The Rebirth of the Phoenix

Chapter 19.2: A Past Glory in the Dust

(Did you know? I draw with fingers 💀)

The cookies were amazed by the sight of the Vanilla Kingdom, but they couldn't stay and, sightsee. As the eight Cookies walked on the waffle streets, something wasn't quite right... Wherever they go, none of the vanillan cookies were seen and the waffle houses were abandoned... even the once-pristine roads were covered in cracks... Chilli Pepper then noticed some valuables nearby, and found... a cookie?

"... UGH! THIS PLACE IS A SCRAP HEAP!" Chilli Pepper Cookie yelled in frustration. Indeed, the metals that laid on the ground were made of hardened waffle and some mechanic parts. 

"SCRAP!?" A mysterious voice behind them retaliated, pointing at them as if they were stating facts: "This alloy is covered with shiny syrup! These rivets are made of purified sweet cream! You caled my perfect toys 'scrap'! I DON'T LIKE YOU!"

A short, pink-haired cookie with two crepe cones on the side of their head, cyan eyes appeared in front of the cookies. Their name was Strawberry Crepe Cookie, and the only current citizen of the Vanilla Kingdom.

"Huh? Who are you?" Gingerbrave asked, crouching and looking at the pink Cookie in the eyes. 

"Impossible...! How can there be a Cookie here...?" Mumbled Healer Cookie, incredulous as the child looked at the group amazed.

"Huh? Wait, are you... COOKIES!?" The Cookie with a crepe headset spoke, summoning two crepe arms with strawberry claws lifted Gingerbrave: "Pfft, who am I kidding. I'M the ONLY Cookie here! OK, where are your data chip interfaces?"

"We aren't robots!" Gingerbright said offended, and soon was dropped to the ground with a thud.

"Hmm...Judging by your found face, flat body, and the incredibly low percentage of cream in the dough... NO WAY! I haven't seen another Cookie besides me in... calculating... FOREVER!" Sparkles shone on Strawberry Crepe Cookie as they inspected Strawberry Cookie and Gingerbright.

"Exactly how long is 'forever', little one?" Healer Cookie asked, getting closer to them. 

"Huh? How should I know? No Cookies were around to tell me. The whole city was empty by the time I woke up." The pink haired Cookie replied, currently tapping on Wizard Cookie's Candy staff, which upset him.

"It's dangerous to stay out here all alone. Why don't you come along with us?" Healer Cookie asked the small one, offering a hand.

"Hold on... something isn't right... There's no way that you're here all alone. Where are your friends hiding?!" Black Raisin Cookie inquired from behind him, which ended up with Strawberry Crepe Cookie getting farther from the group, indignant.

"Hey! Are you calling me a liar!? You don't even know me! RUDE! HMPH! I don't have to listen to this nonsense. I'm outta here, have fun getting lost!" The pink cookie said as they ran away.

_______

Much waves of obliterated wafflebots after, the group has met Strawberry Crepe Cookie after Chilli Pepper Cookie tried to steal another wafflebot piece, this time intact and Wizard Cookie asked her to give it back.

"And you! The one with 13 grams of chilli sauce! LISTEN UP! This is MY playground! And these are MY toys! Everything left in this kingdom is MINE. So gimme back those parts while I'm still being 'nice'." Strawberry Cookie asked rudely, which earned them a scowl from the scarlet thief.

As the two cookies argued and, Gingerbright separating them with raw strength, Healer Cookie asked: "Are you truly alone here? Where are all the other Cookies of this kingdom?" 

"I dunno! And I DON'T CARE. This kingdom fell a LOOONG time ago. Have you been living under a sugar cube? EVERYONE, literally everyone, knows this." They responded, with a distracted expression.