The Human and The Shadow Part 26
Marshall and Fionna
Fionna lent down being supported by her sword as sweat dripped from her head. She took quick shallow breaths trying to get enough energy back as she could. She wiped her eyes quickly as well as her forehead to not let the sweat affect her visibility. She squinted trying to make out her opponent in the darkness but couldn't see anything move. All of a sudden something grabbed her food and lifted her into the air, she tried to kick back and escape but the hold was too strong, she also could no longer reach her sword. She was totally at the mercy of her captor.
"Come on Fi, I know that it sucks but regardless you need to come to the doctors for the check up"
"No let me go! I'm not going back again!"
"Fi really? It's just a check up and maybe a jab what are you like 2?"
"Marshy I don't wanna... I don't like needles and I don't need a check up, my warrior bod is like super strong and I'm totally fine."
"Fionna you died and were brought back to life with a white flame from a dude who can travel through shadows and has the Lich's powers... personally i'll be happier when Dr Princess gives you the A-Okay alright?" Marshall stared down at the blonde girl who was hanging upside down with a concerned look.
"Marshall look I'm fine it's been 6 months and so far nothings happened? What we should be worrying about is when light bulb is gonna wake up and where FP is... as i said... 6 months and nothing so please don't make me go..."
"Fionna... what would Bubba say?"
"...grrrrr"
"Fi"
"Responsibility demands sacrifice..."
"Exactly so stop whining and get your coat, we're going to the Candy Kingdom, get you checked out and then drop by Gumwad and the others and see if there's any news okay?"
"Okay..."
"Good so we're all okay then?"
"Actually Marshy"
"Yes Fionna?"
"Could you let me down now please... I think all my bloods gone to my head..."
Light and Phoebe
In the throne room of the fire kingdom sat their Queen and her son from the future. The two were addressing the subjects of the kingdom who not surprisingly had all struggled to come to terms with accepting that their 18 year old Princess had a son aged 14 and a daughter who was 10. The princess may had been unable to convince the residents of the fire kingdom that it was the truth if Death and the Ex-Flame King hadn't stepped in.
Phoebe wasn't keen on letting FK out of his lantern but hearing that he had grand kids seemed to have changed the tyrant and now he just wanted to prove to his daughter that he was worth being a part in their lives.
"Subjects of the fire kingdom, those who still have faith in me and those who follow my daughter i would like to welcome you to our court." All of the subjects looked confused by the fact the king had referred to it as 'our court'. "I'm sure you are all confused as to why I have been freed and am now assisting my daughter the current ruler of the fire kingdom but i assure you it is for the best of all of us and i will let her explain, please listen carefully to her as she speaks the truth". The Flame king nodded to Phoebe to continue.
"Residents of the Flame Kingdom, fire elementals, stone elementals and anyone who calls our lands their home. I come to you today to warn you of a great threat that is coming into our lands. In the last 6 months we have been going through stages to improve our defenses, strengthen our bonds with our neighbors and develop as a kingdom. I'm sure many of you have questions as to why this is necessary and for what purpose. The truth is a great darkness looms on this land... It has destroyed world after world and now has its sight set on ours. The Flame Prince Phoenix that you all came to know is a resident of one of these other worlds that the Darkness wishes to destroy. Prince Phoenix sadly... was taken by this darkness and is believed to have passed on but where we lost allies we have also gained them. The Darkness send each 'Champion of Ooo' into a trial and the one the Hero Jake the Dog embarked on involved him travelling 16 years into the future where we have all survived this darkness however at great loss. The future me and Champions of Ooo decided to send us aid in the shape of our children. I would like to formally introduce to you all Prince Light Flame Mertens of the Flame and Shade Kingdom. He is the son of me and Finn the Human and a future Hero and leader of Ooo." At this part Phoebe began to blush as the residents started wolf whistling and cheering for their Princess to 'get in there' and 'way to go'. She got flustered and embarrassed by all the support of her future relationship developments so Light saw a chance to take initiative.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all for the first time, My name as my mother said is Light, You don't have to worry about all the Prince business it's just not me. I'm not going to pretend i'm stronger than my father or more powerful than my mother but as part fire elemental I'm going to do my best to protect my family which is all of you. I hope that i meet your expectations and I will do my best to prove that I am a worthy heir to your throne" And with the speech over Light gave a bow to the residents of Ooo and was greeted with cheers and applause. He looked up at his mother and grandfather who smiled at him in support.
"Oh and please go easy on my mother, she can get quite embarrassed when it comes to my dad aha" Light smiled as his mum blushed even more and the three royals headed off to a private room away from the cheers and excited citizens.
"Light my boy that was great! you're a natural and one day you shall make a fine King" the Flame King bellowed cheerfully picking Light up into a hug and hoisting him up.
"Grandpa Keith come on, put me down!"
"Light he's right, that was excellent, i doubt there's a single person in this kingdom who doesn't see you as a Prince"
"Well you two should be applauding yourself it's you two and Finn that I know all this Prince bizz, though i'd say more down to you Mum as till he passed the mantle to Cloud and Ice Finn Dad was always saving everyone and kept trying to take me along. I think part of him will always be gutted i decided not to take over his knight job but i knew where i was needed. Anyway I gotta ask, did you hear anything else about Uncle Lumen?"
"Sorry but he's the same as Bonnie, he won't wake up but from what Finn said when he phoned Lumen's soul is currently in the past. After hearing that Faith met him in the past and that Simon should have too Finn headed to the Ice Kingdom to meet Betty and see if she remembers hearing from Simon about him. She said that Simon never mentioned a Lumen but mentioned someone called Ivel Mertens which is Lumen's name from his last life so it seems to be true. We just don't know what he's doing in the past... he helped Simon find the crown and Faith to gain the powers she has and then look after Marceline but he wiped her memory... I just don't know what he's doing." Light stood up and hugged his mother as it was clear from the look on her face she was really worried about their friend.
"Phoebe..."
"Yes dad"
"What did this Lumen fellow look like again?"
"He had black hair with a white streak and wore clothes like that but he may have brown hair if he uses his powers... why?"
"I met him too.."
"What!? When!?"
"I met an Ivel Mertens the day your mother died."
Fionna, Marshall and Bubba
"All done Fionna looks like your all in the clear but i'll be expecting to see you in a few months time" Dr Princess finished filling in her charts and then waved off the human girl.
"See Fi that weren't too bad" Marshall was sitting in the surgery waiting room with a book on Ooo's latest hits, cheerfully noting that Marceline held the top 5 spots with her band he jumped up to hug his girlfriend.
"I was right so can we go I wanna drop by Bubba and Belle already Marshy not hanging around in this bunk place". The two started to walk towards the exit and headed across the Candy Kingdom.
"I don't get why you dislike the doctors so much Fi it's not like someone who can jump at a sword with no fear can really be scared of a needle"
"It's not the needle i mind so much its doctors okay Marshy... you have no seen the doctors Cake likes to call... they're creepy and weird... clowns that think kissing you better works"
"Whoa that sounds mad freaky no wonder my little bunny is so afraid but don't worry, next time your feeling bruised and beat I'll be the one to give you kisses better hey" Marshall winked at Fionna who blushed and then pushed him.
Inside Princess Bubblegum's room she lay on the bed still not waking up, by her side sat her daughter Belle and Bubba. In the 6 months that had passed since the first trial they had tried repeatedly to wake her up with every doctor in Ooo, Magic from Wizard City and even some experimental cures that Belle and her Dad had whipped up but nothing that they did seem to wake up the sleeping princess.
"Daddy"
"Yes dear"
"Mummy or you never told me much about this part of your lives... when i asked how you two met you always said that your worlds had collided on an adventure but you never mentioned how any of this happened.. Cloud said that all of this is exactly as he'd been told by Mr Marshy and Uncle Finn but why wasn't I told..."
"Belle dear I'm sure that we kept it from you because we never thought you'd be a part of this... From what Cloud said Finn and Marshall were trying to come back to help out as much as they could but realised only you children could come here so they told him everything but future me and Bonnie never wanted this for you I'm sorry maybe this time around we will tell you everything."
"That'd be good Daddy"
"Yeah that'd be great 'Daddy'" The two candy royals looked up to see Marshall floating upside down smiling at the pair.
"Marshall really?" Bubba frowned at the vampire as he flew down and picked Belle up spinning her in the air.
"Whats the matter Gumdrop not going for Daddy of the year?"
"Sometimes i think you just want to annoy me Marshall"
"Oh My Glob nooo Bubba why would i do that?" Marshall pretended to be hurt by Bubba's comments and went to hug Fionna but she just frowned at him and then went to say hello to Belle.
"Hey Belle sorry about the... 'grown ups' I bet the future them are a tad more mature than this"
"Actually Aunty Fi... They're basically the same but its not a bad thing, my surname is actually Gumdrop just because of Mr Marshy and Daddy getting on so well" Marshy looked up at Bubba who was wearing a look that screamed that he really didn't want that fact getting out but instead of teasing him he just gave him a light gab on the arm and smiled.
"...so cute... but anyway Belle, Bubba any changes with Bonnie?"
"Nope nothing we're just waiting for more news... I'm still struggling with the whole Lumen time travelling soul thing, He met Simon, Marceline and Faith, Flame King and Queen when they were younger so odds are he will also impact on Finn and Jakes life but no one knows why?.. Judging by the fact our timelines are almost identical it can be clear to say either his impact isn't that great or that whatever his doing was corrected by our time to match with Ooo."
"See i thought that too Bubba but i remember someone called Hambo looking after me too but since my dad never went portal jumping either and actually died i think that Lumen is the reason this universe is different but what is he doing? He made sure Simon got the crown... he could have fixed it then and saved him years of insanity but didn't? Phoebe said her dad hasn't told her yet but Lumen was involved with her mums death... he was responsible for Faith leaving Marceline... it's like he's slowly creating all the bad parts of their lives..."
"Does that sound like Lumen to you?" Fionna asked the pair. Although she knew they were being objective about the situation it kind of bothered her what they were saying. This was the guy who literally died to rise her from the dead, who'd made everyone she knew so happy and let her and Marshy spent time in the day as well as at night.
"No... Lumen would never do something so bad to everyone"
"That's exactly what Lumen had to do in order for us to all be here today".
Everyone looked around to see Bonnie sitting up in the bed awake and with a solumn look on her face.
"Bon..." was all Bubba could say, everyone else was speechless.
"Lumen is currently creating the path for all of us to be together at this time by ensuring that we go through the hardships we had to face in life... he's basically becoming our darkness"
"Bonnie... I'm glad your awake and all but what how could you know that"
"I know that because i finally remember everything, I think his spell has been lifted... Lumen was the one who gave Simon the crown, he... killed Phoebe's mum... he convinced Faith to leave Marceline behind... he was the last person to speak to Martin, Finn's dad, before he committed a cosmic crime and he's the reason i started to look for the Immortality cure in the first place..."
Marceline's Memory
"Me and mummy found a weird guy passed out on the path, he had black and white hair but he didn't look like a mutant.
Mum decided to help him he seems like a good person but a bit weird, he knew what our names were and he knows how to avoid the mutants.
His name is Hambo and he's really funny, he knows all kinds of funny tricks.
Mummy and Hambo were talking about 'The Darkness' again, I thought they were talking about the cloud that came from the bomb but they said it won't happen for 1000 years.
Mummy was crying today, she said that she doesn't know how to help me and Dad. I think mummy is scared so I tried asking Hambo what shes scared of and he said "Sometimes in life there's bad people who want to hurt you for no reason, where i come from theres a bad person who wants to hurt everyone i care about but your mummy is scared that person is going to come here soon". I don't know what he meant but i don't want to see the bad person.
Me, Mummy and Hambo have been travelling together for a month now, He's been teaching mummy a lot of things that i don't understand but he did this weird thing and made his hair glow I thought it was cool but he won't teach me how to do it. He was practicing to make something but it keeps going 'poof' and Mummy and him moan.
Mummy has started to pack up her and my things separately now... Hambo carries my things now and they keep talking about a ...pire King or something like it.
Hambo has told me that he will protect me till i meet someone who can do it better than him... I don't know why as I have him and my Mummy.
Mummy...
Mummy where are you mummy..
I can't find my mummy.
There was a weird flash and mummy disappeared, Hambo suddenly picked me up and we ran as there was a lot of bangs and fire.
A lot of mutants are heading to where mummy disappeared... it's like someone is telling them to go there... I think mummy... I think my mum is dead... now all i have is Hambo... i don't want Hambo to go..."
Lumen and Marceline
"Marcy we gotta keep going, once we get over this hill we'll head into the town where we'll meet my friend okay?" Lumen's [Hambo] hair now was at the length of his shoulder, unlike the mission with Simon that was over in a the span of a day he'd been trapped in Marceline's past for over a month. "How much longer will this go on.. from what i have of Simon's memories he met Marcy within the next few days in that town... was I really right to help Faith. She'd known straight away that I wasn't human and since she knew all about Hunson she'd believed me but come up with a plan to go to the different worlds to slow it down... this is what she said she did in the future but I Just separated Marceline from her mum for 1000 years and now she thinks shes dead... since being here I learnt how to portal jump and how to alter memories but is it worth it".
"Hambo once we reach your friends place will we be okay?"
"Yes of course Marcy, I promised your mum I'd keep you safe and that's what i intend to do now where about should we head next" In front of the pair stood a tunnel and a path connecting to the woods. "If we go through the tunnel i can protect her but if it's blocked on the other side like the last one we tried to go through we're screwed. The mutants seem to react to magic powers and will all come for us like the portal... but if we go over we're too exposed and it'll take longer..."
"Just go through the tunnel Hambo, Mummy always said the time we spend making decisions is time we're not moving... and if anything happens Hambo will protect us won't he?" The little Marcy smiled at Lumen slightly throwing him off... every moment he'd spent with her after Faith left made him feel even more guilty.
"Okay then Marcy lets go through the tunnel but you know what how about you sit on my shoulders and see if you can touch the ceiling and that way you won't be tired, what do you say?"
"Hmm... okay Hambo but if I do you gotta sing that song for me, the one Mummy taught you"
"Sure thing Marcy"
Lumen and Marcy headed into the tunnel, it was pitch black so Lumen lit his hair up in order to let them see. This level of magic didn't seem to phase the mutants so it was safe and Marceline liked playing with it.
(Adventure Time Finn X Flame Princess Perfect Two - watch?v=KZTJFZHulig (Slightly altered))
Lumen - Marceline
"Oh, oh.
Yeah, yeah
You can be the peanut butter to my jelly
You can be the butterflies I feel in my belly
You can be the captain and I can be your first mate
You can be the chills that I feel on our first date
You can be the hero and I can be your side kick
You can be the tear that I cry if we ever split
You can be the rain from the cloud when it's stormin'
Or you can be the sun when it shines in the mornin'
Don't know if I could ever be
Without you 'cause girl you complete me
And in time I know that we'll both see
That we're all we need
'Cause you're the apple to my pie (pie)
You're the straw to my berry (berry)
You're the smoke to my high (high)
And you're the one I wanna marry (marry)
'Cause you're the one for me (for me)
And I'm the one for you (for you)
You take the both of us (of us)
And we're the perfect two
We're the perfect two
We're the perfect two
Baby me and you
We're the perfect two
I can be the prince and You can be my princess
You can be the sweet tooth I can be the dentist
You can be the shoes and I can be the laces
You can be the heart that I spill on the pages
You can be the vodka and I can be the chaser
You can be the pencil and I can be the paper
You can be as cold as the winter weather
But I don't care as long as we're together
Don't know if I could ever be
Without you 'cause girl you complete me
And in time I know that we'll both see
That we're all we need
'Cause you're the apple to my pie (pie)
You're the straw to my berry (berry)
You're the smoke to my high (high)
And you're the one I wanna marry (marry)
'Cause you're the one for me (for me)
And I'm the one for you (for you)
You take the both of us (of us)
And we're the perfect two
We're the perfect two
We're the perfect two
Baby me and you
We're the perfect two (yeah)
You know that I'll never doubt ya
And you know that I think about ya
And you know I can't live without ya
Know (oh oh)
I love the way that you smile
And maybe in just a while
I can see me walk down the aisle
(Woah, yeah)
'Cause you're the apple to my pie (pie)
You're the straw to my berry (berry)
You're the smoke to my high (high)
And you're the one I wanna marry (marry)
'Cause you're the one for me (for me)
And I'm the one for you (for you)
You take the both of us (of us)
And we're the perfect two (yeah)
We're the perfect two (oh)
We're the perfect two (oh)
Baby me and you
We're the perfect two
Yeah, yeah"
"Hambo"
"Yes Marcy"
"Please don't leave me like mummy and daddy did"
"...I won't Marcy... I promise"
Marceline's Memory
Hambo promised never to leave me... but that's just what he did. We reached the town that he was talking to that night.
He found us somewhere to stay for that night and then went out searching for food for us. He said that he saw his friend as well but decided to wait till the next day to see him as he needed me there.
We went to a crossing in the road and he told me to wait as he peeked round the corner and then he came back and place his hand on my head... He said "Marcy I'm sorry but I'm going have to break our promise or at least postpone it for 1000 years... one day I'll make up for this" and then... he wiped my memory's... all i could think of is how Daddy had left... How Mummy must of died... How her friend Hambo with the nice smile and the cool hair had disappeared... how he must have died too...
And then a nice man named Simon came and brought me a teddy... I called it Hambo after my friend who had disappeared as my Hambo had a nice smile too...
Marceline and Faith
"...Why..." Marceline asked Faith.
"Why Mum" she asked again.
"MUM WHY! WHY DID YOU LEAVE! WHY DID HE HELP YOU! WHAT IS HE EVEN DOING!" Marceline now screaming at her mum in tears... As well as erasing her memories of him being in her life he'd also removed a lot of the pain she felt losing her mum and him.
"Marcy dear... telling you now wouldn't help... if you just wait he can tell you himsel-"
"I DON'T CARE! JUST TELL ME! WHAT THE ACTUAL JUNK YOU TWO WERE THINKING!" She flipped the table near her and started to smash the things in the room Faith flinching every time something broke.
"HE DID THAT TO SIMON! HE GAVE HIM THE CROWN KNOWING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN! HE SENT YOU AWAY! HE LEFT ME ALONE! THEN HE LEFT ME WITH SIMON KNOWING WHAT I'D GO THROUGH ALL THEM YEARS! WHY MUM WHY!?" the Vampire Queen's legs gave out as she fell to the ground crying. Her mum went over, let her head fall into her lap and then started to stroke her head.
"Marcy... Marshall Lee's Dad, my counter part, isn't alive... do you know why I am?"
"Why..."
"Because Lumen gave me the power to survive... I would have died that day for real if he hadn't... Simon would have got that crown anyway... you two would have found each other except you would have been hurting a lot more and the crown would have been that much worse for Simon... Lumen spoke with the evil in the crown and got it to keep Simon's memories safe and to keep him alive... which it did... I know you're confused and angry but he's going back to make it so we can have a future... without him... I'd be dead... and the people from Aaa... they'd still be there waiting to die without knowing about us"
"...But he left me alone... he left me..."
"But he promised to come back and he will Marcy" Faith held her daughter as she cried tears that should have been shed 1000 years ago. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep it from her Lumen... but she needed to know."
Lumen and Leaden
Lumen sat on the floor staring at the stary patterned walls. He was tired of doing the things he had to do. How was he even helping people.
"Lumen"
"Go away"
"Lumen please listen to me"
"Go Away"
"Lumen I know your hurting but you can't stop now..."
"GO AWAY JUST GO AWAY!... How am i helping at all... I'm just ruining everyone's lives... how am i meant to go back to them knowing how much of their lives i've destroyed."
"Lumen I'm sorry"
"WHY! it's not like its your fault its that stupid voice"
"I'm not sorry for that... I'm sorry for this" Lumen felt himself being picked up by a weird power, he looked at the floor and noticed that his shadow was being moved by Leaden's forcing his actual body to float. He was being pushed towards the third door in the room labelled Phoebe.
"Leaden put me down now! don't do this! please i don't wanna do it anymore please Leaden please!" the prince begged his father figure.
"Lumen trust me, this time you can do more than just take things away, this time your going back to save a life that would have been taken away. This one is necessary... so far you've only been creating chances to change things, with Faith's new power she survived where she would have died allowing Aaa and Ooo to join and for Marceline to get her mother back... she'll forgive you... but why stop there... I know your scared and confused but trust me... Lumen... trust in me... you can do this." Lumen looked back at Leaden just before he was pushed through the door way and noticed that he looked more and more like the weakened withered old man who he helped put to rest.
Lumen was consumed once again with light before losing consciousness.
ANNNNNDDD There we have it. Part 26, In the next few chapters we'll find out more of what Lumen did in the past and whats happening in the future.
Simon - Helped get him the crown and get back a wish and a reward?
Marceline - Kept Faith alive and learnt new powers himself (Portal Jump and Memory Wipe)
Phoebe - ?Kills her Mum?
Bonnie - ?Causes her to chase Immortality?
Finn - ?
Other story aspects going on
Light being initiated as Prince of the Flame Kingdom
Bonnie waking from her coma
7 Months have now passed since the first Trial
Betty is 8 Months Pregnant
BMO returning from MO
Simon still trapped on Lll?
Where is Dawn?
Character Location
Finn, Lily and Hope (Plus Lumen's Body) - Tree House
Light and Phoebe - Flame Kingdom
Marceline and Faith - Nightosphere
Marshall, Fionna, Belle, Bonnie and Bubba - Candy Kingdom
Jake and Ivy - Rose Kingdom?
Cloud, Betty (carrying baby Cloud, Ice Queen, Benny and Ice Finn - Ice Kingdom
Simon - Lll?
Phoenix - Underworld
BMO - In a hole... she tripped
Lumen - Flame Kingdom 13 years in the past
Gunter - still out shopping
Time until second trial - 5 MONTHS