Alight, sorry for the wait. I've been trying to figure out how to piece this together. And I've been going through a serious depression.

So... enjoy.

Perfect Ending

"C'mon, Simon!" Marceline calls to me. "We're wasting daylight!"

"Don't worry Marcy," I say as I walk up a slope to her, while carrying some bags of supplies for our picnic. "It's still early, we have plenty of time to spare."

"I know, it's just... you know,"

"I know," we don't need to say it. We both know already. We talked about it a day ago.

That horrible night didn't feel like it happened forever ago, it felt more like it never really happened. like a horribly long stress dream.

After we had breakfast and I had a good nap, Marcy and I had a long talk. Well... it should have been a long talk. But it ended up being more of a confession. She told me how sorry she is and things about our past together. Like what it was like for her as I was becoming the Ice King.

After that we talked about starting over. Not like ignoring what has already happened. Just restarting things without the lies and secrets. That's when we planned on having the picnic; to commemorate our new beginning. I was nervous when Marceline said she was going to invite Finn and Jake until she told me that she hadn't told anyone about... everything. That was a relief. I'd be too ashamed to meet their eyes if they knew I put Marcy through so much grief.

I am actually pretty excited to see Finn again. Almost immediately after meeting me he's been trying to ask me everything about human civilization from my time. Now that he knows that I know the truth he can ask me anything without inhibition. I've even been going through my memories in order to teach him all that I know of human history.

Although, I am thinking about leaving out the evils for now. But that's going to be a little complicated. It would be extremely difficult to talk about the heroes without mentioning the villains.

Marcy tried to invite Princess Bubblegum but she said that she had to go to a royal meeting of Ooo. To be honest, I'm a little glad to hear that she couldn't make it. It's not that I still hold any resentment towards her from my brief moment of enmity (if that where the case I'd be nervous about seeing Finn and Jake again.) It's just that I'd be worried if it would come up in a conversation that Bonnibel helped me make up my mind about going to the Ice Kingdom.

Returning to the Ice Kingdom.

My kingdom.

"Simon, you okay?" I look up at Marcy to see her wearing a red tank-top, blue jeans with brown boots, and a big yellow hat with matching gloves; while also holding her axe-bass. I, on the other hand, am still wearing the same suit I always wear.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just stuck in my head for a moment there," I answer her.

She analyzes me for a moment before saying "Alright. You need any help with those bags?"

"Oh, no thanks, I got it," hopefully she didn't hear any nervousness in my voice. She might not have because, after a moment, she turned around and floated ahead of me some more.

That was too close.

I trudge up the hill and follow her to our spot, which seems to be under a tree.

After laying a blanket down we rest and enjoy the cool, gentle, breeze that brushes the leaves over our heads. For a moment I forget one of the things I wanted to do here.

Don't, it's too soon. I try to tell myself, but I don't listen.

"Marcy, I have to tell you something," the peaceful scenery does nothing to calm my nerves as she looks my way.

You're going to ruin it!

"Um... I... well you see... I wanted to—well not wanted—I still want to tell you something. So not past tense... present tense," I stammer before I pinch the ridge of my nose and squeeze my eyes shut in order to force myself to continue. My mouth is extremely dry for some reason.

I suddenly remember that Marceline is, most likely, still staring at me. I look over to see a questioning look on her face.

Okay, definitely can't go back now.

"Marceline... I think I should move out!" I didn't mean to raise my voice. I just needed to or else I wouldn't have been able to say it.

What I said hangs in the air like a man in a noose.

You screwed it up! You managed to destroy something that was was already shattered and somehow fixed. And whats worse, you hurt Marcy again!

"... Alright," Marceline says causing all my self hating thoughts to calm down and vanish.

"What?"

"I said it's okay," I try to read something in her voice to see if she's harboring any anger in her words. I don't hear any. She seems genuine about her response.

"You're... okay with me moving out?"

"Yeah, I actually am!" she sounds much more chipper now. "Yeah totally. I mean I'm kinda bummed you'll be leaving. But, I mean, you should get your own place. You are a little too old to be living at my house," she looks away after saying that last part.

We stay silent after that. I actually feel much better now. As if a weight was taken off my chest. This relief does not last for very long as I remember the burden I have next. It's something I'd prefer to do alone.

A surprisingly chilly breeze blows by right when Marceline speaks up. "AH!" she smacks her head. "I completely forgot something. Wait here a minute; I'll be back shortly."

She leaves before I can say anything.

She must really be over everything to just leave me like this.

I sit there and enjoy the freedom I've been given before I remember what I'm supposed to do. I want to stay and bask in the temporary solitude, my body even feels heavier, but I want to do this alone. I grab one of the plastic bags and look around for somewhere I can... AH! I see what might be a cave not very far off. I hurry over to it while keeping a watchful eye out for Finn and Jake.

Once I get there I realize it definitely is some sort of crevice; the mouth of which is similar looking to a hood. I enter, only needing to lower my head a little, and take in the cold damp air of the cave. The ground is dirt from the entrance to where the light ends at least. I can't really tell how large the cave is, due to the lack of light, but I can move around easily and my head hasn't come into contact with anything like spider webs and stalactites so I'm assuming it's fairly large.

I lift up the bag and grab what's inside.

A spare blanket I convinced Marceline to let me bring, just in case. Although that's not what I really wanted to bring.

I unfold the blanket to reveal the cold metallic object inside.

The Crown.

Even without it's jewels it still catches what little light is in here and reflects it slightly. I stare at the object that kept me alive through the Mushroom War but also took everything that made up my life in the process. It took away my sanity, my career, my Princess...

I'll never see Betty again.

I knew this. I knew this the whole time after I saw that tape. But I ignored it so I would be able to see Marcy again. I pushed it aside and now it's back and hurts terribly. But I knew that too. I knew that I would have to deal with this sooner or later. So it might as well be now.

But I still can't bring myself to let Betty go. I still feel some cruel hope that I can be with her again. Maybe I can still be with her. Maybe if I had some of my equipment again I could... it's unlikely. But still.

I wanted to do this alone because I felt that since Marceline and I are going to start over it might as well be without baggage.

I give the Crown one last long look and relinquish it with all the grace it deserved. I toss it into the darkness and listen to it roll and clatter. As I'm about to leave I hear the Crown make one last clang before I hear a voice in the shadows.

"W-what's this? Is anyone else in here?"

That voice. I know that voice.

I try to spot the speaker but the darkness is to thick. My eyes have barely even adjusted since entering the cave. But that doesn't really matter since the speaker walks into what little light there is.

"Simon?"

"... Betty."

I stare in disbelief.

She stares in confusion.

"Simon... what's... where are we?"

I can't answer her. Instead I close my eyes and slowly raise my arm to her. To touch her. But I'm scared. I'm scared that my hand will go through nothing but the cold, stale, air of the cave. I'm scared that this Betty is just a desperate personification of my beloved fiancee that my mind has created.

Before my hand touches anything, I feel another hand gently feel my cheek. A jolt runs through my body at the contact, but my eyes remain closed. The tips of the hand's fingers feel cold for a moment before merging with the heat from my face.

"Simon, tell me what's going on. Please," her voice comes out gently with only a hint of worry. But I can tell that that is indeed Betty's sweet voice. "Simon, please look at me. Please open your eyes."

She grabs my extended hand with both of her' hands and has me touch her face in a similar way she did to me. "Simon, it's okay."

I slowly open my left eye open. And then my right.

It's dark but I can still make out the woman I fell in love with. She's wearing the same clothes from that last instant I saw her. "Betty, is... is that really you?"

"Of course it is, Simon. Now please tell me where we-" I interrupt her when I embrace her. "Simon, what's wrong? You're acting like you haven't seen me in forever."

Betty's right and wrong in her statement. It has been over a thousand years since I've last seen her. But it's felt like only a fraction of that time. But now that I have her again I can't ever let her go again. But still, a thought comes to me.

How is she here? How is she even alive?

I feel Betty's arms fold around me as I try to figure this out. She isn't asking me anything anymore, she must not want to ruin this moment.

That's it! Marceline told me I was brought back with some sort of spell. That magic must have been able to reverse matter through time for one single entity. Meaning: my body and mind were reversed to the instant before I wore the Crown. And somehow, Betty must have been brought back with me! I have no idea how. But what does it matter! She's here with me. My princess is back!

We hold our embrace for a long moment before breaking it.

"Simon, it's good to see you too. But I really want to know what's going on."

"Oh Betty, I have so much to tell you."

. . .

I make my way back to the tree, where Simon is waiting, somewhat annoyed. Annoyed because I went all the way to the house to grab what I forgot only to realize that I brought my bass with me. I now have no idea why I thought I left it behind.

I'm surprised about how okay I am leaving Simon back there. I'm really surprised how okay I was with him wanting to move out. I guess I've accepted everything that's happened. And he must have too, for him to want to move out. That means he doesn't see living in Ooo as a temporary situation anymore.

But I guess that means he knows he'll never see Betty again. Well, not never. There could be a way to bring her back; there has to be. Otherwise, Simon will be pretty lonely.

I make it back to the picnic spot without even realizing it. I see my bass leaning against the tree, right in the open to my chagrin. As I float over to it I notice that Simon isn't there. I look around the tree and then the fields of grass around. Worry starts to rise in my chest before I see a black spot in the field. I fly over to it to see that it's some sort of cave.

I can hear an echoing voice inside. Simon's voice.

"It's amazing! It's like Candyland mixed with Dungeons & Dragons. And the rest of this world is beautiful."

I enter the cave and look through the darkness to find Simon. The first thing I see are some old rusted weapons and armor. One of which is a long sword so covered in dirt that it could never reflect any light. The walls of the cave are rocks stacked onto each other. It appears to have been done by hand. This must have been some sort of secret army post hundreds of years ago.

"Marceline, good you found me. Well, us actually," Simon says cheerily. "I want you to meet some one. This here is Betty. My princess. And Betty, this is Marceline the Vampire Queen."

I don't say hello to Betty. I don't shake her hand and give her a hug for being Simon's fiancee. I don't even acknowledge her existence. Because she's not even standing next to Simon. There's no one next to him at all.

Except for the large figure whispering right into Simon's ear.

I've heard enough from Finn, Jake and Bonnibel to know who that is.

The Lich King.

"Marcy, whats wrong? Betty's been talking to you."

. . .

Far away, and yet extremely close, there is a ghost of a monster wearing the corpse of a hero. It sits in the same spot, in the same position, unmoving.

It waits. It will wait for as long as it needs too. Because, at the moment, it can't do anything else.

But still, it listens to what is happening around it. And it feels.

It feels something.

Something not here.

Something familiar.

Something just as evil as itself.

And even though he remains as still as a cadaver, he smiles and lets out a small laugh.

"Heh."

. . .

Look at them. Look at them desperately scurry for their pathetic lives. The Lich thinks as he stares at Marceline rushing towards an unaware Simon.

"SIMON, RUN!" the Vampire Queen screams as she pulls Simon away by his arm.

"Marceline, what has gotten in..." Simon began before seeing the Lich for the first time, his control over his mind now purposely slacked. He desperately looks around for his princess. "B-Betty, where are you!?"

Just when he tries to see through the darkness, the entire cave was illuminated by vile green flames. The flames rise up from decayed hands and blankets the cave's roof. Showing the true nightmare that is the Lich King.

Everything seems to slow down for the three in the room as they all feel such strong emotions.

Marceline is terrified that something will happen to Simon.

Simon is scared and confused about the whereabouts of his princess.

The Lich couldn't be happier that everything worked out so well.

It was easy tricking the weak and desperate. The vampire was desperate to bring back that human, the toad was so desperate to please the vampire that he took commands from me, and the human was desperate to find the truth. Then again, I was the most desperate of them all...

"Simon, go now!" Marceline tells Simon.

I was so terribly weak. Weaker than I have ever been. I couldn't even stabilize the power from my well. I had to rely on the two humans and that dog. I gave them suggestions. It was difficult in my state to control their weak minds, but it's easy when they already want to do what you tell them.

Marceline changes into her giant bat form and orders Simon in a terrifying voice. "SIMON, RUN NOW!" this snaps him out of his stupor and gets him moving.

They wanted to go to a dungeon, so I lead them to one. It just so happens that that particular one had something I needed.

Marceline slashes at the Lich's left arm, he doesn't appear to even try to dodge it. Her claws slash right through it. But instead of it falling to the floor, it stops mid-air and reattaches itself. The Lich has shown the ability to fix his own body, but nothing like this at all. It's almost like someone pressed the rewind button.

I laid the trap in the frozen lands and waited for the human-man to naturally try to see the truth through the lies. Then I just waited for him to sleep.

Marceline tries to claw off the Lich's head, but he moved with speed that could rival that of a fleeting shadow from the light.

I took what I needed... and more.

The Lich grabs Marceline's long, dark, left arm, with his right, and sears her with green fire. She screeches in pain and starts to weaken. But she still continues to fight with her right.

Then... then I waited.

Again, the Lich vanishes and reappears behind her and delivers a powerful blast of wicked flames to her back.

I waited for the day they were the happiest they could be.

Marceline turns back to her original form, her wounds healing slightly, but not as fast as they should be, and starts to get back up to fight some more. But she isn't trying to win any more, she felt doubt growing insider her as she fought the Lich, She's just been trying to give Simon time to run to safety.

The day they knew nothing would go wrong.

The Vampire Queen leaps at the Lich King, with new and desperate vigor, and slashes at his large frame.

The perfect day.

The Lich clasps Marceline's right arm and swings her like a rag doll into the cave wall.

Again.

And again.

And again.

And again until he let her fall, defeated, face down to the floor while the constructed cave wall crumbles on top of her, covering her bottom half..

The Lich could have easily taken over her mind and finished her then. But he wanted her to obtain his favorite type of hope.

False hope.

"False" because he knows that she was fighting only to allow the human to escape, because he knows that her last acts of bravery was for nothing, because he knows there is no escape for the human-man.

There is no escape for anyone.

Usually the rocks and gravel on Marceline would be nothing to her vampiric strength, but she has lost all of it due to the Lich's flames. It's like it burned away my will to live Marceline lethargically thinks to herself.

The Lich moves over to the weak vampire...

Some might wonder why I waited for the vampire and human-man to start my plan.

...he places his large, jagged, index finger on her back...

It's very simple. I'm giving the vampire the honor of dying first...

...and he lights the tip and starts to push down.

...because she is the one who started all of this.

Marceline starts to scream and tries to fight back as the Lich's finger digs into her back, Strait to her heart, but she loses the power to even do that. The flame even rids her of her hope. All she can do now is think about all the terrible things she's done to try and fix everything she thought was wrong.

Stealing from Bonnie.

Threatening that toad's life.

Lying to her oldest friend and making her new friends lie with her.

And just when everything was right. This is the last thing Marceline thinks before she's to weak for even that. All she can do now is wait.

Wait for the end.

A fist sized rock arches through the cave and hits the Lich in the back of the head. Even though the rock seemingly had no affect, the Lich's digit snuffs out immediately.

The only sound in the cave is the thrown rock clattering on top of the other stones on the floor. A moment after it finds it's resting place, the Lich moves.

He turns around slowly, as if he were as big as a planet and moving to fast will tear everything around him into nothing, and looks at the figure in the only pure source of light in the cave.

Simon Petrikov.

. . .

What am I doing? A more logical and, apparently, inherently cowardly part of my brain thinks as I stare at the monstrous figure ahead of me. I can only see it with the help of those horrible flames sticking to the roof of the cave, which seems to be less stable then it was in the dark.

I was running. That's what I remember. Being in the cave is somewhat of a blur.

I remember throwing the Crown.

And then Betty was there.

Then Marceline.

And then Betty was gone and Marcy was screaming.

Then I was running on the grass on a beautiful day.

I was piecing together what happened when I realized that I left Marceline with that monster. So I ran back as quickly as I could. My head was in such a fluster that I didn't even consider getting help.

It's too late for that now. I'm currently standing in what little sunlight is in the cave, staring at a monster I just assaulted.

The... that thing starts moving closer to me. Instead of wanting to flee my legs seem to be nailed to the floor. Maybe it's because I'm so terrified when looking into the voids that is it's eyes that my body has started to shut down, or maybe it's because I saw Marceline hurt.

I try my best not to blink, but I do. As soon as I open my eyes again the monster is much closer then he was before.

Don't blink. Don't blink. Don't blink.

I desperately try to come up with a plan. The only thing that comes to me is to say something witty and humorous like I'm some sort of comic book hero.

Maybe something along the lines of the ugly tree?

I can't even think of something that simple right now; I can barely even think at all while that thing approaches me. It's as if it's from the wrong world. It's a contradiction of everything in this reality. As if this was all a child's sweet dream and this nightmare tore through the fabrics of the dreamscape.

Run now! Maybe it won't come after you! Maybe it will stay here and...

I pry my eyes from the abyss and look to where Marceline is weakly trying to get out from under those large rocks.

It will kill her. If I leave she will certainly die... I won't let it hurt her anymore.

Something dark and evil blocks my vision. I look up into the abyss again. It's so much taller than me that I feel like I'm falling. It's breath stings and burns my skin and chills my very soul.

But I'm not as scared as I was a moment ago. Because I now have someone to protect. I stare into it's eyes and say the only thing that I thought meant anything at this very moment.

"I won't let you hur-"

I'm interrupted my the monster's jagged bony digits piercing my abdomen, lifting me off my feet.

Silence.

The entire world goes mute.

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"SSSIIIIIMMOONNNN!"

… reviews would be appreciated.