(a/n: Here it is, the end. Please review and enjoy!)

Act 16: Two for the Road

Marceline sat at the bar staring blankly at her plate of piping hot steak.

Lucas, Don and the woman named Lilly were busy eating their stakes by her. The vampire didn't have an appetite. After seeing her friends, enemies and pretty much her entire planet go up in flames she had lost the desire to eat.

The red haired man glanced at Marceline in concern "Is everything alright?"

"Alright?" said Marceline as if he were joking "My friends are dead and my entire planet exploded. How do you think I feel?"

Lucas shrugged "I don't know, upset" "That's an understatement" muttered Don.

Lucas shot him a death glare and then glanced back to Marceline "Look, I know you're upset but look at it this way, no more responsibilities from here on out"

Marceline looked at the redhead in confusion "What are you talking about?"

"Think about it" said Lucas "No more long, miserable life of solitude for Simon Petrikov, he'll be reunited with his wife, Betty. Finn will be with the rest of his little family, except maybe for his mother. Even little Bonnibel gets a measure of peace"

"What about me?" asked Marceline.

Lucas smiled "You're going up, but not your father".

"What!" exclaimed Marceline "Why?"

"I can explain that" said Lilly. The vampire turned to the woman and Lilly explained, "Your daddy made a deal with Lucas during the war. He desperately wanted to keep you and your family safe. He agreed to an arrangement. Hunson would serve us and do our bidding for all time. In return, you would live on after the war in safety. Now that the war and pretty much the entire planet are kaput, you're free while he will be our little cabana boy for all eternity".

Marceline asked "What about Marcus?"

"Now that there's a good question" said Lucas, lifting his glass "He has been a good little boy but he did commit mass slaughter in the past few days. Then again, he was under alien influence"

"Let the judges figure that out" said Don, carving up his slab of steak and dousing it in barbeque sauce. Lucas nodded "Fair enough".

Marceline glanced back at the plasma screen television and saw that it was showing the large chunks of earth floating around where Earth once was. She thought of the inhabitants of Ooo who all died in the inferno. Marceline shivered. She turned back to her plate and stared down at the stake. It was all over. Earth was gone and everyone and everything she ever cared about is gone.

The vampire wised she could change it. She thought of trying to summon Mortos Der Soul Stealer but he was long gone. Suddenly an idea popped into her head.

Marceline turned to Lucas and asked, "Can you fix it?"

"What?" said Lucas, lowering his glass from his lips

"Put the earth back together" said Marceline "Can you do it?"

The redhead frowned "What makes you think I can?" "You said you can do anything" answered Marceline.

Lucas frowned then said, "Even if I could, why should I? The good times are over. Well they have been for the last thousand or so years when those humans blew each other to Hell, but the point is that everything has its time. Earth's number came up and it went out with a spectacular bang".

He sipped his drink then stared at Marceline "Besides, you have nothing to offer me in exchange".

Marceline scowled "What do you mean?"

"Usually in these sorts of transactions, people would have to give something to get something" said Lucas "For your dad, his eternal soul for your safety. For this transaction, it would require something with a little more kick"

"What?" asked Marceline.

The corners of Lucas's lips twitched and they spread, forming an eerie smile. "The soul of a loved one" he answered.

Marceline's eyes widened in shock and sputtered "W-what?"

"For Earth and all of your little buddies who died in the explosion, you have to give up the soul of a dear loved one" said Lucas, his eyes gleaming.

Marceline shook her head quickly saying "No, no, no. There has to be another way".

Lucas glanced at Lilly "Is there?" "Nope" said Lilly as she chewed on her stake.

He turned glanced at Marceline and shrugged "Sorry kid, that's the price". The vampire stared at the red head in disbelief "What kind of price is that?"

"A fair one" said Don "In exchange for a planet, people usually have to give up another planet. This is a good bargain".

Marceline thought for a moment. She didn't want to give up a loved one's soul but if she didn't, than she wouldn't be able to see her friends again. Finally, she asked "Who's soul do you want?"

"Marcus's" answered Lucas without hesitation. Marceline felt her heart drop into her stomach. She hesitated to answer then said "….ok".

Lucas smiled "Good" he snapped his fingers and Marcus suddenly appeared next to him in a pillar of crimson fire.

Once the flames and smoke cleared, Marceline saw that he looked different. Marcus was dressed in black like before but he had no cybernetic parts on him or any wounds. He was perfectly human again.

Lucas turned to Marceline saying, "We'll give you a few minutes to say goodbye".

Lucas, Don and Lilly vanished a puff of black smoke.

Once they were gone, Marcus looked around in confusion "Where am I?" he looked at Marceline "Marceline? What's going on?"

She waved nervously "H-hi Marcus" she went around the bar and gave him a hug.

Marcus looked at her in confusion and asked, "What happened? I remember that tower and the explosion but after that it was all fuzzy" his eyes narrowed a little "I also remember you hitting me over and over with an ax"

"Sorry" apologized Marceline. Marcus smiled a little "It's ok, I would've done the same if the situation was reversed".

Marceline smiled a little. Marcus asked, "So, what's up?"

The vampire didn't know what to say. How was she going to tell her older brother that she was going to give his soul over to some random stranger that her father made a deal with years ago? She silently debated with herself on weather or not to tell Marcus the truth.

Finally, she just said "I…I missed you"

"I missed you too Marcy" said Marcus. His eyes started to water a little "Being stuck as a lab rat for a tiny megalomaniac for a thousand years and being used as a puppet for some undead sorcerer, it really made me appreciate what I had" his voice started to break "I shouldn't have left…I should've listened to dad"

"Marcus…" said Marceline.

Marcus sniffled a little then said "Marceline, I just want to say what I should've said when I left" "What?" asked Marceline.

Before Marcus could answer, he exploded in a flash of blue-white light. The blue-white light scattered and reformed into a sphere. The sphere flew into Lucas's hand.

Lucas said casually "Times up"

Marceline stared at Lucas in shock then demanded "Bring him back!"

The red head shook his head "No". He lifted the blue-white sphere of light and he swallowed it. Lucas gulped it down then burped loudly. He sighed in pleasure saying, "Ooh,that's good soul".

Marceline stared at Lucas in horror. Lucas smiled and said, "You got yourself a deal, Marcy" he snapped his fingers.

Slowly the room faded away like ink in water. Marceline tried to grab Lucas but his body slipped through her fingers like smoke. He chuckled at her saying "Have a nice life kid" bit by bit the red head vanished with the room. The last thing Marceline saw were Lucas's eyes, which glowed dark orange like a pair of dying embers then everything faded to black.

Marceline heard chirping. Her eyes blinked open and she saw that she was lying beneath a starry night sky.

A pale, full moon shone brightly in the night. The vampire bolted up right and she looked around her. She found herself sitting in the middle of the grasslands.

Nearby were an unconscious Princess Bubblegum, Jake, Finn, Zim, Tak, Gir, Mini Moose and a violet haired woman.

One by one, everyone else began to wake. Princess Bubblegum looked around in shock, Finn was covered in sweat, and Jake was kissing the ground. Tak and Zim were looking around in surprise.

Gir and Mini Moose danced around like nothing happened. The violet haired woman scowled and grumbled, "Damn it".

Marceline glanced to her side and she saw her bass ax. The vampire got up and looked around for Marcus, hoping in vain that he was there. But there was no trace of him. She sighed deeply and felt a sharp pang of sadness. Marcus was gone for good now. Marceline felt tears running down her face.

Princess Bubblegum asked "Marceline, is everything ok?"

the vampire sniffed and mumbled "Yeah".

Zim screamed, "I am invincible! Nothing can kill the mighty Zim!"

Marceline grabbed her ax and snarled "Wannna bet?" she charged at the diminutive alien. Zim cried out in fear and he took off running with Marceline hot on his heels. She swung at his head and legs but Zim managed to duck and dive out of the way.

The vampire cornered Zim at a tree. She raised her ax to decapitate him but she just couldn't go through with it.

Marceline instead punched Zim in the gut and left him curled up on the ground moaning in pain.

The vampire plopped down on the grass and buried her face in her hands. She felt a hand on her shoulder.

Marceline looked up and saw the violet haired woman. The woman asked, "What are you moping about? We're still alive, which is surprising considering the fact that the entire planet went supernova and vaporized everything."

Marceline briefly explained about her deal with Lucas and what it cost her. The violet haired woman stared at Marceline for a few moments and when the vampire finished explaining, the woman cocked an eyebrow then said "Is that it?"

Marceline sniffed and nodded. The woman rolled her eyes "Amateur. You don't make deals with the Fallen One; he pretty much screws you in all sorts of deals. That is why I sought after this" she pulled an old book from her pocket. The Enchiridion.

Marceline frowned "What does that have to do with anything?" "This book is a portal to the Multiverse" explained the woman "It is also a gateway to a wish-granting being. Although he is nowhere near as powerful as Lucas, he can still help you"

the woman handed the book to Marceline "Here, take it" Marceline looked up at the woman in surprise "You're giving it to me?"

"Sure, why not" said the woman "Maybe you can fix this whole mess".

Marceline stared at the book in her hands and then looked up to the woman saying "Thank you"

"Whatever" grumbled the woman. She took a few steps back and then was consumed by a pillar of violet fire. Once the fire died, Marceline saw that the woman was gone.

The vampire turned to Finn and the others and asked, "Who was that lady?" "That's my mom" answered Finn.

Marceline's eyebrows rose in surprise. The vampire then glanced at the book. She opened the book, wondering how she was going to get to the wish granting being that Finn's mother was talking about when suddenly Marceline was blinded by a flash of white light.

When the light faded, Marceline found herself standing on an asteroid, floating in the middle of space. All around were glittering stars, shining nebulas and spiraling galaxies. Up ahead was a large, floating yellow cube like structure. Marceline decided to investigate it.

Back on Earth, Zim managed to get to his feet after Marceline punched him in the gut.

The Irken wheezed, "Is she gone?" "Yeah" said Gir.

Zim straightened up and coughed "Excellent, now on to business" he reached into his Pak and withdrew a weapon. He aimed the weapon at Tak, who aimed a weapon at Zim. The two Irkens glared at each other, waiting for one of them to pull the trigger.

Finn, Jake and Princess Bubblegum stared at the two, waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, a pair of spotlights blinked on and shone down on the two Irkens. Everyone looked up and saw a massive maroon colored starship hovering overhead. Embossed on the hull was the Irken Empire's insignia.

Over a loud speaker, a female voice boomed, "Former General Tak, you are hereby under arrest for attempted assassination of an officer of the Irken Empire"

"What!" Tak cried in outrage. There was a flash of violet light and several Irkens in matching uniforms appeared around Tak, all aiming weapons at the former general. The voice ordered "Stand down or die".

Tak glared at each of the Irken soldiers then sighed in defeat. She threw down her weapon growling something in the Irken's native language. The soldiers confiscated Tak's weapon and they cuffed her. A pair of soldiers, along with Tak, vanished in a flash of violet light.

The remaining soldiers approached Zim and asked "Sir, would you please accompany us?"

"Why?" asked Zim. One of the soldiers answered, "To stand as a witness at Tak's trial and receive your promotion from the Tallest".

Zim grinned and said, "Yes, I will".

Another one of the soldiers spoke into his communicator "Package is secure, we are good to go".

Soon, Zim, the Irken soldiers, Gir and Mini Moose vanished. The massive Irken starship ascended into the sky, its massive thrusters rumbled loudly like thunder. Once the starship left Ooo's upper atmosphere, Jake turned to Finn and Princess Bubblegum and asked the one question that was on their minds "What was all that about?"No one answered.

They heard a moan. The three turned and saw Malice approaching them, rubbing her head and moaning. Malice muttered "No more Vortian whiskey before bed". She spotted Finn, Jake and Princess Bubblegum. The assassin asked, "Where's Zim?"

The three pointed up to the stars. Malice looked up and saw a small, black shape growing smaller and smaller. She groaned, "Damn it. There goes my ride home". The assassin looked to the three and asked hopefully "Can I crash with you guys for a while?"

Marceline cautiously entered the central chamber of the cube structure. She found it empty, except for the painting of a flat, two-dimensional being and a blond man sitting on the floor with a checker board.

The vampire paused and saw that the flat being was moving. It was alive. The two-dimensional being was playing checkers with a blond man with bright green eyes.

The blond man was dressed in a brown, leather jacket, a white shirt and blue jeans. The two looked towards Marceline.

The blond man waved "Hey, how are you doing?" "Fine" answered Marceline cautiously. She approached the two "Which one of you grants wishes?"

"I do" said the flat being. He introduced himself "I am Prismo" he pointed to the blond man "And this is Mike".

Prismo then asked, "Do you have a wish?"

"Yes" answered Marceline.

Prismo held up a hand "Before you wish, I got to warn you. You must word your wish precisely or else things will backfire and you have only one wish. Got it?"

Marceline swallowed hard and she nodded. The vampire thought hard for a moment. She had no idea what to wish for. For the most part, she wanted her brother back but she also wanted things to be back to the way things were before Zim showed up.

Marceline asked "Can you save a soul from a guy named Lucas?"

"Lucas?" said Prismo in surprise "Red hair? Pale? Shifty?" "Yeah" said Marceline nodding.

Prismo sighed, "No, I can't. He's far more powerful then I am" Prismo glanced to Mike "He could save souls from Lucas but only if they haven't been bargained away like a piece of jewelry" Marceline felt her stomach twist into a knot.

Mike looked at the vampire in disappointment "You did, didn't you?"

Marceline nodded and looked down at the floor in shame. Mike sighed and said "I wish I can help but it's a binding deal, I can't interrupt that without causing problems" he paused then said "…However, if you were to, say, make a different wish"

"Different wish?" said Marceline, looking up at the blond man.

Mike shrugged "What if Zim didn't live through the war? What if some wiring went faulty and accidentally suffocates him? Something like that."

Marceline thought about what Mike said then she realized what he was saying. She thought of some alternatives then finally decided on a wish.

The vampire turned to Prismo then said, "I know what to wish for".

Aboard the Irken starship Xanthium, Zim stood outside of Tak's holding cell gloating as the starship raced back to their home world.

He sneered at Tak "Look at you, not even fit to be an invader"

"Me?" said Tak in disbelief "You aren't even a true invader. The Tallests just sent you on some made up mission to keep you out of the way. They hated you, everyone hated you"

"Nonsense they love me" said Zim, waving a hand at her.

Tak was about to retort but suddenly Zim vanished before her eyes in a flash of blue light.

The former general blinked in surprise. She thought of alerting the guards but she just shrugged and decided to enjoy the peace and quiet.

Marceline stood in Prismo's time room and watched the scene unfold on the wall in front of her.

She saw Zim hurriedly rushed about his base packing things into storage containers. She watched as Zim's house disassembled itself and turn into a small pen like object. Zim tossed it into his pak.

He yelled to Gir and Mini Moose "Hurry! Before the next wave arrives!" Gir giggled and hopped into Zim's tiny starship, Mini Moose squeaked at Zim then joined Gir.

Zim growled, "It's not running away, it's…a strategic retreat. We shall make a new base on the moon and we shall wait until the war is over".

Sirens wailed in the night and the alien hopped into his ship. The ship took off at an astonishing speed and left Earth's atmosphere.

Marceline smiled a little and she saw a spiraling portal open in front of Zim's ship. Zim's voot runner shot into the portal. The portal sealed itself up once Zim passed through.

The vampire sighed in relief. It was done.

Marceline had wished that Zim had left Earth; long before he took Marcus to escape the war. She also specified that Zim would get caught in a wormhole that would put him on the far end of the Galaxy, away from earth and back to Irk.

Prismo agreed and they watched as Zim's ship reappeared over Irk.

The vampire was satisfied that Zim was gone but she watched as Marcus was killed in a hail of shrapnel from a grenade.

Even though Marcus was dead, Marceline was glad that he was spared years of experimentation, years of pain and saved those he slaughtered while under Zim's control.

Suddenly, she heard clapping. The vampire turned and saw Lucas. The redhead looked absolutely livid.

He grinned a forced grin, "Well played Marcy, well played. Since Zim retreated to Irk early in the war, he never captured Marcus, which meant the poor fool died in battle. If he died and Zim left, then that meant I could never have his soul"

He chuckled a little then he glared at the vampire and hissed "Nice going. I'll be keeping my eye on you, you little twerp". The red head vanished in a puff of black smoke.

Mike whistled, "He's pissed". He patted Marceline on the shoulder "Nice job, now go home".

The vampire frowned "How?" Mike snapped his fingers and Marceline found herself standing in the foyer of Princess Bubblegum's castle where Finn, the Princess and all their friends were waiting.

They were all gathered around the Princess, who was showing off a new invention.

Finn waved her over "Marceline, come over here! You got to check this out!" the vampire grinned and she went over to join her friends muttering "All is right with the world".

The end.

(a/n: i know, i know, not a very good end. but there it is. Hoped you enjoyed this story, please review.)