Hey, everybody! Welcome back! Sorry for keeping you waiting, but I have three fanfics now! Although this one remains my first, favorite, and most popular fanfic! Thank you all for your support! Be sure to give my other two stories a read if you haven't already. My newest work, 'An Odyssey to Remember', is on its fourth chapter, and is pretty good...in my opinion. I can't speak for everyone.

Anyway, enjoy the newest chapter of 'Something More'!

I do not own 'Adventure Time'.

Chapter 25

Let the Hunt Begin

"Bacon pancakes. Makin' bacon pancakes." Jake sang as he prepared breakfast. "Take some bacon and I'll put it in a pancake. Bacon pancakes. That it's what it's gonna make, bacon panaaake!"

Jake jerked all four of the pans with his four arms upward, and the bacon pancakes flew behind him right onto Susan, BMO, Neptr, and his own plate.

"Eat up, everybody!" Jake said proudly as he put the pans down and stretched over to his seat at the table.

Susan picked up her fork and stabbed all three of her pancakes before shoving them all into her mouth, taking the end of the fork with them.

"...You, uh...You should try them with syrup next time." Jake commented.

Susan blinked in confusion. "Ser...up?"

"I love your bacon pancakes, Jake!" BMO stabbed a pancake slathered in syrup and brought it to his digital screen face. The pancake stuck there like a band aid. "...Help."

Jake reached over and yanked the sticky pancake off of BMO's face and tossed it into his own mouth. "Mmm… How 'bout you, Neptr?"

Neptr looked down at his pancakes. "I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but I am a robot, and robots do not need to eat."

BMO blinked at Neptr like it was something he had never heard before.

"Shouldn't Creator be eating these pancakes?" Neptr asked. "Where is Creator?"

"Ya got me, Neptr." Jake said. "I gave him lady advice about a week ago, and I haven't heard from him since. Since the lady advice concerned a vampire, I would assume he's either dead or undead by now."

"...Oh." said Neptr. "You seem very calm about it."

"Oh, no. Deep down, I'm flipping my lid." Jake confessed. "But, I came to the conclusion that I should let Finn figure this lady stuff out for himself."

"That just means he is too lazy and scared of Marceline to go out and do anything about it." BMO said.

"Hey, I set up a rally, didn't I?" Jake protested.

"Yes, but after LSP found out about Finn and Marceline, we all just went back inside and ate snacks." said BMO.

"Eh, LSP killed the mood." said Jake. "Plus, I'm kinda scared to leave the safety of this treehouse knowing there's a bunch of upset princesses out there. My phone blew up with calls and texts after LSP sent out the news. Literally. My phone literally blew up. That's how many calls and texts I got." Jake took out his busted phone and presented it to the group to prove his honesty.

Jake and friends then heard the familiar sound of a motorcycle outside. Jake stretched his head over the window and saw Finn pulling up on Billy's old, shrunken-down motorcycle.

"Oh, thank Glob. He's alive!" Jake exclaimed. Jake stretched his head back. "But, if by the smallest chance he's now a daylighter vampire, everyone get ready." he instructed Susan and the robots. "We may need to put him down."

A moment later, Finn crawled up the ladder into the kitchen.

"Finn, hey!" Jake greeted. "Where ya been, man-" Jake's eyes widened with concern when he saw the Human's appearance. "Glob dang."

Finn had bags under his bloodshot eyes. He walked in a stiff, upright position even though he looked exhausted.

"Oh-no!" BMO shouted. "Marceline turned Finn into a zombie!"

"Nah, BMO, I just look like this." Finn said. He sounded okay, but it sounded like he was putting some effort into making his voice sound okay.

"Do you want my bacon pancakes, Creator?" Neptr asked. "I am not in denial, so I was not going to attempt eating them."

"Oh, I would love some pancakes. I really need the fuel." Finn walked over to the table and sat down. He took the bacon pancakes from Neptr and began devouring them.

"Dude! Where have you been?!" Jake asked. "Did your new vampire girlfriend drag you back down to the freakin' Nightosphere?!"

Finn licked his plate clean. "Marcy wanted to make our relationship official by going on a night run, as she called it. A night run that didn't stop for a whole week. The few times we did take a break, it was still…" Finn shuddered. "...intense."

"Even I feel exhausted." said Shoko, who had appeared seated next to Finn. "And I enjoyed it even more than you did. Don't lie, you enjoyed it. Especially the, uh, 'breaks' we took."

Finn blushed. He was very glad no one but him could see or hear the green-skinned, one-armed girl.

"Seriously? What did the two of you do?" Jake asked.

"We pulled pranks on some people, we fought plant monsters, we partied with the dead, we wrestled pixies, which, by the way, is way more dangerous than it sounds." said Finn. "A little bit of this, a little more of that, then she finally let me go."

"I specifically recall her complimenting your energy." said Shoko.

"Geez, I had a feeling she would kill you, I just didn't think that's how she would do it." said Jake.

"Well, I mean...it's not like I could say no to her." said Finn, his face flushed with embarrassment.

"Ah, boy." Jake muttered. "Alright. Susan, BMO, Neptr, clear the room, would ya? I gotta give Finn another lesson on ladies."

"I will ask if water girls want to play." Susan left the table and jumped down to the first floor, shaking the whole treehouse as she landed.

BMO cleaned his face off with a napkin. "Come, Neptr. There are some bugs outside I need to out-dance and I need you to be my spotter."

"If you want me to dance, I should probably tell you that I have no legs and only one arm." Neptr said as he followed BMO outside.

Once everyone was gone, Jake folded his hands on the table. "Okay, bro, listen up. Before I begin though, I need you to PROMISE ME you will not tell Marceline I told you this stuff."

"I promise." Finn replied sincerely.

"Okay." Jake said. "Finn, I understand that she's a hot babe and you're a guy, but you don't have to do everything she tells you to do if you don't want to."

"What do you mean?" Finn asked.

"She dragged you all over Ooo just to wreak havoc? Have you even slept since I last saw you?"

"A little bit. Marcy normally sleeps during the day, so my sleep clock is a little off time."

"Dude, come on." said Jake. "I know she's your girlfriend, and I will respect that. And this may be my fear of vampires talking, I get that too. But from what I can see, Marceline isn't...healthy for you."

"You're saying I should break up with her?" Finn asked.

"No, of course not. But you need to set boundaries. You don't have to obey her every command and satisfy her every want and desire. A relationship goes both ways, man. If you want to date a vampiric demon who's literally an offspring of chaos, it's gonna be up to you to be the one who sets the limits."

Finn rubbed his arm. "Actually… I think what I like so much about Marceline is the lack of limits and boundaries." Finn confessed. "I've lived most of my life with a hundred different restrictions. You can't do this, you can't do that, blah, blah, blah. But here in Ooo, I'm free of all those restrictions. And with Marceline, I get to go nuts with that freedom and do whatever I want. That's what I can't get enough of. The feeling of being totally free of all restrictions."

"And she's hot."

"...Yeah, that too."

Jake sighed. "Finn. If you're happy, then I'm happy for you. Honestly, I am. But with someone like Marceline? I'm willing to bet the reason she likes you so much as a boyfriend is because you won't say no to her, and she can get you to do whatever crazy thing she wants you to do with her. You like not having restrictions? So does she."

"We're just having fun, hitting the town under the moonlight." Finn argued. "Being in Ooo with Marceline is the exact opposite of being on Founder's Island with my mom, and I love it. But, maybe you're right. On our next date, I'll ask Marcy if we can do something less extreme. Maybe see a movie, or something."

"You'll probably just end up sleeping with her and lose all feeling in the lower half of your body." said Shoko. "Then after that, you'll be hers to command."

"Who asked you?" Finn asked.

"Are you really gonna tell me I'm wrong?"

"Man, I hate it when you do that." Jake muttered. "By the way, did you see that LSP-"

"Put me and Marceline's relationship on the web?" Finn asked. "Yeah, me and Marcy saw that. I hope the Princesses don't stay mad at me."

"Don't worry about it. You're not the bad guy for going out with a girl you like, Finn." Jake said. "The princesses might try to avoid you now, since the babe that bagged you is the Vampire Queen. No one's gonna be brave enough to make a move on you, now."

"I hope PB doesn't try to avoid me." Finn said worriedly.

"Ah, how mad can she be at you?" Jake asked. "Yeah, she obviously likes you. But you're new to this whole thing, and Bubblegum knows it."

"Well, what if I were to tell you that she and Marceline used to date?" Finn asked.

Jake's eyes inflated with shock. "...That...complicates things, yeah." he said. "Wow. I would have never expected that."

Finn rubbed his temples in aggravation. "You know what? I think I'm just gonna lay low in the treehouse for a while. Avoid all of this drama and just kick back. You in?"

"I would love to, but I gotta head over to the Candy Kingdom." said Jake. "Bubblegum called me earlier. Mr. Cupcake's gone missing and the princess can't find him. Apparently Chocoberry is raising Cain over in the Kingdom, wondering where her man's gone."

"Should I come with?" Finn asked.

Jake rubbed the back of his head. "Uh...PB didn't say to not bring you along...but...she avoided even mentioning your name. So, you know...Maybe, you should just sit this one out."

Finn hung his head crestfallen. "Oh. That...that's cool. I'll find something else to do."

A sparrow flew through the window and landed on the table. It started chirping at Finn.

"It's a bird!" Jake shot out of his seat and started jumping back and forth on all fours. "Bird! Bird! It's a bird! Bark! Bark! Bark!"

"Hey, look. There's something on it's leg." Finn said.

The sparrow did in fact, have a small scroll tied to it's leg. The bird let Finn untie the scroll off its leg. Finn unrolled and unfolded the parchment before reading it aloud.

Dear Finn,

You owe me two favors, and now you will repay one of those favors.

I need you to help me hunt down a beast.

Meet me at my home. I assume you remember where it is.

Come alone.

Huntress Wizard

"Oh, crammit." said Jake. "What the hey happened to avoiding the drama?"

"What's the problem?" Finn asked. "There's no drama with me and Huntress."

"Bull stuff." Jake said. "Come on. We both know you have a thing for Huntress Wizard. And the last thing you want to do is give the Vampire Queen and the Huntress Wizard a reason to go to war with each other."

"Jake, I am not going to try to make a move on Huntress Wizard." Finn stated. "One; I have a girlfriend. Two; that girlfriend is extraordinarily scary and will probably kill me if I do. Three; even if she wasn't terrifying, I would never try to cheat on her."

"I don't doubt that. Still though, make sure it stays even less than platonic between you and HW." Jake warned. "I don't care how magical it gets."

"Since she's a wizard, it'll probably literally get magical."

"Just no romance!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just no romance." Finn headed for the door. "I'll be back later."

"Breakfast Princess is still single!" Jake called to Finn as he left. "And she's not crazy-scary-dangerous! Kissing her would probably be like kissing a stack of pancakes! That sounds awesome! Don't tell Lady I said that!"

"Man, I hope I'm going the right way." Finn said to himself as he walked through the forest. He hadn't taken this path since Ice King was poisoned. He at least had Life Giving Magus and Abracadaniel guiding him at the time. Now, all Finn had was his memory to guide him.

Finn hated himself for it, but he was excited to see Huntress again. He understood she was off-limits now, since Finn was currently in a relationship with one of the other top five scariest girls in Ooo. So, he made a silent promise to himself to be as unromantic as possible.

"Nothing to add, Shoko?" Finn called out to his conscience. "This is normally the part where you suggest something dirty and regrettable."

"What do you want from me?" Shoko appeared by Finn's side. "Your girlfriend is a hotty from hell, I got what I wanted. The one objection I have is that she's not Bubblegum. But at this point, I don't really care."

"But...what do you think about what Jake said?" Finn asked.

Shoko shrugged. "Marcy might be bad for your health, but so is drinking and smoking. She's a deadly pleasure. And let's face it, you can't get enough of her. Even if you do get a lethal dose of Marcy, there are a hundred worse ways to go."

"...Why do I keep asking you for advice? It's like asking my demented, dirty, little sister for advice." Finn said.

"Awwwwww. Is that how you see me?" Shoko said. "I'm touched."

Finn rolled his eyes. He found the stream that would lead him to HW's home and followed it. When he saw Huntress Wizard's house, he paused for a minute and looked around, weary of any hidden traps. He very carefully tip-toed to the hut's entrance, but refused to knock on the vine bars.

"Huntress?" Finn called. "It's me, Finn. Here to help you kill whatever you need killed. I know that makes me sound like kind of a psychopath, but that's why I'm here."

The vines parted for Finn. Still worried about any traps, Finn entered the house of trees. The inside of the tree hut was definitely spartan if nothing else, but still held a cozy atmosphere. The stream that went into the home arced around a patch of brown dirt floor. There was almost no lighting, except for the yellow, luminescent fungus on the trees and the light that shined through the entrance. Over to the side of the hut, an old gaming system had a bunch of roots growing out of it. Off to the other side of the hut, some rabbits and other small game hung from the ceiling by their feet with hempen rope. Finn shuddered when he thought about whether they all screamed for mercy as Huntress killed them. A small, little bridge went over the stream to a grass curtain door.

"Anybody home?" Finn asked.

Huntress Wizard stepped out of the grass curtain door. Her bow was slung over her shoulder. "Hey, Finn." she greeted with a smile.

"Hey, Huntress." Finn greeted back. "I like your place."

"Yeah. I was thinking of going with Life Giving Magus's idea and getting a fire pit installed. But other than that, I think I got a pretty nice crib here." said Huntress. "How's life in a treehouse?"

"Pretty good. I room with two small robots and a hulk sister-figure, and Jake's always around." Finn said. "Also, three Water Nymphs live in my yard, but I think they're a little mad at me right now."

"I imagine a lot of girls are now." said Huntress with a smirk. "You and the Vampire Queen. Quite the pairing."

"Oh...You heard about that?" Finn asked. "I guess you saw LSP's latest post, huh?"

"I don't use social media." said HW. "You reek of death and unholy things."

Finn's face reddened. "...I...I do?"

"Oh, yeah. The smell of vampire and deadly nightshade perfume is all over you." Huntress studied Finn's face. "Man, by the looks of it, your new girl's been running you ragged. When's the last time you got some sleep?"

Finn coughed awkwardly into his fist. "We...didn't do a lot of sleeping."

"Ah, yes. The smell can tell." Huntress said. "Well, you're no use to me without your energy."

"Nah, I'm good. I'm good." Finn said. "Let's go kill something!"

"In time." said HW. "But first, check this out." Huntress brought her hand up and a red mushroom sprouted out of her palm.

"Woah. Cool." said Finn.

"The smell will knock you out." HW said.

"Really?" Finn sniffed the mushroom, then passed out onto the floor.

"Really, really."

When Finn woke up, he felt well-rested. He stretched and let out a loud yawn as he picked himself up off the ground.

"Boy, did I need that." Finn said to himself. "I almost forgot what a good night's sleep was." Finn looked around for Huntress. "HW? Where'd ya go?"

"Down here."

Finn looked down but he only saw a moss-covered log on the ground. "Who put that there?"

"I did." The log morphed into Huntress Wizard, who stood up off the ground. She wasn't wearing her hooded cape or her boots anymore. Her feet were bare, and her leafy hair and antlers were free. Finn felt his heartbeat quicken at the sight of HW's free hair and bare feet.

'You have a girlfriend.' Finn reminded himself. 'Remember what Jake said, and remember that Marceline will kill you.'

"You can turn into a log?" Finn asked.

"Camouflage for when I'm asleep. Thought I'd get some rest too before we begin." Huntress explained. "You all set to go?"

Finn nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

Huntress Wizard brought her fingers to her lips and whistled. Three brown leaves shot towards the wizard and transformed into her hood and her boots, instantly attaching themselves to her.

"It's time to hunt."

Huntress led Finn deep into the forest. The trees stood as tall as buildings and as thick as refrigerators. It was plain to see this part of the forest had remained untouched by any civilization for centuries. Even the air Finn breathed felt and tasted alive, fresh and wild.

"So, what're we hunting?" Finn asked.

"We are hunting the Thunder Boar." Huntress said. "A beast of legend that roams the ancient forest. I need his tusks for a summoning spell."

"Oh, cool." Finn said. "So it like, shoots lighting and stuff? Sounds pretty rad."

"It is pretty rad. But also, pretty dangerous." HW said. "Which is why our first stop is here."

Huntress had led Finn to a small pool of water. Stacks of rock surrounded the pool, making the pool look like some kind of shrine.

"You need to drink from this enchanted spring." the Forest Nymph said. "It will give you immunity to the Thunder Boar's attacks."

"Aw, sweet! I get to add lightning-proof to my repertoire?" Finn asked. "Wait a minute. What's the catch? There's always a catch. With my ice magic, I had to befriend Ice King. With the sword, I had to take up Billy's mantle. With my martial arts, my dead, past incarnation's memories and swordplay lessons from a robot. What's the catch with this one?"

"The strongest drug you've ever taken will be like baby aspirin compared to this."

"...Sounds about right."

Huntress Wizard knelt down by the pool and Finn knelt down next to her. "Now, dunk your head under and take a big gulp." HW instructed.

Finn looked into the water nervously. "Ah, boy." he said before submerging his head into the pool. Finn took a big gulp just as HW had told him to and took his head back out of the pool.

"...Huh...I don't really feel anythi-hoooooly ham!"

Where Huntress used to be, a big, green wolf now sat on its haunches, staring down at Finn and wagging its tongue. The ground was now a purple, neon pattern that kept moving. It was giving Finn nausea.

"O...kay. This is weird." Finn said.

"From your perspective, yeah."

Finn looked over to see a pretty weird looking guy. His body was shaped like a three-piece snowman, except green instead of white. His bottom piece turned greener from top to bottom with zig-zagged patterns until it reached his legs. His middle piece had his big, toothy smile and his arms, and his top piece had his dilated eyes, his nose, and a long mane of dark orange hair that hung down to his bottom. A circlet of grass with a green leaf sticking up at either side rested on his head.

"Woah. Who the heck are you?" Finn asked.

"I am the Spirit of the Forest." the green guy said. "And you must Huntress Wizard's new, first, and only friend."

"...Uh...yes?"

"Nice to meet ya." the Spirit had a pleasant, friendly voice. "Do you know why you are here, Finn the Human?"

"I need to be lightning-proof." said Finn. "So I can help Huntress Wizard can kill the Thunder Boar."

"Not kill. Hunt." the Spirit said. "They're not always the same thing."

"...Okay."

"She wants the Thunder Boar's tusks, because she's trying to summon me." the Spirit said.

"Oh. Wait, if you know that, then why not just go see her?"

"You know, the most skilled hunters, they learn to hunt alone, without a pack." The green wolf came up and the Spirit petted its head. "Lone wolves get used to that kind of life. They become stronger for it, more independent, without the need to rely on anyone. But, that's a really lonely road to take. A pack, however. A pack is strong, so long as the pack stays together. And with a pack, the hunter has a purpose: Protect the pack."

"...You lost me almost immediately." Finn said.

"Say, what happened to your arm?" The Spirit asked.

"My arm?" Finn brought his arm up and saw that his right forearm was gone.

"WAAAH!" Finn screamed in a girlish voice that wasn't his. He stood up and looked down at his body. His arm and half-arm were lima bean-green and he now wore a worn-out, dark green dress. He shook his head and his long, black hair danced around his green face.

"Two heads are better than one." said the Spirit.

And just like that, Finn found himself lying on the ground staring up into Huntress Wizard's green, cat-like eyes.

Finn brought his hands up to make sure they were both there and not green. Fortunately, they were both of those things.

"How long was I out?" Finn asked.

"About seven seconds." said Huntress. "You were pretty resistant to the water's effects."

"Well, did it work?" Finn asked.

"Let's find out." Huntress brought her hands together. She spoke a chant and her tree branch antlers quivered like two rattlesnake tails. Tendrils of green electricity then started to dance between her antlers.

"Quick heads up; this might kill you." Huntress Wizard placed her hands on Finn's chest. "Clear."

Finn lit up like a green Christmas light.

When the electricity died down, Finn was just lying there like nothing happened. "...All good."

"Perfect." Huntress grabbed Finn's hand and hoisted him onto his feet. "Now, let's go. The Thunder Boar doesn't stay in one place for very long." Huntress started down the path again.

"I saw the Spirit of the Forest while I was under." Finn told her. "He said you were-"

"What?!" Huntress spun around. "He revealed himself to you?!"

Finn nodded nervously. "Uh-huh. He said you were trying to see him. How do you know him?"

Huntress narrowed her eyes, then turned back around and began down the path. Finn had to speed-walk to catch up with her as she ventured through the forest.

"The Spirit of the Forest is the one who taught me the ancient ways of forest magic." said HW. "He's the reason I became the Huntress Wizard."

"Oh. So, he was your mentor." Finn said. "So what is this, a final initiation thing?"

"I haven't seen him in over five years." said Huntress. "I've been trying to summon him, to know if there are any more lessons I need to know."

"If he showed himself to me, then what does that mean?" Finn asked.

"It means we're on the right track." said HW.

Finn followed Huntress Wizard in silence for the next few minutes before asking another question. "I heard that all species of Nymphs are generally peaceful and tranquil. If that's the case, then why are you such a badass?"

"I don't like to talk about my past." Huntress stated firmly. "I appreciate the compliment, though."

"Oh. Okay. Do you have a name, at least?" Finn asked. "Ice King's real name is Simon. You got a name?"

"...Not anymore." HW replied. "Listen, Finn. I know you're not trying to start anything, and you're just being friendly. I get that. But, I will cut out your tongue if you keep trying to pry into my personal life. We clear?"

Finn gulped. "Crystal."

"Thank you." Huntress Wizard stopped in her tracks and sniffed the air. Excitement filled her eyes like a cat about to pounce. "Smell that?"

Finn sniffed the air. "...Is a storm coming?"

"Ozone." Huntress confirmed. "The Thunder Boar is close." HW summoned a pair of spears and handed one to Finn. She crouched down before continuing forward. "Stay behind me." she whispered.

Spear in hand, Finn crouched down and followed behind Huntress Wizard. The forest magician led Finn to the outer edge of a large clearing. In the clearing, munching on some mushrooms, was what Finn could only assume was the Thunder Boar. It was a giant, dark-grey pig with a body like a storm cloud with a pair of yellow tusks shaped like zig-zag thunderbolts. So, you know. Put two and two together.

"There it is." Huntress whispered. "The Legendary Thunder Boar. Magnificent, isn't it? The stories say it's the reincarnation of a fallen storm god."

The beast belched out a thunderclap.

"...So majestic." Finn commented.

"Alright, here's what we'll do. You and I will flank the Thunder Boar while it's eating. Be careful. Even though you're electric-resistant, the Boar can still kill you."

"Actually...maybe we should just walk up and ask him for his tusks." Finn suggested.

Huntress Wizard slowly turned her head and looked into Finn's eyes to see if he was kidding. "You wanna just...walk up to that large, thundering pig and ask for permission to pull out his tusks?"

Finn nodded.

"...That is, by far, the stupidest idea I have ever heard." said HW.

"It might work."

"I think you're still feeling the effect of the enchanted spring."

"Come on. You can have a conversation with just about everything here in Ooo. I mean, for Glob's sake, that shrub right over there can talk." Finn and Huntress looked over to see a small shrub staring at them.

"Don't do it, ya dummy!" said the shrub. "It's a giant, lightning pig with thundering gas!"

Huntress looked back at Finn with skeptical eyes. "Your plan is a terrible plan."

"Just wait here. I'll be right back." Finn handed Huntress his spear before he standing up and walking into the clearing.

Huntress and the shrub watched as Finn approached the Thunder Boar.

"Man, that guy is dumb." said the shrub.

"Yyyyyyyup."

Finn walked right up to the Thunder Boar while it snacked on mushrooms. "Hi there." he greeted.

The Thunder Boar perked its head up at the sound of Finn's voice. When it saw him, The Thunder Boar growled threateningly and it's whole body began to thunder and lightning. Electricity danced across its tusks.

"Can I have your tusks?" Finn asked casually.

"Oh, is that all you want?" The Boar replied in a deep voice. "Sure, no problem." his tempest body calmed back down.

"Thanks." Finn walked up and grabbed a hold of one of the Thunder Boars tusks. Finn could feel the vibration of electricity emit from the tusk, but it had no other effect on the Human. "It's not gonna hurt you, is it?" Finn asked.

"Don't worry. It'll be like plucking out a nose hair." said the Boar. "Go ahead and yank it right out."

Finn pulled with all of his might and with a wet 'pop' sound, the tusk came right out.

"You need the other one?" the Boar asked.

"I think so, yeah." said Finn.

"Alright, go ahead."

Finn set the first tusk on the ground and grabbed the other tusk before yanking it out of the Boar. "Thanks, Thunder Boar. I really appreciate this." Finn said after the job was done. "They'll grow back, right?"

The Thunder Boar's tusks immediately grew back to full size.

"Woah. Alright, you take care." said Finn.

"Same to you." replied the Boar.

Finn picked the first tusk off the ground and walked back to Huntress Wizard. She and the shrub were both staring at Finn dumbfounded with their mouths hanging open.

"...Well, that is the Glob damnedest thing I have ever seen." said the shrub.

"How did you do that?" HW asked.

Finn shrugged. "People like me." he offered Huntress the tusks.

Huntress took the tusks from Finn with a still shocked look on her face. "I spent an entire month coming up with a plan to take the Thunder Boar's tusks." she said as she stared at the tusks.

Finn rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Uh...sorry...I guess?"

Huntress met Finn's gaze, and offered him a smile. "Don't apologize. You did good."

"I straight up thought you were gonna die." said the shrub.

"Come on, let's go." Huntress produced a deer-skin satchel out of thin air and placed the tusks inside. She then tossed the satchel to Finn. "We have what we need to perform the spell. Now we just need to find the right spot."

"Lead the way." Finn said.

The shrub watched as Huntress Wizard led Finn deeper into the forest.

"Geez, talk about making a guy work for it." muttered the shrub.

"So, this summoning spell you're trying to do. It's not going to involve any...animal sacrifices or something like that, right?" Finn asked as he followed behind Huntress.

"Nah. Typically in old-school magic, a sacrifice is only needed to summon the dead. In more rare cases, a life is taken to perform an incredibly powerful spell." Huntress explained.

"How exactly does magic work? Like, where does it come from?" Finn asked. "Princess Bubblegum says it's just showman's science."

"Yeah, that's a scientist for you." HW said. "Science requires a steady mind and a straight thought process. Magic on the other hand requires the opposite. Magic is fueled by insanity, by pain and anguish…by sacrifice."

"Madness and sadness." Finn confirmed.

"That's right." Huntress Wizard raised her hand and it glowed with an ethereal green light. "Science and magic are not the same thing, no, but they are two sides of the same coin. They are like night and day, with one being more dominant than the other in each era of the world's history. When the Humans ruled the world, science was dominant. Before that, magic was dominate."

"And, now?" Finn asked.

HW lowered her hand. "Bubblegum will tell you science, since she relies on her logical state of mentality and can't accept any other explanation. The Grand Master Wizard will tell you magic, since every male wizard has an ego. Me? I think it's roughly fifty-fifty. However, scientists like Princess Bonnibel are incapable of understanding magic because science is all about following and coming up with the correct equation using their stable state of mind. And so, scientists put it in their heads that magic isn't real because magic defies scientific explanation. Magic users, on the other hand, have to let go of logic and stability. They direct their emotions and embrace their affliction to channel their magic. Science comes from the mind, and magic comes from the heart. But, that's still a gross oversimplification."

"Well, which one's better?" Finn asked.

"Again, a scientist and a wizard would give you a different answer. But in truth, anything a scientist can do with science, a magician can do with magic. Different ways of doing the same thing."

"Do you learn magic and science the same way?" Finn asked. "Like, at a school?"

"Not exactly. I received lessons from the Spirit of the Forest. After he left, I went to Wizard City for a few classes. A lot of wizards either find a mentor or take classes in the city to learn magic. Other times, you're born with it or cursed with it. Before any of that though, you need to give in to the madness and sadness within you in order to channel and fuel the magic. Ice King got a head start on everyone because the crown he wears gives him all kinds of mental disorders and provides him with his magic, which runs on an industrial generator of Ice King's madness and sadness."

"Dang. So, where does this come from?" Finn raised his hand and summoned an ice dagger. "I had to speak the spells and do the right hand gestures when I first started on IK's ice ninja book. Now, I barely have to try."

Huntress studied Finn's knife of ice. She actually looked a little concerned. "When you began to study Ice King's fridjitzu, you spoke the spells and commanded the magic. The magic seems to like you, though. Anyone crazy enough to walk up to the Thunder Boar and ask for its permission to yank out its tusks would definitely make a good candidate for a wizard. You wanna know where it comes from? During your time in Ooo, you've...changed."

Finn stopped walking and stared at his ice knife. He thought about all he had been through so far. The anger he felt from his dad's misdeed. The terror he felt when the Island Guardian sent him across the sea. The pain he felt when Prince Flint ran his sword through his stomach. The confusion he felt learning he was the fourth reincarnation of a powerful entity. The fear he felt when he took up the mantle and claimed Nothung. The hopelessness he felt when Kara became Susan. The worry he felt becoming a part of a complicated love triangle with PB and Marcy. Then of course...the Lich.

Frost covered the entire knife. The blade grew a little larger and developed a serrated edge.

Finn yelped and tossed the knife aside. "That's scary."

"That's magic." said HW. She and Finn continued the trek in silence after that.

Huntress and Finn arrived at a small clearing in the woods. "This is the spot." Huntress said. "Let me see those tusks."

Finn handed HW the satchel and Huntress pulled out the tusks. She dropped the satchel and summoned a tooth-blade knife. After a few minutes of expert whittling, Huntress had turned the two tusks into a pair of flutes. She then handed one of them to Finn. "Here. You can keep it once we're done."

Finn took the tusk-flute in confusion. "What're these for?"

"What are flutes normally used for, dingus? We're using music to summon the Spirit of the Forest." Huntress explained. "Playing a woodwind instrument is a sure-fire way to summon any forest entity. Best instruments to use are reed pipes, flute, or a contrabassoon - for reasons I could never figure out. We're gonna use flutes carved from the tusks of the Legendary Thunder Boar. If this doesn't summon the Spirit of the Forest, then I give up and that green asshole can go to the Nightosphere."

"And take it from me, it's not a fun place." said Finn. "Also, I think I should warn you that I've never played a musical instrument before in my life."

"Just follow my lead." Huntress said. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it as you play."

Huntress closed her eyes and began to play on her tusk-flute. Finn couldn't help but be impressed. It was a beautiful melody that sounded both pleading and inviting. Finn decided to give it a shot and join in. At first, Finn did horribly. He had never played before, and he had trouble trying to follow along with Huntress. But then, just as Huntress had said would happen, Finn's fingers began to dance along the instrument with expert skill. Finn closed his eyes and played with Huntress Wizard in perfect sync. The forest around them seemed to sing along with the two of them. The birds and and the bugs chirped along to the song.

After six minutes of flute music, Huntress ended the song and Finn followed suit. The wizard looked around expectantly. "Come on. Where are you?"

Finn stared down at his flute with sparkling eyes. "Wooow. I can't believe how good I am at the flute! Have I always been this good?"

"No, I just poured a potion down your throat while you were asleep that gives you immediate talent with the first musical instrument you play after you drink it." HW said. "If you wanna know what the catch is, your singing now sounds robotic and emotionless."

"Seriously?" Finn decided to test it. "Here I am singing a tune." His singing voice actually sounded really cool. "Ah, sweet! It's like I swallowed a tiny computer!"

"Dang, talk about a lucky break." Huntress commented. "Anyway, how about we get out of here? The Spirit isn't going to show up."

"I'm right here."

Finn and Huntress both turned their heads to see the Spirit of the Forest sitting cross-legged on a rock.

"Hiding in plain sight." said the Spirit. "Surprisingly effective."

"Yeah, good to see you too." Huntress said bitterly. "What the heck, man?! You completely vanish without warning for five years?! What about my lessons?!"

"What do you need from me?" the Spirit asked. "I taught you the ancient ways of magic, and you've become one of the most skilled magicians in Ooo. Seems to me you're just getting greedy now."

"Should I give you guys some space?" Finn asked.

"No, you're good." said the Spirit.

"So...is that it?" Huntress asked. "You have nothing left to teach me?"

"I never said that."

"Meaning?"

"Do you remember when we first met?" the Spirit chuckled. "You were just a lone, little Forest Nymph in search of purpose. Do you remember what you said to me when I asked you if you needed help?"

HW looked away. "I said I didn't need you." she confessed.

"Or anybody else." the Spirit finished. "How do you feel about that now?"

"The same." Huntress firmly stated.

"Eh, you may be right." The Spirit replied. "A lone wolf with her eyes on the prize. A one-track mind focused on the path straight ahead. But, as a huntress, you should know that you need to take every angle and perspective into account."

"Do you enjoy being so Glob damn vague?" Huntress asked.

"Do you enjoy being so alone?" The Spirit asked.

"You get used to it."

"That's not what I asked."

Huntress narrowed her eyes in irritation. "If you have nothing else to teach, then begone!"

"As you wish." said the Spirit. "Before I go, may I offer I last piece of advice?"

"...You may." said Huntress hesitantly.

"You don't have any friends," The Spirit pointed at Finn. "except for him." with that said, the Spirit disappeared in a cloud of green mist.

"I don't see how that was any kind of advice, but okay." Huntress muttered. "Well, this was a complete waste of time. Sorry for dragging you out here, Finn."

"Hey, I'm happy to help." Finn said. "And besides, now I rock the flute, I have a techno singing voice, and to top it all off, I'm electric-proof. Today hasn't been half bad."

"Glad you managed to get something out of this goose chase." HW muttered bitterly.

Finn frowned. "Oh...sorry. I didn't-"

"It's fine. Don't worry." Huntress said. "The first favor has been repaid. You can go now."

"I could. Or… you could tell me what's biting you, maybe?" Finn offered. "Why did you want to see the Spirit of the Forest so badly?"

"Remember when I threatened to cut out your tongue?" Huntress asked.

"Yes. But since you're my friend, it's a risk I'm willing to take."

HW's masked face softened a little. "...Believe it or not, Finn, my story and yours are much the same." she began. "The main difference is, you managed to make friends shortly after you began your journey. Me, though? I've been alone for most of my life. Living on my own in the forest, I learned how to fight, how to hunt, how to kill, how to survive. Then the Spirit of the Forest found me shortly after, many years ago, and offered to teach me ancient forest magic. For a time, he was my mentor, and the only friend I ever had before you. When he left...it sucked, but I got over it. Still, I thought it would be nice to see him again. To see if he had anymore to teach or if him leaving was part of a long, elaborate test."

Finn tilted his head curiously. "What was your life like before-"

"Before the Spirit of the Forest found me? Before I set off on my own?" HW asked. "It hardly matters. That part of my life is over."

"Listen, Huntress. I know you don't want to talk about your past. But, if you ever do need someone to talk to," Finn smiled. "You have one more favor left."

Huntress just stared at Finn, unsure of how to respond. "I...yeah, sure. Thank you, I'll...keep that in mind."

Finn and Huntress just awkwardly stood there for a few seconds. Huntress blinked her emerald tiger eyes and Finn coughed awkwardly into his fist.

"I should...probably get going." Finn said.

"Yeah, yeah. Good idea." HW replied. "You need a lift, or-"

"Nah, I can find my way back, no sweat." Finn took a step back. "I'll...see ya around, Huntress."

Finn walked away through the forest on his own. Once he was gone, Huntress closed her eyes and sighed.

"This is the life I have chosen to live."

The sun was setting when Finn got back to the treehouse. He saw Susan lying on her back by the pond. Every time she snored, some moths were sucked into her mouth, then they shot back out of her mouth when she exhaled.

Finn smiled. "Sleep tight, sis." he said before going inside. Finn headed up to the second floor and saw Jake playing a video game on BMO.

"Hey, you're back!" Jake exclaimed. "How'd the hunt go?"

"Pretty good." said Finn. "I'm electric-proof now. I have this Thunder Boar tusk flute which I am now a master at playing. "Also, I can sing like this now."

"Ah, sweet!" said Jake. "And nothing happened with Huntress Wizard, right?"

"No, of course not." Finn replied. "I mean, It got a little weird at the end, but nothing romantic, I swear."

"...But something is still bothering you." Jake guessed. "I'm a dog, I can sense these things."

Finn sighed. "Yeah." he admitted.

"You wanna talk about it?" Jake asked.

"I'm just...confused." Finn said. "I feel like I'm sailing right into a storm, and I don't know how to avoid it."

"Sometimes you can't." Jake said. "Sometimes, when the spaghetti hits the fan, you just gotta take it. Then, put in the work to clean up the mess afterwards."

"Well, what if the spaghetti leaves stains?" Finn asked. "Stains that...won't go away?"

"Whatever happens happens, Finn. Ya just gotta make sure to do right thing when it does happen." said Jake. "Wanna play video games?"

"Aw, heck ya." Finn grabbed a controller and sat down next to Jake. "By the way, did you find Mr. Cupcake?"

"No. PB wants me to look into it again tomorrow." Jake said. "It's weird. No one has any idea where he went. Not even Bubblegum can figure out where Mr. Cupcake went, and she has a tracker on all of the Candypeople."

"For real?"

"PB promises she only uses them if a Candyperson goes missing, but I can't shake the image of her watching their progress all day on a screen like a reality show."

"That's an...unsettling thought." said Finn. "Tell you what; I'll help you look for Mr. Cupcake tomorrow."

"Cool." Jake started up a new game. "Hopefully, we'll find him easy-peezy."

(Meanwhile. On the outskirts of the Fire Kingdom border)

"Ah, dangit! Kicked out udda the castle!" Flambo exclaimed as he wandered the Fire Kingdom border. "How was I supposed ta know the cake was for Randy's birthday?!" Flambo kicked an acorn across the ground and it lit on fire. "Yeah, I ate the whole thing! It's not my fault - it was delicious! Ah, da princess will forgive me by tomorra. No dame can stay mad at this cute face."

Flambo stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air and his eyes lit up. "Hot dang! Something smells good! And this Flambit is still hungry!" Flambo ran on all fours to the source of the smell. He ran until he came upon a tree. Under the tree, on top of a red-painted X, was a cupcake with blue icing and purple sprinkles.

Flambo stared at the pastry. "That's gotta be a trap… But then again, that cupcake looks pretty tasty… Screw it! I'm eating that cupcake!" Flambo ran up and picked up the cupcake before shoving the whole thing in his mouth.

And then, wouldn't you know it, a metal cage fell from the tree and trapped the Flambit.

"Ah, dag nabbit!" Flambo exclaimed. "I know I shoulda seen this comin', but dag nabbit!"

A tall, slim figure walked up to the caged Flambit. The figure wore a hooded, black cloak that concealed his or her entire body.

"Huh. Gonna be honest, I wasn't entirely certain that trap would work." The figure's voice identified her as a woman.

"Oh, so you're the cheap-ass who used a store-bought cupcake." said Flambo.

"I've never been one for baking." the hooded figure reached with her gloved hand and grabbed the handle on the top of the cage. She pulled the cage up, revealing that when it had fallen from the tree, it had connected with a bottom part hidden in the dirt, keeping Flambo trapped inside.

"Shame. I was hoping to nab an actual Flameperson. But, I suppose you'll do."

"Get me outta this cage, you crazy, stingy bitch!" Flambo yelled. "You ain't takin' me nowhere, lady!"

"This squirt bottle full of water says otherwise." The hooded figure pulled said squirt bottle out of her cloak and presented it to Flambo.

"Woah! Take it easy!" Flambo cried. "No need to get medieval!"

"There we go." the hooded figure put away her squirt bottle. "Now, let's get going." the figure walked off.

"Who are you, crazy lady?" Flambo asked as he was carried away.

"Me?" the figure chuckled. "I, my little, flery friend, am the next step in this world's evolution. Which, by the by, is drawing near."

And so it begins…