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Parrot’s footsteps are quick, sharp. He listened to Theo’s incessant yapping. He knocks on the dark oak door of Flame’s base and waits. Muffled scuffling could be heard from beyond the door and then the doorknob turned. Flame poked his head through the doorway to see Parrot standing there with a tired look on his face.
“Wassup.”
“Hello, Flame.” Parrot greeted with exhaustion as he slowly walked into the warm atmosphere of Flame’s base. Theo dabbed Flame and followed Parrot in. They paused when they saw Wemmbu sitting on the couch, eating some chocolate chips with hot chocolate.
When Wemmbu saw them, he froze.
“…Yo. How are you feeling? Better?” Parrot asked hesitantly. He averted his eyes from Wemmbu’s and his head-wings drooped slightly. From the corner of his eyes, he could see Wemmbu’s tail lashing slightly—agitation. Wemmbu’s tone was quiet, hesitant.
“…I guess?”
Parrot hesitated. “Bro, I know it was wrong of me to like—you know, reveal your identity…like…” Parrot could feel the tension so thick, so dense, that it felt suffocating. Wemmbu’s stance stiffened up. Parrot heard a sharp intake of breath before he looked up and saw Wemmbu’s uncomfortable, hurt expression.
“I’m sorry, dude, I thought…I thought I was doing something right for the server. For Boomie. For everyone…you know? I didn’t think it’d lead to you being…captured. You kno—”
“You didn’t think? Did you even care when I suffered in that cell—?”
“Wemmbu, he was searching all over for you while you were captured. He does care bro. At least I think so.”
———————————————————
“…”
Care. A word almost completely out of his dictionary while he was with the LAW. There, caring meant being soft and that wasn’t allowed in a strict military like the LAW. It was a strange feeling, knowing that someone cared. Even a little after being subjugated to a painful life in the LAW as Lawdog.
Wet. Okay, why are my cheeks wet? Wemmbu looked down at his legs, a huge dollop of water dripping onto his pants. Oh. OH. I’m crying. Why am I crying? I don’t understand. Why am I crying?
He felt Flame freeze beside him as Parrot’s eyes widened with pure panic. He watched Parrot flail around, not knowing what to do. Whereas Theo was staring at him like he sprouted a third horn. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay. Wemmbu, Wemmbu, dude, calm down.” Parrot took out a handkerchief to wipe Wemmbu tears, fumbling and almost dropping it before looking at Wemmbu straight in the eyes and giving Wemmbu the apology he deserved.
“Hey, Wemmbu, I’m so so sorry. I really thought it was for the best. Then I realised that you were being tortured, the whole Lawdog shit. The whole shock collar thing…and the elections. I didn’t think that would happen. I thought maybe when Flame defeated you, either you’d stop causing destruction or get…you know.”
Get banned.
Wemmbu knew how the sentence ended even if Parrot had trailed off into uncomfortable, thick silence.
Of course.
“But when I saw you there on the podium fighting Flame a day ago, a shock collar of some sort on your neck…”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have revealed your identity. I shouldn’t have ruined your peaceful life on the server just for some selfish ideals that wouldn’t even help now. Lettuce is being a tyrant and I need your help, Wemmbu. I know it's a hard ask but…”
The room lapsed into silence.
Defeat LettuceK? Impossible. Parrot needs my help? Me? The one person he tried so hard to ban off 3 months ago? A strange warm, bubbly feeling rose up in Wemmbu’s chest as he looked at the earnest brown eyes staring back at his violet ones. And he just…cracks.
Wemmbu gripped onto anything that provided him with any semblance of comfort–Parrot’s coat, sleeves, anything.
Parrot had wrapped his wings around Wemmbu like a blanket, providing warmth, safety and other feelings that Wemmbu thought he’d forgotten to feel. Care, hope, warmth, love. They stayed like this for a while, Flame and Theobald sitting on the couch, looking over the pair.
———————————————————
Flame served stew that afternoon, steaming and hearty. The moment the tray of food touched the table, the avian trio had dug into their food unapologetically. Flame smirked, “Hey, bro, Theo, what happened to being suspicious of poison?” Theo only grunted and continued shovelling food down his throat. Flame just chuckled and sat down, placing the tray on the seat beside him. The room was comfortable, cosy. The clink of spoons against wooden bowls filled the air as everyone finished their food.
“So, Parrot, dude, why did you come here bro?”
“We were wondering if…” Parrot set down his spoon and waved to Wemmbu, “if this guy’s alright or not. Partly. It was also partly about Egg’s situation.”
Wemmbu perked up when he heard Egg’s name, his bandaged wings shifting slightly as he looked up at Parrot with those violent purple eyes. “Egg?” His voice was hoarse, cracking slightly. “Is Egg still in the end? He’s safe right?”
Parrot nods slightly, “I was wondering why he can’t just leave the end. But yes. He’s fine, he's with Minute afterall.” he sighs and runs a hand through his hair.
Wemmbu’s shoulder sags from relief before averting his eyes from regret. “About that…i made him set his respawn in the farlands so–”
Theo slaps Wemmbu on the shoulder and slings his arm around. A gesture meant to be teasing made Wemmbu cringe back with a yelp before calming down and giving a shaky smile back at Theo who looked guilty. “Yo, I didn’t mean to make you jump like that..”
“No, it’s fine.”
Theo rubbed his neck, “In any case, we’re going to go to the End after this so we wanted to ask you if you wanted to join ‘cause, you know. You haven’t seen them for a long time and I'm sure they miss you.”
Wemmbu gives them a grin before jumping up and shifting his wings. “I’ll go get ready then.”
———————————————————
Minute was looking at the dark horizon of void spanning around the end island. The frigid air blew through his hair as he heard soft footsteps behind him. “Yo, Minute, d’you wanna read my new book? It’s filled with the entire server’s history. It’s interesting, bro.” Minute chuckles and takes the book from Egg’s outstretched hands.
“Damn, bro, it’s heavy.”
Egg’s head wings flap as he laughs. “It’s the entire history of Unstable after all.”
Minute flips through the pages with a smile on his face, Egg is crazy for typing all this bruh. Just then, a small siren blares in the direction of the spawning platform. Minute shoves the book into Egg’s arms as he immediately equipped his elytra and flew towards the platform.
As he drew closer, he heard shouting from inside the obsidian box.
“BRO WHAT IS THIS BRO–”
“SOMEONE BREAK THE OBSIDIAN–”
“WHO THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO PUT OBSIDIAN HERE?”
“THERE’S ELDER GUARDIANS HERE????”
“AGGHHSHHHHH–”
Minute nearly barked out a laugh as he heard the four of them argue. He poked his face under the obsidian barricade, smiling when he saw the splash of purple amongst the backdrop of black (and Parrot, Theo and Flame but we don’t talk about them).
He heard the pattering of steps behind him as Eggchan arrived at the spawn platform, his white form contrasting the obsidian as he strode forward and looked inside.
“Wemmbu. Yo bro, wassup?”
Wemmbu let out a strangled bark of laughter as Minute broke the obsidian wall to let the four out.
“You’re back man...” Minute raised a hand for a fistbump before stuttering as he saw Wemmbu’s wings. No, no, what happened–? Was Parrot telling the truth all along? I thought–I thought he was just making hypothetical–oh shit, I fucked up. If I searched for him sooner–
Wemmbu jumped out of the box, stumbling slightly before tackling Egg and nudging him playfully. Egg groans and shoves Wemmbu back light-heartedly, his form shifting to a more humanoid one. Egg’s eyes (literally go search it up, thrones (the biblically accurate angel) have like tones of them on their rings (T^T)) narrowed into sharper focus as they found the bandaged wings.
“Bro what happened?”
Wemmbu freezes, he rubbed the back of his neck as he averted his eyes, uncomfortable and silent. “I’d…rather not talk about it.”
Eggchan groans before nodding his head slightly and grumbling, “Ok bro, the one time I actually ask about his life and he gets all quiet bro.”
Wemmbu chuckles.
“Oh yeah, bro, you know how I’ve been writing in the book for like forever right? I finished it, you wanna read?”
“Bro, why would I want to read your book?”
“Aw, don’t be like that, it’s interesting bro. I even signed it. In the future they’re going to display this in the museum of Unstable SMP or something.”
“Pftt–museum of UNstAbLe SmP–” Wemmbu chortled, clutching his sides, “YOU wish bro.”
As Egg tugged Wemmbu into Minute’s base, the others stood there with a relief on their faces at seeing Wemmbu’s happy expression.
“See, Minute? I told you LettuceK messed with Wemmbu. I’m guessing it’s to make him into a dangerous military weapon.” Parrot’s quiet whisper wormed its way into Minute’s ear. Minute turned to Parrot with a mix of determination–to set things right, rage–at LettuceK for hurting Wemmbu whom he sees as a son and a friend, and regret–for not believing Parrot earlier and searching for Wemmbu. “So what d’you think, Minute?”
“What’s the plan to take down Lettuce, ParrotX2?”
Parrot just laughs as he walked towards the base. “Let’s just make sure Wemmbu is fine before we do anything risky.”
Minute exhaled while rubbing his temples and followed the trio in.
———————————————————
“Sooooo I just needed to…chuck a pearl in?” Egg blinked at Parrot, before turning to Wemmbu smoothly, his eye twitching. “So you're telling me, all I had to do was just…chuck a pearl into the portal? Are we being serious right now, bro. Are we bots bro?”
Wemmbu let out a long dramatic sigh, “We honestly might be botting bro, how have we not thought of this??”
“That’s ‘cause you guys are stuuupid bro.”
“Shut it, Flame.”
Flame gloated as Wemmbu chased him across the endstone floor. “Dumbass—”
“Quit it, you two. You guys are acting like children bro.”
“BRO, HE STARTED IT–!”
Wemmbu grunts, “If my nukes weren’t in low supply…” Flame dramatically feigns being scared, his hand dramatically draping over his forehead, “Ah..! I’m so scared..!”
“Shut up bro–”
Egg raised his voice slightly, “Hey guys, uhh, I’m going to throw it in now.” When they heard that, everyone jerked their heads toward Eggchan. “Wish me luck, guys.”
“Wait, Eggchan,” Minute spoke as Egg was about to jump into the portal after Parrot and Theo had gone in, “take this.” Minute dropped a shulker, “Hope it helps you guys.” Egg picked up the shulker with a soft thanks and jumped in. Flame went in after that. Then as Wemmbu was about to jump in too, Minute tapped his shoulder and whispered good luck before dropping a shulker of rockets and exp potions.”
“Take care of yourself.”
“...I will.”