Fionna shot upright in the bed, sleeping bag pulling tight around her face. Another thump sent her rolling onto the floor, surprisingly quiet as she pried the sleeping bag off. She could still hear Cake snoring - the cat could sleep through near anything - as the third thump sounded from below.

Creeping over to the ladder, she peered down, trying to catch a glimpse maybe of the intruder. “Who would break into this house?” she wondered aloud, silently. Another thump, far quieter, sounded, and then a shuffling, like that of a bag dragging along the ground. The room was too open to move down the ladder quickly and undetected, so Fionna moved over to the window.

A chill wind hit her as she opened it, slowly so as to avoid it squeaking too loudly. The tree had few handholds on the exterior, the branches covered in thick leaves. She made it down, though, and soon was peering in through a window on the first level.

Moonlight gleamed off of it, and her eyes took time to adjust to the darker corner of the room. First she noticed the sack. A deep color - it was too dark to say precisely what - and obviously stuffed. The man, rather large, was pulling things out of it, and setting them on the floor in a heap. His giant beard made it rather hard to discern any other facial features, and the hat on his head hid the rest.

He glanced over at the window, and Fionna hurriedly ducked under it. She couldn’t see his smile, or the way he moved the itchy beard off his pale face for a second before replacing it, or the faint gleam of fangs. When she did look back inside, he was gone. But as she moved to climb back up to the window, she could see a lone figure flying across the sky.

Once inside, she woke Cake up. “What goin’ on?” the cat mumbled, bleary eyes trying, but not hard, to remain open.

“Some guy just left stuff in our house. Gifts, I think. Anyways, come on!” Fionna pulled the cat towards the ladder. “I want to see what’s inside them!” Cake mumbled a response, lost in the clatter as Fionna slid down the ladder. Two stacks were on the floor, each marked with signs saying ‘Fionna’ and ‘Cake.’

The colorful wrapping shredded away to reveal a pair of throwing axes. “Totally math,” whispered Fionna. The next box had a target in it. Cake opened one of hers, finding an odd tube inside. Pressing a button on it, the wall suddenly sported a red dot. Dropping the tube to pounce, the dot disappeared. Cake picked it up aiming at the floor, and pressed the button. She was entranced the whole while as Fionna finished off her own pile. Sitting back, the girl noticed a card on the ground.

“Dear Fionna and Cake,
In response of your good deeds, you have been given these gifts. Every year I give them to all the nice people in Ooo. Keep up the good work. P.S. I really enjoy cranberry juice and strawberries, if you have any.” It didn’t have a signature. But it didn’t really need to. The next day, when Marshal woke up, he found a glass of cranberry juice outside his door, and a litle note that simply read, “Thank you.”

What was wrong with him, his mind? He was mad, crazy, and going deeper and deeper into that insanity every day. A hole in the wall to his left had gradually grown from his repeated attempts at simply beating the thing out of his head. The person in his head. It was darker, meaner, scared and alone. It was him, now.

Simon leaned back in the chair, wood groaning in protest, not because of the weight on it, no, it was due to the erosion. Snow blanketed the whole room, the window having long ago been blasted open by the wind. It was a miracle the desk and chair still stood, but Simon did not care for miracles. Miracles were no longer available here, in this land of ice. Ice was ruler here, ice was god. Ice was King.

His pen scratched over the paper, which was already covered in words, all crammed in so as to save space. His thoughts, which were many, and his feelings, which were few, he wrote down. He would occasionally glance at the crown, then catch himself and return to his writing. Not that it mattered, anyways; he had already put it on once.

“Dear, come and have some soup.” Her voice rang clearly from the door,

“Yes, my love, in a moment. I must find the secret behind this crown.” Simon turned to grab it, carefully bringing it into his lap. “What power does it contain? What is it’s purpose?” He turned to face the doorway, and found it empty. He shook his head, and put the crown back onto the table. She still haunted his thoughts, always her voice calling to him, but she was never there. How many times had he heard her, only to find his mind had played yet another trick on him?

No matter, though. He sighed, and after a few more scribbled sentences, pushed himself up from the chair. He grabed the crown, and after a moments contemplation, put it onto his head. The streets were covered in heavy drifts of snow, but a small path wound it’s way down to the corner, marking Simon’s previous walks. The crown began it’s gentle whispers; shards of ice and smooth snow constantly filling his mind. It went through the usual patterns of aggressive anger at his inattentiveness, then taunting him back towards it with images and thoughts of her. His princess. And now he heard something new from the crown, an utter lie but a welcome one at that.

“She can be brought back.” The gem in the middle of the crown flashed, casting a brief red glare over the snow. Simon’s voice rang out in the dead silence, echoing through the dead city.

“How?” To this the crown fell silent, and Simon snarled, tearing it off his head. “How?” he bellowed at it, his blue hands visibly shaking as they griped the edges hard enough to draw blood. “Tell me! Tell me your grand plan; tell me what I gave up everything for!” It fell to the ground, and so did his knees as he openly wept. “What I lost everything for.” For hours it seemed he knelt there, waiting for it to respond.

“Ice.” it whispered. “Frost and snow that covers all, and takes all. Ice is cold, and unforgiving. Frost seeps into all and destroys all. Snow shall cover the ruins, and keep forgotten that which should not be remembered. That is the mantra of the King of Ice, he who wears the crown. Simon Petrikov, you are now cold. All that you loved is gone. And we shall together bury that which you need not remember.” A dagger of ice formed in his hands, just as sharp as any steel blade. “Or you may join your beloved.”

Simon griped the blade, his blue skin turning white at the knuckles. “No,” he whispered. “I’ve lost it all, and now that the price is paid, I want what I paid for.” He reached out, gingerly picking the crown from the snow. “The King of Ice you want me to be, so the Ice King I shall be.” He threw the dagger into a pile of snow to his right. “But you said she can be brought back. How?”

“I lied.”

“I hate you. I never should have bought you. That matters not, I suppose, though. What now?”

The crown seemed to glow as if content, and gently whispered, “Now we cover the ruin. With ice it shall be coated, and piled under snow.” Simon’s hands glowed an erie blue, and he pointed one at the dagger. A flash of light shot out towards it from his palm, and the hilt began to grow in size. Soon the area around it was all ice, and it spread further every moment. Simon ran back to the house, gathering his notes and what few possessions he still had. He opened the desk’s drawer, taking out the recorder inside. He turned it on.

“Entry fifty-six, last entry of Simon Petrikov. I have discovered the crown’s secret. My research into it is over, and therefor the last thing I have been living for passes away just like everything else. Everyone else. Simon Petrikov is now dead. End of entry.” He turned the recorder off.

Through the window he could hear ice popping and cracking as it rolled over buildings and down streets. Ice King rushed out the door, and ran until he was past the last ruined building. Turning around, he saw the ice shooting straight up, forming an intimidating mountain. As the last of the ruins were covered by the ice, a heavy blizzard rolled in. Snow piled on the immense ice form, covering that which it hid in several feet of snow. When it passed, Ice King stood ten feet above where he previously had, his feet seeming to levitate above the snow. The crown glowed it’s satisfaction.

“Do you still miss her, my King?”

His simple response drove the final nail hard into the coffin of Simon Petrikov.

“Who?”

The final installment! I hope you enjoy.

It was several weeks after Ice Queen had given her the rose. It still glowed, a dim, pulsing red light. When she held it, it beat in time with her heart, and she could lose herself staring at the intricate swirls dancing along the petals.

“Girl, are you coming or what?”

“Sorry Cake.”

“Are you staring at that rose again?”

Fionna paused for a second as she slid the sculpture back into her pack. “Umm, yes.” Cake laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“Honey,” the cat said, “How often have I caught you looking at that thing the same way you used to look at Gumball?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Ten, twenty…”

“At least thirty.” To this Fionna only shrugged, so they continued their way back to the house. Over her shoulder, Fionna had slung yet another massive bag of treasure, which clinked as the bag gently bounced up and down. They had made a temporary camp by some trees, and had slid some more bags under a stone they used as a hiding spot for whatever spoils they couldn’t drag all the way back.

When they did make it to the house, it was almost noon. Cake made some lunch while upstairs Fionna changed into a cleaner outfit, identical to her former one. The day passed by, until soon the moon drew up into the night, and sleep beckoned. Cake settled into her drawer, covered in both a blanket and a very fuzzy sweater. Before Fionna could get into her bed, a knock by the open window turned her around.

Outside, in her magnificent blue gown, floated Ice Queen. Her cool face was warmed by a smile, her fingers nervously tapping on the window sill. Fionna smiled back, quite surprised to see the monarch. “Hello, Ice Queen.” It came out as a whisper, but even so Cake still turned in her sleep. Carefully walking across the floor, Fionna came closer to the Queen. “What are you doing here?”

Ice Queen tried to answer, but couldn’t say anything. Blushing, she produced a book, titled “How to Win Her Heart: Three Easy Steps”. Fionna opened it, and began to flip through the pages.

She looked the blushing Ice Queen in the face, then read the title of a chapter out loud. “Step 1: Gain her trust.” Ice Queen just nodded. “Step 2: Leave her flowers.” Another nod. “Step 3: Sing to her.” Another nod and a deeper blush, with the Queen’s voice coming out hesitantly.

“I can’t sing.” It was Fionna’s turn to blush; Ice Queen was trying to “Win Her Heart.” Ice Queen’s voice came out a bit stronger, whispering into her ear, “But I wrote you a poem.” From a pocket in one of the folds of her dress the Queen produced a roll of paper. It had words scribbled all over it, half of which had been crossed out. One paragraph, though, had been circled. Clearing her throat, the monarch began reading.

“My heart’s been adrift
A ship with no sail
Chill waters seeping in
Caged in a jail
But you are the key
To the lock on the door
You set me free
And I love you forever more”

Ice Queen glanced up at Fionna’s face, and seeing her reaction began to put the paper away. Her voice was low and a bit hurt. “It was bad, wasn’t it.” The girl’s face slowly moved from shock, and she grabed after the retreating Queen.

“No, no! It was lovely.” Fionna smiled up at the cold face. “I just didn’t know you could write like that.” Ice Queen dropped her head, trying to hide her face.

“Y-you really think that?”

“Yes!” Fionna put her hand under the monarch’s chin, not feeling her fingers go numb from the cold. “And I love you too.” And with that, Ice Queen leaned over, her kiss lightly brushing over Fionna’s cheek. She then left, flying back to her kingdom. And Fionna felt her lips still there long after she woke up the next day.

I know I need to update more. Here you go.

The next day Fionna let Ice Queen out of her cell. It was bright and sunny, and outside the sun gleamed against the polished candy turrets. Fionna spent most of the day having Ice Queen go through the town and greet all of the citizens. Crystal sword in her pack, it surprisingly stayed there, and the day went nicely by. And the next. And after that. Fionna was impressed, and Gumball surprised to say the least.

“Fionna, she hasn’t been… well, taking anything, right?” Fionna gave a small laugh.

“No, GB. She’s just always wanted company. And now that she has it, I think she’s happier.” Gumball gave her a look, then shook his head.

“Whatever it is, I’m glad she’s at least not freezing anybody solid.”

The rest of the week passed by, and Ice Queen was doing perfectly. Fionna had to admit, to her at least, that it was time to see if Ice Queen would still do well on her own. And so on their daily walk, Fionna planned to tell her that she was free to go. They were walking down a side street, not very busy. Ice Queen had said a few things, and then Fionna, neither really caring and paying more attention to the fresh air and the glint of sun. Ice Queen coughed politely, and Fionna turned to lookat her.

The Queen was watching Gumball and Marshall a few blocks ahead, both in an avid discussion and Gumball carrying a box. As they disappeared around a bend, Ice Queen turned to Fionna.

“So, I know you used to take a liking to that Gumball boy.” Fionna’s face flushed.

“Yes, well, so did you.” Ice Queen chuckled a bit.

“I guess so. But that was more of me just needing somebody. So I captured him, and you would show up with Cake. Those times were always fun, even if I always lost.” She sighed. “But I needed to lose. I was going down a strange path, and you three always brightened me up. Especially you, Fionna.”

Fionna took a pause at this, but eventually when nothing cane to mind to say back just continued walking. The rest of the walk passed by, and at the end of it, Fionna told Ice Queen she could go.

“I’ll miss these walks. Thank you, Fionna.” And with that they parted ways. The next stage of the plan was to keep an eye on Ice Queen to make sure she stayed the same way outside of her cell as in it. So on occasion either Fionna or Cake or both of them together would stop by. Ice Queen was doing fine. No kidnappings, no drinking. It had been simple, and it had worked aparantly. But one day, after returning home, Fionna noticed several flower shaped sculptures of ice. They melted away, and the next day were replaced by more. All shaped in a perfect 1:1 scale version of a rose. She managed to hide them from Cake, and Fionna wasn’t sure why she felt the urge to hide them.

The next time she stopped by Ice Queen’s kingdom alone, it was almost half a year after they had first found her here roaring drunk. Now when she knocked on the door, wrapped in a thick sweater from the cold, Ice Queen answered fully sober.

“Fionna. Come on in, dear.” Inside the pale room of ice sent reflections of the two sparkling across all of the walls. The cage had been removed and replaced with a few chairs and a rarely used fireplace. Some logs were stacked on, and Ice Queen managed to light them. The walls were made of a special ice, sustained purely by Ice Queen’s will, and almost impervious to all flames.

“So, seeing as Cake’s not here, I was going to ask you a question.” Fionna drew out one of the carefully preserved flowers she had hidden. “Why have you been putting these in my house?” Ice Queen sat down, and beckoned Fionna to do so too. When she did, the Queen folded her hands together over here dress, and took a deep breath.

“Well, you see, I’ve told you how lonely I am up here.” Fionna nodded. “Well, I, um, after Gumball went with that Marshall fellow, I noticed you were a bit disappointed.” Fionna’s already red face couldn’t blush, so she just nodded again. “And you’ve always been there, and helped me to be how I am right now.” She looked at Fionna, her usually hard face softened a bit. “I wanted to say thanks.”

Fionna was a bit shocked at the sincerity in Ice Queen’s voice. The Queen stood up, and moved to take the rose. At her touch, it solidified more, hardened, and sharpened. It grew to a faint red color, more of an inner glow, pulsing like a heart.

“Keep it, and put it somewhere where it will always be nearby. Because while I think of you, I want you to think of me.” The Queen sat down again, silence falling like the snow outside. Fionna looked at the rose in her hands, now a bit warm to the touch. She smiled, and after she left, put it into her pack. Always a bit on her mind, as in her crystalline ice palace she was on Ice Queen’s.

#16, I think. Whatever. After “Proposed Proposal” this was inevitably next. Here it is.

The church was filled to the rafters. They couldn’t fit everyone in, so outside sat an army of candy people, all hoping to get one glimpse of the royal couple. Marceline paced in a back room, constantly readjusting the bow on her suit. Bubblegum did much the same. But time and events don’t allow for constant pacing, and Finn brought Marceline out to wait for her love at the altar.

A hush fell over the church as the organ began it’s playing. The doors down the hall opened, and Princess Bubblegum walked out with Peppermint Butler at her arm. Her silken gown fairly glowed, the fabric hugging her body with only a slight train. The veil draped over her face still couldn’t hide her blushing face, and Marceline felt her dead heart hammering in her chest. As the princess reached the steps, the organ stoped it’s playing, and a silence fell over the assembled.

“We are here today to witness the marriage between Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen. Any who may object, speak now, or forever hold your peace.” Finn was keeping a careful watch on the crowd, searching specifically for the Ice King making one last move on the Princess. Nobody spoke up, and the moment passed. As the priest went on, all that Marceline could do was look into Bubblegum’s eyes. Everything else faded into a dull background, Bubblegum becoming as a bright light compared to anything else.

“The rings, please?” Marceline snapped out of her revere to fumble numbly in her pocket, pulling out two elegantly made rings. Both had bands of gold, with three stones set in them. Bubblegum’s had two black stones on either side, with a larger pink one in the middle. Marceline slipped it on her princess’s finger, her cold skin giving Bubblegum more chills than she already had. Marceline’s was the opposite, with two pink stones and a larger, jet black one in the middle.

The ceremony went on, and soon the moment was there.

“I do.”

“And Marceline, do you take Bubblegum to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, in good and in bad, till death do you part?”

“I do.”

“Then I pronounce you, well, married. You may kiss.” Marceline carefully lifted up the veil, and Bubblegum fairly leapt at her, bending Marceline back and drawing her in. Cheers rose up through the crowd, LSP being one of the loudest and hollering random things. The married couple left, hopping onto the back of Lady Rainicorn, being assailed with more cheering from the masses of people outside.

They went on a honeymoon, and counted out day, and week, month, and finally year anniversaries. Years passed by, happy contentness flowing like water. The Ice King gave up, and turned to other princess’. Finn got married, grew old, had kids. So did Jake. But soon, only their descendants remained. Vampire flesh never aged, and that of Bubblegum only slowly. But slowly is not forever. Bubblegum passed after her kingdom was burned to ash, at 879 years old. Marceline oversaw the reconstruction of the Candy Kingdom, but after a year left. She wandered, and moved from land to land, the memory of her princess never fading.

“Dear, I would never leave you.
My place is by your side.
My life is split in two.

To the ends of the world I traveled.
Cross dessert and sea.
And open meadow.
We were free.

But now you’ve gone.
And I promised you.
I would follow you.
To the ends of the world.”

Marceline took her undead life, burning in the sun at her lover’s grave.

—————

Bubblegum sat upright in the bed.

“Why do your stories end sad. Can’t you make them happier?” She looked down at the black and pink stones on her finger. “It is our day.”

“I just add a bit of realism.” The vampire paused, her voice coming out in a lower tone. “And I really don’t want to lose you.”

“You won’t. We will have eachother forever. And no matter the distance, no matter the issue, or argument, I love you. And you love me.” Bubblegum pulled Marceline closer. “Now why don’t you prove that love and make it.”

And that love endured, to the end of the world itself.

#14! This one takes place about two years after At the Crossroads. (There will be more in between them, but I wanted to write this one down) The forest was dark and quite, only a slight breeze disturbing the leaves. Bubblegum plodded along after Marceline, her soft boots stepping lightly on the carpet of dirt. These were tough trees, built into a bed of rock, but thriving. Marceline often had compared them to herself, but had never far elaborated beyond that. The vampire enjoyed coming here, and the princess usually obliged, and brought along some food for the two of them. This time though, Marceline had told her not to. She saw why as they broke into their clearing. Candlelight danced softly from several dimly lit orbs that circled the cleared area. Shadows danced across the hard trunks of the trees. In the middle, the rock that they usually sat on was laden with plates, and upon each lay a good serving of spaghetti.

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Ideas, suggestions? I am ready to write, so on top of what I’ve got, what do you want?

Twelfth fanfic! Okay, so here it is. (If you are confused, Finn and Fionna are in separate dimensions, just doing basically the exact same thing as the other)

“But how do we get back?” That was a good question. Finn watched as Gumball thought and drew a blank.

“We could just go back to the Crossroads and see if it works again.” And so, after a bit of prodding with Marshall, they all exited the Hall, heading to the Crossroads. Citizens glanced at their ruler and the vampire, still in a bit of shock. So then, they were together too, thought Finn. Then maybe Fionna felt like he did. He wanted to meet her even more.

Bubblegum chatted up Fionna the whole time about her dimension. The princess seemed really quite interested in Aaa and her male counter-part. Even Marceline was a little interested, her eyes lifting up at the mention of Marshall Lee. His title gave her a bit of a start.

“The Vampire King, eh?” she hissed. Fionna guessed that Marshall’s Vampire Queen had been a King for her.

“Yes, but not like the one that you killed.” Marceline paused at that, wondering how this girl knew about that. So Fionna told her, “For Marshall it was the Vampire Queen he had to kill. Gumball told me about it.” Soon after that they passed out of the city, and turned west to the Crossroads. The trail was well worn and dusty, but the wind was calm and the weather fair. They made it in good time.

The intersection lay before them. Finn stepped out into the middle, but nothing happened. He turned to look at Gumball, who just shrugged. Marshall wandered around, poking in the bushes and glancing up into the thick leaves of the trees. Nothing odd, so he drifted back out.

“Well, this is the place.”

“Any specific thing that may have affected it? Like the moon, or time of day?”

Finn thought for a second. “It was around midnight, the moon was just over half full. Nothing else I can think of, though.”

Marshall suggested they wait until midnight, then, and then try. So they set up camp, Finn and Jake more to the East, Gumball and Marshall to the West. As the sun dipped low, Finn watched the two joke around, laughing and talking. The more he knew someone else was feeling what he felt, the more Finn felt inside of him acceptance. Acceptance of these two, and acceptance of his friends.

Night fell and the stars began their procession across the dark sky. Midnight drew up, and everyone got ready. Fionna heard the wind first, and then the loud clap of thunder. But this time it was different. An even blacker darkness fell, and blanketed everything. Then a soft *pop* and it shifted into grey. Nobody stood on anything, and just a deep abyss yawning below them was the only sign that there was even height here.

Fionna could see the other group now, too, as her eyes adjusted to the gloom. At the head of it stood the boy like her. Finn, they had said. As she walked- or drifted, rather- over, Bubblegum and Marceline followed her. The two groups met for the first time.

————-
Not far off to the side, the unnoticed Ice King watched the groups talk and greet eachother. He turned to look again at the odd woman at his side, with snow white hair and an icy blue dress. The cold in those adjectives were almost literal. Ice King didn’t mind though. He pulled out a container of stale popcorn, grabing one and then offering the lady some. She glanced at it then shook her head.

“I have my own,” she said, raising up a box of old sugared candy. That said, they both settled back to watch the show.
————

Finn had several things going through his head as Fionna was walking over. First he noticed her clothing, basically a mirror of his but more feminin. Then her hair, and then just her in general. She looked beautiful. A flash of doubt entered when he saw PB and Marceline together, but he pushed it back down.

“So, you’re Fionna?” The girl nodded, her eyes glancing back at Gumball and Marshall.

“And you’re Finn?” He nodded in agreement too, then pulled her farther from the others as they met their counter-parts. Mixed greetings filled the odd void, excited voices and voices trying extremely hard not to be excited. Finn looked into her eyes, a nice blue. His own eyes were too. The similarities between them were striking. And a bit unsettling.

“You pulled me over for what reason?” Fionna’s voice snapped him back into the world. Finn glanced up and then down. He looked over at the others as he talked.

“I see that Marshall and Gumball are together.” She nodded, her face somber but accepting. She would have said the same about Bubblegum and Marceline, but there was no point. Finn was already expecting it, his face a mask. That dissolved as Fionna hugged him, a quick but firm wrap of her arms. She pulled away just as fast, then turned to her friends. Finn watched her go, a smile on his face. He walked slowly to his own friends. He had an apology to deliver.

And as they both walked back, the grey grew deeper into black. The loud clap and wind followed, and each adventurer found themselves back in their own dimension.

————-

The portal was finished. It stood, a hulking mass of wires and metal, a loop of it the eye of an electronic storm. Bubblegum threw the lever, and a purple flash blinded the small crowd of onlookers. Finn walked through, and on the other side, Fionna gave him a wave. It worked just fine. Finn felt like he wasn’t alone for the first time in a few weeks. Neither did Fionna.

Rate 1 to 10.

It goes to eleven! Here it is, back to Bubbline! But not really. Yes, they will be in it, but just watch…

Finn still felt a bit weird inside. Neither the chill wind or noisome forest deep in gloom gave him this feeling. This pit was instead formed around PB and Marceline’s relationship. A week had passed, and still Finn felt torn inside. Bubblegum’s sweet face, screwed up into nervous talk, haunted his vision. Marceline sitting there…

… his forked tongue almost smirking itself. Yes, Fionna still felt the weight of their revelation. Cake knew, and had decided to take her friend out on the Old Forest pass to see if there was any wrong-doer to beat up. They were coming up to the Crossroads, the two of them walking in an uncomfortable sullen silence. Leaves rustled in the wind one, blowing off to land on…

… Finn’s face. He blew it away, the swirling discarded leaf an apt comparison to what he felt. The Crossroads appeared before him. An odd feeling washed over Finn and Jake, like they were being watched. Finn drew his sword, but saw nothing. Reaching the middle of the roads, he took another hesitant step forward. Motes of light flashed around him, and it seemed as if he saw, right in front of him, someone who looked just like him. But they were more…

… masculine. A male version of herself, clothes and all. But a rushing sound filled the cleared area, a loud clap of thunder and hammering rain. A wind howled, fierce and biting. Fionna took a step forwards, and it all stopped as soon as it had started. Odd. She looked at Cake, and both her and the cat shrugged. She turned around, striding back the way she had come. Nothing, no motes of light or weird boy. Really odd. But the pit in her stomach was gone, the blackness lifted if only temporarily. Fionna and Cake walked back home, the cat now sensing her friend’s sudden change in mood.

Jake went to sleep and woke up glad for this, seeing his friend now out of the depression he had been stuck in for the past week. The two of them had nothing to do, so they decided to stay in that day. They played a few games with BMO, wasting away the hours.

The next morning, Cake found Fionna already awake and dressed. Her sword was laid across her lap, which she calmly put back into her pack.

“Come on, Cake. We’re going to go see Gumball.”

Sleepy eyes stared a bit blankly at her, then suddenly cleared. “I thought that you were over this.”

“And I am. I want to go back with a better apology. I also,” Fionna took a gulp of air, “want to wish them a happy life. I don’t ever want to go back.” Fionna’s face was grim, a sadness hidden behind a mask of cold determination.

“Okay. Just a few minutes.” Cake leaped down onto the floor, and padded out of the room. She wandered around the house, grabbing something to eat. This whole episode was just not good. The pair left the house, heading for the final time, they thought, to the Candy Kingdom. Walking down the streets, they passed by largely unnoticed. All of the citizens seemed odd, but neither Fionna or Cake could place why. Soon, the enormous doors stood before them. Cake grabbed the handle, and…

… Finn walked through. At the far end of the Hall, he saw Marceline, her back turned to him. He walked up behind her, not having even the vaguest idea of what to say.

“Hey, Marceline.” She didn’t turn around. Finn could see she had recently gotten her hair cut. It now hovered right above her shoulders in the back.

“Hey, I’m talking to you.” She did turn around then, and Finn stopped, frozen in shock.

“And just who are you?” Marshall Lee’s voice hissed, forked tongue darting out.

“Well I could ask the same.” Finn’s sword was in his hands, the unknown vampire floating about ten feet away. The two began to circle, an axe-bass like Marceline’s in the vampire’s hands. Before a blow could fall, someone’s voice rang clearly out from the stairwell.

“Stop!” Bubblegum appeared on the stairs, her long hair flowing unchecked. In her haste, she had quickly thrown on a pair of jeans with her t-shirt. The same t-shirt Gumball had. Fionna shook her head, confusion springing up like a geyser. “Stop in the name of the ruler of Ooo!” What was Ooo? Where was she?

“But this is Aaa!” Panic was in Fionna’s voice. Was she crazy, the prince’s denial a spark to the fuze of her sanity? She could clearly tell that the other women were confused too. Marceline spoke again, her eyes never leaving Fionna’s.

“You wouldn’t know anyone by the name of Finn, would you?”

“No, but my name is Fionna. It’s close, I guess.” Cake had stayed silent and relaxed the entire time, but now she gave her name. Both Bubblegum’s and Marceline’s eyes shifted to her, then back to Fionna. The room seemed filled with unanswered questions.

“I am Prince Gumball.” The man walked across the room to Finn, holding out his hand. Sheathing his sword, Finn shook it. The vampire was a bit less formal, looking down at his hand and mumbling his name. Gumball nudged him, and he spoke up a bit. A smirk quickly found his face, his eyes flashing if not mischief than a curiosity.

“You aren’t in Ooo anymore, wherever that is.” Jake and Finn looked at eachother. If not Ooo, then where? Finn voiced that concern.

“You are in Aaa.” Gumball stared for awhile at the two strangers before him. “But you do not belong here.”

“You mentioned a Fionna before. Does she wear the same clothes as I do?” A nodding consent. “I saw her at the Crossroads, then, a night ago.” The prince looked at him, a look Finn had seen many times on PB’s face when she was working out a problem.

“You two switched dimensions.” Finn looked a bit confused. “The Crossroads are most likely a gate between our worlds. Fionna is probably doing exactly what you are doing.” Gumball’s face looked excited. “Parallel dimensions!”

“But how do we get back?”

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Part two soon!