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hailstormchase · 22 days ago

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Coming back to this after the shadow milk update makes it a lot more tempting to have shadow milk try something again with the trio, especially now that we know a lot more of what he's capable of

Mark Of The Baked

One Shot by LazilyBeingLassie

Inspired by @/sunseed-fandump "The Devil's Encore"

Characters: Gingerbrave, Strawberry Cookie, Wizard Cookie, Shadow Milk Cookie

Summary: Shadow Milk creates a dream where he can talk to the three cookies. Offering a proposal and a piece of information.

Notes: I had a headcanon, that I know isn't real, but for the sake of character expansion I'm running with it!

The sun was bright and hot, giving everyone the brightest smiles and determination to work hard. Cookies running around, accomplishing tasks that were needed to be done. Baking, farming, building. And when cookies weren't working, they were mingling, playing, or just enjoying the fresh air.

Gingerbrave was making his rounds on the kingdom, seeing if he was needed anywhere. More and more cookies were finding their way to this place, which meant jobs were getting filled up more and more. Sure it meant he had less to do, but that didn't bother him all too much as it gave him time to travel and see his friends from across Earthbread.

Like . . . Pure Vanilla Cookie . . . Why was that the first name that came to his head? In fact, hadn't he just been talking with him not too-

His thoughts were interrupted at the sound of distress further into the center of town. No one seemed to be reacting to it, so the brave cookie decided to check it out himself. He could hear the sounds of cake hounds not too far from him as Gingerbrave stumbled upon a merchant cookie who was fighting them off with a broom. The cookie was blue and dressed in a sweater and jeans, defending a cart full of cabbages that were ripe and ready to sell. If they made it to the stand that was.

"Go away! These aren't for you!" The cookie wacked away, but they were not giving up so easily.

"Hey," shouted Gingerbrave, "scram! All of you!" With his candy cane, he smacked them back, giving some distance between the two.

The little pooches however seemed more and more angry as they crawled closer and closer to them. It was gonna be a big fight for sure. Nothing he couldn't handle of course. Then suddenly . . .

CRACK! BOOM!

Lightening struck in front of the cakes, scaring them back to the forests where they came from. Both of the cookies were a bit shocked at first as they looked up to see there were no clouds in the sky. Not a storm in sight. That could only mean one thing.

"Gingerbrave," shouted Wizard Cookie, running over to the two with Strawberry Cookie following, "I didn't accidentally hit you, did I? I was estimating my shot, but-"

"No no! We're both fine! Thanks for spooking them, Wizard Cookie," Gingerbrave thanked.

The pink hoodie cookie smiled as she clutched her lollypop in hand. "We heard the noise and hurried while we could. I wonder how cake hounds got inside the kingdom?"

"Doesn't matter now," stated the ice cream cookie, "the danger is gone."

The merchant cookie smiled warmly as he approached them. "Thank you so much for protecting my goods! I thought I was a goner for sure."

"No problem," Gingerbrave said, "don't think we've met. What's your name?"

"Call me Blueberry Milk Cookie. I was just simply passing by as those monsters came after me."

"Huh. I would have thought someone would have noticed."

Looking back at the other cookies, they all seemed so caught up in what they were doing, it felt like they didn't even notice that a skirmish occurred. Not even when Wizard Cookie's spell was cast.

Strawberry walked up to her friend. "Should we be worried no one's talking to us?"

"I said hi to about three cookies on the way here. None of them answered back," Wizard added.

Gingerbrave hummed. "Guys? Is it weird that I feel like we're not suppose to be here?"

The three felt their dough shiver as they looked at each other. Something was very wrong. And they were piecing it together slowly.

"Hehehehehe!"

A giggle echoed around them as Gingerbrave, Wizard and Strawberry turned to face Blueberry Milk Cookie. Or at least, who use to be. The cookie that stood in place turned to static as it reshaped itself into the trickster himself.

Shadow Milk Cookie.

"And here I thought we could keep this up for about eight more minutes," said the jester, "oh well!"

Quickly, the trio backed up as they wielded their weapons defensively. Gingerbrave and Wizard in front with Strawberry behind them. Someone as unpredictable as him was every reason why their senses sharpened and focused.

"What are you doing here in Crispia," yelled Gingerbrave, "White Lily sealed you back in the Silver Tree!"

"Now now, little cookies-" The jester smirked knowing that Wizard was looking extra irritated at that phrasing. "-you should know a professional always has a plan b in case of . . . interferences. Though I honestly want to see if you can guess where we really are? Go on!"

His comment got them thinking for a bit as they looked around again. Now the cookies around them were frozen still. Petrified in whatever position they were in at the moment. It felt so freaky. But as they pondered it for a moment, an answer came to them.

"Is this . . . not real," Strawberry asked aloud.

"An illusion? No, a dream perhaps," Wizard theorized.

Sounds of an applause came to their hearing. "Ring ding ding! Looks like we do have some smart cookies here! Yes, while I cannot do anything in reality, reaching your minds is nothing more than a simple feat. The only real cookies here are me and you three. A perfect moment for us to chat." There was a small growl that laced his sentences as the trickster walked on air, circling them delightfully.

Gingerbrave pointed his cane at the villain. "Whatever you wanna say, forget it! No way are we trusting a liar like you!"

"Aw, don't be so rude, Ginger~! I have no intention of harming a single crumb on either of you," sung Shadow Milk as he appeared next to the brave cookie to pinch his cheek.

"Lies," Wizard snapped, "we all remember what you did back at the Faerie Kingdom! What you did to Pure Vanilla Cookie! To White Lily Cookie! To Elder Faerie!"

The blue cookie leaned in close to the magic cookie, causing him to back up in fear. "That old fool crumbled on his own terms, mind you! Still, I guess I could take the credit if you're offering it. Ehehehe!"

"Just get out of our dreams! . . . Er, dream . . . since this counts as just one dream-"

Gingerbrave took a chance to hit him with his candy cane, only for it to pass through Shadow Milk like he was a ghost. The beast walked away from them slowly as he rambled on. "In due time, little cookies. For now, I do believe we have something to discuss about that very much will be in your interest!"

"If it means you leave us alone after that, then get it over with," GIngerbrave demanded.

As the jester sat down on the edge of the fountain, he reached for his neck ruff and snapped it open as it hung over his shoulders. It looked weird to see the actual neck of this cookie for a moment. Then he stretched his leotard collar to reveal something underneath.

Something that got the trio's attention for sure.

It was faint, worn overtime, but they could see it clearly. On his chest was a marking of some sort. A thinly lined circle with a three pronged fork in the center. Shadow Milk grinned at their reactions of utter silence and shock. "I'm certain you know what this is. Just like how I know you each have one like this as well."

They flinched. Gingerbrave and Wizard tensing up, and Strawberry reaching for her shoulder as she whimpered.

Shadow Milk snapped his ruff back together as he chuckled. "It's very rare for baked cookies to be wandering around Earthbread these days. But I never thought the first things I would see after waking up would be three very freshly baked cookies! Which only means those idiots are still kicking and making more!" He floats in the air as he hovers closer to them with wide eyes. "Tell me, where exactly is their hut, by chance?"

"W-Why would you ask us that," Wizard stuttered.

"Come now, surely you would remember the way back to your own creators!"

"We don't!" Gingerbrave stepped forward in defense. "We'd rather never go back there, ever!"

"OOOOOoooooh! Rebellious! Mrehehehehe! So I guess that means you're going against your master's wishes then! I must say, I approve!" Shadow Milk playfully leaned back midair as if he were sitting in a recliner.

"Wh . . . What do you mean by that," Strawberry asked while clutching her weapon close to her chest.

In that moment, the jester's smile dropped, exchanging for an expression of confusion. Sitting up he looked at the pink cookie in curiosity. She didn't like that he was. And neither did the others as they stood in front of her.

"Wait . . . do any of you know why you were made?" Silence. Shadow Milk for a moment seemed quite literally clueless for a moment. "Well that's new. Usually cookies aren't baked unless they had a task to accomplish or . . . oh . . . OH! EhehehehahahahaHAHAHAHA!" The beast howled in laughter as he pieced it together. "No way! You were made as snack cookies, weren't you!? And you ran out of there like your life depended on it! OH this is just too perfect! Well, more sad for you, but still."

Each of the young cookies shrunk a little. Memories of the witch's hut were never pleasant. Yet the one thing they never could pin down was why the witches would make them with a consciousness if all they were made to do was be eaten. Even if they tried to not think about it, there would always be times where those questions would come back to haunt them again.

In the end, what they were really was what Shadow Milk said they were. Snacks that were just lucky to be alive by a fluke. In a sense, it made them feel empty inside. Lost? Alone? Sometimes. But more like they had little value to themselves. Just cookies. Nothing more.

The jester could see their dismay as he smiled widely. Landing on his feet, he walked slowly towards them. "I assume you've not met another cookie who was baked like you were? Or at least, another one that escaped fate like you have? I also must assume none of you have told anyone, have you?" They suddenly looked at him in fear as he approached Gingerbrave, patting his head. "Now now, don't you worry. Your little secret origin is safe with me. I should understand after all, what it is like to be a creation of the witches." He wanders behind Strawberry, placing his hands on her shoulders. "In a sense, I suppose that would make us siblings of some sort. Much like me and my comrades are." Finally he moves to Wizard, shifting his hat to fit his head more properly. "Guess that makes me big brother Shadow Milk Cookie, huh? I like the sound of that!"

Wizard stepped back as he fixed his hat and glared at the beast. "As if! Being baked by witches doesn't make us family!"

"Ehe! Why not? It's the closest thing you might get to one."

Gingerbrave gripped his candy cane. "You're wrong! We have friends that already care for us back home! The first time we met, you corrupted an entire kingdom and killed its king! Who also was our friend!"

"A friend who served the witches? The very creatures you defied for survival," the jester clarified, "you do know how to pick them then. Hehehe!"

Getting angry, the brave cookie swung his cane. As he did, Shadow Milk turned into a cloud as he faded away, reappearing at a distance from them. Wizard tried to attempt using lightening magic on him, only for the beast to take it and stand there, unphased by it. They were mad, scared, and wanted out of this dream.

"The point I'm trying to get across here is that your goal to survive the witches is one the cookies of Earthbread will never understand. They consider them to be gods! Deities! Even the St. Pastry Order believes them to be holy beings that only ever have good intentions for them! And yet you trust these cookies with your lives. Though, not enough to let them in on your little secrets."

"And what reason do you have for us to trust you," demanded Wizard.

The grin didn't fail to widen as he spread his arms. "Because we are the only ones powerful enough to accomplish what Dark Enchantress could never accomplish! To kill the witches once and for all!"

The trio gasped in surprise. Could it be done? Should it be done? The witches, erased from the world?

"Tempting, isn't it? A world where there is no need to be afraid of being eaten. A world where we have no fear of anything! One where we can choose to shape it as we wish!"

" . . . You mean destroy," Strawberry uttered, the sounds of irritation bubbling in her tone.

"Ahahahaha! Well, destruction is an important part of making that new world! But in it's place will be one of, well I consider to be never ending fun! And each of you can have a place in that." He holds his hand out graciously. "You are owed at least that for what the witches have done."

In that moment, they all looked at each other. Thoughts crossed their minds, some good intentioned, others slightly selfish. But there truly was no other conclusion for such a decision.

"Maybe that's what you want," Gingerbrave started, "and maybe some of that is something we wanted as well. But to help you accomplish that so you can do whatever you want is something we don't want. Not when it can hurt cookies we care about."

Strawberry, feeling braver, stepped forward as she held out her lollypop. "Our kingdom in Crispia has become a home for us. Not just our friends. One that we vow to protect from the witches and those who would destroy it for their own selfish gains. There are cookies on Earthbread who are kind and gentle. Brave and strong. Ones we know that want the same thing as we do! To have a home and place here!"

"Right!" Wizard stomped his staff on the ground and spoke aloud. "We've found our place in this world! And we plan to fight for it just like everyone else is! So don't you dare think that we'll turn our backs on it for anything less than that!"

They awaited for the jester to speak. Shadow Milk's smile by now had faded to a frown. His glare at them was intimidating and hollow. Though once a moment had passed, he smiled again, smaller this time. "I see. So you've chosen your side then. Alright."

Wizard spat for a bit. "Wha-That's it!? Nothing?! I would have thought you had another speech in there to curveball this whole conversation!"

"No need! Yours was already convincing enough. Very well done. I highly doubt anything I have to offer would be as tantalizing as what I've already given you. Such a shame." Then his eyes widen as well as his grin. "Guess you'll just crumble like the rest of them."

The kingdom caught fire as flames surrounded the trio. Engulfing buildings and cookies within them as they panicked. The intensity of the heat frightened them, almost feeling like it was real. As they looked for an escape, silhouettes of the five beasts rise in the air, glaring them down with bright eyes. Shadow Milk swiftly zooming in close to their faces as he grew large in size and chuckled.

"Just remember. You chose this."

The last thing they heard was his wicked laughter as they were consumed by the fire.

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Gingerbrave, Wizard and Strawberry screamed as they woke up that morning. What an awful nightmare that was. They each took a moment to breathe and calm down, grounding themselves in the facts. The Silver Tree was still standing, and the beasts were locked up. They couldn't hurt them . . . for now.

The scream did alert Pure Vanilla, White Lily, as well as some of the faerie cookies. Silverbell and Mercurial Knight had ran in to check on them once they heard the cries, only for the cookies to dismiss the panic as a bad dream. To which they were gentle and comforting about it.

Gingerbrave was wanting to speak up about it, tell them what happened, but was stopped by Wizard and Strawberry who wanted to keep it a secret for now. Too shaken by the incident to really openly talk about it to others. Especially since there was some personal stuff involved in it. He protested, but caved in favor of making them feel more comfortable.

As the day went on, the trio were keeping close to each other, with Strawberry clinging the most to whoever was closest to her. Their nerves were on edge, and feared that they would see Shadow Milk appear in the corner of their sight. Or worse, hear his cackle in the distance.

Pure Vanilla had attempted a few times to try and talk to them, but they kept a lid on things as best as they could. Which felt wrong, but at the same time, it was just how the beast assumed. They never really went into their past with the Ancients. Nor did they plan to.

By the end of the day, the trio were back in their room, dreading the night's sleep. Rightfully so though. Unless Shadow Milk had nothing else to discuss with them that was.

Gingerbrave looked to his hand. At the palm was a mark. Much like Shadow Milk, it had a circle, but the image inside instead was a smiling face. One that looked joyful.

Strawberry once more reached for her shoulder. Even under her hoodie, she could feel the engraving of it as clear as day. Within the circle was an image of a strawberry.

Wizard noticed a reflective surface as he turned to it. Lifting his hat slightly, he shifted his ice cream hair, revealing his own mark, which had a star at the center of it.

Baked by the witches. Meant to be consumed, and ceased to be. What more could there really be to them than that?

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I had a lot of fun thinking about this one shot. I love these guys so much, I just wanted some angst. I hope you guys like it too!

#reblog #crk 4th anniversary #shadow milk cookie #gingerbrave #wizard cookie #strawberry cookie #cookie run kingdom #text reblog

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