I Wish I was Your Problem

Princess Bubblegum takes some time from her busy schedule to clean her room before renovating the castle and finds pictures better left forgotten of her and Marceline of when they were friends. What caused the breakup? Or who caused the break up of two best friends destined for something more? Bubblegum couldn't care less, but Marceline is out for answers and closure. Written to "I'm just your problem" cover by Helena.

"No Pep! I told you I don't have time to clean my room, I have very important princess duties to take care of before the National Science Convention," Princess Bubblegum said as Peppermint Butler stood with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

"You're not going anywhere until your room is cleaned. The banana guards think there's a fire in your room and have been trying to save you for the past few days now."

A banana guard walks by and smells the horrible odor emanating from Bubblegum's room. His eyes widen as he starts pounding on the door screaming, "Help is on the way Princess! We'll get you out soon!" He motions to a nearby guard who motions to another guard to come help. "Don't breathe the air Princess! Just hold your breathe until we can put the fire out," the guard yells as the guards vainly pound on the unlocked door.

"That's enough boys, I'll take it from here," Bubblegum says as she walks towards the guards. They turn to her, one of them falls to the ground crying as the others look terrified.

"We were too late!" cries one of the guards as the others pat his back sympathetically. The mumble comforting words about how her memory will live on forever as a ghost haunting the castle forever in search of her burnt body. Bubblegum holds her head as the guards help the guard off the ground and drags him away from the princess. One of them turns back to Peppermint Butler and says, "We'll take our break now," before continuing to drag the distraught banana guard away. Peppermint Butler repeatedly motions to the bananas and then to her room.

"Fine. I'll tidy my room," Bubblegum says as she opens her bedroom door and slams it. Through the door she hears Peppermint Butler yell, "That is mahogany!" She rolls her eyes and scans the torn up room. She sighs to herself as she puts on her rubber gloves and scientifically materializes a wormhole fashioned as a trashcan.

Several hours go by with little to no progress, she picks through several used beakers, inaccurate rules, a cursed ancient antique, stray red vine cats, and half eaten sandwiches. Half way through the garbage Cinnamon Bun pops out of the trash and yells "You found me princess!" He runs up to her and pokes her lightly. "Tag now your it!" before running out the door. Nighttime falls upon the castle when Bubblegum is finally done with cleaning. After dusting her hands off she walks towards her bed then suddenly trips. After rubbing her head she looks at the object that tripped her, it's an old scrapbook she made of her and Marceline while they were still best friends.

"What the glob? I thought I burned this millennia ago," she flips through the pages and looks at all the pictures of Marceline and her when they were younger. One picture stands out above all the rest, it is a picture that Marceline drew of them as rockstars. Bubblegum takes the picture out and turns it around: "To PB, the Bonnie to my Clyde - Marceline".

Suddenly Finn and Jake bust through her door screaming, "Princess! Don't worry! Help is here!" Bubblegum stands up.

"Don't be silly, I'm fine."

Finn turns pink as he looks around quickly to avoid looking at Bubblegum, "Well uh… A banana guard told us that you uh…"

"He told us that you became a ghost," Jake finished as he covered Finn's mouth with his hand. Finn mumbled agreeably.

"Oh psh," said Bubblegum as Jake pointed to the scrapbook that she was holding.

"Hey what's that?"

"This, it's just an old scrapbook I forgot I had. Do me a solid and burn this for me okay?" she said as she handed the book to Finn.

"Yeah anything for you Princess!" Finn said as he held the book high into the air. One of the pictures slid out and fell to the ground. It was the drawing that Marceline had made for Bubblegum. Finn quickly picked it up "Whoops, didn't mean to drop one of the pictures, hey this is pretty good! I didn't know you were in a band!"

"I wasn't, it's just a an old picture that Marceline drew for me years ago when we were younger."

"Woah woah! PB you wanted to be in a band?! With Marceline?!"

"Yeah, years ago. Anyhow make sure to get rid of the scrapbook and absolutely do not tell Marceline."

"Tell me what?" Marceline said as she glided in through the open window.

"Nothing! Get out of my property before I have the guards escort you away!"

"Those guys? They'll probably slip on their own peels getting to me. Yoink," said Marceline as she quickly took the scrapbook out of Finn's hands and floated above his reach. Finn immediately started jumping and clawing at Marceline.

"Give it back Marceline! That isn't yours!" Bubblegum said as she put her hands on her hips.

"Well actually it is half mine, since it's about me. I think I'll take it off your hands for a while."

"Fine whatever just leave. Pep!"

Peppermint Butler crashed through the wall to Finn and Jake's surprise swinging a bag of garlic.

"Out with you demon!"

Marceline coughed as she hastily flew out the window with parts of the scrapbook falling everywhere. She hissed at Peppermint Butler before leaving. Peppermint Butler eyes became black and red as he hissed back at her. Bubblegum turned to Finn and Jake.

"Now you two, I need you to go and collect the pictures that fell out and burn them. Thanks again you guys."

Finn and Jake both saluted her as they left her room. Finn nudged Jake while they walked down the halls.

"Yo dude, did you ever see PB that mad before?"

"Nu-uh, she's never gotten that upset before. Wonder what happened between the two to have them have such bad blood between them."

"Me too. I'm kinda curious."

"Wanna go collect the pictures and ask Marceline?"

"Yeah!"

The two of them ran and collected all of the pictures. Soon they were at Marceline's house. Jake peered over the window and saw Marceline looking at the pictures. She started to tear up, but sniffed it away. She then got up and went into the kitchen.

"I don't know if now is the best time Finn. Marceline is kinda having a personal moment. We should leave her alone."

"Yeah dude, let's go.'

As they turned to leave Marceline appeared in front of them, shocking both of them.

"Woah!"

"Hey guys, why are you over here and not with the royal pain in the butt? What's up?"

"We wanted to know what was up with you two. I never saw PB get that upset."

"Bonnie always got upset over little things, here come in. I'll let you guys see the scrapbook."

"Cool," said Jake as he and Finn walked in and sat on her sofa.

"This baby dates back all to when we were in High School."

"You and PB went to the same high school?!" Finn said loudly as his eyes widened.

"Yeah. She was the preppy rich nerd and I was the loner outcast bad boy of our class."

"How did you two ever get along?"

"It started with a chemistry project. The teach assigned us together one day. Believe me, I wasn't happy about the situation and neither was she. She was all 'I can't work with a slacker!' and just rolled my eyes."

"Tell us all about it," said Jake as he leaned back into the sofa.

"Yeah yeah! Tell us everything!"

"Sure."