"MICK!" Octavia cried out, quickly rushing to the downed Sinner's side with Linda and Snowflake in tow. "Are you okay!?"
That was pretty much the most appropriate reaction to seeing the guy she loved suddenly get kicked in the balls and collapse to the floor. Thankfully, Mick wasn't in too much shock to let out a few words as he tried desperately to sit himself back up.
"In pain," he painfully admitted, gasping as he instinctively covered his groin and looked up at the one who kicked him. "Though none of it is undeserved given the circumstances."
Before Octavia could even ask Mick to elaborate, Clara then immediately cut her off with a furious stomp of her foot.
"Damn right, you deserve it!" she snapped, her emotions running high as Octavia helped Mick back to his feet. "The fuck, man!? Where the hell have you been all these years!?"
"I-" Mick tried to say, only for Clara to immediately cut him off too.
"You know what? Don't answer that, I actually don't care!" she bellowed, allowing her pent-up anger to have full rein for the occasion. "Do you have ANY idea of what you put me through when you left!?"
At that point, Mick managed to straighten himself up and narrow his eyes at the former Demon Noble.
"You think I WANTED to leave!?" he snapped, ignoring the pain in his crotch long enough to make some form of defence against Clara's words,
"Of course, I don't!" Clara blurted out, giving everyone in the room a cause to raise an eyebrow. "You're too nice to hurt me on purpose! But just because I missed you, doesn't mean I'm not mad at you!"
"I missed you too, you little brat!"
The moment those words left the Cat Demon's mouth, all signs of anger seemed to fade away from Clara's face… only to be replaced with a tearful expression somehow filled with pain and relief. Before Mick even realised what was going on, the horned canine suddenly tackled into him, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace so tight, it felt like she was hanging on for dear life.
"I… I missed you so much…" he heard her whisper, feeling the neverending flow of tears pouring down her cheeks and onto his shoulder.
Unable to hold his own emotions in, Mick returned the embrace in kind, a small trickle of his own tears leaking out of the eyeholes of his mask.
"Me too, kid…" he uttered, bringing a small smile to Clara's face despite the tears.
It was an emotionally heavy moment, at least for those who shared in the embrace and were in the know. Of course, those who weren't and watching the two Demons hug it out from the sidelines could only feel a mix of awe and awkwardness. So much so, that all three of them had no idea how to respond to it.
"Uh… should we go, or…" Linda spoke up, voicing both her and Octavia's thoughts on the matter.
It was only then that Mick and Clara realised that they still had an audience and quickly pulled themselves away from each other. Clearing her throat and wiping away the last of her tears, the latter quickly straightened herself out and addressed Octavia and Linda with an apologetic expression on her face.
"Oh, sorry, sorry," she said, quickly sensing the awkwardness she inadvertently caused. "I suppose you both want an explanation for… this?"
Seeing the Triton's former bartender gesture between herself and Mick, Octavia couldn't help but cross her arms with a huff. Whatever the explanation was, it had BETTER be good!
"Kind of, yes," Linda spoke up with a sheepish shrug. " So… how DO you know each other? Are you like an ex-girlfriend or…"
The instant Linda made such an assumption, however, both Mick and Clara's eyes shrank in shock and disgust.
"Oh NO!" Mick exclaimed, frantically waving his arms in denial. "Nonononononononononononono! Nothing like that, I swear!"
"Ugh, barf!" Clara added, actually retching at the very idea before giving Mick a small smirk. "Could you even imagine?"
As relieved as she was to hear that Clara wasn't some ex-girlfriend that Mick had conquered and dumped, Octavia's patience continued to thin to the point where having no answers was actually beginning to piss her off.
"So what IS this then!?" she exclaimed, giving Mick cause to feel even more awkward than before.
Thankfully, Clara was more than willing to answer that particular question on Mick's behalf.
"Well… I suppose the best word we could use to describe our relationship is… family," she said, though quickly starting to feel just as awkward as Mick as soon as she opened her mouth.
"Huh!?"
Needless to say, Mick had come to expect such a reaction from both Octavia and Linda should they ever hear so much as a sliver of Clara's answer. Even Snowflake let out a confused yip and tilted her head, unable to make any sense of what the larger canine was saying. Quickly seeing everyone's confusion, Clara went on to further elaborate.
"You see… before she passed away, Nick here was employed at my Aunt's manor as one of her Attendants," she explained, giving the Sinner cause to anxiously scratch the back of his head as he saw everyone's eyes grow wide from the surprise. "And growing up I used to visit her house regularly. Over time he and I grew so close that he was practically an older brother to me."
Hearing that, Mick was unsurprised to see three jaws practically hit the floor. In fact, he was practically bracing himself for the inevitable bombardment of new questions that would result from such a revelation. Of course, it was Octavia who spoke first.
"Wait… your Aunt?" she uttered, piecing together the puzzle in her head. "As in…"
"Glasya Labolas,"
As soon as Octavia heard her crush utter that name with a solemn tone, she practically felt her heart stop. How he reacted back at the Triton resort, the casual brushing off of the questions about his past… it all pointed towards the Labolas family!
Granted, out of all of them, Glasya was supposed to have been the good one… but her siblings… Mick would have had to have encountered them at least once if he really did work for the family. All of a sudden, the young Goetia started to think back to her original theory that Mick was one of their many victims… were THEY the ones who scarred his face!? If that were the case, then no wonder he didn't want anyone to find him after Glasya was killed.
But… no… it has to be something more than that! Something much deeper that Mick was keeping close to his chest. The look in his eyes was practically screaming with anguish as the memories of his past flooded his mind. Even Clara looked as though she were holding back a fresh surge of tears, trying to remain composed in front of her hosts. However, as saddened as she was, it was around that moment that Clara's face hardened once more as a fresh surge of anger burst from her core, causing her to give Mick a hard punch in the arm.
"OW!" Mick yelped, instantly rubbing the sore spot where Clara's fist struck him.
"But then seven years ago, around the same time my aunt died, THIS idiot goes off and disappears off the face of Hell!" she snapped, causing Mick to cringe. "So for the last seven years, I thought he was another notch on the Exorcists' victim belt!"
Once again, Mick found all eyes in the room directed at him, each pair filled with a different mix of emotions. For Snowflake and Linda, their gazes were swimming with confusion with the need for clarity. For Octavia, her eyes were clouded with shock and bafflement. But the worst of all had to have been from Clara, whose gaze was filled with a cocktail of anger, desperation and disappointment. Needless to say, it was HER gaze that affected Mick the most.
"It's… not that simple," he tried to say, only for Octavia to take a step forward.
"Then simplify it for us, Mick," she requested, her tone practically begging for an explanation.
"Yeah, you never called, wrote, or even sent an anonymous text!" Clara added, throwing another punch only to miss when the Cat Sinner quickly stepped to the side. "Why would you just disappear on me and… why do you even look like that!?"
That last question, however, only seemed to bring even more confusion to the trio watching the whole exchange.
"I'm sorry, what was that last part?" Linda thought aloud, scratching her head as she tried to make sense of Clara's choice of words.
Once again, Mick had to let out yet another heavy sigh. One by one, Clara seemed to be revealing more vague details about his past than he was ready to tell at present. Regardless, now that he was on the spot like this, he had no choice but to elaborate.
"My appearance might have been… altered somewhat since Clara and I last saw each other," he said, though his words did very little to explain anything.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Octavia asked, clearly no less confused than she was a few minutes ago.
"It's a little tricky to explain right now," Mick further elaborated. "But the best way I can describe it is that I've made a few physical changes since my time under Lady Glasya's employ. The last time Clara and I saw each other I looked… well, different."
This, of course, earned him a small scoff from his supposed sister-figure.
"That's putting it mildly," she commented, poking the metal forehead of Mick's mask so hard it felt as though she was trying to punch a small hole through it. "Fancy headwear aside, you barely resemble ANYTHING like the Sinner I once knew. Fuck, no wonder I never figured out who you were until your mother spilt the beans!"
Hearing that, Mick almost choked on his own gasp.
"You talked to my mother!?" he exclaimed, understandably shocked that someone so close was Clara's source of information.
"Don't change the subject!" Clara snapped, clearly not in the mood for any more explanations except for what Mick had to say. "You owe us answers, Cat-boy!"
"A lot of them," Octavia added, feeling just as info-hungry as Clara was.
Feeling the gaze of both girls piercing through him, Mick eventually sighed in defeat. He never would have imagined that THESE particular circumstances were how he would eventually come to this significant moment… but regardless of how he came to it, it HAS come… and now it was time for the Sunnwr to face the music.
"Yes… you're right," he finally said, his eyes filled with exhaustion and regret as he looked between the four girls standing in front of him, Snowflake included. "I haven't been fair… to ANY of you. And it's high time I told you everything… but not tonight."
"WHAT!?"
Needless to say, such an angry outburst filled with disbelief coming out of both Clara and Octavia's mouths at the same time was the least of what Mick expected when he chose his particular set of words. Thankfully, this time he had something to follow them up with before he was given yet another kick to the nether regions.
"Let me finish!" he blurted out before either girl could take a step forward. "I won't be saying anything tonight… because you three aren't the ONLY ones I owe an explanation to, and frankly, this is something I'd rather not repeat more than I have to."
At those words, Octavia, Clara, Linda and Snowflake all shared a look of unease between them.
"Besides, it's too late in the day and everyone's already exhausted," Mick continued, pointing towards the nearby grandfather clock currently pointing to the surprisingly late evening hour. "If you'd allow me the night to collect my thoughts and make some arrangements… I'll tell you everything first thing in the morning… Sound fair?"
As much as they hated the fact that Mick was stalling, both Clara and Octavia shared an understanding look. Since they were demanding so much of the Cat Demon all at once, the least they could do was allow him to do so on his own terms.
"I… suppose," Clara uttered, though not feeling any less frustrated with the outcome of this conversation. "Princess?"
"I've waited THIS long, haven't I?" Octavia retorted. "Might as well give him the next 12 hours to get his head on straight."
Hearing that, Mick couldn't help but sigh in relief.
"Thank you…" he uttered, feeling at least a little weight removed from his shoulders for the time being, only to suddenly flinch when Clara spoke up again.
"BUT, that doesn't mean you're off the hook," she pointed out, once again turning her attention to Octavia. "If it's all the same to you, I'd like to stay here tonight… Gotta make sure THIS one doesn't try to run off again."
Seeing Clara point an accusing finger right between his eyes, Mick felt a little stung that the horned canine would accuse him of such a thing… though given the circumstances, he couldn't exactly blame her for doing so either. Seeing the pleading gaze in Clara's eyes, it didn't take long for Octavia to let out another defeated sigh before speaking.
"Good thing we have adjoining rooms then,"
Laying back on his bed a couple of hours later, staring up at the ceiling of his shared bedroom, Mick let out a heavy, exasperated groan as the day's fatigue inevitably took its toll on his body. What was meant to be a relaxing day off turned into a massive shit show that spawned one dramatic event after the other.
First, there was Octavia's running away… followed by Mick and Linda having to go after her… which, in turn, led to both Mick and Octi's sharing their feelings… then after that, Mick was quickly welcomed back to the Goetia Mansion… only for THAT to lead to an ANGEL chase around the house followed by his past somehow catching up with him… how in the FUCK was the Sinner still sane at this point!?
Alas, there was nothing more to be done about it now… NOW Mick had to face something he really didn't want to. And right now he only had until the morning to collect his thoughts, calm his nerves and try to come up with a plan… which would probably be a little easier if he wasn't unnerved by the fact that Octavia had his door locked.
"Heh… a prisoner in my own bedroom," he uttered with a heavy sigh "Unreal."
At that moment, Linda popped her head around the doorway, now washed up and wearing her onesie with her toothbrush in hand and an annoyed look on her face.
"Would you rather be out in the HALL right now?" she asked, pointing towards the locked door.
In response to that particular question, Mick couldn't help but shudder as the muffled sounds of his "guard" continued to come through the door.
As misfortune would have it, Mick wasn't JUST being locked in his room for the night. The moment he found out that the Sinner was basically under house arrest, Buzz just HAD to volunteer to stand guard to make sure he didn't escape. Whether it was his decision due to genuine concern or if he just wanted to play to role for another bout of his own twisted fun was anyone's guess. In any case, to say he was committed to the task was an understatement. Now he here was, wearing a small soldier's uniform complete with a metal helmet, and carrying an axe over his shoulder while pacing in front of the door and bellowing out a catchy chant.
"Hup-two-three-four! They ain't getting through this door!" he cried out spinning in his heels and turning around with every verse. "Hup-two-three-four! If they try, they'll hit the floor! Hup-two-three-"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"BUZZ!" Mick snapped, his fist sore from hitting the door so hard "Will you shut the fuck up already!?"
At any other time, Mick probably would have just taken Buzz's antics in stride as usual, however, after the day he had, an HOUR of chanting was really pushing his patience! Thankfully, Buzz seemed to take the hint and ceased chanting as soon as he heard Mick yell through the door… though in all honesty, it was more likely he was just lowering the volume to a whisper so Mick couldn't hear him. Either way, the Sinner wasn't complaining.
"Christ, of all Demons to stand guard," Mick uttered once again letting out a heavy sigh as he collapsed back onto his bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Now that he could actually hear himself think for a moment, Mick once again tried to contemplate the plan of action he was going to take tomorrow morning. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't figure out what he was going to say without upsetting anyone. After racking his brain for a few minutes, Mick let out yet another groan and sat back up, feeling an unbearable migraine coming on.
It was at that moment, however, that Mick's attention was then drawn to the sounds of Linda shuffling about in her own area of the room before she too laid back in her bed to stare up at the ceiling.
"I suppose you're disappointed in me too, huh?" the Sinner asked, the awkwardness in the room clear for all to see.
Though being caught off guard by the question, Linda nonetheless gave it a bit of thought before she gave her answer. True, she was shocked about the earlier revelation just as much as the others were, but everyone was entitled to their secrets, weren't they? After all, she hasn't known Mick as long as Octi and Clara have. Still… Mick was also one of the few Demons Linda felt closest to since arriving in this house, hell, they were ROOMMATES, for crying out loud! So, of course, she too felt the small sting upon learning Mick was keeping such a secret… that being said, she wasn't petty enough to not give an honest answer.
"I wouldn't say…disappointed exactly," she eventually replied, thinking hard about the right words to say. "It's just… odd. I dunno, it's like… the longer I know you… the less I seem to know ABOUT you."
Hearing those words leave Linda's mouth, Mick let out yet another heavy sigh filled with regret.
"Yeah… I suppose that's an accurate definition of this whole mess," the Sinner uttered, now under the belief that Linda was just as upset as Octavia and Clara were.
"BUT that doesn't mean I don't trust you, Mick," Linda continued, suddenly catching Mick off guard. "Despite everything… whatever you have to say tomorrow, I'll stick with you. Okay?"
Understandably surprised by Linda's understanding and continued faith in him, Mick couldn't help but smile beneath his mask. Long gone was the timid little fraidy-cat that was shipped to the Goetias in a box. Instead, all the Sinner could recognise was a confident young lady, ready to stand up for her friend regardless of the situation. Guess he must have had a bigger impact on her than he originally thought.
"Thanks, Liddy… really," he said honestly "I… I think I needed to hear that."
Mick may not have been able to see her through the wall, but if he could, we would have seen Linda gain a small, yet relieved smile herself. However, that smile quickly faded as soon as Linda and Mick both turned their heads in the direction of the door that connected their room to Octavia's.
Regardless of how they felt about each other, both Attendants still had unfinished business with the Goetia Princess that remained unaddressed. This, of course, led Mick to feel even more guilty than he was already due to his big secret suddenly overshadowing Linda's decision to reconcile. With that in mind, Mick once again found himself staring at the ceiling in deep thought… before reaching into his pocket and taking a good, long look at the Rosario in his possession. As a surge of painful memories began to flood his mind… he knew that this was going to be a LONG night.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door adjoining the two rooms, Octavia was just finishing up making up the couch for Clara to sleep in while Snowflake watched the pair of them from her little basket.
"You sure you wouldn't want one of the guest rooms?" the Goetia Princess asked, now dressed in her favourite nightshirt as she looked over to her guest.
Stepping away from the nearby mirror, Clara approached the couch, now dressed in nothing more than a pair of black panties and an oversized T-shirt with a tired expression on her face.
"I appreciate the offer but…" she tried to say, only to quickly stop as soon as Octavia raised her hand.
"Yeah, I get it," she said. "You want to keep an eye on Mick."
Having already understood the gist of the situation at hand, it was no surprise that Octavia wouldn't be in the mood for any further elaborations for one evening. That being said, this certainly wasn't how she expected the day to end when she marked her calendar ages ago. Now here she was, playing host to the same Demon who served her drinks at the Triton Resort, someone who also happened to be a person from her Attendant's past no less. Even if she hadn't been wandering around Los Angeles all day, she highly doubted she'd be any less emotionally drained… Then again, it was probably nothing compared to how Clara was feeling right now.
"I still can't believe that's the name he goes by these days," the horned Canine said with a huff as she sat down in her makeshift bed. "I mean, how the FUCK I not figure it out sooner!? He only switched out a single letter!"
Hearing that, Octavia had to stifle a small laugh. Now that she thought about it, changing a name from Nick to Mick sure as hell wasn't all that creative… guess that was one of the reasons no one had called him out on it for so long. That being said, the Goetia Princess couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for Clara as she sat down in her own bed.
"You two must have been close, huh?" she asked, earning her a small sigh in response.
"I suppose you can say that," Clara answered solemnly, a small wave of nostalgia washing over her as certain memories began to come back to her. "Growing up he and my Aunt Glasya were practically the only real family I had."
At those words, Octavia quickly felt guilty for bringing up such a painful subject. Of course, it didn't do much to stifle her curiosity.
"Oh yeah, you did say your father was an asshole who tried to marry you off, right?" she asked, this time earning a hateful scoff.
"Almost immediately after I graduated from that fucking boarding school he shipped me off to after Glasya's funeral," Clara answered with a light snarl. "I guess he hoped that sending me there would somehow convert me into the perfectly obedient doll for him to pawn off to the highest bidder… well, obviously that didn't work out in his favour."
Indeed not, if what Clara told Octavia and Linda at the bar was anything to go by. Seems as though she must have been in a similar situation to Octavia was in her youth, though instead of a bitchy mother, she had a dickhole dad trying to control her life… and like for Octavia, Mick was one of the few lights Clara had in her life before he disappeared on her. Laying back in her makeshift bed, the horned canine let out a heavy sigh as she looked up at the ceiling in thought.
"I… I never thought I'd ever see him again," she said, turning her gaze towards the door leading to Mick and Linda's room. "When I heard that Glasya was dead and that Nick disappeared on the same night… I just… I just couldn't believe it."
Hearing Clara's voice break as she tried to speak, Octavia found it somewhat easy to tell just how much she was hurting on the inside. Well, why wouldn't she? Given her age, Clara must have only just reached her early teens at the latest when she heard the devastating news that both her aunt and brother figure were gone. But then to hear many years later that one of them was actually alive…
"I've tried for so long to move past losing them both… spend so many years trying to pick up the pieces… but then I heard the name of Shelly's son that day," Clara continued, suddenly voicing Octavia's exact thoughts. "And when I confronted Shelly later that evening, it wasn't that difficult to figure out it was the same Demon."
"Oh, Clara…" Octavia uttered, feeling a fresh surge of sympathy for her fellow Goetia, while also having a strong urge to give Mick a good talking to for putting her through such anguish.
"At first, I wanted to come here immediately," Clara confessed, wiping away another tear. "But as you can imagine, I wasn't in the best state of mind at that point. I thought I'd have calmed down enough to keep my emotions in check by the time I got here but… well, I guess I still had a bit of pent-up anger left in the tank."
Hearing that, Octavia couldn't help but cringe. It didn't really take a genius to figure out just what Clara was referring to when she said that. Letting out yet another heavy sigh, the horned canine eventually pinched the pinch of her nose and gave Octavia an apologetic glance.
"Hey… um, sorry for dumping all that on you," she said regretfully. "I know it must seem like a bit much…"
"No, no, it's fine," Octavia replied quickly. "I know from experience that emotions can be… tricky to handle sometimes."
Though she didn't really go into detail, Octavia's words did seem to put Clara at ease a bit… but only a small amount. Unable to bear seeing Clara like this, the Goetia Princess wondered if there was something she could do to help… then she got a brilliant idea. Looking over to Snowflake in her basket, Octavia gave the little fox a serious glance and gestured her head over to Clara. Instantly understanding what Octavia wanted, Snowflake immediately nodded her head, rose from her basket and followed the Owl Demon's silent command. Before Clara even realised it, she suddenly had a small, yet soft Kitsune Pup jumping up onto her makeshift bed before resting her little head on her lap and letting out a small whimper. Unable to resist such a high level of cuteness, it didn't even take a second for Clara's heart to melt.
"Aw… thanks little cutie," she said with a light smile, giving Snowflake a good scratch behind the ear, which the little fox definitely appreciated given how both her tails her wagging in response.
Seeing Snowflake once again work her magic, Octavia couldn't help but smile herself as she watched the little fox brush her head further into Clara's lap and even expose her belly for Clara to rub, to which the former happily obliged. Once again, NO ONE could resist the healing effects of the infamous Snowflake Snuggle.
By the time Clara was done rubbing the little fox's belly, the last of her tears seemed to dry up, allowing her once again to regain her former composure. Allowing Snowflake to once again drop to the floor and make her way back to her basket, the horned canine gave Octavia a grateful smile, highly appreciative of her subtle attempt to cheer her up.
"Thanks for that," she said, her smile turning slightly solemn as a small sigh escaped her lips. "And… thank you… for looking after my brother. As pissed off as I am for disappearing on me… I'm still glad he found some good friends."
At those words, Octavia couldn't help but solemnly smile herself.
"If I'm being honest… he looks after US more than we do him," she said, giving Clara cause to laugh a little."
"Yeah…" she said nostalgia. "I guess some things NEVER change."
Snowflake's Digital Diary: Entry 15
Diary, this day had been completely bonkers!
First Octi decided to run away to the Living World, and now some weirdo is sleeping on the couch, claiming to be Daddy's sister! While I am glad that she doesn't seem to be another romantic rival for Daddy's affections, this whole sister bullshit is just completely out of the blue! Who is she!? Where'd she come from!? I. Want. ANSWERS!
…
That being said, she doesn't seem to be a bad person. NO ONE who gives tummy rubs that good can be a bad person. Still… her being here seems to have made everyone upset one way or the other… I'm gonna have to keep a very close eye on this situation.
That's all for now, Diary.
Snowflake out!
By the time everyone was gathered in the foyer that following morning, needless to say, all the tensions were high.
"This had BETTER be good, Michael," Stolas declared, his arms crossed with impatience.
Given the circumstances, Mick couldn't blame the Goetia Prince for reacting this way. After everything that happened with Octavia AND Wimzy during the previous day, the Cat Demon practically considered it a miracle that Octavia managed to convince her father to go along with the request to join Mick's small party earlier that morning. Now, gathered in the foyer was a small group of 6, consisting of Mick, Linda, Octavia, her father, Clara and Snowflake, most of whom were riddled with anxiety. The only other Demons in the room were Pringles and Jessie, who both stood on either side of the front door.
"I still don't understand why you can't just explain things right here," Octavia commented, understandingly confused with the current circumstances.
As it turned out, one of the few conditions Mick asked for before he gave his explanation was to do so in a different location from the Mansion, a location which he had yet to tell anyone about no less, hence the reason he had asked Jessie to be here… with the Prince's permission of course. However, given the circumstances, obviously, everyone in the gathered group was confused by such a request.
"I concur, Michael," Stolas added. "And besides that, you have yet to even tell us just WHERE we are meant to be going. Now, I consider myself a patient man, but given how thin the ice you are currently standing on is, this is pushing the limit."
Needless to say, Mick felt incredibly guilty upon hearing that. Though in all fairness, it wasn't as if Stolas was wrong to say it, all things considered. That being said, it didn't help that Pringles just had to add his own comment to the conversation.
"Forgive my insolence, sir, but is it even wise to indulge in such… theatrics after all that had happened?" he asked, his tone, stoic yet somehow carrying a small hint of snark. "Frankly I'm surprised that Michael hasn't been at least confined to his quarters until his duties resume."
Though he didn't say it out loud, Mick DEFINITELY didn't appreciate that comment. He couldn't put his finger on the reason for it with all certainty, but Pringles was being a lot harsher than he usually was. Though it was more than likely he was irritated that there was currently a Cherub living under the same roof as he was. Despite this, however, the Sinner wasn't going to allow any form of guilt to deter him from doing what needed to be done.
"Look, I apologise for the secrecy and the theatrics, everyone," he said, looking towards the whole group. "But I can assure you that I wouldn't make such a request if going there wasn't important."
As soon as those words left Mick's mouth, the entire group of six shared a series of mixed expressions, though two factors did seem to fuel every one of them… the feeling of worry… and a surge of curiosity. Obviously, most of them were concerned about why Mick needed to go to this strange place, but at the same time, their need for answers quickly began to overwhelm that concern. Eventually, Stolas let out a heavy sigh.
"Very well, Michael," he said, pinching the bridge between his eyes. "But this had BETTER be worth the time."
He couldn't know for sure, but Mick could have sworn he heard an annoyed groan escape Pringles's lips when those words left Stolas's beak. Meanwhile, Clara stood off to the side, an anxious look washing over her as she impatiently tapped her foot.
"So… do we have to wait that much longer?" she asked. "Because it kinda feels like you're stalling here."
"I'm not," Mick stated bluntly, though unable to blame Carla for thinking that was the case. "We're just waiting on one more, then we can go."
At those words, there was a mixture of relief and further irritation from the group. Obviously, those with the patience were somewhat happy that they didn't have to wait much longer, of course, those who didn't have said patience were only aggravated that their wait was still going.
"Oh, by the way," Stolas spoke up, focusing his attention on Pringles in particular. "I meant to ask earlier. How is our… new arrival?"
Knowing exactly who the Goetia Prince was referring to, Pringles, was of course let out a small exasperated sigh.
"Settling in sir," he said bluntly. "As I understand, the Chef will begin her training within the hour."
"Very good," Stolas replied. "See to it that she doesn't get into trouble while we're gone."
Once again, Pringles couldn't help but let out a small groan.
"Yes sir," he replied reluctantly, clearly not happy with such a request.
Yep, it was definitely Wimzy's employment that's gotten the Butler so irritated. True, Pringles tried to maintain his normal stoic expression but NO ONE could hide their true feelings that well. Not that Mick was surprised, of course, considering the fact that the Imp still had two black eyes because of the whole chase around the house the previous day.
DING! DONG!
Suddenly, everyone's train of thought was halted by the bellowing sound of the doorbell, causing all of them to turn their heads towards the front door just in time for Pringles to answer it. To both Mick's joy and relief, the face on the other side of the door was exactly the one he and the others were waiting for.
"Hi, Mom," he said, bringing a look of surprise to everyone in the room, but none had a bigger look of shock than Stolas did.
"Wait… MOM!?" the Goetia exclaimed.
Having been the only one who remained unaware of Shelly's existence in Hell, it wasn't even a wonder that he would react in such a way. But sure as everyone breathed, there the elder Sinner was, gazing upon her son with an expression riddled with anxiety.
"Son… what's going on here?" the Squirrel Demon practically demanded as she made her way inside, brushing past the Butler in front of her without a care in the world. "First I got a call from Shank yesterday telling me that you've done something stupid, and now you ring me up during the early hours of the morning begging me to come over? I love you but there's only so much worry I can take!"
Hearing that, Mick once again began to feel another surge of guilt. Of COURSE his mother would worry about him! Though given the lack of a worse reaction, the Sinner could only thank his lucky stars that Shank didn't seem to give his mother ALL the details. Though given how much the Clawed Sinner wanted to keep Wimzy's presence on the down low, he probably shouldn't be that surprised. Hell, he probably only told Shelly the bare minimum of what happened because he felt she had the right to know what her son was up to… that being said, he couldn't help but wonder when Shank found out about Shelly being Mick's mother in the first place… Meh, Johnny must have probably blabbed at some point.
"I'm sorry for the trouble, Mom," Mick apologised with genuine regret as he hugged his mother. "And I promise you that I will explain everything as soon as I can. But right now, we should all get going."
However, that statement only seemed to confuse the elder Sinner even more.
"Go?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Go where?"
"Believe me, Shell," Clara spoke up. "We'd all like to know ourselves."
It was only then that Clara turned her face and acknowledged the other Demons in the room, letting out a gasp in realisation as soon as she gazed upon Octavia standing next to her father. Now, as surprised as she was to see them, Shelly was already familiar with Linda, Snowflake and especially, Clara since she worked for her… but to see the regal visage of Prince Stolas himself alongside his daughter, the Squirrel Demon couldn't help but swoon a little.
"Y-your Highness!" she exclaimed, gracefully giving the Goetia a small curtsy. "Such an honour it is!"
Seeing her boss react in such a way, Clara had to cover her mouth to stifle a small snicker, something that Shelly was quick to notice as evident by her brief frown. Thankfully, Stolas didn't seem to pay that exchange any mind.
"Oh, the honour is all mine, Miss…" the Goetia Prince greeted back, offering the Squirrel Demon the chance to introduce herself.
"Oh Michelle Michaelakos," she quickly replied, bowing her head before straightening herself out. "But you can call me Shelly, everyone does."
Stolas, of course, couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Very well, Miss Shelly," he said with a polite smile. "Welcome to my humble abode. I realise that circumstances are a little odd, but I must say it's a pleasure to meet you at last. Your son has told many a tale about you since he's been here."
"All good I hope," Shelly politely joked, before her attention quickly drew to Stolas's daughter as she took a step forward. "And you must be Princess Octavia, yes?"
Seeing the Squirrel Demon take a step closer to her, Octavia suddenly began to feel a little nervous, so much so that all she could do was awkwardly wave at the elder Sinner.
"H-hello," she forced out, giving Shelly cause to giggle a little.
"Don't worry, luv, I'm not going to bite," she said, stepping even closer and getting a better look at the Goetia Princess. "My, you really are a pretty one, aren't you? I'm almost jealous."
Obviously, this was NOT how she pictured meeting her potential boyfriend's mother but even so… there was just something about the way Shelly smiled at her that made Octavia feel all warm inside. Even the smell of the strawberry-flavoured shampoo coming from her hair was so delightfully intoxicating that the Owl Demon felt like she was about to swoon. Was this… was this how mothers SHOULD be like? Great, now SHE was starting to feel jealous. Suddenly, Octavia felt Shelly's hand take hold of her own as the former suddenly leaned in close a spoke softly to her.
"For the record, I want to say how much I appreciate you for looking after my son," she said, her tone so filled with gratitude she was almost brought to tears. "You have no idea how much of a relief it is to hear that he has such a good home here."
Having heard that, Stolas couldn't help but smirk as he leaned in to whisper in his daughter's ear.
"Hmm, I like her," he commented, giving his daughter cause to nod in agreement.
Unbeknownst to either Goetia, however, Clara actually frowned upon hearing the last sentence that came out of Shelly's mouth, a clear sign of pain etched across her face. Obviously, the Squirrel Demon didn't intend to make her employee feel that way, after all, she was more clueless to what was going on than anyone else in the room. Still, that didn't mean her son felt any less guilty the moment he saw how Clara reacted.
"Um, hey guys?" he spoke up, clearing his throat to get everyone's attention. "Sorry to cut the introductions short, but we really should get going."
Not needing to be told twice, everyone quickly nodded their heads in response and followed Mick as he and Jessie made their way outside. Scooping up Snowflake in her arms along with a small, black backpack, Linda in particular, walked alongside Clara, quickly taking note of her frown as they both were the last to go through the front doors.
"Where do you think we're going?" the young Imp couldn't help but ask, earning a small shrug in response from the horned canine.
"Can't really say," she answered honestly, though soon gaining a suspicious gaze as she looked in Mick's direction. "But… I think I may have a hunch."
Choosing not to press any further, Linda simply nodded her head as she and Clara quickly caught up with the others as they began to climb into Stolas's limousine. Once everyone bar Mick made themselves comfortable in the back, the Cat Sinner simply closed the door and chose to ride with Jessie in front. Once he got into the passenger seat, he then reached into his pocket, pulling out his Rosario with a sigh, feeling it between his fingers for a brief moment before reaching into his pocket again and pulling out a small slip of paper.
"Jessie," he said placing the paper into the grey Hellhound's hand. "Take us to this address, please… and drive CAREFULLY!"
Hearing the almost threatening tone in Mick's voice as soon as he said that last part in particular, Jessie quickly nodded her head.
"Yep! Got it!" she practically yelled, daring not to push Mick's temper in this particular scenario. After all, there was a time and a place for being a Speed Demon, and this was DEFINITELY not it.
Meanwhile, in the bushes just outside the front doors of the mansion, two uninvited Imps named Jewel and Buzz quickly poked their heads out of hiding, both their faces riddled with a mixture of curiosity and determination.
"We're still following them, right?" Jewel whispered in Buzz's ear.
"Duh!" the deranged Gardener replied as if that were the stupidest question one could ask. "No way are we missing the mayhem this time!"
As Mick sat in the front seat of the limo, it felt like the longest drive he had ever experienced in his afterlife. Aside from the occasional direction he gave to Jessie as she drove, he hardly said a word, thus bringing a dreary silence to what was already an awkward ride. Meanwhile, in the back seats of the same vehicle, Mick's chosen selection of group members sat staring at each other, feeling just as awkward, if not more so. While Octavia, Stolas and Clara sat on one side of the limo, Shelly, Linda and Snowflake sat on the other, not one of them having any idea what they should say.
"Sooooooo… this is nice," Shelly managed to force out, trying to at least attempt to engage in a conversation. "I like the seats, real leather?"
"Imported from Envy," Stolas replied, though not really feeling the conversation was about to go anywhere.
Sensing the tension in the air, Shelly eventually let out a heavy sigh in defeat.
"Okay, seriously, is anyone else feeling awkward? Because I sure am," she eventually blurted out, choosing to rip the bandaid off.
Hearing that, almost everyone else in the limo couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh.
"Thank fuck, someone FINALLY said it," Clara declared.
"Forgive me, I wanted to say something but I didn't know how," Stolas added.
"I'm sorry guys, I know this is weird and… uncomfortable for many of us," Octavia spoke up, directing her apology to no one in particular. "But for now, we're just going to have to grin and bear it. If Mick says we have to go to this place, then we're just going to have to give him the benefit of the doubt."
"Well said, sweetie," Shelly spoke up with a grateful smile. "My son may be many things, but he'd never do anything without a good reason,"
"Hear! Hear!" Linda added, Snowflake letting out an agreeable yip while sitting on her lap.
Seeing the gentle smile Shelly aimed in her direction, Octavia couldn't help but blush a little. Needless to say, she still felt a little awkward that this was the first time she was meeting her crush's mother. Of course, that just also had to be the moment her father had to clear his throat."
"Ahem… be that as it may, this still seems rather elaborate for something as simple as an explanation," he pointed out. "As much as I trust Michael, I am still rather concerned about all this."
Having been given a brief explanation by Octavia at the start of this ride about why she was here in the first place, Shelly fully understood where Stolas was coming from. In fact, while she never said it out loud, she couldn't help but agree. Now here they all were, about 45 minutes later, feeling a sense of unease so thick, it was almost overwhelming. At that moment, however, something caught Clara's eye as she took a brief glimpse out of the tinted window.
"I… I know this neighbourhood…" she uttered, causing everyone to raise an eyebrow.
Before anyone had a chance to question Clara, however, the limo suddenly began to slow down before it finally came to a halt. Giving each other a knowing glance, only Octavia voiced their thoughts.
"We're here,"
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hello all. Thank you all once again for sticking with me as I continue writing. Since it's Christmas Eve, I thought I'd treat you all by uploading this next chapter a little early as a small Christmas present. That being said, I will be taking a short break since it's the holidays and I'm currently not in the best place emotionally due to my recent loss this year. As such, the next Chapter will be postponed until January 17th 2025. Until then, thank you all and Merry Christmas.