Hello again. So yeah, first, I would like to apologize because I haven't updated this story (again) for about two months. I just didn't realize that it was just a week before finals when I posted the last chapter. Well, you could say that the struggle is real in college... And then I was on vacation for weeks so that's another reason why I couldn't write. I know, I know that I'm making excuses (haha) and I'm sorry (sigh) I just needed that break for the sake of my sanity. Lol.
Anyway, I'm thankful for the two guest, Kinder and Marc, that answered me although they didn't choose any of the choices I suggested but went for another suggestion... I'm really thankful for those two 'cos really! they said to do what I wanted to do and just go with my will for the updates. T.T Thanks so much. Aren't you two so thoughtful? xD
Oh, third, of course, I would like to thank all of my reviewers at this point because all of you guys are so awesome and thoughtful and kind enough to leave all those precious reviews. So this time, I'll try to answer you guys and thank you.
Gan: Aww. Well, I'm glad that somebody loved that lost-control part because I also love those kind of scenes :D And wait, you love angst? Hmmm. Now, I'm starting to consider things. xD
Guest that was having a hard time in logging in: Thank you for that wonderful review. I'm glad. :D And okay, I'll try to have warnings now and then for you although I don't really know what I'm going to do. Seriously, I don't know but don't worry I'll manage. Thank you!
Shot31, Guess, GIROO, tada001, kiankrizzle022, Axle Petya, Pops, Kinder, Marc, Gan, and SeliniErastis and of course to all those Guest... Thank you very much. I haven't thank you yet individually for the last chapters but really, thank you. :D You are all very lovely and fantastic to leave all those kind reviews to this baka author. Hahaha
Well, I guess the A/N has been so long now. (Sorry not sorry, after all I've been gone for months).
So... Hope you like the chap.
Warning: There's definitely a breakdown coming... (Why do I feel like I'm spoiling my own fic? Hahaha.)
Anyway, here goes chapter the seventh
Chapter 7
Bonnibel found herself standing inside the 24/7 convenience store. Currently thinking what she needed and had to do. Motivation coursed through her as she thought about their deals and for the girl outside, waiting for her. And so, Bonnibel grabbed a basket on the counter and walked down the lanes with one thing set on her mind...
What was Mayor Bonnibel Becket doing inside, well, let's take a run back through.
A little ways before the present:
As Bonnibel walked away to go home, Marceline grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her face to face.
"I'll let you do your experiments to me now," Marceline breathed out.
Bonnibel was shocked at first until she realized what Marceline was offering to her and so agreed with a rather enthusiastically "Deal!"
"Yes!" Marceline bellowed as she raised her right hand in a closed fist as if she won a bag of gold which earned her a roll in the eyes by the pink haired girl. The past and latest offer she had made a deal with was already at the far end of her mind and so bringing up her hands, touching fingers with another set of fingers, she carefully said what the pink girl needed to do for her "Okay, so I need you to-"
"Hup hup hup." Bonnibel interrupted her before she could speak any further. "First-," Bonnibel paused as if she wanted to emphasize what she was about to say "admit to me what you are." She said, smiling brightly at Marceline.
Marceline sighed, bringing down her hands. "Fine, fine-"
"You're a vampire."
"-I am a vampire. That's what am I and I hope you're hap- Hey! You already knew it!" Marceline then realized that she and the girl in front of her (yes, Marceline still didn't have any clue who this girl was) said it at the same moment and that her idea was correct.
So, why was she impertinent to admit this? Marceline just raised one of her eyebrows and crossed her arms around her chest "So, you already knew it huh."
"Of course, I knew it already. I just wanted you to admit it first."
"Well, you see, you didn't make me admit it first. We both admit it at the same time." Marceline pointed out, dropping her hands down.
Bonnibel shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't about to say to her that she had an overbearing pride and that she just didn't want Marceline to laugh at her when her idea could be wrong although she was 99.99% sure that she was on the right track that Marceline was a vampire.
I really hate that .01% doubt.
Bonnibel sighed. "I know. I intentionally said it the same time you did. Now, we're getting off topic. So, what's this favor you specifically needed me to do? If my memory serves right, I remember you saying it's easy."
Changing the topic eh? "Hahaha. Don't worry prin-" cess. Marceline silenced her own mouth before she could complete her sentence. She remembered how the girl walked out when she unconsciously said that.
Well, tonight's an exception for that since I need her but once this night is over... well, let's just say I had a new nickname for... oh, I didn't even know her name. Marceline coughed "I mean, you don't have to worry about anything this is just simple"
"Okay, I'm all ears. Just don't forget the deals."
"Pssh. Yeah yeah. Now, buy me all the reds you'll see in that store." Marceline said as she pointed the store that wasn't that far behind them.
"Wait? That's all?"
"Yep."
Bonnibel squinted her eyes and smiled "Ah, so you needed me because you don't have money to buy things."
Marceline just shrugged and said, "Actually, I have money. I just don't have the currency of this country"
"Well... Okay. So, what kind of red?"
"Anything."
That made Bonnibel raised an eyebrow. She didn't like things that were like 'anything'. She wanted to be precise. To be accurate. That was what she learned in all those experiments she performed in her own lab. The variables needed to be exact if you wanted the whole experiment to be perfect. Bonnibel frowned. "As in anything?"
"Yes" Marceline simply answered.
"Even a ball-?"
"Yes"
"-or a candy-?"
"Yes"
"-or a string or a-?"
"Yes, yes, yes! I just need the color. Now, will you do it or what?" Marceline was a little bit piss off now. Okay Marce. Are you still there? Okay, breathe in, breathe out. I know you're still capable of being out of control but please keep yourself in check all the time. You don't want this beautiful lady to be sucked out of red... or pink or whatever right? Marceline scrunched up her face, still focusing on controlling herself in fear of being out of control.
Well, if she says so. So be it. Anything! As long as the color is red "Of course. Piece of cake" Bonnibel smiled or it might have been a smirk if you know her well enough. Hmmm. Well, I guess she still needed a red to sustain herself seeing that vampires need it. Suddenly she realized something. Huh, I thought that vampires need blood. Is that just a misconception? Well, I already have a vampire at my disposal, I just need to ask her questions. Then after this, I will unravel all the secrets there are on vampires... This is all so simple. Bonnibel thought as she turned around and started to walk in the direction of the store, still wearing that smirk on her face.
"Wait. Wait miss." Marceline yelled, grabbing the hem of Bonnibel's shirt.
Bonnibel turned around. She was not even a feet away from the vampire when she felt a tug at her shirt, completely getting caught off guard at this. She raised an eyebrow at her, again. "Why? Do you need anything else, Marceline?"
"It seems that I can't move."
"What?"
"I can't move" Marceline hissed.
"Huh?"
"I mean, I can't walk. My legs... Look at it. I can barely stand up 'cause it's shaking really bad and I feel like jell-o" And sure enough when Bonnibel looked down, she saw that Marceline was shaking so hard.
"Er. Okay, stay here. Uhm. Just sit down on the floor."
"You mean in the concrete cement?" The words were laced with sarcasm as Marceline uttered those.
Bonnibel rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Stay here. I'll be quick, okay?"
"'kay" Marceline removed her hands from grasping the hem of Bonnibel's shirt. She didn't realize that she was still clutching it until she let it go.
Marceline watched as the pink haired girl walked away from her. She could see the outline of the girl's body, her arms that were swinging on her sides alternatively pacing with her legs, her hair that was hidden in the blue cap, and her body with her back facing her that looked so petite in this distance...
A wave of emotions suddenly hit Marceline. She was confused to know why the fact that this girl walking away from her was making her feel like this. Like she was a broken mirror with its broken pieces entirely gone adrift, away, left, crushed.
Suddenly, she was reaching out for her. With an outstretched hand, she called out for her.
Don't go, Bonnie. Don't leave me.
She was calling for the girl that she barely knew, not realizing that she mouthed the girl's name subconsciously which later on would be forgotten entirely.
Her sight was becoming blurry. Why is that? And just then her sight was shifted lower.
Oompf.
She could then feel soreness at her bottom.
Augh. Marceline grunted and then there was another pain in her back.
What was that noise? Was that me? Wait, wait. Why am I looking at the stars now? She was confused at first but she accepted the truth not bothering to question herself anymore, just accepting. There are stars above me. She could feel something. Like she knew something but couldn't reach out for it. Or there was something she needed to say but she couldn't form it. Like it was on the tip of her tongue after all.
Why is this all familiar? Marceline didn't know the answer to her question.
Why are they looking down on us? The stars... Marceline thought. The stars...
And finally she closed her eyes because she couldn't stand the pain of her own head anymore. Because it was all down to her head, the pain and the memories. And that the pain in her back was nothing to the throbbing ache her head had to endure at the moment's notice.
Present:
Bonnibel checked every lane she passed through. And everytime she saw any red thing, she placed it in the basket. She was not even sure what she was picking up.
As long at its red, that's okay. That was the only thing her mind was thinking in the moment.
The basket she was carrying was still not full. But just a little bit more and it would be okay. Bonnibel was thinking that a basket would already suffice Marceline's need. Currently, she was at the corner of the store looking at some packs of apple flavored candies.
Well, at least the package is red. Bonnibel shrugged her shoulders. Better to finish this right away.
She was about to pick the pack of candies when something caught her eyes. She looked up at the glass panes of the store that served as the windows, seeing her reflection at first but she readjusted her vision until she could make out what really caught her eyes. She silently laughed, keeping her laugh all to herself.
She was a bit reluctant when I merely suggested the fact of her sitting down and now she was lying completely on the ground? Wow huh.
She could see that Marceline was lying on the sidewalk. She shook her head and turned her body away from the glass and proceeded to go shopping again.
It didn't take any longer when Bonnibel was on the counter, paying for the products she bought.
She looked at the salesman and noticed that he was looking at her. At that moment, he looked down and started to swipe all the products to his scanner as if he wasn't caught staring. But Bonnibel saw it. She saw the curiosity in his eyes when she looked up.
Probably because all the things I bought are red. Or probably he's thinking a reason why I'm still buying a full basket of things in the middle of the night.
She pushed her thoughts away from this and continued watching him scanning the red things. There were times when she felt the guy was staring at her oddly but she dared herself not to look up. It would just be awkward for the both of them.
Watching the swiping of the barcode to the scanner, she felt her eyes drooping.
It must have been late now.
She checked her watch and saw that it was really late. 12:38 AM
She sighed and just thought of the benefits it would cause her if she pay for all of the reds.
What is Marceline doing right now? She thought out of the blue. She stiffled a laugh when she remembered the vampire lying on the sidewalk.
Well, I hope she's doing something now instead of lying around... I mean, the cement must have been cold now, isn't it?
She didn't know why she had thought of this but she knew that the cement will be cold especially when it was dark and the sun is no longer shining to warm up everything.
She frowned and looked at the glass doors. It was a good thing that she could clearly see what was on the other side. But it was the other way round when she a good look of what was there on that side. There was Marceline, still lying on the pavement, just on the other side of the door. Motionless and so still that you could compare her to a log.
She would have laughed again at seeing her like that if she wasn't feeling nervous for the said vampire.
Isn't that her position since I saw her quite a bit earlier?
She frowned again but now the lines that formed on her forehead shows the worry she had been feeling for Marceline.
Why is she not moving?
Bonnibel waited. She waited if Marceline would move and so she started counting numbers.
One. Two. Three...
She was on her tenth count when she set her mind to go check if Marceline was really alright.
She looked at the things she bought and then glanced at the guy behind the counter and for the second time that night, their eyes met.
They looked at each other and looked away at the same time.
Finally, the guy spoke. "You know, you're really really familiar"
Bonnibel looked up, seeing the prying eyes of the guy. "Huh? No! You must've mistaken me for somebody else." She smiled sickly. She knew that her tone had been so full of denial but she dismissed these thoughts easily. She was itching to see what had become of Marceline and she couldn't take it any longer anymore. She looked again at the lying figure outside and decided to leave the guy at the register.
She was now opening the door when the guy called out for her. "Miss!-"
Bonnibel didn't look back.
"Your goods..." The guy glanced down at the merchandises he was scanning "that you left... are worth 68.24 dollars."
And then Bonnibel came back, her head jutting out at the ajar door. "I'm sorry but I just need to check something out. Is it okay if I leave those things? Thank you!" The pink girl asked, leaving the guy before he could answer back.
So much for another interesting night... though that lady really looks like the mayor. The guy yawned before slumping down and deeply heaved a sighed before putting all the goods in a paper bag. What a boring night.
Bonnibel walked at a fast pace towards Marceline.
She could see that the said girl was not moving even an inch. She was also aware of the fact that her heart was beating at an irregular rate. She was nervous as well as worried.
Tss. Just why didn't I notice this earlier? I should have been suspicious when I saw her like that. Anyway, no time to deal with the past, Becket!
Bonnibel was now standing beside the lying girl. Looking at the scene they were in now, Bonnibel looked like a suspicious person looking at a helpless person. She might have been accused of many offensive accusations if one would see them but she didn't care. She slowly examined the girl before her. The first thing that came to her was that she was just sleeping.
Well, if she's sleeping shouldn't her eyelids flutter if she was truly dreaming of something? She thought.
Or a little bit of shuffling of the arms or legs?
Or snoring or heaving of the breath?
Bonnibel then took notice of all of this, suddenly becoming conscious that not any of these things could be observed. Dead. Already dead.
She panicked which she never usually did (completely forgetting that that was the second time that night) and sit down next to her on her knees. Why are you not breathing anymore?
Seeing the vampire girl lying on the ground, not moving and looking so dead and pale made her chest suddenly tighten. Instantly, she was clutching her chest so hard. She felt beads of sweat forming on her temples but she preferred to take no notice of this. She just wanted to bring out the thing that was causing her so much pain, that aching feeling inside of her chest... Her heart. She wanted to take it out. And crush it with her bare hands so that she couldn't feel any pain anymore.
And then she opened her eyes, not even realizing that she closed it when she had been in pain. She realized what she was thinking about and the thought made her gag. One of her hands went up to her mouth. What was she thinking about? Just thinking about those dark thoughts made her want to throw up what's inside her stomach. A shiver crawled up to her spine. She was disappointed to herself all over again. She shouldn't think of those kinds of things. Ever
She lowered down her eyes, focusing on the girl before her. Who is this girl again?
Bonnibel widen her eyes. Dangglobbit! "Marceline!" she said out loud, now recognizing the current situation she was in.
She just shook her head. This was not the time to be a having a breakdown.
Well, what are you still doing Becket?! Do something!
Without thinking, she grabbed Marceline's shoulders and did what her most panic-stricken mind could think at the moment.
"MARCELINE! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME! YOU STILL OWE ME MANY THINGS!"
She never knew Marceline at all. But what happened two months ago was still fresh on her mind and that made Bonnibel think of what kind of demon truly Marceline is. But now this same Marceline came back, looking all vulnerable and helpless, tired and hungry that she couldn't help but be worried and be nervous at the same time because who was she kidding. Marceline is a totally dangerous girl. And here Bonnibel was, clutching Marceline's shoulder, not aware that her nails were being buried at the pale skin of the said vampire...
"HEAR THAT? YOU OWE ME!"
"And I-I still have my 20 questions and analysis on you..."
"And even though I don't understand what you had been saying to me two months ago..."
"That's all fine to me."
"I'll even lift the banishment in my town... "
"S-so.." She sobbed back. Why am I sobbing?
"S-so don't die on me, YOU IDIOT!" Oh! Am I crying? How so?
"D-don't leave me all alone again!" What was she saying again?
"Marceline. Please!" Why did I feel like this? Towards her? Isn't she just another problem to me?
"M-marceline! Wake up!" What was she doing? What are you doing, Bonnibel?
Bonnibel could feel the tears dripping down on her face but she still didn't take notice of this or she just didn't want to notice it yet.
And then Marceline's eyelids fluttered, like she was having a nightmare or more, being interrupted in her dream... "Bon-nie," Marceline muttered softly.
She couldn't help but widen her eyes at what she heard.
She is alive?! Wait, was she just sleeping all this time?
She felt stupid. What was she crying about for all this time? She shook her head and wiped her face with her arm. She knew that in any second now Marceline will have her consciousness back and so she desperately tried to compose herself. She stood up and picked the cap she borrowed. It must have fall back when she shook Marceline awake. She wore it again and lowered down her cap so Marceline couldn't see her flushed face from crying. Of course, she couldn't help but smile in relief when she saw that Marceline stirred up.
Marceline was having such a good dream. Or so she thought when her dream started to shift into a nightmare. Well, it was not really a nightmare. It was more like a screaming contest. Yes, that's it! A screaming contest! Unfortunately, she couldn't make out what were the words being screamed or where that even came from.
She was about to open her eyes when she found out she couldn't. It was heavy. Like there are dead weights attached on her eyelids and she couldn't bring to open them fully. And then she felt droplets of water on her face. And she knew, she just knew that she was completely awake now, not dreaming anymore.
She willed herself to open her eyes and she found out the she could open it now.
Slowly, she opened her eyes. Taking careful notice of what her surroundings were. There she saw beside her the pink haired girl she still didn't know the name of. Currently, the girl was readjusting her cap making it harder to have eye contact. "Hey, what happened?" She asked theprincess, Marceline's new nickname for that pink-haired girl.
"You know, I'm the one who should be asking that." Princess said. Marceline took note of the hoarseness of the voice of the pink-haired girl. But before she could think for a reason for such voice, what the girl said got stuck on the vampire's mind. That was when Marceline realized that she was lying flat on the ground.
Huh? Why am I lying down?
Marceline propped up her weight on both of her elbows, making her in a much better comfortable position than before.
"Marceline" Bonnibel said in a louder voice. "What the glob happened to you when I'm gone?" There was a bossy voice that Marceline took notice again.
"Augh." Marceline groaned when she tried to sit up. The sudden movement made her head ache. "Uhm-" Massaging her temples, she tried to remember what happened after Bonnibel walked away. "I-I-"
What happened?
She couldn't find any reason why she was on her back and what she had been doing. Just by trying to remember what happened made her head throb painfully.
Ah well, I remember falling down. Geez, is my shaking so bad that I completely fall down on my back?
"Ah, that's it! I'm shaking so bad earlier... And I think my knees couldn't carry my weight anymore. Remember?" She then looked up but still couldn't see the princess' face. "By the way, where are my reds?" She blurted out suddenly and looking at her surrounding if they were any signs of any package from the store.
"Oh! Glip glob! I forgot about those." At seeing Marceline's wide eyes she tried to compensate that she already finished the job. "Oh, please. Don't you worry about that. I just left it at the store-" she said as she pointed at the store "-so let me take it so I can pay already." Bonnibel turned away, about to run to the direction of the store.
Without thinking, she grabbed the ankle of Bonnibel. Marceline winced at this because it was really a good thing that Bonnibel hadn't started running yet or else she'll really fall on her face. She just knew at the back of her head that she wouldn't want this girl to be mad at her. Hell would break loose if that happened.
Anyway, what's with her and all the grabbing? Marceline didn't know why she always grabbed this princess whenever she felt that she was leaving her. She felt Bonnibel looking down on her, demanding an answer. Quick, Marcy! Find an excuse.
"Uhm-" Marceline was still sitting down and she couldn't make eye contact. Ugh. Come on Marcy! She's waiting.
"Do you need help in standing up?" Bonnibel said in a gentle and soft voice. The voice that made Marceline wants to purr in satisfaction. It made her bones weak and she felt like jell-o, again but for an entire different reason now.
The girl's voice is just freaking lovely.
She was not aware that she already nodded and that Bonnibel was crouching down to help her.
She accepted the help and looked at the face of this girl. That moment, she could feel that time really stopped for her. She could clearly see the glassy eyes the girl was hiding. She would have been pulled in the sea of her eyes if she didn't take notice of the fact that this girl was flushed red.
Embarrassed? She thought. Or blushing. Pssh. As if.
She then took notice of another part of the girl's face. Her long eyelashes. She would have been overwhelmed at how she looked like a freaking perfect Barbie doll (minus the pink hair) if she didn't saw that her eyelashes were damp. And that was when Marceline knew. She just knew that this girl was crying. She was crying. For what reason? Marceline didn't know.
She was anchored back in the present situation when she heard that Princess was saying something. I didn't catch what she was saying. "Uh sorry. What was that again?"
"Well, I said that I think you're okay now. I mean you're not shaking anymore. I think your nap in this concrete cement really helped you after all." Marceline didn't miss the smirk this girl was showing.
"You're damn right there, Princess" Marceline retorted, a bit teasing on the edge of her voice. She couldn't see the eyes of the princess now but she knew that she wasn't wrong about that.
"Whatever. Now, come with me to the store" Bonnibel said turning her back to the vampire. Bonnibel knew now that the vampire could stand. Marceline, falling down on her back couldn't even happen now. She started walking. She knew that Marceline would be at her pace at the same time and of course she wasn't mistaken because Marceline caught up with her.
"Fine, fine Princess" Marceline teased, emphasizing the nickname.
Bonnibel was angry but now she couldn't retort back. She was tired, physically and emotionally. She just wasn't up for a confrontation with this vampire.
Marceline got the hint. She knew that princess was crying earlier. She just thought that maybe her teasing would bring the girl's behaviour lighten up again. Clearly that wasn't the situation.
They were infront of the store now by the vending machines, the place they first met (for Marceline's situation)
"Thank you" Marceline said. "for everything."
She heard a giggle coming from Princess and that perked her up. "You already said that before you know"
"Uh. Yeah, but really, I'm really grateful to you." She saw that Bonnibel smiled. Seeing her smile was so familiar but she shrugged this and continued talking. "Uhm, do you want me to go inside with you?"
"Well, that will be convenient"
Marceline nodded, "Okay, I'll just carry all the things you bought"
Bonnibel was about to open the door when she remembered something. She stopped and Marceline bumped into her.
"Hey, what-?"
Before Marceline could ask, Bonnibel interrupted her by standing too close to her to feel her warmness and breathe in her smell. Instantly, Marceline stiffened and stopped her breathing.
Bonnibel knew what she was doing. She grabbed something at the back of Marceline's head. The hood of Marceline's jacket. When she grabbed it, she pulled it up and placed it in Marceline head, completely hiding Marceline's face and hair. There! She smiled unknowingly. She turned her back to Marceline and went inside the store, leaving Marceline clueless, confused and open mouthed
Marceline closed her mouth. What was that about? There was a tingling feeling on her face but she just ignored this.
Marceline shook her head. Leave the girl to be the boss around here. She smirked at thinking this. Well, she definitely has this 'boss' aura around her. She gripped the handle of the door and opened it. A smile appearing on her face and a flustered face was slowly fading away.
05/06/16