Chapter 1: To Plant a Seed

"Our lives were over in so many moments, and now they're all just beginning"

2 Weeks Earlier:

The night sky was painted with beautiful shades of blue. The stars were shining bright, clashing with the dark colors surrounding them. Marshall smiled as he watched it all, the true harmony of the sky adding more happiness to his jubilant mood. He took a deep breath and sat upright picking up the electric guitar he had brought. His band was about to perform a set at Gumball's surprise party for Fionna.

The vampire king couldn't believe it, "blondie" as he often called her, was eighteen today. It seems just like yesterday he had scared the stuffing out of her and Cake during their first encounter. He chuckled lightly at the fond memory. Eighteen years, it seemed like minutes to him, as it always does when you're a thousand years old. He sighed heavily, knowing that she would age and...'no', he told himself and pushed the thought aside. After one-thousand years, he had learned how to brush thoughts and feelings aside like leaves in a gust of wind.

Marshall slung his guitar back on, and stood up as the Peppermint Maid walked through the door. "Dear me" She panted, "Must you really have located yourself on the roof, master Marshall?"

He chuckled, "Sorry sweetheart, I'll stick to the balcony next time." He stretched, "So what's up?"

The maid huffed and signaled, "Your band mates are requesting you join them on stage for the show, young master."

'Ughh', he thought, '"Young."'

He might have been around for all those years but being turned at nineteen didn't help as he had stayed exactly the same as he looked.

He nodded, and threw himself off the roof. He floated down to the balcony, landing softly. He could hear the party raging on the other side of the curtain, everyone celebrating Fi's birthday. He took a deep breath and stepped inside.

The sounds of celebration were overwhelming and Marshall took a look around with a small smile. Three extremely long tables, covered with white sheets, were piled with food and drinks. The residents of Ooo gathering around them greedily to munch and talk. The grand table held the cake. The vanilla cake was monstrous, as if three cakes we just stacked on top of each other and covered in a strawberry glaze. Marshall struggled to tear his eyes off it, well more specifically the red glaze as he needed to get to the stage.

He ran over and greeted his mates, plugging his guitar into and amp. He grabbed the nearest mic stand and cleared his throat, "Yo, everyone having a great time?"

The crowd cheered, and Marshall's eyes were drawn to Fionna. Her hair was upright in a messy bun, and it really suited her. The shape of her hair amplified her beauty greatly especially how some locks of her hair hung in front of her face. "Alright, time for an intro."

The crowd clapped and fell silent as Marshall took a breath and began to play. A minute into it, he had his eyes closed, fingers moving nimbly and gracefully across the strings. He was doing what he loved, and the crowd could only watch in awe.

As he finished, Marshall let the final note wail. Smiling he moved to the mic "Now, onto business", the band readied themselves, "This one's called 'To Plant a Seed'" The drumming started and the guitars picked up volume, as Marshall took a breath and began to scream and growl into the mic,

"We've planted a seed, an ever growing wonder to a beautiful tree. Grow! Every branch outstretched and different from the rest! Through the trials our tongues are tied, to trying times, to unsaid lines!"

He took a breath and sang, as he had the skills to sing, his three octave baritone voice carrying the lyrics gracefully.

"My future started with the first note that I ever played. The first note that was ever sang. My future started with the first note that I ever played"

The crowd went crazy as the band finished their set. Everyone was swarming them; all trying to congratulate them but Marshall was only looking for one person.

He looked around and saw Fionna heading out to the balcony. He floated over the masses and followed her. As he passed the curtain, his eyes caught her attire. She was in a dark blue dress that stopped an inch or two past her knees with black heels. Marshall smiled to himself, knowing how much she hated dresses, but he couldn't deny that it suited her. A light breeze picked up and the locks of hair hanging in front of her beautiful face fluttered gracefully. As he looked her over, a sudden thought passed through his mind, 'Wow, that dress is really showing her figure, her beautiful se...No man what the flip is wrong with you?'

He shook his head and cleared his throat, which made the blonde turn around instantly.

"Oh, hey Marsh," She smiled. He returned the smile as another thought struck him, 'Glob, she's so beautiful, if only you knew how I felt ab...Snap out of it man!'

He shook his head as if there was a bothersome fly circling it, and Fionna looked at him puzzled. "You ok, dude?"

She giggled lightly as he chuckled and gave her another smile, "Yeah, I'm fine."

He moved next to her and embraced her tightly. He caught the scent of lilacs and vanilla. Sighing contently, he looked into her eyes and felt a stab in his chest. He longed to tell her what she really meant to him, to let her know how he felt about her...but he couldn't. His eyes trailed downward and he stared at her lips, imagining how soft they must feel.

He pushed the thought aside roughly and instead, smiled and said, "Happy birthday, blondie."

She smiled and gave him a tight hug, "Thanks, Marshall"

At that moment, Cake arrived and piped up, "Fionna, come on it's time for some nice sweet me."

She laughed at her own lame attempted joke, as the two teens gave her a light chuckle. "Kay, I'm coming." Fionna giggled and began to walk back inside. She stopped at the curtain, turned and motioned for Marshall to follow. He rolled his eyes and floated lazily after her.

He really cared for her and his feelings were silently craving, wanting for him to just let them free and just tell her. It was just a matter of time, because Marshall knew it would become impossible to keep brushing his true feeling aside.

Replies to reviews (of the previous incarnation)

MusicalDeleria: Thanks, I really hope you stuck around to the end for this. smileyface.

Believe-Me-Or-Not: And more was written.

purpledragon6: Thanks

kayula: Thank you very much.

compa16: Yeah, I felt kinda tapped in deep and tried to make his thoughts my own; as in I tried to think as he would in a situation like this.