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The sounds of things crashing as the telltale sound of String Gummy’s rifle went off echoed in the workshop from down the hall, and the brunette under her timecraft found herself heaving a heavy sigh. She knew exactly the source of the culprit, and when she checked a clock on the wall, she realized she’d almost forgotten about some plans. Making her way out of the workshop, she found Timekeeper wrapped up by one of String Gummy’s shots, giggling maniacally as she was trying to bargain with him about something absurd again.
“Tee, could you quit antagonizing String?” The blond turned her gaze up to the brunette, grin widening.
“Whaaat~? I was simply telling him how he could see his future with you so easily if he took a peek, Croissant!” String Gummy sputtered again, more embarrassed this time now that the brunette was around. Croissant, admittedly, felt her cheeks heat up, but she had half a brain cell left to ignore the urge of chucking her wrench in Timekeeper’s direction for the suggestion.
“Croissant, tell her how it would only mess up the timelines again if I were to follow along with this… gremlin’s ideas!” The brunette heaved a sigh, starting to wonder if there were other reasons aside from the time manipulators that resulted in her becoming the director in that future String Gummy came from. She didn’t think on it much further, however, as she watched the blond blink out of the restraint and String Gummy looked utterly shaken by this. “How on Earthbread–”
“Don’t let her get to you String, and don’t think about it too much. Even if she shows a vision from any timeline, it will only get messy if you act on it with the knowledge given. Just like I gotta be conscious about not thinking too hard on how I became director in the future you came from.” Smiling, she gave him a firm pat on the back, and he looked to the ground and then his rifle, before looking back to her and giving a slight smile. “Anyway, we had plans, remember? I was gonna give you a tour of town and show you the shop my friend runs! She makes some of the best sandwiches, you gotta try one!”
“But what about… erh… Timekeeper?” He looked around, only to jump slightly when she appeared out of seemingly thin air behind Croissant. He was definitely going to take some time getting used to being around Timekeeper at all, sweet crust almighty. The brunette simply shook her head with a sigh, reaching up to meet the hand that reached for her ponytail, twining their fingers together a moment and entertaining the blond as she hummed and swayed their hands, curious about their outing.
“This is something for the two of us to do, I’m sure that Tee –” As she emphasized the nickname, she turned to meet the blond, face to face, not at all phased by the mere millimeters between them. “–has work she should be doing, right Tee ?” The blond pouted, huffing in the brunette’s face as she pulled away, chin in hand as she leaned on the Sonic Embroider.
“No fun, what if I wish to see Sandwich Cookie too, hmm?” The look she received from those copper eyes told her something else though, and she hummed, smiling and waving as she shrugged her shoulders. “I suppose I could go and stamp some approval papers or something~” With that, she disappeared in a blink, and Croissant heaved a heavy sigh. As the redhead looked to her with concern, she put a hand up, shaking her head.
“It’s alright, String. She’s just… a bit lonely sometimes, I think.” Looking off in the direction of the Director’s office, there was some concern in her copper hues, but she felt Timekeeper could handle herself. After all, even aside from being the Director, Timekeeper wasn’t so helpless with all those powers, right? She was smart enough to figure out something to fill the time, right? After all, she did travel over multiple timelines until she uncovered this timeline and filled her fascination with the Croissant of this timeline. “...I think she’ll figure something out though while we’re gone.” Smiling a bit forcefully, she grabbed String Gummy’s hand to lead him off, making their way out of the Time Balance Department.
As they departed, Timekeeper was able to watch them as they left from her office, singular golden hue watching on in thought. In a way, she wondered what this feeling was– was it jealousy? Was it disgust? Was it… sadness? “For what would a powerful being such as myself need such feelings? I can have anything I so desire in the snap of my fingers, what do I need their company right now for when I can have it whenever I want it!” Though, as she grabbed the Sonic Embroider, she realized what had left her mouth. Did she require their company this instant? Was it necessary?
“...” She stared at the Sonic Embroider, gazing upon her reflection in the golden metal. She thought for a fraction of a second, she could see her old self. It was just a different version of Croissant, right…? …no, that was all apart of a tangled web of charades. She would never come clean, but what need did she have to, now? After all, due to mangling her own former timeline, she had forced her existence into this one, changing Croissant’s entire trajectory of existence. She couldn’t even remember the name she had before she took so fondly to calling herself formerly Croissant. After all, they were so terribly similar to one another, the only difference was now she was the Director instead of… instead of…
Her chest hurt, trying to think of who it was that gave her the key… Trying to remember what happened before she mangled her own timeline and forced her existence upon this one. She knew it was her fault, but she hated thinking about it, it tore at her existence, and the most she could do was fight against it by looking at how far she’d come in this timeline, even if it was not her own. Even if the atrocities she committed still pricked at her feet and fingers, reminding her she was not so innocent as she could have been, had she only… only…
Her head felt like it was splitting now, trying to remember the before, and soon she cut open a rift, jumping in and riding the Sonic Embroider to a location she only visited when she felt particularly atrocious. When the rift let her through again, she jumped from the Sonic Embroider, tumbling through a field of wildflowers. Petals and pollen scattered about and stuck to her large puff of hair, and she simply laid there for a moment, breathing in deep as if the fragrances wafting off the flowers would bring the peace she desired. Unfortunately, it was cut short as she heard foot steps and groaned. Only one other cookie visited this locale.
“Ugh, Milly, whaddaya want? Can’t I have some privacy here?” The far older cookie hummed, looking down at her from where she laid, tilting his head slightly, causing some of his hair to fall over his shoulder.
“Odd, I’ve never been here when you are, Timekeeper. Typically you’re long gone when I step into this field. I’m surprised you’re so enthusiastic as to tumble through the flowers as you have.” She scoffed, rolling over and then calling on the Sonic Embroider to lift her up out of the flowers. Seating herself upon it, she hovered just low enough that she was eye level with the brunette.
“Yeah, well sometimes y’just gotta roll around in some pollen and whatnot sometimes.” She shrugged, smile more forced than it usually was, and she hoped deep down that Millennial Tree hadn’t noticed. Last thing she needed was this old man getting worried about her, he was so far from fun, not to mention she needed to prove she was more powerful than him, anyway! He was a rival, and that’s all he was, so what did it matter if he cared how she felt, huh–
“I do not believe many would agree with that notion, fufu.” Smiling, hand coming up to cover his mouth as he chuckled, he looked to the flowers she had tumbled through, hand grazing through them and watching them grow back to their usual height. “I thought I was the only one who visited here, it was originally where I would go to clear my mind, looking for a new perspective on perplexing matters. Perhaps, are you here to do the same?” The blond huffed, rolling her visible eye. Part of her wanted to ask if being a mind reader came with being old, but she refused to let him know she had come to do exactly that. Instead, she floated off, making her way for a large lake near the field, simply enjoying the breeze that came with the short distance before she got off the Sonic Embroider, sitting on the ground and hugging her knees.
Millennial Tree watched, knowing he’d hit the nail on the head, before he followed over, hovering above the flowers to make his way over far more quickly. Settling beside her, he sat down as well, legs crossing comfortably. For a few moments, the two sat in silence, a soft breeze washing over them and causing the lake to ripple in a satisfying way. The flowers surrounding them fluttered in the breeze, and the sky was clear all but a few peaceful clouds. Although he could ask her again, if she was here to ponder on something perplexing, he chose not to pry. She was quite sensitive, and despite how she put on a facade of wanting to be stronger than him, it was quite easy to tell something was going on beneath the surface.
After a few moments of silence, he noticed a soft quiver to her form, and as he looked to her, he noticed her slacks were getting wet where she had rested her chin on her knees. For a moment, he reached a hand up, but he hesitated, wondering if he were even allowed to attempt comforting the young time god. After all, she said she didn’t need it, didn’t want it, but… he wondered how much of it was true. Rather than choose to rub her back as he instinctively wished to, he placed a hand on her hat, giving it a gentle pat that caught her attention.
The jolt she gave made him think he’d done something wrong, but he wondered if she had assumed he’d only left after so long of them sitting in the silence of the wind and water. After the initial scare, she’d turned to him, revealing tears streaking her cheeks, both from her visible eye, and from beneath the monocle she wore. He could feel a tug at his heart strings, but he didn’t want to further trouble her, if she didn’t desire his care and attention. She was the one to say they were simply rivals, after all, but… one of her hands let go of her knees and reached for the brunette’s hand.
“...” He watched in thoughtful silence as she twined her fingers through his, gently squeezing them and feeling them in her grasp. He wanted to ask what she was doing, but chose not to as she eventually settled with holding his hand, further tears slipping free.
“...it’s warm and...” Her voice was quiet and shaky, a far cry from her usually loud, booming soprano. As she squeezed at his hand, she stared at them, swallowing hard as she found she couldn’t quite stop the tears. “...real.” Her voice choked on this word, and Millennial Tree realized what she was doing. His gaze softened, and he reached his other hand over, settling on top of her hand holding his other one. Warming her hand in his two hands, he nodded slowly, a soft, but concerned smile crossing his expression.
“Yes, of course, Timekeeper. I am as real and warm as you are.” He moved the hand from atop hers to caress her cheek carefully. “Is there anything you desire in this moment, Timekeeper? Anything at all. Let us set our differences aside for now and simply relax. Enjoy the sound of the wind and flowers as they sing in tandem with one another.” The blond seemed to tremble at this, and Millennial Tree worried that perhaps he had said the wrong thing, done the wrong thing– However, she moved from where she had curled up, shoving herself in his lap with a quiet whimper.
“...” She chose to say nothing, do nothing else, she simply held one of his hands while she laid there, curled up in his lap. Millennial Tree never really noticed how small she was until she was so… emotionally vulnerable. It broke his heart, knowing this blond in his lap was the same one that would so loudly proclaim herself capable of becoming stronger than he was. That did come with a price, however… Even if satisfaction would bring the cat back, under most cases… Sometimes, the satisfaction left the cat wishing it were dead to begin with, wishing it never saw what it did in its curiosity.
“Timekeeper… I understand you wish to become stronger than me, to overcome me, but… Perhaps we can come to a mutual agreement that when we are here… You can be yourself, hm?” The blond squeezed his hand tight, shifting and knocking her hat off in the process. Millennial Tree was certain to take it and set it somewhere it wouldn’t get squished, then using his free hand to carefully thread through her hair. “...you do not have to talk about what is bothering you now, but… Perhaps, when you feel comfortable enough in my presence… I can lend you a listening ear for as long as you desire, young one…” With this, she simply nodded, swallowing again as she fought back fully sobbing.
It was… unbelievably comforting, simply laying there, holding his hand, crying against his lap. She wondered how he wasn’t upset she was just soaking the fabric over his lap, though she supposed it wouldn’t, after all. He was a tree, so some water wouldn’t bother him in the slightest. Another silence fell over the two, Timekeeper quietly crying into the fabric of Millennial Tree’s robes, simply holding his hand and squeezing it every so often as he threaded his other hand through her hair.
After some time, she was feeling herself grow tired, the tears having stopped some moments prior. The splitting headache from earlier, when she had tried so desperately to recall the before, had passed peacefully, and she was simply laying comfortably in his lap now. She had quit squeezing his hand, but continued to hold it, carefully fidgeting with his fingers idly as she leaned into the hand threading through her hair. It felt like hours, even days had passed, in the span of only moments, but… they were pleasant. There wasn’t anything desperate or concerning about the time passing, and even though she’d been miserable at first, she was calm, at peace… She wasn’t sure what it was, but she didn’t want to admit that perhaps Millennial Tree was capable of purifying more than plantlife.
As she finally found herself calm enough to do so, she finally sat up, getting out of his lap and grabbing her hat to place it back on her head. However, as she got up, she had kept hold of his hand, even pulling him up to stand with her. Though, for a moment, she looked agitated with his height. Curse being so short… The Sonic Embroider flew back to her, and she had it bring her up to eye level with Millennial Tree.
No longer could he see that broken sadness in that gilded hue, and he found himself smiling softly, more than satisfied to know she seemed to be feeling better. She huffed, though, and he had to cover his mouth as a chuckle formed. She was certainly back to her old self. “Don’t tell a soul about this, alright? I’m still going to be better than you, ok? Just you watch!” There was a confident huff with this, and the brunette couldn’t help a muffled chuckle.
“Yes, yes, I understand. I wouldn’t tell a soul, anyhow. I don’t need to, when the flowers and clouds watched over us. What happens here will always be between only you and me, Timekeeper.” She felt her cheeks flush, but she had the Sonic Embroider take her away in a hurry, disappearing through a rift as Millennial Tree waved while the rift sealed itself shut. Once she was gone, he simply smiled to himself, feeling soft butterflies aflutter in his chest. He didn’t mind offering her some solace while she worked through her own troubles.
In a way, it gave him some comfort knowing that perhaps, he could veer her away from a much darker path, should the time ever come.