Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was warm. It wasn't burning hot, no not yet. It's like being half asleep, next to a warm comforting fire. Conscious, but not quite awake. It was nice. It was comforting.

But it was getting warmer by the second. And the heat was starting to become uncomfortable. And just when it started to become overwhelming-

The screaming started.

As soon as it did he jolted up and opened his eyes in a panic. Where was he?! He looked around only to see others like him slowly but surely burning alive, stuck unmoved in a heatstroke, surrounded by scorching flames and burning charcoal.

The only reason he himself wasn't already in a heatstroke was because he was right in the middle of the tray they all lay on, and even then, his back, hands and feet were already starting to become burnt. He didn't know what was going on, what was happening, or why he was here. But he knew he had to get out of here and fast.

He wished he could save what was left of his batch, his family, but he was running out of time. If he stayed here a minute longer he would be just as burned as the ones around him. 

With new found Bravery, he got onto his feet and ran as fast as he could. Jumping past the crumbling and scorching body's around him, past the flames and charcoal that only seem to be getting hotter and hotter, he was able to get to the door, but it wouldn't budge. He looked around him, trying to see if anything could help, and he saw a candy cane just outside of the ovens bars. 

He reached as far as he could, the bars burning him as he reached past them and was thankfully, able to grab it. And using all the strength he had, broke open the oven doors. As soon as they opened, he jumped as far as he could- Before falling face first onto the counter below him. 

"Ow ow ow.. " the cookie said while rubbing his head, He looked up to take in his surroundings. As he looked around, he saw that everything around him was nearly 100% times his size. It was like looking through the eyes of a bug. Everything around him was cast in a dark dark shadow, it would have been completely pitch black if it weren't from the flame from the oven behind him.

He looks to his surroundings and saw that across from him, was another counter but this one had plates. Plates upon plates of what looked like the ones in the oven. Like.. him. But unlike his batch, they weren't burnt the slightest bit. And despite being as still as a rock, he could tell that they had sentence.  And they were terrified. He couldn't understand why, why they were so still why they were so scared- until he looked closer and saw- oh god-

But before he could take in anything else, the door he had yet to notice, burst open revealing a giant shrouded in darkness. Their hair sticked out in many different directions, looking like a rose bush of thorns. The pointy hat they seem to wear looked old and crooked, they look like they had rushed to get here as if they had forgotten something.. 

Before the cookie could fully process what was happening, the giant locked eyes with him. It looked shocked for a split second, as if not expecting him to be there. Before slowly started to smile. 

But it wasn't kind. It was full of something dark. Something sinister. It was almost like that of a wolf. As soon as that- thing started moving closer to him, he snapped out of his trance and RAN

From the corner of his eye, he saw on the wall next to him, from the floor what looked like a mouse hole, only much smaller. He doubted the giant would be able to fit in such a small hole like he could, so he ran towards it in hopes of safety. 

He jumped onto the floor, trying his best to Dodge the feet trying to stomp him and sharp hands trying to grab him, like he was nothing but a cockroach. Considering that everything around him was 100% his size, he couldn't help but think it was an accurate comparison. 

He was so close, he was only a few steps away- before he felt something grab him. Slowly, but surely he was picked up into the air. Almost as if the thing that caught him, couldn't believe he was quite real. As he was brought up to the giant's face, he felt their nails slicing into he dough like knives. The one that hurt most was the one slicing though his cheek. 

He couldn't believe this is happening, he was so close- so close to freedom- to being able to live. Live for all the other cookies he wasn't able to save in that damned oven. He had to think, and he had to think quickly. The being was staring at him in fascination, like he was a science experiment that wasn't expected to actually work. As it was distracted, with quick thinking he bit the hand holding him like a rat, as if in pain, the being quickly let go of him and realizing that he still had the candy cane that broken him free from the oven, he took the sharper end of it and before he completely fell to the floor, scratched its hand just like it did him. 

The being screamed in pain, and even though hitting the floor hurt all hell, in a rush of adrenaline, he was finally able to reach the hole in the wall. As he hit the wall on the other side, he slid down, before finally, being able to take a breath. 

He heard that being- that- Witch curse in  frustration and anger, before he heard the witch slowly walk away, 

Pure relief filled his body. Finally being able to rest, even if just for a second. As his mind was now able to process everything that just happened. As he looked to his surroundings, he realized he was in what looked like a cave? There were 2 tunnels on either side of him that led to do different ways. The one on its left ended before it sharply turned deeper into the dark. But he remains still, still processing everything that had just happened. He started putting together the facts. 

1: He and the others were never made to live. They were made to be eaten. All of those- those half eaten cookies- not even bothered to be finished! To be put out their suffering- 

2: that witch was careless. If he was right, then none of his family was meant to burn like they did. That witch had come into the room panicked, like she had forgotten something. Now he knew why. 

3: this was not the full story. Because if all he saw was true.. Then none of it made sense. If he was made to be eaten, why were so many only half ate? If he was right about those cookies on those plates being sentence, which he knows he is, why was that witch surprised he was moving? Even more so, why was she so pleased once she got over her shock? Did she know that's the cookies she made had sentence but not enough to fully move? If so, why make them like that?!? For fun? For entertainment? She looked at him like a science experiment, is that what they are to her??

"That doesn't make sense...." he whispered to himself because if he was a science experiment, more accurately a magic one, it goes back to the question why she was surprised. To why she ate them- "None of this makes any sense at all!" He cried, head in his hands

Something deep in his gut was telling him that, cookies are not meant to be baked like that. They were either made to be eaten or made to live. Anything in between was never meant to happen. Deep in his soul, he knew that was true. He didn't know how, and he didn't know why just yet, he just did. 

Taking a deep breath, he got up, looked to his left, then his right, and something deep within him told him to go left. That if he followed his gut, he would find his answers. None of this made sense. And he was going to find out why. 

Chapter Text

Preview: Made from the freshest of grapes, the fruit of the gods, this smart Cookie cares only about one thing: Research! She is always doing wild calculations, trying to figure out how to transform the elements. And she knows that being lazy or sitting idly by will achieve nothing. In order to acquire something of value, one must give something of value in return—that's Alchemist Cookie's theory, at least.

The Witch, busy baking several Cookies at once, had forgotten to use her favorite high-quality grapes. Instead, she stored them in oak barrels and let age for a long, long time. And with that special grape juice, she made Vampire Cookie. Naturally, it was difficult for Vampire Cookie to wake up at first—after all, his dough contained more than 10% of strong grape juice! Unlike the other Cookies, Vampire Cookie prefers to do nothing but enjoy life. He wasn't even bothered by the heat of the oven and only escaped because his sister Head Icon Alchemist Cookie dragged him outside. With his pale face and smug posture, he likes to relax with a glass of grape juice and ponder the meaning of life.

Wizard Cookie came to possess the Witch's Candy Wand by accident (or not?). Within it, he discovered unique magical powers. His popping candy ice cream cone hat is the finishing touch to his wizard look. Frequently used spells include the festive Hocus-Party-Pocus and Abra-Cookie-Cadabra, which brings unexpected luck and fun.