Chapter Text
“That Sunflower was the start and end of everything. I gave it to Parrot when we first became friends. He gave me a spyglass in return, but there's no use dwelling on it now.” Wifies finally sighed to break the unbearable silence. He started having flashbacks of the first time Parrot gave him the spyglass.
“Wifies, can you tell me more about Parrot?” Spepticle asked. “Yeah, Parrot’s smart, kind, and courageous,” Wifies responded instantly. “No, not the obvious stuff; everyone knows that. I mean… like to be close friends with him.” Spepticle pressed while pacing. Spepticle was not having a fun time in the AfterLife, he was very restless.
Wifies stared off into the white everlasting expanse then whispered “Parrot was the greatest friend ever; he risked everything to stop the Invis Mafia, too bad he failed.”
By now Spepticle was practically running back and forth. “Oh yeah, you were talking about a sunflower. Are you holding one right now?” Spepticle asked, his breath coming in extreme gasps. It was true, Wifies didn’t even have to look down to know he was holding a dark grey, withered sunflower, with brittle petals.
~
Spepticle collapsed, his breath hitching as he let his exhaustion win again. “This is the 39th time you have broken down and fallen,” Wifies observed. The constant repetition was starting to bug Wifies more than the silence.
Spepticle was now at eye-level with the withered sunflower, glaring at its colourless form; it was better than white, but Spepticle still wanted to see at least a splash of color.
“I know what you're thinking, it's not possible,” Wifies murmured without breaking his everlasting gaze into nothing. “I know, I just really wanna see any color other than our skins,” Spepticle responded.
~
“No, I'm done!” Spepticle shouted, his voice cracking uneasily. “Done with what exactly?" Wifies questioned, his tone bland compared to Spepticle’s fiery voice. “We have to find the others! We've just been staring into nothing for the past two weeks! What are we even standing on, the void? We need answers, Wifies!” Spepticle’s resolve shattered as fast as it was formed, then he broke down in a heartbeat.
Wifies was paralysed and unsure how to respond to his new friend.
They both knew they weren't alone in the AfterLife, but Wifies remained rooted to his spot. He was terrified that even the slightest movement, one step towards Spepticle, would snap the sunflower and erase the last thing of Parrot he had.
“Is someone there?” A voice shouted, raw and unbearable. “Yes,” The word escaping Spepticle way too fast. Wifies tightened his grip on the sunflower as Spepticle scrambled to his feet.
The sound of this hurt voice startled both of them, but it was clear only one was going to help. “I’m staying here,” Wifies instantly said, his eyes fixing on the dead leaves. “I’m not risking it.” “Risking what?” Spepticle asked, uneasily. “We don’t even know if it’s a friend or a foe” Wifies muttered. “So? We get to do something.” Spepticle argued. Spepticle wasn't going to wait for Wifies; he started lunging towards the unknown voice. His footsteps echoing after him.
Wifies watched him go, part of him screamed to follow, but his legs wouldn't move. Was he truly paralysed from the voice, or was it just his own fear for his friend? As Spepticle ran the voice called out again “Help!” Wifies didn’t trust any of this; his instincts from the war with the Invis Mafia told him it was a trap, but he remained still, quiet, paralysed.
After five minutes of ongoing silence Wifies heard a scream that shattered his heart “Wifies, help!” It was from Spepticle. Wifies sprang up, tucked the sunflower in his hair for protection and sprinted to help his friend. He specifically told Spepticle not to go, but yet here he was about to go to the very danger he spent weeks trying to avoid.
Wifies sprinted as fast as he could, the white void offering zero traction. He was expecting someone like Wemmbu or FlameFrags to be killing his best friend, but instead, he found Spepticle leaning over a small figure.
Wifies couldn’t make out the person at first, but his brain suddenly worked for itself and forced Wifies to kneel down by the strange figure. Wifies’ knees hit the invisible floor with a thud. Up close the small figure wasn't a stranger or foe, though Wifies couldn't fully process the face before him.
The iconic green hoodie was tattered and his face was as pale as the white expanse around them. Spepticle’s hands were shaking violently as he tried to help. “I don’t… He just… Wifies, the voice wasn't from him,” Spepticle stammered trying to steady the limp body. Wifies leaned in to check the boy's heartbeat then whispered “What do you mean?” Spepticle explained breathlessly how he simply appeared out of nowhere.
“Parrot?” Wifies murmured.