Work Text:
At 21 years old, Parrot dies at the hands of Saparata.
After only three months of being king of Unstable, his crown drops on the wooden plates at spawn.
The pressure plate clicks and the golden crown, adorned with various kinds of minerals thuds as it hits the floor.
The sound of Saparata's laughter follows. Saps is breathing heavily, injured from their battle, but he's still the one standing.
As the seconds pass, the laughter comes as buzzing in Parrot's ear. He feels his entire body wringing with pain, his wings aching and making horrifying sounds of bones and feathers bending in wrong ways as he drops to the floor.
He feels his clothes growing damp with blood from the multiple times Saparata's blade struck him, cleaving and breaking his armor.
His head is pounding, feeling like an anvil has been dropped on him. His sight blurring and black spots appearing in the corners of his vision. He tries to sit up, but his muscles are numb. He sees blood pooling under him and he grits his teeth.
“Oh, Parrot,” Saps says after recovering from his hysterical fit, voice condescending and a far too amused grin on his lips. “If you had just surrendered at Merchant City, you would've survived.”
Parrot musters all the strength he has left to glare up at the general. “This changes nothing. The new players will eventually—”
“This changes everything, Parrot! The new players will all be executed, there's nothing you can do about that.” Saps cuts him off, a sinister smile on his face as he walks towards the avian.
“But you won't be able to see them get killed. Consider that my mercy. I'm sure you would've broken down if you were to see that,” Saps kneels down, his eyes narrowing with a manic glint as he tilts his head. “But you'll be able to see them in heaven. Wherever that is.”
Parrot opens his mouth to say something more, but the taste of iron and the burning of his throat is all he feels as he coughs out blood.
Saps only watches him cough and huff. “Goodbye, Parrot.” His voice drops to something sounding gentle, he stands up and leaves right after.
Now Parrot is left all alone, at spawn. He's left all alone to bleed out. He's dying all alone, where he first entered the server.
He tries to sit up again, stand up and find help, find all the allies he has— if he even has any left— and make new plans to defeat Cindercrest. It's futile, because he just falls back down with a grunt, his wings crunching again.
He doesn't want to die yet. He still has many things planned for the server. He still has to solve the hunger problem. The bandits issue.
He needs to find Theo, wherever he is. He still has that debt he still has to pay in Merchant City. He has to apologize to Theo for all the times he didn't listen. He has to keep his promise to his best friend, he can't die yet.
He promised Theo he would teach him how he never misses his target with the bow. Theo promised he would teach Parrot how to cart-pvp. They promised so many things to each other, he can't leave yet.
He promised Reina they would get revenge. He swore he would avenge the death of her friend. He promised her he would revive and rebuild Skymore, he can't die yet.
He promised her he would give her another reason to stay in the server. He can't break that promise.
He has to find Spoke. Where has he been all this time? The voidling might be able to help them win the war against Cindercrest. Spoke knows a lot about trapping and spying. He has to apologize to him and help him find Mapicc.
He shouldn't have doubted Spoke when he came to him in a rush, looking hectic. Spoke would never joke about his best friend disappearing. Parrot saw first-hand the lengths he would go for Mapicc. So why did he push him away? He was stressed about his duties, sure. But why didn't he listen more? Try to help more.
He needs to talk to Wemmbu. They haven't had a proper conversation yet. Why would Wemmbu betray him? Parrot helped him, he saved him. Why would he break his trust?
They parted on a positive note. Wemmbu even seemed happy at the sight of him, he was smiling when Parrot last saw him in the tundra. Why would Wemmbu betray him?
He has to talk to Flame again. He should have a civil conversation this time. He didn't fully mean all the things he said at the bridge. His mind was clouded and he was stressed, he said things he hadn't meant to say.
Parrot needs to say sorry to Lomedy, he'll do better. He's really trying his best.
Just give him more time. He'll make the server great again. He's going to make the server less unstable, he's going to make it thrive. He promised those on the day he was crowned king.
He just needs time. He's going to do all that, he can't die yet. He needs more time, he has to live.
He tries to move his arm, but he can't even feel them. He can't even move his fingers. He can't feel anything. His whole body is numb.
The unbearable pain he felt just moments before is disappearing, almost like it's being lifted off his body as his vision becomes cloudy.
He doesn't even realize he's crying, he can't feel his skin damp from the tears.
He can't feel anything. But it's too cold. It's mid-day, why is he cold?
He can't die yet. Not yet. Please.
He still has so many things he wants to do.
There's still a pile of papers he needs to read over in his office at Northern Council.
He has to finish reading that story he promised he would read to Theo.
He still has those daisies he needs to water with Reina.
Fymada was supposed to tour him around Capital City and show him how it's looking under her rule.
He needs to give back the book Eggchan left behind at his office.
Wemmbu still owes him. He wants to use that favor so they can talk over pie.
Flame would probably like a new horse. A noble steed to use on his journey of becoming combat grandmaster.
He has to find Spoke. He needs to see him again.
He can't feel anything, but he feels a warm presence beside him. Through his wet eyelashes clustering together, he sees a warm light sitting beside him.
He can't feel anything, but the scent of flowers and old paper enters his nose.
Dark brown hair and a purple bandana blows against the wind, defying gravity, because Parrot is sure there is no breeze.
A grey sweatshirt with the ying-yang symbol. A kind smile and those same purple eyes that have haunted his dreams ever since the last time he was at that wooden house in the snow.
His purple eyes aren't dull and devoid of warmth anymore, light has returned to them. It's a sight that makes him want to cry, a sight that has his stomach twisting. A sight he never thought he'd see again.
He huffs, his breath puffs like smoke, like all the warmth is leaving his body. “Of course it's you,” He manages to say through the lump in his throat, the taste of iron no longer on his tongue. He can't sense anything.
Wifies' smile grows warmer and brighter.
Parrot can't feel anything, but he feels warm.
“You've done enough. Please, rest. You've done well. That's enough.”
Parrot has long forgotten Wifies’ voice, he thought he'd never remember again. Hearing his voice again makes him sob and tears start forming once more.
“Have I?”
“Always. I'm proud.”
He sobs even more. “I'm sorry, Wifies.”
It hurts to speak, it hurts to cry, it hurts to breathe. “I want to do so much more.”
“You've done so much already. It's time to take a break.”
“I could've done so much more.”
“But you did your best. That's enough.”
Parrot huffs out a laugh through his tears. “Out of everyone, of course you would be here to take me.”
“I've always been with you.”
Parrot closes his eyes. “Thank you. I'm sorry,”
With his crown on the floor beside his head, Parrot breathes his last breath.
As all warmth completely leaves the avian, he apologizes to all of his friends for leaving too soon.
He wants to spend more time with them. But time simply can't allow it.
Somewhere, in the void, where they call it heaven, Parrot and Wifies is on an adventure once more.
Somewhere in the clouds, Parrot is together with his friends once again.