Storm Warning (Black Pearl Cookie)
Yes, this is the sequel to Even More Heartbreak. Enjoy!
“Alright, take care of yourself, Y/N Cookie! Do be careful, the weather isn’t looking nice lately!”
You bided farewell to the shopkeeper as you exited, giving them a smile as you did so. The more you walked however, that smile slowly started to fade into a frown as you looked down at the ground, not wanting to look up at the brewing grey clouds forming at the sky.
You kept telling yourself that it was only natural that days without a single cloud in the sky could only mean the opposite when came time for a downpour, it was what you wanted to believe, because it meant having to consider other..unnatural options for this weather.
You didn’t want to dwell on it much further, you wanted to prep something nice for your beloved today, Seaweed Cookie. A chance meeting at the mud flats was all it took for the both of you to hit it off, she was able to fix what was once broken for you. She was the one to be there for you at your lowest, in her own odd way, but you treasured it nonetheless! The thought of her brought the smile back onto your face…
The sudden roar of thunder spooked you enough to make you want to jump! The shopkeeper wasn’t kidding about the weather as you make a dash to your home! You looked up at the sky and could see the clouds gathering on mass as you ran. That was all the confirmation you needed, no need to even look at the sea. Never at the sea…
Especially when the faint sound of crying can be heard…
It was enough to practically have you bust down your door and close it behind you with the lock. It wouldn’t have done anything in actuality, but whatever amount of security was good enough for you. You had to quickly put down your items as you did your best to remain out of sight.
The sound of her crying was your first and only warning to hide. You didn’t know how, but the mermaid had somehow learned of your home city and has stuck around since. You feared what she would do if she had found you, what she would do to the Lower City, it was only a matter of time-
The sound of your door knocking made you jump again for today. It would snap you out of your thoughts, You couldn’t hear any more crying, making you confident enough to get up and head for the door.
“Happy to see you don’t keep a lady waiting, especially in weather like this..”
You mentally breathe a sigh of relief to see that it was Seaweed Cookie. You gladly let her in as you prepared a nice dinner between the two of you.
Seaweed talks about her routine of maintaining the mudflats, sometimes delving into this one time a cookie had showed disrespect by stomping around in it! How rude!
She then looks outside to see the rain coming in, taking interest in how hard the droplets were coming down onto the window.
“The weather seems particularly angry, it hasn’t let up for the past few days. It’s making the mud loose, washing away into the sea. Oh those who had been buried in there, their remains forever lost to sea..”
You had to hide how you winced when she stated that, having your grave being washed away into the sea. It was clearly not how any of those cookies would’ve wanted..
You held Seaweed Cookie’s hand tight, letting her know that you’d help her to make sure the mud remained stable enough to weather through the rain. Seaweed’s mouth curled up into a noticeable smile.
“Coming to my rescue as always, my hero~ Hehe…that’s always what I love about you~ I’ll be sure to give my hero a very nice reward for their troubles..”
She leaned towards you to kiss you on your cheek, something that you couldn’t help but blush madly about. She giggled at your flustered state, you were simply too cute for her to resist~
The storm only seemed to grow worse from there…
You had Seaweed Cookie stay over for the night, the rain was just pouring down too hard for her to walk home. You had situated yourself in your living room with a blanket over you, your lamp illuminating the room.
The sounds of heavy rain pattering your window serving as background noise, interrupted with occasional lightning and thunder. It oddly lulled you to sleep as you close your eyes…
Only to open them quickly as you stood up, you were no longer on a bed, but in a boat. You got up as you frantically looked all around you, your house nowhere in sight. The Lower City itself was no longer anywhere…just open sea…
The sounds of crying was heard…
…but it sounded more..genuine, as if the cookie was really crying tears of sorrow…
You looked around you again, this time being able to spot something, or someone, resting on a rock only a fair distance away. She looked like…but she was different in appearance. As if…
You wanted to approach, to see if you can help the mercookie in any way…but…this familiar feeling to stay back was also present. Why…? This only made you feel more conflicted…
A creak from your boat had decided for you. The mercookie’s head shot up from her arms and turned to you, tears staining her cheeks.
You…asked if she was okay.
“I-I’m okay. It’s just….my heart, it hurts…”
You gently take her hand into yours, hoping your assistance could help her. You tell her that she isn’t alone…
“You won’t…betray me? My heart can’t handle another blow, I already too many things at once…”
You understand that you were a stranger to her, that you couldn’t be fully trusted, but…you still wanted to help. The mercookie spoke softly to you, still sniffling.
“Do you what it’s like..? To have someone you hold dear destroy everything you had thought of them as? To have your heart crumble bit by bit?”
You…told her that this feeling was…familiar to you, something that catches her attention as she looks at you.
You had..wished to dedicate your heart and love to a cookie you wanted to meet for months. You were overjoyed when you got to see her at last, you had proclaimed your love for her…only, she didn’t feel the same at all. Even tossed everything you gave her back at you…you were destroyed…
However, you got back up. You kept moving on, with help from others. Even if the cookie you once cared for tossed you aside, you held no real malice towards her. You understood and just…let her go.
The sounds of crying halted your speaking, as the mercookie clutched your hand tightly.
“Y/N Cookie. I’m…I’m so sorry…”
You tell her it was okay, you had learned to live with it-
“N-no. I really do mean it…I’m sorry, Y/N Cookie…”
Again, you told her…wait…you didn’t remember giving your name to her…
“I was scared. I was afraid of being hurt again. After what he did…but I should’ve seen you as different than him…”
“You were better than him…”
She clutched your hand tighter.
That feeling of dread returned in full force as you looked at her, trying to remain calm. Only to be meet with that shadowed stare right back at you..
“To think we’ve could’ve been together, you and I…”
“I was a fool to push you away…”
“But I promise to change that. I won’t let you go again. To love you with all of my being…..”
“Let us join in the Sea together…”
You had enough and broke free from her hold as you paddled away with your hands, rain started to patter on you.
The sound of crying returned…
…as it slowly turned to giggling…
You turned around and your heart had never been struck with so much fear…
“AHAHAHAHAHA! You think you can escape me AGAIN?! HOW ADORABLE!”
“And when that wretched, laughable waste of life is reduced to nothing, it will just be me and you again~”
Your hands turned soggy the faster you paddled with them, not caring if they were reduced to soggy stumps. You needed to get away.
You felt your arms being grabbed as you yelped out, it looked like more sea cookies had joined you as they held your arms close to them, two at each side.
To your left, mercookies of crimson and purple. To the right, a jellyfish and a mercookie of blue.
They were pale and weak-looking, as if they haven’t nourishment in days, with deranged eyes staring deep into yours. They all spoke in unison.
“Please…stay with us. Stay. Stay. Stay.”
The laughing behind you grew louder and louder as you frantically tried to pull free.
The last thing you saw as you turned around was Black Pearl Cookie rushing towards you in the water.
“LET US FALL INTO THE DEEPEST OF OCEAN ABYSSES TOGETHER!!
The crash of lightning made you spring up from your couch with a loud yelp as you held your chest tightly, trying to breathe.
Seaweed Cookie came to your side, holding you tightly as you tried to calm down your breathing. It took a while but you’ve managed to settle down, thanking Seaweed Cookie as you kissed her cheek.
You allowed her to return to your room, as you went to collect your thoughts in your kitchen, wishing that it was just a bizarre dream.
Who was that familiar cookie?
What was she talking about with a cookie she had known?
Who were those mercookies?
It felt way too much unlike a dream.
….but you prayed that it was.
You could hear giggling out in the distance.
You turned to your window into the morning rain.
White, pinprick eyes far into the ocean stared right back at you as the giggling turned into laughter. The heavy rain doing little to muffle it out.
