So here's the new ch. I bet everyone heard about the "Betty" episode coming up. I should be excited, but I can't shake this feeling of unease. I was worried about this exact scenerio. I'll talk more about this at the end.

I hope you'll enjoy this ch. And I know you'll enjoy the song.

Forgotten

"GUNTHER! Gunther, where are you?!" the Ice King yells to one of his penguins. "Gunther! There you are! Your in trouble mister! You tried to eat daddy's socks!"

The penguin just "wenked" in responce, apparently not quite listening to the Ice King. Although, that does not stop his rant.

"A TRAGEDY is what it is! This is news worthy!" the mad king exlaims happily, changing his mood. "Quickly! I must ask the peoples views of this tragedy! Wheres Wildberry Princess?" the Ice King leaves only to come back for a quick moment. "Oh, and Gunther, you get in the corner."

Pause.

Rewind.

Stop.

Play.

"-eat daddy's socks! A TRAGEDY-"

Pause.

It feels like I've watched the same scene over and over again. That's what almost all these tapes are, the same rambling of a lunatic. I started to watch the rest of the videos to find out how I acted.

How I'm supposed to act.

After I put on the crown, that is still lying on top of my head, nothing really happened. So I grabbed a blanket and started watching the rest of the tapes in the briefcase to figure out how I'm supposed to be. So far, I'm horrified at what I see.

Fast forward.

Stop.

Play.

"-Your really frightening me," says the upside down princess.

"Well there you have it folks. People are very up-"

Pause.

I stare into the angry eyes of the Ice King as if I was looking into a mirror. In some ways I am.

"Wenk!"

The sudden sound takes me out of my trance. I look over to see a penguin in the shadows. Not just any penguin. The penguin from the front of Marceline's cave.

Gunther.

He doesn't enter the room. He just stares at me as if he's trying to figure out if his "Daddy" has returned.

He has.

"Gunther, that's your name right?" my voice comes out raspier than usual. But it seemed to work since the penguin quickly waddled to me. It struggled to get onto the couch I am sitting on but made it to my side soon enough. "So... I take it you missed me, then?"

I sat there with Gunther under my arm while just feeling hollow. Not hollow as if I need something to eat, which, now that I mention it makes my stomach grumble. I feel hollow in a much deeper sence. The rest of me just feels sick.

Rewind.

Pause.

I see a very frightened and confused Wildberry Princess on the screan. I remember that girl. I saved her from this place along with all the others. She seemed somewhat meek. Even at the party. Even when she had to yell over the music. When she told me how happy she was when I rescued her. When she told me about the Ice King. How scared she is of him. How everyone hates him.

They all hate me.

They all lied to me. They're all in on it.

But she doesn't know I'm the Ice King again. She won't panic when she sees me again. She won't see it coming when I kidnap her.

Or Raggedy Princess. Bonnib... Princess Bubblegum said she might have a crush on me. She'll be easy to take. I could probably get them both tonight.

No. Not just her. All the princesses. I'll take them all. Because that's what the Ice King does. That's what I do. Because I am the Ice King.

Suddenly Gunther stiffened on my side. He then got off the couch and left the room. I think about going after him. But within another moment he returned holding something over his head. It was a stack of mail. I grab the small bundle with one hand; apparently even though the Ice King has been gone for some time now he still doesn't get much mail. I go through it since it is mine.

Bill.

Bill.

Junk.

Bill.

Package.

End of subscription notice.

And more junk.

I toss the used pile onto the table, causing it to spread out so it looks like an old folding fan, when I realize I missed something. The package. I pick up the post marked manila item, breaking the fan, and inspect it. Judging from the size, shape, and the plastic on plastic klunking sound it must be another VHS tape. It says it's from around the time I woke up here.

I don't I have the energy to watch another video of myself looking like a psychotic fool. The only thing I want to do now is...

I rip open the package without thinking and pull out the tape. The cover reads:

To: IK

From: M

It's from Marceline. What did she want?

I stare at the tape with a fragment of the anger from hours ago starting to rise again. A part of me want's to smash the tape in spite of her. Another part thinks about what Betty would say if I did that. How disappointed she would be in me.

Eject.

It must have been muscle memory for me to replace the tapes. Because I hadn't really come to a conclusion as to weather or not I should watch it. But now that I'm aware of it I have to make a choice of weather or not to carry on.

She lied to me. She said all that stuff about me being like a father to her because she's crazy from being alone for so long. Alone for hundreds of years. Just like...

... Play.

I hear the film being processed by the VCR. The pure blue screen becomes a shaky picture of Marceline's room. After the camera settles on the right spot, Marceline floats infront of it with her ax bass while wearing a hoody and sweats. She stares down before speaking up.

"Um... hey, I guess. So... I figure I should say why I'm making this. Well, um, I'm going to show you this anyways. But I'm pretty sure that I might chicken out. So I'm making this video and sending you it just in case that happens. But if I do actually sing this to you then I'll just sneak the tape out of your sky-scraper of mail that you never really go through. But I still figure you'd make an exception for something from me if you saw it," Marceline mumbles the last part as she tweaks her instrument and clears her throught. "Well, here we go."

"Heyyyy, guy... I remember when you said goodbyyye. Back then I didn't realize That you'd be gone forever, Simon. Nowwww I Just can't believe you can't remember. Are you really gone forever? Have I really been forgotten?

Ooohhhh, ooohhhh... Can't believe I've been forgotten. Ooohhhh, ooohhhh... Oooooooohhhh...
"I remeeeeembeeerrrrr youuuuu... Ooh ooh ooh But youuu've forgooootteeennn meee... Do re miiii Ooooooooohhhhhh...
"Whyyyyy, man? Why is it that I have been forgooootten? You left me alone, forsaken I didn't have anyone, Simon! I ran... Far away because I knew I'd lost you. Now I see how much I've cost you! Oh, what a selfish fool I've been...
"Ooohhhh, ooohhhh... I know that I've been forgotten. Ooohhhh, ooohhhh... Oooooooohhhh...
"I remeeeeembeeerrrrr youuuuu... Ooh ooh ooh But youuu've forgooootteeennn meee... Don't you see? Ooooooooohhhhhh... Why can't I make you remember me...?"

Marceline is quiet after she finishes her song. She runs her hoody's sleeve across her face and sniffles. She quickly floats over to the camera, with a determined look on her face, and tries to turn it off.

"Wheres the off button on -sniff- on this stu-" the footage cuts off. The television turns off after it to reveal a lonely man with a crown.

She's been alone for hundreds of years... just like me.

No! she lied to me. She said all those things just for herself. Because she couldn't handle...

A haunt of an old man in a hospital bed pops into my head. An old man who isn't really there. I can practically smell the breath of impending death again.

… Because she couldn't handle being with someone who isn't really themselves anymore.

I sit there in the cold, with Gunther at my side, just thinking.

… I... I have to go back.

I get up and leave the dark room, the blanket I had on glides to the cold floor. As I get closer to the entrance, that I originally came in, it gets brighter and brighter.

Must have been watching those tapes all night. It felt like weeks though.

I'm at the exit when I notice Gunther desperately following me. I look at him and see a look on his face akin to a dog whose master is about to leave for a short time.

But I'm not coming back.

"Listen, I'm... I'm leaving," I can see subtle disappointment on the Penguin's face. "But you can come with me if you want. I'm just going back to Marceline's cave. You know where that..." Gunther backs away and starts to tremble. I don't know why he does this. But I have no choice.

I walk out of the mountain and leave.

It's not that I don't feel bad about leaving Gunther behind. I do. It's just that I don't want to force him to come with me. Besides, I have something to do. I look back one last time.

A terrible mistake. I see Gunther still in the entrance. I feel a horrible blade of guilt go through my chest. I turn and painfully rip myself away from this scene.

I have to do this.

When I make it to the border of the Ice Kingdom I begin to rub my fingers through my hair when I feel something cold and hard.

The crown.

I take it off, luckily it didn't freeze to my head, and I give it a good look.

This is what ruined everything. This is what drove me mad. This thing took my Princess, Betty, away. This thing... wait. What the...?

I turned over the crown to find something odd. Or, to be more exact, finding nothing.

The jewels. They're missing.

The rubies have been removed. But when? I must not have noticed because it was so dark in there.

What does it matter. I have something more important to do than wonder about this cursed crown.

I hold it in my left hand and stare at it thinking about what I should do with it. I figure I should dump it on the shallow snow and forget about it.

No. I can't just forget this ever happened. That wouldn't be right.

I take the crown with me. I take it to remind me that this is all real. This is my world.

. . .

The sun is rising. I can hear the chirping of birds flying over me. The dew on the grass is being soaked into my socks as I make my way to Marceline.

I was a little worried that I was lost. But when I saw the Candy Kingdom I knew I was on the right track. I used the kingdom to figure out where Marceline's cave was from the rout we took last night. I wasn't as worried any more. But mainly because I was distracting myself with what I was thinking about last night.

I knew it wouldn't be right to kidnap princesses in the middle of the night. A part of me knew that from the start. I realized it was only to distract me from thinking about...

Betty. I'll never... No! I can't think about that right now! I have something that is of the utmost importance.

I look up to figure out how lost I am when I see my destination.

As soon as I take in the cave entrance I start to get cold feet. Well, colder feet. A wrinkled tux does not make good protection against the cold. And even though I've left the Ice kingdom some time ago, I'm still feeling the chill.

Must be all the melting snow on my legs.

I tell myself this but I know it's only partially true.

I make it to the cave's opening when my cowardice really starts to kick in.

Maybe I should just go back. She'll be angry. I should wait until she comes to me.

I try to ignore these comforting but false thoughts and force myself to walk into the cave. But as soon as I enter the cool damp air, I get knocked over by another person, causing me to drop the crown.

"Ah, watch it, man!" says a young gray skinned man as he picks himself up.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't mean..." I'm interrupted by a peculiar sight.

Hambo.

I see Marceline's treasured stuffed bear being roughly grabbed by the gray man. I'm sure she wouldn't lend him to anyone who'd treat him like that.

"Excuse me, but how did you come into possession of Hambo?" I inquire a little too nicely.

"What, this thing?" he says as he swings Hambo by his arm. "I'm taking him from my soon-to-be not ex-girlfriend," he explains with a smirk.

That smile really steps on my nerves. "What do you mean exactly?"

"I mean, I'm going to put a spell on it so that if Marceline ever says 'no' to me, it will burst into flames," he proudly explains this to me, as if I wouldn't mind. But still, he continues. "Yeah, after I put that sleeping powder on her, I spent all night trying to find something of hers that she cared for. Turns out that chump had it in her arms the whole time. Stupid," he adds the last part with a small laugh. I can tell he didn't tell me all this just because I asked. He told me it to gloat.

I can't let him do that to her. I can't let anything else hurt her. Even if it's just a doll.

"Well, I'm sorry, But I can't let you take Hambo," even when I'm talking to such a mean person I'm too nice.

"Oh yeah, and what are you going to do, Take it?"

"Well... I guess I'm going to have to."

"HA HA HA! That's hilarious! You fight me!? I don't think a chump like you can tell, but I'm an immortal wizard! And your just a nerd in a dirty suit," he continued to laugh at me before calming down and pulling out, and charging, what I'm sure is his wand. "I'll just use my magic to turn you into a newt or someth-"

His rant was cut off when I punch him.

He falls to the ground and holds his left cheek as he stares back up at me. "Y-y-you hit me!"

"Um, yeah," to be honest, I am very surprised in myself that I was able to do that.

"YOU CAN'T JUST HIT ME!" he says as he picks himself up. He still has Hambo's arm clenched in his hand.

"You said you were going to use magic on me."

He seems to ignore what I say. "Oh, not only am I going to turn you into a newt, I'm gonna have you for dinner! I'll even get Marceline to-"

I hit him again. On the center of his face and harder this time. He falls to the ground again. But this time he lets go of Hambo to cover his bleeding nose. I quickly swipe him up. I accidentally step on his magic wand in the process; snapping it in two. I can see mystical sparkles and vapor leak out of it.

He looks at his broken wand, and apparently realizes he can't fight without it. "You won't get away with this!" he says with a nasally voice. "I'll come back! I promise!" with that said, he runs off.

I stare at him until he's out of view and away from Marceline's cave.

After that, I grab the crown off the ground with my left hand, while I carry Hambo with the other. I look down at him and sigh.

Well, I guess I have a pretty good reason to go in now.

. . .

I feel sluggish as I wake up. But I still manage to lift myself up with my elbow.

I guess I should go wake Simon up for...

Everything that happened last night rushes to my head. I'm slowly pushed down as a strong wave of depression returns.

"He hates me," I mumble to myself as I squeeze Hambo in my...

He's not here. I sluggishly look under the thick blankets when I hear a voice.

"I don't hate you."

I immediately recognize the speaker.

Simon.

I don't want him to see me like this, but my body turns to look at him, somehow finding the strength to over power my mind. I can't even keep my eyes closed. When he comes into view I see that he's sitting on my bed to my right, his back to me, while holding Hambo.

Did he take Hambo? What's he going to do to him? Is he going to rip him into pieces right in front of me!?

A sudden image of a pale wizard flashes to me, breaking my hysterical thoughts.

No. I remember now. It was Ash.

I should feel my anger boiling over right now, but instead I feel an uneasy calm while waiting for Simon to speak up again.

An eternity seems to pass while waiting for him. I don't need to wonder what he want's me to say.

My voice barely breaks the silence. "I'm..."

"I'm sorry," Simon says, beating me to the punch.

After everything I did. lying to him, keeping him inside my house, not allowing him to experience the world, almost attacking him, and just acting completely crazy, he apologizes to me?

I try to tell him that it's all my fault, but my voice comes out even weaker than before.

"My father had Alzheimer's," he says, taking me by surprise. "I remember him perfectly. lying in his bed in the hospice wing... but it wasn't really him. Not all the time anyway. He even once asked me if I was his father," he mumbles the last part.

"Simon, I don't..." I finally manage to say, but Simon stops me with a tired and gentle voice.

"No. Please listen," he doesn't look towards me. He just keeps staring down at Hambo. "My father died while not even knowing who I was. And a part of me hated him for that. But you had to go for so long watching me deteriorate into a madman. So I can understand why you did what you did and why you would lie to me, because I would have..."

Without much warning, Simon stands up and turns to look me in the eyes with dark rims under his.

"I'm sorry because I put you through your fears last night. I don't know what came over me. All I know is I hurt you and I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that."

After a long moment, I'm finally able to speak clearly. "... Simon, I'm sorry for what you went through..."

"I didn't tell you that because I wanted you to feel bad for me. I told you that so you would know how stupid I was to be angry at you. Because, if I could, I would have brought back my father. Even if that meant lying to him," we didn't say anything for sometime after that.

Eventually, Simon remembered who he was holding. "Oh, I found Hambo for you," he says as he hands him over to me.

"Thank you, Simon," I say as I hold Hambo to my chest.

A long, and somewhat awkward, silence fills the room. I feel like I should say something. But I don't want to ruin this moment.

Instead, Simon speaks and seems to lighten some of the pressure. "I... um... I saw that tape you sent me. I thought the song was really good. Pretty sad though," I had actually forgotten about sending that to him. I sent it before this all started, but when Simon returned I didn't need to worry about it anymore. I just forgot.

A low growl is heard in the room. I look to Simon. "... You haven't eaten, have you?"

"Or slept," I did notice that his words were a little frazzled.

"Would you like something to eat?"

"No no no. You don't have to go to the trouble," he probably still feels bad about what happened.

"No, it's no trouble," I say as I float out of my bed, the cheap sleeping powder wearing off, and fly to the kitchen. On my way down I see the crown set on my couch. But it's missing it's ruby like jewels.

Why'd he bring this back?

As if on cue, Simon came down the latter from my room," Simon, why did you bring that here?"

He looks over at it with exhausted eyes and says "To remind me."

I don't want to pry Simon any further. He's exhausted enough as it is. I also don't want to wreck this moment. Right now I just want to make him some pancakes.

He's home. The sun rises again.

I would like to thank AdoniaAlma for Forgotten, sung by Marceline. I loved it and I'm sure many others loved it too.

Okay, to anyone who's seen clips of the preview for "Betty" I just want to say that I came up with Simon hitting Ash way before I saw the preview. Not that I'm saying I came up with that idea. I'm sure many others wanted to see that too. Also from the preview, the Ice Kingdom melting. I was planning on putting that in here, but I just kind of forgot. It'll be mentioned in future chs.

Speaking of future chs. There will be 2 or 3 left. I'm not sure. I might split the next one. Your opinion will be heard. Also, please review. I want to know if I did anything right or wrong in this one. Please, your opinion will help with my future works.