AIB Fanfic One Shot.

Pitchfork and Bone

AN: AIB belongs to Gatling Groink 57.

Pitchfork was feeling glum as usual. It was the period between challenges, and while her team was off doing their own thing (mainly trying to prevent Chip Bag from dying), she was all by herself, staring at the remains of the Glowstick plush. It had been a good thing to vent to, even if she did destroy it. For all his unwanted flirting, Glowstick was one of the few people who was actually unconditionally nice to her, despite her being grumpy all the time. And being an outcast like this sucked. Pitchfork wished she had someone, anyone to talk to. Someone who doesn't hate her.

"Ms. Pitchfork?"

The voice startled her. She turned around and saw that TiVo had approached her. "What do you want?" she asked in a neutral tone of voice that was neither friendly nor hostile.

"I couldn't help but notice that you are all by yourself. Why aren't you socializing with your team?" TiVo asked. It wasn't with hostility, but rather with curiosity.

"They don't want me," Pitchfork replied. "I bet that they will vote me out if we ever lose again, so why bother being with them?"

TiVo went silent at that reply. "Why doesn't your team want you to be near them?" they asked.

"Because I can't seem to work together with them. I messed up on the third challenge, and it was only because of Pear being a jerk to Oodle that I wasn't eliminated!" Pitchfork said with frustration.

"I see," TiVo replied. They wondered whether or not they should reveal that Pitchfork really was the one the voters had originally chosen to vote out but decided that it would wait for another day. "Perhaps you could get advice from someone else," they stated.

"Who here, would I get advice from?" Pitchfork asked.

"Well, from observing the teams, I have noticed that someone else is in your position. This person is also hated, but I can't fathom the reason why. No one will tell me why, either,".

Pitchfork thought for a bit, trying to figure out who would be hated as much as she is right now. She then figured out exactly who. "It's Bone, isn't it?" she asked.

TiVo (or rather their face on their screen) nodded.

"How am I supposed to talk to him, if I'm part of the restraining order against him?" Pitchfork asked.

"To be fair, his own team has violated it themselves," TiVo replied.

"Heh, well, we don't really have a legal system here anyways, so they nor Bone could really get in trouble for it. But what's your point? Should...I really go talk to him?" Pitchfork asked.

"If it will help you, then yes. But it's your choice. He seems overly cheerful despite all that's going on with him," said TiVo. "Perhaps he could use your help as well,".

Pitchfork thought about it for a bit. She didn't even remember what Bone did to gain everyone else's hatred. Then again, he did seem to be gaining some respect from his team. After all, he did make them come in first place for the third challenge. She sighed. It might be better than just sitting around looking at the remains of the Glowstick plush.

Speaking of Bone, the calcium-based object was doing his usual hobby of drawing. None of his other teammates were around at the moment (and luckily for him, Telescope wasn't around to be suspicious), so he was just all by himself. Well, almost.

"Hey! Listen up!" a familiar voice inside his head exclaimed. "You got a visitor! No telling them about me, you hear?"

Bone silently nodded. He looked up and was surprised to see that Pitchfork was staring down at him. "Um...can I help you?" he asked nervously.

"I need advice," Pitchfork said curtly.

"A-advice?" Bone asked. "W-what sort of advice?" he asked.

"I...want to know how to...cope with my team hating me," said Pitchfork, with hesitation in her voice.

"Oh...um...I guess you can try finding a hobby?" Bone asked. It was the same suggestion that TiVo had made to her.

"Yeah. What sort of hobby do you think is good for me?" Pitchfork asked.

"W-well, there isn't really a whole lot of things to do here right now. I mean, you can try to go swimming," he points at the ocean that was not too far from them. "I know that Recycling Bin has her garbage collection hobby, so there's that,".

"What about you? I haven't really been paying attention to you, since...well," Pitchfork started to say before Bone finished for her.

"My restraining order?" he asked.

"Yeah! That's it!" Pitchfork stated.

"Speaking of which, aren't you technically violating it?" Bone asked.

"We don't have a legal system and your team has done the same," Pitchfork replied.

"True, but Telescope is the only one who really noticed,".

"Back to the original topic, what is your hobby?" Pitchfork asked.

"Well, I like to draw. I find it sort of helps me be more...relaxed. I have a spare set of crayons that Oodle gave me in case my current ones get to short, but maybe you could use them. My current ones are still usable,". He hands her his spare crayon set. "Oh wait, you need paper too," he says as he gets out a piece of paper.

"...Thanks," Pitchfork stated, taking the crayons and paper. She sighed. "I might as well return the favor. Why do you let your team be so mean to you?"

"Huh?" Bone asked.

"I mean, I might be abrasive, but I've forgotten why we had a restraining order on you in the first place, and even though you won two challenges for your team, I still feel like something is...not right,".

Bone began to get nervous at that statement. Pitchfork couldn't know about his...secret. Would she?

"Don't you think that your team is only being nice to you because you are useful to them now?" Pitchfork asked. "Think about it, they booed at you during the third challenge, and during the fourth they only wanted your help because you can draw,".

"Well..." Bone began.

"Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat this. But you shouldn't let yourself be pushed around by people. That will only make them more likely to step all over you. Your team might be nice to you now, but they might be doing so, because you are useful. The moment you screw up, your team will be back to square one. So, grow a backbone...er, you know what I mean,". Pitchfork got up and began to walk away.

Bone took out the picture of his team that he was looking at not too long ago. He was thinking about what Pitchfork said. Suddenly he jolted and his eyes turned red.

"Hey, we need to talk".

Bone went over to the water and looked at his reflection. "Why?" he asked.

"That was a close one with...Pitchfork, was it? It's a good thing she didn't find out about your little secret?"

Bone was silent for a while.

"Hey! Snap out of it! It's all good, right?"

Bone looked back at his reflection, who had red eyes instead of his normal ones. "Remember what you said last challenge? That I need you as much as you need me?" he asked, his tone not having its usual nervousness.

"Yeah? What's your point?"

"Well, Pitchfork is right. I do let my team stomp all over me. And I let you stomp all over me,".

"H-hey now? We're buddies right? I mean, I'm sorry if I got a little threatening last challenge, but we're all good right? It's a mutual relationship!"

"Mutual. Heh. Well, keep in mind that I can end this relationship any time I want. If you want to keep this relationship with me, then you better not make things look suspicious in front of everyone. I want to do things for myself for the next challenge,".

"My, it seems that someone has grown a spine. But very well. I'll let you do things by yourself next time. But I WON'T come out if you ask. Are we CLEAR?"

"Clear as day," Bone said, not at all unnerved by the forcefulness of the words.