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Returning to Crispia was more then a relief for the trio, finally home after Creators know how long!!
It’s been a very wild and…….relatively stressful and traumatising experience! Pretty sure he doesn’t want to see another tarot card for a while!
Yeah, home sweet home!……..except for oooooone little thing…….
“Ugh, why are you making me DO THIS?!” Shadow Milk complains, chopping some wood at the Lumber Mill.
Yeah……that, Pure Vanilla had managed to…..technically kidnap??? Shadow Milk and his minions before the spire collapsed, and due to understandable reasons, asked GingerBrave, Wizard and Strawberry to keep an eye on them for a while due to the other Ancients returning and requesting a meeting with him to discuss their next course of action against Dark Enchantress.
So far Shadow Milk and Candy Apple don’t seem very content with doing any work around the Kingdom, the only one who seems to actually enjoy doing anything being Black Sapphire.
“For the last time Shadow Milk, if you’re gonna stay here you need to contribute!” GingerBrave groans in annoyance, this jester was really getting on his nerves, cause if he DIDN’T give him anything to do he’d probably turn the whole Kingdom into his circus ground!! Even though Pure Vanilla managed to weaken his power significantly he was still powerful.
“Never said I WANTED to live here, little brat!” Shadow Milk snarls, seems he’s in a particularly bad mood today.
“Morning GingerBrave? Newbie givin ya trouble again?” Avocado chuckles , walking up to him, seems she was just on her way to the Smithy.
“Yeah, being a REAL PAIN!” GingerBrave says loudly intentionally so he could hear him, the Jester just rolls his (many) eyes and goes back to ‘work’.
“Ey don’t worry about it! I’m sure he’ll get the ‘Jest’ of it eventually!” She says with a wink, Shadow Milk groans loudly intentionally the background.
“Creators! How can one Cookie make a Pun THAT BAD?!” He exclaims in disbelief and disgust. "Even Candy Apples jokes are better"
“Don’t mind him he’s a bit snarkier then usual today” GingerBrave sighs in annoyance.
"Well while we're here some Monsters have been spotted in the woods, so be careful when you go out there to hunt for Jelly Boars and Jelly Rabbits" She warns him with a serious look.
"Don't worry, I've delt with Cake Monsters before! Don't sweat it!" GingerBrave chuckles, but Avocado still worried, he could be a little impulsive some times, don't get her wrong we was in NO WAY stupid or dumb, but he could be a little stubborn.
"Alright, just be mindful of your surroundings, Beet reported some of the Monsters seemed a bit.....off" She says before bidding farewell and going back to her Smithy.
".....Well she seems like the worst person to bring to a party!" Shadow Milk giggled.
"Shut it and get back to work!" GingerBrave groaned in annoyance before walking off.
Shadow Milk just rolled his eyes, he caught sight of some kids, Pancake and some others, and he got an idea.
"Pssst, hey kids" He whispers to them, once catching their attention he beckons then over. "Cut this wood for me and i'll give you candy!"
Hooked the instant he mentioned candy the kids rushed over, grabbed some axes and started chopping away at the Roll Cake Logs, children, so easily manipulated! Why all he had to do was offer then sweets and they did what he asked instantly! No strings or mind games needed!
Now that that boring problem was out of the way, lets have a looksie around this place! See what this dull Kingdom has in store! Maybe he'll clownify everything just to spite whoever was runnin this joint for shits and giggles!
He wandered around, the Cookie Kingdom seemed a bit.....lacking, in many departments, then again Pure Vanilla did mention it was a still developing Kingdom, heh, if Burning Spice saw this place in his prime he'd have it finished and prospering in no time. He finds that many different types of Cookies live here, Avian, Half-Animal, even Some Dragons and Sea Cookies, there was a large Lake connecting to the ocean where some Sea Cookies have settled, pretty sure he saw a dead kid wandering around, everyone who went near em started crying due to the strong Onion aroma she gave off, wonder what happened to her?
He eventually found himself in the Town Square, where many Cookies seemed to spend their time, it was oddly impressive.
"AH!! HELLO THERE NEWCOMER!! I haven't seen you around here before!" A small Cookie suddenly comes running up to him. "I'm Caramel Choux! Official Advisor of the Cuckoo Town Square, it's wonderful to meet you! If you have any questions, I'll be the Cookie to help!"
Quite and energetic Cookie, reminds him of Candy Apple, only less obsessive.
"Ah ha ha! W-Well it seems my stand out more then i thought considering you.....saw me, that quickly..." He says with a slightly uncomfortable and annoyed tone, personal space much?
"O-Oh! Sorry! We just haven't had a new resident in a while! I've pretty much memorised everyone here!" She chuckles nervously, before waving at the pale Greyish blue doughed Cookie wearing what looked to be a grey clown costume/Sweater with a blue bow o the chest and overly long sleeves, with pale blue hair and blue eyes, they were walking next to a Spicy Cookie with red hair, a devilish tail, beige dough, wearing a simple shirt and baggy pants. "Oh! Hello Blueberry Creme! Hi Peppercorn!"
The duo wave cheerfully and walk off.
"Soooooo Whats your name stranger?" She asks him cheerfully.
"Oh? Well you little missy can call me Shadow Milk! Worlds best poet, Director, Story Writer and Clown!" He says with a bow, well if it's a way to run on his ego then he's gonna take it.
"Wow! Really? Well then it's quite an honor!" She chuckles....ok MAYBE she's a little tolerable.
"Now then, you uh, said you'd answer any question I had bout this place?" He asks her mischievously.
"Any question I can answer!" She confirms.
"Well then! Do tell me, who's runnin this joint?" He asks her, looking around with an exaggerated playfulness.
"Pardon?" She asks confused.
"Oh ya know, who's ruling this Kingdom, the Head Honcho! The Big Cheese!" He explains with a playful grin.
"Oh! We don't have one!" She says with an innocent smile, and Shadow Milks grin falls to a confused frown.
"I'm sorry wha?" He says with utter confusion.
"Yep! The Cookie Kingdom's more like the Creme Republic!.....Only without an overbearing Government, here, everyone is equal and free to do as they please as long as it does not cause harm to our Kingdom!" She explains.
A Kingdom without a King, Queen, Monarch or ruling Government? Thats a first for him, back in his prime Kingdoms would usually be ruled by 1, 2 or a group of Cookies to keep things in order, now this.......was very intriguing! Makes him wonder how much it will take for this Kingdom to spiral into CHAOS! The thought made him want to giggle like a School Girl.......then again he'll have to refrain from that, he promised dear Nilly he wouldn't cause any Kingdom crumbling shenanigans or world ending Schemes, then again he never said he couldn't cause a LITTLE Chaos!
"Well that's certainly.....a first....." He says, regaining his usual cheery facade, well then, guess it's time for his next question. "Next question! What exactly is the history of this Kingdom? Who founded it, Where did they come from, that kinda stuff!"
"Oh! to answer the first part, from what I know, this Kingdom was founded a Trio a young Cookies, and with the help of the local Sugar Gnomes, helped rebuild this Kingdom from ruin! And later, taking in Cookies from all over who have no place else to go!" She explained, so those Kids Pure Vanilla's so fond of founded this place? Interesting, and rebuilt from Ruin? Such Mystery! Creators he can feel his Scholarish personality starting to show, how....sickening....
"As for where they came from...uh......I'm......not actually sure" Caramel Choux said thoughtfully.
"....s'cusa wha?" Shadow Milk utter out confused.
"Well, I did ask the Sugar Gnomes about it but they just said they 'appeared from the woods one day, looking pretty beaten up and exhausted', and thats all they knew of em, they did mention the original Cookies who settled in this Kingdom with them were from the same place, but thats all they really know, they never mentioned nor spoke of where they were from, and I'VE never seen them with any adults that would clarify as their parents other then Pure Vanilla, as far as I know, they don't seem to have any" She said worriedly.
Mysteriously appearing out of nowhere, and little to NO information on them of the original settlers original home? Well well well!~ It seems a couple of little itty bitty Cookies aren't as honest as they seem! He never really payed much attention to them before but now with this delicious little mystery shrouded with Lies and enigma, his interest has been piqued!
"Original Settlers you say? Who may these be?" he asks mischievously.
.
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.
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He asked around, asking all the Cookies Caramel Choux told him were Cookies who settled here with the kids, and all he got were similar asnswer when asking the same question of where they originally came from.
He asked Alchemist; "Sorry, I-I don't know what your talking about" lied through her teeth.
Vampire; "U-uh......Memory's a b-bit fuzzy...." Clearly avoiding the subject.
Avocado; "Thats quite personal there bud!" Avoided the subject.
Cherry; "I'd prefer it if you didn't bring that up mister!" Threatened him.
Angel and Devil; "Some things are....." "better left in the abyss of memory" Outright refused.
Blackberry; "I'm sorry, but i cannot help you" Outright ignored him.
Herb and Sparking; "M-Maybe you drank a bit to much buddy!" "H-Hey! These flowers look nice!" Avoided the topic completely.
These refusals only seems to pique his curiosity more, just what was so bad that they would LIE to the Beast of Deceits face just to keep it secret? Oh so many questions, so little time! So many Lies and so little truths! thats when he had a marvellous idea! Why not go to the source of his curiosity! The little cowardly liar should be all alone in the woods right now!
Perhaps if he pulled a few strings he could get a few answers!
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GingerBrave wandered through the woods, his Candy Cane tight in hid grip, something was off, it was to quiet, he hadn't seen a single Jelly Boar of Jelly Rabbit since he got here, was Beets report about there being a dangerous Cake Monster in here true? He can only imagine what could scare off a herd of Jelly Boars!
He was tempted to turn back and make his way back to the Kingdom, but the snap of a branch, startling him to a halt.
His senses kicked into over drive, he could hear breathing behind him, some large was looming over him, he could feel the tremors of it's heaving growls, he could smell it's chocolate scent, feel it's breath on his neck and shoulders.
Slowly, he turned around, not daring to make any sudden moments, being met with a fuzzy torso, several legs just barely out of view, he slowly looks up, gaze trailing to a more Cookienoid torso, long and slim, to stretched to be a Cookie, long arms tipped with sharp Candy Cane claws, soon his gaze reached it's head, chocolate brown hair hanging from it's head, and 4 red eyes staring down at him as he looked up at the Arachnes horror in front of him.
He took of running the moment it roared at him, he could feel it, the power surging from that thing! It was a power similer to the SoulJams!! Like the Magic Candies Espresso had developed using a fragment of power from one!
The Cake Arachnes chased after him with frightening speeds, it smelled of Jam and jelly, looks like the missing Jelly Boar problem has been solved, only problem was he was about to join them!!
Running through the forest he zig zagged between and around to trees to try and disorient it but it was more flexible and agile then it's size suggested, he's eventually forced to hide.
Looking around frantically and finds some rocks and a log.
Taking a deep breath he skidded to a stop, picked up as much dirt as he could, and with as much strength as he could muster, chucked the dirt into the Monsters eyes the moment it got close enough, as it screamed in pain and rage he started sprinting again and dove for the rocks, pushing himself into the log and curling up to the centre so he wouldn't be seen.
He could hear it snarling in anger outside, it's legs coming to view as the claws scrapped along the floor, it sniffed at the ground and hissed, he held his hands over his mouth to muffle his breathing and to make as little noise as possible, something he was used to doing for a long time.
The Cake Arachnes snarled in annoyance as he felt the ground shake a bit as it walked away, it's footsteps getting softer and softer as he heard it get farther and farther away.
Relief overtook him as he let out a sigh of relief, he wasn't out of the woods yet though, just because it was gone didn't mean he was out of dangerous land yet, right now he needed to find-
Before he could finish this thought the log shook as something rammed into it, the back of his head hitting the empty log, blade like claws stabbing into the Bark as the log was shaken violently, it had intentionally make itself quieter to trick him into thinking it was leaving as to catch him off guard!!
The log was suddenly tossed into the hair and snapped in half upon impact with a tree, causing him to tumblr out, harshly hitting the ground, and within seconds he was grabbed and hoisted up into the air before he could recover.
It threw him full force into a tree to further disorient him and to feed it sick and twisted humour, his back feeling like it was on fire the moment it made contact.
He felt his breath become uneven as it's hand suddenly slammed onto him, pinning him down, it's 4 red eyes staring at him with twisted glee as it's mouth split into a wide manic grin, such sadism and savagery, it made his body shiver in terror.
It reared it's head back and roared in his face, his eyes shut tightly , his breath held.
A slow clap froze the 2 into a silence, another, more terrifying presence makes itself known. "My My~ quite the show, i'm impressed~" He knew that voice.
Cracking an eye open his gaze sets on Shadow Milk, whom was slowly walking toward then clapping slowly. "Seems the old hags been busy! How.....amusing...."
He felt the Cake Arachnes shiver, his gaze trailing up to it's head, it stood there frozen, it's eyes wide with what he can only assume is terror. It felt it didn't it? The great distance of power the 2 of them had, it could FEEL that Jester was by far more dangerous then even it.
"I'd request you let the little brat go, but I i can only assume you won't do so with out a fight..........right?" He chuckles darkly, his expression shifting to something more menacing as his held his hands behind his back.
GingerBrave felt the creature move off of him backing away the moment he starts getting to close. It looked like it was about to bolt.
Before it could move any farther back it's arm was suddenly pulled harshly back by an invisible force.
"Ah Ah Ah! Not so fast big guy!........I'm not done with you yet....." he says darkly as what held the Monster suddenly became visible, a blue string had been wrapped around it's wrist.
Lifting his arms up and within a matter of seconds the Cake Arachnes had been completely bound in strings, it's limps tied back and held out like some form of Blood eagle without the Gore. It's limbs tied back so tightly that it couldn't move an inch.
"I must say, you've done quite the job here! Scaring off the Jelly Boars, eating all the livestock, such Deceitful nature!" Shadow Milk laughs as it struggles more and more as he steps closer, desperate to get away from him. "Though......I don't appreciate my Power being used without my knowledge......you know exactly what i'm talking about...little Spider~"
GingerBrave felt a chill run down his spine, Shadow Milk was utterly terrifying when he dropped his facade, that serious look he gave them back in the tower before he used them as a bargaining chip against Pure Vanilla gave him nightmares.
"Soooooooo! If you don't mind!.........I'd like to have it back....." He says with a serious glare, his fingers flexing, tightening the strings around the Cake Arachnes, cutting into it's Dough and Batter. "Not budgin huh? Don't worry! I'm not against TAKING it back myself~ he he he he hahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
As he laughed his summoned his staff, the cane lengthening and forming into a Scythe, what happened next GingerBrave averted his eyes from and covered his face with his hands, all that filled his ears were blood curdling screams, and the sound of Metal slicing through Dough and Cake Batter, as the screams died down, the silence became deafening, Shadow Milks manic laugher becoming silent.
He slowly removed his hands from his eyes and forced them to open, gazing upon the lump of Cake Batter that used to be the monster, Shadow Milk standing over it, holding a red Magic Candy in his grip, soon crushing it in his grip as the power within flowed into his SoulJam. Taking a deep, and satisfied breath, he gaze shifted to GingerBrave, making him freeze.
"Oh don't think I forgot about you little Cookie~" He giggled, turning heel to face him before slowly striding over to him, Scythe evaporating into magic, GingerBrave felt his nerves spike with fear.
However the moment Shadow Milk gets close enough to get a good look at him his eyes widen and he comes to a stop, the younger Cookies question why he was looking at him like that when he noticed one of his Skull Buttons lying next to him a few feet away.......oh no.....nononononononoNONONO!! He felt his chest, and found it was the top one that fell off, NO NO NO IT MUST HAVE FALLEN OFF WHEN HE WAS THROWN INTO THE TREE!!!
Now what Shadow Milk was so shocked to see was the amount of injuries that covered the kids body, none of which......were new.......He gaze follows GingerBraves down to the Skull Pin, which he picks up, he could feel the magic coating it, a cloaking Spell made to hide ones true appearance.
Looking back at GingerBrave he noticed the kid was attempting to run, and with haste trapped him and pulled him back with his strings. "Oh no no no, you're not going to get away that easy.....not until you explain this!" He snarled, Creators Pure Vanilla and those Raisin kids were really rubbing off on him wasn't he?
"L-LET GO!!" He exclaimed.
"Kid the more you struggle the worse it's gonna be!" Shadow Milk snarled, he kept the kid restrained there until he tired himself out, letting out a deep sigh. "....Now if I let you go do you promise not to run?"
GingerBrave looks at him meekly before nodding, that wasn't a look he'd ever seen on the kids face. Carefully, the strings loosened and sit GingerBrave down, the Beast of Deceit sitting down next to him.
"GingerBrave........these scars aren't new, so don't try to lie to me and say you got them while being attacked by that thing" Shadow Milk warned him, and the kid nodded nervously. "Now kid, I needed every answer out of you to be honest, I'll know if you're lying"
Taking a deep breath he spoke once again. ".....Did you have....abusive parents?" It wouldn't be the first this he encountered such a thing, back in his Prime years as BlueBerry Milk, Headmaster of the Blueberry Yogurt Academy, and Fount of Knowledge, he'd have a few students with.....less then friendly parents.
GingerBrave averts his gaze. “………k-kinda…..”
“‘Kinda’ is not a proper answer GingerBrave” Shadow Milk sighs in a serious tone, great, now his inner Blueberry Milk was spilling…….this reminds him of a similar conversation he had with Black Sapphire.
“…….I wouldn’t……call her my ‘mother’ per say……she only made me….” He sighs sorrowfully.
“Is ‘she’…….the reason you ran away from your old home?” Shadow Milk asks him, GingerBrave shot his a shocked look. “Cookies talk more then you think kid, talked to a few more Cookies, sounds like the place you came from was pretty bad, makes me curious just what kind of place it was….”
GingerBrave went silent before speaking again. “Can…..I ask you something?”
“Knock yourself out kid” He replies.
“What……was the Witch who made you like? The Witch of Light I mean…..” The question threw Shadow Milk off a bit.
“Ugh!! She was AWFUL!! Three us into the world without a single thought, teaching us nothing about the world and left us to fend for ourselves, locked us in the Silver Tree!” He complained, before taking a deep breath. “But…..other the that she……she was a good person at heart…..”
Shadow Milks mind ran with a thousand questions as to why the kid would ask such a strange question, before his mind landed on a specific conclusion.
“K-kid are you-“ GingerBrave seemed to freeze when he realised Shadow Milk connected the dots, out of pure instinct the jester grabbed on of his arms and inspected it closely.
The dough of t he arms were badly burned and charred, the dough itself was evenly baked, with extreme heat no less.
“……There is only one type of flame that could cause burns like this” Shadow Milk says quietly. “You were made by a Witch weren’t you?”
“I-I…..” GingerBrave was at a loss for words, was it a mistake to tell him!?
“K-Kid you said your ‘Mother’ was the one who did this to you……see you referring to your-….” Shadow Milks mind was racing, NONE of the Witches in the Light Witches coven would ever FATHOM doing something like this!! They all cherished their creations! Poured their heart and soul into the Cookies they baked!! So……who the hell made these kids?!
“……the…..Which who made us was…..all but the kind and benevolent Witch Cookies worship today……she was cruel….sadistic, a-and she…….she-“ GingerBrave stuttered out, looking like he was on the verge of tears.
“Shh…..don’t talk, you don’t have to tell me now” Shadow Milks mind sighed, looking back at the burns on his arms. “Your arms look like their just about to snap of at any minute! It’s a shock you’re even able to lift your Candy Cane at all! Let alone swing it!”
“It never bothered me” GingerBrave insisted, but the jester wasn’t having it, the worst kind of lie is when someone lies to THEMSELF.
“Pure Vanilla could have healed this a while ago, especially with that new flashy power up he’s got now!” Shadow Milk groaned in frustration, kids, stubborn as they were gullible and ignorant.
“I didn’t want to worry him” GingerBrave says with an almost desperate tone.
“Well guess what, once we get you out of this Creator forsaken forest I’m taking you to the Vanilla Kingdom myself, and you’re going to ‘worry’ Pure Vanilla with this yourself! Or I’m going to do it for you!” Shadow Milk snarled.
“Wha- but it’s really no-“
“No buts!! Your arms look like they’re about to crumble at the slightest wind! They’re pretty charred to charcoal and chipping away at the seams!!”
“B-BUT-“
“I SAID NO BUTS!!”