Bryce knew that one day, he and his friends would finally be able to go home. So when his eyes fluttered open, drawing him from the bliss of sleep, he noticed...
He wasn't on the Plane.
He became alert, shooting up with a gasp. His blank state fel...
Hello everyone!! I know a lot of you have been waiting for the next update, and this fic hasn't been updated since January, which I apologize for! I started to have hyperfixations on other fandoms, but I love this fic as much as I always have when I first started it.
Right now, I'm about 2.3k words into the next chapter, "Fan's Fantastic Fenture! (Goddammit, Fan, it's spelled with a V!)." Let me tell you now, and it's not even halfway done! I'm sure I've mentioned it before, but the Inanimate Insanity section is going to cover the ENTIRE fic and the events that have occurred so far. So, it's going to be longer than usual!
To make up for such a long wait, here's an excerpt from the fourth chapter! Thank you all for being so patient. You all give me the motivation to continue with this fic! It means a whole lot to me that people enjoy my writing and the artwork that goes along with it. Hope you've all had a happy pride month and a good summer!
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"Speaking of blogging, I need ideas! There are so many new opportunities now that all the contestants are back..." it said almost dreamily (it made sure not to speak too loudly to irritate its partner's headache), its eyes sparkling at the thought. "And all the strangers, too! Who knows why they're here?"
"You're not concerned about it?" Test Tube asked, though with a smile. Of course, of all people to be excited about this situation, it was Fan.
"Well, I'm absolutely terrified at the thought of talkin' to people, but I think I'll be fine! After all, you know I got more confident throughout the show and our relationship," it smiled proudly, miming the motion of fixing a bowtie.
"Not that," Test Tube laughed. "I was talking about why and how they got here. Something is going on if we all woke up here in groups..."
Fan shrugged. "Nobody seems hostile! Whatever is going on is something for me to deal with later after I get my much needed cuddles and hot chocolate."
"If anyone threatens you guys, it's not gonna be pretty," Paintbrush huffed, giving a squeeze to their hands.
"Oh, our Paintbrush in shining glittery paint," Test Tube said playfully, raising a hand against his 'forehead' to add to the dramatic effect as he leaned on them. "Here to save us from the danger of strangers..."
"Oh, how we can count on you to save us damsels in distress!" Fan swooned with a laugh.
They rolled their eyes, a grin on their face. "You guys are so stupid," Paintbrush laughed, removing their hands from theirs and wrapping their arms around their lovers.
Before either of them could say anything, they were disturbed by two sudden claps. It was enough to echo and silence panic yelling from the others. The lovers paused, their smiles fading as both curiosity and concern took over Test Tube's face. She was one of the first ones to wake up, which left her time to dwell on their situation. It felt like those two claps were the start of everything.
Everyone turned their attention to what looked to be the largest group of objects, noticing the green figure in front of the crowd. They were the number Two. "Excuse me, what in the gumdrops is going on?" they questioned, their British accent strong.
It appears someone was finally taking the initiative.
"We wanted to figure that part out too, trust me," the crayon box from one of the other groups said with a frown. She had her hands on her 'hips.'
Close to them, they could see MePhone give a quiet sigh. "Test Tube, mind telling us exactly the hell is going on?"
Test Tube frowned. She wasn't surprised she would be accused, but he didn't appreciate it nonetheless. "It wasn't me this time, MePhone. Trust me, I'd know if my experiments went haywire and caused this many people to wake up here. The only lead I have is that these people appeared to have woken up here. I doubt any of us have an idea of what is going on."
MePhone groaned, rubbing the space in between his screen face with his fingers. "I do not have the energy to deal with this..." he grumbled. "Alright, everyone, listen up!" he exclaimed, crossing his arms and stepping forward to make sure everyone could see him. "You, you, and you," he said, pointing to the two, the crayon box, and a backpack from the last group, respectively. "Come on up. Let's figure this out."
As they grouped, Test Tube stared as they did so. His chemicals bubbled a little. She had an odd feeling in her stomach when she looked at them. It was as if they had some sort of importance. Hm. Maybe I'll consult Candle later, he thought. After all, if anyone knew anything about the energy of an aura, it'd be Candle.
"About time we began figuring this out," Paintbrush sighed with relief, their headache calming somewhat. While the crowds began talking again, it was in hushed words as if waiting for the world to continue moving, as if they couldn't disrupt this.
"I can already predict I'll get dragged into this," Test Tube huffed.
"That just shows how smart people think you are," Fan smiled, leaning on her. "Which you are!"
"Flattery gets you nowhere, sweetheart," she joked. "But I suppose it wouldn't hurt... Starting an investigation with all sorts of new input, gee- that sounds just grand!" he beamed, a few bubbles popping within his chemicals. "I haven't been able to start any new projects with how recent my elimination was and how I just settled down, but we can start now!"
"And I can be your assistant!" Fan declared eagerly, its eyes shining at the prospect. Unlike Test Tube, he was eliminated earlier, giving him a chance to make more blogs and analyses on the internet. Nonetheless, he was naturally curious and loved anything to do with his partner.
Paintbrush shook their head at the both of them fondly. "You guys are gonna drag me into this, too, aren't you?"
Fan gave them a playful grin. "Aw, c'mon, Painty, you know you love hanging out with us!"
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Notes:
if any of you are confused, let me tell you the pronouns paintbrush, test tube, and fan use !!
fan: he/it, referred to as boyfriend test tube: she/he, referred to as girlfriend paintbrush: they/them, referred to as partner/lover
