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elliebyrrdwrites · 11 days

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The Heist pt. 7

in which we get a bit of a backstory for Theo and Hermione.

Two Dates

“Let me get this straight,” Blaise’s brown eyes narrowed in on Draco as he leaned back in his seat. Draco sat across from him at his desk, a cup of tea in his hand. Theo sat to Blaise’s left, while Granger sat on her favorite spot atop Draco’s desk, the corner closest to Zabini.

Draco didn’t miss the way Zabini’s eyes kept drifting toward the thighs pressed together as she flipped through a book on Phlebotomy.

“You want me to help you screw over Astoria Greengrass.” Zabini’s cat-like gaze settled back on Draco. “The woman I was set to marry before your family swooped in and cemented an engagement.”

Granger looked up from her book, suddenly intrigued with the conversation.

“I think I did you a favor, if you think about it.” Draco murmured before taking a sip of his tea. “You were always pining after her older sister. Things would have gotten messy.” He added before adding another spoonful of sugar.

“The same woman,” Zabini went on, undeterred. “That you left at the alter.”

“So, I did us both a favor.” Draco lamented.

Theo snorted but quickly covered it up with a cough when Zabini shot him a glare.

“I think the deal works out in your favor quite a bit.” Granger said and held up a perfectly manicured nail. “You will get more publicity and recognition for your research facility with willing participants.” She held up a second finger. “And you get a fascinating artifact to study.”

“Plus you get to screw over the girl who rejected you.” Draco tossed in, causing Granger to look at him, her eyes warning him to behave. He grinned brightly at her as he took a sip from his tea. Her eyes warmed but the warning remained tucked into the edges.

When Draco slid his eyes back to Zabini, he found the wizard watching Granger, a calculating look in his eyes.

“Okay,” He nodded. “I’ll do it.”

“You will?” Theo asked, his chin resting in his hand, elbow pressed into the chair.

“On one condition.”

“Of course.” Theo rolled his eyes.

“Naturally.” Draco nodded, expecting a caveat in his agreement. “What do you have in mind?”

Zabini’s eyes seemed to brighten as he looked, meaningful, from Draco to Granger. “A date with you.”

Granger snorted that snort that caused a recent bout of fondness in Draco. “Me?” She looked behind her.

Theo scoffed and said, “That’s preposterous,” the same time that Draco reacted with, “Excuse me?”

Zabini grinned and stood from his seat. “Those are my terms.” He dusted of his suit and stepped closer to Granger.

Theo stiffened in his seat while Draco found his jaw aching from how hard he was clenching it.

“What do you say, Granger? One little date can’t hurt. Surely, it’s nothing compared to all of this,” His hand gestured, flippantly, toward the desk. All of the information and proposed offers were laid out.

Granger straightened, her shoulders rolling back as she appraised Zabini.

“Okay.” She nodded.

Draco’s jaw loosened and he forced his mouth to lift in a grin as Theo did no such thing. He openly protested the agreement with a scowl and the lowering of his head into his hand.

“Perfect. I’m free on Friday evening. Pick you up at seven?”

“That’s the night before!” Theo hissed but Granger nodded and stuck her slender little hand into Zabini’s much larger one.

“It’s a date. F.Y.I. I don’t do Indian food on a first date.”

“First?” Theo was appalled as Zabini chuckled.

“I don’t do Thai.”

“Make it expensive.” She said before looking back to the book in her lap.

Zabini looked at Draco. “Tell the Potters that my office will get in touch with them later today.”

“Will do.” Draco grinned at his old school mate and leaned back in his chair, finishing the last dredges of his tea.

Theo watched Zabini left, but didn’t say a work until the flare of Draco’s Floo alerted them to his departure from the home.

Draco watched as Theo turned in his seat and the two men’s eyes met. They exchanged the same look of unease before they both looked to Granger as she said,

“Would either of you consider yourself an artist?”

Draco lifted a brow while Theo shrugged. “I’m a con artist. That counts, right?”

Granger huffed out a laugh and looked up at Theo with a playful roll of her eyes. “Can you draw, though?”

Theo nodded at Draco. “That would be Draco’s expertise.”

This caused Granger to twist and look at Draco. “You draw?”

“I doodle.” He sniffed.

“He lies.” Theo stood and stretched before moving over to the bookshelf he enjoyed browsing, though the selections never changed.

“Why?” Draco asked her and she jumped off the desk. She quickly dropped her book onto the desk before summoning photographs, likely from her charmed little purse.

“I already ruined one walrus ivory myself.” She explained and spread a few pictures of The Wand onto his desk. She made her way over to his side of the desk and leaned over his left arm to point to the first picture. “I figured out how to create the flint like carvings, but I’m afraid I’m a shite artist.”

Draco chuckled, but his nose was filling with her scent, making him crave something citrusy. Something sweet.

“I had to go see Cormac again to get another.” She paused and looked up at Theo who was pointedly looking away from her, and into a book Draco was certain he wasn’t reading. “I’d really rather not go see him again.” She added, her voice lowering.

Draco nodded and ran his finger over the carvings on the photograph of The Wand. She had printed several angles of the Wand, allowing him to see every angle. “I’ll do it.” He assured her, and looked up to meet her eyes. She was still leaned over his arm, and her breasts brushed slightly against his bicep as she smiled down at him.

“Do you have the ivory in that clever little purse of yours?” His voice was lower than he had meant, but his eyes greedily took in the way her lips parted in shock before they pulled into a grin.

“It is.” She pulled away and moved to get the purse that was sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch.

He knew that she could have summoned it but chose to fetch it, as if eager to put distance between them. Draco thought that it might have been to hide the blush that filled her cheeks as she turned away.

The familiar sound of the Potters drifted down the hall, towards the study, apparently arriving through the Floo.

When they entered the room, Teddy Lupin was trailing them, his bright blue hair nearly as blinding as the smile he flashed them all as he hurried over to the stack of magazines in Draco’s study.

“Potters,” Draco greeted them with a nod of his head.

“Hey.” Ginny frowned and cut straight to the point, as they had just come back from their first meeting with Astoria.

Ginny, being incredibly proactive, didn’t wait for Astoria’s personal assistant to schedule the Potters in. No, the witch somehow found the witches preferred restaurant for dinner and just happened to be stopping by for takeout. The two witched had hit it off and scheduled brunch for the next morning.

“We have a problem.” She said, as she settled into the chair Zabini had vacated. Potter glanced over at Theo who was watching Granger with narrowed eyes.

“Astoria is in.” Harry said, which didn’t sound like a problem.

“But?” Draco drawled.

“But she insists that other well-known members of the Wizarding worlds high society partake.”

“So? Zabini will more than likely garner enough high class assholes to throw their support in.” Theo frowned as Granger retrieved the ivory from her purse.

“Well,” Harry rubbed at the back of his neck, suddenly very uncomfortable. “She’s asked us to get your support.” He said to Draco. “Said if we can get you involved, then she would agree.”

This was surprising, but Draco merely grinned and held his hand out for the ivory that Granger was walking over. “Did she.” He hummed and allowed his eyes to run over the smooth piece of ivory, almost identical to the last one she had shown him. “This one is better,” He lifted his eyes to Granger, who nodded her agreement. This one appeared older, and therefore required less aging on their part.

“Well?” Ginny prodded Draco, pulling his attention back to her and her husband.

“I’ll need a date. Granger?” He looked up to the witch to find her eyes twinkling with amusement.

“You want me to go as your girlfriend to what? Make you ex-fiancé jealous?”

Draco shook his head. “Not jealous. If I let her think I’m single, she’ll find a way to rub it in my face.” Or sink her claws in, he thought to himself.

“How does this help our situation, exactly?” Theo pushed away from the book shelf.

But Draco looked up at Granger and grinned at her as he replied, “I can think of a few ways it could help.”

She licked her lips and tilted her head. “You have dimples. When did you get dimples?”

“So is that a yes?”

She rolled her eyes and let out a bored sigh. “If I do, then who is going to act as lead researcher?”

“Theo,”

“Polyjuice?” She asked, eyes shining.

“Ugh, I hate polyjuice. Let me transfigure myself.” He whined.

“Transfiguring wont be enough. You’re too recognizable.” Granger reasoned. “You cannot transfigure your eyes, Theo.”

Theo looked up from his book, a bit dumbstruck. “My eyes?”

“Yes,” Granger sighed. “They’re quite distinct.”

“They are lovely.” Ginny mused, agreeing with Granger.

“Is that what you think?” Theo demanded of Granger but she merely shrugged.

“So it’s decided. I’ll go if Granger agrees to be my date.”

“I will, as long as Theo takes on the role as Lead Researcher.”

“Do I need to point out the fact that you’ve just accepted two dates in one day?” Theo closed the book and shoved it onto the shelf.

“This,” She gestured to Draco. “Isn’t really a date.”

“It isn’t?” Draco asked with a grin.

She sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Who else are you going on a date with?” Harry asked, thoroughly amused. Ginny looked exceedingly excited.

“That isn’t really a date, either.”

“Don’t say that to Zabini.”

“Zabini?” Ginny squawked.

“It’s part of the deal we made in order for him to go along with stealing from Greengrass.”

Teddy tossed his magazine onto the table and eyed Theo. “Why are you so upset about Aunt Hermione? Do you want to take her out on a date?”

Theo scoffed and attempted several syllables before he rolled his eyes and shrugged. “I already have.”

“Details!” Ginny exclaimed and clapped her hands together. Granger, meanwhile, only smirked at her friend while Harry lifted an eyebrow.

“I thought you two were just partners in crime.”

“We are. That’s when it first started.” Theo grinned.

“It started out as a date.” Granger slid herself onto that corner of the desk she preferred so much. “But instead of giving me a kiss at the end.”

“We partook in a good ol’ round of B and E.”

“B and E?” Teddy asked.

“Breaking and entering.” Hermione supplied before looking at Draco, who was grinning broadly at her. “We broke into Marcus Flint’s home and took a souvenir.”

“What was it?” Harry chuckled.

“His broom.” Theo snickered.

“Brilliant.” Ginny giggled.

“We worked together a few more times but it wasn’t until —” She stopped herself, eyes widening.

Draco watched as the blush that usually accompanied uncomfortable situations blossomed and then spread across her cheeks and all the way to her neck.

“So you never kissed?” Ginny prodded.

“No,” Granger said the same time Theo replied, “Possibly.”

Everyone stared from one to the other.

“We didn’t.” Granger insisted but Theo pressed his lips together and shrugged, innocently.

“Theo was getting over his relationship with Pansy Parkinson, so even if we had, it was most likely to get over her.”

Draco recalled it with a grimace. Theo had been thoroughly destroyed by Pansy leaving him over his choice of lifestyle. Theo had tried to be good for her, but it was a job with Draco that ultimately led him to lose her in the end.

Theo twitched. “That’s old news.”

“You haven’t dated anyone since.”

“I dated you.”

“We went on one date and never kissed, Theo.”

Theo simply fidgeted with his tie, tucking it into his blazer.

“Where’s Seamus?” Granger asked, suddenly.

Everyone looked at one another but it was Teddy who finally replied.

“I think he’s on a date.”

“On a date?” Granger checked her wrist, for some unknown reason, as there was no watch tied to it. “It’s lunch time. Who is he on a date with?”

“He, um.” Teddy shrugged and sucked through his teeth.

“Teddy.” Harry said with a sigh and the boy relented.

“He met some muggle woman at the museum.”

Granger looked to Theo with a frown before she cleared her throat and addressed Teddy. “Are you ready to practice?”

The young wizard nodded. “Who am I stabbing first?”

Granger’s nose twitched as she considered everyone in the room. “Me.”

“What do you mean, he’s stabbing you first?” Theo’s brow lifted as he drifted closer.

A tray full of sharp needles and tubes and vials with a goopy glob of something in it appeared on the coffee table as Granger summoned them from where, Draco had no clue.

“Teddy needs to practice drawing blood.”

Theo jumped back and scowled at the witch. Everyone looked at Harry who deflated under their expectant stares. The Boy Who Lived gulped and forced a reply.

“Fine.”

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hollowed-theory-hall · 24 days

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Ok math really isn’t my strongest subject but I don’t think the population is 6000. JKR said it was around 3000, and after doing some calculations that seems about right. If there is 8 students in Harry’s Gryffindor year and we use that as the basis for calculating (actually let’s round it up to 10 to be safe). 10 x 4 (4 houses) = 40, 40 x 7 (7 years) = 280, 40 x 11 (each number in 11 representing a year of the children who are not in hogwarts yet) = 440, 440 + 280 = 720, so there are around 720 children in the wizarding world UK (and that’s probably overestimating). In the UK people under 18 represent around 20(ish)% of the population if we apply that to the WW then 720 is 20% of 3600. We can adjust for the fact that wizards seem to live a bit longer due to magic probably improving their health, so I’d say the population is around 4000 ish.

I agree with you on the estimated number of children under 18, being in the realms of 700-800. The thing is, I don't think the precantage of 20% in the UK would apply to the WW.

Firstly, that percentage is true for 2024. As the books take place in the 1990s, we should use the precatage of around 24% children under 18 in the UK, from 1992, for example, to get a more accurate picture.

But even then, I don't think it's the right way to calculate the WW population for the other reasons:

Secondly, wizards have a longer life expectancy than muggles. It was stated that wizards, on average, live to the age of 130, which means they have a higher precantage of elderly than in the muggle world. It means that the age distribution of the population across society will be different for them because there are age ranges that don't exist in any substantial way in the muggle calculations. That's why I made the number higher, since we have a lot more old people than in the muggle UK.

Thirdly, death and birth rates. The Wizarding World wouldn't follow the same birth and death rates as the muggle world, again, changing these percentages.

Wars affect the birth rates, for example, and could go either towards a baby boom, like after WWII, or to a lack of children, depending on the society. Considering how many only children we see at Hogwarts in Harry's time, it's likely the latter. I think Harry's generation that was born during the war, and the few years, immediately after, are among the smaller ones in the WW, so there are less children than in some former generations.

(The Weasleys do have more children, but they seem to be the exception rather than the common practice)

We see this change in birth rates by looking at the Black family tree, for example. Phineas Nigellus Black had 4 siblings and 5 children, and his children had at least 3 children each. The next generations continue to have at least 2 children. Then Voldemort’s war hits, and Lucius and Narcissa only have one child. So, the recent wars seemed to have lowered the birth rates.

As for the death rates, the wars with Voldemort had a hand here, but if we look at Harry's time at Hogwarts, Voldemort’s first war didn't actually kill that many people. So the more interesting death rates would be disease, accidents, and injuries, basically any death that isn't natural.

As wizards can fix most of illnesses and injuries with magic, their death rates would be lower than in the muggle world. This, again, adds more older people and changes the percentages you mentioned.

These are mostly the reasons why I had the estimated number closer to 6000. Because children under 18 are just a much smaller portion of the wizarding population than the muggle one.

#harry potter #harry potter thoughts #harry potter theory #hp theory #wizarding world #hp #hollowedtheory #hp thoughts #anon ask #anonymous #asks

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slusheeduck · 7 months

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Fictober 2023 Prompt: "It's not too late, let's go." Fandom: Baldur's Gate 3

“You know, I can’t help but feel a little left out.”

Gale didn’t jump, at least, and he was quite proud of himself for that. But the little jolt and shiver from being snuck up on—by a vampire no less—just couldn’t be avoided. Astarion, on the other hand, looked casual as anything, absently fiddling with his telescope.

“I’d love to know what I’m leaving you out of,” Gale said, shutting his book.

“Well, my bunk’s right across from yours, so don’t think I missed your little light show with our fearless leader. Reaching into the Weave or whatever it is you call it.” Astarion sent him a pointy grin. “So why does he get magic lessons, and the rest of us don’t?”

There’s no good way to answer this. Luckily, Gale was spared a sputtered out reply as Astarion continued.

“Why, did you ever consider that I might want to learn magic?”

Gale squinted at him as he set his book aside. That’s the thing he was finding with Astarion—it was very difficult to figure out how much he said was just to rile people up, and how much was genuine. Falerin managed quite well with him, given the looks they’d been giving each other, but Gale? Even before his self-imposed year of isolation, reading people had never been his strong suit, and the tadpole really should be helping more than it was.

“Well, you seem to have a good grasp on what you do know,” he finally said. “You know the basics, clearly, and I…well, I’ll be honest, I just assumed this sort of thing wouldn’t interest you.”

Astarion’s hand paused on the telescope, red eyes narrowed as they met Gale’s gaze. “Because you think I’m stupid.”

“What? No! I-I never…what would make you think I…?”

“Oh, it’s not personal. You probably think everyone here is stupid. Here you are, Gale of Waterdeep, big-shot wizard with your plush tower waiting for you. And you’re stuck with us peons while we search for a cure.” Astarion pushed the telescope, sending it spinning. “I know your type. I’ve lured plenty just like you back to Cazador. Perhaps not with your taste in magic items, but deep down, you’re the same.”

“Astarion.” The name came out much sterner than Gale meant it to, and that seemed to give the elf pause. “I don’t think anyone here is stupid, including you. I’ve seen you be plenty cunning, and that requires no small amount of intelligence.”

Astarion’s eyes darted over him, looking for the lie. He swallowed after a moment, then looked back at the telescope. “I really was a magistrate, you know,” he said, voice softer and missing the venom from just a moment before. “Yes, I may have had some help getting there, but that was still very impressive for an elf of my age. And I took it seriously! Too seriously, even, considering that’s how I…wound up like this.” He let out a long breath through his nose, falling silent.

Gale chewed the inside of his lip as he crossed his arms, thinking of the best way to respond. This, he knew, was deeper than just wanting to learn about magic, or even just being clever. But unless he was going to do a dive into Astarion’s mind—which, from experience, was decidedly not a pleasant way to share information—there was no way to tell how he should respond.

“Then let me show you how to reach into the Weave,” he finally said. “You’re able to do it, same as Falerin and I did. It just takes some instruction, and I am more than glad to give it.” He stepped up to stand beside him. “After all, it’s not too late, let’s go. Give it a try.”

A strange look crossed Astarion’s face, like he was caught between surprise and suspicion. His pale brows drew together, and he looked for a moment as though he was going to accept the offer. But instead, he scoffed with a haughty little toss of his head.

“Some of us got our arses handed to us by a pack of kobolds earlier today, so I’m afraid I’ll have to decline,” he said. He once again locked his eyes on Gale’s; this time, though, there was no calculation or suspicion. Just…relief. “But another time, maybe.”

“Just say the word.”

Astarion gave him a little smirk just on the edge of being a real smile, then adjusted the telescope back to where it was before. “Sleep well, Gale,” he said breezily as he turned to head back to his camp. “I’ll let you know if we find any tasty items while we’re out tomorrow.”

Gale puffed out a laugh, then shook his head as he went to pick up his book. Look at that, he was getting people skills. Well, vampire skills. He’d have to tell Tara about this when he got home.

#fictober 2023 #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #astarion #gale #I'm doing dumb little stories with The Party because I want more interaction #I'm craving it #It's not technically Bloodweave because I'm doing it based on my current playthrough where I'm predictably romancing Astarion #But if you want to read it that way I will NOT stop you because I love Bloodweave #But I think they'd get along even if they weren't romantic #fanfic

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moonlightdancer26 · 11 months

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who do you think would win a fistfight between:

Pomfresh & Severus

Ron & Harry & Hermione

Draco & Pansy

Moody & Greyback

Peter & Luna

Umbridge & Trelawney

Bellatrix & Sirius

Petunia & Narcissa

Slughorn & Flitwick

(hope you have fun with this!)

LMFAOO ILY ANON

Pomfresh & Severus

Idk who Pomfresh is but I’m assuming you mean Pomfrey, if so, Severus would woop her ancient ass.

Ron & Harry & Hermione

(I’m assuming you mean individually)

Harry would probably beat Hermione (saying probably because book!Mione was a menace 💀)

Ron would sweep Hermione off her feet (not like he did in canon tho) and throw her tiny body off the Astronomy tower.

Ron and Harry is a slightly tougher one, but I’m still certain Ron will win. He’s taller and more buff while Harry was generally described as scrawny, and he’s proven to have a lot of physical strength throughout the series. (Mans gave Malfoy a black eye when he was 11)

Draco & Pansy

Draco was definitely taller and stronger, since he, like Harry and Ron, was also a Quidditch player, which requires some strength and a lot of agility. So he’d deffo beat her.

Moody & Greyback

No contest whatsoever 💀💀 Moody was hella old, had an artificial leg, and very.. freakishly built. He was basically just an old man without his wand. However, Greyback, even in his “human” form, looked like a werewolf and had the same claws, teeth, and almost the same amount of strength. He doesn’t even need to use magic to tackle anyone, let alone an old man.

Peter & Luna

ooou, this is a good one. I’d say Peter, he was a rather small man and wasn’t in good shape (bro was a rat for over a decade, I’m surprised he even remembered how to walk), but I think he’d be able to overpower her in a physical fight. He has a metal arm too. She’d be much quicker than him, but I think his throws would be harder. He’d just sit on her tbh.

Umbridge & Trelawney

Omg 😭 this fight would be legendary, that’s for sure. But I think Trelawney would win, she’s probably taller and she’s in much better shape, so I’m assuming she’d win.

Bellatrix & Sirius

That would be such a hot fight 😩 tbh I genuinely don’t know who’d win, but if I had to choose I’d say Sirius.

My reasons are:

He was much more emotional and filled with rage, this could either be very useful or very disadvantageous in a physical fight. If your opponent is calm and collected, there’s a better chance they can make faster and more calculated moves while remaining stealthy. But if your opponent likes to taunt you and is easily distracted, then your anger and recklessness might prove to be useful, as it might catch them off-guard. That’s one of the reasons Molly managed to kill her in the first place, it was a wand-fight, yes, but Bellatrix still proved herself to be too easily-distracted. She likes to laugh and jeer at her opponents, which is a huge disadvantage in fights, most especially physical ones.

Bellatrix probably didn’t even know how to probably fist-fight someone, especially since it was a “filthy Muggle thing.” Wizards, even the non-prejudiced ones, mostly stuck with wand fights, so it would be ridiculous for a witch who thinks anyone who isn’t a pureblood is below her would know about how Muggles fight. She would most likely brush it off as an uncivilised Muggle practice. Sirius, on the other hand, saw learning about Muggle things as a method to rebel against his parents. And considering he and James’s ways of taunting Snape in their schooldays included a shit ton of magical violence (but violence nonetheless), I think it’s safe to say Sirius wasn’t unfamiliar with physical fights.

So I think Sirius would win. I considered this a close one because 1. not much was said about their physical abilities, and their overall abilities, for that matter (apart from their magical talent ofc) 2. they were both approximately the same height 3. they were both in Azkaban for 12 years [if only one of them went to Azkaban and the other lived an extra 12 years of their life being healthy and well-fed then the latter would have a huge advantage].

Petunia & Narcissa

Narcissa a baddie, she’d def win. /j

Ok but seriously, I don’t really know. But I think Petunia might actually win. Narcissa’s taller (and yummier) but, like her sister, she likely didn’t know much about physical fights. Because she was from a pureblood family and believed in pureblood supremacy, so that already gives Tuney an advantage. And even then, we see that Tuney isn’t opposed to physical violence, she legit tried to hit Harry’s head with a frying pan once, so who knows what other messed up shit she’s done to him throughout those 10 years. So, I’d say Tuney might win, but they likely have approximately the same amount of physical strength, which is what makes this fight a rather close one.

Slughorn & Flitwick

If they were to ever get into a fight it would definitely look like this:

that’s all I can say

#severus snape #ron weasley #hermione granger #harry james potter #draco malfoy #narcissa malfoy #luna lovegood #peter pettigrew #sirius black #bellatrix lestrange #filius flitwick #harry potter #hp #ask #asks

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cookie-run-kingdom-story · 1 year

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EPISODE 16: THE CITY OF WIZARDS

Moonlight Cookie: The night is when magic awakens… Moonlight Cookie: When the sun is gone and darkness shrouds the world, the Moonlight begins its story. Moonlight Cookie: When the sea and sky are united by the color of night, the Dream sprawls its wings to travel freely across its wondrous, limitless realm. And the Wizards, the sages of the night… One of the reasons I adore the City so. Moonlight Cookie: There were times, when all stars here bore a name of their own. Grand bookshelves in the libraries. Observatories spired in the night sky, paralleled in height only by the Wizards’ knowledge and wisdom. Moonlight Cookie: Cookies, created by the Wizards, gained a shining purpose to serve their creators as aides in the search of Truth. Moonlight Cookie: Yet… All is now nothing more than echoes of the past. Moonlight Cookie: When I close my eyes… my memories take me to a time when I wasn’t alone. And those long gone are back as though they have never left… Moonlight Cookie: Is this but a dream? Or am I awake now…? Moonlight Cookie: Will they return if I wait long enough? Moonlight Cookie: My name is Moonlight Cookie… The Custodian of the City of Wizards.

Moonlight Cookie: Who goes there… who- Unknown Figure: …… Moonlight Cookie: Are you, too, an apparition of my dreams? Or perhaps…

GingerBrave: …! This place is…! Wizard Cookie: Precisely! Not a single Cookie in sight! The whole place is running on magical contraptions! Wizard Cookie: The great Magical Civilization and all the Wizards… POOF! Gone! They call it “one of the Seven Mysteries of Earthbread!” Wizard Cookie: We’ve finally arrived at the legendary City of Wizards!

GingerBrave: Huh… Who would’ve known we’d have to get kicked out of a train for that! Strawberry Cookie: I liked the train… It brought us all the way here…! GingerBrave: Right…! Remind me to thank Milky Way Cookie if we ever see her again! Strawberry Cookie: Huh… The moon looks so big here… Is that because the whole city is so empty? Wizard Cookie: According to the Annals of Magic, this place was chosen by the Wizards because this is where the Moon is the biggest, meaning that its arcane powers are the strongest here! Wizard Cookie: It took several dozens of mathematicians to calculate this sweet spot, but thanks to their efforts, we can read at night without the need for any candles or lights! GingerBrave: Whoah! Does it mean that even the starry sky is a part of this place…? GingerBrave: The City of Wizards is even cooler than I thought!

GingerBrave: GAH! Look out! Strawberry Cookie: GingerBrave! Behind you! GingerBrave: HAAAAH! Lost Star D612: *Whirr…* GingerBrave: These guys have been following us for a while now. And I don’t think they wanna become friends…! Wizard Cookie: They are the Wizards’ inventions! Crafted to resemble the stars. Wizard Cookie: To them, we are trespassers! Better be on our guard! GingerBrave: They’re after us!

GingerBrave: We come in peace! It’s impolite to attack your guests! Strawberry Cookie: Hm… We don’t have anything to prove that… If only we could meet Moonlight Cookie first… GingerBrave: Right! We must hurry up and find Moonlight Cookie!

Wizard Cookie: My my, would you look at this sight! GingerBrave: Do you see anything?! Wizard Cookie: Come up here! You can see the whole city from this hill! Cookies: WHOAH…! GingerBrave: I can’t believe there’s no one left in this place. If it were up to me, I’d call it “the City of Nightsky.” Strawberry Cookie: Hm… And if it were up to me… “The City of the Crescent…!” Strawberry Cookie: Look! Aaaall the way over there! The statues we passed on our way here…! Strawberry Cookie: Is that where we took the train…? GingerBrave: Seems so! But how did we manage to cross the dream to get here? GingerBrave: Wait a minute… We were walking in circles around the statues… Then we… um… ended up at the train station? Wizard Cookie: The more you think about it, the weirder it gets! Perhaps, that’s the nature of the dream. Wizard Cookie: The power of the Slumbering Moon makes it all possible. After all, Moonlight Cookie is the master of Dream Magic!

GingerBrave: Over there! Moonlight Cookie…! Strawberry Cookie: She’s asleep…! I… almost hate to wake her up… Strawberry Cookie: The moon is so bright and pretty… Why does she look so sad…? GingerBrave: She must feel so lonely watching over this city all by herself! Think how long she must’ve been waiting for us? Wizard Cookie: Not THAT long, if you think of it? Wizard Cookie: After all, she must have lived for much, MUCH longer than us! Strawberry Cookie: B-but… Wizard Cookie: And it is said, that while Moonlight Cookie is asleep, no force can harm the realm of dreams… Wizard Cookie: Her power is WAY too great for an ordinary Cookie. And that’s why we need her help! GingerBrave: But Moonlight Cookie herself asked for our help! There’s gotta be something we can do for her. GingerBrave: Though… how do we wake her up? Wizard Cookie: Hmm… Wizard Cookie: There gotta be hints somewhere in this great city! Looks like we have our mission.

Wizard Cookie: By my hat! Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine visiting the Arcane Planetarium! GingerBrave: Plan… eh? Tarium? Wizard Cookie: An artificially-crafted model of the night sky! The Wizards did love their stars, huh! Strawberry Cookie: Crafted… night sky? What does this even mean…? Wizard Cookie: You’ll understand once you see it with your own eyes! GingerBrave: Oh, wait up! These stairs are too tall!

Strawberry Cookie: Whoooooah… GingerBrave: Whoooooah… Wizard Cookie: Pretty cool, huh? GingerBrave: WHOOOOAH! GingerBrave: A sky… within the city…! And there’re giant balls floating in that sky…! GingerBrave: They look like they’ll crash into each other… But they don’t! What in the world…! Wizard Cookie: Ahem, those “giant balls” represent stars in the sky. While they might look like tiny dots to us, they actually look like that! Or so they say… Wizard Cookie: These stars are created to look exactly like the real ones! And it's all powered with intricate magic spells! Wizard Cookie: And just like trains, each star in the sky travels along its very own invisible road! That’s why they never crash into each other. Strawberry Cookie: How… How do you know all that, Wizard Cookie…? Wizard Cookie: Well… I’ve read about it in my books! But… enough talk! I AM SUPER PSYCHED TO SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES! Wizard Cookie: I could try and make one sphere float in the air… But the Wizards created this whole place… And to think that these spheres have been floating here all this time, without a single error…! Wizard Cookie: It is said that wizards and stars always go hand in hand. Here you understand why: the Wizards of old were crazy about they sky! Wizard Cookie: Do you know which star is my favorite? The star called “Choco Major” over there that always shines so bright! Gorgeous, isn’t it?! Strawberry Cookie: Wow… It really IS big and bright…! GingerBrave: And what are these pictures here? Wizard Cookie: These are called “constellations.” Have you ever noticed how some groups of stars look just like animals or objects? Strawberry Cookie: Oh… This one is Jelly… That one is Cake Hound…! Strawberry Cookie: And over there is… “Sugar Swan’s Sun…” Huh! So pretty! Strawberry Cookie: I love this place… GingerBrave: Look! Another cinema! Let’s climb on that chair and watch the movie!

Narrator 1: …for eons, the Wizards and Witches relied upon the powers of the moon, an everlasting source of arcane energy. But what is it that makes the moon so special! Narrator 1: Some theorists claim the moon is constituted of cheese. Others speculate that the connection with the enigmatic rabbit was finally established. Narrator 1: Here, in the City of Wizards, we step beyond tenets and theories to reveal the true potential of lunar magic: we bake Cookies! Narrator 2: “Nothing is impossible in the realm of dreams. It is a well-known fact. Ergo, at the intersection of the night, the moon, and the dream, magic unbound by all limits is born.” Narrator 2: “The Twelve Archmages’s work has finally borne fruit: now, the Pristine Life Syrup and the Dough of the Dreams shall rest and dream until dawn, absorbing the mysterious lights of the night sky…” Narrator 1: The whole world stands still in anticipation of the first Cookie blessed with ingredients of celestial bodies. Will the World of Dreams at long last reveal its secrets…? Narrator 1: The only being capable of providing an answer is the moon reborn in the form of a Cookie! Narrator 2: “...You shall journey through the world we dare not explore. Now, the time to open your eyes has come…” Breathing: “...”

Wizard Cookie: Exploring the World of Dreams…? Does this mean a Cookie like me can travel inside GingerBrave’s head? GingerBrave: Huh? Whoah! We could meet and play there! GingerBrave: …But are dreams meant to be shared? What if the Wizard Cookie from my dreams isn’t the real Wizard Cookie…? Ohhhh… I think I’m getting a headache… Strawberry Cookie: I wonder what happened to what happened to that Cookie…

GingerBrave: Hey, what is that column of light?! Another magical spell? Strawberry Cookie: Huh… Maybe it’s a big gemstone? Or… Or a glowing fountain…? Strawberry Cookie: I… I want to get closer…! Wizard Cookie: It’s just as bright as the light of the moon! GingerBrave: I feel like I need to move closer…! Let’s go!

GingerBrave: It’s a sugar glass house! I’ve never seen anything like that! Strawberry Cookie: Maybe it’s the moon’s creation…! See? The gentle moonlight is lighting up the whole place… Wizard Cookie: I… vaguely remember reading about it… It’s… It’s… It’s the Remembrance Glass! Wizard Cookie: The Wizards knew how to imbue stained sugar glass with memories. Perhaps, this is the place where it happened! Strawberry Cookie: I thought it was a place bigger than this one… GingerBrave: Hold on…! These paintings! Is this the City of Wizards? Then this one must be Moonlight Cookie herself! GingerBrave: Whoah! Look at those colorful glass flowers! Let’s go take a closer look! Oh…!

???: Wielding the might of moonlight energy, we can finally leave the days when we used to brew love potions in the past! With it, we can light up the whole city! ???: And more! The Lunar Dynamo will allow us to cook food, move carts, and power clocktowers without even touching them! ???: Solar power is too unpredictable, too unstable! It burns and corrupts the Cookie dough. The power of the Dream Moon, however…! GingerBrave: Whooooah! I’ve just experienced a rush of someone’s memories! Wizard Cookie: The Wizards’ thoughts and memories! Let’s see what recollections these flowers hold!

???: What harrowing misfortune it is to realize ours is the only star inhabited by thinking creatures such as ourselves… Among all the stars in the vast cosmos! ???: The sun, burning hotter than volcanic lava! The moon, colder than the coldest ice…! The power of the stars is greater than that of an Archwizard! For the stars are the fount of the arcane!

???: Welcome to this world, Moonlight Cookie! You are the blessing granted by the stars to us, the seekers of Truth! GingerBrave: This Moonlight Cookie’s memory! The COokie that the Wizards created was Moonlight Cookie herself! Wizard Cookie: Shhhh! Be quiet! ???: Your power will become the bridge to connect us to the realm of the unknown! Will you help us in our research of lunar power? ???: These are the materials brought by Moonlight Cookie from the World of Dreams. Now we will finally be able to correct the mistakes in our magical formulas! ???: The Cookie managed to identify the laws of celestial mechanics with utmost precision! It will allow us to build a great planetarium in the sky above our city! ???: Let us build a great clock tower to control the very movements of the stars and the flow of time! ???: Just like the great World Tree from the myths, our clock tower will become the pillar to bind our city together even after the last of the Wizards is gone. GingerBrave: Did you hear that?! Wizard Cookie: A clock tower to control the flow of time, huh… ???: Like two sides of a coin, Moonlight Cookie and the Clock Tower will draw upon each other’s power. The full moon will rise, the bell will ring, and the dream will come alive!

Wizard Cookie: Another piece of this puzzle falls into place,* Perhaps, the Clock Tower can awaken Moonlight Cookie!

*actual text

GingerBrave: We still need to gather more clues. Let’s check over there!

Wizard Cookie: Huh! That watering can! And the shovel… Wizard Cookie: They were crafted for a Cookie to handle. Looks like a Cookie used to take care of this conservatorium!

GingerBrave: Hey, look! This pot has just one flower growing in it! Strawberry Cookie: It’s small but so pretty and ornate…! Gotta be someone’s special memory. Strawberry Cookie: Can I… take a look…?

???: Hey! HEY! We gotta hurry! ???: Wait… I have but one last thing left to do… Sugar Glass Cookie: G-greetings…! …My name is Sugar Glass Cookie… Sugar Glass Cookie: If you touched this memory, it means… It means that you have found my flower…! Sugar Glass Cookie: I must leave this place… Yet… When the other Cookie arrives… Sugar Glass Cookie: I’d like you to know that I have waited for so long… That you are not alone…

Strawberry Cookie: How did they manage to take care of this beautiful place all by themselves…? GingerBrave: Let’s take this flower with us! Something tells me that Moonlight Cookie will like it.

GingerBrave: What a place! Strawberry Cookie: A greenhouse made of memories… If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d have never believed it! Wizard Cookie: I-I’ve been thinking… If we live on a giant star, and there are other stars like this one, lots and lots of other stars…! It’s kind of terrifying, don’t you think? Wizard Cookie: What if we, Cookies, are no more than part of someone’s imagination? Yikes! GingerBrave: What are you saying? Strawberry Cookie: It’s not easy being that smart…

GingerBrave: We learned so much back at the planetarium and greenhouse… But we still have no clue how to wake Moonlight Cookie up! Wizard Cookie: We are close, very close! I’m sure of it! Our next stop should be the Archives of Magic. Wizard Cookie: That’s where the Wizards’ kept all their secrets! GingerBrave: Whoah! I wonder what awaits us inside! A book about a whole planet made of Jellies? Or about Cookies from outer space! Strawberry Cookie: A recipe for the potion of sweet dreams…? Wizard Cookie: I love your ideas…! But what I’d really like to find is the spell to travel through time! GingerBrave: Does that have anything to do with stars? Wizard Cookie: It’s just a mere theory of mine, but I think if we run so fast that even the light itself won’t be able to catch up with us… Then we’ll be able to make time flow in the opposite direction!!! GingerBrave: Is that even possible? Ha ha! You’ve been saying lots of odd things today, Wizard Cookie! Wizard Cookie: Who knows, who knows… Anyhoo, let’s make haste!

GingerBrave: Those golden stars again! HIDE! Roaming Star 12c: WHIRR? WHIRRR… (COOKIE SOUNDS DETECTED.) Rambling Star vi7: *WHIRRRR…* (NO COOKIES WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY. POSSIBLE FALSE ALARM.) GingerBrave: Oh, they’re gonna find us! Quick! Come this way! Wizard Cookie: GingerBrave, wait! It’s a dead end! GingerBrave: Huh? GAAAAAAH! Wizard Cookie: HAAAAAAAAH! Strawberry Cookie: G-GingerBrave, Wizard Cookie…! Don’t go without me…!

Wizard Cookie: Cough cough… Ouch ouch, not the most comfortable landing! GingerBrave: Phew… Sorry about that! It’s all my fault… Strawberry Cookie: I’m glad that we didn’t split up…! Wizard Cookie: We have a bigger problem…! This little… detour took us off our path! Where on Earthbread are we?! Strawberry Cookie: Look! A sign! GingerBrave: “Silence! Do not wake the dwellers of the Graveyard of Stars.” Strawberry Cookie: The Graveyard… of Stars…? Wizard Cookie: This looks like a headstone… “Wandering Star A19. Lost its orbit due to the operator’s chronically shaking hands and put to sleep with its eighteen siblings.” GingerBrave: Here’s another one! The name’s erased… “Outdated formula. Disposed with the release of the amended version of Standard Magic.” GingerBrave: What kind of headstone is that?! Strawberry Cookie: These reasons seem so pretty… GingerBrave: Does “A19” mean it was the nineteenth? They created and got rid of nineteen stars because some wizard’s hands were shaky?! Wizard Cookie: Y-you don’t understand! When it comes to incantations, even the smallest miscalculation can lead to catastrophe…! Strawberry Cookie: Can it really…? Wizard Cookie: Well… I also think… they were a bit too harsh…!

GingerBrave: Gah! More of those golden stars! That one is huge! Wizard Cookie: Prepare for battle… Doom Star X-1: *Whirrr.* Doom Star X-1: *WHIRRRRR! BZZT! (INTRUDER DETECTED. EXTERMINATE!)* GingerBrave: If they get us, we’re crumbs! Everyone, be careful!

Doom Star X-1: *WHIR…* (STAR ENERGY AT 20%. TRANSITIONING TO LOW POWER MODE.) Wizard Cookie: Phew…! The biggest one down! GingerBrave: THAT wasn’t easy at all!

Wizard Cookie: FINALLY! Is this really happening?! The legendary Archives of Magic! Wizard Cookie: Just look at this magnificent edifice! I already feel wiser just by standing here by the gates! Strawberry Cookie: Wow…! It’s big indeed! GingerBrave: …… Strawberry Cookie: …GingerBrave? GingerBrave: HUH! Strawberry Cookie: W-what? WHAT…?! GingerBrave: I… um… I just imagined a very scary thing! GingerBrave: If the Wizards had to go through so many stars just to make that last giant one… What would’ve happened had they decided to make a GingerBrave…?! GingerBrave: …So I imagined a graveyard filled with lots of abandoned GingerBraves!!! Strawberry Cookie: Yikes…! Wizard Cookie: Don’t you have anything better to think about?! You literally have this gorgeous library in front of your eyes! GingerBrave: Yeah… Yeah… You’re right as always, Wizard Cookie… He he. GingerBrave: Anyways! The secrets of the Archives await! Let’s march inside, my friends!

Wizard Cookie: Ah, there’s no better way to seek out the Truth than a library! This one here might be the greatest library on the entire continent. Wizard Cookie: It would’ve been a shame to miss this place…! I’m ready to check each and every nook and cranny here! Strawberry Cookie: Wow… This library is really big…! They must have books on everything in the world…! Strawberry Cookie: Hmm… Should we split up? GingerBrave: Good idea! I’ll check the picture books here! There’s gotta be at least one I can understand! Ha ha! Wizard Cookie: These are not just “pictures,” it’s mathematics! The science trying to explain the world in numbers and figures! Wizard Cookie: See? It shows how to divide an apple pie into seven equal parts! With this book, seven wizards will be able to enjoy their pie in peace! Wizard Cookie: Such a lucky find, GingerBrave! The Witches’ books don’t have anything like that! GingerBrave: Why? What’s so different about them? Wizard Cookie: The Wizards thought that precision paves the path to the Truth! They tried to communicate ideas as accurately as possible. Wizard Cookie: See that shelf with lots of giant tomes and quills? That’s how hard they worked to achieve the perfect preciseness! Strawberry Cookie: And the Witches expressing themselves through songs and dancing… I think… GingerBrave: There’s books on various magical appliances here. Look! This one explains how to make the best magic wand! GingerBrave: “Use measuring tape… Measure length from elbow to third finger’s second knuckle… Important: the wood must be…” GingerBrave: Do you really need to know all that? Wizard Cookie: Oh, those are just the basics every wizard needs to know! Wizard Cookie: You won’t become a wizard with that attitude of yours, GingerBrave. Maybe you should try… singing? GingerBrave: I’ve never said I wanted to become a wizard! I’m not a wizard, I’m a Cookie! Strawberry Cookie: “Stale Hearts: So You Fell in Love With an Emotionless Cookie,” “Drawing Without Errors: Perfect Magic Circles,” “27 Ways to Grow Taller” …Huh… Wizard Cookie: Say what? What was that last one? GingerBrave: Gah! It… it MOVED! Wizard Cookie: First time seeing moving letters? He he. Ancient Wizards used to make letters move quite often… GingerBrave: No, not the letters! It’s a book worm! A-and it bites!

Wizard Cookie: I’ve seen those gnawing on old books… But to snack on a valuable magic tome! UNFORGIVABLE! Strawberry Cookie: It must have eaten a lot of magic energy… GingerBrave: Let’s just be more careful with those books! Phew, this magic library is a dangerous place… GingerBrave: Huh? What’s that? That book looks… important!

Wizard Cookie: “The Lunar Compendium,” huh. Straight to the point. That’s precisely what we needed! ???: Please treat the books with care. GingerBrave: Gah! Wh-who are you?! Blueberry Pie Cookie: Blueberry Pie Cookie, librarian. And you are…?

Blueberry Pie Cookie: And you are…? These Archives have been abandoned for a long, long time. GingerBrave: We came on a dream train in search of Moonlight Cookie! Blueberry Pie Cookie: Then you are her guests… Hm. Strawberry Cookie: We didn’t realize there were other Cookies in this City…! Wizard Cookie: The entire City of Wizards looked completely empty! GingerBrave: Are you… a prisoner here? The Wizards’ prisoner?! Blueberry Pie Cookie: No. I’m not a prisoner. I merely signed… a pact. Blueberry Pie Cookie: My duty is to sort the books, keep them in order, and keep a watchful eye on everything within these walls. Such work requires a lot of time. Strawberry Cookie: Don’t you ever wish you could do something else…? Take a walk outside, for example…? Blueberry Pie Cookie: I’m not too fond of all the air and sunlight. Besides, the knowledge preserved here knows no bounds. Blueberry Pie Cookie: This one, for example. “The Lunar Compendium.” A tome of great value.

Blueberry Pie Cookie: It was written a century before the great Clock Tower was built. Blueberry Pie Cookie: All written records of that era remain intact to this day. As you may have guessed, they are all contained in this very book. Blueberry Pie Cookie: Yet… I would advise against opening it. The book is known to… test Cookies who dare read it. Blueberry Pie Cookie: For such is the will of the Clock Tower protecting this city. GingerBrave: But we’ve come all this way here! We are ready for any tests this book might dish out!

Blueberry Pie Cookie: …It seems that I underestimated you. You possess great wisdom and courage. Blueberry Pie Cookie: “The Lunar Compendium” has deemed you worthy.

Wizard Cookie: I… I love this book! Wizard Cookie: So much information inside! Just listen: the Wizards actually managed to build it! Wizard Cookie: The Clock tower to Control the night sky! Wizard Cookie: This tower doesn’t simply show the time, it CONTROLS time in this city! But there’s more! It also controls the position of the sun, the moon and the constellations! GingerBrave: That must be the magical clock we saw in Moonlight Cookie’s memories! Strawberry Cookie: Which means… We have to climb the tower and move the clock’s hands! GingerBrave: That must be it! GingerBrave: That should wake Moonlight Cookie! If only the moon was full tonight… Wizard Cookie: GingerBrave, you’re right! That must be the answer! Wizard Cookie: The book says that the hands cannot be moved by just anyone. But there is a way to do that…

Wizard Cookie: Looks like we have to solve a riddle! Wizard Cookie: I’m gonna read it! Strawberry Cookie: *Gulp*

Three wizards cut the pie of time: Three pieces fair and just. A piece of sun, a piece of moon, A piece for all the stars. And soon the reel of stars turned thrive, The crescent met its half. Let Choco Major guide your way, The moonlight fete will start!

GingerBrave: Eh, let me write that down. Sun… Moon… Come again?! GingerBrave: What kind of riddle is that?! I didn’t understand a thing! Strawberry Cookie: Maybe the Wizards want to test us…? “In order to use the Clock Tower, you have to be THIS smart!” GingerBrave: Phew… We can do it, WE CAN!

GingerBrave: Thank you, Blueberry Pie Cookie! With your help, we’ll find a way to wake Moonlight Cookie! GingerBrave: Oh! Or maybe you wanna go meet Moonlight Cookie with us?! Blueberry Pie Cookie: Lady Moonlight Cookie… Who would have known we were destined to become the last Cookies to guard this place. Blueberry Pie Cookie: I remember the times of old… The Wizards would select the dough imbued with the finest, purest moonlight, and create Cookies to preserve their knowledge forever… Blueberry Pie Cookie: …I am forbidden to leave this place, and I dare not ask for an audience with Lady Moonlight Cookie. Blueberry Pie Cookie: Sometimes, I see a faint ray of moonlight coming through the small window. For me, that ray of light is… Wizard Cookie: Hmmm… Blueberry Pie Cookie: …Farewell. GingerBrave: Goodbye!

Blueberry Pie Cookie: Hm… Blueberry Pie Cookie: …There is something I failed to mention. A collection of personal notes left by the same author has been kept here, in the library. Blueberry Pie Cookie: This journal describes the dark, unknown parts of the Wizards’ research. Blueberry Pie Cookie: It has been kept in the shadows of the most remote section, away from prying eyes. Will it ever see the light of day, I wonder…? Blueberry Pie Cookie: But for now, may the gentle moonlight embrace this city…

Hall of Moonlight

If fate permits, these Archives may offer you a glimpse into the Wizards’ secrets.

Blueberry Pie Cookie: Welcome. I’ve been expecting you. Blueberry Pie Cookie: You are looking at the Archives of Magic, the oldest library of this land. Blueberry Pie Cookie: As long as you know what to look for and where, you can find the truth behind almost all the secrets of this world… Blueberry Pie Cookie: Hmm? You seek a book on the City of Wizards and the creation of the Cookies? Blueberry Pie Cookie: The knowledge that you seek… lies within these walls. Blueberry Pie Cookie: Feel free to look around. You may read whichever book that piques your interest. Blueberry Pie Cookie: …Just remember: one’s actions bring consequences. Now then… enjoy your stay in the Archives…

Blueberry Pie Cookie: …My apologies. I forgot to mention one thing. Blueberry Pie Cookie: The book here in the center is the Lunar Compendium. It will explain everything about the City of Wizards and the creation of Moonlight Cookie. Blueberry Pie Cookie: On one condition: those who wish to read it must pass its trials. Blueberry Pie Cookie: So if you are not prepared to face the truth, I suggest keeping it closed.

The book started to emit a soft glow as bright moonlight descended upon its pages, as if beckoning you closer.

You carefully approach the book.

Part of the Lunar Compendium: “...Not only the moon and stars of the night sky act as stations where countless dreams and visions are born, but they are also the home of Moonlight Cookie, a legend in the history of magic.” Part of the Lunar Compendium: “The dough must be left to rise for 27 days under the moonlight, then sprinkled with glittering stardust. Place the dough in the oven and bake until the Cookies turn crispy golden.”

When you turn to the next page, a loose sheet of paper falls down.

It looks like notes from someone’s research.

Someone wrote down a bunch of comments…

It looks like they left the note while reading and forgot about it.

Someone’s Research Notes: “Purifying the starlight dough with the strainer apparatus, I notice something strange. I couldn’t recall adding such a* potent yet unknown ingredients to the dough batch.” *actual text

Someone’s Research Notes: “Even before the oven had cooled off, the leftover dough started to emanate a powerful aura…”

Part of the Lunar Compendium: “The moon is the very source of Transformation Magic… Perpetually changing its phases and luminosity, hiding itself behind the veil of nightly darkness.” Part of the Lunar Compendium: The moon produces radical changes when it comes in contact with dreams, the very soup of creation. Hence, the moment the ancient light of the stars finally reached us…

As you pick up the book, you can hear faint snoring. …Since when did books snore?

It says “The Exploration of Dreams: Sleepy Wizard’s Cookieology” on the cover.

The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 1: “It is said that Wizards enter the realm of subconsciousness when they dream. Could this also be the case for Cookies, the Wizards’ creations?” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 1: “While it is a known fact that Cookies are capable of dreaming, no ingredients used by the Wizards or Witches have been linked to forming the subconscious in Cookies.” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 1: “...Therefore, it is possible that when a Cookie starts dreaming, their spirit leaves their crunchy dough and enters a new, different plane of existence!” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 1: “In order to verify this hypothesis, a Wizard measured the exact weight of a sleeping and dreaming Cookie with the most precise and sensitive kitchen scale.” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 1: “The dreaming Cookie weighed exactly 1 oz less than when they were awake. Which leads to the conclusion that the spirit of a Cookie weighs 1 oz…”

The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 3: “Just like the dark side of the moon, every dream has hidden aspects that can only be explored by the dreamer alone. Fragments of imagination, future possibilities, apparitions…“ The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 3: “...The following is an excerpt from the testimonies of Cookies who claimed to have particularly vivid dreams.” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 3: “In my dream, I was Moonlight Cookie. I glided through the skies on my crescent moon, scattering stardust…”

The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 5: “Other Cookies found themselves living different lives as different versions of themselves in their dreams. What if dreams are reflections of different realities?” The Exploration of Dreams: Ch 5: “Imagine, for instance, that the ‘Star Transplant Operation’ ended in failure, and Vega of the Sugar Swan became a supernova in a different universe…”

The next page is barely legible as there are ink stains everywhere.

Architecture of the Wizards: “Squares! Triangles! Circles! The stars have painted the night sky with all sorts of designs.” Architecture of the Wizards: Pt. 1: “Have you seen a color palette more beautiful and sophisticated than the night sky? Azure, cerulean and indigo! Cobalt and teal!” Architecture of the Wizards: Pt. 5: “The essential element in the City of Wizards’ architecture is the incorporation of various shades of blue from the night sky and star ornaments, including Star Jelly and moon variants.” Architecture of the Wizards: Pt. 5: “Another unexpected aspect of the design is the choice of certain materials to create a timeless impression. This reflects the architects’ hope to relay the immortal presence of the Wizards.”

GingerBrave: We’re almost there! Let’s hurry! Strawberry Cookie: Huff puff… I’m going at my max speed…!

GingerBrave: We made it! Now all we need to do is climb to the top…! GingerBrave: Wizard Cookie, c’mon! Wizard Cookie: Huff puff… I’m running…! Can’t you see I’M RUNNING! Strawberry Cookie: There’s someone at the gates…!

Wizard Doll: Only the wise are allowed in the Clock Chamber. Astrologist Doll: Let the night sky guide your way. Knight Doll: Only the strong and the brave may ascend to the top! Strawberry Cookie: Do we need your permission to pass…? Wizard Doll: (silent nod) GingerBrave: Why did the Wizards like tests so much?! Wizard Cookie: Tell us more about the trials! Wizard Doll: Heed my question. An ingredient of great value is required to fashion a magic wand that will reveal a Cookie wizard’s true potential. What is it? Wizard Cookie: Easy-peasy! It’s a Sugar Crystal, of course! Wizard Doll: Wizard! You have acquired my permission to enter the Clock Tower. Wizard Cookie: Woohoo! How do you like that?! GingerBrave: Well done, Wizard Cookie!

Astrologist Doll: Heed my question. A fiery star has risen in the sky west from here. Strawberry Cookie: Eh… Are you asking me…?! Er… Um… Strawberry Cookie: Moonlight Cookie herself pleaded for help… Maybe… A danger is growing closer…? Astrologist Doll: You may proceed, seeker of the moon. But beware of what lies ahead! Strawberry Cookie: Oh…! I must’ve guessed right! GingerBrave: Looks like the last test is for me! I’m the brave one here, right?! GingerBrave: Ohhh, what will it be…?! Knight Doll: I shall test your courage! TO ARMS! Wizard Cookie: I was afraid it would come to violence! NEVER A DULL MOMENT!

Knight Doll: Cookies, brave and strong! You have my permission to enter the Clock Tower. GingerBrave: Was the fighting really necessary?! GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie, we’re coming! Wait just a bit more!

Clockwork Doll 1: Who goes there?! GingerBrave: We came to wake Moonlight Cookie! Strawberry Cookie: And we must turn the clock’s hands…! Can you let us pass? Clockwork Doll 2: The clocks show the correct time. Clockwork Doll 1: Perfectly correct. Clockwork Doll 1 & 2: Cookies must leave.

Clockwork Doll 1: Cookies are strong. Clockwork Doll 2: We are defeated. Strawberry Cookie: Eh… S-sorry about that! But we really must ring that bell! GingerBrave: Wizard Cookie! We’ll take it from here! You go upstairs and solve the riddle! Wizard Cookie: I can do that!

Wizard Cookie: Alright… I’m in the Clock Chamber!

GingerBrave: Aha! There are pictures of the sun, the moon, and the stars at the ends of those three clock hands! Wizard Cookie: You might be right! But what do they have to do with pies? GingerBrave: Hm… Strawberry Cookie: “The pie of time…” Strawberry Cookie: Pies are usually round, right? What if the pie… is the face of the clock itself?! GingerBrave: Good thinking, Strawberry Cookie…! I’ll try to divide it into three parts! Wizard Cookie: GingerBrave, don’t forget: you always cut the biggest piece for yourself! Wizard Cookie: The riddle says that the parts must be fair, equal! Let me try! Wizard Cookie: There are twelve numbers… Divide by three… Four numbers per wizard!

Wizard Cookie: Let’s move the sun hand to 12, the moon to 4, and the star to 8…. Wizard Cookie: See?! Perfectly equal! GingerBrave: Whoah! Good job, Wizard Cookie! From now on, I’ll let you cut all our pies! Wizard Cookie: Now, the reel of stars… Turn thrice… Stars, constellations… Maybe it’s that dial! Wizard Cookie: There are constellations inscribed all over it! Let’s try and turn it three times!

GingerBrave: I think you’re right! And that crescent-shaped thing over there… GingerBrave: How do we make it meet its second half?! Is there even a second half?! Strawberry Cookie: Look! The second half is over there, on the opposite side! Strawberry Cookie: We could push them to make them meet… I think…

Wizard Cookie: Yes! It worked! GingerBrave: Good job, friends! We’re almost there! We only have to find that Choco… Major now.

GingerBrave: Oh no, we’re out of time! Strawberry Cookie: I’ve no idea what to do…! Wizard Cookie: …EUREKA! There!

Wizard Cookie: Point the biggest hand at that star, GingerBrave! GingerBrave: Alright! I can do that!

Wizard Cookie: Yes! YES! WE DID IT! The clock is glowing…!

GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie… and the City of Wizards… is waking up! Wizard Cookie: It’s like the Universe meeting a new dawn…!

GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie…! It’s us! Moonlight Cookie: GingerBrave! Strawberry Cookie, Wizard Cookie…! At last, we meet! You helped me cross the vast realm of dreams. Moonlight Cookie: Even in my slumbers, I knew you would come find me. Moonlight Cookie: On behalf of all the Wizards, I, Moonlight Cookie, thank you. Wizard Cookie: It’s a great honor to meet you! Thank you for inviting us here! Strawberry Cookie: Y-yes…! I’m happy to meet you, too! GingerBrave: No, it’s us who are thankful! We saw so many amazing things on our way here! Moonlight Cookie: …*smiles* Moonlight Cookie: My friends, it would have been an immense pleasure for me to show you this city, my home, but…! The moon has hidden behind a cloud, and the stars send us an anxious warning! Moonlight Cookie: It may so happen that… Time is against us. GingerBrave: What are you saying…? Moonlight Cookie: I have seen it in my dreams…! A vision not of our past but of our future…!

Strawberry Cookie: The vision of a star falling from the sky…! Wizard Cookie: That’s just a shooting star…! To make a wish… Wizard Cookie: Wait… is it about to fall… right here?! Moonlight Cookie: Yes… The City of Wizards is in great danger. Moonlight Cookie: And though my powers will be enough to stop it, I cannot help but feel like something is amiss… GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie! Did you call us here because you knew it would happen?! Moonlight Cookie: I only saw a glimpse… Moonlight Cookie: A premonition of a coming calamity… Terrible… yet faintly familiar. GingerBrave: I don’t understand…

GingerBrave: Huh! Look! Is that a Cookie?! Wizard Cookie: …You’re right! Right there! The bright blue star! ???: This is… Is this it? The CIty of Wizards…? ???: In my imagination, it looked different. And the Wizards…? There are none to be seen. Moonlight Cookie: You, the Cookie who descended with a rain of falling stars. The Wizards who created me left eons ago. Moonlight Cookie: I am the lone custodian of this abandoned city… Did you come in search of the Wizards? What is your name?

Stardust Cookie: They call me Stardust Cookie. I was born from the coalesced light of thousands of nameless stars and the very breath of the cosmos. Stardust Cookie: At first, I thought that my birth was a mere coincidence. Then, the stars whispered to me. They told me that the matter of my dough came from here.

Strawberry Cookie: From… here…? GingerBrave: Please, stop the stars from raining down on us! You will destroy this city! Stardust Cookie: These stars do not follow my will. Stardust Cookie: They merely followed me to their birthplace. GingerBrave: W-what…?

Moonlight Cookie: A Cookie born from the light of nameless stars? Are you… GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie! Did the Wizards create him, too?! Wizard Cookie: !!! Blueberry Pie Cookie tried to warn us. Wizard Cookie: The Wizards must have discarded the dough of nameless stars in their attempts to create Moonlight Cookie from the purest moonlight! GingerBrave: It was… Stardust Cookie! Stardust Cookie: I understand now. For them, I was an impurity. A loose unknown in their equation. Stardust Cookie: They banished my dough into space. And there, instinctively, it swam towards the sheltering starlight. So long ago… I barely recall… Stardust Cookie: I had already changed by the time I reached the Sugar Swan constellation. I gained awareness of my Cookie nature.

Stardust Cookie: With time, wandering stardust completed my shape. And the suns heated my frozen, lifeless dough. Moonlight Cookie: I sensed it through my dreams… I watched how your features grew tangible with time. Moonlight Cookie: I traveled across the dreams of countless Cookies and Wizards, yet I’ve never seen anything quite like yourself. Moonlight Cookie: The enigma that you were haunted me. It made me feel as if my knowledge was a lie. Moonlight Cookie: But now I see it clearly: I and this city… We both had an unseen dark side. Moonlight Cookie: May I ask… Why did you bring the stars with you to fall upon this place? Stardust Cookie: It seems that we belong together. You may refuse to show it… But I can sense your struggle. Stardust Cookie: The fear and hatred you harbor towards me. Why? I did not even know of your existence. Stardust Cookie: And these stars… are playthings unwanted, thrown away by the Wizards. Stardust Cookie: In the vast cosmos, they wandered aimlessly, but now is the time for them to return to their birthplace’s embrace. It is my time to return…!

Stardust Cookie: Heed my words, Wizards! For you have wronged us all! Moonlight Cookie: Like a calm shore that turns into a mighty tide, you came to wash away this city…! Moonlight Cookie: Unforeseen by even the wisest… Yes, even the Wizards’ knowledge had its limits. Moonlight Cookie: Please understand: their fascination with the night sky was pure. Their passion for knowledge had no ill intentions. Stardust Cookie: And still, we stand as an example of their cruelty. Forsaken and discarded by our creators. Stardust Cookie: Like this city… Like yourself in whom they took such pride. Moonlight Cookie: Ah…! Moonlight Cookie: …No more! Your words hurt like the terror of nightmares! GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie, don’t give in! Don’t forget how strong you are! Moonlight Cookie: …My heart is yearning. Yearning to meet them, to ask a question. Even for but a brief moment… Moonlight Cookie: …I trust them, therefore I must protect this city. To keep custody of their seat of power, until the day of their return. Moonlight Cookie: …Let this city dream, dream of victory…! Stardust Cookie: Do you wish to fight…? Knowing that space itself is immeasurably greater than you? Stardust Cookie: Then witness the full might of the countless bright stars!

GingerBrave: W-what should we do?! The city’s defenses are getting weaker! Strawberry Cookie: Even the lights are flickering…! And the golden stars look all confused…! Wizard Cookie: Because of Stardust Cookie, Moonlight Cookie’s dream is getting unstable! Wizard Cookie: I-I don’t think we can help it…! He will destroy the city! We need to escape! NOW! GingerBrave: No, we can’t let that happen! We must protect Moonlight Cookie! Strawberry Cookie: What about… the Archives?! I’m worried about Blueberry Pie Cookie…! GingerBrave: !!!

GingerBrave: Moonlight Cookie, you can do it! Please hold on a bit longer! We must help Blueberry Pie Cookie! Wizard Cookie: Be careful, GingerBrave! GingerBrave: GAH! You! GingerBrave: What are you doing? You’re supposed to protect the library!

Revived Doom Star X-1: WHEEEEEER… BEEP BEEP… (DANGER. ALERT. DANGER. ALERT.) Revived Doom Star X-1: *BZZZ BZZZ BZZZ!* (UNIDENTIFIED POWERFUL COOKIE. IDENTIFYING… ANOTHER… MOONLIGHT COOKIE?) Revived Doom Star X-1: BEEP! CLANG! BZZZ! GingerBrave: What’s going on?! Wizard Cookie: I think… it thinks we’re the baddies! I-I have a bad feeling about this…!

Revived Doom Star X-1: CLANG! BEEEP! BEEEEEEP! Moonlight Cookie: Ah… No…! Moonlight Cookie: You are the greatest of the Wizards’ stars! Please, stop your doomward march! Stardust Cookie: The star, too, must be sad to see its home destroyed… Stardust Cookie: I… I feel conflicted. This star should welcome our return. Yet it is in dismay. Stardust Cookie: Is there really no place for us here…? GingerBrave: Stardust Cookie, it’s time to stop! We understand you’re angry and all, but there’s no need to destroy the entire city! GingerBrave: If you continue, you will harm Moonlight Cookie! Stardust Cookie: Yes… This sight pains me too. I shall wipe this city clean, erasing all remaining memories of its denizens. GingerBrave: Yes, finally, you under- Wait, WHAT?! Wizard Cookie: Do you even hear yourself?! Stardust Cookie: Everything is filled with sorrow. The lonely cries of the stars, and Moonlight Cookie’s unseen tears. Huh… A custodian watching over an empty city. Stardust Cookie: How many years have you spent in solitude? Stardust Cookie: Can you even count those timeless years…? The Wizards are nowhere to be seen and they will never be seen again.

Stardust Cookie: I shall bring this all to ruins. All to set you free! And I shall spare no strength…! GingerBrave: You don’t understand! Moonlight Cookie loves this place! Wizard Cookie: As a wizard myself, I’ll fight to protect this place! Let’s go, my friends!

GingerBrave: We won…! Wizard Cookie: Moonlight Cookie,are you alright? The City of Wizards… Moonlight Cookie: Their cherished city lies in ruins… Stardust Cookie: Such strength… Wizard Cookie: THAT’S ENOUGH! It’s over! Stop burning yourself out! GingerBrave: Stardust Cookie… you’re hurt! GingerBrave: You’ve nearly destroyed this city, and yourself, too! Stardust Cookie: Pain… Is that what it’s called? I do not know the concept of pain… Stardust Cookie: I am the embodiment of sorrow, for it is all I know. Sorrow… and the cosmic void. Stardust Cookie: My fate is to return to dust. That is how the stars go… Doom Star X-1: *BZZZZZ! BZZZ! BEEP BEEP BEEP! (IDENTIFICATION… CONFIRMED! FRIENDLY TARGET!)* Stardust Cookie: The star gives a warning. It senses its nearing end. Stardust Cookie: Leave this place. When a lonely star’s lifetime reaches its end… Nothing can survive a supernova. GingerBrave: Lifetime…? What are you saying?! Stardust Cookie: When the loneliness becomes unbearable, a star begins to shrink and shrivel. It calls to other stars… to no avail. And, in the end, it turns into an all-consuming void. Stardust Cookie: Other stars call it… the dark vortex. Moonlight Cookie: Dark vortex… I cannot let it happen! Moonlight Cookie: There is always a way… Even the darkest night is illuminated by the starlight!

Wizard Cookie: Huh… HUH…? The golden sphere… cracked! Stardust Cookie: It has begun… GingerBrave: What’s going on…! That black… thing in the air! GingerBrave: Ohhh! Oh no no no no! I’m getting… sucked in! Strawberry Cookie: Oh! I lost the Memory Flower…! Wizard Cookie: Waaaaah! Even… the light… is… sucked… in!

Stardust Cookie: I… I can still fly away. Escape this place… Stardust Cookie: Or should I finally… give up? Perhaps, my life-long journey should end here? Stardust Cookie: My birthplace is no more, and there is nowhere to return, nor go. Stardust Cookie: All this is no different… from the cold void of space. Stardust Cookie: Yes… The time has come. Stardust Cookie: …

Stardust Cookie: ………Warm. Stardust Cookie: …I am awake. I feel no burning fire. Stardust Cookie: Is it… the Sugar Swan constellation…? How…? ???: …Lady Moonlight Cookie once said, in this city, dreams know no limits. Stardust Cookie: …?!

Blueberry Pie Cookie: Before the very end, you fell asleep. And now you are dreaming of the moment your life began. Blueberry Pie Cookie: For the end and the beginning always go hand in hand… Stardust Cookie: Who… who are you? Blueberry Pie Cookie: I am a creation of the Wizards, just like yourself. Blueberry Pie Cookie, the caretaker of the Archives. Blueberry Pie Cookie: I am the last of the librarians. And it is my duty to guide you to a book that has been awaiting you.

Blueberry Pie Cookie: This book is called “A Wizard’s Journal.” On its pages, you will find the records of your creation. Blueberry Pie Cookie: I wish you… a pleasant reading. Stardust Cookie: A journal of… my creator? Stardust Cookie: I do not wish to know… Stardust Cookie: ……

A Wizard’s Journal: “For a full lunar cycle,we have been working hard to collect moonlight at the tallest observatory. This dough radiates with magic. The Cookie to be born from it will become a legend.” A Wizard’s Journal: “After a thorough magiscope examination, we managed to identify a minute fraction of nameless starlight resting quietly within the dough.” A Wizard’s Journal: “How was this possible?! I’ve come to the conclusion that these nameless stars managed to hide between the phases of the waning and waxing crescents.” A Wizard’s Journal: “What a cruel yet deserved joke from our beloved night sky! Countless stars shine in the darkness of a moonless night. This will grant our Moonlight Cookie immense, yet unstable powers.” A Wizard’s Journal: “No one must know of this error. What should I do?” A Wizard’s Journal: “Perhaps I should leave this tiny speck to the judgment of the Archwizards. Or perhaps I should return it to the cosmic depths, where Possibility and Chance will shape it into something wonderful, something beyond imagination itself.” Stardust Cookie: Possibility? Chance? Beautifully said… Stardust Cookie: Beyond my creators’ imagination… Stardust Cookie: ………

GingerBrave: …UP!!! Phew… He woke up! Stardust Cookie, are you alright?! GingerBrave: Stardust Cookie! Stardust Cookie: …Another dream…? What a strange place.

Star of Remembrance

Stardust Cookie: What happened to me…? Moonlight Cookie: My powers allow me to travel between dreams… Wizard Cookie: The Wizards used to call this phenomenon “the cosmic tunnel,” if I’m not mistaken… Ahem! Stardust Cookie: ……? GingerBrave: You can enter one dream, and come out of another! I think you… you fell asleep and entered Moonlight Cookie’s dream. Wizard Cookie: Hmmmh! At least my explanation was “scientific!” Stardust Cookie: One way or another, you saved me. Stardust Cookie: Me, who wrought… this upon your city. Moonlight Cookie: …Each dream holds its own truth. Moonlight Cookie: I dreamed of this city that forgot about the catastrophe it created… Moonlight Cookie: And, perhaps too late, I understood… The frightful premonition imprinted on my dreams… It was meant for me who could not see the dark side of the moon! Moonlight Cookie: For me, whose duty was to safeguard the Wizards’s knowledge, catastrophic was not your arrival but my refusal to see the truth. Moonlight Cookie: And still… it pains me greatly to see the city ruined. Moonlight Cookie: what is now left for us, abandoned and forlorn…? GingerBrave: Oh, right! The Memory Flower! GingerBrave: Where is it? Sugar Glass Cookie’s message! We wanted you to see it…! Moonlight Cookie: Hm…? Sugar Glass Cookie? Strawberry Cookie: I-I’m so sorry…! I… I think I lost the Memory Flower…! GingerBrave: Ohhhh! Are you sure?! W-what should we do, Wizard Cookie?! Stardust Cookie: Are you speaking of this…?

Stardust Cookie: I noticed its faint yet mesmerizing glint back in the void of the dark vortex. Stardust Cookie: Take it. It is yours. GingerBrave: No, no! The message is meant for you! Both of you! Stardust Cookie: For Moonlight Cookie… and me?

Sugar Glass Cookie: G-greetings…! …My name is Sugar Glass Cookie… Sugar Glass Cookie: If you touched this memory, it means… It means that you have found my flower…! Sugar Glass Cookie: I must leave this place… Yet… When the other Cookie arrives… Sugar Glass Cookie: I’d like you to know that I have waited for so long… That you are not alone… Sugar Glass Cookie: How I wished to meet you face to face… But the outside world beckons me! It’s all thanks to Amber Sugar Cookie and our friends… Sugar Glass Cookie: Do you know…? Do you know why the Wizards made us like this? This thought did not make room for others in my mind for so long… Sugar Glass Cookie: But then I met new friends… New memories… And it all became clear! Sugar Glass Cookie: So many flowers bloom in my greenhouse. And every one of them is beautiful, precious in its own way…! Sugar Glass Cookie: What if for someone, we, too… Sugar Glass Cookie: May I leave one very special flower here for you? It has my first memory of seeing the sunlight… Sugar Glass Cookie: This precious flower… Will remain here until you find it. ???: Sugar Glass Cookie, I'm leaving without you! Sugar Glass Cookie: Just a moment…! Sugar Glass Cookie: Goodbye, my friends! I hope to meet you in the outside world…!

Star of Dreams

Stardust Cookie: How could I forget…? Stardust Cookie: How could I forget how precious all the stars were to me…? Even though someone else’s eye might not see the difference. Moonlight Cookie: And the moonlight illuminates these streets with such warm light. Stardust Cookie: …I did not know I had a friend here. In the end, my arrival was not in vain. Stardust Cookie: Drifting in the emptiness of space, it is so easy to feel loneliness. Ages may pass, but eventually, starlight reaches everywhere… Every one of us. Stardust Cookie: I am the living proof. Moonlight Cookie: Yes… I had forgotten too. For I was lonely for so long. Moonlight Cookie: I did not realize that we belonged together… Stardust Cookie: Will you ever forgive me for the destruction of this city? Stardust Cookie: And, if you are willing, I would love to visit Sugar Glass Cookie’s greenhouse, together. Moonlight Cookie: I forgive you, Stardust Cookie. For I am also so, so sorry that you had to spend an eternity alone. GingerBrave: Huh..? They’re holding hands! And there’s light coming from them, so bright!

Moonlight Cookie: Is this… a dream revived…? Wizard Cookie: The stars and the moonlight are together once again..! It’s the birth of a new power!

Moonlight Cookie: Ah, the bright full moon speaks to me…! Just like the moon sets and rises again, a new hope will be found among the ashes…!

GingerBrave: The City of Wizards is coming back to life…! Wizard Cookie: How beautiful…! Strawberry Cookie: Moonlight Cookie… That… is amazing! Stardust Cookie: How can all this be possible? Moonlight Cookie: I understand it now! The whole city was my dream…!

Never-ending Story

GingerBrave: Guess I should’ve asked this earlier, but… GingerBrave: What’s your dream, Stardust Cookie? Stardust Cookie: My dream… Yes… Voyaging across space, freely… Stardust Cookie: Perhaps, I will find the Wizards who created me among the countless stars? Wizard Cookie: Among the countless stars… I can’t wrap my head around that! Wizard Cookie: You amaze me, Stardust Cookie! No, you are my star! Stardust Cookie: Ha ha… Thank you. Stardust Cookie: I am happy to have found you, Cookies of free will! GingerBrave: Will we ever meet again? Stardust Cookie: I do not know. But I will cherish this memory forever in my heart.

Milky Way Cookie: Choo choo! The Western Sky Express is departing! Get on if you want…! Stardust Cookie: Yes, how fortunate! This time I shall travel toward the rising moon! Stardust Cookie: What lies at the end of the Western Sky, conductor? Milky Way Cookie: Erm… Well… They call it the “Cosmic Tideland!” You know, tiny galaxies jumping around, dancing to and fro…! Milky Way Cookie: If you’re a first-timer, I recommend the Whipped Cream Galaxy. How did the legend go… “Cross the whipped cream sea on a fallen leaf boat to enter another world…” Or something like that! Stardust Cookie: Then it sounds like a plan. Stardust Cookie: Stay safe, Cookies! I will let you know if I ever find the Wizards! Milky Way Cookie: THE TRAIN’S DEPAAAARTING! All aboard! Fasten your seatbelts, folks! CHOOOO!

Wizard Cookie: What a Cookie! Didn’t even hesitate a second…! Strawberry Cookie: Maybe Stardust Cookie was born to travel space… Or maybe he wandered for so long, meeting us felt no longer than a moment… GingerBrave: Safe travels, Stardust Cookie! I’ll think of you whenever I look at the stars!

GingerBrave: Whoah, so much happened! Finally, we can talk! Moonlight Cookie: I know the message you’ve brought me, Cookies. Moonlight Cookie: I felt the ripples in my dream… Winds of change are blowing our way… Moonlight Cookie: I have also seen Cookies all around the world, gathering forces… GingerBrave: Yes, that’s right! Thing is… GingerBrave: We need your help to fight Dark Enchantress Cookie! GingerBrave: We’ve seen how powerful you are today! Moonlight Cookie! Together, we will win! Wizard Cookie: But we’ll need to find other Legendary Cookies, too! Moonlight Cookie: I understand. My strength is yours. Moonlight Cookie: I can see it now. The stars above the continent of Beast-Yeast… have turned crimson. Moonlight Cookie: I’ve yet to witness the dreams of Dark Enchantress Cookie but I will not let any harm come your way. Moonlight Cookie: Have no fear! GingerBrave: Awesome! Thanks, Moonlight Cookie!

Wizard Cookie: Moonlight Cookie, are you going to return to the World of Dreams…? Moonlight Cookie: Yes… I’ve used much of my strength to restore the city. Now the dreams are beckoning me… Moonlight Cookie: My friends, you’ll always be welcome in this city! Moonlight Cookie: When in need of help, call me from your dreams…! Strawberry Cookie: Goodbye, Moonlight Cookie…! I’ll see you in my dreams…!

Wizard Cookie: Something troubling you, GingerBrave? GingerBrave: Hmmm… At first, I thought how cool the Wizards were. But after meeting Stardust Cookie. I don’t know what to think… GingerBrave: We escaped from the Witch because we didn’t wanna be eaten, right? And now we live happily, freely, however we want? Wizard Cookie: Well, yeah? Wizard Cookie: It also got me thinking… For someone looking down on us from the stars, we are nothing but dust? Even smaller than dust! Wizard Cookie: Everything in this city was so tall and big… It reminded me of the Witch’s hut… Wizard Cookie: But the sky was too far and wide even for the human wizards. It had to be! So when I look at it now, I forget that I’m just a tiny Cookie wizard. And, if only for a brief moment, I feel like I belong in this city. Strawberry Cookie: Maybe that’s why the Cookies born here felt so close to the humans who created them… Wizard Cookie: Here’s what I think. They tried so hard to understand each other, right…? Maybe that’s why they both fell in love with the night sky…? Strawberry Cookie: That’s… beautifully poetic.

#cookie run kingdom #cr dialogue #Gingerbrave #strawberry cookie #wizard cookie #moonlight cookie #milky way cookie #stardust cookie #blueberry pie cookie #sugar glass cookie #amber sugar cookie

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spark-gem · 2 years

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Hi! Can i request headcanons for Nozel and William for an arranged marriage scenario with a noble woman who’s from a family of very strong wizards. Like how they would approach the situation and if they would try to make the best of the situation by getting to know the woman more and how they would do that

Thanks!

Nozel Silva

Nozel would go along with it if he found it beneficial enough for him to do so.

If he doesn’t think so, its not happening and as the head of House Silva he will just deny the proposal.

Nozel is more likely to observe the fiancé from a distance then straight up engage with them.

When they do interact its polite and courteous but still an arm's length away from affection.

The woman would have to do her best to break through his defenses by trying to find literally anything that would start a meaningful or heartfelt conversation.

I think what warms up Nozel to the arrangement is if the interest in him and the well being of his family was genuine.

Being strict with him regarding his health is also a plus because it means value for his well being and not just his status.

The nail in the coffin though would be an elegant but frightening display of magic. It shows that they can hold House Silva with a logical, considerate, and calculating way where he doesn’t need to fret when the affairs feel beyond his control.

He was skeptical in the beginning but comes around to his fiancé with time.

William Vangence

William is more likely to accept the proposal out of politeness than gain. He doesn’t understand why someone would want to marry him but if it’s what they want…...

Again, the fiancé would need to be the first one to extend their hand toward William in a more romantic sense. Definitely wants a relationship based on love more than service.

I think this would start off as doing little acts of service. Nice little things that make him go ‘you don’t have to do that.’

In his mind, he doesn’t deserve it, but they are insistent and these acts of service then turn into a genuine interest in his life.

He would see the magic they possess as impressive but if it’s used in a gentle approach to make others or himself smile that will spark some feelings.

William’s mask would also be of interest to the fiancé but William always finds a way to steer the conversation away from it.

If the fiancé makes a sincere apology about invading a touché topic they promise to drop it but hope that he will be open to talking about the mask with them. Love and respect should go both ways and not be a one-sided ordeal.

Words like that will have William melting and view his fiancé in a more romantic view.

#carmen #my writing #black clover #bc #nozel silva #black clover nozel #black clover nozel silva #nozel x reader #william vangence x reader #black clover william #william vangence #william vangeance #black clover writing #black clover headcanons #black clover imagines #black clover x reader #black clover x y/n #black clover x you

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ninjagirlstar5 · 10 months

Text

Protag Teruya AU - Mikado Sannoji’s FTE (Part 1)

Congratulations, Mikado. You finally get to hang out with people like a normal person and get more free time events! Hooray!

This event actually continues off of Kokoro’s FTE, so be sure to read that one before starting this one.

Word count is 3,657! Not too long and not too short.

AO3 Version

Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

[Edit]Disclaimer: While Sannotori is problematic, it’s a thing in this AU/fic and the dynamic is not the same as it is in canon.

The Protag Teruya AU was inspired by @/anotherprofessional’s post! Beware of Void spoilers though!

Fic is under read more!

“Huh…This actually tastes good.”

“See? I told you I can make tea.”

Teruya snorts as he lifts the cup to his mouth again. After what happened with Kokoro, he decided to hang out with Mikado. He could’ve easily spent more time investigating or choose to stay in his room to rest. But he had already searched everywhere he could think of, so re-examining places he’s already been to felt a bit redundant. And while taking a break would’ve been nice, he really didn’t want to be alone right now.

Not after finding out Kokoro was planning to use him as a test subject.

Teruya suppresses a shudder and takes a sip of his green tea. It was a bit bitter but he liked the vegetal and earthy taste a lot more than he expected. Mikado takes a sip as well, but he grimaces and squints at his cup.

“I thought green tea was supposed to taste sweet.” The wizard complained. Teruya chuckles as he sets the cup down on the counter. They were both sitting in front of a kitchen countertop with an archway that allows people to watch anyone that cooks in the kitchen while eating their food. A good spot to relax while also keeping an eye on Mikado to make sure he didn’t mess up making their tea. Or set the kitchen ablaze.

He’s still not over the absolute panic Mikado caused after spending a whole day in the infirmary.

“That’s probably because you burned the leaves in the water.” Teruya said, the random bits of knowledge in his head making itself known once more. “The water was too hot so the leaves got burned and became bitter. The leaves are pretty delicate, so you have to be careful.”

“Augh, are you telling me that I still messed up despite making edible tea?” Mikado whined, setting his cup down. Teruya smiles a little, propping his elbow on the table and leaning his chin against the palm of his hand.

“Sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I like it the way it is.” Teruya takes another sip to prove his point. Mikado’s mask was still pouting but he seems to have come to terms with his mistake. “I think it also depends on your preference. If you like it bitter, you’d probably want the leaves burnt. But if you like it sweet, you’d want to be careful with the temperature.”

“I think I get it now…” Mikado sighs as he stares down at his cup before reluctantly taking another sip. “...Have you figured out your talent yet?”

“...No.” Teruya frowns, taking his chin off of his palm. “I really don’t get it. I’m physically fit but I’m not exactly good at any specific sport. I’m good at math, to the point I can do calculations in my head, but I somehow suck at geometry. Setsuka tested me with that one earlier, if you’re wondering.” Mikado nods in response. “And stuff like with the watch and the tea are two completely different things and yet I understand the basics of how they work. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”

“Hm…Perhaps your talent is a lot more broader than we think.” Mikado rubs his finger against his chin. He then smiled at him. “Perhaps a teacher?” Teruya laughs.

“Me? A teacher? No way.” He said it with confidence he didn’t remember. But he had a vague sense that someone he knew would’ve been offended at the suggestion. “Besides, what kind of teacher would I be? Even elementary schools have subjects that are taught by different teachers.”

“Really? I wouldn’t know.” The eye of Mikado’s mask go wide. Teruya was once again reminded that Mikado’s lifestyle was completely different from his. At least, from what he could understand of himself with his lack of memories.

“Yeah. At least, I think so. I don’t feel that different from everyone else. As far as I know, I had a pretty normal life.” Teruya said with a sigh, staring down at the cup of tea. His face was reflected in the green liquid, only dissipating when he swirls the cup by the handle. “…I guess that’s what makes it so difficult to figure out my talent. Whatever it is, it’s either too obscure for most people to know about or my skill set is too broad to narrow down the scope…” The thought hits him mid talk and he feels a new worry crawl into his chest. “Unless I don’t have one-“

“You do.”

Teruya blinked, forcing his gaze away from his tea to stare at Mikado. The mask had gone back to its wide, genial smile.

“I mean, there are many talents that require a broad sense of knowledge. Politicians, reporters, managers…They sound distinct, but they all require a decent amount of knowledge in order to do their work effectively.” Mikado pauses before tilting his head. “But if there’s one thing these three have in common, it’s charisma. When the chips are down, you have quite a way with words to bring others to your side. A leader if I ever saw one.” The wizard then lifts the cup of tea to his lips. “…Perhaps, instead of looking at talents that require a specific skill, we should look for ones that have a more…wider reach. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I, uh, think so…” Teruya said, trying to keep his expression neutral as he stared down at his tea. He didn’t really feel much like a leader. He just said what he needed to say and everyone took that as a sign to follow him like he was one. The pressure was a bit much, but he couldn’t turn them away now. He should at least try and help everyone get along as they investigate. And, well, he felt a nagging feeling in his gut when Mikado listed his examples. “…Manager sounds familiar. Maybe my talent is something like that…Something that deals with business?”

“Perhaps! If you feel that is right or it’s something similar, it wouldn’t hurt to look more into it.” Mikado said, taking a sip of his tea before setting it down. He stares at it for a while. “Now, about your conversation with Ms. Mitsume…”

“I-“ Teruya tightens his grip on his tea. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s all cryptic stuff that I don’t understand anyways.”

“That’s fine. Any information is better than nothing. Especially in a situation where we are lacking almost nothing.” Mikado urges, leaning closer to Teruya. His first instinct was to shut him down. He still felt terrified for his life now that he knew he was chosen as a test subject for Kokoro’s experiment. But he felt that would be too rude to someone that has continued to support him so far. He wanted to change the subject to something else, like Mikado’s upbringing, but from what he can tell from the casual hints he’s been dropping, the wizard didn’t have a normal life. He might be stepping into traumatic territory if he goes with this idea and they are still getting to know each other as friends. But Teruya didn’t want to leave Mikado hanging. Even if he didn’t want to talk about it right now, he deserves at least some kind of answer. Besides, talking about it may reveal clues that were hidden in Kokoro’s words. But how can he talk about it when he can barely bring himself to…?

Teruya grips his coat, only to brush his fingers against a hard cover in his pocket.

Oh, right! His journal! He wrote down information from his talk with Kokoro. He can just hand his journal over to Mikado and let him examine the contents on his own. It’ll keep him from talking too deeply about it while still exchanging clues between each other.

Nodding to himself, Teurya reaches into his pocket and pulls out his journal. He holds it out for Mikado to take, who only stares at it with the blink of his eye. His mask.

Not gonna lie, it’s creepy how it can just…express itself while Mikado’s real face remained the same. He was growing used to this change after the mask had broken in half but it still made him uncomfortable to look at.

“Here. I, uh, wrote down some stuff when I talked with her. I didn’t understand half of what she was talking about but maybe you’ll have a better idea?” Teruya said, waving the journal a bit to try and get Mikado interested in it. He raises his gaze with a tilt of his head and his wide eye.

“She allowed you to take notes?” Mikado asked. Teruya could only give him a shrug as he didn’t bother to ask. In hindsight, he probably should’ve but what’s done is done. And there was no way in hell he was going back to her room. The wizard didn’t question it any further and instead took his journal from his hand. Before he opens it, the expression on his mask softens. “Are you sure you want me to look through it? I’d imagine there are some personal thoughts in this.”

“I mean, yeah, but you only have to read Kokoro’s interrogation. And you won’t come across anything else if you start from back to front.” Teruya puts his hand on the counter. Even if Mikado catches a glimpse of anything else, he trusts him to keep it to himself.

“...I suppose that’s true.” Mikado then opens up the journal from the back and flips through the pages until he reaches the most recent entry, which was Kokoro’s interrogation. The wizard carefully reads his notes and Teruya crosses his legs as he thinks.

Should he give Mikado a gift? He’d probably appreciate one and he had way too much stuff in his backpack from the gift shop. The real question is what should he give him?

He pulls his backpack onto the counter, Mikado’s real eye glancing at it but going back to the journal. Rummaging through the contents to figure out what kind of gift would suit the wizard, he comes across something that he personally liked himself. It was an antique doll that he had gotten from his multiple attempts at the Monocrow Machine and he was tempted to put it on his desk to watch over him. But when he had turned off the light, the pretty doll ended up looking far creepier than he expected in the dark and he decided that maybe he didn’t want to keep it. Or at least, he didn’t want it in his bedroom where he can see it as he sleeps. But would Mikado even want something like this…?

“Having some trouble, Otori-san?” Mikado asked, and he pulled his gaze away from the antique doll. He hesitates before putting the doll up so the wizard can see it better. The wizard looks at it and tilts his head. “...Is that for me?”

“Uhhh, yes?” Teruya scratches the back of his head. “Only if you want it, of course.”

“Sure. It can be useful in my studies for magic after all.” Mikado said, accepting the gift without another thought. He even picked it up to examine the doll more closely while putting the journal down. Teruya blinks his eyes, curious now.

“How so?” He scoots his chair closer to the counter, crossing his arms on top of it. Mikado’s eye seem to light up upon being asked.

“Well, it’s simple really.” The mask smiles widely. “Dolls are common in rituals that involve spirits as some need a conduit to speak through. And while mediums can do it through their own body, it tends to put themselves and other participants in danger if the spirit is quite malicious or too confused to the point of being vicious. So it’s generally safer to communicate with the dead through another physical object than another human being.”

“O-Oh, great.” Teruya couldn’t help but shudder. It was interesting, sure, but that didn’t mean he liked the idea of the supernatural. Mikado chuckles at his reaction. “So, wait. Is that why possessed dolls are a thing? And what if a g-ghost used the doll's body to try and attack someone?”

“Not necessarily.” Mikado rolls his eye as if the idea itself was stupid. “For starters, dolls like this are fragile, so they wouldn’t be very useful to commit violence with it. Not to mention that only an idiot would go through a ritual without putting up protective seals from the beginning. And even if the doll was able to get past all those, again, they are easy to break. Destroy the spirit's connection to the real world, a.k.a. the doll, and they will disappear on the spot.” He then tilts his head towards Teruya with a frown. “Which is why I don’t recommend using humans or any other sturdier object as a vessel. If something goes wrong, it could endanger or even kill people.”

“...Magic is dangerous. And terrifying.” He lets out a laugh that was far from amused. He then clears his throat and straightens his posture, ignoring the sweat the clings to his neck. “Why would you want to do a ritual like that anyways?”

“Hm…” Mikado sets the doll down on the counter. “Remember the fake class trial? Where we had to solve that murder of someone who died in the past?” Teruya nods his head. “I was thinking, if there were other people who had passed away on these islands, perhaps they could give us some information about them. There could be a connection between them and the killing game.”

“How can you be certain of that?” Teruya asked, frowning as he tried to follow Mikado’s logic.

“Think about it. Ms. Mitsume chose these islands for the killing game. Why? Is it just because the islands are isolated from the mainland or is there an underlying motivation behind it?” Mikado said, tilting the doll in his direction. He was silent for a moment as he stared at it. “If learning the history behind these islands can give us a better idea of why this is happening, it could give everyone another layer of motivation to not kill each other. Perhaps even counter her plans as well. And that ‘fake’ murder…it bothers me.” Teruya clenches his fists.

Honestly, that “fake” murder bothered him too.

It gave him this sickening, twisted feeling of familiarity.

He just wasn’t sure why.

“Well, at least this will help your investigation.” Teruya said, gesturing to the doll. Mikado nods his head before picking it up and putting it away. In his cape. Which seems to swallow it whole somehow. He kinda wished his backpack was similar. A hammerspace backpack would be so useful. The amnesiac decides to change the topic. “So…about the journal.”

“Ah, right.” Mikado looks down at it before sliding it over so he can see it better. He points at the notes, going down it like a list. “There’s this man from the portrait that you claim is familiar to you. But of course, you don’t remember him despite his similarity to Mr. Maeda.”

“Y-Yeah…” Teruya stares at his journal and then brings his attention to Mikado’s face. He was completely focused on the journal, not even bothering to glance his way. “Do you…think it’s odd that they look like each other?”

“Look-alikes are a thing in our world. In fact, I believe the chance of a look-alike is about one in a hundred and thirty-five chances. However, for someone to have the exact same features of another without being a twin would be…about one in a billion? No, I think it’s a trillion.” Mikado answers, his finger underlining the words of Yuki being similar to the man in the portrait. “Look-alikes aren’t uncommon, especially in comparison to…seven billion people with a chance of a hundred and thirty-five. But I doubt the man in the portrait looked completely like Yuki. Just enough to look similar without anyone noticing at first glance.”

“Oh, I see…” Somehow, that made sense to him. Even if his gut twisted at the knowledge he just learned. “Maybe I should’ve shown you the portrait.”

“Maybe. But, it’s merely a portrait in the end. And Ms. Mitsume said that he’s dead. I don’t really see how he can be relevant to the killing game now aside from Mr. Maeda being similar to him in appearance.” Mikado hums. “A mastermind that can read other people…that’s not good.”

“How should we counter that? Because I have no idea.” Teruya said. Perhaps it was a bit risky to be honest about his thoughts when an entire group of people were looking to him as a leader. But he really had no idea what to do. Mikado blinks his eye before turning towards him.

“If you want my honesty…not much.” Mikado said without a beat. He slumps his shoulders but the wizard wasn’t done speaking. “The best way to counter it is to mask your emotions as best as possible, to the point of being stoic. And that’s not a skill everyone can do very easily.”

“Yeah…apparently, I’m an open book according to Kokoro. Which is definitely not good for me.” Teruya sighs, leaning over the counter and gripping his knees.

“There is nothing wrong with being open with your feelings, Otori-san. Being able to show sincerity in your emotions helps bridge the gap between other people. That can be helpful in a situation like this as it will keep our group together. Hopefully it may even prevent others from murdering each other.” Mikado reassures and he almost touches his shoulder. But he stops and pulls away before making contact, setting his hand on the counter instead. “Being stoic can be useful against those with ill intent, but makes it harder to befriend people. A skill that helps protect yourself but can leave you quite lonely.”

“Lonely, huh…” Teruya frowns, glancing at his journal. Mikado was staring at it again. “So…I should just keep doing what I’m doing?”

“Personally speaking, yes. Your honesty will develop trust among the participants, even when Ms. Mitsume will try to undermine us with tricks and deceptions. As long as we are strong as a group, there will be less of a chance for everyone to turn against each other.” Mikado clasps his hands together. He seems to be thinking about something. And while Teruya was still uncertain, he appreciated the comfort. Even if it wasn’t a foolproof plan, it was still something he could do.

It was still something he could try.

(No matter how unlikely it was for every individual to listen to the group.)

He silenced his doubts. He had to try and be confident in his choices. For everyone’s sake.

“Anything else you can understand from my notes?” Teruya asked, feeling much calmer than before. Mikado lays his palms flat against the counter, quiet.

“...I don’t know. Two different brains? Resetting and restoring memories? There’s a connection here but I lack the knowledge to understand what it is. And you, a test subject…” Teruya feels another chill go down his spine at the reminder as Mikado slowly raises his gaze towards him. “...I fear we may be in one giant experiment we don’t know the expected results for.”

“...Fuck.” That was all he could say to that. What else can he say? Kokoro was apparently using them as test subjects, and it was a goal none of them had enough information on to know or understand. “I guess all we can do now is figure out how to leave without anyone dying.”

“Yes…” Mikado quietly said. He closes the journal and slides it back to him. “...I’m sorry.” Teruya blinks his eyes in surprise as the wizard gets out of his seat. “For cutting this hang out short, I mean. I must attend the library to research Ms. Mitsume’s motives. While I have a great deal of knowledge, it is more related to magic than anything related to biology or even psychology. Not only that, I will need evidence to back up any conclusion I come to about what her goals are.”

“Ah, that makes sense.” Teruya said, picking up his cup of tea to finish it off. The cup clatters against the plate it rested on. “Good luck investigating. I should probably get back to my room to rest. I’ll see you at dinner then?”

“Of course. I’m sure Ms. Kabuya will cook something wonderful for us all.” Mikado brushes his hands against his pants. Teruya grinned with a glint in his eyes, ready to take the opportunity to tease the wizard for his failed attempt in cooking. But the wizard teleports away in a burst of flames before he could. Which left him all alone.

Teruya frowned.

While he hadn’t gotten to know Mikado all that well and only in a short amount of time, Teruya was pretty certain that he was putting some distance between them. He probably wouldn’t have noticed if the wizard hadn’t come off as so open and friendly with his thoughts from their first meeting. Sure, there were times when he was a bit cagey with his answers, but otherwise he was willing to engage with him in conversations that weren’t completely related to what was going on.

But now, it almost felt like he was purposely avoiding him. Mikado was still helpful in investigations, even prioritizing it above all else, but there was a distance that wasn’t there before.

He sighs before picking up the tea that Mikado had yet to finish. Teruya hoped he didn’t mind drinking the rest as it would be a waste to leave it in the cup.

…Teruya hoped Mikado would allow him to talk with him more. He hadn’t even gotten to thank him for hanging out with him when he was down.

He’ll be sure to do that next time.

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#SDRA2 #Super Danganronpa Another 2 #Protag Teruya AU #Teruya Otori #Mikado Sannoji #SDRA2 Spoilers #Sannotori #Terukado

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