Upon defeating Shadow Milk, Pure Vanilla had noted that Black Sapphire wasn’t present to help the Beast leave. It was only Candy Apple who stood before him, although the girl seemed disturbed, silent and obedient, which was VERY unnatural for the usually cunning Cookie. Hence, he decided to search what was formerly the Spire of Deceit. He was aware that this kept his friends, who he told to await his arrival at the Vanilla Kingdom, waiting, but— oh no…

The ancient monarch soon discovered him on the verge of unconsciousness, blood dripping from under those obsidian-rimmed locks that usually shield one eye from view. He had initially tried to push himself up, still seeming to subconsciously listen to Shadow Milk despite no longer having any orders from him. Though, he was quickly pushed down by Pure Vanilla, who didn’t want him to aggravate his injuries.

Current time

Pure Vanilla carried him back to the Vanilla Kingdom, pushing past his guards despite their continuous questions about the Cookie in his hold. When he got into his castle, he rushed past his fellow Ancients in favor of laying Black Sapphire onto the couch, looking back at his now surprised friends with a panicked expression, sweating profusely. “One of you go get my med kit! QUICKLY!”

White Lily Cookie was the first to snap out of her shock, dashing to a cabinet behind the couch and shakily opening it, finding the medical supplies and handing it to Pure Vanilla, sitting next to him, a guilty look on the usually calm and meek Cookie’s face. She should’ve noticed something about Black Sapphire when he would come over to the Faerie Kingdom to hang out with Silverbell… but it went right over her head. She let out a sigh. “…Oh my…”

Dark Cacao would walk over and kneel by the couch, watching the healer’s work with his usual calm and stoic expression. He looked at Pure Vanilla, taking a moment to think about how to word this before speaking up in a blank but curious tone, slightly suspicious of him. He narrowed his eyes slightly and tilted his head to the side. “…Who is this Cookie?”

The monarch sighed and responded to him, a worried expression on his face as he answers his question. His usually closed, ever so serene eyes were now open with fear for the radio host that now laid vulnerable and injured before him. “…Black Sapphire Cookie, one of Shadow Milk Cookie’s followers…”

Hollyberry and Golden Cheese exchanged glances before the former spoke up with a thoughtful expression, approaching the sofa carefully, her usual jolly demeanor dampened by the gruesome scene that she was faced with. She placed one hand on her hip, a worried expression on her face as she clicked her tongue. “One of the Beast Cookies’ followers?… I knew the Beasts were cruel, but…”

Golden Cheese walked over and crossed her arms over the back of the couch, peering down at the Cookie on the couch’s cushions with a curious expression. “…He looks…” Her voice wavers— a stark contrast to her usual confident exterior. She would then point down at a rather serious laceration on Black Sapphire’s leg, hardened jam around its edges giving away that infection had already set in. “…roughed up…”

Pure Vanilla nodded, his expression softening slightly. But, the first thing he wanted to check out was the injury that seemed to be hidden under his bangs. So, he tenderly brushed his hair to the side, only to freeze dead in his tracks, eyes widening along with the other Ancients’.

White Lily leaned in slightly, eyes widening— her AND Pure Vanilla went to Blueberry Yogurt Academy, heard bits and pieces about healing, Pure Vanilla more than White Lily. But she can see this wound was pretty severe— it wasn’t fatally deep, but it WAS one that would take multiple healing sessions, and they were mostly disturbed about the fact that it was caused by multiple injuries in the same place, each intricately inflicted to end up causing a painful, layered injury in the end… the former reached out, cautiously placing a hand on Black Sapphire’s cheek with concern. “You poor thing…”