Chapter Four: Negotiations
As Lemmy and Celestia sat waiting in Mr. Olde's office, several sharks swam around in a tank by the door. Suddenly, the door opened and a middle-aged man strode in. His hair was a graying brown, and he wore a black business suit with a red tie. He ignored Lemmy and looked straight at Celestia as he spoke. "Good evening, princess. What happenstance has caused your appearance this time?"
The princess replied with a neutral expression. "Mr. Olde, I have come here tonight because you finally committed a crime that I'm afraid I cannot forgive you for." An air of sorrow swept over her face as she gestured to Lemmy with her left forehoof. "You kidnapped a child." Celestia took on a pleading tone as she said, "Please, release him and apologize. Promise to never do this again, and your punishment will be shorter and easier. I don't want any more suffering to come of this than necessary."
Mr. Olde walked past the princess to his desk, where he sat down on an antique cushioned armchair. He rested his hands on the desk and replied in a respectful tone. "If I am to apologize," he said, "I would like to receive an apology in return from the child, for he has wasted valuable resources that this laboratory cannot afford to replace."
Celestia stood up, bringing herself to eye level with Mr. Olde. "If I might ask, what exactly are these resources? I have been with him since he arrived, and he hasn't done anything wrong."
With a smirk, Mr. Olde said, "Has he been breathing our air? What about those two Spellbots who had to be taken out of regularly scheduled guard duties to escort you both here? We had to rely on our reserve models for other duties that these two were unable to perform. Also, they will have to be recharged." He straightened in the chair, so that he was just above the princess's glaring eyes. "Every action in these labs can lead to unexpected consequences, and because they are so heavily controlled an environment, resources are measured quite extensively."
The princess turned around to look at the Spellbots guarding the door. As her horn took on a yellow aura, Mr. Olde leaned back in his chair. Lemmy thought he almost looked scared. Looking back to Celestia, he saw her aim directly at one of the robots, hitting it with a beam of yellow energy. She then quickly turned and did the same to the other one. She then turned around to Mr. Olde. In unison, both robots said, "Battery reserves full. Recharging process complete." With a small smile, Celestia asked Mr. Olde if he was satisfied that the resources had been returned.
Mr. Olde sighed and confirmed that he was. "Now then, I will most certainly release this juvenile delinquent, and I heartily apologize to him for any inconvenience caused." This he said without even looking at Lemmy once. Since he wasn't paying attention to him, Lemmy gave Mr. Olde a glare full of daggers.
This did not go unnoticed by the princess, who admonished him with a glare of her own before turning back to Mr. Olde. "It seems to me that you still bear some ill will towards Lemmy. He is not a delinquent, and even when apologizing you avoided eye contact. Still, an apology is an apology, so I will not punish you as severely. Instead of a month, I think two weeks should be good enough to teach you a lesson you'll never forget." Mr. Olde showed unusual agility for a man his age, and jumped behind his ornate armchair as the princess closed her eyes and her horn began to glow again. This time, however, it was with a purple glow that was strangely sinister. She opened her eyes and they were completely green. Lemmy covered his eyes with his hands.
"Please, don't send me to your world. I would rather wear a beggar's garb and solicit food with a cardboard sign than live in your candy-colored 'paradise'. I would sooner sell my whole house and become a monk. I would..." Mr. Olde didn't finish his last sentence, as he was sucked into a rainbow portal which disappeared without a sound.
"Now then!" Celestia said cheerfully, "Let's leave this place and you can show me where your house is!" Lemmy blinked, then nodded frantically.