Don't own Naruto or Adventure Time.

A/N: Apologies if the pace seems slow for now but thanks as always for reading the story.

XV: Night Queen.

One. She could shapeshift.

Two. Sharp fangs, ate the colour red.

Three. She was weak against sunlight.

They could ignore the third.

He had little on him and without the convenience of his shadow technique, words became mandatory because all he had were disadvantages. Coming up with a plan proved difficult because he was so exhausted and, as time went by, it was harding think to get.

Shikamaru told Finn to wait behind 'cause if even a strand of hair came off the kid's head, Bubblegum would blow a fuse. Thankfully, Finn saw the concern behind it and listened. Under normal circumstances, they'd make a great team but, the way it was, supreme leader thought they were asleep and if she somehow caught wind, it didn't matter what anyone said, it was all Shikamaru's idea.

"You'll be fine on your own?" asked Finn. "You seem puffed out, man."

"Don't stress. I won't take long."

He leisurely approached the clearing and the closer he got to the treehouse, the more he felt at ease. The house was in the middle of nothing. No annoying neighbours or noisy animals, just musical wind, dancing grass and the ever-watching leer of space, littered with stars.

A solitary haven.

Humming and guitar strums. The breeze carried the melody through the night. Slow and melancholic. He counted music as noise but he could waste time listening to that, yeah. A perfect ambient for a perfect spot.

At the roof of the treehouse was a swing hooked up to a branch. Marceline—he guessed—sat there. As for her appearance, she just... looked like night time and that was it. Hair like space, skin like the moon. Alive yet lifeless, like the quiet of night. A cropped tank top and fitted jeans ripped at the knees and ankles. Her feet were bare and her soles were as white as her skin.

She had her back towards him as she lazily swayed on the swing, lost within her melody.

Shikamaru sat cross-legged on the grass and watched the stars through half-lidded eyes, taking time to catch his breath. Didn't know if he could point at Magic Man or if it was just the lack of sleep and blood eating at him.

He sighed. Good stuff, though. The music, that is. She was really good. Bubblegum was great with the science stuff and, uh, Marceline? Marceline was great with the music stuff.

Man. What was he good at anyway? Aside from the deception stuff. He had no positive or productive hobbies, and never had the drive or motivation to want one.

Not like he needed it anyway. In his world, the only hobby one needed was survival. Everything was weaponized to fit that, even something as serene as music. He could name one annoying person in particular with a flute.

Damn, he thought like it was just all famine, chaos and murder back in Konoha. A humoured smile crossed him. Nah, it wasn't all that bad on its own. But when compared to Ooo, it seemed that way.

Minutes later, she strummed her last note and it faded into the night. Still, he hadn't regained even an ounce of energy. She chuckled to herself. Either she remembered a joke or she knew he was present or the joke was that she was aware of him.

Marceline fell backwards and hung from her knees on the swing, her hair spilt downwards as she locked eyes with him but he could only meet her gaze with static. Sharp fangs curled into a smug grin that made her squint.

"You like?"

He slowly clapped. One... Two... Three.

"Scale of ten?"

"Eight."

"Why not ten?"

"You stopped."

"You... tryna flatter me?"

"Is it working?"

She giggled and pinched the air. "A bit."

He chortled. Always a good idea to dampen bad news with banter.

"Never see you around."

"Never been around," he said. "Only pop out when necessary."

"So, who are you?"

"Something of a... landlord."

She snickered. "Alright, who ratted me out?"

"That's confidential."

"It's Finn," she said. "Jake would never."

Shikamaru raised his hands in defeat.

She flipped from the swing and sat on thin air as she strummed her guitar once, loudly.

The guitar looked like a battle axe.

The guitar was a battle axe.

Woah.

"So Finn put you up to this."

"I put myself up to it." He sighed. "I was hoping to reason with—"

"Void."

"But—"

"Void!" She strummed her guitar, a sharp grin across her face. "Want the treehouse, come take the treehouse."

Shikamaru opened his mouth and then stopped himself, taking a deep breath. He realised he didn't have the energy to argue. Never did. Plus, between the lines, she was bored so it was an argument rigged to be unwinnable as Marceline had nothing better to do. Bored and searching for a fix.

It was a hassle but the best way around the situation was dancing to her tune.

He sighed and slowly rose to his feet yet he did not leave.

"Whatcha doing?" Mid chuckle.

"You're leaving me little options."

"You know who I am, right?"

"Finn says your Marceline."

"Vampire queen? Queen of the nightosphere?"

"Uh... Finn says your Marceline." The nightosphere one was news.

She watched him, eyes softening. "You... Finn's brother?"

"Why, spot a resemblance?"

"Just dunno why you're going through with this," she said. "You aren't in any condition for it. But you're still gonna step up to... Me?"

"Well, he did fill me in," he said. "Sibling or not, I'm the older one so I just can't let it slide."

"Even if you have no chance of winning?"

"Even if you were a natural disaster." He pulled a kunai and it spun around his finger before he caught it in a reverse grip. "Just gotta show up, you get?"

Asuma was no brother of his but he always showed up to save his skin whenever he was in a pinch.

Wouldn't lie. Missed the guy.

"I get." She chortled, brandishing her battle axe. "You're real for that. Love it."

"Uh, how 'bout some ground rules." He raised two fingers. "Two for two, just to make it fair."

"You're at a disadvantage and you're still gonna give me two?"

He chuckled. "Don't worry, I don't plan to lose."

The fight was only half the goal. If it bored her then he'd have accomplished nothing. It had to be somewhat exciting or thrilling, like a game, or else, nothing would make her leave. Luckily, he had her interest high.

"We'll see about that, Mr. Confident." She hummed in thought. "One, no weapons for you."

Shikamaru nodded and set aside his kunai and his pouch.

Marceline placed her index on her chin, thinking of the next. Her eyes lit up and she clicked her fingers when it came to her. An evil grin went across her face.

"Two, *you* can't set ground rules that give you an edge or benefit."

"How would you be able to tell that?"

"If I let it pass, then it's fine."

"You're making it hard for me to win, huh."

"Aw. Where's your confidence now?"

"It's all right."

"Your turn."

He hummed feigning thought because he already knew which two to go with.

First things first.

"One, whoever hits the ground first, loses." Just so the fight didn't drag on.

She approved it with a nod.

Second. Her feet were bare but despite that her soles were clean so it meant her feet barely—if ever—touched the ground

"And two"—he pointed up at her and met eyes—"no floating."

"That's it?"

He nodded. "That okay?"

"Oh, yeah." Marceline smirked.

She lowered herself and lightly tapped her feet against the grass like a child checking if the tub was warm or not. Like the ground would swallow her up the moment she stood on it.

Marceline took a minute to do that. Took a minute to trust the earth's sturdiness.

He pinched the bridge of his nose to hide the humour over his lips.

"What's so funny, cactus head?"

"Didn't believe the queen stuff before." He yawned. "I do now, though."

She calmed herself with a deep breath and finally worked up the confidence to drop her feet on the grass.

Shikamaru slowly raised his hands to clap.

"I'll destroy you!" Her eyes flashed red.

Shikamaru slowly dropped his hands.

He noticed her wobble but she kept herself upright by planting her axe on the ground and holding on to it. Figured she'd have problems walking when he made the rule.

It was checkmate already.

Not because she struggled to keep her balance but because she let the rule through despite that. It never crossed her that it might be an advantage for him?

It did, didn't it?

"Didn't outright say it before but nice tune. Would give anyone wings." Shikamaru rubbed his eyes so he could see straight. "Keep it up. You're seriously good with that thing."

"You, rat." She gave a knowing smile, accepting yet disbelieving. "Thanks but you're dead still."

"Worth a shot." He glanced around. "Uh, you have a feather or something?"

"No, not really."

"Guess this'll do." He plucked a blade of grass and let the wind guide it. "Look, if I win, you gotta fly, alright?"

"You won't but okay."

They stood, fifteen feet across each other. The wind played with the grass shoot, looping it over and under for some seconds before letting it fall. He kept still but Marceline's fingers trailed up the handle of her guitar/axe.

Soon the leaf came to a rest, blending into greenery. Go time.

He shifted.

Marceline sprouted wings and zeroed the distance, battle axe poised for a... Her eyes went wide when she whizzed right past him.

He reached behind and snatched one wing. Just for a second. The abrupt interference flipped her once and the large wings made sure she couldn't right herself before hitting the grass back first.

Great, they were done already.

Wings, huh, who would've guessed?

Marceline gazed at the starry night, wide-eyed and dumbstruck. Her hair was everywhere at once as the wings withered away, letting her feel the grass under her skin.

Jokes aside, when she let his second rule through, he just knew she had a loophole for it as flight didn't necessarily mean float.

She could probably shift into a lot of things as a loophole but, right before they started, he thinned out the options and she unconsciously played right into his hands.

Yeah, his hobby was the deception stuff.

Shikamaru fell flat on his back beside her, eyes locked in on space rather than stars. "Need help packing any stuff?"

She turned, no, rotated her head to him, like a machine, still dumbfounded.

"Well." He glanced and met her eyes. "Do you?"

Her robotic expression cracked and it started with a smile. Soon it spread and softened her features enough to let her laugh.

And she did.

It was just a dumb little trick even a five-year-old could pull and she'd fallen for it. Marceline knew that but didn't react with anger or annoyance. It just... made her laugh. She'd given a more human response than most humans he knew.

All that was from someone who didn't exist. He sighed, certain nothing in Ooo did.

Her laughter became a major part of the ambient, prominent and never fading. Shikamaru glanced back up at the sky and let her keep the moment without interruption.

Marceline laughed in abundance, so much it brought her to tears and when she was finished, she rolled onto her back and needed extra time to catch her breath.

"Still bored?" he asked.

She looked at him with a mischievous yet eager smirk. "If I say yeah?"

"Pfft, I don't know... knock, knock?" He chuckled and she snickered. "I'm outta options, lady."

"It's fine. I'll leave."

"Perfect." He sighed in relief and his body eased up. He was a step closer to leaving Ooo.

"What's your name?"

"Shikamaru"—yawn—"If that's too complicated, call me whatever."

"Alright, deer-boy."

"Except that." He chuckled. "How did you even..."

"Not telling," she said. "I'm—"

"Yeah, yeah... vampire queen."

She nudged him. "Petty."

"I'm not above it," he said as the space between stars slowly widened.

"Call me Marceline or Marcy."

"Sure..."

It was silent a bit before she spoke up again. "Will you... pop out again?"

"If... necessary." Stars thinned out until there was more space than stars. Then just space. "Why...?"

"I wouldn't mind it. Seeing you around," she said. "You're pretty chill. Like your energy, or lack of"—a chuckle—"you know?"

A hum?

"I'll let Finn have the treehouse. I have my place," she said. "You've got the pass. Drop by whenever you want."

...

Was he listening? She turned her head to look at him and a humoured smile across her face.

Well, he certainly was not listening. Marceline chortled. Rude.

She sat up and her hair spilt over her left eye. In the distance, she spotted Finn who ran towards her.

"Marceline..." He narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, Finn, you can have your treehouse back," she told him. "Sorry for jacking up your place. I was being a butt."

Finn moved over to Shikamaru but she put a hand between them.

"What did you—"

She hushed him. "He fell asleep, muffin-head."

Well, not entirely accurate. More like his body just... turned off.

"Oh..."

"You can go tell Jake. I'll help him into the treehouse."

Finn hesitated.

"What?"

"Did you guys... fight?"

"Yeah..." she said. "He won."

"Epic sauce," he said. "I knew it. He's heckin' strong."

Her lips curled into a smile. "Sure is."

"We'll be back by morning."

"Zip it to Bonnie," she said. "Be dead quiet too, so she doesn't notice you left and scream your head off."

"No worries, Peebs won't scream at me."

She hummed in thought and pointed an index down at Deer Boy. "Does he... Stay in the candy kingdom?"

Finn nodded and she inwardly winced. Yeah... She wouldn't scream, not at Finn.

"Be extra quiet still, alright?"

"Sure, sure. I won't let Peebs know I left." He started on his way. "Peace out, Marce."

In minutes, he was out of sight. Her feet unconsciously left the grass as she reached for him.

Much to her surprise, she pulled him right up without effort. He weighed like paper but the odd part was his body matched her temperature. People only ever had a warmer body temperature than she did. If anyone ever matched that icy temperature of hers, they were either a vampire, the ice king or something was really, really wrong with them.

She brought him into the treehouse, stacked five sheets on him and watched to see if he'd wake up and walk it off.

She was no doctor like Princess neither was she a science freak like Bonnibel but what Marceline could do, though, was make sure he slept well enough to wake up better in the morning. Could help that way and, at the same time, get some practice done. She retrieved her guitar, sat by the window and started with a low... soft hum.