Ashes and Aftermath
Messy plumes of smoke were now coating the destroyed lanes of the Candy Kingdom, free of flames yet still ugly and barren, a sight that was a complete opposite to the city's natural state. The sole gumball guardian was dragging his fallen twin towards the back of Princess Bubblegum's castle, where she would begin the process of repairing the titan. Currently, the monarch was on the phone, organizing the gathering of necessary materials to build another power core for her protector.
Finn was at the edge of the kingdom wall, looking over at the damage he'd caused, a guilty sorrow etched into his face. He was conflicted on whether this was karma or irony, silently debating it while his hands gripped the edging of the wall. It wasn't long before he felt a hand rest against his shoulder blade, offering what comfort was available. Shifting his eyes, Finn found Flame Princess next to him, once again giving him an expression that urged him it wasn't his fault.
Looking away, the flame human let his eyes fall downward, sighing quietly. The two stayed in their positions a few minutes longer, until PB finished her calls and strode over to them. Cinnamon Bun rose to join them, having been resting on nearby sandbags cleaning his lance.
"Now that that's done, I think I should share any information I have for you on these 'Olympians' as you call them."
FP looked curious, turning to face the monarch. Finn just continued listening as he stared out.
"You mean you've encountered them before?" the fiery ruler questioned.
Peebles nodded, looking over at Rattleballs and prompting the knight to join as well. Once the gumball robot stood beside his creator, she went on.
"About a week ago, Rattleballs engaged two incredibly strong fire elementals over by the treehouse site."
FP furrowed her brow.
"Why was he there?" she asked, not sure how to feel about it.
The knight held his hands behind his back.
"It is a place of peace, greater than perhaps in all of Ooo. I visit daily to meditate."
Flame Princess understood, nodding and holding her gaze slightly lower as he resumed.
"Two female elementals were there before I arrived. They ambushed me soon after I made myself known. One wielded a bow and arrow with remarkable skill and power, while the other displayed immense intellect and cunning."
He placed a hand on his mended chest, which CB and Flame Princess took notice of.
"I was struck down with a single blow."
Stunned, considering what they'd witnessed earlier, the two Fire Kingdom visitors gave each other a nervous glance. At this point, FP spotted Finn still staring out into the city.
"Fen, are you ok?"
The flame human straightened up before turning, nodding quickly.
"Yeah, just, still a bit shaken up."
Accepting the young man's words, FP turned back to Bubblegum, trying to decide whether to tell the candy princess her own intel.
"I think I know what they were doing there."
RattleBalls and PB were suddenly intrigued, listening carefully.
"About the same time as you said, one of the Olympians delivered to us a strange orb containing an essence. I presented it to the fire sages, who confirmed it was that of a fire elemental, and that their flames were responsible for destroying the tree."
Beneath her gummy hair, Peebles felt a sweat drop. Luckily, she kept her composure on the outside, raise a finger to her bottom lip in contemplation.
"That sounds troubling. Although, I'm sure their intent is to get under your skin."
FP nodded in reply.
"Do you have the orb with you?" PB inquired.
Her counterpart shook her head.
"No, it's being handed through every fire elemental in the kingdom, hoping to find the matching essence."
Inwardly cursing, PB tried to finish the conversation.
"I hope you find success. But, it's probably best not to say anything beyond here. Hysteria could lead to a conflict between the Fire Kingdom and the rest of Ooo."
Flame Princess agreed.
"I had considered the same thing."
As the two ended their talk, everyone noticed Finn walking off towards the outer side of the wall.
"Where are you going?" FP asked worriedly.
The hero turned briefly as he kept walking.
"I think a walk will do me some good. Can I meet you back at the Fire Kingdom?"
Flame Princess thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Sure. We'll be leaving soon anyway."
CB leaned over to whisper as Finn hopped onto the ledge.
"Are you sure about crossing the grasslands with just one guard?"
FP nodded back, never taking her eyes off Finn's back.
"It'll be fine."
A whimper from nearby drew the two's attention. Jake 2 was staring with sad eyes at the departing flame human, his ears drooped. Cinnamon Bun considered the state of his loyal hound, as well as Finn, then smiled.
"Go with him," the knight urged.
JT's ears instantly sprung up, not quite sure if he heard his master right. CB confirmed with a nod. With one bark of thanks, the fire wolf made a clean leap after Finn, who had already jumped himself. As soon as the young man touched down on the ground, he felt the shaggy predator land just behind him. Turning, he found JT panting excitedly, tail wagging. Offering the wolf a grin of appreciation, Finn turned and started walking in a random direction, the fire wolf adamantly staying by his side.
Once the pair was no longer visible over the horizon, Flame Princess rejoined her knight and fellow princess. CB hadn't considered that they'd be walking the whole way back now, but PB had kindly offered a ride back on Morrow. FP accepted the offer, perhaps feeling a little more comfortable around Peebles; obviously never admitting it, even to herself.
Clear skies mirrored the grasslands' vast open fields as Finn took one step after another. He'd traversed these plains so much he could probably navigate blindfolded, or even walk straight towards his house if dropped in a random location upon them. Correction, what was left of his 'house'. The flame human and his predatory companion had passed close enough to the site to see its scar-like effect on the surroundings; as out of place as any ruin could be.
Finn had to admit he missed his old home, wishing he could at least visit and feel the willow's floors and walls with his own hand. Unfortunately, he was currently composed of fire, and his true fort's hiding place was out of reach. PB had told him she'd left it in a hollowed out cavern, which was always under surveillance and alerted one of the gumball guardians if anyone was snooping around. It was also being nourished daily with artificial sunlight and water. The princess took care of the structure as if it were her own, which Finn was truly grateful for.
Lost in his nostalgia, the young man didn't even notice when he completed his trek through the grasslands and suddenly found the light of day being suppressed. Setting his eyes forward rather than at the ground, he realized they'd arrived at a cave. Marceline's cave. Greater memories of a past life began to surface, thinking back to all the times he and his friends had pooled together their musical skills to jam out. Finn actually slipped a grin, wondering for a spilt-second if Flame Princess could play keytar.
The hero was finally broken out of his thoughts when he heard Jake 2 growling. Looking over, the fire wolf was in a defensive pose, head lowered and hind legs ready to spring forward. Following the canine's sight, Finn was startled to spot Marceline's house, or, more specifically, the vampire herself emerging from it. She was holding a watering can, aiming to tend to the flowers growing under her window.
Realizing he shouldn't get mixed up with anyone he knew for the sake of cover, Finn quickly turned to leave, managing to get JT to drop his intimidating pose. For a moment, he thought they could exit without trouble, Marcy being too distracted to notice them. Sadly, it didn't last.
"Hey! Stop right there!"
Immediately nervous, Finn clenched his teeth as he sensed the form of his friend levitating over to him and JT, who had resumed growling despite the former's urging to calm down. When Marcy got close enough, she continued speaking.
"Y'all can't just walk into my place, got it? What were you doing here?"
Seeing there was no way out, the flame human turned to face her, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Um, sorry, we just got a little lost."
Surprisingly, Marceline's eyes widened briefly upon seeing his face, before she folded her arms and legs and lazily hung in midair, her expression relaxing.
"Oh, it's just you, weenie."
Finn's spine froze for a second, staring at the vampire as she casually gazed at the ceiling of her cave, watching drops of water fall from the numerous stalactites.
"I-I'm sorry?" Finn tried.
Marcy finally grinned, closing one eye and setting the other back on the flame human.
"You can fool the rest of Ooo, you can even fool Jake's nose, but you can't fool the thousand-year-old vampire."
Remaining stunned, Finn attempted to find reasoning.
"But… how… I…"
Marcy finally broke into a laugh, now hanging upside down with her long hair nearly touching the ground.
"I missed that dumb expression on your face."
She repositioned herself once again, folding her arms behind her back and crossing her legs, as if she were bunking down on a couch.
"You can change your appearance and scent, but your aura stays the same. That's something only a few powerful beings can see, once you get past all the fire anyway."
Admitting defeat, Finn sighed, taking a hand and patting Jake 2's head.
"It's alright, buddy, she's a friend."
Breaking away from his growl, the fire wolf looked his companion in the eye. The flame human nodded confidently, even giving the beast a smile. Turning to face Marceline again, JT found her floating closer to him and reaching out, beginning to scratch behind his ears. Instantly won over, the wolf let his tongue stick out and wagged his tail. Finn had to remind himself that the vampire was familiar with his kind.
"So, let me guess; Bonnie?" the floating girl questioned, still grinning.
Finn nodded, unconsciously looking at his fiery hand. Marcy whistled.
"That's pretty wild. I always knew she was the 'mad' type of scientist."
The hero just grunted in response. Marceline took notice, but decided to ignore the hollow reply and move on.
"How do you like your post? Must be nice to be near that lady of yours all the time."
She smirked at Finn's initial flinch, which she caught despite his lightning-fast reaction back into a stoic face.
"This isn't about my relationship with her; it's about protecting the Fire Kingdom."
The young man's blunt response earned a sigh from his vampire friend, who twirled a few strands of hair in her finger.
"Knowing Bonnie, she probably suggested you to take the job, right?"
Finn nodded.
"Then it's obvious she did it for you, not the Fire Kingdom. I know she cares about the others, but there's no way she'd have the guts to openly send you into another kingdom."
Finn thought about her words carefully, considering if the theory was plausible. Strangely, he felt frustration build up as he came to accept the possibility. He walked over and punched a nearby stalagmite, shattering it. Marcy didn't react, letting him vent.
"Why does everyone care about my love-life?" he growled.
The vampire shook her head as she floated over and landed beside the flame human.
"Because we're your friends, Finn. We want you to be happy."
The hero shook his head.
"My place is in service to the people. That's how I find happiness."
Marcy furrowed her brow, not convinced.
"Cut the junk, Finn. You're like this because of what happened three years ago. Ever since the Candy Kingdom burned down you never believed in letting yourself really live. You don't have to be the hero every moment of your life."
She gave the young man a light punch in the arm.
"Tell the truth; has it been nice hanging with that short-fuse?"
Finn stared blankly at the cave wall before him, contemplating his response. He looked back at his assignment so far; from the introductions, to the friendly chatter, even the night in the library. He definitely couldn't deny it felt wonderful to interact with others more often again.
"Yeah, it has."
Marcy's grin widened.
"And she still likes you, right?"
Finn gave her a look, to which she just held her grin, effortlessly holding the advantage in the conversation. The hero sighed.
"Yes."
Suddenly, his mind struck a thought.
"Wait, which me; the me who 'died' or the me who's protecting her?"
Marceline snickered.
"You tell me. After all, you answered didn't you?"
She'd gotten him. Finn grumbled under his breath as he stared at the ground. He looked back up as he heard Marceline quickly shift positions. The girl was glaring accusingly at the entrance to the cave, fangs bared and nose picking up whatever scent she could. JT had begun exhibiting similar actions, finally causing Finn to go on the defensive as well. However, as soon as he'd formed his lava vine sword, Marcy and the fire wolf calmed down.
"What was it?" he asked anxiously.
Marceline kept watch out of the corner of her eye as she turned to face her friend.
"Not sure. I thought there was someone out there, but the presence faded, just like that."
Jake 2 stepped over and nudged Finn's side, gaining the flame human's attention. He'd come to understand a few of the canine's tells; this one being that he was hungry. Knowing the type of food Marceline tended to keep, Finn was sure she wouldn't' have anything JT could eat.
"We should be getting back to the Fire Kingdom," he said reluctantly.
Marcy nodded slightly, emphasizing the same feeling.
"Right. But Finn…"
She placed a hand on the hero's shoulder.
"I know you did this for a good reason, I know it's important and all that, but don't throw yourself away, weenie. We all miss you, especially Jake."
Finn remained motionless for a moment, staring back at the vampire, waiting to see her more caring and emotional side break away due to her pride and self- imaging. To his surprise, she challenged him back, retaining the same solemn gaze for seconds on end. Even when Marcy saw the shock developing on his face, she held up, pushing him to finally answer. Eventually, he did, carefully.
"What do you want me to do?"
Marceline backed up and floated once again, folding her arms. Her expression shifted to a serious one.
"Tell Flame Princess the truth."
Finn recoiled at that, gasping and instantly appearing threatened.
"Are you insane? That would completely destroy this entire operation! You want me to return to being human while I'm at it? Become a vulnerable and self-righteous kid in a grown-up world? How about just laying myself down and-"
The heavy sting of Marceline's hand shut him up immediately. Even Jake 2 winced. While a mute and stunned Finn stood there unable to continue, the vampire in front of him held a stiff glare.
"You asked what I wanted you to do, not what you should do."
She turned away.
"Centuries of experience teach you the pain of true regret."
She looked back at Finn, serious once more.
"No secret stays hidden forever. Even now there might be someone piecing together your disappearance and the appearance of a mysterious fire elemental. Your identity is the tipping scale of this whole mess. You have to be the one to do it, Finn. Otherwise, instead of the solution to everything, it'll be a disaster."
Finn struggled to speak.
"S-so, you know about-"
"The Olympian's? Flambo isn't the only loose-lipped informant around. And, I heard about what happened yesterday."
The flame human's heart stopped briefly, as his hands began shaking.
"You're biggest flaw is that you let your mistakes enslave you, instead of accepting them."
The vampire held up a tightened fist.
"That's how you become a better man, Finn; by growing, not conforming."
Frankly exhausted by how much she was trying to nail in her point to the stubborn hero, Marceline let out a breath and moved to return home. Behind her, Finn just watched, still confronting a maelstrom of thoughts in his mind. Only when Marcy slammed her door shut was he broken out of his trance. His expression, sullied by guilt, frustration, and astonishment, was difficult to truly read.
When his companion refused to move on his own, JT proceeded to bark, causing the flame human to jerk, forgetting that the wolf was still beside him. Looking over, he nodded to the canine, then turned to leave.
Arriving at the correct pool of lava, Artemis stepped up to the edge of the molten rock and took in a large sum of breath. In one swift move, she leapt in, instantly being carried off dozens of feet down by the current. Eventually, anticipating her destination, the fire elemental braced herself. Sure enough, her feet struck the bottom of a shallow lake of magma, fed by the odd opening in the cavern's ceiling, through which she had entered herself.
Wading over to the shore, she climbed out of the fiery substance and made her way into one of the many hollowed out tunnels within the Olympians' hideout. After a few minutes of walking in silence, the huntress ducked beneath yet another freefall of lava, acting as a molten waterfall to hide the chamber on the other side. Upon entering, Artemis was quickly met with the somewhat interested stares of her fellow Olympians. Rather than taking her usual spot on a flatted rock formation, she proceeded up to Zeus's throne, delivering all the information she'd learned.
The leader of the fire elementals watched emptily as his subordinate bowed, then rose to meet his gaze.
"It appears Athena was right," she relayed.
Zeus finally reacted, although kept on supporting his head with his hand. A smile cracked onto his features.
"Of course she was."
The man shifted positions, interlocking his fingers as he sat forward. Down below, many of the Olympians seemed eager to advance the plan, now that Zeus finally had what he needed. In particular, the young Hermes jumped up from his spot, expanding his fiery aura in excitement.
"Does this mean we can stop toying with them all and strike for real?"
Everyone shot a look at the lightning-fast fire elemental before returning their sights to Zeus, who remained stoic for a moment longer. To their upmost surprise, the man began laughing. Not a cruel, or even arrogant laugh, but an amused one. In an instant, he flame dashed right beside his young subordinate, placing a hand on the confused Olympian's shoulder.
"Toying? You still have much to learn, Hermes."
After letting his hand drop from the no-less-lost messenger, Zeus began casually strolling around the volcanic platform his self-created pantheon met upon.
"Hephaestus is nearly finished with the hammer's construction. In the meantime, let us initiate the final phase of preparation for-"
*CRACK*
Every Olympian's head swung around to face the cloaked figure of Ares, who had silently been listening in his section of the platform. Upon seeing everyone's eyes resting on him, the ominous being took one wicked hand and pulled aside his cloak, revealing a portion of his body underneath. While it may have appeared to be the average volcanic casing that many fire elementals had as a body, Ares' was much more brittle in texture, along with having a strange sheen that was difficult to identify in the fiery surroundings.
Around the area of Ares' side there was a small network of cracks, easily visible due to the orange glow emanating from beneath his skin. The Olympian just grinned at the wound, remembering Flame Princess's attack meant to push him away from Finn. The fire elemental raised his head to address Zeus.
"One act forgoes the freedom to perform a follow in space of lowest time…"
While the others attempted to translate, Zeus simply narrowed his eyes at the cryptic Olympian. Then, he turned to his intellectual comrade.
"Change of plans. Athena, take him to the western mine, immediately. We'll continue this once you return."
The female fire elemental nodded, flame dashing over to Ares. The cloaked Olympian got to his feet, allowing Athena to lead him towards the exit of their chamber. Zeus and the others watched closely, up until the pair disappeared behind the curtain of falling lava.
So, I'm aiming for this story to have 40 chapters. Not insanely long but not too short. I thought about 30, but it didn't feel like I could fit it all. Anyway, I'm off to read some updates, peace.
Fiery Crusader: Hehe, we shall see...
Escapism-my-refuge: True, it is the main conflict after all, but we're not quite done with it yet.
Neo Deadmau5: I'm sure it will be. And crud.
TheMentalAdventurer: Secrets will come soon enough, and I'll be having even more fun with that.
Lone Dark Knight: Thanks so much. I'm determined to keep their pairing alive.
PrismalCosmos: Hm, well, I think I'm going in that direction, if I understand correctly. We'll see. Thanks for the input.
Guest: Appreciated, I'll do my best.
Marcylynn21: To be honest, I feel bad sometimes about dragging you guys through this much story before the climax. But, I also know the more buildup, the better.
MUTO TOHO: I said that? I mean, I haven't, aside from Frieza's fight with Goku and other bits and pieces. Well, my memory isn't that great. Anyway, I can't really see a villain like that in this story, seems out of place. Ooo is the single setting, which would also make it hard to explain where a being that powerful would come from. Sorry.
FanficOnSpeed: Good to hear, thanks a lot.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!