Chapter 5: Astonishing Power
[I'll admit you're smart, but this makes sense, so I'll answer; my master implanted me in you after sending you into this body. That's all I know.]
[Note: I am 100% obedient to you.]
"And why did he do this?" he inquired.
[Sorry, that's beyond my limits.]
"Alright," he muttered, annoyed. "But why didn't you show up the moment I entered this world?"
[You were given 24 hours to acclimate and understand your surroundings.]
"Okay, but why are the events here different? The original Finn at this age was at the start of Season 2, but I see Marceline and Princess Bubblegum dating, which is from Season 10. Also, I have memories of breaking up with Flame Princess two weeks ago, which shouldn't have happened at this point," he spoke confidently, certain her master knew Adventure Time was merely a cartoon, and therefore aware of such things.
[Well, this is a bit complex, but you should know that the show you watched was inaccurate. What's happening here is reality. That was just a distorted retelling of the original story you're now living in.]
It was fascinating to learn that one of the greatest animated works turned out to be a real story, not mere fiction. "So you don't know why he's doing this?" he asked, and she confirmed.
"And since he didn't come himself but instead gave me a system to assist with any desire I have, without asking me to do anything he wants, this means I can do whatever I want now. If we assume he won't intervene, I have the time, intelligence, and now, the power too," he declared confidently.
[Yes, I believe so.]
"Back to the free fruit topic, explain it again."
[It grants you the power to control Magma and transform your body into it. It's the only free ability here; the rest require earning LIB coins.]
"LIB coins, huh," he noted the name of the currency represented by a triangle symbol (∆ = LIB). "And how do I earn them?"
[By setting goals for yourself. The more progress you achieve, the more coins you'll earn.]
"That's very generous," he said, falling onto his back. "Let's get started on what matters." Finn commanded the system to display the list and entered the store. He found the Magma Fruit and pressed purchase, unlocking the image.
[Delivered.]
A small glowing orb appeared before him, transforming into the fruit shown in the picture. He grabbed it and took a bite.
Suddenly, he covered his mouth, barely holding back the urge to vomit. "It tastes like rotten cheese left in my grandma's fridge for twenty years," he groaned, forcing himself to finish it with difficulty.
[Congratulations.]
[Abilities: + Magma Fruit]
"Show my status," he requested, still grimacing at the taste, while reclining more comfortably on the bed.
[Finn Mertens]
[13 years old]
Partners: ~
Harem: ~
Pawns: ~
Abilities: Magma Fruit.
[Store (0∆)]
"Good." He looked at his hands. He needed to test this, but not inside the house. He jumped from the branches, landing on his feet outside. "This boy's body is very useful," he muttered, clenching his fists.
Standing upright, he took a deep breath, extended his hand towards the ground, and focused. Part of the field began to liquefy, burning some grass, and forming a small pool of Magma, though he couldn't lift it from the ground.
"Why isn't it working?"
[Melting and controlling rocks is an advanced skill. Right now, you can only transform your body into Magma as a basic ability.]
"Let's try," he said, spreading his legs apart and focusing on his arm. It started melting into Magma, which he could control and manipulate. He transformed his hand, then his leg, and eventually his entire body, capable of turning completely into Magma.
Returning to his original form, he exclaimed, "This power is insane," staring at his fists, excitement gleaming on his face as his arm transformed into a burning, deadly hook.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. "Wait, doesn't this mean I'm just a mass of living Magma?"
[Technically, but look on the bright side—you're a walking barbecue now.]
"Very funny, Sika," he rolled his eyes, annoyed.
[I'm not designed to understand or deliver comedy.]
"Whatever." Finn returned to the treehouse. After all this information, some rest didn't seem like a bad idea.
---
Marceline's POV
The girl watched the boy's face disappear behind the door. "Come on, darling," her girlfriend nudged her out of her daze.
They strolled through the vast green field—or rather, Princess Bubblegum strolled while Marceline floated, her hovering ability sparing her the need to use her feet.
"Ahem, ahem. So, how did that happen?" The princess adjusted her girlfriend's wide hat, shielding her from the sun.
Marceline shivered. "Wh-what happened?"
"Your sudden excitement. Did you touch yourself or something?" The princess teased with a playful smirk.
Marceline sighed in relief; she had feared for a moment the princess knew about her incident. "I really don't want to talk about this," she muttered, turning her face away. The princess smiled and continued walking.
---
At night, in Marceline's home, the princess and the vampire lay on the bed. While the princess was fast asleep, Marceline was still pondering what had happened. Finn's sudden change was the least of her concerns; what mattered more was the feeling he had awakened in her.
She knew one thing: whether she understood or ignored that feeling, their relationship would never be the same again. She glanced at her girlfriend and eventually drifted off to sleep.
By morning, she scrunched her face slightly and opened her eyes slowly. Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, she found a tray with some food and a note beside her. "You slept late, so I didn't want to wake you. I prepared this for you. Don't expect much; I'm not the best cook. I have work in the Candy Kingdom. See you this afternoon." A smiley face and a pink heart adorned the note.
She glanced at the food, set the note aside, grabbed an apple from the tray, and stepped outside. She sucked the red hue from it, discarding the withered remains.
With no particular plans, she simply waited for her girlfriend. By afternoon, the tired-looking pink scientist returned.
The vampire greeted her warmly, sharing a meal and sitting beside her to rest. As they sat close, Marceline suddenly stood up with determination. "What's wrong, Marceline?" Bubblegum asked.
"Come here." Marceline leaned closer to the princess, and they began touching each other. For Bubblegum, it felt normal, but for Marceline, it was the ultimate test.
Kisses, hugs, and caresses followed—each expressing contrasting emotions between the two. Midway, Marceline pushed the princess away. "Is something wrong?" PB asked in surprise.
"Yes, everything is wrong," Marceline said, adjusting her clothes and wiping a tear from her cheek. Grabbing her protective hat, she flew out of the cave, ignoring her girlfriend's calls.
Flying swiftly, she knew exactly where she was going and what she desired. She abandoned all else, realizing everything would change after this short journey.
---
Earlier with Finn
The boy tested his new ability. It was incredibly powerful, even at its initial stage. Returning home, he hoped for some rest but couldn't wait any longer. He stood and headed to the Fire Kingdom.
Running through the green fields that withered as he approached, he soon found himself on black, rocky terrain dotted with Magma springs and desolate formations.
He stopped abruptly, staring at his hands, sensing something unusual. "Hey, Sika."
[Your presence in hot or molten areas will greatly enhance your strength to a noticeable degree.]
Grinning at the power surging through him, Finn raised his foot and stomped the ground hard. Three pillars of Magma erupted from beneath the earth. Moving his hands, he manipulated the Magma, shaping and playing with it as he pleased.
[You wouldn't be able to do this outside such areas.]
Finn didn't care. He continued maneuvering the Magma until, finally, he directed it back into its pits. "Wow," he marveled at his strength.
Next, he wanted to test his resistance to Magma. Looking around, he spotted a pit glowing with fiery orange light—a promising sign of a Magma pool.
He approached the pit, noticing something peculiar. There were marks of something crawling between the wall of the pit and the pool, as if something had emerged from the wall and entered the Magma. Strange, even for this world.
He examined the wall, placing his hand against it. Some rocks crumbled, revealing a gap behind them. Using his hands, he attempted to melt the rocks and clear the way.
Succeeding, he peered through the hidden entrance. Inside, he found a completely dark room, with a large metallic structure about seven meters tall at its center. Its middle featured a glowing blue circle, illuminating the surreal scene before him.