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Parrot had not been back to Lifesteal for a long time.
Some could say he was traumatized. They would not be entirely incorrect.
Lifesteal was an anarchy server. It was meant to be chaotic. The players were power-hungry and bloodthirsty. Battles were common occurrences.
Parrot should have expected Spoke’s betrayal. But he didn’t. And the Wormhole opened.
Even after Spoke’s defeat, Parrot relinquished his role as admin and left the server for good. He needed time.
Parrot played on a single-player world from that point onward. It was strangely peaceful. After so long running from the players of Lifesteal, the reprieve from fear felt like bliss.
Over time, he moved on.
He managed to forget the Wormhole. Forget Spoke. He learned to live in the present instead of the past. He had escaped.
So why was he coming back?
It had been a long time since his departure from the server. He never planned to return, but some of the Lifestealers from the war had asked him to join their reunion. In remembrance of the first anniversary of the Wormhole.
Parrot was hesitant at first. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to face Lifesteal again.
But he had been a key member of the war. It felt wrong not to attend such an event. So he grabbed his sword, forced a smile on his face, and stepped through the gateway and to the server.
He was grateful to find the spawn devoid of battle scars. He remembered Season 4 being riddled with explosions. Evidence of the nukes the Invaders had wielded.
The spawn of the new Lifesteal felt peaceful, almost.
He was greeted by a few players. Jaron and Bacon welcomed him warmly. Parrot did not comment on the absence of Planetlord. Some alliances didn’t carry over to the next season.
They took him around the server and showed him the builds of season 5.
At some point, though, Bacon glanced at his communicator and froze. He grabbed Parrot’s hand and pulled him behind a few rocks, Jaron following close behind.
“What’s going on?” He asked. Bacon shushed him.
“Planet is here.”
Parrot opened his mouth to ask questions, because why was Bacon so afraid of PlanetLord, but he stopped when he did indeed hear footsteps. He poked his head outside of their hiding spot and saw Planet, completely geared, walking along the path.
He didn’t understand. Why were they hiding?
Bacon pulled him back. They waited until the footsteps were well away before they dared move again.
“Why?” He finally asked, when the coast was clear.
Bacon sighed. “Planet… he’s changed, Parrot. He’s dangerous. Kill-hungry. He’ll do anything for another heart. It doesn’t seem to matter to him who he has to kill to get it.”
“Seriously? Planet?”
Jaron laughed. “Spoke has an influence, I suppose.”
Parrot froze at the name. “Spoke?”
“Yeah. They’re a duo, y’know.”
What?
“Planet… and Spoke.”
How was that possible?
Parrot shivered even thinking of his former teammate. After all that he did during the Wormhole… Planet had forgiven him? Not only that, he had befriended him?
They continued the tour, but Parrot wasn’t paying attention. His mind was whirling for answers.
How?
When Parrot finally managed to escape Bacon and Jaron, he sent a message to Planet to meet up.
He didn’t believe it to be true. He couldn’t believe it. The only way Parrot would believe Bacon and Jaron’s words would be to hear it from the man himself.
Planet showed up a few minutes later. “Parrot! It’s been a while.”
Parrot forced a smile. “It has. How have you been holding up?”
“Quite well, actually. I’ve been rebuilding my reputation.” Parrot tensed. That likely confirmed their claims about his kill streak. Reputation only really refers to one thing on Lifesteal.
“Planet?”
The voice caught them both by surprise. But while Planet smiled, turning to greet the incoming individual, all of Parrot’s limbs locked in place. He felt his breathing pick up.
Spoke.
Parrot began to hear a ringing in his ears, drowning out the conversation happening around him. Memories flashed before his eyes.
Spoke joining the server. Just another young, hopeful face.
Teaming up, causing chaos together. Becoming friends.
Spoke’s growingly suspicious attitude. His avoidance.
The mysterious message. To access his admin side.
The minecart. The betrayal.
The Wormhole.
“--Parrot? Parrot? C’mon, breathe with me.” The voice cut through the flashbacks. He felt a hand on his shoulder, anchoring him back to reality. He could feel someone breathing beside him, exaggerated and slow. He desperately linked onto it, matching the breath as the voice instructed.
He felt his heart rate begin to go down. He hadn’t even realized his heart had been beating out of his chest.
The ringing faded.
Through tears, he looked up to the concerned face of PlanetLord. “You back with me?”
Parrot wiped away the tears from his eyes, taking deep breaths in an attempt to dissipate the pain in his throat. “I’m– I’m okay.”
He took Planet’s hand, climbing back to his feet.
“Are you sure? That was a pretty brutal panic attack.”
“It’s okay. I’ll be okay.”
Planet looked skeptical, but he didn’t push further. He kept his hand firmly in Parrot’s grasp. He was grateful for the anchor.
He glanced around, eyes finally landing on the figure behind Planet. Spoke seemed uncomfortable, shying away from Parrot’s gaze.
He forced himself to breathe. He shut his eyes for a moment, keeping his breathing under control to prevent another collapse.
When he opened them again, he took time to study Spoke. Now that he wasn’t trapped in the memories of before, he could notice something off about his old friend.
Spoke wore matching armor with Planet. There was a blank space where a sword usually lay at his side. Instead of a helmet, Spoke’s head was occupied by a flower crown, resting over his bandana.
Parrot almost laughed at the absurdity.
It was as if his friends had switched places. Planet, once harmless, had become bloodthirsty and violent. Spoke…
He didn’t even recognize him anymore.
“Well… Parrot, it’s nice to see you again. Really.” He was snapped out of his thoughts by Planet’s voice.
“It’s… good to see you too, Planet.” Parrot managed to make a small smile, which made Planet smile back.
Spoke cleared his throat, turning the two’s attention to him. Parrot didn’t know what he expected Spoke to say.
‘Did you miss me?’
‘Oh Parrot…’
‘You really think leaving would have saved you?’
Parrot took a deep breath. No more memories. He wasn’t in the Wormhole anymore.
Planet and Spoke hadn’t noticed his fear. Spoke seemed nervous about something, with Planet giving his teammate a reassuring look.
After a moment, Spoke finally spoke. The words hit Parrot right in the chest. Of all the things for him to say…
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Parrot.”
Parrot’s eyes widened. “…What?”
Spoke breathed in deeply and pushed forward. “I’m sorry for betraying you. Hurting you. It… was wrong. It was wrong and you left the server because of me and I’m so sorry, Parrot. I took it too far.”
Parrot opened his mouth. No words came out. He knew his eyes were blown wide, gaping like a fish. He didn’t care.
Spoke…
Planet squeezed Parrot’s hand. It was enough to keep the memories away.
“I… I can’t forgive you Spoke.”
The voidling visibly deflated. But Parrot wasn’t done.
“However… I can’t— I can’t hate you, either.”
He glanced at PlanetLord. If Spoke could learn to befriend Planet, of all people, he wasn’t as evil as Parrot thought. Maybe…
“You’ve changed. I can see that.”
He expected to come to Lifesteal and find another bloodthirsty monster. He expected to find Spoke grappling for power once again. But, no. That wasn’t the case.
He looked at the flower crown. It swayed in the wind, gently moving with the breeze. A symbol of amity.
“I can’t forgive you. But… maybe I can learn to.”
If Planet could forgive Spoke, enough to team with him, then Parrot could too. Maybe not yet, but one day.
He left Lifesteal feeling more complete than he had in a while. For the first time since the Wormhole, thinking of Spoke didn’t bring memories of betrayal. It just brought images of Planet.
Maybe he could learn to move on this way.
It was worth a shot, at the very least.