Chapter XII, The Grand Ball
And for the first time in the castle's history, life poured in from each and every side. Finally someone was there to gasp upon it's wonders, finally there was someone who could admire it's beauty, who could simply gaze upon it and be amazed. All those that bare some importance were present there – The Duke of Nuts with the royal family, Wildberry princess with her noble entourage and many others, equally important, equally stocked up. Everyone was curious what will await them inside. Curious and a bit afraid. And the two hosts simply spied on them all from behind their curtain, counting and checking who dared not to show up. Not that any of those people mattered much to them, no. But to see others aching to get in just to see them in their glory, that was the notion that thrilled them the most.
"So many of them... So many brother..." The one in white screeched. "...I think it's time!"
"...to go pick up our ornamentation, yes..." He nodded to him.
"...Ngghhh, hopefully they're ready..." The other one responded with some doubt in his voice.
"...To go, yes. Properly dressed in what we provided..."
"...And that they will behave ACCEPTABLE."
They nodded to themselves and began their little venture through their yellow castle. As they finally found the guest room, they waited by the door. They stared at it for a while, expecting it will open any second now. Nothing like that occurred however.
"Brother, what now?" The one in the white got a bit nervous. "They're still not out!"
"What now, indeed. They should be out and they're not!..."
"...but why?" He asked once again and pondered. "Why would that be."
"Maybe we should do something about it brother? Is there something to do?" The one in the dark began to think heavily. "Maybe... a knock?"
"Nhhhh... Yes! Yes. A knock."
They did just that, whaling on the wooden contraption without sense. And when they finally heard someone on the other side, the two lemons smiled. Eventually the doors opened, as the girls went out gracefully. Bubblegum's dress was fancy, if a bit too tight here and there. Still, at least the color matched. Marceline wore something that looked like a nice, black suit. It fitted exceptionally well. Both of them wore tiny masks, just to hid who they are. It should be just enough, as the people of Ooo were hardly known for being cunning. One question remained unanswered however – where did Lemongrabs got those clothes. Perhaps it was best not to ask about that one.
"You are ready, yes..." They both clapped their hands vigorously.
"...Great, on time. Nghhhhh, but you were close to being late!..." He shook his head. "Still, we see that you're prepared, yes, yes..."
"...so we can go."
"That's all? Haven't you forgot about something?" Bubblegum asked, as she raised her eyebrow. "Hm? We're waiting."
That question seemed to confuse them greatly. The magnificent rules had it all planed, obviously. The food was in it's place, the halls were prepared for this very occasion with numerous decorations as well. They even went as far as to vacuum their old carpets that turned yellow once again, as they were covered in dust before.
"Well, we have everything prepared down there..."
"...The guests are pouring in..." He paused and pondered a bit more. "...there's A LOT OF THEM!..."
"...We even cleaned the whole thing." He caught his head and shook it around. "You do imagine how much it took?"
"Eh." Marceline shook her head. "You know, if we were to be your fake damsels for the evening, you could at least, well." The look they gave her made her chuckle. "You know, 'pretend' to ask us out, and compliment perhaps?"
That confused them even further. They surely weren't known for their manners, nor for their experience in relationships, as they both had non. So they thought for a while and counseled a bit on the side, finally coming up with a response which they seen fit.
"You both look..." The darker one said unsteadily.
"...Acceptable." The one in the white quickly added. "So you come with us. Now."
"We won't get anything better then this, don't we? Shame" Marceline shrugged and looked closely at both of them. "Dibs on the one in the white! He will fit my suit nicely!"
She snatched the lemon by the hand and pulled him right after her, rushing towards the sounds of the crowd. His wobbling body had trouble keeping up with her, as his legs almost slide on the floor. So the princess and Earl were left alone, as they looked at each other with hatred.
"Nghhh. And again, you and me." He looked at her with much contempt. "I would find much irony in this, but I hardly have the mood to even joke about it..." Lemon shook his head. "I can only hope it'll be as painless as possible. Even with you around, nghhhh..."
"Likewise you butt. Still, deal is a deal." She said and then whispered to herself. "Even if in the end I will smack you in the face."
"Hhhhhghh... What was that?!"
"Nothing."
"Hnnnn... Fine. LET'S GO."
She grabbed him by the arm as well, as they slowly followed the previous two. For some reason, everyone decided to remain silent, as their footsteps echoed through the corridors. All except Marceline, who always found a way to talk about something.
"So, lemon." She chuckled a bit. "We should get to know each other better."
"I don't think that's necessary." He shook his head, trying to avoid the conversation. "No. No."
"Aw, why?" She playfully looked at him, as her grip on his arm tightened. "If we are to pretend, we should do it good, right?"
"You won't even need to... nhh... speak and..."
"Oh but I will. And what if someone will ask me whom I am, huh? Huh?" She playfully whistled. "What if someone would like to know that? Should I pretend I'm mute?"
"No, but..."
"Oh, it would be quite fun. Someone asks, who are you, you beautiful being, and I'll be like..." The vampire made yet another silly face. "It would be grand, right? Right?"
"Ugh..."
"Or maybe I should pretend I'm out of my mind? Huh?" The vampire laughed a bit. "You know, someone asks you who I am and I will whack him, saying that I'm just a ghost and he cannot see me! Some say insanity is quite extravagant!"
"Nhhhnnhhh..."
Lemongrab sighted with much relief when they finally reached their destination. The hall greeted them with numerous guests of various shape and importance. They all gazed upon the two lemons – just as they wanted it to be. The yellow beings bowed down slightly before them, as they went directly into the crowd. They decided to split up, as in that way, more people could gaze at their glory. The one in the white got the attention he strove for quite fast.
"You have quite the spectacle here!" One of the members of Duke family came by. "So much food, so much decorations, oh yes! Tremendous!"
"Mmmnnn, our dignity cannot be described by words." He nodded with pride. "And thus, the treasury of our splendorous castle cannot be described as well. Nhhn..."
"Indeed, it cannot."
Many others came by to compliment things that hardly matter, just for the sake of spewing out some words. All of them looked dull and rather bored, perhaps because they were used to ceremonies like that all too well and this one was no exception. Marceline, being whom she is, hardly craved for this kind of entertainment. Like the lemon predicted, she didn't had to say a word, as no one really wanted to talk with her. Perhaps it was because they were bored by the nonsense that the host spewed from within his yellow maw. That, or they just wanted to keep the contact to a bare minimum. When given the opportunity, she dragged him on the side.
"What exactly are you doing mister lemon?"
"Mmmm..." He smiled slightly. "Showing them my supremacy, yes."
"You are boring them to death." She poked him in the head. "You are pretty boring as well, mister lemon. But if this is this grand party of yours..."
"But that's the way it should be, no?" He blinked a couple of times. "We should embrace our splendor, yes, nnnnnn yes!"
"That is all fine and dandy, if you want to make them fall asleep!"
She thought how to change this state, as he simply gazed at her. He could not understand this weird being in the slightest. The other one at least dealt with some etiquette and had some sense in her pink head. But this one? This one was different. Wild, untamed, savage, never listening. Why she couldn't just follow given instructions? That was beyond his little yellow comprehension.
"Hm... I know what's missing!" She clapped her hands with joy. "Hey lemon. You have any music out here?"
"Music?" He wobbled his head around. "Royal parties don't have music in their etiquette! Hnnnhhhh!"
"Well, royal ones don't. But, you know." She leaned closer to him. "If you want to make an impression... and if you want to make something new, something they'll remember you for... something they'll praise you for maybe?..."
"Hm..." This notion was kind off tempting for him. "Well, we have this one thing in the next room, but..."
"Show me." He just stared at her with his round, blank eyes. "Well. Now, now!"
He lead her into one of the hidden rooms, the one in which the grand lemons stored items that may have their use in days to come. Garbage in short. He dug through it for a while, as she tapped her feet impatiently. Finally however, he found what they came here for. An old gramophone that came with a package of old vinyl records. The very presence of that, in a place like this surprised her greatly. Sadly, it was hard to tell what was on them, since all the signs seemed to be scuffed from the old age.
"Wonder if it still works. It does, right? Let's pour some life in." She grabbed it and headed right back to the. "Come on!"
"But, but..." He blinked some more and rushed right after her, seeing as leaving her alone will cause only more damage. "Nnnnnnn!"
But she was already in the main hall with a group of curious guests around her, as she set up the device. She turned the crank as hard as she could and the cracking noises came right out from the tube. Eventually a cheerful swing started to pour from from within it, grabbing everyone's attention. It was something new, something thrilling and for the most part - something unexpected. Something that almost everyone around greeted with a happy notion.
"That's more like it! Come on!" She reached for his hand. "Come on!"
"But, um, I, no, no, not an acceptable condition for..."
"Aw, come on, it won't hurt." She winked. It only got him more nervous. "Come on!"
"But I don't have the necessary knowledge to move in the rhymes and rhythms, nmmmmm no."
"Aw, lemon can't dance? Here, come with me. I don't bite." She smiled. "Unless you ask."
She grabbed his hand and put her's on his back, starting to move gracefully on the floor. At first, his legs wobbled around like a jellyfish thrown out of the sea, as he never-ever did something like that before. But looking at the audience that apparently enjoyed the music and the very notion that something is happening, he decided to endure this uncomfortable notion. More so, he started to make his first steady steps, seeing as he must be viewed as the one that leads, not the one that follows. He was learning fast, despite his sour nature.
"Hey, that's...nnnnnn-ot so bad."
"See lemon?" She flicked him in the nose. "Cheer up a bit and let's have some fun!" She screamed atop of her lungs. "Wooohoo!"
She swirled his body and tossed him around, almost as if they were dancing tango. But the more steps he took, the more she turned him around, the more steady and confident he got. And in the end, it was he who caught her, as he surely lead them right into the applauding crowd. The music echoed through the whole hall. Meanwhile, the princess was quite bored, listening to Earl, as he chatted with people she hardly cared about. He on the other hand, tried to ignore her the best he could.
"You have quite the entertainment here." The Duke himself looked at him while slowly sipping his drink. "And quite the castle!"
"Castle. Entertainment. Yes. All those present in the great Lemon halls."
"So, what do you..." He paused, as he began to listen to the sounds that came from the other side of the room. "Oh. What's that, is that music? My oh my, I never expected that here I must say!"
"Mnnngh... What? Oh, oh, yes, music, right."
He looked, and what he saw shocked him. Not only those buzzes were against any kind of etiquette, not only moving like that was way beyond the rules. No, that wasn't the worst of it all. The worst was the fact that his own brother betrayed him, as he now danced on one of the tables with that pale, black haired urchin. That went too far.
"Do you mind if I join them?"
The Duke asked. That was the last straw. Earl began to boil inside, as his face turned red. But when he was just meant to scream at the one before him, he reminded himself that at least he should keep up the appearances. So he tightened his teeth.
"Nnnnghh-no, no, of course not." His eyes twitched. "Try... to... have... fun."
As the walnut happily ponced towards the music, Lemongrab was once again left alone with his creator. Bubblegum just looked at him, knowing what will come now. She simply sighted, as she wasn't looking forward to this.
"Nnhhhhhhh... You." He pointed his finger at her furiously. " You and your fiend-friend. That's why you come here? To RUIN EVERYTHING?"
"Earl..."
"Nghhhhhh... Don't Earl on me! This. WHAT IS THIS?"
He began to point his finger in every possible direction. At the cheering crowd, at his brother, at Marceline, at people having fun, at the gramophone. And his face got more and more red with each second.
"Looks like they're having fun?" The princess stated shyly. "What's wrong with that?"
He almost screamed at her. Yet, something inside of him broke and he did the unexpected. He simply ran off into one of the small corridors, leaving her alone.
"Earl!"
She shouted, but it was rather obvious that he won't be coming back, therefore she took a glimpse if no one around is peeking. Seeing as everyone was busy with dancing, she pulled her dress up and quickly rushed after him.