Bubblegum looked up into the starry December sky, trying hard to fight back the ambush of tears welling up behind her eyes.
How many more friends are going to leave me?
It had been nearly four months since Shoko's death and, even though she hadn't known her that long at all, the princess had felt incredibly hurt when Shoko had stolen from her.
Especially since the person who owned the matching amulet to that one was...
Bubblegum turned away from the sky, left her balcony and quietly began getting ready for sleep in the quiet of her bedroom.
It was almost exactly a year since Marceline had left Ooo and, as much as the princess didn't want to admit it, she missed the vampire so much it felt like an actual ache inside of her.
At first, she had thought Marceline was simply angry at her for missing her lunch date and had thought it wise to give her space.
But after a week passed with no contact, Bubblegum went to scope out her house and had panicked when she'd found it in its battered condition.
Thinking that Marceline was in some sort of trouble, Bubblegum organised a search party, sent missing posters all across Ooo and made sure to let every royal contact she had know that somebody was missing.
She searched the land far and wide, making sure to trek out to the forest where they first met every Sunday night, just in case.
But to no avail.
But then, halfway through January, Keila came to the Candy Kingdom and asked Bubblegum why she had declared Marceline an official "Ooo missing person."
"Because no one knows where she is!" Bubblegum had cried hysterically. "Something bad has happened to her Keila and we need to-"
"Whoa dude, chill. Marceline's fine. She just moved back to the Underworld is all."
Bubblegum had felt a variety of emotions burst into bloom in her chest at those words.
Confusion. Anger. Bewilderment. Irritation. And most of all...hurt.
Why had Marceline moved away without telling the princess, her supposed best friend?
After Keila left (once the princess was assured that Marceline was safe and happy in the Underworld) Bubblegum had sat by herself in her room for a long time, feeling more abandoned and lost than she ever thought possible.
Not that she'd ever confess that to anyone these days. To anybody who asked, Bubblegum just insisted that the two had drifted apart and Marceline had left Ooo to pursue other interests.
That was all. No more, no less.
She sighed as she slipped into bed and drifted into an uncomfortable sleep, haunted by visions of armless humanoid girls and tall vampires with their backs turned from her.
Meanwhile...
Music thrummed heavily in the basement of the rock bar, a death metal band shredding guitars, beating drums and yelling lyrics onstage.
Marceline stood near the back, nodding her head in time to the beat and enjoying the atmosphere of her favourite spot in the Underworld.
Suddenly, she felt a tug at her arm.
The vampire turned around and grinned.
"Keila! I thought you said you couldn't make it tonight dude!"
The two girls hugged and Keila smiled.
"Turns out my cousin didn't need a babysitter after all so it's all good!"
"Awesome, do you want to-?"
"What?" Keila strained to hear her friend over the sound of the loud music.
Marceline just laughed, gently took her shoulders and steered her to the outside bar.
"I asked if you wanted a drink," she smirked when they got outside.
"Oh yeah, sure! Why not?"
The two vampires purchased their drinks and sat at a bench down the back of the courtyard.
"Did you see Ash is here tonight?" Keila rolled her eyes. "The jerk tried to hit on me outside."
"Figs," Marceline muttered. "He was never good at knowing what types of situations might be awkward. Such as, but not limited to, flirting with your ex's best bud."
Keila felt a curious smile curve around her lips.
"What?" Marceline asked, catching sight of it.
"I'm your best bud?"
Marceline laughed good-naturedly.
"Well of course you are dude! Who else would it be?"
Keila opened her mouth, then shut it. Then she changed her mind and decided to chance it.
"Well," she tried to keep her voice casual. "Princess Bubblegum?"
Marceline looked up sharply and gave Keila the kind of look that would make so many people afraid of the legendary Vampire Queen many years later. Keila very nearly felt herself flinch under that stony glare but managed to stand her ground under the death stare.
Then Marceline finally spoke.
"That's ancient history," she grunted, turning away. "Let's not talk about the past."
Keila waited for a beat, then spoke again.
"Dude," she said gently. "If you just went back and talked to-"
"You don't know what you're talking about Keila," Marceline said shortly. "You have no idea what happened between me and that girl."
Keila couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Man, she has no idea! She feels like you just up and left her, and-"
"Hey! She's the one who left me on my own!"
"But maybe she didn't mean to Marceline, maybe she-"
"Oh, just shut up!" Marceline snapped, in a manner so fierce her face transformed partially into her demon form.
Keila gave her a look and then turned away, sipping on her drink.
Marceline let out a low, stressed growl and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
"I'm sorry Keila," she said after a brief tense silence. "I know you're only trying to help. But...I barely know what went wrong back then. And – well – if I went back now," she sighed, "Bonnibel wouldn't even want me back."
The other vampire listened to Marceline's words but then shook her head unwaveringly.
"No dude," she said. "You're wrong. You don't ever lose faith in a friendship that strong. And if you're that close to someone, if you're that invested in the relationship, somebody's bound to get hurt or let down eventually. Things get spoilt, things go kaput but...real friends work through it."
Marceline frowned in concentration, taking in Keila's words.
"Maybe," she mumbled, then she looked up. "Thanks Keila."
The other girl winked at her.
"Don't mention it Marceline," she said. "I'll always be here for you. I'm your second best friend after all!"
The vampire could only smile.