Ch. 12

(Marceline's point of view)

This was bad. Today was the day of the play and I couldn't find Finn. The play was in a few hours and we needed Finn there. He was the main character of the entire play for pete's sake! I ran around the school in my costume which was really casual except for my red heels. I laid against a wall and slide to the ground. What am I going to do?

"Maiden! oh Maiden! Please let me see!" I heard a familiar voice yell.

It came from the library and I entered it to find Finn sitting at a table. In front of him was a tv with a vcr on top of it. I walked over to see what he was watching. It was an old video of Jake acting in a play. He never said he used to act, or that he went to this school. Is that one of the things he wanted to keep 'buried'? Then a dark thought came over me when I remembered the 'curse'. What secrets could Jake and Lady know about this school?

Finn snapped me out of my thoughts by saying, "He's really good,".

I nodded in agreement before turning off the tv, "Come on Finn. We need you," I told him.

He stared at the black screen until I forced him out of the chair. He wouldn't look at me as we walked to the auditorium. It was empty all except our club members. They looked worried as they watched me and Finn walk up to them. Finn didn't greet anyone and everyone stayed quiet for a moment.

I decided to break the silence, "Come on guys, we need to get this place ready for the play." I told everyone.

"I agree with Marceline. Otherwise, this awesome outfit will be wasted!" Simon agreed while dancing.

"You fit your character like a glove Simon. Makes me want to call the cops." Bonnibel told him.

"Oh, let him have fun Pb." Clara told her with a giggle.

"Pb?" Heather said confused.

"Its me and Clara's nickname for Bonnie." I explained.

"Back to what's important, should we really do this?" Billy asked.

"What do you mean?" Clara asked.

"Look at Finn. He in no shape or state of mind to do this. We might need to postpone this." Billy advised.

"We can't. The school would never allow that." Simon told him, his playful attitude gone.

"We have to do this. Finn!" Bonnibel yelled.

Finn jumped in surprise, "H-huh? What?" he asked.

"Come on Finn. We need you! This is your dream isn't it?" Bonnie asked.

Finn looked down but gave a curt nod. I felt uneasy as we all prepared the stage and all its props. Bonnie showed me how to work the stage curtains. Its for when both Bonnie and Heather are on stage. Billy had all the miscellaneous costumes ready for use while Finn sat on a chair staring at the floor. He had his costume on, a light blue t-shirt, blue shorts, and a green backpack. On his head was a white bear hat. It was cute to say the least but his depression worried everyone. Was it a good idea to go on with the show? I was on the right side of the stage behind a side curtain. Finn was standing in the middle of the stage and I swallowed when the front curtain raised. I peeked to see that it was a full house. I was shocked at how many were here. I saw Lady sitting in the front row smiling happily. I looked at Finn and saw he was just sitting there. Suddenly, I could hear what was going through his mind.

It sounded like Jake's voice, "I'm gonna do theater for the rest of my life!"

"I love being an actor!"

"This is my dream! To be a professional actor! Nothing is more important!"

I noticed Finn move his head. I saw tears streaming down his face. He started crying as he covered his face with both hands. I ran up to the control room.

"Marceline! This is bad! We need to drop the curtain." Bonnibel told me.

"No! He can still do this," I assured them and ran back down.

People started murmuring, "Is this part of the play?"

"It looks like its real,"

Then Jake ran into the room, "Finn! Make your dream come true!" he screamed.

Finn gasped and looked at him, "Jake?" I asked myself.

"Finn... Are you stupid or what!? A child's dream is their parents' dream! You can make it true for us! Don't you realize that our dream is to watch you live out your dream! Lady and I didn't give up our dreams at all! You get it Finn! You ARE OUR DREAM! That's what being parents is all about! That's what being a family is all about! So ever since then... we've been running a bakery... Waiting, longing for this day to come! You give up now and all our dreams die you got that! This is your responsibility now, get it! Lady, your here! You tell him too!" Jake screamed.

Lady got up, "Do it Finn! For us!" She yelled cupping her hands around her mouth.

"They're right Finn! You have to do this! For all of us!" I yelled.

He looked shocked for a second but then wiped his eyes. After a moment, he inhaled and exhaled.

He recited his lines, "I am Finn. I live in a post apocalyptic world where I'm the last human. It is Earth... but not as you know it. It is a thousand years later. After a great war happened, the world fell along with the human population. Now, I'm the last of our kind living with strange creatures that I now call... friends." he recited.

I noticed everyone was smiling. Even I was smiling. It made me happy to see Finn preforming. All his hard work was finally going to pay off. The play started off with Pb and Finn talking about science things. I was getting bored until Simon ran in and picked up Bonnibel.

"Ee hee hee! Pb, today your gonna be my bride!" Simon yelled to the audience while Pb punched his back.

"No way Ice king!" Finn said while pulling out a wooden sword.

"Then try to stop me Finn! Zap!" Simon yelled while throwing paper balls at him.

Finn blocked the paper balls, "It that all Ice King! Your always so lame!" Finn yelled.

"That is not true! I'm as cool as can be! Watch!" he puts Bonnie down, "Now, watch and learn sister!" he yelled and started dancing.

Finn smacked his butt with the sword, "Your old caboose is gone Ice King! Now your even lamer!".

"Ah! My hams! Someone help me!" Ice king yelled.

Bonnie ran off the stage giggling as I ran in and kicked Finn, "Hey, what's going on between you two boe zoes!" I yelled.

"Thank heavens! Marceline, I was just getting my date and he totally princess blocked me." Ice King told him.

"Hey, that's a lie. He was going to kidnap her!" Finn argued.

"Is that true Ice..?" I looked to see Ice King gone, "Hm... Well kid. He got away," I told him as I bit my lip.

Finn attacked me but I dodged easily, "I'm not a kid, I'm the hero of Ooo!" Finn yelled.

I smacked his butt which wasn't part of the play and he flinched, "A kid can't be a hero." I told him.

He spun around and tried to hit me but I dodged again, "Who are you!?" he demanded.

"I'm Marceline, the Vampire Queen. I eat little kids like you for breakfast!" I yelled.

He charged and swung his wooden sword at me repeatedly, "I can tell your evil!" He yelled.

"What makes you say that?" I grabbed his wrists and threw him onto the ground.

He rolled and got back up to his feet, "Your helping that old guy kidnap princesses!" he yelled and turned to the audience, "Such a deed is pure evil!" he yelled.

I got behind him and restrained him easily, "So? Who cares?" I asked.

I struggled until he got out of my grasp and pushed me, "So, you shouldn't kidnap people or else..." he messed around with the sword almost like a pro swordsman, "A hero will come and defeat the monster!" he yelled.

"Yeah? Like who? Your no hero!" I jeered.

"But I am!" a voice yelled.

I turned to see a much taller Billy, "Billy! Alright! Yeah!" Finn cheered.

"Billy, I've heard of you, your famous around Ooo," I said cautiously.

"That's right. I'm investigating the kidnappings right now actually and I heard everything. Where is this Ice King?" he asked.

I kicked Finn in the groan and took his sword, "You'll have to beat me first!" I yelled.

"Very well Marceline." Billy said and took out his sword.

I was going to charge but Finn tripped me. I tried to get up but he pinned me down. I struggled to help make the play look real like the lines said too. Billy walked over and knelt in front of me.

Finn held me down still, "Where are the princesses?" Billy questioned.

I laughed, "Like I'm supposed to know?" I mocked.

He smacked me a little too hard, messing up my hair, "Where are they!?" Finn yelled.

I looked at the floor, "You guys are morons. Think, Ice King! Where else would they be!?" I asked.

"The forest?" Finn asked.

The audience laughed as I hit my head on the floor, "No! Try again!" I yelled generally getting mad.

"I think she's hinting at the Ice Kingdom," Billy added.

"Yeah. Pretty much." I grumbled.

"Wanna go on an adventure Finn?" Billy asked.

"Yeah! Adventure Time!" Finn screamed.

The curtain fell and Finn helped me up, "Billy, you hit me way too hard." I said low enough so that the audience doesn't hear me.

"Hey, Finn said to make it look as real as possible." Billy told me.

"That's all fine and dandy until you put my amazing looks on the line!" I said a little too loud.

Even though I was fuming mad, I still helped them set up the Ice Kingdom props. Finn apologized to me for Billy's smack and I said it was fine. My mood got better when Finn asked if it hurt and tried to make it feel better. I smiled to myself as he rubbed ointment on my cheek to make it feel soft. I was smiling way to widely as he walked away and Bonnibel noticed.

"This is your chance. Ask him out!" Bonnibel whispered.

"...After the play," I told her.

I wasn't going to be on set for a while. I controlled the curtains as Bonnibel tended to my bruises. I'd hiss at Billy any time he'd get close to me. He'd immediately back up and I'd hear Bonnibel giggling.

"Getting into character?" Bonnie asked.

"Just shut up and fix these bruises." I told her with a growl.

She just giggled again and went back to patching me up. Finn came up after I closed the curtain.

"Are you ok?" he asked genuinely concerned.

I blushed as Bonnibel nudged me, "Yeah. Bonnibel's patching me up. I'll be fine." I told him.

He looked away and said, "I'll take over the curtains. You and Bonnibel are up.".

"Alright. Come on bubblegum Princess." I told her.

I got ready and put on a grey tank top with blue torn jeans. Bonnibel had her pink dress on and was ready on stage. She was reading a book facing the audience and I walked over to her. I snuck behind her and tapped her left shoulder. She looked and I shifted to her right shoulder and took her book.

"Marceline!" she yelled.

I was reading the book, "What cha reading Bonnibel?" I asked.

"Nothing that concerns you!" she snatched the book from me.

"Actually, it does. Its a book about how to deal with vampires. Uh, hello! I'm the vampire queen!" I yelled.

"Well, you were helping the Ice King," Bonnibel told me.

"Yeah, cause he and I go way back. Plus, he's completely harmless. I knew he'd not hurt you." I told her.

"He freezes people solid!" Bonnie yelled.

"Oh Boo Hoo! You'll catch a cold!" I yelled.

Clara walked on stage, "My pardon Princess but Raspberry Princess wishes to speak to you," Clara told us.

"Let her in. I'm sure she'll be happy to see the Queen here. On that note, how are you a Queen when your not married?" Bonnie asked.

"Vampires don't have princes and princesses Bonnibel. We just kill the leader and take over. Boom! Done!" I yelled with a giggle.

I froze when I saw my dad in the audience, "Well, who was your father?" she asked.

I was unable to speak, "Vampire Queen?" Clara asked.

Without another word, I barged off stage. I walked by Heather who had a bewildered look on her face.

'Only one person could have done this. Only one...' I thought grimly.

Finn looked at me in surprise when I came up to the control room, "Marceline? What are you doing up here?" he asked.

"What's my dad doing down there!?" I questioned.

"He's here?" Finn asked in surprise.

"You didn't know?" I asked.

"No! I didn't even have time to ask him anyways!" he told me.

"Then who?" I questioned.

"I did," I heard Bonnibel's voice.

"You?" I asked in complete astonishment.

"Yes. He seems to be enjoying the play." Bonnie told us.

"Yeah. So is everyone else." Finn said looking down at the crowd.

I looked at both of them and sighed, "Ok. When's the next time I'm on?" I asked.

"In about..." his words faded away.

I was listening but only halfheartedly. My dad was watching me... that entire time. Why did he even come? Is this his way of attempting to show he cares for me? Or was he so bored that he just came on his own accord. It doesn't matter. He's no father to me... not anymore.