Chapter Text
The cell was dark. Too dark.
It was as if a void had swallowed his sight.
There was no light source to be found, this deep within the fortress, and it scared him. He was never one to be afraid being the epitome of bravery, always running into danger. But the dark was different. You couldn't outrun darkness; it always remained, no matter how fast you went. It was a lingering reminder of his birthplace. Cold and dark just as the oven before it had lit up.
But unlike how he had escaped death and peril time and time again, he couldn't run. There was no fleeing to freedom with how fractured his legs were, how tight the chains were around them.
He was helpless.
Alone.
There was nothing here except the dripping of condensation, his only companion in his solitude. Such a minimal sound intensified by isolation.
Gingerbrave sighed, wiping away tears rolling down his face for the fourth time. There was no use crying, he knew it. He was supposed to stay brave and hopeful, believe that his friends would come for him.
Even if it had been weeks.
Or months.
He honestly couldn't keep track.
All he knew was that it had been a long time since he had seen them. Since he had been captured by Dark Enchantress, since a choice had been made.
A choice for him or White Lily Cookie.
The war had failed. He had been taken during the rampage, unable to get away by the thorny vines of dark magic restraining him.
He remembered all so vividly. How the sky had been a hellish crimson, the landscape deserted and grim, jam coating every corner of the battleground.
The dark witch stood upon the ledge overseeing the spread of destruction in her wake, at her side Gingerbrave, struggling against the magic tightening around him. It was no use in his attempts as he aimlessly squirmed. She chuckled, stepping forward with her staff in tow, leering down at the fallen heroes. She stood tall thumping her staff down, her released long hairicing wiping in the wind, like won flag.
She let out a cackle, her grin wide with malicious intent as Pure Vanilla Cookie's eyes widened, at seeing her reveal herself in battle.
"Dark Enchantress Cookie!?" Pure Vanilla gasped out, staggering back.
“Ah, Pure Vanilla Cookie, it’s nice to see you back crumbling on your knees, brings back memories does not?” She snarked, voice booming off the cliffsides,"You come all the way here to defeat me and yet again, you find yourself in the midst of defeat…”
It had been ironically funny to her the prospect of history repeating itself.
The healer's gentle composure had stiffened, by her taunting, his hands gripping his orchid staff tightly in trepidation. After all she done in preventing them from reaching the fortress, why had she revealed herself now?
But before the ancient leader could even utter a response, Dark Cacao had raised his sword, stricken in flour and jam.
"Enough of your games, you vile creature, you won't win this time." His deep voice boomed, with disdain and hurtful rage by the loss of his men.
"Yeah, we won't let you win this time, we know all about your plans! We're stronger now than you ever were!" Wizard Cookie added.
Her eyes flared up at the remarks as she let out another laugh,"Oh! Are you now?"
Gingerbrave kept jerking against his constraints, before feeling a volt throughout surge through the magic, as he was brought forward,"And just how strong are you without your bravery?"
Gasps and shouts echoed across, terror flowing allies by seeing the child raveled in dark moon magic.
Screams of his name came from Wizard Cookie and Strawberry Cookie, who rushed towards the front, eyes filled with newfound horror.
Pure Vanilla, eyes opened in petrified silence, as the boy looked at him with for the first time raw anxiety. Gingerbrave looked over towards his captor, his jam boiling at how much ecstasy she reveled in using him as a pawn.
A exhale came from the gentle saint, as he stepped forward staff raised, his face stern and still.
"Release him, now, Dark Enchantress Cookie,"He spoke voice low and steady," He has nothing to do with this."
The villainess hummed softly, a talon reaching out and tilting the boy's chin," Yet he does."
Wizard Cookie in fury ran forward shooting out a bolt of lighting, the strike firing straight towards Dark Enchantress only to ricochet back, as a veil of magic revealed itself, a barrier fully encasing her unable to be broken.
The mage remained undeterred, as he raised his wand, threateningly“Enough! Let him go, now!"
“Or what little mage, your spells have no effect on this shield, and besides you wouldn’t want me, hurt him before I had the chance to bargain now would you?”
The thorny vines binding Gingerbrave tightened, the thorns digging into his dough making him whimper uncomfortably.
Wizard Cookie, gritted his teeth, his eyes swelling with tears of frustration and worry. The sparks lit once more, only for a hand placed upon his shoulder to stop him. Pure Vanilla moved forward pushing the mage back.
“What would you bargain with us?” The healer asked slowly.
There it was. His leadership, calculated and measured. It would be worth it watching him finally break. Give in to temptation and eventual corruption.
"It's more of a choice in reality, a game of merciful decisions between the boy and a past you could never give up."
Gingerbrave looked at her in confusion before, the black thorns sprouted from the ground, curling and twisting high—unraveling a glass coffin.
A cracked old coffin, holding the sleeping body of White Lily Cookie. She still looked as fragile and lifeless as she did in the Faerie Kingdom.
She couldn't be awoken no matter how hard they tried, he remembered how heartbreaking it was to them all, how Pure Vanilla had fallen to his knees at the awful sight. It had been only a few days before the Beasts had escaped the tree, before the world had fallen into chaos.
They all had barely escaped alive. The war being rushed into by the heroes desperate decision to fight, for what they could.
A fight of only four heroes, the last one left in an eternal sleep, he had thought her body had been destroyed during the calamity—and yet here she was. The flower on display like a trinket.
A decision, the realization of what she had planned sent chills across the boy's body.
Pure Vanilla was paralyzed at the sight.
“There are two choices for you, Pure Vanilla Cookie…him or her…" Dark Enchantress, grinned.
"W-What?…" Pure Vanilla's voice wavered.
"You can either save the remants of a pathetic lost past or the plain dough of this cookie," She began, snapping her fingers as vines surged around White Lily's body squeezing tightly,"If you don't choose in time I will crumble them both, each second you wait the thorns will prick deeper into their bodies, the vines will squeeze tighter and tighter until jam and crumbs remain."
Pure Vanilla's whole dough trembled, as he shook his head,"N-No, you can't possibly expect me to make such a choice!? I can't! Too choose one is too, fail the other, I can't do it…"
"Yet that didn't stop you before." She sneered, pulling Gingerbrave in front of her, grasping his face to stare directly at the prior king "Stop hiding behind your foolish pacifism and face a choice. Look at the boy! The one who has done everything to protect you! The one who brought you back from your slumbering confinement! But also in the end freed me from my imprisonment."
"Or choose your dearest friend, who you care so much about." She spat venom dripping with every word," The one you failed to protect from darkness, cause you always looked away, because you were never strong enough."
The vanilla cookie gaze dropped to the ground, quivering as tears fell staining the ground below.
"Will you leave her again? Leave her to wither and rot away into darkness a second time?"
"STOP IT!!" He screamed out clasping at his staff so tightly, the wooden handle cracked, tears streamed down his face,"I-I CAN'T"
"Time is running out~"
Gingerbrave let out a yelp, at how constricted the vines squeezed, the edges of the thorns pricking into his dough making droplets of jam drip out. He eyed her in pure hatred, at the joy she got of of watching him break.
No. He couldn't let this happen! He wouldn't be a pawn in her sick twisted game. If there was really only one choice, even if it hurt, they couldn't afford to lose White Lily Cookie. He choked back on tears, from pain and internal misery as he looked softly towards Pure Vanilla.
"Pure Vanilla Cookie!" He cried out, as the healer looked at him in alarm," Take White Lily Cookie, please you need her, Ah!" A vine tightened around his throat holding back his words.
"Silence!" She snapped, seeing the way her old self was cracking apart from the constraint of the vines," Make your choice, now Pure Vanilla Cookie."
His knees gave out as he watched in agony, seeing the webs of cracks within his beloved spread, jam seeping out of the wounds staining her dough. The boy he had grown to adore, whimpering out in pain from the jabbing within his dough.
He couldn't choose. He couldn't. Not between them! Not between two cookies he so deeply cared for.
"Don't ask this of me, Lily please!" He wept out, his voice uneven and shaky as he pleaded," Take me! Take me instead, let them go! Just please…please White Lily don't make me choose…"
"Ugh, so noble, always willing to sacrifice yourself for a reason." She scoffed in disgust," Unfortunately for you that's not a option to make this time..."
Gingerbrave, could barely breathe against the vine curling around him, and yet with some courage he managed to form words,"Pure…Vanilla…it's okay…"
The healer winced hearing the boys soft words, the comfort always given to him when in times of need, but it only made his sense of panic worse. It made his urgency to choose even more gut wrenching. A choice that would destroy him so thoroughly, break any connection he had no matter the decision he made.
Wizard Cookie gripped his sleeve with a pleading look," No! No, Pure Vanilla it's a trick it's got to be a trick!" He cried.
More voices surrounded him, each with a plea. His staff clattered out of his hands, as they dug deep into his hair, his nails cracking into his scalp, as breathing increased rapidly, his heart was thumping so loud.
The voices wouldn't stop.
Stop. Stop! STOP! STOP! STOP!!
He can't. It was impossible.
He can't. It was unbearable.
He can't. It was desperately selfish.
Gingerbrave, had done so much for him, had been a brave light in his darkened world. To sacrifice him for her.
Her.
Something stirred inside him.
He missed her so much. It had been a thousand years since he had seen her.
White Lily Cookie…
White Lily Cookie…
I failed her….
He had failed her hadn't he?
The cracks and cries of Gingerbrave rung out, piercing his ears, hands shook against his robes as his named was cried from his friends repeatedly.
He couldn't.
This was too much! This had to be a trick!
Yet, it was all too real. The desperation was too real. She was going to die, if he let her die again he would never get a chance to protect her, to make a new beginning.
Yet, for Gingerbrave to die instead, a young soul full of hope and joy.
But, White Lily Cookie….
He missed her. He missed her so much…
He couldn't lose her again. No he couldn't let her fall into darkness again!
He couldn't lose "White Lily Cookie!!"
The words that spilled out, made him let out a sharp gasp, he snapped his head up, guilt rushing in like a wave.
"No, No! NO! That's not what I meant!!" The laughter of Dark Enchantress, filtered out his cries of regret, as a flash of magic blasted through out.
Leaving behind a single coffin of White Lily laying inside—her wounds heavy, but her body intact. Yet, the boy was gone, and the truth Pure Vanilla once held onto shattered by the reality of a desperate choice.
Though his own weeping was drowned out by the cries of the other two children, shattered by the disappearance of their best friend.
That's what Gingerbrave believed, anyhow.
He wanted to believe that Pure Vanilla was alright, and not guilt ridden. It wasn’t his fault, White Lily Cookie was so important for Earthbread , she was a hero, she his oldest friend.
Gingerbrave only hoped she was safe and alright.
And…besides he knew his friends would come for him! Even if it had…been weeks…
Why had it been weeks? Were they alright?
Was the fortress too strong?
Was the magic to impenetrable…
Or…
Did they forget me?
No. No. They wouldn’t, but the thoughts kept coming back….
He had to be strong, and be optimistic and yet, it’s becoming so hard.
He hated how hurt he felt how betrayed he felt it made no sense. He said it was okay! He told Pure Vanilla too choose her. So why did he feel so hurt by it? Why did grief at being expendable leave him breaking inside?
Pure Vanilla had chosen right. White Lily was an ancient hero—without her the world could be endanger. Yes he was a hero, but he was just a plain cookie at the end of it. He acted brave, but at the end of it he was just nothing but a common ingredient.
That’s what the witch had said. Just a boy who kept running, a boy who saved everyone, a child who at the end of all of it was truly alone.
He didn’t have anyone to hold him, he didn’t have anyone to protect him did he? He was the protector, Gingerbrave had to make sure everyone was safe.
But then again there came that selfish sting deep inside he hated. A sense of pity at being the hero, of being only an ally.
Pure Vanilla was just a gentle soul, someone who always gave off warmth and guidance. It was stupid to think their relationship was anything more than friendship, that maybe Pure Vanilla could’ve been….
No it was stupid, why would a witch bake cookie ever get a parent? Why would anyone ever choose him…
Another tear slipped down his face.
It was all just absurd raw instinct of his that needed to die. He was a brave hero.
Pure Vanilla was his friend! His friend who had been so deeply close to White Lily.
Gingerbrave was just nothing like that.
And it hurt.
The bravery he always displayed had fractured much like his legs by the days spent in this hellscape.
It was so cold and dark in here, just like the oven. Reminding him of just what he was a cookie with nothing anymore—not his legs to escape freedom, not his faded bravery…
He was just nothing.
The boy shivered curling in on himself, the damp air stinging his soggy dough. It was freezing.
He just wanted to go back to sleep right now. Sleep something he used to rarely ever do now the only source of contentment he got. Escaping into dreams of warmth, reminding him of embrace he felt between his friends all sleeping together, dreams of tan hands stroking through his hair when he accidentally fell asleep in the garden, the comforting smell of lilies and the memories of the gentle hums she had murmured to them during the times she had appeared while they slept, all that time ago…
He was so glad White Lily was safe, he really missed her.
He really missed his friends.
He missed Pure Vanilla. It stung to even think about his name and yet he couldn’t help it…
A shaky breath came out of him, as he leaned back.
The dripping sounds echoed around, distorted by the ringing of footfalls moving closer. His whole body halted, they weren’t the footsteps of Licorice Cookie coming with a meal, or Pomogrante Cookie coming to gloat…
Heels clicked against the ground, he curled in on himself more, his breath stifling as red crimson eyes pierced through the dark.
It was her.
“It’s nice to see you still alive here, your sturdier than I thought…” She mused, staring down at him,”So broken and battered and yet you somehow still live…”
He didn’t respond.
She tilted her head with an intrigued smile,” Quiet however, I’m surprised, you screamed and fought so much when I dug my magic into them. Honestly it was quite cute…”
Silence.
“I suppose I should state why I’m here, your samples of dough, have proven useful in the results…it responds well.” Her eyes darkened.
That got his attention, he narrowed his tired eyes at her,” I’ll never help you, with anything you have planned!”
“Oh now you speak, hmm well I’m afraid I wasn’t asking…” She knelt to his level, using her staff as leverage,” You should be proud to be useful in the recipe, you're the final key into the next step in evolution…”
Evolution? His heart stopped and his eyes widened.
“The witches recipes all spoke of a cookie filled with bravery as their final ingredient.”
He felt paralyzed.
“And the Ultimate Cookie requires a very strong concentration of bravery and the deepest despair. There for you are the perfect final ingredient to complete it.”
Gingerbrave, trembled violently as the reality dawned on him,” N-No…”
She only chuckled,
“A witch baked boy, the first to escape the oven, a vessel for all of cookiekind…” The Villainess grin widened,” Isn’t that what you want anyhow? To save our kind from being nothing more than edibles for the witches.”
The boy looked in terror, gulping,”Not like that, not with anything that has to deal with you….”
“Well that’s just too bad for you then, as you don’t have a choice…”
He glowered at her, clenching his fists,” It will never happen…my friends will come and they will-“
“They’ll what? Stop me?” She sniggered,”Face the truth, they aren’t coming back for you.”
“Yes, they will! I know they will! Pure Vanilla has a plan! And once White Lily wakes up you’ll be done for!!” He snapped, anger surging through him.
Dark Enchantress smile disappeared as her face grew into an unreadable expression, she freezes for a moment—gazing at her broken captive, fully bringing back the terrifying feeling of the enchantress power over him.
“He won’t come back for you.” The words were monotonous,” He failed you like how he does everyone else.”
“NO HE WONT!! He-“ A sharp hand grabbed at his face yanking him hard towards the bars of the cellar, the talons dug into his dough as she fixated intensely into his eyes.
“He is a weak pathetic man, who wraps himself in illusions he sees as truth. He fails everyone, his kingdom. He couldn’t save…” She paused, swallowing hard not even daring to mention her dreaded name. Dark Enchantress glanced down at the boy shaking with her grasp, eyes wide with tears and pain.
A boy, so eager to believe that the healer would come from, who believed he could possibly be someone to care for him. It was pathetic. As pathetic his idea of her still being that pathetic waste of a cookie, as if they were still good friends, as if she could be understood by him.
Just thinking about him made her jam boil. She let out a laugh, easing up her grasp, leering down at him.”He doesn’t love you.”
The way his spirit completely broke made her relish,”He doesn’t care about you, all he does care about is the precious past he can’t let go of…”
She moved to wipe a tear from his cheek,” There’s no use in hope, boy. Not for someone who sees you as only an expendable crumb…”
She pulled away as dark crimson mist began to emerge from her staff pooling around Gingerbrave, who shivered.
“No…he won’t leave me…” More tears slipped out,” He won’t…leave me…too…too…”
Everything began to blur as he struggled to keep awake, Pure Vanilla had to come for him,he just had to.
He wouldn’t forget him…
He wouldn’t let him go…
Please…
Please don’t leave me here…
“Just sleep now, little vessel for your ascension will truly define a purpose for you…”
The ground was so cold—but he couldn’t get up. Was this it? Was he truly gonna die alone here? Why didn’t anyone come save him? He didn’t wanna become a vessel, he didn’t want to be used to hurt anyone.
Why didn’t Pure Vanilla come?…
Why wasn’t he here? He was so scared, for once he just wanted to be protected and held.
But for a vessel a choice was not an option.