Chapter XII - On A Decline

Finn's face turned sour upon hearing such a request from none other than Princess Bubblegum. Just imagining what Marceline would think just by hearing that too. He thought to himself, then looked at the Princess. The room grew cold, but that's because he had no shirt on, and exhaustion was taking him over at this point. He shook his head again, giving it another double take.

"No, I will not." Finn said to Princess Bubblegum very sternly. She grew frustrated, and sat on top of her desk. "Why is that?" Bubblegum asked. She stared cold into his low and tired eyes. Finn arched his eyebrows once more. "I think it's very self explanatory." Finn said, about to head for the door. Princess Bubblegum took the glass vase from her desk and threw it at the door, narrowly missing Finn's head. Finn shot his head back around, in shock and anger. "Are you fucking demented?" He asked grimly. "Well you tell me! You're like the only human in the Land of Ooo, male that is, that could help me get rid of our family curse, for good." Princess said as she approached him, placing her hands on Finn's shoulders. "Please..? I'll repay you in full.. please?" She got in his face. He choked up a little bit, finding the words and courage to decline her rather odd and ambitious request. Finn closed his eyes, then opens them again. He brought his hands to hers, and took them off his shoulders. He looks her in the eyes again.

"No Princess. I will not. I'm leaving." Princess Bubblegum stared at him. Finn turned around and reached for the doorknob. He opens the door, but it gets slammed shut by Bubblegum, blocking the entrance with her body, she comes slowly desperate and it becomes noticeable. "You're going to help me." She said softly, looking at the ceiling. Finn held the door knob still. "Get away from the door." Finn uttered. "I want to get home." "Make me.." Princess Bubblegum said back. "You are acting like a little kid. Something that's rare to see in you." Finn said as he pulled on the doorknob, the door moved only a little bit. Finn feels tiny feet crawl down from the back of his neck to his feet. Finn's anger grows with each passing second. "Princess, I do not want to get angry. Allow me to leave at once.." Finn said as he grips the doorknob, the once cold knob becoming warm, signaling Finn's impending frustration.

"Aid me on this task first, and then I will let you leave." Princess Bubblegum raised her voice. "NO!" Finn shouted. He rattled the doorknob. She took his hand off the doorknob and blocked the doorknob instead. Finn bawled his fists up as he stepped back, near her desk. Refraining from using physical actions, he stepped back for that reason. Veins on his arms were slowly bulging. "You can't fucking force me to fuck you, just for a damn family curse to be cured." Princess Bubblegum cocked an eyebrow and smiled. "Oh! Is that so?!" Finn had a slight muscle spasm in his left arm. Overly exhausted, he took a deep breath. Princess Bubblegum reached into her lab coat, and took out a small tube, and proceeded to place it upon her lips. Just before she could possibly sedate Finn, Marceline appears in her face, she blew the dart and it pierces halfway into her hand. She had glowing red eyes, showing rage, but had been suppressed. Marceline looked at the dart that was in her hand. Princess Bubblegum widened her eyes, with her eyebrows arched and in shock. For a split second, she was speechless.

"That's cute Bonnibel." Her tone was deep enough to show intimidation." She took the dart out of her hand. "I never thought you would stoop this low all for a cure to aid your family. Pathetic." Marceline said, with a stern face. She grips Bubblegum's right arm that contained the secret weapon and applied pressure. Finn was taken away by the ordeal, only a little bit, as his exhaustion was overwhelming him. Bubblegum snatches her arm back, dropping the weapon. "Marceline. Not a surprise that you're here. Tell me, how's your father?" Bubblegum said. "In hell." Marceline quickly snapped back, and grabbed her lab coat, moving her away from the door with half of her brute force, as she was still recovering. "Will you let Finn leave? Or do we have to force his way out of here?" Marceline asked, and only one time will she ask this. Anything else and she will retaliate without hesitation. Her red feral eyes glowed through her thick, sprawled out jet back hair. Bubblegum darted her eyes back at Finn, while Marceline had her eyes locked onto Bubblegum.

"Do not make this harder than it needs to be Finn." Bubblegum said as she sighed. "You should tell yourself that. You heard him say No, so he won't play into your sick experimentation. Unless he accepts and he will get minced into pieces right where he stands. Then be my guest." Marceline's tone shows that she really means business, with the power in her voice offered her words more of a backbone. She looked at Finn, moving her hair from only one of her eyes. "Home.. Marce..line.." Bubblegum looked at him, took out a drat and with such precision, she threw it at his arm. He slowly stumbles, and then Marceline gripped her lab coat, raised her up in he air and tossed her across the room, making her crash into her bookshelf.

"GUARDS!" Bubblegum shouted very loudly. Marceline looked at the door, then at Finn. She takes the dart out of Finn's arm, picks him up and throws him far out the window, only using hysterical strength, shattering a window, she flew out of the room at near super sonic speed before the guards barged through the door with armor and their arsenal at hand. They enter the room and looked around, one of them rushes to get her back up on her feet. "Everything alright Princess?" One of the armored men asked, as the other helped her up. She dusts herself off and looked at the dart next to her desk. "Yes, I am fine. Peachy." She goes over to the dart and picks it up, inspecting it, then looking out the window. "It's just been one of those days." Bubblegum said as she laughed a bit nervously. She thought to herself. "I have to do this.."

Outside the Candy Kingdom's wooded area, away from the castle, She had Finn in her arms after she caught him in the air during their escape. Her eyes were still red, she wanted to tear Bonnibel from candy piece to candy piece. She looked at Finn, who was asleep from the dart she threw at him. Looking at him made her calm down, only slightly. She then locks lips with him, to try and calm her raging nerves down. For a few seconds, it felt good, but it would've been much better if Finn was awake to share his lips with her too. She pulled back and looked up at the purple colored leaves. The pair sat up against the tree for a few moments.

"Who the fuck requests some strange shit like that before? It.. nevermind." Marceline spoke to herself, not being able to fathom what she had hear during their entire conversation. She looked at the castle, seeing Bonnibel look out the window from a very far distance. "We have to get out of here.." Marceline took Finn on her back, and flew low to the ground at a moderate speed, getting away from the Candy Kingdom. She looked back and shook her head. Finn was asleep on her back, but for how long will the effects of Bubblegum's dart. Marceline carries Finn for the remainder of the ride, as he had done back in the Dark Forest when she was overly exhausted.

-End of Chapter-