(Sorry for the long wait for this chapter, but my school district is having exams soon and my mom is making me take practice SOL tests for Algebra and Earth Science. So I haven't exactly had time to work on my story. It doesn't just suck, it sucks ass! *sigh* Anyway here the second chapter.)
Chapter 2 Friends or Enemies
"What, no way they're human. Check to see if they got fish heads." Jake said in denial. Finn glanced at faces of the humans lying unconscious on the floor.
"They're as human as me Jake." He said with relief.
"Maybe we should take them to a hospital, make sure they're alright." Finn said. Jake nodded in agreement and stretched out his back into a large bed. Finn lifted the smallest of the three first. He could tell that it was a girl, but he couldn't make out anything else because of the dim light. The second human was a young man looked to a few years older than Finn and heavier. Jake had to help Finn with the last one, he was about as heavy as the horse that turned out to bee the Ice King.He was much older than the first human. Finn noticed their bags and grabbed them as well. Once everyone was on Jakes back, he staggered though and out of the long dark hallway. The sun had already set, the crescent moon peaking over the horizon. They traveled in utter silence until Jake spoke up.
"Hey Finn I think the nearest hospital is in the candy kingdom and tha… Finn, are you even listening to me." When no response came from Finn he spun his head around like an owl. Only to see Finn staring at the humans with glazed eyes. "Finn, don't you get all soul-searchy on me!" Jake barked. Finn snapped out of his trance and said
"How long till were at the candy kingdom?"
"About five minutes, and just try to act normal will 'Ya." Jake replied.
When they arrived at the kingdom they went straight to the medical ward. Doctor Ice Cream found them outside in the middle of his break, but was happy to examine the three humans. He instructed several candy guards to take the humans and to show Finn and Jake to a waiting room. Jake sat and relaxed on the waiting room couch, Finn was a nervous wreck. He paced himself across the room, head down and arms crossed. A few minutes later the good doctor came out and said, "They're as healthy as can be, and should be awake within the hour. So both of you are free to see them, if you'd like."
"Thanks Doc, you coming Jake." Finn said
"Nah, I think I'm gunna go home. I'll see you when you get home dude." Jake stated as he stretched himself out the door. Finn ran to the door and yelled after him
"I'm still gonna kick your ass, Jake!" he left the door way and headed to the room with the three humans were.
He was so excited that he would finally meet humans that weren't mutated freaks. Finn stepped into a room with four beds in it three of them occupied. In the first bed lied the young man, he had shaggy black hair. His skin was lightly tanned and a little stubble on his chin. He looked a few years older than him. Finn looked at the second bed and saw the girl. Her shoulder length blonde hair was shining in the light, her face sent a strange feeling through his entire body. A feeling similar to the one he gets when he's around the princess, but with more of a calming sense to it. So he couldn't help but stare at her, blushing slightly. Time passed and he snapped himself out of his own trance, and walked over to the last occupied bed. The large man breathed slowly, his black hair was shorter than the other human. Finn saw a small rounded metal plates, attached to a beaded chain around his neck, he leaned closer to try and read what it said. But before he could read it, something grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him to the other side of the room. Finn went to draw his sword, and heard a click. He looked up to see the larger man holding what looked like a silver stick and it was pointed at Finn.
"What's that?" Finn asked
"Sounds like you've never seen a gun before." The man said. Finn's eyes got wide, he had heard stories of the ancient weapon. How it could kill a person with just a twitch of a finger. The two stared down for what seemed like hours, but was less than a minute. "My name's Michal, what's yours?" he asked. Finn gave no response. "Okay, tell me something that might keep me from shooting you were you stand." Finn stood up and said
"Before me and my brother found you three in that weird cave, I was the only known human."
Michal's jaw dropped. "Well that's not depressing at all." He said sarcastically. A bright pink face appeared in the door. Princess Bubblegum came in with no permission, mainly because it was her castle.
"I wouldn't come any closer PB." Finn said looking straight at her. Michal turned his head around to see who he was talking to. Finn saw the opportunity to strike and took it. He almost glided toward the gun in Michal's hands, grabbed it and hurled it through the open door. Setting off the pistle as it hit the wall.
Like a starting gun had just gone off, which it did. Michal lunged forward, tackling Finn into the wall. He gripped his left hand over Finns neck. His right hand had formed into a fist and drew back. Just as Michal was about punch Finns head through the wall.
"Dad!" Both Finn and Michal glanced over to the blonde girl with her arms crossed and an annoyed expression on her face. "You can't stop being Captain Commando for one day in your life, can you?" she said.
"Anna, do you really think this is the best time to talk about that, and it's Captain Rambo to you." Michal replied, smiling at the last part of his response. She said nothing, the only thing she did was tighten the annoyed look on her face. Sending a somewhat psychic message to her father.
"Fine." Michal released Finn's neck from his grip, he fell to the floor gasping for breath.
"I wasn't trying to attack you. I was trying to look at those things around your neck." Finn said.
"My dog tags?" Michal asked.
"If I may speak," Princess Bubblegum said abruptly "I would very much like to know who you are." Michal and Anna stared in astonishment at the bright pink woman who had just spoke. Michal released himself from his own trance, breathed in and said "Umm, my name is Michal Bates, this is my daughter Anna," he motioned his hand to her and then toward Eli "and this is my son Eli." Who was still out cold. "And might I ask who you are?" Michal asked.
"I am Princess Bubblegum of the Candy Kingdom, and the person you just tried to kill is my dear friend Finn the human."
"Yeah, sorry about that Finn, was it, but when you're a marine, you tend to rely on instinct and my instinct is killer." Michal said.
"What the flip Marine?" Finn questioned.
"As an old friend of mine put it, a marine is a cross between a gladiator, and a highly trained assassin."
"Cool" was Finns only response.
The princess spoke up yet again "Well, I'm sure you all would like something to eat"
"Yeah I could eat." Finn said with gusto. Michal looked over at Anna with raised eyebrows.
"Okay, but what about Eli." Anna said.
"I'm pretty sure if there's any kind of meat, he won't be far behind." Michal replied. Princess Bubblegum guided them all to the dining hall. There was a large pink table with similar chairs that had five plates had been set for them. The princess sat at the end of the table, Finn took the seat next to her on the right side of the table. Michal and Anna sat on the opposite side of Finn.
When everyone was seated Princess Bubblegum whistled rather loudly to let her staff know she and her guests were ready for their meal. Seconds later, a doughy figure walked through the doors carrying a large bowl of spaghetti. He placed the bowl on the table
"Here you go princess." The living pastry said.
"Thank you Cinnamon Bun, you may go." As the living pastry walked away, dumbfounded expressions fell on the faces of Michal and Anna. Both of them were speechless. They could handle the pink woman, but what they just saw blew their minds.
"Wh… was that a talking honey bun!" Michal said in confusion.
"Cinnamon Bun." The princess corrected.
"On second thought," the Captain stood up from his chair. "I'm gonna see if I can wake up Eli." He retraced his steps back to the part of building he had awoken in. As Michal was walking down the bright and colorful hallway, he passed a small man. Only it wasn't man at all, he was about two feet tall wore a tuxedo fit for someone of his stature, and was completely made out of what looked like peppermint.
"Good day to you sir." The candy man said politely.
"Uh huh." was Michal's only response. Then he began to think to himself. Maybe I'm hallucinating from that gas from tubes. Those things were only prototypes, but if we've been frozen long enough for the world to turn into something like this, is just crazy. When Michal arrived at the door to the room he noticed his gun was lying on the floor. He picked it up from the ground, inspected it and placed the gun back in his holster. Just as Michal was about to enter the room there was a loud crash, followed by two screams. He instinctively started to run toward the chaos. When he arrived back to the dining room, he sees a great hole in the wall, Finn trapped in a block of ice, and the princess trying very hard to free him using Finns sword. He was surprised but not immobilized. Michal took the sword from her hands, dealt one clean blow to the ice, and feed Finn from his ice prison. Instead of thanking Michal, Finn reclaimed his sword and jumped through the opening in the wall. A baffled look came to Michal's face, he took a quick look around the room. He turned to Princess Bubblegum,
"Where's Anna?" He said in a stern voice.
"He… he kidnapped her." She said sounding a little confused.
"Who?" Michal said.
"It just doesn't make any sense, I mean he only…"
"Who took my daughter!" the Captain said in an agitated voice.
"The Ice King, Finn just ran after him, if you go now you might be able to catch up to him." She stated.
Michal wasted no time running after Finn. By the time he had started, he just barely saw Finn heading off in the distance. He was fast for a kid, but Michal was a little faster. By the time he had caught up with Finn, a thin layer frost and snow replaced the grass. "So, are you gonna tell me about the poor bastard who took my Anna." Michal said as he panted slightly.
"The Ice King, he always kidnapping princesses and tries to force them into marriage. But me and Jake always stop 'em." Finn responded.
"Ok at least tell me you have a plan." Michal said.
"Oh yea, I've got an idea.
"If you know what's good for you, you'll let me go right now!" Anna yelled. The Ice King had put Anna in the same cage that he puts his kidnapped princesses in and she was not happy about it.
"Pft, what are you going to do. You're just a little girl I grabbed by mistake." A pale blue man emerged from the shadows. He wore a dark blue robe with a golden crown embedded with three red rubies. A long white beard covered his face, along with a long pointed nose that was almost as long as the beard.
"It's not what I'm gonna do, it's what my dad's going to do." Anna said truthfully.
"Well I don't see your daddy here."
"Then why don't you turn around." The Ice King twisted his head around to see Michal standing in the triangular window, his face full of anger.
"Oh, you must be her father, allow me to explain myself. When I grabbed your daughter, I meant to take the person next to her." The expression on Michal's face didn't change, he just stared at the old king. "Ok maybe I could…" he quickly pointed his right arm at Michal, and said "Zap!". It did nothing and the King pulled the limb back looking very confused.
"Missing something." The Ice king turned around again to see Finn sitting in his recliner made completely of ice, holding his magic crown.
"How did?... but I…, what happened?!" the Ice King said in an annoyed voice.
"I snatched your magic crown when you were yapping" Finn said. The Ice King glanced back to the Captain, who was walking toward him.
"Umm, I think I'll show myself out then." The Ice King said. He was stopped when Michal grabbed the back of his robe and threw him down on to the ice floor, hard.
"Finn, take Anna and get outta here. I don't want her to see what I'm about to do."
Finn nodded, walked over to the cage that held Anna, broke the lock and guided Anna out of the Ice King's castle. Before they left, Anna turned around and said
"Just don't kill him, Dad." Michal didn't take his eyes off of the Ice King, who was trembling at his feet.
"Oh he'll be fine, trust me." A devilish grin appeared on Michal's face. Anna realized how screwed the old man was, and walked a little bit faster. As both Finn and Anna hiked down the one of the frozen mountains that made most of the Ice Kingdom, passing the occasional penguin. Anna crossed her arms and started shaking.
"God! its cold out here." She said with a chatter of teeth. Finn reached around to his green pack, pulled out his yellow sweater and gave it to her. "Aren't you cold?" she said as she took the sweater.
"A little, but then again it's not a long walk back to the Candy Kingdom." Finn said. All communication had stopped after that point, and both teens continued to march onward. Finn and Anna had been walking through snow for what seemed like hours. Anna broke the silence and asked
"So what happened to this place?" Finn looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Well, before me, my brother, and my dad were frozen, we lived in a city that was close to a mountain range but they weren't that big, or had snow on them. In fact it never even snowed in San Francisco." Finn gave it a minute of thought and finally said,
"Well, you and your family were obviously frozen before the Mushroom War, and that's just about all I can tell you. Because anyone who lived during the war, only had one thing in mind… survival. The generation that came after the war, weren't told the gruesome tales. They were only told the horrifying image that scared the inside of their eyelids. Gigantic mushrooms, hence the name Mushroom War." Grass had finally replaced snow, neither had noticed and continued walking. "Legend says that the war was so gruesome that no one wanted to put it down in the history books." Finn continued ranting on about all the myths and legends of the Mushroom War. Again neither of them noticed the scene change, this time both had wandered into a dark forest. "And that's just about all I know." Finn said as his rant ended. Anna said nothing. She just walked beside Finn with a traumatized face. Things fell silent yet again. "Now it's my turn to ask you someth…" Finn was cut off when he felt a cold wind blown through his body. The wind came so suddenly it caused him to step back. "Wow, did you feel that." Finn said.
"Feel what?" Anna replied.
"It felt like a ghost just went through me. I've got Goosebumps and everything." Finn then realized where they were, and was surprised that they hadn't been attacked by a monster or something by now. He picked Anna up and started running as fast as he could. He only stopped when he reached the boarder of the Candy Kingdom.
Finn set Anna down. She was confused and angry yet again. "Why did you do that?" Anna asked. "They don't call it the Evil Forest for nothing." Finn quickly retorted. "Now let's get back to the princess, she's a nervous wreck when it comes to situations like this." Anna nodded and picked up her pace to match Finn's. When Finn and Anna finally reached the safety of the Candy Kingdom's wall, they were greeted by several of the candy people. Finn waved at them, Anna just stared blankly. It took only two minutes from that moment to return to the dining room from where they had left earlier that evening. When Finn took one step through the door, Princess Bubblegum's voice boomed out.
"Finn, Anna! Are you alright? Where's your father? How…" she caught herself and the bombardment of questions she was giving and regained her princess like manner. "Anna, I believe there is someone who'd like to talk to you." She gestured over to her left. All three looked over to see Eli shaking his head in astonishment.
"Anna." He said once he saw his sister. "What the hell did I miss?" A smile came to Anna's face. "All of us get into those cryogenic tubes, we're frozen for God know how long, and when we finally get unfrozen…" Eli carries on his babbling, while Anna is trying her hardest not to laugh. "…I wake up in candy land, while you and Dad are anywhere but here!" Anna couldn't hold the laughter in any longer. Eli's gave Anna a very annoyed look. "What's so funny?" A deaf person could have heard the irritation in Eli's voice.
"It's just so easy to laugh at you when you get mad." The princess and Finn couldn't help but smile at the siblings. Once the laughter died down, Anna filled Eli in on 'what the hell he'd missed.' The whole process took about twenty minutes.
"Wow, that's heavy." Eli said. Yet another moment of silence occurred in the dining room. The sounds of boots hitting the candy floor disrupted the stillness. Michal appeared in the door frame.
"Morning sunshine." He said to his son, whose face reddened in annoyance.
"Putting all the craziness aside, you have some serious explaining to do." Eli said pointing his finger at his father.
"Um, maybe we should sit down for this." Everyone agreed with him and sat around what used to be a table. "You two remember your grandma right." His children nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, one thing I've never told you about her is that before any manmade disaster occurs, parts of her body start shaking uncontrollably. Pearl Harbor, Chernobyl, The Challenger, 9/11, even the all of those shootings. A day before any disaster she'd start shaking. The day we were put on ice, I got a call from a doctor in Houston. Where she lived and he told me that she had died of a seizure. And knowing what had really happened to her, I feared the worst to what was about to happen. So I called you two, told you to pack everything you would need leave by the time I arrived. Two hours later, boom, the nuclear bombs fell."
"What's a nuclear bomb?" the princess asked.
Michal sighed and said "A nuclear bomb was the worst thing that was created by man. It was a weapon of mass destruction, something that was used only as a last resort. Hell, those things were so powerful when it goes off and you're at ground zero, you would move before your shadow did. If you weren't vaporized first. But that's not all it could do, it made a mushroom cloud that could be almost six miles high." The last sentence sent looks of horror into the eyes of Finn and Princess Bubblegum.
"Di-did you say mile high mushroom." Finn stuttered out. Michal nodded.
"My guess is that a nuclear winter followed the last bomb, radiation levels increased, slowly turning the survivors into mutated freaks and monsters." Michal placed a hand over his face, showing his exhaustion.
"Well I can see it's been a very long day for you all, and as my guests I offer you three a place to stay for a while," said the princess.
"No offense to you or your castle, but I'd rather not sleep in someplace like this." Michal said and Eli seconded his dad's comment.
"You two could stay at the tree fort, me and Jake have plenty of room." Finn said. Father and son looked at each other then back to Finn.
"Sure." They said at exactly the same time.
"Well I for one would be happy to sleep in a castle, even if it is made of candy." Anna said, placing her hands on her hips. Princess Bubblegum smiled at Anna.
"I'll show you to your room then and you boys may use the Marrow to get home."
"That is one big bird." Michal said as he glared at the brown eagle the size of a rhinoceros. Finn standing behind its head.
"Are you getting on, or are you just gonna stand there."
The captain and his son climbed onto the back of the Marrow and it took off. Racing through the night sky, like an F-22 fighter jet. The bird started to slow down as it reached a grassy plain and began to descend toward a large tree in the middle of the plain. When the Marrow landed it hit the ground with a light thump. Finn and Michal jumped off of the giant bird; Eli was as pale as a ghost when he came off. Finn sent the Marrow home and led the two inside the tree house, which has been Finn's home ever since he was six. It entire house was actually well designed, wide open spaces, treasure scattered throughout the floor.
"Okay, we only have one spare bed, so one of you will have to take the couch." Finn turned around to see Michal and Eli shaking their fists, on the forth shake. Michal's fist remained the same, while Eli's switched into a flattened shape.
"I get the bed." Eli said happily. Finn was baffled but he didn't want to know, mainly because he was too tired. He told Eli were the spare bedroom was, Michal laid down on couch, and Finn headed up to his bedroom. He didn't bother getting into his sleeping clothes. The second Finn's head hit the pillow, he was sound asleep.
Finn awoke to the sound of something downstairs. He glanced over to the window. The sun was peeking over the mountains of the Ice Kingdom. Finn inched himself out of bed and climbed downstairs to find no one in the home. He motioned over to the fridge, opened the door and the only thing inside was a note.
Finn
If you want breakfast, you'll have to find me out in the woods
Jake
"Okay, he's really gonna do this." Finn said to himself. He grabbed his sword and headed for the woods just outside the plain. When Finn came to the edge of the woods, there was a trail and another note
Finn
Follow the trail, and you will find me and your food.
Jake
"Oh yea, this is definitely a trap." He said unsheathing his weapon and keeping onward. Sword drawn, until Finn entered a clearing in the woods. "Perfect place for an ambush!" Finn yelled. Telling his attacker he was ready for a fight. Several seconds passed and the same cold wind that Finn felt last night. But this time the wind was faster and had a solid mass to it. The wind pushed Finn back over ten feet, and formed into a bipedal creature. With thick arms that had thin but long claws and hind canine legs, but those were the only details that were visible, because of its cloud structure. The cloud figure lunged forward to Finn, arms outstretched. Finn's sword intercepted the beast, turning it back to an undefined cloud and scattered.
"What are you?!" Finn screamed to nothing. The wind returned from behind and whispered in a deep voice.
"I am the thing, which will lay waste to everything that you hold dear." These words sent chills down Finn's spine. The cloud then reformed into beast form behind Finn and slashed at his back. He barrel rolled to the side, claws missing him by a hair. The beast came again and put a gash in Finn's right leg. He cursed and fell to his knees. Only to look up when the beast stood above him. It drew back its hand, claws fully extended. As the beasts hand began to move in what seemed like slow motion. Finn shut his eyes, awaiting the horrible pain that would follow the beast's hand. Instead of pain, there was nothing, nothing but a yellow light. Finn opened his eyes and saw that the beast, well as everything else was gone, only an endless yellow aurora remained.
"Where am I?" Finn said, the sound of his words echoing. A calm, male voice said
"You are in the deepest realm of the astral plain, the place where all minds intersect." It echoing as well.
"Why am I here?" Finn asked.
"I can't tell you everything, not yet at least, but war will soon plague your world again. He will stop at nothing until he rules over all, until everything is reshaped in his own image." The voice said as it began to fade away.
"I don't understand."
"Rest now young hero, prepare yourself for the storm that is fast approaching."
"Wait! What're you talking about!" Finn yelled. The voice did not reply, but the yellow aurora began to glow brighter and brighter until it consumed Finn. Then there was nothing, but black.
(I just want to say that I own the characters Michal, Anna, and Eli. I'm saying that because of some nagging by my family and friends. And one friend who read my story, said and I quote "You write like Hemingway". It brings a sense of pride into my heart, don't know who he is, but still.
*Spoiler Alert* In the next chapter, the Queen of the Vampires appears *
