A Change of Fate - A Cookie Run AU

Prologue - The Sun Is Shining

It was bright as the sun came out, filling the ruined halls of the vanilla kingdom castle with hope.

"Hurry! If we get caught now, we're bound to get in trouble," Licorice yells, dragging Shroomie with him. His feet ache, and his heart is heavy. Who will protect them now? After all, he's only 16, and Shroom is just a kid. Except for -

"Choco! I was looking for you! Where is Pom? Did they get her too?" The older cookie sighed, head hung low. His cape and shoulder pads were off to the side (A rare sight), and with a huff he stood up. "We have lost, Licorice. There's nothing we can do. We must accept our fate." The sound of voices proved him right as cookies ran about looking for them. "Can't we jwust hide?" Shroomie asked, hugging Choco's leg. His eyes are still so bright and full... "Shroomie doesn't deserve this. We should let him run." Choco sighed and nodded, agreeing silently. "There's a bag under my bed. Give it to Shroomie. Tell him to run until nothing is left but trees." He nods, holding back tears and reaches under, the younger following him closely.

The loud bang interrupted their planning, the door now knocked off its hinges. Gingerbrave and goons stood there, ready to confront them when Licorice did something he didn't even expect himself to do. He started to cry. "D-don't hurt Shroomie! He's just a kid!"

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When Almond started the discussion of custody over Licorice and Shroomie he figured he would step down, as, after all, he's a murderer. No murderer should have kids. But on all of earthbread, he knew he had to say SOMETHING when Shroomie did that little sad face, the one he always did when he told him no to sweets or to a mushroom party. The one with the big watery eyes and the pouty lip. He couldn't say no.

"I could take care of them? I'm not the greatest parent, but I know them well. And I don't think licorice would listen to anyone else anyway." He crossed his arms, leaning back. He knew that they would say no, but he had to try. For them.

"If you wanted to take care of them you would need to do some legal stuff like parenting courses and have house checks, do some therapy, but based on the evidence, you are technically a stable enough individual to care for them. That and you would need a job, a house, and all that jazz, but we can make it work."

"Wait, what? Are you for real? You'll let Choco take us instead of those other guys? Hell yeah!" Licorice pumps his fist, a smile on his face. He couldn't believe it, how seemingly easy it was, but Choco just sighed and nodded, accepting his new change of fate.