Chapter 2:
"Hey, Captain Finn," announced the giant, talking banana. "You got time for a visitor?" "Send him in," said Finn. It was his third day on the job, and he was just starting to settle in. Simone had made him a lunch that morning, sending him on his way with a kiss and a promise that they'd put Billy to bed early tonight and have some fun between the sheets. It had been a while, and Finn was eagerly looking forward to it. He kind of understood now why Jake had sort of wandered off from Lady and the pups. Being a dad was hard work. At the same time, Finn the Human was game for anything. He refused to let Billy down, and he intended to be right there beside Simone all the way until Billy was on his own.
One thing he was having to get used to was the lack of well adventure in his life. He hadn't been out in the woods really since the quest to save Simone and Simon. He'd been occupied getting Billy and Simone resettled in their home. Then he'd been occupied trying to scrounge up money to pay the bills. Between those things, he'd been running errands in town for Simone, getting baby-supplies and food for the house. Simone thought that Billy was getting to the age where she could handle some of that herself, and, with the weather turning, he'd be lots safer. Now, as captain of the guard, the worst thing he saw was unruly candy-people. And what were they going to do.
"Well, don't you look cozy," announced Huntress. Finn looked up to see the wizard coming through his door. She stood there a moment in his doorway with her cloak thrown carelessly over her arm, taking it all in, while he took her in. Finn's eyes scanned her from her toes to her head, noticing things that he hadn't really noticed before. She was wearing a loose, sleeveless brown shirt over grey pants today. Her shirt was unbuttoned down between her perky little boobies, revealing acres of pale green skin, and those pants hugged tight to her legs, revealing that the little plant-woman was built like a brick shit house.
As Finn watched, she padded around his office, swinging that fantastic ass, and leaving him with a serious case of dry-mouth. She was smokin'! She stood there in front of the window, staring out, letting him get a good, long look, and every bad thought he could have had went spilling through his mind. The petite little beauty drove all thoughts of his wife and child from his mind.
Turning to face him, she gave him a sweet smile. She'd never smiled before. And then it hit him. She wasn't wearing the mask. His face went hot. Shit, she was pretty. It was hard to believe she had to wish for true love. He would have expected her to have to chase guys away with a face like that. "So, uh..., what gives," he asked? He knew he shouldn't be staring at another girl. He was married. Officially. And he loved Simone. He didn't ever want to lose her.
"Well," said she, as she came and perched on the edge of his desk, "I thought I'd come and see Bonnibel's henchman." Finn stared up at her, gazing into those beautiful green peepers. "Wha-for," asked Finn intelligently? Smiling, she reached out and stroked his chin with the tip of a gloved finger, "because you're now the guy who's got the money, donk." Finn frowned in puzzlement. "Uh... you want a job," he babbled? "Maybe," said she. Now he felt kind of like an idiot. He didn't know anything about being Captain of the Guard yet. Thinking fast, he said, "I... don't have anything right now. If something comes up, I'll send you a message." "Fair enough," said she. She hovered there a few moments longer. Her perfume was driving him crazy.
After a long few moments that way, she let out a brief sigh, then rose and turned to go. "I might come back in a few days," said she. She was looking over her shoulder at him. He was looking at her butt. Those pants were so tight, they were drawn up in her butt-crack, and Finn, horny out of his mind after months of no lovin', was drooling. "Yeah," he murmured. "Sure." Grinning, Huntress sauntered out the door, almost seeming to prance, making that cupcake bottom wig-wag back and forth.
Finn was still staring into space and almost drooling when Jake came in. "Hey, Finn," Jake greeted him. Shaking off his shock, Finn greeted his bro with, "hey, Jake!" The stretchy dog strolled up to the desk, sniffing the air as he came. "Simone stop by," he asked? Blushing in memory of all the staring he did, Finn admitted, "Huntress came by looking for work..." Remembering his earlier conflict, he added, "I had to turn her down." "That's too bad," said Jake. Grinning, he added, "she's real pretty." Finn blushed to his hair. "Jake," howled Finn! "I don't need some pretty girl hanging around!" He had a wife! Simone would cut off his nards! And he'd deserve it!
Jake chuckled, "listen, bro! You're gonna' find that things don't quite work the way ya think, when you're with somebody..." Finn frowned. What was he saying? Conspiratorially, Jake whispered, "man, I take every chance I get t'look... Ya know... Peepin' girls' bods is mostly all you get t'do when you're tied down..." Finn gave him a look of utter horror. "I bet you and Simone ain't done it in months," said Jake. "Am I right?" Finn's look of shock told him he was absolutely right.
"Yeah," said Jake. "Lady wasn't much interested in doin' Tier 15 near the end... Not much for a while after the pups came, either." Finn could hardly believe his bro was saying this stuff! "Jake," muttered Finn. "Wh-what are you trying to say?" "Listen, Finn," said Jake. "Straight up, man. Sometimes a man's gotta' take care o'stuff on his own. Get it outside the house. That way... you're not fightin' with your girl... You get relief, and she don't got to hear you complainin'..." Is he, thought Finn? He's telling me he cheated on Lady! Finn was horrified all over again.
"Anyways," said Jake, "I talked to PB earlier today..." Finn tensed, wondering if PB had hurt his feelings. "Didn't get the job working for the Banana Guards," sighed Jake. Finn could tell he was a little crushed. Brightening, Jake admitted, "got somethin' better! I'm gonna' be a mailman!" "Dude," shouted Finn, "you always wanted to be mailman!" Jake was ecstatic, and he was full of all kinds of ideas for things he could do as a mailman. Finn happily encouraged him, though he did have to nudge him back on course a couple of times when Jake started trying to morph his mailman job into working with the Banana Guards. "Anyways," said the stretchy dog, "I need to get home and tell Lady." Finn slapped him on the back in congratulations. He hoped now Kim and the other pups would get off Jake's back.
As Jake headed out, Huntress was headed in–to see Bonnibel Bubblegum. Standing across from the front gates of the candy-palace, the wood-nymph stood there soul searching. Was she ready for this? Did she want to commit to going down this road? It was one hell of a change in her life. She'd lived on the edge for most of her existence, dodging disaster by the thinnest of margins, and through it all she'd never let herself get bogged down with other people.
Loner to the last, she'd kept to herself, maintaining a fleet of hidden lairs across Ooo where she had healing potions, magic to defend her life, and food to sustain her. She'd thought more in terms of having bolt-holes rather than having homes. Things had changed in the last few months. Deny it as much as she wanted, she could no longer pretend that her life was the same. At the same time, it was hard to move forward, when her past had a shackle latched securely around her leg, holding her back.
Instinct said she should run. She should leave this place and flee far away. She should put distance between herself and the strange feelings she had just now. No way should she give up everything that she was for something so stupid and utterly hopeless. She'd laughed at wizards and mundanes alike who did that. What kind of stupid donk let themselves be so tied up as to give up their freedom like that?
Your kind, Emeraude, thought the wizard.
She was fooling herself if she thought this feeling was going to go away. It had been burning inside her when she walked into the maze, and it had only gotten stronger since then. That burning feeling kept her awake at night in her lonely, empty bed. Now it had brought her here. She was here to give up her freedom.
With a heavy sigh, Huntress stepped off, crossing the street in just a few strides. At the gate, she gave her name and stated her business. The giant, talking banana relayed her message inside with alacrity. They were afraid of her since she'd smashed one of them months ago for giving her too much lip. She'd had to soothe the pink princess's ruffled feathers after that, but she'd reasoned at the time that it was worth it. It added to the mystique. She wasn't somebody you messed with. After that, none of them wasted her time asking a hundred dumb questions that she would only talk about with their boss. She crowded the line and got in to see Princess Bonnibel whether anyone else liked it or not.
The little mint came out to meet her. He was a little more dangerous, what with his ties to the demon-lord of the Night-o-Sphere and Death himself. Huntress didn't push too hard with him, but she did push a little so that he too learned not to hassle her. "Good morning, Huntress," Peppermint Butler greeted her. "How may we help you?" "Need to see your boss, Peps," replied the wizard. "Urgent." They had a mutual respect, and Peppermint Butler immediately beckoned her to come in with him.
Bonnie looked up at her visitor with a frown as Peppermint Butler led Huntress through her door. She was a little surprised to see the wizard. With Finn back and working for her permanently and Rattleballs still working behind the scenes, her need for a mercenary had declined drastically. She had sent a courier to let the younger woman know she'd made a more permanent arrangement.
More surprises were coming. As the wizard stopped in front of her, Bonnie reflexively looked her over. Trim and lean, Huntress was a very beautiful young woman, but then Bonnie had never seen an ugly wood-nymph. That wasn't what truly stunned the candy monarch. No, that honor was reserved for the sight of her beautiful face. Huntress wasn't wearing her trademark mask.
As Bonnibel pondered the meaning of that, the wizard said, "I know you said you didn't really need me anymore, but I thought about things and I kinda got to thinking that maybe it was a price thing..." Bonnie frowned. This woman had called her a skinflint behind her back. Seeing that frown, Huntress decided she should get to the point. "I thought maybe you could use a court-wizard," said the wood-nymph.
Bonnie thought long and hard about that. Honestly, she didn't have much more trust for this woman than Finn had. Huntress had grudgingly helped her while Finn was busy with his wife, but she'd charged a fair premium for that. She had a reputation for being mercenary through and through. The candy-princess couldn't help wondering what her angle was. Finn did tell me she'd been gravely wounded, thought Bonnie. That was enough to change most people's perspectives on life. It had drastically changed Bonnie's when she'd been dropped in a pit full of lich-goop and changed into the lich's host-body. It was entirely possible that this woman had decided to move on and settle down.
She does present a bit of a quandary, thought Bonnie. The princess had always wanted to study a 'wizard' to see how their powers actually worked. This was a prime opportunity. "Alright," murmured Bonnie, "on one condition." Frowning–showing a little of the feisty nature that had put her at loggerheads with Bonnie at one time or another–Huntress asked, "what?" "I want to know your name," said Bonnie. "Your real one."
Huntress sighed heavily. She'd known going in there would be a price. So how much do you want this, she thought? A voice inside her reminded her of the stakes. This was only the most important thing to her since being born. "Alright," rumbled the wizard, "but if I once hear it on the lips of one of your little candy citizens, you'll answer for it." Bonnie assured her the name would remain confidential. "It's Emeraude," rumbled the wood-nymph wizard. Bonnie nodded appreciatively. It was entirely appropriate. "Alright," said the princess. "You've got the job."
The wizard didn't cheer. She might not have had any reaction at all to the casual observer. Bonnie was hardly a casual observer, though. She was probably the most observant person on Ooo, and she did pick up on the sigh of relief the little witch let out. This was very important to Emeraude for some reason, and that had Bonnie very curious. In the now, though, she told her new court wizard to go and meet with her minister, Peppermint Butler. Bonnie had work to do.