Chapter 11

He laid on the ground. He slept nowhere else but grass. Secluded grass. Beside him, he felt the warmth of a body. That familiar smell of strawberries. His eyes remained closed.

The body began to rustle until it mounted him. Wetness and softness pecked his lips. He opened his eyes to find her before him. Her black hair and her green eyes staring back at him.

"Am I dreaming?" He asked.

She only smiled. A hand ran up his chest.

She felt warm, forcing him to relax.

Then a sudden burst of pain as an ice cold steel ran into his heart. He gasped as his eyes jerked open, and Marceline was returning a look with a gaze of red eyed fury. "IM GONNA KILL YOU!" The blade twisted inside of him. Her form began to twist. Her skin began to peel. She began to turn green. "AND I'M GONNA EAT YOUR SOUL!"

Finn jerked awake, nearly throwing Rebecca off of him. His breath was short and he was drenched. His hand held his chest where his heart was.

Rebecca sat beside him, her eyes a little droopy. "Are you alright, love?"

He remained silent. He had been silent for most of the past few months. He would talk, but never about the things that were truly bothering him.

Rebecca rubbed her nose against his sweating neck. "Don't worry Finn. It's alright."

It isn't.

The cool summer breeze blew between the trees. The majority of the party had gone to help rebuild their kingdoms. Finn demanded that the kingdoms remain close to one another in case of Pendleton's invasion.

So they began to work together with their differences aside and try their best to build a utopia. Princess Bubblegum rejected the idea, but Finn said it was necessary.

"You have a lot on your shoulders, my love." Rebecca said. "You worry too much."

"Pendleton and I aren't that different," Finn muttered as he gazed onto his hands. "We're both kings who-"

"That's where your similarities end, my lord," she said softly yet sternly. "You and him. You're both rulers of a kingdom. But where Pendleton brought destruction, you brought peace. Where Pendleton encouraged a famine, you tried to end it. You would give up meals for months if it meant that the people who are below you would be fed."

He remained so quiet. "The spy-"

"Will turn up surely," her head nuzzles into his shoulder. "With your wits, love, you'll catch him soon."

He turned to her, a smile slowly creeping onto his lips. "You know just what to say, don't you Becks?"

"I've been alive for far longer than you, love," she poked his lips. "I know how to ease a man's heart."

"So I'm not the first man you've had?"

"No," she whispered before giving him a deep kiss. "But you're by far the best…" another kiss before pulling him closer and whispering into his ear. "And by far the biggest."

"Don't tease," he flushed before pulling her down atop him.

They laughed together as they touched each other, but it was brought to a screeching halt when bright beam of white light shot down from the air.

The Kingdoms were almost built. Princess Bubblegum had stayed up all night watching the incomplete kingdom stay still from the tallest tower. Finn was beginning to worry her. His demands. His forcefulness. His strict orders. She was beginning to wonder who her friend was exactly. A ruler? Or a dictator? The way he talked about what would happen to the planet if things didn't go according to his plan… sounded like punishments.

And the idea of a utopian society didn't mesh with her very well. Utopias can and always turn into dystopias easily. Finn couldn't see that people couldn't be united under fear forever. And when people see past the fear, they don't always get the true picture. Many have thought already that Finn had gone out of his gourd. If this continues, Finn would have a problem on his hands.

Not to mention that people have and always will have differences and disagreements. People always will be stubborn and ignorant. You cannot unite different people with varying belief systems and expect peace forever. Eventually, one demand will become too great. Fire and water cannot mix.

"You should be sleeping," a man's voice broke her from her thoughts.

She turned to see Danny climb from the ledge. "I just have a lot on my mind."

"Who doesn't nowadays," he said as he leaned against the railing beside her. "Care to share what's on your mind?"

"Not really," she said. "If you've been around, you might know."

"Oh." He said. "So its that."

"Yep."

"Well, do you believe Finn?"

"I've seen him."

"You have?"

"Yeah." She began to smile. "I died twice. Once was because of him."

"Wait, this Pendleton guy killed you?" His fists clenched hard against the railing.

"Yeah, but dude come on. That was like a millennium ago."

Danny groaned. "Well if I was there, I'd snap his head off and wear it on my belt."

"Dude! That's gross!" Princess bubblegum scowled for a moment. Then she smiled at him. "I like it."

Danny smiled back.

Then the Princess looked left, then right and leaned forward slightly. She whispered "Did anyone follow you?"

He smirked. "Not a soul."

"Good." She jumped on him immediately and embraced him with a passionate kiss.

He gratefully returned his kiss and began to grab at her ass. "You know," he said in between kisses. "I don't understand… why we have… to hide…"

"Because… a princess… still has an image… mmm… to uphold…" she groaned as she tried and failed to unbutton his jeans. "Just shut up and fuck me!"

These past few months have been some of the most enjoyable times of her life. The only other time of her life where she felt truly happy was with Marceline. When they were together, they had so many laughs, but also so many fights. And in the end, they still loved each other. It was a peaceful love that one looks forward to sustaining.

With Danny, it was different. It was a fire burning passion. They did everything together from working and reconstruction down to the very bed. But during sex, her mind would get very clouded. Her thoughts would lose to the pleasure and she would focus only on him.

When they finished, she laid breathless. As did he. She rested her now sticky cented bubblegum hair on his chest. He had definitely toned up over the months, which was a nice added perk.

"I love you," he whispered.

He had been saying that for a while now. Bubblegum hadn't had the courage to say it back to him. She didn't know why.

"I know," she whispered in reply.

She didn't know if her mind was tricking her. Infatuation caused by a chemical reaction in her brain. Why was she afraid to say those words back?

Nevertheless, Danny never forced her. He very much learned that lesson when he confronted her about it weeks ago. But instead of asking why she never said "I love you" back, he asked an even deeper cutting question: 'why are you so closed off?'

To which she replied angrily 'because people can't be trusted'. Of course this left Danny very cross and he stormed off immediately. Bubblegum knew exactly why she can't trust people with love anymore. Marceline broke her heart. She later apologized to Danny and just assured Danny that she liked him. But she can't say the words yet and she doesn't want to tell him why. He understood and gave her time.

It should be prefaced that Danny is very argumentative and while Bubblegum was intelligent, it's lost in their heated arguments that actually happened quite often. Others didn't know of their relationship, but many speculated.

"How do you feel about children?"

The question caught Bubblegum off guard. "W-what do you mean?"

"How do you feel about having children."

Her fingers traced the hair on his chest. "I have children. Most of the candy kingdom are my children."

"You know what I mean Bonbon."

"Frankly Danny Boy, I don't." she said cutely.

He chuckled. "I mean like giving birth to a love child. Does that narrow it down enough for you?"

"I can't give birth."

He looked at her. "Really?"

She nodded. "I'm candy dude. Can't have candy babies."

He paused. "Then how are you alive?"

"Probably a result of a mutation caused by the mushroom war. Probably infused human consciousness with candy somehow."

"I see," he sighed. "Well, at least you know you're a good mom."

"Do you think you're a good dad?" She asked hesitently.

"I'd like to think so." He smirked. "I mean I'd give him or her everything."

"You'd spoil them!" She gasped.

"Not spoil, but give them more than I had."

She smiled. "Would you give up your adventures for them?"

"I'd give up my adventures for you."

She paused as her smile quickly faded.

"But being with you is more than any adventure I can ask for," he quickly added on.

"Why is that?"

"Because being with you has taught me to be strong in different ways. I've learned to be patient."

She smiled. "That's good."

"Only because you're smarts can get me annoyed."

She gasped and looked at him. "My smarts only emasculate you because you're stubborn as all glob!"

"You're just as stubborn as I am!" He said with a chuckle. "You can't admit defeat!"

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Ow I'm sorry!"

She smiled victoriously. "Better be!"

The light shot into the sky. The beam cut through the clouds and shined so bright, they both had to cover their eyes.

"What is that?" Danny asked.

Princess Bubblegum jumped to her feet and slid her shorts and shirt on. "Danny grab the hover bike!"

"On it!"

Please don't let it be him! She begged.

She rushed into her room and grabbed her Pulse Rifle and ran down to the front of the castle to wait for Danny. One minute. Two. Three. What's taking you so long!? She rolled her eyes and darted off towards the mini hanger. The Hover Bike was still there but no sign of Danny anywhere. Where could he have disappeared to?! She's gonna have to scream at him for that.

She put on her helmet and hopped into her hover bike. She turned on the comms and a hologram of the Banana guard leaders appeared. "Banana guards. This is a strict order. If you don't hear back from me within an hour, sound the alarm!"

"Princess you should be sleeping!" Said one.

"If the princess is staying up late, can I do it too?" Said another.

"Princess should not be going anywhere late at night!"

Bubblegum rolled her eyes. "Shut up all of you! I don't have time for this! Do as I command! That's an order!"

"Yes princess!" They said in unison.

Jayden had to close his eyes to avoid being blinded, but that didn't help. The lights even shined through his hands that he used to cover his eyes. Gared had his arm wrapped around Jayden's shoulder, for Jayden had to fight to pull him out of the conflict and into the portal. But just as quickly as the light came, it went. The group of some 20 Creators were surrounded by forest and darkness.

"Well, that's nice," one creator, Zeke, said. "Come here at night so that the Massive light makes us stick out like sore thumbs."

"Shut up Zeke," Gared groaned. "We rest here for tonight."

"We aren't resting anywhere," Jayden said. Everyone turned to him. "We have company."

Silhouettes surrounded them, popping out in the trees. They had arrows pulled and readied. Jayden shouldered his rifle, but everyone else didn't move either from being too tired or being afraid to fire against their brethren.

A man walked out from the brushes. Behind him, a woman and a pink haired lady on some sort of flying motorcycle.

"My Lord Finn!"

Everyone dropped to their knees, even the struggling Gared. Jayden however was the only one who stood.

"Are you not going to bow?" Finn asked.

Gared elbowed Jayden in the knee, but Jayden didn't move. "I don't bow to anyone."

"That is not how you speak to a king!" Rebecca said sternly.

"The King will need more than 50 archers to make me bow."

"I'll put your head on display for everyone to see!" Finn unsheathed his sword and began to walk closer. Jayden slung his rifle and began to advance.

Princess bubblegum watched Finn as he said those words.

Gared leaped forth in between them, struggling to keep his breath! "My Lord! We beg mercy!"

"Why should I give you mercy?" Finn asked.

"Because we sought salvation, my lord," Gared pleaded.

"Salvation from Pendleton?" Rebecca asked.

Gared nodded and his company lowered their eyes.

"And who's this guy?" Finn asked.

"He was Pendleton's prisoner, along with…" Gared trailed off.

Finn paused then turned his head towards Jayden. "You saw Marceline?"

Jayden crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow in response.

"Yes my lord," Gared replied.

"Is Marceline alright?"

"Your girlfriend has been Pendleton's play thing for the past few months." Jayden responded.

Finn growled and grabbed Gared by his chain mail. "Why didn't you save her!?"

Gared raised his hands in defense. "S-She wasn't there when we went in my lord! We had every intention!"

"You didn't know Pendleton's schedule or intentions?!"

"No my lord!"

Finn unsheathed his sword and pointed it into Gared's eye. "That's a problem isn't it!?"

"I'm sorry my Lord!" Gared shut his eyes.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE SAVED HER! YOU SHOULD HAVE GIVEN YOUR LIVES TO SAVE HER INSTEAD OF THIS UNGRATEFUL BASTARD!"

Already Finn's sword was already on a descenting thrust towards Gared.

"FINN STOP!" Princess Bubblegum yelled.

"My Lord! No!" Rebecca yelled.

Just as the sword was about to make contact, an arm wrapped around Finn's wrist and the other at the holy of his blade. The hands twisted the sword out of Finns hands in a quick smooth motion.

Finn looked to find Jayden holding his wrist. Finn swung a fist with his free hand and Jayden parried effortlessly. This forced Finn off his guard, and that's when a flurry of fists came from Jayden. Two jabs to the cheek, a hard kick to the shin, a body shot and ending with a massive swinging haymaker to the spun in the air and landed on his back, his nose gushing blood.

Everyone watched in silence, but Jayden grabbed Finns sword from the grass and brought it to its owners neck. Everyone else unsheathed their swords and aimed their bows to Jayden. "You are a dictator. And it's my specialty to get rid of scum like you." Jayden said.

Rebecca's sword made contact with his. "I'll kill you if you go further!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Bubblegum yelled. "We don't have the manpower for another battle! We need every person we can get!"

Jayden threw down Finn's sword and backed away. Finn jumped to his feet and wiped the blood from his nose. He turned away and began to walk. "Take them into a jail cell. Make sure they can't teleport out of it."

"My Lord!?" Gared said. "W-Were allies!"

"Do as I command!" Finn said to Gared. "Stay in the jail cells until I let you go! I'm your King right?"

Gared fell silent. "Yes my lord."

Jayden scoffed loudly.

The other Creators restrained all of them, even Jayden who showed no signs of resistance. Rebecca walked behind Finn, and as he passed Bubblegum, Bubblegum spoke. "Don't make enemies out of your friends."

Finn kept walking.

Princess Bubblegum looked at her cell phone screen when it rang.

One text message.

She opened it to read the contents.

Sorry I couldn't make it. Something came up at the last minute. I'll make it up to you. -D

The princess scowled. She immediately hit the call button.

It rang once. Twice. Three times.

"Nnn-yello!"

"Mind telling me what's so important that you had to ditch me?" The princess said irately.

"Over the phone, yes I mind," he said.

"Well you better hope that it was worth ditching me for it."

"It will be."

"I'll be the judge of that," she said.

"And what will you do if it's not worth it to you?"

"Well… I do have a dungeon."

"Gross…" Jayden scoffed beside her, causing the already irate Princess Bubblegum to scowl heavily at him.

"Who was that?" Danny asked.

"No one. One of Finn's prisoners."

"Oh," he said. "Well when you get back, there's someone I want you to meet."

"Okay," she said with the slightest hint of a smile. "See you soon."

When she hung up the phone, she saw Jayden's smirk. "What's the matter with you?" She asked.

"You're in love."

Princess Bubblegum flushed madly, her pink cheeks already turning a crimson red. "Am not!"

"So you're not in love?" He asked.

"No!"

"Hmm… shame. You seemed so in love on the phone."

She paused, her blush still remaining on her cheeks. Had it really been that obvious? She didn't think so, and she was usually correct.

"How does he feel?" Jayden pressed.

"He feels like its none of your business."

"Sure he does." He smirked. "And what about you princess? Why are you afraid to show your true feelings?"

"Okay seriously. Who are you?"

"A human from the year 101 AE."

"AE?"

"After End. When the world was supposed to end, but didn't. We pressed on through the hard times." He once again annoyed the Princess with that smirk. "But let's not get derailed. I can pay attention to the most minute of details. I can tell that you're lying just by the sweat on your brow or the pupils in your eyes. So tell me. You don't have anything to lose."

"Why am I afraid to show my feelings?"

"Mmhmm."

"Why are you afraid to show yours?"

The question caught Jayden off guard. "What are you talking about?"

"You seem like the type. The scars on your face. The wetsuit. The tough boy personality. Killing dictators is your thing right?"

"So you have been listening."

"You aren't the only one to pay attention to small detail."

He chuckled. "Touche."

"You first."

"When you live in the apocalypse, you find it hard to trust anyone. Everyone loves for themselves. Your friend can be your enemy tomorrow. It's better to not have friends. Makes it easier when you have to kill them."

Bubblegum shivered at the thought then said "Liar."

He did that annoying smirk again! "You're good. But not that good. It's not a complete lie as much as it is a partial truth."

"Want to tell me the whole story? We have time until we get back and I can use entertainment."

"Sorry, lover girl. You need to have me be a level 10 drunk to unlock that secret."

She rolled her eyes. "Then you'll never know my story."

He chuckled. "I already know. And I know where that road ends."

"Are you trying to help me?"

"Just merely babbling," he said. "But take it into consideration. You think you're being selfless but you're not. If it's one thing I learned from dying, its that Hiding your emotions is probably the most selfish thing to do. You'll regret it when you're too late."

"From experience, huh?" She looked at him. "Thanks. I might want to hear that story of yours sometime soon."

"Bring alcohol for me then, and get me fucking plastered. Then I'll tell you."

What happened back there? Finn thought. When did I lose my cool? I used to be the cool guy… After winning Card Wars and such. When did I become so uptight? Am I really that similar to my dad?

"My Lord!" Rebecca called to him as she appeared beside him.

"Don't call me that Rebecca."

"What?"

"I don't deserve it."

She paused. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not a king. I'm a dictator. Just like my dad. Becks, I'm not a good person."

"That's a lie," she replied.

"No its not! Becks…" he paused. "Becks our thing we have is because I'm a selfish person!"

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Becks if I was a good person, would I break my vow to Marceline?"

"You didn't know she was alive."

"I did…" he said. "I shut her out. And I can still hear her sometimes."

"Then why did you stay?"

"I have a duty." He sighed. "I wish I could protect the world and protect her."

"You can't do everything Finn."

"I'm a god. I'm supposed to do everything."

Rebecca scowled. "Who told you Creators were gods!? Creators are what you call 'beefed up humans'! You can't handle everything! It'll drive you nuts!"

"I know." He said. "I know…" He paused, and Rebecca's arms wrapped around his waist from behind.

"If you're a god, then I'll worship you," she whispered. "Even if you're the devil."

He pulled away. "Don't."

Rebecca and Finn shared a stare between then. Her jaw was dropped, and though she hasn't cried in a long while, she could feel the tears rising as a result of the pain in her heart.

"I…" he whispered before agreeing his eyes. "I have a lot to think about."

She wanted to touch him. "As you wish my lord."

Finn walked ahead of them. Princess Bubblegum can be heard making her call to the Banana Guards. He really did have s lot to think about. Would Marceline forgive him? Would he forgive himself? What would he do if Pendleton attacked? What could he do? Hes just toying with Finn. He wanted Finn to know how Pendleton is treating Marceline. He can ruin Ooo whenever he wanted, but he has no reason to attack as long as Finn is being tormented. Even if people defected to Finn, he can still defeat them easily in sheer numbers. He has no reason to attack...

Wait a minute…

Something was gnawing at his mind. The events related before his eyes.

He was Pendleton's prisoner…

A prisoner has value… many prisoners of war are executed if they don't have value…

What's important about him?

He thought back to when they were fighting. He had been knocked down and bloodied. The other shoved the sword close to his neck.

Son of a bitch!

He turned around and stormed past Rebecca and Princess Bubblegum.

"My Lord!?"

He walked up to Gared, who was in chains and grabbed his chain mail once again. "Who is he!?" Finn snapped referring to Jayden.

"I-I don't know my lord!? Pendleton's prisoner! We don't know much about him!? He seems to be an ordinary human!"

"Who can carry the Creator's weapon!" Finn snapped. "Doesn't make sense, does it!?"

Gared remained silent.

"You idiot! You messed up! He's important to Pendleton! We're dead meat because you brought him here!"