In her humble cave cottage, Marceline the Vampire Queen is floating above her couch, playing music on her Axe-Bass, humming a tune whilst looking at sheet notes. "Da da daa da daaa…" Marceline hums when a pair of pink boots walks up to her. She looks up to the person attached to the boots: Princess Bubblegum. "Hey, Marcy. I'm gonna meet up with Ellie and Meg. You wanna come along?" Princess Bubblegum asked. "Fire truck's got a nickname now?" Marceline teased.

"Ellie insisted on it. You coming or not?" Princess Bubblegum asked again. "Sorry, but I got some new ideas for an album, so I'm getting into a serious thinking sesh." Marceline declined. "Huh, well I hope it all goes well. Can't wait to hear your material when I get back." Princess Bubblegum said before kissing Marceline on the cheek. Marceline looks to her as she leaves, then at her sheet note pile. She swipes away the top sheet to reveal layers upon layers of sheets struck out haphazardly in red ink.

"It's just another writer's block. You've been through them all the time. And I'm talking to myself again." Marceline said to herself. Emerging from the kitchen is Simon Petrikov, Marceline's guardian, antiquarian, archaeologist, and pre-war history consultant for the nearby human settlement, Hub City. "Morning' Marcy. Still working on that album?" Simon asked as he held an ice pack to his head. "Yep, still am. Simon, is your head alright?" Marceline asked as she pointed to the ice pack. "Oh, this? Yeah, I'm good. I'm just used to having a cool head." Simon answered.

"You going for therapy today?" Marceline asked Simon. "Daniel and Backfire are coming to pick me up, and they should be here soon." Simon said before turning his attention to the sheet notes. He puts down his ice pack and takes one of the rejected notes. "In a rut again?" Simon asked. "Ugh, yeah. I feel like writing something, but I don't know what to write about." Marceline said.

"You usually write song about you, right? Why not write a song about someone else? Princess Bubblegum, Finn and Jake, maybe someone new." Simon suggested. A horn blares just outside the cave. "That must be Daniel. I'll be back by three." Simon told Marceline as he walks through the door. "Bye, and love you!" Marceline waved. As the door closes shuts, Marceline looks at her notes.

"Someone else… someone new…" Marceline pondered as the lights flicker. The power cuts out, leaving Marceline in the dark. "Darn it. Probs blown fuse again." Marceline grumbled. When she stands up to get the power back on, the lights turn on to reveal a woman with flowing black hair standing before her, wearing a slim, black leather suit and white face paint with a black star painted on her upper face. After being knocked to the floor, Marceline flips the woman over her, knocking her into the couch.

Marceline takes her Axe-Bass and takes a stance. "Still sharp as ever, vampire hunter." the woman said as she rises from behind the couch. The woman smiles, revealing her vampire fangs. "Star… you're alive?" Marceline said in surprise. "As alive as a vampire could be. You didn't think you got all of us, did you?" the woman said smugly.

"I'm gonna fix that." Marceline responded. She throws her Axe-Bass at Star, who slithers away from it like a snake. "Would you believe me if I wanted to talk?" Star asked before Marceline sprints straight at her. "Maybe I'll have to beat you up before you'll listen." Star said as she takes throwing stars from her pockets. Marceline shapeshifts into a more aggressive form with red eyes and pounces at Star.

Star throws her stars at Marceline, but she slinks past them to lunge at her. Star flips over the kitchen's pony wall where Marceline follows, but is met by a stool bashed into her face. Marceline lies on the carpeted floor when Star takes a splintered leg and plunges it down towards Marceline. The Vampire Queen grabs the leg, only for it to slip past to pin her by her sweater's shoulder, not even grazing her. "Stay still and listen to me!" Star demanded as she restrains Marceline.

Suddenly, the windows shatter at the sound of gunfire, followed by another dark figure leaping through. They tackle Star, allowing Marceline to remove the splintered leg. Star is pinned to the wall and looks up to see her assailant: a tall man in a black motorcycle suit, decorated with a red emblem of a robot's face on its back, and an opaque black bubble helmet. Star attempt to choke the motorcyclist with a strong grip, but he doesn't falter. "Bold of you to assume I have a windpipe." the man said before pulling her arm off him and slapping glowing blue handcuffs on her.

Entering the house through the front door is a tall robot with a black-and-silver paintjob, an engine in place of its chest, two tires mounted on its forearms, and a faceless head with a mouthplate and a blue, sunglasses-shaped visor. "Way to go, Daniel." Backfire said. "Yeah, way to go messing up my crib." Marceline said defensively. "Be glad you're alive, Marceline." the motorcyclist rebutted as he pulls Star up. Simon hurriedly enters the house and runs to Marceline.

"Marcy, you're safe! What happened? Who is that?" Simon asked as he pointed to Star. "She's an old enemy of mine; an assassin for the Vampire King." Marceline answered. "I thought you hunted them to extinction?" Simon asked. "I had a feeling some got away." Marceline said as she faces Star. "Please, just hear me out." Star pleaded.

"Why should I, after everything you've done for the Vampire King?" Marceline asked. "I like your music!" Star answered awkwardly. "Really, girl? That your excuse?" Marceline said in disbelief. "No, really! After a couple hundred years of finding you, I tried to kill you at a concert…" Star said. "Daniel, get 'er outta here." Marceline told Daniel. He escorts Star, who wriggles in an attempt to resist.

"No wait, please!" Star exclaimed before pinning her legs to the sides of the front door to stop Daniel. "C'mon, lady. You're not making this easy for us either." Backfire said as he assists Daniel in subduing Star. "I don't wanna kill anymore!" Star exclaimed. Marceline is surprised at this, and taps Daniel on the shoulder to stop him.

"Let her go. I'll take it from here." Marceline said. "Marcy, are you sure? You said she's a dangerous assassin." Simon asked. "Sure as sure can be." Marceline answered. "Alright." Daniel said as he releases Star. "If this is all done, we'll drive Mister Petrikov to Hub City." Daniel said to Marceline.

"Laters, Danny." Marceline said as she flicked her finger at him. Simon follows Daniel and Backfire out of the house, but looks back to Marceline. "Don't worry about me. I owe Star a little chat." Marceline said. Simon waved goodbye again before leaving and closing the door behind him. "Apple or tomato?" Marceline asked Star.

Under the sound of a distant motorcycle engine outside, Marceline and Star sit around the coffee table with a neat stack of apples atop it. "So, why's little miss 'I kill to live and live to kill' quitting the killing business all of a sudden?" Marceline asked Star. "Well, when I was a little girl, I always wanted to be a rockstar. When the War broke out, I had to drop everything just to survive. As the years went by, I got desperate, killed anyone and everyone just to get what I needed. And I liked it. Along the line, the Vampire King recruited me into his army." Star explained. "Just tell me why you stopped." Marceline insisted. "Remember what I said when I tried to kill you at a concert? I had a huge setup in the trees and everything. When you went on stage and started singing, it awoke something in me, something I haven't felt in a long time: joy… joy of music." Star added.

"You actually like my music?" Marceline asked. "Like? I love it! I couldn't help but sit in the trees and listen to your singing the whole time! I felt happy, happier than I am when I'm chomping off some fella's jugular." Star said excitedly. Following this is an awkward silence form what Star said. "So basically, you're one'a them 'your music changed me' people?" Marceline teased. "More like, brought out the real me, the me before I became this… monster." Star corrected. "Why come to me?" Marceline asked.

"I wanna be a rockstar, be the me I always wanted to be." Star answered. "And you want my help?" Marceline asked. "Yeah. A thousand years of assassinating makes a girl rusty at other things." Star answered. "That's why hobbies are a thing." Marceline said as she grabs her Axe-Bass and strums a tune. As she plays, Star is mesmerized by the blood-red instrument's chords.

"Can I have a go?" Star asked. "Okay, but you better not try to kill me with the axe-side." Marceline agreed as she hands over the instrument to Star, who sits comfortably with it. She begins strumming and hums a tune with the bass. "I walk a lonely road, the one that I have ever known…" Star sang. "If you continue with Wonderwall, I'm gonna throw you outta the window." Marceline threatened.

After looking at Marceline, Star utters "Today-". Star is promptly thrown out of the window into the cavern lake. Soon, she is brought back in and is wiping her head dry with a towel. "Sorry, but I told you so." Marceline said. "No worries, I deserve that for everything I've done." Star said before lowering her towel, revealing her natural brown skin on her face and curly black hair on her head.

"Gotta say, your voice ain't bad, you've struck the right chords. Maybe there is hope for you." Marceline commented. "Hope's all I've ever wanted." Star said, starting to tear up. Marceline then shoves the towel back onto Star's face. "Don't get mushy on me, Star. Still ain't used to being that friendly with you." Marceline chuckled. Star then playfully throws the towel back at Marceline, the turbulence causing the rejected sheet music to fly off the table.

She picks one up and looks at it. "Your latest project?" Star asked Marceline. "Yeah, but I'm kinda stuck. I usually sing about myself, but I've sung so much you can compile an autobiography from them." Marceline joked. "You got any ideas?" Keila asked. "Well, my friend Simon told me to write about someone else. I guess I could give it a shot, but I don't know who." Marceline responded.

"The songs you've sung about other people are usually from your side. Maybe write one on their perspective." Star suggested. "Perspective…" Marceline noted. "Say, while we're on the topic of helping me find my musical legs, why not form a band?" Star asked. "A band? I don't usually do bands. When I do, they're more of a one-time thing." Marceline considered. "It'll be fun when you make it a full-thing. Aside from me, we can find other fledgeling musicians and we can write songs together, and stuff!" Star suggested.

"As long as I don't have to babysit you." Marceline joked. "Yes! I'm finally gonna join a band, just like in my dreams!" Star celebrated. "Just don't try to kill me when I turn my back." Marceline joked. "Okay, I will… your majesty." Star said in a mocking tone. "Just call me Marceline." Marceline insisted.

"Alright… Maaarceline." Keila agreed in a smug tone. "By the way, since we're going on a first-name basis, what's your real name?" Marceline asked. "My real name?" Star repeated. "Yeah, there's no way Star is your name. I know the Tarot theme you guys got." Marceline added. "My name… my name's Keila." Star answered confidently.

"Well, Keila, let's form a band." Marceline declared.

To be continued…