The Pursuit

Whilst Espresso and the others relished in this success, Wildberry and Crunchy Chip returned to the Market. They noticed that the atmosphere was the same as their last visit, and they were determined to investigate.

"Bustling and busy as always. The narrow streets do not make this easy..." Wildberry remarked, noticing the crowds.

"Look around! There's fishy stuff everywhere!" Crunchy Chip pointed out, looking around.

"Perfect gifts for children, right here! Every child loves these toys! Especially this squeaky puppy, on sale now!" A merchant offered, waving at the two.

"See! That squeaky puppy is still there! Suspicious!" Crunchy Chip exclaimed, gesturing at the toy. "How is it moving on its own? Is it some form of magic?! WELL?! Answer me! Is it magic?!"

"Magic? No, no. There's a winding key right here, hidden under its fur!" The merchant answered, pulling the said key and twisting it a couple times.

"Suspicious... very suspicious! I need to take a closer look for myself!" Crunchy Chip stated, looking for an excuse to take a look. "HOW MUCH IS THIS?!"

"15 Coins! A best bargain price!" The merchant replied, holding the toy.

"15 Coins?! That's worth so many Dark Cacao rations! Hm... Fine! Deal! Gimme one!" Crunchy Chip haggled, buying the toy.

"There you go! Enjoy!" The merchant gave the toy, which immediately began to squeak.

"Ended up buying one?" Wildberry raised an eyebrow, not surprised, having watched the entire exchange in amusement.

"HEY! This is how I learn about new places, alright?" Crunchy Chip defended, holding the toy. "...And this puppy kinda looks like my Cream Wolf!"

"Eyes up front. Watch where you're going." Wildberry reminded, not wanting the wolf captain to get lost in the crowds.

"What's that?! Is that..." Crunchy Chip stopped to smell the air, catching the scent of something familiar. "Is this what they call a Herring Jelly Pie? How could anyone think to make PIE out of Herring Jellies?! What are these Republic folk thinking?"

"Here. Bought it for you." Wildberry sighed, handing the pie.

"You bought a pie?!" Crunchy Chip exclaimed, not expecting the gift.

"Mm-hmm. Herring Jellies are sweeter than you'd think." Wildberry responded, remembering the time he and the others tried the same treat.

"...Sweet?!" Crunchy Chip exclaimed, his expression morphing into disbelief.

"Try one." Wildberry coaxed, holding a slice to Crunchy Chip.

"No... NO! Must... resist... temptation!" Crunchy Chip resisted, clenching his teeth and fists.

"As you wish." Wildberry shrugged, taking the slice for himself.

"...OK, maybe... just ONE... bite... NO! NO NO! Gotta snap out of it! A warrior of the Dark Cacao must not be tempted by sweets! What if His Majesty finds out?!" Crunchy Chip shook his head, trying to resist the urge to eat the pie.

"King Dark Cacao Cookie may be more understanding and trusting than you realize. If he was not, why would he send you here?" Wildberry pointed out, reminding the captain that the king had faith in him.

"You... have a good point. OK then... just one!" Crunchy Chip took a single bite, savoring the flavor. His mood changed almost instantly. "It's... DELICIOUS?! The savoriness of the Herring Jelly and the nuttiness of the pastry! Wait... why am I talking like this?!"

"Hm...?!" Wildberry's expression darkened as he spotted something unusual in the crowd.

"Hey! What gives? I'm just describing food!" Crunchy Chip defended, offended by the reaction.

"It's them!" Wildberry alerted, catching sight of one of the masked Cookies.

"Huh? Hey! You're right!" Crunchy Chip nodded, spotting the Cookie too.

"They haven't noticed us yet. Let us tail them." Wildberry instructed, following the masked Cookie.

"Where're they going?" Crunchy Chip questioned, trailing the masked Cookie, before losing track of them. "What...?! Where'd they go? They just disappeared right before our eyes!"

"They really are quick on their feet. Keep your eyes peeled. There is a fork in the road ahead. They must have taken one of these paths." Wildberry observed, pointing out the split.

"You take the left! I'll take the right!" Crunchy Chip nodded, heading off to investigate.

"Agreed. And be careful." Wildberry added, taking his own path.

Following Wildberry, he found himself in Choco Mud Town, where he was searching the landscape for the masked Cookie, keeping his guard up at all times. "This place is... Ah. The mudflats, where we met Seaweed Cookie. Are they leading me towards a trap? We seem to be heading towards the darkest parts of the city..." He mused, his suspicions rising.

"Ha! Welcome, welcome! Your path here must have been difficult." A Cookie dressed in a white hooded robe approached, bearing a mask.

"You led me into a trap...!" Wildberry growled, realizing he was cornered.

"No, not just a trap. A trap that will lead to your demise!" The Masked Cookie declared, pulling out a dagger and lunging at Wildberry.

Meanwhile, with Crunchy Chip at the Back Alley, he had no such encounter. "Hmph... no one's here! What do you think, friend?" He asked, turning toward his Cream Wolf.

"Rrr..." The wolf growled, baring his fangs.

"Yeah, I think so too. They're not here. Let's hurry and find Wildberry Cookie!" Crunchy Chip suggested, looking back before something caught his attention. "Did you hear that?! Something's happening over there! Is Wildberry Cookie in trouble?!"

"Ooof! Urgh, he's stronger than he looks." A Masked Cookie recoiled as they received a strike from Wildberry's gauntlet.

"Identify yourself. Take off that mask." Wildberry commanded, not letting his guard down.

"To take off this mask is to commit heresy against providence... I will never take off my mask." The Masked Cookie replied, readying themselves for another strike.

"Then you leave me no choice. Our fight is... over!" Wildberry exclaimed, preparing to deliver a final strike.

"...To me, comrades!" The Masked Cookie called out, prompting multiple masked Cookies to emerge from the shadows.

"Get back!" A second Masked Cookie demanded, pulling out a wrist blade.

"Your ignorance will not get in our way!" A third Masked Cookie proclaimed, readying their staff.

"You're...?! Appearing all at once again? Just like last time... just like the Masked Cookies that came before you. You know what happened to the first three." Wildberry warned, preparing to fight.

"That scientist slaughtered them in cold strawberry jam! A sin which will be avenged today!" The Masked Cookie declared, brandishing their weapon. "Disbelieving heretic. Your path to oblivion will end in crumbs, abandoned by all! Say your prayers, heretic! ATTACK!"

At the same time, Crunchy Chip and his wolf rushed towards the area, looking around the place. "I can hear someone fighting, but where?! WHERE?! Wait, this is..." He gasped as he turned around, recognizing Wildberry's gauntlet.

"A piece of Wildberry Cookie's cloak? Ripped off... And there! His gauntlet! Did he get kidnapped?!" Crunchy Chip questioned, worried and shocked. "How can you be THAT big and tall and still get kidnapped?! Those masked Cookies must be better fighters than we thought! I gotta go save him!"

He tried to pick up Wildberry's gauntlet, which did not bring any fruits. "Spoiled icing! THIS IS HEAVY! I got no choice but to drag it along...!" He groaned, beginning to pull the gauntlet before he recognized where he was. "Hey! This is... the mudflats? This is where Seaweed Cookie was working last time. Eugh...! THIS MUD! I'm sinking with each step!"

"And... Underneath are... Too creepy! I'm getting sugarbumps all over my dough!" He complained, shuddering at practically everything around him. "Gotta... keep... going... C'mon! C'MON! Wildberry Cookie might be in danger without his gauntlet!"

"Arf! Arf arf!!" The Cream Wolf barked, sensing someone.

"Cream Wolf! Have you caught the scent of Wildberry Cookie?" Crunchy Chip asked, turning around to see the Cream Wolf had indeed spotted the Hollyberrian. "WILDBERRY COOKIE! ARE YOU SAFE?!"

"GET OFF ME!" Wildberry grunted, making the Masked Cookies around him scatter as he swung his fist.

"WAIT! Stop! We yield!" The Masked Cookie pleaded, not wanting to fight anymore.

"It hurts!" Another Masked Cookie whimpered, recoiling.

"Why isn't he sinking in the mud?!" Another one questioned, confused.

"HEY... What? You can fight WITHOUT your gauntlet?!" Crunchy Chip questioned, baffled as to how Wildberry was able to fight with no weapon.

"Crunchy Chip Cookie. You've arrived. This is nothing. My bare fists are enough." Wildberry stated, turning around to greet his ally.

"HRMPH! Hurry up and take this! I had to lug that thing all the way here!" Crunchy Chip scoffed, tossing the gauntlet towards Wildberry.

"Ah. Thank you." Wildberry thanked, catching the gauntlet and equipping it. "This is more like it. The gauntlet feels much more natural. Now. Where were we?"

"Change of plans! TARGET THE OTHER ONE! GET THE SMALL ONE FIRST!" The Masked Cookie ordered, pointing at Crunchy Chip.

"Grr...!" The wolf snarled, stepping protectively in front of his owner.

"Outta my way, mongrel!" A Masked Cookie sneered, kicking the Cream Wolf aside, making it whimper in pain.

"Cream Wolf?! Did you just kick my best friend?! DID YOU JUST KICK MY BEST FRIEND?! Bring it... BRING IT!" Crunchy Chip roared, furious and ready to fight.

"Crunchy Chip Cookie. I stand by your side." Wildberry declared, stepping beside the captain.

"Let's do THIS! We'll show you what the Dark Cacao and Hollyberry Kingdoms are made of!" Crunchy Chip declared, preparing for the attack.

While Wildberry and Crunchy Chip fought the Masked Cookies, Mochaccino and Espresso were still taking notes after the experiment's success. "If I recall correctly, this new form of Soul Jam must contain an ingredient that resonates with the one who intends to wield it?" Espresso recounted, thinking about the new form of the power, dubbed Magic Candy. "And you theorize that this one, using espresso as its base, is compatible to only me?"

"Indeed, the caffeinated drink is your essence. If another Cookie tried to wield this power, they wouldn't be able to, due to the fact they don't have as much affinity with coffee as you do." Mochaccino nodded, explaining his thoughts on the new discovery. "It likely wouldn't be compatible with me, either. Despite coffee being part of my essence as well, I am not the same level of compatibility as you."

"A more than reasonable conclusion, I will make sure to record these details as soon as possible." Espresso agreed, noting the points down. "By that logic, in order to create a Magic Candy that will accept others, they will need to use an essence of something that resonates with themselves. Latte Cookie, for example. She'd need the recepticle to be merged with bittersweet latte... Yes, that makes perfect sense."

"And, it shouldn't be to difficult to identify what resonates with a Cookie. After all, our soul is what is within our very essence." Mochaccino stated, writing his own thoughts down. "So, to summarize... A Magic Candy will require an ingredient of the Cookie's essence in order to work and cannot be used by Cookies who's essences are not the main component."

"This is an excellent breakthrough. Our names will be remembered for generations to come for granted! Thank you, Mochaccino Cookie, for this collaboration." Espresso complimented, happy about the experiment's success.

"And, thank you for the opportunity." Mochaccino nodded, smiling. "Now, I believe we've done enough for today. We've earned some well deserved rest. Shall we?"

"I would usually foraske the idea of sleep, but I will make an exception. While excited, I will not deny that the exhaustion is catching up to me." Espresso yawned, covering his mouth.

"We can announce the news tomorrow, so the others can hear. For now, we shall return to our quarters and relax." Mochaccino stated, leading the other wizard away.

"Right." Espresso nodded, following the professor.

Finally, the Night Market was starting to grow quiet as nighttime began. "HRMPH... Those soft-buttered Republic Guards... They just took those masked Cookies away...! We weren't done with them!" Crunchy Chip grunted, disappointed the guards had to intervene.

"Crunchy Chip Cookie. We are the outsiders here. We have no jurisdiction here. We can only hope the criminals are properly detained and judged." Wildberry reminded, not wanting to cause any more trouble.

"Something's still fishy, I tell ya...! Why is the Lower City just... just... ignored like this? Why isn't anything being done properly here?" Crunchy Chip questioned, finding it strange. "Don't you see? Anything and everything that happens here just seems to get buried and forgotten."

"There are always two sides to a Coin. The Hollyberry Kingdom, as well as any other Kingdom on Earthbread, has its own hushed shadows. But the Crème Republic's shadows are rather... disturbing." Wildberry commented, finding the situation unsettling.

"That's my point! When we first got here, everyone looked like they had perfect lives in their perfect streets with their perfect smiles!" Crunchy Chip recalled, not liking the atmosphere of the city. "We had no idea the Lower City was like this until we saw it ourselves!"

"Is the Convocation of Elders unaware of such conditions? Or... are they, in a manner of speaking, burying it in the mud?" Wildberry wondered, thinking about the situation.

"And what about Clotted Cream Cookie? Do you think he was keeping the Lower City a secret from us?" Crunchy Chip wondered, bringing up the chance.

"No, he is not concealing this place from us. Perhaps he is merely indifferent and apathetic to the Lower City's misfortunes. Which, when you think about it, is even worse." Wildberry suggested, not liking the answer, but finding it plausible.

"All Cookies should be equal! The Dark Cacao Kingdom doesn't care about mansions or coins! We live together, we survive together, we fight TOGETHER!" Crunchy Chip declared, proud of his kingdom's beliefs.

"The Hollyberry Kingdom has its fair share of opulent households. But at least we share the same culture and values." Wildberry nodded, agreeing with his ally. "But here...Only a select few seem to hold power and wealth."

"Frost Ridge take me! The longer I spend here, the greater my respect for King Dark Cacao grows! He's always so calm, determined! And he always treats his subjects with respect and honor!" Crunchy Chip remarked, praising his king.

"I, too, am grateful to serve Her Majesty Hollyberry Cookie. She treats all with the same level of respect and adoration. No matter the flavor of dough, no matter the house or status." Wildberry added, showing his own loyalty.

"HAA! You'd fit right into the Dark Cacao Kingdom, Wildberry Cookie. You should come visit one day! There's nothing like it! Training in the cold, icy wind and looking upon the snowy peaks!" Crunchy Chip smiled, offering the invitation.

"The Hollyberry Kingdom would suit you as well. You may quite enjoy Hollyberrian life. You'd find many a trustworthy colleague here and may wish to stay indefinitely." Wildberry smiled, offering a chance.

"Hmph...! He he! Hey. Wanna make a bet once we get back? A bet on who wants to visit whose Kingdom more?" Crunchy Chip offered, curious about the idea. "I'm warning ya though! You're gonna LOVE the Dark Cacao Kingdom! I know it!"

"I agree to this wager. I guarantee that you will learn to admire the Hollyberry Kingdom. I am certain." Wildberry nodded, accepting the deal.

However, in the Back Alley of the lower city, Missionary Cookie was spouting nonsense again. "My friends... Our time has come. Our path to paradise will be opened soon, provided by providence itself. We will no longer trudge in the mud. We will no longer be caught in the dark, groveling to see the light of the sun." She declared, preaching her beliefs.

"What nonsense are you spouting this time?!" A back street Cookie growled, annoyed.

"We don't need paradise from some grand unknown power! We need work! We need jobs!" Another Cookie pointed out, fed up.

"Open your eyes. Flush away the ignorance. Unravel your hearts... Only then will providence pave the way to the sky..." Missionary Cookie stated, continuing her preaching.

"I see you are tirelessly delivering the words of truth to the crowds. Providence smiles upon you." A shadowy figure approached the preacher.

"Thank you, good Prior..." Missionary Cookie bowed, addressing the figure.

"Have you a report on the Cabal of Secrets' whereabouts?" The figure asked, wanting information.

"Unfortunately, they have been apprehended by the City Guards." Missionary Cookie informed, looking up. "Preferrable to... what happened to the previous three members."

"That day will never be forgotten. But fear not. I shall relay news of the cabal's capture personally. But take caution. Our secret must not be unveiled... Providence will solve everything in time." The figure stated, turning around.

"I understand, Prior. May its mercy be granted to all..." Missionary Cookie prayed, returning to her preaching.

"I take my leave. Continue preaching the words of truth." The figure ordered, revealing to be none other than Shadow Sister Cookie. "For one day, on that fateful day, all residing here will meet providence... the hands of greatness, headdress of wisdom, and mountainous shadow will grace us all."