The squip blinked in confusion, "wh...at...?" He raised an eyebrow.

Michael's eyes grew wide, "I-I remembered you." His voice was a murmur.

The squip scoffed, "Unlikely, I've never met you before and my systems aren't quite identifying anything but a neighborhood loser." He hissed.

Michael flinched at the name, glaring down at the squip, "Whatever." He grabbed the neck hem of the other's trench coat and dragged them both up into a standing position, "You're coming with me."

"Or what?" The squip scowled.

Michael poked the squip's side, earning a loud squeal from him as he dragged the boy down the street.

"N-No fair!" The squip growled as the squipped townsfolk behind them blinked hazily.

I'll take care of them later... Michael frowned as he continued towards the apartment complex, stopping at the entrance and waving, knowing very well that there was a camera located just above the old, hickory door.

It took a few moments before the door flung open and multiple lab-coated biologists rushed out, grabbing both Michael and the Squip by the shoulders and harshly dragging them in, slamming the door shut behind them.

"Wh-what's wrong guys? I-I just did my job." Michael winced, frowning at the pain of the forceful grips around his upper arm, the hoodie provided some cushioning but not much.

"Just shut up and obey." One of the biologists grumbled.

Michael let out a small whimper as they brought him and the Squip into what he called The Shot Room.

It was really the lab, but Michael identified it as The Shot Room, due to this being the very place his blood-draws and IVs took place.

Michael glanced over at the comfy love seat he usually sat upon while being injected with or plunged fluids, blinking in alarm as he passed by it quickly, still being yanked along. He and the Squip were soon brought into a room that branched off from the main room of the lab and practically thrown onto their own separate, silver tables, being strapped down to them and tilted into an upright position.

The squip growled as he thrashed around, trying to break loose the straps, "I'll kill you all, I swear!" He screeched, "Just try me!"

"Try this." One of the remaining biologists punctured a needle into the Squip's thigh.

"What are you-ooou...do....iinng...." The Squip's words got longer until they ceased and his head fell onto his shoulder as he fell into a deep sleep.

"Now for you." The same biologist approached Michael.

Michael squirmed around, regretting using up his Mountain Dew Red powers on the Squip and wishing he had them now to get out of here, whimpering as the biologist stopped in front of him, "I-I'd rather not- c-can't we talk about-" He yelped as he was stabbed in the thigh with the thin, metal tube of a needle, though soon the pain seemed to numb, until it was gone completely, taking him into a dark patch of mind and releasing his dreamscape.

You know that you are my favorite person...

...And we're never not gonna' be a team...

Michael gasped as he woke up with a start, breaking out in a cold sweat while he processed where he was. He winced at the bright lights around him and blinked until his gaze adjusted to the harsh glares. When he finally came to the right sense of mind he felt a wave of pain slice through his head, and some heaviness as well. Michael tried to reach from his head to feel it but his arm was strapped down.

Right...this.

Michael looked around, the room was now full of scattered tools on rollaway tables and an IV ran from Michael's middle-arm, though it didn't hurt that much currently, it was better than the wrist.

"Sucks doesn't it?"

Michael looked up to put a face to the voice he'd heard, the squip still strapped to his own silver platform across from him, "Wh-what- wh-why did they do this?"

"Why did they do this? Why wouldn't they do this?"

"What...?" Michael frowned, "B-but the biologists are my friends!"

The Squip let out a laugh, "Really? What kind of friend corrupts you and then stabs you in the back while they're at it?"

"What...what do you mean?" Michael huffed in confusion.

"You really don't know?" The squip furrowed his brow in disbelief.

"...No..." Michael looked down at his feet in embarrassment, should he know?

"Have ever even wondered at least once where your powers came from?"

"...Once but...they put me in the basement and-"

The squip shook his head, "Typical..."

"What do you mean typical?" Michael's confusion thickened.

"They don't want you to know, Michael." The squip sighed.

"Don't want me to know what exactly?"

The squip growled in annoyance, "You're a labrat, Micha!" he snapped at the boy, "They've been using you and they'll keep using you until you've served your purpose like I did! Then they'll just throw you onto the streets like you're nothing!"

Michael began to tremble, "Th-they wouldn't."

"Yeah, they would, and they will." The Squip nodded with a glare.

"Why would they- wait- h-how do you know my name?" Michael shook his head.

"What, can I not look into your mind's personal file?" The Squip grinned.

Michael squeaked, "Wh-what'd you see?"

"Mainly cat memes- mainly bleps." The Squip sighed, "Though...something else..."

Michael flinched, Please don't be my internet history, "Y-yeah?"

"...Who's Jeremy...?"

Michael let out a small sigh of relief before he felt like the earth itself had come crashing down on him, crushing his lungs, "J-Jeremy?"

"Yeah."

"...Honestly...I don't really know." Michael frowned.

"There was a lot of memories stored there- of course, I didn't have the time or motivation to look through them...well-" The squip paused, "Okay a few but just to know you two were...close.."

"I don't remember a lot, if anything, from before I woke up in the lab. I was told I had volunteered for experimenting and agreed to all of this shit." Michael frowned at his own language, the biologists discouraged cursing- but it felt quite appropriate at the time right now, "And that my memory had been wiped for safety purposes." Michael shifted, "But I remember the name Jeremy. I don't remember much beyond that...just that he was...someone important, you know?"

The Squip looked up at Michael, "...No...Actually...I don't remember anything either."

Michael shook his head, "Wh-what?"

"Well, you didn't think I magically got my super-computer abilities did you?"

Michael shrugged, "I-I don't know." He muttered.

"Same as you, I was kept as their little lab rat until I saw past the whole scheme and went rogue...but...Michael, earlier...you said Jeremy's name."

Michael nodded, "...Yeah..."

"Why?"

"You remind me of him I guess." Michael shrugged.

"Yeah but see, how is that possible?" The Squip shifted his weight a bit, "You can't remember a single thing about the guy and some how I remind you of him?"

Michael opened his mouth to speak but then closed it once again when he found himself at a loss for words.

The Squip cleared his throat, "Do you mind if I uh...access your memory files?"

"Is that possible? I'm not squipped." Michael questioned.

"Apparently, if I was able to receive your data earlier- my guess is that your sole purpose is to protect and defend the town- or whoever- from me, so it would make sense that you and I are made of the same biology and chemicals so...let's give it a whirl?"

Michael nodded slowly, "What have I got to lose?"

The Squip nodded, closing his eyes before reopening them, the pupils now taking the hue of Michael's outfit, a brilliant shade of red, "Accessing Memory Data." There were multiple noises produced by the Squip during the next few minutes, mainly beeping, grinding and turning of gears, until finally-

The Squip let out a gasp before weakly falling into his metal-platform, trembling.

"A-Are you alright?" Michael murmured worriedly.

The Squip looked up at Michael with round eyes, "M-Mikey?" He whimpered.

Michael furrowed his brow in confusion, "Uh...yeah?"

The Squip shook his head, closing his eyes once more, repeating his previous procedure, "Restoring Memory Data"

Before Michael could comment or object, his mind was filled to the brim with memories and experiences- all feeling as if they'd happened over years and years of his life but being only seconds in the waking world, he was silent. But only verbally. Warm tears began to trickle down his face as he looked over to the boy across from him, "Jer!" He shrieked.

The Squip, Jeremy, smiled widely, his eyes bright and his features beaming.

Michael began thrashing about, attempting to break the straps holding him down, growling when it was no use, "I need my powers- shit I'm too dehydrated." He frowned.

Jeremy returned the frown, looking down as he resumed his shy self, "I can't believe I was stupid enough to believe them..."

"It wasn't your fault, Jer, they took you- right?"

Jeremy looked away, "No, it was my own stupidity that got us here."

"How?"