Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The thing was – they’ve always been all they've ever had, even before their shared imprisonment. So when Dark Enchantress Cookie revived the Five Beasts, they knew where their loyalties lie. And, spoiler, it wasn’t with their ‘savior’

It had been Shadow Milk’s idea to sneak out. They hadn’t gotten far. Just a small grove close to where they’d been freed. Most would have expected the five of them to have caused as much destruction and chaos as possible. But it had been millenniums since they’d had felt grass on their feet. Or seen the stars in the sky.

“She’s going to betray us.” The Five were laying in a circle in the grove, staring at the sky above. It had been Mystic Flour who spoke. She was laying across from Shadow Milk, with Silent Salt on her right, and Burning Spice on her left. Eternal Sugar Cookie was the only one not on the ground, instead opting for laying on Burning Spice’s chest.

“We could always kill her,” Burning Spice suggested.

“That’s your answer to everything, Tikka,” Eternal Sugar Cookie said with a yawn.

A clang got everyone else’s attention. “It isn’t an awful idea,” Silent Salt signed. “She’s the only cookie who knows were alive again. We’d have to get rid of her eventually anyways.”

“We’re not strong enough yet,” Shadow Milk said, eyes never leaving the sky. He missed the stars. They were breath taking. “Unless you plan on doing it the old fashion way.”

“What’s wrong with the ‘old fashion way’?” Burning Spice grumbled.

“Tikka. She’ll crumble us before we even get close to her.” Burning Spice continued to grumble as the other Beasts snickered. The Five fell into silence as they continued to take in the lovely night.

“Hey.” Four of the five turned towards the Beast of Sloth. “You know what we should do…”

***

Finding a town wasn’t that hard. Nor was disguising themselves. (“Are you sure you have enough energy to glamour all of us?” Mystic Flour asked their resident shapeshifter. In response, Shadow Milk simply rolled their eyes and blew a raspberry. “Please, Peony. I may not be back to my full powers, but this is child’s play.”)

The Four Beasts were following Eternal Sugar Cookie through the town. The Beast of Sloth was being extremely picky about what stall she wanted them to go to.

“Angel Cake,” Burning Spice started to grumble. “How many food stalls do you intend to pass? I’m starving…”

“Tikka, may I remind you that none of us even remembered hunger until Sugar mentioned it,” Mystic Flour pointed out.

“It must be perfect, Tikka dear. Nothing less for my special ones.” That seemed to have settled the Beast of Destruction, at least for the moment. The Beasts continued to follow their comrade, periodically pointing out stalls for the angelic cookie.

Suddenly, the pink cookie stopped short, almost getting run over by the others. “Do you smell that?” An excited glint came to the pink cookie’s eyes. The others sniffed the air. It was Mystic Flour who recognized it first. “Bao buns.” An equally excited look graced their face. Well, as excited as Mystic Flour could get.

The three remaining Beasts watched as two cookies ran off towards the smell, fingers intertwined. With nothing better to do, they followed their companions at a slower pace. Upon finding them, the two women were buying out the whole stall. Even from a distance’s away, the three Beasts could hear the one-sided happy chatter of the stall owner.

“There’s no way we can pay for this,” Silent Salt pointed out. “I don’t know about you two, but I would prefer to not be found out on our first night of freedom.”

“Leave that to me, darling.” Burning Spice and Silent Salt watched as the blue cookie saunter towards the stall. The two large Beasts felt Shadow Milk’s magic shift their forms again, looking rougher than they had before.

Upon reaching their fellow Beasts, Shadow Milk threw their arms around the hungry cookies. “Peony! Angel Cake! Oh, thank the Witches, you two are ok!”

The remaining Beasts flinched at the wording, though the stall owner thankfully didn’t notice. “Oh my! Whatever happened to the three of you?” Watching Shadow Milk weave their lies was always fascinating. The Font of Knowledge spun a tale of woes, how they had gotten separated from their companions, how they were held up and robbed by thieves on their way here. If they hadn’t known that the blue cookie was lying, they’d believe him too.

“As delicious as all of this looks, darlings,” Shadow Milk continued, speaking to his companions. “I’m afraid we can’t afford it. Those rotten crooks took every last coin we had.”

Due to their backs being turned to them and Shadow Milk’s attention being on their companions, only Burning Spice and Silent Salt were the only ones who were able to watch the stall owner’s expression change. Cookies these days were so naïve and trusting. They continued to watch as the stall owner waived away their ‘concerns’ and ‘worries’, that it was on the house. It took every ounce of self-restraint not to laugh at them.

Only when they were back in the safety of the surrounding woods did they allow themselves to mock the poor, unsuspecting shop owner.

***

Months passed. The Beasts had taken every opportunity they could to sneak away from Dark Enchantress. Sometimes they would explore the nearby woods. Other times they’d head to different neighboring towns, playing pranks and tricking unsuspecting cookies into doing their whims.

None of them had yet broached the elephant cookie in the room. For millenniums they had been stuck in that damn tree, wanting vengeance and destruction. Now they had the opportunity to due so. They were free, and no one seemed to remember who they were, their names lost to history.

And yet…

They were free.

No one knew who they were. No one knew they had escaped.

They could go anywhere. Do anything.

No responsibilities or expectations.

They finally had the freedom the Witches and cookiekind had denied them.

They were in the grove again when the subject was broached. Once again, it was Mystic Flour who said what they were all thinking. “Do we really want to go through with this?”

“They imprisoned us for millenniums, Peony.”

“But these past months had been the most fun, relaxing months of our immortal lives!” Shadow Milk whined. “You can’t tell me you haven’t been enjoying yourself too, Salty!”

“Where the hell would we even go!”

Eternal Sugar Cookie chuckled at her fiery friend. Turning Burning Spice’s face towards hers, she said, “You’re not denying the possibility of a new life, Tikka dear.” The other Beasts watched as Burning Spice’s lit up with a furious blush.

That was the other thing. They’ve always been all they've ever had, even before their shared imprisonment. Back before the corruption, the Five had never put a name to what they were, their relationship always blurring between varying levels of affection.

During their imprisonment, they grew incredibly codependent but more unsure. Nobody wanted to try and say something because they're worried they'll lose everything if they bring it up. They’re so important to each other. It would crumble them to be rejected.

“It’s like Berry said, this has been nice. And it isn’t like we can’t always go back to world domination and retrieving our Soul Jams once the novelty wears out.”

“We’ll need new aliases.”

“I thought you were against this?”

“I never said I was. Wherever you all go, I’ll go to.”

“Aww…,” Shadow Milk Eternal Sugar Cookie teased before the Beast of Deceit continued, “You loooovvee us, Salty.”

“Very much so.”

Blushes rose from each of the Beasts. The flustered bumbling was interrupted by Sugar again. “Well, good news, I at least know what names we can all go by.” She pointed at them one by one as she listed off names. “Tikka, Blueberry Muffin, Salty, Peony, and Angel Cake.”

“Our nicknames?” Mystic Flour questioned.

Sugar Cookie shrugged. “Why not? No one remembers our actual names. You expect them to know our petnames for each other.”

“We still don’t have an answer to where we’d go.”

“I heard rumors from some of Dark Enchantress’ minions that a new kingdom arose over Crispia.”

“Crispia is far, Berry.”

“Exactly. No one, not even the Enchantress would expect us to go off and live in some idyllic little town.”

“Then we are in agreement?” Mystic Flour asked. With no one raising any further complaints, all that was left to decide was when to leave. Though as they each took in the others’ forms, a decision was made.

Now.

They would leave now.

Chapter Text

The Cookie Kingdom was as idyllic as the rumors had said. Everyone was so very friendly and the kingdom was peaceful. It was perfect.

Yet Shadow Milk still felt uneasy.

At first, ae thought it was just the nerves of being free and potentially getting caught again. Thankfully, they were correct in no one here having ever heard of the Five Beasts. Ae just couldn’t put aer finger on what was bothering aer.

“Blueberry Muffin Cookie!” Shadow Milk turned towards the voice. Aer had the easiest time of adjusting to aer new identity. They were the Beast of Deceit and a shapeshifter. The blue cookie had worn many faces over the years. And even then, all’s that had changed was aer name and face. As Sugar had pointed out, “You still get to be our dramatic little thespian know it all.”

Locating the voice’s owner revealed it to be Wizard Cookie. Much to their own surprise, the gingerbread child had quickly endeared himself to the leader of the Beasts with his curiosity, quick wit, and thirst for knowledge. Shadow Milk liked his moxie.

“Good afternoon, Wizard Cookie. How are you on this lovely day?”

“Well, enough. I have a request for you. See there’s spell I was reading about…”

***

It had been such a long time since Shadow Milk had taught someone. Ae hadn’t thought ae’d actually miss it given how it was part of the reason ae became corrupted, but with the task now being less of a requirement and more voluntary, ae found ae kind of liked it. And Wizard Cookie was doing well for someone who had only learnt of the spell’s existence this morning.

Shadow Milk hadn’t really been paying much attention to everything else going on, just the gingerbread’s magic. So when Wizard Cookie suddenly fell to the ground, they panicked. Upon inspecting the little cookie revealed his dough was overheating.

The former Sage quickly looked around. Not far off was a shaded lake. Perfect. Moving the smaller cookie wasn’t an issue. Nor remembering their years of medical training. Unbutton and remove his coat then dab him with cool water and monitor his breathing. Simple.

The Beast of Deceit let out a relieved sigh when the other started to stir some moments later. Wizard Cookie groggily blinked his eyes open. “What happened?”

“You passed out. Probably from heat exhaustion.” As they helped the smaller cookie slowly sit up, Shadow Milk felt him suddenly freeze. Before ae was able to ask what was wrong, Wizard Cookie quickly turned his body, wrapping his arms around himself. This would prove to be a bad idea as he almost fell again.

“My coat?” Shadow Milk blinked. “It’s…right here. But Wizard Cookie, I can’t possibly recommend you wearing that right now. You’ll just pass out again.”

“I need it,” he whined, still clutching his chest. Had he been hurt somehow during the fall? No, that couldn’t be right. Shadow Milk would have noticed. The only thing of note was the undershirt he apparently wore and…wait.

Oh.

“Wizard Cookie? Can you look at me?” A whine escaped the child as he shook his head. “Wizard Cookie.”

“Look, thank you for helping me. With the spell and this. I just need to-.” He tried to get up again as he spoke and failed miserably. The older cookie grabbed the child without thinking. Wizard Cookie fell back into the other’s hold, revealing what Shadow Milk had already suspected.

A small pair of breasts sat on Wizard Cookie’s chest.

“I’m a boy.” Shadow Milk Blinked again. “I didn’t say you weren’t.” Wizard Cookie wasn’t looking at his teacher. His arms were once again wrapped around himself. He looked so scared. Shadow Milk nudged the gingerbread. “Are you ok?”

The child shook his head again. “You know. I didn’t want you to know. Didn’t want anyone to know.” He finally looked at his teacher. “Why is this happening to me? Boys aren’t supposed to have these,” he indicated with a disgusted tone.

Shadow Milk shrugged. “Some do.” That probably wasn’t the right thing to say. Shadow Milk never was the most tactful Beast. And ae never was uncomfortable with aer own body and gender.

“Gingerbrave doesn’t,” the child grumbles. “All the other guys here don’t. You don’t.”

Shadow Milk had to bite aer tongue to stop themself from laughing. Oh the irony of that statement. “You’re right,” ae finally said as they got their laughter under control. “None of us do. But Gingerbrave needs a cane to walk, and you don’t.”

“That’s different.”

“No, it isn’t. Yes, your dough’s different. But so is every cookie else’s.” Ae shrugged again. “If you ask me, I think that’s beautiful.” Wizard Cookie still didn’t look convinced. The Beast of Deceit had a choice to make.

There were many things about Shadow Milk that was different from other cookies. Loud noises and certain textures bothered aer. And if you asked any of the other Beasts, they’d tell you that their companion could talk for hours about anything that had taken hold of their interest.

Their view on gender and sexuality was…well, Shadow Milk dabbled more with them than anything else. Silent Salt had once described aer relationship with the topic as the same as putting on clothes. Taking off and putting on whatever felt comfortable. That seemed like a pretty good comparison. And their body seemed to reflect that too. Ae had always looked androgynous. And their lower body was a mix of male and female genitalia.

None of their differences had ever mattered much to them nor any of the cookies that cared about them. A sad thought popped into the Beast’s head. Had…Had Wizard Cookie’s family never let him know that was ok? Actually, now that ae thought about it, had Wizard Cookie ever even mentioned his family in the time Shadow Milk knew him?

“Look, I won’t lie to you-,” And wasn’t that an odd sentence to come out of them. “-there are going to be some cookies who won’t understand. Who’ll be jerks about this. But you aren’t alone in this, ok?”

Wizard Cookie snorted sarcastically. “Yeah, right. And you know that how?”

“I’m the same way.” Shadow Milk had to hold back a snort again as the child whipped around to look at them. The two cookies sat in silence as the smaller searched the older cookie’s face for a punchline.

“You’re being serious?” Shadow Milk nodded. They were taken off guard when the smaller cookie flung himself into aer arms. The Beast barely heard his little voice as he said, “How do you cope?”

“I don’t cope. I’m proud of who I am. Has no one ever talked to you about this?” Wizard Cookie shook his head. “Gingerbrave and the others are the only family I’ve ever known. I’d rather be crumbled then have this change their opinion of me.”

Shadow Milk highly doubted they would care. Even with Chili Pepper Cookie’s attitude and Custard Cookie’s brattiness, the five of them cared deeply for each other.

Like you and the others. Shadow Milk smiled.

“Are you going to tell anyone?”

“Only if you want me to, little cookie. And I’ll be right there with you if you ever decide you want to tell them.” The cookie child nodded groggily. Shadow Milk allowed him to rest. If anything changed ae’d wake them up.

As the child dozed, something he said kept playing through Shadow Milk’s mind. Gingerbrave and the others are the only family I’ve ever known. That was troubling. Well, if Wizard Cookie had such few positive adult influences in his life, Shadow Milk would just have to be one. And wasn’t that a terrifying thought.

***

Eternal Sugar Cookie was used to pain. Her legs didn’t bake right when she was first created. She was capable of walking but not far, and not without becoming achy at best and excruciating at worst. It was the reason she was graced with wings and her cloud making ability in the first place, to move around easier. Recently though that had become hard to do.

Her wings were large; they had to be in order to support her weight properly. The air space around the Cookie Kingdom was tight. She’d have to fly high above the town or be carried around by the others in order to get anywhere in a timely manner. She hated burdening them like that, though none of them ever seemed to mind.

(“It isn’t any trouble.” “I’ve lifted rocks heavier than you.” “We want to help.” “Don’t be such a dummy, dummy.” Despite the mostly rough and blunt comments, her fellow Beasts’ words always brought warmth to the pink goddess.)

Maybe that’s why she was the only one who noticed. Cherry Blossom had invited her along with her sister and Werewolf Cookie to a picnic. Nearby was Gingerbrave, running around to chat and help anyone he laid eyes on. To their face, he was as cheery as ever. But the second he thought no one was looking, he would start to grimace. His cane was nowhere in sight.

Sugar played with the charms on her anklet as she thought. The little trinket was very dear to her, from before their corruption. She and Berry had made them, five matching accessories for each of the former Sages, decorated with each other’s Soul Jams. Just looking at the piece of jewelry always filled her heart with joy.

She continued to watch the gingerbread. How had no one else caught on how much pain he was in? Why didn’t he just have someone go get his cane?

“Well, howdy everyone!” Eternal Sugar snapped back to the present as Gingerbrave’s voice broke through her thoughts. By those damn witches, he looked awful. And the others still didn’t comment on it. Could no one really tell?

“You certainly seem busy today,” the pink goddess commented before she could stop herself. “Why don’t you sit with us for a while? We certainly have enough food. If that’s alright with you three.” It was probably rude to invite another to a picnic that wasn’t hers, but just looking at the gingerbread made her legs start to hurt.

Sugar continued to watch silently as the picnic’s other occupants (mostly the two sisters) chattered amongst themselves. Periodically, Gingerbrave would rub at his legs. It was going to be brutal when he’d have to get back up again.

“Oh, would you look at the time.” The other cookies turned to look at the pink cookie. Shadow Milk was the best at weaving lies, obviously. They were not known as the Beast of Deceit for nothing. But following her blue companion, Eternal Sugar Cookie was the second best liar of the Beasts. Her darlings were the best at what they do. She had to be just as good to prove she belonged beside them.

“I’m sorry dearies, but I promised my sweethearts I’d be home soon. It’s game night you see.” Turning to Gingerbrave, the god asked, “Gingy? Would you be a dear and assist me on my way home?”

Again, Gingerbrave looked nervous, though he hesitantly agreed. Sugar elongated her wings as the two made to stand, obscuring the two cookies from the other vision. To anyone not in the know, it looked like Eternal Sugar Cookie was the one struggling. She had no idea why the younger cookie was hiding his pain, but she certainly wasn’t going to be the one to rat him out.

The two cookies walked in silence until they were far enough away from the picnickers. Once she thought they were out of earshot of Werewolf Cookie, did she finally breech the question. “Is there any particular reason you’re walking around without your cane?”

The young gingerbread flinched at the question. “I-I don’t know-.”

“‘What you’re talking about?’ Oh yes you do. Anyone with a half a brain can see how much you’ve been hurting today.” Was it rude to insult all of the Cookie Kingdom? Oh, absolutely. But she wasn’t feeling particularly kind right now.

The child didn’t speak at first. But finally, he mumbled out, “I was having a good morning…” He was looking at her as he continued speaking. “The pain wasn’t that bad today. So I thought I…”

Ah. There it is. “You thought it’d be ok to go without?” He nodded. “I hadn’t meant to be out all day without it. I only wanted to go on a little walk. But then other cookies needed my help. I couldn’t just tell them no!”

“You were made to help and protect cookiekind. You can’t just say no to their pleas.”

Eternal Sugar Cookie blinked at the memory. She had been so tired back then. Her will to be happy and productive dwindling due to all the pressure being put on her. (The Witches had said she was just be lazy and difficult. For the longest time she had believed them.)

(She remembers when she broke down in front of Shadow Milk. The two of them had been each other’s closest confidants back then. There was nothing she didn’t trust with him back then.)

(There was nothing she didn’t trust him with now, either.)

(Depression. That’s what he said she had. It wasn’t an unwillingness that stopped her. Her own mind was literally working against her.)

(She remembers the shame she felt telling the others. The four other Sages were so radiant and powerful and wonderous. They deserved someone whole. Not some broken little cookie like her.)

(They never viewed it that way.)

(“You aren’t a burden.” “You’re ours.” “We take care of you happily. Just as you would for us.” “It’s like how Salty can’t talk, or I have trouble in crowded places. We ask you to do what you can. Nothing more.”)

“Is this something that happens often?”

“Probably more than the others would like.”

“Why not ask someone to help you then? Or for them to bring you your cane? I find it hard to believe no one else has noticed besides me.”

“I wouldn’t want to burden anyone. And as for the other thing…” He went quiet again. With no one talking, Sugar started to notice her own legs aching. Fuck, she needed a break. But…

“Angel!” Sugar Cookie startled at the voice. Burning Spice was approaching them, and he looked upset about something.

“Hello, Tikka dear.”

“Don’t ‘Hello, Tikka dear’ me. Why are you two walking like that? Did you hurt yourself or something?”

“Not quite. But would you mind helping me, dearie?” As the larger cookie lifted her into his arms, she whispered, “Gingerbrave too. He left his cane at home today.” Burning Spice winced. He’d seen plenty of times when his Angel was in pain from overexciting herself. Without another word, the Great Destroyer picked up the now flailing gingerbread. Gingerbrave tried to argue against the two Beasts, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

The walk back towards the castle was quiet. Once he realized Burning Spice wasn’t about to put him down, Gingerbrave fell into a silence. Sugar didn’t think he was going to say anything else until…

“I don’t want your pity.”

The two Beasts shared a look at that. “Is that what you think this is? Pity?” Gingerbrave shrugged. “Is that the reason you don’t want anyone to help you?” He nodded. “And everyone is just ok with that?”

“I kind of had a meltdown awhile back. And no one wants to upset the King.”

What a shitty reason. “Well, you’re wrong. It’s empathy that makes me want to help you, not pity.” She lightly kicked his good leg. “I’m sure you’ve seen me hobble around as well. Am I lesser because neither of my legs are well? Or for needing Tikka’s help?”

“No! Of course not-!”

“Then neither are you. If you ever need help with anything, don’t be afraid to bother me or one of my sweethearts.” Tikka said nothing. This was important to Sugar. He sure as hell wasn’t going to fight her on it.

Eternal Sugar Cookie thought nothing of it for the rest of the day and night. Not until the next morning when Shadow Milk called for her. “You have a gift.” Sitting in the middle of the room was a wheelchair. A note was attached to one of the handles.

Dear Angel Food Cake Cookie,

Thank you so much for yesterday. Take this as a token of my gratitude. You deserve to be able to move freely too.

Sincerely, Gingerbrave

Sugar smiled. What a sweet little cookie. “Well,” she said out loud to her sweethearts, “let’s see how she works!”

***

“This is boring, Salty. Why did you sign us up for this?”

“We need to pull our weight. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t really trust these cookies with our lives.”

Burning Spice continued to grumble. The others had taken a liking to their new lives, finding new and old ways to occupy themselves.

Except for Burning Spice. And arguably he was the one who needed a shake up the most.

It wasn’t like he wasn’t trying. But the former Tide of Change had seen it all before. Life, death, and all that was in between. Nothing roused him like destruction did. And he could not fall again. He owed it to the others to not drag them down again.

Silent Salt had volunteered the two of them for the nighttime guard shift. Which was fine due to the company but ultimately boring. Nothing was happening. Which he supposed is a good thing but still. That and they were waiting on a third cookie to run out their little patrol.

Burning Spice was about to respond when movement caught his eye. Someone had hopped the town’s walls. “Did you see that, Salty?”

They hadn’t, but Silent Salt was now watching their companion. Burning Spice’s whole body was posed for a fight. Whatever he saw was probably nothing, but their fellow Beast wasn’t going to be able to focus now that he thought he could challenge something. Silent Salt nudged the Great Destroyer to get his attention. “Go on. I can hold down the fort for a little while.”

Whatever reservations Silent Salt may have still held disappeared with the giant grin that graced Burning Spice’s face. “You’re the best, Salty!” the other said as he dragged his friend into a side hug before running off after the mystery cookie.

Shortly after the other’s disappearance, another movement caught Silent Salt’s attention. A look of shock crossed the Beast’s face as Strawberry Cookie came into view. The God wanted to ask what she was doing out here this late at night, but with Burning Spice gone there was no way to communicate with the little cookie.

“Evening, Salted Caramel Cookie. I hope the night has been treating you well.” The Beast hesitated before they gave a thumb’s up. At the gesture, Strawberry Cookie paused before becoming bashful.

“Sorry. I forgot you don’t talk for a second,” she signed startling the other cookie. They had never seen her (or really anyone in the Cookie Kingdom honestly) use it before. Only the other Beasts ever bothered to learn Silent Salt’s language. Where had this little cookie picked it up?

“Selective mutism.”

Silent Salt blinked at that. “I beg your pardon?”

“Selective mutism. I don’t really know why but sometimes talking becomes impossible for me. Figure learning sign was a smart thing to learn, though most don’t know it around here.”

How strange. They had never heard of such a condition. But it was nice to know they had some way to converse with the shy cookie now. And with the most pressing question at the forefront of their mind…

“If you don’t mind me asking, why are you up so late?”

“I’m on duty.”

“Duty? As in guard duty?” The pink cookie nodded. “I mean no offense, but why would the Guard’s Commander put you on duty at all? It’s the middle of the night for one, and for two you are very young.”

“I don’t ask my guards to do anything I wouldn’t.”

Silent Salt startled again. “‘Your guards’? You’re the Commander?” Strawberry Cookie nodded but Silent Salt wasn’t paying attention now. She was so young. Why was SHE the Captain of the Guards? Surely, there was someone else more qualified? They wanted to ask but it wasn’t really their place to. Right?

“Hey?” Silent Salt turns to the young cookie. “You’re a knight, right?” They hesitantly nodded. Technically yes, they were, but not for a very long time. “And you’ve had all sorts of training, right?” They nodded again. Here is where the little cookie hesitated. “Would you…” She switched over to sign. “Would you train me? To be a knight?”

Silent Salt paused. For too long apparently because the little cookie was now rambling. “I’m trying my best, but I have no formal training. I’m afraid it isn’t enough. What happens if I face someone stronger or with more experience or-?”

Silent Salt patted the shy cookie’s shoulder to get her attention. “I will train you. And…if you need help with anything else, let me know. I will gladly help.”

Silent Salt wasn’t sure why this fell on the little cookie’s shoulders, but they would gladly help ease the burden. The others believed that they no longer held any of the virtues that once made them sages. But the knight knew that wasn’t true. A part of them would always be the Virtue of Solidarity. It was the reason they fell. And it would be the reason why they’d help this little cookie. They would be for her what no one was for them.

The shy little cookie blushed at the sentiment as she shoved her hands into her pockets. The two cookies fell into a comfortable silence as they waited for Burning Spice’s return.

***

When Burning Spice went to chase after the mystery cookie, he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. It certainly wasn’t Chili Pepper Cookie waiting by the side of the road. At the rustling he was making, the teenager looked over but didn’t react more than that.

As the former Tide of Change moved towards the other cookie, he asked, “What are you doing?”

She looked back over at him again before her gaze returned to the road. “Nothing. You should head back to the Kingdom.”

Burning Spice’s face scrunched up at that. “It’s dangerous to be out here by yourself. I ain’t going back without you.”

Chili Pepper’s own face scrunched up now too but didn’t budge or try to make him leave. She still didn’t react when Burning Spice sat next to her. The Beast wasn’t sure what exactly the teen wasn’t looking for. What could possibly be out here that the teen would need to leave the safety of the Cookie Kingdom?

Chili Pepper kept playing with the dagger in her hand. She needed Tikka to leave. The only cookies who knew about these outings (at least she thought they knew) were Gingerbrave, Wizard Cookie, Strawberry Cookie, and Custard. If anyone else found out about this, well, she didn’t want to cause trouble for the others.

A sound suddenly caught the two cookies attention. Several ginkgoblins ran by, carrying bags of loot over their shoulders. A grin curled on Burning Spice’s face. They were out in the middle of nowhere. He could fight them. No one was around to-.

Wait. Shit, no. Chili Pepper Cookie was-.

Except she looked equally as nervous. Chili Pepper was shifting in place, looking back and forth between Burning Spice and the goblins. “Are you alright?”

“I-.” Chili Pepper looked at the ground. “…I get this…urge, I guess.”

“What kind of urge?” the Great Destroyer asked as one of his eyebrows rose.

“I was a…thief…before joining the others. I just-I sometimes get the need to take stuff, to-to get it out my system. The others…They know, I think. It’s why they let me have this. Because if I got caught, if anyone found out I was stealing shit-.”

“…You’re afraid it will somehow make the others look bad.”

The teenager looked at the older cookie. Yeah, that sounded about right. But…How had Tikka Cookie guessed that?

“My urge is fighting. Honestly, it’s more of an obsession. It’s gotten mine into enough trouble in the past. I’ve been trying to distract myself from it, but well…”

“It’s hard?”

Burning Spice nodded. He watched as Chili Pepper looked back to where the goblins ran off to. He continued to watch as her expression shifted from guilty to downright malicious. “No one else is around. And those goons probably stole those from some unsuspecting traveler.”

Burning Spice felt his own smile grow. “Really we would be doing everyone a favor.”

The two cookies silently went down the road. They had money to take and fights to have.

***

Burning Spice had expected Chili Pepper to sneak back over the wall when they returned. Except no, apparently that wasn’t what she was doing. Both Beasts watched as the teenager sauntered by the two guards.

“You get it out of your system?” Strawberry Cookie asked her friend.

“Yeah. Found that ginkgoblin camp that’s been giving us trouble. Me and Tikka took care of it for ya.”

The two Beasts watched as the girls talked. Both looked at their companion questioningly. “Why is Chili Pepper with you? She wasn’t who you went after, was she?”

“I’ll tell ya later. What’s the pipsqueak doing out here? Where’s the other guard?”

“I’ll tell you later. Did you find what you were looking for?”

Burning Spice looked over at the still talking cookies. “Yeah. I think I’m starting to like it here.”

Silent Salt smiled. They did too.

***

The day had been going splendidly. Wizard and Strawberry Cookies’ training were coming along nicely, and Silent Salt had even managed to drag Tikka and Chili Pepper into it too. Both cookies wanted to learn everything they possibly could, and the Five Beasts had a lot of knowledge to teach. Keeping their more fiery companions out of trouble was just a bonus.

Meanwhile, Sugar had spent most her day with Gingerbrave tending to the cotton candy sheep and chatting about the Sugar Gnomes new research that the gingerbread was helping them with. She was even able to teach him how to make a halfway decent candy flower crown.

All in all, everything had been going fine until the Beasts returned to their shared home.

Mystic Flour was just sitting in the kitchen, hands intwined in front of her face and a dark look in their eyes.

“Mysty?” they turned to look at their xīn'ài de voice. The haunted look hadn’t left her face. “Are you alright?”

The Beast of Apathy said nothing. She just kept looking past them, like none of the other Beasts were there. It wasn’t often that their companion looked so…well any emotion nowadays. What could have possibly transpired to make her sudden look so distraught?

Burning Spice suddenly turned on his heals, much to the confusion of the others. Silent Salt managed to catch his shoulder before he could leave. “Tikka? Where are you going?”

“The bakery’s got those buns she likes so much. I’m gonna go get her some.”

“Mysty likes bao buns, not rye,” Sugar pointed out as Shadow Milk commented, “You cannot possible believe those are the same.”

“Well, whatever! I’ll get her a tart if it’s that big of deal!”

“No…” The four remaining Beasts turned to look back at their companion. Mystic Flour still didn’t look better, but they had now seemed to at least acknowledge the others. “We…” she hesitantly started. “We have something we need to discuss.”

Half an hour had passed. None of the Beasts knew what to do with the information Mystic Flour had just shared with them.

“You’re sure?” Shadow Milk asked once again. It felt like that was the only thing any of the Beasts were capable of saying right now.

“Yes.”

“Pancake Cookie could have been making it up though,” Burning Spice pointed out, but his face fell when Mystic Flour shook her head. “Vampire Cookie overheard and confirmed it. Custard-He-He’s the-.”

In the several months that had passed since the Beasts’ arrival in the Cookie Kingdom, none of them had ever met the rulers of this land. The only members of the royal family any of them had run into was Custard Cookie the Third and his little brother Pancake Cookie.

None of them particularly minded. Whomever was in charge had to have been incredibly busy. Not to mention, none of them really wanted to gain the attention of anyone with any actual power.

Except no. There was no one else. The cookie they had believed to be Prince Custard was actually the king. And not just him. But the other founders were Gingerbrave and his friends. And that? That felt worst to them.

“I want to help him.”

Everyone turned to look at Mystic Flour again. There was a determined look in their eyes. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Peony?”

“Yes.” Mystic Flour took in the forms of her xīn'ài de rén. “They’re just children. They should be carefree. They should be learning who they are, more worried about playing games or crushes or anything children are supposed to be doing. But more than anything, I don’t want them to be like us.”

The others flinched though none of them tried to deny it. None of them thought that the little cookies were capable of such atrocities like they were, but then again no one thought they were capable of such atrocities either.

And honestly? The other Beasts were starting to care about their little cookies too. If they could, they too wanted to help them, even if none of them really knew how they would do that. One thing was certain though.

They would not fall.

***

Custard watches as the floury cookie looks over the Kingdom’s finances as Pancake sleeps on her lap. This was becoming a more frequent occurrence ever since she found him dealing with the latest trade order.

He still couldn’t figure out what her game was. Was she trying to take over his Kingdom? Did…Did she know that he knew?

And to make matters worse, he had noticed something similar happening with the others too. The knight had been taking over more and more of Strawberry’s duties as guard captain. Any complaint or wishes were being performed by the winged one. The magician was helping out with Whizzy and the sugar gnomes research. Even Chili Pepper seemed cheerier now that she found a new confidant.

“Did you need something, xiǎo guówáng?” Custard Cookie startled at the older cookie’s voice. This was driving him crazy. He had to ask. For the sake of his cookies, his friends, his baby brother. Taking in a deep breath, he asked the question that had been burning through his mind for weeks now.

“Who is Mystic Flour?” Custard watched as the older cookie froze in place. Oh, this was such a bad idea. Why didn’t he at least wait until there were others present?

“Where did you hear that name?”

The young king shuffled in place. “When…You were upset when I told you I was the king. Gingerbrave and I went to go see if you were ok. We hadn’t meant to overhear you all talking.”

Mystic Flour went to interrupt but he just kept going. “We were curious. Whizzy found a book on the history of Beast Yeast. It told us about…” He didn’t finish the though. When he continued again, his voice had dropped to a whisper. “We probably wouldn’t have given it another thought. But the Blueberry Yogurt Academy has these statues. They look just like you.”

This was it. It was all over. They would have to run again. Or they’d be imprisoned. And Mystic Flour wasn’t sure right now which felt worse.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?”

Mystic Flour looked down at the child in their lap. “What’s there to say?” From the corner of their eye, they noticed the young king move closer towards her.

“Why’d you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Become the Beasts. The books say you beloved gods. It seems weird why you would all suddenly change.”

Mystic Flour blinked. No one ever asked her that. But why did he wish to know? Why wasn’t he calling for their capture or banishing her from his kingdom? Still, if it bought her some time she would take it.

“Your heroes, these Ancient Cookies? They presumably chose the path they now walk, correct? They chose to become heroes?” Custard nodded. “My xīn'ài de rén and I never got a choice. We were not heroes, we were tools. The first choice we ever made was to fall. It was not a pretty choice, but it was ours.”

Custard went quiet as he thought. His gaze had fallen towards the sleeping child in her lap. “So, if you are as bad as the stories say and you imply, why are you here? Shouldn’t you all be out there getting your revenge or something?”

Mystic Flour tilted the child’s head back up. A small smile graced her face as she answered. “We were given so much power so quickly, we never got the chance to appreciate small things. You and your little friends have given us a joy that no other cookie, not even the Witches, gave us.”

Their gaze turned to the window overlooking the Kingdom as they continued. They can see Eternal Sugar Cookie from here. “Mì táo gets to spend her days playing with cotton candy sheep and pretending to be a carpenter.” A laugh escapes the former goddess’ mouth. A laugh! They can’t remember the last time they had laughed so freely. “She’s awful at it, truly, but no cares. Nor if she has a hard time getting out of bed due to well many reasons really.”

Their gaze travels towards the Sugar Gnome Labs. “Your little wizard friend resparked Milkyway’s joy in teaching and learning.” A sad look passes her face. “And they have friends now.”

“Did he-they not have friends before?”

“Not friends that weren’t just the four of us. Shadow Milk has always been something of a firecracker. For some, they are considered too much.”

Custard’s face scrunched up at that. He’s heard cookies say that too. Plenty of times. About him. And about his friends.

“Silent Salt only fell because of the rest of us,” the Beast Apathy continued to explain as they found they and Strawberry Cookie near the bakery. It hadn’t taken long for the two cookies to become close. Good. Salty always was a sweetheart. They deserved nothing but good things. “We’re all we’ve ever had. They say they don’t regret it, but they’re so much happier getting to be around other cookies again as well as getting to be a part of something more than just causing mindless destruction and chaos.”

“And Tikka Cookie?”

“Burning Spice is still adjusting. But I see it in the way he moves and talks. He’s starting to love life again.” As if the world itself was attempting to prove her right, the overlord and his new little shadow had returned through the Kingdom’s gates from their…whatever it was the two of them got up to. He was laughing from something Chili Pepper Cookie said. He looked so peaceful.

“And you? Why are you helping me?”

Mystic Flour closed her eyes as she spoke. “As I said earlier, we were tools back then. No one truly cared about us. They ‘adored’ us only because we could give them something.” She looked over at Custard Cookie. “And when I look at you and your friends, I see history repeating itself.” Here they took the young king’s hands in theirs. “And I do not wish to see history repeat itself. So my xiǎo guówáng, will you let me help you? Will you let me be for you what no one was for me?”

Custard stared in Mystic Flour’s eyes, searching for something. When he found nothing but the sincere truth, he suddenly collapsed into the Beast’s hold. “Thank you,” he whispered. And if he shed a few tired tears, well only he and Mystic Flour were around to see.

Chapter Text

Shadow Milk wasn’t sure what set him off. He was fine when he had stepped into the inn. Tikka had been raving about their cream root bear, and they had recently gotten a shipment of redberry juice. Sugar loved redberry juice! He just wanted to surprise them.

Only a few cookies had been in there when he entered. They hadn’t even noticed the room start to fill up until someone was accidentally rubbing up against him. Shifting over didn’t help. There were cookies sitting on its left, talking loudly. And the smell. Ugh!

They felt their brain start to go fuzzy as the noise and sensations continue to agitate them. They needed to soothe themself somehow, but they couldn’t think of anything with their brain like this.

I need to leave. I need to leave right now, but their legs felt like jelly. Their arms still worked though. They could only tell because they felt them pulling on their hair, but it wasn’t helping.
They felt someone’s presence hovering on their right. Whoever they were was-Talking? Maybe? Shadow Milk couldn’t tell. Everything sounded muffled right now.

Shadow Milk doesn’t remember how it happened, but when he finally came back to, he and Silent Salt were sitting in the middle of the jellybean farm. Salty was rocking the two of them back and forth, something that had always soothed him from a meltdown.

The former Font of Knowledge whined, gaining the mute one’s attention. “Hey, Sleeping Beauty. How are you feeling?”

Shadow Milk went to speak but their tongue felt heavy in their mouth. “Bad. What happened? How’d we get here?” he signed.

“I wanted to surprise Tikka and Angel with the inn’s root beer and berry juice. It looks like we had the same idea. You were in the midst of a meltdown, so I figure I’d bring you somewhere quiet. The farm is pretty large. Thought the chances of running into someone were pretty low.”

“Great mind’s think alike,” Shadow Milk signed with a tired smile. They breathed loudly through their nose as he asked, “So how bad was it?”

“You were making these strangled noises and I’m pretty sure you bit me at one point while I was moving you here. It definitely got worse when we exited the inn.”

Shadow Milk whined again. Great. Who knows how many cookies saw that? And they had been doing so well lately too. They hadn’t had a meltdown since being set free, and they of course had done so in public.

Their fingers were reaching up to pull at their hair again when their knight in shining armor caught ahold of them. Shadow Milk watched in silent fascination as Silent Salt started twisting their intwined hands back and forth. So mesmerized was he that he missed Silent Salt moving closer to plant a kiss to his cheek.

The Master of Deceit startled at the contact before cacking as the knight blew a raspberry on his cheek. If anyone was around, they would have heard the orchard filled with raucous laughter as the two Beasts continued to tease each other. “Feeling better?” Silent Salt asked when they both finally calmed down.

“Yes. Thank you, Charming.”

“Always, Blue.”

***

“Mì táo.”

Eternal Sugar Cookie ignored her Sweetie Wheatie.

“Mì táo.”

The pink goddess continued to add sugars to her tea. Something Mystic Flour thought was an absolute abomination. Since the early days of their existence, the two cookies had made it a habit to meet up and have tea together. Also, since the early days of their existence, Sugar would add a comical amount of sugars to her drink.

“How can you possibly drink that?”

“The same way you can drink that,” the pink cookie pointed at her Sweetie’s cup. Sitting in the cup was two teabags.

“There’s more flavor with the second teabag,” the Apathetic One explained as they took a sip. “The tea to water ratio is insufficient with just one tea bag.”

“You’re wasting my tea.”

“And you’re killing your taste buds.” The pink cookie stuck her tongue out at the other while Mystic Flour rolled their eyes at the display.

The two cookies fell into silence as they continued to sip their steaming beverages. The day was beautiful. So beautiful in fact, Mystic Flour wanted to draw it. Sugar watched as the other took out their notebook and began stretching.

"You know what you're drawing, Sweetie Wheatie?"

Mystic Flour nodded as they continued to sketch. "Maybe."

"Can I ask what it is?"

"No, you cannot.”

Sugar pouted at that. She attempted to lean forward to see what had caught the other’s eye only for Mystic Flour to pull it close to their chest.

"C'mon,” Sugar whined. “I wanna watch you draw."

"No, you can't see this one."

"Why? Is it of me?" A sly grin graced Mystic Flour’s face, but they said nothing else on the matter. So that’s a yes.

The two basked in the serenity of this moment, the sound of scratching pencil on paper, munching on snacks, and sipping tea filled the air. Every now and then, the Bringer of Happiness would catch her Bunny sneaking glances at her. She knew her companion was drawing her.

Sugar bit the inside of her mouth. She subtly scooted closer to her partner, determined to catch a glimpse. She could feel Peony’s confused gaze on her, and she struggled not to giggle or smile mischievously, desperately trying not to give away her true intentions.

Mystic Flour chose to ignore their Birdie as they continued to draw, but they were very much aware of their friend the whole time. It was only when Sugar leaned on their shoulder did they press the notepad to their chest again, asking, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," the pink Beast instantly said, in a high-pitched, giggly tone that indicated that she was definitely lying.

Mystic Flour raised a brow and failed to hide an amused smile. "Are you sure? It looked like you were doing something you weren't supposed to."

"What? No, no! I was just..uh-?" A grin stretched across her face as her eyes landed on her friend’s adorably smirking face. "I was just thinking about kissing my Sweetie Wheatie Bunny!" Sugar shouted before wrapping her arms around the other’s waist, dragging them into her lap. Mystic Flour let a yelp of surprise out and dropped their sketchbook, but the other didn’t care at the moment.

Nowhere was safe from Eternal Sugar Cookie’s attack as she continued to pepper her Bunny’s face with kisses. Meanwhile, Mystic Flour squirmed and giggled in their companion’s grasp, attempting to free themself but to no avail. The other refused to let them escape that easily.

Only when she paused to catch her breath, did Sugar’s eyes finally land on the dropped notebook. Before they could react, Sugar snatched up the drawing.

Mystic Flour was attempting to wriggle out of Sugar’s grasp again. "You're not allowed to look! It's meant to be a surprise, Mì táo!”

Sugar didn’t respond. She already knew her Bunny was drawing her, but she forgot how talented Mystic Flour was. Little details that even Sugar hadn’t noticed about herself. It was impressive.

“Mì táo?”

Sugar turned to her Bunny. A shy smile graced her face. “This is beautiful, Wheatie. Can I keep it?”

Any annoyance that remained melted at the question. “Of course you can, Birdie.” With that, the two cookies snuggled back up together, quietly talking, drawing, and sharing treats.

***

Shadow Milk woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for breath. Fae groaned as fae fell back onto faer bed, hands coming to faer face.

Nightmares were nothing new to any of the Beasts. Many a nights would be spent with one or more of them in a panic after dreaming about being back in that damn tree.

Despite all of them suffering from them, Shadow Milk had the most. If it was just about the tree, fae might have been able to live with that. But there was something else that was far worse than that damn tree.

“Princess?” Shadow Milk looked over to faer doorway. Standing there was Burning Spice. He looked equally tired. The blue cookie patted the bed, offering the larger cookie a spot on faer bed.
The bed dipped as Burning Spice laid down next to the smaller cookie. The room fell into silence as the room’s occupants curled up around each other. “You want to talk about why you’re up so late?” the former warlord asked when the silence became too much for him.

“Just nightmares.”

“They sounded real bad, Princess.”

Shadow Milk sighed heavily. Fae wasn’t getting out of this. “When I told you guys about how we escaped, I left a couple things out.”

“Ok?”

“The Guardian. It was Eerie.”

“Eerie? As in Iridescent Cookie?” Shadow Milk nodded. The Master of Deceit watched as the larger Beast’s face dropped.

There were not many cookies from the past that any of the Beasts looked back fondly on. Amongst those few cookies was Iridescent Cookie from the Faerie Kingdom but none of them more than the jester. Shadow Milk loved him. If things had been different, the two would have probably been very happy together.

“It gets worse.” Burning Spice doubted that but held his tongue anyway. “He gave his life to keep us sealed. Passed it onto this White Lily Cookie-.”

“You said all this before,” the Great Destroyer interrupted. At the look the smaller gave him, Burning Spice mumbled out a quiet apology.

“Right. Anyways, so the new Guardian, right? She hadn’t been able to awaken her power at first. I didn’t think much of her. I thought she was a nobody. So you know me? I toyed with her and this Pure Vanilla Cookie-.”

“The guy who stole your Soul Jam?”

“Spicey-.”

“I’m sorry. I just want to make sure. Isn’t knowledge supposed to be important to you or something, Princess?”

Shadow Milk rolled faer eyes as he continued. “Yes. It obviously bought you guys enough time to break free. But…” The jester sighed again. The nightmare and the actual events replaying in faer head.

The choice had been simple. Her friend’s life for faer and the other Beasts’ freedom. Shadow Milk had thought this half a cookie would choose her friends. Despite all that had changed, it’s still the choice the Master of Deceit would have made.

(If they had been given the chance, they would have saved Eerie too.)

What they had not been expecting was for her to instead go for the Silver Tree. Shadow Milk had watched in horror as the Guardian magic wrapped itself around their prison.

The others-!

Fae had felt the rumble and heard Pinkie and Peony’s laughter and voice respectively. But they hadn’t actually seen them escape and there was no hide nor hair of Silent Salt or Burning Spice.

For several horrible moments, they thought they hadn’t managed to get out in time. For several horrible moments, they thought they were alone again.

“…it of course turned out not to be true, but…at the time…”

“…You thought we were all gone again?” Shadow Milk nodded.

The two Beasts understood each other perfectly in that regard. He was the first to fall, and fae was the last. Both of them had gone through a period of time where they thought they had lost everyone they cared about. To go through that again…Burning Spice shuddered.

“What about you?” Burning Spice rose an eyebrow. “Why are you awake? I doubt it was just because of me.”

“Couldn’t sleep. Head’s too full of thoughts.”

“Thoughts on what?”

Burning Spice had to look away. He wasn’t going to be able to get the words out if he looked at Shadow Milk. He’d been trying to for a while now. Ever since they came to the Cookie Kingdom actually. But he chickened out every time.

“I owe you all an apology.”

“For what?”

“For getting corrupted.”

“What?” Shadow Milk rose up to look at faer friend, but Burning Spice continued to avoid faer gaze. Shame was not a look the Great Destroyer normally wore. Shadow Milk hated it on him. “Why on all of Earthbread do you think you owe us an apology for that?”

“I got corrupted first. I know we were all unhappy back then, but I can’t help but feel if I just toughed it out…”

“…then we’d all still be the Sages?”

Burning Spice nodded.

“Well, then you’ll be happy to know you’re wrong on both counts.” That got the warlord’s attention. Now Shadow Milk was the one who couldn’t look the other in the eye. “I was the Font of Knowledge. All that information gave me ideas and delusions of grandeur. I think, even if all of you were able to fight it, I still would have fell.”

“…how are you so certain you were the first to become corrupted?”

“I…never told you all this but…where do you all think Candy Apple came from?”

Candy Apple? Burning Spice never really gave the little cookie’s conception a second thought. He always just assumed Shadow Milk found her.

When fae didn’t get a response, fae continued. “I had been lying to myself for so long about so many things at the time. I admittedly still am unsure how, but Candy Apple was born from my deceit.”

“Salty definitely fell because for me,” he argued.

“Dashing would have fallen for any one of us. They didn’t want you to be alone. And you can’t blame yourself for Mysty and Pinkie. As for me, it was inevitable. You all falling just made it easier.”

Burning Spice sighed. He still didn’t believe that, but Shadow Milk was stubborn as a mule. “Fine. But if I’m not to blame for all of you falling, then you’re not to blame for what happened to Eerie.”

“That’s-.”

“Eerie made his choice. He would have always chosen the world. You knew that back then and you know that now.”

Shadow Milk sighed. Fae knew. It still didn’t mean it didn’t hurt fae thought as the two Beasts quietly continued taking until they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

***

Mystic Flour and Silent Salt valued peace and quiet. They loved their fellow Beasts, neither would ever deny that. But they were loud, flashy, and excentric. If they had to wrangle the others on their own, oh there is not enough berry juice in the world to deal with that headache.

The day and park were so peaceful. Mystic was sketching the scenery and the playing cookie children before her. Meanwhile, Silent Salt sat behind her on a bench, playing with Mysty’s hair. It had been a running joke amongst the five that having long hair was a requirement to be a Beast.

Silent Salt loved doing up their companions’ hairs. Angel always allowed for them to play with hers so long as she could do theirs in return. They had to be careful with Bluebird’s due to the many eyes. And it was a rare treat for them to play with Victory and Mysty’s hair. No way were they going to pass up such an opportunity.

“Do you think you can give me a braid today, Salty? Or maybe up in a bun?”

Silent Salt moved forward so the other could see them. “You always keep your hair in a bun.” Still, the knight gave it a thought before adding, “What if I did both?”

“That’s acceptable.”

Both Beasts fell back into silence as they went back to their activities. Silent Salt quietly contemplated how they wanted to go about this. From their spot, they were able to watch their Bunny as she worked. So it was easily spotted when she suddenly stopped, looking at something across the park.

Silent Salt followed her gaze to see Cherry Blossom and Werewolf Cookie. Even from across the park and without actually hearing them, it was pretty obvious the pink cookie was flirting with the wolf boy hard. It was also plain as day that the more stoic of the two was turning a bright shade of red. It was a cute scene, they could admit, but it didn’t explain why Mystic Flour was suddenly frozen.

Leaning forward again, they signed. “Bunny? You ok?”

“Yes. Just thinking.” They watched as she went back to her drawing. Silent Salt continued to look at their companion. Just as they were about to ask another question, Mystic Flour beat them to it. “What’s it like?”

Silent Salt blinked at the question. “What’s what like?”

“Romantic attraction.”

Silent Salt blinked again. “Why…do you want to know?”

Mystic Flour went silent as she gathered her thoughts. “Back before our corruption, I never gave it much thought. Mortal cookies’ lives were short and fleeting. I saw no point in starting anything with them. And with the four of you-.” Silent Salt took note of blush forming on their companion’s face.

They still hadn’t addressed any of their feelings. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. They and Sugar had talked about it and how emotionally constipated their fellow Beasts were. If it was up to the two of them, they would have been together romantically a long time ago.

“-I assumed what I felt was romantic,” Mystic Flour continued. “But now I’m not so sure. The way Sugar and Berry talked about her lovers and Iridescent or Tikka and his uh...”

“…Nightly adventures?”

“Yes, that.” Silent Salt let out a silent chuckle at their friend’s curt tone. “I’ve never felt like that. For anyone. Not even the four of you.”

The knight hummed as they sat on the ground next to her. “Well…I don’t know if I’m the best cookie to answer that.”

Now it was Mystic Flour’s turn to be confused. “What…are you talking about? You’ve had relationships before.”

“Relationship. I’ve only ever been in one. And I can count on one hand how many cookies I’ve had crushes on.” A small smile graced the knight’s face. “It’s only been you guys for me. And even then, that’s only because I’ve bonded with you all.”

Huh. Well, that was certainly new information. But… “What about Sea Fairy?”

Silent Salt huffed through their nose. They had been expecting that. “Same reason you thought you were in love with us. It’s what I thought I had to do. The only thing good thing that came from that mess was the girls.”

Mystic rested her head on their shoulder while she took it all in. “So what happens when you four become a couple?” She refused to look an her xīn'ài as she continued. “Where would I fit in with this? I refused to be passed over.”

Silent Salt tapped their heads together. “No matter what happens, you’ll always be ours, Mysty. Whether that’s romantic, platonic, or familial. We can discuss this with the other when the time comes, ok?”

A sly smile graced the knight’s face. “And you’re in luck because I get the feeling that isn’t happening for a long time. Not with how Blueberry and Victory ‘sworn off’-,” they quoted with their fingers, “-romance as ‘silly, pointless mushy crap’.”

The former Virtue of Volition cackled at that. “They truly are ridiculous, aren’t they?” She smiled as she calmed down. “Thank you, Charming. I needed that.” Before the former Virtue of Solidarity could respond, Mystic Flour pressed a quick kiss to their cheek before settling back to her drawing. Her face had lit up again.

Silent Salt smiled at their companion. With that settled, they went back to fixing up Mystic’s hair.

***

Burning Spice felt like he was dying. Of all the things in all of Earthbread to have him holed up in his room, it had to be his damn uterus.

The warlord didn’t generally hate his body, not like Sugar did, but the most dysphoric he felt was once a month when it felt like his innards were trying to rip themselves out of his body.

A noise alerted him that someone had entered his room. Speak of the Beast, he thought as he peeking an eye open revealed it to be Sugar, wrapped up in a blanket, looking like shit. Burning Spice didn’t hesitate. He lifted his own blanket to allow her to snuggle next to him.

The two Beasts sat in silence, both suffering from different aliments. “How bad does it hurt?” Tikka opened his eye again to look at the pink cookie. “Bad. Are you hurt or…?”

“Mentally exhausted. I was going to stay in bed, but I overheard Berry and Mysty talking about you. Figured it be better to suffer together.”

Burning Spice laughed at that, though he immediately regretted it as a particularly bad cramp tore through him. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to use your magic on me?”

“You know I won’t do that.” He did. But you can’t blame a guy for trying. “Can’t you use your own magic to heat yourself up or something? I’ve seen you do that with Mysty and Berry before.”

“For me to do that to myself, I’d probably set the house on fire. At best. There’s a very real chance the whole town would go up in smoke.”

Sugar watched with tired eyes as a thought kept playing in her head. “If it bothers you so much, why don’t you get rebaked? Gingy says there’s a witch that lives around here that’s really nice.”
But Burning Spice shook his head at that. “I like my dough just fine. Never had the need or desire to change what’s down there. And even if that wasn’t the case, would you trust a witch after everything we’ve been through?”

Ok, when he put it like that, she supposed it made sense. Sugar bit her lip as she debated saying the next part. “Is it…” The Hearld hummed in acknowledgment when his companion didn’t continue. Sucking in a breath, Sugar continued. “Is it weird that I’m kind of envious of you right now?”

Burning Spice blinked. “What?”

“It stupid, and I know this isn’t fun for you. But it just feels like another reminder of why I’m not like other girls.”

“Birdie, we are never going to be like any other cookie. And for all my bitching about it, I’d rather it be me than you in pain.”

Sugar hummed again but said nothing further on the matter. She was already getting tired from the conversation and probably would have fallen asleep again if the warlord hadn’t spoken up again.

“While we’re on the subject-,” Sugar looked back her sweetheart. “-and you can tell me to fuck off if it’s a sore spot, but why wings? When it was discovered that your legs hadn’t baked right, how come you didn’t get them rebaked?”

Sugar thought. “I wanted to be free.” Burning Spice’s face scrunched up at that so the pink cookie continued to explain. “I was unhappy even back then. I’m pretty sure we all were, but none of us wanted to admit it yet. Whenever I saw birds, I thought they were the freest creatures in all of Earthbread. They were able to go anywhere. No one told them what to do or how to be. I wanted to be like them.”

“Thus the wings.” Sugar nodded. “Were you really that unhappy back then?” She nodded again. “I don’t think I was consciously aware of it. But it’s a feeling I’ve felt for a very long time.”

And didn’t that sound familiar? Burning Spice had spent so long being miserable. The Hearld of Change had longed for the early days, where everything was new and fresh and interesting. Now he longs to take it all back. He ruined all their lives. And for what? Because he was bored?

“I mean-,” Oh, shit. He was talking out loud. “-are you sure it was just boredom? From what you’ve described, it sounds like it was insanity brought on by depression and suicidal thoughts.”

“I’m not crazy. And hold on, why do you think I’m depressed?”

“’I wonder what it will take to destroy me?’ Those were your exact words. And I didn’t say you were crazy. I do think it would benefit you to seek professional help though.”

Burning Spice grumbled at that. “Ok, how about this-,” Tikka looked at the pink cookie. “-if you go, I’ll go too. Ok?”

Burning Spice considered it. “Ok.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. We can see who does therapy better.”

“That is not how that works.”

“That sounds like someone who knows they’re going to lose.”

“Tikka!”

She lightly bopped him as he chucked. “You smiled. You love it.”

She did love it. And him.

***

“What are you doing?” Shadow Milk looked up from what shi was doing. Mystic Flour was standing in the doorway to hir room. Shi went back to hir current predicament. Sitting on hir bed was several dresses and skirts. “Just trying to figure out what to wear. Did you need something?”

Mystic Flour shook her head as she looked around the room. Shadow Milk’s vanity was covered in various makeup and hair care products. Looking closer at their companion revealed several different shades of blues, blacks, and golden smears on their arm, as if they couldn’t decide what color they liked best. “Girl day?”

“Eh kind of. It’s more of ‘I haven’t worn anything feminine in literal millenniums, and I missed it’ day. I’m just being indecisive.”

Mystic Flour hummed in acknowledgment as one skirt in particular caught their eye. A simple blue ankle-length skirt with black butterflies on the hem. “What about that one?”

The jester considered it. It was pretty, and shi had a lovely white blouse and sleeveless vest that would go perfectly with it. And if shi played hir cards right, shi could probably convince Mystic Flour to do hir hair up.

Mystic Flour laid down on her companion’s bed as she continued to watch them put themselves together. “Couldn’t you just shapeshift to look more feminine?”

“No one knows I’m a shapeshifter. How would you suddenly explain me just entirely changing like that?”

“Custard says there’s a local witch that lives nearby who often helps them out.” The two Beasts shared a look at that. That sounded truly awful.

“You should use the golden eyeshadow, by the way. It makes your eyes pop,” they suggested as they changed the subject.

“Well, I certain hope they don’t. I need those to see you know.” Shadow Milk grinned at the raucous, obnoxious laughter that came from behind hir. That was one of the things the Master of Deceit loved about hir fellow Beast and missed terribly when they became the Beast of Apathy. How easy they could make them laugh and the loud, undignified cackling.

Shadow Milk had always loved stupid jokes and puns, even back when they were still the Font of Knowledge. Most cookies just rolled their eyes or ignored them. But not Mysty.

Shi still remembers when it first happened. The Five Sages and several ruling leaders had been at a banquet. Shadow Milk doesn’t remember what exactly they had said, something about one of the foods they had been eating at the time.

A loud snort broke through the polite smiles and quiet groaning. Mystic Flour had been covering her mouth. For a second, the Sage thought maybe their friend was crying until she moved her hand. Her laugh-! Oh, it was one of the most beautiful sounds shi had ever heard!

Ever since, Shadow Milk made it hir life’s mission to make that sound happen as often as possible.

“Do you think you can help me with these ribbons? I want it to look like a butterfly to match the dress,” shi asked as the other managed to calm down.

“I can try. I’ve never done that before though,” they said as they came up from behind their Bluebird.

“Well, you’ll just have to wing it.”

Mystic Flour tried to get her laughter under control. “That was awful, Blue.”

“You’re right. That joke didn’t fly. It butter-fell.” Hir grin grew wider as the other leaned into hir for support.

Oh, yes.

Shi absolutely missed this.

***

Had the ceiling always moved like that? Silent Salt wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. They were fine this morning. We’re they coming down with something? Did they need to seek medical attention?

“Pretzel?”

(“Pretzel?” Silent Salt had signed when she first called them that.

“Well, yeah. Pretzels are covered in salt. And that’s your whole thing…” Sugar grew quieter as she kept explaining. The other Sage just stared at her, not responding.

Just when she was about to take it back, they signed, “Cinnamon.” At the questioning look, they elaborated. “Pretzels can be covered in cinnamon. If I’m ‘Pretzel’, you’re ‘Cinnamon’.”

She loved it.)

“Are you alright, sweetie?” They were not. They thought they were dying, and their fingers were turning into snakes. Silent Salt watched as Sugar moved into the room only to pause as she made her way past the kitchen. “Pretzel, did you eat any of these?”

By these she was talking about the brownies on the counter. They had, though they couldn’t verbalize this. Silent Salt watched as she groaned. “Pretzel. Sweetie. Honey bun. Those were special. They had mushrooms I've been growing. They were for me, Tikka, and Mysty.”

Oh. Oh shit.

Of the Five, Silent Salt was one of two Beasts that didn’t partake in substances. They preferred having control over their facilities. They had no idea how much was too much for them and they had just eaten, like, seven of those brownies.

They heard Sugar sigh. “Ok, sweetie, let’s get you comfortable. How does a bath sound to you?”

Eternal Sugar Cookie struggle to get her sweetheart towards the bathroom. She had to eventually put them in her chair and push her to the bath. “So how does it feel being high for the first time?” the winged Beast asked as she got them settled in. Eternal Sugar Cookie watched as they tried to sign, but the only thing that came out was gibberish. Kind of impressive given how the other was mute.

“Ok, well how about we do this? You take a nice hot bath, we get you all snuggled up, and then I’ll make you something that isn’t filled with copious amounts of drugs? Ok? Blink once for yes, twice for no.”

Silent Salt winked.

“Eh…close enough.” Just as Sugar was about to leave, she felt a tug on her arm. Silent Salt managed to grab a hold of her. “Yes? Is there something else you need?” Suddenly the knight had dragged her down closer to them, almost knocking the Bringer of Happiness into the tub.

She was about to demand what they wanted when the knight crashed their lips together. Oh. Oh well wasn’t that a surprise. She should stop them though. The knight really was quite out of it. They weren’t usually so rough. That and the others would throw a fit if they were excluded. Still, she did this miss this.

Reluctantly she pulled away from her sweetheart. There would be time later, when they were of sound mind and the Five Beasts were all together.

***

“This is just our luck, huh Salty?” Silent Salt couldn’t agree more. The two Beasts had been sent out to gather information on a cake hound pack that had getting a little to close to the Kingdom.
They were on their way back when it started raining. They had found shelter sure but now they were stuck. Silent Salt could manage. Boredom was not really something they ever put much stock into, but Burning Spice? That was going to be a problem.

“Victory. You need to calm yourself. We’re going to be here for a while.” Burning Spice grumbled. They weren’t wrong, but what exactly was he supposed to do?

Well…

There was something the two could do…

“Absolutely not.”

Burning Spice started pouting. “You don’t know what I was going to say.”

“Oh, do tell me then. What else could you have possibly suggested other than a fight?” Silent Salt let out a silent chuckle as their companion continued to pout about their situation.

…

“Hey?” Silent Salt looked over at their companion again. “Do you still have that flute thing on you?”

“My ocarina?”

“Yeah, that.”

They did. “Why?”

“Play me something. To pass the time.”

Silent Salt considered it. “Ok. But only if you sing for me.”

“My voice is shitty, Salty.”

“It’s only fair, Tikka.”

Burning Spice sighed. There was no getting out of this and both of them knew it. Swallowing his pride, Burning Spice started singing in a language long since dead. As he continued, the sound of an ocarina accompanied him.

The two stayed like that, singing and making music until the rain stopped.

***

Eternal Sugar Cookie was awoken by something nudging her. Upon cracking an eye opened revealed a…blue sheep?

Oh. Pfft.

Looking around revealed that she had fallen asleep in the sheep pen again. As Sugar sat up and stretched, the ‘sheep’ nudged her again. “Yes, yes. I’m up. Did you come to get me, or did you see me and decided to come be a bother?”

The ‘sheep’ only baa’ed at her. Sugar snorted as she pet them. “Well, if you’re not going to answer, then I get to do this!” Sugar grabbed them, pulling it into her chest as she laid back down. The ‘sheep’ struggled for a second before giving up. When Sugar opened her eyes again, Shadow Milk was there in its place.

“Hello, Bluebird.”

“Hey, Songbird. You planning on getting up any time soon?”

“Oh, absolutely not. Not when I have such a comfy little sheep to snuggle.”

Shadow Milk rolled its eyes but relented, snuggling into the pink cookie. As the two Beasts intwined their legs together, Sugar thought something felt off about the Master of Deceit’s legs. Shifting slightly, Sugar grew confused when she found wooden ones.

“Milkyway, what happened to your legs?” Shadow Milk looked down at the appendages. “I hadn’t told you?”

“I think I’d remember if you did, Shadow Milk.”

The blue cookie hummed as it went on to explain. “During the fight against the Witches, I had been trying to outrun the chains. Well after a while all that zipping around, it eventually catches up to you…”

Sugar looked on in horror. She remembers, vaguely, Shadow Milk screaming after they’d all been caged. She thought he had been enraged. She thought they were swearing vengeance because of their imprisonment. She thought…She thought…

“Do the others know?”

Shadow Milk snorts. “Of course not. I didn’t want to upset any of you, and it’s not like anything changes. I’ve always floated all over the place. It’s not even the first disability I have.”

“Are you talking about your face eyes or your…do we actually have a name for your condition?”

“Both, I suppose. And, hmm, no, I don’t think so. But hey, times have changed. Maybe there’s a name now.”

“You’re very unbothered by all this. How’d you even come by those anyways?”

“Like I said nothing changes. I’ve had millenniums to get used to it. As for where they came from…we didn’t immediately me up again. I took a small detour. And look on the bright side.”

“There’s a bright side?”

“Yeah! We match now!” Eternal Sugar Cookie sputtered. It couldn’t be serious?!

Except, no, of course, it was. This was Shadow Milk. Who else would find such a silver lining to something any other cookie would find bleak?

“I am going to need you to never say that again, Milkyway.”

“I can’t make that promise, Angel.”

Sugar sighed loudly. “You’re lucky I love you, Milkyway.”

“Love you too, Angel Cake.”

***

“Remind me again, why are we buying all this?”

“It’s for dinner tonight.”

“Tikka, we all suck at cooking.”

“You’re exaggerating, Bunny.”

“We set the stove on fire!”

Chili Pepper watched her mentor and his…wife…maybe? She had never bothered to ask nor could she really tell which of the Five Beasts were coupled together. Right now, it only kind of mattered. She needed to talk with him about something but if she was wrong on the two cookies being a couple she was going to feel the biggest idiot in all of Earthbread.

“Pepper Seed!” Chili Pepper blinked as she heard Burning Spice’s nickname for her. Great. She’d been spotted. Fuck it, she thought as she made her way over to them.

“You two aren’t planning on cooking again, are you?” she asked.

“It wasn’t that bad!”

“You almost burned your house down…” Burning Spice grumbled as Mystic Flour shook their head. “How have you been, Chili Pepper? Has the day been treating you well?”

“I guess…”

The Beasts shared a look. “Everything alright?”

Chili Pepper quietly grumbled as she looked at the ground. “You want try that sentence again, Pepper Seed?”

“There’s this girl…”

Burning Spice hummed as he went back to looking at the wears. Mystic Flour nodded to get the teen to continue. Chili Pepper sighed as she spoke. “I really like her. And just needed advice on what to do about it.”

“And you’re coming to us because…?”

“Because you’re the only married couple I know.”

“Because we’re a WHAT?!”

Shit.

“Fuck, did I get it wrong? You and the others are all really close. None of us were really sure who-.”

“Calm yourself, Làjiāo Zhǒngzǐ. Victory, pull yourself together.”

“Yeah. Yeah, ok, I’m alright. And don’t worry about it. We’re…Mysty?”

“Yes, Xīn'ài?”

“What exactly are we?”

“You don’t know?!”

“What we’ve always been.”

Burning Spice could feel the dopey grin grow on his face. That’s how he felt too. For all that’s changed, what he’s felt for Mystic Flour and the others has never wavered.

…

“We need to talk.” Turning towards Chili Pepper. “As for you, it seems pretty straight forward. You tell her how you feel. Don’t be stupid like us.”

“Rude.”

Chili Pepper snorted. “I’ll keep that in mind. Have fun with your talk.” As she walked away, she called over her shoulder, “Try to not to start a fire again!”

Burning Spice rolled his eyes as Mystic Flour snickered. “Come on, Tikka. Let’s go find the rest of ours. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Of course, my lady.” And just to be a little bit extra, Burning Spice placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist. Despite the deep blush, Mystic Flour smiled widely. Neither were really sure how this was going to work out, but the five of them would work it out.

Together.

Chapter Text

“Blueberry Muffin?”

The former sage turned towards the door as a yawn left her mouth. She had slept…strange last night. She had a dream, though she couldn't remember it. Just knew that she woke up in tears. Despite this, it wasn’t an unpleasant dream, she didn’t think.

Wizard Cookie stood in the doorway to the lab. They looked nervous about something. “Hey kid. Everything alright? Did something happen?”

The gingerbread child looked behind him at…something. “No. Nothing’s wrong, per se. But there’s these two cookies looking for you.”

Shadow blinked before her gaze turned suspicious. “I don’t know anyone here other than the cookies in this Kingdom.”

He looked back at the god. “I know. I told them they were mistaken, but they insisted on speaking with Professor Blueberry Muffin Cookie. And if he was unavailable, to speak with Lady Azure.”

Oh shit. No one outside of the other Beasts knew that name. The Master of Deceit quickly rushed to the door, almost knocking her new protégé over in the process. Upon her exiting the labs, her eyes landed on two familiar forms. This first newcomer was a faerie cookie with giant green apple slices for hair. Her companion a blueberry wizard with large circular glasses. Shadow Milk hadn’t seen these two in such a long time.

“Ah, just the Professor we wanted to see,” the wizard greeted. At his side, the faerie cookie bounced excitedly. Shadow Milk didn’t give either of them a chance to continue. The two cookies seemed genuinely surprised when the former sage dragged them both into a dough crushing hug.

“You’re alive. I thought I’d never see you two again.”

Despite their initial shock, Black Sapphire and Candy Apple quickly returned the embrace. “We missed you too, Master.”

***

“So how exactly are you alive?”

Black Sapphire turned to look at Mystic Flour. The Five Beasts, the Master of Deceit’s servants, and this Wizard Cookie were all occupying the Beasts’ home. They had much to discuss, and it was best to have privacy.

Currently, Black Sapphire was surrounded by the Five Beasts in their living room, with Shadow Milk refusing to let his former student go since learning about his continued existence. Candy Apple was off in the kitchen, interrogating his Master’s new protégé. The girl always was a bit too protective of her father.

Black Sapphire turned to look at Shadow Milk. “You were right.” This was met with confusion. “About Taffy’s infant powers. Early on in our relationship, I had wished that we would always be together. And well…”

Shadow Milk groaned. She had warned her oldest. When it was revealed Cream Unicorn was capable of using wish magic, Shadow Milk had warned them of the dangers of recklessly granting ever wish and dream cookies had asked for. It seemed her kind-hearted Taffy hadn’t taken her warnings as seriously as she had hoped.

“I’m sorry, Black Sapphire. Taffy shouldn’t have done that to you.”

The grape cookie shrugged. “Probably not. But I don’t regret the life I’ve built with them. I was equally as smitten with them as they were for me.”

“So where is Taffy now then?” Sugar asked from her spot in between Burning Spice and Silent Salt. “If the two of you are still together, and-What? Raising Candy Apple? Where are they now?”

“Not just Candy Apple.” Confusion filled the room. “Congratulations. You’re all grandparents.”

This news was of course met the loud questioning he had expected. It only stopped when Silent Salt slammed their hand on the table in front of them. “You two are parents?”

He nodded. “Of…four.” There was a sad note to his voice.

“When do we get to meet them?” Shadow Milk asked excitedly as Burning Spice asked, “Do they know of us?”

The grape cookie winced. “A version of you. Taffy didn’t want their opinions of you to be soured.” He winced again at the hurt looks, though no one could really blame them. They hadn’t exactly been cookies looking up to the last time they saw their child. Trying to lighten the mood, Black Sapphire added, “And yes, you can all meet them. One of them actually lives here in the Cookie Kingdom.”

Shadow Milk, Eternal Sugar, and Silent Salt all brightened at this, though Mystic Flour and Burning Spice still looked apprehensive. “You still haven’t told us where Uni is though,” Mystic Flour reminded.

Now it was Black Sapphire’s face that darkened. “They’re a demigod. Gods of any kind need to perform their duties in order to stay alive.”

The Beasts felt their hearts drop. Did that mean…? Quickly noticing their distressed expressions, the former student reassured, “They’re still alive.” A sigh of relief washed through the room. He continued sadly again, “But they attempted to give up godhood for me and our kids. I had to make them leave. If they didn’t…well…”

The sentence went unfinished. They all knew what would have happened. “What about the others?” Burning Spice asked.

“I’ll admit, I’ve lost contact with most of them over the years. No one had seen Cream Ferret and the baby since before your fall, Lord Spice.”

The Great Destroyer nodded. Good. It was one of the last things he had asked his older children to do before his complete and total corruption. Protect the baby. Protect the Spice Lands.

“I haven’t seen Nutmeg or Sugarfly and Pavlova since we left for Crispia about…” He paused. “Candy Apple!”

The teenager pausing in her interrogation to look over at her older brother. “How long have we been in Crispia?”

“How old is Glitter?”

Black Sapphire blinked at that before his head dropped into his hands. “Fuck. We haven’t seen them in nineteen years.”

“Why are you pressed about that? Nineteen years isn’t even a drop in the bucket compared to everyone else.”

The older cookie sighed. “I hadn’t realized how quickly time had passed. And don’t give me lip. You can’t tell me you don’t miss Pav.” The teen grumbled as her older brother added, “Last we heard, Nutmeg and Sugarfly took over the spice tribes as well as your uh followers, Lady Sugar.” Turning to look back at Shadow Milk, he added, “I did what you asked.”

“Did you find them?” the Master of Deceit asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not them,” Black Sapphire said with a shake of his head. “Her. ‘Sing the song of those below, and she will come.’ The Sovereign of the Duskgloom Sea. Black Pearl Cookie.”

Silent Salt perked up at that. “You met Pearlie?”

“I asked them to find her. To…let her know you hadn’t…” Shadow Milk doesn’t finish. ‘Abandon her’ is left to hang in the air.

“What of Peach Blossom? And the monastery?” Mystic Flour all but demands.

Candy Apple’s whole body froze as Black Sapphire’s face fell. “Peachie’s fine. He’s honestly the only one we keep in regular contact with. He still lives in those damn mountains.”

“But not the monastery?” Sugar questioned. It didn’t make sense. Peachie was Mystic Flour’s son. Why would the Haetae Clan send him away?

When Black Sapphire spoke again, Mystic Flour’s entire dispassion dropped. “I’m sorry, my Lady. But after your imprisonment, they decided to…follow your plan.”

“What does that mean?” Wizard quietly whispered to Candy Apple. That didn’t matter to the other Beasts right now. Mystic Flour was devasted. Her sweet little Haetaes…they…they were all…

“They’re all gone?”

Black Sapphire shook his head. “All but one. A child. Their family didn’t want them to suffer their fate.”

Mystic Flour still didn’t look happy. No one could blame her. All those cookies returning to flour… “I want to see them.”

No one bothered to stop her. All any of them could do was wrap her in their arms. It wouldn’t change what happened, but the comfort was better nothing.

***

“So what’s the deal with that wizard kid?” Shadow Milk turned to look at her daughter. Mysty and Sugar were resting upstairs. Mysty needed a rest and Sugar was always more than ready to snuggle. Tikka and Dashing had gone to make preparations for the trip while Wizard went to speak with Custard about what was going on.

“He’s my protégé.”

“You let him know who you are and about your past,” Black Sapphire pointed out.

“He found out on his own.”

“But you’re clearly ok with that,” Candy Apple commented haughtily. Shadow Milk inspected her carefully. Her face was scrunched up and her arms were crossed. Was she…?

“You’re jealous,” she said with a grin.

Candy Apple scowled. “Well, yeah. You’ve been out of that stupid tree for months now, and you didn’t bother to look for us. And instead you start playing house with some nobody.”

The grin drops immediately. “Oh my little liar. Come here.” The teen looked like she wanted to argue but ultimately relented as she was wrapped in the older cookie’s arms. “I’m sorry I didn’t look for you. Both of you,” she added as she looked at her former student. “I didn’t know you two were still alive. If I had, I wouldn’t have stopped until I found you again.”

Black Sapphire stood and made his way over to the two, wrapping them in his own embrace. “It’s good to have you back, Master.”

“It’s good to be back.”

“You never mentioned about what you think of the pipsqueak,” Candy Apple mumbled wetly.

Shadow Milk chuckled. “Yes. I care about him. Congratulations, Apple Pie.” She lightly pinched her daughter’s cheeks. “You have a new little brother.”

“I never asked for one!”

Black Sapphire snickered. He couldn’t wait for his own children to meet their grandparent.

***

Ever since Candy Apple and Black Sapphire showed up, Wizard Cookie had been trying to distance himself from the Master of Deceit. Even when he was willing to be near her, the gingerbread had become unusually quiet.

It wasn’t that he wanted to separate himself from the older cookie. But she had her real kids back. She didn’t need him anymore.

“Hey!”

Wizard Cookie startled at the call. Shadow Milk was coming towards him. Black Sapphire and Candy Apple were a little ways away, watching the interaction. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

Wizard Cookie blinked. “You’ve…been looking for me?”

“Yeah. I wanted to show those two,” she jerked her head in the direction of her student and daughter, “a proper tour of the kingdom. Was going to take them to the diner when we were done.”

“Then…what do you need me for?”

“Need you? I want you there.”

Wizard Cookie looked between the cookie before him and the two off in the distance. “Why?”

“What do you mean ‘Why’?”

The little cookie shuffled in place. “You have your real kids. You don’t need some random kid following you around.” A low growl startled the little wizard once again. Looking back up at the Master of Deceit, Wizard Cookie was shocked to see the look of rage on his face.

“I don’t know what idiot put these thoughts in your head, but you are not ‘some random kid’ to me. You’re my kid. End of discussion.” The dark look melted into a soft smile. “Do you understand?”

Wizard Cookie gaped like a fish before sharply nodding. “Good. Now come on. If we don’t get a move on, I’m afraid Candy Apple is going to start causing trouble.”

“And you’d encourage her to do it, right?”

Shadow Milk chuckled. “Oh, absolutely.”

Chapter Text

Silent Salt needed a minute to themself. The knowledge that their children were all alive and well was quite the shock. Even more so that Black Sapphire was able to find Pearlie.
They hadn’t meant to, but the knight had ended up at the docks. The sea was always such a calming place for the Beast. Even before (and after) their rocky relationship with Sea Fairy, whenever they weren’t busy, they’d go to the nearest beach or dock and admire the view.

Silent Salt quietly watched as the cargo ships came and went from the docks. They couldn’t help but wonder what her life was like now. Black Sapphire said he told her what happened to them but that doesn’t mean she forgave them. Even if they still came to see her even after their fall, they technically chose the other Beasts over her.

“Sing the song of those below, and she will come.”

It was how Sea Fairy and Silent Salt were able to communicate with each other, and later, what they taught their daughters in order to keep in contact with the knight. They wondered if it still worked.

Pulling out their ocarina, they played the familiar tune that hadn’t been heard in millenniums. They felt tears spring to their eyes as they continued to play. They hadn’t seen their daughters in such a long time, even before their fall and imprisonment. Their doomed marriage and Pearlie’s transformation ended their relationship with most of their daughters. Pearlie was all they had left, and she probably-.

“Shay-Shay?”

The music stopped. Silent Salt almost dropped the instrument as they spun around to face the voice. Standing there in the dough, stood Black Pearl Cookie. “Is-Is that really you?”

The former Virtue of Solidarity didn’t think as they rushed their daughter, wrapping her in a dough crumbling hug. She’s here. She’s actually here, they thought as the mermaid returned the warm embrace.

“I thought I lost you forever…” she whispered.

Pulling away from their daughter, the Beast signed, “Oh, Pearlie, I’m so sorry. I never meant to leave you. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but just know, I’m so terribly sorry for abandoning you.”

Black Pearl let out a wet laugh. “Oh, Shay-Shay, you’re one of the few cookies who hasn’t abandoned me. You we’re taken from me.”

“But I-.”

“No,” she interrupted. “You’ve always been there for me. Even after I became the Sovereign of the Duskgloom. Even after you fell. If you hadn’t been trapped, would you still come for me.”

“Of course I would. You’re my little Pearlie.”

Black Pearl smiled. She was about to reply when someone called out her name. A shark and pufferfish-looking cookie were running towards them. “Friends of yours?”

“Something like that. Would you like to meet them?”

“Always.”

***

Black Pearl couldn’t help but laugh at the Captain’s face as she introduced her Shay-Shay to the rest of the Salty Shark crew. “I thought you said your parents were dead.”

“I said they were gone.”

Caviar hummed as he held his hand for the Beast to take. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet ya. Welcome aboard the Salty Shark. Pearlie’s talked so much about ya.”

Silent Salt observed the Captain and their daughter as they took his hand. Their fingers are intwined. Pearlie looks happy. No, not just happy. Smitten.

She’s in love.

With their free hand, the knight signs, “Pleasure to meet you too. You break my daughter’s heart and I’ll make sure they never find your crumbs.”

Black Pearl cackled at the threat as Caviar tried to question her. “Oh, Shay-Shay. That’s adorable that you think I won’t crush him myself if tries anything funny.”

Silent Salt felt a tugging on their cap. The children from before were at their side. “Black Pearl says you’re really old.” The mermaid sputters as the knight and captain grin and cackle at the statement respectively. Silent Salt nodded. “So you can tell all sorts of stories about her, right?”

They nodded. They would be delighted.

***

“So you’re all finally together? Officially?”

Silent Salt rolled their eyes at the same time they a big yawn struck them. Today was nice. They hadn’t intended to stay as long as they did, but it had been millenniums since they saw their daughter. Plus, they deeply enjoyed getting to know the company she now kept. The sun was just now beginning to set.

Black Pearl smirked as she asked, “Am I boring you, Oh Mighty Beast?”

They rolled their eyes again. “To answer your question, yes. The five of us are together.”

Black Pearl smiled softly. “I’m glad. It was kind of obvious that you and Mother were in love with other people.”

The knight rubbed the back of their neck. “We’re we really that obvious?”

“About as obvious as Cap and I are.”

“You really do love him, huh?” Silent Salt watched as the soft smile grew into a wide grin. “I do. I never thought I’d trust anyone after Lord Oyster and Jelly. But he cares about me. I’m no longer alone.”

“And the rest of the crew?”

“I made a friend in Candy Diver. And Rookie, Ink, and Sorbet Cookie certainly keep me on my fins.”

Silent Salt was about to respond when something caught their eye. Off in the distance was a child with purple hair. In her hands was a doll made of…Were those onions?

“Shay-Shay? Are you alright?”

Silent Salt only took their eyes off the child for a second. When they looked back again, they were gone. “Sorry. Got distracted. I’ve been sleeping weird the past couple of days.”

Black Pearl nodded as she looked out at the sea. “Will you be staying here?”

They nodded. “What about you? Will you stay?”

Black Pearl shook her head. “I have a new home now.” Nodding her head towards the ship. “They’re my new home now.”

Silent Salt nodded again as they pulled their daughter into a hug. “I promise we’ll come back,” she whispered. “I lost you once. I refuse to lose you again.” They nodded. They would be sad to see her go, but they were happy to know she was happy and well.

***

Silent Salt felt like they were going crazy.

Everywhere they went, they were being followed. The child – a little girl – they kept seeing her from the corner of their eye. Though every time they looked away from her, she’d disappear.
Even more strange, no one else seemed to see her. It was a mystery they wished to crack, but with no leads, it seemed impossible to figure out what was going on.

The night was quiet, just how they preferred. Perhaps that’s why they heard it. Crying. From somewhere in the woods. They sounded young. And scared.

Silent Salt didn’t think twice.

Upon finding the source of the sound, Silent Salt was shocked to find the child they had been seeing. The girl’s tears, something that was already coming down hard, streamed violently as the knight approached.

Silent Salt paused before deciding to rummage through the pouch attached to their hip. The girl watched curiously as the knight continued to look for something. When the item was revealed, the child’s eyes lit up.

Silent Salt smiled as they watched the little cookie devour one of the jelly candies they kept on hand for Pancake and the strange little cookie that had taken a liking to Peony.

“Onion Cookie, where are you?”

Silent Salt turned towards the newcomer, an older cookie with dark purple hair wearing a gothic dress. Inspecting the child – Oh, she didn’t disappear this time! – and the newcomer confirmed that the two were related.

The newcomer paused as she took in Silent Salt’s form. The little girl – Onion Cookie – perked up at the newcomer. Silent Salt watch as she rushed over to the older girl. They continued to watch as the older cookie looked conflicted.

Blackberry Cookie watched as the knight – Salt something – rose up to greet her. She watched as they paused. “Do you sign?” Blackberry nodded. “Sorry to startle you then. You really should watch this little one better though.” Blackberry startled again. They could see her?

“Well, its late, and not safe. Come. I’ll escort you back,” they signed before Blackberry could respond. As the sisters followed behind the knight, Blackberry leaned down to whisper to the other.

“Are you alright? They didn’t hurt you?”

Onion shook her head. “They were really nice. They gave me candy. I’ve been watching them for a while.”

Blackberry Cookie nodded. Yes, Onion had mentioned that though the older hadn’t actually thought the knight could see her younger sister.

The walk back continued in silence. It was only once they had reached the Kingdom that the silence was interrupted. “Blackberry!” Black Sapphire was making his way towards them. He looked delighted to see the gothic woman.

“Hello, Father. How have you been?”

Silent Salt did a double take. Daughter? She was Black Sapphire’s daughter?! Then that meant-!

“And I see you two have already met,” they heard the grape cookie say. Wait, two? The Beast inspected the child again. In all their trying to figure out what her deal was and calming her down, they never noticed Onion’s transparent form. Oh. Sapphire’s sad note when he mentioned his children suddenly made sense now.

“Blackberry, I would like to formally introduce you to Silent Salt.”

The sisters perked up. “Silent Salt? But that’s…” The older girl inspected them as the younger started trying to desperately reach for them. “How come you don’t look like Uni?” Onion asked as they tried to subtly hold the youngster. Blackberry Cookie looked equally as perplexed as she repeated the question.

“Taffy looks more like their other parents.” That was the only explanation they gave.

“Not that I’m not enjoying my little girl meeting her grandparent for the first time,” the liar informed, “but it’s getting late.” Under his breath, he mumbled, “Shadow Milk is going to be furious he didn’t meet you first.”

“You can walk me home. I am suddenly under the impression you have a lot to explain to me.”

Silent Salt watched as the father and daughters walked off. Onion waved at them. They waved back.

***

“Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. What’s up?”

“How’d you know you weren’t cis?”

Silent Salt looked over at their squire. Today was another training day. Strawberry Cookie’s training was coming along swimmingly. They had no doubt the little cookie would make a fine knight when the time came. The two cookies were currently taking a break.

Cis.

They had never heard the word before. Something must have shown on their face. “Right, sorry. I forgot you guys probably didn’t have words for what you all are. It means you’re gender lines up with the sex you were baked as.”

Silent Salt thought. “Well, it’s starts as most things start…”

“Shadow Milk,” both cookies signed.

The Witches held a meeting every three months to make sure everything was going accordingly. Having the other four Witches in the same room as he and Illyria was always something the knight despised. They were deeply unpleasant people.

Everyone was already there except for Head Witch Eldra and the Font of Knowledge. Not unusual. His friend had a habit of losing track of time, especially when something caught his interest.
Also not unusual was the Head Witch’s sour mood. For someone who claimed to care about cookiekind, she certainly seemed to despise the one she worked directly with.

What was unusual was the Font’s new look. He? – was wearing a lovely white sundress. A long flowing yellow shawl was draped across his? – Her? – shoulders. Even as confused as the knight was, he still thought his friend looked beautiful.

“So what’s with the getup?” Herald asked. The five friends had been kicked out of the meeting almost as soon as the last pair arrived.

“I was doing research-.”

“Shocker,” the Bringer of Happiness teased. The remaining Sages chuckled as the pink and blue stuck their tongues out at each other.

“So tell us about your research,” the knight prompted.

Font stuck out his tongue one more time as Pinkie rolled his eyes. “As I was saying, I was doing research on the Soda Tropics. There are so many different islands with so many different cultures. One such culture is the Mangosteen. They have no concept of gender. Everyone is the same. And well you know me.”

They did. Whenever their Bluebird found a thread, they had to unravel it. “So you started looking at the other Tropics’ view on gender?” Volition questioned.

The Sage nodded. “They’re all have different ideas about how one’s gender works. Pineapple cookies have several more genders than just male and female. There’s a whole tribe on one of the Watermelon Islands that has a third gender where they have no gender. And I met a man on Coconut Beach Island who had been baked as a woman.”

“But then what does all this have to do with you?” Herald asked again. She looked apprehensive about all this, though the knight couldn’t figure out why.

“At first it had just been to fit in,” the Font admitted. “I tried a bunch of different pronouns depending on what the culture’s view about it was. After a while though I noticed something. The man from Coconut Island, he had explained how being referred to as a woman felt wrong because it was wrong.” She shrugged. “I never felt wrong. I never really felt different regardless of what I was called. Being a man is the same as being a woman is the same as being nothing or all.”

“None of us knew it at the time, but all of us had taken something from that conversation.” Silent Salt looked down at their hands, a soft smile on their face. “For me, I realized that I felt a lacking. Not male, not female. Just nothing.”

Strawberry looked at her (?) hands. “And the others?”

“Well Tikka and Angel both felt they’d be happier as each other’s genders. As for Peony.” They shrugged. “Mysty never really figured it out. They like she and they, and the rest of just respected that.”

Strawberry nodded her head. “Do you want to tell me why you’re asking?”

Strawberry Cookie took in a deep breath at what she was about to admit. It was going to be the first time she told someone this. “There’s not a lot of cookies I’m close too. Just my friends, you guys, and my dads really. And until I met all of you, I didn’t really know anyone who’s trans.” The knight watched as she fidgeted in place. “I still feel like a girl. But I think I want to try they too. If that’s ok.”

Silent Salt smiled as they dragged the smaller cookie closer to them. “I think it’s great so long as you’re ok with it.”

Strawberry took in another deep breath as she returned the grin.

***

“Salted Caramel Cookie!”

The knight turned towards the voice. Strawberry Cookie and two others were heading their way. “Who are they?” Onion asked from her perch on her grandparent’s shoulder. Onion Cookie had been actively hanging around them more frequently. The combination of finding out they could see her and them being related made the little one more affectionate with the older cookie.

Silent Salt shrugged. They really needed a better way to talk with her when they were in public.

“So this is the cookie that’s taken you under their wing.” The cookie who spoke was a muscular cookie, with broad-shoulders and darkly colored dough. The other was equally as large, with ivory dough and short white curly hair.

“Hi,” the other cookie greeted cheerily. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Strawberry talks so much about you.”

The Virtue of Solidarity’s gaze traveled towards their squire. “Salty, I’d like to introduce you to my dads, Purple Yam and Milk Cookie.”

As the knight shook both their hands, they couldn’t help but notice how their squire didn’t look anything like either of their parents. They also noticed that this Purple Yam looked familiar somehow. Though they couldn’t place where.

“We just wanted to thank you for looking out for our little girl,” Milk Cookie continued. “We’re so proud of her. Not everyone has what it takes to be the Knight Captain’s squire.”

Silent Salt rose an eyebrow at that. Panic filled Strawberry’s eyes. “Well…” they signed. “They’re a fast learner. If this one play’s her cards right, she’ll probably be the Captain one day.”

Purple Yam laughed loudly as Milk Cookie smiled brightly. Strawberry Cookie shuffled quietly. “Anyways, and we hope you don’t mind, but Strawberry wanted us to come see their training. If that’s alright with you?”

Silent Salt’s gaze traveled back towards the little cookie. Despite the embarrassment and panic, she looked proud. “I don’t see why not.”

As Purple Yam and Milk Cookie walked ahead of them, the knight turned to look at their squire. “Explain."

Strawberry pushed her hands into her pockets. “They would have stopped me,” they mumbled. “I haven’t been their kid for long. I’m so used to taking care of myself. So when you started training me…”

“It was easier to lie.”

Strawberry nodded. “Well, it isn’t technically a lie anymore.” Strawberry’s gaze turned questioning. “I’ve taken over those duties. You haven’t been running the knights for awhile now.” Strawberry opened her mouth to argue but was interrupted as they continued. “I meant what I said. One day, you’re going to be a great commander. But for right now, you deserve to be a kid.” Silent Salt lightly bumped into the child. “Now come on. I’m sure your parents would love to see how far you’ve come.”

***

The knight waved as they separated from the happy family of three. Today had been nice. Through their entire training, Purple Yam and Milk Cookie had been so loud and encouraging. Strawberry may have been embarrassed by their behavior, but they also looked positively radiant at every cheer and compliment.

Onion Cookie had been with them all day. She had become oddly quiet throughout the entire interaction.

“What’s on your mind, small one?”

Onion sniffled as she looked her grandparent. “Miss. Strawberry looks happy with her daddies.” They nodded in agreement. “I wish mine were able to be happy with me again.”

Silent Salt’s heart crumbled.

Later, after they had returned Onion to Blackberry, and they had curled up in bed with the other Beasts, Silent Salt’s mind continued to race. Onion was so young. Had she been around the same age as her siblings? How long had she been alone, with only her oldest sister able to see her?

As they continued to think, someone shifted next to them. Shadow Milk had rolled over, snuggling into the knight.

Hmm. Shadow Milk…

The Master of Deceit grumbled as they were awoken by their partner. “Dashing? What time is it?”

“I need your help with something…”

***

Silent Salt awoke in a void. Their head was wringing. What the fuck happened?

“Hello, old friend.”

Silent Salt’s eyes shot open at the voice. Standing before them a young woman with dark skin and frizzy hair. Warm eyes danced behind her spectacles. The former Virtue of Solidarity thought they had lost her.

Whatever Illyria Light of Solidarity, Silence, and Freedom was about to say was interrupted as her former cookie rushed her, dragging her into a bone crushing hug. The witch should probably separate herself from them.

But it had been such a long time. And she missed her sweet little cookie. Talking could wait for just a moment, she decided as she wrapped her arms around her former Sage.

Chapter Text

“Thank you for coming along with me, Tikka.”

Burning Spice hummed in acknowledgment. It’s been a week since Black Sapphire and Candy Apple’s reappearance. Peony has been such a wreck ever since they discovered what happened to their Haetaes.

(“It was what I wanted,” she had admitted later that night as they were all curled up in bed. “To have everyone return to flour. To be content and at peace. I never thought it would hurt so much to have them all gone.”)

It had been decided that he would go with Mystic back to the monastery. Salty had so much catching up to do with Pearl before she departed, and Angel just wouldn’t be able to make the trip.

(“Are you certain you don’t wish to come?” Mystic had asked one last time before they left. “He’s your son too. I’m sure he’d be delighted to see you.”

But Sugar shook her head. “You raised him. I just helped you make his dough. It would be wrong of me to intrude.”)

Princess meanwhile had been complaining the entire week about not going.

(“Think of all the history that’s there! I need to document it all!”

“Your dough won’t be able to handle the trip,” Sapphire had pointed out as Candy Apple screeched, “If you leave this Kingdom so soon after finding us again, I will personally strip your dough of all its jam!”)

“Though I’m curious, why your Làjiāo Zhǒngzǐ is travelling with us.” Burning Spice wanted to know that too. Chili Pepper hadn’t originally intended to come, but this morning she had all but begged him to let her join. Something urgent had come up. He didn’t see the harm in letting her come.

“Yo, Pepper Seed!” the warlord called. She had periodically been looking around, as if she was waiting for something. “How long is it going to take us to get to this Vanilla Kingdom?”

The two Beasts watched as the former thief started doing the math in her head. “I mean, by balloon it takes us about nine to ten hours. Whizzy says depending on how fast we go, it could take anywhere between two to seven days.”

The warlord sputtered. “And we’re not going by balloon because why?”

“Because-,” she mocked. Burning Spice rolled his eyes. “-we need the balloon to go collect recourses. It can’t be taken just to go on a day trip.”

“Calm yourself, Tikka,” Mystic Flour placated. “The monastery will still be there however long it takes. As will the Cookie Kingdom.”

“I guess,” he said as he stretched. “There’s just nothing to-.” The warlord suddenly cut himself off with a pained grunt, startling the other cookies. Both Mystic Flour and Chili Pepper looked at him in concern.

“Are you alright, Xīn'ài?”

“Yeah,” he growled as his face scrunched up in pain. “Just phantom pain.” When Burning Spice opened his eyes again, two pair of eyes were staring back at him. Oh, fuck us, I guess.

“Don’t react,” he whispered. “Someone’s watching us.”

Mystic Flour and Chili Pepper froze as they slowly turned towards where Burning Spice was looking. Chili Pepper lit up when she saw the eyes. “Tiger Lily!”

Recognizing the voice, an orange and teal cookie and a butter tiger slunk forward as the thief ran to meet them halfway. When the spicy cookie reached the other, she started peppering the wild cookie with kisses. The tiger nuzzled into Chili Pepper.

“Late…”

“I know, I know, I’m sorry. This wouldn’t be a problem if you just came to live with me in the Cookie Kingdom.”

“Loud…”

“Pfft. Yeah.”

The Beasts watched as this Tiger Lily nuzzled the spicy cookie. So this was the girl she was talking about. “So who’s your friend, Pepper Seed?”

The other cookie growled. “Not friend. More. Love.”

Chili Pepper pecked the other cookie’s cheek. “He’s teasing. He knows. Mystic Flour. Burning Spice. This is Tiger Lily.”

“The cookie you wanted advice on?” Mystic Flour confirmed.

“Yeah. Is it alright if she comes with us? Just until we reach the Vanilla Kingdom.” The thief started to ramble. Neither Beast could get a word in edgewise. It wasn’t until Tiger Lily nuzzled the spicy cookie again did Chili Pepper clammed up.

“I’m really curious of how exactly you two met. So yeah, it’s good to me. Mysty?”

“The more the merrier I suppose. Now come along. We have a long trip ahead of us.”

***

“What’cha listening to?” Burning Spice peeked an eye open to look at his ward. It was the middle of the night. Peony and Tiger Lily were already asleep. The warlord had been trying to for hours now. But his chest and sides ached. He was exhausted.

He held up the little music maker. (“Not what it’s called, Tikka.” “Don’t really care what it’s called, Princess.”) “Music. Why are you up?”

“Obviously, dummy. What specifically are you listening to?” Chili Pepper snorted as he passed her the device. “Shining Glitter Cookie? Really?”

“What?”

“She’s a pop idol. Didn’t really see you as the type to like that kind of music.” She paused in thought. “Well ok. Maybe her newer stuff, but still.”

He hummed in acknowledgment. “Honestly, I’m not really sure myself if I’m a fan. But she’s my granddaughter, so I got no choice but to be supportive.”

“FUCKING WHAT?!” Chili Pepper covered her mouth as soon as the words left her mouth. The two awake cookies waited with bated breath. When no one woke, the teen whispered, “Are you fucking serious?”

“That’s what Black Sapphire and Candy Apple said.” He looked back at the music maker. “I don’t know when I’m going to meet her. She’s famous, and right now there’s no telling how long this little adventure is going to take. I just want to be connected to her in some way.” Chili Pepper nodded in understanding. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“How come you’re so interested in coming along for this? Was it because of that one?” He nodded at Tiger Lily. Chili Pepper shook her head. Burning Spice squinted suspiciously at her. “You’re not going to try and take anything, right?”

Chili Pepper scoffed. “No.” She sighed. “I got a letter from one of my sisters.”

Burning Spice blinked in surprise. “You have sisters?”

The thief nodded. “Yeah. I haven’t seen them in a while. I’m honestly not sure what she wants.”

“How come you haven’t seen them in a while?”

Chili Pepper sighed again. “Before this one-,” she nodded at Tiger Lily. “-there was this other girl I liked.” Burning Spice narrowed his eyes. Upon seeing the dark look, Chili Pepper started stammering. “Oh. Oh shit, no. They didn’t have a problem with her being a girl.” The Destroyer relaxed, but not by much. “No. The issue was she was a bounty hunter.”

“Fuck.”

“Yeah. It wasn’t pretty. Both the fight and the relationship. I’m not…fully comfortable talking about it.” She looked at Tiger Lily again. “I’m happy with this one. Really, I am. But it still stings. You know?”

He did.

Nutmeg’s mother…

She would haunt him for the rest of his life…

“How exactly did you even meet this one?”

Chili Pepper sighed in relief at the change in subject. “It was when we were in the Hollyberry Kingdom. That place is fucking loaded. While the others were helping Princess Cookie with some kind of princess test or some shit, I kind of well…”

“I got it,” he interrupted. “What’s this have to do with her?”

“Right, so. I almost got caught by one of the guards. In my attempt to get away I hid on one of their boats. I didn’t mean to go back across the water. I hid in the jungle for a couple of hours. We ran into each other by accident.” She smiled as she pressed a kiss to her crown. “She was interesting to me, and I to her. She ended up following us back to the Kingdom though she doesn’t live there.”

Burning Spice smiled. “Good. I’m happy for you. Now try to get some sleep. We got a lot of traveling to do tomorrow.”

He watched as his ward snuggled into her girlfriend. Burning Spice finally drifted off, still listening to pop-rock.

***

“You didn’t have to come with me, you know.”

Burning Spice rolled his eyes. “You’ve been nervous all day. I ain’t about to let you go alone.”

“My sister isn’t going to hurt me, Tikka.”

She already did. “Don’t care. Now who are we looking for?”

Chili Pepper rolled her eyes as she scanned the crowd. Finally, her eyes landed on who she was looking for. Green Tea Mousse Cookie was making her way towards them.

“Greenie,” the younger sister greeted carefully.

“Pepperhead. How ya been? Who’s your friend?” the older of the two greeted far more cheerily than the other. Burning Spice didn’t know what to make of this cookie. She seemed nice. But the conversation with Pepper Seed didn’t exactly endear the other to him.

“Tikka Cookie,” he introduced.

“I’m fine, I guess,” Chili Pepper mumbled.

“Aw come on, Pepperhead. Why the long face?” the other cookie teased. The Herald squinted at the green cookie suspiciously. Was she serious? From what Chili Pepper had told him, the sisters’ last encounter had ended extremely poorly.

“Oh, just cut to the chase, Greenie,” Chili Pepper snapped. “Why did you send me that letter? We haven’t seen each other in three years.”

Three years?! Sure, it wasn’t a long time for Burning Spice, but Chili Pepper was a mortal. That and…

“How old are you again?”

The spicy cookie turned to look at the god. “Nineteen.”

Now Burning Spice was seeing red. She would still have been a child then. Sure, an older child, but still a child!

“Can’t an older sister just want to see her favorite little sister after all this time?”

Chili Pepper snorted. “Pudding al la mode is your favorite little sister. Seriously? What do you want?”

Green Tea Mousse’s face went blank as she stared at her sister before sighing. “You always were a stubborn one, huh?” The two spicy cookies shared a look. “You’ve been pretty busy lately. Ancient ruins and hidden forests. Befriending the Ancient Heros and entering their kingdoms. You’ve certainly made a name for yourself.”

“I guess…So, what?”

“So…how big is their treasuries?”

“I wouldn’t know,” the younger said with an eyeroll. “I quit stealing.”

“Well…” the warlord teased.

“I quit stealing from friends, dummy,” Chili Pepper said with a smirk.

“Oh please,” the older interrupting the friendly bantering. “Do you actually expect me to believe that? We’re a family of thieves. You will always be a thief.”

“I don’t want to be a thief anymore,” Chili Pepper growled. “I want the cookies who care about me to be proud of me. I don’t want them to have to suffer because of me.”

“I care about you.”

A bitter laugh escaped the young cookie’s lips. Burning Spice didn’t know he could hate a sound so much. “Don’t fucking lie to me. If you cared, you wouldn’t have let ma and pops kick me out. You and Driz were adults. You had money. You could have easily taken me in.”

Green Tea tried to interrupt but Chili Pepper wasn’t having it. “I was a kid, and I had a crush! And you were all just fine with them abandoning me! Any fucking thing could have happened to me! And none of you gave a shit!” She turned towards the former sage. “We’re done. Let’s go, Tikka.”

As the spicy cookie attempted to walk away, Green Tea tried to grab her. “We are not done here.” She didn’t get a chance.

Burning Spice had grabbed her hand. “I don’t give a shit who you are,” the Hearld growled. Chili Pepper watched with wide eyes. “She isn’t interested in whatever scheme you got going on.” He felt his sides ache again. He ignored it. “Don’t bother contacting Chili Pepper again. She has someone looking out for her now.”

He turned to look back at the younger cookie. Had she always looked that young? No. Not young. Vulnerable. When was the last time someone took care of her? Had anyone ever? “Let’s go, Pepper Seed. Peony and Tiger Lily are waiting for us.”

The second they were out of sight; Burning Spice grabbed his sides. Chili Pepper was panicking. Burning Spice needed to reassure her, but fuck! If he didn’t get it together, his chest was going to start aching too. “I’m ok. Stop worrying, I’m ok.”

“You don’t look ok.” The warlord stood up straight. “It’s fine. It happens all the time.” That was apparently the wrong thing to say. Pepper Seed looked horrified. Burning Spice sighed. “Look, it’s just phantom pains. I’m survived worst things than this.”

Chili Pepper looked at his sides. She seen the scars there and in the center of his chest. She never asked. It wasn’t her business.

“What…What uh…?”

“I used to have four arms. My Soul Jam was in my chest.” He didn’t bother to elaborate.

“Do…Do the others…?”

“No. Their witches had created their Soul Jams as extensions of them, like your Heroes. Mine…” He still didn’t understand why. Why had Aria made him different from the others? What could she had possibly hoped to gain from it? He would probably never get an answer. “As for my arms…I was never really nice to my body. I’m probably lucky I have any limbs, honestly.”

Chili Pepper stared at the older cookie’s dough. “You have a lot of scars.” He did. Most of them were battle marks and regrets. But not all. His wrists were covered in tiny teeth marks from a baby Nutmeg. Higher up on his neck and shoulders were four sets of teeth, from each of the other Beasts. They sink their claws and teeth into what they deem is theirs. “Not all of them are awful memories.”

Chili Pepper hums. “I’m sorry your witch was cruel and your body sucks.”

“I’m sorry your family is shitty.”

Chili Pepper laughed again. “They’re not my family. My friends are. You are. I don’t need them anymore.”

Burning Spice couldn’t agree more.

***

“What do you mean you aren’t going to the Tribes?!”

Burning Spice bit the inside of his mouth. Shadow Milk and Silent Salt had been delighted to have been reunited with Black Sapphire, Candy Apple, and Black Pearl. Mystic, despite the hanging sour note and nervousness, had also seemed somewhat happy. She had been humming tunes under her breath all week. Songs she used to sing to Taffy and Peach Blossom.

Angel was…Burning Spice couldn’t actually tell. She wasn’t displeased, per se. But her mood wasn’t the joy that the other four Beasts were experiencing.

“I can’t go back there.”

“Of course you can,” Shadow Milk snarked. “I’m sure they’d be honored to have their god’s return to them.”

“I can’t go back there.”

“The tribes are nomadic right?” Silent Salt questioned. “Is it you don’t think you’ll find them again?”

“I can’t go back there.”

“Shènglì,” Peony pleaded. “If you don’t go and reunite with your daughter, you may always regret it.”

“If I do go and see her, I will definitely regret it.”

“Damn, Victory,” Sugar whistled. “That’s cold.”

“No. It’s mercy.”

This was met with confusion. Burning Spice sighed. “She’s the leader of the Tribes. If I return to the Spice Lands, I’ll be seen as a threat to her rule. She’ll have to fight me in order to keep her hold.”

“And that’s a problem because…?” Shadow Milk questioned again, though they were not as snarky. None of the other Beasts looked particularly comfortable with this conversation. Something was wrong.

“There can only be one true leader. Only one can come out of the fight alive.” Burning Spice watched as the information sank in.

“Can you forfeit?” But Burning Spice shook his head. “If I refuse, she’ll look weak. Like I don’t think she’s worth the fight. She will die either way. I can never go back. I can never see her again. It hurts, but it will keep her safe.” He shrugs. “What more could a father ask for.”

“Burning Spice?” The Hearld of Change turned to look at his companion. Burning Spice still didn’t really understand the events that transpired. They found Peach Blossom. He was well. The mother and son spent several days up in the monastery. The warlord didn’t know what they had discussed or done, but somehow the pink cookie had convinced his mother to take the little Haetae with them. “Are you ready to go?”

Burning Spice had looked back towards the landscape. In the distance, he could just make out the Spice Lands. “Yeah. I’m ready. Thanks, by the way.” The Apathetic One rose one of their eyebrow. “For not pushing me to go to her. I can’t imagine the rest of you like this.”

“Oh Xīn'ài.” The of the two pulled her beloved into an embrace. “I wouldn’t wish this feeling on anyone right now.”

“What feeling?”

Mystic Flour pulled back to look at her partner. “My Haetaes are all dead because of me. Aside from you all, they were the only ones who ever cared about me. And now they’re gone. If I had known then what I know now-Well, I don’t know how I could have stopped them or what I could have changed, but…”

“…but you would have tried.”

Mystic Flour nodded. “If staying away keeps her safe, then stay away. At least you know you’re still doing everything you can to protect her.”

Burning Spice nodded as he headed towards the airship. It was time to go home.

***

“Hey, Burning Spice. Wake up.”

The warlord blinked away to find Chili Pepper in his face. It was still night. Had something happened? “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. Get up.” Burning Spice continued to watch in confusion as the younger cookie started getting dressed. When she looked back over at the Beast, she snapped, “Well come on! We’re gonna miss it if we don’t hurry!”

Minutes later and a quick note for Mysty, the two cookies were rushing down the streets towards a still undisclosed location. “Where exactly are we headed?”

“There’s a concert going on right now.”

“O-K? And I give a shit why?”

“It’s a Shining Glitter Cookie concert.”

This stopped the older cookie in his tracks. “We’ve never met. She doesn’t know me. I don’t even know if Black Sapphire told her about me.”

“Dude, relax. You don’t have to meet her. I just think it’d be cool if you got to see her live.”

Burning Spice looked down the street towards what he now realized was the concert’s colosseum. Well, when would he ever get this chance again?

Sneaking in wasn’t that difficult. The two cookies sat high up in the rafters above the stage, waiting for the show. What was Shining Glitter like? It was something the warlord thought about often. Really all of his grandchildren were a curiosity to him. What were their interests? Did they have families of their own? What hardships have they had to go through? So many questions and so few answers.

“Hey. Snap out of it, man. It’s starting.”

Burning Spice’s eyes returned back to the stage. Shining Glitter looked stunning. Would her music be better live? Would he even like it? He was still on the fence about her kind of music.

“Hello, Bean City! Are you ready to rock tonight?!” The crowd roared below. Burning Spice shared a grin with Chili Pepper.

Later, as they were sneaking back out, Chili Pepper was excitedly yapping about the concert. Burning Spice was more than content to listen. She was good. Not just because she was his granddaughter, but because she was genuinely talented and passionate about her music.

“So what did you think? Did you enjoy the show?”

“Oh absolutely. You and I are definitely gonna have to do this again. She’s really good.”

“Oh, thank you.” Both cookies spun around to find Shining Glitter herself. She no longer wore the costume she wore on stage, instead choosing a baggy tee and sweatpants. Her hair was held in a loose low hanging braid. “I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the show. Is this your first time?”

Burning Spice couldn’t find his voice. He wasn’t ready to meet her. He thought maybe he’d have a little time. Thank the fucking old hags for Pepper Seed. “Yeah. This one,” she pointed her thumb at the warlord, “recently got into your music. When I heard you were playing here, knew we had to come see ya in person.”

“I’m glad to hear. Meeting new fans is always exciting. I hope it was everything you expected.”

A small, shy smile bloomed on the Beast’s face. “Yeah, it was. I hope to get to see you again.”

The idol grinned brightly before someone called her, a pale-yellow cookie with a shoulder-length bob. “I gotta go. But it was nice chatting with you! Have a great night!”

The two cookies waved her off as she ran to her friend. Chili Pepper turned to her mentor. “So? Was it everything you hoped for?”

“Yeah, Pepper Seed. Thanks for this.”

“Any time, big guy. Just keep sticking around.”

“Always.”

***

Burning Spice was heartbroken. They were home they were finally home and everything had seemed fine. The others reacted the exact way he assumed they would to Cloud Haetae.

(“You’re a menace, Mystic Flour.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“How on all of Earthbread do you go halfway around the world and bring home a child that isn’t yours?”

“Rude. I am a mother of nine now. They need me.”

“THREE OF THEM ARE FULL GROWN MEN, WHEATIE!”)

During the time they were gone, the others had apparently met their other two grandchildren. Three, he had to remind himself. Milkyway and Dashing were working on somehow bringing Onion back from the grave.

Prune Juice had come to visit. Everything had been fine until Prune introduced his friends.

Capsaicin…

Capsaicin was his missing baby. And the young cookie hadn’t taken it well, running off the second he could.

He was an adult now. Burning Spice missed so much of his life. Not to mention there was the hanging question of where Cream Ferret was.

“Hey.” Burning Spice snapped out of his thoughts to find Kouign-Amann standing in front of him. Capsaicin was right behind her. “Is this seat taken?”

They were at the docks. She could do whatever she wanted. Burning Spice watched the Paladin sit beside him while Capsaicin hesitated. “You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” Kouign reassured. “If you want, I can talk to him for you.”

The spice overlord still looked nervous but shook his head. “I have to be here. I have to hear this from him.”

Burning Spice gulped as his son sat down. They sat in silence for a while. He could wait. This wasn’t about him.

“Why did you leave?” Burning Spice looked out at the sea. He couldn’t look at his son.

“I…was dangerous. To everyone I cared about. I thought if I wasn’t in the picture, you’d all be safe.” The former god laughs bitterly. “Lot of good it did. I dragged down almost everyone I loved.”

Capsaicin clutched Kouign-Amman’s hands as he listened. “Yeah. I know that feeling,” he muttered. Burning Spice looked at his son. “My powers…They’re hard to control. I…used to shackle myself. So I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

Burning Spice’s heart sank. He should have been around to teach him. Ferret wouldn’t know the first thing about training a spice cookie. Capsaicin shouldn’t have to feel like he was the problem. “I’m sorry Capsaicin. You…You deserve someone better than me as your father.”

“I had someone better than you.” Kouign nuzzled into her friend. After the Cup, Cap had told her and Prune about the cookie who raised him. How one day Cap had gone to sleep only to suddenly wake up millenniums into the future, alone. “I don’t know if I can ever forgive you for abandoning us. You’d rather be a monster than stay.”

“I understand. I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve me abandoning you. Or your siblings. But I want you to know, that none of this was your fault. If I’m shitty, it’s because I’m shitty.”

Capsaicin said nothing for a while. When he finally spoke he repeated, “I don’t know if I can forgive you. But…if you really want to prove to me that you’re sorry, you can start by helping me find out what happened to Cream Ferret.”

Burning Spice closed his eyes. “Yeah. That I can do.”

***

The search for Cream Ferret and attempts to revive Onion have so far come up fruitless. All of Cream’s favorite spots were either gone or had turned up nothing helpful.

Meanwhile, Shadow Milk, Black Sapphire, and Prune Juice as well as other magic users in the Kingdom were trying to figure out how to connect the young cookie’s soul to new dough.

Various cookies across the Kingdom were currently in the council room discussing both matters when Chili Pepper and Wizard Cookie came bursting into the room. They were arguing as they entered.

“-that isn’t how it works!” Wizard shouted in a fit of rage.

“But the Witches do it all the time!” Chili Pepper was equally furious. “Why can’t we just pop new dough in an oven?!”

“Because then we’re just making a new cookie!”

“Do they usually act like this?” Candy Apple asked. No. Not this badly at least.

“Guys, are you ok?” Gingerbrave tried to intervene but was quickly dragged back by Sugar when Chili Pepper threw one of her knives at him.

“CHILI PEPPER!” Burning Spice roared. As if under a spell, both cookies snapped out of whatever was wrong with them.

“Oh sh-! Brave, are you alright? I’m so sorry. I-I don’t know what happened.”

“Aw it’s alright,” the gingerbread tried to wave it off, but no one else was having it.

“‘Alri-?’ I almost stabbed you!”

“Wouldn’t be the first time someone tried.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you two that angry at each other,” Shadow Milk pointed out. Something about the way they were acting was…familiar. Where had Burning Spice seen this behavior before?

Strawberry Cookie sniffed the air. “Ugh! What’s that smell? Where were you two before you came here?”

“Nowhere!”

“I’ll go open the window,” Custard volunteered. As Burning Spice breathed in the new smell, realization hit him like Werehound’s hammer. “Wait! Don’t open the-!” Too late. Poor Custard almost gagged as an overwhelming smell wafted through the room.

The room fell into chaos quickly. Only Sugar and Spice were still standing as everyone else started choking on the amount of spice and sweetness that now filled the room. “Sug-!” He didn’t get to finish. Eternal Sugar Cookie flapped her wings so hard she was able to slam the windows.

“What. The fuck. Was that?!” Prune Juice gasped.

“A spice storm.”

“How though?” Silent Salt signed. “The only place I’ve seen them are back in Beast-Yeast.”

“And they never had a sweetness to them,” Mystic pointed out.

“That’s because it isn’t just a spice storm.” Everyone looked at Sugar. “I don’t even think it’s a spice storm at all.”

“What are you talking about, Angel?”

She turned to look at Tikka. “That smell – that obnoxious sweetness – that’s my magic. And there’s no way a spice storm could make it here on its own.”

Burning Spice’s dropped in horror. “The tribes. We use spices when we were preparing for war.” He turned towards Black Sapphire. “You can broadcast anything right?”

“I can.”

“Good. Make an announcement. Tell everyone to stay indoors or find shelter. Sugar,” he turned back towards the pink cookie, “let’s go.”

“Wait. Where are you going?” Shadow Milk questioned.

“If we don’t do something, the tribes alone will level this place to the ground.”

“And it’ll be easier to do if their using my magic to affect other cookies’ minds,” Sugar added. “Tikka and I have to stop them. They won’t listen to anyone else.”

“We’ll go with you,” Salt offered but was rejected. “You three will either fall to Sugar’s magic or my war spices. It has to be us.”

“Ok.” Shadow Milk sounded pained. They continued to address the others, “I don’t like it, but Tikka and Angel are right. All’s we can do is keep the Castle on lockdown and help anyone who needs shelter. Just…stay safe.”

***

The outside world was plunged into chaos. Cookies were either raging due to the spices or lazing about due to the sweetness. Both Beasts had covered their mouths, noses, and eyes. If they were going to stop this, they were going to need to remain levelheaded.

Sugar took to the skies with Spice running after her. It did not take long to locate the tribes and cult. Warning calls filled the air as they approached. Sugar had to drop down before one of Spice’s soldiers shot her out of the air.

“We are so fucked if we can’t stop them,” Sugar muttered. Tikka agreed.

“Halt!” Burning Spice’s back straightened. Nutmeg Tiger Cookie stood before the other tribe leaders. Sugarfly and Pavolva stood among them. “Take another step, and my warriors will cut you down!”

“Is that anyway to speak to your god!” The Hearld watched as Nutmeg’s eyes widened before she and the other tribe members all dropped to their knees. Sugar’s cult didn’t.

“Show some respect,” a pangolin hissed at the faerie. “You are in the presence of a god.”

“Your god. Not mine.” Sugarfly turned back towards the two Beasts. “Though I believe we are also in the presence of my Lady.”

The two Beasts moved closer. “Do you have a plan?” Sugar whispered. “Because I sure don’t.”

He did. It was going to hurt though.

“Why are you here?” he demanded. “Speak, Tiger Nutmeg Cookie.”

“We heard of your travels to the Ivory Pagoda,” she informed, still not looking at her father. Damn it Peach Blossom. “When we heard of your revival, we made plans to come find you and get your deserved revenge.”

Burning Spice heard the slight shake in her voice. She was scared. She knew what her fate was supposed to be.

“And the Cult of Eternal Happiness? Why did you involve them?”

“They have more forces than the other Beasts combined. And their magic would be most useful. It was only logical to recruit them.”

The warlord nodded as he addressed his audience. “Listen well, all of you!” his voice boomed. “This Kingdom is my new domain! You are all to leave immediately!” Whispers broke out from the crowd. From the corner of his eye, Sugar, Sugarfly, and Pavolva were sneaking off.

“My Lord,” a saffron bison tried to speak. “We we’re simply trying to-.”

“I don’t care,” he growled. “You wish to know why I never came for you all?! It is because you are weak and pathetic!” He turned to gaze at Nutmeg. “All but her! She is the only reason I have not laid waste to your pathetic lives!”

Nutmeg watched her father carefully. Did she understand what he was trying to do? Please don’t say anything, he begged. I couldn’t protect you back then. Please let me protect you now.

“You would dare betray your people?” Nutmeg growled. The tiger cookie put herself into the former god’s face. With no one but her father to see, her face softened. “Thank you, Father,” she said in a low voice. Burning Spice did not give away his emotions as she leaned away from to address her subordinates. “The Great Destroyer has abandoned us!”

Burning Spice watched as his daughter purposely riled up the other spices. He growled back at the crowd. Keep going. Don’t let them know it’s an act.

“Burning Spice, for your betrayal, you are hereby banished from the Spice Lands, forever more.” She pressed her weapon to his throat. “Should you ever return, we will be forced to slay you.”

He lowered his voice for only his daughter to hear. “I’m so proud of you. I will always love you.”

“I’ll have Peach keep in contact. Stay safe, until we reunite with the winds.” She raised her voice. “Now go! And never come back!”

Sugar slipped from the shadows as he reached the edge of the clearing. The air was already starting to feel less heavy, clear again. “Tikka?”

“Yeah Angel?”

“Can you just hold me for a second? I-I’m not ok right now.”

He didn’t need to be asked twice. He wasn’t ok right now either.

***

The Pavilion of Promise was dusty as hell. Burning Spice isn’t sure he’s sneezed so much in such a little time. The warlord wasn’t even sure what the hell they were looking for.

“What are we looking for again!” Capsaicin looked over at his…contributor. Honestly, she didn’t know either. Pruny had wanted them to clear it out for some reason. She shrugged. “No clue. Probably hoping for something to help Onion or track Ferret.”

Spice hummed in response. His relationship with Capsaicin was still rocky. The warlord wasn’t sure how much was too much with the younger cookie. He wanted to give his – Daughter. She was his daughter today. – space but he feared if he didn’t try mending things with her, she would take that as not caring.

He sighed. As he continued to rummage through the tower, his hands knocked into something. Sitting in the pile of miscellaneous items was a nest. Curled up the middle, was a fluffy peach mass. Tilting to the side revealed what he confirmed. A bow with a star pendant holding it in place.

“Capsaicin!” The spice overlord turned back in the other’s direction. Surprise marred her features at what Burning Spice was holding. Cream Ferret, in their critter form, was curled up asleep in their father’s arms.

“They’re alive,” she said in complete awe. “They’re really alive.” The awe melted into confusion. “Why are they like this though?”

Burning Spice’s joy turned to worry. “I’m not sure. Come on. We have half a dozen magic wielders back at the castle. Surly one of them will have an answer.”

***

“They used too much magic. They’re just recharging.”

Burning Spice looked at their child again. “For how long?”

Shadow Milk rose an eyebrow at that. “I don’t know, Tikka. It depends how much magic they actually used.” It turned to look at Capsaicin. “Do you remember what exactly was going on before you were-How did you explain it?”

“Get punted into the future.”

“Sure. That.”

Capsaicin crossed her arms and closed her eyes in thought. “We…were on the run. Cookies weren’t really happy with guys at the time.” Her eyes opened again. “I guess they thought we were easy targets.”

A growl and a hiss left the two Beasts’ lips respectively. Capsaicin continued. “The last thing I remember from that night was…Going to sleep to a warmth. And then I woke up in modern day Scovillia.”

Burning Spice looked down at his child again. “Cream critters are protectors.” He looked back up at his partner and daughter. “Cream would have done anything to keep you safe. For long as you were known as my child, you would have been endangered. I absolutely believe Cream would have overextended their magic to keep you out of harm.”

Capsaicin petted her older sibling. “Can we fix it?”

“They just need time.” Though Shadow Milk looked concerned. “Though…” Its tone made the other two cookies nervous. “…it’s been several millenniums. If they haven’t woken up in all that time…” It didn’t finish.

Burning Spice looked at Cream again. “Then we’re not done yet.” This was met with confusion. “I told you I’d help you get Cream back. We’re not done until Cream is awake and well.”

Burning Spice’s hand joined Cap’s in petting them. Capsaicin inspected the Great Destroyer’s face. There was a deep sadness, but a great determination in his eyes. He meant it. He really would stop to make sure his children were well and safe.

Capsaicin’s face softened. “Ok then. I guess we have work to do…” Quietly she added, “…dad.”

Unbeknownst to the other cookies, a small grin grew on Cream Ferret’s face.