The Lost Adventure

Chapter 7- Distractions

     Marceline drops down onto the ground, exhausted from all the work. The Candy Kingdom was almost back to how it was, with the exception of a few missing houses. It was finally quiet out, no one in sight. Everyone was in the castle, getting some food. Marceline, of course, didn't need any so she stayed outside to keep working. Since it's so sunny out, Marceline sticks to working in shady areas, but she starts to wonder what's taking everyone so long to get back. Marceline grabs her hat and floats towards the castle to look for everyone.

     The castle is complely quiet, except for a few whispers here and there. Marceline doesn't know where they are exactly, but they continue to echo all around. By now Maceline knows something is definetly wrong. As she passes through another long hallway, the whispers grow louder. She moves to the goround, and realizes the whispers are coming from the vent shafts. Marceline pulls off the screen and crawls inside, immensly worried. She has no idea what's going on. She follows the whispers in the vent system until she finally finds herself right above them. The metal screen is bolted to the frame, but Marceline manages to bend the metal bars enough to look into the room. What she sees both startles and frightens her. 

     Standing in the room is Peppermint Butler, talking with none other than Hunson Abbadeer. Marceline tenses up and stays completly still, covering her mouth to hide her breathing, and listens intently to their conversation.

     "So is this everyone?" Hunson asks, looking around the room. Marceline dares not shift herself to see who else was in the room, fearful they might hear her, but figured that they were the reason everyone was gone. Luckily it seemed her father hadn't consumd any souls yet, still in his regular form.

     "Yes sir," Peppermint Butler replies, "Your daughter is outside, and Finn and Jake are still out looking for the Ice King." Marceline frowns. She hadn't realized Finn and Jake had left, or why they were looking for the Ice King.

     Had something happened?

     "Very good Peppermint Butler, but tell me, are you sure they won't be an issue again?"

     "Well, if they do find the Ice King he won't be of much help anyway. Not with his crown gone."

     Marceline gasps.

     "Did you here that?" Marceline starts to wiggle back. "I though you said this was everybody!"

     "I-I- It is s-sir! The only other one here in the Kingdom is-"

     "Marceline."

     Now Maceline is rushing to get out. She knew she couldn't take on her dad alone, and who knew what kind of power Peppermint Butler had. Her only way out of there was to run. She had to warn Finn and Jake. And find out what was going on with the Ice King.

     CRAAAACK!!!

     Metal goes flying behind Marceline as she gets closer to the exit. She can hear her father calling out her name. Just as she tumbles out of the vent shaft, the whole thing seems to collapse, dissapearing in a cloud of drywall. She checks herself to make sure she's not hurt. She seems okay, but as she starts to run towards the castle entrence, Peppermint Butler appears out of nowhere.

      "Marceline," he says calmly, "What do you think you're doing? Do you think we can afford to let you escape?" Peppermint Butler begins walking towards Marceline,"We wouldn't want you warning everyone about us now. That musn't happen." Marceline backs into a wall. She can hear her father getting closer.

     If I wanna get out of here, it's now or never...

     Marceline sprints towards Peppermint Butler, changing into her wolf form. He seems to be speaking up a storm of spells. He sends something hot and fast past her head, but she keeps running, leaping onto the wall, pushing off hard to jump over Peppermint Butler. When she gets close to the entrence she picks up a bowl of fruit. She dares to turn around, and sees her father rushing up behind her. She starts to change into her small bat form, covering herself with the bowl. The sun is strong but the bowl protects Marceline well enough for her to reach the outside gate. Her father screams out for her to come back. Peppermint Butler continues to shoot fire and paralyzing spells at her, but it's no use. She's already long gone.

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     The suns starting to set by the time Marceline reaches the edge of the Ice Kingdom. She's stunned to see all the snow gone. By now she's exhausted beyond belief, but she can't stay in the open. Going back home to her cave is a definete no, since that's the first place her father would look for her. The Ice Kingdom was just as bad, but she knew Finn and Jake had to be out here somewhere. If she could find them, she could warn them and help them to send her father back to the Nightosphere.

      When the suns finally down, Marceline returns to her human form, leaving the fruit bowl behind. With her she has a bag of her clothes. She had picked it up earlier. She always had emergency stuff at all her houses, but she never expected to actually use them.

     After she dressed she began her search. However, she decided not to call out for them, just in case Hunson or Peppermint Butler were nearby. Instead Marceline headed towards the Ice Kings' mountain. She couldn't think of what else to do.

     She floated up to the window, peering in. It seemed abandoned so she checked out the rooms. In what seemed to be a basement she found all kinds of old stuff. She never knew the Ice King kept any of the stuff from so long ago. She noticed an old freeway sign in the corner, and she remembered their old travels together... before he forgot about her.

     creeeeeeeeek.....

     Marceline jumps over a pile of books, slipping beneath an old surf board leaning against the wall. She can hear whispering again, but her heart sounds like it's beating in her head. She can hear someone on the stairs just outside the doorway. She holds her breathe.

     "Over here..." Someone whispers,"I think she's over here..." Marceline tenses up, grabbing a nearby pipe. "Marceline?" Marceline doesn't recognize the voice at first. It sounds like the Ice King but somehow it's different...

     From the doorway, someone appears suddenly. In a rapid panic Marceline brings the pipe down on their head. The figure drops, pulling his hat off and rubbing his head.

    "OW!!!" Finn cries, trying to ease his pain,"Marceline! What the Glob was that for?!" Marcelines' face turns beat red.

    "Finn! I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Someone else appears in the doorway. Marceline swings the pipe again, knocking Jake down next to Finn.

     "UGH!" He shouts, "Marceline?!?!? What the- OW! That really hurts!! Ow!ow!ow!ow!ow!ow!ow!!" Jake keeps rubbing his head, pinching his eyes shut. Marceline drops the pipe, grabbing her hair in the confusion.

     "Aw man you guys," Marceline pleads,"I totally didn't mean to do that on purpose! Well, I did, but not to you guys! I thought my Dad and Peppermint Butler were following me, so when I heard you guys upstairs I freaked out and hid, and... Oh man you guys, I didn't mean it, honest..." Marceline continues to pull at her hair, apologizing, when she relizes someone else is in the room.

     She turns to see him standing in the doorway. He's in a new outfit. It looks like his old brown one, but grey with black pants. His hair is still white but short again and his beard is gone. Even his nose is almost normal looking. Tears fill her eyes just seeing him there. She feels anger, happiness, and saddness all at once. She's so overwhelmed she can't move, but she doesn't have to. Instead he moves towards her and puts his arms around her. She can't beleive he's here until he finally speaks.

     "Marceline..." He whispers so only she can hear, "I remember you..."