a͟m͟b͟i͟v͟a͟l͟e͟n͟c͟e͟ - espresseleine au

Dark Cacao goes apeshit

After I had exited the garden, I went to go ask Ricotta what I should start working on.

When I got to his door, I saw that it was closed. I was about to leave when I heard conversation coming from inside, and, against my better instincts, pressed my ear to the door.

"Hello, what can I do you for?" he was asking someone.

"Well, I found one of my friends collapsed in the forest and I couldn't heal her, so I need your help." said a voice that sounded male, but you never know.

"I'm sorry if I sound rude, but there are lots of other more middle-ish magic practicers like Wizard and Carol Cookie. You could have asked one of them?" he asked, seem

"I've asked all of them, save for King Affogato. You're the only one left I can ask!" the voice said, sounding desperate.

Ricotta sighed. "Alright, but can I bring my assistant? He helps me cast certain spells."

I didn't hear any more talking, so I assumed the voice had nodded.

I heard footsteps, and quickly retreated as the door opened and Ricotta plus a cookie in tattered brown robes with bandages stretched over their eyes and forehead emerged.

Ricotta raised an eyebrow at me, and then said, "Espresso, grab your stuff. We're going on an adventure."

After both he and I had grabbed our bags, we set off into the forest after this unfamiliar cookie.

"What if this cookie is leading us into a trap?" I whispered to Ricotta.

"Espresso, there's something about this cookie that I can't quite put my finger on, but they're not leading us into a trap." He whispered back, with an air of finality about him. The "conversation" - if you could even call it that - was over.

The cookie led us to a clearing not unlike the one Madeleine had taken me to, but less sunny and way more overgrown.

As soon as Ricotta saw the cookie in the clearing, he turned and bowed to the one that was leading us. "Your highness, I am at your service."

The cookie laid a hand on his shoulder and said, "Rise. I didn't expect you to figure me out to soon."

"Well, I am a bit of a history buff. I will focus all me efforts into healing her, my lord."

I looked on confusedly as Ricotta began casting a spell on a cookie with white hair and a green dress and staff that were both covered in lilies.

After the spell was complete, he turned to the mystery cookie. "It is done, sire. Shall I take her anywhere, or will you take her?"

They thought for a moment. "Please carry her, if you will, and I will take you to our safehouse."

His eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Yes, Your Majesty."

He picked up the cookie and I asked, again whispering, "Why do you trust this cookie so much?"

He turned and stared at me. "Espresso, this conversation is over. It's his choice to tell you when he wished. You can leave now, but if you do, you're fired."

I reluctantly stayed since I needed this job. We eventually arrived at a tree, and before the cookie could do anything, Ricotta turned to them and said, "Should I tell him, or just leave him out here?" he said, gesturib to me.

The cookie sighed and said, "Tell him. He cannot tell anyone else, however."

He bowed to them and then turned to me. "Espresso, meet His Highness: King Pure Vanilla Cookie."

I was so taken aback I physically stepped back. King Pure Vanilla? After 100 years? I thought, mightily confused. 

Pure Vanilla had finished doing something to the tree, and a piece of bark disappeared to reveal a stairway. Ricotta and I descended the stairs, him rather precariously so as to not hurt the cookie he was carrying.

Once he reached the main chamber, he almost fainted. Are they that heavy? I thought, before entering the chamber.

There, standing in front of us, were Dark Cacao, Golden Cheese, and Hollyberry.

Ricotta dashed over to a couch and set the cookie, who was likely White Lily Cookie, then, down on it.

Then he turned to the ancients, shakily bowing. "Um, hi? I'm the Head Sorcerer of the Republic?"

"You either are or you're not. Which one is it?" Hollyberry asked.

"I-I am." Ricotta said, still in the bow.

Hollyberry laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. "I like this one! He's got spunk!"

Ricotta turned the reddest I'd ever seen at the compliment, rising out of the bow.

I myself just stuck to the edges of the room. In hindsight, this was a very good choice, as what happened next... happened.

Ricotta turned to Dark Cacao Cookie and, bowing deeply, said, "Sire, I have some good news and bad news regarding your kingdom."

  He looked down at her. "Speak."

"Your kingdom was the only Ancient kingdom to survive. However, it's now ruled not by your son, but by King Affogato."

He rose out of her bow, and Dark Cacao stood there staring at him for a few seconds.

Then he started yelling bloody murder. "THAT USURPING WHELP! I'LL KILL HIM IF I EVER GET BACK TO MY KINGDOM! SON OF A-"

Hollyberry had to hold him back as he raged. It was a sight to see. Ricotta and Golden Cheese had already made a tactical, hasty retreat, so the only person in his immediate radius was Hollyberry.

Ricotta, Pure Vanilla, and I worked together to cast a calming spell on Dark Cacao. It worked, and he stopped yelling. He decided to pretend that nothing ever happened, so we did too.

"Shall we take our leave, or do you have tasks for us to do?" I asked.

Golden Cheese muttered something to Hollyberry and at a nod of Hollyberry's head, said, "Some of our sources have heard that Dark Enchantress Cookie is returning. If we are going to fight back, we need the full support of the Legendaries and Super Epics. Can you recruit the Super Epics and Frost Queen and we'll take the other two?"

We both nodded, how could we have said no? The fate of the world hung in the balance, at least presumably.

Pure Vanilla pressed something into Ricotta' hand as we left, and whispered something to him. He nodded, and we climbed out of the tree and walked through the forest to home.

We ran into a patrol being led my Madeleine, and he rushed over to us. I thought he would stop in front of Ricotta and grill him about where we'd been, but he just grabbed me and hugged me tightly.

He looked up, eyes shining. "Where have you been? It's been two hours! I had the entire Guard patrolling the area! It doesn't help the fact that one of you can probably do some sort of teleporting spell." he said, looking at Ricotta.

Madeleine turned to me again. "I repeat. Where have you been?"

I glanced at Ricotta. He shook his head an infinitesimal amount, and he could tell that I understood.

"Gathering ingredients for a spell."

Madeleine shook his head. "I don't believe you - that doesn't take two hours and you tell me when you're doing that - but I'm too relieved to care. C'mon, we're getting you back to the Palanaeum."

Ricotta laughed, and it made me smile. Witches, that boy could light up a room. "Yes, let's. I love getting all close to power and whatnot, but I've spent enough time in nature for today. To home!"

We walked back to the Palanaeum, laughing and talking all the way, with the patrol's protection at our backs.

1253 words! wow! this took me an hour to write lol. twice my usual word count, go me!