Work Text:
Something feels off, and no one knows why.
The morning sun filters through the windows and gets in Frosted Milk Cookie's eyes, snapping her awake.
' Ugh.. '
Rubbing her eyes, she stretched and groggily sat up, putting down her old bunny plush, Cream, on her bed. It was quite worn now, after all, it was given to her back when she was still a small child.
In the corner of her eye, a blue bird seems to be watching her. She doesn't mind it however, not even when the bird flew away and left a feather on the windowsill.
A solemn sigh left her lips when she looked at the clock.
Time seems to be moving at a slow pace today, how strange.
After changing into her usual outfit of blacks and blues and not sparing a glance at the portraits on the wall, she quickly left her room and closed the door gently, making sure not to make a fuss for those who were still asleep.
It was still quite early anyway, yet there was a lot of noise coming from the outside. After all, Crispia is never truly silent.
' Seems like Black Raisin and Black Sapphire Cookie isn't up yet.. '
When she gets rare, quiet moments like this, Frosted Milk likes to slip into the halls of the castle and take a walk, just to have her thoughts spread out.
" ... "
Her footsteps echoed in the vast hallway, her feet sounding a soft clack, clack, clack.
She tries not to look at the portraits on the walls, the milkcrown flowers wilting in the vase...
Hmph. Yet another painful memory.
A memory she was told in stories but still can imagine vividly in her head.
The shadows seem to be more suffocating than usual, watching her. At first, Frosted Milk doesn't mind, shadows seemed to be always like that in the morning, hiding from the light. Sometimes they coexisted and shifted with eachother, however not today.
What she didn't know, the dark shadows were forming behind her, rising slowly but surely..
" Ackk- !!! "
Suddenly Frosted Milk was falling into space, darkness all around her.
But she didn’t have time to panic.
As soon as she fell into this strange void, the quickly she was able to land on solid ground-
Thump!
" What in crumb's name just-..? " She muttered to herself, shaking her head.
It was a good thing she didn’t land on her head, though her butt was sore-
What was that..? Some.. strange portal..?
Nevermind. Just-
' Huh...? '
Blinking, she realizes that she's still in the Vanilla Kingdom's castle, and in the same spot. So what was that portal all about..???
Looking up, she notices some things have changed..
The wilting milkcrowns were now a collection of blooming vanilla orchids and bluebells, even the portraits of those of the past were gone, and the atmosphere feels lighter somehow..? No. That doesn't make sense.
Whatever the case, this place doesn't seem to be the same lonely and suffocating castle she knows... Was that a good or bad thing...?
She quickly stands up, even checking the ceiling for sight of the portal, but not even a single fragment of the shadow portal could be seen.
“ This is weird. “
Whatever this place is seemed like a brighter version of her home.
She quickly composed herself, keeping an eye for any staff wandering out carrying duties, but it seems not a single soul was awake yet— as it was still very early in the morning.
Then suddenly..
Thud, thud, thud..
“ …!!!!”
Frosted Milk wasn’t sure if that was the sound of her heartbeat thundering or more footsteps behind her, but it seemed slow and controlled, aiming to be silent in this golden sun.
Then the footsteps stopped, and she realized the figure must’ve stood right behind her, but why aren’t they speaking then…? Surely they’re going to question someone unfamiliar in their home.
So finally Frosted Milk looks behind her.
It was a girl about her age, her dough a soft light blue and blonde hair with a streak of white and lemon colored eyes. She had a mark on her forehead similar to..
Frosted Milk shook her head. She was probably seeing things again.
She was not exactly in royal clothing, as she looked like she has just gotten out of bed.
In her hands she carried a pile of books which she must’ve gotten from the royal archives, containing contents about magic and other sorcery a cookie can find.
Frosted Milk felt drawn to her.. and strangely enough, she felt as if she knows this cookie, though she had never met her before.
The cookie seemed to have thought this too, as she stared back blankly at Frosted Milk.
She waited for the other to speak, but it seems like the blonde haired cookie was doing the same…
or she just couldn’t speak.
With another moment of silence, Frosted Milk finally spoke.
“ Who are you..? “
The cookie did not reply, but took something from her pocket: a notepad.
Frosted Milk decided it was reasonable for her to bring a pen and paper.. if she was mute. But the girl didn’t seem completely mute, Frosted Milk could understand that just fine. Frosted Milk just didn’t know how she knew.
The girl had written something and showed it to her: Blue Cream Cookie.
Okay.. so thats her name. It didn’t exactly clear things up about her background, but she’ll take it.
Frosted Milk glanced to the wall, to the floor, and to her.
She seems to be slowly realizing she’s not really in her home.. at least, not exactly.
Blue Cream— as her name was, kept frowning, looking her up and down as if she’s seen her before and can’t understand why she can’t remember. Her eyes narrowed, going to her hair to her eyes, like yes, she knew her. But some things are out of place.
Frosted Milk cleared her throat, a bit uncomfortable about the way she’s looking at her intently.
“ I’m Frosted Milk Cookie. “
Blue Cream nodded, but she looked more curious now.
So Frosted Milk continued; “ I don’t know how I got here. I fell through a shadow. But it’s.. strange. Because I was already in the Vanilla Castle and fell back to this same spot. “
Blue Cream nodded, tilting her head to the side. She seems to be studying her more closely now.
Frosted Milk didn’t realize how long they had been here until she heard another pair of footsteps. This got her on alert, whereas Blue Cream was calm— she probably recognized the sound of the footsteps.
“ Blue Cream-? Why are you up so early? And- ”
“ ..!” Frosted Milk recognized that voice.
She quickly turned around, recognizing the man in white behind her.
“ Father? “
A pause.
Pure Vanilla Cookie was quite confused at the girl who was shocked in front of him. His blonde hair was a bit messy, having gone out of bed.
Frosted Milk noticed that he wasn’t really the father she remembered either. He didn’t have that same look like having the burden of the entire world on his shoulders.
His eyes were brighter— alive.
And the Soul Jam…
The Soul Jam of Truth was a brilliant shade of blue, shining in the morning light.
How?
Frosted Milk’s eyes widened and her breath quickened.
Where exactly was she?
“ Vanilla Bean-? No. Your hair is… much longer and your clothes.. “
Well at least she knew this wasn’t the Pure Vanilla Cookie she knew, since he didn’t recognize her either. And who was Vanilla Bean Cookie?
“ No. Frosted Milk Cookie, you’re Pure Vanilla Cookie right..? “
“ I- yes, I am Pure Vanilla. And.. hmnn.. ‘Frosted Milk Cookie’..?? Your name reminds me of my other half. “
Other half. Of course. He should mean mother. Frosted Milk was the last piece of him her father had. And everything else— her clothes, even her name— reminded her father of his lost beloved.
But if this place.. where Pure Vanilla Cookie looks happy.. what does that mean? Wait.. would that imply that..?
“ Your.. other half. “ Frosted Milk repeated.
Pure Vanilla nodded. “ You look like him as well. “
She didn’t notice, but Blue Cream had went to Pure Vanilla Cookie’s side. He was also holding her to his side caringly like..
Frosted Milk swallowed the lump in her throat. Looking to him to the girl; “ Is Blue Cream your daughter..? “
“ Yes. “
No. There’s no way.
Her father would’ve told her.. right..?
“ I had a sister..? “ Her voice was small— too small compared to her usual indifferent voice.
“ What? “ He tilted his head, “ What did you say-?”
Nevermind. Frosted Milk decided she’d have to cope with those news later.
Pure Vanilla probably understood her desire to change the subject and cleared his throat. “ So.. how did you get here..? You look bewildered as if.. you’re not from here. “
She repeated the same words she said to Blue Cream.
“ That is.. quite the news. But if it was a shadow portal.. then maybe Shadow Milk Cookie would know. “
That dropped like a bombshell on her.
It was one thing to know she had a sister.
And second, her mother was alive.
Frosted Milk must’ve been shaking, because Pure Vanilla looked at her in deep concern.
“ Are you alright?”
Frosted Milk would’ve fell on the spot had it not been for Blue Cream swiftly steadying her.
“ This is too much.” She muttered, her head dizzy with this foreign information drilled into her.
Blue Cream looked at her father and they seemed to have an agreement.
“ So Frosted Milk, who really are you? “
Frosted Milk blinked, then she mumbled;
“ Frosted Milk Cookie, the only daughter of Pure Vanilla Cookie and…. Shadow Milk Cookie, who died when I was born.”