Chapter Text
“You say I'm changing, sorry I didn't know I had to stay the same.”
-Be Nice To Me, The Front Bottoms
The silver tree.
A prison. And yet, after centuries of being stuck inside, it began to feel like a home, in the worst way possible.
Shadow Milk Cookie sat in his bedroom, staring at the wall.
The magic of the silver tree fascinated him to no end. While it was, obviously, a tree, the inside was much more complex. An entrance to an entire other world, just hidden in its roots. Rather than being met with bark, or at least a hollow inside, it was an entire dimension by its own right. Neverending, always something else to see. Perhaps it was like that so the beasts never felt bored, and would be less likely to try to break the seal. It seemed to work, actually. Burning Spice Cookie was having fun running amok, destroying the randomly generated creatures, whereas Shadow Milk Cookie was busy studying the magic with fascination despite himself. Guess the fount of knowledge never fully left. Ugh. Great, now he was thinking about his time as a virtue. Way to ruin the mood.
He considered this place home. More than he ever saw the Spire of All Knowledge as a home. Both places were a prison to him, but at least here, he had no expectations. No cookies nagging at him to answer the most pointless questions he had ever heard.
No light of knowledge, speaking in his ear. Finally, it was quiet. Mostly. Eh, it was easier to shut up the light of deceit now that the other half was gone.
He closed his eyes for just a moment, and saw it. Saw HIM. There he was.
Pure Vanilla Cookie.
It was one of Shadow Milk Cookie's favorite pastimes, watching what his other half did, even if he couldn't be there in person. Even if he ached to be there, to make direct eye contact with him, to tell him of their fate, one in the same, two souls meant to circulate each other until the end of time-
“Ew. No. Stop thinking like that, you sound like Eternal Sugar Cookie.”
The light of deceit decided to chime in.
“Do I have to silence you again?”
He responded.
“Quit chiming in, my show's on.”
“Are you seriously so bored that you consider watching that plain Vanilla Cookie living his life to be entertaining? Jeez, you REALLY need to take my advice and find a way to escape.”
“No. Even if there was a way out, why would I go back there? To all those cookies who used me, didn't even ask my name? Now, like I said, be quiet, my show's on.”
He observed Pure Vanilla Cookie with the same fascination he had for the Silver Tree's magic. Wait, why was Pure Vanilla Cookie in the faerie kingdom…? Why was he standing in front of the tree?
“It's no big surprise you turned out this way.”
-Twin Size Mattress, The Front Bottoms
“You said the beast cookies were sealed here?”
Pure Vanilla Cookie asked, running his hand along the tree's surface. Elder Faerie Cookie nodded.
“Indeed. It pained me to do so, but I had to.”
“Former virtues…beings that created a paradise for all cookies, and yet they fell to ruin. What could have caused them to abandon their roles so easily?”
“It was not an easy task for any of them. Even more challenging than it was for you and your friends. Carrying the weight of those virtues was not something any Cookie could be capable of handling, not even them. I simply hope they may have found peace inside that world. Or at least, that they feel somewhat calm.”
Pure Vanilla Cookie felt something against his hand.
“The bark of the tree, it's…”
“Brittle. Getting weaker by the second. I know. One day, it will die, and the beasts will be able to leave. But there is nothing that can be done to stop it.”
“So one day, they will be free. It's inevitable.”
“Yes. I hope to one day see my old friend, but I must pray that by the time that happens, they have all calmed down enough to at least wait before ending the world.”
Elder Faerie Cookie laughed, but it was not out of happiness. Pure Vanilla Cookie nodded solemnly.
“You said mine was called Shadow Milk Cookie, right?”
“Yes. The former Fount of Knowledge, now turned Beast of deceit.”
“Shadow Milk Cookie…”
He sighed gently.
“May I sleep out here tonight? By the tree, I mean.”
“What an odd request. But I suppose there is no harm to it. Very well.”
Elder Faerie Cookie turned to leave. Pure Vanilla Cookie sat down in the grass, leaning against the tree.
“Strange. I never knew of your name or existence before this, and yet when it was spoken to me, it felt like I've known you for years.”
He murmured, not sure why. He didn't think anyone could hear, especially not the one it was directed to. He closed his eyes, drifting off.
And woke up in the void.
“Oh, my silly, silly vanilly…So close, and yet so far. I hope that one day you'll see me, just as I see you."