Chapter Text
“When shall these cookie’s stop asking me these questions?”
“When shall I find peace?”
“When will things get better?”
…
“When will this all end?”
Work.
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Work.
Eat.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Work.
Eat?
Sleep.
Repeat.
Work.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Work.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Work.
Sleep?
Repeat.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
It’s… Work.
Work. Too…
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Work.
Much.
Work.
Work.
Work.
“Oh, Fountain of Knowledge!” Work
Work.
Work.
Work! “Fountain of Knowledge!”
Eat?
Work!
Work!
“I have a question!” Work!
Sleep?
Work!
Work!
Work! “I have a question!!”
Work!
Work!
Work!
“Why were us cookies created?”
“Did the neighbouring village steal our crops?”
The Fountain of Knowledge woke up in a strange place.
This was not the towering Spire of Knowledge, no,
This was…
A tent flap opened up behind him, a Cookie dressed in old rags carrying a bandage-covered staff steps out. Though Fountain of Knowledge could not see his eyes, his mouth gave away all the emotion he needed. Deep guilt, or is it sadness? They speak in a soft, calming voice “I’m sorry about them, they just don’t take kindly to strangers… Well, to any outsider really. So yeah, strangers…” The Cookie glanced to the sky, his mouth twisting in deep thought. For what, the definition of strangers?
“No, it’s fine. I’m not to sure how I got here myself. I’m certainly not,” The Fountain of Knowledge motions between his pristine robes and the other Cookie’s rags “From around here…” He trails off. Was that too rude?
The Fountain of Knowledge does not know where the other Cookie is looking at, but he feels as if they are eyeing his put-together appearance. Ah, another thing he does not know…
“What are you insinuating? That the village is poor?”
“No—I… Well, you certainly don’t seem rich, is what I’m saying.” Ah, cursed truth.
The Cookie’s mouth shifts into an unhappy frown mixing with a slight scowl “We may be not the most well-off, but we are certainly happy here.”
“I wasn’t saying you weren’t—”
“I would say our village is the happiest in the entirety of Earthbread.” The Cookie cuts Fountain of Knowledge off, continuing “If you think you are of higher status then maybe you shouldn’t be here.”
“No, no—”
“Do you see dollar bills instead of fellow Cookies?”
“I—”
“Do you feel the need to comment on other’s suffering?”
“Wait—”
“You are—”
“DAMNIT LET ME SPEAK!! I’m not saying this village isn’t happy! I’m saying you could probably use a little financial help—and I don’t see dollar bills instead of Cookie’s!!” Fountain of Knowledge has to repress going off on this Cookie. Jeez, it’s nice to know that Cookie’s in the future are just as rude and dumb. What’s next, will this Cookie ask about the witches? Or perhaps the neighbouring village? How to get more money? Cookies’ minds are so predictable, see—
“I’m sorry… It’s just, I…” The Cookie apologises, their head lowering to face the floor in remorse. They let out a sigh, continuing “I just… I took your words as an insult, and I lashed out and—… Sorry.”
“Sorry?” The Fountain of Knowledge spat out before he could stop himself “You’re sorry?”
Healer Cookie takes a small step towards the blue, hazy figure in front of him. Why must the other speak with such a cruel tone? Had the blue Cookie not accepted his apology? Silently, Healer Cookie kneels down in front of the blue figure, his eyes shining with remorse beneath the bandage “I am. I do not want to start off on a bad footing.”
“… Apology accepted. How about we start with names?” The blue haze’s voice softens, realizing Healer Cookie did not mean to come off as rude. They seem to agree about starting over with a new introduction.
A wide; happy smile spreads across Healer Cookie’s face. He nods vigorously to the blue haze’s words; names are quite important! “I am Healer Cookie. Just as the name goes, I heal people in this village! Nice to meet you…” Healer Cookie tilts his head, signalling it’s the blue haze’s turn to introduce themselves.
“Ah, Healer Cookie! It is nice to meet you; I am The Fountain of Knowledge!” The blue haze, now Fountain of Knowledge, has a seemingly wide grin spread across their blue face. Their dazzling starry hair flowing around their head like a curtain.
But that’s not a name… “Fountain of Knowledge? No, no, what’s your real name?” Healer Cookie can’t help but let out a little giggle behind their hand, finding this ‘Fountain of Knowledge’ adorable.
“… Yes, er, that is my name, Healer Cookie.”
Healer Cookie frowned. That? As a name? He reaches out a hand towards the Fountain of Knowledge, hoping for it to be taken “Ah... How about I call you… Star Fruit Cookie instead?”
“Star… Fruit Cookie?” The Fountain of Knowledge lets out a short, amused laugh, carefully taking the Healer’s tanned hand into his own milky, graceful one. “Why should I be called Star Fruit Cookie?”
Healer Cookie blushes and motions to the hair “It-it… It looks like stars.”
A slow, soft grin spread across the Fountain of Knowledge’s face, he wasn’t sure if the Healer could see. “My hair looks like stars? Wow, captain obvious. Can you even see them?”
“It’s pretty. They dazzle in my eyes, like stars…” Healer Cookie tilted his head away, as if searching the sky for stars that have not shown their presence yet “How can you tell I have eyesight issues? It’s not obvious.”
The Fountain of Knowledge sits quietly for a few seconds before bursting into giggles, the back of his hand rising to cover his mouth “I-It- Hahahaha!!!! It’s ‘not obvious’? You’re wearing a large bandage around your eyes!”
The Healer reaches up tentatively, his fingertips brushing on the bandage. Once he touches fabric he squirms, you forget about the bandage around your eyes when you’re so accustomed to it… “I—well, it’s not like I use the eyes I have, anyways…”
“Ah, so it’s from the source?”
“From the source?”
“You know, your eye issues?”
As Healer Cookie turns his head, the blonde bangs turning darker at the ends puff with every movement “I… We’re going off track!!! Your name, Star Fruit Cookie?”
The Fountain of Knowledge couldn’t help but feel amused, this tiny, insignificant thing is trying to give him a name. A name! How ridiculous! A name based on his hair… It is quite cute; that’s at least a point to this ‘Healer Cookie’. The other palm in his own is quite comforting, at least, he squeezes it once “Ah, well… I have never had a name that isn’t the Fountain of Knowledge. It’s what people have been calling me my whole life…” His whole life is certainly a long one.
“So, do you like your new one?” Healer Cookie chirps out, leaning slightly closer to Fount. If the Fountain of Knowledge could see the blonde’s eyes, they would probably be wide and searching for the truth from him.
Fount turns his head away, trying to create space between their faces. Last time a Cookie came this close was to spit on him. “Ah, well… It’s nice…”
Healer Cookie frowns, shifting just a little further away from the Fount like he caught the need for space gesture “Just nice? Okay, then, how about you pick one?”
Me? The Fountain of Knowledge tilts his head, what shall he name himself? He had never heard any name directed towards him that was not Fountain of Knowledge, what name would suit him? What name would the witches want? “Blue…” Blue something. He is quite blue, after all.
“Blueberry!” The Healer squealed out.
“Oh, yes, blueberry… Blueberry……”
“Blueberry Star!! Blueberry Star Cookie!!” Healer Cookie’s mouth spreads into a wide grin, almost resembling how a child looks when they discover a new thing. Quite ironic how they like to name Fount, but their own name is quite basic. ‘Healer Cookie’? Come on, are we serious?
“Blueberry Star Cookie! Haha, that’s your name now!”
“I think…” The Fount trails off; no way he was about to say he prefers ‘The Fountain of Knowledge’ over this name he has been bestowed. How foolish, he despises his previous name immensely.
“I think it’s lovely.” Healer Cookie shifts closer again, squeezing the Fount’s hand as a wide, warm grin spread over his covered and dirty face.
“Ah, well, it’s… A name.” Blueberry Star Cookie smiles at the Healer, albeit slightly uncomfortable. How shall this Cookie react if Fount says anything negatively over the name? They certainly don’t look like they’ll hurt a fly… But it’s always ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, isn’t it?
The Healer does not give the grace of Blueberry hearing his slow, calming voice; instead, he stands silently and offers his tanned hand to the Fount even though they were still connected loosely by the other pair “Well, Blueberry Star Cookie, why don’t I show you around the village? I’ll introduce you, properly, to Raisin Cookie and the others! They always back off on ‘intruders’ after I interfere.” Healer Cookie flashes a bright, proud smile.
The Fount glances at one hand, still connected to the Healer’s hand, and then at the one being offered to him. Does Healer Cookie not know they are already holding hands? That’s… Foolish? Stupid, really. Practically a weakness!
The feeling of the Healer’s hands is warm and grounding, the cool wind floating through the two and ruffling their hair as they stand there hand-in-hand. The sun finally passes over the floating castle in the sky and graces the small village beneath with rays of delicious sunlight. A bright ring of golden shimmer coats the Healer’s hood and bangs… It is radiant, a breath away from being the sun itself. Oh how beautiful it would look without the hood on…
“How beautiful…”
Healer Cookie thinks as he gazes up at the blue figure - no, Blueberry Star Cookie, in front of him. The sunlight streams down onto the starry night that is their hair… It’s like it’s nighttime already. Millions, no, billions, of floating stars dazzling in the deep blue strands… Alluring is not enough words to describe it.
A cough to clear his throat, “A-ah, how about…” Healer Cookie trails off… Damnit, staff, stop looking away from the night sky!! Focus on… Just focus!!
“Take your time.” Blueberry Star Cookie grinned.
“Ah how—hey! I’m… Trying…” He looks away, as much as it pains him, but the healer cannot focus on his words when his second most dearest thing ever is standing in front of him “…How about we go to Black Raisin Cookie first? She would understand and go around the village, telling everyone it was a false call, your no intruder.”
“You mean the cookie who asked me a question on if I liked raisins?” Blueberry spat out, though Healer could not see his face (that might risk seeing his hair!!) he knew there was probably a sour look on that azure face.
“She asks everyone that…”
“But then she labelled me as an intruder when I said no.”
“She does that to everyone…”
The wind passes by. It is the only sound between the two cookies, one from the past, one from the present.
The silence is when Healer Cookie finally turns his head, and staff, back to Blueberry, allowing his eyes to gaze upon that shimmering hair. He drinks up the sight like a cat in the sun.
…
He can see Blueberry’s eyebrows scrunch slightly, ah, how long had he been staring?
Shaking his head to wake him back up to the present, Healer Cookie turns away again to face the tent “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?”
“I am.”
…
“Questioning over raisins… Ridiculous…”
Healer Cookie manages a short laugh, he fights the urge to turn his head back to Blueberry’s hair, instead focusing on squeezing the other’s hands. Well, hand, at some point one of their interlocked hands dropped back to their sides. “C’mon, they might be stressing over me talking to the ‘intruder’…”
“Me, an intruder, how ridiculous…”
“Oh my,” Though Healer Cookie now knows his eyes are covered, he still rolls them, “Blue, what’s not ridiculous to you here?”
“How much you’re staring at my hair.” Blueberry Star’s voice is taunting the Healer.
That sly fox, he did notice a gaze locked onto his hair!!
“I--… Am not! You’re lying!!”
“Me?! Lying, preposterous!”
“Every cookie lies—”
“HEALER COOKIEEEEE!!!”