It seemed like yesterday that the mismatched gang of friends fought and shared laughs together. They had the awkward thirteen year old named Fionna, the only female in the threesome. Marshall Lee, the radical dude who has an awesome 'tude, never changed from the reckless, yet strangely caring, vampire that he was. And the royal, Prince Gumball, whose personality was as sweet as his body.

None of the three wanted to admit it, but it was time to move on.

Fionna had turned eighteen a couple of months ago. She had filled out nicely from her chubby thirteen year old body. She had attracted the eye of many a prince, and a king...Marshall had fallen in love with his best friend. Marshall couldn't keep it hidden, they had been going steady for a couple of weeks. Fionna could never really see herself dating anyone of the guys she'd save from the Ice Queen...but she never had to save Marshall. She had fallen weak from his charm and let him in.

However, for Prince Gumball, it was no walk in the park. His father had recently retired from his duties as king...Leaving Gumball to be the ruler of the massive kingdom. The candy man had dreamed about it every day but when it came down to it, he wasn't as prepared as he thought he was.

-

It was a rather gloomy morning in the Candy Kingdom, which only meant one thing. Marshall and Fionna could come to the castle without fear of him burning to death if he was caught without his umbrella.

"Marshall! It's /ladies/ first!" Fionna punched her vampire boy friend on the shoulder. Being strong, it caused him to wince.

He reached for the shoulder, rubbing it. "I see no lady here." He grinned deviously at her.

Fionna scoffed, trying to think of what to say to that. "Well, um-I-I- ugh!" Marshall snaked his arms around her waist, planting a kiss on her soft, pink lips.

This was all taking place on the stairs leading up to the Prince's room so when the newly awoken Prince Gumball turned the corner to go down to the great hall, he gasped. He made a swift, silent move to return back to his room and leave the lovers be.

Marshall's ears perked up, like a cat. Being a vampire, he had amazing hearing and he had heard the Prince. "Gumbutt!" He grinned. He rarely ever called him Prince or Gumball like most people did, he had cheesy little nicknames for his once enemy.

"Hello," he gave a little tired grin to the two. Fionna rushed up the remaining stairs and gave the prince a hug, adding a squeeze. "Good morning, Fionna." He paused, looking at Marshall; whom gave him a peace sign. He gave the same sign, yet it didn't seem to match up to Marshall's.
"Come into my room." He smiled at the girl hugging him.

"Not a repeat of what happened before, I'm coming in too." Marshall retorted, speaking of the time when he thought that Gumball was stripping for Fionna.

Gumball replied with a scoff. "That's what I meant, you imbecile." He smirked, which was rare.

"Prince, you look totes pooped out." Fionna said, laying in the Prince's bed. Even though she was eighteen, her vocabulary had barely changed.

Gumball stopped playing with his hair long enough to turn to her. "You have no idea, Fi." "Marshall, stop looking through my stuff."

"Oh-kay." He set down a locked book and floated over to Prince, adjusting his crown for him. "How can you be tired?"

The swivel chair he was pearched on turned to Fionna in the bed. "Before Father-I mean- King Blowpop can announce his retirement, the next in line has to find a wife." Gumball explained, using his hands to explain stuff like he usually did.

Fionna shot up. "Oh my gob!" Marshall didn't get it, he appeared to be in thought. "Marshall, you dummy, he has to find a chick to hitch!"

Marshall smirked, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Gumballs here is pretty popular with the ladies. Just pick one of them."

"It isn't that easy." Gumball pried the vampires arm off his body. "Tradition says the Candy family has to have a ball, summouning all the eligible Princesses to the castle for a ball. The prince has to dance with all of the ladies and pick a lady based on her family line, ect. She's announced within in the night, she, and her family then moves into out castle for six months while the wedding is prepared." Gumball spoke gracefully, even though he knew he probably didn't say it right.

"She has to be a Princess?" Fionna piped up, her voice sounding strained from her postion.

"Yes. It's really complicated if she isn't, plus it caused a lot of drama when one of my ancestors did that. So, if you had picked me over Marshall," As Gumball spoke, Marshall put an arm around his girlfriend. "It wouldn't have worked." Gumball shrugged, smiling. "At least it's a ball, I adore parties."

"When is this so called "ball"?" Marshall spoke as if it was a hypothetical party. "More importantly, are me and Fleshie invited?" He pointed at Fionna, for that he got hit.

" Fionna and I. Not me," Marshall scoffed at the candy man's comment about grammar and mumbled a quiet 'Whatever'. "Tommorrow evening. I sent out the invites for the Princesses about a week ago. You two are defiantly invited." He grinned.

Fionna's stomach growled. "No more talkie. More eatie." She stood up, parading down the stairs to the great hall.

"Good luck, man." Marshall gave him a man-hug, which Gumball wasn't used to. He smiled and followed the couple down the stairs.