Unlike the first time she had seen the Doctor pilot the TARDIS, princess Bubblegum noticed that he was much more calculating and methodical this time around. He was careful, sluggish even, in pressing the buttons and switches on the console and walked slowly around instead of leaping and dancing. Marceline also noticed his change in mood.

"You went and hurt the only person who would understand, who could help you. You're such an idiot and now he'll never want to help." Marceline opened her mouth to apologize again for the incident with the apple but was cut off by a sudden jolt as the TARDIS re-landed (much more steadily this time) in Bubblegum's lab. The doors opened and the Doctor was the first out, scanning for signs of danger. When he was satisfied they were safe he immediately made his way back over to the laptop he had been studying earlier but was this time joined by Bubblegum, closely followed by Finn, Jake and Marceline.

"Ah, it feels so good to float around again," Marceline said after realizing she could fly. You jealous, Bon-bon?" The pink princess shot her a warning glare before turning back to the laptop where everybody was watching the Doctor scroll through the pages, too fast for anyone, except him, to read anything. After about 30 seconds the crowd was rewarded with him saying:

"There we are. I knew it was in here somewhere."

"Doctor, what exactly are you looking for? All that's on here are my experiment notes and results." Bubblegum had her hands on her hips accusingly.

"Really, princess? Because I think there's something a lot more important on here than all of that combined. Something that you've hidden from your friends here…" Finn, Jake and Marceline all looked at each other at this. "…something that you didn't want them to see." His voice wasn't harsh but it wasn't friendly either.

"PB what's going on?" Finn asked the now fidgeting monarch.

"Nothing!" She said, a little too quickly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on, Bon-Bon, we can all tell when you're lying so just get on with it already," Marceline taunted her whilst crossing her legs, mid-air.

"All right fine! You got me but I didn't want any of you to worry, that's all. I thought if anyone found out about it there'd be mass panic and I don't think I can deal with everybody looking for me to help all at once."

"Peebs, what are you on about?" Queried Finn.

"She means that she didn't want anybody to find out about the massive tear in the space-time continuum that now exists a few thousand miles above the planet's surface. Or that I'm not the first one to come through? Am I, Bonnie?" The Doctor gazed levelly at her.

"Whoa hold on. Nerd alert! Can you explain all of that again but in English, please?" Jake spoke up. Bubblegum sighed.

"There's a crack in our universe that leads to another world." She looked around to Finn and Jake who had their mouths hanging open. "It just appeared from nowhere nearly 6 months ago. That's what I've been studying aside from making the anti-combustion serum. I came to the conclusion that it was opened from your end, Doctor, but judging from your expression I can deduce you thought the opposite."

"Yes, I should have seen it sooner." He said whilst ignoring her statement. "You asked who I was but not where I had come from so you must have already guessed by the time I had landed, yes?"

"Yes… I'm sorry you guys but I was afraid of scaring you all at the thought that aliens could come and visit us, and possibly try to harm us." Her pink hair brushed the table nearby as she lowered her head.

"Are you kidding? That sounds awesome PB!"

"Yeah I'd love to meet aliens." Finn and Jake both exclaimed.

"Wait so you're not mad at me for not telling you?"

"Honestly we're more mad that you locked yourself in here for 9 months without telling us." Bubblegum smiled at this but noticed Marceline hadn't said anything for a while.

"What about you, Marcy? Can you forgive me?" She looked over to the floating vampire queen.

"For that to happen I'd first have to forgive you for the previous thing you did that hurt me. You know I can't do that and you also know why I can't do that." An awkward silence hung in the room after this exchange but Marceline shortly added. "Besides, what's that about other people coming through, Bon?" The Doctor looked expectantly over to the pink princess who sighed again, vaguely disappointed that she couldn't reconcile with Marceline over their friendship.

"About two months ago there was some massive rift activity. I thought that it was going to close but then there was this brilliant light show that lit up the sky. I know it doesn't sound like much but it was really amazing to watch."

"Wait so there's no actual other aliens? Man that sucks," Finn grumbled.

"I wouldn't be so sure Finn." The Doctor stroked his chin. "Using light shows to distract the opponent and then sneaking off somewhere else is a text book manoeuvre. I've seen it used by the Sontarans on countless occasions, amongst others.

"Wait now there ARE other aliens here? Man I'm confused." Jake muttered.

"I'm with Jake on this one, Doc. I think we would have noticed if there'd been a spaceship crash land here and if they did, where are they?" Finn asked him.

"Low level perception filter perhaps but I can't shake this feeling that I'm missing something. Something really obvious that I'm staring in the face. I just can't put my finger on it." He ran his hand through his mop of brown hair and sighed. As if on cue he gradually became aware of a thumping noise outside of the lab, which was gradually getting closer.

Finn drew his sword and assumed a defensive stance while Jake turned into giant club. Marceline just flew down to the floor next to Bubblegum which made the latter slightly uncomfortable. The thumping increased until two tall, yellow banana's burst into the lab and saluted the princess while raising their spears. Finn and Jake both relaxed but the Doctor jumped back which made Marceline swing round to look at him. She saw a mixture of surprise and (surprisingly for her) horror on his face.

"Banana guards!" Bubblegum said in disbelief. "Where have you been?" Although the banana guards don't usually speak with a lot of intelligence or emotion the speech that came out was practically robotic.

"It does not matter your majesty but we saw an object crash through the roof and we have come to take you to a more secure location." He stared blankly ahead.

"But that was yesterday. Did I engineer you that badly that you didn't think to check if I was ok on the day it happened?!" Her temper was rising but the guards continued to look straight ahead.

"We're sorry your highness please accept our apologies. Now please come with us to safety." The guard took a step forward.

"Princess…" The Doctor said casually. "Get back from them."

"What, why? I know they're a bit dim witted but they mean well." Her temper was now focused on the Timelord.

"Oh trust me they don't mean well and I don't think they have in a long time. Now please get away from them!" His voice was now more urgent and he held out his hand. Marceline picked up on his tone and suddenly all the puzzle pieces fell into place.

"Do as he says, Bonnie." She said shakily.

"You as well? What's the matter with you two? What's wrong with them? They're just doing their job like I told them to."

"Come on, princess, use that incredible brain of yours. Notice everything. Finn, what did you say about walking through the candy kingdom?"

"Uhhhh…that it was…" The wave of realization hit him and Jake square on. "That it was deserted. Princess get behind us now!" He re-drew his sword and nodded to Jake who readied his club hand.

"You guys, now? What did I miss?" Her voice was now devoid of anger and now held more fear than anything else.

"If the kingdom was deserted and no-one was around." The Doctor gestured towards the guards while for the first time noticing the silver earpieces they wore. "…then why are they still here?" Bubblegum turned slowly back around to face the guard who was now holding his spear above his head. He swung down but Finn was quicker and deftly blocked the strike against the monarch. The two guards looked at each other, unblinking. They turned deliberately towards the group and when they spoke it was in unison and definitely not of their world.

"ALERT, ALERT WE ARE DETECTED! DESTROY THE SURVIORS! DELETE THEM!" Their voices were now much deeper and almost growl like, like metal being scraped across stone. They raised their spears and engaged Finn and Jake in combat while Bubblegum ran over to the computer and started gathering up her remaining equipment. The Doctor, however, caught her and said:

"There's no time, Bonnie. We have got to get out of here right now or you'll die." The urgency in his voice was apparent as he looked over to where Finn had been thrown against the wall. "We need to leave."

"Doctor I can take care of myself. I don't need you to protect me from anything, ok?" She continued packing.

"Now! You want to do this now?!" He glanced over to where Jake had disarmed one of them and was fighting hand to hand. "Marceline take her into the TARDIS. She'll be safe there." He locked eyes with her and a moment of understanding passed between them. She then looped her arms through Bubblegum's and pulled her away from the surface top.

"Hey get off me! Let me go, Marcy, I can take care of myself! Doctor stop her!" She yelled and struggled but the vampire queen was a lot stronger than her and she was dragged back into the welcoming doors of the TARDIS. He breathed a sigh of relief but his victory was short lived as he remembered Finn and Jake.

"Finn! Jake! Fall back. We need to leave right now!" He shouted over the fighting. They looked at each other and Jake used his stretching powers to get them to the TARDIS before either guard could react. Satisfied that his friends were safe, the Doctor made his way over to the blue box.

"I'm sorry," was the only thing he said before opening the door and going back inside.


"What the hell was that for?" Yelled princess Bubblegum. "You had no right to drag me out of there when that laptop was all I had left. AND IT"S GONE!" She had been like this non-stop ever since the TARDIS had been in flight and while originally the Doctor had been ignoring her, his patience eventually gave out and he ended up rounding on her.

"What's more important the laptop or your life?!" He stared straight at her and she returned it straight back.

"That laptop contained all the notes I've ever made and it could've helped save thousands of lives. My life is nothing compared to those of my citizens." She was practically screaming at him while the others looked nervously on. They'd never seen Bubblegum, or the Doctor for that matter, so worked up.

"You don't have any citizens," he shot back. "Finn, what's the estimated population census for the candy kingdom around a year ago?" He was now calmer which scared the onlookers even more.

"Er, well, um, er I'd have to say about 2 million," he stuttered.

"All dead." His words hung in the air. "Everything you worked for, everyone you cared about is gone because now I know who we're dealing with I know I can't save them. I'm sorry. I need everybody I can to be on my side so I couldn't let you take the laptop because there's no one left for you to save and your life is much more of use to me alive. Understand?!" With this said he turned on his heel back to the console and began setting the landing controls.

Bubblegum was gobsmacked. Her entire world had fallen to pieces and the man who she believed to be responsible just stood there like… she didn't know what.

In his moment of blind fury the Doctor realized he had completely forgotten about how she might feel about his reasoning and was overcome with guilt. When he turned to apologize for his tactless outburst he discovered Bubblegum was nowhere to be found and the others were just staring at him in pure shock/ horror.

"The Daleks have often said that my greatest weakness is my compassion but they're wrong. My inability to control myself, my rage, is my greatest curse. And it just cost me a dear friend. It's Amy all over again. How many more will I let join her? No. I've got to send them away before I hurt any more of my companions. My companions? Is that what they are now? No… I've got to let them go before it's too late."

"Now do you see?" He sadly addressed the remaining group. "This is why I travel alone. When I meet other people I turn their whole world inside-out. I try,I really do, to help others but the rage of a Timelord soon turns me into the very thing I was trying to prevent. I can completely understand if you want me to take you back to your homes. Go home and forget his ever happened. I'll deal with the threat and I'll keep you out of harm's way." His melancholy demeanour was turned into pure disbelief at their response.

"No. I've seen the threat and this is our home so I want to help." It was Finn who had spoken. "I swore to protect this land from evil and that's what I'm going to do."

"Get over yourself, Doctor. This is no time for moping about or playing hero." Marceline was now talking. "What you said to Bonnibel was just what she needed to hear. We were all thinking it but it took someone braver than me to tell her and I know she would have sooner died getting the laptop than fleeing but you were right to save her. We need her alive on this." I need her alive on this.

"Man, I can understand why she's all upset but the truth hurts and she needed to know that. The truth." Jake had gathered his confidence to speak. "What's our next move?"

"Um, well…", the Doctor was still in shock over the response he had gotten. He had messed up in the worst way possible and yet they still wanted to help. I made one of them cry and if that's not crossing the line then I don't know what is. How can they be so forgiving? I wish I could be more like them. "Ok, ok since you're staying, which I really appreciate by the way…" Finn and Jake bumped fists and Marceline snorted. "… I think you should know who we're dealing with. We can tell Bonnie later." He looked over in the direction she had ran. "I think she needs some time to herself. Any way after observing the banana guards I can safely say who our enemy is up against. They are the stuff of nightmares and will destroy this whole planet in an endless quest for total domination."

"Doctor, who are they?" Marceline was fixated on the bowtie clad figure. He looked towards Finn and exhaled.

"I'm sorry, Finn, really I am. I am so, so sorry but they're you."

"WHAT!" The trio cried in unison.

"At least they once were, but now they've replaced their flesh and blood for plastic and metal and now they're known by a different name. The cybermen."

"So…" Finn was at a loss for words. "So… they're humans?! Real actual other humans?!

"No." Finn's face fell at this. "Not anymore. Originally they were humans just like you but they've technologically upgraded themselves into soulless killers who want everything to be like them. They're not like any of the evil you've ever faced in this land. They're not evil. They've removed even that part of their humanity and now all that's left is a cold, emotionless shell. And now they know we know they're here, they will try to kill us. And on top of that all those people who disappeared have had their personality, they're essence, drained and have been converted into one of them. We…I have to get rid of 2 million more cybermen as well as the original ones. Do you still want to stay?"

"Doc, I appreciate that you think it's too dangerous for us to fight but what are you going to do to stop them if not fight?" Finn questioned him.

"A thing." His stupid grin was back.

"Er, a thing, Doctor? A plan?"

"Nope a thing, clever thing in progress. But in order for this to work I'm going to need a huge amount of energy and I'm not sure they'll be enough." You could practically see the gears turning in the Doctors incredible brain as he considered every possible scenario and the outcomes they would bring.

"Our microwave is pretty powerful and there's always Beemo." Jake spoke up.

"Microwave, maybe not but what's Beemo?" He pondered while fixing his bowtie again.

"It's me, everyone. Hello!" The whole group (Doctor included) jumped back at the little cyan coloured square box which appeared from behind the main console.

"Beemo have you been here the whole time?"

"Why yes, Jake. You interrupted me charging last night and this place seemed very good for charging so I followed you in here. It's very cosy. Did I disturb you? Please continue." He then proceeded to throw his cable up to the main console where it lodged expertly in a docking port. "Bye everybody!" He smiled then his screen went blank.

"Anyway… Doctor, why do we need so much energy? What's it all for?" Marceline asked after Beemo's awkward interruption. The Doctor checked his watch at length before beginning.

"Normally I wouldn't explain something like this until later but I thinks there's time. Right yes sorry, I got distracted. Silly me, anyway in days gone by when I was rocking a different body and the cybermen were less advanced I could've sent a pulse directly to their emotional inhibiter units and cause an overload to stop them."

"Doctor, English please!" Marceline butted in. "We're not all like Bubblegum." He cringed at the memory of his outburst a few minutes ago and wondered how she was doing.

"Ok, ok English I can do that. I don't but I can." This raised a few eyebrows. "When the cybermen butcher themselves, or as they prefer 'upgrade', they remove all of their emotions to stop them feeling anything. The emotional inhibiter is a failsafe device that stops them realizing what they've done."

"Sorry, Doc, but I'm still confused. Why is this inhibiter so important?" Jake asked while frowning. The Doctor looked at Finn who looked back.

"Imagine. Just imagine. Imagine what it must feel like to be trapped inside a cold metal cage for your entire life. Unable to touch or feel anything at all."

"I don't really have to…" Marceline looked down at the glassy floor but the Doctor was the only one to notice.

"You would just exist in a state of pure denial about yourself and pretend it isn't so bad because the reality is too terrifying to endure." He raised his hands. "Now normally the cybermen don't feel any of this thanks to the inhibiter but what if it failed? What if all those pent up emotions came flooding back. The fear. The cold. The dark. It would drive you insane and that's what we're going to do."

"What? We're going to make them feel by destroying their inhibiter thingies? That's cold, man!" Jake expressed his evident disapproval to the Doctors plan and Finn joined in.

"Yeah, Doc, what happened to no violence? You said there was always a choice. Isn't there another way?" When Finn had finished the Doctor just sighed. He had given up trying to fix his bowtie.

"Yes. Yes…normally I would. I would try to find another way but what can I do?" He looked around at his audience. "How do you reason with someone who has no concept of wrong? Or compassion? If I were to try to reason with their leader, where ever he is, the conversation would be deemed irrelevant and illogical and I would be deleted on the spot." This last bit caused Jake to go wide eyed while Finn's hand instinctively went to his sword. Although Marceline didn't show anything on the outside she was just as taken aback as the others.

"Sure I'm bad by other people's standards but that's just evil. I'm not evil, or at least I don't think so."

"Of course it's not that easy anymore," he continued while turning back to the console to inspect the sleeping Beemo. "Last time I was lucky. The code to lower the emotional inhibiter's barrier was located inside their main computer and all I had to do was use my phone to send it to all the cyber units to cause the overload. Oh how times change…"He looked up at the time rotor.

"When a simple mobile phone could break past all cyber defence systems. Now-a-days there are countless patches in place to stop that kind of transmission. They've upgraded themselves against that sort of attack, hence why I need such a large amount of energy. To break past all their cyber-screens and fixes I need such a tremendous quantity of the stuff my brains going all fuzzy-wuzzy." This drew some looks. "Fuzzy-wuzzy, never saying that again. And of course I actually need a code to send but I've got no idea where their base is. I've been searching for the past half an hour and nothing. They must be cloaked. Hm…" He started to pace up and down the transparent glass floor.

"Well I'm not really a code sorta guy, that's PB's area, but as for energy would heat energy be fine?" Jake said which caused the traveller to interrupt his pacing and spin around so fast he nearly knocked Beemo off the console.

"Yes, brilliant, excellent! Jake you're a genius."

"Aww well I wouldn't say that exactly" He smiled bashfully.

"No really that is top notch right there. I was too busy thinking about using electrical energy and how I would generate so much on a planet which doesn't even have cars. But thermal energy…I can't believe I didn't think of it before!" He ran around to the nether side of the hexagonal console which caused his mop of hair to bounce slightly. "We've just got to dig down deep enough to the planet's core and we'll have buckets of the stuff. Jake I could kiss you!

"Dude…maybe next time! No homo, yeah?"

"Point taken. Alright I'm going to get some spades to dig with." Before he could do so Marceline interrupted him.

"Doctor, there's really no need for all that. Hard work is waaayyy at the bottom of my list right now. Besides there's a great source of heat right next door." She caught Finn's eye who was vigorously shaking his head at her.

"Oh well that's saved us some bother then. What's it called and where is it?" Finn shook his head even faster than before.

"The fire Kingdom."


Plot development for the win! Where princess Bubblegum went will also become important to the story, so fear not PB fans. Thanks once again for you guy's support and feel free to let me know how well (or not well) I'm writing this. Till the next time, PozzyP out!