HAUNTING RELAPSE. [Paint Cans 2 & II AU]

17: de-composition

Silence.

The sky was cloudy, and the dry weeds waved in response to the bitter chilling wind. An empty field on the edge of a forest lay beside it.

Light rustling was heard from the vegetation that covered the land from the air crawling around it and out, Leaves gracefully fell off the trees and onto the dirt below it.

The clouds were painted gray and everything else sucked in its tone like it was carefully painted by an artist.

Except for Mic.

Microphone stood out like a red dot on a white wall, although she wore monochrome clothes; she and her own garments wore purple accented accessories that were electrically themed.

The popstar walked through the brush and weeds, her locs flowing in the breeze. Leaves crunched under her boots at every step.

Microphone was doing a request for her partner, Taco. Her mind echoed her reminder in her head like a church bell.

"Go to Test Tube's Lab, I need that device." Taco's words reverberated inside Microphone's head so she wouldn't forget what she was going there for.

The girl squinted a little before exhaling, her feet moving quicker than her original jogging pace. Microphone could see the Dr. Fizz soda machine just a few meters away.

As soon as she got closer, he noticed the soda machine looked like it hadn't been touched in ages, ever since Test Tube passed away. However, Taco and Microphone visited frequently just to steal her work, devices, and whatever else she had for their own benefit.

Microphone didn't really feel good about doing it. It always felt cruel to steal from the lab. Even if she was gone every time she did deal with her partner it felt like she was being watched, however, she lightly shrugged it off, what was really gonna stop them? It's not like it was being used anymore.

Vines and vegetation wrapped around the machine as the light dimly buzzed from inside, her fingers dancing across the buttons with the code almost engraved in her head as she entered the combo to get inside the lab.

Mic braced herself to get pulled inside the lab, the tube popping out from the side, in great disrepair yet still functional. A strong gust of wind pulled the popstar inside the tube, squinting tightly as she tensed her body from the tunnel of wind that pushed her through the pipe system.

Finally, she safely hit on top of the pillow in front of the tube, her body sore as she stood up, dusting herself off.

Mic stood up only to be violently hit by a foul smell, almost gagging in response, "Did a raccoon die in here?" she said to herself, not expecting the pungent smell in the stagnant air of the lab.

Microphone tried ignoring it. The smell wafted around her as she searched shelves, cabinets, and boxes for the device she came for. Yet the smell was too much. She felt sick even being in the lab, The pop star was unsure whether to continue the search or push on for her partner. the longer she searched the more violent the odor got.

The smell got unbearable for her to continue further on in the lab. Then Microphone looked up,
Flies flew around, and the smell of rot was drawing near.

Mic scrunched her nose and fumbled around for a paper mask she quickly put on, the smell unmoving. Mic quickly slammed the cabinet doors shut as she couldn't find the device Taco so desperately wanted. It wasn't in this stretch of storage... Her eyes caught the side lab door, the lab where flies flew and the smell of rotten meat seeped its way into the walls.

The pop star gulped as she turned and walked towards it, the tension in the air so thick it was weighing down on her shoulders.

Mic was scared.