The First Hero Returns
Chapter 5: Journey in the Land of Ice
Jake finally caught up to his brother as he marched past the tree house. Finn really seems hot under the collar. If he doesn't chill out he may melt the Ice Kingdom when we get there, he he he. The Dog thought to himself. "Finn?...Bro? You going to be okay once we reach the Ice Kingdom? People don't go there because it is dangerous, but I know we have to. You need to calm down, and get your head in the game before we get there... Finn, are you even LISTENING?" Jake was starting to worry about the boy.
Finn looked at Jake with a red face, mumbled angrily and continued to stomp off towards the Ice Kingdom. Jake remembered the last time that Finn was this mad. It had taken him days and the help of their mother to calm Finn down. Now it was just him. Jake hoped that maybe King Simon would be able to help the boy simmer down. It was at this moment that Jake realized that Finn would get cold in the Ice Kingdom. So as they marched across the grass lands Jake stretched his arm into the bedroom window of the tree house, grabbing one of Finn's sweaters from the dresser. Then pulling his arm back he thought about how he would get the teen to put it on in the first place. As they continued across the grass lands, Jake was grateful that Finn wasn't a fire elemental, or else the lands would be a scorched wasteland by now.
Finn didn't stop his march of anger until they reached the frozen border of the Ice Kingdom. The icy winds seemed to blow through the heat of rage and make him realize the path that lay before him now. As he looked around he saw his brother holding out a pale yellow sweater with a friendly smile on his face. Finn smiled back as he took off his backpack to put the sweater on. "Thanks, Jake, you're the best." Finn whispered just loud enough for Jake to hear. Jake shrugged as his smile got bigger. Finn finished pulling on the sweater when the boys heard the flapping of wings above them. At hearing this, Finn's face darkened.
The Morrow lands beside them as Princess Bubblegum slides down its wing. She smiles at the two heroes as her feet hit the ground. Her smile fades a bit when she sees the look of anger on Finn's face, and a look of caution on Jake's. The Princess paused for a moment to think of what to say. She had come to help them and wanted to apologize to Finn. However, now that she was before him, her mind was drawing a blank. She needed to make things right with him. Finn was a friend and on top of it all, he has always been there when she or her people needed him. If only she could just think of the words to say to make things right. As a princess she doesn't really have to apologize about things very often. This is going to be tough.
In the end, she just decided to keep it simple and heartfelt. "Finn, I am sorry. I should have realized your feelings on this matter. I had no right to say the things that I said to you. You're right, King Simon does need to know about Marceline. However, we must be careful on how to break the news to him. We don't want him to lose control of his powers due to being upset. So we have to be cautious." She explained hoping that she did not anger the young hero again.
Finn thought about it for a moment, then looking up he saw the genuine look of hope and regret in her eyes. With a deep breath he smiled at her, and spoke. "I forgive you, Princess. BUT! You need to stop thinking that you can control everyone. That is just wrong. Peeps gotta live their lives. You shouldn't be forcing your will upon others, or treating them like they're monsters. Anyway monsters are people too. Now, lets get going. TO THE ICE KINGDOM!" Then with a look of determination, Finn charged into the Ice Kingdom.
King Simon was helping the penguins take care of the new egg arrivals when he felt it. Simon hunched over an egg, staff in hand, looks up with concern and says "A great disturbance in the Frost, I feel." A small grin graced his face at his own words. "Whelp," he grunted as he started to stand using the staff to support his weight, "I guess I should go see what is happening in my kingdom." With that he flew off.
Finn, Jake, and Princess Bubblegum were currently running from a pack of arctic wolves. While they were running from the pack, snow golems arose from the snow drifts and began to attack the intruders. One golem ran up quickly approaching Finn and slammed a large fist into the boy's gut. Finn grunted in pain as he hit the frozen ground. Jake ran up to defend his brother.
Meanwhile the Princess pulled out a large gun with a pilot light burning inside a glass chamber, she turned on the gun with a flick of a switch causing it to hum with power. PB fired the gun causing a wave of energy to fly out and hit the attacking golem causing it to melt. Jake turned to her as he was helping Finn up and questioned, "Princess, did you just kill that thing with an over-powered hair dryer?" Bubblegum was insulted by this, "NO! This is a high powered weapon, it's powered by the same fire as Flame Princess herself! She gave me the flame for the power core!" Jake shrugs as he starts punching the golems. Finn picks up his sword and begins to help in the fight.
Once they defeat the golems they look up to realize that they are surrounded by the wolves now. However, not all of the golems where as defeated as they thought. Finn swung his sword to kill the golem only to hear "WOWZERS!" Finn gasped as he realized what he had almost done. "OH MY GLOB! I am so sorry King Simon! I almost hurt you." At this the old king looks confused. "Why would you care about hurting me? After all you have been attacking my ice creatures without a care in the world. So why would attacking me make you feel shame?"
This seemed to confuse the young boy until he realize that they had just charged into the Ice Kingdom with weapons. They didn't even ask the wolves if they could see the King. They just rushed into the kingdom. Finn hung his head in shame as Jake hugged his brother with tears in his eyes. They had never felt like villains before now, and it was a horrible feeling. Princess Bubblegum on the other hand seemed to realize that time was of the essence, and that they need to act quickly yet cautiously.
"King Simon, could we have a word with you? That was actually our whole point of coming into your kingdom. We apologize profusely for causing harm to your Ice Creatures. That wasn't our intention. We came to seek your council. However, it seems that in our rush to reach you, we may have been seen as invaders by your guards. I take responsibility for the deeds that have been done, and offer myself for punishment if so needed." stated Princess Bubblegum as she bowed to the King of Ice.
With a wave of King Simon's hand the snow golems arose from the snow once more, as though nothing had happened to them in the first place. He then turns to the boys and princess. "All of you will be punished for your deeds, however, we will discuss that once we reach my palace. There you will tell me what was so important that you attacked my icy children. Now, come along you three." Simon turned to walk towards the Ice Palace. Then he turn back to Princess Bubblegum with a thoughtful look. "Princess, before we reach my home, could you please turn off that horrible weapon? I would hate for my house to melt." Bubblegum turned off the gun, and with that they all walked towards the center of the Ice Kingdom.