Chapter Text
We have 5 days left to prepare before the final war, as Parrot predicted.
A lot has happened ever since Parrot, my best buddy, was crowned as King of the Unstable SMP.
Now, we are dealing with a massive civil war against powerful factions and players. Not only that, we're currently out of plans after Cindercrest took away LettuceK.
I mean... Atleast we got Reina back. I turned my head to face her, my eyes trailing towards her bandaged hand.
"You really defeated those two Cindercrest soldiers alone, dude?"
She turned to me, her expression not changing much. "Yeah. They were running their mouths too much"
"Man you're the goat." I laughed and nodded enthusiastically
I could hear her huff in pride "...Be quiet, Theobald."
"Yeah, okay. Just call me Theo, bro."
"I could call you 'Bald' if you keep complaining"
I grumbled and just crossed my arms. "You're so-"
"Theobald." She whispered, nudging my arm
I followed her gaze, landing towards Parrot's direction. We locked eyes again, her expression changing to worry.
He has been awfully quiet ever since we went back inside.
I approached his side, patting his back "You okay, man?"
That seemed to startle him, because he looked at me like I just pulled him out of some deep waters.
"Oh. Mm... Just thinking of the next step." He rubbed his fingers together. A habit I couldn't help but notice lately. He seems to do it when he's thinking hard.
"I'm surprised they didn't kill us back there, I can't lie." I attempted to break the ice, but even I can't form a joke at a time like this. Not when Parrot's looking like he's about to pass out while also ascending to another dimension at the same time.
"Yeah.." He replied without taking his eyes off the path ahead.
"...Guess they figured they don't need to..." I could see Parrot's expression turn gloomy, and my heart sank. "That came out wrong. My bad." I quickly added.
We just continued walking silently toward the council room. I could feel my gut weighing heavy each step I took.
At midday, Parrot called his council members once again for an urgent meeting and discussed further plans with them.
They were now sitting in the circular table, a usual setting these days. We might as well just live here at this point. Set up tents and camp here until Parrot calls another meeting or something.
"We need to supply more food towards the remaining cities. Nobody will go alone this time." Parrot's gaze remained focused on the map, but I'm sure he said that for a particular reason.
"Nobody goes alone, he said." I nudged Reina
"I heard." She grit her teeth and I could see her frown from where I stood. I shrug, satisfied I was able to ragebait her. Again.
"Fymada. Make sure to evacuate the willing citizens of Highwater City towards the remaining safe houses." Parrot pointed towards Ironclad city, one of the remaining cities still standing. "Without 4C, we'll have no chance of setting up another redstone weapon against Cindercrest. We have no choice but to cut our losses."
Fymada hesitates, "Parrot, they've seized Highwater already, haven't they?"
"Ah...right. I.. I meant Capitol City." Parrot glanced briefly at the little flag on top of the map where Highwater City was. A Cindercrest banner design.
Parrot ran his hand along his face before he turns toward Horace
"Horace, you and your team build more safe houses and help Fymada evacuate the citizens towards District 14."
"Parrot, it's District 13... Are you alright? You might need some res-"
Parrot silenced Horace by raising his hand
"I'm fine. Let's focus."
"Gather the Vanguards to be stationed at Capitol city. Surround the perimeter and scout for spies." He tapped the entrance of the city gates "Make sure to focus on high risk areas like the front gates. After that, there is nothing much we can do."
"Cindercrest will try to invade the city with spies instead of actually battling us head on this time. Their goal is to gather more players, not deal more damage."
The rest of the meeting was a blur to me. I could barely understand Parrot's plans, less from the people with him. They're talking about something of pushing, ambushing, and traps, but that's about all I could gather from that.
I just follow what he wants to do and carry out orders that he gives me. I think I do a pretty good job. Reina will just have to summarize the meeting for me. Parrot's bad at explaining. He makes me fall asleep.
"Psst. Hey, Reina. What did they say?"
Reina seems to easily understand what I meant, so she cleared her throat "In 5 days, Parrot will let Cindercrest's troops inside Capitol city so they can be surrounded by the remaining Royal Army soldiers." She whispered, not taking her eyes off the meeting before us "To do that, they're going to set a festival here in the Northern Council two days from now. That will give Cindercrest a false opening because they'll think we've dropped our guard and ultimately trap themselves within the walls of Capitol city."
I nodded. See, that was easy enough to understand without the high-tier words they were using. "Thanks."
"You should keep up." She side-eyes me for a moment, raising a single eyebrow
I gasp lightly. How dare she? "I don't have a cooked attention span..!"
"...It seems your comprehension is worse. I didn't say that." She frowned
"You implied it. Same thing." I crossed my arms
She groaned and rolled her eyes "Whatever, Theobald."
The meeting ended when dusk was approaching. I stayed by Parrot as everyone left. Reina said she had somewhere to be, so she left too.
"Parrot." I stood beside where he was sitting, at the middle chair of the roundtable.
"Yeah?" He turned his head towards me. His dark circles were getting pretty bad now. His voice was sounding awfully rough.
"You okay?" I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder.
He sighed and dragged his hands across his face. I can't imagine how tiring it must be. A mind like his working overtime like that.
"... I mean... Bro. It's like when we solve one issue, five more problems show up." I can feel the frustration in his voice
"Man, you're stressed because you haven't been sleeping. Look at you, dude."
Parrot looked at me in confusion "What? I have been sleeping, bro. What are you talking about?"
I'd believe it if I were anyone else who didn't know any better. He was annoyingly good at keeping secrets...and telling lies.
"Parrot."
"You've been lying about going to sleep, right?"
...No answer. So I was right.
He always goes to 'sleep' at the same time as us, but I can always hear him shuffling towards his study after a few minutes.
I let go of his shoulder and flicked his forehead.
He looked absolutely offended, it was funny. But somehow, I couldn't even let up a laugh. Not like I usually do.
"It's bad for your health, man. Staying up late." I said as he rubbed his forehead while grumbling
"Theo, you know I'm-"
"You're the King of Unstable, I know. You're trying to strategize, think of more plans... But like, you can't really use your brain in full potential if you aren't rested."
"...I mean, you slipped up twice today."
His expression soured, and I could feel that made the mood worse.
"There isn't time for that." He sighed again, rubbing his eyes with his palm
"You say 'that' like it's a crime to rest."
"It feels like it is." Parrot looks out at the empty hallways. "Many people are starving to death by the second....I.. I can't waste anymore time, Theo."
I get that. With Highwater City gone, I can just imagine the situation of the people living in the kingdom. Time wasn't on our side, I know that. But...
If they lost their King now, would there even be a kingdom to begin with?
"You haven't slept for three days, dude." I tried to stay calm, but the frustration in my throat prevented me from doing so.
"...I'm tryi- I'm doing my best. With the kingdom, with the new people coming in everyday, the citizens' needs-" I can hear his breathing picking up at every word he spat out.
"You're going to die overworked at this point, dude. Loosen up a little, is all I'm saying."
"Loosen up? Theo. Do you have any idea what I have to come up with? What I have to go through, trying to make solutions, thinking about strategies, plans-"
"Parrot. You're not hearing yourself. You shouldn't eat what you can't chew... or something like that."
"It's bite off more than you can chew, Theo."
"Oh. No. I totally meant to say that."
"See, Theo?! You can't even figure that out and you're asking me to take a break! If only you were smart like-"
He froze.
He sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose "... Theo, just-"
"Like what? Parrot, you've cut yourself off multiple times when it comes to this. I'm never going to be what?"
"Theo, it's not-"
"No, no! Finish your sentence, Parrot, I know I'm not smart, sure. I'm not!" The lump in my throat was growing, it was getting harder to choke words out "Not like your other friends who always have everything figured out, who always have you figured out, not like your council who can support you."
"I can't keep up with your complex plans, and I thought that was okay." I swallowed hard, trying to blink away the stinging in my eyes, grateful for once that the dark tint of my shades hid them away.
"I was the brawn, while you were the brains." I bit my lip as to choke back a pathetic crack in my voice "Remember?"
"Theo, just listen-"
"No! Parrot, you listen for once! What are you...what even am I to you?"
"Theo, I didn't mean that!"
"Yes you did! Yes you did! And I'd rather know instead of you keeping all these things away from me!"
"I thought we were friends, dude."
"Theo, we are! We're best friends! You're my best friend!"
"I don't feel it lately, Parrot."
"I'm just some placeholder to you, right? Until...until you find someone smarter, someone who could...keep up with your big ideas? Someone who doesn't need explaining all the time?"
"..."
The silence hurt more than anything I've ever heard.
"I knew it." I let out a bitter laugh
"I guess Billy was right. I have gone soft. I should've never saved you from those withers...never should've taken you with me...never should've...made you stay."
The legs of his chair made a loud thud as it fell to the carpet as he stood up. He yelled, the break in his voice echoing through the hollow room.
"Theo, I'm sorry! I'm sorry that I can't make time for myself and for you. We're in a middle of a crisis, I can't afford to get distracted at a time like this!"
"Please, Theo... I'll rest when... When all of this is over."
"Just please..."
I looked at him one last time, feeling like the distance between us being wider than just how much I've walked away.
"... Take care of yourself, your majesty."
"Theo!"
He yelled more words but I was already walking away, forcing myself to drown out his voice as my boots stomp towards the exit, my footsteps echoing louder than his pleas.
I need some air.
I walked towards the entrance of the Northern Council, but two familiar faces greeted me, making me stop in my tracks.
One of them was the last person I wanted to see today.
"...Flame?" I frowned at the sight of him. "What are you doing here?" I instinctively raised and loaded my crossbow. They were Parrot's allies before, but they had betrayed him and allied with Cindercrest.
I know they aren't here with good intentions.
"Where's Parrot?" He replied with a tone that I could only interpret as hostility. "I need to kill him."
My jaw ticked at the declaration. "Threatening him in front of my face, really?" I glare back at him, and he tensed for a bit.
"If Parrot wasn't fond of you even for a bit, Flame...I could've banned you already."
"Yeah right, bro." Flame laughed "Do you actually think you can defeat me?"
"I don't know." I shrugged. The only real reason holding me from cooking anyone right now is because Parrot is friends with them, and I'm also protecting Parrot's reputation as the King. I might not be stronger than Flame overall... "But I never let threats toward my best friend slide."
He splashed himself and Lomedy with strength and swiftness potions, so I knew I wasn't talking them out of it.
Oh well.
"I warned you." In a matter of seconds, I managed to blow a cart in front of them and pop Lomedy's totem.
"Lomedy! Be careful, bro!"
"I am!"
"Oh my- dodge, bro!" They continued arguing as they jumped me.
I was too consumed by the moment to even listen to their background noise.
I blew another cart at Lomedy's direction.
I'm not that smart, but it doesn't take a genius to know Flame's weakness.
"Bro! Lomedy, move!"
"I know weakness when I see one, Flame." I was about to blast another one their way, but Lomedy was wind-charging above me, so I had to dodge him and step back.
"He keeps moving!"
"Lomedy, just stay out of this, bro!" Flame's laugh was a mix of nervousness and amusement
"You're not even close to his level." I threw another cart toward Lomedy, using up his totem again.
"I'm out of totems, Flame!" I hear Lomedy panic
"Br- Here! Take it, take it!"
"Nope." I switched to the sword, aiming to finish Lomedy once and for all. To finally open Flame's eyes to what he's done, and what he was about to do.
One hit and it's over-
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
The sheer, thunderous volume of Parrot's voice made us all flinch.
"You're lucky." I whispered to the both of them, feeling Flame's burning glare even when I couldn't really see it.
I stepped aside as Parrot approached the two of them.
"Flame. Why do you want to kill me?" Somehow, Parrot's calm, low tone is scarier. Like a low rumbling that makes your skin run. Or was it crawl? I shrugged.
"Why- Bro! Don't you see what you did? People are starving, and bandits are like, just everywhere!" Flame gestured wildly with his hands.
"Yeah, Parrot... The server just became worse when you ruled." Lomedy chimed in.
"I mean, I don't really care that much, but you know, it affects us too..." Flame muttered.
"I am, as I've told you countless of times already, doing my best." Parrot countered, raising his voice slightly.
"Yeah, and that best isn't enough, dude!" Lomedy yelled
"I know it's not enough, I get that. It was my mistake to try and open up spawn, I let my own ambitions consume me. I know that was entirely my fault."
"I've sacrificed so many lives, failed to protect my people, and continued to make more mistakes..."
"But I have done much more to provide supplies, even in the middle of the crisis. And let's be honest, the only thing that Cindercrest stands for...is pride and hate."
"Hatred towards new players, pride with themselves, that they think they're better and deserve more, just because their time in this server is longer."
"And you think Saparata ruling it would be better?"
"I..." Lomedy stuttered "...I mean..he promised-"
"And where has that promise left the both of you? Almost dying to my best friend."
"Killing innocent people, destroying valuable resources..." Parrot trailed
"Do you really want your next ruler to treat people as expendable? To act rashly at things, making unnecessary sacrifices, pushing people to their absolute limits just for his own gain?"
"Y..you killed innocent players too! F-from Law-"
"And why did you think that is, Lomedy?"
"Because you're recruiting-!"
"Continue."
"...against Cindercrest..."
"To defend my kingdom, Lomedy."
"I gave them a chance, to walk beside me. I begged them to listen... And when they didn't, I had no choice. It would've been disadvantageous to my Kingdom to leave them alive and join Cindercrest."
Parrot's voice lowered again "And whenever you're faced with a crossroad, you must always choose the better path."
"And you think Saparata, while doing the same by ruthlessly sacrificing his own people just to fight a pointless war, sacrificing your lives for his plans, would be a better King?"
"I gave everyone my mercy, Flame...and this mercy is also the only thing keeping him alive right now." Parrot's gaze turned sharply toward Lomedy, making him flinch slightly, before returning his gaze back to Flame.
"..."
"..."
Parrot sighed "...If you really think that Saparata ruling would be better for the server..."
"Then go ahead."
He extended his hand out towards their direction.
"Kill me."
"Wha-" My hand instinctively twitched to my crossbow, but Parrot raised his hand to stop me.
"But just know..." I saw his gaze turn cold, staring directly towards Flame
"You're making a grave mistake."