Blue Velvet

by Magnalia

Summary:

Shadow Milk Cookie tries to enact his revenge while being stuck in the body of a cake hound.

He isn’t very successful.

aka

a Shadow Milk redemption arc

Notes:

To those reading this in the future, this fic takes place before the end of Beast Yeast Episode 2 aka Theater of Lies (and the first 5 chapters were written right after that episode's release).

Chapter 1: A False Choice

 

White Lily cookie wasn’t supposed to do that.

 

If she’d fallen for his two choices like the dull cookie she was, he’d be back to his full power.

 

Well, half power anyways.

 

Still, with half his power, ripping Pure Vanilla’s soul jam back into his own clutches would be child’s play. Even half was overkill for such a task.

 

A quarter, no, even an eighth would suffice.

 

Just the slightest bit more power than the scraps he managed to force through the barrier.

 

If she had just listened to him. He wouldn’t be in his situation.

 

Maybe he’d gotten overzealous.

 

He’s just been stuck in that damn tree for so long. Watched as the cookies told twisted tales about him and his friends, branded them beasts. And then he watched as something even worse happened.

 

They forgot. What was written about him was lost to time, and the few folktales of his exploits faded away. Soon enough, not a single cookie so much as whispered his name anymore.

 

He wasn’t even a campfire story to scare little cookies anymore, he was nothing.

 

He watched from the dark side of the moon as five heroes rose, using his friends’ powers as if they were their own. They didn’t even know who they stole from. Kingdoms rose with their heroes and faded alongside them. The heroes became ancient and nearly forgotten.

 

Shadow Milk’s eyes turned to the one still barely clinging to his power.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie. The most forgotten of all the heroes. He’d sacrificed the most out of them, only to be left wandering vacantly across the land. Forgotten even by his own mind.

 

There was a certain twisted pleasure he got out of seeing that thief suffer. That pleasure soon turned to boredom as he watched that cookie help anyone he could, only to end up robbed and left to the side of the road. Shadow Milk could only watch the same script play out so many times before he grew tired of it.

 

That routine changed once Pure Vanilla found a certain village. One that appreciated and looked after him. Always making sure he was eating enough raisin jellies and not overextending himself.

 

Pure Vanilla would smile more than Shadow Milk had seen him in years. Shadow Milk couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the hero’s cliched happy ending.

 

He became even more helplessly bored, until a cookie he’d never seen before entered the village. That cookie claimed to be brave, yet his knees shook each time he entered combat. And another cookie always hiding herself in her hood and an incompetent wizard trailed behind the not-so-brave cookie.

 

These actors, despite their dullness, spiced up Pure Vanilla’s life. He went from a hermit to taking up arms against his dear old friend once again. Alas, any good entertainment wasn’t to last in Shadow Milk’s life, as Pure Vanilla left the adventuring to the younger cookies.

 

Shadow Milk instead got to watch as Pure Vanilla painstakingly rebuilt his kingdom. Which consisted of mainly filling out paperwork and settling petty disagreements.

 

He wished Pure Vanilla would crumble already, maybe then his stolen would return to him. With just a bit more power, he could burn this tree to the ground and return to the world’s stage.

 

He would never let those cookies forget him again. He’d put on a show to truly remember.

 

Shadow Milk tended to drift off those days, Pure Vanilla was more dull than ever. There was only so much slice of life shenanigans he could take before putting the entirety of the rebuilt Vanilla Kingdom on his ‘Crumble on sight’ list.

 

It would be fun to have some scores to settle once he’s free, but at this rate it was getting out of hand.

 

That wretched tree grew just a teensy bit weaker each day. Shadow Milk gave more and more of his attention towards breaking free, stopping almost all of his rudimentary surveillance of Crispia and Beast-Yeast.

 

Shadow Milk could tell his friends sensed the tree’s weakness as well. They ruthlessly fought against the tree’s seal with Shadow Milk redoubling his efforts.

 

He was closer than all of them. Well, he had always been more crafty than them.

 

With just half an eye on kept on Pure Vanilla, it shocked him to lay an eye upon his own prison. Things kept getting better and better.

 

The tree was wilting, and Pure Vanilla was here, his soul jam ripe for the taking.

 

Shadow Milk’s smile grew as he felt the tree crack. It was finally showtime!

 

He put on one of his best performances, not that those dull cookies appreciated it. The look on Elder Faerie’s face made it all worth it though.

 

He toyed with that silly Vanilla cookie, letting him know who the real owner of the light of truth was.

 

Everything was going swimmingly. They proceeded to the final act, and the glorious conclusion was soon upon them. He strung the little cookies up by their necks.

 

Those weak little cookies in his clutches looked familiar, he must have seen them while watching Pure Vanilla. Not that they mattered anyways. Every cast needs a few extras.

 

They would be excellent cannon fodder.

 

Ah, how he’d missed this. This power, this terror. All these theatrics almost made him want to keep playing with them. Almost. He’d have plenty of time to toy with cookies after he escaped.

 

Shadow Milk glanced down at the new guardian. A frail half-cookie. She could hardly replace Elder Faerie Cookie.

 

Oh well, that just made things easier for him.

 

Shadow Milk’s smile twisted as he presented White Lily with a lovely false choice at the final hour.

 

She could save her friends, buying them a few moments more, or she could risk their lives for a shot at taking him down.

 

Pure Vanilla struggled against his strings, begging White Lily to take him down. Shadow Milk laughed, guess he’d made quite the impression already.

 

White Lily stood there frozen, her eyes nearly filling with tears.

 

Was this really one of the so-called ancient heroes? What a waste of Silent Salt’s powers.

 

Just as Shadow Milk figured she’d given up, the cookie began to glow. He recognized that glow, she shone with Elder Faerie’s power.

 

Just another stolen power for that cookie.

 

Her eyes cleared, any trances of tears gone, as she stared him down. She seemed almost a different cookie as she gathered her power for one last strike.

 

Shadow Milk grinned. He had her now. Even if she managed to destroy this form of his, the rest of him was safe and sound in that prison. With the guardian drained, breaking out again would be a cinch.

 

Her power rushed towards him. Shadow Milk braced himself, even if it wouldn’t crumble him, it would still hurt. At the last second, her power sped past him, going straight for the tree.

 

No.

 

Not again.

 

He couldn’t get sealed again. How many years has it been since he’s seen the sun?

 

He hasn’t even made it to his ‘Crumble on sight’ list.

 

They were going to forget him again.

 

“You… you…!” He glared at her.

 

She wasn’t supposed to do that.

 

“I gave you only two choices!”

 

Shadow Milk clutches his scepter. His grip was growing weaker. It felt so heavy.

 

“How dare you ruin… this moment I’ve been waiting for so long…”

 

He was going back to the tree.

 

He’d been defeated by a handful of cookies. Just a bunch of extras.

 

No. He wouldn’t let this stand. Those cookies would rue the day they crossed him.

 

The world wouldn’t forget him, not again, he wouldn’t allow it.

 

He wouldn’t wait any longer to be free.

 

Shadow Milk feels it, just beyond the faerie kingdom, there was a body he could take over. It was weak, weaker even than an ordinary cookie, but any form would do.

 

He barks out one last warning to the guardian and her foolish friends before channeling his consciousness.

 

There’s no time to take a glance at his new body as Shadow Milk rushes to take over. The original consciousness, if it can even be called that, is pushed to the side as he enters his new home.

 

He’d done it. Those cookies thought he would be sealed away oh-so easily. He would show them, just as soon as he regained his strength.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie drifts off, his new body fainting with the shock of acquiring a new host, as he dreams of revenge.

Notes:

I'm a big fan of fairy tales were a character is trapped in an symbolically fitting animal body until they learn their lesson so time to give Shadow Milk the same treatment. ^-^

Not sure how long this will be, I've written 1.5 other chapters already

Anyways I hope you all liked this

Chapter 2: A New Form

Notes:

Thank you guys for the nice comments :D

I was lowkey a little scared to post since I've never interacted with the crk fandom before, but im glad you all have enjoyed it so far.

 

 

 

 

Shadow Milk cookie felt heavy.

 

It was only natural. It’s been ages since he’s had a physical form. Still, something felt off. He remembered feeling more crisp than this.

 

He felt almost doughy.

 

Shadow Milk opened his eyes. Even this was a struggle. What used to be second nature felt like an alien sensation.

 

The forest before him looked huge. Beast-Yeast’s forests had always towered high above him, but somehow it seemed taller.

 

Shadow Milk attempted to lift himself up. He barely managed to stand up before he promptly fell over. Whatever form he was currently in either had terrible balance or wasn’t bipedal.

 

He raised a hand up to discover his dough wasn’t its usual light blue but instead a darker, almost gray, blue.

 

After closer inspection, he realized his hand wasn’t a hand at all. It was much closer to a paw.

 

Perhaps he was borrowing the body of a cake wolf, he wondered. Regardless, he hopefully wouldn’t be in such a lesser form for long.

 

He'd managed to make it out of his prison, the hard part was already done.

 

All that was left was to use his body to siphon enough energy from the tree to remake his earlier temporary form. Then he’d crumble the guardian, shatter the tree, free his friends, and burn the Vanilla Kingdom to the ground. Oh, and he couldn’t forget his ‘Crumble on sight’ list.

 

Okay, he’d crumble a few cookies then burn the Vanilla Kingdom to the ground. And he certainly had a few more extras to add to that list after his last performance.

 

Shadow Milk smirked. All this scheming and revenge was almost tiring.

 

Shadow Milk lifted himself up, on all four legs this time. It was embarrassing, but what actor doesn’t go through a few hardships.

 

He was wobbly and top-heavy. It took a few attempts for him to get used to walking.

 

This form felt weak, frustratingly so. He could only walk for a few minutes before needing to rest.

 

His new body also came with the strange urge to stick out his tongue whenever he felt winded. Shadow Milk suppressed the urge with a shudder each time.

 

He would not debase himself to panting, regardless of the form he currently takes.

 

He’d assumed, at first, it was simply his own unfamiliarity with a physical form. Soon it was obvious whatever form he had taken was simply that weak.

 

Even in this weak of a form he could sense the Silver Tree. Its power loomed over the Faerie Kingdom overpowering everything around it. There was too much power confined in such a small place, it felt like a shaken champagne bottle ready to pop at any moment.

 

Shadow Milk made slow but steady progress towards the tree, giving his new body plenty of chances to rest.

 

Before long he stumbled upon a puddle of sugar water.

 

For a moment he hesitated. Before chiding himself for such foolishness. Knowing his current form took priority over the damage said knowledge could do to his ego.

 

Shadow Milk peered over the edge.

 

The first thing he noticed was that he was small.

 

Two large animalistic eyes stared back at him, much too large for his new body.

 

He was far too top-heavy with small stubby legs struggling to keep him upright.

 

A smearing of white frosting and two strawberry ears finally jogged Shadow Milk’s memory.

 

Not a cake wolf, but a cake hound.

 

Out of the all creatures he could have possessed…?

 

He’s at the very bottom of the food chain now. For goodness sake, he doesn’t even have teeth! Just cakey gums.

 

He distantly recalls his previous strange urge to pant which annoying made perfect sense now.

 

Shadow Milk bit back a self-pitying laugh. He'd known his new form was weak but this was downright embarrassing.

 

His revenge seeming so close for the first time in ages had drifted far out of his reach.

 

If some cookie or even just some creature decided to attack him there was nothing he’d be able to do like this. Even if he had more of his power… can cake hounds even use magic?

 

His hands would be pulling at his hair if he still had hair or limbs capable of such a feat.

 

Beyond the impracticality of this body, it was utterly humiliating to be this weak. If that new guardian or Pure Vanilla cookie saw him like this they’d surely laugh at how far he’s fallen. Even those extras would get a hearty laugh at his current state.

 

How was he supposed to crumble them in this condition?

 

Shadow Milk cookie burned with rage. If it wasn’t for them he’d never be in this situation.

 

He’s seen cake hounds crumble from being stepped on wrong by cookies.

 

Ugh! So weak! So pathetic!

 

Shadow Milk backed away from the puddle in disgust. If he stared at his reflection any longer he'd feel compelled to throw himself into the sugar water. A shame it wasn't deep enough.

 

Then a thought came to Shadow Milk cookie. His weakness was irrelevant, just another minor roadblock on his way to his inevitable victory.

 

All that mattered was the fact that they did this to him.

 

He would make them pay. They thought they’d made an enemy out of him before.

 

His vengeance wouldn’t be nearly as merciful and swift now.

 

 

---

 

 

Shadow Milk continued his trek through the forest.

 

The amount of breaks he took before finally made sense, though that didn’t make them any less annoying.

 

Even more annoying was how every creak and rustle sent him on edge.

 

It seemed this body had certain self-preservation instincts even a possession couldn’t overwrite.

 

He wasn’t used to this level of weakness, not anymore. With his power, he never had any reason to flinch.

 

If being a cake hound wasn’t nuisance enough now he had to fight against his own brain.

 

His ears flicked at any twig snapping, his brain sending him into overdrive with the urge to run and hide. The cowardice of his new body knew no limits.

 

If he was still a cookie, his face would be burning with humiliation.

 

It would all be worth it. He’d get his revenge. Every hero and villain has to go through struggles or the payoff just isn’t worth it.

 

Shadow Milk let his indignation fuel his steps as he got closer and closer to the tree.

 

The forest gave way to signs of Faerie civilization, though it was notably lacking in Faerie cookies.

 

Perhaps they all crumbled in awe after witnessing his glorious performance? Shadow Milk smirked at such a thought.

 

There was no point in wondering where the Faerie cookies went, his only priority now was the Silver Tree.

 

His body cried out as he passed an abandoned fruit cart, sending him sharp pains of hunger. It felt as though this cake hound hadn't eaten in quite some time.

 

Shadow Milk had forgotten how tiring a physical form could be.

 

Eating could wait until after he made it to the tree. If he couldn’t gather his power from the tree in this form, well there would be no point remaining in such a pathetic body.

 

Shadow Milk continued through the empty streets. The silence didn’t continue for long. The closer he came to the Silver Tree, the louder they became.

 

His cake hound brain warned him against going any further, but when did he ever listen to cake hounds.

 

The noise, to Shadow Milk's annoyance, turned out to be music and the cheers of Faerie cookies.

 

Banquet tables stretched as far as the eye could see, packed high with pastries and Faerie cake. Though most cookies weren’t sitting down, instead they danced in any free space they could find.

 

It was painfully obvious what they must be celebrating. Their gloating grated on his nerves.

 

He much preferred them under his spell, now that had been a real party and a much better look for the Faeries.

 

Shadow Milk kept to the outskirts, not wanting to be stepped on by a dancer with two left feet.

 

Low and out of view he spotted them. In the middle of all the celebrations sat Pure Vanilla cookie and the guardian. The guardian sat as far away from him as their small table allowed with their rowdy crew of extras filling the space between them.

 

Pure Vanilla's soul jam glowed under the soft faerie lights, its power temptingly close.

 

Shadow Milk contemplates for a second pretending to be a normal cake hound, slinking in close and when Pure Vanilla leaned down to, Earthbread-forbid, pet him, he’d run off with it.

 

Never mind the fact that the soul jam was nearly the size of his head and his running speed was nearer to a child's crawl, the thing that really stopped him was the idea of lowering himself to the role of a cake hound.

 

Using a cake hound's body was one thing. An unfortunately necessary evil. Assuming the mannerisms of such a lowly creature... the thought of it was beyond intolerable.

 

He was an actor, an excellent actor, don’t get him wrong. But, actors, the best ones at least, are selective with their roles. He was an A-lister, not some pet!

 

His revenge would be a tale told for generations there would not be a chapter where he played the part of a cake hound. Perhaps a small footnote about being trapped in a cake hound's body for a few days, but even that was pushing it.

 

Shadow Milk looks up in time to see one of the extras spill his cup of juice all over the new guardian.

 

"I'm so sorry, White Lily cookie!” The cookie scrambles for napkins as Shadow Milk suppresses a laugh. The guardian was no longer in her white and undoubtedly Elder Faerie-influenced form, and so, annoyingly, the juice likely wouldn't stain.

 

"It's okay, Gingerbrave," The guardian says. She sounds oddly dejected.

 

The whole lot of them look not quite happy.

 

Shadow Milk feels a strange sense of indignation rise in him. After their miraculous and certainly unreplicable victory over him, they should be a bit happier. They could at the very least try to fake it.

 

The faeries around them didn't share in their reservations. They continued chatting and dancing away, obvious to the uneasy state of their heroes.

 

It’s then Shadow Milk finally notices the tension. It’s so pervasive he’s surprised he didn't notice it earlier.

 

The two ancient heroes were looking anywhere but at one another.

 

His dear, dead friend finally returns to him. Such a saccharine-sweet happy ending for the two heroes. Shadow Milk has to hold in a gag just thinking about it.

 

He’d never write such a sappy, hackish ending.

 

After White Lily cookie's return from certain death, Pure Vanilla cookie should be overjoyed. Instead, he tightly grips his glass, eyes turned poignantly away.

 

They were farther away from that saccharine ending than Shadow Milk ever would ever have guessed.

 

So she’s back but the awkwardness between those two old friends remains. Such a turn to evil couldn’t be so easily forgiven or perhaps Pure Vanilla’s guilt eats away at him with every glance at his old friend?

 

Now this was far more in line with something he would have written.

 

Shadow Milk was filled with such glee he couldn’t stop himself from letting out a laugh.

 

It came out, not as a laugh but as a small high-pitched bark.

 

One of the extras, the one who figured himself brave turned his head.

 

Shadow Milk quickly hid himself behind a suit of armor, cursing himself for such a mistake.

 

“What’s wrong, Gingerbrave?” The cookie next to him asks. She has her head buried deep in her hood.

 

“Oh, nothing! I just thought I heard something.”

 

“If you’re sure,” She hesitantly.

 

“Well… I keep thinking about Elder Faerie cookie.” The extra scratches the back of his head.

 

“Me too… he was a really good king.”

 

Shadow Milk rolls his eyes. Listening to the extras that somehow defeated him praise his old enemy was nothing worse than torture. He’d rather they just gloat at this point.

 

They’re just like those dull Faerie cookies, always going on and on about their precious king.

 

That annoying loyalty cookies always seem to have for some king or queen that couldn’t care less for their subjects irritates him to no end.

 

“I think the Faeries are putting on a brave face with all this celebrating. It’s good to be brave but…” He trails off.

 

“I think I know what you mean.”

 

“You two look so down, we should be celebrating!” Pure Vanilla says.

 

Shadow Milk takes a small peak and his suspicions are confirmed. He doesn’t have to be an actor to tell that the smile hanging off of Pure Vanilla’s face is fake.

 

Wasn’t that hypocrite supposed to be the holder of the Light of Truth?

 

“But you don’t look too happy either,” The not-so-brave extra mumbles to Shadow Milk's surprise. He pegged that cookie as the typical meathead hero incapable of noticing anything beyond his own ego.

 

“What was that?” Pure Vanilla asks, straining his neck to hear the cookie.

 

“It might be strange but it’s Faerie custom to celebrate a cookie’s life instead of mourning,” The new guardian says.

 

So this party wasn’t for celebrating their victory over him after all. For some reason that just made Shadow Milk more angry.

 

Was he so irrelevant they’d forgotten him already? If he had teeth, they’d be grinding themselves into sugar dust by now. First this form and now this disrespect, how many more humiliations did he have to suffer?

 

Everyone’s eyes but Pure Vanilla’s turned to White Lily cookie.

 

“Let’s not worry about everything for a little bit,” The guardian softly sighs, staring into her juice. “Dark Enchantress cookie, the five beasts... we’ll have plenty of time to worry about them later. Let’s try to honor Elder Faerie cookie’s memory the way he would have wanted us to... after all that he’s done for us.”

 

“Alright guys, let’s party!” The supposedly brave cookie stands up. A mischievous smile forms on his face as he grabs the cookies next to him and drags them towards the dance floor.

 

“Gingerbrave, w-wait! I can’t dance!” The cookie who was always rambling about magic protests.

 

“M-me too!” The shy cookie calls out.

 

“Then let’s learn together!” He says, not relenting for a second.

 

The extras exited the scene, leaving just the two old friends. Neither says a word nor makes a move to join their other friends.

 

The awkwardness was nearly palpable. Shadow Milk allowed himself a moment to soak it up. All the years he spent watching Pure Vanilla from the tree could not even compare to the drama of this single scene.

 

Where were these two during his playwriting days? This material was golden.

 

“The Faerie cake is quite good.” Pure Vanilla breaks the silence first.

 

“Ah, it is.”

 

Shadow Milk holds in his laughter. What next, he wondered, were they going to discuss the weather?

 

Neither cookie had a word to say to one another. The years between them turned into silence, deeper and more unbreachable than before.

 

Shadow Milk wanted nothing more than to keep basking in this awkwardness. Alas, he had a tree to rip from the earth, multiple kingdoms to burn, and countless cookies to crumble.

 

Though maybe he could keep a certain pair of cookies around as his jesters. He would need something to entertain himself with after conquering Crispia.

 

 

---

 

 

Past the celebrations, deep in the heart of the Faerie kingdom, he found it.

 

That cursed tree.

 

It looked bigger than he remembered. Though that could just be his new height talking.

 

After a quick check for cookies, he makes a break for it, his tiny legs rushing as fast as they can toward the Silver Tree.

 

He hides himself in a small patch of ferns just a few feet away from the tree.

 

Shadow Milk concentrates. His power is so close now. The other beasts must sense his presence as he feels the powers of the tree shift and rage.

 

So impatient. He wouldn’t be long now.

 

He reaches outward, past the newly created seal, his power is right there. All he has to do is take it.

 

He tugs at it, and his power responds well, chasing after him. It hadn’t forgotten its master.

 

He guides it through the cracks of the tree. Channeling it towards himself.

 

Shadow Milk grins. This was too easy.

 

To think he’s already accomplished step one of his plan to conquer Earth-bread. Perhaps those heroes would put up a better fight this time, instead of relying on the guardian to save the day. He’ll need some sort of challenge or else his return to power won’t be all that interesting.

 

He waits for that familiar rush of power.

 

Nothing comes.

 

Shadow Milk blinks. He was sure his energy responded to him.

 

He tries again. Nothing.

 

Again.

 

Maybe this body couldn’t absorb it? No, regardless of how weak his body was he would still be able to take in some power.

 

He would feel something.

 

That could only mean none of his power was getting through the tree.

 

The new seal. It was fresh, completely free of the cracks that allowed him to slowly push his power out before.

 

The old seal was put up hastily, comprised of just a few hairline cracks from the very start. This seal was stronger. A half-cookie managed to surpass Elder Faerie's work?

 

How long would he have to wait for it to weaken? Would this body even last that long? He couldn’t even remember how long cake hounds lived for.

 

Shadow Milk rolled over, somewhat giving in to his body’s instincts. Screw it, he was tired.

 

He lay there, letting his thoughts take over.

 

He couldn’t remember how long it took the original seal to weaken and with only four beasts fighting against it…

 

He didn’t like his odds.

 

Another thought entered his mind. If the seal prevented even a drop of his power from getting through, would it keep his consciousness from returning?

 

His power and his soul were different of course, but the seal was designed to keep anything from crossing over and contained no cracks at all.

 

If this body of his crumbled would he share its fate?

 

The thought was laughable.

 

Him crumbling? He’s watched empires fall without so much as blinking.

 

Shadow Milk felt his breath begin to catch. An unfamiliar feeling gripped his body.

 

His body shook, as a small whimper forced itself out of his mouth. For the first time in a long time, Shadow Milk cookie felt what he could only describe as fear.

 

This body! 

 

Shadow Milk brushes the feeling away. He wouldn’t be controlled by a cake hound’s fear. He was Shadow Milk cookie regardless of his form.

 

When he did start relying so heavily on his powers? He was no better than Pure Vanilla cookie and his obsession with his precious Light of Truth.

 

The tree didn't have a crack, so what? He'd simply have to give it one.

 

 

---

 

 

 

Someone already guessed it in the comments (which made my day) but here is the inspo for this fic. I saw this and my mind went crazy trying to figure out how Shadow Milk would get turned into a cake hound.

 

The cards felt like a dead give away so for this fic he has blue strawberry ears. Because he's just inhabiting a cake hound's body, the cake hound's form wouldn't change to suit him quite that much.

Chapter 3: A Foolish Plan

Notes:

I was trying to do weekly updates but this chapter was giving me some trouble. Anyways thank you all for the nice comments on the last chapter they were very motivating :D

 

 

Shadow Milk’s eyes slowly opened. The physical sensation of waking up still felt foreign to him.

 

The Silver Tree loomed over him. Practically taunting him, holding his power just out of reach.

 

He’d fallen asleep after countless attempts to reach his power.

 

He tries once again only to be met with the same result.

 

It seems no cracks miraculously formed in the seal overnight. He’d just have to do things the hard way then.

 

He rolls over in exasperation. His pathetic body seems to find comfort in the action.

 

Give the tree a crack, huh?

 

Shadow Milk recalls his previous vow with a tinge of frustration, as to how exactly he was supposed to accomplish that, he still didn't have the faintest clue.

 

Maybe he could trick one of those pesky heroes into attacking the tree, as ironically fitting as that would be, it seemed rarely unlikely.

 

His hunger pains, no longer dulled by sleep, come back in full force.

 

As much as hated to admit it, there was nothing more he could do here. All his lavish plans of revenge and power would have to wait until at least after breakfast.

 

Shadow Milk sits up, careful to remain within the cover of the Silver Tree's undergrowth.

 

Despite the Silver Tree’s center location, the Faerie cookies seemed to be giving it a wide berth. Perhaps they were wary after his stellar performance, well, they should be at least.

 

During a particularly dull moment, Shadow Milk sees his opportunity. He rushes across the courtyard, as gracefully as his new form can manage.

 

He is thankful for the open nature of Faerie architecture. The courtyard has no doors, instead opening up directly to the outside. It’s hard to look over his shoulder without a proper neck, but he manages. No Faeries so much as stir as he departs.

 

Just that small run has his body tired out and him cursing his weak form once again.

 

He remains undetected as he heads into the woods.

 

He stays low in the greenery. After an annoying amount of walking, he finds himself back at the place of last night's banquet. Evidence of the previous night's festivities was everywhere. Many of the tables and chairs remained, a few were occupied by some Faerie cookies who'd had a bit too much juice to drink.

 

The Faeries rested peacefully, obvious to Shadow Milk cookie's approach.

 

Plenty of last night's food was lying scattered on the floor. How wasteful of those cookies. A particularly fresh-looking cinnamon roll sends his stomach rumbling.

 

Table scraps? And on the ground nonetheless? Now that just wouldn't do. He couldn't lower himself to the standards of an animal. He was a cookie for goodness sake and one with standards,  high  standards.

 

Shadow Milk walks past the tables, pointedly ignoring any traces of food. Just because he was a cake hound now, didn't mean he had to eat like one.

 

What do cake hounds even eat?  He thinks with a start.

 

He'd never bothered to wonder before now. He vaguely remembers seeing one eat a branch off a tree before. He was certainly not that desperate.

 

His own tastes were very sugar-inclined. He briefly wondered if a cake hound could handle his usual level of sugar.

 

Oh well, it really didn't matter. He is fairly confident cakes and cookies weren't that different after all at least when it came to food. He doubts he could do any real damage to his new body with just a snack.

 

Shadow Milk heads further into the forest. He had passed a few shops on his way to the Silver Tree yesterday. They were bound to have something more appetizing than meager table scraps.

 

He feels the Silver Tree's presence behind him grow weaker with each step.

 

 

---

 

 

A small bakery on the outskirts of town catches his eye. It's close to the forest. He wouldn't have to leave undergrowth for more than a few minutes. Not to mention it smells divine.

 

A small cart sits in front of the bakery, stocked with a good selection of baked goods and decently low to the ground. A particularly crunchy-looking blueberry tart on the cart's lowest rack becomes his target.

 

The bakery's small seating area was completely empty, leaving the Faerie cookie manning the cart as the only cookie within eyeshot. She didn't cut an intimidating figure, half asleep with her head precariously resting on an elbow she had propped up against the cart's surface.

 

The cookie's blinks seemed to grow slower with each passing minute.

 

He waits for her eyes to close just a bit more before approaching. He slowly makes his way to the front of the shop. The cookie doesn't react as he nears the back of the cart.

 

He walks around the cart, nearing his target. Even if the cookie manning the cart was paying any sort of attention, with his newly acquired stature, it would be impossible for him to be seen from her angle.

 

Perhaps this new form had some perks. Well, 'perks' was too strong a word, 'some not completely horrible aspects' fit better.

 

Carefully he attempts to lift the tart, only he finds it's a bit of a struggle.

 

Just how weak was this body? 

 

Undeterred, he lifts harder, successfully getting that tart off the rack. Even more top-heavy than before he wobbles away from the cart slowly.

 

A loud whump nearly startles him into dropping the tart. A glance upward tells him the half-asleep Faerie cookie had simply slumped over, her hand taking the place of her elbow on the cart's surface.

 

The cookie's nap efforts were undisturbed by her small tumble.

 

Shadow Milk returns to the forest.

 

He found eating as a cake hound to be a very humbling experience. With no teeth, he had to gnaw at the tart with his gums or risk choking. The less he thinks about that experience, the better.

 

After eating he moves to scope out the town, searching, likely in vain, for some way to crack the tree.

 

"Hi-ya!" A cookie loudly exclaims, and a loud thud follows.

 

Shadow Milk flips his head around. He recognizes that annoying voice. It was a voice that was unfortunately ingrained in his mind alongside his painful memories of defeat.

 

It was one of those extras again.

 

The cowardly cookie stood beside a half-burned house. A charred pillar lay toppled at his feet.

 

"That's another one done!" He says loudly, wiping some sweat from his brow.

 

"You really don't have to do all this," A Faerie cookie says, his quiet voice ringing like a bell.

 

Shadow Milk recognized this cookie too. The Faerie was also present during his performance, not that the Faerie did much. Just cheer on Elder Faerie cookie, then watch him die.

 

His name eluded Shadow Milk cookie at the moment. Which made mentally putting the cookie on his 'Crumble on Sight' list rather hard. Oh well, he wasn't much worth remembering anyways. He'd crumble him with the rest of the Faerie Kingdom regardless.

 

"It's our pleasure," Another one of the other heroes, the shy one, says. She helps the cowardly cookie topple another pillar.

 

Shadow Milk watches them from the forest. They finish taking down the half-burned house before moving on to the next one and the one after that.

 

Shadow Milk rolls his eyes. What an upstanding group of heroes. Even cleaning up after the battle.

 

Ugh, he was going to barf.

 

Though knowing he did leave a nasty mark on the Faerie Kingdom even in his short time free did wonders for his ego.

 

He keeps trailing the heroes, careful to stay out of sight. After finishing their charity work, the two extras meet up with the rest of the heroes.

 

They stand gathered in front of the ruins of a house. Pure Vanilla and the guardian give each other plenty of space, Shadow Milk notes with some amusement.

 

“To think one Beast was this powerful,” One of the extras remarks. There's an air of awe in his voice.

 

Shadow Milk grins. This extra, no Wizard cookie, he believes it was, was actually showing him some respect. It was long overdue, but Shadow Milk would take it.

 

Perhaps he didn't have to crumble this one.

 

“If we could harness the beast’s power, the possibilities are unlimited!” Wizard cookie exclaims.

 

Top of the 'Crumble on Sight' list with him! How dare this cookie even think such a thing.

 

The rest of the heroes give Wizard cookie a look similar to the one currently on Shadow Milk's face.

 

“Pure Vanilla cookie, can I borrow your staff for a second?" The cowardly cookie asks.

 

Pure Vanilla cookie hands it over, clearly still processing Wizard cookie's words.

 

The cowardly cookie without the slightest bit of hesitation or remorse hits Wizard cookie with Pure Vanilla's staff.

 

“Huh? What’d I do?” The cookie looks shell-shocked. He glances at his companions, finally noticing their horrified expressions.

 

“No more mad scientist talk!”

 

"Oh, sorry." The cookie rubs where he was hit.

 

"Gingerbrave, while I agree with your sentiment. Next time, please don't use my staff," Pure Vanilla chides gently.

 

Shadow Milk, for once, was on the cowardly cookie's side. That magic-obsessed cookie could use a few more whacks.

 

"Sorry, Pure Vanilla coo-"

 

“Evacuate! Head towards the Silver Tree! Something big is coming!” A shrill Faerie cookie’s voice rings out.

 

A group of Faerie Knights enter the town's square as the residents begin panicking.

 

The group of heroes quickly jumps into action, moving to question a pair of knights as soon as their surprise wears off.

 

“What exactly is going on?” The guardian asks the pair.

 

They share a look, both hesitating to say anything.

 

Finally one of them speaks, “This big... doughy thing is coming-"

 

"It’s huge and terrifying and..." The other knight trails off, seemingly at a loss for words.

 

“I’ll go take a look," The guardian declares.

 

“Don't forget us. We’re coming too,” The shy hero says. The other extras nod beside her.

 

For a second it looks as though the guardian will argue with them, instead she quietly smiles.

 

The knights rush off, the heroes close behind them. They're nearly gone before Shadow Milk even has a chance to stand.

 

Great, more running.

 

Shadow Milk heads after them.

 

His attempts to keep up with the heroes are quickly thwarted. He instead follows after any strangling Faerie knights.

 

Shadow Milk runs. His small legs struggle to keep up with them. He quickly abandons any attempt at keeping hidden. The Faerie cookies are too distracted to notice him anyways.

 

An attempt on the Faerie Kingdom and so soon after his, he was beginning to think someone was trying to outstage him.

 

If this attempt succeeds, he's not sure if he'll be grateful or angry some cookie beat him to the punch.

 

The forest suddenly opens up to a clearing. A steep hill overgrown with vines rises above the nearby trees.

 

Abandoning the trail of the Faerie knight was currently following, he scales the hill. His legs despite their smallness manage to catch on nearly every vine. 

 

Shadow Milk peers over the top of the hill, finally laying eyes on the source of the commotion. A monstrous mess of dough and toppings was advancing on the kingdom.

 

A few Faerie Knights darted around the beast's head like flies. The dough paid them no heed, any spears or spells sent its way were shrugged off as it stayed on a steady course.

 

It was moving too purposeful, in a line too straight for its movements to be anything other than deliberate.

 

Shadow Milk traces the beast's course with his eyes, it wasn't heading for the Faerie Kingdom. No, it was heading straight for the Silver Tree.

 

Oh. That’ll do .

 

 

---

 

 

A gathering of knights lay up ahead. Shadow Milk watches them from a safe distance behind a tree. They seemed at a loss for what to do.

 

The dough monster hadn't slowed its pace at all. Any and all attacks didn't seem to faze the beast.

 

The end of the Faerie Kingdom was fast approaching, how sad for them.

 

"Alright, listen up!" One of the Faerie knights yells. All eyes turn to him. Shadow Milk recognizes this cookie with a sigh. He was the other Faerie knight who witnessed Shadow Milk's defeat firsthand.

 

"My squadron will lead the beast away while White Lily cookie and her companions will direct the bulk of our forces attacking it. I don't want any casualties, keep your distance."

 

It seems they still had some hope, how adorable.

 

Behind the gathering of knights, the beast breaks through the treeline, uprooting trees that must have stood for hundreds of years. To his credit, the knight commanding doesn't even wince at the sight.

 

Shadow Milk leans slightly out of his hiding spot, hoping for a better view.

 

The dough beast looks even bigger up close.

 

If this doesn't crack the seal, nothing will and if the Faerie Kingdom happens to be crushed along the way, well that will just be a happy coincidence.

 

"For the Faerie Kingdom!" The commander knight yells. He quickly takes to the skies, his fellow knights right behind them.

 

Shadow Milk waits for the rest of the heroes and knights to depart before he fully eases himself out of his hiding spot. He'll have a good view of the show from here.

 

Now that he's seen it up close, Shadow Milk is sure that beast can't have any real form of intelligence. If it was operating under pure instincts it wouldn't be charging head-first into the Faerie knights. The pinpricks from their spears should be enough to dissuade it from continuing to charge.

 

Instead, the beast must be after power. The Silver Tree and its overwhelming power must be irresistible to the monster.

 

Could it be hunger or just pure desperation that fueled it? Its malformed body must require immense amounts of power to function.

 

Regardless of the reason, Shadow Milk couldn't let the beast have its way. After the beast destroys the seal, he'd have no more use for it. Of course, he'll be merciful and put the beast out of its misery.

 

Nothing nearby could compare to the Silver Tree in terms of power, all Shadow Milk cookie had to do now was sit back and relax. That and watch those heroes struggle.

 

Those Silver Knights really were like flies. He stifles a laugh as one of them is swatted out of the sky. Their resistance was almost endearing.

 

The looks on the heroes become less self-assured with each moment.

 

They managed to defeat him but struggle with a barely sentient pile of dough? He's almost offended.

 

Shadow Milk strains his head up to watch as a foolish cookie approaches the doughy monstrosity head-on.

 

He steps forward to get a better view.

 

What a fool, He snorts.  Wait, is that...?

 

The cowardly extra holds his candy cane high as he charges at the beast. Shadow Milk grins. This was getting better and better.

 

The extra is unceremoniously thrown to the side by the beast. Miraculously saved from the fate of being trampled but certainly injured nonetheless.

 

Shadow Milk feels no small amount of satisfaction at the sight. What exactly was that fool expecting to happen?

 

The cowardly extra's companion runs to his side. Pure Vanilla cookie, staff in hand, leads the charge.

 

Shadow Milk notices one of the coward cookie's companions is missing.

 

A power overwhelms the forest. Despite its strength, it felt almost like a gentle breeze. 

 

Shadow Milk knows that power.

 

The guardian stands tall as she unleashes Elder Faerie's power on the beast.

 

The beast stills. The Silver Knights stand just as still. The battlefield grows quiet.

 

The beast begins to turn. In realization, the guardian and her knights start to run as the beast changes course.

 

What? WHAT? Just what was going on?

 

He stares, shell-shocked, as all his hopes for revenge are dashed in a single moment. His plan was working perfectly. Then that guardian and her pesky friends got in the way, again.

 

Just how many more times were they going to wrong him? Was this form not humiliation enough?

 

Shadow Milk burns with rage at the realization he's going to watch them triumph again. It was too cliche, too predictable. The heroes after barely struggling, save the kingdom once again.

 

What a shitty script. He couldn't stand for it. Not again.

 

In that moment, his plan changes to a much more foolhardy plan. Standing by and letting them win again wasn't an option.

 

Shadow Milk cookie doesn't give himself a chance to second-guess his plan.

 

He charges straight first into the battle.

 

 

---

 

 

Really, the more he thinks about it, this plan is brilliant. Not to mention it will make a wonderful ballad, a single cake hound destroys the whole Faerie Kingdom. Elder Faerie dies for one day and the kingdom goes to crumbs.

 

His victory is so close he can taste it. All he has to do is get a bit closer.

 

That was easier said than done. The cookies running amok in front of him were obstacles enough, but the true challenge was getting his body to just listen to him.

 

The sounds of battle already have his cake hound brain on the fritz. Every glance he takes at that doughy monstrosity has his cake hound instincts screaming, begging him to turn tail and run as far away as possible.

 

Shadow Milk scowls, trying his best to mentally beat those troublesome instincts into submission. He calms his mind a little though he can still feel his body shaking.

 

This would have to do. If those cookies turned the megadough any further off course he'd have a slim chance of succeeding.

 

Shadow Milk continues his trek toward the doughy beast. The ground was rough, scarred by stray spells, and marred by tree roots, only adding to his struggles.

 

A few Faerie knights block his path. They stand with their backs to him, gazing up at the beast as they catch their breath.

 

Going around them would waste time. He takes the risk and runs through the knights. One shifts as he is underfoot, the knight's leg is dangerously close to colliding with him. His body reacts faster than he thought possible, managing to dodge just in time. Shadow Milk would usually take the chance to note the cookie's face and make plans to crumble his entire bloodline, but there were more pressing issues.

 

He could see the guardian and the rest of the heroes a ways away hacking at the megadough's side. The beast was still focusing on her, completely forgetting about the tree.

 

Damn it.  He didn't think they'd be this close. When he gets the megadough's attention, they'll likely notice him.

 

The thought of them seeing him like this, what they've reduced him to, nearly has him rethinking the entire plan.

 

They won't know it's him, but that wasn't the point. He'll know, damn it!

 

No, he wouldn't get a chance like this ever again. His pride was a small price to pay for his power back.

 

With renewed vigor, Shadow Milk charges towards the beast, his body shaking with each step.

 

The true horror of the megadough reveals itself with each step. The details he figured were just his mind playing tricks on him were very much real. Malformed cookies swayed with each of the dough's movements. They appeared as much a part of the beast as they were trying to escape it.

 

The smell was overwhelming in every sense. A combination of rotten dough and eggs with an undercurrent of spoiled yeast.

 

Shadow Milk stands just a few arm lengths from the beast.

 

He barks.

 

The beast's hollow eyes turn to him.

 

This was not one of my best plans, Shadow Milk thinks as he finally gives in to his instincts and runs.

 

The doughy monstrosity abandons the guardian's trail and charges full force after Shadow Milk cookie.

 

His plan was working almost a little too well, Shadow Milk notes as he strains his legs. The beast was a little too eager to stop chasing after the guardian. Perhaps the beast recognized a bit of the tree's power in him or it simply realized the guardian's power was nothing compared to the tree's.

 

It takes the Faeries a moment to notice what has happened.

 

"The megadough has changed course!" He distantly hears one of them shout.

 

Their voices turn into a chaotic mess as the beast veers out of their control.

 

"It isn't responding to us anymore!"

 

"What do we do, sir Mercurial Knight Cookie?" A knight franticly yells.

 

"It's chasing after something? What is that?"

 

Shadow Milk wishes more than ever he could talk in this form. If only he could taunt those dull fools as their kingdom was crumbled. It would also distract him from the fact the megadough was currently gaining on him.

 

"Stop that creature!" The commander knight yells.

 

A pair of Faerie knights lands in front of him. He runs under their legs, dodging their spears.

 

Shadow Milk grins. It was a wonder the Faerie Kingdom hadn't fallen sooner when this was the caliber of their knights.

 

"I think that's a cake hound!"

 

No, not him. Shadow Milk turns.

 

That cowardly cookie was chasing after him. That beast nearly flattened him, but here he was looking completely unharmed.

 

"Don't get too close, Gingerbrave. It's dangerous," The shy extra warns. She trails just a bit behind her companion.

 

Because just one of the heroes getting to see him like this wouldn't be enough. Shadow Milk rolls his eyes.

 

"That cake hound is in danger, someone's got to save it!"

 

Shadow Milk wishes that pesky cookie was close enough to trip. They'd see who needed saving then.

 

"It looks so scared," The shy cookie remarks.

 

He wasn't sure what was more embarrassing, the fact they have seen him like this or the fact they were currently trying to "save" him. Though the giant dough monster behind was a good distraction from his embarrassment.

 

The deeper the beast chases him into the forest, the roots grow larger and larger. It feels as though the forest itself is attempting to stop him.

 

"Here, boy!" The shy cookie calls out. It takes Shadow Milk a moment before he realizes, to his enteral embarrassment, that the cookie is talking to him.

 

"Come here, puper!" The cowardly extra calls. He proceeds to make clicking noises in an attempt to get Shadow Milk to follow him.

 

I'm going to crumble all of you.  Shadow Milk feels his eye twitch. How dare those cookies! He wasn't some... some pet!

 

He lets his newfound rage fuel his steps.

 

The cookies were thankfully still too far away to be a concern. Their taunts, though infuriating, were able to be ignored. He'd only have to put up with this humiliation for a little while longer.

 

A bright flash goes off behind him.

 

Shadow Milk risks a glance back at the beast. To his horror, the megadough is no longer following him. It's veered, just a bit off course.

 

It's then he notices the scent of lilies filling the air.

 

The megadough was after a cookie standing tall with Faerie knights flanking her sides. That unmistakable mess of white hair confirmed his suspicions. The guardian was getting in his way, again.

 

Shadow Milk slows, letting out another high-pitched bark. The dough doesn't stray from its new course, seeming largely uninterested.

 

A few more barks don't invite any more of the dough's interest.

 

"That's good puper, now come to Gingerbrave."

 

Right, he'd forgotten about them.

 

He could count his losses now. Just retreat with his tail between his legs. He's already drawn too many eyes. Getting caught would be more than an inconvenience.

 

Oh, who was he kidding? He couldn't stop now.

 

Shadow Milk heads back towards the dough. The extras, surprised by his sudden shift in direction, aren't quick enough to grab him.

 

He was so close. No cookie was going to get in his way now.

 

Shadow Milk lets out a bark every few steps. The desperation of his cake hound brain, brimming with the desire to turn tail, annoyingly comes through with each bark.

 

The Faerie knights' eyes turn to him while the megadough remains fixated on the guardian.

 

Fine, he'll just have to get closer.

 

It worked before, he just needed the doughy beast's attention once more. The kingdom wasn't too far away now. If that beast would just  listen  to him.

 

It's risky getting this close, but what part of his plan hasn't been?

 

He releases another bark. It's ignored.

 

He gets close, close enough that if was still a cookie, he could reach out and touch the beast. The hollow eyes of half-formed cookies bore into his soul. The stench brings him close to fainting. His cake hound instincts scream.

 

Shadow Milk lets out a fury of barks.

 

The megadough turns.

 

Finally. He'd won. Bye-bye Faerie Kingdom .

 

Shadow Milk turns as pain engulfs his back.

 

His frail body is sent flying before his mind can catch up. The pain triples as he makes contact with the ground.

 

Beyond the external damages, he feels something else. It burns his very dough. That beast's stench wasn't just for show, it must be toxic. There was only a slim chance he'd survive such injuries already, and the toxins turned that chance to zero.

 

He feels his mind begin to slow. This pain was too much for a cake hound to bear.

 

He'd been so close.

 

The kingdom was right there.

 

If those heroes weren't...

 

Farewell, pathetic cake hound body. I'd say it's been fun but I'd be lying. 

 

Weakly, he opens an eye. He can see just barely through grass, as the guardian raises her staff, and the megadough responds in kind. He hears the cheers of the Faerie knight as the megadough heads further and further from the Faerie Kingdom.

 

His last sights will be those of his defeat.

 

"Are you okay, little guy?"

 

Shadow Milk flicks his eye upward.

 

The shy cookie is standing over him.

 

Oh great, a hero arrived. 

 

Now he can spend his last miserable moments as a cake hound in the company of fools. What a wretched end.

 

"That really doesn't look good." The cowardly cookie winces as he looks down.

 

Shadow Milk tries his best to roll his eyes at that. It's hard with one eye shut and the other refusing to stay open for more than a few seconds, not to mention his currently dying body.

 

Of all the company to die in, these two were at the very bottom of his list.

 

"Am I too late?"

 

Shadow Milk forces his eye open to confirm the voice's identity.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie looms over him, a look of pure concern on his face.

 

No.

 

He was going to be saved by a bunch of heroes.

 

Anything would be better than this. He'll owe his life to these extras?

 

Couldn't they just let him die in peace?! At least then he'd have a chance to return to the Silver Tree and his power.

 

This was utterly unacceptable.

 

Shadow Milk attempts to stand, to run, to something. Anything to get away.

 

His body betrays him, only weakly flailing in response.

 

"Hey, it's going to be okay." Pure Vanilla steadies him. That gentle hand burns him like hot coals.

 

"Just let me die! " Shadow Milk barks.

 

The heroes ignore his shouts, crowding him closer. The sincere concern written all over their faces makes him want to barf.

 

There was only so much humiliation that he could take.

 

The warmth of Pure Vanilla's healing feels like acid in his veins.

 

They couldn't even let me die , He thinks bitterly as the heroes' faces grow blurry and far away. 

 

Notes:

Shadow Milk is finally captured, redemption arc time!

Chapter 4: A Foiled Scheme

Notes:

Sorry this is very late. School vibed checked me and then I got writer's block bad :'O

Just to clarify, Shadow Milk cookie fully knows all of the cookie's names. He is just petty and refuses to call them by their names unless they've "earned" it. It's kind of annoying to not write their names but Shadow Milk's pettiness triumphs!

Thank you all for the nice comments btw :D

 

 

The world comes back to Shadow Milk cookie in warm, fuzzy hazes.

 

He is eased out of his slumber by a gentle sensation on his back. The calm, repetitive motion nearly had sleep claiming him once again. The small tinges of pain in his body are gently quieted by the motion.

 

The low murmur of voices makes his ears twitch. They are far enough away for him to tune out as he relaxes back into the massage.

 

The sensation pauses for a second before continuing a little faster and heavier than before. Still half asleep, Shadow Milk suppresses the urge to chase after the source of the motion.

 

It was peaceful and warm. For once this new form of his felt comfortable. Shadow Milk keeps his eyes shut tight, content to just lie.

 

The sensation suddenly stops.

 

Shadow Milk opens his eyes with a start, searching for the reason his peace was disrupted, instead, he is greeted with an unfamiliar sight.

 

He is in a small room. Its wooden walls are a light walnut brown with no tinge of the garnish silver wood he has come to expect from the Faerie Kingdom. A regretfully closed door lies a few feet in front of him. A few sparse decorations livened up the parse room, none crafted with the intricacy of Faerie craftsmanship.

 

It looked nothing like any room he'd ever seen in the Faerie Kingdom. Its architecture reminded him more of the stint he'd spent in a certain foolish cookie's head. A kingdom that should be far, far from here rises to the front of his mind.

 

A sudden touch to his back shakes Shadow Milk out of his thoughts. The sensation from earlier returns, it's no longer distant and hazy. He can feel a cookie’s hand cards through the frosting on his back, soothing down any ruffled fur. 

 

His half-asleep brain takes a moment to realize what is going on. 

 

The previous accompanying calm turns to horror.

 

He was being pet .

 

The urge to turn and bite whichever cookie was foolish enough to attempt such an act was strong. If this had happened earlier when he was still accepting his new form, there’s no doubt in his mind he would have followed that tempting impulse. He feels a bit of shame at that thought. He really has accepted this body, at least more than he ever thought he would. 

 

It’s clear he can't afford such an aggressive action. With some strange cookie in an unfamiliar room, the risk was too high. His weak body wouldn't be able to take any retaliation. There was one small advantage he had over this cookie, they didn't know he was awake yet.

 

Slowly, Shadow Milk turns his head. Disguising it as what hopefully looks like a simple turn in his sleep. The petting motion continues, obvious to Shadow Milk's plans.

 

He opens an eye, just a sliver. He recognizes the half-baked cookie petting him at once.

 

Pure Vanilla cookie.

 

The cookie's eyes mercifully closed as usual with a tranquil look that appeared thoughtful on his face.

 

Shadow Milk feels his face burn. Being pet was already enough of a disgrace. It just had to be him. He can't even swear revenge over this as he's already done that. Swearing revenge for the third time seemed more on the pathetic side of melodramatic.

 

Seeing Pure Vanilla cookie shakes off any traces of sleep in his mind. Memories rush back to him in steady bursts. Pushing his body to its limits, getting so, so close to the Silver Tree only to end up trampled by the very instrument of his plan. The heroes' pitying concern as looked down on his battered body would haunt his dreams for years. That level of pity was something he'd never experienced, it made his insides burn with humiliation.

 

He could feel a few tinges of pain in his back and legs, the aftermath of his failure, but beyond that his injuries were almost completely healed. Pure Vanilla cookie was good for one thing after all.

 

To say his plan had not worked out was an understatement. Though he'd like to see any cookie try it while in the form of a cake hound. It really would have made for such a wonderful tale if he'd succeeded. Well, his story was far from over and he'll make sure those heroes didn't forget who was running the show.

 

A door slams open behind him. Shadow Milk quickly shuts his eyes. A few sets of footsteps approach at an eager pace.

 

"Aww, how's the little guy doing?" A cheery and unfortunately familiar voice asks. Shadow Milk doesn't have to open his eyes to know it's that cowardly cookie speaking. His voice is unnaturally pitched up with a false cheeriness as the cookie leans in too close for Shadow Milk's liking. He was speaking the way one would to a small animal which bumped him up a few spots in Shadow Milk's "Crumble on Sight" list.

 

"Wow, up close he really is so tiny," The shy cookie says with an annoying hint of wonder in her voice. She was almost as close as the coward cookie was though thankfully not as loud.

 

Shadow Milk's ears twitch. If they insisted on being so close, they could at least be a little quieter.

 

"Cake hounds are usually a bit bigger, right?" The magic-obsessed cookie asks, standing further away.

 

"He's a baby cake hound I believe," The guardian says. Because of course, she would be here as well. Naturally, all the heroes would want to gather around to watch him get pet like some sort of, well, pet. His humiliations would never cease and the auidence to them only seemed to grow.

 

"And maybe a bit malnourished," The guardian finishes. He can hear the pitying frown in her voice.

 

Okay, that wasn't his fault. He's only had this body for a day or two. He even fed it.

 

The rest of the heroes let out a chorus of pitying 'Oh's and 'Aw's at the guardian's statement. Shadow Milk mentally rolls his eyes. Shouldn't they have better things to do than sit around worrying about a single cake hound?

 

"How did he even get here? Cake hounds aren't native to Beast-Yeast," The magic-obsessed cookie says.

 

Huh . Now that he thinks about it he has never seen a cake hound in the Silver Kingdom, not that he ever bothered to notice.

 

"He must have snuck aboard with us on accident," Pure Vanilla cookie reasons.

 

"Aww, the little guy must be missing his mom," The shy cookie says.

 

Shadow Milk was not, in fact, missing his mom.

 

"He's way too little to be on his own," The coward pipes in.

 

How wonderful, Shadow Milk thinks, now they feel responsible for me.

 

This could only end badly. He figured they'd heal him up and send him on his merry way, but based on the way this conversation was going that wasn't going to happen.

 

"Do you think we'll be able to find his mom when we get back?" The shy cookie asks.

 

What did she mean when ? From the contents of this room, Shadow Milk had reluctantly assumed they were already back in the Vanilla Kingdom. ‘ When’ was good, it gave Shadow Milk time to slip away and take another crack or two at the tree.

 

"That or we'll find his pack. Cake hounds have packs, right?" The cowardly cookie asks.

 

"I believe so. Then who will be taking care of him in the meanwhile?" Pure Vanilla cookie says.

 

"Oh, me!" The cowardly cookie eagerly volunteers without a moment's hesitation.

 

Absolutely not, Shadow Milk thinks at the same time as the shy cookie yells, "No!"

 

"What? Why not?" He sounds genuinely surprised. Shadow Milk was too, he didn't think that cookie could get so loud.

 

The magic-obsessed cookie sighs, "Do you not remember the time Strawberry Crepe cookie asked you to watch their waffle bots?"

 

"I was just trying to get them to help clean the workshop," He mutters. "Not that many of them were destroyed."

 

"What about the time you looked after Crunch Chip Cookie's wolf?" The wizard manages to sound even more disapproving.

 

"I didn't know cream wolves hated baths so much," He said, sounding downright sheepish.

 

"Or the time you house-sat Herb cookie's plants?"

 

"Okay, that one was not my fault. His plants tried to eat me."

 

"You're always running off, you're never home, not to mention you forget to feed yourself." The shy cookie sighed. Her list of reasons sounded almost pre-rehearsed. "The point is you're not exactly cut out for pets."

 

"Okay, okay. I get it." The surrender was clear in his voice. Shadow Milk breathed a sigh of relief. Of all the heroes, that inane cookie 'taking care' of him would be the worst option. He was utterly bland, a cookie-cutter protagonist. Such an uninteresting hero would have no place in any play of his.

 

Not that he planned to let any of them take care of him. He was going back to the Silver Tree as soon as these cookies turned their back on him. He had no time and certainly no desire to play pet .

 

"Would anyone else want to take care of him?" Pure Vanilla asked.

 

"I can't even keep a plant alive," The shy cookie muttered sheepishly.

 

"A pet would just get in the way of my studies," The magic-obsessed cookie said.

 

"I suppose I can ask around once we get back to the Vanilla Kingdom." Pure Vanilla gave a small pet to Shadow Milk's head.

 

Y ou could bite him for that but you don't have teeth, it wouldn't even hurt him .

 

Shadow Milk is sure if his eyes weren’t shut tight, they’d be twitching. Gracefully, he ignores that pet and the next few. He tunes out the rest of the heroes' conversation as it no longer centered on him. He was reminded in a strange way of the years he spent watching over Pure Vanilla's shoulder.

 

It was a familiar boredom. All those mindless conversations he half listened to as he gathered his power. He was nearly missing the Silver Tree, at least there no one could pet him.

 

Pure Vanilla kicks the rest of the cookies out before long, claiming Shadow Milk needed quiet to heal. Shadow Milk suspected there was something more behind the healer's actions, not that he cared enough to find out.

 

The healer continued to sit in silence after his friends left. He was still for long enough that Shadow Milk started to wonder if he'd fallen asleep. Shifting a bit, he debates whether to open his eyes again.

 

"You still look the same." 

 

Shadow Milk jerks in surprise. He thinks for one dangerous moment those words are meant for him, but such nonsensical words clearly weren't intended for him.

 

Pure Vanilla whispered the words so low no normal cookie would be able to hear them. His cake hound hearing has no trouble picking up the words, though that doesn't help him make sense of them.

 

Pure Vanilla finally rises from his stupor with a sigh and a light shake of his head. He places a stabilizing hand on Shadow Milk. A golden glow takes over the room as warmth pulses from Pure Vanilla's staff.

 

It was strange, the sensation felt familiar. It was originally his power after all, but his power hasn't felt anything like this in centuries. He knows how powerful Pure Vanilla really is, but none of that strength comes through.

 

It was weak — no that wasn't right. The healer was pouring just the slightest bit of power into Shadow Milk. It was even more than that, the cookie added something more to it, making it heal easier without any traces of pain.

 

Pure Vanilla was using his power in a way Shadow Milk never had. Making it less effective but more pleasant. His jaw clenched, that thief was dulling his powers.

 

The power his body was soaking up was slight enough that it was hard to tell apart from any normal cookie's powers. Shadow Milk latched onto it, sinking in his claws to coax just a bit more from it. He let the normal amount tend to his injuries while taking careful hold of the extra. With this small of an amount, only the tiniest trace, Pure Vanilla would never notice.

 

It was barely enough power to do anything with. The most it could do was heal a small cut or levitate a book a few inches. Power was power, though. Having just a smidge back of what belonged to him made a smile rise on his face.

 

Pure Vanilla finished his healing, seemingly none the wiser to Shadow Milk’s scheme, he reached down to give the cake hound one last pet. Finally getting up, he set the cake hound down in his place.

 

To Shadow Milk's surprise, Pure Vanilla leaves the room. He waits a few minutes, letting his sensitive ears search for any sign of the cookie's return, before opening his eyes.

 

He had to escape now before those heroes got any more attached to him. All the petting and the fawning over him, not to mention their annoying pitying of him, it was too much. Usually, he soaked up any sort of attention. Good or bad, it could be twisted for his own amusement.

 

This role was out of his wheelhouse. He has only played pet for an hour and he was ready to combust. 

 

Shadow Milk stands up. His legs go a bit wobbly and his head feels too light. It feels like more than just exhaustion from all the healing he has endured, something close to seasickness. He gives it just a passing thought as he heads towards the door.

 

He nudges at it with his head. It seems the heroes weren't naive enough to leave their doors wide open. The doorknob was much too high even on his hindlegs. He entertains the idea of pushing the chair over for some extra height. Such an act would reveal too much sentience if caught, not to mention was a bit labor-intensive and noisy.

 

That left only two options. Either he waits for Pure Vanilla to come back and somehow slips past him. His already wobbly legs immediately protest at the idea of more running. Or, he could put his stolen, ahem — reclaimed, magic to good use.

 

It felt like a waste to use it already, but he really was hurting for options. At least he'd find out if he could make use of his power in this form.

 

He envisions giving the knob a slight twist and pull, pouring just the faintest bit of power out of his limited supply.

 

A signature blue dimly glows as the door creaks open.

 

Shadow Milk marvels at the now open door. That had been surprisingly easy. Almost as easy as using his power in his true form. Now that begged the question of whether all cake hounds could use magic or he was a special case, being a so-called Beast in a cake hound body.

 

He could ponder that question all he wanted, after he escaped, of course. Shadow Milk takes off down the hallway, heading away from any hero-related noises. Most of the doors were annoyingly shut and he didn't have any magic to spare. He only had the barest scraps left from Pure Vanilla's healing. Enough to open one, maybe two doors, if he was lucky.

 

That sea sickness-like feeling returned in full force as he ran, turning his head fuzzy and his ears cottony. A steep staircase awaited him at the end of the next hallway. Promising rays of sunlight shine down on its steps.

 

In this cake hound body, even simple actions became struggles. He has to give a little jump to make it up each step, leaving his hind legs dangling as he pushes himself up. He silently thanks Earthbread none of the heroes are to witness his struggle.

 

At the top, a gust of wind nearly sends him back down. Ropes and a strange sort of sail decorate the open sky above him, trailing from his feet to a tall sturdy mast soaring upward.

 

Shadow Milk struggles to make sense of the view in front of him. No matter how he looks at it, it's a ship. The Licorice Sea was not easily traversed. Sailing on it was paramount to suicide. This ship barely bobbed, a smoothness that sea wasn't capable of. The air wasn’t sour with the taste of licorice.

 

He walks towards the edge of the ship. Uncertain what he'll find below. Ducking under the ship's railing, a sea of clouds rushes past not far beneath him. Past the clouds, he finds trees and the ground below, far below. Far enough he has to squint to see it properly.

 

Shadow Milk steps back in shock. A ship in the sky.

 

His stupor fades as he starts to recognize this technology.

 

He has seen something like this before through Pure Vanilla's eyes. When Pure Vanilla and the rest of the ancient heroes recently gathered in the newly reformed Vanilla Kingdom. A meeting that started out dreadfully boring turned much more entertaining when the secret of Pure Lily's fate was brought to light.

 

A few of the cookies who had gathered weren't from any of the ancient heroes' kingdoms, yet were so similar to the cookies that used to liven up the Vanilla Kingdom. Those cookies brought with them technology he didn't think simple cookies would be capable of.

 

An airship.

 

He was likely far from the Silver Kingdom by now.

 

A feeling of hopelessness he hasn't allowed himself to feel, not since his first night in this form laying under an uncracked Silver Tree, bubbles up in his chest. The heroes had bested him once again. And they didn't even know it this time.

 

He'd slept peacefully as the last hope for his revenge sailed further and further away.

 

He is reminded of the fickle nature of the Witches. Giving him immense power only to take it away and seal him when he decided to actually use it. What he ever did to gain or lose their favor eludes him to this day.

 

Seeing the ancient heroes flaunt the Witches' new-gained favor, all stolen power and false bravado, drove him mad. Gave him even more motivation to escape the Silver Tree and correct the narrative. He wouldn't be tossed away and forgotten.

 

Perhaps this 'second chance' was another one of the Witches' cruel jokes. An oh-so-convenient cake hound alone in the Silver Forest. Really, what were the odds?

 

Shadow Milk scowls down at the clouds. He knows he was giving the Witches too much credit. They likely hadn't even noticed his escape. They delighted in showing up for one moment every few millennia and imparting divine judgment before leaving just as fast.

 

As a recipient of that judgment, he knew firsthand it was usually much more painful and a lot less convoluted. This mess he was currently in was entirely his own fault. Mostly anyway, the Witches did put him in the tree originally. And gave him his powers.

 

Shadow Milk shakes his thoughts away. He spent enough time in the tree blaming the Witches.

 

"Whatcha doing, puper?"

 

Shadow Milk startles, quickly turning to face the voice behind him. 

 

It was just that cowardly cookie. Likely here to fawn over him some more. He was not in the mood to deal with any more of that. 

 

As the coward gets closer, unconsciously, Shadow Milk takes a step back.

 

The cowardly cookie has an interesting reaction to that. A sharp look of panic crosses his face.

 

"Woah, it's okay, boy." There was something uncertain in the cookie's voice. The coward was too far away to grab him but Shadow Milk wasn't taking any chances. He ducks further under the railing's cover.

 

The cookie's eyes widen further at his movement, cautiously backing off. Shadow Milk takes a glance at what was making the coward so nervous.

 

His hind legs were just a step away from the edge of the airship.

 

"Treats? Treats, boy." The young cookie’s nervousness shines through with each word. He wasn't even holding any treats. Not that Shadow Milk would have listened if he did.

 

Shadow Milk remains right where he is, plastering the most innocent little cake hound look all over his face.

 

"Just come here, puper. Okay?" The cookie sounds downright desperate. His arms hung uselessly at his sides as the cookie started to sweat.

 

Shadow Milk felt the strange urge to laugh. Such pointless concern would usually irk him. Now though, it seemed almost cute.

 

That little hero thwarted him twice (three times if he counts this airship ride, which Shadow Milk does not feel inclined to) in the past few days. Each time this hero was barely bothered by his attempts, treating it like a normal Tuesday afternoon. But, now the hero seemed genuinely worried.

 

Shadow Milk took a calculated half-step back.

 

"Puper, no!" The cookie shouts.

 

It seems as though he still has some power in this form.

 

He wasn't going to jump off. Regardless of how traumatizing it would be for this little hero. The uncertainty surrounding just what would happen if his current body died ensured that.

 

In a moment of weakness, delirious from that dough monster's attack he'd wished the heroes would leave him to his fate. A wish he now sees was motivated by the fact that at his heart, Shadow Milk cookie was a sore loser.

 

Every cookie has flaws, even him. At least he was self-aware and could now channel all his built-up resentment over that defeat into something a little more productive, like tormenting a foolish little hero.

 

He establishes a routine, responding to the hero's pleas, putting just a bit of distance between the edge and himself. The cookie would put his guard down and approach Shadow Milk cookie. When the coward got close to arm's length, he would feint fright and retreat back behind the railing.

 

In just a few minutes the hero was reduced to a stressed-out mess. He was practically begging Shadow Milk with each call. All and all it was a wonderful performance by him with the coward falling for it every time without fail.

 

Shadow Milk couldn't help but smile at the hero's state. Who said he needed his power to have a little fun?

 

"Huh?" The coward's face suddenly shifted from concern to bewilderment, eyeing the cake hound in front of him.

 

Shadow Milk startles. He wonders for a second just how expressive his face as a cake hound was. He wipes the smile off of his face and returns to his routine. The hero sluggishly follows suit, doing all he can to get Shadow Milk away from the edge.

 

The wobbliness in his legs and the seasickness, rather airsickness he supposes, starts to lessen as he adjusts to the ebb and flow of the ship.

 

Shadow Milk watches in delight as the cookie hopefully develops at least one stress-induced ulcer from this experience and at such a young age, oh my.

 

When the hero is sufficiently tormented and Shadow Milk finally grows bored, he steps away from the edge, preparing to return below the ship’s deck. The coward stares, shell-shocked, not moving a muscle. He seems unable to fathom that his torment was at its end.

 

Shadow Milk debates flashing him another smile when he hears footsteps on the stairs.

 

The coward doesn’t react in any way, remaining still. His eyes staring uncomprehendingly at the cake hound in front of him.

 

"Gingerbrave, what are you doing?" The shy cookie asks. A crease forms in her brow as she takes in the frankly concerning state of her friend.

 

"He's gonna jump!" The coward yells in a panic. His eyes don’t leave Shadow Milk cookie.

 

The shy cookie takes a moment to look between her friend and the cake hound. Shadow Milk remains perfectly calm, even gently waving his tail to really sell the innocent cake hound act.

 

"He isn't even close to the edge?" The concern on her face grows.

 

"Well… he was!" 

 

"Uh-huh,” She says, entirely unconvinced. With one last concerned look at her friend, her attention shifts to the cake hound in front of her.

 

She bends her knees a bit and gives a warm smile.

 

“Come here, boy."

 

Responding to that felt demeaning, but he knew the look on that coward's face would be worth it. Shadow Milk swallowed his pride and trotted over to the shy cookie like an obedient little pup.

 

"So now he listens?!" The coward wails. The look on his face did not disappoint in the slightest. All of Shadow Milk’s work paid off beautifully. 

 

"Maybe you should get some sleep, Gingerbrave." The shy cookie sighs.

 

Shadow Milk feels a certain cookie staring at him in shock as he walks back below deck. That was the most fun he has had since acquiring this new body. While it didn't make up for the countless humiliations he's suffered, it at least gave him something to look forward to. Not that he planned to be in his body much longer. He simply had to take any small pleasures he could get. And if they happened to come at the expense of a few cookies, well he couldn't really help it.

 

He dutifully follows after the shy cookie resisting the urge to turn and further soak in his victory. She giggles tightly as he struggles to descend the stairs which he allows only to due to her assistance in his earlier torments.

 

The shy cookie leads him back to the room he was previously held prisoner in. A bowl with a handful of Jellyberries lay in the center of the room.

 

“You found him. Excellent job, Strawberry cookie.” Pure Vanilla smiles, swallowing any nervousness on his face.

 

“It’s really no big deal.” She pulls down the brim of her hood. “The little guy made it easy on me.”

 

Shadow Milk approaches the bowl. He has certain reservations about this eating arrangement. With heavy reluctance, he’s fallen into this cake hound role, but eating scraps off the ground left like a step too far.

 

He thinks of ways to get real food, something sugary and likely not meant for cake hounds. Begging like a common mutt was out of the question, which left thievery. Before he can hatch any schemes, he is startled by Pure Vanilla’s eyes boring into him.

 

"He hasn't touched his food." Pure Vanilla looks down at him with a frown.

 

"He's a baby, right? So maybe we need to mush it up for him?"

 

The mental image of his enemies mushing up his food and spoon-feeding him washes away any of his reservations. Unhappily, he eats the simple dish.

 

"Good job, puppy!" The young cookie beams at him as if eating was some miraculous task. "Aw, you've got some on your face, little guy."

 

She lightly swipes across his face with a napkin before he can even blink. He has to hold himself back from biting the child. She looks so proud of herself too.

 

"Time to check on our little friend," Pure Vanilla says. He leans over and before Shadow Milk can react, he's been picked up. He feels less than powerless with his legs dangling. Like he’s some helpless sack of flour anyone can toss around.

 

Unconsciously, he lets out a low whine. It’s utterly embarrassing. 

 

The shy cookie’s head whips around to face as her eyes flash with sympathy. She looks close, so close to saying something.

 

Shadow Milk is reminded of earlier with the cowardly cookie. She took his side then. 

 

Another low whine, this one entirely intentional falls from his throat.

 

Pure Vanilla adjusts his grip, undoubtedly trying to be more accommodating. The shy cookie doesn’t notice, having only eyes for the cake hound’s pain.

 

Just a few more pathetic-sounding whines and they are entirely pitted against each other. It was almost too easy. Pure Vanilla sets him down, promising the shy cookie to be more careful in the future. 

 

Shadow Milk takes cover under a small table in the corner of the room. Pure Vanilla admits he doesn’t need to actually touch the cake hound to check on him. That thief was just after more pets, Shadow Milk knows it.

 

Pure Vanilla crouches down, his forehead furrowing in concentration. 

 

A wave of panic surges in him. Pure Vanilla should be able to feel what he was, shouldn't he? Surely Shadow Milk can’t feel like just another cake hound. Then again, he didn’t suppose Pure Vanilla was in the habit of letting his enemies take a nap on him.

 

He was being ridiculous. If Pure Vanilla could tell what he was, they wouldn’t be having this sort of interaction. That thief had plenty of time to figure it out while Shadow Milk was out cold.

 

"Just a bit of bruising from the Megadough. Otherwise, he's doing fine."

 

He will just have to take Pure Vanilla’s incompetence as a small mercy.

 

"Hear that, little guy? That's great news." She smiles down at him. Speaking the way one would to a small child, which was less patronizing than the way one would speak to a pet, but only slightly.

 

He’ll allow it. Only because she has been on his side so far.

 

"You know," She continues, "we really should give him a name."

 

Shadow Milk pales.

 

"That's a great idea, Strawberry cookie."

 

A stray was only a stray till it was named. The heroes were already far more attached than they should be. This was turning dangerous.

 

"Oh! We should name him together. I'll gather everyone, you make sure he finishes his dinner." The pink cookie hurried out the door.

 

Pure Vanilla cookie turns his attention back to Shadow Milk cookie. Attempting, unsuccessfully, to coax him out of his hiding spot with a handful of Jellyberries. The hero, to Shadow Milk's bafflement, tries to reason with him. Pure Vanilla mentions the importance of nutrition and the fresh-picked nature of the provided Jellyberries.

 

This tactic would be useless against a normal cake hound and was even less effective against a possessed cake hound. The ancient hero's tactics didn't hold a candle to Stra–shy cookie's tactics.

 

"Oh, I have sooo many name ideas!" Gingerbrave loudly enters the room followed closely by the rest of the heroes.

 

They gather, sitting in a loose circle in the center of the room. A few more attempts were made to coax him out of hiding. Eventually, they all gave up and chose to sit where they could all see the cake hound, but not too close as to crowd him.

 

Their name session goes on for a while. Shadow Milk tries his best to ignore it. The cowardly cookie’s name ideas range from the blandly generic to the painfully uninspired. The wizard keeps suggesting names Shadow Milk is sure no cookie has ever been called, each with far too many syllables. Shadow Milk’s future was not looking bright.

 

“I know you guys shot it down, but c’mon. Puper is a good name and I stand by that.” The coward folds up his arms.

 

“Gingerbrave, that’s not a real name.” The shy cookie sighs.

 

"I still think Andromeda is good,” The wizard adds.

 

"Ugh, I'm tapped out." The coward dramatically falls backwards.

 

"How about Blue Velvet?" Pure Vanilla speaks up. He’s been mostly quiet through this whole naming process. Though not as quiet as the guardian. He honestly kept forgetting she was even here.

 

"Because he's blue?" The wizard says with a hint of annoyance. He raises a brow.

 

"Well, partially yes."

 

"That's the first good idea we've had this whole time." The shy cookie beams.

 

"But, he's not even a velvet cake hound,” The wizard argues.

 

"Don't ruin this with logic." The shy cookie and the coward shoot him a glare.

 

"Ugh, fine. It's inaccurate but not a bad name. Andromeda is still better."

 

"I like it, too." It's the first thing the guardian has said in the entire conversation. Shadow Milk notes how the cookies almost flinch at her words. They had forgotten she was there too.

 

"Blue Velvet it is, then." Pure Vanilla gives him a look.

 

The heroes all shoot him hopelessly happy looks. Shadow Milk rolls over, turning away from them. There was no way he was going to respond to that.

Notes:

Shadow Milk: I'm a BABY cake hound?!

White Lily Cookie: "And an extra tiny one :D"

Strawberry Cookie: "And extra cute!"

Chapter 5: A New Start

Notes:

Just to be clear, I will be mushing together the Vanilla Kingdom and the player’s kingdom (i.e. any cookies who live in either of the kingdoms are fair game to show up) bc honestly I forget in lore that they are supposed to be different kingdoms. And like c’mon no way Gingerbrave, Strawberry cookie and Wizard cookie are really out here running a kingdom

As to why I choose ‘Blue Velvet’ for Shadow Milk's cake hound name.... I kinda just thought it sounded cute lol. My favorite childhood cat was named ‘Blue’ so it’s always been a cute pet name to me.

The name of the in-game cake hound that inspired this fic is ‘Blue-Eyes’ which sounds way too much like a Yu-Gi-Oh reference Idk if that’s intentional or not but it felt too immersion breaking to write and also not cute enough for my tastes

 

"Look at that, Velvet!"

 

The shy cookie holds him tightly in her arms, lifting him just above the airship's railings. The view is familiar. He's seen the kingdom in its former glory and its current passable state though never from this angle.

 

The Vanilla Kingdom shines a fair distance away, standing out starkly against the landscape beside it. Only the castle itself can be seen in any detail, the buildings surrounding it looked like nothing more than smudges of color.

 

Shadow Milk would usually object to being held for any reason. Over the course of his trip, he’s been forced to make certain concessions. Letting the shy cookie get in an ear rub or fur ruffle here and there. Even, unfortunately, a belly rub once. (Listen he was tired and caught off guard and it certainly won’t happen again.)

 

If he is friendly with one of the cookies (his current target being the shy cookie as she annoys him the least) then his antisocial behavior with the other cookies is less questioned. Being avoidant with all of them would invite questions and them banding together to “fix” his behavior. 

 

Regardless of how humiliating it all is, there is a strategy behind it he believes in. If he’s nice to one cookie, every other cookie will be forced to assume the problem is with themselves. 

 

The shy cookie wasn’t too bad to be around. She never forgot to feed him, though all he’s had to eat was Jellyberries so far, and gave him much more space than the other cookies. 

 

Shadow Milk spent most of the voyage in her quarters. She was in there often but he didn’t mind her presence as much as he thought he would. She spent her time quietly and, thankfully, rarely disturbing him. 

 

What surprised him most were the times she would talk to him. Just little remarks about their journey or her friends. Full of inconsequential details. He didn’t understand why she kept talking to him. 

 

He’d certainly never spoken to a pet so much. Though he’d never bothered with having one. The closest he ever got to having a pet was perhaps the cookie-sized paper puppets he’d created. Those were all him though, just his magic given a papery form.

 

Maybe the countless cookies he’s placed under his spells were closer. With their minds stuffed full of his magic, only the slightest touches of their original selves remained. Shadow Milk talked to them plenty of times even though he knew just what their responses would be. On rare occasions, they would deviate, going just a bit off-script, and say something unexpected.

 

Those little moments were fleeting with the cookies quickly going right back under his control. That bit of chaos kept him marginally interested in his puppets. 

 

He can’t imagine that’s the reason the shy cookie talked to him. He made sure to never do anything that interesting. Just a plain boring cake hound. That’s all he allowed her to see in her. That never seemed to bore her. 

 

He thought the novelty of him, a shiny new pet, would wear off soon. If it was wearing off, it certainly wasn’t happening soon enough. 

 

When she would get too brazen with her petting, setting him on her lap, or reaching for his soft underbelly, that’s when he would leave the comforts of her room. 

 

There was another place aboard the airship where he would not be disturbed. The magic-obsessed cookie’s room. He would rarely even notice Shadow Milk’s presence, always busy muttering to himself as he poured over dusty spell books. When he did notice the cake hound tucked away in the corner, the obsessive cookie would stare at him for a bit before simply returning to his work.

 

Shadow Milk watched as the cookie replicated advanced electricity spells with ease only to struggle with fairly rudimentary spells. All power but with absolutely no basics. Truly the mark of a self-taught spell caster. 

 

It made it all the more embarrassing to know this was what he was defeated by. A wizard sorely lacking in fundamentals, and a child no less. Well, a young teenager but that was certainly a child to him.

 

If he didn’t count the Faeries and quite frankly they didn’t do much, he was defeated by mostly children. Sure they had two ancient heroes and Elder Faerie for help, but that was still mostly children. 

 

In all his years spent in the Silver Tree, he never would have predicted he’d have to look out for children once he was free. What on Earthbread was the Vanilla Kingdom feeding these kids?

 

Shadow Milk’s short stints in the magic-obsessed cookie’s room would usually end once a spell went haywire. Hoping to avoid any residual explosions or red-hot sparks, he would quietly retreat back to the shy cookie’s room. 

 

It took Shadow Milk a long time to realize it but Strawberry cookie was shielding him. She brought him his meals inside her room and kept the other cookies from entering her room . She would never push for pets when Shadow Milk made it clear he wasn’t in the mood. She was giving him space from everyone, even her.

 

Then Shadow Milk realized why she was doing it. All the times he’s avoided others and shied away from physical touch, she thought he was a scared little cake hound. She thought he was shy and probably traumatized from the Megadough. To be fair any normal cake hound would be so he really can’t blame her for thinking that. Not to mention his rather stellar performance that really sold the whole act.

 

Letting that assumption go unchallenged did have its perks. He got space, only a bit of unnecessary petting, and plenty of peace and quiet. He didn’t have to deal with the rest of the cookies if he didn’t feel like it. It made this whole situation a bit more bearable. 

 

Because of that, he indulged her just a bit more. He would allow ear ruffles to go on for longer than they should and occasionally let her pick him up without squirming. It was a transactional relationship that his primitive cake hound brain took absolutely no pleasure in. 

 

She seemed to know his instincts—more accurately the instincts of the cake hound he possessed—better than Shadow Milk himself. Just a small noise and head tilt from him and she could find a certain spot right under his ear that his instincts adored. 

 

Though he loathed to leave Strawberry cookie’s room, he knew he needed to gather more information about his captors. As much as he hated to admit it, despite all the time he spent observing Pure Vanilla cookie in the Silver Tree, he knew next to nothing about the rest of the heroes. None of them ever piqued his interest in any way. He never had any reason to pay attention. If he escaped the Silver Tree with his full power, that simple fact would still be true.

 

His lack of knowledge was a weakness he intended to correct. It had already cost him once before. The guardian, freshly awakened with Elder Faerie’s powers, saw through his false choice and re-sealed the Silver Tree. Shadow Milk had thought her meek, feeble-minded, and easily swayed. With that knowledge in mind , he presented her with her worst nightmare: her friends dangling by strings, the Faerie Kingdom burning, and Elder Faerie slain . It was enough to make any hero sway in their duties. 

 

She then did something few cookies have. She surprised him. Shadow Milk wouldn’t let it happen again. 

 

His rudimentary surveillance over her only reaffirmed his initial impressions. The guardian was with the others fairly often; only she hardly ever seemed to contribute to their conversations. Usually only after the cowardly cookie or Strawberry cookie roped her in. 

 

All that white splendor and resolve he had witnessed in the moment of his defeat was gone from her demeanor. Writing that moment off as a fluke would be nothing short of stupidity . Regardless of how every meek bow of her head and shy avoidance of any cookie’s eyes made him want so desperately to .

 

Shadow Milk would find her tucked away in every corner of the airship, staring out at the ground below for hours. How had this become Dark Enchantress cookie? He was defeated by this cookie who hid away in nooks and crannies curled in on herself. A cookie so soft-spoken, his cake hound ears struggled to hear her. A cookie who could barely muster the courage to speak.

 

With each passing minute, he felt like he understood her less. Watching her only served to fuel his irritation and so he moved on. Observing Pure Vanilla cookie would be pointless, he had spent plenty of time in the healer’s head. Shadow Milk spent enough time with Strawberry cookie and the magic-obsessed cookie already. Which only left, to Shadow Milk’s ire, the cowardly cookie.

 

Observing him was easy, Shadow Milk could do it from half the ship away. The cowardly cookie was always the loudest cookie in the room. The others didn’t seem to mind, unlike Shadow Milk’s sensitive ears.

 

The coward took Shadow Milk’s increased presence as permission to pet him. Shadow Milk retaliated by learning the coward’s routine and tripping him down the airship’s stairs thrice. Each time the coward was blamed for stepping on him by the others. Which was truly the cherry on top of his revenge sundae.

 

The petting attempts from him lessened to such a degree that Shadow Milk began to think the cookie was growing weary of him. 

 

His observation attempts were largely unsuccessful. The only cookie he learned much of anything about was Strawberry cookie. From her little talks with him, he learned her favorite foods, that she enjoyed cooking but didn’t feel confident enough to cook for others, and that she didn’t think the coward and Pure Vanilla ate nearly enough . 

 

As to how he would use that knowledge against her and her friends… he had no idea. 

 

 

He let Strawberry cookie hold him just above the airship’s railing as the Vanilla Kingdom got closer and closer into view. 

 

She pointed out her house, her favorite bakery, and a dozen other buildings. He listened along if only to make his eventual escape easier. Knowing the kingdom’s layout would be essential. 

 

He had allowed himself to put thoughts of escape to rest during the voyage. There was no real point in planning an escape with such a lack of information and the ground being so far away. Now part of him was practically itching, eager to return his schemes. 

 

The airship drifted closer to the kingdom. Below, cookies gathered in the streets in small groups . Some eager cookies started waving with a few cheers reaching the heroes’ ears. 

 

Strawberry cookie smiles at all the fanfare, giving Shadow Milk a slight squeeze. He chooses to tactfully ignore it and instead look for any glaring security flaws in the Vanilla Kingdom. All the cookies below were quite distracting.

 

“Now this is a hero’s welcome!” The cowardly cookie smiles, joining Strawberry cookie and the magic-obsessed cookie at the railing. He leans a bit off over the railing to wave at the cookies below. Strawberry cookie’s arms twitch with what Shadow Milk is sure the urge to pull him back.

 

“Indeed.” The magic-obsessed cookie nods. He puts a hand on the coward’s shoulder subtly guiding his friend away from the edge of the ship . 

 

“It’s good to see the kingdom in such high spirits,” Pure Vanilla sighs contently , moving to stand beside the younger cookies.

 

“White Lily cookie, get over here.” The cowardly cookie turns to wave the guardian over. 

 

The guardian stands in the center of the airship's deck, beside its stairs that descend to the ship’s lower level. She looks up, surprise written all over her face. She seems almost confused by his address. The ancient hero was busy doing her usual thing, Shadow Milk notes, fading into the background. 

 

“They’re cheering for you, too, ya know.” The cowardly cookie’s smile was unrelenting and bright. It’s so genuine, that Shadow Milk wants to hurl.

 

She blinks at him before shaking her head. She raises a delicate hand to grip at her opposite arm, the motion seeming unconscious. 

 

The cowardly tones his smile down a few volumes as pushes off the railing, heading towards the guardian. He stops a few paces from her.

 

She looks up for a moment before her gaze falls. “I don’t think that’s true, Gingerbrave .”

 

Her words were quiet, private. Meant for the coward’s ears only. That didn’t stop the rest of the heroes from subtlety or not-so-subtlety listening in.

 

“Oh yeah, they don’t know you’re back yet. But once they do,” The coward trails off, gesturing to the crowd below in lieu of finishing his sentence.

 

“I don’t know how they will react to seeing me.” The grip on her arm grows tighter.

 

“Their lost ancient hero returning, they’ll love it.” He continues his easygoing smile and offers the guardian a hand.

 

She stares at the outstretched hand. The moment stretches on. Shadow Milk resists the urge to squirm in Strawberry cookie’s arms. Her arm rested painfully around his stomach but he really did have such a great view of all the drama unfolding before him and he’d hate to give it up. She had even turned around, alongside the rest of the heroes, further enhancing his view.

 

The heroes were so painfully civil and understanding of each other during the voyage that this small moment of tension felt like a five-course meal to his drama-starved stomach. He lived on drama , thrived on it even . After all, he had managed to make a successful career out of it before the whole conquering earthbread business. 

 

Pure Vanilla clears his throat a little louder than necessary and Shadow Milk is so sure he is going to step in and spoil all of his fun. Before anything else can happen, the cowardly cookie leans in toward the guardian, just a bit, and whispers, “If you don’t want to, that’s fine too. I really don’t want to push you into something you’re not really ready for. I mean I know I can be a bit bad about that sometimes. So there’s no pressure, really.” 

 

The words come out in one hasty, panicked breath followed by a nervous laugh. Shadow Milk is still processing the words when the cookie leans away, retracting his hand. 

 

The guardian catches his hand before it can fully retreat. She gives him a smile. They wear matching nervous grins. 

 

“I don’t want to turn away, not from what I’ve done or from this. I guess I still need a push sometimes.” Just a bit of silver glimmer returns to her gaze.

 

Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, how sappy. 

 

The guardian joins the rest of the heroes at the airship’s bow. Hand in hand, the guardian and the coward wave to the kingdom. The crowd’s cheers grow louder at the sight of her. Shadow Milk wasn’t surprised the heroes hadn't bothered to inform the citizens of the truth behind Dark Enchantress cookie and their dear hero. They had their reputations to protect. The guardian shoots the coward a grateful look and Shadow Milk decides he has taken just a bit too much drama-free friendship for today.

 

He gives a little kick and Strawberry cookie sets him down a little ways away from the airship’s railing. Returning below deck , he can only hope he will have time for a quick nap before the airship docks.

 

 

---

 

 

“Come on, Blue Velvet. It’s not that bad.” Str—shy cookie says with a sigh.

 

Shadow Milk growls. Just when he was starting to tolerate the cookie, she went and tricked him. 

 

His nap in her room was going wonderfully. Next thing he knew, he woke up trapped in this horrid mini-prison. He didn’t even know where they got a pet carrier in such short notice. 

 

All his escape attempts were foiled by the simple fact that cake hounds cannot open a child-safe lock. Cake hound paws just weren’t dexterous enough. Opening the door with magic was tempting but idiotic. Instead, he has to tolerate the obnoxious swinging each time shy cookie takes a step. 

 

From the bars of his prison, he can see the wafer-lined streets of the Vanilla Kingdom. Occasionally he gets a glimpse at the kingdom’s citizens. Many of them are awe-struck by the pair escorting him. Pure Vanilla cookie and shy cookie greet the countless cookies welcoming them back with the same enthusiasm. Even Shadow Milk was starting to get annoyed by all the attention.

 

Shadow Milk groans. He has envisioned the Vanilla Kingdom awe-struck by his first visit countless times before . Though it usually involved a lot more burning buildings and wanton destruction and Pure Vanilla’s head on a pike if he was feeling particularly vengeful. He planned to come as a conqueror, not a pet. 

 

Pure Vanilla cookie and the shy cookie brought him to another door. A larger, pink cookie answers their knock. The pair explained where they found Shadow Milk, what he had been through, and lastly insisted he was harmless. To which Shadow Milk gave the most menacing smile he could without teeth. 

 

Same as the last few doors, they were turned away. Shadow Milk didn’t even have to growl this time. It seemed cake hounds weren’t exactly the most popular choice of pet. Even back before he was sealed in the Silver Tree, cake hounds weren’t seen as pets. They started off cute, sure, but they could grow larger than a cookie in enough time. Those soft, toothless mouths didn’t stay so safe forever. 

 

Cake hounds were wild creatures after all. If shy cookie and Pure Vanilla cookie had any sense at all they would just release him into the wild. But, no, they just had to play hero. 

 

Shadow Milk will just have to do his best to scare off any foolish cookies, then they would have no choice but to release him. That was the plan at least. 

 

“We did have a cake hound attack not too long ago,” Shy cookie says, sounding a bit downcast. 

 

“Let’s take a little break,” Pure Vanilla offers.

 

They head towards the center of town as Shadow Milk does his best to ignore all the shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees it . It’s only for a second but Shadow Milk knows what he sees.

 

A statue of Pure Vanilla cookie. Carved in decadent pure white marble with delicate gold accents. The ancient hero has his hands raised towards the heavens with a serene look on his face . 

 

Shadow Milk wants to puke. How humble of the king. Shadow Milk bets there is one on every street corner. All heroes were the same, acting so meek and modest when it came to praise, but secretly soaking up every drop of attention they could get. There was no benevolence when it came to heroes. He knew Pure Vanilla was the same as all the rest. 

 

Seeing proof of it oddly enough didn’t make him feel better. It was probably all the shaking ruining his mood. 

 

Shy cookie and Pure Vanilla head inside a bakery. The few cookies inside turn to the pair and a few familiar rounds of welcomes and thanks is had. The cashier offers to pay for their food which Pure Vanilla has to turn down three times before he can pay. 

 

Shy cookie chooses a table in the back of the store, placing Shadow Milk’s carrier on the table. The door remains painfully closed. He is just below eye level, which makes trying to look at either of the cookies difficult. His annoyance vanishes once they start eating. Their pastries smelled unfairly delicious, having a decent view of the sweets would be too cruel.

 

“Blue Velvet, I got you something,” Shy cookie says, leaning down to look at him.

 

Shadow Milk cranes his neck towards her. He swears his eyes are starting to wet. He’s been fed on only Jellyberries for ages and at this point would do just about anything for something sugary and meant for Cookies. He knew she was his favorite for a reason.

 

“It’s a pup cup!” 

 

Shadow Milk blinks. Any traces of grateful tears vanish from his eyes. Whatever that was, it didn’t sound like a pastry. It sounded like dog food. 

 

He resists the urge to bite her for her betrayal when she opens the cage. A small cup is placed inside and the door shut quickly.

 

The cup is filled with Jellyberries which really cements her betrayal. He tilts his head and is pleasantly surprised to find some cream beneath the berries. It wasn’t a pastry, but it would do.

 

He pushes the berries aside and digs in. It was already hard enough to eat with a head too big for your body, being in a too-small carrier did not help things. The whipped cream got everywhere but Shadow Milk couldn’t find it in himself to complain. He was finally eating real food.

 

Shy cookie and Pure Vanilla cookie were delighted by his reaction which Shadow Milk ignored. 

 

“Our new strategy could be showing Blue Velvet like this,” Pure Vanilla laughs, and shy cookie joins in.

 

Shadow Milk continues ignoring them. His pup cup is gone all too fast. Full and somewhat content, he closes his eyes.

 

“The only cookies I can think of that would take him are the same cookies I would not trust within ten feet of lil Blue,” Shy cookie says with a huff. She takes an aggressive bite out of her red bean bun. Shadow Milk’s ears flicker and he opens an eye. He can’t resist a conversation about him.

 

“They can’t be that bad,” Pure Vanilla says with a hint of amusement.

 

Shy cookie swallows and holds up a finger. “Cherry cookie, too explosive.”

 

Pure Vanilla takes a small bite out of his tarte before nodding.

 

She lifts another figure. “Angel cookie. They have way too many pets already.” 

 

Pure Vanilla nods again. He continues to nod through all of shy cookie’s options. She runs out of both fingers and options quickly. 

 

“He’s been through a lot and needs someone who can actually look after him,” She sighs. With a slump, she finishes the rest of her cold pastry.

 

“I can see where your concern comes from, but…”

 

“But, what?”

 

“You could always take him,” He offers hesitantly. 

 

She laughs. “Blue needs someone who actually lives here most of the year.”

 

Pure Vanilla cookie sets his pastry aside for a second. His face twists in deep concentration. Shadow Milk feels himself grow a bit nervous. 

 

“Alright, you’ve convinced me,” He says, completely resigned.

 

“I have?”

 

He nods solemnly. 

 

“Of what?” She owlishly blinks at him. Shadow Milk has the same reaction. 

 

“To take care of Blue, for a little while. At least until we find him a real home.” 

 

What?! Shadow Milk cranes his head upwards in disbelief. Pure Vanilla cookie looks entirely serious. 

 

“Oh, sweet.” Her confusion was only starting to wear off.

 

“Weren’t you trying to convince me this whole time?” He asks incredulously. 

 

“Nope,” She laughs. “Not even a little, but I’m really glad you decided to take him. You were in my top fifteen choices for sure.”

 

“Isn’t it usually top ten?”

 

Her smile widens. “Anyways, I think you’ll do great, really.”

 

“How much trouble could one cake hound be?” Pure Vanilla cookie looks down at him. The corners of his eyes crinkle as a slight smile rises on his face .

 

Shadow Milk wishes Pure Vanilla cookie would stick a finger between the bars of his cage. If only to show off a fraction of the rage and indignation he was feeling. It would be positively therapeutic and an excellent example of just how much trouble he plans to be.

 

“Aww, look how happy he is about it,” Shy cookie cheers. 

 

Shadow Milk realizes the corners of his mouth turned up as he preemptively plotted against his Pure Vanilla cookie in what was undoubtedly a villainous grin. He forces the grin down. Ugh, these cookies needed to stop assigning the emotions felt by cookies to pets. 

 

The cookies continue staring at him with inane smiles on their faces. He takes the full front of it, unable to turn around in this carrier to ignore them.

 

“Have you had a pet before?” Shy cookie asks.

 

“Ah, no.” 

 

Shy cookie’s smile threatens to fall. “Okay, some ground rules. Make sure you give him three meals a day.”

 

“I will.” Pure Vanilla nods, completely serious.

 

“And treats.”

 

“I will.”

 

“And pets every day, right behind the ears.”

 

“I will, I will.” Pure Vanilla says, with amusement. “I’m not completely clueless when it comes to pets.”

 

“Oh, sorry.” She grows a bit sheepish. “I guess I’ve just gotten a little attached to Blue.” 

 

Shadow Milk ignores the look she shoots him.

 

“You can change your mind, you know. About keeping him,” Pure Vanilla offers.

 

Shadow Milk moves to look at her, shifting his cage just the smallest bit forward. If there was any mercy in this world, she would take that offer. Being any cookie’s pet was mortifying but she was marginally better than any option he has seen so far . Being taken care of by the one who stole his power was many steps too far.

 

Humiliatingly, he gives her the best puppy dog eyes he can muster. Shadow Milk doesn’t have a good grasp on cake hound expressions yet, as his expressions come off very differently on this new face. He has practiced his begging eyes only a few times as he felt too embarrassed to practice for longer than a minute at a time. 

 

She sighs, resting her head on her hands. Her head turns away from Shadow Milk, making his pleas completely pointless. “I know.” 

 

“Well if you ever change your mind, you know where he will be.” Pure Vanilla gives her a small pat on her shoulder.

 

Shadow Milk thought this whole act was a bit dramatic. He’s the one who is affected here. What does she care about some pet she has known for barely two weeks? He puts his puppy dog eyes away for now.

 

Shy cookie unexpectedly turns towards him. Her brows pinch as she stares. “Don’t give me that look. I’ll come visit you, I promise.”

 

Shadow Milk blinks. He wasn’t using his puppy dog eyes anymore.

 

The pair of cookies continue discussing the so-called ground rules for taking care of helpless little Blue Velvet. Shadow Milk desperately wants to take another nap but can’t resist a conversation about himself. Shy cookie ends up making an entire written-out list for Pure Vanilla cookie . Which strikes Shadow Milk as more than a little overkill. Cake hounds do perfectly well in the wild without overbearing cookies fussing over them. 

 

As shy cookie leaves, he debates using his puppy dog eyes on her. Ultimately, he decides to save himself some face. She pulls him out of the carrier for one last hug which he indulges her in without squirming.

 

With a small wave, she departs, leaving Shadow Milk and the bakery behind. 

 

“I guess you’re stuck with me for a little while longer,” Pure Vanilla says amiably. 

 

Already placed back in the carrier, Shadow Milk can’t even protest as the cookie carries him off toward the Vanilla Castle, the familiar sight of his soon-to-be prison. Another obstacle in his revenge.

 

He’s been stuck with Pure Vanilla before. Shadow Milk has seen his successes and failures, seen his struggles. Shadow Milk knows what keeps him up at night. This time, the Silver Tree won’t stand between them.

Chapter 6: A Fresh Introduction

Notes:

Ya girl is back! That stupid jester got me back into crk

Also I can’t believe they gave Shadow Milk a second cake hound. The first one is a lil cuter I think. It feels like they added that for me specifically lmao.
I’m so glad we have more Shadow Milk lore/hints at lore but this fic was started before all that so I’ll add in some bits of that but don’t expect this to be super canon compliant to that.

Edit: So as I was writing this chapter he got a THIRD CAKE HOUND hello??

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie jostles the pet carrier with each step, the other bags hanging from his arms only add to the effect. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie bumps against the sides of the carrier with each shift. From within the carrier, all he can see is a mountain of stairs. The Vanilla Castle, surely the king’s destination, lies ahead, beyond Shadow Milk Cookie’s limited view.

 

If there was one thing Shadow Milk Cookie has learned about life as a cake hound, it was that life as a teeny-weeny harmless little cake hound was oh-so-so terribly boring! Sure, the Silver Tree was boring, don’t even get him started on the tree, but this was a whole ‘nother level of bo-ring. 

 

He used to have his eyes, his other realm. If spying on Pure Vanilla Cookie was getting boring, just change the channel! What’s that little eyeball? Is the HollyBerry Kingdom falling apart at the seams again? How fun! What’s that other little eye? Is the Golden Cheese Kingdom still reduced to miserable sandy crumbs? How utterly delightful!

 

See? He used to have entertainment. A constant stream of all of Earthbread’s and Cripisa’s best moments. Well, actually most of those moments were pretty boring but he got good at filtering out all the mundanity. 

 

Now he’s been reduced to only being able to eavesdrop at one location. If he learned anything during that air ride, it was that the heroes were surprisingly drama-free, besides Pure Vanilla Cookie and White Lily Cookie there was definitely something going on there, but, of course, those two were so civil about it he was almost not interested. 

 

Now that he knows these silly heroes don’t have any intention of doing what any sane cookie would do when faced with a cake hound (i.e. release it or just put it out of its misery already), all the tension is gone. Only boredom remains. 

 

All he can do is hope Pure Vanilla Cookie trips on the stairs or gets a move on already. He swears that old cookie is going slow on purpose. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie takes another step. Shadow Milk Cookie bumps into the side of the carrier, again.

 

If anything could just happen, he would be grateful. Anything. For the love of Earthbread.

 

A crow caws far above Shadow Milk.

 

“Oh, hello.” Pure Vanilla pauses for a moment as the crow lands on his shoulder. 

 

The crow continues to caw shrilly, rudely interrupting Shadow Milk Cookie’s brooding. He knows he asked for anything to happen, but he really meant anything that wouldn’t shatter his sensitive cake hound ear drums. 

 

To his disbelief, Pure Vanilla Cookie nods along to the crow's infernal calls. Since when did he make such a habit of befriending wild animals? Shadow Milk Cookie then remembers all the sheep and the bluebirds and, yeah, nevermind, that kinda tracks for the hero.

 

“My king, you have finally returned.”

 

A dark brown cookie surrounded by a flock of crows descends the castle’s steps. Shadow Milk Cookie squints, doing his best to get a good look at her through the bars of the carrier. He’s definitely seen this cookie somewhere before. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie stills.

 

“It’s good to be back, Black Raisin Cookie.” Pure Vanilla Cookie takes the crow on shoulder onto his finger, giving the top of its head a small pat. “Now what have I said about calling me that?”

 

“Sorry, my liege .” There isn’t a trace of an apology in her words. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie remembers her now. She was a part of that village that took Pure Vanilla Cookie in back when he couldn’t even remember his own name. She was a lackey of his. More competent than most of Pure Vanilla Cookie’s subjects but still just a lackey.

 

“That’s a bit better, I suppose.”

 

“Things have been a bit hectic since you’ve left.”

 

“I was only gone a handful of weeks.” The crow flies off his finger, heading towards the flock around the lackey.

 

“The people have missed you and, well, paperwork tends to pile up when you leave.”

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie sighs. “Surely there is someone else capable of signing a few papers. I’m not king anymore.”

 

There’s a tiredness to Pure Vanilla Cookie’s tone Shadow Milk Cookie has rarely heard. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie wasn’t a king? Ah, he remembers now. Pure Vanilla Cookie’s little experiment. He was going to let the people lead. Ha, surely that could only go swimmingly. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie had been amused when he watched from his other realm as Pure Vanilla Cookie first put forth the idea. Politics, however, never failed to bore Shadow Milk Cookie. Little seemed to change in the Vanilla Kingdom after Pure Vanilla Cookie resigned. Maybe Pure Vanilla Cookie did a bit less paperwork but the not-king always seemed to get roped back into leading the kingdom in some way.

 

“Of course not, my liege. Can I take your bags?”

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie glances downward, meeting Shadow Milk Cookie’s eyes through the bars of the pet carrier.

 

“Oh, right. I’d almost forgotten. Black Raisin Cookie, meet Blue Velvet. He’ll be staying with us for a little bit.”

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie lifts up Shadow Milk Cookie’s carrier, jostling Shadow Milk Cookie. Shadow Milk Cookie’s face is pushed against the bars. Shadow Milk Cookie leans forward. She is silent for a moment.

 

“My liege, that’s a cake hound.” 

 

“He is.” He nods.

 

“You’re bringing him into the castle?” Shadow Milk Cookie smiles at the trace of panic in her voice.

 

“Yes, as my pet. Strawberry Cookie talked me into it.” Pure Vanilla Cookie sounds almost fond recalling it all and Shadow Milk Cookie wants to puke.

 

“Your… pet?” Black Raisin Cookie stares at Pure Vanilla Cookie intensely. Shadow Milk Cookie feels vindicated in a way. Finally a cookie was having a normal reaction to someone trying to make a pet out of a cake hound.

 

“Yes.” Pure Vanilla Cookie nods.

 

“Pure Vanilla Cookie, I apologize for asking, but did you happen to hit your head while in Beast Yeast?” 

 

An amused smile settles on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face. “I don’t recall doing so.”

 

“Cake hounds are wild animals, my liege. They don’t make good pets.” As much as Shadow Milk Cookie agrees, he can’t help but take a skeptical glance towards her crows. Surely those aren’t suitable pets either.

 

“He’ll suit me well then, I doubt I’ll make a good owner.” Pure Vanilla laughs softly. The concern on the lackey's face only grows.

 

“Surely you remember being attacked by cake hounds back in the village," She says.

 

“This little one has yet to attack me.”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie smirks. Was that a challenge, Nilly?

 

With the few traces of magic he stole from Pure Vanilla Cookie, he could make a small burst of magic. Not enough to wound, it would barely even scar. No one would suspect him, a poor little cake hound, an non-actor in this little play.

 

As tempting as it was, it would be rather pointless and not mention certainly not his style. If his much more spicy friend was in his situation, he didn’t doubt that brute would take the chance. Shadow Milk Cookie liked to think he had at least a bit more style and a decent bit more brains than him.

 

“He looks ready to.” Shadow Milk Cookie startles. His eyes shift to the lackey. She was staring right at him. 

 

There was wariness in her gaze. No cookie had looked at him this way since taking on this cake hound form. All cookies saw was a pest. A small pest who would in time grow into a larger pest. Shadow Milk Cookie saw a wild animal and all the dangers it could bring.

 

This wasn’t the terror he was used to when looked upon by mere cookies in his true form, but it was a million times better than the pity the heroes harbored for him. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie gives her a grin, wishing he had pointed teeth to flash. 

 

“Nonsense. He’s perfectly harmless,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says. He gives the carrier a little shake, rudely ruining Shadow Milk Cookie’s attempts at intimidation.

 

“You’re serious about this, aren’t you?” The lackey’s eyes shift back to Pure Vanilla Cookie.

 

“Quite, until we find him a new home, he’ll be staying here.”

 

The lackey sighs. “I’ll start asking around. There must be someone crazy enough to take him.”

 

“Oh, and Strawberry Cookie gave me a list of things I’ll need.”

 

He holds out a list. The end of it nearly scrapes the ground. The lackey raises a brow at it.

 

“This is quite long, my liege.”

 

“Oh is it? Sorry, I’ll be much too busy with all that paperwork.”

 

The lackey gives him a tired smile as she takes the list. “Just be careful with that thing.”

 

The lackey descends the steps, crows following in her wake. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie lifts the carrier, holding it up to eye level. 

 

“That’s one cookie down, now let’s introduce you to the rest of the castle.”

 

Oh, goodie . More cookies . Shadow Milk Cookie grimaces. He really was starting to miss the tree. 

 

 

---

 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie carts him around for the next hour, introducing him to any guards and passerby they come across. The looks of shock and concern were severely lacking in variety which only served to bore Shadow Milk Cookie even more.

 

Those looks barely seem to disway Pure Vanilla Cookie as he introduced Blue Velvet with the same cheeriness each time. Perhaps Pure Vanilla Cookie did know it was him in this form and this was all some elaborate form of torture. No, surely Pure Vanilla Cookie wasn't that cruel.

 

“Next is the council. Since I stepped down, we need cookies to lead. It’s similar to the Republic’s council but it's really still a work in progress,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie pushes open a large door. Shadow Milk Cookie has seen this hall before, the Council of Heroes was held here. More tables and chairs were piled into the room than Shadow Milk Cookie remembers there being. Boxes and stacks of paperwork occupy any spare table space. 

 

A dozen or so cookies look up from their work. They look so delighted to see Pure Vanilla Cookie return that Shadow Milk Cookie wants to gag. 

 

“Pure Vanilla Cookie, you’re back!” A member of the council rushes up to him. Half the council is right behind her. 

 

“Welcome back!” 

 

“Have you had a chance to approve my proposal for a new Jampie Diner?”

 

“Ah, I haven’t made it up to my office yet. Besides, my approval really isn’t necessary for such matters,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says. 

 

“How was Beast Yeast, Pure Vanilla Cookie?”

 

“Alright, that’s enough everyone. No need to crowd him.” An elderly Vanillian says.

 

The over eager council members give Pure Vanilla Cookie a bit of room, not nearly enough in Shadow Milk Cookie’s opinion. 

 

“Thank you, Pilgrim Village Elder.” Pure Vanilla Cookie gives the elderly Vanillian a grateful smile.

 

“We…” The elder hesitates, “we heard White Lily Cookie is back.”

 

The council grows silent. All eyes turn to Pure Vanilla Cookie.

 

“How is this possible?” The elder asks.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie savors the look on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face. Pure Vanilla Cookie swallows, “It’s… it’s, well, a miracle. I suppose.”

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s grip tightens on the carrier. 

 

“And Dark Enchantress Cookie?”

 

“I will explain how this all came to be and all that transpired in Beast Yeast, after I’ve had some time to collect my thoughts. I can say confidently that the White Lily Cookie we brought back is not Dark Enchantress Cookie. As unbelievable as it sounds, she’s a part of White Lily Cookie from before she became Dark Enchantress Cookie.”

 

The council murmurs.

 

“She’s truly White Lily Cookie, I have no doubt.”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie stifles a laugh. Ha, what a lie! He didn't think Pure Vanilla Cookie had it in him. They both knew the real White Lily Cookie was long, long gone. Her crumbs, if there were any left, were a part of Dark Enchantress Cookie now. An improvement if you asked Shadow Milk Cookie. 

 

This half cookie Pure Vanilla Cookie brought back with him was little more than a pale imitation. Shadow Milk Cookie wondered if without her soul jam would she be capable of taking more than three steps before crumbling. 

 

“So it’s safe to have her here in the kingdom, just walking around?” A council member asks.

 

“Yes.”

 

Lie. Lie. Lie . Shadow Milk Cookie was impressed. Was Pure Vanilla Cookie after his title? Well, Pure Vanilla Cookie would need to make his lies a bit more believable then.

 

The council is mostly silent, clearly still absorbing the news. A few members whisper just quietly enough that Shadow Milk Cookie can’t make out their words. He doesn’t need to hear them though, the skeptical looks on most of the council tell Shadow Milk Cookie all he needs to know.

 

“We trust your judgement, Pure Vanilla Cookie.” The elderly Vanillian lays an almost reassuring hand on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s shoulders.

 

 

---

 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie was starting to consider gnawing at the carrier. With no teeth it would take a few days to gnaw through the solid sugar bars. Still at the rate Pure Vanilla Cookie was going, it was becoming a more and more tempting option.

 

The council meeting was interesting. So much potential for drama, but Pure Vanilla Cookie had to ruin it by ducking out of the meeting room as soon as possible.

 

He would do anything for just five minutes with his other realm. No, just one of his eyes in that room would do. The council must be divided over whether or not to trust Pure Vanilla Cookie’s word. Maybe they were even planning to overthrow him! He wasn’t king anymore so Shadow Milk Cookie wasn’t sure how that would work but watching it would be more entertaining than being carted around like some showpony. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie enters what appears to be a workshop. This technology reminded Shadow Milk Cookie of what he's seen in the Creme Republic. 

 

A robed cookie stands in front of a flask filled with a bit of powder, watching it intensely.

 

“Hello, Espresso Cookie. Is Strawberry Crepe Cookie around?” Pure Vanilla Cookie asks.

 

“They ran off a bit ago. Something about hunting down rare waffle bot ingredients.” The cookie doesn’t bother looking up.

 

“On their own?”

 

“They’re my lab partner, so naturally Strawberry Crepe Cookie is highly capable. And they had a small army of waffle bots behind them.”

 

“Ah, you’re right. I shouldn’t baby Strawberry Crepe Cookie. They’ve had to survive on their own for a long time.”

 

“I’m sure they appreciate the concern. Anyways, do you need anything else?”

 

“Meet our castle’s newest resident, Blue Velvet.” Pure Vanilla Cookie lifts up the carrier. Shadow Milk Cookie waits for the expression of mild shock to appear on the cookie’s face.

 

The cookie keeps a blank expression.

 

“Cute, right?”

 

“I suppose.” The cookie’s voice is even.

 

“Everyone else has been somewhat concerned when I’ve shown them little Blue here.” 

 

“I’ve met wealthy Creme Republic citizens with far more eccentric pets. At least he’s not big enough to eat you, yet. Just do me a favor and keep him out of the lab.”

 

 

---

 

“I hope that wasn’t too much for you,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says as he opens the carrier’s door. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie rushes out. Being confined for that long was surely cake hound cruelty and from the oh-so righteous ancient hero too.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s room is a bit boring, for a king and even for a normal cookie the room is understated. There aren’t even many hiding places, though the underside of Pure Vanilla Cookie’s bed is tempting. There would be no more pesky cookies to entertain under there.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie hesitates. This shy and pathetic cake hound act was terribly draining and if he was going to be around Pure Vanilla Cookie constantly, the act simply wasn’t worth it. The real question was when to drop the act. Slowly pretending to warm up to Pure Vanilla Cookie would be much more realistic, but he really didn’t want to play this part anymore.

 

If Pure Vanilla Cookie hasn’t caught on to Blue Velvet ’s true nature by now, acting a bit out of character would hardly change anything.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie stretches his hind legs, looking up at Pure Vanilla Cookie blankly. A look of surprise grows on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face. His staff’s eye stretches comically wide.

 

“Not running away this time?” Pure Vanilla asks gently as he takes a half step forward. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie holds his ground.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie lets out a small laugh. “Ah, maybe I desensitized you.”

 

Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie bends down. He reaches out a hand towards Shadow Milk Cookie. He’s seen Strawberry Cookie do this plenty of times, Pure Vanilla Cookie is going for an ear rub.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie ducks down to the left, putting a few steps between them for good measure. He’s not going to pretend to be scared but putting up with ear rubs and pets is a step too far. Scratch that, a thousand steps too far.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie relishes in watching the smile drop from Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face. His revenge was starting already. No, no, no, wait. This was decidedly not a part of his revenge. His revenge would be burning the Vanilla Kingdom down, driving Pure Vanilla Cookie and his friends mad, and a bit of crumbling if he felt like it. Such a small act couldn’t be considered revenge. This was just… an amusing distraction from his current unfortunate reality. 

 

A knock sounds at the door. Pure Vanilla Cookie gives Shadow Milk Cookie a look before going to answer the door.

 

“I gathered the items you requested,” Pure Vanilla Cookie’s lackey says as she enters.

 

Her arm is completely overflowing with boxes. Each of the crows trailing behind her carried a box with some even carrying two.

 

“Thank you, Black Raisin Cookie. I’m sure Blue Velvet will love them.”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie sends Shadow Milk Cookie a wary glance. Shadow Milk Cookie tries to return the look, he never asked for any of this. Unfortunately, he is well aware his cake hound form can only convey a dopey happiness or hungriness. 

 

“Isn’t this a bit much for a cake hound?” She asks. 

 

“Nonsense, all pets deserve to be spoiled.”

 

“Right, pet.” 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie ignores her and picks a box at random. He opens it, pulling out a small bowl.

 

“Look Blue Velvet, isn’t your bowl cute?”

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie places the bowl in front of Shadow Milk Cookie. Oh. There was no way he was ever eating out of this.

 

It was small, light blue, and covered in drawings of good little puppies. 

 

There was a limit as to how far he would take this whole pretending to be cake hound thing and it was eating out of anything made for a pet or eating anything made for pet consumption. Eating that pup cup was a one time thing. He was hungry, sue him. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie holds up the contents of another box.

 

“Real genuine… Breadog food? Is this okay to feed cake hounds?” Pure Vanilla Cookie asks.

 

“I would think so. If not we have some left over jellies from when Dark Cacao Kingdom’s Cream Wolves were here,” The lackey says.

 

“I’m not sure those are truly edible.” Pure Vanilla Cookie suppresses a shiver. 

 

“That’s fair. I purchased a few more types of dog food so we can just see what he likes.” 

 

Spoilers, but I won’t like any of them. Shadow Milk Cookie glares at the dog food with unbridled disgust. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie pours a generous helping of Breadog into the bowl. Shadow Milk Cookie gives him a blank look. 

 

The two cookies stare at him for a few moments. 

 

“Maybe he’s not hungry,” The lackey says.

 

“You’ve been cooped up all day. How about a walk before we eat?” Pure Vanilla Cookie leans down, using that annoying soft voice cookies use when talking to pets.

 

The lackey grabs something from an opened box. It was a jelly rope attached to something made of interlocking gummies and circular. 

 

Oh. That was definitely not happening. He would sooner hand over his soul jam to Pure Vanilla Cookie before he allowed such a thing anywhere near him. 

 

 

---

 

 

“I don’t think he likes it,” Pure Vanilla Cookie’s lackey and current Shadow Milk Cookie’s least favorite cookie says.

 

“He’s in an adjustment period,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie’s fur won’t stop puffing up. The collar sits uncomfortably around his midsection. That lackey latched it too tight, he swears.

 

He walks a few paces in front of Pure Vanilla Cookie and his lackey, the jelly rope hangs between him and the cookies. Putting up with this is humiliating, but he refuses to be dragged along. 

 

That lackey had played dirty—grabbing him by his scruff. Next time he won’t allow such a thing, not that there will be a next time. 

 

He’s finally out of that carrier, with this limited free-reign of the castle he has he should be memorizing the layout, plotting, something actually productive. All Shadow Milk Cookie can think about is how uncomfortable the collar is and incorporating that lackey, Black Raisin Cookie, into his revenge. 

 

The show he’ll put on in the Vanilla Kingdom will rival all his previous, what happened in the Faerie Kingdom will look like a two-bit matinee and Black Raisin Cookie has just been promoted to a main character.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie ignores the curious looks from passerby as he starts down another hallway. 

 

How utterly humiliating. He’s only been a cake hound for what, two weeks? And this is what he’s been reduced to.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie’s pace quickens, he glances back at Pure Vanilla Cookie and sees the cookie nearly stumble.

 

How interesting .

 

Shadow Milk Cookie gives the leash a harsher tug. He is rewarded with another near stumble.

 

“He’s quite energetic today,” Pure Vanilla Cookie laughs.

 

“That’s one word for it, my liege.”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie breaks out into a sprint, or at least, tries to. In that same moment, Pure Vanilla Cookie stops to admire a newly hanged painting. The leash goes taut, pulling uncomfortably, and Shadow Milk Cookie nearly falls over as the collar yanks. 

 

It appeared Pure Vanilla Cookie was less frail than he seemed. How dull.

 

 

---

 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie continued aimlessly wandering the halls. Pure Vanilla Cookie and Black Raisin Cookie seemed to be the type of friends who often wordlessly enjoyed each other's company which made eavesdropping quite boring.

 

Near the end of a hallway, Shadow Milk Cookie recognizes a familiar scent. White Lily Cookie. He turns only to be faced with a field of flowers. A field of white lilies.

 

Oh how sad. What a pretty little monument to a fallen friend . Shadow Milk Cookie nearly laughs imaging Dark Enchantress’s reaction. Would she burn it immediately or order her servants to rip out each lily. On second thought, she’d burn it. She wasn’t sentimental like that. 

 

“I showed White Lily Cookie to her old chambers,” Black Raisin Cookie says. She glances at Pure Vanilla Cookie.

 

“I see.”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie walks through the rows of lilies, heading towards the pavilion in the center of the greenhouse.

 

“I heard you told the council the truth about White Lily Cookie, I’m glad.” Black Raisin Cookie gives the king a small smile.

 

“What else could be done? White Lily Cookie deserves her privacy but their concerns aren’t unfounded,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says.

 

“The council is loyal, even after what happened at the council of heroes, they haven’t told the people the truth behind Dark Enchantress Cookie,” Black Raisin Cookie says. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie stays silent. Black Raisin Cookie gives him a concerned glance.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie makes it to the pavilion, with a bit of difficulty he climbs onto one of its benches. Pure Vanilla Cookie sits beside him. Black Raisin Cookie stands at one of the pavilion’s columns, looking more like a soldier standing guard than a cookie talking with a friend.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie curls up on the bench. To think he’d get a free show with his walk, how delightful.

 

Black Raisin Cookie sighs. A brief flash of pain crosses her features, “Still, the truth will come out eventually. No matter how careful we are.”

 

“I know that,” Pure Vanilla Cookie sighs. “She–we just got back. We need a little more time.”

 

“What happened with the Council of Heroes…”

 

Shadow Milk Cookie looks up, catching the dismay on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face.

 

“I know, I know. I don’t plan to make the same mistake. Breaking this news isn’t so simple.”

 

“They should hear it from their king.” None of the earlier reluctance is present in her voice.

 

“I haven’t been the king of anything for a long time,” Pure Vanilla Cookie says quietly.

 

Black Raisin Cookie gestures to the door they came from, to the castle. “The people don’t see it that way.”

 

“We have so many talented bright young cookies in this kingdom and yet they look to an old cookie like me.” Pure Vanilla Cookie’s voice shakes, showing a bit of his true age.

 

“Pure Vanilla Cookie.” Black Raisin Cookie’s voice goes gentle.

 

“Why, I wonder. Because of this power, my soul jam?” 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie raises a hand to his soul jam, giving it a delicate touch.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie rolls his eyes. If all that power was too much for Pure Vanilla Cookie, he’d gladly take it off his hands.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie’s hand drops. 

 

“I’m sorry, Black Raisin Cookie. I shouldn’t be saying such things.”

 

The pavilion is still. Shadow Milk Cookie can faintly hear the distant noises of the castle. The rustle of lilies nearly drowns out those sounds. 

 

“Having… having her back isn’t easy, is it?” Black Raisin Cookie says, looking out at the flowers.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie makes a quiet noise, something like a gasp. Without his cake hound ears, Shadow Milk Cookie wouldn’t have heard it. 

 

“Oh, it's so wonderful and so horrible.” Pure Vanilla Cookie grips the bench, leaning so far forward he’s nearly teetering. “I’m an awful friend, aren’t I? I don’t know what to think when I see her.”

 

Black Raisin Cookie keeps her eyes on the flowers. Her brows pinch.

 

“Sorry, I’m getting rather emotional." Pure Vanilla Cookie stands up abruptly. "Excuse me, Black Raisin Cookie.” 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie hurries out of the pavilion. Shadow Milk Cookie follows. Even without the leash threatening to pull him along, he would be right behind Pure Vanilla Cookie. He didn’t want to miss this.

 

“Pure Vanilla Cookie, wait.” Black Raisin Cookie holds out an arm but makes no move to stop him. 

 

There aren’t any tears or even so much as a sniffle as Pure Vanilla Cookie heads to his room which is really rather disappointing. Was a public breakdown really too much to ask for?

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie acts like everything is normal, smiling and nodding to each cookie he sees. His pace is just a smidge quicker than normal.

 

It’s only when Pure Vanilla Cookie makes it back to his door that he seems to remember Shadow Milk Cookie is there too. Pure Vanilla Cookie glances down, a bit of shock shows on his face. He looks at the leash on his wrist as if noticing it for the first time.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie recovers quickly, wiping away any traces of shock and opening the door for the both of them.

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie calmly takes off Shadow Milk Cookie’s collar. He hangs his own hat and outer robe on their hooks. Then and only then, does Pure Vanilla Cookie let himself breakdown. 

 

He retreats into his bed, covering himself with blankets. He sobs once out loud. The rest of his tears are quiet.

 

Shadow Milk Cookie watches for a few moments, waiting for a feeling of satisfaction to come. He keeps his eyes trained on the shaking of his enemy’s form. All he feels is something close to disinterest. 

 

This thief, this cookie he swore revenge against, was finally breaking down. 

 

He should be relishing each tear after all that cookie put him through today. He didn’t even have to do anything to get Pure Vanilla Cookie to this state. Such an easy revenge. 

 

Maybe it was too easy. Maybe that’s why he can’t properly savor this moment. 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie sits on the floor, at the foot of Pure Vanilla Cookie’s bed. He rests his head on his paws. 

 

Pure Vanilla Cookie lets out a shaky breath. 

 

That feeling of satisfaction doesn’t come. 

 

It just feels a bit awkward.

Chapter 7: An Unfortunate Incident

Notes:

I now have a smilk plushie stares at me in disappointment when I don't update this lol

 

Thankfully, Pure Vanilla Cookie’s little outburst is short-lived. Shadow Milk Cookie doesn’t know how much of that he could deal with. He’s already got his hands full pretending to be the cookie’s pet, and the role of emotional support cake hound was not one he ever planned on filling.

Instead, the role of emotionally distant and not willing to be pet but also not scared of his own shadow cake hound is played by Shadow Milk Cookie beautifully. 

The next few days follow a routine. Pure Vanilla Cookie wakes and fills Shadow Milk Cookie’s bowl before heading off to who knows where. Shadow Milk Cookie gets up only once Pure Vanilla Cookie has left and tips over his bowl, sending all of that horrible kibble to its rightful place on the floor. He uses the slightest bit of the specks of power he stole (rightfully, he must add. Pure Vanilla Cookie stole it from him first) from Pure Vanilla Cookie to open the door and heads straight to the kitchen.

Most of the staff there do not care for him. The feeling is, of course, mutual. A few foolish servants have the same attitude toward him as the heroes. Which Shadow Milk Cookie takes advantage of to get some real food. The food honestly wasn’t half bad in the Vanilla Kingdom. Before Shadow Milk Cookie burns the place to the ground, he’ll be sure to pick the head chief’s brain for his banket recipe.

Shadow Milk Cookie then walks around the castle for a bit, doing his best to avoid being trampled underfoot. The hallways were rather empty for a kingdom of this size, but no cookie ever seemed to look down. And whenever he turned, the fluttering of crow wings was never far.

He has been working on mentally mapping the place. A task rather beneath him, so naturally he can’t help but stop and eavesdrop whenever he can. His new form’s ears helped, but it was nothing compared to the knowledge he could acquire in just a few minutes within his other-realm. 

The gossip in the Vanilla is quite lackluster if you ask him. The citizens thought highly of their heroes, especially Pure Vanilla Cookie. Ew . Hearing near-constant praise of the cookies, who were forcing him to play pet, was just doing wonders for his ego.

It’s usually around this time Pure Vanilla Cookie comes looking for him, bearing a leash. It was funny how Pure Vanilla Cookie thought he could force Shadow Milk Cookie to do anything. He leads the old man on for a little while, really making him think today was the day Shadow Milk Cookie would comply. Then he runs circles around the old man until he gives up.

If Black Raisin Cookie is there… the leash goes on. 

Then it’s time for a walk. Shadow Milk Cookie makes sure to steer clear of the orchard covered in white lilies. Turns out psychological torment is a lot more fun when you don’t live with the guy.

There’s more freedom here than he’s grown used to. More distance and time away from cookies, thankfully. It’s still dreadfully boring. 

Even his revenge plans have grown a little dull. You can only vow revenge against a cookie so many times. Not to mention his crumble-on-sight list has grown out of proportion. Half the castle’s staff will be on it before long, and at that point it’s more of an obligation than gleeful revenge. 

His escape plans were slowly progressing. He knows most of the castle’s exits by now. The areas outside of the castle were a different story. He vaguely remembers where the airship dock was, but getting there wouldn’t be so easy. Not to mention he has no clue when the next ship will leave for Beast Yeast. 

The real problem is how quickly he’s running out of magic. The castle isn’t exactly cake hound friendly. Every door he opens and each expensive vase he accidentally knocks off a high shelf is another drop of his power gone. He’s starting to run low. 

Siphoning some off Pure Vanilla Cookie was the ideal scenario. That would unfortunately require Shadow Milk Cookie to touch Pure Vanilla Cookie. Which, first of all, ew. He can just imagine the self-satisfied little smile on Pure Vanilla Cookie’s face as poor little BV finally warms up to him. 

Ideally Shadow Milk Cookie would siphon some while Pure Vanilla Cookie was sleeping. Only the cookie barely seemed to sleep, and when he did, well, calling it ‘restless’ would be an understatement. 

Shadow Milk Cookie had tried siphoning some a few days ago only to end up being cuddled. It was not an experience he planned to repeat. Beyond the logistics of having to touch Pure Vanilla Cookie, there was also the fact that, for all his many personal failings, Pure Vanilla Cookie was not a complete idiot. He’d feel Shadow Milk Cookie draining magic from him, not to mention if Shadow Milk Cookie took too much it would be painfully obvious. Cake hounds don’t naturally have magic. 

Shadow Milk Cookie once again bemoans his poor choice of vessel. Getting enough power for his escape would be a challenge fitting for (and not embraced by) the Beast of Deceit.

 

 

---

 

 

Shadow Milk Cookie is cozying up on the foot of Pure Vanilla Cookie’s bed when he hears it. His ears perk up at the familiar patter of feet and voices echoing down the hall. 

“Why are we visiting Blue Velvet again? We just saw him last week.” 

“Was a whole voyage not enough?”

“Exactly. See, you get me, Wizard Cookie.”

Shadow Milk Cookie’s eye twitches. Apparently he has visitors. After his few days of peace, he had figured and hoped those dull cookies had forgotten about him. These heroes’ obsession with cake hounds was rather annoying.

“Well, I’ve got to make sure he’s fitting into the castle well. You helped me save him. He’s your responsibility, too.” Shadow Milk Cookie’s ears flick. Strawberry Cookie was here too. At least she is mostly tolerable.

Shadow Milk Cookie hops off the bed. If he tries to hide, he just knows these heroes will make a big deal out of searching for him. Might as well get this over with.

“I thought he was Pure Vanilla Cookie’s responsibility now?” The cowardly cookie says.

“Well, he’s so busy. What if he’s forgotten all about Blue?” Strawberry Cookie says.

“U-huh, that definitely sounds like Pure Vanilla Cookie.”

“Strawberry Cookie, if you're that worried, you can just say so.” 

“I’m not worried. Just… appropriately concerned.”

“Aww, someone misses her little cakehound,” The coward teases.

The door opens, and Strawberry Cookie enters. Shadow Milk Cookie moves to greet her. 

As she smiles at him, he feels something behind him. A glance backward reveals his tail was wagging. That’s new. And rather annoying. As much, he squashes these pesky cake hound instincts, they keep coming up. The cakehound originally in control of his body was still alive after all. Just sleeping or buried deep in his subconscious—Shadow Milk Cookie didn’t really care enough to find out, but that little guy was still kicking and causing him problems.

“Blue! I missed you so much!” Strawberry Cookie sits down next to him and wraps her arms around Shadow Milk Cookie. He is swallowed up in the fabric of her hoodie. 

It wasn’t unpleasant. If it were any other cookie, he would be barking up a storm, but he’ll allow her this.

Strawberry Cookie quickly lets him go, giving him a little pat on the head as she does. 

The cowardly cookie and the magic-obsessed cookie watch the interaction, looking as shocked as Pure Vanilla Cookie did at his non-avoidant behavior. The coward leans down, a smile starting to form on his face.

“Awwww, okay, he is cuter than I remember.”

The cowardly cookie pets Shadow Milk Cookie’s chin. Shadow Milk Cookie allows it for a few seconds. He waits until Strawberry Cookie and the magic-obsessed cookie have shifted their attention elsewhere, and then he strikes.

“What! He bit me! Guys?!” The cowardly cookie rips his hand away. He holds it up for his friends to see. There was, of course, no mark. Shadow Milk Cookie had concentrated a few sparks of magic in the area around his head, just enough for any cookie foolish enough to pet him to feel a slight shock. It was practically painless but certainly a surprise.

Strawberry Cookie looks over his hand, completely free of bite marks, with her brow scrunched.

“He doesn’t have teeth, Gingerbrave. How can he bite you?” She says.

“Look, I don't know how he did it. He just did it, okay?” The cowardly cookie waves his “bitten“ hand wildly. 

Strawberry Cookie and Wizard Cookie share a skeptical look. Their eyes shift to Shadow Milk Cookie. He channels all the dopey cake hound energy he can to the surface. It’s not much different from his usual look. Cake hounds were horribly inexpressive.

“You guys don’t believe me?” The cowardly cookie asks, sounding almost hurt. It’s enough to put a toothless smile on Shadow Milk Cookie’s face.

“Hmm, I’ve read about dogs biting when they get excited,” The magic-obsessed cookie says, “but again, no teeth, so not really a bite.”

“Aw, he was probably just happy to see you again.” Strawberry Cookie nudges the coward.

The cowardly cookie shoots Shadow Milk Cookie a dirty look. “This is ridiculous.”

Strawberry Cookie runs a hand through Shadow Milk Cookie’s fur. Shadow Milk Cookie leans into it, mainly to see what face the coward will make. The coward doesn’t disappoint.

“I’m just glad he’s doing okay here. Maybe I was a little worried after all,” Strawberry Cookie says.

“A little?” The magic-obsessed cookie says, teasingly.

Strawberry Cookie sticks her tongue out at her friend.

A knock sounds on the door. The magic-obsessed cookie gets up to get it. A fiery red cookie, which Shadow Milk Cookie distantly recognizes as another one of the heroes, enters. Shadow Milk Cookie resigns himself to being forced to meet yet another cookie in this form.

“Hey, kiddos! Whatcha doing?” The new cookie asks. A wide grin nearly splits her face in two. 

Strawberry Cookie perks up at the sound of the new cookie’s voice.

“Hi Chili Pepper Cookie, meet Blu—” 

“AHH! A CAKE HOUND!” 

It happens fast. Too fast for Shadow Milk Cookie to gather his power. This form is too slow to react. Some other force makes him move.

There’s a flash of pain on his left side, and suddenly he is staring up at the cowardly cookie’s back. 

Shadow Milk Cookie is on his side. He doesn’t remember falling over. 

There’s a dagger embedded in the floor far too close to him.

His ears press against his head. These cookies are too loud.

“Chili Pepper Cookie! What is wrong with you?!” 

The cowardly cookie is yelling. He stands in front of Chili Pepper Cookie, mostly blocking Shadow Milk Cookie’s view of her.

“What? What am I doing? It’s a monster!” She brandishes another dagger.

“No, he’s not. He’s just a baby.” Gingerbrave remains firm.

“I guess he is kinda small, but still that’s a monster, so just move over and let me at him!”

“NO!” Strawberry Cookie hugs Shadow Milk Cookie tighter. He can’t remember when she got so close.

Jam leaks from his ear. Distantly, Shadow Milk Cookie feels himself shaking. 

The magic-obsessed cookie moves to stand in the way, right beside the coward.

“Chili Pepper Cookie, let’s put the weapons away,” The magic-obsessed cookie says.

Chili Pepper Cookie looks between Shadow Milk Cookie and her friends, her brows painfully pinched. With a sigh, she sheathes her daggers. 

The cowardly cookie steps towards Chili Pepper Cookie. For a second, Shadow Milk Cookie is convinced he is going for a hug. The coward surprises him by tackling his friend.

“Hey! What’s the big idea? I put my weapons down.” Chili Pepper Cookie struggles against him.

“Sorry, Chili Pepper Cookie!”

“Wizard Cookie, could you get Pure Vanilla Cookie? BV is hurt,” Strawberry Cookie says.

“Right.” The magic-obsessed cookie hurries out of the room.

Strawberry Cookie gently pets along Shadow Milk Cookie’s back, taking care to avoid any spot too close to his wound.

It’s only a slight trickle. The heroes are worried but not worried enough for this to be any more than a slight cut. 

He is still shaking. It's just plain annoying at this point. There’s no danger, but his body doesn’t seem to get the memo. These cake hound instincts were beyond useless.

With the adrenaline draining, his ear begins to painfully pulse. 

Cake hound ears were far too sensitive to noise and to cuts, apparently. It’s times like this he misses his old body more than ever. A dagger like that wouldn’t be able to lay a scratch on him. None of these cookies would be able to.

He is bitterly reminded of a similar scenario. That messy business with the megadough. All the heroes watching him slowly bleed out. That was the start of this whole mess. At least those wounds were inflicted during a plot for his revenge. This was practically a friendly fire incident. 

He’d really better speed up this whole revenge thing. He’ll end up dead to a paper cut at this rate. 

Hurried footsteps announce Pure Vanilla Cookie’s arrival. He stands over Shadow Milk Cookie. A familiar regretful look on his face. Shadow Milk Cookie has seen it far too many times through his other-realm.

“I’m sorry about all this.” Pure Vanilla Cookie grips his staff tightly. “I tried to introduce BV to as many cookies as possible to prevent any incidents.”

And there’s that familiar self-pitying attitude. How refreshing.

“It’s not your fault, Pure Vanilla Cookie.” Strawberry Cookie keeps petting him. “We were the ones watching him.”

“As his owner, I have to take responsibility.”

This whole self-blame game would be a bit less annoying if he wasn’t currently bleeding onto the rug. It would still be pretty annoying, though.

Pure Vanilla Cookie lifts Shadow Milk Cookie onto his lap. Shadow Milk Cookie catches a glimpse of the cookie’s face. Self-pity galore, what a surprise . Shadow Milk Cookie looks away.

A golden glow overtakes Shadow Milk Cookie’s sight as Pure Vanilla Cookie lays a gentle hand on him. The familiar yet foreign power rushes through Shadow Milk Cookie’s veins. This amount of power was clearly overkill for treating such a small wound. Not that Shadow Milk Cookie is going to complain—it makes things much easier for him.

The rush of power tapers off quickly, much to Shadow Milk Cookie’s chagrin. It goes back to the slow trickle Pure Vanilla Cookie normally uses to heal. Shadow Milk Cookie already managed to soak up more than enough power. He honestly might have gone overboard.

He could always get rid of the excess later. The amount he took wouldn’t be suspicious for a day or so. With the sheer amount of power Pure Vanilla Cookie used, even this amount could be passed off as magical residue. 

The glow fades away, revealing three faces staring at him. Concern and guilt color their dough.

Shadow Milk Cookie hops back onto Strawberry Cookie’s lap, nearly slipping in his haste. She laughs and gives him an ear rub.

“Looks like he’s doing fine,” Strawberry Cookie says.

The magic-obsessed cookie and Pure Vanilla Cookie watch contently as Strawberry Cookie pets him. Shadow Milk Cookie glares at them. He only tolerates one of these heroes. The others need to learn to take a hint.

“Chili Pepper Cookie, stay there, please,” The coward says from across the room. He gets up and heads straight towards Shadow Milk Cookie.

“Seriously?” Chili Pepper Cookie says, but remains when she is.

“I’m glad you’re okay, little guy.” The coward smiles at him. 

Shadow Milk Cookie lifts his head up to glare more directly at the target of his disdain. Based on the coward’s widening grin, it was not effective.

The coward leans forward and scratches under Shadow Milk Cookie’s chin. 

Shadow Milk Cookie doesn’t blast him with magic again. Mainly because everyone is watching him and he doesn't want to waste his freshly obtained magic. Still, that extra did foolishly put himself in front of Shadow Milk Cookie. 

Shadow Milk Cookie will give him props for that. It was pretty stupid of him. Even if Shadow Milk Cookie wasn’t a beast in cake hound’s clothing, it would still be a stupid decision. It was interesting, though. Shadow Milk Cookie wonders how many more stairs he’ll have to trip the coward down before he stops throwing himself in front of Shadow Milk Cookie.

“Hey, can I pet the little guy?” Chili Pepper Cookie asks. She’s still sitting where the coward asked her to. She has her head propped up on her chin as she watches Shadow Milk Cookie with clear interest.

“Seriously?” The magic-obsessed cookie gives her a look. Actually, all the cookies turn to give Chili Pepper Cookie looks with a variety of shock and disappointment in their features.

“No way. Attempted murder means no pets.” Strawberry Cookie pulls Shadow Milk Cookie even closer to her.

Chili Pepper Cookie rolls her eyes. “C’mon he’s fine. A little nick never hurt anyone.”

 

Notes:

This was originally just supposed to be the trio hanging out with smilk... idk why my brain decided to traumatize smilk.