Chapter Text
Something was wrong with the Beasts. And every Ancient was worried for their other half.
White Lily was sitting at Silent Salts bedside, trying to ignore all the thoughts in her head.
Everything had been going perfectly. Dark Enchantress had been defeated; she was whole again and all the Beasts were getting better. Maybe not fully redeemed yet and not the Divine Emissaries they once were, but far from the monsters that had ravaged Earthbread.
They were all friends again. She and Golden Cheese could meet up and talk. The Beasts would actively seek each other out and every Ancient had become inseparable from their Beast.
Then the Beasts became sick with an unknown illness.
At first the signs were small. Such as Mystic Flour being cold despite having multiple blankets, and Shadow Milk getting massive head aches out of nowhere. But it quickly became more serious when Eternal Sugar started having violent coughing fits. They knew something was terribly wrong when during a friendly spar with Golden Cheese, Burning Spice collapsed.
All the Beasts were now suffering from the same symptoms and the most worrying one, had them throwing up a black curdling substance with their jam.
White Lily still remembered the first time she saw it. She had taken Silent Salt out to the gardens hoping to get him some fresh air.
He suddenly started convulsing and fell over. White Lily struggled to take off his helmet and as he regained control he tried to help her. As the visor broke, he started to vomit black puke as it flooded out of his throat. A black chunky puddle with his bright red jam on top. Like one was rejecting the other, some of it was even on the broken bit of his helmet.
She remembered holding him, his body still, as his mind treated between consciousness waiting for the doctors to arrive.
White Lily was pulled out of her memory by his groaning as he shifted in the bed. She helped turn him on to his side, bucket in her hand. It was another coughing fit; he couldn’t even find solace in his sleep.
After it was over she gave him some water, she’d had it ready to help soothe his throat. After he was done drinking, she held him and rubbed his back. She knew how much it hurt.
When he spoke, his voice sounded quiet and ruff, “I’m sorry.”
Tears started to roll down her cheeks, “You have nothing to apologize for.”
She held him tighter and he returned the hug with what was left of his strength. She was balling at this point, “Please! I can’t lose you too!”
***
Pure Vanilla had never felt more like a failure than now. He was a healer, and even he had no idea what was happening. He stood by watching the doctors work with the Beasts. He wished he could make them feel better, he wished he knew what was happening.
He wished he could be doing more for Shadow Milk. He already had a weak body before all of this and now he could barely use his magic. ‘Why didn’t I notice sooner.’
Black Sapphire was trying to pretend everything was all right, he still hosted his radio show, kept up with the latest gossip and occasionally fed into the rumors. The main difference now was he went to a bedridden Shadow Milk to report about his day.
But anybody could see how it all dropped when instead of his usual fanfare Shadow Milk responded with just a small smile and a, “Wonderful.” Afterwards Shadow Milk would give Black Sapphire a pat on the head the most comfort he could give.
Candy Apple was a wreck. Pure Vanilla was surprised it was him she went to for comfort. He remembered her words the last time he held her so clearly. “I don’t want a lie! I want him to be better!”
If she wasn’t with Shadow Milk telling him stories or playing card games. She was with the Brave gang doing who knows what or crying with him.
Right now, he was alone. Sitting down at his desk dealing with legal documents.
Until one of the Doctors that were staying in the castle came up to him, “Pure Vanilla he wants to see you.”
“Is everything okay?” asked Pure Vanilla getting up.
“Well, he’s not worse,” said the Doctor.
“Okay, thank you,” said Pure Vanilla as he began walking.
When he arrived at Shadow Milks room he heard his voice. “Nilly there you are.”
Not all the Beast’s dramatics were gone, but all that was left was his voice and expressions and his voice was now quiet and far less wild in tone.
“Hello, Shadow Milk Cookie how are you feeling?” asked Pure Vanilla sitting down in the chair next to the Beasts bed.
“Oh, just amazing now that you’re here. Could you pass me the food though?” asked Shadow Milk smiling slyly.
Pure Vanilla was glad the Beast would ask for help now, he just wished it didn’t take this for it to start. As he picked up the plate of fruits and yogurt and handed it to Shadow Milk he asked, “The Doctor said you wanted to see me. Was it for any reason in particular?”
“Can a cookie just not want to see their other half?” said Shadow Milk before he put a bunch of grapes in his mouth.
Pure Vanilla let out a laugh, before he responded, “I guess so.”
He then changed the subject, “Has Candy Apple mentioned how she’s been going to the Cookie Kingdom often.”
“Yeah, mentioned how she met this one cookie in particular. I think the name was Pumkin Pie cookie, also someone named Pompom. Of course, she also mentioned having to defend someone in court, so who knows?” said Shadow Milk smiling.
“Aca!” Shadow milk then started coughing again. It was the worst one so far, Pure Vanilla immediately removed the plate not wanting it to get in the way or spill. Shadow Milk then started dry heaving, and Pure Vanilla grabbed the nearest trash can and handed it to him. Shadow Milk then threw up what he just ate, along with other things.
Everything then calmed down. Pure Vanilla took the trash can away from Shadow Milk. He didn’t react as it was taken away, as if he was still staring at the contents the same black substance and his jam.
Pure Vanilla was about to get one of the staff to bring over some water and remove the trash, before he heard whimpering.
He looked to see Shadow Milk crying. Pure Vanilla forgot everything else and wrapped him up in a hug.
“I’m scared. There’re two things that could happen now, AND NEITHER ARE GOOD!” said Shadow Milk holding his hands to his face.
“We’ll get through it. Together,” said Pure Vanilla not knowing what his other half was talking about. But it didn’t matter what mattered now was Shadow Milk.
***
Dark Cacao was walking through the halls of the citadel, to Mystic Flour Cookies room. It was Dinner time and ever since the Doctors made sure her sickness wasn’t contagious he would always eat meals with her.
She hadn’t woken up yet when he got there. ‘She needs all the rest she can get.’ He let her sleep a little longer.
He remembered the first time Mystic Flour came here. Back when they were still enemies to an extent and she was consumed by apathy. But one day he saw her smiling as she watched Cloud Haetae Cookie play with the cream wolves. He then started noticing the small moments of care towards the staff, the watchers, the villages outside the citadel and the ones for him.
He started hanging out with her more and she started becoming more open to his ideas. They often played board games, specifically go. Her emotions were becoming full again; it was scary for her at first. But soon she told him how she never wanted to go back.
The day she saw the other Beast’s again she walked up to them with the biggest smile he had ever seen on her face and hugged them all. Now here she was, thin and unable to leave her bed. Only awake when someone visits.
“Dark Cacao Cookie. My friend.”
He was brought back to the present and saw her worried face. “Ahh, forgive me, I have been thinking of many things recently.”
“I have had a lot on my mind as well,” she responded. Then she frowned and looked down for a moment before she looked back to him and said, “I have a request.”
“What is it?” asked Dark Cacao.
She breathed in before she said, “When I die, don’t set up any funerary for me.”
He looked at her, with wide eyes. 'She’s already accepted she’s going to die,’ he thought. Before he asked her, “What would you have me do instead?”
She looked shocked before a small smile grew on her face and she took his hand in her own, “Decorate my pagoda like your kingdom.”
He looked at her softly before he said. “As you wish.”
***
‘Why is this happening?’ Golden Cheese was sitting on her bed; Burning Spice had just thrown up more than any other time before. ‘So much jam.’ He wouldn’t wake up afterwards; his breath and pulse were so fast! The Doctors took him away; she didn’t trust them.
‘What if they hurt him! What if they kill him! What if they try and he dies anyway! I can’t lose him! Not now! I can’t, I can’t, I can’t!’
The Beast had become her best friend, they would drink together, fight together, comfort one another. Nobody was more shocked than her, but now he was one of her most precious treasures.
‘I won’t be able to bring him back if he dies. Not like my subjects. He’ll be gone forever! All the Beasts will be gone forever!’
“Your Radiance” a voice called from behind the door along with a nock.
She couldn’t tell who it was, but it had pulled her out of her spiral. She got up and looked in her mirror to make sure there were no visible signs of her breakdown. She opened the door and on the other side was her advisor Smoked Cheese cookie.
“Yes, what is it?” she asked normally but still with a tense look.
“Nutmeg Tiger Cookie informed me of what happened,” he said in response.
‘Oh yes, she was there.’ Nutmeg Tiger was the one to not only bring Golden Cheese to her room, but also the one to drag her back from Burning Spice.
“And the doctors also confirmed that Burning Spice Cookies condition has stabilized,” continued Smoked Cheese.
The tension immediately released from her shoulders, “That’s good to hear.”
Smoked Cheese let out sigh before saying, “We also must discuss the Spice Lands.”
The sliver of her good mood disappeared.
“While I would encourage your Radiance to focus on your own wellbeing during this time, with Burning Spice Cookie being---” Smoked Cheese paused for a moment thinking carefully about his next word, “Unavailable. You and Nutmeg Tiger Cookie are the only ones the Spice tribes will listen to.”
She sighed before saying, “Yes your right. Let’s move this discussion somewhere else.”
The two then began walking towards the meeting room.
***
The Hollyberry Kingdom was quiet. The passion of its citizens had all but disappeared. Even the noble berry houses had fallen to mere whispers.
“The Beast of Sloth is sick. Can you believe it, a fallen god bedridden!”
“Not just her. News has spread that all the Beasts have fallen ill.”
“Ha I’d say they’re getting what they deserve!”
“Hey, don’t talk about them like that!”
“Look, I understand more than anyone why you’d feel this way. But they’ve changed. She even helped me find my daughter.”
“Besides think about Queen Mother, if anything it looks like she’s suffering more than the Beast.”
Queen Mother, Hollyberry Cookie was outside of Eternal Sugars room. Pavlova was currently in there, and Hollyberry didn’t know what they were talking about, and she didn’t need to.
Pavlova opened the door and said, “You can come in now.”
He looked like he had been crying, but there was a smile. Not a happy smile, but one where you just had a weight taken off your shoulders. “I’m sorry, for taking so long.”
“No need to apologize, I’ve had plenty of conversations with her. You deserve to have just as many,” said Hollyberry walking inside.
Her and Pavlova sat down next to Eternal Sugars bed. Her wings were folded around herself, she looked at them with a hint of a smile.
“Hello,” she said.
“Hi,” Hollyberry said in response.
“What’s wrong?” asked Eternal Sugar.
Hollyberry sighed looking off to the side before looking back at Eternal Sugar. Pavlova took her hand.
“It’s--- It’s just. What am I gonna do without you?”
“What you’ve always done,” said Eternal Sugar taking her other hand.