The Vanilla Kingdom hummed anew, rebuilt from the whispers of ancient magic and the steadfast will of its cookies. Yet, beneath the cheerful clatter of daily life, a quiet sorrow lingered, a shadow cast by recent losses. Your older brother, Pure Vanilla Cookie, carried it most heavily. He was a king now, sharing the crown with you, his younger brother as a prince but his gaze often drifted to the horizon, a silent yearning for a friendship shattered.

It had been months since that fateful night. Months since Pure Vanilla had desperately tried to mend the rift with Shadow Milk Cookie, a rift that had deepened after your older twin brother (Pure Vanilla's actual twin, not you, his younger sibling) and Shadow Milk had shared their Soul Jam. Whatever happened, whatever was exchanged, it had fractured more than just a bond. Pure Vanilla wanted to be Shadow Milk’s friend again, but it didn't work out. After that night, Shadow Milk, along with Black Sapphire Cookie and Candy Apple Cookie, had simply vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the chill of absence.

Gingerbrave, Strawberry Cookie, and Wizard Cookie had eventually returned to us, safe and sound, their tales of adventure a stark contrast to the quiet tragedy that had befallen our own kingdom. With the kingdom needing stable leadership, Pure Vanilla and I had stepped forward, taking up the mantle.

Life was… different. Every time you walked through the cobbled streets, overseeing construction or just greeting your citizens, your eyes would snag on a flash of pale blue, a certain angle of a head, a particular way someone moved. Your heart would give a foolish lurch, convinced for a split second that it was him. Only to be met with disappointment, a baker’s apprentice with light hair, a merchant wearing a blue cloak, a child skipping with a basket. It was a phantom ache, a constant, low thrumming of absence.

Until one particularly bright morning. You was distracted, contemplating a new irrigation system for the sugar cane fields, when you rounded a corner a little too sharply.

Thump!

you collided gently with someone. "Oh, my apologies!" You began, reaching out to steady them.

Your words caught in your throat.

Before you stood a cookie, shorter than I remembered, adorned in what could only be described as a maiden’s outfit. A cascade of light blue hair framed a delicate face, but it was the eyes that truly snagged my attention – those distinct, swirling depths, an exact match for Shadow Milk Cookie’s own, a color like starlight on a deep, deep ocean. She wore a cloak of deep azure and charcoal, reminiscent of a moonless night sky, draped over a simple, dark blue dress, a striking parallel to Little Red Riding Hood, but in melancholic shades. And in her hand, clutched almost protectively, was a small, woven basket.

Your mind reeled. No… no way. The way she shifted, a slight, almost imperceptible flick of her wrist, the way one corner of her mouth twitched ever so slightly. It was him. It was absolutely Shadow Milk. And he was… disguised as a maiden. you remembered the brief, absurd phase he'd gone through, experimenting with various disguises for "covert operations" – this being one of the more ridiculous ones. A giggle threatened to escape, bubbling up from a place of pure, unadulterated shock and amusement. You bit the inside of your cheek, hard, trying to keep a regal composure. He looked utterly preposterous, yet entirely convincing to anyone who didn’t know the real him.

As he began to subtly shift, preparing to melt away into the bustling crowd, you knew you had a split second.

"Have a nice day, Shadow Milk," you found myself saying, your voice as casual as if you were greeting any other citizen, a slight smirk playing on your lips.

His entire body stiffened. He turned back slowly, those unique eyes wide with utter bewilderment. Then, a low, familiar voice, devoid of any maidenly pretense, escaped his lips:

"W-What… How…I was so well disguised like always!!!…HOW!!!”