FORCE OF HABIT [An Evil Test Tube Fanfic]

HUSHED PERSPECTIVES

Test Tube was awakened by the sounds of banging metal.

She groaned as she got up and got formally dressed and tidied up. After checking the entrance, though, nobody was there. It was one of the people in her lab. Probably Knife.

She got sucked back down by the tube as she went to see who kept banging on their cage when a sound of talking began to become clearer. She stayed close enough to hear it and listened in.

"CAN YOU SHUT UP FOR JUST TWO SECONDS!? I CAN'T DEAL WITH THIS RIGHT NOW."

"Oh, so NOW you're concerned? Puh-lease."

"Both of you, shut up. You're making my head hurt more than it already does, and that's saying a lot."

After eavesdropping a little bit, a bang from the door came through. Man, she's really getting a lot of people, and very early, too. After heading up again to see who it is, she faced OJ, who stared at her with a slightly pained expression. Great.
"Have you seen Lightbulb? You're her friend or whatever, so I thought to ask you. She's not anywhere I've seen her. Paintbrush said she was in the hotel last they saw, but it's been days, and she's just been.. gone."

A wave of guilt washed over her as her face went pale. He's asking because she's missing, and that's her fault. She knows exactly where she is. Of course she does, but.. She can't just tell OJ like that! So she makes things up, looking as if she'd seen a ghost.

"Nnnope! I haven't seen her ever since I went to the hotel to visit! We played games, watched movies, and your little boyfriend was there, too, you can ask him!"
"My- Excuse me?"
"Your little helper, I said your little helper! You know, Paper! Go ask him!"

As she shooed OJ off, he glanced at her with discomfort as he trudged back to the hotel. His body tensed up for a moment as he seemed to lock his eyes onto someone walking- No. Running the other way. After Test Tube stared at who it was for a moment, she recognized that style of clothing and immediately put her head in her hands. Why is she getting all the annoying people? Where are the people like.. Nevermind, everyone's annoying in that dumb hotel, anyway.

"Oh, Test Tube? I didn't think it would be you!! I saw your pretty poster, and I wanted to ask you something."

She sighed.
"What."

"What does enli- enl- whatever the word was! What does it mean? It's really long, and all the letters were weird."

She stared down at Apple, who looked back at her with a curious smile.
"It basically means that you start to learn more about yourself and the world around you."

"Woah! I could really use that! It could help me learn words better!!"

"Yes, yes, it could. Come with me."

Apple watched as Test Tube put in the code to her lab and grabbed her hand, sending both of them down the tube and into her lab. Apple looked around in awe.

"Don't touch anything."
She watched Apple while she went to get another random chemical, pulling out a magenta vial.
"Ok, now just drink this."

"What is it?"

"What does that mean."

"I mean, like, is it juice?"

Test Tube looked at her, annoyed.
"..Does this LOOK like juice to you?"

"Kinda. Maybe plum juice."

"Do you even know what a plum is."

"No.."
She looked to the ground, seeming slightly embarrassed.

Test Tube sighed and handed her the vial, smiling for the first time in their entire interaction.
"Just drink it already."

She hesitantly grabbed it and drank, tipping the whole vial upside down. Once she finished, she looked around for a second.
"I don't feel smarter."

After a few seconds of awkward silence between the two, Apple suddenly grabbed her head in pain, making a pained expression. Test Tube didn't react much, but she looked away. She had to be there when Apple either calmed down or passed out.

But the thing is, she didn't do either.

She screamed for a while, and it was horrific. Her shrill, terrified shrieks filled the halls. Test Tube's just lucky that this place is soundproof. Apple kept screaming and screaming until her voice seemed to die down. She looked around for a split second. She didn't look calm by ANY means, but at least she wasn't screaming her lungs out. She held a hand to her neck, rubbing it slightly.

"Why is it- Wha-.."
Her voice was hoarse from all the noise she made, and she didn't comment on it at all. She looked at Test Tube. Something's off. She looks downward at her hands for a moment, a worrisome expression growing onto her face.
"..Why is it so quiet?"
Her words were just above a whisper.
"TEST TUBE, WHY CAN'T I HEAR ANYTHING!? I CAN'T- HELP ME!!"

She was yelling at her, her eyes wide and her vision getting blurry. A tear ran down her cheek. Why is Apple overreacting so much? She isn't a child. She should be mature. She shouldn't be acting this way, she's 23! Test Tube rolled her eyes and scoffed. She leaned over to the desk and grabbed an untouched notepad, flipping the cover over. She started writing something in pen. Apple looked like she was on the verge of a meltdown. Test Tube quickly gave her the note.

'You can't hear anymore, Apple, speaking louder won't help you. I'll allow you to have this notepad to communicate with me. As long as you don't scream, you will be fine.'

Apple gave a solemn nod, and Test Tube grasped her hand with a smile, leading her to another empty cell. Once Apple was inside the room, door locked, she went to relax.

She was confused, and she was worried. She wanted to get out. She banged on the glass wall in front of her. A voice came from one side of her.

"That won't work, girl, I've tried it."

But she couldn't hear it. She didn't stop. Her hands soon became a horrible crimson color. Her tears leaked into the wounds, and it hurt so much, but she didn't stop banging. She wanted to scream in pain. To yell for help, or support, or SOMETHING, but she didn't want to make Test Tube disappointed.

The truth is, Test Tube is like a mother to her. She holds her at the highest value, above all else, and she'll do anything for her respect. She wouldn't just leave her to rot in here forever, scared, hurt, and alone..

...Right?