Part II - II -The Ferry

"My drops of tears I'll turn to sparks of fire."
William Shakespeare,
Henry VIII; Act II Scene IV

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Benumb, the freezing bitter wind knocks fuzzy the floating ice prince's sense to the side. What? His wide eyes expand at the sight of the bright milk white moon shining in the hue blue sky. Strips of his blond hair hover in the air as his hoodie slips off. Is this....the same cruel place....The Unknown? His eyes look at the bewildered Lantern Barrer, and the puzzled demon next to him.

Bill's eyes pop out reflecting off the glimmering moon. His smile dissolves to open wide. Wirt's pupils dialate as he floats in the air, his mouth closed. Suddenly, gravity grabs them by their limbs, and pulls them down.

Their faces shift to instant frighten as they cry loudly, falling. They all look down to see a wooden large ferry below the cliff.

"I-I'M GONNA DIE!"Finn screams.

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"We are safe..."a growling voice whispers in the dark. Finn waves his hands around. He groans loudly, turning on his side.

The sound of wrinkled clothing shifts around in the ink abyss. The ice prince can feel it hover above him. The animal breathes heavily on his neck. It's cold touch swipes up Finn's collar bone to his vein pumping in a beat. A small sigh comes out of the creature. Finn peeks his eyes open. A pair of mesmerizing, glowing, radiant rainbow colored eyes stare at him.

"I got you."the voice whispers.

*Flashback*

"Hey I got you man!" The smiling yellow orange dog smiles patting Finn's back.

"Thanks J̲̦̤͉͙̼̍͛ͣ͆̃̔̽̒̀ͫͨ̓̇̑ͨ̔̄͘͜͡ȧͦ̓ͮ͋̾̍̒ͬͦ͌҉̵̨̲̩̥̠̯͕̀k̴̩̰̙͎͊͂̇̋ͯ͋̓ͪ́̐̈ͩ̌͊̀̕e̸ͨ̓̀̔͐͑̿͊̓ͤ̂́͆͛̽͒ͩ̾̚҉̶̱̝̖̟͖͢..."

*End of Flashback*

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"Lies!"

"Hey calm down!"

An arm slams Finn down to the ground as he pops up in a heat of sweat on a warm wooden floor. His eyes scream to grab the cealing, it gives him a headache. The arm shoves him down harsh when he tries to stand up. His head bangs against the wood, and his blond hair ravels up in itself, thick and humid.

"Finn!"pleads the animal above him,"Quiet down!"

"Let me go!" Finn shouts,"You cruel creat--!" The cold touch returns. A hand claps over his mouth.

"Finn."the animal stearnly calls out.

In an instant, the ice prince's muscles freeze. He halts his rampage, and stares face to face with the one and only guide who was obliviously leading him through hell itself. Wirt ticks his head to the side inspecting Finn's face for a few seconds. Finn takes in deep breaths, Wirt...?

"Silent."The Lantern Barrer orders, it's confirmed. We have issues, Wirt testifies. Why else was he this way.

Finn vigorously nods. Wirt retreats his arm slowly away from the alarmed prince. The same dream flickers in Finn's memory again. He freezes, and mumbles,"Get....get off...of me..."

Wirt raises a brow. He takes a look at his position. His legs hold tight Finn's lower body between him, his arm is right beside the blond's head, and his hovering body was just inches above Finn's. Oh. Wirt pushed off the floor, and kneels next to Finn. The ice prince stays in place.

I saw him. I saw that disgusting thing again. Why? Wasn't torturing me enough when you were alive enough?! How dare you appear in front of my face! The blonde, layed out like a star fish on open limbs, closes his fist in anger.

"I'll cut you next time."Wirt flatly states.

The hairs of Finn's arms, and the spine on his back stand up and shiver. He regrets his little tantrum instantly,"Where's B-B-Bill?"

Why do we always turn out this way? Wirt sighs,"To the right."

Finn turns to see a sleeping demon, wearing a bandage on his head, rest with his arms folded. His cheeks irrating a soft cherry red. Wirt's eyes luminate a soft glow of green, and blue on the duo.

"Wake him up."

Finn nods, and hovers his hand over the demon's face,"B--"

"Now."

Aren't we demanding. Finn leaks a wavy smile, clearly awkward. He raises his hand, and prepares to slap Bill's innocent face. But he stops. What if he gets angry at me? Wirt will protect me right? Yeah! He swats the air, a string grip holds his arm before it hits Bill.

"I was already awake."

"O-Oh."Finn lowers his hand, feeling a wave of warm water washing over his cheeks.

"Why are you awake Finn? I wanted to cuddle more~!"Another wave flushes across the ice prince's cheeks. The demon stands up as if the comment meant nothing, and yawns. "Do we have to go now?"

"W-Wait why were you pretending t-to be asleep?"Finn asks.

      Bill taps his finger against his chin, pretending to think. "Umm." He thr smirks and shrugs playfully,"Because I wanted to 'cuddle' you know the things humans do?"

"W-What? You e-e-expect me to believe that c-crap?!"Finn pulls Bill's hair to him making the demon yelp and hunch down on the ground.

"Well what did you want?"Bill rubs his head.

"W-Where did you get that hit there?" Finn points.

"You really do have the memory of a fish huh? Twigs over here used me as a pillow for the landing. You fainted, how pathetic!"The demon snickers getting back on his feet.

"W-What? W-Wirt!"

"You should be more embarrassed to have fainted we didn't jump that high." Wirt crosses his arms defiant.

"That high? Th-Then wa-was there any ne-need to have p-put Bill under you as a c-cushion i-if it wasn't that high?! Y-You're reckless!" A shade of pink fades from Finn as he scolds the tall gnome above him.

"When speaking about reckless you shouldn't be talking. We three shouldn't be talking. After all aren't we equally charged?"Wirt bows down with his hands behind his back. The tip of his lips trembles. Smiling f***. Finn pouts. Bill chuckles, placing both his hands on the prince's face making the blonde jump. "Awe it came back and hit you in the face~!" He smacks Finn light, clapping his hands over the boy's cheeks.

"G-Get away from me!"Finn pushes Bill back.

"We landed right on the deck, thanks to Bill's body we prevailed. We were still loud though."Wirt leans on the wall, arms crossed.

"Where are we?"Bill mimics Wirt's movements with a smirk, leaning on the wall next to the bored Lantern Barrer.

"In a storage room."Wirt takes a step away from the demon. Bill takes a closer step. The Storage room...ah snap out of it you idiot. There must be something here that can help us blend in outside. We can't let that monster find us at the end of the ferry ride, he'll attack. I wonder if The Beast sensed all of these attacks of mysterious people and beings on the Unknown. Wirt sensed something tugging his coat. He glances down.

"Hey tree stump? You stuck in that hollow head of yours? I asked you what are we going to do!"Bill knocks on his skull to emphasize his sentence. The tall gnome frowns in annoyance at the demon's persistence of his name.

"It's Wirt, I thought you got that through you head."

"What gives me the right to call you by your name? You aren't above me you twig."The demon flicks his fingers against Wirt's forehead. Wirt doesn't flinch, but instead turns around for a moment and gives the demon a swift kick. Bill bounces off the wall, and hits the floor hard, coughing. Finn steps in front of wheezing Bill,"Wi-Wirt that's enough!"

"And what gives you the right to order me around?"Wirt's eyes glow bright green as he glares down at Finn. The ice prince trembles at his guide's devil glaring eyes, but stands firm, bitting his lower lip to keep the fear in.

"I'm n-n-not looking down o-on you, but please take into consideration t-the fact that w-we are in a--!"

"I'm not stupid."

     Finn stares at Wirt for a moment, what is that supposed to mean? Are you going to keep hitting Bill or not?

"I know the crucial situation we are in, I am the one who led you."Wirt turns to the door, and examines it,"I wasn't going to hit him."he finishes,"Mearly stab him."

"..."Finn relaxes glancing back at Bill who is not sitting, holding his stomach in pain. He leans on the wall and winks at Finn though his coughs. Saliva drips from the corner of his lips, he sweeps them with his arm away.

"Besides why do you care so much about him?"Wirt leans back against the wall with arms crossed. Finn stays quiet. "And why are you so defiant?"

      Bill sighs, and creaks his head back breathing softly."And why do you listen to me? I'm a psycho right? Just ignore me." He chuckles weakly.
      "Honestly why do y'all listen to me?"

* * *

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      The colossal scarecrow peaks between the mush of mud, and thick long trees. It's body stands still, observing the small Ferry swim through the calm waters of the river. A few puffs of smoke piff out of the tube above. At the top of the boat, a frog dressed in a captain uniform steers the boat with a circle handle. The boat calmly leans one way to avoid a rock in the large stream. Snap! The scarecrow's head twist upside down as he stares intensely at the captain.

      It scratches its chin with it's long exaggerated fingers. It's head snaps back up. His body starts to shake, and contort into curly limbs, and a shrunken head. It disappears below the top of the trees to the ground.

* * *

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         "I propose we run out of here, ya know like we always do."Bill bites his index finger as he sits down with shimmering eyes.

"Was that shade?"Wirt asks.

"You're odd, but no, no coloring--looks like the toddler couldn't decide on the colors to fit your eyes--that's besides the point, but I thought we were gonna fight off eye patch guy, and stop being afraid!" Bill stands up rolling his eyes at his two buisness partners.

"Why do y-y-you call him that?"Finn crooks his head in confusion.

"He's not important, what is is the toddler!"Bill points up at the sky.

"W-What?"Finn looks back at Wirt.

"What the hypocrite is trying to say is, how are we going to beat a scarecrow, if we can't even look at it in the eye. How will we be able to beat the shit out of Iron, and Time Baby if we can't beat this thing. I'm sure this is The Beast's doing."Wirt accuses.

"Aren't we inspirational."Bill looks up at the sky then boldly looks at the tall gnome with a smug look.

"T-Then you p-p-propose we go out there a-and f-fight that thing?" Finn's stomach feels queasy.

"No."Wirt slips out his machete from his coat.

"T-Then what?"Finn and Bill step up to Wirt.

"I don't know."Wirt shakes his head stumped.

"What?! Seriously!"Bill playfully smacks Finn over the head,"I thought you were smart!" Finn yelps.

      Wirt raises his arm to hit Bill, but the demon flinches, and raises his arms up in defence,"Ek!"he yelps. Wirt stops, and rolls his eyes. His eyes linger to something far away on the other side of the room. There's a drum, some hats hanged in a rack with red uniforms, and a couple of maracas on the side. Oh no...

     A loud honking noise rings from outside. A tuba? Wirt looks down at Bill and Finn who are perplexed at his worried expression,"Ey you good Twigs?"Bill asks.

     No no no no NO! Whyyyy this cant be happening? Why is it repeating itself? Wirt holds his head, and let's out a shaking sigh.

"H-Hey W-Wirt?"Finn reaches his hand out. Wirt pushes past him as he walks to the rack of clothes.

      The Lantern Barrer sweeps his fingers across the lace black, and red leather band uniform. Band..., he glances up at the clothing hangers attached. He rips the uniform down, and tosses them to Bill, and Finn's feet. The confused duo stare at the clothes then look up to see Wirt lift up a drum. The drum has two holes for eyes. Son of a--why are you torturing me?! Suddenly, two pairs of blacm eyes open wide in the holes. Wirt tosses the drum to Finn's side. "Wear those, and you--"Wirt points to Finn with a glare, his eyes glow green,"--put that damn drum on your head, we are getting out of here."

        Bill stands still, as Wirt clicks on the blue midnight coat around his neck. The demon smiles at Wirt's concentrated yet hard face as he tries to adjust the fitting. Bill swoons,"Like father like son~" Wirt looks up and squints at the young boy.

       Finn stares at the drum's face. Two hollow holes on the surface seemed like a mask to him. He slips on the drum on his head. His heavy breathing could be heard by the demon and the guide. They ignore it. Finn felt a strange sensation, it's as if I was born to fit in this. To fit in this role. He was indeed right. Physically, the drum was the right head size, and the eyes were the exact size. Why would someone put this on their head?

       Wirt throws Bill some maracas, and a tall hat. Bill proudly puts it on, and shakes the maracas. "Alright, jump on my shoulders."Wirt turns around, and gets on one knee.

"You're offering me a piggyback?"Bill smirks.

"Get on."

"No need to tell me twice!"Bill hops on the tall gnome's shoulders, and wobbles. Wirt grabs his knees firm on his neck,"Dont move so much you're only a head."

"And that's the most important part!"Bill huffs.

"Cover my antlers over with the cloak." The demon does as he's ordered. The long cloak closes over Wirt's body, it extends.

"Was your cloak always that long?"Bill asks.

"Its special."Wirt comments inside with his lantern shining inside on his belt with his machete.

"N-Now what do w-we do?"Finn asks as he waddles to the tall maraca performer in the blue coat and red hat.

"We act like band people, musical people, and pretend we are going to play. We'll blend in then hop off the boat."Wirt explains. But Bill isn't a frog nor is he green, he'll become suspicious. Nah maybe not, I'll just say he's special or he came from a freakshow. Yeah.

       Wirt walks up to the door and opens it letting in rays of bright sunshine hit them. A beautiful array of autumn colors spread around the colorful forest surrounding the bayou. The sun exfoliates a warm yet chill aura of pink, and orange in the sky. The gentle breeze embraces the trio's skin. They stand awestruck at the view of the clear deck. Wirt wide-eyed peeks from his coat, Bill's mouth hangs open, and Finn blinks a couple of times. Is this the same hell we're stuck in? They thought.

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Heyooo! Holy twenty five cents! Almost 5k reads! Thank you so much! I hope y'all enjoyed it!

-SnowFrostI14