18:00

39 : Newcomer

Wake up.

Instantaneously, every bone in Microphone's body screamed that. Wake up, something's happening. Something's happened, wake up.

And, in the same instant, she awoke. The exhaustion that previously covered her head to toe snapped away into a cold chill, and she was standing up before she knew it.

Everything happened all too suddenly. She had just been dreaming a few seconds ago, where was she now? She opened her eyes, but was only met with dark gray. Not black, just dark gray.

Oh, and there were two other objects in the concrete room as well, neither of which Mic was fond to see.

Before either of them had the chance to speak, Mic screamed. Whether it be impulse or shock, even she didn't know. But she screamed at the top of her lungs, stumbling backwards with her eyes squeezed shut until her back hit the wall.

Before she could lose her breath, she felt somebody press the button on her chest. Her voice immediately cut off, though it was entirely lost. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, her hands held up.

"Could you be any louder?" Test Tube complained, adjusting her coat. Mic couldn't find the words to respond, just barely managing to breathe.

She took a moment to assess the situation. Test Tube was standing right in front of her, in the flesh. Test Tube herself. Mic's stomach sank when she realized the other object behind the scientist was Mephone4. Had Mic died in her sleep?

"Why am I here?!" Mic blurted, pressing her back against the wall behind her. To her surprise, it was wooden opposed to the concrete of the rest of the room. Her hand grazed over it, searching for a doorknob.

"Calm down. Panicking isn't going to help either of us." Test Tube said, though her threatening tone didn't make it easy to listen.

"Nonono I-" Microphone said under her breath. Her hand latched onto a doorknob, but when she tried to turn it, she found it was stuck.

"It's locked, if that's what you're wondering." Test Tube answered as if the action had been a question. Her eyes flitted to Mic's hand for a second before looking back up at her.

"I can't be here, I can't be here- this is just a nightmare." Microphone said. She still continued to twist at the doorknob, though she had realized it was in vain by now.

Test Tube was quick to tire of Mic's panicking, deciding to ignore it and take a few steps forward regardless of how much it freaked the other object out. Mic, in response, stifled another scream in her throat. "Don't come near me! Get away, I- I-"

"You what?" Test Tube asked slyly. Her hand dipped into the side pocket of her lab coat, pulling out an awfully familiar gun. Mic immediately sealed her lips, putting her hands flat at the sides of her head.

Test Tube nodded, though she kept her gun in her hand. "Now that you're done panicking, I offer you an explanation. As you've probably noticed, you're in my laboratory. In short, you died, and I revived you."

"I'm dead?" Mic asked, slightly lowering her hands out of confusion.

"You were, but I revived you. Pay attention." Test Tube said. "Now, as I was saying, I still have the ability to revive you. As such, I suggest cooperating."

"...What do you want?" Microphone asked. She could feel sweat build up on her palms, though she tried not to let her worry show.

"For now, I just want you to follow me." Test Tube instructed. "Of course, to get where we need to go, I'm going to need you to get your back off the door."

Mic considered saying something, but with a quick glance at the gun in Test Tube's hand, she took a step forward. Once Mic had stepped off to the side, Test Tube unlocked the door, leaving it open for the both of them.