Chapter Text
Apple was sat, near her room’s door with her back pressed against her bed. She had a piece of paper in front of her as she drew on it. Nothing in particular, just random meshes of different things.
Apple was busy drawing a pony in brightly colored crayons, she was alone. She didn’t like it, the only thing keeping her grounded in her room was the sound of voices outside in the hallway.
Otherwise, she’d would’ve left and gone to another, more populated room. She hates being alone, even if most other contestants don’t like her all that much due to her being ‘definitionly challenged’ in a few aspects, or much rather all aspects of knowledge.
The other residents of Hotel OJ weren’t as cool about Apple’s questions as Marshmallow was when the two used to be friends. The others would often ignore her, which led to her to stop asking and went to borrow OJ’s or Paper’s phone, at least they were nice enough to lend their phone for a bit.
Apple all the time was left with words she didn’t understand, ‘cause it’s hard trying to look a word's definition up when you can spell or read. Let alone read the keyboard that isn’t even in alphabetical order, Apple knows alphabetical order that’s about all.
All the letters would mesh together and if she did somehow manage for autocorrect to give the correct spelling of the word, she couldn’t read the definition like with the keyboard except with words, it all blended together.
Apple thought about Marshmallow a lot, often wondering why she just abruptly left and stopped wanting to be Apple’s friend.
It confused Apple to her core, it was all so sudden. What happened back at the haunted mansion? Apple never knew, she never watched the episode, she didn’t really have a desire to see what she said to Marsh, would it give her insight? Perhaps, but Apple preferred not to know, she can’t remember why she chose to not know.
Apple often drew what she thought she had done, she wasn’t good with words and preferred to express herself with art. It involved no words or spelling. And even if she wasn’t the best artist, it helped with expressing emotions she didn’t know how to express.
She drew Marshmallow a lot, she missed her dearly. Apple wished that challenge went differently, she loved winning challenges, it filled her with a sense of pride. But, she would throw any challenge for Marshmallow, her only friend, her first friend on this show.
Despite the hatred on Marsh’s side, Apple still missed her. Sure, their beginning was rocky, Apple’s spitefulness took over herself and she hated and physically harmed Marshmallow but that was all in the past now.
Apple loved Marsh’s company, she couldn’t get enough of it, that’s why she became so clingy. Marshmallow giving her attention and Apple’s autophobia mixed together and caused Apple to be so clingy.
She craved the attention Marsh had given her and it was all gone now, Apple was now sure she’d never know why Marsh hates her, but when Marshmallow wanted to talk Apple would be waiting for her with open arms.
The voices outside her room grew fainter and fainter, Apple tensed becoming acutely aware of how alone she was.
Tap.
Apple blinked.
Tap.
Apple ignored the tapping at her window, as she stood up, grabbing her art supplies. She was gonna leave her room, maybe into the living room where Pickle would be playing a video game.
Suddenly, a rock broke through Apple’s window, she screamed and stumbled backwards, hitting the floor with a thud, dropping her crayons which scattered all across her floor.
Apple ran to the window to see who even threw the rock and why, barely grazing the broken glass she held onto the windowsill. Her eyes widened as she saw Marshmallow standing down there and smiling up at her.
Apple was confused, to say the least. Why was Marsh here? She was very excited to see her and she shouldn’t really question why but she still wondered.
“Mar-Marshmallow?” Apple exclaimed.
“Hey Apple.” Marshmallow said, a small tingle of sheepishness.
Apple only stared, not being able to find her words and being stuck in her head with her thoughts. After a few beats of silence, Marsh spoke up.
“Do you have time to talk?”
Apple snapped out of her thoughts.
“Of course! I have time.” Apple said.
Apple put her paws on the window, getting ready to climb out, but ended up cutting her paw on a glass shard that dug into her pad. Apple winced, trying to ignore the stabbing pain that shot through her. Apple ignored the apple juice that dripped out of her wound.
“Apple!” Marshmallow exclaimed.
Apple noticed how her apple juice was pooling under her paw. Marsh must’ve seen it dripping down, her paw is really close to the edge.
“Don’t jump.” Marshmallow said, sternly. “Just-maybe come out through the front door?”
Apple stopped trying to maneuver around the broken glass to jump out the window, she blinked down at Marshmallow.
“Apple.”
“Okay, okay, fine.” Apple said, rather hesitantly. “Just-Just wait there, okay? I’ll be down soon.”
Apple really didn’t want to go down with the others, she wants to get to Marshmallow as fast as she can. But with how stern Marsh’s voice was, Apple didn’t want to piss her off and make Marsh not talk to her anymore.
Apple quickly went to her door and flung it open and shut her door, practically slamming it shut. She’d deal with OJ’s wrath later for the noise and the broken window.
Apple sped down the empty hallway, as if Marshmallow would disappear at any given moment. Apple almost tripped over herself on the thought of Marshmallow, the one she saw not being real. She still ran, Apple hasn’t been taking care of herself too much after she got here, let alone eating. What if it was just a hallucination?
Apple couldn’t bear the thought, she needed to get down there quickly, to see if she can touch Marsh. Apple didn’t wait in the elevator and ran down the stairs instead, she did end up tripping and hitting the wall. Knocking herself in a daze.
But she regained her grip and kept running, it was night out and so barely anyone was out of their rooms at this time. Lucky for Apple so she wouldn’t have to stop. She stopped and timidly looked through the foyer hallway, to make sure no one was there. Once she was in the clear she ran out the front door and she stopped; trying to remember which way was left and which was right until she heard her name.
Looking over for the source she saw Marshmallow, Apple ran over having to stop herself from tackling Marsh into a hug.
“Marshmallow!” Apple cried, skidding to a halt.
“Hey, again, Apple.” Marshmallow said. “Say, do you have any… Batteries? I need them for uh.. The remote.”
Apple looked at her quizzically but ultimately didn’t question it farther, she was just happy to see Marsh.
“No.. I don’t happen to have any on me.” Apple said, thinking where she saw batteries last, ‘What even are batteries?’
Apple without thinking put her paws on Marsh’s face to make sure she is real, and Marsh is but Marsh seemed to shiver and tense up. Apple cocked her head and pulled her hands away and saw a slight yellow tint on Marsh’s white cheek.
Apple looked down and saw a cut on her pad, then she remembered she had cut it. Marsh took her hand gently to inspect the wound, it was sort of deep not enough for an infirmary trip. Marshmallow took a deep breath.
“I’m.. Sorry for how I treated you.” Marsh began. “I know I was wrong and it wasn’t you who said all those things, and so I apologi- err.. Am sorry for the way I treated you.”
Apple, now having slight insight on what she did. She said something, to upset Marshmallow but it wasn’t her?
“You got possessed by a ghost.. Bow and she made you say everything you said to me. I understand if-“
“I forgive you!”
Apple forgot who Bow was, admittedly but she didn’t have to know. But she was now feeling bubbling anger at the ghost who ruined hers and Marshmallow’s friendship.
Apple smiled and looked at Marsh who seemed dumbfounded at Apple’s response. Maybe she replied too quickly? But soon Marshmallow sighed in relief.
“I was expecting you to not forgive me..” Marsh mumbled.
“Why wouldn’t I? Best friends till the end!” Apple chirped, still smiling.
Marsh let a low chuckle out, before clearing her throat.
“So, I’m leaving the game.” Marsh started.
“You got eliminated?” Apple questioned.
“Well, not exactly. More or less making myself get disqualified.”
Now it was Apple’s turn to be dumbfounded. “But-But why? Don’t you want the million?”
“The game just isn’t… For me anymore and I want to leave it.”
Apple thought for a moment.
“I’m gonna go to Purgatory mansion or the haunted mansion from the episode and I want you to come with me.” Marsh said.
Apple stared, her mouth slightly open. Marsh was running away from Inanimate Insanity and wanted to take Apple with her? Apple could’ve died from how excited she was.
“Of course I want to go with you!”
Marsh smiled softly which turned into nervousness. “Well, Bow will be there.. With her brother, Dough.”
Apple felt a pang of frustration at the mention of Bow, she didn’t know Dough very well, he died the same episode he was introduced in. Apple has a very fuzzy memory of him.
Apple decided to suck it up for Marshmallow, after all she could just ignore Bow.
“That’s fine.” Apple finally said.
“Just don’t start a fight.”
Apple nodded, Marshmallow took Apple’s non-injured hand and started to walk to Purgatory Mansion, Apple not too far behind. Apple wasn’t quiet, she rambled on and on. Her mind running a million thoughts per second, what would OJ think when he entered her room? To see a broken window, some apple juice and her crayons spilled everywhere.
Apple pushed it out of her mind or tried too, as she rambled her thoughts onto Marshmallow who listened, at least Apple thinks she is. The two made their way through the forest with its damp bushes and leaves that hung from the trees. Purgatory mansion was off grid from the show, how far was it?
Apple was getting tired, she didn't know how long she and Marsh were walking let alone it was probably past her regular bedtime, she never liked sleeping ‘cause of nightmares of Idiotic Island when she was abandoned there but she hated the feeling of sluggishness more than sleep.
Apple’s rambling started to slow down as it felt like she was dragging her feet across the ground.
“We’ll be there soon okay?” Marshmallow said.
Apple nodded, her eyelids felt heavy. How much longer? Apple also slowed down with her steps.
“We’re here, let me bandage your hand up and then you can sleep.” Marshmallow said, Apple barely caught the softness in her voice.
Apple nodded as Marshmallow and her walked upon the porch, Marsh opened the door which creaked as it was opened. Marshmallow led Apple to a chair in the kitchen. Apple sat down and let herself sink, uncomfortably in the hard wooden chair as Marshmallow went searching for some first aid supplies.
Around five minutes passed before Marsh came back with a small, old med-kit. She sat it down on the table and took what she needed out, taking a cotton ball, pouring alcohol on it.
Marshmallow gently grabbed Apple’s hurt paw and dabbed the cotton ball on the wound, Apple flinched and whimpered but didn’t try to wiggle out of Marsh’s grasp, she was too tired to fight back.
Marshmallow then grabbed a bandage when she thought she cleaned the cut well enough and wrapped Apple’s hand up. Apple yawned when Marshmallow was finished.
“I’ll show you to your room.” Marshmallow said, helping Apple to her feet.
Apple shivered at the thought of being alone, at Hotel OJ she had a roommate, granted it wasn’t the same but the point was she wasn’t gonna sleep alone, she couldn’t. She trembled slightly at the thought.
“Can..Can I sleep in your room?” Apple timidly asked, then added a barely audible. “I don’t like sleeping alone..”
Marshmallow froze in thought before saying. “I guess I can bring a mattress from another room into mine.”
Apple wanted to ask what ‘mattress’ was but her sleepiness was evident and would affect her speech, to nothing more than slurred mumbles. Apple did try and help Marshmallow move a mattress, it wasn’t all too easy.
Bow came around, Apple blocked her voice out, she was determined to ignore Bow. Bow was talking to Marshmallow and was helping move the mattress. Apple barely heard Bow saw an apology once they reached Marsh’s room.
The mattress was laid down and Apple was content with just laying down and passing out but Marshmallow was already placing pillows and blankets on it, as it was chilly inside. Once Marsh was done, Apple almost immediately dove under her covers, loving the feeling of the warmth of the blankets which was a contrast to the cold mansion air.
Apple, for once, wanted to sleep. She looked over at Marsh who was talking with Bow, Apple felt a pang of jealousy but tiredness overruled it. She felt more content now that she was with Marsh.
Apple grabbed a spare pillow on her bed and hugged it close, snuggling into it as she welcomed sleep for the first time in a long time.