Ice King watched as Marceline ran from his room, tears streaming down her face. For a moment he felt guilt well in him before angrily shoving it away. She should have known they would be stuck like this. There was never any chance for someone to love him like this. Their last hope had left with Fionna.

Ice King paused at the thought of the blonde. He hadn't really thought of her since she had left, not wanting to dwell on his mistake. He sighed, reaching down for his magic mirror from where it too had fallen on the floor. He would check on the girl. Hopefully she had found someone to heal her arm before it killed her. The man moved towards the mostly upright chair on the far side of his room, sitting and staring at the mirror.

"Show me the girl." The surface swirled before showing him a cottage he was all too familiar with.

Neptr gasped as he was pulled back to reality. Finn was on the floor in front of him, eyes glazed over. The boy rushed to the blonde's side, tears in his eyes.

"What happened?" Neptr looked up at his father, wincing at the dark look that passed over Magic Man's face.

"I don't know! He was sick so I took off the band and now-" His father cut him off, eyes shining with anger as he looked down at Neptr.

"You did what?" He looked over to the blonde, seeing the golden band now lying discarded on the floor. His gaze snapped back to Neptr and he stalked towards the boy. Neptr hissed as he was roughly dragged to his feet, his father's grip painful around his throat. Still he stood over Finn, doing his best to protect the blonde from his father's wrath.

"The band was hurting him!" For a moment Neptr was afraid that he'd gone too far and his father would finally kill him. After a short staring contest Magic Man finally released the boy, letting Neptr drop to the floor. The boy rubbed at his throat, trying to ease the bruised muscles.

"You are lucky I still have need of you." Neptr sighed in relief, body sagging. Magic Man allowed the boy a moment of peace before gripping his shoulder and dragging him away from the still unconscious blonde on the floor. "You need to be punished."

Neptr nodded, eyes dull. He just hoped Finn would be okay.

Ice King was practically shaking with rage, he knew he should have killed that fool when he'd had the chance. Though he couldn't hear what was being said he could tell from the small boy standing over an unconscious Fionna that something was amiss. Fionna was being held captive by Magic Man. He had to save her.

The man rose from his seat, face determined as he gathered a week's worth of clothing. The door burst open and the Ice King barely spared the entering duo a glance.

"I do not have time for more petty chatter Marceline." He heard a snort come from the other side of the room and looked up. Marceline and Flame stood side by side and surprise flashed across Ice King's face. The two had never really gotten along before the curse and their opposing magical natures only solidified their dislike for each other. He had to give Marceline credit. Flame was better than dragging Tree Trunks into this.

"Your Majesty?" Ice King shook his head. Flame was a wonderful advisor but the man knew nothing of the current situation. He could not help them now.

"Your words won't sway me Flame. I meant what I said. Besides I have somewhere to be." Flame merely nodded, allowing his king to continue shoving things into a bag. Marceline huffed and stepped closer to Ice King.

"Where?" Ice King slung his pack over his shoulder, sneering at the vampire.

"That is none of your concern." With that he left the room, marching towards the stables.

"I hate him sometimes!" Marceline growled, kicking the nearest wall in frustration. Flame stood calmly beside her which only served to further agitate the vampire.

"He is troubled." Marceline rolled her eyes.

"Of course he is! He's lost it!" Flame shook his head, smirking at the irritation rolling off of Marceline. He'd been reluctant to join her when she asked for his help in persuading the Ice King but this was proving to be excellent entertainment. Still he knew that the Ice King was under an enormous amount of pressure and with the information that Tree Trunks had shared with him earlier he knew this was more than just simple frustration. Something was weighing on the Ice King. Something important.

"No, I mean something is currently bothering him. He seemed tenser than usual." Marceline sighed, wondering if Flame would take the news well. She knew he wasn't turned like she was but he wouldn't be too happy to hear about the rose.

"The rose wilted." Flame sucked in a sharp breath, nearly choking. Why was he always the last to know something!?

"What?" Marceline knew he wouldn't take this lightly.

"We are stuck this way." Flame frowned as he watched his friend slump. He was saddened for her but something nagged at him.

"You wanted to be human too?" First Tree Trunks and now Marceline? Did everyone want to be normal again? He couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice as he watched Marceline. Marceline growled, turning back to Flame.

"I don't want to stay a monster!" And just like that Flame felt himself shut down. He knew his flames had died down slightly and were closer to his skin than before. She thought he was a monster.

"I see." How long had she thought that? How long had she hidden her hate for him? He turned away from the woman, intent on leaving before she could hurt him further. Sure their encounters often ended in them fighting but he'd come to see Marceline as a friend. It seemed she had never shared that sentiment.

"Flame wait!" Flame paused as he heard Marceline scramble after him. He needed to leave before he said something he would regret.

"Why? Surely you wouldn't want to spend your time with a monster?" There was such deadly venom in his voice that Marceline took a step back. She hadn't meant to hurt the man but surely he had to understand that she didn't want this. He wasn't like her. He wasn't normal. He would never understand wanting to be normal, human, again. She had been human once, had known the joy of being normal and she'd lost the chance to ever return. Flame must understand that. She hadn't meant to hurt him.

"I didn't mean it like that." Flame laughed, turning back to the woman. His flames flickered high on his skull, anger coursing through him.

"Oh? Then how did you mean it because it sounded an awful lot like you think all magical people are monsters." Marceline shook her head fervently. She hadn't meant that at all!

"Not all! I don't think you're a monster!" She couldn't possibly be serious. She had to know how much she was hurting him. That what she was saying was hurting him. That what she wasn't saying was hurting him.

"But my mother and father are monsters yes? Or perhaps my baby sister?" Frustration began to build in Marceline. She wasn't the one Flame should be angry at. She hadn't made any of them like this. Flame was just projecting.

"You know what I meant!" Flame growled. He needed to leave. He couldn't stay here with Marceline. Not now. Not if she kept talking.

"Until you decide to see me as an equal I do not wish to speak with you." He finally forced himself to walk away from the vampire. He paused, pink eyes trained on him and gave a strained smile. "Hello Bonnibelle."

Marceline sucked in a sharp breath, gaze flashing to her lover. Bonnie stood there, looking so sad and afraid that Marceline felt her heart break. How long had she been there? How much had she heard? Bonnie was like Flame, magical from birth. Hopefully she understood what Marceline was saying.

"Bonnie…" The pink woman sobbed softly, trying to scrub away the tears in her eyes.

"Am I a monster too?" Marceline's heart broke further and she took a step towards her lover.

"Bonnie no. I just-" Bonnie shook her head before fleeing down the hall. Marceline stood there, watching her love and her friend leave her and wondered what she could have done wrong.