Hello again

Just a quick note before we begin as usual I can't thank you guys enough for tuning in for chapter after chapter of content I post, especially since I know I'm no where near popular on this site, even though I don't get the most views in the world, seeing a consistent number of you comeback for story after story, chapter after chapter really makes all this rewarding, and I just wanted to say thank you guys for what's been a fun ride so far, with so much more to come.

So now to story related matters

Lucy got herself in big trouble last chapter

How does she react to her punishment? Let's find out

Ch.9 Lucy's Punishment

(Where we left last chapter off)

Lucy would cry in her cell, she'd hear someone approaching, she'd look at the floor as they'd enter and sit beside her, it wouldn't take her long to realize it was her father Rancis.

"I messed up…" she'd state dejected

"Worst than a mess up dear." Rancis would respond

"I didn't mean to endanger Jr…"

"You still nearly killed him…over a race…in only your second exhibition race…there's messing up than there's what you did…"

"I know…" she'd sob

"Please understand your mother was mad…but you scared her…plus everything that happened so quickly…she was overwhelmed…."

"Still a harsh punishment…"

"She can't give you preferential treatment…you nearly killed a competitor…"

Lucy would be silent

Rancis would hug her, Lucy would squeeze him tight.

"The adults are meeting soon to discuss how to proceed."

"What? Just to re-affirm my permanent suspension from racing?"

"No…you know your mother and I are going to stick up for you…but you also know your mother prefers letting everyone have a say in these things…"

"That's what I'm afraid of…"

"Trust me Lucy…everything will be fine…"

"Ok…"

"I better get going…"

He'd get up and leave the cell, Lucy would stare back down at the ground

Rancis would climb up the stairs and walk into the throne room where Vanellope would silently sit on her throne

"She's about what you expected…I tried to explain to her your reasonings…but I quickly saw she didn't want to hear it…"

Vanellope would sigh. "How did we miss what we were turning her into? How did I not see she would try this?"

"Nelly don't blame yourself…I didn't see it either…no one did until she pulled that stunt…"

"She nearly killed Jr…."

"We both know it wasn't her intention…"

"If she truly wanted to force him to slow down…slowing him down on a long straight with everyone at maximum speed would've put him in just as much danger…"

"I know…"

"How did we miss that?!"

Rancis would hug her tightly. "You have to stop blaming yourself…Torvald said it herself…you raised the twins right…we may never know what Lucy was truly thinking…but it's for damn sure whatever it was….she didn't learn it from you…"

Vanellope would silently hug him back.

A few minutes later the adults would enter the throne room, Rancis would wait by the entrance greeting them all as Vanellope would remain slouched on her throne clearly bothered by the events that had transpired.

The first to arrive would be Lodhi Sr and Torvald, Lodhi would talk with Rancis as Torvald would climb up the stairs to the throne and pat Vanellope on the shoulder.

"It's clear you're still blaming yourself…I told you not too…" She'd sit beside Vanellope

"I should have seen it coming…I should've seen what my daughter was becoming…what I was turning her into…"

"Nonsense…you didn't turn her into anything…you raised 2 good kids…what transpired today happened in spite of you instead of because of you…"

"Why on earth would she do that?"

"We very well may never know…but before the others arrive I have an idea on how Lucy could be punished…my family came up with the idea and I decided to run it by you first…"

"I'm all ears Torvald…"

(An hour later)

Rancis would walk down to Lucy's cell and open the door. "Come on…"

Lucy would walk over to the entrance. "Can I take this glitch resistant chains off?"

"Only after you've been told your punishment…"

"What?! Was not racing enough?!"

Rancis would take a stern tone. "May I remind you what you did to Jr was incredibly dangerous and could have severely hurt him or worst…just being banned from racing wasn't going to cut it…for the Candy Citizens…and especially the other families…on top of all that your fellow competitors…"

Lucy would remain silent, not use to her father talking to her that way.

Rancis would sigh. "I'm sorry…" He'd pat her shoulder. "Let's go…"

Lucy would nod and follow him to the throne room, when they'd arrive she'd see her mother sitting up straight in her throne room and all the adults gathered around it, Rancis would stop her at the base of the stairs and Lucy would drop to her knees.

"Lucy…" Vanellope would state

"Yes mother?"

"After some deliberations…we reached a few solutions…one of which being your suspension from racing…it's no longer permanent and will even be lifted…" Vanellope would start

"What that's amazing!" Lucy would interrupt happy

"…only with the unanimous decision of the Crisp family…until Lodhi Sr, Torvald, Norville, Lodhi Jr, Christie, Ricky and Ryan unanimously vote to lift your suspension…you'll be there maid/aid…" Vanellope would finish

"WHAT?! IF THATS THE CASE I'LL NEVER GET TO RACE!"

Vanellope would take a deep breath. "Lucy…it's either that or you stay down in the Fungeon with a permanent suspension from racing…"

"I didn't mean for anything bad to happen! I didn't want to hurt Jr! I just want to race!"

"Lucy it's your punishment…this is how things will be going forward…"

Lucy would sigh. "Ok…"

Rancis would take Lucy's chains off.

"Your punishment starts now…you have a few minutes to pack your things…and once you've served your punishment you can move back here." Vanellope would state

"So on top of being a maid I can't even sleep in my own bed?"

"No."

Lucy would sigh. "Ok…"

She'd walk to her room with Rancis following her closely, she'd pack several pairs of clothes, her Fluttershy doll and all the while wouldn't say a word.

"I know you don't like this…but it's the best we could do…"

Lucy would remain silent

"There were many that wanted you to stay in the Fungeon or worse…"

"Atleast in the Fungeon I'd have some dignity! I'm a princess! Yet I'm to be a maid as punishment?!"

"We didn't want you staying in the Fungeon…it wouldn't have changed anything…"

"AND HOW IS THIS SUPPOSE TO CHANGE ANYTHING?! I'M A PRINCESS!"

"One that had complete disregard for the safety of one of her subjects!" Rancis would snap back at her

Lucy would flinch and go silent having never been yelled at by her father before

"You keep saying you're a princess! Yet you seem to act like it gives you a blank check to do what you want and has e everything you could possibly want! It's not that way Lucy! Being a princess means you have many responsibilities! Chief among them the health and safety of your people! Your suppose to keep them safe! Happy! Healthy! They should look at you and see hope! What you did today spits at all of that!"

Lucy would lower her head silently.

"I raised you to be better than that! Your mother raised you better than that! We raised you and Kevin to be even better than us! Yet you went destroyed any trust that was building between you and the game's population!"

He'd stop his rant when he'd see Lucy crying, he'd take a deep breath. "I'm sorry dear…it's just that…I want you to be able to learn something from this…you need to learn from this…I'm sorry…but these snaps of you acting like you acting all "mightier than thou"…that's not the way forward…nothing good ever comes from acting and thinking that way…"

Lucy would nod her head still looking at the floor.

"I'm sorry for raising my voice…I just needed you to listen and understand…we're not doing this cause we hate you or think lesser of you…but feel it you'll learn a valuable lesson from this…" he'd hug her

Lucy would hug him. "…Am I a bad kid?"

"Of course not dear…your a great kid…you just have so much more to learn…especially since one day in the future you'll be leading this world…"

Lucy would hold him tightly.

"Though it's time for you to go now…"

Lucy would nod and let go of her father before taking her suitcase. "The Crisp are going make my life hell…"

"Torvald and Lodhi Sr promised it wouldn't be…and swear they'll give their children a talking too to not be outright harsh on you…"

"They can promise all they want…actions speak louder than words…"

"As much as Lodhi Sr pisses me off each and every race we compete it…he's still a friend…and I trust him at his word…when he says he'll ensure you'll be treated nicely…I believe him 100%."

Lucy would sigh. "Alright…"

She'd walk out of her room and go back to the throne room where her mother and Torvald would be waiting."

"…I'm ready to serve my punishment…" She'd state

Vanellope would hug her tightly. "I'm sorry…"

"…Don't be…I made a conscious choice…and it was a real bad one…I see that now…" Lucy would hug her back

Vanellope would take a deep breath before letting go and stepping away, Lucy would turn towards Torvald.

"Shall we be going?" She'd ask

"Indeed…" Torvald would pat her shoulder and walk her out

When she'd be gone Vanellope would let out a long sigh

"Why were you so quick to accept Torvald's plan again?" Rancis would ask

"I trust Torvald to teach her a lesson the Fungeon never would…and honestly…felt it'd be the only suggestion everyone would agree on…"

"You don't know that…"

"For mod's sake Rancis 5 of them agreed with my anger led decision of banning her permanently from racing…they wouldn't have supported me going back on that…so hearing this new plan coming from Torvald gave me an out…"

"Why did everyone agree to that so quickly?"

"Ricky."

"What?"

"Everyone knows Ricky is spiteful…to a great degree…so knowing it has to be a unanimous decision…everyone knows Lucy would be sitting in a kart anytime soon…"

"Than why did you accept it?"

"Until I feel I can trust her to not endanger lives again…I don't want to see her behind the wheel…"

"But Nelly that's your own daughter you're talking about…"

"I saw her nearly kill a fellow competitor…when I saw it happening…for a brief moment I saw a flash of a younger me doing that to someone else…and…and it scared me…"

"You can't blame yourself my dear…"

"Until I see a change…Lucy won't be racing…but I don't have to worry about that…since until she changes the Crisps will never have a unanimous vote…"

"How often are they suppose to vote?"

"Once a week…every Sunday morning before the kids get to race…"

"Well I can see that going swimmingly…" Rancis would state sarcastically

"No trouble at all…" Vanellope would respond and sigh again

(Elsewhere)

Torvald would walk Lucy towards Lodhi Sr's chalet

"We couldn't drive here?" She'd ask

"Part of your punishment…wherever you go…it must be on foot…you not allowed in a kart…whether it be driver or passenger until your punishment is served…"

Lucy would sigh

"I know things look bleak…but the time will pass fast…"

"I just want to race…it's in my code…knowing I'll be missing out every Sunday for mods know how long hurts me…"

"I know…but life had consequences…the best way to deal with them is to learn from them and better yourself from them…"

"Why are you not chewing me out for what I did to Jr? Why haven't you scolded me into oblivion promising to make each day worse than the last?"

"Why would I?"

"Because I almost hurt Jr! Why are you not getting even?"

"Why do you think I want to make you suffer?"

"Because!"

Torvald would stop her from walking forward. "Because isn't a reason…as much as you kids like to think it is…"

Lucy would hesitate to respond

"Lucy I simply want the truthful answer…"

"…Because it's what I would do…I'd get my pound of flesh in a way…make them hurt the way they hurt me…"

"And what would you get out of that besides someone bitter towards you and always looking to have the last laugh?"

"Umm…I…uh…"

"When you treat someone harshly…you can ne et expect anything but the same treatment when the roles are reversed…"

"I…well I….guess I never saw it that way?"

"That's fine…but to add on…punishing someone harshly rarely gives the desired results…it may work in the short term yes…but it's a long term lost…treat someone well…punish hard but fairly…and you get someone that learns from their mistakes without the bitterness from those that handed out the punishment…"

"English please?"

"Leaving you in a cold dark cell would've only made you more bitter as time went on…and would've only resulted it worse accidents down the line…whereas with your punishment now…the hope is you learn a few valuable lessons that not only make you a better racer…but a better princess and Queen down the line…"

"So your not going to make my life unbearable?"

"As I said it'd only do more harm than good…"

"Alright…"

Torvald would lead her inside the Chalet and to one of the guess rooms. "Though since your still a maid you'll need to be up by 7 to help me with breakfast…"

"Ok…"

"And do expect cold responses from Ricky and Norville…for obvious reasons…"

"Oh don't worry I fully expected that…"

"Christie promised to make sure you stayed in good spirits…though Jr may not want to be near you for a little bit…he was still pretty shaken up before we left for the castle…"

"Please tell him I'm sorry…I truly didn't mean for it to go bad…"

"I will…"

"Thank you Torvald…"

"My pleasure…now rest up…I'll see you in the morning…"She'd close the door and walk away.

Lucy would take her Fluttershy out of her suitcase and lay down on the bed. "Hopefully this punishment is a quick one…I just want to get out racing again…"

She'd close her eyes and fall asleep