Fionna was at the Candy Palace with her boyfriend helping him get ready for the party.
"Hey shouldn't you be getting ready, the party will start in a few hours." Prince Gumball asked.
"Can't I just wear this?" She was wearing her normal clothes. Nothing was wrong with them per se but they were definitely on the worn side at this point.
"You should wear a dress tonight. A lot of important people will be here and I don't want anything to go wrong. I am already risking it with letting Marshall play tonight."
"I don't really have any more dresses. They tend to get torn up."
"I think you can find something here in the castle. I'll get Peppermint Maid to help you."
Before she could get another word in Peppermint Maid had her hand and was leading her away.
She was now in a gigantic closet filled with pink clothes. Only pink clothes. It wasn't that she had anything against the color but when given a choice she would never pick it for herself.
"How's this one?" Peppermint held a large ballgown with big puffs.
"I don't think so. I'd like to be able to walk within six feet of people." She tried to joke but Peppermint didn't laugh.
"This?" Now this dress was a lot smaller and strapless.
"I'm not very confident in strapless dresses."
This time the maid made no comment just started to pull random dresses all with some kind of excuse from Fionna.
Finally after over an hour of searching they find one that she is willing to try on. It was a fit and flare pastel pink dress with a sheer v-neck. The only issue she had with it was the color but considering where she was, it would be the same with every dress at her disposal tonight.
"This will work." She walked back down to Gumball who was also getting ready.
"Hey," She said walking in his room.
"Fionna what a lovely dress." He was fixing his hair and talking to her through the mirror.
"Thanks nice prince outfit." She smiled.
"Are you going to do your hair?"
"I was just going to wear my bunny hat." She was already in a weird dress and she felt better with her hat.
"Your hair is so lovely though why not style it?"
"I prefer my hat-"
"Nonsense I'll call someone and we will get your hair styled."
And like before she was getting dragged to a new place before she could say otherwise.
This time she was with a butler and he was combing her hair.
She thought it took forever picking out a dress, but considering her hair went past her knees she knew it would take a while.
The butler started to braid her hair and she was hoping that would be all but then he began pulling and tugging her hair in every direction.
"Ow!"
"Sorry Fionna but it is a lot of hair and I don't want it falling out."
"It feels like you're pulling it out." She grumbled.
He continued despite her protest and the end result was a bun with many intricate braids. It was pretty and kept her hair out of the way but it was hurting.
The party now was going to start within the hour and Marshall Lee had arrived with his band to set up.
He was just going over the setlist with his band when Prince Gumwad came by.
"Hello everyone," He greeted with his usual forced smile, "I would like to welcome you to the Candy Kingdom and would also like to make some suggestions about the songs that will be performed tonight."
"Like what." Marshall had no pleasure in his voice.
"Well this is a party for the nobles and other high ranking members of the Candy Kingdom so our music is a tad different from what you play. So if you could keep the screaming to a-"
"I don't scream Princy."
"Either way the Candy people like more mellow and happy music. Would that be possible." It wasn't a question. He said it in a way that was too commanding and if Fionna wasn't making her way over Marshall would've said something.
"Hey Marsh!" She waved at him then to the band, "And Kyle, Danny, and Brice."
"Hey Fionna!" Said the band.
"Hey Fi you look," don't say pink do Not say pink, "Pink." Oh my Glob why am I like this!
"Yeah I know I needed to use a dress from here."
Memories of all the times she had fought in her dresses then prompted him to ask, "So I take it your other dresses didn't survive the last battle."
"You would be correct."
"Marshall please do remember what I asked." Prince Gumball said making sure he couldn't be forgotten from the conversation.
"Yeah, yeah no fun music I got ya."
"No fun music?" Fionna asked.
"I didn't say that I just said that the Candy people like more mellow and happy tunes."
"Ok but Marsh is the artist here he knows how to play to a crowd."
Marshall wanted to grin from ear to ear when she took his side but he instead tried to keep his cool and settled for a smirk. His band buddies nudged each other but Prince Gumball decided to turn the tide in his direction.
"Of course, sweetness," He then kissed Fionna's hand, "I was just making a suggestion."
Fionna was now fairly flustered. Marshall had to see Fionna get flustered over a guy who doesn't even like her. He was furious and his band could see.
"Dear I believe some guests are arriving early will you greet them with me?" He knew exactly how to be charming and what he needed to do to make Marshall's skin crawl.
The couple left and the band pulled Marshall to the side to ask what the Hell they just saw. He explained in a hushed tone and swore his band to secrecy.
"Dude that is so fucked up!"
"I know and he really doesn't like her?"
"Guys keep your voices down we need to finish setting up and at the very least play nonlyrical stuff," Marshall stated.
"Ok but we can play a couple of songs with lyrics right?"
"Yeah why?" Marshall could tell his bandmate was thinking of something.
"Well we could play the slow dance song and that one you showed me that was before the mushroom war."
"Warning? Does everyone know the song?"
"Yeah I showed them and we all learned it!"
"Ok we can do that and I'll signal for each song."
Fionna was starting to feel exhausted she had met nearly every high ranking candy person and had to talk with all of them.
She had to listen to Lady Lemondrop talk about her fine china for much longer than Fionna wanted to and then Gumball ditched her to talk with some lord she forgot the name of so she decided to sit and listen to Marshall and his band.
She really liked his music and it helped calm her since this whole thing was really overwhelming. Sure she could slay monsters and laugh in the face of death but a ballroom was always much more stressful for her.
"Ok Candy people," Marshall came on the mic, "I know you've been hearing a lot of background music here but my band and I have some songs we think you might like. I would like to put it to a vote would you like an original song by me and the band? Or a cover of a song from before the mushroom war?"
The crowd had voted for the cover song Marshall counted off his band and they started.
"This is a public service announcement. This is only a test. Emergency evacuation protest. May impair your ability to operate machinery quite tell just what it means to me"
Fionna had heard him sing this song before. Well not really sing it more like hum it. But something was different about how he was singing this one. He was more on edge and if she didn't know better he was glaring at someone.
It's been a stressful time for him maybe this is just how he is dealing with it.
She looked over to her boyfriend and found him looking at Marshall and he looked uncomfortable.
Maybe he just doesn't like Marshy's music.
"Warning, live without warning. Warning, live without warning..." The song continued and Marshall was still glaring at Gumwad. He kept glaring as he made his way to Fionna.
"Hey sweetie." He sat beside her and kissed her cheek this time.
Marshall actually played a wrong note. Only the band noticed but now they are really worried about their friend. The song was over soon enough and Marshall was back to speaking on the mic.
"Hey, guys glad you liked the song! Our last song for tonight was written by me and is called, Slow Dance."
People started to couple up including Gumball and Fionna. They were dancing in the center of the crowd as he sang.
"Slow dance with you. I just wanna slow dance with you," He found himself floating off stage to her, "I know all the other boys are tough and smooth and I got the blues," He was now behind Gumball and winked at Fionna, "I wanna slow dance with you."
He realized how people could interpret this so he started doing the same to some other couples. He eventually made his way back to the stage to finish the song.
"I've got the moves, I'd like to prove, I wanna slow dance with you." He finished the song and people started to clap.
"Thank you for letting us play here, but that is our time and enjoy the rest of your evening!"
He quickly cut the mic and started to pack up everything. He wasn't sure how much longer he could take seeing Fionna with that Asshat. His bandmate were also getting the sense that they should hurry up. It was going rather smoothly till Fionna came up.
"Hey Marsh."
He jumped slightly. In his defence he was busy with some wires and didn't see her, "Hey Fi."
"So I just wanted to say you and your band did awesome tonight I really liked the cover song."
"Thanks, Bun." He wanted to keep talking to her before the Asshat shows up again, "So we still good for movie night on Sunday?"
"Oh shoot, I'm so sorry can we reschedule I told Bubba I would go with him to some play."
"Fi we have movie night every Sunday and have for years."
"I know I completely spaced and I really am sorry but please."
He sighed he really can't do much about it so he said, "Fine but for our next movie night I have two requests for you Bunny."
"Name it."
"One I am picking out the movie and two you can't say a thing about Gumwad when we're watching the movie."
"Deal you are the best Marshy!" She hugged him again but it was very quick since Gumball called her over to him.
Kyle then came over to him, "So...she calls you Marshy?"
"Shut it."
"I'm not saying nothing, just saying. And how you acted tonight it seems kinda-"
"Kind of what." He was now glaring at his bandmate.
"Nothin' forget I said anything." He went back to the others.
Now Denny came to him, "Look I know what the Asshat is doing is beyond scummy but if you need people to talk to we're here for you man."
"Thanks but I need to cool down. I'll talk to you guys later." He finished packing his stuff and floated away.
A/N: I know this is the 3rd chapter already but I wanted to say if you guys want a complete story for fiolee I do already have one called "The Party" and I wanted to say that reviews mean a lot to me as a writer even if it's just 'cool story dude' anyway thanks for reading this far!