Chapter Text
"I wanna sing and make songs, I wanna dance all day long~!"
Zero danced around the living room, headphones blaring music as he pumped his arms in the air. Oh yeah, he was feeling it! And no he was NOT goofing off. It was practice! Very serious dance and singing practice!
He spun around, then raised both hands out and tilted his head back.
"I wanna dance all day looOOOooo-URK!"
He coughed, coming to a sudden stop. His eyes creased up in befuddlement and he tapped at his chest a bit.
Huh.
Weird.
"I wanna sing and make songs-" he started again. "I wanna dance all day long." His voice rose a bit in confidence. "I wanna be a big paRT-!" His voice squeaked unexpectedly, and he fell into a fit of coughing.
Coughing?? He didn't even have lungs! His breathing was simulated!
Well, this didn't bode well.
Having fully stopped dancing, he took a deep breath (simulated) in and out to ground himself.
"Pack your bags, hop in a car~" He tried. He knew the lyrics and notes by heart, burned into his circuits. "Another day another des-URK!"
He gulped, hands touching at his throat.
Oooooh no.
000
"Ok, Zero." Doc held up a tongue depressor. "Say ahhh…"
Zero's mouth formed on his face, then unhinged.
"AaaaAAAaaaAahh…" He tried, his tone crackling and shifting. Within his mouth was an abyss of flickering orange static. Doc didn't even try sticking the depressor in there, and just put it down to the side.
"Well, you certainly sound like something could be wrong." Doc rubbed at their chin. "But aside from that, well, you aren't exactly biological, so I have no idea. Anyone else?"
The five of them had all gathered in the kitchen to examine Zero's condition. Unfortunately, Doc's question was met with silence.
"We could try smacking him on the head?" Tesla suggested. "A minor electric shock?"
"Those things seem just as likely to mess him up further," Rust answered. Tesla huffed.
"Well I don't hear anyone else saying anything."
"What do we do??" Zero gasped and brought his fists up to his mouth in anxiety. "We've got performances coming up!! If, If I can't sing, what will I do?? What if I'm like this forever???"
His voice was becoming louder, as well as more distorted with each question, and by the end he was at a wail.
"Oy oy calm down," Tesla told him. "You don't technically need to sing to compose music. So it's not like it's the end of the world if you can't ever sing again."
Zero made a mortified, broken sound, and Rust swatted Tesla on the back of the head.
"What Tesla means to say is…" Doc cut in forcefully. "There's no reason to think this would last a long time. I'm sure we can find a solution." Zero, who had looked to be on the verge of tears, gave Doc a wary look.
"Y-You think so?"
"So you lost your voice? Hey, no problem." Rust patted him on the back. "You've got another singer right here to help you figure this out." Zero's expression turned a bit hopeful.
"R-Really?" He croaked in a distorted voice. Rust winced a bit, but nodded and flashed a thumbs-up.
"Yeah don't worry, I've sounded way worse before."
"I know some good remedies as well," Doc offered. "Teas and the like to soothe the throat."
"It's unlikely this is permanent," Tesla added, after Rust nudged it. "I'm sure we'll figure something out." Armstrong nodded as well, clasping Zero on the shoulder.
"O-Okay…" Zero sniffled and rubbed at his eyes. "Yeah, let's give it a try."