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"O trespasser, heed these words.
Turn back at once, and go no further.
Before the demon arrives,
Cloacked in its sweetest guise."
Oh, and how sweet she had been, able to disarm even the toughest of soldiers the Hollyberry Kingdom had shaped. Not to mention the Queen Mother herself, who had fallen in her sweet embrace, led by empty calories and lies.
There was no war, no jam or salty tears, only a helping hand and promises of safety. Though she had presented herself before them all, none of the soldiers could see the beast in front of them, for it had the most cheerful of smiles and kindest attitude a cookie could harbour.
It was only natural that the Hollyberrians had fallen prey to its lies and manipulation, forever stuck beneath the layer of saccharine dreams and wishes she had coated them in. A kingdom so passionate, romantic and resilient had never fought against an enemy that used not the weapon to attack them, but luxury and healing spells.
After bearing through a reign of terror at the hands of the greenish red dragon, they toppled over like pawns on a chess board upon setting foot inside the Garden of Sweet Delights. Despite all of the warning signs, rotten teeth flying about, caterpillars smiling all too widely, and jam leaking in places in should not have, the cookies succumbed to her charm, as she slowly played happy tunes on her lyre.
The queen had refused to back down until the last of moments, clinging to her Passion like a scared child clung to their parents, refusing to let go, even as her soldiers lost the will fight, as her second shield was shattered... yet, in the end, as all cakes do, no matter their strength, she was pushed past her breaking point.
Long ago, during the final battle where all of the Ancient Heros had combined their powers in an effort to defeat Dark Enchantress Cookie, she had been the first to answer that one faithful question. The answer had come to her naturally and instantly, as if it had been baked into her very dough.
"...I hope it's not too hard. Why do we exist?"
"That's easy--to live and be happy, all together!"
It is only fair that such a determined response would come back to bite her in the end, especially when the beast, her very other half, had made her choose between the Happiness of her subjects and her ever burning Passion.
"That berry is..."
The fruit Pavlova Cookie had brought was strangely... sour looking... contrasting the garden in its entirety. The tension between the two Soul Jam bearers had been clear for a while now, aguments getting persistently more and more aggressive, sharp threats and desperate cries permeating the otherwise calm and sugary atmosphere.
Eternal Sugar Cookie smiled almost mockingly, impossibly amused by her counterpart's reaction.
"He he he... Ahh yes~ Have you ever wondered why there is no suffering in my utopia?"
Despite the question, the angel did not wait for even a second before continuing her talk. It was not unusual for her character, however, it made it apparent that to the beast of Sloth, Hollyberry Cookie was just an "object of affection", not her own self or cookie that could make her own decisions, but a fancy, intricate jewel she could show off.
"All pains and sorrows of the cookies' existence are absorbed into a single berry... A very special berry, known as... the Berry of All Pains~"
Moments turned into minutes, their confrontation persisting as neither cookie backed down. It seemed so simple at first... all the ancient hero had to do free her friends from the clutches of the thick syrupy vines and melty choco mud of the garden, was to bite into the berry...
... yet as the two continued talking, the atmosphere had slowly begun to change. Gone was the usual sweet yet humid air of the place, replaced by cold that seeped through her dough, the pressure almost enough to crush her lungs.
Visions... of her friends and family brutalised and severed in the most painful of ways unruffled before her eyes. Lives were being lost, cookies were screaming and crying out in pain left and right. Jam and crumbs coated the Hollyberry Kingdom, its beautiful architecture and subjects now all lost and fractured in a war that never seemed to end.
Throughout it all, the "Beacon of Passion" could do nothing but watch, unable to help or protect them, any of them. She fell to her knees, her chest heaving with pain, tears cascading down her cheeks, turning into crystals of salt.
Eternal Sugar Cookie marveled at the sight. The way her other half had come undone as her world view had been shattered, was just too much. Though, she would never admit, deep down, she was being consumed by the desire to break her darling, to tear down her defences and reshape her into a new beautiful being.
Love had always been overbearing, like poison that slowly savoured the infected and drove them into madness. It felt as if the soul was being ripped from her body every time her beloved was away from her...
In that moment, however, there was no time for doubts or sadness, as Hollyberry Cookie was right in front of her, broken and in pain, the perfect prey for the snake to slither inside of. Though, Eternal Sugar Cookie did not have such malicious intentions, she simply wished Happiness for all of cookiekind, even if it meant planting seeds of doubt inside her poor other half's overburdened heart. Such seeds were to bloom into beautiful flowers, afterall.
Hollyberry Cookie stared down at the dewy grass, clutching tightly at whatever strands she could grasp. Her head spun, vision a hazy blur, looking nothing like the brave queen they once told stories about.
"I... I don't know what... What do I do...?"
Though, she could not see the demon in disguise, the sheepish smile she adorned was abundantly clear even just through her voice alone.
"The answer is simple, dearest. Join me and help me turn the Cookie World into a paradise of Happiness eternal."
Hollyberry Cookie felt a gentle hand cup her cheek, and, despite herself, she leaned into it almost immediately. Exhaustion said its word, no matter how hard the queen mother tried to deny it.
"No cookie will know pain with you at my side. Together will create the world you have always dreamed of."
It felt as if screws were being drilled into her head with each second that passed, nausea and disgust mixing into one as the sweetness in the atmosphere clogged her lungs and twisted her insides. Yet, throughout it all, Eternal Sugar Cookie's words were a soothing contrast, her soft touch anchoring her to a reality she could not accept.
It no longer mattered that she had been the cause of all of the illusions, sickness or bleeding wounds Hollyberry Cookie and her friends had been subjugated to... the queen could no longer protect the cookies by herself, but trusting such a cookie, a beast at that, could it really bring about a better fate for those she cherished so much...?
"A world... I dreamed of..."
Eternal Sugar Cookie lowered herself to her dearest's level, both hands now resting on her cheeks, slowly rubbing circles into them. Staring into Hollyberry Cookie's hazy eyes, she spoke slowly, as if doing so to a wounded animal that would run off any second.
"The world we have always dreamed of..."
The Garden's Protector awoke slowly, her eyelids still heavy with sleep. For a while, everything was foggy and uncertain, all sorts of pastels and saccharine smells mixing together into a strange compote. It felt as if she was covered in syrup head to toe.
Still, her senses slowly returned, a headache growing alongside them. Just how much had she drunk... what even had she drunk..? The events of the past day all blended together, making it impossible to recall anything.
With great effort, Hollyberry Cookie pushed herself up, observing her surroundings. Their paradise was all the same, with warm shades adorning the sky and soft grass blanketing the ground.
It was beautiful, enchanting, joyful... it was everything the former queen held dear. "It is for the greater good." She had thought to herself upon the day she made that fateful choice. It was for the well-being and happiness of her subjects, for the future she was going to help build inside this garden where cookies knew no sorrows or pain.
Entrusted with the role as its Protector, she would make sure no one and nothing would ever threathen their blissful, placid happiness that the beast had imposed.
Hollyberry Cookie stretched with a yawn and picked a candy flower off the ground, masticating it with delight as she headed towards the outskirts of the Garden for her occasional morning patrols.
As she made her way through their paradise, numerous creatures smiled and bowed upon seeing her, pleased to see their metaphorical knight in shining armour waltzing around with such glee. Yet, deep down, the Protector felt her stomach tie in knots as if to warn her of something.
Their faces were not quite right...
The morning and noon passed just as quickly as they came, though, as Hollyberry Cookie found herself next to a wall of marshmallow candy pillers, about to finish her duty, a creature jumped at her. It all happened so suddenly, by the time she processed the attack, the abomination had already stuck its teeth into her leg, having pierced the outer dough.
It looked just like one of her beloved's snakes that littered throughout the Garden, yet she knew better than to assume they would ever attempt to harm her in such a disgraceful way. She pulled it away with great effort, groaning in pain as a chunck of her leg was ripped away as well in the process.
Her balance was lost, sending her plummeting to the ground with a sickening crunch. So many enemies and beasts she had defeated without a scratch, yet a particularly lucky pest had still manged to ambush her. She recoiled upon seeing the gaping wound, dropping the creature in the process.
"Damn you..."
Loose crumbs splattered on the ground, sticky jam seeping through her tights. The wound pulsed with pain, leaving her vulnerable for a few moments, yet the snake did not attack again. Instead, it grinned at her and spat out the slab of dough it had ripped with its teeth.
"They're all sssuffering becaussse of you. You did not sssave or protect anyone, you only led them to their doom."
Before Hollyberry Cookie could even get a word in, the creature disappeared, leaving her alone to bleed on the ground. Pain overtook senses as she stumbled her way to the heart of the Garden.
Even as she healed her wound, several sugar angels by her side, checking for any minute detail that may have been off, that snake's words still haunted her.
Had it truly been right? Had she made the wrong choice...? No, their paradise would never bring harm or distress to anyone... the Bringer of Happiness would never...
She shifted her position, her clothing suddenly feeling way too tight, as if trying to suffocate her. Sweat ran down her forehead as the nausea returned. Her vision grew hazy, had the sugar angels left...? Where even was she..?
Her head was filled with cotton candy, eyes full of syrup, making it impossible to think. In the Garden of Sweet Delights everything flourished on the outside, impossibly soft and colourful, yet rotted on the inside, flies and maggots feasting on insides as stale candy stuck to every surface.
Rivers overflowed, as horrifying flying eyeballs and teeth wreaked havoc. The sky was filled with veins , pulsing with a red paste she could not name. Was this their paradise, had she been fighting for nothing but a cruel illusion...?
"My dear, is everything alright? You seem... unwell."
Hollyberry Cookie flinched, eyes wide as she started at the perfect being before herself. All of the words she wished to utter, all of the questions she yearned to be given an answer to were stuck in her throat, as if glued with honey. Her fingers twitched at her sides.
"What..."
She almost choked, the angel looking at her with worry and something she could not name. Perhaps if she would not have willingly blinded herself, the predatorial gaze of the beast would have alarmed her. Instead, all she saw was comfort in a cookie she trusted with her life.
Her vision returned to the Garden, it looked... perfect, as if it had never been touched by the claws of decay. Eyeballs fluted their wings, caterpillars sang cheerfully and roly polies continued playing their never ending games in the rich fauna provided by it.
The sky was clear as crystals, the afternoon hues slowly making their presence known as flowers bloomed and fruit became ripe.... had she imagined it all?
"What... happened...? And our Paradise... it..."
Eternal Sugar Cokie slowly sunk to her knees, hands on either of the former queen's shoulders, holding her firmly yet gently. Her voice was just as soothing as ever, making Hollyberry Cookie forget all about her worries, carrying her to a faraway land where no obsessions could reach her.
"The Garden? Sweetling, our paradise is well and thriving thanks to your protection. There is nothing left for you to worry about... You have done enough, allow me to help you rest~"
The sun had begun its decent down the salmon-colored sky, fluffy cotton candy clouds contrasting it with soft shades of white. The mulled juice springs were as calm as ever, orange slices and sleepy teeth floating about in harmony.
Eternal Sugar Cookie was soaking midway in one of them, hands resting on the juice's edge as she stared at her counterpart lovingly. There are times when it all felt like a fever dream, her love in her arms, the two of them sharing the same breath, the world around them slowly fading into the background as the two could not get enough of each other.
The Bringer of Happiness could melt just thinking about it. All of the moments they had shared once Hollyberry Cookie had finally let go of her restraints and joined her in sweet bliss... all of the late nights they shared... all of the times they danced and dined... all of the days they spent making the Garden a safe haven for cookiekind.... it all felt like a fantasy she could only pray would never end.
Of course, her beloved would never leave her side, she had no reason to. The past was in the past and their lives had been flourishing like never before... she would never set foot outside of the Paradise they both cared about oh, so much, Eternal Sugar Cookie would make sure of it.
She tilted her head slightly to the side, staring up through droopy eye lashes.
"My love... won't you join me? It makes me awfully sad to see you all disoriented and alone~"
Hollyberry Cookie hesitated for a second, her movements heavy and lacking in direction. She then began undoing her toga and upper layers of clothing, though her pace slowed upon reaching the last of them.
Despite the all of the intimate times they had shared, her counterpart still acted shyly, fact which Eternal Sugar Cookie found endearing. Afterall, her dearest's imperfections were also what made her so special, all of her traits blended together so perfectly, she could not help but be drawn.
The angel marveled at the sight of the Protector's body, she was always do beautiful yet strong and determined, bare or fully armoured. Scars littered her body, though, Eternal Sugar Cookie saw nothing wrong in it, as they were only proof of just how many battles and hardships Hollyberry Cookie had managed to overcome before reaching their Paradise.
As soon as she settled into the mulled juice, Eternal Sugar Cookie pulled her into a tight hug, kissing her lips softly. The taste of alcohol hit her almost instantly, its bitter aftertaste still abundantly clear despite the sweet aroma the port provided and the notes of cinnamon and cloves.
She pulled away after a few seconds, arms still wrapped around her sweetling's shoulders lovingly.
"Laudanum, again? Dear, you just had two bottles yesterday..."
She did not wait for a reply as she simply reached out and grabbed a smiling berry. She brought it to Hollyberry Cookie's lips, urging her to take a bite. They shared the colorful fruit, tongues moving in a sensual dance, both of them eager to take it to the next step.
Once all of the pulp was gone, the former queen grabbed the large seed that was left behind by the fruit, and threw it away, only to feel her lover's lips upon her own. She had always kissed her so gently yet firmly, in a way that always made her see stars, her addiction to the angel's sugary lips growing each time.
Eternal Sugar Cookie observed her beloved's reactions with interest, adjusting her movements to bring out the sweetest of reactions. She pulled her tighter into the hug, their bodies pressed impossibly close, their hearts beating in rhythm.
It was a dream woven through mellow clouds and pink skies, filled with so much sugar it rotted one's teeth with just one bite. Such was their love, deep, slothful and obsessive, the two tied to one another with a red string, forever interlocked.
Slowly, the sugar angel trailed kisses down Hollyberry Cookie's neck, eliciting small moans and whimpers out of her. Eternal Sugar Cookie chuckled lightly, hands reaching down to push her thighs apart.
Slowly, she rubbed her with skilled fingers, paying absolute attention as to not hurt her on accident. Her counterpart gasped audibly, surprised by her sudden actions, her mind dazed.
Eternal Sugar Cookie continued her circular motions, kissing her beloved's collarbone with fervor. She had long lost her faith, for their Gods had long since abandoned and forsaken them, yet her sweetling had become her new object of worship.
She was snapped out her train of thought as she felt a pair of firm, calloused hands reach up to play with her breasts. She sighed, her eyes half lidded, the two of them losing themselves in pleasure.
"Oh, my love...~"
The movements of her fingers came to a complete stop, instead she focused on kissing Hollyberry Cookie, licking her lower lip as to request entrance. The former queen obeyed, the blush on her cheeks growing more pronounced as her lover's tongue thoroughly explored mouth and licked her teeth.
Eternal Sugar Cookie's hand moved once again, this time slowly circling her entrance. Her beloved almost screamed into the kiss as two fingers began thrusting in and out of her. She arched her back, warmth spreading throughout her entire body, dough burning.
Though, the world had become a blur, sounds and colors blended into one until she could differentiate between any of them. Sensations felt like a spinning bowl of soup with no source or direction...
The angel aimed her fingers with clear experience, hitting all of the sweetest spots inside of her. Lost in pure bliss, she added another finger inside, speeding up her thrusts. Yet her counterpart no longer gave her a reaction.
"My dearest...?"
She opened her eyes slightly, only to see that the Protector was clearly unconscious, eyes and mouth open but not moving. She quickly pulled her up, stopping her from fully falling into the spring. Why this...? Why now...?
"Hollyberry Cookie!-"
Panic settled into her jam stream, seeing as her beloved was not waking up. She pulled the two of them out of the juice, using the her wings to shield them from the somewhat cold air. The Garden was in a complete state of disarray, as horror dripped down its creator's face...
Hollyberry Cookie woke up slowly, infernal pain pounding through her head. Before she could even begin to comprehend what happened she threw up for what felt like minutes, leaving her frightened and disoriented.
Had she truly drunk that much...? Ever since coming to the Garden she had begun indulging in juice and all sorts of drinks, often without stop, for her lover always provided her with more, yet she her body had never reacted this badly before.
Before having the chance to get up, she heard sniffling and crying from directly above her head. That is when she finally realised that she was laying in someone's lap. The beast still had her wings around wrapped around them, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"My love... you scared me so badly, you have been out for days. NEVER do that again... What would I even do with myself if you were gone...?"
She burst into tears again, holding Hollyberry Cookie with an iron grip. The Protector felt a pang of guilt hit her. She brought one of her hands up to her lover's cheek, soothing her to the best of her abilities.
Though, Hollyberry Cookie would have never admitted it, she felt a sense of... obligation to stay there, laying in the Beast of Sloth's arms, feeling more and more of herself fade away as seconds passed.