Adventure Time with Fionna and Marshall (Fiolee)

By the Water's Edge

Days passed,

A week...

And still no sign of Marshall, not even a word on him spread through Aaa.

"He promised." I say each night before I close my eyes, imagining waking to find him next to me and we could both act like nothing happened.

But each morning I woke up rolling over to the cold side of the bed.

I worried, but I made a promise as well, to not go after him, and I knew if I took one step into the Nightosphere by myself again, well, it'd be more trouble than it's worth.

I decided to distract myself. I traveled all over Aaa, probably helped every city, town and creature possible. I helped plant people sow their children, helped a town of upright walking goats celebrate the mayor's birthday, a passing Catbug make brownies in his tree, saved a rock city from the encroaching moss people... I'd seen and experienced so much, making it feel a lot like old times with Cake.

I had told Cake to stay home and I'd go alone, I insisted. I need time to be on my own, for once not be in danger or for someone else to be in danger, no drama just life.

I come back to the tree house, about two months after Marshall left and so did I, to regroup and, I don't know, just because I missed home.

Cake greeted me warmly, asking about my adventures and people I met. I tried to describe everything the best I could but of course that wasn't enough for her, begging for more details. We laughed, reminisced and ate like pigs, both agreeing we missed each other terribly.

As the conversation dies down, I just look at her, priming her for the question to come.

She knows me so well, reading my face immediately, "Nothing, baby, no word from Marshall." Her eyes full of sympathy.

I sigh, "Okay," I accept, what I always say when Cake replies with bad news. I get up from the kitchen table where we were talking abruptly, heading for the front door. "Pumpkin! Fionna!" Cake calls after me, but I just keep goin, closing the door behind me.

I start walking. No particular direction or destination, I just walk.

The sun dips low on the horizon as I have probably been walking an hour or so now. I pace past a large clear lake when something catches my eye.

A familiar glow by the water's edge.

My feet almost automatically start walking towards it, towards the light, towards him.

"Is that the great Flame King that has graced us with his presence this evening?" I stride towards him.

He looks up from the water at me, a smile spreading over his face, "Hey, what are you doing out here?" he asks.

I can feel a similar smile tugging on the side of my mouth, "I can ask you the same thing." I walk up next to him, catching a glimpse of my reflection in the water, lit by his presence.

He looks back at the water, "Just needed to get away for a while, you?"

I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the cooling night air, "Pretty much the same" I exhale.

A respectful silence falls between us. The sun finally sets behind the horizon, bringing the surrounding trees alive and making Flame King stand out even more against the blackness.

"So what have you been up to Flame King?" I prod.

He exhales a laugh, "Don't call me that, come on, to you I'm still Flame Prince." he insists.

"Fine, what have you been up to FP?" I correct, but then something else comes to mind, "What was it like when you took over the Fire Kingdom from your mother?"