Chapter Text
When they first meet….
Ardeadoris wasn’t sure what provoked them to emerge from their tavern. Perhaps it was the emotions of being clustered inside a make-shape home after mere hours of escaping from a notorious murderer who hunted their kind to near extinction. Maybe it was the nostalgia of the ocean that grazed their tail and frills whenever they left their home. This time, they would make a friend who would do more than what Ardeadoris would ever expect. They were leaving their abode when they heard the thump of several footsteps, the creaking of the old docks forcing their ever-beating heart to stop- they don’t know how old the docks are but they know that no one uses them enough and that they are normally used for illegal activities at night.
The orange and white sea cookie flicked their wheat-stalk ears forward when they heard the groan of the boards and jumped back when they heard the snap of the wooden boards caving in. They flung backward, the back of their head hitting a rock and they cradled their head in pain, they flicked their ears when they heard someone struggling. She was trying to kick off her assailants and then her voice muffled. Ardeadoris raised himself up and through squinted eyes, they could see three cookies on top of a woman who struggled. The glint of the dagger hit the moonlight and something within the Nudibranch urged them to save the poor woman who was injured and more than likely about to die.
Ardeadoris moved forward and shoved their hands into the sand, and with a swift motion- they raised their tail to slap the cookie on top of the lady, the sound of a body being slapped far away rang in the sea cookie’s ears, and the woman freed herself and pulled her body away from the other two cookies who ran to their injured friend. Ardeadoris watched them cover their injured friend and run off. Back to wherever they came from. The thin sea cookie huffed and then turned to the woman. Despite their blurred vision, they could see the woman and her panicked state- so they called out, “... ‘Cry, Cry! How you cry such tears, you mock me as if I was nothing but a figment of your mind, your delusional mind!’...” They trailed off as they watched the woman turn to them. Seeing them in the full moonlight, the orange frilled cookie could only imagine what she thought when she saw them at that moment. The sea cookie titled their head and furrowed their brows, “Have we come back down to Earthbread or are we still in shock?” They asked gently. The woman flinched slightly.
She was afraid, which Ardeadoris understood, that it doesn’t happen in everyone’s lifetime to nearly die by someone stalking or chasing them. Ardeadoris swayed back, extending their welcome to the lady who began to look familiar the longer the sea slug cookie squinted at her, “Come. You’re shaking and they’ll be back to finish the job.” They instructed. The frail lady nodded and moved to stand, she followed them as the duo entered Ardeadoris’ abode. From then, the moment that the infamous author, Abalone Cookie, stepped foot inside the home of the frail sea cookie- the life of the mer-Nudibranch cookie would change for the better. Ardeadoris would never tell the author their full name until they were sworn in as Elder of the Creme Republic. Abalone would become a close friend that Ardeadoris would appreciate; from becoming a close friend, a godmother to their child, and a cookie who Ardeadoris could just their most pained secrets and memories- the Elder of History couldn’t be any happier with a cookie who soon became a part of their family.
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But they have met in more places than one…
She really needed to be more careful when they ran into Paladins. Abalone was running through the alleys with the Knights of the Light chasing after her. From above, a being of white and orange frills watched with their body constricted in fear. Ardeadoris needs to help her, the demon who is being hunted like prey, she will die. The sea slug has only been in the city a few times, being summoned has helped them out with navigating but sometimes… Sometimes Ardeadoris would see the Paladins and see how they walk and talk about saving cookies. Where were they when they bled out on a ship with a murderous hunter who began to skin their tail as they bled out on the floor.
Ardeadoris shook themselves and focused on their legs, slowly shifting them to form a tail rather than the legs that they used when in contracts. The sea slug cookie looked down to see their tail; scarred and torn in some places, while bruises were now permanently stained on their limb, the sea cookie huffed. They focused on getting to the female demon who was going to turn left and get cornered so Ardeadoris focused on their energy.
They focused on the spot where the demon was now stuck,
Focus on the place in front of her and before the Paladins
Then…
S N A P
The sudden arrival of the second demon startled the two Paladins of Light enough to be distracted and confused as a heavy limb of a tail slapped the two of them across the face and bashed their bodies into the walls of the alley. The two Paladins struggled to move up and defend themselves but were stopped when their hearts suddenly stopped beating, the blood on the alley walls burned into the eyes of Ardeadoris as they watched the Paladins die immediately. The poison within the frills of the tail was strong enough to kill a human and the sea slug was thankful that they could still use their poison to strike and kill.
The orange and white sea slug human turned around to the other demon who was against the wall with her eyes wide and confused. She looked familiar… Ardeadoris decided to throw her a bone, “You alive?” They asked. The female demon blinked and shook herself, the gray woman stood and swayed slightly as she tried to straighten herself. “Yeah… Yeah, I’m good.” The ruby eyes met with the hood of the sea slug. The female demon brushed her barnacle-sea salt trench coat of dust and glass from the alley. “Thanks.” She stated. Ardeadoris hummed and turned to the Paladins, a feeling of disgust and deep hate settled into their limbs, “Take their souls… I don’t want them.” The hooded human turned around and swayed away, their tail flicking.
Abalone was left alone to collect two souls of Paladins she didn’t kill but she wasn’t going to complain. She took the souls while Ardeadoris teleported again but this time to a building in plain sight and hidden from Paladins and humans alike, a bar run by resident demons who lived within the coastal city. Ardeadoris pops in and bows their head to the bartender as they go past the drinking demons, the fighting rings, and to the VIP rooms where they can relax and “breathe”. Moments where they interact with demons always left their soul rattled and heavy, not out of anything ill or bad- but they never had the best interactions with anyone beyond Vampire Squid. Even then, Ardeadoris was terrified of talking to other demons so they went alone.
The sea slug arrived in a single room with alcohol and bottles of soda, a place of safety. Ardeadoris swayed into the rooms, pulling the blankets and pillows from under the couch, and then piled them onto the sofa which they curled into. They pulled the blankets on their back which stimulated the sensation of someone laying on their back and holding them from behind, the pillows were wedged under them to stimulate their frills to relax and go limp. The buzz of the outside became white noise for the demon and despite their small headache, everything was right and perfect for the demon.
Until the door opened.
Ardeadoris grunted a greeting to the demon who entered, not really caring who came in- at most they wanted the bottles in the room to drink or an extra pillow from another compartment, but when they didn’t hear the other leaving, they turned their head to the door and did a double take. It was the lady demon, who looked just as confused as they felt. “... Hi there…” Ardeadoris greeted. Abalone blinked and cleared her throat, “The other rooms are… occupied.” She explained and Ardeadoris shrugged. “That’s fine. As long as you don’t make a whole lot of loud sounds, you can stay.” The energies between the two demons mixed together and relaxed in each other’s presence, and if further note the duo became friends- Ardeadoris would be notoriously known for saving demons from Paladins, especially when Abalone nearly gets caught while she is out on a contract.
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They would be saved by her…
Ardeadoris remembers when the Captain saved them from Death. She was rough, nothing like Vampire Squid, yet she was kind and understood the hell that Ardeadoris went through. Nacre risked her ship to sail to the Breadmuda Triangle and to allow them to swim back home, back to their family who surrounded them with warmth and love, worries were at ease and more importantly, Ardeadoris was far-far away from the monster who kidnapped and hurt them. It was perfect timing, Obsidian Licorice came into the picture and the sea slug who forever be thankful that Nacre saved them.
Some nights, they remember when Nacre pinned them down- when the wooden floor boards became coals of fire and the mere touch of a cookie sent them into a spiral of fear and paranoia. Then the sudden coolness of the Captain’s hands cradled their cheeks as they panicked and pulled themselves into a world of fear and desperation. They remember the Captain draping her navy blue trench coat over their body as they slept, during the moments when drugs and pills sustained their diet and she was there to help them take each pill because swallowing reminded them of the times when Vampire Squid would force them to drink alcohol against their will.
Ardeadoris would wake in a cold sweat and the Captain would turn over, stand and open a window- inviting them to jump out the window into the ocean if they were panicked enough. The white and orange sea slug honestly thought she was a good cookie, a cookie who understood that they were tortured and no one thought to save them except a “fugitive pirate”. The mer-Nudibanch cookie would see the black ship sailing along the border of the Breadmuda Triangle and quickly swam up to greet the woman. The look on her face when they popped out of the water and called out to her. Nacre’s face was shocked and then recognized. She would berate the other for spooking her and lean over the railing of the ship to ask about how they were doing.
Ardeadoris would tell her about the family, the Titan that swims under the water, and about the child who lives on the rocky shore of the stormy isle. Nacre would smile, she would tell stories about her adventures and her time living, Ardeadoris would have to leave and return home but the pirate would stay one more day to meet the child and family of Ardeadoris. And if the orange frilled cookie was honest, they think Nacre was terrified upon seeing Skeletal Willanari who towered over her ship (they blessed her ship for speedy travel), she softened her expression when Golden Onyx giggled and pretended to be a fearsome pirate like herself, and while Obsidian Licorice thanked her in gold and jewels for saving Ardeadoris. Nacre would shove a majority of the gold into the lower decks and begin to set sail, but she didn’t leave without Ardeadoris leaving her a gift of their own, “It will lead you home. Wherever that may be.”
A compass always pointed to where Abalone needed to go. She was thankful for such a gift, and sometimes- it pointed back to the Triangle.
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Sometimes, it was an accident
It was… odd being caught in a big fish net. Ardeadoris didn’t struggle, most fishing boats would drop them back into the water. But this ship was staring at them, their tails flapped with their frills sticking to their tail, the crew dropped the net on the deck and stared at them while they tried to untangle themselves from the net. Honestly, Ardeadoris wasn’t annoyed as much as they were unsettled by how quiet everyone was.
“Oi! What’s everyone staring at?”
Ardeadoris turned their ears to the new voice who made a strangled gasping sound. Someone chimed in, “We fished them up by accident and now we don’t know if we should put them back or leave them be!” The orange frilled cookie tried to pull a particular rope off of their tail which only flared up the rope burn, “Ah yes, stare at the struggling mer-cookie who cannot speak a lick of Common or even understand how to hear. Ah, yes- I am defenseless.” They mocked. Grunting at the rope burn flared again, this time drawing a pint of blood. “Cut them loose.” The other voice commanded. Soon, a variety of different hands touched them and sliced each rope from their body. Soon, they were cut free. Ardeadoris huffed a puff of air to their face and shifted around to feel their body. Once they felt the ropes free from their tail, they pulled it under their upper body and used the railing behind them to lift themselves.
“Thank you. It’s a first for being pulled up by a pirate ship.” They said. Someone laughed, “Not quite. We hunt down a few criminals but we are mostly docile.” The sea slug turned to the right of the person who was speaking. “Name’s Captain Abalone Cookie, what’s your’s?” She asked. Ardeadoris smiled and replied, “Ardeadoris Cookie. Thank you, Captain.” The other laughed as she must’ve turned to her crew because she shouted an order and the scramble of feet surrounded the sea cookie. “Sorry about them fishing you out of the water. We were trying to get some dinner and must’ve snagged you.” The Captain said, brushing a hand through her navy gray and red streaked hair, ruffling her headband.
Ardeadoris chuckled, “It’s quite alright. I’m used to being pulled up!” The Captain laughed at the other’s enthusiasm for being caught and straightened herself, “Alright then Ardeadoris Cookie. You should head out, apologies again for the net.” She said. The stare on the rope burns began to slightly annoy Ardeadoris, they waved the Captain’s eye off of their tail, “Don’t worry about the tail, it’ll heal. See ya Captain!” Soon, the body of white and orange disappeared over the railing and fell into the depths of the water. Leaving behind a confused Captain and a crew scrambling to pick up the fish for dinner.
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Then there are times when they are not as close as they have been determined by …
Elder Ardeadoris Cookie was sitting in front of a cookie who wore black and gray to conceal her body from being seen by assailants. Ardeadoris Cookie has only been Elder for a few years and every time they meet with Oyster Cookie, this cookie is by her side. This guard wore her sea gray hair in a ponytail and wore a mask resembling an orca over her ruby eyes, yet now, she removed the mask and refused to make eye contact with the Elder before her. This meeting was by accident; Ardeadoris stumbled upon her training with a guard of their own, being weary and tired, the woman nearly collapsed when the guard nearly dealt a deadly blow to the legs of the dark guard.
And had Ardeadoris not called out, Abalone Cookie would have been injured severely. So now they sit in an office with bean bags instead of normal chairs, a room filled with photos of family members and important moments, and in the back of the room where the duo sat was a large window that showed the ocean. Ardeadoris flicked their frills, listening to the gears turn in the guard’s head as she sipped her tea. The Elder of History decided to throw a bone out to the guard, a saving grace for her, “I won’t say anything to Oyster if you take more breaks when training.” The other relaxed under the hooded gaze of the other and the two sat in stilled silence.
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But maybe those who are far apart can join together for a better reason than other living beings
No one was supposed to know about them. Ardeadoris was supposed to be a secret kept between the Elder of Politics and his son. Yet, to the frustration of Elder Custard, one of the Elder he did NOT want to find out about his half-sibling went to a meeting where he thought he canceled but was filled by Ardeadoris. He was frantic when he came home and was informed about Abalone’s visit, Ardeadoris- in all sweet and naive innocence- smiled and told him happily that they solved an issue. The smaller sea cookie who buried their paranoia, anxiety, and shaking nightmares under a facade of innocence smiled with genuine joy, Custard didn’t have the courage to scold his half-sibling. Clotted Cream got wind and when he went to a meeting with the Elder of Treasures, she reveled in the knowledge that the secret of the half-sibling to the notorious Sugar cookie who despised sea cookie, had a sibling who was part of the sea.
Although, Elder Abalone had to admit- the tailed cookie made her … uneasy. When they first met, she made the off-hand comment that she was not kind, that she wasn’t a “good cookie” as the other had said beforehand. The orange frilled cookie suddenly got serious and asked if she had ever killed someone. Upon rejecting the motion, they spun her a response that made her squirm in her seat. This cookie has killed someone, they have seen the worst of the worst in cookie kind, they showed her a bite-ridden arm- they had to bite themselves to survive starvation- she felt unsettled with how serious they were.
A few days after the meeting, Clotted Cream begged the Elder to not say anything, for the Sea cookie’s safety and the ridicule they would receive for being related to Custard. She agreed, but she couldn’t help but wonder about the sea slug cookie’s life before they came to the Republic. In the after-hours of the meetings, Custard and herself would discuss the law that Ardeadoris proposed and she had to admit, Custard was much more… easy to convince with the help of his half-sibling. She immediately thought about situations where no matter how hard she pressed Custard to agree to a new law for the Lower City, he wouldn’t budge. Until four months ago when he loosened his grasp of the iron-clad of looking away from the Lower City. She theorized that four months ago, Ardeadoris Cookie was returned to Custard, and from there- he must’ve begun to loosen himself on the Lower City in case his younger sibling moved down there.
It amused her but she knew that she had to play it cool. Meetings between her and the younger would be often, as she was summoned for business for the Consul or for Custard, she made a point to drop by to visit Ardeadoris. She even happened on time when the eldest was annoyed and near the verge of throwing her out, but she snuck in to see the younger. She stumbled into their room by accident and found them crying in a tub. Scars and all for the world to see, huddled in a ball, and she stayed there until she left with a stride. She would not use the information of the younger sea cookie against them, they have gone through enough, but this information can be used against Elder Custard. Perhaps… She should tell Elder Caviar who could help out as well.