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Pavlova Cookie was the youngest in the garden.
He was baked by none other than the Bringer of Happiness herself, Eternal Sugar Cookie, using part of her own dough to create him. Oh, how exciting the thought was to please her. Especially after seeing all the good she’s done for the cookies in her paradise! Only one rule… Unless given permission, one is not allowed to leave. That was fine. Pavlova Cookie hadn’t minded it, he even was allowed to leave the garden whenever, as long as he returned.
He had never tried to leave permanently. The thought never crossed his mind. The Bringer of Happiness might have affected that. From the moment he opened his eyes, life was a lesson.
- Love
- Rules
- Praise
- Feelings
These lessons were never a set time, instead, were taught throughout the days of his life. Occasionally, he would notice that some cookies seem to ignore the lessons, or certain attributes of the garden. Of paradise. The Bringer of Happiness had said they’d left.
They had left paradise.
His infatuation and sheer passion for all things LOVE seemed to never die. Although, the Bringer of Happiness seemed indifferent towards it. Still, no mind. She was a kind and giving cookie, others deserved her attention. However, it seemed different today.
Life had seemed a bit… dull. To say the least. Which nearly never happened. Ever. Not in the Garden of Delights. He had been carrying around his book, full of love stories which just seemed to manifest, all day. Nothing. No new stories. He didn’t want to go out in search of random creatures to create love stories either!
“Pavlova Cookie!” A soft voice called from behind him. He was heading up to the clouds to waste away the day up there instead. He turned around to see Sugarfly Cookie. She had a potted flower gently in her hands, greeting him with her small smile. “Where are you off to?” She tilted her head to the right very slightly, most likely in curiosity. “My book is all out of stories!” He lifts his book up and glances at the back pages again, still nothing new. A face of disappointment quickly replaces his hope. “So, I’m heading up to the clouds to sleep!” He looks back up at her, she's still smiling, no doubt amused by his disappointment, “Quite the predicament indeed, I hope you enjoy your rest, Pavlova Cookie.” He nods in response. Sugarfly Cookie begins walking back in the direction she was heading.
There’s a pause. As if she was about to hop into the air and fly. She doesn’t, continuing on her way. Her steps are slightly weighted down by the iron boots she wears. Pavlova Cookie always thought she was a bit odd, especially since she always had those boots on. They don’t match her outfit at all!
Pavlova sighed, turning around and flying up to lounge on one of the cotton clouds in the pink skies. Normally, he would cubby up here to read, especially when everyone else was occupied with something. However, today he results to cookie-watching, as he can’t do much else.
The soft cotton pressing lightly pressing against his body as he lazily peered over the edge at the blurred cookies below was nearly enough to lull him into slumber. Though, something catches his eye. The Bringer of Happiness, she should be meditating, leading another cookie into her Labyrinth. He didn’t know the cookie well, but by the looks of them he could tell it was someone who Sugarfly Cookie enjoyed talking to.
Now, Pavlova Cookie wasn’t one to eavesdrop… However, he was quite the curious cookie. Grabbing his book he quickly flies down to the entrance of the Labyrinth. He managed to reach them just in time so that he may silently follow them into the center.
The Labyrinth is beautiful, all the decors and foliage following the soft theme of the garden. As he silently follows, he pays no mind to the detailed, careful statues which lined the walls. Just lovely statues that the Bringer of Happiness had made for the garden.
Pavlova Cookie quietly follows them through the labyrinth, following at a distance small enough to follow, but too big for them to notice his presence. At least, he assumed it was. Eventually, they reached a noticeably empty wall. He lands and peers around a wall. The Bringer of Happiness turns to the cookie, “My dear Candy Floss Cookie… You have skills in forge and iron, right?”
She takes a few light steps closer to them. Candy Floss Cookie nods, “Why yes, I do.”
Eternal Sugar Cookie hummed, seemingly satisfied with the answer. She carefully takes the cookie’s hands, holding them out in front of her. She smiles her gentle smile at them, “You have also been spending quite a bit of time with my lovely Sugarfly Cookie as well, hm~?” The cookie seemed a bit surprised by the question, but they nod anyway, a bit hesitantly. The Bringer of Happiness slid herself behind them, keeping their hands out in front of them. Her wings gently cup around them, “My dear Candy Floss Cookie, I know what you’ve been trying to do… And I’m afraid that isn’t allowed…”
Pavlova Cookie clutches his book tighter against his chest, his brow furrowing in confusion. What could she be talking about? Before he could question anything more, Candy Floss tries stuttering out a response, quickly being shushed. “Sugarfly Cookie’s boots are important for her happiness in the Garden of Delights… And I can’t allow you to interfere with another cookie’s happiness,” she whispers, though Pavlova Cookie hears it.
Candy Floss Cookie may have tried to defend themself, but Pavlova Cookie doesn’t catch it. Eternal Sugar Cookie gently wraps her wings around them, and when they open again Pavlova Cookie drops his book. He takes a step back, his wings already flapping ready to carry him away. Candy Floss Cookie–they are now nothing more than…
The Bringer of Happiness, Eternal Sugar Cookie, turned a cookie into a lifeless statue. The unfamiliar feeling of panic surges through Pavlova Cookie. Eternal Sugar Cookie slowly peaks herself around the wall he was hiding behind. Her face is gentle, kind. Pavlova Cookie is backing away slowly, as if she was some sort of predator.
She slowly walks towards him, her feet kicking away the book now discarded on the floor. Her arm is outstretched to him, “Pavlova Cookie, my love, you have no need to fear…” She touches him. He hadn’t even registered that she had gotten so close. Her touch seems to shock his body into movement, his wings flapping a million times a minute as he desperately tries to leave the Labyrinth.
The exit is found easily, he’s too panicked to realize the implications of that. He needs to leave. He needs to get out. “Pavlova Cookie?” The soft voice again. He stops short, turning quickly to see Sugarfly Cookie. Her brow is furrowed in worry. His eyes lock onto her boots. She’s trapped. She’s stuck. How had he not noticed that before?
“Pavlova Cookie.” She speaks again, a bit more firm as she reaches out to him. He recoils, “No– you–you’re trapped.!” He doesn’t care if he’s just voicing his thoughts. Sugarfly Cookie’s face shifts into one of understanding, as well as a bit of fear. However, before she could say anything more to him he’s already zooming to the Garden’s exit. He has left plenty of times before, it’s not scary. The monsters don’t even notice him most times, and even then he can fly.
Though, he doesn’t think about it and leaves the Garden so incredibly quickly. He gets quite the ways away from it before the adrenaline dies. He lands next to a tree, curling in on himself. The sun is blocked by the trees, casting eerie shadows everywhere along the forest floor. The Bringer of Happiness turned a cookie into nothing more than a lifeless statue. He thinks back to the many statues lining the walls of the labyrinth. Were they all once cookies too? He didn’t know, and he isn’t sure he wants to. Was everything a lie? Had he been lied to his entire short little life?
He fails to hear or see the amount of monsters quickly surrounding him in the shadows. His uneven breaths and the warm rivers of tears streaming down his face are the only things he can hear and feel, his thoughts being the only thing he can focus on.
The only thing bringing him back to the world is a sharp pain in his shoulder. His eyes snapped open, when had he closed them? He wasn’t sure. He turned quickly to see a Sweet Candy Caterpillar latched onto his shoulder. Cracks visible from the part that isn’t in the creature's mouth. He panics again, yanking himself from its jaws and into the air. He cries out in pain as he does, taking a short glance at the chunk of dough now missing from his shoulder.
One place he can go. He doesn’t want to… But he has no choice. There is no civilization anywhere nearby, he will crumble out here if the monsters attack again when he sleeps. It’s so odd. Monsters never seemed to be adamant on attacking him before, what happened? He doesn’t know. However, he does know that he needs to return to the Garden.
He turns around and flees straight back to where he had just tried to free himself from. How ironic. His shoulder ached, his other arm holding it steady, keeping it from falling off. The thought was nearly revolting. He keeps flying, less quickly than before but still quickly none the less.
When he finally reaches the entrance to the Garden, finding the one cookie he didn’t want to see. Her wings opened at his arrival, her gentle face gaining a smile. She opens her arms to him, “Oh, Pavlova Cookie~ I was so worried about you! You’re so hurt, let me help you…” Pavlova Cookie stares at her, breath quickening. If he flies into her embrace, who’s to say she won’t turn him into a statue too? He feels tears beginning again, he flutters down to the ground. “Bringer of Happiness! I-I apologize! Please don’t turn me into a lifeless statue! P-please! I–” He wipes away some of his tears before holding onto his shoulder arm again to ensure it doesn’t fall off. Eternal Sugar Cookie is in front of him now, kneeled in front of him. When did she get there..?
“My little Pavlova Cookie, I would never do that… You’re still so useful.” She wipes his tears, her touch as gentle as her voice, “Come back and allow me to heal you~” Her touch trails to hover just above my wound, “Such a horrible wound… Come here my love…”
She reaches to pick him up. He wants to run away. She can turn him into a statue. She turned another cookie into a statue. However, he has never been in this much pain and he longs for her sweet comfort. He doesn’t resist as she cradles him in her arms. She carries him back into the Garden of Delights, flying up onto one of the clouds.
“Bringer of Happiness… I apologize–” He is cut off by her hand pressed against his mouth, followed by a shushing sound. “Dear Pavlova Cookie, rest. Let me take care of your injuries,” her hand moves from his face to just above his shoulder. She carefully and gently heals his shoulder, once she’s finished a small indent of missing dough remains. “That should heal itself in a few days… Oh, I was so worried when I learned you left! It’s so dangerous outside when you’re all panicked,” she quietly says to him.
The memory of Candy Floss Cookie being nothing more than a lifeless statue invades his mind, “But… Candy Floss Cookie… You…” Eternal Sugar Cookie nods, almost solemnly, “Yes, I had no other choice than to turn them into a statue; but you have to understand, they were a threat to another cookie’s happiness. I assure you, it is painless. It’s just like falling into an eternal sleep…” She begins stroking his hair, the touch comforting.
He is tired, he doesn’t want to bring up anymore things even though they plague his thoughts. He just wants the Bringer of Happiness’s sweet touch, despite the amount of fears telling him to pull away. “Pavlova Cookie, I promise you are so useful to me, you won’t become a statue. Do you remember that bow and quiver of heart arrows I gave you?” Pavlova Cookie nods, “Yes, I do…” The Bringer of Happiness continues to stroke his hair, “Good, you’ll be needing those things very soon. I have a very important task for you~ Though, after today we might need to go over a few lessons again, hm?”
Pavlova Cookie nods, he doesn’t really want to stay, but it is dangerous to go so far away from the Garden of the Delights. Eternal Sugar Cookie’s voice grows softer, almost like a little lullaby, “But right now, please, rest my little Pavlova Cookie. You need it, I can tell…” She places a small kiss on his forehead, then goes back to stroking his hair.
Pavlova Cookie looks up at her, he is tired, an increasingly smaller part of him wants to stay awake. Her gentle touch seems to help lull him into the sweet embrace of slumber. One day at a time, right? Maybe it will be a bit better.
Maybe one day he’ll be free.