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

16

Lightbulb jolted awake, immediately yelling out;

"Where's Paintbrush!" Her mind rushed to think about them, and if they were okay, before even realizing the situation she was in, or even the crack on her head... The room she now observed looked like a small, empty light blue room, with a window on one wall, next to a door. Stood through the window were two objects... Microphone and Taco.

"Paintbrush is... not here." Microphone spoke.

"Are-- Are they okay?" Lightbulb rushed over to the door, trying to open it. Locked.

"They're... um..." Microphone glanced at Taco now, who Lightbulb had never seen before, but she looked... very bad off, a crack running along her shell, and a metal arm that looked very badly damaged. 

"They're in the hospital." Taco spoke. Lightbulb stopped.

"Are they..."

"Oh they're alive, don't worry! I'm sure they'll be fine, though unfortunate... I really thought I got them." Taco grinned now, knowing exactly what she was doing. Microphone now just observed, unsure of her partner's tactics.

Lightbulb lowered her hands from the door now, stepping away to look through the window.

"You... hurt them." Her eyes sparked, changing to a bright blue, as if her powers were in use. She stepped forward to the glass, now throwing a punch, though the second her fist hit the window, she was sent back into the opposite wall of the room. She screamed out as she was flung. The window remained undamaged, though the crack on Lightbulb's head grew from the impact.

She stood quickly, stomping over to the window.

"Once I get out of here I swear I'll- I..." Lightbulb pointed at Taco, unable to find the words to use. Taco laughed.

"You're a funny one, aren't you?" She took up a condescending tone now.

"Oh yeah? You think you have the high ground? I can just shatter myself and get out!" Lightbulb crossed her arms, and smirked, now making direct eye contact with her, trying to control her emotions as well as possible... Checkmate-- except well... no.

"Oh riiight! About that, I'm sure you're going to want to be more careful seeing as when I left those fireworks at your base those days ago, I dismantled that recovery machine of yours... But yes, go ahead, shatter yourself. See what happens." Taco kept her smirk, as Lightbulb's turned to terror... Sure, Taco was only telling a half truth, having brought the components back to her own base in case she did try to actually shatter herself, but that part certainly wasn't important.

"And checkmate." Taco finally said, knowing she had won the upper hand.

Lightbulb turned away from the mirror now, heading to the other wall, keeping her back turned.

"You didn't have to go so harsh..." Mic whispered.

"Look, we're this close to finishing the mission, why not let me have fun with this?"

Microphone sighed. "Fine... Just... don't go too far. I'll be out prepping the machine." Mic left before Taco could say anything else.

"Why should I even help you. I don't even care that I'm trapped here, I have all the time in the world." Lightbulb finally turned back around, trying to keep a serious face without cracking under the stress she was really feeling.

"What's going to make you want to help us? Oh, just the promise that if you don't, I'll see to it personally that hero you admire falls... oh, for good this time... If you catch my meaning." Taco watched as Lightbulb's serious expression faded, this time to one of hopelessness. She truly had no cards in this game.