Chapter 4: Unfortunate Visitor

"Miss you?" A voice that would send shivers down the Ice Queen's spine spit these words in the direction of the girl standing in the doorway.

Although the term vermin would suit her a lot better.

Clearly impressed by the cold tone in which she was spoken to, the girl swallowed the last bite of her sandwich only with quite some effort. But soon enough a mask of confidence slid over her face again, smoothing over any sign of the earlier discomfort.

"My, my, what are you saying Marshie?" The girl replied in a sickening honeyed way, completely unsuited for her. "That's a bit rude, given the history we have."

"Ashley", Marshall angrily interrupted her before she could go further down memory lane, "why the hell are you here?" He still had a fist balled, ready to take a swing if the vampire girl managed to struck one more nerve. He would not even care that he would hit a girl. Ashley could hardly be considered one anyway.

Ashley slowly pushed herself from the doorway and approached the vampire boy despite his hostile attitude and the murderous glint in his eye. Swaying her hips in a desperate attempt to appear seductive she stopped right before Marshall and looked him right in the eye.

"What? Can't I come and visit my boyfriend" - Marshall's eye twitched slightly at the sound of that word – "to see how he's doing?"

A dry mocking laugh left the vampire king's throat. "Didn't you get the memo Ashley? We've been over for quite some time."

The girl was quick to reply: "Merely a tiny break."

"300 years is more than a tiny break, Ashley." The emphasis of that last comment was full of snide. "Don't you remember all the shit you put me through? Leaving you was one of the best decisions I made in my life!"

If Ashley was hurt by the words thrown her way, she managed to hide it masterfully.

"Marshie", she pleaded using that sugary tone again, "that's all in the past right? Sure we've had our ups and downs but both you and I know that I am the only one who understands you," - she playfully stroked his arm, but Marshall quickly pulled his limb out of her reach -" the only one who is right for you."

"You? Sorry to disappoint you honey, but I think you are delusional. We never belonged together. If you were to be the last person in the whole land of Aaa, I'd rather make out with a cactus."

It was obvious Marshall's stubborn denial of her advances irritated Ashley to no extent.

"You only say that because you've been pent up for too long. Just leave it to me, I'll completely satisfy you." At this she managed to sneak her arms around his waist, her hands trailing downwards. She did not expect for the vampire boy to quickly turn around and feel said boy's knee shoved in her stomach. Coughing and wincing in pain Ashley dropped to the stone cold ground.

"How could you?!" Ashley shrieked when the surprise left her face, "I'm a girl!"

Marshall looked down on her, the red of his eyes hardened as rubies, cold to the touch. Not a speck of warmth could be found in those eyes. Nothing of the kindness they once bore when looking at the same girl, now clutching her stomach.

"I beg to differ. You are merely some vixen from a past nightmare of which I hoped to be liberated."

Ashley's face contorted at these words and the mask she was able to uphold finally crumbled. "So what? You're saying there is someone else in your life or what? Please don't make me laugh Marshall Lee. Who could ever love you like I do? I am the only one for you because I know. I know how you destroy everything you touch. That's why I'm willing to forgive you and -"

"You forgive me? You're even more vain and stupid than I thought. Really, what did I ever see in you?"

Ashley had pushed herself off the ground, this time more careful to leave some distance between her and the dark-haired boy's well-aiming knee.

"Then who is it that understands you, Marshall, pray tell me. I've been watching you for some time now, and there is no one noteworthy you hang out with, except from that dumb blonde and that idiotic pussy prince."

"You leave my friends out of this."

"And what a lovely bunch of friends they are," Ashley grinned, faking innocence. "Isn't it nice of them to hang out with you, a vampire demon? I'm sure you have a lot of fun. But you know, Marshall, deep down you realize how different they are from you – from us."

The glimmer in the vampire boy's eyes betrayed the faintest hint of being shaken by those words. And Ashley, not breaking eye contact with him, saw the chance to push the dark-haired king closer to the edge.

"Follow me back into the dark abyss of despair, Marshall Lee. This is where you belong", her smile seemed to say.

"You and I can never walk into the sun like they do. But we are better, greater than them. We are immortals, Marshall. And you, you are our king. Merciless and craving for the red of blood." She sighed lovingly, as if remembering something good. "Those were the days. That is who you are. Not this weak shrimp you pretend to be in front of your 'friends' in order not to scare them. Would they still hang out with you if they saw your true strength? If they knew who you really are? If they knew you are a -"

"DON'T. SAY. IT." Marshall threatened. He already know which word was going to complete Ashley's sentence. It was a term he had often used. Yet, with the appearance of Fionna and Gumball, he had been able to close those dark thoughts away, somewhere far within himself. Why did the world have to test him by letting Ashley back into his now peaceful life?

Feeling victorious, Ashley came even closer to Marshall, believing his spirits almost broken. Carefully she lifted up his chin with the tip of her finger so she could gaze into those beautiful crimson eyes.

"Aah yes, that's the look I know and love. The look of complete dejection, void of all hope. Although I must admit that you wear the murderous glint in your eyes well. Look, I've got goose bumps. Reminds me of all the fun we used to have..."

"Please stop this, Ashley, before I have to throw up." He averted his eyes and put some distance between them again. There was still some fight left in him, he could not give in to the poisonous words the vampire girl breathed.

The crease between Ashley's eyebrows deepened. She had hoped that her mentioning their previous attachment would at least make him remember some of the affection he used to hold for her.

And it was true. Marshall had once truly loved this girl. Or at least he had thought it was love, but after breaking up with Ashley and falling for Gumball, Marshal finally realised there had never been anything in the first place. It was the feeling of being needed by someone that made him put up with all of Ashley's selfish requests and irresponsible deeds. The girl had, in a way, given him a sense of purpose in an immortal life. It was only after she had sold his favourite stuffed animal, the only memorabilia of his childhood, to buy some sort of stupid wand that the vampire gathered enough sense to leave this toxic relationship.

"How you have changed, Marshall Lee. I never knew you had become this weak. What would the others say if they saw their king like this?" She chuckled gleefully at the thought. Then she faced him again, excited. "Hey Marshie, I just got an idea that can make all of this okay again!" A cruel grin lit up her face: "Let's just get rid of them! No need to pretend anymore. I've got some great guys who are willing to do it if you don't want to dirty your hands. The blonde shouldn't be a problem, that fragile neck will snap easily and that gummy prince doesn't seem like he'll put up much of a fight either. Then we can be together again and all will be alright." She laughed as if she had just heard the greatest joke in the world, a high-pitched cackling that resounded in Marshall's ears.

It took him a few seconds to fathom what the girl had been saying.

Sick. She is SICK! WHAT THE HELL…

He murmured something under his breath. "What is it Marshie, I couldn't quite catch that last bit," Ashley asked in that honeyed voice again.

"… are you saying?"

He repeated himself, louder this time and with every passing moment his rage grew larger. Blood boiled in his veins and his vision went red. He could not see anything, but Ashley's words repeated in his head as if someone was constantly pressing 'replay'.

The blonde… that fragile neck will snap easily … gummy prince doesn't seem … much of a fight

Marshall lunged at her, his arm transformed into a giant claw and he pinned her at the wall.

Teary-eyed, the vampire girl desperately gasped for air, wriggling to escape the iron grip holding her prisoner. "Marshall…" she squaked, "why…"

As he looked at her, she visibly shrunk. Before her were the most fearsome eyes she had ever seen, and they bore right into her very core. They radiated an ominous light and all Ashley could see was red. It was too blinding, but she could not turn away from it, her throated being punctured by the tips of a claw.

A raspy sound left the vampire king's throat: "Kill, kill, kill, kill." Like a mantra, he repeated that word over and over again. Fearing for her life Ashley begged Marshall to let her go, but her desperate pleas were drowned out by the boy's roars. She mustered all the strength she had left.

"YOU MONSTER!" Ashley shouted from the top of her lungs. Immediately she felt how the claw loosened its grip. The lights in Marshall's eyes dimmed, and his arm regained its original form. But the anger was still there, and he only barely managed to control it.

In a voice, so devoid of emotion he could be reporting the weather he said: "You touch them, and I will destroy you. Every single one of you."

Ashley was clutching her throat, crawling on the ground to get further away from him. Never before had she seen the vampire king lose control like that. It was frightening and at the same time magnificent. If she could somehow manage to get a hold of him and make him listen to her as he did once before… imagine the possibilities.

The train of her thoughts helped her get over the shock from being nearly shredded to bits and once she found footing, she was more determined than ever to get Marshall back.

"I can't understand why you would go such lengths for them. They are different from us, Marshall, and being with them will only hurt you."

"They are indeed different. But that does not mean we can't hang out or have fun. Different is okay. That is what you don't get, Ashley. Not everyone has to fit into the same mould. A world like that would be a globawful place."

"They will never accept you like –"

"They already do." A gentle smile slid over Marshall's face as he reminded the warmth he felt as his arms embraced Gumball, and the cheerful laughter of Fionna during one of their silly competitions.

A strike of jealousy hit Ashley as she saw the kindness on Marshall's face. "Marshall is MINE."

"Please, don't make me puke. You almost sound in love! If it's the blonde you're after then I've got some bad news for you, 'cause she's with that flame weirdo most of the time."

"Why would I go after Fionna..." Marshall confusedly asked, not realising his slip of the tongue.

Stunned Ashley looked at him: "Not the blonde? Then wo?" As the realisation dawned upon her, her eyes widened: "I-It can't be true, tell me it isn't true... I
heard you got all chummy with that pink trash but to actually- you, the proud vampire king, are allowing that by your side? You've gone mad...tell me it's all a sick joke. ANSWER ME MARSHALL!"

I am an idiot.

In one moment of thoughtlessness he had given away what he had been trying so hard to hide: his true feelings for Gumball. Now that the secret was out, he could no longer deny it. He did not want to. Ashley could think all she liked, it did not matter to him, as long as she would just stay away. And perhaps knowing that Marshall was close to Gumball for the majority of the time would make her abandon her crazy plans.

"Hardly."

He could see the look of disbelief on her face. He truly had rendered her speechless. Without saying anything, she hurriedly left the room, running out the cave until she was out of sight.

Marshall crashed down on his couch. Today truly had been exhausting.

"I assume you are here to report?" a stern voice inquired.

Two eyes gazed down upon the tear-stained face of a vampire girl on her knees. The figure shrouded in darkness patiently waited for the girl to stop snickering, and start talking.

Ashley nodded, wiping her tears away with a quick movement of her arm. Instead she creased her brow: "They have taken him from us, Your Majesty. That rotten candy prince has him wrapped around his little finger."

"Candy prince? Prince Gumball? How distasteful," the haughty figure remarked.

"Don't worry dear, we will make sure that our son sees his mistake. Proceed with the second plan," she added, looking at one of the guards near the door. He nodded, and immediately left the room.

Two perfectly red lipstick lips formed a soft smile: "Bad little boy, it is time for you to come back home."

A/N: Finally! I'm in the middle of exams, so what better way to procrastinate than finally continuing my story?

I took the liberty of creative writing to change 'Ashe go-make-me-a-sandwich' to 'Ashley-I-Am-Seriously-Deranged' since it fits the story (and I love crazy characters - maybe I've been watching too much Mirai Nikki).

Tune in later for a touching reunion between a son and his mother, and in the meantime thank you for faves, follows and reviews!