Chapter 4:
The Black Rose

It was already morning. Finn was already woken from his bed and yawned all the time. He looks out the window, where the sun shines and warms the lush trees. It´s finally the day, where the Rose Princess´ll visit Candy Kingdom and give the gifts to Candy People. Finn wonders what color rose he would get. He has no idea about that, but he closed his eyes and smiled when he disguises himself with the princess smiles kindly to him. She opened his mouth and mumbled something that sounds very robotic:

"Ooo to Finn? Ooo to Finn...? "

It was BMO flicking his short arm in front of Finn's face. Finn was frightened and accidently pushed BMO, where he tripped and landed on the couch. BMO was on his feet, but the screen was a bit broken and Finn apologies. BMO's just saying it's okay and it can be repaired again. He jumped down from the couch and disappeared into another room.

"Eat your food before it gets cold," Finn heard a growling voice and looked down on a plate, which features bacon. He doesn´t know how long he stared, but he doesn´t feel hungry anyway. He looks at Jake munching on his food like a hungry dog (which he is ...).

"Hey, Jake... how long was I out?" Finn asks curiously to Jake. He looked up and his muzzle was covered in bacon juice. "About 10 minutes before BMO woke you up from your daydream..." Jake responds and raises his eyebrows. Finn blushed and burrows away at his food. He eats more than Jake of embarrassment. After they have eaten, Finn and Jake were ready to go to Candy Kingdom. But before leaving the tree house, Finn saw a thorn bush, then dying out and have black knobs on each branch, "It wasn´t there...". "What wasn´t there?" He heard Jake ask, but he quickly answered it was nothing and they were going on now.

When Finn and Jake had arrived to the Candy Kingdom, they were already in the process of improving the princess's arrival. "Wow... they are completely work- out just for a princess?" Jake muttered absolutely amazed. They heard Princess Bubblegum call them and ask them to help her to role the red carpet for the Rose Princess. They rolled the carpet all the way to the gate. Finn wanted to check if the carpet looks perfect and Jake shook butter on his head with his arms crossed. Then Jake saw something that came as a surprise. Finn saw him and asked what was wrong. He follows Jake's gaze and sees a black spot on the horizon. But when the spot came a little closer and Jake´s surprised expression, it seems like it was Rose Princess, who was heading to them, but she looks a bit different than she used to.

"Greetings, my dear friends..." the princess greeted to them. Finn made a lift glance at her. He actually thinks there was something strange about her. She wears a black dress with black roses instead of the red dress with red roses. Her hair was black and her skin looked a bit pale. Finn was about to ask her looks, but Jake jumped in and said her looks was awesome. The princess was flattered and said she would try something new, now that it's summer.

Jake asked Finn what he thinks about it, but Finn hesitated, staring strangely at her. Jake quickly changed the subject and follows her to the Candy Kingdom. Jake and the Rose Princess was chatting away while walking on the red carpet. But Finn was at their back and sees the princess from behind. He has a feeling that he doesn´t know her anymore and what's with the sunglasses? She doesn´t usually wear that when she is outside. He scratched at his chin and thought there was something strange and mysterious about her...

When they were inside the castle, Princess Bubblegum was so happy to see her, but was wondering why she came so early. The princess chuckled and believes she would never miss the preparations tonight. Finn looks at her in surprise. Where did she know, there would be a ball in Candy Kingdom. He didn't tell her about that... Of course, he only said there are surprises in the kingdom, but not a ball. PB laughed awkwardly and shows her around the castle. Finn follows with PB and the Rose Princess, but Jake would stay here and taste some dishes. Finn rolled his eyes and goes with the two princesses.

He was behind PB and RP where they are loose. His expression seems very suspicious as he observes the princess's way. "She wasn´t use to be talkative..." Finn wondered in his mind. As he remembered from yesterday, Rose Princess didn´t talk so much, but she only talks when she was asked. But the only thing she could talk more to him was her eyes. Every time when he looks at her and looks deep inside her eyes, it waslike he was talking to him. He can´t hear the words, but have a feeling of what she would say if they talk to each other...

"Finn…"

"Did you say something?" Finn asks to the princess. But she answered no and continues to chat with PB. He scratched his cheek. He was pretty sure he heard the princess say something. But maybe he hears visions because of the stress. When the tour is over, they had to prepare the galla and the guests of nobles and royals has arrived, even the princesses.

There were lots of guests from different kingdoms and The Mint Butler fills champagne in each glass. It was supposed to be him checking the invitations outside the palace gates, but Finn took his place now. The only thing he has to do is to look at the invitation and let them join the galla. He looks at an invitation, which was a bat on it and knew immediately that it was Marceline the Vampire Queen. Finn welcomes her and giving each other a high-fiveand Marceline´s flowing over him. The list was done, so Finn can join the party too.

Finn was trying to enjoy the party, although it seems very boring because of the nobles, but he couldnn´t take his eyes from the Rose Princess, who was talking to the other princesses. He still has the feeling she wasn´t used to it, she is now. He went out from the hall and thought worried about what became of the princess who loves summer and its friendly and tender eyes.

"There is a certain someone who doesn´t have fun?" an old friendly voice said in nowhere. Finn looks back from his back and realizes it was the old lady from before. Finn was really happy to see the old lady, but was too sad to talk. The old lady understood his expression and asks him to go for a stroll in the hallway. Finn nodded in response and helped her the way to the castle gate.

When they were outside of Candy Kingdom, he told the old lady about his concern for the Rose Princess. The old lady knew about it because she saw the princess walk past her without noticing her. "It's not like her, the way she sees me..." the oldlady says in wonder. Finn asks her, what she means and the old lady replied she knew the Rose Princess saw her hide when she was little and was suppose to have recognized her a long ago. Finn just nod, but he couldn´t help but think of the princess's arrival in the Candy Kingdom. He can´t understand why she was dressed like that, her new personality and she was almost commanded against PB and her servants, and even the villagers. "... Where is the princess who was generous enough to give people a special summer... sometimes...? I have a feeling she forgot all about our friendship when I met her..."

The old lady looked at Finn with pity. She put her wrinkled hand on Finn's hand. Finn looked at his hand and the old lady smiled, "I know you've met her now and she may have changed, but that doesn´t mean she forgot your deeds," the old lady muttered comforting. Finn seems a little confused, but the lady chuckled and explains even the Rose Princess has lived so many years and want to make something new for her, but she hasn´t forgotten the good deeds she has done and her friendship to the people of Ooo. "... If I know her so well in the stories, I know she would never turn her back on you..." the old lady concluded and walk down the stairs. Finn keeps a sharp eye on the old woman who disappeared in the village, but he can still hear her cane crunch on the ground.

Finn is still there and thinking about what the old lady said. Maybe she's right, the Rose Princess might do something different forherself and for the people. But he still has this feeling that something is wrong. He looked at dawnbreak and sighed. Then he heard something flapping on the sky and saw it was the Ice King who comes flew over him. But he flies over the Candy Kingdom and not inside the castle to kidnap princesses. Finn was relieved of the crazy king didn´t do anything stupid this time, but was wondering, why he wasn´t invited. He looked at the horizon that hides behind the walls and the two large Gumball Guards. He sighed deeply and decides to go back to the party.

"Finn… Finn…"

Finn looks back. He still hears the Rose Princess call to him, but there is no sight of her. He shakes his head and goes into the hall.

"Finn… Finn…"

Finn looks irritated back again. The weak voice still calls him, but no one´s there. "Rose, it's no funny!" Finn gave an echo in the hallway. He turns forward and walks into the hall. But the weak voice still calls again, but Finn ignored the voice and continues to walk. But this time the voice became louder and louder, so Finn closes his ear and runs into the entrance of the hall.

When he came, there were a lot of glances directed at him, but he did not care, because he would get his voice out of his head. Everything revolves around him and his expression seemed to stress him too much. "Get out of my head," Finn whimpered within himself while he still holds on the ears.

"Are you okay?" a friendly voice asks and the faint voice disappeared suddenly. Finn looked up and saw the Rose Princess, still in the black dress in front of him. "I ... I'm fine ... just a bit tired lately ..." Finn replied in sigh. They remained silent while they hear voices from the other guests. Finn was the one who spoke to the princess first and after a while they began to talk about their first meeting in the big tree and how beautiful it was in her garden. The Rose Princess looks confused at first, but remembered it and also felt good about their conversation. They heard Princess Bubblegum call at the Rose Princess to her. Finn understands and said instead they can talk later. The Rose Princess smiled and goes to the other princesses. Hecould hear Lumpy Space Princess talk so loud in the long distance. Finn sighed and looking for Jake, but was already playing violin with an orchestra.

Finn smiles while he shakes his head and walks over to him, but something took his attention. He turns to the side and sees a large mirror and in front of it, there is the red rose. The same flower he found in the woods and gave it to PB. Finn smiled slightly and thought of the story, the old lady once told when he and Jake did not know anything about the Rose Princess. He bowed slightly and took a small snuff the red rose. Still with the same sweet fragrance just like the princess. He closed his eyes and thought that even his princess has changed; he knows she´s still the same princess with the friendly glance and the emerald green eyes. If there are some things that could make her happy, then he's happy too. He closes his eyes and put her in his heart that it´s a hero's duty to make another person happy. He slowly opened his eyes, but he noticed something strange. His reflection was not his, but a red color was in the mirror. He opened his eyes with a fast pace, but looking up to the top of the mirror. He jumped with fright, but didn´t scream. He stumbled and was in the mix of surprised and shock that his reflection was Rose Princess in red dress, red skin and hair. He looks behind him, but she doesn´t stand behind him and he knows that the princess is in a corner and gossip with the other princess´s.

He was just about to say something, but the mirror reflection put a finger on her lip as she hushes at him. Then she pointed to the rose and Finn looked confused on it. She want him to touch the flower? Finn gets up and walks over to the vase without hesitation. He hands gently on the rose petals and as he gently touched it, the room whirled like a whirlwind. Finn looks around him and sees the people were sucked away and even princess´s. A bright light shone. He covers his eyes from the light, but when he removes his hands, he was in another room.

Finn was confused at first, but he realizes immediately that he was in the little house where her garden is located outside. Then he hears voices in the room and saw him and Jake sit and wait for something:

"Where is Rose Princess? She said she would return soon..."

"Take it easy, dude ... she'll come back ..."

*A few moments later…*

"Hi! Sorry for let you guys wait…"

"That´s ok, RP... Finn and I were just chilling out…"

*Finn hesitated a moment till he asks the princess how´s it goes*

*Rose Princess explains how magnificent the Ice King´s kingdom are, but Ice King did not talk anything than him self. Finn sighed in releave*

"... But isn´t it the time for you to go home now? I mean, it has been a long day for you to help me finding these flowers..."

*Finn and Jake looked at each other and nodded as respond. They head back to the exit of the tree´s hole and Jake´s arm streches into a robe and climbs first up. Finn was about to climb, but looked back at the princess who smiles and waves*

"Hey, there´ll be a surprise for you tomorrow in the Candy Kingdom?

*Rose Princess hestiated in surprise, but she shows her big smile and would love to visit Candy Kingdom. Finn nodded in joy and starts to climb*

*Rose Princes waves in farwell, but headed quickly back to the house and into the bed chamber. She removes the pot plants and lifts a box, wheres she opened it and she took a old pkect watch. She starred at it and put it in her chest, when she mumbled quietly:

"Shimenh ..."

*whispered sound*

"Who is it?"

*Rose Princess stands up and looking around. then a black mist shows up and Rose Princess coughs, still looking around. Then she loses in balance, but fights hard to see into the mist*

"Show yourself?!"

...

Finn woke up suddenly, he was in the hall again and Jake shook him. Finn travel fright and Jake was relieved that he was not dead. Finn raised an eyebrow and looks up where there were people around him and glared at him. They were also relieved that he's still alive, even PB. He asked Bubblegum what had happened because he can´t remember anything at the moment. PH explains to him that he just stood there and stared at the mirror with open mouth. And when Jake poked him, he fell and was almost dead on the ground.

The nobles and princesses nodded in agreement and even Lumpy Space Princess said a lot of details about his creppy eyes and open mouth, where he drools. But Finn wonders more about why he can´t remember anything before he was in a trance. His gaze was directed at Rose Princess with black sunglasses. She said she was worried about what was happening to him, but Finn didn´t sound of relief. He stared at the sunglasses and a strange reason he remembered the princess in the mirror, visions of Rose Garden and…

He remembered the smoke, the eerie whispers and the helpless Rose Princess. But the only thing he miraculously remember that he couldn´t even remember the unknown person´s appearance was a figure of a woman and the black dress. The skin was pale as snow, hair black as coal and her face...

"You're not her..." Finn muttered convincing. The Rose Princess saw a little confused and so the people did around him. He rises up suddenly and claims that the princess isn´t the princess, he know. "What do you mean by that? It's the princess; you're talking about ... " Jake says a bit worried. But Finn didn´t listen to Jake and argue them why she is not Rose Princess. He says that she is not as sophisticated as he watched her in the castle. She was too talkative and almost commanding. And she avoids Finn when he asks her garden or her plans for the summer.

"Finn ... I don´t know what angers you, but I can assure you that I am still the same as you have met in the little meadow..." Rose Princess said convinced, but Finn was too skeptical to convince. It is true that they have met in the meadow, but she hasn´t mentioned about the underground garden or her sacrifice to save him from the Ice King. Finn still said, that she isn´t the princess, he know. The nobles and princesses stared despised him and even Princess Bubblegum. Finn turns to Jake and says he believes in him. But Jake was too unconscious to believe his brother. "... Rose Princess was the guest of honor in my kingdom and it was supposed to be a celebration of her honor... but then you came in with a ridiculous accusation that it was not the princess, we know? " PB asks seriously. Finn doesn´t answer, so PB sighed annoyed and asks him to leave but he´s going nowhere until Rose Princess removes the hideous sunglasses. But PB has called the Banana guards and ask them to send Finn out of her castle.

"But it is true! It's not her, " Finn screamed hysterically and removes the sunglasses from the princess, but she managed to cover her eyes as she was beaten. The nobles and the royals stood in the circle and help the princess up. The Banana Guards have a good grip on Finn and leads him out of the hall. Finn screamed for help to Jake, but he was too stunned for that. He saw PB's expression very disappointing and angry. He tries to squirm free with his muscles and cried after the original Rose Princess.

But before the Banana guards could take a step out of the hall, there was a big wall of thorn bushes growing. The Banana guards were speechless after that and the female nobles and princesses scream for it. Jake was also speechless for it and ran to Finn to help him up. Finn was just surprise. The thorns looks familiar and more dangerous than the thorn branches that protects the princess garden. He wonders what it was about; he hears a voice that was familiar. He turns around and sees the Rose Princess float in front of him. "Wh..." Finn says quite astonished when he saw her as a ghost. The nobles and the royals were also surprised, even Princess Bubblegum. Finn couldn´t get a word out of his mouth, Rose Princess said nothing and stared at him with sad eyes.

They hear a scornful laughter in the hall covered with thorns. There are also growing black roses out of the thorn branches. Finn looked at one of them and feels proud that he was right all along. Jake legs trembles with fear of isolation of the dangerous plants. "But... if it's the princess, who hovers in the air… then who is she?" Jake asks in confuse voice trembling. Finn and the other guest´s turn their gaze to Rose Princess, who still sits on the ground and chuckled. And before Finn could react, some thorn branches were grabbing Finn and Jake and hover them in the air. PB and guests were also trapped by it in horror. The unknown princess gets up unharmed, still smiling. She turns her head against Finn in a creepy way and he got a shock when he saw it, he knew from his vision.

"Right you are, hero…"

AN: Pww... Finally the forth chapter´s done! It took me some month to finish it, but I really need to take a break from all the work... ;-b
And I know the flashback was terrible, but it´s also my first time to write a flashback... :-(