Next chapter is already finished because I spent the last two nights to finish it ^^ (I've holidays)
Hope you like it.
Characters (c) Pendleton Ward
A cold breeze made me shiver as I opened my eyes slowly.
Silver Moonlight illumined the huge living room, cast white and silver shades over the in daylight colorful furniture. Tiny stars brightened the black sky, sparkled and seemed to move in a never-ending dance over the horizon. Again, the icy draft blowing through the opened window made me freeze and sigh in annoyance as I got up to close it.
The dark meadows in front of the house were still and peaceful and the way the moon shone on the swaying grass suddenly reminded me of Ooo, made home-sickness clench me like a sharp claw. How often have I been standing like this nights ago, wondering what to do to escape this loneliness? And now that I found something I wasn't sure if it really was the right thing to leave everything behind...what if someone in Ooo was in trouble right now, pleading for help they would never receive due to my egoism? I tricked nature to get to Aaa...wasn't this what snuffed out thousand of humans lives?
Princess Bubblegum told me about the Great Mushroom Wars months ago...it was the humans fault to be erased from the world, due to their power-hungry fights, the fact they could never get enough. Was I right to defy nature like that, or was it a century old instinct I was following?
I knew I would never know it as I closed the window. Noone could change the past and – this fact surprised me the most- wasn't I actually happy right now? I've found someone my race, someone I wouldn't have to act like I was different.
I smiled as my gaze caught the quiet sleeping Fionna, breathing in a slow rhythm and cuddled deep into the warm blanket. She was also smiling, probably dreaming something happy.
Crawling back to my sleeping place I spotted my own blanket in her arms. Fionna buried her face in it, snuggling the soft textile.
Holding my breathe, I tried to take it carefully from her embrace and not to wake her up. She frowned as I removed the last bit, her slim fingers searching for something to hold. My heart skipped a beat in shock as she grabbed my arm, pulling it forward but only to hold it like my blanket before. I nearly would have pulled it back if she hadn't sighed so happily like my arm was the most precious thing in her world.
The urge to touch her came so suddenly, I just reached out with my other hand and stroke her cheek gently, feeling her soft skin under my fingers. After I watched her sleep for a few more minutes I rested my head beside her, kneeled down in front of the sofa and drifted back to sleep.
„Aww, look at those two sweeties!"
Someone squealing far away woke me, the high-pitched voice echoed in my ears. Blinking my eyes open slowly, I looked into Fionnas still smiling face only inches away from mine. I could feel her soft, warm breathe on my cheeks and still the embrace of her fingers and my arm.
„Cake? Is that you?" , I dared to whisper.
„Yes!" , the cat squealed again, this time right behind me. „When I woke up I wondered where you'd slept since noone was in the bed so I came to search for you and now...just look at you! You're so sweet together, Finney. I thought she'd never get over this arrogant prince..."
„No, it's not like that, Cake! Would you just help me to get her off my arm?" , I pleaded, starting to blush. But it was too late. Fionna already stirred as she awakened, opening her bright blue eyes. The next heartbeat her smile gave way to a deep frown.
„Finn? What-"
Her glance wandered down herself until it caught her fingers holding my arm tight, pressing it to her body. She let go of it in a second, blushing furiously but gave Cake an angry look.
„Stopp giggling like that, Cake! It was an accident, ok?"
Although I had backed off a bit, the cat was still laughing and repeating how cute that had looked.
„Argh...my glob, how old are you, Cake? Three?" , Fionna mumbled angrily but got up and left the room, probably to get dressed.
„Oh my, that was great. She's always this sensitive if it comes to feelings...It's a shame Jake is still sleeping, though! Tell me, Finney, how did this happen?" The cat asked, her face all red from laughing like this.
„Uhm...I guess this doesn't matter." I quickly responded and drew closer to the door. „I'll go for a quick walk and get us something for breakfast since you let us sleep here...uh...bye."
Closing the door behind me, I started to run until the huge tree house vanished behind the grassy hills.
I dropped down on the soft grass, feeling its stems tickle my skin. A delightful breeze chased the clouds across the sky, made it look like a sheep race amidst of a bright blue.
Thinking of nothing, I spent several minutes like this, looking at the clouds and enjoying the warm sunshine. I'd go get the groceries later, though.
„Hey...would you mind if I'd accompany you?" , a silvery voice behind me suddenly asked and snapped me out of my thoughts.
„Sure."
„Thanks." Fionna simply responded and sat beside me; near enough to feel my warmth and far away enough our skin wouldn't touch.
„Did you ever wonder if there are other humans out there?" , she asked after a while of silence, still looking at the sky.
„Always. But I gave up hope long ago..." , I murmured, lying down in the grass to feel the solid ground under me, burying my fingers into it.
„Why? You found me." , she whispered, barely hearable.
„That's not the same. You're like me...you hate yourself for who you are."
„Yes, I am like you. I'd like to be different." , she said and laid her hand on top of mine. „But I don't need others like me to know who I am. "
Getting to her feet, she reached out her hand, grabbed mine and pulled me up to stand next to her. „Come on, I'll show you around." , she offered and gave me this heart-warming smile again before she dashed off, still holding my hand.
And I'd swear I was the happiest man in this world right now.
„So, this is-"
„The Candy Kingdom, I know. Parallel universe, remember?" , I joked which made her giggle.
„Yeah, right."
We stood in front of the giant wall made of sweet candy, protecting the castle from intruders or Candy-Zombies like it once did in Ooo. The banana guards got out of our way once they spotted us and Fionna let go of my hand instantly. I couldn't help but feel this little sting in the very center of my heart like someone had stabbed a needle into it.
„Who are we going to visit? Princess Bubblegum?" , I asked to hide my hurt.
„Hu? Oh, no. The ruler of the Candy People is called Prince Gumball. You'll see him in a second, he's so cool!" , Fionna admired, her eyes sparkling in a way that made my heart ache even worse.
„Oh. The one Cake was talking about? Is he your boyfriend?" , I dared to ask, afraid of the answer.
„No. I'm not even sure if I like him that way, you know. He hurt me several times, I don't even know what I'm into anymore. But guess it doesn't matter, let's go!"
With that, she led the way to the pink castle. It looked like an exact copy of PB's residence back in Ooo, although Goliad and Stormo were missing.
„Fionna! Nice to see you again." , a little Peppermint Maid greeted us after the girl had knocked on the massive pink door decorated with sweets of every shape. She didn't mention me but gave me a curious glance as I walked by.
„The pleasure is mine, but we came to see Prince Gumball. Is he around?"
„Of course! He's in the lab as usual." , the maid giggled and signaled us with a wink to follow her through the huge castle, established the same as I remembered from home.
„Here we are. Have fun, honey."
„Thanks, Peppermint Maid."
With that, Fionna knocked on the silver door signed as „laboratory" in big black letters and opened it slowly after some muffled voice told us to enter. A tall man with royal pink clothes stood in the center of the room, mixing and separating liquids of every color in dozens of Erlenmeyer flasks. Greenish mist steamed from one, whirled and twisted until it exploded into thousand of yellow and blue sparks.
„Wow." , Fionna breathed beside me and went to stand beside the prince.
„Why, hello Fionna! I'm just playing around with pyrotechnics. Wanna see another awesome experiment?" , he offered and pulled her close to his side, one arm resting on her shoulder. Another wave of paint flowed through my body, stabbing and tearing my heart Jealousy sparked like a furious fire in my heart, making me hate this arrogant prince at once, like Cake said.
„Uhm...Fionna?" , I asked to get back a bit attention since she clearly forgot about my company during her fascination.
„Oh, sorry, I simply forgot! Prince Gumball, this is Finn. He came here through a portal."
„My,my! A portal you say? Where?" , he asked, the violet eyes sparkling with interest. Finally, he removed his arm as he drew closer to give me a better look.
„I don't know, I didn't see it anymore after we arrived. It has to be somewhere, though. Jake read everything about it, go ahead and ask him." , I responded with a shrug. Should he bother someone else with his fussing pink personality.
„What a shame...I'd like to study it! Maybe I'll visit this Jake-person later. Thank you, though." , he chirped in his annoying happy way.
„Jake lives with us in the tree house! What about you come over for dinner today?" , Fionna offered, her voice heavy with excitement and joy as she clinged like a tick to him. I clenched my hand to a fist, burying my nails into the skin to feel the pain I was suffering in the inside.
„Hm...I guess that'd be great. I'd love to have dinner with you all...but not today. I have a lot of stuff to finish..."
Who did he think he was?!
„Sure, we'll go then. Maybe another day? See you!" , Fionna cheered and waved him good-bye as we left the room. Everything in this stupid castle annoyed me, the air seemed to burn from my anger. By the time we left the Candy Kingdom, I breathed in the fresh air, enjoyed the silence around Fionna and me, let it cool me down.
„Finn? Are you alright?" , she asked anxiously and laid her hand onto my shoulder. caused a tiny surge to flow through my body.
„Sure, why?" , I answered as cheerful as possible. How could I possibly tell her I was jealous of all her friends? It was like I was envied everyone who spent time with her...how could I tell her I had a crush on her? I couldn't deny it anymore, couldn't lie to myself.
„You look...stressed. And I wonder..." , she sighed heavily, „Finn, do you want to leave?"
„Do you want me to?" , I whispered sadly, unable to look at her. What if she said yes?
„Stopp asking such nonsense. Of course not! But I know you will have to leave one day...whether I like it or not."
I didn't reply anything to this, I knew she was right. All I could do was to wish Jake would like to stay as long as possible.
„Come on, lets visit Marshall Lee." , she said and took my hand.
We spent nearly the whole noon at Marshalls cave, talked, hung around and even got to make some music. It turned out Fionna had a wonderful singing voice so we sung together and Marshall played the bass guitar like Marceline always did. Speaking of the vampire king, I have to admit I like him.
He has the same crazy character like his female version, funny and creepy, but in a cool way. Plus, he likes Fionna only as 'his little sister'.
Flashback~
„Look who keeps crawling back to me." , the vampire had joked as he opened the door, his voice deep with sarcasm.
„Shut up, Marsh." , Fionna'd retorted but smiled and pulled him into a brother-like hug.
„Why thank you, as polite as always. And who did you bring along? Found someone to annoy instead? Hey, name's Marshall." , he'd addressed to me after laughing at Fionnas try to punch the flowing immortal.
„Hey, I'm Finn."
„Aww, stop looking like this, honey. I'm friendly, k?" He'd petted Fionnas head what made her shot him an even more furious glare but still sparkling with amusement. Squeezing past him, Marshall had no other choice than to let us in.
„Sheeesh, she keeps braking in. Hey, Fionna! You know you're not living here? Stop searching through my stuff!" , his voice faded as he chased a giggling Fionna through his living room, the girl swaying some sort of music recorder playing songs which had to be very personal.
„You still behave like the sister you are, honey."
Flashback end~
„This vampire will drive me insane one day." , she laughed as we walked over the hills back home towards the setting sun, coloring the sky to beautiful orange- and pink-shades.
„Really? I think he's pretty cool." , I teased and earned a punch on my arm from a nevertheless laughing Fionna. Glob how did I love her laugh...
„That's maybe because you stood there all day laughing at me being mocked." , she said with a dramatic pout.
„Yeah, you were pretty funny. Like quarrels between brother and sister."
„Well, he knows me since I was a baby. I spent whole days at his home, the tree fort that is now mine. My and Cakes mum didn't like it, though."
„Sounds cool."
„Mhm, It was awesome. Is there anyone back in Ooo waiting for you?" , she suddenly asked. I nearly swallowed my breath in surprise but could stop before I'd have coughed like an idiot in front of her.
„Uhm, just a few friends. But I guess they can deal without me for a few days."
She simply nodded and pushed the door open as we reached the massive tree house. Warm air heavy with the smell of food greeted us before anyone else since Jake was already cooking some unnameable stuff while Cake watched him, arms crossed in front of her chest. She was obviously angry at the dog, glob knows why."
„Can you believe it? He took over my kitchen and keeps ordering me what to do! I'm not gonna eat your dog food, Jake." , she snapped as my brother handed her some vegetable to cut.
„Fine with me. Go ahead and starve then."
„Y-you're...horrible! And I let you sleep in my second favorite box!"
„I know. Now cut it. Oh, hi Finn, Fionna. Dinner's ready in a minute."
„Idiot!"
I love Jake and Cake quarreling 3
Anyways, next chapter will be the beginning of the adventure-side and the real romance of the story.
Why I make so many embarrassing scenes with Finn and Fionna? Because I'm like 3 years old. Forever