I do not own Adventure Time. And I really need help in incorporating Sir Rattleballs in this story because HE IS SO AWWWESOME!
I do not own the song that was used for the title of this chapter, it belongs to Underoath. Glob, I miss them.
~~o~~
Chapter 12 - A Boy Brushed Red Living in Black and White
"Jake! Protect Flame Princess!"
"Alright, Finn! Be careful!"
"I will!"
Finn readied Scarlet, well, the Imatari Scarlet in his hands. He reacted in time to deflect an ice projectile homing at him, slicing it in two. He looked up at the Ice Prince and to his surprise, his foe now held the Demon Blood Sword in his golden mechanical hand. How the Glob that dude got his mitts on Dad's sword?
"Finn! Is that Dad's sword?"
"I think -"
Before he could finish his speech, Finn sensed an attack coming from his left. He completely forgot about the hooded boy, which caused him a long rip on his blue shirt. The attack did not harm him though.
"I said stand down!" The boy growled at him, a fierce look in his eyes. Then he stared at the Ice Prince, who was now swooping down on them. " You too!"
"How dare you tell me what to do, YOU WORM!"
A large ice blast forced Finn to jump away and nearly lost his footing near the edge of the roof. He stole a glance at the hooded boy, who managed to roll away in time. Pacing himself, Finn instantly recognized the gravity of the situation. This was no play fight. They could all die.
"Finn, look out!"
He barely deflected Ice Prince's attack, nearly making him lose his grip on the Imatari Scarlet. He tensed. The short design of the golden blade was not really suitable to fight against someone wielding the Demon Blood Sword. Then, there is the hooded boy, who kept joining the fray with his axe.
"C'mon, man! What the math are you doing? We got no beef with you!" Finn heard his brother yell at the hooded boy, finally deciding to participate at the fight.
"Sorry, dog! Orders are orders!"
So this was the human the candy people were talking about? He looked like someone who went through a lot. Finn found it hard to focus what with the flurry of activity around him, and trying to maintain space between the Ice Prince and Flame Princess, who was now cowering in a corner.
Letting out a battle cry, Finn changed the Imatari into the Grass Sword. It instantly coiled into his right hand, which he quickly extended as he rushed towards the Ice Prince. Finn flicked the blade and it rotated like a helicopter's rotor.
"You're done, Ice Dude!"
A cold blast of wind caught him off guard that disrupted the Grass Sword's rotation, and sent him back, nearly crashing with Flame Princess. Things were not really going well for him and Jake, who was now busy defending himself from the hooded boy. Finn wondered what else his new sword can do. He imagined a small round shield, which came into reality in time to defend from an ice barrage.
"Dang it, mortal! Stop hiding behind that trash bin cover, fool!"
Finn opened his eyes and looked at what he was holding. "Oh my Glob, cram it to the butternuts!"
It was a trash bin cover, alright. He quickly changed it to the Root Sword, the first weapon that crossed his mind, and deflected the ice shards. Jake was correct, his imagination sucked. Now he face an all powerful Prince, very much unlike Ice King, who was also skilled in melee combat, his worries only intensified. This was the first time Finn felt truly scared with his foe, something about this dude was so wrong. I can't back down now! I can't just leave FP!
"Be quiet, Flanna! I can defeat this mongrel! Begone!"
Dude's talking with himself. Right...? "Hey, pi-face! Over here!"
Finn struck down hard with his Imatari, only for his attack to be negated by a well-timed block by the Ice Prince. He could hear Flame Princess shouting 'stop' over and over in between her sobs. The difference between their fighting skills should be obvious by now. Sir Rattleballs was correct, his sword skills are pitiful.
Why the heck everybody around me is always correct?
"You can never hope to match a thousand years of knowledge, mortal!"
Finn watched in horror as the Demon Blood Sword in his enemy's hand became enveloped in ice, and to his further fear, the freezing carried on with his Imatari. He tried pulling away, but the blades remain intact. Finn panicked. In mere seconds, almost half of his body was now encased in hard ice. The Prince smiled menacingly at him, eyeing Flame Princess with concern much to his confusion.
"Remember this mortal, resistance is futile!"
The Prince kicked him hard in his guts, sending him hurtling backwards on the hard surface of the roof. He heard Flame Princess scream, making Finn wonder why she wasn't attacking the Prince. She was definitely different from the FP she knew. He spat a chunk of ice and looked down at his body. Most ice was shattered except those that remained intact in his right foot. Finn stood up anyway and assumed an offensive stance.
"You're going to fight me with that?"
Finn followed his gaze and was shocked to find his Root Sword snapped in two, the other half shattered to pieces along with the ice. He was clearly doing wrong with his imagination, Finn realized. He thought the Root Sword was fragile, so the Imatari became fragile. He shouted in frustration and changed it to the Demon Blood Sword. The transformation took a longer time, the sword appeared to be struggling to replace the lost mass and to match the length of the crimson weapon.
"I don't know how you got Dad's sword but let's see who can wield it better! Come at me bro! Give it to me!"
His taunt enraged the crazy royalty, making him hover at high speeds toward Finn. Both crimson swords met with a tremendous shockwave, sending the two combatants sprawling on the roof. They both quickly recovered and proceeded to swipe and slice each other, to no avail. Finn noticed the predictable patterns on Prince's attacks and used those as an advantage.
"I hate predictable people!"
Making a large swing, he caught the Ice Prince directly on his mechanical arm. The golden plating seemed to react to the attack, vibrating weakly and rebounding his own attack back at him. Finn staggered back and barely parried a well-placed swing from Ice Prince.
"Jake! How are you holding up?"
"I'm alright - Dang it, not THERE! - just minor cuts! Be focused - Oh my Glob! - I got this!"
He watched as Jake threw a one-two punch at the hooded boy. He evaded the first blow gracefully, but not the second one, which sent him plummeting to the ground. Finn watched in utter confusion and fear as the boy flew in an arc downwards the city below.
"Jake, save him! We can't let innocent peeps die!"
His brother complied and dived after the falling human. Finn wasn't sure then what happened to the two, but he trusted Jake more than anyone else. They can't just let anyone die. That was just not in their alignment. Turning back his attention to his enemy, he backed away some more. Assuming a low defensive stance, he placed his body directly in front of Flame Princess.
"If you want her, you'll have to go through me!"
~~o~~
Magnificent. That boy really knows how to fly...and to die an awesome death!
"Flanna, for the umpteenth time, just shut up!"
He can't concentrate. Ice Prince can't Globbing concentrate. Flanna in his mind, Flame Princess in his eyes on the physical world, and a boy with similar bearhat fighting him blur together. Suffice to say that he was getting really annoyed. The dark skies intensified, making him realize that Flanna was controlling some of his powers.
I'm not! I swear!
"You can't fool me!"
Look, can't you see? Those two lousy boys are in cohorts with that Princess Bubblegum to lock away Flame Princess from you!
Ice Prince parried an attack with his frozen demon sword and struck upwards, nearly cleaving his opponents lips. The mortal's unpredictable and wild fighting style was really getting in his nerves. It was like dancing with an inexperienced partner, you kept stepping on each others feet. Literally. The boy couldn't have been doing that on purpose, he thought.
"Behold my Ice Lightning!"
The foolish mortal just mocked him as he evaded all the lightning strikes. "Dude, I already saw a friend do that! He's doing it better even!"
Tap into my reserve, my Prince. Just a little! I can't rebound every attacks all day.
Seriously contemplating the offer, he flew upward and sent a barrage of sharpened ice blocks downwards. He stopped immediately as one of the icicle spires nearly impaled his Princess. He just can't afford to lose his control again, and this pesky boy doesn't make things easier for him.
"Why don't you just roll over and die, mortal? I'll fight 'til this little war is over!"
"Face it, man! No Princess will ever love you because you're ugly inside and out! Certainly not Flame Princess!"
Something in himself snapped, he closed his eyes and saw Flanna. Her warm hands already cupping his face to make him relax. The Ice Prince looked directly at her green eyes, a knowing look in his face. The anger that flared inside him fueled his desire to use the ominous power Flanna was offering to him.
Are you ready, Mertens?
"Yes!"
Wait! I need you to accept every ounce of my power! Why resist? Why?! You stupi-
He opened his eyes. Everything seemed clearer. He could see every detail and process every information he saw. He could see every cracks on the pink roof, every jagged spaces in the boy's ripped shirt and every fire pattern Flame Princess' hair makes. He also felt lighter and stronger.
Sharpened senses, Mertens. Now finish that puny boy and get my body back!
"You know it, Hacksworth!"
"Whoa dude! What happened to you? Your right eye is burning with green fire! Dude, put it out!"
"Shut your trap, weakling! Begone from this world!"
He raised the Demon Blood Sword and covered it in ice. The ice suddenly burned with green flames that crackled loudly, bathing the immediate area with green hue despite of the sunlight. He laughed at the boy's confused reaction, apparently not knowing his end was near. The Ice Prince crashed back at the roof, displacing a lot of destroyed candy pieces that comprised the said structure.
"Hand over my Princess or you will answer to the secrets of ice so cold it burns!"
Something unusual happened. Countless circular rifts materialized everywhere around them. The Ice Prince marveled at the portals that probably lead to different dimensions, possibly teeming with various things he can only imagine. One of the rifts showed a glorious and captivating corridor that seemed to lead to numerous doors. It was interesting for sure, but it was not he needed. Ice Prince entered the rift closes to him and emerged directly in front of his adversary. Time seemed to have slowed down marginally.
His opponent visibly tensed, much to his enjoyment. "I said you'll have to go through me!"
"You'd rather get run through by my blade than to surrender?"
What are you doing? I said finish the boy! Wipe him from existence!
The Ice Prince did not answered, but instead made snow fall freely from the sky. Anyone who doesn't know better would think winter came early. The wind howled as cold winds whipped from every direction, making his blue cloak dance with it. For a second or two, the only sounds that can be heard are the howling winds, the flapping of his cloak, the crackle of burning ice, and Flame Princess' sobs.
You just can't let Miss Crybaby over there see bloodshed, right?
He nodded.
Then good luck surviving this without my help!
Suddenly, the winds stopped, the sky brightened a bit, and the rifts closed and disappeared with a shudder. He can no longer feel the sharpened senses. Ice Prince was thoroughly confused. He tried reaching to Flanna but go no response. He panicked. He never really liked being alone, contrary to popular and stupid opinion.
Ice Prince contemplated on asking the jewels from his then-crown that resided in the pocket of his robes. He may become a lot crazier again but at least the entity inside always agreed with him, unlike Flanna. Ice Prince stared at his golden mechanical arm There are three slots along the length of his golden biceps, each housing emeralds pulsing with green fire. Flanna.
"What now?"
"I said it twice before, and I'll say it again. YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME, you blowhole!"
"I'm not talking to you!"
"You're one crazy guy, you know that? Way crazier than Ice King... C'mon, fight me!"
"So be it!"
He summoned an ice sword on his left hand that was physically identical to the one in his right. Dual-wielding, a style Ice Prince never got to try before. His unstable mind made it hard for him to wield both longswords. His inexperience with the style only hampered his combat so he threw the sword at his enemy, who sliced it easily with his peculiar weapon. It now resembled the grass-like blade he used earlier, but colored red instead of green. It looked pitiful, like an incomplete weapon.
"Stop moving so much!"
"I'm not running away, Princey!"
Growling in annoyance, Ice Prince summoned a shield instead and used it as a battering ram to smash the boy hard. He quickly followed up the attack with a well-timed swipe, gashing his opponents cheek at last. He could feel the tide of battle slowly going to his favor, much to his elation. The two bearhat boys stared down at each other. This fight have gone for so long now. It has to end, and soon.
"Dance with me some more, insignificant clout!"
~~o~~
Sawyer was winded, the dog's attack left him out of breath as he fall down fast to the ground. What a pity, he thought. He just had a new lease in life, only to fall to his death. The rush of wind beneath his ear sounded like Death coming down on him to take his soul. Fate just wouldn't let me live in peace, so it decided to kill me instead. Nice job, Fate.
"Grab my hand, dude!"
He opened his eyes and caught sight of the dog reaching for him. Sawyer wasted no time in reaching the elongated hand and in an instant, the dog enveloped himself on his body as they hit the ground. A large crashing sound erupted somewhere from his back. People shouted around them in confusion.
"Oh snap, that's my buns! Oh my Glob, wood splinters!"
The dog apparently turned himself into a sphere to break their fall. He tried standing up but hit an exposed wooden pole instead. Sawyer felt dizzy. He looked around and was amazed to see more candy people running around. He seemed to be in some kind of a marketplace.
"Why did you saved me?"
"Man, letting innocent people die is totes lame! You're just doing your job. Maybe a bit too much though."
"...Thank you, whatever."
"Hehe, you're welcome...what's your name kid?"
He hesitated. Princess Bubblegum never explicitly stated that he cannot say his name but it still felt betrayal on her part. In the end, common decency won over him. Just this time, though. I have to please m'lady.
"Sawyer. You can call me Sawyer." He petted the bipedal dog's head and ruffled his golden fur. "What's your name, dog?"
"Hey, don't call me dog! My name is Jake. Pleased to meet yah!" Jake paused for a while and looked down. "Wish we could meet on better times, you seemed like a nice kid."
"Yeah...but I still need to apprehend you. Sorry, orders are orders."
"WELL, in that case, you have to catch me first!" Jake stretched out of his reach and climbed back at the tower towards the roof. "See yah later, Sawyer! Wow, that actually sound good together..."
Sawyer let the dog slid this time. He saved his life anyway, so at least this time they would be even. Now he wondered how he could get back up the roof and get the crazy dude and the other boy. Deep in his thoughts he failed to notice something squirming beneath his feet.
"If you're done contemplating, can you please look where you are standing? "
Sawyer looked down and was shocked to see that he was standing on a goose dressed in some funny clothing he recognized as something old Choose Bruce would wear. He immediately stepped away and hurriedly apologized. God, I don't have time for this.
"Can you see the damage you did to my stall? This would certainly be my downfall! "
"Look, I'm really sorry! But I have to go!" A pain shot from his chest, probably because of the punch Jake gave him earlier.
Sawyer contemplated hitting the goose to knock him out but decided to hold back his fists. Princess would surely be disappointed at him if he hurt any of his citizens. He have to bargain with this pompous duck, goose, whatever.
"You can't get away from here, unless you buy some gear. "
He spotted his fallen axe, its blade buried deep into the pavement that seemed to be made of candy. Sawyer tried pulling it free but the handle came off, much to his horror. Earlier, he was just far from the action, now he was also weaponless.
"Alright, I'll take those swords in the back."
"The Flamberge doesn't come for free, even the Truthsayer has a fee!"
The goose looked at him impatiently, apparently believing he could not afford the two swords. "Yeah, whatever. Charge it to Princess Bubblegum or something."
Sawyer apparently said the right thing because at that moment, the goose eagerly handed him the first the sword with orange blade and strange markings on it. Upon gripping the hilt, the blade burned with fire instantly and made him jump in surprise. Flamberge. That was absurd. The goose then handed him the other sword which has a cross guard that resembles the infinity symbol. Blue smoke or something gaseous leaked from it and seemed to reach for him. Truthsayer.
"Now you must make haste, before all comes to waste! I hope you won't mind, I have a Princess to find."
The goose pointed to something above him before going away. He followed the direction and saw Jake shaped like a kite gliding down at high speeds, his friends on tow, with the ice dude gaining fast on them. He broke into a run through the gathering crowd, ignoring their cheers for him. Apparently, these candy people already know many things about him before he even woke up from his sleep.
"Please, let me through!"
His request was immediately granted as the bystanders gave way for him. One guy that looked like a root beer in a glass caught up to him on a horse that seemed to be made of jelly.
The root beer dude hopped of the horse and spoke with a commanding tone. "Princess Bubblegum told me to lend this steed for your perusal, Human. Take it!"
Sawyer quickly climbed on the pink horse and slid his swords inside the saddlebags. He quickly got comfortable with the horse. Deciding that it isn't much different from riding a mule or donkey, he sped through the streets and tried to locate his targets. Within minutes, he caught sight of the boy wielding the shape-shifting sword and the blue clad ice dude exchanging blows with each other. Both seemed a bit tired enough, much to his relief. Sawyer also noticed the two were wearing the same strange headgear that seemed familiar to him. Are they related somehow?
"I can do this. I can fight these powerful guys." Is it really worth, though? I barely know Bonnie so why am I doing these for her? ...Because the orders are clear. Bring back the Princess of Flames, catch the intruders, and drive away the Ice Prince.
"I am the hand of madness! I am the Ice Prince! A puny mortal like you can never even hope to defeat me!" The icy guy seemed really pissed off.
"Well...I'm Finn the Human!"
Human? I thought I was the last human alive? Finn...Finn...the name kinda rings a bell.
At that moment, he can't decide when to join the fray. The two troublemakers seemed to move so quick and sure. The only style of fighting he knows is his messy and unsure methods. He won't last very long against these two swordsmen. Sawyer took out the two swords and held the Flamberge with his left hand, while the Truthsayer on the other and jumped down the pavement.
Come what may.
Sawyer ran towards the two as silently as he could and dive rolled in between them in time to block two attacks on both sides. The combined forces of the two nearly pushed him down to the ground. Sawyer was never naturally ambidextrous but his Mistress forced him anyway. He still favor his right hand though, which caused him to nearly lose grip of the Flamberge that was locked with the shape-shifting sword of the boy named Finn.
"Where did you stashed the Princess of Flames, boy? Tell me!"
"What the BJORK? Get out of here dude! Things are yogaballs crazy in here!"
He ignored Finn and stared at the Ice Prince who was glaring at him with pure hatred. Bonnie told him that this guy could be defeated by taking off his golden crown, but Sawyer can't see any. He does have a golden robotic arm. Maybe I could take that off?
"This is your last warning! Stand down or I will kill you both!" He wasn't even sure if he could do that. Of course you can. Killing is second nature for you. The end justifies the means. Don't be a hypocrite. Your hands were brushed with red ever since...
The Ice Prince broke the clashing of their swords and flew back. "SUCK MY SHIRT!"
The surprise attack caught him off guard as a long spiky ice beam embedded itself on his left arm, splattering drops of blood on the candy street. The pain jolted him into alertness though as he evaded a solid block of ice, which hit the boy behind him. That's what you get for being distracted. That's right, I can do this. C'mon.
He slowly stepped back, the three of them roughly forming a triangle. A large crowd started gathering around them, some pouring out of their candy houses. Sawyer readied both of his sword and watched as more blood ooze from his left arm. He has to finish this fight, and fast. He can't afford to let civilians get hurt and fail on his first task as the Hero. The Flamberge burst into bluish-white flames while the longer blade, Truthsayer, started humming.
"Back off my business, Flanna! I thought you're no longer helping me?" The Ice Prince was distracted by what seemed to be a headache. Sawyer saw this a chance to dart forward and jam his Truthsayer at his left shoulder.
"Why, you lousy drat?! Treacherous bleeblop!" Blood spurt fort after he pulled back his blade, soiling his enemy's blue robes.
Sawyer tensed, the Truthsayer emitted large amount of bluish aura. With that phenomenon, his head was instantly filled with discordant memories not his own. Junktown burning, the nuke exploding in hazy green mushroom cloud, and this icy person. At that moment he knew, this goblin-like boy, this Ice Prince, is none other than his brother. Hand of madness, huh? The beginning and the end?
"YOU! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"
He slashed his brother with the Flamberge, which he tried blocking with a sword made of ice. Sawyer's blade went through like hot knife to butter and opened a long and burning gash across the Prince chest. He was about to finish off the bastard with the Truthsayer when Finn blocked his thrust with some kind of sword made of grass.
"Stop! You'll kill him!"
Sawyer used his elbow to smash Finn's face and proceeded to swipe at his legs, reaping apart his flesh and drawing blood. The flaming shortsword also singed Finn's leg. The boy retaliated by punching him so hard straight in the face, that it sent him hurtling a few feet in the air and landed hard on the ground headfirst.
The last few things he saw was Jake swooping down on Finn, with the Princess of Flames on his back, and his brother flying away as blood splattered beneath him. Sawyer felt a few loose tooth and knew no more.
~~o~~
"Finn!"
Marceline screamed in annoyance. The TV Wall chose this moment to stutter and turn off. She picked up her bass axe and was about to bash the wall when Prismo teleported her back to her seat. The vampire glared at the white deity.
"It would be great if you don't trash my place, you know?"
"Fix the TV!" Bonnie glared daggers at Prismo, who chuckled nonchalantly.
"I can't."
Suddenly, a hooded figure smashed through the TV Wall from the outside. Dark shadows enveloped the person as he calmly walked inside. Debris rose away from the being and hurtled towards them. Marceline grabbed her friend's hand and took off into the air.
"Don't get in my way, vampire scum. I've had enough of you from the universe I just came from." The voice dictated that this person was a man. A man with a very deep voice.
"Look, Marcy, that person is fourth-dimensional!"
Prismo sighed. "Cosmic Owl said you'll come. I just wished you didn't chose this particular moment to pop out. Can't you see I have girls in my turf?"
"Shut up, you unworthy deity. Let's see you deal with a precursor. "
Prismo turned to them with a sad expression. "Well, girls. Time flies when you're having fun. It's been great and I hope I'll see you soon."
Light suddenly filled Marceline's vision, obstructing whatever happening inside the Time Room. They were teleported by Prismo, for that she was sure. A feeling of being pulled whipped her back to reality as she felt herself plummeting straight downwards. She hit the grassy ground hard, creating a large, bed-sized crater.
"Where am I?"
A smell of burning flesh caught her attention. The sun was beating down her neck. Marceline immediately looked around and saw a canopy of trees that offered shade from the sun.
"Bonnie? Bonnibel? Where are you?"
She can't find a single evidence that the pink princess landed here with her. The Vampire Queen felt a deep-seated worry forming in her guts.
~~o~~
Well, how about that? Did it met your expectation somehow? I can't really imagine Sawyer battling with Finn and Ice Prince on equal footing, so I took certain paths that seemed cheating. Sorry if it came across to some people that the two Finn were defeated by a cheating a**hole.
Ooobserver: I hope you liked the Truthsayer (it doesn't really work the same way as Finn's Infinity Sword in CoT, but still...) and the whole Prismo thing. Thanks again dude!
I do not own the fourth-dimensional dude (Astrum), he belongs to Ooobserver and his fantastic Citadel of Truth. Hope I did him justice, and...yeah. Prismo will probably no longer be in this story, and you have to read CoT to know why.
This chapter marks the end of the introductory 'arc'. I intend this story to be short so...
Please read and review! Have a nice day!