MMH: edited 10/14/14.

I was lying in bed, absolutely miserable, for the third day in a row. I went home the moment Marshall had flown away and crawled into bed without saying a word to Cake. I hadn't changed, I hadn't showered, I hadn't even bothered to look for my sword that I had dropped that night. That certainly said something; I loved my sword. It was the first real weapon I ever got and now it was probably gone forever, lost in the depths and shrubbery of the woods. What was the point? I had inadvertently murdered an old lady. How was I supposed to call myself an adventurer when I carelessly killed an innocent person? I wasn't, that's how. I had no purpose to live anymore. I had failed.

"Babydoll? You okay?" Cake poked her head in from the door to look at my lumpy figure underneath the pile of fur blankets. I knew she felt awful because she wasn't there to help me fight the bad guy, but I didn't blame her. I only blamed myself for letting the tarts out of my sight.

"No." was my muffled response. "A fucking vampire stole the tarts, Cake. I smited an old lady. How am I supposed to tell Gumball I killed his grandmother? I'm not an adventurer. Adventurers don't kill old ladies. I'm just nothing." The guilt was killing me. Adventurers were good and good people do everything they can to prevent the death of innocent people. I felt her paw rub my head and purred at me.

"Oh honey, smited isn't a word," she said. I lifted up my head and frowned at her in discontent.

"Fine, but I'm still nothing."

"You're not nothing. You are Fionna, the greatest, bravest, non-old-lady-killingest adventurer I've ever met."

I sat up and let out a small smile. "Non-old-lady-killingest? And you judge me for using smited as a word?" Cake smiled and crawled into my lap. I rubbed her head and she purred while I continued to talk. "Seriously, what am I going to tell Gumball?"

"The truth. He knew the risk and he knew that it was dangerous to go alone. It isn't your fault. You tried your hardest and that's all you could have done."

I knew Cake was right, but I still felt like shit. I was about to continue my little pity-party when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Cake leapt out of my lap and ran to the door. I chuckled. Even though she was a cat, there were some times where she acted suspiciously like a dog. I heard a muffled conversation and then the door closed. Cake walked back in with the mail. "You'll be happy to know that the mailman asked if you were still single."

"Cake, he's a snail. That is disgusting."

"I know, but it's good to keep your options open. You have a letter." She tossed it in my direction and stuck out my tongue at her, but then grimaced when I saw the return address.

"Oh crap. It's from the Sucrose Pastures. It's probably a letter from the mayor saying I'm banished forever." I threw myself backwards and covered my face with my hands ashamed.

"Just open it." I did as Caked said and was surprised to find what was written.

Dear Fionna the Human,

I am pleased to inform you that the tarts you delivered to me were just in time. I am now at full health and the doctors say I am twice as healthy as before! Though it was a tad odd that you delivered them in the middle of the night and no one was there when my butler opened the door, I suppose I cannot complain. My Gumball was right to trust you with such a burden. As thanks, I would like to invite you and a guest to a ball held in your honor on Saturday (at the Candy Kingdom since my humble abode doesn't suit youngsters such as yourself).

Ta-ta,

Duchess Gumdrop

I sat there in awe for what felt like hours with my jaw agape and a baffled look on my face. After a few minutes of impatient prodding, Cake pried the letter out of my hands and scanned it. She sat down on the floor and just stared at me. How could this be possible? Marshall Lee stole the tarts from me never to be seen again.

"Wait. What? How did… Who did…?" I asked dumb-founded. We both sat there confused until it dawned on me. "Marshall Lee." Cake looked up at me wide eyed.

"Girl, you better do some serious thanking." She was right. I nodded my head and quickly went to take a much needed shower. I hadn't bathed in a couple days and I couldn't bear to face Gumball all gross. Mind you, he was only a pit stop. I raced around the room, pulling on clothes and my trusty hat before running downstairs. I catapulted myself out the front door and sprinted to the castle.

Most of the guards didn't mind me running about since they knew I meant no harm. However, some of them never liked me all that much. I must have pulled one too many prank on the lot of them. I sprinted past them all and I heard a few shouts, but ignored them. No time. Before I knew it, I had busted through Gumball's bedroom door. I didn't notice he was still in bed in his pajamas till I was shuffling through his desk. Gumball rubbed his eyes and groaned something incoherently. It sounded sort of like a curse. I smiled at the thought; Gumball never cursed.

"PG, you have a huge list of where everyone lives in Ooo, right?" I tossed various papers onto the floor looking for the giant scroll that had the location of everyone at every time everywhere.

"Uh… yeah, it's necessary that a future king knows about his foes and allies… but why do you need it?" He asked, still half-asleep and confused as hell.

"I need to thank someone. Here it is!" I fished around for the scroll behind Gumball's desk and eventually pulled it out. It must have rolled back behind some time ago because it was covered in dust. "Aha! In a house in a cave in-between the Evil Forest and Sucrose Pastures! Mathematical! Thanks PG!" I squealed and, without thinking, tossed the heavy scroll onto Gumballs shins. He cried out in pain and tried to ask what was going on, but I was too busy running out to find the person I need to thank and apologize to.

"You're welcome!" he shouted out to me and I let out a bout of laughter as I continued my race to thank the mysterious vampire.