Chapter Text
Time...
So much time, not enough to spend it all... especially with thinking, how could he dare think about such thoughts about wasting time. Time was precious yet worthless to him. All his energy and thirst for knowledge cost time. Planning took time.
He needed something new.
A better and much more detailed plan this time....
Much more time would have to suffice to make sure this was perfect.
Time was so very valuable, but it broke, and now there was this endless cycle of pattern left for him to stare into the void. The essence of time itself was weaving and unweaving while he was trapped in an endless nightmare.
How long has it been since he was stuck within the tree....Shadow Milk Cookie did not know the answer to this, nor was he interested in finding it.
His many eyes stared back at the void while he closed his main eyes. The pupils shrinking while taking in the sight.
White and silver, the glittering sparks of the tree bark taunted him. So bright...just like that silly nilly~
All he could see was white, and more space, more void...
All the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and everything around him was white.
He could not stand the sight of just white...
His vision felt blurry, his eyes staring into the void of nothingness...
Was anything there?
It was just white......
White, and silver.... white.... like the hair.......hair?...
Hair...
White like... hair?
Whose hair was white...
The stripe in his hair is white...yes, it is.... Shadow Milk pulled down his hair, strumming his fingers through the strands glancing at the soft white that shimmered. The shimmering hair glittered differently compared to the wall in front of him....
The silver and glitter taunted him as he glanced between them and his hair that slowly fell through his hands.
Soft glitters hurt his eyes.
What a pretty shimmer....
So many different things are white and pretty in Crispia....
He could name them all, yes...yes yes yes yes everything that there is.
He knew...
He knows....
Everything in his mind about the knowledge regarding the flowers, the colors, and everything even the reason behind these magical chains that bound him.
These chains are silver...not white....
What is also white?
Snow...snow is white, yes.... Mystic-Flour... flour is white
Flour......he was made of flour.
......
All cookies are made of flour just like Mystic would say to him over and over to shut him up. The threats were useless! Especially in this haunting prison.
The colors...
White....
The wall is white...the wall is bare; the wall is not there...
No matter how much time he spent messing with the barrier of the tree would it change from its soft light.
Is it?
The shimmer.... I cannot see...
It is white...yes that is what I see?
Or am I seeing anything at all?
What else is white......there are many things that are white....
Animals too... goats.... lilies.... flowers have many meanings....
Lilies can have many meanings.... such as remembrance and boy does, he in fact remember White Lily Cookie.
How DARE she!
White Lily Cookie....and that stupid little king of the forest. His soul jam pulsed and throbbed heavily as hate surged through his cookie crumbs. A deep heavy pain struck his heart as he growled in distaste at the sudden thoughts trailing back to those puny little heroes of Crispia.
He had so much time to remember her.
He knows flowers, the meanings and everything behind them however her...how dare she ruin white lilies and their meaning. White lilies had many meanings such as innocence which White Lily Cookie was everything but innocent!
He could laugh in her face as she is a hypocrite who wants to represent purity while being corrupted as well. What a silly-silly cookie...
He would also not forget his silly- vanilly~ either.
Most of the time he spent inside the unbearable prison he was trapped in. None of the other cookies would even glance towards the direction, the beast cookies disliked his presence, and his minions would not so much as know what to say to him due to their own coma-like slumber in his cards.
He feels like he is losing himself in the tree; he does not even know how long it has been, and he can only know by watching through the soul-jam of Pure Vanilla. His sweet little Vanilly spending his time cluelessly love-sick at White Lily’s side.
His stomach churned, watching how Pure Vanilla would resist temptation and put others before himself.
EUGH!
How noble, how selfless of my other half! To use my magic and soul to help others how gross! Tsk! Disgusting there's no flair!
He cannot stand the self-deprecation and people pleasing of Pure Vanilla’s actions. The actions made him sick to his stomach at how someone could be soft towards other cookies, at times it felt therapeutic to watch someone like himself and at other times he would forget himself.
It felt like he was almost Pure Vanilla, especially when he would lose himself into the void.
His eyes stared so much at Pure Vanilla Cookie’s figure that it felt like he was blind; he could not see, and only could he see Pure Vanilla Cookie.
Ah, Pure Vanilla how he desperately wanted him.... Shadow Milk Cookie’s hands reached out into the void just to slip and see more silver and white glitter staring back at him.
The white-bland walls and floor were exhausting to deal with. At certain points he wondered if this was what hell was like for cookies. He could not see. He could not feel.
Was he even there.... what was even around him?
Was he even real?
It was all white...... Nothing he could do to even escape this boring prison. Nothing, trapped with his thoughts, and isolated by himself.
No one would talk to him; he was trapped. Forever trapped in the white void.... The glitter that shimmered back hurt his eyes as he wondered if he could go any further to feel the touch of the tree bark.
Even if he tried to undo the spell and ancient bindings that kept him there, none of it would matter due to his powers being diluted heavily.
That stupid, stupid cookie! How dare he taint his precious power and magic with his light; Pure Vanilla Cookie was to blame for his suffering in this horrible white void.
The silence constricted and choked him with his thoughts and loneliness. His chest started to heave as his breath hitched...he felt like he couldn’t breathe. His voice was caught in his throat as he suddenly whirled himself in the air off the ground.
Barely any magic left inside his soul jam to use to undo his prison. He was utterly drained after his final battle with Pure Vanilla Cookie. That stupid stupid offer of friendship! Even lowering his staff for him to show submission in front of the very Beast of Deceit! Oh, how thoughtful!
The final act of selflessness of showing mercy towards his enemy, after utterly crumbling the very Beast, was laughable!
Especially considering that little act then before tricking him and being forced back into the Silver Tree. He didn’t want his mind to linger any longer in the memory of the last bit of his loss against Pure Vanilla Cookie. For now, he needed to conserve his magic and find a way out.
And once he was out, he would definitely find that little silly hero and torture him! Oh yes! All the many things and horrors he will unleash as he watches him writhe in pain.
For now he would focus on escaping this disgusting white void he was in.
He could count in his mind and keep memory over the spells and runes. What good would that do for him if he wasn’t even able to summon a spark inside the tree?
Lonely...
So lonely and useless.
His thoughts could only keep him company, and this company was very deprecating as he sorted through the many facts and knowledge he knew. Many facts of very different topics. Things that many people do not even wonder into knowing, again useless against the witch's seal.
The witches would never look at him ever the same with those adoring eyes and smiles from way above at their own creations. They would only look at him with disappointment and contempt at the own fate they made for him.
The destiny he could not escape, and the hatred and despair that was thrown his way from even cookies of his kind....no one would favor him. No one would even be able to understand the betrayal of being forced into this creation only to be hated by everyone.
How DARE they!
He didn’t want this!
Why him...why him!!
What had he done to deserve all this knowledge just to ripped of the love and attention that once pampered him. He knew the feelings, the emotions, the creation and loved these cookies. The cookies that breathed ideas and were curious about their existence, the world around them, and magic.
Oh how he adored his students that loved to learn magic and more into the ancient spells that bode from the witches and first cookies.
He tried to teach the knowledge to them, and they turned their backs to him.
He would never be able to escape from this nightmare of deceit.
The lies, and torment that made him suffer, would make them taste the same pain that he felt.
Even Pure Vanilla deserved to know what it means to suffer from the chains that tied him down to fate.
The destiny of always being wrong, and evil to everyone on Earth-Bread. Never being able to escape the tragedy that was written in his fate!
The suffering of his should be known to all cookies across Earth-Bread for daring to try to fill their brains of knowledge with ill intentions of being ungrateful to the experience and journey to learning.
After spending so much of his life tending to the same ungrateful cookies who asked for knowledge yet burned from its coldness, he would make Pure Vanilla understand that he would turn out to be just like him.
Pure Vanilla Cookie would not escape this fate.
They dare to make HIM a FOOL!
NO!
They are wrong!
He may be a jester, but he is no fool, especially now that he was attached to Pure Vanilla Cookie through the soul jam.
He would make sure that this was something that everyone would remember through Pure Vanilla Cookie. Their dear beloved Ancient Cookie who healed their pains with truth. They would know just how much the truth really hurts and want to fall into despair. No one could resist a little bit of deceit!
HOW disgusting! Very much vile that Pure vanilla Cookie has resisted such fate so far. He will know despair. HE will crumble in my very hands, no one else will make him tremble but me. Cannot allow another cookie to touch my very soul jam or disturb what is mine.
The eerily kindness and patience that Pure Vanilla had for him was too nauseating and icky!
Kindly setting aside his own pains to offer friendship.
He knew nothing of his past, NOTHING, how dare he!
How dare Pure Vanilla try to befriend him when he would never understand the pain, and betrayal of the cookies. Just to try and befriend him. His sins could never be healed.
He had done so much sin from being corrupted that he was no longer redeemable and had to suffer without sight and anything such as entertainment....
The witches would never let his sins go unnoticed despite the forcedness of his downfall.
Only for now, despite being unwell, would he need some entertainment.
This boring prison was booooooring his mind, and he would not be able to think properly without causing some havoc once more. He needed someone....and he needed Pure Vanilla.
Pure Vanilla and everything regarding him were his entertainment...
That was until he was locked up again.
It felt pointless at this point, all this time going to waste, and he could not even accomplish his goal he desired.
His soul jam throbbed again.
His ears perked up at the sudden intense feeling of emotions that waved through his body. Shivers ran down his spine as another pulsed through him before silence again. His eyes that had finally settled into closing now had shot open staring at the blue soul jam that rested on his collar.
Shadow Milk Cookie stared in disbelief at the sudden wildness of his soul jam....it was trying to resonate with his other half. A sudden desperate call for his missing half that that thief had stolen from him!
At first the pulsing felt like cramps, the pain mildly getting worse as a sudden hot flash doused Shadow Milk Cookie’s body.
The pain...
His chest was burning, and there was a glow now from his soul jam. Another now harsh pulse that jammed right into his chest, causing him to double over in the air.
His breathing was erratic.
“How dare that pathetic little cookie try and take a peak into me! And now he’s made my soul jam forget who it belongs to! When I see-keuk!....” A stabbing pain ripped through his chest as he clawed at the soul jam that had decided to betray him suddenly.
The other Beasts in the silver tree were way too far away from him, and even if they were, they would not have even glanced towards Shadow Milk Cookie’s way despite the pain he was suddenly feeling.
They were selfish bastards! Half-baked cookies who barely cared about what any of the other beasts did if they never interfered with each other's plans and other halves.
His body was heating up terribly so he felt sick, his stomach trying to tear itself open from the pain. His claws were trembling as he desperately tried to use magic to soothe this sudden rebellious soul jam.
“Y-you belong to me you fool! H-how dare,,, you try and decide who is your m-master now!” Shadow Milk Cookie choked out through painful sobs as his claws now desperately dug into his arms, jam spilling over his fingers. The nails ripping his skin open in large gashes and cracks.
His jaw clenched as more violent tugs of emotion waved through the soul jam speaking through Shadow Milk Cookie.
“you....h-how..w-” He choked out, “ traitor! B-betraying your m-mas"–Cough- “ Master like this!” The pain was unbearable, he needed out.
Out of this ugly white void.
Out of this horrible tree.
Out.
He just needed out....how would he get out.
He just needed to get somewhere this pain would be relieved.
The pain was definitely caused by Pure Vanilla Cookie for sure. There was no way he would NOT be the cause of any of Shadow Milk Cookie’s suffering.
He needed to get to Pure Vanilla Cookie.
Yes....Pure Vanilla Cookie. That stupid traitor making his own soul jam disobey him. And this sudden icky feelings and emotions he was feeling were definetley because of silly nilly!~
He needed to get to Pure Vanilla Cookie no matter what.... the pain ....
How would he get out of the tree to find that cookie was now the only thing desperately on his mind. He wracked himself from answer as he desperately used the soul jam to search far and wide for that cookie.
He was spying on him since he got trapped in this silver jail but now, his spying was being put into use over his stupid soul jam. Eurgh he would make Pure Vanilla Cookie pay.
Suddenly using a futile attempt, he poured all his magic, his energy and soul jam into his claws. Tearing open a rift, a crack in the seal.
CReaack!!
A final attempt that was draining Shadow Milk Cookies life force from the depletion of magic and soul jam in an effort to ease the pain.
He fell through the starry black void that eagerly swallowed him whole.
His eyelids fluttered in pain as he fell through space landing on something....
Soft...and cotton like as many folds of clothing draped over him like a blanket of comfort.
Or someone, last thing he saw was the outside air, trees fluttering in the wind and someone catching him as his eyes shut closed for a long while....
At least he could no longer feel the pain now....
Only the shadows and darkness that enveloped him...as well as softness and comfort that caused his own soul to lurch and cry at the closeness, the warmth and safeness he felt while floating in a long slumber.
...
------------------
The long grass swayed in the wind as Pure Vanilla Cookie stood in the field. His long robes fluttered in the wind as he silently stood amongst the flock of sheep.
The cream-colored sheep gently grazed on the grass alongside the cookie. Their soft fluffy wool gently passing through the grass field.
The cookie was silently sulking in his own presence as he gently petted a sheep that brushed into his hand with endearing affection. “Oh dear little one...” He suddenly spoke up as his fingers brushed through the fluff and the ears of the sheep flicked against his fingers.
“I wish to see cookie again, yet my own presence disturbs him greatly.... just want him to hold my hand to see my sincereness for him.” His soul jam pulsed at his words. An intense feeling of worry taking hold in his heart.
If only Shadow Milk Cookie was here...if he could see him what would he say? To pacify that other half of his that he really meant it on his offer of friendship. He wanted to hold the others claws desperately and show him that he did not have to be alone.
Pure Vanilla Cookie would be by his side and be his friend, he was sure of it. He felt deeply wounded and hurt but he could push past it as he saw a piece of Shadow Milk Cookie that was raw and vulnerable.
A cookie so alone that had no one else around, the hurt, the pain...he knew it all too well and would share it with Shadow Milk Cookie even if everyone disagreed with him. No cookie deserved to be unloved and alone.
Shadow Milk Cookie was no exception. He would shower him in affection and show him a world that cared for him. If only Shadow Milk Cookie could put a small sliver of trust into Pure Vanilla Cookie.
But Pure Vanilla knew all too well that the Beast of Deceit was proud and prideful in his lies and would take a long time to fall for what is the truth. A small giggle escaped from Pure Vanilla at the thought of Shadow Milk’s lovely pride.
“He is a wonderful cookie for sure....I just have to find a way to reach out to him and touch his heart to see the truth in my heart.” He said in a resolved tone. He had to reach out to Shadow Milk Cookie again...but how?
How would he reach out to him in a way that would not make the cookie uncomfortable. He wished for a way to befriend the Beast, and his method perhaps after utterly humiliating him may have been the worst method.
No wonder it had backfired. Throwing himself onto an unwilling Beast that was forced into a corner. He could feel his heart clench in guilt. His eyes brimming with tears at his own frustration. “Oh dear I might have made a...terrible mistake.....my honesty might have been too much for him. I need another method to see my truth.” his voice shaking slightly as he continued to speak to the sheep.
The fluffy little ones could not understand, and just mindlessly continued to munch upon the fresh grass and occasionally move around for more patches of grass.
“I don’t think I have properly thought about what he would like, he is a cookie of great knowledge and uses it to show people their own despair....truly very smart and honestly makes me terrified.” Pure Vanilla spoke truthfully....maybe he was talking to the sheep, or himself.... finally being honest about his feelings towards Shadow Milk Cookie.
“I’m terrified of myself, I lost myself in the moment of despair....and terrified that I will end up hurting Shadow Milk Cookie while trying to help him. I wish to heal his soul, and to mend it....it is truthfully selfish of me to want to be the only one to heal him. Understanding his soul, his body, his mind... I want to know more. I have to know...I need to....so Shadow Milk cookie will never be alone again.” A much more stronger resolve flared through him. His soul jam pulsing in agreement as such intense emotions flared.
“I should make a stop by the library later today young one...” The sheep stared blankly up at the blonde as if it could understand. “He is a very knowledgeable cookie I yearn to know how much he knows just the same.... I need to be able to match his to make him comfortable.”
“Yes!” A sudden revelation fell upon Pure Vanilla Cookie at the thought. “if I learn more about the past, something more aligns with what he is familiar with he’d be more open to befriending me! Oh, dear little one, this should work or...... get at least a foot in the door. I shall do just that.”
And it was settled. He would for sure stop by the grand vanilla library in his once proud kingdom and find some books about old friendship traditions.
He may be very old due to being an Ancient cookie, but he needed to familiarize himself with older traditions to show how welcoming he is.
Time changes many things and of course he knows very well how much time can change and drastically change tradition.
He himself is still not used to this generation of cookies and their newer traditions. He finds himself learning something new every day and he cannot complain it is very intriguing and he hopes one day to finally catch up on what is new.
However for now a trip to the past will suffice for now, and then he could perhaps also incorporate newer traditions as well and finally have something to share with Shadow Milk Cookie.
His heart suddenly swelled with great conviction and emotion, and the soul jam started to glow in response to his feelings. A pulse, a tug and then....
A violent shudder wracked through Pure Vanilla.
His soul jam vibrating against his robes as it felt like something was being pulled towards him. An aching feeling filling his chest as the sudden intensity increased. “I miss him terribly.”
He moved his hand to his staff. His grip tightened against the stalk of it as the eye of the flower fluttered open. His vision returning to him through it much clearer as he took a change to see what was troubling his soul jam.
His hair brushed against his shoulder and face.
The wind blew against Pure Vanilla and suddenly his eyes widened and he shot forward.
The sheep scattered instantly, kicking up dust and bleating in fear.
baaa baaa
Baa! Baaa!
His swift hands grabbed the cookie that made his soul jam pull him forward violently. His feet stumbled as he held the person tightly in his hands with care before ending up on the ground.
His heart was thumping wildly against his chest at the sudden chaos. His white eyelashes fluttering open after the dust settle to see who exactly had almost crushed him.
His soul jam had thumped wildly like his heart...making him shudder in...joy?
Once his eyes finally settled and he looked up close at the blue cookie...that face...
His breath hitched and he let out a soft cry as he then held the cookie closer.
“Oh Shadow Milk Cookie!” A soft cry left his lips as he took a sudden closer look at the disheveled beast who was breathing heavily.
Soft whimpers of pain leaving the once mighty cookie’s lips as Pure Vanilla cradled him in his arms. “what...happened to you my dear?” a soft exhale left the healer. The beast showed no signs of being conscious or awake.
It was very clear Shadow Milk Cookie was terribly in pain, the blood spilling onto Vanilla’s white robes. A cold sweat suddenly broke on Pure Vanilla as he was suddenly stricken with panic and worry at the large gashes left on the other’s arms. “Oh blue bird...” another cry of helplessness left him as he pulled him closer and carried him quickly through the fields.
He needed...to take him to his kingdom. He needed to heal him.
He needed to save Shadow Milk from his suffering.
His soul jam throbbed within his chest as Pure Vanilla’s breathing was heavy from panic. His legs started to hurt as he rushed as fast as he could through the fields.
I could stop by a nearby village....no I can’t, they would not allow such a beast to be in their presence without them panicking or being filled with rage.
I cannot let anything happen to them or Shadow Milk Cookie.
His legs moved even if they were hurting. He needed to get Shadow Milk somewhere safe. He needed to get home.
I must get him back to my Kingdom... he’ll be safe under my care...yes! I can supervise him within my own kingdom.... and this sudden ache in my soul jam.... seems to be from his pain. I feel like I might be able to learn more about you soon....I wish for you to awake soon.
-------
His hands fumbled through the doorknob as he pushed many doors open. Passing maids bowed in respect and looked curiously over at the cookie in his arms.
Many asking if Pure vanilla needed anything as they were all curious about the blue cookie who was bleeding in the Ancient Hero’s arms.
Someone who could shake Pure vanilla so much to be so cared for by him.
Pure Vanilla finally reached his room, quickly settling Shadow Milk upon the plush bed. His hands tremble over the wounds.
Light shining as magic flowed through the room. Winding and turning as Pure Vanilla weaved the light into the wounds.
It was slow....to slow.
The wounds were too large, agape bleeding jam feverently staining the bed, the clothes and Pure Vanilla.
They were slowly closing, but it wasn’t quick enough as Shadow Milk Cookie seemed to be getting worse.
Pure Vanilla bit his lip as he put more power into it, he had to be very careful or it could go wrong and he’ll end up scarring the poor cookie. He could not afford to be careless he needed to care tenderly to these wounds. He did not want Shadow Milk Cookie to have scars because of him.
No...he could not allow such a thing to taint Shadow Milk Cookie’s body. He was a healer, he could mend him.
The blinding light filled the room as it whipped around wanting to avoid the Beast. It was like the magic was alive and terrified of the Beast.
“please....I wish to save him” Pure Vanilla whispered desperately as his fingers held onto Shadow Milk Cookies hand.
It was cold...terribly cold. He could not see that well without his staff, but he knew it would take a while to heal his wounds. He would stay by his very side and tend to him to make sure Shadow Milk Cookie was no longer in such terrible pain.
His Soul jam pulsed violently, pulling at the sight of the other half of the soul jam as Pure vanilla healed Shadow Milk Cookie. Their soul jams glowing and pulsing in unison as they were close together.
It was faint in the resonance, but the strong pull was definitely noticed by Pure Vanilla Cookie. His hand once holding tightly onto Shadow Milk Cookie, grabbed it and pulled it to touch his soul jam.
“You must have wanted your other half of you...I understand....I may not be able to give it back to you due to its many changes it have undergone under my care...however I have a feeling it will be okay to let you touch it.” He spoke softly.
His tan hand intertwined with the blue hand, holding Pure Vanilla’s soul jam together as it pulsed. “I hope this eases your pain....to be almost whole again. Missing a piece of you.....I will be right beside you to fill that hole” He said earnestly as he continued healing.
.....
------
It had been two days and nights.
Pure Vanilla Cookie had to take time cleaning himself up, and the blood that was on Shadow Milk Cookie. He had managed to get the jam to stop flowing, and the wounds were finally closed up. He was now watching intently over the Beast as it seemed like the pain had subsided from the sleeping cookie.
And soon...... Pure Vanilla Cookie was asleep by the bedside. Terribly tired with bags under his eyes.
He could not leave Shadow Milk Cookie’s side during the time he cleaned the wounds. He had to make sure everything went perfectly otherwise it would haunt him for hurting his other half.
His soul jam had finally settled as he rested by Shadow Milk Cookie’s side. It would now be a waiting game of when he will wake up and he would have to prepare for that very much soon. He did not want to scare him off.
He understood very well that Shadow Milk Cookie would be very angry towards him about being resealed in the tree because of him and being in the Vanilla Kingdom under his care.
He would need to be able to ease the cookie on the idea of blooming a friendship between them, especially when it seemed like he kidnapped the poor beast. He needed to get on the right footing to show his sincerity.
A sudden change in environment and the sudden desperate call for help that he reached out to his enemy would be terrifying to realize once he woke up and Pure vanilla understood that very well.
For now Pure Vanilla Cookie would rest right by Shadow Milk Cookie’s side.
....
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The bell chimed softly as the door opened. Large rows of shelves full of books filled the room. A counter sat near the door. Many papers covering the desk with an old jelly lamp lit.
The dimly lit lights showered Pure Vanilla as he stepped into the library, his long robes dragging across the cream colored floor.
“Hi welcome in-” The Bookkeeper cookie looked up from her desk before gasping, “Oh dear hello! Is there anything I can help you with?” Her eyes shimmered as she stared at Pure Vanilla in admiration.
A soft smile spread upon his face as he moved his staff to his other side to get a good look around the library. The flower’s eye gently sweeping across the room before landing on Bookkeeper Cookie. “Yes” He spoke softly, “If you may, do you have any books regarding older traditions?”
Her brows knitted for a second before she smiled warmly at Pure Vanilla Cookie, “ah, yes yes! Of course we have a selection of older books around your era perhaps? Its over in the back near the left corner.”
“Oh I’m looking for something way older...any older traditions?” He corrected gently.
“Hm... that would be somewhere near that section but a little towards the middle I believe.” she concluded. “Please let me know if you need help with anything else.” She tucked a piece of her brown hair behind her hair.
“Thank you little one.” He swiftly moved through the shelves towards the back of the library. A soft hum playing on his lips.
His fingertips trailed across the spines of the books as he finally got to the section on romance/relationships. “Friendships are a part of relationships with others, so it should be somewhere here in this section.” He muttered softly.
“Oh, here we go.” He looked at a few of these titles as he skimmed through the pages of the very old books. Tattered and barely holding on.
‘How to....another cookie’
‘Building meaningful......ship...w- some-one'
‘Trending tra...ions of pro....sing a rel....ion...wit....ano...’
“Oh my there seems to be a few books regarding this topic.” He chuckled softly as he looked at them. The three books consisted of a general gist of the same things regarding a relationship; however, some were more torn up than the others.
He grabbed the one with the most tattered name; the outside was very worn, but it was more preserved than the other books on the shelves. “Trending traditions should do the trick. It is about the same as before when I was younger with what is a proper introduction to friendship.” He chuckled softly.
The velvety dark blue cover was smudged with ink, and the pages were tinted yellow. A few of the pages were torn out at the end, but most of the book was intact. A few words were missing here and there, but it was still legible. The writing was scrawled in beautiful calligraphy that Pure Vanilla Cookie was mesmerized with it.
For sure, he would take this book with him to help him understand how to approach Shadow Milk Cookie.
Shadow Milk Cookie must have been terribly upset with me disregarding any courtesy of proposing an offer of friendship.
He walked back over to the front stopping Infront of Bookkeeper Cookie. The rustling of fabric approaching made her head tilt up and offer a warm smile towards him. “Did you find something you’d like to check out?”
“Oh yes I believe I found something to help me greatly.” He said handing the book to her while she took it from his grasp. Her fingers brushing against his as a slight blush played on her cheeks. Her eyes scanning over the book’s title as she wrote it down.
“Oh my, are you planning something for someone dear?” Her smile faltered a bit but she brightened up again. “Don’t worry this is free of course for you, free of charge since you have helped immensely keeping everyone safe.” Her voice was pitched a bit higher as she tilted her head slightly.
“Thank you, it is not necessary to do such.” He said with a tight lip closing his eyes as he thought about Shadow Milk Cookie. “It is for someone dear to me. I wish to show my sincerity in a proper manner.” He explained.
“Wow, that's very endearing!” She gasped. “A very lucky cookie to have you.” She pouted.
“well it is getting late now so I must be leaving.... how much does this cost to rent out?” He asked.
“Oh only 5 gol-” Pure Vanilla interrupted her by placing a small pouch of 50 gold coins on the counter before swiftly walking out the door before she could reject it.
“I really wish he would have invited me.... oh, such a handsome cookie” She muttered to herself as the door closed shut.
...
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Pure Vanilla Cookie walked through the streets of the kingdom. All the cookies around him greeted him as he walked past. His smile never faltered as he made his way slowly back to his castle.
The book settled in his hand, his other hand holding his staff as he moved swiftly through the crowd.
I should stop by and take a look at this book to understand more of the past.
He made another stop at the florist; he had been making many different bouquets in his past time while Shadow Milk Cookie was still in a deep slumber. He’d change them out every day with the same flowers.... this time he would switch it up instead of the original Vanilla orchids he put in the bedroom.
He took a moment to stop and settle his staff down before prying the book open once more. His eyes glazed over the words before glancing over at the many flowers that surrounded him.
“Oh hello! Welcome in, welcome in” A sugary cookie greeted him. She was a yellow glistening cookie with wings; she glided the flowers before stopping in front of Pure Vanilla Cookie. “You’re here again are you for another Vanilla Orchid bouquet?” She inquired.
“Oh no, not this time. I want to an arrangement that had different meaning behind it this time.” He smiled.
“Do you already have some flowers in mind?” She asked.
“I wanted something that would have the meaning honesty behind it.” He blushed awkwardly as his confession “I want this person to know I’m really being honest about myself towards them, and to have it intertwined with moon flowers.”
He only knew about moon flowers after watching them bloom under the full moon once. It was beautiful and it reminded him of Shadow Milk Cookie.
“Oh wow! That is a wonderful flower, I believe our chrysanthemums would suit those flowers to show your honesty to this lovely cookie you’re giving them to.” She flew over to some flowers, plucking them out of their spot. Then going over to another spot to grab a few more. “Is there any other flowers you’d like to add?”
“I don’t have any in mind, but if you could wrap this up for me by the end of tonight please. I’ll pay you double.” He asked as he handed her some coins.
“Alright, I’ll have it done by then for sure!” She said as she took the coins smiling warmly towards him. He felt a heavy ache in his chest as he walked out, a sudden feeling of heaviness as he wandered out of the shop.
Then there was a soft pulse in his soul jam as he finally made it to his castle.
I wonder how Shadow Milk is faring....I wish he would wake up soon.
A frown played on his lips as he walked down the halls, worry etched on his face. The air felt stifling, like someone was watching him.
Pushing open his room, there was Shadow Milk Cookie resting there peacefully. He had let Shadow Milk Cookie completely take over his room as he did not mind if it was the Beast. He could simply use a guest room himself.
Even if the other cookies protested, he had many rooms in his kingdom; he did not need such luxury. He rested on the edge of the bed, staring at the cookie's face.
He lifted his fingers to touch the others' cheeks. A coldness like ice to the touch made his spine shiver. Such a cold cookie......
I must make sure Shadow Milk Cookie is okay...I don’t want him to feel uncomfortable under my care.
He caressed his other half’s cheek as his soul jam thrummed softly due to them being closer. His heart ached terribly, seeing the other still asleep and silently enduring such pain.
If only he could take the pain away.
Pure vanilla had not noticed the many eyes in the walls that were staring at him as he touched the other gently. Silent blue eyes observing the Ancient Cookie through pieces of art.