Chapter Text
It was… Cold.
His eyes could barely distinguish what was in front of him; the blizzard wouldn’t let him see. He only felt the snowflakes falling onto his eyelashes, trailing down his face.
The strong wind pushed him repeatedly—his eyes half-closed as he tried to see through the harsh wind and the snowfall that didn’t seem to stop.
He walked with difficulty; he could feel his legs sinking into the snow with every step he took, repeatedly stumbling as he couldn’t accurately calculate the depth of the snow.
His lips pressed together. He just had to keep walking until he found that cabin he had built with his best friend… Why was it taking so long?
As soon as he entered the snow biome, he knew he couldn’t enter the area with Elytras; he could barely see through the blizzard. He didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if he had ventured into the area with Elytras.
After a few minutes, he was finally able to distinguish something among all the white tones; a trail of light. The warm glow struck the white snow—he had finally arrived.
He approached with slow steps, the cabin becoming more and more visible, highlighting the chocolate and hazelnut tones of the wood it was made of, along with the windows in different colors: white and yellow, like the color of the beacons scattered throughout the world with the sole purpose of bringing hope, of making the presence of those who oppose the Mafia visible.
Not only the Mafia.
Anyone who tries to force control over someone.
Many would think it was foolish, or that it wouldn’t work—but Wifies knew that was incorrect. As silly as it seemed, it had helped defeat the Mafia.
Though it had also caused them to be hunted countless times—the Mafia knew it was a symbol of rebellion against them. Ashswag surely couldn’t stand not having everyone at the tip of his fingers.
That was precisely why he had sought out Wifies, offering him a position in the Mafia higher than the others’. Obviously, Ashswag knew how capable and sharp Wifies was.
When he didn’t get what he wanted, he pressured him—not only him, but also his best friend, Parrot.
They were forced to make a decision that completely changed their destinies. Feeling cornered, they had no other option but the one they hated the most: one would join the Mafia while the other continued pursuing the goal that had led them to do all of this.
Parrot had joined the Mafia before Wifies could protest or offer himself instead.
Parrot was just as intelligent as he was; they complemented each other… It was as if he were his soulmate. They understood each other perfectly—without words, they already knew what the other was thinking or what he would do.
A thread bound them together.
A strong one, but forced to break.
--/06/25 10:00 PM
His violet irises looked at Ashswag, his face covered by the repeated glitches he suffered due to the species he belonged to. Even with the purple glitches all over his face, Wifies could distinguish that smile—mocking and disgustingly full of affection.
His own lips turned into a visible frown, clearly showing the annoyance and little tolerance he had for the man in front of him.
That only made Ashswag push forward. He wanted to push Wifies to the point where he would give in and become just another one of his puppets: obedient and incapable of contradicting Ash.
Wifies noticed it—of course he did.
“Wifies, Wifies…” he hummed, slow and with that sweet tone that was clearly fake, meant only to mock him even more—the sound of his name coming from the Mafia boss’s lips made him feel sick.
“What are you doing here.” It wasn’t a question; he didn’t want an explanation as to why Ashswag was in the middle of nowhere, in front of the cabin and surrounded by snowy mountains.
He just wanted Ashswag to leave. Not only had he made Parrot join the Mafia, now he was also interrupting his reunion with the Bird.
Ash’s smile widened; his glitched, barely visible eyes shone with something that screamed danger. Whatever was about to happen clearly wouldn’t be good.
“It’s nice to see you, again.” Ashswag completely ignored Wifies as he moved closer and closer to the human, who inevitably let his firm posture waver for a few seconds.
“Get lost.”
“Hmm?” The low, calm smile filled Wifies’ ears, creating a stark contrast between the soft, melodic sound of the breeze and Ashswag’s laugh—unsettling and chillingly calm.
“Wifies, you don’t even know if that’s Parrot.” Wifies pressed his lips together, avoiding Ash’s gaze only to focus on the invisible player behind him.
“That’s the power of being invisible—you don’t even know if it’s Parrot or someone else.” Ashswag’s voice cut through his thoughts, making him turn toward the source of the sound. Of course it was Ashswag; he was the only one who could speak freely and without fear of being killed.
“—and you know I hate wasted potential.” Wifies knew what came next; the fact that Ashswag was now holding a drinkable invisibility potion told him enough.
“—so for the last time… Join the Mafia, Wifies.” Of course. Wifies looked at the potion, then at Ashswag… If he joined, he wouldn’t just betray his own ideals—he would also fail Parrot. If he didn’t, he would be hunted until he was dead. “Do the right choice.”
The violet of his irises was wrapped in a glow of fear, insecurity… determination. His decision was made, his gaze returning to the Mafia boss. Before he could even speak, the invisible player with no trims on his netherite armor gently shook his head.
Parrot…
He would never fail his friend. Parrot had sacrificed himself for him, and now he was doing it again…
His lips parted softly, ready to speak, but the glitched voice interrupted him, making the words get stuck in his throat as his attention immediately shifted to Ash.
“Did you just contradict me?” The irritation in Ash’s voice was evident. Wifies instinctively stepped closer to the Mafia boss, who didn’t care about what Wifies was doing.
The player without trims didn’t move—not even a single motion—but Ashswag noticed how his posture changed to a more nervous one.
“Wifies, don’t you want to know if this player really is Parrot?” The hybrid’s opinion didn’t matter; he knew it well, and it was confirmed when a fishing rod appeared in Ashswag’s hand.
Wifies and “Parrot” tensed up. The violet eyes returned to the invs player; he felt his chest tighten and a knot form in his throat.
He couldn’t move. No matter how much he wanted to approach Ashswag and stop him, he couldn’t—his body didn’t respond. Still, he managed to shake his head slightly.
He only heard the sound of the breeze mixed with his own rapid heartbeat. He clenched his hands, and just as he was about to move… Ash scoffed, then turned toward Wifies.
“Wifies, it’s the people that we love the most that tear us apart.” Ash’s voice was unsettlingly calm, as if he were preparing for something. Wifies looked at him, not understanding what he meant.
Ashswag noticed it; his smile only widened at Wifies’ confusion.
And he slowly approached the invs player, the fishing rod now perfectly visible. All that was heard was the sound of the rod being used and…
ParrotX2 fell out of the world.
ParrotX2 left the game.
In the blink of an eye, the player without trims was no longer there. In his place, only purple particles danced alongside the falling snow.
The emotions became overwhelming. He couldn’t even recognize what he was feeling—it was too much to process.
“Kill him.”
Everything that followed became a blur, but he remembered feeling his breathing grow more erratic, pain in his legs, the cold seeping into his bones, and the pain in his throat becoming unbearable—coughing repeatedly as even the simple act of breathing became painful.
──── PRESENT ────
Since Parrot’s death, he had distanced himself from everyone. The days became dull and heavy; the energy was gone.
Sometimes he visited the cabin he had built with Parrot, holding onto the hope that maybe Parrot hadn’t completely gone.
But just remembering the death message appearing in front of him made him lose all that hope.
Ken and Wato had tried to cheer him up—sometimes going out with him, just talking about what they had been doing lately. Wifies couldn’t share funny stories like they could.
Wato had offered to spend time with him, which he appreciated, and Ken always visited him, bringing food or some gift.
Wifies appreciated both hybrids. Wato and Kenadian always noticed every change in him—if his hair had grown, or if his emotions shifted even for a few seconds; they noticed every detail.
Being Cat and Wolf hybrids, they could smell the emotions of others.
Wifies didn’t know what he would do without them. Surely he wouldn’t have been able to move forward; maybe he would have been rotting in his house, doing nothing.
Right now, he stood in front of the cabin. His purple eyes looked at the grave he had made to remember his friend, built together with Ken.
“Here Lies ParrotX2.” Around the grave were different kinds of flowers; Wifies had planted them so the grave wouldn’t look so… monochrome.
He slowly walked toward the door, avoiding the grave and the flowers. His hands took the handle between his fingers, gently pushing the door, which opened immediately.
The warmth of the homely cabin wrapped around him. The atmosphere was cozy—comforting, even.
Wifies closed the door behind him and walked further inside. On the couch lay a cat, sleeping peacefully.
That cat had been given to him by Parrot.
He swallowed hard, feeling as if thousands of thorns had lodged themselves in his throat from the inside, making even the simplest action hurt.
His tongue identified the bitter taste at its tip—an acrid flavor.
He clicked his tongue and looked away; the memory of receiving the cat tormented him—Parrot’s smile in that moment.
Blurry. His face was blurry, and he could barely remember exactly whether he was smiling or letting out a soft laugh.
The cat was now out of sight. All that was in front of him was a chest with a sign on top. Wifies didn’t remember that chest.
He approached it, his violet irises filled with curiosity about what was inside.
His fingers gently touched the wood of the sign. The handwriting used wasn’t familiar, immediately putting him on alert.
“From; The Storyteller.”
What a name, he thought.
His eyes returned to the chest. His hands took the latch, immediately feeling the cold when making contact with the iron.
He pushed it upward, the clicking sound reaching his ears. Wifies looked at the chest… He could open it right now and fall into a trap.
His lips pursed. The lid was already slightly open—there was no turning back.
He pushed the lid back, resting it against the wooden planks.
Nothing happened.
Wifies sighed, calmer now, knowing the place wouldn’t explode.
His eyes returned to the chest. At the bottom, he could see a coat or maybe a jacket, perfectly folded. It was long enough to probably reach his knees and had a hood. The outfit was completely black—a deep black decorated with white spirals. The hood had them as well, forming a heart at the back. It also had white fur at the end of the coat/jacket and around the neck and shoulders.
To one side was a pair of boots, again with those white spirals, square in shape.
His eyes searched for more. He took out the coat, and beneath it was a bandana, similar to his own but black, with woven white spirals—perfectly made.
There were loose pants, black as expected, with the same pattern on the sides. They also had that fluffy fur at the ends, though the colors were mismatched—one white, the other black.
Wifies held his breath. Whoever had put this there knew who he was. It hadn’t been a new player who just happened to find the cabin and take shelter there, as he had initially thought.
Whoever The Storyteller was knew exactly who Wifies was—they knew how he looked and what he wore usually, he hadn't left his house for weeks and barely went to crowded places!
His hands took the set of what it looked like Netherite and placed it on the couch, noticing a note tucked into one of the corners. He grabbed it almost immediately.
“For; Wifies.
Dear Wifies, I suspect you have already noticed how these past few days you have felt… watched, stalked by someone.
I ask that you do not be afraid. My intention would never be to harm you; I couldn’t bear to see you bleed by someone else’s hands.
What I do and will do from now on is to protect you. It is necessary for the story to continue its flow. From now on, you are part of my story. While you are under my control, no one except me will be able to hurt you.
They act with bad intentions. I do not.
I recommend that you wear that set; it is armor made especially for you, as I know you are not in the best condition when it comes to gear.
It is netherite. Therefore, it makes you less vulnerable to anyone who tries to kill you; though no one will be able to get close to you—any attempt to even scratch you will be useless and absurd on their part.
The script already has its ending.
It already has your ending, and mine.
This is my story, Wifies. You cannot stop what will happen between you and me.
—The Storyteller.”
His ears flattened violently into the nest of his hair as fear and a sense of threat flooded him. His eyes immediately searched for someone; his canine senses instinctively tried to smell something, to hear the faintest sound.
Nothing.
Only the sound of the air softly hitting the window, or the crackle of burning wood. Wifies licked his lips as his nerves became impossible to ignore, even while lost in his thoughts.
His dog-ears pressed further into his hair—he clearly couldn’t calm down. It showed in how his slightly fluffy tail repeatedly brushed against his legs, trying to curl around one of them.
His hands clenched the paper.
Over the past few days, he had felt as if someone were watching him—every action, every movement observed. He hadn’t paid much attention, believing it was just his mind playing a bad trick on him, since he never actually noticed anyone—just the feeling of being watched.
He had also mentioned it to Wato and Kenadian. Both had denied feeling any extra presence during their outings or when they were at Wifies’ house.
Now he knew it wasn’t his imagination. All that time, he had been ignoring a threat.
A danger.
He didn’t know what to do.
He couldn’t risk putting Ken and Wato in danger. He couldn’t lose anyone else. He didn’t want to feel alone again.
Maybe he was being selfish.
It didn’t matter.
He needed someone to help him discover who "The Storyteller" was.
He didn’t recognize the handwriting. There wasn’t a single clue as to who it could be—but whoever it was knew who Wifies was and how cautious he was.
No one would control their handwriting like "The Auspex." No one would give him a Netherite set with such precise details in the accessories!
Whenever this "The Storyteller" is, they had hidden their presence for weeks—not only from him, but also from Wato and Kenadian, whose senses were more developed than his.
They are intelligent—chillingly intelligent—to remain unnoticed like that.
And if there was anyone who could have a connection to this person, it would be Ashswag, ClownPierce, PrinceZam, Wemmbu, or someone who had pursued him in the past.
Fortunately, he knew who could help him… or rather, the ones that could help him.
JumperWho whispers to you: Leo says that u can come to our base!
Derapchu whispers to you: dw kitten, Jumper just told us about ur situation, we can help you!
Leow0ok whispers to you: XXXX XXXX
Leow0ok whispers to you: those are the cords to our base, stay safe.
Nufuli whispers to you: I'll be waiting for you, Wifies! You'll be safe with us.
You whisper to Derapchu: Ty man! :)
You whisper to Leow0ok: Thank you.
You whisper to JumperWho: Once more, thank you Jumper!
JumperWho whispers to you: Any time!
You whisper to Nufuli: Thank you!
You whisper to Nufuli: It's nice that I can finally meet you.
Nufuli whispers to you: Same!
Nufuli whispers to you: Derapchu talks a lot of nice things about you.