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Testbulbrush is the poly ship between Test Tube, Lightbulb, and Paintbrush from the Inanimate Insanity fandom.
Canon[]
Inanimate Insanity II[]
After the ice breaker challenge, Test Tube and Paintbrush are both placed on Lightbulb's team, The Bright Lights. In the dodgeball challenge, Lightbulb, Paintbrush, and Test Tube all take out Baseball, Nickel, and Suitcase respectively. Each of them boast about having arms while the other three of them don't. Lightbulb calls for them to take down their last two opponents, Knife and Microphone, although the latter ends up getting the three and the rest of the Bright Lights out.
In the second challenge, Paintbrush vouches for Test Tube to build the rocket for their team. When Lightbulb questions how they would know she's qualified, Paintbrush connects test tubes and rockets both being related to science. However, Lightbulb sees it as Paintbrush judging her based on her appearance and calls them out for it. After going to get some tools, Paintbrush brings them to Lightbulb and asks her to see if Test Tube can build the rocket or not. Lightbulb goes over to do so and doesn't expect Test Tube to know how to build one, although she is taken aback when Test Tube proves her otherwise. As Paintbrush proclaims that they were right, Lightbulb insists that it was just this one time they were.
During the pizza baking challenge, Lightbulb gives the team the idea to make a cookie pizza which Paintbrush disapproves of. Lightbulb calls Paintbrush judgemental and mentions when they thought Test Tube would be good at science simply for being a test tube, which happened to be right that time. Lightbulb says that she's got bright ideas like a lightbulb would and then uses the analogy to describe how Paintbrush has not painted anything despite them being a paintbrush. As the two get into an argument over who the better leader of the team would be, Test Tube and the other Bright Lights support Paintbrush when they nominate themselves as the new leader. Later when Lightbulb presents the cookie pizza she made anyways to the team, Test Tube is excited by it while Paintbrush is still doubtful that it would appeal to the judges.
While in Purgatory Mansion with Fan, she talks with him about Paintbrush and Lightbulb fighting frequently. Test Tube hears from Fan about how Lightbulb is popular despite not being the best leader although Paintbrush just wants the best for the team.
When OJ takes over hosting duties, Lightbulb, Test Tube, and the other Bright Lights are shocked when Paintbrush convinces him that they won the last challenge despite them losing then. As Paintbrush gets them to be on board with their plan, Lightbulb and the others understand although Test Tube is doubtful at first. Later when Paintbrush fails to get the other Bright Lights to help them with cleaning Hotel OJ for the challenge, they are relieved when Lightbulb is willing to help them out. However, Lightbulb accidentally trips on a mop and shatters before she can do so as Test Tube talks with Fan about the specifics of how many times she's shattered at that point.
After Test Tube tries sprinkling rice to cure a sickened MePhone, Paintbrush points out to her that it only works with water damage. Lightbulb pulls out soy sauce to go with the rice and throws it onto MePhone, further making him glitch out. Later when Test Tube and Paintbrush defend Fan from Steve Cobs acting creepy towards him, Lightbulb claims to know a guy who can get creepy with them. The three later make a run for it with the other Bright Lights once Paintbrush gets their hands on a battery for MePhone.
After the maze challenge, MePhone forgets that there was no elimination afterwards and realizes this after he gathered the three and Fan to the elimination area. During the bucket brigade challenge, Lightbulb scoops up water with a bucket to pass to Test Tube, who then gives it to Fan in order to raise the platform Paintbrush is on to get them closer to their team's key. At one point, Lightbulb accidentally throws Test Tube into the water instead of the bucket, angering Paintbrush. As Lightbulb and Fan use the water inside Test Tube to rise the platform further, Paintbrush is lifted high enough where they can grab the key to unlock their team chest. After getting balls from the chest, Lightbulb wants to make the first shot but is saddened when Paintbrush does not allow her to. Paintbrush makes the first shot and successfully hits the target, leaving Test Tube to make the next one despite the water from earlier making her dizzy.
Because of Marshmallow's disqualification from the show, the three, along with Fan, become the last remaining Bright Lights. Later after Lightbulb and Test Tube accidentally end up travelling to the past, Lightbulb notices Paintbrush from the old timeline. As she tries to get their attention, Paintbrush tries to ask MePhone about it as Test Tube snaps Lightbulb out of it. She warns Lightbulb that she is confusing a "stylistically challenged" version of Paintbrush despite Lightbulb finding it full-circle. Meanwhile in the current timeline, Fan and Paintbrush realize that Test Tube and Lightbulb are gone. Despite finding Lightbulb's disappearance sad at first, Paintbrush uses the opportunity to do the challenge without any distractions from her. While in the altered future, Lightbulb opens up about her challenges with Paintbrush not wanting to work with her and Test Tube being upset at her to the contestants from that timeline. Later during the elimination when Paintbrush is revealed to have the most votes out, Lightbulb gifts them her pet crab to remember her by and Test Tube and Fan give her one last wave goodbye before they head into the elimination portal. After Paintbrush is gone, Lightbulb leans in on Test Tube as she puts her hand on Lightbulb's back.
Later in the competition, Lightbulb shows the three other remaining contestants a device that Test Tube made for her: a pen to click on if she ever gets nervous. Later when she clicks on the pen during the challenge, she reveals to Taco that the pen sends out a signal that contacts someone. When Paintbrush ends up arriving, Lightbulb is overjoyed to see them again as Paintbrush explains that they picked up the signal that Test Tube described to them. After Lightbulb decides to stay with Paintbrush instead of completing the challenge, the two walk through the elimination portal to meet up with Test Tube and Fan. Lightbulb can be seen catching up with the three as she then gives advice to Baseball about being there for his team like she was for hers.
During the Hotel OJ party, Test Tube and Paintbrush agree to join in on Fan with searching for the source of the screeching sound similar to his egg. As Baseball warns them that it is not safe to leave, Lightbulb says the opposite and allows them to leave. As she calls Baseball dramatic, Paintbrush agrees as they head out with Test Tube and Fan.
As the contestants in Hotel OJ gather everyone to ensure where they are, Lightbulb realizes that the other Bright Lights are still out there. She sets off to find them as she repeatedly clicks on the pen to reach out for them. As Paintbrush receives the emergency signal after Test Tube's deletion, they also set out to find her. Shortly after witnessing Fan get deleted as well, Lightbulb arrives and has to face MePhoneX about to delete her as well. Despite Paintbrush urging Lightbulb to fight back, she accepts her fate and Paintbrush becomes deeply saddened when Lightbulb gets deleted.
In the MeAfterLife, Test Tube and Fan revive Lightbulb and Paintbrush, the latter two glad to see each other again. Them, along with the rest of the contestants, partake in escaping the place via the Red Line Game.
Fanon[]
The ship with just the three is somewhat rare in the fandom overall. The ship is one of four variations of the Poly Bright Lights ship, with this one not including Fan. Though, most content of the three together usually is reasoned by Paintbrush and Test Tube being the closest people for Lightbulb and her wanting equal affection from both. The ship has gained a following on platforms such as Tumblr, with art and blogs mostly portraying the three in an affectionate manner with each other. When not together with Fan, the ship is usually rivaled by those including him such as Fantube and Fanbrush.
On AO3, as of January 17, 2025, the ship has 5 works in its tag. It is the 5th most written poly ship for the show.
Fandom[]
- FAN FICTION
- Lightbulb/Paintbrush/Test Tube tag on AO3
- Testbulbrush stories on Wattpad
- FAN ART
- Lightbulb, Paintbrush, and Test Tube search results on DeviantArt
- TIKTOK
- Testbulbrush posts on TikTok
- TUMBLR
- Testbulbrush posts on Tumblr
- Testbulbbrush posts on Tumblr
- Testbulbrush posts on Twitter
- Testbulbbrush posts on Twitter
