The moment Ashley is satisfied that we've done enough for tonight, she leads me into some place she feels comfortable for tonight or whatever. Light's peaking at the edge and I squinted at the rising horizon. I felt my muscles tenses up and there was a sudden hitch in my throat. For the first time, reality grabbed me head on. I'm scared for Fiona's sake now. The Candy Kingdom might actually burn down leaving no survivors. Gumball and the others. They may actually die and I probably will too.

I felt my fingers clench hard enough to stop any circulation, if anything, even anything at all that flowed through. Every time I would try to loosen my grip, the tightness came back. I barely slowed the shivers that were going through me now. The sun is nearly completely out now. The first couple of ray hit against the ground a couple of feet away from me and I inched to the back of a tree. I glanced at Ashley, but she seemed preoccupied with looking around like an idiot.

Every now and then she giggles saying," Not there. Way too obvious."

I pressed my lips together to refrain from saying, Let's just hide in a goddamn tree. Will that make you happy?"

Fiddling with my fingers, I stared attentively at the spreading light. Automatically, I let me hand go forward and felt the rays. The warmth of it only last for a second. I jerked my arm back in pain and I swore my heart had started pounding again. My palm literally seemed to be screaming in pain and it was all I could do to keep quiet. Blinking rapidly, I clenched my fingers into my palm again. My nails dug into my skin and my mind turned into a blur. At least it blocked the pain.

Why did girls have to make everything so damn complicated? Only a couple of years ago, I would have been the same old selfish and cowardly guy, who wouldn't haven given a damn about a stupid blonde adventurer. Anything I did with someone, whose status was lower than me, would just be a little source of amusement. If I had never met Fiona, then this whole mess wouldn't even had happened. I wouldn't be risking my entire life for her, and she wouldn't have to go through hell. No matter what I do, I hurt someone along the way.

I looked back up Ashley. Her back is facing me. I stare for a while wondering what to do next. If I went on offense, there was no way I could beat her. She had just proved that. I wasn't sure how much she had leveled up over the years, but I wasn't about to take any risks. I had to think this out carefully. I could escape, but what good would that do? She had the power to kill Fiona with a single touch. For once she'd thought of everything. I felt myself shakily close my eyes. No not everything. If I were to do something, turn invisible even, I could go to Fiona and change her. She would me immortal. Like me. An unhappy thought struck me, and I nearly banged my head on the tree. How would I know if she would be even willing? There I was, being a selfish brat again.

"You know, I know what you're thinking," Ashley called out.

"Oh, and how could that be," I said airily. I cannot not let her know how panicked I am feeling. I cannot. There is no absolute way. She's just trying to play her little cat and mouse game. She just thinks she's the cat and I'm the mouse. I swallowed stupidly and stayed still.

"Ha ha. Very funny," she taunts. "I know just how you work, Marshy. Remember that time I got Fiona and that little kitten of hers, Cake? You think I'd be stupid enough to just rob the memory where we broke up?"

"Well it certainly seems that way."

Her back is still turned against me, but I imagined her rolling her eyes. I just want to tear your throat out with my teeth.

"Well, I implanted a little chip that follows your movements. I know how you work Marshy." You'll blood is going to spill all over. It won't even be worth it to drink.

"Uh, huh. How clever."

"Oh it's more than just that," she continued. "I don't exactly have the power to control you yet, but I'm probably going to come up with a spell to do that too."

Afterwards, I'll make sure your soul with go to the lowest layer of the Nightosphere. The seventh layer of hell won't even be able to compete. "You do that."

"In fact, I may even force you to kill that little blonde rat you love so much."

Well that snapped me out of my pleasant daydreams. I flashed a rude gesture at her with my fingers. It was stupid, partly since she couldn't even see me, but it was still the wrong move.

She whipped around and slapped me hard enough to start seeing stars. "Who do you think you are?" she snarled. "From everything I've done for you! You have the nerve to-"

I closed my ears at her useless bickering, because at that point, I didn't really care. Despite what I did, she wouldn't crush that stupid little jewel just from one little gesture. Not unless I did something that really threatened her authority. That was the only thing that relieved me and cooled me down somewhat. My old coolness took over to my relief, and I examined her with a bored face.

I gave another glance at the sky. The sun was almost completely out this time, and there was no way I would risk another burn. Brushing her aside, I picked a medium sized tree with plenty of branches to conceal and cover the heaviest ways. Obviously Ashley wasn't going to be any help. I flew up to a steadier and thicker branch. The thin twigs and leaves above were good enough. I nestled closer against it, and closed my eyes. If only I was that lucky.

"Marshall!" The witch screeched.

I peeked one eye open at her. "What. Do. You. Want."

It was more of a threat than a question, but like usual Ashley didn't notice. In fact she looked rather nervous. Looking around, she motioned toward me with her hand.

"You idiot," she growled. "You can't be resting now of all times! We have plans to make."

"For what? More plans to ruin Aaa?" I blew the top part of my hair and scowled. "Sunlight burns my skin, remember?"

"Yes, yes, I know that. Don't be such a jerk."

Ha! She was calling me the jerk? She was the one with an unbearably whiny voice beginning to take over. She was the on who forced me to burn down the Candy Kingdom and threatened me with an inch of my life.

"Okay, what does your highness want from Lord Jerk Face?"

"It's just that-"

"Just that what?" I mimicked. Ignoring the dangerous water I was treading on, I continued. "In fact, I guess we should be making plans. Perhaps spitting on gumdrop children if they even survived that fire? Or maybe we can blow up the whole planet! That would be fun."

Ashley bared her teeth, and shifted her stance. She looked just about ready to pounce. Good. She didn't have much control anyway, and if she attacked me now, there would be nothing I could do about it. If I struggled, she'd only go crazier. If I just died here, there would be nothing to care about. Good, I thought. Everything would be easier that way. It was a shame I wouldn't kill her, but never mind. I gave her a mocking grin and waited for what would happen next.

Suddenly a loud vibration rattled me, and I scanned the area. My first thoughts landed at Ashley, since it was most likely her doing, but she looked just as scared as me. I jumped down the tree, making sure to stay close to it. Just when I was about to speak, a blurred figure jumped in front of me and pounded me against the bark. The back of my head was hit first, and I felt enough to pain to just about black out. A tense hand grabbed my arm and dragged me under a bush.

A fuzzy edge came to my vision as I struggled to take a look at the situation. I heard quick lighted footsteps to the right, and I knew Ashley must have fled somewhere. Meanwhile, I heard the smashing of trees being hit aside. A large hazy figure stopped at my feet and I felt a slight tremor, as an even larger hand prodded against me gently. My vision right then wasn't worth squat. Patterns weaved their way around and this time I didn't bother to focus. Some kind of gibberish sounded up, though I wasn't sure whether it was my imagination or not.

Whatever it was stood up and the rumbles gradually died away and I blacked out. In my dream, Ashley cackles at me and says, I told you he would fail.

Meanwhile, Fiona buries her face in her arms while Cake and Gumball give me a ghost of a smile. Somehow I'm on my knees and begging at them for an answer. A white bird with glassy sea eyes swoops down and picks them all up, while I'm still pleading.

I surfaced back to myself, and saw I wasn't at the same location as last time. It was nighttime by now. I must have been out for a half a day at least. We were deeper into the woods. The evergreen trees confirmed that. I had a foggy memory of pranking Fiona and Cake here. A roasting stench filled the air and I followed it back to another clearing in the forest. There was Ashley roasting a marshmallow, and humming like nothing had ever happened.

"Hello, Marshy," she says. "Those stupid little Guardians of the Candy Kingdom came, so I had to knock you out. Hope you don't mind. Since you are already undead though, it was a whole lot easier. Those things rely on movement and sound to see. With you just laying on the floor, they wouldn't do much. Say thank you. I had to drag you through the whole entire forest to get here."

I narrowed my eyes and growled. "What are you talking about?"

"The Candy Guards," she repeated without looking at me. "For the war, remember? They are supposed to come out whenever the kingdom is in danger. Pretty useless things if you ask me. Besides their size, it's nothing to get scared about."

My head ached and I squinted at her. "What war?"

Even though her back was still faced at me, I imagined her rolling her eyes.

"I always knew you were an idiot," she mumbled. "Remember when you burned down the Candy Kingdom? Well, any damage you do on claimed territory is called declaring war. That's why we needed to plan. Prince Gumbutt or whatever probably sent a bunch of imbeciles to come hunt us down. The other guardians were just automatic."

"Wait the things that came today were-"

"Yes, yes, yes," she replied impatiently. "So some of those diabetic sugary things are still alive. Big deal. We can take them down. Personally I wish they would have just melted or something."

I felt a flush come to my face. The words war repeated over and over in my head. Burning the Candy Kingdom wouldn't only kill the citizens. They would start a whole freaking war. For once I wish I had a mental turn off switch and just black out again.

"Don't worry, though," she said brightly. "Those Candy Guardians are the only threat to us and maybe that blonde and cat. I'm thinking maybe we'll have to cage them if you don't want to kill them first."

My mind was still whirling and I felt one hand claw at the skin on my face. Cage them. I had risked my life to try and save Fiona, and even if she and I made it out of this whole mess, she would completely and utterly hate me. In fact, I would never even be able to walk around, without someone or something hating me. My life was just one big black hole.

The thought is enough to bring into total despair. Insanity even. I'm all alone. Forced to serve Ashley for who knows how long, and everyone hates me. Pretty nice life I got there. I rested my head against my arm for a second, about to cry or just pound my head against the ground.

Instead I start laughing hysterically. A huge grin seemed to stretch itself onto my face and just glued itself on there. I think I completely understand Ashley now. How her mind might not be the most stable thing in the world, and how hated she is. She's really happy even with her frequent mood changes, and I am too. Nothing had ever felt better.

"So what's the plan?" I asked eagerly.

Ashley turned around. There was a hard glint in her eye and she smiled right back. "Well…"

Well that's it for now. Sorry I haven't updated for a while. I had some stuff due at school and I was pretty busy this week. This chapter was a little more rushed cause I was in a hurry so sorry if it's not as good as the other ones. Like Usual R&R!