Vertex of the redemption arc - whatever Shadow Milk Cookie was willing to call it - came closer with each talk he had. Each glance he got, each smile he received - too genuine for his kind; too bright for his eyes - it drove him insane more than he expected. He never expected to go more crazy in the first place. He hit the bottom already, broke down through it, and now he'll make it twice.

Pure Vanilla Cookie was impossible to read, his faux understanding made the beast's stomach twirl, his sweet scent was sickening, his souljam's ringing caused a headache, his words were never clear.

Was it what he wanted to hear? Was it what he fought himself for? It was now silly. The world of lies he built never had a place for Shadow Milk Cookie from design. Marvelous - the actor wanted to give himself a round of applause. Spectacular - reaching for such a dream to find a torture. A little show of his own he ended with a...

– Shadow Milk Cookie? – The voice, as bright as stars, broke the thought train with its soft call, – See, I am aware you know my life in every detail. I wonder, how do you remember my years as Healer Cookie? For when i reunited with the Light of Truth, this period became quite... blurry.

– Ah, the parade of despair! – The beast couldn't help but sneer, gazing mischievously at Pure Vanilla Cookie, – I can recall your deeds back then, yet those memories can't be renewed.

– So, you can't bring them out of the depth of my mind? – The ancient hero asked softly, receiving a smirk from his beastly other half.

– Ring-ding-ding! Do the humble moi owe you an extra point for wit? – The joke was met with an agreeing hum.

– You see, my memories before the wafflebots' attacks became but a faint trace of the past, yet one cookie won't slip away for a while now. – Pure Vanilla Cookie spoke thoughtfully, squatting as he tended to a bed of orchids, – I can't unwind the value they might've held, I can't recall their face, yet i remember how they prayed, so desperate for answer they didn't mind crumbling.

Shadow Milk Cookie couldn't keep a grimace as the so-called ancient hero tried his hardest to recall his own life, while his beastly counterpart would give anything to forget it.

– I remember how they knelt before me, whispering gratitude for the witches. They considered me their saviour, sent from above, proclaimed me a saint…

– Those religious fanatics… – Shadow Milk Cookie huffed in unmistakable irritation, – Always seeking out the above, they never saw the truth. pathetic, Ignorant, delusional…

– Wounded. – Pure Vanilla Cookie interrupted, gazing down sympathetically, – They seek help from the witches, for they can't receive it here, on Earthbread. When i tended to this cookie, they were shocked. They couldn't believe one could help them selflessly, that is why, i suppose, they considered me a saint.

The actor could only roll his eyes, viled by the other's overflowing kindness as he continued.

– What's it to you in the first place, Shadow Milk Cookie? What I'm trying to say is, those cookies turn to what you consider deceit.

A blow. One he couldn't wrap his mind around. One that was harder than any wound he beared. A memory.

– They bear a striking resemblance, i suppose. – A response came, fast as light, a line he always drew.

Pure Vanilla Cookie stood up, tilting his head to the side as he considered his words, and this silence choked.

– May I ask why?

Yet once broken, it's even worse.

– So desperate for answers, aren't we? – A mocking sneer, sharing the tension, – Swell, shall I fulfill my first purpose! Or dare I say duty? – His words are bittersweet, veiled, misguiding his own self.

– You don't have to if you don't want. – The healer's voice stayed even, still as disgustingly soft, and it pushed to the edge.

– Oh, but I will! I will in every smallest detail if that is what you seek! See, you know how I once was virtuous, oh-so saint, and pure, and naive! How I fulfilled this meaning I never got to choose! – His voice broke into a row of giggles, malicious, vice and confusing. The beast clutched his own collar, choking on own past, – Oh, how he trusted those witches! Oh, how selfless! How beautiful and dutiful! How amusing it was to find out being a tool! How hilarious it was to be but a puppet in the hands of those considered goodnesses!

– Shadow Milk Cookie... – A soft call, barely breaking through the actor's defenses as he continued to laugh without even a trace of amusement left.

– Oh, and this so-called Fount Of All Knowledge, turns out to be blinded to reality! What a hilarious apogee to such a tragic story, oh, I'm tearing up!

– Shadow Milk Cookie. – Loud enough to make the actor turn his head, gracing the other with a crooked smile.

– A-who could've guessed he'd end up like this to watch a replacement, mockery of his existence, trying to comfort him, pretending to know him, to understand! – The voice filled with contempt was met with warmth, widening the beast's eyes with obvious surprise. The curtains fell, the show is over.

– I am not trying to pretend, Shadow Milk Cookie, – Pure Vanilla Cookie spoke up softly, gracing the beast's cold cheeks with a gentle touch, – I am well aware I don't know everything you have been through, and I want to learn. I know your yearning, my friend, by heart. – A twist to Shadow Milk Cookie's stomach, – I know what it's like, to serve a purpose. – A familiar tingling, one he thought was left forgotten, – But you're still cookie, after all. – A stab.

– I was never one. – He hissed, gripping all leftovers of his once great skill with words, only to fail and reveal weakness, and he expected another blow.

– You weren't seen as one, yet you are. – The healer forced a faint smile, caressing his beastly counterpart's face, – A cookie, who is wounded deeply, and is afraid to trust. A cookie, who lacks attention. A cookie, who is brilliant. A cookie, who is rather dear to me.

The overflowing warmth of Pure Vanilla Cookie's words filled the actor's dough with light, yet he found it blinding. He could feel his head begin to ache.

– A cookie, who you tricked and betrayed. – Shadow Milk Cookie added bitterly, a pained frown on his face.

– Because it was required. – He sighed, – And I regret it deeply. I know forgiveness is difficult to earn, and you can take it as slow as you need.

A breach.

– And yet, you forgave me right away. – The beast chuckled, – After your downfall, after the risk I put you and your petty friends at, you are willing to call me "rather dear"? – A weak sneer, – What a contradiction.

– Indeed, for you led my path back to the light. – Pure Vanilla Cookie's smile brightened, while Shadow Milk Cookie's disappeared completely, – Your attempts at misguidence made me face my vices and embrace them, therefore I'm grateful. – He fell silent for a short while, meeting his beastly other half's emptied gaze with his affectionate one before turning away, bathed in the sunlight, as if haloed, – Remember, you said we're two sides of the same coin? Hence I wonder, if I could show you your virtue… – A pause – For I am sure it's here. I saw it.

Silence. Neither comforting nor choking. Shadow Milk Cookie stared at the healer's back, his mouth agape, his thoughts are but a fog of confusion. How could the holder of all knowledge be misguided so easily?

– Delusion. – He forced the words out, feeling his souljam tighten.

– Perhaps. – Pure Vanilla Cookie chuckled weakly, facing the other as he gripped his clawed hands gently, – But the point is, I wish to help. I wish to fulfill what you lack… because you might've not noticed it, yet you do it already, Shadow Milk Cookie. You're making progress.

The actor found himself untalented in improvisation. Speechless and tense, he stared at his counterpart, on the edge of something between rage, despair and bursting into tears.

The healer never required saying something twice, many times not even once. Shadow Milk Cookie could feel the warmth of his arms around his dough, his souljam ringed softly. Just for this once, he found it rather comforting.

Взгляд мылится нихуя не порисуешь голова болит в ушах звенит ноги отваливаются А Я ПРОСТО ХОЧУ ПОТОПАТЬ ПАРУ КМ ПОД ВИВУ Я РАЗВЕ МНОГОГО ПРОШУ но НЕЕЕТ на улицу нельзя и поесть тоже нихуя не возможно ВЕСЬ ШОКОЛАД НА ВКУС КАК БЛЕВОТА КАКАЯ-ТО А Я ЛЮБЛЮ ШОКОЛАД БЛЯТЬ и ещё потом ДОХУЯ долгов по учебе ПОТОМУ ЧТТ НЕ МОГУ Я БЛЯТЬ в таком состоянии КОНЦЕНТРИРОВАТЬСЯ а потом ещё НУ ТЫ ЖЕ САМА блять ВИНОВАТА а мне потом ВСЕ ЭТО ЗАКРЫВАТЬ И САМОЙ КАК-ТО УЧИТЬ да я бы блять ОТЛИЧНИЦЕЙ БЫЛа если бы не БОЛЕЛА два раза ЗА ЧЕТВЕРТЬ БЛЯТЬ ну почему СТАБИЛЬНОСТЬ ТОЛЬКО В ЭТОМ