To say that the home of the Goetia family was in complete and utter chaos was FAR from being an understatement at this very moment. Not since Stella chased Mick down with a crossbow after discovering him in her bath did the whole house feel like such a war zone. Once the Chef's bellows of a Cherub swarming around the corridors reached their ears, almost every single member of the current staff was on alert, each of them either choosing to hide or join in on the hunt.
As for Wimzy herself, she was currently having a terrible time trying and failing to give the Chef the slip. No matter which corridor she flew through or which turn she made, the large Sinner always seemed to be too close for comfort. She did get lucky only once when the Chef managed to close the gap, only for him to suddenly slam into the wall as soon as Wimzy rounded a corner, sliding him down long enough for the Cherub to pick up the pace and gain some distance again.
Meanwhile Mick, Linda and Snowflake continued their own pursuit of the two as they followed both Snowflake's nose and the Chef's trail of destruction, though neither of them seemed to be able to catch up for the time being, even with Mick's cat-like reflexes aiding their task. It was almost as if the Chef and Wimzy were both being nitro-fueled!
"This is SO not how I imagined this day ending!" Mick snapped, understandably peeved over how badly things were going since he brought Wimzy home.
At that moment, Linda gasped as she and the others suddenly caught a glimpse of the Chef just before he rounded one particular corner.
"They're heading for the East Wing!" she cried out, giving Mick cause to nod as an idea suddenly popped into his head.
"You and Snowy stay on them," he instructed the young Imp as they suddenly reached a fork in the corridors. "I'm going to circle around and cut them off!"
Trusting Mick's judgment, Linda and Snowflake immediately nodded in agreement.
"Right!" Linda declared as she and Snowflake ran down one corridor, while Mick broke away from them and ran down another.
After working in this house for these last few months, Mick practically had a rough layout of the mansion memorized in his head by now. As such, he knew every other corridor in the East Wing had a small staircase for servants that led them to an upper floor, even if one seemed to come to a dead end. With that in mind, all he had to do was find one of those staircases, head on to the upper floor, and run ahead of the Chef before coming down a second staircase and cutting him off… However, while this was a good plan in theory, the Sinner didn't account for a certain someone tailing him through the chase.
"Excuse me!" he heard, much to his horror. "Mick?"
Sure enough, as soon as he turned his head to look over his shoulder, Mick was faced with the image of none other than Clara following after him… and surprisingly keeping a good pace on top of that! Seeing the determination in her eyes as she stared hard in his direction, every instinct in Mick's body told him that there was only one natural response to this particular Demon calling for his attention… run the FUCK away!
"Sorry, no time!" he quickly bellowed, instantly picking up the pace and lengthening the gap between him and Clara, much to the latter's shock and irritation.
Alas, Mick completely underestimated Clara's resolve. After waiting for so long to see him, she was NOT going to give up now!
"Hey, hang on!" she cried out, also picking up the pace in an attempt to close the gap. "Mick, wait! WAIT, DAMN IT!"
But no matter how many times she called out to him, Mick refused to reply. Even as she continued to follow him through the corridors, nothing seemed to grab his attention, or at the very least, that's what he was trying to pretend. Eventually, however, Clara's patience finally started to wane, causing her to grit her teeth with irritation. And then… she finally said a word that sent a shock to the Sinner's very core.
"NICKY!"
The instant Mick heard his original name escape Clara's lips, he finally skidded to a halt, the mere shock suddenly causing his legs to seize up and freeze in place. With a cold sweat running down the brow of his mask, he reluctantly and shakily turned around and finally looked Clara in the eye before he spoke.
"Wha… What did you say?" he managed to force out, his breath practically freezing in his throat.
Glad to have finally been heard by the Demon she had been determined to see, Clara couldn't help but smirk as she sighed in relief.
"You heard me… Nick Michaelakos!"
She knew… she fucking KNEW who he really was! Of all people to discover the truth, why did it have to be HER!? And why did it have to be NOW of all times!? At that moment, Mick could practically feel the cold sweat oozing from his brow and dripping from the chin of his mask. If there was anything that could make things any worse than they already were, he dreaded to think what it could be!
"Mick?"
And THERE it is!
"Ffffffuck,"
That was about the only word Mick managed to blurt out before he fearfully turned his head and saw a confused-looking Octavia looking back at him. Of all places Clara could have shouted his real name, it just HAD to be the corridor connecting to the Goetia Princess's bedroom, didn't it!? Worse still, judging from the expression on Octavia's face, she must have heard EVERYTHING that came out of the horned canine's mouth.
SMASH!
Suddenly, Mick was snapped out of his stupor by the sound of something breaking in a different part of the house, leading him to make a swift and hasty decision… run away!
"Talk later!" he blurted out, once again bolting down the corridor as quick as a flash, leaving Octavia and Clara in the dust.
However, neither the barmaid nor the Goetia Princess were going to let Mick get away that easily. Before she even realized it, Octavia had inadvertently joined in the chase, both she and Clara running after Mick as fast as their legs could carry them. Thankfully, as Mick rounded a corner, he slowed down just enough for the two girls to catch up to him, albeit for just a brief moment long enough for Octavia to speak her mind.
"Wait, so you DO know her!?" she blurted out in the Cat Demon's ear, remembering their last conversation on the matter back at the Triton Resort. "Why the hell did she call you-"
"Long story!" Mick cried, instantly cutting Octavia off before she could say another word. "Can't talk now!"
At those words, Mick quickly picked up the pace once more, leaving Octavia and Clara behind as he rounded another corner. At that point, the built-up fatigue eventually caught up to the two girls, forcing them to stop and catch their breath.
"How… can one guy… have so much stamina!?" Octavia thought aloud between heavy breathing as she leaned up against the wall to support herself.
"Years of running and fighting no doubt," Clara commented, bracing herself on her knees. "Good to see you again, by the way."
"Likewise," Octavia replied with a small smile, she may not have known her long, but it was hard to forget such a friendly face after they served you a good drink and shared a decent conversation. "So… uh, what's the deal with you and Mick?"
Hearing that, Clara let out a small exasperated sigh as she eventually straightened herself up.
"It's… complicated," she answered honestly. "Let's just say he and I go way back."
Needless to say, that revelation gave Octavia cause to gasp.
"Wait, really!?" she blurted out. "He never said anything,"
Unsurprisingly, Clara merely rolled her eyes at such a statement.
"No surprise there, considering how I thought he was double-dead for the last SEVEN YEARS!" Clara replied, emphasizing the last two words with such a high volume that it was as though she were making sure Mick heard it no matter where he went.
Hearing that, it didn't take long for Octavia to begin piecing the information together in her head. The way Mick reacted upon first seeing Clara at the poolside bar, how he tried to avoid the questions when Octavia had asked him about it later that day, and now how he was trying once AGAIN to avoid both the subject and the person it centred around. Just what the fuck happened between these two that made him react like this!?
"Okay, Mick DEFINITELY owes us both some answers!" the Goetia Princess soon declared, sharing a nod with Clara before they both once again gave chase.
Meanwhile, in a different part of the house, Buzz suddenly burst out of one of the wall vents with a manic grin on his face. Being so small, he was able to use the ventilation system much quicker than Linda ever could. As such, even while carrying a shovel, he was able to use it to his advantage and quickly make his way to a certain part of the house before Wimzy and the Chef could reach it… the perfect spot for a trap.
Hiding himself behind the only corner of that particular corner, Buzz stood perched on one of the display tables that held many of Stolas's potted plants and raised his shovel high above his head. Lying in wait, he tried desperately to keep himself from snickering as he waited for his potential victim. Just one good swing, and he'll be able to send that Angel flying like a softball!
"GAAH!"
CRASH!
Soon enough, he heard the loud noises of the chase heading his way, making his grin spread even wider.
"That's it…" he muttered under his breath. "Just a little closer and…"
CLANG!
Feeling the impact shaking his arms after taking the swing, the deranged Gardener immediately cheered in delight.
"YEAH!" he screamed. "Home run, baby! Suck on that, you cloud-sniffing, Halo-polishing-"
However, Buzz's words immediately froze in his throat as soon as he looked upon the shovel's metal spade… and saw a large dent in the shape of the Chef's face… his very… VERY… angry face!
Gulping in fear, Buzz slowly turned his head, hoping he was in the middle of a bad dream. Alas, the moment he looked up, there he was… now sporting a red, swollen nose, thus confirming the cause for Buzz's terror. Not only that, but the target he DID intend to get seemed to be currently flying away in a different direction! So basically, not only did he miss the Cherub, but he also got the CHEF in the face! Perhaps he really should have looked where he was swinging?
"Hehe… oops?" he eventually squeaked, bashfully hiding the shovel behind his back to no avail.
That one word was about all Buzz was allowed to say before a large hand suddenly grabbed him by the throat and tossed him through the nearby window.
SMASH!
"EEEEEEEEEEEEHEEHEEHAHOOEEE!"
As for Wimzy, all she could do at this moment was continue her attempt to flee. Now that she had temporarily managed to give the Chef the slip, her best course of action was to find an exit and disappear before there was any more trouble. Fortunately, her luck seemed to make a good turn when out of the corner of her eye, she spotted exactly what she was looking for… an open window with no one guarding it!
With the need for subtlety long gone, the little Cherub zoomed towards the window as fast as her little wings could carry her, the sweet cry of escape practically screaming in her ear… if only things could ever be so simple.
"Hello, cutie."
All of a sudden Wimzy found herself coming to a halt when Jewel suddenly stepped out from behind a curtain and blocked her path to the window with a flirtatious smirk across her lips. Then things suddenly went from bad to worse when a large fishing net suddenly came swinging down, scooping Wimzy up like a freshly caught trout.
"GOTCHA!"
As it turns out, Wimzy had fallen hook line and sinker into a trap set up by Jewel and Jessie. While the Cherub was baited with the open window, Jewel would block her path to distract her long enough for Jessie to scoop her up in the fishing net. A simple plan, but effective nonetheless.
"Huh… so this is what an Angel looks like up close?" Jessie commented, closing off the top of the net with her fist and bringing it up to her face to take a closer look at her catch. "All this fuss over something so… small."
Unfortunately for the Hellhound, taking a closer look turned out to be a big mistake. While Wimzy tried ignoring the stink of cigarette smoke she could smell from Jessie's breath, her first instinct was to break out of the net by any means necessary. Luckily for her, she still had the mixing spoon in her hand ever since she left the kitchen. She didn't know why, but for some reason, the little Cherub just kept hanging onto it rather than tossing it aside. Either way, it provided Wimzy with the perfect tool to make her escape at that very moment. With a swift thrust, she poked the narrower end of the spoon through the holes of the net and shoved right into the Hellhound's sensitive black nose.
"OW!" Jessie yelped, instantly dropping the net and snapping both hands to her muzzle. "My hooter!"
"Jess!" Jewel exclaimed, rushing over to her friend's side.
Seizing her chance, Wimzy quickly pulled herself free from the net before it even hit the floor and dashed straight towards the window. While it may have started out as a trap, she nonetheless managed to turn the bait into the perfect opportunity for her escape while leaving her supposed captors in the dust.
"Fuck!" Jessie snapped, shooting an irritated glare at the Cherub as she finally made it outside.
Upon reaching a certain altitude in the air, Wimzy eventually slowed down before coming to a stop. Hovering at least a story over the Goetias' back garden, she finally felt like she could take a moment to catch her breath and try to formulate a new plan of action. However, the latter was proving um be quite difficult due to how frazzled she was from the chase. Thankfully, as long as she was this high up in the air, there wasn't anything the Demons chasing her could do about it, so she SHOULD have some time to think of something. After all, it wasn't as if any of these particular Demons could fly… right?
"YOU!"
Instinctively freezing in fear, Wimzy barely had any time to react before a large mass known as the Chef suddenly burst through the double doors on one of the upper floors and JUMPED right off the balcony. Before she even had the chance to fly away, the Cherub was suddenly grabbed by the tail with one hand and instantly pulled downward as the Chef plummeted towards the ground, crashing straight into the back garden and leaving a small dust cloud.
When the dust eventually cleared, the Chef, appearing relatively unharmed despite the fall, save for the large bruise on his nose that Buzz gave him, stood in a small crater of his own making, glaring straight into Wimzy's very soul as she held her upside down by her tail, a small flicker of fire escaping the corners of his mouth due to his intense rage. This was it… no escaping this time!
"Now, listen here you little powderpuffed interloper!" the large Sinner snarled, feeling the need to first say his piece before the inevitable maiming that was to come.
"L-Listening!" Wimzy whimpered, practically shaking in the large Sinner's grasp and not knowing what else she could do aside from giving him a response.
"NO ONE interferes with MY food," the Chef continued, tightening his grip on Wimzy's tail.
"Got it!" Wimzy quickly replied, instantly regretting her actions in the kitchen.
"NO ONE trespasses in MY kitchen," the Chef added, increasing Wimzy's regret even further.
"Understood!" she blurted out with a fast nod.
"And no one… NO ONE joins me in a Musical Number!" the Chef snarled, seeming to be particularly furious with that last detail alone.
"No singing!" Wimzy swiftly answered back, this time shaking her head with gusto.
And then the Chef decided to drive his point home by lifting Wimzy a little higher and leaning in close so that he could whisper a small growl into her ear.
"Now, little lady, here's what we're going to do…" he said, his lowered voice causing every fibre of fur on Wimzy's body to stand on end.
"Y-yes?" Wimzy responded, her heart racing at least ten times faster than normal as her fear skyrocketed.
"You and I are going back to the kitchen to put things right," the Chef continued, adding confusion to the Cherub's surge of current emotions before really driving in the dagger. "Tonight's dessert… Angel Sorbet!"
Holy shit! He really WAS going to cook her! The instant that particular thought rushed into Wimzy's head, her survival instincts immediately kicked in. As such, her first response was to snap her eyes closed and basically thrash like a frightened animal!
"GAH, PLEASE, NOT THAT!" she yelled, flopping about like a fish in the Chef's grip, swinging the mixing spoon in her hand as if it were a defensive weapon until…
SQUELCH!
Suddenly feeling the spoon freeze in place, Wimzy peeked open one eye and found herself gasping in further shock. In her frantic state, she had somehow managed to shove the end of the utensil into the Chef's mouth, almost making it look as though she were feeding him like a baby! At first, she believed that she had basically signed her own death warrant, her whole body again trembling with terror… and yet… the Chef didn't even move a muscle for a good minute once the spoon entered his mouth, his eyes wide open with a strange look of awe and wonder.
As it turned out, the spoon Wimzy had been carrying all this time still had some of the mixture the little Cherub had been stirring up in the kitchen earlier smeared all over it… and right now, the Chef was currently tasting the end result. Though why it caused him to suddenly freeze in place, Wimzy couldn't possibly fathom. Eventually, the spoon was yanked out of Wimzy's grasp, allowing the Chef to pull it out of his mouth and lick his lips. To the Cherub's further surprise, she was then turned right side up, now being held by the front of her clothes and was once again met with the Chef's hardened gaze.
"What is this?" he growled, his tone somewhat softened due to a sudden surge of curiosity.
Fearing what may happen if she refused to answer, Wimzy could only gulp and speak up.
"It's… it's V-Vanilla Buttercream," she said, guessing that was what the Chef was referring to when he gestured to the now-clean spoon in his other hand.
"Buttercream?" the Chef repeated, sounding genuinely surprised as he once again licked his lips in an attempt to get a second taste to be sure.
Wimzy, of course, nodded in confirmation.
"I… I know it's not what you originally made but-" she tried to say, hoping to earn some form of leniency by attempting to explain herself, only to suddenly be cut off mid-sentence.
"YOU made this!?" the Chef all but demanded, bringing the Cherub closer to his face, as if checking her expression for even the smallest hint of a lie.
"Y-yes?" Wimzy confirmed with a nod and a whimper, understandably confused about what was happening when she saw the Chef's sudden look of intrigue once she gave her answer.
"CHEF!"
Suddenly, the interrupting sound of Linda's screams drew both Wimzy's and the Chef's attention up to the balcony the latter just jumped from. There, they saw the Imp herself struggling to catch her breath as she and Snowflake looked back down at them from the railing. Upon seeing Wimzy unharmed for the time being, Linda could only let out a sigh of relief. About a moment later, Mick suddenly came running out onto the very same balcony, his eyes filled with frustration over how he was unable to cut the Chef off in time, though he was no less relieved than Linda was upon seeing Wimzy was still alive and well.
"Oh thank Lucifer, you didn't kill her," he blurted out, unable to keep his thoughts to himself as the fatigue forced him to drop his forehead to the edge of the railing.
And then… the Chef gave them the most unexpected reply anyone within earshot could ever expect from him.
"Why would I kill her?" he said, instantly making Mick and Linda's heads perk up. "She's too valuable an asset."
…
"Beg your pardon?" Mick uttered, his eyes filled with shock over how quickly and unexpectedly the Chef appeared to change his tune.
At that moment, the audience to the Chef's sudden change of heart quickly grew when Octavia and Clara suddenly came running out onto the balcony with Mick, Linda and Snowflake, while Jessie and Jewel poked their heads out of the same window Wimzy flew out of. At the same time, Buzz came staggering out of the nearby bushes with a dazed look and tiny shards of glass sticking out of his backside. With so many witnesses surrounding them, the Chef and Wimzy gave each other an inquisitive look before the former held the latter by the back of her dress and raised her up for all to see.
"Alright, listen up ya yella-belly bilgerats!" he called out, mostly addressing the staff more than he was to Octavia and Clara. "This Cherub is now under MY supervision! Anyone who touches a feather or hair in her head… will answer to me… got it!?"
"Say what now!?" Wimzy squealed, understandably confused over what was happening at that moment.
Needless to say, this sudden turn came as a surprise to everyone bearing witness to this display. First, the Chef wanted to kill Wimzy and now he wanted to KEEP her!? Of course, no member of staff had ANY kind of response to give aside from allowing their jaws to simultaneously drop due to the shock, while the Chef himself couldn't care less even if they DID have anything to say. As far as the larger Sinner was concerned, his decision was final.
"What the fuck did we just walk into?" Mick uttered, still trying to fathom everything that was going on.
"I… don't know," Linda answered honestly with Snowflake nodding in agreement.
As confusing as Chef's decision was, however, Mick nevertheless had cause to sigh in relief. Now that the Chef wasn't chasing Winzy anymore, things may very well calm down a bit. Of course… there was still the matter of Clara to deal with, but perhaps now he had a chance to think, Mick could try to formulate an idea to handle said matter. For now, though, at least the crisis seemed to be over.
"What the FUCK happened to my garden!?"
Aaaaaaaand so begins another one! Quickly directing their attention to the nearby patio, everyone saw none other than Prince Stolas himself gaping at the scene with both his left eyes twitching, horrified by the image of the large crater now embedded in his lawn thanks to the Chef's flight off the balcony. Looking from the damage to the garden and the injuries to the staff to the mixed looks of guilt and sheepishness on everyone's faces, Stolas let out an exasperated growl and said the three words that sent a shiver down everyone's spine.
"House Meeting… NOW!"
Soon finding themselves all in the foyer once more, every member of staff, along with Snowflake, Octavia and Clara all stood in a line in front of the stairs, each and every one of them looking more anxious than they had been in ages. Even Pringles, who now sported a bruised forehead and two black eyes thanks to the Chef's rampage, stood among them, still trying to keep his composure regardless of the pain he was in. Of course, what made everyone nervous most of all was the eerie silence that fell over the foyer as they all waited to be addressed by the Demon who called for the meeting. In fact, it was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop from the far end of the room… that is until Buzz decided to open his mouth.
"Well… this is awkward,"
"SHUT UP, BUZZ!"
Upon hearing everyone else snap at him all at once, the Gardener immediately flinched with a yelp, making it pretty obvious that no one was currently in the mood for jokes. However, some were still confused.
"Why am I even here!?" Clara blurted out, having been dragged in line with the others due to being caught up in the moment.
"Trust me, it's best if you just go with it," Octavia commented, immediately silencing her fellow Goetia.
Seeing Octavia and Clara stand side by side to his right, Mick quickly began to feel the lump in his throat grow as certain thoughts began to rush through his mind. What the FUCK was he going to say now!? After he and Octavia got back to Hell, the original plan was to wait until things calmed down and then explain everything, including his connection with Clara at a later time. But now? Clara's in the mansion, Wimzy's presence has caused an uproar and there's a high probability that Mick was going to be fired… AGAIN!
That being said, as soon as he and the others saw Prince Stolas make his appearance, pacing in front of them with his hands behind his back like a general who was about to address his soldiers, that sense of anxiety immediately skyrocketed.
"Breaking demon law… severe property damage… grievous bodily harm to fellow members of staff," the Goetia Prince listed off looking over to Mick, Linda and the Chef respectively before gesturing to Buzz and Pringles's injuries. "I think it's sufficient to say that this ENTIRE day has been one massive shit show, don't you think?"
"Yes sir," all the Staff replied simultaneously.
"Though to be fair, the property damage was mostly on YOU," Buzz pointed out as he pointed to the now-repaired wall… on to receive a smack across the head from the Demon next to him and a terrifying glare from the Prince himself.
…
"I'll be quiet,"
A good choice on Buzz's part. It usually happens on a VERY rare occasion, but NO ONE was stupid enough to push a Goetia's temper whenever they're upset or angry, and right now, after all the built-up stress of that one day, walking on eggshells was the least of their concerns at that moment.
"And then, of course, there's THIS!" Stolas declared suddenly pulling Wimzy out from behind his back and holding her by the back of her dress for all to see.
"Uh… is it too late to go back to L.A.?" the Cherub whimpered, her words falling upon deaf ears as Stolas eyed two Demons in particular.
"Michael, Linda, step forward please."
At those words, both individuals gulped and complied with the Goetia's request. Feeling all four of Stolas's eyes glaring down on them, both Mick and Linda felt beads of sweat starting to run down their brows as they both awaited the inevitable.
"Now, I don't know what was going through your heads at the time you came up with such a ridiculous idea, but going behind my back to bring this… Angel into my house is certainly pushing the boundaries of my trust." Stolas eventually stated, causing both of them to cringe in a mixture of fear and regret.
"Yes sir," they both replied simultaneously, neither one of them having the courage or the stupidity to try to argue.
"And of course, you also realise that such an act would give me adequate cause to fire you BOTH on the spot?" Stolas continued, this time receiving fearful nods from the pair in response.
Hearing that, however, Octavia immediately started to panic for her two friends and quickly stepped forward to say her piece.
"Dad, wait!" she exclaimed. "Don't-"
"BUT… I'm not going to."
…
"Wait, what?"
"WHAT!?"
Needless to say, Octavia was immediately taken aback by the conclusion of her father's statement, as were the rest of the Demons in the room, though surprisingly, none seemed to be more shocked by the Goetia's words than Pringles was if his small outburst was anything to go by. The Goetia Prince's words, however, did give the guilty pair enough of a push to look at each other in confusion before speaking up.
"Y-you're not?" Linda asked, her tone unsurprisingly confused.
"Now don't get me wrong, had I been any other member of Demon Royalty, the pair of you would more than likely be a pile of ashes by now," Stolas elaborated, instantly sending a shiver down Mick and Linda's spine and giving Snowflake cause to whimper like a puppy. "BUT, regardless of not knowing the full details just yet, I'd like to believe that I know you both well enough to realise that you wouldn't have done such a thing without a good reason. So until I hear a full explanation, my decision on the matter remains in the air."
Upon hearing that, both Mick and Linda felt a small surge of relief. After the former mentioned the word Cherub in Stolas's office earlier, he didn't really get much of a chance to explain the full details before the Prince stormed out. Thankfully, if there was one good thing about working for this particular Goetia, it's that he was far more reasonable than any of the others once he was given the chance to calm down.
Seeing her friends in such a terrifying situation, however, Wimzy immediately felt a surge of guilt rushing over her, along with a great heap of regret. All she wanted was to find a place where she could stay with her friends and now those friends were going to pay for her mistake because she practically guilted them into a selfish desire. With that in mind, the little Cherub couldn't remain silent any longer.
"Um… excuse me… Y-your Majesty?" she said, her voice soft yet still audible.
Thankfully, Stolas wasn't so cruel that he would ignore the voice of the creature in his grasp. As such, as soon as she opened her mouth, all four of his eyes fixed on her.
"Hmm?" he uttered, lifting Wimzy up a little higher so they were both at eye level.
"P-please don't blame Mick and Linda for the trouble I caused, sir!" the Cherub practically begged, pulling out every remaining trace of confidence she had left just to speak to the Goetia directly. "They were only trying to be kind to me. I practically begged them for me to stay here. Plus, technically, it WAS an accident that I'm in Hell to begin with."
In response, Stolas merely raised an eyebrow.
"Is that so?" he asked, sounding unconvinced by the Angel's pleas.
Seeing that Stolas clearly wasn't going to take her word for it, Wimzy immediately decided there and then to pull out the big guns. Pulling down the neckline of her clothes, she swiftly displayed the one thing that could hopefully validate her explanation.
"I swear, I'm not lying!" she declared, making sure her crest was in full display. "I literally CAN'T lie, see?
As luck would have it, the golden mark on Wimzy's chest quickly put an expression of recognition on Stolas's face.
"An Honesty Crest?" he thought aloud, instantly taking note of the look of relief that suddenly formed on Wimzy's face. "How… intriguing. I've only ever seen such things in a small number of my books. That being said, accidentally or not, why would you even WANT to stay here? You can clearly see that this isn't the crossroads to the pearly gates, yes?"
At those words, Wimzy immediately hung her head and twiddled her fingers, suddenly feeling more sheepish than afraid at that moment.
"I… I was hoping I could get a job here?" she answered honestly, bringing a fresh look of surprise to the Goetia Prince's face.
"A job?" he repeated, once again in disbelief but giving Wimzy a chance to elaborate.
"I'm… not really welcome back in Heaven so… I don't have anywhere else to go," she explained. "And Mick and Liddy kept saying how much they loved working here and how you were so kind to them, I just thought that… well…"
Granted, that last bit was more of an attempt to butter the Prince up a bit, but nonetheless, the Cherub's words remained true and gave Stolas cause to tap his chin in thought.
"I see…" he uttered, looking between the Cherub in his grip and the two sheepish-looking Demons responsible for her arrival.
Thinking hard about the situation at hand, Stolas had to admit this was one scenario he never would have thought he'd have to encounter as a Prince of Hell. That being said, it certainly was a fascinating concept, regardless of the circumstances behind it. Before he or anyone else could say something in response to Wimzy's pleas, however, the room echoed with a light scoff, courtesy of the resident Butler.
"You honestly expect a Prince of The Ars Goetia to give employment to an ANGEL!?" Pringles all but laughed, breaking his otherwise stoic demeanour in favour of mild amusement. "The very idea is simply ludicrous! And I daresay that Heaven must have some poor standards if their own citizens believe that-"
"Ahem!" Stolas snapped, clearly annoyed by his Butler's declaration. "I can speak for myself, thank you very much."
Quickly realising that he spoke out of turn, Pringles immediately cleared his throat and sheepishly took a step back.
"My apologies, sir," he said, bowing his head.
Taking a glance at the Butler in question, many of the other Staff members could only suspect that his sudden shift in persona was a result of the injuries he recently sustained. Hell, if anyone else were given two black eyes at once, they'd probably be a little catty too. In any case, given the look of intrigue on Stolas's face, it was clear to Mick that there was a good possibility that he may actually consider the idea of Wimzy working for him… all the Prince needed was one little push.
"Uh… Permission to speak, sir?" the Cat Demon spoke up, quickly grabbing the Prince's attention.
"Granted," Stolas replied, taking his eyes off Wimzy for a brief moment and shifting his attention to Mick.
"Okay… I know the idea of an Angel working under a member of Demon Royalty is absolutely insane," Mick began, giving Pringles cause to roll his eyes. "But before you decide on anything, you should know that Wimzy here played a big role in our search for Princess Octavia today. Frankly, sir, if it wasn't for Wimzy, we may not have found her."
Needless to say, hearing such a statement surprised almost everyone in the room, particularly Stolas and Octavia herself. Though now that she thought about it, she did remember catching a glimpse of something pink and fluffy falling into the portal with Linda when Mick threw Snowflake over to her. At the time, she clearly had other things on her mind, and even when she made her way home, she didn't even give it a second thought, but now that Mick has laid more of the details out in the open, she couldn't help but feel a little intrigued herself. Of course, Stolas was the only one to actually say anything about it.
"YOU helped in finding my daughter?" he asked, once again bringing Wimzy to his eye level.
"Y-yes sir," Wimzy replied without any hesitation. "A-and might I say she's quite lovely too. You must be so proud!"
…
"Too much?" Wimzy asked, sheepishly taking note of Stolas's raised eyebrow.
"A little," the Goetia replied bluntly, causing Wimzy to let out a nervous chuckle.
With this new info in mind, Stolas remained silent for a good minute or two, clearly going deep in thought and putting everyone on the edge. Taking everything he had learned into consideration, eventually, he let out a low sigh and placed Wimzy on the floor, allowing her to look up at him and feel intimidated by their vast height difference.
"Very well," the Goetia Prince said, quickly grabbing everyone's undivided attention. "Since I consider myself a Demon who prefers to settle his debts rather than let them go unpaid, I feel like it is only right to offer… an olive branch as it were."
Hearing that, Wimzy's eyes immediately grew wide like dinner plates as a small sliver of hope began to grow within her.
"Y-you mean…?" she uttered, praying that Stolas was about to say what she hoped for.
"Despite my hesitation… you may stay, little Cherub."
The instant those words left Stolas's beak, Wimzy's grin spread wide and she practically bounced around the floor like a happy chihuahua.
"YAAAAY!" she cried out, suddenly flying off the floor and tackling Stolas's face in a tight hug. "Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"
"AHEM!"
Only when Stolas quickly voiced his obvious discomfort did Wimzy then realise her blunder and suddenly pull herself away from the Prince's annoyed face, a deep blush spreading across her embarrassed face.
"Hehe… sorry," she sheepishly squeaked, giving Stolas cause to let out an exasperated sigh.
"Please… DON'T make me regret this," he said firmly, earning a serious nod and a playful salute from the Cherub for his trouble.
Needless to say, this decision came as a surprise for pretty much every member of the staff, with Jewel and Jessie, in particular, dropping their jaws to the floor and Buzz snickering in delight at the thought of the inevitable mayhem such a decision would bring about. However, no one seemed to be more shocked than the resident Butler, who, of course, had to voice his objection to the idea.
"B-but sir…" he tried to say, only to be immediately cut off by the Goetia Prince before he could utter another word that would contradict him.
"It is DECIDED!"
Sadly unable to even give an argument, Pringles merely let out a frustrated huff and simply remained silent after that, though not without a sour look on his usually stoic face. With his decision all but cemented, Stolas then turned towards Mick and Linda, who immediately stood at attention the instant his gaze fixated in their direction.
"As for you two," he said, his tone hard enough to quickly put the pair of them back on edge. "While I won't be firing either of you, I WILL be putting you both on probation until further notice and docking a month's pay for the damages to my home… That goes for you too, Chef.
All things considered, that kind of punishment for what transpired this evening was practically just getting a slap on the wrist compared to the nightmare of an alternate. As such, both Mick and Linda quickly bowed their heads and accepted the penalty without question.
"Understood, sir," they both replied simultaneously.
Even the Chef, inwardly admitting his own role in the chaos, graciously and silently acknowledged the punishment without question. Besides, in his eyes, what he was about to gain far exceeded the value of mere money.
"Now then, all that is left now is to decide where we're going to put you," Stolas continued, looking towards the newly employed Cherb while tapping his chin, only for the Chef to suddenly speak up and derail his train of thought.
"There be no need for that, my Prince," the large crustacean declared. "I'LL take her."
Needless to say; the moment those words left the Chef's mouth, everyone within earshot basically had the same reaction.
"YOU!?"
First, the Chef wanted to kill Wimzy, and now he wants to take her under his wing!? Just what the hell was going on!? Even Wimzy herself was completely baffled by the decision… though given how much she was shaking, she was more scared than anything else.
"May I ask, what brought this decision on, Chef?" Stolas asked after clearing his throat, instantly voicing everyone's confusion with one simple question.
Then Chef just had to give the most vague and unnerving answer he could muster.
"Let's just say I see a certain… potential for this little one," he said with a smirk, the look in his eyes instantly sending a shiver down the little Cherub's spine.
Of course, what scared Wimzy more was the reply Stolas chose to give in response.
"Hmm… very well," he said, once again addressing the little Cherub directly. "Miss… Wimzy was it? From this day onward, you will be working in the kitchen downstairs… under Chef's supervision."
The moment Stolas spoke those words, Wimzy instantly looked over to the chef, who in turn just gave her an evil-looking grin and a creepy wave… almost as if he were giving her a small warning of the horrors that were about to head her way… all of a sudden this job offer was starting to feel more like a punishment.
"Now then, I believe we've all had enough excitement for one day," Stolas finally declared, this time addressing everyone in the room. "All of you are dismissed!"
With permission given, every member of staff sighed in relief and began to disperse, though not before Stolas gave the Chef one final instruction.
"Chef, would you be so kind as to show our new employee to the Servant's Quarters?" he said, earning a nod from the large Sinner in response. "As I recall, Buzz is still looking for a new roommate is he not?"
Hearing that, the deranged Gardener himself suddenly had a shit-eating grin on his face and rubbed his hands together in a menacing manner.
"Ooh, goody!" he snickered.
Watching Wimzy get pulled away by the back of her clothes by the larger Sinner, a fresh surge of guilt spread between Mick, Linda and Snowflake, all three of them having a STRONG idea of what Wimzy was in for tonight… oh, that poor innocent girl.
"Help me…"
That was the last thing Wimzy would squeak out in a quiet voice before the Chef pulled her towards the front door, slamming it shut behind them. Immediately after, Stolas cleared his throat, gaining the attention of his Butler.
"Do remind me to get that elevator fixed first thing tomorrow," he said, followed by a soft sigh.
However, rather than just following the instruction and carrying on as normal, the current situation had left Pringles so completely dumbfounded that he NEEDED to make his opinion on it known.
"I dare not question your judgment, sir," he said, giving Stolas cause to raise an eyebrow. "But is it really wise to put a Cherub to work near the food?"
Of course, Stolas was quick to brush off the concerns in the form of a brief elaboration, not currently feeling in the mood to further explain himself.
"The Chef won't have any trouble keeping an eye on her," he stated firmly, exhaustively making his way over to the stairs. "Besides, keeping her down in the kitchen will be beneficial for both her safety AND ours. As the saying goes: 'Out of sight, out of mind'"
As unsatisfactory as that answer was, the Butler nonetheless let out a defeated sigh, quickly realising that there was no changing the Prince's mind now.
"U-understood, sir," he forced out, though clearly still disappointed with the overall conclusion to this matter.
With that final note, Pringles reluctantly walked away from the others and left the foyer, more than likely to find another ice pack for his eyes. Just as he started making his way upstairs, however, Stolas turned his head back around 180 degrees and gave Mick one final glance.
"Oh, but before YOU go anywhere, Michael… I believe you have a guest to attend to," he said, turning his head back around and making his way upstairs, too physically and mentally exhausted to even care what happens now.
Before long, only Mick, Linda, Snowflake and Octavia remained in the foyer, along with Clara, who looked annoyed, to say the least, given the way she was crossing her arms and giving Mick a hard glare. Looking between her and his friends, a lump immediately began to form in the Sinner's throat.
This was it… no turning back now. No more running. No more hiding. Finally, after seven years of avoiding even the memories of what happened… It was time to face his past and let the WHOLE truth come out. Taking one more look at Octavia, who in turn gave him a small nod in return, the Sinner eventually took in one big cleansing breath and stepped closer towards the horned canine.
"Listen… Clara-"
CRUNCH!
"EIHEEEEEEE!"
Alas, as per his usual misfortune, nothing was ever going to go that smoothly. The instant he even tried to open his mouth to speak to the woman of his past, he only ended up being kicked HARD between his legs and collapsing to the floor for his efforts, giving him yet another horrible feeling of Deja Vu and leaving everyone witnessing to cringe in response.
"Oh yeah," Linda commented sarcastically, sharing a nod with Snowflake. "This is gonna end well…"