Archive of Our Own

Blueberry Milk Cookie, well renowned Sage of Truth was a teacher. Well, also technically Headmaster, but his duties there were shared, lest he have to drop the aforementioned title.

And perhaps the fact that he was, in fact, a teacher, consisted as the least surprising thing about him. After all, what better job for the bearer of Truth than to teach? Of course, some would argue that he should focus on teaching the learned so those of good scholarly nature should ascend to greater heights.

Blueberry Milk considered this to be two things, first of all, complete nonsense, second of all, possibly his hell on earthbread. 

Teaching young sweets, those who came from all walks of life, and would walk life along a hundred different paths- (whatever paths they wished to walk, if Blueberry Milk had anything to say about it)- was far more important in his eyes. What is the point in teaching those who are most equipped to figure out the answers to their questions?

It was insulting to both them, and to him.

Still over the centuries at least one group in every generation of mortals questioned him taking on a class of students at the lowest year level. It certainly grew rather tiresome, Blueberry Milk considered, pushing open the door to his classroom.

And he was certainly glad that he had opted to never get into politics, for all that the world seemed rather eager for him to. Leave that to the mortals, lest he spend a thousand years dealing with the worst of their greed, only to snap and commit crimes beyond comprehension. 

He hummed, floating to his desk and summoning his teaching supplies from his other realm.

A flick of his wrist and the chalk set to writing out today’s lesson on the board, barely a few days back from the break, and just early into the start of winter term- perhaps it was harsh to have such an important lesson so soon- ah, but hopefully their interest would peaked by the future benefits of mastering this subject.

The musical chime that signalled the time to get to class began, and Blueberry Milk floated his class sign in slate in front of him, no names were faded, so in theory all of his students should arrive. He smiled to himself, in theory, hm well, these particular doughs and jellies hadn’t quite made it to that age yet.

He hummed again, readjusting his monocle as the first students began to trail into class. A mix of the organised and the ones always in a rush, Blueberry Milk drifted the tablet down to them, offering it so that they could be ticked off the list. He glanced out the window, most of last night’s snow had long melted, but there was certainly a bite to the air as the sun struggled to heat up frigid ground.

One could see it in the uniforms of the students, all opting for far more layers than then they had in the months before. He watched as the tablet was passed around to the stragglers, before the final cookie brought it back up to the desk before scampering back to their seat at the sound of the bell.

Blueberry Milk hummed, watching them go, what had been their name? Chocolate Crumble Cookie? Yes, their dough did not seem an entirely healthy shade.

Hm. Well, winter certainly was the season of curses. Not to worry, Pear Jelly Cookie had her lecture on those matters at the assembly at the end of this week. He is sure that whatever minor thing is going around, it will be cleared up soon. 

Blueberry Milk tapped his staff against the ground twice, and most students took the warning, heading off their conversations and turning to face the front. Unfortunately a fair few persisted in their talking, and with a snap of Blueberry Milk’s fingers found themselves mute.

Maybe the fact that he found their startled rabbit-like expressions so amusing was not the best reflection on his character.

Ah, well. Perhaps they should have made a point to learn their lesson the first time. He smiled amiably, snapping his fingers again to release the spell. No dessert tried to return to their conversations.

“Welcome class, to our first winter lesson!” Blueberry Milk gestured to the windows, “As you may have noticed, it is getting far colder! Now I know all of you hail from a variety of climates and to some of you, raised in the chilly lands of the cacaoians it might seem practically balmy- Whereas those of you who come from the tropics might not be able to comprehend how it could possibly get any colder!”

“Well, I’m afraid, for those of you who prefer the warmth, by solstice the academy will be thoroughly drowned in white sugar crystals, and if you were to walk out into it with your summer clothes on you might find yourself getting quite frosty!” Blueberry Milk hummed, “But I’m sure you have also noticed that no classroom has a fireplace.”

“Well, I’m afraid that it is a safety precaution, since flame can be quite dangerous when mixed with poorly cast magic, even magical flame, should things go wrong.” He huffed, “And I’m sure you understand that we try to allow room for mistakes, without risk of someone getting re-baked or melted.” Blueberry Milk paused, “It is also why the practice of magic is strictly prohibited in the common rooms, in case any of you were thinking of trying to bypass those wards.”

Blueberry Milk gave them a long hard look after that, it wasn’t likely any of them would manage such a feat, Blueberry Milk had designed those wards himself after all. Pouring a good portion of the souljam’s power into them, but unfortunately, students had a tendency to surprise him in the worst ways.

“Regardless, this means most of the academy is fairly cold, there are, of course, ways to heat a room magically without any threat to its inhabitants.” Blueberry Milk focused, gripping his staff in two hands before letting a wave of heat flow out through the room, “But such spells are expensive on mana, and if you have not the inclination to such magic, they can pose a bit of a disproportionate challenge.”

“So depending on the skills and disposition of your teacher, they may just leave you to freeze in your seats.” Blueberry Milk gave an amused smile at the forlorn expressions he could spy among his students.

“And this is why it is best to firstly, wear the entirety of your winter uniform, and if any pieces of it go missing or are damaged please got to see Royal Icing Cake to have them replaced or repaired, and secondly, do your best to find ways to heat your own dough with magic!” Blueberry Milk made a grand gesture with his staff.

“A useful skill for any mage to have, particularly seeing as we are hardly famous for our superior physical constitutions.” He gestured to the board, “And a very practical introduction to the art of object enchantment, which I’m sure you will find much more interesting than trying to make a rock glow and change colours.”

“Unfortunately, it also means that you will want to pay attention, because the combination of runes you will be using are slightly more complex.” He drifted over to the board, “Also there will be homework on this, due on Mixday, so I’m afraid learning this cannot wait until the night before the test.”

“So for those of you who like to take notes, best have your things ready… and let the lesson begin!”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk hummed idly to himself as he watched the last of the students file out of class, before turning his attention to the stack of homework papers ticking the names off of his list. Hm. Chocolate Crumble Cookie, and Strawberry Slice Jelly didn’t turn in their work.

He levitated the sign-in slate in front of himself, ah, Chocolate Crumble Cookie’s name was greyed out. 

Perhaps he was right to suspect them having contracted some sort of illness, he called a quill to himself, making a note next to their name. As for Strawberry Slice Jelly, well, he was just going to have to follow up next class. He waved his hand idly to dry the ink, stacking up the homework papers and returning everything else to the other realm.

As much as he would love to store his student’s homework in the dimension, he had no control over what inadvisable inks and paper types they used, and he would rather not lose their work because of some unpredictable reaction, or if he was to be truly honest, simply because of the centuries of junk he had stored in there.

Precious, potentially one-day useful junk (mostly), but… objectively, junk.

He tapped the door as he left, sealing the room shut. And then proceeded to almost float directly into Milky Coffee Cookie.

“Ah, sorry headmaster, I should have been watching where I was going.” Milky Coffee Cookie pulled her staff close to her chest, giving a small apologetic smile.

Blueberry Milk chuckled, drifting down from where he had flown up to the ceiling in shock, “No need, I am at least partially to blame, I should know better than to float backwards into a hallway after all these years.” he hummed, “Although I do have to ask Milky Coffee, why you are moving in such a rush after final class on Mixday.”

Milky Coffee Cookie’s smile turned a little more relaxed, “Nowhere except the staff room, I’m afraid being late so often has made me speed walk by default.” She paused, “Although, now that I have you here I did want to ask you something…”

Blueberry Milk smiled, “Of course, go ahead, assuming it is not a concept that takes longer than ten minutes to explain…”

“Ah, no it’s nothing like that.” Milky Coffee Cookie frowned slightly, “It is more a concern I have about students. You also teach a first year class, and so I wanted to ask, have you noticed an odd curse going among your pupils?”

Blueberry Milk blinked, “...odd?” He drifted a bit lower, “I have not noticed anything odd about it, but I did notice that one of my students was looking unwell, and they are now marked as away for a reason I assume is related.” He paused, “I would very much like to hear what observations led you to consider it odd, since I know you would not come to this conclusion for no reason.”

Milky Coffee Cookie pursed her lips, “It may not be dangerous odd, but I know the symptoms for the common winter curses pretty well, and this one doesn’t match up, there is also this strange effect that makes it look like the students have icing sugar dusted on their dough.” She sighed, “I asked them about it, and the only thing they could tell me is that they have been feeling more distractable, and a bit over-warm, I sent them to the healers anyway, just in case…”

Blueberry Milk nodded, narrowing his eyes, “I have never heard of curse alike to that, I will trust that Pear Jelly Cookie will look into it…” he huffed, “And if somehow the students have instead evoked some foolish, but harmless magic, I would trust she will also give those unfortunate students the talking to they have earned.”

Milky Coffee Cookie smiled, “Yes, she has always seemed to have had that talent.”

Blueberry Milk chuckled, “Long before you were born, I am entirely certain I have seen her scolding over-confident desserts since she started her first year here.”

Milky Coffee Cookie’s eyes sparkled with a slight hint of mischief, “Hmmm, well, on to lighter topics, what are you intending to do with your weekend oh illustrious Sage of Truth? Visiting that friend of yours?”

Blueberry Milk giggled, “What a polite way you have found to call me an old man!” He grinned, “And always, if I can help it, but how about yourself?”

Milky Coffee Cookie’s eyes wandered slightly, “Well, I have a distant cousin who is visiting, he just came back from an expedition with… oh I think you might be needed headmaster.”

Blueberry Milk followed her gaze, turning around to see, that there was indeed a cookie coming toward them, judging my the white robes, a healer. They made eye-contact with Blueberry Milk and sped up their steps. “Mmm, I do wonder if this has something to do with your suspicions.”

Milky Coffee Cookie frowned slightly, tilting her head in acknowledgement.

“Headmaster!” The healer cookie came to a stop, and immediately scrunched in on themselves, looking slightly nervous under the combined gazes, “Head Healer Pear Jelly Cookie wishes for your presence in her office, to… to discuss an unknown curse among… among the students.”

Milky Coffee Cookie gave him a sideways glance. Blueberry Milk hummed, giving the healer cookie a smile, “Tell Head Healer Pear Jelly Cookie that I will be with her shortly, after I drop off these papers on my desk.”

The rather anxious looking healer cookie ran back the way they came, and Blueberry Milk huffed, his slightly tyrannical reputation wasn’t that bad was it? Oh well, sounds like his knowledge was needed. “Well, enjoy your meeting with your cousin my dear, I appear to be needed.”

Milky Coffee Cookie smiled, “Thank you headmaster, good luck with whatever this turns out to be.”

Yes, whatever this turns out to be indeed.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Dear Truthless Recluse,

                                       You may have noticed that I was not at your tower for our usual tea this Riseday, and I must apologise for not sending ahead about the change. I have been suddenly and concerningly busy, for there is a bit of the situation at the academy. 

I cannot be certain how serious it is at this current moment, but there has been an outbreak of a curse unknown to us, and despite my, and others search, we have not been able to find much in the way of record of it.

Some of the symptoms revealed thus far have been quite concerning, including a sort of delirium which is quite worrying in this sort of weather, and a drop in body temperature similar to that which is induced by Icing Fever, but it is certainly not that.

Ah, look at me rambling, I’m afraid I do not have time for such things. I at least hope that the silence of the season has been to your liking. And I hope to see you again this weekend, hopefully with the problem at hand solved.

                                                                                                 Your friend, Sage of Truth.

Blueberry Milk sighed, sliding the letter into an envelope. “Chantilly? Come here please.”

The winged rabbit summon flapped its way on to his desk, perching on the edge. It watched with a tilted head as Blueberry Milk melted blue sealing wax over a candle. “This is to go to ‘Clusey’s tower on the peak.”

If rabbits had the facial anatomy to give dirty looks, Blueberry Milk would call the look he got for that dirty. He huffed, letting several drops of wax land on the front of the envelope, “Now, now, don’t give me that Chantilly.” He reached out and gave the summon a tap on the head, infusing Sun into their soul. “See? You won’t freeze up there.”

He pressed his seal down on the wax, letting a pulse of magic go through it, hardening the wax. Chantilly sniffed the letter as Blueberry Milk held it out, taking it into their paws, before shoving it in their messenger bag. 

Blueberry Milk flicked his fingers, opening the window, and watching as Chantilly hopped into the air, four wings propelling them out into the open. He sighed as the window shut again. Ah. What a week… hm. Well, he should go back-

Three polite knocks on his door, hm. “Come in Moondrop.”

The door was pushed open, and Moondrop entered carrying a tray that had some scatted food items and a steaming mug of… ooh milky tea. “You missed breakfast sir.”

“Did I?” Blueberry Milk didn’t bother to point out that he hardly needed to eat all that much, being the immortal bearer of the souljam of Truth, but he had found that those sorts of explanations fell on deaf ears when it came to his assistant. He carefully made space on his desk for the tray, “Well I thank you for getting something for me regardless, I have been keeping you busy these last few days I know.”

“Nothing I cannot handle sir,” Moondrop placed the tray down, porridge with cream and blueberries, how… nutritional. Ah, the woes of being of the same ingredients for all of one's existence.

“Is the meeting today scheduled for the same time?” Blueberry Milk reached for the tea, taking a long sip, mmm.

“Yes,” Moondrop glanced at the clock, “It should begin in about half an hour.”

“Ah, perfect. I probably won’t require your presence during it, so spend that time helping out as you can, and meet me afterwards, I imagine whatever conclusion we come to I will need your help enacting.” Blueberry Milk picked up the spoon, taking a spoonful of porridge and cream.

Moondrop nodded, “How will I know it is done?”

“I will bring Yogurt, and send them to find you when it concludes.” Blueberry Milk stuck his spoonful of porridge in his mouth, blinking at the explosion of sweet on his tongue. Hmm. He shouldn’t have doubted his assistant, although sometimes he wonders if the cookie has been exchanging letters with his siblings to know all these things about him.

It was Sugar’s fault that he was pressured into acquiring himself an assistant.

Moondrop nodded once more, “Alright, I will see you then sir.”

“Mmm, well thank you again Moondrop.” 

“Just doing my job sir.” The door shut again before Blueberry Milk could come up with a response. Hmmm. What a strange faerie that one was.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk hummed to himself, stepping out of a portal into the office of Pear Jelly Cookie, a stack of food containers drifting along behind him. Perhaps meal delivery was not the most glamorous role, not one expected of a cookie like himself, but even he needed a break from staring at books every so often.

Although he glanced around the office, it did appear that the local head healer was not present at the current moment.

He stacked the boxes up on a clear space on her desk, drifting towards the door to poke his head out into the corridor. Mmm, nobody around. Blueberry Milk supposed he should probably go looking then.

He passed by several rooms, most seemed to at least be empty, although he was very aware that was probably a ‘for now’ statement. The curse seemed to have a moderate incubation period, which made it difficult to track, and so even with the newly instated lockdown, he’s sure that they have all the cases.

He glanced past an ajar door to see a student sitting in one of the beds, a cake judging by the ears and the tail. They had the curse’s distinct white powdery coating on their dough, and they looked rather sorry for themselves, hunched over like they were. Blueberry Milk paused, considering.

The healers had provided several reports of the symptoms, both to educate staff and students on the signs so that they could identify cases more quickly, and so those looking for records of the curse had better chances of finding a match.

But Blueberry Milk had senses beyond that of a normal cookie, although he did not often make use of them. Perhaps… he drifted towards the door, raising a hand to knock-

“Headmaster.”

Blueberry Milk will thank years of working at this school for the fact that he did not immediately fire a massive hole in the wall, and by extension, through the poor dessert healer in front of him. He sighed as he lowered his staff, returning it to his other realm. “My apologies, I’m afraid you startled me.”

The jelly healer pursed their lips, adjusting the bundle in their arms. “That is fine headmaster, but as ruled by Head Healer Pear Jelly Cookie I will have to ask you to please not enter any wards, as per the rules of the lockdown.”

Blueberry Milk blinked, then smiled, “Ah, well, those rules exist to prevent the spread of the curse, but I myself am in no danger of contracting it myself.”

The jelly’s brows furrowed.

Blueberry Milk traced the edge of his souljam, “I promise that I will show the utmost caution, but I think Truth might be of aid in identifying this affliction and I would be remiss not to attempt to use the power in this situation.”

The jelly narrowed their eyes, glancing to the side.

“If it helps, I am prepared to take the fall for this decision all on my own, should somehow a fall be needed. Pear Jelly Cookie does know me as a stubborn cookie who does things he should not.” 

The jelly healer sighed, “Please be careful headmaster.”

“Of course, and- ah! I almost forgot, I left a food delivery in Pear Jelly Cookie’s office, it would be much appreciated if you were to inform others of the fact.” Blueberry Milk floated back towards the door again, glancing in to see that the cake student was watching them both. 

The jelly healer nodded, turning to leave. “I will see who I can find.”

Blueberry Milk watched them retreat for a moment before he gently pushed open the door, smiling at the cake within, who was watching him a little nervously. “Hello dear, did you happen to hear our conversation out there?”

The cake swallowed, but nodded slightly, “I heard some… some of it…”

Blueberry Milk hummed, “What is your name?”

The cake tucked their tail closer to their body, “Cherry Nut Cake.”

“Well Cherry Nut Cake, is it okay if I use an ability of mine to look at the curse affecting you? I have been told it can be rather overwhelming, but I promise to do my best to be brief." Blueberry Milk gave another gentle smile, floating a little lower to the ground, so as not to loom.

Cherry Nut Cake gnawed on their lip, but nodded, “It’ll help… find out what is going on…”

“I hope it will,” Blueberry Milk pressed his hand over his souljam, “Now you may want to close your eyes my dear, otherwise I might just give you a terrible headache.”

Cherry Nut Cake maybe jammed their eyes shut a little too tight. But Blueberry Milk figured that was the best he was going to get, preferable that he not make the problem worse.

He let out a sigh, closing his own eyes, and focusing on his Eye, slowly easing it open to take in the world around him. Its vision was bright, energy ran through the walls and floor of the whole of the academy, and he could See it all like this. Hundreds of threads that rippled every so often reacting to the use of magic inside.

And between those he could gaze upon the many, many,  multicoloured lights that made up the soul and mana of every dessert living here. Blueberry Milk took a deep breath, and focused on the one in front of him.

The presence of a problem was even more clear to see then it was with plain sight. Among the channels of Life, and steady thrum of Earth, there was Ice. It acted like an invader, attacking Life and replacing it, using the destruction to further its control.

Wrong, wrong, wrong-

Blueberry Milk closed his Eye, blinking several times to refocus his eyes. Cherry Nut Cake still sat curled in on themselves, and Blueberry Milk sighed, “You can open your eyes again dear.”

One red eye peeked open, then two.

Blueberry Milk hummed, well. He certainly had some information, but, ah, it was best he offered some sort of repayment… aid? Hmmm. “Are you scared of snakes my dear?”

“N-no?” Cherry Nut Cake peered at him nervously.

Blueberry Milk smiled, “Perfect.” He brought his hands together, summoning threads between them as he slowly dragged them apart. “I have heard that you might be struggling with feeling too-warm, despite your current illness meaning you are far too cold.”

“Y-yes.” 

“Well, meet Sapphire!” Blueberry Milk held out the, as suggested by the name, rather blue plush snake, “She’s a bit of a trickster you see, she will make your mind thing that she’s nice and cool, when in reality, all that blue is a disguise, and she’ll keep your dough cosy and warm!”

Cherry Nut Cake hesitantly reached out to grab the snake blinking as it was deposited into their arms. “She does feel cool…”

“Mmm-hmm,” Blueberry Milk gently pat the back of Cherry Nut Cake’s hand, “Now keep her nice and close, she’ll get lonely without you!”

“Oh-okay.” Cherry Nut Cake peered up at him shyly, “Thank you.”

Blueberry Milk idly brushed powder of his hand, “No problem my dear,” he drifted out of the door, “Enjoy your rest.”

Only once the door was shut did Blueberry Milk let his expression drop into a frown, concern making his lunch sit rather uneasy in his stomach. For what curse subverted the laws which underpin reality?

He had a feeling he had a few letters to write.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Or should Blueberry Milk say, letter. He had a letter to write, intended recipient: Rice Flour Cookie. But it was only after portaling back to his office that he realised that might not be a good idea after all, because not only would it take some time for the letter to reach her, but it would take even longer for Blueberry Milk to get a response.

Never mind how long it would take to bring her here.

It was certainly true that Blueberry Milk could contact her another way, but Rice Flour was almost certain to be as horrendously busy as she always was in winter, and there was no guarantee she even had the Knowledge he was seeking.

And while her skills would be valuable…

Well. It would be far better if he could find someone else to ask.

But who? Blueberry Milk dropped out of his float to pace back and forth in front of his desk, there were many old students of the academy that studied healing, and curses, but Pear Jelly Cookie taught most of the ones of recent generations, and was by far the best of her own generation, so Blueberry Milk would be relying on rather particular coincidence that he somehow found…

No. That was a practical dead end.

Ideally Blueberry Milk would need another immortal healer like Rice Flour, that had her power and experience, lived close by, wasn’t horribly busy, and had a vast amount of Knowledge not found in most libraries any longer…

Blueberry Milk almost slapped himself. Recluse! Of course! 

How could he be so foolish? He should have asked him down in the first place! Recluse or not, he would help if lives were in danger.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Dear Truthless Recluse,

                                       I am afraid the situation at the academy has gotten much worse. In fact, I will get straight to the point, I am writing this letter to ask for your help. You are a healer, a very Knowledgeable one at that, and as I’m sure you remember from the last letter we are dealing with an unidentifiable curse.

I was concerned, but still unsure of the level of danger it presented, and while now, a mere handful of days later I am still unsure of what the final result of this curse would be, I know it cannot be good.

It transforms the energies of its victims into its element, but unlike Corruption it somehow transforms its form to Ice not Dire, and in a complete inversion (for a reason beyond me) it only targets their lifeforce, not their mana.

But the curse had side effects even more confusing, the main being that it somehow convinces the mind of its victims that they are too warm. I suspect that it is to encourage them to venture out into environments where its element is more common, so as to speed up the process.

It is dangerous, I have a temporary solution, but we still do not have the Knowledge of how it spreads! A few of our healers have already been struck ill, and the cure is ever farther from us!

Magical healing does nothing, and I am too far out of my depth to-

I am wasting time, please, my friend, I beg you for your help, the infection started amongst some of our younger students, and you know that these things always progress faster in the young.

                                                                                                          Your friend, Sage of Truth.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk adored research, he adored magic, he enjoyed his work helping all of dessert kind. He had no aspirations about being a hero, or a savior, but he did the work one did to be those things regardless. To help those he shared earthbread with? Few equal joys.

This part of his work? The hopelessness of not knowing what to do in the face of a seemingly unscalable problem?

Not quite as much.

At some point he had abandoned his desk, opting to take his notes and books into the air. There were scattered papers all over the floor, all in the sake of trying to figure out a way to remove Ice from a cake or cookie’s lifeforce without… turning them to crumbs in a new way.

To further it into Dire would only cause more problems, particularly since it was not as if Salt Alstroemeria was likely to be in a hundred miles…

Blueberry Milk pinched his nose, he’s certain the solution must be to weaken it with an Form alike to Fire and then let the dessert’s own system expel it in the usual ways spent energy is released, but the dangers of exposing their Life to…

A knock on the door, Moondrop poked his head in. “Sir?”

Blueberry Milk isn’t entirely sure what he looks like in this moment, but with the way that his souljam has been thrumming at his neck for the last… amount of time, is generally an indicator that he is probably not at his most… presentable to mortal desserts.

Moondrop did not flinch however, so it could not be that terrible.

“Sir, I have a letter for you-”

The glare he is giving must be quite frightful, to be fair, while parents of students are informed that they ought to address their inquiries to Elderflower Lime Jelly, particularly during times of crisis, a fair few decide that paying attention to those sorts of things are beneath them.

Of course this is hardly his assistant’s fault, so Blueberry Milk redirects his glare at the wall, and tries his best to get ahold of his temper.

It has been a while since it has flared up this bad.

Must be the stress.

“-Sir, I don’t think it’s from a parent this time.” Moondrop held out a black envelope, it had only one line of gold text on the front.

Blueberry Milk blinked, adjusting his monocle, and summoning the envelope towards himself. 

Sage of Truth.

Blueberry Milk doesn’t think he’s torn open a letter so fast in his life.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Sage.

You are right to be worried, the curse you describe is known to me, and it is deadly.

I also know the cure.

First, to extend the life of those afflicted, tell the healers to prepare an oil of burning flame, but substituting the base oil used in preparation for cacao butter, and replacing the hollyberries and red-tongue with chamomile.

Feed the patient a teaspoon of the mixture for every day they have had powder on their dough, and then replenish their lifeforce through any available method.

Second, the curse is spread through contact with the dust that gathers on the surface of the afflicted’s dough, it incubates for up to three days, and progresses more slowly in those with any form of cacao in their dough.

Some with unusual dough properties, like shapeshifters, never manifest the dust, or manifest the dust in odd ways. So be mindful, I know you have plenty of unusual desserts on staff.

Third, the majority of the ingredients for the cure are common, if you can make the medicine for common icing fever, then you have most of what you need.

Except for one ingredient, that I know you will not have. Deep in the cacaoian mountains grows a golden flower, commonly called a windflower, it is the only true cure to this sickness. I will leave finding it to your portals and your flight.

I will arrive at the gates of the academy a day after you receive this letter.

Truthless Recluse.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

“-know, but I do know that we are running low on ginger root.” Honey Drop Jelly crossed his arms across his chest, “We can search the town’s local supply, see if there is any available to buy, if not Rhubarb Custard Cookie can ride to the next one over, do we have enough for a single batch?”

“Yes.” Bay Juniper Cake pointed to one of the papers on the table, “If we use this recipe we should have enough in just the kitchens, if there is more in storage we might…”

Blueberry Milk startled slightly as he felt someone tap his shoulder, “Sorry sir, but I just wanted to tell you that I delivered the messages you asked, Milky Coffee Cookie says that she can handle your class.”

“Ah, it’s alright Moondrop, I’ve just been a bit distractable…” He blinked as a cup of tea was pressed into his hands. He took a sip, “Thank you.”

“No problem sir.” Moondrop glanced toward the planning happening at the other end of the table, “Is there anything else you need me for?”

Blueberry Milk considered, “Have you visited your sister?”

“I spoke to her through the linked journals you gifted us last year just an hour or two ago.”

Ah. Right. Lockdown. His mind really was scattered at the moment. He took another sip of tea.

“She wishes you luck on your expedition to the mountains, I quote ‘there is no way a bunch of stupid flowers can defeat the great Sage of Truth.’”

Blueberry Milk smiled, “Ah well, I will have to make sure the great Sage of Truth does not disappoint her expectations. That does remind me, tomorrow morning, a friend of mine will be arriving at our gates, if I am not there to meet him myself, I would like you to go in my place.”

Moondrop frowned slightly, “Your friend, the Recluse of the Peak?”

Blueberry Milk hummed, “Yes, he is hard to miss, he wears black robes and has a staff with three eyes on it. You might also notice he has a bit of an… aura…”

Moondrop’s wings twitched, “He is the holder of a souljam.”

Blueberry Milk blinked, then sighed. “Yes, but please don’t go spreading that one around, he likes his anonymity.” 

“Consider it done sir.”

“Thank you.” Blueberry Milk drained the last of his tea, reactivating his float as he pushed his chair back. “For now, I think the healing hall is most in need of another pair of hands, ask Pear Jelly Cookie for work, but do tell her that you have been on your feet since sunrise.”

Moondrop huffed, “Of course sir, good luck on your mission to find the flowers.”

Blueberry Milk nodded in acknowledgement, lingering for a moment to watch Moondrop walk up to Pear Jelly Cookie, before he opened a portal back to his office. Calling forward his notes, he started sketching out the shape of his teleportation spell on the tiles.

The foresight his past self had in finding locations to teleport to across Crispia so that he could find himself anywhere at short notice, was appreciated.

Hopefully, he didn’t teleport into six feet of frost-hardened snow.

…that was rather embarrassing last time.

He hummed, checking his work against his notes before dismissing them to his desk. Summoning his staff to his hands to line it up with the heart of the circle.

Here goes nothing!

The world evaporated in a flash of light.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

When Blueberry Milk returned, a fair few hours later, it was to fall out of a portal and onto the floor of his bedroom with a pained groan. 

Time passed sluggishly as his dough slowly defrosted, and there was a dull thought in the recesses of his mind about getting up to lie on the bed, but he drifted into a half-asleep state listening to the hum of his souljam before he went through with it.

Blueberry Milk stirred to the sun shining directly into his eyes.

He rolled over to be free of it, only to press his face into cold wooden floor. Floor? Right. He never moved to the bed did he?

He sighed, sitting up, and waving one of his hands to shut the curtains. One of them closed. Close enough. Blueberry Milk pressed his face into his knees, taking stock of the general all over ache in his dough.

He groaned again, well. At the very least he could say his mission was successful.

A bit of healing, magical cleaning, and… well admittedly a glamour. But that was simply so that his appearance matched up with the Truth of his immortality- he has been through far worse than a few days without sleep in his time! And it grew tiring explaining such.

…it wasn’t Deceit if the conclusion they drew was Truth.

He did float down to the healing hall himself, rather than portal, to allow for the drain that all that healing did to his reserves. So in his opinion, nobody had the right to be critical of his behaviour.

Rose Sugar Cookie would never know.

Regardless of his efforts, he still found himself seated in Pear Jelly Cookie’s office, drinking tea, and eating toast smeared in berry jam, with the windflowers laid out between them. Five, Blueberry Milk didn’t have any clue if that was enough.

But he hoped that it was at least sufficient to cure the most critical cases.

Moondrop stopped by, and Blueberry Milk warded him off from greeting Recluse at the gates. Really, he was here, and besides, it was starting to feel a little hot and stuffy inside. Probably all the effort put in to keep the environment as unideal for the curse as possible.

But he couldn’t say that drifting along in the cool breeze outside, cup of magically heated tea in hand, didn’t feel much more refreshing.

Blueberry Milk heard the gentle whispers of Deceit before he saw the dark robbed figure treading up the- currently rather muddy- road to the school. But it certainly didn’t take long after that. “‘Clusey!”

“Sage.” Recluse looked like he was resting rather a lot of his weight on his staff as its eyes stared up at him.

“Mmm, you look tired. Don’t tell me you walked all the way!” 

Recluse sighed, “I live at the top of a mountain Sage, if I had walked all the way here it would have taken me a week.”

Blueberry Milk giggled, lying sideways in the air. “Who knows what mysterious magic you have conjured, I wouldn’t, since I opt for the superior form of travel.”

Recluse’s staff rolled all three of its eyes as Recluse himself walked right past Blueberry Milk and toward the academy front gate. “I am here on business Sage, so are you going to show me to the office of your head healer or not?”

Blueberry Milk smiled serenely, “Of course, of course… right this way…”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

“When was the last time you slept?”

Blueberry Milk blinked, glancing over at Recluse, whose staff was giving him a rather narrow-eyed look. For a second Blueberry Milk’s mind was filled with panic that his glamour had somehow failed, only to realise it hadn’t, and having to suppress a sigh of relief.

“Last night.”

Recluse snorted, “You are a horrible liar Sage.”

Blueberry Milk gave Recluse an indignant glare, “I am not lying! I slept last night!”

Passed out on the floor of his bedroom, admittedly, but it counted well enough.

Recluse hummed dubiously, “For how long?”

Blueberry Milk gave him a dirty look, pushing open the door to the healing wing.

Recluse chuckled, “Thought so.”

Thankfully, post his entirely unnecessary interrogation Recluse dropped the subject entirely. And they made it to Pear Jelly Cookie’s office without getting into a rather public argument, and permanently ruining Blueberry Milk’s reputation in the eyes of his staff for the next few decades.

Not that Blueberry Milk would have minded all that much. But it would have been a bother.

Some rapid fire healer talk later, which Blueberry Milk only half-followed, and Recluse had the windflowers bundled up in his arms, as Pear Jelly Cookie led the way to their alchemy rooms. Except, Blueberry Milk found the doors to her office slammed in his face.

Recluse poked his head inside, “You can go get some rest.”

Blueberry Milk crossed his arms over his chest, “I need no such thing!”

“And I thought you swore by Truth,” Recluse smirked, “Turning to Deceit over your own pride?”

Blueberry Milk scoffed, reaching out to try and pull open the door with his hand. “I swear by Truth as much as I always have! And as such, I need to be there to record the formula!”

Recluse rolled his actual eyes this time, “There will be plenty of competent healers there with me, and I will check over their notes to ensure their accuracy.” Blueberry Milk hissed as Recluse’s staff smacked him on the head, pulling back. “Terrible reflexes, go to bed Sage.”

The door slammed shut again.

Blueberry Milk huffed to himself in the empty room, go to bed. Psssh. He had been looking forward to watching the creation of that cure!

He groaned, summoning his staff to portal to his office. Well, there was always more work to be done, he supposed.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk woke to his shoulder being shaken, and he blinked rapidly, his desk and the papers on it coming slowly into focus. A cup of tea was placed at his elbow, and he grabbed it on instinct. Taking a sip.

Ah. He had ink stains on his sleeve, how annoying.

He blinked lazily as he watched Moondrop clean up scattered papers and books, checking inside the covers of the latter to see if they had the sigil signifying their belonging to the library. Mmm. What did Blueberry Milk do to deserve such a good assistant.

…not that he needed one. He did just fine on his own!

Hmmm. The tea tasted a bit different than usual, bitter and floral, he drained the last of it anyway. If it was poison, it wouldn’t work on him regardless.

Moondrop returned to his side, “You drank it all, that’s good.”

“Drank what all?” Blueberry Milk tilted his head to the side, suddenly greatly amused by how it made the room and Moondrop rotate. He giggled.

“The tea,” Moondrop grabbed his arm, “Come on sir, let’s return to your room.”

Blueberry Milk allowed himself to be dragged out of his chair, and towards the door. “The tea tasted funny.”

“Truthless Recluse prepared it.” Moondrop pushed open the door.

Blueberry Milk frowned, dragging his feet as he was led out into the hall, “Did ‘Clusey use you to poison me in secret?”

Moondrop sighed, “The tea was bright purple sir.”

“It was?” Blueberry Milk didn’t remember that, but… “Why does that matter?”

Moondrop hummed idly, pulling the office door shut. “Don’t worry about it sir.”

The walk to Blueberry Milk’s room was rather short all things considered, must be the fact that his office was only one hall and one flight of stairs from his quarters.

Yes. That would probably be it.

He wasn’t sure at what point he found himself without shoes and tucked into bed, but he didn’t really mind. His bed was cosy. Yes. It was very nice here.

There was the sound of a curtain being drawn across, “Have a good rest sir.”

Rest? Wait, wasn’t I… Blueberry Milk was dead to the world before his mind got around to finishing the question

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk stirred to the sound of something banging on wood. No. Someone knocking… on a door? He groaned, rolling over and pulling his blankets over his head to try and muffle the annoying sound.

The knocking only increased in volume and frequency. And Blueberry Milk could feel what had been blissful rest slipping away from him. He pressed his hands over his ears and hunkered down under his quilt, not caring if it was hard to breathe.

But then, the sound stopped.

Blueberry Milk hesitantly poked his head out from under the blankets, only to immediately bury under them with a whine as the curtains slid across and revealed terrible no-good sunlight. 

“For a cookie who was refusing to sleep last I checked, you are acting very eager.” The voice and footsteps approached the bed.

No, not the voice, Recluse’s voice.

Blueberry Milk shot up in bed, wincing again at the light, but also feeling himself flush to the tips of his ears. “‘Clusey?” His voice sounded awful. And his throat felt so dry…

Reclused hummed, and with a few blinks his figure mostly came into focus. Mostly. Blueberry Milk patted his face, where was his monocle?

“It’s on your bedside cabinet you fool,” Ah, was it? How did it get there?

Blueberry Milk placed it back on his face, world now clear enough for him to see Recluse’s unamused expression in detail. He glanced to the window, and the early sun filtering through the glass. “...goodmorning?”

Recluse snorted, tapping his way over to the only table in Blueberry Milk’s home, there was a tray with a teapot, cups, and two bowls and a plate. Blueberry Milk blinked, hadn’t that been covered in papers before?

“Get up, come eat your breakfast.” Recluse sat down in one of the two chairs, pulling a bowl towards himself. Blueberry Milk just stared.

Recluse’s staff rolled its eyes, and suddenly, Blueberry Milk found himself yanked out of bed, throwing out his arms to stop himself from faceplanting on the floor. He pouted, “That was mean ‘Cluesy.”

Recluse ignored him, reaching over to the teapot, and pouring two cups, the second of which he poured milk into. “Come drink something, your voice sounds even worse than usual.”

Blueberry Milk huffed, but dragged his way over to his seat, plopping down and dragging the cup towards himself. He sipped it, thankfully it didn’t taste bitter and floral this time. But milky and sweet. Exactly how he liked it. He still gave Recluse a glare for his trouble.

Recluse smirked slightly over his own cup. “Enjoy your rest Sage?”

Blueberry Milk gave another huff, “Your tea tastes terrible.”

Recluse hummed, “Well, it does have to be strong enough to knock out a large biscuit horse.”

“I was fine.” 

“So when Moondrop found you passed out face down on your desk…?” 

Agh. Traitor. The other bowl of was pushed toward him, “Soup?”

Recluse shrugged, “Last night was busy, so the kitchen staff have chosen to use leftovers for last night’s dinner. With the remains of yesterday’s bread.”

Blueberry Milk blinked at the pile of toast, but grabbed himself a slice. “How long have I…?”

“Since midday yesterday.” Recluse stirred his soup, “I manufactured the cure, and overnight most of it has been distributed, I believe this morning is when the last of the known patients will have their dose.”

Blueberry Milk hummed, taking a spoonful of his own soup.

“Pear Jelly Cookie has ruled that the lockdown will continue until Churnsday.” Recluse lifted his bowl to his mouth to drink. 

They sat in silence for a while, Blueberry Milk draining one cup of tea, then two, three slices of toast vanished and his bowl of soup emptied. Thoughts rolled around in his head, but nothing much came of them. For all intents and purposes, this crisis could be over.

A strange thought to have, after the rush of the last few days.

Ah but he hadn’t done one thing had he?

“You are familiar with this curse, how much can you tell me about it?” At the very least, it was Blueberry Milk’s duty to update the books on it, lest something like this happen again.

Recluse set down his bowl, still half way full. How a cookie could drink soup so slowly was entirely beyond Blueberry Milk. “I Know about as much as I could learn.”

Recluse sighed, “In the place it originates from, it is called the frost-sickness, as best as I could categorise it it is a curse it sits in the same family as vampirisum, originally designed to transform its victim into something new.”

Blueberry Milk hummed, “Originally?”

“It has morphed beyond its original use,” Recluse huffed, picking up his cup of tea. “It was never designed for cookie and cake souls, and even if it finds the right host, it always crumbles the infected in the transformation process if they do not have very specialised magical assistance to survive it.”

Blueberry Milk frowned to himself, “Its abilities defy the laws of magic.”

“Yes, and no.” Recluse took a sip of tea, “It calls on the realm of origins.”

The realm of origins, hmm. Blueberry Milk tapped his fingers on the table, “Do you have any guess of how it is that it made its way here?”

Recluse hummed, “It begins in its original intended targets, and spreads from there, it likely came here with one of you cacaoian students, bringing it unintentionally from home.”

They lapsed into silence again, Blueberry Milk pouring another cup of tea as he thought it over. He would have to speak to Rice Flour about this, ah, but it would probably be best to talk to his whole family. If it could spread here, it could spread elsewhere.

Perhaps Rice Flour was already dealing with an outbreak herself.

“How long are you staying?” 

Recluse blinked out of a reverie himself, staff eyes refocusing on Blueberry Milk. “Tomorrow, I will take a vial of cure to my tower, and wait there.”

A vial of cure? “We can contract this curse?”

Recluse raised an eyebrow at him, his staff rolled its eyes. “The souljam prevents it from killing us, but yes Sage we can get sick.”

Blueberry Milk huffed, pouting, “Not from most things.”

Recluse gave an exasperated sigh, “Minor curses won’t cause much issue, unless you have drained your mana to the point where it is impacting your lifeforce. But we can get infected with them you fool.”

Blueberry Milk’s lips twitched up into a smile. “I’ll be fine ‘Clusey, don’t you worry.”

Recluse huffed, leaning on his staff as he pulled out from his seat. “Remain fine until Sugarsday, I want an update on the situation in person.”

Blueberry Milk gasped, “Is that an invitation to visit you at your tower ‘Clusey?”

Recluse sighed again, “Yes, not that you ever needed one…”

Blueberry Milk grinned, springing out of his chair and into the air. “I’ll make sure to be there!” He giggled, suddenly feeling on top of the world. “What tea should I bring? Would you like biscuits? You seemed to love the layered ones with vanilla icing last time.”

Recluse groaned, muttering curses under his breath.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

One more day. One more day and you are free. The mantra was cycling on repeat in Blueberry Milk’s mind as he kept his bland smile pasted on his face, as the latest pair of parents ranted on and on about… what was it again?

“...this institution has been eroded by the ridiculous ‘accept all who will come’ policies-”

Ah right. Yes, that. Blueberry Milk wasn’t paying a lot of attention, to be truthful, he was far from in the mood for this. Not that he would have been pleased on a normal day, but he would have at least been able to listen without losing his temper.

The headache pulsing at his temples was rather troublesome. 

Also his office was far too warm, but that was besides the point.

There was a knock on the door, and Blueberry Milk hummed, cutting off the ranting cookie without remorse. “Enter.”

Moondrop poked his head past the door, ah, his favourite faerie cookie, his and Salt Alostremeria’s jam relation be damned, his brother wasn’t about to save him from this hell on earthbread. “Sir, I’m sorry for the interruption but the staff meeting begins in five minutes, and you really can’t miss this one.”

A lie. Unless Blueberry Milk really was going insane, but he was beyond caring. Today was not a day he felt like sticking fast to his Virtue.

“Ah, what a shame,” He turned to the parents with a sickly sweet smile, “Well your complaints about ethnic diversity among my students being the beginning, and end, of all that is wrong with my academy has been very enlightening,” Into the fact that he still very much had the urge to inflict suffering on all who denied the Truth, “But I’m afraid that I will have to cut this one short, Elderflower Lime Jelly will see you out.”

And be given extra vacation days, my does Blueberry Milk not wish to have their job.

Blueberry Milk waited until he was out in the hallway to let out a long sigh, burying his hands into his hair.

“Long day sir?”

“At the end of a much longer week.” Blueberry Milk smiled, releasing his head. “Thank you Moondrop, I am in your debt once again.”

Moondrop smiled in return, “Just doing my job sir.”

“Sometimes I wonder what your job is, Moondrop.” Blueberry Milk huffed, “Rose Sugar didn’t make you sign away your soul did she?”

“My work is to assist the headmaster of the Blueberry Yogurt Academy, and holder of the Souljam of Truth in completing his work to the best of my ability.” Moondrop did a half bow, “I am happy that you seem pleased with my efforts so far.”

“Very, now unless I really did forget about that mysterious meeting, I believe that is the end of my duties for the day.”

Moondrop’s face flickered with the ghost of a smirk before it was wiped clean again, “I have no idea what you are talking about sir.”

“Of course, it must just be my imagination.” Blueberry Milk hummed, “Consider yourself finished for the day, and if anyone comes to you looking for my presence, I will be…” his headache gave an unpleasant throb, “...in my rooms.”

Moondrop nodded, eyes glittering with amusement, “Enjoy your rest sir.”

Blueberry Milk sighed to himself, watching him walk away. Ah, what has he come to? It’s barely afternoon. Mayhapes his frolick in the snow has gotten to him.

…or the hours spent among the foolish. 

Yes. It is much more likely to be that.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk’s rest, despite his best efforts, is fitful at best.

By morning he is so hot that he simply kicks off his blankets with a groan, rolling over to the other side of the bed and flapping a hand in the direction of the window to open it with a bit of magic. It is not nearly enough, but the cool breeze helps him feel like he isn’t boiling out of his own dough for long enough that he regains his wits.

Honestly! He knows that there has been some discussion of getting some sort of school-wide magical heating system, but perhaps someone would have benefited from waiting for his assistance?

School-wide cases of overheating aside, Blueberry Milk has places to be.

He hummed, padding his way over to the bathroom. Yes. Very important places to be.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk is not a fool, he can in fact observe that something is wrong. Many things are, today, clearly, but their sheer quantity does not aid him in figuring out their source.

First his shower’s soda water is so hot, that Blueberry Milk can feel the burning pain as it attempts to dissolve his dough despite the ingredients so painstakingly mixed into it. And then when he finally adjusts it to a manageable temperature his soaps are not functioning how they should, it is true that his hair is fickle at the best of times, but the way the blasted things were behaving you would think the water ice cold.

When that frustrating incident was over, he somehow found himself colouring parts of his towel blue with how many doughshavings were being removed- and while Blueberry Milk is aware he has missed a few showers lately- and magic has been doing a lot of the work keeping him presentable, that is simply ridiculous.

He does not even need to look in the mirror to know that he looks like a mess, and so he sculpts a glamour, while he half-heartedly brushes his hair into a state of not obviously tangled.

Blueberry Milk knows Recluse will see through it, but his head pounds as he considers his makeup supplies and he simply cannot will himself to try and make use of them. Recluse has seen him at his worst, this hardly compares to that incident.

Ah, but the trail of incidents are not over. Because upon scooping up his souljam to pin it to his ruff he finds it humming and vibrating in his palm, ringing in a way that seems distinctly distressed. 

Blueberry Milk frowned at it, head aching, he is not one to ignore his souljam- certainly not when it is clearly trying to tell him something. But- well, it’s also not being very forthcoming with what is wrong. He stared as he felt it give an irritated buzz.

Hmm. Well he will just have to ask Recluse, it’s not often that they speak on the souljam, but maybe Recluse will be more amenable to giving answers if there is a direct problem in front of him.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Breakfast is a rather rushed affair, Blueberry Milk swipes himself two frosted muffins flavoured similarly to himself, in addition to a small tin of tea leaves and a box of biscuits, and munches on them as he begins the flight up towards the peak.

It takes a few hours to travel by air from the peak to the academy, which sounds almost slow, but considering the climb is at least a few days in perfect conditions, much longer in anything less, Blueberry Milk is really achieving the extraordinary. 

Portalling would obviously be superior, but unfortunately The Peak of Truth is a rather terrible place to traverse in the Other Realm, downright dangerous to one’s mind, depending on the day- and so Blueberry Milk opts to keep his sanity and spend a few hours enjoying the views from up high instead.

The headache (which insists on staying, even after Blueberry Milk’s attempts at healing) sours the experience a little.

But as Blueberry Milk licks frosting off his fingers, he reflects that it will almost certainly have dissipated by the time he arrives at the peak. 

Surely.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

As it turns out, Blueberry Milk’s headache had not dissipated by the time he had reached the peak. Not that he was technically at the peak, but the bit of snow he was lying in was around a stone’s throw from Recluse’s tower. 

Well, a stone’s throw from a window at the top of the tower. If one had a good throwing arm-

Look, that was all quite beside the point. Blueberry Milk was most of the way to the tower, and he still had a headache. A much worse headache, and a not-so mild case of magic exhaustion. It was why he was lying in the snow at all, because the cold was helping

The headache, not the magic exhaustion.

Blueberry Milk sighed, rolling over on to his back. Maybe lying in the snow wasn’t the best idea, his fingers felt awfully numb and now his clothes were soaked through. Thinking about it, he wasn’t really wearing proper layers in the first place.

His souljam was humming again.

Blueberry Milk groaned, pushing himself upright. Wincing as the wind blew through his now soaking wet clothes. He wished he had carried his staff with him, no matter how undignified using it as a walking stick would be, he rather needed one right now.

He needed one, and he was far past the point of caring that he shouldn’t need one. Blueberry Milk was dealing with magic exhaustion like he had portaled an army across Crispia, something was clearly very wrong.

Blueberry Milk stumbled his way out of the snowdrift, and in the vague direction of the steps. Thanks to the season, they were mostly covered in snow, but slightly less snow. He huffed as he steadied himself against a tree. Maybe he should add physical exhaustion to the magical exhaustion.

Or was that simply exhaustion? No. That would include mental exhaustion… ah but maybe- Blueberry Milk shook his head, pushing himself off the tree he had begun listing against. No time for these thoughts! 

The tower stood passively in the distance, Blueberry Milk wondered if Recluse was waiting for him. Lately he had been very good at predicting Blueberry Milk’s moves before he made them, would he already know that Blueberry Milk would be coming as early as possible?

Part of him felt enchanted by the idea of Recluse waiting for him, although logically Blueberry Milk felt a little guilty- he was taking far longer than usual after all.

Blueberry Milk’s boot caught on the edge of a step hidden under the snow, and he groaned as he went caneering forwards again. His souljam was practically screeching at him now, and Blueberry Milk wished it would stop. Every note was pinging around in his mind, and causing an unpleasant throb in his head.

It didn’t help that he could feel several aches over his body from the fall, why didn’t he catch himself?

Blueberry Milk wasn’t sure. The cold was nice though. Somehow he’s been feeling so over-hot…

…maybe it would be okay to lie here for a little while?

But Recluse was waiting. 

But he was so exhausted! 

Well-

“Sage?”

“‘Clusey?” Blueberry Milk blinked blearily as he felt someone grab his shoulder and roll him on his back. His vision was slightly unfocused, hm, what happened to his monocle?

The dark blur above him swore, with rather foul words, and in several half-dead languages. Agh, why was their hand so warm? Blueberry Milk tried vaguely to shove it off, but his hands felt numb and clunky, so he settled for whining and trying to wiggle away instead.

“Cursed, of course.” Recluse (it was Recluse right?) didn’t let up, in fact Blueberry Milk found himself letting out a squeak as he was (cruelly) hoisted up into his far-too warm arms. Recluse sighed, “I knew I should have made you drink a dose of the cure before I left, you really are a moron Sage.”

There was a snap, and Blueberry Milk’s clothes were bone dry. Another and he was on fire. He struggled, feeling the flames lick at his dough, ready to overbake him. 

Another sigh, “Here, you ridiculous cookie.”

A hand pressed against Blueberry Milk’s forehead, and a great rush of cold flowed from the spot. It trailed down his limbs, tingly and pleasant as it blanketed him completely. Blueberry Milk sighed contentedly, nuzzling closer to soft vanilla-scented robes.

There was silence for a moment, nothing but the whistle of mountain winds, and the soft crunch of footsteps in the snow. Blueberry Milk didn’t mind, talking would mean moving father from the ocean of sleep, right when its waves were beginning to submerge him.

“So I haven’t been imagining it, you do purr.”

Blueberry Milk was unconscious before he got around to figuring out what that meant.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk was standing in a world of endless white.

No. That wasn’t right, above him were stars and the moon, suspended on a backdrop of midnight blue. If he looked to the side, black rock cliffs rose up from the snow, and grey shadows outlined the shapes of the landscape.

Blueberry Milk shivered, curling in on himself as he felt a cold wind blow past him. So- so cold… but where was he to go? All around him was ice, snow, and frost. His knees felt weak, must he really wander here with no hope of salvation?

A different breeze blew past him, one that carried ever so slight warmth, the sweet smell of vanilla.

Blueberry Milk tilted his head upwards, spying the slightest glimmer of gold on the top of a cliff high above.

His dough ached, but Blueberry Milk had his goal.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

The funny thing about walking on snow, is that it was often a bit like walking on wet sand, and if you have ever walked on any kind of sand, you will know what a miserable experience it can be. And at least there, you don’t generally have to worry about sinking into it, or your dough developing frost.

Unless you were dealing with something very particular, most of the time the most one had to concern themselves with over-baked feet. For snow there were special shoes, and equipment- spells and-

Blueberry Milk’s Knowledge didn’t help him much here.

He wasn’t sure what shoes he was wearing, maybe he wasn’t wearing shoes at all. His feet felt numb, like bricks he was dragging along with his legs. 

Cold, cold, cold…

Blueberry Milk could feel flakes of frozen milk encrusted on his face, tears turned solid in spite of the salts infused within. He no doubt looked a mess, fats freezing at a different rate then the rest of the liquid, creating an unpleasant slushy.

Ah, but what part of him didn’t look like a mess?

Truth was gone, he didn’t know where, he could not float, he did not know why…

Wind, wind- never ending wind… cutting freezing wind…

“Sage, for Witches sake- WAKE UP!”

But he could see the source of the light, a flower, white petals shaped almost like a pinwheel, with golden stamen poking from its heart. It stood on the edge of the cliff, with nothing to sustain it as the elements tried their best to rip it from the earth.

Familiar almost… 

(Was he not here before?)

Blueberry Milk dragged himself to lie beside it, staring out at the view below, strange shifting terrain that didn’t seem to quite know what it was supposed to be.

Oh…

Rays of sunlight slowly crept over the horizon, even as darkness began to melt the edges of the world.

Truth hummed gently at his throat.

Blueberry Milk smiled as the dream melted away.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk was not smiling when he stirred to the waking world.

He felt dreadful. His head ached, there was a horrible bitter taste lingering in his mouth, and it was as dry as a bone battered by the winds of the spice dessert.

Perhaps if it weren’t for that and the horrible itchy, icky, feeling all over his body, he would have stayed in bed. After all, he really did not wish to move, but as it was, the weakness all over his body could be damned if it meant Blueberry Milk got a shower.

Unfortunately, he realised immediately upon sitting up in the bed, that he had no idea where he was.

At first he had assumed that he must be at home, in his room at the academy, but this room was not that one. Moreover, it didn’t look like the academy at all, he stumbled out of bed anyway, promptly getting dizzy and tripping on the blankets trailing off it.

Agh. He lay on the floor for a moment, considering the possibility that this whole attempt might really not be worth it.

But no! Blueberry Milk was… he huffed pushing himself up on his arms… he was the Sage of Truth! He pressed his hand against his souljam, only for it to give an irritable buzz.

Blueberry Milk scowled down at it, shuffling over to lean again one of the bed posts.

Blech. What has he done to offend it now?

There was the sound of a door being thrown open somewhere below him, and Blueberry Milk jolted upright again from where he had been slouching. Danger! He needed to hide- but where?

Under the bed!

Blueberry Milk slid down to lie on his side, rolling over on his belly to try to shimmy under it. Only for the trailing blankets and sheets to get caught between him and his goal, slowing his process and forcing him to drag them along behind him.

The door to the room creaked open.

“...Sage?”

“Berry?”

Blueberry Milk’s poor overworked, confused, mildly feverish brain gave up.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk was in his office. He was doing work in his office.

He sighed, squinting down at the incomprehensible scribbles on the papers in front of him. Did the academy’s classes on writing need to be updated? This was a little ridiculous! 

Witches curse those little rabbits! Did he not train them well enough?

(Wait, wasn’t it Pineapple Juice Cookie who was in charge of the literacy courses-)

There was a knock on his door, and Blueberry Milk startled, he knew what was on the other side of that door! Quick! He must hide! Where? Under his bed!

(My bed isn’t in my office…?)

But no! Why couldn’t he move? Blueberry Milk turned, only to feel fear wash over him at the sight of a horrible abomination made up solely of bedclothes. A long trailing sheet had wrapped around his leg. Attempting to drag him back to its source.

He struggled, trying to break free. The sheet monster was pulling him back into its maw! No! He refused to go! Where was his staff, why didn’t he have his staff? No- no-

Blueberry Milk wasn’t in his office anymore.

He blinked, breathing out a slow breath as he stared up at the moon high in the sky. He was in a forest now, stars glittered high overhead, peaking through the leaves above, a cool breeze played with the grass he laid in, and caramel crickets chirped all around.

Blueberry Milk hummed, tasting the barest hint of foreign magic on his tongue.

But the observation passed as quickly as his earlier distress, and he found his eyelids drooping.

(How can I possibly be tired? I am dreaming!)

He played idly with the grass under his hands, tilting his head to the side to watch a herd of shadowy shapes move through the trees.

One slow blink, then another, he could still sense the world around him even with his eyes shut. His hands slowly went still, and he…

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

…opened his eyes to a dark stone ceiling.

His mind took quite a while to limp through the realisation of his own consciousness, and previous lack there off. And it took even longer for him to register the input from his other senses. The weight of blankets over his, softness of the pillow under his head…

The weight of a hand gently clasped in his own.

Blueberry Milk smooshed his cheek into the pillow turning to look at- a rather blurry impression of an armourless Salt Alstroemeria sitting in meditation at his bedside. He blinked sluggishly, trying his best to put together a chain of memories that could explain this.

Unfortunately, that only led to more questions, seeing as his memories themselves seemed awfully confused and muddled. Not to mention his own head felt rather hazy.

It was tempting to just roll over and go back to sleep, but pale green eyes opened to look at him before he got that far.

Salt Alstroemeria smiled at him, “Finally awake brother?”

Blueberry Milk opened his mouth, closed it, and just settled for making a small incoherent grumble.

“Mmm, not quite all the way there.” The hand holding his released, and a hand pressed against his forehead, Salt Alstroemeria hummed, “Your dough is recovering well now.”

Blueberry Milk’s brow furrowed, “I… fight? How… remember…”

Salt Alstroemeria shook his head, reaching for a glass on the bedside. “No, it was an illness this time around, but it affected your mind, not simply your body.”

Illness? Mind? “Weir’ ...mould?” Blueberry Milk frowned, accepting help to sit up, and the glass pressed into his hands. How…?

Salt Alstroemeria shook his head again, “A curse, I was told there was an outbreak of it at your academy recently.” 

Outbreak? Ah… Blueberry Milk took a small sip of soda water. “Frost-sickness?”

Salt Alstroemeria tilted his head, “Hmm, you appeared at our current host’s tower very ill with it, he said he had to fish you out of the snow.”

Blueberry Milk took another sip of soda water, snow? Tower? Oh no… Blueberry Milk swallowed, suddenly aware of a deep soul-piercing feeling of impending doom, “I- I remember the outbreak.”

The door to the room was pushed open, “And everything else, unless you received brain damage that I could not detect.” 

Recluse looked truly menacing, backlit and standing in the doorway. And for once his scowl was fit to make Blueberry Milk gulp, ah, it does seem that I have made a minor miscalculation… He smiled nervously, “Hello ‘Clusey!”

Recluse huffed, turning to look at Salt Alstroemeria, “You did not call for me.”

“Apologies,” Salt Alstroemeria bowed his head, “He only just woke, and I didn’t want to rush off immediately.”

Recluse nodded, tapping his staff on the ground and causing a tray laden with a pair of bowls to levitate into the room over his shoulder. “I do not have much in the way of flowers or nectar in my supplies, so I created something vegetable as substitute.”

Salt Alstroemeria nodded, clearing things from the bedside table as the tray was lowered onto it. 

Recluse shifted his gaze back to Blueberry Milk again, and scowled. “I will save the words I have for you, for when you are no longer on bedrest.”

Blueberry Milk watched the door shut none too gently behind him, and considered internally, that perchance he might have made a rather major mistake, and was about to pay the consequences for his stupidity.

Truth hummed.

Salt Alstroemeria’s wings fluttered slightly, hand idly tracing over his souljam. “Your friend has been very worried for you.”

Blueberry Milk frowned, glancing idly at the contents of the tray. One bowl of cream soup, another of something more stew like with a lot of green in it, and beside that, a small dish of salt.

“You mentioned him in your letters, and I have come to understand that you care for him deeply, it is good that he cares for you as much in return.” Salt Alstroemeria picked up the bowl of cream soup, handing it and a spoon to Blueberry Milk.

Blueberry Milk accepted both hesitantly, settling it on his lap. “...he is a caring cookie.”

“As I have been told.” Salt Alstroemeria visibly considered the dish of his namesake, before tipping the whole lot into his stew, stirring it in with his spoon.

Blech. Mineral-based cookies, just go out and eat rocks why don’t you? Blueberry Milk took a spoonful of his own soup, hmm, there was a slight bitter aftertaste of medicinal herbs. Also a slight tingle on his tongue that wasn’t altogether unpleasant.

Stardust? No. He must be imagining things.

Salt Alstroemeria lifted his bowl to his mouth, sipping the broth. Blueberry Milk narrowed his eyes as his earlier thoughts came back to him. “How…” Blueberry Milk paused, “You… are here.”

Salt Alstroemeria hummed, lowering his bowl from his mouth, “I am.”

Blueberry Milk sighed, right. Be straightforward, “Why are you here?”

Salt Alstroemeria’s wings gave another slight flutter, “Truth was very distressed, our souljams resonated with it, and it was decided it would me to some and search for you.” He took another sip from his bowl, “Rose Sugar wanted to fly, but I can ride fast, and we weren’t sure if you were being attacked, so my blade and powers were considered best.”

Blueberry Milk stared at him,“You- had a meeting?”

Salt Alstroemeria nodded, meeting Blueberry Milk’s stare with a blank expression, “Did you expect otherwise?”

Blueberry Milk opened his mouth, “I…” he paused, “You might have just stopped by…?”

Truth gave a particularly self-satified buzz.

Blueberry Milk sighed again, taking another spoonful of soup. Well now he had to explain himself to all of his siblings too, explain how he… was told a curse was able to affect him and just ignored it entirely. Ah. Well, it’s been a few decades since he played the part of a fool.

He might as well get started with his sorries.

“I… apologise, I have- unintentionally played the part of an arrogant idiot.” He could feel the heat in his cheeks, “I- did not believe my… myself capable of actually contracting…”

Salt Alstroemeria nodded easily, “You are forgiven.” He paused, brows furrowing. “For what are you apologising for?”

“...I will explain at the meeting.” Since they were definitely having one now. 

Salt Alstroemeria’s eyes narrowed at him, but ultimately shrugged, turning back to his stew, beginning to consume the chunks with his spoon.

Blueberry Milk stirred the remains of his own soup idly, tiredness beginning to prick at him again. He could hear Freedom’s song resonating with Truth’s low-level hum, and it was… nice. He was pretty used to the wholeness associated with being in the presence of Deceit these days, but he usually only saw his siblings once annually.

He hummed idly, eyelids drooping slightly “It’s good seeing you Salty.”

The lukewarm bowl of soup was plucked from his lap, “...it is… to see you… brother.”

The (mostly empty) glass of water was pressed into his hand again, Blueberry Milk blinked at it. Trying to force himself to focus again, “Drink, then you can go back to sleep.” 

Blueberry Milk frowned at the soda water, then at Salt Alstroemeria. “I… things to do?”

“Your sole duty at the current moment is to recover.” 

He said it with such conviction that Blueberry Milk almost believed him, “I feel fine.” He sipped the soda anyway. Hm, he stared down at the empty cup, well if he was at the tower he was going to need to fly back. Oh bother, he’s probably caused such a mess…

The glass was plucked from his fingers, and he hardly noticed, that was until he was being held up, as the pillows were resettled into a configuration ideal for sleep. Blueberry Milk frowned, pushing against the hold. “I need to return to the academy.”

Salt Alstroemeria ignored him, and Blueberry Milk found himself gently pushed to lie down again. Annoyingly, it felt really nice, particularly when the blankets were gently tucked up to his chin.

He felt warm, and full, and the sheets were clean and comfortable- Blueberry Milk cut off the purr that had been beginning to rumble in his chest with a pout. “Saaalt…”

“You would not be capable of returning to the academy as it is.” Salt Alstroemeria still sounded utterly sure of himself.

Blueberry Milk huffed, beginning to push himself up, “Try me, I will-” he froze as a hand gently pressed over his souljam.

Salt Alstroemeria sighed, “Go to sleep brother.”

The smell of lavender, chamomile, and something oh-so sweet slowly bloomed in the room, Blueberry Milk blinked sluggishly, swaying slightly as he scowled, “Ch-cheater.”

He was laid down on the pillows again, and he, embarrassingly, almost immediately started purring again. Eyes slowly sliding shut. Why was he trying to get up again? Truth pulsed contentedly at his throat, soft waves of drowsiness slowly dragging him down..

…down… down…

Blueberry Milk fell into slumber.  

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk was being held hostage.

He sighed, resting his head on his fist, he supposed technically he was being held captive, as no condition had been deemed for his release, but regardless- Blueberry Milk was metaphorically chained to his bed.

Well. He had at least been allowed a bath, he would have preferred a shower, but apparently he couldn’t be trusted to not fall and hit his head. Pssh. But aside from that, the room that contained the bed, was his whole world.

It mayhapes had only been a few days, a few days which he spent a shocking amount of time sleeping through, but it did not make it any less infuriating!

Blueberry Milk had things to do! The whole curriculum had been disrupted! He needed to be there to help everyone figure out solutions!

But neither of the two were even the slightest bit sympathetic, and Recluse seemed to always know when he was trying to escape! Blueberry Milk could not sense any magic on that window, so how was it, that as soon as he undid the latch, Recluse was there to pull him away?

“Are you sure you want to play chess brother? You are distracted.”

Blueberry Milk startled, huffing as he pushed forward his right castle, that was what he had been intending to do right? “Of course! I am just thinking…”

Salt Alstroemeria pursed his lips, moving his knight… and capturing Blueberry Milk’s queen from where he had left her utterly unprotected.

He groaned, feeling the beginnings of a headache begin to pound at his temples.

“I could go prepare tea, and you could read the book Recluse gave you instead.”

Blueberry Milk pouted, but he had at least enough self-awareness to know that he was not going to win this game, and as much as it hurt his ego, tea did sound nice, and the book Recluse shared with him, despite being entirely fictional, was engaging in a way that never strained his mind.

He sighed again.

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Embarrassingly, on that day he hadn’t even finished his tea before he had been nodding off on Salt Alstroemeria’s shoulder, but thankfully now, a day or so ahead of that, the relentless exhaustion had finally eased its grip. 

And if the first thing that Blueberry Milk had made a point to do when he noticed, was to thoroughly thrash Salt Alstroemeria at chess, then that was entirely his business. Although, annoyingly, Salt Alstroemeria didn’t seem in the slightest bit bothered. 

“It is good to see you returning to form Berry.”

Blueberry Milk huffed, crossing his arms over his chest, “I wasn’t that sick.”

“Do I need to remind you of what your Virtue is Sage?” Recluse straightened up from where he had been leaning against the doorframe, “Because you, would be no more than frozen crumbs if it weren’t for your souljam.”

Blueberry Milk opened his mouth to respond, probably with something along the lines of how that shouldn’t matter because he obviously had the souljam and- Salt Alstroemeria stood up from his position on the bed, and walked out the door.

“I will leave you two to your discussion, I have not yet tended to Lumen.”

Blueberry Milk scowled at his retreating back. Traitor!

Recluse smirked, although the expression was gone as soon as it came. Replaced with a glare.

Blueberry Milk swallowed, smiling a bit nervously. “Now ‘Clusey- there is no need-”

“What did I tell you before I left?”

Blueberry Milk blinked, “...that I was to come visit you here in your tower?”

Judging by Recluse’s glare, that hadn’t been what he meant. Ah. But admitting to that was a rather bad look and- he gulped as Recluse took several steps closer.

“I know ‘Clusey! I know- but I really just didn’t realise I was unwell is all, sure, I was feeling a little exhausted, and I kept getting headaches, but! There was a lot of work to be done and-’ Blueberry Milk cut off with another swallow, as Recluse closed the remaining distance between them.

Blueberry Milk refused to back up, but his nervous smile returned.

“And how much work have you been unable to do, because of your arrogance?”

Blueberry Milk huffed, “Well, it wasn’t my choice to be stuck here!”

Recluse rolled his eyes, “And I’m sure that you would have been working so efficiently, when you were so exhausted that a cookie you have previously described as being ‘a terrible strategist’ could beat you at chess.”

Blueberry Milk refused to meet his gaze.

Recluse sighed, “Does the souljam have a preference for idiots with no self-preservation?”

Blueberry Milk blinked again, glancing up.

“What part of the logic does not seep through your mind? You cannot help anyone if you are struck down by illness or injury.” Recluse pinched his nose, “Sometimes I wonder if you meeting my fate, is in fact inevitable, and I underestimated how long it would take.”

Blueberry Milk frowned, reaching out to take Recluse’s palm within his own. He sighed, “I know, and I swear it was never bad enough to raise concern then. I am fool still, for ignoring the signs, an arrogant one at that, but I suppose I should then take this as a lesson.”

Recluse muttered a few foul words under his breath, “You better, if you repeat this performance I might just lock you in my basement for a decade, see if you learn your lesson then.”

Blueberry Milk giggled, squeezing Recluse’s hand, “Well I don’t think my siblings would be very pleased if you did that.”

“Deceit is strong, I could make it so they never found you.” There was a slight twitch on Recluse’s lips, although he turned his head away to hide it.

“Mmmm, and what would I do while locked away in your basement? Read books, drink tea, and eat your delicious soup?” Blueberry Milk put on an exaggerated considering frown, “Would you kidnap me a sibling to keep me company?”

Recluse snorted, “Kidnap the lot of them, cookiekind can do without you all for a few years.”

Blueberry Milk cooed, releasing Recluse’s hand to collapse against him in a hug, “Oh ‘Clusey! I didn’t know that you cared~”

Recluse sighed, but didn’t push him off.

Blueberry Milk nuzzled happily against him, “I do have to warn you though, if you are going to have Tumeric Spice around you really have to source some spicy food, he refuses to eat anything else- too bland, and that sort of thing just does not agree with me or Sugar-”

Recluse groaned, pushing him off, and Blueberry Milk fell back with a laugh. “You are insufferable.”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

“You were sick with a DEADLY DISEASE and you just DIDN’T NOTICE!?”

Blueberry Milk held up his hands in surrender, slowly backing away from Rose Sugar who was approaching with murder written all over her face, and with her wings extended entirely compensating for the fact that neither of them were particularly tall.

“Ah, well- hm. Technically I cannot die- so-”

Rose Sugar made a rather unholy screeching noise. Turmeric Spice broke down cackling.

Blueberry Milk shot him a dirty look, “I don’t know why I am getting such a bad wrap! That idiot wrestles with giant jelly worms every other week! I remember when Rice Flour had to reattach all four of his arms-”

Rose Sugar only puffed up more. “Well! Excuse me for forgetting that we don’t only have ONE idiot with no self preservation!”

Rice Flour hummed, “To be fair, it has been quite some time since he last got into a situation like this.” She paused, “I thought the school would keep him from doing too many irresponsible things.”

“I am plenty responsible! I act my age unlike a certain brute-” Blueberry Milk let out a squeak as he was suddenly plucked up, wiggling around in a futile attempt to escape Rose Sugar’s death hold. He pouted at her, only to break it off at the small worried frown she was giving him.

He gave a small smile, “Hey, it’s okay Sugar, really, we already had the cure on hand- I was pretty sick for a bit but no permanent damage done.”

She gave a mournful chirp, “But what if something had happened Berry? What if your friend hadn’t found you?”

Blueberry Milk swallowed, but stuck to Truth, “I don’t know. I- I could only imagine I would have healed eventually.”

Rose Sugar looked at him sadly. “I don’t want you to suffer until eventually comes.” 

Blueberry Milk buried his face against her chest so he wouldn’t have to look at her expression.

“Come, we may linger here for a while longer, so let us take the chance to enjoy each other's presence.” Rice Flour’s voice was soft, “It will be many months until we have the chance to do so on earthbread.”

The hold on Blueberry Milk was adjusted, and he cracked open an eye to watch as Rose Sugar settled on the ground, bringing him with her. Turmeric Spice’s heat settled on the other side, and Blueberry Milk couldn’t entirely help the purr that started up.

Turmeric Spice chuckled, “Still a giant kitty-cat.” 

Blueberry Milk opened his eyes to scowl at him, only to practically melt when Rose Sugar started gently scritching behind his ear. “No fighting.”

“No f’ir he st’rt’d it.” Blueberry Milk huffed, curse his purring, it always made it far too difficult to speak. 

Blueberry Milk watched through half lidded eyes as Salt Alstroemeria tilted his head, “What happened to your wings? Has something prevented you from preening them?” 

The scritching behind his ear paused, before the hand shifted to carding through his hair. Rose Sugar sighed, “Nothing in particular, Holly just chose the worst time to not be there, and Pavlova is beginning to really get the hang of walking, which just means he’s that much more of a handful…”

Turmeric Spice snorted, “Your other half needs to get it together.”

“She’s trying! And I don’t want to chain her, who knows how miserable I would get if I felt like I had to stay in one place forever.” Rose Sugar sighed again, “Not everything in life is perfect, and she had no way of knowing that a certain someone was going to do something very foolish.”

Blueberry Milk whined at the slight tug on his hair, “‘M sorry, I d’dn’t mean to.”

“I know Berry,” Rose Sugar hushed him, gently scritching under his chin.

Turmeric Spice hummed, “I could give them a preen.”

Rose Sugar shifted slightly, “It won’t carry over to my real body.” 

“Yeah, but it will still feel good,” Turmeric Spice huffed, “And besides doesn’t it feel trashy to sit here with them being all mucky?” 

Rose Sugar sighed, “I suppose…” She paused, “If you set fire to a single one of my feathers, I will rip your arms off of your body.”

Turmeric Spice chuckled, “Sure.” There was the sound of shuffling, as Blueberry Milk felt him move away.

Rice Flour hummed, “All this talk of Rose Sugar’s other half has made me curious, how have the rest of them been fairing?”

“Birdy turned a troop of cookies to gold last month, but she turned them back when I asked.” 

“She did what?”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk stirred to the soft sound of voices, cutlery clinking against ceramic and the rustling of cloth. Something gently shook his shoulder. “Wake up brother, it is time for evening meal.”

Blueberry Milk growled, trying to turn away from the disturber of his rest, only to find himself blocked by a solid object. He blinked open his eyes, only to come face to face with… the back of Recluse’s couch?

“You fell asleep while in our meeting, and I did not wish to disturb you when it ended.” Salt Alstroemeria hummed, “So allowing you to nap on the couch seemed like the best option.”

Blueberry Milk sat up, rubbing his eyes, how much sleep has he gotten in the last few days? A month’s worth? He sighed, well, he can’t say he didn’t enjoy it. Even if it was perhaps the least productive use of time imaginable for an immortal.

The dinner was surprisingly nice, all things considered, he had never thought that Recluse would be much of a cook, particularly since before Blueberry Milk he didn’t seem to eat much at all. Doing his best to sleep away the time between each Truthseeker that came.

But the evidence that times had once been very different were clear here, Blueberry Milk isn’t entirely sure how else one could get so good otherwise!

He has certainly tried…

“I leave tomorrow at dawn.” Salt Alstroemeria speared one of the chunks of hunks of honey-glazed potato on his fork, “My knights will be missing my presence.”

Blueberry Milk frowned, “Do they not know where you are?”

Salt Alstroemeria hummed, “They know it was you I left to search for, and they saw the direction in which I rode, if I was needed they would have been able to find me.” 

Recluse’s staff was not subtle about its eyeroll, Blueberry Milk snorted.

“Yeah Salty, I hate to break it to you, you are still as terrible at communication as you were when we were all still aging.” Blueberry Milk pointed at him with his fork, “If desserts have to figure out a bit of information you were trying to convey, then you are conveying it wrong.”

Recluse huffed to himself, not saying anything. Salt Alstroemeria frowned.

“I was in a hurry, there was no time to explain complicated information.”

“Too much of a rush to say, ‘I am searching for the Sage of Truth, I think he is in distress, my first place to search will be the Blueberry Yogurt Academy.’” Blueberry Milk scoffed, “Not that hard Salty.”

Recluse snorted, “My, it almost seems like this is an old argument of yours.”

“Yes-” “It is nothing-”

“Oh really?” Blueberry Milk could feel his hair rising behind him, “Did you forget that one time that you almost got torn apart by vines?”

Salt Alstroemeria did have the decency to cow a bit at that, “That was different-”

Blueberry Milk slammed his hands on the table, “Was it?”

Salt Alstroemeria frowned, starting to tense up, “The others knew where I was going-”

There was a loud fake cough, both their heads whipped around to Recluse who was idly pushing peas around his plate. “Oh, don’t stop, I have so missed the days of dinner arguments. When you break the table in two it will be almost nostalgic.”

Blueberry Milk could feel the jam flood his face, settling back into his seat, and wincing when he heard several of the room’s ornaments thunk back into place. He sighed, they needed to have some actual conversations on those matters soon, if this was all it took to get them to this point.

Twice in one day. Ah, the other-realm was going to be a complete mess later.

Salt Alstroemeria sighed in turn, “I apologise, I should not have dismissed your concerns like that brother.”

Blueberry Milk grimaced at the feeling of guilt pooling low in his belly, “It- it’s fine- I… came on too strong. I am not sure why…” he glanced up from his food, forcing himself to make painful eye contact, “I apologise in turn.”

Recluse snorted, giving a slow clap, “Wow, I’m almost proud.”

Blueberry Milk stuck out his tongue at him, before he whipped his head around at the sound of a muffled chuckle from Salt Alstroemeria.

“Now, what were you actually saying?”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk hummed, tilting his head to rest against the window, pressing his cheek against the glass. Recluse’s tower was strange, it was not often that he spent much time in it, and it had been a very long time since he had spent this much time in it.

(Considering why he was here for this long last time, he can consider that to probably be a good thing.)

He couldn’t help but be a little curious, particularly in the way its magic seemed so familiar…

The slow approach of a tapping staff, “Sage.”

Blueberry Milk blinked, glancing away from the falling snow to smile at him, “Hello ‘Clusey!”

Recluse rolled his eyes, there was a tray floating beside him, Blueberry Milk could spy two steaming cups sitting upon it. He felt a little like a cakehound with how he perked up at the sight. Recluse huffed. “It’s not tea, and you only get some if you also eat some biscuits.”

Blueberry Milk pouted, folding up his legs to make room for Recluse in the window alcove, not tea? “What is it?”

“Hot cocoa.” Recluse settled himself in the freed space, lowering the tray and revealing that there was, indeed, a plate of oatmeal raisin biscuits sitting there. Blueberry Milk grabbed one, chewing on it with glee.

“It’s been a while since I have had some,” Blueberry Milk huffed, taking another bite of biscuit, ‘a while’ he doesn’t think he’s had any for centuries. “But I do remember enjoying it when I did.”

Recluse hummed, taking a sip from one of the mugs, as he focused his gaze out of the window. Despite his near blindness almost inevitably meaning he would not be able to see much.

For once the silence between them, which was generally rather hostile in nature with how Blueberry Milk favoured conversation, felt rather peaceful. Howling wind, the low level hum of Night magic, and the occasional odd sound from the tower itself… it was not the typical description of a calm background.

Blueberry Milk thought it suited them just fine.

But, it was hardly surprising that he did not make it half way through his hot cocoa (which was delicious) before he was breaking the silence with his voice. “Thank you.”

Recluse raised an eyebrow, slowly picking the raisins out of a biscuit.

“For helping my students, the academy,” Blueberry Milk smiled, “You could have written down that formula, and that combined with the contents of your letter would have been enough. But you came, even though I know you don’t care much for being around others.”

Recluse huffed, “You pick your staff well.”

“They are a representation of what dessert kind are capable of in the right circumstance.” Blueberry Milk took a sip of cocoa, “I care for them greatly.”

“And if someone was to come and take them from you? Reduce them all to crumbs, and burn your academy to the ground? What would become of you?”

Blueberry Milk retained his smile, “Well, I would imagine that whoever was responsible would cry in terror at the monster I would, at least briefly, become.” he picked another biscuit off the tray, “But to live in fear of the worst eventualities would be to not live at all, after all, to teach so many to master a gift they might otherwise be forced to squander- I see no greater path to take.”

Recluse sighed, closing his eyes. “You cannot comprehend the destruction you could cause.”

Blueberry Milk slowly chewed his mouthful of biscuit, a swallow. “No.” He shook his head, “I imagine I could not, I have always been quite good at whatever I set my mind to.”

Recluse’s staff rolled its eyes.

“Don’t fear so much ‘Clusey, I’m sure if I go rogue you’ll be able to take me down.”

⩹◇ ⪦○⪧ ◇⩺

Blueberry Milk smiled to himself as he watched his students file outside, the plans for the term were, well, one could say thoroughly thrown off course. But perhaps he can simply see this as a test of his teaching skills, after all, for how many years has he taught this class by the same curriculum?

He cannot allow himself to get too complacent. And, at least, things seem to be relatively under control now.

Strawberry Slice Jelly finally turned in their work, which means-

“P-professor?”

Blueberry Milk blinked, turning down to where a rather nervous… Chocolate Crumble Cookie was standing, holding a thin stack of papers. He hummed, drifting down to their level, “Yes?”

“Is- is it too late to submit the- homework on arrays?” They held out the sheets in front of them, and Blueberry Milk smiled.

“Of course not,” He summoned a clip from his other-realm, attaching it to the sheets, before floating the bundle to himself, “Perhaps if this had been a different situation I would ask you to have requested an extension, but there hasn’t been much of a chance to do so this time.”

“Thank you, professor.” Chocolate Crumble Cookie gave a small smile, before racing off.

Blueberry Milk huffed, hmmm, well. Now to finally grade these papers. 

Ah. The glamour of life as a teacher.