Chapter Four:

"Marceline!" Finn exclaimed. He literally leaped over the flickering candle and happily into the Vampire Queen's arms, knocking them both to the ground.

"Ah! Finn!"Marceline yelled, "You are such a dork!"

"A dork who thought we were in trouble!" Finn replied, "Are you okay? Did Magic Man hurt you? Did he turn you into a disgusting body part? Did he make you feel uncomfortable? Did he feed you something-"

"FINN! I'm alright. Seriously dude, get off of me, I don't want your twelve year old germs all over my new pair of jeans."

Jake stretched his long arms and grabbed Finn's shoulders, bringing him back a few feet to where he was standing. Marceline stood up to her full height and glowered at the two. She smirked. "Glad you brought Jake. I was starting to get… hungry." Her fangs popped out further as she said the word 'hungry'.

"Dude! She's making me uncomfortable!" Jake cowered.

"No eating my brother," Finn confirmed, even though he knew quite well Marceline was just messing with them. "But if you're hungry I have some celery sticks in my backpack."

"Gross, vegetables? If I really were starving I'd go ahead and eat Jake," Marceline scoffed.

"I would too," Jake agreed.

"Oh come ON! Vegetables are not THAT bad!" Finn cried. "You know what? Not the issue here. Marceline, you've got to tell us what's going on here!"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you much Finn."

"Can't, or won't?"

The vampire narrowed her eyes. "Maybe a little bit of both." She crossed her arms stubbornly. "And anyway, I'm a little offended with you two."

"About what?" Finn asked, clearly confused by this. Never once had Princess Bubblegum been ungrateful about him and Jake saving her. She was always thanking them, and gave them free candy. The candy was free anyway, but that wasn't the point.

"Did you really think I needed to be saved?" Marceline asked. "You really think I can't save myself?"

"Hey when we went to your house everything was dark, your furniture was ripped up, everything was messy and Finn's butt was GLOWING. We thought you needed help!" Jake exclaimed. Marceline gave him a hard glare, making Jake take a small step back in fear.

"I'm sure you can save yourself," Finn answered, "But I wanted to help because well… I wanted you back safe where you were. I didn't want to worry about you being in danger and cheese like that."

"CHEESE," Jake emphasized.

Marceline crossed her arms. "Well you coming here was what Magic Man wanted all along."

"Oh I get it, you were the bait," Jake said.

"I AM NOT THE BAIT!" Marceline hissed, purposely contorting her face in a horrific manner.

"Not the bait! Not the bait!" Jake whimpered.

"Why did Magic Man want us?" Finn asked.

"Not us, you Finn. You're the one he wants."

Finn's eyes widened. "But why?"

"Yes Finn the Human! Why? Why you? Why would someone as mystical and as magical as I want you?" a new voice asked. Into the mysterious room walked Magic Man, and he clapped his hands together to make more candles illuminate, making the whole room visible. Finn and Jake took immediate notice to Magic Man's changed appearance. He lost weight. Good for him. "Do you remember the first lesson I taught you?" Magic Man asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah, not to give my sugar cubes to jerks!" Finn hissed, "And not to help jerks like you!"

"Precisely," Magic Man smiled. "And that's what all of this is, a lesson, a learning experience, a trial. Magic Trials. If you and your golden companion Jake can complete these trials, both of you and the vampire can leave here safely."

"Why are you doing this dude?" Jake barked. "What's the point?"

"Finn is an aspiring hero, is he not?" Magic Man then asked. He smiled deviously. "Well he can prove his heroism. He can either finish these trials a champion, or perish as a loser."

"What's in it for you?" Jake questioned.

"Entertainment purposes. All my shows had their season finales, I have three months to kill until they come back. But don't worry, these trials won't last three months, goodness no, I still have lessons to teach to the wimps of Ooo." Magic Man laughed. "What do you say Finn the Human? Do you accept these trials?"

"What if I don't?" Finn asked.

"There was a reason I captured Marceline." Magic Man then snapped his fingers and Marceline disappeared from where she was standing and suddenly popped up next to him, where he slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled her dangerously close to him. "Must I make my point any further?"

Clutching his hands into fists, Finn turned to Jake. His best friend nodded, as if to say, 'we can do this'. The boy then turned to Marceline, and she eyed him as if to say, 'let's rock!' and finally he looked inside himself. He looked inside his soul. And his soul told him to do what his head said. And his head said to listen to his heart. And his heart told him he had poor cholesterol… and to do the trials. So listening to his heart, Finn answered in a dramatic deep voice, "I accept Magic Man. I will prove to you the hero I can be."

"Excellent," Magic Man grinned. "Let's get started then, shall we?"

Author's Note:

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