Disclaimer: I don't own Adventure Time or Naruto.
III: Shadows
They said bad things came to good people. They were probably right.She clasped her mouth shut with quivering hands. The beasts growled, slobber plopped on her tiles and they stalked her room in complete darkness. The only source of illumination was the little moonlight that seeped through the flipping windows. She should've locked them and settled for the aircon. Who would've thought fresh air would get her killed?
Bubblegum knew enough about wolves to know how terrible this predicament was. Their eyes glowed. Two of them, about the size of her cabinet.
The beanbag gained weight, the smell of spit and something rotten made her nauseous. It grew stronger the closer they got until she could feel their breath on her face. She trembled. They licked her face to taste. They didn't stop, they wouldn't. Took a lot of self-control before she stopped chewing on her hair. And she was a princess, not a wild animal.
It wouldn't be long until they started biting. Bubblegum reached for something, anything. The wolves might've taken offense to that, seen it as a threat or something because one of them growled and bit her ear.
She yelped, alerted them even more and they were ready to chew her to mush. In a panic, her arms flailed and knocked something over.
Bubblegum scrabbled backward, away from them, until her back hit the cupboard. One caught her foot and she screamed and lashed out with her other. She kicked its head about three times. Felt as if the attacks squeaked because the animal didn't react. Didn't struggle or try to rip her foot clean off. Instead, it let her feet slip away from its maw. Unmoving. Two of them.
Bubblegum backed up, even more, wanted to fuse with her cupboard. Her breathing was erratic like she'd forgotten how to.
They sniffed, sneezed even, as they shook their head. What happened to them? Her eyes wandered.
She'd knocked over Pineapple's IV stand. The weight ripped the cannula off his wrist and he bled.
Claws scratched her tiles and every hair on their canine body bristled, made a puddle out of their drool. Then, they turned.
They shot towards her bed, biting on limbs and chewing on flesh. Bubblegum didn't know how or when she got to her bed. But she pushed one of them so hard it tumbled off the bed and hit the ground with a loud thud. It yipped.
She pulled Pineapple away and the second one bolted after them. She managed to dash into her cupboard just when the other swiped at him, didn't sound like it missed.
Bubblegum locked the cupboard from inside. The wolves were in a frenzy, bashing their heads and bodies against it. Her breathing was a hitching mess, it cut at intervals like a cracked record and she backed away from the door.
She held onto Pineapple, immediately placed a hand on his chest, and relief washed over her. Thank goodness. Thank...
Her arm felt a bit damp—kinda oozy, and when she looked, it was covered in blood. A nervous chuckle left her. Like, those stitches couldn't be that fragile, right? She checked him. He had a few bite marks here and there but the wolf clawed him somewhere. Head, face, shoulder, let it be wherever. Please, anywhere but... there...
Red doused the medical tape around his torso. Damp.
She checked his back and whimpered. Three deep claw marks across his back, right through the stitches, right through the gash. Dirt and grime from who knows where stained the wound. Red... poured like someone tipped a full glass over, she hadn't seen so much before.
She... she could fix him. Bubblegum took a free cloth and tied it over the wound. Her arms, body refused to stay still and the wound refused to clot. She reknotted, a bit loose, but it covered the wound.
Bubblegum leaned him against the wall. It was like last time when he crashed into her room. Yeah, like that. But with wolves. If he survived that, then this was no problem.
She sat in a fetal position and squeezed his hand. The moonlight slipped through the cracks and crannies in the cupboard, illuminating him. With the way he looked, one could count him dead.
To think it would all happen, under her watch.
Wham!
The wolves rammed into the cupboard. The chocolate could only hold out for so long, a few pieces already broke apart.
How was she getting out of this? Could she reach her room phone? Scream for help? Pineapple had those weapons in his pouch too. Maybe she could scare them away with it? She held her chest with her free hand to calm her breathing.
She could beeline towards the balcony door, wouldn't have to unlock it. From there she could alert a banana guard or gumball guardian. Ugh. They'd have chewed Pineapple to bits by then.
Then again, leaving him was the best option. The way it was, the wolves would completely ignore her and go after him. Save herself first, then get help.
That was the perfect plan if she wanted him dead. Since he crashed, she'd gone through the trouble of keeping him alive. If the only other human in existence died under her watch, Bubblegum might never sleep again. Not with that kind of guilt.
She took a deep breath, it'd be fine, she believed so and it granted her vigor. They'd get out of this, didn't know how, yet, but they would—
Bubblegum's head snapped towards him, felt his finger twitch. She blinked. Perhaps her energy went into him somehow because it drained right out of her the moment she felt his body shift.
The wolves rammed the cupboard, she backed it, using her body to support the lock but she didn't let go of his hand. If she remembered Princess correctly then he might need something to squeeze.
All he did was open his eyes. No screams, no writhing, nothing. Pineapple sat there, eyes faded, his body twitched in pain and it seemed he didn't even have the energy to scream. Seemed the moment he closed his eyes again, he'd be gone. For good.
"H-Hey." She squeezed his hand.
He kept still, dared not move, and when it seemed he'd adjusted a bit to the pain, he sighed. The first thing that came out of Pineapple's mouth.
The wolves rammed another piece of her cupboard, pushed her forward a bit but she kept it backed.
He glanced over then let out another sigh. "How troublesome..." The first thing he ever said. His voice was faint and he somehow sounded tired and annoyed at the same time.
"It's not like this every night, promise." Bubblegum let out a strained chuckle.
"Uh-huh..." He managed. "Light switch...?"
"You need the lights on?"
The nod was slow.
"Why... Why do you need them?"
"I... have a plan"—he coughed up blood—"ugh."
A pang across her chest. "Please d-don't speak too much."
"Then... don't make me..." He said, his head down. "Turn on the lights and we'll... be fine."
He was half-conscious. He didn't understand the situation and the pain probably made him delusional.
But. Pineapple spoke with a level of certainty that made her believe a miracle would occur if she did something as trivial as turning the lights. It was weird.
"We'll be fine?"
"Hundred..."
Bubblegum took a deep breath. As she turned, Pineapple reached out like a zombie and smeared blood all over her pajamas. Then his arm fell back to his side. He said nothing, though.
She didn't know how useful the lights would be but it would make things better if she could see, at the very least. After that, she could alert someone.
She kicked open the cupboard door, sent two of the wolves hurtling, made a mad dash for the light switch, hoped to get there before they went after Pine...
The wolves chased her instead, mouths foaming. It didn't take long for it to click. The blood Pineapple smeared on her. That ding-dong, really—she rammed face-first into a wall. It hurt. She switched the lights and balled up in a squat, flailing a hand to fend off the beasts.
The wolves stopped inches away from her, fangs bared. They struggled to move but couldn't like something held them still. That was close, way too close.
She got up. A shadow—Pineapple's shadow—snaked around the wolves like it was solid. The end of the shadow-like tendril pierced into their fur and even skin, kept them still. She didn't know exactly what or how it happened, but it kept the wolves checked. Probably magic, he did have all those parchments on him... Speaking of...
He was still in the cupboard, sat there with his head down, like a ragged and broken doll. With the lights on, it was clear the amount of red that tainted her room and her cupboard.
She rushed over. Pineapple raised a palm to stop her, told her to get help instead. He took deep breaths and the wolves inched forward. Maybe controlling the shadows and moving them took some kind of physical or mental toll on him. That was her timer. So, she needed to be quick.
Bubblegum hurried over to the balcony. No... it'd be better to call Princess but she had to do something about the wolves. She steeled her nerves and grabbed the chair that boarded the balcony door. She smacked one with the chair so hard it broke. The animal fell, motionless. The second one whimpered, unable to move as she raised half a chair. She might've woken someone up with that one.
Pineapple's shadow returned to him and she tossed aside the splintered chair.
"You had them chase me." She started, tried to keep her voice steady. It was best he was awake, best he was talking because she thought if he closed his eyes, that could be it.
"Ah... sorry 'bout that," he said, spoke like his mind was elsewhere. "You could run... I couldn't..."
"Fair enough." Bubblegum said. He needed new stitches, the wound was probably still open and bleeding. She'd stitch it herself but she wasn't sure how to. He wasn't a confectionery treat. "Stay awake, please. If... if I say Pineapple, hum, okay?" She said
He nodded.
She dialed Princess from her room phone, tried to keep her hands steady. "Hello?"
"Did something—"
"Yes, he's awake. Please, come over." She kept her voice steady, tried to, at least.
"Bubblegum, he's awake?"
"He's bleeding. It opened up..." She heard shuffling on the other end of the line. "I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Please just..."
"I'm on my way. Calm down," she said. "Is he still awake?"
She said Pineapple but didn't get a response. When she shouted it, though, his face crinkled a bit and he hummed. "Yes."
"Can he speak?"
"Not too much."
"Don't let him doze off, okay?"
"Pineapple?" He hummed. "Does it hurt, anywhere?" Stupid but she only needed an answer.
"No."
Not that kind of answer.
"What did he say?" Princess asked.
"Please, Princess, hurry." Bubblegum dropped the phone. "Pineapple?" She called. No answer.
She padded over to him, his eyes were closed. A chill ran down her spine and her lips quivered. She told him to stay awake. "Hey..." She knelt and put a shaky hand over his chest. His body was burning so much it was enough to moisten her palm. To add, she thought she felt his heartbeat slow. She thought it thumped less and less and less and in a panic, Bubblegum slapped him, right across the face.
His eyes shot open. "Ugh, no, dam—"
"Please!" Bubblegum shook him. "Just stay awake," she said, "I... beg you."
His features softened, went from frowny miffed to blinking surprise. He paused, then took a heaved breath. "I thought...I could rest a bit." He glanced elsewhere. "I'll try, sorry, didn't...didn't think it was worth crying over."
"What are you..." The room blurred and her cheeks felt wet. "Ugh." She got up, turned away from him, and wiped with her sleeves. "This is dirtballs."
About a minute passed before he said, "uh, good job..."
A sigh. He didn't need to say anything if he had nothing to say. Plus, she couldn't accept that, not yet. Not until he was fine.
Bubblegum gathered some blankets and stacked them on him. For someone so close to death, he sure seemed chill about it. Apathetic even.
"How's the cold?"
"It's doing well, thanks for asking."
She shouldn't have chortled. "That's not funny."
Beneath the pile of blankets, he chuckled as well, albeit weak.
It cheered her up, a teeny bit. Bubblegum padded back to him and felt his forehead. Still burning. She had a thermometer somewhere but it'd blow up if it came anywhere near him. He was burning up and losing blood, how was he so calm? She wanted his secret.
A sigh.
Her room looked distant to her. Didn't look like hers with how wrecked it was. She ordered some banana guards to get rid of the wolves, she didn't want to yell but sure felt like it. Yes, her windows were unlocked but how this could happen with guards around was absolutely bizonkers. Bubblegum was already stressed enough so she told them to get the wolves and get out.
It felt like an hour before...
"I'm here!" Princess barged into the room, panting. She wore casual clothing; a pleated skirt and a striped tee-shirt. A one-strap bag, big enough to fit the relevant equipment. She looked around and paled.
"Thank goodness."
"Where is he?" Bubblegum pointed to the cupboard, under the pile of blankets. Princess rushed over and felt his forehead, then she checked the cloth around his torso. It was doused a bit in red. The doctor then pulled Bubblegum away and whispered. "How long has he been bleeding?"
"A bit before he woke up."
"Before you called?"
"Long before..."
Princess went pale. "That's... too long."
They looked at each other. Princess made her point but Bubblegum refused to understand. Refused the implication. Princess... she... this had to be a joke.
Bubblegum chuckled. "Just stitch the wound, it's fine..."
"Bubblegum—"
"You did it before."
"I came on time." Princess sighed, led her to the bed. "Sit down for a bit."
Everything caved in on her and Bubblegum was so close to crumbling with it. She sat on her king-sized bed, felt like she sank deeper than usual. Her head felt heavy and her chest tightened. But even then Bubblegum didn't want Princess looking at her like a lost child or something. Before her subordinates, she was infallible and she needed to act it. So... she mustered whatever strength available, steadied her voice, and said, "Princess, stitch the wound."
Princess opened her mouth.
"Look, It's fine. I'll find someone, don't worry." Bubblegum said.
She nodded and padded over to Pineapple.
Her mind yelled at her. Ugh, what kind of predicament was this? The only other human she knew was thirteen years old. What would she tell him? No... no, she couldn't. It wasn't even immoral anymore, that was borderline madness. Where... Where...
She pinched the bridge of her nose, blinking to dry her eyes.
"Uh..." Pineapple called. "D-Do you have anything for the c-cold?"
"Yeah, some anti-biotics." She handed him some medicine along with a glass of water.
He took it in one big gulp and drained the water too. When he finished, he gave her back the glass. "Ah... th-thank you."
Pineapple looked over at her. Bubblegum smiled. But that ever-present tension tugged her chest so much she broke eye contact. The whole night was such a waste.
"Uh, something the matter?"
"No, it's nothing."
"Yeah, let me stitch your wounds."
"Oh... good, thank you." He sounded so relieved it almost broke her heart.
Princess set aside the blankets, the cloth she'd tied around his torso already came loose. "Look..." It seemed Princess was about to break it to him. "Bubblegum said you've been bleeding the entire night..."
"Oh," he said.
She removed the cloth and shifted him so she could stitch the wound. "And the way it is... I—" Princess blinked, stopped herself midsentence. "Bubblegum?"
Bubblegum craned her neck. Oh, what now... Did it hit his spine? "Wh-What?"
"Did you... stitch the wound?"
She blinked, she didn't even know how. "N-No, I...what?"
Princess scratched her hair and Bubblegum scurried over. She was slightly less confused than Princess but far more surprised.
Pineapple's shadow split into threads that pierced his skin and held the gash and the claw marks shut. It was like intricate embroidery. Artistic and clean, almost made her forget it was a life-threatening wound.
He shivered. "It won't hold out for long, was hoping you could uh, stitch over that."
Princess slowly nodded. "These are beautiful." She put on some latex gloves and started on it. "Are you a doctor?"
"No."
"But you definitely have some experience with stitching wounds, right?"
"No."
What? Bubblegum blinked. "S-So when did you learn?"
"I didn't." Pineapple sighed. "I followed the previous stitchwork, then applied for the rest."
"How did you see?"
"Didn't need to," Pineapple said. "Just had to be attentive enough to feel it."
So he had to concentrate and stay still...
Suddenly, his behavior the whole night made a bit more sense. When he smeared blood on her, when he stopped her from getting close. The way he spoke, looked and acted like his mind was elsewhere. All the while... she thought he was in pain, thought he was dying.
She shook her head. No, no, she wasn't even wrong. Princess never administered pain killers and the gash got infected before he woke up. Yet... he managed to do this despite it?
"Hey..." Bubblegum started.
Pineapple hummed.
She hoped with every fiber of her being, and every gum on her hair. Pineapple, please. With a deep breath, she asked. "When did you?"
"Uh, started the moment I woke up."
"But... the lights were off." Bubblegum held her breath.
Pineapple sighed and pointed out the window. The moon glared back. She remembered the moonlight that seeped through the crannies of the cupboard. And even now, it illuminated him. Bubblegum felt like fifty tons had been pushed off her shoulders and she already knew what he was going to say.
"The moonlight was en—"
"Yes..." She took a step back.
"Uh."
"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Her cheeks hurt, it hurt from the joy of relief that almost split her face in half. "Dear Glob, yes!"
"When did he wake up?" Princess asked.
She tried to calm herself. "A...A bit after he started bleeding."
To that, Princess smiled and said, "guess we only need to run an IV then."
Those words sealed her relief. Stamp and all. Bubblegum took a deep breath and placed both hands on Pineapple's shoulders. "Listen!"
He looked at her.
"If Princess wasn't fixing your wound right now. I'd give you the biggest hug."
"The biggest?" Princess chuckled.
"The"—she spread her arms wide and spun on the balls of her feet—"biggest!"
For a moment, Pineapple stared at her. A kind of absent stare, the kind you give when you're not paying attention. Then, he gave a half-smile and shook his head.
"Sounds like a drag," he said with playful disinterest.
Bubblegum laughed along with Princess. For the first time that entire night, she felt lucky. Who wouldn't?
"You're really impressive, y'know?" Princess said. "Are you perhaps... a genius?"
He chuckled. "Not sure about that one." Rejected praise like he was allergic to it.
"Oh? If you're not a genius, then what are you?"
"Sleepy," he said. "Very sleepy."
Yeah, seemed like he was. The closest thing to sleep he'd gotten, Bubblegum had slapped right out of him. Of course, she wouldn't bring it up now. The past was in the past.
"Uh, can I get a mirror?" Pineapple asked.
Bubblegum took a hand mirror from her vanity drawer, skipped over, and handed it to him. "Here you go."
For a second, he looked distressed. It was a very... very quick second but she caught it. Pineapple waved his arms and watched them wiggle like noodles. She thought he looked like a baby with the way he watched and waved his limbs like he wasn't used to it. His four fingers wriggled and he blinked black dots. He stared at his face, intently.
Bubblegum went from humored to a little bit worried. Did he do this often, did he not like how he looked or something?
Pineapple pressed his lips together and sighed. He gave her back the mirror.
"Something wrong?" Bubblegum asked.
He was quiet as if pondering something.
"Tell me."
He looked at the floor, sighed, and muttered, "it does look like a Pineapple."
Princess almost reopened his gash. She laughed and Bubblegum joined her. Laughed and laughed, till she teared up.
It did. It really did.
She wiped it with her sleeves and amidst their merry laughter, from the corner of her eyes, she saw Pineapple. He wasn't laughing or anything, not even a chuckle. He just stared at his fingers with the most despondent look she'd ever seen.
Maybe he thought they wouldn't notice if he made a joke. He perhaps didn't want to talk about it as well.
She didn't know him all that much, but Princess might be right. Pineapple was probably a genius.
He yawned.
"I'm Bubblegum."
"Uh, I can see that."
"No, like, it's also my name."
"Oh," he said. "Oh..."
She should've said Bonibel.
"Princess." She finished up the stitches.
He nodded. She waited for his cue. If she let him, he'd have dozed off then and there. "What's your name?"
"Uh." He tilted his head as if trying to remember. Then, he said the weirdest name Bubblegum had ever heard: "Shikamaru."