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Parker sat on the docks of their old town. Do they even know the name of this place? God everything is so hazy….
It was a small beach town on the coast, with a cloudy city with a thick forest of pine and other lush greenery. The beach was mostly covered in rocks, there was a small part where there was sand. They had a lot of memories spending their days here. It was simpler. To an extent. Their mind was fogged up with current events though..
The weather wasn’t helping. It was cold. Looks like rain soon. They looked out at the ocean. Gray. Just like the clouds. They didn’t mind the gray.
Their brain buzzed from all the thoughts and voices that rang at the same time. All of them indecipherable.
Their thoughts went quiet when someone sat next to them, offering them a beer.
“Oh, uh…thanks.” They took it, opening the bottle.
“No problem kiddo. You look like you’re going through it.”
“Yeah… gotta get these dumb swords for shedletsky.”
“Is that so? Kind of a fancy gig, dontcha think?”
“Agh, I don’t get paid for it.”
“Really? I could’ve sworn my kid had a job at Roblox.”
Parker turned their head, finally looking at their dad who looked at them as if nothing happened and nothing changed. His smile proud…
“You must be thinking of haven, my older sibling” they chuckled breathlessly as they felt tears sting their eyes.
“You’re right… but if you’re also working for the big shed, you must run into them often! Must be nice working with them right? You two were so close as kids….”
“…I wouldn’t say so now. Our lives went in completely different directions.” Parker sighed, wiping their tears. “They hate me now.”
“Hate?” That word echoed off the rocks and the ocean, “hate is such a strong word…”
“…maybe. It’s also pretty apt…” they chuckled weakly, looking back at the man talking to them, their dad. “And… you know….siblings hate each other. It was always gonna happen. You should know, right?”
“You’re right, me and my brothers always brawled it it out in—“ his voice cut out, like a tv static interrupted him
“In what?”
“You heard me” he dismissively chuckled, even though they didn’t— no, *couldnt* hear him.
“…okay.” They blinked, staring down at the ocean, which they normally could’ve seen their reflection in. But all they saw was hatred. They felt an odd warmth in their chest.
Bringing their hand up to it, it felt…wet? They looked down at at their hand, which was covered in blood. Their blood.
“… dad?” They looked over at their dad, who was still chuckling, “dad.” They repeated, he didn’t seem to hear them, “DAD!!! DAD!!! HELP ME!!!”
Their voice came out differently. More feminine and….younger.
Suddenly they were in the heights once more, drenched in their own blood from their ripped wings, pleading for mercy and to live, just to live!
They felt their body swaying…swaying before they fell far below the clouds.
…
“…” they woke up, their body had landed onto the floor next to the bed they had made into a nest
Everything hurt. Their chest hurt each time they breathed, a sharp pain through their heart.
Their hands and legs tingling from numbness, like they were under a boulder for four hours.
They looked at their hands, completely dark, save for the red….magic? That outlined their entire body.
“….” They choked up, tears rolling down their face as they felt nothing but hatred. Not for others, but for themself.
They didn’t deserve anything. Maybe the guards were right to punish them for treason. Maybe it was right for them to not do anything good or right.
Maybe it was right for them to be a disappointment.
….but it wasn’t right, and they knew that, logically. Their friends, their loved ones, and and even their enemies would agree upon that.
“….” They sat up, dragging themself over to a small trashcan. Leaning over it, they coughed and heaved, their stomach twisting before everything finally spilled out.
They opened their eyes to the mess, feeling horrid and sick. But they just sat there in the darkness of their suite, the cold air calming them.
They stood on shaking legs, stumbling over to their things and changing into different comfortable clothes, taking a long swig from their water bottle before they opened the curtains.
“Almost sunrise…” they mumbled, looking back at the trash can, “I better not do anything today.” They huffed, almost embarrassed that they were talking to themself.
They sat down on their bed, using the hotels phone to make a call.
“Hi…. Could I make a call to the heights? I know— strange request. Could you contact Joseph Skylight for me?”
…
…
“this is Joseph! How can I assist your visit to the heights?”
“Hi… uhm…. My name is Parker. And I’m your biggest fan.”