The Epic Adventure (The COMPLETE Story)

by SkullzArt

Are you ready for the biggest adventure of your life? Journey with Roxie and her new friends through the land as she, Finn, and Fionna are sent on a dangerous quest, but the quest will only be the beginning of the Epic Adventure...

The Epic Adventure Chapter 1

Where am I, she thought. She was laying in the middle of a clearing in the forest. She had a bit of a headache but otherwise was fine. She looked at herself. The daggers she had found had somehow strapped themselves to her waist. She sat up and looked around. She slowly stood up trying to recover her gravity. "Rule number one, don't ever touch weird stuff you find in the woods," she said to herself.

Just then, she heard a twig snap. She felt her heart begin to race. She didn't know how to fight, and what was out there was an unknown threat. She heard the creature rustle some brush that was nearby. It couldn't be extremely large if it hid behind the brush so easily. The rustling stopped.

Then, the creature slowly emerged. It was a fox-like creature, but it wasn't a fox. It was a light brown color with an orange band where the tip of the tail turned white, and a bit larger. It looked at her curiously with deep brown eyes. It sat down like a trained dog and tilted its head to the side. "Hi," she said shakily, "do you belong to someone?" The creature lifted its chin up as if it was saying it had no owner. "You understand me?" she asked.

"Yes, I understand you perfectly. I can understand many languages," the creature replied. The girl looked stunned. "Wait… what is… who are you?" she stammered. "My name is Gonzo. I'm a hybrid creature known as a fwolf. It's a fox and a wolf mix. Now may I ask who you are?" Gonzo replied. "My name… is Roxie… Roxie Callahan," she stuttered, "I don't know how I got here, and I don't know who to trust, but can I trust you for now?"

"You have my word, Miss Callahan," he answered with a respectful bow. As he looked back up, he spotted the daggers she had. "Roxie, there's some people who you need to meet. Maybe they can get you back home," Gonzo said, "I can take you to them." Roxie thought for a minute. "I'll go with you to see these people," she responded. He nodded and grew into a larger form of himself big enough so she could ride him. Roxie wasn't stunned at all. "Alright. Hang on tight!" he said. He then charged into the woods.

After riding for several minutes, they came to a cliff. He walked to the edge and looked out. The view was mystifying. You could see each corner of the land. He reached out and pointed to what seemed to be castle. "That is the Candy Kingdom. That is our destination," he said. He looked up at the sun. "We can make it just in time for lunch!" he added. Roxie let out a small giggle. "Alright, hang on!" Gonzo said turning and running back into the woods.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 2

They rode through the forest and across the plains, and Roxie took all of the scenery in. It was a beautiful landscape like those she had seen in the movies. Many mountains that were a blue color stood in the distance with snow caps. "I wouldn't advise you getting any interest in going there," Gonzo advised. "Why not. They're just mountains. What, does some evil ice wizard live there? Oh, oh, oh, how about a deranged ice witch that puts people under spells when they wander onto her land? Ha ha ha!" Roxie joked. Gonzo rolled his eyes. "Just shut up. We are almost to the Candy Kingdom," Gonzo growled.

As they approached the gates, Gonzo gave some warnings to Roxie. "… don't burp or make any unflattering noises, if you wish to speak to any of the royal family, address them by Prince or Princess or Your Highness, also make direct eye contact when speaking, furthermore…" Gonzo lectured. "Yes, Sir." Roxie answered sarcastically after everything he told her.

They entered through the gates to the kingdom. There were no guards at the gate, but there were two standing near the castle doors. Many people who seemed to be made of candy and sweet foods were bustling around on the streets. Most stopped and looked at them, pointing and laughing.

"Hey! Watch where you kick that thing!" someone yelled. Roxie turned her head. There was a young boy who looked about sixteen. He was wearing a light blue hoodie and jeans. His skin was a light pink and his hair was a darker pink. He was wearing black and white converse. His eyes were a deep ocean blue. Roxie noticed the crown he had on last. It was gold and had a blue gem in the center.

The boy appeared to have diverted his attention onto Roxie as well. His expression was curious but friendly. He raised his hand to give a faint wave. Roxie just smiled back and looked forward again. She looked over her shoulder again to see him still standing and watching her.

Out of nowhere, the soccer ball he and his friends had been playing with hit him in the side of the head, and it made and ping sound. Unknowingly, Roxie jumped off of Gonzo and ran over. "What the heck? Didn't your parents ever teach you not to kick a ball at someone who isn't paying attention?!" Roxie shouted. Most of them looked at their feet and shrugged, but a few looked angry. Roxie looked down at the boy on the ground. "Are you okay?" she asked totally forgetting to add in 'Your Highness'. He rubbed the side of his head that got hit. Roxie reached out her hand. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you," he responded taking her hand. "So… what's your name… oh uh, Your Highness," Roxie asked. He looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Gonzo walked up behind her and whispered, "Introduce yourself first." He gave her a little nudge. "Introduce myself first," Roxie said, "I mean… My name is Roxie Callahan, Your Highness." She gave a small bow of respect. "Well, Miss Callahan, since you did not show proper respect, I will now have the guards escort you out of the kingdom," the prince said. Roxie and Gonzo's mouths dropped open.

"But…I did what…Gonzo I'm gonna kill you!" Roxie shouted. Gonzo darted off into the castle. "Okay, well this is bad," Roxie muttered to herself. She looked around to see people staring at the little scene she made. "Well, good-bye everyone. I'm just gonna leave and…" she trailed off, "… and find my way home. Wherever home is." She began to whimper, but she quickly reclaimed her composure. "Yeah, she's right there." Roxie looked over to the castle entrance.

Gonzo was standing on his hind legs and pointing at Roxie. A man was standing beside him. He was pink like the young prince. He looked about twenty-one or so. He wore a pink cardigan with a purple collar and a blue button to fasten it. His pants were formal and were also pink like his cardigan. He was wearing deep purple boots, too. His hair was spiked up in the front unlike the young prince's hair which was shaggy. His hair was the same color and their crowns were similar. His eyes were a deep purple, which Roxie found very odd.

Gonzo trotted down the stairs with the man following him. Now you've gone and done it, Roxie thought angrily to herself. "Hey, Roxie, I got you a prince to marry," Gonzo called. Roxie started to turn red in the face. "Thanks dude, but I'm only thirteen. Where I'm from, that's like illegal. Besides," Roxie leaned in and whispered in his ear, "he's not all that cute… and he's older. Way older than me." Gonzo grew a mischievous smile. "Don't even think about it," she said. Gonzo wrapped his tail around her waist and put his arm around her shoulder. "Dude, whatever you are doing, it's making me feel awkward. Really awkward," Roxie squeaked. "Listen here my fine lady, the only thing that's going to happen is you're going to be courted for a while, then you'll be engaged and boom! Next thing you know, you're walking down the aisle and being crowned queen," Gonzo stated. "But-" "Hush my darling," he cooed. "But, did you even hear-" "I said hush!" Gonzo snapped. "Are you two done yet?" the man said in an amused tone.

"Gonzo, please introduce me to this fine young woman," the man said. "I'm not marring you!" Roxie shouted. The man walked over to her and patted her head. "This is Roxie Callahan," Gonzo replied. Roxie looked at him. "You forgot to say 'Your Highness'," she snapped. Gonzo busted out laughing. "You… You actually believed… Bah ha ha ha!" Roxie looked confused. "Is he okay?" she asked. "He'll be fine," the young prince responded. "Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. My name is Prince Gumdrop of the Candy Kingdom," the young prince said, "and this is my older brother, Prince Gumball of the Candy Kingdom." Roxie bowed in respect to them. "Gonzo, why don't you come inside? We need to address some… Urgent matters," Gumball said. Gonzo nodded and they both headed inside. Gonzo turned and looked at Roxie. He dashed back down the stairs and grabbed Roxie by the back of the collar, then he continued to make his way inside.

"Lola, would you come down here for a moment please? I have someone you might like to meet," Gumball called. Roxie heard a hurried set of footsteps coming from the staircase. "Yes? Who is-" Lola started. She spotted Roxie and went into a frenzy. "Ohmigosh! Finally someone else who is my age and I can hang out with! We are going to be best friends!" she squealed. Roxie looked over to see Gumdrop trying to hold in a laugh. "What's that?" Lola asked pointing to Roxie's daggers. "Oh, these? I found them in the woods, so I went to look at them. When I picked them up, I got transported here," Roxie explained. Everyone gasped.

"This make matters more pressing. Lola go get your sister. I need to contact some of the other kingdoms. As for you, Gumdrop, please entertain our guests for the time being. I'll inform you about what's going on after this gets sorted out," Gumball ordered, "Roxie, don't worry about what's going to happen. I'll explain this to you as well, but you must promise me something. Promise me that when I tell you, you will not refuse you're destiny," he said.

"My destiny… what about… I promise," she replied. Fear began to pick at her, but she didn't let fear rule her for long. Right now, she was curious about her destiny.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 3

Gumdrop led Roxie and Gonzo up the staircase to his room. His room was quite neat and well kept for a boy his age. Roxie guessed that since he was royalty, he had a maid keep it neat and clean. His bed was pink with a deep purple comforter. He also had a vanity on the right wall and a night stand on the left side of his bed. On the left wall, there was a balcony with a sliding glass door and large windows that stretched from floor to ceiling. On the opposite wall of the bed there was an entertainment center, and a flat screen T.V. There were numerous pictures hanging on the walls and in frames.

Roxie walked over to the vanity and picked up a picture. It wasn't in a frame. It was a picture of Gumdrop and another girl. She had white hair and was wearing a blue dress. She looked about his age. He had his arm around her shoulders, and she had her head on his chest.

Roxie turned around to see Gumdrop standing behind her. He held out his hand as if he was asking for her to give him the picture. She gave him the picture in obedience. He looked at it for a long while and gave a sigh. "Was she your girlfriend?" Roxie asked. He thought for a minute. "You could say that. We never actually dated. I never really liked her," Gumdrop replied. "So is Lola like your fiancée? No wait, she's just your sister, right?" Roxie asked. Gumdrop looked at her with a confused expression. "Yeah, she's just my sister. Why do you want to know?" he asked inquisitively. "No reason."

"Hey, Roxie, do you want any snacks or a drink? I'll go see if I can get you something, besides I need to go to the gathering anyways," Gonzo said. "Yeah, just get me a drink. Coke or something. It's a soda. That's all. I understand the meeting's important so just get me something quick and go on to the meeting," Roxie responded. Gonzo nodded and left the room.

Gonzo came back a while later with a soda, and said that he'd be downstairs for the remainder of their visit. "If you need me, I'll be just downstairs. I'll see if we can stay the night here, too," Gonzo said. He gave Roxie a small hug and left the room.

Roxie walked over to the neatly made bed and sat down. "What are you? Are you more scared than anything? Or are you just sullen?" Gumdrop asked. Roxie ignored him for a moment. "I'm just… confused. I mean, when you're in an unknown place you just… you just… you're alone. All alone in a place with no one to trust. Give me a moment," Roxie sobbed. She tried to hold in the tears the best she could, but it burned her eyes and made it worse. Gumdrop sat down beside her and wrapped his arm around her.

"I don't have any parents," he said. Roxie looked up at him. "What?" she said. "I don't have any parents. I don't know what happened to them. I have no memory of them either," Gumdrop responded. Roxie looked at him with understanding. "I never knew my parents either. Before I came here, my brother took care of me. Gonzo somehow reminds me of him a lot. He was cool, and everyone liked him. It was the opposite for me. Most people thought I was weird. The principal hated me, Mr. Petrikov thought I was a troublemaker, and-" Roxie was cut off. "Petrikov? His first name wouldn't be Simon would it?" Gumdrop intruded. "Um… Yeah, it was. I only had like three friends. My friends Lauren, Danny, and sometimes Samantha if she wasn't mad at me for some dumb reason," Roxie finished. "Sounds like it blowed," Gumdrop added. "Oh, big time," Roxie replied.

They sat in silence for a while. Then Roxie piped up and said, "The reason they made fun of me was because I was a total tomboy. When I was little, just about everyone I hung out with was a guy. I guess it was just easier to… relate to them." Gumdrop looked intrigued. As Roxie began to talk more about the misadventures her and her friends had, he began to listen even closer. He began to smile at certain things she said and laugh at the funny outcomes of some of the stories. They began to talk about their small adventures they had for hours.

Finally, Gonzo returned. It was now dusk and the sun was setting. "Did you kids have fun up here? Alone? With no one around," Gonzo joked. "Shut up. Yes we had fun, and not the fun you're thinking of, sicko," Roxie replied. Gonzo started laughing, and Gumdrop tried to stifle back a laugh. Roxie stood up and went to leave the room. "If you need me, I'm going to see if I can get some dinner," she called.

Roxie walked briskly down the stairs to the feast hall. Prince Gumball was finishing his conversation with another princess. She was a turtle. Her voice was deep which made it hard to believe that she was even a girl. "… Now I need you to get books mostly pertaining to military and martial arts training, and upkeep and distribution of supplies, also…" he continued on.

A few minutes later, they finished and Turtle Princess left. Prince Gumball was about to leave the room, but Roxie caught him just before he got to the doorway. "What do you need, Miss Callahan?" he asked. "Food. I need food," Roxie answered flatly. Prince Gumball gave a small laugh. "Don't worry, I will prepare a feast for all of us right now," he said. He patted her on the head and rushed off to the kitchen.

They sat at a long table, stuffing their faces full of filet mignon, turkey, and boar. They also had mashed and baked potatoes, a variety of beans, and some sort of fruit that was unknown to Roxie. Roxie sat on the right side with Gumdrop and Gonzo on beside her. Lola, Prince Gumball, and Princess Bubblegum sat on the left side. Prince Gumball sat in the middle of Lola and Princess Bubblegum. Roxie looked up every once in a while to make sure he wasn't staring at her like a hawk.

"You seem to be enjoying the food more than we are, Roxie," Gonzo chimed. Remembering her manners, Roxie swallowed her food before she spoke. "Yeah. I haven't really eaten anything, plus it's really good. I've never had boar, but it's pretty good," Roxie replied. Prince Gumball looked up from his plate. "I'm glad you enjoy it. I am the one that made all this you know," Prince Gumball boasted. Roxie rolled her eyes sarcastically. "What? It's true," he defended. Later, they had dessert. They had many pies and pastries to choose from. Roxie happily enjoyed the apple turnovers and key lime pie. Prince Gumball opened his mouth to say something, but Roxie stopped him. "Let me guess, you made these, too?" she guessed. Prince Gumball nodded.

They conversed for a while, and told a little something about themselves. After a while, there was a silence. It was uneasy, like someone was hiding something and wouldn't fess up. Finally, Prince Gumball broke the silence. He took a deep breath and spoke. "Roxie, it has been a pleasure having you here as company, but… it's time you learned something about why you are here," he took another breath, "The reason you are here, is because the Darkness has returned."

Everyone gasped. Roxie didn't understand the grave danger that everyone was in. "The Darkness, is an ancient threat that destroyed many civilizations and took many lives of innocent people. Even the greatest of warriors couldn't defeat it, until the Daggers of Mannafir were forged. They were daggers of pure manna, the purest source of life energy. Mannafir wielded them in the fight against the darkness, and was able to keep the darkness at bay. He was able to banish the Darkness with them. Then one day he disappeared, along with the daggers. We knew the day would come when the Darkness would return, we didn't know when," he looked up at Roxie, "That was when we found this." He took an old, worn book out from his pocket and sat it on the table. "The Enchiridion. It is an ancient book made special for heroes. We found it hidden in a cave beside the body of Mannafir. When we examined it, we found this inside." Prince Gumball opened the book to a page near the end of the book. 'The Untold Prophecy' was the header. Prince Gumball cleared he throat and began to read, "If you are reading this, then this means I have passed on, and the Darkness will return soon. I have hidden the daggers in a place far from here. The hero you seek will come not from this world. She will have a heart of courage, and the spirit of a warrior. She, along with two other heroes, will embark on an adventure to defeat this darkness, but at the consequence of a life. I will leave this world morally, but I will live on spiritually. I leave this world for you to protect now, Roxie. Signed, Mannafir the Brave."

Everyone was silent and stared at Roxie. "Do you remember what I said earlier Roxie?" Prince Gumball asked. Roxie sat silent, but looked up. "Yes," she replied meekly. They sat in more silence, until someone broke it again. Surprisingly, it was Roxie who spoke. "This isn't my battle to fight," she started, "but it is my destiny to fight it." With these words, she sealed her fate… and the world's.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 4

Roxie laid down on the bed she had been given to sleep in. It had be long since dinner was over and everything was cleaned up. It was about midnight and Roxie couldn't go to sleep. Her mind was still running around about what she had learned today. What had been said and what will be done was all but misunderstood. She knew what she had to do, and she had made a promise to do so. She couldn't run away. The only thing she could do was fight.

Suddenly, she heard heavy footsteps coming from the hallway. She sat up straight almost instantly. She rolled out of bed and walked slowly and stealthily over to the door. There was a small piece of wall that was beside the door. She pressed her back against the piece of wall and waited. The doorknob slowly turned, and the intruder crept in. Since the door opened in a way that hid Roxie from view, the intruder had no idea she was there. She quickly grabbed the intruder by the back of the neck and slammed them to the ground. She turned them over so she could see their face and drove her knee into their chest.

"Roxie, get off me!" they whispered with fury. "Why were you coming in my room in the middle of the night? Answer that and maybe I'll consider letting you up!" Roxie snapped back. The intruder thought for a minute. "I was just coming to check up on my girl. I know you couldn't sleep. You were probably too terrified," they responded. "Listen dude. One, I'm not your girl. Two, I wasn't terrified. Three, don't be creeping around, Gumdrop. It's not cool," Roxie snapped. She let him up and lumbered back to her bed. "Just go to bed. I need… to get my… rest, and so do you," Roxie yawned. Gumdrop gave her an angry look. "Well when the big, bad wolf tries to eat you, don't yell for me 'cause I won't come," Gumdrop replied angrily. "Okay, goodnight," Roxie said flatly. Gumdrop stormed out of the room, and Roxie smiled happily to herself. She fell asleep quickly since she burned off the extra energy she had stored up.

The morning light shone through the curtains and onto Roxie's face. She fidgeted for a minute, then reluctantly opened her eyes only to close them again. She rolled over, so the sun wouldn't be in her eyes. She heard the door open but chose to ignore it. "Roxie, time to get up," Gumdrop chimed. Roxie grunted and hid under the covers. "Come on, time to wake up," Gumdrop said becoming less cheerful. He strolled over to the bedside. He began to nudge her. "Go away," Roxie murmured drowsily. "Get up, or I'll get you up myself!" Gumdrop snapped. "I'd like to see you try," Roxie tested. Instantly, Gumdrop threw the covers off of Roxie and grabbed her. He roughly picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Roxie, of course, did not like this at all. She hit him on his shoulder blade as hard as she could. He didn't budge, but he hurried his pace downstairs. Finally, they got downstairs, and everyone was stunned. Gumdrop gently sat Roxie down on the floor. Roxie looked at him a minute, then she slapped him across the face. "If you ever do that again, I'll make sure you'll lack the appendages to do so," Roxie yelled in frustration. "You got it, princess," he replied smugly.

Roxie growled at him and walked over to the others. Gonzo opened his mouth to speak, but Roxie stopped him. "I don't want to talk about it." Breakfast was made and waiting on the table for them. Roxie chose the seat on the corner of the long table, so she would only have to sit by one person. She looked around at everyone. Everyone was neat and had already gotten ready for the day, but Roxie was still a mess since she didn't get a chance to "wake up". They had a hearty breakfast full of boar bacon, eggs, pancakes and waffles, and assorted fruits. Roxie scoffed down the bacon and a few pieces of fruit, then tried to hurry back upstairs, but Prince Gumball told her to, "Sit down." Roxie drug herself back to her seat and flopped down onto the chair. "What do we say when we want to leave the table?" Prince Gumball asked. Roxie rolled her eyes at him. "May I please be excused?" Roxie growled. Prince Gumball smiled in approval. Roxie got up and hurried back upstairs.

Later, Roxie returned with fresh clothes on and tidy hair. Prince Gumball was carrying an armload of books, and Roxie offered to help carry them. The table had been cleaned off, so they freely sat them there for the time being. Roxie skimmed through some of them. They were mostly about war, military upkeep, and other similar topics. There was one that was different though. It was about combat, not modern combat, but combat used with traditional weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Roxie skimmed through some of the book's detailed chapters. Pictures of techniques shown in full detail littered many of the pages. Suddenly, Prince Gumball snatched the book from her. Roxie slowly looked up at him. "I was reading that," she said. He glanced over at her. "I needed to check to see if this is the correct manuscript," he said handing the book back to her, "I apologize for my rudeness." He lifted his hand to pat her on the head. "Please don't. I'm thirteen, not five," Roxie said politely. He gave a small laugh and began organizing the books. Roxie sat in the windowsill and watched him.

The prince finally finished organizing the books and had put them in a special place. Roxie had began to window gaze. The prince cleared his throat, and she diverted her attention onto him. "Roxie, you have warrior instincts that have been suppressed for a long time. We need to invoke them and sharpen them since they are possibly dull. Also, we need to help you build more muscle mass. You're an intelligent young lady, thankfully. Trust me, when training someone who isn't very smart takes a while, but I'm confident that you will learn quickly and obey what I tell you. Am I right?" Roxie pondered for a minute. "Yes," Roxie confirmed.

"First, I need to see what I need to work on with you, so I have decided to have you perform a series of tests that will help me document your physical abilities. Then if I see an area that needs to be strengthened, we can focus on that area," he explained. Roxie thought for a minute then nodded. "Let's get started we have no time to waste," Roxie urged giving a sly grin.

He started Roxie with pushups first. He began to write on his clipboard, but she didn't know what he was writing. Finally after doing a successful twenty, she collapsed on the floor. "Gah! My arms are killing me!" she complained. "Come on, sit-up position," he ordered. Roxie rolled over onto her back. She tried to pull herself up but only got halfway. She tried again and failed. Prince Gumball grew a worried look. He walked over and held her feet down. Roxie tried again and was able to fully sit up. She did about fifty in total before she became sore in the abdomen. He wrote a long sentence on the clipboard. They went outside to the shallow forest that surrounded the kingdom. As they walked through, the prince pulled on several branches to test their strength. He stopped and motioned for Roxie to grab the branch. "I want you to do as many pull ups as you can," he said. Roxie grabbed the branch and tried to pull herself up, but she ultimately failed and fell on the ground. He wrote on his clipboard once more. Afterwards, he tested her endurance by making her run laps around the outside wall as well as many other trials.

Roxie drug herself up the palace steps. The prince rushed ahead and opened the door. She was drenched in sweat, and she was panting like a dog from exhaustion. She flopped on the floor and laid there for a few minutes. "Get up, we still have to do martial arts training and swordsmanship," he ordered. "But…I… need…rest," she panted. The prince became impatient and decided to pick her up himself. After fighting with her to get up, he wiped his hands off on his pants. "Today, I'm going to show you a simple takedown maneuver. Each day we train, you will learn something new. Eventually, we will begin actual fighting to test your abilities. The same goes for weapon training. Now that we are clear, come at me. Just simply run at me," he said. Knowing that he would probably flip her, she braced herself before running. She gathered a breath of air and dashed at him.

Right on target, Prince Gumball grabbed her abdomen and right arm. He lifted her up and over his shoulder, and carried her right to the floor. Once her back was on the floor, he drove his knee into her chest and pinned her. He raised his fist as if he was going to strike her face, but proceeded to stand up. He reached out his hand to help her up, but Roxie refused it and got up herself. "Are you trying to break my back?" Roxie yelled in rage. The prince showed no sign of meekness. "No. I'm trying to help you," he responded. "It's you're turn to try it," he started. He began to explain when, how, and what she needed to grab. "…so when you go to grab them make sure you're feet are in a good back stance, then make sure you tuck your thumbs, so they can't break them, and grab the abdomen," he rubbed his hand around the spot she needed to grab, "and the forearm of the arm that is out in front," he finished. They practiced the grabs a few times being stationary, so Roxie could get it into a muscle memory. "Are you ready?" he asked backing all the way up to the other wall. "I think so," Roxie confirmed. He darted at her, and she only had seconds to prepare herself.

It was like an instinct. She flawlessly grabbed and lifted him. She pinned him in an instant. She barred he teeth at him like an animal, but snapped out of it and let him up. "What was that?" she asked. "Dormant animal instincts. Sometimes it happens when people get in to many fights. They become savages," Prince Gumball responded. "Now all that is left is sword training," he added. Roxie let out a groan.

Sword training was very boring. They went over basic stances and blocking. Prince Gumball had to tell Roxie several times to, "straighten up and pay attention!" "I thought this was supposed to be fun," Roxie commented. He gave her a serious look. "You are here to learn. You are not here to have fun and twiddle your thumbs. You need to straighten up!" he countered. After he made that comment, Roxie let all her rage out. "Straighten up? Straighten up? You try straightening up when you've worked your butt off for the past three hours with no breaks! I would like to see you-" Smack! Prince Gumball popped her on the cheek. She rubbed the red mark on her face. She started to tear up, and sat on the floor. The prince ignored her and gathered the training supplies he had. He went and put them up in a special storage closet, then left the room completely. You deserved that, Roxie told herself. They both seemed a little irritated at each other.

Roxie finally got up and went upstairs to her room. She passed by Prince Gumball's room and stopped. She hesitantly knocked on the door. She heard slow footsteps come to the door. The door opened to reveal the prince. Before he could close the door again, Roxie planted her hand on the door and apologized. "Hey, I'm sorry for what I said. We were both at each other's throats I think, since we were both a little tired." Roxie gave a faint smile. He opened the door wider and stepped out. "I'm sorry I slapped you. That wasn't a nice thing to do, especially to a young lady," he replied. He took hold of her hand and brushed his lips against it. Roxie felt her face burn red. He let her hand go and returned to his room. Roxie turned and continued to her room, only to see that Gumdrop was watching them.

"So you're not into him?" he teased smugly. "I'm not!" Roxie replied angered. Gumdrop leaned against the wall and began acting like a damsel. "Oh, Romeo. Where art thou, Romeo?" he began to recite. Roxie bonked him one on the arm. "At least he knows how to act like a gentleman," Roxie retorted. Gumdrop pestered her all the way to her room. When Roxie reached her room, she opened her door and slammed it in his face. She then heard a knock on the door. She thrust it open in anger. She immediately regretted it when she realized it was Prince Gumball. Gumdrop was leaning on the wall in the background. "Busted," he smirked.

"I did not!" Roxie yelled. "Yes you did! You threw your shoe at me and slammed the door in my face!" Gumdrop countered. "Alright you two! I'm about to knock both of your skulls together if you don't stop yelling and sit down!" Prince Gumball commanded. They sat in silence for a moment. "I did slam the door in your face, but I did not throw anything at you," Roxie confessed. "Thank you, Roxie, for telling the truth. As for you," Prince Gumball pointed at Gumdrop, "why do you always have to pester every girl you meet?" Gumdrop looked at the floor. Prince Gumball left the room leaving the two alone.

Gumdrop looked at the floor for a while. It seemed he was a mixture of sad and bored. Roxie looked at the clock that hung from the wall. "It's almost dinner. Are you gonna go?" Roxie asked. Gumdrop looked up from the floor. "Yeah, I guess," he started, "Sorry for pestering you," he apologized. "It's okay. I got a kick out of it somehow," Roxie replied. He went to hug Roxie but stopped. Roxie smiled and held out her arms. His face lit up with happiness, and he embraced her. He led her to the door, but she stopped before they got to the doorway. He looked distraught. "Why aren't you coming to dinner?" he asked. "I'm just not feeling hung-" "If you don't come, Gumball will most likely come and drag you down there. You don't want that," he interrupted. Roxie turned and pushed him away. "Go. I'll be fine," she murmured. Gumdrop hesitantly left the room.

Roxie laid on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She had her lamp on so she wouldn't be in total darkness. She heard the door open and someone walk to her bedside. She looked to the left to see Gonzo standing there. Her heart raced with happiness to see the furry creature again. She rolled off the bed and began to hug him. His tail waved with happiness and he licked her face. She hadn't seen him since early this morning, and after the day she had she needed a good friend. She hopped back up onto the bed and so did Gonzo. He walked around in circles and laid down. He laid his head on her lap, and she stroked his fur. His breathing was relaxed and slow. The door opened again, and it startled Gonzo.

Gumdrop walked in with a makeshift basket. He had wrapped a napkin around something. He walked over to Roxie and handed it to her. She opened it carefully and smiled when she saw what was inside. Gumdrop had snuck her an apple turnover from dinner. "Be careful and don't get any crumbs anywhere. If he finds out, he'll be angry at you and kill me," Gumdrop heeded. Roxie looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you, brave soldier, for risking your life for me," she joked. They both laughed. Gonzo looked satisfied with the entertainment that was being provided. Finally, Roxie shooed Gumdrop away so that she could have some peace. "Get out of here you knucklehead," she giggled as he left. She devoured the pastry quickly. "I don't get any?" Gonzo asked sarcastically. "You get the crumbs," Roxie replied. Gonzo began licking the crumbs off the bed and off her clothes.

She and Gonzo sat and talked for a while, then Gonzo said he had to leave because it was getting late. "Will you come tomorrow?" Roxie asked. Gonzo thought for a minute. "I can't guarantee I will. I might be able, but I'm not sure. I have to prepare and do other things. I will try," he replied. Gonzo turned and walked to the door. "Gonzo," Roxie called, "I… love you." Gonzo turned and looked at her with kindheartedness in his eyes. He smiled and left the room. Today was a rough day, but maybe tomorrow will be better, Roxie thought as she drifted to sleep.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 5

"No. Keep your body level like a board," Prince Gumball said. Roxie didn't have the best pushup form, but it wasn't horrible. Roxie paused for a minute, and she slid her feet back a little to level her body. She was able to go down further and get more pushups done without getting tired as fast. "Well today you did thirty-two, so that's about ten more than you did yesterday," he confirmed. As she did her sit-ups, she did not have him hold her feet down. She progressed more and more everyday. Her fighting skills became more improved and she was getting the hang of sword fighting. They were able to start fighting each other to simulate a real fight. It even got so 'real' that people would stop and watch them practice. Roxie learned how to create her own combos and techniques. She was able to use her daggers as well, even though she had not been taught with them. Her warrior skills were finally awake. She knew how to fight now, but her kind, caring side never disappeared.

It was two days before it was time for she and the two other heroes to leave. Roxie looked at herself in her mirror. Her muscle mass was greater than it had been. Her arm was thicker because of the muscles that were created. Her calves were more firm and slightly larger than their original size. She had slightly developed abs, but they weren't large. She seemed sullen about something. She diverted her attention to the knock at the door, and rushed to put her shirt on. Since it was clean, she had chosen to wear her deep magenta long-sleeved shirt, again. She had on a pair of blue jeans and her converse. She slipped the belt that held her daggers on. The door opened, and it was not the person (or persons) she expected to see.

"This is her," Peppermint Butler confirmed. A boy and a girl who were about the same age stepped in. They wore the same color clothes and had the same backpacks. The wore light blue shirts, and the boy wore dark blue shorts while the girl wore a skirt. Their backpacks were light green on top and dark green on the bottom. The girl wore knee-high socks and Mary Janes. However, the boy wore crew socks and a pair of black Converse. The boy and girl had blonde hair covered by hats. The boy's resembled a bear, and the girl's resembled a bunny. Their eyes were a light blue. They examined each other for a while before anyone spoke.

"So, you're the one who's been gifted with the Daggers?" the boy asked. "Yes," Roxie answered, "Are you the two that will be coming with me?" There was silence. "It depends if you consider us all equals," the girl said. "Why do you need to ask that? You should know that we are supposed to be a team," Roxie defended, "I knew that, and I don't even know you." The two looked a little thrown off. They smiled at each other and nodded. "Finn the Human," the boy said with a bow. "Fionna the Human," the girl said with a bow. Roxie smiled at them. "Roxie Callahan… the Human," Roxie said with a bow. "Roxie! Can you come here for a minute?" Lola called. Roxie looked at Finn and Fionna for a second before leaving. "I'll see you at dinner. Hopefully this will only take a minute," Roxie apologized.

"Roxie, I have someone for you to meet," Lola said. She pushed her door open. There was a girl sitting on her bed, as well as a boy floating over her head. "This is Danny, she's my best friend, and that's Mark, he's Danny's boyfriend and a vampire," Lola introduced. The word 'vampire' stung Roxie. "He doesn't suck blood does he?" Roxie asked. Mark floated over to Roxie and whispered in her ear, "Not unless you want me to." Roxie cringed at the thought. "So, Roxie, I was thinking about having a sleepover tonight. What do you say? We can mess around with the guys," Lola proposed. "Sounds good to me," Roxie confirmed. They heard Prince Gumball yell for them to come to dinner, so they rushed downstairs.

The table was filled with food and was longer to accompany more guests, a lot more guests. The 'table' was actually four tables put together to form one long table. There was a problem though. There was a smaller table that was horizontal and was at the end of the longer table. All of the tables put together made a 'T' shape. Even worse, there were name cards saying who sat where. There were candy people already seated, and the others were continuing to seat themselves as if they knew what to do. All of the sudden, she felt someone grab her shoulder. She turned to see the face of Gumdrop. "Are you going to sit down, or are you going to stand here like a zombie?" he asked. "I have no idea where to sit. Why don't you show me where to sit, hmm?" Roxie replied sarcastically. "Just come on." He grabbed her arm and led her to the horizontal table. She jerked her arm back and said, "I can't sit there! That's for the really important people!" He let her arm go and walked over to one of the name cards and held it up. 'Roxie Callahan' was the name printed on it. Feeling ignorant, she flopped down in the chair. She looked at the other name cards on the table. The royal family, other kingdoms' leaders, and a few other special guests sat there. There were about twenty or so chairs alongside the table Roxie sat, and about a hundred or so alongside the other table.

"Are you glad you get to sit at this table?" Roxie heard someone ask. Someone nudged her right elbow. "Say." She finally looked to see who had spoken to her. Her eyes lit up with excitement. "Gonzo!" she yelled out unaware she was making a scene. She squeezed him as tight as she could. "Dude, it's been a week since I saw you. The last time I saw you was when you came to see how training was going," Roxie started. "Yeah. I see those few weeks of training have helped," he replied. He squeezed her arm to test the firmness. They began a long conversation to catch up with what they had done in the last week.

"Roxie! Hey, Roxie!" Lola called from a few seats away. She waved her hand frantically like it was having a spasm. Roxie gritted her teeth in a toothy smile and waved back. She slammed herself back into her with laughter. She looked at the empty seats separating her and Lola. She read the name cards from left to right. 'Prince Gumdrop' was to sit by Roxie, then 'Prince Gumball', and lastly 'Princess Bubblegum' was to sit by Lola. She looked down each end of the table trying to find Finn and Fionna's names, but she couldn't. She turned back to look at Lola, but only saw Prince Gumball staring at her like an eagle. He motioned for her to get up, and she obeyed.

"What makes you think you can just sit wherever you want?" he asked angrily. He slammed her into the wall. Roxie was confused and angry at the same time. "My name was there when I got there. I didn't know," Roxie defended. He removed his hands from her and backed up. Out of nowhere, he slugged her across the face, which sent her flying out of the doorway and into the feast hall. Cries of horror broke out. Roxie staggered up only to be thrown across the room, again. She felt deception from her friends. Had they set her up? Was this just a prank gone wrong? Roxie didn't care. She knew if she didn't do something that Prince Gumball would beat her black and blue. She thrust herself up as fast as she could. She was tempted to draw her daggers, but did not in fear of hurting someone. He charged at her in pure anger. Roxie timed it, and stepped out of the way and grabbed his wrist. She jerked his arm so that his body was open, and she dislocated his whole arm rendering it useless. He cringed in pain and dropped to the floor. He looked at her with watery eyes, but then cracked a smile. He cracked his arm back into place and stood up. Roxie took two steps back which left him just out of striking range. "I have taught you well… but I am still your master…" he stuttered. He drew his sword. "The only way you will leave here… is in a body bag! I will toast you blood in a crystal chalice if it is the last thing I do!" he yelled in fury. This is not real. You need to wake up! Roxie told herself. "Wake up!" Roxie yelled.

Roxie woke up in the hospital wing of the palace. She had a bandage wrapped around her head and a massive headache. Her vision was blurry and she was dizzy. She sat up very slowly and looked around. She looked to her right and saw the prince sitting on the bed beside her. He didn't have any bandages on him and looked perfectly well. He stood up and walked over to her bedside. He gently placed his hand on her bandage. "I'm sorry. I just…" his eyes began to fill with tears. He kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her. "You tried to kill me. You said you were going to drink my blood out of a crystal chalice," Roxie murmured. Prince Gumball looked surprised and took a step back. "No. That isn't what happened. After I hit you, I had accidentally knocked you out. The rest of that was just a nightmarish vision," he explained. Roxie thought for minute. "How long have I been out?" she asked. "Only ten minutes, thank God," he answered. Roxie removed the bandages from her head and stood up. "Why were you so mad?" she asked. The prince looked at the floor and thought for a minute. "This is a really important feast. Traditionally, it is the final real meal the warriors would have before going to war. It was just very important to those who were leaving. It's just that it must have slipped my mind that your seat was actually that seat. Now, no one even knows we are gone so don't say anything," he explained.

Roxie and Prince Gumball slipped into their seats silently. Roxie spied Finn and Fionna on the other side of Lola. Lola and Finn seemed to be having a very loving conversation. Before the prince had sat down, he kissed Fionna's forehead which made her blush. Not everyone was seated yet, so they were still free to talk until everyone had seated themselves. Gonzo and Gumdrop were both caught up in conversations, so Roxie stared at the ceiling. "You look bored," she heard Gumdrop say. He put his arm around her waist trying to make his feeling subtle to all the other guests except for her. He scooted his chair closer to hers. She touched his hand and looked at him. His face was rather close to hers, but somehow it didn't feel uncomfortable. It felt… pleasant. "So what were you and Gumball doing?" Gumdrop asked inquisitively. "We were just talking," she answered. "Surely that wasn't all that happened," he urged. Roxie rolled her eyes. "He's got a girlfriend already," Gumdrop added. Roxie looked at him. "I know," she started, "but you don't." Gumdrop's eyes widened in surprise. Roxie didn't mean what she said in a romantic way, but it was meant to be an insult. "Are you sure about that, Roxie?" he questioned. Before Roxie could respond, he kissed her on the cheek and smiled happily to himself. Roxie froze and hoped no one had seen that display. To her relief, no one had seen them. Finally, the room grew silent, and the ceremony was ready to begin.

Prince Gumball stood up, and the room was filled with a hush. "Greetings, my dear citizens and revered kingdom leaders. I have gathered you here today to celebrate our dear heroes leaving on a journey to defeat the accursed Darkness," he begun, "Our beloved heroes who are taking this journey will risk their lives. Just the three of them versus an entire army of dark beings. I would like you to meet them now if you do not know them," he gathered his breath, "Finn. Fionna. Would you please stand up." The two stood up with beaming smiles while everyone clapped and cheered. "Brother and sister they are. Most of you know them from the abundance of heroic deeds and quests they have done for many of us," Prince Gumball said with a smile, "But there is one who is here that none of you know." He glanced at Roxie through the corner of his eye, "Roxie. It's time for you to take your stand."

Roxie looked startled in a way. She hesitantly stood up. She began to sweat profusely and felt a knot in her stomach. Many of the guests began to whisper to one another, and no one clapped for her. Roxie saw Prince Gumball out of the corner of her eye. His face looked distressed but unmoved. She began to feel a little lightheaded and unbalanced. Don't you even dare passing out, Roxie commanded herself. The whispering finally died down, and Prince Gumball began to speak. "I expected a little more respect from you all, since this is the wielder of the Daggers of Mannafir." The whole room began to erupt in whispers once more. Prince Gumball looked down at Princess Bubblegum and whispered, "I don't think I'm going to ever be able to finish." After a few minutes passed, he was able to continue. "Roxie has gone through some… tough training. She has been very cooperative during her training, and she is ready to defend our world form the Darkness. She is willing to die to protect us, and for that," he picked up his gilded chalice, "I would like to rouse a toast in her honor." Everyone raised their glass into the air, and began to grow smiles on their faces. Roxie began to smile and raised her glass, too. "For good fortune and safe travels of our heroes," Prince Gumball started, "and for the safety of everything good in the world," Roxie finished. Everyone turned and looked at her. They did not seem angry, but more interested. Roxie had not really spoken to anyone the whole night. Roxie felt a shiver run down her spine. The feeling soon left and annoyance fell over her. "Okay, it's not that interesting that I can talk. If anything that can talk that would be interesting, it would be Gonzo," Roxie stated. Everyone busted out laughing. Roxie grew a confused look. "That's not supposed to be funny!" Roxie shouted. Everyone laugh harder. Roxie finally decided it was no use and sat back down.

The amusement finally died down and everyone began to eat. There were still a few ripples of laughter that ran through the citizens every now and then. "Jeez, Rox, I had no idea you could be so serious yet so funny at the same time," Gumdrop smirked. Roxie gave him an annoyed look. "I wasn't being funny," she growled. She picked up a slab of boar and stuffed it into her mouth. "You can at least act ladylike when you eat at a ceremony," Gumdrop muttered. Roxie stopped dead and stared angrily at him. "This is possibly the last meal I will ever have. I want to enjoy it the best I can," Roxie responded calmly. She turned back and looked at her plate. She had eaten everything on it. She had eaten three thick slices of boar, a turkey leg, a whole filet mignon, a heap of mashed potatoes and peas, and a apple turnover. "You'll still have a meal when you comeback," he countered. Roxie slammed her fist on the table. Everyone snapped their attention onto her. "But what if I never comeback! You treat every meal like it is your last! You never know when you will die! I don't know when I'm gonna die! For all I know, this is the last meal I'll have!" she yelled. Gumdrop shrunk back into his seat. She hastily pushed her seat back from the table and left the room.

She walked down the hallway to the staircase. "Roxie!" she heard Prince Gumball call. She didn't stop and kept walking. He grabbed her wrist, but she jerked her hand away. He then grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. She tried to push him away but could get out of his grasp. "What was that about?" he asked calmly. Roxie tried to push him away, again. "Answer my question," he pushed. "Let me go!" Roxie yelled. "Answer my question first!" he shouted back. He wrapped her in a bear hug. "Stop! I can't breathe!" she yelled. He finally let her go. She gave him a look of pure hatred, but he stared at her with worry. She bared her teeth at him, then turned and went up the stairs.

Why did you do that? He was just trying to find out what was wrong, she told herself. He was in my business, she snapped back. You need to apologize. I know it's hard but -, she stopped. No! The only thing that has happened ever since I got here has been pain, pain, and more pain!, she yelled. She began a long argument with herself. She had sat in her room for more than an hour. She finally reached the decision to go and try to apologize. She opened her door to see a worried Gumball standing there.

She stared blankly at him for a minute. "You have seemed a little… over the edge for the last few days. Is everything okay?" he asked. "Everything is fine… just hormones," Roxie responded. Prince Gumball tried to stifle a laugh. "Dude, I'm sorry for the way I was being earlier. Gumdrop was kind of getting in my biz a little. I wish I didn't yell at him. He probably freakin' hates me now," Roxie said. Prince Gumball looked down at her. Suddenly, Lola rushed down the hallway to Roxie's room. "Hey, are you coming?" Lola asked. Roxie thought a minute, then she remembered the sleepover. She slammed the door and quickly changed into her pajamas. She thrust the door back open and ran straight past Prince Gumball. "C'mon, Lola, let's go!" Roxie shouted grabbing Lola's wrist. They both ran down the hall to her bedroom.

Roxie burst through the door, only to see a room full of princesses. "Uh… Lola, are we in the right room?" Roxie asked. Lola nodded. All of the enthusiasm leaked out of Roxie's body. "C'mon, Roxie, you like girl stuff, right?" Lola asked. Roxie grunted and sat on the bedside beside another bored looking girl. "Expected something more to your liking huh?" the girl said. She was a little taller than Roxie. She had dark brown hair like Roxie's and mixed-color eyes. She had a tan, leathery jacket on with a light grey tank top underneath and stonewashed jeans. She had black and white converse like Roxie. "Yeah. You too?" Roxie responded. The girl nodded. "Dove," the girl said. "Roxie," Roxie introduced.

As the night went on, things seemed to get less and less interesting. "I'm about to go hang with the guys," Dove said. "So am I," Roxie agreed. The other girls had formed a circle on the floor and were talking about their crushes. "Look at 'em. There just sitting there talking about guys who don't even know them," Roxie said. Dove stifled a laugh. "Hey, Dove, do you have a crush?" Lola asked. Dove turned and looked down at her. "Yeah. His name is None-of-You-Business!" Dove retorted. Roxie busted out laughing. "I know Roxie's crush," Lola chimed smugly. Roxie immediately stopped laughing and sat up straight. "Crush? Ha! I don't have one," Roxie retorted. "Really? Then how come you and my brother always go places together… alone?" Lola urged. "Which one? I don't do that with either of them!" Roxie defended. Lola raised an eyebrow. "Really, Roxie? You and Gumball flirt with each other all the time, and you always are in a room alone with him. Also-" Lola was cut off. Roxie stood up on the bed. "No I don't! I have a crush on Gumdrop, and you know it! Gumdrop is way cuter than him and my age, smart one! He's the first guy I actually thought I was in love with!" Roxie yelled. Everyone's mouth dropped open, including Roxie's.

Roxie grew a look of horror at what she said. She jumped off the bed and ran out the door. She ran down the hallway to her bedroom, only to end up ramming into someone. They landed on their back, and Roxie landed on top of them. "Whoa, Roxie, what's the matter?" he said. Roxie looked into the face of Gumdrop. "Ahhhahaha, it's nothing. Just was going to… get a snack," Roxie lied. Roxie sat up and let Gumdrop sit up. "Is a snack really so important that you run into me?" he asked. "Yes. Yes it is," Roxie confirmed. "Well lucky you, I went to get one myself. I can share it with you if you want," he said. "Yeah, sure. Whatever," Roxie said. He grew a sneaky smile on his face. "What are you-" Gumdrop planted his lips against Roxie's. Roxie felt her face grow red. Roxie was too busy trying to wrap her head around what was going on that she didn't realize people were watching. She finally shoved him away and stood up. "Bleh! Gross, dude! That was not cool!" Roxie yelled. She wiped her mouth off with her sleeve and turned her back on him. He shot up off the floor. "Stop being modest. You liked it. Besides," he looked at her, "don't think I don't know your not-so-secret dirty little secret." He turned and walked away. The guys who had stopped and watched followed him. Dove rushed up beside Roxie, and she put her hand on her shoulder.

"It's like everyone's got a bone to pick with me!" Roxie said with anger. She face planted on Lola's bed. Dove patted the back of her head. Roxie propped her head up on her chin. "I wish that I could chill for just five minutes of my life," she added. Dove sat and thought for a minute. Suddenly, the door burst open and the guys stampeded in. All of the princesses screamed as loud as they could, but Roxie and Dove busted out laughing and fell off the bed. "This party is officially crashed, son!" Mark yelled. Roxie and Dove couldn't stop laughing at what had just happened. The guys looked at Roxie and Dove. "Are they okay?" Mark asked Prince Gumball. He grew an unsure looked on his face. "Can I poke 'em?" Mark pleaded. Gumdrop looked at him. "I say we take them as our 'prisoners'," Gumdrop added. "Now that sounds like a good idea," Prince Gumball approved. He and Gumdrop walked over and picked them up. All of the guys then turned and left the room. "We'll be back for you," Mark said as he shut the door.

As they entered Prince Gumball's room, the girls realized they had been practically kidnapped. They stopped laughing and frantically struggled against the grasp of their carriers, but they couldn't escape. They threw them down on the floor. "You're our new prisoners, so you have to do what we say," Prince Gumball said. Roxie hopped up onto her feet. "I ain't taking orders from a walking piece of gum!" she yelled. Everyone looked stunned. "What did you just call me?" he demanded furiously. "A. Walking. Piece. Of Gum," Roxie said flatly. Prince Gumball threw himself at her and put her in a headlock. They wrestled on the ground while everyone chanted. "Take it back!" he demanded. "Yeah right!" Roxie spat. She elbowed him in the stomach, and he loosened his grip. She ripped his arm away from her throat and pinned him on the ground. He tried to throw her off, but it was useless. She had already won the fight.

"Prison break!" Roxie yelled as she ran for the door. Dove just sat on the floor and watched. Roxie stopped just before she got to the door and turned toward Dove. "What? Aren't you gonna come?" Roxie asked. Dove thought for a minute. "Do you really want to go hang with those prissy girls? I thought you wanted to chill with the guys. By the looks of it you're having more fun here than there. If you want to leave, then goodbye. You're really cool to hang with, but you don't let me change your mind," Dove said sullenly. Roxie looked at her feet. She turned back to the door and left.

Dove started talking to the guys for a few minutes, but they were interrupted by a knock at the door. "We aren't interested in your girl scout cookies!" Mark shouted. Gumdrop elbowed him and went to get the door. The door opened just before he could get to it. It was Roxie. "Roxie? Why are you back here?" Dove asked. "What? Can't a girl just change back into her regular clothes?" she defended. "No. No, you can't," Mark answered. This time, it was Prince Gumball who elbowed him. "Right… anyone want to play a game or do something fun?" Roxie continued. "Yeah, I am kinda hungry though… snack break?" Dove answered. Almost everyone darted out the door, except Roxie, Dove, and Gumdrop. "Okay, they bought it. Let's go while they are still down there," Dove said to Gumdrop. "Go where? What are you talking about?" Roxie questioned. They both looked at her. They walked over to her and grabbed her arms. They continued to walk and pulled her along behind them. "We'll show you, Rox," Dove said.

They walked out onto the balcony. Dove let go of Roxie and hopped up onto the railing. "I'll fly ahead of you, so you can follow me," Dove said. Roxie grew a look of distress. "Wait! You can't fly! You're human like me!" she exclaimed. Dove grew a sneaky smile. "Am I?" she questioned. Suddenly, she grew beautiful, golden brown wings. They were about as long as the balcony, which was seven feet long. Roxie stood gaping at what had just happened. "You're… a Seraph," Roxie stuttered. Dove nodded. "I can carry you to where we are going, or you can ride with Gumdrop," Dove suggested. "Ride what?" Roxie asked. Gumdrop grew a smile. "Twilight! Here!" he called.

Swiftly, a beast flew up from the ground. It looked like and elongated unicorn, but it had wings as well. It was purple and blue with a dark grey mane, tail, and wings. "Roxie, this is Twilight, my steed," Gumdrop introduced. Roxie stood for a minute and thought about her choices. "I think I'll ride with Gumdrop, so long he doesn't do any crazy tricks," Roxie confirmed. "Alright, let's go then," Dove said.

The feel of the wind through her hair kept her mind off the fact that she was hundreds of feet in the air. Dove suddenly stalled herself in mid flight to talk to Roxie. "So how does it feel to feel like you're flying?" Dove asked. "It's awesome!" Roxie replied. "Do you trust me?" Dove asked. "Yeah, I trust you. You're like my best friend," Roxie replied. Unexpectedly, Dove grabbed Roxie's wrist and pulled her off Twilight's back. Roxie dangled by her wrist in midair. Roxie screamed at the top of her lungs. "Put me down or back or something!" she screamed. "Okay," Dove replied. She let go of Roxie's wrist and watched her fall. Swiftly, Dove went into a nosedive to catch her. She reached out to grab Roxie, but she missed her wrist. She sped up and went underneath Roxie. Roxie landed on Dove's back, but she kept on screaming. "Roxie. Roxie! You're not falling anymore!" Dove yelled. Roxie opened one eye. "Oh… sorry and never do that again!" Roxie yelled back.

On the rest of the way to their destination, Roxie rode on Dove's back. "To think I thought that Gumdrop would be doing the crazy antics," Roxie muttered. "There it is!" Dove exclaimed. She pointed to a cloud. Roxie grew a confused look. "That's the Cloud Kingdom in case you didn't know," Dove added. She gained speed and landed on the cloud she had pointed to earlier. Roxie slipped off of her back and onto the ground. "It's nice to be back on the ground… or some form of it at least," she said with relief. Gumdrop landed beside them and told Twilight to return home for now. Dove motioned for them to follow and led the way to a different cloud. The closer they got, the louder it became. There was loud music playing and people shouting. They finally got to the cloud, and what they saw was a massive party. "Welcome to the most insane party place in the land! The Cloud Kingdom!" Dove exclaimed.

Roxie stood speechless at the party that was going on. Dove motioned for them to follow and ran to the large crowd of cloud people. Gumdrop ran after her laughing with amusement. Roxie wasn't a 'party girl' and didn't get invited to parties, period. Gumdrop stopped running when he realized Roxie wasn't following. He turned around a looked at her for a minute, and he finally decided to walk over to her. "Come on, don't you want to go and dance?" he asked. "I don't dance," Roxie responded flatly. He looked into her eyes for a moment, then grabbed her wrist and gave it a tug. "Come on, the dance floor is calling you. Besides, I can teach you. Please?" he begged. Roxie didn't shift on her decision at all. He finally let go of her wrist and walked away. He went over to where Dove was standing and began talking to her. They looked over at her a few times, but Roxie didn't care. It wasn't like she couldn't dance, but she just didn't want to dance. After they finished talking, they both walked over to Roxie. Unexpectedly, they each grabbed her wrists and pulled her to the dance floor. Roxie didn't bother struggling, since they were both stronger than her.

"AROOOO! Party! Party! Party! AROOOO!" something howled. Roxie skimmed through the crowd of people trying to find what it was. "Dad! Hey, Dad!" Dove called. A giant floating wolf head turned and looked at her. "AROOOO! Hey, Dove," he called back. The thing floated over to them. He looked past Dove and at Gumdrop. "Whoa, dude, how long's it been? Last time I saw you, you were like Party God of your party. AROOOO!" he said. Gumdrop gave a slight blush. The thing turned its focus to Roxie. "Who are you? I've never seen you around here…" he started. "Roxie, this is my dad, Party God. I'm like the Party Princess you can say. Yeah, shocker, I know," Dove said. Roxie looked at Party God. "Sup, bro," she said. Party God gave out a loud howl. "Now this kid, I can get to like this kid! AROOOO!" Party God howled. "Hey, kid, got any moves you can show off?" he questioned. Roxie grew a sly grin. "Tons."

"Go! Go! Go!" everyone cheered. Roxie had taken over the dance floor. Most of the techniques she had learned were similar to break dancing moves, so she only had to tweak a few things. Leg sweeps made easy fixing to pass off, but others were not so much. She nailed each move with perfection, and she was barely breaking a sweat. She impressed everyone, including Party God. "AROOOO! Roxie, I would like to challenge you to a dance battle. AROOOO! Do you accept?" Party God howled. Roxie thought for a minute. Okay, so he's the God of Partying, and you're… nothing. This will be fun, she said. She nodded in agreement.

"Roxie, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Dove asked, "My dad is pretty hardcore about these things." "Dove, I've got this," Roxie confirmed. The music kicked on, and the battle begun. "I like to let my superior go first. So, you go first," Roxie said slyly. "No one is going first! Stop this madness!" some one yelled. The music was killed and silence fell upon them.

"Words can not begin to express how furious I am!" they shouted. "Dude! Chill out!" Roxie shouted. "No! You shut up! I want to talk to the one who was in charge of this little operation!" they demanded furiously. Roxie grew a look of hatred. Dove walked up to them. "I was," she said. They turned and looked at her. "Since went did royalty become so… rebellious," they questioned spitefully. "When royalty became so proper is when," Dove shot back. They grimaced at her. They then turned their focus towards Roxie and Gumdrop. "Come, we are going back to the castle," they ordered. Roxie hesitantly followed the orders. Gumdrop grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "She doesn't have to listen to you. I'm the prince, too. Just because you are the one in line to rule next, doesn't mean I have no power. I say she can stay here with me, and you can't stop me, Gumball," Gumdrop shouted. Prince Gumball grew red in the face. He walked over to Gumdrop with an enraged expression. He grabbed Roxie's other wrist. "She's coming with me! She needs her rest for tomorrow!" he yelled. Gumdrop tugged her back towards him. "No! She's staying here! She deserves to have a good time!" he spat back. "Would you two knock it off!" Dove shouted. They both snapped their attention onto her. She walked up to Prince Gumball. "I know what we did was bad because we didn't tell you, but they were with me the whole time. Now, such a gentleman like yourself shouldn't waste time yelling," Dove said. He released his grip on Roxie's wrist. "Yes, you're right. Forgive me, Dove," Prince Gumball said. "Please, have them back before midnight," he added. He turned back to look at them one last time and smiled. "Did he just smile?" Roxie asked. "Yeah. That's a rarity," Gumdrop answered. They stood in silence for a moment. "Wanna get sick on the snack bar?" Roxie chimed. "Yeeaahh," he agreed.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 6

"That was a heck of a party," Gumdrop said as he and Roxie walked down the hallway. "Totally," Roxie agreed. She stopped at her door. "See you tomorrow," she yawned. She opened her door and slipped inside. She lumbered over to her bed and flopped down onto it. Even though certain clothing pieces were bothering her, she didn't bother changing out of her clothes and into her pajamas. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe, then she drifted to sleep.

Crrreeeaaakkk. The door slowly opened. Roxie opened an eye. "Is it morning alrea-" she start. She realized it wasn't morning, and a dark creature had found its way into her room. It was a terrifying creature. Its skin, black like shadows, and its eyes like burning red fire. It was inhuman. It had long legs and a false knee. Its arms were elongated and had long, razor-sharp claws. Its mouth was hinged by only a small piece of skin. It had protruding fangs and a long tongue. It wore armor made of skulls on its torso, and hide armor around its waist. It had a helmet made of what looked like a bull's skull. The thing thrust itself at her and leaped onto the bed. Roxie screamed in terror at the thing. It cut her off by covering her mouth. "Tre na mos zochi!" it yelled. Roxie grabbed her one of her daggers and sliced the creatures hand. It yowled in pain and rolled off the bed. Roxie threw the covers off of herself and tried to run for the door. The creature seized her ankle which made her trip. The creature staggered up and let out a screech. It grabbed an ancient, rigid scimitar from its belt. "Human… this na… yochu demise," it growled. It raised the blade into the air. Roxie reached for her dagger, but it had slid to the wall. She reached her hand out, but it was too far away. Suddenly, she felt something in her hand. The dagger! She raised herself up quickly and stabbed the creature's chest. She sank it into the flesh and through the heart. "I… should've early… my zochi," the creature stuttered. It evaporated into a small black cloud. It was defeated.

"What's going on in here?" Prince Gumball demanded. Roxie was still on the floor holding the dagger in the air. She was breathing hard from the terror she had endured. "Get off the floor and quit screaming. People are trying to sleep," he yawned furiously. He began to close the door. "Darkness," Roxie said faintly. He stopped. "What?" he questioned. Roxie stared through the dark. "The Darkness…," she started. She then collapsed on the floor. "GUARDS!" Prince Gumball yelled.

Roxie heard muffled voices around her. She cracked open her eyes. The room was bright and discombobulating to someone who just woke up. Her vision was a bit blurred as well as other senses dulled. She sat up slowly to keep from getting a head rush. Her vision and other senses regained slowly. She was in the hospital wing of the castle. "Not this place again," she murmured to herself. "Good, you're awake," she heard someone say. She became startled and hopped out of the bed. "Calm down, it's just me," Prince Gumball cooed. She climbed back onto the bed and curled up like a dog. He sat down a tray with needles on it on a stand beside the bed. "So, can you tell me what happened last night?" he questioned. He began preparing the needles. "Well, some… beast came into my room and tried to kill me. It was like a shadow… and it spoke some weird language. It said something like 'tree nah most yoshi' or something. Then, something about earlier doing something. I think I killed it, but the- Ouch! What was that for?" Prince Gumball had given her an injection with one of the needles. He began preparing the second one and ignored her question. "You mean 'tre na mos zochi'. It means 'It is the end'. They say that usually when they are about to vanquish their enemy. About earlier, that wasn't me who gave you the blow to the head, it was that fiend you killed. He slipped away before I could give him one across the throat," Prince Gumball explained. Roxie began to giggle but stopped when he gave her another injection. "No more shots!" she said furiously. She hopped off the bed and hid under another. "Come on, I'm trying to prevent you from getting infected in case you got scratched or something," he pleaded. "No! I hate shots!" Roxie replied. "You asked for it." He crawled under the bed and grabbed her. He pulled her out from under the bed, and carried her back to her bed. He laid his free arm across her chest and sat down on her legs. He mercilessly gave her the last injection into her thigh. "Ouch! That hurt more than the last two! Now get off of me!" Roxie yelled. "Nah, I'm good. I think this is some sweet payback for last night. Anywhere you got to be at between now and ten? No? Good," he replied. Roxie growled in anger. "I'm going to try to get some rest… and I fight in my sleep," Roxie yawned. She closed her eyes and grew a sly smile. "Okay, I'm cool with that," he retorted. Roxie opened an eye and grunted. "Just get off of me. You're crushing me, anyways," she growled.

"Roxie. C'mon, Roxie. Time to wake up. You've got to get ready. It's like nine. C'mon, wake up!" Gumdrop pleaded. Roxie threw the covers over her face. She had fallen asleep on the hospital bed. "Come on let's not go through this scenario, again," he said. Roxie murmured something that was barely audible. "Please, do not make me do this, again," he pleaded. Roxie threw off the covers. "There! I'm up! Are you happy?" she yelled. She slid off the bed and stormed out of the room. She hastily walked to her room and ignored everyone who tried to say something. She twisted the knob of the door and walked into her room. Just as she closed the door, she realized there was somebody sitting on her bed. "Hello, Miss Callahan. I'm sure you know me already," they growled. "Very."

They stood up and began to walk around her. It was as if they were studying her. "Why are you here?" Roxie asked in hostility. "Oh well, you see, I don't like it when another girl gets in my way," they growled, "I thought that I would warn you, so you would know to stay away. Stay away from him, and I'll stay away from you. Got it?" Roxie gave them a hostile look. "You're a ship that's already sailed to him. Why bother?" Roxie explained. They their clenched fist. "Lucky you, I'm not feeling like getting blood on me. Like I said, stay away from him you brat." They turned and left the room. "And good riddance," Roxie murmured under her breath.

Roxie changed into the exact same clothes she had one, except they were clean. She brushed her hair and teeth. She slathered some deodorant on herself, grabbed her satchel, and darted out the door. She ran down the stairs and almost tripped on several of them. Many people had already gathered in the hall. She looked around for any sign of her friends, but she couldn't see any of them. "There she is!" she heard someone call. Prince Gumball walked up to her with a bunch of his colleagues following him. He looked very proper yet tough. He wore his traditional attire he always wore, but he also wore some deep pink armor and a red cape that followed him when he walked. She tried to ignore him and keep walking, but she decided it was rude and acknowledged him. He motioned for his colleagues to leave him. "Roxie, I need to tell you something."

Roxie focused more attention on him. He grabbed her hand. "I know you and I know that you are prepared, but this quest… is far more deadly than any other plague or quest that I have seen. This is no longer a mere quest… this is a war," he started, "If you need help at any point, my kingdom is willing to follow you." He gave a slight bow. "Thank you for the offer, your highness," she replied. He smiled at her. "Pardon me, but I still need to finish some last minute preparations," he apologized. "You are pardoned, my good man," Roxie giggled.

Roxie walked outside and sat down on the steps. She looked up at the sky. It was a beautiful day. The birds chirped and chased each other through the air. There was a slight breeze that picked up the leaves and swirled them. She let the breeze flow through her hair. It made her feel free and wild. "What are you doing out here all alone?" someone asked her. She kept looking forward. "I want to get one good last look of this world. I may never see it again like this. I hope I can return though, but I just want to go home. I never wanted to be the one who had to risk my life. I always wanted to be the hero, but now I know the risk. That's what this is about though, you have to take the risk to protect the people… I am willing to take that risk," she explained. They sat for a moment in silence. "That means I'm willing to protect knuckleheads like you, Gumdrop," she smiled. "Well you got one thing right, I can be knucklehead sometimes," he confirmed. Roxie giggled. "Did you just laugh? I don't think I've heard you laugh the whole time you were here," he asked. Roxie straightened up immediately. "I… don't know what you're talking about," Roxie lied. Gumdrop opened up a satchel he had been carrying. He pulled out a white object and handed it to her. "Here, I made you something," he started. She examined the object. "I think you'll like it. I pricked myself with the needle so many times trying to make it, I thought I'd need a blood transfusion." She looked at his hands. They had small punctures on them. Most of them had healed, but a few were still scabbed. She turned back to the object. It was soft, and it had ears on the top of it. One of the ears was bent over, but she didn't care. She loved it. She sat it on her head. It felt odd to wear a hat, but it made her feel accepted. The other heroes wore one, so she didn't feel silly to wear one as well. "Awe, she's a little wolf now," Gumdrop cooed. Roxie looked at him with a smile. "Shut up, dude." She playfully hit him in the arm. The door opened behind them. "The ceremony is about to start. Roxie, come with me," Prince Gumball said.

The ceremony had begun, and Roxie was bored out of her mind. They were droning on about the wars raged in the past, and the lives of Finn and Fionna. Roxie had not been mentioned once the whole time they were there. They did mention Mannafir a good bit, but it was because he played a great part in the land's history. Roxie began to feel drowsy. Don't yawn. Please don't yawn, she told herself. She sat up straight, and that helped a little. "Now many of you are wondering who will lead the heroes on their quest," Prince Gumball started. Every eye in the room turned to him. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "I am appointing… Roxie to lead our heroes." Shouts of outrage filled the room. Roxie slumped down in her seat. "Silence!" Prince Gumball yelled. The room instantly became silent. "I am appointing Roxie because The Enchiridion said. Mannafir said. He said it himself! He wrote her name in the book! We can't deny his request. He wants her to lead… so she will lead," he explained. "I have also given her my oath. An oath that says I will lead my kingdom behind her. This isn't a mere fight anymore. This is a war."

Everyone remained silent. A candy person raised his fist into the air. Everyone turned and looked at him. "Honoris! Gloriae! In Virum!" he shouted. Many others began to follow. They raised their fists and shouted the same thing. They were saluting. They were saluting to Roxie. She sat motionless. Did they practically just give the kingdom to me? Roxie thought. Prince Gumball turned to Roxie. He kneeled down and bowed. Everyone followed his lead. The other kingdoms, the other citizens, and the animals. Everyone bowed. "We will stand by your side. No matter what," he said. He rose from the floor and turned back to the people. He motioned and ended the ceremony.

Finn and Fionna began to say their goodbyes to their friends, but Roxie stood by the door. She saw Fionna let a tear slip as she hugged Prince Gumball. Finn hugged Lola and went to say bye to Danny and Mark. "What are you doing over here all alone?" she heard Gumdrop ask. She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "You don't care about what happens to me. No one does. They only care about me because I'm the one with the daggers. Wait, they care about the daggers, not me," she murmured. "Roxie, don't say that. There are people who care about you. I care about you," he replied. Roxie looked at him. "That's what they all say," she mumbled. She brushed past him and walked over to the others. "Well, if isn't our gracious leader, Roxie Callahan," Fionna snarled. Roxie looked at her. "This isn't what I wanted. I never wanted to be here. I lost what little I had when I came here. Fionna, I know you've felt that way before. You have people who care about you, though. I have nothing, but me, myself, and I. I know you don't see eye to eye with me, but we can be friends one day. We can be friends now, but that decision is up to you." Roxie reached out her hand. Fionna looked at it, then she pushed it away. Fionna turned and walked away with Finn following her. "That was cold," she heard someone say. A white cat with brown markings walked up to her. It was a large cat, and it looked more like a panther. "You don't know me do you, sugar?" the cat asked. "Cake, right? Fionna talks seldom of you, but I've never really spoke to her," Roxie replied. Cake looked at her. "The reason she doesn't respect you like everyone else is because she wanted to be the one. She also sees the way Gumball acts around you. She just needs to move away from the past," Cake explained.

Suddenly, Roxie was knocked onto the floor by an orange mutt. "Jake, heel!" Finn commanded. The dog backed off, and Roxie staggered up. "If you wanted to say 'hi', you didn't have to knock me down," Roxie said. "Whoops, sorry," Jake apologized. "Roxie, we need to go. It's already noon. If we don't leave now, we probably won't get past the Fire Kingdom, today," Finn explained. Roxie looked around the room one last time. Roxie nodded and walked to the door. She motioned for them to follow her. They hesitantly obeyed. She pushed open the door and exited to the world.

Cheers erupted from the crowd of people that had gathered in the courtyard. She walked to the gates of the kingdom without looking back. "Roxie! Wait!" she heard someone call. She turned around to see Gonzo running towards her. "Roxie, I'm coming with you," he said. "No! You need to stay here. There are those who care about you more than you do them. This is for your own sake," Roxie explained. Gonzo looked into her eyes. "There are those who care about other people more than themselves, and they are willing to protect those people with their lives," he replied. He stood up on his hind legs. "I'm going with you." He began to walk ahead of her. Roxie ran to catch up with him. She walked beside him. For a while, everyone was silent. They walked across the grassy plains for a while. "Hey, leader, where are we going?" Fionna asked. Roxie pulled out a digital map. "Umm… some place called the Forest of Wonders," she replied. "Follow me!" Roxie dashed off across the plains.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 7

"Roxie! Wait up, hun!" Cake called. Roxie had ran far ahead of the group. She was already at the edge of the forest. "C'mon, slow pokes! Let's hustle!" Roxie yelled back. She waited at the edge of the woods for everyone to catch up to her. "Don't do that again! You're going to get to separated and captured or something!" Gonzo yelled. Roxie lost the grin she grew on her face. Gonzo brushed past her and got on all fours. "Now, come on. We don't have all day. We need to find shelter or make a shelter by tonight," he said. Roxie climbed onto his back. The others also mounted their companions, and they dashed into the woods. Roxie ducked under the lower lying branches that Gonzo paid no attention. Gonzo halted abruptly at the edge of a clearing. "Look. Do you see that, Roxie?" he asked.

The other side of the clearing had been decimated. The trees were charred and black. The life on the other side had wilted and died. The sun even seemed to have lost its shine on that side. "The Darkness was here. They burned this side of the forest, but the burns are aged. These were from long ago," he let Roxie off of his back, "but the Darkness doesn't fade on its desolation." Gonzo walked over to a wilted branch. It had a small leaf hang on it still. "Should we camp here for the night?" Roxie asked. "Gee, I don't know. Let's ask the leader," Fionna growled. Roxie shot her a look out of the corner of her eye. "I think it's a good place to camp," Gonzo replied. Roxie nodded and began to unpack the supplies.

By the time they finished unpacking, it was almost sundown. The had built a small fire and rolled out their sleeping bags. "Who's going on guard duty first?" Roxie asked. "You because you mentioned it," Fionna replied. Roxie cut her eyes at her, and she walked over to a stump and sat down. She pulled out her daggers and starred into the dark woods. Stars began to reveal themselves through the twilight, fireflies began to light, and the night creatures began to sing. Soon, the others' breathing began to steady into a rhythm and were asleep. It was as if the night had its own song much like the day. It was soothing to Roxie. She wanted to pitch in with her own voice, but it would only taint the natural beauty of the music. The howls of wolves began to join. They were close, but Roxie didn't mind it. The night continued, and the music seemed to fade. Roxie began to drift away from reality and into sleep. Finally, her body couldn't take it anymore and fell asleep.

Muffled voices floated in the air. "Who are they?" "Why are they crossing in this part of the woods?" "Should we take them back to Valkar?" Roxie opened an eye. She shot up and found herself staring into the face of a wolfman. "Hey, we have a live one!" it called. It was about six feet tall. It had black fur and wore black steel armor. It also had battle scars on its body. "Who are you?" Roxie squeaked. "Krush," he replied. "What are you doing in these woods?" Krush asked. "That's classified," Roxie replied. Screams suddenly filled the air as the others woke up. They drew their weapons and were ready to fight. Roxie stood. "Don't! They don't mean to hurt us!" she yelled. "Listen, scruff! They're monsters. We are heroes. We fight monsters! Now, move!" Fionna yelled. Roxie growled. "Not all monsters are evil!" Roxie yelled back. The heroes expressions softened, and they sheathed their weapons.

Suddenly, more wolfmen leaped out of the woods. The commotion that had been caused led them to think there was a problem. The heroes wanted to draw their weapons again. "No, don't draw them. We don't want to seem hostile," Roxie ordered calmly. They were outnumbered now. They group held their breath as they became surrounded. "Krush, who are these… things?" one of them asked. "I don't know. The one with the wolf hat won't tell me anything," he replied. "Who? Roxie? Yeah, she can't talk to guys," Gonzo pitched. Roxie gave him a stern look. "Yeah, she's terrible at keeping information," Finn added. "As well as fighting," Fionna added. Roxie felt the rage boil in her. They all began to insult her in front of the wolfmen. Unexpectedly, Roxie drew her daggers and turned to the group. "If you all don't shut up, I'll chop you into pieces and serve you as a salad to the Darkness!" she yelled. Everything was silent.

"Take them to Valkar!" Krush ordered. The wolfmen seized them. Each one had its own captor. Roxie watched as each of her friends were taken one by one, until she was alone. Krush grabbed her from behind. It wasn't a hostile grab like she expected. It was gentle. He lifted her from the ground and threw her over his shoulder. He dashed off into the woods after the others.

Later, they arrived at a camp. Krush gave a loud howl and dropped Roxie on the ground. The others were soon dropped down beside her. "Ugh… Could you not be any rougher?" Roxie yelled. "Silence!" The group looked up to see a large black wolfman standing there in front of them. "Presenting, his majesty, Valkar the Fearless," a wolfman shouted. Valkar grabbed the back of Roxie's neck and lifted her up. "Why are you trespassing through our woods?" Valkar growled. She tried to look back at the group. She saw a glimpse of Gonzo face. It was bent in pleading. "Well! Answer me!" Valkar demanded. Roxie didn't know what to say. "Uh… sire? That one did mention something about the Darkness," one of the wolfmen said. "What?" he yelled with rage. He dropped Roxie in his rage. "What in the Wolf's Moon are you talking about?" he continued. "The Darkness has returned! That's why we were passing through!" Roxie yelled. Everyone grew silent. Valkar turned around. "What kind of sick joke are you playing?" he whispered. "No joke. It's the truth, and I have proof," Roxie replied. She slowly pulled out her daggers. The wolfmen stared in awe. "Valkar, what should we do with them?" Krush asked. The king thought for a minute. "… Young wolf, is there anything we can do for you?" Valkar asked. Roxie looked at him. "Are you willing to fight with us?" she asked. The king nodded. "Go speak to Prince Gumball of the Candy Kingdom, tell him I sent you," she added. The king nodded. He howled for the warriors to come. He motioned for them to follow. "My apologies, young wolf, you and your friends are free to go," Valkar said before he dashed into the woods. Her friends staggered up and watched the wolfmen dash into the woods. "How'd you know they wouldn't eat us?" Finn asked. "I didn't. They seemed reasonable. I knew if we fought we'd be outmatched. Plus, you can't fight everything in sight," Roxie replied. The group smiled at her. "Well said," Gonzo said. "Now, where to?" Finn asked. Roxie pulled out the map. "We are a good bit away from another kingdom… We'll travel until the sun goes down," she replied. She pointed into the woods. "We need to go that way. Follow me." She began to walk to the woods with the others following her.

It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was almost beginning to set. Roxie looked at the sun through the trees. "An easy thing to remember: If you get lost, you can remember the sun comes up in the east and sets in the west. If you know which direction you came, you can use it as a map," Roxie announced. She turned and face the group. "We move to the west and return to the east, so if we get split up just follow the sun." She turned around and kept walking. She looked back up at the sun. It was set even further now. "Double time it! Now!" Roxie ordered. Everyone quickened their pace. They began to run through the forest. They hacked down branches, bounded over roots, and splashed through puddles.

Roxie let out a frustrated sigh as the sun began to bring twilight. "We camp here. I don't want to chance getting caught by something in the middle of the night," Roxie ordered. Fionna threw her bag on the ground, hard. "Okay, I get you're the leader and all, but you don't have to tell us what to do all the time! If anything, I should have been the leader because you suck!" Fionna yelled. Roxie froze. "What did I ever do to you?" Roxie yelled. Silence fell on the group. Fionna gave her a look of hatred. "You came here," she growled. Roxie felt her heart drop. "Fionna!" Cake shouted. Roxie let a tear slip. She rarely let true tears slip, but this time she felt it. She felt the pain of hatred seep in too deep. Roxie dropped her sleeping bag and dashed into the woods. "Roxie! Wait don't go!" Gonzo called. It was too late. Roxie had already gone in too far and wasn't going to come back.

Roxie dashed through the trees and over the exposed roots. She was panting hard from her constant sprinting. She came across a river and stopped. She looked out over the river. The moon gave a bright reflection on the water. She bent over and picked up a rock. She looked at it and grew a look of rage. "Argh! Fionna you… Argh!" she yelled. She threw the rock as hard as she could. She flopped down on the ground and covered her face in her knees. She began to cry and whimper. Suddenly, she heard hustled footsteps behind her. "Go away! Go back to camp!" she commanded. She felt a hand on her shoulders. "I said go-" She turned to see the face of a dark creature. "Too easy," it said. Before Roxie could react the creature swung it's arm and backhanded her, thus knocking her out. The creature turned to another. "Tell Jeykel, we have her."

The Epic Adventure Chapter 8

Roxie opened an eye. She felt the pain of her headache and cringed. She looked around the room. It was made of stone and had a barred door. She had chains around her ankles and wrists. She looked at her waist for her daggers. They were gone along with her satchel. "Well, well, well. Looks like the dear hero has gotten herself into a predicament. Shame," a sinister voice cooed. A dark creature came into her cell. He lifted her chin up with his finger. "So ugly," he muttered. She ripped her chin away from his finger. He grabbed her chin and turned her head to face him. "Listen here, beast, you will give us the information we want, or we will give you an agonizing death!" he yelled. "You'll have to kill me before you think I'll betray," Roxie growled. The creature growled and stood. He grabbed a brown stick from his belt. He pressed a button and a long leather whip appeared. He grabbed her and slammed her face first into the wall. He reared back and cracked his whip.

Roxie let go a scream of agony as it slashed down her back. He began to repeatedly began to slash her back. Her cries in agony began to grow more and more with each slash. He finally stopped, but not before the damage was done. Her shirt was torn and ragged, and her back was torn and bloodied. Her face was mangled by pain and tears drenched the front of her shirt. "Maybe you will reconsider, beast," the guard growled as he left. Why is the only thing I have received is pain? I don't deserve this… No one does, Roxie thought. She looked up through the barred window. The moon barely shone through. She hung her head in sorrow. She began to cry. She cried, loud. She quivered in fear and gave out cries of pain. She couldn't save herself this time. She was left for dead.

Gumdrop slept soundly in his bed. He was tired from helping out in the kingdom all day. Suddenly, a scream erupted from outside. He shot up from his bed. The scream grew fainter as he began to wake. He sat covered in sweat. He looked around the room, then drew a shocking realization. "Roxie…" he whispered. He threw the covers off and darted out the door and charged down the hallway. "Where are you going?" Prince Gumball demanded. "What are you talking about? I'm going to…" Gumdrop started. "Really? You're going to go somewhere in just your boxers?" Prince Gumball questioned. Gumdrop grew more awake. He forgot he didn't even bother putting on a shirt and pants before leaving his room. "Tell me where you are really going," he demanded. Gumdrop thought for a minute. "Roxie is in trouble… big trouble," he replied. "She can handle herself. Go back-" "No! She needs my help. She's in real danger!" he interrupted. "Go. To. Bed!" Prince Gumball ordered. Gumdrop gave him an angry look and returned to his room.

He laid down on his bed and stared at the ceiling. He thought for a minute. "Dang it!" he whispered. He got up off his bed and began to change his clothes. He grabbed a small backpack and put some supplies in it. "Sire? Is that you?" a soft voice asked through the door. Gumdrop stopped what he was doing and cracked open the door. Peppermint Maid was standing there holding a sheath. "I know what you're doing. Are you sure you can handle his wrath when you come back?" she asked. "I know. I can handle him, but this is worth going against his orders," he replied. Peppermint Maid held out the sheath. "Take this." He took the sheath from her and pulled out a dazzling sword. It was silver and shone a faint pink when in light, and it had a black handle. "Why are you helping me?" he asked as he examined it. Peppermint Maid looked at her feet. "Loyalty to the King," she whispered. He looked at her with a confused look. "Your father, he wanted me to give you that sword. He knew you would use it someday… and today is that someday," she explained.

He thanked her and returned to packing. He looked over to his balcony. He knew that would be his exit. He finally finished packing and walked onto his balcony. He signaled for Twilight, and she came. "Where are you going at this time of night?" she asked as he climbed onto her back. "Just go to the Forest of Wonders. I'll explain on the way," he whispered. Twilight shot up through the sky and began to fly towards the forest.

Roxie woke up on the stone cold floor of her cell. It was now daylight outside, but her cell was still dark like night. "Get up, filth," a guard commanded. Roxie staggered up and expected to feel the pain of her lacerations. To her surprise she didn't feel anything. "Ready to talk?" the guard asked as he opened the cell door. Roxie shook her head. The guard grew a scowl. "Against the wall!" he commanded. Roxie turned to the wall. "What?" the guard yelled. "Commander Jeykel!" he called. Another guard rushed into the room. "Yes?" he asked. The guard pointed to Roxie's back. "That little slug didn't give this beast its lashings!" he explained. Jeykel examined her back. He ran his fingers across the faint scars that formed. "She had her lashings. They just healed somehow," Jeykel confirmed. The guard grunted. "Continue with what you were doing," Jeykel said as he left. "With pleasure…" the guard snarled. He raised his whip and cracked it.

Long after she had her lashings, they brought her small scraps of food. Jeykel opened the cell door and set the tray in front of her. She tried to reach her food, but the chains held her back. Jeykel saw her struggling to eat and released the chains around her wrists. Roxie looked at him in thanks. "Why are you helping me?" Roxie murmured. Jeykel looked at her. "Unlike the others, I came from a different origin. I was human like you. My village was attacked by the Darkness, and they took everything from me. They took me prisoner, and they turned me into this scum. They didn't turn me completely, but most of my soul became corrupt. I can't let that happen to you. I'll try to help you until someone comes," he explained. He seemed to almost let a tear slip. Roxie sat on the floor and began to eat. She started to feel sorry for Jeykel. "I know how it is to lose something. I had lost many things when I first arrived, but I gained some things in place of what I lost," she turned to him, "There is still good in you. You didn't lose everything." Jeykel looked at his hand. "What am I? Who will I become? No one likes the Darkness," he said to himself. "You are Jeykel. The real Jeykel. You will become whatever you wish to be," Roxie answered. Jeykel looked up at her. His expression was blank. "I need to go before I get caught," he said as he stood and chained her wrists again. He left without a word and didn't return.

Roxie had another lashing before she went to sleep that night. The pain of it kept her awake for most of the night. She stared at the moon and thought of Jeykel. She thought of him as that small peace of light in a dark world. She then turned her mind to the group. She wondered if they were okay. They probably were searching for her, but part of her said they didn't care and continued on their journey. Whatever happened, she knew Jeykel would possibly help her escape. She closed her eyes tried to fall asleep.

Night was chased away by day, and Roxie woke from what sleep she managed to get. She sat up and looked around the room. She saw a guard standing on the opposite wall. She shook her head answering the question she knew would be asked. She stood up and turned to the wall. Her wounds had managed to heal into measly scars, again. The guard cracked his whip against her skin, but no scream came. She merely grunted. Her skin had became tougher, so she couldn't feel the whip as much. After he finished, her skin was torn and bloody like always, but she couldn't feel the pain as much.

Later, Jeykel brought her a few large scraps of food. He unchained her wrists so she could eat. He watched her eat. She ate like an animal. "I thought about what you said yesterday," he said. Roxie glanced at him to show she was listening. "I didn't loose everything. There is still good in me, and I have the chance to change," he said. "Thank you." Roxie pushed the plate away showing she was finished. He picked it up and left the cell. She curled up and rested her head on her hands, then she fell asleep.

Gumdrop scanned the ground below for any sign of Roxie or the others. Soon, he spotted a small camp with a live campfire. "Twilight, down there," he ordered. She dove down to the camp and landed with a solid thud. The heroes picked up their weapons and readied themselves. Gonzo realized who it was and motioned to sheath their weapons. "What are you doing here?" he questioned. Gumdrop slid off of Twilight and told her to leave, but she needed to stay in the same area. "Roxie's in danger," he began to explain. Gonzo sniffed the air. "I have her scent. I was just getting ready to search for her," he replied. "Fionna and Finn you stay behind. Gumdrop and I will go find Rox," Gonzo ordered. "How come we can't go?" Fionna asked. Gonzo gave her the 'Really? You think she'll be happy to see you?' look. Fionna shrugged and began to talk with Finn. Gonzo turned back to Gumdrop. "Come on, we have no time to lose." Gonzo dashed into the woods with Gumdrop at his heels.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 9

Gonzo and Gumdrop raced through the forest. "Her scent is getting stronger… and so is some one else's," Gonzo said. They hurried their pace even more. Moments later, they came across an old outpost. Everything around it was dead. Gonzo took in her scent. "I know you're not going to like it, but she's… in there," Gonzo whispered. "How are we going to get in?" Gumdrop whispered back. They both ducked behind a large rock to avoid getting spotted. "I don't know," he replied.

Suddenly, they heard a low growl come from behind them. They both turned to see a guard riding a dark wolf-like creature that wore bone armor. The guard motioned for the creature to attack. They creature bounded forward and jumped on top of Gumdrop. Gumdrop quickly pulled out his sword before the creature could slash him. He thrust the blade into its chest, and the creature let out a deafening yowl and fell to the ground. The rider tumbled onto the ground. Gonzo swiftly slashed the rider, thus ending the small battle. The rider and creature vanished into small black clouds, and they left their armor behind. "I have an idea," Gumdrop said.

Gumdrop took the rider's armor and began to change his attire. He took the armor and exchanged it for his clothes. He took the creature's armor and began to put it on Gonzo. "Wait a minute, your skin is exposed a little on your arms and stomach. They'll notice you're pink!" Gonzo pointed. Gumdrop forgot the armor exposed part of his arms, stomach, and part of his chest. "Hang on, I think I have something," he replied. He opened his backpack and pulled out a black bottle. "What is that?" Gonzo asked. He glanced at him. "Um, it's… paint," he answered. Gumdrop had been secretly planning to dye Lola's hair in the middle of the night… with real paint. Gonzo looked at him. "You are an evil brother," he muttered. "Shut up," he growled as he climbed onto Gonzo's back.

They entered across the drawbridge. Cells lined the walls for two, three, four stories. From a distance, they looked into each cell. They saw no sign of Roxie. They reached a side hallway labeled 'Solitary Confinement'. They walked down the narrow hallway. They looked into each of the cells. No sign of her. They were almost at the end of the hallway and were running out of cells to check. Then, a scream broke out from one of the cells. They heard the sound of cracking whips and rushed to the cell. "Hit the beast harder!" a guard shouted in amusement. Finally, the whip cracking stopped. "Filth," the guard muttered as he left. The guards left without noticing either of them. Another guard that seemed to be waiting for the others to leave rushed into her cell. Gumdrop slid off of Gonzo and caught the door before it closed.

"They didn't hurt you too bad, did they?" Jeykel asked. Roxie could barely look at him. "It hurts. They whipped my arms, legs and part of my neck," she replied. She showed off her wounds. "Hang on, I'll go get you some scraps," Jeykel whispered. As he turned to the barred door, he noticed Gumdrop standing there. "I was just-" "You were just trying to take care off her… Get out," Gumdrop growled. He stood taller than Jeykel by a few inches. Jeykel hesitated, but he obeyed and left. He turned his focus back to Roxie. He walked over to her and knelt down. "Please, please, don't hurt me anymore… It wasn't his fault he was just-" He gently brushed her hair away from her eyes and caressed her face. "My God, what have they done to you?" he whispered to himself. Roxie tried to turn away from him. "Who are you? What do you want?" she asked. He looked back at the doorway, then he slowly removed his helm. He revealed his pink face and shaggy hair to her.

She thrust her body to hug him, but her chains held her. Seeing her struggle, he picked the locks on the chains and freed her. She grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. She felt his bare back and let him go. She stood back and looked at him. He was a bit muscular. He had a six-pack already and partial chest build. "See something interesting?" he teased. Roxie gave him an awkward look. "Uhh…" He gave her a smile. "It's okay. Ignore what I said," he apologized. He walked over to her and caressed her face, again. She blushed and laid her head onto his hand. She put her hand on his and pushed it closer to her face. She looked at him with her bloodshot eyes. He looked back down at her, and tears began to form. "Gone for almost three days, and they deal this much damage…" he trailed off into a low whisper. A tear slipped down his cheek. She put her free hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with a confident expression. "I'm alive… that's all that should matter to you," she said. He grabbed her hand which startled her. "No. What matters is that you're alive… and I'm here with you. I'm getting you out of here," he corrected. He put his hands on her shoulders. Roxie cringed in pain, but she didn't show it. He leaned in to kiss her, but was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

"You never said you had a boyfriend, Roxie," sneered Jeykel. Gumdrop immediately took his hands off of Roxie and drew his sword. Jeykel, in return, drew his. "Roxie, who is this?" Jeykel asked. "Umm… Jeykel, this is Prince Gumdrop of the Candy Kingdom. Gumdrop, this is Commander Jeykel… of this place," she introduced. Prince Gumdrop stared at Jeykel. "Roxie, we need to go," Gumdrop whispered. "I thought you loved me, Roxie. But, here you are with another man. To think I was willing to help you," Jeykel spat. He pulled out her daggers. "Oh well!" he threw the daggers at her. She caught them by the blade and readied them. Jeykel widened his eyes in shock. "I never said I loved you. I never said I loved him. You're both just friends," she explained. Jeykel sheathed his weapon. "Get out of here," he muttered. Roxie and Gumdrop dashed to Gonzo. Roxie hopped on in front of Gumdrop and held onto his neck. "Get us out of here!" Roxie commanded. Gonzo did an immediate U-turn and dashed down the hallway at full speed.

Gumdrop clung tightly to Roxie as Gonzo bounded through the hall. They finally exited to the main prison and were spotted by several guards. "Gonzo keep going. I'm gonna do something drastic," Roxie commanded. Before he could reply, she leaped off and ran to the other cells. She climbed up to the fourth floor and began to break the locks on the cells. She stabbed the guards that ran at her and threw them over the railing. She opened as many cells as she could before dropping down to the next floor. She landed on the rail. She opened only three cells before a guard hit her. As she fell, she grabbed the rail, swung down, and hit another guard in the face. When she turned around, she spotted a 'Release All' button near the drawbridge. She leaped onto the rail and jumped off the platform. Gonzo caught her with precision and kept running. She pulled out one of her daggers and aimed. She threw it and cut the drawbridge's chains. As she caught it, she threw the other one and smashed the button. Every cell door flung open and everyone was free. Gonzo charged across the drawbridge and into the woods.

"You are insane! You could have been killed by doing that!" Gumdrop yelled. "That's why you love me so much!" Roxie yelled back in sarcasm. He laid his head against her shoulder. "Exactly," he whispered to himself. "Hey, buddy, where are we going?" Roxie asked. Gonzo hesitated. "We're going to meet back up with the group," he answered. Roxie nodded.

When the arrived at the camp, they were greeted with warm smiles. Cake brushed up against Roxie's legs and purred. "Glad to know you're alive, sugah," she purred. Finn gave her a small hug to show he cared. Fionna leaned against a tree nearby. She watched the group become united once more. Roxie sat down on a log and had Gonzo examine her wounds. Some were deeper than others and would leave scars, but some were shallow and would heal easily. Fionna decided to walk over to her and ask how she was feeling. As Fionna got closer, she noticed how severe her wounds were. She stopped just a few feet away from her. She began to cry and felt the shame of what she caused. Roxie looked up to see her on her knees. Roxie staggered over to her. "It's not your fault. The only thing you caused was anger. I caused the pain," Roxie explained. Fionna looked up at her and wrapped her arms around her neck. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry," she whimpered. Roxie gave her a small hug. Fionna released her grip slowly and finally let go. She looked at her one last time and returned to the log where she sat.

Gumdrop sat down beside her and leaned back onto the tree behind them. "I know what you're doing," Roxie said. Gumdrop looked at her. "What am I doing?" he asked slyly. Roxie grew a disgusted look. "Trying to reveal your abs and chest more," she spat. Gumdrop blushed. "I would say take off the armor, but you don't have a change of clothes," she added. She thought for a minute then cringed. He slid closer to her. Then, she slid away from him. Every time he slid closer she slid away, until there was no more log. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She turned away from him. "Are you mad about me and Jeykel?" he asked. "No," she replied. "Are you mad about something?" he asked. She thought for a moment. "Yes," she replied. "About what?" Roxie grew a playful smile. "Because that guy who came to save me didn't kiss me when he had the chance," she muttered. "I'm sorry, what?" he asked. "That guy didn't kiss me when he had the chance," she said a little louder. "What was that?" he asked, again. Roxie lost her playful smile. "Why didn't you kiss me? You act so in love with me, but you never seem to do anything about it," she groaned. Gumdrop looked at the fire. "I did do something. I saved you even though Gumwad told me not to," he replied. Roxie looked at the ground. "Roxie, I know you're different than everyone, but… you're the most amazing person I've met. You stand up for what you believe, you're beautiful, funny, cool, you don't act all girly, and you're just… awesome!" he exclaimed. Roxie stood and looked at him with a cold expression. "She seems pretty awesome. I'm glad you found yourself one," she replied as she walked away.

Later that night, everyone gathered around the campfire. They unpacked some sausages that were in a small cooler and began to roast them. "So are these things safe to eat?" Roxie asked as she impaled one with a stick. "Yeah. They were cold still when I took them out," Gonzo replied. Roxie shrugged and jabbed it into the fire. She looked up from the fire several times to look at Gumdrop. He gave her a murderous stare. She wished she didn't say what she said earlier. "Fire!" Finn yelled. Roxie looked down at her sausage. It turned into a torch and was burnt black. She threw it on the ground and stomped out the flame. She picked up the black, shriveled sausage and threw it into the hungry flames. Gonzo handed her another sausage, but she refused it. "I'm not hungry anymore," she muttered. She made sure her daggers were snug in her belt and grabbed her satchel. "I'm going to the river. I'll scream if I need you," she said. She walked through the brush line and left.

She walked to the nearby river and sat at the waterside. She listened to the night creatures' song and began to hum. She began to form words in her mind, and she soon birthed a song. She called it "Falling Empires". Soon, she began to mouth the words, then it happened. "We used to stand so tall~ But now every time we stand we just seem to fall~ Now we are just cold-blooded enemies~ We are falling empires at war~ And I can't take it anymore," she sang. She listened to the distant wolf howls. "Now it's like every time our eyes meet, I have to turn away in pain~ Every time you say you love me, it feels like knives through my veins~ We are just falling empires at war~ And I can't take it any more." She took a deep breath and continued the song through a hum. "But every time I see your face, I reminds me of so much pain~ I tried my best to get you back~ But every time you seem to slip away~ Now every time we meet, we fall like our empires did at war~ No, I can't take it anymore," some one continued. Roxie spun her head around to see Gumdrop leaned against a tree. "I feel like I'm constantly at war~ And neither side is winning~ So much pain so much sorrow on your face as you lay down to rest~ I can't take anymore of this war… can we be just like before?" he finished. Roxie looked out onto the water. She heard Gumdrop walk over to her. He bent down and sat at the waterside with her. They sat in silence for a moment. "Did you write that song?" Gumdrop broke. Roxie kept looking forward. "No. I just now came up with it," she replied. "You did a good job adding onto it. You can sing good," she added. He smiled. "I have never heard you sing, until tonight. How come you don't sing? Your voice is very melodic," he asked. Roxie turned her head towards him. "It's a hidden talent. Few people know I can sing, and I don't like people to know because I don't want to be all criticized. People be like, 'You sing so good, but how come you're a tomboy still? Tomboys don't sing!'," she explained.

After a few moments, Gumdrop wrapped his arms around her. He slid her onto his lap and held her close. Roxie blushed and tried to push him away. "Umm… This is a little uncomfortable," Roxie squeaked. He rubbed his hand on her back. She began blushing terribly bad. She tried to push him away, again, but she only made herself feel even more awkward. "Roxie, why are you feeling my chest?" he teased. Roxie ignored his false question and kept trying to escape. "Dude, you're freaking me out right now. Let me go!" she growled. He gently lifted both of her arms and placed them around his shoulders. "I swear if you try to do something, I'll drench you in that water!" Roxie yelled. He leaned in and put his temple against hers. Roxie's face burned with rage and embarrassment. He looked into her eyes with his ocean-blue ones. "Why are you so scared?" he asked. "Because this feels wrong! You're scaring me with whatever this is you're doing!" Roxie replied angrily. He swallowed and slowly grabbed one of her hands. He then took it and placed it over his heart. She could feel the vibration of each beat and was calmed. She didn't know if it was because of the rhythm it produced, or the way he did it to show his love, but she was calmed. "You're touching my chest, again!" he exclaimed. Roxie blushed again but didn't care. She grew a sly smile. She removed her other hand and touched his abs. "What are you doing?" he asked beginning to blush. She ran her hand up to his chest. "Umm… Rox?" he grew more blush. She then surprised him by tickling him under the arms. He fell backwards and busted out laughing. "Sto- St- Stop it! Please! Mercy!" he choked.

Suddenly, the others burst through the brush. "What is going on he-" Gonzo stopped. He grew an awkward expression when he saw Roxie on Gumdrop. Finally, Gumdrop sat up quick enough to throw Roxie backwards. He pinned her on the ground and got right in her face. "Think I won't?" he questioned. Roxie grew a small blush. He kissed her on the tip of her nose and slid off of her. He reached out a hand and helped her. "Were you two-" "No!" Roxie answered. They all walked together back to the camp.

When they arrived back, Gonzo applied some herbal medicine to her wounds. She left on her tattered clothes, so the wounds could have air. She slipped into her sleeping bag and remembered his heartbeat that soothed her. Just before she closed her eyes, she felt his gentle lips against her forehead. "Night. I won't see you in the morning because I'm leaving really early. I'll be waiting for your return, though," he whispered. She heard his footsteps disappear, and she drifted to sleep. As she slept, she could still hear the words of the song they sang that night.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 10

Roxie woke in the middle of the night because of a small nightmare. She looked around to see if she woke anyone else. To her relief, the only one awake was her and Twilight. She sat up from her sleeping bag and stared at Twilight. "Y'all still haven't left?" Roxie asked. Twilight was startled and looked at her. Oh, sorry, didn't mean to scare you," she apologized. Just then, Gumdrop walked out of the brush still trying to get his shirt over his head. "Alright, Twi, let's g-" he paused when he saw Roxie. He swallowed and walked over to Twilight. Never once did he take his eyes off her as he slid onto Twilight. "Tell her goodbye," Twilight whispered. "I already did," he replied. Twilight bumped him off her back. "Fine," he grunted. He stood and brushed the dirt off himself. Roxie gave him a sorrowful stare. She hated him, but she didn't want him to go. She felt like she… "I love you." Gumdrop diverted his attention onto her immediately. Roxie covered her mouth. What did you just say? she asked herself. I don't know. It just slipped out I didn't mean it, she answered herself. "Roxie, what did you just say?" he asked as he walked over to her. "I… love your shirt. It's really… blue and soft," she lied. He gave her an awkward look. "Uh… thanks?" he replied. Roxie's smile faded. "What's the matter?" he asked now worried. "I just can't lie to you," she mumbled. He gave her a shocked look. "Lie to me? About what?" he asked. "I… I… love you," she stuttered. His eyes widened with shock. He stood there for a minute then turned away. "I don't feel the same," he whispered. He mounted Twilight. "You always act like you do!" Roxie exclaimed. "Take a joke! If I loved you, I would have stopped my brother from even considering sending you on this quest!" he spat. Roxie grew a look of rage. "Last night meant nothing? Thar party meant nothing? I mean nothing?" Roxie started, "… I'm sorry I ever put myself through this… and I'm sorry you feel nothing!" She spat the last word like poison. He looked at her one last time and said, "I'm sorry I hurt you." Then, Twilight leapt into the air and headed back to the kingdom. "Goodbye… my heartbreaker."

Gumdrop felt the wind through his hair, but he didn't feel free like he usually did. He gave a sigh. "I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have said that to Roxie. I do feel something for her, but I don't know what it is. Is it love or is it just awkward friendship? She hates me now, so it doesn't matter," he said to himself. Twilight thought for a moment. "She doesn't hate you. One thing about love, if it's love, it doesn't vanish. She may be mad at you, but she still feels for you… but now you need to worry about your brother," Twilight replied. Gumdrop remembered Prince Gumball. "Yeah, he's probably waiting on the front steps with half the kingdom with him," he replied. "I am so dead."

As he and Twilight neared the kingdom, they could see the small mass of people standing on the front steps of the palace. He spotted Prince Gumball standing in the middle of them, as well as his sisters Lola and Princess Bubblegum. "Are you gonna take it like a man?" Twilight asked. Gumdrop nodded. She dove down to the courtyard and landed. Prince Gumball grew a disgusted looked. Gumdrop slid off of Twilight. "Going out against my orders? What did you do while you were gone? Did you and Roxie have your own family? Or did you go off with another ruffian? Or how about to just simply disobey me?" Prince Gumball questioned. Gumdrop kept a straight face. "I did nothing of the such. The only thing I did was go and help a friend from being killed. She has the scars to prove it," he replied. Prince Gumball grunted. He walked over and grabbed his arm. "You need to have some sense talked into you," he growled as he drug him into the castle.

"You have no reason to go against me!" Prince Gumball yelled. "I had a reason! Roxie was in trouble! The Darkness got her and were beating her! She was gonna die!" Gumdrop yelled. "Do you have any witnesses to this? No! Now shut-" "Prince Gumball, I am his witness!" squeaked a small voice. The angered prince turned to see Peppermint Maid standing there. The prince charged at her. "You were assisting him?" he yelled. He loomed over her like a hungry beast. Her expression was unmoved even though the prince loomed over her ."Yes, sire. I heard him having a bad dream, then you fussing at him for it. After you sent him back to bed, I went and got your father's sword and gave it to him. Your father knew he would need it. Your father knew that he would have to save her," she explained. His expression calmed a little. He turned back to Gumdrop. "Take my mercy while you can and leave," he growled. Gumdrop ran out of the room and up the stairs. "That boy gives me the worst headaches sometimes," he muttered. He strolled out of the room and back to the courtyard.

As the sun broke the night, the others began to stir around in their sleeping bags. Roxie had been up for hours already and started to make breakfast. "No… turn off the lights," Jake mumbled. Roxie decided to have some fun. She grabbed two empty pans and banged them together as hard as she could. Everyone shot up from their sleeping bags in a panic. Fionna and Finn screamed as loud as they could, and Gonzo rolled off of the log he where he was sleeping. "Good to know you're all awake now!" Roxie exclaimed. Everyone stopped panicking and gave Roxie a cold stare. "Hey, I made you breakfast. Be thankful," she said. She began distributing the food to everyone. They all muttered as they ate.

After everyone was done, Roxie cleaned up the camp and packed everything. She also changed her tattered shirt to a shirt that was exactly the same. She had Gonzo check her wounds, but they had healed into scars, again. "Where to?" Finn asked. Roxie pulled out the map. "Umm… the Ice Kingdom. We should be there about noon. If we can, we can pass through and be near the old battlefront, which is really close to our final destination," Roxie replied. Everyone glanced around with worried looks. "What? What's the matter?" she asked. "Oh, it's nothing," Gonzo answered. Roxie motioned for them to continue the journey. The others hesitantly followed her.

As they grew closer to the Ice Kingdom, the forest began to regain some of its life. More flora and fauna began to appear. The sun shined a little brighter each step they took. "The darkness doesn't have a good grip on this part of the forest. Everything is alive here," Gonzo said. Roxie reached down and touched a flower. It began to straighten up even more. Roxie smiled and kept walking. Snow flurries began to appear in the air. "Hey, cool! Look there's little flurries!" Roxie exclaimed. Everyone bit their lip and kept walking.

The sun was beginning to set, and the group was on the verge of the Ice Kingdom. It was now snowing at a consistent rate. "We won't be able to make it through tonight, but we can try to set up camp at sundown," Roxie explained. The heroes took a deep breath and began to trudge through the snow. As they went deeper into the kingdom, the snow began to fall faster. Soon, a blizzard formed, and it became harder for them to see. "Do you even know where we are going?" Fionna yelled over the roaring snow. "I'm not sure! But we do need to set up camp!" Roxie replied. Gonzo suddenly fell down on the ground. "Gonzo!" Roxie yelled. Her body was tired and was about to give. Finn and Jake fell over next. "Roxie, we… can't-" Fionna stuttered before she stumbled and fell. Soon after, Cake fell on the ground. Roxie stood alone in the blizzard. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled. She fell to her knees and left her body give. They all laid there in the snow, motionless and cold.

Roxie began to stir in her sleep. She cracked open and eye. She was wrapped in a blanket and laying on a couch made of ice. The others were laying on either other furniture or the floor. Roxie tried to look around the room, but cringed at a small brain freeze she had. She laid her head back on the pillow and felt something cold touch her face. She looked into the face of a blue woman standing there. She was tall like a giantess and had long white hair that touched the floor. Her eyebrows were long and shaped like lightning bolts. Her eyes were blue like the ice. She wore a dark blue long sleeve dress that touched the floor, and she wore a small tiara with a red gem in the center and a matching necklace. Roxie stared at the woman. The woman stared back with cold eyes. The others began to stir and began to wake. She diverted her attention to the others and walked over to Fionna. She made her way around the room and checked on everyone. She came back to Roxie a second time and touched her forehead. Roxie finally decided to ask her who she was. "Who are you?" she faintly asked.

"Ice Queen!" Fionna yelled. She shot up from where she was laying. Roxie jumped off the couch in counter. "Wait! Before you do anything, just look around!" Roxie yelled. Fionna looked around. "She helped us. We would have died in that blizzard," Roxie added. Fionna calmed down a bit. The others got up from their resting places and looked around. "You're all awake… good," Ice Queen coldly exclaimed. Her voice was like ice and would send chills down your spine. "Why don't you… heroes come and sit down? We have so much to discuss," she motioned to the door.

Everyone hesitantly walked through the door. There was a long table that was set for nine people. Everyone took a seat. Finn and Fionna sat across from Cake and Jake, while Gonzo sat beside Finn, and Roxie took the seat on the end of the table. Ice Queen took the seat on the opposite end of the table. She sat in silence for a moment, then she yelled, "Stephen! Samantha! We have guests!" A hustle of footsteps were heard. A boy with white hair and light blue skin appeared in the doorway. "Samantha's out capturing right now. She should be back soon, though," he said as he strolled to a seat. He looked down the table. He seemed to recognize everyone, until he got to Roxie. "Uh, mom, who is that?" he asked. Ice Queen seemed thrown off by the question. She didn't know Roxie either! "Her name is Roxie, and that's all you need to know," Gonzo growled. Fionna leaned over and whispered in Roxie's ear. "That's Stephen, The Ice Prince. His sister is Samantha, The Ice Princess. He's not here, but Ice King lives in the kingdom as well. He was a human named Simon, but he went mad because of his crown. He was in love with a woman named Betty, but she left him because he went mad. Ice Queen and Ice King aren't married in anyway, though." Everyone began to whisper among themselves. Roxie mostly stared at her lap, until she felt something brush her leg. She looked under the table to see a black and white creature scurry away. Roxie jumped out of her seat and backed away from the table. A small penguin climbed onto her chair and stared at her. Everyone busted out laughing. "Are you scared of penguins, Roxie?" Gonzo laughed. Roxie walked over to her seat and lifted the penguin. "Wenk!" it exclaimed. It tried to wrap its flippers around her like a hug, but Ice Queen snatched it out of her hands. "Bad Gunterlina!" she yelled. She set her down and pointed to the corner. The penguin walked over to the corner and sat down. Roxie grew a small look of sorrow and sat back down in her seat.

Minutes passed by, but there was still no sign of Ice Princess, until they heard a yelp come from outside. "Put me down!" a familiar voice demanded. The captor and the captured both barreled through the window. The captured managed to scurry under the table. Ice Princess stood up and dusted her dress. She looked around the room, then she saw Roxie. "Mother, what is that 'thing' doing here?" she spat. "Hush your mouth!" Ice Queen commanded. Ice Princess took her seat and grew an enraged expression. "Now that everyone is here, I'd like to begin our discussion, Roxie," Ice Queen began, "The first thing I'd like to ask is why you were trespassing through my kingdom." Roxie thought for a minute. She looked at the others for any ideas of what to say. She took a deep breath. "We didn't mean to trespass, but we were trying to pass through. If you haven't heard… The Darkness has risen," Roxie began to explain. She explained what had happened and showed her the daggers. "… we have been trying to form an army in case we have to rival the Darkness, but that is up to you to join," Roxie finished. Ice Queen stared at her. "I will think about it," she said, "In the meantime, Ice Princess, return your captive to the place he was." Ice Princess was taken aback. She began to argue with Ice Queen. Suddenly, Roxie felt something grab her satchel. She knew some one was under there and looked under the table. It was Gumdrop. He was beaming with happiness at the sight of her. Roxie was still heartbroken about him and tried all in her power to not kick him in the face. "Hey, Roxie, I'm sorry or what I said. I was just really confused about my feelings for you and said the wrong thing. Can you forgive me?" he whispered. Roxie stared at him. She finally roughed his hair and smiled. "I can," she confirmed.

Suddenly, Roxie was thrown against the wall. Her body began to be covered with ice. "I told you to stay away from him!" Ice Princess yelled in her face. The ice climbed up to her shoulders. "Ice Princess, stop!" Gumdrop yelled. She ignored him and let the ice climb to Roxie's neck. Ice Queen lunged at Ice Princess and threw her out of the way. The ice stopped right under her nose. Ice Queen tapped the ice with one finger, and it instantly melted into water. Roxie fell to her knees gasping for air. Ice Queen grew a sour look and yelled for Ice Princess to return the prince immediately. Gumdrop walked over to Roxie and helped her stand. Ice Princess gave Roxie a cold look and grabbed Gumdrop. He looked at Roxie one last time and bushed her hair out of her eyes. Ice Princess tugged his arm, and she pulled him to the window. She flew out the window with Gumdrop hanging by his arm. Roxie felt a pang in her heart, again.

That night, they rolled out their sleeping bags in the living room. Roxie stared out the window. She watched the blizzard, but she didn't notice Ice Queen walk up beside her. "I apologize for her actions earlier," she sighed. Roxie kept staring, but she nodded. "I used to have feelings for a someone. It was before I became… this," she started, "I was a water nymph. I was kind and gentle to everyone I met. There was one day a cat fell into my river. I rescued her, and she offered to help me. I was in love with and immortal man, but I was a mortal, so we couldn't be together. Even though I told her that she didn't have to help me, she set off on her own journey. She made it swiftly through most of the obstacles in the dungeon, but stalactites aren't always reliable. I grabbed her and shielded her with my body. They pierced my skin and were killing me slowly. My cat friend left me for a split second and returned with a gem. That gem saved me, but it drove me mad. I can only keep myself for a while, then I return to this accursed thing. I will join you, but I am not sure how much I can help." She turned to Roxie. "I know that you most likely won't be trying to find a gem to make you immortal, but those daggers are powerful.

Magic is a powerful thing, and you can't let it get to you." She turned and left the room. The words echoed in her mind.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 11

Daylight poured through the window and danced on Roxie's face. Roxie fidgeted and cracked open an eye. She had fell asleep on the window sill! She felt a hand grab the back of her collar. "Hey, Roxie, wanna get a better view?" Gonzo teased. He picked her up and let her dangle out the window. "Ahh! Gonzo, put me back!" Roxie screamed. The others shot up from their resting places and rushed over to them. "Dude! What are you doing?" Finn exclaimed. Gonzo grew a sly smile. Roxie was still screaming as loud as she could. Gonzo slowly released his grip. Just before she began to fall, he threw her back inside. Roxie continued to scream at the top of her lungs. "What are you screaming about?" Ice Prince yelled. Roxie opened an eye. She shot up from the ground. "Gonzo! I'm gonna kill you!" she yelled and lunged at Gonzo. She began to chase him around the room. He knocked over several pieces of furniture, but he didn't notice it. Finally, Ice Queen grabbed both of them by the back of their necks. Roxie flailed her arms at Gonzo. "I'm gonna go psychopathic on you! You better be running when you have the chance because when I get my hands on you, I'm gonna turn you into a fur coat!" Roxie snarled. Ice Queen looked annoyed at the two. She threw them both in opposite directions. "Please, be on your way as soon as you can. I don't think I can put up with anymore of this," Ice Queen sighed.

The heroes marched through the snow at a hustled pace. Gonzo bumped Roxie several times to aggravate her. "Are you still mad at me?" Gonzo asked. Roxie grunted and kept walking. "I think that's a yes," Jake replied. Gonzo grunted and grabbed a handful of snow. He threw a snowball at the back of Roxie's head, but Roxie ignored it and kept walking. They began to near the end of the Ice Kingdom, and they slowed their pace a bit. "We have to go through the small forest to reach the old battlefront. Then, it's a straight shot to… Draké, the homeland of the Darkness," Roxie explained. Everyone cringed at the sound of the name. They reached the beginning of the forest and stopped. Roxie turned to the group. "It has been an honor to fight alongside you," she said. She dashed off into the forest with the others at her heels.

They were now entering dangerous grounds. The forest was completely dead. Every tree was charred. No creature spoke, and the sun grew dim. "It's a like a graveyard," Jake said. Roxie touched a branch. She felt so much emotion for it, and she let a tear slip. An image flashed in her mind. She could see a flash of fire and hear cries and screams of fear. She cringed at the thought. "Roxie, are you okay?" Gonzo asked. Roxie looked around. "I- I know this place," she replied. "We need to keep moving. I don't feel safe spending the night in these woods," Gonzo ordered. "I think Marshall's and Marceline's cave is near here. We can stay with them if we have to," Fionna offered. Roxie looked at the sun. "Fine. Let's fine their cave," she sighed.

They trudged through the forest at a sluggish pace. They soon came upon a cave. A cottage almost surrounded by water was inside it. "Umm… I don't know you guys," Roxie sighed in an unsure tone. "Dude, these guys are cool. You'll love 'em," Fionna assured. She grabbed Roxie's wrist and pulled her into the cave. The walked onto the porch and knocked on the door. "Go get the door!" some one yelled. "You better get your lazy butt up for once and get it!" some one yelled back. "Fine!" They heard no footsteps come to the door. "I said get the door!" The door swung open. A pale, black-haired teenage boy wearing a red flannel shirt, jeans, and red Converse opened the door. "Ugh, it's just these losers… I'm kidding. Come in you guys," he motioned for them to enter. He noticed Roxie when she entered. "Wait, who's this skimp? I've never seen her around here. I should know because I'm a thousand years old," he questioned. Roxie gulped as he flashed his fangs. "Uh, Fionna, you never said they were vampires!" Roxie squeaked. "Wait, you don't like vampires? Every chick digs a vampire bad boy like me. Fionna digs me. Right, Fionna?" he pointed to her. Fionna face palmed. "Meh, she's a hard book to open. She's in love with me, though. But, she does date Gumwad," he continued. "Don't call him that!" Fionna yelled. A black-haired vampire girl floated into the room. She was wearing a grey tank top, blue jeans, and red boots. "Oh, hey guys," she chimed. She noticed Roxie immediately. "What the heck is that?" she pointed at Roxie. She floated over to her. Roxie cringed at the thought of being sucked dry by two vampires. "This thing? It doesn't like vampires," the boy answered. The girl turned upside down. "You may not like vampires, but do you like Marshall Lee and Marceline vampires?" Roxie shrunk back. "No," she squeaked. "Umm, guys? You're freaking her out a little," Gonzo warned. They vampires backed off a bit. "Guys, this is Roxie. She isn't very fond of vampires, but I think it's just the bloodsucking part," he introduced. "Oh, we don't suck blood. We drink red, see?" Marshall grabbed and eraser and drained it's color. Roxie's nerves calmed a little. "So, what are you losers doing here?" Marshall asked. "We can let Roxie tell you that," they replied.

After Roxie explained what had happened, they had a quick meal. "So, the Darkness has returned, and you have built and have an army at your command to protect a world you really don't care about?" Marshall asked. Roxie looked at him. "Pretty much," she replied. "Why?" Marceline asked. Roxie thought for a minute. "Just because this isn't my world, just because this isn't my fight… I can't let you watch your world go up in flames. I can't just kick back and relax while people die in agony. I can't let anyone have something they hold dear to them be ripped away. Destiny can be changed. I could've said no, but I decided to help. I had everything torn from me… I couldn't watch something more valuable than what I lost vanish… I never had my way with things, and I'm grateful for it. Everything I lost, I gained so much more in its place. Now, it's my turn to give something I lost," Roxie explained. Everyone grew silent. "Where was that speech at the ceremony?" Gonzo asked. Roxie looked at him. "I couldn't have said that at that ceremony. I was not what I am now," she replied.

For the rest of the night, everyone was relatively quiet. Marcy and Marshall strummed on their basses a bit, but that was the only noise made. The heroes rolled out their sleeping bags on the floor. Roxie slipped into her sleeping bag and stared at the ceiling. After the others were asleep, Roxie slipped out of her sleeping bag and went to the mouth of the cave. She stared out across the charred landscape. Memories of fire and screams for help flashed in her mind. She cringed at each of them. What does this world know about me, but it's like we know each other, she thought. "Watcha doing, skimp?" a Marshall whispered in her ear. Roxie jumped and readied her daggers. "Chill. It's just me… wait, that doesn't really help much does it?" he thought. Roxie sheathed her daggers and sat back down. "Do you know when this forest was destroyed?" Roxie asked. "Umm… n- wait! It was years ago, but that's about all I know. I've heard stories about what happened, but I can't remember them, though," he replied. Roxie stared out into the woods. "It's like I know this place. Ever since I set foot in those woods, I keep seeing glimpses of fire and hearing screams," she said. He thought for a minute. "Maybe you have an ability that lets you see into the past?" he proposed. "No. It only happened here. We've been through another forest that was almost exactly the same," she explained. They sat in silence for a moment. "I'm going back inside. It isn't safe out here, so I'd advise you do the same," he advised as he left.

"Wakie wakie, you little demon," Marshall teased. Marceline elbowed him in the arm. "What I was just kidding, sis," he defended. Roxie cracked open an eye. She had fell asleep at the mouth of the cave. "Argh, not again," she moaned. She stood up and walked to the house. Just as Roxie reached for the door, the others opened the door. It swung and hit her in the face. "OMG! Roxie I'm so sorry!" Finn apologized hastily. "Oh my gosh, that hurt!" Roxie squeaked. She got up from the ground. "Ahh, it's fine. Come on, we need to get going. But first," she walked over to the phone on the wall, "I gotta call the cavalry." She began to dial a number, but Gonzo stopped her. "We can do this alone. If we need to call in the cavalry, we can do it from the wireless device we have. We don't need to have an army storm in when we can do it stealthily," he explained. He put the phone back. Roxie nodded. "Let's move out, team!"

The Epic Adventure Chapter 12

They waved farewell to the vampires, and they began to trudge through the woods. Everything began to seem even more dead as they grew deeper into the Darkness' territory. The sun began to lose its grasp, and the creatures strayed away in the dim light. Roxie looked around the forest as she walked. The echoes of pain rang in her mind, as well as the glimpses of fire. She felt a weakness overcome her at once, and she kneeled down on the earth. "Roxie, are you feeling okay?" Gonzo asked. She held her head in her palm for a minute. "Memories. I know this place. It was burned, and there were people who died here. The Darkness set this forest ablaze trying to kill some one," she whimpered. She rose from the ground. "They are waiting to do the same to us," she added. She strode over to a tree. She rubbed the char flakes off the bark and revealed new, healthy bark. "This forest isn't dead. It needs to be free from its darkness," she whispered. She began to trudge through the forest with the others behind her. Every tree they passed, she rubbed some of the char off the bark.

The forest began to disperse, and it revealed a war torn battlefield. The ground was grey and stained with blood. Bones and weapon pierced armor littered the vanguard. The sun did not shine. No animal spoke. The wind did not blow. Everything here was dead. Wisps of lost spirits lingered. "What happened here?" Jake asked. Roxie saw a small flash of a battle. "A war… Mortem," she answered. She looked to the dark castle that tucked itself away in the mountains that bordered. She heard a howl of laughter erupt into the air. "Tenebrarum… Lord of Darkness and Death," she murmured. "Roxie, how do you know this place? Gonzo asked. Roxie snapped out of the minor trance. "Somehow, I know the name. I know there was a battle. I know the fiend who did this," she replied. She drew her daggers and pointed to the citadel. "That is where the battlefront begins… and that is where it will end," she said. "What are you saying?" Fionna asked. Roxie looked back at the group. "The war that was fought here will be fought again. We are going to muffle the epicenter of this earthquake. We are going into Draké, and we will slay the slug, Tenebrarum," she explained. She turned to face the citadel. "They have an army, but we only have us six. How do you plan to get in there without getting killed?" Finn asked. Roxie thought for a moment. "I hate to say this, but we are going to need to be caught to get in there with no trouble. I don't want to start a war unless it is absolutely necessary," she proposed. Everyone grew a shocked expression. "Why can't we storm in there with an army behind us?" Finn yelled. "That army is our last resort! We are here to prevent and eliminate any threat of war! I don't want to risk the lives that are at stake anymore than I have to," she snapped. Everyone grew quiet. "I'll give you two choices. Stand behind me, or you can stay here," Roxie added. Everyone went into deep thought.

"I am willing to die for you, my liege," Gonzo confirmed. He walked to Roxie's side. Fionna and Finn conversed about their decision. "What'll it be?" Roxie asked. They turned back to Roxie. "It has been an honor to serve alongside you," they confirmed. Roxie nodded. "It has been a privilege to meet you all. I thank you for helping me. People usually don't appreciate outsiders," she added. Gonzo looked to her. "You aren't an outsider anymore. People are willing to follow you into battle now," he replied. Roxie looked down at him. "I will always be an outsider, but that isn't bad. I am a misfit, and misfits are the ones who don't follow the crowd. We become who we want to be, and me," she turned to the group, "I have lost the crowd. I am finding myself. I am a misfit." She turned and began walking towards the citadel. They others followed without hesitation, and the sun seemed to shine a little brighter.

As they neared the mountains, the sky grew even darker. It was as dark as a midnight with no moon. A swirling, red lightning storm hovered over the forbidden citadel. That tempest must be controlled by the Darkness. It doesn't seem to move anywhere… maybe it has to be commanded, Roxie thought. They began to see warriors appear on the citadel's walls. "They're waiting for us. Remember the plan," Roxie whispered. She kept walking at a moderate pace. The guards began to yell at each other as the heroes neared. They readied their crossbows for firing. Roxie lifted both of her hands. "You got us. Throw us in your prison, so we may rot… or take us to Tenebrarum, and let him kill us. You'll win the war faster that way," Roxie said. A guard jumped down from the wall and walked up to the group. He let out a low growl, then he turned and shouted something to another guard. The other guard came with chains and shackles. They chained the heroes' wrists and ankles, and they led them into the walls of the citadel.

"We need to mobilize. They should have been back by now!" one of the princes yelled. "Sit down! No one is going to fight, unless they call for us!" Prince Gumball countered. A military meeting had been called at the Candy Kingdom. The kingdoms' leaders had gathered there day after day shifting strategies and seeing the word on the heroes. "What if they can't call? What if they are already dead?" another yelled. An outrage broke out among them. A ravenous howl broke and silenced everyone. "Silence! I know I disagree with the Candy Prince, but he is trying to spare as many lives as he can!" Valkar yelled. Prince Gumball looked at the wolf king. He nodded and turned back to the gathered forces. "… Move out," he silently commanded. Everyone looked up at him. "Move out!" he commanded. Everyone hustled to ready their troops. "What are you up to, Candy Prince?" Valkar growled. "Call it an extra sense," he answered before he turned to the door.

The prince hurried to an old room filled with weapons and armor. He opened a cabinet that was on the opposite wall, and he gave a heavy sigh. "You don't want to wear the armor, but you have to protect your people. I know it brings you pain even to look at it. After what happened…" Peppermint Maid started. He stared at the armor and bad memories began to flash into his mind. He clenched his fist and tore the armor our of the cabinet. He quickly dawned it and gave a grunt of unhappiness. "Get that boy and send him to me, now," he grunted. Peppermint Maid nodded.

"You call?" Gumdrop chimed as he popped his head into the room. "Yes I did, now wipe that grin off your face, dummy," he growled. Gumdrop lost his smile and walked in the room. "What's wrong? Are we going to… fight?" he questioned. Prince Gumball turned and looked into his eyes. "Yes," he breathed. Gumdrop felt a pang in his heart. The older prince placed his hands on his shoulders. "I don't want to fight. I don't want to die. I don't want to! Not like dad! I can't! I won't!" Gumdrop sobbed. He hugged his brother and cried into his chest plate. For a moment in time, it seemed the brothers felt the same for each other. Deep inside they cared for each other and their sisters, but they hated each other in rivalry. The older prince stared down at his brother. He had not hugged him back, but he just simply looked at him. "Dad died trying to protect us. I'm going to protect those I love, and I don't care whether you stay here like a coward or come fight for your people. There is a difference in dying of idiocy and valor. If you died, I would be the one to avenge you. I would stand by your grave and protect it from thieves. I promise I won't let anything happen to you," he explained. The younger prince calmed himself and looked at his eyes. "I'm ready."

They guards prodded and poked the heroes as they traveled down a long corridor. "If this plan doesn't work, I'm going to rekill you when we get to the Ninth Dead World!" Fionna threatened. Roxie rolled her eyes and kept walking. The corridors were dark like a living death confided there. They were heavily guarded, so no intruder could manage to get inside the castle. The guards ordered the heroes to stop, and they opened two towering doors in front of them and stepped into a semi lit room. It was a giant room. Pillars of stone jutted from the floor to the ceiling. A blood red carpet was laid out across the room, and a gilded throne was at the end of it. "Oh, Darkest One! We have brought you fresh blood!" called one of the guards. Suddenly, blood red eyes appeared from the throne, then a shadowy body. A giant wearing heavy metal armor appeared. He was muscular beyond thought, and he had skin as black as night. "Bow to the King of Death and Darkness, Tenebrarum!" a guard shouted. Tenebrarum stared at the group. "I said bow!" the guard shoved them to the ground with a thud. "We found them outside the walls, and they are the ones that we have been searching for, Dark One," the guard explained. Tenebrarum stared at him. "Call in Commander Jeykel and send them off, except for that one," Tenebrarum pointed directly at Roxie. His voice rumbled like the tempest that hovered over the citadel. The guard called for Commander Jeykel, and he immediately came. They relinquished them to Jeykel, and he led them to the door. He looked back at Roxie. Her eyes were pleading him to help her, but he couldn't do anything. He slowly turned away and closed the door behind him.

Tenebrarum stared at her. Roxie stared back into his eyes. People think they've been close to death… well I have something to tell them, I've stared Death in the eyes, and I will never forget it, she thought. She began fumbling with her chains. "I should kill you right now. I should kill you with no mercy and leave you chained, but I want to fight you. I want to see if that dumb prophecy stands its ground. I want to see that warrior who is supposed to defeat me, but all they give me is a petty girl!" he exclaimed. Roxie grew a sudden pulse of strength and snapped the chains off herself. She threw them on the ground and stared at the king. "So be it," he muttered. He rose from his throne, and he grabbed his obsidian battleaxe.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 13

The army arrived at the old battlefront only to be met by a counter force of dark soldiers. The forces met each other at an imaginary line through the center of the battlefield. Gumdrop stared into the cold eyes of the enemy. "I won't let you hurt her again," he whispered. He wore almost matching armor with Prince Gumball. Prince Gumball wore his father's armor. It glistened a bright pink in the sun, but it only looked a dark purple in the dim light, and a helmet that matched. He drew his sword and waited. Both forces stared at each other. Unmoving. Waiting.

Roxie and Tenebrarum circled each other. They were trying to find each others weak point, and they were waiting for the right moment to strike.

The prince let mighty battle cry and charged at the dark force.

"Arrrrgh!" Roxie yelled as she charged.

"Honoris!"

"Gloriae!"

"In Virum!" The prince and Roxie yelled. Roxie's blades made contact in direct sync with the prince's. The blades made a ring that sounded like a thousand screams and rung through the air. "I won't let you take their world!" Roxie yelled as she tried to push his battleaxe into his neck. "Why do you care so much about it?" he yelled back. He shoved her back and caused her to stumble.

The prince was knocked off Mochro and pinned against the ground. The dark being raised his blade, but it was knocked off by some one. "How dare you hurt him!" they yelled as they drove their blade into its chest. "Ice Queen?" he questioned. She turned around and helped him. "Just because we don't feel the same, it doesn't mean I can't help you defend our world," she said. She turned and speared another soldier.

Tenebrarum threw Roxie against one of the pillars, and Roxie let out a yowl of pain. "Look at you! You worthless little pest!" he spat. Roxie slowly pushed herself off the ground. He grabbed her by the back of her neck and slammed her against the wall. She slid down onto the floor moaning in pain. She coughed and choked. How am I going to make it out alive? she thought.

"How can we all make it out of this alive?" Gumdrop muttered to himself. He was surrounded by dark warriors and had nowhere to run. A screech broke in the sky. Dove dove down and landed beside him. She used her wings to create a small gale and sent the enemies hurling. "Thanks," he breathed. "No problem, cam padre," she replied. She flew off into the sky, and she began to search for others who needed help.

"They promised me a warrior! Not this freak of nature!" Tenebrarum yelled. Roxie staggered from the ground. She had bruises and some blood covering her body. "I am going to kill you! I'll kill you just like your parents!" he yelled. Roxie felt a pang. She sheathed her daggers and clenched her heart. "They didn't tell you? Filthy rats, not telling a child about her parent's death. Shame," he cooed. She looked at him and grew a snarl. "I'll kill you!" she yelled in pain. She flew at him and raked his face with her daggers. He howled in pain and staggered backwards. She sliced the backs of his ankles and made him fall like a lumbering giant.

"Their forces are weakening! Something is happening!" Prince Gumball shouted. The dark warriors were beginning to act sickly. They began to die even though some had not been touched. The sun was beginning to shine through the clouds even more. "What's going on?" Valkar asked as he cracked a warriors skull. "Roxie… Roxie! She's still alive! She's winning!" Gumdrop exclaimed. The soldiers began to feel uplifted and began to beat back the remaining warriors.

Roxie walked slowly to the beast. "You took my family. You took my friends. You took everything I had. You can beat me, curse me, even kill me, but what you will not do is take this world," she growled. He staggered up and faced her. "Fool! I will take this world! I will take everything! I am Darkness! I! Am! Death!" he yelled. Roxie felt a sudden searing pain in her abdomen. She looked down to see the point of the axe stabbed into her. She looked to him. "You can… take everything… I have, but you will not take this world and… its people.… I…. am…..Quia fortis… est lux. I am… the Warrior of Light," she breathed. The daggers let loose a sudden, blinding glow. Tentacles of blue manna wrapped themselves around her, and they began to harden into living armor. The manna crawled up her back and formed into shining wings, and the daggers merged into a sword that shone like the spirits. Her hazel eyes turned a solid, glowing blue like the manna. She felt the energy course through her veins and lost the feeling of pain. "You wanted a warrior to fight. Well, now you have a warrior to fight!" she yelled. Tenebrarum cowered in fear at the sight. He staggered to stand, and he grabbed his axe. He gave a mighty swing at her, and he struck her in the arm. He grew a look of horror on his face as his axe shattered like glass. "No! I won't let you win! Ragh!" he yelled. He lunged at her, but he stopped dead in his tracks as if he were caught by an invisible force. "Darkness can not hide from Light. Light will always make the Darkness cower and hide. Darkness will not prevail," she whispered. She raised her sword to the sky. "No! I will not be killed by a girl!" he shouted. "It. Is. Finished!" she yelled. She drove the sword into his dark heart. He let out a scream of agony and began to wither away by a pillar of light. She drove the sword deeper and deeper into his flesh, and she caused him to shake the whole citadel. He looked into her eyes one last time and breathed, "Thank you." She ripped the sword out of him and watched him vanish into a shadowy cloud. Her armor and wings dissolved, and the sword parted into the daggers, again. She looked at the door her friends had been taken through. "I'm sorry," she grinned. She dropped to her knees and fell over, motionless and dead.

The remaining dark forces began to vaporize and vanish. The warriors gave out a victorious battle cry and raised their weapons high. "She did it! We won! Woo!" Gumdrop cheered. Everyone high-fived each other and cheered. "Dude, we need to throw a party back at the castle!" he cheered. "Yeah! Party time!" "The Darkness reigns no more!"

Jeykel forced the door open and led the heroes back to the throne room. Jeykel froze in horror when he saw her. "Jeykel, what's-" Finn started. "Roxie… Roxie! No!" Gonzo yelled. He dashed towards the lifeless body, and he nuzzled her neck. "Roxie. Please. Please, get up. Come on, we can go back to the kingdom. Just please wake up," he pleaded. Jeykel and the others walked over. He rolled her over, placed a hand on her chest, and shook his head. "She's… gone," he muttered. The others began to tear and cry. Gonzo whimpered and slid his head under her arm. Jeykel looked at her with his blood red eyes. "To think, she was the only one who didn't treat me like the scum I am," he murmured. "What are we going to do with her?" Fionna asked. Gonzo thought for a moment. "We'll take her back to the Candy Kingdom. It's the only thing I know to do," he replied. He gently picked her up and carried her to the door. "She never let go of her daggers," he whimpered. She was, in fact, still holding her daggers.

The distant cheers filled the air as they emerged from the dark place. It didn't affect the heroes on bit. The continued to the battlefield at the same pace, and they still had the same emotion the whole way there. The cheers grew louder as they neared. Finally, some one caught sight of them. "Look! They are returning!" they yelled. The cheers grew even louder. The heroes did not smile or cheer or give a faint wave. "What's wrong with-" Gumdrop paused. He saw the corpse Gonzo was carrying and froze. The daggers slipped out of Roxie's hands and hit the ground. Everyone grew silent. The sun lost its shine. The creatures did not sing. For a moment in the world, everything was dead. Tears formed in Prince Gumball's eyes. He removed his helm and threw it as hard as he could, and he gave out a cry of pain and sorrow. Gumdrop threw down his weapon and helm, and he rushed to her. Gonzo gently laid her on the ground. The daggers had turned grey and did not give the faintest shine. "Roxie, please, wake up. Please, please, just get up. Roxie! Please!" he cried. He became overwhelmed with emotion and lost control. His face became red, and his tears were rivers. Valkar turned his head, and he gave a mighty howl of sorrow that filled the air. Dove gave a screech of pain and let tears fall. Gumdrop ran his hand over the wound Roxie received in her abdomen, and he cried into her chest. Every soldier bowed their head and removed their helm. The gave a low hum to an old war song that was used to remember the fallen. "Those who rise above all~ Shall live lives at day~ Those who shall fall~ We will remember their name~ Oh! Oh! Oh! Hear our mighty call~ Oh! Oh! Oh! Keep those safe who fall~ At Twilight's peak, this will be the only time we meet~ I shall tell you stay safe, as have done for me~ Oh, I will remember you and remember great deeds~ I call to you my brethren for safety~ Oh! Oh! Oh! Hear out mighty call~ Oh! Oh! Oh! We shall not forget you at all," they sang.

A spirit began to appear in the crowd. It was a man. He was a warrior and had a long beard, tattoos, and a bald head. He walked to Roxie and touched her face. "Mannafir…" some one whispered. He looked at the daggers, then to Roxie. "I am always with you…" he whispered. His voice was deep and wispy. He touched the daggers with one finger and vanished. The daggers glowed a bright blue, and they began to let loose tentacles of manna. The tentacles wrapped around her and began to heal her. Her wounds were mended, and she began to be restored. The tentacles slipped away and the daggers returned to their normal state. "Is she okay?"

Suddenly, her eyes shot open, and she gasped for air. She sat upright and was breathing heavy. Everyone was stunned at the spectacle that just happened. Gumdrop began to feel her face with his hand and put his ear to her chest. "You're alive… She's alive!" he cheered. Roxie was puzzled about what happened. Gonzo scooped her into a bear hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that, again!" he yelled. He nuzzled her face and wagged his tail. "Umm… okay?" she unsurely replied. Finn ruffed her hat, and Fionna gave her a small hug. Cake brushed against her legs and purred, and Jake licked her in the face. The crowd of soldiers erupted in cheers. Gumdrop gave her a gigantic hug and kissed her forehead. Roxie grew a little blush on her face, but she hugged him back. Prince Gumball walked to the two and cleared his throat. Roxie jumped backwards. "Are you two done yet?" he asked. Roxie looked at her feet. "Where's my hug?" he asked cheerfully. They both gave him a group hug. "Alright, get off me, you freaks," he laughed. He put Gumdrop in a headlock and ruffed his hair, but Roxie stood back and smiled. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. "Jeykel? I thought you vanished along with the others," she questioned. "I'm different. I don't belong to the Darkness anymore," he answered. Roxie thought for a moment, then she drew one of her daggers. She touched his forehead with it, and he began to change. His dark skin chipped off and revealed white skin underneath. His eyes turned blue, and his skull armor changed to gold. "I now present you, Jeykel, Commander of Light," she introduced. He looked at himself, and he smiled. "Thank you!" he shouted. He gave her a hugged, then he turned and began to speak with the others.

Gonzo walked beside her. "Roxie, you know I'll do anything I can to protect you, right?" he asked. Roxie nodded. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you. It's just-" "It's okay. I'm alive. You're alive. We all are!" she smiled. He smiled back and gave her a nudge. "What?" she questioned. "Yo man is right there," he smirked. "There's my Gonzo," she smiled and began scratching him behind the ear. He rolled over on the ground, and she began to rub his belly. She stopped and began laughing. "Whatchu laughing at?" Gonzo asked. Roxie shook her head and continued. He shot up from the ground and walked over to Gumdrop. "No!" she yelled. She charged at Gonzo and wrestled him to the ground. "Don't you tell him!" she laughed. Gonzo knocked her satchel open trying to get her off himself. "My stuff!" she hurried to collect her belongings, but she stopped when she found a sealed envelope. She ran her fingers along the envelope, then she opened it.

'My Dearest,

I know we seem to feel the same for each other, but I feel something more. I feel love. You are beautiful beyond words. You are strong and brave like a warrior, but you are kind and show affection to those you love. You are intelligent and understanding. I know you don't believe me and will want to give this to some one else, but I want you to believe this is true. I will love you until my last breath and on. You will always be my little wolf.

Yours,

Gumdrop'

She read it several times. Each time she read it, it made more sense. She felt a hand touch her shoulder and snapped up her head. Gumdrop sat down beside her and looked at her. "You- You wrote this?" she stammered. She looked into his eyes. "Is there a problem with it?" he questioned. She shook her head. "It's just- just no one… says that to me," she muttered. She finished gathering her stuff and stood. She looked at him one last time and turned. "Where are you going?" he asked. "Anywhere I guess. I don't have a home, and my duty here is done," she replied. "We constructed a portal back at the Candy Kingdom. You can get home now," he added. Roxie grew an excited look. "Take me!"

They arrived back at the Candy Kingdom with cheers of joy. Numerous people of every kingdom gathered in the courtyard to welcome them back. Soldiers ran back to their families with open arms, and others greeted the few nobles that fought alongside the army. Many people thanked the other heroes, but Roxie stood off from the group. You should be taking gratitude like them, but you have already received yours. Let them be happy, she thought. Prince Gumball and Gumdrop were welcomed back by their citizens bringing them gifts, Valkar was given new fur pelts, and the others were given things they would hold dear. Gumdrop looked at Roxie and signaled for her to come to him. She hesitated, but she walked slowly to him. "Everyone, can I have your attention!" he called. Everyone grew silent and looked at Roxie. "We all had our part in the fight, but the person who had the biggest part is this one right here. Everyone, this is Roxie, Warrior of Light and Conqueror of Darkness!" he shouted. Everyone cheered. Roxie beamed in happiness. "You didn't have to do that," she whispered. "'Course I did. You deserve credit for what you went through," he replied.

Later after the crowd dispersed, and the warriors returned home, Roxie found herself sitting on the bedside of her old room. "Well, I shared some memories with you. I can't bear to think about what has happened back at home. I'll never forget this place," she sighed. She ran her hands on the covers and stared at the floor. "Roxie, are you in there?" a soft voice asked. Roxie stood and opened the door. Prince Gumball looked at her with a sullen expression. "You look sad. Is everything okay?" she asked. He shook his head and covered his face. "I need to talk to you about something," he moaned. "About what?" she asked. "Your parents."

The Epic Adventure Chapter 14

Prince Gumball led Roxie down one of the castle's private corridors. "How do you know my parents? I'm not from here. There must be a mistake!" she questioned. He ignored her and continued walking. They finally reached the end of the corridor and stopped. "Did you get yourself lost, GummyDummy?" she teased. The prince shot her a cold look and silenced her. He peeled back some loose wallpaper and revealed a hidden door. He inserted a key into the knob and pushed the door open. He grabbed Roxie's wrist and pulled her inside. She looked around the room and saw a lonely throne. A memory flashed in her mind. A king sat in the throne with his children playing at his feet. Then, a separate memory flashed in her mind. A young man now sat a the throne with a small child in his arms. "This is the old throne room. Your father sat there. You used to play with him and the others!" she exclaimed. He kept a stern expression on his face. "You really don't know, do you?" he growled. He grabbed her and began to carry her. "Wait, what are you doing?" she demanded. He gently set her down on the steps below the throne and sat down beside her. He covered his face with his hands. "What are you about to tell me?" she asked. He looked at her with an angered expression. She turned and looked at the floor. "I'm just a burden. I know," she whispered. "You were like a daughter," he blurted. Roxie snapped her head to look at him. "Years ago-

"Come on, Bubba, can we please play one game of soccer?" Gumdrop asked. "I said no! I'm trying to study!" I yelled. I was reading a book I had found in Dad's library. I was really intrigued in it, since Dad never let me read any stories of the kind. "You're no fun! I'll go get Bonnie! She'll play with me because she's not like Mr. Fancypants who doesn't do anything fun!" he yelled. I threw the book aside and lunged at him. "You take it back!" I yelled. "Why should I? It's true!" he retorted. "Boys!" my mother yelled. She rushed over and tried to break us. "You're flippin' crazy!" Gumdrop yelled at me. "That's enough! Both of you, inside right now!" she yelled. We both hung our heads and went into our castle. "Thanks a lot, you wad," he muttered.

"Eleven and sixteen! My ears are ringing! What were you two doing? You two should know better than to do something like that!" my father yelled. I hung my head in shame. "Bubba, you know not to do something like that!" he yelled. Gumdrop started to snicker. "Hush your mouth, boy! You know better as well!" he snapped. My father gave us a good talk and wouldn't let us leave until we made up. "Is everything settled?" he asked. "Yes, father, we have settled our differences," we moaned. "Off with ye then!" he shooed.

For the rest of the day, I sprawled out on my bed and stared at the ceiling. My father was never the one to be kind in giving punishments, nor my mother in giving them. "Young sire, are you feeling okay?" Peppermint Maid asked. I ignored her for a moment. "It's my pest brother. He always get's me into trouble, and I take the blame! I wish he was never born sometimes!" I yelled. I shot upright. "You heard what happened today! Everything he does is his fault, but I always get drug into his little things! It's not fair!" I added. She stared at me with watery eyes. "How could you say such a thing? If anything that happened today, it would be your fault! He just wanted to play soccer, you- you… ungrateful little brat!" she shouted. She rushed out of my room with tears flowing from her eyes. "You ungrateful little brat…"

Months passed and my brother and I never seemed to get any better. We were now getting into fights almost daily. Our father was fed up with us and began showing us no mercy. Some days we would help with the farmers' gardens in the baking sun, but other days we might be forced to stand in the freezer with no shirts. We never stopped fighting, though. We thought the punishments were worth it just to bite each other's neck. Our family was becoming a house of cards and was ready to fall, until that day.

Everything was pretty much normal on that day. My brother had left to go exploring, and I stayed at the castle with my sisters. "Bonniebel, gimme it! It's mine!" Lola demanded. Bubblegum held her doll just out of her reach. "Reach for it! Come on, Lolly!" she teased. "Bubba, tell her to give it back!" she yelled. I snatched the doll out of her hands and gave it to Lola. She stuck her tongue out at Bubblegum and ran out of the room. "You are no fun! I hope I'm not like you when I'm sixteen," she groaned. "I'm glad I wasn't like you when I was fourteen," I retorted. She put me in a headlock and ruffed my hair. "At least I'm not a sissy like you!" she laughed. I gave her a shoved and escaped. I tried to fix my hair back the way it was, but I failed. "Shut up," I growled. "No, you-" "The Darkness! They're coming!" Gumdrop yelled as he pushed open the doors. My father burst into the room as fast as he could. "Where! Where are they?" he questioned. "They're on the move! They are heading here now! They-" He was interrupted by the screams of citizens. My father rushed to grab his sword and armor. "Whatever happens, stay in here!" he commanded. He pushed through the doors and out into the world of carnage.

Fire ripped across the distant hills and screams of terror filled the air. My father led the charge against the dark forces, and had the strongest nobles behind him. I stayed inside the castle, but something told me to go. I burst through the doors and watched the scene. Most of the forces were beaten and retreated, but they weren't entirely gone. My father had already been wounded on his arm, and that was what cost him. He kept fighting until he could fight no more, then it happened. They knocked his sword out of his hand, then they knocked him out of breath. He collapsed on the ground and laid there. They raised there sword over their head and dropped it straight into his heart. I screamed in pain at the sight. My siblings rushed out to see what had happened and began to weep.

Then, I saw him. He rode through the battlefield with glowing armor and a white steed. He made the Darkness fear and cower at his sight. He raised his daggers and made they run like dogs. He chased them over the horizon, and they never came back. He stood upon the hill and raised his weapon high and shouted, "Honoris! Gloriae! In Virum!" Our remaining soldiers cheered as he rode off, but nothing could have saved my father. He was dead, and nothing could reverse death. He was buried on the very hill he died, and he left behind my mother, a sixteen, fourteen, eleven, and eight year old. Afterwards, my mother didn't live but for a few more months then died of grieving. It was just us. Never had I felt so alone in my life.

Time passed, I was no where near eighteen, but assumed the throne anyways. The pain of the memories still flooded my mind. I would wake having nightmares and become aggressive towards most. I felt everyone was a threat, and no one was trusted. In believing this, I found myself walking through market looking for a quality weapon. I looked through several shops but couldn't find any, then I stumbled upon a lonely blacksmith. "Excuse me, sir. Do you have any weaponry that is of fine quality?" I asked. The man laughed a hearty laugh. "My weapons and armor are of the finest quality! Take your browse!" he bellowed. I went inside and gazed at every weapon he had. Weapons were sleek and sharp. Elegant and robust armor sets were everywhere. "Can I help you?" a gentle voice asked. I turned to see a young woman standing there. She was dressed in velvet and had long brown hair and hazel eyes. "Um, I'm just looking around. Thank you, though," I replied. The man entered the room. "Aye! I thought I'd check on you. Make sure you didn't try to smuggle any of me weaponry out," he bellowed. He walked over to the woman and gave her a small hug. "This is me wife, Katrina. She helps me run things, but she can make a mean sword she can. She can also make a mean cobbler," he introduced. Katrina cringed in pain and held her stomach. "Oh, are you okay?" I immediately asked. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just that… when you have some one inside you, you have to be careful," she replied with a smile. My eyes widened. "My word! I couldn't even tell! I mean, you were acting perfectly fine," I exclaimed. The man stared at me. "Say, lad, you don't have to be anywhere for a while, do you?" he asked. "No," I replied. "Well, would you like to stay and talk for a while? It would be nice to know the Prince," he offered. "Sure. It would be an honor," I replied.

I sat down in the small living quarters they had in the back of their shop. The man brought us tea and some bread. I sipped the tea and listened to their questions. They asked about laws and other royal stuff, but their last question was different. "Your father, was he a good king in your eyes?" the man asked. I gave a heavy sigh. "He was a great king. He treated everyone with respect and hospitality. Whether they were humans like you or candy people, people are people. He died protecting his people, but we were saved by a great warrior called Mannafir. My mother died soon after, now it's just us. If Mannafir didn't save us, we would be dead. My father did the best he could, and he saved us as well. I will never forget that day," I answered. The man shifted in his chair. "I remember that day, but today is not a good day to speak about what happened," he sighed as he looked at the clock. "You'd better get going. You need your rest. Stop by anytime you'd like, though." he added. I said my thanks and helped clean before I left.

I went to visit almost daily. The man and Katrina were always welcoming me with open arms. We would sit and talk, and he showed me some blacksmith techniques. They were like a second family to me, but that never prepared me for what I was going to learn. They had invited me over for lunch one day. Katrina made a cobbler for us and some sweet tea. We ate and conversed like any other day, until I realized something. "I have know you for a while, sir, but I never got your name," I said. He stopped eating and took a deep breath. "That was what I wanted to tell you," he replied. He took out a black box and slid it across the table. "This should tell you who I am." I looked at the box, then carefully opened it. Once I saw what was inside, I shut it and gave it back. "You're…. Mannafir," I gulped. "Aye. I didn't want to tell you. I can't let anyone untrustworthy find out, but I can trust you," he explained. He began to explain everything to me. "… Just because I don't come from great blood, that doesn't mean I can't be a great hero. Many doubt us because we aren't high and superior like heroes were told to be, but that is where they are wrong. Many heroes had humble beginnings, like that one will have. I will love to have me son called a hero one day. He will carry on my legend and make us proud. The time will be soon I expect, and he will be a great hero of simple blood," he finished. I stayed and talked with them, until night came. "Of everyone… wow!" I whispered to myself.

A few nights later, I found myself waiting outside the doors of the hospital wing. My brother and sisters were there with me. We waited for hours, but they couldn't stand it anymore. They left for bed, but I remained there. Finally, the doctor came to tell me that I was allowed inside. She led me through the lone hospital and brought me to a single bed. Mannafir gazed at his newborn with happiness. Katrina was laying on the bed with it in her arms. "She's beautiful, isn't she?" he whispered. "She?" I questioned. "Aye. It is a girl," he responded. "You wanted a son. Why are you so happy?" I asked. He looked at me. "I did, but I was given a daughter. I will love her more than any son because I can call her my own," he answered, "She will make me proud one day. She will be a mighty warrior like her father, and a gentle soul like her mother. They will sing her name, and write it in legends." He beckoned Katrina to let him hold her. Katrina relinquished her to him. "You have your mother's eyes and beautiful hair. Everything else is me. The only thing you lack is my smell, but that is good," he whispered. I gave a small laugh. He turned to me. "Would you like to hold her?" he asked. I pulled up a chair and sat in it. "I only came to visit. I didn't want to take away from anything," I replied. "You won't be. Look at her. She already wants you to," he confirmed. She was already reaching out for me. "Okay," I said unsure. He slowly gave her to me. I looked at her and smiled, and she smiled back. "Hi there. You look nice today," I greeted. She smiled at me and reached her arms out. I leaned in a little closer, and she pushed me away. "Okay. I get it. I've been bad lately. I'm a bad boy, I know," I laughed. She looked past me and began to reach for Mannafir. I gently handed her to him. "What do you plan on naming her?" I asked. Mannafir looked to Katrina, to his daughter, then to me. "Roxie," he confirmed.

Roxie stared at him. "You mean… and you… I would have never known," she stammered. The prince kept staring into the nothingness of the room. "What happened to them? To you?" she asked. He took a deep breath.

I watched you grow. I would visit you and your parents almost everyday. I still remember the day I turned eighteen. You were only a few months old, but you still made it a most enjoyable party. You were the first to arrive that day, and it was safe to say that it wasn't the best idea. You were upset you didn't get to see me, since I was helping prepare. Believe it or not, I wish I had spent more time with you that day. Anyways, by the time they brought out my gifts, you were becoming a little agitated. After you created a fuss, I decided to dismiss everyone and open my gifts later. "Sorry, your majesty. We did not mean to ruin your party. If you wish for us to leave, we will go," Mannafir apologized. I laughed. "No, no. It's fine. I was getting tired of it anyways. The only action I got was from this little one," I clarified. You smiled at me and gave a small giggle. You reached for me, so I carefully took you from Katrina. "She missed you all day," she whispered. "Is that true?" I asked you. You nuzzled my neck and began to drift to sleep. "We better be going. Roxie needs her sleep and so do you. We also will be leaving tomorrow for a trip," Mannafir explained. I looked down at you, then I hesitantly gave you back. I waved farewell to you all, for it would be the last time I would see you as a family.

They set off on their trip to the Forest of the Forgotten. Your father took the point, while you and your mother rode on his stallion. They traveled for several days and visited several kingdoms. Little did they know, they were being followed. I felt that something could go wrong, so I began to follow you. When they arrived at the forest, everything began to go horribly wrong. A blazing inferno began to tear across the woods. Then, the Darkness appeared through the flames and trapped them. "Give us the child!" they demanded. "You will not take her from us!" Mannafir yelled. He drew the daggers and turned to Katrina. "Go! Take her as far as you can! Protect her as long as you can!" he yelled. She began to tear, but she obeyed. She gave the stallion a nudge, but he would not move. She leaped off the horse and began to flee, but she was cut off by the dark forces. She cowered in fear and shielded you with her body.

"Mochro, now!" I shouted. He blitzed the dark forces with powerful blasts from his horn. I landed in front of Katrina. "Do you-" "Take her! Please! Take her back to the kingdom, so she can be safe! Please!" she pleaded. I looked at you. You were crying uncontrollably. She thrust you into my arms. "I'm sorry," she whispered and kissed you on the forehead. "I'll do my best to protect her," I assured. I slowly turned away, and Mochro lifted into the sky. I watched the burning forest disappear behind me. It shone through the night like the sun. I looked at you. Soot and ash covered you face, and you had stopped crying. I couldn't shake the thought of leaving them behind.

When we arrived at the castle, the some of the kingdom and my siblings were awaiting me. Expressions of fright plastered their faces. Bubblegum rushed to me and examined us. "I tried. They wouldn't…" I trailed into tears. She comforted me and escorted me inside. I was a mess. I was shaking, and my eyes were bloodshot from stress. Peppermint Maid had taken you from me, so I could be calmed. That only made it worse. "Where is she? I was told to protect her! Where did you take her?" I began to rant. Until I calmed down, they wouldn't allow me to see you for the rest of the night.

After that very long night, I still hadn't calmed down a lot. I stayed awake most of the night being worried sick. The moment Peppermint Maid came to check on me, I demanded to see you. She grew a frightened look but refused. I rushed past her and began searching for you, until I heard a soft voice commanded me to stop. I turned to see Lola standing there. "You're acting as savage as an animal. You need to calm down, or you'll scare her," she mumbled. I stared at her. "Take a look in the mirror," she added.

I cleaned myself up and changed out of my soiled clothes. "Knock knock!" Bubblegum called. I fumbled to get my shirt over my head before she came in. She opened the door with you in her arms to see me almost completely shirtless. "Umm… Is this a bad time?" she asked slowly backing away. I threw the shirt on the ground and sat on my bed. "No. The stupid shirt wouldn't fit," I groaned. "At least you aren't flabby," she added. "That, I am grateful for," I replied. She sat beside me. You were smiling at me and reached for me. I took you from my sister and held you in my arms. "Girls just love you being shirtless, don't they?" she laughed. I shot her an annoyed look. You giggled at the joke. "You think she's funny don't you?" I laughed. I caressed your cheek. "I'm going to make sure Gumdrop hasn't done something to Lola," she sighed. She left the room and left us alone. I stared at you. "I don't get it. Why would they want me to take you and leave them?" I mumbled. You reached up and touched my chin. I lifted you up in front of me. "I'm just glad you're still alive. I just hope they are alive," I said.

A few days later, my worst fears were assured. I had been given word that some one had found both of their bodies in a nearby cave. Knowing the hard reality, I decided to take the lead role in caring for you. I had some assistance from my eldest sister and Peppermint Maid, of course. You never gave us any real trouble, until your first birthday.

You seemed extremely moody that day. Thankfully, nobody knew about us housing you, so nobody showed up, except fellow friends of ours. I remember them first arriving and meeting you. Flame Prince about burned you, Marshall Lee scared you terribly bad in an attempt to make you laugh, and I didn't know what to say when Ice Queen showed her face. "Ice Queen, please leave," I said. "Why? I just wanted to see the little brat," she smirked. She went to caress your face, but I slapped her hand out of the way. "Don't call her a brat! Don't you lay a finger on her, either!" I yelled. She backed off. "Whoa dude, never hear you yell like that… except when you try to keep Fionna and me apart," Marshall smirked. He began to do lame impressions of me. "Don't you dare think about kissing her. I don't understand why she hangs out with punks like you," he mimicked. He busted out laughing, and you gave a little giggle. "See? She does think I'm funny!" he pointed. He floated upside down in your face. "Vampires," I spat. He gave me an annoyed look. "Jeez, acting like a father has made you an even bigger wad than before," he blurted. I stifled a growl and set you down on the ground. "Roxie, would you like to see Bubba beat this vampire bloodless?" I smirked. You let out a small giggle. "You know I-" I tackled him and wrestled him on the ground. "Not so tough, huh, vampire?" I grunted. My sister rushed into the room and picked you up. "Would you two cut it out?" she yelled. You were clapping your hands in amusement. "She thinks it's funny!" I yelled. She looked at you, and you stopped clapping. "You're teaching her a bad lesson," she growled. You began to flail and wanted her to put you down. You finally bit her finger, and she dropped you. "Ouch! You little brat!" she yelled. Luckily, Ice Queen had formed an ice slide, so you wouldn't be hurt. You crawled over to us and began bonking Marshall on his forehead. "See?" she growled. "She ain't hurting me. She's just playing," Marshall clarified. "This is what I get from letting her hang around with you guys all the time," she groaned. I let go of Marshall and picked you up. "Say, 'I had a legit reason. Marshall scared me!'" I defended. You didn't think it was funny when I mimicked you, so you gave me one on the nose. "Ow! Why you hurt me?" I exclaimed. You stared at me. I set you down on the floor beside Marshall. You took one look at him and began to crawl away. "She still hates you," I laughed. After we all had our laughs, we ate then continued playing. By the time everyone was about to leave, you were still bouncing off the walls. You had bitten Marshall on his ankle when he was walking out the door. You wanted to give Flame Prince a hug, but I wouldn't let you because you'd get burned, and you scratched Ice Queen (I didn't really care much) when she tried to pick you up.

That night, something inside me changed. I realized I couldn't take care of you as I grew older. You were in constant danger because the Darkness was always at out footstep. I had to take you somewhere safe. Somewhere the Darkness could not harm you. Somewhere with people like you.

"That's when you took me to Earth?" Roxie questioned. He let out a heavy sigh. "Yes. I was able to breach a portal into that world, and I found the place to take you. I found a nice man to take you in. I explained to him the importance of your safety, and he did a good job of it," he explained. He turned to Roxie. "I'm sorry I didn't take care of you. Those three years you were gone, they were the hardest in my life," he apologized. Roxie looked a little puzzled. "People in this world and Earth age different. A year in this time is four years in Earth time," he clarified. She made a 'duh' expression. "I sounded like the most hanfuliest kid ever. You were probably glad to see me go," Roxie faintly laughed. Prince Gumball looked at her. "No. It really messed me up," he said. "Then why did you act like you hated me?" she snapped. He was struck speechless. She stood. She let a tear slip. He stood and put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't touch me!" she yelled and turned away. She burst into tears. "I never knew that you thought I hated you! I just expected a lot out of you!" he yelled. He let loose tears. "I wish I never knew you!" Roxie yelled and darted out the door. He watched her leave the room with a trail of tears. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I ever gave you up! I'm sorry I caused your parents to die! I'm sorry you hate me!" he cried.

The Epic Adventure Chapter 15

She blindly dashed down the hallway and into her old room. She fell face first into the comforter and soaked it with tears. A hustle of footsteps came down the hallway and into the room. "I said leave me alone!" she yelled. She stared through her tears at Gumdrop. "Roxie," he whimpered. She wiped her tears and gave him a gentle expression. "Sorry, it's just… stuff," she apologized. He grew a somber expression. "He told you?" he whispered. She nodded. "He was planning on it, but he didn't know how or when to tell you," he added. He wiped a tear off her cheek. She looked at him. "It was nice knowing you," she whispered. He gave her a hug. "You'll always be my little wolf," he replied.

Later, they arrived in the courtyard. Princess Bubblegum and Lola were finishing the portal. Roxie was welcomed by her friends and some allies. It was its own farewell celebration. She was given a few gifts by some of the nobles she fought with. "For you, young wolf," Valkar said as he gave Roxie a Moon Lotus. She sniffed it and admired it. She said her thanks and went to talk with some one else. "I'm gonna really miss you, Rox. You were the coolest kid I've met by far," Dove said. She plucked one of her feathers. "Here. Take something to remember me by," she said. She took the golden feather and examined it. When she looked back, Dove was gone. Finn and Fionna gave her a small portion of treasure and a map. "Don't forget us, kid. You were pretty cool," Jake said. She rubbed his head, and Cake brushed against her legs. Roxie said goodbye to some of the citizens, then she sat on the stairs. She felt Gonzo brush up against her and sit down. "I won't forget you, Roxie. You will always hold a special place inside my heart," he whispered. Roxie looked at him. "You were the one who stayed beside me. I can't forget you. I'll miss you with all my heart," she replied. She nuzzled him on the neck. He hugged her tightly. Finally, Gumdrop came to say goodbye. "This is goodbye?" he asked already knowing the answer. "Yeah. It was fun knowing you," she replied. He put a hand on her shoulder. "Remember me, your prince," he whispered. She removed her hat and handed it to him. "Remember me, your little wolf," she whimpered. He looked into her eyes. He gently kissed her nose. She blushed and turned away to hear Lola calling for her. "We've finished. Are you ready?" she asked. "Yeah, I guess."

They gathered around the portal and began to wait. Lola took her daggers and set them in the panel. "What are you doing?" she asked. "They are the power source," Lola replied. A ripple began to appear, then a vortex appeared. "Roxie, listen. You have one decision. It's either here or there," Prince Gumball shouted. She looked at the vortex. "What if I change my mind?" she asked. "There's only enough power to send you once. We won't have enough to bring you back," he replied. She stared into the vortex. Glimpses from her home were floating inside it. She glanced back at the gathering. Expressions of sorrow filled their faces. She turned to the vortex and began to reach out a hand, until she felt a soft hand touch her shoulder. "Roxie."

"…Dad." She turned to see Mannafir standing behind her. "I wish you didn't have to see me like this," he whispered. He pointed to his spirit body. She turned away from him. "Roxie, before you left, I wanted to tell you something. I wanted to say… you have made me more proud than any father could wish from his daughter," he put a hand on her shoulder, "I wish fate wasn't so hard. If I could have kept you, if I was still alive, I promise you wouldn't have gone through this. Fate doesn't work in our favor sometimes, but it helps us become stronger. We can't hate people for past mistakes. We forgive them, but we may never forget. Roxie, you are a noble warrior. Warriors follow their hearts in making decisions. Ever since you got here, you have done that, but why not now?" She thought for a minute. "I'm scared and lost," she whimpered, "I just want to go home." She began to shed tears. "Home is where the heart is, and my heart," she wiped her face, "doesn't know where to go." She looked at the gathering. "Look at them. They followed you, a stranger, through battle. They gave you their loyalty. They trusted you. Some loved you. What more do you want?" Mannafir explained. Roxie stared into the abyss of her mind. What do I want… I have all I need. The question is, what does my heart want, she thought.

After moments of heavy thought, she came to her decision. "Back home, nothing great was expected of me. I was unnoticed and flew under the radar. I had family and friends who might miss me when I'm gone, but here I had none of that. I was alone in the world with no one to trust. I had to fend for myself, until I could find some one to trust. I learned that I had an unknown destiny, and I was meant to be here. I went on a crazy adventure and found new feelings. I felt pain. I felt sadness. I felt courage. I felt compassion. I stared death in the eyes, and I will never forget it. This world has given me more in a short month than I ever received at Earth. I have earned friends, allies, and enemies here. I have learned many lessons. I have found myself. I am staying home." Everyone lit up and cheered. Gonzo tackled her to the ground and began licking her face. "That is my daughter!" Mannafir bellowed. She ruffed his fur and smiled in his face. He picked her up and squeezed her. "Gonzo, you're… crushing… me," she squeaked. He set her down on the ground only to be hugged by some one else. "Don't ever flippin' scare me like that again!" Gumdrop shouted. He put her hat on her head and pulled it down over her eyes. "Hehehe! It's good-" He kissed her on the mouth and squeezed her. When she was free, she adjusted her hat so she could see. She gave a little blush and smiled. "Umm… Thanks?" she said feeling awkward. She brushed past him and walked over to Prince Gumball. He gave her a stern look and turned away. "It's hard to apologize and forgive your enemies, but it's harder to apologize and forgive your friends. I'm sorry for saying I hated you," she apologized. He looked at her through the corner of his eye. She put on a fake smile, and he let out a sigh. "I couldn't stay mad at you. Not after everything we've been through," he replied. He ruffed her hair. She strode away to see Gonzo and a small group that had formed. Roxie turned to see her father standing there. "Roxie, whenever you feel alone, remember I am always with you," he said. He evaporated into the air. "Good news, you're moving in at the fort with me. With that aside, what do you want to do, now?" Gonzo asked. She turned and looked to the grassy plains. "I wanna go on an adventure," she smirked. "Let's go!" he exclaimed. They both dashed across the courtyard. "Adventure Time!"

Every hero has their own story. Great heroes' stories never end. They live on through legends passed down from generation to generation. Each ending is a new beginning. The adventure never ends.