I planned to upload the next chapter sometime in November but after I read the 4 new lovely reviews and follows, I decided to make this one a Halloween gift for you flipping awesome people 3
Silence fell around me as I opened my eyes, bright white light blinded me for a heartbeat.
When my gaze went clear and the pictures began to crystallize, I could see everything was like this. It looked like a pale white scenery of a movie set, except for the faint patches of colors appearing every now and then around me.
At the time I started to wonder what the hell I was doing here, a moor green droplet fell from the white above me, quivered as it drew closer to the ground. Before it hit the bottom, it started to change its shape, grew wider and taller with wings covered in feathers. A huge beak was formed of green in the middle of the shape, two tiny feet at the bottom of the bird.
One blink later, the Cosmic Owl floated meters above me amidst the bright white, wings spread in grace.
I backed of slowly and tried not to attract its attention, my heart beating fast and heavy against my chest. Fear made my blood freeze as a cold shiver ran down my back. Dreams of the Cosmic Owl were never good. That's why I tried to wake up before it got even worse.
At least, I guessed I was sleeping.
„Foolish boy. You can't run away from destiny. Future arrives if you like it or not, but it's your choice whether you hide and wait for your doom or to face it with courage."
I froze in shock as I felt its burning gaze in my back, forcing me to turn around and face the huge owl. Although it didn't open its beak, the words sounded crystal clear and caused echoes all around me, hammering the meaning of the words into my head. I gulped, searching for something to say.
„What do you mean?"
„You go through your life with your eyes shut, Finn the human, like your whole race before. It's up to you to follow them or turn to be the hero you want to be."
„I don't understand! What did they do? And what am I looking for exactly?" , I asked, not sure if I got the point. The human race killed itself by defying nature...now it said it was something different.
„The human always aimed for power over everything. They subjugated any living thing and even defied nature by braking the natural cycle. Two things remained inaccessible, though: Space and time. Furious about being hold in ranks, the human race tried anything to master this hurdle too. That's how they negotiated with something over their power, the Sketh, which breed brought forth the Lich. It promised them a weapon to destroy the barrier of space and time to rule over everything. Blinded by their hunger for power, they achieved bombs just as powerful and damaged the whole planet in their struggle to reach their goal."
„The Mushroom War..." , I breathed, finally knowing the curse of this horrible war that killed nearly everything and shaped Ooo like it was today. Scientists knew some stuff about it but not the reason of its start.
„Yes. Angry and frustrated for being tricked, the last of them somehow managed to take Skeths life and sent it to Deaths lands. But Sketh cannot be killed. It's gaining power again to end what it started - to destroy all living in Aaa - Finn the human, now it's up to you to be ready before it arrives, to be stronger than itself. Eight items must be found and combined to the weapon giving power over whatever everyone struggles at. One must become two to battle the everlasting darkness.
The forces are already rising, hurry and be the hero you want to be." , it foretold before its voice faded and the green blurred into bright white.
I flung open my eyes, breathing fast. The air in the living room suddenly felt too hot to stand it any longer and yet I had to tell the others about the prophecy.
„Fionna?" , I whispered into the darkness of the room since I was too confused to remember where I was or even when I went to bed.
A rustling noise beside me caught my attention, silent foot steps came from somewhere in the dark.
„No, it's me, Jake." , the dog whispered as his face appeared in front of me. „Fionna is asleep on the sofa, I carried you up here after you fell asleep during the movie we watched yesterday. What is it? Or did you dream of her?" , his voice turned into some teasing tone while he grinned widely.
„I've got no time for that, Jake. Wake up Cake and come to the living room, I have to tell you something."
„Can't it wait till the morning? Cake will claw out my eyes if I wake her with no good excuse."
„No! Bro, believe me, this is important. Very important. Like...live-depending important." , I pleaded as I already headed down the stairs to get Fionna.
I found her asleep on the sofa, cuddled into the blue blanket as always. But now I had no time to admire her beautiful sleeping face. Reaching out, I carefully shaked her shoulder to get her awake as mild as possible. Her eyes opened instantly as her hand shot forward and slapped my right cheek, leaving a stinging red shape on my skin.
„Finn! I'm so sorry, I was just surprised and reacted and-" , she apologized and gestured wildly in the air to show how sorry she was. Catching her hands, I pressed them down to the sofa to calm her to.
„It's fine, really. We have other things to worry about."
„But-"
„Sshh." , I whispered, one hand stroking her cheek as I lost myself in her deep blue eyes with starlight caught in. Her mouth was a little bit opened, her warm breath so close...I just had to...
No. This is wrong.
Instantly backing off, I pulled her to her feet and noticed she was only wearing the short sleeping-dress, exposing so much of her soft pink skin.
„I hope you have a good reason for this!" , Cakes voice shouted upstairs, drawing closer as she stepped into the living room, her face angry and annoyed. Her eyes glowed like a furious fire was blazing in them and even Jakes warm words couldn't calm her down.
I guess Cake is no morning person... , I joked in thoughts but got serious again as the cat turned towards me, her arm stretched out until her sharp claws were just an inch away from my face.
„You! I hope for your sweet little face to have a good excuse for waking me up in the middle of the night. Otherwise..."
I would never listen to what she was going to say since Fionna grabbed her tail and pulled her into a close hug, preventing Cake from moving.
„Now, Finn, what is it?"
I took a deep breath until I was sure what to say and started to explain...
By the time I was finished, the sun already started to rise, sending a beautiful golden shimmer across the dark blue sky, announcing a new beginning day.
Soft pink clouds covered the zenith, huddling together like sheep. But under their pink shell they started to dye grey, the electricity in the air was already to be felt – a storm was rising and I knew it wasn't just the weather. Soon a real storm would shatter our lives and we had to be ready if we were to survive.
„So...what are we going to do now?" , Fionna asked behind me, sitting at the table while I looked out of the window, keeping hold of the windowsill like it would guarantee safety, giving strength. Her voice was silent but still clear and strong with determination to help. She wasn't like any of the princesses back in Ooo, she wouldn't be needed to be saved, was strong enough on her own. And that was one of the things that made me love her like I did.
„The Cosmic Owl said 'One must become two to battle the everlasting darkness'. I guess I'm the first since I had the dream but who is the second?" , I wondered aloud with a glance to Fionna. Could she be...?
„Anyway, how can two people possibly be enough to defeat a creature like that? Why can't it be easy for once..." , I murmured, losing myself in the play of the now black clouds, the treetops trying to resist the increasingly strengthening wind. Tiny raindrops started to moisten the window, spreading wet trails down the glass.
„We'll figure it out." , Fionna said beside me and laid her hand on my shoulder, sent a little shiver down my back. „But I think we should get help...Marshall Lee knows a lot about the past and its terrifying monsters and...what about Prince Gumball? He has a lot of influences to the other kingdoms, could warn them and therefore find out where to find these parts of the weapon." Anger she wanted this prince to accompany us blinded my gaze for a second and jealousy stabbed my heart like a dagger, but I had to admit she had a point. They would both be a great help...
„Sounds great, but we're still a tiny group if you ask me." , Cake threw in, sighed and rested her head on the table to get a hold.
„Yeah, if we just could get more people..." , Jake murmured and started to walk around the table, thinking hard.
„But we can't, silly."
If we could just...
„Wait! We can!" , I screamed, unaware of the fact nobody knew what I was talking about.
„Jake, you read everything about this portal. How can we get back?"
„Seriously, Finn? You want to leave and let us wait here for our deaths? Yeah, it's just one stupid world, crawl back to your shitty portal and hide till you find another one!" , Fionna yelled, not getting the point. Sparkling tears of anger and despair ran down her cheeks as she threw something at me. The plate scattered at the wall next to me, left me to stand there in shock, out of words.
„I thought you would care about m...us! At least a little..."
„Fionna, listen! I want to leave to get help! There are two more people in Ooo that could help, with Marceline and Princess Bubblegum we'd be eight, the same number as the parts to be found. We have to get them. Believe me, I'll come back." , I told her slowly, tried to comfort her as I laid my hand on her shoulder.
„I-I thought you...I'm sorry, Finn. I knew you'd never let someone in need down."
„Weeeell, I don't want to interrupt your little sweet reconciliation, but if you want to get back in time, you should hurry and leave now." , Cake observed.
„And how are we supposed to get to Ooo without a portal? I don't know where it could be, genius." , Jake objected, rolling his eyes.
„Really? It's not my fault you're stupid." , the cat hissed and earned an angry growl.
„Gumball might know, or at least there has to be a book on portals in his library." , Fionna threw in and separated the two pets again.
„Great! I'll go visit him right away, we meet again at sunhigh here." , I decided and opened the door already. Rain splashed from the roof and got blown into the room from the wind, drizzled my shirt as an icy cold breeze hit me.
„Wait, I'll come with you." , Fionna offered, already on her feet.
„No, you have to go and get Marshall Lee. Take these two with you, they'll need a babysitter."
She smiled this lovely smile again, making my heart beat in longing.
This is never going to happen...
„Ok then. I'll get Marshall and wait for you until 12 o'clock. One minute later and I will come and search for you." , she murmured in a voice heavy with worry as she pulled me into a hug, her arms embracing my waist and her head resting on me shoulder. That was the moment my heart exploded into a inferno of joy, heat warming my blood and let me forget about the rain. I'd go through every thunder storm, through every rain to get one of these hugs.
„Be safe." , she whispered as I left, vanishing into the grey of the rain.
By the time I arrived at the royal castle, my shirt and the coat Cake gave me were dripping wet, myself soaked to the skin. Small waterfalls poured down my hat as I got into the dry, warm room after a very confused Peppermint Maid had let me in.
„Uh...how can I help you this early in a storm like that?" , she asked with worry and a bit of fear, her tiny hands shivering anxiously. Glob, I must have been looking horrible.
„I need to speak to Prince Gumball. Where is he?" , I demanded and forgot about my good behavior once. This could wait til afterwards...if we survived this Sketh-issue.
„I-In the laboratory as usual. But- hey! You can't run around here like that!" , she screeched as I dashed off, waving helpless in the air.
The floors and rooms seemed to go forever as I raced through the castle, leaving a trail of small puddles of icy cold water behind me. A barely hearable sigh escaped my mouth as the silver colored door of the laboratory came into my sight. Knocking twice, I even waited for an answer until I rushed in, leaving the door to slam shut.
„Hu? What on Aaa...you're Finn, right?" , the prince stammered as he caught sight of my dripping wet clothes.
„Yeah, sorry about that. But I've got not much time. I need your help, Prince Gumball." , I panted, breathing hard after my long race and leaned against the door.
„So? What can I help you at? And where did you leave Fionna?" , he asked skeptically, arms crossed on his chest.
„At home." , I lied since Fionna told me about the hatred between Marshal and the prince. „What do you know about portals? I need to go back to get help and Jake doesn't know where to search for a portal that vanished after our arrival."
„Sorry but...what do you need help for? Fionna is perfectly able to defend Aaa alone, I guess."
„Not this time!" , I yelled, out of patience. „She will explain everything to you when we get back to the tree house. Now, can you help me or not?"
„Well, seems like some weird stuff is happening between you two, but I'll wait and see. And of course I can help, after Fionna introduced you to me I read everything about portals. The formula to work out the exact place of the portal leading back is easy..."
„The Mystery Cave!" , I screamed as I slammed the door of the tree fort open with Prince Gumball right behind me, staring bewildered at the house. Some pictures and stuff from the shelves fell down and crashed with a dramatic clang, papers got blown from the table in the living room Fionna, a very bored Marshall Lee and the pets were sitting at. The moment she caught sight of me she jumped to her feet, her blue eyes sparkling with relieve and excitement.
„When will you leave?"
„Right away, I guess. Jake can take me there in no time." , I replied, already denoting Jake to get out where the rain was still pouring like waterfalls.
„Oh maaaaan." , the dog complained but came to a halt beside me, right in front of the door where the rain wouldn't reach his yellow fur. „I'm ready if you can call it like that. I hate rain. It's cold and...wet."
„Stop complaining. You want to get back to Lady, don't you? Plus, we have to hurry and get back as soon as possible." , I retorted as I turned to climb on his back.
„Fionna? You have to tell Marshall and Prince Gumball about our situation and plans." , I told her before I smiled a 'good bye'. She simply nodded, eyes dark with worry.
„You will come back, won't you?" , she whispered anxiously, looking at the bottom.
„Of course. I'll return and stay until this is over." , I promised, turning around. From the corner of my eyes I saw her hand rushing towards me, grabbing the top of my shirt and hauling it towards her. I was too surprised to react before I felt her lips brushing mine as she pulled me into a fierce kiss all of her fears and hopes combined in. A delightful fire was blazing around my heart, blood seething as I cheered in joy inside, wishing this moment would never end.
„Make it a 'forever'."
So, this is it. I don't like it but well, since it's finished I can upload it anyways.
Please, review if you read it! It makes me write faster and keeps the story alive. Tell me if you like it, tell me if you hate it. I don't care. Just tell me what to do better and I'll try.
You rock, guys.