Chapter Text
Morning sun shone through the sugar glass windows, casting blinding light upon anyone unfortunate enough to find themselves within its sight. Berry birds sang their glorious songs as the bustle of cookies down below continued to grow. Their doughs warmed in the light, filling most with a sense of calm.
Within the halls of a rather lavish place, Pure Vanilla Cookie walked into the main room where the other ANC\ENTS members were. The halls were long and winding, and just about everyone was tired from the long showing yesterday.
"Oh! Pure Vanilla Cookie!" White Lily Cookie started, turning to look at him. She greeted him in that soft way she always did to everyone. He smiled. "Good morning."
"Good morning, White Lily," Pure Vanilla replied, walking to sit down next to her on the couch. The news played mundanely in the background. "Where are the others?"
"Asleep or making breakfast," White Lily answered. She had a twinge of sadness to her voice. It was a tad bit upsetting, being fairly ostracized by the rest of the group for something one could hardly help.
After the group had learned that White Lily was corrupted partially and that the corruption had fractured off into its own person, some of the members hadn't been particularly quick to forgive her. Though that had been months ago, a few of the members were still apprehensive, but it'd mostly eased up.
Mainly the shock of it all had them apprehensive. Dark Enchantress Cookie had tried to take everything from them. She was the leader of the Corrupted Cookies after all. Pure Vanilla was just happy that they had gotten her under containment in some way. The Seal of the Silver Tree was weakening however.
Pure Vanilla could only hope that they would all be able to forever seal the corruption away into the deepest, darkest depths from which they deserved to stay. He could only hope the corruption within the group would flee with it. It was his only hope after all. His only wish was that he could be free and no longer have to hide. Same for his dearest friend.
Their reaction to White Lily was all he needed to know to recognize his fear as rational. Call him selfish, but he'd rather keep his friends in the dark than risk losing them over something he couldn't control. Pure Vanilla Cookie, much like White Lily, was corrupted, too. He longed to tell them, but to do so would mean to risk being ostracized or, worse, hated.
So, instead, he would shut up and conform. Speak of it to no one, and never give any hints that he was corrupted. He'd rather never reveal a vital part of him than lose those he loved. It was a worthwhile trade in his eyes.
"Is that Pure Vanilla that I hear?" Hollyberry called from the kitchen, poking her head out to see them. Pure Vanilla smiled and waved at her. "Oh, good morning! You sure slept in. We're making pancakes."
"Good morning to you, too," Pure Vanilla responded, smiling back at her. He stood up and motioned for White Lily to follow. He needed to bring them all back together. It was the only way they stood any form of a chance against Dark Enchantress. "Is there anything I can help with?"
"We," White Lily piped up, nervously wringing her hands in front of her. Pure Vanilla's smile widened at her addition. This was a good first step of a thousand. It'd take a long time to get to where they once were, but it could happen. "I wish to help, too."
"Ummm... White Lily can work on the eggs with Golden Cheese," Hollyberry started, ignoring the glare from Golden Cheese. She still hadn't forgiven White Lily for what had happened with Dark Enchantress. Pure Vanilla couldn't blame her as she'd lost almost everything, but he still wished they would just get along. He had to remind himself that progress isn't linear, and that it took time. That didn't make it any less frustrating, however. "Pure Vanilla, you can help with pouring the batter. I got to take a call."
"Alright!" Pure Vanilla rolled up his sleeves. He was lucky to be wearing a pseudo bodysuit underneath. It hid all those nasty markings. White Lily did the same. Her arms were bare of markings since, unlike most corrupted cookies, she'd split from that side of her. It was a bit confusing. What helped Pure Vanilla understand was the idea of mitosis. She literally split, and the corruption had become two beings, one pure and one corrupted, rather than one muddled being. That was why some of them, mostly Hollyberry, had forgiven her quicker than others. Pure Vanilla wasn't going to name names, but it wasn't difficult to see who was at least cordial, and who was being spiteful. It was understandable, but White Lily was his closest friend. She didn't deserve that.
"I don't need anyone to help me," Golden Cheese started as she passed a bowl and the carton of eggs over. Pure Vanilla didn't miss the way White Lily visibly cringed. Hollyberry sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before dialing a number and walking out of the room.
"Okay!" Pure Vanilla smiled and started on pouring the batter whenever told, using the fork to catch any spillage. He made idle chatter with Dark Cacao, who occasionally took a sip of his coffee. Pure Vanilla guessed it was black since he rather liked the bitterness. In contrast, Pure Vanilla preferred his sweeter.
A silence soon fell over the group. It was a bit thick in some areas, but otherwise was not unwelcome. Pure Vanilla resisted the urge to hum and break said silence. It was rare that they could all just sit and enjoy each other's presence.
"Did you see the Seal start to turn silver last night?" White Lily suddenly asked, voice quiet, almost hard to hear, but everyone picked it up.
"Yeah," Golden Cheese mumbled, leaning against the counter and flicking her wings. "I think we should release the song. Just get it over with."
"That's not a terrible idea," Hollyberry replied, walking back into the room. Pure Vanilla resisted the urge to yawn. Witches, he was tired.
"We should seal them forever as soon as possible," Dark Cacao piped up, placing the final pancake onto the plate, which already had a stack. Pure Vanilla set the dishes down into the sink.
"I already premiered the song," White Lily admitted. Pure Vanilla smiled. That was good. The sooner the seal turned fully silver, the sooner the Corrupted Cookies would be trapped forever and unable to harm any other cookies ever again.
"When is it premiering?" Pure Vanilla asked, ignoring how Golden Cheese groaned, clearly having been excited for their much needed break. It'd all be okay in the end, they could take a long break afterwards.
"Tonight," White Lily said. Golden Cheese scowled and dramatically threw her head back in a groan.
"Why so early? I wanted my break," Golden Cheese started, crossing her arms and flying back a few paces. "We all need it, clearly."
"I think it's good that we do it sooner," Hollyberry chimed in, trying to see the positive. "We can have an incredibly long break if we get it out of the way."
"Hollyberry is right," Dark Cacao said, buttering the pancakes. Pure Vanilla busied himself with the dishes. "We need to get it sealed fully as soon as possible."
"Hmph! As long as we get a looong break! I am tired!" Golden Cheese grabbed the plates and started to set the table. Hollyberry helped her soon after as White Lily finished with the eggs.
The food was plated up, Pure Vanilla took his own plate and put it away. Hollyberry gave him a look and followed him into the kitchen.
"Vanilla... c'mon. Eat a little at least," Hollyberry wished, walking over and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Please?"
"I-" Pure Vanilla scrambled for words. "Hollyberry, I'll eat lunch, promise. I'm just not that hungry right now."
Pure Vanilla knew damn well that he was not going to eat lunch. Lying to Hollyberry felt like a cold dagger had been plunged into his heart. It twisted when she gave him a trusting look, spreading that cold up towards his neck, across his chest, stopping at his lower arms and mid thighs.
"You better... Can you at least eat a handful of blueberries?" Hollyberry asked. Pure Vanilla nodded, swallowing the ice that lodged its way around his body.
"Yes, I can," Pure Vanilla responded, hoping Hollyberry would leave him soon. She stood there, however, very clearly waiting. He sighed and opened the blueberry container, taking a handful and eating them. Once he ate a couple handfuls, she nodded and patted his shoulder.
"Thank you... you're doing great," Hollyberry said, pulling him into a hug. Pure Vanilla smiled and hugged her, feeling the ice recede away. When she pulled away, she gave him a warm smile and turned to leave. Pure Vanilla didn't miss her swiping her flask from the counter. They all had their vices.
Turning back to the dishes, Pure Vanilla set to work washing and drying them. The dishwasher was always an option, but Pure Vanilla liked the old fashioned way. Plus, it gave him something to do with his hands. He hummed a song that his mother used to sing to him. Witches, he missed her. She'd been one of the guardians before him, but the Light of Truth had only opened for him. In fact, none of the lights had opened for their predecessors.
Originally, Pure Vanilla remembered the pure sorrow and hatred that he felt after his mother had died. Hatred for himself, hatred for those demons that had taken her life far too soon, and hatred for the Light of Truth, for not protecting her, and instead choosing to protect him. It'd taken many years of healing to finally forgive. Once he had, he'd felt much lighter. Though, he still felt that hate creeping up his spine so that it can wrap around his neck and squeeze.
Pure Vanilla hadn't felt that exact feeling in a very long time, thankfully. Nowadays, self-hatred was the only thing he felt. Learning to forgive others was difficult, but nowhere near as difficult as learning to forgive yourself.
A bird chirped outside and Pure Vanilla turned to look at it, smiling softly. He'd be free soon. Free of these lingering marks, free of the corruption, free of his fears.
Loud cheers spread widely over all of earthbread. Their song had been a massive success. Golden Cheese had promoted it over the Cookienet. In fact, they were currently trending on multiple websites. Pure Vanilla never really understood technology, but it proved useful, so he couldn't really complain.
However, that success was short-lived. During their rehearsals for the show on Friday, Pure Vanilla's voice kept going out. He had a sinking suspicion as to why, so he excused himself and rushed to the bathroom, locking the door shut behind him. He pulled down a part of his bodysuit and gasped.
"No... please... no... it's- it's far too early. I- I'm so close..." Pure Vanilla breathed. There, on his neck, were markings in the shape of eyes and jagged dark blue gashes. They'd spread to his throat it seemed. Swallowing thickly, Pure Vanilla pulled his bodysuit up higher. A deep breath, in for six, hold for four, and out for six. Calm down, Pure Vanilla. It's not like your entire purpose and chance for freedom is slipping from your fingers.
A gentle knock, followed by the soft voice of none other than White Lily. "Pure Vanilla? Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Wh-I-te Lily!" Pure Vanilla winced at his visible voice crack and cleared his throat, going to reaffirm his previous statement, but ultimately decided against it. White Lily was not stupid, she could definitely see through him. "I think I'm losing my voice..."
"Oh no... do you think you will be able to perform?" She asked, nervousness creeping into his voice. Guilt swallowed him. She needed this just as much as him, if not more. While separate from Dark Enchantress, they were still connected in a way, no matter how much he hated to admit it. He could not ruin this for her. Pure Vanilla would never be able to forgive himself if he did, but he couldn't lie. He couldn't... not when she'd see right through him. Plus, imagining his voice failing him while up on stage sent embarrassment seeping into his very dough. He'd rather be upfront than potentially ruin everything.
"I... I don't think so..." Pure Vanilla replied, voice quiet, almost a whisper, but he knew she heard it. How couldn't she?
"Don't worry, Vanilla! I know this cookie who can get you tonics that can help!" Hollyberry exclaimed. He hummed in thought. It was worth a shot. His healing magic couldn't heal the corruption, but they probably thought he was low on mana or didn't want to waste use it on himself. "They're apparently really strong in these sorts of things! We can go today, actually! Their shop is definitely open."
"Alright..." Pure Vanilla opened the door after checking to make sure no markings were showing. "Should we get changed?"
"Yeah! As cool as it is to look flashy, I don't want my radiance getting swarmed! You guys, too, I suppose," Golden Cheese added, grinning and flying backwards. "C'mon everyone! Everyday clothes!"
Pure Vanilla smiled, but a part of him felt dread sink like a stone into the depths of his stomach. What could he do if it didn't work, which it likely wouldn't? Though, he supposed he could only hope that it would.
"Our Holy Gift?" Dark Cacao read, looking up at the sign. "Are you sure this is legit, Hollyberry?"
"Yes! They're really skilled in tonics and healing! At least, that's what their online website said," Hollyberry responded, holding the door open for them. The room looked like your stereotypical waiting room, but there were frames of a bunch of different pictures as well as a lot of candles and religious items.
"Is that the Avatar of Destiny?" White Lily asked him under her breath. Pure Vanilla walked up to the photo and squinted. Sure enough, that looked to be the Avatar. He hummed, but was snapped out of his thoughts when a figure with large seraphim like wings and a white veil over their eyes and lots of ruffles walked in.
"Welcome! Welcome!! We are known as Doughael. How can we be of service to you?" Doughael asked, folding their hands together in front of them, smiling.
"Oh! Yes! We're here because our friend here seems to have lost his voice," Hollyberry said, pushing Pure Vanilla closer. Frankly, he didn't want to be near Doughael. He knew them, and they irked him. At one point they'd gone to the same church. Though, it seemed they became even more devoted than before.
"Ah! We knew we recognized your aura! It's been so long, Pure Vanilla!!! The Holy One truly wishes for us to interact!! We will try our hardest to help a fellow believer! Our doughs must be perfect for the Avatar!" Doughael exclaimed, perking up and leaning closer. "Your voice, you mentioned?"
"This cookie is crazy, Hollyberry," Golden Cheese whispered lowly. Pure Vanilla barely caught it. He winced and nodded. If Doughael heard the snide remark, they paid it no mind.
"Hmm... oh, Pure Vanilla! You must've lacked in your prayers! Tsk, tsk, tsk! Truly no good. The Avatar must be punishing you for a lack of faith! I sense a great deal of pretending within your heart," Doughael assessed, humming and shaking their head. "No matter. We can forgive you. We will give you some tonics in order to help, but do not stray from your devotionals! Prayer will help!" They walked over and pulled out a box of tonics, which had scriptures Pure Vanilla remembered memorizing all those years ago.
"Thank you, Doughael..." Pure Vanilla responded, trying to remain as polite as possible. Memories of the church resurfaced. He almost shuddered. Religion was good for some, but Pure Vanilla had a lot of... fears due to it. Some groups self-destructed themselves due to preaching one thing, but not following it through themselves. "I... will make sure to keep up with them."
Ice cold shot up to his throat, he resisted the urge to reach up and claw at it. It must be getting worse as they speak. Thickly, he swallowed the saliva building within his mouth and took the box. Golden Cheese ended up paying and they all left the shop with Doughael waving them goodbye.
"That was creepy," White Lily mumbled once the door was shut. Pure Vanilla nodded.
"You know that cookie, Pure Vanilla?" Dark Cacao asked, glancing down at him. Pure Vanilla simply nodded with a soft sigh.
"We used to go to the same church when we were younger. They must have became more devoted while I... strayed away per se," Pure Vanilla explained, walking down the street while they followed. "We used to be..." friends seemed too heavy of a word to call them, but acquaintances seemed too light. "People who interacted with each other? It's hard to explain."
"Ah! You both had a thing? In a church? Scandalous!" Golden Cheese teased, snickering quietly.
"Nothing of the sort! They just... they weren't my friend, but they weren't just simply an acquaintance. That's all," Pure Vanilla responded, sighing. White Lily nodded in understanding.
Just then a group of cookies walked by, all wearing casual clothing. One blue, one white, one pink, one red, and one black and purple. They were all difficult for him to see due to his partial blindness. In fact, technically, he was legally blind. He had glasses at home, but he'd forgotten them. Pure Vanilla locked eyes (more like looked in the direction of) with the blue one, who smiled and shoulder bumped him, feigning an accident. Pure Vanilla fell back, caught off guard. The box opened, dropping the tonics everywhere. The cookie simply looked down at him in slight concern, reaching out a hand, only to pull it away and pretend to brush off dust from his shoulder. The others gave them a once over with the pink one merely tutting at them before they walked off.
"Eugh! I thought the pink one was kinda cute but damn they are assholes!" Hollyberry exclaimed, crouching down to help pick up the tonics. Pure Vanilla felt embarrassment crawl onto his cheeks.
"Are you okay, Pure Vanilla Cookie?" White Lily asked, helping him up. Dark Cacao picked up the box while Golden Cheese yelled obscenities. "Are you hurt?"
"Ah, yes, I'm okay, thank you, White Lily." Pure Vanilla took the box back and frowned. He shut the box, trying hard to hide the tonics inside. Falling was already embarrassing enough; he didn't want someone to judge him for what was inside the box he was holding. Realistically, he knew no one would care, but he never really had that much confidence.
The sounds of music floated over to them. Everyone's heads whipped around towards the direction of it. Pure Vanilla and the others hesitantly walked over, seeing a bunch of red smoke and a growing crowd. Gasps erupted throughout their group, minus Pure Vanilla, who squinted at the makeshift stage blob thing. Once it registered in his mind, he covered his mouth. Right before them were the cookies who'd just bumped into them! Performing no less! Pure Vanilla only had one thought running around in his mind like a rabid cakehound: he'd just bumped into an idol?!?!