Four days later, the Fire Army was making progress at clearing the minefield. Dozens of engineers used special equipment to search for explosive ordinance hidden beneath the grass. Accompanying them in the search were also canine units that would sniff out the mines as an extra precaution. It was exceptionally tedious, but the fire troops spent their time refining their combat skills. One section of the base had a shooting range for target practice while another had an arena for sparring. After being productive for a certain time, the men would wind down and take breaks near one of the lounging tents that played music and offered drinks.
Phoebe's brother walked outside of his personal quarters and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath as the sunlight from the setting sun beamed his face. Then, he opened his eyes and began to walk around the barracks.
The Supreme General made a routine inspection as the men saluted him in his presence. He returned the salute and dismissed the company before proceeding towards another platoon. So far, the men were still ready for war and shared the same enthusiasm to lay waste to the Candy Kingdom. Nothing made the general more happier to see this, and he left the area moments later.
He traveled towards the perimeter of the base where he oversaw the engineers gathering and dismantling ground ordinance. Some were using tools to disarm them, while others purposely detonated them from a safe distance. The fire wolves brought their faces near the dirt and would bark occasionally whenever they detected a mine nearby.
"Afternoon, general," Major Maddox said as he approached him.
"Major," the superior acknowledged.
"The mine sweep operation seems to be going smoothly so far. Demolition experts predict we should be clear to advance within three days, possibly sooner."
"That sounds good. Anything else?"
"Yes, sir. Our scouts have detected a massive enemy presence assembling at the Candy Kingdom's outskirts. They've reported that we'll be encountering more trench emplacements along with a division of tanks."
The general nodded, "We can handle them. This will be a great opportunity for the recruits to prove their valor. Thank you for the report, Major. I'll review the details of the dossier shortly and make adjustments to our offensive strategies if necessary. Keep me posted for further updates."
Maddox bowed and left.
"Commander Erwin," Phoebe's brother called from his cell. "I have confirmation we'll be on the move within three days. Make sure your men are ready until then."
"Acknowledged, Supreme General. We'll be standing by, awaiting your signal."
After the call was ended, the superior walked back into the base camp and gathered everyone's attention using an intercom, "Attention all units! As you may know, our path to the Candy Kingdom is almost safe to travel. I'm sure all of you are grateful that the wait will not take much longer. Until then, I want this base in top shape when our ruler arrives."
Meanwhile, far beneath the palace of the Candy Kingdom was an underground facility. It was constructed entirely of a metal interior that was installed with advanced computers. Princess Bubblegum usually conducted secret experiments in this area that might have seemed too controversial to the general public. In one room contained research files regarding genetics. It contained the last copy of formulas and handout procedures used to manufacture candy zombies, while another file showed the development of the two telekinetic sphinxes, Goliad and Stormo. Other documents included studies of cloning regarding food and candy life, but there were more secrets the sugar princess withheld.
Further down one of the corridors was an underground hangar that contained restored military vehicles from the Mushroom War. A wide range of tanks and armored carriers scattered the vast area. Near one of the adjacent walls were tables that held a collection of rifles and ammunition. It wasn't hard for Bubblegum to reverse-engineer them nor was it difficult to duplicate everything into mass production. Only her kingdom possessed these exclusively. She wanted to make sure her troops had a significant advantage if they ever were to fight against a superior military, which was apparently present in this case. With the fiery army approaching soon, PB knew that her men would be given a fighting chance to test their new weapons on the day of the second battle.
In another room, a lone prisoner was screaming in agony. He couldn't tell how long he was imprisoned there as volts of electricity coursed through his body. Had it been weeks or months? He couldn't tell. The room was filled with nothing but darkness to disorient the prisoner's sense of time.
From one of the walls was a one-way glass window. Two silhouettes observed the ordeal with neutral expressions.
"He seems to be resisting still," the shorter figure said.
"Extraordinary, he has truly proven to be a resilient specimen thus far. Alright, let's double the voltage. I'll keep an eye on his vital signs."
The sound of more screaming followed afterward. Moments later, the electrocution ceased.
"Stay here, I'll go talk to him," the taller one instructed.
Finn panted excessively as he was given a chance to recover. His chest heaved and his throat was sore. He shook his head a couple times to cope with the pain, but it was slowly taking its toll. Suddenly, he heard the door open nearby and squeezed his eyes shut as the lights were quickly switched on. After recovering from his temporary blindness, he saw the pink monarch staring at him with a pitiful expression.
"Still resisting I see," Bubblegum asked. She shrugged indifferently, "No matter. You'll become nothing more than a mindless pawn when this is over."
Finn glared at her and answered in a hoarse voice, "If you think for one second I will give up and join you, then you've got another thing coming!"
She waved her hand in dismissal, "Pfft, please. I'll know when I see it for myself. Your word is subjective, but the results are not. I'm just here to tell you that you won't be going anywhere, anytime soon. Even after this brainwashing, I'll be conducting more experiments on you in the near future. I just want you to know that you should expect nothing more but pain."
"I'd rather die than turn into some monster," he said defiantly.
PB shook her head, "You're no good to me dead. A man of your capabilities is too invaluable to be lost. In time, the world will understand my efforts as you support my cause." She looked towards the window and nodded, "Run it again, Peppermint!"
Once again, Finn's cries of agony echoed around the room. The princess watched in sadistic amusement as her glasses showed the reflection of the human's suffering.
Back at the Fire Kingdom palace, Phoebe starred at her reflection in her personal bathroom. She still wore her royal armor, but she placed her crown nearby on the counter. Her brother informed her just a while ago about the army's status. In a few days, the fiery monarch would make a public appearance towards the Grasslands. She wasn't really keen on the idea of losing more people from the war, but she carried it out to appeal to the majority. She looked down in thought. There had to be something to end this war without further bloodshed. She searched more in her head until an idea surfaced.
Phoebe lifted her head in realization, "I know what I have to do." She left the bathroom and walked towards her desk and began drafting a peace treaty with urgency.
Hours passed and it was almost midnight as the fiery monarch continued her writing. She paused several times to check for loopholes and made sure the document looked presentable. She leaned her cheek on her right hand as she read her paperwork thoroughly. A few moments later, Phoebe sighed in frustration and rubbed her eyes.
"(yawn) I hate it when time goes by so fast," she said to herself. She tried to pick up her pen to write more, but her mind kept telling her she needed rest. With a reluctant sigh, the young monarch removed her armor until she was left in a white casual dress and collapsed on the bed shortly after.
"I need to finish the draft," she repeated in her mind, dozing off. "I must, for the lives of my people..."
