Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Test Tube lied down as she dawdled. Light passed through her window, hitting the bunk bed she was on, although the only person who slept on it last night was her.

It was some time after noon, but Test Tube didn’t feel the need to get up just yet. Her first day of junior year was tomorrow, and she was having none of it.

I mean, the first day of school was supposed to be daunting, right? But never in her life was she ever so anxious.

Ever since the 2nd grade, she had gone to the same school. She knew everyone, teachers and students alike. She was the president of multiple clubs, regularly volunteered and felt that she became an integral part of her community, like every college-seeking high schooler should be.

Alongside that, her grades were flawless, as always, and had even started connecting with her friends outside of school, the first time ever for her. It all just seemed to be going perfectly. In fact, she had even been able to acquire her most sought-after item, a computer.

It was a MeMac G4, her pride and joy. She was excited to show it off to her friends and have them explore the wonders of the internet with her, and it all came crashing down.

It was late at night, maybe 11 pm if she had to pin-point it. Her parents were arguing, which wasn’t something she’d seen them do probably.. ever?

Test Tube listened in from upstairs, she couldn’t get the exact reasoning for the argument, but it was about her brother, Orange Juice. 

Her brother was a sore topic for her, actually, probably the topic she hated talking about the most. It was something that festered deep in her psyche on a daily basis.

She was six when he disappeared, and everyday it ate at her. She assumed her parents felt the same way, because this was the first time she was hearing her parents talking about her brother in years. Test Tube put her ears onto the floor, listening in.

The conversation was odd. Her parents said something about they didn’t want her to “end up like OJ,” which she had no idea what they implied by that. It was a few seconds later when they calmed themselves that they started talking in hushed voices, Test Tube barely able to hear anything at all.

After around 20 minutes, Test Tube’s dad walked into her room and simply said that she’d be going to her uncle for “a bit.” That part confused Test Tube even more, considering school started a few days from then. 

It was two days later when her uncle arrived, looking exactly the same as when she’d lived with him a decade prior. 

He was a rugged man, white hair with streaks of black accompanying his head. He wore aviators, a motorcyclists jacket and some denim jeans. Test Tube thought all he was missing was a helmet, oh, and an actual motorcycle.

The drive to his home was exhausting. It took roughly three days in total, with the vast majority of the trip being in utter silence.

She had tried to prod at her uncle about exactly why any of this was happening, but he never gave up a single bite for her to chew at.

On the ride, her uncle did talk about how her school was supposedly pretty great and everything she had in California would also be afforded in where they were going, a small town named Arove, located in New York state.

The trip was quite boring in total, but she Test Tube was glad he at least had a functioning music taste. (Evanescence, anyone?)

It was just today when she arrived, sometime around three in the morning, so she rightfully went to sleep and now.. she was here, thinking.

Nothing in her uncle’s house had changed one bit, this bunk-bed being a reminder of that.

Test Tube had her last conversation with OJ the day he left on this very bunk-bed, she didn’t remember what it was about exactly,  but she knew it was something stupid. 

The last thing OJ told her was that he loved her and “had to go to the bathroom.” The front door snapped open soon after, and that was the last she saw of him.

Test Tube had repressed everything from the following months that followed. She remembered fragments, how her uncle constantly fought with her parents, how she spent most of her day isolated in her room, sobbing.

It was finally when she finished her first grade when she moved away to California, where she had been living up until now.

..Test Tube decided to stop thinking about OJ now. She still had things she wanted to unpack, literally speaking, and the internet to explore. 

Her uncle was working, so Test Tube had the house all to herself. She stumbled out of bed and looked around the house. Before long, she found the cardboard box with her most prized possession, her computer!

It was a bit of a hassle to get herself connected onto the internet, but after a good 20 minutes or so, she was successfully able to get herself connected.

The internet was a tad bit slower than what she was used to, but Test Tube didn’t mind it that much.

With a few clicks, she was able to successfully log onto her AOL account and check up on any new messages from her friends

She had no messages.

Test Tube sighed. She really didn’t have many friends, did she? 

Test Tube checked to see if any of the three friends she had on there were online, all three of which weren't.

Test Tube checked the time. It was 1:14 pm, meaning she still had a whole lot of time to waste.

She went onto the chatrooms tab, hoping to find someone interesting to chat with.

She clicked around, not finding anything worthwhile with people in it.

Her favorite chatroom was one called the Red Dragon Inn, where you could roleplay to your hearts' extent. It was probably her most guilty pleasure, but by god did she love it.

She then went on to check on the ‘tech’ related chatrooms, all either non-populated or way too populated for her taste.

She reluctantly went into one of those unpopulated chatrooms as she got up to get herself a glass of water, hoping someone would join her by the time she got back.

Test Tube took a swig of water from the sink, hoping it didn’t have lead, despite what her uncle had already assured her. Lead contamination WAS a serious thing, after all.

Test Tube took the rest of her water back to her room to see someone else in the chatroom with her.

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: A/S/L?”

Test Tube pondered for just a moment if someone with ‘XxX’ in their name would be the beacon of knowledge she was hoping to find, before responding back anyways.

“ILiekScience: 16, F, NY, you?” 

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: 16 M NY ” 

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: woah”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: same location”

“ILiekScience: The chances of us both being 16 and being located in NY is, probability wise, quite low.” 

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: i have a whole blog im legit”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: you should check it out”

“ILiekScience: Send it.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: "its here" Test Tube right clicked and copied the website's url.

“ILiekScience: Kewl. I’ll check it out later.” 

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: youre not even gonna fact check it?”

“ILiekScience: If you actually sent it, it’s probably real.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: its hella sick” Test Tube winced. Did this guy really think he sounded cool talking like this?

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: hope you like it”

“ILiekScience: We’ll see.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: so wyd?”

“ILiekScience: Stressed out of my mind, school starts tomorrow and I’ll know nobody.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: whys that”

“ILiekScience: I just moved here, from Cali.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: CALI?? cool beans”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: school also starts tmrw for me”

“ILiekScience: Maybe I’ll see you there?” Test Tube chuckled slightly.

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: imagine”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: not that Id know much people too”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: I’ll be going to a speciality school for only upperclassmen”

“ILiekScience: How so?”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: parents put me in it”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: seems cool tho 3rd best in the state”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: its called inanimate high” (hi kinkajou)

That made Test Tube realize she had no idea what her high school was even called, so she gave herself a mental reminder to find out later.

“ILiekScience: Sounds nice, I haven't quite found out where I’ll be going yet.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: so theres a chance”

“ILiekScience: I suppose so.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: that means i’ll have a friend then :)”

“ILiekScience: Perhaps you would.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: I gtg pots” (A/N: pots is a term meaning “parents over the shoulder.” :3)

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: peace”

“ILiekScience: cya” Test Tube disconnected from the chat, going back to her homepage.

Test Tube heard the notification chime sound as someone sent her a friend request, that person being “XxX_FanRocks_XxX,” who Test Tube would now just be calling Fan.

With a little reluctance, she accepted it. Test Tube had never friended anyone she didn’t know, but she supposed it couldn’t hurt her.

Test Tube then logged off and finally went on to see what Fan’s blog was all about.

She was greeted with web design circa the 90’s, which was odd considering they were nearing the mid 00’s now..

Test Tube chalked it up to being that not everyone was proficient with web design like her, letting out a light laugh.

Test Tube clicked on his home page, which was seemingly just a whole lot of information on him.

His entire introduction seeped of nerdiness, which Test Tube found endearing. She noted that he liked the occult and conspiracies. She’d have to talk about that with him later.

She clicked on his FAQ, being met with just a little more information about him.

Test Tube then visited his blog page, being greeted with a grand total of two blogs. He did say he only started blogging a few weeks ago via his FAQ, so she supposed it was expected.

Test Tube scrolled past the first blog on some alien conspiracy theory, she wasn’t feeling too adventurey today, and alien conspiracy theories were a dime a dozen. The second blog post, though, intrigued her.

A missing persons case about someone her age, in her state? She had to click it.

The blog post wasn’t written the best, it spiraled into insanity in the last third of it and Fan probably should’ve written the subject matter with more care considering what it was about, but it intrigued Test Tube.

The first few paragraphs were seemingly normal, talking about who the teenager was, who Test Tube now learned was named Bow.

It delved into where she was last seen, who she was with, the string of events, general information like that.

It wasn’t until the first half of the blog was over in which Fan seemed to get into his conspiracy-esque side.

Although Test Tube enjoyed conspiracies, it always came with the caveat that she needed some sort of proof, so the next few sentences were especially shocking to her.

It was two things which caught her eye. Firstly, it was that this disappearance was supposedly planned in some way.

Secondly, and the fact that made her practically jump out her seat was that her brother was involved.

Test Tube glued her eyes on the screen as she read the rest of the post. It said that the both of their disappearances were ten years apart, and, somehow with the power of the vast cosmos, Bow was from the same city she and her brother, OJ, were located in.

It then spiraled into something about how it was either the government or aliens who took her brother, mostly without any hard proof for it. But really, with the overwhelming coincidences he laid out, it all seemed a little too believable. 

It felt like the universe was throwing her a cookie. Her parents talking about OJ for the first time in forever, moving back to the town he disappeared from a decade (and a few weeks) after it happened, and somehow meeting some guy who was also in her very same town who knew about his case AND all with another, strikingly similar case.

It wasn’t like his disappearance was something very known, it only showed up in a singular newspaper, and his case had been running cold ever since, as if it was secretly scrubbed off the records.

Test Tube rushedly logged back on AOL, only to see Fan was still offline. She wrote him a message asking to talk to him ASAP before shutting off the computer and walking out of her room. She really needed a breather.

Her mind scattered with all of this information, walking to the kitchen to get herself some water, despite the fact she already had a cup of water in her room.

She filled the cup with water and drank it half way before placing it down on her counter. It lasted two seconds before her hand accidentally moved and knocked the cup over.

Test Tube felt herself get more antsy by the second as she looked around for any paper towels in the house. 

She finally found some paper towels after a good 30 seconds of searching and wiped her counter clean, grabbing some envelopes which risked getting wet.

She finally wiped it clean(ish) when she eyed one of the envelopes not out of any effort of her own. It read Inanimate High on its cover.

Test Tube’s belief in being in a simulation grew as she read it. The chance of everything that had happened to her in such a short time seemed to be probabilistically improbable.   

Test Tube set aside the rest of the envelopes and slowly opened the remaining one in her hands, fearing she’d somehow rip it if she tried to go faster with her shaking hands.

The letter enclosed inside was nothing special. It was just a congratulations on passing the entry exam for the school, something she never did. She tried to believe that it was simply something her parents had somehow managed, and not yet another divine glitch from the universe.

There was another paper with her schedule. It was mostly acceptable for her, outside of the fact she was only put in calculus, a subject she’d already mastered ages ago. She was at least glad she didn’t have any science classes.

Test Tube put down the letter and sat down on a longchair, putting everything she just learned together.

So, supposedly, there was something orchestrating the disappearance of her brother, despite the fact she could vividly remember him walking out of the house himself, she met someone on the internet who goes to the same school as her and all of this information entered her mind in the last hour.

There was something she’d heard a few days prior that really lingered in her mind. It was something her parents said, about how they didn’t want her to “turn out like OJ.”

That sentence wrapped around her mind as she struggled to find an explanation for it. Just how could she turn out like OJ? Why would moving here of all places prevent that?

Test Tube’s worst concern was that, maybe, her parents knew something and kept her out of it. Even for her ever-analytical mind, that never crossed her mind as something that they would even do.

Test Tube suddenly stood up and grabbed some keys hanging off the front door, pushing past some still unopened boxes. She was going on a walk.

Test Tube always went on walks when she had to think or rest, this time probably being both. She got the habit from a book she’d read on Albert Einsteinium when she was young, where it said he did the same.

If she could give this town one thing, it was that the town was very scenic. The outside of her house led her through a small grove of trees, honey locusts she believed they were called.

She was glad her town wasn’t infested in cars and roads like her previous town was. As she walked down the path, a few memories of her past trickled into her, some places being seemingly familiar.

Test Tube spent a few minutes walking down, listening to the coos of the birds and the rustling of the leaves thanks to the wind. It really did feel serene.

Test Tube walked down to the end of the grove as she was met with what she assumed was the down-town of the city. Simplistic buildings, all less than two stories scattered across.

Of course, there were still trees which scattered each side walk every few steps, which made it not feel devoid of life. Test Tube really hoped she’d find a tech store around here, at least a RadioShack.

Speaking of stores, she was pretty sure her uncle worked at one of the nearby stores, so she’d ask him if any positions were open when she was looking for money.

Test Tube walked a little farther before finding a bench to sit on. Behind the bench seemed to be a statue of what she assumed the founder of the town was, but their name seemed to be scribbled out.

Test Tube looked up, looking at the vibrant-blue sky that could make anyone cheer up, even if just a little.

Test Tube turned her gaze back to her immediate surroundings as she noticed someone.. with a crab?

Test Tube did a double take as she messed with her glasses, confirming that, yes, they did have a crab in her hands. Test Tube stared for probably a bit too long as the person approached her.

“Aww, you like Baxter?” The girl said, suddenly sitting down with Test Tube as she placed the crab in her hands.

“gAhwk-” Test Tube let out a small shriek as her eyes darted to the crab in her hands, the crab staring back as it began to look like an eye staring contest.

“Baxter doesn’t bite! Isn’t that right?” The girl said that last part to the crab itself, petting its exoskeleton.

“Well, yeah, they pinch, their teeth are only located in their stomach!” Test Tube didn’t know exactly why she added that last part, but giving random people tidbits of random information was her speciality.

“Exactly! He’s like a little meat grinder, soft on the inside and hard on the out!” Test Tube was going to respond to that, but another voice shouted out first.

“Let’s go , Lightbulb.” A stern voice came from an older woman’s body, probably the girl’s mom if she had to guess.

“Oh, well, toodaloo! See you later!” The girl grabbed her crab and waved as she went, Test Tube waving back weakly.

Test Tube had no idea why she said “see you later” as if she was a friend of hers, but it made Test Tube feel slightly jovial. She’d had more good interactions with people today than she ever had in a week. The amount of things that day that seemed statistically unlikely were.. staggering

Test Tube sat in silence, taking the sun on her skin. Test Tube theorized that it was probably 4 pm-ish as of now, so she decided to go home in a few minutes so she could finally unpack the rest of her belongings.

The walk back felt a little shorter than the walk to down-town, maybe because her cortisol levels weren’t at sky high levels and she wasn’t focused on every little thing around her.

As she entered her house, it still seemed to be empty, the quiet sound of nature accompanying its rustic nature. As she entered, she walked to the kitchen.

Test Tube checked the fridge, finding some eggs for herself to cook on the skillet pan lying on the stove. She would’ve liked to eat something more appealing, but everything else was expired.

Test Tube splattered a less than generous serving of oil and salt onto the pan as she cracked the last two eggs, offwhite in color onto it.

Test Tube shaked around the pan for a few minutes before getting them to a crispiness she liked. 

As she served herself, she looked out her window. It was at least nice looking there, she supposed. Test Tube finished her plate in under 5 minutes as she stuffed her plate into the dishwasher.

Just as she finished washing her hands, she walked back to her room, turning her computer on again. She anxiously got on AOL, hoping Fan had sent her a message, but there was no “You’ve got mail!” message awaiting her.

She sighed quite audibly. She shut off the computer, heading back to the living room, hoping to do something productive in the meantime.

The next few hours were spent with Test Tube grabbing and sorting out the boxes of stuff she had, decorating her room with every gizmo she had since her preteens. 

Sure, bringing them all probably wasn’t needed, but Test Tube had pride god dammit! It was a nice feeling to look back on what you’ve accomplished.

Her boxes were also littered with awards, the various science fair awards, her 7th grade spelling bee 1st place victory, the math olympiad she got second place in that she was still salty about, it was all there.

Test Tube’s room felt a little more personal, and though it was small, the bunk-beds and the desk her computer sat on took half of her space already, it was hers. (Or, she supposed, hers and her brother’s.) She’d have to live here for a while anyways, better to make it comfortable.

It reached 8 o’clock as the sun started to set, alerting Test Tube that it’d probably be wise to head to sleep soon-ish-ly, even if normally her sleep time was closer to 2 am. It wasn’t like she got her smarts from nothing.

Now that she thought about it, her uncle would probably have to be coming home soon, which she hoped would bring food better than plain eggs along.

The last few touches to her room were completed as flattened cardboard boxes laid behind her bed, Test Tube wiping her head from relief.

It wasn’t long after that Test Tube turned on her computer to check if Fan had sent her anything. It wasn’t like she was this internet crazed usually, but this situation gripped her mind ever since she read his blog.

Again, she had no new messages. Anticipation took her for a ride just to shoot her down. Test Tube was at least glad she’d be able to see him tomorrow, if she could figure out who he was.

Test Tube sent him two messages, one urging him to reply and another telling him she’d be seeing him at school tomorrow, but she really didn’t want to have to wait until then to talk to him.

Test Tube checked around at the chatrooms open despite having no want to join any of them, praying Fan would message her in the next two minutes. 

Test Tube shut off the computer again in the end, no reply in hand.

Time started to flow excruciatingly slowly. Test Tube didn’t have any books to read as she hadn’t gone to the library yet, she didn’t have any competitions to study for, and the worst part was her stomach. 

She just wanted to sleep, but her stomach just would not allow it if she tried. She really needed food, pronto. Test Tube laid down on her bed in dramatic fashion, before getting back up again.

Test Tube spent the next few minutes scouring her room for things to do to distract herself from her pain. It really didn’t help much. In the end, she found herself heading to the kitchen to drink some water.

It was then that she heard her uncle’s car come into the garage. Test Tube thought she’d finally been saved.

Test Tube giddied over to see her uncle opening the back trunk, grabbing out a few food items. Test Tube went over to help him as an excuse to see what he brought over.

In the end, it wasn’t much, but it was serviceable. In all, there was popcorn, blueberries, yogurt, apples, frozen meat and a bag of rice.

“Hey, sweetie. How are ya?” The gruff voice spoke out, placing the last of the food in the fridge.

“I’m alright, just mulling over school.”

“You’ve seen the letter?” Her uncle eyed the opened envelope. “I’ll be bringing you to school, six o’clock sharp.”

“Alright, thanks.” Test Tube hadn’t yet gotten comfortable with her uncle, so she wasn’t one to talk to him all too much.

“ ‘Kay. You’d better get some sleep soon.” Her uncle patted her on the shoulder before heading to his room, presumably to go to sleep.

Test Tube didn’t have time to respond as she just opened the fridge, grabbing a handful of blueberries and stuffing them in her mouth. How she forgot how good they were.

Test Tube stuffed a few more handfuls into her mouth as her hunger eased away in exchange for sleepiness.

Test Tube shut off the lights around the house as she snuggled into bed. Lots of things laid in her mind as her consciousness flowed away.

Her brother, her parents, Bow, Fan, school, the random girl with the crab, it was all so odd, but it just fueled her drive to learn more about this town.

There was just so much that already leaned into the unexplainable, but Test Tube never believed in the unexplainable, it was always just something unanswered, waiting to be tinkered with and solved.

And solving things was Test Tube’s specialty.

Chapter Text

Test Tube never had dreams, or, well, if she did, remembered them. She’d always thought that the dreams someone had could tell a lot about them, and yet she could never see who she was for herself.

She tried every trick in the scientific journals she read. Getting into odd positions, reciting mantras before bed, utilizing the mechanisms on how memory access works in ways that’d take her way too long to explain.

It was the day before her brother’s disappearance that she had the last dream she could remember. She was sitting down on a park bench, it being slightly peach colored as blue grass swaddled the landscape for miles.

Actually, it seemed everything but the park bench was blue. The sun shined blue, the sky was blue, but in a much darker tone than usual, and even her own body was blue. 

As Test Tube got off the bench, she woke up, her brother calling her for breakfast the next instant. She really did miss her brother.

Test Tube decided to stop thinking about her brother, now looking out her window as the sun barely started to rise. Test Tube didn’t know what time it was, but her uncle hadn’t come into her room yet to bring her to school, so she at least had some time.

She lifted herself out of bed and headed towards her computer, turning it on as she noted the time. 5:50 am. 10 minutes was good enough to see if Fan finally responded to her.

She logged onto AOL and finally received that blissful “You’ve got mail!” message as she clicked on her inbox.

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: WOAH ALRIGHT”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: meet me up front at school”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: Im a 5’0 glasses wearing white boy, cant miss me”

Test Tube looked at the time the messages were sent, 3:42. Test Tube didn’t know what would be more concerning, the fact he could be potentially waking up then or that he was still awake at 4am on the first day of school.

Test Tube responded with a simple “Alright.” and turned off her computer, heading towards the bathroom and brushing her teeth in record time.

Just as she got out of the bathroom, she found her uncle waiting for her in her room.

“Time to go.” he said.

“Alright.” Test Tube grabbed her already sorted backpack and the letter with her class information as she and her uncle went into the garage, readying the car for the drive.

Via the letter, school started at 6:30, and they’d be having an assembly for the first year students to discuss some general information about the school.

It was a quiet drive, Test Tube staring out the window as she saw a multitude of people with backpacks walking in the car’s direction, probably meaning they were her new classmates.

Before long, Test Tube arrived at the school. Test Tube got out of her uncle’s car as she stared in disbelief at the school building. 

A three story high building, each story probably having space for roughly 30 classrooms, if Test Tube had to guesstimate. The entire building really just looked like one big brick.

It was odd, that a school which only served upperclassmen in a town as small as Arove looked like it could house 5,000 people. But Test Tube wasn’t here to think about the structural design of the school, she was here to find Fan.

She went to the front of the school, seeing a variety of individuals talking or looking around anxiously, like her. Test Tube really hoped Fan hadn’t gone inside, because there was no way she was finding him in there.

Minutes passed by as Test Tube waited, walking around the perimeter as she searched vainly. Test Tube took a look at the clock that laid at the entrance, it was 6:27. Just where the hell was this guy?

Students already seemed to be heading in, Test Tube feeling her nerves grow. She REALLY did not want to be late on the first day of school, even if it was just for an assembly.

The clock hit 6:29 as only her and a few students were still outside. Just as Test Tube went to open the door and follow the other students in, she heard panting from a few feet away.

Test Tube turned the other way, now fully confirming that it was, in fact, Fan. Well, it wasn’t as if there were many 5’0 guys.

“Fan?” Test Tube sighed.

“Gahh- u-uh, who? TeST TUBE?” Fan continued to pant.

“You, uh, okay there?” As she got closer to Fan, Test Tube clearly saw the very dark eyebags that devoured his face, along with his general panting.

“Y-yeah! A-ok here! Let’s go inside, please..!” Fan continued his ritual of panting as they entered the building.

“J-just follow me.” Fan insisted. 

As they entered, Test Tube took in the sight of the interior of the building. It seemed that the stylistic choices done outside were.. repeated.

The building looked dull, as if everything creative had been ripped straight from it. Blank walls lined the corridors as even the vibrance you’d expect from the lockers were stripped away with the melancholy blue painted on them. 

Eventually, after some awkward silence between the two, Fan and her arrived at the auditorium a little late, searching for two seats open in proximity next to each other. 

Compared to everything else the building had to offer, Test Tube really liked the auditorium’s design. It practically looked like a movie theater. Deep red cushiony seats filled the rows, a projector at the front projecting text which said “Welcome to Inanimate High!” 

The two finally found themselves some seats near the top as they settled in. The pair swam in the silence a little longer, before Test Tube finally spoke up.

“Your blogs.” Test Tube pointed at Fan as she spoke.

“U-uh yeah, what about them?” Fan finally seemed to have gotten to a regular breathing pace as he sat.

“What more do you know about Bow and OJ?” Test Tube stared at him as if she could cut him in half with her glare.

“I wrote everything I know about them on there.” Test Tube continued to look at him. “..Please don’t hurt me.”

Test Tube stopped staring at Fan. “huh-? Oh, sorry. I was thinking.” Test Tube had a habit of staring into space whenever she thought.

“Why do you seem to care about that blog? From the messages you sent till now it’s all just, uh- well not that you shouldn’t care, I love a viewer on my page it’s just-” Test Tube interrupted him.

“OJ is my brother. That’s why.” Test Tube didn’t mean to get that out so.. sharply, but she did.

“He’s your BROTHER?” Test Tube shushed him as he finished speaking, weary of the eyes now looking at them.

“We’ll talk later.” Test Tube pointed to the stage, where the projector was, with someone standing there, ready to speak.

“HAI FOLKS!” The person shouted into the microphone, the wincing of hundreds of kids being heard the next second.

“SO MANY NEW FACES! Well, I hope you’re excited for the BEST school year ev-ah!” Test Tube did want to say something like “Yeah! School rocks!,” but eyeing the unresponsiveness from her peers, she didn’t want to put her social standing to 0 on the first day. 

The man on stage fiddled with a remote in his hand before clicking one of its buttons, playing a video on the projector.

“HERE’S A VIDEO TO MEET YOUR TEACH-UH’S” The video started to play as the man walked away from the stage.

Test Tube found the video to be quite interesting, even if she was sure most of the other students would rather be doing anything else.

The next few minutes were spent in silence once again, before somebody above of Test Tube started speaking.

“..Ugh, do you have any cookies on you?” 

“I- what? No, I don’t even know you.” Another voice responded.

“Now you do! We’re pals! ..So, do you have any cookies?”

“What did I just tell you.” 

“C’monnn.” 

“..Why did I ever transfer here” Test Tube imagined the other person doing a facepalm right at that moment, though she didn’t look up.

Test Tube found it odd how some people could just talk to someone like that, without feeling like a nervous wreck when they did. Test Tube considered Fan sort of an exception, but it was only for the sake of her brother that she talked to him.

Test Tube thought back to the girl with the crab she met yesterday. If she could just talk to any random person like that, she was sure all 95% of her sociability problems would go away.

Test Tube’s eyes focused again onto the projector. It really was a habit of hers to space out once she thought about something. That was when she saw someone she recognized, deep in her memories.

“So, Paper, what’s your favorite part of working here?”

“I think every kid here has a dream, an aspiration that they’re reaching for, and to be able to guide them towards it fills my heart.”

He looked a lot older than Test Tube remembered, well, it had been a decade, but Paper looked like he aged two of them.

He looked inexplicably broken, as if his reason to smile was taken away from him, ironic considering he was smiling in the video itself.

Test Tube knew of Paper as he had been OJ’s best friend, from all she could remember.

When Test Tube was younger, she didn’t especially like him, but only because him and OJ routinely hogged the bathroom together and made, as she described it, “weird squelching noises.” Alongside that, OJ told her she could never tell her parents about them going in together, which she didn’t, but it still confused her as to what they could’ve been doing in there.

Paper’s segment ended as Test Tube noted in her mind to ask Paper if he knew anything about what happened to OJ, despite it probably not being the case.

The video ended shortly after, with the principal, or who Test Tube assumed was the principal, making a couple more announcements as the bell rang, marking time for the students to head to their first period.

“..CLUB APPLICATIONS ARE DUE BY THE END OF THE WEEK!” The principal said into the microphone, students all around walking out of the auditorium.

“..So, what class do you have?” Fan meekly said towards Test Tube.

“Calculus 1, room 27. You?”

“Looks like we have the same class!” Fan gleefully said.

Fan then thought for a second. “..Wait, why are you calling it Calculus 1? Does that imply the existence of more Calculus-es?”

“There’s three.”

“T-three..? Just how much math is there!?”

“A lot, and for your information, I’ve already far exceeded Calculus as a subject.”

“W-why are you even in this class? You’re insane!”

“Don’t worry, as long as you help me with finding my brother, I’ll help you all you want in Calc’.”

Test Tube followed Fan though the now crowded hallways as a thought came to her mind.

“..How do you even know where the classroom is?”

“We had a tour not too long ago! Well, since you’re asking, you probably didn’t attend it, but I now have almost every part of this school memorized!”

“Almost?”

“Yeah, well, nobody's allowed to go up to the third floor. Supposedly it’s a secret laboratory where they HARVEST the smartest students. You might be next!”

“..Where do you even get this information?”

Fan laughed at himself. “Just joshing ya.”

“Who knows, with the size of this school, you might be right.” They both laughed.

Fan and Test Tube arrived at class, being a little surprised they were the first ones who did. The teacher instructed them to sit where they like, so Fan and Test Tube sat in the back as all respecting introverts do.

“So, I’ve been thinking.” Test Tube spoke up, shifting topics.

“Yeah?”

“Say it truly was aliens or the government that took away my brother. Do you even think he, or maybe even Bow, would be alive right now? What if everything about the cases is just one big coincidence?” Test Tube had her face resting on one of her hands and the other spinning around her desk.

“I- Uh- Why are you putting all this emotional baggage on me? I mean, even I don’t believe what I put on my blog sometimes, but isn’t it better to believe that there’s something more? If you can’t suspend your belief and just believe, life would get boring pretty fast.”

Test Tube thought about what Fan said. It was.. surprisingly heartfelt for someone she met yesterday.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“And also, you’re really telling me every single fact I showed is just pure coincidence?”

“Humans have a tendency to look for coincidences, even when there aren’t any, it may be the case this time too.”

“Do you think your brother is still alive?”

Test Tube honestly didn’t know what she believed. She’d come to terms with it years ago, that he was dead, and she knew reopening that wound would hurt even more if nothing came of it, but maybe it was the emotional part of her brain that spoke for her this time.

“Yes. Yes I do.”

“Then let’s keep searching for these ‘coincidences’”

“Did someone say coincidence?” Test Tube and Fan both looked up, and saw an almost beaming girl heading towards their table.

“..Crab girl?” Test Tube spoke up.

“The name’s Lightbulb, but you can call me whatever you want!” Lightbulb sat down at Test Tube’s and Fan’s table, now marking the capacity at three out of four.

Just as Lightbulb sat down, a much taller than average person appeared in the room.

“Ooo! No cookies.. Gal? Guy? Come sit with us!” Lightbulb waved at the person as they sighed.

“Not like I have anywhere else to sit.” They said in their mind.

“The name’s Paintbrush, please.” Paintbrush sat down with the rest of the group, the table now being filled.

“This really IS a coincidence." Fan spoke up “You both were right above us, talking about those cookies, right?”

“Is that what you’re going to know me by?” Paintbrush said.

“And you people were talking about Bow, and uh, that gal’s brother?” Lightbulb pointed to Test Tube.

“The name’s Test Tube.” Test Tube extended her hand out towards Lightbulb, who was diagonal to her seat.

“You already know mine!” Lightbulb grabbed Test Tube’s hand and vigorously shaked it, smiling as she did.

“Oh, uh, name’s Fan here.” Fan said casually. (Or at least tried)

“Paintbrush. Have we all gotten to know each other now?” Everyone looked at each other and shook their heads yes.

Fan whispered something in Test Tube’s ear, before Test Tube whispered back to him, giving him the “OK” symbol.

“..Do you guys wanna know something mind blowing?” Fan tried to put on his best scary voice impression as he did.

“How about we open up our textbooks first.” Paintbrush said, slightly annoyed, as they searched under their desk for a Calculus textbook.

“C’mon Painty, what if it IS crazy and blows our minds?”

“..What is that nickname?”

“Something I came up with! In fact, everyone gets one! Test Tube, you can be Tubey or Testy, your choice! And Fan, you can be, uh, Fanny!” It was then that someone in the vast cosmos shouted out that they hated nicknames.

“..You can call me, uh, whatever you want.” Test Tube anxiously scratched her back as she spoke. 

“Okay, Tubester! Only the best for you!” 

Paintbrush sighed before looking at Fan. “..Just say what you wanted to say so she shuts up.” Paintbrush pointed at Lightbulb, which was met with laughter from the girl.

“So, you all know about Bow right? But have you ever heard about OJ?..” Fan explained the entirety of his blogpost to them, how the similarities in their cases were striking, how it was exactly 10 years apart, how nothing came out of both searches, how it “must’ve been aliens” which took them away. Fan was met with mixed results.

“You had me hooked until you started talking about aliens.” 

“But everybody knows aliens are real! Don’t you know about that ol’ meteorite?” Lightbulb responded.

“That Meeple study disproved that.” Paintbrush said back.

“That study was complete garbage! There’s WAY better reasons as to why aliens don’t exist.”

“See, a gal who knows what she’s talking about!” Lightbulb said, sending out a high five towards Test Tube.

“Not to mention those people who lost their faces completely. What else could do that OTHER than aliens?” Fan said, much to the disappointment of Paintbrush.

“Is it so wrong for me to not want to believe face-eating aliens who steal people’s siblings and brainwash people’s parents exist?” Paintbrush sighed.

“When they come for your face, will you believe it then?” Fan responded back.

“Oh no! What if they come for my face next!” Lightbulb cried out.

“No one’s face here is being eaten, alright?” Test Tube tried to calm everyone down from whatever was happening.

“..does that mean I’m ugly?” Lightbulb cried out even louder.

“What-? No, no, that’s not at all what I implied by that-” Test Tube already started to see the thinly created friendship she had with Lightbulb crumble before her eyes.

“Hahah, I’m just kidding! I know I’m dashing.” Lightbulb put her hand on her forehead dramatically as she spoke.

Ah, a joke. Test Tube wasn’t the best with those.

“Oh, uhm, yeah, you.. are?.” Test Tube awkwardly said, trying to get herself out of this anxiety-pit of hers.

“We’re all stunning, in our own poignant ways!” Test Tube was sure Lightbulb didn’t use that word correctly, but before she could say something about it, the bell rang.

Test Tube checked her schedule, noticing she had French 1 as her language. She’d already learnt Spanish, and to an extent, some Chinese, so French was a welcome addition for her.

“..Do any of you have French? Room 63?” Test Tube spoke up, praying she wouldn’t have to find the class by herself.

“Oui, Oui” Lightbulb did Italian hand gestures with her hands as she spoke.

“That’s, uh- whatever, lead the way!” 

“Follow me, Tubey!” Lightbulb waved her arm down, signifying Test Tube to come with her.

Test Tube and Lightbulb walked as Lightbulb tried to imitate a French accent the entire time. Test Tube found it charming, or at least that was the word she thought would fit the most.

Unlike their Calculus teacher, who frankly didn’t seem to care about what they did or where they sat, the French teacher had already assigned them seats on the first day, and Lightbulb was at the other side of the classroom.

The class was pretty interesting, but none of her classmates seemed to reciprocate that feeling, so she kept to herself mostly. 

The class went by a lot faster than the first to Test Tube. It seemed that whenever she was alone, time moved a lot faster than if she was with people. Well, she always was a bit of an oddball.

As class ended, Test Tube prayed that Lightbulb would once again help her find the next class of hers. As she went up to her, Lightbulb saw Test Tube’s schedule, giggling as she saw it.

“Three for three! I guess we were meant to be!”

“-Huh?”

“We have the same History together!” This time, when telling Test Tube to follow along, Lightbulb grabbed Test Tube’s hand and pushed her forward, much to her dismay.

History class was much the same to Test Tube. Assigned seating, no Lightbulb (or anyone else she knew for that matter,) and nobody who seemed to care about thinking about the topic at hand.

Class ended with Test Tube, once again, finding Lightbulb, praying this lucky streak would continue.

“..Do you have art next?”

“Lemme check..!” Lightbulb put out her tongue as she searched her bag for her schedule, surprising since backpacks shouldn’t be something getting disorganized on the first day of school.

As they put their schedules together, they realized something.

“The odds of that are astronomical. ”

“We’re gonna be best buddies all year!” Lightbulb happily pulled in Test Tube for a hug.

“I guess we might just be.” Test Tube smiled awkwardly, not reciprocating the hug.

The schedules in their possession were an exact replica of each other’s, every class they’d have together.

“Okay, let’s go eat now, I‘m starvingggg” Lightbulb whined out the last part of ‘starving’ as she spoke.

“M’kay.” Test Tube hadn’t thought about it, but now that she was, she was, like Lightbulb said, “starvingggg”

Test Tube realized she probably wouldn’t be able to eat until she got home as it wasn’t like she packed a lunch for herself, and her pockets were empty of cash as well.

Test Tube and Lightbulb sat down at a relatively empty table, the only other people being a guy who already had tattoos before they even graduated school and a sweet looking girl. Were they a couple?

Test Tube stared at the boy cornily spoon-feeding the girl some rice. She wished someone could spoon feed her right now, just so she didn't have to feel so hungry.

“Do you think he’s hot?” Lightbulb not-so-innocently said out loud.

“I- no- uh? Not really..?” Test Tube was caught off guard from the question, stammering. It wasn’t like she was ogling him or anything, she was actually just thinking about food.

“He literally looks like the bad-boy archetype, c’mon.” Lightbulb giggled a little as she spoke.

“I don’t like boys.” 

“WHAT?”

“OR GIRLS! I just meant I don’t like anyone, period. The sciences are so much more dreamy than any boy can be.”

“Or maybe you haven’t met the right person yet, y’know!”

“Eh, probably not, but life works in mysterious ways sometimes.”

“That’s the bedazzling Tubester I know.” 

“You- you quite literally met me yesterday.”

“Yesterday, smehsterday.” 

Test Tube supposed it was a good thing Lightbulb had taken a liking to her, but it was odd considering she could probably become friends with so many people other than Test Tube.

Fan and Paintbrush found their table soon after. Fan and Paintbrush seemed to have already become better friends in the two hours Test Tube hadn’t seen them. Coincidentally, just like her and Lightbulb, they had the same classes with each other as well. Test Tube would’ve questioned it deeper, but it was safe to say at this point that things like that were the norm here.

Lightbulb and the other two chatted about the Bow situation some more, Test Tube reserving herself. Even out of Fan’s blog, it was a very well-known topic in the community, everyone having their opinions and such.

“I’m just saying, the chances of her just accidentally disappearing herself is higher than for most people. Let me tell you, her and that Apple girl are both complete doofuses.”

“Yeah, but it was in a mall! There’s nowhere to disappear other than leaving through the front door, and even then, you’d have to go pretty far out to get to a rural area.” Fan replied back to Paintbrush.

“Still, you never know with her.”

“And how about OJ? He was top of his class, according to Test Tube.”

“Second, actually, but yeah.” Test Tube chirped.

“There was someone smarter than the sibling of the girl who took something called ‘abstract Algebra.’ Who could’ve possibly been smarter?”

“Someone named Caddy? Clabster? He described her as some sort of all-knowing savant, no beating that.”

“Yeah! Cabby! She puts the ‘smart’ in smart cookie, and I’m the cookie!” Lightbulb chimed in.

“Huh?”

“She’s the librarian. She’s 30 with the life experience of 80, and she was also the only one who listened to my theories!” Fan said back.

“She believed you?” Paintbrush now questioned.

“Well, uh, not really, but she always helped my theories have more believability! She’s the one who showed me the OJ case.”

“Can’t we just ask her for some advice on our case here then?” Test Tube spoke up.

Everyone else shut up for a second, before Fan spoke up.

“I can’t believe none of us thought of that.”

“She is the genius of the group, after all!” Lightbulb nudged Test Tube, which she reciprocated with a small smile.

“This is a group now?” Paintbrush said.

“Well, we sit together, we’re now eating together, we talk about things only we really care about. All the checks are checked!” Fan said.

“Out of all the people to be stuck with, it’s alien believers.” Paintbrush let out a small chuckle.

As they laughed, the bell rang which indicated for them it was time to go. Test Tube followed Lightbulb towards Art as she said goodbye to Fan and Paintbrush. 

Sadly, as all her teachers did, with the exception of her Calc’ teacher, she had assigned seating. What was the point of having a friend with you in class if you couldn’t sit next to them? 

The class whizzed by fast as the bell once again rang, leading Test Tube to her last (actual) class, English.

When she walked in, she finally saw the first person who actually knew OJ in this town.

The class was more of the usual, just assigned seating and her classmates being dull, as always. Test Tube wasn’t able to pay the best of attention, partly because her stomach was grumbling even more than usual and partly because she couldn’t help but think of OJ when she saw Paper.

Paper also glared back at Test Tube during class time, a mix of sadness and unease to compliment her face.

As class ended and Test Tube prepared to follow Lightbulb to their next class together, paper pulled her aside. Test Tube wasn’t even fully sure if Paper recognized her till that point, but she supposed she knew now.

The both of them stayed silent for a second, before Paper pulled Test Tube in for a hug.

“OJ always told me to take care of you if something happened to him, so take care of yourself, alright?” It was unexpected to Test Tube for Paper to act so emotional, but maybe he missed OJ more than Test Tube knew.

“I will, Paper.” Test Tube really wasn’t the best at hugging, and she always saw hugging as an awkward thing for her, but she supposed for Paper she could get past those feelings.

“You better mean it.”

The meeting with Paper was a little awkward, but Test Tube was glad someone else missed OJ even after all these years.

It was a little while later when they finally finished their reunion and Test Tube and Lightbulb headed towards their last “class” of the day, study room.

Luckily, Test Tube could pick her seat this time, so Lightbulb and her sat together,

“What was all that about?” Lightbulb questioned.

“Oh, well, Paper was OJ’s best friend, we were just catching up.”

“Injteresting..” Lightbulb placed a J sound in her speech as she spoke.

“..Do you need help with any homework? I already finished all of mine.”

“That’s impossible.”

“I just did it in class.”

“THE HOMEWORK GETS PASSED OUT 2 MINUTES BEFORE CLASS ENDS.”

Test Tube chuckled. “That’s all I need.”

“Someday, Tubester, it’ll be me living it up in smartville.” Lightbulb jokingly scoffed.

Lightbulb pulled out her French homework and a bag of small, complimentary cookies.

“I have a question.”

“Yesss?” Lightbulb blinked her eyes.

“Why were you asking Paintbrush for cookies if you.. already had some?”

“More cookies the merrier is how the saying goes.”

“That is not how it goes.” Test Tube stared at the cookies. Now that she thought about it, she really really damn wanted those cookies.

“..Here.” Lightbulb passed the cookie bag towards Test Tube.

“Huh-?”

“You didn’t eat at lunch, I- Uh, noticed.” This was the first time Test Tube had ever seen Lightbulb look awkward.

“Are you sure? You can have them back, I would feel-”

“Just take them, before I want them back.” 

“..Thanks, Lightbulb.” Test Tube showed Lightbulb a smile, and a genuine one at that, the type that could only be made from food.

“Now help me with my French homework.” Lightbulb blurted out.

Test Tube laughed. She supposed it was the least she could do. “Sure.”

Test Tube spent the rest of her time in class helping Lightbulb with whatever assignments she still had left to do, although they weren’t difficult with it being the first day of school and all.

Test Tube actually felt sorta.. not awkward with Lightbulb, which was unfounded for her. It wasn’t usually that you would find her not feeling complete total awkwardness when around others. but she supposed it was alright. Maybe this move wouldn’t be as bad for her as she thought.

The bell finally rang, marking the release of every student. Test Tube, as always, followed Lightbulb, them heading towards the front entrance of the school, where Fan and Paintbrush were already waiting.

“I can’t believe I already have a friend group on the first day of school.” Fan looked in awe when he spoke.

“I guess that’s what having a brother taken from aliens gets you.”

“Hey! Still don’t believe that.” Paintbrush said.

“Don’t worry, you’ll believe it someday.” Fan said back.

“You guys are all dorks.” Paintbrush rolled their eyes jokingly.

Fan giggled. “So, you guys alright with going to Cabby tomorrow?” 

“Better than spending my time trolling dweebs on the inter-weybs.” 

“Obviously.”

“Fine by me.” Paintbrush said lastly.

“Great, then I guess I'll see you all tomorrow?”

“Yeah, cya Fan.” Paintbrush replied back.

The rest of the group said goodbye to Fan, and then to Paintbrush as they both walked home. Lightbulb then finally left Test Tube, leaving her alone.

“Cya, Tubester!”

“Bye, Crab girl.” Test Tube chuckled at the nickname.

As Test Tube sat alone, waiting for her uncle to pick her up, she thought. About the apparent friends she’d made through random chance, how everything seemed to be going her way. It was nice for a change. 

She just hoped the good luck that was following her thus far would last.

Chapter Text

Test Tube’s second day of school was probably her most normal day in this town, at least for far. Nothing particularly odd happened, (except for some brutes brawling it out)  which was nice for a change! Although weirdness was something Test Tube loved, the type of oddity this town exuded felt a little too slimy for her.

Test Tube pushed open the front door of the school to the outside, the slight breeze tickling her face. Luckily for her, the cold was something she always enjoyed more than the heat.

Test Tube saw her friends waiting for her outside, Lightbulb waving at her to come there. She skedaddled over as she got into the middle of a ramble Fan was having.

“Oh, hey, Test Tube- so if you can see on the map here, we’ll head over to the library first, before then interviewing Apple and Marshmallow for any information we missed, along with whatever Cabby suggests us.” Fan pointed on a point on a mostly blank piece of paper, it having a crude drawing of a library and a school.

“Is that supposed to be a map, Fan?” Test Tube asked.

“If we’ll be going on adventures, a map of our town will come pretty dandy!” Fan said enthusiastically.

Test Tube chuckled a little. “I just hope your cartography skills get a little better, that’s all.”

“Hey- I’m not sure what cartography is, but you better not be making fun of my map!” Fan growled.

“She’s just saying you can’t cartwheel! Take a chill pill, brah.” Lightbulb spoke her last few words in a surfer bro accent, immediately after cart-wheeling in front of Fan.

“Lightbulb, I.. don’t think that was what she meant.” Paintbrush interjected.

“You gotta read between the lines, open your eyes, Painty.” 

“Can- can we just go already?” Fan sighed.

“Please.” Paintbrush joined Fan in the front, Lightbulb and Test Tube in the back as they walked towards the library.

Test Tube noted the route in her mind, making sure she’d be able to go to the library on her own time to get some books. 

“Sooo, Test Tube, what’cha like to read?” Lightbulb randomly said to Test Tube.

Test Tube was caught day-dreaming again, so she got a little startled at Lightbulb’s words “Ack- Lightbulb, well, there’s not much I don’t like reading, so everything!”

“Even manga?”

“You could say so, though I haven’t read much, it’s hard to come by.”

“You’re missing out!”

“If I could find some, I would gladly read some more.” 

“Well, you’ve come to the right gal!”

“You own Manga?”

“Sure, Shonen, isekai, Yuri, Seinen, I’ve got it all!”

“I know what none of those terms mean, but I would love to learn them!”

“Maybe not the third one!” Lightbulb chuckled.

“Huh-?”

“We’re here.” Fan interrupted, a decently sized building in front of them. It was smaller than her old library, but for a town like Arove, it seemed alright. It was definitely better than the shabby library that she remembered a decade ago.

The group entered in, the smell of books entering Test tube’s nostrils as she felt her endorphins spike. Books always did bring her an uncanny amount of comfort. Fan pointed at the corner, which laid a decently aged woman in a wheelchair, reading a book.

“Cabby!” Fan greeted.

“Ah, Fan, what brings you and your cohort here?” Another theory, perhaps?” Cabby asked, chuckling a little.

“What else have I asked you about?” Fan chuckled. “It’s about OJ and Bow.”

“What about them?” Cabby sipped a bit of her tea.

“We have OJ’s sister right here.” Fan pointed at Test Tube as she awkwardly waved.

“You brought his sister into this?” Cabby gasped.

“It was my idea, ma’am. Pleasure to meet you, Test Tube.” Test Tube went for the formal approach as she held out a hand towards Cabby, sitting herself next to Cabby.

“Cabby. Nice to meet you too.” Cabby leaned into Test Tube as she whispered something in her ear. “Between you and me.. I really wouldn’t hedge your bets with Fan, dear.”

It was something Test Tube already knew, that this search would probably lead to nothing, but there was a part of her that still clung on.

“It’s fine.” Test Tube responded. “So, we’d like to ask what exactly we should do next.”

“If you kids really want to hunt these alien kidnappers, you’ll have to have a little creativity for yourselves. Telling Fan about OJ was already a freebie in my book.” Cabby sipped the remaining tea from her cup as she wheeled herself away.

“She really is smart AND cool. I didn’t know nerds could be both!” Lightbulb interjected, a bit of awe in her face.

“No offense taken here!” Test Tube said sarcastically, scoffing.

“Everyone, focus!” Fan shouted a little too loud for a public library.

Fan pulled out his map, or, well, his piece of paper with two locations on it, scribbling something on it. 

“I think I know what we need to do.”

“Spit it out.” Paintbrush said.

“Okay, so obviously, our only leads would have to be Bow’s friends and her parents, so, why don’t we go and ask them about this?”

“Where exactly do you suppose we find them?” Test Tube questioned.

Fan pondered for a moment, before answering.

“Well, as I drew right here, this is my old high school, where they’d be protesting about Bow right about now.”

“Sure, I can get that, but her parents?”

“I think I’d know. I visited her house a few times, courtesy of Marshmallow." Paintbrush chimed in.

“Then we have it all settled!” Fan rolled his map as he put it back into his backpack.

“Me and Paintbrush will go investigate Bow’s house, while you two go see if Marsh and Apple have anything else left to share.”

“Aw, but what if I wanted to go with Paintbrush?”

“..Do you want to?”

“Nah, me and Tubester for life.” Lightbulb sent a first bump Test Tube’s way, which she awkwardly accepted out of kindness.

“Do you even know where Fan’s old high school is?”

“I am a bastion of knowledge.” Lightbulb said in full seriousness.

“I’m sure you are.”

As Test Tube turned around, she saw that Paintbrush and Fan already left them behind, Lightbulb still giggling.

After a few more seconds, Lightbulb finally showed Test tube her way to the exit nearer to their destination, Fan’s school.

“For clarification, you do actually know where the school is right?”

“I’m a gal of my word, no worries! We’ll be there in lickity-split.”

Lightbulb grabbed Test Tube’s hand, tugging her along the vacant street as they walked.The weather once again was perfectly normal, the sun casting down faintly on the two. They then reached a narrow alleyway, Lightbulb stopping.

“Alright! Now, all we need to do is go through here!”

“Uh, do we?” The alleyway would be able to barely fit Test Tube inside, not including her backpack, and a foul-smelling liquid marked the floor.

“Didn’t I say we’d get there fast? c’mon!” Lightbulb put her backpack on her head as she started going through.

“..The things I do for you, OJ.” Test Tube playfully sighed, walking through the murky alleyway.

On the other side, as Lightbulb promised, was a high school. It looked much smaller compared to Inanimate high, along with it having a much more pleasing coloration to Test Tube.

Near its entrance, laid two teenagers sitting down on its steps, holding up a sign. The two walked up nearer, now seeing the sign read “JUSTICE FOR BOW,” confirming their identity as Marshmallow and Apple.

Test Tube finally got to them, waving gently to the both of them.

“Hello!” Test Tube enthusiastically chimed. “May we ask you two a few questions?

“If it's about getting us off school grounds, we’re not doing that.” Marshmallow said dismissively. 

“Oh, it’s not that! We’re here to interview you, about Bow!” 

“Really?” Marshmallow loosened up. “God, thank you, we’ve been waiting all week for someone to come up to us.”

“My pleasure.”

“So, what’d you like to ask?”

“Firstly, why do you believe Bow disappeared?”

“Look, between you and me, it was definitely her  “brother.”” Marshmallow put up quotation marks as she said brother.

Test Tube felt herself get intrigued. She hadn’t heard anything about her having a brother. 

“Care to elaborate?”

“Well, do you know the guy who owns the bagel shop?”

“Uh, no.”

“Ooh, their bagels are the best!” Lightbulb interrupted. 

“Yeah, well, his name is Dough. From everything I know, he’s been envious of Bow his entire life. Copying her, trying to come with us on our hangouts, a whole lot of stuff.”

“Are you implying he kidnapped her?”

“Yeah, I mean, in his deranged little mind, if he kidnapped Bow he probably thought that meant he could replace her.”

“..have you talked to him?” 

“Do you think I want to be next? Of COURSE not.”

Huh. Test Tube knew who she’d be going to next. “I see. Thank you for your time.”

“Is- is that all?” 

“Would you happen to know anything more about Bow’s disappearance? If not, we’re going to go question Dough.”

“Don’t die!” Apple shouted

“Apple-!” 

“What?”

“Whatever- just stay safe, you two!”

“We will.” Test Tube and Lightbulb walked away, heading back towards downtown.

“Aww, I wanted to ask them something.”

“Huh-? You should’ve said so! We can go back!”

“I wanted to see if they liked crabs!”

“Why- why would you wanna ask them that?”

“So they could say hi to Baxter here!” Lightbulb pulled out a crab from her backpack, the same one Test Tube had seen a few days prior.

“You are the oddest person I’ve ever met, and that’s saying a lot.” Test Tube playfully sighed at Lightbulb.

“Same here!” She said, petting Baxter.

The duo walked back through the alleyway as Lightbulb now led Test Tube to the bagel parlor.

“Y’know, I don’t think there’s ever been a time where you followed me for once.”

“What can I say, I’m the best navigationist out there!”

“I’m sure a few pirates would disagree with that claim.”

“I am a pirate, silly Test Tube.”

“Please explain that to me.”

“I have a sea creature buddy, deep dark hidden secrets, amazing navigation, and I’m sure I have a boat lying around. That’s gotta count!”

“Don’t pirates steal as well?”

“Trust me, Testy, I steal mannnny things.”

“As?”

“Cookies, pencils, candy, most things food related, Oh- and hearts, lots of those! I think yours is next.” Lightbulb cackled loudly.

“..The only thing I have in my heart is science.”

“Geesh, relax-! Oh, we’re here!” Lightbulb enthusiastically pointed at the sign, which read “DOUGH’S DOUGHNUTS.” Test tube thought the alliteration was a nice touch.

As they entered the store, a small bell on top rang out as the fragrance of the pastries abound hit Test Tube’s nostrils. For all that marshmallow told her, she was not expecting the store to be so.. good?

A young man was at the counter, face slouched onto his hand as he looked into nothingness.

“Hello?”

“..Hey there. What can I get you?” Dough said in a monotonous voice. 

“Oh, we’re not here for any-”

“One Asiago bagel, please!”

“Coming right up.” Dough went to the back, presumably cooking up Lightbulb’s bagel in real time.

Test Tube looked at Lightbulb very sternly, but Lightbulb didn’t seem to find any issue with what she did.

Lightbulb itched her hair as she spoke. “Hey, If this guy kidnapped Bow, I’d better get my bagel fix before he’s gone.”

Test Tube winced, just a little. “..Fair point.”

Test Tube stubbornly waited with Lightbulb for a couple minutes more as Lightbulb started to talk about her favorite bagel flavors. She sure did think a lot about bagels.

“..Ooh, and this one is a tough cookie-bagel, but cinnamon raisin gets ninth favorite!” Lightbulb continued.

“I didn’t know one could have such an affinity for bagels, fascinating.”

“Pasteries are life, dudette.” As Lightbulb finished speaking, the bell upfront rang as Dough plopped a brown bag onto the counter.

“One asiago bagelll…” Dough said, seemingly bored out of his mind.

Lightbulb went to pick up the bagel, still steaming hot in its thin paper bag.

“Thanks, Dough! See you later!” Lightbulb started walking out the building, before Test Tube grabbed her hand.

“We’re here not just for bagels, remember?”

“Oh, right!” Lightbulb went back up to Dough, looking at him all intimidatingly. 

“Lightbulb-?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle this.”

Lightbulb ringed the bell a good 4 seconds after Dough ringed it, grabbing Dough’s attention.

“..Huh, something wrong with the bagel?” Dough scratched his face as he spoke.

“No, I’m here to get to the biz. Did you kidnap Bow?” 

“..Huh? What happened to her?” Dough seemed to get ever-so-slightly more attentive, though it really was hard to tell.

“Don’t act all funny with me.”

“I’m not.”

“I’m not, either.”

“Seriously, like, what happened to her?”

“I think you’d know a thing or two about what happened.”

“I haven’t talked to her all week.”

Lightbulb gasped. “YOU KILLED HER?”

Test Tube admired Lightbulb’s tenacity, but it was seemingly not going anywhere, so she butted in.

“Your sister, Bow, she disappeared a few weeks ago. We were wondering if you know anything about that.”

“Nerp. Shouldn’t you, like, ask her friends? She doesn’t like me that much.”

“That’s EXACTLY why you stole her.” Lightbulb screamed.

“Uh- we did ask her friends, they said you may know a thing or two.”

“They’re wrong.”

“Do you think anyone else would know?”

“No. I would say my parents, but they I think they left a few days ago too.” 

Test Tube was once again intrigued. Bow’s parents disappeared too?

“What do you mean by, uh, left?”

“They just disappeared. Not my problem.”

“To where?”

“Dunno.” 

“Are they the type to just randomly move away?”

“Dunno.”

“..Do you care?”

“No. Can I go back to making bagels now?”

“Uh, sure. Thank you for answering our questions.”

Dough didn’t respond as Lightbulb and Test Tube left the shop, Test Tube with more questions than answers.

“Lightbulb, do you know what this means!?”

“Dough’s parents ditched him? Sad, really.”

“If Bow disappeared a few weeks ago, and her parents supposedly “left” a few days ago, this means something must’ve taken Bow’s parents! I mean, what parents would just leave their son with no explanation? It must’ve been them! What if Dough’s next- No, what if I’m next? What if they’re trying to snip out the loose ends!? Lightbul-”

“Testy, Testy, take a chill pill, just look at Baxter!” Lightbulb took out Baxter as she fed him a piece of her already half-eaten bagel, now gifting the crab to Test Tube.

“Lightbulb, but, just think about-”

Lightbulb giggled. “You’re sounding like Fan right now.”

Test Tube stopped her rambling. Really, everything to this point could be coincidence, there was nothing to point at otherwise. Was she really this deep in the rabbit hole? Over something she learned about less than a week ago? 

Test Tube breathed in. “Noted.”

“Don’t freak out like that again, we already have one crazy person.”

“As if alien believers aren’t crazy already.”

“Fan’s a different level of crazy, you know that.” Lightbulb flicked Test Tube’s hair. Why did she like that?

“I think we’re all cuckoo, in our own individualistic ways.”

“Now, what to do, what to do?” Lightbulb hit the thinker pose as she spoke.

“Well, our best course of action should be meeting up with them again- Oh, I forgot to ask.”

“Forgot what?”

“Where to meet them.” Test Tube sighed. This theory crap really was messing with her mind.

“Don’t worry, I know!” 

“You asked them?”

“Just trust the navigationalist!”

Begrudgingly, Test Tube followed Lightbulb to wherever they were going, as Lightbulb talked about her favorite types of cheesecake. The amount of food opinions Lightbulb had was astounding.

“..Have you ever thought about becoming a food critic?”

“Nope! Anyways, we’re here!” The place Lightbulb talked about was the bench which Test Tube had first met Lightbulb, them both sitting down.

“Ah, I remember that day like it was yesterday, when I met you, the good ol’ days.”

“That was 3 days ago. I do not see how that falls into the “good ol’ days” category.”

“Time is relative!”

“That’s.. not how this works.”

“Like you’d know.”

“Excuse me? I believe I would very much know.”

“That’s exactly my point.”

“What?”

“You’ll understand someday.”

“Whatever- are you even sure Fan and Paintbrush are coming?”

“I can feel the air vibrations, they’re coming.”

“What are you even talking about? That- that doesn’t mean anything!” Test Tube was perplexed.

“I’ll give it.. 5 seconds.”

“5 seconds-?”

“There they are!” Lightbulb waved at Fan and Paintbrush, who were walking on the sidewalk.

“How.” There really was no explanation for this in Test Tube’s mind.

“Lightbulb! Test Tube! T-there’s something we need to t-tell you.” Fan shouted, clearly out of breath.

“Bow’s house is gone.” Paintbrush said.

“What?” was the first thought that hit Test Tube’s mind, and also the thought she said aloud. What the hell did they mean by that?

“It’s. just. Gone.” Paintbrush repeated.

“No, what do you mean by gone?”

“Test Tube, it’s really just gone. There’s nothing there, not a trace of a house.”

“You can’t be serious. Houses don’t just walk off.”

“Paintbrush’s telling the truth.”

“That’s quite literally im-”

“TEST TUBE. THE FUCKING HOUSE IS GONE. IT’S GONE.” Fan shaked Test Tube, hoping she’d wrap this around her mind.

“Yeah, c’mon Tubey, get with the times!” Lightbulb agreed.

“This is crazy. I’m- no, Fan, nothing the size of a HOUSE can just disappear. This is absolute goobly dook. Seriously, tell me what happened.”

“I know Fan’s crazy at times, but he’s telling the truth this time.” 

“This isn’t funny.”

“We’re not TRYING to be funny.”

For a second, Test Tube wanted to respond back with another disagreement of the almost improbable occurrence, but when Test Tube saw the desperation in Fan’s and Paintbrush’s eyes it seemed real. She knew nothing like that could happen, and yet, she seemed to want to believe it. Was this what grief did to a person? That’s when a thought struck Test Tube.

“Loose ends.” Test Tube said.

“What?” Paintbrush said.

“Bow, her parents, her house, I’m right, I was RIGHT.” Test Tube maniacally laughed.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“We need to get to Dough.”

“..Who’s Dough?” Fan squeaked out

“Bow’s brother. Get with the times.” Test Tube said, imitating Lightbulb’s words.

Test Tube started walking back to the bagel shop, still thinking about everything she just heard. Fan and Paintbrush confusedly followed, Lightbulb catching them up to speed about everything her and Test Tube had gone through thus far.

The sun started to set on them, a cacophony of Blue, orange and pink filling the sky. It was the most beautiful and dramatic sky that Test Tube had ever seen. She supposed it fit with the moment. 

Test Tube’s mind filled with doubts of the largest degree. Aliens, Bow, this “investigation,” it was all just to let her play fantasy for a little bit. To pretend she could get to the end of whatever happened to OJ, but things kept adding up. The ruse should’ve ended by now, but it didn’t. Was there really something at the end of all this?

Test Tube got closer to the shop, and maybe it was in her imagination, but the sliver of it she could see in the distance seemed.. Moving? As if it was phasing between states of matter rapidly. 

Test Tube got closer, hearing a static emanating from the building. As she got closer, she realized more and more that it wasn’t just her mind playing tricks on her. The building's static got louder, practically screeching as it seemed to be shifting out of reality.

Test Tube ran to the front of the store, trying to place her hand on the erratic door. Test Tube jumped back, her hand burned from the ever-more erratic building. A spectrum of hundreds of colors flashed out as, with a “poof sound, the building disappeared.

In the space the building once took up now laid an empty concrete lot, a yellow post-it note waving up and down as it floated downwards towards the ground. Test Tube absent-mindly reached for the note, not believing her eyes as to any of this.

“Just fixing up some loose ends, ;)

 If you’d like to learn the truth

 Come to 32nd street, blu avenue, tomorrow @ midnight.

 -Your biggest fan <3” 

Test Tube read the note, the one thought that flowed through Test Tube’s mind was that this wasn’t real. It couldn’t have been. Everything about this was impossible through all notions of scientific understanding. She had to be dreaming. Test Tube fainted on the spot, Lightbulb just barely catching her.

Chapter Text

Test Tube awoke to a quiet ambience. Her blanket filled her body with warmth, almost begging her to go back to sleep. There didn’t seem to be any source of light in the room except the dim moonlight which entered through the thin curtain she had installed. A gentle buzz entered her ears from the chirps of nature outside as she slowly adjusted herself to reality. 

She stood up, still drowsy as she went to the bathroom, her face contorting in the mirror as she splashed water onto it. She brushed her teeth and flossed, as she always did when she woke up.

She went back to her room, turning on the lamp which laid next to her computer, before promptly turning on the computer itself. The time read 2:39 am. Test Tube knew it probably wasn’t the best decision to not go back to sleep, but she was never known to make good choices when it came to sleep.

She typed in her username and password to AOL, hoping to see if she could find anyone to talk to tonight. She may’ve been socially awkward in real life, but on the computer was where her one social bone in her body shined.

She logged on after a cool 15 seconds of buffering, the “YOU’VE GOT MAIL” sound blasting a little too loud for how early it was. She probably should’ve turned down her volume beforehand. 

Test Tube saw that the messages were from Fan, dated at 9:04 pm, 12 of them in fact. Not knowing what all the fuss was about, she clicked on them.

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: TEST TUB”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: TEST TUBE”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: ARE U OK??”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: U WERENT WAKING UP”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: WE TOOK YOU HOME”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: TALK TO US ASAP”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: WERE ALL WORRIED FOR YOU”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: ALSO YOU REMEMBER RIGHT”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: DOUGHS BAKERY DISAPPEARING”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS RIGHT NOW.”

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: WAIT I NEED TO CLEAN THE DISHES

“XxX_FanRocks_XxX: K BYE GWS”

Test Tube blinked. Was this a prank of sorts? There was no way Fan should’ve known what she dreamt about. Test Tube then paused her thoughts. How did she even have a dream in the first place?

She hadn’t had a dream in over a decade, and yet when she now had one, it just had to be almost indistinguishable from reality, until the last part when a building removed itself from reality. She would rate it a 5/10 on that merit.

Test Tube went back to her first thought, Fan. Really, just how did he know about Test Tube’s dream? Test Tube thought back to her dream, each part excruciating in detail. The amount she remembered should’ve been almost impossible. Most dreams get forgotten, or bits and pieces get remembered, but not the totality of it like she remembered. Test Tube jumped out of her seat, landing on the softish floor. 

She wasn’t remembering a dream. She did see a building disappear, that weird note that used the exact phrase she did, how odd Lightbulb was, though she was sorta always like that. It was real, all of it. Matter of factly, how the hell did they even find her address? Her mind was now running haywire for what was probably the 100th time this week. 

The scene of the bakery disappearing flashed in her mind. There was absolutely no scientific reasoning as to how that could occur, there was quite literally nothing that could explain just what happened there.

Test Tube had been trying to believe, for OJ’s sake, that there was something more to his disappearance. Fan’s theories were shaky at best, she knew that, and if Test Tube was being genuine, she never believed that anything would come of all this. But, alas, she loved OJ too much to not try and dig deeper.

But now, it seems that Fan was right on the money. There was, without a doubt, something haunting this town. Maybe Test Tube should’ve felt more happy, more victorious that she found all of this out, but she felt fear.

A being or group which could do the things she had seen could most likely kill her or anyone she knew in an instant. So why didn’t they? She knew that “they” could presumably cover up whatever they did, so it wasn’t like it’d give them much trouble.

No, instead they had invited her to go somewhere on that damned sticky note to “find out the truth.” Everything about this was just confusing her. It was unsettling how much her life had derailed in just a matter of days.

Test Tube got off the floor, replying with a quick “I’m fine” to Fan before shutting off her computer and heading to the kitchen, where the moonlight was much more visible. 

She then opened the fridge, the light partially hurting her eyes. Test Tube really hadn’t eaten much the past few days, so she hoped she could find something savoury to calm her stomach down for a while. She then saw a Chinese takeout box with her name written on it, so she took it out. She was glad her uncle thought of her.

And, yes, Test Tube knew he was safe from the incessant snores which pestered her through the hallway leading from her room to the living room. She stopped thinking about her uncle’s snores, plopping the box into the microwave, ending it with one second left so it wouldn’t wake her uncle.

She sat down on the counter, fork in hand as she chowed down on the noodles. She did know how to use chopsticks at a beginner level, but today did not feel like the day to try and strengthen her chopstick skills.

After a whole 10 minutes, the last bit of noodles from the box went into Test Tube’s mouth. Her belly still hungered a little more, but she thought that it was fed well enough. She washed her hands as she thought of what to do in the three and a halfish hours she had before going to school.

She decided to lie down on the couch. She still didn’t have any books, and she wasn’t in the mood to go ahead and learn the next month's worth of material.

She spent the next few of her hours just.. thinking. Thinking was probably the thing she loved to do most in this world, if she had to boil it down. Math, science, theories, everything was just about how you thought and how good you were at it. And, besides, all life is is just the millions of thoughts that flow through your mind, and the reactions you give to them.

Some are subconscious, like walking, and others require deep concentration, like pondering on just how the hell Dough’s bakery disappeared, but it’s still thinking at the end of the day. You can say someone doesn’t think before they speak, but they always do. They think of what they want to say in the moment, just not the ramifications of it afterwards. 

Sometimes the unease of existence popped up in her mind. The fact that she existed, that she could think was something fascinating within itself. Philosophers for hundreds of years have asked themselves as to why and how they exist, and yet the answer was still no closer to being solved. It was unnerving, sure, but it was also something she was grateful for. Life, for all its ups and downs, was still all she would probably ever experience.

An hour ticked away as Test Tube fell into a nap, waking up to the sight of her uncle shaking her. She quickly thanked him, got her backpack and headed out, walking to school now. She had already memorized the route, so it wasn’t troubling for her.

Test Tube got into her calculus class a little earlier than the rest of her crew as she tapped away on her desk. It seemed that Dough’s disappearance had already spread throughout the town, based on the murmuring she was hearing from the others nearby.

The bell rang as Fan, Paintbrush, and Lightbulb showed up simultaneously, already talking to each other. 

“Test Tube!” Fan cried out, disengaging in whatever conversation they were having beforehand. Fan rushed up to her, giving her a small hug, before sitting down.

“Ohmygoshthankglobyourealright-” Fan rushed out of his lungs.

“Hi, people.” Test Tube said awkwardly. She didn’t exactly know why they seemed to be so worried about her.

“OMGA TESTY YOU’RE STILL ALIVE, WAIT, ARE YOU STILL SMART?!” Lightbulb said worryingly, letting her thoughts dump out.

“Seems like it.” 

“Good, you almost scared my parathyroid glands off! I guess I’ll be second smartest for a little longer.” 

“There’s no way you’d be second smartest, but I on the other hand-”

“Fan, shut up.” Paintbrush quipped, before continuing. “Seriously, we’re glad you’re alright, are you feeling fine now?”

“Couldn’t feel dandier! Unless you mean mentally, in which case I’m being ravaged by the fact I saw something incomprehensible to all of current science!“

“I think we all are.”

Everyone went silent for a few seconds, unsure of what to say, before Fan bursted something out.

“Look, we’ve all made sure Test Tube is alright, so can we get to THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM?” Paintbrush shushed at Fan to quiet himself a little. An inside voice was something that Fan seemed to not possess.

“..He’s talking about the note and the house that went kapoof.” Lightbulb whispered into Test Tube’s ear.

“..I know.” Test Tube whispered back.

“Just for confirmation, we DID see that house disappear, right? I’m not taking crazy pills?” Fan questioned.

“Yes, Fan.” Test Tube replied tiredly.

“This means I was RIGHT! There IS something anomalous in this town!”

“Fan, you bragged about this for, like, 5 hours yesterday, we get it.” Paintbrush said.

“Yeah, but Test Tube wasn’t awake! I need to shove it in her face too!”

“Well.. I suppose you earned it.” Paintbrush sheepishly said.

“I know I have. So, Test Tube, I think I have a theory.” Those were the last words anybody heard before Fan got into a tiringly long info-dumping session.

“Let’s see if it beats mine.” Test Tube replied.

“So, I was playing the Sims, and in the Sims, you can place and remove objects, right? Well, what if we existed in a simulation, a simulation of a sims-like game? The bakery disappearing could just be someone deleting a building, all these disappearances could just be the “mastermind” killing off the sims he didn’t like. What if they wanted us to see the bakery disappear and left the note to embark us on a quest? Maybe we’re, like, the main characters of a video game from the reality above us! Maybe we just need to find the hints, beat up bad guys, and then we’ll be heroes and get an epic reward! Just think about it!” Fan continued to ramble on with his theory that they all existed in a game, every point getting slightly less based in anything tangible.

Fan finally finished explaining with 15 minutes remaining on the clock, anxiously awaiting Test Tube’s response.

“No.”

“What?”

“I mean that I don't believe you.”

“H-how could you not believe me? I poured my heart and soul into that!”

“I, for one, do not believe I’ve been kept alive for 16 years so that just now I can go on this “epic quest.” Also, Fan, if that were true, why would another 6.4 billion people exist on this planet? Why would so many minds exist which serve no purpose to this game?”

“It’s not like you’ve ever met even a fraction of a fraction of those people, they could just load in consciousness whenever you talk to them.”

“Selective solipsism is something.. I’d rather not believe.” Test Tube admitted.

“Aha! So you’re saying my theory is true, then!”

“No, it just can’t be proven false. Those are two completely separate things.”

“It’s not like you’ve come up with anything better.”

“But I have, Fan.” Test Tube smirked. Showing off her academic prowess was her favorite part of talking to people.

“Finally, someone smart who’s talking.” Paintbrush said.

“Hey, I will not take having two people call me less intelligent today!”

“I’m joking, Fan, I just like seeing you get mad.”

“Wha-”

“Test Tube, speak.”

“Most people say matter can’t be created nor destroyed, which is true scientifically, but the way people understand it is not. See, matter can be destroyed, or more accurately converted into energy, and vice-versa. So, what if there was an energy which could turn itself into anything? This may sound absurd, but if it's aliens we’re dealing with, nothing's off the table. If there was something like this, It would make sense as to why the building seemed to corrupt. Changing forms would probably mean reverting itself into more “simple” materials before getting back to its original form. Also, this would not be breaking the law of conservation, like Fan stated! Well, It could also be the case that we’re experiencing group psychosis, which actually seems much more likely considering just what we saw, but I choose to believe that I’m not insane!”

That was the extent of Test Tube’s, albeit much shorter than Fan’s, yapping. The rest of the table group thought about the theory for the moment, before Lightbulb decided it was her turn to speak.

“Then how did your brother get taken away?” It was an innocent question from her, but one that actually seemed to have thought put behind it for once.

“If my theory is correct, I’m sure this super-energy could do much more than just recreating matter perfectly.” Test Tube responded.

“You’re just pulling stuff out of, and excuse the language, your ass!” Fan refuted.

“As if you didn’t do the same?”

“But my theory makes more sense, super-energy is just super fricking convenient! Are you saying these aliens, or whatever, have control of super-energy and only use it to kidnap people?!”

“I never said that, they could just as easily be doing other things under our noses.”

“Y-You implied it!”

“When did I ever imply anything?”

“Just now!”

“You- You’re just spouting goobly dook!”

“You’re the one saying goobly dook here! If such a thing existed, there’d be no reason to use it on us!”

“They could be testing it.”

“Really? Dough’s bakery seemed perfectly normal before it vanished out of thin air!”

“Ah, how I love nerds arguing.” Paintbrush said.

“I know, right?” Lightbulb pretended to munch on some imaginary popcorn.

Test Tube and Fan stared at each other, both slightly embarrassed. Was Test Tube stooping this low to argue about two almost improbable theories, based solely out of science fiction novels? 

Test Tube and Fan both came to an understanding at that moment, extending their hands out to each other to end this silly feud.

“Let’s agree to disagree.” Fan said, shaking Test Tube’s hand.

“Agreed.” Test Tube replied, doing the same..

The bell finally rang as Fan tried to tell Test Tube one more piece of information.

“Hey, Test Tube.” Fan said, grabbing his backpack.

“Yeah?”

“You coming with us to investigate?”

“What, at the address on the note?”

“Yeah, it’s supposedly an abandoned subway station.”

“Going into an abandoned subway station, at midnight, based on a supernatural note does not seem like a good idea.”

“But what if we actually find something? Surely they could take us out if they wanted to, what’s there to lose?” 

It was a dilemma. A dilemma she wouldn’t be having if it involved anything other than her brother. “..if I go, I’m doing the planning.”

“Deal! Talk to you later!” Fan rushed off to his next class as Test Tube was left with Lightbulb.

Test Tube and Lightbulb got to the door of their second period as Lightbulb stopped Test Tube from entering.

“I promised ya a book.” Lightbulb said, leaning on a locker as she tried to act cool.

“Huh- oh, right.”

“Here, it’s one of my favs!” Lightbulb handed Test Tube some manga as she spoke.

Test Tube analyzed the cover of the book, having two girls laying opposite directions of each other, only their faces being connected as they looked at each other almost longingly. It was definitely an interesting cover to say the least.

“Happy reading, Testy!” Lightbulb said, heading into class before Test Tube could say anything.

The rest of Test Tube’s school day went by almost without a hitch. It wasn’t as if she had any friends near her to talk to, so she spent her time actually just working, so the rest of her classes felt much shorter.

She did see that at lunch that Fan accidentally bumped into the guy Lightbulb had called hot, which led to Fan being slapped across the face and being sent to the doctor’s office, so she couldn’t talk to him as he was stuck there for the remainder of lunch, it was a whole thing.

Finally, though, the last bell of the day rang as Test Tube finished helping Lightbulb with homework in their shared free period, which had become the norm by now. The two walked outside as nice weather greeted them on their exit, Fan and Paintbrush already waiting for them.

“Test Tube, do you know what the most important part of exploring is?” Fan questioned, looking more than a tad bit stupid with a bandage on his face.

“Uh, not dying?”

“NOPE! It’s getting whatever you’re exploring on camera! Ufo’s, bigfoot, every conspiracy falls short on good, quality, imagery! Just imagine how many people will read my blog if I’m able to get whatever we find in there on camera!”

“And if you die before sharing it to the world?”

“My loss!” Fan shrugged.

“You’re an idiot.”

“Ooooh, Fan, see, I really am the second smartest around here!”

“Are not.”

“Are.. is!”

“You both are idiots.” Paintbrush humored.

“That I agree with!” Test Tube said.

Lightbulb and Fan bickered on for a little longer, before Paintbrush screamed at them to stop and to just move on already, which they did in quick succession. After a discussion on what’d they do to prepare for their adventure, they decided.

The group decided to go to Fan’s house, where he supposedly had some gear he’d brought for when he’d have to go exploring for his blog. As they walked, Test Tube learnt of practically every thing Fan had in his possession.

“..and I’ve even got 500 lumen flashlights! They cost a pretty penny, but anything for the blog!” Fan continued.

“..How do you even have so much money?” Paintbrush questioned after hearing about Fan’s assortment of exploration gear.

“It’s all from the blog!” Fan smirked.

“Your blog has, like, 30 page visits total, I know you’re not making money off that.” 

“That’s what the government wants you to think, Paintbrush!”

Lightbulb and Test Tube sat in the back, almost silent as they listened to Fan’s and Paintbrush’s conversation. Despite how much Test Tube found conversation to be difficult, it was even weirder for her to see Lightbulb quiet for once. 

“Ah, we’re here, my humble abode!” Fan pointed to his house, which encompassed 3 stories and what seemed to have around 10 rooms.

“This is anything but humble.” Paintbrush quipped.

The crew entered the house, Fan leading them into his basement to find the gear they needed.

There laid hundreds of trinkets, from boardgames to magic kits to random scrap metal. Fan avoided all of that and pointed to one of the corners, a cardboard box laying there.

“You weren’t kidding.” Test Tube said, staring at the cardboard box, equipment abound inside.

“I’ll have you know when it comes to my blog, I don’t joke around.” Fan dumped out the boxes, laying everything on the floor neatly. He sorted out the things he thought really wouldn’t be necessary, leaving only the things he thought of as important.

“..so, we have 2 flashlights, a folding knife, a camera, an audio recorder, matches, and snacks. Seems alright to me.” Fan said, finishing his count of the things they’d be bringing. The group discussed just what each member would be holding on to, eventually coming to a decision.

“Are you really sure Lightbulb should be handling the knife?” Test Tube questioned.

“Eh, as long as I get the camera and audio recorder, I don’t care.”

“C’mon Testy, I have the quickest knife throw in the east!”

“..Why would you even need to throw the knife?”

“For the rats! I don’t want that rat-gunk smearing on me if I kill it closehand, this is basic.”

“I do hope rats are the.. most of our concerns.”

“You jinxed it! Now it’ll be, like, mega-rats!”

“Jinxing isn’t a real scientific phenomenon.”

“You double jinxed it! Now we’re all in the gutter!” Lightbulb put her hands on her head in an exaggerated gesture.

“I think we’ve been in the gutter ever since we agreed to visit an abandoned subway station at midnight.”

“Oh, right!”

“You guys.. coming up?” Paintbrush asked rhetorically, already climbing the stairs back up with Fan.

“Oh- yep!” Test Tube answered, her and Lightbulb now following Paintbrush up. 

“Sooo, we have 6 hours till midnight, what do you reckon we do ‘till then?” Fan asked, sitting down on his vintage couch.

“I would suggest scouting out the area beforehand.” Test Tube said.

“We could also go to the mall while waiting, I’m pretty sure it’s nearby.” Paintbrush added.

“And if the bathroom alien tries to take us like it took Bow?” Fan asked.

“No one’s going into the bathroom alone, and besides, if it does come, it’s just more stuff for your blog.”

Fan’s face turned serious at the word “blog.”  “It’s settled, let’s go.”

“All I had to say is blog, huh?”

“Trust me, when my blog goes mainstream, I’ll be the one laughing.”

They spent a few more minutes lollygaggling about before heading out. Test Tube’s mind thought back to a time she had gone to the mall with her brother. She remembered how her brother had bought her a book, The Giver. It was a hard(ish) read at the time for Test Tube, considering she was five, but she got through it.

It may’ve been that very book, or the experience that came with it that made Test Tube grow fond of reading. Her brother let her choose the book herself, and even read it with her whenever she couldn’t grasp a part of it. She would giggle at this now, but at the time, she always thought of her brother as a genius.

She just wished she could have another conversation with him, a chance to let him see how far she’s come. It was the only reason why Test Tube continued down this path she knew would most likely result in her harm. But, just maybe, if it would bring her brother back, she’d persevere. 

Finally, after quite a bit of walking, they arrived at the mall with still much time to spare. Test Tube found it sort of ironic the only day that didn’t seem to go by fast was the one she actually wanted to skip.

Test Tube decided to spend her time at the mall reading, finding a cushy seat in the library Test Tube had gotten The Giver from, all those years ago. She said goodbye to Lightbulb and the rest of the group for the time being. It wasn’t as if she didn’t want to spend time with them, but her already incredibly short social battery was stretched out, and she needed some alone time to charge it back up again.

Test Tube opened the book Lightbulb had given her, being met with a foreword from the author about how much of a blessing it was to put out “yuri” manga, a term Test Tube was still unfamiliar with. The title of the book was also written in pencil, most likely from Lightbulb, being named “Kisses, Sighs, and Cherry Blossom Pink.”

Test Tube read through the first few pages, finding herself oddly invested in the life of regular Japanese school girls. It was a cute story, about how a girl copes with not being able to go to the same high school as her best friend. Test Tube may’ve been able to relate to the feeling if not for the fact she never did have many good friends at her previous high school.

It wasn’t until the ending pages that Test Tube finally understood what the term “yuri” meant. The two characters were in the rain together, staring at each other as they talked about how much they loved each other. And then they kissed.

It wasn't that Test Tube didn’t like yuri, but it was very much unexpected for her. The amount of queer media she had consumed was definitely sparse, but it wasn’t as if she disliked it, so she continued on.

Test Tube went on to read the entirety of the book, containing six more short stories in a similar manner, finding glee in each page as it quenched a thirst she didn’t know she had. Test Tube hadn’t actually read some nice, low stakes, fluff for a while, so it was a breath of fresh air for her. Alongside that, and she thought of herself weirdly for this, but it being through the lens of lesbians made it cuter. Huh.

Test Tube finished the book with it approaching 11 o’clock, standing up for the first time in a few hours. She walked out of the store, already finding her friends coincidentally waiting for her outside the shop.

“..I mean, it wasn’t very big, just a little- Oh, heya Test Tube!” Lightbulb waved.

“Hey, Lightbulb.” Test Tube caught up with the rest of the group.

“Did ya like the book?” Lightbulb asked, slightly grinning.

“Yeah, it was cute, ” Test Tube said, showing off a small smile in return.

“Yay! Someone finally understands me!” 

“We should really get going.” Paintbrush pointed out.

“Yeah! I better not miss anything for my blog.” Fan said.

“Gah, alright.” Test Tube and the rest of the crew went outside, walking approximately 10 minutes through the dimly lit streets as they hit the abandoned subway station, which was blocked by yellow tape.

“So this’ll also count as breaking and entering, great!” Test Tube said, sarcastically.

“I mean, does that really make it that much worse?” Paintbrush humored.

“Eh, you’re right.” 

“This really looks like the start of a bad horror movie.” The eeriness of the subway station really kicked in to Fan as he stared at it now. There was nothing visible except through the small portion of it which was being lit up from the flashlight in Paintbrush’s hands.

“Just as long as we don’t act like horror movie characters and split up for no reason or have our flashlights lose power at the worst possible time, we’ll be alright.” Paintbrush nudged Fan in an effort to revitalize his spirits, though they were also equally as scared inside.

“Shall we get going?” Test Tube asked.

“It’s..” Fan looked at his watch. “11:36 pm, a little early, but I suppose that never hurt anyone.”

“Remember guys, most horror villains feed off fear, so just don’t be scared!” Lightbulb went over the yellow tape, being the first to do so.

Fan and Paintbrush followed soon after, with Test Tube lagging behind as she turned on her flashlight as well.

The flashlight flickered on, and with a step, Test Tube joined them in the unknown. It was time for her to find out what this “truth” was.

Chapter Text

There was one thought that ran through Test Tube’s mind as she entered the subway station. This was definitely going to be a mistake. Entering an abandoned building of any kind was unorthodox–add that to the circumstances under which she was exploring it, and there was no chance this would just turn out normally.

But alas, she was already here, and so she treaded on. Test Tube shone her flashlight from side to side, seeing nothing but dull concrete no matter where she looked. It was a little relieving to see there wasn’t anything odd so far.

Well, actually, there was one thing. On the lower portion of one of the walls, someone had sprayed “K+S,” though why someone would make a declaration of love here was unknown to Test Tube. Even for someone who wasn’t well acquainted with relationships, she’d know better than that.

“G-guys, do we really need to go further?” Fan shyly asked, his arms slightly trembling. The flashlights shining into the horizon showed no signs that there was anything in the distance to come.

“This was your idea.” Paintbrush grumbled.

“Y-yeah, but-“

“Just stay near me then.” Paintbrush grabbed Fan and put him right next to them, the unease from Fan’s face disappearing just a little.

A slight giggle came out of Lightbulb’s mouth as she watched the two come together.

“Can it.” Paintbrush spoke.

“Aww, but with what you two did at the movies, how couldn’t I see it like that?”

“LIGHTBULB! You KNOW that was an accident.”

“Really? It seemed intentional to me!” Lightbulb giggled just a little more.

“If the aliens here don’t kill you, I will.” 

“Yeah! Go Paintbrush!” Fan said in agreement.

“He’s even cheering for you!”

“Not helping our case here, Fan.” Paintbrush gritted their teeth.

Lightbulb went on to tap Test Tube’s shoulder, joining her in on the conversation as she seemed to be lost in thought before then. 

“Oooh, Test Tube, I need to tell you a little something about Fan and Paintbrush!”

“Lightbulb, you are NEVER going on my blog if you snitch.” Fan interrupted, although Lightbulb didn’t care in the slightest about his “threat.”

“Hm?” Test Tube replied, still half-daydreaming.

“Y’know, at the movie theaters they did something reallll interesting!”

Before Test Tube had a chance to respond, someone interrupted once again.

“Lightbulb, I swear to god I'm going to ruin you.”

“You can’t ruin me.”

Paintbrush smirked. “I know something ‘real interesting’ about you too.”

The smile that Lightbulb almost always had seemed to disappear. “HEY!”

“Stop arguing, please. We shouldn’t be mindlessly bickering at a time like.. this.” Test Tube had an abrupt stop in speech, noticing the crossroads which had now just appeared. To the right was a wall marked with a green checkmark, and to the left a wall marked with a red X symbol. 

“Do you think it’s a message for us?” Fan asked.

“It’s likely, there’s no other reason as to why they’d be here.”

“Interesting, so, which way are we going?”

“I would deduce that going right is the obvious choice, though given the track record of this town, you can never be too certain!” Test Tube lent herself back to thought as she seemed to be analyzing the two choices.

“X marks the spot, so we obviously need to go that way!” Lightbulb said.

“If there’s a big, red X where you’re going, I for one do not believe it’s the ‘obvious’ way to go,” Fan argued, scrunching up his face slightly as he air–quoted the word obvious.

“Fan, you’ll be fine! The cameraman never dies!” Lightbulb patted the camera in Fan’s hands as she spoke.

“No, I think Fan is right, we should go with the checkmark,” Paintbrush added.

“Favoritism, in this day and age? I expected better.”

“Wha- how is this showing favoritism? I just don’t want to DIE to whatever’s in there!”

“Still favoritism.”

“Okay, Lightbulb, how about we go ask Test Tube?” Paintbrush said, a pained expression on their face. There was almost no way Paintbrush would agree with going down the X path.

“X is the way to go.” Test Tube blurted out, done with her thinking.

“Told ya.” Lightbulb smirked, patting Paintbrush’s back.

“What? Why would we go down the X path?” Paintbrush questioned.

Test Tube looked up towards the X, missing Paintbrush’s gaze. “If they wanted us to go one way, they would just use an arrow, or leave the X out entirely. The existence of the X itself weakens the security of the checkmark, and given we’re dealing with aliens here, there’s a high likelihood they're testing our problem-solving capabilities."

“It sounds like you’re overanalyzing it.” Paintbrush replied.

“From everything I’ve seen in this town, there’s no such thing as overanalyzing!”

“I- are we really going down the path with the X?”

“Ehh.. I have to agree with Test Tube on this one now.”

“Well, me and Tube-o really are the smarties-pantses here, it makes sense you wouldn’t understand.” Lightbulb was met with a small giggle from Test Tube.

“Hey- your reasoning made no sense!” Paintbrush retorted.

Lightbulb stuck out her tongue and blew it at Paintbrush. “Cry about it.” 

“I am going to get you, Lightbulb.” Paintbrush said grudgingly. 

The group followed in Test Tube’s advice, even if some of them weren’t fully convinced as of yet. Water now dripped from the ceiling, making the group feel just a little more on edge. It also didn’t help that even the meager light from the outside was now long-gone, meaning their flashlights were their only source of vision.

Fan checked his watch in the sparse light they did have, reading 11:48 pm. Just 12 more minutes.

“For a subway station, there sure is a lot of unneeded walking.” Test Tube said, noting there hadn’t been a singular railway track that they’d seen the entire time.

“Who knows, what if this is where they house the people they kidnap?” Paintbrush chuckled at their own statement.

“P-paintbrush!” Fan, on the other hand, shrieked at the thought of that actually being the case.

“What? It’s true, this would be the perfect place, just look around.” Fan, in fact, did not look around, considering everything except what was sparsely illuminated by the flashlights was pitch black.

“If anything happens to us, Test Tube is going to be the first one sacrificed.” 

“I heard that.” Test Tube said, not shifting her glance from the concrete in front of her.

“I vote for Fan to be sacrificed!” Lightbulb cheerfully said.

“I vote for Fan too.” Paintbrush added.

“H-hey! You can’t all choose me, Test Tube made us go down here!”

“At least she’s trying to be useful, all you do is lug that camera around and complain.” 

“Complaining is, like, the number one virtue of a blogger!”

“You made that blog 2 weeks ago.”

“A lot can change in 2 weeks!”

After what felt like a much longer walk than it was, much thanks to Fan’s and Paintbrush’s bickering, they arrived at what’d you call the waiting area for the train. Paintbrush and Test Tube lit up the area with their flashlights, seeing there was a mostly degraded bench and graffiti on the railway tracks walls telling them to “wait here!”

What was the most interesting was that there was a black garbage bag, a red circle graffitied sloppily around it. Near the circle had a message telling them to “open,” with a tiny smiley face directly beneath it. Test Tube and Lightbulb went to check the surrounding area as Fan and Paintbrush went to open the bag.

“Do we.. open it?” Fan asked, checking his watch as he spoke. There were only 4 more minutes until midnight.

“What else does it say?” Paintbrush asked rhetorically. 

As Paintbrush got closer to the bag, with Fan staying close behind to photograph, they thought of the smell as.. odd. It didn’t smell bad, as a typical garbage bag would, but it wasn’t exactly nice either. It seemed to be a pungent smell that was sanitized over and over until it was purely antiseptic.

Paintbrush opened the bag slowly, weary of whatever could be inside. As they looked inside, they raised their eyebrow for a second, unsure of what it was. It looked like nothing they’d ever seen, folded neatly into a square shape. With a slight unease, they went to touch it. It felt a little rubbery, a little smooth and soft. It wasn’t until they lifted it a little more that it hit Paintbrush.

Paintbrush recoiled, covering their mouth in shock. The look in their eyes was the most terrified Fan had ever seen it by a long shot. He quickly went to their side, checking up on them.

“..Paintbrush?”

“T-the bag.”

Fan stared at Paintbrush for a little longer before putting his eyes on the bag, skittishly opening it to figure out whatever the hell made Paintbrush become like this. With him watching hours of crime documentaries, he instantly understood what he was seeing.

And he screamed.

“WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, NOW.” Fan shouted, checking his watch in desperation. It was now two minutes before midnight.

Lightbulb and Test Tube immediately turned their heads towards Fan, whose hands were trembling as he slowly crept away from the bag.

“Uh, why?” Test Tube asked, a slight unease in her voice as she took in just how scared Fan seemed to be.

“THE BAG- WE JUST NEED TO GO.” 

“May I inquire what’s in the bag, then?” Test Tube went over to open the bag herself, but a hand grabbed her arm.

“Don’t, Test Tube, please.” It was Paintbrush who spoke, their face looking as if they’d aged 10 years in an instant.

“We’re a team, we all need to know what’s going on.” Test Tube tried to release the grip Paintbrush had on her, but just as she did, someone else grabbed her as well.

“You need to trust Paintbrush.” Fan said in a desperate tone, his legs shaking as his breathing seemed to get heavier.

“No matter what it is, can it really be that bad?” 

“YES.” Fan shouted, noticing that the time was now midnight.

Just as Test Tube went to disobey all of Fan’s and Paintbrush’s heedings, something seemed to explode on the subway, sending Test Tube a few feet back as she fell squarely on the ground.

A cacophony of colors seemed to appear in front of the train station, flashing at speeds so fast she could do nothing but look, mesmerized at the sight of it all. The subway was, for just a few seconds, completely lit up as the flashlights powers paled in comparison to whatever this light was from.

The flickering stopped as everyone rubbed their eyes from the sudden shifts of light that had just occurred. Test Tube was the first to come back to vision as she now shined her flashlight where the light had come from. And, lo and behold, something seemed to be standing there.

If Test Tube had to call this thing something, it’d be an anthropomorphic.. glass brick? Well, she knew it was a robot of some kind. Its arms and legs were made purely from metal, a small gash on its left leg specifically.

Its screen was much more noticeably damaged, a large crack dominating its face beginning from the middle. It had a neutral expression on its face as it simply stared back at Test Tube.

 It took a few more seconds for everyone else to comprehend what was going on as they all got used to the light again. The person who was shook the most must’ve been Fan, because compared to what was inside the bag, the shriek he let out was MUCH louder.

“iiYbkoehuuEEEEAK!” Fan blabbered out, clearly out of his mind as he curled himself into a ball as he looked away from the being.

Paintbrush stood up and let out a swift slap onto Fan’s face as they tried to talk some sense into him. “GODDAMMIT FAN, GET UP.”

With a pull, Fan got back on his feet as Paintbrush dragged him with them as Fan continued to hyperventilate. Test Tube and Lightbulb quickly followed as the robot continued to just.. stand there. Test Tube knew that whatever that thing was, they had to get as far away from it now. Knowing the past incidents in this town, it definitely wasn’t something to ogle at.

And so, they ran. It was at moments like these that made Test Tube wish she dedicated some time to working out, but then again, she’d rather burn than do exercise consistently. And, studying was just exercise for the brain, so she already did exercise, y’know? Well, that’s what she told herself at least.

“WE’RE GOING TO DIE.” Fan screamed out, him shifting from almost passing out to shrieking every few seconds as the running seemed to get to him almost as bad as it did to Test Tube.

“SHUT UP AND KEEP RUNNING.” Paintbrush yelled back, tiredness clearly seeping into them as well as their voice staggered. It seemed the only person to not be affected by this was Lightbulb, who was currently cartwheeling.

Test Tube looked at Lightbulb almost in disbelief, though maybe she just had to come to terms that everything and everyone in this town was crazy.

“What’cha looking at? We clearly have much bigger things to think about than my radical cartwheeling skills.” Lightbulb pointed her head back, revealing the robot that was much closer to them than Test Tube thought.

And that’s when another problem hit them.

Where the red X mark once stood was now replaced with a concrete wall, one that was most certainly there before. Fan started to bang on the wall, screaming out obscenities as he did.

Paintbrush shined their flashlight at the darkness, the robot’s body being just slightly visible in the distance. It was walking much slower than before, every step it took making Test Tube feel more trapped. It didn’t help that Fan kept screaming, and even Lightbulb of all people started looking worried. 

“PPPAINTBRUSH!!!” 

“WHAT.”

“SAVE ME.”

“WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO AGAINST THAT?”

“I DON’T KN- JUST START BANGING ON THE WALL WITH ME.” Fan started pounding on the wall again, this time with more force as his head kept looking back and forth from the robot and the wall.

“We’re fine guys, kapeesh, I have a plan!” Lightbulb said, hand flailing out as both Fan and Paintbrush stopped whatever they were doing and stared at her.

Everyone stayed silent, awaiting the next words which would come out of her mouth. Eventually, she spoke.

“We’ll ask Test Tube!” Lightbulb happily said.

“W-what?” Test Tube said, the unease on her voice glaringly obvious.

“GET US OUT OF HERE.” Fan now clutched at Test Tube’s leg, Paintbrush finding the time to chuckle at the feat.

“Uh-uhm, Lightbulb.” The unease seemed to be dripping out of her, her scratching her back sheepishly.

“Ya?” 

“I have no plan.” It now really became chaos.

“WE’RE ALL DOOMED, DOOMED I SAY!” Fan said, clutching at his chest as if he was in a dramatic play in the 1600s.

“If you all LISTENED to me, we wouldn’t have that ROBOT CHASING US.”  Paintbrush yelled out, pulling at their hair as they did. 

“HOW WOULD WE KNOW ANY OF THIS WOULD HAPPEN??”

“I DUNNO, WHEN YOU SAW THE MASSIVE RED X?”

“IT’S NOT LIKE YOU HAD TO COME WITH US.”

“WELL, SO WHAT, I DID, AND THIS IS WHAT I GET FOR IT.”

The atmosphere continued to devolve into utter insanity as Test Tube racked her brain for anything they could do, but the screaming around her certainly didn’t help. In her stress-filled pacing, she seemed to remember something. The items. They’d definitely brought more items than just these flashlights.

“The knife.” Test Tube spoke, barely audible in the still two screaming voices around her. Test Tube grabbed Lightbulb’s shoulders, shaking them as she tried to get Lightbulb’s attention.

“I was waiting for ya to join the death party, finally!” 

“I- What-? No, Lightbulb, THE KNIFE.”

Lightbulb seemed to have to think for a precious few seconds before it finally clicked. “Ah, throw it at the robot? Gottttt it.” Lightbulb grabbed the knife out of her bag, aiming towards the robot.

“..You said you were a good shot, right?”

“Best in Jersey!"

Test Tube didn’t feel the need to mention that they were not in Jersey as she hoped Lightbulb could back up her claims of being a prodigy knife thrower.

With a fling of her arm, the knife flew, only Test Tube and the knife-thrower herself watching as Fan cried out incessantly, Paintbrush still screaming at him. God, they had.. quite the variety of anger issues.

A loud crunch ringed out from the robot’s body, another crack appearing on its already shattered face, this time the fracture looking like a ripple you’d get from throwing a rock into a pond.

“S-such ins-“ The robot said, glitching out as it spoke. It stopped for just a second, finding the wall to grip onto with its arms. If Test Tube was to measure it, it’d be around 10 feet from the group.

With another step, it continued on, pulling the knife out of its screen and gripping it in its arm as its screen flickered from a smile to a completely blank slate every few seconds, likely a result of it malfunctioning.

“M-my tas- task- has- anged.” The robot threw back the knife, just barely missing Lightbulb’s scalp. 

“THAT’S why they call me the best in Jersey, I’m nothing like these peons.” Lightbulb rolled her eyes as she spoke, clearly aiming the insult towards the robot.

“That’s great- but, well, it’s- RIGHT HERE!!!”  With a swing, the robot went for Test Tube’s skull, Test Tube barely missing it as she rolled down. She had no idea how it got to them the second she looked away.

Test Tube thought of the things she could do in the next 0.2 seconds, and the only “viable” thing she could do was, well, fight back. With a punch, she went for the center of the robot’s screen. And, as you all know, Test Tube was never one to go outside.

So it, unsurprisingly, did nothing.

With a snatch, the robot grabbed Test Tube’s arm and flinged her, sending her crashing into the wall as she was sure at least a few of her bones broke. Just not anything near her oh-so-precious brain.

Test Tube watched in stinging pain as the robot went to approach her once again, still shocked from the pain and the intense dizziness she was experiencing. Was it really now that she was going to die? Without answers, without a scientific explanation for any of this?

The robot grabbed Test Tube by the leg, readying its other hand to snap Test Tube’s leg in two. Test Tube flailed around, trying desperately to get out of its grip, but alas, the strength in her arms was adjacent to a- why the hell was she able to get out? 

Test Tube fell face first onto the ground, lifting her head up a few seconds later as she now saw Lightbulb and the robot that was beneath her.

“DON’T YOU MESS WITH MY, UH, FRIENDS! YEAH!” Test Tube searched the slightly wet ground for her flashlight, aiming it at where she heard Lightbulb’s voice.

Lightbulb stood with a knife in her hand leaking a mysterious red liquid, the robot left with a gaping hole in its back, leaking the same said mysterious red liquid. Test Tube was just glad it wasn’t blood of any sort.

“Aren’t I the best group lea- WOAH!” With a flash, the robot beneath Lightbulb’s feet and the wall blocking their exit seemed to be shifting, the same way Dough’s bakery did. The robot beeped something out at rapid rates as it did, Lightbulb warily jumping off. Both the robot and the wall completely disappeared soon after, the only remnants of the encounter being the liquid on Lightbulb’s knife.

Test Tube now tried to move her left arm, it not responding to her pleas as a searing pain shot through her body. That was when she realized what bones she broke.

Using her right, she pushed herself off the ground as every slight movement of her left sent her an aching. She got up, semi-cradling her left arm with her right as she tried not to move it any longer.

“Your arm, uh, alright?” Lightbulb cautiously asked, a flashlight now flashing directly into Test Tube’s eyes.

“Couldn’t be better!” Test Tube sarcastically replied. “No, it’s broken and I can’t move it.” She clarified.

“Then how am I carrying those two out?” Lightbulb shifted her flashlight from Test Tube to the floor, where Fan and Paintbrush laid hugging each other, passed out from shock. Despite all the screaming they had done in the last 5 minutes, they looked sorta cute in that position, if Test Tube had to say anything. She was glad they were able to find peace in their (supposed) last moments.

“Uhm-”

“Just kidding! I'm the team leader!” Dropping both the flashlight and knife in her hand, she went to pick up both Fan and Paintbrush, each now laying on one of her shoulders. 

“..How are you doing that?” Test Tube was appalled by Lightbulb’s strength, considering she herself probably couldn’t pick up Fan, who was both the shortest and skinniest high schooler she’d ever seen.

“Uhm, bang bang bang!” Lightbulb cheerfully replied, now walking towards the exit, Test Tube trailing behind right after. 

It was odd to say after all that happened, but the walk to the outside was.. peaceful, not counting the broken hand that stinged her every time she moved it. The cold wind from the outside was a comfort, something that told her she was finally out of that.. horrid, horrid nightmare.

Well, sure, she’d have to walk home, but with the amount of adrenaline in her body, she’d be able to. Actually, the hospital was most certainly the better place to go, but she didn’t even know where it was. Test Tube really wanted to think more about everything in there, but considering the last time she slept was most likely a day ago, she just sat down and rested.

Lightbulb followed shortly after, placing Fan and Paintbrush onto the patch of grass below. Lightbulb plopped herself down on the bench, vibrating it as she sat down considering the jankiness of it all. She then immediately went to Test Tube’s side, staring at her arm.

“I’m no doctor, but I think that should be checked out..” Lightbulb said, Test Tube’s arm being discolored purple.

Thankfully for Test Tube, the adrenaline seemed to be neutralizing it to.. some extent, meaning she wasn’t feeling the pure brunt of it yet. “I don’t even know where the hospital is, Lightbulb.” Test Tube said tiredly

“Ooh! I’ll take ya! I went there before when I broke my arm riding my skateboard, and when I broke my leg falling down the stairs, oh, and this one time some kid broke my collarbone! And a couple more times, but they weren’t too important.” The way Lightbulb was speaking of this so casually was concerning.

“I think I should be more worried for you now,” Test Tube replied worriedly.

“Nah! Lemme just wake Fan and Paintbrush right now, we’ll be there in a jiffy.” Test Tube thought it was nice to see someone care about her for.. no real apparent reason. Well, not any that she knew of anyways.

Test Tube watched as Lightbulb prodded Fan and Paintbrush with a stick, them slowly opening their eyes to Lightbulb’s barrage of attacks. Test Tube realized she had gotten no closer to getting answers to anything, which stung more than her arm. But despite that, it wasn’t the worst experience in the world. She could at least say she had.. Fun.

Looking at the screaming Paintbrush and Fan were now doing as they realized they were snuggled up with each other, along the roaring laughter emerging from Lightbulb’s mouth, a small smile crept up Test Tube’s mouth. Maybe she really had finally found her people, even if they were nothing like who she expected them to be.