We now skip ahead to Marvel's first day on the job :D
Dr. Neo Cortex was in his lab, fixing one of his machines. Marvel sat on his computer chair, spinning around due to boredom.
"So, when am I actually going to assist you with something?" she droned.
"Hold on—I'm concentrating." Cortex was patching up part of the machine. As he did so, more pieces and parts started falling to the ground. "AGH!"
"Bravo." Marvel started clapping.
"Shut it," Cortex growled, picking up the pieces.
"Hey, I'll mimic your words: 'If you have a problem with my attitude, that's YOUR own fault!'" Marvel smirked.
"Okay, then how about I fire you?" Cortex narrowed his eyes.
"Okay, then how about you spend another week trying to find a new assistant?" She retaliated.
Cortex didn't object. "Alright, you're hired again. Now, do me a favor and hand me my toolbox, why don't you?" he grumbled.
"Sheesh. You could say please, y'know." Marvel rolled her eyes.
"Do you WANT me to fire you!?"
"I dunno. Do you really want to find a new assistant?"
Cortex glared at her. "PLEASE give it to me."
"That's better." Marvel handed it to him.
Cortex took it and opened it, but then his eyes widened. "Where's my screwdriver? Did you steal it!? You're fired!"
"It's on the desk behind you." She pointed at it.
Cortex whirled around. "Oh." He grabbed it. "You're hired." He turned to continue fixing his machine, but paused, knowing something wasn't quite right. Marvel watched him with a snicker. "What are you giggling about?"
"You're not even paying attention to the fact that I was pointing at a wrench." Marvel laughed.
Cortex stared at the tool he wielded and let out a shout. "AGH! You're fired!"
Marvel merely grabbed his toolbox and pulled out a screwdriver, handing it to him. "Proves how much you pay attention, I'll tell you that."
"Fine. You're hired." Cortex took it and went back to work.
"Whatever you say, boss."
"And stop calling me 'boss'. I have a name." Cortex didn't look up from his work.
"Whatever." Marvel rolled her eyes. "Anything else you need?"
"Yes. For you to stop talking for just two seconds." Cortex narrowed his eyes as he screwed the last piece of his machine back in place. "There! Good as new."
"Yeah! You can hardly notice the giant crack in the back of the entire thing!" Marvel stifled a laugh.
"WHAT?" Cortex scrambled to the back of the machine and, sure enough, she was right. "Why didn't you tell me this before!? You're fired!"
"Because that crack just now formed, which is why I just now informed you," she bluntly answered.
"Oh. In that case, you're hired again. Now, are you good with fixing machines?"
"Eh, I'm not exactly an expert, but I ain't too shabby, I guess." Marvel blinked and turned to face him. "Wait, you're a scientist! You don't know how to fix simple machinery!?"
"Of course I do, you idiot! I'm just making sure you do! That was one of the questions I was going to ask you during our interview before you rudely ripped the paper from my hand," Cortex growled. "I need to be sure that, just in case anything happens to break when I'm absent, you'll be able to fix it yourself. Can I trust you with that?"
"Sure...sure." Marvel waved a dismissive hand.
"You're lying, aren't you?"
"Sort of," she admitted. "But before you go and fire me again, maybe if you teach me how to repair certain technology, you'll be able to trust me more with that stuff."
"Ah." Cortex nodded. "Okay, consider yourself hired."
"Technically you didn't fire me that time," Marvel pointed out.
"Whatever! Tomorrow is when we can work on all that repair stuff. As of now, it's time for a sandwich break." Cortex stood up straight and headed for the door. As they both headed out of the lab, he faced her. "Oh, and by the way, don't worry—all that 'you're fired' talk was just a test to see how you'd react."
Marvel blinked.
"You passed!" Cortex gave a lone round of applause, and she just stared at him.
"Um...great?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. Very. Now, what kind of sandwich would you like?"
"..."