The roar of the Time Rift finally ceased, replaced by an unsettling quiet. Energy Drink Cookie landed with a heavy thud on the ground. Yet another timeline. Crocoplier, still clinging to one of the tank's hoses, snapped excitedly, its little head swiveling.

"Khhhh... Prhhh... Stable... Crocoplier?" Energy Drink Cookie's asked raggedly through the mask, their good eye scanning the surroundings.

This... wasn't right. No sea of jam. No skeletal husks of buildings. Instead, vibrant green foliage swayed gently. Cookies, uninfected Cookies, bustled about in the distance, their laughter echoing without the usual backdrop of moans and shuffles. It was... peaceful. Too peaceful. Something twisted in Energy Drink Cookie's chest. A memory? No. Just an aching void where a memory should be.

"This... is not... Earthbread," they rasped, the words heavy with confusion. This was a timeline untouched, spared. But why here? Why now? Then, a faint, almost imperceptible whirring sound began to emanate from the distant sky – the sound of a Time Rift ready to open. The TBD. They were close. Always close.