Glitched Out [CRK AU STORY]

Chapter 1: A Blank Start

It is almost nightfall and deep within Dragon Hill there goes a cookie running for her life as she's being chased by an army of cake hounds. Too scared to look back, this cookie sprints with all her might, taking leaps and turns in hopes that the hounds lose sight of her. She slowed her pace once the hounds' barking started to fade and then finally stood still to catch her breath with the returning silence of the forest. This tired cookie's name is Chunky Choco Cookie, she has a big afro with nuts sprinkled over it and a strange scarf that seems to have a mind of its own. Chunky Choco lowered her scarf, uncovering her mouth to take in some fresh air. 

Chunky Choco Cookie
-Phew, Looks like those hounds finally lost track of us!
-Right guys? 
-... 
-Guys?

Startled, she looked around and called her friends by name.

Chunky Choco Cookie
-BLACK COFFEE COOKIE?

...
-LIGHT VANILLA COOKIE?
...
-Ugh.. dare I ask? MOCHA COOKIE?
...

She sighed and crossed her arms. 

Chunky Choco Cookie
- I must have gotten separated from the others...
-*sniff* Is that smoke? I should follow it, it could be the campfire at our base! 

Chunky Choco Cookie followed the smoke trail in hopes of returning home, but instead of being welcomed by a crackling campfire, she was met with a strange electronic device that was set aflame. Surrounding it were other machines similar to it, some displaying red holographic screens with their contexts being distorted making it unreadable. The Cookie's scarf reached towards one of the screens to touch it but it went right through it.

Chunky Choco Cookie 
-Whoa.. what is all of this stuff!? I've never seen this type of technology before...
-This looks like it came straight from the future!
-Hold on, why does it smell like... coffee? 
 
Chunky Choco let herself be directed by the oddly placed scent, with just some few steps forward and a turn to the right she found an unconscious cookie laying beside a tree. This strange cookie looked just like Espresso cookie, but his hair was undied, scars were present in his dough and he wore a big slightly torn lab coat. Seeing the injured cookie, Choco Chunky walked up to him and knelt beside him.

Chunky Choco Cookie
-Hey, are you alright!?
She shakes him slightly. 
-Wake up! Hey!

She continued to shake him until the crumbling cookie opened his eyes...

Crumbling Cookie
-Augh...

Chunky Choco Cookie
-You're awake! Are you ok? What happened to you?
- Ah-! You shouldn't sit up so quickly...

The Espresso Cookie look-alike looked up at the tree, then scanned the rest of his surroundings. Suddenly, the cookie winced and placed his hand on his forehead. 

Crumbling Cookie
-... Where.. am.. I?

Chunky Choco  Cookie 
-We're in Dragon Hills.
-You're Espresso Cookie..  Right?

Crumbling Cookie
-Espresso Cookie..? 

The crumbling cookie turned to face her.

Crumbing Cookie
-Who's Espresso..?

 Chunky Choco Cookie
-What do you mean who's...

Before she could finish her question, the sound of howling and barking returned, the Cake hounds were back!

  Chunky Choco Cookie
-OH NO, THOSE HOUNDS ARE BACK! Can you stand?

Crumbling Cookie
-I.. I think so..

 Chunky Choco Cookie
-Let me help you!

Chunky Choco took hold of the cookie's hand and pulled him back on his feet. 

Chunky Choco Cookie
-Follow me! I'll lead us to safety! 
-I see another smoke trail.. This one MUST be the one from our base!

The two cookies fled to the direction of the smoke in the sky, Chunky Choco Cookie ran ahead to lead the way while the other cookie tried his best to keep up. As soon as the base was on sight, Chunky Choco glossed over her shoulder to check if the Cookie was nearby only to find him further away down on his knees. She went back for him, grabbed him by his arm and placed it around her shoulder and walked him to the base. It was a very simple base, it consisted of four tents circling the central fire, all tents were coned shaped and had a pancake covering with the exception of the last one; that one was bigger than the rest and was covered with a fine purple coating. 

 Chunky Choco Cookie 
-Phew, we made it before dark... 
-You should sit here, the fire will keep you nice and warm!

She let go of the Crumbling Cookie's arm and the cookie plopped down on a sugar cube near the campfire.

Chunky Choco Cookie
Well.. Welcome to our base! What do you think?

The Crumbling Cookie looked around for a bit and then returned gaze to Chunky Choco.   

Crumbling Cookie
-It's very small and we're still exposed to possible threats.
-Are you sure this is safe?

 Chunky Choco Cookie
-Well, see... we kinda just started making our base. I assure you though that out of all the places we've camped, this one  is the safest!

Crumbling Cookie
-Hm...

The cookie leaned forward and rested his head on his hand staring blankly at the campfire's flames.  
 

Chunky Choco Cookie
-So... Would you like to drink some milk?

The espresso look-alike's weary expression turned to one of disgust as soon as she said that liquid's name.

Chunky Choco Cookie 
- If it's coffee you're looking for then you're out of luck, we ran out. 

The cookie frowned.

Chunky Choco Cookie
-Oh relax, it's not that bad! Sure, the taste is a bit bland but it's not the worst drink in the world.
-Plus, this milk is from the Milk Clan, it has healing qualities to it so it could help you feel better!

Crumbling Cookie
-I suppose I could give it a chance..
-Very well, just give me a small serving.
  

Chucky Choco went inside her tent and took out a cup and a jug of milk from the milk clan.  She poured the milk halfway into the cup and served it to her new guest. The cookie glared at the cup's content with a frown before taking a sip of it. Chunky Choco's scarf pushed a sugar cube to her side allowing her to sit. 

Chunky Choco Cookie
-So, are you really Espresso Cookie? Or...

The Crumbling Cookie stayed silent, he looked to the side, unsure.

Chunky Choco Cookie
-What's your name?

Crumbling Cookie
-...
-I can't recall...

Chunky Choco Cookie
-You can't remember your own name!?
-Dang...
-Do you atleast know what happened to you?

The Crumbling Cookie closed his eyes to concentrate on his thoughts.

Crumbling Cookie
-There is something I...

But before he could finish talking the sudden sound of a twig snapping cut their conversation short. Chunky Choco stood up while the other cookie darted his head towards the direction of the noise. Something or someone lurked near... 

END OF CHAPTER