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Purr Vanilla hummed as he helped the servants prepare the castle with decorations. He placed Candy Bouquets in vases, hung up streamers, and helped carry supplies.
It was Custard the III's coronation and he wanted to ensure everything went smoothly.
"Has anyone seen Custard?! I need to do a final fitting to ensure the measurement are right on his suit!" Mont Blanc Cookie exclaimed.
Pure Vanilla looked up from what he was doing, which was adjusting a bouquet, and without haste, approached Mont Blanc.
"Are you unable to find him? Should he not be in his room preparing?" Pure Vanilla asked.
"No, he isn't there and we have less than half an hour!" Mont Blanc panicked, fidgeting with a sewing needle.
"Everyone! Search for Custard Cookie the III! Immediately!" Pure Vanilla loudly instructed.
Guards, servants, and GingerBrave and crew quickly scattered in search of the king-to-be. Pure Vanilla himself joined and began looking for his decendant.
Pure Vanilla entered the royal gardens, searching for any clue about Custard Cookie III's whereabouts.
As he walked, he picked up on the sound of faint crying. Custard Cookie III's crying.
He followed the sound to a pond, where Custard Cookie the III was, sitting on bench, crying softly.
Seeing the boy cry did a number on the king's heart. He hated seeing one's so close to him distraught.
"Custard? Is everything alright?" he asked softly, sitting because the boy.
Custard quickly wiped his eyes, a poor attempt at hiding his sobbing. "Y-Yeah..." he stuttered.
"Custard..." Pure Vanilla sighed softly.
They both sat in silent, watching the gummy fish swim about the pond.
How was he going to fix this, let alone approach the issue? He wasn't even sure what the issue was, though he felt certain that Custard wouldn't feel comfortable talking about it. Most young cookies never do with adults. So... maybe Custard didn't need to speak right away.
"Is everything alright, Custard...?" Pure Vanilla asked again.
Custard Cookie III hesitantly shook his head.
"Do you wish to talk about it?" Pure Vanilla questioned.
Custard Cookie III shook his head again.
Pure Vanilla gently wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulder.
Custard Cookie III sniffled as he laid his head on Pure Vanilla's shoulder. "I'm scared..." he mumbled.
"Of what, if you don't mind me asking?" Pure Vanilla inquired.
"What if I'm not a good king?" Custard Cookie III hiccuped.
"Shhh... it's alright..." Pure Vanilla hushed. "Why wouldn't you be a good king?"
"Well..." Custard Cookie III started.
"I-I'm just a kid. Sure, I'm a young adult, but I still feel like a weak little baby. What if I make people angry? Or sad? Or make a big mistake? What is I turn into Grandpa Custard? He's terrible to Uncle Clotted Cream. I don't want be like him, I wanna be like you!"
Pure Vanilla rubbed his chin. Custard Cookie III's fears were understandable. He felt similar when he was crowned king. He had no Cookie to guide him, but Custard Cookie III did.
"We all feel small sometimes. Especially when your a fresh adult. And you may cause some negativity, but you can't please everyone. I'd know," Pure Vanilla chuckled before continuing.
"And yes, power does go to one's head occasionally, Custard Cookie being a prime example. I'm disappointed to call him a decendant of myself. But there's you and Clotted Cream. You both are strong, brave, and more than exceptional to call yourselves decendants of myself. I couldn't be prouder."
Pure Vanilla gently hugged Custard Cookie III close, rubbing small circles on the prince's back.
Tears reappeared in Custard Cookie III's eyes as the sudden comforting touch. Instinctively, he hugged back, just as tight.
"I didn't have anyone to teach me how to be king," Pure Vanilla admitted. "But, you have me. And your friends. You can always count on them and myself to be there when you need aid."
He stood up and offered his hand.
"Shall we go find them to share this momentous occasion together?"
Custard Cookie III wiped his eyes again before taking Pure Vanilla's hand.
Pure Vanilla cleared his voice as he stepped forward on the balcony, raising his hands and hushing the ecstatic crowd.
"Citizens of the Vanilla Kingdom..." he began.
"Today, we celebrate a new genaration blooming onto adulthood. I've been your king for decades, since before the Dark Flour War. And now we have entered a new era of peace. Dark Enchantress defeated, the CoD and Beasts being rehabilitated as of now, and the Ultimate Cookie awakened." He gestures to GingerBrave. "And with this new era of peace, I have decided it means a new ruler is to come with it. Custard Cookie the III, please, step forward."
Custard Cookie III took a deep breathe and looked back at his friend. The four cookies smiled, giving Custard the small boost of confidence he needed to step ahead.
He stood beside Pure Vanilla as Pure Vanilla gently touched his Soul Jam.
"Hollyberry passed her Soul Jam onto her son, Royalberry Cookie. Dark Cacao passed his Soul Jam onto his son, Dark Choco Cookie. Golden Cheese passed her Soul Jam onto her daughter, Rich Cheese Cookie. Lastly, White Lily passed on her Soul Jam to her son, Silverbell Cookie."
He removed his Soul Jam.
"As I don't have a direct offspring to pass on my Soul Jam, and title as king, I pass it onto my youngest decendant, Custard Cookie the III."
Pure Vanilla smiled at Custard Cookie III before attaching the Soul Jam to Custard's staff.
"Let's here it for Custard Cookie the III!" GingerBrave exclaimed.
The crowd erupted in cheers, screams, and whistles. Hats and beads flew and trumpets played the Kingdom's anthem.
"Nice going, pipsqueak!" Chili Pepper laughed, giving Custard Cookie III a noogie.
"Hey, stop!" Custard Cookie III laughed.
"Oh, quit picking on him, Chili Pepper," Strawberry chuckled.
Custard Cookie III approached the balcony once more.
"I'd like to here it for my friends! I'd have never made it this far without them!" Custard Cookie III announced.
The strongest wizard in Crispia, Wizard Cookie! The bestest bounty hunter I know, Chili Pepper Cookie! The sweetest, most understanding, and level-headed off all of us, Strawberry Cookie. And the Ultimate Cookie, GingerBrave!"
The cheers and screams, continued as the four stood beside Custard Cookie the III.
"A cheer for whatever the future has in store for all of us!" GingerBrave exclaimed.
"HIP HIP HURRAY!" the five cheered.