Chapter Text
“Pirate Cookie! Are you sure we’re heading to Yogurca?! There’s a howling blizzard right now!” Alchemist Cookie shouted, holding her hat tightly from the wind.
“Aye, yer the one who pointed the way!” Pirate Cookie shouted, steering the wheel. “Unless ye gave me a bad map!”
“But there’s no way a desert can have snow! It isn’t possible!” Alchemist said.
“Ye better have not gotten us stranded, lest we’re stuck at sea for days! Without any treasure!”
“Wait, the storm’s dying down!” Alchemist noticed. As she said, the clouds cleared as they went further until the sun shined brightly again.
“Cap’n!” a crab with a pirate hat shouted. “Port ho!”
“KHAHA! We’re saved!” Pirate said, looking far ahead. “...Huh?! It really BE a desert!”
What they saw was a sandstone city on the desert floor, with a massive white building as its center landmark. However, Alchemist noticed the frozen mountains outside of town.
“What the…? How could a desert be frozen over like this?” Alchemist asks. “Is this a work of their alchemy?”
“Aye, what were ye wanting again? Something like that? (I dare ye to say treasures lass…)” Pirate asked.
“I’m trying to find a tome that contains the origins and truth of alchemy!” Alchemist explained. “Yogurca is said to be the origin place for all alchemy!”
“...What? Nothing about treasures?” Pirate asked as his loyal crab walked to him.
“Well, Yogurca is full of treasures and artifacts, but it’s nothing I want-”
The ship stopped right at the shore after Pirate Cookie threw down an anchor in the sea. “Well then, we made it! Off ye go!”
Alchemist stumbled back, looking at him. “Wait, will you be here so I can go home?”
“Ye better pay me for a trip back if ye hope to go from whence you came, considering a landlubber like you hopped on without the captain’s pass!” Pirate said. “But anyway, we have… business to attend to!” He then hastily made his way off the boat with Deckhand Crabby, as the crab said “See ya!”
“Great…” Alchemist said. “Well, I’ll be going about my business then! Let’s see where I can find that tome…”
As Alchemist Cookie walked across the street, she saw a ton of markets with all kinds of things being sold such as food, treasures, and most importantly… books.
“Hello there!” the shopkeeper said. “What books might I interest you in today?”
“Do you have any tomes about the origins of alchemy?” Alchemist asked.
“Well, we have a fine section of books on alchemy here!” the shopkeeper showed their small collection.
“Hmmm…” Alchemist took a fine look at the books, but was displeased. “None of these talk about the true origins of alchemy. Just a bunch of theories. Plus, I already read a bunch of these back home!”
“What?! But that’s all I have! And I know I have the finest alchemy books in Yogurca!” they sighed. “...Unless you’re talking about the ancient ones, then the ones that could have those are…”
“Are...?” Alchemist looked back at them.
“The city’s grandest collectors, the owners of a bustling market, the Yogurt Family!” Shopkeeper mentioned. “They’re the wealthiest around and are bound to have all kinds of treasures, including that tome. Why not pay them a visit?”
“Hmm… Alright. Where are they?”
“...Yogurt Mansion? It’s literally the largest building in Yogurca.” Shopkeeper pointed ahead.
“...Wait, that’s a MANSION? I thought that was some government building or a giant landmark!”
“I told you they’re the richest in the desert!” The Shopkeeper said.
“Well… Thanks for the tip.” Alchemist said. “I just hope they aren’t stingy with the things they keep…”
When Alchemist Cookie reached the gate of the towering mansion, she found an entire garden at the entrance. “Wow, they even managed to get a garden around here… Impressive-”
“Halt! State your business.” A gatekeeper said, blocking the gate entrance.
“Um… Hi! I’m here to ask if you guys have a tome for-”
“This ISN’T a public place to enter, and there’s no parties scheduled today.” The gatekeeper said.
“What- Don’t you guys do trades or take cash?!” Alchemist said.
“Trades-? Ugh, right. The youngest one does love to collect…” Gatekeeper stated. “Very well, I’ll inform him and lead you the way.”
“O…kay.” Alchemist said.
Alchemist Cookie found herself sitting by a door in the mansion, as if she was a welcomed guest. She could hear shuffling sounds coming from the room, but couldn’t open the door as she was told to wait.
“Okay, come in.” a voice came out of the door.
As she opened it, she was blinded by the sunlight. Alchemist could see a hallway of treasures all around the room, with a lavender-haired cookie posing on a purple bed while being fanned by a blue lamp. Behind him, a violet-haired cookie with a dark blue cloak was staring at her.
(“They just have to make a display of themselves, huh…?”) Alchemist Cookie looked a bit annoyed.
“So, what have you come to offer for me, Yogurt Cream Cookie, today?” Yogurt introduced himself. “Is it a gift?”
“What? No, I’m here for something.” Alchemist responded.
“...Aww.” Yogurt said. “Alright, what do you want to gain?”
“Do you have a tome on the origins of alchemy? It’s probably pretty old.”
“Ah… I believe I have one in the library. Did it have a bunch of yellow symbols on the cover?”
“Those are alchemical symbols, but yes.” Alchemist Cookie asked. “I’d like to have it.”
“Okay…” Yogurt asked. “Then what’s your offer for the trade?”
(“Why did I rely on the slightest hope it would be free to read…)” Alchemist thought. “I… have some money in my pouch. Let me see how much-”
“...Mmm, I’m not interested in that.” Yogurt Cream stopped her. “I already have the money for a lifetime and want a treasure of equal value.” The violet cookie stared at her.
Alchemist Cookie then sighed, digging through her other bag. “I have an assortment of potions.”
“...Those will stale eventually.”
“One of my tomes?”
“Isn’t mine more special than yours?”
Alchemist facepalmed. “My hat? Necklace???”
Yogurt Cream looked bored. “...Now you’re getting desperate… They don’t have any history or value, they’re just basic. Did you bring anything special?”
Alchemist pouted. “...Ugh, I set sail to Yogurca for a tome, not to make some special trade-”
“...Hmm? You’re not from here?” Yogurt Cream opened an eye at her.
“No, my home is in another region entirely.” Alchemist said.
“Oh, then do you know how to navigate through a snowy mountain?” Yogurt said.
“Yeah- What, you mean those mountains outside…?” Alchemist asked. “In fact, what’s with the blizzard? Why is there snow in the desert; is that natural?”
“No…” Yogurt Cream said. “It just started snowing rapidly one day, and now you got ice all over the east side.”
“Then what’s causing it?”
“I bet there’s some sort of artifact causing it, within the tallest mountain!” Yogurt Cream said. “I’ve been wanting to go there myself, but none of us here know how to traverse through ice.”
“But what does this have to do with the deal?”
“If you guide me there and let me have that artifact, I’ll allow you to keep the tome.” Yogurt Cream replied. “Does that sound like a deal?”
“...Why would you want to go there? Wouldn’t you rather have me fetch it for you?”
“Hmm, good idea.”
Alchemist should’ve shut her mouth. “...No, wait-”
“I’m joking, I want to explore it myself. I’ve never been through something so cold before!” Yogurt said.
The violet cookie then walked up to Yogurt Cream and mumbled something to him.
“...Hmm? No, we’ll be fine. She knows about the arctic.” Yogurt told them.
Alchemist Cookie decided she wouldn’t have to lose anything from this offer, plus she wanted to figure out what was causing the blizzard in the first place. “...Alright, deal.” she nodded.
“Well!” Yogurt Cream got off the bed. “We have to head to the streets first, I need a thick jacket for this trip!” The violet cookie just looked at him before getting in front of him.
“...I’m not gonna ignore it anymore, who is she?” Alchemist asked.
“...She- That’s a he. He’s Lilac Cookie, my professional and loyal bodyguard!” Yogurt Cream Cookie waved his fan at him, but Lilac just looked at them without a word.
“...Oh.” Alchemist Cookie was fooled there. “Well he’s not very… talkative.”
“He’s just like that towards strangers.” Yogurt Cream said. “Now, let’s get going! I don’t have all day.”
“...” Lilac ‘responded’.
The three cookies departed from the mansion, with Alchemist Cookie walking with the rich man and his guard. How well is this adventure gonna go…?