A Story of Resolve

Disclaimer: Nothing gained, nothing owned.

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Chapter 1

Promise of a New Promise
The Final Promise of the Promise-land

Act I

"Dude, are you sure you wanna do this?" Jake rubbed his head in concern, "Seriously Finn, you're trying to do waaay too much at once."

Finn stopped kicking out the last embers of their campfire with his foot and turned to his best bro, "No way dawg," Finn did a cartwheel to Jake and wrapped an arm around his homie and continued. "I got this dealio under wraps. You'll see."

"Yeeeaah, I dunno man, you're taking on a lot of favors and quests and stuff." The yellow violist wasn't going to be so easily convinced this time. He couldn't help but think Finn was finally over his head.

"C'mon, quests are where we get our jollies. It's our thing!" Finn shouted, complete with complementary back flip. Jake couldn't help but chuckle a bit at his bud's acrobatic antics, but he pressed on.

"Of course we go on adventures, but we usually don't take on so many at once. I haven't had a chance to jam on my viola in a while, and believe me, you don't want me to get rusty."

"Yeah, dirty orange definitely isn't your color, is it?" Finn joked, tearing down their old yellow tent and stuffing it into his worn green backpack.

Jake just ignored him and kept talking. "Listen man, for reals. Just last night, you promised Hotdog princess that you'd find her pet butterbird that she lost in the Pale Valley."

"Yeah man, and here we are." The young human made a sweeping gesture over the colorless valley below, the monotone trees blowing in the breeze.

"But two days before that, you agreed with Beemo that he needed some surround-sound speakers, which is all the little guy talks about now. He thinks you'll have some for his birthday this Saturday."

"I'll find some for him! There's a big pile o' junks near Marceline's. I'll look for some speakers after I help Marce move her furniture around."

Jake's voice took on a slightly suspicious tone as he narrowed his eyes. "You've been spending a lot of time with her lately. I'm starting to wonder if she's affecting your alignment! Those Chaotic evils are manipulative, dude."

Finn just scoffed. "Seriously, dude, how many times does she have to save us for you to realize she's cool?"

"Maybe when I'm not her punching bag anymore. That dame has it out for me, I swear." Jake snipped back. "Why does she need help moving her stuff anyway? As a vampire, I'm almost sure she can move stuff with her telepathic eyes, or something. Besides, you also promised Penny you'd take her to that blacksmith convention tomorrow night."

"What time does that thing start? I challenged Muscles to a wrestling match at high noon tomorrow."

Jake wiggled his arms in the air, "See what I mean?" He stretched his form out low for Finn to climb on. After his bro was on board, he started a slow trot down the hill towards The Pale Valley.

Not breaking his long legged stride, Jake turned his neck to look at Finn with a mischievous smirk. "Wrestling Muscle Princess huh? Are you finally serious about loving her?"

"Hahaha, shut up dude!"

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The Pale Valley is infamous in all of Ooo.

The valley and the small forest within are absolutely uninteresting. Indeed, the Pale Valley would have been just a normal valley if it wasn't for the bizarre creatures within. The animals that lived there just didn't fit. A typical forest had deer, squirrels, and some bears here and there. The Pale Valley had Mercury iron-traps, land-rays, and most importantly, some of the last primitive rainicorns left in Ooo. The most popular theory was that after the mushroom wars, these strange creatures all followed the rainicorns here. For a time, things went well. The creatures adapted quickly, and the rainicorns seemed to make life flourish as they always did. It was truly a forest of rainbows, full of creatures that were as colorful in personality as they were in...well...color.

Until the rainicorns went bezonkers.

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At the edge of the forest, Jake shrunk back to normal as Finn hopped off his back. Kneeling, Finn picked up a tuft of grass and examined it. It was a monotone gray, but it felt and smelled like healthy, normal grass. "Freaky," Finn whispered, "it's totally fine except the color..."

"Ift taffs diffint." Jake tried to say around a mouth full of grass, before spitting it out. "Hard to explain, but the taste isn't quite the same. Like everything's there but something's missing. Know what I'm saying?"

"Not really, old timer." The human hero responded, trying and failing to stifle a laugh at the sight of Jake's face. Blades of grass were stuck between his jowls, giving him a fake mustache. Jake morphed his left paw into an axe and struck a pose. "Check me out! I'm a lumberjack!"

'What a cornball.' Finn thought. Adjusting the straps on his backpack, Finn started towards the forest, and called over his shoulder, "C'mon then LumberJake, let's put that axe of yours to use."

"Arr, laddie, I be a lumberjack, and you be me trusty scallywag." Jake said in his best lumberjack voice, which wasn't very accurate at all. He stroked his pretend mustache as he followed his little brother deeper into the forest.

"Wrong accent matey." Finn responded. "This tone o' voice be samurai, not lumberjack, ya tree-lubber." Finn said in his best Samurai voice, which wasn't very accurate at all. They continued walking for a few moments, taking in the strange sight of the black trees with light gray leaves. Finn saw a glint of white sunlight in the corner of his vision and turned to see that they've come across a brook. The both of them stopped to refill their canteen. "Thirsty LumberJake?"

"You know it dude! Hook me up with that O-H-Two." Jake said, chopping at a nearby black tree with his paw-axe. Thump. "Ouch." Thump. "Oww." Thump. "Why am I doing this?"

Finn ducked their canteen into the water, and saw his reflection smiling back at him...in black and white. "The water too?" Finn waved for Jake to come see. Jake leaned over Finn's shoulder and looked at his reflection. The gray color of his mirrored self along with his fake mustache made him look old. " I make a pretty sexy old person, don'tcha think?"

Finn just smirked and took a swig from the canteen before passing it to Jake. Wiping the colorless water from his chin, Finn looked at Jake chugging from the canteen and laughed. "Looking younger already, grandpa. What's your secret?"

As eloquent as always, Jake replied "Blebbelbeugh?"

"Your lip warmer has been washed away."

Jake swallowed his water and burped, then frowned as he felt his clean face. "Aww man! I was distinguished! Life can be...fickle..." Jake seemed to stop mid-thought, his ears perked as he listened to the forest. "Do you hear that, man?"

Finn sat still and listened too. "Yeah, it's really quiet. So what?"

"Nature can be tranquil, serene, or peaceful," Jake explained, "but it is never, ever, ever quiet. Something's up."

"The lack of color didn't give it away?" Finn said. "Isn't there suppose to be a tribe of rainicorns around here that went crazy or something? I forget what happened."

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Some say that the sick-magic was very dense in the valley, and the effects turned the rainicorns mad. It was a really popular practice to blame unknown happenings on the radiation that some call sick-magic.

But nothing is ever really that simple, is it?

The real truth of the Valley tribe was a tale of betrayal, sacrifice...

...and a certain radical dame, caught in a dangerous game.

But that's a story for another time, perhaps.

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Jake and Finn were on the move again, Jake stopping every few feet to put his nose to the earth and his ear to the wind. Literally. Being a magic dog certainly had its advantages. They still haven't come across any living creatures. They saw a nest of mercury iron-traps, but they were unresponsive, even when Finn pulled out his sword and put it close to one of the plants. The colorless iron-trap didn't even nibble at its favorite food. "Hmm. This plant seems a bit off color, huh Jake?" Finn wiggled his eyebrows as if to say, "Ehh? Ehh? Off color! Get it?"

"That was pure corn dude. You're no Pundit, that's for sure." Jake stated to look around a bit nervously and started twiddling his fingers. "Sure hope we find that butterbird before we find whatever psyched out horse did this." Jake responded, a little worry in his voice. "I like my color. It's mellow. That's why everyone calls me 'Old Meller'.

"Oh for the love of gob dude, don't make me think about that movie right now." Finn grabbed his hat and pulled it down over his eyes for a second. "I've cried enough man."

While he was doing that, Jake asked a question that might be relevant to their most righteous quest. "What's a butterbird look like anyway? Didn't you ask one of her hotdog knights before we left?"

Finn groaned and straighten his hat. "Don't even get me started."

Two days ago, Hotdog Princess' castle:

"So Frank, before we make tracks, what's this bird thing look like?" Finn asked, Jake already waiting outside the picket fence.

The hotdog knight adjusted his one-horned viking helmet and looked up and said, "Not until you answer my question first."

"Uhh...kay." Finn shrugged.

"Finn the human, I am in search of information that transcends knowledge itself." The hotdog knight grasped a worn brass pendant in his left hand, a single manly tear trailing down his scarred red cheek. "I know you have seen much, experienced much. You've seen death itself, but I fear even that will not prepare you to answer what I ask of you."

Finn was about to hyperventilate from the excitement.

Frank looked the young hero in the eye and asked, "If tomatoes are fruits, does that make ketchup a smoothie?"

Two days forward, back to the present story that takes place in the past, or whatever:

"Seriously man, you talk about Marceline turning me evil? Viking Frank is a real wad." Finn was getting mad just thinking about it. "That old wiener always sets me up just to knock me down. I literally had to get out of there before I splazzed out and started tossin' swords."

Jake nodded in sympathy. "I know what you mean, jelly bean. I have a few flashbacks of that guy too, but we're on a schedule so I'll save 'em for later."

Finn sheathed his sword and looked up through the tops of the trees to find the sun. 'We've been here for like a million years already.' Finn looked over at Jake who had his nose to the ground again. "Let's just hope and assume that the butterbird hasn't been mauled by any flying equestrians, and look for something that still has color."

Jake jumped off all fours, gasped dramatically, and started to point in excitement.

"Not me Jake. Something else besides the two of us."

"Do I still get points for enthusiasm?" Jake asked.

"Let's step it up and sweeten the deal. First one to spot the butterbird gets a tummy rub..." Finn teased.

Jake tilted his head slightly. "But what if you spot it first?"

"Then you should try to avoid the stitches near my belly button."

Jake scratched his chin. "Y'know, I bet Marvin knows what a butterbird is." Finn slowed to a stop and turned around slowly. His voice took on a confused tone as he asked, "Who's Marvin?"

"Well, last night while you were sleeping, a green hummingbird with purple butterfly wings and cute little antennas on its head stopped by." Jake explained. "His name was Marvin. He was a cool guy. Seemed... a bit...disorientated." Jake trailed off and cringed, finally making a connection that could have saved them both a lot of time.

Finn slowly shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. He spoke in a low, even voice. "I hope you know what this means, Jake."

Jake slowly backed up. "Uhh..."

Finn exploded into the air "You win a tummy rub!"

"Aww yeeeeaauh!" Jake extended his paw out to meet Finn's knuckles. The thunderous force of their brofist made very little sound, but all the righteous souls of Ooo felt a surge of positive energy, lifting their spirits. The evil inhabitants of the land felt a cold shiver in their hollow hearts, and cowered in fear at the justice that would soon come.

Marceline just burped.

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Finn and Jake trotted along towards the outskirts of the Mountain Kingdom. After Jake started sniffing around for Marvin, they found him in no time flat. He was sitting on a log arguing with a frog over his place in the food chain.

"For the last time, you don't eat birds, Mr. Frog." Finn and Jake heard Marvin talking as they got close.

"Yeah, but I eat butterflies." The frog responded.

Marvin groaned. It was obvious they've been arguing for a while. "But I'm not a butterfly."

The frog's eyes widened in alarm. "So you're a bird! Please don't eat me!"

"I'm not a bird! Birds don't have butterfly wings!" Marvin was reaching the end of his patience.

"Not a bird? Guess I'll eat you then." The frog slowly hopped over towards Marvin. "Just give me a sec."

Finn and Jake chose that time to get involved. Jake gave the frog a plum. Finn just told him to get the plum out of there. The frog was smart enough to take what was offered and ran off, finally leaving Marvin alone.

In fact, the young butterbird was now perched on Finn's head, singing along with Finn and Jack to make the time go faster as they walked towards home. After hours of walking, it was getting close to sunset.

"I like bananas!"

"Coconuts!"

"And purple whatevers!" Finn finished.

"They're called grapes!" Marvin and Jake yelled at the same time.

Finn sniggered to himself. "You guys are too easy. I know what purple whatevers are called."

Jake sniffed the air. "I smell Hot Dog!"

Finn reached up and scratched Marvin's head right between the antennas. "Hear that little guy? Almost home."

Marvin sniffed back the tears of joy as they came to the edge of a small cliff. Down below, the modest castle of the hotdog princess was a short walk away. "You guys are like, totally awesome!"

Finn held out his hand and the little butterbird fluttered to it. Jake walked over and stretched up his legs so he was at eye level with Finn's hand. "We're awesome?" Finn asked. "You are! Are you a bird? A butterfly? What are you? I don't even..." Finn seemed to be at a loss for words.

Jake picked up where Finn left off. "Yeah Marvin, you're one wild dude."

Finn rubbed the back of his head a bit sheepishly as he asked. "Think you could fly the rest of the way yourself Marvin? I got a few other errands to run."

"I owe you guys big time," Marvin said as he started to hover in the air. "and yeah, I can fly there from here. Be sure to come visit soon okay?"

"Sure we will man!" Jake agreed, patting Finn's stomach affectionately, "as if this guy could stay away from a princess as seductive as yours."

"Now Marvin, be sure to stay away from Frank the hotdog knight." Finn warned. "He's a few clouds short of a thunderstorm, know what I'm sayin?"

"Who, Mr. Furter? He's not so bad if you just ignore him." Marvin said as he started to fly away.

Finn and Jake waved. "See ya!" They yelled in unison, then turned south towards the Candy Kingdom.

They heard a faint shout from Marvin as they walked.

"You guys are Supercool!"

Finn asked Jake, "Did you hear that? He called us Supercool."

"Haha, yeah, I heard." Jake replied.

Finn pulled out a crumpled list from his pocket and looked over it.

"Checking a deed off the list?" Jake asked, as he shrank down to the size of a puppy and jumped up on Finn's shoulder. Stretching his arms, he grabbed a pretzel out of Finn's backpack and started munching on it.

"Yup. Only a few promises left." Finn's voice took on a slightly smug tone. "Still think I'm over my head?"

Jake swallowed the last bite of the twisty bread and said, "Yup." Jake hopped down between Finn's legs and expanded to the size of a hippo and started taking huge strides, knowing that they won't make it with Finn on foot. "So what's next on the list?"

Finn scratched his forehead with the tip of his pencil as he looked over his list once more. "Gotta help Marceline move her furniture next. She made me take some kinda blood oath to meet her at her place tonight after her breakfast."

"WHA?" Jake yelped. "A blood oath? Cripes, Finn, that's serious stuff!" He stopped moving and turned his head to look at his passenger. "What was the oath?"

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In offering of Flesh and Soul,

Thou accepts the Final Toll,

Break thine oath and thine oath breaks thee.

This Oath, This Covenant, This Sacred Decree.

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Finn, being Finn, didn't remember it that way. "Yadda yadda flush and soil, something... something... final toll. Bring lime oats, blah blah breaks free, on this oath, something...seven degrees."

Jake, being Jake, believed that was the actual oath. "Well...that's not so bad I guess. Don't know what lime oats are, but sounds like they would make a good pie."

Another hour of travel and they found themselves at the entrance to Marceline's cave.

"You can handle this one, right?" Jake asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice. Jake had never gotten along with Marceline. Princess Bubblegum had a theory about Sanguivoriphobia, but neither Finn or Jake had the patience or attention span to find out what that meant.

Finn had a few jokes at his best friend's expense on the tip of his tongue, but decided to save them for later. Jake has been bro-tastic about helping Finn keep his promises, and if anyone deserved a break, it was him.

So, as a way to say thanks, Finn walked up to Jake and tripped him.

"Woah!" Jake shouted as he fell on his back. Before Jake could react, Finn started rubbing his stomach. Two minutes of tummy rubbing had Jake a drooling, blubbery mess, ready to be brainwashed. Finn laughed as Jake slowly regained consciousness. "Whazaat? Who?" Finn laughed. It never stopped being funny to him how awesome Jake's powers were, and yet how easily the dog could be defeated.

Finn gave him one last pat on the head and slowly pushed him in the direction of their tree house. "You can head home. I'll call you from Marceline's phone when I'm done."

"Okay. I'll be near my talkie, bro." With that, Jake headed for home.

Finn sat at the edge of the cave and waited as the sun creeped slowly under the horizon. As the last embers of sun faded, and the stars began to shine brightly, Finn climbed up on a nearby boulder and squinted his eyes as he looked into the cave. The lantern that Marceline kept on her window sill was lit. Marceline didn't need any light, since she had perfect night vision. She'd never admit it, but they both knew who that lantern was for.

Focusing on the guiding light, Finn ventured fearlessly into the cave of the Vampire Queen.

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Author's note

Well gents and gals, that was the first act of the Promise story. Two more acts to go. I decided to break it up into separate parts so it'd be easier to keep mistakes to a minimum. It would also give you readers a chance to provide feedback. Any feedback is welcome. Compliments are like chocolate, and criticism is like broccoli. They're both good for you for different reasons.

For those of you upset about the lack of action and drama in this chapter, don't forget about Jake's epic duel with that tree, and Marvin's heart pounding escape from Mr. Frog. Something tells me we haven't seen the last of that amphibian fiend.

Sanguivoriphobia is the fear of blood suckers, in case you were curious.

The Pale Valley will be featured again, in a different story, which is why I didn't give out all the dirty little details.

The Last Human by Ruby Sword is a great Adventure Time story. I suggest you check it out. It's on my favorite story list.