So, ladies and gentlemen of the Adventure Time fandom: Why halloo thar!
I hope you guys are doing well. I've been taking my CSTs (last year of taking them 'cause I'm a senior next year!) so my mind has been fried.
But, good news, everyone! (lol futurama) A new Fionna and Cake fan fiction written by yours truly is going to come out when this one is finished. A nice AU fic so add me to your alerts so you can read it. :3 This story will most likely be only about... five to eight more chapters long so...
As usual, I am still taking song requests. However, in this chapter, I have inserted a song from Chelsie the Vampire Adventure who generously submitted a song for our dear Charlie. So look forward to that. And if YOU want to send in a song, shoot me a PM or review with your song.
By the way, this chapter is NOT meant to offend anyone from any of these countries mentioned. Actually, I just loosely based it off of the Cold War beginnings and near the end of WWII. Please take no offense. None is intended.
Disclaimer: Yeah. I own it... (shifty eyes) Okay, I really don't. :(
Dark, ominous clouds were swirling overhead and a light drizzle was splattering the dusty ground. The scent of wet dirt rose up into the travelers' noses as they walked down a long and broken road. Adam was flying gently overhead, letting the small rain droplets fall onto his feathers. Charlie was a little ways behind him, his brown hair speckled with rain. His glasses were also dotted with the water but he paid no mind to them. His old sweatshirt was on and, as the rain would get a little harder, he would tug on his hood and walk. Behind him, Fionna was walking with her "like-like" sweater over her shirt. Her hat was sparkling with rain and her blond hair was slightly tangled from the rain. Her blue eyes were glued to the ground and her pace was slow. She was still thinking about the horrific things she and Charlie had witnessed in Memoria City.
Sure they sometimes acted like it didn't happen. But would that make them just as ignorant as the humans in Boston, thinking that they were safe from the war? Pretending that they didn't technically survive a bomb attack and that it was all a dream felt so wrong. Fionna had never felt more terrified than she had at that moment. Just watching all of those people mutate and die was enough to give her nightmares but... she kept seeing them every time she closed her eyes.
Biting her lip, she continued to walk behind Charlie, tugging at her sweater and turning her eyes upwards to the grey sky.
"Sir," Adam said. "It's starting to rain a little harder. I think we should stop for shelter."
"Good idea," Charlie said. He turned to Fionna. "You ready to stop?"
She nodded, sending him a weak smile. He didn't catch the weakness so he smiled back, grabbing her hand and following Adam into an old, abandoned town. This place, however, seemed perfectly intact... well, to an extent. The buildings were old and crumbling but not a single bomb shell was in sight. Bullets didn't litter the ground and there weren't any odd mutations strung across the town. Fionna felt a sense of foreboding so she squeezed Charlie's hand.
"What?" he asked.
"This place is creepy. It reminds me too much of Memoria," Fionna told him.
"I suppose but it's real," Charlie pointed out. "Well more real that Memoria, if you know what I mean."
"Right but what is this place?" Adam imputed, ruffling his feathers.
"I could be wrong but..." Charlie moved forward, out of Fionna's grip and dug around the side of a house. "Yeah, yeah! This is an old bomb testing town. They used these a lot during arms races in the Cold War and sometimes to test nuclear bombs and their effects on American towns. Before they had dropped them on Japan and well... it wasn't exactly a humane thing to do." He picked up an old, battered fake human and presented it to his two companions. They both retreated a little.
"Eugh!" Fionna gagged. "That thing is mega freaky."
"Tell me about it," Adam agreed. He flew over to another area, a grimace on his beak.
"But why would humans start a nuclear bomb testing program anyway?" Fionna spat, glaring at the town around her. "What did they think it was gonna accomplish? Were all humans savages?"
"Not all. Some at least had the decency to disagree like you and I do," Charlie said. "Foolish military, people always trying to out do one another... it just led to their own demise."
"Hey, sir!" Adam called. "Miss! I found something interesting!"
The two humans strode over to the great black bird and Adam pulled out an old book. It appeared to be a journal. Fionna wondered what it was doing out here. Charlie seemed to be thinking the same thing as they exchanged questioning looks. Fionna took it in her hands and opened it.
"Whoa... Charlie, I think this is what we're looking for!" Fionna said, a grin spreading across her face.
Thunder rolled overhead and lightning flashed. The trio looked up at the sky as a large drop fell on Fionna's nose.
"Let's get inside, yes?' Charlie said.
"Yeah," Fionna and Adam said.
They rushed inside one of the fake houses and found it perfectly furnished with bedrooms, bathrooms (that didn't actually work), and other household items. They all sat in the living room, the book in Fionna's hands. Adam was perched atop the couch, Charlie and Fionna side by side on the cushions. Fionna peeled open the book and she read it aloud.
"'Date: September 3, 2048. This war has been going on for years. So far, so many tremendous things have happened to this world that I don't even know what to think anymore. It all started when Russia become the USSR or the Soviet Union II and threatened America after they attacked some sort of Soviet allied country, who dropped a nuclear bomb on the Hawaiian Islands in 2034,'" Fionna read. She choked and grimaced, handing it to Charlie.
Charlie took the book and continued. "'The USSR II joined in Union with North Korea shortly afterwards and several parts of China and Mongolia. Germany was renamed to Prussia and is now a nuclear wasteland. And soon, joining it's fellow European country, England also drowned in radioactivity four years later.' Oh, Glob. Poor England."
Adam read over their shoulders. "'America soon took over Canada and several parts of Northern Mexico. It has soon become a war between the USSR and their dictator...'" There was a smudge but Fionna had a gut feeling about who it was.
"The Lich Queen," she said darkly. She finished the passage. "'And America's leader, Becky, has been struggling to hold back attacks. But Africa has now collided with South America and it has become a ground battle. Mom says...'" But the rest of it was smudged so Fionna turned the page. But the rest if it was blurred and illegible. Fionna frowned at the book but placed it tenderly in her bag.
"Well, now we know what happened," Fionna said.
"That's crazy. It all just... fell apart," Charlie said.
Adam was swinging on the couch and thinking to himself. Then he said, "Humans are weird."
Fionna and Charlie cracked grins in spite of the dark things they had just read.
"Craziness," Charlie said, shaking his head. "I guess you can add that to things that I never want to hear about again."
"I had no idea that things can get so out of hand," Fionna said.
"Humans, eh?" Charlie said, nudging her in the ribs. "We're insane, huh?"
She giggled. "Insane. Totally insane." Fionna pounced on Charlie and started attacking his ribcage with her fingers, making the British boy laugh. Adam, startled, fluttered off but was grinning too. Charlie retaliated quickly and tickled Fionna's stomach, making her lose her attack on her friend and her giggles fill the empty town.
"C-charlie! S-stop!" Fionna shrieked, trying to pull him off.
"No way, Fionna!" Charlie laughed, pinning her down until Fionna was struggling for breath. He stopped the battle and let her catch her breath, laughing still. Her body slumped off the couch, her arms holding her stomach.
"Dude, are you trying to kill me?" she giggled.
"Not yet," he teased.
They looked at one other for a moment and Fionna's smile faded.
"Isn't this kind of wrong?" Fionna asked.
"Why would it be wrong?" Charlie said, raising an eyebrow.
"Well... we just found out what happened to the world before we were born and during the war," Fionna said. "And we're acting like it never happened."
"We can't exactly do anything about it," Charlie pointed out. "It's not like we're trying to forget it but I understand what you mean."
A moment of silence rippled through the room. Thunder shook the home gently and lightning flashed outside. Fionna rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"I'm ready for a good nights sleep," she said.
"Same here," Charlie agreed. "How about you, Adam?"
"Sir, I think I am just about pooped," Adam said. He tucked his head beneath a wing and closed his eyes. Fionna trudged towards a bedroom and collapsed on the bed, tossing her bag in the corner and fell asleep at once. Charlie slugged over to the bedroom besides hers and put his bag by the door, flopping on the bed and resting his head on the pillow. For an old bed, it was surprisingly comfortable. He felt at home and safe here.
As the night droned on, Charlie found himself unable to sleep. He was listening to the sound of Fionna's soft snores and the ticking of the clock in the room. The hands weren't moving but it somehow still worked. Charlie yawned and tried to sleep but he couldn't.
It was driving him mad. No, not the inability to sleep but words that were weighing his mind down like lead. Kicking the covers off of him, he tip-toed over to his bag and pulled out a commonplace notebook and a flashlight. He flicked on the light and peered at his notes, chewing on his tongue and adjusting his glasses. He hummed a little and then paused, listening to Fionna mutter in her sleep in the room next door.
The returned to his notebook and smiled at the notes, his heart swelling with emotion. He gently closed his door and focused his eyes on the first line. A soft sound escaped from his lips as he worded the lyrics flawlessly.
I once thought
That I was alone
I hid in silence
Sometimes cold to the bone
But then one day
Everything changed
A small bunny hopped into my life
She taught me how to be brave
She taught me how to be strong
She taught me all she knew
And I did the same for you
They say you learn something new everyday
Well guess what?
I've learn something new about you everyday
I've learned about your home
I've learned about your skill
I've learned how beautiful you are
And I've learned I'm not the only one
You've given me something I've only dreamed of
You've given me a friend
So now I thank you, Fionna
For being my friend
You are my beautiful, strong, brave, hero of Aaa
"No... not good enough for her," Charlie whispered, frowning at his loss for words. "But I don't know what to add to it. It's a good attempt but I don't think it's for Fionna. She always told me Marshall Lee sung to her his feeling but why doesn't it work for me?" He sighed heavily and closed his notebook. He would work on it later. "Maybe I'll get a better idea tomorrow." He got back into bed and closed his eyes, feeling a little more relief and smiled gently. Sleep swallowed his being and he snuggled deeper into the covers.
The next morning, Charlie awoke to the sound of battle cries outside. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, walking over to the window and opening the curtains. Fionna was out in the artificial backyard, practicing some sword play on some dummies. Charlie tenderly opened the window and called her name. She turned to face him and grinned, pausing her practice and waving.
"Morning, Charlie!" Fionna chimed, striding over to the window. "How'd ya sleep?"
"I slept fine," he said, rubbing out a crick in his neck. "You?"
"Oh, it was so nice being back in a bed," Fionna said earnestly. "I had almost forgot after sleeping on old couches and whatever we could find. But this bed was perfect and nice and warm. Good thing we found this place."
"It's pretty habitable," he mused, glancing around the yard and over the fake fences of their 'neighbors'. "If it had running water and stuff, that would make it perfect. Someone could build a life here."
"It does have running water!" Fionna said excitedly "I actually showered, dude! I feel so clean."
"Really?" Charlie said in disbelief. "I should probably shower too. It's been... uh... a while."
Fionna giggled. "Don't sweat it, Charlie. We both stunk pretty bad after traveling for months on end."
Charlie laughed. "I'll meet you outside after my quick rinse."
"Sounds like a plan," Fionna said, watching Charlie shut the window. She returned to her training and sliced the head off one of the man dummies. To make herself feel less guilty about slicing the near-human appearances of the fake dolls, Fionna found an old marker and decided to draw ugly faces over their withered and blank heads.
Winking at a fake Ice Queen face, she lunged forward and stabbed it in the stomach and twisted her sword before pulling it out. She sent her foot slamming into its crumbling body and it went flying and crashing into the chipped picket fence across the yard. The fence creaked dangerously and collapsed, starting Adam who was perched atop the roof of the house. She sent Adam and apology and continued to pretend kill the fake people.
Charlie came out thirty minutes later, toweling his hair dry, only in his jeans. Fionna paused to side glance at him and almost dropped her sword. She had never seen him shirtless. He had a nice body for someone who's been traveling on the road for years and never actually exercising. He was lean with a modest chest. He wasn't broad shouldered but-
Fionna shook her head and went back to the dummy that had Marshall Lee's face on it, sticking his fake tongue out at Fionna. She made a quick, clean slice across his neck and it slide off. Charlie grimaced.
"Mad at him?" he questioned.
"No," she said, smiling a little. "He just deserved a punishment for being a butt for years. Not that I'd actually kill the guy. He's deathless... well... kinda. The sun and other anti-vampire stuff can kill the guy but he's immortal otherwise." She turned to face him, sticking the tip of her sword in the grass and leaning on the hilt. "Where the plop is your shirt?"
"Oh..." His ears turned pink as he realized he was shirtless. "I guess I forgot to put it on. Sorry. That was rude of me."
Sounds like Gumball, Fionna thought to herself. "It's cool," Fionna said. "I once took my shirt off in a library."
Charlie burst out laughing. "Why in the heck would you do that?"
"I had no choice!" Fionna said. "Paper Patricia was in need of my help."
"Whaaat?"
"Never mind."
"I'm gonna so if there's anything to eat. I dunno how authentic America went with testing their bombs but we might as well scavenge around this town and see."
"Sounds good. Put a shirt on first, weirdo."
"Hey, I'm not the one who bothered innocent readers by showing off my boobs to everyone."
Fionna's face turned pink. "You just wish you had boobs!"
"Nu-uh!" Charlie said, crossing his arms.
"And I was wearing my bra. Plus, you weren't even there!" Fionna said. "The only one who saw me was Turtle Prince and Cake but even they didn't care all that much."
"Whatever you say, Fionna," he teased, shrugging as if he had stopped listening.
Fionna glared playfully at him and bolted inside, running past her companion. She rushed into the bathroom and grabbed his shirt off the counter.
"Hey!" he shouted as she ran out the front door, her hand up in the air and his shirt flying on her fingertips like a flag.
"I have Charlie's shirt! I have Charlie's shirt!" she screamed for all the town the hear, her voice echoing off of the empty houses and streets.
"Give it here, Fionna!" Charlie demanded, running after her.
"No way in the Nightosphere!"
He chased her around the town, running out of breath from time to time. Fionna was incredibly fast and agile. She was bouncing onto cars and roofs with ease, jumping down flawlessly, his shirt tight in her fist the whole time. And he had to chase after her from down below, unable to leap from building to building. She was standing on a deck on the top of their house, Adam watching in amusement. Fionna blew Charlie a raspberry and shook her butt in his direction.
"So mature," he said, grinning at her as she laughed her head off. "I almost believe you're seventeen."
"Nope! I'm five years old that just so happens to look like a seventeen year old girl!" Fionna played along, twirling his shirt in her fingertips. "You want it, Charles? Come and get it from me."
"Fionna, you know that I can't climb things like that," he said, eyeing the building.
"Ah, my young pupil," Fionna said, putting on a ridiculous accent and bowing to him. "Use what I have taught you. The skills of a warrior of Aaa."
"Alright then," he said, chewing his lip and observing the home. "Let's see if I can match the wonder Fionna."
"It's impossible," she replied, winking at him. "Just try and get me."
"You asked for it!" Charlie barked, running up the the side of the house.
He stuck his bare foot on a barrel and hoisted himself onto the fake chimney's side. He grabbed the roof's ledge and swung his legs onto the top. He rolled over and landed on his stomach, the roof tiles beneath him. Smirking, he jumped to his feet and climbed onto the flat part of the roof where Fionna was sitting. She noticed him and widened her eyes, leaping up and moving the shirt out of his reach.
"Oh no! You are not getting this from me!" she snapped.
"You just don't want me to have it 'cause you like seeing me shirtless, huh?" Charlie teased.
Her face turned red and she grit her teeth. "That's not true!"
"If it's not true then why is your face all red?" Charlie asked, leaning forward and smirking evermore at her.
"Because you are making me red," she insisted. "With... with anger!"
"That's such a lie," he said, laughing. "Has anyone told you that you're a terrible liar, Fionna?"
"Some have," she said.
"Then you should know by know not to lie to someone," he said.
They stared at one another for a few seconds before she handed him his shirt. He thanked her and slipped it on, buttoning it up. They both sat down and watched Adam as he flew around the town in search of a meal for himself. Fionna drew her knees up to her chest and smiled.
"I wonder how this town would be like if the world hadn't plunged into war," she said. "And if this wasn't a place used for bomb practice."
"It would be a peaceful utopia," Charlie offered. "A place where all races and genders and whatever else could get along. This style of town wasn't uncommon in the early nineties to late two thousands. I like to think it was nice."
"I wonder... what if, after we found the crater and more humans, do you think we could come back here and start a community?" she said.
"Like... restart the human race?" he said.
"Yeah! Not just you and me but the other humans," Fionna said.
"What if there aren't any others?"
"Then I guess it's just you and me, huh?"
"True but there's always hoping."
She nodded, a gentle smile on her face. A few feet away, Adam swooped down and grabbed his meal. He didn't come back up for a while, since he preferred to eating the street rat on the ground.
"It's been so great having you around, Fionna," Charlie said, placing his hand on top of hers. "Not being the last human takes a lot of weight off your shoulders, doesn't it?"
"It really does. I'm just glad I met you. Human or not. It's nice to have someone to travel with," she replied. She curled her fingers around his fingers and their hands soon became intertwined as they looked upon the horizon, the morning sun hanging lazily in the sky, the clouds from yesterday drifting by. Fionna leaned her head on his and he leaned back, smiles gracing their features.
The sat like that for a few minutes until Charlie couldn't take it anymore. His heart was hammering in his chest as he glanced at her. She moved her hair out of her face ever so slightly, the sun bouncing off her golden curls. There had to be something more between them. Not just because they were both the last humans, for all they know, but because there was a connection. A real and... humane connection.
"Fionna," he said gently.
She turned her head to face him. "Yes?"
"Do you feel it?" he wondered.
There wasn't a confused expression on her face like he had expected. In fact, Fionna seemed to know exactly what he was talking about. She smiled a little more and she nodded.
"Yeah. I do," she said. "It's nice, right?"
"Very nice," he agreed.
Instead of furthering the conversation, they both leaned forward and closed the gap between their lips.
OMG! WHAT IS THIS! I bet the Fiolee shippers are screaming at me. I'm currently dodging food and other items that are being thrown at me.
But it's cute, huh? Yay Farlie (that's the shipping name. yes, I just came up with my OC pairing name.)! Boo-yah. What's gonna happen the next chapter? Stay tuned!
And thank you very much Chelsie the Vampire Adventure for your song. Another song for Charlie is coming up soon so look forward to that.
And, as always:
See you next time!