Chapter 6: Teenage Moxxie (age 15)

Moxxie awoken the next day with a groan as he rubbed his tired eyes. He got up and noticed his pyjamas were covering his feet, but weren't stretching excessively as if he was a four-year-old trying on his mother's clothes as they were before he went to sleep. "Not fully grown yet, but getting there." He thought silently to himself before looking at his sleeping wife. His heart started to palpitate in his chest as he began to become hot and sweaty and full of energy. He ran to the bathroom to cool off, he approached the sink, finally able to see over the rim and in the mirror. He let out a nervous whimper at the site of his zits, before using the cold water to cool himself down. He tried saying his name, his voice had only just started to break. "Fifteen years old." He whispered to himself.

He felt energetic and angry at the same time as he thought about the treatment of how he suffered at his employer's, his parents and Prince Stolas' hands and how kind Millie had been to him when he was a child over the past week and a half. Why wasn't he always treated with such kindness in every aspect of his life? He decided he needed to let off some steam. He crept into his bedroom and got changed into a provided South Park t-shirt and a leather jacket and pants along with blue Simpsons boxers for underneath. He then wrote a note in a teenage scrawl which said:

Millie, I'm not feeling right at the moment. I need to go out and run off some weird energy. I'll be back soon. All my love. Moxxie.

Quietly, he left the note on his wife's bed stand, before leaving the pair's apartment with a scooter, which was intended for Moxxie's late childhood to preteen years, but was still suitable to serve its purpose for the small imp's teenage years.

Moxxie first scooted to a farmer's market near Millie's parents farm and swiped a couple of bags of eggs before scooting off, automatically laughing merrily.

His first stop was the home of his parents. Moxxie, full of pure rage in his new found energy hurled ten eggs at his parents' house. "Abuse me for 21 years! Lock me in cages! Throw me in the cellar! Beat me! Call me! Eat eggs mom and dad! LOVE MOXXIE!" He yelled as he hurled each and every egg, creating a sticky mess on his parent's home before scooting off into the distance letting out an evil laugh.

He then sped on up to the Pride Ring and located Blitzo and Loona's apartment and hurled a total of 12 eggs. "Call me names! Stalk me and my wife! Bully me! Render me injured! Insult me! Mess around with my pay check! Mock me! Enjoy your eggs! I hope they go rotten upon your return, SIR!" Moxxie yelled, getting off more steam. He was about half way calmed down now. Moxxie then scooted down to the Lust Ring, to the home of Prince Stolas with his remaining 12 eggs and hurled them at the palace. "Kidnap me! Injure me! Assault me! Interfere with the company I work for! Spy on me and my wife! Take this Your Royshell Highness!" Moxxie shouted, laughing out loud with every crack and spreading of goo on the palace. He had stopped shouting after the 6th egg met a stained-glass window. Just as the final egg hit the palace Moxxie was quickly spun around by a large force. Then everything went a glowing red before going black.

Moxxie's eyes opened to a small cell in the dungeon. Stolas was sat on small wooden chair as Moxxie stood before him. He didn't feel right. He felt stiff, heavy and rigid. He tried to back away, he tried to run, he even tried to call for help, but he couldn't. He could not move. He could not speak. His eyes wisped around the room at Stolas, at the cell door and at the cell window showing part of the outdoor garden and then at his own feet. They were grey, stone grey. He was petrified. He looked up at Stolas, tears welling, trying to plead but his stone mouth and tongue could not move.

Stolas' hand met Moxxie's face. Moxxie could see the hand under the left of his chin, but he could not feel it due to everything apart from his eyes being now made of solid rock. "It's ok little one, I can reverse it." Stolas assured him. Moxxie's fear and despair was then overcome by shock. Was Stolas actually showing mercy to him? "Ok let's see if you understand. One blink for yes, two for no. Do you understand me?"

One blink.

"Do you realise that it was wrong to egg the palace of a Hellion Prince?"

Moxxie did not know how to respond to that, he felt he couldn't win either way. Two blinks. He felt that was the most likely answer for Stolas to let him off easier.

"I see. I guess you thought you were just having a bit of fun and there was no harm in it?"

One blink.

"I understand, I was young once too. However, you have shown a Hellion royal a great disrespect. Surely you are aware of that?"

One blink.

"Good. You may not be aware but I have a teenage daughter myself, I know just as much as the next person that little thirteen- to nineteen-year-olds are mischievous, especially little imps where mischief is part of their nature. I will go easy on you, but you will not be going unpunished. You with me?"

One blink.

"In a moment I am going to release you from the spell, that means your body will go back to flesh and blood. You will no longer be a statue. You will be able to move and speak once again. But, you are going to clean off every last egg you have hurled at my palace. You understand?"

One blink.

"Good". Stolas' eyes glew red again, Moxxie could move everything. He swung his arms, smiling with relief but looked down in despair at the fact everything from knee down was still rock. "Sir my…" Moxxie started, Stolas then raised a hand, cutting him off. "Just a moment son." Stolas smiled before leaving the cell and coming back in with a French Maid outfit. "Take off your jacket and t-shirt, I'll get your trousers.

Moxxie was shaking, tears dripping down from his face, now once again terrified, but doing as his told. He didn't have any choice. He was now down to his boxer shorts as Stolas put the dress on top of him along with the headpiece before cuffing one of his wrists and freeing Moxxie's feet and leading him to the front of the palace where he had already placed a ladder, a bucket of soapy water and a sponge. Moxxie's hand was then released from the cuff when Stolas pushed him next to the bucket and told him to "get to work" before leaving the teenage imp to clean.

Moxxie got the job done quickly. He was cleaning the last egg from the palace walls from on top of the ladder, as he slowly began to climb down, he slipped, his right ankle twisting on the floor, spraining it before the ladder crashed onto his right angle. Moxxie let out two screams. One from the twist and one from the ladder when it fell on him. Due to Moxxie pretty much still having a child's voice the screams were high pitched which quickly alerted Prince Stolas. Stolas ran to the scene, frightening Moxxie and leading to him automatically use his arms to cover his face. He was terrified of a second petrification.

"Calm down child, I'm not going to paralyse you again. I'm just going to look at your ankle." Moxxie lowered his arms and watched Stolas use his powers to lift the ladder and place it against the wall before watching Stolas examine his ankle. Stolas' hands glowed as they rubbed the injured area. "Hmm… appears to be a sprain and maybe a small hairline fracture. I would heal it right now, but that defeats the objective of punishment, don't you agree?" Moxxie didn't answer. "That's ok. It will do you good to be off your feet for a few weeks, give you time to think, reflect on what has happened today and how you will go forward in the future in terms of your behaviour and the appropriate respect for Hell's Royalty." Moxxie did not know how Stolas dared lecture him on respect after his last encounter with him, but Moxxie knew it was best to remain silent in this situation. "Yes sir." Moxxie sighed, defeated, looking down at his injured ankle as it just started to swell.

"My daughter has just passed her driving test; I'll get her to take you to St. Judas' hospital whilst I run some errands. Do you have the number of a parent or guardian? I will need to call them so they know where to collect you from."

"My mother, Mildred's number is: 0822 666-101-345."

"Good I've took note of that. Octavia!" Stolas called. Octavia was straight there, looking down at the injured imp on the floor. "Can you do me a favour, I promise to make it worth your while by topping up your car next time it needs it."

"What is it dad?"

"Take little imp to St. Judas', he's broken and sprained his ankle."

Octavia looked down at Moxxie and sniggered at his outfit, but soon restrained herself when she recalled what her father could be like, especially with imps and this imp was not much younger than herself. She then turned to her father. "Do you have his clothes?" She inquired.

"Oh of course, how silly of me." Stolas laughed. "Here you go little one." He waved his hands and Moxxie's t-shirt and leather pants and jacket appeared. Octavia helped him out of the dress as Moxxie put the rest of his clothes on himself, whimpering when he had to move his pants over his sore ankle. Octavia then lifted Moxxie into the front seat of her car. Moxxie fastened his own seat belt as Octavia left for a moment and then lifted up his scooter to his passenger seat. "This yours?" She asked, Moxxie nodded. Finally, Octavia put the scooter on the back seat and then got to driving Moxxie off to the hospital.

"So why did you egg our palace?" Octavia inquired.

"It wasn't anything against you, it was your dad." Moxxie answered.

"What has my dad ever did to you?"

"He hurt me."

"We have never seen your before in our lives, you must be mistaken. I know my dad isn't the best with your kind, but we have seriously never met you before."

Moxxie knew he had no choice here. "Octavia, we trusted each other once before, I need you to trust me again."

"I've never met you before."

"You have. Pull over."

Octavia pulled over outside of a restaurant. "Ok, I'm listening."

"I work for IMP, you know Immediate Murder Professionals."

"No way you're just a…" She then paused. She recognised those sad eyes, that hair, those freckles, those bent horns. "Wait, Moxxie? What happened, you're a…"

"I know. I have anxiety and my wife Millie gets me this stuff from a sinner in the Pride Ring to calm me when I've had very bad days and just under two weeks ago, I had a very bad day. The store where my wife gets my well medicine had a new addition of the stuff. A regression formula. My wife did not notice the difference in the two bottles, seriously it was one small difference, anyone could have done it. But she didn't realise until I went from twenty-nine years to six months in a matter of minutes."

"Oh gosh, that must have been so scary."

"I was asleep, it put me to sleep first."

"But when you woke up?"

"It was a shock to say the least."

"So, you have to grow into your original age?"

"Yes. The drinker stays an infant for the first week and then gradually grows back up in the second."

"How old are you now?"

"Fifteen."

"So, fourteen years to go."

"Yeah, but it happens quickly, I was ten yesterday."

"Does it hurt?"

"No, it happens at night. I just get very sleepy, I fall asleep, I wake up, I'm older."

"I see. But wait your wife, you gave my dad her…"

"I said she was my mother called Mildred, her full name is Mildred, your dad doesn't know that."

"I see, clever."

"Not to seem rude but my ankle is throbbing, can we…"

"Of course." Octavia smiled. "Want the radio on, maybe there's some great songs on there."

"Yes please." Moxxie smiled as Octavia turned on the radio and the music played loudly through her car. Moxxie then noticed he was starting to sweat; he moved his hand towards the car's air blowers. "May I?" He asked.

"Of course."

Meanwhile Stolas was lay across his sofa, his phone in his hand as he called Millie's number. Millie was watching the telly at this time, she had received Moxxie's note and took this time to catch up on the soaps before Moxxie returned home. She hadn't even noticed her husband had been gone for five hours. Her phone then rang, she picked it up, not noticing that it shown an unknown number. "Hello?"

"Hello is this Mildred?"

"Yes, speaking?"

"It's Prince Stolas of the Ars Goetia."

Millie felt her blood boil, but nevertheless remained calm, "And what brings you to call me…" She asked, only just managing to hide her anger.

"Your son was caught egging my palace earlier today at approximately 12pm."

Millie felt herself fill with dread and fear "Moxxie" she thought to herself. Her heart was palpitating in her chest, she could feel it knocking on her ribcage. She silently prayed to Satan that he was ok. "Where is my h..son?" She asked.

"Well, you see when I caught him egging my palace, I had to do something to teach him a lesson. So, I petrified him."

"You what?! He's just a child!" Millie was now on the verge of tears.

"Don't worry I released him, very gradually, first just his eyes, you should have seen the pure panic in them. Especially once he realised he was stone. Then we came to an agreement that I'd let him go if he cleaned the mess he made. He accepted so he's cleaned up him mess and I released him gradually first his upper body and then his legs a few minutes later. So, he's totally back to normal except…"

"Except what?!" Millie was now furious.

"Well, some of the eggs were thrown a little high so I provided him with a ladder. He fell off and he's hurt his ankle. My daughter has taken him to St. Judas' Hospital, he's there now, I've just received a text from my daughter before I called. He's in the children's A&E and I'd appreciate it if you'd collect him. The hospital is in the Lust Ring."

"Of course, your highness." Millie smiled through gritted teeth. "I am on my way right now." She then hung up, slamming her phone down and turning off the TV. She then sped as fast as lightening to her car and drove to the Lust Ring.

Moxxie was lay on a doctor's examination table. He was sat up against propped pillows and was sadly watching the doctor wrap his ankle up in a cast. "You need to keep it elevated and rested for the next ten to twelve weeks. It will take time for it to fully heal due to the fact you have a sprain and a fracture." The doctor told him, Moxxie didn't respond. "Come on now, you've been very brave. Would you like a lolly from my desk?"

"No thank you." Moxxie shuck is head.

"That's ok." The doctors phone then rang, he picked it up, "oh, ok, send her in, it's room C, should be second to her left." The doctor then put down the phone. "Moxxie, I think your mother is here." As soon as the doctor said that a panicked Millie came through the door. "Is Moxxie here?" She asked worried.

"Hi Mom." Moxxie waved at her. Millie looked at her injured partner and approached him. She gave him a hug, feeling the stickiness of teenage boy sweat around his neck, resulting in her removing his leather jacket and having him down to his t-shirt. Moxxie looked up at her. "I fell off my scooter mom." He told her. Millie then looked down at him, straight in the eyes, with a stern look on her face, a lie, she knew. Millie turned around and put a smile back on, "thank you for taking care of him doctor."

"Think nothing of it, I get teenagers in here all of the time, rambunctious, aren't they?"

"Yep, they keep you on your toes." Millie then turned to Octavia, "thankyou Octavia for helping him, here take twenty devil dollars, all for you, just don't tell your dad."

"Believe me I won't. Thanks for the cash." Octavia thanked Millie, before running back to the car. This left Moxxie, Millie and the doctor alone. "Well, I best be getting my son home, when should I take the cast off?"

"I would take it off in twelve weeks. His ankle is sprained and has a hair line fracture so he's going to have to stay off his feet for ten to twelve weeks. Keep him laid in the position he's in right now and prop his ankle up on a pillow or two. I'd recommend ice as a compress just above the cast. I've provided him with a pair of crutches to help him get from bed to the couch and I've provided a boot for the hoof." The doctor said placing the boot over Moxxie's injured foot.

"Is that boot adjustable, I think he's going through a growth spirt that's all."

"No ma'am but I can get an adjustable one with you wish?"

"Thankyou, I'm just going to take Moxxie's scooter to the car and then I'll be back for him."

"That's ok by me, he won't be going anywhere. He's too injured to get down and walk on his own."

Moxxie was left alone in the doctor's room, his heart was beating as he continued to sweat. Millie had taken his jacket and scooter and was coming back to get him and she wasn't too happy. Millie and the doctor entered the room together. The doctor replaced Moxxie's boot from Moxxie's foot to an adjustable one before carrying him to the floor and balancing him on crutches. Moxxie struggled with them Millie was by his side and the doctor was behind him to make sure he didn't fall until he was in the passenger seat of Millie's car and buckled in. Millie put Moxxie's crutches in the back seat with his scooter as she was just about to get into the driver's seat the doctor handed her a bottle and said, "almost forgot, medicine, for the pain, he's going to be sore for a while."

"Thankyou." Millie smiled before putting the bottle into the cupholder and driving off, giving the doctor a wave. Moxxie was now in the car with his disappointed wife, they were both quiet on the way back, none of them spoke a word to each other. Moxxie was deep down thinking, "I'm in trouble." All of the way back to the apartment.

Millie pulled into the apartment and looked at Moxxie giving him her disapproving look once more. Moxxie looked back at her with sad eyes. "Moxxie…" She started, "you're grounded!"

Guiltily Moxxie started down at the footwell of the car, "Sorry Millie", he apologised, accepting his punishment.

"Grounded for egging the properties of other demons…" Millie's voice then went from angry to happy and giggling, "and not taking me with you."

Moxxie looked up and smiled, laughing along with her. Once the two had calmed down Millie let out a sigh, "Come on Mox, let's get you inside and taken care of."

"Yes Honey."

Millie came around to the opposite side of the vehicle and carried Moxxie into their apartment and took him up to the bathroom. She put him down on the toilet seat and removed the boot from his foot before telling him to take his clothes off as she began to run a bath. Millie left the bathroom as Moxxie slowly undressed himself, he stunk of sweat, he couldn't blame Millie for sending him to the bath as soon as he got home. "The joys of puberty" he thought to himself, sarcastically.

His wife then came back into the bathroom and turned off the taps on the bath, she then came to his feet and wrapped a black bin bag around his injured ankle as Moxxie was once again being cuddled by the hot steam from the bath water. He was then quickly lifted off the toilet seat and placed in the bath, his injured ankle hanging over the edge. Giving his wife a wide smile, he picked up the bar of soap to his wife and dipped it in the water, ready to give himself a good clean, but his wife tapped his sofa, "ah ah ah" she said to him, holding out her hand for the soap. Moxxie handed it over to her and let himself sink further into the warm water as his wife proceeded to bathe him, this was something he was sure going to miss.

After he was clean Millie lifted him from the bath and wrapped him back up in a towel on the toilet seat, dried him, placed him in his pyjamas which consisted of a white t-shirt and black trousers which hung just over his feet she finally removed the bag from his foot and placed it back in the boot Millie carried him to the couch which was already prepared with a pillow to rest his back against; a table with a wrapped gift, a bell, the TV remote, a packet of jelly sweets and a can of coke waiting for him; a thin blanket; a cushion for his broken ankle to rest on and his crutches laid beside the couch. Millie lay Moxxie on the couch and elevated his foot with the cushion, and then she put the blanket on top of him and propped up his pillows as a back rest. She then tapped the bell on the coffee table and told him, "You ring if you need anything, that present is for you, I was going to give you it when you were back to normal, but I think after everything you've been through today and the position, you're going to be in for the foreseeable future you need it and deserve it now more than ever."

Moxxie picked up the gift and opened it, using his claws to get through the wrapping paper. He lit up when he saw the iPad in his hand. "Oh sweetie, I don't know what to say, thank you."

"It's no trouble at all, you deserve it after the fortnight you've had. Besides, you'd go insane without it. Why don't you put a good film on the telly and I'll be back in a minute?"

Millie turned to leave the living room, as she was just about to leave Moxxie rang his bell. Millie turned around and smiled "yes Moxxie."

"Kiss and cuddle please?" He requested, wagging his tail. Millie rolled her eyes and smiled as she approached her husband and put her arms around him and brought him into a gentle embrace before kissing him on the lips and giving him a nuzzle. She then left him alone on the couch as he chose a movie on the streaming service. Millie was back in the living room momentarily she placed an ice-pack on Moxxie's injured ankle, above the cast as instructed by the doctor in the Lust Ring and then placed a jam sandwich with a biscuit and an orange on Moxxie's table. "Just to put you off for an hour or two before I order an Indian for tea."

"Thanks Mills." Moxxie smiled biting into his sandwich with a smile as he pressed play on the 2017 version of Stephen King's IT.

The imps spent the afternoon and evening eating curries and sweets whilst watching movies. By the time it got to 11:00pm Moxxie started to yawn and his eyelids grew heavy. He knew he had to sleep. He reached his weak hand out for his bell for a carry to bed, but Millie had already noticed and had him swaddled in her arms and carried into bed, he was asleep just as Millie began to put him under the covers. She then got ready for bed herself, by the time she was in her nightdress she noticed Moxxie's zits all slowly fading from his face and smiled with relief. She then removed the boot from Moxxie's injured foot and climbed into bed alongside him, falling asleep herself.