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Chapter Text

For the third time that day, Clownpierce ruffled his feathers in annoyance at the constant itch in his wings. They were once again in need of a good preening. Small pieces of dirt and debris caught in between his plumage dug into his tender flesh. Not enough to do significant damage but caused enough strife that it was driving Clownpierce mad.

He could ask Branzy to preen his wings again, however he was busy with numerous redstone projects that Clownpierce asked him to complete. It didn’t feel right to burden him more. Fortunately, Clownpierce had another plan. The only other person he would trust with his wings was the other avian on the server, Parrot. No matter what war or shenanigans they are currently engaged in, they were on equal terms when it came to their wings.

They had preened each other’s wings in the past. Parrot preferred to lie on his stomach whilst Clownpierce preened his wings, since he found it more relaxing. Sometimes he dozed off, and even though Clownpierce had finished preening his wings, he considered it his duty to watch over Parrot until he woke up. Unlike Parrot, Clownpierce preferred to remain seated upright so it would be easier to flee if an enemy appeared.

Thus, the two organised a time to meet at a distant village, mostly untouched by human hands. Clownpierce preferred the open space. Of course, he made sure to notify Branzy before he left.

“Branzy, I’m going to meet someone today so I’ll be gone for a while.”

“Sure. Who’re you going to meet?”

“Parrot.”

“Parrot? Why?”

Clownpierce paused. He considered lying. There was no need for Branzy to know. Alternatively, he could keep it vague. He relented and decided to tell the truth.

“I’m going to get my wings preened.”

“By Parrot? I could do it for you.”

“You’ve already got a lot of things on your plate.”

“Honestly it’s no big deal. If you need me I’m always here. I could –”

“Branzy.” Clownpierce’s tone was gentle yet firm. “I’ve already organised this with Parrot. It’ll take a couple hours since it’s far so I’ll probably be back by afternoon.”

“Oh, alright.”

Slinging his scythe over his shoulder, Clownpierce stepped into the nether portal. He disappeared into the purple ripples. Branzy stared blankly after him. He doesn’t trust you, his mind whispered traitorously. The words ricocheted in his skull. Huffing, Branzy turned on his heel with more force than necessary and pulled out a redstone torch from his belt. There’s no time for self-confidence issues when there’s redstone projects waiting to be completed.

“Come on Branzy, focus up,” Branzy murmured to himself.

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The villagers stared curiously at the new figure that exited the nether portal. He was dressed in black and red and had an intimidating scythe strapped to his back. Clownpierce ignored their gazes and scanned the village. Parrot was already there waiting for him. He waved his hand to grab his attention.

“Hey Clown. You ready?”

“Yep.”

“Let’s begin.”

Clownpierce sat down on the grass and shook off his scythe. He began unfastening the wing covers. His wings unfurled with the grace of a rolling parchment. They were a rich shade of ebony black with a darkness that rivalled the night sky. Upon seeing them again, Clownpierce’s thoughts drifted away carelessly. He imagined the shenanigans afoot if he was allowed to fly. To have Branzy lure his enemies in at night before swooping in and striking them down like an invisible demon since his wings would camouflage him. It would make an awfully fantastic trap.

Clownpierce was snapped back to reality upon sensing Parrot brushing his hands against his wings. A delightful shiver ran down his back. In this rare moment, Clownpierce allowed his guard to crumble. The feeling of Parrot’s fingers running through his feathers was as heavenly as an angel’s touch. Clownpierce’s mind became weightless and soared with the buoyancy of a cloud. His wings fluttered with delight.

Neither one heard the twang of a bow in the distance.

A sudden force slammed into Clownpierce’s shoulder. His eyes shot open to see the feathered end of an arrow protruding from his right shoulder. He threw himself to the floor to avoid another arrow that sailed over his head. A team of three invisible people sprung from behind the villager houses like weeds. All were armed with bows and were already nocking another volley of arrows.

Clownpierce had brought little equipment for combat. No armour, no potions, no enderpearls. He and Parrot were thousands of blocks out, he never expected to get into conflict. Fleeing was his only option.

He knew he was forbidden to fly but they had attacked him when he was getting his wings preened, so he considered it fair game. With a mighty flap, he lifted into the air. He ignored their points and shouts and continued to soar higher.

Parrot.

In the midst of chaos, Clownpierce had forgotten about him. He faltered and drew back his wings for a moment. An arrow seized this opportunity and struck his left wing. Clownpierce flailed in the air. He gritted his teeth and swerved to the right, dodging another arrow that whizzed by his head. It clipped his ear. Warm blood flowed down his neck.

Parrot was yelling something, but the buzz of pain in his ears was too loud for him to hear. With or without Parrot, he had to go. Each beat of his wings brought him further and further away. His attackers grew to small blue specks on the floor. Their arrows could no longer reach him.

Once Clownpierce was a safe distance above them, he began to fly towards the casino. The harsh bite of the wind seared his flesh, tearing icy ribbons of agony through his injuries. He clutched his shoulder to numb the pain, but he couldn’t ignore the excruciating ache in his left wing. Each flap made his tendons scream.

Clownpierce clenched his jaw and endured this in silent torment. It wouldn’t take long. He just had to hold on a little longer.

Chapter Text

The familiar sight of the casino was upon him in no time. It had always been quicker to fly. He glided towards the ground, crashing into an undignified heap. It had been so long he’d forgotten how to land. Clownpierce pulled himself up again despite the agony. Taking a few wobbly steps, he limped towards the entrance of his casino.

“Branzy!” Clownpierce called.

No reply.

“Branzy!” He tried again. The same silence mocked him.

Branzy was underground in the heart of his latest project. A pit filled with a jungle of pistons, redstone wiring and other bits and bobs. It was supposed to be a moving wall for one of their games in the casino. He faintly heard Clownpierce’s voice above the whirrs and clicks of machinery.

“Clown, you’re back!” Branzy popped his head out of the hole. “Have you seen the – oh god.” Branzy swallowed his greeting as he spotted Clownpierce, dripping with blood.

“What happened?”

“I got jumped. I’ll explain later.”

Branzy leapt out of the pit and dusted redstone off his hands. He rushed to the brewing room which held their stockpile of medical equipment and potions. He rummaged through the chests. Clownpierce set himself down on a nearby stool, breathing heavily. Branzy brought out a roll of bandages and a few healing potions. Its pinkish hue was more tempting than ever through the haze of pain. Branzy offered a potion to Clownpierce. He shook his head.

“Not yet. I need to take the arrows out first. It won’t heal properly otherwise. Take the bandages instead.”

Branzy obeyed.

Clownpierce gripped the arrow in his shoulder. “Are you ready?”

Branzy nodded. He knew what Clownpierce was going to do.

Clownpierce tightened his hold on the feathered end. Giving a sharp tug, the arrow popped out of his shoulder with a splatter of blood. The pain brought black spots dancing before his eyes. Branzy quickly wrapped the bandages around the wound. Scarlet red began to disappear under layers of white.

“Are you okay?” Branzy asked tentatively.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Clownpierce looked behind his back to analyse his other injury. He scowled at the sight. From the way it was positioned, he couldn’t reach the arrow. However, there was another option.

As Branzy finished bandaging his shoulder, he hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Branzy, there’s something I need you to do. I’m so sorry I have to ask you this Branzy. I really am.”

“What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to pull the arrow out of my wing.”

Icy terror tightened its constrictive grasp around Branzy’s heart. He could barely swallow the lump of dread caught in his throat.

“Alright. I-I can do this.”

Branzy examined the wound closely. The arrowhead had pierced entirely through the flesh, so that its bloody tip was sticking out the other side. He prepared himself and took a few deep breaths. He gripped the arrow shaft tightly. And pulled. Branzy’s heart lurched as the arrowhead got stuck. The barbed edge were caught in flesh. He gave it another yank. This time, Clownpierce couldn’t hold back his shout. Branzy held him close and rubbed his back comfortingly. He murmured soft reassurances into Clownpierce’s ear.

“You’re okay, you’re okay. Everything’s fine.”

Through the nauseating pain, the rancid stew of hatred burn in Clownpierce’s chest. He hated himself for bringing Branzy into this, for letting down his guard and causing all this.

Finally, Branzy tugged the arrow free. The blood was only a glistening stream against Clownpierce’s jet-black wings. He pressed another layer of bandages over the wound. Unaccustomed to dealing with an avian’s wings, Branzy fumbled with the gauze and struggled to navigate his way around the maze of feathers.

“Move it a little higher. Good, just like that. Don’t make it too tight.”

Under Clownpierce’s guidance, the job was done. Branzy tied off the dressing with a knot and sighed with relief.

“Thank you.”

“Is there anywhere else that hurts?” Branzy asked.

Clownpierce shook his head. Apart from the arrow injuries, he’d earned himself a few extra bruises from his earlier crash into the ground. Fortunately, they could quickly be healed by a few swigs of healing potions. Golden apples were saved for live combat.

“Do you want me to get you anything?”

“Not at the moment.”

As the adrenaline drained away, Clownpierce began to feel an unnatural burning simmering across his wounds. He recognised his sensation. It was an effect he was all too familiar with.

“Branzy, don’t chuck the arrows out yet. There’s something I want to check. Could you wash it clean first?”

Perplexed, Branzy did as he was asked. He wiped the blood off the arrow tip with a clean cloth. A few black smudges stained the flint surface.

“This is…”

“Instant harming,” Clownpierce murmured.

Branzy felt the potion sizzle against his skin as he ran his finger against the arrow tip. He shuddered to think about how painful it would be if it pierced his flesh. “These are tipped arrows,” he breathed. “I thought they were banned. How did they get this on the server?”

“Probably some loophole or exploit.”

“You say it so casually like it’s nothing.”

“Reddoons duped his hearts. Ashswag snuck illegal items into the server. It’s nothing I’m not used to.”

Apart from his physical wounds, fresh waves of bitterness clogged Clownpierce’s throat. It was the same feeling when he comes across a hacker or a cheater on a public server. The way his enemies fought disgusted him. Clownpierce didn’t blame them for attacking him. It was common to have enemies on this server. He didn’t blame them for targeting him when he’s vulnerable. That was simply strategy. He didn’t even blame them for using exploits on this server. Even he would jump at the opportunity to gain an unfair advantage over his enemies.

However, he couldn’t forgive them for attacking him during those few precious moments where he didn’t have to bind his wings, where he was safe, where he could be free.

Unforgivable. He will get his revenge.

Chapter Text

The past week was tense with expectations of battle. In Clownpierce’s current state he was in no condition to fight so if anyone came to his base to finish him off, his only option was to run. Clownpierce spent the days fidgeting with his enderpearls and spent the nights wide awake. Yet nobody came.

Instead of waiting to be attacked, Clownpierce would watch Branzy construct his redstone machine since he had nothing better to do. It was equivalent to watching black sorcery, seeing wires buzz and restone torches flick to life at simply a few delicate touches and adjustments. It was an unintentional show that captivated him.

Sometimes he’d query Branzy on his work, attempting to understand this complicated maze of circuitry. “What does this wiring do?” Clownpierce pointed to a trail of redstone along the floor.

“That part connects to this T-flip flop which stores the value of this button press then depending on the value, it either deactivates or activates this redstone torch which then controls the input of this other circuit.”

Clownpierce stared in stupefied silence. “On second thought, I think I should just stick to PVP.”

The ping on Clownpierce’s communicator caught his attention. He flipped it open to check the message.

Parrot whispers to you: Hey is it okay if we have a chat? It’s about last week.

Clownpierce tapped on his keys, thinking of a reply.

You whisper to Parrot: Sure. You can come over today.

Parrot whispers to you: K be there soon.

Clownpierce closed his communicator. When he looked up, Branzy was staring at him curiously.

“Who messaged you?”

“It’s Parrot. He’s going to come meet us at our base today.”

Branzy gripped his redstone torch a little more tightly. “Can we trust him?”

“Yes, we can. I have a feeling I know what he wants to talk about.”

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That afternoon, an expected knock arrived at the door. Branzy checked the peephole and was satisfied to see the familiar blue-winged avian standing outside. He opened the door and after a brief exchange, he reluctantly let Parrot inside the casino. All the while, Branzy kept his hand close to his weapon at his side. Parrot pretended not to notice. When they reached the door of Clownpierce’s room, Branzy faltered for a second before letting Parrot inside.

It was a modest space lined with wooden walls and flooring that radiated a homey atmosphere. Simple furniture fashioned the area while a pane window poured sleepy light into the room. Clownpierce was reading a book by the bedside table, his wings spread comfortably across the sheets. He looked up at the sound of visitors approaching.

“Hey Parrot,” he greeted.

“Hi Clown,” Parrot replied a little awkwardly.

“What did you want to talk about with Clownpierce?” Branzy asked cautiously.

“I’m afraid it’ll be a private conversation. You can’t listen in.”

“So you can stab him when I’m gone?”

Clownpierce stepped in quickly. “Branzy, we can trust him on this.”

“Will you be fine with him alone?”

“It’ll be alright. You can go.”

“I’ll uh, get back to my redstone then.” Branzy scurried away, casting one final glance behind him before he left the room.

Parrot waited until the sound of footsteps faded away. “How are you healing? Your wings getting any better?”

“Yeah, it’s all thanks to Branzy. He helped me change my bandages and brewed some healing potions for me. What about you? Were you injured at all?”

“Yeah about that…” Parrot fiddled with his fingers. “I want to apologise for what happened the other day.”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I should’ve kept better watch.” Just like what you did for me, Parrot silently added. “I brought some healing potions and golden apples.”

“I couldn’t possibly –”

“Just take them!”

Clownpierce continued to refuse, but Parrot adamantly shoved the items into Clownpierce’s arms.

“I’d feel bad if I took items from the poor,” Clownpierce argued.

“Dude did you just call me broke?”

The two chuckled. At once, the tension melted away and was replaced with a light cheeriness that was far more welcome. They fell into easy conversation with Parrot complimenting Clownpierce’s builds while cracking jokes along the way.

“There’s something else I want to mention,” Parrot said. “I have some information on the people who attacked you. They call themselves the Cleansers, and they’ve gone after everyone for their hearts.”

“Do you have any information on who the members could be?”

“I do on a few. The ones who attacked you the other day were Zam, Leo and Mapicc.”

At the sound of their names, Clownpierce’s feathers bristled. He clenched his fits with rage. Yet a dose of unwanted sorrow accompanied the scorching fire that engulfed his veins.

Clownpierce is well acquanted with the bite of betrayal. He has enough stories to satisfy the entire range on the spectrum. People would betray their teams to join him, or they would attempt to catch him unawares in a trap intending to satisfy their grudges. The sting of treachery has dulled over time, yet this was different.

In the previous season, Leo, Zam and Mapicc were the people who joined him, fought with him, and claimed they would defend him down to their last heart. Although they weren’t allies in this season, Clownpierce never expected them to stoop so low as to attack him while his wings were so vulnerable, much less shoot his wings directly.

“Have they gone after anyone else?” Clownpierce asked to distract himself from his thoughts.

“From what I’ve heard, they’ve already killed a couple people like Jaron and Planet.”

“I was next on their target list?”

“I guess so. I still have no clue how they found us. Only you and I knew where we were meeting. Perhaps they followed us or something.”

Clownpierce shrugged. “No use thinking about it now. I’ve got something else on my mind.”

“What’s that?”

Clownpierce’s grin was evident in his voice. “Revenge of course. Do you want to join me?”

Parrot beamed at the request. “I’d love nothing more. What’s your idea?”

“Nothing much yet. I’m still scheming. But I’ll keep in touch when I come up with something.”

“Sounds great! I’ve gotta go now, my teammates are expecting me. Stay safe.”

“You too.”

With a final wave, Parrot exited the room. Clownpierce rested for a few silent minutes until he was certain Parrot had left the casino.

“Branzy you can come in now.”

There was an embarrassed squeak by the door and then shuffling footsteps. After a moment, Branzy trudged in like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

“How did you tell I was there?” He asked bashfully.

“I didn’t. I just said that in the off chance that you were there.”

“What! Seriously?”

“Nah I’m kidding. I could see your shadow outside the door. You have to be sneakier than that if you want to eavesdrop on others. Still, you managed to fool Parrot with your footsteps.”

“Uh, thanks I guess.”

“That was some great thinking by you to hide behind the door when Parrot left. But never mind that, you heard everything didn’t you?”

Branzy nodded.

“Good. So do you want to be part of our revenge squad?”

For a moment, Branzy considered his options. Initially, his partnership with Clownpierce began with a quest for revenge. It had driven him and Vitalasy apart, yet it also earned him a valuable ally. Despite the bloody start, Branzy’s partnership with Clownpierce has evolved into familiarity. It only made sense to hop aboard the revenge train. Vengeance was fun after all.

“Hell yes I’m in,” Branzy affirmed confidently.

“Fantastic,” Clownpierce grinned.

His allies and enemies have reversed this season. Parrot, a member of the Poggies nation who he once fought against was now on his side. His new enemies, the former members of the MOB. The pain of betrayal has been buried under Clownpierce’s blazing desire for revenge.

He couldn’t wait to begin.