The cold rocket was like a warm blanket compared to Mars' surface. Part of it was surely the warm sentiments of a team winning a challenge; Marshmallow could feel the Grand Slams' elation at winning the very second challenge in the air it was so palpable.

Even though the Grand Slams winning meant, obviously, that the Bright Lights hadn't, Marsh was too excited to be alive to even care that she might be on the chopping block.

As soon as the rocket landed, Marsh shoved open the hatch with all her weight and stumbled to the ground, faceplanting. After a second she pushed herself to her feet. "Yay, I'm back!"

"We're glad you're back safe and sound," MePad said

"...And, no lawsuits today!"

She glared at MePhone, then walked over to the rest of the Bright Lights.

Paintbrush greeted her first. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just glad it's over."

"We're glad to have you back, prized teammate. I just hope the others get back, or we'll have a serious numbers disadvantage."

One of the new contestants, Test Tube, dashed up from behind and interrupted, "Well, actually, even if they are incompetents, and we have no evidence to necessitate they are, the robot was programmed with a special algorithm. Even if they steered it in the opposite direction they're supposed to, it'll take them back to Earth, safe and sound!"

'So my own team couldn't save me?  That's a good omen,' thought Marsh sarcastically, but she again didn't say anything. 'Wait, it looks smaller than it did before. Obnoxious Black-White, the Fanboy, and Obnoxious Red are still gone-'

She shook herself. 'Oh yeah, the truce! How could I forget something the universe wants to happen? She's not obnoxious, it was just a misunderstanding!' "So, that means that Apple and the others are gonna be okay?"

Test Tube chuckled. "Of course. It's a scientific impossibility that my rocket will fail!"

'Good, because I've got a universal promise to at least try and-' Her thought was interrupted at that moment by the sound of a rocket engine in the sky. She looked up to see one quickly approaching... all the better to get started sooner rather than later! She watched as it landed, then they filed out, Apple flying out and landing unceremoniously with her legs dangling in the air. After some panicked words Marsh couldn't decipher at a distance, she looked over, waved, and broke into a dead sprint to exclaim, "You're here! I'm so glad you didn't die in space!"

"You know what, me too. And thanks for trying."

Apple raised an eyebrow. "Huh? But I didn't succeed."

"You clearly seem to have done your best. I think that's as good a foot to put forward as any."

Apple smiled and grabbed her hand, shaking it. "No problem. If we're gonna try being friends, we have to do it the right way."

"Friends...?"

"Well, sure! It's good we don't hate each other, but I think it'd be really cool if we could be. Having friends in this season is a good idea, right?"

'Wait, did she have any friends last season? ...Of course she did, right?'

"Sure, why not? Friends it is!"

'If she didn't, I'd've just looked like a bully. Of COURSE she had someone.'

"Yes! This is gonna be awesome!" Apple pumped a fist and grinned.

'Well... whatever happened last season, she has one now.'