Chapter 2
Night had fallen over the Candy Kingdom. Its brightly colored buildings were awash in the moon's pale light. The citizens of the kingdom were all fast asleep, safe in their homes. With the exception of the select few that chose to stay awake into the long hours of he night. The massive Gumball guardians stood undaunted by the need for sleep. The ever-loyal Banana guards tried their best to patrol the streets, but many would simply fall asleep where they stood. It mattered little. So long as the Gumball guardians maintained their silent vigil, the kingdom and the princess would be safe.
Princess Bubblegum yawned and wiped the sleep from her eyes as she observed a small enclosure that sat on her work desk. The test subjects had evolved rather quickly over the last few days she had observed them. They were simple candy constructs, lacking most of the intelligence that the other candy people possessed. But they were still worth studying. Princess Bubblegum watched silently as one of the older subjects tended to what she had determined were fields for agriculture. The tiny farmer stopped and waved at her, making a happy squeaking sound as he did.
Interesting, they have become aware of my presence. Princess Bubblegum thought as she jotted down the new information in her journal.
She then gently prodded the tiny candy farmer with the end of her pencil. It squeaked happily again, even after she left it with a sizable hole in its stomach.
PB turned and wrote more in her journal. She then reached for a pair of scissors. Without hesitating, she quickly snipped the tiny farmer's legs out from under him.
The candy farmer squeaked again, except this time, the squeak was of great dismay. The other candy subjects quickly gathered around their wounded brethren, all squeaking in panic.
Fascinating. They react better to negative stimulus. PB thought as she updated her findings again.
When she looked back towards the test subjects, she found that they had all already retreated into their shelters.
"That's all right, I'll see you all tomorrow." PB said sweetly as she placed the lid back over the enclosure.
Princess Bubblegum yawned as she stood up from her desk. She had stayed up far later than she had intended.
But science waited for no one. At least that is what she wanted to believe. In the months that followed the Lich's final defeat, her kingdom had prospered and grown. She had every right to be content with the way things had become, yet she still felt…incomplete.
Yes, her kingdom was thriving. Yes, the land of Ooo was safe once more.
But she couldn't help but feel an emptiness slowly growing inside of her.
"When was the last time that I saw Finn?" she said to herself with a sad sigh. "When was the last time I got to have fun?"
The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she hadn't seen many of her old friends for almost a month. She hadn't seen Finn or Jake.
Lady Rainicorn was always busy with her family. And Marceline was, well, still Marceline. The two of them hadn't seen each other for a good while now.
All in all, Princess Bubblegum missed her friends.
"Its lonely at the top." She muttered to herself as she slipped into her pajamas.
Just as she had pulled her blankets over herself, there was a sudden knocking on her bedroom door.
"Who is it?" she asked, slightly irritated.
"It is me, Princess." Peppermint butler's familiar voice responded.
"What is it, Pepper?" PB asked with a tired yawn.
"Princess…I think you should come see this…"
"See what?" PB asked, growing more irritated. She was exhausted and wanted to go to sleep.
Her question was met with silence.
"See what?" PB asked again as she pulled her blankets off of her.
Again, she received no answer.
"Cram it." PB cursed under her breath as she hastily walked to the door.
As she flung open the door, Princess Bubblegum was greeted by an empty hallway. Peppermint Butler was nowhere to be seen.
Her eyes quickly scanned the hallway.
"Hello? Pepper, where did you go?" she hollered.
The hallway was completely empty with only one exception.
Setting on the floor in front of her bedroom door was a small box with the words "For Player Two," written on the lid.
"Creepy." PB shuttered as she opened the box.
Her blood ran cold as her eyes fell upon the contents of the small box.
Inside the box were several photographs of herself, Finn, Marceline, and Flame Princess.
Her hands shook as she looked over her photograph.
The only way anyone could take a photo like the one she was holding was if they had taken it from inside her closet.
Written on the back of her photo was a message.
"Do not resist."
Princess Bubblegum heard a loud hiss and felt a sharp pain in her back, followed by an intense burning sensation.
With a startled cry, PB swung around and socked her assailant firmly in the chest. Or at least it felt firmly to her.
The intruder towered over her at a staggering seven feet. They dawned a rotting pig mask and a red and black robe over their massive figure.
In the intruder's hand was a jet injector with an empty vial.
"Intruder!" she screamed as loudly as she could. "Banana Guards! Gumball Guardians!"
Or that's what she would have screamed, if she could. As it were, Princess Bubblegum found that she couldn't move any part of her body.
Whatever she had been injected with was quickly hardening her usual malleable body.
With a dull thud, Princess Bubblegum fell to the floor, stiff as a board.
The masked intruder snorted and withdrew a black body bag from under Princess Bubblegum's bed.
Her heart pounded hard in her chest as she watched the assailant drop the bag next to her.
How did they get past the Gumball guardians? She thought frantically as the intruder unzipped the body bag.
Her eyes darted madly in every direction, looking for a way out, a clue, anything! The intruder easily lifted her off of the floor and slid her into the bag.
Finn, someone…anyone…help me! The screamed to herself as the bag was slowly zipped closed.
No light could be seen inside the pitch-black body bag. Tears quickly fell down Princess Bubblegum's cheeks as she felt the intruder hoist her over their shoulder.
Then she heard a click, followed by a subtle static.
"Hello, Princess Bubblegum. You don't know me. But I know you. If you are playing this tape, then I have found you wanting."
The ground shook as something massive moved on the horizon. Something ancient and evil.
"By the time this tape finishes playing, your friends will already be in my possession. Do not struggle, for you will be joining them soon. I want to play a game."
My friends? Oh, Glob, no! Please, don't hurt them! PB pleaded silently. I'll play your game, just don't hurt my friends!
As if to answer her silent screams, the voice on the tape continued.
"You can't save them, not until you have learned what must be learned."
Princess Bubblegum fought against the chemicals in her body as much as she could, but even in this great peril, she could only force out tiny squeaks from her mouth. Such sounds would never be hear as the masked assailant vanished into the night, with Princess Bubblegum in their possession.
Finn…please help me…
Yes...there will be blood...
