Disclaimer: I do not own Adventure Time.
"Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" A high pitch shriek rang though the passageway.
Marceline had bumped into someone's back, startling them. She had been lost in thought, unaware of her surroundings.
"Finn?"
The boy in question turned around, surprised to see the vampire there. Well he knew she was there just not there, "Oh Marceline." He shifted awkwardly as his surprise settled and he remembered what he had just witnessed his friend doing, "We were just, you know, chillen'. And minding out own beeznas."
He was trying way too hard and Marceline read him as easy as a picture book, "You saw Bonni and me kiss, didn't you?"
The 15 year old did not miss a beat, "Ya" He rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed at being caught. But he did not let that stop him for long, "What gives, I thought you guys hated each other? Then BAM tier 2!"
Finn had been dating Flame Princess for quite some time. Even if he didn't 'like like' Bubblegum anymore, you never really forget your first love.
Marceline decided to ease his heart, "You misunderstand. We're just friends… if anything. It was a kiss goodbye."
It wasn't completely dishonest.
Finn looked confused. He had never seen such a kiss goodbye before.
"You wouldn't understand."
Suddenly it hit the younger boy, "Oh word, girl stuff, got it." He nodded, making sense of Marceline's words as best he could.
Completely missing the look Marceline threw at him.
But Jake didn't, "Uh Finn, maybe you should deliver that message to PB. It seemed urgent." He thought for a moment, "But knock first, it's late, she may want to be left alone."
That was not the real reason he had told Finn to knock. If his hunch was correct the Bubblegum Princess would not be in the mood to take guests.
No matter how he acted at times, Jake was wise. Or perhaps better at reading situations then his younger brother. In this case he had an unfair advantage, knowledge Finn was not privy to.
"Oh, ya." Finn looked down at the letter in his hand, "Well, later Marcy." He walked off happily in the direction of the Princess's room and out of site.
The two left behind watched him go.
Marceline turned back to Jake only to realize he had been staring at her, "What?"
"Don't 'what' me. That was not a goodbye kiss."
"It was." Marceline tried.
"Lady told me everything."
"Lady knows! Who…? Bon" There was nothing Bubblegum would not share with her closest friend, Lady. However, because she had been so insistent on keeping their affair hidden, it came as a bit of a shock she would tell anyone at all.
Jake grinned.
A deep purple rose on pale cheeks, "Look. It may have been more than just a friendly peck, but it really was a kiss goodbye. I, uhh, broke things off with her. It was getting too complicated. She doesn't love me anyway."
She tried to smile, to look happy, send a feel that all was for the best. But she could feel the way her face moved, unnatural and strained; it was probably not at all convincing.
It wasn't.
Jake stretched up to the sky, to face Marceline properly, "Doesn't love you? Look it may be none of my business, but that's not the impression someone would get from seeing the way she looks at you."
Marceline focused on the castle floor, meditating on his words.
Jake continued, "I don't know how you do it but you bring out different sides of her, that don't even seem like her at times, both for good and bad."
Red eyes looked to her friend.
Was this true?
"I don't know what happened and you know. That's your biz. But just telling you, I think both of you aren't going to just be able to walk away so simply."
"Thank you." She allowed herself to smile, truly grateful for the shape shifter's words. Then curiosity took hold, "What did Bonnibel tell Lady about me?"
Jake crossed his arms giving her a wink, "That you made it up to tier 15."
"I see…wait what?!" This got her attention. Marceline was mortified but at the same time wanted to know more, "Glob, what did she say?"
Jake grabbed his belly, letting out a deep laugh, "Nha, just kidding. She didn't say anything like that. But I'm nosy and now I knows."
This took a while to set in.
"Why you!" Jake did not even shrink away from her fury, "I liked it better when you were afraid of me."
Jake continued his well natured play when a portal suddenly opened from behind the vampire. This stopped him cold, stepping back away from it.
Marceline assumed it had been her he had finally decided to be fearful of, until a familiar voice flooded out from behind her, "There you are O' Vampire Queen."
The voice was playful yet harsh. Like scolding a child you had long become impatient with.
She recognized it immediately, turning around to confront the voice's holder, "K-"
A hand wrapping itself over her mouth, deciding that there would be no conversation.
Eyes wide, Marceline listened as the other Vampire began to speak, "You're needed. In your absence many of your followers have begun to talk of, well … 'terrible things'."
"Marceline!" Seeing his friend in danger, Jake grew large, more intimidating, "Let her go blood sucking scum!"
But with a vicious 'hiss' from the mysterious vampire woman, Jake instinctively hid away. Shielding himself from those teeth. The vampire pushed him away for good measure before pulling the flailing Queen with her though the portal.
It closed behind.
Jake picked himself up, gaining his bearings, "Oh my Glob" He ran to where he knew Finn would be, throwing open the door with a bang.
He found Finn kneeling in front of where the Princess sat. They both turned to look at the intruder, stunned.
"Jake?"
Finn got up, "Dude, the Princess isn't feeling well, be a bit quieter."
"Marceline's been vampire-nabbed!" He screamed disregarding his brother's call for quiet entirely.
Bubblegum stiffened noticeably at the name.
"Haha. Very funny Jake, is this payback for the prank I pulled on you?"
Jake walked forward, shaking him, "No no no! Man there was a vampire, she was mad scary. And talk of bad things happening. Then she took Marceline away somewhere, through a portal."
Realizing Finn still did not believe him he turned to Bubblegum only to find she was not in her seat. She had risen from her chair and walked toward a bookshelf at the far corner of her room.
Finn heard her movie, "Whatcha doing Prubs?"
"Looking for a map, any clue as to where the vampires mainly culminate during this time. Seeing as they have no stable kingdom it may be hard to track them."
Jake smiled, glad to be believed and glad to see the Princess's concern. He let Finn go, walking over to help the woman who was now throwing books left and right.
Normally she treated books with the highest care and respect.
But there was no time.
"Ah ha! Here it is. During this time of year Vampires have a festival of the blood moon. They will be in the Eerie Eastern Wood."
"Blood moon?"
Bubblegum nodded, "I can explain later." She took a side bag and slipped the book inside as well as various other items.
Finn was still unsure if he was going to end up the butt of a joke but decided it was worth the risk. This was his friend they were talking about and Bubblegum seemed so insistent in the need to find her.
It was he's hero duty to help, "Alright let me find her. It could get dangerous. Princess you wait here we'l-"
"No" The pink girl exclaimed, "I have to go too."
Jake clapped his hands together, "Great! No time to waste then. What time is it?"
