11: Something Bad

As soon as the sun fell, Bubblegum had taken to staring at her glass balcony doors. Tonight, she desperately wanted Marceline to show up. The six year old had plans, devious plans, that she was all too certain Marceline would absolutely love. After all, we've been friends for like forever! I should know what she would like! She thought, because after all, a year does seem like forever when you've only lived for six.

Just then, Marceline's face appeared in the window, and before she could even tap, Bubblegum was throwing the doors open and flinging her arms around the much taller girl's thighs. "Marci, Marci, Marci!"

The vampire let out a breath at the attack, and placed her own arms over pink shoulders in return. "Well now! Someone is happy to see me!" She laughed, and then she picked Bubblegum up and twirled her around under her arm while walking into the room. The Candy Princess squealed happily at Marceline's playful nature and let out a heavy breath as she was tossed onto her plush bed, the vampire collapsing next to her, smiling.

Catching her breathe, Bubblegum said, "Oh I'm so glad you are here tonight, Marci!"

The vampire turned to her. "Oh really, little one? And why is that?" She said playfully, before launching an all-out tickle attack on the smaller girl.

Squirming under a bigger, stronger Marceline, Bubblegum gasped out requests of reprieve from the tickling. Her face was turning the brightest shade of red, and breath was coming short and fast. "You win! You win! You win!" she cried, which finally prompted the vampire girl to release her. Bubblegum, enjoying Marceline all too much on this night, gave her a big hug again. She is the absolute bestest friend I will ever have ever! She squeezed tight around her neck, and Marceline smiled into the hug.

Bubblegum released her after a while, having felt the need to hug the vampire for a very long time without knowing why, and said, "But I am so glad you are here! Because I want to do something exciting with you! Though I do wish we could do it in the day time and spend all day together…but it doesn't matter!"

Marceline eyed the young girl suspiciously. "Something exciting? Like what? Do you want to go for a fly or something?"

Bubblegum giggled. "No, silly. I wanna do something…" She glanced around the room, as though someone was listening in on their conversation, and the vampire leaned in close, playing along with her childishness. "I wanna do something bad."

A huge smile spread across Marceline's face before she erupted in laughter, only to have a little hand cover her mouth. "Shhh…! Marceline! Someone might hear you!" Bubblegum whispered to her, and the vampire opened her eyes big and nodded seriously, going along with whatever the child had in mind.

"Okay," Marceline began, sitting cross-legged and leaning into Bubblegum, "What did you have in mind? Pranks on Peppermint? Painting the walls? Tying everyone's shoes together by the laces?" She offered.

Bubblegum shook her head and leaned even further into the older vampire. Whispering in a pointed ear, the Candy Princess said, "I wanna sneak out!" and then she covered her mouth with her hands as though she had said the most scandalous of scandalous things in all of Ooo, looking upon the vampire expectantly.

Marceline was a little taken aback by the request. Sure, she was all for doing almost anything, but taking a six-year-old monarch out in the middle of the night without letting anyone know where she was? That was pushing it a little. "Oh…" She furrowed her brows, trying to figure out the best way to let the girl down. "Listen, Bonnibel…I don't think that that's the best idea. I mean…people kind of already don't like the idea of my being your friend and…well they might think I kidnapped you or something. You're a Princess, little one, and when princesses go missing, people tend to notice. I'm sorry."

Instead of tearing up or throwing a tantrum, like most children her age would have done, Bubblegum set herself firmly, crossing her arms defiantly over her chest. "Now you listen here. I am a Princess and you are going to sneak out with me and that is that. And if you don't come with me, I'll sneak out alone some other night when you aren't here and then I'll really be kidnapped and then it will be all your fault!" She humphed.

Marceline's eyebrows had shot up at the proclamation of the young monarch. She opened her mouth to say something, but ended up giving a breathy laugh and shaking her head in disbelief. "Are you blackmailing me, Your Highness?" she quirked an eyebrow at the young girl.

Bubblegum remained steely in her objective. "Yes I am." She stated matter-of-factly.

Sighing in defeat and deciding it was better to have the small girl chaperoned on her expedition, Marceline said, "All right, little one…I'll go with you."

Bubblegum squealed in excitement and gave the Queen a quick, choking hug. "I have it all planned out. First, we have to sneak into the kitchen and steal some food. Then, we sneak out a window! And to make it fair, you have to walk just like me, so if we get caught it's both our faults." Bubblegum smiled.

Getting off the bed, the two of them walked over to the door into the rest of the castle. "If we get caught, it'll be your fault, because it's your idea in the first place." Marceline whispered, as they poked their heads out the door. Glancing both ways down the hall, the two slinked their way through the crack in Bubblegum's bedroom door, as the coast was clear. They made their way through most of the castle, and were close to the kitchen, when the princess tripped on her long dress and fell with an echoing thump and a small cry of pain.

Peppermint rounded the corner, having heard this, and called, "Princess?" He looked left, and right, and glanced through opened doorways. Shrugging, he walked away and out of the hall, having seen no sign of the girl.

Slowly, cautiously, quietly, Marceline lowered the two of them back down onto the floor from their hiding place well above the short man's head. They both let out a breath of relief, though Marceline's was more warranted, as she stood to be in the most trouble if, in fact, the two of them were caught together sneaking out.

"That was close," Bubblegum whispered. Marceline nodded in agreement, excitement and more than a bit of fear vibrating through her dead veins. If she were caught, she was almost certain the candy people would string her to a pole and let her burn in the sun, but she simply couldn't bring herself to let the candy girl sneak out another time alone. It was far too dangerous. Really, she was doing the Candy Kingdom a favor by babysitting a rebellious six-year-old.

Bubblegum scampered along and Marceline followed quietly after her, keeping to her promise to stay grounded, even though flying had spared them the wrath of Peppermint Butler. Once in the kitchen, Bonni grabbed a basket and assigned the vampire to guard duty. She packed all kinds of food and drink (making sure to bring extra strawberries) and soon was ready to go.

She climbed up onto the counter and opened the window that was over the kitchen sink before jumping out and calling after Marceline to follow her. The window was small, so Marceline turned into her little were-bat form and flew out. Bubblegum shrieked, and the bat girl looked around fearfully.

"What? What is it? Who's there?" she asked, turning her little head this way and that.

"Oh Marceline, you are adorable!" Bonni exclaimed, before picking the creature up and holding her like a dolly. "You must be this way for me again sometime! It is too cute! I can hold you, and squeeze you, and cuddle you, and you are not at all frightening like you can be when you are yourself!"

Marceline squirmed her way out of Bubblegum's cuddle explosion and turned back into herself. "I am not cute!" She defended. "I am a frightening Queen of the Night and a Terror of Terrors!" She pouted, and Bubblegum just laughed. She grabbed onto the much taller girl and dragged her away from the kingdom, the vampire stumbling behind her. They ran for quite a ways and then walked until they couldn't see the Candy Kingdom anymore, ending up in a large empty field. A soft breeze flew through, rippling the grass.

Bubblegum stopped and placed down the basket, glancing around at her surroundings and nodding in approval. "Yes," She said, "This is perfect!" and she sat herself down and began to take out all of the food, placing it all on a small mat she had brought.

Marceline sat down next to her. "Okay, little one…now what?"

Keeping to her routine of placing the food out (making sure the red things were by Marceline) Bubblegum began to explain. "We're going to play. You're going to be the handsome prince and I'm going to be the princess and we are out getting to know each other even if we aren't supposed to see each other before our arranged marriage which is why we had to sneak out and meet in this field." She nodded firmly, finishing bringing out the last of the food.

Marceline laughed. "Oh I see…like a date. I must say I'm flattered, you did ask me out after all…" She teased, and the candy girl turned a bright shade of red in the moonlight.

"Marceline that is not how it is!" She stammered out, trying to find a fault in what Marceline had said, though there was none.

The vampire laughed at the flustered girl, and said, "Come now, Bonni, I was just kidding. So what Prince am I?"

Bubblegum scrunched her head in concentration, trying to think of a good prince for herself. "Oh I know! What about a prince from a far off land who's also made of candy! A Prince Gumball! Yes!"

Marceline nodded her head in amused agreement. "Prince Gumball, huh? Okay. Let's do this!" She said determinedly. She grabbed a strawberry and bit into it like a living being, drinking the red only after it was in her mouth. "You start." She told the young girl beside her.

Bubblegum nodded and took a dainty bite from a cream puff. "So, Prince Gumball, where are you from?"

Marceline smirked. "A far off land…" She said plainly.

Bubblegum puffed up angrily, "Marceline you aren't doing it!"

The vampire laughed. "I was just teasing. Ask again. I'll play and be good, I promise little one."

The girl cleared her throat. "Where are you from, Prince Gumball?"

Marceline took on an almost-silly regal tone, and lowered her voice slightly. "I am from the far off land of Aaa. I have a beautiful Candy Kingdom which I rule with love and fairness, and peace has reigned throughout my lands for centuries."

Bubblegum giggled a little at how Marceline was acting, but appreciated her enthusiasm. "And do you know why we are getting married? I'm curious because no one told me…"

Marceline turned away, as though looking out across the miles to her wonderful land of Aaa. "Our marriage was set from birth because our two great nations would like to bring a new togetherness to the lands of Ooo and Aaa. I was upset when I found out, but never did I think that my arranged marriage would have me marrying someone as beautiful as you princess." Marceline took Bubblegum's hand and kissed it chivalrously.

The candy girl giggled furiously. "Marceline!" she exclaimed.

"Marceline? Who is that? I am Prince Gumball of the Land of Aaa here to get to know my fiancée the beautiful Princess Bubblegum of the Land of Ooo…though this Marceline sounds like a radical chic." She said, standing and gesturing in over-exaggerated grandeur. Bubblegum outright laughed at the faux proclamation, and Marceline sat down next to her, laughing as well.

"Marceline?" Bubblegum began, looking out across the field.

"Hmm?" The vampire replied contentedly.

"Do you ever wish you could do something in the sunshine?"

Marceline turned towards the girl, a little surprised by the question. It was a bit of a sad subject, as Marceline couldn't even remember a time when she could walk in the sun and feel it on her skin. She had been turned at such a young age; she couldn't remember at all what it was like being a human. "Oh…well…I can't even remember it. So I suppose it would be worse if I could. Mostly I miss the things that you can do during the day, not the day itself. Things like walking around and shopping in stores. I do all that now, but it'd be nice without an umbrella. So yeah, I guess I do wish I could feel the sunshine." She said softly. Marceline made it a point not to think of the things she had lost by being a vampire.

Bubblegum turned to see a forlorn look on Marceline. "The night is a scary time…" she said, young as she was. But she was surprised to see a smile spread across the vampire's face.

"Oh no, little one. True, it's been a while since I've seen the world sunny without the confines of shade, but the moon makes things glow. It makes things beautiful and mysterious." She gazed up at the orb, which hung full in the sky. "I like it. It reminds me that there are always things we won't know. The sun washes things out and exposes things, while the moon accents them into a curious beauty." She turned to the young girl beside her and shook her head, realizing she had thoroughly confused the princess by the look on her face. "Maybe you'll understand when you're older, little one."

"No I understand." Bubblegum began. "You like it because it's like you: beautiful and mysterious." She said simply, such was the way of children.

Marceline laughed at her simple conclusion. "Yeah…I guess you are right."

Marceline laughed a lot around Bubblegum. "Why didn't you see that, Marci?"

The vampire furrowed her brows for a moment before answering, "Well, little one, sometimes people, older people, can't see the simple things because we think too much. And I am around as old as they come, so nothing seems so simple anymore." She looked to the candy girl and wrapped her up in a hug, tossing her high up and catching her. Bubblegum yelled in fear and excitement before laughing as she landed safely in Marceline's arms. "That's why we old folks need friends like you to simplify things for us!" The vampire concluded, tickling Bubblegum for a little before the two lay down next to each other happily.

Moments passed in comfortable silence. "Marceline, what do you want the most?"

She looked over again at the candy girl, who asked heavy questions as though the answers were so simple. "Well…love I guess. Isn't that what everyone wants?" She laughed, deciding the simplest answer was the best. After all, that's what Bonni seemed to be able to do, so why not her?

"Well I love you Marceline." She said as though it were common knowledge. It was the very first time Bubblegum had told her that.

Marceline smiled softly. "Thank you." She said, unused to anyone saying it or meaning it.

"Marceline? This was not something bad. This was just something we weren't supposed to do. This was good."

"You're right again, Bonni. You are so smart." The two gazed up at the moon until Bubblegum fell asleep. Marceline packed everything up and carried the girl and basket back to the candy kingdom. She tucked her in and put everything back in the kitchen silently. Leaving the way she came in, she placed a little kiss on Bubblegum's head and whispered, "Goodnight, little one." Before making her way back to her tree house.

A/N

Okay, this one was actually from a suggestion by Rosswellmorgana who asked, 'Can Bonni take Marci on a date?' Yes I realize it probably wasn't what you were expecting, but I still hope it's okay! It's just what popped into my head when I thought about it. I'm practically drowning in suggestions and reviews and I love it! Thank you all so much!

***KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING!***

As for those of you requesting what Marceline did after the break-up, don't worry, I'll do it! I know what she does! I just wanna take a break from that point in time right now. As for what Bubblegum does, I think that'd be a separate chapter from Marci's, and that one is a little more unclear. But it'll all happen! Fear not! I remain ever-loyal to your requests.

-JD