It's not like Grian didn't want to see the Hermits, his family. But...
"Yeah, he had 2 kids with him."
"Kids?"
"Yeah, 2 boys. One looks just like him, bet he was one of those kids he always mentions!"
"Philza's certainly an odd one."

"Excuse me?" Grian stepped up to their group.
"Oh my g*d, Grian! Hi!" One greeted.
"Oh, hello!" Another squealed.

The pesky bird sitting on his shoulder let out a squawk before repeating out, "ooooh hello!"
The group squealed at the parrot. That's going to be annoying later.

"I heard you talking about Philza?" Grian asked with a cheeky grin.
"Yeah! He was here, what, 2 months ago?" A woman in the group replied with a mirroring smile.

"Is that so, do you happen to know where he went?" Grian asked reaching up and letting his pesky bird onto his finger.
"Last I heard he was in St Charles!" One offered.
"Yeah, I think that's where he's last been spotted. He's been there for quite a while too. He usually never stays in the same place for over 2 weeks!" Another agreed.

Really?!
"Is that so, do you know where I could get a map with directions to St.Charles?" Grian asked.
Maybe....

"Sorry, I don't," a few replied.
No....
No no no!
A woman shifted through her bag and handed him a small map with the surrounding 5 cities, plus the towns in between. She circled a small town just off a shoreline of a river and smiled up at him.

"This is a kinda outdated map, but that should still be where St.Charles is," the woman told him.
Grian let out an excited chirp and instinctively he hugged the shorter brown-haired woman.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Grian chirped and tweeted.
She definitely didn't understand what he just said as he pulled away, jogged at least 10 feet away, and launched himself in the sky, map held tightly in hand.

Finally. Finally.
Finally!

●●●●

"You ok?" BDubs asked snapping Tango out of his tear-filled daydream.
He wiped at the tears causing a hiss from the contact on his arm.
"Yeah sorry," Tango replied easily.
BDubs smiled and then handed him a piece of cloth.

"Wipe your tears on that, I'll go get you a cream," BDubs ordered and then left before Tango could protest.

Tango sighed and carefully wiped the spicy liquid from his cheeks.
Tango sighed and looked up at the sky.
Once more he found himself closing his eyes and daydreaming.

This family would have loved Zedaph and Impulse, and they would have easily loved them back. What would have happened if Tango had gotten the gem initially instead, what if he hadn't touched Impulse's gem when he was 14. Had he been 14? He was sure he had been but honestly, he can't remember. Was it 15? Didn't he just get his 3rd BlazeRod a few days before? Or was it a few days after?

How would Jack like the group? If he hadn't been stolen from Tango maybe he would know. He really hopes the baby's ok. He should have protected him more. He shouldn't have let that stupid a-
"I'm back!" BDubs announced Tango opened his eyes too quickly, blood slipped from his eyelid and BDubs cringed.

"Oh, oh no, I'm so sorry Tek!" BDubs stammered clenching the small jar tightly.
Tango huffed. The pain rushing through his head causing a major headache. Just another reason he deserved this.

"It's fine. It'll heal in 30 seconds max," Tango assured wiping at the blood and tears with the cloth BDubs had given him.
BDubs sighed and sat down beside him, his tail flicking cautiously.

His fingers dug into the cream and he slathers a stripe on Tango's cheek.
"We're family, it's our job to worry and heal each other," BDubs hummed
The Feline gently massaged the cream into the older's cheeks.

"Guess I'm not a very good family member then," Tango huffed.
BDubs brow furrowed.
"No, you're a great family member," BDubs retorted his tail flicking as he smiled up at the blonde.

Maybe...... Just maybe Tango could finally let himself believe that...

"Yeah right," Tango huffed.

●●●●

Grian cringed as his own voice came on the radio in the restaurant he just sat down in. It was a rerun of a past interview. One with Pearl, a sweet woman who he later found out to also be a holder.

He was glad practically no one knew his face. Just his voice. It didn't help he needed to order. Verbally too....
Before he could order though he was given a meal by one of the waitresses.
"I didn't" Grian began but was cut off by the woman pointing over to a table, "courtesy of them."
Then she left.

Grian half expected the "them" to be the other hermits. Instead, he turned his head and was faced with 2 boys, his age, maybe a year or so younger, chatting with each other at a table away from any windows.
The black hands and lips were his only indicator that the duo were probably Phantoms.

One man had fluffy brown hair, a yellow sweater, brown pants, and the typical cobble-designed pouch that Phantoms tend to wear. He couldn't quite see his face but he was very reminiscent of a childhood friend.
The other had long, almost waist-length pink hair. It looked fairly natural too, but brown roots were beginning to grow in being Grian's only indicator it was dyed. Some kind of long bore skin cape draped over the back of his seat, he wore black pants and his stomach was covered by bandages.

The pink-haired man looked over and they met eyes. Familiar red met green. A soft smile pulled at the man's lips.
He reached across the table and the other man looked over.
He looked exactly like Wilbur. Less baby fat, more handsome, and seemingly less childish but he looked exactly the same. Even down to the wide-bursting smile that graced his face.

The 2 waved. The pink-haired man was gentle and soft with his wave, the brunette was more enthusiastic.
The brunette motioned for Grian to join them.
What could possibly go wrong?

So Grian grabbed the food and walked over. The 2 gladly gave him room.
"Hey G!" The brunette greeted.
G*d, he even sounded like Wilbur.
It was as if his memories had just grown up with him.

He called him G...

"Uh, hi?" Grian stammered.
The men looked at each other before back at him.
The brunette nudged the oldest.
"Aww, you remember us!" The brunette assured.

It is so hard not to think of this man as Wilbur.... Wait- Remember them?!

"It's been 10 years William, give him some slack. We've all grown," the other man butted in, his voice as deep and monotone as Techno's used to be.

Hold up, William?

"Ew, come on Techno! That name makes me sound like an old man!" The brunette cried out.
Grian's stomach dropped. Nooo... Waaaaiiit!

"So what, you are an old man," Techno- the pink-haired man?- Techno?- g*d he doesn't even know anymore, replied.
"I'm only a bit older than you! And I'm not older than Gri! Isn't that right Grian? Grian?" William's voice dropped when he looked at the oldest.

He was staring. Oh, g*d.

"Will, he thought we were dead, give him a minute," Techno huffed.
....
"Ooooh," William- Wilbur?- the brunette chuckled.

"Ahem," someone coughed.
Grain sat up quickly. Suddenly, he was back at his initial table and the two men were hunched together at their own table, occasionally glancing around. Of course, that was a daydream.
Ugh. So stupid.

"You ok Gri?" A familiar voice asked, the person taking a seat across from him.
Grian looked up to be met with a familiar Bee.

"Hi Joe," Grian grumbled.
The older smiled down at him, leaning a cheek on his palm.
"Everyone's worried about you. X said you dropped all contact," Joe commented.

Grian glanced at the men who paid for his meal.
How did they know what he liked?
Grian sighed and Joe took his hand.

"Are you ok?" Joe asked.
"I'm fine," Grian assured, "want something to eat?"
"Uh, sure," Joe replied with a slight buzz.

Grian waved a waitress down.
Joe ordered and she scrambled away once more.
"Grian," Joe huffed once the dish came to him.
"What?" Grian replied taking a bite of his food.

Joe's look was soft and he let out a distant buzz that Grian's parrot happily copied.
Grian sighed and dropped his head on the table.

"Can we talk about this later?" Grian asked.
Joe sighed and agreed.

Thank g*d.

●●●●

"That was definitely him!" Wilbur proclaimed rushing to camp Techno trailing behind him.
Wilbur spun around, his eyes glistened.
"Did you see the way he looked at us before his friend joined him?! He recognized us! We could have talked to him!" Wilbur squealed and Techno huffed.

"He zoned out on us Wil. Last time we saw him he was 15, 16 max. He doesn't remember us," Techno huffed.
Wilbur kicked Techno's shin before spinning around and phasing through a boulder.
"Believe what you want, I'd like to think he recognizes us!" Wilbur squealed happily as Techno made his way around the giant thing.

●●●●

Inside Grian's hotel, a swarm of at least 29 Parrots was waiting for them. Seeing Joe their immediate response was to greet him with 'hi's and 'Joe's.

Joe waved to the array of colorful birds before sitting with Grian on his bed.
"Grian-" Joe began the conversation.
"Something's wrong with me," Grian declared.

"I could have told you that," Joe teased and Grian shook his head.
"No man, like, I'm seeing them- ugh!" Grian groaned.
"Them?" Joe asked.
"Yes! Yes! Them! Them! The boys!" Grian proclaimed.

"The boys? What boys?" Joe asked.
"You know, the boys! But they're aged up. Not like when I lost them! They don't look the same!" Grian explained frantically.
"I'm still stuck on who the boys are," Joe stammered.

"The boys, Joe! My Brothers! Them! The boys!" Grian frantically explained.
A few of the parrots began to chant, "The boys! The boys! Wilby, Techie, the boys!"

"You have brothers?" Joe asked.
Grian froze.
"I never told you?" Grian asked.
Joe shook his head and the 2 stared at each other.

20 seconds later Grian shrunk into the bed frame.
"I lost them when I was 15, 16 maybe? Honestly, I can't remember. They were twins, both a year younger than me," Grian explained cautiously.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Joe apologized.
"Why?" Grian asked.
Joe settled himself at the younger's side.
"For making you relive it?" Joe explained softly, whipping at his stray tears.

Grian sighed.
"I've been reliving it again and again for the past 10 years, this is nothing," Grian assured with a soft watery chuckle.

"Do you want to talk about it? Just, talk?" Joe asked Grian glanced around the room before sighing and nodding.

"I don't know where to start though," Grian offered.
"Just, talk. What were their names?" Joe offered.
"Techno and Wilbur. They were identical til Techno decided to let his hair grow long. By the time they disappeared it was down a little above his shoulder blades. Wilbur was desperate to cut it," Grian explained.
Joe smiled.

"We weren't actually blood-related," Grian explained.
"You weren't?" Joe asked.
Grian shook his head.
"Dad was a holder too. You could tell because he had a swarm of Crows that trailed behind him, though I didn't know back then. I don't think he knew the crows were even there unlike me and my Parrots. He just knew that a bunch of birds flocked the outside of his house so he and mom would feed them," Grian began.
"Wilbur and Technoblade were taken in when they were 12, 13 maybe... I was taken in a few months later. They were very obviously adopted-" Grian explained.

"Bro, they ever have the "you're adopted" talk then?" Joe joked.
Grian laughed.
"I don't think that would have been necessary. Especially considering they were Phantoms and not Elytrians. Though it is definitely something Dad would've done if it had lasted longer," Grian laughed.

"Phantoms? Really?" Joe asked.
Grian nodded.
"Yeah, Wilbur had problems with getting too emotional and just falling through the floor and Techno wasn't able to phase at all without Wilbur's help. They said it's actually a really common thing after a traumatic event. And eventually, Wilbur's calmed down but Techno was always more cut off so as far as I know, he was never able to phase again without help after their parents died," Grian hummed shifting so he was laying down instead.
Joe followed suit.

"He always claimed he didn't mind that he could phase, but when he slept in the same room I could hear him sobbing almost every other night," Grian hummed.
"Aww poor baby," Joe cooed and Grian couldn't help but agree.

"Yeah. I think what was even worst was Wilbur told me Techno had been the better phaser of the 2 before their family had been attacked and their parents were killed. Before Techno had been stabbed," Grian huffed.
Joe wanted to get up and just get sick right then and there. He didn't dare.

Grian huffed a soft painful laugh, "I don't tell many people about that one."
Joe carefully wrapped an arm around the smaller winged man.
"Is that how you knew Etho would have problems?" Joe asked.
Grian smiled and nodded.

"Wilbur liked to tell me everything he knew about Phantoms, I know probably more about Etho than the rest of us non-Phantoms do," Grian laughed.
"And Techno would whisper about the Wither disease. I don't know much, just that it was very, very rare and that victims of the disease's skin slowly turns black. It's reminiscent of Phantom's which makes it hard to tell if they're victims or not," Grian explained.

"Wither Disease? What's the mortality rate?" Joe asked.
"Less than the Gem's mortality rate, that's for sure. But again, I know nothing about it," Grian explained.

"Then why is it called Disease?" Joe asked.
Grian shrugged. Joe hummed and absently combed a hand through the man's feathers. They immediately poofed up in his face causing a series of giggles.

"You know that game I taught you guys?" Grian asked.
Joe paused thinking it over.
"The Head Game?" Joe asked and Grian grinned.

"Yeah, that one! Techno started the game," Grian chirped.
Joe buzzed in response.
What preceded was a series of buzzes and chirps. Neither knowing quite what the other was saying but neither really caring.

●●●●

Tubbo was half asleep, a spoon full of soup in his mouth when the odd buzzing started. At first, it was just background noise that made him sleepy.
Now it was louder and paired with intense back pain that made him cry.

Ranboo and Tommy tried soothing it, Niki tried soothing it, Phil tried soothing it, but nothing was working.
Eventually, he just forced himself to fall asleep so the pain would subside.

That sleep lasted 2 days much to everyone's horror.

●●●●

"Hi bubba," Ex greeted toyingly sitting gracefully beside the younger.
Xisuma didn't respond and the older poked his shoulder.
"G*d you need to shed soon," Ex huffed.

Ex glanced up at the younger's face and froze.
He sat up and quickly raised a hand to his twin's face and wiped the tears away.
"Hey, Xisuma, why are you crying? What's wrong?" Ex asked carefully.

Xisuma's gorgeous purple eyes pressed tightly shut. This was gonna be a bit harder.
Ex let out a desperate croak, one reminiscent of Enderian.

"⍜⊑ ☊⍜⋔⟒ ⍜⋏!" Ex whined.
"⊬⍜⎍ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ⏁⍜-" Ex swapped from the breathy tones of Endermish to the soft high pitch buzz of Hive,"⏁éLL ⋔É!"

They sound different, but on paper, they look similar. Probably why it was easier to learn Hive later.
Xisuma popped his eyes open and glanced at Ex.
"Did I do something wrong?" Xisuma asked with a whimper.

"No, of course not!" Ex assured, "⍙⊑⊬ ⍙⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ⏁⊑⟟⋏☍ ⏁⊑⏃⏁?"
"It's just- why else would he cut contact with me?!" Xisuma asked his tears welling up and falling again as he dissolved into a jumbled buzzing mess.

Ex pulled the younger to his chest a thick rumbling hum soothed the younger as he cried.
"You did nothing wrong, ⋉é ⏚⟟☍é" Ex assured softly.

It took nearly 10 minutes for him to calm down.
Finally, he looked up, narrowed his eyes at the older twin before finally announcing, "⊑⟒⊬, ⍙⏃⟟⏁ ⏃ ⋔⟟⋏⎍⏁⟒! ⍙⊑⟒⋏'⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ☌⟒⏁ ⊑⟒⍀⟒?!"

Ex laughed as his twin buzzed, squawked, and chuffed.

------

Hels chuckled as Wels chirped at his second in command who chirped back. They were going on and on about procedures and what she should do if such and such were to happen.
Hels really didn't care but it was amusing to see his brother fret.

"All your bases covered yet?" Hels asked as Wels thanked her and stepped away.
Wels took a deep breath before nodding.
Finally.

Hel smiled.
"Thank goodness, let's go!" Hels cheered and handed the older his bag.
Wels didn't mind the sudden weight in his arms.
"I feel like I'm missing something," Wels commented, "maybe I should do a-"

"We're not doing a 4th sweep, Wels!" Hels interrupted wrapping an arm around his twin.
"Now, let's get off this stupid mountain!"

●●●●

"Hello!" A parrot chirped, bright colorful wings flapping as it landed between Tango and Doc.
Tango nodded at the familiar bird and Doc took the paper from its leg.
"Thank you, dear," Doc thanked the bird and got up to give the letter to Xisuma.

"What's this?" X asked.
Doc handed the paper and Xisuma opened it.

"Dear X,

Lol hi, didn't mean to stop responding. Kinda going through a crisis rn!
Currently looking for my dad so I haven't been in the same place for very long recently so any letters u sent haven't been received. Sorry :(
Joe told me you were freaking out cause you asked for everyone to regroup and I stopped responding?
Sorry bout that, didn't mean to. I'm really close to finding him. So the moment I'm back in contact with him I'll make my way home 2 u.
I'll see you when that happens.

Love Grian
Ps. Joe says Hi!"

Xisuma let out a sigh of relief before exploding into a fit of laughter.
Of course, Grian would go on an expedite the moment they needed him. His entire personality is an inconvenience.

"Of course, the one time we ask him to join us and he goes on an adventure," Xisuma laughed.
Ex smiled at the younger and hooked an arm around him.

●●●●

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in," Cleo greeted with a smirk.
Wels immediately included her in a hug.
"Cleo! Hi dear!" Wels greeted placing his hands on her cheeks as he looked her over.

He was younger than her but that doesn't mean he could fuss. Hypno let out a trill from the side and he was quickly brought into the hug.

"How are you?" Wels asked pulling away and looking the 2 over.
"Glad you're here," a third intersected.
Wels turned to find Cub.

The bee's wings kept him elevated slightly off the ground.
"Cub!" Wels greeted.
The bearded man chuckled and waved with a soft smile.

He waved the crew inside, welcoming Hels as he finally jogged up to the camp, gasping and complaining about Wels sprinting when he saw the camp.

"We were almost a mile away! How on earth did you see it?!" Was one of his many many complaints.
Wels had just chuckled and hid behind the Elytrian as Hels raged.

●●●●

Beef chuckled as he started over at the 2 blonds. At one point in time, it had only been the three of them. They each had their communication devices and everyone else was a mystery, beings that could exist but they've never encountered before.

Wels had been such a mediator back then. And Beef had hated Tango's guts.
He hated how he could just accept it. Smile and laugh and sneer and brag when there's a constant neverending pain where a piece of your body was taken from you. Beef hadn't been able to handle it at the time. The amount of breakdowns he had was unbearable.

Eventually, the hated formed into something more to pity and then eventually respect.

But the hatred only went away when they were sleeping in the same hotel room, Wels already passed out, and Tango began sobbing. The tears burning his face.
It had startled Beef and he had hesitantly pulled him into a hug and Tango had finally let himself unfurl.

It had been something Beef hadn't been expecting that night. But he's glad it happened. Even back then, hating Tango hurt more than accepting him.

Beef didn't know Impulse but he thinks he would be proud of his younger brother.

"What?" Tango asked looking up at Beef angrily.
Beef reached forward and hesitantly took half a handful of Tango's hair.
It was long. It looked so unnatural for Tango. It sat but below his shoulders now, held up by gold.

"You've grown so much," Beef chuckled and Tango flushed crossing his arms.
"Speaking of which, I want a haircut and a warmer outfit. This, ain't cutting it," Tango huffed motioning to his toga.

A while back the thing had been a dark red that blended into the nether, covered only one of his shoulders and half his chest, with only 2 gold necklaces to keep him protected by Piglins.
Now it was white, to stand out in the nether, covered both his shoulders, even draped a bit, and he was covered in gold. From ear cuffs, to hairpieces, to belts.
Yet he still had the 2 golden necklaces.

Beef smiled and nodded, "I'm sure we can work something out," Beef assured climbing up from his seat.
Tango almost looked like he wanted to grab him so he'd stay.

Beef kissed the boy's burns and walked away as they glowed blue and healed themselves.

"You could have told him-"
"Shut up!"

●●●●

It was a mistake. But a pleasant one.

Black met color.
Crows met parrots.

"Hello!" A crow greeted.
"Hello!" A parrot greeted back.
Neither holder was in sight.

"How's Grian?" One crow asked.
"Stressed," came the collective answer.
"How's Philza?" A parrot asked.
"Happy," and, "new kids!" Was the collective response.

"Where's Grian?" The crows asked.
"The market," and, "the streets," was the response.
"Where's Philza?"
"Store," and, "the streets," was the response.

"Find the other's?" Someone offered.
"Re-un-ion, re-un-ion!" They chanted.
They split up.
1 crow leads a flock of parrots, one part of led a flock of crows.

"Re-un-ion! Re-un-ion!" They chanted the whole way.

●●●●

"Where're all your parrots anyway?" Joe asked with a yawn, his wings lightly pushing against the sweater Grian had given him to hide himself. He knew how bad it could be if didn't. They lost their 3rd bee to the wrath of a hunter.

"They should just be around," Grian answered scanning the area for his pesky birds.
That's when he heard it.
A single parrot chanting, "re-un-ion!" With a series of squawks of a different bird following its lead.

A good 50 people turned to look at the giant murder of the crows being lead by a single parrot straight to Grian and Joe.

"Re-un-ion!" The parrot announced landing on Grian's shoulder while the black birds all sat at his feet looking up at him expectantly. As if waiting for food.

Joe blinked at the birds before shuffling through his bag and dropping a good handful of seed onto the concrete. All of their attention snapped from Grian to Joe.

They all screeched and rushed to the poor bee.

"Oh dear," Joe managed to get out.

●●●●

"Re-un-ion, re-un-ion!" A bunch of squawks startled Phil out of his intense focus on the baked goods.
Tommy looked over at the door of the store. There, confusedly bonking the glass door was about 50 or so colorful birds and at the very front glaring at the 2 bird people was a single black crow.

"Pick something out, Fledgling," Phil encouraged and walked to the door.
He squatted down to the bird and the 2 made eye contact.
"Hi, mate. What are you doing there?" Phil asked.
"Parrot!" The crow declared its voice semi muffled.

"Yes, I see that," Phil nodded.
"Pesky birds! Pesky Birds!" All the parrots began chirping.
"Father, father! Parrots!" The crow tried yelling over the onslaught of parrots.
Phil covered his ears and scowled at the flock.

"5," Phil warned.
"4, 3.."
The parrots all looked amongst each other and shut up.
"Thank you, children, Zalo, please explain," Phil asked.

The bird began jumping.
"Grian! Grian! Pesky bird, pesky bird!" The crow explained.
"Wait, who?" Phil chirped, maybe a little too loudly.

"Grian! Third son, third son!" The crow replied excitedly.
"Dad?" Tommy asked walking up behind the Elytrian.
Suddenly, all eyes were on him and he felt his parachute puffing up under the stressful gazes.

"Here, let's grab what we want, pay, and we'll see where these sheepdogs are leading us," Phil encouraged.
Tommy nodded.

●●●●

A large handful of seed dropped onto the ground in front of the blue-sweatered man.
It didn't take long for you to swarm the man.

"New favorite!" You chanted.
The man was startled looking wide-eyed at Grian as if that would do him any good when he has no idea what's happening either.

"Did someone dye your birds black?" The man asked cautiously.
"No, no, there are black parrots.... These aren't it, these are- uh- crows?" Grian stammered.

Yes, yes Grian. Crows.
"No, we are goth Parrots!" Someone proclaimed.
"Goth Parrots, Goth Parrots, Goth Parrots!" The rest parroted.

Nevermind.
We're Goth Parrots Grian, get with the times!

"Goth Parrot!" The colorful parrot parroted.
"What?" Grian turned to the perched bird who gladly joined in the chanting and squawking.

●●●●

All of you fluff up and turn to the boy. He kind of looked like uncle Wels!
Father Phil smiled at the boy and they stepped away from the glass. Rude!

Come back! Come back! Come back!

Suddenly the Avian bird rushed over and put a finger to his lips. He showed you bird feed and peered over his shoulder.
"Dad says not to feed you so we're going secret agent on this mission. Which one?" Tommy asked pulling out another bag.

"Jump for this one," he shook the yellow bag, "bonk the ground with this one, " he shook the blue and green one.

After some not so careful consideration, a good 3/5ths slammed your beaks into the ground below. Seemingly startling the Avian.
"Pogchamp! Now, opinions on cake?" The boy asked shifting and putting three baked cakes down.

Before he could give instructions you all waddled to the cake you think the boy should get. After careful observation, the boy thanked you, picked up the cakes and seed, and rushed away.

Ok, he wasn't so bad.

●●●●

"What the- Tommy!" Phil stammered giving the fledgling a disapproving look.
He didn't seem to mind, as long as he had his array of birds waddling a few steps behind him waiting for the signal to scatter to get the food and then return.

"Ready?" Tommy suddenly asked.
All the parrots positioned themselves.
And the seed went flying. And soon, so did the birds.
Tommy squealed in delight and Phil found it hard to be angry with him.

Suddenly the Crow let out a loud trill and rushed forward causing an onslaught of chirps and trills from the rest of the birds as they rushed after the crow.

●●●

"So.... What exactly is happening?" Joe asked Grian sighed as he finished shopping.
There was a loud trill and suddenly the rest of Grian's flock slammed into their faces.

"Hermits, hermit, hermit!" They all cawed, a chant that came from when they had first decided their group name.
"There you are!" Grian chirped.
"Pesky Bird!" The birds all screamed.

Grian sighed.
"Grian?" A familiar voice asked.
Grian snapped his attention up to find a familiar blond-haired, blue-eyed, black-winged Elytrian man. Beside him, a blond-haired, blue-eyed, red-Patagiumed Avian boy held a bag of birdseed in one arm, the other clutching to the man's arm.

"Dad!" Grian trilled.
The boy let out his own chirp, compared to the other 2's, his was defensive. Phil shifted and pulled the boy close to his side.
He opened his other arm welcomingly and Grian gladly rushing to him.

Phil's hand was only a few inches from Grian's gem. Grian didn't seem to mind as he rubbed comforting circles in his back with his thumb. But it scared Joe.

Joe rushed forward and grabbed Phil's hand.
Phil peered over Grian to look at the tallest man.

He let out a frantic buzz, kind of similar to the ones Tubbo has been letting out when in pain recently.
Slowly he led Phil's hand down until it was more on Grian's lower back before letting go and stepping away, satisfied.

The hug lasted for almost an entire minute before parting. Grian immediately went on a tirade and Phil was happy to listen.

Tommy awkwardly shuffled to Joe, confused as to what exactly was happening.
"You know what's happening?" Tommy asked.
Joe sighed and shook his head, "I think I know 1/6 of the story?" Joe offered.

Tommy chuckled. He offered Joe a handful of birdseed and the 2 sat down and fed the birds while waiting for their respective Elytrians to pay attention to them again.

"I'm Tommy!" Tommy introduced himself.
"Joe Hills," Joe replied shaking the boy's hand.
"I'm an Avian!" Tommy boasted proudly and a small smile found its way to Joe's face.
"My friend is an Avian too!" Joe offered.

"Really? What's his name? Maybe I know him?" Tommy offered.
"His name is Wels, Wels Knight!" Joe answered.
Tommy let out a consumable squeal and he hoisted himself up to his knees.
"Wels?! Have you seen him recently? Is he ok? Is he worried about me? Can you tell him not to worry? He tends to do that with me and my friends. Oh, can you ask him how my friends are? Their names are Luke, Bitzel, and Deo, though if you tell him my name he'll probably know right away! Not like I had many other friends," Tommy frantically rambled and Joe grinned.

"Of course I will! And no, unfortunately, I haven't seen him recently. Though I heard he just joined with the rest of our group a few days ago!" Joe offered.
Tommy sighed and nodded. He wasn't sure if this was good news or bad news for him.

"Hey, what are you?" Tommy asked.
"Oh, I'm a Beelarian!" Joe answered with a soft smile.
Tommy grinned.
"Tubbo loves bees! You should meet him! He'd like that! Do you like flowers?" Tommy rambled before opening his bag and dumping the contents on the concrete below.

Joe's eyes immediately went to the book that fell out.
The Vines....

Except now it had a new name now.
The Great Origin War. Other than that it looked the same.
The same leather, ever so slightly stained from when Wels owned it, the same black vines covering its cover, the same brown leather rope with bronze strings weaved in dangling from the spine. A gift from Stress, before Etho.
Except now the rope had little trinkets dangling from its end. A feather, a dead blaze rod, an eye of ender fragment.

Tommy scooped up the few flowers he had in his bag and shoved them in Joe's face. He didn't mind taking them and delicately handling them, fixing any bent petals or stems.
"What's that book?" Joe asked.
Tommy looked at it before grinning.

He picked it up and opened it.
"A magical history book or somethin'. A pain in the *ss, really. I write all my adventures in here!" Tommy informed showing Joe the pages.
The first page was the same format as Wels' except with a few changes. After that was presumably the boy's handwriting, talking about caves and friends, and people, and the ability to talk to people without using anything.

There were countless drawings. A few of cave entrances, one was a crudely colored drawing of the outside of a cave during a storm, the view was of the inside. One was a depiction of the Nether Portal and a few sections of the Nether. Another had a drawing of the Heart of the Sea and another had the Nether Star. There were notes in a different color around certain areas. It was neatly written and spoke as if it's been around for far, far longer. Even at some points correcting the boy's spelling and grammar, as well as making comments like "Know so little, little boy." And, "tis but a child. Not know the dangers you face".
Each of these notes was promptly followed by the boy writing back some form of " F*CK YOU, IM THE BIGGEST MAN EVER, B*TCH!" or "IM NOT A F*CKING CHILD!"

Joe had a feeling the notes were the book and not another person's.

Another thing that caught Joe's attention was a building layout with the labels of "floating building", "the Pub", and " Pub in the Sky".
The Pub was underlined 3 times.
On that page, there was a multitude of notes. All in different handwriting, all using the same pen.

Another was another building layout labeled as "Inchling's Inch House". It had a similar array of separate handwritings and notes.
The next few pages consisted of drawing of people. Seemingly all of different Origins, only missing the Feline, the Beelarian, and the Arachnid. Although it included ones that Joe hadn't heard of before. Like the Inchling or the Starborne.

"So is this like, your diary?" Joe asked.
Tommy spluttered out a few denials causing Joe to softly chuckle.
"Of course not! I'm a big man, big men don't use 'diaries' that's for people like- uh... like Ranboo!" Tommy declared his face a bright scarlet.

"Ooh, I see," Joe nodded along.
Tommy puffed out his chest, his patagium ballooning around him.
"Joe!" Grian rushed over, an excitement in his eyes Joe hadn't seen in a good couple of years.

"Gri?" Joe replied.
Grian chirped a loud trill thing and pulled at Joe's wrist.
"Just 1 night? Please?" Grian begged Joe blinked as he pushed himself up.

Tommy held his book to his chest as he clambered up after the brunette.
"We promised-" Joe began.
"I know, I know, but it's been years! Just 1 night! Then we can regroup! Promise!" Grian assured clasping his hands around the bee's hands.
They were smaller than the Beelarian's but that didn't stop him.

The bee buzzed. A distant, worried thing.
"I suppose," Joe agreed.
The bird let out a loud chirp and his wings flapped, a series of colorful feathers falling to the concrete below.

"Dad, dad! Lead the way!" Grian enthused and Phil laughed.
"Ok," Phil agreed with a soft smile.

A pit dug itself into Tommy's stomach.
Huh...
What an odd feeling.

------

Notes:

Elytrians molt about every Fall. Nests get very covered in colorful features around that time.

(Don't know if I mentioned it but..) Shulks also happen to speak Chuff or, as they say in the End Cities, Slam.
Shulks occasionally also live in End Cities with Enderians. They don't have access to dye so they're all the same color.

If any of you Crows or Parrots reading this would like to be name-dropped just let me know. Otherwise, it's just you.

What's the deal? I'm gonna do the night with the 2 Hermits and the Origins as its own chapter splitting this 3 pt ruins thing into 2 sections so you have to wait?
Yes.
Yes I am, glad you noticed.

Suffer.

.
.
.

No wait, please don't! I love you too much!

Lmk if you wanna know the extras such as "Things I've Forgotten" and "The Vivenstone Healers Crystals and their Holders"

Translations:

⍜⊑ ☊⍜⋔⟒ ⍜⋏! ⊬⍜⎍ ⊑⏃⎐⟒ ⏁⍜- |Endermish| Oh, come on! You have to-

⏁éLL ⋔É! | Hive | Tell me!

⍙⊑⊬ ⍙⍜⎍⌰⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ⏁⊑⟟⋏☍ ⏁⊑⏃⏁? | Endermish | Why would you think that?

⋉é ⏚⟟☍é | Hive | Ze Bike
(An endearing term for a loved one such as a family member, a friend, or a lover)

⊑⟒⊬, ⍙⏃⟟⏁ ⏃ ⋔⟟⋏⎍⏁⟒! ⍙⊑⟒⋏'⎅ ⊬⍜⎍ ☌⟒⏁ ⊑⟒⍀⟒?! | Endermish | Hey, wait a minute! When'd you get here?!