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Too late, they all thought in unison without knowing.
Their crystals stolen by the Dark Enchantress (who is actually a part of their friend, they just don't know), weak and defeated on the ground, they all lost hope.
They saw her grin, evil and ugly, they despised it. They despise her, unusually familiar aroma coming from her hair overtaken by the smell of smoke and burning ground. They saw trees fall over under her power, they could feel the ground tremble under her might- What made her stronger than all? What's so special about her, why did they let their guard down?
Ancients, supposed to be the strongest, the mightiest, the strongest of all, towering over others. Those said to be gifted with a godlike aura have failed. That all, at least, was true for all but one.
There he stood, shining under the smokey sky, in a place where his throne previously sat. There he was, trembling with fear, but not willing to give up. Why is he like that, shining pure with glory.
They're all shaking, they're scared. Afraid. They all are, including him, still standing his ground, mighty.
Dark Cacao took another good look at his lover- Pure Vanilla was crying. His lips are quivering, his eyes shaking as tears fall down his cheeks- He wishes he could kiss them away.
He looked around, his fellow Ancients trying to stand up as well, trying to follow in their leader's footsteps and be brave. So he tried as well. Slow, steady. They don't have much time left, he knows. They all do.
,,Dark Cacao… Take good care of yourself… And you all do as well. I'll miss you. I love you, friends… I love you, Cacao." he said in a whisper carried away by the wind, they started to panic. What is he-
He pulled a shield over them as he ran away, waving his staff around in the air and high above him as the pure blue almost white light shone and lit up all around- He was sacrificing himself, they realized. Dark Cacao tried to reach but he was too late. Too far.
Cacao knew- At this moment he realized that even for them, gifted with immortality, there wasn't enough time. Not enough time to kiss the other gently. Not enough time to dance and run around their castles at 3am. Not enough time to bake a birthday cake and blow the candle. Not enough time to get married.
Too far to kiss him one last time. Too far to wipe his tears away and calm him down. Too far to whisper sweet nothings into his ear. Too far to get his hair braided again.
There he is, in all his beauty, fighting for their life. Has he seen this in a dream before? Is this deja vu? He hates it. He's dying.
It's not long until he gets consumed by a black ball of dark energy. Too late too far he should've kept him from going. The ball was pulsing. It's their end unless-
,,Hollyberry, pull up the shield!"
,,I'm not strong enough t-" she looked. She saw. She understood.
,,Now!" he yelled, his voice as heavy as the walls crumbling down to the ground with a heavy thud. Determined. Hollyberry listened and pulled her shield up, using her power to make it big enough to cover them all.
The ball of energy exploded. Sudden and not expected, it took them off guard. They went flying like they were not much but a piece of clothing. It sent them far into the room, causing bruises and cuts, blood flowing down their arms, legs, chins.
And when Hollyberry lowered her shield, behold. A shield falling down from where the pulse began, three crystals, though cracked, safe.
,,Dark Cacao? Golden Cheese? White Lily..?" Hollyberry said with a broken tone.
,,Here."
,,Alive..."
...
White Lily never responded. She wasn't there. But that, even though he liked his friend, wasn't any of Dark Cacao's concerns. He was more concerned of whst happened to his lover. Is he dead? Most likely. What about the crystal? Is it there, in pieces? Is there at least a shard he can keep?
He stands up, holding his stomach in pain with both his hands, metal heavy boots making too much noise as he tries to move towards the crystals. The closer he got, the brighter his crystal shone and soon enough it was back, circling around him until it settled back in his sword.
The fact that others moved close he noticed only when their crystals started shining as well, soon taking off to get back to their respective holders.
He looked back and there he was it- A Pure Vanilla shard laying there. White Lily's crystal or at least a shard? Nowhere to be found.
Others (well, only Hollyberry and Golden Cheese) started a conversation- What happened to them? Where did they go, and if they are somewhere then where? What happened to their crystals and why is White Lily (and her crystal) missing.
However, Dark Cacao couldn't care. He wanted to force himself to care, but to no avail. Standing there, he was sure he didn't hear anything else that radio static. It was so loud but so quiet. Vision getting blurry. Tears pricking his eyes- He hates crying. But there was no denying- He's crying for a lover he lost.
He sniffles as he picks the piece of the crystal up and with heavy thuds, yet again, he turns around, taking his leave.
Though both Holyberry and Golden Cheese tried to stop him, he shook them off. No words were spoken, after a while they understood he's grieving. His heart with an open wound is crying, they let him be.
With pain piercing through his body, he starts making his way back home. He can't afford to stay here much longer.
---
A week later it is. He looks over to his clock that's ticking and making him go crazy, he hasn't gone out his room since his arrival. Meals were brought to his room, his windors are closed and blinds are down, he needs time.
He hasn't put his armor on for over a week, he didn't want to glance at his sword with wich he failed to protect his lover.
In comfy robes, crying nearly all day and all night, time seemed to freeze. Dreams of soft touches and kisses were no longer comforting, they were haunting him. His bedsheets messy and his pillows stained, he barely got sleep at night.
Bags under his piercing purple eyes and a heartache, he's suffering. Sitting there, in his bed, he looks around. A normally clean room a mess, just like his thoughts running through his head. Each and every a different story, a different tone. It's so loud.
There he is, on top of a special shelf. A framed photo of Pure Vanilla and a piece of his crystal beside him. Frozen in time, he looks so young and so beautiful. Not worried, with a shining smile. No scars, just smooth skin Dark Cacao loved to kiss. He looked immortalised, he was. Forever, it's all Dark Cacao has of him.
Standing there, head tilted, hair in a ponytail, it seems... Right.
Dark Cacao remembers- He can never get his hair braided again. Pure Vanilla will never run his fingers through his hair again. He will never intertwine Dark Cacao's hair together in such a gentle way again. Dark Cacao will never hear his lover hum while braiding his hair again. So soft. So loveable.
Dark Cacao remembers- The way it felt, gentle and careful, caring, wet or dry. The way he felt during those moments, he never will again.
That was their special moment. Their thing, their special memory only he now gets to hold. Gets to think and dream about.
He finds himself in the bathroom, scissors in hands and a pretty decent chin length haircut. Ah, he dissociated for a little too long.
But he doesn't mind. At least it won't get in the way and it won't be an awful memory to him each and every passing second.
And who knows, maybe if he returns, it'll be long again.