"The hydrogre came back?"
Jake sat at the table in the kitchen, eating a plate of spahgetti. Finn had just walked in the door, taking off his backpack and hanging it on the hook; the large, fuzzy yellow dogs question went unanswered for a moment, before the hero spoke gruffly.
"Twice now. Still don't know why."
The hero threw his hat at the hook in frustration, letting his long blond hair flow free, though he had cut it down to shoulder length. It matched the golden stubble on his chin and upper lip, well trimmed for what little there was; 16 year old Finn was tall, but still lanky and a little scrawny. His face had lost some of its roundness, his jaw taking on a more prominent, manly shape. His blue eyes looked tired, empty, defeated; the monster blood staining his shirt told Jake that his friend had won, but Finn still looked... beaten.
"You okay, dude?"
Jake Asks, stretching his arm to put the plate in the sink as he stands. Finn Shakes his head, frowning.
"Every time I cut something down lately, it comes back a couple months later."
He rubs his temples, trying to massage away the headache that he felt coming on.
"What's the point, Jake? Why bother fighting monsters if they don't stay dead?"
The dog has no solution but he stretches his arms again to wrap the human in a tight hug.
"We keep fighting, Dude. Like we always have. And I'll take the next one, okay?"
Finn grunts his assent, pealing his fuzzy friend off.
"I... I guess."
He sighs deeply, looking out the window. He had another dream last night... and it wasn't flame princess. No, the figure he chased through a shadowy landscape was taller, and... floating.
"Jake?"
"Yeah bro?"
"Don't cook for me tonight. I'm going out."
The dog blinks a couple of times, then frowns, crossing his arms.
"I said I'd take the next one, Finn. You look beat. Where is it, and how big?"
The human shakes his head, too tired and down to bother explaining himself in depth.
"I'm just going out to relax, Jake. Probably hit the Candy Kingdom or something, say hi to PB."
The dog furrows his brow in suspician, and huffs.
"Well, okay then... but if I hear any new bard songs about Finn the Human when I go to hang out with Lady, you're in trouble!"
Finn chuckles just a tiny bit, and scratches betweem his best friends ears.
"Dude, relax. You know I wouldn't lie to you."
But he had, though only because he himself didn't know the truth. When Finn walked out of the treehouse and into the twilight of a fresh sunset, he didn't know where he wanted to be, he just knew he needed to be... somewhere. So he walks up the road to the candy kingdom, stops outside the gates, and shakes his head.
"Everytime I hang out with bubblegum lately, it feels... stupid!"
He stomps his foot, looking up at the stars. They gave him no answers.
"Gah... whatever..."
And so he plods past the gates to the sugercoated wonderland, going... somewhere. He still didn't know where, so it came as a surprise to even him when he found himself standing outside the dank cave entrance; inside, Marcelines house was hidden in the shelter of the rocks, her livingroom light on.
"Oh... yeah, we can jam these blues away!"
He smiles for the first time all day, and jogs up to her front door.