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It had been two days since Shadow Milk Cookie had been officially accepted into the palace, at the request of King Pure Vanilla Cookie himself. Of course, it had been met with… Well, not even mixed responses. Nobody really wanted him there.
Unfortunately for the Vanilla Kingdom, Pure Vanilla Cookie believed strongly in redemption for those that wanted it. And it wasn’t as if Shadow Milk Cookie could cause any issues if he was living in the palace with Pure Vanilla as a good influence!
Pure Vanilla sat on his throne, reading down a list of today’s events with a temporary monocle. His eyesight wasn’t the best, never had been, but he mostly didn’t use one in his day-to-day life. Reading specifically was a bit of a challenge.
Shadow Milk was floating upside-down nearby, reading off a list as well. He somewhat enjoyed helping Pure Vanilla Cookie with his kingly tasks. Especially if it involved staying inside and reading private requests.
The reason and if it was morally correct was ambiguous.
‘’Whaaaat?!’’ Shadow Milk Cookie suddenly said in a dramatic tone, his eyes widening as he read something that seemed to particularly offend him. ‘’How dare they do this and not tell me about it?!’’
Pure Vanilla Cookie looked up at his newfound friend with a tilted head, one of his eyes slightly open. ‘’What is it, Shadow Milk? He asked patiently, his voice calm.
He didn’t find the blue cookie nearly as annoying as some other cookies seemed to.
‘’Your silly little subjects are out there, holding a musical play, and they didn’t even bother to let me know that any of this was happening!’’ Shadow Milk Cookie said in his dramatically offended tone, placing a hand over his forehead.
‘’We have plays all the time here. I don’t go often, but I enjoy them’’ Pure Vanilla Cookie said, standing up from his throne and walking over to the floating cookie. ‘’Did you want to go? What is this one about?’’
‘’Oh, you’ll just looooove this!’’ Shadow Milk laughed, doing a flip and grabbing onto his feet to stabilize himself. ‘’It’s a play about us! Just a short retelling of the events in the other-world. In song form~’’
Pure Vanilla Cookie paused at that. A… A musical retelling of the events in the other-world…? That had been a bit of a dark time in his life, considering the whole psychological torture thing… And a musical, at that? Seemed a bit mocking.
‘’Honestly, I’m just offended that they have both of the real deals right here and didn’t ask either of us to play ourselves! I’m all about theatre!’’ Shadow Milk Cookie pointed out, scoffing. He didn’t actually seem that upset, but he was definitely not lying about being offended. Ironic.
‘’I don’t think it’s very common to hire the king to play himself in musical theatre. And I don’t think they like you very much’’ Pure Vanilla explained, putting a hand on Shadow Milk’s shoulder as the other cookie remained levitating.
‘’They don’t like me…’’ Shadow Milk Cookie said, a wide grin spreading across his face, suggesting he had an idea. ‘’But I bet they’d like some random cookies pretending to be me!’’
‘’...I do think that’s the point of the play. That other cookies play our characters’’ Pure Vanilla pointed out, rubbing his chin in thought before looking back up at the other cookie. ‘’...Or are you suggesting something chaotic.’’
Shadow Milk Cookie let out an uproarious laugh at that, floating right-side up and clutching his middle. He seemed very amused by the fact that Pure Vanilla Cookie even had to ask that.
‘’I can only imagine it! Some random cookies dancing around on a bland stage like fools, needing to use choppy special effects in an attempt to replicate my true power! It’d be much better if we just went down there ourselves to play the part.’’
‘’You-…’’
Pure Vanilla Cookie paused, composing himself and thinking for a moment about the proposition. It would be interesting… But, then again, it was roleplaying a traumatic time in his life. In song form. Although, it would all be fake…
‘’...Is this an excuse to yank me around on a stage like you used to?’’
‘’Whaaat?! Of course not!!’’ Shadow Milk Cookie protested, looking mockingly distraught at the idea of Pure Vanilla Cookie thinking that. ‘’No, of course not! I simply appreciate the art of the stage, and I need it to be done right!’’
Pure Vanilla Cookie could tell that was a lie. Then again, that was expected. And, well… It would be harmless fun when it was fake on a stage.
—
‘’These are my lines in the song?’’ Pure Vanilla asked the director cookie. They were in on the plan, it would be kinda difficult for them not to be, but everyone outside would assume that they were just very good actors with very good special effects.
The director of the play nodded, still eyeing Shadow Milk Cookie ever so often. The blue cookie of deceit was reading his lines, nodding softly to himself with a wide smirk on his face. He definitely had more lines than Pure Vanilla.
Then again, Pure Vanilla didn’t really mind only having a few lines. Shadow Milk Cookie would definitely be improvising all of this, so… Well, he didn’t want to focus on what lines he had while being thrown around a stage.
…Maybe it wouldn’t even be a stage, actually. It would probably get changed. Part of the ‘’special effects’’, no doubt.
‘’Come on, Silly-Vanilly! Don’t like that the puppeteer has more lines than the puppet~?’’ Shadow Milk asked, an amused grin remaining on his face as he turned his head to look at Pure Vanilla. ‘’Don’t worry, you’ll be the main attraction. Maybe.’’
Pure Vanilla sighed, shaking his head softly and setting his paper script down on a nearby table. He’d had his four lines memorized just fine. Maybe it was best to let Shadow Milk Cookie have his fun.
After all, this was just a stage play. It wasn’t that deep.
—
Pure Vanilla Cookie moved out from behind the curtains and onto the stage, his hands clasped. He could see the large audience of other cookies from here, and they began cheering enthusiastically as he stepped onto the stage.
Interestingly enough, within seconds of the musical instrumental beginning, the stage had shifted into a shadowed arena with a checkerboard floor. Of course it did. It was only to be expected, after all.
‘’Wake up, puppet boy~!’’ Shadow Milk Cookie’s theatrically dramatic tone called from somehow nowhere and everywhere at once. Pure Vanilla Cookie had honestly gotten quite used to this when it had actually happened. He wasn’t as bothered by it as he would’ve expected.
Soon enough, sure enough, the singing to the tune of the instrumental had begun.
🎶’’Get up, puppet boy! You got a job to do!’’🎶 The voice of Shadow Milk Cookie sang playfully. 🎶’’Even so, you’re free to go… Wherever your master tells you to!!’’🎶
Pure Vanilla could barely see the audience between his bad eyesight and the cloak of dark blue shadows, but he could still make out there surprised and enthusiastic expressions. Of course, all of them just thought this was great special effects, not actual reality warping.
Shadow Milk Cookie suddenly appeared in front of Pure Vanilla Cookie, still in his regular size so far. Pure Vanilla had read in the script that that wasn’t how it’d be for very much longer…
🎶’’Listen, puppet boy! Before you disobey…’’🎶 He sang, his voice not half-bad as he strode over to Pure Vanilla Cookie, a wide smirk on his face. 🎶’’Consider that the strings attached could make a big change in ways!’’🎶
Shadow Milk Cookie vanished in a puff of dark blue smoke, and three blue puppeteer strings shot out from the smokescreen, yanking Pure Vanilla off of the chessboard and slightly into the air. Nonetheless, the illusionary cookie continued singing the song.
🎶‘’Puppet boy!! It’s the little things that count! Little problems, little minds… Little points of view!’’🎶
Pure Vanilla Cookie strategically stumbled back, letting the puppet strings catch him before he could fall over and hit himself on the floor. Maybe acting was just a tad bit more fun than he’d been expecting…
🎶’’Puppet boy!! It’s the little things, add up! Getting bigger, pull the trigger-’’🎶
Looking to the side, Pure Vanilla realized two things. One, the chessboard was floating, and it definitely had nothing to do with special effects. Two, Shadow Milk had switched to his massive form, holding the chessboard on one hand like a dish.
🎶’’-Little things like you!!’’🎶
Pure Vanilla Cookie almost let out a startled noise as he was yanked up and off the stage even further by the puppeteer strings, but he managed to compose himself. Despite how strangely fun it was to be flung around and know that he was still completely safe this time, almost like a rollercoaster, he wasn’t the best actor when it came to things like this.
🎶’’Stand up, puppet boy!! Time to start the show! You better do some brand new moves, they paid a lot to watch you- GO!!’’🎶
The first major case of improv occurred here, as Pure Vanilla Cookie was suddenly being thrust into an elaborate dance by the strings themselves. The script had said that he would have to dance.
Honestly, he was pretty sure that this was a better plan than him trying to dance while attached to all the puppet strings. At least Shadow Milk Cookie was a surprisingly good conductor when it came to them.
Although, was that actually surprising? Not really. He was a ringleader of sorts, after all. He sure did like his puppeteering…
Pure Vanilla suddenly noticed the director watching from behind the curtains, looking… honestly rather concerned and surprised. They gave a thumbs-up and held out a paper with writing on it that Pure Vanilla couldn’t quite read. He did pick up that it was almost time for his lines, though.
Luckily for him, it was extremely easy to remember his first line. Especially when the chessboard suddenly vanished and he was flipped upside-down, now hanging from the ceiling. When he looked down, he saw that the large version of Shadow Milk Cookie was pulling him towards his wide-open mouth…
…Goodness, his teeth were sharp.
‘’No-!!’’
Good. Easy first line! And he only had four. Maybe he should consider getting into theater…
…Could a king reasonably get into theater without being questioned relentlessly??
Pure Vanilla Cookie was spun out of his curious thoughts as Shadow Milk Cookie flipped him over, and he was suddenly hanging in front of the massive blue cookie’s face, no longer over his mouth.
🎶’’What’s that, puppet boy?’’🎶 Shadow Milk prompted enthusiastically, a wide grin still on his face. Part of it was definitely for the show, but he was definitely enjoying this.
🎶’’Don’t tell me what to do...’’🎶 Pure Vanilla retorted in a whiny tone, flailing his arms dramatically and causing himself to flip around in the strings, getting himself tangled a bit. It actually looked quite intentional!
Shadow Milk Cookie leaned closer, his two shades of bright blue eyes widening in a somewhat manic manner. Pure Vanilla realized that he was moving his mouth in a very animated way. 🎶’’What’s that, puppet boy~?’’🎶
🎶’’I’m not a freak like you-!!’’🎶
🎶’’What’s that, puppet boy?!’’🎶
🎶’’I’ll go where I want to!!’’🎶
Shadow Milk laughed loudly, jolting Pure Vanilla away from his face in order to avoid chomping him or something when his mouth opened. 🎶’’I can’t hear you, puppet boy!! Now dance, dance, dance!!’’🎶
He suddenly dropped the strings, definitely also not on script, and Pure Vanilla found himself back on the chessboard. It suddenly started tilting, and the king realized that he was rapidly sliding towards a giant glass of milk.
His rationality told him it was almost certainly just an illusion. Fake and completely safe. Shadow Milk wouldn’t kill him in the middle of the song, that’d be ridiculous. Still, this was entirely off-script, and he scrabbled at the board.
The crowd cheered excitedly. This was the best performance they’d ever seen.
🎶’’Stay out of bed unless you wanna get wet~’’🎶 Shadow Milk Cookie taunted, his overarching form taking up the background space behind Pure Vanilla Cookie. Obviously he didn’t want to get drenched in milk, no.
When Pure Vanilla slipped over the edge of the still-tilted chess board, a clear string caught him and made him do a theatrical flip. Of course. The longer this went on, the more Pure Vanilla Cookie was realizing that he himself was a bit of a prop.
Well, at least Shadow Milk Cookie hadn’t expected him to do that flip himself. That would’ve been bad. He was not prepared for any of that absolute nonsense.
Nonetheless, he had one more line to clear. He spat it out as he slid back across the chessboard, this time in the other direction. 🎶’’I’m a boy not a toy, and I’m not through yet-!!’’🎶 He called as the chessboard righted itself with him in the center.
No, not the center. The King’s position.
…Heh.
🎶’’Stay out of bed unless you wanna get wet!!’’🎶 Shadow Milk Cookie repeated with a roll of his eyes, putting his hands down on either side of the chess board with a laugh, causing it to shake. The puppet strings around Pure Vanilla Cookie’s shoulders were gone now.
🎶’’Now wake up, puppet boy!!’’🎶
With that, Shadow Milk Cookie vanished in a cloud of dark blue smoke that completely covered all of Pure Vanilla’s vision. And then he was gone, and the stage returned to normal. Lines cleared! Woohoo!!!
Pure Vanilla turned on wobbly legs to look at the crowd, giving a wave. They all looked absolutely stunned and enthralled. Of course, from their point of view, these were two random actors with magic-like special effects on their side.
Shadow Milk Cookie reappeared in his normal-sized form next to Pure Vanilla Cookie, taking his hand and taking a graceful bow. Pure Vanilla did the same, a slight smile creeping onto his face.