Chapter Text
Candy Apple stares at the person in front of her. Her bright red eyes wander from them to their master, Mystic Flour Cookie, and to her own master, Shadow Milk Cookie. They seem deep in conversation, Shadow Milk’s loud, boisterous voice filling the room as Mystic Flour gives short answers and nods.
Candy Apple had tagged along with Shadow Milk to Mystic Flour’s abode. Black Sapphire is on a mission in the Faerie Kingdom under the guise of 'spreading deceit', but she knows he just wants to see his stupid faerie boyfriend, while her master claimed to have just missed his old friend, but she knows he just wants to rant his heart out about everything that occurred with those pesky ancients. She didn’t want to be alone so she tagged along. Shadow Milk only agreed to let her come because he knows that Mystic Flour has a young apprentice of her own, opting to call it a play-date of sorts. She looks again at the child in front of her, clinging to Mystic Flour. Their big, fluffy hair captivates Candy Apple. As she admires them, her thoughts are quickly cut short as she hears Shadow Milk speak to her.
“Well, me and Mystic Flour have quite a bit of catching up to do!” He exclaims. “So be good, okay!” The puppy-like child opens her mouth to protest, but the door quickly slams shut and the two teenagers are left alone together. The haetae looks irritated, before turning to Candy Apple. They take a breath and shouts. “I’m Cloud Haetae Cookie, the guardian of the Ivory Pagoda and Mystic Flour Cookie’s most devoted follower!” They smile a big, toothy grin as they speak, “If your master is a friend of Mystic Flour, then you’re a friend of mine!” Candy Apple has to admit, their energetic manner is cute. Really cute. It makes her heart flutter, but she quickly shakes the feeling off. Only Shadow Milk can make her feel that way! There is no way some weird, Mystic Flour following cookie could make her feel the same!
...Right?
Candy Apple smiles back and declares, her voice equally as loud as the haetae. “Hmph! You think your devotion is that good? I follow the great, powerful Shadow Milk Cookie! I’m his favorite cookie, Candy Apple Cookie! Y’know, he could turn you into a puppet just like this!” She snaps her fingers for effect, “He’s just that amazing, much better than your Mystic Flour!” She giggles, watching as Cloud Haetae's expression changes from excitement to anger. “You dare speak of Mystic Flour that way!? She could give you the pale ailment and turn you into flour in minutes!” They huff, “You don’t know anything about her!” They cross their arms and turn away, their hair bounces with their every movement; it captivates Candy Apple. She stammers over her words, trying to hide the growing blush on her cheeks. “W..Well, you don’t know anything about Shadow Milk either!”
The forced ‘play-date’ is uneventful. The more the two talked, the more similar they realized they were. Besides their unwavering love for their masters, they also both love finding and pairing new icings, pranks, and singing. Everytime Cloud Haetae speaks, Candy Apple feels her face heat up. It’s embarrassing, she just met them for witches sake! A part of her feels a sense of guilt, how could she feel this way for anyone that isn’t her beloved Shadow Milk? She sits, deep in thought about her new friend.
“Hey! Hey! Hellooooooo! Earthbread to Candy Apple?!” Cloud Haetae says, shaking Candy Apple. She is snapped out of her thoughts. “Huh? Oh, sorry! I was just thinking about how much better my master is than yours.” She lies, grinning, earning an agitated yell from the haetae. They are about to argue again, but the door unlocking interrupts them. Shadow Milk and Mystic Flour walk through the door, the jester mid-way through a long rant.
“And that stupid, blond, truthful gnat got his Soul Jam back! I was so close to having him!” He finishes rambling as he walks to Candy Apple. “Your yearning is futile, there are much better ways to garner a cookie's attention. But there is no meaning to love or hate.” She states, petting the haetae that ran over to her. Shadow Milk rolls his eyes. “Always so apathetic! Whatever, Candy Apple, Black Sapphire should be back from his mission now. Those pathetic faerie must have been shaking in their pathetic little boots! Let’s head back, shall we?” He laughs his typical maniacal laugh as he opens a portal with a swing of his cane. “Coming!” Candy Apple calls out to him, but before she leaves, she approaches Cloud Haetae.
She stumbles over her words, a hand tugging lightly on one of the ribbons securing her candied apple hairpieces. “I.. I don’t say this ever but I had a ton of fun with you today… Can we do this again? Can we, can we?!” The haetae gasps before nodding ecstatically. “Yes, please! I’ll even make you a steam bun! One that won’t make you crumble, of course!” Before Candy Apple can stop herself, she runs over to them and gives them a small, fleeting kiss on the cheek. Their pale doughs sport matching shades of red as she runs to the portal. “Bye! I’ll see you soon!” She calls out, her tone sing-songey, yet obviously shaken. Cloud Haetae waves goodbye as she leaves.
Candy Apple approaches Black Sapphire timidly once she gets home. She shouts, “Sapphy! I need help!” She seems more interested with her mary-jane shoes than Black Sapphire, refusing to take her eyes off the ground and look him in the eyes. “Hm? What happened this time? Troubles with your dearest master Shadow Milk Cookie?” He teases lightly. “Well… Not this time. Sapphy, I think my loyalty is wavering... I think I might also like someone else…”