The Peppermint Puss. One of the most established strip clubs in the entire Pride Ring. Workplace to dozens of Succubae, Incubi and Sinners alike who want to make an honest living even in the depths of Hell. A large three-story building with a large neon sign on the front, along with a small, yet luxurious lobby on the ground floor, the main lounge on the second floor, and a series of bedrooms on the third that both served as the personal quarters of the owner, Shank Calico, as well as the rooms dedicated to the Succubae's "special needs".
While the lobby was nice enough, it was definitely the main lounge that drew the most attention from its patrons. Even if one wasn't an official member of the club, Demon could still get in once they had paid the entrance fee of 50 Souls each, and once they did all they had to go was climb up the red-carpeted staircase and enter through the double doors at the very top. The lounge itself was certainly nothing to joke about. A large, dimly lit round room, with black velvet carpeting, hanging blue and red lanterns dropping from the ceiling, and multiple wooden tables and soft leather sofas stationed all along the edge of the long series of runway stages that formed the shape of a giant pentagram when seen from above, with shimmering silver stripper poles stationed at each point of the star. In the centre of the pentagram, an elevated stage stood above the runway, where either the house DJ or a selected band the owner had hired on would play along to the stripper's dance routines. What's more, in case any of the patrons ever decided to get a little… handsy with any of the dancers during their performance, there was also a mechanism along the edge of the stage, which, when activated, would raise an electrified fence to separate the stage from the rest of the club, something which Shank Calico was happy to spend a good chunk of funding on, considering the location of his club.
Along the edges of the room, elevated booths with rounded tables and luxurious seats were stationed like private boxes, with auditorium-style stairs leading up to each one. These were of course reserved for those who either book in advance or pay extra for the special treatment, something which patrons found to be quite agreeable once they come face to face with their choice of lovely ladies or macho men who would be attending them. Just below these booths, were the multiple bars with a small row of barstools that not only served as the entrance to the kitchen just below but also a small service area for those who simply came for a small drink. Sitting alone at one of these bars, an empty shot glass once filled with Betelgeuse Brand Beelzejuice resting in his hand, while his masked head slumped on the surface of the bar, was none other than Mick Nikos. In fact, he had been sitting in this particular stool for so long, his ass print has basically become a permanent feature at this point.
Letting out a heavy sigh, the dishevelled Cat Demon couldn't help but wonder how his afterlife had reached this specific point. One day he was heading home after doing what he thought was a good deed for someone else, then the next thing he knows, he's being thrown into the street by his former landlord and her giant meat-sack of a handyman, with nought but the clothes on his back and whatever was in his pockets at the time. Speaking of which, reaching a hand into his pocket, he pulled out everything inside, groaning in despair since it was all he had left in the entire depths of Hell since that bitch, Deagle had that damned policy of keeping former tenants' belongings. Laying them out on the bar, he couldn't help but drum his fingers against the wood. All he had now was his lighter, a mostly empty canister of joints, his multi-tool and what appeared to be a silver rosario encrusted with blood-red stones.
Picking up the Rosario in particular, Mick couldn't help but let out another sigh. Had it been anything else, he might have considered selling it off as he did with that blade that got stuck in his shoulder, but this Rosario had been with him for many a year now and he wasn't planning on changing that fact for anything. None of the Demons he'd associated with ever knew why, but Mick had never left anywhere without it, in fact, he considered himself quite lucky when he found it still in his pocket even after diving into a river of blood. It was… precious to him. More than anyone would ever know.
"Another round, babe?"
It was only after he heard the soft sultry voice of the Demon behind the bar that Mick finally snapped out of his train of thought. Quickly pocketing everything again, the Cat Demon looked up and saw a gorgeous looking Succubus, with long white hair that had lavender highlights at the tips, upward curved horns and wore little more than dark purple, skimpy lace lingerie, complete with a leather garter belt, stockings and a spiked collar around her neck. This was Dominique, one of the Peppermint Puss's most favourite dancers and barmaids, and one of Mick's few friends here in Hell. Unfortunately, neither his friend's friendly attitude nor her provocative work uniform was enough to bring Mick out of his slump.
"Sure," he sighed, allowing the Succubus to pour him another drink. "You know what? Leave the bottle this time, Dominique."
At those words, the Succubus couldn't help but sigh as she complied with the request and left the bottle on the bar.
"Oh come on, Mick, things can't really be so bad, can they?" she asked, much to the Cat Demon's annoyance.
"Bad? It's a fucking piss-take!" he snapped. "I lost my home and my job on the same day!"
Dominique couldn't help but roll her eyes at that.
"I know, I was there when you got the boot, remember?" she retorted.
It was a low blow, Dominique wasn't too petty to deny that, but after almost an entire week of watching Mick sulk like this would be enough to get on anyone's nerves even if they were friends.
"How could Shank do this to me?" Mick continued to rant. "3 years of busting my ass right down the crapper, all because I couldn't make one fucking phone call!"
At those words, Mick once again slumped his head into the bar, almost tipping over the bottle of Beelzejuice as a result. Seeing this, the Succubus behind the bar couldn't help but let out another sigh, as much as she was annoyed by the constant sulking, she knew that Mick's reason for doing so was warranted. Given how he acted out the moment he heard the word, "Unemployed", it was a miracle that he didn't start tearing up the place.
"And to top it all off, that bitch, Mrs Deagle, sold off my little Snowflake while I was missing!" Mick exclaimed, almost breaking down in tears. "Now I'll never see her again!"
Seeing that there was no point in trying to say anything since there was the possibility of making things worse, all Dominique could do was offer some different form of comfort… one that seemed rather fitting for a setting such as this.
"Here, babe," she said, going under the bar and pulling out a second bottle of booze. "On the house. Looks like you need it."
Mick couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Thanks," he replied, pulling the bottle closer towards him.
Suddenly, both the Cat Demon and Succubus heard a commotion coming from the nearby bathroom. The sound being that of a fist colliding with some poor schmuck's face as he came flying out the door. Snapping their heads around, they saw what looked to be a Humanoid-Snake Demon with a large, black pompadour twice the size of his head and wearing a spiked leather jacket, cracking his knuckles as he made his way to the downed Rat Demon whose nose he had just broken. Moments later, he grabbed the Rat by the scruff of the shirt and proceeded to shove him out the entrance to the club, sending him flying down the stairs with a painful shove.
After taking a couple of breaths to calm down, the Snake Demon ran his hands through his massive pompadour, adjusted his jacket, and took one last sniff before heading over to the bar and taking a seat.
"Showed him," he said simply as he nursed his now bruised and bloodied knuckles. "Usual, please, Doms. And can I get some ice too?"
"Lemme guess, another guy confused you for Elvis again, huh, Johnny?" Dominique asked with a smirk as she poured him a glass of Rum & Cola and grabbed a handful of ice from the freezer under the bar, before wrapping it in a small cloth.
"Third one this month! Honestly, how can anyone make that comparison!?" The Greaser-looking Sinner asked rhetorically as he took a sip of his cocktail and placed the ice on his hand, hissing in discomfort at the cold.
"Yeah, unlike you, HE went to Heaven," Mick commented sarcastically, rolling his eyes a little.
Johnny couldn't help but scoff at that.
"I know!" he exclaimed. "Lucky bastard. The Almighty must have been pretty lenient back when HE kicked the bucket."
At those words, Mick simply leaned up against the bar against his fist and looked back at Johnny with an amused glance. For the last 3 years, he had gotten quite used to the Reptilian Demon's antics during their time as co-workers. While Mick waited tables as a busboy, it was Johnny who worked as the bouncer/occasional musician for the club, and as such he had seen quite the number of patrons fall victim to either his fists or his switchblade before they all eventually ended up being thrown down the stairs and out the door. Needless to say, it was quite entertaining. In fact, he had gotten so used to Johnny's antics, one could say that they were good friends at this point. So much so that even in his depressed slump, Mick felt no guilt whatsoever in engaging in a small bit of playful banter.
"Dude, Elvis Presley was the King of Rock 'n' roll and an all loved American hero," he pointed out, quickly grabbing Johnny's attention. "YOU were a greaser with a switchblade and a guitar. Come to think of it, didn't you die two years BEFORE Elvis?"
…
"What's your point?"
At this reaction, both Mick and Dominique couldn't help but try and stifle their laughter. Alas, despite this moment of laughter, it was only a brief interval in what was still considered the worst week of Mick's afterlife, which was all the more evident as his face once again fell behind his mask. Little did he know, this particular week was going to bring about a change that he would never come to expect. A change that was currently pulling up in the limo just outside.
"I know I've asked this already, Via," Stolas pointed out, his voice riddled with uncertainty as he looked through the limo's back window. "But are you sure this is the right place?"
Considering the look of the building they had just pulled up next to, Octavia couldn't blame her father for asking that. After all, she didn't exactly tell him that the Peppermint Puss was a strip club before they came here. But even so, she HAD to come here, considering it was her last hope of actually seeing Mick again, if he wasn't here… well, then there was nothing else she could do. At that moment, the Goetia Demon's attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of tiny scratching, looking down at her lap, she saw that the Kitsune Pup she had brought back from Deagle's place was pawing at the window, specifically in the direction of the club itself.
"Well, Snowflake seems to think so," she said, answering her father's query with a small smile as she scooped up the tiny fox in her arms and opened the door of the limo. "Shall we?"
Given the type of establishment they were about to enter and the fact that his presence alone was enough to make things go smoother earlier, Octavia felt no reluctance whatsoever in allowing her father to accompany her this time. In fact, one could say that she actually felt safer in knowing that he was there with her. Looking up at the neon sign flashing the club's name, as well as the image of some kind of kitten emoji, Octavia couldn't help but gulp with anxiety. Having never been inside a place like this, she had no idea of what she was getting into. Thankfully, Stolas managed to calm her nerves a little by placing a comforting hand upon her shoulder. Smiling back up at him, Octavia then took in one final breath and pushed her way past the front door.
At first, Octavia thought the Peppermint Puss was just going to be just another filthy shithole, much like most other buildings in Hell, however the moment she stepped foot inside the lobby, that assumption was flung right out the window. Stepping onto the luxurious red carpet and gazing at the scenery around her, Octavia could have sworn she had walked right into a different realm. Compared to the rundown buildings outside, the front lobby was actually well-maintained, furnished with high-class sofas in the corner, and hardly had any damage at all. Even Stolas found himself somewhat impressed by the quality of how things looked, and given how his own home looks, that was saying something. Deciding to shy away from the intimidating pair of Hellhounds acting as security at the bottom of the staircase just ahead of them, both Goetia Demons moved on to the right side of the lobby, where a large check-in desk rested just in front of what appeared to be a storage area for the patron's coats. Sitting at this desk, reading a newspaper, was a small, green and black striped Wasp Demon with large, round glasses with purple lenses and wore a dark grey fedora hat. Figuring this had to be the receptionist or something, Octavia and Stolas moved closer to the desk and spoke up.
"Um, excuse me?" Octavia said, clearing her throat in an attempt to get the Wasp Demon's attention.
"If you're not a member, you pay the entrance fee like everyone else," The Wasp Demon replied in a voice that carried a small hint of a buzz, his tone clearly showing signs of bored indifference as he didn't even bother to look up from his paper.
At those words, Stolas nudged his daughter to the side and decided to take the reins.
"Actually, good sir," he said. "We're only here to-"
However, the tall Owl Demon didn't even get to finish his sentence due to the Wasp Demon suddenly dropping his newspaper upon hearing the sound of his voice. Snapping his head over to those who had been speaking to him, the Wasp Demon's jaw and mandibles hung open in shock.
"Sweet Merciful Hell!" he exclaimed, his wings flickering with surprise as he rose from his chair and hovered just over the desk. "Prince Stolas! Oh, do forgive me, sir! I had no idea such a high-ranking Demon such as yourself was coming to this establishment!"
Given his status, it really was no surprise for someone to react this way when Stolas was in someone's presence. Then again, it was certainly better than for someone to, in his own words, kidnap him for his money AND his body. However, as flattered as he was, both he and his daughter were here for a reason and they would rather get on with it as quickly as possible rather than waste time with flattery.
"It's quite alright, sir," Stolas replied reassuringly. "But we-"
"Forgive me, but hold that thought for just a minute!" the Wasp Demon interrupted, suddenly pressing down on a button on the nearby intercom with an excited look upon his face. "Sir! You better get down here! We got a special guest down here. The ROYAL kind!"
Hearing this, Stolas found himself at a loss for words, as was the same with his daughter. It appeared that their status as members of Hellish Nobility was an even bigger deal in this place than either of them first realised. A few minutes later, the two Goetia Demons heard a series of footsteps coming from the stairs, until finally, a new Demon entered the lobby, a large toothy grin plastered across his face. At first glance, Octavia could easily tell that this particular Demon oozed with intimate superiority from his smile alone, clearly, this had to be the boss of this place. In fact, if Octavia didn't know better, she would even guess that this guy had to be one of the lesser-known Overlords roaming all over Hell. A tall feline Demon almost as large as Stolas clad in a blood-red leather overcoat, with light blue fur decorated with pink stripes, shaggy green hair that stuck out on either side of his head like a large pair of ears, and two large, sharp claws twice the size of his hands in place of his index fingers. If either Goetia Demon had to make an assumption, they would be sure that those claws would be able to cut through another Demon like melted butter… and yet, this new arrival made sure to keep his hands tucked back as he greeted the two with a charismatic bow.
"Your majesty!" he said. "Such an honour it is. Shank Calico at your service."
That confirmed it. Octavia remembered Mick saying his employer's name during their little boat ride last week, and sure enough, this had to be him. Given the first impression, he was exactly as collected as Mick said he was. After being allowed to shake Stolas's hand, careful not to scratch him with his claw, Shank then proceeded to do the same with Octavia.
"And this must be your lovely daughter," he said. "Gotta say, it's such a delight to meet you both."
"Uh… likewise, I'm sure," Octavia replied, not entirely sure of how to react to the Clawed Demon's demeanour.
"So what brings you here? If y'all don't mind me asking," Shank asked, placing his hands behind his back in a professional manner. "As entertaining as my place is, I can assure you it's not meant to be something for a casual family outing."
Clearly Shank wasn't one to beat around the bush, also just like Mick said, so of course, Octavia felt no hesitation whatsoever in telling him straight out.
"We're looking for someone who works here," she answered bluntly. "Mick Nikos?"
The moment he heard the Cat Demon's name, Shank Calico's face lit up with surprise.
"Oh, you know Mick?" he asked with a smile, earning himself a small nod from the Goetia Demon. "Such a nice kid. A real shame I had to let him go."
Oh no. Once again Octavia's face fell in disappointment. Not only was Mick evicted, but he was fired too!? Talk about rotten luck!
"He isn't here?" Octavia asked, her mind still seeking some form of confirmation.
Thankfully, Shank's answer to that question was one that Octavia actually found herself quite relieved to hear.
"Oh, I didn't say that, of course, he is!" he said assuringly, his grin spreading even wider over his face like a Cheshire cat. "If you'd like, I'll have him brought right to you."
Hearing that her small quest had finally brought about some success at last, Octavia couldn't help but smile in delight. Even Snowflake let out a cheerful yip upon hearing that her owner was nearby. Seeing his daughter's smile, Stolas too couldn't help but feel relieved, only his reason was the fact that Octavia appeared to have taken off some of the stress she had been feeling.
"That would be delightful," he replied. "You wouldn't mind if we waited here in the lobby would you."
Shank, however, wasn't having any of that.
"Nonsense!" he exclaimed, quickly rushing behind the two Goetia Demons and placing a hand on each of their backs. "Y'all can't just stand around in this dull room. Allow me to show you some true hospitality by showing you to one of our finest booths. I'll even treat you both to a free drink while you wait."
"Oh I don't know if that's-" Stolas tried to argue, only to be quickly cut off.
"Right this way, your highnesses," Shank stated, beaming with delight as he ushered the two towards the stairs. "Please watch your step."
Seeing that they had no choice in the matter, both Stolas and Octavia sighed in defeat and complied with the Clawed Demon's request, allowing themselves to be led up the staircase. Of course, they couldn't help but grimace as they passed by the two Hellhounds standing at the base of them, feeling a small amount of unease as the two hairy beasts glared back at them. When they were about halfway up, the three of them suddenly found themselves stopping when they discovered an unconscious Rat Demon splayed out on the stairs, his foot twitching as he let out a small groan of pain. Needless to say, Shank wasn't too happy in seeing this.
"Oh, do ignore that, undoubtedly a patron who tried to skip out on his tab," he forcefully chuckled, trying desperately to hold back his embarrassment as he and the two Goetia Demon's stepped over the Rat's twitching body. Once cleared of it, he then snapped his head around with a furious glare and called down to the two Hellhounds behind them. "YO! CLEAN UP!"
Deciding to continue on, leaving the Hellhounds to get rid of the Rat while making a mental note to "educate" them about slacking off on the job later, Shank brushed off the embarrassing inconveniences and ushered the Goetia Demons to the top of the stairs.
"Your Majesties," he said, stepping ahead of them and placing his hands upon the double doors. "Welcome to the Peppermint Puss!"
Pushing open the doors, the two Demons were hit with the rich aroma of booze and blinded by the powerful atmosphere of pure unfiltered ecstasy. Not only were many a Demon cheering for those who were performing on the dance poles with next to no clothing on, but almost every single one was caught in a frenzy of pure lust and drooling to the point of needing to rehydrate every few seconds. Octavia may not have had ANY experiences with strip clubs before, but she sure as hell could easily imagine that this place would even put the entire Lust Ring or even Asmodeus himself to shame. Suddenly, just as Calico was leading Stolas and Octavia over to a particular area of the club, the lights suddenly dimmed and all the dancers left the stage as the current song came to a close. Just then, a loud booming voice echoed throughout the room.
"Ladies and Gentle Demons," it announced. "Coming up next: The lovely Desiree!"
Given how many Demons were all scrambling to get a better viewing point upon hearing that, one could only guess that this particular performer had to have been one of the most popular in the building. Just then, from the main stage, a silhouette appeared in the dim lighting. At first, the figure had their back to the audience, then, as the music started to play, she slowly turned her head as her bright eyes seemed to dimly glow.
"Take it away, boys," she whispered as the music began to pick up and she began to slowly turn, strutting down the stage's pentagram-shaped catwalk with supermodel levels of poise. With each step she took, the stage lights lit up one by one, slowly illuminating her figure and revealing more of her appearance.
She was a slender Succubus with chin-length white hair, two striped horns that curved upward from her gorgeous face, and wore what appeared to be a large, black leather overcoat. The moment she came into view Demons of both genders started howling like a pack of rabid wolves, each one salivating with pure unfiltered desire. As if her appearance weren't enough, the Succubus, Desiree, added to the performance by doing something many of her kind were known for. Thus she started to sing:
Desiree:
Put your tongue in my ear, it's queer but kinda fun,
We're the tomorrow generation, there's much to be done,
So, madam fashion, darling step this way,
The modern girl's delighted to be risqué,
With every word that came out of the Succubus's mouth, the audience grew more and more excited, even Octavia found herself drawn to the performer's charms. Granted, she didn't really swing that way, but she couldn't deny that this Succubus certainly knew how to get other Demon's excited.
Desiree:
Here we go, we're gonna rock 'n' roll till we stop,
And then we'll drop,
It's a squeeze, but if you just say please, then that's fine,
It'll be sublime,
The bass line cuts deeper than the sharpest stiletto,
So one, two, three, now baby, Here we goooooooooooooo,
And then it happened. With one swift pull and a bit of flourish, Desiree ripped off the overcoat, allowing everyone in the room to see what was underneath, or lack thereof, just as the lights flashed bright enough for everyone to get a good look. Beneath the coat, Desiree wore a tight pair of torn navy-coloured denim short shorts, along with a pair of thigh-high stockings, a torn-up black single shoulder top that presented a lot of cleavage, barely covering her breasts at all, and a blood-red collar with a silver bell attached to it. The moment this revealing display of an hourglass figure was revealed, the audience was driven into a total frenzy, so much so that many of the bouncers in the room had to hold some of the patrons back while the fence was raised. Even Octavia couldn't help but blush as she saw the performer's amazing figure, so much so that she had to look away even while still hearing the Succubus's voice in full swing.
Desiree:
Here we go! Here we go!
I'm your sugar-coated doll and you're my Romeo,
Here we go! Here we go!
Geek or unique, hell, get on with the show,
Here we go! Here we go!
I'm your sugar-coated doll, you're my hero,
Here we go! Here we go! Here we go!
And so the performance continued, the Succubus on stage relishing in the amount of praise she was getting from her adoring audience. Meanwhile, Shank had finally led both Octavia and Stolas up another series of steps and gestured into one of the elevated booths.
"There you go, your majesties. Please make yourselves comfortable," he said with a smile, gesturing towards the seats before calling out to someone in the bar just beneath their feet. "Hey, Bruno! Patron in booth 4!"
However, just as Shank was about to leave, instead of taking a seat in the booth like her father, Octavia quickly tapped the Clawed Demon on the shoulder to grab his attention.
"Actually, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to see Mick before you bring him here," he said, holding up Snowflake to give Shank a better view of her. "I have something of his and I think he'd very much like to have her back."
Had his claws not been in the way, Shank would have smacked his forehead in embarrassment. He didn't really want to say anything, but he didn't really pay much attention to the Kitsune in Octavia's arms when she and Stolas arrived. In fact, he actually thought she was just a stuffed animal that the Goetia was carrying around for some reason. In any case, she was a guest in his club, and therefore he was obliged to accommodate her request.
"It's no problem at all, kiddo," he said with another smile. "Just be sure to stay close, eh? Some of my patrons tend to get a little… feisty."
As if to emphasize his point, someone then suddenly tried to climb over the fence between the audience and Desiree, only to receive a terrible shock that resulted in him becoming a twitching piece of charred flesh on the floor moments later, something which Octavia was all too quick to notice.
"Duly noted," she replied, with a nod.
However, just as she was about to follow the Clawed Demon back down the steps, Octavia suddenly felt her father's hand upon her shoulder, forcing her to turn her head back for a moment to look back at his worried face.
"Via, I'm not sure if you should-" Stolas tried to protest, not liking the idea of his daughter going off in a place such as this in the slightest.
"Dad, I'll be fine," Octavia insisted, cutting her father off mid-sentence. "Besides you can see the whole room from up here."
As much as he hated to admit it, Octavia did have a point. From this elevated vantage point, Stolas was able to see almost the entire area with ease. While it was originally intended for allowing high-paying patrons to see the entire stage while the strippers danced, in this case, it allowed Stolas to keep an eye on his daughter no matter where she was in the room. Regardless, that didn't mean he had to like it.
"I assure you, sir, no harm will come to your daughter on my watch," Shank added, hoping to ease the Goetia Demon's worries as he raised one of his claws, his eyes suddenly giving off a sinister glow. "No one would even dare with ME!"
To provide a small example of what he meant, Shank then suddenly drove his claw into the table of the booth, impaling it with little to no difficulty as it suddenly began to emanate a faint blue glow as it heated up like a soldering iron and started to leave a scorch mark. Quickly apologising for his actions, the Clawed Demon then pulled out his claw and led Octavia back down the stairs and onto the main floor, leaving Stolas alone with the busboy he had just called out for… a large, beefy Jaguar Demon with a TEN-pack and clad in a kilt and a leather chest strap.
"Oh my,"
While her father was busy ordering drinks while ogling some furry eye candy at the same time, Octavia kept Snowflake close to her chest as she did her best to keep up with Shank, which was proving to be a small challenge given how crowded the room was getting. Switching her focus to her surroundings for a moment, Octavia soon began to look upon the patrons in the club, curious as to the type of Demons the Peppermint Puss accommodated too. As she had expected, there was a large assortment of perverts of both genders wanting to get a piece of the dancers to satisfy their sexual hunger. But then of course there were the more composed patrons who were content with sitting back in their chairs and enjoying themselves as if they were in any other lounge that didn't belong to a strip club. And then there were those who appeared to have little interest in the gorgeous Succubus stripping on stage, such as one particular Bat-eared Demon with pale grey skin and spiked purple hair, who was making a house of cards on his table instead of watching the show. Stranger still, when the Bat-eared Demon dropped one of his cards, he didn't even seem to care when a very attractive waitress wearing a skimpy maid-themed bikini, picked up the card and seductively placed it on her tongue for him to collect. In fact, he seemed rather annoyed by it.
"Yeah, best keep your distance, kiddo," Shank commented, quickly noticing Octavia's sudden interest in his patrons. "He's one of them cannibals who works for one of the local Overlords."
Quickly catching on to Shank's warning, which was emphasized by the toothy grin the Bat Demon was now showing off, Octavia quickly picked up the pace to make sure she didn't lose sight of the Clawed club owner. In hopes of taking her mind off that small moment of unease, she then proceeded to try and pry some information out of him, hopefully, some that will clarify what happened after she and Mick parted ways.
"So why was Mick fired, exactly?" she asked. "What did he do?"
Shank couldn't help but let out a small sigh upon hearing that.
"Nothing, really," he admitted. "It's just that, what with the Extermination and all, since we couldn't contact him for the entire day, we had to assume he was one of the fallen. As such, we had no choice but to fill his spot as soon as new applicants started appearing. You can imagine the shock we all got when he came bursting through the door the next day."
Hearing this, Octavia quickly began to understand. Just like the staff who work in her own home, there were undoubtedly many Demons who fell victim to the Exorcists and as such, any job they may have had would be up for grabs. Given that it was Hell, it was more than likely first come, first served for regular businesses such as this, so those who were still alive and employed would more than likely need to contact their workplace to let them know that their position was still taken… which would prove difficult when you disappear for a day and your Hellphone doesn't work. Letting out a small sigh, Octavia couldn't help but feel a little guilty upon realising that.
"Was this before or after he was evicted?" she asked, hoping to learn more.
"After," Shank answered. "Poor guy came in with nothing but the clothes on his back and a frown on his face. Given the circumstances, all we could really do was allow him to stay in the… personal rooms upstairs."
At those words, Octavia's face contorted with an unamused glare.
"You mean the sex dungeons?" she said bluntly, not even bothering to try acting subtle.
"Succubae have needs, kiddo," Shank replied with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders. "Even in a place that enforces the 'look but don't touch' policy, we still have to accommodate the needs of everyone."
Octavia however wasn't entirely convinced by that statement. What's more, she wasn't even convinced that Shank felt any remorse in eliminating Mick's employment if his constant grin was any indication. He probably said yes to the first pair of bouncing tits that came through the door. In any case, it won't be long until she finally reunited with the one she came here to see.
Back at the bar, both Johnny and Dominique were just catching the final part of Desiree's dance, where she was hanging upside down on the stripper pole, while drenched in water that showered her from above. While Dominique was being pretty indifferent in seeing the whole spectacle, mainly because the two Succubae were actually twins and thus all too familiar with each other's routines, Johnny, on the other hand, was left in a trance. Staring up at the stage with a goofy grin on his face, his eyes were practically glued to Desiree even as she took a bow and blew kisses to the crowd.
"Dude!" Dominique snapped, snapping her fingers in front of Johnny's face. "You're drooling!"
"Oh! Sorry, Doms," Johnny exclaimed, suddenly brought out of his lovesick stupor and wiping the saliva that leaked from the corner of his mouth off the bar.
Seeing this, the Succubus had to resist the urge to smack herself in the forehead, having seen these lovesick moments from Johnny one too many times during the years she had known him.
"Seriously Johnny, either ask my sister out or get over her," she said irritably. "Cause this whole thing you're doing is starting to get a little creepy."
"Yeah, yeah, when I'm good and ready," Johnny muttered, brushing the lecture off as he had done many times before, his face quickly softening as he looked over to the nearby lavatory door. "Hey, you think Mick's gonna be alright?"
Turning her head towards the bathroom herself, Dominique couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh as she gave some thought to her answer.
"Yeah he'll be fine," she sighed. "You know Mick. He'll bounce back like always."
"I don't know, he looked pretty broken up this time," Johnny countered with a light shrug.
"You know what always cheers ME up?" a third voice spoke up, causing the pair of them to lift up their heads and look over towards the dark grey Avian Demon in a black fedora with a heart-shaped iris in his left eye. "Laughing at other people's misfortunes!"
Needless to say, neither one of Mick's friends were the least bit amused by the Demon laughing his head off at the end of the bar. In fact, one could say they went from calm to pissed off in a matter of seconds.
"Oh piss off, Travis!" Johnny snapped, throwing his empty glass at the cackling Sinner, instantly shattering upon impacting with his head.
One smash and a yelp of pain later, the Avian was instantly knocked out, and both Johnny and Dominique were instantly relieved to have found a way to shut him up before they had to throw him out. Of course, neither one of them were aware that a certain someone had watched the whole scenario from just a few feet away.
"Business as usual I see,"
Jumping in shock, both Demons quickly turned to their right, seeing the familiar grin of their employer walking over towards them… with a young Owl Demon at his side for some reason.
"Oh, hey Shank," Johnny said, smiling a bit at his boss, "Didn't realise you were there."
"Hello my friends," Shank greeted. "Mick nearby?"
"Bathroom," Dominique replied, pointing her thumb towards the nearby door, "Poor guy had one too many Beelzejuices for comfort and is now having his guts kicked in the ass."
Cringing at the mental image the Succubus just gave her, Octavia quickly shook her head and regained her focus. Looking down at Snowflake, she couldn't help but smile as the little fox wagged both her tails and gave a playful yip. It won't be long now until she was finally reunited. And speaking of which…
"I apologise for any horrors someone's gonna face in there," Mick said as the door to the bathroom was suddenly pushed open. "You might want to call the-"
At that moment, everything in the room seemed to freeze. The music, the scenery, nothing seemed to matter the moment Mick and Octavia locked eyes. For Mick, it was as though time had completely frozen and that he and the Goetia Demon were suddenly the only people in the room. As for Octavia, the moment Mick came in through the door, she felt a light feeling in her chest, something which she could only assume was the lifting weight of relief. It was only when Mick suddenly felt a light tugging on his leg did the two finally break eye contact as the Cat Demon suddenly looked down.
"Snowflake?" he gasped.
In response to hearing her name, the Kitsune Pup bounced with joy upon the carpeted floor around Mick's legs. Seeing this, Octavia couldn't help but wonder when the little fox pulled herself free from her arms and ran over towards her master. In any case, seeing the delighted look in Mick's eyes filled her with such joy.
"SNOWFLAKE!" Mick exclaimed, falling to his knees and scooping the bouncing pup in his arms. "Oh, my baby! You're alive!"
Seeing the tears of joy welling up in Mick's mismatched eyes, the two Demons at the bar couldn't help but smile at their friend's reunion with his beloved pet, with Dominique, in particular, giving Johnny a smug look that practically said "Told ya so!" After what felt like a good few minutes of much-needed cuddling between the Cat Demon and his beloved pet, only then did Mick finally snap out of his blissful daze as he got back to his feet. Once he was able to calm himself down a little bit, he then looked back over towards his former employer, or rather the Goetia Demon he was with.
"Octavia?" he muttered. "Wha… what are you doing here?"
Octavia couldn't help but roll her eyes at that.
"By the looks of it, I'd say I'm somewhat paying off a debt I owe," she answered playfully.
However, that only confused Mick even more. Octavia brought Snowflake here? How was that even possible?
"I… I don't understand. I thought that…" he said, scratching his head, only to cut himself off mid-sentence as his brain suddenly began to put 2 and 2 together. "Deagle! That lying BITCH!"
How could he have not seen it before!? That miserable old hag always hated Snowflake ever since she found her hiding in his apartment! Undoubtedly she wanted to keep the poor thing for herself so she could put her through all kinds of torture just to satisfy her twisted sense of justice. From what Mick understood, Deagle had always hated dogs when she was alive, so being forced to have the face of one after she died only made her even crueller towards any canine she saw. Which would explain why she never rented to Hellhounds. Seeing the look of pure rage burning in Mick's eyes, Octavia thought it best to try and calm him down.
"Hey, don't go berserk on me, alright?" she said, a small smirk forming its way across her beak. "After all, you wouldn't want to shout in front of the baby, right?"
Hearing the Goetia Demon's small attempt at a joke, Mick remained silent for a brief moment, until finally he couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Nice to see you've lightened up, Octi," he said, once again using the nickname he had given her. "But seriously though, how'd you find me?"
"Believe it or not, I did pay attention," Octavia replied, the smirk never leaving her face. "After all, it's not like I was able to get you to shut up, remember?"
Sharing a small laugh, the pair of them completely ignoring the stares they were getting from both Shank and Mick's former co-workers, both Octavia and Mick felt a sense of relief that seemed all too familiar. In a way, it felt like they were back on the boat again, only this time neither of them had a lingering sense of dread that lurked in the back of their minds.
"It seems like we both have a bit to talk about, eh?" Mick asked, earning himself a small nod as he gestured a hand over towards the bar. "Fancy a drink?"
Seeing no reason to deny the offer, Octavia once again smiled as she walked up to the bar and allowed the Cat Demon to sit next to her and order a drink of her choice. After all, there was another reason she wanted to come here aside from a simple reunion, something which she had been thinking over long and hard for quite some time now.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
The Featured Song: Here we Go - Sung by Girls Aloud.
A Special shoutout to Lord-Zepplin and the Debut of his Original Character, Johnny the Snake Demon