pretty as he stuffed himself inside you again and again. The raw stretch worsened as your insides ached with the need to orgasm already– your abstinence had not been kind to you, and even the rough treatment was making your stomach feel heavy with the need. 

Everything started to buzz around you, witches you were gonna cum– each thrust sending you closer to the deep end as he began to whimper into your ear.

“So, Hn!- wet for me… so beautiful.”

Your walls could barely even begin to constrict around him, and the inability to move only worsened the hold cumming put on your body. But still, you shook underneath him like a leaf as he relished in your body, pressing kisses to your throat as he whined.

“Ah- Dearest! I need more- again, again… haa!”

The heat ontop of you disappears, Pure Vanillas cock slipping from your body and bumping wetly against your inner thigh. You're then yanked backwards, your arms collapsing under the pressure, cheek smushing into the couch helplessly.

He grips the tops of your thighs firmly and holds you airborne like nothing, even holding you one handed for a moment as he notches himself against your pussy and shoves deep unrelentingly stretching you once again.

“It'll be okay– I'll be done soon- just- more… more! more!”

He grew more and more desperate with each plea for more, bucking into you harshly in such a way that you knew you'd be insanely sore in the morning. You feel like nothing more than a toy as he holds onto you like a lifeline, using your body to pleasure himself. 

The wet slapping was so deafening, you barely heard him speak.

“Mnn! Gh- cumming soon- you'll take it, right d-dear?”

“Oh, I kn-know you will. I'll give you all of me.”

Fuck.

He's already starting to stutter into you, grinding himself harshly into the front of your tummy. You'd done something like this to milk him plenty of times before– but it was so much more overwhelming having it done to you, your sensitive G spot tortured relentlessly.

And you could feel how much he was leaking and pulsing, he was so close and he was gripping you so hard and-

“Mmnnh! Oh!”

His grip suddenly became vice-like, digging into the fat of your hips and fighting to fit as much of his cock as he could into you. Even as you gasp at the uncomfortable stretching sensation, painful sparks echoing through.

You're smothered again as he returns to leaning over you, his heated stomach pressing into your back. He was moaning way too loud in your ear.

With how taut you're stretched around him, you feel every pulse and the gooey feeling inside you grows. Each spurt inside your cervix makes your body involuntarily clench around him– but with how swollen he's gotten, you barely can.

It feels so… limiting. You can't move, can't clench around him, only let out a little squeal as your body locks up weakly in orgasm.

It barely even felt pleasurable, just enough to throw your mind for a loop as your belly is filled so thoroughly. With how much he's dumped into you, it's begun dribbling down the front of your pussy like syrup. You flinch from the overstimulation as the heat rushes past your clit as it drops in fat globs onto the couch.

He's panting on top of you, shaking as he milks out his orgasm with tiny little thrusts, and you jump weakly with each one. Even the little kisses he peppers to your cheek and lips you can barely respond to.

You're completely limp, even as he shifts you onto your back and lays on his side, leaning on one arm. He had no right to look so loving, after doing… all that. To you. And he still hadn't pulled out! He shifted inside you as he leaned down to kiss you– chaste first, then holding your head to deepen it.

One large hand splayed itself protectively on your sweaty, cum coated tummy. It was then you realised how much he bulged out of you, a slight round bump full of his cock.

He unashamedly felt it over, making you whimper as you're compressed from the outside.

“So perfect…”

He nuzzles his nose into yours.

“Look at that. I fit so well into you– just like I did before, hm?”

It's absolutely not like before!

Another unintentional clench around him pushes out a wave of cum– and makes his eyes crack open just barely to watch how it bubbles out. Seeing his love ooze out while you two were still connected so deeply.

You have to shove him away by the chest as his constant pecks grow more heated.

He looks unbothered, even as you complain about doing this in a library, and how the sofa would need to be replaced and how the hell did it get on the floor?! How do you even cum that much?!

There’s an appalling level of uncaring he never displayed before as he stood, tucking you neatly into the crook of his arm with his cock still sunk up to your womb. You can't help but whimper as it shifts against your hypersensitive insides, rapidly cooling semen still dribbling from you. 

He shrugged his robes on, pressing gentle kisses to your teary cheeks, although you swear it was just an excuse to lick the tears away… the care was appreciated none the less. But what you wanted most was to get out of that stuffy library. Whispering sweet nothings to you, he left that miserably defaced couch behind. 

Every step towards your quarters was pure torture. Your tummy felt overstuffed, his cock plugging up all the cum he’d stuffed inside you. Embarrassingly some did still drip out onto the marble floors. 

You had to pull your own underwear up for some shred of privacy, although with him still inside you couldn't fully cover yourself.  

You’re a little worried as to why he hadn’t pulled out yet– and you were craving being relieved from feeling like your pelvis was being pried apart– but you were thankful to not have to walk.

The whole walk you were praying nobody happened to be roaming the halls at night– Pure Vanilla's gait was leisurely, letting you fully feel each step jostle him inside before the next. He walked like he had nowhere to be, while your grip on his shoulder tightened with every corner he turned.

You were about ready to pass out once finally shouldered your bedroom door open and laid you out on the sheets. They were soft, made from the finest cream sheep's wool, having been raised by Pure Vanilla himself, of course. 

“My love?”

Oh- you hadn't even realised you were dozing off, so taken over by his heat and presence your brain was actively fighting you for some rest. The days without him hadn't been kind.

His vanilla scent was cloying, more comforting than any cream sheep cotton you could buy.

He ran the backs of his knuckles over your cheek, leaning down to kiss your nose. His full eyelashes tickled you, and you groaned just barely at being woken up.

“We need to get cleaned up… you can't sleep yet. I'll carry you for just a little longer.”

He pulled back just the slightest amount, your own muscles tensing as you feel all the cum plugged inside you start to rush out along with him-

And frantically have to tell him to stop before yet another surface is lost to his virility.

You're glad you picked up on that- although slightly less glad to feel it all squish back into you as he hilts himself again, not so subtly shivering as he teases himself with your pussy.

“Ah-”

His hair tickles you as his head drops, breath shaky. This time, he kisses you properly, too impatient for any decorum.

“You wouldn't mind if… I have you again?”

[fallinangel44]

Can you do a pure vanilla or fount of knowledge with praise but not super soft smut? Idk how to really explain it, thank you and I love your writing!

Includes: Oral sex, P-in-v sex, Burn-out, Public sex/Semi-public sex, Orgasm control

AN: Alternate universe because my reading comprehension skills are low at 3 am💀

Word Count: 1.4k+

🃏Fount of Knowledge 🪄

“Yes, just like that. You’re doing so good.”

His voice is exhausted and his eyes are half-lidded while peering down at you with his cock stuffed in your mouth. 

“You truly are my shining star, Y/N.”

He reminded you of the walking dead with his sagging shoulders and depressed demeanor. You can’t even fully recall the last time he had taken a break with you nor when he wasn’t surrounded by students or paperwork. 

Oh, Fount…

You decided to visit him in his office, only to find him face-down with his hair splayed on his papers like blood on a crime-scene.

“AH!”

Your scream rattles him awake, causing him to look around startled and confused.

“Wh- what?! Where?! Who?!”

His eyes land on you as you mumble an apology. His frazzled hair that had been standing up in the air, settles down and returns to his burnt out body while he can only sigh. A hand on his head as he tries to shake away the dreariness and waits for you to approach him. 

“Fount, you're exhausted.”

“I know, but… It's just a little more and then I can-”

“Fount, please. You need to rest.”

Your hand settles onto the one dangling over the armrest of his chair. His pupils slowly slide in his eyes until they're focused onto your smaller form. 

“You're going to burn yourself out like this. If you already aren't…”

He sighs in response to your words again. He knows he's pushing himself to his breaking point, but it just feels like there's so much to do, and he's the only one capable of doing it all. 

“I know…”

“And we haven't been around each other for a while…”

You nervously shift to the side as you watch his frown deepen and become even more remorseful. He's been neglecting you, hasn't he? His fingers intertwine with yours as he tries to tug you into his lap, but you shake your head and stand your ground.

“Are you… That upset with me?” 

“No, I just have something better planned~”

Usually, he would be wary of your mischievous smile, but being this drained, he could care less about your shenanigans.

“Ah~ Y-you could've had a taste of my lips, but you chose my cock instead?”

He's less composed. His words lack their grace and prose as he watches his dick disappear between your plush lips. Your warm mouth engulfs his twitching genitalia and you can hear him whimpering with each swirl of your tongue on his length. Your wet saliva coats his cock and each bob of your head leaves himself clutching his desk. 

Fount…

He sounds like he's about to cry when he cums on your tongue faster than either of you expected.

He must've been pent up so badly…

“I- I’m sorry, my light. I couldn’t… I didn’t mean…”

You’re still sputtering out his cum, not quite hearing his weak excuses, and instead feeling his hand that was gently on top of your head starting to tangle between your strands. His grip is becoming tighter and you tilt your gaze upwards to look into his hazy eyes.

“But you can do it again for me, right?”

Your tongue is already licking the trail of cum that had dribbled down his length.

🌼Pure Vanilla Cookie🌼

“Can you believe that stuffy Fount lectured us?! Us, of all people, Pure Vanilla?!”

“U-uh… N-no?”

You huff as you cross your arms and kick your shoes off. It was mainly your fault, you suppose. Pure Vanilla just looked so cute studying, that you had to crawl under the table in the library despite his stuttering over how improper it was while you teased him. You were so close. You could almost taste him as you pried his legs apart for you to fit in between. 

“And what do you two think you’re doing, hmm?”

It just had to be the headmaster.

Poor Pure Vanilla had screamed at the sound of the older man’s voice behind him, which made you hit your head on the underside of the table and reveal yourself. You dearly hoped he wouldn’t peer under the table, but…

Two glowing eyes pierced into your soul before a scowl of disgust appeared on his face at the sight of your hands still grabbing onto the hem of Pure Vanilla’s pants. His robes pushed up and to the side while his legs shook like a newborn fawn’s.

“You’re serious? You two were seriously…!”

His blue face nearly turns purple and with the way his teeth had grit together, you knew you two were in for the longest lecture of your life.

You loosen the hat on your head and Pure Vanilla follows suit. He’s still a bright red and completely silent ever since the Fount had caught you two hours ago. Night had completely fallen as he had run out of breath before yelling at you two to finally just leave. 

“Sentencing us to cleaning the entire library for a week is insane! Does he think we won’t try to fuck in there again?”

“Bwagh-!”

You hear Pure Vanilla sputter, choking on his own spit, at hearing your words. He can’t believe that even after being caught by the Fount that you would still want to risk having intercourse in the library again. You look at him with concern, his hands are digging into his hat and he seems like he might implode any second.

“Pure Vanilla, it wasn’t that bad…”

“I… I…”

He only turns away, running his fingers through his hair as you walk up to him. He is a straight A student unlike you, maybe he's worried that being caught with his pants down would affect his chances as salutatorian? No one was going to be valedictorian with White Lily around, that was for sure. 

“Pure Vanilla…?”

You ask as you approach him. You look him up and down and that's when you see it: his boner sticking out from under his robes. You're surprised you didn't see it the entire way to his room, but you guess you were too blinded by your fiery rage to notice the way he was uncomfortably shuffling around. 

“Hehe, you're just as bad as me~”

“Don't say it like that, and you're not bad.”

His honest praise always made you fluster and frown and leave you with a lack of what to say when he would counter your teasing so sincerely. 

You let him come closer to you, his hand intertwines with yours as he presses his forehead to yours. 

“I love you, Y/N.”

You hear those saccharine words again while you're underneath him. The moonlight does little to illuminate his room and it helps hide your flustered face that he keeps peppering kisses onto. Your body rocks, as does the bed, with each slap of his pelvis against your ass. The force of his thrusts keeps increasing and getting harder the longer you bite your lip to stop your whimpers from reaching his ears. His breaths fan your cheeks and neck and you're not sure how much longer you can provoke him before unraveling. 

“Ah~”

His cock has finally brushed your cervix. The meaty head twitches against it, and you can feel him still to smile against your cheek, almost as if to say gotcha.

Mewls and whimpers fall from your lips that Pure Vanilla gently shushes and presses his own lips against to silence. Tears well in your eyes from edging yourself to the brink of disaster. 

“P-Pure Vanilla-”

“I'm here.”

He's lacing his fingers between yours again, pinning your hand down onto the bedsheets while the other lifts your hip for him to get a better angle. Stars dot your vision and he's quickly engulfing your mouth to swallow your moans. You've already been admonished by the headmaster once today, another scolding would probably make him cry. Your eyes roll back and your toes curl as you feel him pushing himself in as deep as he can go while shallowly thrusting before pulling out. 

His weight lays on top of you as you two pant, sweaty and exhausted, and you were sure that it was because you two couldn't stop fucking like rabbits. The sheets under you are wet with your essence, and you feel like you should apologize for creating extra work for Pure Vanilla in the morning. His face is nuzzled into your neck and you’re about to tug at his arm to ask for another round, only to hear knocking at his door. 

“Pure Vanilla, we received complaints of noise coming from your room. Is everything alright in there?”

But first, you needed to hide.

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[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

Game: Cookie Run: Kingdom

Relationship: Shadow Milk Cookie x You, Fount of Knowledge x You

Chapter: 14

Chapter Word Count: 12,347

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Mentions of Suicide, Manipulation, Shadow Milk.

A/N: I have procrastinated so, so much... It's been a whole month but here you go! I apologize for the wait, I really do. I need to get my inbox cleared out and trust me, I will get to them! I just wanted to get this chapter out of the way before I work on side projects. I have a Discord server here if you would like Pre-Release Art and discussion + me talking about my suffering of writing. Comment if you would like to be in a tag list for when a new chapter comes out!

@'s: @bleh-im-in-different-fandoms @paastaboi

Special Thanks for Art: @lazy-luci @terrybadz @allimili @yeloyikesxoxo

Chapter 1: Here.

Chapter 14: Hidden Away

You had groaned, waking yourself up. You didn’t know what happened, where you were, or exactly how long you were out. All you could feel was that you were on a bed. Your back ached and your head was spinning with a throbbing headache.

“What… What happened…?” You tried mumbling out.

Something had dropped, “EH?!”

Looking around, you were inside a bedroom. Warm, light blue blankets had covered your entire body. A door in front of the foot of the bed, a window to your right, shut by a dark blue curtain. And a desk to the left of the room with two bookshelves. A blurry figure was sitting at the desk, seemingly staring at you from what you could tell.

It had immediately rushed to you, “Oh dear! You’re awake! I am so glad that it worked.” The blurry figure consisted of light yellows and browns, “I thought you wouldn’t wake up for another month!”

“How… How long have I been out…?” You had asked whoever it was.

The voice sounded male. He thought before answering you, “It’s been around… 4 months I suppose? I found you underneath countless pieces of rubble.”

That was… A bit to take in. You would have not been out for that long, what happened…? “4 months…? How bad of an injury was it? Why do I feel so much… pa-”

“Well, darling! You jumped off a fucking balcony. How does that sound?” The figure had sat by the foot of your bed.

You vision had slowly returned to normal. The figure had long, luscious brown hair with a white peasant shirt. The top of it was unbuttoned. His pants had been baggy and dark brown. Very comfortable if you must say. His dough tanned, however both of his eyes were a light yellow.

“Who are you?”

“Surprised my little poppet hasn’t figured it out yet!” He giggled, sliding closer to you, “I’ve been waiting for things to regenerate for AGES! Do you know that you regenerate REAAALLLYYY slowly? Like your limbs were broken and I had to snap them back into place. The muscles STILL haven’t fully come back to their full strength yet. Not to mention your back- UGH! That little shit was a pain in the ass.”

It had clicked. His voice had changed from that one sentence, “Shadow Milk…?”

“Right-o Dear-o!” With a snap of his fingers, half of his body had returned to what you had known for ages. Long black and blue hair with eyes in the lower part. What was strange was that there were specks of cosmos in his hair along with the eyes. His dough had returned to its light blueberry color, but his eyes… They had almost been the same if it weren’t for the light ombre of a pale yellow in his cerulean eye, “Oh, hope you don’t mind but I took some samples of your blood to study it. I still need to analyze it.” Even with that… quite odd statement, he still had a warm smile.

You had just given up. He would not leave you alone. This escape could have been successful… Unfortunately for you, your poor weak body didn’t allow you to stay conscious long enough to escape the Spire with the kids. Speaking of, how are they?

“How are the kids? Pure Vanilla? What happened to them?”

Shadow Milk grumbled, rolling his eyes, “You HAVE to mention them when I JUST got you back? I can answer that laterrrr!” He had taken the liberty of lying next to you, but not laying a hand or limb on any part of you, fearing he might hurt you if he does, “But if you really need to know… They’re fine. They escaped my Spire successfully…” He mumbled, “Little gnats…”

You sighed in relief, as long as they were safe, that’s all that matters.

“Can I… hug you…?” He had turned to his side, gazing longingly at you.

“It’s probably going to hurt, but sure.” You were already bracing for impact.

Shadow Milk ever so gently laid his arm around your waist, trying to sneak into the crevice of your neck. It was odd, he was very careful of you. Not that you minded of course, it made it safe that you weren’t going to yelp.

“I’m sorry I even let this happened. I didn’t even know those little brats meant that much to you.” He didn’t dare wrap his other hand around the backside of your waist, instead placing it on your shoulder, “Just please… Don’t hate me. Don’t hate me. Don’t hate me.”

“I get it. You can stop repeating yourself.”

“Okay good or else I would have done it until you made me physically shut up like you did last-“

“Just shut up.”

“Mhm.”

The two of you laid there in silence, enjoying the other’s company. It wasn’t necessarily warm and comfortable, but it was alright. You always did wonder… What made him feel so physically cold? He was always cold to the touch. Back then, he used to be one large heated pillow. Now it seems no matter which side you flip him, your pillow shall always stay cold.

---

The door got slammed open, “Master Shadow Milk! I brought the things you asked for!” That same, high-pitched voice had entered your ears unwarranted.

Shadow Milk immediately sat up, “Yes, yes. Thank you, Candy Apple. Be on your way now.” He had levitated whatever tray she had with her over to you.

Candy Apple glanced at the two of you suspiciously, but her smile returned, “It’s great to see you’re awake! The Master was freaking out when he couldn’t find the body!”

“SHHHHHH!” He had ATTEMPTED to quiet her.

“Sorry!” She had climbed onto the bed, “So, how you feeling?”

You had leaned on the headboard, slowly sitting up to make more room for Candy Apple, “I suppose… I’m alright. Everything hurts although. Probably the worst part about the whole thing is the frequent callbacks to the fall. When the brain genuinely doesn’t know what to do when you’re practically dead… It’s horrifying.”

“Yeesh. Well, get it over it.” She had made herself comfortable at the edge of the bed.

“It doesn’t work that way, Candy Apple. You can’t just get over things in a flash…” Shadow Milk turned to you, “But I can erase some memories if you don’t want them.”

You sighed, “It would be nice, yes. However, you learn from your mistakes. If you erase that, what’s to say you won’t repeat that very thing again? It’s like history. You teach kids, or even adults, history so they do not repeat it. It’s like erasing the Dark Flour War or the Beast War, some dumb fool will figure a way out to repeat it and plunge the world back into chaos.”

Shadow Milk thought on it for a bit, “You make a valid point. I suppose-“

“Wakey wakey. Let’s go eat breakfast! I’m hungryyyyy!” She tugged onto your blanket.

You could hear your stomach grumbling, “Yeah. Let’s.”

You had slowly gotten off the bed, using Shadow Milk as a support. If you knew where your staff was, you wouldn’t have to rely on him…

Where’s your gloves…?

Where’s your shawl…?

…Where’s Lor…?

You had internally panicked. With being unconscious for the past 4 months, ANYTHING could have happened to them. You would have to ask at breakfast.

-----

You had been placed at the head of the dining table. Looking around, none of your surroundings looked familiar. The house wasn’t its usual white, blue, black, and gold. No, it resembled more of an ice cream cone rather than a tower of Deceit. What HAD happened while you weren’t there?

Candy Apple Cookie was drawing someplace in the living room alongside Black Sapphire Cookie, who was reading a book. The layout of the house was very open and small. The living room, dining room, and kitchen were basically all in the same room if they didn’t have some wall dividers or islands to separate them. Shadow Milk was off cooking something in the kitchen with a baby blue apron, “Please Kiss the Cook” was labeled on it. Something comedic, it gave you a small giggle once you saw it.

Breakfast had been served and Candy Apple leapt as close as she could to the table. Black Sapphire sat somewhere on the side of it. Shadow Milk had sat in the chair closest to you on your right, Candy Apple following suit next to him.

It wasn’t too lavish or grand, no, it was something small like if it were on a budget. Pancakes and eggs with a side of bacon, paired alongside an Uncrustable for Candy Apple Cookie. Everyone had their own choice for drinks except you. You were given water, which rightfully so.

Black Sapphire Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie were making small talk; Shadow Milk joined in occasionally. Whether it be about the latest newspaper, or some gossip, whatever it may be. Shadow Milk picked up a fork and knife, cutting up your pancake little by little.

“I didn’t ask to be babied. I can cut my own food.” You had attempted to take the utensils away from him.

“I know. I just felt like it.” What an odd excuse.

You didn’t have the strength to argue with him. Just allowing him to do what he wished.

Black Sapphire had quickly finished his meal, “Can I be excused from the table?”

Shadow Milk had been gnawing on a specific piece of bacon, “Work? Then you’re excused.”

“Yup.” He stood up from the table, heading upstairs.

You were curious, “Work? Doesn’t he work as a radio host for you?”

“Ah… I forgot I still haven’t caught you up to date…” Shadow Milk was playing with his food, “That’s a story for later. I don’t wish to waste food here.”

“Oh…” And with that, you consumed your plate like someone who hasn’t been fed in weeks… Which that was the exact situation. Never guessed that phrase would hold fruit to someone one day and survive it.

Candy Apple Cookie had finished her plate and left without asking. Shadow Milk glanced at his plate, then your empty one, “Would you like mine? I’m not all that hungry.” He had to at least offer.

“No! Of course not. I already had enough, and you need to eat your fill too.” You had lightly shoved the plate back to his spot.

He had grumbled, reluctantly eating it.

“So…” Now was the time to ask, “Where’s my stuff at?”

He choked on a piece, “Uhm…”

You had waited for him to fully finish his plate, only then did he respond, “It’s… Somewhere. Which things?”

“My staff. My shawl. My gloves. My robes.” You had clearly given him a list so there was no way he could fumble it.

“I burned them.”

“WHAT?!” You had stood up, the chair screeching against the wood, “ARE YOU SERIOUS?! DO YOU KNOW HOW M-“

Shadow Milk giggled, “It was a joke! Hah! Your face was priceless.”

With the way he acts, you truly thought they were all gone. A mix of annoyance and anger fueled through you. You slapped him right across the face, knocking him off of the chair, “Try again. Where are they?”

It started out as a small chuckle, then it turned to snickering. Shadow Milk covered his cheek with his hand, glancing up at you with the most wicked smile, his face was blushing a dark blue, “Again.” He licked his lips.

His comment had unsettled you, so much so, your anger quickly died down, “What…?”

He quickly stood up, taking your hand and placing it on his cheek, “Again.”

“W-Why would you want that again…?”

“Pure enjoyment, love. If it comes from you, I don’t mind at all.” He hungrily kissed your palms, biting at them occasionally.

You shivered, trying to retreat… But to no avail. Shadow Milk had held you by your waist, locking you in place, “One more. I’ll let you go then.”

You closed your eyes and slapped him lightly. No effort needed.

“Awh.” He let out a whine, “Little underwhelming. I liked it when you were filled with anger for me, only me.” He had finally let you go.

He coughed, regaining his composure, “The shawl… It’s somewhere in my closet I know. If I truly did burn it, I know you would have hated me for centuries. I know how hard you fought to keep that blasted thing. I think the robes are in there too.” Shadow Milk had thought for a moment, “The gloves… I don’t remember you wearing gloves.”

“Eh…?” You tried to discreetly glance at your hands underneath your large pajamas… Where is the darkness that had consumed your arms…? Where’s Lor? Both were just… Gone? “Uhm… Never mind that question then. Where’s the staff?”

Shadow Milk sucked his breath through his teeth, “So… About that….”

“What. Did. You. Do…?” You were about ready to slap him again.

“I… I have the staff.”

“Okayyy…”

“But not the little eye thing you had.”

You internally cheered, “Good riddance.”

“Eh? I thought you liked the little thing.” He had sat back down in his chair.

“What… You’re telling me you weren’t behind him?” You were visibly confused, “It was my last escape attempt-“

He grumbled at that.

“-and when I reached the door… There was this cloud of darkness that had traveled… Somewhere.” You didn’t quite wish to tell him all of the situation in case whatever it was came back, “But it appeared in the staff once I took control over it. I thought it was one of your security measures?”

Shadow Milk had joined in confusion with you, he had been mumbling in thought for a bit until he started to clarify things, “So… That isn’t mine.” He mumbled for a second, “Although whoever it was had a good idea.” He coughed, “ANYWAYS- No, I have not implemented something of the like at any time. I trusted you enough that you wouldn’t make another attempt at it… Although I suppose you had tried again.”

He had grinned. That wasn’t a good sign, “Doesn’t that call for punishment?”

“NO, NO, NO!” You quickly backed off.

“I want…” He didn’t think very long for what he wanted, “A kiss. Or two. Or three. Or actually-“

You had leaned down to where he was sitting in the chair. Smashing your lips against him, you had lifted his face up by holding onto his white bangs, sharply tugging on them when he squirmed. Only taking a few breaks for air, you didn’t allow him any room for control of the situation.

In between one, he gasped out, “Wait- Wait… I didn’t mean now. I have-“ It was too long of a sentence for him to fully get it out.

Biting his lip, you had been given entrance to explore his mouth. You didn’t leave any nook or cranny left. Pulling back, a trail of saliva followed. You had quickly licked your lips and returned for one more. With a crane of his neck, you lightly placed your hand on it, choking him ever so slightly. His breaths had shortened, gasping for air while you didn’t leave him any choice but to choke it down.

You separated from him, “There. Happy?”

Shadow Milk had been breathing rapidly, staring at you unfocused with a heavy blush across his face, “Yes… Yes very- very much.”

“Good. Now I want my staff, where is it?” You had glanced around the place, crossing your arms.

Shadow Milk had wiped his mouth off, standing up, “I’m sorry but I cannot allow that to be in the public view. It’s too noticeable and our cover will be blown.”

“What? What cover? Where even are we at?”

“Ehhh… The Vanilla Kingdom…”

“W h a t.”

“Best to take revenge on the enemy from the inside out.”

“Excuse me wha-“

Black Sapphire trotted down the stairs. He was carrying a duffel bag and had some sort of work uniform on, “Do you mind if I stop for some groceries on the way home? The fridge and cabinets are running low on ingredients.”

Shadow Milk immediately rushed over to him, fixing his uniform so it was tidy, “Of course. I was going to do it myself, however that will save me the trip. Thank you, Black Sapphire.”

‘What. Since when- Huh? Why is he so… kind I suppose?’ Confusion ran through your head.

Shadow Milk had lightly shoved Black Sapphire towards you, “Go on! Show your disguise!”

Black Sapphire sighed and snapped his fingers. His hair had turned to a dark brown, dough changing to something similar of the ‘disguise’ Shadow Milk had earlier, but the uniform stayed, “There you go. Now can I get to work? I’m on probation and cannot be late.”

Shadow Milk scoffed, “Yeah, yeah. Go on.” He had tapped Black Sapphire away, turning to you, “Sooo… What do you think?”

“It’s… Interesting to say the least. I didn’t really expect all this. Why are we even in the Vanilla Kingdom? Where is Black Sapphire going? Why do you all need disguises? Why can’t I have my staff?” You were truly blunt with it all.

“Hehe… It’s a secret! Black Sapphire’s job is to… Well go to work and have a paycheck I suppose. It’s all his to keep unless he wants to share it. It’s mainly for a cover.” He sighed, “We need disguises or else the plan will fail immediately as now our faces are known far and wide. The staff? You’re going undercover with us. Only a select few know that you have that, and if even just one spots that HERE… It will still lead to things going south.”

“Oh… I see…” You didn’t like whatever he was scheming… But it wasn’t like you had a choice to rebel against it, “Can I at least have a substitute? Like a cane?”

“Of course!” A wooden cane rounded at the top with a small blue gemstone had appeared in his hand, extending it to you, “I hope you don’t mind but I also measured your height and made you one of these. In fact, two, but that doesn’t really matter as I don’t like the first one.” He smiled gently, “Now off, off you go. Get changed into something that would be like a citizen of this kingdom.”

You had been shoved upstairs to your ‘room’ although it didn’t feel like yours. The lights were dim except for a lamp at the desk. The bed was a mess; books were scattered across the desk and floor. Overall, it was a pretty messy room for something you didn’t create.

---------

You had chosen something calm. A pale dress shirt with a light jacket on top, you threw some matching pants on as well. It wasn’t much, but it was something. You tried basing the color scheme off of Pure Vanilla’s as it was the best you could hope for as you had never stepped foot onto Crispia.

Something shimmered lightly in the corner of your eye. Curiosity got the best of you and decided to explore. First, you started scrounging around the bookshelves, nothing of note. Then the bed. Nothing. Finally, it was the desk. Piles and piles of books were stacked on top of each other, pens, quills, and other utensils were all over. Still nothing. Then what was it?

You would kick yourself over it, however it was no use to keep looking for it. If you were up here for far too long, someone would be sent up here for a wellness check. You sighed, looking one last time. Something felt odd…

It was a regular pocket watch, you only assumed it was Shadow Milk’s as it was bedazzled in dark gems, one clearly larger than the rest. It was quite pretty; you’ll have to return it to him. Shoving it in your pocket, you slowly made your ways back downstairs, brand new cane in hand.

Your back felt awful, it was healing slowly, but it was taking far too long. Shadow Milk was right in his observations, you’ll have to give him that. Corruption may have taken over him, but he is still smart as a whip and surely still knows quite the abundance of knowledge. You just might have to keep him up to date with some of his information.

The house was quiet except for a few mumblings in the other room. You could only guess it was the other two people inside as Black Sapphire had left.

“Are you getting ready or what?”

“I AMMMMM! Stop rushing me! I wanna look pretty for a day out like this. ESPECIALLY since it’s a nice day out!”

“You don’t need all that makeup. We’re just getting some fresh air.”

“But what if-“

“No what if’s.”

You heard one large huff alongside a slam. Sighing, you slowly stepped your way closer to where they were. Candy Apple Cookie was sat at a desk, mirror in hand while doing her mascara. A woman with long white hair, a blue ribbon tied it up in the back, and a long black and blue milkmaid dress stood off to the side of Candy Apple. A picnic basket was held in her right arm. You could clearly tell she was annoyed.

“Which form looks better today?” The woman spoke.

Candy Apple scoffed, taking a break from the makeup, “You know I will always pick the Azure one. I never really enjoyed the other one.”

The woman thought, “Hm. But if I am going out with you, I will need my other one. So, it was a stupid question anyway. Now, can we go?” The basket had been thrown off into nothingness.

Candy Apple Cookie had resumed what she had been doing before, “Just give me five more minutes.”

“You said that ten minutes ago!”

“Nuh uh!”

“Yuh uh.”

“Well, I am saying it again.”

The two had bickered for another 5 minutes or so. You had ultimately decided to rest on a nearby couch. Tuning them out, you focused on your breathing, evening it out. You were just bored, however…

The item in your pocket pulsated. You had reached into your pocket, lightly touching the gems. They felt smooth to the touch, but a burning sensation rapidly grew through your dough. You tried shaking the feeling off but it wouldn’t stop. Sweat beaded down your forehead, your breathing fell out of line, hands shaky, mind racing. It was all overwhelming.

A hand was placed on your forehead, “Are you alright? You seem to be warm… We don’t have to go outside if you aren’t feeling up to it.” It was the Lady in Azure.

That seemed to snap you out of your trance, “Y-Yes? What is it?” You clearly didn’t hear a single word she said.

“Oh…” She sat down on your left, gazing at you, “All I said was that if you’re not feeling alright, we can stay here instead of going out.”

You immediately denied, “No, no, no, no! I’m fine, really! Just… thinking.” Oh right, “Hey wait-“ You quickly took the watch out of your pocket, presenting it to what you could only assume was Shadow Milk Cookie in another form, “Is this yours? I found it on my desk and I have never owned such an item like this.”

The Cookie had glanced down at your hands, “No, I have never owned something of the like. If I ever owned a pocket watch such as this, I would always pick something that would contrast my outfit like gold or silver. Black blends in too much with what I wear.” A shift in her expression told you something was wrong, “Did you find those gloves you were mentioning before?”

“Huh?” You glanced down at your hands.

No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! Why did it come back? Why is it still following you? Why has this darkness returned to you? Why must it stay? The Spire is destroyed so there is no reason to guard a broken door.

Your breath shook, ‘Lor…?’

A small, but deep chuckle had been in the back of your mind. It was quite unsettling.

‘Why…? Just, why…?’

“Ƀēȼⱥᵾꞩē Ī ħⱥꝟē ꞥēꝟēɍ łēfⱦ.”

“Hey, HEYYYY!” A flick to your forehead, “Pay attention to me.” A scoff, “Why are you zoning out so much? I’ve been talking to you for the past 3 minutes and yet you didn’t even give a “Mhm” or anything of the like! Are you even listening now??”

“Ah- Yes, my apologies.” A basic answer was all you could give.

The Lady in Azure furrowed her eyebrows, “AS I WAS SAYING- If I wasn’t being IGNORED!!” She cleared her throat, “It was on you when I found you. I think it was wrapped around your waist using a necklace kinda chain. I dunno.”

‘That… That LOR! It deceived my eyes, to give me hope. Are you ser-‘

“Ī ȼⱥꞥ ħēⱥɍ ɏꝋᵾ. Ɉᵾꞩⱦ ⱥ ꞡēꞥⱦłē ɍēᵯīꞥđēɍ.”

‘Fuck you.’

Straining a grin, you spoke through your teeth, “But yes… I have found my gloves haha…”

The Lady in Azure quickly turned her head away with a huff, but slowly glancing back at you, “Are you sure you are alright? I don’t want to risk any accidents and you potentially getting hurt.” She had leaned her head on your shoulder, resting.

“I’ll be fine. Even if I am not, I can always ask for a break.” You slowly ran your fingers through her pure white hair.

She mumbled lazily, attempting to get closer, “Mhm… If you say so…” If you would have let her, she would have taken a nap right on you. And you would have allowed it and taken one with her.

A chair had screeched along the wooden floors, jolting the two of you right up, “I’M DONEEEE!”

You had quickly stood up alongside her, looking away from each other, embarrassed. Biting on your nail, you had only hoped for the best. You haven’t quite told Candy Apple Cookie your past with him yet as she would literally challenge you to a fight on who deserves him. Although you would already surrender rights as no person ‘deserves’ someone unless it is up to the subject in question, you would rather not fight an angry Candy Apple.

“The hell are you two doing? You’ve been acting weird, Master Shadow Milk.” Candy Apple Cookie commented, all dolled up of course.

“I uh-“ Shadow Milk Cookie had been switching through different forms accidentally, “Nothing of your concern, Candy Apple. Now uhm…” He had finally decided on the one you had seen earlier, “Let us go!”

Shadow Milk had nearly sprinted out of the door, Candy Apple Cookie attempting to follow. You had only sighed, but not before you could stop yourself from another look at the pocket watch.

What a wretched thing. What even was it? Why is it still here? Wasn’t it the Spire’s guard? What purpose does it serve by following you all the way out here? But now… It was sealed in an item. And you have learned distance away from it has worked…

A plan had been formed. It was rash, but you only hoped it would work.

To drop it off one of THE highest points of the Vanilla Kingdom. The top of the castle. The plan was simple, get a visitor’s tour of the castle, find a balcony, and throw it off. Hopefully off the floating part of the island as well.

However, you needed to be able to get outside to reach said castle… Which did they already leave without you?

‘SHIT!’ You attempted to sprint off, your cane was helping a lot more than you thought it would.

----------------

The market had been busy at this time of day, midafternoon. The streets were bustling with customers and merchants from all over Earthbread. Not a soul from Beast-Yeast… Except your group…

The disguises had worked really well, nobody had suspected a thing and you even observed people recognizing Shadow Milk and Candy Apple. All under an alias of course.

“Spiced Cinnamon Cookie!” A random girl you had never seen in your life leapt into Candy Apple’s arms. Glancing at the much taller figure, “Oh, hello Mr. Almond Milk Cookie too! What brings the two of you out today? I hardly see you out in the market. It’s usually just Light Grape Cookie.” She had backed off on being a leech to Candy Apple.

“Just out for a walk, getting some fresh air.” Almond Milk Cookie was too busy observing some fresh produce to his right.

The girl had shoved aside Candy Apple, “Oh? Who is this?” She had clearly meant you.

Shadow Milk Cookie had almost let his disguise slip if he weren’t careful, with one large step, you were being blocked from view, “That, my little one, is my lovely little star! That has been oh-so sick as of late. We had to borderline quarantine them!” He chuckled lightly.

“Oh… I didn’t know that… Sorry!” She had immediately backed off with what you assumed was going to be her constant pestering. Instead of her focus on you, she turned to Candy Apple and started yapping.

You had mumbled to Almond Milk, “Who is that?”

He groaned quietly, continuing his search for whatever produce he wanted to buy, “Some daughter of a merchant I was in close contact with when we got here.”

“Oh.” There was nothing else you could comment on.

Candy Apple Cookie had been dragged off to who knows where. You had seen her combat abilities and survival tactics quite frequently, so you could trust her. Shadow Milk didn’t seem to mind either, most likely knowing her abilities or knowing the kingdom was safe.

Speaking of, what were the laws here? A new place means more to learn. Which means-

“Can we go to the library?”

“Hm?” He had looked up from whatever he was doing, “Yeah sure.”

“Great. Let’s go.” You had taken his hand in yours, taking him… Somewhere. You didn’t even know where the library was, you just wanted to explore.

-------------

Shadow Milk Cookie had no comment along the way. Not even a small taunt when you reached a dead end. The language on signs or papers posted seemed to differ a bit from the scriptures you had read all your life. Was it perhaps a slightly altered language? Or was it just modified to fit the modern era? It wasn’t illegible, but certainly confusing.

With enough searching around, you had only assumed a grand building was it… Or a municipal building. You were unsure. However, exploring wouldn’t hurt!

It was… Certainly a boring place. You could feel the dread of gloom and doom from the touch of the door handle. With one large swing of a door, hundreds of people had blocked your way. Well not necessarily blocked, but just stood there. Peeking your head around several of them, they were all waiting in different lines. Was this the library? It shouldn’t be this crowded and so small for such a grand building.

“Ah, the municipal building. Speaking of- I think I still have a bill that I need to pay… Eh, might as well do it while we are here.” Shadow Milk shrugged, leading you to skip the line.

“##### Waffle Ave?” A woman sat behind protected glass with a metal tray at the bottom of it, a microphone on your side. “You owe us around $1,098 for the missed payments on the house, $486 in electricity, $232 in water, and we were about to send the IRS and law enforcement if you weren’t going to pay taxes.”

Shadow Milk had inhaled sharply, holding his hands behind his back. You observed him spawning a small book into existence. If he didn’t want to pay, then perhaps you could to bide time until he could gather the funds to do so. Reaching into a sub-dimension, you pulled out a small bag.

You placed it into the tray, “Your payment!”

The woman had taken the bag, opening it cautiously. “What are these…” She carefully took out several gold coins and observed them, “Coins? You expect to pay in coins?”

“Yeah, isn’t that enough?” You had wondered what was wrong with them.

“Uhm… We don’t accept… Whatever currency this is. I need either paper bills or a check.” She tossed the coins back into the bag, sliding it back through the tray.

“What’s tha-”

Shadow Milk had quickly covered your mouth with his hand, “Sorry about that. They’re still getting used to here. We just moved from the Hollyberry Kingdom so it is still a little confusing for the Vanilla Kingdom’s currency.” He chuckled, covering up your mistake.

“Uhm… Alright then- Are you going to pay then?”

Their conversation had dreaded on and on for ages, eventually a new person had to take him into a back room for a meeting. You had been told to sit tight in the lobby. However, besides a harsh pat on the shoulder, you didn’t… exactly… get told to stay there.

You’re an adult, you can go where you want… Right…?

Leaving your cane there, it didn’t take much thought to get out of there as soon as possible. Potentially find police, or complete your own goals.

Wait…

The Vanilla Castle! If you could find Pure Vanilla Cookie on his own terf, then he would have the leverage if Shadow Milk did come and seek you out. With his… awakening as you would call it… He was bound to have more power. It really wasn’t like you to seek out protection from someone else, however this was a special case in dire need of assistance.

The castle wasn’t that hard to spot as it was one of THE largest buildings in the whole kingdom. If you remembered correctly, Pure Vanilla spoke of the castle in high regards as important meetings that decided the fate of Crispia were held there. You had twisted and turned around buildings quickly, trying your best to ignore the pain and to gain distance. Stairs after stairs, alleyways and markets… How large was this damn place? When things had started to appear more expensive, you knew you were going the right way.

You had arrived at the gate of the palace. Doors were open wide, warm and welcoming. Taking small, but careful steps, you observed the scenery around you. White, blue and pastel yellow daises were scattered around in the front garden. Bushes decorated with daffodils and lotuses, grand trees here and there, creating one large shadow just perfect enough to be able to read in peace, but also view the clear sky.

Glancing up at the sky, clouds had clustered together, then separated. It was a stark contrast to your situation. Where it is was sunny in the kingdom, in yours it would be cloudy. But never mind that. Strutting on into the castle, you walked your way in through different doors, exploring room after room, doorway after doorway. Not a single soul in sight. For some people, having some time alone for yourself is calming, in your case, it was terrifying. To have nobody to help you when you truly needed it…

Until the top of the tower. There was no set door to the balcony, just one archway to it. This is what you were planning to do… right? You had ripped out the watch from your pocket, gripping it tightly.

“You are the most irritating thing I have ever known. And you hardly did anything is what I am angered about. I am glad to get rid of you.” You had walked to the edge of the balcony, “Hope you enjoy whatever fate you may find down at the bottom.”

A slow, but rising chuckle rung through your ears, “₲ꝋ ⱥħēⱥđ ⱥꞥđ ⱦɍɏ, Īⱦ'ꞩ ꞥꝋⱦ łīҟē ɏꝋᵾ ȼⱥꞥ-“

You had thrown it off.

You had gazed down at your hand, hoping to watch it disappear... It didn’t.

Black goo had sprouted from your hands, forming a small circular shape. It had reformed back into the very object you had just thrown off a building. If it had a grin, there would be a large one. The process repeated again and again. Throw, wait, appear. Throw, wait, appear. Again, and again. It was all a horrible attempt at getting rid of whatever it was. But it kept coming back…

“Why won’t you just leave me alone?! I’m not in the Spire anymore so what point is it to keep haunting me?” You yelled at the poor object.

“Đīđ Ī ꞥēꝟēɍ ⱦēłł ɏꝋᵾ? Ī ⱳⱥꞩꞥ'ⱦ ҟēēꝑīꞥꞡ ɏꝋᵾ fɍꝋᵯ ēꞩȼⱥꝑīꞥꞡ ⱦħē Ꞩꝑīɍē. Ɇꝟēɍ ħēⱥɍđ ꝋf ⱥȼⱦīꞥꞡ? Ī ⱦħꝋᵾꞡħⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ᵯīꞡħⱦ ħⱥꝟē ҟꞥꝋⱳꞥ ⱳīⱦħ ⱦħⱥⱦ fꝋꝋł ꝋf ⱥ ɉēꞩⱦēɍ ɏꝋᵾ ħⱥꝟē ⱳɍⱥꝑꝑēđ ⱥɍꝋᵾꞥđ ɏꝋᵾɍ fīꞥꞡēɍ.” Lor chuckled, “Ī ⱳⱥꞩ ᵯⱥđē ⱳīⱦħ ꝑᵾɍē ɍēꞡɍēⱦ fɍꝋᵯ ɏꝋᵾ. Ⱥłł ⱦħꝋꞩē ᵾꞩēłēꞩꞩ łīⱦⱦłē ēᵯꝋⱦīꝋꞥꞩ... Ꝑꝋᵾɍēđ īꞥⱦꝋ ꝋꞥē…”

“W-What are you saying…?”

“Ӻꝋɍ ꞩꝋᵯēꝋꞥē ⱥꞩ ꞩᵯⱥɍⱦ ⱥꞩ ɏꝋᵾ, Ī ⱦħꝋᵾꞡħⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ⱳꝋᵾłđ ħⱥꝟē ӻīꞡᵾɍēđ īⱦ ƀɏ ꞥꝋⱳ. Ȼⱥꞥ'ⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ꞩēē? Ɏꝋᵾ'ꝟē ꞡꝋⱦⱦēꞥ ⱦꝋ ⱦħē ꝑꝋīꞥⱦ ꝋӻ ꞥꝋ ɍēⱦᵾɍꞥ!”

You couldn’t believe it; you didn’t WANT to believe it. Holding Lor up by his chain, it was somewhat of a threat, “Leave me alone. You are merely spewing lies just to stay. Of course you would, you’ve been in the Spire of Deceit for far too long.”

“Ħᵯ, Ī đꝋꞥ'ⱦ ⱦħīꞥҟ ꞩꝋ. Ꝑēɍħⱥꝑꞩ ɏꝋᵾ ħⱥꝟē? Ꝋɍ ᵯⱥɏƀē ⱦħⱥⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ħⱥꝟē łēⱥɍꞥēđ fɍꝋᵯ ⱦħⱥⱦ fꝋꝋł fⱥɍ ⱦꝋꝋ ᵯᵾȼħ ⱦħⱥⱦ īⱦ ħⱥꞩ ȼꝋɍɍᵾꝑⱦēđ ᵯē ⱦꝋꝋ. Ⱳħⱥⱦ ⱥ ꝑīⱦɏ.” Lor swung back and forth by himself.

“What point are you even getting at? I don’t need to listen to something that will do nothing but badmouth me.” You had halted his pendulum motion, “If you have nothing worthy to say, then don’t speak it at all. Not in my head, not out loud, nothing.”

“Ƀᵾⱦ ⱳħⱥⱦ īf ⱦħēɏ ⱥɍē ɏꝋᵾɍ ꝋⱳꞥ ⱦħꝋᵾꞡħⱦꞩ?”

“Blasphemous.”

“Ⱳⱥꞩ ɉᵾᵯꝑīꞥꞡ ꝋff ⱦħⱥⱦ ⱦꝋⱳēɍ ɏꝋᵾɍ ꝋⱳꞥ ⱦħꝋᵾꞡħⱦ? Ꝋɍ ꞩꝋᵯēⱦħīꞥꞡ īꞥ ⱦħē ħēⱥⱦ ꝋf ⱦħē ᵯꝋᵯēꞥⱦ?”

“It was…” You couldn’t quite tell, that day was all a blur, “I believe it was a spur of the moment thing, to save them, to hopefully help them live long, lasting lives.”

“Łīҟē ɏꝋᵾɍꞩ?”

It had caught you off guard, but a response came quickly, “No! No! Of course not! I wouldn’t wish that upon anyone!” You had set the pocket watch down onto the railing, glancing down at the ground below you, “Longevity… It’s something almost everyone wishes for. Including me when I was younger. But the reality of it… It’s sick, it’s cruel, it’s unjust, it’s… horrible. You see everyone around you slowly pass away, relationships pass by faster than you can process them, areas around you slowly getting destroyed. It makes you wonder… Will I be around to see the end of Earthbread? The universe? The timeline? Will I ever get to see the Witches face to face, ask them, plead with them… As to why I have been given this curse?”

You sighed, “I’ve had several near-death experiences by now. I don’t understand how the Virtues did it. For your mind to be literally scrambling for solving how to not die. For your life to flash by your eyes, to see all those people you’ve cherished in a lifetime…”

“When will this suffering end…?”

Tears started streaming down your face, choking down quiet sobs. Whatever magic Shadow Milk Cookie had placed on you, had disappeared from you; your disguise failing. Lor was quiet for a minute, allowing you to have some time. However, that didn’t stop him from having the last word inside your head, “Ħꝋⱳ ⱥƀꝋᵾⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ɉᵾᵯꝑ ꝋff ⱦħīꞩ ꝋꞥē? ᛗⱥɏƀē ⱦħīꞩ ⱦīᵯē īⱦ'łł ⱳꝋɍҟ.”

Your thoughts came to a halt, ‘What… Did you just say…?’

“…”

Snatching the pocket watch, you sat down on the other side of the railing, kicking your legs back and forth. You glared at it face to face, ‘Answer me.’ A small whistle was playing in the back of your mind, ‘Witches- I WILL throw you again if you don’t.’

“Ꞩꝋᵯēꝋꞥē'ꞩ ħēɍē.”

You were suddenly much more aware of your surroundings. A glance below the balcony where the gardens were, nobody. To the left or right of the balcony, nothing.

But behind you…

A sharp turn of your neck, almost like an owl would, to gaze down at whoever it may have been, “…Pure… Vanilla Cookie…?”

His features shone with a gleam, almost blinding you. A warm smile across his face while he took slow, but careful steps towards you, “Hello Prof. It’s good to see you again.”

You had stepped down from the railing, grasping Lor in your hands while meeting Pure Vanilla halfway, “It-It’s you! Oh, how I am SO glad to see you.” Unsure of the proper greeting for the situation right now, you just extended your hand for a handshake, “I’m surprised, normally someone would freak out seeing someone that is supposed to be dead.”

The flower staff had opened its eye, shining on you, “Trust me, while you were… Doing something I suppose? I surely was in shock. I’m pretty sure I stood there for a good couple of minutes before gaining the confidence to announce my presence, which I didn’t even have to do really. You turned around before I could do so!” Pure Vanilla Cookie chuckled lightly.

You hummed in response, “Well let’s just say I have a trick up my sleeve.”

You couldn’t show what you were just going through mere minutes ago to him, then he probably would think of you weaker than you really are… Right? If you were already going to bring up protection about being TOO weak to do it yourself, showing something as small as this won’t help your case.

“So uhm… Pure Vanilla…” How could you word this? “I… need help.”

“I will be glad to be of help. Besides, don’t you remember that deal we made ages ago about White Lily Cookie? I told you I would repay it somehow. Consider it a repayment… I mean, I would’ve done it anyway but it’s just weight off my shoulders knowing that I don’t have to repay this anymore.” He laughed nervously.

“Thank you… It’s about Shadow Milk Cookie.”

“Already? I thought it would be a bit longer before he would try anything against me as revenge. Did he send you as a way to distract me for whatever plan he has?” Pure Vanilla still held his smile, but it was clearly strained.

“He got caught up in…” You thought for a minute, “Wait hold on, does your citizens not use gold coins anymore for currency? I tried paying a house bill with them and it got rejected like a forgotten currency!”

“Some older places do, however with the rebuilding of the Vanilla Kingdom, we decided to switch currencies. It wasn’t really my idea; it was voted on.” Pure Vanilla Cookie explained simply, but a thought came up, “However… Why would you need to pay for a mortgage? I believe I should’ve seen your name when going through residents for yearly taxes.”

“Ah- About that. Shadow Milk Cookie is residing here for some reason. Some sort of plan he said? I’m unsure. I didn’t bother asking or else I might have got in trouble. But you see, that is the reason why I am here with you. While he got caught up in paying what I was trying to… I escaped.” You crossed your arms with a slight huff, “Did you know your kingdom has a very hard layout to walk through? All those stairs! I’m pretty sure I even forgot my cane back there!”

“Yet again, not my fault.” He hummed, “However, whatever Shadow Milk Cookie is planning is surely nothing of innocence. I don’t doubt he has planned to burn this kingdom down along with me in it…” Pure Vanilla sighed, walking away from you out to the balcony, “There’s still some good left in him. I can sense it. But he buries it so far down not even he himself can find it either. Perhaps someone needs to help him find it, that is when he can truly embrace it.”

“I… I can see what you’re going for. I’ve seen an era of when he was a calm, gentle, and kind soul…”

“Really? Even at some of your old lectures, you’ve never brought up your previous experiences. At least in my days…” Hands glided down the railing, observations of the garden were made peacefully, “How was it back then? Back when the world hadn’t yet experienced the calamities of war, the tragedies of old, or how the previous owners of the Soul Jam’s were?” Pure Vanilla Cookie lightly laid his hand on his Soul jam.

You had finally joined him back out on the balcony. Glancing at the pocket watch in your hand, you clasped the necklace part around your waist, leaning against the railing recalling memories of old, “It was… Nice. Conflicts weren’t much of an issue, they were easily resolved with a trip to a specific Virtue. I have never personally met any of the other Virtues besides The Fount of Knowledge, however I did hear from him that they were nice people. They stuck to their guns when it regarded what they stood for. The Flour of Volition granted wishes to those who needed it, hoping to achieve Cookie-kind’s goals. The Herald of Change had wanted to move Cookie’s who were stuck in their endless loops of the same thing. The Sugar of Happiness strived to bring Happiness to every Cookie. The Salt of Solidarity wanted to bring everyone together. The Fount of Knowledge wanted to inform people. It was all nice.”

You sighed, “However Cookies being Cookies… They didn’t like any of it. Didn’t listen to it. Blamed the Virtues for their ignorance. The Sugar of Happiness got blamed for Cookie’s depression. The Herald of Change got blamed for his advice not working. The Flour of Volition stopped accepting wishes since Cookies got greedy. The Salt of Solidarity’s knights had gotten slaughtered by deceived civilians. And The Fount of Knowledge… His head had been chopped right off, instantly losing all respect for Cookie-Kind. Instead, deceiving everyone, including myself.”

“That… That’s horrible! How could they do that?!” Pure Vanilla had a dark thought cross his mind, “Will… Will that happen to us? Even after all we did to protect Cookie-kind…?”

“I don’t believe so. I think after the Beast War, Cookies learned to not mess with people who have high power.” You glanced over at him, “But… You all have saved countless lives. I doubt that will happen.”

“Even after your reassurance, it’s still horrible to know that anyone can fall to corruption in their own way… I mean… I almost was led to becoming someone even I don’t know during the events of the Spire. What’s to say someone even more powerful than I falling to corruption, then causing chaos. I don’t think the world is ready for another war.” Pure Vanilla’s usual happy expression was gloomy.

You shuddered just at the thought, but it was needed to share, “Dark Enchantress Cookie. In the end, we will have to fight her. Unless you can find some miracle spell to cleanse the darkness out of her… I don’t believe there is a way to erase this threat without a fight. Earthbread will have to suffer yet another war before true peace can happen. Even still, a new rising threat after that can still be a possibility. Not too many souls can learn from the past. But when that time comes, we need to be more than ready for it.” You sighed, “However… Let’s stop thinking about that and just enjoy the present… Although I may have to plan for if Shadow Milk Cookie will attack trying to get me back.”

“I get the old friendship and relation to the Spire of Knowledge, however was the bond really that deep that it lasted for centuries? What does he see in you that he needs you to keep returning to him?” Pure Vanilla asked what seemed like an innocent question, however it put you on the spot whether or not you should tell him.

“Okay so… We may have…” You cut yourself short, not wanting to continue.

“Hm? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s a tale for later when I can explain it better.”

Pure Vanilla smiled cheekily, “Well now you got me curious. Can’t inform me of a little history class, Professor?”

“Shut uppp.” You lightly shoved him away playfully, walking away from the balcony and into the castle.

-----

Defenses around the Vanilla Castle grew over the next month or so. You were basically cooped up in the castle out of your own will. Pure Vanilla Cookie made frequent visits to your room to either check on you, or attempt to try and heal your back. Little did he know it had already healed once Lor was back in your possession.

Over the course of the month, you had kept that pocket watch on your person at all times. Scrapes healed in an instant now. Experiments of using more and more mana were fruitful. You had practiced different spells in the back garden of the castle, making sure none of them didn’t destroy any of the carefully taken care of flowers. You were slowly regaining strength! All because of a blasted thing you hated…

But you had to give him credit, he DID restore some of your former strength.

Breakfast had often been spent alone. Pure Vanilla Cookie off doing some meetings, the staff had already eaten their fill and started their jobs, while you felt utterly useless, sitting at your desk. A measly piece of toast amongst hundreds of papers.

You were only being cooped up here until Pure Vanilla could confirm your safety to roam freely, right?

Right…?

You trusted Pure Vanilla Cookie enough to know he wouldn’t keep you here just because he could. You knew he couldn’t exactly DEFEAT Shadow Milk, however if you kept regaining your strength, you could be able to hide your presence and sneak away from everyone. But where would you go? The Faerie Kingdom was no longer safe as that would be the first place everyone would check. Beast-Yeast was out of the question. Would hiding out in one of the other kingdoms be fine? You were unsure. It wasn’t entirely out of the picture, but all you knew was that you would be traveling almost daily. If you stayed in one spot for too long, Shadow Milk would certainly be on your ass in an instant. Perhaps to gain a couple o’ coin, a traveling merchant might be your newest calling.

You poked and prodded at the lone bread. Butter, toasted bread, and a mug of coffee. It wasn’t much, but it was a meal. As Shadow Milk once stated before, eating wasn’t necessary. Hunger wasn’t an issue either as it simply passed on its own. So why bother eating something you didn’t want?

You shoved the plate away to the corner of your desk, instead replacing it with a blank paper. Writing had passed your days; you tried attempting to write your own fictional story when your mind was up to it. If it wasn’t, then you would write an autobiography about your time at the Spire, or the Vanilla Castle.

It got boring often. Art took hours, so why not decorate these poor desolate walls with a few pieces? Scrounging for paper, then taping them all together to make one large poster board large enough for one of your paintings. You had the cheap stuff, however the paints and brushes worked.

The very same schedule as in the Spire centuries ago with minor changes. Wake up, eat what was delivered, attempt writing, start a drawing yet never finish it, eat lunch, take a nap, wake up at night time, walk around your room for a bit, sleep.

It was boring, but defenses around your room were by far the strongest in the castle. You would occasionally take walks around the castle or go out in the garden to practice your spells, but not often.

---------

It was late at night; you had decided to take a midnight stroll around the rear garden. Moonlight shone brightly alongside the castle’s walls, the trees rustling behind you, and the slight wave of the long grass. Flowers delicately sitting there, awaiting someone’s gaze. Luckily for them, there was someone to observe them.

You stared at the moon longingly. Glancing around, you took slow, but considerate steps towards seemingly nowhere, “The Moon is beautiful tonight…” You knew the weight those words carried; however, you spoke them aloud anyway. There was nobody around to ever hear them.

The garden was lovely. Occasionally grazing your hands over a few of the plants. You eventually settled down in the corner of the garden. Setting down your picnic basket and blanket, you camped out and ate some small snacks you brought. Dinner had been skipped accidentally by one of your long naps, unfortunately for you, the dinner was actually something good this time.

You had enjoyed the atmosphere of the garden for an hour or so, just to have some relaxation time to yourself. It wasn’t like you were REQUIRED to stay in your room, however that is where you felt the safest. Pure Vanilla had shown you the required spells to either completely unlock your door, or use an almost invisible barricade. It would be useful in times of need. However, you couldn’t be a burden to Pure Vanilla Cookie for much longer.

Sighing, you stood up with a large stretch. It was time to practice your spells. If you were to leave here without a trace, you would need practice with hiding your presence.

You slightly tugged on the pocket watch around your waist, “You ready to start yet or not quite?”

He mumbled something, but eventually responding to you, “Ɏēⱥħ, ɏēⱥħ... Ƀᵾⱦ ⱦħīꞩ łⱥⱦē ⱥⱦ ꞥīꞡħⱦ? Ⱳħⱥⱦ'ꞩ ⱳɍꝋꞥꞡ ⱳīⱦħ ɏꝋᵾ?” It was genuinely annoyed with your recent antics.

You have recently been practicing more often than you would rest. If you would take a 4-hour nap, you would compensate by practicing for 5 hours. It took a toll on your body and mana; however, you were improving faster. It was a way to leave faster. To hide faster. To gain your strength faster. All in efforts to leave behind this life and start anew.

-------------------

You pulled an all-nighter attempting to finish a chapter of your fiction story. It was about King’s of longevity, a long-life span. The Immortal King had wanted to conquer a nearby kingdom, one that was owned by The Foolish King. However, the opposing kingdom did not wish to go to war with The Immortal King’s as his army was much larger. As a peace deal, an offer was made.

The Foolish King had offered his eldest child to be wed to The Immortal King.

Of course, The Immortal King had declined. He wanted territory, not a partner. However, after months of consideration… The contract had been signed. No single person had known the reason as to why. The Immortal King had shut himself inside his castle shortly after the deal had been struck. Perhaps he was making preparations for his newly wed? Who would know except for his right-hand man?

That was all you had as of this moment. You didn’t know who to write as the soon-to-be-wed. Would it be a princess? A prince? Or possibly…

“BOARD THE WINDOWS! CLOSE THE GATES! ENFORCE THE DOORS!” Yells were scattered across the castle outside your door, “GATHER EVERY KNIGHT YOU POSSIBLY CAN! PROTECT THE CASTLE AT ALL COSTS!!!”

The chair you were sitting on had abruptly fell from how fast you stood up, “What the hell is going on?!”

You had reached for the door handle almost immediately, but something in the back of your mind told you not to do it. That you were safe in your room. The spells had been locked tight outside your door; the barriers were up… Wasn’t it going to be alright? What could possibly be happening that could breech the defenses?

You paced around in your room. Stampedes of footsteps outside, and the constant yell of all the chaos around. Several large noises echoed across the kingdom.

‘Should I stay or should I go?’ It was the constant question you asked yourself.

You didn’t know if your abilities were powerful enough. You didn’t know where you would go. Would you be better off staying? This was your one chance to escape without a single person knowing…

“Fuck it.”

You quickly rounded up your writing pieces, personal items, and small things. Rummaging around through your closet, you chose a dark cape, hopefully to remain in the dark shadows. With one large swoop, you tied the cape’s strings around your neck, the hood being thrown over your head. A snap of your fingers was all it took for the locks and spells to come undone from your door.

You snatched the sleeping Lor from his resting place atop your desk, tying the chain around your waist, ‘We have to go, and fast if we want to get out of here.’

“Ɏꝋᵾ fīꞥⱥłłɏ ɍēȼꝋꞡꞥīƶē ᵯē ⱥꞩ ⱥꞥꝋⱦħēɍ ƀēīꞥꞡ? Ⱳꝋⱳ, ⱳħⱥⱦ ⱥ ꞩᵾɍꝑɍīꞩē fɍꝋᵯ ɏꝋᵾ.” Lor scoffed, “Ꞥꝋɍᵯⱥłłɏ īⱦ'ꞩ "Ī" ꞥꝋⱦ "Ⱳē" Ⱳħⱥⱦ ȼħⱥꞥꞡēđ?”

You didn’t have time for whatever he was spewing on about, ‘Just shut up. I do not need your spiel. We- I have to go.’

The door had creaked open with little effort; you slid yourself through the small crack. You had re-bound the door shut with all of its spells, quietly closing the door. Dashing through the hallways of the castle, sticking to the edges and walls, primarily in the shadows, the escape was quick and efficient.

Over the past month, your power had grown little by little. Of course, the help from Lor and the constant practice contributed to it as well. But confidence flared inside your dough. The fact that you weren’t that physically weak Cookie anymore was more than enough to fuel your motivation.

Twists and turns inside the castle one after the other. This wasn’t how you remembered the layout? Maybe the balcony would still work?

“Where’s an exit??” You were out of breath and exhausted, “There’s got to be one around here somewhere. The balcony should’ve been here.” You looked to your right, a plain Vanilla wall.

“Ӻꝋɍ ꝋꞥȼē Ī ⱥꞡɍēē ⱳīⱦħ ɏꝋᵾ. Ī ᵯⱥɏ ꞥꝋⱦ ħⱥꝟē ⱦħē ƀēꞩⱦ ꝟīēⱳ fɍꝋᵯ ɏꝋᵾɍ ⱳⱥīꞩⱦ ƀᵾⱦ ēꝟēꞥ Ī ҟꞥꝋⱳ ⱳħēɍē ɏꝋᵾ ꝟīꞩīⱦ ꞩꝋ ꝋfⱦēꞥ.”

‘Gee, great observation skills Sherlock.’

Your quick pace turned down to a mild walk. A desperate search for an exit was not fruitful. The crashing of sounds, the clashing of swords, all the noise was getting closer and closer towards you. The defenses were failing if they got that deep into the castle. Now was the time to panic. No more room for words, just running.

A hallway, bare and empty. Destroyed. The chaos must have rolled through here. Shame, all the fancy portraits were here. Now they were ripped to shreds on the floor.

A sudden yank on your arm tugged you down, an immediate plummet to the floor was bound to be your fate. You were dragged just behind a wall in a small hallway branching off the main one. It was out of mere instinct, but you quickly turned around to smack whoever it was.

“Woah there high-speed! I’m not out here to hurt you.” Another cloaked figure held your arm in place, stopping the impending blow.

“Who the hell are you?” You yanked your arm away.

The Cookie had unveiled his face from his hood. It was Pure Vanilla, “You already know me. Trust me, I wouldn’t dare lay a hand on you in any harmful way.” It was an attempt at trying to comfort you, but also save his skin for future use.

“Are you also hiding from whatever is out there? I can’t quite grasp whatever it is, but it is causing quite the ruckus. Not to mention property damage.” You relaxed ever so slightly.

He sighed, “I’m not too sure what is out there either. All the knights told me to stand back, to stay deep inside the castle.” Pure Vanilla took a small glance around, “But I feel as though the castle is even more unsafe rather than the outside. Have you seen a single window? Or a door to even let some air in?”

“I haven’t. I was just about to ask you the same exact thing.” You stood up quietly, taking a small peak around the corner of the wall, “What is going on in here?”

“ I am unsure. However, I know of a way out that was built here ages ago. Deep underground through a sacred passageway, there’s a tunnel at the end that has access to the other side of the kingdom. If the one who has done all this to the windows and exits, they surely don’t know of that one.” Pure Vanilla Cookie stood up alongside you, lightly taking hold of your hand, “Come on, let’s check it out.”

He slowly dragged you away from all the chaos. Down several flights of stairs, each of them changing material. First, it was the sugar cone flooring you were used to, then fairly new pieces of wood, then old wood, stone, then dirt. The area around you darkening by the minute.

Eventually Pure Vanilla summoned an empty lantern, “Mind lighting it for me?”

“Oh!” You quickly snapped your fingers, a small light of fire hovering above your index. He held up the lantern while you lit the small candle in it. Pure Vanilla Cookie smiled, then continued on walking to wherever he was taking you.

It felt as if it were one of your adventures all over again. The cave-like atmosphere. The water to the sides of the stone pathway, the moss, and the ever so small light. Occasionally you would find a burnt-out pathway lantern.

A stone archway had been passed. Large, giant statues of warriors of old had been placed far enough from the path, but still close enough to feel as if they were watching your every move. What exactly was this place? A historical sight?

“When we’re not trying to escape potentially a large threat, I would like to observe more of this tunnel as it may relate to the warriors of the Azcakes.” You glanced all around, not even paying attention to what Pure Vanilla Cookie was doing.

(Aztecs.)

“I suppose.”

You had randomly decided to give him a few facts to calm the impending doom feeling, “Did you know that the Azcakes developed a whistle somewhat similar the scream of a regular Cookie? I’ve owned one after the Spire had been destroyed. It was during one of my adventures with a traveling partner.” You had to think of how that partner died, “Anywho- I bought it off one of the last remaining tribes’ members of the Azcakes! Real fun to scare the living shit out of a Faerie in the middle of the night during quiet hours.”

“A little sadistic if I must say.” Pure Vanilla Cookie had not glanced in your direction even once, simply holding your hand and dragging you along the path.

“Possibly, but it was fun!”

He said nothing. Odd…

“How long is this tunnel? We’ve been walking for almost a full half hour.” You checked your pocket watch. Although Lor resided inside of it, he was a mere gem. The clock itself still worked as it normally would.

“…” Yet another quiet response from Pure Vanilla Cookie.

“Pure Vanilla? Are you alright?” You lightly placed the backside of your hand to his forehead, “Are you just nervous? I understand you, but please, this is no time for you to short me of basic answers.”

“…”

“Pure Vanilla please, answer me.”

He halted to a stop, “You want the truth? The answers?” A small chuckle escaped him, “Oh darling…”

‘Darling? What?’ It was absurd, there was no way he just called you that.

“You can’t even see behind one measly lie? Oh, what a fool you are…” Pure Vanilla shook his head, “Can’t you see? Or is it just because of the person, you place complete trust in them?”

The once warmly lit room ignited in black and blue flames. The only warm light was the one you had made with your own two hands, it was lit inside the lantern Pure Vanilla was holding. Flames surrounded the two of you, freezing the once warm water, and approaching quickly. The atmosphere around you had sent a shiver down your spine.

Pure Vanilla’s once gentle voice had turned into something distorted… Unhuman… “Ī ꞡᵾēꞩꞩ ɏꝋᵾ ɍēⱥłłɏ ⱳēɍē ɍīꞡħⱦ ⱳħēꞥ ɏꝋᵾ ꞩⱥīđ ɏꝋᵾ ȼꝋꞥꞩīđēɍēđ ɏꝋᵾɍꞩēłf ⱥ ‘fꝋꝋł’! Ī ⱦħꝋᵾꞡħⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ⱳꝋᵾłđ’ꝟē ƀēēꞥ īᵯᵯᵾꞥē ⱦꝋ ⱦħē ēffēȼⱦꞩ ꝋf ⱥ ꞩᵯⱥłł ƀīⱦ ꝋf ⱦɍīȼҟēɍɏ ⱥfⱦēɍ ⱥłᵯꝋꞩⱦ ƻ ɏēⱥɍꞩ īꞥꞩīđē ᵯɏ Ꞩꝑīɍē!” The lantern had been thrown into ashes.

Slow steps turned into quickly trying to back away while still holding a gaze with Pure Vanilla Cookie. You were easily tripped by the slight variation in the rocky path, falling to the ground. Even still, you slightly inched away.

A morph between blues and pale yellows in his outfit had started. His dough had been shifting to one of a light blue, “You sicken me. To think that once I offered you a ‘normal’ life, you would just leave me?!” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ had taken small steps towards you, harshly holding you up by your face, “And to think that you would go to my sworn enemy… Ohoho…” His other hand had come to gently hold the other side of your face… Until he dragged his nail right across your cheek, making you bleed ever so slightly.

“I don’t think I will let that slide.” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ wiped the blood off of your cheek with his thumb, only taking a small glance at it before licking it off of his finger, “You, my poppet… Have done an act of treachery against me. To be unloyal and go against me… How I wish I could kill you on the spot right here and now, to splatter your delicious jam across these sacred walls.” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ pulled you up by the hair, forcing you to stand, “But I fear I cannot wait months to sit there idly while you regenerate. It pained me so, so much when I found your near lifeless body underneath the rubble of the Spire. Do you know how long it took for you to become conscious? And the very day you did… You ran. Ran away from me.”

He had thrown you to the other side of the tunnel’s walls, taking slow steps towards you, “I believe I have taught you wrong. If you couldn’t even decipher a mere disguise just because it was someone you knew… Grow up, the world will deceive your pretty little eyes.” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ was mere inches away from your face, “But my star… Come back with me and I can give you all the little lies you need to feel happy. If you want the oh-so-kind Fount of Knowledge…” A flicker of pale yellow in his turquoise eye flashed, holding your cheek much more gently, “He’s yours. Just ask and your wish is my command.”

Slow features changed. The eyes in his hair faded to bright stars, his marking crawled to his forehead, and a warm smile placed atop his face.

You shuddered. Unsure if it was the exceedingly freezing temperature or the mere graze of his touch, you still wanted away, “No- No I don’t want nobody to change to someone they are not. I don’t want to live a life full of lies. I would rather see the harsh reality of my situation than live where everything is fake.” You started to squirm.

“I can see it in your eyes.” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ took hold of your wrists, placing them above your head, “You may act like you are above it all, yet you will suffer the exact same fate.”

Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ broke the chain of the pocket watch when ripping it off your waist, holding it eye level, “You see this little watch? The one I denied?”

“W-What about it…?”

“I have figured out what it is, a Light. Studying a dormant Soul Jam is of no use, it acts as a mere gemstone with no purpose other than to look pretty. But once its owner has taken hold over a conscious, soul, body, whatever it may be… It will awaken.” He tightly yanked on your already sore wrists, “It appears this has taken a toll onto your body. A curse if you will. I do not know the circumstances for it, but it is bound to get worse.” He clearly meant the blackened arms. How could you tell him that the ȼꝋɍɍᵾꝑⱦīꝋꞥ had already spread further?

“Give it back.” You grumbled.

“I already planned on giving it back. However, I can’t indulge in a little lesson on what it is?” Ꞩħⱥđꝋⱳ ᛗīłҟ scoffed, “What a shame, to be denied basic enjoyment by my dearest partner! How offending!” A small pout on his lips, but ultimately letting you go.

“Is this tunnel… Even an exit…?” You asked timidly.

With a quick snap of his fingers, the area changed to an opening in the cave, “We reached the end maybe twenty minutes ago. I just repeated the illusion of being still in there countless times.” Shadow Milk had taken a step back, a little embarrassed.

The quick consideration of making a run for it, or trying to stay on Shadow Milk Cookie’s good side. A tough decision indeed. Either way, you would end back to wherever he wanted, one option just being the more… forceful… route compared to the other. He still had Lor, not good…

“DOWN HERE! THE DOOR’S BEEN OPEN!” Several yells were shouted from the opposite end of the tunnel, echoey.

“SHIT- MAKE A RUN FOR IT!” Shadow Milk Cookie had dragged you by your hand, intertwining his fingers between yours slightly.

Without Lor, your footsteps were unsteady. If it weren’t for the hand keeping you up and dragging you, it would have been yet another fall, “Can’t-“ A small trip over a pebble, but you regained your footing, “Can’t you just… Just make a portal?”

“To keep up a disguise as elaborate as Pure Vanilla Cookie’s takes up a lot of mana.”

“It’s only for a short distance.”

“Fine.”

You fell straight into a pool of darkness. No light anywhere near you. Just you, your thoughts, and an endless void with an odd sense of floating, but not quite.

That is until you fell hard on your face against solid marble flooring.

“Witches…” You mumbled under your breath.

“A small fall won’t do much. Walk it off.” Shadow Milk’s voice was strained and tired.

You sat up, looking at him. His appearance was disheveled as if he didn’t get sleep for days. A slight sway to him as well.

“Best we get you off to bed…” A small glance around, nothing looked familiar, but all too familiar at the same time, “Wherever one is…”

Instead of you needing a support for your own body, you were a support to someone else. Slowly but surely, you made your ways towards wherever Shadow Milk Cookie wanted. And a bedroom it was. He plopped down on the bed as soon as he could. Didn’t even have time to get freshened up. Suppose he will do it later.

You sat there at the foot of the bed, “Need anything? Food? Water? Blankets?” If you were potentially going to be stuck again, might as well make peace with your captor before all Hell unleashes on you once he gains complete consciousness.

“Mmmm… No… Just- Just rest.” He mumbled into his pillow.

You stood up, “I’ll leave you to it then.”

A sharp tug onto your clothes, “Stay. Stay until I sleep... Please?”

“O- Oh… Alright, I suppose.” Nothing bad, right? You would just sit there and wait for maybe 15-20 minutes then leave. Explore afterwards then find a random couch to sleep the rest of the night away.

You sat right back down and closed your eyes. As long as there was a practically harmless Shadow Milk, you sat there content.

Lor.

Right, he had Lor…

How would you get it back from a sleeping Beast?

A cuddle and steal plan? It could work, yes…

Why not try it?

You ever so gently laid next to him, slowly wrapping your arms around him. It wasn’t for affection; it was a search and seize.

Unfortunately for you, he was still partially awake, “Mm?” And gladly accepted the ‘affection.’

‘Shit.’ The only thing you got was a clue as to where Lor was. His pocket.

You creeped your hand down, until he took hold of your wrist, “If you wanted the watch, you’ll have to earn it back…” He smirked, “But if you want something else, then-“

“Shut up!” You instantly sat up. You clearly wouldn’t get what you wanted so what was the point of continuing?

“Awh. It was only a joke…” Shadow Milk opened up his eyes ever so slightly, “If you want your Light back then come back here.” He meant back to the position you were previously in.

“How will I know that you are even telling the truth about the deal? To deceive me? Just- Give me Lor back right now.” You extended your hands towards him.

Shadow Milk shut his eyes, “Never mind then. It’s worthless arguing with you.”

“…Fine.”

Laying down, you faced away from him instead. It wasn’t exactly what he wanted, but it still counted, right? He just accepted it, lightly laying his head against your back. If you were on edge, he wouldn’t push it too far.

[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

Game: Cookie Run: Kingdom

Relationship: Shadow Milk Cookie x You, Fount of Knowledge x You

Chapter: 13

Chapter Word Count: 13,337

Warning: Angst, Violence, Mentions of Blood, Shadow Milk is a warning.

A/N: I apologize for the wait. I wanted to give my concussion a bit to heal before writing. Anyway- Enjoy my longest chapter yet. I also have a Discord server: here. If you would like Pre-Release art and notes! It's also where you can post your own stuff heh! This chapter is ed with references, let's see if you can catch them all! Sorry for the long note, enjoy the chapter. Comment if you would like to be @ when a new chapter releases!

@'s: @bleh-im-in-different-fandoms (Gah dayum is that hard to type in.)

Chapter 1: Here.

Chapter 13: Life and Death will always lead you into Love and Regret

You laid there awake for half of the night. Shadow Milk had entangled his limbs into every crevice they could find. His hair was a mess as well, the eyes in it kept staring at you. If you stared back at them, it wouldn’t take long for them to avert themselves. Back then, there was a signature scent that aired around him, Blueberries. There was none of that now, only a hint of cologne.

You didn’t even try and force him off. If you laying there was enough to keep him content, it was worth it. The trials would be pushed off to a later time, and he would be in a better mood.

“You’re just laying here and doing nothing. C’mooon, snuggle a bit!” Shadow Milk rubbed against your cheek.

“Why?”

“Because I said so.”

“Not an excuse.”

“Well, you’re no fun!” He stuck his tongue out.

“Who said I have to be fun?” You turned away from him.

He sat up, leaning on his hand, “No one… But can you ever be fun? You’ve been in such a grouchy mood lately that it’s been killing the mood of the Spire.”

You brought the blanket to your face, “Wasn’t that the whole point of making the rooms and hallways dark and gloomy? To try and kill any ‘fun moods’ as you call them.”

Shadow Milk plopped down on your side, his legs dangling off his side of the bed and his head near your stomach, “Well, yeeeess… But not for you! I can make an illusion if you don’t want to look at it all if you want.”

You turned your head away from him, talking into the pillow, “I’d rather not look at a lie all the time. If I am to be wandering around here, I would rather have to look at the harsh reality of my situation.”

“Why are you so obsessed with looking at the Truth?”

You couldn’t think of a nicer answer, “Because I don’t wish to end up like you. Corrupted… Alone… And to go against every moral I’ve ever had… It’s truly a fate I don’t want.”

He didn’t say anything, only sitting up.

“I see how it is.” Shadow Milk had gotten off the bed.

He was already at your door, not even taking a glance at you, “Breakfast will be in the kitchen. Feel free to grab some.”

You looked up at where the door had shut. You POSSIBLY could have worded it better, but who cares? It was your brutally honest truth.

-----------

The kitchen had been quiet. Ginger Brave, Wizard Cookie, Strawberry Cookie, and Pure Vanilla Cookie had been eating their fill in silence. Today’s breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with bacon, coffee was in the pot and milk was in the fridge. No matter how much you wasted it, the milk would never empty. Anyway, you had grabbed a plate and joined them at the table.

You were the first one to speak up, “So… Ready for the trials…?”

“No.” It was a collective answer.

“I am not either. I did my best to stall him, but once there is a will from him, there will be a way to get it done.” You played around with your food.

“What will happen after all the trials are completed? Is there a prize? Or will there be more mind games for a long while?” Strawberry Cookie had poked your arm.

“…”

“The games won’t end until he gets what he wants, the Souljam…”

“I only assumed. To try and pull me and the Souljam down to a point where it is unbearable, and to give the other half to him.” Pure Vanilla took a long, slow sip of coffee. Black of course.

‘The combining of the two Souljams wouldn’t do much. The Souljam is basically something where they get their power from, trying to put the two together won’t do anything. It takes the person to change, not an accessory.’ You thought to yourself.

“Are you sure there isn’t ANYTHING you can do to help us Prof? To help us escape from here? We came for knowledge but it seems we trampled into a far more dangerous situation. Does Shadow Milk Cookie really mean all those threats?” Wizard Cookie inquired.

You stared down at your plate, “Yes… He really means it.” Oh right, the other part, “I don’t think I can help much. Last time I saw him, I left him in a bad mood. I feel like I have only made today worse.”

The group grumbled, until Ginger Brave spoke above their mumblings, “How do you know he means it? Like have you seen him follow through after a threat?”

You clenched your fists, creating white marks from your fingernails. Were you really going to tell children this story? “He… He has done despicable things. To me, to innocent lives, and to everyone around him. I’ve watched him sew chaos that plunged the world into war. He even tried lying that he wasn’t doing any of it, to attempt to hold onto the little sanity he had left.”

“What did he do to you? From what I observed, he adores you.” Black Sapphire Cookie appeared in the kitchen doorframe.

“I… I uhm…” You stammered.

“Spit it out, darling, we don’t have all day.” He grinned.

You glanced around at everyone, attempting to appear confident, “He had murdered my family and placed the blame on me; thus, I gained a criminal record and banishment from my village. Once the rumor had spread across lands, I am banned from over 40 cities and towns.”

You heard multiple comments, “Oh geez…” “That’s horrible!” “I expected it really.” “How could he do that?” “Why place the blame on them?”

“… Are you going to avenge them…?” Black Sapphire stood behind you.

“There’s nothing in my power that I could even do. Besides, it has been several centuries since it had happened… Although the information that he did it was quite new. Well- a year old by now.”

“CENTURIES!? WITCHES, HOW OLD ARE YOU?!” Wizard Cookie exclaimed.

You lightly smacked him on the head, “Never ask for someone’s age you buffoon! I’m only a few centuries old!”

Black Sapphire Cookie mumbled, “Half a millennia.” He snickered.

“I… I’m a little older than that… I feel old now.” You internally sobbed.

“If you’re old, then I’m old as well.” He ruffled your hair.

“Unc.” Wizard Cookie said.

You blankly looked at him, “Huh?”

Wizard Cookie just grinned.

Candy Apple Cookie had walked into the kitchen with a yawn, still dressed in her pajamas, “Gmornin.”

“Good morning, Candy Apple.” You started to pick up the dirty plates.

“Whatcha talkin about?” She rubbed her eyes.

“Nothing much. Just small talk.” Pure Vanilla Cookie stood up.

“Oh… Is breakfast ready yet?”

There was a collective “Mhm.”

Everyone started to file out of the room, leaving Candy Apple behind. The only noise in the Spire was just footsteps, awaiting what was to come.

-----------------

Now that you had finally woke up enough to look back on this morning, you had realized that you had made a terrible mistake. Shadow Milk was certainly going to punish either Pure Vanilla, or the kids out of anger, all because of a comment.

The only radical choice would be to apologize, but he was nowhere in sight. Not even a small area of blue eyes could give you hints. Wandering the halls of the Spire, it felt empty, as if the last resident had finally left. Candles were their normal yellowish-red, the forced gloom was non-existent, and no sound at all. You couldn’t even find a ‘puppet’ wandering the halls. Your aid was gone as well; suppose you would have to rely on your crutch a lot more now.

A sudden, but rash idea flew into your head…

‘This is the perfect time to escape! No security eyes, no staff, no Cookies, just a straight getaway!’ You grinned ear to ear.

Limping as fast as you could with your crutch, you headed straight for the main entrance. You would devise a plan to get Pure Vanilla and the kids out once you have mapped the outside area; although you weren’t too sure on how Candy Apple would react if you suggested bringing her too. You wanted her to have a normal life, to live out her teen years like a normal girl in high school, not living with one of Earthbread’s most dangerous threats.

With a large tug, you yanked on the door handle. It moved maybe a foot… But you were making progress!

. . . . . .

A black cloud surrounded the door handle, slowly crawling up your arms. You were too busy thinking of freedom to even notice. It started at your hands, up to your shoulder, and slid to the middle of your chest. THAT is when you noticed it. A sharp pain going through where your heart should be. It felt close to a heart attack, but not quite.

You tightly grasped at your chest, “Wha- What is this pain?!”

“That is the final security measure.” A voice spoke behind you.

You fell to your knees, “Make it stop! Make it stop!”

“I unfortunately can’t. The only way it will stop is a change of will and mindset.”

“Change… to the ways of Deceit I suppose…?” You balled up the rug below you.

“Something of the like.”

Maybe just thinking of lies would work. It worked in the Yogurt River of Rebirth, why wouldn’t it work now? Circling through memories, again and again, nothing soothed it. You were full on crying, begging for it to stop.

“Have you ever felt guilt for harming a Cookie?” The shadow loomed over you.

Your face darkened. Memories flashed through your head, the tribe’s people, your comrades… ⱦħē łīӻē ɏꝋᵾ ⱦꝋꝋҟ… You claimed it was for justice, but in reality… It was unnecessary. The comrade was already dead and you knew that, yet still, the attacking tribesman lost his life as well in that battle.

“What are you saying!? Just tell me the way to stop this!” You tried focusing on conjuring a healing spell.

“Do you regret… him?”

A small ball of light was conjured in your hand, placed at your chest, “I don’t have the slightest clue on what you mean.”

“Do you regret ever loving him? Do you regret even being with him? Do you regret trying to save a lost soul? Do you-“ It was cut off.

“YES! Yes! I do!” You tried wiping away your tears, the pain slowly calming down, “At first… definitely not. But once he turned against both of our morals, the things we stood by, took an oath to… It made me look at him in a different light. He was-IS a murderer, he’s murdered my loved ones, he’s tricked others into either losing their lives or becoming his minion, he’s done atrocious things to innocent lives, he’s manipulative, he’s… he’s…” The pain was gone, but emotions flooded the hole.

“Do you still love him? Even after everything?”

“…Yes…”

“Hmph.” There weren’t footsteps, but you could feel whatever that was had left.

You gazed down at your hand. Your fingertips were stained black at the tip, then faded to your skin near your palm. You tried wiggling them around to see if you had any loss of feeling or touch, thankfully not. Whatever that thing did, you only hoped it would wash off.

-------------

It didn’t, but it was time for the trials. So, you had to keep quiet about the matter as there was no clear chance to speak up about it. You grabbed an old pair of black gloves to hopefully cover your fingers.

You stared at your crutch from your desk, thinking. It was still a medical grade issue, but it was getting wore out by the amount you used it. Suppose it’s time to swap it out for another one? Or perhaps a cane instead?

An idea flew into your head.

The Fount of Knowledge’s staff. Before his corruption, it was used daily as that is where he held his Souljam. The Souljam is a divine gift given by the Witches themselves, a promise to Cookie-kind, an unspoken oath to serve; displayed right alongside its user in a grand gold staff. You remembered a day when visiting the Fount that he had allowed you a special liberty not given to any mortal Cookie.

------------

The Fount had plopped down into his office chair. The two of you were in his more… secret… office, away from all the demanding Cookies. It was there that he was more than comfortable to speak his mind. The office was placed in a more secluded area of the Spire, but was easily accessible. It also had a large window in the back of it as well!

He had been complaining about a random Cookie that aggravated him that day, “So this young mistress had come here to seek information about a school project… BY THE ACADEMY I OWN BY THE WAY!” The Fount had slammed his fist on his desk, clearly being fueled by anger as of the moment, “Do you know what she asked me? Go on, ask. Ask. Ask. Ask. Ask.” He pestered you, who had become a victim to his daily yapping session.

You were sat on the opposite side of the desk, “What did she ask?”

The Fount laughed angrily, a chuckle if you will, “She- She asked-“ He burst out into a laugh, but pushing through to speak his words, “She asked if I could basically do the whole thing for her! It’s something for testing week as well too! If I do it for her, she would basically pass with a 100% since I’m the one who created the damn test!”

He then continued to point out all the features of every stupid person he talked to until the sun had set. You had quite literally watched it go down until the cosmos in his hair resembled the wall length window behind him. It was like one of those classes you took during your college days. Where you had a small piece of paper, or a canvas, and tried to match it almost exactly to your background image to make it seem like the painting wasn’t even there. You did almost fail that class if it weren’t for some of your more experienced classmates to teach you a few tricks of the trade.

“-so you see, the Souljam has been acting up lately.”

“Huh?” You had zoned out.

“…” The Fount had blankly looked at you, “Did… Did you just not hear what I said?” He looked almost disappointed that you missed out on his rant.

“I heard some of it. Then I got distracted by thinking of paintings.”

“Would you like us to paint?”

“Not right now. Your voice is calming and I’d like to hear more.”

“Oh!” He held his face in his hands.

“Something about the Souljam?” You leaned your head on your hand.

“Ah yes!” He coughed, clutching his staff, “The gold beneath my hand starts to warm up occasionally. I thought it was just overuse of holding it, thus making it warm. However, this isn’t like one of those, it’s almost a BURNING hot.”

“What are usually the circumstances for it?” A simple inquiry.

“It’s normally when I’m talking to other Cookies.” The Fount had gazed at the Souljam.

“Perhaps a lie being spoke to you? Or misinformation of knowledge being spread?” It was all hypothetical theories being thrown out there.

“Try it. Lie to me, or- or just say something that’s entirely false.” He gripped the staff tightly.

He wouldn’t yell at you for small white lies, right? Afterall, he DID tell you to lie to him, “The grass is blue. The sky is green. Fire is cold. Ice is hot. Coffee-“

“Don’t disrespect Coffee like that… Although continue.”

“Books are made to be used as air. Pencils write like quills. A clock moves backwards.”

You had noticed that he had pulled his palm away from the staff occasionally, only allowing his fingers to hold it upright. Then he swapped the two out. It definitely was burning him; he just didn’t want to admit it.

Light Milk Cookie had chuckled, it had been rung out like honey, “Continue! These are funny!”

You glared at where his hand was, “Bags can’t hold things. Light is dark. Dark is bright. On means off. Off means on. Reality is an illusion. The universe is a hologram. Gold is light as a feather. Feathers are heavy.”

It had got to the point where he had just laid the staff on his lap.

“It burned?”

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“You got yourself a lie detector.” You grinned, folding your hands together and laying your head on top.

“The Souljam does wonderous things I suppose.” He lightly placed his hand on the Souljam.

Light Milk Cookie glanced up at you, eyes half lidded, and a small smile, “Would you like to hold it?”

“Eh?”

“The Souljam I mean.”

You immediately scooched your chair backwards, “WHAT?!” It took you a moment to fully process what he was asking of you, “You want… ME, to hold something so sacred?! Are you out of your mind? I cou-“

“Perhaps I am.” He had unlatched the gem from its holder.

You grasped at words, trying to form a coherent sentence. Hands tapping on the desk, attempting to calm down, were taken softly. Your hands were laid face up, the blue Souljam being placed on them. It felt… warm. As if it were full of life. Every few seconds it had pulsated like a heartbeat, was it truly his heart? If so…

You blushed ferociously. He had taken “giving you my heart” to a new level! And to think it was unintentional! You tried brushing it off as he probably didn’t know, right? Just being curious about a sacred gem, correct?

You held it up to your cheek, the warmth enveloping your entire face. If there was a blanket like this, your bank account might need more coins. Light Milk Cookie swallowed hard.

“Am I allowed to examine it? For research purposes as this is a once in a lifetime chance to be able to be this close to something as precious as a Souljam.” You glanced up at him.

His hand was covering his mouth, facing away from you. All he gave was a simple nod.

You were eager to start your study on it, quickly twisting and turning your hands to look at it from all angles. It looked pretty much the same, its normal light blue color. Funnily enough, the shape of it looked like an ice cream cone. Gently gliding your finger along its edges, you kept it on the bottom portion. It was a curious thought, was it sharp enough to injure?

Sure enough, it is. It pricked the pad of your thumb, blood slowly dripping out, “Interesting.” You sucked on your thumb to stop the bleeding.

You drew a pretend smiley face on it. The Fount’s breath had hitched.

“Are you alright?” You stopped what you were doing.

“Yep… Yep just… Keep-“ He inhaled sharply, hoping you would understand.

You pondered. If you did something to the Souljam, would it affect him? As an experiment, you VERY slowly traced your finger across the edges. You could see how he grasped at his chest, avoiding any looks at you while facing a different direction. His breathing was uneven as well. All quite interesting, you must say.

“Do you feel what the Souljam feels? Like if I were to punch it, would you feel it as well?”

“…Yes… Please don’t punch it though, it would hurt much more to me rather than it.” He had a fake look of untrust, although it was merely playful.

You looked down at it, ‘It appears as though this is just a power holder for the Virtues. If anything, it might hold their heart.’ It wasn’t as interesting now as it was before. You had learned more about it, thus, the curiosity died down.

You grabbed his staff, which was laying against the desk, and carefully put the Souljam back in its place, “It’s surely something to study, but based on my own deductions, I can already tell you what these do.”

“Do share.”

“Hmmm…” You grinned, “No, I don’t think I will. Keep you guessing, eh?”

“Such a minx you are.” The Fount simply sighed.

Muffled yells were beyond the window behind The Fount. You could obviously tell he could hear it as well, but tried his best to act like he didn’t. He never was a good actor when something stressed him out.

“What’s outside?” You finally spoke up.

“A balcony.”

“What’s outside the balcony?”

“Cookies.”

“Why are there Cookies?”

He chuckled nervously, “I may or may not have forgotten about my meetings today to spend time with you…”

You stood up, in a small fit of anger, “WHAT. You KNOW the kinds of Cookies that come to you! They’re gonna- Well they ARE enraged because of the meetings! I’m not that important to potentially get the Spire raided all because you wanted to skip a few things!”

The Fount had shrunk in his seat. Not in the way you would think, but the literal way. He had changed his size to one of a child, looking up at you like a parent scolding their kid after they had done something bad.

“And don’t think that little… cute… adorable… act of being small will waver-“ You took one large breath, “Okay I wavered. C’mere while we go sort this out.” You extended your arms.

“Uppies.” He climbed right into your arms.

“Shut up.”

With one large swing of opening the glass door to the balcony, you saw almost an army of Cookies waiting outside, “What…?”

“There he is! The liar!” Screamed several Cookies.

The Fount had immediately gotten out of your hold, instead standing behind you.

You summoned a microphone, it was an old one that was never in use, “Dare I say, WHAT is the issue today?!”

One larger Cookie spoke up, “The Virtue lied! All of us had important discussions we needed to speak with him about, and you know what? He told us, ‘I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.’ And NOW, someone has died because of his incompetence to uphold a basic statement!”

Hundreds of Cookies all started explaining their issues at the same exact time, crowding one another. That is until a torch was raised by what seemed to be the leader of the mini revolution.

He was atop a horse with a heavy Southern accent, “Heed my words, Assistant. If you do not bring out the Virtue of Knowledge at this moment… He isn’t leaving this tower. The Grand Spire of All Knowledge will be burnt to ashes.”

You started to breathe heavily, hands shaking, and lip quivering. You were scared. Scared for your life, scared for Light Milk’s, scared for any innocent life to be caught in what was to happen, and scared to be in a life-or-death situation.

Light Milk had tugged on your sleeve, gazing down at the Cookies ready to burn down his pride and joy. However, he grew in size, stepping in front of you, “And heed MY words. You really dare to burn this place? Endanger countless innocent lives, whether it be your comrades here today, or the people under my protection… Lives will be lost… And it will be your fault.” He coughed, “Continuing, I shall reschedule appointments. I also deeply apologize for any negative things that has happened due to my absence, I will offer paid therapy and cover funeral expenses for the ones who have lost lives.”

It was a long moment of silence, occasionally the whisper or two discussing on what they should do…

Until a rock was thrown not even a foot away from your head.

Cookies had followed suit, throwing rocks or miscellaneous objects towards the balcony. You had tried conjuring a shield spell, but The Fount had taken your wrist to stop you from doing so, “Go inside, I will deal with this.”

“What?” You had to doge a rock, “I can’t just leave you out here in harm’s way!” Another rock.

The Fount had looked so, so tired. He took all the blunt blows of the rocks with no protection spell or armor, “I deserve this… I have done such a terrible job as the Witch’s Envoy… I’ve failed at being a teacher, a leader, someone to look up to… I’ve failed at being a Cookie…” He looked like he wanted to cry, but perhaps… There were no tears left to cry.

You pounced on him, hoping to gain cover from the large stone railing, “The hell do you mean? You’re by far the best Cookie I have ever met. You are a great teacher, a great leader, and I look up to you. I try and live up to your living legacy… just because of how you are.” You held his face with one hand, “You are a great Cookie. Never think you are anything less than that. Words from meaningless Cookies shouldn’t mean that much, they’re just jealous of you and your intellect.” You brushed through his hair with your other hand, occasionally twisting a strand of the cosmos, “I’d say… Don’t listen to the negative comments, they’re only out to get you, and everyone else. If you can be a great role model for me, then perhaps you might be someone else’s. Maybe a kid wishes to grow up to be a scholar like you… Or to be as kind and caring as you.” You gently swayed your thumb across his cheek.

Tears flowed out of his eyes, smiling, “Thank you… for everything.” He sniffed, “You have been the greatest part of my life yet, and I have all of our lives to spend it together with you.” Light Milk Cookie had held your face, leaning in closer.

Smack.

A rock had hit your head. It had rendered you unconscious and out of The Fount’s grasp. Blood gushed out of your head and you needed medical treatment, STAT.

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Even in the present day, you couldn’t remember the events that happened after that. Being told by a doctor, you had been given a concussion. You were ultimately sure that whichever Cookie had thrown it, they were already long gone by now. There was no point in revenge, nor did you hold any grudge against them.

Now you pondered where you store The Fount’s staff back when you gained control of the Spire, ‘If I remember correctly, it should be in somewhere in the office.’ And to there you went. The secluded office.

-

Under the wallpaper, there was a secret brick that you had to push. You had it installed no later than when you gained the staff, ensuring that it would be safe. Feeling around, a piece had dropped.

“Hah! Guess I still remember it!” You felt accomplished as the wall dropped backwards and slid to the left.

There it was. The golden staff. It had collected quite the amount of dust over the years, but you could tell it was it already. A quick spell of air did the trick. The light blue crown had distorted into sharp edges, and there was a large hole where the Souljam used to go.

You had laid the staff against the window, and took off your gloves, placing them on the desk. What a shame, your fingers were consumed by the darkness, slowly spreading to your palms. You only hoped it wasn’t contagious. Gripping the staff tightly, you tried walking around with it to see if it was comfortable; it was. Great, it would be your new staff instead of your crutch.

It had spread to the staff as well. Darkness engulfed the bottom part of the staff, and stems of darkness had been sprouting where the Souljam would go. A sphere had formed with one large eye.

You had almost dropped it then and there, but you had to remind yourself that it would potentially break due to its age, “The Witches is this?!”

“A simple way to keep an eye on you.” The eye had spoken.

“It’s you again… Oh dear…” That blasted thing again. Why couldn’t it leave you alone? You had already learned your lesson from your last escape attempt, was it really going to be after you just to prevent you from escaping again?

“I have already learned my lesson; there is no need to helicopter over me.” You tried to shake it out of the staff.

“I am not here to watch you try and escape. You are simply an interesting character to observe; I have taken that into notice.”

“Are you going to be here the entire time I use this staff?” You finally stopped, staring at the top of it.

“Until the darkness fully consumes you… Yes.”

“The hell does that mean?” You slammed the staff on the ground.

“You’ll see. Now, now, don’t you have a trial to attend? Best to not be late.”

“I hate how you’re right.” Sighing, “I will allow you to stay there on one condition.”

“That is?”

“Don’t cause another one of those minor heart attacks again. You had almost scared the living shit out of me! Figuratively and literally!” You had clutched your chest.

“No promises, but I will try my best.” If it had a mouth, it would have a punch-able shit eating grin right about now.

You had picked up your gloves, placing them back on, “What even is your name? Do you even have one?”

It was silent for a moment, but it broke the silence not long after, “The Light of Regret… Call me ‘Lor’ if you would like.”

“Quite the interesting name, I’ll give you that, Lor.” You had stomped off out of the office, locking it shut with all of its locks. Took you a solid three minutes to do so.

“Tut, tut. Name shaming? I never thought you would stoop so low. I suppose that fits you. Judgmental, rude, hard headed, seeking truths that are insipid, and-“

“SHUT UP.”

It chuckled.

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Ah yes, one of THE largest staircases known in the Spire. It was a direct shot to the top of the Spire, only having one door each floor for access to it. If you wanted a specific floor, you would have better luck trying the other staircases. This one was the exact one you had to take everyday from your early college days, to when the Spire had been destroyed. Sweet nostalgia hits in the darkest times, doesn’t it? However, instead of the grand, luxurious, and warm feeling staircase, it felt like it went on endlessly, broken down, and cold. You always remembered the Spire had heated flooring as The Fount walked barefoot, but now it seems the boiler room was inactive for the stairs and floors. The Winter days when you didn’t feel like putting on slippers were the harshest, you had learned that lesson quite well.

Step after step. It felt like you could spend hours trekking up here and STILL not reach your destination. You did however sigh in relief when you could hear talking, at least you were getting closer to them.

“So! Who’s up for volunteers?” Black Sapphire had exclaimed.

“Volunteers for what exactly?” You had reached a midway point where the party was.

“Professor! You’re awake!” Strawberry Cookie and Ginger Brave had run towards you.

“Ahah, yes children.” You simply pat their heads.

“What’s that scepter you have there?” Wizard Cookie took a step forward.

You swung it around a bit, “A relic I had stored ages ago. My crutch was getting into disrepair and I needed a new one. Might as well put this back into use again.”

“Instead of simply asking… You had to use THAT?” Candy Apple Cookie had rolled her eyes, “What a piece of history. It couldn’t have been left there? In history?”

“Hey! It’s a perfectly good scepter and it still can deliver support for this body of mine.” You felt slightly offended.

“Why? Why that?” Shadow Milk Cookie had breathed heavily.

“I just expl-“

“No. Give me that. NOW!” He had lunged for it.

A cloud of darkness consumed his arm, “Back off.”

Shadow Milk had quickly retreated, “The fuck is that?!”

“Lor. My new… Well, I don’t know what to call the blasted thing, it’s a complicated relationship.”

“Why is it in MY staff?! Get it out! Out!” Shadow Milk was enraged, clawing at the top of the scepter.

“I’ve tried, Shadow Milk. It will not leave the staff even after I have shaken it several times.” You had demonstrated shaking it.

“Stop shaking me! You’re making me nauseous.”

A small pain was sent through your chest.

“F…fuck…” You mumbled, clutching your chest, the shaking had stopped due to it.

“Witches, is that the only way that I will get you to stop?”

“I have asked you, again and again, to take that damn shawl off… And now you are trying to take this scepter as well? What are you trying to do? Copy me? To take my old ways? To try and bring truth to this… THIS WRETCHED WORLD!” Shadow Milk had been shaking with anger, pushing others away. It wasn’t a push per se, but more or less throwing them a full hallways length away with a touch of magic.

“…”

“ANSWER ME!” He had shaken you by your collar.

“Yes.”

“Why…? Why would you try and serve these blasted Cookies? You have SEEN what they have done to me. You have even taken part of one of many acts against me! They are ruthless when they can’t accept the truth… Yet you still want to help them?” Small bits of tears swelled up in the corners of his eyes.

“Shadow Milk, let me expla-“

“NO!” He had let go of you, “I don’t want to lose you to them! Can’t you understand? They will hurt you; they will harm you; they will deceive you into believ-“

“SHUT UP. Let. Me. Explain.” You had finally snapped, “You think I haven’t thought of all that? Of course I have! It has tortured my mind for centuries! All because of you. I was devastated to know that you had caused such a calamity… And to know that you had lied to me about it!? I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t WANT to believe it. That is until I had found out for myself at the Silver Tree of everything you had done. I can’t even place it all on you, the other Virtues fell to cause their chaos as well. But I’m more pissed with you. You had DECEIVED me into thinking you were helping!”

Shadow Milk had yelled, “I WAS TRYING TO HELP!! I thought, that I could reshape Earthbread into a place where it was peaceful, where there wasn’t any harm to be done, where there-“

“WELL CLEARLY YOU DIDN’T! The world had to FIX itself because of you and your friends. It had to restart itself. I, had to restart. I thought I could make the world better, to give Knowledge to others. And guess what? It had worked… Until the war.”

“What war…? Where was I during this? Still stuck in the Silver Tree?” He now had a look of confusion rather than one of anger.

“The Dark Flour War. Pick up a book to inform yourself of what had happened during your absence, will you?” You had huffed.

“What exactly did you do? What do you mean it had worked? What?”

“I… Took your place. It was entirely accidental of course, but I was given the title ‘The Source of Knowledge’ for my efforts. I had rebuilt the Blueberry Academy into a high-school, the Blueberry Yogurt Academy. I had rebuilt some of the Spire that had been destroyed during the Beast War, opening it up to the public. Of course, I was still new to the occupation so I did not allow meetings. Instead, offering up the countless libraries we held here in the Spire for free use.” You sighed, “It had actually worked. The Cookies that came actually sought knowledge for themselves instead of merely asking for it.”

Shadow Milk was just listening. He appeared to have calmed down from his rush of anger.

“That is until the Dark Flour War… Where everything had turned sour.” A look of grief crossed your face, “Dark Enchantress Cookie had been chaotically causing chaos. Killing hundreds of thousands of innocent lives. Wreaking havoc onto every building in sight… Including the Spire and Academy.” You had leaned on your staff more, “There was nothing I could do to stop it. I tried making defenses, but it didn’t work. The best I could do was evacuate everyone before it all collapsed. It had all been destroyed…”

“Oh…”

“Living in the Faerie Kingdom was albeit a bit boring. I tried taking on several jobs, but nothing could compare to the workload of my previous occupation. Time had felt to have been slowed down. Before, it felt like a life could blink past you. A student I had taught could have already been in their old age before I even knew it. Then, it slowed down immensely. Work days at the Faerie Library felt like they would never end.”

Shadow Milk had stared at you for a couple of minutes, just gazing into your eyes. Unexpectedly, he had taken your available hand, trying his best to free your other one from the scepter. You just allowed it to be dropped, placing your hand in his.

“I… Had felt the same. But under different circumstances. Time felt rushing past me, never having enough of it. Deadlines were my worst enemy.” He chuckled lightly, then smiled, “But it all slowed down when I had met you.” His cerulean eye had lightly turned back to a light, pastel yellow, “I couldn’t have spent enough time with you. It felt great being by your side. Whenever you were around, I couldn’t wait to get rid of my work to be with you. The workday had felt much longer than it was.” Shadow Milk had lightly held your chin, “Because I love you. I couldn’t be as happy as I am now without you. I wanted… No, want, to spend more time with you. I want you by my side again. I want you… to love me again.”

He leaned in closer, lightly pecking your lips.

You had thrown your arms around his neck, “Who said I ever stopped?”

He simply smiled, leaning his forehead against you. He started to pepper your face with kisses, occasionally biting on your ear.

Pure Vanilla Cookie had finally returned to where he was visible, clearly a little out of breath with climbing all of those stairs again. The kids followed him along with Black Sapphire and Candy Apple.

Black Sapphire Cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie stopped in their tracks, the kids bumping into them.

“What happened?” Candy Apple tried to look around Black Sapphire.

He coughed, “It appears we are interrupting a moment…”

“I do say, yes, we are. I suggest leaving with the kids?” Pure Vanilla Cookie had offered to Black Sapphire.

“Yes, lets.”

“Hold up you two!” Shadow Milk’s eye had returned to its normal cerulean color, leaving the embrace, “Don’t think I will just allow you to escape from the little game I have planned for you today!” He had walked over like a diva, circling around Pure Vanilla.

“Oh great… Golly, I am SOOOOO glad to be a part of this wonderous game… yayyyyy…” Pure Vanilla Cookie was clearly so done with this man.

You had picked up your scepter with a smile, ‘I don’t know how… But he had an inch of sanity being revealed… By me? Let’s see if I can make that be shown once again!’ You internally giggled, ‘He has gained some confidence as well. Back then, it was just accidental love poems being read aloud or I could make him blush with a small comment. Now it seems as he has gained some bravery.’

Lor had whispered, “You know… That had hurt. To be dropped for something as terrible as that? It was truly a sight for sore eyes. I’d hate to be the innocent eyes that had to experience that. Thank the Witches I only have one.”

“I need you to shut up.” You had lightly slammed the staff.

“Don’t you regret it? To have done something like that in front of the kids? To be shown kissing the villain in their eyes could lose a lot of trust in you. Not even an hour’s worth of explaining could help your case.”

“GENUINELY… Shut the fuck up.”

“Hmmm… No.”

“I won’t give you eyedrops.”

“NO WAIT-“

“Just what I thought.”

------------

You couldn’t understand what kind of game they were playing. Was it poker? No, too many cards. An extensive game of Black Jack? Still no. Perhaps it was tarot cards, they were speaking of future’s so it would make sense. The kids had been turned to cards along with Black Sapphire Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie too.

It was odd. Shadow Milk Cookie had given several ‘second chances’ to the cards and Pure Vanilla. Quite out of character for him in your opinion.

“We kindly prepared rooms for you! You’ll find them most comfortable! Oh, and don’t even think about running away. You see, there’s nowhere to run from the top of the tower! Hehe.” Shadow Milk had stacked up the cards into one pile, “Unless you want to drop down and shatter into pieces! Who knows, your friends might follow suit? AFTER ALL, their position is far from enviable here!”

Oh, how you held back. You had wanted to smack him right then and there, whether it be with your staff or hand, as long as he got hit, you didn’t care which way. However, you picked your battles and didn’t… yet.

All of you were rushed out, told to go ‘practice card skills’ because apparently Pure Vanilla wasn’t great at tarot reading. Beats the hell out of you, you had never gotten that far into studying how they worked. It was mainly The Fount’s thing to learn.

The party had split into two groups. A, Shadow Milk and Pure Vanilla. B, everyone else. It was a tossup between keeping an eye on the chaos bean, or to help protect the kids. You knew Black Sapphire wouldn’t allow anything to happen to them, yet you weren’t too keen on leaving them with Candy Apple Cookie. Leaving Pure Vanilla Cookie was also a tricky one. With no one by his side to keep him from falling into Deceit was a risky situation.

‘I… I’ll go with the kids. As long as Pure Vanilla knows the kids are safe, there will at least be a bit of clarity.’

And off you went to catch up to them.

---

The cards had been shoved into a dark purple bag Black Sapphire now carried. You could hear tiny screams to stop shaking them, and you did try and reiterate it… But you were quickly overtalked by Candy Apple whenever you tried.

Candy Apple Cookie had stopped in her tracks, “Black Sapphire Cookie!! Black SAPPHIRE CooKIE! BLACK SAPPHIRE COOKIE!”

He was clearly annoyed, “One time is enough. What is it?”

“Telll me, what are YOU gonna do with the cards?” She inquired.

You pondered that too, ‘What IS he going to do with them?’

He had a monotone voice with a touch of annoyance, “Try my best to keep them safe, as Master Shadow Milk Cookie ordered, obviously.”

She giggled, “Oh reaalllyyyy?”

Black Sapphire backed off, “…Stop it. I don’t like when you stare at me like that.”

He was right. She DID have that mischievous glint in her eyes. However, it was finally time for her to speak her idea, “Oh, you know, I’ve been thinking… Why don’t we let these Cookies go?”

‘Great idea Candy Apple. I will gladly take them off of his hands.’

His voice clearly told the tale that he was sick of her bullshit, “Say what now? Where did you even get such an idea…?”

“I’ll be glad to take them if you wish.” You had stepped forward, “I’ll take good care of them, I’ve taught kids so I know how to handle them.” Your plea was quickly dismissed.

“Just listen! I know you know what I’m talking about! Shadow Milk Cookie… is acting weird…er than usual!” Candy Apple Cookie tugged on Black Sapphire’s coat.

Looking back, she was correct. Black Sapphire Cookie could even admit as well, “…Hm, yes, he is not a Cookie who gives… multiple second chances.”

You ultimately decided to stop trying to butt in on their conversation. They were clearly ignoring you.

“RIGHT?! And, and! Back when we played chess! Did you see it?! Did you see how happy he was?!” Candy Apple had taken a step away from Black Sapphire, “I… I’d give all, ALL my syrups… AND MORE! Just for a glimpse of my beloved Shadow Milk Cookie’s smile…” She stomped her foot, “But those Cookies…?! UGH! They mad me feel… SO, SO JEALOUS!!”

You silently prayed in relief, ‘Thank the Witches that she did not see what happened earlier. Although I do have to say, her obsession with him is quite strange. Perhaps as Black Sapphire Cookie said, maybe she seeks validation from him?’

Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire Cookie started bickering while you had been in thought, ‘It is a little bit expected. The Fount held a deep hatred for when he was being lied to. To create something he made out of something he despised though? That must’ve been rough for Candy Apple. Either I, or Black Sapphire had to take care of her instead of the one that had created her. Almost felt like a disownment. I can see that Light- Shadow Milk has done a better job at it although. He at least pays minor attention to her, giving her ‘special’ jobs even though they just seem like errands.’ You sighed, ‘When will either of them learn to wake up?’

A voice in your head spoke, “You’re thinking awfully hard about something that isn’t your problem. Why?”

‘Lor?’

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. I will leave that up to your imagination.”

‘Just shut up, Lor.’

“I am not speaking.”

‘Get out of my head then.’

“No.”

You grumbled. All because of a failed escape attempt, did this monster really have to follow you around? He’s even getting into your head! Is there any way to kill this thing or will you have to find some ancient spell to remove him?

‘Fine.’

A quite sudden shove knocked you out of your conversation. Candy Apple Cookie had shoved Black Sapphire away after she had successfully taken the bag away from him. The bag had ripped and the cards had spilled all over the floor.

“YOU LITTLE BI-“ Black Sapphire almost lunged at her.

You had to hold him back, “Now, now, Black Sapphire. No need for violent language around the kids.”

“RUN MY COOKIES, BE FREE!” With a puff of smoke, she had turned the kids back to their original selves.

With small debates amongst the kids, they eventually fled. You were at least giving them a bit before you had released Black Sapphire Cookie. It was almost like holding back a tiny dog from catching a small animal, feisty, clawing, and talking back.

“RELEASE ME OR I SWEAR I WILL-“

“Shh.”

“DON’T ‘SHH’ ME!”

“Shhhhhh.”

“LET ME AT HIM!” Candy Apple had tried landing a hit on him while he couldn’t move, however unfortunately for her, she was easy to pick up.

So, with your left arm, you held Black Sapphire. With your right, you held Candy Apple up in the air. Simply diffusing a dog fight, that is all.

---

You had hardly escaped from them. You had looked like you had just been involved in a cat drama; full of scratches and minor wounds.

You had hidden behind a wall out of sight down the hallway, hoping to at least hear if they would act civil now or if one of them would go looking for the kids.

“Well, well, well! I hear someone was a bad Cookie. Now what should I do with you? Tear you to shreds, here and now?”

You heard a small rip.

“Hmmm… Hold on a moment! Our little friends likely went to Pure Vanilla Cookie. Just what could be happening in his chambers…?”

“Hm… You wish to volunteer? Very well, I trust you might find out something useful!”

You didn’t bother to hear the rest. All you were focused on was finding the kids as fast as you and your staff could take you.

---

You had quickly found them. They didn’t make much coverage via running. They at least made it across several hallways. Standing in front of a room, they had entered with hope that it was Pure Vanilla’s.

You didn’t have the heart to tell them. At least you could negotiate with the staff in that room.

It had been one large room that looked almost like a hallway. Paintings adorned the walls, ceiling, you name it. It had actually been one of the most famous parts of the Spire back in the day, Cookies had flocked to visit it once it had been revealed. The Fount was a very skilled painter and often hung his works in that hallway, you never had the guts to take any of the paintings down yourself. If anything, you added onto them. The add-ins weren’t the greatest, but you had centuries of practice so you were bound to improve. It was its own built-in museum for the Spire of Knowledge. You had even offered historical tours of it to explain each style of painting.

“Brush, Stroke, Dab!” The Painters of Lies had chanted, “Liven up the old boring truth with an intricate pattern of lies! More details! More colors!” “And spare no paint! Broader strokes! More layers!”

All the paintings… Had been redone…? Filled with the very lies you despised.

Surprisingly, all the ones you had added ages ago had not been painted over. OF COURSE it had to be the ones you didn’t like. You thanked yourself that you were able to salvage most of the paintings in your sub-space inventory stored along side all the books before the tower crumbled.

“All together! All together! Move your brushes! Brush, Stroke, Dab!” From what you observed, they were mass producing THEIR version of the painting.

One Painter of Lies had noticed your group. She immediately accused of everyone being trespassers. However, how could they trespass if they were technically stuck here? Same as you. You had to be dragged out of the room while you mumbled on about the loophole.

The next room was one made for weaving, ‘Ah, I remember this room. It was one shown to me by Candy Apple during her tour. She loves visiting this place. I’m not too sure if the Head Rumor-Weaver and I are on good terms, but let’s hope for the best.’ A clearly fake smile was planted on your face.

The Head Rumor-Weaver had stopped her duties, “Ohoo! What do we have here? Cookies, mm?”

“Who are you?” Ginger Brave asked bluntly.

“Hm, I take it that you’re not from around here? I’m the Head Rumor-Weaver.”

Ginger Brave thought he understood, but his tone betrayed him, “Oh! …What’s a ‘Rumor-Weaver’?”

You didn’t want her to yap endlessly when the four of you were on a quest, so, you spoke for her, “Rumor’s and gossip come in many kinds and it is the Head Rumor-Weaver’s job to turn those into fabric. There are countless forms of rumors so it requires skill, for example, Absurd, Baseless, Insidious, etcetera. She can tailor specific Rumor-Fabric to what kind you need.”

She stared at you blankly, with all six of her… eyes? “Yes… I was just about to say that…”

The Head Rumor-Weaver had shown all of you around her area. She even did a demonstration on how rumors are spun into fabric. You had tried the hobby only once; it came out nicely. You had made a light see-through shawl. But it was made out of the rumor that you were a murderer. You had vowed to never wear it, even almost burning it once. Something about it made you decide to keep it, to banish it to your closet instead.

You were too distracted by spinning the wheel, thinking. It took Wizard Cookie tugging on your sleeve to gain your attention, “Come on. She gave us directions to where Pure Vanilla Cookie is. Let’s go!”

Thus, yet again, getting dragged to another place. But not before the Head-Rumor Weaver could give you all a warning, “Never-and I mean, NEVER-open the door located in the middle of the hallway. It’s where they make the Phyllo Dough Masks! One wrong step and you may end up losing your own face! Hehehe…”

You piped in, “She’s right. I had almost lost mine one day when I was being curious. Thankfully I had enough sense to run… well to the best of my ability, away.”

“But how can I lose my…? N-no, I don’t wanna know!” Strawberry Cookie was fearful.

With a few thanks, off the group went.

---

‘This isn’t right… The chambers aren’t down this way.’ You were severely behind all of the kids who were running.

Dashing down the hallway, they eventually realized it was the wrong way. You slowly caught up and just observed them. You didn’t quite know where Pure Vanilla Cookie is, but you had a general idea of where he was. Now it’s up to the kids… No wait- You should lead them.

“The Rumor-Weaver lied!” Ginger Brave exclaimed.

“It’s kind of in the name…” Strawberry Cookie sighed.

“Eh, I guess this one’s on us. We shouldn’t trust anyone inside the Spire of Deceit.” Wizard Cookie had turned to the opposite way, “Now, this path looks right…!”

You had tensed up; only fearing the gaze that would befall you. Luckily for you, the kids didn’t think on it much. You released a breath you didn’t know you were holding. Lor was right… Trust could easily be broken if they started inspecting everything you did. Whether it be if they questioned why you were here, if Shadow Milk was getting too up close and personal, or rather it be why he wanted YOU stuck in the Spire. They were bound to be suspicious, so why haven’t they inquired on it yet? Did you hold THAT much trust with them? It’s odd although, you had met them for barely a full day. Why would they hold you in such high regards?

Why do you hold them in high regards too…?

Ⱦħēɏ ⱥɍē ꝋꞥłɏ ꞡꝋīꞥꞡ ⱦꝋ đɍⱥꞡ ɏꝋᵾ đꝋⱳꞥ. Ɏꝋᵾ ⱳꝋɍɍɏ ⱦꝋꝋ ᵯᵾȼħ. Ⱳħɏ ƀē ȼꝋꞥȼēɍꞥēđ ӻꝋɍ ⱥ ӻēⱳ Ȼꝋꝋҟīēꞩ ⱦħⱥⱦ đꝋꞥ'ⱦ ēꝟēꞥ ᵯⱥⱦⱦēɍ? Đꝋ ɏꝋᵾ ꝑīⱦɏ ⱦħēᵯ ɉᵾꞩⱦ ƀēȼⱥᵾꞩē ⱦħēɏ ⱥɍē ҟīđꞩ? Ꝋɍ īꞩ īⱦ ⱦħⱥⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ꞩēē ɏꝋᵾɍꞩēłӻ īꞥ ⱦħēᵯ? Ȼᵾɍīꝋᵾꞩ, ƀɍⱥꝟē, ꞩħɏ, ⱥꞥđ ēⱥꞡēɍ ⱦꝋ łēⱥɍꞥ. ₲ɍꝋⱳ ᵾꝑ. Ɏꝋᵾ ȼⱥꞥ'ⱦ ꞩⱥꝟē ⱦħēᵯ. Ⱳħɏ ꞩħꝋᵾłđ ɏꝋᵾ ƀꝋⱦħēɍ? Łēⱦ ⱦħēᵯ đīē. Đꝋ ɏꝋᵾ ēꝟēɍ ɍēꞡɍēⱦ ƀēīꞥꞡ ᵯⱥđē? Đꝋꞥ'ⱦ ɏꝋᵾ ⱳīꞩħ ɏꝋᵾ ħⱥđ ⱦⱥҟēꞥ Ⱳħīⱦē Łīłɏ Ȼꝋꝋҟīē'ꞩ ꝑłⱥȼē ⱥⱦ ⱦħē Ⱳīⱦȼħēꞩ ƀⱥꞥꝗᵾēⱦ? Īꞥꞩⱦēⱥđ ꝋf ƀⱥɍēłɏ ēꞩȼⱥꝑīꞥꞡ, ɏꝋᵾ ꞩħꝋᵾłđ ħⱥꝟē ɉᵾꞩⱦ ƀēēꞥ ⱥⱦēꞥ.

‘…Lor… Is that you talking…?’

‘Lor?’

Your body shook ever so slightly, grip loosening on your staff. Your eyes were unfocused and your breath was heaving, the area around you felt like it was spiraling. You swore that you heard one large sound, but it was muffled… Everything was muffled with a slight ringing.

What knocked you out of your senses was Strawberry Cookie clinging onto you tightly. Black Sapphire Cookie was in front of the group, ready to attack. He was rambling on about cameras or viewer discretion.

Ginger Brave held his candy cane sword, armed for a fight. Whereas Wizard Cookie held his staff, ready to cast a spell.

Black Sapphire Cookie was about to conjure something… But you weren’t going to allow him to injure the kids.

Your feet moved before you had even thought about it. Conjuring a defense spell around the kids, you and Black Sapphire stood alone outside the bubble of a defense.

“Dearest Professor… My issue is not with you, if you will be so kind to move out of the way… That will be greatly appreciated.” He held a forced smile, trying to appear civil with his microphone for a cane. He was clearly angered, maybe even annoyed.

“Black Sapphire… I’m afraid I cannot. I will not allow you to injure these kids as long as I am here to protect them.” You had slammed your staff on the ground.

“Then I’m afraid that we will have an issue.” The microphone had become a sword.

“Perhaps.”

You weren’t too familiar with the staff yet, but you knew transfiguration spells. With several spins, it had become a polearm. The blade was faded out in black while the handle was plated with gold, a small mint blue tassel hung at the end of it.

“I’ll give you one more chance to change your mind.” He had held the sword behind his back, closing his eyes as he appeared confident, “One… Two…”

With one glance at the terrified children, you had decided against other methods. Instead, forming the head of the polearm back to its original form. With one large swing, you had blunt forced Black Sapphire into near unconsciousness.

“Don’t even try to touch them.”

The kids had just cheered. ‘That’s a little morbid. To cheer after someone had nearly knocked another person out? Strange. Perhaps they are used to the conflicts of battle.’

The defensive spell had died down, the kids being set free, “Run.”

With that one word, they did as told without question. With a sigh, you knelt down to his level, “I’m sorry. Do you need any help?” You had extended your hand, a small ball of light shining in it; the other one held onto the reformed staff.

“If you will…”

You had tried your best to heal whatever wound you might’ve inflicted on him, including Candy Apple Cookie’s minor scratches on him as well, “I truly am sorry. Just please… Leave them alone…”

Black Sapphire had looked around before mouthing, “It’s just an act.”

You let out a small hum, quickening your duties.

It was odd. You had felt no nausea or weakness after all of those spells. Normally, a basic levitation spell would leave you bedridden for a day or so. Today was different. Was it perhaps the adrenaline coursing through your veins? Or was it something else…?

-----

With great power comes great responsibility they say. However, if you have too much responsibility… Perhaps the saying had been reversed for this case.

The group had been looking around the large hallways at a slow pace. You quite enjoyed it. However, with one small inspection, the darkness had consumed your entire hands, creeping its way up your forearm. What was happening? You didn’t know. All you could do was experiment.

You had tried miniscule versions of spells. Healing, fire, light, plant, aquatic, you name it…

Nothing had changed.

Then what was causing it? Was it some sort of illness? No, Lor came from it so it must be some sort of ancient spell unknown to you. Or was it new? Too new for you to know anything about. Perhaps it’s some sort of poison from Beast-Yeast. Maybe Lor was some sort of spore! Ah that explains it…

Right…?

---

It was an odd situation, that was the best word to call it. Pure Vanilla Cookie-or Truthless Recluse as he now goes by, had been calling himself a liar. Shadow Milk Cookie must’ve done something while the four of you were gone as Truthless Recluse was apathetic… More than he already was… You didn’t really speak up much, only hoping the kids would be able to change his mind. He had told all of you to escape countless times, yet they wouldn’t leave without him.

“I think I am beginning to understand him. And… It fills me with fear and self-loathing.” Truthless Recluse spoke blankly.

“Shadow Milk Cookie THINKS he made you join his side! He thinks he has won!” Wizard Cookie tried to reason with him.

“…He is not wrong.”

“WHAT?!” And you HAD to be the different one unintentionally, “Hm?”

He had sighed, “One the wise Fount of Knowledge, Shadow Milk Cookie turned into a vile jester. He finds twisted pleasure in luring his victims into his web of lies, manipulating them.”

‘Ah… Pure Vanilla found out his previous identity it seems.’

“And yet, my story is different from his. I simply let go of everything I once believed in. My Truth, my Hope to heal the world… I do not wish to fight for those things anymore. Just as I shall no longer lie to myself or wander in the fog of fear within my heart. I will reside in this tower, for I have lost any interest in the outside world. This is where I belong… The greatest liar of all.”

Now that you had thought about it… You almost related to him. However, you still had hope left. You had interest in going out, taking any chance you could to see your garden. You yearned to speak to someone else other than the Cookies inside the tower. Whenever there was a chance to escape, you took it.

Appears that your last, and potentially final one… Has cursed you.

You had lifted your arm ever so slightly, the long sleeve of the robe had fell. You had stared at it for a while, it eventually felt like your arm was moving quickly away from you, your ears had started to ring as well.

“AAAAAAAAAA!!” Someone had yelled.

You were already mid attack before you had gotten turned into a playing card. Everything rushed by you, what had just happened? You had tried to move around but it felt like you were in a box, “I feel… So two-dimensional…”

The kids were yelling at him. It was no use although, he didn’t even bother to pay attention. Instead, focusing on the doorway. You could hear a faint knocking, then a door being barged open.

“Master Shadow Milk wants your friends. Do you have them?”

You and the rest of the kids had been shoved into a card deck, “Here.”

You could now clearly hear whose voice this was, it was Black Sapphire. Being placed at the top of the desk was handy. He had refreshed himself before making appearances again with a new set of clothes, freshly combed hair, and if you could smell while being in a card, he would have his signature grape cologne spritzed on him again… Like he didn’t already use it enough…

“Well, well, well, as much as I would like to have my revenge, Master Shadow Milk Cookie ordered me to bring them alive.” You heard him huff.

All of a sudden, everything went dark.

“No! Not the bag again!”

A bag…? Oh right. The one they were in earlier today. Guess it was your turn to be thrown around.

“No surprises this time!” Black Sapphire Cookie accentuated his words with a heavy shake of the bag.

There was a small knock somewhere outside the bag. Black Sapphire tried to comment on it, but Truthless Recluse quickly shut the conversation down.

“Master Shadow Milk wants you as well.” Black Sapphire was referring to Truthless Recluse, “He will administer punishment to our… Bothersome little guests. Oh, I would love to see them suffer! What about you? Will you stand the agony of your former friends, heh?”

“They don’t mean much to me.”

‘What. What does he mean they don’t mean much? I understand that a simple teacher like I was won’t mean much… But the kids? Is he serious?’ You were filled with anger.

Black Sapphire laughed, “How cruel! Well now, it’s time to go! And make sure to avoid Candy Apple Cookie if you can. She’s been… Unsound as of late.”

And you were on the move. Now that you were a card and stuck inside here as well… You could understand where Strawberry Cookie was getting the nausea from.

--------

The game for this trial seems like a geography based one from what you could tell. Black Sapphire didn’t allow any of you to see the board all that well.

Shadow Milk Cookie had been spinning dice in his fingers, “Awh, failed to convince your friends to leave, hmm? TOUGH LUCK! What’s even worse, no one leaves this tower without my permission and goes unpunished!”

There was an awfully high-pitched voice from the other side of the table, “YES SHADOW MILK COOKIE! PUNISH THEM!”

“…Huh? And when did you become a card?” Black Sapphire inquired.

Shadow Milk coughed, taking over their little conversation, “You know, I’ve been observing you for a while now, and I realized: you really must be missing your dear friends, are you not?! I happen to know just the solution! Do you know what I’m talking abouuuttt….? Hehehe!”

“Those dice…”

“OOOOOOOH! Precisely! I see you’re getting the hang of it! Anywho! It’s time for a magical adventure around the continent!” He had thrown the dice onto the board, “And the destination is!”

Blinding light came your way. You felt as though you got slammed into a wall at full force. Then came the sheer cold. Your robe didn’t even feel slightly warm; it was made to be breathable after all. To be studying in the Spire for hours at a time, you didn’t really need the warmth.

The kids were shivering, “Where-“ “The Licorice Sea!?” “It’s freezing!” “I wanna go home.” “I don’t like this place.”

Taking a look to your right, large cocoa walls loomed over you all. If you remembered correctly, this was the Dark Cacao Kingdom. It did make sense with the architecture, location, and the utter coldness of it.

Shadow Milk’s voice was echo-y, “Ah! There you are! The rules are simple. Pure Vanilla Cookie and I will roll the dice and you will travel around the board! Sound good?! Safe travels!!”

“Why did we have to get roped into this game…?” You muttered, focusing on trying to conserve body heat.

The kids had stuck together, good idea. Although a previous thought had lingered, making you unsure.

‘I’m not too sure if they want me near them. Afterall, they did mention to not trust anybody in the Spire… Which rightfully so! They only met me for maybe a few days before I was taken away, why should they trust me?’ You walked behind them.

The gates had been protected by Cookies of all kinds. It didn’t seem fitting that they were all covered in blue icings… Odd for the Dark Cacao Kingdom.

“Watchers! Get into position!” Several of them had aimed bows.

You had tried to conjure a spell; however, it didn’t work. For the first time since all this had happened…

You truly feared for someone else’s lives rather than your own.

Leaping in front of the group, you had taken on the role of defense if necessary. But they had already ran right past you and attacked. You almost got hit by several arrows, yet none of them seemed to land. Almost as if they disappeared before you could register it did.

A Cookie similar to the others, but looked higher ranking than the rest appeared. Ah, this must be Dark Cacao Cookie, perhaps you could try and reason with him. You did remember meeting him once, it was right before the Dark Flour War. Maybe he would still remember you.

“I shall cut you down!”

“Oh no, no, no, no! I do NOT wanna fight Dark Cacao Cookie!” Ginger Brave had backed off.

‘Greaat… Yet another strong figure that we will have to fight.’

It took ages, but eventually the Cookie crumbled. You realized that these weren’t the actual Cookies, but rather imitations of them.

---

The same thing circled through countless kingdoms and their ruler. Hollyberry, Golden Cheese, but next was White Lily Cookie. You had pondered what that battle would look like…

How wrong you were. It was Dark Enchantress Cookie with a mix of White Lily Cookie. You had almost killed the poor imitation with brute force right then and there if she wasn’t already defeated thanks to the kids. Oh, if the actual thing could appear before you and gave you the opportunity… How quickly her dough would crumble by your hands.

----

The four of you had escaped the board, returning to your normal sizes. The three of them cheered. You were just glad to be away from all the fighting. Finding a random chair, you had sat down. If you didn’t have to keep an eye on that blue bitch of yours, you would have taken a small nap.

“No, seriously! Other Cookies should learn from you! The Brave, The Smart, The… Cautious? And the one to risk it all just to protect! Truly, the role models for all pathetic vermin! Excellent job! Truly remarkable!”

‘I suppose that he would’ve wanted to change how Cookies acted back then. Make them one of kindness. However, that wasn’t his specialty, perhaps the Herald of Change or the Sugar of Happiness could have advised him.’ Maybe just a minute of rest would be nice.

“But enough giggles.”

---

A sudden gush of wind had woken you up. You were scooped up by Black Sapphire Cookie atop one of the tallest towers of the Spire. Right on the very balcony you loved. Shadow Milk was dangling the kids over the ledge while Pure Vanilla watched.

“Sadly, for you, there’s nowhere to run. This entire tower is part of my dough! Remember? You’re in the belly of the Beast! Heh. I thoroughly enjoyed having you over! Hope you too had FUN!” He swung them around in the air playfully.

Wizard Cookie yelled, “NOT AT ALL!”

Shadow Milk scoffed, “Tsk, tsk, not a single word of gratitude for your gracious host! Need I remind you? A flick of my wrist will have your dough and souls scattered across my tower! Or, perhaps… There is a better solution…? What say you, Pure Vanilla Cookie?”

Pure Vanilla tensed up, “What do you want from me?”

“What would YOU do with these pesky Cookies? The choice is yours!”

“Why do you care…?”

He had grinned manically, “OPTION ONE! I silence them… FOREVER!” He slightly released hold of them all, “OPTION TWO, oh, you’re gonna love this one! You give your Soul Jam… to me.”

Ginger Brave had squirmed, “No! You can’t force Pure Vanilla Cookie to make this choice!”

Shadow Milk quickly hushed him. “Shshshshshhhhh! The adults, are talking!” He had casted a spell that physically shut his mouth closed.

What a barbaric way to use magic. You suppose that was the ugly side of Dark Moon Magic… The very thing that had started to corrupt The Fount…

To watch him study those forbidden spells made you curious to learn a few things from them as well. Now you deeply regret ever memorizing them.

“Oh, no, no, no, this isn’t a trick question! Just A, or B. I can’t wait to see what you’ll pick! Your friends, or the light of your Soul Jam? Which of these holds a greater value to you? Ohhhh, I wonder! Which of these… makes you who you are?”

Pure Vanilla tried searching for the words, but nothing came out.

--

“TIIIIMEESSS UPPPPPPP! Your choice is?”

“My… choice is…” Pure Vanilla slowly grasped at the Soul Jam beneath his robes.

Shadow Milk Cookie snatched it before the choice was even fully made, “How can one be this foolish?!” He laughed.

With that last remark… He threw the kids off the tower.

“NO!”

You had quickly gotten out of Black Sapphire’s grasp, quickly leaping off to hopefully catch them.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING! NO, NO, NO!” Shadow Milk had leaned over the balcony.

The ground had been quickly approaching and with not enough time. You had grabbed the kids and turned onto your back.

You’ve had limbs ripped off before, what’s a fall going to d-

CRACK

You coughed up blood, and your vision was darkening. With one last glance to check if the kids were alright, you let your eyes close.

O-o-O-o-O

Pure Vanilla Cookie stood there, watching as Shadow Milk Cookie let out a weak laugh, hoping to take control of the situation, “You… You might’ve won this battle! But it won’t bring your friends back. Heh.” His breath shook, “They’ve crumbled to dust! Nothing more than helpless souls that’ll roam my Spire for eons!”

Ginger Brave slammed the hallway door open, “PURE VANILLA COOKIE!!!”

“EH?!”

Pure Vanilla smiled, “My friends! I’m happy you’re unharmed!”

“We thought we were done for!” Ginger Brave shuddered, “The Professor-“

Shadow Milk almost lunged for him, “DON’T YOU DARE SPEAK OF THEM!”

“I suppose then… Fortune Teller Cookie had appeared to take us away from the… scene… And led us here!” Ginger Brave had opened the door widely.

The said Cookie in question appeared along with the others. A cloaked figure started to approach Pure Vanilla.

Strawberry Cookie question Pure Vanilla, “How did you pull it off though? I thought you and Fortune Teller Cookie were the same…”

‘It appears they have forgotten already.’ He lightly giggled, “Don’t you remember? In this tower, space and time intertwine in a myriad of reflections. Here, the future of the past and the present coexist. The cards showed me a glimpse of a possible future. A future that had yet come to pass. Fortunately, I was able to prevent it.”

Thanks were given to Fortune Teller, but he simply replied, “I’ve changed… Thanks to you, who believed in your own strength rather than fearing a bleak future. If not for you, I would’ve been wandering the fog of uncertainty within Pure Vanilla Cookie’s soul…” And with that, Fortune Teller Cookie disappeared once he merged with Pure Vanilla.

A large part of the tower was destroyed, “Excuse me? I’m, so sorry to disturb you… But I’m still THE MAIN CHARACTER here!”

“Shadow Milk, wait.” Pure Vanilla reached his hand out, “You are right. For me, nothing is more important than protecting my friends. But they are much stronger than you think. They helped me find my path again.”

“… One said ‘friend’ had to sacrifice their life for your worthless new outfit, your dumb new morals… Your wretched new ‘path’ too… How can you not have the guilt crawling up your spine? How can you go on seeking the truth when that is the harsh reality of it?”

“It… It haunts me too. But to live in a world where everything is cascaded in a lie? That is one the both of us would never want to live in.” Pure Vanilla grasped at his chest.

The eyes in his hair shot up, “SHUT UP! You know NOTHING of what I’ve done! You don’t know how much we went through! YOU don’t KNOW them! You think you can just take them away from me and think that it’s going to be alright?! NO! I WILL GET REVENGE!”

“Shadow Milk… Hear me out. Come with me to the Vanilla Kingdom, we can plan a proper funeral for them, and being by yourself will do no good on your heart after something like this. I can feel how lonely you must be. I felt a minute droplet of longing as well. I know it, for I’ve felt the same.” Pure Vanilla had proposed.

“Lonely?” Shadow Milk had laughed quite hard, “Now who is the clown here?! Why do you expect ME to go to your stupid kingdom?! I have my own place. Look at my Spire! Bask in its splendor! Here, I have anything I want! Fools, so eager to fall to their knees in exchange for one little lie!! You-You must’ve lost your mind!! I am the MASTER of this world! You DARE act like you know ME?! I’ll find the body and do it myself. I don’t need your help. I don’t need your friendship. I DON’T NEED YOU! I DON’T NEED ANYBODY!! ONE MORE WORD, AND I WILL WIPE YOUR PATHETIC DOUGH OFF THE FACE OF THE WORLD!”

“We share the same Soul Jam. We can understand each other like no one else can. You don’t have to be lonely… I’m right here. Please… Let me be your… friend.” Pure Vanilla held a small, but gentle smile.

“Friend…?” Shadow Milk gasped, “CURSE YOU!!! You know NOTHING! You ARE NOTHING! I HATE YOU! You and your SOUL JAM! I WILL DESTROY YOU!”

A battle had been sewn into the crevices of the floor.

---

“It doesn’t have to be like this, Shadow Milk Cookie.” Pure Vanilla had stopped the others from another attack.

Shadow Milk weakly giggled, “How ‘kind’ of you! Mark my words: one day, your ‘kindness’ will become your undoing.”

Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire Cookie appeared out of a portal, “Come on! We need to go!”

“He still has strength left?!” Ginger Brave exclaimed.

“You bet! Cookies, they just won’t stop telling lies, amirite? Don’t get too comfortable, we’re not done… yet!” He laughed manically, “I’ll be seeing you soon, little gnats!” Shadow Milk turned to Pure Vanila, “And you… You will live to regret your words. I’LLLLLL MAKE SURE OF IT!” With one final grand bow, the trio had left into the new, much larger portal.

“He just… Disappeared?” Ginger Brave stared at where the portal was.

Pure Vanilla simply pat his head, “It’s alright. Like Shadow Milk Cookie said, we’ll meet again, don’t know where, don’t know when, but I know we’ll meet again some sunny day.” He collapsed, “I’m… just a bit tired, don’t worry.”

The Spire had started to fall piece by piece, “Without its master, the Spire will come down! Quick, let’s leave this place!”

-

“I’m so sorry you had to go through all of this.” Pure Vanilla Cookie apologized to the kids.

“It… It’s alright. It was… an experience…!” Strawberry Cookie quickly responded.

He sighed, “Without your help, everything would’ve been lost. Fear and doubt… almost consumed me whole. I almost became a Cookie of Deceit in that river, like Shadow Milk Cookie wanted.”

“But then the Professor quickly dove after you! Quite heroic if I have to say.” Wizard Cookie commented.

Everyone stayed silent, all averting their eyes away from him, “What? Did I say something wr- Ohhh… I see.”

“We may not have the body… But I will still arrange a funeral… Something grand for such a person as them, a historical figure.” The whole ordeal hit Pure Vanilla, hard.

“So… What’s next?”

Pure Vanilla was glad for the change in topic, “I believe that other Beast Cookies have already confronted other Heros, just like Shadow Milk Cookie did. Now, all of them will try to restore their former strength.”

Wizard Cookie huffed, “Oh… If only we could find the Beast-Binding ritual… I suppose, it all was Shadow Milk Cookie’s ploy to lure us here?”

“Perhaps. But I saw something, back in Shadow Milk’s other-realm. A glimpse of the past… I saw how Shadow Milk was imprisoned… A faint reflection that he, himself, probably never noticed. I believe that we must head back to Crispia to learn more. Besides, I must see if my friends are unharmed. Our journey took much longer than I expected…”

“Then… is this it?! Are we going back to Crispia? Back home?!” Ginger Brave had the largest smile he’s had since he arrived here, “YAY! I can’t wait!”

“Then let’s go!”

O-o-O-o-O

“My darling… No one shall have you but me.”

[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

Game: Cookie Run: Kingdom

Relationship: Shadow Milk Cookie x You, Fount of Knowledge x You

Chapter: 12

Chapter Word Count: 12,064

Warnings: Angst, Manipulation, Kissing, Small innuendos, Fluff, and Shadow Milk himself.

A/N: Sorry for the wait! Wanted to make this chapter long.... I suppose I went a little overboard. I STILL didn't fit everything I wanted to into this. Anyway, enjoy reading! Oh yeah, comment if you want to be pinged for the next chapter!

@'s: @the-freak-circus-fan

Chapter 1: Here.

Chapter 12: A Droplet of Deceit

You were woken up, not in a rush, but with a loud noise. The Spire rumbled and grumbled almost all night; this time it was one loud bang. Additionally, people outside were yelling and screaming.

It had been around… almost a year from your entrance into the Spire…? You didn’t know. Time was warped and confusing in all sorts of ways that you just gave up on trying to keep count.

Grabbing your crutch, you stood up from your bed. Did you want to get up yet? No. Were you going to stay in your pajamas all day just because you woke up so early? Yes. With a yawn, you moved slowly to see what all the fuss was about. Opening your door, several Fools had run past you, all towards one direction. You sighed, following them at your own pace.

The Spire had changed drastically from its usual appearance. Instead of it being dark and gloomy, it was lit up well with a faint purple glow to it. It had looked like the Spire of Knowledge back in its prime days. Was that what all the rumbling last night was? Whatever, you were just happy for the familiar surroundings. The Fools had been running towards a lower floor, most likely the main entrance.

Too bad you weren’t allowed near it.

The door was open a smidge, Fools piled on top of each other to see out. You didn’t wish to get in trouble so you stayed your fair share away from them. Perhaps Candy Apple Cookie was back from her adventure out, that’s probably why they are excited. You simply sat in one of the many chairs in the grand hallway. Shadow Milk Cookie had learned of your… willful… weakness. So, he tried his best to accommodate it. For example, adding extra resting areas, not assigning heavy tasks, allowing servants to follow you around if you needed something. Although the last part made it quite difficult to gain free roam.

You mainly dismissed them, telling them you would be fine on your own. Black Sapphire Cookie would often come to your room or the garden, shining lights on the dark spots as to not get spied on. The two of you would theorize ways out together.

“How come you are doing so much for me, yet you don’t want to leave yourself?” You inquired to him in the garden one day.

You two were having a small picnic together. Plaid blanket sprawled on the grass, basket in the corner with different treats, and refreshing drinks. It had been just a small get-together the two of you randomly created. Staring at the clouds, saying what each one looked like. Black Sapphire often tried to jokingly scare you by mentioning what he saw. You almost gave him a psyche evaluation, but thankfully you didn’t as he played it off. He was only joking around.

Black Sapphire Cookie sighed, “I enjoy my life here. It may not fit to yours, or the world’s standards of a happy life but… There’s no pressure here to be perfect. I can live my life how I’d like to. Instead of being in a boring life of a scholar working at the Spire of Knowledge, I can take on different jobs that I like. For example, my personal favorite is being a radio host! Although it is a requirement to spread lies for my job, I have gained quite a lot of traction on my channel!”

(A/N: I thank all of you for the views, likes, and comments on the media’s I post this on. I cannot stress this enough. I love it.)

“Deceit is a form of freedom for you?” You genuinely didn’t understand, why live in the wrong?

“Yes, it is. To not be held captive by the chains of Truth is the best amount of freedom I can ask for.” He stared up at the clouds, “It was restricting to be held at the neck by it. To always tell the truth, and nothing but the truth… Was exhausting. People expected more from you, then got hurt from it.” He laid down on the blanket fully, “But to tell soft lies to them appeased them, it didn’t hurt them. It was an escape. Only when Candy Apple Cookie had showed me a different path to take felt refreshing. To be able to say whatever the hell I wanted to felt great.”

Black Sapphire looked up at you curiously, “I wonder, what is so great about being so high and mighty? To be expected to tell the complete truth or else there will be… dire… consequences…”

It seems he meant The Fount of Knowledge’s beheading. Appears he attended that lecture… What a sight, must’ve been traumatizing for a young Cookie like that.

You stopped looking at him as you felt on the spot, instead observing the wind brushing the long grass, or the clouds blowing across the sky, “It’s not a great job at all.” You sighed, deciding to admit to both him, and yourself about how terrible of a job it was, “People regarded me as they would’ve the Fount. Someone blessed by the Witches themselves. But they were wrong. I was just a normal Cookie who decided to go on a whim and take a job too big for their size. I was to be expected to know everything he did, every book of knowledge, every fun fact, and to answer their stupid questions. It got tiring after a bit. I eventually asked myself, ‘If they already lost one Virtue of Knowledge because of their stupidity, how do they think that treating a new figure of one the same will work out?’ I asked it several times… But never out loud.”

“Did you ever tell Shadow Milk of your previous occupation? Or have you only told me?” He nudged closer, rolling onto his side.

“I haven’t got the guts to tell him. I’ll probably get a whole lecture on how it was a stupid idea to do so. And I don’t even know what type of punishment he will serve if I did tell him.” You replied shyly.

“Who are you kidding? There will most likely be next to no punishment for you. You’re his favorite.” Black Sapphire recalled some memories, “Over the past couple years that I have known you, Shadow Milk… or The Fount… Had always adored you. If he wasn’t busy, he would be following you around. If he was, he tried to observe you in some way.” He sighed, “With your presence here with him now… I fear it has only gotten worse.”

“What’s ‘it’ if I may ask?” You leaned on your hands, extending your legs.

“His behavior. I’m basically like his right-hand man with work; do you think I don’t see the type of behaviors he has?”

“Ah… I suppose you do.”

“Exactly. If I remember correctly, it was around a couple of months ago I saw the worst extent of it.” He pondered.

“Was it my first escape attempt?” You chuckled nervously.

“It indeed was. Although, I have to admit… It wasn’t a great plan…” He snickered, but continued, “I think it was little after he had retrieved you and went back to work. I was helping him with some paperwork, he returned stomping his feet in the air, and yelling on about some nonsense I didn’t have a care for. I did hear your name in his rant… A lot…”

“Threw a tantrum I suppose?” You giggled.

“Worse than a toddler.” Black Sapphire giggled along with you, “I had to take a weapon away from him though. He wanted to murder whoever you wanted to get back to… Speaking of, what do you plan to do if you ever escape?”

“That’s actually a great question. I never really thought of it until now; I have basically given up and accepted that I am stuck here until a secure plan arises. Let me think.” You pondered for a few moments.

“I suppose… Get away from Beast-Yeast and move to Crispia, live in the Vanilla Kingdom with Pure Vanilla Cookie and the others, and settle down. I mean, that’s what I attempted to do in the Faerie Kingdom but, you know how that turned out…” You laughed slightly; a dark mood surrounded the two of you.

“Being immortal has its cons… I get to see the birth and death of people, kingdoms, and potentially the whole Earthbread. I suppose you as well, heh?” You smiled faintly.

Black Sapphire frowned, gazing away from you, “When you look at it from that standpoint… Yes.”

…

“Do you know why I am much weaker than I was previously?”

His head perked up, “No, I do not. Would you be willing to share that information? That question has plagued my mind since you arrived here.”

You sighed, settling down for a small, but important story, “I basically gave half my life, my strength, my body, away to a hero. A hero that could potentially secure an era of peace and tranquility for all of Earthbread. To rid her other half, and save the world from darkness.”

“But why would you do it though? Couldn’t someone else do it?”

“It was a way to attempt to cut out the immortal part of my life. So that I wouldn’t be around to see the fall of Earthbread if it ever arose. It was also for a good cause. Elder Faerie Cookie has survived yet another year to guard the Silver Tree to seal the Beast’s once again.” You gazed somberly at the bright clouds, a drastic comparison to the mood of the conversation.

Black Sapphire Cookie sat up at the beginning part of your words, but laid back down and chuckled nervously at the last part, “About that…”

You sighed, “FUCK.”

He laid his head on your lap, “Don’t have those thoughts though. You have much more to live for. Much more people to live for as well.”

You pat his head, running your fingers through his curly hair. You said nothing in return, just enjoying the silence and calm breeze.

-------------------

Several servants had ushered everyone away from the main hallways, that included you. All of you got told something important was happening and to not disturb the carefully set up tower, nor the actors taking stage outside.

You didn’t know what was happening, nor did you care.

-----------

You hummed. Running your hands across bookshelves, occasionally picking out a book to read. It was an attempt to stay out of the way, to stay in a library for ages on end until someone came to fetch you, telling you it was alright to come out. You basically called it your hobbit hole for the time being.

It was a spot the difference game with all the libraries. You had taken all the truthful books into your personal inventory. There were maybe 12 non-fiction books in the whole Spire. If you looked carefully in between the words, facts were warped. There were no genuine ‘truthful’ books here. You grinned, all the previous ones were yours and yours to keep. If you shared them here, they would surely be corrupted to false statements. Opening a small shiny portal, you reached in and pulled out one you didn’t particularly like, placing it on a random bookshelf. Your thesis was correct; the cover of the book had warped into a dark navy blue, skimming through it, the words had changed as well.

‘Interesting…’

-------------

“P-Professor…?” A shaky voice was behind you.

“Yello?” You turned your head, you were on a tall ladder leaning against a large bookshelf, “Oh, hello Pure Vanilla Cookie! Nice to see you here. Speaking of, why are you here? Looking for fictional books for Strawberry Cookie? I can recommend a few, I’ve read almost every book within several libraries in my time here.”

“We were… Looking for something. But it’s really great that I’ve found you!” He smiled, walking towards you.

You slid down the ladder, “Have any plans to escape my dear?” You were aloof.

“What…?”

“Guess you don’t know, huh?” You screamed internally, ‘He doesn’t have a plan!? He went into here with no plan to escape? Does he think this tower is harmless!? No, this place will play mind games… And knowing him, he will be susceptible to them.’

Pure Vanilla’s entrance was most likely the reason why everything seemed so important today. Who’s to say now that you have met him, you can’t wander the rest of the Spire now? It wasn’t hard for Pure Vanilla Cookie to follow you; your slow pace made it extremely easy to catch up.

“Wait! Could you at least help direct us to a certain spell in the Spire!? You know this place best.” He walked by your side, glancing at your crutch.

“What will I get in return? Freedom? Because that will surely be impossible unless you can either take my place, or destroy this tower.” You headed for the stairs.

“We’re looking for a way to seal the Beast’s again.”

‘He’s fucked. He said that out loud.’ You silently prayed for him, ‘May the Witches attempt to save him.’

“There’s no guarantee that you won’t be stuck here with me. You might try to find what you seek, but ‘he’ will surely notice.” The walks down the long hallways were silent.

“The Spire is a trap, isn’t it…?”

“…”

“I even brought the kids; you might wish to tell me the truth on this one.”

“Yes.”

Pure Vanilla sighed, “Do you know who Apple Faerie Cookie is? She was our guide here.”

You stood still, pondering, “No, I don’t think I’ve heard that name before. And I’ve lived in the Faerie Kingdom for ages. How old is she?”

“I… Never thought to ask.” He admitted with a nervous chuckle.

“You…” You huffed, “…are an absolute fool. What were you thinking of when you decided to bring the kids here!?”

“They wanted to come. Now speaking of, let’s go meet them.” He ran off.

Something isn’t right. You taught him personally; how can he be this stupid to run in without a plan? Even his personality differs from what you remember. Things are amiss here.

----------------

“The Professor!” The three kids all hugged you at once, almost toppling you over.

You pat their heads, “Hello! I don’t know why you all wanted to come here, but… I’ll do my best to keep you all safe.”

“We haven’t seen you in ages!” Ginger Brave exclaimed.

Wizard Cookie looked offended, “Did you see all these books!? Nothing but twisted facts that don’t even hold truth!”

“Seems your expectation of the Spire of all ‘Knowledge’ had drooped to an all-time low, eh?” You faintly grinned.

“Of course it has! Is this even the true ‘Spire of All Knowledge’ if it doesn’t even inform you of basic things!?” Wizard Cookie crossed his arms.

You didn’t reply. If you could, you would’ve told him the truth. But a nagging feeling at the back of your mind told you to keep your damn mouth shut and play along.

A certain Cookie dressed in all green with apples for buns stared at you intently. It unnerved you. You tried your best to stay clear of her.

“How about we take a short nap?” Ginger Brave asked.

“Of course.” Pure Vanilla Cookie had led the group onward, leaving you and the green Cookie staring at them.

You thought for a moment, before something finally clicked. You stayed silent and hurried to catch up to the party.

---------------------

You and the group were in a guest bedroom. Sitting down, you told them you would keep watch just in case anything happened. Apple Faerie Cookie sat next to you, observing them all.

“Hello Candy Apple. It appears you’ve taken on a grand role.” You spoke without averting your eyes to her, watching the group with your full attention.

She allowed some of her bright red colors to shine slightly, disguise fading, “Hehehe. I thought nobody would notice until I revealed it. I suppose you’re a smart Cookie unlike them.” She giggled.

“It wasn’t hard to figure out. You tried changing your voice so it would be unrecognizable, but it still had that ‘Candy Apple’ flair to it. Also keeping the ‘Apple’ in the name was a clear giveaway.” You smirked.

“Can I have help with a different disguise once the chance arises again?” Candy Apple Cookie tugged on the sleeve of your robe.

“Of course.” You still had to play the innocent card every time you spoke to someone who resided in the Spire.

Blue puppeteering strings hovered faintly above Pure Vanilla Cookie’s form. He tossed and turned in his sleep until they disappeared.

You sighed, “Son of a b-“ You glanced at Candy Apple Cookie, “-iscuit… Yeah, biscuit.”

“Can I have a biscuit?”

“No.”

“Aw man.”

--------------------

You stayed the hell away once the party reached the top of the Spire. Candy Apple Cookie had forewarned you earlier to back up a bit since it was going to get violent potentially.

“Has no one ever told you not to trust strangers? Too bad, it’s too late now! Kya ha ha ha!!!” Apple Faerie Cookie giggled.

Her disguise faded fully, returning to her usual red and black color scheme, “Ah, welcome! Welcome to Master Shadow Milk Cookie’s Spire of Deceit!”

Ginger Brave was angered and confused at the same time, “Spire of… Deceit? You’ve deceit-ed us?!”

You sighed behind a pillar, ‘Grammar, Ginger Brave.’

“But we trusted you!” Wizard Cookie yelled across the hallway.

“Kya ha ha! Aw, look at your angry little faces! Oh, I just love fooling silly Cookies!” Candy Apple Cookie squirmed in delight.

“Silly…? OH, THAT’S IT!” Ginger Brave extended his candy-cane-for-a-sword.

Candy Apple Cookie giggled, “Oh, I wish I could stay and savor this! Toodle-oo!” She disappeared.

The Spire started shaking and rumbling. All of you could feel a certain force dragging you outside. You felt it was in your best interest to avoid pillars and walls and just stand still. That certainly was the best idea as all of you got yoinked right out of the Spire and onto the ground, not at a lethal or injuring speed for your descent.

Looking up, the Spire had changed to its usual form… The Spire of Deceit.

The kids were all panicking, that is until Wizard Cookie spoke something that caught your ear, “Does this mean there was no ‘Spire of All Knowledge’ in the first place?”

“It indeed was a real place. But I will explain later.” You adjusted his hat.

Ginger Brave turned to Pure Vanilla Cookie, who had been silent all this time, “What do we do now, Pure Vanilla Cookie? Can we really go back empty-handed?”

Pure Vanilla’s voice had a melancholic tune to it, “Can we, really? Knowledge, Deceit… Maybe they are not that different...”

You stared him down like an eagle with its prey.

“What are you talking about? They even SOUND different.” Ginger Brave perked up.

That Witches-awful voice came from Pure Vanilla Cookie’s mouth, “Oooh! Looks like we have an expert in the audience!” Shadow Milk Cookie finally dropped the Pure Vanilla disguise, “Very well, go ahead. Prove me wrong!”

You sighed, backing into the shadows of the building. It was a half-assed attempt to hide yourself when you knew DAMN well, he already knew you were here.

“Bring back Pure Vanilla!” The kids shouted in union.

“Or what? Now, now, you’re in my domain! I can do whatever I please! But I gotta say, I loved your little show! Dangling about like broken marionettes. Very entertaining!” He snickered.

“Tell us where Pure Vanilla Cookie is, NOW!” Wizard Cookie took a step-in front of the group.

“Ah, ah, ah, not so fast! You must understand, I have no time to fight you, not YET! HOW-EVER! A bit of fooling around never hurts!” Shadow Milk Cookie toyed with them.

It was stupid how all three of them demanded to fight him head on.

“Oho! I must admit! You really are… kinda brave! Pheh. BUT! Who am I if not a thoughtful host? Surprise! I’ve got a welcome gift for you all. Something you’ll find very funny!” He summoned different cards, “POP QUIZ TIME!! Our noble-hearted dear friend, Pure Vanilla Cookie. Where in the world could he have gone?!” He suddenly changed his mind, “No, wait. Change of question! Is Pure Vanilla Cookie still… alive?”

With a bit of traumatization to children, he disappeared, dropping a card in his stead. It showed Pure Vanilla Cookie at the top of the Spire, quickly changing to one of him falling off said tower.

Minions charged at them, card quickly disintegrating. You stepped forward to create a protection spell if necessary, but it seems they dealt with them quite quickly.

The kids complained of being worn out. That is until a robed-figure approached, asking them to follow him. They seemed to trust him easily, recognizing him from earlier. You were still wary, following behind them while keeping a close eye.

The figure had dragged the group of tired Cookies all the way out to a village near the Spire. That’s strange… When had this been here? The closest one you knew of was a ways away, only knowing of it because it was your hometown. Unfortunately, it got destroyed during the Dark Flour War.

The five of you had rested in an inn, recovering your strength for the next journey into the tower.

-----------

Fortune Teller Cookie, that is what the kids had referred to him as. He had shown you all a better way to access the now Spire of Deceit. You would’ve shown the way, but you allowed this guide a chance. It also wasn’t like the kids were going to trust you as easily as they would have a year ago. You DID appear inside the Spire, who’s to say that someone could easily accuse you of co-conspiring with Shadow Milk Cookie? So, you kept your distance.

Along the way, you collected different memories of Pure Vanilla Cookie’s Light of Truth. Fortune Teller Cookie spoke up after the second one, “The lord of this tower is a Cookie all-knowing. Space and time intertwine in a myriad of reflections here. For in the realm of Knowledge, there is more than one truth. Here, the future of the past and the present coexist…”

--

It was an interesting sight to see. With several of his memories combined, the five of you were finally able to see what psychological manipulation Pure Vanilla Cookie had gone through in his time here. You and Fortune Teller Cookie offered to cover eyes, but were denied on three accounts.

‘Well… Suit yourself.’ You were too tired for this bullshit.

“What makes you so certain that Cookie is alive…? Do you really believe that to be true? Have I not asked you to leave? And yet, you persist. Even though your cause is lost. Truly, you never change. Yes, I used to respect that in you.” Fortune Teller Cookie’s voice distorted to Pure Vanilla Cookie’s, “My friends. It’s time to witness Pure Vanilla Cookie’s final remembrance.” He held up Pure Vanilla’s light.

-

Pure Vanilla Cookie had started up a fight, not with his usual attire, but with a black and gold color scheme.

“The Cookie you knew is no more. For he has fallen deeper than the deepest abyss.” His tone had a depressed feeling to it.

“Pure Vanilla Cookie wouldn’t have given up so easily!” Ginger Brave exclaimed.

“You’ve witnessed my memories. And yet, you fail to see. Perhaps, it’s not an easy task for those who haven’t witnessed the majesty of Truth and Knowledge.”

That line hit you in the gut all too hard.

“Shall we end this now?” Pure Vanilla Cookie extended his hand; the kids fell to the floor groaning in agony. You felt a slight weakness in your knees, but not much. Perhaps he had almost forgotten your presence, “Alas, my friends, you are not destined to understand… It is time, to say goodbye.”

How dare he turn his back and harm them? Forgetting your crutch, you dropped it and stomped right up to him.

“Fuck you.” You bitch slapped him.

“Eh…?”

He huffed, teleporting the kids and himself away. There wasn’t anything you could do about it before he got away.

-----------------------------

You room was cascaded in black, the mood dreary, and overwhelming thoughts circled your mind. The clicking of the grandfather clock swinging back, and forth was the only sound in the room.

Back, forth, back, forth, back-

‘How could I have allowed myself to just let them to be taken away? I could’ve done something to help. Why didn’t I? Was it fear that I would’ve been in trouble? Or my own cowardice?’ You mentally sighed, ‘It’s no use now. Shadow Milk Cookie has everyone right where he wants them…’ A thought came to mind, ‘Perhaps there are ways I could help them. But how would I help them escape this tower?’

You sat up, staring at your shoes, ‘There is maybe only one way. To swear to never leave his side, his company… No… He wants what he cherishes the most… His souljam. It’s worth a shot at least.’

You made sure to keep your pace a fast one, searching all over the Spire where Pure Vanilla and the others were was sure to take a while.

-

It was near the entrance to the Spire where a blocked off door had been for the entire time you’ve been here. Wood was taken off, nails were piled on top, and the door had been opened.

‘Shit… Did Shadow Milk Cookie really take them to the Yogurt River of Rebirth?!’ You sprinted down the staircase, eventually resorting to sliding down the railway as that got you down to the lower level faster.

Instantly hiding behind a tree, you overheard conversations.

“I bet you cannot wait to partake in the creation of Shadow Milk Cookie’s next masterpiece!” Black Sapphire Cookie’s voice was more of a whisper, as if preparing for a show with the audience behind the curtain.

“NOT AT ALL!” Ginger Brave, Wizard Cookie, and Strawberry Cookie exclaimed.

“Aw, such a warm welcome. Now that our guests are all revved up, it’s time for a little preface!” He showed off the river, “Behold! The great Yogurt River of Rebirth!”

“Gee, this Cookie must really love the sound of his own voice.” Ginger Brave mumbled.

“No matter if you are light as a feather, or swim as well as a fish… Dip your feet into these waters, and you will surely drown! And yet? This majestic stream is called the “River of Rebirth”! You see, there is a way to stay afloat! All you need to do is…” Black Sapphire lowered his voice, “Embrace Deceit.” He looked at the kids, who were whispering amongst themselves, “It couldn’t be simpler! Listen to the whispers of lies, nurture them within your soul. Join Master Shadow Milk Cookie’s grand design.”

“Pure Vanilla Cookie would never!” Wizard Cookie was angered.

Shadow Milk Cookie came into sight, although you didn’t have much of a view behind a pillar, “In that case, he’ll sink right to the bottom!” He turned to Pure Vanilla Cookie, “So, wuddya say, pal? Time to soak your feet! Oh, did I mention you’ve got no other options? Oops!”

Pure Vanilla Cookie grumbled, “Why must I obey your command? I do not serve you.”

Shadow Milk Cookie had a ‘stop’ motion with his hands, “Whoah, whoah! Come on! No need to get upset! No one is no one’s servant! I totally get it, believe me! Still… Looks like you’ve got no other choice!” He stared right at the kids, “Because it’s either you, or your precious little friends! Have you forgotten, silly? I can see right through you. SOOOOOOOOOO! Time to choose!” Shadow Milk grinned ear to ear.

“Pure Vanilla Cookie! Don’t!” The kids shouted.

Pure Vanilla Cookie looked at them one last time, then fell into the water. Shadow Milk Cookie started laughing maniacally, “Psh… Ha ha! A HA HA HA! Oh my my my my my, he’s so predictable!”

Black Sapphire spoke over as if he were narrating a sports tournament, “And so! Our finicky challenger steps into the Yogurt River! Can Pure Vanilla Cookie reach the other side? Only time will tell…”

It had been almost 2 minutes with a calm river. Black Sapphire had commented on it several times while Shadow Milk pondered over the Souljam’s instability. You however, knew he most likely wouldn’t rise to the top. With a rash decision, you ran forward, revealing your spot.

“Darling?” Shadow Milk was clearly confused.

You glared at him in anger. But it was short lived as you jumped after Pure Vanilla Cookie in the river.

You could hardly see anything. Yogurt was a tough substance to swim through. It wasn’t hard to get close to the bottom though. You couldn’t quite touch the floor, but it was enough where if you went on the tip of your toes, you would feel it. Using a general direction of where Pure Vanilla Cookie dropped in at, you felt around in the body of ‘water’.

Thud.

You felt something round. Having to feel if it was just a floating blueberry or a person, you confirmed it was most likely Pure Vanilla. With not being able to see, there was also a high chance of it being a random corpse that drowned ages ago. You tugged on it. It was alive as it had moved.

You were running out of air. The yogurt was slowly suffocating, and you needed to surface or else you would surely drown. What did Black Sapphire say was the only way to surface again?

Pondering for a moment, you recalled his voice, “You see, there is a way to stay afloat! All you need to do is… Embrace Deceit.”

How could you do so though? You had spent your entire life abiding by the Truth, even your previous job relied on it! But it was to say that Pure Vanilla Cookie faced the exact same conundrum…

You overlooked all the ‘lies’ in your life.

Light Milk Cookie deceived you to ensue chaos behind your back.

Accusations of murder.

Being tricked, only to get hurt.

Several things came to mind. It helped get your feet off the floor and slowly pull both you, and the potential Pure Vanilla Cookie up to the surface. What made things really light, was Pure Vanilla Cookie rising above you and dragging you up instead.

Gasp.

You had gotten thrown onto the somehow solid feeling Yogurt River. Leaning on your hands, you coughed your lungs up. Your eyes felt agitated, must’ve been the attempts to see in the yogurt.

“Are you satisfied now…?” Pure Vanilla Cookie spoke plainly, as if a near death experience did not affect him.

There was a long moment of silence, but then, Shadow Milk broke it, “Extraordinary. You know how to keep the audience entertained!”

With the little amount that you could see, you blinked rapidly at the others. The kids had looks of being relieved, worried, or shock. Pure Vanilla Cookie stared blankly at Shadow Milk. Black Sapphire had a worried expression. Whereas Shadow Milk Cookie stared at you, then down at the river. He looked nervous, but tried to take a step onto the river… His foot sunk.

Shadow Milk immediately retreated from the river, take a couple of steps back, “Black Sapphire, will you fetch our… surprise guest?” He hoped no one saw that.

Black Sapphire Cookie huffed, but went to do his order. He had no issue stepping onto the river, quickly making his way over to you, “Need a hand? Or shall I carry you over to shore?”

“NO!” Shadow Milk screeched.

Black Sapphire glared quickly, but returned his attention to you. Your limbs and body felt weak, not having the strength. So… with a grabbing motion with your hands, you asked for basically uppies.

Black Sapphire had a smug grin, as if he knew this was potential blackmail. Leaning down, he picked you up from under your arms and held you. It was almost as if he was carrying a child too tired after an amusement park. You wrapped your legs around his waist, and arms around his neck, resting. He had quickly gone onto shore, with Pure Vanilla Cookie following suit.

You could almost FEEL the seething anger from Shadow Milk, “GIVE. ME. THEM.” He clawed at your arms.

You mumbled, “Don’t you have a show to do?”

He ignored you, instead making his attention towards Black Sapphire, “Release them.”

“I fear the Professor is quite exhausted. I can still commentate on this marvelous show if I hold them. You however, are the ringmaster of this circus, go on and perform it to your best capabilities!” With a small cloud near Black Sapphire’s ear, his earing turned into a microphone attached to his ear.

“You- You little gnat!” Shadow Milk Cookie had to diffuse his anger, then turning to Pure Vanilla Cookie and the kids, “ONTO THE NEXT TRIAL!” He dragged Pure Vanilla Cookie by the collar.

Black Sapphire Cookie held a pace further away from where everyone was going. Taking his sweet time.

You started whispering into his ear, “Wouldn’t the ethical choice be to send me back to my prison of a bedroom to rest?”

The flashing blue light on the microphone turned off, “I already knew you would’ve tried something like this, to protect your friends I mean. Isn’t it better to observe what’s going to happen to them?”

“That’s… true.”

“You also have leverage on Shadow Milk.” He grinned.

You were too tired to think of the possibilities of how, so you just asked, “How come?”

“He likes you the most out of every single person in this entire Spire. If anything, me and Candy Apple Cookie come in second and third place if we’re going on rank. I get treated like the ‘more mature’ person here, whereas Candy Apple still gets treated like an immature daughter.”

“Why does Candy Apple Cookie say she ‘loves’ him then if it’s more like a family dynamic?”

He sighed, “She seeks approval from him. To know that she is acknowledged by the person that raised her. Master Shadow Milk hardly notices we even exist. We are merely a tool for him.”

“Did you also get raised by him?”

The group turned into a large hallway, Black Sapphire slowly following them, “I wouldn’t call it being raised by him, no. I have no relations to him other than work purposes. He was my teacher. I admired how many things he had accomplished and tried to follow in his ways, that’s what brought me to the Spire.”

He almost said something, but hesitated instead. Confidence finally flowed through him again and his path varied, instead taking you a different route.

“I have a… mischievous… plan. You may not like it although.”

What harm is a little mischief going to do? “Please, do share.”

“Jealously. It’s a fine weapon when used against someone as explosive in anger as Shadow Milk Cookie.” He snickered,

You tried looking at his face, but the angle was horrible, “Oh Witches… What are you planning?”

“Did you see how angered he got when I picked you up? Make that, but x10.” Black Sapphire was hoping you’d get the hint.

“Hm.” You definitely got the hint. With what he stated by ‘leverage’ and what he is saying now, you supposed he was suggesting a perhaps more… friendly… interaction with someone else.

“With whom though?” That was the real kicker.

“Whichever person of your choosing. You will just have to inform them of the plan before going through with it.” He sat you down on one of the many couches in the small, but long, hallway.

“Wouldn’t it just be easier with you? Shadow Milk has his eyes on Pure Vanilla Cookie at all times by now. And I don’t wish to involve the kids; I treat them as if they were my own and wish them no harm from a silly little prank.” You pondered.

“I suppose so, yes.” He faced away from you, with an unrecognizable glint in his eyes.

“I’d recommend doing something he likes first. Perhaps a little affection… Then pull away. Like let’s say, a hug. You give him affection for a bit and he starts to get used to it. When he least expects it, our little prank can go into motion.” Black Sapphire chuckled.

“What’s the whole point of the prank though?” You had to speak on the logistics side of things.

“He’s going to be too enamored into making this ‘Truthless Recluse’ or Pure Vanilla Cookie as you would know him, into his pawn. To strip him of his Souljam and return it to its ‘rightful owner’” He snickered, “Me personally, I don’t think he deserves it. He is the one who lost it in the first place. He could have just set stricter guidelines to follow by. In fact, most of the other Virtues could have done the same. “No idiotic things” rule as I call it. The question, the wish, or whatever it may be, must be important.” He definitely got sidetracked, “Anyway, back to your question.” He coughed, “It’s just to see if he can truly admit when he has done something wrong. With this Recluse situation, you could easily explain it as ‘being too busy with someone else.’ If he gets angry and accuses you instead… You know he hasn’t changed.”

“So basically, what you’re saying is to put him through a test to see if efforts have been made to change?” It was an interesting little prank.

“Precisely. All I am asking you to do, is to give a little, then pull away. Jealously will strike him hot even if we converse together.” Black Sapphire giggled.

For what he has put you through, all the despair and emotions… He deserves it. You’re in.

“Deal.”

Black Sapphire grinned widely. Then, threw you over his shoulder and walked quickly to where the group was.

--------------

It was a giant chess room. It seemed as though the rules had already been explained in the time that it took for the two of you to get there. Shadow Milk Cookie glared both of you down, but turned his attention to Pure Vanilla Cookie.

“Lying is forbidden? HERE?!” Wizard Cookie was in disbelief.

“Ha, ha, ha! We do love a good skeptic around here!” Black Sapphire summoned a coin, “Now, let’s choose sides with a good ol’ coin toss! Let’s see who will go first!”

Shadow Milk leaned on Truthless Recluse, almost hugging him from behind. With a poke on the cheek, he teased, “Oh? You don’t want to play? Come ooonnn, it will be fun!”

He didn’t respond.

“Aw! Are we too scared to talk now? Well, what can you do! Fetch the coin!” Shadow Milk yelled to Black Sapphire.

Black Sapphire Cookie had placed you down near a table with chess pieces, you only assumed that board controlled the larger one below the balcony.

The kids had quickly joined you, some standing, some sitting alongside you. Wizard Cookie mumbled, “Pure Vanilla Cookie has to go first. If he plays White, he’ll get to ask the questions, not answer them!”

With one good flip into the air, the coin fell to the ground and spun. It landed on a face of Pure Vanilla Cookie; the kids sighed in relief.

Shadow Milk Cookie leaned over the coin, “Huh? That doesn’t seem right… Are you sure?” The coin had quickly morphed into the face of Shadow Milk.

“CHEATER!” Ginger Brave accused.

Shadow Milk grinned and was back to Truthless Recluse, “Aren’t we like two peas in a pod? I get that a lot! Heh. Sometimes it’s hard to tell us apart!”

“Master Shadow Milk Cookie shall play white!” Black Sapphire announced.

There was nothing in your power that you could stop this game. It was a game between two and you would surely be caught if you tried something. All you could do was sit back and watch the game unfold.

“How are you going to play if there are no pieces on the board?” Wizard Cookie was referring to the larger board.

“Aha! Excellent question sir! Looks like we’ll need some help from the audience! Any volunteers?” Black Sapphire had turned to everyone else, then the ones operating the game, “Players! It’s time to make your picks! Your most precious, most treasured Cookies will become your chess pieces!”

Shadow Milk Cookie looked you right down, taking slow, but careful steps. The others had already been teleported onto the board, so it was just you, Shadow Milk, and Truthless Recluse on the balcony, “My dear… Would you like to observe…” He grinned, “Or participate?”

You felt a shiver down your spine, “I-I’d like to observe, if you will.” You faked a smile.

He smiled gently. But, quickly took you from your spot to join him near the controls of the chess board, summoning an extra chair for you, “Vanilly, I hope you won’t mind if I brought an extra observer, will you? They’re here to see if either of us try and cheat.”

Truthless Recluse stared at you, then the board, “I don’t mind.”

Everyone at the table had gained an earpiece with a mic, “Alright, alright! Let’s get this game going! You gotta tell the truth, only the truth, and nothing but the truth! Or your pieces wont move!” Shadow Milk took one small glance at the board, “I’ll start with an easy one… What is… a lie?” He moved one of his pieces, said piece moving on the large board.

Truthless Recluse replied blankly, “The antipode of truth.”

(A/N: Please bro… I don’t want to write ‘He moved a piece’ for every damn Q&A. It’ll get boring for you as well. Just… Imagine I wrote it… Okay???)

“Very well. Then, what is the truth?” A simple, yet basic question.

Truthless Recluse had a bit of a risky answer in your opinion, “The only right thing that must be protected.” He took Shadow Milk’s piece and replaced it with his own, a large shatter behind the balcony afterwards.

You gazed down at the larger board. The kids had been turned into chess pieces, and a Black Sapphire piece had just been shattered into pieces.

“Hehehe! See? It’s fun! NEXT QUESTION! How do we judge what is right?” Shadow Milk had already started his trick questions, “Allow me to elaborate… It’s what you did during your first encounter with Dark Enchantress Cookie…”

Truthless Recluse gasped, searching for words.

“Yes, yes! Did you think about your kingdom? Hmm? And what about your friends, the other Heroes? Each one of them must have gone through a lot… Seeing your last-ditch attack fail so miserably must’ve been excruciating! Was it really the right choice?” He giggled.

“… I had no other choice…” Truthless Recluse’s piece tried to move, but stopped suddenly.

“Afraid I have to say this… But Pure Vanilla Cookie has told a lie, and it is Shadow Milk Cookie’s turn to ask yet another question until Pure Vanilla can tell the truth.” You took on the role of referee.

“Oh no, no, no! That’s not what I’m asking about! Do you really think what you did was right? Would you do it… again?” Shadow Milk Cookie had started pressuring him.

“No, I wouldn’t…”

“Very well, let’s see if you spoke the truth!”

The piece didn’t move, and Shadow Milk’s mocking lasted for what seemed centuries. You eventually just stopped paying attention to their bullshit and just watched the game from above the balcony.

Chess was an enjoyable game when there were little to no stakes at hand. Light Milk Cookie and you would often play it together, occasionally betting money on it, or a favorite book. You had learned chess notation, and you were great at it. Although in your earlier years it was a struggle to keep up with him.

------

“So, what are we betting on this time?” The Fount had set up the board.

Glass pieces gleamed brightly in the sun, being slowly placed one by one as to not break them.

“How about…” You pondered for a moment, “Some of my homemade cakes? I learned the recipe from my mother…” The murderer accusations were still fresh in your mind.

“I’d love to. Are we betting on the recipe itself or just the sweets?” Light Milk Cookie lightly chuckled.

“Just the sweets you buffoon.” You leaned your head on your hands.

Light Milk Cookie had finished setting up the board, “I suppose… I’ll bet my luxury quill on it.”

“Ooh!” He had never bet something as pricey as that before, so it came as a shock, “I feel like I need to up my bet now to match yours.”

“No need. I love your baking so it’ll be a fine exchange.” He hummed gleefully.

The Fount must have been competent in his abilities, as he even took the Black pieces.

Using a paper guide for notation, you moved a piece, “Pawn to G4.”

“Pawn to E6.” Short and simple from him.

“F4… Uh… Pawn.” You had to double check yourself at times.

One large move, “Queen to H4.”

You were too busy thinking of moves that you hadn’t even realized. Trying to move yet another pawn, your hand was held still by his, “Ah, ah, ah~ Can’t go there, honey.”

“Eh?” You observed the board, trying to figure out where you had gone wrong.

He took hold of your hand, brushing his thumb alongside your palm. But with a wicked grin, “Checkmate.”

“What.”

He released your hand shortly after, instead, pointing to the pieces, “See how I moved my Queen to H4? Your king has nowhere to go, you cannot block, you cannot attack, so by default… Checkmate.”

You tried your best not to curse him out then and there, losing one of your most favorite recipes for a cake. Even if you didn’t share the recipe, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he had figured it out just from taste alone. Such a shame that you missed out on one of the best quills you’ve seen in a long time; wrote nicely too.

“Son of a…” You bit your lip.

Light Milk Cookie had a smug grin, enjoying your different reactions to losing, “So… When’s cake?”

“Oh, fuck me…” You groaned.

He snickered.

Your attention quickly turned to him, “NOT IN THE LITERAL WAY!”

Light Milk just started wheezing.

----------------

Smash, after smash, after smash. All of Truthless Recluses’ pieces had been taken away from him… Except the kids. You didn’t care for what the two were bickering about now, you just wanted this blasted game over.

That is… Until Truthless Recluse cheated and violated the rules. To use Shadow Milk Cookie’s own tactics against him. To checkmate the king with a pawn…

Interesting…

All you could hear was laughing, it was the both of them. Looking over, Truthless Recluse seemed on the brink of a mental breakdown, while Shadow Milk was enjoying every minute of it.

The kids, Black Sapphire, and Candy Apple Cookie were talking near the entrance to the room. You could hardly hear, but one sentence spoke out to you.

Candy Apple Cookie pouted, “But Shadow Milk Cookie seems to be so happy! He’s never graced me with such a wide smile…”

You remember the times when his smile was kind, endearing, full of joy… Now it only smiles for Deceit, chaos, and drama.

With a small act of your power, you teleported over to them. Immediately feeling nauseous, you leaned on Black Sapphire. When did a small bit of your power make you feel so weak?

He paid it no mind, only continuing his conversation with Candy Apple, “Please, you’re scaring the guests.” He rolled his eyes, but then whispered to you, “She’s right though. I’ve never seen Master Shadow Milk Cookie act like that…”

“This entire situation is strange. Get used to it.” You were tired.

The kids had all hugged you at once, shoving away your support-Cookie. You only sat on the ground with your eyes closed, resting.

“Pure Vanilla Cookie should be done with this trial now, right? What’s the next one?” Strawberry Cookie had asked no one in particular.

“I’m hoping we can talk Master Shadow Milk into giving our Recluse a small break before going onto the next one. Afterall, his new ‘favorite toy’ as he calls him, needs his rest as well.” Black Sapphire Cookie stared at the figures on the balcony. It seems like Shadow Milk was still being a tease.

-----------------

“Give Pure Vanilla Cookie a break. At least maybe a few days to recover.” You confronted Shadow Milk Cookie in the hallway.

He sighed, “I’m trying to corrupt the souljam, and if I give him time, the souljam will heal itself again. I don’t want that. We need to go, go, go if this plan will work.”

“Please…?”

“No, alright!? This is my plan, and MY souljam! I won’t have you interrupting what I am doing. Now…” He tried thinking of the words, “Go along and… play with the kids or something in the meantime.” Shadow Milk had tried to leave.

You grabbed onto his wrist, stopping him from doing so, “Could you at least give him one day?” You tried to up the charm in your eyes.

It worked only slightly, his eyes averting from yours. Perhaps… you needed to start Black Sapphire’s prank.

You took several steps closer, closing the distance between you two, “If not for him… For me?”

A small blush covered his face, “E-Eh? What’re you doing? Trying to seduce me into your whims?” He pushed on your chest slightly, hoping to get some distance.

You held his chin with your fingertips, “Not exactly…” Now was the time to hook, line, and sinker, “But perhaps… I’ve realized how great of a lover you still are.”

He stopped fighting it, his ego had definitely been stroke.

You leaned in close, breath feathering his face, “Pretty please? I’ll reward you.~”

“YES!” His response was too quick, “I-I’ll give him… a day!”

You tapped his nose with your finger and smiled, taking a few steps back.

“Where’s my reward now?” Shadow Milk immediately closed the distance again, eager.

“Until you have followed through with your promise… No reward yet.” You had a smug grin.

He sulked like a puppy who had just been kicked.

“Toodle-oo!” You waved him off and walked away.

It was a terrible walk back without a support or crutch.

----------------

You had offered to bring Pure Vanilla’s breakfast to his room the next morning. There was a storm raging outside, and hardly any light in the Spire. You supposed Shadow Milk twisted the Spire into a place of despair to try and coerce the souljam.

“Knock, knock! I have food!” You lightly tapped on the door.

You could hear a muffled “Come in.”

You kicked the door open. The curtains of the room had been drawn shut, the room was significantly larger than both yours, and the servants’ rooms. Setting a tray of food on the desk, you attempted to see where Pure Vanilla was in the dark. Relying on touch alone, you assumed he was laying on the bed… And your guess was correct.

You plopped down on the bed next to him, “So, how have you been lately? The mind games taking a toll on you?”

Pure Vanilla started to accuse you, “How can I tell if you’re not here to gather information for Shadow Milk? After all, you have spent over a year here. Who’s to say you aren’t in on this plan with him? How can I trust you…?”

You sighed, “That’s a solid point… But you don’t have to trust me. All you need to know is that I will do everything in my power to keep the kids safe. You will not have to worry about them.”

“I still can’t even trust that statement.”

You decided to tell him the truth, “You would have been on several other trials by now if it weren’t for me y’know.”

“How come?”

Oh shit, “It took a little… persuasion…” You grit your teeth, “But I convinced him to at least allow you a break before you started anything else. To allow you to get some rest and gain your bearings back. Feel free to do whatever you want today. Trials start in the afternoon of tomorrow so you have a bit.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie shifted onto his side, staring at you, “…Thank you.”

“It’s no problem! If you do escape… Never come back.”

He was silent for little over five minutes. You heard small sniffs, “Are you okay?”

He laid his head on you, hugging you, “…No… I’m really not…” Tears started to flow from him, “I-It’s actually really great that-that you’re here… I’m so tired… Everything hurts, my body, my mind… It feels heavy.”

You gently pat his head, running your fingers through his hair. It was the best comfort you could give right now as he vented all of his problems.

“I’m so sorry, I should’ve never come here and searched elsewhere. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He yelled into your robe.

“It’s not your fault at all. In fact, if I knew as much as you did back then, I would’ve done the exact same thing. It’s not your fault that you didn’t know. But now it’s time to learn from mistakes and use it to your advantage.” You looked up at the dim ceiling.

-----

You were making lunch for the kids in the kitchen. They were sitting at the island chatting away about future plans, how they wish to leave, or just random stuff. You couldn’t blame them though.

“Hey Prof, what exactly is your relationship with Shadow Milk? I mean, you’ve been in the Spire for little over a year. And, weren’t you around before he got sealed?” Strawberry Cookie inquired.

You froze midway through your flip of bread, “Uhhh… I… Don’t know myself.”

“What do you mean? There could be at least one terminology to describe it.” Wizard Cookie pitched in.

“I guess… Perhaps… No, the feelings are conflicted… Or maybe…” You mumbled on for ages, forgetting that you were cooking something.

“PROFESSOR!” The three of them shouted.

“Eh?” You turned around to see a large fire on the stove.

“GET WATER, QUICK!” You scrambled around for a dish to put water in, filling it up with tap water.

It took several buckets of water to extinguish it. They snickered afterwards.

“What? Something funny about that?” You were in disbelief of how they could laugh at something like that.

“Professor… Your shawl if you will.” Wizard Cookie spoke up.

There was a small flame on your shawl. You quickly took it off and ran it under the sink.

“No, no, no, NO!” You were about to burst into tears.

It was the Fount’s shawl, the one and only of its kind. If you lost it due to some stupid mistake, regret would follow you everywhere. With what you could see while it was under water, there were some small holes that needed to be patched. Oh… The loss of the original fabric… There wasn’t even a seller who sold the kind of fabric as the style of clothmaking went extinct centuries ago. You suppose you would have to search the archives of offerings to find a similar fabric, that’s only if the archives even existed in the Spire of Deceit anymore…

You covered your mouth and silently cried, facing away from the kids. It would be weak of you to show that in front of them, your body strength was already weak enough. To seem frail was one thing, to look sensitive when you’re supposed to be a role model was another thing. You couldn’t hide it that well, the small sniffs that escaped you revealed it.

Wizard Cookie sat on the counter, trying to get a look at your face, “Hey… I’m sorry for laughing. Are you okay? I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“I-I’m fine… Just… Give me some time.” No, no you weren’t fine. You were tired of all the bullshit you had to deal with, you were overwhelmed, and you were just done with everything. The bottled-up emotions must have been tipped too far for them to spill as easily as this.

He attempted a side hug, the others joined in. You kept having to wipe away tears, you needed to be strong for them. They perhaps trusted only you, Pure Vanilla Cookie, and each other. If one of them had already fallen to Shadow Milk’s tricks, they needed to rely on someone who appears mentally stable, to be able to lead them, to be able to help them, to be able to take care of them in times of need.

The door had gotten slammed open, “HELLOOOOOO, FOLKS!”

You didn’t even take one glance at him and just broke down, crouching into a ball to hide yourself.

“I heard commotion down here, everything good? Or is there some drama I need to oversee?” Shadow Milk was hungry for chaos today.

He looked around, “Um… Okay, what happened?”

“Fire.” Ginger Brave pointed to the burnt stovetop.

Shadow Milk floated over to the stove, looking at what was inside the pan, “Who burnt GRILLED CHEESE of all things!?”

“We don’t know how to cook…” Strawberry Cookie admitted.

Shadow Milk glanced down at you, “You then I suppose?”

With one final wipe of tears, you stood up and owned up for your mistakes, “Yes… I burnt it.”

He grabbed two pieces of bread and walked over to you, smacking them on either side of your head, “What are you?”

You closed your eyes, “An idiot sandwich…”

“At least you know what you are.” He huffed, snapping the place clean like it was before.

You looked down at your shoes while speaking, “Are… Are the archives of offerings still here? Or is it not?”

“Of course! Where else would I store all the gifts given to the wonderous, the greatest, the all-time winning stage performer, SHADOW… MILK… COOKIE!” He had a dramatic pose.

“…” You picked the shawl out of the water, squeezing and rolling it tightly to remove the water, “Thank you.”

With a swift motion of your hand, the kids followed you like little ducklings following the mama-duck.

Shadow Milk was left there, dumbfounded, “Ooookay then…”

-----

You had found the material needed to sew the shawl back up. Letting the kids roam free in the library, you started your new sewing project. Fixing all the holes took more string than it should’ve needed. But eventually, it was back to how it was. Spotless and clean, but it still had the feeling of being used and taken care of by a loving person. It was by far your favorite part of your daily outfit. Shadow Milk Cookie had tried to take it from you several times, but you won the arguments in the end.

Perhaps there was a hatred to it. The way how you wore it every day must have reminded him of days past. You will not allow him to take it away.

Strawberry Cookie skipped up to you, “Is there any non-fiction books? I haven’t seen a section for it yet.”

You sighed, placing down the shawl, “Unfortunately no. This place is full of fiction and lies.” You thought back for a moment, “Back in the day, it was the exact opposite. You couldn’t find a single fiction book in here.”

“How was the Spire like back in the day? Or well, how was the world like?”

You pointed at a bean bag, levitating it over to you, “You might want to sit down, it’s a long story.”

As you told your tale, several fools had come over, including the kids. You were right, it took almost a full two hours for you to get most of the way finished.

-------------

Back, forth, back, forth. The clicking of the grandfather clock echoed in your room, lights dim, and curtains drawn. There was only a small lamp barely providing light. You had just settled down the kids in a room near Pure Vanilla’s, hoping they would get some rest after the events of today. You were just glad that everyone had a break today…

But what were you going to give as a reward?

A shiver went down your spine at the thought.

You started thinking of different ways of payment, ‘Perhaps I could suck it up and deal with performing in one of his puppet shows? Or maybe I could bake one of my signature dishes for him. Crafts? A painting? Ugh… Nothing sounds like it will appease him, maybe when he was the Fount, but not now.’

You ultimately just decided to make desserts for him. On your way to the kitchen, you extinguished multiple candles and flames for the night, only taking one for your commute down.

Baking at 1 AM… That totally wasn’t going to ruin your sleep schedule… Not like you had one anyway. You had baked a cake, cupcakes, and some brownies.

“Phew. That’s done now. I should probably sleep…” You placed the freshly made brownies on top of the stove, “I now wonder why I didn’t do this in the morning instead of the early hours of the day.”

“Perhaps you wanted to get something done for me?”

You yelped, tripping yourself.

“Heyyy! No need to get so worked up.” Shadow Milk was in his pajamas, “I only came down here because I smelled something good.” He walked over to where you were, leaning above you.

“Of course you would…” You sighed, using the counter to stand back up. Looking at the sweets you made, “In fact… You can take these.”

He gasped brightly, “REALLY?!”

“Yep. These are for your reward.” You internally grinned.

He stared at them, then your face, “…Do you mean the “reward” you mentioned yesterday…?”

“Yes. These are your rewards. I couldn’t think of anything good so I resorted to feed your sweet tooth.” You giggled.

Shadow Milk looked very disappointed, but ate a cupcake with a depressed look. He sniffed while mid bite, “Vheese arf so good I canf…”

You gazed out the kitchen window, allowing him to enjoy it.

Shadow Milk leaped onto your back, arms around your neck, “Can I pick my rewarddd? I mean, this one is… good… But not what I expected.”

“Aren’t the most unexpected things the best surprises?” You hummed.

“But whyyyy?” He whined, “Lemme pick anotherrr.”

“Are you tired? You’re being much more whiney than usual.” You smirked.

He immediately got off you, offended, “The Witches do you mean ‘more than usual’ eh!?”

Silence was the best option. Teasing him by letting him try and figure it out himself.

“What do you think is a suitable reward just for allowing a day off?” You turned to him.

“Well with the way you were teasing earlier I thought it would be something more special.” Shadow Milk huffed, he was reluctantly eating the sweets.

“How so?”

He pouted, looking at the counter instead, “You were treating me back like before… When you didn’t hate me…”

“I don’t hate you.”

He looked up at you. The Moon behind you shone like a crescent night; you almost appeared like a celestial God sent from the Witches.

“Really…? You don’t… have spite for me? For lying to you, for deceiving you, for putting you through everything, for- for making you stay here and… You don’t hate me…?” His eyes were glossy, as if your response would be a make-or-break deal in his next reaction.

You turned back to gaze at the stars, “No. I don’t.”

You heard a fork drop. It was slow, and not sudden. Arms wrapped around your waist and his head snuggled into your neck. He just needed to hold onto something, to gain his bearings again after the new information.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” He was muffled.

That was the first time you had heard those words from him in a long, long time. Was Black Sapphire’s plan really worth it? Could you change him from kindness alone? It was worth a shot.

-----------

There's a cut here since I've reached the actual limit of blocks in a Tumblr post. I posted a separate one, here.

[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

This is just a continuation of Chapter 12 as Tumblr only allows 1000 blocks of words.

Please enjoy.

The beginning of the chapter: here.

Shadow Milk Cookie had taken the both of you back to his room. He said something along the lines of showing you a new painting he was working on. It was a group of ducklings, and sheep following a Shepard. The face wasn’t painted in yet, but it was still a work in progress.

“Awh, how cute. What medium are you using for this one?” You slightly touched the painting.

“Oil. I like using it as it gives me more variety and it’s longer lasting.” He sat on the edge of the bed, swinging his feet back and forth.

“Neat.” You turned to him, “Was that all you needed to show me or anything else?”

He pat the spot next to him, “Come onn! Sit with me, will ya?”

“Fineee.” You lazily made your way over, “Y’know, I think your way of speaking has influenced mine. My tone seems much more casual than it used to be… At least according to Ginger Brave.”

Shadow Milk pulled you closer to the pillows, “That’s great! You’re adapting to here!”

“Pfft.” You chuckled, “What if I enjoyed my way of speaking, eh?”

“Too bad too sad.” He mimicked crying.

Shadow Milk sat up, looking at the curtains. Ultimately walking over and shutting them. He then turned on a night light to the left of you, “There we go!”

He summoned his snacks, gnawing on them yet again.

“How can you eat something so full of sugar at 2 AM? I’d get an upset stomach just from one of them. You basically ate half of what I baked!” You sat up as well.

“It’s because my darling dearest has made them for me as a reward!” He mumbled the next part, “I still want another reward though…”

“Another? Seriously? How greedy can you get? Next thing I know you’ll be sweeping me off my feet and trying to give me a kiss or something.” You rolled your eyes.

He perked up at that… Did you seriously just accidentally give him an idea?

“Perhaps I’ll do that at our wedding if you wish.”

You choked on air, “WHAT. WHEN DID YOU PLAN THIS!? PLEASE TELL ME IT’S A JOKE.”

He leaned in close, “I planned it centuries ago. But I suppose we’ll just have to wait a few more years before tying the knot.” He grinned, attempting to push you down.

You shoved a pillow in his face, flipping him over so that you were on top of him, “Try that again and I’ll suffocate you with this…” You looked at the pillow in your hands, “This uh… Totally deadly weapon!”

“Please, go ahead.”

“What.”

He had a smug grin. You scoffed and just smacked him with it. He took a few hits willingly, until he caught the pillow.

He dragged you down along with the pillow, “Now when did I say you could get freebie hits?”

“Uh… Never. I just decided to.” You chuckled nervously.

Shadow Milk threw the pillow on the other side of the bed, “Time for a lesson.” He coughed, “Ahem… Pillow fighting is a form of-“ He rambled on for ages.

You attempted multiple times to tell him to stop talking, but only got met with a finger to your mouth, attempting to silence you. All the pillows were gone from your reach, and if you wanted the closest one, it would surely be taken from you.

Sighing, you leaned over his face, acting like you were paying close attention.

“And so, people often hid swords in linen pillow cases to attack their-“ He got interrupted by a kiss.

“Shut up.” You pulled back.

His smile twisted and turned in different ways, “I don’t think I’ll ever stop yapping.”

“You asshole.”

He grinned, “But I’m yours. So, the pillows used in-“ He got interrupted by yet another kiss.

“Shut. Up.”

“No. Unless you can give something to shut me up permanently.” He wrapped his arms around your neck.

Perhaps a little affection won’t hurt… For the plan, obviously. For the plan.

You placed your hands on either side of his head, “You want something to shut you up?”

“Someone, if we are being specific.” He grinned.

You glared at the souljam on his chest. It never left his side. You wondered if it was connected to the sensations of the body, like if it got punched, would the souljam’s owner feel it as well? Hopefully… Just hopefully; a smack was awaiting him.

You laid your hand on it, “What happens if I take this?”

“Nothing in particular will happen.”

You flicked it.

“OWCH!-“ He held onto his forehead, “What in Witches names was that for!?”

“You had it coming.”

“Oh, come on! All I did was a bit of teasing!” Shadow Milk huffed.

You grinned, “And I can do that as well.”

Smiling mischievously, you leaned in for another kiss. This time, entangling your hand into his hair. He placed his hands along your shoulders, leaning into it.

Shadow Milk had pulled back maybe an inch, “I like this teasing much more than mine.” And with that, he pulled you back down by the neck, initiating the next kiss.

You bit his lip, a silent ask. He parted his lips slightly, allowing your tongue to explore his mouth. Grasping at your robe, whether it be your shawl, your sleeve, or your torso, he had to grab onto something. Pulling back for a gasp of air was the only way you two left each other.

That is until you decided your physical ‘teasing’ was done. You laid there leaning on your hands. He clawed at your collar, eyes glossy, lips a darker shade of blue while being slightly parted, and breath heaving. Shadow Milk had tried leaning in for another kiss desperately, but you moved just out of reach.

His hands trailed down from your collar, all the way down your arm to your hands, “…Please…”

“Please what?”

“Please… one more… Just another…” His breath was shaky, “Please… Please…” He begged.

“One more and I’m going to bed.”

“That’s fine, just…” He grabbed your face and kissed passionately, trying his best of taking control of the situation.

Biting your lip with his sharp teeth was sure to bleed, you could already taste the iron in your mouth. But you allowed him anyway. He left no corner of your mouth unexplored. A small sound escaped him.

You pulled back, “There, that’s your final reward. Don’t go complaining that you didn’t get a sufficient enough trade back. I think I gave more than what I received.”

You got off of him, plopping down on the left side of the bed. With a snap, you were in your pajamas. You didn’t feel like walking all the way back to your room, so, you took some of the blanket and got tucked in.

You faced away from Shadow Milk, turning off the lamp. You could hear his breath was still heavy, but attempted to settle down for bed.

“Goodnight!” You smiled gently.

“…Goodnight.”

He hugged your waist, snuggling up to you. He hummed slightly.

[ndoesart]

(First time requesting)

Would you be open to ever drawing ad-lib ending shadow milk x reader? It’s my favourite skin by far

Gah! Sorry for responding so late! I forgot I had this in my inbox. Just for my forgetfulness, I added an additional drawing! Plus... a mini fanfic eheh.

Mini storyline time yayayayayya!

Warnings: Fluff, and uhh... I got embarrassed writing the passionate kiss scene lmao.

In reality, I should say it's like a makeout session AHAH.

Be warned, it may be shit since I've never written anything like that before.

The Grand Stage of Plays

You were an actor who has been assigned to a grand theater. It was your dream to perform there. You had to rehearse all your lines several times, practice your poses, and your scenes.

Being told you would be one of the main protagonists of your favorite play, Romeo and Juliet, thrilled you. You almost had the whole script memorized. It may have been a basic play for professional actors, but it had romance, despair, angst, everything you enjoyed.

You had your fair share of plays, but your streak could not compare to the likes of others. You had somehow gained a small fanbase of Cookies during your time. That had helped get you to where you stood now.

It was rehearsal time. The lines have been practiced, the motions had gone under development, and now it was time to meet the actors.

--------

The faintest tap on your shoulder; that was all what was needed to scare you almost off the stage. Thankfully, you barely tipped over.

"My apologies." A light chuckle.

You turned around. It was.... The grand actor, Shadow Milk Cookie... Was he going to be performing alongside you!? 'Oh no...'

"No really! It was my fault for standing here. Please, I'll move." You took several large steps out of his way.

"I... I came over to talk to you..." He was mildly confused.

"EH!??" You squirmed like a random fangirl.

"Yeah. You're supposed to be taking on the role of Juliet, amirite?" Shadow Milk quickly stepped to where you were, being barely a foot away from you.

"Y-Yes..." You put on a DEFINITELY forced smile, sweating bullets.

"Oh! Well I'm Romeo, so I suppose we might want to get to know each other before... the end of the play." He averted his eyes elsewhere.

You internally screamed, cursed yourself, and regretted life decisions... But an actor must keep their smile and not show their thoughts on their face!

"I suppose you're right."

------

You two had spent several months together, getting to know eachother. Often taking him to cafés, you observed him chugging several cups of coffee down. Perhaps he must be tired... Reeaalll tired.

Shadow Milk often talked about his scriptwriter like she was a boss from Hell, "If she offers you employment..." He took hold of your shoulders and shook you, "DON'T accept it."

"But why? She seems to be a great writer who could guarantee me popularity!" You tilted your head.

"Just trust me. Don't. It's for your own sake." He looked genuinely worried.

"Fine..."

He embraced you afterwards... It seems he liked physical touch as well. You noticed that whenever he felt some sort of emotion, he wanted to lay his hand anywhere on you. Whether it be your hand, your shoulder, a hug, anything. It was endearing.

‐---------

It was an act where the scriptwriter changed the plot to a dance.

It started off as a slow waltz between you, and Shadow Milk.

When it ended, he added some flair and dipped you. You matched his flair.

(Part 1 of 2 art drawings hehe.)

----

(I have forgotten most of Romeo and Juliet so bear with me while I wing this.)

You had to lie COMPLETELY STILL. To act dead. Although it was only perhaps halfway through all the acts, it was "Juliet's" turn to swallow the sketchy medicine and fake a death.

You must say, with what you could hear, Shadow Milk had put on a grand display of acting distraught.

You could hear his clothes rattling above you. Was this supposed to be part of the play? It was never rehearsed.

"My darling, for have you left this world and gone to another. May you find peace and solitude in the next life." He sighed, "But I have one final goodbye I must give..." Shadow Milk placed his arm on the opposite side of you.

He whispered into your ear, "Please don't hate me for this. The scriptwriter changed it at last minute."

His voice was loud again, for the audience to hear, "To send you off into the next, I give you, my love."

Hot breath feathered your face. It was hard not to open your eyes. It must've took a lot of confidence, but he quickly kissed you. Passionate, and eager, like he had been waiting for that moment.

(Art 2/2.)

--------

The play had been over. The crowd going wild, you and the other actors bowing. Shadow Milk Cookie had grabbed your hand like he normally would when feeling overwhelmed with emotion, and did one final bow.

It was unexpected, but Shadow Milk had offered to take you to a nice dinner; for celebratory reasons. You pondered over why he didn't invite the others as they contributed as well, but you didn't mind. You always enjoyed your alone time with him.

"I was wondering... If you wanted to go to my place after dinner." He shyly tapped on his wine glass.

"Sure why not? Perhaps watch a movie?" You eagerly exclaimed.

"That would be nice." Shadow Milk smiled gently.

------

Luxury. That's the only way you could have explained his house. It was a manor with grand chandeliers, servants, and expensive artwork.

He even had his own movie theater for crying out loud!

Movies haven't evolved to becoming great entertainment yet. They were still silent black and white films. The one Shadow Milk Cookie had projected was a romantic comedy.

"You enjoy comedy's? I thought you would stick to the classics." You got comfortable in your seat.

Shadow Milk did not pick somewhere else in the hundreds of seats, no, he had to be riiight next to you, "Whaaat? Isn't it good to laugh every once in a while? Are you telling me you're boring???"

"No! Of course not!" You playfully sounded offended.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. I've attended almost all of your plays." He brushed it off as if it were nothing.

"Really?"

He had the look of 'oh shit, I just done fucked up,' "Eheh... Yeaaah! The first one I attended of yours was a not so great hit. But then the next one turned out splendid! It think your skills have only improved since then."

You were almost on the brink of happy tears, "I... I thank you..." He revealed something, now it was your turn, "In fact, you are actually the one who got me into acting in the first place!"

"It's my pleasure to be inspiration!" He smugly exclaimed.

You chuckled lightly, but a thought came up, "How did the scriptwriter changed the plot in haste? Like the kiss scene?"

"For more 'drama' as she puts it. ANYTHING to get more money." He rolled his eyes.

You leaned on his shoulder, "...Did you hate performing the scene...?"

Shadow Milk leaned his head on yours, "No, no I did not..." He coughed before speaking again, seeming embarrassed, "I... actually quite.... enjoyed it...."

You looked up at his face. He was a blushing mess, trying his best to avoid looking at you. You only snickered slightly.

"Well then, Maestro, how about a recreation of it?" You tugged on his collar.

"EH!?"

You smiled gently, and pulled him in for a kiss. This time, he leaned into it, wrapping his fingers into your hair to push you closer. Pulling back for a gasp of air, then returning. Grabbing your waist, he placed you onto his lap for a better angle.

You placed your hands on his chest, while he bit your lip. Opening your mouth slightly was all he needed to slip his tongue in, exploring your mouth. Moving your hand to his neck, then around it made his breath hitch.

Your mouths parted. Looking at him, he looked like someone drunk on emotions. Eyes glossy, lips a darker shade of blue while being slightly parted, and breath heaving.

"Are you alright?" You carefully asked.

Shadow Milk leaned his forehead on yours, "Shh, shh." He tried leaning in for another kiss desperately, but you moved your head.

(I'm ashamed of this drawing.)

"I'd like confirmation that you're fine first if you will." You were a bit concerned.

He trailed his hands down your neck, to your collarbone, to your arm, "I... I'm fine... Now please," He leaned in yet again, "I want... Need... more."

You smugly smiled, "But what if I'm done?"

"Please... Please... Just one more... Please." Shadow Milk begged.

You cupped his cheeks, "To be able to look at the great actor, Shadow Milk Cookie, to be so desperate right in front of someone. Almost a little pathetic if I can say." You joked.

He leaned into your hands, pampering them with kisses, "Please..."

You brushed his lip with your thumb, "Hm." Pushing your thumb past his lip into his mouth, you slowly opened it.

He reluctantly allowed it. You explored his mouth with your thumb instead, but quickly removing it.

"Fine."

You crashed your lips into his, answering his pleas. He was basically at your mercy now, allowing you to do your ways of putting a spell on him. He opened and closed his mouth often, so, you took the chance and slid your own tongue in, exploring his mouth instead.

It was muffled, but there was a small sound escaping him. He tugged onto your shirt, grasping at your shoulders.

You pulled back, observing him. What a shriveled mess he was.

He panted, "You... You tease..."

You licked your lips, "Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows?" You quickly stood up.

"Do you have any dessert? I'm hungry for some sweets." And with that, you left the theater.

To leave him there after everything was just a way to tease him.... Hopefully it won't bite you in the ass later on....

----------

Thank you for reading this cringe fic for an ask lol. It's almost 2:30 AM. Someone help me.

[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

Game: Cookie Run: Kingdom

Relationship: Shadow Milk Cookie x You, Fount of Knowledge x You

Chapter: 10

Chapter Word Count: 6,529

Warnings: Angst, small fluff, mentions of violence, Shadow Milk should be a warning in itself.

A/N: Sorry it took so long to post this aaa! I didn't have any motivation to write this and I spent too much time procrastinating. Enjoy it anyway lol!

Special Thanks to: @terrybadz again for the wonderful fanart! Thank you so much!

Chapter 1: here

Chapter 10: A Stage of Deceit

Dark figures with glowing blue eyes surrounded you. You felt small compared to their giant size. You couldn’t tell whether or not if they were friend or foe, but they seemed a threat nonetheless. They belittled you on every mistake you cursed yourself for, every little thing you should have done, every word not spoken. Until one of them spoke up, clearer than the others.

“You too have the potential to be driven mad by knowledge… But the truths you seek are so insipid, how laughable you should die for their sake.”

What…?

Darkness consumed your vison. Your throat tightened and breath escaping you. Gasping for air, you could swear someone was choking you. You clawed at your neck to stop the pressure, but to no avail.

“Darling, won’t you come back to me? Help me out of here?” Someone spoke just out of sight.

The pressure was released, making you kneel down, coughing. With the freedom to breathe again, you looked over to where the voice came from.

“Light Milk… Cookie…?” You stared at the figure.

The figure looked like your Fount, but his face was clouded.

The Fount opened his arms, “Come now dear, allow me this little joy after so long.”

Tears swelled up in your eyes. You quickly stood up and sprinted over, almost tackling him to the ground with how big of a hug you gave.

“I… I-I missed you… How could you just do that…? Leave me here all alone to take over.” You buried your face into his shoulder, sobbing silently.

You felt a hand caressing your head, “It wasn’t my intention to darling; I just got a little… carried away.”

“It was stupid of you to do so. Why would you even do that!? To destroy the very Cookies you swore to serve as a Virtue!?”

You pounded on his chest, looking up at him. His face didn’t change from earlier. Still misty and clouded.

“Why can’t I see your face? WHY!?” Your judgement was clouded with anger.

“ᛗⱥɏƀē īⱦ'ꞩ ƀēȼⱥᵾꞩē ɏꝋᵾ ӻꝋɍꞡꝋⱦ ⱳħⱥⱦ Ī łꝋꝋҟēđ łīҟē.” The Fount’s voice was distorted now.

You slowly backed away from him, “No… How could I forget a face such as yours…? No… No, No, No, No….” You tightly held your head, trying to make sense of it all.

“Ħꝋⱳ ȼꝋᵾłđ ɏꝋᵾ ӻꝋɍꞡēⱦ ᵯē? Ī'ᵯ ħᵾɍⱦ, Ī ᵯᵾꞩⱦ ꞩⱥɏ.” The Fount placed his hand on his chest, feigning being offended.

“Y-You’re not my Fount… Are y-you…?” You accused him, a grin plastered on your face while your eyes twitched.

The Fount chuckled.

“Ⱳⱥҟē ᵾꝑ.”

(Entire thing all made by me btw)

---------------------

You gasped, sitting upright immediately. Your head was pounding, your pulse was racing, sweat beading down your forehead, and different blankets were all sprawled on the bed.

‘It’s just another nightmare…’

You started mumbling to yourself, “It’s just another nightmare, It’s just another nightmare, It’s just another nightmare.” You hung tightly onto the edge of the bed, staring off into nothingness as you kept this meticulous chant up for another 5 minutes.

“Hahahahaha…” You laughed to yourself.

You were a little wobbly once getting out of bed. It was maybe around 5 AM from when you got up. Nightmares have been haunting you more and more as of late. For the past four decades that you resided in the Faerie Kingdom, you have been more on edge. Paranoia seemed to be your new best friend. Whether it be if someone was watching you, or listening to you, or whatever the case may be.

But your nightmares have been getting oddly more and more correct…You didn’t remember most of them, but instead, only a small summary of them.

‘The dream is right… Why can’t I remember his face anymore…?’ You poured yourself a cup of coffee.

‘I can remember… Shadow Milk Cookie’s… face, but why not The Fount?’

How could you have forgotten someone who had given you nothing but great memories, but remember someone who gave nothing but bad memories? You perhaps have tried to muffle out those bad memories, but while doing so, you forgot the good ones.

------------

You were out cold on your sofa; books cluttered the whole living room floor. Your whole house was a mess as well; it’s not like anyone would come in to see it all. When you first moved in, you were a clean freak. Afraid of spores entering through cracks in the house, or losing your belongings in a mess, or having allergies act up with it being dusty. You eventually stopped caring; guests never came anyway.

The Faeries never assigned much work to you; they would only give you small tasks every once in a while. If you wanted something bigger, more time-consuming; you would have to ask again… and again… and again…

Eventually they just gave you a job at the library. Which you didn’t mind at all! You were right in your comfort zone dealing with all sorts of books. With you being more comfortable with fiction, you would often read fairytales to the children who would visit.

It did get pretty boring after a few years though. Time felt different to you now, as if it slowed to an agonizingly slow pace. Perhaps you were too busy managing things in your old life that time seemed to pass right before your eyes. That a student you taught would suddenly be in their elderly age, or your plants dying before you even noticed it was time for their watering.

Life got boring.

You often pondered what it would be like to set off on an adventure now that you had the time to do so… Would it be worth it?

---------------

It was a rash decision. One day you packed a backpack full of supplies you needed, the next you were already halfway across Beast-Yeast.

You regretted it. You had gotten lost on almost every single turn you made; you got stuck in jungle traps countless times, when you set up camp the weather was either terrible or a monster stampeded on your makeshift tent. Vines broke when you tried swinging from them, rocks broke when you tried climbing a cliff.

It was quite the spectacle how many times you failed. Attempting to gain traveling buddies from small villages didn’t go according to plan as well. For something you survived, they died. Whether it be by being burnt alive, suffocation, natural disasters, or murder from a wild tribe. They died for your sake, while you only got minor scars, burns, or small injuries.

If you came across the occasional tribe, you attempted to make friends. They wanted you for extra food or a sacrifice for their religious beliefs. After being attacked, stabbed, bones broken, limbs torn off, and you still survived… They might as well have treated you like a God. Offering up their Winter stash for food or tribal accessories was their usual go-to. You let them keep their food, but you would keep some trinkets. Healing wasn’t an issue as things regenerated by itself… But your trust in Cookie-Kind changed drastically. To try and take another’s life just for their own sake? They deserved whatever punishment the Witches had in store for them. If not…

Ɏꝋᵾ ⱳꝋᵾłđ đēłīꝟēɍ đīꝟīꞥē ꝑᵾꞥīꞩħᵯēꞥⱦ ɏꝋᵾɍꞩēłӻ...

---------------------

Their screams haunted you; it was even worse than your previous nightmares. You stayed awake almost all night trying to block them out, rarely getting a full night’s sleep. Was it even worth taking comrades with you anymore?

You had already taken a life by your own hands for one of them. Yet they died anyway. What a shame, how they live for so short and are so willing to throw their life away. The Witches baked them with care, only for their dough to go to waste.

You had ultimately decided to return to the Faerie Kingdom. To return to your slow and peaceful life. It seems like if you left there, your life would be chaos. Why can’t things return to how they used to be? Just a little librarian in a big tower of books with your lovely Fount. Oh, how times have changed…

---------------------

Knock… Knock… Knock…

Three slow knocks at your door.

Groaning, you sat up in bed. You weren’t ready to start the day yet, but it seems someone wants you to.

“Coming!” You shouted, annoyed.

You threw the Fount’s shawl on and headed for the door slowly, rubbing the sleepiness out of your eyes.

You opened the door, the morning light shone brightly, “Hello?”

It was a Cookie made of ginger. Light shining bright in his eyes, a brown comfy sweater with white skull buttons, and dark brown pants with basic black sneakers. He had curly brown hair with a white streak dashing in the middle of it. He seemed no older than 16.

‘Oh shit, it’s a kid.’

“Oh, hello! What is your reason for visiting me this early in the morning if I may ask?” You had that usual polite smile.

The boy coughed, “My name’s Ginger Brave, and I come looking for a professor!”

Your curiosity was now perked, “What type of professor? For literature, mathematics, magical spells? Anything of the sorts?”

“I was just told to go look around the Faerie Kingdom for a professor.” He was blunt.

“Oh… By whom if I am allowed to ask?” You adjusted your collar a bit.

Ginger Brave huffed, “Well you see… We crashed our airship here; we started a trek and found some sort of spores-“

You cut him off, “I don’t need the whole story, just who is asking you to find me?”

He tried again but cutting to the point, “Pure Vanilla Cookie asked Elder Faerie Cookie to help him look for a specific Cookie that was a professor back in his days.”

“He’s still alive?” You were confused.

“Who?”

“Pure Vanilla Cookie I mean.” You clarified.

“Yep! In fact, now that I found you, we can go meet up with him and the others!” Ginger Brave attempted to grab your hand.

You quickly withdrew your hands, “Ah, ah! If I am going to come with you, at least allow me the decency to get dressed in day-to-day wear if you will. You awoke me in my slumber; I am not decent enough for the outside world yet.” You scolded the boy.

“AH! Right… Sorry!” Ginger Brave quickly shut the door in your face.

Geez, what a generation to be alive in. No respect for their elders! You huffed.

(A/N: Imagine being almost 600 years old… Unc.)

Quickly getting dressed into your usual getup of a robe and shawl, you started your day early. You suppose that a little excitement from a potential new adventure wouldn’t hurt again, right?

Right…?

-------------------

You sighed as you exited your house. You could already tell where the adventurous party was by their noise. It was normally as quiet as a mouse, even a slightest fall of anything would echo across this area of the Kingdom. The other side of the Kingdom however… Was a loud bunch. They partied for months on end with the noise never stopping. You were quite glad that you picked a house in the quieter side of the kingdom.

The group consisted of four members and a small little pet. Ginger Brave, Pure Vanilla Cookie, and two others you haven’t met yet. There was also a small little chameleon like pet on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s shoulder.

You approached the party, “Greetings. I am the ‘Professor’ this… Ginger Brave if I am correct… said that you all needed.” Your introduction was as plain as an unwritten paper.

“Hello there Prof!” Ginger Brave waved.

The girl with strawberry pink hair closed her pink hoodie, “H-Hello… I’m… I’m Strawberry Cookie.”

“I AM WIZARD COOKIE!” A little firework show spewed from the Wizard’s staff.

The three of the kids spoke together with different tones, “And we are the Cookie Run Gang!”

You looked at them in disapproval. You never enjoyed loud noises after the second war.

Pure Vanilla Cookie stood in awe, staring at you.

“Ah, hello Pure Vanilla, glad to see you are doing fine. How long has it been? I genuinely lost count.” You smiled at him.

“I…” His breath shook and lip quivered, “I didn’t even think you were alive.” He grasped at air.

“What a shame eh? Should have died in the war you say?” You jokingly tried to make fun of him.

“NO- I mean… No, no I would never wish that upon anyone! It’s just…” Pure Vanilla Cookie played the rim of his sleeve, “I thought you might have moved to Crispia, the supposed ‘safe land’ during the war. After I was released from my seal, I got word that the Academy and Spire were destroyed… Forgive me for assuming the worst. I should have known someone as smart as you would have figured out a way to survive.” He bowed.

“Please, no need to bow. I am no longer in any high-ranking position for you to be bowing to a nobody like me.” You were a nobody compared to him. A hero, someone who ended a war, someone who saved people, vs a librarian with a large collection of books.

“Can I hug you at least?” His question came out of the blue.

You attempted words but it only turned out as small sounds. No one had asked you that before. Speaking of, when was the last time someone had given you affection…? You just nodded.

Pure Vanilla Cookie almost leaped into your arms, embracing you tightly. You just pat his back awkwardly. It has been a long, long time since you have had to comfort someone.

“How cute. Now can we PLEASE get a move on?” Wizard Cookie was annoyed.

Pure Vanilla Cookie drew back, looking at the young lad, “We shall, but it is respectful to allow someone a moment.” He scolded him like a kindergarten teacher.

“Now what is it that you require assistance for?” You inquired.

“Oh right-“ Ginger Brave had adjusted his sweater, “We are here to find Dark Enchantress Cookie’s stronghold.”

Those three words hit you like a gunshot, “Dark… Enchantress Cookie…?”

“Yup!” The kids confirmed.

Your breathing felt heavier, like you were gasping for air. Your throat constricted and you blinked rapidly. No, no, not again, not again!

“Hey, hey, it’s alright. Calm down, she isn’t anywhere near us. All we need from you is to help us in our investigation.” Pure Vanilla Cookie pat your back.

Everyone gave you a moment to collect yourself.

“I…” You pondered deeply, “I don’t know if I will be able to face Dark Enchantress Cookie, but I will certainly help you put an end to her wickedness.”

“Thank you very much. I didn’t know what else to do if you weren’t here, nor if you would help us.” Pure Vanilla Cookie chuckled lightly.

Wizard Cookie tried to make another comment yet again, but it was actually useful this time, “Elder Faerie Cookie wants to meet us at the Silver Tree, that’s why I said to HURRY IT UP!”

Nodding, you took leak towards the towering tree.

---------------------

“Are you aware of where your power comes from, and how it is being used… Pure Vanilla Cookie?” Elder Faerie Cookie stood tall in front of the tree.

“What are you saying…?” Pure Vanilla Cookie was a bit on edge now.

“The power of virtue, purified by the Witches themselves… The Soul Jam that you harness.” Elder Faerie coughed, “You are not the first to wield that power. The same goes for the other Ancient Heroes.”

“What!?” Pure Vanilla exclaimed.

“The Ancient Heroes…” The Cookie Run Gang took turns speaking, “are not the true owners…”

“…of their Soul Jam!?”

“Well then… Who is?!”

Elder Faerie Cookie sighed, preparing for a long story, “The story begins when this very Silver Tree was only a small sapling… When the World of Desserts was at its infancy. The Witches baked five Cookies to help them in their creation of the world.” He quoted something, “Harness the radiance bestowed upon you for the betterment of this world.” End quote, “And the five Cookies imbued with absolute powers walked Earthbread as almighty envoys of the Great Creators.”

You already dreaded what he was going to say next. You knew this story all too well.

“Knowledge, Volition, Happiness, Change, and Solidarity. The Dessert World bound by these Five Virtues was nothing short of paradise.”

“So those five Cookies were the original owners of the Soul Jam?” Ginger Brave asked.

“Huh…” Wizard Cookie thought for a moment, “Those ‘Five Virtues’ are different from those of the Soul Jams.”

Elder Faerie Cookie continued his story, “Alas… The perfect age was short-lived. Absolute power begets nothing but arrogance. It inevitably corrupts its wielder, bringing them to the most tragic of ends… A fate even the Witches were unable to foresee. One by one, the Five, once regarded as saviors of the Cookie World, gradually turned to Darkness. And thus, the Five Virtues too, became distorted, twisted…”

You interrupted his story, “They reduced to Deceit, Apathy, Sloth, Destruction, and Silence.”

“Yes, thank you.” He continued… again, “Now known as the Five Beasts, the apostles of evil began their dark crusade. And forth they brought great destruction and suffering. The Witches could not bear to see what fate had befallen their creations. They punished the Beasts by sealing them away deep within this land. And planted the seed of the Silver Tree to ensure their evil power never sees the light of day again. From then on, this land where the Beasts were imprisoned, was called Beast-Yeast.”

“The Witches then gathered the last vestiges of power bestowed upon the Beasts, untouched by their corruption. They further cleansed, purified it, and in the end… Soul Jam was created. The purest Soul Jam was meant to be earned by Cookies who had proven themselves worthy.” Elder Faerie had finally finished the story.

‘Oh, what a relief. If he had kept on yapping, I would have just summarized it myself.’ You rolled your eyes.

Elder Faerie Cookie turned to Pure Vanilla Cookie. “One of them is the Light of Truth that you received at the end of your long, arduous journey down the Pilgrim’s Path. Before, both Truth and Deceit existed within the Light of Knowledge. Cleansing and purifying it created the Soul Jam that you wield today.”

“This means… The power of Deceit is now…” Pure Vanilla Cookie was shaken up.

“Yes. It remains sealed somewhere in Beast-Yeast.” Elder Faerie Cookie answered his question before he could even ask it, “The Light of Truth serves to balance the scales of good and evil.”

Wizard Cookie popped up eagerly, “The tree has five main branches. Seems like they represent the Soul Jam of each Ancient Hero!”

“But one of them looks… dimmer than the other.” Strawberry Cookie pointed out.

Elder Faerie Cookie started to explain, “One by one, four of the Soul Jams regained their strength. But, for a long time, all of these branches were close to wilting.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie added on, “After the Dark Flour War, when all the Sould Jams have been shattered into pieces and scattered all across the world…”

Elder Faerie Cookie hummed in agreement, “During that long period of imbalance… The Five Beasts saw it as an opportunity to regain their strength. As the Guardian, I channeled all my power to keep the seal intact. But my strength alone was not enough. And the Beasts have already grown much too strong. Now this great evil lie hidden somewhere in Beast-Yeast, ready to strike at any moment…”

You didn’t comment much on his spiel. You knew almost everything he explained. Letting out a yawn, you sat on the 3rd step of the grand staircase.

“Is there a way to prevent the Beasts from escaping?” Pure Vanilla Cookie immediately asked.

Elder Faerie Cookie sighed, “Our last hope is… To bring back the fifth Ancient Hero, White Lily Cookie, and her Light of Freedom.”

You sat up straight at that, “Isn’t White Lily Cookie dead?”

Ginger Brave had lifted up a pouch that held something glowing inside, “These are White Lily Cookie’s memories. Her dough is left in a special glass case.”

Pure Vanilla looked down guiltily, “I… Apologize for not saying this earlier but… White Lily Cookie is Dark Enchantress Cookie.”

You immediately stood up, “WHAT?!”

“How can I explain it…?” Pure Vanilla Cookie was looking for the right words, “She used a moonstone to separate herself from her… corrupted… half you could say.”

You mumbled breathily, “Dark magic…”

Elder Faerie Cookie picked up where he left off, “If we can bring her back. We just might be able to repress the evil forces sealed here in Beast-Yeast. Although the Light of Freedom may be scattered across Beast-Yeast, White Lily Cookie’s branch on the Silver Tree still shines brightly as ever. Not all may be lost. Perhaps there is still a way to gather the Light of Freedom and restore it to its full glory, but…”

“So, we can revive White Lily Cookie by gathering all the shards of the Light of Freedom? I can hear it! The voice of The Light of Freedom speaks to me!” Pure Vanilla Cookie exclaimed.

“Really!?” The party shouted.

You took a few steps away from it all. What exactly were you getting yourself into!? ‘This is too much; this is too much!’

“Then there is hope for us still! There is no time to waste. The Beasts may yet escape and bring the Great Calamity upon us. And Dark Enchantress Cookie, whom you have been chasing endlessly… Will not let such an opportunity pass.” Elder Faerie Cookie then turned directly to Pure Vanilla Cookie.

“Pure Vanilla Cookie… You must gather the shards. White Lily Cookie’s Light of Freedom… The last hope Dark Enchantress Cookie has yet to corrupt. Gather them and we might have a chance.”

-------------------

“Use my Life Powder…”

“NO!” You blurted out.

You stood in front of the kids, confronting Pure Vanilla Cookie, “I will not stand here and watch you sacrifice your own life. Earthbread needs all the Heroes… And that includes you.” You were determined to make him see your view, “If anything, use mine. No Cookie has needed me in a long, long while.”

“But I need you. I need your wisdom, your smarts, your experiences, and your help. If I use mine, it won’t crumble me. But it will only make me a bit weaker.” Pure Vanilla Cookie tried to sway your opinion.

He sighed, “To tell you the truth, those questions bothered me for a long time. Why was it that White Lily Cookie had to become Dark Enchantress Cookie? And why was there nothing I could do to help? Whether I should’ve insisted more on stopping her…” He paused for a moment, “But now I know. What White Lily Cookie really needed… Was a friend who understood her. I shouldn’t have let her take on such a big burden all alone.”

You had heard him out for a bit, but you didn’t waver. If he needed your help with something, you would do your best to take on the heavier load for him.

“But now, I have the chance to meet Whitie Lily Cookie again. Not as a memory, not as a vision, not as Dark Enchantress Cookie… But as the real White Lily Cookie. This time, I won’t let her down.” Pure Vanilla Cookie turned to Elder Faerie Cookie, “Please, use my Life Powder to wake up White Lily Cookie.”

Elder Faerie Cookie straight up rejected him, “No. Wizard Cookie and the Professor are right. There are still too many things left for you to do.” He glanced at the hollow dough of a Cookie in the glass case, “The duty of the Faerie King is to protect the Silver Tree. Any sacrifice for such a purpose… Would purely be the culmination of my fate.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie tried interjecting, but Elder Faerie Cookie didn’t leave any room for discussion, “Pure Vanilla Cookie, I hope you will keep that promise of yours. Do not let her down. She will need your help… all of you.”

Faeries stood around the now open glass case. You remember reading about this spell ages ago in the Faerie Library. It required a Soul, and a Life. The spell was midway done before you rushed in, shoving the elder out of the way.

You could sense that he had already poured half of his Life Powder into her, but you would deal the finishing blow. The pain was excruciating, like your very being was being stripped away from you. Your dough burned, limbs felt like they were being torn off all over again, your chest was heavy, and your mind foggy. Several Cookies tried to rip you away from her, but you didn’t budge.

The spell was complete. You estimated with the amount you and Elder Faerie Cookie gave; she wouldn’t be a “Half-a-Cookie” but more like “75%-a-Cookie.” Giving in to the weakness, you allowed the others to drag you away from her. Oh, how tired you were… You coughed horrendously. Fading in and out of consciousness, you laid still on the ground.

Blurred figures moved around you quicker than usual. The more colorful of the bunch went over to what you assumed was the now alive White Lily Cookie, the Faeries were surrounding Elder Faerie Cookie and you, examining your conditions. Elder Faerie Cookie was at least able to move around, although with a limp. You didn’t know if your body either wasn’t just strong enough, or you had put in more than needed. Oh well. You’ll be fine, right?

You observed Elder Faerie Cookie talking something along the lines of a probably meaningful speech, then collapsing. Knights escorted him almost immediately. You were left there just to rest; you weren’t as important as a King…

“Good to… see you… White Lily Cookie…” You managed to mumble out, eyes zoning out onto the branches of the grand tree.

“Huh?” She turned.

There was a collective gasp, and you could hear footsteps quickly approaching you.

“Don’t tell me you were involved in this too!” White Lily Cookie knelt down, taking a hold of your hand.

You didn’t have the strength to answer her.

Pure Vanilla’s words were remorseful, “I’m so sorry Prof… I should have never brought you into this. I didn’t know you would pull something like this either…”

“Pure Vanilla Cookie… What did they do…?” White Lily Cookie looked up at him.

He inhaled shakily, “They… They offered up a… lot… of the Life Powder needed…”

Words were getting muffled to you. You also didn’t want to deal with potential crying, so you gave into the feeling of exhaustion.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

You awoke to screaming and yelling. Quickly rising from a bed, you almost fell right back on it. You were wobblily and could hardly hold your balance. Nurses dropped whatever they were doing and left the building… What cowards.

You may have been weak, but that didn’t stop you from the curiosity building inside of you. Grabbing a crutch of sorts, you slowly made your way to the exit; different patients waved you off or gave good luck on the way. Determined, you exited. Faeries were all over the place, running, screaming, crying, you name it. When trying to ask about it, all they gave you was “THE SEAL!”

Wait… The seal? ‘OH SHIT!’

You moved as fast as your weak body and a crutch could take you towards the Silver Tree. Didn’t White Lily Cookie’s revival have fixed the withering of the branches? Or has the rift grown too wide for a few measly branches to hold? There wasn’t a time for ‘what ifs,’ there was only time for facts.

-----

Meeting up with the party, you spoke up, trying not to strain your throat, “What the hell is going on?”

“The rift! The branches can’t hold it anymore!” White Lily Cookie exclaimed.

You stared right at it. A dark blue rift with blue eyes looking all over the place. You couldn’t tell if any of the Beasts could see out yet, but they sure were trying to. With the current state of your body, you wouldn’t even be able to conjure a basic protection spell if needed.

An all too familiar voice spoke from it, “Oooooooooh! I see that those pesky little vine shackles that have held us captive for oh, so, so, SOOOOO long… are GONE!” A maniacal laughter rumbled.

“Whoah, that was deeply unpleasant…” Wizard Cookie sounded annoyed.

Others commented on the vines. While the Faerie Knights got ready for battle.

“ATTACK!!” A crowd shouted.

You backed off while others fought. Fighting wasn’t your specialty nor would you be able to do it currently. You only faintly remember reading about it, but a bright sword came from nowhere, attacking straight at the rift. ‘It’s the Guardian Strike!’

The rift closed almost entirely… Only for it to open larger than before…

“White Lily Cookie! Use your sealing magic… just like you did back then!” Silverbell Cookie shouted.

“It’s… too late!” She took small steps back.

The ground shook beneath you.

-

“AAAHHHH! Doesn’t this fresh air just feel… DIVINE!!” Shadow Milk Cookie emerged from the rift, large in size.

Your breath hitched. Your first instinct was to hide behind something, someone, anything at all. Choosing Pure Vanilla Cookie as he had the largest silhouette to hide you.

“Oh, I see I have quite an audience here! I am SO terribly sorry to have kept you waiting!!” Shadow Milk Cookie giggled, “But now… the wait is over! Your favorite trickster is here! Shadow… Milk… Cookie!”

You put yourself in a ball, biting down on your robe, eyes shutting tightly, and hands covering your ears. It was all in an attempt to silence yourself. See no lies, speak no lies, hear no lies.

Quite a bit had passed but you still felt Pure Vanilla Cookie moving behind your back. That meant he was alive… Good.

You were supposed to protect him though… Why were you so scared? Why are you coward now? What had happened to you?

But there was nothing you COULD do. Pure Vanilla Cookie was much more capable than you. All you had was knowledge now… You would certainly pass out if you tried even a small light spell.

You felt a tap on your shoulder. Making a rash decision, you opened your eyes. It was a Faerie child dressed up as a circus performer.

“Hehe! I found youuu!” The child giggled, “You’re called for the stage in 5!”

You tried speaking through your bite, “What?”

Blue puppeteering strings pulled the poor child up in the air, they went limp. You stared right at them as they were being pulled to what you assumed was Shadow Milk.

“What have you found my little fool?” Shadow Milk Cookie was inquisitive from a distance.

Pure Vanilla Cookie instinctively tried to use his robe to hide you more. But it was no use.

“Ohhhh?~” You heard a chuckle, “A performer in a show from centuries past you say? Well, I must meet them!”

“Get away from them!” Several Cookies formed a circle around you.

Unexpectedly, they too were flung in the air with strings.

You could hear his breath hitch, “Darling…?”

‘No, no, no, no, no!’ You avoided his gaze.

You heard footsteps behind you, “Is it really you dear?”

Arms wrapped around your waist from behind, lifting you up. He had tried to turn you around but you squirmed and kicked.

“Darling, I just want to see your face after so long apart!” Shadow Milk Finally gripped your face, turning you around.

You observed him for only a second. But you were focused on the hanging ‘puppet’s all around. Their mouths were sealed tight with different strings, objects, or being tied up with their own limbs.

“Please… Look at me.” He cupped your cheeks as he had once done before ages ago.

You looked at him with pure hatred. He didn’t deserve words out of you, keeping your mouth shut was the best option in your opinion.

“Why must you look at me with such disgust? I’m a little hurt. What happened to the times when you stared at me longingly? Or when-“ He got interrupted before he could share more memories right in front of other people.

“Shut. Up. Release me.” You demanded.

Shadow Milk Cookie looked like a puppy who had just been told it couldn’t have a treat. Alas, he obeyed and let go of you. You quickly took a good few feet away from him.

“How did you even escape!?”

“That is none of your concern, what is your concern is that I am back. Back for you.” He took small steps, offering up his hands.

“Don’t touch me.” You slapped away his hands.

“Darling dearest, please… You are getting quite on my nerves and I wish to be gentle with you. Don’t start this, we can talk about this later!” Shadow Milk Cookie held his hands like he had just been burnt.

“I never wanted you back.”

Those words shook him, angered him, saddened him. But mostly angered him.

“How… HOW DARE YOU!?” He lunged at you.

You let out a yelp, closing your eyes and bracing for an attack. All you felt was a hand on your shoulder and minor nausea.

Opening your eyes, you were in a familiar room. It had been your bedroom in the Spire back when it was still built.

“Huh…?”

Eyes surrounded the room and Shadow Milk Cookie’s voice spoke threateningly, “I have important things to do and you not agreeing with me has only stalled my plans! I’ll be back soon, enjoy the new Spire of Lies!” And with that, the eyes disappeared.

You tried the door but it was locked, windows were as well. Had he… trapped you…? Imprisoned you…? Or was this merely a waiting place for what was about to come? It didn’t matter anymore. You eventually sat down in your familiar chair, sighing. Your room was reconstructed back to exactly how you had it in your early days at the Spire. Although, you were a bit disappointed it didn’t have your most current stuff. You couldn’t blame him though; he at least tried to remember what it looked like. It wasn’t like he could see what it was like before it got destroyed.

Speaking of… Did he reconstruct the Spire? Had it been rebuilt!? You let out a small laugh. Oh, how happy you were that your pride and joy was back in business. But something was off, paranoia creeped in through every crack in the walls. Shadow Milk had called it the ‘Spire of Lies’, oh, how of COURSE he had to rebrand this tower to his new ways.

“Son of a bitch…” You huffed.

Things happened all too fast. Your thoughts spiraled, walking back and forth in a trance of sorts didn’t calm you down either. You ultimately decided to read some of your old books for the hundredth time. Time passed quickly and the book was finished in less than 3 hours.

---------------------

“Daaarrrliiiiinnnggg!~ I’m hoooooome!” That annoying voice spoke outside your door.

You threw the book you were reading at the door, “GO AWAY!”

Shadow Milk Cookie entered after unlocking the door, “How could I possibly stay away when someone like you is right behind a door?” His air of theatrics was x10 now.

“It’s called giving people space. You should really try that someday.” You huffed, standing up from your armchair.

“But what if I don’t wanna?” He placed his heeled shoe on the book near the door.

“Don’t put your shoes on my book either.” You knelt down, attempting to take it out from under his shoe.

“You threw it at me, what’s to say I can’t have it?” He held a shit-eating grin, only placing more pressure on the book.

You stood up, sighing in annoyance, “You know what? Fuck it, I don’t care. Take it.” You stomped back over to your chair, plopping down on it.

“Awh, I thought you would put up more of a fight.” Shadow Milk used a spell to levitate the book, he didn’t even have to touch it to flip through the pages, “Guess you got boring after this long.”

“I-I didn’t get ‘boring,’ I just matured. Unlike you I see. You only grew more childish.” You crossed your arms.

In an instant, he was floating over you, “ME!? CHILDISH!!?? Oh-ho-ho! How wrong you are!”

Just by observing him, you could tell he was trying to hold back from hurting you. At least he knew common decency.

“Prove it.”

Shadow Milk Cookie stopped from his rage, being put on the spot, “Uhhh…”

You were definitely amused; it was your turn for the shit-eating grin now. You watched him stammer, trying to think of different ways to prove that he was still mature.

“I… I don’t know how to prove it…” He directed his gaze away from you.

“Why not?”

“I just… Dunno.” He huffed.

You thought for a moment, then disturbed the silence, “Why am I stuck here?”

The eyes in his hair looked at you for 2 seconds, then the iris’s turned into hearts, “So that I cannot be separated from you again!” He growled at what he was about to say, “If I ever got… sealed again…” He stopped floating and just stood in front of you, “You would come with me!” A chuckle escaped him.

“…What…?”

“You heard me!” Shadow Milk Cookie took a strand of your hair, twisting it slowly.

“Hahahahaha…” You tried laughing to cope. ‘No, that must be false… Why would I believe the Beast of DECEIT when it could be a lie? But then again, it is something he would do…’

While you slightly dissociated, Shadow Milk Cookie climbed onto your lap. He placed his head in the crook of your neck and wrapped his arms around your torso. It was his best attempt to comfort. It didn’t help much, but it felt comfy, like a weighted blanket or something. He tried rubbing circles on your back or giving small pecks on your chin.

During one of your almost insane-like-laughs, you started sobbing. You gripped onto Shadow Milk for dear life. Some of his basically-alive hair wrapped around you. You two stayed like that until you eventually passed out.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O

‘Poor dear, cried themselves to sleep.’ Shadow Milk Cookie stared at your resting face.

Picking you up gently, he carried you over to your bed. With a snap of his fingers, you were in your pajamas. He grabbed a blanket and tucked you in.

“Hmm…” He didn’t even think for 3 seconds before snapping himself into a similar pajama set.

He chuckled lightly as he tucked himself in beside you, ‘I haven’t done this in so long. It’s very comfortable.’

Shadow Milk snuggled right up. His favorite spot was right on your neck. Hair sprawled everywhere and limbs hugging you. The Bringer of Happiness must’ve blessed him as he held a warm smile.

“Good night… my last truth…” He laid a kiss on your forehead and attempted to sleep.

[ndoesart]

The Mask of Knowledge

Game: Cookie Run: Kingdom

Relationship: Shadow Milk Cookie x You, Fount of Knowledge x You

Chapter: 8

Chapter Word Count: 5,186

Warnings: Angst, Fluff, War, tad of Yandere

A/N: This chapter took surprisingly long from my last post. (5d ago.) I didn't know what direction to take. Did I want to do a major plot point in this story or extend it a bit more.... You'll see what I chose once you read it haha. Enjoy!

Chapter 1: here

Chapter 8: Crumbling Tower

“Where is Light Grape Cookie?” You crossed your arms and huffed, “I haven’t seen him in the past few months. Where. Is. He?” You confronted Candy Apple Cookie in the middle of a hallway.

She was very nervous, squeaking out a response, “H-He’s just been extra busy lately!”

“And doing what?”

“Uhm… I’m not too s-sure, but the big boss man has been needing him a lot more.” Candy Apple Cookie thought of a lie, but a bit of truth in it though.

You scoffed, leaving behind Candy Apple Cookie in the hallway. You stormed upstairs to the top of the Spire.

Threats of war had been looming over the Spire. Cookies were desperate for answers, and they only knew of one place to gain the knowledge of how to survive. You however have been getting a lot more irritated as of late. The Fount had been growing distant from you. Candy Apple Cookie wasn’t the same girl you knew, speaking of lies and deceit. Light Grape Cookie has either slipped your mind or he has gone missing. And the unease was making your paranoia no better than before. Staff were quitting their jobs, being sent to a mental hospital, or just disappearing. For the few that went insane, it was quite a freight. You saw one once, it haunted you.

The poor lad was shaking, rocking himself on the ground. He was rambling on about different topics. His eyes were fluttering, looking all over the room quickly as if something were about to quickly come out and scare him. You had tried to calm him down but with every step you took, he yelled at you.

“DON’T COME NEAR! THE GOD WITH A THOUSAND EYES SHALL SEAL YOUR FATE TOO!” He finally spoke a complete sentence.

“What…? Whom are you referring too?” You tried to clarify.

The lad started mumbling again, “Eyes… Eyes that will see right through you… See the poor weak person that I am…”

You ultimately decided to call the hospital after another hour he did that.

------------

You weren’t too sure what powers were involved or who was going against who. But when the Fount couldn’t answer Cookie’s questions, they would come to you… Basically a librarian with extra responsibilities. You tried to redirect them to where they could possibly learn about war, learn Earthbread history. But they all left unsatisfied and angry. Angry at the Fount, You, and themselves.

When seeing the Fount, he would either be preoccupied with work, or just blatantly ignoring you. Even after all of his duties (which you schedule yourself daily) he still wouldn’t come around to having a small conversation. He would lock himself at the top of the Spire, sealing off the entrance at the top of the staircase. You couldn’t even visit the balcony, the one you and Fount had enjoyed together.

Your heart ached. People were slowly pushing you away. And regular Cookies held only hatred for you. Is this what the Fount of Knowledge feels…? When you couldn’t deliver the truth, knowledge, and disappoint everyone? Even Cookies close to you barely held contact with you anymore. When did all this start…?

--------

The Fount’s door had been unlocked. You didn’t save for the formalities of knocking; you had questions that needed to be answered.

“Where is Light Grape Cookie?” You slammed the door open.

Books fell from desks and bookshelves, definitely startling The Fount. He quickly picked them up and placed them on his desk, “You could have knocked you know.” He walked around his desk to stand in front of it.

“Where is he?” You crossed your arms yet again.

“Out on an errand. Now could you please leave? I have work to do.” He was a little rude when annoyed as of late.

“That’s all everyone says lately. Threats of war are becoming dire and I don’t wish to risk his safety over some small errands.” You walked right up to him. “If you really need help that badly, just ask me! I am much more replace-“ You were quickly interrupted.

He stiffened, then taking hold of your head in his hands, lightly brushing his finger over your cheek, “No. No you are not. I can assure you that I would never send you or anyone else on a task so dangerous that it would risk fatality. You are not replaceable and I ask of you not to think of yourself in that way.” The Fount had a look of worry; his eyes held a minor glimpse of tenderness.

He gently grabbed your hand, brushing his lips over the back of your hand, “I care for you too much to allow myself to purposefully send you into danger.”

You looked in a different direction, a blushing mess, “W-What’s with the gentleman theatrics now…?” You held your opposite hand over your mouth.

“Simply reassuring you, dear. War may be coming, but the Spire is the safest place from it all. Light Grape Cookie is simply gathering intelligence.” He kept hold of your hand, placing his other one on your back, “If I ever needed to up the protocols and safety of the Spire, that’s where it would come in handy.” He swayed the two of you gently in a mini dance.

You simply followed his steps. It was nice talking to him for a lengthier conversation, the touches of affection certainly appeased you.

“I hope these are all just rumors to scare one another.” You clutched his chest, balling up some of his robe, “I have never experienced war before but I can only imagine the pain and suffering. Have you ever experienced it in your long-lived lifetime?” You looked up at him for answers.

“Yes… Although they were minor feuds and was resolved in mere weeks. It’s a frightening experience for us both, to have to suffer one of Earthbread’s first great wars. I assure you that I can keep you safe if the worst does come to pass. Keep you right in the Spire, build up defenses…” He hummed, placing his head in the crook of your neck, still swaying. He mumbled something that you couldn’t quite tell what he said.

You were… Conflicted… The Fount had repeated multiple times of your safety, but what of others? Isn’t there a way that he could speak with whichever power was threatening war? He could offer insight; explain why it was wrong. But the way he worded it seemed like it was inevitable. Might as well enjoy the peaceful moments while it lasts. You would think about it later.

You two stayed just like that for almost 10 minutes. Slowly waltzing around the room, enjoying the other’s presence. That is until you heard rapid banging.

“Sir! Open up!”

The Fount quickly let go of you, rushing over to the door and opening it, “Yes?”

It was Light Grape Cookie, although in a darker attire. He held different scrolls, books, and eager information that needed to be shared.

“I’ll leave you two to discuss whatever you need.” You had decided to trust the Fount’s words and pray that it would be alright.

As you walked past Light Grape Cookie, he mumbled something along with your name. It didn’t sound like anything good, but you had duties to attend to and was feeling in a good mood.

----------------------------------

BANG!!

That was all you have been hearing for the past 2 weeks. Different frequencies of large sounds, the occasional sway of the Spire that you were almost certain felt like earthquakes. When all this started, The Fount had given a choice to all the staff: Stay or leave. You knew of this as you were the one who organized the release of their duties. You had to fill out the release forms of every single one of them. It was just you, The Fount, and the empty hallways of the Spire. Witches-knows what happened to Light Grape Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie. You haven’t seen them in ages, you only prayed for their safety along with everyone else.

The Fount had been extra busy as of late. He didn’t have any more meetings as no Cookie in the right mind would venture out in a warzone just to ask questions. Either way, he closed down the Spire so a trip out would be useless. He often left you alone in the Spire, when asked why, he always told you “Negotiations.” As long he was trying to help solve the problem, you didn’t mind the new feeling of loneliness.

Staying in your room most of the time, you listened to the grandfather clock swing back and forth, clicking every second. But most of the time you took up everyone else’s duties and took care of the Spire as you normally would. Except for making things all prim and proper as if you would have hordes of Cookies coming here.

The cycle repeated.

You woke up, ate breakfast, waved goodbye to the Fount, picked up the small things in the Spire, lay in your bed staring at the ceiling, eat again, sleep.

You had tried picking up different hobbies. Writing, journalism, art, etc. With the abundance of paint in the tower, you tried different paintings with different styles. They all looked absolutely terrible. Journalism became boring as you wrote about the same things you did in your day every time. Writing didn’t help either, non-fiction books were already in surplus in the countless libraries. Fiction seemed to help for a bit, but the creativity dimmed down after a while. Gardening became boring. Your potted plants barely grew after months of waiting.

Naps. You often took those. It seemed to pass your day quickly enough. Destruction was all you heard, all day. No matter how soundproof the Spire was, it could never block the sounds. Eventually after almost 4 straight months from when it started, you got used to the sound.

Sorting out feelings became your go-to habit when indecisive of what hobby to do. You clarified what your stance was on almost everything. Every topic, every building, every… person? You couldn’t say EVERY person. You didn’t know what to take from your relationship with Fount. Were you just friends? Were you close to lovers? Friends with minor benefits? Simply Co-Workers with a close bond? You didn’t quite know.

----------------------

You had just eaten breakfast, a simple toast. The next part of your day was waving off Fount. It was an almost daily thing, you walked to the front entrance of the Spire, albeit a little early from his departure time.

After some… heavy… thought, you would attempt something. Something that you probably would regret if the feelings weren’t there.

“Ah, hello darling!” The Fount was at the other end of the hallway, slightly waving with a smile.

Over the past 4 months of his excursions, you noticed his attire got more casual. At first, he had his usual gold and dark blue robes, eventually it got to the point of a scholar about to go to class. You slightly giggled at your own thought. Why not name the differences in outfits with his own titles? His gold and dark blue robes would be his ‘Fount of Knowledge’ outfit, his more casual one would be ‘Sage of Truth’ and that little jester version you made months ago would be ‘Milk Cookie.’

The Sage of Truth quickly walked up to your side, “Seems like you are early for something that isn’t planned. I don’t suppose you are that eager to send me off, eh?” He dramatically leaned back with his hand on his forehead, “Oh, how hurt I am! To have my most trusted partner wish for me to leave into a warzone! How rude!” He chuckled.

You giggled, “No, no, of course I don’t. In fact, if you weren’t doing something important to stop this whole thing, I would have just made you stay here and be lonely with me, TOGETHER.” You quickly adapted to his air of theatrics, dramatizing your own words and hand movements, “But, eyes on the prize!” You smiled.

For the first part of your sentence, he looked elsewhere. But by then end he was smiling along with you, “Oh what a shame! To be forcefully happy!” He grabbed your left hand with both of his hands.

Now was the time, “Well then, if I give you a gift will you do your work better? You need motivation to keep pushing forward, I don’t wish to spend my years in a war for that long y’know.”

“That depends on what the gift is, dear. My work doesn’t come for free.” He had that joking smile.

You simply hummed, taking your hand out of his, he seemed a little disappointed from that.

Well, you are already in the situation now, courage, don’t fail you now.

You grabbed his face; he lowered his head for you. You stared him in the eyes for a solid minute, gathering the confidence. Pulling his face in quickly, you kissed him. He gasped from the sudden movement, but after realizing what was happening, he leaned into the kiss. Taking small breaths every once in a while, he kept returning for more like a touch-starved animal. After a bit, you two finally pulled back.

“I… I don’t know what to say…” He was blue-er than a blueberry.

‘Yep, yep, yep, yep, the feelings are there, THE FEELINGS ARE THERE.’ You internally screamed.

“S-Sufficient enough of a gift…?” You squeaked out.

He quickly picked you up, spinning the two of you, “A wonderous gift!” Sage’s smile hadn’t shone so bright in a while.

You leaned your forehead on his, “Now I trust that you’ll do your end?”

He quickly nodded, setting you back down, “Yup!”

“Alright, alright, now go before you potentially miss a meeting or something. I don’t want to have the blame of you being late.” You had a playful ‘confrontation’ act.

The Sage had left happy.

-----------------------------------

After that day, it seemed to turn into a daily habit… or one that was asked of anyway. A wave goodbye, a quick kiss, a peck on the cheek, any sort of affection before he left. Always leaving happy.

Another habit he somehow gained was spending time with you before bed. You two would talk about anything and everything, explore deeper into your newfound hobbies, get taught the occasional thing or two, but it all ended up with you two falling asleep together. Did he have his own bed? Yes. Did he sleep in it beforehand? No. Did he like your bed? It was the same as his. Did he only ‘sleep’ because of you? Most likely. You had almost no room on the bed. You moved? He moved with you. You turned away from him? It was big spoon and little spoon.

If it weren’t for the circumstances of the world, it would have been much more enjoyable. You did however notice that after your ‘surprise gift,’ the noises outside calmed down. Perhaps Fount was able to convince the power to use less violence? Either way, the bursts of quietness was a blessing. You were able to actually focus on your work.

------------

All good things must come to an end.

(A/N: FYI this takes place two months after the last scene.)

The Fount didn’t arrive back at the Spire in quite some time. It had been almost a full week. Food supply was getting low without his usual restocking. You had already assumed the worst.

‘Was he caught in the crossfire? Has he been captured by the enemy?’ Thoughts circled you endlessly.

There was only one way to find out. You had to go out into that warzone yourself to ask. Speaking of, ever since his disappearance, it had grown quiet. No large noises, no noises of gunfire, nothing. Did he finally do it? Convince both parties involved to stop this war? Was it finally over!?

You had gathered up supplies, food, clothing, and other little trinkets and books. The nearest village was a whole days’ worth of a walk.

Villagers were wary of you. You still dressed in your Spire work uniform. For the very few that would talk to you, they all pointed to the Faerie Kingdom. So, that would be your next stop… after you rested in a lodge of course.

Survival tactics you were never good at. The slightest crunch of a twig would scare the daylights out of you. Starting a fire at your mini camp was a hassle, you wanted to do it with a simple spell but you convinced yourself that you would do it the hard way. Cooking food was fine after almost an hour of starting a fire. Compared to your comfortable blankets and sheets of your bed, the ground was stiff as a rock. The Earthy smell would certainly stay on you until your next shower.

A barrier. That’s what surrounded the Faerie Kingdom. It was certainly a complex spell, but it was taught in the very last classes you attended. You knew how to get around one of these, find the weak point in it. If you were careful, you wouldn’t shatter the whole barrier. If you were in a rush, that’s when even it’s weakest point would be built like a brick wall. You had felt around the barrier until your arm fell into it, you found it. Slowly but carefully, you pulled it back like a curtain and entered.

It was beautiful. A large Silver Tree was planted in the middle of it all, houses were all around, although a bit small. Faerie Cookie’s flew above your head, some were in groups constructing buildings, some were just walking around. It was a very nice village. But you needed information regarding The Fount.

You tapped a Faerie on the shoulder, “H-Hello, uhm… Might I ask where is your leader? I need to speak with them.”

The significant height difference didn’t help their freight, but an outlander getting past their new barrier? That was something to be worried about. If you could get in, who says that others couldn’t either?

Noticing their freight, you clarified, “Oh! I am of no danger haha. I can’t even kill a bug! I assure you that I am only here for some answers and information.”

They nodded, quickly skipping off. You followed close behind. The deeper you ventured into the kingdom, the more festivities you saw. You couldn’t blame them, half a year of war had finally ended. The two of you had finally ended up on the opposite side of the Silver Tree, a large hut that had much more elegance than the rest stood there.

“You’ll have to go through multiple guards but this is the place you are looking for.” The Faerie spoke with next to no emotion.

“Entirely fine, thank you!” You nearly ran over to the hut.

“I ask of you to stop in the name of the King!” A guard blocked your path with his spear.

The same line and same procedure had been taken for every door you approached. You had to explain your reasonings again… and again… and again… The final door was no different, it seemed as if the Faerie King designed his security with a plan; if one guard couldn’t stop an intruder, there would be countless others there to help.

But the door finally opened, revealing an elderly Faerie at his desk. Walking in seemed no different from walking into the Fount’s office.

“Hello there, I was expecting you.” The Faerie King offered the chair in front of his desk, “Please, sit. I insist.”

Nodding, you did as told, “How were you… expecting me…?”

“Few others have come for the exact same thing as you have.” He gently smiled.

You tilted your head, wanting him to explain further.

“First and foremost, I am Elder Faerie Cookie. It is a pleasure to meet you.” He extended his hand.

You shook his hand and said your name.

“Who are the others? What do you mean? I have so many questions if you don’t mind.” You were eager to just spill every aching question you had.

“The companions of the other Virtues. Pavlova Cookie, Cloud Haetae Cookie, Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire. I haven’t seen the others yet.” He chuckled lightly, “Which Virtue are you here for so I can add it to my list?” He quickly pulled out a notebook from a drawer.

“The Fount of Knowledge.”

He quickly jotted it down, “That’s three of you now…” He mumbled the next part, “Just how many followers does this Beast have?”

“Beast?” You inquired.

“Ah- Yes, the Beasts. You’ve heard of them, haven’t you? They’re the ones who started this damn war.” Elder Faerie Cookie put away the notebook.

“I haven’t. I have been staying in the Spire during the entirety of the war. I tried inquiring which powers started what with the Fount bu-“

“The Fount of Knowledge was by far the most destructive in the war. He called himself ‘Shadow Milk Cookie’ while ensuing chaos.” Elder Faerie Cookie interrupted you.

“What…?” This was new knowledge to you.

“Seems he hid a large secret from you. I do wonder as to how he did it. Allow me to fetch a photograph that a citizen took of him.” He quickly exited the room.

One of the worst punishments by far was leaving a Cookie alone in a room with their own thoughts. What did he mean…? The Fount was only trying to negotiate peace, right? Was Elder Faerie Cookie lying? Or was the Sage of TRUTH lying…? You didn’t know who to believe. Elder Faerie also mentioned Candy Apple Cookie, but who was Black Sapphire Cookie? Did Light Grape Cookie change his name after the war? Was he too ashamed of his old one after everything that happened? What happened to them?

“Our first developed colored photo, and of a Beast at that. Not great history if you asked me.” Elder Faerie Cookie placed an envelope in front of you.

You came for the truth, knowledge of what happened to the Fount. If there was any time to learn, it was now. You hesitantly reached for it, opening it as slow as you can. There it was… Your little jester puppet turned Cookie. The Fount- No, Shadow Milk Cookie held puppeteering crosses, and cookies were held up by their necks with strings. Blue and black flames scorched the surrounding areas.

Tears formed in your eyes, was this really him…? You covered your mouth with your hand, hoping to cover up some emotion, “Is this… Him…?”

Elder Faerie Cookie laid a hand on your shoulder, “It pains me to say this, but yes.”

You desperately wanted to bawl your eyes out, but you were in front of basically royalty. You bit your lip, choking down your sobs.

“D-Do you mind if I keep this?” You quietly asked.

“Not at all. If anything, I’m glad you are taking it off our hands. I wish for the first colored photograph to be of something joyous. Perhaps a festivity. The Faerie Kingdom is holding a long festival to celebrate the sealing of the Beasts if you would like to join.” Elder Faerie Cookie circled around his desk to the window behind it, staring outside.

“Sealed?” You tucked the image in your duffel bag of supplies.

“Ah, yes… With the help of the witches, they used their god-like forks to seal them. It had created the Silver Tree in the middle of the kingdom. If the destruction of the half-a-god Virtues continued, I fear there would no longer be any Earthbread to speak of.”

It was a lot to take in all at once, but you digested it, “I… Thank you, for everything I mean. For guarding something so dangerous, for closure, everything.”

“It was not a problem at all. If anything, the companions of the Beast’s must have taken quite the mental toll after this, to know that the one they devoted themselves to would corrupt into evil…” He sighed, “I hope you don’t fall into corruption alongside him; you are very nice to talk to.”

“…” You didn’t say anything in return, you just left.

The walk to the Silver Tree was a slow, dreadful one. Each step feeling as if you were dragging a chain and ball with you. This new knowledge was overwhelming you. You stared at the photo the entire way. There was no mistake that this ‘Shadow Milk Cookie’ was your Fount. The details lined up. What did make you laugh is that he stole your design. Couldn’t come up with his own, eh? Had to take your little puppet version of him and turn it into his Corrupted self.

You finally arrived at the Silver Tree. You were there just to have closure, say your final goodbyes, and move on with life.

You placed your hand on its smooth bark, “What a liar you were… You lied to me, to regular Cookies, to your friends, but most importantly to yourself. Why would you do this? What did they do to you? We could have sorted things out together if things bothered you that much! I know you questioned if ‘Truth’ was really your Virtue, but now I cannot believe that title anymore. Sage of Truth, Fount of Knowledge… How about Sage of Lies? Or perhaps the Beast of Deceit? I’m sorry Shadow Milk Cookie, but what you did was cruel and unjustified. I don’t think I can forgive you after what you have done.” The bottled-up tears finally released, “I can’t say I don’t love you anymore, because that would be a lie. I’m not afraid to admit my emotions, my thoughts, unlike you had.”

You sat down, leaning your forehead against the tree, quiet sobs escaped you. You stayed just like that for a solid minute before standing back up again.

“I’m sorry, but this…” You sighed, “Is my final goodbye. I wish you luck and redemption.”

You started your trek back to the Spire, emotions swirling in your head and chest. Elder Faerie Cookie watched the whole deal, but never spoke up. He allowed you for one last speech, one last goodbye.

o-O-o-O-o

Chains and a cage constricted his movements, the other Virtues were in the same predicament. Shadow Milk Cookie was enraged, using every ounce of his power to attempt to escape. Burning Spice Cookie was trying the exact same tactic but neither of them made any progress.

“It is of no use. We are stuck here for an indefinite time.” Mystic Flour Cookie commented.

“You don’t know that dear Misty~ I believe one of our faithful servants shall find a way to break us out of here.” Eternal Sugar Cookie remarked.

“If anything, I doubt one of them will even have the knowledge of how to do so. That is unless the Fount of Knowledge had trained one of his lackeys in the art of capturing.” Silent Salt stared straight at Shadow Milk Cookie.

“I’m sure ONE of them shall find a way!” He was albeit a little too confident in his remaining 3 servants, you, Black Sapphire, and Candy Apple. “Although I don’t have much faith in one of them.” He clearly meant Candy Apple Cookie.

“WHY. WONT. THESE. CHAINS. BREAK!!??” Burning Spice Cookie tried again and again to break himself free.

“They’re blessed by the Witches themselves you dumbass. I realized that after I couldn’t even put a scratch in them.” Shadow Milk Cookie huffed.

“Oh, how am I supposed to bring happiness to the Cookies of Earthbread now?” Eternal Sugar Cookie whined, “They should all be kept safe in my garden.”

It had been almost 2 weeks; Shadow Milk Cookie was surprised that the other Beasts hadn’t lost their will to leave yet. Him and Silent Salt Cookie seemed to already have given up on it. Shadow Milk Cookie summoned the occasional crayon and drew on his cage, they were all mini drawings of you.

“What do you even keep drawing anyway that keeps you so entertained? I must ask as it might bring me some joy too.” Eternal Sugar Cookie’s cell was hanging right next to his.

“My love.”

“You had a lover?” She inquired.

He simply nodded, trying to draw out your facial features, “They’re still out there. I don’t know what has happened to them.”

“Aren’t you worried that they will die during our confinement? To never say that one last goodbye on their deathbed, oh, what a depressing thought.” She fluttered her wings.

“I cursed them a year ago with immortality. Even if they get a wound fatal to a normal Cookie, they would survive it. That is unless they get struck by a god of sorts, one shot from them and it’s over.” Shadow Milk didn’t mind the small talk as long as it wasn’t invasive.

“I suppose that would make sense. Do you have any little memorabilia of them? I have an arrow still from Pavlova Cookie.” Eternal Sugar pulled out a small looking arrow from out of her robes.

Shadow Milk Cookie finally looked up at her, dropping the crayon, “I do… Do you wish to see it…?”

“Of course.”

Shadow Milk Cookie often stuck small miscellaneous items in his hair, even as the Fount he would. That’s where he hid your little puppets you made of him. He gently took them out and showed them to her.

“Puppets. We were having a tea party and making puppets. I made a portrait and they made these little drawings of me. It’s where I got the inspiration for my outfit.”

“Awh, how cute!” Eternal Sugar Cookie was just looking for small entertainment, not to develop a closer bond with Shadow Milk so she quickly dropped the conversation, talking to a different Beast.

If the occasional Faerie stood a little too close to the Silver Tree, the Beasts could hear them. Although most of them ignored it, Shadow Milk Cookie had keen ears and always loved hearing the newest and latest gossip… The Faeries mostly talked about reconstructing buildings or different festivities. This time, he heard your voice.

Your speech was loud and clear to him. You accused him of being the bad guy, the villain.

The m̷̤̙̞̦͓͕̐͛̓̉̍͑͋̔̕͘o̸͔͎̥̘̍͛̂͌̇̔̾̃͋̀͂̌͒̕̚n̵̨̺̘̯̟̑̀̔̓͌͊̕͝͠ş̷̖̮͚̪̓̽̀͘t̷̨̪̥͖͍̹̖͂̓͐͘ȩ̴̥̘̻̙͎̞̱̱͉̩̐̿̒̎͛̽́͐̉͆̍̌͊ŗ̷̟̱͓̼̯̖̻̖̎͊̿̂̀̏̍̿̊.̷͇͚͉̒̍̄̍̾͐́̾͝

“WAIT, DON’T GO! DON’T LEAVE ME HERE, PLEASE!” Shadow Milk Cookie used anything in his power to get closer to where you were.

The chains burned his very dough with the amount of mana he used, “Don’t leave me, don’t leave me, don’t leave me, DON’T LEAVE ME!” He was bawling, grasping at an invisible border between a prison and a kingdom.

“I’m sorry, but this…” You sighed, “Is my final goodbye. I wish you luck and redemption.”

“NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!”

“That’s enough Shadow Milk Cookie! You cannot escape from here. Your past companions may visit but you need to get over them.” Silent Salt Cookie commanded.

Shadow Milk didn’t listen at all to him, he focused his hearing on your receding footsteps, walking in a different direction than him. When he couldn’t hear you anymore, he let out a loud scream.

[anemiaman]

Visit Original Link

[anemiaman]

I DIDNT CHECK TH E SONG FULLY BEFORE POSTING THIS I FUCKED UP

[anemiaman]

congratulations!!! through doubt, you have unlocked backstory!!!

imagine, if you will, innocent, overly-trusting me listening to the mario galaxy ost and getting to the honeyhive galaxy theme, and thinking “wow! this song would go great with a pokemon walking gif!”

a brilliant idea! i immediately search up the song, and oh, how naive i was.

the third result is very official-looking!! a perfect candidate for a quick youtube rip–it’s just a meme, it won’t hurt anybody.

the first few second autoplay, and it seems legit! i quickly copy the url and download the file, then make the post

at this point, i haven’t seen the gif along with the song i’d intended to put with it, so i have a listen!!

and let me tell you, the surprise i got,

[beep-beepster]

this is now rowlet’s theme

[i-am-a-fish]

there’s something really special about finding an old post you remember and seeing it has several new additions. it’s like aw, the post grew up :)

[stardust-frog]

was not expecting that

[halcyonsalvus]

Fount of Knowledge NSFW Alphabet

MINORS OR AGELESS BLOGS DO NOT INTERACT

Ageless blogs, please put your age in the bio or I will have to block you. This is already becoming a problem. 😓 if you have a privacy concern you could at the least add a vague 18+

feeding all the people thirsting for this flavor of smc, there is never enough nsfw for him </3 enjoy the food.

Written before Beast-Yeast Episode 14, I will update if there’s anything that contradicts his character. I’m also open to feedback, I’m still trying to get a grasp of his personality! I hope that I’ve done him justice so far. This is my first public post.

More proof-skimmed than proofread, my bad if there are mistakes!

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

It’s most likely that he’s the one needing aftercare, as he not only has low stamina by default, but he’s almost always stressed from the pressure of his position as the Fount of Knowledge.

Just small talk and cuddles would be enough for him, but he’ll be head over heels if you do get him snacks, a drink, or shower with him afterwards.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Fount’s favorite part about his own body is definitely his mouth. It has so many different uses besides being his tool for sharing knowledge! He loves using it to go down on you, and if he’s comfortable enough (or if you’re fucking him hard enough), he’ll moan nice and loud for you <3

If you have boobs, they would be his favorite body part of yours. They’re comfy pillows, amazing stressballs, and they make you feel good if he touches or sucks on them!

If you don’t have boobs, then his favorite body part of yours would be your hands. Hold his face gently and he’ll melt right into them. Or hold his hands while you ride or fuck him and watch him get more visibly flustered and aroused.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Fount’s cum is thick, creamy, and abundant, from how pent up he often is. Has a faint taste of blueberries.

He doesn’t have a preference for cumming inside or outside of you, it’s on you either way and that’s enough for him. On the other hand, when you’re topping, he does prefer that you cum inside of him. He likes to carry a bit of you inside of himself when he’s too busy to see you during the day.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

Fount loves to talk during sex. It doesn’t even have to be dirty talk, he loves talking to you no matter what you both are doing. For him, there’s always so much to talk about or to catch up on. It may be somewhat awkward asking how his day has been while he’s balls deep inside of you (or the other way around), but it’s actually the best opportunity he has to talk with only you, and no interruptions. The only other times he does get to have you to himself would be if he snuck out on a date with you, but he can’t always do that when cookies constantly need him to guide or advise them on their daily lives or problems.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

We know how lonely he is and how most cookies view him with some level of contempt or doubt. With how frustrated he is with the other cookies, it’s likely that sex was the last thing on his mind as well.

But just because he was a lonely virgin before meeting you doesn’t mean that he has a few tricks up his sleeve — he’s known as the Fount of Knowledge, after all. ;)

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Missionary most of the time; he likely doesn’t get much of an opportunity to see your face, because of how busy he is with answering the questions of many curious cookies.

But he doesn’t mind the intimacy and closeness of spooning either.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

Fount is dead serious for the first few times you do the deed, but he gradually loosens up as he realizes that he can be more vulnerable with you and you aren’t as judgmental or critical over what he does as other cookies would be. He would become more comfortable expressing himself and being more silly if you would joke and play around as well.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Curly, blue, and speckled with stars. He doesn’t shave, but he does keep himself well-trimmed.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Definitely has a heavy preference for love-making over fucking; it reminds him that he’s more than just a tool, more than an encyclopedia for cookies.

He’s always romantic with you in some way if he’s topping. He doesn’t want to scare you away — he wants to make sure that you know how much he does cherish you and your relationship. He also needs you to reciprocate that — it doesn’t matter if you’re topping or bottoming — he needs the reminder that you do love him for more than just the sexual gratification he provides for you.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

Fount feels incredibly ashamed of himself when he does feel the need to touch himself — sometimes, the fear of anyone catching him in such a vulnerable, depraved state is enough to make him forget about his arousal in the first place. He needs a private place where he cannot be interrupted before he can even think of masturbation.

He has masturbated before meeting you, but it was more out of curiosity or for quick relief than for sexual pleasure.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Fount is very experimental and open for trying any kinks as long as it doesn’t physically or mentally harm him or you.

However, he would prefer you bringing any up instead of him. He’s too embarrassed to talk about his own kinks. You’re going to have to figure out what gets him off the best through trial and error.

He’s generally more submissive. He decides things for cookies every day, and he needs a break from that — letting you take the lead allows him to wind down.

I’ll elaborate further about his kinks in a future separate post. Here’s the list for now:

- Overstimulation (giving/receiving)

- Bondage (giving/receiving)

- Praise (lean towards receiving)

- Body worship (lean towards receiving)

- Roleplaying

- Sensory deprivation (lean towards receiving)

Fount may have some interest in more extreme kinks (ones that may require a safeword), but they aren’t really on his mind until he’s at his breaking point and he corrupts into the Shadow Milk we know and love.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Sex is very special and intimate to him. He prefers to keep it in the bedroom, where neither of you can ever be bothered or interrupted.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

Fount is very big on praise. It means so much to him, even a simple good boy can get him off or raise his confidence.

He also loves to hear your noises, it’s proof that he is pleasuring you properly.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

No degradation towards Fount, he already struggles enough with his self-esteem. He doesn’t mind doing it to you if you ask him and ensure him several times that you’ll be fine, though.

No hitting him either unless you’ve discussed in detail before trying it. An occasional spank or tap is fine, but he’s rather frail and he’s already letting his guard down during sex. Don’t betray his trust.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Fount prefers pleasing you first. Talking is not the only thing his mouth is good at~

It doesn’t matter what you have down there. He’s going to devour you either way. He does have a gag reflex though, so let him take you in at his own pace.

He won’t ask for it, but he does love it when you return the favor by eating him out or sucking him off.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Fount prefers slow and sensual sex if possible. He wants to savor his time with you and make the most of it. It feels much more intimate that way.

He doesn’t mind the occasional fast or rough sex if he manages to get into the mood for it (when he feels like playing around with kinks) and only if you’re up for it as well.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

It’s convenient if you could find a place to do one, but he does prefer taking his sweet time and full sessions in the bedroom.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Anything that isn’t harmful to you or him is on the table, you only need to ask him about whatever it is first before trying anything.

Trying to do the deed anywhere outside of the bedroom or home though is another matter — you’ll have to convince him that neither of you will actually get caught. His reputation is already teetering on the edge with how many cookies doubt his words, he cannot afford being known as a pervert on top of that.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Fount would last two rounds max. He’s exhausted most of the time, and it doesn’t help that he’s naturally physically weak.

He’s calm and composing until you start cuddling up to him, kissing him, and praising him a lot, which arouses him and gets him to reach his orgasm easily. The more intimacy and displays of affection, the better. He really needs that love after having to deal with so many ungrateful and ignorant cookies every day.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He’s very experimental and curious by nature, so it wouldn’t be surprising that he can have a large variety of toys ranging from multipurpose ones such as vibrators, to more niche ones such as sounding rods. It’s mostly for you, but he doesn’t mind trying them on himself if you ask him to.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

If he’s in a playful mood, he could make you beg before he does anything to you. But typically, he’s quite generous with providing you pleasure — it’s much more rewarding for him to make you moan and get you off… for now. He may or may not grow a little more sadistic in the future.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Fount is naturally loud, but he’ll try and quiet himself with a pillow or with his own hand. However, if you keep encouraging him and assuring him that you don’t mind his noises, he’ll try his best to avoid hiding them.

If he’s topping, there will be the occasional sigh or grunt that slips. If he’s bottoming, his whines and whimpers are always inevitable, no matter how hard he tries to hide them.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Even if you don’t tell him much about your preferences or what you like, he will know and learn from his experiences with you. If he notices that you don’t react as much to a certain petname or area he touches, he’ll do it less. On the other hand, if he notices that you moan a little more or louder than usual upon doing something or if you get visibly more aroused, he will do what triggered it more often.

Fount is always experimenting with what seems to get the most positive reactions out of you. He’s constantly studying you, even in bed.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

The fun part is, he can be any size you prefer — he loves to make use of his ability to shapeshift. But naturally? He’s a modest 4.5” or so. He doesn’t really mind, having a big dick isn’t the most comfortable thing anyways; it’d be awkward in his usual outfit.

Bonus: When he has a cunt instead, he can also adjust its depth to accommodate for your size. His clit is long and big for you to rub and stroke if you want to give him extra pleasure. His insides are amazingly soft and velvety, like a fluffy, warm blanket, and he gets easily wet for you.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Fount’s sex drive is moderate; he does yearn for you, especially on days he hardly has the opportunity to see or speak with you, but sex doesn’t make up too much of your relationship; it’s only one of his many ways to bond with you and show his love for you.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

Fount easily falls asleep because of his low stamina, but he’ll likely force himself to stay awake to spend more time with you. You’ll have to gently remind him to rest and reassure him that you don’t mind if he needs sleep, or force him to sleep by also sleeping.

[fixated-cookies]

Haiii, I’ve been reading your rambles not to glaze but I think they’re very awesome!!

I’m really into the idea of a shy reader who’s into pet play!! Specifically dog,,like they have a bowl, their crate, and a collar with their owners name on it. But they are WAYY too shy to bring it up with PV and SMC. Let me cook for a moment but say reader is like putting on their collar in a room made for them, they have like a little dildo, and they’re infront of a mirror to see how the collar looks. Man they are turned ON by this, using the dildo like a pathetic dog, in walks SMC bc he’s lowkey always watching…but he is down to freak like this. He loves roleplay and even though he’s a cat person he likes dogs enough. PV comes in and they sort of bicker on how to treat a dog (nice or be extremely mean!!) SMC could cum…in the bowl…make reader eat it…PV could give a custom collar with his name that he requests reader to wear 24/7….

Uhh prosperity to you!! Happy new year!!!!

AHHHH this ask made me stop dead in my tracks. Lowkey kinda thinking about continuing it. hmmm.

You don’t hear the door open. You’re too far gone—on all fours, collar jingling, hips rocking as you rut on your toy in front of the mirror. Your cheeks are burning, eyes squeezed shut, little whimpers spilling out as you chase after that heat curling in your belly.

Then a shadow falls across you, and the world freezes.

“Well, well—” Shadow Milk Cookie’s voice is velvet and poison, and you flinch so hard the dildo slips out. You scramble, hands shaking, shame washing over you in a hot, choking wave.

“Didn’t realize I had a puppy in my castle,” he purrs, and you can hear the grin in his voice, see it in the sly gleam of his mismatched eyes. “And here you are, making a mess on the carpet. Oh, sweetheart, if you wanted attention that badly, you could’ve just barked.”

Your eyes prick with tears. It’s too much—caught like this, so vulnerable, so filthy. You try to hide your face with your hands, but Shadow Milk Cookie is on you in a heartbeat, crouching down with all the lazy grace of a predator. He tugs your collar, forcing your chin up.

“Aww, don’t hide now. You’re already on display. Besides, you look adorable when you’re desperate.” His voice softens for a heartbeat, almost gentle, before the next barb: “Never thought you’d have it in you. Or, well, in you—but I guess even the shy ones have their secrets.”

You barely have time to process Shadow Milk Cookie’s teasing before you hear another voice—a soft, startled gasp at the door.

“Wh-what’s… happening here?”

Pure Vanilla Cookie stands frozen, hand hovering over his mouth, face flushed a shade deeper than you’ve ever seen. For a heartbeat, he just stares—eyes wide, lips parted, the regal calm of the kingdom’s most beloved ruler utterly shattered.

Shadow Milk Cookie doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh, look who’s here,” he croons, still gripping your collar, “the king himself. Don’t be shy, your majesty. Seems our darling’s been keeping a very interesting secret.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s gaze flicks from Shadow Milk Cookie to you, to the toy discarded on the floor, then lingers—just for a moment—at the place between your legs. His blush only deepens, ears pink beneath his hair. For all his gentle grace, he can’t quite hide the way his breath hitches, or the subtle way his robes shift at the front, tented by something he can’t will away.

He tries to recover—tries for gentle composure, but his voice trembles as he kneels down beside you. “Are… are you hurt?” His fingers hover, careful and tender, barely brushing your cheek. He can’t quite meet your eyes.

Shadow Milk Cookie’s laugh is wicked, low. “Oh, they’re not hurt, unless you count dying of embarrassment. But don’t worry, I’ll take good care of our little pup. You can help, if you’re feeling brave enough.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie hesitates—torn between scandal and desire. He clears his throat, hands twitching in his lap, and you see the struggle in his eyes. He wants to comfort you, to shield you from humiliation. But there’s no hiding the thick tension in the air or the heat in his gaze.

He tries for kindness, voice soft, but so unsteady: “If… if this is what you want, you can tell us. You don’t have to be ashamed. You look… lovely, sweetheart.”

Shadow Milk Cookie only grins wider. “Don’t let the innocence fool you. They’ve got a wild side, too. And right now? You’re thinking all sorts of wicked things about them in that collar.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie ducks his head, mortified, but the evidence is plain—his own arousal straining against the fabric, his cheeks bright and glowing. “I—let’s… let’s just take care of you, puppy. You deserve to feel good. We can do this… together. Right, Shadow?”

Shadow Milk Cookie’s grip tightens on your collar, mismatched eyes glinting as he sneers. “See? This is what happens when you leave a puppy all alone. They get desperate, make a mess—and look at them now. Pathetic and adorable. They’re practically begging for someone to put them in their place.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie, still blushing furiously but with that classic, exasperated sigh, edges closer, folding his arms. “They wouldn’t have to do this if you weren’t always teasing them, Shadow. They need gentleness, not mockery. It’s not their fault they need attention—you know we’ve both been… busy lately.”

Shadow Milk Cookie laughs, flicking your collar like a bell. “Oh please, don’t act like you’re so innocent, Vanilla. I seem to recall a certain king who left them whimpering and empty last night because he had paperwork. You keep them caged, they’re bound to start acting out. This is just a cry for help.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s mouth falls open. “I—! That’s not—! You spent all afternoon locked away with them and your damn tricks, and you still left them unsatisfied. If anyone’s to blame, it’s you and your ‘games’. They need love, not… whatever you call this.”

Shadow Milk Cookie just rolls his eyes, but he’s smirking. “You call it love, I call it training. Dogs need discipline. And if they’re going to crawl around like this, they’d better get used to having their mouth put to proper use.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie glares, cheeks scarlet. “You are impossible! They need aftercare, not humiliation. Look at them—they’re trembling. They need to be held, praised, and maybe given a treat for being so brave.”

“Oh, I’ll give them a treat,” Shadow Milk Cookie purrs, voice filthy as sin, “but not the kind you mean, your majesty.”

Pure Vanilla Cookie actually huffs, trying to shield you with his cloak. “You’re incorrigible! They’re not a toy for your amusement, Shadow Milk. They’re ours. We’re supposed to take care of them—body and heart.”

Shadow Milk Cookie leans in, nose-to-nose with Pure Vanilla Cookie, grinning like the devil. “Maybe you should watch how it’s done, then. Let’s see which they like better, hmm?"

Shadow Milk Cookie’s gaze flickers past you, lands on the shiny dog bowl glinting in the corner. His lips curl, and he bursts out laughing—low, sharp, delighted. “Well, well, what’s this? Did our darling puppy set the table for themself too? Honestly, you’re making this too easy for me, sweetheart.”

He saunters over, picks up the bowl with one hand, and sets it in front of you, letting it clang against the floor for maximum effect. “Go on then. If you want to play the part, you’d better learn to eat like a good little dog.” His eyes flash, voice a purr. “I could even fill it for you, if you beg nicely.”

You’re burning up with embarrassment, the humiliation making you squirm harder—especially when Shadow Milk Cookie leans down, tilts your chin. “Bet you’d lap it all up, wouldn’t you? Might even have to make sure you get a real treat next time.”

Meanwhile, Pure Vanilla Cookie’s hands flutter in horror and concern. “Shadow! Don’t tease them so cruelly, they’re clearly overwhelmed—just look at them, they’re shaking!” He rushes to your side, manifesting a golden collar, the tag engraved with your name and his. “Here, little one. This is for you—something beautiful, so you know you belong. You deserve something precious, not… whatever Shadow’s plotting.”

Shadow Milk Cookie snickers, rolling his eyes. “Oh, Vanilla, you’re such a sap. They’re not going to break. Dogs need a firm hand. Isn’t that right, puppy?” He zips down his pants ominously.

Pure Vanilla Cookie gently fastens the gold collar around your neck, brushing your hair back with the softest touch. “Ignore him, sweetheart. You’re perfect as you are. If you want to be our puppy, you’ll be the most cherished one in the kingdom.”

And just like that, you’re caught in the tug-of-war—Shadow Milk Cookie smirking with wicked promise, Pure Vanilla Cookie soothing you with sweet nothings and golden gifts. You’re their adored, spoiled, and very much claimed little pet… and it’s only a matter of time before they decide together how you’ll be rewarded—or disciplined—next.

[fixated-cookies]

Not me imagining reader tying Pure Vanilla up to ensure all he can do is move his head, moan, and twitch whilst riding him because dang it they want to be the one to give him pleasure this time and the last time they tried to ride him to oblivion he ended up snapping and taking (gentle) control.

its been a while since I've written from him...omg i need to get on my zoom. Also I promise i'm not ignoring my askbox you guys i just have so many of them >_<

The Vanilla Kingdom’s private chambers were bathed in soft moonlight, the gauzy curtains stirring faintly with the night breeze. A single candle burned low on the bedside table, its flame steady and warm, casting gentle golden flickers across pale cream walls and the wide bed at the center of the room. The air carried the faint, comforting scent of vanilla orchids and clean linen—quiet, sacred, like the inside of a cathedral at dawn.

Pure Vanilla Cookie lay on his back in the middle of the bed, wrists bound above his head with lengths of pale silk ribbon you’d found among his ceremonial sashes. The knots were firm but gentle—tight enough to keep his arms stretched and helpless, loose enough that he could flex his fingers if he truly needed to. His long, creamy blonde hair fanned across the pillow like spilled sunlight. The golden circlet he sometimes wore rested on the nightstand, leaving him bare and vulnerable in a way he rarely permitted himself.

His robes had been carefully unlaced and parted. The high collar lay open across his shoulders, white fabric pooled around his waist like fallen snow. His heterochromatic eyes were half-lidded, pupils blown wide with quiet awe and surrender.

You straddled his hips, bare thighs bracketing his waist. The heat of him rose beneath you—warm, steady, alive. His cock lay flushed and heavy against his stomach, already leaking against the his dough, glistening faintly in the candlelight.

“You are… determined tonight, my heart,” he murmured. His voice was soft, reverent, threaded with that familiar gentle warmth even now. “I would never deny you.”

You leaned down, palms braced on either side of his head, hair falling forward to curtain you both.

“That’s the point,” you whispered, brushing your lips against the corner of his mouth. “Last time you took over. You were so gentle, so careful… but you still took control. This time?” You kissed him softly. “I want to give. I want to watch you fall apart without being able to do anything but feel it.”

A tremor ran through him—subtle, but unmistakable. His hips twitched once, involuntarily, the ribbon pulling taut above his head.

“I… I understand,” he breathed, voice trembling. “Then… please. I am yours. Take me. Please.”

You reached between your bodies, fingers curling around his length. He was thick, hot, velvet-smooth beneath your palm, already throbbing desperately. The moment you touched him, a long, shuddering moan tore from his chest—deep, feral, almost animal. His hips bucked again, chasing your hand, the bindings creaking as he strained.

“Careful,” you teased, stroking him slowly, thumb gliding over the leaking slit, spreading the slick pre-cum down his length in slippery trails.

He whined—actually whined—head tossing back against the pillow.

“Please,” he gasped. “Please… I need to be inside you. I need it so badly—please, my heart, I can’t—”

You aligned yourself, guiding him to your entrance. The first press of him against you made you both moan—him because of the sudden, intimate pressure; you because of how perfectly he filled the ache you’d carried all day.

You sank down slowly.

Inch by burning inch.

His head snapped back, throat working on a long, broken moan as you took him deeper. The stretch was exquisite—thick, unhurried, overwhelming. When your hips finally met his, he was buried to the hilt, and the sound he made was raw, desperate, almost feral—half sob, half growl.

“Oh… gods… my heart…” His voice cracked, trembling. “You feel… so perfect… so tight… please—please move—”

You stayed still for a long moment, letting him feel every inch of you wrapped around him. His hips twitched again—small, helpless, frantic little jerks—but the ribbons held him fast. All he could do was breathe, tremble, and stare up at you with wide, glassy eyes, lips parted on soft, needy pants.

Then you began to move.

Slow rolls at first—lifting until only the head remained inside you, then sinking back down with a wet, slick sound that made heat crawl up your spine. Each time you bottomed out, his breath punched out of him in loud, desperate moans—raw, unrestrained, echoing softly in the quiet room. The ribbons creaked loudly as he flexed against them, muscles standing out along his arms and shoulders, hips straining uselessly.

You found a rhythm—steady, deliberate, unhurried. Every downward stroke dragged a new sound from him: gasps, whimpers, broken prayers of your name. His hips tried to rise to meet you, desperate little bucks that only made the bindings pull tighter, forcing him to take whatever pace you set.

“Look at you,” you murmured, leaning forward to kiss the corner of his mouth. “So beautiful when you can’t do anything but feel me.”

He shuddered violently beneath you, cock throbbing deep inside, leaking steadily into you.

“I… I’m trying,” he gasped, voice shaking with need. “Trying to be good… trying to let you… have me… but please—please, I need more—”

“You are good,” you told him, rolling your hips in a slow circle that made his eyes roll back, a long, feral moan ripping from his throat. “So good for me.”

The wet sounds grew louder—filthy, intimate, filling the quiet room. Every lift and fall was accompanied by the slick glide of him inside you, the obscene squelch of your bodies meeting, the soft drip of arousal and pre-cum that leaked out around where you were joined, soaking the sheets beneath him.

You quickened just slightly—still controlled, still deliberate, but deeper now. Each downward stroke punched a louder, more desperate moan from his throat. His head tossed side to side, blonde hair clinging to his damp forehead, Soul Jam flaring wildly with every heartbeat.

“Please,” he begged, voice cracking. “Please… I—I can’t—need to move—need to touch you—please—”

“I know,” you soothed, kissing along his jaw. “I’ve got you.”

You rode him harder—still careful, still loving, but faster now. The rhythm built, wet and relentless. His moans turned into soft, frantic cries—your name, over and over, like a prayer he couldn’t stop.

When you felt him start to tremble beneath you—muscles locking, hips jerking helplessly against the ribbons—you leaned down and kissed him deeply, swallowing the broken sob that tore from his throat as he came.

He spilled inside you in long, shuddering pulses—hot, thick, overwhelming. His whole body arched as much as the bindings allowed, head thrown back, mouth open on a loud, feral cry of pleasure. You kept moving through it, milking every last tremor from him until he was whimpering, oversensitive and shaking, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

Only then did you slow, easing down until you were seated fully again, letting him feel the warmth of your bodies joined, the mess of him leaking out around where you were still connected.

He panted beneath you, eyes glassy, cheeks flushed a deep pink against his cream dough.

You reached up, gently untying the ribbons. The silk whispered as it fell away. His arms came around you instantly—shaking, desperate—pulling you down against his chest with trembling strength.

“Thank you,” he whispered against your hair, voice raw and reverent. “Thank you… for giving me this. For letting me feel… so much.”

You kissed the corner of his mouth, smiling softly.

[fixated-cookies]

love bombing shadow milk cookie,,, I wanna kiss him

ommg yess??? Like just kissing him over and over again?? lemme ride a little snippet for my dear readers

The moment you lean in, again—he huffs a laugh against your lips like it’s the most ridiculous, most deliciously absurd thing in the world.

"Insatiable little thing," Shadow Milk Cookie purrs, eyes half-lidded with amusement, with heat, his head tilting back ever so slightly as you chase another kiss. "You’ll drain me dry with all this affection. Or do you want that?"

You don’t answer. You just kiss him again. And again.

Soft, warm, quick ones. Some deeper, some slower. Some catch on the corner of his mouth, others right on the center. You kiss his smirk until it falters. Until his claws twitch at your waist. Until those ghostly eyes in his hair flutter closed like petals curling in moonlight.

He exhales shakily. "You—mmnh—you’re ruining me," he murmurs, but it’s not a complaint. It’s reverent. Worshipful. Like he can’t believe you’re still here, still touching him, still kissing him like he’s not made of shadow and deception and terrible, ancient things. "If you keep this up, I might start thinking you mean it."

You kiss him again.

And again.

And again.

Each one unraveling him a little more.

Each one a soft, senseless spell.

Until he’s the one whispering, “More.” Until he’s the one chasing your mouth, desperate and slow, undone by nothing but your love.

[derangeddough]

LISTWN TO ME!!! LOSTEN TO ME.!

TRUTHLES RECLUSE GIVING AUGHHH🤤

Imagine....so unusual for Pure vanilla...the PV that would never ever go over the line, never tease ( unless you ask!), never ever go rough!! (I feel like even if you ask he just... couldn't bring himself to be rough, he just can't!) and would never ever go over your usual!

Now literally giving you like...9th?...12th? 15th?Climax...It doesn't matter! It's not like he's done anyway! And even when you whine and complain all he does is just give that cold stare...as to say "be good." And obviously he knows your line...but it wouldn't hurt to go a little over that line, no? It's not like it matters, he looks so so pretty being covered in all those juices though 🫶🏼🫶🏼

Mmmmmmmmmmm

Recluse is like PV's oral fixation kink but on STEROIDS. And instead of letting himself express how much he loves doing this to you by whining or moaning and thrusting wherever he can. He'll edge himself the ENTIRE time. Only tell you'll be able to see he's enjoying it is a a slight flush, furrowed brows, and heavy breathing through his nose that stutters sometimes. Also this is the scenario that you'll even get him to do ANYTHING let alone to you.. Emo man...

Additionally while I think he totally would go over the line JJUUUUST a little bit. You remind him of better times after all! Let him relish in it just a little longer.

One of his quotes is "Agony and anguish propel me forward", so yeah that is where I'm taking THAT QUOTE.

additional tags: oral sex, overstimulation, sub!reader

ships: truthless recluse x reader

MDNI smut below

"H-heyyy honey? P-Recluse? Do you think you can give me a break?" You say, your voice absolutely spent and heaving.

He's staring up at you with those now cold, dual-colored eyes. Looking at how destroyed you are. His mouth twitching cause his cock jumped at that sight.

That's probably the most emotion openly seen from him all night. Even though he made you scream and cream on his face 14 times.

"Two more. Please. Share yourself with me two more times." He says, voice heavy and eyes hooded more than usual. He's breathing extremely hard through his nose and his mouth is shining with your juices.

"O-ok. Deal."

Then he dives right back in. Cock in hand, slowly pumping. He's not letting himself cum until he deserves it.

[kleptokure]

Deceit's Favorite 🃏

Shadow Milk Cookie x GN!Reader

─ ⊹ ⊱ ☆ ⊰ ⊹ ─

This is bad, you thought to yourself. The outcome of your arrival in Beast-Yeast is far worse than you would have ever thought.

Yes, you expected to encounter the Beast with Deceit engraved into their essence, but within the hour you stepped foot on the foreign terrain? You were not prepared to reunite with your old friend all of a sudden.

Being one of the first cookies to be given a Soul Jam, you assumed going to Beast-Yeast would not be a challenge for you. Yet current circumstances prove you incorrect. Now you wish you stayed in Crispia, where the air is not so bitter.

As much as you would love to rescue Pure Vanilla from his absolute contrary personified, there is an obstacle surrounding your shelter.

You are well aware that Gingerbrave and the gang are accompanying Pure Vanilla Cookie, and a battle of them versus one mere cookie seems like an easy fight. But Shadow Milk is a special cookie, which is known to most who are aware of his being. The beast knows the trauma his main opponent withholds and would not hesitate to use it against him.

Speaking of Shadow Milk Cookie, you are currently pondering over how he located you in the first place. Your expectations were for his full focus to be on his "Soul Jam thief," but it appears your dough, and crumbs, is much more important in his reality.

Surprisingly, his encounter with you was far from destructive. In all honesty, you will admit it was leaning closer to bittersweet.

Shadow Milk Cookie had a lot to say, of course. His words were laced with jeers, flirts, yet betrayal at the same time. Though he did say something along the lines of forgiving you for not standing by his side eons ago.

It comes as hard to remember the exact words, as your mind is fuzzy with all this information. You might be concentrated on the romantic parts of his speech more than you should be.

Your train of thought is brought to an abrupt stop, hearing knocks on the front door to your hidden hideout. It must not be so hidden if the one cookie you scurry from has managed to locate you. Shadow Milk seemingly possesses eyes all over the place, though you could have predicted that part.

There is no point dragging out the eventual conversation awaiting you pair. With that said, you pick yourself up and walk towards the door.

Having opened the door with a rigid gaze, you find there to be no cookie to return your stare.

Great, another trick. You should have guessed that. Now what? Is he going to be inside your house when you turn around? Candlelight dinner with an empty seat calling your name?

Before you get the chance to close the opening, a piece of paper finds its way slapped onto the middle of your face.

With dread, you tear the sheet off and hold it before your eyes, reading the text it has engraved into itself.

It's... an invitation? To a show, to be exact. The reading says,

"YOU, yes, YOU are invited to a one of a kind show!

Don't be late, as I’d be very upset if you were.

From your dearest jester. XoXo <3"

You feel a warmth in your dough from the heart included at the bottom of the sheet. You almost tore the paper just to rid of a feeling caused by him of all cookiekind. The weather here has to be the cause of your sickly feelings.

In any other situation, you would refuse without a second thought (that's what you tell yourself). But Pure Vanilla is walking a path of danger, and you will do what you can to change that for your friend.

Even so, the candlelight dinner you expected to occur now comes as more preferable.

Looking further down, you notice the time the show host requests you arrive is a few five minutes away. He was kind enough to give you a step-by-step map to the location.

The short notice matters not, as you have nothing better to do. Spending all this time huddled up in a random shack is not what one would call time well spent.

Gathering yourself up, you take you and your crumbs out into the eerie outside of Beast-Yeast. With the map given, you follow the path, each step closer to meeting the volatile cookie of deceit.

It is nothing less of a short trip, arriving at an isolated place hidden by the trees. The wind brushes by to rustle the decaying leaves. There is no more than 10 seats placed in an organized manner in front of a puppet stage, even though you are sure to be the sole cookie watching his upcoming act. Alongside the marionettes he controls, of course.

Finished with taking in the environment, you walk towards your seat before a familiar voice stops you in your tracks.

"Well, well, well. Lookie who finally decided to show up!"

You turn your head, and your eyes meet. If you had fallen to his side long ago, you would say the sight of him takes your breath away. But that would be silly to even think about at the moment.

"...Shadow Milk Cookie."

"I know, I know, saying it never gets boring, amirite?" He chuckles, floating in his casual manner to give a little twirl.

"The STAR of the show has arrived! Oh, but am I talking about you, orrrr am I talking 'bout me?" Shadow Milk sends a small wink your way. It seems like now that reunions have passed, getting comfortable with you comes natural to him.

"We need to talk—"

"Now, now, take a seat. The crowd is trembling with excitement!" A selected puppet appears next to you, hand pushing you to your spot. A front seat right in the middle. Aren't you just the luckiest?

Even though more crucial topics could arise, Shadow Milk Cookie is determined to get his way. You can do nothing but comply.

You should raise your weapon to save cookies from his future plans. But that all comes to a stutter whenever you see his face; his very pretty face. Your gawking gets cut short when a spotlight is directed on the act before you.

"Once upon a time, there were two cookies. Two cookies who were veeeeery in love, might I add!" He stupidly makes the two puppets kiss, creating a few mwas for extra effect. The brainwashed cookies around all "aww."

If it were a cliche romance story between two unknown cookies, you would not have been bothered. Yet shown by the cutouts he made quite well, the two cookies in specifics were no other than you and Shadow Milk Cookie. Must he make this insufferable to sit through by bringing up feelings from the past?

"They were busy cookies, too. Like, all of the gnats around depended on them!" You dislike the use of the word gnats, your iced eyebrow furrowing.

"But oh dear! One day, a certain cookie got tired of those puny creatures, never appreciative of what was given..." The cutout of Shadow Milk Cookie is seen with angry eyebrows. It's almost laughable.

"Soooo, Shadow Milk Cookie stopped helping out the doughbrains. All of those ungrateful cookies deserved to be crumbled instead!" His voice takes on a more passionate tone. Cheers of agreement erupt from the tiny, feigned crowd.

"Shadow Milk Cookie tried to reveal to his beloved partner the deception in reality, but guess what?" You already anticipate his next words.

Your hands clench into fists; the memories of the exact scene he portrays pouring through your head. Shadow Milk is not the lone cookie whose face comes to mind. The other beasts, whom you were close with, make an appearance too. Their faces of shock at your disloyalty still upset you to this day.

"HEY! Eyes up here, silly! I’m not done yet!" Shadow Milk Cookie snaps you back into attention. Making sure he has your full focus, which he adores, he continues on.

"Ehem. But then... [Name] Cookie BETRAYED ME! Yes, ME, out of all cookies! When I was so loving towards them!" The crowd of puppets gasp, mutters heard along themselves.

"Oh, the terror, the drama, the heartbreak—"

"Shadow Milk Cookie!" You interrupted his sob story, which is when you jumped out of your seat. Listening to his narrative for any longer is not what you would describe optimal.

The jester releases giggles, storing away his puppet show with a poof. His dough in the air, Shadow Milk flies over to you.

"Wooow, big reactions from the crowd! Didja love it? I can tell you loved it." He bats his multicolored eyelashes at you, a twinkle of amusement shining in his eyes.

"Stop with your child's play. There are crucial subjects to speak of!"

"Mmmm, like what—Ooooh! Are you talking about that Soul Jam THIEF? Awwwh, are you offering to help me take em down, maybe? You are just the sweetes—"

"No. You need to stop what you plan for Pure Vanilla Cookie." Shadow Milk Cookie rolls his eyes at your heroic words, showing he dismisses your request.

"Ugh! Honey, are you really siding with HIM?" His tone suggests he believes he is in the right.

"Tsk, I know he'll ultimately turn into me, but why not have the original? HELLOOOO, I’m right here!" His hand waves in front of your face, as if trying to rope you back into reality.

"You'll bring Earthbread to ruins! Your Soul Jam was taken due to your own villainy, Shadow Milk. Leave Pure Vanilla alone," you spoke with a stern tone, like it would ever leave an effect on the cookie floating before you.

"Oh, [Name] Cookie, how they've corrupted your sweet mind..." He looks into the gloomy sky, feigning a face of reminiscence.

"Hmmmmm, maybe, just maybe I'll listen to my dearest star if they apolooogizeeeed!" His words are nothing but lies, but fooling you at least once is his on his bucket list. It wouldn't hurt to give it another shot.

"...Apologize? For what?" Seems like your interest is peaked!

"For what?! There are many, many, maaaany things for you to grovel about, ya goof!" His face is just close enough to catch a whiff of his sweetly scented dough.

"But, I suppose for, y'know, not being there when I got out of that stupid tree!" He decided with a tilt of his head.

"What? I am not the one who sealed you in there, even though it was well deserved," you replied. Shadow Milk Cookie decided to ignore that last part.

"No, no, not that! Don'tcha know how sad I was when I got out of there?! I looked for your face between all those pathetic faeries, but you went GHOST!" He places his hand over his chest like the drama queen he is.

"How could my favorite cookie miss my long awaited return!" He cannot be serious, but deep down, you know he speaks with his crumbs included.

A simple sorry is all you have to say, and it isn't like losing a bit more of your dignity would hurt. For your fellow cookies, you tell yourself.

"Fine. I... apologize for missing out on your reappearance." Shadow Milk Cookie's façade of misery is gone in a snap. Instead, a large, toothy grin covers his face.

"Now, you will leave Pure Vanilla Cookie with his Soul Jam intact, yes?"

"Ah, you don't know how long I've awaited to hear that come from your lips!" Ignoring your question entirely, Shadow Milk nuzzles his cheek against yours, similar to a cat. You yourself are unaware of why you failed to pull away.

"Shadow Milk Cookie," you repeated, as he decided to leave you unanswered. He huffs before giving you a proper response.

"Right, right. I'll leave Silly Vanilly alone, all because you're such a good cookie!" Most of you refuses to believe him, but for now, gratitude will be expressed on your side.

"Thank yo—"

"UNDER ONE CONDITION!" Witches. There never fails to be a "condition" with this cookie. You remained silent, waiting for his next words.

"I. Want. A. Kiss!" With each word, he positions himself even closer than he previously was, the blueberry aroma he carries wafting your way.

He is far from surprised when your mouth remains closed. You can get a little shy at times, he would say. In truth, you really are just that incredulous.

"Earthbread to [Name] Cookie! Do I gotta repeat myself?" He laughs, finding your current expression to be hilarious.

Regaining your state of mind, you find yourself unsure of what to say. Of course you should decline without a second thought. THE Shadow Milk of all cookies is asking you for a kiss! Who in their right mind would say yes?

Oh, but as the case may be, you were never in your right mind.

"I..."

"I, I, I." Shadow Milk Cookie mocks you, yet it is endearing in his own way.

"C’mon, you know you love me! After all, I can recall certain events that would deem us a bit more than the rivals you act like we are," he chirped, making your mental state even worse as the warmth of his hand lands atop your shoulder.

You want to rid of those memories, you've attempted! However, it is much simpler to say than to do when trying to erase experiences with the one cookie you have ever cherished.

This is why you keep your identity hidden, why no one is aware of the power you hold underneath. It would only lead to more questions of the beasts back then, and that leads to prying about Shadow Milk Cookie.

You will admit that your relationship with Shadow Milk was very different compared to now. He and you shared many tender memories. A couple instances were slightly too tender to label you pair as mere friends. However, the both of you were put under too many responsibilities to ever have a chance to change close friends into something more.

Although, that never eliminated the love floating in the air, and it surely did not rid of the rushed kisses taking place in empty classrooms.

While memories from the past appear, feelings from back then aren't too far from showing up as well. You are very knowing of what said feelings were in specifics. Arising emotions can go for both you and Shadow Milk Cookie, but facing that is mortifying.

The sudden movement of your hood being pulled away struck you back to life.

"Pssh, what good will this hood do? I want to see your entire lovely face when our lips meet!" Shadow Milk Cookie brought his levitating to a stop while you were distracted, standing right before you.

"Who do ya really think you’re hiding from in this old hood? Me? Hahaha, that's hilarious! Perhaps I ought to dress you in attire matching my own?" Your stomach feels heavy, and you hate the fact that you cannot discern whether it's with butterflies or dread. Maybe a mix of both.

"You must promise to not bring harm upon any cookie." Now you're making conditions, but you know you only say them to ease your conscience regarding your soon betrayal of the others. Asking the Cookie of Deceit to make a promise has a predictable conclusion.

"I've been trapped in that cursed tree for so long, deprived of touch I longed for from you! Must you make your beloved wait any longer?"

You can't. As pathetic as that sounds, you cannot leave the beast to wait. That being mentioned, you press your lips to his smooth ones, your partner squeaking from your bout of boldness.

Perhaps Pure Vanilla Cookie can find it in his dough to forgive you for your greed. He should come to know that Shadow Milk is a very manipulative cookie.

Or maybe you never put up much of a fight to begin with.

Shadow Milk melts into you afterwards, returning your kiss with more power than you gave. It's clear to see just how eager he was to have you back in his grasp.

His arms hold a tight grip around your neck, putting the entirety of his weight onto you, with one leg lifted into the air per usual. Repeatedly giving you small kisses afterward, Shadow Milk can't help but giggle.

Underneath, he's giddy at the fact he managed to slip under the walls you placed for him, which, if you asked him, such barriers should be nonexistent for him, your dear soon-to-be spouse.

Besides that, now he's certain to recruit you towards the livelier side of the beasts! You might've refused to call yourself such a term at first, but it was inevitable.

He can't wait to show you off to every cookie on Earthbread, to flaunt how you discovered the lies of the world and came into his loving embrace willingly. Your duo comeback will shake every crumb without a doubt.

Pure Vanilla Cookie's face will be priceless! With you here now, the finest performance he has ever hosted can only be awaited.

He hopes those doughbrains are prepared for a major plot twist.