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[Elder Faerie Cookie’s perspective, time is set during their last meeting]
I heard footsteps going closer to where I am. All the time, those sounds are what I always long for. But now, those steps, they are familiar, yet I sense something isn’t right. When I feel them, it brings a sense of warmth and familiarity, but today, I feel anguish and pain instead. Something isn’t right and it could pain me. That feeling— those footsteps, it was not from an ordinary cookie whom I only share duties with— it’s the cookie whom I swore to protect and protect the world with. His tender yet firm presence brings a sense to my heart that I could not explain.
“Elder Faerie Cookie…” He reached to me, his voice was filled with pain and agony. I faced the entrance, where he was, looking at him. “Will you greet me even now… even if I’m covered in jam and cookie crumbs?”
He wasn’t the same as the last time I looked at him. He was covered in armor, yet I can see that he was trembling. His attire was grey with hints of purple, as well as tiny bits of red— which looked like jam. Could it be that he slaughtered our kind?
He knelt down in front of me, falling to his knees. “Will you…. still call me a friend… even if did all of this— even if I looked like this…?” His voice had a hint of anger with an undertone of anguish. I was speechless— I couldn’t say anything. I gripped one hand on a pillar, holding back my tears and my fear. I couldn’t comprehend what was happening— it was too fast.
He handed me his sword and pleaded. “Elder… Faerie Cookie…” sobbed the cookie. “End my life… End my life in your hands, for I have lost my virtue… for I have failed to protect cookiekind.” He bowed his head, accepting his defeat. My heart swelled as he begged me to finish him. I was stunned when I heard these words come out of his mouth.
“What are you saying…?” I replied. “I cannot…. I will never do. I will never end your life or even put you in harm, I swore that…” I said, denying the cookie’s request. Tears falling through my face out of sadness, my grip on the pillar tightens.
“No? But… look at me… these buts… they are innocent jam… look at all the innocent jam that I shed…. look at what I’ve done…” He cries out to me. “…and it’s all because of anger… and wrath… how will you still bear to see me like this? How will you not end such life?”
I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t even talk— a lump in my throat that’s choking me to death. Because, I couldn’t kill him, even if he did slaughter the innocent out of wrath. I just can’t— he was still the special cookie that has a space in my heart. The thought lingered through my mind, leading my eyes to be covered in tears.
A moment of silence creeped up between us. He stood up, walked to me, and held my hand delicately. He was in distress, but his touch was soothingly gentle— the same as yesterday. He caressed my cheek, wiping off my tears. His hand, even under the glove, was warm. I leaned into his touch, sighing of relief.
“The touch of your warm hands,” I muttered. “will disarm me, will tear my armor apart.” I look at his face, covered in helmet. “Let me… let me see you.” I softly weeped.
He hesitated shortly. But he took my request and slowly, he removed his helmet. I saw; sweat and tears were all over his face and neck, his hair messy, his cheeks a little red, his eyes swollen. I held a tight grip on his hand, caressed his cheek on the other. “I can’t breathe.” He leaned into my touch, and let out faint sobs. He was trembling on me.
“I cannot handle you… seeing me like this.“ the cookie sobbed.
“Shh… you’re… you’re beautiful… as beautiful as I first saw you.” I told him, even if it felt like I was choking on my own words— I was crying. I tucked away all the hair that was on his face, and gently planted a kiss on his forehead. I felt his arms around my waist, holding me hopelessly.
“I’m sorry… if I’m getting jam all over you.” He apologized. His voice was desperate yet hesitant. Yet, he kept on holding me, even if his arms were shaking.
A brief moment of quietness was all over the atmosphere. We were holding each other— vulnerably. It was an intimate moment, but it was unlike the usual. Moments like this, I’d often forget the world around us. But now, I cannot shake off the feeling that a calamity happened or will happen just soon enough.
“I’m sorry, Elder Faerie Cookie.” He apologized, once again. “I shouldn’t even be doing this…” he whispers with such pain. “I must not walk this path with you….” He let go of my touch, but he was still sobbing. I froze— I couldn’t move and say anything. “… for I have lost all of my virtue.”
He stood in front of me, putting his helmet back on. “… If you cannot end my life…” He said, his tone suddenly shifting in to a stern manner. “…then let us cast the spell.”
“The spell? …You cannot be serious-“
“It is the only way. If these cookies used their virtue into malicious doings then what else should we do? Have you not seen the damage? Have you not seen the innocent lives that have been slaughtered? There is no turning back. The spell is the only way. ” He bursted out with anger and a hint of pain.
“Just… just do it. Let’s cast the spell.” He demanded, his voice firm.
I sighed, wiping off a tear. I nodded. The damage was done. There was no other way— the spell was the only one. I didn’t want to cast it because of the consequences it brings. I look at the cookie again.
I got lost in my thoughts, replaying and thinking of the moments we shared together— our meetings, our conversations— duty based or not, and our frequent visits to my garden. I knew that it will all come to an end, but it was too sudden.
I set my composure and pull myself back together. Maybe it was for a good cause, after all. To help the cookiekind, is to succeed the one that mattered to me the most. I took a deep breath.
“Maybe in another time, or another world, we are still walking around my garden or exploring all of Earthbread together as we continue to be comrades.” I mumbled. He did not answer nor looked at me.
“Elder Faerie Cookie, I wished to the creators that we will stand side by side, bringing joy and hope to all cookiekind.” He softly whispered to me. His words sounding genuine, yet still in sorrow.
I look at him one last time before chanting the spell. I held back my tears. He was not the same anymore. But, he was still the same cookie whom I shared a lot of times with, the same cookie I trusted the most, the same cookie who was special to me.
Though he mattered to me the most, everything must all come to an end.