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"PARROT!"
Parrot scrambled out of bed, his wings flaring out in alarm. He rubbed his eyes, looking at Theo in shock. He needed this sleep, and now he just interrupted it. What could possibly be this important?
"How do you make invisibility again?"
"..."
"What?" Theo scratched the back of his head.
"You live inside of a POTION shop, and don't remember how to make invisibility."
"Yeah, so what?"
"You are literally part cockatiel, birds who have excellent memory!" Parrots voice cracked with annoyance. Can't a bird sleep in peace after travelling all the way out in the End?
"Not my fault I didn't get those genes!"
".. whatever. It's a golden carrot to make nightvision, then add a fermented spider-eye to get short-form invisibility, then add redstone for long-form."
"Thanks Parrot!"
Parrot watched groggily as Theo moved, grabbing the little ingrediants they had left. He felt like he was monoriting a toddler, making sure that they weren't doing anything stupid.
"Do we really need to restock on invis? I'm pretty sure we have more than enough." Parrot asked, trying to make his voice sound lighter.
"Yeah bro, Wemmbu practically stole all of our stock, remember?"
"Right. But you don't seem to be the type of person to just randomly restock on potions? Plus, at least Wemmbu payed dude."
"Oh yeah, we got a big order. I forgot to mention, but there's some guy downstairs waiting. Also, they might be invisible because they were invis when I talked to them."
"Is it Wemmbu?"
"No, different trims. Quartz ones."
"Guess I'll go down there then."
Parrot sat up straight and stretched his wings, taking up almost half their shared room. He pulled his blue and golden wings close to him, before standing up and walking towards the stairs.
He paused. Why didn't he have a good feeling about this? His instinct was usually always right, so why couldn't he help but want to pull away? Theo didn't seem bothered, and he was the one who talked to the customer in the first place. Maybe he was still feeling off from the Mafia tomb.
He sighed, nothing a customer can do, right? So why did he feel so off? He shivered, but ignored the feeling. This customer was doing them good anyway, by buying a bunch of their potions.
Parrot grabbed his mask and adjusted it on his face. It was a bit lobsided, but that was reasonable since he woke up around 5 minutes ago. Surely a stranger wouldn't mind. He began to head downstairs.
"Hello, welcome to our potion shop. I would just like to say thank---" Parrot choked on his words, freezing. He stared at the figure set infront of him. What?
The person who stood infront of him was familiar. Too familiar. But it couldn't be him, he was left in Paragon! He died in Paragon. So why was he standing in his potion shop, not a single scratch or injury to be seen?
The man turned around, and instantly a wave of nausea came crashing down. His face was the same. His skin, his eyes, his nose, his mouth. Identical to him. Parrot almost doubled over, his eyes focused on the ground.
He looked up. He saw his bright smile, the way his eyes closed whenever he was happy. It was all coming back to him. He looked up again. It wasn't there. His face was replaced by this strangers? Persons stoic, emotionless expression.
"I'm so s-sorry sir. Please just--- give me a minute."
Parrots legs shook slightly, his whole body trembling. He hadn't felt this way ever since he revealed himself to be the director. He felt frozen in place, but he had to move, he had to.
Climbing up the stairs was usually an action he liked to do, it usually signalled closing the shop or making a new set potions, but now it felt like climbing a mountain in the cold. Like he was trapped in a blizzard that he couldn't get out of.
He managed to get up, just out of sight of him. He glanced at Theo, before his legs fully gave out. He heard Theo squwak at the thud, getting a slight chuckle out of Parrot.
"Uhh, you good bro?"
".. yeah.. I just--- need a minute."
His body quivered as he looked up. And suddenly, he was stood in the freezing snow, infront of his former bestfriend--- riddled with emotions. Parrots breath hitched, his eyes wide.
"Parrot."
No.
"I am---"
No.
"Wifies."
Parrot was stuck to the ground, frozen and forced to look at the very person who killed his friends, the very person who was his friend.
"..What..?" The word spewed out of him unconsiously, like he was forced to go through this all again. He had to pull out of this situation.
"Parrot there was a moment that changed everything." As Wifies spoke, Parrot tried his best to drown out his words. He had to snap back into reality, he couldn't just sit in Wifies's plan completely helpless again.
"Parrot?" A voice called out.
"No, no no." Parrot mumbled under his breath, he couldn't fall for it again.
"PARROT?"
He opened his eyes.
He was staring at that familiar, dark oak floor. He snapped his head up, Theo. Good. It was just a flashback, and not real. Unlike last time.
"Yo Parrot you good man? You zoned out and just started talking to yourself.." Theo had abandoned his potion making to go over to parrot and support him. Thats something Wifies would do.
"But Wifies could never be Theo." Parrot thought to himself.
"Y-Yeah I'm good. Just tired from the tomb of the Mafia, you know? I can go talk to Wif--- to our customer now."
"Dude, no. Stay up here. You're so tired to the point you almost passed out! I can thank them myself, y'know?"
"No, I got it."
Parrot got up, still slightly shaken up from the past. He looked besides him and saw Theo, a worried expression sat on his face. Parrot smiled slightly, trying to ease his nerves.
He stretched his feathers once more, before beginning to head downstairs. Now, if he's going to be completely honest, he didn't know if he was hallucinating or not. He probably was.
But to his surprise, the same man was still standing there, sorting out his shulkers. He looked like Wifies, but was it really him? The more he looked, he noticed the man had glasses, and he was wearing a labcoat of some sorts.
And where was his feathers? The Wifies he knew was part crow, but this look-a-like was most certainly a human. Maybe it wasn't Wifies. Maybe a distant relative or just someone who was eerily similar to him?
Parrot sighed, he truely didn't know. He was smart, but in the moment, he didn't know what to think. Parrot couldn't help but shiver as he looked closer, but he just had to ask.
"Excuse me, do you perhaps know of someone called 'Wifies?' " He asked, his voice breaking the silence.
The person perked up at his question, turning around with a hint of curiosity on his stoic face.
"Oh, Wifies?"
"Yeah."
"I am Wifies."
"I--- what?" Parrots eyes widened behind his mask, as he slightly shivered at the line.
"I am Wifies." He repeated.
Parrot tilted his head, his headress wings straightening in surprise. As he looked into his eyes, he noticed that Wifies had red pupils. His Wifies had white. Yeah, this definitely wasn't his Wifies.
Was this some sort of Alternate version? Like an Alternate Universe Wifies? He was interesed now, and it seemed so was Wifies.
"I assume you've met a clone of me before? Actually, you do seem quite familiar. I think I've seen you in one of my clones hard-drives. C11-08, was it?"
"..What? A clone?"
"Yes, a clone. That version of me that you met is simply the shell of an actual being."
No way. How could someone be that smart that they can just make clones of themself? Plus, didn't he say 'clones?' Meaning he's made more that one? But thats besides the point.
The idea of his ex-bestfriend being just a copy made him sick. The Wifies that he had played with--- the Wifies that was his friend, the Wifies that he shared memories with, was fake. How had he been playing with something less than human? The thought made his head reel.
"So--- he was nothing more than a clone? A robot..?"
"Well, yes. Its quite a shame that he had to die, I had faith in C11-08." Wifies looked away from Parrot and went back to organizing his shulkers, dropping that news like it was nothing.
".. Shouldn't you feel remorse? Or even creeped out?" He backed away slightly, he didn't know what to feel.
Wifies paused, his back still turned to Parrot.
"But why would I? It was simply just a replica of me, a lesser version."
"But he was your creation. He was you." Parrots wings spread slightly, sensing danger.
"It was a clone. Aren't you supposed to be smart? Because 'smart' is what it thought of you. But to me, an actual human, you seem quite incompetent."
You could feel the coldness dripping off his voice, it made Parrot want to run. But he had to face him, he had to show perserverance.
"I don't know you that well, but I just know that he has felt more emotion more than you ever could."
Parrot stood straight, his wings slightly spread out, like he was trying to intimidate Wifies.
Wifies chuckled in response, he found this whole interaction quite amusing.
"Have you forgotten? It's a robot, not an actual being. It has metal and wires, not a heart and organs."
Wifies leered and smiled, but it wasn't a warm one like Parrot was used to seeing. Instead, it was a cold, terrifying, grin. It sent a shiver down Parrot's spine.
"More human than what you seem to be."
Wifies approached the counter that Parrot was stood at, and leaned against it. He put his weight on his arms and looked up at Parrot, his red pupils making this even more petrifying. His face was deadpanned as he spoke.
"Look at me, Parrot. Do I look like it? Do I look like C11-08? Or what you like to call it; 'Wifies?' "
Parrot stood infront of him, forcing himself to look at that familiar yet so distant face. Parrot tensed, why hadn't Theo finished making those invisibility potions yet?
His gaze slipped over to the stairs, he was out of sight. He couldn't see Theo, and Theo couldn't see him.
"LOOK AT ME. Wifies never looked as human as me. You have to admit it."
Parrot jumped at the sudden shout, taking in what Wifies just said. And he hated to admit it, but he could never see his Wifies's soul, unlike this Wifies here.
"That's what I thought." Wifies pulled back, that sly smirk on his face again. He pulled on his gloves, adjusting them to be tighted on his hands. He turned his back once more, his face stoic like nothing had happened.
"Parrot?" A voice came from above.
Parrot looked up, it was Theo. Was he finally done making those invisibility potions? He really needed this Wifies to leave. But at the same time, he didn't want him to go. Why?
Theo came down the stairs, his sunglasses sitting on his head. His headress wings were slightly ruffled, and his wings were spread slightly.
"Are you okay? I heard shouting." Theo stood next to Parrot, not even processing Wifies standing infront of him.
"Oh, yeah. Just uhh.." Parrot didn't know what to say. The concept of Wifies being a clone still hadn't left his mind.
Theo glanced at Parrot then back at their customer. His eyes darted back and fourth, obviously trying to piece something together.
"Wait a minute. Wifies?"
Wifies looked back at the mention of his name. "Yes?" He said, catching the attention of Theo.
"Parrot I thought this guy like--- you know, died???"
Parrot stayed silent. He didn't know what to say. Wifies did die, but at the same time he didn't? Because since when could you make clones of yourself? Clones that manipulate and emotionally torture people?
"He did." Was all he could manage to get out, his eyes still focused on the hard, dark oak, floor.
"How is he--- ?????" It seemed Theo didn't know what to say either.
Wifies laughed, his voice making both Parrot and Theo look at him. He smiled like how Wifies did, he chuckled like him too. Gosh, the memories were too much to keep up with.
"Ohh, so this is your little C11-08 replacement. He could use a little work. He doesn't seem the most intelligent."
"Hey what?!---"
"I'm not the Wifies that you know. C'mon, get your little Parrot to answer this for me. He knows well enough whats happening."
Parrots posture tensed, his speaking manarisms were the same as when Wifies was the Director. So that was where he got it from. It was terrifying, like seeing a memory being altered right infront of you, but it wasn't a memory, it was real. He was real.
"Parrot?" Theo's gaze looked over to him, wanting an explaination.
".. Wifies was never real. Well--- he was. But just as a robot, a clone. This is.. well.. his creator." Parrot looked down, refusing to make eye contact with him, to even look at him.
"..What?"
"It's true. Why would your good friend Parrot ever lie to you?" Wifies turned around and approached Theo, looming over Theo. His signature, cold smile was plastered on his face, as his lightless eyes burned into Theos mind.
"Hold on--- Theo. Weren't you the one who talked to him in the first place? Why are you only surprised now?" Parrot looked at Theo, who was peeking out from behind Wifies's tall figure.
"He was invisible! You can't just ask someone to un-invis!"
"Did you not recognise his voice??"
"No, he was using a voice-changer! I thought it was like a Wemmbu type situation! You literally thought he was Wemmbu!"
Wifies watched the two of them banter about him, a slight smile on his face. The most emotion Parrot had ever seen out of him.
He stood aside, letting the 2 avians bicker about him infront of his face. He crossed his arms, already missing the mechanical swirl of his machines instead of the yelling.
"---bro you can't be serious!---"
"---How was I supposed to---"
Parrots headress wings fluffed up, annoyed at Theo. He had forgotten that Theo hadn't witnessed the Director too.
"So are we going to lock in and find out why the original Wifies is here and how the whole concept of clones work or no?" Parrot was on the verge of yelling, but he had to keep his cool. No way was he was about to crash out about this.
"Well isn't it because he needs invis?---"
"I can answer for myself, Theobald." Something in Wifies cold tone made Theo squawk, leaving him as silent as he could be.
Wifies leaned against the counter again, forgetting about his shulkers behind him. His stare was terrifying to the avians, as the shadows on his face blocked out any light in his eyes.
"Wait, how do you know my---"
All Wifies did was shift his eyes over to Theo, and even something as simple as that made him jump. Parrot watched as he hurridly put on his sunglasses. He assumed he was trying not to seem scared.
"Yes, I am here for invisibility, but I also came for Parrot over here." Wifies smiled slightly at that, slightly lifting his head upwards.
"Now I believe you had a little symbol of friendship with C11-08, right?"
"..Yes, I did."
"A spyglass is an interesting choice of item, but who am I to judge?"
"What is your point here?" Parrots voice cut sharp, stark contrast to Wifies's collected tone.
"I believe I have a surprise for you."
His hand dug into his labcoat pocket, digging for something. Parrot had already assumed what is was, he just had to brace for it.
Wifies pulled out a spyglass and layed it down onto their counter. Even though Parrot had been bracing, the sight of his original, prized spyglass still hurt.
Parrot hesitated, but he put his hand out and reached for it. His hand trembled as he searched for something around the rim of the shattered lense.
There he saw it. Wifies insignia. The ying-yang. Parrot brought his wings tight to his body, his eyes stuck on the symbol. He was stuck again, frozen once more.
"I--- why? Why would you bring this back to me? A-And shouldn't it be in pieces because of the explosion?" His voice trembled, the memories of Paragon coming back to him.
Wifies shrugged, that sickening smile still plastered on his face. Parrot run his finger around the rim, tracing the dented circle.
"It was in the ruins of an explosion. It is still batted down and worn, but its shape is still well assuming the size of the bomb."
"How is it not completely broken?"
"I assume C11-08 was shielding it before it died. Its whole body probably protecting it. Pathetic that it couldn't let go of a simple object, isn't it?"
Parrot tensed. He ran for the spyglass--- and protected it before he blew up.?
"But why did you bring it back? To me?"
"I saw you in the hardrive of C11-08 giving the spyglass to it, so I assume you would've wanted it back. It seems that it dying had quite the effect on you."
"I'm over him."
"Really now?"
Wifies stared at Parrot, his eyes seeing right through him. His red pupils seemed to glow in the darkness of the shadow of his face as he smiled.
Suddenly, Wifies body started to change, sprouting headress wings and tail feathers. His wings were grey, like Wifies wings. His pupils were now white instead of red, with a new-found light in his eyes. He took off his glasses and spoke.
"Oh, Parrot! There you are, I've been looking for you, y'know? How are you? Have you been keeping yourself safe?" Wifies said with a smile. A bright smile. A warm smile. His smile.
Parrots eyes widened, what? How did he just do that? He unconsiously let out a gasp, stepping back with his wings held tightly close to him.
He felt sick, nauseous. He tried not to double over, but had to use the wall as support for standing. He heard Wifies continue to talk, but it sounded like his Wifies. He couldn't pick up the words, only the sound of a familiar voice.
It was like he was using his voice, but the one he had known all this time was the fake instead. He couldn't wrap his head around it, no matter how hard he tried.
His feathers were fluffed, and his tail bobbed with each uneven breath. He drowned out Wifies's words, but he couldn't help but look at him. He missed his face. He missed his voice, his tone. But the man infront of him wasn't him.
He put a hand over his mouth and tilted his head down, grabbing his stomach as he hunched over slightly. His throat feeling closed, and his stomach churning.
He looked back up at Wifies, but what he saw wasn't the cold, cruel version. But the one who was his friend, the one who used to comfort him when times were hard.
His vision was blurred from the sides, the only actually clear thing he could see was Wifies. He was smiling brightly, the warm lighting highlighting his features. Parrot looked down, on the verge of throwing up.
He swallowed the bile that crept up his throat, it was an uncomfortable thing that made him feel like throwing up even more. His legs shook, almost making him collapse.
Parrot could hear shouting coming from next to him and infront of him, but even when he tried to put all his focus onto the conversation, his brain would just blank and leave him in a haze.
He took a deep breath in, trying to keep his composure. He almost threw up, but he tried to ignore that. He looked up, how hadn't he noticed that Wifies had turned back to human? And gosh, who was screaming?
He looked besides him. Theo was shouting at Wifies, leaning on the table. His light-yellow feathers were spread out wide, puffed up in anger.
Parrot couldn't hear what Theo was saying at all, but the gesture of being defended made him smile slightly. His stomach still churned harshly, but his breathing became a bit more even.
Wifies was unbothered, he even rolled his eyes. Theo's shouting got louder, he looked like he was on the verge of jumping across the counter and carting him right then and there.
"Theo bro.. calm down.." Parrots voice came barely above a whisper, just slightly audible. But nonetheless, Theo managed to pick up his quiet plea.
Theo's feathers were still ruffled, but now he was quiet. Parrot hadn't realise how loud Theo truely was until he had stopped screaming and shouting at Wifies.
"Finally, you got your feathered friend to be quiet." Wifies's stare burned into the two of them, but Parrot couldn't help but wish for that kind look back.
"You are SO lucky that Parrot has a no cart inside of potion shop policy.." Theo grit his teeth, making Wifies tilt his head and frown sarcastically.
Parrot was still shaking, his body feeling more heavy than ever. He felt drained, he didn't want to talk with the either of them anymore.
"Wifies. Can you leave? You got what you wanted and delivered the spyglass. Your time here is up." His voice was strained, tired.
".. Alright then." Wifies straightened up, fixing his posture and adjusting his glasses.
"You know Parrot, I see why C11-08 took an awfully gross liking to you." He said with a smile. That simple action made Parrot just want to scream. His posture tensed, it took everything he had to not lash out.
He packed up his shulkers and placed them in his enderchest, not even asking for his invisibility that he had already paid for.
Parrot looked to Theo, his wings were ruffled, a salty expression on his face. He had his arms crossed, keeping a sharp eye on Wifies.
He picked up everything and walked towards the entrance, but stopped right in the middle of the doorframe, putting a hand on the side of the wooden support.
"Parrot."
Parrot tensed at his cold tone, but he sensed there was something else in his voice. Maybe playfulness, maybe curiosity, but he didn't know. Parrot didn't respond.
Wifies tilted his head at an angle, staring directly through Parrot and ignoring Theo. His gaze made Parrot tense up and freeze.
"Just know, I will be back. One way or another, you will see me again. Wether it's a clone, or actually me, or just an echo of C11-08 that will forever haunt your mind."
He gave a sickening smile, before ending the conversation with one simple sentence.
"You will always see me."
And just like that, he had enderpearl stasised away, leaving Parrot and Theo in silence. Parrot had his head down, whilst Theos eyes were practically burning through his sunglasses.
"Ugh--- seriously! What is up with that guy? Was your Wifies really as annoying as that??"
".. No." Parrots tone was solemn, as words he swore to remember came flooding his mind again.
"When people ask me who Wifies was--- I'm going to remember you as the Wifies I used to know."
".. He was nice. He was kind, more human than that Wifies, even if he was just pure metal and wires with a command imbeded into his code."
Parrot looked up and Theo, his bird mask covering his eyes, masking the true dullness in his gaze.
Theo sighed before responding. "Honestly, I think we should close shop early. That guy was being a jerk and obviously took a toll on you."
Parrot didn't respond, all he could do was nod slowly with his gaze fixed onto ground. His mind was still reeling as he thought further about what Wifies had stated.
Theo nudged Parrot, that action seemingly grounding Parrot back into reality. He shook his head slightly, fixing his headress wings as he loosened the ones that lay on his back. He was tense that entire conversation that it had felt weird to be even the slightest bit relaxed.
"C'mon dude, you need some well deserved rest." Theo spread his wing to huddle Parrot closer to him, making him stumble a bit.
Parrot sighed, before he looked back at the counter where Wifies used to be. His eyes automatically locking onto the spyglass that lay innocently on the table. His eyes went from the base, to the broken lense, to the ying-yang insignia.
He reached his hand out and grabbed it, the cool metal a contrast to the warm air. He looked up at Theo, who was focused on their room upstairs.
".. Let's go, bro. I think we both deserve a rest this afternoon." He said, Theo's wing still surrounding him.
Parrot climbed up the stairs, and approached his bed. He looked at the potion brewers on the table, they were half full with invisibility, indicating that Theo had abandoned his potion making to go help out Parrot once again.
He sat in his bed, letting his wings rest free as Theo cleaned up the brewing station. He gripped his spyglass closer to him, tracing the ying-yang symbol over and over again.
He would never truely forget Wifies.