Marshall straightened his red plaid shirt and checked his teeth. He ran a hand through his hair to make sure it was sitting right. Everything felt good. He headed off to go to the Bi-Annual Gumball Ball. It sounded like it should be fun, but generally parties in castles were for the prim and proper. He was surprised to get an invite, but there was no way Marshall was going to get any more formal than he normally was. People were flocking around the entrance to the castle. The door was tall, so Marshall floated between the green curtains just above the crowd. The large hall was decorated nicely with pink and purple banners, tables full of candy, and Jelly Kinders stuck to the ceiling. Did PG authorize this? He surely knew that they were alive… Marshall smiled. Gumball tells everybody that he's sane, but when you get close you can see the truth. Marshall floated up above the crowd, right beside the talking piñata named Mandy.

"Hey Marshall. It's been a long time since you've been inside the castle."She said with a nasal voice.

Marshall turned to her. "Mandy? Glob, it's been a while, hasn't it?" He started floating around on his back. "Time passes quickly when you get to be my age."

"Why did you stop visiting? You were the only one that could get up here to visit me. It seems everyone else has forgotten about me."

Marshall floated up in front of her."Sorry. It's just that me and Gumball sort of…" He struggled to explain.

"Why don't you go enjoy the party? I'll just hang around." She gave a cheery smile, but he knew the pain of being forgotten. Quite well.

"Hey! It's like, Marshall Lee! Get your lumps down here!" Lumpy Space Prince had managed to alert the entire party of his presence, so he had to come down and socialize.

"LSP, sup?" Marshall didn't know LSP very well, but he tried not to be awkward. LSP was the worst person to be awkward around. They talked for a while about idle things like relationships and new cell phones and Lumpy Space.

"Hey! You weren't invited!" Mandy yelled from the ceiling. Then Marshall's blood went cold. Another supernatural being was in the room. That could only mean…her. White hair, black ragged clothes that were 'cool'.

"Marshall! I wasn't sure if you were going to be here." Ashley. The one that ruined his life.

"Hey." He gently grabbed her hand. "Why don't we get some snacks?" The party continued when everybody saw that it was no big deal. He walked her over to the corner of the room where the tables of food were. He offered her a doughnut. She accepted it and took a medium bite out of it.

"So, why are you here?"

"To see you, of course. I haven't seen you in a while…" She smiled her devilish smile. The one that Marshall could never forget.

"That's because I hate you. Or… don't you remember?" He said with his usual cynicism.

"Oh, you're not still mad about that, are you? I just wanted to see you again."

Marshall clenched his fists."No, of course not. You only tried to reprogram me into thinking that you weren't shallow and desperate. Why would I possibly be angry?!"

"I was saving our relationship. Isn't that the point of all this…love?" Ashley was stroking Marshall's back. He violently pushed her away.

"Oh, calm down LeeLee. You know you'd do anything for me, after all I did for you." She smiled.

He grabbed her wrists and leaned in close."You almost trapped me in eternal slumber. You let a human girl see all of my private memories. You sold my entire world for a magic stick." He stared furiously into her eyes. She was afraid. He kept his voice down, so that he wouldn't attract attention. He knew that she would still be able to hear him. "I don't owe you anything after the way you treated me. I am a King, you do not control me!" Ashley was the type who yells when she gets nervous.

"JERKWAD! I JUST WANT TO BE WITH YOU!" Ashley screeched in a fit of rage, flailing to get out of his grip. He had vampire strength, but she was still trying to struggle. The break up must've damaged her mind or something because this wasn't the Ashley he remembered. The cool, calm exterior was nowhere to be found. By this point everyone in the castle was looking, murmuring.

Prince Gumball rushed into the room."What the junk is going on in here?"

Marshall looked up and saw everyone staring.

"She's not on the list, sir." Mandy stated bluntly.

The vampire was slightly embarrassed, but he was the King of his court. Composing himself, he let go of her and replied."You have an uninvited guest. She isn't welcome here." Ashley's face was still fear-stricken. There was a collective expression of confusion amongst the crowd. "Gumball, would you tell your…" Marshall stifled a laugh at the banana halves on Popsicle sticks that passed for security. "…Guards… to remove her?" Understanding crossed the prince's face. He signalled his guard and they grabbed Ashley.

"LeeLee…" She was in tears. It was a wonderful sight.

"Ash, I never want to see you in this realm again."

She struggled against the guards and flew into a fit of rage."MARSHALL!"

Marshall grinned at the sight. The guards had to bind her hands with licorice rope and drag the screeching girl out by her feet. Once she was no longer heard, the party lost interest and continued.

"Was that…" Gumball inquired as he approached Marshall. Marshall felt cold again, but assumed it was just Peppermint Maid passing by with a tray of drinks.

"Yeah. The psycho-jerk girlfriend." Marshall released his posture and began to float again. "Glad that's over with. I don't think I could take another minute being all…diplomatic like you." Marshall floated around Gumball, poking him.

"Hey! I-" Marshall clamped a hand over his mouth, using the other hand's pointer finger as a fake mustache for himself. He put his nose in the air, and stood perfectly straight.

"Yes…indubitably…"

Gumball pulled Marshall's hand away from his mouth."Bullgunk! I'm not like that! I act like a prince, unlike some people." Gumball crossed his arms.

Marshall began levitating again."Blaah, Blaah, Blaah. I'm a King, and I do what I want." Gumball rolled his eyes and began socializing with the rest of the party, his bright pink everything standing out in the crowd. Marshall figured he should do the same.

He floated around, socializing with random guests. He was floating backwards, and as he faced the green curtain, Fionna opened it. She was wearing a fancy white dress with ribbons and gold, but she was still wearing her rabbit hat. Cake had probably made her wear the dress, but Fionna was stubborn. She was wearing that hat if she wanted to. Marshall wondered why she was so dressed up. She was probably here with PG. Fionna waved at the vampire. Marshall stuck out his tongue and made his signature 'rock on' sign. He floated around the back of the crowd, where Gumball was talking with Cinnamon bun about… something. Cinnamon bun could be very hard to understand at times.

Gumball was fairly happy to see Fionna. Marshall's vampire senses also told him that Fionna's cheeks were flush, and her heart was fluttering. Did something happen between those two? Marshall usually wouldn't care about that sort of stuff, but his interest had been sparked. Fionna hadn't even come over to say hello. Even though he was participating in another conversation with LSP and the Gumdrop Guys, he was straining his ears over the noise to hear what Gumball had to say. "I've been looking for you."

"Well…here I am!" She sounded nervous. Gumball gave an obnoxiously loud laugh. She should be. He was being a bit creepy.

"Hey, I wanna show you something." Creepy. Fionna agreed, and Cake whooped in approval.

"Ooooo! Okay, girl. I'll see ya later!" Cake joined the festivities, and she was a party animal. Though Cake was the one leading the soda shots and starting group dances, she wasn't the one he was really waiting around to hang out with. He didn't mind Cake, but they never really clicked. They just didn't have the same interests or sense of humor. Cake seemed to have some sort of grudge against him. Fionna was the only true friend he had left, but he liked to let her think that he had more. He was beginning to get annoyed, as LSP never shut up and wouldn't leave him alone. So he decided to head back home. He missed his guitar, anyway.

[Guys, I don't know enough about what you think of this story. Feedback! I require feedback! Parts you like, parts that need improving... Was someone out of character? In the later chapters, I don't think I'm getting the characters correct. Gimmie some rope, here.]