Chapter Text
A familiar letter, a small hint of redemption, and that was all it had taken for the bringer of happiness to plan a trip to the vanilla kingdom.
Well, that and a few extra letters from a certain pure vanilla cookie. Apparently the letter wasn't as recent as she first assumed, and her lack of response letter had worried the sender. And it certainly wouldn't be ideal to do such a thing.
So, with a little help from the king, eternal sugar had packed up her remaining assistant, along with a few minor items, making the long journey to Crispia.
Shadow milk cookie had gone and sought redemption there. And achieved it, it seemed. He was happy like that, softer around the edges yet still as sharp as she remembered. Gentler, yet not dull either. Not domesticated, she wouldn't say that exactly.. but certainly less wild and untamed than before.
Certainly not the delicate little fount of Knowledge from eons ago, yet decidedly not the deceitful jester he'd became after their fall. In fact, he had even taken up that older name apparently.
He was happy. Despite all the pain they'd gone through, and all the pain he'd continued to endure. From his letter, it seemed to have only made his resolve stronger. The new cracks and scars that marred his dough, courtesy of burning spice, were clear proof of that pain.
And yet, he'd persisted in his goal.
Attempting to show the other beasts of this so called ‘redemption’ he'd found. Still trying to reach out after all this time apart. Though she still wasn't quite pleased with the lies he'd spread back then, she had to give credit where due. They'd all had their methods of coping, whether crying wolf or delving into paradise.
And now, here she was. Pavlova cookie lingering behind her, blueberry milk and pure vanilla just ahead, each of them now within the vanilla kingdom's garden. She'd debated on bringing pavlova with her, but pure vanilla cookies had encouraged it. It would be useful to have him around at least, so she'd allowed it.
Eternal sugar cookie had smiled, gently wrapping her wings around the other beast when he approached. He looked far worse for wear than he'd been last time, but there was no faking the relief in his voice. The sheer joy as his eyes lit up upon realising she'd arrived.
Seeing her.. also made him happy. More than she'd expected too, if the way he practically melted into the embrace was anything to go by.
How intriguing.
Perhaps he'd been onto something with this whole ‘redemption’ spiel. What a strange idea, that true happiness could take root in such a painful place..
“So, my dear.. how have you been then hm? I know it's been quite a while since you first wrote to me.” She spoke first, pulling him along through the gardens. A flick of her tail had pavlova heading off on his own, leaving them alone. Pure vanilla cookie also seemed to get the hint, leaving the pair to talk in peace. Good.
“I've been doing well, honestly.. I've been coerced into having therapy, spending time with my kids.. I'm even teaching again!” Shadow milk - no, blueberry milk now - shrugged, eyes twinkling as his grin only widened.
..he'd been teaching? The very same thing that had helped lead him towards the path of corruption? And.. he was willingly doing it again?!
“Don't look at me like that, sweets! C'mon, would I really lie to you?” He simply cackled, kicking his legs up behind him as they floated onwards. Seems her disbelief had been more visible than she'd intended.
“Well then.. hm, let me think back a few eons first~" She started with a giggle, before quickly being cut off.
“Rhetorical question, sugar, it wasn't too many times! Besides, I'm better now.” Blueberry milk huffed in amusement, before nudging her shoulder. “Speaking of which.. I assume you're still up for trying then? Since you're actually here?”
Well.. she had deigned to make the effort by coming here. She could've easily sent pavlova cookie instead, but she'd decided to make the trip too.
“But of course, my dear! The journey here is so long, I simply wouldn't make it for no reason after all.” She yawned ever so slightly as she spoke, reminded of just how tired she was from so much effort.
“You should've written back to me! I could've opened a portal for you, and for pavlova as well I guess. I did make the offer after all..” Blueberry milk almost scowled, though quickly schooled it into something more gentle. Still bitter then, beneath the layers of newfound happiness. That simply wouldn't do at all!
“You were still weakened, blue, no need to overexert yourself on my behalf!”
“I'm not that fragile, sugar. Spice did a number on me, but I'm fine.” He sighed, crossing his arms in defeat. “..Well, I'm fine now. I think Nilla and the kids were worried at first, though. It.. wasn't pretty, to say the least.”
Hm.. so he really wasn't lying then. An attempt to turn those instinctive lies into something more truthful. Quite a hard habit to break.
He was desperate to cling onto this redemption thing.
This was certainly worth the trip.
“Mhm, I'm sure..” Eternal sugar reached over to a nearby flower bed, plucking a vanilla orchid from within. The eye within reminded her of her own paradise, now that she thought about it. “Say, You mentioned kids..?"
“Oh, of course! You remember candy apple and black sapphire, right?” Blueberry milk brightened at the topic change, floating upside-down as he spoke.
“..your minions? I thought.. Well, it's been quite a long time since then. What of them?” She hummed, smaller wings flicking slightly. They were from her old kingdom, if she recalled correctly.. at the very least, candy apple likely was, given the sugary aspect tied to her flavour.
“Well, I may have gotten a tad too attached to them. So.. it seems I've stumbled into having two unofficially adopted kids!” Blueberry milk waved his hands with a flourish, grin widening at the minor announcement.
Hm.. with how long it had been, she could've sworn they'd have crumbled away by now! Poor little cookies, far too fragile for their own good.. Though, if anyone would find a way to escape that particular fate, it would be the very same cookie who denied and escaped every harsh truth thrown his way.
“That's wonderful, dear! Does that mean.. are they still around after all this time?”
Blueberry milk nodded, reaching into a portal he'd quickly ripped open. Much like a magician pulling a rabbit from a hat, he hoisted out a smaller little cookie from within the portal.
“Dad? What do you- you!” The little cookie quickly noticed Her, wings flaring out as her voice reached a shrill shriek.
Blueberry milk immediately regretted bringing the smaller cookie over, allowing gravity to overtake them both as they fell backwards into the portal once more.
Hm.. now she recognised the little sweetheart, yes! That must've been candy apple, but of course she'd been part of the sugar kingdom! Her reaction was simply adorable, so fiesty for such a little cookie!
Minutes later a portal made itself known and he re-emerged, though without the smaller cookie in tow. It seemed to have taken a while, whatever conversation they were likely having.
“..I think candy apple is still bitter about the whole.. incident.” Blueberry milk huffed, clearly torn and uncertain about.. something. Though she had a hunch as to what incident he was referring to.
“My dear, you cannot fault me for trying to spread my happiness to all the cookies within my kingdom.”
“She wasn't even-! Ugh.. okay, perhaps that's something to work on.” He muttered, fiddling with his claws as he trailed off.
Something to work on? But why? She was only doing what brought the most happiness, with the least amount of effort. She couldn't possibly be in the wrong, not when so many cookies were so inescapably happy because of her.
Though, she had come here to see a different outlook on happiness. It would be a waste if she simply shrugged off any attempts at introducing her to this new plan. What silly little ideas her ally has!
Actually.. Could she still say that if blueberry milk had switched sides?
..what else were the beasts, if not mere allies for convenience?