Chapter 16


Bonnibel groaned as she stirred from her slumber. The floor felt harder and colder than it had before.

"Marcy, are you there?" she asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Still drowsy, Bonnibel felt around the floor blindly for the vampire. But it became very clear to her very quickly that she was all alone. Once again, Jigsaw had separated the princess from her friends. Princess Bubblegum now found herself in a long dark hallway.

"Again?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "How?!"

Princess Bubblegum's mind began to race as she thought of multiple possible scenario's for how Jigsaw could have separated her from her friends. There was no way they could have been dragged away if they were simply asleep.

"How are they doing it?" Bonnibel asked herself as she racked her brain for answers. "Magic, toxins, magic toxins?"

A jolt of pain rippled through her reattached arm, dragging her from her thoughts. She hissed in pain as her fingers flexed and coiled. The nerves were still damaged from the trauma.

As Bonnibel tried to massage the pain out of her arm, she felt something squirming under her feet. She looked down and found that several maggots were wriggling on the ground. She quickly noticed that the maggots formed a trail down the hallway. She knew that whatever waited for her at the end of the trail was another creation of the rotten pig-masked giant that had kidnapped her.

"Who is that giant?" Bonnibel asked herself as she stepped over the maggots. "Why is it so obsessed with me?"

She had to know the answer. But she knew that getting the answers to her questions would mean more pain and loss. With no other options, the princess cautiously made her way down the dark hallway towards whatever madness had been created for her.


As the princess carefully walked down the dark hallway, she began to hear what sounded like voices. She stopped and listened. They were faint and muffled, but she could hear several voices coming from the end of the hallway. There were more people trapped within the depths of the machine. She had to find them and release them.

The walls of the hallway began to narrow as the princess slowly approached its end. The hallway led her to a large metal door with a red spiral painted on it. Through the door, the princess could hear several voices taking over each other.

"Shut up, Dextrose! You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Neither do you! So, stop talking down to me!"

"Everyone, please remain calm. I'm certain we can think of a way out of this."

Princess Bubblegum's heart leaped at the sound of the last voice. It was Peppermint Butler's voice. She was so happy to know that he was with her, but her happiness quickly turned into dread. Yes, he was with her, but that meant that he was trapped in this sick game just like she was.

Bonnibel pressed her ear up against the metal door and listened.

"Peppermint Butler, are you in there?!"

"Princess, is that you?!" Peppermint Butler exclaimed.

"The Princess?"

"She's here?"

"Thank goodness!"

"Princess…"

Bonnibel could hear the surprise in the voices of her subjects. They probably didn't expect her to be the one that came to their rescue. She had to force herself to at least sound calm. She didn't want to panic them. But deep down she knew that there a great cause to be panicked. They didn't know how much danger they were in, and neither did she.

"Yes, its me, Pepper." Bonnie answered as calmly as she could. "Who's in there with you?"

"Ms. Lollipop, Cherry Cream Soda-"

"We're in her too, Princess!" the voice of the old Captain Banana Guard shouted, cutting off Peppermint Butler. "Me, one of your lab assistances, Dr. Dextrose, one of the banana guards, and some weirdo."

"Yeah, they're all gooey and gross!" Dr. Dextrose exclaimed.

Princess Bubblegum didn't have time to question what her subjects were shouting at her. She needed to know what kind of trap they were stuck in.

"What can you see?" she asked nervously.

"We can't see anything, your majesty." Cherry Cream Soda answered. "It's pitch-black in here."

Bonnibel could hear the distinct sound of machinery moving. The sound only filled the princess with more dread.

"What's that sound?" she asked.

"I am not sure, Princess." Peppermint Butler answered. "It's something we are all chained to. It seems to be spinning."

"Please, get us out of here!" Dr. Dextrose shouted, jarring the frightened princess.

Bonnibel shook her head and swallowed the bile that was rising in her stomach. There was no way to avoid what was next. If she was to win her game, she would have to face whatever awaited her through the painted metal doors. After taking several breaths, Princess Bubblegum placed her hands on the metal doors and pushed them open.

The moment the doors swung open; a loud buzzer blared through the room. Several spinning red emergency lights illuminated the room with a red glow. A single industrial light snapped to life, shinning its harsh light down onto the center of the room. Princess Bubblegum's jaw dropped as she stared at what stood before her. The center of the room was encircled by a massive metal cage. In the center of the cage were eight of her subjects. Each of them was chained to a metal carousel, no different then one might see at a playground. All eight subjects were forced facing forward. She could see the fear in their eyes so clearly as she staggered towards the cage.

All of her subjects were shouting over each other in a confused cacophony of terror. This was nothing like her last game. This felt much more personal. Somehow, the princess knew that not all of her subjects would be walking away from this. But she would do whatever she could to save as many as she could.

"Princess, what is this?!" a terrified Lollipop girl asked.

Bonnie gripped metal of the cage as hard as she could as anger spread through her veins. How dare they! How dare Jigsaw bring her loyal subjects into this sick game! They did nothing to deserve being here.

"It's a game…" Bonnie answered somberly as the chill of dread crept down her spine.

The princess's answer was met with confusion and panic. Each of her eight subjects once again began to argue and shout.

A loud static split through the air as an old television snapped awake. Silence fell over the room as the ghostly face of the dummy appeared on the screen. Slowly, the dummy turned and faced the screen.

"Hello, Bonniebel. Before you are eight of your loyal subjects. They willingly follow you, and for that you reward them. Yet only three of the eight you see before you know the truth about the games you play in the name of science. The science of creating life. How many of them have you replaced over the years? And how many have you failed to create? How many have you left unfinished?"

"Princess, what are they talking about?!" a terrified Lollypop Girl asked.

The princess opened her mouth but could not find the words she needed. Her eyes lingered on one of the eight victims. It was a pitiful mess of candy, missing both its legs and one of its arms. Its body looked mushy and doughy, like gooey butter cake. Its beady black eyes locked with hers and it smiled goofily at her.

"Princess…" it slurred.

"Out of every batch of candy people you create, three are left unfinished. The unfinished are then kept hidden from the rest of your subjects, or in some cases, destroyed. And with them gone, your failures remain hidden. Now we will apply that number to those you see before you."

Destroyed?! What do they mean, destroyed? Princess Bubblegum asked herself. I never destroyed any of the unfinished. I only kept them hidden to protect them and the other candy people!

Peppermint Butler, Dr. Dextrose, and the lab assistant all gave her guilty looks. They knew what Jigsaw spoke of, for they had a hand in it.

"What did you three do?" Bonnie asked in an accusing tone. "What have you not been telling me?"

A buzzer blared as another red light bulb flashed, illuminating a metal cage with two red buttons placed inside. Princess Bubblegum's eyes widened in horror as she saw what the box's cables connected to. Mounted on the floor was a shotgun with what looked like an automated firing mechanism made from a piston and a bike pedal.

"Eight ride the carousel, but only three can get off. The decision of who survives falls upon you, princess. But know that the mounted gun will continue to fire until all eight rounds are spent. And if no decision is made on your part, all eight will perish."

Princess Bubblegum could not believe what she was hearing. How could they make her do this? The chained subjects were now panicking as they heard the rules of the game. It was all too much to process.

"To offer the three reprieves you must press both buttons in the box before you. However, in doing so you will give a sacrifice of your own. Three can live, five will die. Your decisions symbolized by the blood on your hands."

The television flickered before turning off. Another loud buzzer blared, signaling that the game had begun.


"Princess, you have to get us out of here!"

"Princess, please, you have to save us!"

"Everyone, please, don't make this harder than it needs to be."

"Princess…"

Princess Bubblegum's mind was racing as she tried to process everything that was happening. But before she could make sense of anything, the sound of the buzzer pulled her from her thoughts and threw her back into the horrible present. With a low groan, the carousel began to slow. At the rate it was slowing, the first victim would be the young banana guard.

"Princess, do not listen to the man on the tv." The young guard ordered. "The Candy Kingdom does not negotiate with terrorist."

The carousel lurched to halt, placing the young guard in front of the shotgun. A buzzer blared as the red light on the caged box flashed. A piston hissed as it loaded the first shell into the firing chamber. Princess Bubblegum looked into the box before shakily placing her left hand into the box.

"Follow the policy, princess."

A loud clicking sounded as the bike pedal cycled.

"Follow the policy."

Bonnie shut her eyes as she pressed both of the buttons at once. Or, so she thought. She opened her eyes once she realized what was wrong. The nerves in her arm were still heavily damaged from its amputation and reattachment. Even though she was telling her hand to press the buttons, her arm would not respond. She realized this all too late.

"Princess, follow the-"

A deafening bang tore through the air as buckshot ripped through the young guard's body, tearing it to shreds and splattering banana cream all over the people chained behind him. Screams and shouts erupted as what was left of his torso slumped limply against his chains. With a groan, the carousel began to cycle once again.

Princess Bubblegum sobbed and slammed her numb hand against the caged box. Tears rolled down her face as raw, painful emotions stormed through her mind.

"What the flip!"

"Oh, my glob!"

"Princess, you need me!" the lab assistant shouted. "I know more about your experiments than any of the others! You can't let me die!"

"Don't listen to him Princess! Dr. Dextrose shouted. "I know more about your research than him!"

"Both of you, be quiet!" Peppermint Butler snapped. "Do not make this harder for her."

"Princess…" Butter Cake slurred.

The groaning of machinery filled the room as the carousel began to slow once again. The next victim would be Cherry Cream Soda.

"Princess, please, Dirt Beer needs me!" she begged. "He hasn't been right ever since he came back to life. He needs me to take care of him! Please…"

The carousel lurched to a stop. Bonnie flinched as the buzzer blared. Cherry Cream screamed as the piston loaded the next shell into the firing chamber.

"Princess, please!"

Bonnie stared at Cherry Cream for a moment. The princess could tell that she was not begging for her own life alone. She had someone that needed her, someone who relied on her. She knew that Dirt Beer Guy had not been the same person he was before his death. He was getting slower, and more forgetful. Cherry Cream Soda was the only person that made him feel normal. She couldn't take that away from either of them.

The clicking of the bike pedal pulled the princess from her thoughts. Bonnie swallowed the lump in her throat and placed her right hand into the box. As she pressed down on both buttons, a large metal spike was driven down into her hand. Bonnie screamed in pain, but she refused to release the buttons. A hiss of hydraulics sounded as the mounted shotgun rose to an upright position.

A flash and earsplitting bang tore through the room as the shotgun fired above Cherry Cream's head. She had been saved. She would live. Princess Bubblegum sobbed as she released the buttons. As she did, the spike retracted back into the top of the box. Sugary syrup seeped out of Bonnie's hand as she pulled it out of the box and held it tightly.

"Thank you, Princess!" Cherry Cream exclaimed as tears of both joy and guilt poured down her face. Thank you!"

With a groan, the carousel began to cycle again, now with six players left in the game.


"Why?!" the lab assistant shouted in disbelief. "Why her?! She doesn't know anything about your research!"

"Princess, please. I'll do anything you want, please don't let me die!" Lollipop Girl begged desperately.

"Princess, I am the one who should live." Captain Banana Guard stated firmly. "Your Banana guards need my leadership."

"Princess…" Butter Cake slurred, seemingly unaware of what was happening around them.

"Shut up you half-finished reject!" Dr. Dextrose snapped angrily. "You need me, Princess!"

"All of you, stop this!" Peppermint Butler ordered. "The Princess's decision is her own. Do not try to persuade her."

The carousel began to slow again. This time, it was the lab assistant's turn.

"Princess, you need me!" the assistant begged. "Without me, your research would have gone nowhere!"

The carousel lurched to a stop, the piston loaded the next shell into the firing chamber, and the pedal began to click towards the trigger.

"Princess, wake up!" the assistant begged.

Bonnie looked through the metal cage with tears in her eyes and an unbearable pain in her heart. What lesson was this game supposed to teach her? She knew that she was guilty of messing with her subject's lives, but it was necessary to maintain her kingdom. She wasn't proud of it, but it had to be done. But that never stopped her from loving her creations. She loved every one of her candy people. How was killing them going to teach her anything?

"Princess, please!" the assistant begged in terror as the pedal clicked closer towards the trigger. "Don't let me die!"

Bonnie sobbed and shut her eyes as tight as she could. Despite her love for her creations, she could not bring herself to press the button. It tore her apart knowing that she was sentencing one of her subjects to death.

"PRINCESS PLEASE!"

Once again, the shotgun fired, blowing a hole through the lab assistant's body.

"OH, MY GLOB!"

"NO!"

"PRINCESS, PLEASE!"

Once again, the carousel began to cycle, now with only five players left.


"Okay, okay, look, I am on your side, Princess." Dr. Dextrose insisted. "You can trust me."

"Oh, please, he's been stealing from your coffers for years!" Capitan Banana Guard shouted angrily. "He'll stab you in the back when you're not looking!"

"Princess…" Butter Cake slurred with a small amount of worry on its face.

"I'll do anything you want me to do, just please don't let me die!" Lollipop Girl begged as she pulled against her chains.

Much to everyone's horror, the carousel began to slow.

Princess Bubblegum's eyes widened as the next victim cycled before her.

"Well, Princess, this is most unfortunate." Peppermint Butler stated calmly as the carousel halted. "It appears that it is my turn."

The piston hissed as the shell was loaded into the gun. The pedal clicked as it cycled towards the trigger.

"I will not beg for my life, Princess." Peppermint Butler stated firmly. "Whatever your decision is, I will accept it. It had been an honor serving at your side."

"Pep…" Bonnie muttered weakly.

The two of them had been through so much together. He had been with her since the founding days of the Candy Kingdom. No matter what she did or said, Peppermint Butler was always there by her side. He was more than a butler; he was one of her closest friends in all of Ooo. She couldn't let him die.

Bonnie placed her hand into the box and pressed both of the buttons. She screamed as the spike was driven down into her hand. She bared her teeth as the barrel of the shotgun rose towards the ceiling. Again, the shotgun fired, sending a shock wave of pure terror through the remaining subjects. With a hiss of pain, Bonnie released the buttons and withdrew her hand from the box. The hole in her hand was so large that she could almost see through it.

"Thank you, princess." Peppermint Butler said as he bowed his head.

Again, the carousel began its terrible cycle, now with only four players left.


"Of course, you let him live! He is your butler!" Dr. Dextrose shouted bitterly.

"Princess...?" Butter Cake slurred, now with fear creeping across its face.

"Think about your guards, princess!" Captain Banana Guard shouted. "They need my leadership!"

"Please, I don't wanna die here!" Lollipop Girl cried as tears and mucus ran down her face.

Princess Bubblegum stared vacantly down at the button box as the carousel cycled. Her subject's pleas and bickering overlapped in a cacophony of madness. Through all the noise, Bonnie could swear that she could hear joyful carnival music. The grief and the pain were too much for her. Her body and mind quickly grew numb to everything around her. She became so numb that she didn't even flinch once the carousel slowed and stopped.

"Princess…?" Butter Cake slurred nervously as they were brought before the shotgun.

Bonnie looked at the unfinished creature before her. It pained her to admit it, but she had no memory of its creation. Had she become so wrapped up in her science that she had forgotten about it? Was she that awful of a creator? Was she that awful of a princess? Was that the purpose of this game? To show her how awful a person she was? Could it be that simple?

The piston sounded as it loaded the shell into the firing chamber. The pedal clicked as it cycled towards the trigger.

"Princess?" Butter Cake asked with a confused look on its face. The unfinished creation did not understand what was happening, and the princess knew this.

Pain burned in the Princess's heart as the pedal cycled closer towards the trigger. This was all her fault. All of this was her fault. If she had been a better princess, maybe none of this would be happening.

"Close your eyes…" Bonnie softly ordered to her unfinished creation. "It will be over soon…"

"Princess?" Butter Cake asked again, still not understanding.

Finally, the pieces fell into place for the poor gooey creature. It all suddenly made sense. She wasn't going to save them. She was going to let them die. Its eyes darted from the shotgun back to the princess as terror took hold and the pedal reached the trigger.

"PRINCESS-"

With a flash of the muzzle and deafening bang, green ooze splatter across the room as buckshot tore through Butter Cake's body. With a sad sounding gurgle, its body slumped forward lifeless. Bonnie sobbed as the carousel began to cycle again. Now, there were only three players left.


The sound of her subject's pleaded and fighting once again were drowned out by the sound of carnival music. Bonnie knew that there really was no music. Her mind was beginning to slip and she knew it. She just wanted it all to be over.

The earsplitting bang of the shotgun firing ripped her out of her haze. Before her was the lifeless body of the old Captain Banana Guard. Guilt tore through her heart like a bullet at her blunder. She had been so caught up in her own haze that she had somehow forgotten where she was. Now there were only two players left.

The carousel moved to a slow crawl as it cycled the remaining players.

"Princess, you can trust me!" Dr. Dextrose assured desperately. "I'd never lie to you!"

"Princess, please! I'm so scared! I don't wanna die!" Lollipop Girl sobbed messily. "Please, please save me!"

"Don't listen to her, you need me!"

"Please, I'm begging you!"

Machinery groaned as the carousel slowed to a stop. It was now Lollipop Girl's turn.

She shrieked as the piston loaded the shell into the chamber.

"PRINCESS, PRINCESS PLEASE!" she screamed as loudly as she could. "PLEASE DON'T LET ME DIE!"

She screamed as the petal cycled towards the trigger.

"I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

Bonnie couldn't stand it. The screaming, the pleading, the death, she just wanted it to end. With her head hug low, Bonnie placed her hand into the box and pressed the buttons. She hardly even flinched when the spike was driven into her hand. Slowly, the barrel of the shotgun was aimed towards the ceiling. With a flash and bang, the shotgun fired into the air, signaling that Lollipop Girl would live. But it also signaled that Dr. Dextrose's fate was sealed.

"Thank you, thank you thank you thank you!" Lollipop sobbed hysterically as tears of joy and guilt ran down her face.

The buzzer sounded again, and the red light on the box went out, signaling that no more could be saved. Once again, the carousel began to cycle, one last time.


Anger and betrayal burned in Dr. Dextrose's heart. That was it, he was going to die.

"Well that's it, isn't it?!" he shouted angrily. "It's over! You bitch! You spineless, pussy-whipped royal bitch!"

"Stop it…" Cherry Cream Soda begged weakly.

"That's all it takes, isn't it?! A pretty face says one thing, and it's all over! Well, you know what, Bonnibel? Your kingdom is bullshit! Your science is bullshit! You're bullshit!"

Every word that Dextrose spat at her tore through Bonnie's heart like a bullet. She did not blame him or resent him for any of it. She had failed him.

"Well you listen to me you little bitch!" tears rolled down Dextrose's face as he inched closer towards the shotgun. "I did everything for you…"

The piston hissed as it loaded the last shell into the firing chamber. The clicking of the pedal echoed across the room as it cycled towards the trigger. The princess could not watch. She had seen too much death and despair.

"Look at me!" Dextrose screamed as loud as he could. "When you're killing me, you look at me!"

Bonnie opened her eyes and stared at Dextrose. He looked at her with nothing but pure fear and sadness in his eyes.

"I'm sorry…" Bonnie whimpered.

The shotgun spoke for the last time, echoing its song of death throughout the room. Chunks of candy and syrup splattered across the room, coating the survivors. Finally, the carousel stopped spinning. The game was over.


The sound of a door hissing open, hardly even registered in Bonnie's mind. With empty glassy eyes, the princess limped towards the open door. She didn't even hear the voices of her subjects. She, for most part was completely checked out and running on autopilot. Only once she was through the doorway did she awaken. The door slid shut behind her and locked. Bonnie found herself back in the holding chamber.

She was alone. There was no Finn, no Marceline, and no Phoebe waiting for her this time. Finally, all the pain, the dread, and the sadness that the princess had been holding back crashed down over her like an avalanche. She screamed a long, soul wrenching scream as she fell to her knees. Everything hurt; her body, her mind, her heart, everything.

"THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU!" she screamed furiously. "WHY DID YOU MAKE ME DO THIS?!"

Her screams were met with silence. No answer would be given.

Bonnie hugged herself and curled up on the cold floor. She was so tired, and filled with despair.

At that moment, Bonnie wished that she was dead.


Peppermint Butler struggled against his chains as he tried to use his dark magic to escape. But much like his earlier attempts, this one too had failed. Something was blocking or draining his magic. Despite everything, he was truly happy to know that the princess was still alive. He just needed to find a way to break free.

Over the sound of Cherry Cream Soda and Lollipop Girl's soft sobs, the sound of chains rattling could be heard. Peppermint Butler strained his short body to see who was rattling their chains. His jaw dropped in absolute disbelief at what he saw. With one mighty tug of their chains, the body of Butter Cake fell to the floor.

With a low growl, the unfinished creation propped itself off the floor with its arm. A flash of metal gleamed in the dull red light of the room as a mass of springs and pistons slithered out from beneath the carousel and attached itself to Butter Cake's back.

The three survivors watched in awe and horror as the mass of metal slowly began to slide and raise the unfinished creature off of the floor. While the device was spreading across his body, Butter Cake dug his fingers into his skin and ripped off a bullet proof vest hidden beneath his sludge. On the back of the vest were several packets of green slime rigged to burst. Butter Cake held the vest in front of Peppermint Butler as if to mock him.

The sound of clicking locks and spinning gears flooded the room as the metallic nest locked around Butter Cake to form a skeleton. He towered over the survivors at a staggering seven feet tall. He stomped over to where the shotgun was mounted and reached behind it.
From behind the mount, he withdrew a long black robe and a rotting maggot filled pig mask.

Peppermint Butler could not believe what he was seeing. The unfinished creation that should have been no smarter than an under baked cinnamon roll had orchestrated all of this? He refused to believe that. It made no sense.

Butter Cake snorted as he stomped towards the cage and ripped the bars open. He felt so happy that his game had worked. He had tricked the very person that was responsible for his all of his suffering. The one that tossed him from the Candy Kingdom. The one that made him do the things that he did. The one that made him hurt the people he hurt. Peppermint Butler.

"Good bye, Pepper…" he growled as he pulled a hidden lever.

The floor beneath the carousel suddenly opened and dropped the three survivors into a howling abyss. With a snort, Butter Cake opened the door and stepped out into the hallway, leaving the room dark and empty.


The feeling of satisfaction faded and was replaced with a bitter sad feeling. Princess Bubblegum did not remember him. Not even in the slightest. He had hoped that she would have at least remembered his face, what was left of it. But he wasn't angry, not anymore.

Princess Bubblegum was not the one who helped him, she was not the one that rebuilt him, she was not the one that he was loyal to.

He didn't need a princess. He had Jigsaw and his games. And there were still games left to be played.


Work and tornadoes wont stop me!