Marshall Lee's POV

Wow.

This is weird, and I don't quite think I like my reaction to it all. I mean, obviously this isn't the first time I've been kissed. I'm Marshall Lee, I shouldn't be reacting this strongly to anybody, let alone some little girl.

But damn, is she a fine one. Damn.

Fionna pops her head around the corner, her face still flushed, and asks if I've seen her cap. The rabbit one.

"Well, Fi, maybe I have and maybe I haven't. What's it worth to you?" I don't expect her to play along, and I'm right. Her face flares up and she storms out of the room, apparently determined to find the hat herself.

I'm ready to go. I'll just sit my ass down on this couch and wait for the princess. Ugh, but she's high maintenance. I guess I kind of like it, though.

After what seems like an age (but was probably less than ten minutes) Fionna comes sauntering out into the living room, cap in hand and pack on her back. She somehow rolls her hair into a manageable shape and shoves the cap down on top of it, flashing the "thumbs up" at me. "I'm ready to go, are you?" she asks.

"Come on, Fi. I've only been ready for the past twenty minutes. Let's get going."

I don't bother locking the door, there's still a Cake-sized hole in the wall. Kind of makes locking up a dumb move.

Once we're out on the moors, I notice Fionna's having a bit of trouble. I mean, I guess it's dark or something. Whatever. Wimp.

"Having some issues there, Fi?" I ask, floating along easily beside her.

She pants, not looking up at me, and grumbles, "If you actually had to run over this ground, you might be having trouble too."

So I do what any responsible friend would do.

I glide straight underneath her and bump her right onto my shoulders.

At first she's super surprised, and grabs around my neck for dear life. As soon as she figures out where exactly she is, though, I can almost feel the blush creeping up her neck. She sits up, and while she doesn't make any attempt to get off of me, I can tell she's none too happy about the seating arrangement. I laugh to myself as we fly over the countryside.

We glide in silence most of the distance towards the cave. When I slow down to land, she hops off my back and goes into a roll. Show off.

She props herself up on one knee and looks back at me. "What are you looking at?" she hisses. "We've got work to do!"

She turns and runs towards the mouth of the cave, and I catch myself staring-really staring. She's got a fantastic body, and I'd be lying if I said I haven't imagined it under my control...

But that's a train of thought for another time. I follow the rabbit ears into the cave until, suddenly, she stops. I bumps into her before I realize she's stopped running, and the force of my body knocks her over with a small yelp. The noise echoes around the cave and we both freeze.

"Shit." I mutter. "If there were any sentries or patrols out, we don't have a chance at getting anywhere near the castle."

There's a little shuffling sound as Fionna raises herself off the ground onto her knees. In the limited light, I think I see her rub at something on her elbow. A scrape or a scratch, apparently. She pulls herself up close to my ear to whisper, "But how do we know if there was anybody around?"

I resist the urge to pull her onto my lap and instead stand, grabbing her arm. She doesn't protest and wow, she's so light. It's a wonder she does so well fighting, she's got to weigh less than any monster I've ever seen in Aaa.

Anyways, once she's standing, I point over her shoulder to the back of the cave and give her a little push. "We go check it out, of course. Glob, Fi, what kind of adventurer are you?"

She shakes her head and slinks forward, keeping one hand on the cave wall. I follow, steering her to the entrance to the Nightosphere. When we reach it, I tug on her shoulder and glide ahead of her.

I murmur the incantation that opens the entrance and get ready to continue. Fionna's itching to go, I can feel her energy beside me. But before she can dash off, I pull her off to the side.

"Okay, Fionna, we're going. But you have to promise me you'll stay with me. You don't know this place like I do, and trust me, that's a good thing. But I don't want you getting hurt or lost in there. Okay? You promise?"

She solemnly nods, her eyes wide and reflecting the eerie flickering light of the Nightosphere. She holds up her pinky finger without saying a word. I chuckle and give her mine to link together. She leans in close again to whisper, "It's a promise." She then disengages and steps back, offering me the right of way into my kingdom. My birthright.

I brace myself to enter this land of woe and terror that plagued my childhood. I take a deep, unneeded breath, and Fionna wraps her slim arms around me. A hug. A real one. I don't know if I've ever actually gotten a hug.

It feels...nice.

After several seconds, she lets go and I hear her let out a breath she'd been holding.

I prepare myself once more to enter my native land, look once over my shoulder to make sure Fionna's ready, and hurl myself over the threshold and onto the other side.

A. N. Wow, how long has it been? Thank you everyone for your support, it means the world to me. I don't know quite how this is going to turn out, but I think Fionna may get to meet the parents a bit sooner than anticipated! Stay with me, loves, and remember, I lub yew all.

-Nada