Happy Ending After All
Sometime later Simon emerged from his bathroom. "La de dah…" He hummed cheerfully. He was wearing his usual blue robe and crown but he was cleaner now. His white beard looked fluffier and bushier than ever. He practically danced around the room with a spring in his step he hadn't felt since he was a young man.
"Wak? Wenk."
"Oh all right. I'm coming, I'm coming!" Simon went to the door and unlocked it. He opened it to find Gunter and several penguins looking at him longingly.
"Sorry everyone," Simon apologized. "But Daddy really needed some alone time with your new Mommy. In fact Daddy is going to have a lot of alone time with your new Mommy."
"Wenk!" Gunter chirped happily. The other penguins chirped happily.
"There's going to be a lot of changes around here," Simon straightened himself. "First of all we have got to clean this castle! It's a mess! It has to be worthy of your new queen! Plus I am going to really work hard at being a better king. I couldn't have made it this far without all of you."
Simon let out a breath. "Seriously guys I know I've been a pain sometimes. I never wanted to hurt any of you. Can you forgive me for how I treated you?"
"Wenk wak…" Gunter hugged him. Which as you can imagine was penguin for. "Of course we forgive you. You're our king and we love you."
"Ohhh…I am so happy!" Simon sniffed crying tears of joy. The penguins happily lapped them up. Even Gunter who was supposed to be on a low salt diet.
"Hey Simon! You and Betty up for some visitors?" He heard Marceline call out from his window.
"Anytime is good for you Marcy!" Simon said cheerfully.
"Hey!" Marceline floated in wearing her sunhat and gloves. She was carrying a basket. Behind her were Finn and Jake riding Lady Rainicorn. Finn was also carrying some more items in a bag.
"Ice King! You're okay!" Finn called out cheerfully as they landed.
"Call me Simon please," Simon said warmly. "Yeah we're both fine. We just needed a little ice nap to get everything fixed up again."
"We?" Jake blinked. It was then Betty came out of the shower wearing her tiara and a blue bathrobe. "Betty? Is that you?"
"Hi everyone," Betty blushed a little bit. "It's me."
"Whoa!" Finn's jaw dropped. "Betty…You're the Ice Queen! She turned into the Ice Queen!"
"Well not yet. Technically," Betty told them. "But soon…Uh Simon?"
"Oh yes. Betty and I…" Simon held her hand and looked at her adoringly. "We're getting married! For real! I'm so happy!"
"Really? Hold on," Jake raised an eyebrow. He stretched over to Betty. "Hmm…No cursed jewelry…Other than the crown. Uh do you mind taking it off for a second?"
"Okay…" Betty blinked. She did so.
"Now do you want to marry the Ice King?" Jake asked.
"I'm marrying Simon," Betty corrected.
"Uh huh," Jake looked into her eyes. "It's okay. She's not cursed or possessed. Sorry Simon, no offense."
"None taken," Simon shrugged. "Quite frankly with all the stunts I've pulled I'd be more surprised if you weren't suspicious."
"Which reminds me," Simon turned to Finn. "Finn…Thank you. Thank you for making sure I didn't hurt anyone when I was…You know?" He made the crazy motion with his hand next to his head.
"No problem Simon," Finn said. "I'm sorry I had to get rough on you at times."
"Eh I deserved it," Simon waved. "But that part of my life is over now."
"It better be," Betty smirked as she gave him a kiss. She put her tiara on again.
"This is great! Simon and Bee together again!" Finn laughed. He impulsively gave both of them a hug.
"Group hug!" Jake called out. He and Marceline got in on the hug too. Then Lady Rainicorn. Then Gunter and the other penguins.
Simon felt tears leak out of his eyes. "Sorry…" He sniffed. "I'm kind of emotional today. The last few weeks I've been through an emotional wringer. I mean I'm never going to be completely sane. I know I still feel a little nuts but I've got my memories back. Well a lot of my memories back anyway. The important ones. I'm me again! I haven't had that in so long…"
"We're all a little nuts Simon," Marceline gave him a look. "So what?"
"Yeah but I got my doctorate on being nuts from Nutty University," Simon groaned. "Magna Summa Cum Nutter!"
"Someone told me once that it's a crazy world," Marceline smiled. "So why not be a little crazy?"
"Thank you…All of you," Simon sniffed and let a tear leak from his eye. "Oh Glob I just remembered is that stupid war going on or…?"
"Oh right you don't know what happened," Finn realized as everyone pulled out of the hug. "Well after you saved the world and all there was still some fighting going on with a few wizards and some crazy soldiers."
"Yeah but my buddy and I took care of most of those fools," Jake nodded. "There are currently several wizards now in the Candy Kingdom dungeon wearing anti-magic bracelets. Until they go on trial. And they rebuild Wizard Jail."
"Then we had to go back to what was left of the Ark and free everyone there, including Jason, Big D and BMO," Finn went on. "Again Jake and I persuaded the soldiers to see reason. With a little help from Princess Bubblegum."
"Peebles had a really good argument and a really big jawbreaker gun," Marceline snickered. "I'll show you the tape I got from the Ark's security cameras. It's funny."
"BMO got a little dinged up in the fight but he's already repaired," Finn said. "He's a tough little dude."
"Peppermint Butler got away. And a few other wizards disappeared. But they ain't gonna be bothering us again anytime soon," Jake added.
"Apparently Ash and his buddies killed off the Grand Wizard and the entire wizard council," Marceline explained. "They also wrecked Wizard City."
"For once I didn't trash the place," Simon groaned.
"Huntress Wizard is in charge for now until things get settled down," Marceline explained. "They need to elect a new council out of the survivors. I sent some of my vampire minions to help her out and keep things in order a bit."
"Stormo is going to be okay," Finn said. "He's going to be the Candy Kingdom's new guardian. And best of all now we can hang out together!"
"Remember Rattleballs? He got officially pardoned for his fighting in the attack and he's now Bubblegum's personal guard," Jake added.
"What about the humans?" Betty asked.
"Colonel Booker is in charge now and he called off that stupid attack," Finn told him. "He and Jason are going to lead the remaining humans."
"Remaining?" Betty frowned.
"Between Damon going cuckoo bananas, the General's attack, Goliad, the knife storm and the wizards a lot of soldiers and scientists died," Jake said.
"Good riddance," Marceline snorted. "Sorry Finn but most of those jerks deserved it, even if they were human."
"How many are left?" Simon asked.
"About fifty six," Finn sighed. "Most of them are the scientists. I think about twenty something are soldiers including Jason and Big D. Oh yeah and Colonel Booker."
"Fifty six people left out of…" Betty shook her head. "What a waste."
"Tim and Sandy are still alive as well as Carter and Briggs," Jake spoke up.
"You know that big space station that fell out of the sky?" Finn said.
"The one I shot down? I remember," Simon raised an eyebrow.
"You didn't really blow it up as much as knocked it down," Jake explained. "Bomb just knocked it out of orbit so…"
Finn explained. "It landed on the outskirts of the grasslands and northeast of the Haunted Swamp. They're going to combine that and the Ark to make it a place where they can live."
"It's been decided the humans will have part of the grassland and the tree area above the Haunted Swamp and are calling it the Human Territory," Marceline explained.
"There weren't exactly a lot of people living in that area anyway," Jake explained. "And our tree house is going to be between the Human Territory and the Candy Kingdom. I guess we're going to be like border guards as well as ambassadors or something."
"Bubblegum is going to help the remaining scientists set up a hydroponic farm where they can grow crops," Finn went on. "She also thinks she can make some of the Unknown Lands habitable again with her science stuff."
"I have no doubt about that," Simon smirked. "Wait I know where that is! That's near the Ice Kingdom's Eastern border."
"They're not going to take your land but they do kind of need water so…" Jake scratched his head. "Bubblegum says she needs your help to make a lake or something for them."
"Of course, of course," Simon sighed. "It's the very least I can do after all the destruction the crown caused."
"The destruction Sifine and Damon caused," Marceline corrected. "Bubblegum wants you to come as the Ice King to help sign a treaty between the kingdoms."
"I'm not looking forward to that," Simon sighed. "I know how much everyone hates me."
"Come on Simon," Finn said. "Nobody hates you. Okay they hate the stupid stuff you used to do but that wasn't your fault."
"Yeah it was that evil spirit in the crown that made you crazy," Jake nodded. "But everybody gets that now. BMO's been showing that tape about what happened to you nonstop so everyone saw it and understands it wasn't your fault."
"But I'm still responsible for what I did," Simon sighed.
"You were responsible for saving the world," Marceline told him.
"Yeah you were amazing!" Finn said excitedly.
"The way you used your ice powers to coat that bomb and then send it out to outer space! That was wild!" Jake admitted.
"What about the way you handled Goliad? Took her down without a sweat! I knew you really didn't need me to finish her off. You were just throwing me a bone! And how you put the fires out of the Candy Kingdom!" Finn waved. "Oh and the fight you had with Ash and Marceline's Dad! That was epic!"
"Not to mention how you took out Damon! I had no idea you knew so many moves!" Jake admitted.
"Ugh. If it wasn't for that ice nap I took I'd be sore for months," Simon groaned. "I do not want to go through that again! Leave the adventuring and fighting to you youngsters. I'll take life with Betty and playing with penguins any day!"
"Oh I forgot the best part!" Finn realized. "Jason says that there may be more humans scattered around the world in pods! And some others in outer space like the Ark! So there may be more humans coming after all! And I'm going to be the official ambassador between the humans and the Candy Kingdom."
"Great, more humans. Just what we need," Simon rolled his eyes. "No offense Finn but after what happened I'm suddenly pretty glad I'm an ice wizard."
"Don't be cranky, darling," Betty kissed Simon on the cheek.
"I'm old. I'm allowed to be cranky," Simon told her.
"Well what does that make me?" Betty gave him a look.
"You aren't old. You are my beautiful young fiancé," Simon grinned.
"Simon being frozen in stasis didn't stop me from having birthdays, just celebrating them," Betty said. "I'm only nine years younger than you."
"Still younger and still more beautiful," Simon smiled.
"And speaking of which we got you some clothes Betty," Marceline took out some packages. "We weren't sure what you wanted to wear so we got you a few things for now. But I found this one dress I think is perfect for you."
"Wait. Is that your dress on the bed?" Finn noticed something. "Why is this dress shredded?" Finn picked it up.
"Uh we had a little accident," Simon gulped. He couldn't stop blushing.
"Claws you know?" Betty blushed too. "Still getting used to them. Silly me. Ha ha…"
"You sly dog," Marceline snickered and elbowed Simon in the side.
"Huh? Ohhhhhh," Jake snickered. "I get it!"
"Get what?" Finn blinked.
"So that's why you insisted we take our time and get all that stuff for Betty?" Jake grinned.
"What do you mean?" Finn didn't understand.
"I'll explain later," Jake snickered.
"Wenk, wenk…" Gunter raised her little penguin eyebrows suggestively then hugged herself, making smooching noises.
"Ooohhh," Finn blinked. "Oh I get it! You and Bee were having some smooching time! Tier Two right?"
"Two? Yeah right," Marceline scoffed. "More like Tier…"
"Uh I think it's time you helped Betty get dressed!" Simon interrupted. He steered Marceline and Betty to the bathroom.
Lady Rainicorn indicated she was going too. When the women went for the bathroom Simon turned around and looked at Jake. Jake was grinning manically. "What?" Simon snapped.
"Nothing," Jake grinned.
"Is there something going on I don't know about?" Finn blinked. Jake was giggling. "O-Kay…"
"If you're done giggling like an idiot…" Simon glared at Jake. "We'd better get ready to meet Princess Bubblegum and everyone else. Again, I'm not looking forward to it."
"Don't worry Simon," Jake waved. "It'll be fine. Oh hey I almost forgot. We got sandwiches for you and Betty to eat. You know, because you worked up such an appetite. He he…"
"Well yeah Jake," Finn said as he unpacked some sandwiches from a basket. "After saving the world and spending three days in an ice cocoon that would make anyone hungry."
Jake and Simon looked at each other. "Right. That's what I was talking about," Jake said without a trace of irony.
"You really need to have a talk with that boy," Simon told Jake in a quiet voice. In a louder voice he said. "Honey! Finn and Jake brought sandwiches! When you get dressed then we'll eat."
"Yeah everyone back at the Candy Kingdom is chilling out so they can wait a few hours," Jake nodded.
"I know! We can all eat in my dining room! Wait…Do I have a dining room?" Simon asked Gunter. "You know what? Never mind. We'll eat here. That's all I need to do is relax and have a good meal with good friends and…"
"What's wrong Simon?" Finn asked as Simon stopped talking.
"Wait a second," Simon blinked. "You said something earlier about BMO showing a tape to everyone. What tape?"
