Work Text:
The sky was dark, a pitch-black veil over the MCC hub. There wasn’t very many players on post-event, most had already turned in to their own homes for the night.
However the Pink Parrots team stayed, staring up at the stars that illuminated the sky above. The four’s crowns glistened in the moonlight. Although they’ve won Dodgebolt, the adrenaline and buzz of winning was long gone, and was replaced with bittersweet tension in the air.
Dark-feathered wings pulled the taller Brit closer, as Wilbur murmured; “Do you think he’d be proud of me?”
The blonde avian-hybrid smiled softly in response, albeit a bit melancholy, it was no more than peaceful. “I’m sure he would be, Wilbur.”
Grian’s wings drooped a bit, yet he felt a wistful smile start to tug at his lips, as he sat down next to the brunette. The three of them didn’t exchange words, they only observed the stars, although clouds were starting to block their view. They started to recall their memories with their old friend, a couple of them more than the other.
Yet Pete’s gaze was fixated on the shrine near the Hall of Fame, and he felt a strange aura coming from the memorial. It was somber, yes, but also warm. Comforting. And he couldn’t help but walk towards it.
His dress-shoes made soft clicks against the wooden floorboards, the gentle yet cold breeze making Pete shiver as he neared the memorial. He felt a weight on his shoulders, the golden crown on his head felt unnaturally heavy. His eyes fell to the ground, and he couldn’t help but smile at the small gifts and notes left on Techno’s platform.
Flowers. Paper crowns with player’s signatures. Slips of paper pasted all over. He softly ran a finger over each one, quietly reading them off to himself; there were so many. He couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw Tommy’s, the blonde always found a way to carry his chaotic nature into anything.
His mind went back to a past event, MCC 5 to be specific. He remembered post-event, which was when he talked to Techno the most.
The piglin-hybrid’s sassiness and humorous tone was completely gone, replaced with secondhand embarrassment for the younger blonde. Along with Phil being concerned for Tommy as well, yet Wilbur’s reaction was the complete opposite, he found his bit hilarious.
Pete smiled fondly at the memory, although he knew in the back of his mind that it wasn’t his place to be at that time. He just so happened to be put on a team with Tommy, a one-time occurrence that would probably never happen again (although he wouldn’t be so surprised if it did).
But those small interactions opened a gateway, and Pete caught a peek of the Sleepy Bois’ found family. It was short, of course, and was around two years ago. So much had changed, and yet nothing at all. They stuck together, even if they were trying hard not to. Their familial bond was strong, Techno acted as the eldest sibling. His thoughts swept back to Tommy, and the heaviness of his crown only grew.
He could only imagine what Techno's friends were going through. His smile faltered.
Pete lifted the crown off of his head, his thumb running along the ridges, his grip a bit shaky. For a moment—his eyes must’ve been playing tricks on him—his crown reflected pink. He blinked, surprised, but it disappeared quickly, replaced with the distorted, full moon reflected off of the material.
Gently, he set his crown down on the red wool carpet; take it as a gift. He felt himself grow a bit lighter. As if in response, the air grew warmer, and Pete wasn’t shivering this time as he walked back to his team.
Phil’s eyes widened in surprise as he felt Wilbur lean into his shoulder a bit more, seeming exhausted from today’s events, and the blonde smiled small; “Well, we should probably get going, Grian.”
“Of course,” the other avian-hybrid nodded in understanding, picking up his crown from the colored concrete ground, holding it in his hands. “It was nice teaming with you two.”
The chestnut-haired Hermit smiled at the two Sleepy Bois, before his eyes flickered around them. “Have you two seen Pete around anywhere?”
“No? I don’t think he left, though-”
“I’m here, I’m here,” the three turned to see Pete walking over to them, and Grian was a bit confused as to what happened to the slime-hybrid’s crown. “Where’s…where’s your crown, Pete?
“Oh, I left it behind as a small gift,” he replied; he didn’t need to say any names for Phil and Wilbur to know what he was talking about. Wilbur smiled, before turning his head away to look at the starry night sky. His other three teammates followed, and for a moment, they could see a figure in the clouds. Wisps of different shapes formed something, that they could all see.
For a moment, they thought they were only imagining things.
But on the other side of the mortal plane, high above the rest, a pink-haired man stood, cape flapping a bit in the light breeze. His crown sparkling atop his head, he was at peace. He was no longer afraid of his death as he once had been, for he knew his memory would live on. His hazel-colored eyes looked down at them, <em>his friends.</em>
And he smiles.