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In every life Techno was his.
It was a fact, a simple truth of existence. A constant through his millenia long life.
No matter for how long they were to be together or what form Techno’s soul chose to take, he’d always be his.
Whether that was a particularly mischievous crow in his flock or a stray puppy gnashing their teeth at him in an alley, he could always recognise his friend. His son. His confidante.
Their dynamic was as fluid as his form, something that he was more than willing to accommodate. Techno always needed him, always. But what he needed from him wasn't always the same.
He didn’t always need a guiding hand or someone to nurture him, sometimes he just needed someone to lend an ear. A shoulder to cry on. Someone to pat him on the back and tell him he did a good job even of he royally fucked something up.
That wasn’t to say Phil didn’t have his preferences, however.
He loved every iteration equally, of course. Each and every one was just a glance into the very being that took the form of ‘Techno’. A new reincarnation was simply just… another perspective on him, a new way of seeing traits he’s seen a thousand times before.
An inclination towards potatoes over any other kind of vegetable. A strange fascination over making things feel equal. Loyalty that threaded through him like the veins under his skin. All of it was beautifully interesting.
But there were certainly traits he favoured, he was mature enough to admit that fact. A lack of family, friends and connections was one of them.
As selfish as it sounded he loved being the first person to give Techno a chance. Seeing his eyes light up when Phil actually listened, watching the cautious hope in his actions as he pushed for more, the quiet undertone of thankfulness that painted Techno afterwards.
His son clung to him hardest in those lives, desperate to please him and earn his place at his side as if he was ever unworthy.
It's been a while since he’s seen that side of his friend, the latest one coming to mind being from when he was a stray ripping into his garbage for scraps. He did his best to give him a good life after finally being able to trap him.
He likes to think he did well considering the fact that he lived to the ripe old age of 16, something entirely unexpected for such a huge dog.
In a way that's simply what he was doing now. He tracked his soul to a rundown village, somewhere surrounded by only farms and wilderness and was presented with quite the opportunity.
After eyeing every mouse, magpie and stray he thought that maybe he was searching in the wrong spot. That somehow Techno decided to be a bat and he’d have to go spelunking to find his friend but that's when he felt a tiny hand in his pocket.
He acted quickly, snatching the wrist of whoever tried to pickpocket him only to find it hopelessly small in the palm of his hand. Techno, in all his fluidity, had taken the form of a child. A hybrid child.
One with big blue eyes and tiny little tusks.
Tusks that, naturally, found their way into his hand as he bit him. He let go of him in shock, watching him growl and bristle before skittering off who knows where. His wild eyes and actions mirrored perfectly with what he did when he was a puppy.
Down to the tiny teeth drawing blood on their first meeting.
He couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he waltzed out of the village and back to his camp, carefully sifting through his supplies to see what would be best to snatch him up.
Most of it wasn't necessary now, he hardly needed any arrows of slowness for a small child.
Phil wasn’t very good with kids but he assumed not many would do well with an arrow in their shoulder. Or it’d at least make taming Techno a little harder. Wait- not taming, raising.
He’d have to get better at switching his language over. He wasn’t a dog anymore, he was a kid.
His hand paused over the spare slowness potion he had packed. Maybe he should bring one to splash it on him. Knowing Tech, he’d fight tooth and nail no matter what form he’s taken. He didn’t want him somehow hurting himself while struggling.
He wasn’t even too sure when this all started. All he really knew was that they always started their meetings like this. With Techno's soul reaching out for him, begging for his companionship, and Phil eagerly accepting.
Well… maybe at first he wasn’t exactly eager.
He was a very different man so long ago, coated in death and at the peak of his infamy. But Techno was persistent and helped him grow through each iteration. Having a companion that didn't just disappear after they died was… refreshing.
Like a glass of cold water on a hot day or a breeze across your face after working hard outside.
Techno never left him. Even if he didn’t remember him each time, even if the last Techno is technically dead and gone. He’ll always have another on the way to spend eternity with him. The only real thing that's changed over time is that he’s the one that seeks his friend out now.
He hums to himself as he packs the potion carefully into his satchel. He had to be cautious and he couldn’t make their relationship unrecoverable. Techno’s never spent a life hating him and Phil certainly won’t give him reason to make this one the first.
Phil stood up and stretched, surveying his makeshift camp before turning his back on it. He’d just leave everything else here. It wasn’t as important as what he was planning on grabbing soon.
The flight home was long. Probably more than a little rough with Tech’s potential struggling but he couldn’t exactly keep him at the camp he set up here. Hopefully he’d tucker himself out, fighting and fighting without harming himself until his body forces him into a nap.
He patted his clothes off lightly before squatting down, jumping and unfurling his wings so he could soar through the air.
Dark wings flapped until he was almost touching the clouds, propelling him closer and closer to the village his friend bit him in. Once it finally entered his sights, he circled in the air above it - sharp eyes scanning the ground for the shock of bright pink hair his son grew.
He spotted him somewhere near the village center, a small hand sneaking up near a merchants stall and snatching something off the very edge. It looked like bread, from what little he could see from above.
Diligently, his eyes chased after him, watching as he wove through the paths connecting the buildings of the small town. From there he hid near some barrels, using them as cover while he greedily tore into the loaf.
A frown pulled at his lips from how quickly he seemed to be eating. Was he that hungry? Had his son's unsuccessful pickpocket on him lead to him going even hungrier than he already was?
Guilt settled like a stone in his stomach. Once they were home he’d cook him a veritable feast. Snacks and stews and anything else he’s taken a liking to over his many lives.
His hands slipped to his side, grasping onto the potion easily as he uncorked the bottle. From there he swept down and dumped it over the still eating child, a small laugh leaving him at the affronted squeal.
The pinkettes head shot up, angry eyes glaring up at him through wet curls before he tried to dart off again - confusion lining each movement when he was much slower than expected.
Phil dove down easily, snatching Techno off the ground and into the air. A frightened squeal echoed out from his chest, hooved legs kicking wildly against him while his little lungs choked on the fumes from the potion.
It seemed to be metabolising well enough at least with how skinny the boy felt in his arms. He definitely needed that feast. Phil was never good with ages but he was probably much too small for someone his age.
Techno was supposed to be big. There were a scarce few lifetimes where he was smaller than Phil. So clearly he had to correct that and have him back on course.
His thoughts got distracted as the piglin hybrid continued thrashing in the air, teeth gnashing before sinking into his bicep and drawing blood. His wings faltered in their flapping and sent them dropping a little before he caught it, his own teeth nipping at one of his friends' ears in punishment.
It was something he was a piglin do to a younger member of the sounder once when it got a bit too cheeky. Sure enough, the thrashing stopped and wide blue eyes looked back up at him - something scared and angry swirling deep within them.
He sighed and shifted the boy in his arms once again, pulling him up closer so that he was a bit more secure. It’d be a long flight and he’d have a lot of explanations when they landed but for now he settled on speeding up his flying and trying to keep the rowdy boy as still as possible.
They had the rest of eternity together after all, at minimum the rest of Techno’s current life. He’s sure his best friend could wait a little for an explanation.
It's the least he owed him after dragging him out all this way to collect him, anyway.