In advance I'd like to apologize for any grammar/spelling errors and the other oddities hidden throughout my chapters. I usually write very late at night and I don't have a beta, so I'm stuck checking my own work. I will continue to read back through the chapters and fix anything weird that I can find. So don't be surprised if a line or two are rearranged. Also, Bubbline is coming up so bear with me. Enjoy.
Marceline stood behind Bubblegum after introductions had been exchanged. She eyed Finn and Jake, making a mental note of the yellow dog's uneasiness. Apparently Bonnibel had found herself a few champions while she was away. The boy was going on about something Marceline could care less about so she let her eyes wander around their surroundings. They were in the Grand Hall, the main entrance to the castle. Her eyes followed the grooves in the rock candy floor, and made her way up the pink walls. It's high ceilings left the room feeling very spacious. Marceline found herself floating a few inches off the floor when she looked back down. She shifted her gaze to Finn and Jake, the boy was still talking but he seemed to be worried.
"I don't know," he scratched his head through his white bear hat, "Ice King told us so it's possible that it's actually nothing serious."
"Wait," Marceline spoke up, "you know Simon?"
"Who?" Finn raised an eyebrow at her.
"I mean the Ice King."
"I'm pretty sure every princess in Ooo knows him," Bubblegum chuckled. Though Marceline didn't understand why and was getting tired of being confused.
"Princess, I think it's worth checking out." It was Jake who brought them back on topic. "I don't know why the IK would make up stories about gang activity. That's just strange."
"Hm." Bubblegum rubbed her chin in thought for a moment. "You're right, Jake. If groups of Wizards are going to start trouble I don't want it to become an issue within the Kingdom. Thank you for alerting me, I'll bring it up to the other royal members of Ooo the next time there is a meeting."
"Anytime, Princess." Finn smiled, "nice meeting you Marceline."
"Back at ya." She half smiled out of politeness and made sure to make extra long eye contact with Jake to make him squirm. The dark haired girl watched them leave and made a mental effort to not forget their names.
Marceline turned to Bubblegum, "So, gang activity? What's all that about?" The Queen hadn't actually listened to the full conversation but this sounded like something she and Peppermint should probably know about.
"I'm not sure." Bubblegum had a stern look on her face. "There's always some underground and black market activity going on in Wizard City. Most of the time it stays within the city limits and doesn't disturb any other surrounding kingdoms. But if Ice King is talking about it then literally every other Wizard should know."
"I don't understand."
"Well Ice King isn't really known for keeping secrets, and that's sort of the foundation of the city."
"I see." Marceline hoped Peppermint would be back soon and that he knew more about the situation. The Queen was starting to feel unsettled.
xXx
Eight o'clock rolled around and Marceline was starting to feel hungry again. Bubblegum had stirred up her apatite by making her exercise. She had agreed to let the Princess study her more and it nearly took all day. Tons of being hooked up to equipment, lifting things, running, poking and prodding. Most of the time Marceline watched Bubblegum take notes. They didn't talk much, even though the Queen was dying to have a meaningful conversation with her.
At this point they had been sitting in silence for about three minutes at the dinner table. Each of them sat at either end, awkwardly waiting for their food. Marceline disliked the distance between them.
"So uh," Bubblegum spoke softly, her tone matching the candle lit atmosphere, "I really appreciate you letting me examine you."
Marceline smiled, relieved that the other girl had finally said something. "No problem. Playing lab rat isn't too difficult."
Bubblegum giggled, "Well usually I'm studying some type of candy specimen so it's nice to have something other than liquorish to look at."
Marceline watched shadows dance along the Monarch's features as she smiled."I guess that could get boring after a while. Have you studied any other species?"
"Only a few, zombies were one of them, though they'd probably be more of a subspecies."
"Zombies?" That was new.
"Yeah, remember Finn from earlier? Well, we sort of accidentally infected about half of the candy citizen with this decorpsinator serum. Long story short we fought some zombies and turned everyone back to normal."
"Wow." Marceline smirked, "I'm impressed, Princess. The Undead are none to mess with. Corpses don't fear. They don't feel. That makes them formidable opponents and excellent soldiers."
"Would you say the Undead are as fearless as their Queen?"
"Eh, I don't know," Marceline said, letting her smirk fall slightly, "vampires feel."
"Well, according to the numbers we collected today, you'd put up a pretty decent fight." Bubblegum tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "At least I wouldn't want to mess with you."
"And I wouldn't want to hurt you so I guess we're even." She grinned at the other girl who was playing with her hair again.
"Maybe so, but I do have to warn you, I've had some hand-to-hand combat experience."
This was new to Marceline as well. "Hm." She put her hand up to her chin playfully, "I guess we'll have to settle this. A fight to the death it is."
Both girls laughed as the doors to the kitchen swung open. Peppermint Butler led a small line of candy people in white uniforms to the side of the table. A few carried china and silverware, while the other carried the food. They set it down in front of the them, poured strawberry juice into their glasses, then left without saying a word. Peppermint Butler placed a cloth napkin next to Bubblegum's plate, then rounded the table to place one near Marceline.
As the dark haired girl said her thanks, she realized he had dropped a small folded piece of paper into her lap. She waited until the Peppermint was talking to Bubblegum to read it. It said: I have some new information. Enjoy your dinner. Meet me in the court yard afterward. She looked up right as their conversation ended and caught Peppermint's gaze. They exchanged an acknowledging look before he left the room.
"Alright," the Princess leaned over to take the metal top off the plate of their main dish. It was a brilliantly prepared pasta that was smothered with a rich crimson tomato sauce. "I didn't know vampires could eat spaghetti." She stated as she scooped a handful onto her plate.
"Actually," Marceline spoke as she scoop some of her own, "I can eat the color red." She twisted her fork into the food and raised it to her teeth. The red pigment crawled up from the sauce and left the physical matter a light grey.
"You are just full of surprises," Bubblegum giggled.
Marceline smiled but it fell as soon as the Princess was focused on her food. "Full of surprises," she repeated under her breath.
xXx
Dinner went smoothly and Marceline was happy to catch up on somethings that she hadn't been around to witness. They had talked about things she had already know about as well, though, like Peppermint told her, she played dumb. In the end she had thanked Bubblegum for the meal and excused herself so that she could find Peppermint Butler.
"How was dinner?" he asked as she floated up the path toward him. He was sitting on the same bench that they had sat on the previous night. She sat down next to him and took a moment to look up at the night sky before she answered.
"It went well." And it had, she enjoyed it. But the weight of the situation felt like it was clinging to her back, pulling her shoulders down into a slumped posture.
"Good."
Marceline sighed, "Are you going to tell me you have good news and bad news now?"
"Eh." Peppermint folded his hands in his lap, "Not exactly. It's not that great. Actually it's pretty bad."
"Shit," Marceline grumbled, "alright, hit me with it."
"Ash," he paused, "did this to punish you, and he's been waiting for you to wake up. He still wants the amulet. He still wants everything."
"I figured," Marceline said, running her fingers through her hair, "there's been gang activity flaring up in Wizard City. I guessed it was him."
Peppermint sat and thought for a moment, "You should probably be careful when you leave the kingdom. Ash has spies everywhere. I wouldn't go back to your house if I were you."
Marceline frowned. "Did you figure out anything about the memory loss?"
"Not yet sadly. I only know this information because of the Huntress Wizard. I gave her a ton of gold."
"Huntress Wizard," the Queen echoed. She was notorious for remaining neutral when everything first started to go down. She made a ton of profit from going back and forth between sides, selling secrets. "Be careful with that one."
"No kidding." Peppermint gave a displeased huff. "How are you doing?"
"I don't know. Okay I guess." She looked up to a lit up window in one of the taller towers of the castle. Experience reminded her that it was Bubblegum's room. "Knowing everything about a person when they know nothing about you, it's like almost intruding." Marceline bowed her head. "I feel like the night I left was only a few days ago. But to you, to her..." She sighed, "To love someone that doesn't even know you. That doesn't remember you..." The vampire balled her hands into fists and growled in frustration, "I'm going to kill him. I'm going to cut his head off I swear to Grod."
"Give it some time," he said, trying to calm her down. "I mean Bubblegum has always been infatuated with you, from the first to the second time you've met. I wouldn't doubt if you stick around it'd happen again."
She gave him an appreciative smile, "Thanks, Pep." Marceline ran her fingers up her temples and massaged herself. "I think... I think I need some alone time. To sort through this stuff, self-care style."
"Alright," Peppermint stood and turned to face her, "I'll be in my chambers if you need anything."
Marceline nodded and watched him walk into the castle. After he was gone she laid her back across the seat of the bench and stared into the sky. "Time doesn't exist." The vampire muttered to herself—almost trying to convince herself—as she thought about how small the stars made her feel. "Time is not real." She repeated. How else could fifteen years feel like being asleep for only two days?
Marceline lifted a hand up above her face, palm down. She flexed her fingers and balled them into a fist a few times. Just to make sure she was real. Stretch, squeeze, stretch, squeeze, slow stretch, long squeeze. The Monarch sighed and let her open palm fall to her face. She was real alright. Marceline let her arm relax at her side and turned her head to Bubblegum's window. Her lights were out.
Old habits die hard. She floated off the bench and into the air circling upward toward the other girl's room. Marceline landed softly on the roof. Sitting crisscross, she took a deep breath in. The air was cool and refreshing in her lungs. It was a beautiful, clear, summer night. Keeping her eyes on the moon she listened to candy crickets chirp. After a few minutes she noticed they fell into a beat. Marceline began to hum with the rhythm and it wasn't long before lyrics were flowing. She closed her eyes and began to sing melodically.
"What can I do?
Time will unbind our memory glue
And I'll be as nobody-ish as all of you
So don't care about a thing now
Like a trash bag when it's windy out
Like a butt that has a face
Hot boxing up the palace
Yeah, girl, it stinks
Do-do-do-do-do-do-do"
Marceline huffed and rested her head in her hands. She didn't wanna think about this anymore. The vampire lifted off the roof and landed softly in front of the nearest entrance to the castle. She shoved her hands into her pockets as she walked through the candy corridors. Bubblegum had offered her a guest room during dinner and told her she could stay for as long as she'd like.
At this point the dark haired girl would like only to hold Bonnibel underneath her covers. To kiss her, make her feel safe, share her body heat, and tell her how much she loved her. But that wouldn't be happening for a while and maybe even ever. Marceline stopped at the closed door and let her forehead fall into it with a thud, almost to banish her previous thoughts. Reluctantly, she opened the door to the empty room, locked it behind her and cut the lights. The Vampire Queen reveled in the darkness for a while before the sun rose then drifted off to sleep.