He didn't know how long he had been passed out for, but when Mick finally managed to pry his eyes open, every inch of his body was practically screaming with total agony. Between the bites, the impacts AND the burns, it was a wonder that he was still able to move. Looking down at his arms, he was surprised to find that he was shirtless and had been bandaged up on numerous parts of his body. Clearly, SOMEONE in this house had some manner of decency to help him out after his little… excursion.
Sitting himself up on the surprisingly comfortable bed, the Cat Demon looked around the small room he now found himself in, taking in every detail as though he were studying a painting. It was a decent size, all things considered, at least big enough for a single bed and a small work table stuffed in the corner. No bathroom of course, and there didn't seem to be any wardrobes either, if anything the room was about as basic as one could get. Looking up at the one tiny window built just below the ceiling similar to the ones found in basements, Mick saw that the red sky outside had darkened quite a bit, indicating that he had been out cold for a long while, long enough for him to miss dusk at least.
Suddenly his train of thought was cut short by the faint sound of the nearby door being pushed open, revealing a most welcomed familiar face.
"Octi?"
Hearing Mick say her name, Octavia couldn't help but sigh with relief as she saw him looking back at her. Of course, to save face, her look of relief quickly shifted into a small smirk as she walked over and sat down on the chair stationed at the work desk.
"So… you're finally awake huh?" she asked playfully, hoping to lighten Mick's mood a little.
Mick couldn't help but smirk at that.
"How long was I out?" he asked, placing a hand on his aching head, gladdened by the fact he could still feel his mask perched upon his face.
"About three hours," Octavia answered before reaching into her pocket and pulling something out. "Here, I figured you'd want these back."
Upon seeing his lighter, multi-tool AND his canister of joints in Octavia's hand, Mick felt like jumping for joy. Quickly ripping off the mouth of his mask and accepting his belongings back, he then took one of the joints and lit it up, taking one large drag of it before letting all the smoke out in a sigh of relief.
"Oooooooooooh yes, that's the stuff," he muttered, earning himself a small chuckle from the Goetia Demon as every ounce of pain quickly began to fade away.
"That shit really works fast for you, huh?" Octavia asked humorously.
"Yeah, well, it has to," Mick retorted. "If I didn't smoke at least one of these every few hours, my face starts to burn up like I'm being branded."
So THAT'S what Mick meant when he said the stuff was medicinal. Granted, Octavia had her suspicions already, but hearing it straight from the Cat's mouth put her mind at ease on that particular subject. Still, she couldn't help but wonder just what could have CAUSED such a state of pain for him. She'll have to ask him about that at a later time.
"That's why you wear the mask?" she asked, earning herself a small nod.
"One of the reasons, yes," Mick confirmed, taking another drag of his joint.
Normally Mick wouldn't have been so casual with his personal reasoning, however in Octavia's case, given everything she's done for him thus far, he figured she's earned at least a little trust by this point. If he had to guess, it must have been Octavia who arranged to have him bandaged up like is, either that or she had her father make the call. In any case, Mick was grateful. She even made the effort to give him back his belongings after Stella confiscated them. Looking over towards the nearby desk, he even found his Rosario carefully placed there along with a bottle of water and some painkillers. If this was what it was like to have Demon Royalty in your debt, then he should have tried it years ago.
At that moment, Mick was snapped out of his moment of peace by the sound of Octavia clearing her throat to grab his attention.
"Well then," she said. "Now that you're awake, you're probably wondering what's happening with your new job, right?"
"The thought had crossed my mind, yes," Mick admitted, curious as to what Octavia was getting at. "All I remember before I passed out was your mother saying that I was hired. So did that actually happen or is there some kind of cruel twist here?"
Octavia shook her head at that.
"No cruel twist, you really WERE hired," she confirmed, the news giving Mick a small sense that was a mixture of gratitude and unease, the latter mostly due to the sudden look of guilt on Octavia's face. "In fact, Mum and Dad were hoping you'd still be able to start work… tomorrow morning?"
Tomorrow!? Seeing the look of shock stretched across Mick's exposed mouth, Octavia knew this news must have come as a bit of a blow considering what he's been through this afternoon.
"You're kidding," he muttered, unable to find any other words to say as his jaw hung in anxiety.
"Hey, just be glad they're giving you the night to rest," Octavia said defensively. "If it were up to my Mum alone, you'd already be mopping up your own blood at this point."
Mick couldn't help but sigh at that, knowing full well that the Goetia Demon had a point. At least he was given the night to recuperate… of course, that still didn't mean he had to like the situation.
"Oh, how LUCKY for me," he muttered, taking one final drag of his joint before tapping it out on the forehead of his mask. "Where am I, anyway?"
Glad to have the opportunity to change the subject, Octavia gladly smiled and gestured a hand towards the room.
"Your new living space," she playfully announced. "Dad had Buzz and Reginald drag you in here to heal up after you passed out."
"Wait, wouldn't that make this the Servant's Quarters underneath the mansion?" Mick asked, raising an eyebrow and catching Octavia off guard. "Didn't think the royals would ever come down here."
At those words, the Goetia Demon found herself at a loss for words, her brain trying desperately to find a good excuse.
"Oh! Well yes, technically you ARE right," she admitted, scratching the back of her head. "To be honest with you, I'm not really supposed to be down here, but I… well…"
Seeing the Owl Demon fall over her own words, Mick couldn't help but chuckle. If anything, he found the display to be quite… well, adorable.
"Aww, Octi, did you sneak down here just to see me?" he asked, playfully putting on a cutesy baby voice. "I'm so touched."
Needless to say, Octavia was not amused by the Cat Demon's little joke. In fact, one could say she was a little embarrassed considering how flushed her face was getting.
"Oh, don't be such a dick about it!" she huffed, giving the Cat Demon a small jab in the shoulder, causing him to wince in pain but nonetheless laugh it off.
"Sorry," he apologised, stifling the last of his laughter while rubbing his sore shoulder. "In all seriousness though. Thanks for checking up on me. Really, I appreciate it."
Hearing this, Octavia's expression softened a little and a genuine smile appeared on her face.
"So, this is my new living space, huh?" Mick continued, taking another gander at the room with a small shrug. "Pretty cosy. And I get it all to myself?"
Unfortunately, Octavia's look of unease quickly returned upon hearing that.
"Actually… you have a roommate," she answered awkwardly, earning herself a raised eyebrow.
At that moment, before either one of them could say another word, a familiar horned head suddenly popped up at the foot of Mick's bed, as if responding to Octavia's explanation.
"HELLO!" it declared, causing both Mick and Octavia to jump in fright.
"AHH!"
Quickly taking a moment to calm down from the sudden shock, Mick suddenly found himself groaning in exasperation as Buzz's smiling face came into view. In all honesty, he was hoping that he would have at least had a few more hours before he had to deal with THIS guy again. After all, while he might have helped him out during the fight, that STILL didn't change the fact that he set fire to his balls!
"I believe you've met Buzz," Octavia said, awkwardly reintroducing the both of them to each other.
"Hi, roomy!" the Imp added, causing the Cat Demon's eye to twitch as he leaned in to whisper into Octavia's ear.
"I'm bunking with HIM!?" he growled, his voice hushed just so only the Goetia Demon could hear.
"It was Mum's idea!" Octavia retorted in an equally hushed tone. "Plus, he kinda volunteered after he and Reginald carried you in here."
Looking back at Buzz's grinning face as he waved back at him, his left eye once again giving an unnerving twitch, Mick couldn't help but grimace as he whispered into Octavia's ear again.
"You realise he's gonna kill me in my sleep, right?" he asked sarcastically, causing the Goetia to roll her eyes.
"Hey, it could be a lot worse," she pointed out, half-trying to convince herself as well as Mick with such a retort.
"Somehow I very much doubt it," he commented.
Once again, the Cat Demon just couldn't believe his rotten luck. Just how is he and Snowflake supposed to get a good night's sleep knowing that Imp practically on the verge of being… hold on.
"Wait…" Mick gasped, snapping his head in all directions to try and spot the one creature who clearly wasn't in the room. "Where's Snowflake!?"
Mentally smacking herself for not realising her mistake sooner, Octavia quickly tried to ease Mick's mind by letting him know the situation involving his beloved pet.
"Don't worry, my dad's got her upstairs," she said reassuringly, giving the Cat Demon a chance to calm down a little before she delivered the bad news. "But Mick, the thing is… well, I really don't know how else to put this but… I had to tell my Mum that she's MY new pet, otherwise, she wouldn't let her stay."
As much as Mick wanted to protest against such an idea, having been kept away from Snowflake for too long already, he still had to admit Octavia had a fair point. Given the impression she got from Stella after first meeting her, he could only assume that she would sooner have Snowflake stuffed rather than have her running around her house… unless she was one of the family pets. Taking all of this into account, Mick could only let out a small sigh of defeat.
"So… does that mean she's staying with you then?" he asked, earning himself a nod in response.
"Yes," Octavia answered. "It'll be the safest place for her.
"I see," Mick replied with a reluctant nod. "Thank you. Just… look after her, yeah? And don't let her eat any snacks before bed, trust me, you'll regret it if you do."
Octavia couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Noted," she said before rising from the chair. "Well, I'll let you rest, Reginald should come and get you for work in the morning."
Watching her walk back over towards the door, Mick felt slightly disappointed that she had to leave so soon. Alas, he knew she couldn't stay with him all night, otherwise, they'd both be in trouble. So, with another heavy sigh, all he could do was lay there with a light smile on his face.
"Goodnight then," he said.
"Goodnight," Octavia replied, giving him one final smile before closing the door behind her.
As he laid there on the bed, Mick soon found himself staring up at the ceiling, his mind riddled with thoughts about what awaited him tomorrow morning. If his new job was going to be anything like the experience he had this afternoon, then he was going to need to smoke a LOT more weed before he started.
"Quite the day, huh?"
"GAH!"
Once again, he suddenly found himself startled by Buzz's sudden appearance, only this time it was mere inches from the right side of his face. After taking a moment to calm himself down, he couldn't help but mentally smack himself. Even though he never would admit it out loud, he totally forgot Buzz was still in the room.
"Y-yeah," he answered, still unnerved by the Imp but still not wanting to be rude by saying nothing. "Quite the day indeed."
"Sorry 'bout the fire by the way," Buzz replied. "I just… couldn't help myself."
Feeling his eye twitching again, Mick had to resist the urge to punch this Imp in the face right there and then. Of course, it didn't help when Buzz just kept talking about it.
"Hell of a light show though," he said, much to Mick's annoyance. "Made the Flaming Twisters of Wrath look like a pair of fleas having a 'light your fart' competition."
Yep, it's official. This Imp was nuts! Scowling with frustration, it took every ounce of willpower for Mick to keep his mouth shut before he snapped at him for everything he did. Thankfully Buzz decided to change the subject before it came to that.
"Well, time to turn in!" he announced, another toothy grin spreading across his face. "Like my mom always says: 8 hours a day keeps the coocoo away!"
Hearing that, Mick could only assume that this mother was talking about her own insanity while raising this nutcase. That aside, Mick couldn't help but notice something off about what Buzz just said.
"Hang on," he said. "Where's YOUR bed?"
To the Cat Demon's surprise, the Imp only gave him a mild chuckle in response.
"Well technically you're currently in it," he explained. "BUT I prefer something a bit more… handmade"
At those words, Buzz suddenly headed over to the far corner of the room and grabbed onto a cord that Mick hadn't noticed yet that hung from the ceiling all the way down to the floor. Giving it a good pull, Buzz's bed literally came crashing down from the ceiling via a trapdoor. At first Mick thought it was some kind of hammock that was connected to two more cords from the ceiling, however in reality it was just a small fisherman's net with a bunch of random junk stuffed into it, none of which looked like it belonged anywhere near a bed. With one strong bounce, Buzz then leapt nigh into the air and buried himself into the junk pile and burrowed into it like a rat hiding amongst the garbage. Poking his head out, he then let out a small yawn and snuggled up with a black and white teddy bear.
"Nighty-night, roomy!" he said, before closing his eyes.
Mick didn't know HOW he was going to get any sleep, knowing that this Imp was just a couple of feet away from him, but regardless he did try. Normally he would have taken the rest of his mask off to get a decent night's rest, but that was only when he had a little bit more privacy than this, so of course, he had to make do with just keeping the mouthpiece off for now. Resting his head up against the pillow, he tried closing his eyes, hoping the silence would carry him to some form of slumber… alas, the room wasn't staying quiet for long.
"Zzzzzzz, la-la-la-la-laaaaaaaaaa-la, Zzzzzzz, la-la-la-la-laaaaaaaaaa-la, Zzzzzzz, la-la-la-la-laaaaaaaaaa-la,"
The moment he heard that ungodly snore, Mick's eyes snapped wide open in terror. Had Buzz simply snored like a normal person MAYBE it would have been tolerable, but no! The way this guy snores made it sound like Mick should be on the phone to a fucking EXORCIST! With each snort and haunting moan, the poor Cat Demon's mind repeated the same thing over and over.
"I'm gonna fucking die all over again!"
By the time morning finally came, Mick had only gotten a few measly hours of sleep, having been awake for the first half of the night listening to what he could only describe as Beelzebub's choir. It was only by sheer luck that he even managed to get any sleep at all! Of course, all that was brought to an absolute halt when a loud noise rang throughout the whole room.
BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ! BUZZ!
Once again, Mick's eyes were snapped wide open as soon as that noise was uttered. Looking up at the orange light blinking just above the door, he then saw a small clock perched on the wall right next to it, something he hadn't bothered to notice the previous evening. What horrified him the most, however, was the time of day said clock was displaying at that moment.
"5:30!?" he exclaimed. "Oh, come on!"
When Stolas told him he'd usually be starting work earlier than 8oclock after the first day, he didn't think he'd already be waking up THIS early! To make matters worse, the noise also woke up Buzz.
"Aah, another fine day in Hell," he said, stretching himself out before hopping out of his makeshift hammock.
"If you say so," Mick grumbled, smashing his head back into his pillow. "Wake me when it actually starts."
But Buzz merely laughed at that.
"Oh, come on," he chuckled. "It's not that bad."
Not having anything else to say in response, Mick simply readjusted his mask and continued to stare up at the ceiling. Meanwhile, Buzz, feeling no need to rush off just yet, took a moment to stretch himself out again before turning back to his junk pile, pulling out a "clean" shirt and swapping out for the one he had on. It was at that moment a small shimmer caught his eye. Shifting his gaze, the Imp turned to find Mick's Rosario sitting there on the desk, curious, he then went over towards it like a magpie to a piece of foil.
"Hey, nice bling," he said, picking up the Rosario and giving it a closer look. "Where do you even get shit like this?"
Unfortunately for Buzz, Mick wasn't drowsy enough to ignore everything around him. The moment he saw his Rosario in the Imp's bony hand, he instantly snarled like a rabid leopard, threw off the covers and launched himself right at him. Before Buzz could even comprehend what had happened, he suddenly found himself being pinned up against the wall with Mick's hand wrapped tightly around his scrawny neck, a hateful glare piercing right into his eyes through the Cat Demon's mask.
"Drop it!" Mick growled, holding out his free hand.
"I-is it that important to ya?" Buzz gasped, only for Mick to squeeze his neck tighter.
"I said drop it!" he repeated, quickly losing his patience.
Not wanting to push the Cat Demon any further, the Imp did as instructed and dropped the Rosario into Mick's open palm. The moment he had his possession back, he gave the Imp one final warning.
"Never touch this, you hear me?" he snarled, waving the Rosario in the Imp's face. "Don't EVER touch it!"
"Right… g-got it!" Buzz gasped in response, his face now turning blue from the lack of air. "Uncle! UNCLE!"
With that reply, Mick released Buzz from his grasp, allowing him to drop to the floor in a dazed heap. Not wanting to piss the Cat Demon off even more, Buzz took in a deep breath before scurrying back to his feet and running out the door, leaving Mick alone in their room to vent. Taking a moment to breathe, Mick looked down at the Rosario in his hand and gripped it tightly as another hard glare formed in his eyes. Being in such a foul mood already due to the events of yesterday AND the previous night, the last thing that he wanted was to be woken up at such an ungodly hour and have his stuff messed with.
Tucking the Rosario back into his pocket, Mick then walked up back to the work desk before picking up the rest of his stuff and doing the same with them. Taking a look in his weed canister, he couldn't help but grimace when he saw he was down to his last four joints. He'll have to try and make them last until he can get more from his dealers. Deciding to try and tough it out, he put the joints back in his pocket and rewatched the mouth of his mask before grabbing his tank top, which had been placed at the foot of his bed the previous night.
At the corner of his eye, the Cat Demon quickly noticed that Buzz had unintentionally left the door open after running off. Walking up to it to close it, he quickly noticed a note stuck to the wood with a tack. Ripping it off, he then gave it a quick read.
Michael Nikos
Congratulations on becoming the newest member of the Goetia Household Staff. Please find Reginald in the Servants' Kitchen at 8 AM to officially receive your instructions.
Best Regards
Stolas of the Ars Goetia
Rereading the letter at least twice, Mick let out a small sigh of exhaustion. He was not looking forward to what would happen over the course of the day, BUT he knew what he was signing up for, so there was no use in complaining now… no matter how much he wanted to.
After spending the next two hours, laying back in bed, unable to get back to sleep and completely bored out of his mind, Mick eventually walked out of the room and followed the stone corridor according to the directions drawn up on the back of the note. After making a few turns, he suddenly caught a whiff of something, something that smelled quite tasty. Quickly realising how hungry he was, he then followed the scent through the passages until finally, he came upon the large, wooden door to the kitchen, right where the note said it would be.
"Well… here we go," he sighed, before straightening himself out and opening the door with a gentle push.
It didn't really come as a surprise that the Goetias had a second kitchen for the servants to use, however, Mick was still taken aback by just how large it was. Granted, the kitchen Octavia and her family used in the main house upstairs was of a decent size, but it was practically dwarfed by the volume of this high-ceilinged room. If Mick didn't know any better, he would have assumed he had stumbled upon the cooking area of some kind of fancy restaurant. With a roaring fireplace at the far end, with multiple sinks to the side and rows of numerous stoves and tabletops stretching across the floor, along with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans hanging from hooks just above them, this kitchen was nothing to joke about.
At that moment Mick was suddenly snapped out of his trance by the unexpected clearing of another throat. Turning his head, he then saw Reginald standing next to him, making him wonder just how long he had been gawking.
"Ah, Michael, glad to see you made it," Reginald greeted, his stoic expression never wavering. "I trust you slept well?"
Mick couldn't help but roll his eyes at that.
"I've had better nights," he replied honestly.
At those words, Reginald responded with a courteous nod.
"Ah yes, I take it you weren't aware of the alarm then?" he asked, earning himself an eye-roll from the Cat Demon.
"Evidently," Mick replied sarcastically. "To be honest with you, I'm surprised the Goetias didn't come down here complaining about the noise."
Once again, Reginald gave a nod.
"Actually, there is no reason to think that," he corrected the Cat Demon. "As a matter of fact, the entirety of the Servant's Quarters is completely soundproof from the rest of the house. Should any of the Goetia Family have need of any of us, they need only use one of the intercoms stationed all over the house."
Seeing the Imp gesture towards the mechanical box that was mounted on the nearby wall, Mick nodded his head in understanding. Of course, the entire level beneath the house was soundproofed. Why wouldn't it be? Knowing what Octavia told him about her mother, Mick could only assume that it was just another way of keeping the classes separated. On the plus side, at least he wouldn't have to hear Stella's screams any time she had an argument with her husband.
"Oh, do not worry, Reginald continued, adding some reassurance to his last statement. "The alarms are turned off in specific rooms whenever the occupants have their days off."
Mick couldn't help but sigh at that.
"Oh, so we DO get days off then?" he asked.
"Yes, one every week," Reginald answered, readjusting the collar of his shirt before turning away from the Cat Demon. "Now if you would be so kind as to follow me, please, we have much to do."
Before the Imp was able to take more than a few steps, however, Mick still had to make it known that he hasn't had the chance to eat yet.
"But I haven't-" he tried to say, only for the Imp Butler to cut him off.
"The staff breakfast has already ended, I'm afraid," he stated, having a strong idea of what Mick was trying to say. "For now, you may eat the leftover bagels on the counter."
Turning his head, Mick saw the plateful of leftovers the Imp was referring to, seeing him continue to walk away, he quickly grabbed one of them, took off his mouthpiece and ate while he tried to catch up.
After following Reginald through another series of corridors, Mick eventually found himself standing just outside what appeared to be a fancy-looking elevator, with a purple carpeted floor and polished wooden walls. Attaching his mouthpiece as he followed the Butler inside, standing at attention as the doors closed, Mick tried his best to pay attention to every detail as Reginald began to speak again.
"This is but one of the numerous elevators stationed around the mansion," he explained, keeping his posture fully composed as the elevator began its ascension. "They allow us to come and go as quickly and efficiently as possible. As such, you will need to learn the location of each and every one so that you can perform your job without any delays."
"Understood," Mick replied, giving the Imp a nod.
"That is but the first of many pieces of information you will require if you are to work here," Reginald continued. "Throughout the day you will need to take note of every detail the rest of the staff give you. Be sure to listen carefully, because Lady Stella, in particular, is quite the stickler for efficiency around here."
Once again Mick nodded in understanding, not really surprised about Reginald's words. With a small ding ringing in the Cat Demon's ears, he was quickly surprised to see what awaited him and the Imp just beyond the elevator doors when it finally came to a stop. To his surprise, the doors were actually hidden behind a wall in the main foyer of the mansion. As soon as he and Reginald were out, Mick was left in a state of awe when he saw the doors close and practically disappear into the wall as if they were never there. Taking a moment to recollect himself, he then rushed back to Reginald, who was waiting for him at the foot of the stairs.
"Now before you officially enter the service of the Goetia Family, the first objective is to have you dressed in the appropriate attire," he said, causing Mick to raise an eyebrow underneath his mask. "As such you shall be meeting with the family's personal Tailor."
"Okay," Mick replied, not knowing how else to respond to that.
Before another word could be spoken, suddenly the entire foyer shook by the sound of a loud gong-like ring, specifically the roaring bellow of the Goetia's front doorbell.
"Ah! That'll be him now," Reginald declared, once again not showing that much enthusiasm and keeping his stoic expression intact. "Wait right here please."
Doing as he was told, Mick simply stood there on the spot and watched as the Imp Butler gracefully strolled across the floor and opened the front door. Standing on the other side of it, was a sharply dressed, crimson-haired Sinner Demon with a somewhat humanoid appearance, with skin as grey as storm clouds, and was sporting a Union Jack sports coat, white bell-bottom pants and probably the ugliest set of teeth that Mick had ever seen on a person, alive or dead, curled up in an almost devious smile.
"'Ello, Reggie," he said, in a thick English accent. "Did you miss me?"
Letting out a sigh, Reginald simply stood aside and gestured for the Sinner to come in.
"Please, come inside, Mr Munn," he said, eyes closed and head bowing slightly in respect, "We've been expecting you."
"Oh, please, no need for such formalities around me, Reggie Baby! Call me Herman, or just plain 'Mad'! Hahaha!" the Sinner spoke as he strutted inside, only to stop dead in his tracks when he noticed Mick standing just ahead of him.
"'Ello, 'ello, 'ello, what do we have here then, eh?" he asked, strutting over to Mick, who only continued to stand there on the spot. Mick didn't exactly know what to make of this guy as the man circled around him, as if inspecting every last detail of him and his attire before he stopped in front of him once more, looking Mick dead in the eyes with his bright yellow, pupil-less peepers.
"THIS is my client, I take it?" he asked, turning his head back towards the Imp for a moment.
"Correct," Reginald replied. "Starting today he is our latest hire. Can you provide something suitable for him before he starts?"
"Oh, I'm sure I can prod something for the malenky veck," the Sinner said, his smile never leaving his face as he gave Mick another once over before once again turning his head. "Of course, you know I charge extra for house-calls."
"Everything will be billed to Prince Stolas as per usual."
"Groovy, baby!" the Demonic Tailor exclaimed before turning back to Mick, "Alright ducky, let's let the dog see the rabbit."
Mick couldn't help but feel slightly worried by what he meant by that.
"Excuse me?" he asked nervously.
"Your measurements, duckie," Munn clarified, holding up a tape measure between his hands for emphasis.
Letting out a small sigh of relief at that revelation, Mick raised his arms out and allowed the Demonic Tailor to do his job and measure out random parts of his body.
"Any personal specifics you'd like to add to this little number, mate?" he asked, his focus never once leaving his current task.
"Only that the mask is allowed to stay," Mick answered, hoping that the anglophilic tailor wouldn't argue against it. Thankfully that wasn't even an issue.
"Gotcha, duckie," he replied, his yellowed teeth in full view as he gave the Cat Demon another grin, continuing to analyse him at every angle like an artist trying to form a shape within a block of marble. "Ah yes… YES! I can definitely work with this!"
At that moment, he took a few steps back from Mick, drooped the measuring tape around his neck and struck a pose.
"Reggie!" he called out. "Music!"
Letting out yet another heavy sigh, the Imp Butler walked across the room and stood beside a brass phonograph resting upon a small display table. Turning it on and putting the needle to the record already placed onto it, sending a wave of music echoing throughout the foyer. Clearly, the whole thing was set up in advance in anticipation of this very scenario. Just as the first few notes of the song "Soul Bossa Nova" began to emanate from the speaker, Mad Munn suddenly began to swish his hips and tap his foot to the beat.
Tilting his head in confusion, Mick could only stand there and wonder what in the hell was going on as he watched the red-haired Demon do his little swing dance. Suddenly, he felt his arms pushed up against his sides as something coiled around him tight. Looking down, he saw that he was somehow wrapped up in the tailor's measuring tape without even noticing how it happened. What's more, the Demon Tailor himself was holding the other end of it like a lasso.
Before Mick knew it, the tailor yanked the tape and the Cat Demon was uncontrollably spinning around like a top all across the floor until he spun his way into the next room with a startled scream. By the time he stopped, not only was Mick dizzy beyond belief, but somehow, he found himself stripped of everything except for his mask and boxers. Yelping in embarrassment, Mick instinctively tried to cover himself as best he could, only for the tailor to suddenly pop up next to him and pull his arms back out, forcing him to stand still as he started to measure him once again at different angles.
Once he was done, he then tossed the measuring tape aside and literally danced over towards the nearest door. After spinning on the spot, he then gave the door a literal knock with his hip, causing them to open and reveal a pair of brightly dressed Imp girls in go-go dancer dresses, pushing a cart full of fabrics and tools for him to use into the room.
"When the hell did THEY get here?!" Mick exclaimed.
"Don't question it, ducky," the tailor stated with another grin. "Just go where the mojo takes you."
After that, everything became a blur of colour and dancing as the Englishman seemed to use some manner of telekinesis to send the fabrics flying off the racks, placing them against Mick's person to see what mixed and matched the feline's visible features, including build and fur colour. Finding a set of fabrics that he liked, he danced over to a nearby desk where one of his assistants set up a trio of sewing machines, one for the shirt, one for a jacket, the third for the pants.
With a wave and flourish of his hand, the mad mod then used his strange powers on a few pairs of scissors and sliced the fabrics into perfectly cut outlines of clothing. He then sent the fabrics through their respective machines, the sewing machines seeming to work nearly three times faster than a normal machine would with no loss in either precision or functionality.
Within only a couple of minutes, the outfit was done. Pirouetting back over to Mick, he grabbed him by the arm and sent him spinning once more; only this time, the move also had the added effect of sending him flying into the air like a helicopter. With a quick point of his index finger, the crazy tailor sent the outfit flying into the living tornado that was Mick. After a couple more seconds, Mick came hovering back down to the floor, his mind so boggled and his body so dizzy that his eyes were spinning in his sockets. With the song coming to a close and another flourish of his hand, accompanied by the flashiest of poses, the tailor silently told the world and all of Hell, "Voila! It is done!"
When Mick was finally able to regain his senses, he shook his head and looked down at himself. To his surprise, he actually looked rather dashing if he did say so himself. Now dressed in a pair of black work pants, a pure white buttoned shirt with a black western bowtie, a Sacramento satin vest, all of which was topped off with a pair of shiny black leather shoes and a deep phthalo coloured velvet jacket.
"Super, ducky!" the tailor exclaimed with a wide smile, gesturing towards a nearby mirror. "Now here's a gear and ginchy little model that'll please the birds!"
Seeing his reflection in the mirror, Mick couldn't help but smile under his mask upon seeing just how good he looked. In fact, he was so mesmerised by his new fresh appearance, he didn't even notice when someone else had walked into the room.
"You certainly shine up like a new penny, my boy," he heard. "Green is DEFINITELY your colour."
Turning around, Mick was surprised to see Prince Stolas himself standing by the door, smiling back at him with a look of intrigue etched across his face.
"You've outdone yourself once again, Munn," he said, walking further into the room to give the Sinner a respectful handshake. "Thank you so much for coming."
"Pleasure to be of service, your lordship," Munn said, "I after live to serve! Both yourself, and the world of fashion."
"Quite," Stolas chuckled. "Now, the usual deal, yes? The invoice now and the cheque in the mail?"
"Of course," Munn replied, bowing his head before turning his head towards his assistants. "Let's book it, lovlies!"
With a snap of his finger's Munn and his assistants gathered up their equipment as quick as a flash and started making their way back towards the door. Before he left, however, Munn made a quick stop next to the Cat Demon, who looked back at him with curiosity.
"If you ever need some new clothes, ducky, look me up; my credentials," he said, handing a business card to Mick. The card was a royal blue with white markings and red writing, making it look like the English flag. Upon the card was written in fine calligraphy the words-
"Mad Man's Tailoring & Fashion Design?" Mick asked in slight confusion.
"It's pronounced 'Mad Munn', duckie," the now properly named Mad Munn corrected.
Turning the card over, Mick found an address written on the back as well as a phone number. "Come to my place and say you work for the Prince here, and I can guarantee you a small discount."
"I'll keep that in mind," he replied, pocketing the card in his vest. "Thank you so much for this."
"Oh, it's no problem at all, baby," Mad Munn replied, once again flashing his hideous grin. "After all, where fashion calls, Mad Munn shall ALWAYS answer… cheerio!"
On that final note, the Demonic Tailor suddenly started to dance again, only this time he was simply doing so to back out of the room after his assistants. With one final spin, he then leapt out the room and slammed the doors shut behind him, leaving Mick, Stolas, and Reginald alone in the room in silence.
…
"He seemed nice," Mick commented, breaking the silence after a few moments.
"Indeed, he is," Stolas replied. "One of the finest tailors in all of Hell, that one. Now then, I suppose it's about time you begin your first day, isn't it, Michael?"
Mick couldn't help but sigh at that. Having his name spoken out in such a formal manner like that wasn't exactly something he was enthusiastic about. Granted, he half expected the Butler to address him in such a way, but the Goetias too? Well… guess that'll be something he'll just have to get used to. Looking back up at the Goetia Prince and then behind him, Mick suddenly couldn't help but notice the lack of another certain someone in the room.
"Will… Octavia be joining us this morning?" he asked cautiously, hoping his question wouldn't cause the tall avian to look at him with disdain.
"Sadly no," Stolas answered with a small frown. "I'm afraid my Owlette has already been driven off to school for the day."
"I see," Mick replied, trying to hide his disappointment. He had hoped he would get the chance to speak to her before he started working.
Unbeknownst to the Cat Demon, however, Stolas actually shared in his disappointment in that regard. Had it been up to him, Octavia still would have been staying at home right now. Even Octavia herself wasn't in a hurry to go back to such a shithole so soon. However, Stella was insistent that Octavia had missed enough school since the Extermination, and as much as Stolas wanted to argue against the idea, the events of the previous day put her in such a foul mood that there was no speaking to her. As such, both Octavia and Stolas were forced to agree to Stella's demand. Shaking his head and snapping out of his mild trance, Stolas proceeded to walk out of the room.
"Right," he said. "Carry on, Reginald. Be sure to give him ALL the necessary instructions."
"As you wish, sir," the Imp replied, bowing his head in respect.
After that, the Goetia Prince left the room without another word. Once he was gone, both Mick and Reginald looked at each other in silence for a brief moment, before the Imp cleared his throat and spoke up.
"Shall we begin then?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
A Special shoutout to Lord-Zepplin and the Debut of his Original Character, Mad Munn the Tailor