A Matter of Responsibilities
–Chapter Two–
The Girl with a Broken Heart
She had no idea of how to deal with an angry fire elemental, but something within her told her that everything was going to be fine. The furious glare on Flame Princess' eyes wasn't a reflection of hatred. For Bubblegum, it was more of a mixture between fear and insecurity. The candy princess stepped forward, causing the young girl before her to reel back, hissing in a rather threatening manner. A coldblooded comparison flashed across Princess Bubblegum's brain, this would be pretty much like trying to calm down a wild animal in a state of nervousness.
"I see you remember who I am." Bubblegum said.
"I never forgot the sound of your voice," Flame Princess replied sullenly, "or the color of your skin. Now I understand why I hate pink so much."
"Some say it is a weakened shade of red." Princess Bubblegum chuckled, "Can you imagine a color catching a cold?" She approached the fire elemental cautiously, doing her best to sound as friendly as possible.
Flame Princess kept glaring at her, observing Bubblegum's movements carefully. "Who cares?" she sighed bitterly. "You brought me here? What, are you going to take me back to the Fire Kingdom and have me locked up again?"
"Nonsense, Flame Princess…!" Bonnibel exclaimed. "I'm not gonna force you to go anywhere. You're free to choose what to do with your life now."
Her feet drove her to the young princess' side. Princess Bubblegum was about to place her hand on Flame's shoulder, when the elemental suddenly pushed her back, letting her fire do the dirty work for her. Bonnibel examined her arms and legs in astonishment, if she hadn't reacted quickly, Flame Princess would have given her an unpleasant burn. The white lab coat that she was wearing was charred a little bit on the edges, but letting those small details aside, that defensive attack hadn't been too serious.
"Hey, careful there! I told you were free!" Princess Bubblegum assured. "I have no intentions of locking you up again, much less harm you! Why do you think I brought you here? I didn't want you to die in the cold!"
Flame Princess remained silent, making Bubblegum somewhat uneasy.
"Listen I'm sorry, okay?" she admitted in an attempt to get the fire elemental's attention. "I did wrong…" Bubblegum lowered her head. "I understand if you are mad at me, after all I was the one who took away your freedom… I was responsible for you and I never got around to actually help you…"
"Please forgive me." Princess Bubblegum said. "You know, I wish you'd let me mend my mistakes. I can help you." She extended her hand towards Flame Princess and smiled confidently. "Let me help you…"
The fiery girl crossed her arms, turning her face away with an annoyed growl.
"A-are you even listening to me?!" Bubblegum yelled. "I already said I'm sorry! Isn't that enough for you?!"
"Again?" Flame Princess whispered. Her golden eyes were lost in infinity as she glanced at the floor. "Why does everyone think in that way? When has sorry ever been enough? Don't they know the weight of pain…? My pain…"
Princess Bubblegum relaxed her shoulders and sighed. "I would know if you tell me…"
"No." she heard the young princess whimper as her arms hid her emotionless features within them. "No more… Please leave me alone…"
"Flame Princess, it doesn't have to be like this…! I could—!"
"I told you to leave me alone!" roared the fire elemental, her flames exploding out of her body.
Once again Princess Bubblegum was forced to draw herself back, using her speed as her only defense against the fire. Her laboratory's temperature reached its maximum for a split second, letting Bubblegum know that abandoning her chance of redeeming herself was a wiser idea than to die trying. Flame Princess was not going to cooperate. The girl was far more stubborn than she had imagined. Why couldn't Flame Princess make things any easier for her? Bubblegum's brain was unable to understand what was going through the fiery girl's heart at the moment.
"Fine!" Princess Bubblegum declared. "I was only trying to mend things between us, but if that's the way you want it then… Ugh! Have it your way! I'm done!"
Bubblegum stormed out of her laboratory, leaving the door open behind her. Flame Princess could have released another tantrum, but the truth was that she didn't even have the motivation to do so, or to move from her bed. She had many bad days stored in her memories, but none of them could be compared to how confused and hurt this one had made her feel. No more absolutions could be given, at least not until the young princess regained her trust in the people that surrounded her, the others. That is, if she were to be able to do it again…
x~x~x~x~x
"Brats! Who understands them?" Princess Bubblegum muttered to herself as she climbed the staircase. "It's like Goliad all over again! You try hard to show them that you're willing to try, and they just keep inclosing themselves in their own little world! What else am I supposed to say to show her that I'm sorry?" the sweet ruler sighed, resting her forehead on her hand. "How can I heal a wound that I can't touch or see? How can I do anything if Flame Princess won't give me a chance?"
"Princess?" the voice of Peppermint Butler ringed in her ears.
"What?!" Bubblegum replied impatiently, suddenly realizing that she was about to lose control. "Oh… Sorry, I didn't mean to…yell."
The mint-flavored candy nodded in understanding. "Frustrating, isn't it?" he sighed. "Anyway, your highness, your presence is needed at the hospital. Apparently, the medical personnel doesn't know how to deal with a patient in particular, one that arrived to our infirmary while you were gone."
"Uh… Talk about singular patients…" the princess whispered exhaustedly. "Alright, thanks. I'll be there in a few minutes."
Peppermint Butler made a small bow. "Very well, Princess." He turned his round body and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Bubblegum exclaimed, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "What did you mean by 'frustrating'? What's so frustrating?"
"To be misunderstood." The butler grinned kindly. "That's frustrating."
"Y-yeah…" Bonnibel stammered. "Yeah, it is…"
x~x~x~x~x
"Auch! That hurts! What are you trying to do? Kill me?!"
That voice. Princess Bubblegum was able to recognize it from miles away. It was the Ice King, and thanks to what she was able to hear, the old man had probably escaped from Flame Princess' fury without being killed in the process. It was strangely comforting to know that her number one harasser was doing fine. Just when had she grown fond of that crazy wizard?
"Alright what's going on in here?" Princess Bubblegum inquired as she stepped in the hospital.
A rather comical scene greeted her there. The Ice King was holding onto the ceiling lights, half-naked, as he wasn't wearing his blue robe, while a group of clown nurses struggled to reach him, stacking their bodies upwards as they climbed onto each other's shoulders. Bubblegum could only stare at the unstable pile of clowns with worry as she walked in. Her eyes soon drifted towards the rickety body of the Ice King, glimpsing some burns and bruises on his bluish skin.
"Oh! Princess Bubblegum, thank Glob you're here!" the old wizard cried. "Please make these freaks go away!"
The princess rolled her eyes and sighed. "It's okay. I'll take care of him."
The clown nurses jumped back onto the ground, using pirouettes to land safely. "Oh… Well…" the Head Clown Nurse replied. "Let us know if this handsome gentleman needs another smooch treatment, Princess."
"Bleh…! Get lost already!" the Ice King shrieked, sticking his tongue out in disgust. He then hovered to Princess Bubblegum's side, flapping his long beard slowly. "Okay Princess, I'm ready for my kissing therapy!"
"Hold your stinking horses, Ice King." Bubblegum said, pushing him back in a harsh manner. "I'm not here to do such thing."
"B-but you said you'd take care of me!"
"That can wait. We need to talk…" the princess took a seat on a nearby bed and so did the Ice King. "Why were you and Flame Princess fighting, if I'm allowed to ask?"
"Huh! Where do I begin?" the wizard exclaimed as he got beneath the blankets that covered his bed.
"You could start by explaining me how did you manage to get in here, if you can barely fly." Bubblegum instructed. Although the injuries on the Ice King's body didn't seem grave, it was easy to tell that he had been weakened considerably after the battle.
"Oh that's easy, Finn brought me here on his shoulders."
Finn. That was perfect, if someone could calm Flame Princess down that was certainly Finn the Human. A small smile graced Princess Bubblegum's face. Maybe she still had a chance to repair the damage that she had done, if Finn interceded for her then it would be easier to gain Flame Princess' forgiveness.
"Finn? Where is he?" the princess asked, moving her head around to find the boy.
She soon glimpsed him behind the doors that led to the hallway. Finn was handing a penguin to Doctor Princess (presumably Gunther). Bubblegum noticed that his shirt had been torn on the part the covered his chest and stomach, however, something in the distressed look of his face told her that his shirt hadn't been the only thing that had been torn apart.
"Did he get involved in the fight somehow?" Bubblegum inquired. "I need him to talk to Flame Princess…"
"Nope, nope. If I were you, I wouldn't do that, Princess." The Ice King warned, sending her a serious glance.
"Why not? What happened?"
"Finn messed up really badly with us, especially with that screwball dame…" the old man sighed. "Gosh, I even feel sorry for her, though she crisped my hams. What Finn did was just twisted in so many levels; I still don't believe he is capable of acting like that! I tell ya!"
Finn had been acting out of himself? Princess Bubblegum couldn't believe what she was hearing. How was that even possible? That boy would never harm someone he cared for, much less his girlfriend. Or could he? Was that why she had found Flame Princess in such a disheartening condition?
"W-what happened?"
"I don't really get it myself." Ice King shrugged. "Apparently Finn had this 'ultra awesome dream' because he watched my butt being kicked by that hot chick, and then he went bunkers, 'cause he wanted to have that dream again! So he made us fight using some dirty tricks, like that letter!"
"What letter?" Bubblegum interrupted, a frown marking her concerned features.
"Glob…! Finn wrote offensive letters to lure us into a fight, very offensive letters by the way…" a saddened look filled his eyes. "That was what hurt Flame Princess the most. From what I was able to hear, Finn had put quite personal stuff in that piece of paper, things that only he could know… I guess those were things that the fiery girl really cared about, because the sound of her broken voice was, well, heartbreaking."
"There's no worse sight than that of a heartbroken princess…" the ice wizard whispered. "It's a shame they all ignore that I am here for them. I would never hurt a princess in such a nasty way! I swear!" he winked at Bubblegum.
"Flame Princess' heart… was broken?" Bonnibel breathed in concern. "By Finn?"
That explained why Flame Princess was being so close-minded. If the young princess couldn't trust in Finn, then how would she ever trust in her or in anyone? Flame Princess wasn't someone to toy with; many others had crushed her emotions and feelings before, including Princess Bubblegum herself. Betrayed by the few people she knew, in a world that she barely understands, how could Flame Princess ever regain her faith in others? Her faith in herself…
"Now I see why she had left herself to die in the cold…" Princess Bubblegum reflected. "Flame Princess has lost everything she had. How could life mean something to her? She feels abandoned, vulnerable…" Bubblegum bit her lip in frustration. "I can't allow that."
"Her fate is in your hands…"
"I must go to her." Princess Bubblegum said as she got up from the bed. She left the hospital in a hurry, running as fast as she could.
"Good luck, Bubblegum!" the Ice King shouted. "Ya'll need it!"
x~x~x~x~x
Princess Bubblegum descended the secret staircase that would lead her to the lab, praying that Flame Princess was still inside there. She remembered leaving the door open in purpose, wanting to show the fiery princess that she was free to go whenever she wanted, that she wasn't going be a prisoner anymore, at least not by Princess Bubblegum's hand. The pink princess crossed the threshold of the lab's door. Flame Princess was still in there, sitting on the bed in silence.
"Flame Princess!" Princess Bubblegum called as she approached the young girl as fast as she could.
"Huh? Wha—…?!" Flame Princess could have incinerated Bubblegum in that moment if only her confused mind hadn't stopped her from doing so.
Princess Bubblegum was a stranger to her, a ghost from her past that had marked her whole life since she could remember. In her eyes the candy princess was the last the person that she could trust, the last person she'd let approach her. Flame Princess couldn't understand why, but she did nothing to stop Bubblegum's sudden intrusion. With her eyes opened wide in astonishment, the young princess let Bubblegum's arms embrace her.
"I know how you feel." Princess Bubblegum whispered. "But you need to know that you're not alone. Trusting others may be hard, but you can't rely only in yourself." The princess pulled the static girl closer, resisting the heat that radiated from her for as long as she could. "I just need you to know that… I'm here for you."
"Why…?" Flame Princess gasped.
"Because I'm responsible for you."
It was a comforting answer, not a pleasant one, just comforting for some strange reason. Maybe because she was in need of someone that wouldn't consider her the worst, someone that wanted to help her, someone that wanted to be there for her. Just anyone… Slightly unsure of why she was doing it, Flame Princess closed her eyes and accepted the hug, resting her head on Bubblegum's chest.