Disclaimer: I don't own AT, if I did Finn would have realized PBs dark nature by now

Chapter 17: Lies and Manipulation

Princess Bubblegum POV

"What does it mean to be a leader you ask? Now that is a question I have been asked many times and have always given the same answer. A leader is someone who is able to make the right decisions, no matter how hard it may be. A leader is someone who sacrifices their own personal happiness so that they can take on the responsibility of leading. But above all, a leader knows how the real world works."

"The world is not a nice place. It's a place of constant lies, manipulation, and greed. That's why we have leaders, because power cannot be in the hands of the many. The many are incapable of leading themselves and would only lead themselves to extinction should they have all the power. That's what happened with Humanity after all. They let the many have too much power and influence. This lead to important decisions either being made too late or never made at all because the many could never agree on what was right. The end result was total war and near extinction for the human race because of their belief that power should be in the hands of the many rather than the few. It is the few who lead, not the many. Power cannot be spread too thin less it become meaningless and worthless."

"And now thanks to Finn having abandoned his place as the Hero of OOO, power is starting to shift away from the hands of the few again. This is a problem that's needs to be fixed one way or another. Finn needs to return to being the Hero of OOO again so that things can return to being as they once were. Peaceful and prosperous."

"Do you understand everything I have just Cinnamon Bun 2. Do you understand what you must do?"

"Yes I do. I will work towards convincing Finn that he needs to return to being the Hero of OOO again. I will not fail you Princess Bubblegum."

"I know you won't. I have total faith in your chances of succeeding. Now go and bring back OOOs much needed Hero."

"Right away," he said as he walked off.

"This is all for the greater good," I said while watching him leave. "This is all to keep OOO safe."

Finn POV

Today was another great day. My Kingdom is getting rebuilt at a steady pace, people are happy, and I get to enjoy my time with Flame Princess. Life was finally starting to look bright again.

"Finn," said Flame Princess. "What are you going to do once your Kingdom is rebuilt?"

"Hmm well I could always throw a party to celebrate our victory over the Goo Monsters and a rebuilt Kingdom."

"That sounds like a great idea," she said smiling at me.

"Do you know what the best part about having a party is Flame Princess?"

"Nope. What is it Finn."

"That I get to dance with you."

Suddenly she tackled me to the ground and we were both in a tight hugging match.

"That's nice to hear Finn. I look forward to it."

"After that I could always come visit you in the Fire Kingdom of you want."

"I would love that Finn."

"Sorry for interrupting Flame Princess. But I need to talk to Finn privately," said Cinnamon Bun 2."

At that I saw FP start to look a little angry. She definitely didn't like hearing that something was being kept a secret from her.

"Whatever it is that is private Cinnamon Bun, I deserve to know as well. I don't want any secrets being kept between me and Finn. I want us to be completely honest with each other."

Suddenly I saw him come up and whisper something into FP's ear that made her have a brief flash of fear. What could he have said to her I wondered and what could have scared her like that. Then she left without saying a word making me even more worried at what unknown conversation just went on between them.

Once she was out of ear shot the conversation started up again.

"What did you say to her?"

"It's Private Finn, just as what where going to talk about right now is private. It must be kept between just us."

"This is about Princess Bubblegum isn't it? Is that also where you have been these last few days."

"Yes it is about her and I have been gone investigating if my theory was true or not."

"What did you find? Is it what you thought?"

"It seems I was wrong Finn, I spent all my time looking for anything to link her to the Goo Monsters, but I couldn't find anything. I guess I was just letting my distrust of her get the better of me."

"Well that's good I hear. I would have gone crazy at hearing that fate wasn't through messing with me. Good to know that things are finally settling down."

"Yes it is Finn, things will only get better from here on out. I just wish I could say the same for OOO."

That last part got my attention completely. "What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you know Finn, about the troubles that have befallen OOO since you left?"

"Not really, I haven't heard much about what OOO has been like since I left."

"That's too bad. So no one has talked to you about this or you haven't wondered yourself."

Well I did ask Flame Princess about it recently. She said there are some problems, but she said it wasn't anything that the Kingdoms of OOO couldn't handle. So I'm not worried."

"Hmm, strange," Cinnamon Bun said with a skeptical look.

"What's so strange Cinnamon Bun?"

"That she would say that. Since OOOs Kingdoms haven't really been able to handle the problems that have come up ever since you left. Like crime for instance, we have lost complete control and nothing we do has brought it back under control. So it's just strange that she would give you false information. Considering her extreme dislike of lies and secrets."

"She probably just doesn't want me to have any more problems to worry about is all Cinnamon Bun. She has learned to accept that not all lies and secrets are bad after all."

"Yeah I'm sure your right. She just doesn't want you worrying about any more stuff. She cares about you Finn, it's why she didn't even give a second thought to helping you when she got Simons letter saying that you needed help defending your Kingdom."

"What letter? Simon never wrote any letter saying I needed help."

"What are you talking about Finn, didn't you tell Simon to write a letter to Flame Princess saying that you needed help. It's part of the reason she came here in the first place."

"I never had such a letter written or any letter at all. Also didn't she come here because she wanted to help, not because Simon apparently said that I needed help," I said while trying to hold in a ton of mixed emotions.

"She did come because she wanted to help, but I doubt she would have come had you not been willing to accept it. She wanted to come the minute she heard you were in danger, but didn't do it until she got your letter. She was scared that you would reject her aid after everything that happened before hand."

"Please tell me this is just some sick joke. Please tell me that none of this true."

"I'm sorry Finn. I thought you knew about this."

I can't believe this. Someone actually had to convince her to help me. She only came because she thought she wouldn't get her feelings hurt. She was only willing to come because Simon made her think that I wouldn't reject her aid. She wasn't willing to hear me possibly say no to her.

"Why didn't she tell me about this letter?"

"She just probably didn't think it was worth mentioning. Also why do you look so upset Finn? Even if you didn't write the letter, it still worked out in the end right."

"It's nothing Cinnamon Bun," I said in a blank tone. Can you just please let me think this over alone for a bit."

"Of course, we'll talk more later then."

"I deserve this don't I," I said for the world to hear. "This is karma isn't it? All brought about by my past actions." I said while laughing without any humor in my voice.

"The past will never stop haunting me will it? And I like a fool, actually believed that I was worthy of a second chance at happiness. When will I learn that I blew it?"

Cinnamon Bun POV

"I've got to get out of here," I yelled while struggling against my restraints. "There's no telling what damage that clone of me is doing. I got to warn Flame Princess about all this."

"You know you can't break free," said a chilling voice. "But I can, if you will let me help you."

I knew that voice well and almost dreaded hearing it as much as I did Princess Bubblegum's.

"What are you suggesting Lich."

"A way out for both of us little pastry. Sadly I'm too weakened by this machine to do it myself, but with your help I can. If only you are willing to accept my aid?"

"And what exactly do you want from me Lich."

"To form a little contract with me. I need for you to reach out and touch me for this to work. I need to possess your body so that I can escape this infernal machine. After that, getting out of here will be easy."

"Knowing you, you have some ulterior motive for this."

"Not this time little pastry. Right now all I want is revenge. So do we have a deal?"

"No Lich, unleashing you would be even worse then what Bubblegum could possibly do."

"I'd rethink that if I were you. You haven't got much time or another other options if you haven't noticed. So don't let fear be what makes the decision for you."

"I'll never be that desperate Lich."

"There's never a point where someone doesn't become desperate enough and I will wait for it. It will only be a matter of time before you change your mind."

"Don't hold your breath monster."

"I won't need to for long," he said smiling.

I think I'm losing it. I feel like my creative juices are dying. Eh well hopefully this isn't as bad as I feel it is. But right now I can't think of anything else and I don't want to leave you all hanging. Hope you enjoy it.