Adventures In AAA With Fionna and Marshall Lee [original]

Unforgivable

It was in an instant that my face lost its warmth, its smile, all feeling really. My body became numb to the words that flew from Gumball's mouth as they attempted to attacked me.

Marshall's eyes snapped up to meet mine. They were slit, red, and more intense than I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. His fangs were elongated to the point that they could no longer be hidden inside his lips. He was a mess and I was glad. Glad I wasn't the only one.

My orbs couldn't handle his intense stare for much longer than a few seconds. For, it was a stare of horror and pain and guilt and sorrow all in one. All emotions that frankly I did not want to deal with.

So, I didn't.

Instead, I decided to observe my sister. Well, it wasn't exactly a matter of choice. My brain seemed to not want to work... so patiently I watched my sister. I stared at her blood matted fur, the way it was patted down reminding me of my own battle with Magic Woman not so long ago.

Her eyes were closed, thank Glob, for if they were, I don't think I would have the heart to look into them. I wouldn't have the heart to close them, either, though.

And as I watched her unmoving body, no thoughts that I should have been thinking came to mind. No 'how did this happen?' or 'who is responsible for her death?', not even a 'I'm going to avenge you, Cake'. No, I thought of nothing but memories of myself and her.

It wasn't the best of places for a smile but a smile formed upon my lips anyway. I could hear Marshall in the background as he said louder than normal that: 'he could explain' and that 'he was sorry' and he was 'going to kill Gumball.' But, the longer I looked at her, the more I tuned Marshall out.

It was back years ago before any of this had ever thought of happening. Back before Cake had gotten herself a belly of children and back before Marshall had left those long, lonely months.

I sat eagerly on the living room couch, humming to myself as I observed Cake and the way her paws wrapped the cloth bandage gently around my ankle. She 'tsked to herself, well to me, but I wasn't fully focused on her words of caution.

I practically knew by heart the lecture she was spewing, because she said it after every mission or adventure we would go on. Well, everyone in which I got hurt, that is.

"Be more careful, consider others. You need to think things through more, baby. Next time you won't be so lucky, listen here. I can't heal everything. Well.." she would chuckle to herself, "I am pretty good at bandaging. I mean, how else do you think you stay lookin' this good, Fionna?"

I smiled a hidden smile, blowing a piece of hair away from my face as I silently praised my sister.

'Thank you.' I would say, but never out loud. Because saying it out loud meant I understood her way of thinking, and if I ever acknowledged Cake's words, she would no doubt make me follow them more strictly.

I should have li-

But here I was. Looking down, years later, at the elder who always seemed to know everything. I had never talked to her about this, not really. Not about death.

"It's natural." she would say, but nothing more. Yes, I was sad that mom and dad were gone-but they were heroes and would forever live on. But Cake...

Tell me...

How is one suppose to deal with death? What is normal?

Do I cry or do I smile? Do I forget or remember? Your kids, your kids... I don't even know all of their names yet, how pathetic.