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

08. When Given a Choice, Pick Her

Marsh had learned from previous team meetings that team meetings rarely accomplished much. Usually they involved Lightbulb and Paintbrush being passive-aggressive about the other's leadership ability. Other times they involved nearly being chucked into a fire by a deranged Taoist concept and witnessing manslaughter.

She'd have avoided it completely if Lightbulb hadn't told her to come specifically.

"Okay, bright team. I get the feeling there's a lot of tension up in here."

'Lightbulb sure is stating the obvious,' thought Marsh. The Bright Lights, sitting an a half-circle in the grass, were all a bit off-kilter; Fan hugged his egg close and glared at Paintbrush, who looked rather exhausted. In between them sat an uneasy Test Tube, tapping her fingers together.

"Of course, that's not a good thing, so we're gonna work things all out."

Apple was staring at Marsh from the other side of the half-circle. Marsh pointedly looked away. 'Creepy fruit.'

"Astute observation, but how?" That was Paintbrush.

"We'll do it through a li'l game I like to call... 'duck-duck-goose.'"

Paintbrush stood up. "...Lightbulb, I'm pretty sure that won't help."

Lightbulb slung an arm around Paintbrush's shoulders. "Relax, Painty. Duck-duck-goose is a totally fun game, and it'll totally work." Lightbulb dived to the spot where Paintbrush was formerly sitting. "And you're it!"

"I guess it couldn't hurt to try."

'Come on, Paintbrush. This isn't how I want to spend my day!' Marsh sent a glare at Apple for safe measure. Apple seemed to have stopped staring and failed to notice, though.

"Duck, duck, duck, duck... Goose!"

Paintbrush ran away from Test Tube, who looked surprised by her being 'goosed.' Test Tube got up to run after them, but soon Paintbrush was back beside Lightbulb, having evaded capture.

Test Tube picked Fan. Fan was up and after her, but failed to catch her.

'This is so stupid.'

When Fan "goosed" Marsh, she didn't even bother running after him; she just stood up. "You know what, I don't even want to play this game. At least not with a lowlife traitor."

Lightbulb was unfazed. "C'mon candy, there're no traitors on Team Bright Lights. Besides, you have to do what your team captain tells you to~"

Marsh glared pointedly at Apple. Fan gasped and began typing on his phone.

"...She's kinda right, Marshmallow," Paintbrush said. "We can't have a team-building exercise without the whole team."

Marsh huffed, then walked around the circle. She shut her eyes and mentally counted to eight on 'ducks', then goosed whoever she happened to be near.

She didn't even run one step before being bowled to the ground. "Yay! She picked me, she picked me, she picked me!"

Marsh's eye twitched. She didn't even have to open her eyes, but she did anyway. "Hey Lightbulb, what happens to the 'it' who got tagged?"

"Well, I didn't think that far ahead. I guess you win, Vitamin C."

Marsh shoved Apple off her with more strength than anyone would have expected.

"Hey Marsh, I get the feeling you're a little mad at-"

Marsh rolled her eyes. "Gee, I wonder what you did to have caused that." Sarcasm dripped from her tone. The sound of Fan typing grew louder.

"That's a relief; I thought I'd done something wrong! Does that mean we can-" Marsh flicked between her eyes, eliciting an 'ow.'

"I think we should have a team game of musical chairs next," Lightbulb suggested brightly. "I get the feeling there's still a lotta tension."

'Musical chairs?'

Marsh stormed off. To where? She didn't care as long as Apple wasn't there, outside of the view of the cameras.

Preferably no chairs, either. They gave her... complicated feelings.

The fact that Apple really thought she was that stupid as to not know it was all fake... kind of stung.

'I'm doing this because I'm the honorable rival, not to get a decent cry in, got it, Marsh? I will not stoop to her level. I will not give her an ironic fruit-related death! Nobody's SO stupid that they wouldn't see that. Not even her.'