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“We’re going to kill you, Parrot.”
“What?” He scoffed, already turning around as he gave a quick glance to Wemmbu and Egg who stood behind him. “Come on, let’s head to Spawn.”
Parrot waited, he really did. For the footsteps of someone he had — no, believed he’d fixed their conflict with, along with that person’s best friend. But all he heard was his own diamond boots click against the ice, in solitude.
They weren’t following him. And as the realisation truly set in, his feet came to a stop.
“…You’re not being serious, are you?” Parrot turned once again to face Wemmbu and Egg, who both stood on a miniature snowy hill — as if they were trying to intimidate him.
There was a long, still silence in the snowy environment as Wemmbu’s eyes lingered over Parrot, almost… tired. Like he’d been exhausted of it all from the start of this whole journey and was only now dropping the facade. Not even like — he definitely was.
Wemmbu’s lips parted for a moment, hesitant for a microsecond before recovering. “Box him in, Egg.”
Not even Egg seemed sure about this whole thing as his wings fluttered a little. Whether it was from the cold or fluctuating thoughts, Parrot didn’t know. Egg turned to Wemmbu, the look in his eye asking if he was truly sure about this. But Wemmbu only gave him a blank stare as he waited.
Egg turned back to Parrot who stood still on the shaky ice platform, watching as he carefully made his way down the pluffs of snow that crunched beneath his leather shoes.
“Sorry, bro.” Egg grabbed a bundle of wooden planks and placed it in front of Parrot — albeit, slowly.
Parrot took a step back, his head shooting back up at Wemmbu who still hadn’t said anything more. “Dude, what? Wemmbu!” His eyebrows furrowed, betrayal and disappointment sparking his confusion.
Egg stuttered. “Bro— Can you just stay in the box?” His voice was still as monotone and managed as usual. “This is my job, and I’m trying to perform it.”
He didn’t even care for what Egg had to say, stopping — not from obedience, but from the amount of disbelief that settled in his heart at the moment. They’d spent over five hours travelling together, laughing at stupid things and whatever other shit that had happened.
Parrot had believed in it. Believed that everything was solved between them. Believed so badly that it hurt more than it usually would for someone that had every right to turn traitor.
But what use was it to call it betrayal when he’d written the first line?
“Wemmbu,” Parrot repeated, trying to get the demon’s attention. “Wemmbu! I— you can’t do this. Seriously, Lettuce is going to become king and—”
“Do I care?”
Parrot trailed off of his sentence, pausing for a moment. His voice went quiet, almost muffled out by the blazing snowfall.
“…What?”
Wemmbu scoffed, a mocking grin painting his face. He placed a hand on his hip as he glared down at Parrot with those same, amethyst and cat-like irises. “Tell me, Parrot,” He emphasised on his name like it burned. “Why did the Law hunt me?”
Parrot’s wings fluttered, closing in on him as he was now fully boxed with only one block of space. “…Because you’re wanted?”
“Right.” Wemmbu dropped his smirk, now staring at him with a pure deadpan. “Why am I wanted?”
“Because you killed a thousand players.”
“And why did Lettuce send a thousand players to me?”
Parrot stared at Wemmbu for a moment, unsure of where this was going. But for now, he wanted to keep it civil — if that even was possible in the unnerving tension right now — and be honest.
“…I don’t know.”
“…Hah.” Wemmbu spat out, rubbing his face with his hands before he let them rest over his eyes. “Yeah, of COURSE.” He dropped his arms, spreading them out. “Alright then. Let me jog your memory in that genius brain then.”
He took a short exhale as he put his hands behind his back, tilting his head. “It started when you,” Wemmbu spoke with an accusatory undertone. “revealed my identity. When I had faked my death. And alongside Flame, too.”
Parrot’s frown only deepened at the statement, recalling the moment fairly easily. It’d only been a few months since that interaction and it had bled in his mind for a while. ‘Was that right to do?’ Parrot would ask himself constantly. But now that he’d been confronted directly by the victim of it all, it darkened his heart more than anything else could.
“I could do anything on the server, Parrot!” Wemmbu’s voice heightened an octave. “Without that damn look everyone would give me any time I came across. The stupid way people who barely even knew about me thought I’d just come and shank them any time I was there!” He laughed shakily, as if the action physically hurt him.
Parrot didn’t know what to say. He didn’t have any words for that, because he knew that Wemmbu was right. It was his fault from the beginning, for revealing Wemmbu’s identity when all he wanted was just to live on the server peacefully and feel like a normal person for once and he’d just—
Just what? That was all there was to it. It was his fault either way.
“I…” He began, taking a moment to collect his thoughts.
“…I’m sorry.”
He could immediately notice Wemmbu’s shoulder stiffening at the apology, almost as if those two simple words stopped his entire thought process. The demon hybrid didn’t move an inch as he could only mumble —
“…What?” Wemmbu asked as if it were a foreign thing to him.
“I’m sorry.” Parrot repeated firmly. “For... revealing your identity. I— I didn’t know you just wanted to live, to… find peace.”
He waited for an answer, only continuing after the brief pause.
He let out a sigh. “I’m not sure if you remember this, Wemmbu,” he spoke cautiously. “But… when we were back at Pirate Civilisation, I don’t know if you remember this… I was going to say something before you knocked me off to speak privately with Egg.” Egg glanced towards Parrot at the mention of his name.
“…I wanted to say I was sorry. For revealing your identity.” Parrot murmured quietly. “I’d been thinking about it… for the past months we hadn’t interacted. If it was the right thing to do.”
“It wasn’t.” He admitted. “It really wasn’t. I’d only revealed your identity because Flame had promised to tell me about one of the Invis Mafia’s tombs. It was a selfish act.”
He paused again, letting the information sink into Wemmbu. With another exhale, he proceeded.
“You have every right to be mad at me, Wemmbu,” he spoke solemnly as he placed his palm on his own chest, gripping at the gem that pinned and secured his coat at the front of his neck. “and I’m sorry. For everything. But if we don’t get to the debate in time, if you don’t come with me to expose Lettuce…
“You’ll never have your freedom back.”
Parrot’s last words hit like a physical blow to Wemmbu’s gut as he stared blankly, wincing for a moment. He wasn’t used to it. He was used to forgetting about everything to cope with the shit he’s experienced.
But here was Parrot, giving him a genuine, whole-hearted apology. Not a half-assed one.
His eyes scanned Parrot’s face for any sign of deceivement, anything that would tell him he was lying like a bite to the inside of his cheek. But Wemmbu couldn’t find anything but sincerity in his concerned expression.
“…I mean, you did say you didn’t really care about killing Parrot.” Egg spoke up hesitantly as the two of them turned their attention to him. “You sorta just said you wanted revenge, but it’s not like you’ll get your freedom back from killing him.” Egg turned to Parrot. “…You’re only becoming like the others by banning him off the server for something that you’re blaming LettuceK for.
Egg turned back to Wemmbu, his wings crinkling a little as he furrowed his eyebrows. Like he was about to regret his next action. “I don’t think we should kill him.”
It was clear that Wemmbu was just completely speechless. He stood there, the snow making his body tremble a little more. The tension felt like it could snap any time the breeze blew slightly more.
“Tch.” Wemmbu ran a hand through his hair, his other arm back on his hip again. “Yeah, whatever.” He pulled his arms back to his side, walking over to where Parrot had still been boxed in the wooden planks Wemmbu had supplied him.
He pulled out his axe.
“Hey, I— Wait—!” Parrot screeched, flinching as he brought his arms up like a cross in front of his face, instantly shutting his eyes. Even Egg subconsciously moved forwards, trying to shield him.
But Parrot never felt the sharp Netherite edge hit him — only the sound of wood being chopped. Cautiously, his eyes fluttered open as he moved his arms away from his face.
Wemmbu was just destroying the box.
“…Oh.” The two of them simultaneously exhaled with relief.
Wemmbu huffed, close to a laugh. “You guys are such scaredy-cats.”
“Not,” Egg argued.
“You are.”
“Now it’s only me?!”
Parrot chuckled as he finished taking down the cage, turning back to Wemmbu. “Thanks.” He mumbled.
Wemmbu just gave a quick glance as he rolled his eyes, throwing his axe back to rest on his shoulder before walking off. “…Let’s go.”
The walk with the three of them was quiet, but this time, it felt more at ease for Wemmbu and Egg. Wemmbu didn’t have to go every five seconds asking himself if he should kill the avian now, and Egg didn’t have to be filled with guilt for helping the killing of another.
“…Why did you even trust me this whole time?” Wemmbu questioned, slowing down a bit to walk besides Parrot.
Parrot’s smile dropped a little as he watched forwards, noticing the night sky turning into dusk. The gray-blue sky transformed into a more orange-pink tint.
“Because you’re my last hope.” He softly smiled, turning back to Wemmbu.
Wemmbu was taken off guard by how genuine he seemed again, before scoffing. “D’alright.” He scorned, but there was a noticeable lack of annoyance.
“You ready?” The two of their boots clicked in the empty hallway, the chatters of a thousand muffled out by the Northern Council’s walls.
Wemmbu grinned at Parrot, already getting cocky again. “Yeah. Let’s expose the living hell out of Letty.”
Parrot chuckled, turning back to check on him as he walked. “Remember what to do if Letty tries to kill you,” he mentioned. “Don't need another death of yours.”
“Yeah, yeah, birdie.” Wemmbu mocked back playfully as they reached the door.
Together.
Maybe it was better off this way, forgetting about a grudge from months ago.
It kept Wemmbu at peace. It kept the both of them at peace.
And maybe, just maybe — Wemmbu could try and trust someone again.