The Bloody Traveled Road 2 (Patreon)

The Bloody Traveled Road 2 - or ‘I was turned, I bleed, now let me rest!’ (Adventure Time, Vampire!SI)

Several Centuries Ago…

Being a vampire is a pain in the butt!

Marceline Abadeer had known her life would have gotten even worse than it had been right before the Vampire King turned her into a bloodsucker. She didn’t expect for her already-powerful self to be caught off-guard by how suddenly stronger she got. That and her new set of weaknesses keep her from being as free as she used to be.

The sun was no longer a friend to a new day, her diet was limited to blood, and she was… well, she was clumsy. More clumsy actually. She had a few run-ins with other vampires after facing the king. None being as strong as the bastard… until she found him.

She heard of a ‘Vampiric Erudite’. Someone that was less of a ruthless and violent monster compared to other bloodsuckers, but still deemed a threat by some small kingdoms. And Marceline set herself on the path to clash with him.

She thought him to be just a mini-boss, but she was taught a valuable first lesson that day from the one that would then ‘educate’ her on the nature of vampires.

In a battle of physical fairness, Marceline would have won- that much John told her as she lay on the ground, anti-regeneration daggers firmly stabbed into her arms and legs, yet one so close to actually claim her heart.

That was the first time the girl faced defeat as horribly as she did there. Marceline could not move, the night was about to give way to the day, and John stood over there, a pensive look on his face.

“So, how come you decided to hunt me down?” The vampire asked, looking down at her. “After all, I doubt I deserve this kind of treatment for merely existing.”

She snorted. “You’re a vampire.”

“So are you. And you are also half-demon,” John rebuked harshly, making Marceline flinch. “So, wouldn’t that make you a worse threat than me by that logic.”

“It’s… it’s not the same,” She groaned, the pain unpleasant and the worry increasing as the sun was about to go up and burn them both. “You… you hurt people.”

“Only those deserving it. I had plenty of chances to really hurt people, but I targeted those being tyrants and despots over their own citizens. Monsters in human hides,” The vampire argued flatly, glancing at the sky as it lost more of its darker hue. “So, why did you hunt me down?”

Her sight was growing unfocused due to the blood-loss, but her mind persisted.

“You… you are a vampire.”

John huffed. “Stupid girl, that’s your name.”

A soft growl emerged from her lips due to how uneasy and tired she felt.

“Still, your stupidity is not worthy of death. Tell you what, I am in need of an assistant. You get to learn how to be a ‘smart’ vampire, but you help me with some projects of the technological kind. Nothing too heavy for your brain, but more for your muscles.”

Marceline scoffed as she saw the daggers removing on their own from her body, yet her healing factor was unable to fully work on her wounds. It was clear the magic was lingering and her body wasn’t strong enough at this point to counter it.

She was about to die… but she couldn’t just let it happen. She couldn’t just roll over and perish under the scorching sun.

“W-What if I… said yes?”

A smile appeared on John’s face.

“You get what I offered, plus I can assure you no innocent shall be harmed. How about I give you an incentive?”

John liked to give rhetorical questions, at least that was something evident from that action and beyond when he just offered her a mere apple.

“Drink.”

Marceline scowled. “It’s just a fruit-”

“Drink the color.”

The commanding voice surprised her, even more as she realized what she had been told to do. She had to… drink something’s color? It felt stupid and yet she had seen and experienced far more insane things at that point.

Her teeth sank on the fruit and she focused on the color. Her eyes widened in surprise when the red was just absorbed into her mouth, becoming something tangible and something edible. The substance soon went down her throat and into her welcoming stomach, providing her with something nutritious that kickstarted her healing factor.

Soon she was standing and… the fellow vampire had turned around and was already making way somewhere else. He paused for a moment, glancing over his shoulder with a smile.

“I hope you can run fast.”

The warning was followed by a swift chase that Marceline hadn’t been prepared about. In truth, she wasn’t just chasing John, she was running from the sun. John didn’t look that scared of getting scorched, which was unique compared to the view of most traditional vampires.

It was the first true flag that John was not what she had expected as a person beyond as an opponent.

The house she was brought in was quite well-maintained. The windows were mostly barricaded, there was a lot of supplies, plenty of rooms with well-kept beds and pieces of furniture… It was homely. She felt at home.

And for about a century, Marceline felt quite happy.

Learning the steps needed to master her vampiric powers took a while, but the self-proclaimed Vampire Queen learned fast and sharpened those skills through the years. By forty years into her ‘job’, Marceline had gotten a solid grasp over her abilities and yet kept on staying around as an assistant.

She was not as ‘nerdy’ as John, but his ideas were never too boring. Sure, there were a few difficult and lame ones, but it was fine considering it all got balanced by how happy she was to stick around him.

…

By fifty years into this deal, Marceline contemplated a relationship with John. Up to that point, she had shrugged off the idea of being a life partner with him for many reasons.

Marceline came from a bad life situation (which was now fixed after years of a healthy lifestyle), John felt older than she was (which was not truly true due to how little the gap was and how it was driven mostly by his knowledge in vampiric skills that now she had mastered), and she felt shy.

That last one held no solution to her due to how difficult it was to shrug off. She was so accustomed to John being a friend, and for him to think the same, that it was difficult to find a way to convey she wanted more of their lives.

By the time it was the 80th anniversary since they met, Marceline had quietly given up on trying to get closer to John. Not because of failures, but because of self-doubt. After all, she wasn’t familiar with romantic feelings at the time, and just decided to not crush the one good relationship she had with someone else that wasn’t threatened by death or illness.

So, out of unease, she decided that it was time to leave by the 100th.

“Is that so?” John asked surprised, sounding slightly upset but holding back about it.

“I know it’s sudden but I want to travel the world. It was a fun experience and you are my best friend but…” Marceline sighed, eyes closed and then biting away the unsaid words that could revert her plans altogether. “I need to be free again.”

…

“I see your point. Well, do you need help with the supplies?”

She offered a hollow smile, expecting a ‘fight’ over this. “I wouldn’t mind.”

He asked her to send letters, but Marceline failed to do so. Shame, embarrassment, awareness she had decided to leave the place that had given her so many decades of happiness.

Only to then be subjected to two break-ups and lose hope in love nonetheless. Once with someone that was uncaring of her and wanted to live the moment, and another that decided her duties overruled her commitments to Marceline.

So… that was a big regret. One she thought that would stay in her mind for the many centuries to come.

…

Or that was what she thought before she got hit by a clue that hope was not yet lost.

—----d-d-d-d—------

Current Day.

Marceline was writing a new song when Finn and Jake decided to pass by.

To say that they had become some amusing pillars of happiness in recent months would be an understatement. The dudes were totally amazing, and she loved Finn’s adventuring spirit.

It was refreshing compared to the adultish expectations that she had long lived through, and it brought back that sense of playfulness she lost due to bitter decisions and unplanned consequences.

Yet, as the duo were recounting their most recent discovery, they showed her a symbol Finn had drawn down on some papers. She spared it a look, gloated by the praise she got from Jake about being ‘an expert of cool stuff’ and…

…

“I know this symbol,” She hummed curtly, glancing quietly at Finn as she felt the amusement drain as a strange pit in her chest formed. “Where did you say you found it?”

“Somewhere in this… place, here!” Finn announced, picking up a map of the Land of Ooo and showing it to her. “It’s strange, but it’s like there’s some sort of ‘barrier’, but it does nothing. Like, we stepped inside and we saw a big building appear out of nowhere.”

“I’ve never seen anything like that before,” Jake nodded, sounding as baffled as Finn was.

But Marceline was not sharing that surprise with them. No, her shock was driven by something else. Familiarity.

“I know what it is. And who owns that place,” She mumbled, eyes glowing with interest as it’s been ages since she had seen him. It had to be him, and she owed him a visit. And an explanation. And an apology with all of that.

Finn and Jake were giddy about being told of this ‘mysterious vampire good guy that creates stuff’. And when Marceline offered to tag along with them to check the place, they were ready to go despite the late hour.

Then again, Marceline was the best in combat during nighttime, so it was easy for them to just make their way to their destination and… confirm it was indeed the place she thought John could set his base. It was far bigger and more ‘royal-like’ compared to his old place. Yet, the style was John’s, and the place was littered with various drones and automatas- which were born from John due to their familiar appearance.

“Woah, this place is huge!” Finn exclaimed in awe, looking around the entrance of the manor.

It was indeed massive compared to anything she expected, but the size also felt contained to some extent. Pleasant, as it didn’t make her feel standing outdoors despite its humongous size.

“Bzzt, greetings! I am Comet, the Greeting Drone. How can we help you, adventurers?”

“Do you have cool stuff, like weapons and armors?”

“We sure do, good sirs and ma’am.”

The Vampire Queen blinked as she was pulled away from her thoughts and back to the real world. Instead of wasting time, the girl spoke up with a clear voice.

“Where’s John?”

The drone paused, a surprised look flashing through its screen-face. Then, it went still for a moment and finally it blinked.

“Identification please?”

“Marceline.”

“Bzzt, recognition accepted. Welcome, Marcy. Would you like to meet the creator at once?”

“Yes.”

“I will personally lead the way after I am done with-”

“Just tell me where he is.”

The sharp turn surprised the drone, but the thing gave her

“W-Wait, Marceline. Are you leaving us?” Finn asked with a hint of shock, one that felt awkward but the girl reacted swiftly to it.

“You’re safe,” The vampire shrugged off. “This place is owned by a friend. He wouldn’t let guests be subjected to any trouble.”

“Are you sure?” Jake asked with a hint of concern but she nodded. “Well, you heard the girl.”

“Woh-oh! Let’s get legendary blades!”

The duo disappeared with big grins on their faces while following Comet, leaving Marceline to the simple task of breaking a few walls, shattering a few doors and then…

“JOHN?!?”

“Hello… Marcy.”

It was him. It was that dork that she missed for ages! He was clearly just out of bed, wearing that dorky blue PJs suit that made him look like an adorable nerd. And that long hair and glasses- he looked so familiar and yet so different!

He didn’t seem to react quickly enough despite him being faster and stronger than she was as Marceline was soon tackling him on the ground. She was soon upon him, ready to do the one thing that her body could do when put in that very situation: she started to sob loudly and like a moron.

“I’m sorry!” She bawled, eyes wide open and crying without a care of the world.

John blinked, red eyes narrowing at her. “For… breaking some walls?”

Her lips twitched at the dry humor.

“I-I mean, the fact I forgot about you. Th-that I forgot to send you letters and… and I was a horrible friend!”

…

“Are you a horrible friend?” He asked tiredly, then explained his sudden grogginess. “Sorry, Marcy, I just woke up from a few years-long nap so I am not there just yet. What are you talking about?”

“I-I just said-”

“Marcy, were you very busy through the centuries?”

“Y-Yeah, but-”

“And I forgot to send you a letter about me moving out,” John pointed out. “So, I guess I am a bad friend too.”

“You…” She frowned, her tears drying slightly. “You dork.”

“You lovable assistant. How are you?”

“Had better days,” Marceline admitted. “You?”

“Been sleeping a lot to save on supplies, but I had a few adventures. Let’s just say that a few world-ending crises have been prevented.”

“As usual,” She remarked mirthfully. “So… nice place you got.”

“Can you get off now?” He asked nervously and Marceline grinned. “Pretty please?”

“Nope,” She mouthed the ‘p’ loudly before leaning down and cuddling with the fellow vampire.

“Marcy, the floor is cold.”

“So are our bodies. Plus, you love cuddles, you dork. And I missed you.”

It felt so stupidly childish for her to break down appearances. But this guy was someone she had a solid good bond with and one that she felt happy to open up around when the situation called for it. Such as a reunion as important as this one.

“Missed you too, Marcy,” He mumbled awkwardly, hugging her back and…

Everything was fine in Marcy’s world-

“No, but seriously. My butt is freezing.”

Well, mostly everything. But it was a start.

—-----d-d-d-d—----

AN

Next chapter will be present-centered. I don’t plan to do this back and forth all the time, but it helps me establish a situation without going for a ‘tell and not show’ scene. So, Marcy gets a bit of a remembrance of the past on how she was slightly after becoming the Vampire Queen, met John, and kind of learned stuff that aided her in the timeline skip between her becoming a vampire and present time.