Chapter Twenty: So Here We Are
A/N: Chapter Twenty and Twenty One will focus on Bonnibel, Marceline will be back Chapter Twenty Two ;)
The constant motion of bouncing up and down makes Bonnibel's stomach churn. One moment, she was about to undress to bathe, the next she was being stolen away.
Again.
Bonnibel's stomach lurches as the Lich sets her down. She trembles, even though she doesn't want to. Her palms begin to sweat and she stares at the ground. They are in a city, Bonnibel had gathered that much. It is in the Red Desert, the heat gives it away. Bonnibel clenches her fists and takes a deep breath.
The Lich looks down at her. A smile, or what appears to be a smile, crosses the Lich's the face. Bonnibel shrinks away with fear and ducks her head. Her almost-red hair spills over her shoulders and covers her face. She prays that this is all just a dream, and that she will wake up next to Marceline.
"It will be all over soon," The Lich comments slowly.
Bonnie remembers what the Lich did to her.
The demon's from Bonnibel's past haunt her every waking minute around the LIch. It is like he is a trigger for everything bad that has ever happened to her. Bonnibel could actually begin to forget her twisted, dark, past when she was around Marceline. Even by herself, she could handle her past. But not with the Lich around. It is near impossible for her to forget. The Lich knows somehow. He knows that he strikes fear deep into Bonnibel's heart and soul. He knows how to hurt Bonnibel in the most effective way.
Only a soul as dark as the Lich's could make Bonnibel forget about what she recently shared with Marceline. Love...Marceline loves Bonnibel….Bonnibel loves Marceline. Bonnibel's face forms a scowl as she tries to hold onto the lingering feeling that she shares with Marceline. But none of that seems to matter when Bonnibel's around the Lich. All she can remember is her tortured past.
She remembers dying all too well...The way her mind entered a sticky blackness where Death and Life collide. No reason was giving for her years of torture and solitude.
The aching loneliness that is enough to crush a soul consumes Bonnibel as she remembers what had happened to her.
"Get up and fight" Maja commanded.
Bonnibel shook her head no. She did not want to fight. She refused.
"So be it" Maja cackled sadistically.
The mutated wolf bounded forward and snarled. The hair on its neck was raised. Its green eyes flashed and oozed with nuclear fallout. It reeked of death. It reminded Bonnibel of the butcher shop on the far side of the city. The bad part of the city…
The wolf snarled again. It lurched forward and bit Bonnibel's ankle. With a gasp, Bonnibel fell to the ground. The wolf raised a paw and swiped Bonnibel with its claws. Her face began to bleed. The blood went into her eyes and she was blinded by her own blood. The wolf loomed threateningly over Bonnibel. Its lithe body shivered with rage. Bonnibel didn't want to do this.
She didn't want to fight.
She didn't want to kill.
She wanted to go home.
What is home anyways? The young girl thought.
Her hands moved mechanically towards her left hip. There, laid a dagger. She thrusted the dagger upwards and the wolf whined and collapsed. It was the first time she had ever killed. She pushed the wolf off of her body, but it felt as if Bonnibel wasn't there. She seemed to float above the tower in which she was imprisoned in. She was free...
The feeling of home still lingered on her lips. Its smell still intoxicated her. It was the smell of her room after a science experiment. It was the smell of her mother's embrace. It was the smell of her father's robe. It was the smell of the forest in the spring time...the smell that lingered on Marceline; even though she wasn't supposed to go outside the walls. That never stopped Marceline though. She always smiled when Bonnibel scolded her. Even when Marceline wasn't civil, Bonnibel loved her. Despite her tendencies to bite and get into brawls, Marceline cared deep down. She was a softie, and Bonnibel knew it. She never took anything seriously...except being a knight. Bonnibel's knight, rather...only Bonnibel's knight. Just hers. Hers to keep...But Marceline was so small and skinny. Bonnibel always doubted that she would grow anymore, or gain any weight. However, she did not doubt Marceline's ability.
Marceline...Her best friend. She was the last person she saw or talked to. Marceline had acted so strange the night before Bonnibel was kidnapped. Why? Why did she act so weird? It was the night after they had spent the whole day together. Marceline kept brushing her hand against Bonnibel's and then jerking away when Bonnibel noticed. Marceline could be so strange…
Oh, how she missed her mother and father...and everyone…everything. Anything other than this, would be better than the torture Bonnibel was in.
Maja cleared her throat, forcing Bonnibel back into the confinement of the tower. Bonnibel could still not see out of her eye. It was swollen shut and when Bonnibel delicately touched it, her fingers came back with blood, and her eye throbbed in response.
Maja said nothing, only turned and left. Bonnibel swallowed. Her throat was dry and parched. She wanted to taste the sweet water of her Kingdom…
Bonnibel shakes her head, and breaks free of her memory. The Lich is nowhere to be seen.
Bonnibel looks around. They are in a collapsed ruin of some sorts. Rubble is everywhere and the smell of dust and decay fills Bonnibel's nose.
At least it doesn't smell like the Tower.
Halfway across the ruins is a mighty machine. It is not large, but it is grand indeed. Amber colored cogs lay unmoving. The base of the machine is an obsidian color. The machine gives off a sinister vibe.
That must be what the Lich and Maja were talking about. Strangely enough, a large tree grows next to the machine. The machine is a dwarf in comparison to this magnificent tree. The tree is split open, and it seems hollow. Sap drips from the opening. It is the color of the cogs, and it seems to glow yellow. The tree, unlike the machine, emanates hope. Warm, wonderful, hope.
Bonnibel detects movement behind her. She turns her head and the Lich seems to have appeared right before her eyes.
"It is beautiful, is it not?" The Lich murmurs.
"The tree is" Bonnibel says quietly.
With a snarl, the Lich raises a hand and hits Bonnibel on the upside of the head. She screams with surprise and flinches towards the ground. The hairs on the back of her neck raise.
"I was referring to the machine" The Lich growls.
"O-of course" Bonnibel whimpers.
"You are pathetic" The Lich chides. "Scared of everything. You are too scared to do anything but flinch and cower. You are nothing of your former self. I imagine you were fearless. I believe that you wanted to explore everything...to understand everything. To come up with an answer to all the questions in the universe. You used to be powerful. And now...you are nothing"
A flare of anger bursts through Bonnibel's chest. How dare he say such things?
Along with the burst of anger, a feeling of bravery enters Bonnibel's soul.
"Marceline will stop you" Bonnibel hisses.
The Lich's eyes widen with surprise. Another half-smile appears on his face, revealing his demented teeth.
"Oh Bonnibel" He murmurs as he kneels next to her. He grabs her jaw and pulls her close to him.
The Lich's breath is cold against Bonnibel's flushed skin. Her breath stops abruptly as the Lich begins to speak.
"Nothing can stop me" the Lich says simply.
"You are wrong" Bonnibel says defiantly.
This elicits a burst of laughter from the Lich. "Little do you know, Marceline's going to be the one to end it all"
Bonnibel glares at the Lich "She's not that stupid"
"She is not as intelligent as you. Believe me, your rescuer is ill-equipped for this rescue. She does not need brawn, she needs smarts. And she has neither" The Lich states.
Bonnibel does not think Marceline is dumb. But, the Lich has a point. Marceline thinks with her fists and her gut instinct, not with her mind.
Bonnibel takes a shaky breath in. If Marceline cannot find a way, Bonnibel will.
No matter what the cost.