-Friendly Banter-
Outside the main campus office, a small force of Human soldiers had arrived and cordoned off the area. They wore uniforms of white and gray fatigues with heavy padding over the shoulders, knees, elbows, and thick ballistic vests over their torsos. Their helmets covered their faces with a jet black mask, goggles to protect their eyes, and each soldier was armed with an impressive looking high-powered rifle. Amid radio chatter through the earpieces on the soldiers helmets, two figures floated into view and landed a few feet from a makeshift checkpoint.
Immediately every soldier took notice of the two dark clothed figures, some moving closer, some keeping their distance, but all watched closely as the two moved towards the steps that would lead into the office building. Of the several guards that were holding station at the makeshift checkpoint, one bravely approached the pair, breathing heavily and holding up a thick, leather gloved hand. Two others directly behind elbowed each other, looking to be enjoying some sort of humor in the situation. "H-halt. Noone is allowed p-past here without being s-searched…gulp…" The brave soldier spoke through what sounded like a small transmitter that was a part of his mask, making his voice sound like he was speaking through a radio speaker as it crackled and distorted unnaturally. He looked over his shoulder and the two who were watching nodded, seemingly giving their comrade the go-ahead to continue. The brave soldier approached the two figures, determining they were women moments earlier, shifted his rifle to sling around his shoulder, and proceeded to begin padding down the taller of the two figures that had long, thick black hair.
Before his leather gloved hand even touched the figure however, the second figure, a woman in a gray business suit and skirt, slammed her fist into the soldiers stomach, sending him sprawling across the ground for several feet. Immediately everyone who saw the spectacle burst into loud laughter, some shaking their heads and others moving to check on the poor man who was just laid out.
One soldier with brutish features and a short, stout build, stood over the unfortunate soldier, grimacing. His uniform was slightly different and instead of a helmet, he wore a beret which overall, would denote he was of a higher rank than the others. "And that soldier, is why we DO NOT touch the Vampires. Especially not the glooping Queen of Vampires, moron. Get him up and to a field aide." He turned on his heels and approached Marceline, smirking and giving her a stiff salute. "Your Highness. Never gets old, heh. Keila, perfect timing on that right jab."
"Master Sergeant Boxingday, always happy to haze your soldiers. He ok?" The vampire shifted her red eyes towards the group carrying the poor man off to one side of the white marble steps while Keila stifled her laughter behind her tablet, shaking her head.
"Probably a broken rib or two and a new outlook on life. Maybe next time he questions policy, he will recall this day and shut his yap. Always the young ones not wanting to just accept things. Always needing to find out first hand. Anyway, ladies, shall we. The Commander is already up top waiting for you and I won't lie, she is in one of her…better…moods." As he turned to lead the vampires into the main office building, he glanced upwards towards the top of the tall spire that crowned the building and housed the chambers of the Council of Ooo.
"Commander? Glob did she get promoted again? Didn't she just get promoted a couple of months ago?" Marceline sighed heavily, hanging her head as the group moved inside through a set of heavy glass double doors and into a stark white lobby.
"That she did. But, you of all people know that she is on a fast track. And why not, she is brilliant on the battlefield. One of the sharpest I have ever had the pleasure of serving under. Couple more years and she will be a ripe candidate for Admiral." Boxingday's thick soled boots thudded heavily along the marble floor as he spoke casually in-between random salutes to lower ranking soldiers.
Marceline winced as if she had been hit with something heavy and blunt, then gave Keila an 'I told you so' look as the Master Sergeant led the vampires towards an elaborately decorated set of elevator doors.
"Now I would like to be able to leave here without having shots fired, if at all possible Lady Abadeer." Boxingday gave the vampire a knowing look as he motioned for the elevator doors to be opened and stepped to one side to allow Marceline and Keila to move past.
"Don't tell me tell your Commander." Marceline whined, looking defeated as the elevator doors closed.
~~ooOOoo~~
"So, are you excited for the train ride?" Nari spoke as she and Bubblegum sat down at their usual booth seat at Pizza Sassy's.
"Wait train ride? Honestly I hadn't asked how we would be traveling. I just assumed the Vampires would…carry us?" Even as Bonni said it, she realized how ridiculous it sounded and the look on her face reflected this revelation as Nari snickered quietly.
"Mhm. It is a good day and a half just to get there and since the Vampires cannot travel in the open during the daylight…" The Rainicorn started prodding her salad with her fork, randomly rearranging the items around her plate before pouring her favorite dressing over the lot. "So by the sounds of it, you have not heard of the Vampire Express?"
"No I haven't. Is that the real name?" Bonni glanced between her three friends, each of them shaking their heads.
"Nah, the real name is in Vampiric, so only Vampires know the real name. Everyone else just calls it the express." Finn actually answered before anyone, smiling at the princess as he texted on his phone.
"And that's not all." Nari casually picking up the conversation where Finn stopped. "Rumor has it there are no connecting tracks that lead to the Vampire capitol of Charir Waere."
"No tracks? Now I know you are all joking. How does the train travel with no tracks?" Bonni snickered at what she thought was a group joke being played on the new girl.
"No one knows! It's a mystery because no one has ever seen the train leaving here!" Jake chimed in now, adding his own thoughts on the subject.
"Yeah, the train never leaves during daylight and the security around it is so tight, no one is allowed within a mile of the station while it's there." Finn again letting his insight into the conversation as he and Jake leaned close, their eyes widened with excitement over the topic.
"That, coupled with the curfew time for students, makes sure no one is around when the train arrives or leaves. " Nari smiled as she spoke in between bites of her salad.
"So wait. The Vampires travel to and from their capitol by train." Bubblegum began trying to patch the information together for herself, her first statement met by a unison of nods from the group. "No one has ever seen this train." Again the group nodded. "And it has no connecting tracks to this school." Bubblegum narrowed her eyes as she thought the situation over.
"Yep it's a mystery." Nari nodded her head at her own assessment, followed by Jake and Finn saying the word 'mystery' together as they imagined what the train would be like.
"Hummmm…" Bubblegum prodded at her own lunch, a small serving of steamy stromboli. "Did…you all want to…come with us?" She glanced out the window, wondering what her girlfriend was up to at that moment. "I mean it sounds like something you all are interested in seeing…and I honestly didn't even think about this but…I would be alone there. Even with Marceline and Gummy and Marshal and Keila…surrounded by myself… by Vampires…It would be nice to have the company…huh?" The princess blinked nervously as the group smiled widely at her.
"Yes!" They spoke as a collective.
~~ooOOoo~~
Ok…deep breaths…deeeeeep breaths…everything is fine…just agree with whatever she says and get out…glob…Marceline was dreading waiting for the final floor to pass before the large ornamental elevator doors would open up into the large office space reserved only for the Council of Ooo use.
"Don't start a war Marce. In and out with as little back and forth as possible." Keila reminded her Queen. Even she was nervously tapping against the screen of her tablet, half hiding behind it and trying to keep herself calm.
"I know that!" The vampire growled back, sighing heavily. Here we go…
DING! Went the signal announcing the arrival at the top floor and as the double doors opened, bright sunlight poured into the elevator, almost blindingly bright as the vampires stepped out onto the magnificently crafted tiled floors. The room itself was spacious and except for the section where the elevator was located, the walls were thick, crystal clear glass allowing for an amazingly beautiful panoramic view of the entire campus and the surrounding cityscape. In the center of the spacious chamber was a massive, circular table that was divided into three equal sections and in the center was an impressive podium obviously used for when chairpersons addressed the council.
Before Marceline could take two steps into the chamber however, an object came flying towards her at high speed, and only through reflex did it miss stabbing the vampire in the chest. A large, red crystalline saber became lodged in the crack of the elevator doors just as Marceline moved out of its path, the vampire pushing Keila clear as she did.
"HEY!" Marceline barked at her assailant, moving to block Keila from anything else that may or may not hurtle towards the vampires. Keila simply rolled her eyes and straightened her clothes as she stepped away from her Queen whispering, "I'm not getting caught up in this…" waving her hand dismissively.
"MARCELINE. VAMPIRE QUEEN. I thought we had mutual understandings. Treaties in place. Declarations of a United Front." A feminine voice bellowed from behind the podium. "We provide volunteers. We provide the blood the Vampire Nation requires. You provide certain services for certain people. You run this school like a training center for the world's elite. SO WHY." A tall woman stepped from behind the podium that was blocking her from view.
She was wearing a lavishly decorated uniform with a long, funnel neck coat that was adorned with her rank displayed on the epaulets over her shoulders as well as various smaller service ribbons pinned over her left breast. The trim and buttons were gold, the rest the same color of black and white as the uniforms of the soldiers that stood at various spots around the room. The coat was left unbuttoned, allowing the woman access to the hilt that was hanging from a thick leather belt upon her waist, revealing a ruffled neck white dress shirt that was neatly tucked into a pair of form fitting pants, the legs of which were just as neatly tucked into a pair of leather, shin-high black boots.
"WHY is it that my OWN BROTHER, the one you said you would PERSONALLY train and look after, is this far behind in his studies?" The woman tossed another object towards the vampire, this time it was a small tablet similar to the one Keila used.
Marceline rolled her eyes and groaned as she caught the tablet, glancing at the screen as a video feed played. Displayed were images of Finn, shirking his studies to spend time with his new girlfriend. Of Finn, getting steam rolled in close combat training. Of Finn looking lost in his various other classes. The vampire cringed as she sighed heavily, setting the tablet down on the closest tabletop.
"Look Lieutenant Commander Mertens…" As soon as the words came out, Marceline winced. Oh right she got promoted…woops…glob! The vampire dodged quickly to her left as another object, this time the actual podium itself, came streaking towards the vampire, crashing against the elevator doors and splintering instantly from the force. "Will you stop that! That podium was over one hundred years old!"
"Its COMMANDER. COMMANDER Fionna Mertens! At least get that much right!" The woman glared at the vampire, sneering as she crossed her arms over her body. "So get on with it. Let's hear the excuses you thought up before those doors opened."
And as if on cue, the elevator doors opened, the crystalline saber clanging upon the floor tiles as they did, and out stepped a small, feline creature, looking confused at the wood splinters and debris that lay in front of her. "What is goin on in here…?" It muttered before looking the chamber over. Immediately it sighed dramatically, and hurriedly joined Fionna by her side, but instead of helping the Commander, it tried to calm her down.
"Whoa whoa now girl easy. We didn't come here to trash the place. Look at that nice podium, all broken up." The creature pointed at the mess and frowned, its large, feline eyes looking dejected.
"Cake! She…they! URGH! It's her fault Finn is not ready to come home! I have the right to destroy at least one random object over this!" Fionna complained, sulking in the most unprofessional of manners.
"COMmander get a hold of yourself and apologize." Cake mumbled through her teeth, shaking the woman at her shoulders.
"…Fine. Sorry for the podium. Can we get this meeting over with?" Fionna continued to glare across the room. "Well, out with it Vampire."
Sigh kill me now…The elevator doors closed, sealing the group inside as Marceline floated to the table designated 'Vampire Nation', being rejoined by Keila who was red with stifled laughter, and taking a seat. "Well you see it's like this…"
~~ooOOoo~~
What seemed like several hours later, a group emerged from the elevator as it came to a stop in the lobby of the campus main office, everyone looking disgruntled as they began moving their separate ways.
Marceline growled quietly to herself, moving to one side of the large reception area and began to speak with Keila when, "AND VAMPIRE…" Fionna bellowed out, making her voice echo off the high ceiling. "Two months. I better be impressed when I return." She turned her back on the vampires, signaling to the Human forces that they were leaving as she was joined by Boxingday near the large, double doors of the building.
A whirlwind of motion erupted outside as the soldiers began to assemble, clamoring onto large, military style personnel carriers that were parked over the streets nearby like artificial blockades. With loud blasts of engines, the vehicles rumbled down the streets, moving quickly out of sight and leaving behind two very upset vampires.
"Unbelievable. That woman." Marceline complained as she and Keila also headed outside of the main office lobby, watching the convoy depart.
"It could have been worse?" Keila shrugged, sighing as she rapidly tapped against her tablet. "So let's see, with the increased demand by the new…stipulations…to your former deal with her…" The vampire shook her head. "I don't see how we are going to meet this new quota…not unless we release a new wave of wolves…"
Marceline pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to relieve some of the pressure that was steadily squeezing against her brain. "We no longer have a choice. Do it. Do not ever let me mess up like this again."
"No kidding. She's going to be dangerous, you were right about that. And we took so long, that the last two meetings cancelled, so I guess something good came out of it after all?" Keila could tell Marceline was no longer in a mood to put up with her snide comments and stabs at her pride, so she resigned herself to trying to cheer her Queen up. "At least you can go see Bonni now so why don't you go do that and I'll take care of tonight's details. The train won't be here for another several hours so why not take her and the others to dinner, you know, get your mind off of this." Keila sighed quietly, moving to put a hand on the vampires shoulder.
"Yea…yea. Alright. Thanks Keila." Marceline barely looked over her shoulder before floating off, leaving Keila behind, shaking her head.
"Will be a good day when you finally get rid of all this stress Marce…" She opened up an interface on her tablet and an older looking vampire smiled at her. She spoke something to him in vampiric before she also floated off, albeit in the opposite direction.