Chapter Text
Ah, Earthbread... A rather peaceful world, now with the beast cookies more or less defeated.
It had been only a week since the fall of the powerful Dark Enchantress Cookie at the jam-soaked hands of the ancient heroes. The beast cookies had all been pushed back into hiding in an attempt to avoid capture, in which they would surely be returned to the silver tree.
The Vanilla Kingdom towered over the forests beyond, the large castle within casting a shadow over the trees and bushes of the outskirting lands. It was a good kingdom, with King Pure Vanilla Cookie back in charge. He had returned to somewhat of a rulership after the defeat, convinced by his friends that he could choose both free will and moderation.
The Vanilla King had gone back to his castle, overseeing his trivial little matters. He was what one could consider to be a fair ruler…
...Who ALSO happened to have Shadow Milk Cookie's entire soul jam now! Awful!
It had been only a month since the poor innocent cookie of deceit had been unfairly tricked by Pure Vanilla Cookie, cast out of the other-realm of which he had control over. Used to have control over.
But not anymore. Not after Pure Vanilla Cookie had tricked him and taken control over the realm. He likely didn’t even use it like Shadow Milk Cookie had… Likely didn’t even take care of it…
Shadow Milk Cookie had been staying as close as possible to the kingdom without being seen ever since the fall, in which that foolish cookie had lied and tricked and deceived in order to get the other half of the soul jam. Shadow Milk Cookie would normally be proud of such thorough trickery, but he was too angry.
The power that a full soul jam held… The power that Pure Vanilla Cookie now had access to… All undeserved.
What was worse was the offer that Pure Vanilla Cookie had made shortly after destroying the entire script that Shadow Milk Cookie had worked so hard to write. He had said that he knew how Shadow Milk was lonely. Offered to be his friend.
Of course, that was an obvious trick. Shadow Milk Cookie was the master of deceit! Did Pure Vanilla really expect him to fall for another cheap trick like that immediately after tricking him the first time?
Everything had changed now that he knew that Pure Vanilla Cookie, despite carrying the light of truth within his soul jam, could lie. He was, again, almost impressed with that. If only it hadn’t interfered with his plans.
It would’ve been so much better if Truthless Recluse had stayed that way. That version of Pure Vanilla Cookie was so much easier to get along with! In the short period of time that the darker alt had existed, he hadn’t tried to run away. He had complied. He never tried to leave.
Then again, the idea of the liar lying about being a liar…
Hm!
Shadow Milk chuckled to himself at the amusing thought from where he was leaning against a tree. That was pretty perfect. Perhaps he’d made the other cookie too much like himself with all that brainwashing.
No! Not in the slightest. Not in any world he could create, not with any delusions or string-pulling, would he and Pure Vanilla Cookie truly be the same, like he’d believed before. And if it is broke, and you can’t fix it… just throw it away, he supposed. Ironic that the original intent had been to prove that they were the same.
The intent had been to break his ‘’other half’’ down by exposing him to the cold truths and the overwhelming knowledge of the past. That Shadow Milk Cookie had been watching Pure Vanilla ever since he was younger. A little jam, if you will~
Unfortunately for him, it just wasn’t that easy to break Pure Vanilla’s spirit permanently. Not as easy as he’d thought, at the very least. And now? Now, he only wanted him gone. Wanted that soul jam back so he could return to his full power.
Ignoring the past, however… Here he was. In a forest, sitting against a tree. His soul jam nowhere in sight. Stolen by that foolish king. Even more of a fool-king than the Elder Faerie Cookie!
It truly was not fair… But, then again, when was anything ever fair? Not often. Fairness came only from pulling strings, creating the illusion of fairness to others despite the lack of it in reality.
‘’Master Shadow Milk Cookie!!’’ A high-pitched female voice suddenly called from the distance. Shadow Milk quickly recognized the voice. Candy Apple Cookie, one of Shadow Milk’s two… lackeys?... had found him.
Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire Cookie had been created by him long ago, back when he still bore his old name and at least kept up the appearance of his virtue. They had done tasks for him, spreading deceit to others that perhaps didn’t trust him himself… He had quickly brought them back to him after escaping that wretched silver tree.
He’d sorta ditched them after his defeat. He didn’t want the company of anyone but himself after that embarrassing failure. Nonetheless, they’d found him now, so he might as well.
He stood up, brushing dirt off of himself and his outfit as a wide smile crept onto his face. The two, Candy Apple Cookie and Black Sapphire Cookie, had proven to be even more than useful. Not just useful, but entertaining as well.
‘’Where is Black Sapphire Cookie? You’re meant to stay together when I’m not around, you know~...’’ Shadow Milk mentioned, crossing his arms and tapping one of his feet on the ground.
‘’He said you would come back when you wanted to, but I wanted to find you first and make sure you’re ok! That horrible cookie king tricked you!’’ Candy Apple Cookie exclaimed, swaying back and forth. ‘’You were hurt pretty bad, it looked like!’’
‘’Oh, darling, I assure you that I am perfectly… fine…’’ Shadow Milk Cookie stated, his voice bordering a low growl as he spoke. Physically fine, yes… But the thought of that stupid foolish king of t R u T h tricking him was just the most annoying thing.
Suddenly, a nearby sound caught his attention. There was a cookie walking somewhat nearby… His main two eyes remained locked on Candy Apple Cookie, but the dark blue eyes in his hair flicked to look in the direction of the noise.
Someone was approaching…
‘’Black Sapphire cookie was right. I’ll come back when I’m ready. But, for now… I have a scheme to pull off’’ He said with a smirk, turning away from his minion and in the direction of the noise, taking a few steps. ‘’Run off now, you.’’
Candy Apple giggled generously at the mention of her master pulling off a scheme. She always did like when he tricked or pranked others… That was how she was created, after all. One of the reasons she was so entertaining!
‘’Ok, Master Shadow Milk Cookie!’’ She said enthusiastically, running off into the bushes with a skip in her step. Some of the hardened red syrup on her head stuck to the leaves as she disappeared into the undergrowth.
He waited a moment after the candy-coated cookie disappeared before turning and walking in the direction of the noise. He had to be at least somewhat careful now, he supposed… At least until he got his soul jam back from that traitor.
Despite his remaining abilities, such as his shapeshifting, many of them had been stripped from him. Not only his other-realm, but his other selves as well. His ability to trap others within playing cards had been taken, too.
He could smell the warm sweet scent of vanilla and freshly baked waffle cone even before catching sight of the other cookie.
He had smelled those before in the normal sense of food, way back in the past before sentient cookies were a common thing. He had been living amongst the witches back then. His creators. But there was no mistaking that this was a person.
Pure Vanilla Cookie. Out here, in the forest.