[ Pure Vanilla will be moving between White Lily and Clotted Cream, taking turns tending to them both with Fel and Dark Cacao, glad of Dippers help as well. It allows him time to sit beside Lily, unable to sleep and only lightning dozing from time to time, his hand wrapped firmly in hers as he waits for her to wake up.
If she does. He doesn't know the potency of the venom. Doesn't know all the damage it may do. ]
( consciousness is a curse and lily is having no part in it- is what she'd say if she could. the pain is... duller, but it's hard for her to connect her thoughts together properly, drowsy as she is, but as she begins to slowly wake there's that horrid burning sensation again. she comes to with a low groan that rises into a whimper, and the slightest twitch of her fingers. )
[ Instantly Vanilla is moving himself out of his own doze, the Staff instantly looking her over as he raises a hand as if to touch her cheek, only to stop.
He doesn't know how the pain is, whether touch sets it off. His fingers hover before they twitch and he moves them away. Instead he bends over her, careful not to move her or disturb her any. Careful not to touch her. ]
My love... I'm sorry. Do you... we attempted to alleviate the pain, but I am unsure it worked.
( she feels so weak. it's horrible. despite this, she tries to reach for him- to be in agony alone is so much worse than getting to hold him somehow, no matter how it feels. )
There was... a black snake. I was... trying to remove it when the green tea cream bunny got too close....
[ He wants to kiss her, and touch her, and hold her but he's so worried about causing pain he doesn't until she reaches for him. Then he takes her hand, folds it between his and leans down to carefully press their foreheads together.
Offers her a light touch of healing to try and further ease the pain. ]
... A snake. Yes, that seems in line with the creature. It was an attack by it, I fear.
[ Carefully he raises her bitten hand to show her the mark. And he will not think of the way she called him Vanny.
Was that what Lily called his old self?
And he will not think of her comments of the vines.
Might that had been what her original soul fell to.]
( a spark of fury lights up in her heart, but it's quickly subdued by the quiet misery accompanying the pain like an escort of a debutante ball. she inhales sharply but only tries to pull vanilla closer despite it all.
healing... healing soothes it further, yes. but not enough to put a stop to it all. )
[ He shifts to scoot in closer, resting his face against hers like he can take the pain through osmosis. His heart aches that she suffers - again. Why? Why can't she just get a break? Why can't the world leave her be. ]
Clotted Cream... a bite to his ankle. The same black sun mark. And...
( oh, no... felicity's friend? and pure vanilla adores the boy like his own. ... but why does it seem so much heavier...? white lily frowns quietly, moving her free hand into his hair gently. )
[ He reaches up to take that hand to, fold his fingers into it, squeeze. ]
Clotted Cream will be all right. His physical ailments seem less than yours, but he is suffering strongly from hallucinations that I hope Sparkling Cookie will be able to help soothe.
[ A beat. Two. ]
Mizuki has... ah. U-unfortunately he was bitten a multitude of times, and... [ He hates this. ] I am afraid he has passed.
[ He nods gently to her words. Clotted Cream was right behind him. That the snake missed him is no coincidence. He wasn't the target. He sighs and rubs his fingers gently across the palm of her hand, careful to avoid her joints, staring down at it like the power of his gaze alone can fix her. ]
He was dear to so many of us. That he died and will now lose something important to him hurts the worst, I fear.
[ He's glad White Lily didn't pass because as much pain as she's in now... to have her lose a portion of herself again hurts him in a way he can't describe.
( by the stars, she wants to be properly cuddled so very badly, and she can't. she can't comfort him either, and any reassurances in this state would feel like a lie. )
--Huh?
( ... no one's informed her of the revival mechanics... so ultimately she's just left confused, on top of everything. )
[ Her huh makes him lift his head, his ears going back. Oh. Oh no did he forget- ]
Ah, forgive me, my love, I... There is a chance we will come back after death, yet the forest will take something from us in retribution. Be it physical or something else.
... It really is trying to reclaim it's position as a god. But... look at what it's done to us. To your children...
( as weakened as she feels, as much as her heart aches for everyone, there's a grim resolve. the same that makes her wish she could retaliate against the witches, despite everything her wrath and horror has already incurred. )
[ Though he fears harming her, he can't deny her request. Carefully, gently, he gathers her up into his arms and tucks her in against him. Shifts so he's reclining and she's laying down against him. Still resting, but being held.
[ Carefully he settles his hands on her back, then slowly just enfolds her into him. Frowning heavily into the top of her head. He know she will rebuff every "but" he tries to say, so he sighs instead, manages a small smile.
He won't let it happen again, however. ]
Ah, I can't argue, my love. You'll simply hit me with the eyes, and I'll melt.
My Vanilla, ( it feels strange to speak in terms of endearment. but he does so for her all the time, and it is true, isn't it? ) You would carry the weight of the sins of every cookie on your back if you could. Someone must put a stop to it before you break, no?
[ And just like that he's turning red, and is glad she can't see him. Flustering. He can dish the endearments out but the moment it's given back he flounders. ]
I-I.. yes... well...
[ Give him a moment. ]
I... [ HUFF. ] I have learned to share the burden, I promise, my dear.
[ Sometime mid-month, who knows when but when gift giving is in full swing, Pure Vanilla will seek his Lily out. He has a gift he wishes to give her... as well as simply desiring her companionship. ]
( it's one of the rare times white lily cookie can be found resting. not just resting, but napping... the cold does poor flowers ill, after all, and with the weather worsening she just wants to sleep. the sound of pure vanilla's voice gets her stirring immediately though and she pokes her head out of the blankets with a mumble. )
[ Oh. Oh look at her. She's popping out of the blanket so cutely, her hair all sleep ruffled and his heart aches so hard he feels like he might drop where he's at. Instead he eagerly clip-clops his way over, tail wiggling wildly simply upon seeing her.
Even his staff is adoringly gazing at her.
He wants to crawl into the blankets with her, like when they were younger and the weather turned at the Academy. ]
Ah, I'm sorry for awakening you, love. Would you like me to come back later?
( she looks like she's about to fall back asleep. she doesn't in favor of scooting over to lean on him though, rubbing her eyes with the inside of a gloved wrist. )
[ Very gently he ties a small woven bracelet around her wrist. It's in her colors: green, white, and red.
And .... that's it. It seems like that's all it is. But surely Vanilla wouldn't give her something so simple? Indeed, he wouldn't. ]
A puzzle, my love. Once you figure out how to activate it, for twenty four hours it will be enchanted with whatever you may need to use it for. Afterwards it will need to rest to regather it's magic, but after you activate it again, you may use it again for another thing.
lily shifts and inspects the bracelet with gentle care, wide awake and seemingly only half-listening- but she's giving her whole attention, don't worry. )
You do love to challenge me... But, ah, it's lovely... and very soft!
[ BEAMS. There it is. Like a cat with a mouse in view. He shifts his arm to be around her waist instead to let her have freedom over her arms, but to keep holding her snuggled in against him.
His tail flapapapa's against the blankets. ]
I am glad you like it! I tried a new technique on my wool to get it as soft as I could. It should not irritate even if you desire to wear it on bare skin.
Mm... ( she'll not find out for herself any time soon. the twisted black flesh is... not something she likes to see. or to show. she also isn't fond of wet wool, so bath time will not be the time to find out either. ) Thank you, Vanilla. I'll have to take a crack at it when I'm not so tired... ... stay a bit, though?
[ Have the most ridiculous old man squirming around to pull her blanket away from her enough so he can crawl in with her, until he can get them both smooshed together under it.
And he will snuggle her in and nuzzle his face into the side of hers, gleeful. ]
( lily giggles as he sneaks in and lily snuggles up to him as well. it feels like old sleepovers, somehow. )
... I'm thinking of asking the hatchlings for a blessing... Just of strength. I think maybe it may help my health...? Though I'm not sure how it will mix with fae magic.
[ It feels like coming home after a long day, and he wraps her gratefully up and buries into the faint lily scent. ]
Hm, Cacao received one and while the blessing is strong enough to alter the physical body, it does not seem to meddle with ones inherent magics. He still calls upon his Dragons and his Resolution without fail. If you think it will help, I urge you to do so. I have seen no drawbacks.
[ They may be separated, but Pure Vanilla will still treat her as a friend, and write her notes like he would have back home. And so she will get either the white lily stoat squeezing it's way into the window of the clinic with a letter clamped in it's mouth - which she then has to chase to get it away from it it's play time! - or the strawbaby. Who will dramatically flop at her feet and rabbit cry until she picks it up to baby it.
Sometimes it's her very own macha rabbit, the letter sort of taped to it's squishy head because Vanilla doesn't trust it not to drop it.
And they're all very silly, but penned with utter sincerity. ]
My Dearest White Lily Cookie, Having toes is horrible, and though it would oft betray my excitement, I miss my tail. Do you suppose the baby dragons would be willing to impart one of similar size and dexterity if I asked?
I miss my hooves. Yours truly, Pure Vanilla Cookie
Dearest White Lily Cookie, I do not understand how you and Dark Cacao Cookie deal with having so much hair. I wake up in the morning and it is everywhere. In my mouth, around my arms. I have sat on it!
It hurts when I do. Yours truly, Pure Vanilla Cookie
( ...dear... every time, she huffs a laugh, before sending the little ones off with a reply again. forgive her, she was never one for letters... )
Pure Vanilla Cookie I don't believe you can get specific requests. I'm not sure why these features take the forms they do, but I quite like them. But you can't bank on infants to give you something so precise!
Though, I think that it would be rather cute regardless of the size.
White Lily Cookie
Pure Vanilla Cookie
Braiding it before bed helps... But I have a spell that does it quicker. I can demonstrate it for you. It's hard to describe in text.
White Lily Cookie
Pure Vanilla Cookie
Unfortunately.
White Lily Cookie
( ...
gods above and below why is she so bad at everything )
[Hello hello! Sometime during the day, on the side of the afternoon closest to morning, Aventurine will politely approach and wait until Lily seems to be unoccupied. At which point he clears his throat and gives a small wave in greeting.]
Good morning, ma'am! I hope this isn't a bad time for this, but might I trouble you for a bit of assistance? I don't believe it will take too long, so I don't foresee that I'll overstay my welcome.
( it's a bit hard to tell what is and isn't unoccupied when she's running a clinic, helping her husband's gardens, and also a huge nerd, but he'll find the time, surely!
lily pauses at he approaches though. a new face... )
Oh, you don't have to worry. What can I help you with?
[So, neither of them are probably willing to really address the state of their relationship at this point. There is an understanding between them, that they are lonely and yearn for those that are no longer here, and that together they've managed to hold themselves together.]
[Shadow Milk has wanted to hate Lily from the very beginning, but found himself deeply unable to the moment he knew of Seamus' past. He read through those letters, those journal entries, he saw the love he had for this person and found himself yearning for what fate ripped out of his hands in his next life.]
[He wanted to blame it on Vanilla's influence between their souls, but with him gone, he knows that to have been a sweet lie. He will continue to lie to himself, he thinks, about what might happen when they leave this place, if they leave this place, and greedily bask in whatever this has become. A reason to move forward, to keep living.]
[So, perhaps this is recent, him curling up as a snake under the pillow next to her. Small and warm and mostly out of sight. She likely knows he's there. Or maybe not? But one night his dim, flickering Soul Jam reacts... resonates softly to Lily's light of freedom, and calls her in. A soft plea.]
[For help.]
[Should she answer, she will find herself in a gorgeous hall, the Spire of Knowledge. It's reminiscent of the Academy but its far more grand.]
( lily knows he's there, whether he says something or not. with the bed being empty for so long now, any shift that isn't her stands out. she doesn't say anything, but if her hand lingers closer to that pillow that's between the two of them.
anything closer feels like it invites conversation as to what they truly are.
and yet as she sleeps, she feels the plea, and perhaps it's telling that it only has to flicker once- ▊▍▎ ▚▋▄▃▆▄ only has to open it's mouth, and freedom answers.
... how strange though, this place. it's like walking through a ghost of her childhood, almost... )
[What answers her is ... a soft shining mote of light, a very gentle light blue. It comes to meet here in the hall, floating around her and then moving away, as if to lead her.]
[If she follows, it will take her through the halls before reaching a tall, ornate door at the end. An office of sorts, not unlike the Headmaster's at the academy. It's etched in familiar symbols of magic, of runs. A great big eye set in the center.]
[Inside is a grand office, with high walls lined with books of all kinds. There are celestial instruments strung from the ceiling, grand and beautiful. The floor, as she walks, shimmers like the stars, like the milky way. While the office appears to be empty, the desk in disarray, the mote of light continues leading her to a book shelf in the back that has been opened to reveal a pathway. It's darker, this way, but the light travels in. Follow?]
( of course she follows, even if it's starting to feel like trailing after a teacher on her first day of school... she looks around wide-eyed and curious, but at the same time something twists in her stomach. he'd confirmed it, of course- but seeing it is so very different.
she follows, and continues to follow. from familiar yet different halls and magic and beauty, to something darker and yet so much more comforting. )
[As she steps through, the smell should hit her immediately. The strong scent of flowers wafts through the way as the path opens up into a large greenhouse.]
[The door is ajar, and even from the outside it seems almost overrun. Flowers of all sorts are creeping out, but there is one flower in particular that seems prominent. The Milkcrown. A flower that Shadow Milk has recently begun cultivating in their gardens, though he's always been cagey about it if asked.]
[The mote travels inside and float low until it reaches ...ah, the figure of someone laying on the ground, Milkcrown growing around them as if forming a bed. The mote returns to that person with a soft glow.]
[Dressed in a long, dark blue robe, stitched in gold, lays ...Shadow Milk? Or perhaps not. His long hair is like the starry sky, twinkling with stars as streaks of white flow through it. His face, though unconscious, seems softer, even despite the visible cracks running through his skin.]
she keeps going, only pausing to gently cup a milkcrown before going, leaving the flower as is. and then she realizes- )
No-
( lily runs forward, crouching beside him- he's cracking, why is he cracking? his dough- and... the stars...
something cinches in her chest. it both is, and is not him. the man she's come to welcome into her home. this is the man he was once upon a time.
she stares for a moment before a melancholy settles on her shoulders like snow. and then she gently rests a hand on his cheek, a soft light of healing magic emitting from her touch. )
[He seems in a deep sleep, though not a very restful one, as she comes over to look at him. Once she begins to heal him, that cool, soothing magic gently running through him, he begins to stir.]
[His eyes are ...tired, disoriented. They are a soft gold and blue much like Shadow Milk's.]
...?
[He looks up at her and "oh!"s very softly, weakly, and offers her a smile.]
( her voice is soft, quiet- not unlike her touch, really. as he stirs, she starts to blink away tears. his eyes, this gentle voice- it's so right and so wrong, and he looks so fragile. )
[Slowly, he begins to pull himself up, so he can sit, but the way he holds himself is very cautious. Her healing has mended the cracks a little, but there seems to be more to them. Perhaps something more metaphorical in nature.]
You ...are the Light of Freedom, keeper of the Silver Tree. I am Knowledge, and there is little that escapes my sight, you know. Ah, but ...it has been much harder to "see" lately. I have ...felt very tired.
[His expression is wry, as he threads his fingers through his hair, brushing it back behind his shoulder.]
I fear I've been asleep for some time, and only now had the strength to reach out. Thank you.
[Ah, thank you. He folds his hands in his lap. What lay beneath him were ...swathes of more milkcrown.]
To a degree. He and I are ...one in the same, though he denies it. His sorrow is mine, as is his joy, his anger. However, I am not as all Knowing as I once was.
That's a very good guess, but you're off just a little.
[He sits up straight, the best he can in his state, so that he can speak like he would when giving a lecture of some kind.]
I once explained to another that Death is not absolute, but rather, is the onset of transformation and change. I may "die" soon, but it is a happy thing. It means things have begun to change.
( though she frets gently, she doesn't interrupt either. she just watches his expression, before her hand finally squeezes is- it couldn't have been anyone but pure vanilla cookie. vanny... )
He and I will become one, and I will finally leave this tower.
[His hand gently squeezes back.]
I was worried ...that I might not have ever woken back up. We felt a loss so great, I fell into a deep slumber, a darkness swallowed me, but I called out and you answered. Thank you.
That was never within your control. Don't... think that that is a guilt you have to carry, okay?
( and then he does that and she can't help but fluster because it's shadow milk, but it's not, but it's the man she had admired so and despite everything she really doesn't have a lot of this sort of experience- he may be amused by a little squeak that she's pretending didn't happen.
...
after a moment, lily leans forward, cupping his cheek opposite of the cracks with her own free hand and presses a soft kiss against said cracks. making her own move does not make the blush on her cheeks fade any. )
... I... do too. But what happens now that I'm here?
Oh, my dear ...The guilt I carry has brought ruin to civilizations.
[But maybe that's something else they have in common.]
[Before he can say anything else, she is leaning forward and- oh! That ...such a soft gesture. He looks gobsmacked for a moment, truly caught off guard, but then his cheeks flush and he has to avert his eyes for a moment. Goodness. Spin his stardust hair around his fingers.]
I- W-well! This is ...but a dream. It will fade in time. Would you like to help me water the flowers until then? The Milkcrown have ...have really gotten out of hand...
( she's quiet for a moment. he and vanilla may have been two halves of a whole... but she and this man... are mirrors. good intent leads to hell, knowledge leads to madness, despair leads to carnage. and all that remains in the aftermath are them- bullet shells, hollow with grief.
maybe, with how much she hates herself- the lily who left vanny behind at the spire, and dark enchantress, and yes, herself as she is now- maybe she never would have liked shadow milk cookie off the bat.
...
at least he's cute when he's flustered. normal things to think about a man you definitely don't have any feelings for. )
[Ah, he settles down a little. The Fount of Knowledge was not flustered, he is an illustrious professional! He braids his hair a bit out of nerves, or perhaps excitement? Before he is looking for the edge of a table to try and pull himself to his feet with.]
There is a watering can ...ah.
[He must have dropped it at some point, its over on the ground some distance away. There's still a bit of water left in it, though.]
...I seem to have made a mess before falling asleep. Forgive me.
[But yes, just so. The can fills with water as soon as she has it righted. He stands there a bit holding onto the edge of the table, trying not to make it too obvious he needs the support. He's fine, he's doing very well. He smiles.]
Is that so? You should tell me a little more about yourself, I would be interesting in knowing more.
[He knows quite a lot already, but its no fun to just Know. He likes hearing it from the person.]
( she hesitates for a moment. because not all the comparisons are flattering. but as she starts, she begins watering the flowers. )
... I grew up in a small village, with a weak and brittle body. I wanted to know everything I could, because it was interesting- and... because I wanted to make life better for cookies like me.
I wound up attending an academy. Your academy. And I found... your work, but marked with a lily. It felt like destiny, in a sense. ( and destiny is the sword of damocles, especially to idealistic children who won't see it for what it is. ) ... I kept searching for knowledge, for truths I wasn't meant to know.
The things I've learned have hurt people. But... I love them all the same. I always will.
[He leaves Pavlova to rest, hoping its not fitful. He has ...quite a lot on his mind actually! As he leaves the room. Complicated thoughts and emotions swirling through him. He is happy to see Pavlova, though his relationship to him feels almost like the ghost of another. He was the Fount back then, and he had renounced so much of that person since his fall.]
[And yet, he hadn't wanted to relinquish this, apparently.]
[Hn. The Guardian is going to have questions for him, he suspects. Time to blind fumble his way through the kitchen for tea. He makes an awful clattering to get her attention.]
( she's been waiting for someone to come out- not too obviously, she hopes, as she reads at the kitchen counter (which! is normal for her on good days!) and then the clatter happens- )
Is everything okay? Where's- ah... Pavlova Cookie?
[ Pavlova, as much as he plays outside, is not a messy kid. He always tends to avoid getting muddy when he can help it and on the off chance he gets messy he usually waits for help before he goes inside.
... tracked water and dirt is not normal for him.
The trail leads to the sunroom, where the boy now sits on the floor. It almost looks like he fell there. He's covered in mud and water, his feathers are ruffled and placed in front of him is a rusted, somewhat broken bird cage with the door swung open. The look in his eyes is distant, and his hands shook as he worked.
... cut up feathers are scattered on the floor.
In the cage he's made... something of a nest. Woven together twigs and feathers, though instead of being hollow its packed with dirt and a plant is inside, and that is what he's currently working on. It's a coral honeysuckle. Good for attracting butterflies, if she's familiar, he's gently tying the vines around the bars of the cage so they'll grow to wrap around them naturally, like a trellis.
He doesn't notice Lily there. He doesn't seem to notice anything. ]
( everyone in the house has always been so very respectful and tidy, the hatchlings not quite included on account of being literal babies (and thus forgiven when it does happen)- so suddenly having mud and water all over is... concerning. before anything, lily decides it's best to figure out what's happening, so she follows.
the sight before her is-
not great.
not horrible, but not great. and with that look in his eyes...
[ That is a full body flinch upon hearing his name. Not great is right. He doesn't turn to her right away, he's still a bit distant, but he's stopped moving, as though caught doing something he shouldn't.
On some level he knew this was bad, but he couldn't really process why that was.
He was just making it more like what it represented.
It takes pavlova a moment to turn around and... he's soaked. He may have been initially standing in the river, but he didn't last long before his legs gave out, and he can't swim. For better or worse he lost the butterfly wings that way.
( not with how upset he looks. after a moment, she'll gingerly walk over and crouch beside him, gently squeezing his shoulder- "i'm here, you're here, this is real"- before folding her hands together again. )
I found this. When I was looking around town. It had... cut feathers. And... A-and butterfly wings. And it smelled like--
[ He swallows, then fusses with the one if the ends of his ribbons ]
-- The Garden. And someone brushed my hair back... like mother does.
[ She's here, his mind screams. She's here. She's watching him, she's here. His breathing picks up again, and the poor boy is shaking. The cage was a threat.
Come home, or else. But he doesn't know how. ]
I l-lost the butterfly wings when I fell in the river... s-so...
( she's going to kill that bitchass has-been sun god.
ahem.
white lily cookie gently takes one of his hands in her own. )
That was likely our captor, playing with your mind. He is... adept at tormenting us. But, ah. If you're planting flowers, once this is finished, why don't we hang it out in the garden? And then we'll get you cleaned up, okay? Don't worry about the mess.
[ He doesn't flinch as badly when she takes his hand, though he seems a little reluctant to get her dirty, since of course his hands are covered in mud from gardening. ]
It... wasn't her?
[ it seems to confuse him... but he supposes vague warnings aren't really her style. Not like that anyway. Even knowing that it takes a minute for him to calm down from the surge of panic at thinking his mother was here.
He looks back to the cage and winces ]
... I guess that... makes sense. The Garden is all I knew so its all he could use.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
after the attack
If she does. He doesn't know the potency of the venom. Doesn't know all the damage it may do. ]
Re: after the attack
Vanny...?
no subject
[ Instantly Vanilla is moving himself out of his own doze, the Staff instantly looking her over as he raises a hand as if to touch her cheek, only to stop.
He doesn't know how the pain is, whether touch sets it off. His fingers hover before they twitch and he moves them away. Instead he bends over her, careful not to move her or disturb her any. Careful not to touch her. ]
My love... I'm sorry. Do you... we attempted to alleviate the pain, but I am unsure it worked.
no subject
( she feels so weak. it's horrible. despite this, she tries to reach for him- to be in agony alone is so much worse than getting to hold him somehow, no matter how it feels. )
There was... a black snake. I was... trying to remove it when the green tea cream bunny got too close....
no subject
Offers her a light touch of healing to try and further ease the pain. ]
... A snake. Yes, that seems in line with the creature. It was an attack by it, I fear.
[ Carefully he raises her bitten hand to show her the mark. And he will not think of the way she called him Vanny.
Was that what Lily called his old self?
And he will not think of her comments of the vines.
Might that had been what her original soul fell to.]
no subject
healing... healing soothes it further, yes. but not enough to put a stop to it all. )
I heard more screaming after. Who else is hurt..?
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Clotted Cream... a bite to his ankle. The same black sun mark. And...
[ Slow inhale. ]
Mizuki.
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( oh, no... felicity's friend? and pure vanilla adores the boy like his own. ... but why does it seem so much heavier...? white lily frowns quietly, moving her free hand into his hair gently. )
Are they okay...?
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Clotted Cream will be all right. His physical ailments seem less than yours, but he is suffering strongly from hallucinations that I hope Sparkling Cookie will be able to help soothe.
[ A beat. Two. ]
Mizuki has... ah. U-unfortunately he was bitten a multitude of times, and... [ He hates this. ] I am afraid he has passed.
no subject
( she'll have to apologize for endangering him, later, but she'll continue listening up until he announces the final attack's tragedy- )
... I- I'm so sorry. I know he's dear to you...
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He was dear to so many of us. That he died and will now lose something important to him hurts the worst, I fear.
[ He's glad White Lily didn't pass because as much pain as she's in now... to have her lose a portion of herself again hurts him in a way he can't describe.
He will never let her die again. ]
no subject
--Huh?
( ... no one's informed her of the revival mechanics... so ultimately she's just left confused, on top of everything. )
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Ah, forgive me, my love, I... There is a chance we will come back after death, yet the forest will take something from us in retribution. Be it physical or something else.
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( as weakened as she feels, as much as her heart aches for everyone, there's a grim resolve. the same that makes her wish she could retaliate against the witches, despite everything her wrath and horror has already incurred. )
... We must not let him ascend further.
no subject
He lifts her hand and places a soft kiss into her palm, nodding into it. ]
It might be named, but that does not give it God-like powers just yet. We can stop it, and we will. We are not alone in this.
no subject
( she just sighs though, gently scooting a bit closer. )
... Hold me. Properly. Please...?
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As tightly as he dares, his voice low. ]
I'm sorry I couldn't protect you again.
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You could not have predicted this. I was the one who chose to try and deal with a dangerous animal on my own.
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He won't let it happen again, however. ]
Ah, I can't argue, my love. You'll simply hit me with the eyes, and I'll melt.
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I-I.. yes... well...
[ Give him a moment. ]
I... [ HUFF. ] I have learned to share the burden, I promise, my dear.
a gift
Lily? Love? Are you around?
gives u a sleepy lily
Vanny... h'llo.
the biggest heart eyes
Even his staff is adoringly gazing at her.
He wants to crawl into the blankets with her, like when they were younger and the weather turned at the Academy. ]
Ah, I'm sorry for awakening you, love. Would you like me to come back later?
hehehe
( she looks like she's about to fall back asleep. she doesn't in favor of scooting over to lean on him though, rubbing her eyes with the inside of a gloved wrist. )
What is it...?
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It's a very good thing she uses a wrist to rub her eyes because he needs that, and he gently captures her hand to hold it out. ]
I have a gift for you. A small token of my appreciation.
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Hm...?
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And .... that's it. It seems like that's all it is. But surely Vanilla wouldn't give her something so simple? Indeed, he wouldn't. ]
A puzzle, my love. Once you figure out how to activate it, for twenty four hours it will be enchanted with whatever you may need to use it for. Afterwards it will need to rest to regather it's magic, but after you activate it again, you may use it again for another thing.
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( activated.
lily shifts and inspects the bracelet with gentle care, wide awake and seemingly only half-listening- but she's giving her whole attention, don't worry. )
You do love to challenge me... But, ah, it's lovely... and very soft!
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His tail flapapapa's against the blankets. ]
I am glad you like it! I tried a new technique on my wool to get it as soft as I could. It should not irritate even if you desire to wear it on bare skin.
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[ Have the most ridiculous old man squirming around to pull her blanket away from her enough so he can crawl in with her, until he can get them both smooshed together under it.
And he will snuggle her in and nuzzle his face into the side of hers, gleeful. ]
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... I'm thinking of asking the hatchlings for a blessing... Just of strength. I think maybe it may help my health...? Though I'm not sure how it will mix with fae magic.
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Hm, Cacao received one and while the blessing is strong enough to alter the physical body, it does not seem to meddle with ones inherent magics. He still calls upon his Dragons and his Resolution without fail. If you think it will help, I urge you to do so. I have seen no drawbacks.
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You are always Lily. Everyone grows and changes for it. But your soul, your heart, will always be you. My White Lily Cookie.
random notes
Sometimes it's her very own macha rabbit, the letter sort of taped to it's squishy head because Vanilla doesn't trust it not to drop it.
And they're all very silly, but penned with utter sincerity. ]
My Dearest White Lily Cookie,
Having toes is horrible, and though it would oft betray my excitement, I miss my tail. Do you suppose the baby dragons would be willing to impart one of similar size and dexterity if I asked?
I miss my hooves.
Yours truly, Pure Vanilla Cookie
Dearest White Lily Cookie,
I do not understand how you and Dark Cacao Cookie deal with having so much hair. I wake up in the morning and it is everywhere. In my mouth, around my arms. I have sat on it!
It hurts when I do.
Yours truly, Pure Vanilla Cookie
Dearest White Lily Cookie,
Toenails??
Yours truly, Pure Vanilla Cookie
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Pure Vanilla Cookie
I don't believe you can get specific requests. I'm not sure why these features take the forms they do, but I quite like them. But you can't bank on infants to give you something so precise!
Though, I think that it would be rather cute regardless of the size.
White Lily Cookie
Pure Vanilla Cookie
Braiding it before bed helps... But I have a spell that does it quicker. I can demonstrate it for you. It's hard to describe in text.
White Lily Cookie
Pure Vanilla Cookie
Unfortunately.
White Lily Cookie
( ...
gods above and below why is she so bad at everything )
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Good morning, ma'am! I hope this isn't a bad time for this, but might I trouble you for a bit of assistance? I don't believe it will take too long, so I don't foresee that I'll overstay my welcome.
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lily pauses at he approaches though. a new face... )
Oh, you don't have to worry. What can I help you with?
some time after the divine library
[Shadow Milk has wanted to hate Lily from the very beginning, but found himself deeply unable to the moment he knew of Seamus' past. He read through those letters, those journal entries, he saw the love he had for this person and found himself yearning for what fate ripped out of his hands in his next life.]
[He wanted to blame it on Vanilla's influence between their souls, but with him gone, he knows that to have been a sweet lie. He will continue to lie to himself, he thinks, about what might happen when they leave this place, if they leave this place, and greedily bask in whatever this has become. A reason to move forward, to keep living.]
[So, perhaps this is recent, him curling up as a snake under the pillow next to her. Small and warm and mostly out of sight. She likely knows he's there. Or maybe not? But one night his dim, flickering Soul Jam reacts... resonates softly to Lily's light of freedom, and calls her in. A soft plea.]
[For help.]
[Should she answer, she will find herself in a gorgeous hall, the Spire of Knowledge. It's reminiscent of the Academy but its far more grand.]
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anything closer feels like it invites conversation as to what they truly are.
and yet as she sleeps, she feels the plea, and perhaps it's telling that it only has to flicker once- ▊▍▎ ▚▋▄▃▆▄ only has to open it's mouth, and freedom answers.
... how strange though, this place. it's like walking through a ghost of her childhood, almost... )
... Hello? I'm here now, so- you can come out...
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[If she follows, it will take her through the halls before reaching a tall, ornate door at the end. An office of sorts, not unlike the Headmaster's at the academy. It's etched in familiar symbols of magic, of runs. A great big eye set in the center.]
[Inside is a grand office, with high walls lined with books of all kinds. There are celestial instruments strung from the ceiling, grand and beautiful. The floor, as she walks, shimmers like the stars, like the milky way. While the office appears to be empty, the desk in disarray, the mote of light continues leading her to a book shelf in the back that has been opened to reveal a pathway. It's darker, this way, but the light travels in. Follow?]
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she follows, and continues to follow. from familiar yet different halls and magic and beauty, to something darker and yet so much more comforting. )
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[The door is ajar, and even from the outside it seems almost overrun. Flowers of all sorts are creeping out, but there is one flower in particular that seems prominent. The Milkcrown. A flower that Shadow Milk has recently begun cultivating in their gardens, though he's always been cagey about it if asked.]
[The mote travels inside and float low until it reaches ...ah, the figure of someone laying on the ground, Milkcrown growing around them as if forming a bed. The mote returns to that person with a soft glow.]
[Dressed in a long, dark blue robe, stitched in gold, lays ...Shadow Milk? Or perhaps not. His long hair is like the starry sky, twinkling with stars as streaks of white flow through it. His face, though unconscious, seems softer, even despite the visible cracks running through his skin.]
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( ...
she keeps going, only pausing to gently cup a milkcrown before going, leaving the flower as is. and then she realizes- )
No-
( lily runs forward, crouching beside him- he's cracking, why is he cracking? his dough- and... the stars...
something cinches in her chest. it both is, and is not him. the man she's come to welcome into her home. this is the man he was once upon a time.
she stares for a moment before a melancholy settles on her shoulders like snow. and then she gently rests a hand on his cheek, a soft light of healing magic emitting from her touch. )
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[His eyes are ...tired, disoriented. They are a soft gold and blue much like Shadow Milk's.]
...?
[He looks up at her and "oh!"s very softly, weakly, and offers her a smile.]
It's you. You heard me, after all.... I'm glad.
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( her voice is soft, quiet- not unlike her touch, really. as he stirs, she starts to blink away tears. his eyes, this gentle voice- it's so right and so wrong, and he looks so fragile. )
... Do... you know who I am?
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[Slowly, he begins to pull himself up, so he can sit, but the way he holds himself is very cautious. Her healing has mended the cracks a little, but there seems to be more to them. Perhaps something more metaphorical in nature.]
You ...are the Light of Freedom, keeper of the Silver Tree. I am Knowledge, and there is little that escapes my sight, you know. Ah, but ...it has been much harder to "see" lately. I have ...felt very tired.
[His expression is wry, as he threads his fingers through his hair, brushing it back behind his shoulder.]
I fear I've been asleep for some time, and only now had the strength to reach out. Thank you.
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... shadow milk cookie... )
... Yes. My name is White Lily Cookie. Are you aware of- of what happens outside of this place, then?
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To a degree. He and I are ...one in the same, though he denies it. His sorrow is mine, as is his joy, his anger. However, I am not as all Knowing as I once was.
I ...am but a remnant, a missing piece.
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( she inhales softly. a remnant who got to live. while he... is here. trapped within himself.
lily watches, and she quietly takes one of his hands in her own with a gentle squeeze. )
... I'm sorry.
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[He takes his free hand and sets it on top.]
You needn't apologize. If anything, I would like to thank you.
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... Anyone would come when called, I'd like to think.
( but that's not the only thing, is it? )
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Not just for that. Ah, these cracks in my dough ...what do you think they might be?
[Uh oh, is this suddenly a little pop quiz? From the First Headmaster?]
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( somehow that seems to calm her down, actually? )
This realm is metaphysical, is it not? Born of your soul and magic. The cracks would be... a representative of a hurt you feel, correct?
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[He sits up straight, the best he can in his state, so that he can speak like he would when giving a lecture of some kind.]
I once explained to another that Death is not absolute, but rather, is the onset of transformation and change. I may "die" soon, but it is a happy thing. It means things have begun to change.
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Don't strain yourself...
( though she frets gently, she doesn't interrupt either. she just watches his expression, before her hand finally squeezes is- it couldn't have been anyone but pure vanilla cookie. vanny... )
... What... what's going to happen, after?
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[His hand gently squeezes back.]
I was worried ...that I might not have ever woken back up. We felt a loss so great, I fell into a deep slumber, a darkness swallowed me, but I called out and you answered. Thank you.
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( she knows she's not who they yearn for. her gaze falls. )
But I'll be there all the same. I promise. ... And, I will be there when you call.
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[He lifts their hands to give hers a gentle little kiss.]
I look forward to the day we can see each other on the other side.
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( and then he does that and she can't help but fluster because it's shadow milk, but it's not, but it's the man she had admired so and despite everything she really doesn't have a lot of this sort of experience- he may be amused by a little squeak that she's pretending didn't happen.
...
after a moment, lily leans forward, cupping his cheek opposite of the cracks with her own free hand and presses a soft kiss against said cracks. making her own move does not make the blush on her cheeks fade any. )
... I... do too. But what happens now that I'm here?
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[But maybe that's something else they have in common.]
[Before he can say anything else, she is leaning forward and- oh! That ...such a soft gesture. He looks gobsmacked for a moment, truly caught off guard, but then his cheeks flush and he has to avert his eyes for a moment. Goodness. Spin his stardust hair around his fingers.]
I- W-well! This is ...but a dream. It will fade in time. Would you like to help me water the flowers until then? The Milkcrown have ...have really gotten out of hand...
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maybe, with how much she hates herself- the lily who left vanny behind at the spire, and dark enchantress, and yes, herself as she is now- maybe she never would have liked shadow milk cookie off the bat.
...
at least he's cute when he's flustered. normal things to think about a man you definitely don't have any feelings for. )
Yes, I can do that.
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There is a watering can ...ah.
[He must have dropped it at some point, its over on the ground some distance away. There's still a bit of water left in it, though.]
...I seem to have made a mess before falling asleep. Forgive me.
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( silly.
lily takes the can- if it's a dream, could she just... will it to be full once more? )
... You remind me of myself. How strange.
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[But yes, just so. The can fills with water as soon as she has it righted. He stands there a bit holding onto the edge of the table, trying not to make it too obvious he needs the support. He's fine, he's doing very well. He smiles.]
Is that so? You should tell me a little more about yourself, I would be interesting in knowing more.
[He knows quite a lot already, but its no fun to just Know. He likes hearing it from the person.]
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( she hesitates for a moment. because not all the comparisons are flattering. but as she starts, she begins watering the flowers. )
... I grew up in a small village, with a weak and brittle body. I wanted to know everything I could, because it was interesting- and... because I wanted to make life better for cookies like me.
I wound up attending an academy. Your academy. And I found... your work, but marked with a lily. It felt like destiny, in a sense. ( and destiny is the sword of damocles, especially to idealistic children who won't see it for what it is. ) ... I kept searching for knowledge, for truths I wasn't meant to know.
The things I've learned have hurt people. But... I love them all the same. I always will.
I'd die for them, without question.
SONBOY ARRIVAL
[That sure was not what he expected from today.]
[He leaves Pavlova to rest, hoping its not fitful. He has ...quite a lot on his mind actually! As he leaves the room. Complicated thoughts and emotions swirling through him. He is happy to see Pavlova, though his relationship to him feels almost like the ghost of another. He was the Fount back then, and he had renounced so much of that person since his fall.]
[And yet, he hadn't wanted to relinquish this, apparently.]
[Hn. The Guardian is going to have questions for him, he suspects. Time to blind fumble his way through the kitchen for tea. He makes an awful clattering to get her attention.]
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Is everything okay? Where's- ah... Pavlova Cookie?
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Out like a light! Poor little cherub was terribly strung out. I’ve explained the situation to him, but he handled as well as anyone can expect.
[Hm. How to make demands of someone whose house he’s freeloading in.]
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( ... oh, you had something to request? )
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[He tries to wipe how startled he is off his face and clears his throat.]
He can stay with me for the time being. I can always move into the atelier.
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Shadow Milk Cookie, did you seriously believe I was going to not shelter a child?
( which is to say, he didn't code switch fast enough. )
... That hopefully won't be necessary, as we have an abundance of materials at our disposal. It will just take a bit to gather, is all.
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[Now he’s flustered, don’t look at him.]
Good, fine, then we can work with that. He deserves his own room as soon as we can complete it!
Some time after his arrival, during the adjustment period
... tracked water and dirt is not normal for him.
The trail leads to the sunroom, where the boy now sits on the floor. It almost looks like he fell there. He's covered in mud and water, his feathers are ruffled and placed in front of him is a rusted, somewhat broken bird cage with the door swung open. The look in his eyes is distant, and his hands shook as he worked.
... cut up feathers are scattered on the floor.
In the cage he's made... something of a nest. Woven together twigs and feathers, though instead of being hollow its packed with dirt and a plant is inside, and that is what he's currently working on. It's a coral honeysuckle. Good for attracting butterflies, if she's familiar, he's gently tying the vines around the bars of the cage so they'll grow to wrap around them naturally, like a trellis.
He doesn't notice Lily there. He doesn't seem to notice anything. ]
ough...baby
the sight before her is-
not great.
not horrible, but not great. and with that look in his eyes...
lily stands in the doorway. )
Pavlova Cookie?
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On some level he knew this was bad, but he couldn't really process why that was.
He was just making it more like what it represented.
It takes pavlova a moment to turn around and... he's soaked. He may have been initially standing in the river, but he didn't last long before his legs gave out, and he can't swim. For better or worse he lost the butterfly wings that way.
He tells himself he's better off without them. ]
Miss White Lily Cookie..?
[ ... his voice is soft and cracked. ]
Oh, sorry for the mess... I'll clean it up.
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( not with how upset he looks. after a moment, she'll gingerly walk over and crouch beside him, gently squeezing his shoulder- "i'm here, you're here, this is real"- before folding her hands together again. )
... May I ask what you're doing?
cw dissociation/panic attack?
[ He seems to struggle describing it. ]
I found this. When I was looking around town. It had... cut feathers. And... A-and butterfly wings. And it smelled like--
[ He swallows, then fusses with the one if the ends of his ribbons ]
-- The Garden. And someone brushed my hair back... like mother does.
[ She's here, his mind screams. She's here. She's watching him, she's here. His breathing picks up again, and the poor boy is shaking. The cage was a threat.
Come home, or else. But he doesn't know how. ]
I l-lost the butterfly wings when I fell in the river... s-so...
[ he points to the nest with the cut feathers ]
That's me,
[ and the honeysuckle ]
... and those are for Sugarfly Cookie.
BABEY....
ahem.
white lily cookie gently takes one of his hands in her own. )
That was likely our captor, playing with your mind. He is... adept at tormenting us. But, ah. If you're planting flowers, once this is finished, why don't we hang it out in the garden? And then we'll get you cleaned up, okay? Don't worry about the mess.
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It... wasn't her?
[ it seems to confuse him... but he supposes vague warnings aren't really her style. Not like that anyway. Even knowing that it takes a minute for him to calm down from the surge of panic at thinking his mother was here.
He looks back to the cage and winces ]
... I guess that... makes sense. The Garden is all I knew so its all he could use.