Back with the second part of to the previous: Three Lives, One Body: Dark Times Are Coming.
Here is the prologue, hopefully setting you up and getting you ready for chapters to come. Hope you read and enjoyed the first part, and I further hope you enjoy this chapter and things to come.
Read - Review (Like or hate, I'm curious to hear your opinion) - Enjoy :)
(Update... sorta: I added 'A Lich's Laws of Possession' at the bottom of most chapters in the story.)
Prologue:
A week since Marceline was imprisoned her trial had finally come. The court was held at the candy castle; the throne room had been reconfigured to house the court hearing. The throne itself served as the judges seat, it had a wide, light-pink, wooden desk placed in-front of it with all the notes for the case, and an ink and quill that looked like it had been plucked from Morrow, along with the judges hammer, which too was a light pink made from the oak trees in the great candy forest.
The throne room posed as an adequate stage for the court as it was a large and very long room with more then enough space to hold all the necessities, plus the throne was seated on top of five steps allowing the judge to have an overview of the courtroom. The jury was situated near the throne, in-between two tall pillars, on what resembled football stands. The plaintiff and defendants tables and seats were sat symmetrically with around ten feet separated between them, they were just off the sides of the intense pink carpet that stretch from the castle doors to the throne.
Princess Bubblegum served as this hearings judge; now and again the duty would bounce between herself and Peppermint butler, but she requested this one personally. Marceline, the defendant, was escorted through a door which presumable led down to the dungeons, and approached her seat with banana guards holding spears to her back. She still had the same clothes on that she wore when imprisoned, appearing tattered, living in the unclean conditions, now along with rusty chain cuffs on her wrists and even a iron ball and chain attached to her ankle, some would see it as a little extreme but Bubblegum knew what Marceline was capable of, Bubblegum saw it as, 'not extreme enough'.
Marceline looked quite weak though, she had been slightly underfed and was fatigued from lack of sleep and carrying a giant metal ball around her foot, especially up the spiralling flight of stairs. She sat down rapidly, dumping off all of her exhaustion with a sigh of relief, taking the weight off her feet and rested her face in her palms while she waited for the court to start.
The jury all got to their seats shortly after, it was an assortment of candy people, along with Jake; Finn was also supposed to be part of this court as the plaintiff, but couldn't bring himself to do it, for certain past encounters and feelings for the defendant.
Even though she attacked him for reasons unknown to him, he still couldn't forget those few precious minuets they had with each other, where they spoke they're feelings and she gave him the most unforgettable kiss of his life. It still was all so convoluted to him, he was sure he felt something between them, but then after that moment everything went black and then next thing he knows his being tossed through a wall.
Finn simply waited in one of Bubblegums many guest rooms, (a short distance away from the throne room considering the scale of the castle) until the whole ordeal was over.
Back in the courtroom, the hearing was about to begin; a few more banana guard entered and waited on the sidelines just in case, and a couple of other candy people came to watch, but remained far in the back of the room behind the lines of banana guard. This was the most drama they've had in quite a while, its not often there's a case as big as this.
Bubblegum had finally sat herself upon her throne, with a solid, blank expression on her face, posing high authority. Picking up the hammer as soon as she seated herself comfortably, whacking it upon the pedestal, causing the vampire to jump out of her skin as she was starting to drift to sleep in her hands on the table.
Although this court was the deciding between her life and death, she couldn't be bothered; her overall concern right now was getting a couple of minuets of rest at the very least, besides she already knew how this was going to play out and didn't want to fool herself otherwise.
Giving a short forceful clearing of her throat, "Marceline Abadeer," Bubblegum at last spoke, officially starting the hearing. Her voice had gotten better since the dispute between herself and the vampire queen, and once again sounded with a clear high pitch and authority. "you have been called upon this court today to answer for your many crimes against the Candy kingdom. Our complainant (Finn) wished not want to attend this hearing, so we will have to begin without him.
You stand accused of: conspiring against the Candy kingdom and her people..." Marceline wasn't even listening at this point, as Bubblegum talked she slowly became background noise in Marceline's ears - her head begun falling to its side, drifting of to a nap again.
As Bubblegum looked up from reading her notes to find Marceline half-asleep on the table, she didn't hesitate the grab the hammer again a slam it multiple times on the pedestal, until Marceline got up again. The constant rhythmic bashing grated her, once she grew irritant of the banging she slouched back up on the seat and pinched herself roughly, leaving a red blot on her skin, trying to stay awake.
Bubblegum returned to her notes inhaling a deep fresh set of air and clearing her throat again while she was at it, and continued were she left off. "As I was saying, conspiring against the kingdom, assaulting the honourable and famed hero, Finn the human, and lastly assaulting and almost killing me, the princess and only royalty of the Candy kingdom; how do you plea to these claims?" A few gasps and mutterings sounded between the growing crowd of citizens in the back of the room, the charges were not made public till now and just about every candy citizen adores the princess, an attack on her life is a very grim crime, and of high offence to them.
Marceline didn't answer to nobody, over the years she has grew to be very rebellious to higher powers, especially Bubblegum and her father, Hunson, ruler of a demon realm known as the Night-O-sphere. Even now she faces death, she was not going to start bending the knee to them like everyone else and beg for mercy. Besides she knew she hadn't even done anything wrong. (with the exception of Bubblegum.)
"I don't... plea... anything." She mumbled through her tired and fatigued breathes. Not only did she need a good nights rest but she desperately need more red in the diet, she had no choice to eat mortal food for a week. For the first three days of being locked up she was fed normal food, which would do nothing for her; when they finally got the meals right Bubblegum limited how much she could have to keep Marceline's strength limited.
"Speak louder, please." Bubblegum ordered, not hearing what the vampire had to say.
"I said I don't fucking plea anything!" She spat out at the princess, slamming her hands down on the table, lifting herself from the seat, her eyes widened with the outburst of fury and the hairs on her body stood from their roots; Bubblegums would probably do the same if she had any. The sleep and red deprivation made Marceline unstable, backfiring Bubblegums plans, making her even more dangerous. The dark haired girl was certainly not in any mood to constantly be repeating herself; she hated that.
Though the sudden outburst tensed up Bubblegum, causing her to flinch back in her seat a little, she remained un-intimidated. The banana guard set Marceline back down still with spears in hand, she wanted to tear them apart for touching her shoulder, or for even coming near her.
And she could, even when chained up, but she knew she wouldn't make it far after that, although just thinking of their sweet screams and the expressions on the crowds faces almost dared her to do it.
"Sooo not guilty then I'm assuming." Bubblegum said with a belittling, taunting hint to it. She quickly returned more professional again, not allowing there rivalry to cloud her judgement. "Is there any way or evidence you have to prove innocence to any or all of these accusations?"
Although Marceline constantly kept telling herself there was no point in explaining, it was her last chance and maybe they would actually listen now the tension calmed down a little since.
"Well for one, what conspiracies, I don't even know were you came up with that one, and for me attacking you, you struck me first! But I guess you forgot to mention that. Oh and Finn, I tried explaining to you that were all in danger, the Lich is inside of him and we got to get it out; it was strangling me for Globs sake!"
"The Lich hasn't been seen since... uh-hmm, he last took me. We came to the conclusion of his death. So how is he inside Finn?"
"Because I watched it happen four years ago! Were do you all think he went all that time, he died!" Marceline shouted in her defence, starting to tear up thinking about it all over again.
The jury and crowd all thought she was insane, inaudible chants came from the jury talking to each other, Bubblegum looked at them muttering to each other and back at Marceline, part of the princess actually believed her, but her logical thoughts overridden those feelings, she bluntly denounced, "Marceline - its impossible he survived."
Marceline instantly countered, "You did, and that thing is far more powerful then you."
Bubblegum gritted her teeth becoming flustered at Marceline's questioning directing her argument at herself, and mocking of her abilities.
"Guh! I am made of a special dense candy biomass capable of splicing any two parts together to form..." Bumblegum growled in the back of her throat, pinching eyes together, trying to correct her line of thought, realising she was succumbing to this irrelevant argument, "Huff, we're getting off topic!" She grabbed the case papers, realigning them against the table, as they got shuffled up in her short rant.
There was a brief moment of silence in the grand room, all that could be heard was the jury still, now though whispering to one another. Marceline returned to resting her head in her arms on the table, realising her back-chat didn't help. Bubblegum decided to call an end to the court and ask the jury for their judgement. "Would the jury now please make a decision." They all got up of their seats and entered a room close behind the stands.
It wasn't long for them to make a decision, they had to have been in the room for no more than five minuets, to Marceline it felt like hours, unable to rest on the uncomfortable surface, her stomach grumbling to consume, with hundreds of thoughts racing through her head and with everybody watching her sit there, judging her.
The jury all sat back down, with only Jake standing, being the spokesman. "You're honor we find the defendant, Marceline Abadeer, guilty for all crimes accused against her." Marceline peeked at them through her thick black hair that shrouded her face, with all her hope drained the moment the words 'guilty' was pronounced. She refused to loose her last ounce of dignity by crying in front of this large group of people, instead just silently sobbed behind the cover of her hair.
Bubblegum knew what came next, part of her didn't want to say it, just encase she was wrong, and she didn't hate Marceline, their relationship was just... complicated. Never-the-less the decision had been made. "Marceline Abadeer the jury has found you guilty, you will continue to remain imprisoned until a execution date is arranged. Banana guard escort her back to her cell."
The guards went to grab her and take her back, but knowing she was dead anyway there was nothing left to loose. With a low screeching hiss, helping her circulate the pent up anger, she jumped off the chair, to her feet and spun around, grabbing the wooden seat with an awkward grip through her cuffed hands, and swung it into the side of the first guard with brutal force.
He fell but the second still moved in to apprehend her, but he underestimated the cuffed vampire, he grabbed her arm and she countered, twisting his then slamming his head onto the table, causing banana to mush out, knocking him out cold.
However she was still far from freedom, about sixteen more banana guard far. Though she was now fuelled with adrenalin and the lust for her freedom. Bending down and wielding the iron ball attached her leg, she swung it in a circular motion to her side, turning it into a make-shift flail. The guards were hesitant to approach her as she was dangerous before she had a weapon, even though they had spears that perfectly outmatch her weapon and far more numbers, she still had the fear factor on her side.
Not focusing on him, Jake stepped in and practically turned himself into a thick pile of doughy flesh and encased himself around her, deeming her flail useless once it came into contact, bringing a halt to its swinging momentum. He snuffed out all the air inside; she scratched, bit and screamed in desperation, but soon after her wild attempts to claw her way through his skin, finally passed out. Jake unravelled himself back into his normal form after she stopped moving and the guard begun to move in and drag her back to her cell. Bubblegum was quite frightened when Marceline begun to resist, being a first hand victim to the vampires strength. Now that Jake managed to restrain here though everyone could stop panicking and the court could end.
Congratulating Jake, Bubblegum got off her throne and walked of to the right side of the room towards an archway; half a-dozen servants begun to take apart the court and return the room back to its casual state once she began to leave.
Bubblegum walked through the archway which connected to another long but far more smaller hallway, the hallway led to plenty of rooms, many doors patterned along both walls on her right and left, to a stranger stumbling across this castle, they would get lost in an instance with so many rooms a pathways, but Bubblegum had lived here all her life and practically imprinted every room and their purposes in her brain.
Several doors down, nowhere near the end of the hall, she entered a room on her left, it was quite dim, more light entered in from the hall then out from the room. Only a few candles remained lit, Bubblegum recalled lighting more; she proceeded in shutting the door now making it even darker. Although she knew who was in here, she was kinda freaked out over the atmosphere and what Marceline said.
"Finn?" She whispered, it was so quite she didn't know if he had left the room or not. She picked up the closest candle to guide her, half the room was sheathed in darkness, there was no reply but she could swear someone else was in the room, who else could it be but Finn. The candlelight guided her to the end of the single bed, it was up against the wall but the enormous bed (especially considering its a singular) reached out, almost to the centre of the room, however that being said this wasn't a very large room compared to all the others in the castle.
She stretched her arm out for the candlelight to peek into all the corners of the room, the sight startled her when she looked down to her left next to the bedside. It was Finn, he was sat against the bedside on the floor, staring up at the ceiling, mouth and eyes wide open, pupils dilated, like he was on drugs. In his hand that rested on his waist appeared to be an old picture of him and Marceline from what Bubblegum could tell, had to have been taken quite awhile back before he disappeared, he still looked thirteen in the photo.
Though his eyes were open he was unconscious or at least heavily unaware of his surroundings, he didn't appear to have any injuries on him, Bubblegum worried about such things, she tried waking him. "Finn, Finn... wake up." She shook his shoulder gently, causing his head to sway back and fourth and her whispers gradually tuned louder with each word.
After a short time of repeating herself and getting louder, his eyes contracted, frightened, not knowing or remembering where they were, he rapidly leaned foreword gasping for air and panting heavily in shock, like someone would do when waking up from falling in a dream, or being resuscitated.
For a while he didn't realise Bubblegums hand rubbing his back as he was hunched over, (or that she was even there) to comfort him. He noticed the photo in his leaned posture and quickly tried to cover up its existence from Bubblegum, crunching it up and putting it in his shorts pockets, little did he know she already caught a good glimpse of it before.
Bubblegum put the candle down next to them and placed her hands on his shoulders, massaging them amateurishly, not being experienced, but thought it was a thing people did to comfort others. "Finn, are you... okay?" She spoke softly down to him.
He tried to distract his troubled thoughts about Marceline. "...Y-Yeah, of course... I'm math." He tried his best to make his fake enthusiasm sound authentic, but failed miserably. Unlike Marceline he was always the one who found it difficult to mask over his real feelings.
She looked down at the pocket he put the photo in, she knew about their little encounter in the bathroom, Finn told her a day or two after. "Finn, I know how you feel about her, but..."
He interrupted her, he already sussed out what she had to say. "How could you know? I mean I don't even know myself." It sounded stupid, but it was true. His body didn't know what he was feeling about her; was it love or hatred or... he just didn't know. Part of him wanted. Needed, to talk about it to fix his head straight, but at the same time he loathed doing so.
Bubblegum got up, re-lighting all the burnt out candles in the room, making it bright again, and also opened the shutters while she was at it, letting in fresh air and natural light. Finns eyes widened when she approached the shutters, still the only person who knew about his 'condition' was Marceline. He had to think quickly, of what to say or what to do, he noticed the blue bed sheets hanging besides his shoulders and threw them over him also getting up and turning away from the window.
She opened the shutters letting the sunlight flood in, his face was still exposed but the hat protected the sides of his face enough, it still tingled the exposed skin a little though. Bubblegum turned back around to find Finn strangely huddling himself up in the bed covers not looking at her. She didn't question it, but found it very odd.
"Um, you're right I guess, I don't know, but it doesn't mean I can't help." She said, slowly approaching from behind him, if it was anyone else, she would keep her distance in case they decided to do anything rash, but Finn she was fully confident he wouldn't dare to hurt her, even in such distressed states.
"You don't have to fight your emotions alone, I'll always be there to help you like you've always been there to help me."
Finn started to not feel so hot, a sudden wave of dizziness and disorientation hit him, and the urge - the urge to hit something. He wasn't liking what he felt, it didn't feel normal, he just wanted to hit something, hit Bubblegum, or worse. He could feel her presence getting closer, digging into his back; even though she said nothing to offend him, he just need to...
He needed to get away from her, for her sake; the dizziness was making it harder to control his thoughts, he knew what his urge wanted, yet he knew it wasn't him, it felt alien.
"Bub's I'm not - I gotta go." He said in a serious yet drunken manner, running through his words quickly; she almost didn't understand him, swaying his way over to the door.
"Uh-Wait! Nuh-uh, you need to stay here remember. Finn you're dealing with things you don't know how to cope with, you are being a danger to yourself." She was dumbstruck by his wishes to leave, she knew his mind state could lead to dangerous thoughts, she wanted to monitor him closely.
"Hehe, don't worry Peebles, I'll be back just gotta... do something." He was getting drowsy and started slurring his words a little while also painfully chuckling to himself fanatically, the short stuttered laughter almost came out like a cough, and his breathing gradually got heavier. The excuses he could say evaded his mind making his not-so swift escape even more difficult especially when someone as persistent as PB was on his heels.
"Finn you really need to si..." Bubblegum insisted, grabbed his shoulder, stopping him reaching for the door.
Her touch sent a surge of rage through him, (strange since this was the young woman he used to fantasize about.)
"BUBBLEGUM! PLEASE, I JUST NEE..." Finn spun around at her, arguing to the top of his voice, almost feeling himself lunge; his sanity cracking under the urge he held within; it lit a burn in his chest, and not in a good way. He could feel his fists crunch up and almost swung a hit her way. When he turned to talk to her the sun started to sizzle his face causing it to rash a little, that pain was the least of his problems however.
He could see she was quite frightened, the twirl he performed dislodged her grip on his shoulder, Bumblegum wanted to move back keeping a distance between them, not seeing this side of Finn ever before-however made him unpredictable on what the next move could be. So she remained still, as if he were a cheetah waiting for his prey to run so he can play chase.
Looking in her eyes, noticing her fear made him see what's-what, at least for the moment. He felt like a monster; internally calming himself before he took the chance to speak again, "...I just need too leave... and-and get my head straight... on my own... okay, I'm... I am sorry I shouted-It's not you - I... guh."
The more he went on, the more pointless it sounded, the damage had already been dealt here. With that said and Bubblegum not replying, he left abruptly, presumably for the Tree-Fort.
Bubblegum left with nothing but her thoughts, the more and more she thought about it, The more Marceline's words sounded true.
A Lich's Laws of Possession: A compilation of extracts from various sources of research and findings in the Candy kingdoms expansive library on the somewhat immortal beings know as 'Lich's'.
(Disclaimer: Data may be subject to change in future reports. Lich's are an incredibly rare species, not prone to cooperation with researchers. Some, if not most of these notes are based around little detail and allot of theory.)
It is uncertain and highly disputed whether or not a Lich actually somehow takes a physical presence within the hosts head, like a tumour; or whether it melds itself into a persons mind, becoming a fragment of their personality.
Okay probably should have left this here in the first place, but I'm stupid soooo... yeah.
I'm mainly writing this because a guest asked in the reviews where the other chapters are at, and since he is a guest, I cannot reply back to him a give him the reason.
So to everyone who is also wondering why I haven't posted further chapters is simply because I am quite busy and still writing them. I want to get at least 80 or 90% of them done and ready to be published before I start releasing. The reason the Prologue came so early is because I am using it as a filler/teaser between the end of part 1 (Dark Times Are Coming) and the beginning of part 2 (The End Is Nigh) so you guys wouldn't be left completely hanging this entire time. So its still going to be some time till the chapters are going to be posted, but I'm working as best I can to get them out ASAP. I hope it will be worth your wait.
