The ride back to Candy Kingdom seems longer than the ride to the Fire kingdom. Maybe it was due to the awkward silence that engulfed the carriage. For a complete minute, Finn and Bonnibel were silent, both are looking away from each other staring at view outside.
Once the carriage was in the vast grasslands, Finn looked at Bonnibel and puts his hand over hers. She looks at him with worry.
Peebles, I might ask. What did you and Flame Princess talked about?" he said, finally breaking the silence.
"Finn, FP just showed me the fire garden in the back of the castle I..." she stopped as she saw the human's eyes. They were determine and pleading for the truth. She mentally gulped.
"Alright, she told me that I should tell the world who the Iron Princess is." She said looking down, taking his hand into hers.
"She's right, hiding it longer will make things worst." He said, squeezing her hand lightly.
"Yes, maybe after we solve this heist, maybe I will tell the world who the Iron Princess really is." A small smile formed across her lips, Finn smiled back.
Another silence engulf the carriage once again but this time, a more comfortable one as they close the distance to each other, enjoying the peace and quiet before jumping in again into the room of chaos.
Ten minutes passed before the fire carriage made a complete stop on the base of the Candy Castle main staircase. The couple got out and Finn paid the coachmen a handful of coal. "Sorry for the trouble" he said.
"Nonsense, hero it's my job" he said before he sped off.
The couple hurried as fast as they can to lab, Peppermint butler notice them back a little too early. "Princess, you back earlier than expected." He said as the two passes by, the couple didn't reply. When the two is out of sight, he shrugged and went on his way.
The lab door, slammed open as the two went in a rush, making Beemo recoiled in shock. "Princess! You scare the donk out of me."
Give me the list of the missing things!" she ordered, didn't even bother privacy as she removed her royal tart dress infront of the two, leaving her in her lingerie and her stockings. Blushing hard, Finn has to close the door and tries his best not to stare to long at his girlfriend who is now typing in a nearby computer.
Soon a hologram image of the list of stolen blueprints appeared. She looked at it with seriousness. Her reputation is at risk at this moment, she plans to confess to the world who she is in good terms, now someone might expose her in a bad way, making the people of Ooo, turned to her with anger and hate. She uses her hands to expand the list to see the specific details of the stolen things.
"Hmm... as far is this concern, the missing blueprints were the diagrams of the suits, the list of the parts, the metal composition, and the main schematics of the Arc Reactor..." she shook her head in worry, "Oh, no if the Arc Reactor falls to the wrong hands, Ooo maybe be in danger." Finn and Beemo gasped.
"Beemo, where did we put the reactor prototype last time?"
"Princess we left if there along with some, prism magnifiers. They were gone too." The computer said, pointing at the table near the hall of armors. She went to the table and inspects the corners and surface of the table, scanning for fingerprints and others that may lead a clue.
"Beemo did you made a ectoplasm and biometric scan of the entire lab?"
"Yes Princess, they are no footprints, however an undentified energy was present in the lab, at exactly eleven in the evening a strong presence of this energy is present at the spot you were standing. It only lasted for a minute for the energy dissipates again and never appeared again."
"Show me the components of this energy."
"I will try to breakdown of this energy and give you the components. Please wait." Beemo said.
"Peebles, check this out." Finn called her, he showed some high sparkling dust on the side of the table. Bonnibel place her finger above it and inspected it closer. "Hmmm... I think I saw this before..."
"You do?" Finn raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, they are usually found in..." she stopped in realization.
"Where, found where?"
"Marceline's cave." She finished.
"What? Marcy? Are you saying that Marceline stole the Arc Reactor?" he said, he couldn't believe that their friend can do such a thing.
"I don't need to believe it either; Marceline has no taste in high tech scientific jibber jabber."
"Still one question remains, why would she steal the only the arc reactor and plans related to Iron Princess, and not everything else here in the lab, maybe she knows your secret." Finn theorized.
"And if she knew, she might use it to expose me in a bad view." Bonnibel added, send her face white. Beemo suddenly announced his/her findings.
"Princess I've manage to analysed the components of the unidentified energy" a hologram of the component appeared in front of the two. The contents of the hologram is too complex for Finn to understand, but he knew it was bad because he saw how Bonnibel is reacting as she reads it, she was clenching her fist.
"Peebles..." he said softly.
Bonnibel didn't move a muscle, her head simply hung low. "Were going to Marceline's house and spill out the truth from her." She said, emotionless.
"Okay but first get dress and calm down. We will get this problem sorted out." He hugged her to hoping to make her feel reassured. She did, even slightly.
"Thanks Finn, you were always there for me." She moaned in relief on his shoulder.
"I'm always here for milady." He kissed her cheek, and gave her a glass of water. She drank it and sat down in a chair, Finn went for the door.
"Where are you going?"
"Get you some clothes, I won't let you run around the castle wearing only that." He blushed again. Beemo just smiled mischievously.
"Okay, get my pants and my coat." She said, "Oh also get me a new pair of underwear."
"Uhhh... sure okay Peebles, anything for you" he said awkwardly, his face is red as a tomato, and miserably went out of the door. Beemo laughed. Bonnibel looked at him/her.
"What" Beemo asked.
"How's the Mk VI?" she asked her hands on her hips. The cleavage of her breast sticks out a bit.
"Already Complete Princess, they external weapons of the suit are only things missing. You were planning to add the Ball Blam burglerber guns on its arms correct?"
"Yes design for heavier and multiple enemies. Also I would like to make more armoured than the previous ones." She said as she eyed the complete main exoframe of the Mk VI.
"I will make a simplified version of the Ball blam burglerber that will fit the arms."
"Do it." Finn then arrived carrying her new clothes.
"Here you go Peebles hey...!" she grabbed her arm and took her to the Sciency shower booth. "What are you..." she kissed him. Her eyes spelled lust and she is silently purring.
"Dress me up" she whispered sweetly into his ear. Without anymore arguments, she dragged her in the booth and shut it locked.
After another two more hours, the couple now on their to Marceline's house, still figuring out on their minds that how would their friend could have done such a thing, a person who has no interest in science matters can actually steal stuff just like that. While walking in the destroyed asphalt road towards the cave, Bonnibel decided played a little coy: pretending that she felt cold. Despite that she wears her purple military jacket and tight pants. The same outfit she wore when she went with Marceline to reclaim Hambo from the sky witch. She snuggled her head to Finn,
"Hold me Finn, tighter." She pleaded with her cute expression.
Finn took the bait, "Okay milady." He wrapped his arms around her waist tighter, she moaned softly.
"Thank you, handsome." She pecked her cheek.
Finn then sprang his trap. "Your not cold, in fact your body is warm and its sunny." He said matter of fact.
She looked at him and pouted, "Then why did you still held me close?"
"You don't like it? Fine I'll stay away" he pretended to move his arms away from her, but she pulled them back with such force, as if she was clinging for dear life on him.
"No. No, I love it, I love you." She felt embarrassed now that her coy backfired.
"See..:" he chuckled, "How does it feel, when your little tricks backfired on you?" he smiled.
"Worst, if its coming from you, if from others just bad." She shrugged her shoulders and keeps on snuggling.
"Just bad?" he rolled his eyes.
"You're the worst." she gave him a smack.
"I love you too."
By now, they are on the destroyed bridge, on the badlands. Below it lies the mouth of Marceline's cave. Finn assisted Bonnibel in climbing down the cliffs. Finn looked at her with a little worry. She has difficulty climbing down since she carries the Mk V backpack on her back.
"Is it really necessary to bring those, Marceline might know our secret." He said as he caught Bonnibel to reach the bottom of the cliff.
"She already knows about us Finn." She replied flatly.
Finn eyes widen, "What?"
"Relax Finn, I known her long enough. You can trust her, besides she usually hangs out in the castle so..." she stopped as another thought hits her, making more of the clue leads to the vampire queen being the suspect. Finn held her hand.
"We will find the truth soon enough." He said and without anymore delays, he led her inside the cave.
Marceline is in her living room, playing her axe bass, testing its tone and rhythm at the same time thinking of another new lyric for her new songs. She sighed frustrated. She been here for the entire morning and lately less inspiration comes to mind. She wondered that is she really running out of ideas. Thinking maybe she wrote all of her experiences in the past one thousand years of her life. She decided it must be the latter, "come on, think, think!" she scolded herself, looking at the axe base in her hand. Her frustration was cut short when there was a knock on the door.
She looked first at the window, upon seeing Finn she smiled but as she Bonnibel, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. 'what she doing here' she thought.
"Hey, what's up?" she greeted as she opened the door.
Finn and Bonnibel walked inside and took a seat in the couch, Bonnibel put her backpack besides th couch, trying her best keep if from Marceline's attention but alas she failed.
"Whoa, Bonnie nice backpack, what inside."
The princess, gave her a blank expression, "Science stuff. Probably you wouldn't understand" she was challenging her, seeing if the vampire will react. She didn't... or did she?
Marceline just laughed, "Try meBonnie..." She returned the challenge.
Things were already getting intense and Finn is staring to believe that Marceline is the suspect, but he has to properly approached this, and besides the room is getting a little awkward for him so he clears his throat. "Uh, Marcy do you have any soda? I'm quite thirsty." He said.
The vampire immediately back down from the intimidation battle with Bonnibel and said "Sure hold on, I'll go get some snacks." She floats towards the kitchen.
When Finn and Bonnibel are alone, he squeezed her hand.
"Peebles what do you think you're doing?" he whispered.
"Seeing if she will react to my intimidation. Also trying to read her mind."
An 'are you kidding' look suddenly appeared on Finn's features. "You know that's not going to work." He said flatly.
"It's worth the try."
"If you know her, then you knew that what you did will not work. In mysteries like this, the suspects are not going to away their crime just like that." He said.
You watch too much crime drama, for an adventurer." She mockingly said.
"You will learn a lot." He retorted crossing her arms.
"Whatever" she shrugged, then Marceline came in carrying a tray of biscuits and apples, red apples.
She placed it between the two and picked up a apple and sucked the red out of it. "So what bring you here bozos to my lair?"
Bonnibel tries her best to keep calm and she bite off the biscuit with a little force required. "I was wondering, do you manage to hang out in the castle lately..? she stated then glared a little before adding, "Particularly in my lab?"
Finn immediately jumped in to ease another rising tension between them. "What Peebles is trying to say is, did you go to castle lately?"
Marceline shook her head and grabbed another apple. "No, I was on my tour with the Scream Queens lately. Why would I go to the Candy Kingdom? I wouldn't want your 'private intimate moments' to spoiled." She said with a sly smirk.
Bonnibel's face turned white. "WHAT!?" she screamed. despite she knew that the vampire knew already, she cannot bear that the latter would really rub it on her face like a towel.
"Chill Bonnie, I knew you had a thing for Finn." The vampire shrugged it casually. Finn reaction to her reply is just stares in shock. When Marceline was met with an shocked silence from the duo, she said "What? Do you think I don't know that is something between you and Mr. 'Handsome' here?" she laughed.
"MARCELINE I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Bonnibel stood up and moves in to strangle Marceline. Her face, if possible, is a mixture of white and blushing red. Finn stopped her. "Peeble, honey, enough" he said pulling her back.
The word 'honey' made Marceline laughed even louder. "Finn and Bonnie sitting in the tree, k,i,s,s,i,n,g!" she teased in a sing song tone.
"Stop it! Stop it!" Bonnibel retorted, she buried her face on Finn's shoulders. Her face is now red; Marceline can now suck it all out.
Marceline turned to Finn. "So how long you two have been together?"
Finn answered truthfully "we just hit our fifth month four days ago." He earned a barrage of fist on his chest.
"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! You traitor!" she said, her voice is like a mocking baby. Finn knew she didn't mean she said. He just chuckled heartily, patting Bonnibels back.
"Come on, Bonnie. She already knows from the start, I bet. And she's our friend remember. She's alright we can trust her. Okay?" he receives a nod. "Okay" she whispered.
"Wait, what do you mean, we can trust?" Marceline suddenly said.
"Marcy, our relationship is a secret to the world right now." Finn stated, Bonnibel is still not looking up.
"Nice job, so I'm I the one, who knew this or somebody else, knew it?"
This time Bonnibel looked up, "like you care" she said, still distrusting the vampire.
"Peebles... Jake and Lady know about it. Please Marcy don't let anyone know about this." The human pleaded.
"Why? It's like everybody cares at all."
"It's weird, look I'm eighteen and he's fifteen. It's weird right?" Bonnibel reasoned.
"I don't see it weird. Age doesn't matter when it comes to love. Check me and Ash out back then, I was like over one thousand years old, and he's like what thirty..." she said as a matter of fact.
This made Bonnibel think about what Flame Princess told her back at the Fire Kingdom earlier: about telling the world the truth: About her being the Iron Princess and also about she and Finn's affair. On the other hand, she is beginning to accept Marceline's point of view. Besides she help her out when she is stuck at some situations that science has no power. so she thinks maybe, just maybe she is right at all.
"Maybe, maybe." Then she shook her head, time to get real. She stood up and asked the vampire with a serious question. "Marceline, yes or no, did you happen to pass by in the castle, especially my lab?"
The Vampire Queen shook her head and put her arms over chest. "No." She replied flatly. Bonnibel knew enough that she was serious.
"Okay, Finn let's go, it's getting late." She said. Then said, "Thanks for the biscuits Marceline, sorry if I flipped out earlier." She said, looking down in shame.
Marceline just floated towards her and patted her back. "It's alright. Flipping out is just common in my taste. Good luck with your relationship with Finn."
"Thanks." She said, as she stepped out of the house, Finn followed her suit, carrying her Mk V backpack. "You forgot" he said.
The two was at a quite distance to the house when Marceline called them. "Hey, Bonnie!"
The couple turned to look at her. "Yes?" Finn is already holding her hand in relief and comfort.
"Good luck being the hero!"
"What?"
"I mean good luck on your relationship with Finn." She said quickly, "Goodnight." She closed the door and switch off the lights.
Finn and Bonnibel looked at each other confused then returned then continue on their way.
Marceline watched them go from her window, and when they were out of sight, her face became expressionless. "hmm..."
A week passed, A dilemma still faced Bonnibel that her secret will be spilled out or worst ruin her imagine being the Iron Princess. She wonders that what if the thief uses the stolen reactor to create a replicate suit to mess around Ooo. A million things circled around her head, million things that went wrong. Even Finn is bothered, he knew what was stake, but he is also concern that it is also affecting their relationship. For an entire week, he and Bonnibel did not do 'passionate 15'. Their intimacy is limited to touch and kisses. She also eats rarely making her thin a little, Finn is found himself feeding her lover every now and then.
Despite all of these situations, Finn stayed on her side 24/7, never left her side. Until the seventh day, flash news reached their ears when Beemo suddenly announced: "Princess we got bad news."
"What?" she raised her head from the lab table. Lately she is equipping the weapons of the Mk VI to keep her mind off things. The suit is now complete.
"Listen to this." Beemo opened the radio. The radio announcer suddenly announced:
"Breaking news, Iron Princess raided and scared a small farmer village on the south end of the grasslands. Many witnesses claimed that Iron Princess was colored black and her eyes were purple, and claim she is completely evil..."
"What!?" she exclaimed, Beemo winced a little at her sudden outburst.
"More sources indicated that the Iron Princess also terrified another village in the badlands. It match the same description describe in the recent incident."
By now Finn stepped out of the Sciency Shower, rubbing his head with a towel. "That's impossible, you were here for a whole week!" he said, a little angry from the news.
"Yes, Finn this is what I've feared. Someone is using a replica of the suit to ruin my name. Now it happens, oh Glob!" she said slightly panicking. Her hand are pressed on both sides of her face.
"Bonnie, baby, chill out a little. We will find this imposter and catch it. Have faith alright. Soon we will tell the truth to the world. We will face this together, I won't leave your side." he said holding her hand and squeezing it. Beemo smiled at them.
The Princess felt relieved at his words. "Thanks..." she hugged and kissed him.
Just then, Peppermint butler rushed in slamming the door open, he was wide eyed and was sweating furiously. "Princess! Princess!" he shouted.
The couple broke off the kiss rather awkwardly and looked at the butler surprised. "What?" they both said.
"Princess, the candy press is storming the castle; they want you're opinion on the Iron Princess' actions!"
"Great, when does anything on Ooo happen scientifically, they always point me?" she said frustrated. Finn held her hand. "I best to face them." She rushed to the door to meet them in the lobby before they found her in the lab with the suits exposed.
The Press went wild when they saw Princess Bubblegum and Finn came in from the stairs. Finn kept his distance from her; he uses himself as a barricade to block the press from approaching Bonnibel to close. "Stand back! Stand back!" he warned while shoving some who manage to slip through her defences.
"Princess, What is your Opinion on the action of the Iron Princess?" one ask.
She answered rather defiantly, "I don't know why she is doing those things or what but one thing is for certain, I will personally catch and apprehend her..." then another noise from the press went echoing in the hall. "Princess, how are you going to do that? By what means?"
Bonnibel was about to reply when Beemo's voice echoed in her earpiece. The Computer announced "Princess, I got an incoming transmission. Return to the lab at once."
"Please Excuse me!" she said as made her leave, motioning Finn. The press began to make the sea of noises again and even tries to stop her.
Finn made way for her towards back upstairs of the hall, Bonnibel immediately ordered four Banana guards to block the hallway and push the press out of the castle. Once back in the lab, Bonnibel immediately ordered Beemo.
"Put it through!" her fists was clench shut. She is trying her best to control her temper.
A loud mysterious voice echoed in the lab, from base of its voice, it was female.
"Well, well, well you call yourself a hero princess!? why don't come here and face me! Come on! Bring that garbage you call suit with you and face me! I'm the best and you can't beat me!" The figure gave an evil laugh before adding "by the way, I'm your arch nemesis, the Phantom Nightingale!" the transmission went dead.
One can heard a pin dropped as the entire lab went silent. Both Finn and Beemo looked at Bonnibel who had her head hug low and her fist clench shut. Finn knew better than to approach her at this state, yet he did otherwise. "Peebles?" he began, touching her right shoulder.
The princess still didn't move for a moment before looking up at him. Her eyes are burning with rage. "She knows my secret and I can't let this witch bring it out to the world without my consent. She wants to fight me, fine will fight her! But I will tear her apart, piece by piece!" she said, her voice is venomous than a thousand desert scorpions.
Finn nodded in understanding, "I will come with you."
"Princess, I've detected an unknown energy signature in the forest in the grasslands. And by the way its being emitted, it's pretty strong." A screen shows a part of the forest is covered with a purple smoke like feature; it was the unknown energy signature.
"She wants to fight, Bring it on...!" the she went to the armor assembly machine and spread her hands, "suit me up with the Mk VI!"
"Princess..." Beemo began.
"NO BUTS BEEMO!" she scolded the computer. "This is serious."
"Just do what she says Beemo..." Finn said, he was sharpening his demon blood sword.
The computer just nodded and assembled the Mk VI in her body. The armor, and the heavy weapons and armor were attached. She puts her first steps and sees the world in the updated HUD. the armor is heavier than the previous generations due to its armor and weaponry but once she is used to it and ready to go, she turned to Finn.
"Try and keep up" she said before flying off.
Finn just sighed and went after her, on foot.