-Reaching the Heart-
The gumball guardians wasted no time in firing a burst of flames from their mouths, aiming for the Arc down below. Princess Bubblegum shouted for them to stop, worried about injuring the woman too much. However, the fires striking Second Arc were harmless, bouncing off of a protective barrier her suit had created using the generators in her palms. She blasted the combustion right back at the guardians, who shielded their eyes and took a massive step back from the recoil.
The human took the opportunity to send a mental burst of energy at the two robots, amplified greatly by her implants. The orange shockwave knocked the twin giants back further, nearly causing them to stumble over some destroyed buildings beneath their feet. Unfortunately, Second Arc didn't stop there.
Holding out her hands, the woman unleashed a magnetic pulse from her generators, which struck the guardians and took hold of their metal bodies. The human then swung her arms inward, causing the two robots to smash into each other. Heavily disoriented, the twins wobbled around a bit, then fell to the ground, setting off a quake that shook the castle.
PB cursed under her breath, astounded as to the power her opponent wielded using just the might of her brain.
Brain…
The princess was struck with an epiphany, immediately bolting away as Second Arc ran after her. She cupped her hands around her mouth as the chase was on.
"SCREEEEE!"
A moment later, the ever loyal Morrow emerged from the other side of the castle, diving down to swipe Peebles off the rim of the building. Second Arc sent multiple electrical blasts at the bird, but fortunately didn't have aim to match her intelligence. Baring her teeth, the human followed the Morrow as it swiftly circled the Candy Kingdom's innermost sector, as if searching for something.
The Arc held her hand out to a nearby tower, eventually ripping it out of the ground with a strange telekinetic power. She then proceeded to throw the massive object at the bird, who quickly dodged and readjusted its course. PB was struggling to hold on, as Second Arc tore off and threw even more pieces of her palace at her ride.
Scanning the area frantically, the candy monarch finally found what she'd been looking for, ordering Morrow to dive towards the castle's lower levels. The human followed her with her eyes, aiming a chunk of wall them. She threw the mass with impressive accuracy, apparently having corrected for her previous errors in targeting. Upon seeing the flung material heading for them, PB's eyes widened.
"Morrow, flee!"
The bird screeched, but followed the command and dropped its hold on the princess, allowing both of them to avoid the sailing wall component. Bubblegum yanked a cord on her back, instantly deploying a miniature parachute she always kept hidden on her back; just in case Ice King dropped her in midair while attempting another kidnapping.
She slowly drifted down towards her target, landing on the awkwardly bent tower with a soft thud. Her parachute retracted, folding back up automatically. A moment later, a humming was heard nearby. Peebles looked up, seeing Second Arc drifted down as well, using her suit to telekinetically float herself lower. Upon setting foot on the tower, she analyzed the princess.
"Quite clever, a hidden chute. Perhaps I did not give you enough credit."
PB shook her head.
"No. I've known this whole time you're a great deal smarter than I."
She closed her eyes and hung her head.
"And so…I knew the only way to stop you…"
She looked back at the Arc.
"…was by desperate measures."
The human examined the building on which they were standing. It was only now that she really paid any mind to the surroundings. Bubblegum was standing between two large quadruped beings, both still and staring at one another without a single movement. Each had a glowing third eye, which stuck out of their foreheads. Second Arc scoffed.
"Desperate? I can hardly say I'm intimidated by practical statues."
PB reached into her dress and pulled out a small rectangular device, which she held above her head and placed her thumb over the button. Second Arc studied the object briefly, before her eyes flew wide and she stared at the princess in shock.
"You are mad!"
The candy monarch held her resolute expression.
"There's an old saying; genius and madness are two sides of the same coin."
She pressed the button, immediately emitting a painful screeching sound from the device, which forced her and Second Arc to cover their ears as best they could. In addition, as the hypersonic sound waves reached the two candy sphinxes nearby, both creatures were pulled out of their mental stalemate and recoiled, slumping to the ground and shaking their heads.
The pink being shook her head, groaning.
"Ah! What's going on?"
The white sphinx recovered as well, squawking as it spotted the freed Goliad. The pink sphinx panicked briefly, before getting up along with her brother as both prepared their psychic eyes for confrontation. However, PB ran in between them, holding out her hands to halt the siblings.
"Stop! Both of you!"
Stormo obeyed, backing away a little. However, Goliad just narrowed her eyes at the princess.
"Why should I? I'm much stronger than-"
Peebles scowled at the sphinx.
"Listen!"
She pointed to Second Arc, who was still in shock at what the monarch had done.
"None of us will be doing anything unless she is stopped."
Both sphinxes looked over to the human, who bared her teeth at the large creatures. Goliad scoffed and activated her eye, attempting to lift Second Arc up and toss her away. However, the woman countered by firing a mental burst at the sphinx, disorienting her.
"Ow! That hurt!"
Now quite angry, Goliad growled and increased the power of her eye, firing a psi blast at the human, who frantically countered with another barrier. However, this time, the shield seemed strained, cracking in several places. Out of nowhere, a second psi blast impacted the barrier, shattering it and throwing Second Arc into the tower behind her. She groaned, struggling to get up.
Goliad looked over, seeing Stormo beside her. The white candy sphinx nodded, having been the one to assist earlier. Sadly, his sister just glared at him.
"This changes nothing."
The righteous sphinx squawked again, before suddenly being pummeled with the tower that used to be attached to their current surface. Goliad actually cried out in concern, as the heroic being slid to a halt, grunting from the slight injuries. His sibling angrily turned to Second Arc, who was refocusing her power to blast the two sphinxes while they were separated.
Instead, the human dealt with a multitude of flying candy canes from down below, which telekinetically homed in on her like a hungry school of fish. She redirected the energy building around her, vaporizing the candy material. As she was distracted however, Goliad pounced on her, sending both of them tumbling over the edge.
"Squawk!"
Stormo jumped after them, while PB called back Morrow so that she could pursue as well. The white sphinx eyed his sister as she struggled against the flurry of psychically enhanced punches Second Arc was giving her. She shouted out at each hit to her face, unable to focus long enough to fight back. Stormo narrowed his eyes, folding in his legs in to increase his speed.
Soon enough, the heroic creature passed the two combatants, catching the human in his beak as he did so. The woman was stunned by the act, unable to resist since Stormo was biting down on one of the generators in her palm. The courageous sphinx held the Arc against his body with all four legs, intent on forcing them both to painfully impact the ground.
Before Goliad could fall much further, a pair of legs grabbed the fur on her back, halting her descent. Looking up in bewilderment, she spotted Morrow, with Bubblegum on her back.
"Gotcha," the princess exclaimed.
However, Goliad returned her gaze to the plummeting opponents.
"Brother!"
A heavy crash erupted a few moments later, resulting in a giant candy dust cloud that obscured the area. PB ordered her bird to drop her and the pink sphinx off near the site, running panicky to the source of the impact. The sweet dust began to settle, revealing the result of Stormo's action.
A significant crater was pressed into the earth, with a wobbling and weakened white sphinx slowly stepping out of its wake. The being's golden hair was ruined by the dirt, covered in candy chunks. Peebles ran to him as Stormo collapsed, out of breath.
"Oh no! Are you alright, Stromo?"
The princess gently touched the sphinx's face, upon which he let out a pained squawk and laid his partially shut eyes on the princess. The moment was sadly interrupted as another sound emanated from the crater, this one being a groan. Looking to the impression with disbelief, PB and Stormo watched Second Arc pull herself to her feet, appearing, for the most part, heavily injured.
Looking closer, the candy monarch noticed mechanical components falling out of her sleeves and pant legs, as well as her shirt. These components were damaged to the point of scrap metal, occasionally letting out a dying spark. The human seemed barely able to support herself. Bubblegum was astonished.
"You-you had an exoskeleton underneath?"
The woman stopped her movement and eyed the princess with a glare.
"I am always prepared, Bonnibel. Don't insult my intellect."
She was panting, but managed to stand up straight and gaze at the two candy beings.
"I have read your reports. The sphinxes may be powerful, but the other's mind is too corrupted. Seeing all of us weakened and helpless, she will undoubtedly attack all three and take her place as ruler of this kingdom."
Her tone was almost mocking, discerning PB further as the Arc raised her hand, attempting to fire another psychic blast. Peebles braced herself, as did Stormo, knowing this would hurt. However, while what came next was a shout of pain, it was not from either of them. Opening her eyes, Bubblegum was shocked to see Second Arc pushed back a fair distance.
"Stay away from them!"
Goliad pounced in front of her injured brother and creator, protecting the two from any further attacks by the human. Second Arc grunted as she desperately tried to stay on her feet. Unfortunately for her, Goliad wouldn't let up, sending out additional psi blasts that knocked her further and further away. Eventually, the woman was slammed into the castle's outer wall, groaning weakly, before sliding to the ground and seeming to pass out.
The pink sphinx slowly turned to her brother and creator, a concerned look still upon her face. She quickly used her psychic powers on Stormo, healing all of his internal wounds. The white creature squawked a thanks and got to his feet. PB walked over to her biological 'daughter'.
"Goliad, you…saved us."
The sphinx smiled humbly.
"While me and brother were fighting in our minds, I found some of Finn's memories floating around his subconscious, apparently inherited when he was made. Finn and Jake looked so happy, playing, laughing, and having fun, instead of pointlessly fighting one another."
She gazed at Stormo.
"I don't want to fight my family."
The white sphinx curved his beak into a smile too. PB was touched by the statement, believing that her creation had purified itself, all with the help of the same courageous human boy she had known for so long. The thought also brought sadness, remembering that said young hero was currently brainwashed.
"Finn…" she whispered.
Out of nowhere, a blast of psychic energy struck both candy sphinxes, causing them to jerk before falling to the ground. Peebles cried out in fear as she placed her hand against both their necks. There was still a pulse, but their minds were out cold. A coma, of sorts. The monarch turned around to see Second Arc, still slumped against the wall of the castle and raising her hand to fire another shot at the princess herself.
A beam of energy flew out of the human's palm, about to strike the gummy royal. Slow motion seemed to dominate the area, as PB's mind raced to find a way to block the hit. Her eyed drifted down to the ground, noticing that she was standing on a sewer lid. With one solid hit to the edge with her heel, the metal plate flipped up, whereupon she briskly caught it in her hands and used it as a shield against the attack. The defense worked, protecting her from the impact, but the force still threw her back, where she landed on Stormo's fur, softening the blow.
Upon getting back to her feet, Bubblegum looked over at Second Arc. The woman took a final few moments to try aiming again, before her arm collapsed, out of energy, and her head hung down. PB dashed over across the courtyard, through the crater, and over to where the human was slumped. Kneeling down to examine the woman, Peebles watched as the red circle on her shirt dissipated, returning to the Arc's normal orange.
A minute later, Second Arc's eyes gently opened, also back to their normal tone. She let her sight drift for a bit, before stopping on PB.
"Bonnibel…"
The princess placed her arms around the human, supporting her.
"Ssh, don't talk. You're very badly injured."
The Arc coughed, then shook her head slowly.
"It does not matter. You have to go. Stop the other Arcs. Otherwise, you will never stop Elodeus."
Peebles firmed her expression, looking the woman in the eyes.
"I won't abandon you. You've gone through enough of that in the past. It's time you stopped losing your friends!"
Second Arc was visibly shocked.
"My…friend?"
Bubblegum nodded, letting out a small grin.
"That's right."
The human briefly chuckled, coughing again.
"I will not even bother explaining how that makes no sense, my mind aches immensely at the moment."
PB helped the Arc sit up straighter.
"Hang on, I'll get you some medicine."
Duo shook her head again.
"You don't understand, Bonnie."
She gestured to her lower body. The princess looked down, and was instantly bewildered by the sight. Second Arc's body was fading away, becoming more translucent by the minute. The monarch turned her eyes back to the woman's, an expression of horror on her face.
"What's happening?!"
The human sighed sadly.
"It seems that Elodeus will not tolerate failure."
She raised and looked at her hand, which was also becoming more phantasmal.
"I suppose this is the end."
The Arc let her head fall back to the wall.
"We failed. Every step of the way, we were either hopeless or being used. What a terrible life, wasted."
Suddenly, Bubblegum embraced the woman, startling her with the act and causing the human to gaze upon the pink lady with shock.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
PB pulled back, now visibly with tears in her pained face.
"Duo, you are anything but a waste. You held humanity on its feet, you gifted your knowledge in an attempt to redeem your peoples' actions."
She placed her hands on the woman's shoulders.
"It doesn't matter if you were fooled. The heart and determination you showed was the only thing that represented you, and the other Arcs, as you tried to get humanity's honor back."
She sniffled.
"I don't want you to go. Once we beat Elodeus, and yes, I fully believe we will, I would've loved nothing more than to learn and study from a woman as intelligent as yourself."
Second Arc was stunned, simply gazing back into the wet eyes of the princess.
"Just imagine the good we could've done together. Solved so many problems, improve life, we may have even come up with a true way to cleanse the planet of all its harmful toxins."
At this point, Duo reached up, with great difficulty, and placed her hand over PB's heart. The human smiled, a gentle and gratifying smile.
"Bonnie…thank you."
Her torso was already dispersing into the air. The Arc closed her eyes, now with her own tears leaking out from under the lids.
"Thank you…for being a friend…"
The hand upon PB's chest faded away, leaving the physical realm. The monarch was letting puddles form on the ground by now, her eyes and lips tremble as she watched Second Arc disappear. The woman's dark skin shined in the elegant disassembly of her form, as all that remained was her face. Her expression was calm, as if she was satisfied with how it was ending.
"No! Duo! Duo!"
The Arc vanished entirely, leaving behind only a single tear which fell to the candy floor and soaked right in, staining the sugary dirt a darker shade. Princess Bubblegum let her hands fall to the ground, sobbing quietly as her own tears saturated the earth further.
"You were all alone. You found each other. You were a family. And now…"
She gazed up at the remnants of the human, which consisted of a collection of shimmering particles flying away into the wind.
"…you're leaving them."
A solemn silence took hold, cloaking the despairing monarch with a layer of pain and distaste in the cruelty of the world. Humanity had lived, all this time. Out there, beyond the borders of Ooo, lay many other continents, all of which had the chance for supporting the last survivors of the once great race.
Now, here she was, along with her friends, forced to confront and break down a valued group of individuals, who only wanted to rebirth happiness and prosperity to the land.
He used them…
He manipulated them…
Her hands tightened into fists.
He lied and offered fake hope…
PB slowly got to her feet, head still hung and hands still curled tightly.
He cast them aside, left for death if they don't satisfy his needs…
Princess Bubblegum raised her head, looking over to the direction of the grasslands where the vile wizard was still sure to be, plotting the accelerated death of Earth. Her pupils shrunk, her brow shifted downwards, and her teeth bared through her lips.
"Elodeus!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.
"You'll pay for this!"
A/N: Much better than last week's delay.
DJ Rodriguez: Wow, I made great timing for your day. Good to know.
Fiery Crusader: I know, right. Why can't they make happier episodes like the good old days.
TheMentalAdventurer: And scifi is awesome :)
Fleightfire: Glad to have your support!
OMAC001: Nope, it was just a generic wizard.
I am The7: I have a feeling things will be more evenly matched.