I do not own 'Adventure Time'
I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE DISSATISFIED WITH THE A.T. ENDING! Don't get me wrong, it did answer a few questions and I'm happy it had an ending instead of burning out. But I feel cheated! There were so any more things that could have happened. So many questions left unanswered. So here we are.
Retelling
Princess Bubblegum looked over her work in pride, it was her best yet. A party for OOO's hero. She had gotten only the best for her friend, best decorations, best snacks and best friends. No phony people who wanted to meet Finn the Hero and nobody from Paparazzi kingdom. Though she may have let a few Princess' slip in. Just to show how she through a party for her friend, Finn.
He needed it after what happened at his birthday a few weeks ago. And it would be a nice distraction from what was to come. The Gumwar as she had labeled it. The battle for the Candy Kingdoms. A sweet title to for a bitter event.
A thundering shout of 'SURPRISE' drew her attention.
And the guest of honor has arrived. She thought happily.
She went to greet Finn like a good hostess, but was beaten to the punch by Marceline. She had just come in range to hear Marceline speak with her usual mannerisms. Friendly with a hint of mischief.
"Happy Belated Birthday hero." Marceline greeted as she flew close to him. "So...you're almost legal, eh?"
"Yep, I can almost vote." Finn stated with a smile.
Marceline chuckled as her innuendo went over his head and the Princess couldn't help but smile herself. Their human friend has bathed in the blood of over a literal thousand different monsters, and yet he still has a childlike purity. She hoped it never changed.
"Stay innocent Finn." The vampire stated before flying off, no doubt to cause trouble.
PB made to greet Finn again and was beaten again. This time by another Princess who had gotten into the party.
"Care to dance, hero?" The other Princess asked. Finn smiled and nodded as they went off to dance.
Princess Bubblegum smiled at him having a good time, it seemed that things were playing out nicely enough. She'd greet him later.
. . .
Finn found the nearest empty seat and just plopped right down into it. He may have a lot of stamina, but anyone would get tired after the fourth dance with nearly every princess around.
The chair next to him was pulled out and down sat a friend of the human. Cinnamon Bun, Champion of the Fire Kingdom and right hand to the new Fire King. Or Flame Princess to those who knew her.
"Hey CB." Finn greeted.
"Hello Finn, how're you enjoying the party?" The pastry greeted.
"It's great, how are you...enjoying serving under Flame Princess?"
"I feel...complete." The pastry man answered.
The words caught Finn off guard, and drew his interest. Finn looked at the sentient cinnamon bun and marveled. Gone was the half baked man that fumbled to get by, now he was the Right-Hand of the Flame King. He was the Champion of the Fire Kingdom.
"You know CB, you're a lot different than when you were...back when you were..." Finn struggled to find the proper words.
"Back when I was half baked?" The pastry man offered.
"Yeah."
"It's all thinks to Flame Princess." The flame ward stated. "I owe everything to her."
"Hmm?" Finn thought back. "Oh, that's right. She fully baked you." That was the day the pastry became the right hand to Phoebe.
"It's more than that." CB stated. "Princess Bubblegum gave me life, but Flame Princess was my first friend."
"...Ouch." Finn stated playfully. "I thought we were friends."
"She gave me purpose." Cinnamon Bun stated. "Now I have a home, respect and...a life."
"...huh." Finn muttered.
"Finn, would you mind taking the seat of honor!?" A voice spoke across the crowd, breaking Finn from his thoughts.
. . .
Finn sat on the makeshift throne in front of the other party goers.
He had been given plenty of gifts since he had taken the seat. Trinkets of great value or magical powers. Important titles from the royals. He was even given various weapons.
Only one of the gifts had actually meant anything to him. It was from Canyon, she had given him Billy's legendary sword Nothung. She stated he would want him to have it while going on adventures and saving people rather than it gathering dust in his cave. As soon as he touched the giant weapon, it magically resized itself to fit his height.
Now it was time for his final gift.
"Well Finn, the other Princesses and I thought long and hard on what to get you for your birthday, and it wasn't easy." The Candy Princess spoke. "You have a lot of gold, an arsenal of weapons, a-"
"YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF BOOTY!" Someone shouted.
"Ahem!" Princess Bubblegum loudly coughed, glaring at the rude individual. "As I was saying, you have a lot of...loot." The candy princess handed Finn a rolled up piece of paper. "This is the deed to the Grasslands, not just your tree-house, but the surrounding land as well." PB stated. "As agreed by all of the Princesses, you are now recognized as the sole lord of the lands."
"Does this mean you're going to stop breaking in and stealing our gold for taxes?" Jake asked.
The candy princess blushed as all eyes turned to her. She gave a nervous chuckle as she pulled at the collar of her suite, feeling warmer from the sudden unwanted attention.
"I'd like to give a speech!" The candy ruler quickly announced. Once everyone's attention was on her, she turned to Finn. "I look at you and think back to the first day I met you." She spoke fondly. "It was, what would become a common thing among us Princesses, the day you saved me from Ice king. Something we've all experienced before."
Many of the Princess began making sounds of agreement.
"That's right, give it up for Ice King." Said King of Ice stated. "I make the perfect wing man!"
"Actually, he saved me from a monster." A Princess stated.
"It was an evil wizard for me." Another added.
"Hey, I know for a fact that I kidnapped each of you and Finn rescued you." The Ice King stated. "Perfect wing man!"
"I kicked them out of their home." Marceline stated with a smirk, drawing eyes to her. "What, it was still my house."
"Regardless." Bubblegum spoke up, regaining their attention as she focused on Finn. "Time and time again you've come to our defense. No matter the odds or the request." She spoke. "And each time, you helped us resolve our problem." More cheers. "And while there have been a few...hiccups in your judgement." She stated playfully, making the hero blush. "When it really mattered, when we really needed you, you always came to our aid."
"Ain't no thing." Finn stated modestly.
"Don't brush this off hero." P.B stated. "You've sacrificed your life and limb for us and never even asked for so much as a thanks. You've even given up being with your kind, your mother, to come back to us."
As Princess Bubblegum spoke, Finn's mind began to wonder back to what CB had said. Purpose.
I'm a hero. He thought proudly.
He had saved the people in the land of OOO time and time again. From threats such as bandits, to rampaging monsters, to political catastrophes. Then there were the deeds he did to save them that they didn't know about. His name was synonymous to good deeds and honor. There were songs sung of him and stories of his adventures. Finn the adventurer. Finn the Lich slayer. Finn the Princess protector. Finn the Hero of OOO. Ect. Things that would last long after he was dead and gone.
I'm surrounded by friends. He thought fondly.
He looked around the room and new that it was true. These weren't people that just wanted to meet Finn the hero, but Finn Mertens. These were people who he bonded with, through friendly mingling or life and death bonds.
I'm free. He thought sincerely.
He had nothing to shackles him other than the bonds of his own choosing. He had been all around OOO, and outside it, he climbed the highest mountains and (reluctantly) went to the deepest parts of the sea. He went where he pleased and slept under the stars many time because of it.
I have my answers. He thought
He finally knew his origins. He knew who his parents were and where his kind were. He was proud of his mother, he...accepted his father. Not that he'd ever forget Joshua and Margerate. They had raised him and taught him the principals that he lived by today. They would always be his parents. His people were living a life they chose to live, no longer restricted by their fears of the unknown.
He had done so much, seen so much, learned so much. Yet he wasn't satisfied.
So what is it? He asked himself. Have I really accomplished everything? Have I really accomplished anything? What am I missing!?
Marceline floated in the corner of the castle, one of the few spots with enough natural shade that she could remove her hat. The vampire queen was keeping a close eye on the birthday boy. She had a look of knowing on her face that truly showed her age. Being someone who has lived as long as her, she saw things others would miss. Feeling she herself had felt before.
What's wrong hero? She wondered. Why aren't you at peace?
She could tell something was bothering him.
"Finn?" Bubblegum spoke, noticing he was distracted.
Finn opened his mouth to apologize, but was stopped by a scream. Instinctively reaching for his sword, Finn stood and reached for his sword.
"Yo Finn~" Marceline shouted in a mischievous voice.
The vampire floated above half a dozen skeletons, armed with battle armor and weapons. The guest cleared away from the undead as they charged the human.
Finn smiled at his vampiric friend, who returned a wink to him, before turning his attention towards the living skeletons. He didn't know why she had done so, nor did he need to know why, he was just happy that she did. Grabbing his sword, he charged into the swarm and began hacking away at them.
PB P.O.V
"Marceline!" Bubblegum groaned. "What the donk was that?"
"You were asking some dang personal questions. In front of everyone." The vampire chastised. "Making him uncomfortable, so Marcy saved the day."
Princess Bubblegum opened her mouth to speak but closed it immediately, she knew her vampiric friend was right. Again. She had let her curiosity get the better of her. Again.
"...Your age is showing." Bubblegum muttered. It aggravated her to no end when Marceline was more mature than her.
They watched as Finn dispatched with the last of the skeletons. Bubblegum noticed he had done so with relative ease, he hadn't even worked up a light sweat.
"That was very impressive Finn." PB stated as she clapped. "How would you like to test your self against something with a little more metal?"
Finn nodded in excitement.
Princess Bubblegum made a high-pitched whistling sound. From the shadows dashed a blur, making it's way to her side. Many, minus Finn and the Bubblegum Princess, were shocked at the sudden entrance.
"You have summoned me?" He asked with a bow.
"Yes, I wish you to pit yourself against Finn the hero." Pb stated. "It's his birthday and we would like to see how far his skill has come."
"Then I, Rattleballs 2.0, shall cross blades with my former student." He stated as he removed his cloak.
He drew his fencing sword and took a fighting position. Finn re-positioned his new sword into a comfortable position as well.
"Have at thee!"
3rd P.O.V
There was a tense second as everyone took in the scene. Rattleballs took a fencing like stance. Finn, gripping the sword with one hand, took his own personal stance. Not a formal one, just a stance he was comfortable in, one where he could attack and defend. Neither of the warriors made the first move, eyeing the other up, trying to measure their worth.
Rattleballs made the first move, rushing Finn at a high speed and swinging his blade diagonally. Finn stood his ground and braced the sword with the palm of his hand. A loud clashing noise filled the room as their blades met. Finn's entire body was pushed back, but he didn't break his stance save his foot moving to keep balance.
Rattleballs gave Finn's sword three quick but powerful slashes, intent on testing the weapons durability. If he was able, he'd shatter that blade without hesitation. Finn endured the powerful blows, he didn't falter, and neither did his blade.
As Rattleballs prepared a fourth strike, Finn quickly stepped back and spun around the robot, letting his opponent fall forward thanks to his own strength dragging him down. This gave Finn a clear opening to strike and end the fight, but he wouldn't do that. It was a dirty move and Rattleballs deserved better.
The two swordsman returned to their respective sword stances and eyed each other once more.
This time Finn charged forward, his blade moving in a wide swing. Rattleballs stabbed his sword forward intent on impaling the human before Finn could finish his attack.
In an amazing display of strength and dexterity, Finn jumped over the blade and swung at Rattleballs' head. The robot quickly stepped back and blocked with his sword. Rattleballs was taken by surprise from the force behind Finn's blows. He quickly pushed the blade harder and forced the airborne Finn back a few feet from him.
Once his feet were back on the ground, Finn kept on the offensive.
The two simply wobbled for a millisecond before reaffirming their stances and preparing for another bout.
The Princesses and other guests were in a state of awe as the watched the blades clash. Not in Rattleballs, he was a machine, seemingly built for this purpose. Though they had to admit they were impressed the Candy Princess could build something on this caliber. In awe of Finn. The way his blade seemed to blur around him in a perfectly blended arc of destruction and grace. Even Marceline, a thousand year old being, who's seen countless wars and battles, was entranced by the duel.
All but Jake, too familiar with his brother's rad skills, who ate his sandwich and watched in pride.
Finn felt as if his heart was pumping his veins full of fire. His adrenaline was giving him the hard earned strength he used so many times, the strength he used to overcome so many obstacles. However, he was still human, he'd get tired eventually. But Rattleballs...Rattleballs never got tired.
"Your warrior spirit is amazing Finn." Rattleballs complimented. "Such strength and aggression in your swings! But you wield your blade like a war hammer, all power and no finesse! You're forgetting the basics!"
Finn didn't let the words get to him. He just lunged forward and brought his sword down with great force. In a display of finesse, Rattleballs lunged backwards with a triple back flip before landing on a table. He balanced himself on one leg while waving his sword at Finn.
"This blade really made me want to win a good sword match, but I admit your a better swordsman than I am." Finn stated with a confident smile. "But you can't be a hero with just one thing, and my bag of tricks is vast!"
Finn looked at the machine before him and smirked. Rattleballs was faster and more skilled, but so was a lot of other things Finn fought. And killed. Well he didn't kill everything, a bruise sometimes helped them learn.
Finn through the sword like a Spear-man would. It was a clear shot, but Rattleballs evaded it as easily as one would expect.
With Finn unarmed, the robot charged forward and placed his sword at Finn's neck.
"Do you yield?" The machine asked.
"Never." The human answered confidently.
"You are unarmed Finn the Human, defenseless."
"It ain't Nothung!" Finn exclaimed.
The machine tilted his head to the side in confusion of Finn's grammatical error. This pause was just enough time for a surprise blow to the back of his head that forced him to stumble. Looking up, he saw Finn now wielding his new sword and holding it to his neck. Bubblegum's disbelief in magic and programming of logic didn't do anything for the machine but cause a delay.
But he did understand that it had a sword to his neck and no way to defend himself.
"I yield." The machine stated.
There was a moment of silence as everyone took in what had happened. Then, applause began to fill the room as everyone gave in to the splendor.
. . .
The party continued as it should have, the people song their songs and danced themselves to exhaustion.
Finn stared off at the stars, sometimes he found it hard to believe that each of them were a burning ball of fire so far away. But that's what everyone agreed on.
"You okay hero?" A familiar voice asked. "You look like you have something on your mind." Finn turned to see Princess Bubblegum standing at the entrance of the balcony.
Finn turned to fully face her and stared at her for a moment in silent contemplation. Not that she'd admit it, but having Finn stare at her so intently made her feel...something. She wasn't afraid, she knew that he'd never intentionally hurt her...but if he wanted to...
"There once was a tiger striped cat." He spoke, drawing her attention. "This cat died a million deaths, revived and lived a million lives, and he was owned by various people who he didn't really care for. The cat wasn't afraid to die. Then one day the cat became a stray cat, which meant he was free. He met a white female cat, and the two of them spent their days together happily. Well, years passed, and the white cat grew weak and died of old age. The tiger striped cat cried a million times, and then he died too. Except this time, he didn't come back to life."
"That's very sad." The Princess stated.
"Jake would find it hilarious." Finn muttered, just loud enough for her to hear. "He hates cats."
"And you?" P.B asked.
He looked away before turning his gaze back to her. "Princess, I've been all across OOO and beyond. From the land of death to worlds outside our realm." Finn stated without bragging. "I've danced and kissed with nearly every princess inside this castle and more, while defending them from a variety of trouble. Such as monsters, curses and internal conflict."
"You've...certainly had an exciting life." P.B stated, trying not to feel too uncomfortable about his exploits.
"Do you know what my only constant is?" Finn asked.
The Candy Princess pondered the question. The only constant in his life, where he does nothing but live on the edge. That was a tricky question for the hero. It wasn't death, as Finn had lost few, though no less important people in his life. Though he had slayed plenty of monsters. There was no love interest that he kept, though his heartbreaks were phenomenal.
"...Jake?" She tried.
Finn shook his head, while he loved his brother, the dog was a thrill-seeker all his own. Preferring to find personal enjoyment more than a shared one. Preferring to pull a con or laze about than do a good deed or push himself to the limit.
"You Princess." Finn stated. "No matter what I do, no matter where I go, I always comeback to your side. To you." He reasoned. "Something is tying us together Princess. Maybe it's fate, or a cosmic being, or even lingering feelings from my past life as Shoko. Either way, I'm not going to fight or run from it, I'm going to embrace it."
"Finn?"
"I'm searching for something, but I don't know what it is. I think-I believe, that you can help me find it." Finn drew his sword and dropped to his knees before her and offered the blade. "So, Princess Bubblegum, Ruler of the Candy people, one of my oldest and closest friends, my first love, please let me stay by your side. As your champion."
"Oh...my...glob." A certain Lumpy Princess gasped.
Though she had been banned from the party for being too fabulous Cough-attention hog-Cough, that didn't mean she wouldn't try. Unfortunately, that meant having to break into the castle through unorthodox means, such as climbing the castle in hopes of finding an open window. Not finding one, she continued the search. This put her in perfect position to find the gum princess and the hero of honor. And what had just transpired between them.
She had just witnessed the biggest confession/proposal of the year...decade...who knows. And she managed to record it all on her phone!
The former Princess looked at her contact list, it was probably the largest in the land. She had the number of every princess in OOO, as well as the most upper-class people. And the biggest gossipers. Anyone who was anyone. Plus a few no good exes who would be calling her when they realized what they lost.
She sent it to everyone.
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