Here's the latest installment, I hope you guys like it.

I sat in bed, waiting for Marcy to show up for the night, in the past few weeks she had made it a habit to stop by. Even if it was for just a moment it was the highlight of my day, today however she was late and I was getting worried that there would be no visit today. Just then my butler opened the door apologizing for the intrusion but saying it was urgent. I took the letter he had in his hand and read it carefully, apparently the demons had decided to attack and the defense was working but since it was night time they would have to wait till daybreak to successfully quell the attack. I had to admit when I first built the gumball machines they weren't perfect, and was truly worried about the President of that small Kingdom.

"Whatcha got there Bonnie?" I jumped and clutched my chest.

"Honestly why do you always have to do that! It's not funny!"

"Okay I'm sorry, what's got you all riled up?"

"Nothing, I just hate when you do that, it's so distasteful."

"Oh here we go again," she had whispered it but I still caught it, I don't know why but I was not in the mood to put up with her attitude.

"What was that?"

"I said here we go again, because obviously since I'm not perfect enough for your highness she must point out every little thing which isn't exactly proper."

"All I said was that I hate when you scare me, is that really why we're fighting?"

"No Bonnibel, we're fighting because I always seem to be the one apologizing. Everything I do is so improper and so distasteful. Marceline don't do this, Marceline stop it, Marceline that's distasteful."

"Well maybe if you acted like your position you might be able to fit better in society, maybe then my people would accept you!"

"Are you saying it's my fault people think I'm some monster? Let me tell you Bonnibel I am a monster, I am distasteful, and I have been for over 1,000 years. I'm not going to change."

"I can't talk to you when you're like this, you're impossible."

"I'm impossible? All I have ever done is tried pleasing you; obviously I'm not good enough for you, why don't you go play with your beloved gumball?"

"Maybe I will, and then maybe you'll have a faithful marriage and stay in your realm of monsters where you belong!" I covered my mouth quickly, I shouldn't have said that, Oh glob I should not have said that. She just stood there, shocked and angry. "Wait I didn't-"

"Save it, I'm out of here." She stared at me almost expecting me to stop her. I really didn't think she would leave but just then a tear in the fabric of space opened and a demon appeared.

"Your highness, you must come quickly I'm afraid I've lost enough time filling out the paperwork to get here, it's King Marshall. He's fallen in battle." Her face fell quickly.

"What happened? Is he Okay? Never mind that, where is he?"

"The sun my Queen, he tried protecting us from a group of candy soldiers." His voice faltered, which was very strange for something that looked like it scared children for fun. "They took him prisoner and held him in the sun for all to see his suffering. We tried saving him, but h-he-"

"Stop please," there were tears in her eyes, "just tell me where he is."

"Camp your highness." She didn't even take a second glance at me as she disappeared into the tear. Then I was alone, did he say candy people?

Marceline's POV

I stared at Bubblegum unbelievingly; she said I was a monster, again. I was getting tired of the same exact fight over and over, it was honestly so tiring. A scream from a distance alerted me that a hole to the nightoshpere had been opened.

"Your highness, you must come quickly I'm afraid I've lost enough time filling out the paperwork to get here, it's King Marshall. He's fallen in battle." I was shocked to say the least. Marshall had as much strength as I did, if something brought him down; well let's just say things weren't looking very bright.

"What happened? Is he Okay? Never mind that, where is he?" I felt panicked.

"The sun my Queen, he tried protecting us from a group of candy soldiers." His voice was shaky and I could feel my own heart breaking and tears spring up. How bad was this? "They took him prisoner and held him in the sun for all to see his suffering. We tried saving him, but h-he-"

"Stop please," there were tears in her eyes, "just tell me where he is."

"Camp your highness." I left in a hurry; we both flew to the camp infirmary as quickly as possible. When I saw him I let out an angry yell, the doctor immediately came out to see what had happened. He bowed quickly and told me he was far too burned for any analysis.

"What do you mean he's too burned for analysis?! Do you mean he's going to die?!" The cold doctor kept his expression neutral which infuriated me further.

"It appears that we will just have to wait and see, we have applied cream but that is all we can do for now." I turned away disgusted by the man and his white coat. I saw the barely recognizable figure, his skin was covered in boils and everything but what was covered by clothing was burned. I sobbed grabbing his hand and falling into the chair next to the bed.

"Marshall don't die baby, please, I don't know what I'm going to do without you."

"Your highness, I'm sorry to interrupt, but our unit is without a leader and we fear the attackers may come back." I sniffed and cleared my throat. I stood up with conviction feeling the power radiating from my very core.

"Set up a trap, similar to the ones we used in the years after the second night-O war. Spare no expense, round up every troop. Tell them, tell them we are going to avenge the king's fall." He nodded, smiling almost. I wiped the tears from my cheeks; I looked back seeing his disfigured face. A deep sense of regret filled me, how could I have ever turned my back on him? I treated him like shit and now he was lying in a bed dying.

I changed into my old warrior suit and left the infirmary determined. Every troop was lined up in front of me, I was surprised at first to see so many, but I figured nothing could unite a people so much as a tragedy could. No one had every treated them as well as Marshall had, not even me.

"Tonight King Marshall risked his life for all of us, if he dies know that I see it as not a simple death, but as murder. Does everyone know my punishment for murder of another vampire?" The crowd yelled, "Death," altogether. "Our king has sacrificed his life for us, as a clan we're not very good at mourning. But I'll be damned if I don't see someone pay for this!" The crowd cheered a sense of togetherness which had never been seen before in any kingdom, especially one made up of half-demons.

The actions taken that night were not ones I am especially proud of; no mercy was given towards anyone who was found in a machine describing the ones which attacked the first night. Of the 300 vampires which went into the forest that night 250 came out the next morning. However, every machine was destroyed, every candy person found in them drained of all sugar and color. No mercy was given to the people who had almost killed the vampire King. Only one hunter escaped; the one who had targeted Marshall. However, the people felt a great satisfaction from the ruthless killing; they felt a unified as a people. That very night the people spread all over the abandoned forest and claimed the territory in the name of King Marshall. Once the very large border had been established the people hid in the densest part. After a week I decided I would give another speech to my people.

"King Marshall would be very proud of all of you, blood suckers and vegetarians alike." Suddenly a small boy came running from the very back and very large group of people walked through the newly unified clan, there seemed to be about 250, all from different clans and all with different leaders.

"Excuse me; are you Queen Marceline of the northern clan?" I nodded surprised at such the formal introduction.

"Speak." A rather bulky man wearing a fur coat came forward.

"Machines like the ones you have destroyed have brought down all of our clans. The great clans have all been decimated. Most of us are the only ones left in a clan that was once as large as yours. We ask," He gulped, "We ask that one single clan be formed."

"Very well, we've all been victims of a heinous genocide. There are those who would have us killed in the name of justice." Everyone seemed to agree, the newcomers were instantly accepted. "We cannot let our species die out just because some candy people think we're evil." An even louder cheer erupted. "We are a strong nation; it's time to let those people know we're here to stay." A final applause of approval was let out, a unified nation of vampires had never occurred in the history of the world. I looked around to see not monsters, but people, most of them were humans who turned at the end of the mushroom war. They were survivors, and like it or not they had chosen me as their undisputed leader. Unlike many other times no one contradicted me; it looked like a time of peace was going to follow this genocide.

For the next two weeks I was busy building up the nation of demons I had spawned. It was hard work, but I knew that Marshall would have teased me endlessly if I didn't get through it, if he ever woke up that is. I didn't go up to the infirmary often in that first month, but one night when the doctors thought he was going to die I made a vow to stay in there 24/7. All the work I did the next month was done in that white room. I counted the amount of visitors who came in. Almost everyone, if not everyone, came in to send their condolences. I was inspired by how caring my people could be, sure they were demons with no soul and dead hearts, but so was I.

Most nights I'd find myself lying next to Marshall, reading to him or playing my bass singing songs to him. I guess somewhere along the way I had fallen for him all over again. It was weird because he never talked, but I knew losing him would devastate me and I also knew that if he wasn't there I'd never be the same. I guess that's what Simon meant when she said, "you'll find a love one day that'll last eternity." I laughed a little at the irony.

Other nights I'd find myself crying into his shirt, endlessly drowning in tears and yelling at the cosmic owl for being so cruel all the damn time. No one deserved this fate, especially not Marshall; I'd find myself begging to switch places with him. Begging to die if he died because I couldn't imagine living without him.

And then one night a single thought crossed through my mind.

Oh Glob, what about Bubblegum?

So what'd you guys think? I hope you like the direction it's going in.