Chapter Text
Peace finally entered Dark Choco Cookie's eventful life. After leaving the Cookies of Darkness, he became a traveler that wandered Earthbread aimlessly. He'd survive by hunting animals, foraging for food, and sleeping under the stars in the company of his tent. Compared to his past where he'd always run towards danger and away from his own thoughts, he now runs steadily with his simple life that he made and chose for himself.
He would still have anxiety over his past, that sometimes he feels the trees close on him like they were watching him, that a gust of wind sound like someone moving, that the rustle of leaves feel like someone's out there waiting for him to off guard. The thoughts did not help him with the nightmares he wakes up to.
But he carries himself anyway. Last things he wants now as an ex-prince, ex-criminal, and traitor, is to be weak in the face of nature.
He now leans on a log, eating his roasted jelly after a long day of hunting and foraging. A routine that he got used to after months.
From time to time, he thinks of going back to his... Father, back to the kingdom and homeland that he loved and hurt. He wishes to feel the cold, crisp air of winter and the smell of chocolate in every corner of the palace. He thinks about how his father would react if he did come back, even for a simple apology, if he'll be accepted or rejected, but Dark Choco never did overthink about that. After all, he already had his answer yelled in front of his face that very day.
"It is my life's greatest regret to have ever called you my son!"
He sighs. There's no use wishing for something that will never happen. Everywhere he went, terror and jam only spilled, and he never will have the right to speak for himself for such atrocities. Even now in peace, happiness seemed to be very far for his dough to reach. This is his fate, so he has no other choice but to face it.
He was about to finish eating up his jelly roast when he heard a loud whisk of wind far beside him and a bang on the ground, shaking him and immediately being on alert. He finished his meal and put it aside before investigating what had happened.
Not too far from his camp, a small crater was formed on the forest grounds, and in the middle of it is what looks like a star jelly-like gem that shone in different colors. It smells disgustingly sweet but his curiosity far overwhelmed the smell. It irked Dark Choco to move closer to the object. He thought twice whether to touch it or not, before sighing and picking up the gem.
He held the gem in front of his face and looked at it with awe. He hadn't seen an item glow and shimmer in such a way before. He decided to just keep it, finders keepers after all.
Thinking back, he used to bring star flowers to his father. Although it definitely did not reek of sweetness like the gem, it looked similar, in shape at least. Like stars from the skies as blessings to their people, he gave the flowers to his father as a gift. He hoped that his father kept it..
Oh, but he can't ever give him such gifts anymore. He is a traitor after all, to his father– the king, and the kingdom. He's no better than a monster, than a beast.
Funny. He's recently heard about the Beasts' defeat against the Ancient heroes, which includes his father. Would his father even ever forgive him if he ended up as horrible as them? Would his father listen to his pleas before he strikes him down for good?
Definitely not. Traitors to the king and their subjects should never face any kind of acceptance. Oh, how he wonders, what he would be like if he had, for some reason, taken upon the guidance and ideals of those Beasts, would he be worse that he is now..?
Suddenly, the gem shone brighter in different colors and flashed him a light so bright that he dropped the gem. Dark Choco felt the light envelop his very being, and heard voices that were like his.
"...Such is my fate..."
"In the end, everything is futile..."
"I am meant to destroy..."
"If it makes the others happy, then I shall..."
"For in the end, I'm meant to walk alone..."
He felt himself dissipate before blacking out.
It was common now to the cookies in Crispia that the Beasts were subdued by their respective Ancients that held their souljam. But not all have known that the Beasts are still alive and kicking in Beast Yeast.
Pure Vanilla Cookie had proposed that the Beasts should have another chance in seeing the world they guided when they were Virtues.
"Hmph! I do not believe that accursed Burning Spice will not start ravaging a place simply because he was bored!" Golden Cheese Cookie put her hand on the rounded table where the ancients have gathered what to do with the Beasts.
Dark Cacao Cookie agreed, "That cookie would be a great nuisance to us, along with that jester that almost took your life." He sat up straighter and cleared his throat, "Although the idea is hard to fathom, it is at least impressive that you thought they would calm themselves down for the sake of others. In any case, I doubt Mystic Flour would even care or consider that option."
Hollyberry laughed, "You're right, but we can at least try to convince them that this world is still worth something after all the years they were trapped!"
"Hmph, that will be easy for you... your Beast is literally into you, last time you've mentioned."
"Eh.. still! There's no harm in trying." She huffed and put her arms beside her waist, "We just need to convince the four with that proposal. I believe Silent Salt Cookie had already redeemed himself, isn't he?" She looked at White Lily Cookie who nodded in agreement.
"Indeed! Last week I showed him the local gardens, and had him listen to local songs since he wanted to learn more about the current world," She smiled softly and clasped her hands together. "he seems to be quite a fan of pop!"
A loud whoosh from the skies caught their attention and they perked up. "What was tha-?!" White Lily's question was cut off by the loud crash that came after the woosh.
Hollyberry stood up, "An explosion?.. No, something crashed!" She patted her dress and took her mighty shield. "Shall we check out what might that be? I believe from the sound, it might not be far from here."
The other Ancients stood up and Pure Vanilla nodded. "Maybe we should just check just in case...".
White Lily clutched her staff, "Judging from where the sound came from and landed, it must've crashed down... In the forest not too far from here..."
"Well then! What are we waiting for?" Golden Cheese's wings spread wide. "Let us go on a simple expedition once more.!"
Dark Cacao huffed, "Let us hurry. Who knows if the thing that fell down from the skies had injured some other cookie..."
Golden Cheese and Hollyberry laughed, and they all prepared themselves before venturing.
When they entered the forest, they all looked out for any signs of disturbance in the forest. A few minutes in, they still weren't able to find the place where that something crashed down onto.
Farther in the forest, they noticed that there was smoke rising up, probably from a campfire. They followed the smoke and found a camp.
"This camp seems like it's been recently set-up..." The dark cookie grumbled, "and I smell something else that is definitely not from here..." He inspects the hastily finished jelly roast and the still burning campire. The tent is quite shabby but it should serve well against the rain.
The group went on to check if someone is currently in the camp, but no cookie came out. Their inspection was interrupted by Hollyberry's call, "Guys! I've found something!".
The rest of the ancients went to where she was and they saw a medium-sized crater in front of her. The smell of sweetness radiated from the center, despite there being nothing in the middle of it.
"What?" Golden Cheese yelped, "All this... Crater and burnt grass and loud noise but no source?" She flailed her hands, "There's nothing unusual here other than this crater!"
White Lily sighed, "It would seem so. I don't sense anything in this place other than the sugary smell, and I don't see anything that seems out of place in this area.." She looked around, hoping to find something else.
"Hmm, maybe I was right. Someone had come here before us and took whatever it was that fell." Dark Cacao grumbled.
Pure Vanilla spoke, "I believe we can't do anything if someone took the item already. Wasn't there a camp near this area? Maybe it was them?"
"Hngh, most likely."
"As much as I want to know what fell from the sky, we cannot do anything about it if it was now in someone else's hands, especially if they had already left, and we don't have a clue where'd they go." The pink cookie stated and put her hand on her hips.
"But not so suddenly though... Why would they leave their campfire lit?" White Lily questioned as she rubbed her chin. "Maybe... Something else happened..?"
The group was silent, until Golden Cheese spoke up. "If there's nothing we can do about it at the moment, then we should just head back and rest. We can continue this, probably after we discuss what to do with the Beasts!" She said, trying to hide her unease in the situation.
The group hesitantly nodded and turned back, but in their minds, they knew this was something since nothing ever falls from the skies except for rain and snow. They'll ask for the cookies' help, maybe the smell or magic in the area can tell them which direction to go. They made sure to extinguish the campfire before leaving the area.
The five Ancients came back to the cookie kingdom, walking along the roads and greeting the cookies that looked at them with awe. They separated as they did their duties around the kingdom, and when the lights faded to dusk, they finally rested in their respective residences.
The next morning, White Lily woke up to a pigeon by her windowsill. It was Silent Salt's pigeon, carrying a letter on its leg. She greeted it a wonderful morning before gently removing the letter and reading it:
—————
Dear White Lily Cookie,
How are you faring well in Crispia? I certainly missed your presence, and I am having a wonderful time guiding my soldiers in my barren land. I've sent you this letter to ask you a favor. While I was training my men as usual, a bright light popped beside me and a cookie had spawned. He had hardened eyes and form like that of a warrior, he seemed to know me but I've never seen him before, I would know his solemn apathetic form. I believe you might know about him as I've heard you mention a name similar to his. May I know if you've come across the name of "Dark Choco Cookie"? He simply seems lost and I wish to bring him home.
Sincerely, Silent Salt Cookie.
—————