It may have been a rocky start, but eventually, being Octavia's new attendants came as natural to Mick and Linda as breathing. Of course, the pair of them also had to deal with Stella's screams of rage, who unsurprisingly was unaware of the two's promotion until it was too late. Thankfully, after yet ANOTHER heated argument with Stolas, Stella eventually came to accept that there was nothing she could do about the situation… at least for the time being.
Stella's ranting aside, Mick and Linda found themselves quite comfortable with their new positions. For the last few days, they have developed a promising routine. Since Octavia still wasn't back in school, it was easy to adapt to a basic schedule for the morning.
Iron her clothes for the day
Prepare the royal breakfast
Clear away said breakfast
Help her with her clothes and makeup
Follow Octavia for the rest of the day and attend to her needs and/or protect her from harm.
Such is the same pattern the two of them are to follow every day until told otherwise by Stolas or Octavia herself.
DING!
It was around 7:00 AM when Mick came down into the Servant's Quarters in his new suit that Friday morning, and so far nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Much like any other morning since starting his new position, it was Mick's job to oversee the preparations of Octavia's breakfast… for security reasons.
Of course, since the Chef had always been a trustworthy member of the Goetia household for the last couple of centuries, looking over the Sinner's shoulder while he cooked would have been insulting for him… and painful for Mick if he ever got too close. No, overseeing the breakfast preparation was more of a formality than anything else… and an excuse for Mick to make sure Octavia is spoiled rotten with her favourite dishes.
"Morning, Chef," Mick greeted the former Pirate, strolling into the kitchen with a prideful step.
Turning to see his fellow Sinner come into the Kitchen, the Chef immediately chuckled.
"Ah, the new whipping boy!" he exclaimed. "What's on the menu today?"
Mick, of course, rolled his eyes at such a comedic remark.
"Very funny," he retorted, pulling out a small notebook from his front pocket and reading off the meal requested by Octavia the previous night. "Eggs Benedict, my good man, with… a touch of smoked rat innards?"
Usually Mick wouldn't question the tastes of certain Demons, after all, while he was still working for Shank Calico, there was one regular who lived in the Cannibal District, but for some reason, the mention of Octavia eating rats still gave him cause to shudder… which was kind of ironic considering the diet of most cats.
"Coming right up, whipping boy," the Chef chuckled, immediately gathering the ingredients for the requested meal.
As annoying as Chef's new nickname for him was, Mick didn't hold it against him. After all, in his own way, it was the Chef showing him respect. In fact, ever since the rest of the staff found out about Mick and Linda becoming Octavia's new attendants, everyone had varied reactions. With those like Jewel and Jessie, they gave their almost sincere congratulations, the Chef somehow found the whole situation amusing but offered his congratulations regardless, Pringles… fainted from shock for some reason. And then there was Buzz… oh boy, where to begin?
As Octavia had predicted, Buzz in his caring… deranged state of mind, tried everything in his power to get Mick to stay down in the Servant's Quarters every time he came down. From begging to grabbing hold of his leg, nothing seemed to be too desperate or insane for the little guy. At one point, he even tried dropping a shark cage on Mick from the kitchen door… where he even managed to find one is anyone's guess. Alas, every attempt ended in failure, either by Mick's cunning or by the sheer absurdity of the Imp's plans.
"Here you go, lad," the Chef eventually declared, placing a plate of Octavia's chosen breakfast on a metal platter before placing the cover over it and lifting it onto a pre-prepared serving tray. "One breakfast ready to go."
"Thank you, Chef," Mick replied with a hidden grin as he picked up the tray in both hands. "You are the best."
"Ha! Tell me something I don't know," the Chef chuckled smugly. "Oh, by the way… you might want to duck on your way out."
Nodding in understanding, Mick then proceeded to carry the tray over to the door. About 2 seconds out of the doorway, he did as the Chef advised and quickly bent forward.
FWOOP
CLANG!
It was only by sheer luck and his fellow Sinner's instructions that the Cat Demon managed to avoid the metal pot swinging from the ceiling with the intent to knock him out. The only thing that was even luckier was when he managed to catch the thing with his tail on the backswing.
"Nice try, Buzz!" he called out, almost laughing when said Imp yelled from his hiding place.
"Damn it!"
At some point, Mick REALLY needed to have a serious talk with Buzz. As flattering as it was that he missed the Sinner so much, this whole routine he had developed was starting to get really tiresome at this point.
Up in Octavia's room, when her clock was about to strike 8 AM, Linda stood proudly at attention by the window with a small smile on her face. Having been awake for a while to iron Octavia's clothes for the day, her mind was filled with all sorts of giddy feelings. After so many years of fear and abuse, it was practically liberating to be in a job she was not only comfortable with but a job she actually liked doing. True, it would be considered a demeaning job for most Imps to dote on a Goetia hand and foot, BUT since Octavia considered her a dear friend, and as such always took her feelings into account, she was never forced into anything so gruelling. Hands down, this was one of the best jobs Linda could have hoped for.
BING! BING! BING!
Soon enough, a small bell rang from the tiny kitten-themed watch on Linda's wrist, a small gift Octavia gave the Imp as a form of congratulations. Seeing the time upon the face of it, Linda once again smiled and pressed the play button on a nearby speaker before reaching out to open the curtains.
Speaker:
She's a Killer Queen,
Gunpowder, gelatine,
Dynamite with a laser beam,
Guaranteed to blow your mind,
Anytime,
Recommended at the price,
Insatiable an appetite,
Wanna try?
As soon as she heard the first few lyrics to the song, Octavia woke up with a smile and stretched herself out with a yawn.
"Morning, Liddy," she greeted her new attendant, who in turn gave the Goetia a respectful curtsy.
"And a good morning to you, M'lady," she replied.
Octavia couldn't help but roll her eyes at that. Though she had expected as such, it still felt weird to be called that by her friend, even more so when it came from the friend she had a crush on.
KNOCK! KNOCK!
Speak of the devil and he will appear! As soon as Octavia heard the knock on her door, she immediately sat up and tried to fix her feathery hair. Knowing who was on the other side of the wood, she didn't want him to see the unsightly bedhead she had developed.
"Come in!" she eventually called out, giving Mick permission to open the door with his tail and walk into the room with a tray in hand.
"Breakfast, M'lady?" the Cat Demon replied, giving Octavia a respectful bow of his head as he closed the door behind him.
Hearing him say that, Octavia had to stifle a laugh. Though that did nothing to hide her mild blush as a sudden case of 'Butler Fantasy' washed over her mind for a moment.
"Breakfast in bed?" she spoke up, trying to brush the moment off with a joke. "You do know how to spoil a girl, don't you?"
Thankfully her attempt appeared to work due to Mick seemingly laughing along with her witty remark.
"Only the best for you, M'lady," he retorted, giving Octavia a playful bow and giving the pair of them cause to share yet another small laugh.
Seeing the interaction between the two, Linda couldn't help but smile giddily. From what she had been witnessing for the last couple of days, lately Mick and Octavia had been acting… differently with each other. Sharing more laughs than usual, getting a little flustered whenever the other Demon said or did something… it was like watching a pair of school children who can't understand what was going on… and Linda was loving every second of it.
It didn't take much figuring out for the young Imp to see that Octavia was developing strong feelings for Mick, and now that she saw Mick acting the same way around the Goetia, it was pretty obvious that the Cat Demon felt the same way. The only issue now was that neither of them seemed to want to admit it. In all honesty, a part of Linda wanted to intervene and get everything out in the open… and yet, the other part wanted this whole drama between her friends to play out even longer so that she can continue to watch and soak up all the sweet, unbridled cuteness that came with it… alas, now was not the time.
"Ahem," the young Imp eventually uttered, grabbing the pair's attention as she walked up to Octavia's bed, carrying the Goetia's clothes all ironed and folded. "Your wardrobe, M'lady."
Realizing that she had been staring at Mick for too long, Octavia quickly cleared her throat and proceeded to put her mind on the breakfast in front of her.
"Thanks, Liddy," she said, acknowledging the young Imp's efforts with a smile. "You really have come a long way haven't you?"
Now it was Linda's turn to blush. Even though her housekeeping skills had indeed improved a lot since she had arrived, she still felt pretty bashful whenever she received praise from anyone.
"Oh, well I… I don't know about THAT," she said sheepishly.
"Oh, don't be so modest," Mick spoke up, placing his hand on the top of Linda's head and gently ruffling her hair. "From what I can see, you're not the same Imp in the box when we first met."
Unable to stop herself from giggling, Linda had to turn away and cover her face to keep her friends from seeing her blush any further. At that moment, Octavia gasped when she suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, Mick, sorry to ask but could you see if Jessie is free around noon?" she asked. "I was thinking all three of us might pop over to Stylish Occult today."
Ah, Stylish Occult, the only shopping chain where you can get devilishly good clothes and freaky taxidermy in the same building. With it being one of Octavia's favourite stores, Mick and Linda were quite familiar with some of the stuff they sell, and as such were quite curious to see what else was on their shelves.
"I'll get right on it," Mick answered, complying with Octavia's request with a small bow.
"Thanks, Mick," Octavia replied with a smirk. "I knew I could rely on you."
No one else could see it from underneath his mask, but Mick was immediately grinning like an idiot upon hearing that.
"One is glad to be of service, M'lady," he said, giving one final bow of his head before turning to leave the room.
"I'll go draw you a bath, M'lady," Linda spoke up, giving one final curtsy before she began to follow Mick out.
"Thanks, Liddy," Octavia replied gratefully, seeing no need to deny the offer as she watched her two attendants leave the room with a content smile.
As soon as she shut the door behind her, Linda let out a small sigh before turning to the Sinner next to her.
"Okay, what was that?" she demanded, much to Mick's sudden confusion.
"What was what?" he asked, genuinely wondering what Linda could be talking about.
However, Linda only gave him a raised eyebrow and a small smirk.
"Oh come on, Mick," she said. "I may be a little sheltered but I know flirting when I see it."
As soon as she said that, the flustered babbling Mick let out in response instantly made Linda's morning. True, she wanted to see Mick and Octavia happy together… but that didn't mean she couldn't have a little fun when she was alone with one of them.
"W-we weren't flirting!" Mick exclaimed. "There was no flirting!"
"Uh-huh, sure," Linda retorted, finding Mick's sudden predicament both amusing and adorable.
"Wait… you think she was flirting with me?" Mick genuinely asked, raising an eyebrow only to be met with Linda's smirk.
"You tell me."
…
"You know, you really can be a sassy brat these days,"
Hearing Mick say that, Linda couldn't help but laugh. Sassy, huh? Never in her life did she think that anyone would call her that. Was this a side of her that she had bottled up all along? Or did she only develop such a personality after Mick and Octavia gave the young Imp her life back? Either way, Linda wasn't complaining.
"Hey, you wanted confidence," she stated smugly. "I'm just finally starting to get mine back."
"OCTAVIA!"
"EEP!"
And just like that, said confidence was instantly gone! The moment Stella's shrieking voice echoed through the hallways, Linda instantly reverted to her old habits by squeaking like a mouse and jumping straight into Mick's arms in utter fright. Of course, the Cat Demon could never blame her for reacting as such… frankly, the sound of Stella's voice would terrify ANYONE.
To make matters worse, it wasn't long before said Goetia was coming around the corner and stomping closer to Mick and Linda with her usual scowl. Instinctively reacting, the pair of them instantly straightened themselves out and stood at attention towards the side of the corridor. If there was one thing they have learned since arriving in this house, it was to never get in Stella's way whenever she's in a mood… which roughly translates to simply never get in her way, PERIOD!
As luck would have it, Stella didn't seem to be interested in berating servants at the moment and simply passed by the two attendants as if they weren't there at all, after which she forcibly opened Octavia's bedroom door and made her way inside.
"M-mum?" they heard Octavia's voice say from inside the room. "What's going on?"
Then Mick and Linda heard Stella say something that made their jaws drop to the floor.
"Octavia! Pack your bags, we're leaving!"
"HUH!?"
If there was ever a Goetia in all the 9 Circles of Hell that topped all the others in terms of swagger and charisma, it was Prince Gaap. A tall, tanned humanoid with a sharp jawline, huge elf-like ears, two polished curved horns sprouting from a thick wave of combed-back hair that framed his handsome face, and a pair of large black bat wings sprouting from between his shoulder blades.
If anyone were to ask why such a handsome Demon like him would casually stroll through a dark street, wearing a dazzling suit while humming to himself, he would say… that he was going somewhere special. And just as he turned a corner and pushed open a random door… he did.
"WELCOME!"
Suddenly Gaap found himself in a brightly lit, undersea-themed hotel lobby, surrounded by multitudes of women of every shape and size, all dressed in skimpy Bellhop clothing and all of them surrounding him with smiles on their faces as music suddenly started to play in the background.
Bellhop 1:
Welcome to the Triton!
Bellhop 2:
The Pride Ring's finest Jewel!
Bellhop 3:
You are such a handsome man, come join me at the pool!
As if that wasn't enough, it took mere moments before Gaap laughed as he was suddenly handed a cane and started singing along too.
Gaap:
Next time stay at the Triton,
The Triton puts you on top,
When you stay at the Triton,
The fun times, they never stop,
As fast as the music played, so did Gaap as he danced around the lobby with the Bellhops before he was suddenly sitting at a small table in the dining hall just as he was about to be served steamed lobster on a silver platter.
Gaap:
Because here we are, for you near or far,
The food is always gourmet!
After that, the scene changed to a large pool area, where the Bellhops were now suddenly in bikinis and doing a graceful dance in the water while Gaap relaxed on an inflatable chair in the middle of them.
Bellhops:
At the Triton,
At the Triton,
At the Triton,
Gaap:
It's THE place to stay!
Bellhops:
(All ladies stay here, half price!)
As the song finally drew to a close, Gaap then opened up his wings and flew above the entire hotel staff as they all danced by the pool with glittering confetti floating around them.
All:
The Triton is the place to staaaaaaaaaaaaay!
Gaap:
Check-In!
The last thing Mick and Linda were unfortunate enough to see after the commercial was over, was a closeup of Gaap's smug face as he winked to the viewers and let out the closing statement.
"The Triton Resort: The closest you Sinners will EVER get to Envy!"
After that, Octavia lowered her Hellphone and allowed her two attendants to process what they had just witnessed.
"THAT'S where we're staying?" Mick uttered, his mind still reeling over what he just saw.
"Mhm," Octavia uttered, nodding her head with a grimace "And it's just as tacky as it appeared in the commercial."
As it turned out, when Stella said that she and Octavia were leaving, she was referring to the fact that she had booked a weekend away for the both of them at some fancy resort on one of the outer circles of the Pride Ring, one which was run by a fellow Goetia no less. From what Mick remembered Octavia telling him, Prince Gaap was one of Stolas's cousins, the son of Paimon's brother Bael if he wasn't mistaken.
In any case, the abrupt announcement that she and her mother were going for a weekend away and then getting in the limousine within the same hour did not make Octavia happy, especially considering that her father WASN'T coming with them. Not only were her plans for the day completely shot but now she had to spend the weekend alone with her mother! Granted, if Stella actually wanted to share Octavia's interests, that may not sound so bad… but what her classist mother considers fun wasn't something that Octavia wanted anything to do with if she could help it. Somehow, she got the sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach that Stella was up to something again.
The one consolation that Octavia could see having on this trip, was the fact that due to their contract, Mick and Linda were obliged to go with her. Obviously, Stella made a fuss over it, but since Octavia had the final say on the matter, there was once again nothing she could do about it. And in all honesty, seeing the frustrated snarl on Stella's face when she realized that she had no control for once brought a hidden grin to Mick's face that would put the Cheshire Cat to shame.
Now here they all were, seated in a first-class cabin on one the Pride Ring's fastest bullet trains, on a six-hour trip heading for the 7th Circle. It was a spacious area that basically took up an entire train car, with red velvet carpets, luxurious black leather sofas, and a bar complete with waiting staff, it even had a crystal chandelier hanging in the very centre of the ceiling. No matter where one would look, the entire cabin practically screamed the word "RICH!". While Stella was sipping champagne and reading a magazine in one corner of the cabin, her daughter and her two attendants chose to hang around by the bar engaging in conversation before they were inevitably called out on it.
"So… you've been there before then?" Linda asked, her curiosity piqued when her ears picked up on Octavia's comment about their destination.
"Once or twice," Octavia admitted with a light shrug. "Haven't gone in years though. The last time was when I was 13."
Judging from the look on the Goetia Princess's face, Mick could tell that she did not have that many fond memories about the place.
"Drink, M'lady?" he offered, receiving a nod in response.
"Bourbon… LOTS of it," Octavia uttered, causing Mick to chuckle.
"Like your enthusiasm M'lady," he replied. "But I highly doubt that your mother would appreciate you getting pissed before we even arrive."
"Spoilsport," Octavia retorted with a pout. "Alright, just gimme a shandy or something."
At those words, Mick then nodded his head and turned to the Imp behind the bar.
"You heard the lady, Miss," he said. "One shandy please, you want anything, Linda?"
"Hmm?" Linda uttered before shaking her head. "Oh, no thank you. Don't want to give Lady Stella an excuse to yell at me."
At those words, Mick couldn't help but shudder.
"Fair enough," he said just as the barmaid finished preparing Octavia's drink. "So… should we know anything about this place before we get there?"
At first, Octavia didn't know how to answer the Sinner's question. Given how long it's been since she was last there, she wasn't sure what changes were made if any at all. Soon enough, however, she eventually found the right words to say.
"Keep calm, relax, and stay clear of the Handyman, I suppose," she said, a small shiver immediately down her spine as memories of that creepy individual came rushing back to her head. "I swear that guy's worse than any pervert in Pentagram City."
"I'll be sure to put him at the top of the hit list," Mick joked, soon bringing an amused smile to Octavia's face.
"Okay, I like YOUR enthusiasm, but he's a cupcake compared to most of the guests in that place," she said, much to Linda's confusion.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Well, how to put it best…" Octavia replied, wracking her brain for the right words to say. "I know the ad said that the Triton resort is open to anyone, Sinners included, but most of the regular guests are some of Hell's elite nobles. Counts, Dukes, you name it. So chances are there's going to be some unfriendly faces when we get there."
As soon as Octavia said that, Linda instantly began to whimper like a frightened puppy. Luckily, Stella was too preoccupied with her magazine to chastise her for it.
"Hey, come on now, Liddy," Octavia said, placing a reassuring hand on the Imp's shoulder. "It's gonna be okay."
"She's right," Mick agreed with a nod. "And even if some rich A-hole DOES try to cause trouble… it's just as well that our new contract gives us diplomatic immunity, just in case I have to do something about it, eh?"
Once again, Octavia couldn't help but laugh. Even Linda had to crack a smile at the Cat Demon's morbid joke.
"Just try not to kill anyone, okay?" Octavia playfully retorted, only for Mick to feign ignorance.
"I make no such promises," he said, causing Octavia to laugh again.
With the mood lightened once more, Mick suddenly scratched the back of his head as a certain thought entered his mind.
"Hey… you think Snowflake will be okay on her own with your dad?" he asked, much to Octavia's curiosity.
The Goetia Princess couldn't blame Mick for asking that, of course. Given how quickly Stella made everyone get ready to leave, much to their shame, the poor Kitsune pup ended up being a small afterthought in their anxiety. What's more, since the Triton resort didn't allow pets, even if they did bring Snowflake along, she would have been thrown out in an instant. As such, Mick and Octavia had no choice but to leave her in the care of the only Goetia who stayed behind, AKA Stolas.
"Oh yeah, she'll be fine," Octavia answered, nodding her head confidently. "My dad really likes Snowflake, so he should take good care of her."
"I hope so," Mick replied with a sigh. "I just feel guilty about leaving her behind like that."
"Hey, come on," Octavia retorted with a smile. "I'm sure she'll understand."
Snowflake's Diary: Entry 56
I don't understand what is going on! I swear, Diary, this whole house is out to get us! This morning I was snoozing away under Octi's bed when all of a sudden I heard that bitch Stella screaming her lungs out. Next thing I knew, Octi, Liddy and Daddy had packed up their bags and pissed off somewhere with that screaming hag, while I'm left behind… AGAIN!
I'm telling you, Diary, it's like Stella's sole purpose in life is making other Demons miserable, and Daddy and I are just her latest victims. Bad enough she sent us down to Wrath to die, but now she's basically kidnapped everyone I love while I'm stuck here, babysitting the weird Owl Daddy.
When they all get back, Stella is gonna PAY. FOR. THIS!
When Snowflake was finished doodling her latest diary entry in her little book, it didn't take much effort to put away the pencil in its little holster on the spine, close the book up, and pick it up in her mouth before emerging from her hiding place in the library.
Normally, she would have gladly written another entry in the safety of her bed in Octavia's room. However, since Octavia seemingly left her in Stolas's care, the elder Goetia had been looking for her non-stop since his daughter left the house. Thankfully, Snowflake was far too smart to just loiter in the first place the Owl Demon would look. Since she liked to have a little privacy while she wrote in her diary, she chose to hide away in Octavia's private corner in the library, a place that the little fox found special even now.
However, it was now time to put her little book away. True, she could have just left it in the library with all the other books, but her diary was the Kitsune pup's most cherished possession and as such, she would never put it anywhere other than beneath her pillow. Soon enough, she reached the main foyer, where Jewel was currently mopping the floor. Upon seeing the little fox enter the room, the Imp Maid couldn't help but smirk.
"Hope you cleaned your paws, little miss," she half-joked, earning herself a small, muffled yip in response from the tiny pup. "Such a little cutie."
Needless to say, Snowflake had practically won over the hearts of nearly everyone in the house at this point. With her cute looks and her playful personality, even Pringles couldn't help but smile whenever she entered the room. The only one who DIDN'T like her was, of course, Stella, who saw her as nothing more than a nuisance that her daughter hadn't stuffed yet. Alas, she was but one turd in the playful sandbox that was Snowflake's life, at least as far as the tiny fox was concerned.
Making her way up the stairs, she tried her best to keep her balance while holding her little book. Given her size, climbing up the stairs wasn't normally that much of a challenge. However, now that she had her diary in her mouth, she had to keep her head up so that she didn't accidentally hit a step on the way up… if only she was able to make it to the top.
"Ah! There you are, little one!"
Hearing Stolas's loud voice from the top of the stairs, the startled Kitsune pup tilted her head too quickly and she suddenly bumped her book against the step above her, causing her to lose both her balance and her footing. In a matter of seconds, Snowflake's back paws slipped off the step she was standing on and caused her to fall back down the stairs. Luckily, she managed to regain her footing before she fell further than three steps… her diary, however, wasn't so lucky.
Unintentionally letting out a loud, frightened yip upon the sound of Stolas's voice, Snowflake had inadvertently dropped her little book just as she was about to fall, causing it to bounce all the way back down the stairs, rolling like a cartwheel and hitting every other step on the way down before opening up and skidding pages first on the wet floor. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was at that moment that an equally startled Jewel accidentally knocked over the mop bucket, sending a wave of dirty water toward where the book eventually came to a stop.
Seeing everything from the stairs, Snowflake whimpered in fear as she ran back down the stairs before skidding to where her diary was. To her horror, the dirty water had already rendered the pages into a soggy stack of mush. Without a doubt, her little book had been ruined.
AWOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Within moments of seeing the state of her diary, tears immediately began to well up in Snowflake's eyes before she let out a series of disheartened howls like a sad cocker spaniel.
"Oh, fuck!" Stolas exclaimed, hurrying down the stairs himself as soon as the first howl left Snowflake's mouth.
Having seen Snowflake carrying her little book around on multiple occasions, it didn't take much for everyone to figure out how much it meant to her. Now that said book was soaked in dirty mop bucket water, of course, she would be upset about it.
"I'm so sorry, your highness!" Jewel frantically apologized, feeling a knot in her throat when she realized her role in the diary's destruction. "I didn't mean-"
"It's alright, accidents happen," Stolas interrupted, quickly scooping up the crying fox as soon as he made it down the stairs. "Just make sure this mess is cleaned up."
"R-right away, sir!" Jewel replied, quickly picking the mop back up and getting to work on absorbing the puddle on the floor.
With that taken care of, Stolas returned his attention to Snowflake, who continued to howl in his arms. In all honesty… he had no clue what to do in this situation. During the whole time Snowflake had lived here, she had never acted out like this. At first, the Goetia's first instinct was to console her as he would Octavia when she was a toddler, though he wasn't sure how well that would work with a pet.
"Shh! It's okay, it's okay," Stolas cooed, giving the little fox a small scratch behind the ears before he picked up the soaked book "I'm sure we can-"
SQUELCH!
"Oh, dear."
Alas, Stolas couldn't account for the pages literally ripping out of the cover as soon as he picked it up, rendering them into an even more indistinguishable mass of pulp as soon as they hit the floor with a loud splat. Whatever type of bleach was in that bucket of water, it sure as hell made quick work of whatever it soaked. Of course, the further desecration of her diary only made Snowflake howl even louder, causing Stolas to cringe.
What was he going to do now? Use a spell to fix the book? Even if he had one, he wasn't sure how well it would turn out since such a thing was considered "beneath him" growing up. Whatever the case, Stolas needed to calm the poor pup down before she cried herself into a coma. And fuck knows what Octavia would say when she comes back and inevitably finds out what happened… Thankfully, Stolas's salvation arrived with the sound of Jewel clearing her throat to grab his attention.
"Uh… sir?" she said. "May I make a suggestion?"
It took a good hour, but soon enough, Snowflake was back to her usual happy self. She may no longer have her diary, but the little fox wasn't upset about it for very long. The reason: with a little help from Jewel, Stolas was quickly able to find her a replacement that seemed to be an upgrade by comparison.
Now Snowflake sat down on the living room sofa, happily patting her little paws on a digital writing pad. It obviously wasn't the same as her old diary, but the Kitsune pup seemed to enjoy using it, judging from her happy yipping. Watching her type away from the other end of the sofa, Stolas couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
"Thank fuck for that," he said, giving Jewel an approving nod as she walked into the room with a cup of tea for the Prince. "For a while, I thought she'd never calm down."
"Believe me, the feeling is mutual, sir," Jewel replied, nodding her head back as she gave Stolas his cup. "I'm just glad the issue was resolved so quickly."
"Speaking of which," Stolas spoke up, giving Jewel an inquisitive glance. "How DID you manage to acquire a device of such quality in such a short amount of time?"
Hearing that, Jewel had to turn her head to avoid Stolas seeing one of her signature sultry grins.
"I… might have a boyfriend… or three who works at the nearby Apple Gadgets," she answered before clearing her throat. "They owed me a few favours so I managed to cash one of them in. I mean, Snowflake loved doodling in that little book of hers, so I figured this would make a decent alternative. Especially considering I specifically demanded waterproofing for it."
Seeing the little fox continue to pat away at the screen in front of her, Stolas nodded his head in agreement.
"Well, most of Lucifer's businesses always did have a high focus on quality," he admitted. "Excellent work, Jewel."
"yEs," a new voice suddenly spoke up. "ThAnK yOU!"
Snapping their eyes wide in shock, both Jewel and Stolas slowly turned their heads toward the source of the odd, computerized voice… namely the new device in front of Snowflake, who merely tilted her head in confusion after she had discovered the text-to-speech function.
"wHat?"
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
The Featured Song(s):
Killer Queen - sung by Queen
and
A Parody of "The Tipton Commercial" - from the TV Show: The Suite Life of Zack and Cody