Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time, nor the rights to it, nor the characters thereof.
Canonicity Note: This story was started after the first episode of the fifth season, Finn the Human/Jake the Dog, was aired. While I use details that are found in the fifth season, this story can safely be placed in an alternate universe that spins off at that point.
There will be details (like Jake's children's names, and information about them) that will be used, but it is best to assume that unless it is mentioned in the story, or has taken place in the 1st-4th seasons of the show, it has no bearing on this story.
Author's Note: (The notes never end!) I work at a slow-ish pace, but reviews really get me fired up, and I love to talk about/address any questions anyone has regarding the story, so if you have any, feel free to ask and review!
"Things are different now. It's not because anyone tried to make it different, and it certainly isn't the fault of anyone thing. It… it just happens. When we were all younger, we were all innocent, or at least, as innocent as we could be.
"Now? Jake and Lady have kids. They are grown up, but responsibility and worry doesn't leave just because they have grown up some. Finn is, or maybe was, in a relationship, I don't honestly know, we don't really talk.
"That seems strange? Maybe. We have drifted away from each other. When the Lich came again, and Finn stole my crown jewel, he didn't justify himself to me. He didn't tell me what he was doing, he just swept in and took it.
"I know everything worked out fine, and that we appear to be friends, and I guess we are. Just… friends, nothing more. We used to be more… Not like that. We were just… close. Most days I don't really notice. I'm busy with experiments, or running the kingdom, I mean even when we were the closest, we hardly had time to hang out. Now though? I woke up today and realized I've talked to Finn once? Twice? In the past four months. Twice at best to someone I used to consider… My best friend I guess…
"It is sad, but what can I do? I broke his heart. I always knew he liked me, but he just grew up so fast… I've lived longer than he has, I may only look 18 but I am older than that. I forget how fast humans age. He was just a kid with a crush, and then… I broke his heart.
"Haha. No, I've tried. Being 'just friends' is a good way to end up awkward again. It has happened, I tried to be friends with him, warn him about Flame Princess, and he blew up at me. No. It's just best if we stayed where we are. But you know what? It breaks my heart too.
"…Sorry for crying. I didn't mean to break down like that, princesses don't cry, right? It breaks my heart because we can't be friends, and I try to fill that hole with other things, but they just don't fit.
"…Sorry, sorry…
"…Thanks… I just… It hurts. I miss him, you know? No matter what happens, I loved that guy and always will. Maybe I can't love him the way he wants me to, but I do love him. Most days, I don't notice that he's gone, but I'll do something that reminds me of him, and I wanna cry.
"Just stupid stuff. Little things that used to annoy me, or bug me. Now, I look back and love it. I love every moment we shared, the good, the bad, whatever. I miss it.
"Thanks for being here for me. I know you can't really hear me, Stormo, but… I guess you're the closest thing I have left to him… So thanks… Thanks for saving the world. Thanks for being who you are." The Princess gave on final hug to the sphinx, then started back down the walkway towards the castle door. Peppermint Butler stood waiting, a soft towel extended out to her.
"I thought you might want this, Princess." He said, and for a moment there, a flash of sympathy appeared on his face, but vanished just as quick as it came.
"Thank you." She dabbed at her eyes, and wiped her nose. "I feel better now. Anything I need to be made aware of?" She turned to look at Stormo one last time. It was winter now, and the Candy Kingdom had just received a big snow. In fact, it was snowing right now. Goliad and Stormo were covered in it, and small flakes kept landing on her face.
The little candy butler shook his body back and forth. "No. Not as far as I know."
She smiled and patted him on his top. "Good. If I'm needed, I'll be down in my lab." At that, she grabbed one of her white lab coats and walked towards the stairs. Before she knew it, she was in her lab.
Little vials of solution sat warming on a hot plate, next to others being treated to an ice bath. Still others sat in cabinets, or on shelves. The lab itself was massive, stretching high into the air, and both vast and deep. Most days, Princess Bubblegum could lose herself in here. Today was not one of those days.
"Where you going dude?" Jake asked, munching on a sandwich. "Got some plans with a lady friend?" He laughed as he said it, bits of the sandwich flying all over the table. "I'm just kidding bro. A man's business is a man's business, forget I said anything."
Finn smiled at him as he slipped on his jacket. "Nah man. I'm just… going outside. You know. For the snow."
"Whatever man. Just be careful. I think I saw Beemo and NEPTR doing something out there earlier." Jake was looking out the window, his eyes squinted suspiciously.
Finn started the climb down the ladder, shaking his head at Jake. "Alright, I'll be careful." Luckily, Jake hadn't noticed, his normally happy tone was forced today. Usually, he didn't feel all messed up on the inside, like some kinda crazy mess of noodles, but he was strange today.
He walked outside and saw no trace of Beemo or NEPTR, but it was still snowing, it would have covered their tracks. There was a good thinking spot, normally it was a little spring of water, but it would be frozen right now. Finn set off, his hands in his pockets, looking down at the ground.
"There is something seriously wrong with that dude." Jake watched as Finn slowing trudged away through the snow. "Maaaaaaan. The last time that you messed with Finn's private stuff, things got all weird. I don't need to be doing that." Jake formed two small Jake heads out of his hands, and had them facing each other, speaking from the two sides of the argument.
"But what is gonna happen to Finn then? We can't just let him be all sad and stuff."
"But we can't mess with his feelings and junk. Nobody likes it when we do that."
"J. T. Doggzone gives the best advice! And I say we mess with him!"
"J. T. Doggzone gives the worst advice! And I say we don't mess with him!" Within moments the two hands had begun to fight. Jake's amused face quickly changed into frustration.
"Aww man guys! We don't have time for this! We've gotta decide what to do!" He whined. "We can't just sit here and argue." Both of the puppet heads looked at Jake, and then nodded. "Why don't we go ask Lady! She's smart, and knows plenty of stuff!"
Both of the puppets sagely agreed, and Jake stretched his way out of the treehouse, headed towards the Candy Kingdom to get Lady.
Normally, four little dweebs playing a stupid little game wouldn't be enough to attract the attentions of the Vampire Queen, but today had been a slow day, and yesterday had been slow, and the day before that she hadn't even been able to finish a song she was writing. So, there she was, hanging upside down underneath a tree, watching four little nerds play some sort of game with dice.
Marceline vaguely remembered some kind of dumb game that was similar that she had played forever ago, but, it was dumb. Now she was slowly creeping closer, waiting until she was close enough to change into her wolf form and scare them. She barely managed to stifle her laughter at the thought of what they would do.
Patiently, in fact, more patient than she had been in months, she approached. When the Queen judged that she was close enough, she jumped down and transformed. She landed in the center of their board and tried to roar. Unfortunately, her foot had landed on something sharp, and instead of a terrifying roar, all she could manage was a pained yelp.
Still, it mostly worked, and three of the losers ran away into the bushes screaming and crying. The last one looked scared, but puffed himself up.
"I-I'm not af-afraid of y-you!" the last boy stuttered, his voice high-pitched and grating on Marceline's ears.
Ignoring the pain, she loomed over him and growled. "What if I ate you, little boy?"
"I'm n-not a b-boy! I'm a girl! An-an-and you don't scare me!" With that, the thing picked up a stick and waved it around in Marceline's general direction.
The vampire squinted her eyes and leaned in closer to the little thing, thinking hard. Maybe it was a girl after all. "Well, what if I broke all your bones then?" She laughed terribly and took a threatening step towards her. Her injured foot ground against the grass, and more pain shot up her leg. Again, Marceline yowled in pain.
The girl managed a weak little laugh. "You've got our four-sided stuck in your foot. Hurts, huh?"
Summoning all her composure she could, the Vampire Queen glared at the little priss before turning back into her human form. As soon as she did, sure enough, a brightly colored die popped out of her foot and landed on the ground. This caused one of the bushes nearest her to shake, and one of the frightened boys emerged and unsteadily walked over to the die.
"She rolled a one." He pushed his glasses more firmly onto his face as he looked at Marceline's true form. "Stinks to stink."
Loudly harrumphing, the vampire turned and floated away. Behind her, the three boys cheered on the girl who had stood up to her. She heard them mentioning that the girl must be a priest, having used command undead or something. Whatever it was, it was stupid.
Today was turning out much less exciting than the vampire had hoped. She had nearly decided on just returning home and sulking when an idea occurred to her. Bonnie was always a good person to pester. A grin emerged onto the ancient girl, and she wizzed off towards the castle, bent and intent on causing as much chaos as she could.