Chapter Text
Parrot trudged through the bracken, hearing the footsteps of Theo trailing behind him. His friend followed him throughout the silence, supporting him in his highs and lows after he lost his best friend, Wifies. They had been journeying in one direction for days on end by foot, after Parrot had a break from the election, becoming King of Unstable.
I wonder how everything is going now that I’m not there… his thoughts lingered for a moment, before seeming to disappear like mist into the back of his mind. He slowly made his way, finding paths where he didn’t have to step onto or over plants. He could hear Theo still following behind him without a word. Parrot made his way through a clump of bracken, when he spotted a black thing up ahead.
Theo came up on his side with a confused expression. “Are you sure it's safe to go further?” Parrot could tell he was nervous.
Parrot paused to think, then shook his head. He was too interested to turn back. His curiosity drove him on, Theo following warily behind. They came into a clearing, a massive obsidian wall blocking their vision. Parrot equipped his elytra, preparing to fly up to the top. Theo silently followed, spreading his feathered wings, only grunting when Parrot turned to him.
He flew up, slowly ascending to the top. He landed carefully, and gazed out beyond the wall. He was met with an increasing dread as he stared. Beside the wall were different biomes, each spread and separated by water. He recognized each one, his dread making way to panic. He noticed the tower in the middle, the shape, the size… everything that made it so familiar. Theo landed beside him, looking at the area with interest.
There seemed to be another mumble from Theo, but Parrot's heart started racing. He could only hear the frantic beating of his heart as ringing drowned out the rest of the noise.
“Parrot?” Theo's concerned voice brought him back, though his pulse still felt uncontrollable.
He tried to calm himself, before failing with an inward sigh. He gazed at the build again.
Paragon.
He shuddered at the thought, as Theo only gazed at him. Parrot turned to his friend, resolving that he should give him an answer. But he couldn't think of one that wasn't the horrible truth of the sight.
He turned back to the build, yet again, readying himself for the most simple answer he could give. “Theo-Theo, that's Paragon,” Parrot stammered. Theo's gaze shifted from concern to alarm.
“You could've told me that earlier!”
“I didn't know how.”
“Then how come you just did?”
“I gave you the simplest answer possible.”
“That doesn’t make sense!”
“How could it not? You've probably suffered things half as bad, at least. Tell me what you would say if your least favorite memory was sitting right in front of you?”
Theo paused. He took in his words for a moment, his wings ruffling uncomfortably, before sighing. “Do you want to go?”
Parrot shook his head, though his fear told him to turn and fly. “I've told you about this before. But you've never seen it for yourself.” He turned his gaze to a bracelet that shone on his wrist, the yin and yang symbol serving as a grim reminder of what he was going to do. “I think it's time you actually see the description I told you. But for real.”
He took a deep breath, not waiting for Theo to protest, and dived off the wall into the several split biomes. He headed toward the front of the main tower, turning himself to face the door once he reached the entrance side.
He paused, turning around as he landed. Theo had a grim expression as his feet hit the ground with a heavy thud beside Parrot.
Well, I made the decision, now I have to go through with it. Parrot sighed inwardly as he started to regret his decision.
Parrot walked inside, gazing nervously at the platform a little bit away along the lava. He remembered Wifies walking down the stairs to bring him bread. At that time, Parrot didn't understand why, other than the fact to keep him alive.
Until I pieced together everything he said to me… Parrot shook his head and tore his gaze away from the platform, glancing at the winding stairs that took someone all the way up to the top of the tower.
He moved toward the small staircase that led beyond the lava, and took in a deep breath, before walking down. The winding staircase led down for a few moments, his shaky footsteps echoing in the silent pressure that gripped the air. It opened up into a room, and Parrot paused. He couldn't even recognize the place, let alone get down. The staircase was destroyed practically halfway down, and he paused before warily jumping down.
Parrot practically jumped when he realized Theo was suddenly standing right beside him without making a sound. He's too quiet... Parrot let out a brief, amused exhale. He then scanned the room as his focus shifted, looking at all of the broken blocks carefully as though it was still rigged with TNT.
Theo dusted off a block beside him, revealing the pristine white underneath. “Parrot…” The grave tone of his voice made Parrot shudder, his blood running cold. “This is where Wifies died, isn't it?”
He paused. Parrot wasn't sure whether to tell the truth to his dear friend. He didn't know if it would make him sad or angry or really anything for that matter. He knew Theo well, and was quite aware of that, but doubt spread over his grief.
Theo waited patiently beside him, shifting once or twice. I'll have to tell him either way. Parrot sighed inwardly.
“Yes. It is,” Parrot looked at the far wall as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. He felt the world around him blur. “He died here. From the exact explosion that destroyed this room.”
Theo was silent for the next few moments, and Parrot stood there beside him, grief quickly swamping any worry.
I haven't been back here since I left… Parrot's eye caught a golden shimmer in the remaining light from the ceiling. His heart seemed to stop in a moment of realization. My spyglass! He didn't need to think a second longer as he quickly made his way to the other side of the disastrous room.
He dropped beside the spyglass, the golden and copper tints still intact, though slightly bent and dented. The objective lens in the front had shattered completely, leaving just chips of glass and a hollow hole. The eyepiece had almost fully fallen off as well, only scattered bits left. The marking he had put on the side had been scratched.
Parrot gingerly picked up his spyglass, shifting it in his hand a couple times before peering at the glass. He could hear Theo walking up beside him, before sitting down on the ash-covered floor.
“This-this is my spyglass…” Parrot's voice shook as he held it in his hands. “How did it survive the TNT?...”
Theo didn't respond beside him, just gazed at it like it was a lost relic he'd been dreaming to find. Parrot sat there for a moment, gazing at the spyglass as memories flew into his head.
Parrot and Wifies stood face to face, the silence only comfortable between the two. They stood there for another moment, before Parrot reached into his inventory. He held out his spyglass, reaching his hand toward his best friend.
“This is my prized spyglass. And I want you to have it.” Parrot waited patiently as Wifies reached out and took it, studying it for a few moments.
“A spyglass?...” Wifies stared at the spyglass.
Parrot nodded, amusement sparking as he watched Wifies’ confused face. "This is my prized spyglass. Like this thing... you don't understand. This thing means so much to me, bro. So, if something happens to you, that spyglass is gone."
A soft smile spread over his face as he reached out and opened Parrot's hand, putting the spyglass back in his.
“Parrot, I don't need a symbol of friendship or trust. We already have that.” He took his hand off the spyglass. “It's all yours.”
Parrot looked at the spyglass a moment more, relishing the memory for a moment. Then footsteps seemed to echo.
At first, Parrot thought it was Theo. Then a hand placed over his, and his moment of happiness was drowned out by fear. His heart started to race as he gripped his spyglass, his knuckles turning white. The footsteps got closer each ticking moment, until they stopped near him.
Then came the voice. “Parrot.” All it did was simply say his name, like it was calling to him to turn around.
He recognized that voice. He knew the exact pitch, the subtle cadence, the warmth that used to anchor him. He didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to be confused or sad or happy. Parrot held his breath, staring at the ash-covered floor.
It could be someone else… Maybe they just have the same voice? It has to be that... right? Parrot’s fear spiked violently.
Gathering all the courage he could muster, he turned his head, only to meet the gaze of someone he thought was gone forever—the very person he'd grieved over for months on end. Someone who haunted his memories every time he stumbled upon something that reminded him.
“Parrot.” Wifies met his gaze with those same calm, deep-gray eyes from his memories. “I'm home.”