Chapter Text
“So, you are one of Kris’ lackeys, eh?” The arrogant bluebird immediately led with, puffing back up his chest and dusting off his scouters lens. Both him and Ralsei had gotten separated from their respective teams and quite literally ran into each other at a random streetway in the inner city.
“I…Guess that wouldn't be too far from accurate.” The fluffball prince responded, standing up and dusting himself off, “So, do you have any idea where our groups might be, Berdly?”
“Of course I don't, otherwise I wouldn't be standing here babbling about with you!” Berdly angrily squacked out, feathers puffing at what was, in his eyes, a stupid question. “However.. You seem to be the least unintelligent of your party, so I am willing to form a temporary alliance until we find our allies.” He continues, offering his wing in a handshake like gesture.
Ralsei hesitated, unsure if Kris would be fine with teaming up with the bird, especially since they dont really seem to li-
“Well, what are you waiting for?!” an impatient chirp breaks his train of thought, he quickly shakes the birds hand.
‘Well, It's just until I find Susie and Kris…’
And they both head out deep into the city, walking for minutes on end through the endless neon blue alleyways, not much noise except the taps and pats of talons and paws on the concrete…or well, digital adjacent flooring tiles, neither really ever stopped to think about it. The silence is finally broken by who else but Berdly, talking in a cocksure tone as always.
“So, as your temporary party leader, I feel obligated to ask you some questions, first of all, why do you take orders from that simpleton Kris?”
“Well, they usually have pretty good tactic-” Ralsei attempted to respond before being immediately cut off
“Heh, good tactics, that idiot? An at least halfway intelligent lifeform such as yourself shouldn't relegate to being a lackey, you should be the one coming up with the tactics!” Berdly exclaimed, complete with a tone that, even through all of the pride and sarcasm, Ralsei can tell is somewhat genuine.
An embarrassed blush does creep under Ralsei’s fur, light enough to be imperceptible from the outside but still there, he responds, almost sounding a bit more upcast after the ‘praise’, if it could even be called that, “W-Well, even if I wanted to, (not that I do of course!) The prophecy says that im supposed to just be the healer, Kris does the healing and Susie.. Does the damage if we ever need to!”
“Well I suppose a healer isn't a leader in traditional parties…”
“I actually have a question for you, Berdly.” Ralsei continues, pausing his movement for a second, causing Berdly to do the same.
“What is it, my fluffy party member?” Said with mocking superiority in the bird's tone, like actively trying to undermine every single word said before and after he speaks.
“Why do you listen to Queen so much?”
“Quite simple, actually” Berdly begins, voice full of something resembling actual life in this voice, it sounding slightly higher and losing the snarky tinge that usually is his M.O. “She promised a perfect world, where those like me would be in the center of recognition, and all I need to do is stop you 3 from sealing a fountain. How could I ever turn that up?”
Ralsei sits in thought, noticing the slight peak in Berdly’s voice at the word ‘recognition’. “I mean, don't you have friends to go back home to? What about seeing them again?”
Berdly seems to halfway forget himself for a second, talking in a softer, more natural voice as his chest finally deflates, a slight slump added to his usually confident posture
“Alas, for a pro gamer and greater intellectual such as myself, friends do not come as easily as for simple minded masses. Most decide oppression of intellect is the correct strategy, but such is the failings of man.”
The still air of hesitation fills the area, time ticking for a few seconds before Ralsei suddenly brings up his hand in another handshake-like gesture, “Well, I could be your friend!”
Suddenly, Berdly almost snapped upright, his usual cockiness blown like ashes to the wind as he stares incredulously at the goat prince’s paw. He opens his beak to try and say something snarky, to say something like “Of course you would want to!”, anything…
But all that comes out, in a small squeak completely unbefitting of the confident bluebird he is,
“What?”
“I mean, I don't find you too annoying, so why not?”
His whole world just stopped, paused for a minute as he focused on that paw, outstretched happily to him, and someone wanting to be his friend?
Whatever dream this was, he doesn't want to wake up.
He takes the prince’s outstretched hand and they continue on, walking side by side for a while.
And…Berdly never noticed how soft he looked, and felt for that matter. Even his adorable glasses really added to the fluffy look of his-
Wait…
Adorable?
He couldn't even notice his cheeks heating as the prince led him on and on by the wing, his body felt too still to even move without his new friend’s input, padding on and on throughout the seeming miles of endless blue alleys and neon lit city.
Until they walk through an alley and find Susie sitting in an open field, actively looking around
“Well, guess we are back to being enemies I guess…”
“Berdly?”
“Huh?” His name snapped him out of his trance as he very quickly observed his surroundings, seeing Susie nearby…
“Oh…Seems we are.”
“Well then, you should come to castle town later!” Ralsei says, running then walking off back to Susie, already looking off somewhere.
Face red, wings feeling like bricks, head bordering on foggy…
“Yeah.”
“Wait a minute how do I get to castle town?”