Chapter Four: Welcome Home
"You know who I am?"
"Of course I do, Marcy"
"You…haven't called me that in years…"
She was confused, but when he gestured for her with a gentle pat of his hand to the ground Marceline eased into a sitting position besides him. Lifting her legs she held her knees and stared past the fire at her younger self sleeping soundly under his coat. Simon picked up a stick and gently stoked the fire. Marceline scooted a little closer to him. There was so much she wanted to say.
"So…" he sighed in a disappointed fashion as he stared into the flames. "I heard through the grapevine that this isn't just a long overdue visit"
It was strange to hear his voice so calm and lucid, but Marceline managed to answer him through her shock. "No. You're right…I came here to break you out", she smirked while pulling her hair to one side. "But I don't really have a clue how"
"You know Marceline", he began sadly. "I really don't have much time", Simon spoke as his head dropped closer to his chest. "The crown…it doesn't want me talking to you", he admitted with shame. "It wants you to leave"
"I'm not going anywhere", Marceline chuckled. "I keep my promises"
"I don't know the way out", he tried to reason. "I've searched for my true self for centuries now, here in the darkness of my own mind…but now I must admit that I truly believe that man died long ago…"
Her shoulders dropped. Had it been so long that he'd never return to his human self? A thousand years she supposed was a rather long time to be under a curse. Still, Simon was here, bits and pieces that made up most of the man she once knew. But to wake what was left of him up she had to find a memory that meant more to him than anything. More than when he met her. Who could be more important than Marceline? Her fingers dug into her scalp as she hoped the pressure would squeeze and idea out of her head.
Something did come to her.
There was someone. What was her name? Marceline had heard him calling it.
"Marcy?" his tentative voice cooed as he turned to her. "What is it you're trying to remember?"
"Simon…"Marceline turned till she faced him, her legs now bent besides her, curled back. "Who…who's Betty?"
The color drained from his face. Heat from the fire died out as it froze over into twisting icicles leaving the two of them in the dark. Marceline could see Simon from the blue magic glowing in his hands. His eyes filled with pain and he did not move. A single tear rolled down the side of his face. It fell to the ground and where it landed the street illuminated. The light spread forcing Marceline to crawl back and away from Simon.
Simon lowered his head and vanished as the light consumed him. Alone Marceline got to her feet and tried to outrun the light, but it was too fast. As it got under her feet Marceline fell. Her hands clawed for the edge of the earth but it crumbled. She landed flat on her back in the snow.
'You can't have him', an eerie voice whispered in Marceline's ear. 'The human is mine, my wielder of ice and snow', it shuttered with irritation as its voice continued to rise. 'Simon is happy here…he never remembers the pain…the pain of losing her and hurting you. Would you bring all those horrible feelings back to him?'
"You caused both of those things!" Marceline hissed with her eyes narrowed. "He doesn't deserve this. Simon was a good man- IS a good man!"
'No Marceline' the voice said with clarity, certainty '…he's not a good man', it taunted. 'He's pathetic and selfish and cruel', it paused and added in a deeper, darker voice 'Cold…like the ice and snow'
"You're wrong!" she screamed, tightening her fists. "Let him go you…you- or I'll…"
'Or you'll what Marceline?'
The icy voice was behind her, turning Marceline on her heel. It was a monster, blue and haggard with jagged teeth and clawed hands. Atop its head was the crown. Marceline didn't hesitate she threw all her weight and strength into a solid blow. Connecting with the creatures face she struck it hard enough to knock it back. That horrid, putrid thing on its head regretfully popped off and flew through the bitter air. When the crown hit the floor it barely bounced, sounding like it weight a hundred pounds as it settled on the floor.
She leapt at it, intent on shattering the artifact and ending its evil reign over the mind of Simon Petrikov. But as her fingertips were inches away, centimeters away Marceline was stopped. Someone collided with her, knocking the vampire queen clean off her feet. She sunk into the snow on her side feeling the weight of another upon her. Marceline flailed and growled, only stilling when she heard a calming voice that stilled and soothed her like a lullaby.
"Please don't touch it", it said. "Marceline…" he whispered, thinking his attempt to protect her had brought her harm. "I'm…I'm so sorry…"
"It's okay", she responded sounding out of breath.
"I'm frightened Marceline", he whimpered, tightening his hold on her frame. "I've been asleep for so long. I don't know what I'll find out there", he ground his teeth and dug his face into her shoulder. "All those people I know I hurt, they hate me. Everyone hates me"
Simon regretfully let her go as he felt a dark magical chill. He turned and looked at his crown lying on the floor, its golden surface shinning despite the darkness, calling out to him. To keep from walking Simon fell to his knees. Marceline leaned over without hesitation and wrapped her arms around his head to steady his trembling. Her voice was calm and soothing to his racked nerves.
"I don't hate you", she assured him. "I got your back", she smiled and patted his shoulder. "Just come home with me, please?"
Simon sat on his knees, head bowed in contemplation. It seemed that whether his eyes were opened or closed everything was dark around them now. Her hands rested on his shoulders and gave them a gentle, encouraging squeeze. The vampire looked down at the human, at the wind blowing his white hair and felt hopeful. She hoped that he was truly coming back to her. Slowly his neck arched back and his white eyes met her dark ones.
Neither noticed the creeping shadow, darker than night that spread from the crown. Ghostly hands came up from it, inching towards the two friends. Winds blew from the King's crown, pulling Simon and Marceline inward and it was all they could do to stay where they were. A voice cold as ice came from all around them. Rings grew under Simon's worried eyes as he knew the voice all too well. It was his crown and it was very, very angry with him.
'The human is mine' it bitterly snapped at Marceline. 'Simon-"
Simon's head snapped up at the beckoning, worried and frightened. Though they trembled terribly he wrapped his arms around himself and rocked forwards in an attempt to ignore the crown. Marceline dug hr feet into the ground as a side burst of wind nearly knocked her over. She held onto Simon as the voice grew louder and filled with more demand.
'Pick me up' it told him.
Simon shook his head as it receded into his shoulders like a frightened turtle, "N-No" he stammered. "Leave me a-alone"
'SIMON', it growled through a blistery wind. 'What did you say!?' the crown shook the ground as it bellowed, angered by Simon's disobedience. 'Get over here now!'
An unseen force clawed at Simon and Marceline used all her strength to hold onto him. The hands shot out and latched onto his leg like paper shadows. They pulled his feet off the ground, prying him from Marceline. Her nails dug into his clothes as she tried to hang on. It frightened Marceline to be faced with such dark and powerful magic. She dreaded the thought of leaving her friend in here with this monstrous entity.
'Do as you're told!' she heard the voice shout. 'Pick me up or i'll pull your little girlfriend's hair!'
Focused on holding onto her friend Marceline was caught off guard when something yanked her hair back. She let out a sharp shriek as she was forced to let go of Simon. The moment her fingertips left him the shadow hands latched onto her arms and pulled them back.
'Or worse' it threatened, spiraling its grip up her arms and around her neck. Marceline flailed so that she managed to kick one of the arms off her but she couldn't shake the rest. They pulled her back and away from him. 'Is that what you want Simon?' its voice shook with insanity and rage. 'Do you want me to hurt her!?'
The hands were on his arms and legs, pulling the helpless man back. His white eyes opened wide with fear, fear for her. He fought and screamed and begged, pleaded with his crown to release her.
"Marci! N-No…I'm sorry!" he cried helplessly hoping he could make amends. "I'm sorry, please don't hurt her! L-Let her go, I beg of you!"
Simon was forced to kneel before the crown. A hand wrapped around his head and bowed it low. Looking down he saw the shadow figure emanating from its base had a hug pointed demonic scowl. It spoke to him, its voice a grater hissing broken sharp noises into his head nearly splitting his skull.
'She will only cause you regret', it hissed 'You don't need her'
He didn't want to hear the voice anymore and in a childish notion Simon clamped his eyes shut and prayed for it to go away, for everything to just go away. This was a dream, just a bad dream…no, not a dream, a thousand year old nightmare.
'I'm your only friend…' it made a monstrous noise as he refused to open his eyes. 'SIMON!'
Hands latched onto his face and put pressure. Simon whimpered as his eyes were forced open. 'Look at me!' the crown demanded. But Simon wasn't listening, all he cared about, could think about was Marceline. The crown immobilized him as it pulled the vampire closer to it. She fought to no avail and ended up kneeling besides Simon. But Marceline's presence calmed him, made his thoughts clearer because he wasn't just trying to protect himself, he was protecting her. And Marceline, she was all he had left to live for.
"You need to see something", he said through belated breathes. "My most precious memory, my most painful memory…they are the key", Simon paused as it pained him to bring them forth, but what choice did he have.
'Simon!?' the crown bellowed. 'How dare you disobey me!' Simon shuttered as pain shot through him, his body crumpling to the ground. 'Even if you escape I will be there, I will always be there. You need me simon…we belong together'
Marceline shivered as the crown's voice altered, got softer in an attempt to persuade Simon back on its side. It had an eerie tone to it, lovely and controlling like a siren's song. Her eyes drifted shut as its words floated around the both of them. They were beautiful but in the back of her mind Marceline also knew they were lies, dirty, dirty lies.
'You're just scared Simon' it soothed, loosening the physical hold it had on him as he began to go limp. 'There, there…' the crown cooed, its voice a gentle pat on the back, 'every thing's okay'.
Marceline opened her mouth to speak but something wrapped itself around her. She frightfully observed Simon, knew he was breaking. The crown was getting to him despite his efforts. No, she pleaded with her watery eyes. Not now Simon, not when we're so close. Simon shuttered, a sharp breath escaping him as a frostbitten puff of breath. He fought tears as an unseen force grabbed his hand and lifted it. It shook as he restrained himself from reaching over to his crown, which was only a foot away.
'Simon this is all a phase' it whispered into his ear. 'You're lonely'
"You've made me this way", he responded weakly. "The things you make me do, they aren't right…they aren't things I would do"
'You just miss your princess Simon…' the crown lulled, bringing Simon's hand closer to it. 'But your princess is dead' it reminded him in a voice that was much too sweet. 'She died a long time ago. But I will make things better', it paused with a creepy calm and brought Simon closer to hear its gentle voice. 'I've found you a new bride, someone who could never hate you, never leave you'
"A bride?" Simon looked hopeful, the thought of a mate bringing a pained joy to his heart. "You…you mean it?"
"Enough!" Marceline snapped as she wiggled her face free.
Her voice woke him up, Simon's eyes fluttering as if he had been dreaming. Simon shook his head and looked over at Marceline. He had to do this, for her, anything for his little girl, his Marceline. It took everything he had to pull his hand away so he could turn her head to his freedom. It was a memory the crown loved and hated. This memory was the point where its victory had begun and where its reign could end. His voice trembled as heavily as his hands as he pointed Marceline in the right direction.
"Look…over there"
Marceline followed his gesture to a glow, warm and inviting. She walked into a living room. It was simple but nice and smelt of leather and peppermint tea. A man was standing next to a girl; he was thin and pale, had brown hair and wore round glasses. Marceline held her breath as she looked over at the girl besides him; pretty thin thing with pink hair and stylish glasses. They were blushing and talking as they scooted closer together.
She saw him slip a golden band on the woman's finger.
Time passed and that same ring was thrown back at him. The woman, Betty was crying and hysterically afraid. She ran away from the Simon who watched her go with horror, the crown slipping through his fingers at last. It hit the ground and Marceline the observer felt the impact.
"It took her from you", Marceline all but whispered. "The crown drove Betty away"
The shadows receded back to the crown, now helpless.
Simon weakly helped Marceline to her feet and sighed as he watched himself collapse onto the floor. "I miss not having a beard", he said aloud on a whim as he scratched his face. "Marceline…the crown is ice and snow, everything about it is cold"
"You defeated it", she argued.
"We've merely delayed the inevitable sweetheart", he reasoned softly. "Once I'm back out there I'm fighting for control again"
"You have your memories now", she snapped. "Just try Simon", she pleaded. "Just try"
She could tell that he really didn't want to. Simon was scared, he was tired, but he was also lonely. He stepped forwards and hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, thinking how nice it felt just to have someone to hug. That alone gave him a sliver of hope. He wouldn't really be alone. He'd have Marci with him.
"Okay, Marci", he nodded his head once, softly. "If you promise to stay with me…I'll try"
Marceline smiled as the memory revolved into her hands in the form of an orb. "I promise", she held it like a fragile bird.
It rose and floated away, up to the surface.
Everything started shaking again. It took a second for Marceline to realize it was Finn shaking her around. She forced her eyes open and rotated till her feet hovered inches above the ground. How nice it felt to fly again, she thought. Finn grabbed and dragged her over to the Ice King, who was also stirring from his sleep.
Ice King opened his old wizard eyes. He sat up and looked around. In moments he found Marceline and stared at her for a long, long time. She smiled weakly, happy but hesitant.
"Marci?" he asked hesitantly. "You've grown so big since I last saw you"
She flew at him in an instant, wrapping her arms around him and squeezing as tightly as she could. Some kind of weird energy was coming from him and it forced Marceline to back away. Ice King changed, chunks of his beard falling to the floor, his tuff of hair parting on the top of his head. When it was over he looked like his old self, well the self that Marceline remembered anyway.
"What the what?" Finn chimed in. "Marci, what in the bajeebles just happened to Ice King?"
"I dunno" she admitted with wide eyes. "Maybe Magic Man altered the dream sand"
"Magic Man?" Simon muttered, holding his head. "I know that name…the gentleman belonging to it is…well, a jerk"
Finn chuckled, "Haha. Yeah. He is, but he gave us the sand to cure you"
Simon cracked his back as he stood pausing to stare at the ghastly thing he was wearing. Beneath it he felt fairly naked, and whatever undergarments he was wearing were breezy. He felt like a jerk. The hands clutching the robes were his, still blue and long and weird looking but less monstrous and more human than before. Simon turned to the teenage boy and smiled tiredly.
"I wouldn't use the word cure", he responded in a bittersweet fashion. "But thank you", he added when he saw the young boy's face drop. "You know you are a brave boy. Thank you for looking after me"
"Pfft! No prob Simon it's what I do"
Something banged on the inside of Simon's mind and his hand went to his head. He felt his skull and the newly grown hair but something was amiss. Ah, he thought as he recognized the vacancy. Simon looked down at the ground and saw glimmering in the afternoon sun that shone through the window…his crown.
It glimmered with annoyance. The voice drifted to his ear, a morbid lullaby only he could hear.
'Simon', it said darkly. 'Let me welcome you to your kingdom…I'm sure we'll make the best of this little inconvenience, wont we?'
((Author's Note))
I had so much fun writing this chapter...too much fun really. Anyway, i'm loving writing this story and I hope you guys reading are enjoying , Ice King is my favorite character just because of all the layers there are to him. So things are going to get interesting from here on out as Marceline does her best to help Simon get his life back on track.
Also...if you'd be so kind to leave feedback I always appreciate if you point out any mistakes i've made or something you liked so I can improve as a writer.