Teamwork is a skill we lack. (II SUPERHERO AU FIC)

17

It was a nice, sunny spring afternoon in Meeple city. Paintbrush walked through the streets, trying to look for any possible sign of their ... Nemesis? They wondered if that were the correct term-- who had been missing since the day of the conflict. Paintbrush figured she had her own recovery center, so surely she had to be out there somewhere... Sure, she always had days of silence, and no activity, but this was different. That villain Taco and her partner Mic had specifically been looking for her. And with Testtube accidentally letting her get away, they had succeeded. Their mind raced with the possibilities of what they wanted with her, but they couldn't think of anything.

Really, Paintbrush just wanted to know if she was okay or not-- no, no. They just wanted to make sure she wasn't going to cause any more trouble- well.. It was both of those things, really. Lightbulb had been trying to tell them something, but with Taco getting involved, she was never able to finish... Really, the worst part about it was Taco. That little jerk... She had not only bested them twice out of really underhanded and cruel tactics, but she had hurt their friends, and got away with it. They hurt Fan, and now Paintbrush was sure Testtube was mad at them. They should've been able to protect him. They should've been strong enough. They should've been the one Taco aimed for--

No. There wasn't a good use in thinking like that... as intrusive as it was... There was nothing to be done about it now.

--

Paintbrush combed the streets, using their hoverboard, and flying when they absolutely had to, but there was no trace of her. No trace of where her base may be either.

It was turning evening. Paintbrush stopped searching, hopping off their hoverboard just outside of town, headed to their base, and home. Standing outside the door, they sighed. They knew they were going to be alone when they entered, Testtube still being at the hospital with Fan.

The base was always so lonely without others around. They clicked open the door, stepping in and slowly closing the door behind them. Paintbrush spent the next hour or so sitting on the couch in silence, deep in thought.

Until something of course interrupted that.

A knock at the door... Which, was odd, Paintbrush first wondered if it were Testtube, but she never knocked, she usually just went on in, or would already be in, through some secret lab entrance or something... So this definitely wasn't her...

Another knock, this one sounding quieter, and weaker than the one before. Paintbrush stood now, taking caution as they walked over to the door, opening it a bit, before getting shoved open. Paintbrush yelped, and stumbled back, before taking in what had just happened. The door remained open, and whoever it was had just seemed to...

"LIGHTBULB!?" They yelled out, lightly shoving her away as they quickly got to their feet. She was unconscious, and she had a large crack on her head.

"Oh shit..." They scrambled to pick her up, moving her over to the couch now, so she'd be at least a little more comfortable. They then checked her pulse, letting out a sigh of relief to discover she was still breathing. Paintbrush went over to one of the rooms in the base, retrieving a blanket to throw over her.

Now, all they could do was wait for her to wake up.

~

"Good job. I'm very pleased with your results," Cobs examined the machine, typing in a few things on the keyboard.

"Of course, you should be," Taco grinned.

"Arrogance, hm?" He raised an eyebrow, his gaze still focused on whatever he was typing in. Taco merely cleared her throat, not wanting to say anything to make him angry.