"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
As Mick continued to fall through the abyss of swirling fire, all he could do was scream his lungs out. With bright orange and red flames in every direction, there was literally nothing else but the emptiness he was falling towards. Endlessly swaying and swirling and flailing and… Oh shit! The ground!
"OOF!"
Finally, after what felt like aeons, but in reality was less than a single minute, the Cat Demon impacted with solid dirt, kicking up a dust cloud as he landed face first. Grumbling in pain and anger, the Cat Demon let out an exasperated sigh as he tried pulling himself up. One of these days he was going to have to stop being so gullible.
BONK!
"OW!" he yelped, rubbing the spot where the briefcase impacted his already throbbing head. "Son of bitch!"
Once again, Mick was made to curse his rotten luck. Sure enough, the sooner he makes this delivery the better. Painfully pulling himself back to his feet, the Cat Demon tried to get his bearings. However, before he could even get a glare at his surroundings…
WOOSH!
"What the-?"
BANG!
"Huh!?"
No sooner than the shabbily painted target on a wooden plank suddenly burst out of the ground behind him, a large hole suddenly blasted through it! Snapping his head around, the Cat Demon gasped in horror upon seeing the banner reading: TURF WAR SHOOTING RANGE, and the dozen heavily armed Imps in country-style getup all shooting their guns at the target, and by further extent, HIM!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
"YOW! OOH! EE! EEH! AHH! WOAH! WOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"
Even as the target behind him was obliterated in seconds, somehow, by some miracle, Mick was able to narrowly weave his skinny body like a ragdoll and avoid getting shot. Snatching up the briefcase, all the Cat Demon could do was run for dear life as the Imps immediately forgot about shooting any wooden bullseyes and continued firing off their pistols and shotguns right at the new, fleeing target.
"GAH!" Mick screamed, terrified out of his wits as another wooden plank was obliterated as he ran past it. "YOU FUCKING GUN-CRAZY PSYCHOOOOO-AAAAAHHH!"
… Unfortunately, he failed to look where he was running and, in turn, paid the price for it.
"OW! OOF! GAH! FUCK! D'OH!"
Turns out, the shooting range Mick landed in was situated on a hill… a very STEEP hill. And, of course, the Cat Demon just had to run off the edge of it, somehow hitting every rock and cactus on the way down. It was only by sheer dumb luck that he managed to grab hold of a small weed, sticking out of the ground, halting his descent and keeping him from breaking his neck all over again.
"Oh, thank you little roots," he whimpered, practically praying that the plant would continue to hold his weight until he can get his footing again. "Please stay strong."
SNAP!
Alas, once again, luck was not on Mick's side. Once the little plant was ripped from the ground, the Cat Demon was once again painfully tumbling down the hill. Down, down he went, with every cry of pain echoing in the air until finally, the tumbling ceased. When Mick eventually managed to come to, he immediately noticed that his neck had once again twisted to the wrong position.
"Aw, fucking great!" he exclaimed, once again twisting his head back into place before looking up at the hill he had just leapt off of. "What in the HELL was that all about!?"
From what he could tell, Mick had fallen quite a fair way, at least 200 feet from the ledge, which made him wonder why anyone would set up a shooting range in such a place. Not only that, but now that he was finally able to get a good look at his surroundings, he soon noticed the orange sky above his head… was this really the Wrath Ring?
At that moment, a loud thud and a whimper drew Mick's attention to his feet, where he was shocked to see a familiar-looking Kitsune pup riding the briefcase down the hill like a sledge while hanging onto it for dear life.
"Snowflake!?" he exclaimed, quickly prying off the shivering fox of the briefcase and pulling her into a small hug. "Oh, my poor baby, are you alright!?"
However, Mick didn't need an answer to know that his precious pet was anything BUT alright. After all, it didn't take much brainpower to figure out that Snowflake must have fallen out of the vortex mere seconds after Mick did, which means SHE must have been dodging the barrage of bullets too, undoubtedly following her master over the edge of the hill on the briefcase after he dropped it. Needless to say, Mick was NOT happy.
"ASSHOLES!" he screamed, directing his voice straight back up the hill.
BANG!
"YIPE!"
Taking that shot to the ground at his feet as a sign to leave, Mick then quickly snatched the briefcase back up, hugged Snowflake close and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.
After what felt like a good 30 minutes of running, Mick was finally able to catch his breath as he took a seat on an old tree stump next to a fenced-up field. Considering the barbed wire and electrical wire running across the wooden planks, he made doubly sure not to touch it. Between this and the gunslingers he and Snowflake just escaped from, there wasn't a single doubt in the Cat Demon's mind about where he was now. But boy, was this place crazy! Granted, he had suspected the Wrath Ring to be violent, but that first impression was just insane!
"Feeling better, girl?" he asked, giving the still-shaking Kitsune pup on his lap a few comforting strokes along her back.
Seeing his beloved pet in such a state, Mick couldn't help but snarl in anger. How dare those fuckers take a pop at his little girl!? What's more, why was Snowflake even here!? Did she fall into the portal after her master? She should be back at the Goetia estate, having a nap! Still… the Wrath Ring. Never in his entire afterlife did Mick ever believe that either he or Snowflake would ever be in another Ring of Hell, much less one that was so far down below Pride.
Obviously, the Cat Demon had heard stories from some of the Hellborns he had known over the years, but nothing compared to seeing the real thing. The orange sky, the flaming mountains in the distance, and even the dusty roads made the place look like a desolate wasteland in some areas. Despite the terrifying welcome, it was pretty surreal that even though he was a Sinner, he still had the opportunity to see all this.
Alas, sightseeing will have to wait. After all, terrible entrance aside, Mick still had a job to do. And whether he liked it or not, he did NOT want to invoke Stella's rage because he failed his task. Once Snowflake had finally stopped shaking, he then placed her upon his shoulder, gave her a scratch behind the ear and let out a heavy sigh.
"Alright," he said before rising to his feet and picking up the briefcase. "Let's go, girl."
And then they were off. Now that Mick had gotten his second wind, he soon made his way back onto the road before pulling off the tag attached to the briefcase and rereading it.
"Okay, got the address," he said aloud, memorising the details of the tag before pocketing it. "Now I just need to find the… right… road…"
However, as soon as he said it, Mick immediately encountered a serious problem. Despite knowing where he was going, that meant next to nothing if he didn't know the right direction to take. Not only that, but as far as he could tell, there wasn't a single road sign or landmark anywhere. Instead, there was nothing but farmland as far as the eye could see. Seeing this, Mick had only one thing to say.
"WHERE THE HELL EVEN AM I!?"
Meanwhile, back in the Pride Ring, Mick's absence wasn't going unnoticed. When the Cat Demon didn't show up for his assigned duties throughout the day, every member of staff was immediately concerned since playing hooky wasn't something Mick had the habit of. Among the Demons looking for him were, of course, the two Imps who saw him last.
"Mick, where the hell are you!?" Buzz yelled into his phone as he paced around the garden. "This ain't funny, you know!"
"Anything?" Linda asked, pacing alongside him with worry.
As soon as Buzz shook his head, Linda couldn't help but let out a small whimper. When she saw Pringles escorting Mick away, somewhere in the back of her mind she knew something had to be off. Now it's been 4 hours since then, and he still wasn't anywhere to be seen. The two Imps did ask the Butler if he knew anything, however, Pringles just seemed to be as clueless as they were. Needless to say, the lack of knowledge on this matter was getting severely frustrating.
"Mick, I swear to Satan, if you are getting high without me, I will find you, pull off your tail and use it as a toilet brush!" Buzz growled, the vein in his head throbbing like a bongo drum.
Of course, hearing that statement didn't help Linda's anxiety. If anything, it only made it worse. So much so that she wanted to crawl back into the box she was sent here in. At that moment, another Demon came walking out of the mansion and made their way towards the two Imps, looking just as worried as they were. The Demon in particular: Princess Octavia.
"Hey, do either of you know where Mick is?" she asked, making herself known to the pair of them. "I can't seem to find him anywhere."
As soon as they turned to see the Owl Demon behind them, Buzz and Linda felt like they were about to choke on their own voices. Granted, the pair of them weren't remotely scared of the young Goetia like they were of her parents, but how the hell do you tell someone that the Demon they're close to is missing in action!?
"S-sorry, M'lady," Linda whimpered, giving Octavia a nervous bow of her head. "W-we haven't seen him for a while."
Judging from the Imp's reaction, Octavia knew immediately that something had to be up. After all, for the past couple of weeks, she had known Linda to be quite comfortable talking to her as if she were any other Demon. It was one of the main qualities that made the Goetia want her as an Attendant, in fact. So knowing that she was so nervous that she was starting to stutter with her words made Octavia all the more concerned.
"When was the last time you saw him?" she asked.
"When Reg told him to go see Lady Stella, Miss Octavia," Buzz answered.
As soon as the Gardener said that, red flags were immediately flying in Octavia's head. If it was her father who summoned Mick, then she wouldn't be so worried… but if her MOTHER was involved, then that could only mean trouble.
"Really?" Octavia finally muttered before turning back to the house. "Thank you both."
Watching the Goetia Princess leave with a scowl forming on her face, only one statement seemed appropriate in Buzz's opinion.
"Ooh, this won't end well,"
Five hours. Five FUCKING hours! And all Mick and Snowflake have managed to accomplish was getting even more lost than ever before! At least with Imp City, there were landmarks and streets to navigate, but here? It's just all FARMLAND! Hell, the only thing that didn't make the trek feel like a never-ending time loop was when they passed by different types of crops or when the fields changed to vast plains filled with Hellborn animals.
Worst of all, Mick couldn't get his bearings or call for assistance because, as misfortune would have it, the battery on his phone ran out! In all honesty, he was just about ready to BURN the briefcase he was carrying and call it a day.
"Fucking Stella with her fucking delivery and her fucking briefcase!" he muttered, venting out his stress by picturing said Goetia covered in fire ants and screaming in pain. "The least she could have done was give me a fucking map."
Needless to say, Snowflake was of the same opinion. Once she had finally calmed down from being shot at, the little fox's face was plastered with a scowl. Not only that, but every time Mick mentioned Stella's name, she couldn't help but growl. In fact, one could say she was already imagining being the one to bury Stella like a piece of garbage in Mick's fantasy. In any case, no matter how much cathartic imagery went through their heads, the fact remained that neither Mick nor Snowflake had any indication of where to go next.
At that moment, a faint noise drew their attention to the closest field to their right, whereas fortune finally had it, a new figure came up to the fence to stretch out their back after using a flaming Hellhorse to help plough the soil. At first glance she appeared to be a female Imp, wearing a pale yellow shirt, a brown leather vest, a black pair of torn shorts and had her short hair tied up in a ponytail with a daisy in the scrunchie. Needless to say, Mick was NOT going to waste an opportunity like this after seeing no one else in the last few hours.
"Excuse me, miss," he said, casually walking up to the fence to speak to the Imp properly. "Do you know where I can find the Rough n' Tumbleweed Ranch?"
In response, the Imp couldn't help but chuckle.
"Oh, you still got a fair way to go, sugar," she answered, turning her head over towards the Cat Demon for the first time. "You-"
However, as soon as the Imp saw the Cat Demon's masked face, she immediately froze, her face completely smeared with shock. At this reaction, Mick couldn't help but feel a little awkward. Did he say something to offend her? No… this reaction HAD to be because he was a Sinner! In all honesty, Mick should have expected something like this. After all, seeing a Sinner outside of the Pride Ring might as well be the equivalent of seeing Bigfoot up in the Living World… then again…
"Hey, I know you!" the Imp exclaimed, giving Mick a sudden shock when her surprised face suddenly obtained a look of pure glee. "You're Crazy Cat!"
At those words, Mick's brain went dead for about 5 whole seconds before he managed to process what the Imp had just said. He hadn't heard that humiliating name for so long, that hearing it now almost felt like someone took a frying pan to his head. After such a long period of silence on that particular matter, he had hoped the whole 'Crazy Cat' fad was finally dead and buried, but NO, it was still alive and kicking! At such a revelation, only one thing seemed appropriate to say.
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
However, while Mick was groaning in despair, the Imp, on the other hand, seemed completely ecstatic over this confirmation.
"Oh Satan, I can't believe it!" she squeed, practically shaking in her boots. "I never would have thought I'd see YOU down here! I didn't even know it were possible!"
"Believe me, it was a surprise to me too," Mick replied with a heavy sigh, choosing to once again go along with the antics of a supposed fan. "So you've seen the videos too, huh?"
The Imp, of course, couldn't help but smirk at that as she pulled out her Hellphone.
"Well, we get Wifi down here too, sugar," she pointed out with a small roll of her eyes. "Plus my cousin, Jewel's told me all about ya in her voice chats."
If Mick was being honest with himself, humiliation aside, he was nonetheless grateful that the Imp wasn't making as big of a deal about seeing a Sinner in the Wrath Ring as he first suspected. Perhaps his delivery may actually go a bit smoother than he originally thought. And yet… there was something about the Imp's last sentence that drove him the wrong way.
"Your… cousin?" he repeated, only now seeing the similarities between the face of the Imp in front of him and that of the perverted Maid he was unfortunate enough to work with back at the Goetia estate. "Oh… shit."
If looks weren't enough to tell that this Imp was Jewel's cousin, then the fact that they seemed to share the same predatory grin was an immediate giveaway. And unfortunately for Mick, he knew exactly what that grin meant.
"I'm Daisy by the way," the Imp greeted, offering her hand to the Cat Demon to shake. "Forgot to introduce myself before."
"Mick Nikos," he greeted back, accepting the handshake if only to show some common courtesy.
At first, it seemed like a simple handshake and nothing more… however Daisy soon made it weird by giving Mick's hand a small lick as if she were a happy puppy, causing him to immediately pull it back.
"So… um, you said you knew the way to the ranch I'm looking for, yes?" Mick soon stuttered, hoping to end this encounter as quickly as possible in hopes of sparing his sanity. "I don't suppose you could give me directions by chance."
However, as soon as he said that, Daisy's grin grew even wider.
"Tell you what, sugar," she said, her seductive tone causing Mick to gulp. "I'll give you those directions… but for a price."
Needless to say, Mick didn't like the sound of that.
"Wha… What do you want?" he asked, immediately ready to start running.
Before he knew it, Daisy had leaned in close over the fence and whispered into Mick's ear.
"How about a quickie behind that tree there?" she asked.
"HUH!?"
Yep! She is DEFINITELY Jewel's cousin! Same face, same curves, and the same perverted antics! If Mick didn't find a way out of this situation soon, it's going to be his first day at the Goetia mansion all over again.
"Now, hold on a sec-" he tried to say, only to be cut off.
"No?" Daisy asked, raising an eyebrow. "How about a BJ then? Top and tails?"
"What!?" Mick exclaimed, taking a few steps back from the fence as Snowflake arched her back and growled. "No! What is wrong with you!?"
Hearing that, Daisy went from confused to downright insulted within a span of two seconds.
"I could say the same about YOU!" she retorted. "Who the hell turns down a hot piece of ass when offered?"
"Someone who's had a LONG day and knows how to keep it in their pants!" Mick retorted back before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Look, how about an autograph? Would you settle for that?"
Though it was pretty clear that the Imp was both irritated and disappointed about Mick's stubbornness and unwillingness to unzip his pants, she did seem to give the idea a bit of thought. In Mick's eyes that was a good sign. At the very least it showed that this Imp had a bit more restraint than her cousin did. Perhaps there was a chance the Cat Demon could get out of this unscathed.
"Hmm… okay, one autograph," Daisy eventually agreed, giving Mick cause to sigh in relief. "And maybe a smooch?"
"Don't push it, lady!" Mick snapped, quickly nipping that idea in the bud.
"Oh, fine, it's a deal," the Imp relented, putting on a small pout.
As far as Mick was concerned, this had to have been the most ideal outcome for this scenario. Frankly, he was counting his lucky stars that Daisy wasn't just skipping the negotiations and jumping straight to the part where she forces the Cat Demon down and tries to tear off his pants. Perhaps she WAS the most sensible of the two cousins. And so what if he had to endure a little more embarrassment because of those online videos? If one little signature was going to get him where he needed to go any faster, then he could stand to suck it up for a little longer… at least that's what he thought at first.
"Go on," Daisy said. "Sign it, sugar."
"GAH!?"
Nope! This Imp was just as bad as her cousin! Before Mick could even comprehend what had happened, Daisy had handed him a permanent marker from her pocket, turned her back towards the Cat Demon and dropped her shorts. As he stood there, staring at those bright red butt cheeks as he heard Daisy let out a small snicker, Mick's left eye started twitching like there was no tomorrow.
"Ugh… fuck my afterlife,"
Soon enough, Mick found himself standing beneath the wooden archway that marked the entrance to the farm, with the words "ROUGH N' TUMBLEWEED RANCH" painted across it. Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking through farmland, Mick had made it to his destination… and all it cost him was a selfie with Jewel's conniving cousin, an autograph which she insisted to be placed on her left ass cheek and a great deal of dignity lost to the ether.
Once Mick got back to the Pride Ring, he was going to drown himself in as much booze and weed as he could possibly handle in an attempt to kill whatever part of his brain retained any memory of today. Alas, he will need to wait a little longer to indulge in such things. At the moment, he still had a job to do.
"Okay," he said, gripping the handle of the briefcase tight as he strolled onto the property. "Let's get this over with."
Taking in his surroundings, Mick couldn't help but admire the rustic aesthetic of the place. From the big farmhouse to the many animal pens and fields surrounding it, all bordered with dark wooden fences. Seeing this, the Cat Demon found himself a little confused. Lady Stella wanted a package delivered HERE!? Obviously, it wasn't as though Mick had any problems with it, but surely Stella must've given him the wrong address. Given her status and point of view, Mick would assume that she would want her package delivered to a large Manor House, one belonging to a Lord of something. This place, however, looked as though it were run by local Imps, a being that Stella normally wouldn't have anything to do with unless it was necessary… Just what was the Goetia playing at?
Turning his head in all directions, Mick couldn't see anyone outside the house, or even in the fields. Perhaps the Demon he was looking for was inside? That did seem to be the most logical conclusion. With a shrug of his shoulders, the Cat Demon turned towards the front door, letting out yet another sigh. As intriguing as it was to be in another Ring, he couldn't wait to finish the delivery and get back to pride. The only one who didn't seem to be as enthusiastic at the idea as he was was Snowflake, who hadn't stopped giving Mick a disappointed stare ever since he and Daisy parted ways. Something which the Cat Demon was all too quick to notice.
"Oh, don't give me that look," he muttered, returning his pet's stare with his own. "Like you had any better ideas."
At those words, the little fox merely rolled her eyes. Granted, her master may have complied with the Imp's ludicrous request to get the directions unwillingly, hell, he may very well have suffered her predatory advances if he refused, but as far as Snowflake was concerned, it wasn't a scene she was fond of seeing. With a small huff, the Kitsune pup turned her head away, only to widen her eyes in surprise when she saw what was pecking at the ground just a few yards away.
BUCK! BUCK! BUCK! BUCK!
There, with a plump body covered in red feathers and a small, sharp beak filled with needle-like teeth, was the fattest Hellfowl Snowflake had ever seen. The moment she saw it, the little fox got so excited, her mouth salivated like a waterfall and both her tails wagged like there was no tomorrow. With a howl and a yip, she suddenly leapt off Mick's shoulder and pounced for her prey.
BUCKAAAAAAAAAHHH!
Unfortunately, the Hellfowl noticed the little fox coming for it and shrieked in terror before fleeing. Within minutes, Snowflake was chasing the Hellfowl all over the yard.
"Snowflake!" Mick snapped in protest. "Come on, you can chase chickens later!"
Alas, this was one of the few times Snowflake DIDN'T listen to the Cat Demon's call. It wasn't as if she was deliberately being naughty, of course, she just couldn't help herself when it came to chasing birds. Plus, it wasn't as if Snowflake wanted to actually HURT the Hellfowl, it was simply a matter of it being too much fun to resist chasing it… however, had Snowflake listened to Mick and came back to him when called, she could have avoided what happened next.
Before the Kitsune pup even realised what had happened, she had chased the demonic chicken under the beams of a nearby fence. After gleefully chasing the Hellfowl through a pool of dried mud, she suddenly gasped in fear and began skidding to a halt… right in front of the salivating tusks of a giant Hellhog.
Turns out the fence the little fox ran under was actually enclosing a large pen filled with 3 of the largest swine Mick had ever laid eyes on. With portly bodies covered in toughened skin and an armoured shell, large horns, huge black tusks that would outdo any warthog in the living world and multiple eyes embedded along their sides, these were no doubt quality beasts for a farmer in Hell… and all of them were now looking at the tiny fox as if she was their newfound snack.
"SNOWFLAKE!"
Seeing his beloved pet in danger, Mick immediately tossed the briefcase off to the side and ran over towards the pen. No sooner than he made it to the fence all four Hellhogs were giving chase after Snowflake.
WEEEEEEAAAAAAHHH!
Alas, no matter how fast Snowflake ran, or how much she changed direction, she couldn't escape the giant beasts as they surrounded her. Soon enough, two of them had her cornered up against their sty, with a large flat surface of wood and stone blocking her path, the poor little fox literally had her back to the wall as the hogs edged closer and closer. However, Snowflake wasn't giving up without a fight.
FWOOOOSH!
WEEEEEEAAAAAAHHH!
With one large puff, she blasted a small burst of blue fire in one of the Hellhog's faces, causing it to squeal in pain… However, while she was distracted by one swine, the other attempted to ram into her. Narrowly ducking out of the way just in time, the hog ended up piercing its snout into the wall, immediately getting stuck by its tusks. Seizing the opportunity, Snowflake quickly ran under the blinded Hellhog's legs and attempted to run back under the fence… if only she hadn't forgotten about the third pig.
Before she could react, the little fox was quickly knocked to her side by the giant beast and pinned down with its trotter. Having used up her flames on the first pig, all Snowflake could do was shut her eyes in fright and wait for the inevitable.
WEEEEEEAAAAAAHHH!
And yet there are still miracles! Before the Hellhog could bite down on Snowflake's neck, Mick swiftly jumped on its back and wrapped his own tail around its flabby throat like a lasso, forcing it to rear itself back and try to throw him off like a mechanical bull.
"Don't touch my SNOWFLAKE!" he snarled, his eyes once again burning with literal fire as his fury raged.
Now free from her predicament, Snowflake quickly ran off towards the fence and dove under it, letting out a few panicked yips back into the pen to let her master know she was okay. Unfortunately, Mick found himself a little too preoccupied at the moment. Struggling to keep hold of the thrashing Hellhog for as long as possible, the Cat Demon wanted nothing more than to escape the pen himself, however, he knew that if he let go now, the pig would just throw him off and then HE'D be its next snack.
"Blegh!" he wretched, catching a whiff of the hog's foul breath as it reared itself back again. "What the hell do they feed these things!?"
More than likely that was a question Mick would rather not have answered given where he was. As the pig thrashed more and more, the Cat's Demon's temper grew shorter and shorter, until finally… he snapped.
"RIGHT!" he snarled, the flames in his eyes burning hotter than ever as he pulled on his tail, tightening his grip on the Hellhog's neck. "That'll do pig… That'll do…"
SNAP!
With one hard pull, the Hellhog's head was twisted around with a sickening crunch. Within moments, the beast breathed no more. Gasping for breath as he stood over the demonic swine's body, Mick let out a small growl at the other two as if warning them to stay away, thankful they both seemed to get the message as they cowered back into their sty… that was the first time Mick had any influence over this particular kind of animal.
"Snowy!" he called out, giving the little fox cause to run back into the pen with a wag of her tail, jumping into Mick's open arms with relief. "My precious girl, are you okay?"
Showing her gratitude, the Kitsune pup gave Mick a small lick against his mask and nuzzled into his neck, giving him cause to laugh.
"Ahem!"
Suddenly, the touching moment was brought to a horrifying halt when an unfamiliar voice rang in both their ears. Their eyes snapped wide in shock, Mick and Snowflake slowly turned their heads to the outside of the pen, where they found themselves horrified to see two Imps leaning up against the fence.
"Howdy," one of them said with a hissing snicker, his snake-like face giving him an unnerving grin.
At that moment, Mick's balls practically shot back up into his body in fear. This could only have been the Imps who ran this farm… and the owners of the Hellhog he had just killed.
"Oh… fuck."