Chapter Text
How did they end up in this scene?
Shadow Milk hollers with laughter as he ducks another volley of snowballs aimed at his aerial position, diving behind Pure Vanilla just in time for the last of the projectiles to hit his silly little crown off his head. The foolish prince quickly ducks to shield the trickster with his leaf cape while he quickly scoops up more powdered sugar to make into snowballs.
Across the field, the Cacao fortress is quickly doing the same. Though they are being delayed fending off an assault by the cream wolf pack. Shadow Milk is so glad Pure Vanilla convinced Dark Cacao that the wolf pack should be their own team in a three way fight. Having that many targets to coordinate against would have spelled their paltry mage team’s doom.
The teams were thus:
Dark Cacao and Caramel Arrow were on a team. They had very quickly spent their preparation minutes building themselves a fort rather than creating an arsenal of snowballs. Shadow Milk had scoffed at their predictability, but it worked out rather well for them when fending off the first wave of snow actually. Now every time Shadow Milk looked, they had a larger and larger fortress. The jester wasn’t sure when they were finding time to build at all, given they were doing plenty of projectile launching themselves.
Crunchy Chip and his wolves were their own team. The wolves were allowed to tackle only snow fort walls; No holding down their enemies. Other wise, they launched the powdered sugar with their paws via digging. Once more they were only allowed to do so until they were tagged with a snowball, at which point they had to retreat to their master to be cleaned off before they could continue playing. Their home base was a series of trenches leading to their center hole the wolves had dug in the deep snow at the base of the hill on the south side of the field. A little den, so to say. They made a formidable foe of seemingly never ending waves of fur before they’d all get too covered in snow and be forced to retreat for a time to get cleared off. If their master was tagged, they were forced to retreat immediately for a set time.
And saving the best for last, Shadow Milk and Vanilly where a team too. Due to their smaller stature, they were allowed to use defensive magic and Shadow Milk’s gravity manipulation due to their smaller stature. At first, the trickster had bristled at the idea that they needed a handicap due to perceived weakness, but when he tried to abuse it, Pure Vanilla had vetoed Shadow Milk’s request for portals saying that was too unfair. The jester thinks he’s just being a massive spoilsport, though it made the insinuation smart less. The lovebug took great joy in making sure to shield Shadow Milk from most of the volley and making piles of snowballs for him to enjoy launching in great number at their enemies. Something Pure Vanilla was somewhat useless at himself, given that his usual brand of offensive magic was to just use his new awakened soul to send an overpowered blast of light magic in the direction of any foes.
Due to their magic shielding, Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk were the least drenched in melting sugar snow of them all, but they were barely participating by this point anyway. They were being considered the rogue third party in this “training scenario”. Occasionally showing up just to throw a wrench in one or the other’s assault before ducking away after they were spotted.
“This is the best idea you’ve ever had, Vanilly!” Shadow Milk cackles, shoveling more snow closer with magic to start rolling. “I can’t believe the chocolate fools are taking this so seriously.”
The foolish faerie giggles above him, still crouched over him to protect him from errant snowballs. “Dark Cacao needs to learn how to relax. If teaching him how to play without the influence of juice first means playing fake war, then that is what we do. Besides, it’s been rather effective!” He says as they hear a shout of victory from Caramel Arrow that indicates she likely managed to snipe Crunchy Chip and fend off the assault again.
Shadow Milk lets his wolfish grin grow a little larger. “I think it’s time we put some fear in Dark Cacao while the wolf pack is hiding in their den! Let’s do a rain of snow before they manage to resupply their little fort.” The healer gives a mischievous snicker of his own as they start building Shadow Milk a mountain of snowballs to launch.
Now how did a scene like this end up on stage? The chain of events baffled Shadow Milk who thought this trip was going to be nothing but a snooze-fest of silent brooding while they searched for a long lost estranged son.
It started a bit like what he’d expected. In comparison to the loud chaos of their jungle trip, the silence of their march in the Cacao Kingdom’s vast fields was only punctuated by the crunch of the hardened powdered sugar turned icing beneath them. Vanilly seemed content to let the chocolate warriors brood in the snowfall as they walked, the soft-hearted healer all too used to traveling with quiet companions to complain.
Shadow Milk on the other hand could only take so much abject quiet surrounded by the monotonous white before he started feeling the edges of his vision fuzz. The air felt more crisp, heavy in between them all. It made the chill race up Shadow Milk’s spine much more than the actual climate of the area.
It felt too much like The Tree.
So it was to no one’s surprise that it was he that broke up the dead air. He floated down nearer to Pure Vanilla, barely caring to glance at the hand that reached for his coattails, as he whispered none too quietly. “Do we even have a destination? Dark Cacao just started walking in a direction…”
Shortly after they had exited his portal, which he’d placed high on a hill overlooking the citadel that was the Dark Cacao’s fortress city like he usually did when he had been traveling with the healer to beseech the mercy of the Ancients, Dark Cacao had turned his back on the city and just started walking. Crunchy Chip had then hopped on his wolf and with a brief conversation consisting of a stoic look and a single nod, had taken off in front of the group with his wolf. Even now, he was a distant speck on the horizon in the direction that the group was heading, having been joined by more cream wolves. Caramel Arrow had fallen into step behind Dark Cacao without a fuss and was quietly on guard for the usual wildlife of the area.
Vanilly, entirely unbothered by the idea that they might be going nowhere for no reason, just chuckled lightly. “I’m sure Dark Cacao has an idea where we are going.” He offers, entirely too trusting for someone who was not told anything of the decision on why they were headed the way they were.
Dark Cacao lets out a very unconvincing grunt of agreement. Shadow Milk’s skepticism must have shown on his face, because the little archer decides to actually explain for the group. She turns to the two of them and gives a reassuring smile. “Shortly after the incident with the Pale Ailment, while we were in Beast Yeast to search for the source of it and stop the ailment, the healers got a delivery of chocolate bamboo shoots to our medical bays. We will go toward the forests they are found in and ask the village nearby for information on the traveler.”
“That was months ago?!” Shadow Milk cried. Were they really going to just hope for the best? Hope someone remembered a likely disguised traveler from nearly a year ago that had shown up in the midst of a kingdom wide plague?
“It is the only lead we have.” Dark Cacao huffed in annoyance. If Shadow Milk didn’t know the grump had no emotional spectrum he might have even called it offended that the jester was questioning him. Or maybe even disappointed that this was the best he had.
Too bad, the chocolate knight only knew the emotion of blank grumpiness~!
Pure Vanilla gave the chocolate warrior a small pat on the shoulder with the hand holding his staff, the other still wrapped around one of Shadow Milk’s coattails. The king softens just the slightest bit before turning to look at the wolf pack currently waiting for them at the base of the next hill across this never ending snowfield.
At least in the snowfield, there was no chocolate birch trees for the usual wildlife to be hiding in. Their group had been mercifully left alone for the most part, their collective aura enough to scare most monsters into hiding for now.
“Ugh. This is why everyone should learn even just the basics of magical theory. You muscleheads are useless.” Shadow Milk dramatically flopped himself over the silly faerie’s shoulder, ignoring the bed of flowers that tickled his ribs and the grunt of surprise.
“And I suppose you have a better idea.” The chocolate king glares down at him. Shadow Milk watches his frown get even frostier as the silly faerie slowly turns more and more red, a crease appearing between the knight’s eyebrows.
Shadow Milk smirks up at him, continuing to pretend he isn’t watching the fascinating new shades that Vanilly is turning as the arch of his spine leans against his cheek. He shifts himself to lean a little more of his shoulder onto the healer and is rewarded with another barely there gasp as he’s all but laying on the fool’s head now.
“Of course!” He says to the grump, trying very hard to hold in his giggles. “You’ve never heard of a tracking spell? If you have something of the target’s or are willing to give a bit of your own jam, I can easily set my minions to making us a tracking crystal that would point us directly at him!”
“I also-” Pure Vanilla chokes out. “I also know a proximity tracking spell that can tell us if the target is within a certain radius of me. I’ve been subtly casting it every hundred steps or so… All I need for it is to know my target and since I met him when he was very young, I have been trying to picture him as best I can.”
Dark Cacao stares at the pair of them for a moment, his glare dropping to a look of contemplation. “I did not realize magic had such uses. If a bit of my jam is all that is needed, you may have it.” He says and promptly unsheathes his sword.
Shadow Milk launches himself off Vanilly’s shoulder as the healer suddenly lurches to grab Dark Cacao’s hand. “Shadow Milk would only need a few drops. Let me cast a healing spell on your hands while you do this so the wound can seal immediately.”
Dark Cacao nods stoically after a moment’s pause and Shadow Milk stares at the knight wondering if he truly had been prepared to spill his jam and just let himself bleed their entire trip if it meant meeting his son again. Surely he’d known the healer was going to heal him.
But wouldn’t he do the same for his kid-- minions?
It takes only a brief moment to collect a small sample of Dark Cacao’s rich viscous brown jam. Shadow Milk has the morbid thought of wondering if it tastes fudgy before he shakes it off and summons one of his chaos rabbits to take the sample.
“Give this to Candy Apple and demand she make me a tracking crystal with her syrups set for bloodline relations.” He demands sharply. The chaos rabbit bounces in place, giving a sharp little salute before bounding into another portal. Shadow Milk straightens up from his spot hovering near the ground and turns to the chocolate warrior. “It’ll be ready in a few hours. It’s best we stay nearby so the rabbit can find us easily again when the crystal is done. They can only jump to places they’ve been when not directly summoned.”
Dark Cacao nods and turns to whistle sharply to Crunchy Chip. He gets an answering howl and the pack starts to circle their position in a perimeter check as the wolf pup heads their way to learn of their new plan.
“What shall we do in the meantime?” Caramel Arrow asks the mages conversationally. “Shall we set up a temporary camp?”
Shadow Milk huffs and floats himself upside down near Vanilly as he finishes cleaning Dark Cacao’s hand of the small traces of jam. Pure Vanilla smiles gently to himself as he looks around the snowfield.
“Perhaps we could play a game while we wait.” The foolish faerie muses, looking up at the jester for support.
“We have no board for chess.” Dark Cacao grumps. Caramel Arrow nods along.
Shadow Milk rolls his eyes, nearly giggling with glee when Caramel Arrow jumps seeing the eyes in his hair move with those on his face. She’s now staring with barely restrained horror as she realizes those are real. “Hello!! Famously powerful mage here! I can conjure anything we need if you ask nicely enough.” He uses one of the eyes on his tendrils to wink at Caramel Arrow.
“Oh… I’d been thinking something bigger.” Pure Vanilla says with a hint of mischief. Shadow Milk’s head snaps to the healer in surprise. Sure enough, the fool looks like he has a scheme! A trap that he’s trying to lead the chocolate warriors into.
Color Shadow Milk intrigued!! What could the healer be up to!?
At the trio’s confused looks, the wolf pup even tilts his head like the creatures he spends most of his day with, Pure Vanilla smiles gently. He knows he’s got them hook, line and sinker. “You did ask me Dark Cacao how the people of my kingdom can be so laid back most days, spending time on leisure rather than preparations and training.”
Dark Cacao huffs, nodding along. “Much of your kingdom seems to spend more time in play than in training. It is a surprise that you have much of an army at all.”
Pure Vanilla nods happily. “What if I told you that play can be just as effective training as drills can be? Much like how Crunchy Chip’s wolves play fight to hone their hunting prowess.”
The trio perk up, looking at each other before returning their attention to the healer. “And you believe such a game could be played… here? There is nothing but snow here.” Caramel Arrow says.
Shadow Milk finally catches on to the plan now. “What!? You chocolate dolts live surrounded by all this snow and have never had a snowball fight before?!” He screeches in dismay, throwing his arms out and waving them around with his words that explode forth. “Even the children of that useless Cookie Kingdom know how to play in the powdered sugar in winter. My stars… no wonder you’re all repressed as the licorice sea.”
The chocolate warriors in front of them actually look mildly embarrassed at his bewilderment. Caramel Arrow nods shortly, “I did see them throwing snow during some of our trips. I’ll admit I was interested in what the purpose of getting each other covered in snow was for.”
And that was how Pure Vanilla and Shadow Milk spent the next half an hour explaining how snowball fights work and making up rules for the chocolate warriors. Shadow Milk was appalled to learn they had to explain something so simple as a child’s game and that the rules were fluid and changed based on who was playing. Even he knew the psychological ramifications of a society that spent so much time under constant siege that they’d forgotten something so simple as the magic of childhood whimsy.
Oh, his sister was going to have a lot of work cut out for her here. Not even Mystic Flour’s lands were this repressed!
Maybe it’d even remind her the joy of the world to teach the chocolate people the magic of play.
Now, nearly two hours of playing in the snow later, Shadow Milk looks up from his small mountain of snowballs toward the beaming faerie. The healer smiles gently at him, face softening as they crouch close together rolling sugar in their gloved hands. Shadow Milk freezes for a moment, stunned by the look.
Vanilly and him really are leaning quite closely to each other. Stars, he could tilt himself just a couple inches forward and be breathing the puffs of air coming out of the faerie prince’s lips. The errant thought makes him shiver slightly.
It doesn’t escape the healer’s notice. “Are you alright?” He asks quietly, reaching one of his hands to touch Shadow Milk’s cheeks. “I know you’re mostly milk flavored. You aren’t getting too cold though are you?”
Vanilly at that moment seems to realize the position they are in, having leaned just the slightest bit closer to touch. Shadow Milk feels all the jam rushing to his face as he and the fool stare at each other, breathing the same air. Shadow Milk bites his response back, fangs sinking into his lower lip as he coiled tight like a spring.
Then the faerie’s eyes flick down to look at them. Shadow Milk shudders again as the healer looks up into his eyes with a new emotion swimming in suddenly gooey eyes. The jester’s breath hitches as Vanilly starts to lean in even further.
“Pure Vanilla.”
All of Shadow Milk’s tightly wound energy explodes outward as he suddenly leaps backward and into the air. He stares down at the Vanillian king who turns entirely unbothered to look at his friend. Like he hadn't been about to...
“The rabbit came back. It handed me this.” The chocolate knight continues, seemingly unfazed by what he walked into. Did he not see? Does he not care? He holds up a small red crystal suspended on a short chain, clearly filled with a core of chocolate colored liquid.
Shadow Milk is struggling to remember how to breathe air again. He’s pulling his chaos magic around himself closely, having blown a perfect circle in the snow around him and Pure Vanilla completely clean. Their previous mountain of snowballs toppled over a bit in his sudden flight.
“Wonderful!” Pure Vanilla stands up to accept the crystal. “We can be on our way then once everyone is cleaned off of sugar. He laughs and the chocolate warrior and he start back toward the group.
What.
What had just happened?