A Marshmallow's Guide to Loving a Complete Idiot (Inanimate Insanity)(Marshple)

Lesson #2: Find Common Ground

Earth's gravity was vastly different from space's, so Marshmallow initially wobbled when she climbed out of the Grand Slams rocket.

She'd overheard enough to gather a few things: the second challenge was to build a rocket and save her, and the Grand Slams won.

Both of these things were... annoying, to say the least, but despite the less-than-ideal circumstances (and the fact that MePhone was a jerk), Marshmallow was in good spirits when she saw her team. Lightbulb was the first to notice her: "You may have benefitted from Paintbrush's prejudice today, but that doesn't make them right."

"Whatever," Paintbrush retorted. They stood off to the side, a hand on their hip and their eyes on the sky. "I just hope the others are as lucky as you, Marsh, or we'll be five short going into the next challenge."

One of the newbies raised her hand and interrupted, "Actually, even if they are incompetent, which we don't have ample evidence to confirm, the rocket's route was programmed with a special algorithm. Even if they steer towards the asteroid belt and gas giants beyond, it'll still take them right back to Earth, safe and sound!"

"Nerd," one cherry razzed, as the other laughed. They shrank when Marsh looked at them.

'Thanks for caring I'm back,' Marsh thought sarcastically, right before she heard the sound of a rocket-engine in the sky. It landed a stone's throw away; Yin-Yang tumbled out, punching himself. Apple stumbled off behind him, dropping something and falling face-first into the grass. Fan grabbed whatever fell out of her arms before it could fall with her.

But even as Fan got off the rocket, Apple remained facedown. After a second, Marsh walked over and extended a hand to her. Resisting the (onerously obsolete) urge to kick her, she spoke gently, "You need a hand?"

Apple propped herself up and stared at Marsh for a moment before flying at her. "MARSHMALLOW! You're OK, I'm so glad! I thought you turned into an egg, it was HORRIBLE!"

Marsh stumbled backwards but somehow remained balanced under Apple's weight. It took her a split second to realize it was a hug.

'...At least someone's glad to see me.'

Marsh laughed, pushing Apple away. "Wait, how would I turn into an egg?!"

"Mars is a strange place!" Apple answered brightly. "I'm so glad you're OK, though. I woulda been so sad if you died before we could become friends..."

Marsh raised her eyebrows. "Friends?"

"Yeah!" Apple turned to her with a sunny grin. "I mean, why not? You're pretty cool."

'...She did try her best to rescue me for the challenge,' Marsh thought, and replied, "It's worth a try."

"What do friends do, though?"

Well, all the greatest friends had something in common, right? Salt and Pepper shared a brain, OJ and Paper shared a hatred for betrayal, and Marsh and Paintbrush shared a pragmatic mindset and drive to succeed.

Therein lay the problem because, if you'd asked her what she and Apple had in common just a few hours ago, she would've laughed in your face. What could she possibly have in common with her dimwitted, spiteful, violent enemy with an awful voice?

But a lot had changed lately, so maybe she was wrong about that, too.

"Figuring out what we have in common would be a good start. So maybe we can come up with lists of things we enjoy and try them out?"

Apple practically threw a crayon and a sheet of paper at her; Marsh only just managed to catch them. "Good thing I'm always prepared, ha! ...Wait, what does prepared mean?"