Description: Mostly a Fiolee fic with a little twist. I felt like the seas of Ooo or Aaa were never really touched all that much, thus an opportunity emerged – why not write about them a little bit? Things that are hardly explored and explained always are the best to work with, as they give most freedom. That and being honest, I just like the idea of putting those four characters into a small space so they can interact with each other.

Chapter I, Promises

It was a day like any other in the land of Aaa, as the sun shined all across it's blissful lands. Not everyone enjoyed that bright notion however. One of those ones that were hard to please with it's cheerful beams was Marshall, as he strolled along with Fionna by his side. Why he took her to the Lost Cliffs, out of all the possible places? It was so near the Sea of Sure Death that they could almost feel it's chilling breeze. She knew him all to well to take it as a simple coincidence. At least the girl somewhat enjoyed his company, even if he was unbearable at times. And as they reached one of the highest peeks, with the rough sea hitting the shores down below, they sat by the very edge of the cliff, looking down from time to time.

"So dude." She finally asked, as she playfully waved her legs in the air. "Why you brought me here in the first place?"

"Well." He fixed his hat. "Do I need reasons?"

"Hm, let's see here..." She grinned to him. "Most of the times, yes. I would even say – all the times."

"Oh, now you're just judging me without anything to back it up!" He responded with a smile. "Maybe I'd just like to swim around. With you, huh?"

The girl began to laugh, as she looked at the sea below them. There was something mesmerizing in each hit the waves took on the rocks. Marshall on the other hand was hardly in a poetic mood, as he decided that this conversation strayed too far away from the topic that bare the most importance. And that topic, would be him. That, and there was the need to appeal to this little cute being. He never quite understood why that was the case, but he felt that way from the first day he took a glimpse of her delightful frame. Of her wondrous golden hair. Of her charming smooth face.

"See those small isles over there?" He pointed over the horizon. "I were beyond those once. With my peeps. Bunch of no goods. We did all the nasty things back then." He giggled a little bit, almost like an urchin, proud of his jest. "It was when I was like, what... five hundred? Happy days! The battles we took, oh, shame you haven't seen that! At the sea, everything is like, ten times more awesome!"

"It almost sounded like you're trying to impress me dude." The girl looked at him playfully. "That's the case?"

"Maybe?"

"Hah, like I'd believe you crazy stories dude."

She laughed once more, and turned her sight towards the water once again. And he just looked. She was quite the prize, wasn't she? Only obtaining her pose some problems. He decided to lean closer towards her. It would seem that she didn't saw him coming at all and that very notion thrilled him even further. That delicate velvet skin, that dulcet neck, so defenseless. Yes, that was the dish that this bad little boy craved for. And just as he was about to nab on it delicately, something emerged right from the water down below, only to climb at the top of the cliff and jump right at them. As they swiftly dodged from it's way, the creature looked at them with it's hollow eyes. It was a humanoid being once it would seem, or something resembling it at least. Now it looked more like a spirit of the ocean itself, with it's crude and gelatinous appearance and almost fish-like eyes. But before they could even try to figure out what exactly was he, several others emerged from down below.

"Marshall Lee..." One of them hissed, as reached his hand towards him. "Marshall Lee!"

"What are those?" The girl pulled out her sword and prepared for battle. "Huh?"

"Well babe." He swirled around midair. "I believe that can wait for a bit."

Fionna just shrugged and was first to began her dance. That hardly surprised anyone. She was exceptional with the sword, as her movements were beyond perfection. Within one slash, the hand of the first beast felt on the ground with a splat noise. Before it could even blink, a stab came right through it's head. The monster almost instantly erupted, as the drips of sea weed and dead fish scattered everywhere around. But that hardly made her stop, as she began to swirl around yet another one. It was almost like a ballet, one, two, three, slash, stab, swoop. Four, five, six, cut, chop, bash. The way she pierced her way through their bile bodies, the way she disarmed them, literally. Now that was a sight at which Marshall could stare all day long. Sadly, the creatures came for him with even greater ferocity, so the little vampire had to put his hands to work as well. He too was like an engine of destruction, balancing perfectly between light and shadows. Whenever he could, he shifted to something savage, just to claw his way through their bloat bodies, as their limbs flew almost everywhere. But as soon as he found himself back in the sunlight, his hat provided much needed cover as his agile body twirled around like a dancing snake. The monsters simply could not keep up with his pace. Meanwhile, Fionna got more and more relentless. As she kicked one of the abominations right down the cliff, she began to circle around the rest. This time, they hesitated with their attack, as they realized they're hardly a threat for her, at least at this very point. The remaining ones jumped down, only to shatter at the very bottom. The girl felt kind off disappointed. Fun always ends so... prematurely.

"So dude..." She slowly stashed her sword. "Time for you to explain some things, huh?"

"So, um. How to put it in the most diplomatic way..." He looked at her and tried to sound confident. "Let's say that when you're over a thousand, you can do some stupid things along the way, huh?"

"Such as?"

"Oh... I don't know..." He scratched himself on the head. "Promising someone that you'll help them, accidentally stealing most of their stuff and running away, leaving them for sure death... Making some of them your henchmen while at it..." He grinned almost like a child that did something wrong. "You know. The usual..."

"That doesn't surprise me!" She shook her head. "Not in the slightest! So why now all of a sudden?"

"I may have 'accidentally' forgot about the fact that they tossed a curse on me. They shouted something when we... um. Left." Marshall smirked. "Just as I 'may' have 'forgotten' about the fact that it would only occur if I'll ever come close to any kind of sea or ocean. I usually don't come near those anyways, but with you babe..." He grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Guess I was to occupied with the notion of seeing you in a swimsuit. Figures."

"So let me get that straight." Fionna tried to remain calm about it. "You dragged me all the way to this Glob forsaken place, because you reminded yourself about that very thing and it would be fun to get rid of that burden, huh?"

"Now, that's not how I would describe it..."

"Ugh!..."

She punched him straight in the face, then charged right at him, as they both landed on the ground. But that hardly made a point, since the little vampire just smiled at her playfully, probably from the fact that she laid on top of him.

"Rawr."
"You. Are. Unbearable."

She stood up and wiped out the dust from her clothes, as he simply gazed at her from down below, constantly grinning. He was like a child at times. What else was there to do, than to grab his hand and help him get up.

"So what exactly they wanted from you? And why a bunch of bloat things is such a threat?" She sat back on the cliff. "Also. To protect them from what?"

"Well. They will keep getting worse and worse, to make me fulfill my burden. And nothing really meaningful." He smirked and sat right next to her. "Just the Angler."

"And that would be?"

"Oh, you know. Just the most ferocious best that ever roamed in the seas of Aaa. No biggie. Well, actually, yes, quite the biggie." He laughed. "Just your biggest prey. Just the biggest monster your eyes ever lied upon, the most scary one as well with teeth far larger then your whole body..."

"Really now?" Fionna's eyes glittered a little bit. If anything, this bad little boy knew how to catch her attention. "I mean, not that it changes anything..." She coughed. "But let's say I would consider helping you... What exactly would we... you need to do?"

"Isn't that obvious?" He shrugged nonchalantly. "You always need to slay the beast. Typical, yet, entertaining." Marshall winked. "I don't come up with those you know. If I would, I'd pick something far less troubling." He scratched his cheek. "Guess I'll need to do something about it now, huh? So, maybe you and I on an adventure..."

"I just asked you jerk, never said I'll tag along. You have some nerves dude."

And they both sat in silence. He smirked under his nose, as her acting was all too obvious. Marshall already had her in his grasp. The only uncertainty was in when she'll speak those words out loud. Because it was well known that she will at some point. It was Fionna after all. She won't miss an opportunity to go on a quest like that. And she'll never pass upon slaying a beast of such proportions.

"Alright." She eventually sighted. All as planned. "I'll help..."

"Yeah!"

"...But I swear that if that will happen to be one of your tricks, by the end of it all." She grabbed him by the collar with the intention of throwing him off the cliff. "I'll be the first one to drown you in the very sea, got it? " The girl eventually let him go. "So, what exactly do we need?"

"Many things..." The vampire chuckled. "Specially someone with a ship. That can navigate it you see." He shrugged. "And sadly, there's only one guy I know that can provide me... us that." Marshall flicked her on the forehead. "And I think you will need to do the talking on this one. On this one and another, minor detail..."

###

"So Fionna, let me get this straight..." The prince sighted loudly, as he rubbed his forehead. "You want me to give you a ship. But not only that." He shook his head almost as if he was disappointed. "You want me to come along with you?" Gumball began to glare at her questioningly. "Leave the kingdom and go? Because I'm the only one that's capable of navigating the bloody thing? If I would meant to do it just for you. Maybe." He shrugged nonchalantly. "The problem is, that we're talking about Marshall here. And you want me to help him with his mess?"

"Well, now that you put it that way dude..." She bit her lip. "Yeah, that's what I ask you for. But it's for a good cause!"

He looked at her. If the circumstances were different, he would surely admire her bravery. Her determination. But mostly, her nerves. In this very case however, he was hardly willing to do what she asked for. He simply lacked the sympathy for the little vampire. Why, out of all people, should he even consider helping him?

"Fionna, Fionna, Fionna..." He stood up and came closer, gazing into her eyes. "Fionna." He put his pink hands over her shoulders. "You need to either change your company, or get some backbone and say no. He got himself into that. I'm sure our bad boy will get himself out of it just as well."

"But he's a..."

"Friend? Perhaps so." He smirked. "That's what you wanted to say, right? A friend." He let go of her and turned around. "But, still, he's hardly my concern. Just like his problems. How can I even know if what he claims is real..."

"But he needs your help!" She shouted. "And I know it's that way, I just know it!"

"Oh, I need help numerous times as well." He sat back on his throne. "When I deal with kingdom related business. When I struggle with someone kidnapping me. When I bake." He chuckled a bit. "And I know you're always there to help." He forced a laugh. "I appreciate that, don't get me wrong. But he. Aw, he's just a thorn in our..." He paused for a moment. "...muffin."

And then silence occurred. The girl looked at him with her big, hazy eyes. That alone almost made him reconsider his thoughts. Yet, whenever he recalled Marshall in his pink head, he got more and more certain of his decision.

"So that's a no-no?"

"Of course." He shrugged. "Tell me one good reason, why not only I should give you my ship, but to endanger myself for someone that, let's simplify, would love to see me sleep." The prince paused dramatically. "In a coffin. Three meters under the ground."

"Because I ask you for that?" She came closer. "Really nicely?"

"Oh, no, no, no." He put his hand over her forehead and pushed a little. "You won't do that again. No."

"Please?" She tried to sound as cutest as possible. "Really, really please?"

"I said no Fionna." He narrowed his eyebrows. "And no means no."

"Dude, pretty please?"

"Fionna, even if you'd offer me the most refined supper with you as my company..." He hesitated just a little bit. "I'd still say no."

"Well, let me just..." She ignored his words completely, as she climbed and sat on his lap, playing with the ear on her hat. "There. So, pretty please?"

"No!"

And as she sat there, once again trying to convince him as best as she could by looking as cute as possible. Gumball still was like a wall from which each and every single argument simply bounced off. However she knew how he ticks. It was only a matter of time to work out his cogs.

"Fine..." She sighted. "Alright, you won dude."

"I did?..." He sounded quite surprised. There was a trap in those words. He just needed to unravel it and then disarm, as fast as possible. Preferably before it will do any damage. "So you finally found reason, huh?"

"Yeah." She began to play with her hair once again. "I just don't know..."

"What?"

"How are we going to make it, you know?" She turned towards him, as her eyes glittered. "Without someone as smart as you. I mean you know so much!" The girl poked him on the forehead. "We'll get lost in a matter of seconds without you around..." Fionna shook her head and smirked. "And we'll be forced to travel on a draft made out of sticks... Maybe Marshall will change into a bat and will be our sail? I just don't know." She shrugged. "Guess we'll die off on our way there. Farewell prince. Tell Cake I'll miss her. Hopefully she'll attend to my funeral. You will be there as well, right dude?"

She jumped down from his lap and slowly started to walk towards the exit. The prince just sighted, as he was defeated by the oldest of tricks. He should seen this coming a mile away. Yet, a simple guilt trip was the thing that succeeded. So this is what he dissolved into now? Someone who just fulfills others wishes? He sighted loudly once more, as if the previous one wasn't enough.

"You are horrible, I hope you know that, right?" Gumball slowly stood up. "You are a horrible person Fionna. That's right. You heard it here." He rubbed his forehead once again. "Well the answer is obvious, hope you're happy with yourself."

She had it all planed obviously, the things she'll say as well as the way she'll react. It was no surprise to him that she hugged him hard afterward. It would seem that this bad little boy had quite the influence over her.

"Thanks dude!"

"No, no thanks required." He pat her on the head slightly. "I am, in fact, doing it against my will. So, you can tell your little... nuisance, that all will be set in motion."

She looked at him cheerfully, yet in those big eyes he saw something else. That wasn't all she wanted to tell him and he simply lacked the courage to ask about what else she wants. So he waited.

"There's that other thing I would need to you do..." She coughed shyly. "So..."

"I'm sure it's something trivial this time?" He grunted. "Right? Please let it be so."

Once again she began to play with her hat. Then with the flick of her hair. And after that, she still hesitated. It would seem that she does everything to delay the conversation. And that worried the prince even more.

"Well... There's this thing." The girl stared at the floor. "Marshall said we need a witch on our ship, if we want our venture to succeed. You know, someone good with magic and such..."

"Right..." He rolled his eyes. "Marshall says, then we really, really have to do it, huh?" Gumball smirked a little. "But... how does that exactly concerns me?"

"Well... Ice Queen would do nicely and only you could lure..."

"Forget it, Glob, forget it, forget it, forget it!"

"Pretty please?" Her eyes shimmered once again as she hugged him once again. "Pretty-pretty please?"