Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I stood amongst the crowd of the chateau; I blended in amongst the crowd. There’s chatter in the air and a hot mug in my hand. Coziness fills my body as I see the snow outside, reminding myself of the warmth here. Anyone out there surely would be shivering. But here? It was safe.

Despite the safeness, there was a figure who stood Infront of the window. His stature long and lanky. Hair unkept and eyes wide as he continued to stare. At what? I didn’t know at the moment. I heard talks of him, a homeless swan the chateau had taken in. He didn’t talk much. But I didn’t let my slight unease of him ruin my stay.

The aesthetic of this place emphasizes a feeling of nostalgia, the talks of the chao races emphasized that! Though it was odd, the main contestants hadn’t shown up for the finals. My gaze shifts as a robotic voice speaks.

“Attention, guests! We have just received a warning of an impending danger to the chateau. Please proceed to the exists and the congregate in the designated safe zones.” An Omochao said as it buzzed over.

As the crowd began to run off, I noticed the swan from earlier continued to stand at the window. Mobians bumping into each other. It felt more like a stampede than an evacuation. As I picked up the pace, I grabbed the swan’s thin arm. Cringing a little as a grasp it, feeling as if it would snap under my gentle tug.

He followed behind as I pulled him and yet I could see him looking back at the chaos behind. I would interfere but considering who was there, I just kept running. Save civilians, Amy Rose was more than capable of handling herself.

As I ran, I noticed the swan didn’t look directly at me, at the walls, at the floor, behind him. Not at me. But I did see the way his eyes refused to hold any light in them, already consumed by confusion. Though it wasn’t regular, it was a life altering confusion. It was like he woke up for the very first time.

Chapter Text

Eggperial was unknown territory for him. Sure Voltz had been to eggman bases plenty of times but this? This area was more modern in design so it was hard to navigate. Even harder due to the fact it was obviously ruined. It was active despite that fact. There was so much risk here, especially for Voltz. If he was caught, hell would surely be in store for him. But it was worth it, all of it was worth it. All of this pain and suffering, maybe he could help someone like him. Ducking under some rusted metal pipes, Voltz pushed his way through. His green eyes lit up the cramped area around him. Staring down, Voltz saw an opening. Not one naturally made or hand crafted, yet one of destruction and rubble. It was a hole between two pieces of concrete, small in size. But Voltz was just thin enough to fit.Voltz hated small spaces. He had been in one too long to be comfortable with one. But he reminded himself about who he was here for.Inhaling, Voltz made himself as thin as possible and squeezed in between the two giant slabs of stone. Feeling squished. Yet he shuffled his body through the opening, his webbed hands feeling each crack. Each of the gray walls were cold. Shivers ran down Voltz' spine as he kept moving.

"Keep moving, keep moving." Voltz whispered to himself.

He forced himself to keep his eyes open to make sure he'd make it to the end of the hole.

Maybe if someone was with him this wouldn't be as hard.

Maybe he should've asked someone to come with him.

But who could he ask?

Finally with a gasp of air, Voltz pushed himself out of the other side. His breaths were quick and uneven. Splaying his hand across his own chest as he felt it expand.
It reveled in being able expand the way it could. But his eyes furrowed at the darkness around him. Yet.. there was a peak of light coming through another hole in this indescribable space. Color seemed to die here in a flurry of grays and blacks. This area was big, would could it be? Better yet what could it of been? Voltz attempted to find clues anywhere. Rubble, it was all rubble. Chunks of concrete and metal pipes stuck out.

THUD!

Voltz suddenly found himself on the ground, his face pressed against the cold concrete. Inhaling the dust that kicked up due to the movement with a cough. When he turned around, he had expected to see a rock or a pipe had tripped him.

He wished it was a rock.

Trembling, Voltz stood up not before failing to do so a few times.
His heart beat thudded as he recognized the shape with what little light was in the room. Words, noises, even breaths got caught in his dry throat.

It was a shoe.

It's leather was damaged, scratched and peeled on edges. The tip which once pointed up in a natural way, now bent at an angel. Gold on it was now damaged, not shimmering like it did when he first saw it on it's wearer the night he first saw him. Voltz scurried to pick it up, feeling it was stuck.

He tugged.
It didn't budge.
It was still attached.

Voltz pushed himself away form the shoe, as if it has shouted at him.

"No no no.." Voltz shook his head.

He swallowed as he leaned forward, tugging at it again. Maybe he confused it for something else. Maybe it was stuck on a pipe or between some rocks.
But it was undeniable as he felt the light force on the shoe.
It wasn't a firm push back like a stone would've been. If it was a pipe he would've heard the clank of the metal. The tug made him scared that he was going to rip whatever was attached.
The platypus' figure came to his mind again, causing the swan's feathers to stand on end. Webbed hands carelessly began to shove and desperately pry the debris out of the way.
Not matter how much his body agonized, no matter how thin his arms were, his brain had to see.

"No no no no..." He repeated, as if pleading with whatever god was with him. With whatever god clearly ignored him. It was like a sickening puzzle, each piece of it being made visible to him. And in the one spot the light reached too.

Cream fur damaged by stains of red and bruised skin. Magenta eyes lifelessly stared up. A face just barely recognizable.

Voltz fell back onto his knees in front of what he found. Emerald eyes scanning the clearing he had made. Just then, he curled up little by little. His fists curling up with a tremble.

Not again.

His webbed claws ran through his hair.

Not. Again.

A lump began to form in his throat as he felt every bit of him melt in the WORST way possible. In the way blood would drip off a horrible wound. It was the only thing he could think of right now. Even as he shut his eyes it was the only thing he could see.

Coming to this place was a risk, a risk he wanted to take for him. Quiet, he had to be quiet. For his safety, for his own survival. But right now he could careless about his own survival. He was falling and he saw no way of getting up. His eyes finally pushed out some tears as he let out wails into the stone. His screams echoed through out the walls.

NOT. AGAIN.

Voltz felt as his arms ran down to his own neck, not caring the wounds he left on himself. He screamed into nothing, knowing nobody would hear him. Knowing that nobody who really cared would find him.
He was alone, truly alone.
Yet.. not a single Badnik managed to hear him. It felt like hours of wailing until his throat began hurting. Breathing out, Voltz finally looked around his surroundings again. How long had be been out for?
He looked down, seeing his arms had returned to their wire like state. Strands of green electric mass surrounded the... surrounded Starline. Voltz' brows furrowed as he saw the almost frame like appearance. As small sparks flowed throughout his arms he was reminded of a story.

Finally, Voltz found the energy to stand on his two feet again, ignoring how his legs shook. He could make that story real. He could bring back the dead.
Voltz felt his arms returned to feathers and fingers. He swallowed, his eyes glowing just a tad brighter.

So tired, he was so tired of seeing corpses that shared the same story as him. Pawns in Eggman's game who eventually out lived their usefulness.
Voltz took a breath in as his arms gently scooped up Starline, holding it as gently as possible. This wasn't a body, this wasn't a corpse, this was a mobian.

As Voltz trudged through the rubble, there was only one thing his sore through managed to say "Your story does not end here. I'll make sure of it.".
Now he just had to find another way out with this precious star in his hands.