(AN) I'd apologize for falling off the face of the earth with this fanfiction...

but, it happens. Here's Chapter 9 anyway, if you are still with me.

Thank you

Edit 12/1/14: Made some minor narrative (but I think needed) tweaks especially towards the end.

CHAPTER 9

"Anything," the word deafly roared inside Finn's mind.

Anything, any wish his heart desired; the mystical genie's voice caressed enticingly at his brain. He could wish the humans back to the world, Finn didn't have to be alone anymore, the last human. The supernatural's magical abilities were already proven by bringing entire barren island back to life. If he could pull his fictional gender-bent self from another dimension... if he could turn Flame Princess mortal; than didn't it stand to reason that he could do ANYTHING?

But there's always a catch when making a deal with the devil; and as a hero Finn knew this to be true. The supernatural would take another soul, maybe his own, or worst yet a friend of his, even Flame Princess. All of the wishes forming in his brain were selfish and single minded and those were absolutely the wishes to backfire. So Finn started to improvise a more universal wish, like wish for the genie to simply vanish, and undo all the trouble he'd created that way. It seemed like a solid idea, but something nagged Finn's mind telling him that would just escalate the issue.

No... more wishes were not the solution. That was playing straight into the genies claws.

Still, maybe he could trick the genie with his own game? Wish a wish that would be impossible for even a powerful genie to fulfill; something that would confuse him: like a double negative. A wish that would confuse and unsettle the magical man so much that he would either implode from thinking about it… or become vulnerable enough to smite.

His idea was alphanumeric at least and it couldn't make things much worst... knock on wood. Besides, he still had Jake and Marshall Lee to back him up.

"I wish …" Finn breathed deeply.

"… for a butt whooping!" – the orange blur of fur and fangs known as Cake abruptly yowls, delivering a flying kick to Finn's head.

All participants on the stage gawk at Cake's dramatic arrival and her impeccable timing. A sour, dissatisfied expression darkens the supernatural's face as he studies the feline interloper. Crouching low, claws out, Cake glares and spits a tooth at the genie, hissing, "You let my baby sister go."

"Cake!" Marshall Lee calls out, straining against the chains.

"Cake!" the yellow dog breaths in relief, still futile in gathering his parts back together.

"Ow," Finn lightly moans, rubbing his tender noggin.

"No more tricks, you lumpy pink glob! Give us back Fionna!" Cake snarls again.

"We're here to take her back the down and dirty way," Marshall grins.

"And no more wishes!" Jake adds finally.

A heavy, whole body sigh escaped the magicians lips, as he plaintively examines the mismatched hero's before him.

"Really?" he questioned, "You want to do this, 'that way'?"

"A real fight! Supernatural to supernatural. Unless you're afraid to get your pretty pink hands dirty?"

"So, now you're trying to goad me into a schoolyard rumble?"

"Is the great and powerful Genie... chicken?" Marshall Lee deviously smirks, boldly standing up as much as his bonds allow.

Finn and Jake joined the taunting, balking and imitating like the aforementioned foul.

A bored sigh passed the plump genie's lips as he deftly concealed the soul containing vial back into his suit coat. His round form stretches back, falling neatly onto a plush purple chaise lounge below him. Nonchalantly he gestures at his small captive audience, conceding with dripping sarcasm, "... have it your way. If you want a fight, you can have a fight. I'll allow you a moment to choose your champion. Not that it'll do any good, but please, go ahead."

Without a second thought, the four adventurers huddle tightly together, fervently whispering their play.

"So what's the plan?" Cake starts.

"Cuz, he's kinda been moping the floor with our buns," Jake shoots a sideways glare towards the pink fat man.

"We mop the floor with his buns, that's what," Finn determines.

"No!" Marshall cuts off the human before he boasts anymore meaningless bravado. Finn irritatedly glares at the prevention of his heroic proposal, but Marshall steadily continues, "You won't be doing any bun busting. I need you three to focus on the lamp, while I get Fi's soul back."

Marshall nods briefly to the back of the stage, a pedestal displaying the worn familiar object of Genie lore. The other's eyes follow the vampire's red eyes, only to return him the baffled stares.

"The what?"

"The Genie's lamp!" Marshall exasperatedly repeats.

"The green pot looking thing?" Jake offers.

Marshall's head falls, his thick black locks covering his face. He sighs internally, realizing that none of his companions know the first thing about Genie lore. In his younger years Genie stories were common, but even so, the actual creature was rather uncommon.

"Ain't looking like no lamp I've ever seen," Cake chimes.

"That lamp," Marshall Lee impatiently explains, "is an important part of genie myth. If we grab it, then we'll have power over him. Besides, it's been just sitting there the whole time. There has to be a reason."

"Okay," Finn nods, "Seems easy enough."

"Probably too easy, " Cake offers doubt, cat eyes chancing a glance back towards Gene.

Insufferably he pays no mind to the group plotting against him. Instead busying himself with the construction of a tower of playing cards resting above a table of thin air. Gingerly he places another card on the wobbling tower, comically collapsing all the cards onto the stage below.

"I'll keep the fat lump distracted," Marshall finishes in a hushed voice, "Classic Magician Misdirection. You guys, just get that lamp."

The group begin to stand again, ready to execute their missions when Finn suddenly blurts, "What about FP and Fi?"

The girls in question still stand statuesquely beside Gene, unmoving, unfeeling, dead to the atmosphere around them. Marshall Lee shakes his head, assuring the others, "Ignore them. They're both safe in the Candy Kingdom."

"And you're sure about that?" Cake doubts.

"...Mostly sure."

Shoving doubt aside, Marshall stands disperses from the huddle to face the Genie. Clawed fists brandished, the vampire announces, "We're ready. Plans the same, I'll be the one to fight you Majique Gene."

A smile twists eagerly upon his chubby cheeks and Gene leans forwards. A lump forms in Marshall's throat in anticipation.

"Great..." Gene's smile impossibly widens. A sudden clank of metal alerts both boys that their bonds have suddenly released. Free at last, Marshall brandishes a demon smile of his own, eager to wipe that stupid smile off the fat man's face, "... I choose you... Fionna... the SLAYER of VAMPIRES!"

All smiles fade.

A wolf howls in the distance.

"Wardrobe!" Gene claps twice and the stage darkens except for a single spotlight. Artificial light majestically hallows Fionna standing firmly in a fighting stance before the audience. along with her demeanor change, her clothing now consist of a solid black tank top, a crucifix dangling around her neck and tight red jeans. Her long blonde tresses are tightly held in a high pony tail with chunks of bang framing her face. At her hip she now holsters holds a nasty jagged blood soak sword, around her shoulders a deadly crossbow and a squared wooden stack in her hand.

"Action!" Gene brings his hand down and the shrill sound of an electric guitar screams through the air. A bloodthirsty glint in her dead blue eyes, Fionna bursts forwards to attack and the scenery once again changes. Though none of the heroes have much time to take in the environment changing into a lonesome cemetery blanketed in night.

Fionna, with dangerous grace draws her sword to fall upon the vampire barely giving him time to dodge. Finn, burst forward himself still brandishing the scimitar intending to protect the unarmed vampire, instantly forgetting the original plan.

"I challenged you, you fat lump!" Marshall protests twisting backwards to avoid the bite of Fionna's sword.

"And... I'm using the human... what a twist," Gene mocks leaning back into his seat once again to enjoy the show.

"Fff," Marshall Lee scoffs just as two blades abruptly spark and screech inches away from his throat. His dark eyes widen to see Finn expertly blocking the Adventuress' slash. Frustrated, Marshall lightly growls, had that naive human already forgotten the plan? It was a lot like Fionna, playing the hero first and foremost, losing sight of the big picture. Coldly Marshall spits a warning tone, "Finn!"

The youth starts at the abrasive tongue of the vampire, allowing the blonde girl room to force him back a step back. Finn plants his boots firmly in place, realization dawning, he furrows his brow tightly.

"Right," Finn briefly nods to the vampire before fully disengaging from the swordplay. With a skipping leap back, he turns fully to scour the seemingly endless labyrinth of tombstones and rotting flora. From atop a nearby flat stone marker, Cake bounds onto Finn's shoulder, Jake following at his heels.

The vampire finds himself briefly satisfied that things are on track again, until the sharpened stake flashes before his ruby eyes. Inches away from his unbeating heart, Marshall Lee catches Fionna's smaller wrist in his claw. He has half a thought to just fling Fionna half way across the cemetery when Cake's nagging voice warns, "Marshall Lee, you better not hurt my baby sister!"

The thought fizzles out with an annoyed sigh, "Yeah, yeah! I hear you!"

Even without Fionna being a possessed vampire killing machine was enough of a pain to fight. Not hurting her, or this faux copy just to satisfy Cake's reservations was a work out in itself. His hesitation unfortunately opened another opportunity for the human to strike, butting her thick skull into his equally thick skull. Without a break, Fionna followed up with a fierce kick to his guy. The already gravity defying Marshall Lee sailed back into an unforgiving tombstone, cracking the stone on impact.

"Hurt her? what about me?" Marshall Lee grumbles to himself, lightly touching his face, "Ouch, my meal ticket."

Sparing one last glance at their ally, Finn and his animal companions push forwards, searching out the landscape for their goal. Jake sniffed out the lamp in question first, resting inconspicuously in the cold arms of a grey stone angel. Triumphantly the hound pointed out the mystical item, focusing all their attention forwards. The end of this adventure was in sight, and Finn quickly manuevered through the overgrowth.

The trio should have known.

Barely two step away from reaching the lamp, a raging flash of flame intercepts the young hero.

"Schmoowza!" Finn exasperates as his two sidekicks hide behind nearby grave markers. With deadly calm, Flame Princess reveals herself from behind the cold angel, burning hotly. Instantly she is upon Finn, striking out a fist of burning flames. Barely he dodges and dashes behind the fiery maiden, forced away from the goal of the lamp. She pursues closely on his heels, leaving Jake and Cake to crawl out from hidding.

Stretching her soft cream limbs, Cake gently brushes the side of the patina vessel, only to have a wave of fire slice between herself and the object. The princess of fire balances in a swan stance, fire licking at her toes, daring the animals to touch the object again. Finn takes his chance to round back towards the statue, only to have the Princess reverse her swan stance and kick a new wave of fire towards the youth. The flames burn and lick hotly at his bared arms, barely blocked by the shining scimitar, suffocating him.

In a beautiful sweep of limbs, and flourish of her arms, Flame Princess summons white hot streams of flame towards the human, cat and dog. She dances backwards, closer to the stone angel holding the magic lamp, forming a gauntlet of burning brush and stone to stave off all opponents.

"This isn't fair!" Finn growls, squinting, barely shielding himself from the quickly growing flames.

"Fair?" Gene softly gawfs, before bursting into raucous laughter.

"WHAT THE JUNK WERE YOU NUMSKULLS THINKING?! FAIR! I'M A FLIPPIN' GENIE! WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?"

Fionna's sword nicks Marshall's jaw.

Cake leaps to higher ground to avoid the flames.

Jake blows frantically on the encroaching blaze.

Finn cuts fiercely at fire, desperate to regain ground.

On the downswing of another blow, Marshall manages to catch the demon blade before it divides his skull down the center. The catch jars Fionna for a moment, allowing Marshall Lee to return a kick to her stomach and knock her back. The Vampire King brandishes the weapon as his own just as Fionna brings out her cross bow and fires. The bolt tears painfully into his shoulder, forcing an inhuman hiss from his throat.

"Tiny detail..." Gene muses, lounging back into his seat with a magazine. Fionna's fist slams into Marshall's jaw and he retaliates with a strike of his claws through her arm. Fionna cries out in pain, wildly aiming the wooden stake at the vampire.

"... those girls you've been fighting... may or may not be so fake. You may want to tread lightly around those two princesses."

Finn falls back from the torrent of flames again, grunting as he bumps the cold earth below. His eyes enlighten with an idea, and he quickly scoops up a handful of cool grass, dirt and mud. From the ground he skillfully flings the ball of earth towards Flame Princess. She squeals indignantly as the mud slings in her face, blinding her and causing the fires to diminish.

"Than again, I suppose whatever happens, you could just wish it undone. No skin off my nose."

"He's lying!" Marshall wrestles with Fionna over the wooden stake.

"Maybe." Gene shrugs, "As a professional, i can't reveal my secrets to you."

Marshall Lee huffs. Did this fat stupid Genie never get tired of hearing his own voice? Above him, Fionna still struggles against his vampire strength, trying desperately to connect stake to demon creature. The human girl is still notably strong, making Marshall Lee work to rid her of her crude weapon, or even to throw her off. He pushes arm left and than right, but she still presses firmly down.

Not gaining the upper hand, Marshall tries instead to pull her down towards him, with the hopes to throw her off. It would be like playing tug of war, when the other team lets go, and causes the opposing team to comically fall over themselves. It was a good idea in theory but not in practice.

Another howl escapes his cold lips as the stake peirces his abdomen. The surprise of the lack of resistance startles the human enough that he is able to throw her off again. without hesitation, Fionna trips over herself, hurrying away to take aim with her remaining weapon, the crossbow.

Marshall Lee cringes at his gut wound, ripping the offending stake from his body with a wince, and hastily crushing the wood to splinters. Pain and rage rush through his veins, his demon eyes showing him nothing but red. Glancing up at the human adventurer, he saw her readying another bolt in the crossbow. Instantly Marshall closed the distance, grasping her around the middle and tackling her to the earth.

The bolt released.

Tossing and rolling, Marshall fought his way on top of the human, quick to immobilize her arms above her head. She screeched and groaned against his grip, kicking desperately at anything. The vampire grunted and growled, ignoring her squirming kicks as best he could.

Fire and frustration burned in her wild blue eyes. Sweat and exertion matted her hair to her forehead and cheeks. She was getting tired, so was he, but she was a woman possessed not to give up. Marshall Lee needed to end this farce quickly, because the real problem still remained. The arrogant voyeur just a short distance away.

"Sorry Fi, this is going to hurt you a lot more than it's going to hurt me," the vampire focused, loosening his grip just slightly on the girl's wrists. It was slightly too much though as the blonde stretched herself up just enough to sink her front teeth into the vampires arm. It was a desperate move. A foolish move. One that Marshall Lee reacted to without thought.

Majique Gene watched them with rapt attention.

Flesh audibly tore and blood splattered across the cold earth. The human whimpered, liquid draining down her neck, than screamed out in horror. Her body jerked as the vampire pulled her in tighter, fangs embedded deep within the side of her perfectly exposed neck. Logically Marshall Lee only retaliated in kind to her prior attack, but now, now he relished in the feel of her blood on his lips. Drinking it in. So warm. So red. So human. He drank it all in, all of her in, this farce of the Fionna he knew and treasured.

"FIONNA!" Cake screamed. The horrific cry drew the vampire from his bloodlust trance, dislodging his fangs from her frail throat abruptly. Marshall Lee chanced a glance towards the feline sister, terror in her eyes, her tail fluffed out wildly. Jake and Finn stared at the vampire gob smacked, frozen by the morbid scene their eyes beheld. The Flame Princess wavered like a mirage against the background of the angel before suddenly flickering away into wispy purple smoke. His eyes traveled up the statue, noting that the bolt that was fired moment ago was now lodged in the stone statue that held that lamp. The lamp, that was now held triumphantly high above the boy's head.

Fear started to creep up Marshall Lee's neck. He shifted his gaze to the unconscious pale girl bleeding in his arms. This supernatural illusion wasn't disappearing like the other soulless game pieces, steadily fading from the world. Why? Marshall Lee's thoughts fired rapidly. His cold blue fingers slither down her limp wrist, passing over an angry, twisted scar. The familiar wound, a brand from the one who'd inflicted the injury on her.

The genie smirked unfaltering.

Horrible doubt filled every fiber of Marshall Lee.

***To Be Continued***