Secret of the Sugar Flare

Chapter 11: On the Hunt

Somewhere deep in the woods, a lonely chapel nestled amongst melting choco trees and bunches of strawberry choco pansies. Inside, Pure Vanilla Cookie waited in a quiet room, staring out the window, worrying about the Cookies he had helped escape their once-beautiful regrowing city. "My brave, sweet daughter, please be safe..."

There was a creak of the door hinges as a Cookie entered, dressed in an almost entirely white nun's attire decorated with golden, forklike markings and sporting large grey circular glasses. "Pure Vanilla Cookie, despite our current differences, your unending kindness is to be commended for resisting such chaos these past few years."

Her honeyed voice had no effect on Pure Vanilla Cookie. "That's kind of you to say. A shame that I cannot say the same for you and your daughters."

Reverend Mother Cookie's gentle smile did not fade. "The Shadow Sisters are very well-educated in the ways of the Godly, but they are still young. They are yet to understand just how powerful the creature is. I'm sorry they put such high expectations on you."

"'High expectations'?"

"The Bête Blanc is not a simple demon born from the Oven like the Cake Monsters. It was formed from the bitter naivety of a Cookie who eventually saw her terrible end afterwards. The extent of its true power is beyond the Shadow Sisters' understanding, as such, they have wrongly treated you so violently,"

"Reverend Mother Cookie, tell me you didn't MAKE them believe Meringue Cookie was their enemy..."

Reverend Mother Cookie didn't respond. Instead, she turned to face outside the window. "Tell me, Pure Vanilla Cookie, do you know of the story of the Three Witches?"

"The sisters who baked us in their kitchen," Pure Vanilla Cookie said curtly, not understanding what she was getting at. "What of it?"

"Yes...your knowledge of their history is just as sharp as ever. Lydia, Nyx, and Azura were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But, after we Cookies, their greatest result of their magic, came to be, Azura fell under a false pretense that SHE alone was worthy of the credit, and all because she was the owner of the most potent ingredient. When her sisters tried to show her kindness and explain the truth to her, she went on a rampage and tried to destroy their creations by using the Life Powder on the Cake Monsters. So, Lydia and Nyx enchanted the leftover dough and the sun baked that enormous lump of land to perfection, so the Cookies had a world of their own to hide from Azura. That is why we are still here today."

Reverend Mother Cookie circled Pure Vanilla Cookie. "Do you understand the moral of this parable? Just because one creature holds the power of the stars in their claws, doesn't mean they should be free to wield it. That much power is a fatal mistake, too much for anyone to hold. That is why the Bête Blanc must die!"

"The Cookie you keep referring to as a creature is my DAUGHTER!" Pure Vanilla Cookie finally raised his voice. "You and the St. Pastry Order always spoke of how every Cookie's life was sacred! Why must Meringue Cookie's life pay for the price of peace?!"

"My dear Pure Vanilla Cookie...sometimes, for the greater good of our world, sacrifices must be made."

Pure Vanilla Cookie went rigid at that. He'd heard that same phrase before...from the mouth of the very Cookie Reverend Mother saw as an enemy. "...Sacrifices?"

"Oh, my old friend..." What Reverend Mother Cookie said next was chilling. "It may look and act as a Cookie...but it's just a White Beast. You've witnessed what it's capable of before...you should know that."

With that, Reverend Mother Cookie withdrew from the former king, leaving him standing alone in his room, knowing her words had silenced him beyond repair.