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Lily fiddled with the hems of her long, white dress gloves. She furrowed her brows, and looked downward to get one last glimpse of her attire before stepping inside the ballroom. She had smoothed out her long, white dress about five times on the way here. The garment flowed behind her with her every step, seeming to lightly glimmer in the soft glow of the moonlight shining down on her.
She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, her hair carefully wrapped in a neat, braid. White Lilies adorning her head. Her friend, Pure Vanilla Cookie, had told her to dress for the occasion. Normally she attended ceremonies in her regular attire, but she supposed the nice thing to do was to do what he told her to.
She was always considered a bit of a social outcast. It was never intentional, of course. She had tried to make friends during her school days, but she was always considered wrong, in some way. When she wasn’t shy and awkward, she was ‘plain rude,’ and when she wasn’t considered rude, she was ‘too nerdy’ to befriend. Eventually she just stopped trying altogether, opting to focus on her grades, acing all of her classes and even landing class valedictorian when she graduated.
For a long time after that, she was left alone. Sometimes she would spend time with Vanilla, but it was always just… Him and her. No one else.
He had tried introducing her to his new acquaintances, those cookies they had met on that adventure, but she never really clicked with any of them. They were polite to eachother, yes, but Lily couldn’t really claim she knew any of them. But still, Vanilla tried his best getting her out more often.
Which is what he was doing now, she supposed.
White Lily Cookie hummed to herself, mostly out of comfort, as she pushed the grand doors open, entering the opulent ballroom. The marble floors were sparkling, the light from the chandelier hanging above reflecting off the glossy surface. A large banquet was already set out, the tables also decorated with vases of blooming vanilla flowers, and silver finery. Everywhere her eyes landed, were groups of prestigious cookies she recognized from a few textbooks.
She felt out of place in the setting. Lily was just some nerdy girl who spent all her time deep in the library studying, and when she wasn’t in the library, she was in her workshop continuously working on her projects, fiddling with endless batches of dough. No wonder Pure Vanilla had told her to dress up, she bitterly thought. If she had known so many well-known cookies would be present, she would have never come.
She turned her gaze downward, keeping her head lowered as she strode past, keeping herself near the wall as she walked over to a more secluded corner of the ballroom. Lily leaned against the wall, her eyes captured by the grand mosaic stained glass window. It depicted a scene of Pure Vanilla Cookie. She couldn’t entirely recognize him, the depiction making him out to be some sort of saint, or holy king. She still wasn’t used to calling him that.
The ballroom was filled with the soft clatter of dishes and utensils, paired with the lively chatter of the nobility present. She could hear faint music playing in the background, her eyes darting upward, spotting a small, posh looking band of cookies playing in the corner opposite to the one she was standing in. Lily didn’t care enough to pay too much attention, her eyes scanning the crowd, before landing on Pure Vanilla Cookie.
He seemed to be engrossed in conversation with a few cookies she didn’t recognize. But it didn’t matter. Lily sighed, turning her gaze away as she leaned more of her weight up against the wall. Well, she supposed she had no one to talk to, now.
She crossed her arms, her eyes landing back on the window, staring out the stained glass. Even through the color, she could see the outline of the stars and moon shining through. She traced their positions, idly wondering if she could see any constellations from the window.
As she was counting the stars, she paused. She could hear the sharp clicking of shoes hitting the marble ground, as footsteps approached and grew louder from behind her. She spun around on her heels, her eyes drifting upward to meet the energetic pink gaze of a taller cookie. She wore a poofy ruby pink dress, paired with gold and white accents. Her pink hair was put up in an elegant bun, decorated with hollyberries and golden adornments.
A bright smile painted her features, as she approached White Lily Cookie. “Ah, White Lily Cookie! It’s a pleasure to see you again! Pure Vanilla said you’d be here, but I wasn’t sure you’d actually show!” Her warm, welcoming voice greeted her, as she stepped forward to place a heavy hand on Lily’s shoulder. Where did she know this cookie from?
“It’s been a while, eh? How’s your projects been coming along?” Ah. She remembered her now. Hollyberry Cookie.
Lily returned the gesture with a small, awkward smile, looking a little more forced than she’d intended. “Oh.. Yes. It’s good to see you as well.” She forced herself to reply, not quite in the mood to entertain any of Pure Vanilla’s friends right now. She knew she’d come off as unsettling, no matter how hard she tried partaking in small talk. She’d rather not try, and put up with more rejection. She was having a hard enough night already.
“…It’s… Going.. Well. Uhm.” She stuttered, desperately trying to recall anything, anything at all about Hollyberry Cookie. Anything to use as small talk, until she could get this cookie to get away from her. But her mind blanked, as she awkwardly stammered for a comment. “How’s… The.. er… …Kingdom?” She internally facepalmed. She only assumed she was royal.
Hollyberry Cookie grinned, before throwing her head back in a hearty laugh. Lily could feel a small piece of her die inside.
“Oh! Cheer up, would ya? Tonight’s a special night! I can only assume Pure Vanilla invited you here to get you out of your room, and have a good time!” Hollyberry stepped forward to wrap an arm around Lily, pulling her close and crushing her with her strength. “Don’t be so shy, now. Why don’t you and I have a little drink together, eh? They say you never really know a cookie until you share glasses with them!”
White Lily Cookie sheepishly nodded, trying to push herself out of the crushing weight of Hollyberry’s arm around her, pressing her firmly against her as she led her over to a banquet table. Lily couldn’t fight her, only being let go once they neared the table.
Hollyberry reached out for a bottle of juice, popping off the lid with relative ease, before pouring it out in two fancy looking glasses. The reddish pink liquid swirled around as Holly picked them up, handing one to Lily, as she had no choice but to politely accept it. She held out her own glass, gesturing for Lily to clink both of theirs together, in a sort of toast.
“Cheers! Hope you’re not too much of a lightweight.” Hollyberry teased, adding a chuckle, before she took a swig of her drink, tilting her head back as she swallowed it down. Lily awkwardly murmured a ‘cheers’ under her breath, as she held the rim of the glass to her lips, taking a small, dainty little sip of her own drink.
She scrunched her nose up at the strong taste. She wasn’t too much of a drinker herself.
When was this cookie going to leave her alone? She idly wondered to herself. She was surprised Hollyberry Cookie didn’t consider her weird yet.
She must have been making a face as she quietly thought to herself, as Hollyberry Cookie soon frowned upon setting her gaze back on her. Lily flinched, as she felt her firm hand on her shoulder again, her red eyes darting up to meet Holly’s, her gaze seeming a little concerned.
“Hey… Are you feeling alright?” Lily froze at the question. She scrambled for a quick answer, forcing a sheepish grin to paint her features, before opening her mouth to speak.
“Oh, no! I’m fine, really.”
Hollyberry didn’t seem to buy it, keeping her concerned gaze pinned to her, before a soft sigh left her lips, and she set her own drink back onto the table. She removed her hand from White Lily’s shoulder, instead opting to fold her arms over her chest.
“I’m sorry if I came off as too forceful, or headstrong. I know I can be… A little too eager sometimes.” Her tone of voice sounded genuine, awfully so. She spoke to Lily as if she had known her for years, as if they were two friends pouring their hearts out to eachother in deep, honest apologies and confessions. It unnerved White Lily to hear a stranger address her in such a way.
Hollyberry concluded her apology with a soft huff. “If you’re feeling uncomfortable, don’t be afraid to tell me so. I had just noticed you all alone in the corner, so I thought it’d be nice for you to speak with someone.”
Lily blinked herself out of her thoughts, shaking her head and awkwardly smiling again. Though she was unnerved and a little annoyed by this cookie, she was oddly endearing. “No! Really, it’s fine. You don’t have to worry about me, I just…” She trailed off, her eyes darting elsewhere as she set her own drink aside, her hands clutching her dress in an anxious manner. “…Sometimes I can simply be a little… Shy, I suppose.”
“But you’re okay, I swear. It’s fine.”
Hollyberry didn’t reply immediately, her pink eyes scanning Lily’s, almost as if trying to read the sincerity of her words. White Lily Cookie could feel herself shrink under her gaze, a bead of sweat forming at her forehead. She hoped she didn’t look to cartoonishly guilty, or anxious. Sometimes it was a little embarrassing to appear so socially awkward at parties.
But the scrutiny seemed to end quickly, a warm smile reappearing on Hollyberry’s features, before she threw her head back again in a hearty laugh, her hand landing on Lily’s shoulder for the third time that night. “Ha! Well, that’s good to hear I wasn’t bothering you. It doesn’t matter if you’re a little shy, that won’t stop you from having a good time!”
“If it helps, you can hang around me all night! Since our dear friend Pure Vanilla Cookie seems to be busy with his other guests, tonight.”
Lily could feel a rare, genuine smile tug at the corners of her lips at the offer. Maybe it wasn’t so bad having her around.
“…That would be nice.”
.
A sharp, pained cry left her as she hit the ground with a crack. She could feel her arms getting weak, landing straight on her back as she tumbled into a pillar from the force of the hit. White Lily Cookie struggled to open her eyes, her vision blurred and her world spinning, as she fought to pull herself up, despite the immense pain.
It didn’t help that she was twice as frail, still missing her other half. The same other half that was now maniacally cackling, perched atop the hand of a giant cake monster. The same half now terrorizing her and her only friends.
She could make out the distant silhouettes of her collapsed friends elsewhere, they seemed to be taken out of it from the force of Dark Enchantress Cookie’s blow, as well. She wondered how Dark Enchantress had managed to pull together such a grand, powerful attack.
Some part of her felt guilty. Those were her powers, her borrowed powers used on the ones she cared about and loved. Her powers used on the same people she had made a promise to.
A disgruntled noise escaped her, a mix of a whimper and a grunt, as she attempted to hoist herself up, using her staff as a crutch to lean on, as she managed to pull herself up on one knee. She could almost feel her dough beginning to grow frail, and crumbly, as she gathered all of her energy together, in an attempts to stand. Somewhere out of the corner of her blurry vision, she could make out the limping figure of a pink-haired cookie approaching, a hand stretched outward towards her.
Before she could register anything else, Lily felt two firm hands hook underneath her arms, a grunt escaping the taller cookie as she helped her to her feet. “H-…Hollyberry..?” White Lily stammered, turning her head to face her beloved.
Hollyberry Cookie gave her a weak smile, her own legs trembling beneath her. Yet despite her own weakness, she still cared enough for her to help her stand. “Don’t… Worry, Lily. We can get through this together, ya’ hear? This fight isn’t over just yet!” She grinned, a breathless, wheezing chuckle escaping her. Lily felt her heart break at the sound of it.
“……Why… Are you helping me..?” White Lily Cookie weakly asked, her tired eyes drifting elsewhere, as she heard another distant cry from her other half sound out. She wondered if it was obvious.
She turned her heavy gaze back towards Hollyberry, only finding a fierce determination burning in those passionate, loving pink eyes. Once, White Lily Cookie could find herself staring into those depths for hours. But now, she could hardly even stand to meet her in the eyes. Why did she still care for her, even after all she had done? She was ignorant of her true nature.
Maybe it would be easier for Lily to tell her the truth, if she didn’t care about her. If Hollyberry Cookie didn’t care about her. Maybe it would be easier to let go of her.
“Hah… Why are you asking that? We’re friends, Lily! Not just that, but we’re comrades! We stand together, even in the face of the impossible!” She cried out with a determined huff, her voice full of spirit as she gave Lily a fierce grin. “There’s nothing we can’t overcome, as long as we’re together.” She wraps her arms around White Lily, giving her a gentle squeeze.
White Lily Cookie remained quiet, a weak nod leaving her, as she looked away from Hollyberry Cookie, her red eyes bitter and dark.
She didn’t feel any passion from her heartfelt speech. Only an empty, old sting in the center of her heart, aching for her to really mean it. To say she cared for her, and really mean it. Lily knew she wouldn’t be here if she knew the truth. And that was the bitter part of it.
She opened her mouth, but closed it again as her gaze was turned elsewhere. She watched Pure Vanilla Cookie leap forwards, his staff gleaming with the bright light of truth, causing her to squint and look away. A hopeless, grim frown overtook her features, as she heard a gasp escape Hollyberry Cookie, behind her.
And yet, as her vision went white, she could feel Hollyberry’s grip on her tighten, impossibly so, pulling her closer to her taller form with a death grip. White Lily Cookie thought to herself before the blinding white turned into darkness, knocking her unconscious.
She wished she didn’t love her.