I am running out of clever greetings. Anyway, I have a decent amount of writing for you, my good patrons. I spent about five hours traveling today, but I'm posting from the comfort of my actual house for the first time. Also a first, chapters 26 and 27 feature Marceline or Finn. Shicking, I realize. Fear not, I feel I've more than compensated with 28. I'm begginning to accelerate the development of their relationship more, about time I start to fit the posted genre. Oh right, time-skip. Expect those more frequently at random intervals. Otherwise... no, that's it. On with the story.
Bonnibel stood in her balcony perched high upon the walls of her palace, overlooking her city and contemplating her many projects. The sun was high in the partially cloudy air and cast light upon her lively city. Even from her elevation, she could see the throngs of her citizens moving about the city.
At times when she felt overtly frustrated, she found it helped to stand out here, let the high altitude air cleanse her body and watch her city. She thought it was good to periodically remind herself of all she worked for, all she had accomplished. Nearly everything she saw belonged to her in one way or another. Gazing out over her domain helped put things in perspective, and helped to ease her mind.
Being ruler of the wealthiest kingdom in Ooo was no easy task. Her brain was constantly crowded with issues regarding politics, economics, infrastructure, foreign relations, domestic approval and all manner of things she, as ruler, was expected to handle. Add to that the many personal side projects she always has set aside and it seems like she never gets a moment of peace.
But for the last year, all the responsibilities she'd been held accountable for have been overshadowed by a personal ordeal that's been plaguing her; that boy, Marceline's slave. Nearly fourteen months ago she had found a human boy, precisely the sort of subject she had been searching for over a decade.
But irony had a habit of interfering with Bonnibel's best intentions, and the sole person she'd been searching for was out of her reach. The best she's been able to do is monitor the boy and his mistress. Whenever the two are in the city, Bonnibel would always have one of her men tail them, recording everything they did, taking pictures, video, audio recordings, any scrap of information he could.
But it was simple politics, the general bane of her existence, that restrained her from simply taking the boy. She could make no move to steal him from Marceline without instigating an international crises. Unfortunately for Bonnibel, Marceline was herself a monarch, the Queen of the Vampires.
Unlike Bonnibel, Marceline had no interest in the actual governance of her people, and simply allowed appointed officials to run the day-to-day, only ever appearing every couple of years if there was a critically important issue to attend.
Still, just because she was not an active participant in politics did not dismiss her royal blood. She couldn't even be arrested, as all she had to do was present a special license granting diplomatic immunity and she was off the hook.
All this meant for the candy monarch was that she could not simply take the boy without consequences. Ever since their last meeting she had been trying to devise a way to acquire the human without insinuating herself or her servants as the culprit, but so far she has come up with nothing.
Knowing she'd have to attend to her royal duties sooner or later, Bonnibel turned to the open doorway leading into her room and stepped through, leaving the door open to continue to allow air to circulate.
Just as she crossed the threshold she was greeted by an unfamiliar voice. "Good evening Princess Bubblegum." Bonnibel nearly shrieked as she found a strange man in a dark cloak leaning against the hallway door, but if she did one thing well it was keep her composure in crucial situations.
Sure, she could've screamed to try to alert the guards, but she ran the risk of there being no guards within earshot and of angering this unknown character. Instead she simply kept silent and observed the stranger. He was tall, slightly taller than her. His features were completely hidden behind a black cloak, but Bonnibel could tell he was a male from his voice which, while not exactly deep, was obviously masculine.
She gave him a look of slight anger, addressing him in an unpleasant manner, but still avoiding being too hostile. "I highly doubt my guards would have allowed you access into the castle, much less my private room."
The man took his arms out of his cloak and crossed them. While the majority of his body was covered in similar black clothing, his hands were bare, showed a sickly gray hue. His face remained concealed by the hood. "You are correct in that assumption Princess. No, I came here of my own volition because I have a proposition for you, and figured it would quite difficult to meet you… officially. To that extent, I'm sure you wouldn't want this conversation on record anyway."
Bubblegum's expression did not change. "Is that so? I don't know what rumors concerning me are circling the dregs right now, but I don't typically conduct 'unofficial business." As she spoke she began pacing the room, but kept her eyes on the man.
She really had no intention on hearing him out, but needed to keep him occupied while she made her way to her nightstand, in which she kept a stun gun. She'd chat the idiot up to lower his guard and then knock him out and have her guards lock him in the royal dungeon. That should teach him a lesson about sneaking into a royal's bedroom.
The man let out a low rumble that she supposed indicated an inward chuckle. "That's only because you've always been in a position to easily acquire anything you wanted. You've only ever had to snap your fingers and be handed everything on a silver platter. But now there's something you desperately desire but cannot ever possess, no matter how big a fit you throw."
Bonnibel had made it to her dresser and leaned back against it, resting her hands on the edge to support her. The stun gun was in the top drawer, it would take little effort to quickly draw it out and incapacitate the man. However, Bonnibel was rapidly becoming more frustrated with this individual, and was prone to lengthy arguments when frustrated.
"And what makes you think you know what I desire? What concern is it of yours?" At her questions, the man took a step away from the door, keeping his arms crossed. Bonnibel's finger tensed on the nightstand, ready to put him down if he made any sudden movement.
The man gave a more audible chuckle this time, leaning his face down before composing himself. "It's simple. I've taken an interest in your desire because it directly coincides with my desire. I came here today because I can get us both what we want, with your assistance that is."
Bubblegum was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable with this man around. He was insane to think he could just break in here and think he could talk his way into a partnership with her. The only thing that would be crazier would be if she continued to listen to any more of his offers.
"I'm truly uninterested." As soon as Bonnibel said that she quickly leaned away from the nightstand, nimbly opening the drawer and retrieving the stung gun without even looking. She leveled the weapon and shot at him. A bright blue bolt shot out of the short barrel and flew at the man. Almost trivially, he raised one of his fists to take the shot.
Instead of knocking him flat him his back like Bonnibel expected, his hand only surged with electricity, as though he had absorbed the shot. With the hand he had blocked, he pointed his finger like a gun and pointed it towards her. An identical bolt of energy shot out of his fingertip and hit her. Bubblegum stiffened as the electricity shot through her nervous system and her muscles seized up. She crumpled to the floor in a sitting position, back against the nightstand.
The man heaved out a sigh as he stepped closer to Bonnibel's downed form. "Really, I'm disappointed princess. I would have thought you, of all people, would recognize the appropriate times to take actions, and yet you haven't even decided to hear what I have to offer. Oh well, perhaps you'll hear me out now that you're temporarily paralyzed."
The man placed his arms behind his back, and began to pace back and forth. "As I was saying, we both want things that coincide with what the other wants. I know you desire to possess that human kid. The one owned by Marceline."
Bubblegum rolled her neck to her shoulder, eyeing the stranger as best as she could. He continued, "As for me, my interests lie with the woman. I won't tell you my reasons and I don't care to know why you desire the boy. Frankly, I could care less about what happens to him, but as long as he's the thing you want I may as well offer him to you, should you decide to help me."
The man walked over to about a foot and a half in front of Bubblegum and kneeled down so he was eye level with her. She still couldn't make out his face, but could see several long strands of grimy white hair falling out of his hood.
"Give me what I want, what I need to take Marceline, and I'll deliver you the kid." Bubblegum's tongue was feeling less swollen, and she could just barely stand to talk by now. "What… exactly… do you… want?" She asked through ragged breaths.
She couldn't see it, but was well aware of the man giving her a triumphant smile. "See now how easy it is to simply deal with people. You'll soon see how profitable it can be as well. You'll get the kid, and all I want in return is your formula."
Bubblegum was still dazed, but was now extremely suspicious of his intentions. "What… formula?" The man stood back up, towering over her. "Your formula… for creating life."
A half-hour later Bubblegum had regained muscle function, and had left her room to retrieve her notes from her lab. The stranger had opted to wait for her in her room, not wanting to risk being seen by the guards.
It would have been extremely easy to simply alert her guards to the man's presence at this point, but she had begun to think this person was too powerful for even her guards to handle. Given how he had disarmed Bubblegum when she had the drop on him, she figured it would not be difficult for him to escape if she sent the guards after him, and then she'd have to worry about him coming after her.
Beyond fear of him, she wondered if he really was capable of getting Marceline out of the way and getting the boy for her. He certainly seemed to be a skilled individual, and she certainly wasn't coming up with any better options anytime soon. Plus, if he failed there was almost no chance she could be tied to him. She had little left to lose, and decided to take him up on his deal.
After grabbing the appropriate papers from her lab, she headed back up to her room to find her new cohort waiting on the balcony. She cleared her throat to get his attention, causing him to turn around and walk back into the room.
She handed him the papers. "This is it, the formula for animation. Just so you know, many of the ingredients are not easy to come by, and I won't be supplying them." He simply gave another dark chuckle. "That won't be an issue."
Her end of the bargain fulfilled, she asked the man, "So when can I expect you to repay me?" He tucked the papers safely into his cloak and looked back at her, not that she could meet his eyes. "Things will take some time to prepare. I've much to set up. This operation could be several months in the planning. Maybe one, two years tops."
Bubblegum was almost disappointed, but she was a patient woman. She'd been waiting on this opportunity for over a decade, she could stand to wait a couple more years. "Understandable. However, given this will take so much time to prepare, I should hope you'd be willing to give at least monthly status reports. You know, just so I know you haven't decided to balk on our deal."
The man replied, "Of course. I'm happy you decided to accept my offer, I'm sure this will turn out quite… profitable for the both of us." And with that he turned and exited into the hall. Bubblegum sat on the edge of her bed, taking in everything that had just transpired and hoping it didn't turn out to be a huge mistake.