2 IN ONE STORY | Peppermint x Sorbet Shark | Cookie run

☠ Kira Suima

Months later . . .

My popularity only grew with the passing days. I cannot tell what day it is any longer. I cannot tell time or sense. . . Days blur together like a fuzzy blanket, leaving me dissociated the majority of the time. I have been almost completely detached from reality, only really holding onto sentience. I haven't changed out of my shark form this entire time.

That's what I am . . . The Demon Shark of the Seas . . . The most feared assassin on Earthbread. I am Kira Suima. I don't even know if the cookies I'm killing are innocent or not. Cookies come to the castle cowering in fear asking me to murder all sorts of other cookies, and I do it. I never ask questions, and I rarely speak anymore. I've become everything I've ever feared . . . and I've never felt more alive.

I walked out of the house, leaving the cookies I just killed to rot as their jam painted a crimson path behind me. I no longer feel emotion . . . or at least I haven't since that day. It seemed the only senses I had left were so I could kill, so I used them.

I started the long trek back to the kingdom when suddenly I came across a small child on the side of the road who seemed to be lost in thought as they laid against a tree. They looked like one of those wafer cookies but . . . with cream as well- interesting to say the least. I sat in front of them and tried to snap them out of it.

" Are you lost, little one ? " I spoke softly.

" No. I was abandoned. Can I come with you ? I have nowhere else to go. " The kid said.

I looked around to see if anyone was near then looked back at the child, then down at the grass . . . maybe it won't hurt to take them under my wing . . . Marley would've liked that, wouldn't you have Mar ?

" Sure. I'm Kira Suima, the demon shark of the seas. " I said, helping the kid up.

" I'm. . . just a Strawberry Crepe cookie. " They said. I looked at them suspiciously.

" Did your parents not give you a name ? " I asked.

" They did but . . . uhm . . . well . . . they called me uh . . . Tart. " I heard the child whimper.

Suddenly, I felt something . . . I felt hope and empathy again. I looked around again just to make sure nobody was near before picking up the kid and placing them on my shoulders. " That is a horrible name indeed lass . . . How about we think of a new one fer ye on tha way back ? "

Strawberry Crepe just nodded.

One month later . . .

" Gah ! Bianca !! Careful where you swing that axe ! Ye wanna hit tha tree not me ! " I shouted, dodging out of the way from Crepe holding the weapon.

" Sorry. . . Kira why do I have to do all this dumb training anyways ? " Crepe said, sitting down and leaving the axe stuck in the side of a tree.

" You want to protect yerself right ? Be strong ? Then you have to do exactly what I say. " I said.

" Alright fine . . . " Crepe said, getting up and taking the axe out before preparing to swing when suddenly she turned around and let the axe fall to the floor in her hands " But how much longer ? I'm tired . . . "

" You'll keep stabbing trees until I say so, now lunch at the tree like you're going to kill your worst enemy ! " I exclaimed. Crepe let out a grunt and threw the axe at the tree with all her might. " There you go ! Now we can stop. "

Crepe took a minute to catch her breath before sitting down next to me. She leaned on me as she took out her lunch, which I found a tad bit uncomfortable. Then she spoke, " Kira, what happened to you ? "

" . . . Life happened Bianca. . . I wasn't meant to survive in this world. " I said, looking out at the sky past the trees.

" Will . . . Will life happen to me too ? " She asked, worriedly.

" . . . Yes. . . I suppose it will. " I wrapped an arm around them to try and comfort them, despite not liking the physical contact.

" I'm . . . I'm scared, dad . . . " She murmured.

I stood up and started to walk to go inside the castle. " You should be, and I am not your dad, Bianca. We are just strangers helping each other. If you grow close to someone, they will just hurt you when they leave. " . . . like Marley. I walked off.

There's no way I could let myself get close to that child . . . They will die and leave me all alone again . . . I can't afford to have that happen. They have to be a friendly stranger at the most. Love is for the weak and miserable, and I can't believe I let myself be enraptured by it when I was younger.

I watched them scurry off to a room they had claimed as their own, hearing them shutting the door and having it echo around the empty castle. I sighed and hopped onto the throne, staring out the doors to the castle. Marley . . . If only you were by my side right now. Me as the king, you as the queen and the entire kingdom as our family. You would have loved that, that every subject was like your child.

But then Donnovan came along . . . Hmmph. That creep. I know how uncomfortable he made you- ever since that paint incident. Insolent to think that he'd have a chance with you after that. But I protected you. I made sure that scallywag ended up in hell where he would never touch you again. But how are you up there ?

I wonder . . . are you watching me right now ? How would you feel seeing all I've done, all I've been doing ? Are you proud of me, Marley ? Did I do the right thing ? Are you happy up there ? Is Marie there with you too ? Are you happy together ? My spiraling thoughts are interrupted by some random rouge walking through the throne room and kneeling before me.

" What brings you to the valley of the dead ? " I spoke, hearing my voice echo.

" I come in search of a worthy assassin to exterminate two outlaws. " The cookie said. They seemed to resemble a knight . . . only they were worn down from what looks to be traveling.

I glared at them suspiciously before hopping down from the throne and standing before the cookie with my arms crossed and tail lashing behind me. " Which . . . outlaws ? "

" Pomegranate and Dark Choco cookie, we've been tracking them for years. " The knight said, not daring to look up at me. I feel his fear . . . his desperation. . . It's wild with fury.

" I see . . . very well then. Me and my accomplice shall take this mission off your hands, you're welcome to rest in this castle until we return. " I said, walking past the knight and heading to the armory. I better make sure my cutlass is sharp enough for this . . .