The Red Thief 8

The sun was shining brightly on the first day of the festival. People from all around crowded the candy kingdom. Kids of different kinds ate candies, and hung off their parents.


Fionna was busy in her booth, arm wrestling with Muscle prince. There was a crowd of people watching the two of them, and the prince looked like he was having a hard time battling the little adventuress in strength.


"Muscle Prince....? More like rubber prince!" Fionna grunted out, and she slammed the princes hand down on the table. She stood up, wiping sweat from her brow, as the crowd around the tent cheered for her. "Thank you, thank you! That make's a total of 132 people defeated!" Fionna said, and BMO showed the number on his face, go from 131 to 132. "Sorry everyone, but I need to take a break!"


The crowd groaned in disappointment, as Fionna put up a break sign, and let out a sigh of exhaustion. Her arm was getting sore from all the challengers. The girl didn't think that she would have so many people challenging her, but apparently her booth was popular.


Fionna played with her bangs, as she walked out of the tent, and past LSP's. The poor prince didn't have a single customer all day. "Hey, LSP." Fionna called out to the prince, who looked up, excited for a customer.


"Oh, it's you Fionna...." LSP looked down, then smiled at her. "Want a kiss?"


"I'm alright." Fionna said, and she walked up to him. "... If you're not busy, do you wanna take a break with me? We could go look around at the booths."


"... You know, my lips are tired from kissing all day. That sounds good." LSP lied to Fionna, who smiled, and she headed off down the road. They stopped at a few game booths, and Fionna won a couple of prizes, but gave the stuffed animals to the down trodden prince.


"Thanks for the prizes, Fionna!" the Prince said happily, as the two headed back to their booths, both eating cotton candy.


"No Problem, LSP." Fionna grinned at the lumpy prince/


"Fionna...!" A voice called out, and Fionna turned her head to look at Gumball. He was wearing a pair of shorts, and a sweater, but also a white frilly apron. "I've brought you a lollipop I crafted." Gumball said, producing a large swirly lollipop for the girl. "it gives you all your daily nutrients!"


"Rhombus!" Fionna said, as she accepted the lollipop. "Thanks Gumball."


"You're welcome." The prince smiled.


"what the lump, gumball?" LSP said, crossing his arms. "Where is MY lollipop?!"


"Oh uh. Right here." Gumball said, smiling as he pulled another out from his apron pocket, and handing it to LSP. "I hope you like it."


"Oh, oh my glob. This is lumpin' great." LSP said, licking the lollipop. "Hey gumball. Maybe you could help me out at my booth?"


"Uh... uhm.... alright... Peppermint maid should have my booth under control..." Gumball said, nervous a bit. He followed LSP over to the kissing booth, and Fionna trailed after them. "Uhm ah.... so.... It's just a peck on the cheek right?"


"Nuh uh, Gumball." LSP said, smiling as he pointed at his pricing chart. "bronze gets you a peck. Silver gets you lips, and gold gets you full on MAKE-OUT."


"Oh dear." Gumball said, turning red. "Uh...."


"Here, I'll be your first customer." Fionna said, feeling bad for both princes. She felt bad for LSP, for not getting any customers all day, and for Gumball, for being forced by LSP to do this. She pulled out a silver coin, and placed it in the jar LSP had. "There, for a peck on the cheek from both of you."


"Fionna! You're so Lumpin' awesome!" LSP said, and he floated up, and kissed her cheek. "Be sure to come back later, for the full on kiss I owe you."


"Haha, that's alright," Fionna said, wiping her cheek with her hand.


"Ah, ha... Fionna. You didn't have to do that." Gumball said, blushing, before he stood up, and leaned over the booth. "Ah uhm..."


Fionna blushed a bit. She had been waiting for a long time, for a kiss from Gumball, but why did she feel scared, more than happy? She closed her eyes, waiting for his lips to touch her cheek.... she waited a long moment, before she opened her eyes, and looked to her side.


There she saw, Gumball kissing Marshall Lee's cheek, and she blushed a bright red, her jaw dropping. Gumball opened his eyes, and had a look of horror, as he saw the vampire.


"... Gee Gummby, I didn't think you wanted to be THAT kind of friend." Marshall said, rubbing her sleeve over his cheek, looking irritated. "I appreciate the feelings, but no thanks."


"MARSHALL." Fionna and Gumball both said, Gumball more angry, and Fionna more shocked.


"WHAT, WHY DID YOU....?!" Gumball began pulling at his gum lips, and wiping at them. "YUCK! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!"


"I thought you were molesting Fionna. I didn't know you were apart of this kissing booth." Marshall said, grinning, before he looked at Fionna. He was wearing his cowboy hat and coat again. "So I came over."


"Haha..." Fionna giggled, and Marshall and gumball both looked a there. "That was so.... gross!"


"Imagine how I feel." The boys both said, and they both looked at each other, and glared.


"HEY! You should be honored to place your lips on my cheek, Gumbutt!" Marshall said, glaring. "I am the KING of Vampires!"


"You're the one who should be honored! To get a kiss from the Prince of the whole Candy kingdom! The kingdom YOU live in!" Gumball said, irritated.


"Guys stop, this is so lumpin' gross. You sound like a bickering married couple." LSP said, and the boys both looked horrified and disgusted. "Sheesh. You're both just angry that neither of you got to Kiss Fionna. I, however, did."


"... I'm gunna beat the lumps out of you." Marshall said, floating in front of the Lumpy prince.


"And I'll feed you cakes, so that you'll never be lumpy again." Gumball said, also looking frightening, which was hard to say about a man in a frilly apron.


"Guys...." Fionna said, putting her hands on LSP's lumpy shoulders. "... I think that's enough."


".... Fine..." Both boys said together, and they both shot glares at each other.


".... I wanted to see if you'd come hang out with me, Fi." Marshall said, and  turned a shoulder to the princes. "How about it...?"


"I already took a break this morning...." Fionna said, and she saw Marshall's lips form a frown. ".... but maybe... We could grab some snacks later...?"


".... Alright." Marshall's grin returned, and he floated forwards, and kissed her cheek. "I don't make girls pay for kisses."


"ah, Marshall!" Fionna said, touching her cheek, and blushing a bright red. The vampire chuckled, while Gumball began to turn red from jealousy. "What the lump?!"


"Marshall!" Gumball said, and the Vampire king looked over at the Candy Prince.


"What? It's not gentlemanly to make a lady pay, just for a kiss." Marshall grinned, "You're the rude one in this situation Gumby."


"I didn't make her pay!" Gumball said, still red. "I would've given it to her for free, too!"


Fionna was blushing the brightest of reds as the boys argued once more, and she let out a sigh, before she wandered back into her booth, and took her break sign down. She sat on her stool, and a line formed for her booth again.


After about 10 people, she sat back on her stool, and stretched her arm. "Next up!" She called out, and she flexed her fingers, before she looked at the person who floated onto the stood in
front of her. "Marshall...?"


"Hey." He grinned, "You owe me an arm wrestle match." He said, putting his arm up on the table, he pulled his glove off, glad the tent shaded him form the sun. "So let's throw down."


".... You're own." Fionna said, grinning at the Vampire king, and she set her elbow on  the table, and clasped hands with him. BMO counted to three, and the two both moved against the other. "Wow.. You're strong Marshall... Only Muscle Prince lasted this long with me."


"Ha... Vampire's are very powerful." Marshall reminded her, and Fionna started to have second thoughts about the Vampire's challenge.


"Sorry I blocked your kiss from Gumball, Fi." The Vampire said, but he wasn't sorry at all. He counted himself lucky that he had spotted them in time to stop the prince from kissing her. "Just playing a prank on him."


"Hmm, it's alright. Not a big deal." Fionna said, grinning at her vampire friend, as they both struggled to slam the others hand down on the table. "Wish you came in time to stop LSP."


"Ha, me too." Marshall grinned. they soon had a crowd around them, watching the two arm wrestle each other.


"... OH MY GLOB. THE TENSION, IS SO HIGH." LSP said dramatically as he floated above the others to watch the competition. Gumball squeezed his way through, and watched as well.


"Come on Fionna, you can beat him!" Gumball cheered for the human, frightened for her. He couldn't imagine what Marshall would make her do if the vampire won. "Go Fionna!"


"Ha, you've got a fan." Marshall said, grinning at Fionna. They were both staring each other in the eye as they battled it out. Fionna had sweat on her brow, she was beginning to get tired from the constant strain on her muscles. She was beginning to grow weak in the arm, and Marshall gained some ground. "What's wrong? My cute little bunny girl getting tired...?"


Fionna blushed a bright red as Marshall called her that, and she gripped his hand, and gained her own ground back. "I'm not little... or a bunny...."


"Fine... but you're still cute." Marshall said, winking at her. "But maybe we should end this, so that you don't get to tired out for our afternoon date."


"Date...?!" Fionna asked, blushing a brighter red than before, and Marshall grinned, as he moved his arm, and touched hers to the table. The crowd was silent, and they all stared at the two of them, Fionna with a shocked look on her face, as if her very soul had just left her body behind.


"haha, I win." Marshall said, and looked over at BMO, who started the undefeated counter over. "I get the ultimate prize, what ever I want." Marshall said, and he floated up into the air and over top of Fionna. "You have to do what ever I say, for a whole day."


"But I have my booth!" Fionna said, looking up at him.


"Don't worry, I'll pick a different day." Marshall said, smiling at her. "But you can't go back on your word."


"Ah... I...." Fionna turned a bright red, embarrassed she had been beaten so easily. "I won't.... Heroine's honor..." she said, holding up her hand.


"Good." Marshall said, grinning at her, before she looked at the crowd. "Okay, next!"


Fionna looked away from Marshall, and at her next male challenger.


Fionna spent the next four hours, arm wrestling. Her line-up had finally gone away, but Marshall was still floating around her tent. She turned to look up at the Vampire, as she closed up her booth. "You cheated."


"No I didn't, I used my strength to beat you." The Vampire grinned at her, and floated after her as she left the tent. " You're just mad because I beat you."


"... ugh... yes." Fionna said, frowning up at him. "I thought I was the strongest person in all of Aaa, but you beat me so easily!"


"Fionna, you're still the strongest." Marshall said, touching to the ground beside her. He walked like a normal person, his hat shading his head from the setting sun. "... It's not all about brawn, but the strength of your will."


"... I don't know anyone named Will.... and what does he have to do with this...?" Fionna asked curiously, making the vampire laugh.


"No, your will." Marshall said, and thought about how to explain it. "It's an inner strength. It's what drives you to be the Heroine you are... it keeps you going, even when things look hopeless, Fionna."


The vampire touched her head, as he walked with her, and she blushed, gripping the straps of her bag.


"Your will to do good, and save others, is stronger than anyone else's." Marshall explained, "And that is what makes you the strongest person in Aaa, not your muscles."


"... Thanks Marshall." Fionna said, looking up at him, smiling. "but, I still wish I was physically the strongest!"


"Of course you do." Marshall laughed, and rubbed her hat down on her head, pushing it to cover her eyes. "And you are, aside from me, of course."


"... I think I can live with that." Fionna said, looking up at Marshall.


"Good, because I'm dead about it." Marshall grinned, and Fionna laughed, and punched him in the arm. "Haha, what? I am!"


"Fionna! over here!" Cake called out to her, and the Vampire and girl both looked at the stretchy cat, waving a hand twice her size so she could be spotted. "Let's get some food!"


"Alright!" Fionna laughed happily, and ran over to her sister, with Marshall flying beside her.


"Man, I'm starving!" Fionna said, as she walked with Cake and Marshall, up the central street, that headed towards the castle. The whole street was lined with food stalls.

"Oooh! bratwursts!" Cake said, as she ran up to Hot Dog Prince's booth to get a bratwurst. Fionna smiled, then turned to see Gumball elaborate booth. it was a large pink tent, twice as big as the others, and had shelves and tables, with decorative stands, that were filled with cakes, treats and sweets.


"Hey, what's this...?" Fionna said, as she picked up a hamburger that was colored blue, bun and all.


"It's a burger cake. It looks and tastes like a burger, but with all the sugar of a cake!" Gumball said behind her, and she looked up at him, and smiled. "You can try one, on the house."


"Thanks Gumball!" Fionna said happily, and she took a bite of the burger cake. She grinned happily, "Wow! it really tastes like a burger!"


"Haha! I'm glad!" Gumball said, and he looked over at Marshall, who was eyeing a strawberry shaped cake. "That would be best for you Marshall. It's strawberry jelly filled."


"Hmm..." Marshall picked it up, and eyes the red cake. "... T won't do anything funny, will it?" The Vampire looked over at the Prince, raising an eyebrow.


"I'm not a prankster like you, Marshall." Gumball said, "You can have it on the house as well."


".... Hmm... alright." Marshall said, and he sunk his fangs into the cake, and sucked the red all out of it, and reduced the cake to a shrivel. "Hmm... Pretty good." The vampire smiled, and looked at Gumball. "Good job."


"Thanks." Gumball said. He looked to Fionna, who had ventured to look at more of his goodies. "Let me know what else you want, Fionna."


"Sure...!" Fionna said happily, as she picked out some more cakes that were in the shape of sandwiches, apples, and chicken legs.


".... Here." Marshall said, handing Gumball some gold for the treats she was picking out.


"... Marshall...." Gumball said, as he took the bag from the vampire. He eyes it, then Fionna, before he looked up at the Vampire. ".... Do you like Fionna....?"