Chapter Text
Theo had barged into the science classroom before boisterously calling out “Parrot!”, his attention (as well as everyone else's) was now caught on the expressive man in the doorway.
“What is it?” Parrot sighed, setting down the jar of gasoline he was holding.
“Today's the day I ask Reina to be my friend!” Theo announced proudly.
“Congratulations, making friends is such a hurdle. I'll project my voice so loud my vocal chords will snap,” He said in a light-hearted but sarcastic tone.
“Really?” Theo's eyes shone with excitement. Reina was one of the more popular people in their school and he still wasn't too sure why Theo was so hung up on being friends with her, whatever made the guy happy.
“I won't project my voice a millimetre for your cause,” Parrot grinned, “but I'll be rooting for you.” he added on a more sensitive note. Theo made this out to be a much bigger deal than it was supposed to so Parrot was just going to play along and see how it rolls out. The blonde pumped a fist in the air in triumph before running off to the school courtyard.
“Reina!” Theo waved to her as he approached the tree she stood under.
“Hey Theo, what's up?” Reina turned around and grinned.
He hesitated before starting.
I'm going to sound so stupid dude. He internally face palms himself.
“I was wondering if-” his sentence hung in the air as he saw what approached them. “Hold on, what's that?” His eyes widened as he took in the impending wall of green light approaching him and Reina.
What is that?
It radiated closer with every passing second. He glanced around, there was no sheltering from whatever this light is, he just had to hope it was safe.
I can't move!
Panic slowly crawled up Theo's spine, what happened
Why can't he move and why can't he see anything?
Whatever this is, I'm going to get through it with the sheer willpower I have in my heart! I will be friends with Reina and I will see Parrot again!
I won’t give up, I can't! No matter what it takes.
It felt like millennia had passed, nothing but him and his thoughts. He couldn't risk succumbing to the darkness.
No.
It was too risky. He still had so much he wanted to do with his friends and who knew if he'd ever come back from the blissful abyss?
Crackle, crackle.
The sound sliced through his eardrums, making him jump. It was the first thing he had heard in what felt like millennia.
He blinked.
“I… I can see," He murmured.
Slowly, he moved his arms in front of his face, analyzing his body.
“I can move!” He exclaimed.
Small stone fragments fell off his body. He was alone in a small cave, a few drops of yellow liquid fell from the roof.
“What happened? Was I a rock?!” he glances around, trying to figure out what happened before deciding he'll get more answers outside the cave than inside.
The harsh light forced his eyes to squint as he took in the surroundings.
Statues were everywhere.
“So everyone went through that?” he asks himself as he slowly maneuvers past the bushes and shrubbery that had taken over.
“How long has it been?” He cranes his neck to see if he can find any signs of civilization.
None.
What caught his attention was ‘follow the river North’ that's etched into a tree a few meters from the cave's entrance.
Someone else was alive, who?
He dashed off, following the river as the sign said with hope blooming in his chest.
“Look who finally decided to wake up, welcome to the year 5738” a familiar voice called from above.
“Parrot!” Theo's eyes widened as he saw his best friend, perched on a branch above him.
“You slept in for a hell of a long time bro,” Parrot laughs as he scrambles down. A large force suddenly hit him as Theo threw himself at Parrot, hugging him tight.
“Dude I was so worried I was in a castaway type of situation!” He laughed into Parrot's shoulder.
“Thank god you're not! I'd say you'd last 3 days maximum,” Parrot chuckles, Theo gasped in mock offence.
“Come on, I want to show you something.” he pulled back from the embrace and gestured for Theo to follow.
“Wait, how do you know what year it is?” Theo suddenly realises, walking with him.
“Oh? I counted,” Parrot deadpans.
“All that time?!”
“Yup, for 3700 years. I had to know what season it is so I wouldn't be butt naked in winter.”
Theo couldn't even begin to wrap his head around that. 3700 years petrified and Parrot counted every second. His jaw might as well have been dragging on the floor.
“This is where I've been living the past 6 months whilst you were having a nice nap,” Parrot reveals a small clearing, it had a treehouse carefully placed in the center tree with a rack of spears and other weapons at the base of the ladder leading up. Off to the left was a small hut which Theo's pretty sure read ‘Lab’ on the sign outside, though it was hard to make out from this distance.
“You made all this?” His mouth had dropped.
“Yup, it only took ridiculously long. Now that you're here, I'm hoping progress can speed up now someone can do the grunt work for me.” Parrot had a mischievous glint in his eye at that last sentence.
“Of course!” Theo grinned.
The next months were spent working endlessly from dusk to dawn. They'd make improvements to their camp, Theo would forage for food and Parrot would continue to try to find a recipe for the revival fluid.
One faithful day during spring 5739, Parrot and Theo had finally found the revival fluid recipe. 30% nitric acid and 70% alcohol.
“This is it Theo! We actually did it bro,” Parrot grinned at the newly revived sparrow that flew up he had tested the fluid on.
“Dude this is actually insane!” Theo gaped.
“So, who do you want revived first?” Parrot nudged his arm.
“Me? You're the one that put in the most effort, shouldn't you pick?” Theo asked.
“Yeah, I already have picked that you should decide,” Parrot hummed. He slowly nodded, he knew who he was going to revive. He had to.
“Let's revive Reina!” He beamed at his friend. Parrot chuckles, “I knew you'd say that you big oaf,”.