Bonnibel sat behind the desk in her study, pouring over countless reports to go over, budgets to approve, bills to sign, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. Some days she really wondered if the job was really worth the stress. She'd occasionally entertain fantasies of sneaking away from the kingdom, going far away and starting a new life.

But she knew the responsibilities were too great for any of her underlings to handle. Beyond that, she doubted she had what it took to give up so much. She was the sort of person to judge others based on their wealth and power. She herself ruled the wealthiest kingdom in Ooo; it was not in her nature to ever give up anything she owned.

She let out a relieved sigh as she signed her name on the final paper, moving it to the towering 'out' pile on her desk. Finally, she had finished her official business for the evening. Finally, she could turn her attention to her personal projects, for which she held infinitely more importance over her political duties.

As always, the thing at the forefront of her mind was that slave boy, Finn, and by proxy, the current status of that damned wizard she'd been forced to deal with. It'd been nearly two years since they'd first made their little arrangement, and she was still waiting on him to deliver.

Bubblegum was beginning to lose her patience. Though his actions had not cost her any money, she'd still had to give up one of her most closely guarded scientific secrets. She'd been expecting a lot, and so far she had nothing to show for it except for a few hastily written letters.

She hadn't actually heard from the man in almost three months. At this point she was strongly considering having the man terminated, having their dealings swept under the rug, and moving on to devise a new course of action.

She was currently scribbling furiously in her personal notes, dreaming up new chemical compounds to be synthesized and tested when she suddenly heard her window open, letting in a strong wind.

She spun around in her chair to find her mystery partner, hidden as always by his cloak, standing in front of her open window. 'Speak of the devil.' She thought, rather surprised by his sudden appearance. She'd actually only met with him in person a few times after their initial meeting. Usually he'd simply slip in unseen and leave a detailed report for her.

But since he had once more intruded on her own turf, she would make sure their meeting went undisturbed. She stood from her chair and walked over to the door, carrying herself with as much dignity as she did at any official meeting. She reached the door and quickly locked it, turning back to the man.

Bonnibel addressed him, "I haven't heard from you in quite some time." He replied, "What can I say, Princess? I've been extremely busy in recent days." Bonnibel, however, was not in any mood for sarcasm, least of all from him.

"Oh, you've finally been busy?" She asked, slight anger rising in her voice. She walked threateningly towards the man, "Two years. It's been two years since you promised me that boy. Two years you've had my formula, using it to do Glob knows what, which is apparently anything except fulfilling your end of the bargain!" Bonnibel was staring daggers at the man.

Unfortunately, she couldn't see what kind of expression lay beneath the shadows of his hood, and his body language betrayed nothing. Instead he simply stared (presumably) back at her, answering in a coldly calm voice, "Temper, temper, Princess. Let's not forget our place." To emphasize his point he raised a fist in front of him, letting electricity crackle menacingly across the surface.

"You only had to give me one thing, which you did. I'm the one designing the downfall of the Vampire Queen so you don't have to dirty your hands, I'm the one taking all the risks with this operation, and it's only by my grace that you'll end up getting anything out of this."

The two sat looking intensely at one another. Bubblegum was not happy with his attitude, and less so with his threats. But the cloaked man did not come here to make threats, and decided it would just be easiest to diffuse the situation, since he perceived himself to be the one in power here.

Hastily, putting his arm away, he continued as if everything he'd said so far had been a big joke. "Is what I could say, but I didn't come here to bicker, Princess. In fact, I have some very good news I believed you'd be ecstatic to hear."

Bonnibel folded her arms and continued to stare at him, though now she appeared more annoyed than angry. She didn't take his threats lightly, having learned her lesson during their first meeting. But he was an idiot if he thought she hadn't prepared a suitable response to his hostility since then. In fact, at any moment she could flick a switch that could flood any room in her castle with a powerful nerve gas that would render any non-candy person unconscious.

But now he claimed he had actual news to give her, and loathe as she was to tolerate him she couldn't risk not hearing him out. Already sick of his presence, she motioned for him to hurry up and spill his guts already.

"I realize I've taken quite some time to… prepare everything, and your impatience by this point is justified. But now I have nearly everything in place. In two, three weeks tops I'll be ready to make my move. Then you'll have your prize."

Bonnibel offered no words in response. At some level, she was still highly skeptical that the man was ready to make good on his promise, but then again he had never necessarily lied to her.

The man gave his signature dark chuckle that could have chilled a snow golem. "I realize how unbelievable this may seem after so long, but I assure you, it's happening. Very soon, it's happening."

Bubblegum had regained her composure, but any excitement she may have felt was overshadowed by the exhaustion she felt for having to deal with this character. She just wanted him out; out of her room and out of her life. "Very good, then. If that's all, I still have much to attend to tonight."

The man was not fooled. He realized just how much the Princess despised him. Nevertheless, he really had no reason to further antagonize her tonight, and he still had much to plan for in the next couple weeks. "Of course Princess, I shall take my leave immediately. When next we meet, I'll fulfill my promise."

Having finished his speeches for the night, the man turned back to the still open window, jumping out and becoming lost to the Princess, as he always did. Now alone once more, the Princess blew a strand of pink hair out of her face with a perturbed huff and walked over to the window to shut it.

She collapsed back into her big leather chair and lazily spun around in it. She just had to wait a little bit longer to collect on her prize, the one thing she'd been waiting on her whole life. 'That man had better deliver. If this turns out to be one more goose chase, I'll make sure he suffers in an unbearable hell for the rest of his miserable life.'