Real talk: Hey look, guys! It's a big chapter! Starring Phoebe! See, I told you she was going to show up. And she shows up again in this story later on! Like I said, Phoebe has a role to play in Opening Act, but she has an even bigger one in Opening Act's sequel (assuming people want it). We're about to reach a turning point in the story, where we begin to move past what happened in Rehearsal and into what happens next. Exciting! At least, I'm excited.

So there are two questions that have come up since the last chapter, and I want to address them now.

The first question I was asked is about the timeline, specifically how old Finn is. Longtime readers of my work know that I don't post things chronologically, and that I don't like to give definitives. This is for two reasons. The first is that definitives make writing more constricting in terms of what I can do and be creative with, since I'm working under artificial constraints. The second is that while I like lots of detail I also like seeing what you guys come up with, so I drop lots of hints. For example, Finn's age. I've outright said Marcy is 19, and Bonnie is slightly younger, but not by much. I've said Finn is biologically older than both, and that the events of Seventeen happened several years ago. You can thus infer that Finn is at least 20, but right now you can use your imagination as to how old he is otherwise. The same goes with the rest of my stories. I imply when they occurred within actual Adventure Time canon, but I don't like being super-specific because I feel like it ruins some of the fun.

If there ends up being enough demand for it I'll make a timeline of at least what order my stories occur in, but unless I hear that this is seriously something people want I doubt it'll happen.

The second question is about Marcy's Big Betrayal, and what the flip that's about. Regrettably, that won't be explored in Opening Act. There are some events that are so crucial to The Symphony Universe that they need to be dealt with in their own stories to be given the attention they deserve. This includes what Marcy did and the discovery of her sedatephobia, among a couple other plot points. So, like I said, right now you get to use your imaginations until I get there. In time, everything will be revealed. (I also like annoying vagueness).

I've said it before, but I have so many stories and plots in the works, and every time I post a story it includes a reference to a future story you can look forward to. There are a lot of mysteries you guys have been exposed to, and I know ALL of them and how they'll be answered. Right now, on top of those two stories mentioned above, Opening Act, the sequel, A capella, and Love Song, I have almost half a dozen other stories in various stages of development.

Content Warnings:

Reveals

So much foreshadowing oh dear (biggest foreshadowing chapter in all of Opening Act actually)

Mind games with plausibly good intentions

Unintentional but implied emotional affair if you squint hard enough?

No Marcy

Phoebe and Bonnie have a nice little chat

Perilous.

Adjective.

Definition: Involving or full of grave risk or peril; hazardous; dangerous.

Examples include: Mountain climbing during a snowstorm. Sailing a ship through stormy seas. Running through an inferno to rescue cute forest creatures.

In short, the word-a-day calendar BMO has jokingly gotten him as a birthday present when he was 14 gave Finn a really good way to describe the situation before him, but absolutely no guidance as to where he should go from here. Princess Bubblegum was often fond of saying that knowledge was the key to power, but this wasn't exactly helping her case.

Let the record show that Phoebe had come with purpose. This was deliberate, it was calculated, it was not a rash action. How else could she have made it through the gate and parked herself outside of the Candy Kingdom throne room otherwise? No, she had a mission, that much was clear. It showed in the unmistakable resolve in her eyes, in the imposing way she mannered herself, the obvious way in that she knew she wasn't on home soil but that she wouldn't let it compromise the integrity of her mission. What mission? Finn felt it a reasonable assumption that it had to do with Marceline, as everything else had been lately. But then why's she dressed like that?

Her choice of attire was indeed odd for a mission of peace, and Finn was hopeful that was all this was. Though she was not wearing the maroon battle armor befitting her station as a real-deal princess of one of the most powerful kingdoms in all of Ooo she wasn't exactly dressed down as if visiting an old buddy either; a form-fitting vermillion dress with a tangerine blaze down the middle, outlining the hem, falling just below her knees. It was accented by a short amber-colored sash with matching ankle boots. It was simple attire, and one may even mistake her for a peasant of her own kingdom, if not for her golden crown with its royal gem mounted in the center, shining with all of the authority her calm demure demanded. Yes, she may not be dressed to the nines but Phoebe's quiet royal dignity spoke for itself.

In contrast, Princess Bubblegum was not dressed befitting her status as the matriarch of one of the most powerful kingdoms in all of Ooo. It seemed to the boys that she hadn't changed her outfit at all since they last saw her, save for shedding Marceline's-turned-Bonnibel's letterman jacket. Which made sense, given that it was probably still soaked in maroon blood. Whereas Phoebe's outfit appeared carefully selected the candy golem's was relaxed; she still had her lavender hoodie and matching sneakers on, as well as her washed jeans. Her hair was still tied back, her own crown with its own royal gem as imposing as a simple tiara could ever be, its presence the only change from when the brothers last saw her.

Her wardrobe may have been relaxed, but Princess Bubblegum was anything but. She sat rigid, not quite glaring, but not quite not glaring. The hand-painted dark violet and carnation wedged-pattern mosaic throne, something so delicate and beautiful, seemed to accentuate her visible displeasure. The size and delicate shape, befitting the most powerful woman in the most powerful kingdom - politically at least, was in of itself a weapon, one she was already wielding, as if to remind the younger woman that she wasn't entirely surrounded by friends, and those friends she was surrounded by wouldn't be able to do a thing to help her if this meeting - or whatever it was, Bonnibel had no idea yet - went sour, as she assumed it would.

When she rested her arms, a visible indicator that she was settling not only into her seat but into her role, her mindset, her cold demeanor, it was a silent signal to Finn and Jake, and the brothers exchanged a pitiful look; as tense as this all was, Phoebe had, knowingly or not, declared that she wanted Bubblegum to hold formal court. She was their ladybro, but Bubblegum was their princess, and unless things turned ugly there was nothing they could really do but figuratively hold their tongues and hope it played out peacefully. Their plain-clothes loyalty was to all friends, but their station-loyalty was to their princess alone, and the thought caused Finn's heart to plummet into his stomach. What happened to you guys? Yeah, you weren't ever really buds, but there wasn't all this animosity. Why are you hating on one another?

"You've entered my kingdom without my express permission, interrupted my biz, and demanded my attention. What reason do you have?" And it better be a good one.

To her side, Jake gulped. Oh man, she's gone all Dark Bubblegum again. Both fear and guilt panged in his heart, because why he didn't exactly recommend Phoebe come over for a quick 'how ya doin'?' he didn't exactly leave her with the impression that Marceline was fine. What with the frantic calling and Lady Evil's ominous message and all. What else could this be about. Oh man. Oh man oh man. Don't tell Bubblegum about that message. No way. Uh uh. I'd be a dead dude for not telling her.

Alright then, if you're gonna use the formal language… "Thank you for holding court under such short notice, Bubblegum. Do you want the formal reason I'm here or the informal one?" ...then I'm gonna go nice and casual.

Bonnibel's posture was ramrod straight. No movement, not even a flick of her wrist, was a misplaced gesture. Her gaze bore into the younger woman who held her own, not with the same ferocity but unyielding all the same. It provided adequate shelter from the icy, indifferent tone in a voice Finn and Jake were no longer accustomed to. Not since The Tragedy. "Get to the point, Phoebe."

Phoebe watched her carefully, admiring her demeanor, her mannerisms, her tension. That bad, huh? "Alright. You broke the trade agreement, so the Fire and Candy Kingdom's have a dispute on our hands that I would prefer not to turn ugly."

The older princess sighed as Finn turned to Jake, mouthing 'trade agreement?', to which the dog only shrugged. "And that required you present yourself to the Candy Kingdom like this?"

The fire elemental shook her head, seemingly unaffected by the alacrity she was being assaulted with. "Not as a first response, no. But you're hard to get a hold of, girl. I've sent you envoys, sent messengers with formal requests for an audience, mailed invitations to meet me in the Fire Kingdom, and you've dodged all of my phone calls. It looked a lot like you needed some help in getting us in the same room at the same time, so here I am."

Were it any other circumstance the matter-of-fact manner that was so blatantly a mockery of Bubblegum's own methodological thinking would be almost comical. This was not comical. This was like watching a car crash in slow motion, and Finn and Jake both knew they were helpless to stop the impending clash. They could only hope they could mitigate the damage. It was looking unlikely. "Yeah, I get that. Yes, I violated the agreement-"

"And I know why."

I hate being interrupted. It wasn't helping the candy golem's mood, that was for sure. Nor was the seemingly implied threat to her mate, and to herself. After all, if Phoebe knew why and she wasn't on such buddy-buddy terms with the beautiful woman fast asleep in her - their - room then it was, indeed, very much a threat. After everything Bonnibel would not tolerate even the hint of a risk to her lover's safety. "Is that your informal reason?"

"Yes." In contrast to Bonnibel's icy tone Phoebe's was firm, but warmer. "I want to see Marceline. I want to know how she is."

Green eyes narrowed, a challenge Phoebe aimed to meet. "Marcy is resting right now. No one is disturbing her." Least of all you.

"Yeah, I heard. She's kind of had a long… whatever unit of time, huh?" Now the almost mocking tone of voice was gone, replaced with genuine concern. Bonnibel found it unsettling. "I don't know the whole deal, but Jake gave me some of the what-up when he called really panicky because you guys couldn't find her and thought she might be a danger to herself?" The question was tricky there, because it wasn't actually asking if Phoebe had the correct course of events straight. It was actually a different, thinly veiled question, one aimed squarely at her fellow royal. Phoebe disguised it well from Finn and Jake, but the older woman heard it loud and clear: 'you did this, didn't you?'.

Princess Bubblegum resisted the urge to turn to the dog, to see him squirm. Were she in pleasant company she most assuredly would like to see his guilty expression, but turning for confirmation right now, this very second? That would imply she didn't control the actions of her own champion, that she wasn't the one dictating what was happening. That she wasn't in control. Blasphemy, plain and simple. "Yes, but she's been located. She's safe and resting."

The two held a tense silence before Phoebe sighed. "Look, I know what happened. At least a little bit. I made Jake fill me in when I let you guys use my kingdom's outskirts for stargazing." Bonnibel repressed her eye twitch quite elegantly. "You manipulated her into putting on Hunson Abadeer's chaos amulet, she was badly injured because of it, and now she's having a difficult time re-adjusting to reality due to what happened when you went into her brain with your tech to rescue her. Am I right?"

She's not wrong, Bon.

Princess Bubblegum ignored that, because that one little summary betrayed that Phoebe knew a lot more than the scientist would ever want her to under any circumstance. She knows who Hunson is, she knows about his amulet, she deliberately accused me of manipulating Marceline, she's aware not only that she's injured but that her injuries are extensive and, furthermore, she's knowledgeable of what kind of injuries they are. And now she's purposefully being vague about how much she knows about the rescue itself, which she shouldn't be aware of anyway. What exactly were you telling her, Jake?

"I'm going to guess that he was being honest?"

Too honest.

"So her mind really shattered into eight people?"

WAY too honest. She was seething now. Invisibly so, but seething nevertheless. It was one thing for Finn and Jake, her champions, friends, and trusted heroes, to know the details of what befell Marceline, and why. After all, Bonnibel knew she wouldn't have the - her - vampire back if not for them, and that knowledge was tempering her budding disgruntlement with the dog. But it was quite another thing for Phoebe, the person Marceline apparently had some manner of secret relationship with, to know the gorey deets. She's done nothing to earn that right. Not after what she did to me.

Finn recognized that subtle glint in his princess's eye. He had seen it a lot when she was at her worst, when she had been possessive and manipulative to his vampire ladybro in a way he never thought his literally sweet-as-sugar monarch could be. When she desired the demolishment of any to her kingdom and her citizens. When her wrath was deemed righteous, at least to herself. It reminded him of the glint of light off a blade edge, of the sound that precedes a killing blow. Champion or not, he knew he had to step in, because, yeah, sure, Phoebe was a foreign dignitary, and it did kind of sort of maybe sounded like she was messing with Bonnibel, but she was also a really awesome friend. He was really sick of seeing bad things happen to really awesome friends. Come on, Finn. Peebo's mad mad, but this is still about helpin' Marce, right? It looks like Pheebs is actually trying to help for realsies. It sucks, guy, but you gotta ask or P-bubs is just gonna- He didn't let his mind complete that thought. There was only one way it could end, and there was only one thing he could think of to break the stalemate the two royals were finding themselves in with minimal bloodshed, figurative or otherwise: address the elephant in the room before the Unknown ruined everything. Because Princess Bubblegum was a proud woman, and she would never ask herself. That would be validating the situation. With that in mind he rubbed the back of his head, entirely unsure of how to ask his question without coming off as insensitive. Or without starting an international incident. "So… yeah… one of her said you guys were… uh… 'close'?"

"We're good friends, yes."

If he didn't know any better he could have sworn she was smirking at the candy golem, as if she was waiting for exactly that question. It abruptly reminded him of Hierophant, of how the old guy, messed up as he was, couldn't do anything until he was invited in. I guess I just invited her… or… yeah, all that in? You're enjoying this, Pheebs. This was coupled with a mental but frustrated sigh, because by now he knew Princess Bubblegum way well enough to recognize the dangerous look in her eyes, the controlled glare, the over-thinking of a hundred possible ways to read into that one damning statement. For now tensions were running extra super duper high, and it would do absolutely no one any shred of good - except, maybe, Phoebe herself - to beat around the bush. He knew Bonnibel loved Marceline with all of her heart, trusted her with all of her soul, but that didn't change that she was a jealous and possessive woman who hadn't been aware in the slightest the two royals even interacted before Rechte had blurted it out to taunt her twin in the heat of battle. Come to think of it… "But like… how did you guys meet?" Implication: Because this is news to me.

"Oh oh oh!" Jake's paw raised into the air. "It's when Marce was messin' around in the Fire Kingdom, right? When she kicked us out of our house that's where she said she was!" He swelled with pride at remembering such a small, easily dismissable detail. Nailed it.

Phoebe raised an eyebrow, befuddled. "What?" Something sparked in her memory and, unlike the one offered to her fellow princess, the smile given to her friends was gentle. "No, that was before my time, though I suppose it is related."

No further clarity was offered, and Bonnibel allowed herself a subtle jaw clench. You would like me to ask, Phoebe? Two can play this game. "Please, elaborate for me, Phoebe. I imagine it must be quite a tale."

The fire elemental's smile was sweet. Too sweet. She never did tell you, did she Bubblegum? Although there were perhaps a hundred valid reasons for her silence Phoebe imagined it had something to do with how tense her fellow princess looked in that moment, how deliciously bothered she was. Self-preservation was something she knew Marceline could be really good at. She was quite insightful, after all, and there was no doubt in Phoebe's mind that she had been trying to avoid exactly this. Despite how much she was enjoying the young scientist's ire, though, it wasn't the reason she came. Or, more accurately, it wasn't the only reason she came. It was definitely a reason though, that was for sure.

Besides, seeing her reaction to the actual explanation proved a lot more fun. "We've known each other for awhile actually. I first met Marceline the night you tried to waste my kingdom with a phony cold snap. When you destroyed priceless treasures vital to the safety and well-being of my peeps." By the way the candy golem stiffened it was quite clear that she remembered that day all too clearly. More telling, though, was that Marceline hadn't mentioned this either. "It had been enough. CB had told me that you were a bad person, and after that I knew something in you was messed up. 'Letting' me keep what was already mine isn't the same as being a good person. I asked around and found that this was kind of the norm with you and you've been doing it to everyone for like a bajillion years, so I got to thinking… why hasn't anyone actually tried to kill you?"

"Phoebe!," Finn gaped, indignant. "You can't just say junk like that!" Though he had to admit: had he not seen their bond and what Marceline was capable of with his own peepers he would be asking the exact same question. Young Finn would give himself the credit for protecting his liege. Current Finn wasn't quite so naive.

"It's alright, Finn." Bonnibel's eyes never left the younger woman's. "After what happened it's a fair question." I regret nothing.

Phoebe gave Finn another comforting smile before returning to the other woman. "I didn't really need to look that hard to figure out that your kingdom is way older than you look, but as you're the only recorded ruler here you had to be even older than it. You're smart, that's pretty obvious, but you gotta sleep sometime and I know you've made some powerful enemies. So… you'd need a more powerful defense system, especially since all that's visible is your Gumball Guardians. You'd need something way more capable of protecting you. Or, more accurately, someone."

"So you knew about Marceline." It was a statement, an accusation. A threat.

Phoebe nodded, unbothered by the underlying dangerous tone hidden in those five words. "I knew of her, and it didn't take long to put the pieces together. You got past my fire wolves when you visited me, which are bred specifically to prevent stuff like the messed up crud you pulled. They had to be smelling someone familiar. Marceline spent a lot of time in my kingdom before I was born but after they were, so there was only one explanation. I already knew she was at least almost a thousand years old, so the timeline fit. When I heard a rumor that a monster was protecting the Candy Kingdom I knew it had to be her. So, that night, I went to go see her."

"With what intent?" Princess Bubblegum tried so hard to keep the animosity from her voice, really she did, but she was tired, her nerves were raw, and she didn't need a drama-bomb involving the love of her endless life.

"To talk." For one made of fire the response was surprisingly cool. "I wanted to know how deep in her brain you were. Pretty deep, huh?" Rhetorical. "I said like five words to her before she predicted that I was there because I felt wronged by you. I gathered this wasn't an unusual situation. I also gathered that people who do this usually end up dead. She's pretty protective, huh?" Always rhetorical. "In truth, I admired that about her. She could be doing anything she wanted, but she was right there protecting you, and I'm gonna guess it's because you told her about what happened and she secretly expected me to do something like attack you."

"But that wasn't your intention, despite coming when you knew I'd be asleep?"

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "I didn't really have any intention against fighting a thousand year old demon. Based on all the stories I heard she coulda wasted any of my guys without much of a fight. 'Sides, there was no point. I just wanted to see if the rumors that you were a hypocrite were true." Bait set.

Now Princess Bubblegum narrowed her eyes, a blatant challenge, a reminder that Phoebe was a visiting dignitary, with no power and no protection to speak of. "Phoebe, are you visiting my kingdom to insult me?"

Of all things, Phoebe smirked. Gotcha. Interesting how she fell into the same trap Marceline had years before. "That would be silly, huh? No, I'm here to visit an injured friend, of course." The 'it's not all about you' was left unsaid, but it didn't matter: it rang loud and clear to all four of the room's occupants, a whisper to Jake, a melody to Phoebe, an off-key whine to Finn, and a cacophony to Bonnibel. "That night I learned three things. I learned that you did indeed have what amounted to a super-weapon guarding you and the Candy Kingdom, happy to eliminate anything she thought of as a threat. I learned you had reasonable control over her because you were in a committed and long-term relationship." For some reason. "Most importantly, though, I learned that she was like me."

"Like you." There was almost a growl there, a baby one in fact. The audacity!

Bon, you gotta chill. She's just tryin' to rile you up. She's messing with you.

Two can play such a game, Rechte.

Cool, but… should they? Come on, BonBon, you're better than that.

Bonnibel considered this, weighed Rechte's declaration, before deciding that- She's attempting to intimidate me, and she's implying that she and Marceline-

Speaking of, just do it for her, okay? If Phoebe really is important or whatevs to Marceline do you really think you two fighting is gonna help her get better, or do you think it's gonna show her that all this is your, you know… default?

It was hard, exceptionally so, for Bonnibel to both bite her cheek to ground herself and to do so without any of her guests noticing. She hated that really, she had two options: sit and endure Phoebe's… whatever this was, or spare herself pointless dribble by expelling her from the kingdom, proving to everyone that she was incapable of change when it came down to it. She would need to find a delicate balance, one she had never needed to learn in her almost nine hundred years: have the capability to destroy someone who probably deserves it but refraining not because it was politically beneficial, but because it was personally so. Because using that mental weaponry, that desire and ability to utterly demolish someone, would mean undoing all of the work she had put into providing not only to Marceline and her champions that she could change but all of the time she had spent convincing herself she could be more than a heartless megalomaniac.

This is your first real test, Bon. You know that right?

She understood that, not that it made it any more palatable. I suppose I said it myself, didn't I Marcy? Until now I've only been trying to rectify the damage I've done and put back together that which I broke. Now the time has come for me to actually prove myself.

There's my girl. Hey, who knows, maybe you'll learn something. Facts come from the weirdest places, right?

That wasn't worth dignifying, and by Rechte's snicker the disembodied voice knew it. With a deep-breath masquerading as a disinterested sigh Princess Bubblegum nodded along thoughtfully to Phoebe's taunting.

Yeah, but… is it taunting?

That time Rechte sounded sincere. Bonnibel didn't like that, not one bit.

Unaware of her fellow monarch's internal struggle Phoebe nodded, lifting her hand and delicately extending her palm. There a tiny orange flame blossomed into life, flickering in the air as if seeking something, another like itself. "We're both flames. Kindred spirits." The controlled teasing became almost affectionate once her choice of topic left the candy golem and Bonnibel stiffened. It was too much like her own tone, the one she adopted when she pondered her vampire.

Finn tensed for an all-too different reason: the mere suggestion that a girl he was romantically entangled with could be at all like his best, purely platonic ladybro. There were accompanying images, courtesy of his jerk subconscious, and they were unsettling indeed. Aaaand that one goes in the vault. His discomfort must have been obvious, because a reassuring paw was draping itself around his shoulders, a furry mouth urging him to, "just breathe through it, bro. I promise I won't tell Marce." It was for the best. No one would survive that heckling.

"Marceline and I both have fathers who embody evil, who wished for us to embody it, and we've both flirted with the idea while also struggling to see ourselves as something worth more. We're both stronger than them, despite our youth. Well, relative youth in her case. We both possess the capacity for immense destruction and had no one to teach us to control our power. Fire is our natural instinct, and our own flames burn differently than others like us, even if it's because she might be the only half-demon with powers that are weird, even for demons. We've both been locked away because of what we are. And we've both been kept secret from the world. Actually, we were locked away by the same person, huh?" When she rotated her hand the flame rotated with it, resting now on the top of her palm, flickering between orange and blue.

"I assume you're referring to me." The tightness in her voice, that was a giveaway she didn't want, but if it was going to make itself known Bonnibel Bubblegum was going to make it work in her favor. It was time to go on the offensive. "What I would like to know, Phoebe, is how you came to know in the first place."

"That you had been maintaining a secret relationship for hundreds of years?" By her smile Phoebe knew that was in no way what the scientist meant.

Audacious. "Actually, no. You referred to her specifically as a demon, not as a vampire. I wish to know how you came upon that-" leak in information "-knowledge. After all, you yourself said that you had yet to formally meet Marcy, so it's not possible for her to have told you herself."

She had expected Phoebe to look even more smug about Bonnibel's implied lack of control. Instead she seemed almost… sad, the flame wavering as she considered the best way to answer that without letting too much sentiment bleed into her fire. "My father wasn't always the Fire King, but even when my uncle led the Fire Kingdom we were a volatile domain. Fighting, war… we're made to destroy, and we're really, really good at it," she began, seemingly unrepentant. "Demons in Ooo isn't a new thing exactly. If they break out of their own home they often come to mine. I've never been to the Nightosphere, but I heard from my cousins that many of them called it 'less sucky enough', like it's similar enough to the Nightosphere without the ironclad rule of the Lord of Evil. They say it was nice finding other evil, like-minded beings, and the demons loved to gossip. Especially about their boss.

"No matter what demon passed through my home they all had something to say about Hunson Abadeer. He was both revered and reviled in the exact way my father always wanted our family to be. Evil beyond all doubt and ruling with an iron fist. My uncle didn't see the Kingdom going that way, though. Hunson Abadeer was impressive to him, but… we have our own culture and our own traditions." For one brief moment the small fire intensified and grew twice its size as the fire elemental's emotions intensified. Then, just like that, they - and her fire - were tempered once more. "Dad didn't like that. He… saw it as weakness."

Finn shoulders slumped. He remembered when he first met the man. When he learned from Phoebe's cousins exactly how he came to wear his crown. "So… your dad killed your uncle to be king 'cause he was inspired by Hunson?"

"Man, that guy doesn't even need to try to be evil," Jake muttered.

Neither agreeing nor disagreeing Phoebe sighed, flames twirling around her fingers in an elegant spiral. "Marceline showed up not long after that, shortly before I was born. From what my brother has told me she needed a place to crash and the timing was just oddly right for everything. Something about screwing up 'back home' and not being sure if she was allowed back?" It was only then that her eyes shot up, but Bonnibel was prepared to receive her glare before they both settled once more. "Anyway, she hung around for awhile. When dad found out that she was Hunson's daughter he was so like 'woah no way'. It wasn't her favorite topic, but she didn't exactly hide it on purpose. She was treated really well because of my dad's hero worship, so she brought some of her culture in with her to thank us for our hospitality when she found out he loved the stuff. She taught us some demon magic. Not a lot, since she really hates doing it. But she taught us how to cast flame shields, so that was nice."

Finn's eyes widened. "Oh snap. So when Flambo cast those flame shields on me and Jake he was using demon magic?!"

Phoebe nodded. "A derivative, yeah. Marceline used to use it herself when she started hanging out with me more."

Jake nodded solemnly. "Ah, I getcha. Gotta get used to the flames, like a hot tub. Or… something else analgalous that doesn't involve water."

The younger royal laughed softly. "No, Jake. Because she's a demon. And-"

"...Nothing burns hotter than demon fire."

Now Phoebe returned her full attention to the opposing princess. "Yes. She was afraid of her own flame, and of hurting me or someone I care about, and I can understand why that was something she was so paranoid about. She hated using her fire in its true form, said she could never do it 'back home'." The subtext was obvious , and it caused the candy golem to flush involuntarily: sugar has a melting point after all. True form? "Even as a half-demon she was still more powerful than most Fire Kingdom citizens. Probably because of her heritage, but ignoring it didn't make it go away, and when she did let loose she couldn't control it, just like I couldn't when I was younger. It meant that she needed a safe place where she could practice releasing her fire. Somewhere she couldn't destroy just by being her."

It was a miracle, really, how well-composed Princess Bubblegum was keeping herself. Especially because she was seething below the surface, jealousy spiking through her at the very idea of the vampire turning to someone other than her for assistance of any kind. Marcy, I could have built-

Bon. Rechte's voice was firm, understanding, somber. You did have a history of trapping everything stronger than you. Phoebe. Goliad. Her. Can you really blame her for being scared of you?

And that really was what it amounted to, Bonnibel saw that now: Marceline had been too afraid of her mate to ask for her help, too afraid of what she would do to her. Though she gave now outward indication the young scientist felt something in her hurt. You thought of monsters and always looked at yourself. Maybe you should have looked at me.

"Dad was certainly impressed by her fire back then. Most demons that came our way had orange flames, like my kind. Well, if they could even generate fire that is." She shrugged. "Mine can become blue, which is a rarity. She won't admit it, but her's is rare, too."

"Rare?"

Phoebe nodded. "Yes. Her's starts out orange too, but when she lets it go wild it turns white and super strong. White fire isn't really something we see a lot. Dad loved it. You can tell so much about someone by their flame. So a rare color that was stronger than his subjects and the daughter of his idol?" Her smile was almost wry, but her words were bitter. Blissfully, she was unaware of Finn and Jake's exchange of panicked expressions, of who exactly they met that possessed a concentrated inferno of white flames. "I don't think he ever actually met Marceline's dad, but he got it in his head that he could unite the Fire Kingdom and the Nightosphere under his rule. Again, noidea what Hunson was doing in that dreamworld of his, but he kinda fixated on it for awhile, and he had a scheme to make it happen." Her laugh, soft as it was, was mirthless. "Me being a girl sorta ruined that plan for him. Me being stronger than him ruined everything else."

Silence. Silence by every resident of the room. Somewhere, at some point, Bonnibel would find that pin that kept dropping and put it out of its misery. "Are you implying that your father had some weird notion about betrothing you to Marceline?"

Bon, calm down.

"Yeah, it was a really weird thing to find out."

She wasn't calming down. "And she's aware of this?"

Phoebe's smile seemed genuine. "Yes. She thinks it's funny."

She would! It was a mental huff, a genuine huff, but a silent one, where only her subconscious could hear her.

Unfortunately for her, her subconscious was taking such huffs rather seriously lately, because there was no affection, no benevolence in them at all, really. No, there was only enmity, because the princess was still a rookie when it came to regulating her emotions, especially those dark pointy ones she had valued so much for hundreds of years, and just as the Nightosphere brought out the worst in Marceline Bonnibel's crown and throne brought out the worst in her. Rechte-who-was-not-Rechte was having none of it. Bon. Cool your jets.

She didn't tell me this!

You don't tell her lots of stuff, and look at how you're losing it right now. You know how you were. You really think she wanted to be on the other end of this?

Princess Bubblegum didn't answer that, didn't even bother to listen. After all, Marceline had been right about one thing: anger was addictive and self-gratifying, and oh how angry she was now by the mere thought of her vampire sharing anyone else's bed. Was it absolutely ludicrous? Of course, and she knew that, deep down at least. Nevermind the practicality in that Marceline was hardly fireproof just the notion itself was absurd: the half-demon may be many things, but disloyal? Absolutely not.

But then why wasn't this indisputable logic soothing her? Why was she so furious over an injustice that didn't exist? Why did the idea rile her, cause her teeth her grind ever-so-subtley?

She's never strayed and you know it. This is called 'jealousy' Bon. It's a trap. Don't fall for it.

I've been jealous before, Rechte. There was an unasked question there, because she had a policy of not asking questions she didn't want to know the answer to, but it was there all the same: 'so why is it so different now?'

Rechte, it seemed, wasn't going to let her squirm out of this one. All those times in the past you were jealous you were secure in knowing that Marceline was under your thumb. Now you've promised to let her be her, since you were kind of a crazy-pants and you know it. She knows it, too, so you're scared that now that she's free to be her she's gonna leave because you're paranoid and just now getting it that you don't know as much about her as she knows about you.

But-

Simply put: You don't trust her.

All mental gears stopped turning, the machine they supported grinding to a halt. It was as if the support beams she had so recently constructed were toppling now, the walls coming down around her. It reminded her of a time hundreds of years ago, during her castle's construction, when she had initiated a controlled demolition, controlled until it wasn't, and her arrogance had toppled the freshly-built structure. She had only lived because someone impossibly loyal with no self-preservation instinct had pushed her out of the way. But there was no one to save her this time, no one to protect her from the reality shattering around her. It fell to the caltrops she used to protect herself and she had no way of thinking, no way of navigating those four little words without hurting herself.

Rechte's voice was knowing, understanding, gentle, and blunt. She had this whole other life you didn't know about. You're seeing not just a whole new side of her, but you're finding out why you didn't know it existed, too. She found some sort of comfort with someone else, and it's eating you 'cause it's someone you really, really dislike, and you're wondering 'hey, if I had been less of a buttnugget, would she have come to me instead?'. You know that she's only ever had eyes for you, but now you're startin' to wonder how well you really knew her for the first time since you brought her back from the mind-thingy.

I… I need her more than she needs me, it seems. Even in her mind she felt so small.

'Needs' a strong word, Bon. You're just not used to not being in control yet, and you're in a sucky situation where you need to be in control of your Kingdom while not being in control of her, even though this is all about her right now. Life's mean like that. I think you can do it.

Bonnibel wondered how true that was. But her self-pity would have to wait a tick, because- "Forgive me, but did you say her fire was white?"

If she didn't know any better - and she did - she could have sworn she saw a quirk of her fellow elemental's lips, as if trying not to be amused. "Yeah, if she really let loose. It doesn't happen a lot, though. I've only seen it a couple of times. Usually you're involved in some way." That tone was almost accusatory.

"Does she discuss me often when she visits you?" Another almost accusatory tone. A lot of that going around lately.

Phoebe shook her head, and Bonnibel felt something like relief, something like disappointment. "The Fire Kingdom has a policy of strict honesty, but she's a foreign dignitary and is exempt. She hates talking about the Nightosphere, and doesn't mention the Candy Kingdom at all."

Is she that afraid of-

Finn's eyes lit up. "Oh, I get it! 'Cause she doesn't want anyone to know she's connected that much to PB?" She didn't even tell us they were girlfriends or whatevs, and we're best bros! As time passed he was gradually growing less and less offended by such a profound omission.

When Phoebe nodded, turning to him now, Bonnibel mentally winced at her own poor reasoning, how she was so willing to pass blame - actual blame - onto the vampire once more. I'm rather bad at this, aren't I, Rechte?

"Yes, she's rather protective of Bubblegum, and by extension the Candy Kingdom. I figured out her secret, but I don't think anyone else has, and she wanted to keep it that way. As her friend, I felt it important to respect her wishes."

"And… what does that have to do with white fire?," Bubblegum asked, keeping the curiosity from her voice and replacing it with something firmer, more befitting to her position in life.

The fire elemental sighed, shaking her head. "It was after the whole thing where you turned everything into candy, when Ooo returned to normal. Marceline came to check up on me and make sure I was alright. While she was there, though… well, one of my advisors demanded my attention. She hid, as she had not properly announced herself and, given her royal status, it would be improper for us to be meeting so casually right after what happened. It's not something we allow in the Fire Kingdom. To her credit, Marceline doesn't spy on me and couldn't really care less about actually acting like royalty, but that doesn't exactly negate that she's a legit queen. I tried to steer him out of the room. You know, somewhere more private. He was too worked up and was very vocal that you were a threat, one I should deal with. You know, since you turning everything into candy. Granted, you, I, and Slime Princess didn't mean to do any harm to anyone, don't give me that look, but this guy had always been aggressive and he had some weird grudge against you even before. When he threatened to take action against you himself, outlining exactly how he planned to do so, Marceline lost it and… well, I have an open position now, thanks to your mate."

Jake's jaw dropped, not due to the level of violence - that was par for the course now - but because, "Woah, so you're telling me she burnt some guy made of fire to death?!"

Phoebe's smile was mournful, but not morose, as she shifted her attention to the dog. "Like I said, demon fire burns hotter than anything. I couldn't fault her on a personal level because he really was going to take action, and she'd been really upfront about how compelled demons are to protect their mates. I doubt he was actually going to threaten Bubblegum's life or anything since I wouldn't allow it, but given that this isn't the first time someone has tried to kill her I can see why Marceline reacted that way. I had to banish her for awhile, but I made sure to leave a loophole for her to find her way back in. She's good at finding those."

"I'm aware," came Bonnibel's cold reply. It was hard to decide whether she felt relief that Marceline was so protective of her or concern that her fire could shift into a demonic flame under the right circumstances. Lady Evil… you told us you were going to influence the whole in order to manipulate your way into your role as ruler of the Nightosphere. Had you already started when we met you? Were you already guiding her while we were unaware of your existence in her mind?

Phoebe turned back to the candy golem, face once more neutral. "I haven't come to fight with you, Bubblegum. I don't like you, and I don't trust you, and against my advice Marceline always seems to go back to you."

"Then why are you here?" The cold edge didn't thaw.

Phoebe was unphased, the small flame in her hand dispersing. It was time to get to the heart of the matter. "It's like I said before: I know Marceline's hurt, but I don't know how badly. She's my friend. I want to know what happened and how she is now."

From her side Jake was fidgeting, unable to hide his anxiety. After all, he had been the one to visit Phoebe immediately after waking up from the VR simulator, burdened with being the bearer of the bad news that Marceline had been badly hurt. Under the direction of Lady Evil herself he had been forced to warn her that the vampire would one day betray her younger lover, though he was vague on the deets, and he was forbidden from sharing that knowledge with even his little bro. He had been her point of contact at every turn, the person tasked with deflecting her offers to help in any capacity, official or otherwise. If she named names his would be the first up, and his secrecy would be revealed. She wouldn't tell Bubblegum about the message, right? I made her pinky promise, and that's a sacred vow! If she did spill the beans he knew Finn would probably forgive him. Eventually. But the scientist? He hadn't seen her this hard since the adventure began. Who knew what she would do to him.

But he was underestimating Phoebe, because she wasn't just his friend, the girl his brother had a mondo crush on who had an odd talent for free-style rapping. She was as much a princess as Bubblegum herself and was well-versed in dealing with a foreign dignitary on their home turf. She may not be as experienced as Bubblegum but she wasn't exactly a rookie either, and though there was bad blood between Phoebe was prepared to be the more graceful and humble of the two, the bigger woman as it were. Whereas she would always have a temper and be prone to emotional flare-ups, she was and would always be a dignified monarch. She was also Jake's friend, and understood implicitly the delicate situation the dog found himself in. How could she betray his trust?

It was bros before apparent threats to national security. Apparently.

Bonnibel was having her own mental dilemma. It was quite clear that Phoebe knew things about Marceline that few other souls did, and while she would have to fact-check her outrageous claims later they seemed genuine, and it wouldn't be like the younger woman to make something up she could so easily validate. Just as Phoebe didn't trust Bonnibel Bonnibel didn't trust Phoebe, and it was unlikely even their mutual concern for their vampiric friend and/or lover would cleanse the bad blood between them. If she had it her way she would dismiss the fire elemental, remove her from her presence and her home with all the grace befitting both of their roles. Yes, it was possible that Phoebe was visiting purely out of the goodness of her heart, but there was something lurking in her eyes, something that was off-putting. Was it her own jealousy, projected on someone with pure intentions? Or was there some ulterior motive? Could she afford to take that chance?

Counterpoint: If you kick her out of the castle after all that do you really think Marceline's gonna take that well? 'Cause that's something Princess Bubblegum would do, not Bonnie, and you've been doing a great job so far at showin' her you've changed.

...Figs. Fine. The bare minimum and nothing more. Before her subconscious could argue she returned her attention to Phoebe. "Very well. It seems you're aware that Marceline is the Nightosphere's heir. In my quest to cement my place as queen I pressured her to take over the mantle of Lady Evil. Unfortunately, my hubris backfired spectacularly, and she was badly hurt in the process. With no small effort Finn, Jake, and myself identified that her psyche had been split and, using my VR technology, we were able to traverse her mind and smelt her back together once more. As expected, she's experienced considerable psychological and physical trauma, and is learning to adjust to Ooo. As I said before, she is in our rooms, resting." There was no need to mention her great betrayal in the form of a silver dagger, or their relationship issues. I deserve some privacy, and who's to say that Marceline would want her to know?

You're low-balling, Bon.

Yes. Yes she was. Unfortunately, Phoebe knew that as well. "So, if I'm right, you almost got her killed again, and she went right back to you?" There was a flare there, just a small one really, but the room's temperature definitely increased a degree or two.

But how to answer that question without incriminating herself? After all, Phoebe may be Marceline's friend but she was still the princess of a Kingdom that she had only a tentative truce with, one she technically violated. Our relationship troubles are personal, not to be aired for the entire world for your amusement, Phoebe.

The groan in the back of her head. Bon-

Bonnibel was having none of it. "I made a mistake, and I freely admit it." Now, at least. "She hasn't decided whether she forgives me, but I think that's none of your concern. Once she recovers I'm sure she'll be happy to tell you about it herself." Okay, that sounded way less sarcastic in my brain. She was unapologetic, regardless. "For now, however, it took considerable effort just to convince her to return to Ooo in the first place, and I do not intend to have her rest interrupted."

"So you'll keep her locked in your tower."

A green eye twitched, invisible to all. "She isn't locked, nor trapped, nor confined. If she wishes to leave at any time she's free to. She knows that I advise against it given her current state, but if she really wants to go-"

Her ire was interrupted by Finn, who stepped between both of his former love interests - which did not escape him - hands up to indicate they should both stop and separate themselves. Metaphorically, at least. "Okay, guys. Let's all calm down…" Though both made great strides to appear calm that's all it was: appearance. The room was still noticeably warmer than an hour ago, and Bonnibel's features might as well be carved into stone. "We're all here because we care about Marce. We all just want her to get better. Fighting's not gonna help that. If she saw you guys like this she'd hate it, right?" The silence was disquieting, but Finn resisted every urge to evolve his plea into a speech on the importance of friendship. He hated seeing friends fight in every circumstance, but he had been sincere in wanting his lady friends to focus on their mutual tie, not on one another. More importantly, though- Come on, Peebles. Don't go back to how you were. I know this bites mega hard for you, but we don't need this kind of junk right now.

Phoebe took a deep breath, held it, then exhaled. The room temperature returned to normal, but the candy golem's features didn't soften, and their gazes remained locked, one predator challenging the other. "You're right, Finn. Marceline has enough to deal with at the moment. I'll stop."

Because you'd know whose side she'd take. It was a mental sneer, but it was too much.

Bon. Stop. Now Rechte just sounded exasperated. Put it away.

She didn't, and no knife in Ooo was sharp enough to cut the tension suffocating the room. "Is that all, Phoebe?"

While Finn and Jake were - and had been - noticeably on edge throughout the exchange Phoebe herself seemed almost sad, though for what reason it was difficult for the heroes to say. Perhaps it had something to do with someone she apparently considered a great friend being injured and firmly within the clutches of a woman she distrusted down to her firey core? Yes, surely that had something to do with it, Finn mused. It seemed like every day they were learning more and more about their collective ladybros, and every day the collection of secrets and lies steadily grew. Though he felt guilty for the thought Finn was almost relieved that the fifth member of their party was Phoebe. After all, she kept a very strict life policy of honesty, and though she was not always capable of revealing an entire truth she wouldn't purposefully mislead her bros. It was rather refreshing, really, because as much as Finn loved Bonnibel - platonically, yes, strictly platonically, as a champion does for his liege - her lies were lies within lies, a depth so profound he wondered if there really was a bottom to the pit. Perhaps, he supposed, Phoebe knew all this, or at least suspected it. Based on her description of how she met Marceline it certainly seemed plausible. If so he really did have to commend her on daring to set foot in that throne room, knowing what kind of person Princess Bubblegum was. But somehow he doubted that royal duty was what brought her there that day, and though he didn't know it yet he would spend the rest of his life admiring her dedication to their mutual friend. You said someone's fire says a lot about someone, huh? I dun think it's a coincidence that you were born or… whatevs stronger than everyone else. He let himself smile, a real one. I knew you were good.

"No, Bonnibel. I have two more questions for you." There was something in her voice then, not exactly an edge, but as if she were trying to restrain some bitterness, trying not to let it influence their conversation. "When Finn and I first started dating you tried to convince him to break up with me."

Finn's eyes widened. You're bringing this up now?!

Bonnibel evidently thought the very same, pink eyebrow arching. "Yes. You put the world in danger because you couldn't regulate your emotions. You nearly destroyed the planet's core with a single kiss."

Phoebe nodded, unabashed. "True. In the end it helped me better understand and control my elemental powers, but I won't pretend I didn't almost blow up the planet because of my feelings for Finn."

I'm right here, guys… Jake patted his back encouragingly. The awkward tension regarding his past romances - which, evidently, only he felt - was becoming absurd.

"My first question is… how is what you're doing with Marceline any different?"

Princess Bubblegum stiffened, her stare now a full glower. Only one thought ran through her mind. How dare you. It wasn't a question, an inquiry, a curiosity, or anything else that implied she actually wanted more information. No, this was a threat, one not even spoken allowed because it would betray just how furious the candy golem was. It was the implication that her relationship with her vampire was anything like the trivial puppy love Phoebe had shared with a mere child. It was sheer arrogance, as if Phoebe could ever understand what the two immortal women had been through, what tragedies and joys and sorrows they had seen one another through. It was an utter dismissal of everything her vampire suffered through to keep her at-times horrific urges under control. It was the implication that she could ever know her vampire a fraction as well as Bubblegum herself. It was equating the princess to that of a lovestruck girl with no understanding of the sacrifices responsibility demanded, a dismissal of all the times she had had no choice but to push the half-demon away for her own safety. In a word, it was heresy. I will demolish you. Within the back of her mind Rechte tried fervently to snatch her attention, to grab hold of it and talk her through her slowly building blinding rage but Princess Bubblegum refused to listen. Refused, at least, until-

You're doing it again.

Doing what, Rechte? Even her thoughts were icy.

Being a weapon.

It was the disappointed tone in her own subconscious's voice that roused the princess from the blinding mire that was her fury, yet even then she did not retract her proverbial claws, nor did she relent her posturing before the younger woman. No, Rechte's lament only made her aware of what she was doing. Her eyes narrowed, and both Finn and Jake exchanged distressed looks, trying to decide how and when to separate the two women. It was obvious to everyone - she was making no point in hiding it after all - that Princess Bubblegum was just a tad insulted by the comparison, and both heroes had personally witnessed what the immortal woman was capable of.

After all, Phoebe had already been a test subject once. And locked in a lamp. And the candy elemental showed no remorse for either.

Although outwardly calm Phoebe knew she needed to tread carefully. Princess Bubblegum was a proud woman, and by Jake's account she had already been through much, up to and including an existential identity crisis. But her worries weren't only for herself. No, she was more worried for Marceline, because Phoebe personally knew how hard it was to change core parts of yourself, parts that were unhealthy but gratifying. If she pushed too hard Phoebe's punishment would be severe, but at least she stood a chance to run back to the safety of her kingdom, or at the very least suppress fellow elemental's wrath enough to enlist Finn and Jake's aid. She could be tortured, she could be killed, she could be any number of things. But that wasn't really her focus. At least, not her only focus.

Her greater worry was for Marceline, because while she believed that Finn and Jake believed that Princess Bubblegum was trying to change she knew the older royal was stubborn and cruel. She had seen it in the vampire's eyes, heard it in the way she described their relationship, even when she recalled the fun and happy adventures, which seemed to always be in past tense. How unfair, Phoebe always thought, that the vampire's own soul would choose the scientist over its own physical form, would protect her mate first, herself second. If I push too hard she goes back to how she was, and it's Marceline who gets the brunt of it. Jake said she's already hurting really bad. As much as she wanted to hurt Bubblegum with her own precious logic she was unwilling to risk the musician being inflicted with the spill-over. I'm sorry guys, but people don't change. Least of all her.

"I hope you're going somewhere with this, Phoebe." The 'for your own sake' was strongly implied.

You got this, girl. "Marceline doesn't really talk about the Nightosphere much, but I know if she took over like you wanted her to she'd basically have absolute control over it. The dimension… it's never dealt with Ooo before. It can't even connect with Ooo unless someone goes out of their way to make it happen. If Marceline took it over, and you were still in a relationship with her it'd basically be setting up a perma-door between us and them, right?"

"As Lady Evil she would have control over the demons." The glower hadn't dropped, it had only hardened into what Finn and Jake hoped wasn't a permanent scowl. They secretly liked the squishier princess they had grown accustomed to. Not that they would ever say that. It wasn't befitting their station, and this - collectively this entire ordeal - seemed like a bad time.

Phoebe nodded. "I know. But what if something happened to her? Or you go through a bad break up?" It didn't escape her notice that pink hands were squeezing the throne's armrests tight enough to turn the knuckles white. "Then she releases the Nightosphere on Ooo. We don't even know anything about it, but she knows all about Ooo."

"Marceline is anything but retaliatory." It was true; it took too much effort for her to hold a grudge except under very specific circumstances.

I don't know, Bon, Lady Evil was pretty vindictive and she's a huge part of her. And you promised to train Marce for her, remember?

Not now, Rechte. Please.

"I'd like for you to get to the point, Phoebe, because it sounds like you're encouraging me to do something that I strongly encourage you to rethink suggesting."

Phoebe frowned, then shook her head. "Look. I care about Marceline. I want her to be happy. Against my advice she keeps going back to you. She doesn't talk about you, or the Candy Kingdom-" It was a rushed reassurance, but a sincere one "-but I know enough to know that she's fighting an internal war, and has been for a long time. I see it in her fire, how she tries to repress its white flame into something simple and plain when its natural form is beautiful." So suck up your precious pride and help her! Saying that would be absolute suicide. What came out wasn't much better. "I want you to stop teasing her with it. I couldn't control my flame until I accepted it, and I only did that because Finn - the person you tried to scare away from me - refused to listen to you and helped me instead. He was who I needed then. So my second question is… are you who she needs? Because… well…" Her smile was nostalgic. "Do you know what she told me the night we first met?" Bonnibel stared at her, unblinking, seething, suddenly having great sympathy for how hard it must be for her vampire to refrain from killing someone distasteful. "She told me that when things are going well for people, or for kingdoms, ruling is easy. Everything is simple because you don't have anything to lose. But when things go wrong, especially when they stay wrong, you're tested, and so is everyone around you. That's when you find out what kind of person you are. And, for me, what kind of ruler I want to be."

Green eyes narrowed. "Thank you, Phoebe, but I know what kind of ruler I am and want to be."

Yeah but… do you, Bon?

Rechte, you do not express self-doubt to the enemy.

She's not the enemy, she's your first test, Marceline's friend, and you're not doin' great.

Phoebe's smile was gentle, and that only made the candy golem's enmity worse. "I know. She said you've been doing this for hundreds of years. By comparison, my rule and even my lifespan is a blip on your radar. Her advice has guided me and seen me through some tough times. I really don't think she'd actually turn all evil and attack any of us. She's too laid back for that. My point, Bonnibel, is what kind of ruler does Marceline want to be?"

...What?

"I know she's point-blank told me she has no intention of ever being Lady Evil, since it'd be an upset of everything she values in life. I totes respect that. But, after everything I've heard from Finn and Jake about what's happening with her, it has me thinking… if she did rule what would it look like? What would make her happy?" Phoebe shrugged. "I don't know if she's ever talked to you about it, so maybe I'm way off-base, but I always wondered what it would take to change her mind? I mean… I never wanted to rule the Fire Kingdom, but here I am because I saw what would make me good at it, and I did it."

"Like your honesty policy." It was a deadpan. A disbelieving deadpan.

Phoebe bobbed her head. "Yeah. It means that everything I do is transparent. No secrets means my people always know what I'm doing when something happens, so they trust me. It means they believe me when I tell them junk. That's the kind of rule I wanted, so I made it happen. You have your own policies and did the same kinda stuff. Whatever they are." Now her smile was, of all things, encouraging. "Look, all I'm saying is that I know Marceline feels trapped by the idea of being Lady Evil… but what if she didn't because she knew what kind of ruler she'd be?" Her smile was genuine. "Personally, I think she'd be really good at it, and I think if she found her own balance she'd be able to accept things like how intensely she can burn. I've told her so, but… I think she needs to hear that from someone else."

Now the glower faded into curiosity. It was hard to resist, what with her feeling Rechte's grin in the back of her mind. Hey, I like her.

You would.

Bon, I'm your subconscious. That means some part of you likes her too, you dork.

The young scientist barely repressed her involuntary shudder at the distasteful notion. As much as she hated Phoebe's logic she had to admit that it was entirely possible that she hated it because it came from Phoebe, not because of the logic itself. Begrudgingly, she had to admit that the fire elemental may have a small, itty bitty, maybe totally completely valid point. I hadn't considered reframing her taking over the Nightosphere as something that would benefit her. She doesn't need to rule like her father, she could create something more to her tastes. My only strategies thus far involved convincing her how it would benefit me, and how her new position wouldn't be completely redonk. But how do I go about this in a way that's both practical and unlikely to trigger her running?

Want a hint, nerd?

She did, but she also had a test to pass. She was failing so far. She had to fix that. ...No. Not this time. This time I'm going to figure it out on my own.

She felt the moment the mental grin became an affectionate smile. That's my girl.

"...Alright, Phoebe. I can admit a good suggestion when I hear one." Her pride tasted awful, but she swallowed it whole anyway. Did it dissuade her animosity, or her bitterness, or how much she really, really disliked both Phoebe and how close she was to her vampire? Not in the slightest. But her fellow princess's idea was logically sound, and Princess Bubblegum was all about logic. Regardless of its source. Do it for Marcy, Bubblegum. You would be fully within your legal right to take action against Phoebe for her flippant tone and obstinate behavior, as well as her barging into your court… but she does sincerely seem to be trying to help her in her own bizarre manner. You may not like her, but it isn't about you at the moment. Besides, she'll certainly mess up in some way again, in a way that has nothing to do with Marceline. Then-

Bonnibel. Serially.

...Yes. Well.

Mercifully, Phoebe seemed unaware of the mental havoc storming within Bubblegum's mind. "I know you've all be dealing with a lot of crud, and based on what the guys have told me you're all still trying to help Marceline recover and get reacquainted to Ooo." Finn and Jake nodded vigorously, eager to help resolve this debacle peacefully any way they could. It didn't escape Bonnibel's notice that the younger woman didn't mention the Grasslands incident, and hoped that meant she was ignorant to it. "I can't ignore the trade violation, but I know why you did it, and I think we can come to an understanding." The words looked like they should threatening, but the tone was calm and proper. Understanding. "I'm going to head back to the Fire Kingdom and tell the council that you need a couple of days to work out a new trade agreement. I'll be back in three days so we can get that done. Alright?"

Once more, Princess Bubblegum found it difficult to argue with logic and reason, because just as she would be within her rights to take legal action against Phoebe Phoebe would be within her own rights to take action against her. As much as she disliked the woman this seemed to be an ideal solution. An oddly amicable one. Begrudgingly, Bonnibel had to admit that it was helping Phoebe's 'I care and am trying to help' case. "Agreed. I'll begin drafting a new agreement. Thank you for your visit, and I'm glad we can reach an understanding." She rose, a universal silent indicator that the conversation was over. "Finn, Jake, help me see Phoebe out." It was polite, really, despite how the duo gaped at her as if she had said something outlandish. But then, they were children and could never understand the intricacies and subtlety necessary when contending with fellow royals. Her tendency towards secrets and lies came from somewhere, after all.

Phoebe seemed unperturbed, turning towards the door as if this was all standard practice. As the four made their way down the castle halls, past the immaculate paintings and flawless tapestries there was only silence, Finn not knowing what to say, or even if he should say something. Well, actually, that wasn't entirely true: he knew what he wanted to say, but somehow doubted it would be an appropriate question. At least, until Phoebe left. By the time the four reached the drawbridge Finn was fidgeting, and by the time the fire elemental was mounting her wolf he was practically biting his nails. "Bye, guys. I'll be back in a couple of days. Tell Marceline I said hi, alright?" Not waiting for an answer - because it would almost definitely be a biting remark from the other monarch, she urged the mount forward. Only Jake waved his farewell.

The moment she was out of earshot Finn turned his head towards his liege. "Hey, what did she mean by you breaking a trade agreement?"

Princess Bubblegum sighed, turning to enter her home the moment it was socially acceptable to. "As part of our truce agreement The Candy and Fire Kingdoms engage in predetermined trade. The exports and their worth has already been agreed upon, and we are both legally bound to follow the contract's rules and bylaws. I export raw material from the dextrose and sucrose mines, which the Fire Kingdom uses for fuel or whatevs. In exchange, I import their metal ore."

"...Why?"

"Experiments, mostly. Sometimes decoration or as gifts for other visiting royalty. Or for whatever it is Pep-But does in the room he thinks I don't know about."

Finn didn't want to know what kind of experiments. In general, it was best not to ask. "So…" He trailed off expectantly, but answered his own question. "Oh nuts! I forgot, you put up that silver ban!"

The candy scientist nodded, stopping once the trio returned to the throne room. "Yes. I do not regret my actions, but in retrospect I should have alerted Phoebe in advance that I was changing our agreement when I put an abrupt embargo on one of her exports." With the fire elemental gone it was so much easier to say she was wrong. Funny how that works. "Silver wasn't the largest component of our trade, but technically any unapproved change is illegal under inter-kingdom law."

"Huh. Lucky she and Marce are friends. She probs figured out right away why you put the banhammer on that super specific thing."

Yes. Lucky. "Three days will give us enough time to recover and to contain the Grasslands damage." She sighed, suddenly quite eager to retreat to her rooms and check on her patient/lover. "I recommend resting now, boys. I somehow think we'll need the energy quite soon."

Finn nodded, but his agreement was interrupted by Jake's profound skepticism. "Hey, hold on. You said 'truce agreement'. Why's it a truce agreement? I knew you two didn't get along, but all that bedonk in there was downright cold."

Princess Bubblegum said nothing, didn't even look at her champions. "...Get some rest, boys. I'm going to check on Marcy." Without even saying goodbye she stepped into the throne room, towards the door that would lead towards the hallway entrance to her rooms.

Finn watched her retreat, shaking his head. He was downtrodden, really; he had hoped to never see this side of his princess again, not after everything they had gone through. Poor Marce…

"Hey, man." Finn jumped, then coughed to hide his embarrassment. "She's just tense. It's cool. Let's get back."

As Jake pulled a reluctant Finn out of the throne room and into the bright of day Princess Bubblegum slowed her gait. Now that there were no witnesses she exhaled loudly, almost a growl actually.

Hey. Somehow, the voice within her mind managed to surprise her. I'm proud of you, Bon.

Just because Rechte didn't sound sarcastic doesn't mean she wasn't. Very funny.

Come on, dork. I mean it. I'm proud.

I almost-

But you didn't. You regressed, but you bounced back. Now you're talking to me about how you feel bad about it, right? And when Phoebe was gone you even told the dweebs you were wrong.

Oddly enough, she did feel bad. Not because she lashed out at Phoebe - no, she deserved it - but because she had engaged in the mode of thinking she had promised Marceline she would never engage in again.

You almost lost it, but you passed that test. You're proving that you've changed. So what are you gonna do now?

Bubblegum stopped outside of the door that would lead to their bedroom. ...The only logical thing. She reached up, snatched her crown, and promptly shoved Princess Bubblegum back in the box she belonged in. There was no place for her Role here. Not in her rooms. Her rooms were for Bonnibel and Marceline, without the coldness that came coupled with her royal persona. That was all good and all, but she found the mindset difficult to contain, especially after who she had to meet with. She wrestled with it, a fierce battle waging in her mind as she tried to relax, tried to put work aside in favor of her vampire. Her vampire, who didn't need hard logic, who needed warmth, to know she was safe and loved. After everything Bubblegum had done she doubted the half-demon would ever feel safe around Princess Bubblegum the Role, at least for a long time. But that didn't matter right now. What mattered was the wrestling of her conflicting mentalities, her struggle to entice those squishy heartgut feelings to come back. What mattered was her worry that she couldn't seem to do it, and her hand stilled on the knob. What am I doing? I can't even get a handle on this. Everything within me is still pointy and hard. What if I go in there and hurt her?

Hey. Just calm down, you dork. You're just having like a delayed freak-out from all that stuff Phoebe told you. It's alright. Totes normal. 'Sides, see what you're doing? You're already worrying about her. Her, not you. Go check on. Make sure she didn't run or whatevs.

Green eyes widened. She hadn't considered that Marceline may have fled in her absence, or perhaps woken up confused and accidentally hurt herself. Hesitation gone, Bonnibel opened the door, frantically scanning the room. She almost missed the vampire, almost missed her because she was exactly where the princess had left her. In a shocking twist, perhaps for the first time ever, Bonnibel had requested Marceline stayed put and she had actually done so. Now in her true form, the musician was buried under the bed's numerous blankets. There was no tell-tale rise and fall to her chest, but Bonnibel had lived with the older woman long enough to know when she was dead asleep - figuratively speaking. Aside from shape-shifting and shedding her ruined shirt and pants to the floor where they distinctly did not belong it didn't actually appear that she had moved at all. She looked relaxed. Peaceful.

And there they were, all those squishy little marshmallow feelings Bonnibel had only moments before been convinced had abandoned her forever. She wasn't prepared to be overwhelmed by them, but she had no say in the matter and, honestly, she had no problem with that. It meant that, somewhere, she still had a heart, and it was warmed to see its other half so calm and not a pile of ash and blood. Not wanting to disturb her Bonnibel gently closed the door, quietly crossing to her wardrobe, past the sleeping poodle that had made her beanbag chair his bed. She decided that that was cute as well.

In smooth, quick motions she shed her shoes, her hoodie, her shirt, everything but her bras and panties. Where they and her crown went would be a problem for later. It was only now that the door was closed, where the blackout curtains assured the room was pitch, that she realized how exhausted she was. She almost went to bed in just her underwear but managed to stop herself before closing the wardrobe; somehow she doubted she and Marceline were there. Yet. With a silent yawn she grabbed the first overshirt she could find, slid it on, then padded to her side of the bed. She found the platter of apples there, but, sadly, none seemed to have been eaten. With a shake of her head she plucked it from the bed and deposited it on her bedside table, more resolved than ever to find a way to convince her queen to eat.

Perhaps she was being forward, but Bonnibel quietly pulled back the blankets, sliding into the bed. She kept a healthy distance between them, and though she wanted nothing more than to reach out to her mate she was jubilant that she was once more sharing a bed with her. She almost laughed, because the moment she settled fully Marceline rolled over, facing her. It was instinctive, an unconscious attempt to steal her warmth because she was so easily drawn to it. Bonnibel was just fine with that; now she got to look at her vampire up close, appreciate her and all she was. You're the best sort of problem, Marcy.

She almost asleep when she felt the most curious sensation of the weight of the bed shifting. ...No way. She peaked an eye open, but, yep, Marceline had curled closer to her. Are you cold? That would make sense. After all, severe injury almost made her realize she had no body warmth, so it would be only natural that she would seek out the nearest source of heat. Not able to resist a good experiment Bonnibel carefully reached out, draping her arm across her thin waist. Well, less 'draping' and more 'barely touching'. I'm going too far. I know I am-

"Bon?"

The princess froze. Oh figs, did I wake her up? No, she still sound sleepy. Maybe if I just pull back very slowl- A garnet eye peeked open when its owner didn't get an answer. But what was she supposed to say? "...Yes?" Well, yes, that was technically something she could say, she supposed.

The eye blinked, then slid shut once more. "...'mm cold."

Yes, she's definitely mostly asleep. It was hard not to smile, it was impossible not to feel triumphant, because her arm was stilled draped over the half-demon, the half-demon who recognized her immediately but didn't tense, didn't recoil, didn't do anything except lay there comfortably, settled on the edge between 'asleep' and 'awake'. And so Bonnibel didn't fight her smile. In fact, she let amusement creep into her voice as she slid just a little closer, just enough to make sure Marceline could have all the warmth she wanted. That she was pushed off the edge, back to 'asleep'.

"...kay." To the scientist's delight three things happened simultaneously: 1.) Marceline curled closer, not fully into her embrace, but definitely more touching than not, 2.) She yawned, settling in a manner very much suggesting she was back to sleep already, and 3.) Now there was a tell-tale rise and fall to her chest, because Bonnibel had always been adamant that just as Marceline slept better when she could hear her heart Bonnibel slept better when she heard Marceline's soft breathing, for it may not be necessary but it meant she was okay, and that if she was hurt it wasn't something that could cause True Death. Either that's an automatic reflex… or… She dare not get her hopes up about what that 'or' was.

Instead she watched the older woman, felt her body gradually grow warmer as she absorbed Bonnibel's body heat. Were they cuddling, holding one another as they once did? Not by a long shot. But she was close enough to trace the thread of the t-shirt the vampire had apparently dug up from her trunk before passing out. She was close enough to stroke thick onyx hair, close enough to see her eyelids flutter as her mind entered the beginning of REM sleep. Bonnibel's embrace cemented, and she kissed Marceline's forehead. "Sweet dreams, Marcy…," she whispered. If she was still feeling cold she was still injured, but that aside… she looked so calm now, as if her severe break with reality was something in the far past where it could no longer hurt her, where she no longer had to contend with it.

But Bonnibel had a reality she had to contend with. It was a fresh wound, but then when else do you treat a wound?

Rechte?

Nerd?

Even in her mind she sounded hesitant. Did you… mean what you said? About me not trusting you? Or… rather, her?

Yeah, why? She just sounded so matter-of-fact about it it was almost absurd.

Because it's atrocious!

Whereas Bonnibel's responses were fervent, Rechte's were blunt, but free of aggression. As was the style of the real Rechte. Bon, stop. It's not a big deal unless you make it into one. You don't know what trust is yet, except like… the dictionary definition. It's not just one thing. Trust has a lot of layers. I'm gonna guess that this is the first time it ever became really real to you that she could find comfort in someone else. You're still dealing with what you are and what you did. That's a lot to pile on for you, and maybe Phoebe showing up now was before you were ready, so, yeah, you don't trust her because you're only now figuring out that you were a controlling psycho. So you're starting to think to yourself buzz like 'what if I drive her away?', which becomes buzz like 'how do I stop that from happening?'. But you know why this is a good thing?

She didn't.

'Cause you might not trust her, but even when you almost lost it in the Big Boss Room back there you didn't consider going back to controlling her. Yeah, okay, you kind of went off on Phoebe, but I live in your brain, Bon, and I didn't hear anything about telling Marceline what to do when this is all over. Nah. It was all about 'how do I make it better?'.

Is… that's why you said it's a test I passed, correct?

Yup. Jealousy's not a problem on its own, it's when it turns into a monster that you gotta stop and go 'woah man, not cool'. It's like those blinking lights on your science things. A lot of them are warning lights, right? And sometimes they go off 'cause something's wrong, so you gotta find the cause right away. Jealousy and this distrust thing you have going on right now are like those blinky lights. They're not something to get all bent about. They're just warning you that something's gonna go down unless you fix it.

Bonnibel traced Marceline's jawline in concentration. I see. That makes sense, yes. I don't want to control her. I can't, nor should I. Logically, she's bound to me, and I know with full certainty that she would never be disloyal. And yet…

Phoebe still nailed ya good, huh?

Crass, but yes, Rechte. It felt dirty to admit that, even in the privacy of her own thoughts. I was unprepared.

Eh. It happens.

It shouldn't, though. Even if - and I emphasize if - there are things that Phoebe can help her learn that I cannot she should have been able to feel comfortable enough to not hide it. The fingers rested on the cool cheek, and Bonnibel smiled at how even now the vampire reflexively turned to the warmth. Cute. Blood sucking vampire? More like warmth leech.

So what's the plan, brainlord?

Rechte's amusement was in full force, but there was definitely an unmistakable undercurrent of affection. The candy golem paused at that question, rolling it around. She was out of her comfort zone now, so far gone it may as well be on another planet. Or… another dimension? And then she knew exactly what she was going to do.

I believe it's time I have a private meeting with Hunson Abadeer.