-Traitors and Treachery-
"Ok so where do we start?" Marceline looked between monitors and console panels with their flashing lights and complicated looking knobs, lost as to just how the equipment in the security room worked.
"Well…" Bonni stepped in front of her lover, smiling gently as she sat down at the main console, tapping away at the keyboard. "We should find out exactly when Rush escaped. Then we can find the video feed that correlates from the other cars to see when he left the train. We should also pull the feed from the tunnel, if that is possible?" She looked at Keila for confirmation, who nodded in return, her red eyes scanning the monitor as Bubblegum rapidly shift through frames.
"Savik already reported in saying he can find no trace scent of the vampire after a certain point. Also that he found the bodies of a few wolves near the baggage car so he probably jumped from there?" Nari also took a seat at a console. "Miss Keila, if you could patch me into the tunnel surveillance?".
Keila leaned over the Rainicorns' shoulder, typing in a password, allowing access to the tunnel security menus. "Hopefully this doesn't take too long. As soon as we find the point of exit, we can send Marshal and Gummy out…" The vampire leaned away, crossing her arms over her body as she sighed. "And we still need to find out who else is involved. I'll pull up his cell footage. Maybe he had a visitor before hand, tipping him off that Bonni and Nari were snooping around."
Bubblegum cringed, hanging her head. "W-we didn't mean to…"
"It's fine. You didn't know the extent of the situation and actually it helped." Keila cast a sidelong glance at the princess. "If you hadn't played detective we may have not uncovered as much as we have. Rush would have sat quietly in his cell, waiting until we took him right to where he wanted to go, then it would have been far too late. It is amazingly easy to get lost in the crowd back home…"
"And we wouldn't have known how far up the chain this went." Marceline grumbled, leaning against the back wall near the door as she watched quietly, letting the brains handle the complicated work. "Tampering with the suppression runes is a high level authorization only deal. That narrows down things considerably. And that they only affect female vampires fully? That…that was smart. Someone knew only myself or Keila would go near those cells for any reason, every other vampire had no business there and the guards are werewolves, unaffected either way, so they wouldn't have been able to tell." The monarch sneered and hissed to herself. "It allowed him to use his powers to recoup right under our noses…"
"But with all this security, surely someone would have seen him in his cell? It WAS monitored right?" Bonni looked at a few frames, trying to see if the renegade was present in them.
"Sigh…exactly. I sent everyone who pulls duty here to see Elder Agatha." Keila watched her own monitor closely, the feed showed Rush in his cell, sitting in the middle of the floor.
"Why Elder Agatha, if I may ask?" Nari glanced at the guitarist then at the monitor she was looking at.
"Elder Agatha has enhanced psychic abilities. She was…what did Humans use to call them…" Marceline closed her eyes as she spoke, trying to recall a long lost past. "A medium? Someone who can read minds well. When I turned her, these abilities became vastly more powerful. So if the guards here have been manipulated, she can find out."
"Here it is…hrm he is just sitting there staring at the camera…" Keila tilted her head this way and that, examining the scene. "And the timestamp is for two hours ago."
"Pulling up the tunnel feed for that timestamp…" Nari lightly tapped her fingertips, watching and waiting for signs of anyone moving in the tunnel that shouldn't be there.
"This is odd…" Bonni whispered, watching her own monitor, pulling up the different feeds from several adjoining cars.
"What is it?" Keila leaned towards the princess, glancing at the video.
"Look here…see this?" The screen became garbled and distorted during certain segments as Bonni pointed it out. "And here…and here too…" She pulled up several camera feeds at once, each distorting at different times. "It's like something is causing interference as it passes in front of a camera, then the feed rights itself after whatever it is moves away. And these are successive feeds, all these angles lead from the dining car into the next two cars, then finally into the prisoner transport car."
"Good eye Bonni. See if you can find a camera shot with whoever that is, in it." Keila returned her attention to her monitor, rewinding what she had missed and sighing as the scene of the cell door being mangled was shown.
Marceline also sighed, lowering her head as she thought about the situation, feeling useless to really help. She was more of the brute force type, and right now all she could do was wait for to be called upon, having no name to match to the traitor on her train, and thus, no reason to go anywhere just yet.
Bonni glanced back at the vampire, feeling an uneasiness in the air around her girlfriend, feeling the slight frustration Marceline was dealing with. After tapping upon the keyboard for a few moments more, she quietly stood up and moved towards the door. "Uh-uhm…I…" She looked at Marceline and leaned close…"Restroom…" The princess whispered, blushing deeply.
"Uh…right ill take you. Be right back Nari, Keila…" The monarch opened the security door and headed out of the room, Bonni following close behind.
"Where are they going?" Keila mumbled, still watching the feed from the escape.
"Where do you think…hehe…You could have cut the tension with a knife and Bonni probably picked up on it as well." Nari snickered quietly as she fast-forwarded through her own footage.
"Ugh…honestly…" Keila placed her palm to her forehead, shaking her head as she also snickered quietly.
~~ooOOoo~~
Bonni waited while the vampire showed her to the corner of the hall, watching the tall, dark figure move and catching herself more than once watching the lower half of her lover's form, blushing at her lewd thoughts. As the couple reached the restroom and Marceline opened the door for her, Bonni pushed the vampire inside, herself slipping in behind..
"Huh?" Marceline twisted around, leaning back against the sink, but before she could ask just why she was in the restroom, her lips were covered by a pair of warm, pink ones as the princess pressed against her cool body. The kiss was deep and forceful as Bonni wrapped her lithe arms around the vampire's shoulders, pulling herself up upon her tip toes just to reach her lover's mouth.
Marceline was instantly confused as well as caught off guard by the motion, blinking rapidly as her princess kissed her with such passion. "M-mmm…mmm…" It took a moment to sink in just what was going on and as her red eyes rolled closed, her hands gently settled at the soft curves of her lover's hips, gripping them lightly as the couple enjoyed some privacy.
As Bonni leaned away, her warm tongue lightly licked the cool, gray lips, her fingertips slowly sifting through the dark, silken mane of hair as her cheeks lit up with a deep rose hued blush. "S-sorry…but you were so tense…I couldn't concentrate on what I was doing…are you…ok? Is something besides the obvious wrong?"
Marceline sighed, almost whimpering as the liplock was broken, looking like a puppy that had a toy taken away. "Everything…everything is going wrong…I…" Her strong shoulders slumped as Marceline hung her head, feeling ashamed of the events that had occurred so far. "I can't believe someone tried to kill you…and now all of this…I…I'm so sorry Bonni. I shouldn't have let you and the others come. I've put you in danger." She closed her eyes as her brow furrowed in frustration.
"Vampire…" Bonni touched her forehead to Marceline's , trying to comfort the distraught monarch. "Please don't blame yourself…you couldn't have known this was going to happen. It was so well hidden that no one saw it coming." She slowly stroked the back of her lover's neck. "We all knew the danger of coming to Charir Waere."
"Yes but not this kind of danger…a conspiracy? Some floopin' renegade vampire who we have no real idea who he is, what he wants, and now, where he is? And even worse, a traitor? On my own train?" Marceline gritted her teeth, feeling herself sink further into an agitated state. "It's an embarrassment…not only on my leadership but on my entire nation…" Her own fingertips pressed hard against Bonni's hips, making the princess cringe a bit at the slight discomfort.
"Shhh…shhh hey…hey?" Bonni prodded at the vampire's chin with her nose, nuzzling against the cool lips as she tried to get Marceline to calm down. "This was not your fault. Understand? Every nation has its problems, and again, you had no idea this was going to happen. No idea that anything even remotely like this was going to happen. You can't see the future too can you?" Her warm fingertips gently glided along the vampire's cool skin, brushing and pushing her chin upwards so their eyes could meet.
"I wish…" Marceline averted her gaze even though she lifted up her head. "I feel…I feel useless. Helpless. I basically can't do anything until I have some sort of name or something so I can go find this person. Or persons! We don't even globbin' know-?!" Again, the words were stopped as the princess took another hard, deep kiss from her lips, silencing her mild ranting.
Shhhh…stop it…hold me…Bonni focused her thoughts as she pinned Marceline against the restroom sink. The vampire sighed, fighting the sensation, not wanting to let go of her frustrations but also not wanting to let go of her lover either. In the end, Bonni won of course, Marceline not one to argue with being kissed and fondled into submission, the princess knowing just how to distract her, how to draw her out of her anger, how to pluck at her emotions until eventually the vampire caved.
"That is a dirty maneuver…I like it…" Marceline mumbled as she was allowed to speak again, her forked tongue flicking against her fangs as she hissed quietly. Her face was a deep shade of lavender, which she tried to immediately hide by pressing her nose against Bonni's neck.
"Mmmm…mmhmm…" Bonni half moaned out before she remembered they were in a semi public area and lowering her voice. She enjoyed the cold sensation against her warm, flushed skin, sighing happily as the vampire caressed and nipped along her neck. Vampire…nnnghm…In her mind, she was having another battle, the two parts of her brain fighting once more over whether or not to allow the impromptu make out session to continue, or to head back to the security room to help Keila and Nari.
She needs some comfort…r-right…? Mmm…I mean…Bonni's fingertips lightly stroked over the silken shirt Marceline was wearing, rubbing the vampires shoulders as she leaned back a bit, craning her neck so her lover could enjoy more of her warm skin. Feels so good…b-but Nari…Keila…we should help them…She could feel the light flickering of the forked tongue as it danced along her flesh, moving further and further down, causing her breath to catch in her throat. Y-yes…we should h-help…mmmm…The vampires' hands carefully began to tug and pull down the fabric of her blouse, exposing more of her warm skin as she gasped quietly and leaned further back. They will be f-fine without us…for a little bit…I…nnngh…so good…Just as Marceline had caved to her wishes, Bonni caved into the desires they both had as she let go of her inhibitions and let the vampire drive.
~~ooOOoo~~
Tap Tap Tap…
Bonni covered her mouth just as a loud moan was escaping, her hazed over eyes blinking in an embarrassed panic as the knock at the door disturbed the couple. She was leaning against the sink, her top unbuttoned and peeled back over her small shoulders, exposing the pink lace bra still hiding her breasts, for which she thanked Glob for.
Marceline was on her knees, kneeling before the princess, gently kissing and nipping at the warm skin of Bonni's midrif, teasing at the hem of the pink panties hiding under the skirt she wore, and as the tapping continued, the vampire growled deeply in annoyance, her red eyes glancing over her shoulder, glaring at the door. "This better be important…" She hissed, sighing as she looked up at her lover with a pitiful expression.
Bonni giggled quietly, shaking her head as her fingers sifted through the dark mane of hair, teasing at one of the vampire's pointed, sensitive ears.
"Sorry to disturb you…again…but you need to see this Marce, I think it's who we have been looking for…and you won't like it…" Keila spoke from the other side of the door, sounding slightly remorseful at disturbing her Queen for a second time, having felt what the two were up to before she even found the restroom they were in.
"Sigh…seems to be the theme this week, along with the 'I'm sorry Bonni' theme." Marceline lingered for a few more moments, not wanting to stop what she was doing, but, knowing they couldn't go through with the lewd act, she stood up and pulled the princess close, looking defeated.
"Oh vampire…such a face…" Bonni nuzzled against the cold lips before taking a small kiss. "To be continued…" She leaned away, giving Marceline the sexiest smirk she could before pulling her top back on and straightening out her clothes.
Marceline groaned dramatically as all she could do was watch the pink skin become hidden by the soft fabric once more, sulking as, when Bubblegum was done, she opened the door and the lovers headed back down the hall towards the security room.
For just those few, fleeting moments, the two girls felt like the teenagers they looked like, enjoying the reprieve from being leaders, wanting more of these moments to themselves but understanding the tremendous burden they both held upon their shoulders, the burden of leadership, which is why, when these moments presented themselves, they silently agreed to act upon them, taking the opportunity with both hands and not letting go until the absolute last moment, not knowing when the next moments of downtime would come.
Bonni took up a lock of the long, dark mane hanging messily from Marceline's shoulders, twirling it with her fingertips as she reflected upon everything, keeping pace with both vampires as they walked. She was starting to feel like her lover, wanting more of these intimate moments, and she wondered why. The princess understood they needed to focus on the situation, understood the gravity of it, but she couldn't completely focus, her mind always wandering back to her lover, to wanting to touch her constantly. Why can't I just…keep on task lately…is it because we…
Bubblegum's train of thought was broken when the large security door creaked open, the group heading inside to join Nari who was sitting at the center console now, smiling in greeting to the group as they entered. On the monitor was a vampire who looked slightly familiar, the face almost taking up the entirety of the video feed as it stared intently into the lens. "Isn't that…?"
"Mathiason. What is he doing?" Marceline asked as she looked at the monitor, confused as to what was going on.
"I have no idea, he is just staring into the camera." Keila answered, sounding like she was just as confused as Marceline was.
"Which car?" The monarch turned on her heels, moving back to the door.
"Uhm I believe that is live feed from the prison cell car Marci. What should we- Marci?" Nari had also been looking at the monitor, but as she answered the question, she heard the security door slide back into place as Marceline left the room without another word.
"Quick, pull up the feed from the opposite viewpoint. I want to see what happens when Marce gets there." Keila took a seat next to Nari, Bonni sitting on the Rainicorns' other side, and all three girls watched the monitor closely, as if they were watching a movie. "This ought to be good."
~~ooOOoo~~
Marceline quietly moved from car to car, trying to be subtle about everything as she made her way to the prisoner cell car. Mathiason…what is his game…he wouldn't be stupid enough to try a coup without an army to back him would he…? The thought drove the vampire to move faster, not that she believed it, but, this week anything is possible…
When she finally approached the cell car, she could feel that something was both very wrong, and very close by, and cautiously, she punched in the code to the security door, the heavy metal sliding open, allowing her access to the cell block. She looked down the hall, glancing at the debris from the mangled cell door, trying to find Mathiason or a sign of anyone being there, but all she could see was an empty hall. The vampire looked up at the wall, shrugging at the camera, knowing the girls would be watching, and took a few steps into the car.
With narrowed eyes, Marceline sniffed the air, and using her powers, she started to see the environ around her in a different way, tracking heat, or in this case, looking for a massive cold spot that would tell her just where the vampire was hiding, knowing full well he was probably invisible, having been alerted to someone coming when the door slid open. And she found it, standing at the far end of the corridor, not exactly trying to hide as it appeared to be looking back at her.
"Well well…" The gentle tone had all but vanished from the normally calm and collected Elder as he spoke. "I was wondering if you had caught on yet…or if you were still more interested in that half-breed girl passing herself off as a real princess to be paying attention." The man hissed menacingly as he faded into view, smirking and showing off his long fangs.
Marceline stood her ground, quietly watching the vampire, carefully drawing up her energy should he be looking for a face to face fight. She had a retort, but she wanted to draw this out, hoping the vampire would slip up and tell her what exactly he was hoping to accomplish.
"Nothing to say hmm? My how much you have changed since our glory days." Mathiason took a step towards his Queen, his hands clasped behind his long, heavy wool cloak that draped over his entire body, hiding anything he may have underneath.
"Glory days huh? Pfft…you talk about centuries past old man. Things change." Marceline folded her arms across her own trench coat, trying to sound annoyed instead of angry.
"Yes they do but things should change for the better! Not the worse! Look at how complacent you have become! You couldn't even sense the malice I harbored! Couldn't even detect the treachery in your midst!" He pointed at the monarch as he yelled, gritting and gnashing his teeth in frustration.
"Idiot. Things ARE better, much better now. We have food. We have recruits. We have a powerful kingdom. What are you even talking about." Marceline rolled her eyes closed as she spoke almost nonchalantly, wanting to anger the Elder into divulging more, hoping to whip him into a blathering rage, blinding him with her teenage angst while she milked him for information.
"Better!? BETTER!? How is this better!? We cannot do as we please like we used to! We used to kill who we wanted! When we wanted! Why are we in alliances with our FOOD! They are weak animals only fit to be slaughtered! We should be ruling this world!" The Elder sent out a blast of energy, losing his control as he started to rave at the Queen, throwing his fists into the air dramatically as he screamed in anger. "You are weak! Corrupted by your love for that half-breed girl! And the weak should not be leading the strong!"
The wave of energy sent the fabric of Marceline's clothes rippling against her strong body, her hair fluttering and flaring out behind her, but she didn't move, she didn't even flinch. Instead she sighed loudly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And then what. What happens when this mighty vampire scourge runs out of Humans to eat? What then genius? Eat the animals? Become ferals? Centuries ago we almost did run out of food, and if He would have kept on, we all would have been dead long ago with nothing left to feed on. Don't you get it?" Marceline snarled suddenly, sending out her own wave of energy, pushing the air forward and knocking the Elder back a few steps. "This way we live. The other way we die slowly and in chaos. Look beyond your meager IQ for a moment and think about it."
Mathiason blinked in confusion. "Wh-at…! Why are you at full power here!? You should be drained from the suppression runes! Rush come out and help me!" But no one answered as the Elder called for aid, leaving Mathiason only able to stare at his Queen in bewilderment to the situation.
"I see. So he was supposed to help you kill me and take over. And you lured me here, hoping the suppression runes would drain me. Is that it? Is that your whole stupid plan?" Marceline finally began to move, taking slow steps towards the male vampire, growling deeply as her eyes flared in anger. The air around her vibrated with power, shaking the metal walls and sending the debris from the destroyed door flying, the heavy steel slamming into the wall behind the Elder with a massive clang. "You don't even know do you."
"Know what! Stay away from me!" Mathiason tried to send his own wave of power out, but it was completely absorbed by the air surrounding the Queen. He cowered, feeling fear take over his senses as the glowing red eyes glared at him, through him, peering into his soul. "St-stay back!" In a desperate bid to escape, he lunged forward, lashing out with clawed hands.
Before he could make contact however, he felt a series of small, painful objects entering his back, burning into his cold flesh and exploding within his body. The Elder didn't hear the shots, nor did he see the person creeping up behind him, having entered from the opposite doorway; all he felt was the aftermath as he crumpled to the floor in absolute agony, writhing and screaming as he curled into a fetal position.
"Awww Gummy! Ruiner of my fun. That is your new title. Ruiner of all Fun." Marceline sighed, frowning at the butler as he came into view.
Charles smirked as he stepped closer, shaking the empty cartridges out of the large pistol he held. "I'll take that as a compliment Mistress." He was wearing something completely out of the ordinary from his normal attire; a black tactical vest covering a dark gray leather coat, the belts draped over it filled with extra shells for the weapon; and black combat pants that were tucked into heavy boots. Around his waist was a thick belt, upon which hung a pair of knives, the weapons immaculately designed with curved blades and elegant hilts. Slung over his shoulders was a small pack, the contents hidden in the secure pouches, which finished his outfit, and as he passed into some light, he looked down at the now disabled vampire, shaking his head. "Pity he lunged. I was hoping to simply whack him over the head."
"Yeah you whacked him all right. Will he live Vampire Hunter Gumball?" Marceline tilted her head, prodding the body with the heel of her boot, the vampire whining as she did.
"You know I hate that. And yes, he will live, for now. Those were only half power rune shots. Not having used this gun in such a long time, I didn't want to chance it and accidentally hit you." He looked at his Mistress, smiling as he holstered his weapon. "What now? Seems he had no idea this Rush was already gone from the train."
"Rush probably has his own agenda. Used this fool here to get into the capitol. Mark him please and secure him in a cell, he is done." As Marceline spoke, Savik entered the corridor from behind Charles, bowing his head as she gave out her orders and moving to collect the ex-Elder. The werewolf ripped off a sleeve from Mathiason's heavy cloak, exposing the vampire's arm and holding it outwards, all the while the ex-Elder writhed and yelled out in protest, fighting to pull his arm back.
Gummy leaned over, pulling something from his belt. The object was cylindrical and metallic, the ends flat and when Charles pressed one end against the vampire's flesh, the skin began to burn with a sickening hiss. When he pulled the object away, it left behind a mark, a rune, upon the vampire's skin, like a brand for cattle. "Done, powers sealed."
Savik man-handled the ex-Elder, picking him up roughly and shoving the vampire into an empty cell, then signaling to the security camera for the door to be closed. "If Rush was not going to play his part, why else would he go to the capitol?" The werewolf glanced at Charles then at Marceline as he spoke.
"Good question." Marceline sighed. "Gummy…" She looked to the butler.
"Yes Mistress, I will do my best in tracking him down. I request Marshal and Savik to accompany me." Charles looked up at the werewolf, the beast nodding in acknowledgement of the request.
"Granted. I want him captured. If not possible…destroy him. Soon as you can, establish communications with the security detachment that is supposed to be guarding my tunnel. For some reason the train isn't able to communicate outside properly. And Gummy…" Marceline made the werewolf and butler pause, both men already moving to leave. "If he is too powerful…"
"Do not worry Mistress, he would have to be on your level of power to possibly take on all three of us." Gumball bowed his head, and the two men left the monarchs side, heading off to find Marshal and begin their own mission.
As Marceline stood in the now empty corridor, she rubbed her temples and peered into Mathiason's cell. The ex-Elder was sitting upon the provided bench, glaring at her, his fingers trying to scratch away the rune seal on his arm. "Do you know what he is up to. You should tell me and save us all time."
"I don't care about that renegade outside of his agreement to aid me in my coup. Now that he has failed me in that regard, I care even less. I hope you kill him for his treachery." Mathiason was bitter and beaten, his head lowered in defeat.
"Just in case, Aggi will be along shortly to probe that skull of yours. And, by the way, if you do manage to scratch that seal off, you will instantly regret it. Hunter seals have ways of deterring Vampires from removing them…" Marceline hissed as she moved away, heading for the door and the security room beyond.
"How were you unaffected by the suppression runes!? HOW! My plan was flawless!" The vampire yelled out, but his words were met by silence, Marceline having already left the car. His gray eyes glared at the rune, his fingers continuing to scratch at his burned flesh until a part of the etching was worn away, the friction having peeled off a small bit of skin. He flinched, bracing for the deterrent that Marceline had warned him about, and after a moment of nothing, he cackled at his gullibility. Deterrent…hmpf…I'll be out of here soon and when I am I'll…I…."AaaaaaHHHHHHHH!"
The vampire began to scream as the flesh around the rune began to sear, the marking itself stretching outwards and looping around the man's forearm then suddenly, the bones began to twist and crack as the middle of his arm folded unnaturally. The motion was swift, but it felt like a lifetime was passing as it occurred, and when it ended, the seal was covered by flesh and bone, the rune twisting and mangling the vampire's arm upon itself to cover the marking, to deter him from further breaking the spell.
Mathiason peered at his deformed limb in horror and clutched it tight to his chest, whimpering as tears streamed down his face, the pain near unbearable as he cried out for help that would not come.