"Can't we end this already?" Finn murmured to himself as he half-listened to Princess Bubblegum strategy speech on how they were gonna destroy Gumbalds make-shift army.

" Remember, Gumbalds forces will be a threat in a lot of ways. He's no dumb-dumb, and knows what he's doing. All we can do is attack with brute strength…that is where you will come in-…

Finn? Are you paying attention?" PB asked.

"Hmm?...ahh, y-yes princess!"

The teen fumbled out nervously.

"Just dozing a little."

Bonnie gave him a silent reprimanding look, then turned back to the meeting table.

"Alright then. As I was saying…"

At that moment, Finn thought maybe it would be best to bring up what he thought about this war…once again. "May I speak, princess?"

Interrupting Bonnie. She sighed in annoyance, already knowing where this was heading.

"Well, you've already begun speaking, so you might as well continue."

She gave Jake a glare, which he returned a shrug. Finn cleared his throat anxiously

"Well…I-I was just thinking that maybe…fighting is not the best option here. I know we've already tried a peace treaty. But, maybe we're just…overlooking another way?"

Suddenly Colonel Candy Corn was out of his chair, completely outrage.

"Impossible! Fighting your enemies is ALWAYS the best option!"

At that point, all the tension in the room became visible as the crowd around the table began to argue loudly. But the chaos didn't last long, as PB slammed her fist on the table. This caused the seventeen year old sulking in his chair to realize he was sitting disturbingly too close to the angry princess. Slowly, he slid the chair a couple of inches away. However, the sound just brought more attention, as Bonnie remembered who was to blame for the "interruption". Her head turned to face the young human so fast that it took everything in Finn to not screech in fear. The expression on her face didn't help to appease Finns' growing anxiety.

"Finn. Can I speak with you..?"

She squinted her eyes, as if looking through the humans soul.

"…privately!?"

Finn slumped down even more into the safety of his chair. He frantically looks around the room for some kind of reassurance from his brother. Instead, his eyes fall on Lumpy Space Princess, who gives him a thumbs up.

"I'm proud of you, Finn! Show the lumping gumdrop who's boss!" LSP shouts.

"Can it, LSP!" Snapped PB.

Realizing how seeing the people's princess and their hero arguing was not the best thing for her subjects to see, she turns to Finn before he can react and grabs his flesh arm. She yanks him out of the chair with a yelp and pulls him out of the room, shutting the door behind her. As soon as the door shuts, Bonnie lets go of the teen's arm. She begins to stare at Finn's avoiding eyes. Finn breathes heavily, obviously terrified. PB's eyes grow a bit gentler.

"Why are you so scared?" She asks.

Finn finally meets her eyes.

"Why AM I so scared?" The hero thought. "It's probably because I've never really…questioned PB plans and ideas before. Well, there was never any bad ideas…but staring a WAR! That's a bad idea! At least, that's what my hero hearts saying… so, maybe for once…PB's wrong?"

Finn then looks her in the eyes, with determination replacing fear.

"This isn't right, PB. We shouldn't be going into a war like this." Finn responded, the anxiety completely gone from him.

"Haven't we already talked about this, Finn!" PB snapped.

"Gumbald is a threat to everyone and everything we love and a setback to the peaceful living of my kingdom! I can't just shrug this off!"

"But maybe there's another way, besides fighting!" Finn retorted.

"What other way!? There is NONE! Everything I'm doing right now is the best option. Not everything can be fixed the way you want it fixed…When are going to grow up and realize that?"

Finn clinched his fist in irritation.

"I am grownup up…AND I'M THE ONLY ONE ACTUALLY TRYING TO THINK OF A WAY TO MAKE THIS RIGHT WITHOUT PEOPLE GETTING HURT!.."

Finn's eyes were full of anger as he stopped to catch his breath. "…and don't you think that's the more mature thing to do?"

The human continued to stare into the silent princess eyes, unsure of what her emotions were. Her face held no expression as she stared back into the boy's face. His face however, showed determination. He wanted to get his point across so badly. Bonnie signed "He wants so desperately to avoid this fight, but he has no idea what could happen." She thought. "I kind of envy his innocence…" she chuckled to herself. Noticing the sudden sorrow on her face, Finn squinted in confusion. "Princess?"

Bonnie awakes from her thoughts and looks at the boy, she notices more then just determination in his eyes, because there's also…fear? "Fear of what?" She wondered. When she realized the fear on his face, she begins to rethink how Finn may be taking this. "After all, he is just a boy." She says to herself. "Of course he wouldn't understand the importance of this war!" Bonnie sighs again. Not in annoyance, but in what she thinks is understanding.

"Finn, I know you must be scared of all this…and I don't want you too think I'm pushing into fighting this battle for me."

Bonnie places her arms on the boys shoulder in a loving manner, which is returned with a stiffened and bewildered expression.

"So, I've made the decision… to denounce your involvement with this war. You and Jake are not required to assist…as a matter of fact, you are FORBIDDEN to help." The princess states. Then adds in a much softer tone. "Unless…worse comes to worst."

Finn jumps back, pulling away from Bonnie's arms.

"What? B-but princess! You can't do that!" The human boy growls in frustration.

"You're not getting it at all! I'm not just worried about myself! I'm worried for EVERYONE! Even your uncle Gumbald! The world we live in has already been through too many wars to count! Majority of MY people have been destroyed because of war."

Tears begin to form in his eyes, but the anger in him would not let them fall.

"A-and you know something else war creates!? Evil beings like THE LUMPING LICH!" Finn's screamed, trying to get his point across. Trying to make PB see what he was actually afraid, instead of what her "educated guess" was. But somehow he knew he couldn't penetrate her mindset.

"The Lich is irrelevant to what had already started. Am I gonna have to give you a history lesson, silly boy?" Princess Bubblegum said playful, which made Finn even more angry.

"AHH, I'm not a CHILD ANYMORE! Will you stop treating me like one!"

Now it was PB's turn to be afraid. The fury in Finn eyes was overwhelming.

"Listen, PB!..This war is only gonna bring bad news…" his teeth clenched,Finn hisses out, "and I agreed to have NOTHING to do with it!"

With that he stands up and casually walks to the door. He breathes out to calm his nerves before strolling back into the meeting room. Leaving a shocked Princess in the room to recollect herself.

The room is completely quiet, as everyone waits for the hero to speak. All the piercing eyes staring at the boy cause and sorrowful emotion to grow in him.

"All these people are counting on me and PB to protect them. But, PB is literally leading them into danger…and I…chickened out."

These thoughts cause the unshed tears from earlier to return. The yellow dog in the back ,who has been watching the boys every move since he entered the room, immediately sees this and speaks to his brother first.

"Hey man, what's up?" Jake asks with concern edging his voice.

Finn looks at his brother desperately, trying to get words out. But knowing if he did, he may start crying. "Just like a child." He thought bitterly.

Finally he's able to get his mouth to start working.

"Jake, can we-" his voice crack mid sentence, causing the boy to stop. His lips wavered, trying to hold back a whimper. Luckily, Jake seemed to understand pretty clearly and asks,

"Wanna head home now, buddy? It's getting pretty late and I'm bushed!"

Finn gives a quick nod, his face completely downcast. Before either one could make a move, the door Finn had just came from creaked opened. Revealing the usual cheery Princess. She quickly scanned the room, landing her eyes on Jake. "Oh Jake, could you please take Finn home? I think it may be past his bedtime." Finn glared at the floor for a moment before promptly walking over to Jake, and getting on his back.

"Yeah well…we were just leaving!..Because it's past…MY BEDTIME! Jake retorted, as he climbed out the window, grew 200 times his size, and began to stretch toward their home.

There was silence for a bit, after the duo had left.

Suddenly the main entrance of the meeting room burst open. A hovering person floating through casually.

"Hey Bonnie, so sorry I'm late!" The vampire queen absentmindedly addressed the princess.

"But, you know how I can't always revolve my life around you…I mean just thi-" Marceline looked around and saw all the odd looks.

"Hey…"

Actually looking at Bonnie this time.

"What I miss?"