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"Spoke, I am mapicc."
"... What?"
The air shifts into something colder, something more oppressive that it hurts to breathe. The garden where they stood in has always been an eerie place with its thick, grey logs, pale leaves and whatever nightmare fuel is lurking in the shadows.
But now, it feels much more terrifying than it already is. And spoke didn't even know it was possible until today.
"Mapicc..? What-" spoke couldn't believe what he had just heard. His body practically froze on the spot, refusing to move despite his mind screaming at him to lunge forth and give the other man a piece of his mind.
He couldn't bear seeing his friend's (are they still friends after this?) face, it's too much. It's too...
He can't, he can't even look at him. The friend he used to search for till months and months without success, the friend he so desperately yearn for along these lonely nights, the friend he would destroy the world for-
...
He let his head laze down towards the floor, staring at the churchy grey leaves under his shoes instead of the friend across from him. His vision became blurry, before teardrops finally crashed against the ground and spilled all over.
"This isn't funny, mapicc. Stop playin-"
"I'm not joking, spoke. I was the person who sent all these people to hunt you down."
Spoke finally gained the courage to look up at the horrifying figure and directly stared into his eyes, as if trying to claw his gaze into his mind. Mapicc's expression was blank, like spoke hadn't just witness his world crash right in front of his eyes by the person spoke trusted the most.
Spoke wanted to throw up so much. Spoke wanted to throw up all the disgusting, hot agony he's feeling right now, alongside the almost empty despair. But he couldn't, he couldn't throw up. He could only swallow and hoped that this was a sick nightmare.
But it isn't.
"You're.. You're serious, mapicc? You- you really sent all these people?" He felt his knees become weaker and weaker the more words he spat out and the more tears he cried out. He looks so pathetic right now, it's embarrassing.
"I did, spoke." He sounded monotonous, spoke hates it. Mapicc never sounded like that. He sounded cheery, he sounded lovely, he sounded.. Like home. This isn't the mapicc he knew. No, it was someone else. A foreign individual who had taken over the form of his best friend. He couldn't believe that this was mapicc. This could never be mapicc.
Spoke let out a soft, weak chuckle. But it wasn't the innocent, happy chuckle spoke would let out whenever he saw mapicc trip or whenever he accidentally made a silly mistake. No, it was a chuckle that felt dry and hopeless. The kind of laugh you'd mutter out when you know your life has finally ended.
"Mapicc... This.. Why? Why did you send all those hunters? Why- why did you do that? Why did you do that? why did you do that?" Spoke repeated, as if saying it once wasn't enough. Mapicc needed to know what he did, he needed to know how much his actions affected spoke.
"Spoke, I know what you did." Spoke wanted to interrupt but before he could, mapicc continued. "I know about all the stories you fabricated, I know about all the lies you told, I know about all the crimes you committed,"
Mapicc paused for just a moment, letting his words sink into spoke's mind. He knows how much his words had an effect on spoke, he has been with spoke since the beginning not to.
"I know how much of a horrible person you are, spoke. It wasn't the leowook, or even his spies who tried killing us back in the farlands. It was you."
Spoke eyes widened even more, creating more space for his tears to form and spill down his cheeks. he felt angry, embarrassed that one of his biggest secrets was exposed just like that.
His chest burned like hell just formed inside his heart (if he even had any). He clutches onto the shield mapicc had given to him before the war, hoping that there was a piece of oblivious mapicc before all of this inside to help fight against the air trying to choke him to death.
After mapicc's statement, there was silence. Only broken from the sound of rustling leaves or the wind crashing against the log, creating a slightly creaky noise.
But finally, after what felt like an hour, one finally spoke.
"Mapicc.. I.. I just wanted to keep you safe. I- I didn't want to lie! But I had to.. I had to, mapicc! You- you understand, right? I had to lie, mapicc.. I.. I had to."
Spoke desperately clung onto the idea of justification, hoping that mapicc would understand and forgive him for all the times he had manipulated him for his own personal selfishness.
But mapicc wouldn't budge. His expression hadn't changed one bit. And spoke was terrified.
"You tried to leave me, mapicc! You left me so.. Easily. You couldn't even bother telling me?! You couldn't bother bringing me with you?!" He nearly snapped, his breath becoming more ragged despite already being unstable previously. He wanted to be angry at mapicc, but he couldn't find space in his mind to fit another hate.
When mapicc didn't answer, spoke's form glitched. His limbs were shaking in such unnatural ways while purple, black squares became visible around spoke's right side of the face. He needed to hear from mapicc, he needed him to understand why he did the things he did.
But there was a small part of him that feels guilty (which caused the purple, black boxes to disappear). He did do that, he did manipulate his friends into returning from the farlands and fight alongside him in a battle they never wanted to get involved with. He really did do that. But the job's already done, and the only thing he could do was apologize.
"Mapicc- mapicc. You understand, right? I'm sorry, mapicc. I.. I really am. I promise I won't lie anymore, I promise I won't kill anyone anymore, I won't trap anyone anymore, I-"
"Just stop it, spoke." Mapicc interrupted, a hint of irritation hanging from his voice. But after that, he spoke with the same tone of monotony he used previously.
"I know you're not sorry, you never are." Spoke felt crushed. He is sorry, he was sorry. He feels guilty, he knows guilt. How could mapicc say that to him even though he saw spoke broke down in the past after the death of imajesticrose?
"I.. I am sorry, mapicc. You don't get to decide whether I feel sorry or not. I am sorry! I really, really am. Why- why is that so hard to believe?" Spoke used up almost all of his energy to try and prove mapicc wrong, to prove that spoke does feel sorry and guilty about all the things he had committed.
He took a step forward, just a step before stopping as if despair held him behind. That one single movement was enough to exhaust him to stop moving. He couldn't even raise his arms anymore, they felt limp.
He could only grit his teeth, and that was only a little bit before he realized that his fangs were subconsciously trying to stab his own inner lips. So, he stopped.
He stood weakly across the other, waiting for his response. His stare felt like a constant stab, but he wouldn't dare look at anywhere else that isn't mapicc.
"It's hard to believe because I know what kind of person you are, spoke. You are the most dangerous individual in this world. Your existence itself threatens the innocent, so, I can't let you roam free."
".. What?"
"You're coming with me." And finally, mapicc turned his back and walked away, knowing that spoke would likely trail from behind.
And he was right, spoke did trail from behind. His tail finally found enough energy to move after freezing the entire time while his foot copied mapicc's rhythm.
"What- what do you mean, mapicc? Where are we going?" Spoke finally caught on, walking just a block away beside mapicc whose eyes were focused on the road rather than spoke.
"Mapicc? Where are we going?"
"Just follow me, spoke." Mapicc dismissed, not even glancing at him once throughout the walk. Spoke couldn't handle mapicc ignoring him just like that. He wanted to cling onto mapicc's arm and demand answers. But something was holding him back, and he didn't know what it was.
The entire road was silent. Why is spoke even following him? What if there was a trap? What if mapicc kills him? Endless questions swirled in his mind, creating a tornado of thoughts that circled around painfully in his head.
"Mapicc- can.. Can we stop? I'm tired, mapicc. You're not even answering my questions." ignored, again.
It was frustrating. Spoke said sorry, mapicc should understand. Hell, mapicc has made these past few months for spoke a living nightmare. Spoke couldn't even sleep without worrying about being killed while at his most vulnerable state. Spoke apologized, mapicc didn't. What makes him better from spoke?
Mapicc didn't even bother listening to his request, he just stopped for a second to give spoke a small glance before returning his gaze onto the road and walking forth once again.
Eventually, after what felt like hours, the two had arrived at a pearl canon. It looks fairly new, he could tell by the lack of dust around the blocks but also because he has been here before and yet saw no cannons.
"Take this, spoke." Mapicc pulled out a single ender pearl and demanded the other to take it. Spoke could see his own reflection on the pearl which made him wince at how ridiculous and upset he looked. He took the pearl off mapicc's hand, suspicion gathering more and more every second it passes.
"What is this for? Where does this lead to, mapicc?" He didn't know why he asked. Mapicc will likely ignore him again like he did previously. Is it on purpose? Spoke knows that mapicc is aware of spoke's fear of being ignored and, or abandoned. Either that, or mapicc is just keeping crucial information away from spoke.
"I'll let you do the honours."
"I'm not tossing my pearl into a cannon that i don't even know where it leads to-"
"You will do the honours."
Spoke almost flinches at mapicc's sudden harsh tone. Throughout their friendship, spoke has never heard him use that tone, not even once- even during arguments. Did mapicc really change this much?
"What makes you think I'll just.. Blindly follow your commands, huh, mapicc?" Spoke spat venom out of his tongue, hoping that his sharp retorts would make him seem less pained than he was before. Though deep down, he was still incredibly hurt by his best friend's betrayal.
"What makes you- what makes you think that I won't just kill you right now, mapicc?"
That was risky. Spoke barely had any items left. His Armour was on the brink of its life, he used up pretty much all of his potions, and hell- he didn't even have that many golden apples. And to make matters worse, he felt incredibly nauseous and weak right now!
If he were to fight against mapicc who was arguably stronger and more experienced in combat than him, he would likely need some extra help. He hates to admit it, but jumper would be a really great ally at a time like this.
But unfortunately, jumper isn't here. Nor anyone else except the two of them.
Fuck, this is bad. This was really, really bad.
"Spoke, I know you have nothing right now. And I know you're not stupid." Mapicc took just a step closer to spoke, pointing at the pearl spoke held before moving his finger towards the cannon. "So just throw the pearl first, I promise you won't die. I'll follow after you."
Spoke wanted to hiss and bare his fangs at him, but a foolish fear he recently grew prevented him from doing so. Is it fear towards mapicc, or something else? He doesn't know but whatever it is, it's annoying. Spoke isn't supposed to fear, he is supposed to be feared.
"... Whatever dude." Eventually, spoke walked towards the cannon until he was directly below where the pearl is supposed to be thrown. He paused for a moment, staring up with the remaining energy he has to move before finally tossing the pearl into the cannon.
Within a blink of an eye, he felt his body stretch for a few ticks before finally registering the teleportation. Upon arriving, he was immediately met with the rush of air flowing through his body as he began to fall. He almost thought that mapicc had lied when he said that he wasn't gonna die after being teleported, but after just a few seconds of falling, his body eventually crashed into a rather small space filled with water that ended up canceling the fall damage.
Spoke was rather unhappy, to say the least. Knowing that his best friend was one of the reasons why he was being hunted in the first place was already terrible enough, but to add to his list of frustrations, he got an even worse headache because of the fall, and now his lower body is entirely wet.
Great, that's just so great! Everything is going so well!
After removing himself from the pool, spoke squeezed the lower part of his pants to be rid of any excess water and then proceeded to look up. He could've sworn that a small part of the roof was open before, but now it's completely closed.
Because of his dizziness, spoke nearly stumbles off the obsidian platform that he didn't even know he was on. Below the platform was just a large pool of lava and that's pretty much it. Lava doesn't really bother him, what does actually bother him about this place is the fact that spoke doesn't know where the fuck he is, and why there is not a single bridge leading towards the platform despite having a very obvious exit on the other side.
Thankfully, he did have a couple of blocks in his inventory. However, he was still fatigued. If he wanted to actually bridge across and not fall off immediately because of the goddamn headaches, he would have to recollect himself and eat some food. He has a few spares of golden apples which he munched almost immediately, letting its magical properties heal him of his wounds with each bite.
Golden apples don't particularly taste like anything which isn't bothersome at all, but if spoke had options, it definitely wouldn't be the first simply because it was more of a medicine rather than an actual meal-worthy fruit.
After about five or six apples (which was more than he expected to eat), spoke eventually regained some of his conscience and took his blocks out of his inventory. During bridging, he can't help but question- where is mapicc?
Didn't mapicc say that he'll also follow him? Did he lie? Goodness, this is all confusing. Maybe his pearl landed when the roof closed, that's possible. But even so, he expected mapicc to come from the other side and maybe, just maybe- help him get to the exit without having to put extra work into placing blocks across the lava pool. But nope, no mapicc on sight. Even though spoke swore that he has been here for almost thirty minutes just eating and pausing every few moments.
...
Spoke was now just maybe ten blocks away from the entrance. That's good. If mapicc had the intention of trapping him, then he made a grave mista-
"Ow!"
Spoke stumbled a little, feeling a soft punch on the back of his shoulder when it was facing the entrance. He nearly fell off his bridge, but the same hands that punched his back soon embraced him from the exact same direction, preventing a very painful encounter with the scorching hot liquid.
"You're not leaving, spoke."
"what- Mapicc?" Spoke tilted his head enough to see who held him from behind. It was mapicc.
It isn't really surprising that mapicc is here, however, the fact that he's refusing to let spoke go is.. Something. No matter how much spoke struggled, mapicc just wouldn't move his arms away from spoke's torso.
"Mapicc, can you let me go? I wanna leave."
"You're not leaving, spoke. You're staying on that platform." Mapicc tightened his hold enough to make spoke feel partially claustrophobic, but not enough to cause any bruising or pains.
"Mapicc- what? What do you mean I'm staying on that platform?"
Spoke tried to wiggle himself out again, but his efforts were in vain. It is irritating to be so powerless. Spoke wanted to just use his sword to slice a cut on mapicc's arm but he wouldn't dare do anything when the two are on a one block bridge. In reality, he doesn't want mapicc dead. No, not at all. And he is somewhat sure that mapicc doesn't want him dead either (despite being the person who sent hunters after him previously) considering that he is still alive and.. Kind of well, thanks to the golden apples.
"You're staying on that platform, spoke." After another squeeze, mapicc finally guides spoke towards the platform slowly from behind, making sure that his hold was still incredibly tight that spoke didn't have any options other than to move towards the platform.
When the two reached the platform, mapicc finally released his hold and forced spoke to sit down near the water pool which he soon filled with obsidian blocks. He then returned to the bridge to break every single block that spoke had placed, much to his horror.
Spoke wanted to stop mapicc, but he knew that it was pointless because it would be broken anyways. Looking at his inventory, he notices how the blocks he now has are not enough to bridge across the lava or even make it halfway.
After mapicc broke all of the bridge and let the blocks fall and burn in the lava, he returned to the platform and stood just right in front of spoke, towering his sitting form.
"Now what, mapicc? You- what was that even for?" Spoke laced his question with hurt. Of course he's hurt, he's hurt and confused. This doesn't make sense at all. What does mapicc want?
He felt foolish for not asking this earlier but he needed to know why mapicc kept him alive despite being the one who sent hunters after him. Mapicc could've killed him, multiple times actually. But he didn't, why?
"Just stay here, spoke. The world will be safe without you out there."
Mapicc then grabbed two shulker boxes out of his inventory. The black one was completely empty, and the brown one was filled with.. Boats.
Oh.
Spoke knows what's gonna happen next. He's all too familiar with this specific routine.
"Spoke, give me all of your items."
Mapicc stretched a hand towards spoke in a demanding manner, raising his fingers every now and then to pressure spoke into giving in.
Spoke wanted to decline because giving away all of his items is practically giving his life away to someone he now doesn't trust. His items are currently the only thing he is in control of and that control is currently being threatened. He can't just- no, he can't just give it away.
"I'm not giving you my items."
"You will give me your items." Mapicc pushed, stepping even closer to spoke to a point of invading his space before crouching to his level, face to face. Spoke could practically feel his warm breath against him.
Spoke should've enjoyed the closeness. He loved hugging, he loved holding, he loved any forms of physical touch when it comes to mapicc. Back then, he would often press his own face against mapicc as if wanting to merge bodies with him so that they can never part. But now, the closeness feels suffocating, oppressive.
Spoke didn't know what to do other than to give all his items away. Spoke nodded at mapicc's request as he began giving away all of his items to mapicc. All of it, except the chestplate.
He was hesitant. This was his treasured chestplate, not once has he ever stopped using it. So despite mapicc's request, spoke decided to hug himself to shield the armour away from his eyes instead of giving it away. Though that didn't really work well.
"Spoke, give me the chestplate."
"No."
"Spoke, I know it's a gift from jamatoP. I won't burn it, I promise. I'll keep it safe." Mapicc softened his voice as an attempt to coerce him into giving the chestplate away. That strangely worked.
Maybe it was because it has been a while since someone spoke to him with such softness. The kind of softness that understands you and stays despite your rough edges. Hearing his voice like that is nice.
Spoke finally gave his chestplate away despite his sticky hands. He was then tasked to fill his inventory with boats to ensure that spoke didn't try to smuggle in a couple of items to escape.
When mapicc is finally sure that spoke has nothing, he allowed spoke to throw away all the boats in his inventory into the lava pool below. Spoke almost forgot that he was on a platform solely because he was so fixated on mapicc.
Spoke then turned his body towards mapicc after the dump. He kept a single boat in his inventory, just in case.
"Uhm, it's all done. I threw it all awa-"
Before spoke could react, mapicc pulled him into a tight hug. This time, it wasn't so suffocating. It actually felt nice, really nice. Spoke needed this.
He returned the hug by wrapping his arms around mapicc's neck. Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all. Maybe this really is the mapicc he knew and love.
"I'm sorry, spoke, for getting people to come after you. It was for your own good, I promise." Oh, his usual tone is back. It's so, so lovely. He sounded a bit sad, but it's alright. He wants him to feel sad about all the things he did to him. It's good that he feels guilty, he should feel guilty.
But it's alright because spoke forgives him. Spoke has done so many terrible things too. Spoke would forgive him if mapicc forgives him too.
"It's okay. Uhm.. I'm sorry too for uh.. For manipulating you and everything. I'm- I'm really sorry." Spoke muttered while his head rested on mapicc's shoulder. He doesn't want to part with mapicc, at least, not right now. He needs to hear that mapicc forgives him, that his actions were understood.
"I forgive you, spoke. It's okay now, you're safe here. Just stay and everything will be okay, alright?"
"Uhm, okay." Mapicc then pulled away, much to spoke's displeasure. He wanted to hug him again, but he held back and backed away just a step.
He could see mapicc's full face from where he's standing. He looks a bit different now after the hug. Less terrifying and more warm, more.. Mapicc-like. Especially when a smile is now present on his face.
Spoke could stay here and analyze his face for hours, noting every pore, every twitch, and every wrinkle. He could, if it wasn't for the sudden reminder that he was again- still on the platform that was suspended in the middle of a lava pool.
"Wait- do I still have to stay on this platform?"
"Yes, spoke. Just.. Just hold on, okay? I promise you'll get to leave soon. I promise, spoke." Mapicc raised his pinky up, offering a gesture of promise before spoke notices and eventually copied, wrapping his pinky around the other's tightly.
"You really promise?"
"I promise."
Spoke smiled. It was small but it was a smile nonetheless. Their pinky was wrapped around each other for quite a while before mapicc stopped and took his fingers back.
Before mapicc left however, he gave spoke a cake and a couple of cooked beef to eat for today and the following days ahead of them. The cake was chocolate with strawberries on top which was actually his favorite. It was basic, but incredibly delicious.
Mapicc then finally left by using his elytra to fly away. Spoke didn't even notice he left, maybe it was because of the strange sudden fatigue he was feeling after eating the cake.
Today was tiring, incredibly tiring. Maybe his body finally gave up and is forcing him to rest? Well, whatever it is, he'll listen. He can't think properly right now anyways.
...
The obsidian platform is nice. Cold despite the lava surrounding it. Though it would be nicer if he had some cushions.