Chapter Text
Punz was many things, but stupid definitely wasn’t one of them.
When he woke up that morning, something just felt…off. He couldn’t describe it, but it was like watching a dish fall to the floor in front of you, knowing something was wrong but being absolutely helpless to stop it. There wasn’t an exact moment when everything started to go downhill, but the defining moment was when Punz felt a force grab him by the hair and push him to the floor. It took all of Punz’s will not to succumb to the powerful pressure pulling tightly on his hair. He then felt something sharp dig into the sides of his face, causing Punz to harshly inhale a breath of air.
What the fuck is going on???
Then, faster than he could think, something crashed against his chest, knocking all the air out of his frame and leaving the avian desperately gasping for breath.
“Help me….make it stop…PLEASE–”
The anguished cry of desperation left his mouth before he could even think, it came with such forcefulness that it was certainly not his… but it wouldn’t…no…could it?
As he tried to regain his composure, something clasped around his neck, leaving a fiery circle of agony in its wake, causing Punz to crumple to the floor, digging at his throat in vain desperation that it will cause the pain to stop.
Now, Punz was used to pain. He’d been forced to manage it for as long as he’d been Dream’s guardian…but this was a new…special kind of pain. Whoever was doing this…they’d been doing this for almost six months if Punz was correct… But through all the scars on his body…some from swords…or lava…or the occasional attempt with potions…this pain was new…what were they trying???
Then, like a bolt of lightning, the memory hit.
Dream, begging for his life. Tommy standing over him with an axe held to his throat threatening to permanently kill him…
Punz desperately tried to hide his panicked breathing and not look at his partner…this was all part of the plan… right??? This is just like they planned! Just silently watch as his partner’s arch enemy killed the person he was sworn to protect…
Now, Sam must have seen him desperately trying to look away, because he stepped forward and proposed that, instead of killing the admin, they should just lock him in the Prison that DREAM had designed! That DREAM had commissioned Sam to build! That DREAM had planned out the inner workings of! Surely they wouldn’t agree to it…would they?
To Punz’s surprise, everyone seemed to unanimously agree that it was a great idea!
Then the pain came.
As soon as they put the cuffs on, the iron started to burn the avian’s wrists…digging and writhing like they just came out of lava.
Punz pulled up his cloak to hide his face as it contorted in pain from the incomprehensible pain in the avian’s wrist and neck-
IRON!!! THAT WAS WHAT WAS BURNING HIM!!!
B-But why did they put iron cuffs on him??? Even with all the torture, they had never used iron! Sam KNEW not to use it, or allow anyone to have it in the prison. (in case a certain someone decided to pay a visit). The only reason they had agreed to ever even think of using iron cuffs was if…… no… nonononoNONONONONO SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT!!!!
Punz immediately turned and threw open the door to the balcony of his tower, taking to the skies so fast that the flock of birds surrounding him didn’t have time to move out of the way.
That IDIOT!!! HE WAS SUPPOSED TO SEND THE SIGNAL LONG BEFORE IT GOT THIS BAD!!! WHAT WAS HE THINKING??? I- HE PROMISED! HE FUCKING PROMISED !
Punz flew as fast as he could, the snow and grass soaring by him at unprecedented speeds.
If anyone thought to look up as he flew by, they’d probably only see a blur of wind and a flock of agitated birds.
The normal time from Punz’s tower to the greater SMP usually takes 15-20 minutes by air, Punz covered it in 5. By the time the sight of the landmark crater came into view, the avian was already completely out of breath, but he couldn't POSSIBLY give up now! His partner's (and possibly his) life was in jeopardy! If he stopped now, It would be game over!
Now, Punz obviously couldn’t just message Sam, that would make him at least 20 different levels of suspicion, ESPECIALLY if Dream was in as bad of shape as he thought he was. So, he had no choice but to Tap into a skill he’d only used once since that fateful day all those years ago…
Punz carefully landed on top of a pile of rocks that was somehow still standing after almost a year and a half of explosions. As he came to a stop, he could hear Dream’s panicked thoughts begging for mercy over and over and over like a broken record, but the pain had stopped a while ago…so he was probably having a nightmare…well…that was definitely going to make life more complicated…but Punz could work with it.
As Punz took a deep breath in, he looked inward towards a large crystal shining blue and purple and spinning like a top, almost like it knew exactly what he wanted to do.
“Hey, old friend…I know I swore to never use you again a long time ago…but desperate times call for desperate measures”
Punz slowly reached out to touch the stone as he spoke
“I know I’m probably a bit rusty…but Dream really needs my help… please.”
Almost as a response, the star slowed almost to a stop, and before Punz could even take a second to breathe, it latch onto his outstretched hand like a magnet, sending a flaming burst of electricity through his entire body which roared up like a long lost machine, whirring and flaring to life.
The sudden burst of pain roared through his body like fire, almost causing him to fall off the slim rock face. Before he could even scream out in pain, suddenly there was a second pair of wings on his back, His hands grew into talon-like claws and became as sharp as knives. A tail fluttered down his back, silky smooth white, gold, and black feathers to match his wings, slim and aerodynamic before flowering out at the end like a raptor’s tail. His feet became more bird-like and sharp as knives.
As he looked around, his vision became similar to a bat, echoing off of objects and showing their outline. Out of the corner of his eye, Punz could see a bright green dot sending out agitated distress signals, above him stood a darker green signal, and reddish orange signal, and a bright blue signal.
Without even a moment of thought or hesitation, Punz began flying towards the signal at neck-breaking speed. As he swooped and dived through the rubble of buildings, bases, and forests, Punz kept desperately sending the message
“ I’M ON MY WAY!!! JUST HOLD ON A LITTLE LONGER!!!”
As the modified avian reached the collection of signals, he immediately went for the closest person to Dream, which happened to be the dark green signal. Before the poor man could stop him, Punz had gripped his hair in his claws, pulled him upwards to unbalance him, and used his massive talons and tail to Thrust the massive figure into a nearby wall.
The next person was the bright blue signal, who was taken out by a swift crack of his tail into their chest, sending them flying into the nearby ocean with a SPLASH!
As Punz turned to kick the final person into the stratosphere, he was stopped by what he saw.
Dream was laying in the sand, only partially lucid from the look of it, mask shattered to pieces next to him, and Sapnap standing over him with a knife to his throat. All of Punz’s bravado dropped like a stone in the ocean as he took a step away from the fireborn.
“ Punz”
“Sapnap.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I’d ask you the same thing! Didn’t you betray this fucker?”
Punz didn’t respond, but simply glared silently at the fireborn
“So…why are you holding a knife to your best friend’s throat?”
Sapnap looked at the avian darkly as he pushed the knife closer, then with a smirk responded
“Fulfilling a promise”
Then, with the swift motion of a blade, Punz’s world fell apart.