Hello! First of all, I'm really sorry for posting this so late, but you all know my reason, since I explained it in the previous chapter. I really enjoyed going on vacation and spending a week away from home, but coming back home is always good :)

Well, with no more delays, here's Chapter 7!

Marshall's POV:

Fionna carefully sat on my lap, taking off her backpack. She then proceeded to open it, and took two weird looking bottles from inside. Holding them in her hands, I instantly recognized the ancient language in their labels.

"Potions?" I asked and she nodded, a serious look taking over her features. "I was able to bring them with me today. It's a long story, but…" she then stopped and I looked closer at the words written upon the strangely shaped bottles. One of them said "Elixir of life" and my eyes widened.

She must've noticed my sudden surprise cause I felt her tremble a bit on my lap. I took some time to absorb what I saw and then moved on to the other potion. "Everklena" was written in its label.

"Fionna, why did you bring these potions to me?" I asked, and she looked down, trying to avoid my eyes. After some time like this, I brought my hand up to her chin and lifted her face up. "Why?" I insisted. She let out a ragged breath and her eyes met mine.

"I just… I was given the opportunity to bring three potions while trying to save Peppermint Maid. She needed a healing one and I took it as soon as I found it, but there were so many more and… it was like these two were shining, they stood out from all the rest. I don't even know how I was able to traduce their labels, but I did. Immortality and the ability to walk in a forbid environment? I thought so little about it, I mean, you obviously could use walking around in the sunlight without your umbrella and I, I could…" she paused for a bit.

"I'm not making any sense, am I?" she asked and there was silence. She probably thought I was angry at her because the next thing she said was "I'm so sorry, I know I shouldn't have taken them." and she let out a small nervous laugh.

At that moment I didn't know what to say. I took the potions from her hands and held them between us. Then, I rested my forehead against hers and closed my eyes. She eventually calmed down.

"We need to be very careful with these, ok? I'm not mad at you for bringing them. But it's a serious business and we don't know their limits, the consequences it might bring us if we take them. Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" I asked, whispering the words one by one in the calmest voice I could muster.

I felt Fionna nod and as I opened my eyes she kissed the tip of my lips. I smiled softly, playing with one of her locks of blonde hair. "We should bring the potions to Gumball for him to analyze them, what do you think?" she suggested, looking up at me.

"It's fine by me. But you have to promise me one thing." I stated and her curious gaze pierced through mine. "If the potions are proven to be true to its duties I want you to take yours only when you're seventeen. You need to know what you're doing and by then I think you'll be wise enough to decide your future for yourself. Deal?" I said and Fionna smiled.

"Deal."

Fionna's POV:

The following week passed by swiftly.

I spent most of the time at the Candy Kingdom with Prince Gumball in order to help him out with the potions. Marshall didn't like it much, which is why he always floated around the castle near the lab's window. I liked to see this new protective side of his and the funniest thing was Gumball didn't suspect a thing.

Cake enjoyed the week to spend more time with Mochro since she knew how committed I was to find out more about the potions. The thing is, commitment didn't equal results. The more PG and I worked on the potions, the more we seemed lost. It was a sad thing to admit, but after a week of hard work, we were stuck at step one.

"I think that's enough for today." Gumball said, a frustrated look fulfilling his features. I agreed and removed my overall, frowning. Before I left the lab I was stopped by the prince.

"What is it Gumball?" I asked. He looked at me and smiled broadly. There was something different in his smile, but at the moment I couldn't put my finger on what it was.

"Today's the big day, remember?" he asked and I was confused. Big day? What was he talking about? "Yeah, autumn's ending ball, remember?" PG replied and sense came back to me. It had been a week since we saved Peppermint Maid, which meant the ball was later that night.

"Oh, of course! Sorry, I haven't been sleeping much." I admitted and he just nodded. We said our goodbyes and I met Marshall Lee at the entrance of the castle.

As we started to make our way to the tree house, Marshall asked "Don't you get tired of spending the entire day with gumwad?" and I chuckled at that. He was getting jealous again.

"Well, we're working on the potions, this means a lot to me and could change our lives. So yeah, as long as I'm working on it, I guess I don't." I answered and then the vampire became silent. As we were approaching the house I turned to him and asked "You're coming to the ball with me, right?" and he chuckled.

"Yeah, I still wanna see Gumball's face when he sees me there. Besides, I wouldn't leave you alone." he answered. This whole Gumball thing would be interesting to see.

Marshall refused to go to the ball and he made it perfectly clear to PG that he wouldn't be showing up there. But he was going to the ball as my company. We would be there together on "a real date" as I liked to call it, for the first time and it'd be interesting to see other people's reactions about us. We weren't a couple, and I knew that, but we sure as lump were more than friends!

(…)

"Cake, that's too tight!" I said, the air being pulled out of my lungs. Cake was fixing my dress to the ball (yes, a lumping dress) and the way she was closing the zipper was really uncomfortable. Why did I have to bring a dress anyways?

"Sorry sis." she replied, letting go of the dress. There was no way the zipper would be pulled all the way up, which was our main problem at the moment.

"Can't I just wear my usual outfit? It's just another of Gumball's stupid balls." I complained and Cake smiled warmly at me. "I don't think that's possible." she answered. "Let's just make a bit of effort and it'll fit, believe me!"

After some time, we were both ready. I was dressed up as Alice from my favorite book "Alice in Wonderland". My dress was tight and I felt like I couldn't breathe at the beginning, but I guess I kinda got used to it. I'd only be wearing him for one night, so it wouldn't be too bad. Cake was dressed up as Misty from Pokémon and BMO as a cute little Pikachu.

As the three of us left the tree house, Marshall Lee joined us. He had his face even more pale than usual, with tons of makeup and a red wig with an enormous hat on top of it. His whole attire was really funny but I couldn't imagine him dressed up as anything else. Yes, he was going as the Mad Hatter, also from "Alice in Wonderland".

When we were arriving to the Candy Kingdom, Lord Monochromicorn came to greet us and he and Cake left us to have a little private conversation. BMO went to say hi to one of the candy people and me and Marshall were left alone.

As we neared the Castle's front gate, the vampire king looked at me with a grin and intertwined his arm with mine. This was it.

We took a deep breath and entered the glowing mess of loud music and dancing people.