You felt someone lightly shaking you.

"Y/N. Y/N, the next station is coming up." You heard Red Velvet whisper softly.

"Hhhhnng...." You lifted your head groggily, and staggered to your feet, wincing at a sharp pain in the side of your face; the memory of last night was flooding back, and you frankly weren't too happy about it. But you brushed it off, getting up onto Fructose. Chea fell into step next to you, and you watched Red Velvet get onto Batik, Chiffon sticking his head out of the cookie's backpack. The horse didn't even flinch; he was healing well. He looked at you.

"We leave at the blare of the horn. That means it's close to the next station. We're near Wolford; Madeleine and Almond are probably going to catch the next train here and turn the city upside down searching, so we need to beeline east. Then we can reach Hankala, and then after that be out of the border. ...You get all that?" He added. You nodded. The plan you'd spent time intricately planning with him last night before you left Water's Wake was gone, but you were grateful for the fact he made another.

The train's horn blared, and you felt like your eardrums would explode. That definitely woke you up. Red Velvet brought Batik to the edge of the train car, and, with only a glance back at you and a quick nod, jumped off and landed on the tracks behind the train. Chea jumped down after, and Fructose hopped off, much less gracefully.

The traintracks were neat; a stretch of endless pebbles and track, lined by forest. You'd guess it would be prettier at any other time of year. Cold numbed the wound on your cheek, and snow fell in small flurries, a delicate sheet of white blanketed on the ground. It would definitely get worse later, so you were lucky that the woods were thick enough to block most of it out. It was a pine forest, too. Mostly evergreens.

Red Velvet made sure the coast was clear, and started into the woods, making up a trail as he went. You followed him, Fructose quickly catching up.

"So... any set plan?"

"There's an easy-to-access ravine between Wolford and Hankala. We'll shelter there for a few days at least, because there's probably going to be some bad snow coming. We'll be there by noon."

You raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know that?"

He shuffled in the saddle a bit awkwardly, tightening his grip on the reins. "Personal experience."

You decided not to push on it. Probably memories you didn't want to unearth right now. He was most likely stressed and nervous, judging from the unusually alert look in his eyes.

Maybe it was the boredom that came with these kinds of trips, or maybe time was moving faster, but noon came quickly. And so did the ravine.

It was... well, it was hard to describe. It was a rocky split in the ground, and Red Velvet smiled, leading Batik to the edge.

"Well, this is it. There's that rock.... The pathway should be right around here." He started tracing the edge, and you followed, until, sure enough, there it was. A pathway down. You went down after Red Velvet, and stared in awe.

Pale beams of winter light shown down. It was much bigger then you'd thought; there were several large, sheltered divets in the walls of the ravine, and as you followed Red Velvet to a spot he claimed was the best for keeping safe from weather, you noticed more and more. Moss intricately traced the rocks, creeping under to survive the season. Dull vines hung from the edge above, and the rocks themselves were a pale brown. Though, you didn't know if that was the lighting.

You finally made it to the spot he was looking for. Red Velvet hopped down, and led Batik over to the edge of the area. This one was a bit more of a cave then a divet; rocks formed short walls around it. The space itself was a large oval shape, and you set up the tents. It had become a sort of practice now; you did the tents while Red Velvet dealt with getting the horses settled.

As soon as you were done, you leaned against the wall, gingerly tracing a hand over the injury on your face. It was already starting to get the feeling that was all too familiar; it was definitely going to scar over. Something pressed against your leg, and you looked down, spotting Chea, still wearing the bandana. You crouched, petting her back and thinking. Thinking about what you'd ask if she could comprehend it and respond.

Why did she have to do it? You paused, with a realization.

No.

No, this wasn't her fault.

It was yours.

You could have very well have left her to fend for herself. You could be fine right now back at the ranch with Pancake and Latte and probably riding through the woods and sparring with the training dummy, not running from your (ex?) best friend and father for the border with... you looked up, and saw him.

Him. Red Velvet. Why did you do all of that...? For him? Was it even for him? No. No, you decided. It was for Chea. And for you. But something in your gut told you that that wasn't it.

You went back deeper in your mental time.

It had been 3... no, 4? 5? 5 was a good estimate. This mess started during the last week of summer, and now it was mid-winter. 5 months since you'd been standing on the ranch with a letter in one hand and an unsharpened sword in the other. Where did all that time go...? You knew the answer, but didn't want to say it. You didn't even want to think it, but nothing stopped your thoughts.

Half of it was in that tower. That blasted tower. The source of everything. If that - that horrible tower never existed, you wouldn't be in this mess. You wouldn't have even gotten into it. You'd be caring for the animals and making sure Pancake was entertained while you waited for Latte to get back from an extra long work day.

You realized that in any separate reality, you'd be doing the same thing.

You'd be on the ranch with the animals and Fructose and Fructose only. Chea wouldn't be there. It would have been peaceful.

And yet there was one voice haunting your mind, looming over your attempts to convince yourself that you wanted that peace.

That wasn't what you wanted.

You didn't want that quiet life. It seemed like the opposite of what it actually was. It was a constrictive hell. Come to think of it, you hadn't ever been farther then the capital before this. You'd seen so much already, but there was more to come. So much more. So much that you didn't even want to think about it.

You realized you had been staring at nothing the whole time. You blinked, shuddering quickly, before rising back to a full stand. You took your sword out of the sheath, laying the flat edge of the blade in your bandaged palm and gripping onto the hilt with the other. It had been a while since you used it; for better or worse, you weren't sure. May as well make sure you still could.

You pushed yourself off the wall, re-sheathing your sword and starting back towards the main ravine. Red Velvet looked up from where he was sitting with Chea.

"Where are you off to?"

"Figured I'd start retraining my arm before the snow sets in."

He raised an eyebrow. "Alone? Just, hitting trees with a sword? Nobody to practice with?" You chuckled.

"You're injured. Your leg, remember?"

"It's not that serious. Besides, it's not like you're any less hurt than I am."

"...fair point. If you want to come with me, then go ahead. I'm not stopping you." You made it out into the ravine, looking up; there was still a few more hours of daylight, but it was overcast, and hard to see. There was a rummaging as Red Velvet grabbed his sword, and he appeared next to you, looking around.

"So, how did you know about this place?"

"It's, it's very.. complicated, if I'm being honest with you. Dark Enchantress - back when I was still under her command - sent me on a mission and I sheltered here for a bit. Why do you wanna know?" You were at the top of the pathway now, turning into the woods to find a good clearing.

"Dunno. Just seemed a little sudden that you decided we were camping here, that's all." He dipped his head, and you found a good spot; it was fairly small compared to the spot last time you'd sparred with him, but it would be different this time. You looked over your shoulder.

"No mask this time. I don't want to get flung into a tree again."

He nodded. "Alright."

You stood across from him, unsheathing your broadsword and pointing it at him using one hand, difficult with the weight. But you managed.

"Ready to go?" You asked. He grabbed his own sword, shifting his grip a little.

"Mhm. Ready."

Neither of you moved for a few moments, until he took a full step towards you. You matched it with a half-step back and raising your sword more, using a second hand to support it. He moved around to one side, and you turned with him, but he darted to the other. You barely stopped his sword; you knew he wouldn't actually hit you with the dangerous edge, but other hits would leave you sore. And that was no fun in this weather.

You turned, trying to hold him off, and managed to unhook your blade from one of the serrated edges of his. You almost knocked his sword out of his hands, but he regained balance quickly, and took a few more steps forward. You couldn't match it this time; his sword hit yours, and you stopped it, but he was driving you backwards.

He smiled at you; one of those mischievous smiles you knew came just before you lost. Here we go again, you thought. He quickly turned his blade and slid your sword into one of the serrated divets, before he jerked it towards him. You went with it, almost falling into him, but he pushed you back abruptly. Having lost your balance, you went down backwards.

You tried to at least make an effort to make it even; as you fell, you hooked his leg and tripped him, expecting him to fall on his back.

But he didn't.

He fell on top of you.

He held himself up with his hands, and his face hovered over yours for a few moments, eyes wide. You guessed yours were equally widened too. He pushed himself up quickly, resting on his knees.

"I-I'm sorry-"

"No, I'm the one that.. hooked your leg and made you fall..." you pushed yourself into a sitting position as well. He looked up at you, face flushed over a little. You didn't know if it was the cold or the situation. He looked down once he realized you were staring back at him. The air was strung with awkward, quiet tension until he spoke up.

"So.. I guess that's a draw?" He murmured. You nodded.

"I.. guess it is, then."

He stood up slowly. "I'll...I'll be back at camp."

"Okay. I think I'm going to stay out for a bit longer."

He stood there for a few more moments, before heading out past you. You stood up, picking up your sword from where it had fallen, and you pointed it at a nearby tree, like you were about to fight an opponent. There were heavy footsteps behind you, and you turned, spotting someone you'd never seen before.

He was tall; that was the first thing you noticed. Probably around 6'5. And he was... extremely extremely broad-shouldered. But that was probably the shoulder armor he was wearing. His hair was black, with a distinctive streak cutting through one side and a faint red tinge on the other. One of his eyes glinted with a dull, bored-looking crimson, and the other was pinned closed by a scar.

You didn't trust him. Not one bit. You took a few steps back, and he blinked.

"Who... are you." You demanded warily. His expression didn't change.

"Dark Choco Cookie. I work for the Cookies of Darkness. You're Y/N, correct?"

Your eyes widened, and you felt your hand shaking. "How... how do you know my n-"

He cut you off. "I believe I have someone you want."

He parted the cape that covered his body, and you saw...

No. No, it couldn't be.

And yet, when he met your eyes with his own purple ones and took a step forward, animal costume all battered and dirty yet still recognizable...

"Y/N!" Pancake was crying now, and he ran towards you. You bent down a little, tossing your sword aside and pulling him into a hug.

"Pancake! Oh my god, oh my god..." you squeezed the life out of him, and, as he clung onto you like he'd die if he didn't, sobbing into your shoulder, you looked at Dark Choco.

"...what's the catch." You said slowly. He shook his head.

"There's isn't one."

"What do you mean there 'isn't one?'"

"I said what I said. Dark Enchantress was going to use him to.. bait you in, sort of. Your old route would have led you to a village, and then she'd capture you and... well, it wouldn't have been pretty. That train saved both of your lives. She doesn't need Pancake anymore, and let me decide what to do with him. I can't take any more innocent lives. Not after..." he winced. "Not after what I did." He turned around, looking over his shoulder. "I have to get back now. Good luck. And tell Red Velvet I said hello."

He left. You waited a bit, before looking down at Pancake, pulling his face off of your shoulder and looking him over.

"You okay, kid?" You asked softly. He nodded, confused tears on his face. He looked around.

"Where's mommy?"

"We're.. far from there. Don't worry about it right now, okay? I'll explain later."

He looked back at you. "What about Daddy? Are we staying with him for a bit?"

Oh. You didn't have the heart to tell him. "No... no, not for a long while. I'm traveling with my friend, Red Velvet. Okay? Let's get back to camp."

He nodded, and you smiled, ruffling his hair since his hood had fallen off and leading him to the pathway.

You weren't sure if you'd be able to handle another cookie going along with you, though... only time would tell.