Thank you TheGalacticBucket, Ace_Of_Queens5675 and Dreamshadow for helping me with the lore behind everyone's names! It isn't revealed in this chapter but Xisuma --spoilers-- begins to suspect things.
It's a day like any other. With another child in the house, Xisuma is much busier than he thought he'd be. He has managed to convince Spoke to go to school, which only happened because he would be in Parrot's class and while Xisuma doubted the kid would pay attention to the teacher, he was glad that Spoke, although grumpy about it, was going to give it a try. Apparently, he has only gone to school in the evenings to play football with his friends; never to attend class.
Xisuma thinks that Spoke is parentless or a runaway child. After all, Spoke has been squatting in the house ever since Parrot brought him in. Either way, Xisuma hasn't seen any fliers with the boy's face on them or an article or an Amber Alert about him on the news. Completely abandoned... just like Parrot.
To be honest, it wasn't very surprising to hear that Spoke has never gone to school. In the few days Spoke is in the house, abstaining from books like they're some kind of disease, Xisuma concluded that the kid doesn't know how to read and write. Parrot almost always read to him just before bedtime when they thought the man wasn't paying attention.
Which is fine! A little embarrassing for Spoke and more than a ton of emotional issues that's caused but otherwise it's fine. Both Parrot and Xisuma will help him catch up. Mr. Marriott might not be happy to have two troublemakers in his class but no one cares about that.
The hardest part comes on Monday morning, when Spoke and Parrot have to leave for school. On the previous Friday, Xisuma took both kids out to buy some stationary and notebooks for them so they'd be ready for the week. Parrot, already kitted out, took the liberty of leading Spoke through the bookstore. They also stopped by a patisserie and had a little snack, which Xisuma hoped would raise a couple of friendship points with Spoke.
Now, standing with his hands at his waist, an eyebrow raised, Xisuma infers that no friendship points were acquired.
"I don't really want to go." Spoke proclaims once they've eaten breakfast and Parrot has slung his bag over his shoulder. And that's when the problem starts.
Spoke doesn't want to go to school. Be it fear of the unknown, some introversion that Xisuma didn't pick up on or simply the disturbance of his routine, Spoke doesn't budge from the chair. He doesn't budge, even when Parrot throws the rainbow-patterned bag –that Spoke picked out on their shopping trip with starry eyes– at his head.
That is also when Parrot says that if Spoke doesn't go, he won't go. Just peachy. What has Xisuma done so wrong to deserve this? Surely he's paid more than enough for whatever misdeed he's done, having been kidnapped and all! But no, their stubborness is simply the beginning. The clock is ticking and if they don't leave, they'll miss the first bell and Parrot can't afford to make himself look even worse to his teachers!
So, the voidwalker forms a plan. Not the most innocent plan but a white lie never hurt anyone.
"Alright, boys." Xisuma starts, awfully calm and collected, even though he's worrying his bottom lip behind the mask. "You can stay, nothing bad will happen."
The two boys look at him in confusion –especially Parrot, who knows that Xisuma would never allow for such misbehavior. Spoke just blinks once and his body begins to grow more and more into a 2D shadow like he wants to hide his existence from the world.
Xisuma sighs, leaning back against the kitchen counter and folding his arms, preparing to put on the best performance of his life. "And here I was, planning to take you both out for lunch after school."
At that, Parrot twitches, obviously debating whether to stick with his friend or to succumb to Xisuma's bribes. It's a very enticing bribe for a child who hasn't had many chances in life to have food in a restaurant or buy something from a street vendor without stealing and running away from the authorities. Xisuma patiently waits for the boy to make his choice, knowing that inevitably, he would win and at least one of the two would go to school.
Spoke looks nervously between the two of them and then he tugs Parrot closer to him to whisper something in his feathered ear. Parrot turns his head and puts his hand up to cover their mouths when he replies. The whole exchange is amusing but also very curious and nerve-wrecking. The last thing Xisuma needs right now is for the tables to be turned on him.
Then, they both look at him with equally serious expressions that shouldn't fit as well as they do on their young faces. The thought itself is troubling.
"Where will you take us?" Parrot asks with such scrutiny in his tone that could make anyone stutter. Thankfully, the man has dealt with Parrot long enough to not be bothered by the boy's attitude, as concerning as this fact is.
"Do you remember that one restaurant we passed on Friday?" he asked and Parrot hesitantly nodded his head, something lighting up his eyes. "You claimed it smelled really good, so I wanted to take you both there to celebrate Spoke's first day of school. I didn't tell you anything because it was supposed to be a surprise but..." –he shrugs in faux disappointment– "We can't go now, so I may as well cook–"
Right as he is about to open the first cabinet his hand comes into contact with, he is stopped by a shadowy hand slapping away his fingers. Startled, Xisuma jumps and spins around, cradling his hand close. The shadow form of Spoke stares back at him with white, glowing eyes from atop the table, where he's half-kneeling on. Parrot emits a soft gasp, wings ruffling with the sudden act of his friend.
"We'll go." Spoke says with finality, already moving away to grab his rainbow bag. A huge smile breaks out on Parrot's face and the down on his cheeks raise slightly and his wings shuffle in excitement.
Xisuma smiles at them, the corners of his eyes wrinkling behind the purple visor, though they can't see it. Parrot could probably see the gesture from his eyes with that sharp eyesight of his but Spoke was most likely unaware.
On a normal day, it would have never crossed his mind to lie but these kids need to get their education (and he needs some peace of mind that they won't get in trouble while he is at work). The fact that Spoke broke because of his friend's wants was very endearing and it warmed his heart to know that Parrot has such a good friend by his side –even if said friend doesn't particularly like adults being around him. He could even excuse the threats with this display of friendship and childish loyalty.
The avian boy is more than happy to show the way to Spoke, leading him out of the kitchen and out of the house with speedy steps. Xisuma barely catches up to them with their forgotten snacks in hand. Spoke doesn't look thrilled to be standing in front of the intimidating school gate, and neither does Mr. Marriott, who walks by a few paces away and sees the second troublemaker of the year.
"Good morning, Mister Marriott! How are you?" Xisuma tries to strike up some polite small talk whilst the boys pump each other up. The only word that could describe the look on the teacher's face would be 'distraught' as he estimates the chances of his classroom blowing up thanks to two kids that can't even reach the high drawers. He puts a hand to his forehead, watching the kids with an ever growing sense of utter dread and horror.
Xisuma looks at him with genuine concern.
"I– I don't know– Am I seeing things or is there actually another one?"
He cocks his head to the side, following Mr. Marriott's line of sight. Evidently, Xisuma doesn't see the monster that the teacher sees, which is the reason for his worried words. "Are you okay, sir?"
Mr. Marriott simply puts his hands together and closes his eyes as if in prayer, and then he exhales loudly. "No." and with that said, the teacher walks away with a haunted look on his face. Xisuma feels bad for him but there is no man that could possibly tell two bored, rowdy kids to sit their butts on a chair for an hour without expecting them to cause drama to entertain themselves.
"Okay, Spoke," Xisuma turns his attention to Spoke and Parrot, who were chatting through that exchange. "Please don't drive your teacher to insanity on your first day. Make a good impression, alright?" They both look at him with the biggest, most innocent eyes that have ever been known to mankind... They're definitely planning to do that, aren't they?
Spoke shrugs his indifference, though, which Xisuma deems enough of a response for now. As long as they don't blow up the school, then everything is going to be fine.
"I'll come get you after school for lunch, boys. Have fun!"
"Bye, Suma!"
Spoke doesn't grace him with a farewell, hesitantly following after Parrot as the avian goes through the gate. Xisuma waves goodbye and proceeds to leave. He has work in about half an hour and Void knows if he'll find a parking spot, so he hurries away. He doesn't notice the many curious children peeking at him from behind a house.
To Parrot and Spoke's credit, there is no phone call from the school principal during Xisuma's work hours. Whether that's due to threats and blackmail or genuine behavior is another story but the man likes to believe that sometimes kids listen to adults. On top of that, he didn't have to make an emergency exit to pick up one or both of the boys from school, which is great!
So, when he leaves work, he is in high spirits. The day couldn't have gone better at the café, in spite of a Karen who wanted a black coffee but then attempted to ruin Xisuma's day by saying she'd ordered a latté. Too bad for her, Xisuma is used to troublemaking kids and nothing tops Parrot's shenanigans with a gun or Spoke sneaking around in the dark with his glowing white eyes like one of those Night Blights.
Anyway, putting all of that aside, he doesn't expect to bump into an army of kids and teenagers, all boys, at the school gate. They are all indiscreet, looking at him like he's done something bad, some staring curiously. It isn't unusual for people to do a double-take when he passes by or when he serves coffee or takes orders and he's grown used to it –voidwalkers aren't as much of a rarity anymore but they're still exotic to some places– but this is over-the-top and downright rude behavior. Following the unfortunate kidnapping, Xisuma can't help but feel a little nervous with so many eyes on him.
One of them, the teen with the red hair and similarly coloured suit, he recognizes. He caught Parrot talking to the boy in the street once, though his name has never been mentioned. Parrot rarely talks about what he does when he isn't home. Another one looks to be a moth hybrid, his skin as pale as his white, fluffy antennae, framed by his planet-themed, purple and midnight blue clothes and the moth wings that gracefully cascade down his back –reminiscent of a satin moth. The third is holding a ZAM! energy drink and has a yellow pikachu hoodie on, complimenting his untamed, blond hair. Lastly, there is a boy, who is the tallest in the group, wearing a brown fedora and trench coat like a detective.
They are certainly a curious bunch. Xisuma has never seen a group of teens so cartoonishly dressed, which isn't bad, just something out of the ordinary; a good 'something'.
The little kids aren't any less colorful both in characteristics and character. One boy, wearing a pastel red hoodie, has big, sharp claws on his hands that remind Xisuma of a pangolin. The boy is bugging the teen in the suit for his sunglasses and with a high jump, he succeeds in stealing them, revealing ruby red eyes. Another has pointy, red horns protruding from his forehead and a red bandana that holds back raven black hair. A boy with gloved hands floating over his head running towards them, smiling, shouts as he joins the group.
Still, the older boys are watching the voidwalker like hawks.
Regardless, Xisuma goes to stand on the pavement opposite of the school. He has arrived earlier than usual, having fumbled with his phone to book a table at that restaurant he promised to take the boys to on the way here, and thanks to that, he has to wait for the final bell to ring. There are no other parents waiting around yet, which speaks for how early he is. The group of youths is by the school gate, the older ones standing guard around the children who are with them.
Xisuma guesses they're a big friend group and that they're just waiting for a friend or for another child to get out of school. There is the possibility that the teens are babysitting, which would make a lot of sense, or they're simply waiting for the school yard to empty so they can play football there. Pearl has told him that there is a group of kids meeting up in the closed yard during her shift; he wonders if this is them.
Alas, the final bell rings, right as the road has filled up with cars, parents and teachers trying to keep vehicles from hitting the children who are crossing the road without a care in the world. Soon enough, his own kids make their way out of the gate, chatting with each other.
My own...
The first thing he notices is the smile etched on Spoke's face as he and Parrot talk and crack jokes. It's a good sign, one that speaks of how well the day went. Even Parrot's wings are splayed, relaxed, hanging wide around his waist.
He exhales a breath he didn't realize he was holding.
Xisuma waves at them when they're exiting the school but neither pays him attention. Sighing, he looks both ways and makes his way across the road. Children run by him to get to their parents, almost tangling themselves between his legs in their hurry. His own run to the group standing beside the gate.
"Parrot, Spoke!", the one with the claws greets the boys, big sunglasses hanging awkwardly on the bridge of his nose. "Where have you been?"
Instantaneously, a conversation sparks between the youngest of the boys about something that Xisuma can't make out over the loud voices of the other students. He doesn't feel like he should interrupt them, and it feels rude to do so but they also have a restaurant to go to. So, he takes another step forward and tries to appear as friendly as possible.
"Hello there!" he starts in a happy tone. Parrot turns to greet him with a small smile, already used to him being around. The rest of the boys, including Spoke, are reluctant to speak to him. "Hey, Parrot, Spoke. Are these your friends?" –he regards everyone with his gaze– "I'm Xisuma, it's nice to meet you." he raises his arm for a handshake.
A moment of awkward silence passes and Xisuma's raised arm falters. The teen in the red suit nods his head at him before he drops it completely and the boy shakes his hand.
"Nice to meet you, sir. You're Parrot's legal guardian?" the way he said it makes Xisuma hesitate for a moment. He can't tell if the boy is making a joke out of it or if he's being serious. Choosing to believe the latter, the man nods his head.
"I am. What are your names?"
The rest of the teens look at him with curious but cautious eyes. Xisuma doesn't know where they're from or what their stories may be but if they're Parrot's friends, maybe they aren't happy ones. Before Parrot entered his life, maybe he wouldn't have thought twice about what the eyes of all these children have seen. Now, he can't help but care –as long as they aren't bad influences, that is enough for him.
"I'm Reddoons," the boy in the suit begins and then he passes the torch to the others, showing them politely with his hand rather than pointing fingers. The moth hybrid is named Planet, the one with the yellow hair is Zam and the one in the trench coat is Jaron. The younger ones don't hesitate as much to shout their names, not letting any of the teens speak for them.
"I'm Pangi!" the boy with the pangolin claws says. Reddoons fixes the glasses on his face discreetly.
Up till then, there is a distinct pattern in their names. They're all named after objects –except Jaron. Even Pangi's name bears a similarity to 'pangolin' and with his claws, it makes sense that he's named after it. Parrot is named after an animal as well, Spoke is named after a verb. They are all part of the same friend group, obviously, and Xisuma doubts any parent would do this injustice to their children.
Then that means...
"Ro." the one with the many white-gloved hands says then, flexing them in all sorts of gestures. Last but not least, the boy with the horns follows, announcing his name with a sharp grin.
"I'm Mapic!"
Xisuma smiles kindly, heart slightly aching. He doubts that any of them can make it through the purple visor. Parrot and Spoke are more at ease after this and the avian boy smiles back slightly.
"It is very nice to meet you. You look like a nice bunch, are you from around here?"
That appears to be an unexpected question. They all look at each other, everyone but Reddoons and Zam who look stunned or confused and Jaron merely stares and that is enough for Xisuma to understand that maybe he shouldn't have asked that.
"Is something wrong?"
Reddoons shakes his head dismissively. "No, uh... No, all's good. We're from a few blocks down–" Zam jabs his elbow into the boy's side for some reason, effectively cutting him off mid-sentence.
Xisuma hums, pretending not to have witnessed that. "Alright. Well, we have to get going." he says with a small sigh. He'd love to stay and chat and learn more about these kids but there will be time for that later. Maybe he'll ask Parrot and Spoke about them at the restaurant –to know which subjects to avoid the next time he bumps into them. "Parrot, Spoke, I'll be waiting in the car, alright? Be quick, please."
"Yeah."
"Sure."
With that, he retreats back to his car. He can feel the curious eyes that follow his silhouette as he walks away.
Distantly, he hears Reddoons speak in a high pitch of surprise. "That guy's your dad?"
Parrot replies almost instantly. "He isn't my dad!"
Xisuma scoffs at the irony of his statement. He wonders what Parrot has told his friends. He wonders if he's told them how they have ended up in this relationship in the first place. Probably not because Reddoons, Zam and Jaron seem logical enough to turn down Parrot's gun trigger-happiness.
"Seatbelts everyone!" he playfully reminds when Parrot and Spoke haphazardly pile into the car. The boys put on their seatbelts and Xisuma looks at them through the rearview mirror to make sure they aren't messing with the middle seat.
Still. Parrot doesn't know how wrong he is because Xisuma feels like a dad with him around.
"Are you two excited?"
"Yes! Let's get going already!"
Spoke just shrugs but his eyes are glued on the expression of his friend's face. Xisuma smiles at them –at the bond they seem to share– and chuckles.
If he can just make Parrot see that his threats aren't needed, then they could possibly be something like a family. This child has been in desperate need of one and Xisuma has enough love to give.