High-Grade Red

Chapter 7: Adrift Among Open Stars

"Life is lonely, but unlikely, too..."

A little more than a week on from the capture of the Leaflan, Marceline sits in her house trying to come up with new songs for her upcoming show. She'd told Bonnibel that she had it all planned out, but that was a lie; with only a few weeks until her performance, she's only got three songs ready. Of them, two are covers, and one is one of her older songs.

"So take my hand and we'll be fine."

Bonnibel had released the Leaflan after some interrogation, but learned nothing from him, save that he was a prince of his people. At least, nothing that she'd told Marceline.

"Together see the world anew..."

As she tries to write music, the smell of nachos slowly pervades her house. Finn and Jake laugh loudly in the kitchen, messing around as they cook.

"And watch the stars align."

Marceline grunts and gives up on the song. "Lonely, but unlikely. Yeah, yeah-yeah. Marcy has no talent. Woah, woah-woah."

She tosses her bass onto the couch beside her and whips her music journal onto the ground, shouting angrily. "No, no, NO! Pointless and boring and bad!" Fury coursing through her veins, she uncaps a liter-bottle of soda and dumps it out, sticky carbonated liquid spilling over the pages and blurring her writing.

"Who— hoahh, Marcy!" Finn exclaims, leaning around the door, before nervously asking, "How's the song coming along?"

Her eyes literally ablaze, Marceline crushes the bottle in her hands, splitting the plastic along the neck in the process. "How do you think?" She sits back on the couch and kicks the bottle away as Finn cowers back behind the wall.

The human walked out from the wall somewhat hesitantly. "Aww, don't slam your jam! Your songs are great! Stupid great!"

"That's just the thing, Finn," Marceline groans, picking up her wet and sticky journal. "My old songs were different—I was inspired to write them! They came from within!" She stands up and begins pacing around agitatedly. "Ever since the tour, people expect new, better songs! From an even deeper and more complex part of my soul!" She glances at a picture on the wall above her couch, a band photo of her, Bonnibel, and the rest of the Scream Queens. "It's been years since then, and my fans haven't calmed down. Every time I do a show without any new songs, they tear it apart. And my new singles are all hit-or-miss at best."

She sits down. "But my soul has been—"

Her voice breaks as she flashes back to her brief moment of solace with Bonnibel from months prior. This had been progressively happening more often, and it's gotten to the point that she can barely see or think about her without it happening.

Marceline swallows and refocuses herself. "It's been bored and complacent for months now. And all the craziness over the past six months hasn't done anything but confuse it." She throws her arms out towards the kitchen door. "I've been stuck eating nachos with you and Jake!"

As soon as she mentions the magic dog, he walks out of the kitchen with a plate stacked high with nachos. "Rea-dy!" he announces, eliciting an annoyed glare from the Vampire Queen.

"What am I supposed to write? A 13-opus about beans and cheese?!" Finn and Jake glance at each other as she throws her head back and groans, dramatically throwing one arm over her eyes. "It's hopeless! How am I supposed to live up to anybody's standards?!"

"I'm right there with ya, Marcy-Marce!" Jake concurs, plopping onto the couch beside her with a plate of nachos. "That's why I don't try to live up to any standards! I impress myself by just obeying my most basic instincts!"