Oh Marceline! Why'd You Have To Turn Thirteen?
By MewLuna
— 10—
For centuries Marceline had been a rogue vampire, wandering aimlessly around Ooo, trying to steer clear of her father and her past. Those years were the toughest ones she ever faced as an immortal, and she hates to think back to a time were she was vulnerable and weak.
Runaway Queen.
It wasn't just her father she was running from... it was Ash as well. "You've grown too soft, Marceline! You're not a queen, you don't have the guts to be one! Down deep you're as soft and squishy as a human. Your father should revoke your title. You don't even want to take over the Night O'shpere in his place! Too chaotic for you? If you're not a creature of chaos, what are you?!"
What are you?
What am I?
There were nights when she'd cling to a tree trunk, it felt a lot like clinging to her life, keeping it together. She'd watch the skies lighten, the day approach, and she'd wonder if stepping out into the sun was the best thing for her. Marceline was a lost creature.
However, wandering and self-loathing wasn't her style. She did the 'whoa-is-me' for at least a good ten years, which really isn't that long to a vampire. But then the immortal woman decided that if they weren't with her, they were against her. Screw them.
And so started the reputation of Marceline the Mean. That nickname stuck around Ooo for thirty years or so, but it was somehow changed into Marceline the Vampire Queen. She caused chaos of her own accord. That meant scaring poor creatures, playing loud rock music, challenging the strong and the tough, and claiming properties and towns as her own.
Two hundred years was spent on building her image, her reputation. But sometimes, she would wonder about her father. And then when she finally decides to let him in her life, he eats her fries.
Yes, she was an immortal queen. She was tough, she was vicious, she was burnt out on dealing with mortals. It was her feelings about them since the very beginning that got her in this mess. Mortals, they only live so long. She would be lying if she said she hadn't befriended a few, because she had. They died.
But one day Marceline meets a little mortal boy and his name is Finn. He's human. His best friend is a magical dog, and they claim they're 'adventurers', Finn claiming he's the 'hero' of Ooo. Huh. So after two hundred years she meets someone interesting, eh?
What was it about Finn that had her so intrigued? Was it because he wasn't afraid of her? He wasn't scared to fight her? Or maybe it was that one something Finn had inside himself that Marceline always searched for— bravery. Justice pumped through his blood, it was his destiny to be a hero, to fight for a cause. Perhaps she saw that in him, recognized the young boy for what he was.
Was she still the same runaway queen? Even after all these years, all these centuries, she still had to face the same truth that she needed to face before she left. Marceline was not one of her people. In strength, power, speed, immortality, and magic powers she was the vampires' equal.
...but in spirit? She stood alone.
However, ever since Finn came along, she didn't feel so excluded. He was someone who only acted like himself. He wasn't afraid to be what he was.
Ever since that realization, Marceline knew that one day, she'd have to look at herself. She'd have to take a long and painful reflection and answer the one question that has haunted her... what am I?
Who am I?
Even now, as Marceline lunged at Ash with primal verocity, those haunting questions still wracked her brain, and she hated it. She hated that after centuries Ash still had the one-up on her, he still had that same power over her. There was one time in her life when she saw the wizard-vampire as her friend, as the guy she could pour her heart out to, because he'd listen and make her feel better.
But now he was the guy she couldn't stand to look at, because when she'd look at him she'd have to look at herself...
"That liquid that you felt rushing down your throat? You can thank Jake for that!" Ash laughed. "That was a potion, and it melded our minds together! Now, anything I can think of from my memory can come out, and I've seen a lot of stuff in my lifetime."
There has got to be a way out of here! Marceline's head screamed at her. Before she could try and make a plan with Finn, who was still fighting Ash with her, a large dragon appeared out of thin air. "Oh glob!" she exclaimed. "Seriously, Ash? You think of the dragon we tried to slay?! Of all your memories, you choose a dragon!?"
He shrugged. "It's a warm up round. You remember this dragon, Mar-Mar? If I remember right, he liked to— turn up the heat."
Fwoooooooom!
Just like that, fire erupted around the memory core's tree, and all three of them shouted in pain. Finn, Ash, Marceline... all of them grabbed their heads and cried out. Were they burned by the dragon's fire? No. "The memory core!" Finn realized. "We're still at the central memory core. All three of our minds are connected, which means it affects all of us! You're risking your life too, Ash!"
He gave them a sardonic smirk. "Maybe. But I'm positive that I'm stronger than the two of you. I'll be the one making it out alive!"
Ash was going to proceed and do the classic evil laugh (he was going to go with muahaha instead of bahahaha) but before his vocals could get going, Finn kicked him in the gut. The hero's kick had him falling out of a tree, where another round of fire came tumbling at him.
Finn looked up at Marceline. They stared at each other for one second, but in that quick second, Marceline could see the same thing in Finn she saw when she first met him. Bravery. He really was a hero.
Maybe I'm a hero too, she though distantly, before Ash came back at them, this time riding on the dragon. The scaly beast's tail hit Marceline and sent her flying, back into the darkness where the light of the tree didn't reach.
In the darkness where you've always belonged.
You're a creature of the night, aren't you? It's your job to cause chaos.
You're a vampire. You're a monster! Act like it!
The fallen queen couldn't find it within herself to get up and help Finn. How quickly she felt so helpless, how easily she could fall apart. All it took was a trip through her past and the opening of her skeleton closet. She wasn't who she thought she was, she wasn't a tough and hardcore queen. She wasn't who she was supposed to be, a chaos causing, blood sucking, killer.
Suddenly, a small white light encircled Marceline's vision. She stayed still as the light grew brighter. Her skin didn't even burn. The light didn't even affect her!
Out from the light came a tall woman with ebony colored hair, round red lips curled in a small, and affectionate eyes. She stood before the Vampire Queen, her hands clasped together sweetly.
"Mom?"
Her voice was a shrilled whisper, undeniable disbelief.
"Oh Marceline." Evelyn's voice was as soft as silk, warm like a fire on a harsh winter's night. "My little girl, why are you sad?"
That was what Evelyn used to ask her when she was a small child.
"Mom, you're not real," Marceline breathed. "I'm sorry. I wish you really came to me, but you're just apart of my memory."
Evelyn laughed and bent down to her level, gently bonking her daughter on the head. "Silly, you're just as stubborn as your father. Do you honestly believe I'm not real, Marcie?"
At that, the Vampire Queen's head shook no, and she was this close to crying. "Mom, I'm so sorry," she croaked.
"Don't be, Marcy. I came to you to answer a question of yours, silly girl."
There was no need to ask 'what question?'. "Who am I?"
"You're Marceline the Vampire Queen. But you're more than that, dear. You're a vampire, but you never lost connection with your human bloodline. For that, you're not a murderer, a hunter, or a killer. The human in you makes you compassionate, the human in you allows you to have feelings. You're a vampire, Marceline, but you have a human heart."
You have a human heart.
It made sense. Everything her mother just said made sense within her, and she no longer felt like she was wandering. "Mom," Marceline whispered, "thank you."
Evelyn never stopped smiling. "And you know who you got your human blood from?"
For the first time, the vampire girl smiled. "You, of course."
"That's right." Evelyn kissed her daughter's forehead. "I have to go now. And you have to save your human friend."
"Mom, why does Finn make so much sense to me? Why do I love being around him, why does he make me feel myself?" Marceline asked quickly. The light was starting to disappear. Evelyn was evaporating.
As she started to deteriorate, Evelyn laughed. "Oh Marcy, isn't it obvious? You finally found someone who shares your human heart."
And with that, she was gone, Marceline once again in darkness. But then again, she always preferred the dark. She popped out her fangs. "Time to dance, Ash."
~X~X~X~
The dragon's tail sent Marceline flying, and as much as Finn wanted to go after her, he had to stay and fight Ash. He took comfort in the fact his vampire friend was back in her normal body, rather the weak and feeble thirteen year old. Finn didn't want to admit it, but he missed Marceline when she was his age. He was taller than her, stronger than her, but even then, he felt closer to her.
Now he was without a vampire and his best friend partner. But Finn wouldn't be a top adventurer if he couldn't fight all by himself. He had his golden sword in his grip and was swinging at Ash. The dragon circled around them blowing fire, so the two would have to stop clashing and dodge the fiery torrent.
Maybe the dragon was a poor first choice, Ash thought to himself. Oh wells.
Finn came at Ash, swinging acutely with his blade! He was swinging to kill. What would happen if Ash died in the memory core? Who knows. The adventurer wasn't too concerned at this point.
"You know, really, it was Jake who betrayed you, Finny. He's the one who gave Marceline the potion, which allowed me to connect our minds."
"You're such a liar! Jake wouldn't intentionally betray me! You probably tricked him!" Finn yelled.
"Oh really? Jake has a new best friend since you left, Finn! I saw him buddy-buddy with the Ice King."
"Okay, now I know that's a lie. The only best friend the Ice King has his Gunter, and he's a penguin."
"You don't say?"
He's just trying to distract you. Finn growled and reared his sword back, throwing it straight at the wizard-vampire! Ash didn't expect him to throw his blade, let alone for it to come at him with exact precision. He grunted as he fell against a tree branch, Finn's sword pinning his arm. No blood had splattered, it took a lot to get a vampire bleed.
More monsters started to come out from Ash's memories. Goblins, witches, three headed dogs, two headed cats, four headed turtles, normal turtles, this big cookie monster, Trolls, and a land walking shark named Dave. Somehow all these acquaintances were mean looking and menacing... that big cookie monster looked like he could make crumbs outta you!
"You know, the people you meet affect the person you are," Finn muttered.
Ash laughed. "Keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer."
"Hey, losers!"
The two looked up to see Marceline flying their way! "Marceline, you're okay!" the adventurer exclaimed. "Look out!"
The witches started firing paint bombs, while the trolls and goblins tried to cut down the tree the three were on. Dave was shouting out encouragement. "You can do it, guys! Cut down that tree! Use those muscles! Work them abdominal!"
…
Anyway...
"Ash isn't the only one who can summon memories, Finn," Marceline said. "Come on, weenie! Your job is to fight creatures, let's see how imaginative you are."
Finn smirked, not just at what she said, but at the expression on her stupid ex-boyfriend's face. "Remember when we fought that dimple plant?" he asked her.
She laughed. "Yeah, I remember you refused to slay it with my axe bass, you weenie."
Out of the darkness appeared the dimple plant, ferociously screaming. A couple trolls tried to attack its vines, but the plant quickly devoured the trolls in one bite. "No! Stop it!" Ash exclaimed, in shock that a plant could do this.
"Remember when you had three ghosts over, and they tricked Jake and I into thinking we were vampires? Then when me and Jake went over to their house they were all huge and nasty and wanted to eat us?"
"Oh yeah! Man, you two dorks, that's what you almost get for not listening to me!"
The three ghosts, Wendy, BooBoo, and Georgie appeared. They lashed forward and started to attack the dragon. As much fire as the dragon tried to breathe, it just went through the ghosts, and that was the end of that.
"Hey, remember when you needed a date for that stupid 'couple's only' movie night?" Marceline asked.
Finn made a face. "Yeah! Jake never told me all they would do is make-out!"
"Didn't we unleash a wolf pack on them?"
"Oh yeah! That was so math!" the adventurer laughed. Loud barking sounds appeared and a pack of wolves started running. They ran and attacked, like wolves were instinct to do. That's all it took before every creature Finn and Marceline thought of were fighting the ones Ash thought of. There was just one apparition left... the big cookie monster. "I remember Gunter likes cookie," Finn then said.
A giant memory of Gunter appeared, and the penguin began to viciously eat the giant cookie monster. "Work it like a runway, sweetie!" the Ice King cheered.
"Wait, you never thought of the Ice King," Marceline said, confused by this.
The adventurer shook his head. "That big nerd is always there. Always." He turned to Ash, who had the look of defeat on his face. "Tell us how to get out of here," Finn ordered.
"You think you've won?" was the rasped reply.
"Yeah, I think I have. How do we get out of here?"
At that, the wizard-vampire began to chuckle darkly. "Do you really think Mar-Mar is healed? She's still poisoned."
Marceline bent down to his level and pulled Finn's sword out, making Ash groan in agony. "The only poison," she hissed softly. "Is you." With that said, she stood up, tossed Finn his sword, and held out her pale hand. "Come on Finn. Let's go."
He stared at her incredulously. "Are you sure this is the way?"
She shook her head. "No. Come with me anyway?"
Finn grabbed her hand with his own. His chapped and pink lips turned up into a smile, his black beady eyes shining. "Always."
The two stared at each other for one more moment, then they both jumped into the center of the memory tree, leaving Ash and all the memories of evil behind...
~X~X~X~
He opened his eyes and his head is pounding with a lumpin' headache. Then again, he just spent nearly twenty-four hours inside someone's brain, his own head was probably punishing him. Maybe Jake will make me soul food later. Finn had to close his eyes and count to a full one-hundred before he was strong enough to get out of bed.
Wait, bed? Last time Marceline and I were conscious, we were in the middle of town near the fountain. The adventurer looked around; he was back in his motel room. The room looked the same, except it smelled like a tropical island. The maid must have used carpet cleaner. Nice.
His white hat was tossed on the bed and he ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair. This was real. This was all real. No longer a memory, or a memory of a memory. He stands still for a moment, because his head is spinning and he feels like he's about to fall back in the bed. How long has it been since he's eaten? Drank water? Glob, he feels weak.
After a short pause, he lifts his head up, and turns to his head to the opposite side of the queen bed. There she is. Her hair billows around her like a raven black pillow, her eyelids are shut and are a pale violet color, and her arms are crossed over on her chest. She looks innocent, which is funny, because she's Marceline the Vampire Queen.
The adventurer realizes something he didn't catch at first. He hurries around the bed to the other side and shakes her back and forth! "Marcie, wake up, Marcie!"
She didn't move.
What if Ash wasn't lying? What if she was still poisoned? Twenty-four hours have come and passed. What if it's too late?
"Marcie!" Finn exclaimed. His voice is hoarse from no water. He turned to go get Jake, but a hand grabs his arm and pulls him forward. "Whoa!"
He slams into the Vampire Queen, who's laughing gleefully, her musical laughter filling the air. "You scared me!" the adventurer exclaimed, but he's so happy to hear her laugh, he doesn't care. Now he's happy, too.
"Finn, we did it," Marceline smiled. "We did it!"
Her arms were tightly around his as he was awkwardly on the side of the bed, and she was sitting up and clinging to him. So this was Marceline when she was overjoyed, huh? All huggy and happy? He had never seen this side of her, but he would be lying if he said he didn't love it. Although, Finn couldn't help but think that if Jake walked in the room with them in this current position and out-of-context-scene, things might get... awkward. AWKWARD.
"Hey, let a guy breathe?" he joked.
She loosened her grip on him. "Sorry. I just feel so good! I haven't felt this powerful in a long time, Finn! Watch." Her arm reared back and she punched through the wall. She punched through the wall. "See?"
"Wow, that was cool," Finn awed. "So you really feel alright? You don't feel weak, you don't feel dizzy or anything?"
"No! Why?"
"Um..."
Marceline stopped smiling. "Finn," she said. "What?"
Her eyes now looked at him with worry. He stood up and paced to the front of the bed, while Marceline floated above it. "Marcie..." he stammered. "You can't see your reflection, right?"
"Right."
He reached into his jean's pocket, taking out a picture and handing it to her. It was the paper he first gave her almost a week ago, when he took a picture of her head and glued it on to a little girl's body. She looked at the picture and her face fell. "I'm still thirteen."
Finn didn't know what to say, or if there was anything to say. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "I don't know why."
"But... I was back to normal when we left the memory core... I was..." she trailed off, the surprise of it all making it hard to articulate words. "I-I have my vampire powers back. I feel great. I'm not weak. Why am I still the same?"
"Marcie, I wish I knew."
Finn expected the vampire to throw a hiss fit at any minute. He expected her to cry out in rage and tear up the feathery pillows, punch more holes in the walls, break some windows, throw some chairs! Anything and everything, one thing about Marceline, she was unpredictable.
Especially when she didn't do any of those things. Instead, she sat on the edge of the bed, her feet on the carpet, and she remained very still. Her lips were parted, like she almost wanted to say something, but no words came out.
Because of this, Finn had forgotten about his own problems, and getting water was the last thing on his mind. He sat down on his knees and was across from the silent queen, unsure what was going to happen.
"Am I still hardcore?"
Her question was asked so softly that he thought he imagined her asking. But he looked at her and she was staring back at him, expecting him to answer. "Of course," Finn answered quickly. "You're the most hardcore rocker I've ever met, and your age appearance will never change that."
"What if I stay this way forever?"
"A magic potion changed you the first time, Marceline. Another potion could do the same. We may not find this potion now, but we'll find it again." He got to his feet and sat beside her. "Marceline, you could be in the body of a three year old and I'd still think you were the best and the baddest vamps out there."
She gave a small smile. "Would you really? If I was a tiny toddler?"
"Definitely." He smirked, "I probably wouldn't smooch you, though."
Her laughter returned. "Then I guess it's alright... if I'm thirteen. I mean, I've lived my whole life in the body of a teenager. Now I'm a preteen. I'm like you."
"You have to go through puberty. Again."
They both laughed. Marceline then turned towards him and ran a pale hand through his dark blonde hair. "Jake, Beemo, and Ice King are in the other room. I can hear them. Wanna walk in crying and tell them I'm dead? We'll scare the glob outta them."
"I dunno, that's too mean."
"Please? For me?"
Finn grinned. "Okay."
She gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Rad."
Author's Note:
Oh Finn =) You're so amazing! Haha!
I'm sorry it's been months since I've updated. My summer has been a big bomb of busy, and I apologize for not finding the time to wrap up this story. You see, I've dedicated my time to my own novel, because it is my dream and goal to become a published author. So whenever anyone reads or reviews my stories, even one that's not my own like Adventure Time, it truly means a lot.
If enough people want it, I will make an epilogue to this. I'm musing over if I should, I have a few ideas. But if you think it should be left how it is, that's what I'll do. Open to debate XD So, do you think this should have an epilogue?
I want to say thank you again to everyone who's read this story. I'm honored to write Adventure Time and for people to read it =D
Lots of love, salmon, parties, gatorade, and catnip (lol wut?)
~Luna