partners in crime - a tacophone fic

chapter 23 - turn around

Although I was keeping my cool when Microphone was in the room, I'm pretty much losing it at the moment. How am I going to do the last challenge without my arms! This is a major disadvantage! I mean, they're still attached to me, just... limp and unmoving.
I wish I didn't put that machine on in the first place, but now I'm going to have to deal with the consequences.
I take a deep breath and remember what Baseball said about dwelling on the past, it's already over. Speaking of the past though, I wonder how Lightbulb took that letter I gave her. Hopefully she accepted my apology.
I really meant it.
I'm not this mean evil object everyone boils me down to, I was overwhelmed when I hit Lightbulb with that rock! I wanted to win so bad it clouded my judgement. I try to put a palm to my face and get hit with the realization that I again, have no working nerves in my hands or arms. The last challenge will be a struggle.
I do have a healing substance I've been working on for the past couple days, but to be honest I'm not thinking about risking it, not after what happened with my mechanical arms. I might have to use it as a last stich effort though. I mean, given how the last season ended I'm convinced that this one will end somewhat the same way, me and Microphone having to go though all of the previous challenges that didn't require us having to do something to save Mephone 4's sorry excuse of a show. Given how most of the challenges were physical, I'm gonna need all of the power I can harness for it. No matter what is costs.
We still have a day before it starts though and I'm a little bored, plus, I need to get out of this stuffy lab and get my mind off of things. Hmmm.... You know what? Microphone has been acting awful secretive about herself lately... Maybe I'll go track her down to see what's really going on with her, I can tell when something isn't right.
I walk over to the exit of my lab and try to push the red button with my feet to leave, but then find out that it takes a lot of practice to balance yourself while lifting your foot in the air. I fall backwards and since my hands are temporarily out of service at the moment, the bottom of my glass fully absorbs the impact. I can feel a glass crack form and a single tear makes it's way down my face.
"ow...." I whisper, which should've been screamed at 120 decibels, but I'm too hurt to do anything but sit there for a couple seconds, withering in pain.
After I've gathered myself on the floor, I shakily stand up and just decide to hit the button with my toungue. Very unsanitary of me to do, but I have no other options at the moment. The chute opens up and I'm sucked out of my lab and into the outside world. I drag my feet out into the empty challenge field and notice that the air feels colder even though the sun is out. A single tumbleweed comedically flies by as I take in how deserted this place feels without the others occupying it. I never really payed attention until now, huh? Microphone is nowhere around though, which is no surprise to me. She's probably doing something that needs her to be out of the hosts sight to do.
I make my way over to the elimination area. I don't expect her to be here either, but it doesn't hurt to check. If I'm looking I might as well look in the smallest place first right? I get there to be greeted by nothing but a few empty stumps in the ground. Just as I thought, It's vacant.
I sigh. Things really never go my way, do they?
As I'm making my way towards the forest, Mepad decides to pop up in front of me.
"Hello, Test Tube!" He shouts at me happily.
On any other day I would freak out after he teleported in front of me like that, but frankly I've been through so much today that Mepad's jump scare is the least of my worries.
"I'm just here to notify you that the last challenge will start in 3 hours!"
"THREE HOURS?!?!?"
he gives me a smile with his eyes and continues
"Precisely! Me and Mephone are close to finishing setting up and we decided, why not host it at dusk, since it would be more dramatic and bring more viewers in? The estimated time of completion will be approximately three hours."
I stare at the ground in shock. At least I knew I could have a little time to prepare earlier but THREE HOURS??
"Oh, also, could you perhaps tell Microphone as well? I'm a bit busy helping Mephone at the moment."
I stay silent instead of answering him quickly. I still can't get over the fact that we have only three hours to get ready, and... Lightbulb is going to be in the stands, seeing me try to beat Microphone. God, I probably look so beaten down and pathetic right now, definitely not in any shape to even start a conversation with her. I wonder who she'll cheer on? Wait... I'm getting sidetracked! What was I going to do again? Oh yeah, tell Microphone about the news and see if she is engaging in suspicious activities.
"... Affirmative." I say to Mepad. He gives me a look, probably because it took me so long to answer, but he seems to be in a rush so he doesn't question me.
"Great. Thank you Test Tube. I'm not being bias when I say this, but I think you should be the one to win" he gives me a wink and teleports away.
Wow, I would have never thought he would be cheering me on after I took him apart without his consent while he was unconscious and duplicated his parts, but I guess an apology really was all that he needed for us to move on. I wish it was like that with me and Lightbulb...
"GET IT TOGETHER TEST TUBE!" I shake my head and my arms limply follow the movement. I can't feel guilty right now, I have to keep my spirits high for the last challenge!
I make my way towards the woods and after a few minutes of speed walking I enter. I'm out of breath but try to keep my breathing at a minimal, trying not to make much sound as I walk around. I want to be able to catch Microphone off guard. She has that large gain on her back that should give her the advantage in this sort of situation, but Microphone probably doesn't have it turned up at the moment, at least, I'm hoping she doesn't.
To be honest, I have no idea where she is but the woods are one of the only places I can look so I'm just hoping she's in here. While I'm walking I stumble upon a particularly nice looking oak tree and decide to sit down and take a little break. While I'm gathering myself I try to come up with some sort of plan to find Microphone, maybe use a magnet! Are Microphones magnetic? Probably right?  As I'm thinking about ways to build or obtain a giant magnet, I hear sounds coming from behind the tree I'm at and decide to take a peek, and to my surprise I spot her. Shes sitting on a log  and I can see her side profile, her arms are wrapped around another object, I can't tell who they are from the side view, but... Ew. My face cringes, I seemed to have interrupted a make-out session. I adjust myself on the ground and try to stand up and walk away, maybe find her later and tell her the challenge is starting soon, but accidentally break a twig on the ground in half with my foot trying to get up. I'm hoping and praying that Microphone didn't hear that but my luck today is horrible so I'm assuming that she did.
She takes a breath from what she was doing and talks to her companion.
"Wait, did you hear that?
"Hear what? Why did you stop?" An aggravated voice says to Microphone.
"Well, I think someone is watching us!"
"That's preposterous Mic." the voice scoffs and seems to shrug it off "there are only two people left in the game and you already know Test Tube is still in her lab fiddling with her broken arms." They suddenly switch to a reassuring tone. "We'll be fine, don't worry about that thick skulled nimwit Test Tube, she will be out of our hair once we win the final challenge together."
Mic seems to let her guard down again, so I take this opportunity to switch my position on the ground to be able to see them. they both unknowingly turned their backs to me to sit on the log in a comfortable silence. Microphone is leaning her head on the others hard shell and they don't stop her.
I'm sure the one Microphone is sitting next to is Taco, and the sound of it they're working together and not just meeting here strictly for make-out purposes.
I've never met Taco before obviously, but going off of what Fan told me about the last season, she's not to be trusted, and now that I know that Microphone seems to be nothing but a filthy cheater, maybe things are going to turn around for me after all.