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The esteemed Council of Elders in the Crème Republic held one of their regular meetings atop the grand shell in the center of the land. It eventually became a topic of discussion that in 100 years, resources and food will soon dwindle. In an effort to prevent this loss, Clotted Cream Cookie suggested they start thinking of expanding their territory. As the elders of the sea, Oyster Cookie and Captain Caviar Cookie list off the potential risks and ecological dangers of going out and conquering unknown waters. If they aren’t careful, which they know the republic won’t be, the ocean’s ecosystem could be harmed and potential, irreparable destruction. But the others didn’t care, having more concern over the Republic’s resource abundance in 1 0 0 YEARS in the future. The rest of the council voted to go through with Clotted Cream’s plan, leaving the two sea elders annoyed. But because their houses were best known for their oceanic activities, Oyster and Caviar were put in charge of the expedition. And because the expedition was Clotted Cream’s idea, he was sent to oversee the voyage.
This leads to where we are today, with the Salty Shark set out at sea with its captain, Elder Oyster, and Clotted Cream aboard. They knew the Tropical Soda waters were used by the islanders, so they couldn’t go there. Looking at the map, the next best place was the Jellyfish Ocean. It’s a bit far, but as far as any cookie knew, it was uninhabited. And they all knew if they didn’t come back with results, they’ll just get sent back out again. As they were nearing the perimeter of the ocean’s borders, they heard a loud splash near them. Clotted Cream Cookie went to investigate. Just as he reached the edge of the ship, he missed what caused the sound. But what he did see was a splotch of yellow swimming away from them. Just as he was trying to figure out what that yellow creature was, Captain Caviar called out to the others.
Captain Caviar: Jellyfish Ocean in sight! The Great Candy Reef just up ahead!
Oyster: Are we certain the Jellyfish Ocean is the best option for the republic?
Captain Caviar: Well, we all know the Duskgloom Sea and Silent Ocean are an immediate red flag with her residing there, the Tropical Soda Isles are inhabited, and the waters of the Candystick Archipelago are too barren to be sustainable long term. The Jellyfish Ocean has the Great Candy Reef, an abundance on jellofish, gummy fish, and other sea creatures.
Oyster: I’m well aware. Still, I’m concerned for the balance of predator and prey in the ecosystem.
Clotted Cream: Regardless of the potential risks, the other elders are more concerned about the republic’s resources. As long as the cookies can thrive.
Captain Caviar: Still, this so called “lack of resources” issue is a long ways away. I know we shouldn’t leave it to the generation it will happen, but we still have time to think of other solutions.
Captain Caviar lowers the ship’s anchor, doing his best to avoid any candy coral structures, but secure enough to prevent them from moving. Luckily, the reef waters are deep enough for the Salty Shark’s submarine.
Captain Caviar: Alright, who’s coming with me?
Clotted Cream: I will. As elected consul, it is my responsibility to see my own plan through.
Oyster: I shall accompany you as well.
Captain Caviar: Then let’s a move on!
The trio of cookies hop into the submarine and venture into the reef. Just as they were expecting, it’s a flourishing environment of so many candy sea creatures. It was almost a shame to think of harming it for the better of the republic’s future. Things were going smoothly until the submarine’s sonar picked up on something.
Oyster: What is it, Captain Caviar Cookie?
Captain Caviar: It’s picking up on…a group? A group of 3 creatures? Wait, those are…sharks?! Coming straight for us!
Oyster: Sharks?
Captain Caviar: Yeah, granita sharks! But I heard they don't normally hunt in packs! Why are 3 of them hunting us?
Clotted Cream: No clue, but they seem too coordinate to be natural. Is this a sneak attack from someone?
Clotted Cream looks around and sees something swim by the window, but it wasn’t one of the granita sharks. Clotted Cream rushed to the window and spots…two flippers? How odd. From the sea life they saw earlier, there were no creatures with flippers. What was that?
Captain Caviar: Consul! Lower the frequency and fire off a sonar pulse! We’ll blast these suckers with a sound wave!
Clotted Cream: R-Right!
Clotted Cream meddles with the submarine’s dials before firing off the sonar pulse.
Clotted Cream: Take cover!
Caviar and Oyster cover their ears. Clotted Cream presses the button to release the sonar pulse before covering his ears too. The sharks flinch and cease their group attack, swimming off in fear of another sound wave.
Captain Caviar: Now that’s how you fight off a shark attack!
Oyster: An excellent job, you two.
Captain Caviar: Still, Consul Clotted Cream Cookie was right. Those sharks were too in tune with each other. It ain’t natural.
Clotted Cream: Just before you told me to fire that sonar pulse, I saw something swim by. It had two large flippers.
Captain Caviar: Flippers you say? There are fins on the gummy fish and granita sharks, but not flippers. Are ya sure?
Oyster: Speaking of those sharks, I don't believe they're native to these shallow waters. They are usually found in deeper waters. Along with that coordinated attack and flipper sighting, perhaps we were indeed being attacked by something or someone.
Captain Caviar: Then let’s go confront this person face-to-face! We won’t get anything done if they get the jump on us again!
Clotted Cream: I agree. On the topic of strange sightings, while on the ship, I saw something large and yellow swim by us before disappearing. If that and the being with flippers were cookies or intelligent creatures, our expedition will only get delayed.
Oyster: Then let us venture deeper into these waters.
Clotted Cream: Look over there! Behind that taffy fan coral!
Looking to where Clotted Cream is pointing, there is a slight pull. Using the sonar, the submarine pick up on deeper waters. Taking a chance, the submarine dives past the fan coral to reveal a continental drop into the Twilight Zone.
???: General, this is the Reef Guard reporting. They’ve scared off the sharks and have breached the Great Candy Reef.
“General”: I see. I shall report to The Protector immediately.
The submarine ventures deeper into more open waters. There are more jellofish floating around, and looking deeper are a couple of granita sharks.
Clotted Cream: Such wide, open space. To think it was hiding behind the Great Candy Reef.
Captain Caviar: Something ain’t right. The ocean is too quiet for the environment. I’ve seen calm waters before, but not like this.
Oyster: Captain Caviar Cookie, watch out!
Captain Caviar: Huh?! Whoa!
The submarine is suddenly hit with a strong wave. The cookies have to hold onto something as the submarine is suddenly pulled down by a random vortex. Captain Caviar was getting flashbacks from the Duskgloom Sea.
Captain Caviar: Don’t tell me there’s a legendary sea beast in this ocean too!
Clotted Cream: A sea beast?!
Captain Caviar: There’s no other explanation to this out of nowhere current! This is the work of magic!
Oyster: Everyone, prepare yourselves!
The submarine is submerged into the depths, and the sudden pressure change makes the cookies dizzy and fall unconscious. The next thing Clotted Cream Cookie knows, he’s waking up in a room made out of crystal and a bright light. A cookie looks over at him.
???: Ah, you’re awake. I hope you’re feeling ok.
Clotted Cream: Yes, I am. Thank you.
Clotted Cream sits up, only to feel slight resistance. That’s when he noticed that he is underwater. As a cookie, it’s only natural he’d panic. But the cookie beside him reassures him.
???: Please, calm down. You’re ok. Our court sorcerer cast a spell on you and your friends to prevent you land cookies from going soggy.
Clotted Cream: “Land cookies?”
That’s when Clotted Cream looks at the cookie beside him and notices that she has…a tail? And not just any tail. Judging by the build and her fang, she’s a shark.
???: Oh, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Dole Whip Shark Cookie. Amethyst Healer and Medical Expert of the Crystal Court.
Clotted Cream: A…mermaid?
Dole Whip: Yep, nice to meet you, Elected Consul, Clotted Cream Cookie.
Dole Whip smiled, showing off more of her shark teeth. With the fact that she’s a shark, clearly a foreign governmental power, and somehow knowing who he is, Clotted Cream was on guard.
Clotted Cream: How is it that you know my name? We only just met.
Dole Whip: Our dear Surface and Land Observer took the liberty of reporting your presence. To think that of all vessels to make it beyond the reef, it belonged to members of the esteemed Convocation of Elders.
Clotted Cream: You said you’re a part of a court. What is this court of yours?
Dole Whip: Not mine, but our Great Protector's. Speaking of the court, your elders should be with two more of our council members right now. The Cassiterite General of the Guard and Moonstone Head of Security. But until they’re done, please rest yourself here.
Clotted Cream is speechless and worried. This General of the Guard and Head of Security, members of this mysterious “Crystal Court” has his superiors. Elsewhere, Captain Caviar and Oyster are in an interrogation room. The door suddenly opens, and a colorful cookie walks in. What shocks them is that it’s no ordinary cookie or an ordinary mermaid in recorded sightings. They look more like a crustacean.
???: So, you two are the elders Caviar Cookie and Oyster Cookie.
Captain Caviar: That’s CAPTAIN Caviar Cookie to you, shrimpy!
Two large tendrils emerge from the cookie’s back and aim straight toward Captain Caviar Cookie’s face at lightning speed, being mere centimeters from hitting him.
???: You are in no position to be telling me how to address you, Captain. And call me “shrimpy” all you want, but I’m no ordinary shrimp. I am Mantis Shrimp Cookie, Moonstone Head of Security. And by the way, you may be a captain, but we have a general.
“General”: Alright, Mantis, that’s enough. No need to be so defensive about things. We’re here to interrogate them, not threaten them.
Suddenly, another cookie enters the room. He’s large, well-built, and a tough looking mermaid. He wears minimal armor, his body is covered in scars, and has a threatening glare in his eye.
“General”: Please excuse Mantis Shrimp Cookie. They’re quite quick to anger. I am Rock Orca Cookie, Cassiterite General of the Gelatinera Guard.
Captain Caviar: Gelatinera?
Mantis Shrimp: Yes, that’s where you are right now. The Mermaid Paradise, Safe Haven for the hurt, Gelatinera!
Oyster: To think such a place existed. A civilization on this scale should have surely shown up in history.
Mantis Shrimp: Do you think we’d let our location and existence be known to you land cookies? You’re the ones we want to stay hidden from the most!
Captain Caviar: Us "Land Cookies?!"
Rock Orca: Hold your tongue, Mantis Shrimp Cookie!
Mantis Shrimp: Forgive me, General.
Captain Caviar: A general, huh? So, care to explain what we’re doing here?
Rock Orca: Simple.
Rock Orca’s already stern looking eyes turned deadly intimidating.
Rock Orca: We need to question your reason for sailing into our ocean with the intent to hunt our sea life.
It had been some time, and Dole Whip Shark Cookie allowed Clotted Cream to wander, but not before giving him directions to the interrogation room his elders were being held in. As he roams the halls, he can’t help but take notice of the magnificence of the building he was in. The walls are made entirely out of crystal with pearls and scallop shells decorating the walls. Looking out the window, he sees the beauty of the place he was in. There are mermaid cookies of all kinds swimming around the beautifully lit city. He notices some servants in the hall swimming by, whispering to each other with worried looks on their faces. They notice him staring and swim off quickly. Then a voice calls out to him.
???: Elected Consul of the Crème Republic, Clotted Cream Cookie.
Clotted Cream turns around and sees a glowing cookie with an unusually long tail. Even for other mermaid cookies he noticed in the city.
Long Cookie: Please, come with me to the Throne Room.
Clotted Cream: Throne Room?
The cookie smiles and guides Clotted Cream through the palace. Once the two reach the throne room, the doors open to reveal Captain Caviar and Oyster Cookie already there.
Captain Caviar: There ya are, Consul! Where were ya?
Clotted Cream: Apologies, Captain Caviar Cookie. I had been resting elsewhere. I hear you two were interrogated.
Oyster: Please, do not worry, Consul. It was nothing we could not handle.
Rock Orca: Indeed. We have the answers we were looking for. Now, you await the judgement from our Great Protector.
Clotted Cream looks up to see a large throne against the wall. To the side are 8 cookies. Clotted Cream recognized Dole Whip Shark Cookie and Oarfish Cookie. And Captain Caviar and Oyster knew Rock Orca Cookie and Mantis Shrimp Cookie. But two other cookies stand out to Clotted Cream Cookie that made him have a revelation.
Clotted Cream: You two! You’re the two creatures I saw before!
Yellow Splotch Cookie: Oh, you actually caught me? Maybe I’m losing my touch.
Cookie with Flippers: Or perhaps that Consul is more observant than we realized.
Yellow Splotch Cookie: Well, since you see us now, I’m Banana Dolphin Cookie, Larimar Surface and Land Observer.
Cookie with Flippers: And I’m Turtle Mousse Cookie, Peridot Candy Reef Guard.
Long Cookie: Allow me to introduce the rest of us. This is Unicorn Milkshake Cookie, our Opal Court Sorcerer.
Unicorn Milkshake: Among other things, my magic is the reason you land cookies are able to stay crispy while here.
Long Cookie: This is Taffy Apple Cookie, our Serpentine Court Member who’s in charge of population control.
Taffy Apple: To clarify, I help maintain and oversee the population of the marine life in the open water and the Great Candy Reef.
Long Cookie: And I am Oarfish Cookie, Diamond Chamberlain of the Pearl Palace. Together, we are the Crystal Court of Gelatinera.
Clotted Cream: So this is the “Crystal Council” that shark mermaid mentioned...
Captain Caviar: Care to explain why we’re here? All we were doing was just scoping out the area!
Rock Orca: That is exactly why we had to stop you. Ourselves and our Great Protector hold the Candy Reef in high regard. It serves not only as a home for the marine life, but as a form of defense and distraction from snooping cookies.
Mantis Shrimp: In order to protect ourselves and our home, we put a stop to any suspicious activity before they can make its way past the reef.
Turtle Mousse: But when you discovered the continental drop, I informed the general who informed our Protector to bring you down here before you could do anything.
Oyster: And just who is this protector you all constantly speak of?
Behind the throne is a large curtain. A loud roar erupts from behind it. The land trio cover their ears while the members of the court don’t even blink. From behind the curtain appears a pair of two large eyes before they disappear. Just then, a glorious mermaid cookie emerges from the curtain and makes their way to the throne. They wield a trident with magnificent fins on their back. They take a seat on the throne and look down at the trio of land cookies.
Oarfish: Great Protector, they are here.
Protector: …
The land trio couldn’t even speak. Without saying anything, the mere presence of this one cookie changed the atmosphere. The three are reminded of what territory they’re in.
Protector: The General has informed me that you lot were swimming around my reef in hopes of expanding your republic’s resources?
Oyster: That’s right. On behalf of the Crème Republic, we’re trying to find a place to gather more resources for the foreseeable future.
Protector: And you all thought it was wise to search in the Great Candy Reef, a place with a delicate ecosystem?
Captain Caviar: It wasn’t our first choice! But we all thought the Jellyfish Ocean was uninhabited.
Mantis Shrimp: Well, it makes sense no one would know we exist. We erase the memories of any visitors.
Land Trio: What?!
Protector: To protect Gelatinera and its mermaids from being hurt by enemy forces or nosy land cookies, my Court Sorcerer prevents our existence from speaking on land by erasing the memories of any who venture beyond the reef.
Clotted Cream: Please believe us when we say we mean no harm.
Turtle Mousse: You say that, but by deliberately wanting to fish in the Candy Reef for the betterment of your republic, you threaten the balance of the food chain.
Taffy Apple: I already try to help maintain harmony with both Gelatinera and the wild life. The inclusion of this Crème republic will only make my job more of a headache.
Captain Caviar: That comes with the job of being in a position of power! If you can’t handle that, why be in this Crystal Court?
Taffy Apple's eyes widen in anger, and he swims toward Captain Caviar at lightning speed. Captain Caviar is shocked by such fast swimming.
Taffy Apple: You dare to question my commitment to my position? It’s because of my job that certain species don’t overpopulate one another, or that another won’t go extinct from over hunting by both Gelatinera and the wildlife.
Protector: Taffy Apple Cookie, that’s enough.
Apple Taffy glares one last time before swimming to his spot.
Protector: So, you seek resources for the future decline of them in a century?
Captain Caviar: You know? We didn’t tell you about the prediction!
Protector: You didn’t need to. I know everything in these waters. There’s nothing you can hide from us.
Clotted Cream: Great Protector, I take full responsibility. The solution to find more territory for resources was my idea.
Protector: …
Captain Caviar: Don’t try and pin the blame on yourself, Consul! You trying to be some sort of hero? We all share blame!
Protector: Is resources all you need?
Oyster: Yes. Specifically, resources for food. There’s only so much the salty cookies can fish up, and the maritime trade my house invests in does not have a priority for food.
Protector: Taffy Apple Cookie, go fetch the records for the populations in the south.
Taffy Apple: Yes, Great Dragon.
Taffy Apple gives the others a look before he swims away. The Protector shakes their head and sighs, seeing the obvious move the ribbon eel mermaid played. But the land trio is left in shock.
Captain Caviar: Hold it. Did that little eel call you “Great Dragon?!”
Oarfish: Yes, he did. After all, our Great Protector is a dragon.
Captain Caviar: A DRAGON?!
Oyster: I didn’t think dragons existed any more.
Clotted Cream: And the cookie in front of us…is a dragon…
Protector: You’d be surprised by how many of us are actually still alive. I am the Cyan Dragon of the Tides, Ocean Dough Dragon. The vortex and current that pulled you all down here was my doing.
Clotted Cream: Such power…
Captain Caviar: And something tells me that’s not all of it.
Taffy Apple: Great Protector, I’ve brought the list you requested.
Ocean Dough: Excellent. Give it to our guests.
Taffy Apple swims back over to the trio. Oyster Cookie takes the list and sees that it’s the native marine life. All of them have high numbers.
Taffy Apple: The waters farther south are colder and near the border of the Gelatinera territory. It’s difficult for us to manage the population numbers due to the already large area we cover.
Clotted Cream: Does this mean…
Ocean Dough: I’m willing to come to a compromise. I’ll allow you to hunt in the southern waters. In exchange, you’ll be maintaining the population numbers in the waters near the Tower of Frozen Waves for us. You’ll stay in contact with Taffy Apple Cookie, and he’ll tell you the population levels.
Taffy Apple: I’ll inform you of what species you should hunt in order to keep a balance. Is that clear?
Clotted Cream: Yes, it is.
Captain Caviar: So, are our memories gonna get wiped?
Ocean Dough: No. For the sake of this agreement, I will permit your memories to be intact. HOWEVER. If I hear word of you telling tales of Gelatinera, I will send Unicorn Milkshake Cookie to the Crème Republic myself and have him alter the memories of every cookie in the republic, and our deal will be null and void.
Ocean Dough Dragon Cookie’s eyes glow red, indicating how serious he is about these conditions. The land trio agree to the terms, and are brought to a conference room to write out and finalize the deal, get it in writing, and swear an Oath of Secrecy to follow the terms of the agreement and keep Gelatinera a secret. The trio return to the Crème Republic with a successful expedition, the other elders being quite pleased with the results. But all 3 refuse to disclose the details of how they managed to find a good enough ocean to use as hunting grounds.