Hi.
ONTO THE STORY.
Disclaimer: Shirley Temples are gifts from the gods.
FLASHBACK TO THE LAST CHAPTER
"Thanks," I said quickly before opening it. I made sure all my things were still inside before slinging it over my shoulder. One could never be too sure, after all.
A large crash jarred the walls and then the door slammed open. Standing just outside the door frame was a non-too-happy pink princess that looked like she had murder on the mind. My hands curled into fists on their own accord as I took in her bright red, blotchy face. This wasn't going to be good.
"What in Glob's name is going on here?!" Bubblegum seethed. Jake snapped to attention, taking a moment to assess the situation before bolting in between us. He grew rapidly, blocking off her line of sight and forcing her to focus on him.
I felt more than heard when she stepped into the room. The mood in the air shifted drastically to accommodate the heat of her fury. I almost started laughing at the ridiculousness. Finn took care to step around her, brandishing his sword in his right hand. He glanced up at Jake and then at me, taking a moment to assess the situation before sheathing the weapon.
"Princess, it's not what it looks like," Jake started, raising his paws in a symbol of peace.
"Really, Jake? 'It's not what it looks like'?" She scoffed and crinkled her nose. "To me, it looks like you took a possibly rabid captive and brought it to the castle's treasury!"
"Well, when you put it like that…" Jake mumbled.
"Hey, I thought we already made it clear that I wasn't-" I started, taking a step towards her.
"Keep that mouth shut," she snapped, eyes ablaze. "Somebody should have taught you to speak only when spoken to, mongrel."
My chest expanded as pressure built in my head, my legs locking as my muscles tensed. I clenched my hands into fists, digging my blunt fingernails into my palms. Somebody ought to teach her-
"That was pretty uncalled for, PB," Jake said with a shake of his head, taking her attention off me. She jerked to face him, mouth open to spew some more venom when Finn reached over and lightly grasped her arm.
"I think you need to calm down, Bubblegum," he reasoned, turning her away from us. She yanked her arm from his grip and moved further into the room, subsequently moving closer to us.
"I will not calm down! Rules have been broken, and when that happens punishment is required!" She scoffed, whirling around to glare at Jake. Her face had grown an even darker red, but it only made the blotchiness more obvious.
"You," she hissed, her small hands forming incorrect fists.
"How could you bring that-that mongrel in here? To arm it, and provide ample opportunity to steal from the kingdom? What were you thinking!" She screamed, reeling back her arm.
My eyes widened and I moved without thought. With one arm, I shoved Jake backward. With the other, I shielded my face just in time for her to land the first blow. I had to admit that she was stronger than her noodle arms made her look. I had to grit my teeth and brace my legs to endure the onslaught, even though I knew that with one flick of my wrist I could snap her like a twig.
"PB, stop it!" Finn shouted, restraining the princess.
She struggled against him for a moment before opening her eyes, having squeezed them shut when she started swinging. Blinking rapidly, the pink blob took a moment to come back to herself. Her arms fell limply to her sides and she bowed her head, deflating.
Jake nudged his way under my arm, growing until he was about my height. I looked down at him questioningly.
"Your legs were buckling and stuff," he grunted for an explanation.
"In that case, thanks," I muttered back.
"I must apologize, I-I don't know what came over me," Princess Bubbleblob admitted, eyes on her unclenched hands.
"We were only in here to gather my things. This whole thing could have been avoided if you had just gotten them for me." I stared hard at her, but she kept her head down. My upper lip curled and I gestured to my backpack. "We found my backpack. All I need now is my sword and my belt and I will happily be out of your hair, Princess."
Silence hung among us. Bubbleblob looked off to the side, thinking deeply. Finn stepped forward, having backed up after she stopped struggling.
"Would you like me to go get 'em, Peebs?"
"I would much rather talk this over with Barnaby-" She muttered, cutting herself off as disgust screwed up her face. "Yes, fine. Hurry up, Finn. Before I-"
"-change your mind. Yup, got it," He said with a light chuckle, jogging over to one of the particularly large mounds of treasure and searching around for a bit. I narrowed my eyes at the familiarity between the two. How could she view me as a mongrel, yet hang around the boy enough that he finishes her sentences? Him and I were the same, weren't we? Did she not see that?
"Are you alright?" Jake whispered. Genuine concern glinted in his black eyes. I tentatively scratched him behind an ear and nodded. It would take more than just a few punches to take me down.
"Found them!" Finn called as he hustled over, thrusting her sword and my weapons belt at me. His smile faltered when I didn't react immediately.
Letting go of Jake, I willed my legs to be strong and took my items from the boy, our hands brushing against each other for the briefest of moments. It felt as though a jolt of electricity had invaded my arm, traveling up to the side of my neck and leaving warm tingles in its wake. I inhaled sharply, but I didn't seem to be the only one who'd been affected. His eyes locked onto mine, uncertainty and a hint of wonder swimming in the crystal clear depths. I hurried to pull the belt on, not missing the way his hands lingered, empty, before falling to his sides.
"Well, thanks so much for all of your delightful hospitality, but I have to go now. So, if you'll excuse me," I said, clearing my throat as I bypassed Finn and skirted around the pink wad. Her nose turned up the second I stepped towards her, and if I had fur, I knew it would be prickling.
I'd always loathed royals. The better-than-you attitude combined with the typical abuse of power never made for a good leader. No, those traits typically led to tyrants. And tyrants were just another evil being to take down. I side-eyed her as I passed, a grim smirk pulling at my mouth. How I couldn't wait to see if she came to that. I'd be the first in line to cut off her head.
I wandered the large halls of candy, an eerie feeling settling itself into my chest. My fingers trailed over the walls, tracing each shallow dip and lump carefully as I struggled to understand what the feeling meant. The smooth texture felt strange, but I was certain that I'd touched it before. However, I was just as confident that I had never been in this castle before. I pressed a few fingers to my temple, struggling to think through the fog that had slowly blanketed my thoughts.
Blinking several times, I looked up to see a short, portly butler eyeing me from down the hall. His small, beady eyes were a stark contrast to his white skin, and a part of me wondered if the red stripes were his form of hair. I raised a hand in an awkward greeting. He frowned.
"Do you require assistance locating the door?" He drawled, squinting. My spine stiffened at his tone, but I found myself nodding anyway. He sniffed sharply before turning around. "Follow me."
Reluctantly I did as he asked, making sure to keep a few steps behind and take note of what turns we took. He eventually led me to two huge double doors, opening one with obvious effort. I scrunched my face up at the new wave of smells exposed to me. The air seemed to have gotten even sweeter somehow.
The butler man cleared his throat, drawing my eyes back to him.
"It is customary to thank others for their help, you know," he prompted, contempt starting to gleam in his eyes. My upper lip twitched with the words I wanted to tell him, but I swallowed them back and nodded instead.
"Thank you, sir," I muttered, skirting around him and out the door as quick as I could manage. I passed by a guard building, but all I could hear was faint snoring from inside. I strode through the open gate, snorting at the lack of security, and came to a stop only a few steps later as I took in the sights around me.
Candy. It was everywhere. It was everything. It was what made up the houses, the signs, the ground. Even the people were made of the stuff. As they went about their ways for their day, they gawked at me, unsure of what to think of something like me. Something so different from them.
It's likewise, I thought to myself, glowering at a woman who was loudly striped in orange, yellow, and white. A frightened look crossed her angular face and she looked like she was about to scream. It was almost annoying how soft these people were.
Shouldering my backpack, I made sure to keep my head down as I shuffled through the crowds of creatures. I just wanted to leave and never return. I'd had enough of all the artificial flavors.
Watching as I put one foot in front of the other, I didn't even notice the young man walking towards me until I had already smacked into him.
I stumbled back, my hand wrapping around the hilt of the sword as I jerked my head up, ready to fight. My nose wrinkled as the familiar scent of that princess invaded my nostrils, but it wasn't her.
Sea green eyes peered down at me from a soft, pink face, widened in surprise and curiosity. I gave him a quick once-over. Judging by his flashy outfit and tiny crown, I figured he must be a royal of some sort, perhaps even Princess Bubbleblob's boyfriend or something. It would make sense to stay in the species. Whatever that species was, at least.
"Sorry," I said, letting go of the sword. "I guess I wasn't watching where I was going."
The pink man blinked as if coming out of a daze. Then he smiled, waving away my apology. How was it possible that candy creatures managed to have such perfect teeth? I thought incredulously.
"No, I should be the one to apologize!" He was quick to correct, his posh accent surprisingly soothing to the ear. That eerie feeling from earlier began to blossom in my chest, but I still couldn't place it.
"It's fine, Mr…" I struggled to say, unsure of what to call him.
"Oh! How rude of me to not introduce myself! I am Prince Barnaby Gumball, and might I say that it is a pleasure to meet you," he said with a grin, bowing to try to kiss my hand. I tensed up, frozen in place as his soft lips brushed lightly across my skin. At least I was right about the royal thing.
"What might your name be, m'lady?" He asked, straightening. I cocked my head to the side, taking my hand back as I looked at him curiously.
"It's Dez," I said slowly, unwilling to give him my full name.
"Dez," he repeated in a murmur. I shifted uncomfortably on my feet, unsure what to do with the amount of attention he was paying me. I bit my lip, not missing the way his eyes zeroed in on the action. My comfort levels dropped.
"If you're, uh, lookin' for the castle, it's right back there," I said lamely, jacking my thumb over my shoulder. "Be careful of the resident psycho, Bubblegum. She's not as sweet as she looks."
He chuckled warmly, shaking his head in amusement.
Wait.
I just called his girlfriend a psycho, didn't I? I cringed. Of course. She always told me to keep a handle on my tongue-
"You know, I'm inclined to agree with you on that account," he admitted, a smile pulling at his lips.
"What?" I deadpanned, my face as blank as my thoughts.
"My sister isn't always the most, well, pleasant to be around. It's too bad. You'd think having a mother as kind as ours would make her at least a little, well, nicer to the less fortunate."
Oh, she's his sister. Well, that's not too bad, I thought in relief.
Then I processed the rest of his reply.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, my short fused temper igniting. The pink prince held his hands up in surrender, taking a step back to show he meant no harm.
"Whoa, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that," he sighed, pinching the spot between his eyebrows.
"Then what did you mean?"
"It's just that…" He sighed, discouraged. "She doesn't work well with people who she thinks are lesser than her."
"Then why would her subjects love her? They're lesser than her by position standards," I argued, crossing my arms. His shoulders drooped and he sighed again, frustration coloring his features.
"You ask a lot of questions, you know that?" He remarked wryly, giving a half-hearted smile. I frowned, but decided to let it go after a few moments deliberation. It wasn't that worth wasting time over.
"I guess. Look, it's been really nice talking to you and all, but I have to go now. Places to go, people to see. You know how it is," I said with a slight smile before bushing past him.
I bent my head again to get lost in the crowd again. It wasn't as seamless as I hoped. There were some that were watching me oddly, like they eavesdropped on Princey and I's conversation. How rude of them, I thought with an eye roll.
He looked regretfully after me, like he had so much more to say. After a while though, he sighed, shoulders slumping once more as he too walked away, heading straight towards the castle.
Well, that was a strange exchange. A little awkward too, I thought as I walked. The look on his face coupled with the eerie feeling I had only served to make me uneasy. I felt as if he knew me, but that couldn't be possible. Perhaps he'd heard of me from the princess. That would make sense, wouldn't it?
By the time I looked up from the path in front of me, I had somehow wandered into a market of sorts. There were groups of candy people milling around, examining the various wares for sale as if each were a precious treasure. Ah. Dim-witted and soft. Not a good combination, because-
It makes you weak, Desdemona.
I blinked, casting my gaze down at my boots. At least I got to keep that part of my outfit, I noted absentmindedly.
Someone knocked shoulders with me, nearly knocking me over in my distracted state. My eyes snapped up, only managing to catch a glimpse of a large straw hat and dark red eyes glancing back at me with confusion before they were gone. Shaking my head, I forced myself not to follow them. My body was still weak from earlier, and all the abuse involved in fighting would only make matters worse.
It makes you weak.
I ended up browsing around the market for a bit, not even bothering to buy anything. They were luxury items, not necessities. Therefore, they were not necessary. I decided to visit one more stall before attempting to find the exit to the blasted kingdom, and as luck had it the loudly striped woman I'd see earlier ran it. Her eyes widened farther than I thought they could as I approached, her hands trembling a little more with each step I took.
Jewelry seemed to be the focus of her stall. I raised an eyebrow as I scanned over the trinkets, surprised to see that most weren't made from things one would find in the Candy Kingdom. In fact, they looked to be made from materials I'd stumbled upon during my life in the woods. I leant closer to get a better look at them, unknowingly causing the young candy citizen to panic.
"These are really well made. Did you craft them yourself?" I asked, glancing up and just then taking in the fear and anxiety written on her yellow face. She seemed taken aback by my compliment.
She is weak.
"Can I have this one?" I suddenly asked, picking up a necklace at random to buy. For some reason it bothered me how terrified the candy woman was of me. She nodded quickly, but otherwise she stood ridged in her spot. I set my backpack on the counter and dug around for a bit, pulling a small bag out that clicked with the sound of coin.
"How much do I owe you?" I asked, starting to count out what little amount of money I had. I didn't know if the coins were accepted in every kingdom, but I really hoped they were. She shook her head, pausing to swallow hard and take a deep breath before speaking.
"It's fine. You don't need to pay me anything," she replied, a thin smile forcing itself upon her orange lips. My brow furrowed, truthfully disturbed that I'd caused someone to act this way towards me. I was about to just leave the stupid necklace and walk away when I caught the slightest movement on the woman's face.
It was a slight curl of the lip, just the tiniest twitch, really. The slight pinch between her brows only sealed her coffin as I put two-and-two together.
"Oh, so my money's not good enough for you?" I said in a low tone, my eyes piercing hers. I watched as shock flashed briefly in her brown eyes, honestly not expecting me to see through her façade.
"N-no! No, of course not!" She stuttered, trying to get the words out as fast as possible to defuse the growing tension in the air.
"So let me repeat my question: How much do I owe you?"
"Ten. Ten coins, please?" She forced out, her voice trembling as she asked the question. I nodded, digging the required amount out of my small sack and placing it into her awaiting palm. Her skin felt like plastic.
"Thank you for your patronage," she mumbled out afterwards, but I was already halfway across the market by the time she finished.
Furious, I stomped through the maze of stalls and streets, somehow making it to the front gates without stopping once. Storming out of the kingdom, I counted to thirty before gasping for breath, taking in as much uncontaminated air as I possibly could. Granted, there were still hints of sweetness in the air, but nothing as powerful as the smothering atmosphere inside the gates.
"How can people stand living in that?" I grumbled, pulling out the sword and examining its edge. It was sharpened into perfection, so sharp that it could split a single strand of hair in two if dropped upon it. It was probably the main reason she loved it so much.
My throat tightened despite myself. She'd always told me that I needed to be strong. That I needed to never show weakness. To always do as I was told. Those were the rules she told me to live by. Those were the rules she used herself. And look where that got her.
Eyeing the sky, I frowned at the setting sun and cursed. How long was I out? Why did I forget to ask them? It was one of the very first things I should have asked!
What had happened to me?
She's gone now, that's what happened to you.
I bit my lip, pushing the thoughts away. It was too soon to think about it. Still too fresh. She had been my everything. She was there when times were tough to be my rock. She was there to teach me everything I needed to know to be an adventuress. She was the only person I told anything to. She had been the one to raise me into who I was today. But, most of all, she had been my mother.
Thunder clapped loudly in the distance, foreboding clouds coming quickly from the east. Lightning danced across the sky, there one second, gone the next.
A droplet of rain slid slowly down the slope of my nose, leaving a cool trail before dripping onto the ground. The first was quickly followed by a second, and then a third one, my unease growing higher with the more that came. I knew that if I didn't find shelter soon, I would be caught in the middle of this thunder storm, nowhere to go, nowhere to hide.
Great.
Sheathing my sword, I bolted. I had to find somewhere to hide out before the storm hit full-force. I needed to.
The rain had started coming down in an increasingly fast rate, and it was only a matter of minutes before I was nearly soaked to the bone. A chill ran through my frame, but I didn't dare slow. If I stopped, I might let my fear get to me. And fear was not to be tolerated.
It makes you weak, Desdemona.
Fear was a hindrance. Something that made the body vulnerable, left it open to attacks. So, when it was discovered I was afraid of storms such as the one I was currently attempting to run away from, I was left to endure it alone. Because that would make me stronger. She would never help me. In fact, she would just look at me in disappointment and leave me there to be scared, wet, and terrifyingly alone.
My breathing quickened as another thunderclap resounded from above. My skin crawled and my movements began to get desperate as I scanned my surroundings, looking for something, anything, to take shelter in.
A structure caught my eye. It was a small house that sat just within the shadows of the forest, effectively concealing it from the untrained eye. I ran straight for it, not a single thought concerning whether the occupants inside would mind an unexpected visitor.
After fumbling with the doorknob for a moment, I walked into the house, still drenched from the onslaught of the rain. My new clothes were molded to my body and my long hair clung uncomfortably to my back, its weight unwelcome. I took a few steps into the almost empty house, about to close the door behind me when another thunderclap echoed from outside, nearly causing me to yelp. The fear of the storm was creeping its way into my heart, and soon it was going to take full control over me. All it took was the flash of lightning from the sky to send me over the edge.
A high-pitched whine escaped my lips as I clutched at my ears, my eyes wide and unblinking as the tears I had been holding back welled up. A slightly cracked open door was visible from across the room, and somehow I just knew it was a closet. I stumbled over to it, my hands still clutching at my head.
Slamming the door shut behind me, I curled up on the floor of the closet, shivering from both the cold and sheer terror. Why, of all days it had to storm, was it today? And so soon after she- After They-
The next boom of thunder shook the ground, vibrating all the way through to my chest. I screamed. My eyes clinched tightly shut and I hugged my legs even closer to me. Tears poured down my cheeks as the sobs wracked my body. Reaching up blindly, I yanked down cloth of some sort and curled up underneath it, losing track of what I was crying over.
Why. Why did any of it have to happen? Why did they have to do that to her? Why did she have to leave me alone all the time. Always alone. My fault. My fault. My fault. WHY.
My sobs grew weaker as my breathing grew steadier; the slight warmth the cloth provided being all I needed to fall asleep.
A/N: Ayyy! What's up everyone?!
I know it's been awhile. It's always been a while with me.
Sigh.
Sorry, guys.
But, hey! More divergence! Woo! More foreshadowing! Woo! More woo! Woo!
What do you guys think of the characters so far? How much more believable is Bubblegum? I think I've improved on that aspect since I first wrote this chapter how ever many years ago.
That's all I have time for right now, laptop's about to die~
Okay!
Bye!