Chapter Text
“Candy Apple Cookie!!~ Black Sapphire Cookie!!~ I need youuu~”
The two minions rushed to their master’s room. Candy Apple Cookie was in the lead (as she so often was), and her brother Black Sapphire Cookie followed behind a bit slower. When they arrived, Candy Apple Cookie rapped on the door.
“Master Shadow Milk Cookie? What do you need?”
His voice came muffled from behind the door. “Ah yes! Um, please come in!~”
Black Sapphire reached over Candy Apple’s head (much to her disapproval) to open the door. When the pair stepped in, Shadow Milk Cookie was nowhere to be found.
“Um… Master?” inquired Candy Apple Cookie.
Shadow Milk stepped out from behind a lavish blue curtain. He looked a little disheveled, and the clothes hanging off of him suggested he had been switching forms for a while.
“Ah, there you are. Um,” Shadow Milk looked almost… embarrassed? Something the minions haven’t really seen before, for sure. “I have something a little unorthodox to ask of you two.”
Black Sapphire Cookie made a noise to show his intrigue, and Candy Apple Cookie bounced on her toes. “What is it, Master Shadow Milk? We’ll do anything!”
“Ahhhaha. Right. Uhm, do the two of you, by chance, remember my colleague Eternal Sugar Cookie? Ahem, um, she wanted to see me, and I’ve been trying to figure out how I should look. You know, like feminine or masculine? How should my hair look? Things like that.”
That wasn’t necessarily all there was to it, but Shadow Milk was glad to see the enthusiastic responses of his minions. Black Sapphire went behind the curtain to the closet while Candy Apple began to search for things like hair ties. They both had his permission of course, but it still irritated him a little to see them going through his stuff.
- - -
Shadow Milk had only fond memories of Eternal Sugar Cookie. Before their “corruption”, he had really only seen her as an acquaintance, a friend at best. All of the Beast Cookies worked closely together for the fate of Earthbread. Knowledge, Volition, Happiness, Change, and Solidarity. As Shadow Milk was the virtue of knowledge, he thought that frivolously chasing happiness was a waste of time when there was so much wisdom to be found in his studies.
But while they were trapped for all those years, Shadow Milk found himself with unpredicted affection growing for the girl. He put on little shows and performances to pass the time, and he always caught himself trying to see if Eternal Sugar Cookie was watching. Even if she slept through most of it, the fact that she was interested enough to show up made him giddy. When he wasn’t performing and when she wasn’t sleeping, the two of them would giggle together and pull silly pranks on the other Beast Cookies.
Now, after they haven't seen each other in what seemed like forever, he was finally getting an invite to her lush paradise. Whatever the occasion was for, he was going to make a good impression.
“How exactly were you thinking of presenting yourself?” called Black Sapphire from the closet.
“Um.. Maybe androgynous? Because I couldn’t really decide? I did kind of want to be a little more masculine.” Shadow Milk wasn’t used to being so indecisive, and letting his minions choose for him? Unheard of! They seemed to be enjoying themselves though, so maybe it wasn’t all bad? Black Sapphire ducked behind the curtain once more and started to rummage through clothes. - - -
After changing, (to the applause of Candy Apple and Black Sapphire), Shadow Milk was promptly seated on the ground. Candy Apple Cookie sat on her knees behind them and began to mess with their hair. Black Sapphire Cookie started to apply touches of makeup; tentatively at first, then more confident as he got used to putting the makeup on Shadow Milk’s face.
When Black Sapphire was finished with the makeup (which was very nice, Shadow Milk had to admit), and Candy Apple had settled on a simple ponytail hairstyle, Shadow Milk declared that he was ready to depart. He thanked his children and parted with a "toodlalooo~"
- - -
When he arrived, the warm, dizzying scent of Eternal Sugar's paradise hit his face and overwhelmed his senses immediately. How could she stand this?
A rustling in the bushes nearby alerted Shadow Milk, and he summoned his staff defensively. "Oh, looky looky! Hellooo~ Who's there?"
A little cupid flew out. Oh. Shadow Milk vaguely remembered hearing about someone similar when she told him about her own personal minions. The small Cookie giggled.
"Hello!~ I'm Pavlova Cookie! Hehehe~"
“Pavlova Cookie, please do remind me; Eternal Sugar Cookie’s little paradise is behind this pink fog, yes?”
Upon hearing Eternal Sugar’s name, Pavlova Cookie’s eyes lit up.
“Lady Eternal Sugar Cookie?” He flew right up to Shadow Milk, squinting his eyes. “You have a strange heart, much like hers. But instead of joy and happiness and overall goodness, yours is filled with… hmm.” Pavlova Cookie paused, and with good timing too. Shadow Milk already didn’t like him that much, and he was about to throw the brat into the bushes if he kept making comments like that.
Pavlova Cookie giggled again. “Ohhhh~ I see. You have so much love for Lady Eternal Sugar Cookie! Yes, you lay awake in the Spire, just dreaming about herr~ An unrequited crush to lovers maybe? Oh, or forever unrequited, uselessly pining away-”
The Cookie was subsequently thrown into the bushes.
- - -
Finally, Shadow Milk Cookie made his way into Eternal Sugar’s haven. “Hellooooo~ Anybody home?”
One of the attendants lazily flew over to him. “Hello! I’m Maraschino Cookie. Are you Shadow Milk Cookie?”
“Erm, yes. I-”
“And you’re looking for Lady Eternal Sugar Cookie?”
“Yes?”
“She’s been expecting you. Follow me~”
Just how well hidden was she? First was that annoying Pavlova Cookie, now he was being led across meadows and puffy cotton candy clouds. Everywhere he looked, sugary sweet colors and happy cookies, all hidden under a sticky pink sheen of the illusion of happiness. Gorgeous statues of Eternal Sugar dotted the fields, all erected in lifelike beauty and detail.
"My ladyyy!~ Lady Eternal Sugar Cookie!~ Shadow Milk Cookie is here!"
Shadow Milk watched anxiously as Eternal Sugar Cookie descended from the clouds. Oh. My. Goodness. She was breathtaking. Neat, shimmering pink curls framed her perfect face and down her bare back. Delicate angel wings fluttered behind her, not a carefully-preened feather out of place. The faint light from the glowing white halo perched above her pretty head glinted off of her Soul Jam and her hypnotizing eyes. The white folds of her dress cascaded down and around her legs, her pink tail wrapped around them as well. In Shadow Milk’s eyes, she was flawless: the epitome of beauty and another being almost as well-versed in deceit as he. (Emphasis on almost).
She smiled and flew down to him, taking his face in both of her hands. “Oh, Shadow Milk Cookie! It’s been ever so long~” Eternal Sugar Cookie then turned to the assistant. “Maraschino Cookie, you’re, um, dismissed. Pavlova Cookie hasn’t been seen for a while, can you see if anything happened to him?” The cookie nodded and smiled, quickly flitting away on butterfly wings. Now, they were alone. Shadow Milk quickly hugged Eternal Sugar, wrapping his arms around her waist as he wished he could had done so much longer ago. She laughed, draping her own arms on his shoulders.
"Shadow Milk Cookie!" Eternal Sugar exclaimed, pulling away. "What on Earthbread are you doing?"
Shadow Milk bowed theatrically. "My apologies, m'lady. It's been a long time since I've seen you. Or anyone else besides Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire Cookie, for that matter."
Eternal Sugar laughed. “I know what you mean. Sometimes I miss you and the others. There is never any reason to be upset here, but it can grow a little mundane without your performances. If you have any free time, you should come here. The people would love it. Your little ones can come too, if they wish.”
“If that is what you’d like, m’lady~”
“Oh, stop that,” Eternal Sugar gently took Shadow Milk’s soft blue hand. “Seriously. As long as you don’t mess with my garden again-” she said that very pointedly, and Shadow Milk smiled at her sheepishly. “-you could come to see me anytime you like.”
- - -
Shadow Milk and Eternal Sugar lazily floated around the paradise, close enough where the backs of their hands carefully brushed against each other and were quickly moved away. The bright colors and perfume-y smells were overwhelming and it seemed like there was a blurry haze around the corners of his vision, but Shadow Milk was okay with it as long as he was there with her. He had forgotten the exact way her eyecing glittered and her hair shimmered when the sun hit it just right, and the small sparkles shone bright with hues of a million different colors. He shivered when her silky, feathery wings ever-so-lightly brushed his back. Cookies surrounded the pair as they travelled; Cookies napping on soft cotton candy clouds, cookies tucked away in the recesses of the clouds with investing books, children playing together, couples like them strolling the grounds, altogether paying them no mind.
“I must admit, Eternal Sugar Cookie," Shadow Milk began, leaning over and speaking quieter a bit so the surrounding cookies couldn't hear. "I must admit, I congratulate you on your effective little lies here. Artful how much effort you put into maintaining them~”
Eternal Sugar smiled at him sweetly, feigning innocence but with a knowing gleam in her eyes. “I haven’t the slightest idea what you mean, silly,~”
“You knowww! It must have been awful hard convincing EVERYONE to stay.” “Convincing everyone to stay? Oh yes, that little Pavlova Cookie seems to just love leaving... I always find him outside or near the borders whenever I'm looking for him. I have to keep a close eye on that one, in case he causes false suspicion and doubts about my paradise. However, once people arrive, they usually don't want to leave."
"Rightt."
They continued their stroll for a while. Some cookies turned to stop and point at Eternal Sugar and her mysterious guest, while others ignored them. It was ever peaceful, and Shadow Milk was happy to be there with her, but the sickly sweet perfumes, somewhat humid haze, and extra bright sun that he wasn’t used to were starting to affect his head.
He stopped floating forward, instead drawing his knees slightly towards his chest and put his hand on the side of his head. Eternal Sugar kept going for a little while until realizing Shadow Milk wasn’t with her, then she turned around.
“Shadow Milk Cookie? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” She suddenly sounded concerned, more concerned than he had ever heard her sound about him.
“I, um, don’t feel very well? This is starting to get a bit too sweet for me, hehehe..”
“Oh! Yes, it usually takes people a little while to get used to it. Here, follow me…”
Eternal Sugar Cookie gracefully took Shadow Milk’s hand (totally not making him blush a little), and gently led him to a tower of asparagus. Inside, the air was much clearer and easier to breathe. Lush pink decor was scattered around all the rooms they passed as Eternal Sugar led him to an empty bedroom.
The room had a bed of white sheets next to a nightstand. Eternal Sugar Cookie laid Shadow Milk’s head on the pillow and sat in a cloudy chair nearby, resting her head in her arms and fluttering her eyes closed. Shadow Milk wished her hand stayed in his hair for even just a second longer than it did.
Has he always been this tired? Was it the comfort of the bed or the work of Eternal Sugar Cookie’s magic that made him start to drift off now? Probably a mix of both. Before he went to sleep, however, the flowers on the bedside table caught his attention. They had a scent very unlike the ones typically in Eternal Sugar’s domain. They were white, and had a dry scent to them that made his nose itch a little. Similar to the ones found in the Ivory Pagoda, last he checked.
But that didn’t make sense. Eternal Sugar had said she hasn’t seen any of the Beast cookies since they left the tree. It was hard to believe she would go out of her way to take flowers from the Ivory Pagoda.
“Eternal Sugar Cookie?”
Her eyes opened, but she didn’t move. “...Yes?”
“These flowers are from the Ivory Pagoda. I know they don’t grow here. Where did you get them? If you had gotten them before we were unjustly sealed away, they would have died by now."
Eternal Sugar’s eyes widened. “Oh, um…” She sighed, looking at Shadow Milk apologetically. “They were a gift from Mystic Flour Cookie. I lied to you. You’re not the first one I’ve seen since we escaped. Mystic Flour and I… had a bit of a thing after. It was nice- you know how beautiful she is- but if you can imagine, her whole apathetic thing was kind of a drag on the relationship after a while, haha..” She attempted a weak smile, but it was not returned. She had lied to him. Don’t get him wrong, he LOVED a good pinch of deceit, but it wasn’t as good when it was directed to him!
Although he hated to admit it, the little one- Pavlova Cookie- was right. He wasn't mad at Mystic Flour Cookie, but he was disappointed that Eternal Sugar apparently didn't care about him as much as he thought she did. There was a pit in his chest that made him want to scoop his heart out with a spoon.
"Shadow Milk Cookie..?"
"I think I have to go."
Eternal Sugar Cookie reached out as Shadow Milk snapped his fingers and disappeared.