She's a Little Slow on the Uptake (Inanimate Insanity)

Falling

Tree-climbing!

It wasn't usually something that got a mental exclamation mark, but whenever Apple thought of it, she bounced on her feet. That's because it was the one challenge she knew she would win. Paintbrush had painting, Test Tube had science, Apple had the trees.

It took little common sense and even less book-smarts. But it was a lot of physical activity.

It was perfect.

'Wonder what Marshmallow's one challenge would be... Maybe she's just well-rounded, whatever that means.'

"Hey Marshmallow, is there any kind of challenge that you know you could win? Like, against anybody?"

"A-Apple... oh my marsh, could you please slow down?"

Apple stopped climbing higher in the tree and looked down at Marshmallow, who was at least fifteen feet under her. She looked almost like she was in pain. "I'm already going slow," Apple answered. "I believe in you!"

'I can hear her panting from here. Guess she's less well-rounded than I thought.'

She gritted her teeth. "It would be a bit easier if it didn't hurt to even grab the thing."

"Just keep climbing! You can do this!"

Marshmallow painstakingly rose a few inches. Apple pumped a fist. "Woo! You're halfway to the easy part! Just another couple of pulls... C'mon!"

"I was not... cut out for... this..."

Marshmallow skidded down the side of the trunk, then fell to the ground with a thud.

"Uhh..." Apple scrambled down the tree and crouched beside Marshmallow, tempted to poke her or something. Her form was all bumpy from the tree; her cheeks were flushed from exertion. Whatever exertion was. "You okay?"

"J-just exhausted... and a little injured."

There was something strange about seeing her that way, all exhausted. It filled her with accomplishment.

...Whatever that was.

"Ah geez." Apple grinned ruefully. "It's never hurt me before. Practice makes perfect."

"It's a difference in anatomy," Marshmallow huffed, getting to her feet and wincing. "I just mold to the form of the side of the tree because I'm soft, so it pulls stuff off of me when I climb." She nodded to the tree; there were little white clumps on its rough bark.

Apple gasped. "I'm so sorry. I didn't think climbing the tree would actually hurt you! Is there any way I can make it up to you?"

"If we could find a tree with a smoother trunk, maybe I could climb that, but like I said, I'm not really cut out for this. We could just try doing something else from our list of things we have in common..."

Marshmallow pulled out the hand-written list and skimmed. Apple was impressed at how quick her eyes seemed to move.

'I wonder if she's impressed with my handwriting... T-that'd be pretty cool. Unlikely, but... maybe she's impressed by my tree-climbing skills. I sure hope so.'

She gazed at Marshmallow with an absent little grin on her face, an idea beginning to take form...

"Maybe music," Marshmallow murmured aloud. "We could improvise some instruments or get them from the hotel. Does that-"

"What if we did piggy-back rides?"

Marshmallow looked at her strangely. "Piggy-back rides? That's not on the list..." She glanced back over the list. "You think that could be fun?"