Chapter Text
Pure Vanilla Cookie kept his mask the same one he used every day to hide his emotions yet guilt pained him each time he required to do so. He promised to be more honest with those closest to him, especially his fellow Heroes whom he lied to for so long. He looked up at the stained glass windows turning in his chair. Exhaustion crept up on him which was strange. He had a full night's rest. He would simply turn in early. A grimace creased his lips as he tried to stand up but his body did not wish to move. It felt like a weight was tied to each limb and there was an ache in his chest right where his soul jam was. A hand went to the gemstone and he used his staff as his anchor as he managed to stand on his feet. Yet there was uncertainty as it felt like his limbs were going numb. He took slow steps out of the meeting room where three young cookies awaited him.
“You okay Pure Vanilla Cookie?” Gingerbrave was the first to speak.
“Hmm?” the other replied.
“Clotted Cream Cookie said you hadn’t left the meeting room when it ended two hours ago,” Wizard Cookie chimed in.
“We… were worried,” The small voice came from behind Wizard Cookie. He knew it was Strawberry Cookie.
“I apologize for worrying you my friends. I am alright,” he spoke with practiced confidence and sincerity. He promised to tell the truth and here he was telling a lie. “I had a lot to reflect over, especially for the decisions that will need to be made.”
His hand remained over his soul jam to hopefully soothe the pain that he believed stemmed from it.
“Be sure to rest,” She mumbled.
“We gotta be ready for anything!” Gingerbrave declared his voice echoing throughout the empty palace halls.
“Let us know if you need anything,” Wizard Cookie said.
“I promise I will. You are my most dear friends who have helped me more than I could ever hope to repay,” Pure Vanilla said.
“Aww shucks!” Gingerbrave rubbed the back of his head.
Strawberry cookie pulled her hood close hiding her blush and Wizard cookie adjusted his scarf clearing his throat the scarf hiding all but the edges of his own blush under his visible eye.
“Good night,” he held on to his staff and motioned down the hallway and the trio bounded down the hallway reassured.
“Rest well,” Pure Vanilla Cookie said before they parted.
The ancient hero turned heading to his room, his mind clouded with a flurry of thoughts. He was not alright and he regretted the lie he told to the three. He supposed some habits were much harder to defeat even after his trials at the spire and his awakening. Yet it seemed this might also stem from the journey to the Spire of Deceit. Never once in the centuries of wielding the Light of Truth had he felt so empty. The staff rushed about carrying their duties and Pure Vanilla felt himself straighten. When he reached his room in the top spire his legs gave out and his staff clattered to the ground his breathing labored. There was only one answer that he could think of for this. Perhaps he went too far with his actions to deceive Shadow Milk Cookie…
~
Pure Vanilla Cookie barely made it to his bed; the dark marks on his soul jam were prominent now like scars from where his staff impacted the once conjoined soul jam. He was slipping in and out of consciousness when a dark portal opened in his room. Attempts to move his body were met with nothing but the painful numbness that had consumed him. From the darkness emerged cookies he was quite familiar with. Black Sapphire Cookie and laying limply against his back was the Beast of Deceit. The shadowy portal vanished when the pair stepped through. Shadow Milk Cookie’s hair was more liquid than solid flowing off his back and shoulders onto Black Sapphire staining any color on his suit. Despite his weakened state his eyes were alight with fury. Black Sapphire walked over to the bed and placed his master on the opposite side of Pure Vanilla Cookie.
“What are your orders, master?” Black Sapphire inquired. His hair was disheveled and his suit unkempt. He sounded exhausted and he straightened holding onto his staff.
“Make sure no pathetic little gnats disturb us,” Shadow Milk Cookie commanded.
Black Sapphire Cookie bowed and left the room and shut the door standing just outside it, darkness rippling over his appearance as he now donned armor and his staff appeared as a spear.
Fear and concern battled for dominance over Pure Vanilla Cookie as while it had been a few weeks since the Spire of Deceit. He established communication with his fellow heroes except White Lily Cookie as they planned to handle Dark Enchantress Cookie.
“Shadow Milk Cookie are y-”
“Silence! Y-YOU! YOU did this to me! I will wipe you off this pathetic world!”
A wince as darkness seemed to flicker within the room becoming oppressive for a moment before fading. It seemed both were suffering from this weakness that Pure Vanilla was afflicted with.
There was a warmth in his chest and a faint glow from his soul jam being so close to the Soul Jam of Deceit. The other’s soul jam glowed as well and this warmth spread and Pure Vanilla grabbed his staff lunging out of bed as Shadow Milk lunged and impacted the golden barrier.
Shadow Milk outstretched his hand, his staff appearing in it and the shadows in the room darkened, gaining life and struck at the barrier solidifying into clawed hands. Both felt their energy returning and their soul jams glowed seemingly resonating. Both could feel warmth ripple over their bodies and their chests grow hot.
The barrier began to crack from Shadow Milk’s onslaught and Pure Vanilla’s staff began to glow, becoming like the sun before he made the barrier around himself burst into light. The burst of light eviscerated the shadows that had become Shadow Milk Cookie’s weapons. He felt claws tear into his flesh and Shadow Milk was on top of him. He looked like a beast, his eyes awash with fury and along his dough was patches of fur and a half formed wolven features consuming his body.
A half formed snout rushed to bite down into Pure Vanilla Cookie’s neck as light formed around him to create another barrier. He refused to hurt Shadow Milk Cookie like this but this heat was now painful. It was like a firestorm raging in his chest and as Shadow Milk went for his throat all the two could hear was tink before darkness enveloped Pure Vanilla Cookie’s vision.
The sensation was familiar as he was assaulted on all sides by the maelstrom of emotions from Shadow Milk Cookie. Yet his surroundings weren’t his bedroom nor was Shadow Milk Cookie anywhere in sight. He felt the other’s emotions like they were his own and all he could feel was white hot fury. An all consuming burning that clouded everything making Pure Vanilla Cookie see nothing but red. Yet under that red hot fury lay was something else. Fear? Desperation? It was difficult to identify. He glanced around and he stood seemingly in the Vanilla Castle yet it had influences of the spire within it before he groaned as his vision blurred. Half of his vision became that of the Spire of Deceit. Where was he? He glanced down at his hands and one was a poofy black sleeve ending in a white frill with a pale blue clawed hand and the other a cream colored one with sun kissed skin.
One began to walk and the other floated off the ground and was a blur of movement becoming the wind. His emotions shifted from anger to concern. What was this place? The concern evolved to frustration. He was the master of this soul jam! Why did he have no control!? Is Shadow Milk Cookie okay? He did not care to answer such questions! Words could not express the regret the hero felt and the indignation the other felt to not be victim to such pity! Yet both still closed their eyes, a pain cleaving through their minds as it was all shared. Nothing was hidden. The Seeker of Truth and the Beast of Deceit were truly one and the same now.