Chapter Five:
"Booty booty shake, booty booty shake. Shaking my booty!"
"Will you tell your dog to shut up?" Marceline asked Finn.
"He's not my dog, he's my friend," Finn corrected.
"Well he's going to be dinner unless he shuts it," vowed the Vampire Queen. The look in her onyx black eyes told the twelve year old she was serious.
"Yeah Jake, can you stop singing?" Finn asked meekly.
"Whatever man, I'm just trying to write lyrics for my new violin song," Jake replied. "It's too bad I didn't bring my violin with me. Playing some tunes would break the awkward silences that are bound to come."
"I'm supposed to be stretching and preparing myself for my first trial," Finn stated. Magic Man allowed Finn ten minutes before his trial. Marceline and Jake were allowed to be with him, and they were still in an unknown location, in an unknown room, lit by scentless candles. Much to Jake's disappointment because he loved scented candles ever since Lady Rainicorn bought him one for Christmas.
"Okay dude, since I'm an extra stretchy dog I'll show you how to stretch Jake style," the dog grinned. First touch your toes." Finn nodded and did as his friend said. "Excellent, now touch your head to your toes."
"What? I can't do that!" Finn exclaimed.
"Do it!" Jake barked.
Finn tried his absolute hardest, but couldn't even get his head to touch his knee. "Got anything easier man?"
"Yeah, now stretch your head to your butt," Jake instructed. He did this as a demonstration, easily flipping backwards and putting the top of his head on his romp.
"Uh… Alright I'll try man." Finn tried his best to twist back and put his head on his butt, but instead lost his balance and fell over on his back.
"Wow you two really are weenies," Marceline commented, getting entertainment from watching the two.
"We are not weenies!" Finn exclaimed. He stood back up on his feet. "What do you think my first trial will be like?"
"Probably be something stupid," Marceline replied. "Like jumping into shark infested waters, leaping over fire pits, swimming in volcanoes, something lame like that."
"That's not lame! That's life threatening!" Jake exclaimed.
"Hmm. I guess for someone who's already dead it seems pretty bleak." She shrugged.
"Okay Finn the Human, are you ready?" Magic Man then asked, appearing out of nowhere in purple smoke. "My oh my do I have a challenge for you?"
"Chasing his own tail?" Jake suddenly asked. "Cause I've been trying to do that for years!"
Magic Man just laughed, and snapped his fingers. Suddenly the four were out of their current location, and appeared to be in a forest that Finn didn't recognize. He looked around for any obstacles, but saw none. "What am I doing?" he asked curiously.
"First we will test your skills of finding things," Magic Man answered. "You've heard of finding a needle in a haystack, haven't you?"
"Who hasn't its so cliché," Marceline commented. Magic Man snapped his fingers and there was tape that suddenly latched itself on her mouth. "Mhm!" Marceline exclaimed, hissing through the tape.
"Hey!" Finn yelled, "Take that off of her."
"Not so fast," Magic Man replied. He put a hand on Marceline's shoulder and whispered something in her ear that neither Finn nor Jake could hear. Finally he stopped whispering and Marceline sighed, and crossed her arms with an annoyed expression on her face. "She's fine," Magic Man assured. "Now, are you ready Finn the Human?"
"Yeah, but what am I doing?" Finn asked in confusion.
Magic Man then clapped his hands together, and a gigantic haystack and a pile of needles appeared. "You will go inside the haystack and-"
"Try and find the needles?" Jake asked, interrupting.
There was a roaring laughter from Magic Man. "No silly dog. The needles are going to find him."
"But you said we're testing my skill of finding things!" Finn exclaimed.
"Exactly, you'll be finding an escape."
"An escape from the haystack?"
Magic Man laughed. "You'll find out what I mean." He then reached into the bag of dust that was attached to his left leg and threw a pinch of the needles. There was a rumbling shake, and suddenly three of the needles grew to be eight feet high, fat, and even pointier than ever. Looking closer, Finn noticed eyes on them, and realized Magic Man had brought them to life.
Suddenly there was a cold hand on Finn's shoulder, and he looked up to see Marceline, who still had tape over her mouth. "Mhm," she said through the tape.
"Are you wishing me luck?" Finn smiled hopefully. Maybe she does care.
"Mhm."
"Well thanks Marceline. I'll do my best," Finn replied. Magic Man clapped his hands and Finn disappeared from where he was standing and went inside the haystack. All the pointy hay ends poked at him, but Finn ignored them and looked around the haystack to try and find an exit. It was strange, it was like Finn was inside a room made all around of hay, and that it was a labyrinth, even though from the outside it looked like a normal haystack. Magic trickery, he figured. Slowly the adventurer explored the hay filled paths, cautiously aware of his surroundings.
However as he kept walking he soon heard click clack, click clack sound that was coming closer and closer to him. "The needles!" Finn exclaimed silently to himself. He tried to hide inside the hay walls but they wouldn't budge. The sounds got closer and closer, and Finn found himself face to face with one of the needles. The boy stood there awkwardly. "Uh… hi there."
"HISS!" the needle replied, and started running towards Finn at full speed!
"AH!" Finn cried, running away from the needle. "You don't have to do this! We can be friends!"
"I'm going to poke your eyes out!" the needle threatened.
"No need to be unpleasant!" Finn cried back. He made a desperate run left, and took random twists and turns in the labyrinth to try to and lose the crazy needle. However this was no avail, for the needle was able to keep up with him. Who knew needles had great endurance? Now the boy was getting desperate. His legs were growing tired, and a muscle felt tweaked thanks to Jake's butt to the head idea. He had to think fast! Finn skidded to a stop and faced the needle. "You don't want to hurt me!" he exclaimed.
"Yes I do!" the needle hissed. "I want to cut you up then sow you back together!"
"What good would that do?" Finn questioned.
"I'm a needle! My only highlight in life is sowing things back together!"
Finn sighed. There was no agreeing with this evil needle. He took out his sword from his backpack. "Then I challenge you to a duel…" he spoke heroically. But then from the corner of his eye Finn saw the exit. He saw an escape…
Outside the haystack labyrinth…
This is so lame, Marceline thought. She looked to her left and saw Magic Man was waiting patiently to see Finn's outcome, and looked to her right to see Jake chasing his tail, an act he had been trying to succeed for twenty-eight dog years. The Vampire Queen sighed. She would much rather be in the action with Finn then out here with those two weenies. Suddenly an idea popped into her head, and she silently transformed into a bat, making the tape fall off her mouth because it was too big. I'm coming Finn.
Clank!
Finn was now invested in a duel with the needle. The two were clashing swords (though the needle decided to use its own body as a weapon) and Finn desperately tried to get closer and closer to the exit. But every time he'd get closer, he'd have to jump back from almost getting his head cut off from the needle's sharp end point.
Marceline then appeared, and transformed out of her bat form and back into her human looking self. "You're wasting time with a needle?" she demanded.
"He's pointy!" Finn exclaimed as an explanation for himself, although it wasn't good enough for the vampire. She rolled her eyes and then put a bare hand on the needle's sharp pointed end. Finn watched in amazement as she snapped the needle in half, and then licked the red blood from her hand when she got a scratch. "Wow Marceline! Thank you!" Finn exclaimed.
"It's no big deal you weenie- Hey!" Finn had jumped and hugged Marceline again, making them both fall to the floor. "How many times are you going to get all hug happy with me?" Marceline demanded.
"As many times as I feel like it," Finn smiled. He then remembered the exit. "Come on Marceline, follow me!" He grabbed her porcelain hand and pulled her to the exit door, where they both entered together. There was a bright flash of light, and Marceline and Finn ended up right outside where Magic Man and Jake were.
"Dude! I'm glad you're back, I've almost got my tail!" Jake exclaimed.
"It looks like you passed your first test," Magic Man said, not taking notice to the fact Marceline was no longer tape mouthed. "Well I shall allow you three one hour and then you shall complete your second trial."
"Hold up Magic Man! I got cheese with you!" Finn exclaimed.
"You mean beef?" Marceline asked.
"BEEF!" Jake barked happily.
Magic Man grinned. "Too bad young hero." And then he disappeared, leaving the three alone.
Author's Note:
I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you for all the past reviews as well :D And I know I keep leaving cliff hangers, but I figure as long as I update within a couple days and not wait a week that it's okay. Promise to update soon. Please review, and thank you so much for reading! Algebraic! ;3