Another New Beginning
"Please love me again Betty!"
"Holy…" Tim's eyes widened when he saw the video BMO was playing. "So that's the whole story!" Several humans, princesses and other Candy People were watching BMO.
"Every time I see it, it gets sadder than ever!" LSP sobbed. "Like totally tears at your heart you know?"
"No wonder the Ice King was so crazy," Wildberry Princess sniffed. "I'd go crazy too if my heart was broken like that."
All of the surviving humans had been brought to the Candy Kingdom. The injured were being tended to in the hospital while the non-injured survivors milled about in the courtyard. Some looked like they were in shock. Others were tentatively talking to Candy People. A few looked around in true wonder.
Stormo lay outside, with bandages over his wounds. He allowed Candy Children to lovingly pet him and play with his tail.
There were rows of bodies covered by sheets in a field. Candy People, Marauders and a few wizards were tending to them. "Such a waste," Jason shook his head as he looked at the sight. "Even more of our soldiers died in the final moments of the battle with the wizards. Only a handful survived. Instead of looking for cover they decided it was better to go out fighting and take out…"
"I'm sorry," Princess Bubblegum said softly. She was standing by a table outside with Colonel Booker and several Candy People, Huntress Wizard and some of her wizards, several other princesses and other humans. She had changed into her pink jacket and pink tights with pink boots. "I never wanted this. No one wanted this."
"Not your fault Princess," Huntress Wizard grumbled. "Then again it's not all their fault either. Stupid Ash."
"How bad are the damages to Wizard City?" Bubblegum asked.
"Worse than we thought. Wizard City is totally trashed," Huntress Wizard groaned. "All the protection spells are gone. Nearly all our supplies are either damaged or destroyed. The buildings aren't the problem. We can use our magic to restore them to what they were before. That's nothing. However more than half the wizards in Ooo were either killed or part of Ash's takeover."
"That's awful," Bubblegum gasped. "I know we captured thirty five enemy wizards and some of them were originally from Wizard Jail. But still…"
"We think at least twenty five wizards escaped, but we're not sure," Life Giving Magi told her. "Kind of haven't finished counting up the bodies you know?"
"But the ones that did escape were powerful and some of them were high up in wizard society. It's going to be a long time before the wizard community is able to restore itself," Huntress Wizard sighed. "Humans aren't the only species that got decimated during that whole mess."
"There was extensive damage to the Candy Kingdom as well," Bubblegum said. "Most of the civilians were spared. They had already taken shelter from the Sword Storm. But my Banana Guard was all but wiped out. And my Gumball Guardians have to be rebuilt from scratch."
"Your castle and the kingdom are trashed too," Huntress Wizard noted the damage.
"Yeah well that happens every other week," Bubblegum waved. "We're kind of used to that around here."
"Some advanced species we are," Jason sighed. "Keep making the same stupid mistakes."
"All our species made the same stupid mistakes," Huntress Wizard pointed out. "So you guys don't have a monopoly on destructiveness anymore."
"Well this time we're going to learn from them! So according to the treaty humans will give up their guns, missiles and nuclear weapons," Colonel Booker read. "Not that we have that many left in the first place."
"You won't be completely defenseless," Bubblegum said. "You can still have swords, bows and arrows, spears, candy blasters, jawbreaker bazookas, gum blasters…"
"Basically those are mostly guns that shoot candy," Colonel Booker blinked.
"Pretty much yes," Bubblegum nodded.
"Big D has no problem with this," Big D admired his new sword. "Oh yeah, Big D can get used to fighting with a sword."
"Besides regular guns and bombs don't exactly work well against most of the things that want to attack us anyway," Colonel Booker shrugged.
"It's for the best. We can't be trusted with weapons that destructive. The Ice King was right," Jason sighed. "Humans do have a sickness. And we almost did destroy the world again."
"Humans aren't completely to blame for what happened," Bubblegum shook her head. "I created Goliad out of my own DNA. She had my own ambitions and dark desires within her. And I should have taken more permanent steps to stop her sooner than this. Peppermint Butler was my butler therefore my responsibility. I knew about his dark affiliations but just assumed he had them under control. I didn't exactly keep tabs on him and left him to his own devices. I've heard rumors about the wizards having internal problems for years but ignored them. And the crown…Well that was just nuts. Even I couldn't do anything about that."
"You sure we can't destroy that stupid thing?" Jason snarled.
"Positive. We need the water melted from the Ice Kingdom," Bubblegum said. "Besides Marceline expelled the evil presence in the crown and Hunson Abedeer ate it so…It should be okay now."
"Yeah but what's this I heard about it splitting in two?" Jason asked.
"And where's Betty? I haven't seen her for days!" Sandy spoke up. "Where is she?"
"Uh I believe Marceline is going to bring her by very…" Bubblegum gulped. Then she saw Finn and the others flying in. "Oh good. Finn, Ice King you're here. Where's…HOLY SHMOWWW!"
Flying in with Jake and the others were Simon and Betty. Betty had changed into a slender blue ball gown, not as poofy as her fictional counterpart. She also wore blue ice shoes, her pointed gold choker with the red gem in the center, a gold bracelet on her right wrist and of course her crown. Although she was flying using her now gigantic eyebrows and hair, she still held onto Simon by the arm because she was still unused to flying on her own.
"Oh my Glob!" LSP spoke up. "Is that Betty? Oh my Glob! She's the Ice Queen! Betty has totally turned into the Ice Queen! Dramaaaaaaa Bomb!"
Simon frowned as he saw the reactions of the humans. Shock, horror, in more than one case down right revulsion. "What did you do to her?" Jason snarled at him.
What can I say? Simon thought to himself. I turned her into an ice freak like myself so she wouldn't die and I would never be alone again. Okay technically it was the tiara and the crown but I let it happen…
Fortunately Betty saved him. Yet again. "He didn't do anything to me," Betty said as they landed. "Except save my life."
"Change her back!" Sandy shouted at him.
If I could do that don't you think I would have by now? Or changed myself? Simon thought bitterly.
Before he could say anything Betty once again stepped in. "There's no changing back. I wanted this."
"You wanted to be…?" Sandy was stunned.
"With Simon," Betty finished. "And now we can be together. It's not as bad as it looks. Okay days at the beach and going to a sauna are pretty much out of the question but still…"
"Oh man that is…" Carter sniffed. "So freaking romantic man!"
"It's like a freaking fairytale," Briggs sniffed too. "A real fairytale right here in front of our eyes."
"It's beautiful man," Carter nodded.
Well at least somebody isn't against this, Simon thought to himself.
"Hmm…Looks like we got one more wizard now," Huntress Wizard smirked.
"Wizard? You did say wizard right?" Jason did a double take.
"Oh yeah," Betty turned to Colonel Booker. "Uh…I'm gonna marry Simon and move in with him and be the Ice Queen. So uh, I guess I'm resigning. 'Kay?" She giggled a bit at the end.
Take that and stuff it where the sun don't shine jerks! Simon thought to himself as he saw the faces of the humans. He was particularly happy at Jason's stunned face.
"A royal wedding! A real royal wedding! EEEEEEE!" Carter and Briggs jumped up and down with joy.
"Oh get a grip you two!" Jason snapped.
"Big D knew it," Big D groaned. "This is Tracy and Karen all over again."
"Shut up Big D!" Jason glared at him.
Simon smiled then saw Bubblegum. "Princess…" He lowered his head, truly contrite. "I'm so sorry…I…I never wanted to hurt anyone. Most of all you. I wish I could take back every stupid selfish…"
"It's not your fault," Bubblegum told him. "You were a victim too."
"But I'm still responsible," Simon said.
"I think you fought harder than you realize," Colonel Booker said. "Look what happened to Damon when he put on the crown. From what I've seen it takes a man of strong will to control the crown under the best of circumstances."
"He's right. You could have easily covered the entire world in ice long ago," Bubblegum realized. "But you didn't. Somehow you fought that impulse. And you brought balance to the world instead of destruction. That's no small feat."
"Well…" Simon sighed. He looked at Colonel Booker. "Colonel…I am so sorry for what my penguins did. I never meant…"
"Don't be," Colonel Booker waved. "Barton and Damon never should have taken you in the first place. They started the war. Any loss of life and damage is on their hands. Not the penguins. They were just trying to save you and their friends."
"And the penguins didn't kill as many people as the wizards and Goliad," Big D groaned. "Again part of that was the general."
"That's not all the damage that was done," Simon sighed. "I'm sorry for what happened with the crown. I'm so…so sorry."
Jason let out a breath. "That wasn't your fault. We should have seen the warning signs and left it alone. It was Damon and his lust for power that…Well. You can figure out the rest."
"It seems I'm the only one who's stuck with this power," Simon let out a breath.
"Ahem," Betty gave him a look.
"Sorry dear," Simon smiled and kissed her on the cheek. "Anyway I'm going to make sure that in the future the power of the crowns do as little damage as possible and do more good. Staring with helping you make that lake near your new home."
"Look everybody," Finn spoke up. "Bad things happened. And we can't change that. But we can change how we fix things. Jake and I will teach you all how to live and get along in Ooo. Once you see there's nothing to be afraid of you'll love it here."
"You're just a kid!" Carol grumbled. "What do you know?"
"More than you think. I'd listen to this boy if I were you," Simon spoke up. "He's a good kid. You won't find a more noble heart anywhere on Ooo."
"Then it's settled," Bubblegum spoke up. "We'll have an official treaty signing allocating the designated area as the Human Territory at the border of the Ice Kingdom and the humans' new home. It will be a self-governing body independent like the other kingdoms."
"But it's not going to be a kingdom?" Huntress Wizard asked.
"Let's just say it's a unique situation and leave it at that," Colonel Booker groaned. "After what happened with Barton I don't think we're ready for just one guy to have complete power again."
"Booker and I will share power and make up a committee when we get more survivors," Jason said. "It may not be as efficient as having a single leader but…"
"I see where you are going with this," Huntress Wizard nodded. "That might not be such a bad idea for us Wizards as well."
"Not to mention we need more diplomacy and interaction with non-magic users," Abracadaniel spoke up.
"He's right," The wizard known as Ron John spoke up. "For years we thought we were immune to the problems of the world by keeping it outside. But the biggest threat to us all was the troubles on the inside."
"I think it would benefit the Candy Kingdom if we had an ambassador from the Wizard Community as well," Bubblegum announced. "I've seen for myself what can happen when one holds their views a little too rigidly and doesn't allow themselves to look at another point of view. Even though I prefer science, a great many of my people believe in magic. I can't ignore their point of view any longer."
"Especially after that fight you had with the Lord of the Nightosphere," Marceline whispered to Simon. "Even Bonnie couldn't brush aside that!"
"I know that battle scared me shirtless," Briggs shuddered.
"The whole crown incident scared the shirt off my back," Carter groaned.
"After the treaty is signed the official wedding of the Ice King to the new Ice Queen Betty will commence," Bubblegum said. "This joyous union will signify a new era of peace."
"As in, we princess are finally gonna get some peace from the Ice King!" LSP whispered to Flame Princess.
"You can get a wedding done in one day?" Sandy blinked.
"He's been preparing a wedding for over a thousand years. Only thing he needed was a bride," LSP scoffed. "And not for lack of trying."
"Again…Sorry about that," Simon scratched his head sheepishly. "Won't happen again."
"It better not," LSP grumbled.
"I'll get the message out to all the other kingdoms in Ooo," Bubblegum said. "It shouldn't take them long to respond."
"Just exactly how many kingdoms are there?" Jason asked.
"Quite a few," Bubblegum said. "To be fair some are a lot smaller than others."
"Yeah there's the Grocery Kingdom, Breakfast Kingdom, Slime Kingdom, Hot Dog Kingdom…" Finn counted off.
"Hot Dog Kingdom?" Big D blinked. "There's a kingdom for hot dogs?"
"There's only like five of them including the princess so…" Jake shrugged.
"I can have my band play at the reception," Marceline spoke up. "The Scream Queens would love the gig."
"Scream Queens?" Jason asked. "Wait you're in a band as well as being the vampire queen?"
"They are like the coolest band ever," LSP snorted.
"So…Peace?" Simon asked Colonel Booker tentatively holding out his hand.
"Peace," Colonel Booker shook it. He winced slightly at how cold Simon's hand was.
"Sorry. You know the saying," Simon retracted his hand. "Cold hands, warm heart."
"Today is a good day. A new day of peace and tranquility in Ooo," Bubblegum said proudly. "A day of calm celebration and…"
"EVERYBODY RUN! RUN FOR IT!" Jake Jr. yelled from a distance.
"Aw geeze," Bubblegum groaned as Jake's pups burst in. "What now?"
"You humans got to get to cover fast!" TV called out. "They're coming!"
"Who's coming?" Colonel Booker asked.
(Oh no…) Lady Rainicorn saw something in the distance as she poked her head out the tent. (Why now?)
"Who? What? What's going on?" Jason asked.
"Hey look at all the unicorns flying in the sky," A soldier pointed to the sky.
"Those are rainicorns dude," Finn said. He did a double take. "RAINICORNS! HEAD FOR COVER!"
"Oh geeze I forgot about the rainicorns!" Bubblegum yelled. "A lot of rainicorns think human flesh is a delicacy!"
"WHAT?" Every human (except for Finn) yelled at the same time.
"Take cover! Everybody take cover!" Finn ordered as he readied his sword. Many humans fled for their lives.
"Simon…" Betty gulped.
"Don't worry! They don't eat wizards," Simon prepared his frost blasts. "We taste terrible."
"So that's another bonus to being an Ice Queen," Betty smirked as she made an ice shield over several humans.
Soon rainicorns were flying everywhere trying to eat the humans. Fortunately they were being kept away by Simon and Betty's frost blasts, Finn's sword play, Jake's stretch powers and the other wizards helping out.
"So unicorns eat humans? Are you kidding me?" Carter yelled.
"Well that cures any infatuation I ever had with those things as a kid!" Sandy yelled.
"That was one of the reasons for the Dog Rainicorn Wars a long time ago," Jake explained. "Dogs didn't want the rainicorns to eat up the remaining humans."
"Oh the dogs wanted to save them," Finn nodded.
Jake paused. "Yeah save them. Right. That is the truth. Technically…" He whistled before knocking back a rainicorn from Finn. "But that reason gave way when it was believed most humans were extinct!"
"And now it's going to start again! Got it!" Big D growled as he fought a rainicorn using his sword and the rainicorn used its horn. "Back off Horn Head! Big D is nobody's lunch!"
(Mom! Dad! Stop it! Knock it off!) Lady Rainicorn snapped when she saw her parents. (You can't just fly over and eat them! You know how I feel about eating endangered species!)
"But they taste so good!" Bob the Rainicorn protested through his translator. "Come on! Just a few nibbles on a weak one?"
"Wait, she's a rainicorn and she's helping us?" Jason realized.
"Yeah Mom doesn't believe in eating sentient life forms," Jake Jr. explained. "And we're half dog so…"
"What about you Candy People? Do they eat you too?" Jason asked.
"No, Candy People are considered too sweet," Bubblegum explained. "Ironically rainicorns are one of the few species that don't like to eat my people."
"Let me get this straight," Big D gave her a look. "Humans taste better than candy? Seriously? What kind of messed up world is this?"
"Great we barely survive World War Four and now we're going to be eaten by flying unicorns!" Carol screamed as she hid in one of the candy buildings. "I HATE THIS PLACE!"
"Place? That's it! I have a plan! I need to get to the Crystal Dimension and fast!" Simon shouted.
"I can take you there in no time!" TV called out.
"Do it! BRB!" Simon called out as he held onto TV. TV teleported away with Simon.
"Where's he going?" Jason yelled as he used a sword to fight off a rainicorn.
"You heard him! He has a plan!" Betty said as she froze the rainicorn fighting Jason.
"Oh that makes everything better!" Jason rolled his eyes.
(Rainicorns stop your attack! Please!) Lady Rainicorn called out. (Don't you realize that humans are not only sentient but an endangered species? Where is your compassion?)
"It took a vacation when we got hungry," A rainicorn spoke through another translator.
"Besides we're not going to eat all of them," Bob admitted. "Just a couple."
"Uh hello? Grandpa! Uncle Finn is human! Remember?" Charlie barked angrily.
"You can't eat family! Seriously guys that's just plain rude," Jake Jr. folded her arms.
"Okay first of all, Finn is adopted so technically he's not a blood relative," Bob began.
(He is still Jake's brother and since Jake is the father of my children…) Lady Rainicorn gave her father a look. (Did you or did you not tell me that family must be put first?)
"Okay fine! Nobody eat the kid with the white bear hat! Are you happy? How's that for a compromise?" Bob asked.
"NO!" Everyone shouted.
A loud neigh was heard. "Oh great! More flying unicorns that want to eat us!" Jason groaned as he saw several more rainicorns emerge from a portal.
"Hold on a second…" Jake saw something. "Who's that with the Ice King and TV?"
"Okay that's enough!" Simon flew in with a long black familiar looking rainicorn and landed on the ground. "Everybody listen up! Your king has something he wants to say!"
"You're the king of the unicorns?" Big D blinked.
"No, dummy! He is!" Simon pointed "Lord Monochromicorn."
"WHAT?" Everyone from Ooo shouted.
"Wait Lord Monochromicorn is real?" Finn's jaw dropped. "I thought he was one of your crazy messed up fan fiction characters?"
"No, I met him centuries ago when I was taking a little walkabout between dimensions," Simon waved. "Funny story…you see…"
"Not now Ice King!" Bubblegum interrupted, exasperated. "Wait he's the leader of the Rainicorns?"
"Yeah all royal rainicorns are only one color," Simon explained. "His full name is Ebon Notte Monochromicorn but you get the idea."
"Lady you never told me that this guy was real!" Jake did a double take. "Why didn't you tell that the Ice King didn't make him up?"
(Honestly I always assumed you knew,) Lady shrugged. (A lot of people write about famous royal leaders.)
A rainicorn with pink, blue, orange and green stripes landed down and started speaking as Lord M stomped his hooves. "What?" Colonel Booker blinked.
"He says his name is Fred and he's Lord Monochromicorn's official translator," Jake explained.
"So we need a translator for the translator?" Jason blinked.
"Oh you speak English. I know that speech. Very well…" The rainicorn spoke with a heavy Korean accent. "Lord Monochromicorn has decreed that all species on endangered species list are forbidden to eat. That includes humans. Furthermore, all humans are now forbidden to eat for any reason."
"Oh come on!" Bob protested.
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
"IT IS FORBIDDEN!" Fred snapped angrily. Lord M snorted and made a very angry noise that made the rainicorns tremble.
"He's on our side too?" Jason blinked. "Why?"
"You see when Lord M was only a colt his life was saved by humans," Simon explained. "However his parents ate his saviors and his dad stuffed one of their heads on his wall. Traumatized the poor guy I'll tell you that much."
Simon looked at the rainicorns. "So hear that? Humans are off the menu!"
"Well can we at least eat the dead ones?" Another rainicorn asked using a translator.
"NO!" Everyone else shouted.
"Can't you just eat soy people meat? I mean it tastes exactly like humans and it's really good," Finn asked.
"You've eaten something that tastes like humans and you think it tastes good?" Colonel Booker did a double take.
"Well yeah but it wasn't really alive or anything. I think," Finn scratched his head. "Soy people aren't alive are they?"
"Depends on your definition of living," Jake said. "I mean carrots are technically alive but…"
"Hey! I have a cousin who's a carrot," Princess Wildberry protested.
"Not talking carrots," Jake explained. "Regular carrots."
"Oh yeah those. Yeah those are different," Princess Wildberry admitted. "Even my cousin has eaten those."
"Your cousin the carrot eats carrots?" Big D blinked. "Big D has heard the phrase you are what you eat but this is ridiculous!"
"Who'd have thought those stories you've been writing for twenty five years had some truth in them?" Betty shook her head.
"Hey all good fiction has some truth so…" Simon shrugged.
"Hold on you've been writing Fiona and Cake stories for twenty five years but Finn's only…"Jake's jaw dropped.
"Dude don't think about it too much," Finn groaned. "It'll make your brain hurt."
"Wait a second…" Jake Jr. realized something. "Ice King you've told us that the crown gives you visions right?"
"Uh yeah, sometimes," Simon blinked.
"And now the Ice Queen is real and it turns out Lord M was real all the time…" Jake Jr. frowned and thought.
"Where are you going with this Jake Jr.?" Jake asked.
"Dad what if those lame fan fictions the Ice King writes aren't really fan fictions but visions of the future?" Jake Jr. asked.
"What? You saying there could be a Fiona and Cake after all?" Finn's jaw dropped.
"Who…?" Colonel Booker asked.
"Long story," Bubblegum sighed. "So Fiona could be someone we've yet to meet or even…" Everyone looked at Finn.
"What?" Finn asked.
"Finn? What if this Fiona turns out to be your wife? Or even weirder, your daughter?" Bubblegum asked. "I mean it's very highly possible that I would create an heir and call him Gumball so…"
"Okay let's get off the crazy train now!" Finn called out. "My mind is blown enough for one day!"
"I second the motion!" Carter groaned as he crawled out from under the table.
"I still don't understand what you people are talking about," Colonel Booker groaned. "And why do I have the feeling that is going to be a very common feeling?"
"Welcome to Ooo Colonel Booker," Bubblegum sighed.
