Chapter One

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Marshall was pretty sure Ms. Foster was bat shit crazy. She mostly just muttered about Shakespeare and Caesar salad for forty minutes, and when the bell rang she just happened to remember, oh, yeah, you have a four page assignment on the next three chapters due tomorrow. Single spaced. Ms. Foster was forever drinking coffee, and as a result was that she was always jittery. Her hair was a dirt brown color, and always in the same style to the point where everyone knew it was a wig.

She also loved picking on Marshall. He had failed her class last year, and refused to take summer school in favor of band camp, so he was in her sophomore class while he was a junior. Ms. Foster had taken a liking to Gumball, nerd extraordinaire, and was constantly comparing the two. When Marshall had taken the time to write a complete sentence, Gumball had written a paragraph. Marshall snorted. As if the nerd had anything better to do then worry about getting a ninety nine percent instead of a hundred. Marshall, on the other hand, had to worry about his band, his guitar, and keeping his D average. It was just enough to pass, and to keep from the school riding him about going to summer school.

He had the best seat in the class, right next to the back door. It made for an easy escape when Ms. Foster wanted him to stay after class to 'talk'. More like drill him about him not doing his homework. Today he wasn't so lucky. The old sack of leather caught him before he was able to escape, and he was staying behind with some blond chick with a hat and –lo and behold- the great Gumball, who was actually going to talk to lower species.

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"You three are going to do a group project together."

It was silent for all of two seconds before Marshall Lee was defying the words of an adult, as usual. Gumball sighed as the good for nothing tried to plead his case.

"What?" He shouted, sending her a horrified glance. "Not with him!"

Gumball was the only other 'he' in the room. "Excuse me? You should be happy to do a project with me; you might actually have a chance at passing for once."

"I don't want or need your help-"

"Dudes!" The blond girl spoke for the first time. "What we don't need is to fight."

Gumball softened under her hard gaze. "You're right, Fionna. We shouldn't argue before we know what we're supposed to do."

The three turned their attention back to Ms. Foster. "Thank you, Fionna. I was originally going to announce the assignment to the class Monday, but considering the circumstances I thought that I should make you aware of the task before the rest of the class. The reason that your group is special is simple. Gumball, you have the highest grade in the class," Gumball sat up straighter, obviously pleased with himself. Ms. Foster's eyes turned sharper. "Marshall, Fionna, you two have the lowest." Fionna slumped in her chair. Marshall seemed unaffected. "In an attempt to raise both of your grades I have decided to partner you up with Gumball. This assignment will be worth fifty percent of your grade."

Ms. Foster reached inside her desk drawer and pulled out a hat that must have been from the seventeenth century. "You will draw a subject from the hat and write a paper about what it means to you, respectively. Then I want to write a joint paper about what you have learned from the assignment, making a total of four papers." She pushed the hat towards Gumball, and he reached in and pulled out a slip of paper.

"Family," He read from it.

Ms. Foster nodded wisely. "Good, you have chosen a subject that can be simple and very, very complicated. This assignment will be due in two weeks, and you are dismissed."

X

Marshall would have happily stomped away from Gumball, given the chance. Problem was, the student parking lot and the buses were in the same direction, so he had to walk slowly as Gumball marched his pink pants wearing self ahead.

"Guys! Wait up!" Fionna caught up with Marshall as Gumball waited ahead. The three caught up with each other, Gumball giving Marshall mistrustful looks, Marshall studiously ignoring him, and Fionna looking helplessly between them. "I think we should meet up to plan the project and stuff."

"Didn't she say that was had to write our own papers, and then write the joint one?" Gumball said.

Fionna blushed and scratched nervously at her hat. "Yeah, but… I'm not so good at school. I think we should plan what we're going to do so I don't write the wrong thing."

"I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to get everything out in the open…" Gumball trailed off.

"Mathematical!" Fionna said happily as she pumped her fist in the air. Marshall almost tripped over his own feet. Mathematical? What the hell kind of saying was that? "We can meet up at my house on Saturday for lunch." She pulled a pen from her backpack and scribbled her address on their hands. "Later, dudes!"

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What do you guys think? I've never written a fic like this, so I'm kind of nervous. There probably won't be any romance, just friendship. Any OOC is because this is set in modern day, so it's going to be a lot different than if they were in Aaa. Like, since Marshall isn't a thousand years old, he hasn't come to terms with himself, and Gumball isn't a prince, so he doesn't have to be perfect all the time. Drop me a review and tell me if I should continue on or not :)