Chapter Nine: Ten Years

Marceline manages to keep her pace steady, neither walking nor running through the dead forest. Brambles and thorns scratch at her armor, and Marceline is grateful to have it.

She tries to avoid the tree roots, knowing that she will trip over them. The forest is so dense Marceline can't see more than a few feet in front of her. She draws her labrys and swipes at the dead wood, the rotting vines.

There's no signs of life. No signs of anything. Marceline's stomach clenches with unease. She continues regardless, determined to find her destination. After hacking through a thick wall of brambles, a clearing is revealed.

Marceline takes a sharp breath in. A tall, brick, black tower is rising from the ground. It towers over the trees, over everything. Marceline can't believe she hadn't seen it before. A feeling in her stomach tells her that Bonnie is in that tower. She approaches the looming tower and circles it. It's not as wide as Marceline had originally thought it was.

Marceline squints to see the top of the tower. A small window is carved near the top. There is no visible entrance besides the window at the zenith of the tower.

Marceline inhales and yells "Bonnie?!" Silence. More silence.

She drops her bow and her quiver of arrows to the ground. She takes two arrows in each hand, twirls them, then touches the side of the tower with the back of her hand. Turning her hands around, she stabs the arrows through the cracks. With each stab she raises herself from the ground, higher and higher up the tower.

Her arms burn with such intensity Marceline cannot see straight. She presses upwards, knowing the prize is worth all of this pain. Marceline makes the mistake of looking down. Her stomach plummets as she realizes that she is very much high up in the air.

"Keep it cool, Marcy" She tells herself and pulls out the arrow and stabs it a mark higher.

Her muscles shudder as her the arrow in her right hand snaps. She loses balance and grips onto the arrow in her left with all her might. Grabbing her dagger from her side, she stabs it into the black brick and regains her balance. Her heart is pounding and her head is throbbing. Marceline knows her eyes must be changing color every second.

A few more stabs and Marceline reaches the window. It's large, and open. No bars are present. She glances down to the ground, estimating the distance. Forty feet, she decides. She sheathes her dagger and draws her labrys, gripping it tightly with both her hands.

The room inside is very dark and it reeks of decaying matter. Marceline's advances are slow, precise. The room is wide and Marceline squints to see through its dark thickness.

A small figure is curled up in the corner. Marceline shuffles quietly and kneels next to the body. She holds her labrys in one hand and pokes at the figure's side.

It turns and groans. A painfully familiar face blinks awake and gasps. She presses herself against the corner, trying to avoid Marceline's touch.

"Who…?" Her voice croaks.

Bonnie looks so frail, so skinny, so weak. Her clothes that are now rags hang limply over Bonnie's shoulders and hips. Her hair is matted and discolored. A horrid smell emanates from her body. Her left side of her face has long pale scars that look like scratch marks. They weren't there before. Marceline resists the urge to growl.

"I am here to rescue you" Is all Marceline can muster.

Bonnie's tenseness doesn't cease and she eyes Marceline suspiciously.

"How do I know that this isn't some trick, you witch" Bonnie's voice is low and animalistic.

"Woah there princess. Calm down. If it was a trick, I wouldn't have climbed up this stupid tower to come rescue you" Marceline tries to talk sense into the princess.

Bonnie relaxes but still gives Marceline a side eye.

"And how do you expect to get me down?" She croaks.

"You'll grab onto my back as hard as you can, and I will climb down" Marceline tells her.

Bonnie tugs at her chains "Help me please" she says, her voice rough.

"Pull on the chains" Marceline commands.

Bonnie does as she is told. With a heavy swing of the labrys, the chains break with sparks and a clang. Bonnie is still handcuffed but when Marceline approaches to break them, she shies away.

"No" she says in a small voice.

"I wouldn't ever hurt you" Marceline says tenderly.

Bonnie shakes her head in disbelief.

"Princess, let me break the chains. Please" Marceline begs.

Bonnie turns her head away and closes her eyes tightly. She puts her arms outward, offering them to Marceline. Marceline presses the axe against the chains and twists. They break with ease.

"Princess, hold on to my back" Marceline says quietly. Before Bonnie can mount Marceline, Marceline walks over to the window and drops her labrys and it lands, a cloud of dust rising from the impact.

"C'mon, Princess" Marceline murmurs. Bonnie wraps her arms and legs around Marceline's torso and grips her tightly.

Marceline leaves the arrow in the tower and draws another knife. She begins to climb down the tower slowly, the weight of Bonnie slowing her down. Her muscles strain and she grips the knives with all her might.

"This is not very conventional" Bonnie's voice cracks.

"I know. Just don't look down," Marceline growls between clenched teeth.

They descended with infuriatingly slow pace. Finally, they reach the ground.

"With all due respect, get off me princess" Marceline says.

Bonnie loosens her death grip on Marceline and slides off, landing on the ground softly.

Bonnie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"I...I am free" she says slowly.

She turns to look at Marceline.

"How...how long has it been?" She stutters.

Marceline bends over to pick up her labrys, placing the butt of the axe on her foot.

"Ten years, eight months, six days" Marceline chokes on her words, unable to keep her calm, composed, collected mask on.

"W-who are you?" Bonnie asks.

Marceline takes off her helmet and looks at the princess.

"Marceline" The air rushes out of the girls mouth. Bonnie stares.

The corners of Marceline's lips edge into a smile. "Told you I was gonna protect you"

"But...but...T-they told me you were...dead" Bonnie says.

"Lies" Marceline responds.

"You've gotten so tall….and your hair is really short" Bonnibel notes.

The assessment gives a reason for Marceline to smile.

"Your...teeth are! Huge! Your ears….pointed? My...wow. You have changed" Bonnie says staring at Marceline.

"Ten years does that to some people. But we have to get going princess, like, right now. We can ask each other questions then, and hopefully get some answers"

Bonnie nods in silent agreement. Marceline offers Bonnie her hand and she takes it, gripping it tightly.

"C'mon princess" Marceline says as she places the helmet on her head. "It's time we came home"

A/N: This is far from the end. Not even halfway done with the story! Chapters will now increase in length.