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Chapter Text

Earthbread was a massive place, where all kinds of desert creatures lived in respectable harmony with one another. Conflict rarely happened here, under the watchful eye of the Witches, but when it did, it was devestating. First it was the fall of the Five Great Cookies, then it was the Dark Flour War, and now Earthbread was in chaos grander than ever before with the supposed awakening of something so sinister, it was beyond comprehension.

Nothing was certain, it never was when the ones in power were desperately trying to keep secrets, especially since the outbreak of which could send the entire desert world into a panic, but rumors were spreading quickly and far beyond the walls. A deadly plague in the Dark Cacao Kingdom that would turn cookies white as flour, a spike in the activity of the Golden Cheese Kingdom, its ruler rushing to hoard her treasures inside the city walls, Pure Vanilla in another continent and Hollyberry having joined him on seperate journeys.

"I'm worried.", Kouign-Amann told Golden Flour as she rested her upper body on her room's windowsill, "What of Scovillia and Parfaedia?"

"I'm worried, too.", Golden Flour admitted to her friend.

Appearance-wise, Golden Flour Cookie was vastly different than most cookies in the Crème Repubic. Her dough and icing on her head was completely white, and no one could tell what color her eyes were, kept permanently closed with long, equally pale eyelashes. Only her close friends knew what her eyes looked like, black with white slits for pupils. She was wearing the standard healer uniform all trainees in the Academy had along with a beige bonnet. She had met Kouign-Amann Cookie through the sheer number of times she had offered to treat her wounds when others had grown too tired of the reckless cookie's actions. In return, Kouign-Amann offered her friendship, the first one Golden Flour Cookie ever had.

"Maybe we should send a messenger pigeon.", Golden Flour recommended from her sitting position on Kouign-Amann's bed, "I've been hearing rumors have been brewing over in Parfaedia."

"What kind of rumors?", Kouign-Amann asked in curiosity as she turned her head to look back at Golden Flour.

"Something about a teacher at the Academy having no credentials. Latte Cookie, I think."

"What? But that's ridiculous!", Kouign-Amann replied, "Prune Juice always tells us good things about that cookie."

Golden Flour shrugged as Kouign-Amann made her way to her desk, her trusty sword resting near it.

"But you are right. We should be checking up on our friends! Now, where is my-"

Golden Flour was next to Kouign-Amann in seconds, pen ready and in hand. Kouign-Amann chuckled as she took the offerred pen from her friend.

"Sometimes, I feel like you can grant wishes or something."

"Wouldn't that be easy?", Golden Flour commented with a small smile. She rarely smiled, so this was a breakthrough.

Capsaicin Cookie felt a lot more...anxious, than usual. There was nothing wrong in Scovillia, per se, but something still felt wrong, a feeling of familiarity Capsaicin could not name for the life of him. It was like Capsaicin was a furnace that one had suddenly turned up the heat on, and all he could do was toss around in his room as he tried to name the reason why the flame inside him seemed to be burning hotter than normal.

"It's okay, pipe down.", Capsaicin told himself as he covered his eyes with his forearms, "You can control it, nothing bad will happen."

Capsaicin was taken aback by some tapping on his dorm window, and looked out to see that it was a melting and exhausted pigeon from the Crème Republic.

"..!" Capsaicin quickly moved to let the small bird in and tried his best to have it cool off before carefully taking the note attached to its leg.

Dear Capsaicin Cookie,

We're writing from the Crème Republic to see if you're doing alright. Earthbread's a mess right now, and we were worried for you and Prune Juice, so we wanted to check in! If you ever wanna talk, please, send a message back!

Love, Kouign-Amann and Golden Flour Cookie

Capsaicin smiled at the note, happy that friends from another part of the world bothered to check in on him. Could that be the reason he was so burnt up as of late? Was he just worried for his fellow champions?

"Scovillia is real far from the Crème Republic, no wonder they're worried.", Capsaicin told himself, "Man, that should have been the first thing I thought too, to send a message to check on them!"

Capsaicin felt a little guilty, that he wasn't the one to check on his friends from outside of Scovillia first. He guessed the rumors were at their worst in places like Parfaedia and the Crème Republic rather than here, where students, staff, and citizens alike would only mention a rumor in passing before going back to their daily lives.

Turning back to the crème bird, it seemed to be getting a nice rest under the thin covers of Capsaicin's bed, leaving some stains while at it.

"Uh...dude? You're kinda making a mess here.", Capsaicin said as he lifted the cover, causing the bird to look up at him. 

"Eh...yeah, I guess I'm making worse messes than you.", Capsaicin Cookie commented as he let the blanket fall back down, remembering how he would disolve his bed to ashes when he had nightmares as a younger cookie.

"Well, I should not keep either of them waiting!", Capsaicin exclaimed as he practically fell on his desk to write back a message.

"Chirp!", the crème pigeon tooted.

"Ah, I'm fine!", Capsaicin assured as he grabbed a pen, "I should write to Prune Juice Cookie, too. Wonder how either of them are holding up."

"Chirp!"

So, Capsaicin started to write to both his friends in the Crème Republic and Parfaedia, but oddly enough, the warmth in his chest remained.

Prune Juice Cookie always liked a new rumor, if only for the entertainment it provided and the short distraction it offered from his endless work. However, even he had his limits, especially with rumors too stupid to even hold a smidgen of truth to them. The latest rumor going around in Parfaedia Academy's halls? That Latte Cookie had fake credentials. As dumb of a rumor as it was to Prune Juice's ears, it had managed to split the Academy in two, with Prune Juice himself choosing Latte Cookie's side, along with the majority of the students.

"I mean, this is just ridiculous!", said another student walking down the same hall as him, Cranberry Classic Cookie.

"I know!", replied Pear Juice Cookie next to her, "Why would anyone even come up with something like that?"

"Isn't it obvious?", Cranberry Classic mused, "The rest of the staff must be jealous of her!"

"Oh my dough, you are right!"

Prune Juice sighed and started walking faster, not really having the energy to join in on the gossip, no matter how accurate it sounded from his position. He would normally join in, but Prune Juice held too much respect for Latte Cookie to do so.

When Prune Juice finally reached his dorm room, he carefully placed his large bag of supplies next to his bed and proceeded to face plant on top of his mattress. He finally rolled over and stared at his dorm's decorated ceiling, wondering just what was going on.

"Just what is up with those rumors?", Prune Juice wondered to himself, "Not only Latte Cookie, but Parfait Cookie had been victim to this not long ago."

If Prune Juice Cookie had been more of an imaginative person, he would guess this was some kind of lie disease, like how there was currently a plague ravaging the Dark Cacao Kingdom. He didn't bother, though. Prune Juice had lived in Parfaedia for most of his life, under the watchfull eye of the Principal and Banana Parfait Cookie, his legal guardian, and he knew rumors like this would pass as quickly as they came, like they were never there at all.

It was then that he heard tapping from his window, the telltale sound of a messanger pigeon on his window. Recognizing the crème pigeon carrying the letter, he let it in. Likely a message from Kouign-Amann or Golden Flour Cookie. Prune Juice would admit that he was closer to Kouign-Amann, as Golden Flour had not really been part of the tournament, but she did come to assist them with her unnaturally potent healing during their run-in with those hitcookies back then. They were still wondering why they had been targeted in the first place.

Prune Juice opened the window and let the slightly melted crème bird in, upon which he noticed the bird had two letters strapped to its legs.

"Did you make a trip to Scovillia before this?", Prune Juice asked the bird.

"Chirp!", the bird replied as it planted itself on Prune Juice's bed.

Prune Juice sighed, shooing the bird off his bed. The bird angrily flapped off the mattress, landing on Prune Juice's bedside table instead as the cookie was able to open up the scrolls.

The first one read:

Dear Prune Juice,

First of all, how have you been? We haven't talked in a while! Was just wondering, since Golden Flour's been telling me of rumors going around Parfaedia. If you can, we can try and visit each other--Capsaicin's idea, but we want to see you again.

Love, Kouign-Amann and Golden Flour

The second scroll's handwriting was much messier, with the paper burned a little at the edges. Clearly Capsaicin's.

Hey Prune Juice,

I wrote to Kouign-Amann and Golden Flour first, but I wrote two letters so I can send one to you! I guess Kouign-Amann will tell me how you've been, she said it was a first come first serve kinda thing, but I still wanted to make sure you were okay. Not a lot of weird stuff here on Scovillia, so you're not missing out on anything. We should see each other soon!

Capsaicin Cookie, out!

Prune Juice smiled down at the letters his friends sent to him. It was rather odd how Golden Flour had virtually zero output in the letters, but Prune Juice supposed that was just how she was. A cookie of few words and even fewer emotions. Prune Juice had actually found it bizarre how her and Kouign-Amann were friends, seeing as their personalities were so different from each other. Still, he did not let that deter him, and was already preparing to send out his own letters, feeding the messenger bird two slices of butter before sitting down on his desk.

As Prune Juice was just beginning his writing, he could hear voices in the hallway. Out of curiosity, Prune Juice got up and tried to listen to the passing conversation.

"-but sending young cookies in a place like that? -scoff- Absolutely awful!" Prune Juice heard a staff member say.

"Be more open, won't you?", another voice said, "The Dark Cacao Kingdom are desperate. Besides, what if it spreads here, too?"

Ah, they're probably talking about the Pale Ailment, Prune Juice Cookie thought. Though, what worried him most was the implication that cookies as young as himself would be getting sent there in order to find a cure. Would that mean that....no, of course not. The situation sounded truly dire, but surely this was just another rumor, just like the Latte Cookie scandal. No way Dark Cacao would allow something like that.

Prune Juice looked back at the paper he had started writing some moments ago.

My dearest friends,
I'm sure we have nothing to worry about--

Chapter Text

As it would turn out, not all rumors were simple lies made up for attention or to stir up drama, as the Pale Ailment had grown strong enough to cause a serious concern among the nations of Crispia. It had grown grizly enough for the Kingdom to seek out healers from anywhere, hoping to find a cure to this horrifying plague.

"You don't have to go.", Kouign-Amann tried to assure Golden Flour as she was packing her bags to journey to the Dark Cacao Kingdom.

"I do.", Golden Flour assured her friend, "Cookies are dying, and I am given a chance to do something about it. I can help!"

"But what if you catch the Pale Ailment, too?", Kouign-Amann questioned as she took her fellow cookie's hands in hers, "Don't just brush my worries off!"

"I am not.", Golden Flour assured once more, "Trust me, I'm a tought cookie. Nothing will make my dough paler than it already is."

Kouign-Amann chuckled a bit at her friend's joke.

"While I like seeing that you're loosening up, please don't joke about such things.", she asked.

"Yeah...you're right.", Golden Flour agreed, "I swear on my bonnet, I will write to you and the others as soon as I can!"

Kouign-Amann let go on one of Golden Flour's hands and picked up her puffy dress.

"Can I at least walk you out?", Kouign-Amann asked.

"Of course you can.", Golden Flour agreed, "I won't have any relatives to walk me out, anyway."

This was a trait that surprisingly all four of them shared. Golden Flour, Kouign-Amann, Capsaicin, and Prune Juice had no memory of the cookies that could have been their original creators. However, unlike the three Triple Cone Champions, Golden Flour never had a guardian to take care of her, which Kouign-Amann herself wouldn't have known had she not chosen to be friends with the oddly expressionless cookie.

The cookies training their craft of healing in the infirmary groaned as Kouign-Amann stumbled in, injured as usual.

"Seriously?", one of the cookies asked, "The week hasn't even started yet, and you've been here thrice."

Kouign-Amann gave an awkward smile as she sat down on one of the beds.

"Seriously, is she doing this on purpose?", Kouign-Amann heard one of the cookies mumble.

"She's deeefinitely doing this to get out of training."

Kouign-Amann frowned and clenched her fist. Anyone that knew Kouign-Amann knew that avoiding practice was the exact opposite of what she wanted to do, and that she would rather come out with her dough scratched and crumbly than give in to the allegations of sloth.

Before Kouign-Amann could get up to defend herself however, she felt a hand grab her arm, firm but gentle.

"Are you alright?"

Kouign-Amann turned to see a cookie with dough pale as flour in the same uniform as the rest of the trainees. She looked about the same age as Kouign-Amann herself.

"Oh..um..right here.", Kouign-Amann said as she pointed at her crumbly hands, tired from swinging around her paladin sword all afternoon.

Golden Flour Cookie wrapped her hands around Kouign-Amann's injured bits, upon which Kouign-Amann felt a shiver run down her back. It felt like she was being enveloped in an invisible, cold cocoon, which seemingly had healed Kouign-Amann of her injuries.

Kouign-Amann held her now pristine hands up in surprise.

"Wow..! Thank you!", she beamed.

Golden Flour still had her eyes closed, her previously serene expression turning into a slight frown, as if she was being blinded by Kouign-Amann's bright attitude. She followed it up by shooting a half-lidded glare towards her peers, who flinched and turned away from the sight. Golden Flour's eyes would not have been visible from there due to her long lashes, but Kouign-Amann had caught a glimse of black eyecing.

It was after that encounter that Kouign-Amann had gone out of her way to find Golden Flour Cookie over and over again, happy that she could go somewhere to heal and not be judged. In return, she would hang around Golden Flour for longer than anyone would, besides the teachers. Some days were spent reading, others in town accompanied by Crème Caramel Cookie, Kouign-Amann's guardian.

Golden Flour had risen the ranks due to her unusual gift of healing, but cookies like Crème Caramel had always seemed...cautious around her. Kouign-Amann remembered how cautious Crème Caramel had been around her at first too, when he first became her guardian, but overtime, his crunchy exterior softened for the one he would call his daughter.

Finally, Kouign-Amann was brought out of her reverie by Golden Flour, as they had arrived on the airship dock with the rest of the volunteers from the Crème Republic.

Golden Flour let down her luggage to take both of Kouign-Amann's hands in hers.

"Kouign-Amann...", she started, "I don't always say this, but I'm really grateful, that you are my friend."

Kouign-Amann smiled and pulled the taller cookie into a hug.

"Hey, don't say it like that!", Kouign-Amann said, "You're acting as if we'll never see each other again!"

Golden Flour chuckled a bit before letting go of Kouign-Amann.

"Just as promised,", Golden Flour assured, "I will write to you whenever I can."

Kouign-Amann smiled as Golden Flour Cookie picked up her bag, just as the airship pilot blew the horn.

"To the Dark Cacao Kingdom! All aboard!"

Golden Flour hopped over to join the rest of the students, waving her final goodbye to Kouign-Amann with her free hand.

Kouign-Amann waved back, smiling up at Golden Flour and the rest of her peers as the airship went off. There were more cookies than just Kouign-Amann at the peer, there to wish their family and friends farewell. As Kouign-Amann watched the airship fly towards the mountains, she felt the presence of her guardian behind her.

"Hello, papa.", Kouign-Amann piped as she turned her head to look at the armored cookie.

Crème Caramel Cookie smiled at his adopted daughter as he walked closer with his hands behind his back, turning his head up to watch the airship full of medics fly away from the Crème Republic and to the cold mountains of the Dark Cacao Kingdom.

"You were here to wish your peers off, I presume?", he asked.

Kouign-Amann nodded as she followed his line of sight, "Golden Flour, specifically. She wanted someone to send her off, and I wanted to spend a little more time with her before she left for the Kingdom."

Crème Caramel nodded, but Kouign-Amann recognized the look in his eyes.

"..Are you worried, too?", she asked.

"Hm?"

"You got one of those 'I'm deep in thought' looks."

Crème Caramel Cookie chuckled a bit and closed his eyes.

"Have I become so easy for you to read?", he joked.

Both father and daughter started walking back along with the rest of the crowd when the airship had flown too far away for them to see anymore.

"Do you think she'll be alright?", Kouign-Amann asked.

"Be honest with me. How many times have you asked Golden Flour Cookie that question?"

Kouign-Amann's face flushed like a strawberry at her father's question, making her push her golden locks on her face.

"M-Maybe a few times.", she admitted.

Crème Caramel Cookie ruffled his daughter's hair as they passed through the garden.

"Well, I can assure you, her dough is strong enough."

Kouign-Amann decided to finally let the topic go, as Crème Caramel was notorious for knowing everyone's strengths and weaknesses. It helped him draft talent, he'd say. His respected position had Kouign-Amann work hard to live up to his reputation.

"Well, young lady.", Crème Caramel said, "How about we lay off your training for today? A day to give you some time to let go of your distractions."

"Oh, I won't be that distracted, I promise!", Kouign-Amann assured.

"You said the same after the Triple Cone Cup Tournament.", Crème Caramel reminded her.

Kouign-Amann turned her head to the side and pouted, "It wasn't that bad."

Capsaicin Cookie's day was quite eventful as well.

Normally, rumors circulating around foreign kingdoms did not last long in Scovillia, but this particular one did. Likely due to it involving Spices.

"Spices must just be made different over in the desert.", one of the students commented during practice, "I don't think I'd have the guts to go up against Golden Cheese Cookie!"

"I know, right?", Capsaicin joined in the conversation while still punching down dummies, "Do you think something happened between the Kingdom and the Spices there?"

Another student shrugged before jumping up to cut down a training dummy with her double-bladed axe.

"I don't know.", she said as she got back up, "Maybe she took something from them? She is known as the greediest cookie in all of Earthbread."

"Even then,", Capsaicin said as he slammed his fists to the ground, sending two shockwaves of lava towards three more dummies, "aren't the Spices there like, reeeeally mild?"

"Betting on the Nutmeg Tigers.", said the first student as he tackled a dummy behind Capsaicin.

Capsaicin took some time to think as he was fighting, about this recent rumor and the feeling he had been holding in his chest for the last couple of days. He was probably being silly, a cookie like him was not that special as to feel political unrest in a different part of Crispia.

The feeling still hasn't gone away, Capsaicin observed. In fact, the fire inside him seemed to grow more as he fought, practice or not.

"Incoming!", the girl cookie announced as the second phase of their exercise began, with the other group pouncing at them from above.

Capsaicin had been taken aback, as he had been too focused on the fire in his chest. Which was why he did not account for that fire to suddenly burst, causing an explosion so large, it had knocked everyone but him away like leaves in the wind.

"Crumbs!", Capsaicin shouted, "Is everyone alright?"

At the exact opposite of Capsaicin Cookie's worry, both his teammates and the enemy team cheered.

"That was awesome!", one of Capsaicin's teamates exclaimed, "We got thrown like ragdolls!"

"Man, so unfair!", a cookie from the enemy team said, though without bite in his voice. "No one can beat the Spice Overlord!"

As the cookies ran back down to the arena and cheered, Capsaicin had time to put his usual grin on his face.

"Heh, we're a tough batch here in Scovillia, aren't we?", Capsaicin encouraged, clearly boosting his classmates' mood further.

"Man, just how hot is that furnace burning?", one of Capsaicin's teammates joked with a nudge.

Capsaicin turned his head and placed a fist on his chest proudly, "Flaming hot!"

The chatter on the way back inside helped Capsaicin get his mind off of the weird thoughts of his flame. Thankfully, he was mostly true in his earlier statement. His classmates did have some scratches on them, but nothing as severe as he feared. However, as the voices of his classmates trickled out, bad thoughts started invading Capsaicin Cookie's mind once again. Was he losing control? Was the fire burning brighter inside of him a sign of that?

An electric guitar cord brought Capsaicin back to reality.

"Lost in thought again I see.", Scovillia's principal, Ghost Pepper Cookie, observed.

Capsaicin scratched his head and offered a smile as he walked with his guardian.

"Yeah, sorry.", Capsaicin said, "Just a lot on my mind these days."

"Want to tell me what it is?", Ghost Pepper asked as he was tuning his guitar.

Capsaicin looked away, "It's...nothing, really."

They've done this many times before, he and Ghost Pepper Cookie. The Principal of Scovillia had welcomed Capsaicin with open arms, took the young cookie under his wing as he saw his potential. Ghost Pepper had become someone akin to a father figure to Capsaicin, and that was something the young cookie appreciated very much. The earliest thing he could remember were the chains he could still feel around his wrists, and it wasn't exactly a kind memory to have as a child.

Ghost Pepper then proceeded to hand Capsaicin a letter.

"Hm?", Capsaicin let out as he took the clearly opened letter.

Capsaicin curiously took it, "Was that for me?"

"For me, actually.", Ghost Pepper corrected before playing a short tune on his electric guitar, "Ah, perfect tuning."

"Dad."

"Right. I'm sure you've heard the rumors going around about the crazy things happenning in the Golden Cheese Kingdom."

"Y...Yeah, I heard talk of it.", Capsaicin Cookie replied cautiously as he opened the letter, which smelled of rich citrus.

"Her Radiance--can't believe that's the title she has chosen, Golden Cheese Cookie, thought it would be a smart strategy to have a couple Spices on her side if this is to be serious."

Capsaicin looked up from the letter and at Ghost Pepper.

"You're asking me to go?", Capsaicin asked.

"No.", Ghost Pepper said as he turned back to look at Capsaicin again, "I need you to find other students to do it, those who you believe are close to your own strength."

Capsaicin frowned at the request, "Why?"

Ghost Pepper sighed, "Capsaicin, I know I am your Principal, but I am also your guardian. And as your guardian I have decided, that I will not send my kid to a likely war."

"But I can handle it!", Capsaicin defended himself.

"I know you can.", Ghost Pepper said, "And that is exactly why I am not letting you."

Ghost Pepper could tell by Capsaicin's expression that the boy was not satisfied with that answer. The older cookie sighed and began to float elsewhere.

"My office, Capsaicin Cookie."

No cookie in Scovillia liked the idea of going to the principal's office, as it would often mean they would be getting repremanded. However, visits to said office had also become a code between Capsaicin and Ghost Pepper, a way for them to get privacy to speak while school was still in swing.

"Capsaicin, you know well how I am one of the last people to doubt your strength.", Ghost Pepper said when they both sat down, "But I swore to you after finding you, that I would never send you towards something I know won't do you any good. The Triple Cone Cup was challenging, that I always knew, but it was still something I knew you could handle."

"So, you would send others?"

"Chaos is erupting everywhere, and I don't want you to feel..trapped again."

Capsaicin swallowed, trying to think of something. Now, Capsaicin wasn't thrilled about a possible war, no cookie with a good heart would be, but he was even less thrilled about the idea of having his fellow spices risk their lives in a battle that would likely be too much for them. Capsaicin knew he had to do something to help, phrase it in a way that would make Ghost Pepper see reason.

"...If I do pick out some spices...", Capsaicin proposed, "...Can I go with them?"

Before Ghost Pepper could protest further, Capsaicin continued.

"I-I won't even fight! I'll just be there for support! A backup plan in case they can't handle it!", he said, raising his fists in readiness.

Ghost Pepper and Capsaicin fell silent for a couple of seconds before the former sighed and played a riff on his guitar.

"..You've always been a hell of a stubborn cookie, haven't you?", Ghost Pepper mused, "Even when I first found you, you clearly have been trying to break your chains for years."

Ghost Pepper had found Capsaicin in a cave below Scovillia, back when the school was being built. The sight of a child in chains and all alone would traumatize anyone, especially the prisoner. At that moment, Ghost Pepper Cookie knew he would take the kid in, starting his path of becoming a crutch for many young spices under his watchful care.

"...You can go."

Capsaicin perked up, "Really?"

"But you will be reporting back excessively, young cookie."

"I will! You have the word of the Spice Overlord!"

Prune Juice squinted at Kouign-Amann's latest letter, which aside from their usual back and forth, had also informed him of Golden Flour Cookie's departure to the Dark Cacao Kingdom.

"They must be truly desperate...", Prune Juice thought to himself.

Prune Juice looked outside his window to peek at the glum weather of Parfaedia before holding Kouign-Amann's letter up and scrutinizing it once more.

"She'll be alright...probably." Golden Flour Cookie's dough is not nearly as frail as mine.

Finally, Prune Juice Cookie freed the letter from his grasp and turned his attention back to the book he was reading.

He had tried to steer clear of rumors as much as possible these days, mostly due to their lack of substance, but there was one word he kept hearing in passing conversations. Beasts. Prune Juice doubted this was a broad term to refer to something else, and curiosity had finally dug its claws in him, bringing him to now. Some snooping around the forbidden section of the Academy; with the aid of his potions of course, revealed the likely source of that word going around. Prune Juice had asked about this constant bringing up of the word 'Beasts', and he would get many interpretations depending on the cookie he would ask. What all of them had in common in their interpretations was the fact that these cookies were on par with the Ancient Heroes, if not stronger. This was what had compelled Prune Juice to pick up a book on a place called Beast-Yeast, a continent past the Licorice Sea.

Prune Juice Cookie had the most fragile dough in the Academy, and he always felt like he was close to melting into the actual jelly inside him. Casting magic always took a toll on him, so much so that his safest bet had been potions. Not exactly a good trait to have in Parfaedia Academy if you wanted to get anywhere, let alone with your peers.

He had always been an orphan, his origins a mystery even to him. The earliest thing Prune Juice could remember was closing his eyes to a blue white and black ceiling, and then waking up in Parfaedia. Banana Parfait had caught him trying to steal some jellies from her shop to feed himself, but instead of turning Prune Juice in, she took him as her own child.

Banana Parfait's patience was finite, and her careful manners helped slightly with Prune Juice's feelings of inferiority due to his fragility. Banana Parfait handled Prune Juice with the same care one handled sugar glass, but she was like that with everyone, and it made him feel less awful.

Although, it would take an entire Triple Cone Cup for Prune Juice Cookie to feel entirely comfortable in his own dough.

Prune Juice had a decent life here in Parfaedia, but there had always been something that had been nagging him since he could remember. Where did he come from? Who was the cookie that had actually created him? The trickster couldn't help but eye a specific landmark scrawled in the pages of the stolen book. The Spire of All Knowledge.

He remembered the end of the Triple Cone Cup Tournament, and the chance he got to relax with his newfound friends. He distinctly recalled a short conversation he had with Golden Flour Cookie, how the four of them had a very similar element in their childhoods.

Prune Juice wondered, just when the conversation returned to his head, if he really could find the answers he craved his entire life in that Spire. Not only to satiate his own curiosities, but those of his friends as well.

"But Beast-Yeast is dangerous...", Prune Juice reminded himself as his eyes were fixed on the drawing of the Spire, "...It would be a death wish for anyone to go in alone, let alone someone with dough as frail as me.."

Despite Prune Juice now having more confidence in himself, he was still very aware of his weaknesses.

"...But I won't lie..it's too....no, not tempting, it's not the right word...Familiar.", Prune Juice realized.

Could this be...the beginning?

Chapter Text

The Dark Cacao Kingdom was unlike any place Golden Flour Cookie had ever visited. It was cold, windy, and she could see the cream wolves running and howling in the mountains as the airship got closer to the region. Its walls were as cold and unwelcoming as the weather when they had arrived, which had initially made the young cookie slightly uneasy. However, what Golden Flour Cookie didn't mind was the attitude of the cookies of the Kingdom. They were cookies of few words, saying only what was to be discussed and not bothering with pleasantries beyond basic formal curtesy.

Inside the infirmary was where Golden Flour Cookie had truly lost her words. Cookies were coming in hot with this Pale Ailment, their dough as white as hers and close to crumbling. In fact, the doctors of the Kingdom had to make sure Golden Flour was not infected herself, which made her all the more conscious of her paleness.

Golden Flour Cookie was currently helping a coughing cookie, his dough riddled with pale spots.

"C-Cold..I'm so...cold...", the cookie shivered.

Golden Flour dipped a towelette in a bowl of warm milk next to the patient's bed before rinsing it thouroughly and placing it on the cookie's forehead. She held the cookie's hand as he let out a shaky sigh.

"Stay strong.", Golden Flour said, "You were given bitters a couple of minutes ago, the pain will soon pass."

"Please...cough....I don't...want to go..."

Golden Flour furrowed her brows, her eyes still invisible under her long lashes. She squeezed the cookie's hand gently, which seemed to alleviate some of the pain, judging by his expression.

They always ask for more, eventually.

Golden Flour shook her head. What was that voice..? Was it my imagination? Golden Flour was beginning to wonder if Kouign-Amann's excessive worries really were justified. Had she been affected by this Ailment already?

By this point, Golden Flour Cookie had been stationed at the Dark Cacao Kingdom for only a week, and the infirmary was never empty. In fact, the number of ailing cookies seemed to grow by the day, to the point where they had to put some bedding in the hallways, purely from the sheer number of sick cookies. Golden Flour and the rest of the medics had managed to stabilize a good number of the cookies, but the symptoms never went away, no matter how hard they tried. A good number of cookies had even turned to flour in their sleep.

She was brought out of her thoughts by a hand on her shoulder, and Golden Flour looked up to see Caramel Arrow Cookie.

"Medic, how is the situation looking?", she asked.

"Grim.", Golden Flour sighed, "There is a variety on the pain factor of the cookies that have come in."

"Caramel Arrow Cookie, we are rapidly running out of supplies.", one of the other medics informed.

Caramel Arrow Cookie had removed her hand from Golden Flour Cookie's shoulder to go and speak to that doctor about their issue with supplies. It was true, they were running out, and fast. Golden Flour was not exactly a pessimist, but the situation was looking more and more unsalvagable by the day.

With a sigh, Golden Flour removed her hands from the patient's, only for the cookie to grab them back in a panic.

"N-No, please..!", the cookie pleaded, "Take it away-"

The cookie began to cough violently, still holding on to Golden Flour's clothes as he hacked up flour.

"...It hurtss...", the cookie croaked, "Please...I don't want to...hurt..."

Golden Flour Cookie could not keep a poker face this time, and slowly held the cookie to lay him back down with shaking hands.

"Sir...please. You need to lay down.", she said, observing the cookie's breathing. Golden Flour swallowed, moving her hands on top of the cookie's chest and allowed a faint light to shine from her palms. It was brief, no one would have noticed.

The cookie's breathing calmed when the light went out, his features softening like unbaked dough.

Golden Flour Cookie lifted her hands to look down at them. Nothing but white. She rubbed them against the dark clothes the Kingdom had provided the newcomers from the Crème Republic. White specs of flour were left on the dark purple fabric. Golden Flour's bottom lip trembled as she raised her right hand to observe her palm, realizing she would not know if she was covered with the flour of the ill cookies, for her complexion was the color of flour.

Their greed will make itself known in time.

Golden Flour snapped her eyes shut further and held her head with her right hand.

"Shut up..", she whispered.

Golden Flour could hear the door of the infirmary sliding open from behind her, but she had no idea who it could have been. More patients, most likely, until she caught the shocked voice of one of the Kingdom's medics.

"Your Highness!"

Golden Flour rapidly turned her head and there he was, in all of his ancient glory, Dark Cacao Cookie. He had an appearance anyone would consider intimidating, but oddly enough, there was something very familiar about the cookie, his sword specifically. Golden Flour tried to excuse this feeling to the countless stories she had been told about the hero over the years.

"Your highness, you can't be here!", the doctor protested, "What if you become infected as well?"

"Bitter Choco Cookie's right!", one of the nurses agreed, "You are too important to fall victim to the Pale Ailment!"

"These cookies are still my subjects.", Dark Cacao stated, "Their ailment should not be preventing me from supporting them. What kind of ruler would I be, if my care ceased at times as dire as this?"

Golden Flour Cookie was ready to move, but as soon as she rose, her patient started hacking up flour again.

"..!" Golden Flour was quick to kneel and assist the cookie again, but this time, he wasn't addressing her.

"Your...cough...Highness..."

Golden Flour raised the eyebrows above her perpetually closed eyes in surprise before turning to Dark Cacao. The King's approach was taken as a signal by Golden Flour Cookie to step back and bow her head in respect. She wasn't very familiar with Dark Cacao Kingdom customs, but she was pretty sure a bow was mandatory for all royalty in Earthbread.

Dark Cacao knelt beside the sick cookie, whose eyes were barely opened as he resumed his feeble attempt at raising an arm to the ceiling. The King placed his hand underneath the hovering one of his subject, supporting it while he spoke.

"I am here.", Dark Cacao said.

The cookie coughed a little more, but not as violently as before. His half-lidded eyes looked up in an odd form of bliss.

"I...I understand....I understand...everything...", the cookie sighed with happiness.

"Of the Pale Ailment?", Dark Cacao inquired, "What is it? What have you figured out?"

"This...pain....it can end...I have seen it..." The cookie looked past Dark Cacao as he said that with a broken smile, towards Golden Flour. The medic tensed, gripping the basin of warm milk tighter.

She couldn't tell if Dark Cacao took notice of either cookies' actions.

"Then tell us!", Dark Cacao insisted.

"We must....return..to flour....", was all the cookie said before he slipped into unconsciousness.

Golden Flour Cookie found her eyes wide open, staring forward at the pale cookie as she held on to the milk basin for dear life. The liquid inside it was becoming lukewarm.

"You should pay no mind to the patients' ramblings, your Majesty.", one of the medics told Dark Cacao, "It seems to be a side effect of the Pale Ailment."

Golden Flour had not been aware of this. So far, she had only dealt with patients that would show early symptoms. Things have truly gotten a lot worse for cookies that delirious to end up in her care.

"Are their...hallucinations consistent.", Dark Cacao asked as he rose to his feet.

The medic that had informed Dark Cacao of the symptoms flipped through a scroll.

"It seems to be.", she confirmed, "They keep rambling about returning to white, to flour, to-"

Embrace-

"-Apathy...", Golden Flour finished subconsciously.

The medic and Dark Cacao Cookie turned their heads to look at the younger cookie as she finished.

"Golden Flour Cookie.", the medic addressed with a hand on her own chest, "It is good to see you have been reading the reports."

"Yes....I...", Golden Flour Cookie looked down at the gradually cold milk in the basin she was holding on to, "M-May I step outside? I only wish for a mere moment."

"Of course. You must be as exhausted as we are.", the medic replied, "Make sure you clean up the basin, so that we may use it for more hot milk soon, before you leave."

"Yes, ma'am.", Golden Flour bowed before moving on, not aware of Dark Cacao's eyes following her.

Golden Flour Cookie had never felt this unsure in her life. Fear, the one that would leave a lump in one's throat, she had only felt a handful of times in her life. The last time was in the Triple Cone Cup, where she had risked her own life to help Kouign-Amann and her now new friends against a group of cookies that wished them harm.

How could she have known about how this ended? Golden Flour hadn't gotten that far, she wouldn't have known about the common traits in the hallucinations, she was pretty sure no one from the Crème Republic did, as they were all tasked with lightening the load with the less intense cases of the Pale Ailment so the more experienced Dark Cacao doctors could work on handling the more serious ones. 

Not only that, but the voice in her head was a new addition entirely. Golden Flour had an internal monologue, everyone did, but she knew this was not her own voice. Golden Flour held her head, eyes wide and looking down at the dark floorboards. Am I going mad? Has the Pale Ailment gotten to me too?

"Golden Flour Cookie, was it?"

Golden Flour nearly jumped out of her dough at the addition of a voice that was neither hers or the mysterious voice in her head. It was Dark Cacao Cookie, who was really putting Golden Flour's height to shame.

The younger cookie quickly composed herself and bowed, "Y-Your Highness, I apologize, I did not hear your steps."

"Your presence in the infirmary worried me at first.", Dark Cacao stated.

Unlike everything else, Golden Flour could tell where this conversation was going as she stood up straight.

"You were conscerned because of my dough's coloration.", she guessed.

"Bitter Choco Cookie has informed me of your dough's condition.", Dark Cacao assured, "But that is not the only thing I wish to speak to you about."

Golden Flour was now getting worried.

"I...hope I have not done anything to offend, your Highness."

Dark Cacao raised an arm in dismissal, "Worry not for that, but there is one thing that had caught my curiosity, something I had avoided to mention back in the infirmary."

Golden Flour observed with folded hands as Dark Cacao brought his sword forward, planting it between the two of them. Golden Flour was now face to face with the King's soul jam, able to see her reflection on its dark purple surface. She also took notice of how the sword trembled slightly. Golden Flour looked up at Dark Cacao before raising a hand to point towards the soul jam.

"May I?", Golden Flour asked.

Dark Cacao Cookie took a moment to actually respond, moving his free hand to accompany the other one in holding the hilt of his sword before giving Golden Flour a curt nod.

Seeing that now she had his approval, Golden Flour moved her hand closer towards the soul jam. As soon as her hand made contact with it, Golden Flour jumped back, holding the arm that had made contact with the soul jam.

"Ack!", she let out.

Dark Cacao sheathed his sword behind him as he took an offensive stance.

"What is it? What happened?", he demanded.

"I....It felt..electric.", Golden Flour replied, clearly confused.

"When I touched your soul jam, it felt like something zapped me, the force going up my arm and through my dough.", Golden Flour continued, slowly gaining her focus and closing her eyes once more.

"And is that all?", Dark Cacao asked.

Golden Flour furrowed her brows in thought.

"I...saw something, I think. A flash."

"You touched my soul jam..and had a vision?", Dark Cacao asked, clearly dubious.

Golden Flour placed one hand on her hip and another on her head, "I..think I did. It was too brief. I think I remember....flour...resting on ivory flours like dust...A Pagoda."

Dark Cacao straightened his back, "....Flour..?" A Pagoda?

"Your Highness!"

Another voice interrupted their conversation, a cookie wearing fur and sporting metal claws.

"I bring news!", he shouted.

"Crunchy Chip Cookie.", said Caramel Arrow Cookie, who had stepped out of the infirmary just then.

"What news do you and your cream wolves bring us?", Dark Cacao asked.

"The cream wolves and I have found the definite source of the Pale Ailment!"

"That's absurd.", Caramel Arrow interjected, "Not even the medics could figure it out, how come you have done so?"

"It came from a sudden fog of flour, we all know it.", Golden Flour commented.

"Yeah, I know.", Crunchy Chip said, "And I found where this mist comes from!"

"Where from?", Dark Cacao asked.

"Past the Licorice Sea!"

"...Beast-Yeast.", Dark Cacao said, a hint of realization in his voice.

Golden Flour and Caramel Arrow looked to the King, the former frowning as she tried to recall any source from which she had been told about such place, but came up empty-handed.

"...It is as I feared, and as Pure Vanilla Cookie suspected.", Dark Cacao spoke grimly, "This is no natural plague that has descended upon us, but the work of a Beast."

Caramel Arrow's eyes widened, and so did Crunchy Chip's.

"A Beast? What could it want from our Kingdom?", she asked.

Dark Cacao looked at his soul jam, embedded in the hilt of his sword that was holstered on his back.

"This is an attack on the Dark Cacao Kingdom. It is undoubtedly the doing of my other half, the original owner of my soul jam.", Dark Cacao explained, "Whoever this Beast Cookie is, they have awoken, just as Pure Vanilla wrote, and it wants its--my power back."

"What should we do, your Highness?", Caramel Arrow Cookie asked cautiously.

"You must stay here and guard the Kingdom in my absence.", Dark Cacao replied, "I must venture past the Licorice Sea, and to Beast-Yeast. This is my fight, not that of my citizens'."

"No.", Caramel Arrow quickly retalliated with a hand on her chest, "I will come with you, your Highness. It is my sworn duty as a Dark Cacao warrior to guard the crown, and I will follow it through to my very end."

"Caramel Arrow Cookie..."

"I am coming too!", declared Crunchy Chip, "Wherever his Majesty goes, I go, too!"

"My Dark Cacao warriors...", Dark Cacao mused with a smile so small, it might as well not have been there, "I am honored to be your ruler, to have fostered such spirit."

Golden Flour had sat back and observed the scene as it played out. It felt wrong to join in such a conversation, which was why she was heading back inside the infirmary.

Dark Cacao turned his head to see the young cookie walk back towards the infirmary, and his thoughts landed on his soul jam. Somehow, Golden Flour Cookie had seen something, her entire body had a reaction when it had come in contact with his soul jam. It could not have been a mere coincidence, nothing involving something as powerful as soul jam ever was. After so many years of turmoil, Dark Cacao had come to expect the worst out of any situation when it came to such matters, always prepared to defend, but something in his jam kept insisting...

"Golden Flour Cookie.", he addressed, stopping the young cookie just before she could open the infirmary door.

Golden Flour turned back to face him, "...Your Highness?"

Dark Cacao motioned for his other warriors to follow him someplace where they could map their route to Beast-Yeast. He pointed at Golden Flour Cookie as he walked past her.

"You are being promoted. I want you in Beast-Yeast with us."

Golden Flour's eyes opened fully as her gaze followed Dark Cacao walking past, and the other two were clearly equally as surprised. Golden Flour quickly ran to catch up to the trio's fast walk.

"Y-Your Highness, you must understand I am not yet a fully trained medic. I will only slow you down.", Golden Flour protested.

"You had a vision when you came in contact with my soul jam, a place that I know exists nowhere in Crispia. Somehow, you were attuned with my Light of Resolution. How you were able to do so, it seems neither of us know yet, but I have learned to trust my soul jam, and it seems you are more useful than you think."

Golden Flour Cookie let Dark Cacao's frank response sink in as his advisors were carefully mapping out a safe route for them to travel by boat. She thought back to how she had reacted to Dark Cacao Cookie's soul jam, the vision she had seen. Golden Flour focused hard on that feeling, the one she had when that brief flash of that Pagoda covered in a layer of white flour invaded her mind. She felt afraid, confused...yet calm. Golden Flour Cookie focused on that feeling, the calm. This Pagoda, no matter how brief her vision of it had been, had made her feel calm, and not just any kind of calm, a familiar kind of calm. Golden Flour recalled the brief conversation she had with Prune Juice back in the end of the Triple Cone Cup Tournament, about the mystery surrounding their ragtag group's origin. It was through that connection that Golden Flour found the solution to her feelings. What she had seen was no vision, but a flashback. That must have been the case, why else would she feel this calming sense of familiarity every time she thought about the Pagoda's brief image, now burned in her eyes?

When it was finally time for the group to leave, taking two more Dark Cacao warriors with them, Crunchy Chip looked back to see Golden Flour Cookie tying a scroll on a cream pigeon, which flew off.

"You coming?", he asked.

"Oh, apologies. Yes.", Golden Flour responded as she caught up to the group, giving the bird in the sky one last time before stepping foot on the ship.

Dearest Kouign-Amann Cookie,

It has been a week since my last letter, and for that, I'm sorry. The infirmary was kept busy all hours of the day, to the point where I could only sleep for a couple of hours before getting back up to continue helping the sick. Rest assured, I remain healthy, but that is not the reason I am writing this letter to you.

Under circumstances too complicated to explain to you in the short time I have to write this, I am heading to the continent of Beast-Yeast, where I will likely face threats far greater than any of us have seen in Crispia. I was asked to go with Dark Cacao Cookie, by his Majesty himself, and at first I dared not refuse, but I also want to go myself, because I think that--this might sound insane to you, but I think this is where I am supposed to be.

I will write to you when I am able to again.

Forever yours, Golden Flour Cookie

Kouign-Amann Cookie had been staring at the letter the cream pigeon had brought her for at least an hour now, trying to take in the information her friend has written to her. It was early morning in the Crème Republic, and the sun had not yet warmed her room, but even if it did, Kouign-Amann doubted she'd be warm.

It was not just Golden Flour Cookie's letter that had brought Kouign-Amann to this point, but the news from her other friends as well. Capsaicin Cookie had written to Kouign-Amann saying that he and a handful of Spices were heading to the Golden Cheese Kingdom to help with the looming threat the Queen was preparing for, and while Prune Juice Cookie was being more vague in his own letter, he alluded to the fact that he was leaving Parfaedia to study something of great importance.

Now, Kouign-Amann Cookie hated a lot of things. She hated scratchy clothes, bitter fruit, and lazying around all day, but what she hated above all was when people where not being direct with her. This was one of the reasons why her and Golden Flour got along so well, the cookie was always honest with everyone around her, ready to dish out critisism regardless of the possibly negative reaction she would receive, but Prune Juice's vagueness made Kouign-Amann restless. All her friends were on their own important quests, and she was back in the Crème Republic alone, not helping.

Kouign-Amann set down Golden Flour's letter on her desk as she heard knocking coming from her door.

"You woke up early.", commented Crème Caramel Cookie when he opened the door.

As the older cookie got closer, he noticed the opened letters on his daughter's desk.

"I couldn't sleep much.", Kouign-Amann replied with her head down. Her head turned to face her father as she heard the shuffling of paper coming from his direction, her eyes questioning him.

Crème Caramel raised a pink paper, averting his gaze as Kouign-Amann could see a faint blush forming on his beige dough.

"Seems both of us got mail.", he commented.

Kouign-Amann rested her head on her hand, which rested on the elbow on her desk.

"Who's it from?", she decided to ask.

"Cranberry Cookie.", Crème Caramel replied, "She has asked me to visit the Holyberry Kingdom."

"Will you go?", Kouign-Amann asked, nearly falling from her chair.

Crème Caramel was taken aback by his daughter's sudden change of demeanor, but forced himself to chalk it up to her being too tired to function properly.

"Alright, young lady.", he sighed as he ruffled her hair, "I will be going, but you will be staying and actually getting rest before training."

Kouign-Amann kept looking up at Crème Caramel in silence, until she finally gave an affirmative response.

"Fine. Give House Blueberry my greetings?", she asked.

"You have my word.", Crème Caramel replied before leaving Kouign-Amann's room and closing the door behind him.

In the now vacant room, Kouign-Amann smirked. She had her fingers crossed behind her back the whole time. She had lied.

Later that day, Crème Caramel would board an airship to the Holyberry Kingdom, leaving his duties to his second in command in his absence. However, unbenounst to him or anyone else, both Kouign-Amann and her sword had snuck into the cargo hold.

See, the rumors had still been going strong, even after Golden Flour had departed from the Crème Republic. One of those rumors involved the Queen Mother of the Holyberry Kingdom, and how she had planned an expedition to Beast-Yeast. Some spoke of how she was a veteran, as she had slain monsters in the continent during her absence after the Dark Flour War.

Kouign-Amann's plan? Find a way to join this expedition. From both the rumors circulating about and from Golden Flour Cookie's letter, Beast-Yeast seemed like a crumble wish, but Kouign-Amann was going to do something, just like her friends, and that something Kouign-Amann had decided to be finding Golden Flour Cookie and helping her. As good of a healer as that cookie was, a fighter she was not.

"Hang in there, my friend.", Kouign-Amann whispered to herself, "Help is on the way."

Anything for Happiness~

Kouign-Amann jumped from her hiding spot, but saw that she was still alone.

"Huh...I wonder where that came from."

Chapter Text

The atmosphere had changed massively by the time their airship had crossed the borders of the desert. As Capsaicin looked out, past the railing of the airship, he could see sands and mounds reaching as far as the eye could see. The air was still warm, but not as suffocatingly hot as a newcomer might have found Scovillia.

While the other Spices that had come to this expedition milled about, pointing at every other thing below them that was not the golden sands, Capsaicin Cookie fiddled with the chains hanging from his wrist shackles. He swallowed, trying hard not to recall the unpleasant memories that accompanied his shackles and more importantly, to not burn up because of it. Capsaicin was not a child anymore, he could control his fears without melting into lava witches dammit!

"What do you think Golden Cheese Cookie will be like?", Capsaicin heard one of the Spices wonder out loud.

"Well, she doesn't exactly have a favorable title.", another commented, "'Greediest Cookie in all of Earthbread' doesn't really sound nice to your ears."

It really did not, but Capsaicin was nothing short of an optimist. After all, he also had a title he really did not like. Didn't stop every Spice in the Academy from keeping on calling him that, though. Maybe they thought it was fitting? Capsaicin really couldn't see it. This mention of one of Golden Cheese Cookie's more infamous titles had Capsaicin wonder as well, what was Golden Cheese Cookie really like? Capsaicin was sure she was actually a great queen. After all, she was one of the Ancient Heros and the founder of her own kingdom.

A thieving rat, is what she is!

"Ack-!" Capsaicin smacked a hand over his right ear and whipped his head around, but everything seemed normal enough.

"Huh...whose voice was that?", Capsaicin wondered to himself as he turned back around to observe the scenery, "...I don't think I recognized it."

Capsaicin hadn't voiced his observation that it sounded like a deeper version of his own voice, making him chalk this up to his intrusive thoughts. The cookie held a hand over his chest, as the burning inside him had somehow gotten more intense.

"Man...did I get sick or what?", Capsaicin wondered.

"Hello! Chirp!"

"..!" Capsaicin turned his head to the side to see someone else flying alongside their airship, a cheesebird. 

"Oh, hey there, little dude!", Capsaicin Cookie returned the cheesebird's greeting, "Didn't see you there."

"Us cheesebirds are fast, chirp!", the cheesebird proudly said as it maneuvered itself to sit on top of Capsaicin's head, which it regretted immediatelly.

"Ouch ouch ouch!", the cheesebird exclaimed as it rapidly removed itself from Capsaicin's head and landed on the airship's floor, "I nearly got turned into cheez sauce, chirp!"

Capsaicin Cookie's temperature seemed to have grown so hot, that a good part of the cheesebird had actually melted.

"Oh crumbs!", Capsaicin exclaimed in worry, "I-I'm sorry! I really didn't mean to! I-!"

"Hey, is everything alright in there?", one of the Spices asked Capsaicin Cookie.

"Oh, yeah, I just-" Capsaicin Cookie moved to pick up the cheesebird, but stopped just as quickly as he had reached out. He briefly looked down at his hands, then the railing he had been leaning on before the cheesebird had flown close to him. Had his temperature really gone up that tremendously in such a short span of time?

After a quick swallow, Capsaicin tried to play this incident off as best as he could.

"Ah, our flying friend over here thought he'd rest on me and ended up melting a little bit.", he said, " Mind picking him up when we get off the airship? I wouldn't wanna melt him down to cheese dip."

"Ha! Looks like they can't handle your sheer spice here!", the cookie he had talked to commented as she picked up the cheesebird in her arms, "Not to worry, Spice Overlord. We'll get this little guy to the Golden Cheese Kingdom as safe and sound as we will be!"

Capsaicin Cookie let out a breath as the other cookie turned around to show the cheesebird to the rest of the spices, leaving Capsaicin the only one to catch the steadily approaching outline of the Golden Cheese Kingdom.

The Golden Cheese Kingdom was far grander and lustrious beyond any of their wildest expectations. It felt as if they were stepping in a safe, where the owner had captured the physical essence of riches in a bottle and locked it behind sandy walls, and they were only at the entrance!

"...I really would not be bold enough to attack a place like this.", one of the Spices commented as he was looking up at the palace in the distance in awe.

Capsaicin tried his best to seem relaxed, but in reality, he was trying his best to not interact with anything. He had already hurt a cheesebird today, and he really didn't want to melt anything else, even on accident. This wouldn't have been a problem in Scovillia, where Spices knew to steer clear when Capsaicin asked them to, but in the Golden Cheese Kingdom? They might as well have been walking through a sea of cookies!

The place was crowded, especially the marketplace they had to get through in order to get to the palace.

"Have some spicy cheese! It'll make your tongue itch!" this, and "May I interest you in some custom pieces for your wardrobe?" that.

Witches....it's like this place wants to empty our pockets before we even make it to the palace..!, Capsaicin Cookie thought.

"You get used to it, chirp.", the cheesebird commented from the other Spice's arms.

"Excuse me, young cookie, would you be interested in--whoa!" One of the merchants pulled back as he went to reach out for Capsaicin Cookie.

Capsaicin turned his head in panic, but the cookie merchant only let out a hearty laugh.

"You sure seem to be burning up, young cookie!", he commented, "Perhaps I could interest you in some of my cooling wears?"

"I--" Thankfully, Capsaicin was dragged away by another Spice, the group continuing on their way to the palace.

As soon as they were out of that merchant's sight, the Spice let go of Capsaicin and started frantically blowing on his arm.

"Ouchouchouchouuuch!", he yelped, "Dude...you really are burning up!"

"I-I...I am?", Capsaicin questioned.

"Yeah...like, more than usual. You sick?"

Capsaicin was somewhat glad he could not visibly sweat. His classmates really did not need to see him worrying, as they'd likely worry too.

"He would get colder, not hotter if he was sick, dummy!", the Spice holding the cheesebird said as she hopped up to the two, "Capsaicin Cookie is obviously just getting stronger!"

Capsaicin flashed a smile that seemed convincing enough, as the worry from the other Spice's face vanished, but Capsaicin frowned as soon as his classmates' heads turned from him.

He looked up, they were now at the summit of the palace. It was the most gleaming structure in the Kingdom. In fact, its shine was the first thing the Spices had seen from their airship as they approached. Capsaicin rubbed his shackle as he followed his classmates inside, more nervous about accidentally setting something or someone on fire rather than about meeting Golden Cheese Cookie.

But why restrain yourself?

Capsaicin jumped as he heard the voice from earlier again, looking around to see if he had heard right.

"Hey..did any of you hear that?", Capsaicin asked the other Spices, just to be sure.

"Huh? We were telling you to come along, Capsaicin Cookie!", one of the Spiced piped up.

Capsaicin Cookie let out a breath and started jogging to catch up to his classmates.

"Yeah, sorry.", he said, "I must have bugs in my ears..."

As the group found themselves walking down the palace halls, they came across more cheesebirds.

"Goodness, what happenned, chirp?!", one of them exclaimed as it saw the injured cheesebird they were holding.

"His bottom's melted.", the Spice holding him said frankly, "Tried sitting on the Spice Overlord, and got done like fondue cheese."

"I swear it was an accident.", Capsaicin tried to assure.

"Cookie's right, chirp.", the injured cheesebird defended.

Despite their assurances however, the cheesebird flock inside the palace only flapped around in panic. 

The Spices were trying hard to defend themselves from cheesy wings flapping, and Capsaicin Cookie specifically was trying to not touch any of the cheesebirds. Soon enough, the flapping became white noise in his ears, which was growing more and more distant. Capsaicin was panicking, because he could see the air wobbling around him.

"What in the Witches is going on here?", a female voice demanded, bringing the flapping of the cheesebirds to an end as all of them landed in perfect formation.

The Spices stopped trying to defend themselves and noise came back to Capsaicin's ears. They looked forward to a regal-looking cookie with dark dough and a golden jewel decorating her winged crown, who was also brandishing a golden spear.

"Injured cheesebird, chirp!", one of the cheesebirds spoke.

The regal cookie was stunned to see the slightly melted cheesebird in the hands of one of the Spices.

"Oh my goodness!", she exclaimed.

"W-We can fix it, right? We can do that?", Capsaicin asked, now really worried.

"Yes, yes we can.", the regal cookie confirmed, "Just a day of rest and it'll be as good as new."

The Spices let out a collective breath as the injured cheesebird was taken away in a makeshift hammock by the rest of its flock, presumably towards recovery.

Just then, Capaicin Cookie felt something akin of a tug inside of his chest, like a string had been attached to it, and was beginning to pull him forward. He lifted his head, looking towards the regal cookie that had greeted them. For some reason, most of his attention went to the triangular gem containing her soul jam.

"Your...Radiance?", he questioned.

Golden Cheese Cookie gave him a confident smile and an even more confident pose as she spread her wings.

"Why yes, I am!", she proudly declared, "And you, dear Spices, must be from Scovillia."

Capsaicin had never met any of the Ancient Heroes before, but the countless praise and tales of their good deeds had set up a rather magical expectation. Golden Cheese Cookie sure was generous, welcoming them to her palace with open arms and even offerring them refreshments. She had even picked up some casual conversation about the Kingdom's markets as they were heading towards her Vault. Her confidence reminded Capsaicin of Kouign-Amann.

"Hm. You sure seem to be enjoying the view."

Capsaicin Cookie turned back to see Golden Cheese. They had made their way to a sort of courtyard by this point, with Golden Cheese having informed them that she needed to take stock of some inventory before they could get to talking battle tactics. While the others were busy observing every detail of the large space they had found themselves in, Capsaicin had found himself staring out into the city below. It looked like an oasis of abundance, silver and gold in a procelain bowl. The fire inside Capsaicin was burning spitefully, like what was in front of him was something that had offended rather than amazed. Capsaicin was confused, about almost everything now. However, he still turned to Golden Cheese Cookie to speak with her.

"Sorry I...Yeah, yeah I do like the view from up here.", Capsaicin said, "It's like looking inside a treasure chest, except the treasure chest is the entire Kingdom!"

Golden Cheese chuckled as she rested her spear on her shoulder.

"My Kingdom will always shine, just like its treasures. Until the end of time!"

Capsaicin smiled, already feeling better at the confident cookie's presence.

"Well, it seems you're doing great so far.", Capsaicin commented, "I mean, I haven't been anywhere on Earthbread that's this futuristic!"

Golden Cheese hummed in agreement, "Oh, I know that my Kingdom is the greatest in Crispia and beyond, but I would also like to keep it that way. Now that the Beasts have awoken, I want to spare no expense in ensuring my Kingdom and treasures remain safe."

Capsaicin nodded, "I'd want my friends to be safe, too."

Golden Cheese smiled, but her expression was distant. Golden Cheese had been reeling with emotion ever since she had received Pure Vanilla Cookie's letter. Not just from his warning of the Beasts, but his news that White Lily Cookie had somehow returned, now her and Dark Enchantress Cookie being two different cookies. Golden Cheese Cookie wanted to be glad, like all her friends were, but part of her still felt bitter towards White Lily's actions as Dark Enchantress, and the pain she had caused them in the Dark Flour War. She shook her head to regain her composure when she realized her conflicting emotions might show themselves to Capsaicin.

Capsaicin turned his eyes to look at her, but remained still as he returned his gaze to the city below.

"....I would hug you, but I'm scared."

Golden Cheese turned to look at Capsaicin with a slightly crooked smile.

"Am I intimidating?", she asked.

"...Is that a trick question, ma'am?"

Golden Cheese chuckled, "Oh, young Spice, no need for you to fear me! After all, we are on the same side, are we not? And yet here you are, boiling the air around you in clear nervousness of being in my presence."

"..!" Capsaicin observed closely and realized that he was in fact, heating up the air around him, the wobbling effect now more obvious.

"I could feel the heat the moment I saw you back inside.", Golden Cheese commented, "It is a wonder you did not scorch my floors."

"Sorry.", Capsaicin offered, "My powers have been...eh...how do you say it? Wonky as of late, I guess?"

"Hm. Well, I do hope this is nothing serious.", Golden Cheese said with crossed arms, "Wouldn't want to have to rescue you if things get too tough and I happen to be preoccupied."

"Trust me, Ms Golden Cheese Cookie, it's no big deal. I can take care of myself just fine!", Capsaicin declared, hoping his practiced confidence that worked on the Spices in Scovillia would work on Golden Cheese, too.

Unfortunately for Capsaicin Cookie, Colden Cheese had enough experience to know insincerity when she saw it. Years spent on building the Golden Cheese Kingdom meant that one had to navigate the political game. There was no honesty in politics, which was why if one wanted to succeed, they had to know how to tell when one was lying and to be able to pull a lie off themselves. Golden Cheese had learned her lesson after Smoked Cheese Cookie, and she was keen on not repeating that same mistake anytime soon. This was to say that the Ancient Hero was easily able to see through Capsaicin's lie of confidence.

"Young cookie.", Golden Cheese started, "While it is good to see you believe you can handle yourself out there, I will need some honesty from you."

"H-Huh?"

"I want to know that if not in combat, I can trust you with assisting me in keeping my Kingdom safe from the hostile Spices. Can you do at least that for me?"

Capsaicin thought for a moment, his eyes looking down at the golden floor beneath his armored feet. He lifted his head once he was done and nodded to Golden Cheese Cookie.

"Yeah. Yeah, I can do that.", he said.

"Very good.", Golden Cheese responded.

Just then, a tremor shook the palace, making both cookies stumble. They looked to the distance.

"Wh-What was that?", Capsaicin questioned.

He and Golden Cheese Cookie observed the distant canyons, an action which was followed by a second tremor, more violent than the first.

"Chiiiirp!", the cheesebird that had been helping with taking stock of Golden Cheese's vault exclaimed.

"No better time than to prove yourself to me.", Golden Cheese commented as she intsructed Capsaicin to follow her.

They ended up in a vault, down a flight of stairs. Capsaicin watched as Golden Cheese Cookie was frantically checking up on soul cheeses.

"Crumbs...", she cursed, "Even if I do bring them out, they won't be nearly at full power..."

Golden Cheese turned back to look at Capsaicin, who was waiting for her at the stairs.

"Do me a favour.", she asked.

"Of course! What is it-?", Capsaicin did not finish, as the soul cheeses were shoved in his arms. He panicked at first, afraid he might burn them, but the soul cheeses remained intact.

"Look at me, and listen very carefully.", Golden Cheese instructed, "Guard them with your life, if need be. Don't come anywhere near conflict."

Golden Cheese then started to fly up the stairs, Capsaicin running after her.

"W-Wait, where do I go?!", he tried to ask.

"Far from here!", Golden Cheese shouted back, "Take them as far away as you can!"

Capsaicin was left alone halfway up the stairs, as Golden Cheese's figure vanished in the light above. Capsaicin could hear her calling for the other Spices he had brought along and looked down at the soul cheeses. Capsaicin frowned, looking up the light shining down on him before running up and out.

Outside, Golden Cheese and the rest of the Spices had encounted Saffron Buffalo Cookie, along with more hostile Spices. They had made it up the Kingdom's walls, locked in combat with its ruler and her own Spices. The Spices on Golden Cheese's side were holding their own quite well, with a few of the enemy soldiers having turned to spice powder. As the fight went on, one of the Saffron Bulls tried to attack one of the Spices from behind.

"Dried Pepper Cookie!", one of Scovillia's other Spices tried to warn, but Dried Pepper Cookie would have been too late to dodge that blow.

However, the Saffron Bull never landed a hit, as he was punched and was sent flying back, half his body turning to powder from the sheer heat of the blow.

Dried Pepper Cookie gasped as she turned, "Spice Overlord!"

Capsaicin looked down at her, not offering a hand like he normally would as he was still a little worried about his body heat.

"You okay?", he asked as she got up.

"Never better.", she replied, "Thanks for having my back!"

Golden Cheese's spear impaled two Saffron Bulls at one go as she addressed Capsaicin.

"Didn't I give you an order?"

"The soul cheeses are fine, your Radiance!", Capsaicin assured as he ran up to kick two Bulls simultaneously, "No harm will come to the cookies inside, but I also have my own to care for."

Golden Cheese frowned, but didn't voice any objections towards Capsaicin's presence as the fight went on.

Finally, the last soldier collased into powder, a sight Capsaicin did not like. Sure, these were enemies and they had been the ones to initiate the fight, but that didn't mean they deserved death. Capsaicin had even tried to hold back as much as he could, but even his lighter punches were enough to dust the Spices, and he had to fight hard not to show how this carnage was affecting him. He didn't want to give Golden Cheese Cookie more reasons to not think him capable.

"Some General you are.", Golden Cheese commented as she pointed her spear towards Saffron Buffalo Cookie, "All of your soldiers have turned to powder. Your best choice is to surrender."

"Hah! You have failed to understand the situation you are in right now.", Saffron Buffalo Cookie announced, "Burning Spice Cookie wants back what is rightfully his, and he has sent me here to make sure he gets to have his fun. You have provided me with enough powder from my fallen Spices to do just that!"

It was then that Golden Cheese and Capsaicin Cookie realized the powder of the fallen soldiers had formed into something akin of a ritualistic circle around the area, which was beginning to glow. Thinking quickly, Capsaicin turned and slammed his fists on the ground, sending the other Spices out of the spell's range with a shockwave.

"Capsaicin Cookie!!", Dried Pepper called out as the light of Saffron Buffalo Cookie's ritual become blinding, but once the light faded, there was no one to be seen where the three cookies once stood.

Chapter Text

Yeast spores being unexpectedly large was only one of the weird phenomena Prune Juice Cookie had encountered so far in Beast-Yeast. The flora had great variety, and Prune Juice had a field day with bottling up samples, such as leaves, to study when he gets back home to Parfaedia.

Getting to Beast-Yeast had been somewhat tricky, as rarely any cookies would willingly venture somewhere so dangerous. However, there was always someone willing to do such suicidal jobs, if offered the right words up on their plate, and Prune Juice was nothing if not a good liar.

However, Prune Juice was becoming tired of walking and fighting. He would need to find somewhere to rest for a short while, otherwise he feared he might just melt. Of course, cookies could not actually melt. Crumble or break, yes, but not melt. Still, Prune Juice was worried, anyone in his position would be. He was in a foreign land alone, searching for something that was likely only rumor, or even destroyed after the fall of the Fount of Knowledge.

You've been away for far too loo~oong!

"..!" Prune Juice jumped, swearing he had heard someone speak to him just next to his ear. However, there was no one in the area besides him and the plants. Not even yeast spores could speak as far as he knew.

Prune Juice sighed and held his head as he walked further inside Beast-Yeast.

"It must be the exhaustion.", Prune Juice tried to assure himself, "Remain calm, Prune Juice Cookie. Just imagine Kouign-Amann, Capsaicin, and Golden Flour are here with you. That will get you acting like a tough cookie again."

Eventually, Prune Juice was happy to say that his endless walking had finally paid off, as he had reached a small settlement. With a sigh, he slumped against the wall of one of the homes and sat down to rest. Prune Juice had come prepared, with rations enough to last him for a week if he was careful.

Prune Juice reminded himself that Banana Parfait Cookie believed he had gone to the Crème Republuc to visit his friends there as he pulled out a banana yogurt, which he planned to eat only halfway to save it for later. It was never his intention to worry his adoptive mother, but Prune Juice was certain Banana Parfait Cookie would rather jump over burning coals than allow her adopted child to venture to a place rumored to hold dangers beyond comprehension.

He then heard the howling of a wolf in the distance, just when he finished his planned ration of banana yogurt.

There are wolves here?, Prune Juice wondered before putting everything back in his satchel and getting up, just in case he needed to defend himself against the not yet seen wolves.

He found a path in the settlement he was currently resting at, one that went through it and deeper inside the woods. It could have been Prune Juice's imagination, but the forest seemed to get darker the further it went on, like it was hiding something of equal shade.

Prune Juice was so enraptured by the darkness of the woods, he had failed to notice the rustling of bushes not far from him, out of which a wolf sprang out, aiming to pounce at him. Just when Prune Juice noticed and was about to attack with a potion, the wolf was grabbed and pulled back by a shepherd's crook.

"No, no! Bad wolf, bad!", a young voice scolded, making the wolf curl up on the ground and whimper.

Prune Juice Cookie blinked at the wolf before his eyes darted past it to see the very young...wolfherd? He wasn't sure.

"Sorry about him.", the cookie said happily, "He gets excited when new cookies come near him."

"Yes, I...figured.", Prune Juice replied, while the other cookie had bent down to stroke the wolf's creamy back.

Prune Juice shook his head, droplets from what he thought to be his hat falling down.

"Excuse me, young one.", Prune Juice addressed the clearly younger cookie, "I am looking for a specific place here in Beast-Yeast. Could you point me towards it?"

"Hm? Well, I'm afraid I can't, sir."

"What? Why?"

"Becaaause, I don't know what place you're looking for!", the cookie cheerfully replied.

"A-Ah..right, silly me.", Prune Juice commented awkwardly before clearing his throat, "Would you happen to know where the Spire of All Knowledge is?"

The young cookie hummed, holding his chin as he tilted his head on it and his eyes remaining locked on Prune Juice Cookie.

"A friend of the other cookies that wanted to see it, aren't you?", the cookie asked.

Prune Juice furrowed his brows in confusion, but put some thought into what his answer should be.

"Hm, well, I do have lots of friends.", Prune Juice said as he looked up and placed a hand on his chin, "You might have to be more specific. What is it that my friends did when they met you?"

"Oh, they were suuuper nice!", the cookie replied, "They helped me find my wolves again."

Prune Juice offered a smile, "Well, they do sound like my friends. Only friends of mine would help someone in need."

"Well, you sure do have great pals! They did get scared easily, though."

Prune Juice gave a small chuckle as he allowled the cookie to continue.

"Just follow the path.", he said, "Follow the white rabbits and the giant tarot cards, and you will surely find your friends in the Spire."

"Thank you very much.". Prune Juice thanked.

"No problem, sir!", the cookie piped as he made his wolf get up, "Now come on, buddy. We have to get back to the others."

Prune Juice dropped his smile as soon as the cookie disappeared behind the bushes, and thus began his advance deeper into the woods. Even with this new information in mind, Prune Juice kept reminding himself that the directions he had received could very well have been lies. After all, what reason would he have to trust a cookie in a foreign land, let alone one that was willing to help him so easily? Still, this was the only clue Prune Juice Cookie had, so he might as well make the most out of it.

So, Prune Juice walked, and walked. Prune Juice walked until the forest had gone darker than before.

"I'm starting to doubt that wolf herder was telling me the truth...", Prune Juice told himself, "I see no end in sight. Or more accurately, nothing at all in the distance."

rustle...rustle

"..!" Prune Juice prepared to reach inside his satchel for potions. He was already running out, and he was deliberately avoiding using any of the higher level ones, in case he would encounter a threat greater than yeast spores.

He was not prepared fully for what had emerged from the flora. White rabbits, the size of cookies. They were dressed in white, blue and black uniforms, filled with diamond patterns and fluffy collars. They looked like court jesters, minus the funny hats and jingling bells. Prune Juice knew nothing in Beast-Yeast was at it seemed, all the more reasons to be prepared to throw hands with flowers and bunny rabbits, but the rabbits in the flashy uniforms did not seem to want to attack him at all. In fact, they seemed cautious about approaching him. While Prune Juice did not mind non-hostile life forms in Beast-Yeast, he remained vigilant.

One of the rabbits got on all fours, carefully and slowly approaching Prune Juice Cookie, who began to back up in response. When the rabbit finally managed to get close enough, it gave Prune Juice a sniff, upon which it backed up and rose to its hind legs, snapping its head to the side to look at its companion. Their noses twitched as they squeaked to each other, communicating in a language Prune Juice wished he could understand. The rabbits turned their attention back to Prune Juice, who really felt like he was melting. His dough was feeling warm and squishy, his jam overwhelming.

It was then that Prune Juice remembered the young wolfherd's words. Follow the white rabbits and the giant tarot cards, and you will surely find your friends in the Spire.

"Do you...know where the Spire of All Knowledge is?", he asked the rabbits.

The rabbits bowed and turned their bodies in another direction, looking back at Prune Juice Cookie as if to say that they do, and that he should follow them.

Prune Juice Cookie swallowed and tightened his hold on his satchel as he hopped closer, the rabbits finally hopping forward to show him the way.

Prune Juice Cookie had no clue how he had not managed to see the Spire from his earlier positions, as he was pretty sure the structure went up and past the clouds.

"How on Earthbread did this Spire manage to stay hidden..?", Prune Juice questioned as he let the rabbits hop away and vanish behind a wall corner.

Prune Juice looked up the Spire's stairs to see another cookie, an older one in dark robes and a beard, holding am intricate staff. Swallowing a breath, Prune Juice began his ascend. From the moment he had seen the Spire, Prune Juice had his doubts. The Spire looked different from the illustration provided by the book, and if he wanted to make sure that he was at the right place, Prune Juice had no choice but to ask around.

"Ah, someone...new?", the old cookie remarked.

Prune Juice raised an eyebrow.

"Yes..I believe I am indeed new.", he said.

The old cookie hummed, observing Prune Juice Cookie with his only open eye.

"You have come here...for what reason, young one?", he asked.

Prune Juice placed a hand on his chest, "I seek the Spire of All Knowledge, for I wish to know where my friends and I have come from."

The older cookie almost opened his closed eye, but he seemed to have ultimately chosen to keep it closed as he hummed.

"The Spire of Knowledge, you say. Why, my boy, that is where you have found yourself in front of."

"..!" Prune Juice took a good look at the Spire as best as he could see it from his position at the entrance, and was confused. I swear it looked completely different a moment ago...

"Well..if that is the case, may I come in?", Prune Juice asked the elder.

"All who seek knowledge are welcomed inside.", the elder said, "However, only those who possess a sharp mind might truly find their way inside the Spire."

"Well...how may I prove the sharpness of my mind?", Prune Juice inquired.

"To earn your way inside, you must answer my riddle."

"Riddles....alright, I'm good with those."

"A jester, a teacher, and a guide, in whom trust and love coincide. Who am I?", the elder presented his riddle.

Prune Juice felt his dough at his temple melting, and he raised a hand to cover where he thought to be the source.

"Take your time.", the elder told him, "There is no time limit I hold for my riddle's answer."

Prune Juice descended a couple of steps and brought his hand back in front of him to see liquid chunks on it. 

When cookies did not melt, Prune Juice somehow would, and his condition was still stumping medics in Parfaedia. Prune Juice was relying on potions he had to come up with himself to keep him intact and supply him with enough magic to hold his dough together. If not treated, Prune Juice will become a lump of still alive and aware dough, a state no cookie would want to be in. Prune Juice had no idea who baked him, but they must have done a terrible job.

Prune Juice Cookie quickly sipped the contents of a small vial of the form depending liquid, while thinking about the answer to the riddle at the same time.

A jester would be referring to someone who made you laugh, or entertained. A teacher held an obvious meaning, and so did the guide, but it was the last part that was the most vague. 'In whom trust and love coincide'.

As Prune Juice moved to place the now empty vial back inside his satchel, he spotted an embroidered seal inside.

There was a seal inside his new satchel that Prune Juice Cookie was certain was not there before Banana Parfait Cookie had tossed it inside the wash.

"Mom?", he called out to his guardian cookie, who was knitting on her favourite armchair.

"Yes, dear? Everything alright?", she asked.

"Yeah, I was just wondering.", Prune Juice replied, "I don't recall embroidery inside my satchel when we bought it."

"Oh, my touch, if you must know.", Banana Parfait replied.

Prune Juice tilted his head in confusion, "But why?"

"Why? So you will never lose it, of course.", Banana Parfait happily replied, "There are many satchels like yours, but with this seal inside, you will know this one is yours, and yours alone."

"I..thank you, mom.", Prune Juice said.

"It's what us parents do.", Banana Parfait smiled, "Always loving our children to the fullest. And in turn, you put your trust in us to shield you."

Prune Juice blinked out of his flashback and found himself still staring at the embroidery inside his satchel. The string it had been crafted with was a milky yellow, round like a picture frame with a prune at the center, this one crafted with deep purple yarn.

Lifting himself off the stairs, Prune Juice walked up to the old cookie to give his answer.

"Have you found the answer?", the old cookie asked.

Prune Juice nodded.

"'A jester, a teacher, and a guide, in whom trust and love coincide. '", Prune Juice repeated, "You are 'a father'."

The old cookie's mouth was mostly obscured behind his thick beard, but Prune Juice could tell he gave a gentle smile, by the way his eyes wrinkled slightly.

"That would be...correct.", the old cookie said as he stepped aside, gesturing inside with his free arm. "You may pass."

The inside of the Spire was nothing short of a maze. Prune Juice stood with his eyes shining and jaw hanging open at the sheer amount of knowledge stacked on the shelves. There were paintings and tapestries strewn across the walls as well, one of them which he recognized to be the cookie outside.

Prune Juice looked back at the exit, "I think I should leave a trail. Wouldn't want to get lost in here..no matter how nice the place looks."

Taking out a piece of chalk from his satchel, Prune Juice approached the wall and drew an arrow pointing towards the exit.

"Should be easy enough.", Prune Juice told himself as he continued to walk further inside the Spire.

As he was walking, Prune Juice was scanning the various tomes on the shelves, aiming to spot something that could lead him to the answers he was looking for. Prune Juice stopped walking when he spotted a particular scroll, just as he was about to draw another arrow on the wall. 'Cookies Making Cookies: A Guide'. It was a little too high up for Prune Juice to reach.

"Come on, Potion of Levitating.", he said as he took out a bottle of bluish purple liquid and drank a few drops. The amount of potion injested managed to lift Prune Juice off the ground just far and long enough to reach and take out the scroll from its shelf.

As Prune Juice held the scroll in his hands, he came to the realization that no one had actually told him what it took to make a cookie as a cookie. His curiosity was piqued, but it would seem the scroll was in no hurry to satisfy it.

"'Why do you want to know? Shouldn't your parents have told you already?'...What in blazes?", Prune Juice frowned as he read the contents of the scroll.

He didn't even bother putting the scroll back to its original place, throwing it to the bottom shelf halfhazardly before moving on.

"'Spire of All Knowledge', yeah, right."

Were all the records held here like that scroll? Had Prune Juice Cookie really come to Beast-Yeast for nothing?

Prune Juice looked back, and his eyes widened upon realizing he did not recognize his surroundings. Running towards the areas he was sure he had marked with arrows, his chalk drawings were nowhere to be found. It was like the Spire's entire layout had changed.

Swallowing down his horror, Prune Juice ran. He had to find an exit, otherwise he feared he might be trapped.

"Damn it, damn it!", Prune Juice cursed, "I should have asked the others to come with me!"

Prune Juice ran for a long while, until the endless maze of books and twisting paintings gave way to a fountain of milk. Prune Juice kneeled in front of it, trying to catch his breath. He caught a glimpse of his reflection on the rippling surface of white.

"Prune Juice...you idiot.", the cookie scolded himself.

Prune Juice looked up and past the milk, seeing a statue of a cookie he had never seen before. Weirdly enough, the serene sculpture seemed very familiar. Prune Juice squinted his eyes at the statue, trying to work in his head as to why he would look at this cookie with familiarity and rubbing his temples. If this was supposed to be the Spire of All Knowledge, then this cookie should be the Fount of Knowledge.

"If only you still existed to answer my questions.", Prune Juice sighed as he looked up at the statue, "Would be nice to know why I was made so...fragile.."

Prune Juice shot up straight as the sound on heels clacking, already reaching inside his satchel.

"More visitors today? My my, truly a full house!"

Prune Juice scowled as he followed the source of the voice. He found it, in the form of a cookie dressed in blacks and purples and holding a peculiar staff.

"Who on Earthbread are you?", Prune Juice asked.

The other cookie twirled his staff in his hand with a smile on his face, "Why, your faaaavourite announcer, of course! Black Sapphire Cookie!"

Prune Juice hummed, "Favourite announcer to whom, exactly? I can't say I've heard of you before."

Black Sapphire gasped in faux offense, "After all those delicious rumours I have provided to all of Earthbread? I would argue that I am very well known, especially to Parfaedians!"

Prune Juice Cookie came to a realization, "Wait--You were the one that spread that rumor about Latte Cookie??"

"Ahh, so you are from there?"

"None of your business.", Prune Juice curlty replied, "Show me the door outside, and I'll be out of your icing."

Black Sapphire pouted and crossed his arms, "My my, you sure are a rude guest! You just waltzed right into Master Shadow Milk Cookie's domain, not only without a gift, but leaving without even a simple 'hello'?"

Prune Juice fought hard not to twitch in annoyance as he took out potions.

"Look, I have had a really long day.", Prune Juice warned, "If you don't show me the way outside, I will just have to make you show me."

Black Sapphire Cookie laughed, "Oooh, a challenger? Turn the cameras back on, for we have a treat for you rather than a boooring ad break! This one is called: The Incredible Black Sapphire Cookie vs The Melting Fool!"

Prune Juice flinched as he realized his dough was beginning to grow moist. Still, he gritted his teeth and got ready for a fight, prepared to show Black Sapphire Cookie what this 'Melting Fool' was really capable of.

Chapter Text

Beast-Yeast was covered in the same white fog that was covering the Dark Cacao Kingdom when they had arrived, oddly spared from the beasts of the Licorice Sea. Crunchy Chip Cookie in particular was being very much vocal about the suspiciously low activity of the ones residing under the dark waters.

Golden Flour Cookie had walked further inside the forest than the rest, her eyecings scanning her surroundings.

"The fog is too thick to see through.", Caramel Arrow Cookie commented, squinting her eyecings just to look a few feet ahead of her.

"And this fog, it...it makes me feel..lighter.", one of the Dark Cacao warriors said.

"It is just like the fog that brought the Pale Ailment upon the Kingdom.", Dark Cacao Cookie observed, "Let us share this tablet, so our minds and vision may be cleared."

Cold and silent.

Golden Flour kept her back turned to the group, looking ahead in stillness as the winds blew her garments. The voice in her head had not startled her as much as before. Had she gotten used to it so quickly?

"Ack! So bitter!", one of the warriors recoiled.

"D-Don't know about you, but this is..light...work! Reeeeal tasty!", Crunchy Chip tried, but it was clear the bitterness had gotten to him too.

Caramel Arrow looked back to see Golden Flour Cookie, and approached her with an extended hand.

"Golden Flour Cookie.", she said, "You should have some of the tablet, too. We are in no rush to lose our medic."

"I can see ahead.", Golden Flour suddenly said.

"...What?", Caramel Arrow inquired, bringing the attention of the rest of the group to them.

"The thick fog none of you can see through....somehow, I can.", Golden Flour elaborated.

"How can your eyecings see through such a smokescreen?", Dark Cacao asked, slightly apprehensive.

"I....I don't know, your Highness."

Maybe I was right, in my initial thoughts I had put in writing to Kouign-Amann...Maybe, I am right where I am meant to be.

"A question for another time.", Dark Cacao finally said, "We must make haste, or the plague will ravage the Dark Cacao Kingdom further in our absence."

"Yes, your Majesty.", Caramel Arrow Cookie agreed.

The group walked further inside Beast-Yeast, the fog becoming thicker the further they ventured.

"Can you still see?", Dark Cacao Cookie asked when the fog had become particularly thick.

"It's....a little harder, now that the fog has gotten so thick, but yes, I can still do that.", Golden Flour replied.

"First the vision, and now this.", Caramel Arrow Cookie commented, "Where did you come from?"

Golden Flour turned her head to respond, "The Crème Republic. You know this, Caramel Arrow Cookie."

"I suppose the Crème Republic is not known for cookies like yourself."

"You are giving me far too much credit--huh?"

"What is it?", asked Dark Cacao Cookie.

"I-I can't see Crunchy Chip Cookie anywhere.", Golden Flour Cookie informed.

"Wh-? Crunchy Chip Cookie!", Caramel Arrow called out, but received no response.

After inspecting her surroundings further, Golden Flour Cookie realized that more were missing.

"The Dark Cacao warriors...they have vanished as well!", she informed.

"The two of you, stay close to me!", Dark Cacao ordered.

It was easy for Golden Flour, quickly finding Dark Cacao through the thick fog and holding on to his bicep.

"Caramel Arrow Cookie!", she called out, "Follow my voice!"

"..."

"Caramel Arrow Cookie!", Dark Cacao repeated.
Golden Flour Cookie felt so useless. She had the ability to see through this white fog, and she had still failed to be useful.

Seperation is inevitable.

"Your Majesty...?", Golden Flour spoke.

"I hear your voice, young one.", he replied, "Stay close to me, and let us make haste."

Golden Flour Cookie was trembling, refusing to let go of Dark Cacao Cookie's arm.

"D-Don't leave me...you can't leave me here..!", she suddenly blurted out, her eyes wide open.

Golden Flour Cookie was looking down, so she couldn't fully see Dark Cacao looking down at her with familiarity in his face. The King reminded himself that the cookie clinging to his arm was still a child, an inexperienced and small thing that could not have ventured far beyond the borders of her home. A memory flashed before his eyecings, the day he had banished his own son from the Kingdom. Swallowing down the bitterness and sorrow of that memory, Dark Cacao Cookie took Golden Flour Cookie's hand.

"I will not let go, Golden Flour Cookie.", he assured, "That..is a promise."

I will not repeat my past mistakes.

Kouign-Amann was careful to sneak out of the airship's cargo storage when it landed. Of course, sneaking around with a giant sword was never easy, but it never hurt to try.

Passing by the windows, Kouign-Amann could tell she was in the Hollyberry Kingdom, from its bright and rich scenery.

"You have come."

Kouign-Amann nearly jumped at the female voice, only to calm down upon realizing it was muffled, meaning it had come from outside. Glad she hadn't been spotted yet, Kouign-Amann held her sword close to her with both hands, and continued to focus on sneaking outside the airship without her armored feet making noise.

"I certainly hope my presence does not indicate desperation, Cranberry Cookie.", Kouign-Amann could hear Crème Caramel Cookie speak.

Despite her exit being very clear and ready to be used, Kouign-Amann felt compelled to listen. Crème Caramel Cookie did not have many close friends, so it had been a surprise to everyone when the letters between him and Cranberry Cookie had become more frequent. Some cookies joked that the two might have a relationship that went beyond a simple friendship, but Kouign-Amann found it hard to believe.

Peeking from behind her hiding place, Kouign-Amann could see the Hollyberrian noble and her father converse, the former brushing a closed fan across her cheek as the conversation went on.

"Not at all.", she had answered Crème Caramel's previous statement, "I am rather flattered, that a busy cookie such as yourself has flown all the way here to see me."

....No way., Kouign-Amann thought to herself. Were the joking rumors actually true?

"Wow, talk about long distance.", Kouign-Amann heard someone whispering from behind her. In retalliation, Kouign-Amann turned and choke-slammed the cookie.

"Wh-...Bumbleberry Cookie?", Kouign-Amann whispered, her sword now on the ground.

"Hi Kouign-Amann.", Bumbleberry whispered back, "Why are we whispering?"

"I'm not supposed to be here.", Kouign-Amann replied.

"You are right, you should not be here, indeed."

Kouign-Amann whinced as she turned her head to see Crème Caramel and Cranberry Cookie, who had obviously heard her slam Bumbleberry on the ground.

"Heyyy...dad....Lady Cranberry Cookie..", Kouign-Amann tried, but it was clear she would not be saving her dough so easily.

Crème Caramel crossed his arms, "Do you have an explaination as to why you have snuck into the airship?"

"Rather rude, to not ask for permission to travel.", Cranberry Cookie commented, "Surely, Crème Caramel has done a better job at raising you, young lady."

Kouign-Amann sighed as she got up, taking her sword back in her hands as she got up.

"I had a good reason.", Kouign-Amann defended.

"One you must have known I would say no to, because you would be putting yourself in needless danger.", Crème Caramel replied.

"Golden Flour Cookie might be in danger!", Kouign-Amann said, "And I need to go find her!"

Crème Caramel frowned before sharing a brief glance with Cranberry Cookie.

"Kouign-Amann, Golden Flour Cookie is in the Dark Cacao Kingdom, not here.", Crème Caramel reminded his daughter.

"Not anymore.", Kouign-Amann informed as she got out of the airship, "In her most recent letter, she said she had gone to Beast-Yeast with Dark Cacao Cookie."

"Beast-Yeast??", Cranberry Cookie gasped, "Does this friend of yours wish to crumble!?"

"Kouign-Amann, the answer is--"

"--no. I knew you would say that.", Kouign-Amann finished as she kept walking in a hurry, "But you can't stop me from joining Queen Mother's expedition. Then, I can find my way to Golden Flour Cookie, and make sure she's safe."

"Do not bother, young lady.", Cranberry Cookie said as she took Crème Caramel's arm to prevent him from going further, "Queen Mother has already left the Kingdom."

Kouign-Amann stopped in her tracks. She was too late...no, she couldn't throw the towel just yet!

"Then I'll just have to find another way to Beast-Yeast!", Kouign-Amann announced.

"Kouign-Amann Cookie-!"

Kouign-Amann Cookie blinked, and suddenly the paved road underneath her feet had become a luscious garden.

"..!" Kouign-Amann gasped, her head shooting up to look at her sudden change of scenery.

She was in a garden, one of luscious flora, cotton clouds, calm rivers, and a sickly sweet scent. It was almost suffocating.

"The Hollyberrians??"

Kouign-Amann turned to see Raspberry Cookie, along with Wildberry and Hollyberry. A more careful glance revealed that more cookies than her had been trasported to this garden. The Hollyberrians that had been brought here, seemingly all of them, were acting completely different. They acted lazy, aloof, hypnotized.

"Finally..a place where I don't have to fight to prove myself!", Bumbleberry Cookie exhaled as he let himself fall on the grass.

"A place where we are treated as equals.", Crème Caramel sighed dreamily as he and Cranberry Cookie leaned on each other.

"No more silly social norms to hold us back."

Kouign-Amann shook her head, her eyes wide in shock as she ran up to the three cookies that were seemingly not hypnotized.

"Wh-What's going on? Where are we?", she asked.

Raspberry Cookie looked at Kouign-Amann in surprise, "You are not a Hollyberrian."

"I had come to the Kingdom along with my father, when suddenly we were transported here.", Kouign-Amann explained.

"Which would mean that the entire Hollyberry Kingdom has been brought to the Garden.", Wildberry observed, "Regardless if they are Hollyberrians or not."

"W-Wait. Are we in...Beast-Yeast?", Kouign-Amann asked, not exactly expecting a land of unimaginable danger to be so calm and beautiful.

"Yes.", Hollyberry Cookie replied, "But why would the Hollyberrians be brought here?"

Laughter filled the air, a femine and sweet voice from above.

"My gift to you, my sweet~", the voice said, "Now, you won't ever have to worry about the well-being of your cookies~  You can stay here forever...and relax your shoulders from this great burden~!"

Kouign-Amann looked up at the sky, instantly recognizing the voice as the sacchirine encouragement that had seemingly come out of thin air when she had snuck on Crème Caramel's airship.

"That voice...who is that?", Kouign-Amann questioned.

"The Beast that has brought you and the rest of the Hollyberry Kingdom to her Garden of Delights. Eternal Sugar Cookie.", Hollyberry answered, clearly on edge from the events that were currently transpiring.

Tiger Lily Cookie had thankfully found a temporary solution for the cookies to keep their minds sober, by feeding them the sourest berries imaginable. Hollyberry Cookie could not have been more grateful, but she knew this was not a permanent solution. The Queen Mother voiced the limited amount of time they had on their hands, that in order for them to be free, they would have to face Eternal Sugar Cookie.

"I am always with you.", Wildberry said with his gauntlet raised to his chest.

"Me as well.", said Raspberry.

"Butter Tiger!", Tiger Lily announced, to which her butter tiger growled in agreement.

"I will join you as well!", Kouign-Amann joined, "As a paladin of the Crème Republic, I will continue to fight for the better of cookiekind, no matter how big or small the battle may seem. Please, let me to fight with you!"

Hollyberry Cookie smiled widely and lifted her makeshift shield to the sky. No longer did it have the Sould Jam pinned to it, now a simple jad lid with the tag still hanging from it. She recalled Wildberry Cookie's words, that it was not the shield that defined Hollyberry Cookie, but her Passion itself. The light inside her heart had returned, however faint.

"But of course!", the Hero said, "I may not be able to fully resonate with my Soul Jam right now, but I can feel the Passion in all of you beating like drums! Let us make haste, and free ourselves from Sloth."

"Yes, Queen Mother!", the cookies shouted in unison, ready to embark on the quest to defeat Eternal SUgar Cookie.

Kouign-Amann did not let any of them know that she was also joining to find this Eternal Sugar Cookie, seeking an answer as to why she had heard the Beast's voice in her head.

At some point during their advance, Tiger Lily had briefly approached her.

"Can I...help you?", Kouign-Amann had asked.

"Cookie...sniff...sweet."

"I..guess I do have a pretty sweet scent.", Kouign-Amann replied.

Tiger Lily Cookie hadn't said anything more, and the two continued running.

Hollyberry Cookie had snuck a glance behind her at Kouign-Amann as well. She could not put her finger on it, but Holyberry Cookie swore there was something familiar about the young paladin that had joined their party.

Everything in the Garden that would attack them seemed to be made entirely out of sugar. Marzipan, fruit rollups, marshmallows. Kouign-Amann would cut down anything that would come across her path with ease, her paladin's blade swishing in the air and making the creatures collapse into powdered sugar.

Everyone was managing to hold their own so far, which was a good thing.

Kouign-Amann's thoughts kept wondering back to the voice of Eternal Sugar Cookie, and what it could have meant that she could hear it in her head before she had even stepped foot in Beast-Yeast.

Her thoughts were cut short by another blade joining the battle, Crème Caramel Cookie's.

"D-Dad?", Kouign-Amann questioned.

"I have time before the effects of the berries run out.", Crème Caramel said as both him and Kouign-Amann wound up fighting side by side, "And until we find a way to escape Beast-Yeast, I will stay right by your side!"

Kouign-Amann smiled and charged forward, slicing some candy angels with her sword. However, it was when she almost tripped that everyone realized that the candy monsters would soon become the least of their worries.

"The vines around us!", Rasperry Cookie observed, "They just keep growing!"

"Ghk!" Wildberry Cookie was already struggling to keep the vines back.

"The area is becoming too narrow to fight!", Kouign-Amann realized, "We'll be caged in!"

"I don't think we can hold them off for much longer!", Raspberry Cookie shouted as he was cutting down the vines back to back with Crème Caramel Cookie.

"Why do you continue to fight?", Eternal Sugar's voice came from above.

Tiger Lily Cookie was captured by the vines first, which then moved to catch the rest of the cookies.

Kouign-Amann continued to cut down the vines in desperation, her arms beginning to hurt from the sheer amount of force she was putting behind her strikes. She was sweating sugar, but she could not give up! Never!

A shadow blocked the sun above, making an exhausted Kouign-Amann look up to see what had caused this. She was met with a tall and slender cookie, one with long, pink curly icing on her head and angelic wings behind her back. As the cookie flew down, a stunned Kouign-Amann followed her movements, forgetting she was even fighting. It was like she was put under some kind of haze.

Eternal Sugar Cookie had come down to see her beloved Hollyberry, her other half, but what she had seen in front of her eyes was shocking enough to cause her to drop her lyre.

Pavlova Cookie had turned from observing the area where the vines had trapped Sugarfly Cookie and towards Eternal Sugar when he had heard the sound of her lyre hitting the garden floor.

"E-Eternal Sugar Cookie..?", he inquired with worry.

So this is Eternal Sugar Cookie, Kouign-Amann thought. She wanted to speak, to raise her sword, but her blade suddenly felt heavy in her hands, even as Eternal Sugar approached, raising her shaking hands towards the young paladin.

Eternal Sugar proceeded to cup the face of a shocked Kouign-Amann's with gentle hands. As Kouign-Amann looked into Eternal Sugar's eyes, she came to a shattering revalation. We have the same eyes.

"...Kouign-Amann Cookie..?", Eternal Sugar Cookie asked, her trembling voice barely a whisper.

Kouign-Amann's lips trembled. Yes, that is my name!, she wanted to scream, but she couldn't, not fully.

"I...I a..I am-!"

Eternal Sugar Cookie did not wait for her to finish the response, and the next thing Kouign-Amann knew was that she was lifted in the air, into the arms of the Beast as they both spun around.

"Oh, Kouign-Amann! My precious little sweet! Oh, my Kouin-Amann!", Eternal Sugar Cookie cried, confusing Kouign-Amann even further.

Most of the cookies that had been with Kouign-Amann had been captured by the vines, so there was no one to intervene.

Finally, Eternal Sugar stopped spinning them, putting Kouign-Amann down, but keeping one hand on her shoulder and one on her cheek.

"My most treasured happiness..you have grown so much...and I missed it all!", Eternal Sugar Cookie mourned.

Kouign-Amann managed to snap out of her shocked state to look at Eternal Sugar Cookie in confusion. Before she was about to ask the Beast to elaborate, Kouign-Amann heard Crème Caramel's sword desperately slashing through the vines to get to her.

"Kouign-Amann Cookie!!", he shouted, the vines finally catching up to him.

Kouign-Amann turned around with wide eyes, "Dad!"

Her dress was caught by Pavlova Cookie before she could get far.

"Wh-What are you saying??", he asked, looking up at Kouign-Amann in confusion.

Kouign-Amann was just as confused by him as she was with Eternal Sugar Cookie. Him, a cookie she had never met in her life, was acting like they have known each other for far longer than a few seconds.

Beside her, Eternal Sugar Cookie's expression grew darker as she shifted her gaze from Kouign-Amann to Crème Caramel Cookie.

"You...You heartless thief!!", she shouted, the vines working faster to entrap him.

"..!" Crème Caramel Cookie was thouroughly trapped.

"My happiness...the last vestiges of it...how could you live with yourself?!?", Eternal Sugar Cookie demanded.

Finally, Kouign-Amann had managed to pry herself from Pavlova's grip and pick her sword back up, ready to cut down the vines trapping Crème Caramel Cookie. However, she was tripped and dropped on a pink cotton candy cloud, but managed to keep her sword in her hands. Kouign-Amann tried to lift herself up again, but soon found that this was no ordinary cloud.

"What...What is this?", Kouign-Amann questioned as her vision was becoming blurry, "N-No..! The cloud..it's making me--!"

"Oh, my poor little Kouign-Amann...", Eternal Sugar Cookie spoke with pity and gentleness. Her personality had rapidly flipped when she addressed the young paladin. "You must be so confused...But I know it's not your fault. No, never!"

"What are you...talking about..?", Kouign-Amann asked, fighting the urge to sleep on the soft cloud.

"Oh, my sweetness...", Eternal Sugar Cookie cooed as she twisted a lock of Kouign-Amanns icing between her fingers, "Put your worries to rest, you don't have to fight anymore~ Sleep peacefully, and let mommy take care of everything~"

Kouign-Amann's whole spirit trembled, her arms finally caving underneath her, her sword dropping to the ground with a loud clang. The last thing Kouign-Amann could remember before everything went black was Crème Caramel Cookie being fully enveloped by the vines, and Eternal Sugar's gentle touch.

Chapter Text

Spice. Spice dust that burned eyecings and stung dough was the first thing Capsaicin and Golden Cheese Cookie were met with. They both had to cover their faces as the storm blew all around them.

"Gah-! Right at the center of a Spice Storm??", Saffron Buffalo Cookie complained, as he too was affected by the spice in the air.

In his panic, Capsaicin started feeling around for Golden Cheese Cookie, finally finding her wrist.

"M-Ms Golden Cheese Cookie..!", he whispered, "I can't see a thing!"

"Move.", Golden Cheese Cookie managed to whisper back, "While he's distracted!"

Capsaicin Cookie gritted his teeth before pulling his arm from his face, holding his breath as he spotted a place where they could hide while Saffron Buffalo Cookie was distracted. As they disappeared behind the rocks, the duo could faintly hear Saffron Buffalo Cookie address one of his soldiers.

"Inform General Nutmeg Tiger Cookie that Great Destroyer's prey is here.", he commanded, "The thief of His Soul Jam....and someone else. A Spice, burning nearly as hot as He!"

"A Spice matching the Great Destroyer's heat?", the saffron bull asked in disbelief.

Saffron Buffalo coughed up some spice that went down his throat.

"Yes....I could feel it in the air as we fought atop the walls of the Golden Cheese Kingdom.", he said, "They must not have gotten far! Search the entire valley when this storm dies down!!"

Capsaicin Cookie felt like he should hold his breath. He was not sure why, but his jam screamed for him not to inhale the spice in the air. It was easier said than done however, as holding in your breath while running for your life with an Ancient Hero was not exactly a good strategy.

"Capsaicin Cookie!", Golden Cheese said, "Breathe! You are turning blue!"

Capsaicin did just that, unable to hold it in anymore. His pupils blew wide, his body filling with adrenaline while his mouth hung open.

"...Capsaicin Cookie..?", Golden Cheese inquired.

Past the young Spice, Golden Cheese Cookie spotted the silhouette of a settlement. It was now the Queen's turn to drag Capsaicin along.

"I see a settlement.", she informed, "We should find shelted there!"

Capsaicin Cookie quickly held his breath again, coming back to his senses slightly. Just what was in the air??

After mostly snapping back to his senses, Capsaicing Cookie fully got to see what Golden Cheese had seen. There was a village here, barely visible through the wall of spice blowing in the wind. 

Golden Cheese's eyecings stung from the spice, unable to stop herself from coughing.

Capsaicin had managed to lift one of his arms to knock on one of the doors belonging to the many huts in the village.

"A-Anyone here?", he called out, "Hello?"

There was no response. His chains felt heavy.

"Is there no one here?", Golden Cheese frantically asked.

"L-Let's try another house!", Capsaicin tried, inhaling more of the spice in the air in the process.

Capsaicin felt strange, and not in the happy sense. No..he felt like he would explode any minute now as he kept knocking on doors frantically, only to receive no answer.

Golden Cheese had gone off on her own to try and receive an answer from any huts as well, finally coming across one at the far end of the village.

"Please, let us in!", she said, "We-cough cough-We merely wish to rest our doughs!"

This time, the door opened.

"Inside, fi!", said a young kulfi monkey.

Golden Cheese exhaled in relief before turning her head back.

"Capsaicin Cookie!"

The younger cookie heard the Queen's words, and ran for the open door. Both of them fell to the floor of the hut, leaving the kulfi to close the door behind them.

Golden Cheese Cookie was the first to get up, resting her weight on her spear as she looked at the young kulfi through squinting eyes.

"Thank you, little one.", the Queen said.

"Are you okay, fi?", the child asked.

"I'm fine, little one. I owe you, for saving us from the storm outside."

"Your eyecings hurt, right? Have some lassi, fi!"

Upon applying this 'lassi' to her eyecings, Golden Cheese Cookie instantly felt better. She could see clearly again. Golden Cheese smiled at the kulfi.

"Young one, you have my word, I will repay you handsomely!", she announced.

However, the kulfi was looking past her, his body language clearly conscerned.

"I-Is your friend okay, fi?"

Golden Cheese turned around to see Capsaicin Cookie, still on the ground and curled into a ball.

"..Capsaicin Cookie-?" When Golden Cheese Cookie reached out, Capsaicin had tightened his grip on his bicep from his curled up position, the dough somehow cracking and making way for the jam inside to spill. No, not jam. Lava.

"..!" Golden Cheese Cookie gasped. She had heard the Spices regarding Capsaicin Cookie with reverence, and now she could see the hot jam inside of him spill to the floor, burning holes through it.

"Fi!", the young kulfi cried.

"Young one? What is going on here, fi?"

Golden Cheese Cookie was surprised by the arrival of an older kulfi, who used a walking stick to get around. She then knelt beside Capsaicin Cookie on the floor.

"We swear, we mean no harm.", she addressed the elder, "Your young one saved us from the spice storm outside. Still, my companion here seems to be ill. If you would offer me your help, I will gladly reward you."

Capsaicin couldn't fully sense his surroundings, despite feeling very aware of his own dough. He wanted to lift his head, but couldn't. He wanted to sit up, but he couldn't. That was, until he felt a cold concoction cover the wound he had forced open. Slowly, Capsaicin was able to allow his dough to relax, even if getting himself to stand up was more of a fight than it normally was.

"I..I-I'm sorry.", Capsaicin said as he looked at where he was laying down, "I scorched your floor..."

Capsaicin Cookie rubbed his shackles.

"Ah...no worries, young one.", the kulfi elder replied, though Capsaicin found his tone slightly off, "Your eyecings are blown wide, fi."

"Are you alright, Capsaicin Cookie?", Golden Cheese inquired.

"Y-Yeah, I....when I breathed that stuff in the air in..I felt like I was going berserk!", Capsaicin replied with conscern.

"Careful not to inhale too much, fi.", the elder informed, "The spice in the air will indeed make you seek destruction."

Capsaicin Cookie swallowed, not exactly thrilled by the idea.

Free yourself from the shackles of restraint!

Capsaicin held his head, trying to ignore the shouts in his head.

"Would you tell us where we are?", Golden Cheese asked the kulfi elder, "I know my Kingdom like I know my very own dough, you see, but I do not recall ever being here."

"Hmm, you are in the Land of Spice, fi.", he replied.

"Land of Spice?", Golden Cheese Cookie wondered out loud, "There is no such place in Crispia..we must have been transported to Beast-Yeast."

"Victim of the Great Destroyer, fi."

"The Great Destroyer?", Golden Cheese asked.

"..Saffron Buffalo.", Capsaicin realized while still on his knees, "H-He mentioned him when we were running away!"

"So, this Great Destroyed must be the original owner of my Soul Jam...", Golden Cheese Cookie realized.

"Wait..if you're here, then that must mean he rules over this place, right?", Capsaicin Cookie asked, "If that's right, why save us?"

"It would seem you know little of this land, young Spice.", the kulfi elder said, "This is no land for the weak, specifically weak Spices, fi. The strong ones will always trample over and take what they want, for that is the way the Great Destroyer wants it so, fi."

Capsaicin almost could not believe what he was hearing. How could a cookie be so careless as to willingly put the weak of his Kingdom in danger?

The kulfi elder spoke of a place where they could assess their surroundings better, at Golden Cheese Cookie's request. There was a peak past the lassi springs they could use.

They had to stay indoors for some time, to wait for the spice storm to die down just enough for them to proceed.

What Golden Cheese and Capsaicin Cookie were not an audience for was the conversation between the two kulfi.

"Do you think the burnt cookie will be okay, fi?", the young kulfi asked.

The elder hummed, "I have never seen such Spice before, fi. Dough burned to a crisp, holding back something too strong for it...I believe we might not only have helped one of the two Cookies in the Prophecy, but something else. Yes..something terrible indeed, fi."

"Ghk-!", Prune Juice groaned as he ducked behind a pillar, narrowly avoiding the splash of black sapphire stones sent towards him.

Black Sapphire was limping, as his left leg's dough had been made soggy, the result of a potion splashing on it.

"I'm not sure which is more infuriating.", Black Sapphire expressed, "The cookies that had entered with Pure Vanilla Cookie, or you."

Prune Juice recognized the name of the Ancient Hero, which would normally be good news, but seeing that the clear bad guy was fighting him right now, it obviously bore the exact opposite kind. This was only one of the many bad news Prune Juice was currently receiving, as he was quickly being forced to use his higher quality potions.

Sipping the last of his invisibility potion, Prune Juice Cookie dashed away from the pillar, which broke under another barrage of magic.

"Where are you...you melting brat?!", Black Sapphire demanded.

Black Sapphire had always prided himself of his abilities as a Cookie of Deceit, but this young cookie was something else. They had been fighting for longer than Black Sapphire had anticipated, the younger using trickery and misdirection to land hits of him like lying was second nature to him. Black Sapphire was secretly grateful that Candy Apple Cookie was not here to witness this battle, because he knew he would never live down losing a fight to a cookie that so far was only using potions.

Despite his losing streak, Black Sapphire found himself smiling as he recalled his earlier thought.

"Rather stunned you wish to leave.", Black Sapphire commented as he slammed his staff on the ground, "You have no real reason to come here. Or maybe...you were drawn to the Spire of Deceit."

Spire of Deceit-?

The slam of Black Sapphire Cookie's staff had sent ripples throughout the room they were fighting in, now riddled with holes and cracks and broken glass. The magic waves went over Prune Juice Cookie, revealing his location to Black Sapphire Cookie.

"..!" This time, Prune Juice did not react quick enough, and Black Sapphire Cookie's magic sent him flying back and hitting the wall. Prune Juice could hear his remaining bottles clinking inside his bag as his back met the wall, and his soggy dough dropping on the brown fabric of the satchel.

"Alas, you are too fragile of a cookie.", Black Sapphire taunted, "Unworthy of serving Master Shadow Milk Cookie."
Prune Juice breathed out a laugh before turning his head to look at Black Sapphire.

"At least my eyecings still work.", he said.

"What-?"

"'You are now blind' potion!", Prune Juice shouted as he threw a bottle with pink, glittery liquid towards Black Sapphire, which landed square on his face and burst into a sparkly cloud.

"GAAAAHHH!!!", Black Sapphire cried out, letting his staff drop to the ground so he could clutch his face. "IT'S LIKE GLITTER IN MY EYES!! IT'S PRETTY, BUT IT HURTS!"

Prune Juice dashed forward and grabbed Black Sapphire Cookie's fallen staff, sweeping Black Sapphire Cookie's legs and making the enemy drop to the ground.

"Tell me how to get out of here, or I will be using the 'Guarenteed to crumble' potion next.", Prune Juice threatened as he pointed Black Sapphire's staff at him, which the other cookie likely could not see.

"You think a single defeat will get me to crack?", Black Sapphire said, "You might have taken my sight, but you will not be taking my--!"

Prune Juice proceeded to whack Black Sapphire in the head with his own magic staff.

"Talk.", Prune Juice demanded.

"Did..did you just--?"

Another whack.

"Talk to me!", Prune Juice continued, "How do I get out of this Spire?"

Black Sapphire Cookie found himself laughing again, "You have ventured all the way to Beast-Yeast, to come to this very Spire, and now you are begging to leave?"

Prune Juice narrowed his eyes at the Cookie of Deceit.

"I came all the way here, risking my dough, because I wanted answers.", Prune Juice admitted, "For me and my friends, to find who has baked us. Alas, this information can not be here, I know that now."

"Master Shadow Milk Cookie would gladly answer your curiosities!", Black Sapphire exclaimed, the effect of the blinding potion slowly fading, "All you have to do is ask nicely~"

Prune Juice scowled, "Right, and I am supposed to believe a cookie serving the Master of the Spire of Deceit."

When he was about to strike Black Sapphire Cookie again, Prune Juice's ears picked up on the sounds of giggling. Turning his head, he saw nothing. The giggling came again, and this time Prune Juice looked up to see a massive lollipop descending down on him. He barely managed to dodge, but the lollipop shattered upon impact, and Prune Juice was unable to prevent some of the red sugary crystals from cutting him.

Black Sapphire quickly wiped his eyecings to see again, trying not to scowl too deeply at the sounds of the familiar giggling.

"He he he! He's melting!", Candy Apple Cookie giggled, "He's melting like ice cream!"

Prune Juice brandished Black Sapphire Cookie's staff at the new adversary, trying to ignore his own sorry state.

"Candy Apple Cookie.", Black Sappire addressed with gritted teeth as he finally could see again, "You are not supposed to be here."

Candy Apple Cookie pouted, "I can fly around when I want!"

Prune Juice had a queer look on his face while the two Cookies of Deceit bickered like siblings who really hated each other.

"I was just thinking.", Candy Apple proposed, "We should let the cookies in the cards go!"

"Huh? What on Earthbread are you on about? You would disobey Master Shadow Milk Cookie?", Black Sapphire asked with clear offense in his voice.

"...Can I know where the exit is now?", Prune Juice asked.

"Nope.", Candy Apple replied.

What Candy Apple had also realized that Prune Juice was holding on to Black Sapphire's staff, which made her burst into giggles again.

"You got beaten by a half-melted cookie? Ha ha ha ha!"

"..!" Prune Juice realized that his face was very close to falling off. How long had he gone without his stabilizers?

"Howwww about a lil' deal?", Candy Apple asked Black Sapphire with a tilted head and big eyes, "You let the cookies go, and Shadow Milk Cookie will pay attention to me--I mean, US again, aaaaaaaaaaand I won't tell anyone about your embaaaarassing defeat!"

Black Sapphire tsked, "You may be bold, Candy Apple Cookie, but I wil not be disobeying Master Shadow Milk Cookie."

"Oh okay I understand--snatched!", Candy Apple Cookie cheered as she stole the pouch around Black Sapphire's belt.

Prune Juice, who had been too busy digging inside his satchel for a solution to his melting, realized he could hear cookies' voices coming from inside the pouch Candy Apple Cookie had stolen. The cards that had escaped had cookies trapped inside them, who had managed to leave the 2nd dimension and made a run for it. Prune Juice realized he should probably run too, now alone with Candy Apple Cookie as Black Sapphire had reclaimed his staff to go after the escapees.

"He he!", Candy Apple cheered and clapped, "Run run run, little cookies!"

Poof!

Prune Juice's eyecings widened as he watched Candy Apple Cookie being trapped inside a card, like the cookies which had escaped had been moments prior. The cookie's eyesight trailed up the arm of the one holding the card, a jester dressed in the colors of the rabbits that had led him here.

"Hm..", Shadow Milk Cookie hummed as he narrowed his eyes at the trapped Candy Apple Cookie.

Meanwhile, Prune Juice was trying his best to stay quiet and get out of the room, but curse his overpacking, as the clinking inside his satchel drew Shadow Milk's attention to him. Prune Juice was trying to keep his soggy dough together, when he noticed Shadow Milk Cookie's eyes widen ever so slowly in....realization?

"Is it....too late for me to ask for the exit?", Prune Juice tried, like he had any type of leverage against a cookie that could trap others in cards.

Suddenly, Shadow Milk was right next to him, grabbing Prune Juice by wrapping one arm around him and holding both him and his own hat tight. The gravity of the tower had somehow shifted, and both of them were flying--no, falling down.

Prune Juice couldn't help but scream in fear and surprise.

After some time spent wondering the foggy landscape, Dark Cacao and Golden Flour Cookie had not only found four of the Dark Cacao Warriors, among them Crunchy Chip and Caramel Arrow Cookie, but the summit of a grand temple.

"Is this the temple you had seen in your vision?", Dark Cacao had asked Golden Flour.

"I....think?", Golden Flour had replied, "It's too tall for me to see."

After climbing a conscerning amount of stairs, and facing against the Four Dumpling Kings, they had finally come at what looked to be the temple's courtyard. Crunchy Chip Cookie had sent his cream wolves out to scout the area, arguing about the effectiveness of the method with Caramel Arrow Cookie in the process.

Despite herself, Golden Flour Cookie found herself wondering around the foggy area, to see if there was anything she could recognize from the vision. It looked surprisingly well maintained, for a supposedly abandoned temple, but then again, there were the four Kings they had fought just a bit ago. Golden Flour winced, bending over slightly and holding her side. During their fight, she had taken a hit, which was left untreated.

"La la la.."

"Huh?" Golden Flour could hear someone singing in the distance.

The pale cookie straightened her back and tried to follow the voice. She ignored Caramel Arrow Cookie calling out for her as she rounded the corner, finally finding the source of the singing. It was a small creature, with a lot of white fluff.

"H-Hello-", Golden Flour Cookie fell to her knees. She didn't know the injury was that severe.

The strange cookie turned its head to see Golden Flour Cookie holding her side in pain.

"Oh my stars!", the cookie gasped as it hopped towards Golden Flour, "Are you alright?"

"I..", Golden Flour's hand came back with jam staining it, "N-No..!"

Cloud Haetae Cookie took out a milky white bread bun.

"Here, have this.", they said, "It'll make you feel better."

Golden Flour took the white bread in her hands and quickly bit down on it. The texture was odd and the flavour close to none, but it was surprisingly tasty. Golden Flour did not know how, but she could feel the wound on her side closing, no longer able to feel the jam inside her spilling.

"I..thank you.", Golden Flour said, lifting her head to look at cloud Haetae.

She didn't know why, but Cloud Haetae Cookie looked surprised.

"..Golden Flour Cookie..?", they asked.

"..!" It was now Golden Flour Cookie's turn to show her surprise, "You..know my name."

"Golden Flour Cookie! You came back!", Cloud Haetae cheered, shooting forward to hug the surprised cookie.

When Golden Flour was about to return the hug, she was pulled back by Dark Cacao Cookie, who proceeded to point his sword at Cloud Haetae.

"Who are you?", he demanded.

"Gah!", Cloud Haetae jumped up, "Put the sword away!"

Caramel Arrow followed, aiming her bow and arrow at them.

"Geez! Is this how you cookies greet each other?", Cloud Haetae asked.

"Your Highness, i-it's alright.", Golden Flour stepped in, "They helped me heal my wounds.", she revealed as she held up what was left of the bread bun.

"See? Let's be nice here, my Lord.", Cloud Haetae said, "But I can't say I blame you. You seem very lost!"

The cookies looked down at Cloud Haetae, most in alarm.

"Who are you?", Dark Cacao demanded.

"I am but a humble Cloud Haetae Cookie, my Lord, who has looked after this temple for generations!", Cloud Haetae replied, "I was just playing by myself here, until Golden Flour Cookie came in."

The cookies of the Dark Cacao Kingdom then turned their attention to Golden Flour, who kept her attention on Cloud Haetae.

"I wanted to talk to you more before I was pulled away.", Golden Flour said as she stepped closer, "You know who I am."

Cloud Haetae Cookie was trying to hide their distress, "......You don't?"

"I...", Golden Flour sighed and knelt down again, so her and Cloud Haetae could be on eye level. Golden Flour hated when cookies could position themselves higher.

"I hold no memories of my past.", Golden Flour Cookie revealed, "I don't know where I came from, or how I was baked, but you seem to know. I saw it, the Ivory Pagoda, in a vision. From the moment I saw it, I knew I was supposed to be here. You know who I was, don't you?"

Cloud Haetae Cookie remained silent for a moment before giving a reply.

"I do, but I can't be the one to reveal your past to you.", Cloud Haetae replied.

"Th-Then, who is?", Golden Flour asked.

"My noble Master. Mystic Flour Cookie!"

Chapter Text

A long time ago...

Pavlova was used to seeing the Bringer of Happiness, Crystal Sugar Cookie, happy. Why wouldn't she be? Bringing happiness to all cookiekind was her entire life's purpose. However, recently Pavlova had noticed she had been acting..giddier than usual. It had been a few days since the Five Virtues had met, in what Crystal Sugar had described as a 'check-up on the Herald', as he had gone without contact for weeks at that point. When Crystal Sugar Cookie had returned from the Land of Spice, she hadn't spoken to anyone for days, even Pavlova could only catch mere glimpes of her behind sugar glass and candy plants.

It wasn't until the third day that Crystal Sugar Cookie had emerged from hiding, bearing not only the biggest and most genuine smile Pavlova had seen on the Bringer, but a wound enough to spark fear in the heart of every cookie that would see her. Rumors started circulating, all regarding Crystal Sugar Cookie's wellbeing. Some suspected she had fought a dangerous beast, which had threatened their happiness. Others said that she was sick, some had even speculated it was an act of love.
Pavlova had been the first to discover the truth behind Crystal Sugar Cookie's wound and hiding for days, encountering the Bringer of Happiness under the shade of a large tree.

"Ah, dear Pavlova Cookie.", Crystal Sugar spoke, her tone oddly light, like a cotton candy cloud.

Pavlova bowed before flying towards the Bringer of Happiness. Crystal Sugar Cookie resided in a beautiful garden, full of abundance and light. Crystal Sugar Cookie held the belief that not much was needed for happiness, only small things and an abundance of choice. This was why her home was by far the most humble of all the Virtues.

When Pavlova had found Crystal Sugar Cookie, she had her back to him, and Pavlova could see that she was holding something he could not yet see in her hands.

"Bringer of Happiness.", Pavlova Cookie greeted, "I hope I do not intrude, but your followers and I are worried about you. You still have not explained the reason behind your wound when you emerged from hiding, and every time we ask you, you only look to the distance dreamily. Is it love that makes you so light?"

Crystal Sugar chuckled, "Oh, Pavlova Cookie. Only you know just how much of a romantic I am, but the love in my heart is filled not by the kind of love you and the other cookies might believe."

Pavlova tilted his head up at Crystal Sugar, "What kind of love would it be then, O Bringer of Happiness?"

Crystal Sugar Cookie turned around, finally revealing what she was holding in her arms. In Crystal Sugar Cookie's arms, held with all the love and care in the world, was the small form of a cookie, wrapped in soft waffle cone and fast asleep.

"..!", Pavlova Cookie gasped in surprise before flying closer to get a better look at the bundle, "Bringer of Happiness! Wh-Where did you find this cookie?"

"You wished to know why I had such an awful wound when I re-emerged.", Crystal Sugar reminded him as she reached out to caress the dough of the pale yellow cookie in her arms, "When me and the rest of the Virtues had gone to see the Harbinger of Change, we had discovered the biggest change he had made for himself yet. He had made his own cookie, from his own dough and jam. He looked so happy..a sight I only have the joy to behold when he's either in battle, or with the Flour of Volition. I could not help but wonder, would I be even happier if I did the same?"

"So all the dough and jam you were missing...was what you had used to make this cookie?", Pavlova asked, to which Crystal Sugar nodded with a smile.

"She will never know sadness, just like aaall the cookies under my care.", Crystal Sugar said as she looked at her freshly baked daughter with nothing but fondness.

"Have you decided on a name yet. O Bringer of Happiness?", Pavlova asked.

"I have indeed.", Crystal Sugar replied as she raised the now awake and giggling cookie in the air, "My love and joy, Kouign-Amann Cookie!"

Now...

"-Kouign-Amann Cookie!"

Kouign-Amann Cookie was startled awake by a voice she was still too lightheaded to understand. When she had become aware enough, Kouign-Amann realized she was still laying down on the cloud that had somehow knocked her unconscious. 

However, her eyecings were still heavy with sleep, and Kouign-Amann found herself snuggling the pink cloud.

"Mmn...so comfy..."

Pavlova Cookie pouted and huffed with his hands on his hips. He ended up pushing Kouign-Amann off the cloud, which had finally brought the cookie to her senses.

"Gah-! What on Earthbread...wh-where am I?"

"Finally, you're awake!", Pavlova exclaimed, "I almost felt bad for waking you up, you looked so peaceful!"

Kouign-Amann quickly dashed over to Pavlova and tackled the smalled cookie, both ending up on the ground.

"Where are the others!?", a now fully awake and aware Kouign-Amann demanded.

"L-Lady Kouign-Amann, please!"

Kouign-Amann gave Pavlova a look of confusion before allowing him to get up. It was then that she remembered what Eternal Sugar Cookie had told her before Kouign-Amann passed out, how the Beast had called herself Kouign-Amann's mother.

"I...n-no, that...that doesn't make any sense!", Kouign-Amann thought out loud, holding her head and still sitting on the hard sugar floor.

"It is true!", Pavlova declared, "Oh, how heartbroken the Bringer of Happiness was when she was forced away from you. How beautifully tragic!"

Kouign-Amann did not find it in her to scowl.

"But...wouldn't that make me almost as old as Eternal Sugar Cookie?", Kouign-Amann asked, trying to make sense of this new revalation.

Pavlova pouted, "She baked you like that on purpose! She said she wanted you to grow slower, so you could experience the joys of youth for longer."

"That sounds...too nice of her.", Kouign-Amann commented.

Kouign-Amann then took some time to assess her surroundings. She was inside a white pavilion, which was decorated with sugar paper flowers and berries, the leaves of the plants they were growing from protecting her and Pavlova from the light of the sun. Kouign-Amann managed to get up, stopping for the first time since she had been transported to this garden to truly admire its beauty. It truly looked like Paradise.

This is where I was baked, Kouign-Amann realized.

For her entire life, Kouign-Amann's one selfish wish to know where she was baked, and by whom, had always occupied the back of her mind. Now, all the answers she was looking for were laid out right in front of her, and Kouign-Amann felt...awful. Eternal Sugar Cookie was a Beast, one that had kidnapped and brainwashed an entire Kingdom, and if Kouign-Amann had come from the dough of such cookie, what did that mean for her? Would Kouign-Amann turn out just like her mother? Was she even deserving of being a paladin for the Crème Republic anymore?

"..! My sword!", Kouign-Amann realized as she turned back to the cloud she was napping on.

Pavlova Cookie hummed and tilted his head, "What about it?"

"M-My sword. It's not here...where is it??", Kouign-Amann demanded.

Pavlova groaned, "You are in the Garden of Delights, Kouign-Amann Cookie, back home! Don't you get it? You don't need it anymore!"

Kouign-Amann shook her head defiantly, running out of the pavilion and into the garden, leaving Pavlova no choice but to try and keep up with her. Kouign-Amann kept running, passing sugar statues and giant jars. If her sword was not there with her, it was surely with Eternal Sugar Cookie, which meant she had to find the Beast that had baked her.

Back to the past...

Crystal Sugar Cookie was not happy, not happy at all. Slivers of it remained, thanks to her bundle of joy, but seeing cookiekind suffer more than ever before...it was breaking her cookie heart. Her friends had gone silent, their Kingdoms falling into disarray. She hadn't heard from the Fount, Flour, Harbinger, or even the Salt. She was alone, alone to deal with the sorrow of the cookies they had all sworn to protect.

However, looking at the pale yellow cookie in her arms, Crystal Sugar Cookie knew that she would not allow her daughter to grow in such a...miserable world. That, was how the Garden of Delights had come to be, sprung from the desire to keep both the cookies and her daughter happy forever under her spell of Sloth.

Of course, nothing was ever so easy, as the Knights of Kala Namak would sometimes undo Pavlova Cookie's hard work. Cookies would wish to leave, only to come crawling back in her arms, realizing their grave mistakes.

It was then that Crystal Sugar Cookie would become Eternal Sugar Cookie. A Beast of Sloth, they called her. How cruel.

Eternal Sugar Cookie turned her head to a floating cotton candy cloud not far from the spot where she was playing her lyre, where a cookie that had finally grown out arms and legs was hugging it. Eternal Sugar smiled at the sight.

"Do not fall now, dear.", she said, "It would not make mom happy if you hurt yourself."

Kouign-Amann stopped playing, sitting down and looking at the cloud in sadness.

"..W-Wrong..?"

"Oh, my darling cookie, no.", Eternal Sugar assured as she cupped her daughter's face, "Play on the cloud aaall you like, but I do not want even a scratch on your dough. Can you do that for mommy, hm?"

Kouign-Amann looked away and hummed, some of her wavy icing falling on her face in the process.

"'Tay!", she said, raising her arms and head at Eternal Sugar Cookie.

Eternal Sugar chuckled, using her free arm to lift Kouign-Amann off the cloud.

"Why don't we go somewhere else, hm?"

Kouign-Amann nodded, while nuzzling her tiny face in the crook of Eternal Sugar's neck.

.....

Everything hurt!!!

The Salt of Solidarity, now fallen like the rest of them, had sealed them all away, piercing them with silver forks that made their doughs scream.

N-No...! NO!!

Eternal Sugar Cookie could not go out like this! She could not be sealed!! Her cookies would suffer under the curse of sadness again. Kouign-Amann would be alone! 

The Beast of Sloth could do nothing....only remain conscious and still under the Silver Tree, tears unable to run free from her eyecings.

Chapter Text

During their journey to the peak past the Lassi Springs, Golden Cheese Cookie and Capsaicin Cookie had discovered that the Spices in this land would purposely inhale the flakes in the air, as they believed that it would give them a battle boost.

"Do you think that was the reason for your condition?", Golden Cheese asked, "You are a Spice too, after all."

"Like..when I was curled up on the floor?", Capsaicin asked, quickly shaking his head and putting on a brave face. "It was nothing, really! I was just..weirded out. I never experienced this much adrenaline!"

That was a lie. Capsaicin could still recall the illusion that had brought him back to his past in the Triple Cone Cup Trials.

"If you say so.", Golden Cheese shrugged, despite being very aware that Capsaicin was not being honest.

Golden Cheese was known to make a big deal out of honesty and secrets, especially after Smoked Cheese Cookie, but the young cookie with her clearly had issues, and he hadn't exactly signed up to being transported to probably the most dangerous part in all of Earthbread. Still, Golden Cheese Cookie couldn't help but commend his spirit. He could have easily done nothing back in the Golden Cheese Kingdom, yet not only did he chose to fight alongside his comrades, but thought to push them away before they could suffer the same fate as he and Golden Cheese. Part of the Queen was beginning to feel really guilty for involving the kid in such a quest, but right now they had to rely on each other to survive, and hopefully escape Beast-Yeast without crumbling first.

"We should stop at the Lassi Springs that kulfi elder had said were close by.", Golden Cheese chose to comment instead, "Neither of us know this land, and I would think it best if we are prepared. Why, I might as well bring some of this back to my own Kingdom!"

Golden Cheese briefly thought back to a conversation with the kulfi elder, how the more powerful Spices seemed to be treating them. It was clear they only wanted to live, to survive. After the dust settles...could she do anything about it?

"It is surprisingly useful.", Capsaicin commented, "Closed up my wound like it was nothing."

Both cookies stopped when they heard commotion coming from up ahead.

"I think..those are the Lassi Springs up ahead.", Capsaicin observed with squinted eyes and a hand on his brow.

Getting closer revealed a kulfi, who seemed to be the caretaker of these springs, being yelled at--or rather, threatened, by a pangolin-like Spice, who kept trying to get him to abandon his post.

"We're gonna do something, right?", Capsaicin asked Golden Cheese Cookie, "We can't just leave him at the mercy of that Spice."

"You are right, Capsaicin Cookie, we can not. Luckily, I have a plan."

"You do-?"

Before Capsaicin Cookie knew it, Golden Cheese flew into the scene, brazenly giving away their position.

"How dare you touch what is mine?", the Queen threatened with her spear.

"..!" Pepper Pangolin Cookie jumped back, startled by the arrival of the regal cookie.

As the two proceeded to lock in combat, which was mostly one-sided, Capsaicin went to check on the kulfi monkey.

"Hey man, are you okay?", he asked.

"O-Oh, this is all a big misunderstanding, fi!", the kulfi told Capsaicin, "You are with that regal cookie, right?"

"I am, but what kind of misunderstanding? We heard her threatening to remove you from your post by force."

"Pepper Pangolin Cookie was trying to warn me, fi!", the kulfi explained while the sounds of battle had become background noise, "The onslaught of Spices coming through would threaten my well-being, fi!"

Capsaicin supposed that made sense, and he would be lying if he said he wasn't glad there was at least one Spice in this land that meant well. Obviously, this was a fight Capsaicin absolutely had to stop. Thankfully, being both the son of Scovillia's principal and the strongest Spice there had given Capsaicin Cookie a good amount of experience with breaking up fights between the Spices more immature than him. Capsaicin ran up to Golden Cheese and Pepper Pangolin, catching Golden Cheese's spear with both hands.

"Capsaicin Cookie!", Golden Cheese questioned, "What are you doing??"

"Ms, this is all a misunderstanding!", Capsaicin repeated the kulfi's statement as he let go of Golden Cheese's spear, now between her and Pepper Pangolin, "Pepper Pangolin was trying to get the kulfi to safety, just...not in a nice sounding way."

"Thank you!", Pepper Pangolin angrily exclaimed, "Witches, a Spice that listens!"

Golden Cheese groaned, "Why would you not feel the need to inform us before the battle?"

"So-rry, didn't have time to get a word in through the spear strikes!"

Capsaicin scratched the back of his head and placed one hand on his hip, turning to Pepper Pangolin.

"Hey uh, sorry about the armor.", he said.

"Bah, don't worry. You didn't attack me.", Pepper Pangolin replied, making sure to emphasize the 'you' in her sentence.

"Well, anyway.", Pepper Pangolin continued, "You two should get to safety too. No doubt you'll be getting in the way of Burning Spice Cookie's hunt for the two cookies Saffron Buffalo has dragged here."

"Thanks for the warning.", Capsaicin said as the group of three followed Pepper Pangolin.

Golden Cheese leaned closer to Capsaicin, "We bail when it's clear."

"Got it.", he whispered back.

After some verbal dodging, Capsaicin and Golden Cheese had managed to break off from Pepper Pangolin's group. On their way to the peak they were aiming to climb, the pair spotted carvings on a rock near the Lassi Springs.

"This carving...it looks like my Soul Jam.", Golden Cheese observed.

"And this one is an upside down version of it.", Capsaicin pointed out, "You think it's Burning Spice Cookie's Soul Jam?"

"Perhaps."

The two read the prophecy on the rocks, it spoke of a clash between a God and a Demon. From the inclusion of the Soul Jams, it was clear this was referring to the inevitable clash between the Beast and the Ancient, but it was made unclear as to who was who. Golden Cheese Cookie was clearly the God, she had to be. After all, it was her that was the good one, so it was only natural for Burning Spice to play the role of the Demon.

Somewhere else, Pepper Pangolin had been forced into one of the more unpleasant conversations she's had with Cilantro Cobra Cookie so far.

"Your armor hassss ssscratchesssss all over. How unfortunate, it was the only thing you had going for you!", Cilantro Cobra teased, which only served to anger Pepper Pangolin further.

"That cookie was really strong, okay??", Pepper Pangolin fumed, "If you had fought her, she would have snapped you in half, like one of your stupid cobras!"

Cilantro Cobra gasped, "You take that back, right thissss insssant!"

"What is all this ruckus for?"

The commanding voice made the Spices cease their bickering instantly, standing at attention when Nutmeg Tiger Cookie made her appearance.

"General!", both of them addressed.

It was right then that Saffron Buffalo Cookie had made his appearance. His presence only seemed to irritate the General further.

"Saffron Buffalo Cookie.", Nutmeg Tiger addressed with her usual stern voice, which would intimidate any Spice. Fortunately, Saffron Buffalo had at least possessed some wit to face the General without visibly flinching. "Why is the cookie that the Great Destroyer wants not in front of him right now?", Nutmeg Tiger demanded, with more anger tinged in her voice.

"General Nutmeg Tiger Cookie.", Saffron Buffalo spoke, trying to hide his fear of the other cookie, "I have already informed our armies of the thief and her companion. You must have faith in me, they will be brought to the Great Destroyer in no time at all!"

"Companion?", Nutmeg Tiger inquired, "Why have I not been informed of a second opponent?"

"Why has the General not been informed?", Saffron Buffalo frantically asked one of his bulls.

"W-We have been too busy with tracking down the thieves!", the saffron bull defended, "We had no time!"

"Imbeciles! All of you!", Nutmeg Tiger shouted, "Go! They must not leave Beast-Yeast!!"

As the Spices scrambled, Pepper Pangolin had managed to grab Saffron Buffalo.

"Hey, you said there was someone else with the cookie the Great Destroyer wants?", she asked.

"Y-Yes. Yes indeed. A cookie that holds an absurd amount of heat in his jam!", Saffron Buffalo replied.

Neither of them were aware of Nutmeg Tiger Cookie listening in.

"Was his dough burned like coals?", Pepper Pangolin asked.

"Have you encountered the Spice?", Saffron Buffalo asked in surprise, "Where is he? Where did they run off to??"

"Pepper Pangolin Cookie."

Both Spices turned at Nutmeg Tiger's icy voice.

"Gather the troops."

They were running up the peak. Well, Capsaicin was running, Golden Cheese had wings that made it easier for her to get around.

"Do your wings ever get tired?", Capsaicin asked, surprisingly still having more than enough energy left in him.

"Don't be silly, of course they do!", Golden Cheese replied.

Capsaicin appreciated Golden Cheese being able to liven the mood, especially since they had clearly been noticed and now had practically the entire army chasing them up the hill.

Golden Cheese looked back at Capsaicin with conscern.

"Capsaicin Cookie, hold on to me. I can fly us both up the peak quicker this way.", she proposed.

"No!", Capsaicin said, too quickly for Golden Cheese not to find weird. "I-I might burn you! I don't want to hurt you, your Highness."

Golden Cheese sighed, "We fight our way up, then. Do you remember that shockwave you used back in the Golden Cheese Kingdom to get your fellow Spices out of the range of Saffron Buffalo Cookie's spell?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Use it on the armies behind us. They are gaining on us, and we are terribly outnumbered. Try and buy us some time to get to the peak."

"R-Right!"

"Oh, and Capsaicin Cookie."

"Yeah?"

"Once we get to the peak, I will be flying us both to safety. I will hear no more excuses or fears that you might injure me."

"M-Ms Golden Cheese Cookie..."

"I am THE Golden Cheese Cookie!", she announced, "You may singe my dough, but there is nothing that you might do to me on accident that will seriously harm me. Now...attack!"

Capsaicin halted and turned around, facing the rapidly approaching army of Spices. He thought back to Golden Cheese Cookie's words, but most importantly, to Prune Juice's words, back in their fight against that Sugar Golem in the Triple Cone Cup. Capsaicin lifted both arms in the air. The force of which they were being brought down was enough to break Capsaicin's burnt interior, his dough cracking and allowing the hot jam inside to glow show itself, just like when he was at his Spice Overlord form. Capsaicin Cookie's fists hit the ground so hard, that the whole peak shook like a volcano was erupting. What he had aimed to be a simple shockwave was blown immensly out of proportion, as the ground cracked and exploded, huge chunks of debris and powder barrelling down the Spices and nearly cutting the peak down in half.

Golden Cheese Cookie stopped and turned back in shock, her eyes wide at the sheer destruction Capsaicin had caused. So much strength...all contained within an actual child. Golden Cheese would have been concerned if such cookie was not on her side.

Capsaicin looked down at his hands, horrified by the amount of destruction he had caused. Sure, he wanted to buy them time, but the spice dust in the air was not exactly a sight he wanted to see. Spices were crushed and crumbled under his strength, and his arms were not going back to normal.

"No...not again...nonononono-", Capsaicin kept whispering to himself, but stopped as Golden Cheese had grabbed the small chain dangling from one of his cuffs to guide him forward and up the peak.

"We have little time to ponder, Capsaicin Cookie.", Golden Cheese reminded him, "We are getting out of here, now!"

Capsaicin decided to stay quiet, not really sure what to say as he mindlessly followed the pull of his chains. Several of the surviving Spices had jumped forward, past the debris and cracks of the slowly crumbling ground to try and reach them. By the time they had almost reached the top, it became known that someone had beat them to it.

Nutmeg tigers. A lot of them.

"Make way.", a female voice commanded, "I shall deal with this myself."

Capsaicin quickly snapped back to reality, putting an arm in front of Golden Cheese as she readied her spear.

Nutmeg Tiger Cookie stopped, her eyes widening when she saw Capsaicin Cookie.

"Young Lord..?!", she questioned.

Capsaicin and Golden Cheese Cookie looked at each other in confusion before their eyecings went back to Nutmeg Tiger Cookie.

"She is trying to throw us off.", Golden Cheese guessed, "Stay focused."

Nutmeg Tiger furrowed her brows, hoping it displayed anger rather than confusion and a hint of betrayal. However, whatever sense of betrayal Nutmeg Tiger Cookie might have held vanished at the sight of shackles on Capsaicin's wrists. She gritted her teeth, lifting her shield in front of her.

"Capsaicin Cookie, you are leaving me no choice.", Nutmeg Tiger announced, "For your own sake, I will have to beat you back to your senses!!"

"Go. I'll handle this.", Capsaicin quickly said as Nutmeg Tiger charged, having barely enough time to hold up his arms to block her shield. It had actually managed to send Capsaicin back.

"The rest of you, GET THAT THIEF!!!", Nutmeg Tiger commanded, turning her attention back to Capsaicin Cookie, who had ran towards her and went for a strike from above, which was blocked by Nutmeg Tiger. The shielded warrior was struggling to keep her shield from crushing her under the weight of Capsaicin's strike.

Despite herself, Nutmeg Tiger Cookie found herself grinning, "You have grown stronger..!"

Capsaicin removed his fist from Nutmeg Tiger's shield to attack again, marking another strike blocked.

Don't listen, don't listen, Capsaicin Cookie kept repeating in his head.

Nutmeg Tiger jumped back, running around Capsaicin in swiftness he could not keep up with and slamming into his side with her shield. Capsaicin was able to dig his newly sharpened hands into the ground, stopping himself from being sent back too far. Capsaicin then charged at Nutmeg Tiger for a change, the other Spice unable to fully stop herself from being sent back even when she had managed to block the strike with her shield. She could not avoid the arm that had taken advantage of her position, cutting through her shoulder like a hot knife cutting through butter and while she was trying not to shout in pain, both from her own pride and the adrenaline, she could see Capsaicin was mortified at his actions. Why does he look remorseful? He should be proud! Nutmeg Tiger Cookie could feel it, Capsaicin burned nearly as hot as the oven itself. Truly, his father's son.

Meanwhile, Golden Cheese had defeated all the Spices sent her way, finally seeing the Land of Spice from the very peak. This was it, she now had to grab Capsaicin Cookie, and they could both make it out in one piece--

BOOM!!

Golden Cheese nearly lost balance as the ground rumbled. It was similar to how it had reacted to Capsaicin Cookie's attack. Could it have been him? No...this was more intense, Golden Cheese Cookie realized.

"THE GREAT DESTROYER HAS ARRIVED!", Nutmeg Tiger announced, "MAKE WAY!!!"

In the brief moment of distraction and shock from the injury he had caused, Capsaicin was ambushed by groups of Spices, leaving him unable to assist Golden Cheese Cookie in what would come next.

The Beast had finally appeared, accents of gold and red decorating his crimson dough, the Soul Jam embedded in his chest and the black icing in his head was long enough to reach the ground. His parashu was displayed proudly as he addressed Golden Cheese with a sharp smile, the ground underneath him cracked as he walked.

"...Finally. We meet.", Burning Spice Cookie said, "The thief who stole the other half of my Soul Jam."

"So...you are the one who calls himself Burning Spice Cookie.", Golden Cheese Cookie pointed her spear at the Beast.

"Master, I-UGH..!" Nutmeg Tiger took a look at the injury Capsaicin had given her. Truly...her worst one yet.

Golden Cheese expected a lot of things from her brutish other half, but what she did not expect was for Burning Spice Cookie to burst out into manic laughter.

"...You are laughing when your General is injured?", she inquired, trying not to show her disgust.

"You have indeed done a number on Nutmeg Tiger Cookie, not to mention the sheer devestation I had witnessed on my climb here! Good, I like my prey with a little fight in them!", Burning Spice Cookie brandished his parashu at Golden Cheese Cookie, "SO PLEASE...ENTERTAIN ME!!!"

And so, it was on that very peak that Burning Spice and Golden Cheese clashed weapons, sparks flying and the Beast's grin somehow growing wider. He is enjoying this, Golden Cheese Cookie realized. They kept it up, attacking and parrying each other until Golden Cheese had thought she'd found an opening to attack, only to miss and allow Burning Spice to strike her, nearly sending Golden Cheese off the peak's cliff.

Capsaicin was trying to get to Golden Cheese, but the army that had survived his attack had ascended the peak, and his reluctance to do any more harm left him overwhelmed.

"Hold him down!", they shouted.

Back to Golden Cheese, she had narrowly avoided Burning Spice's parashu, which shattered the ground underneath it. Golden Cheese flew back, away from Burning Spice Cookie and leaving nothing below her feet. However, that didn't deter the Beast from pursuing, leaping off and lifting his parashu to strike the Ancient once more.

Golden Cheese pulled her spear back, ready to attack, but her eyecings spotted a familiar face at the bottom of the peak. The young kulfi that had brought her and Capsaicin inside his home for shelter. Panic turned Golden Cheese's jam cold.

"..fi."

Golden Cheese could hear the elder, trying to desperately get to the young kulfi.

They only wanted to survive.

"...They are just like my precious treasures..!", Golden Cheese spoke with realization.

Burning Spice be damned, Golden Cheese could not stand by and allow this!

The young kulfi covered his head and shut his eyes in fear, only for the fallen debris to never land. Opening his eyes, we witnessed Golden Cheese Cookie, who had abandoned her fight to stop the falling rock.

"Young one, are you alright?", Golden Cheese asked.

When the young kulfi opened his mouth however, Golden Cheese's view of him was obscured by the sudden appearance of Burning Spice Cookie. This time, Golden Cheese had no time to react as his parashu slammed into her, shattering the giant piece of debris behind her and sending the Queen flying back, her spear long dropped. Golden Cheese's body skidded on the floor a few times before finally slamming into a wall of jagged rock, leaving a smokescreen.

"Q-Quick! Come here, little one.", the kulfi elder quickly took the younger one's hand to lead them away from the danger.

"But that cookie..!", the younger tried to protest.

The kulfi turned their attention to an exhausted Capsaicin, still being pursued by Spices, who had finally pushed him into the ground. There was no fight left in Capsaicin, but he was still conscious.

Golden Cheese was grabbed by the throat, and held over the current edge of the cliff.

"UGH!", she growled, trying to loosen Burning Spice's grip.

"That was too easy!", Burning Spice complained, his smile finally gone. "ALL THE WAITING I'VE ENDURED...FOR THIS?!"

The sight had brought back some of Capsaicin's strength, the Spice managing to free one of his arms to try and reach out to Golden Cheese Cookie.

"Your Majesty!!", he shouted.

"Capsaicin Cookie-!"

Burning Spice's eyecings widened, his head snapping back to look at the sight behind him.

Finally, Capsaicin's strength was spent, and he fell unconscious.

As the Spices that had been trying to hold Capsaicin down were sighing in relief, complaining about the difficulty of their task. Burning Spice Cookie's eyecings went to the young Spice's free arms. They were shackled.

Golden Cheese noticed that when she had called out for Capsaicin Cookie, Burning Spice's hold on her had loosened. Just as she thought she could slip out, the grip around her throat had somehow become tighter, Burning Spice's posture had grown more rigid as he snapped his head back at her.

"...And you think I am the only one to 'stoop so low'?", he questioned, smoke escaping from his mouth.

"Wh-?"

"First my Soul Jam, AND NOW MY VERY DOUGH?!", Burning Spice roared.

Golden Cheese had no clue what the maniac was blabbering about, but she knew she had to get herself and Capsaicin out of here. She flapped her wings, trying to fly out of Burning Spice's grasp. 

Burning Spice responded by firmly gripping the base of one of Golden Cheese's wings.

"Such unfair advantage, the Witches have given you.", Burning Spice growled before ripping one of Golden Cheese's wings from the base, earning a scream of pain from the Queen. 

By the time the second wing had been ripped off like it was nothing but blades of grass on a field, Golden Cheese had passed out from the pain.

Burning Spice held her by the throat for a moment, anger and disgust painted on his face as he reached out and ripped the other half of his Soul Jam from Golden Cheese's crown, throwing her body on the ground behind him unceremoniously.

He then walked towards the Spices still gathered around Capsaicin Cookie's unconscious body, backing up at the Beast's presence. Some Spices jumped as they realized they had nearly been scorched just by making brief contact with Capsaicin.

"Is he alive?", Burning Spice asked.

"He is indeed, Master.", one of the Spices confirmed.

Burning Spice briefly looked at Nutmeg Tiger Cookie, who was still holding her wound. It was then that all had become clear to Burning Spice Cookie. All the destruction in the monarch's wake, Nutmeg Tiger Cookie's wounds...it had all been Capsaicin.

The Beast leaned down and picked up Capsaicin by the cloak, taking a good look at the Spice. It really was him. A swelling sensation bloomed in Burning Spice's chest...something akin to pride.

"..General.", he finally addressed.

"Yes, Master.", Nutmeg Tiger dutifully saluted.

"You take my other half.", he scowled as he threw Capsaicin over his shoulder, holding both his axe and the other Soul Jam in his free hand as he walked.