Chapter 17 Marilyn's Time to Shine

Ancient greek words of the week and weekend

Deftéra: Monday

Tríti: Tuesday

Pémpti: Thursday

Sávvato: Saturday

 

 

Gloomy clouds overshadowed the mansion. Today, no world-altering event would stop Marilyn's quest from getting into the mansion's resident's good graces. Rising from her bed in good spirits, she springs to her feet. Racing around her room gathering her garments. Starting at the bottom, she fastens her boots tight. Tying the laces on the side of her baggy brown pants. Moving up, her top is an open-shoulder white blouse. The top of her shoulders showed. Her sleeves are loose and free with frills at the wrists and top-of-the-shoulder openings along with ample room for her bust. 

Marilyn with her spirits in the sky: "I am ready!"

Swinging her door wide. She struts outside her room, courage by her side. 

Stopping in the heat of the moment:  "Where do I start?"

Peeking down the halls, not a single soul in sight. 

Marilyn shyly called out: "Hello~"

An echo of her voice bounced off the empty walls down the hall. Flipping a coin to decide which way, she takes a right, she adores the walls and their pictures. "It's the man who spared me. And the big skeleton."

The pictures depict Ash and Sin standing side by side, weapons in hand and magic coursing through their bodies. The hallway splits giving away to the throne room. It was dim, no windows to be seen through. Torches provided no light, a spell kept the room dark. 

A deep  full-toned voice speaks: "It's a little early to be awake."

Marilyn flinches: "Wha- who's there?"

*Snap* The room illuminates, torches start to do their job. The golden throne gleamed bright, it provided a light of its own. Not so bright that it would light the whole room, but bright enough to catch anyone's eye as it shines against the marble flooring.

Sin: "Good morning Marilyn."

Marilyn sighed a sigh of relief: "Mornin' Sin."

She takes a look around the room: "Where is everyone?"

Sin stretches his bones: "*Yawn* they... are all sleeping. No one likes mornings in this place."

Marilyn admires a gold etched vase: "Then why are you up?"

Sin lets his jaw hang open as he rests his head: "Peace and Quiet."

Marilyn stows her hands: "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, I'll be on my way."

Sin snaps shut his jaw: "Don't put words in my mouth, I said nothing of the sort."

Grunting as he gets up: "Come, I'll show you around."

Strolling down the same hall, they reached the dining table. One extended table reached the other side of the grand dining hall. Only four chairs are placed.

Sin ushered her: "Sit."

Marilyn grabbed a seat as Sin rang a bell: "Not everyone is asleep."

Octopuses leap from two double doors that flap back and forth, bowing to Sin and Marilyn. The head chief Oliver stood there.

Oliver: "Good morning sir, and lady. What will it be today."

Sin waves his hand: "Nothing for me, Okay Marilyn, ask Oliver anything and he will make it."

Marilyn: "I don't want to give him a lot of work just when the day started."

Sin dismisses the idea: "Nonsense, he is the greatest cook, nothing you ask will be able to stop him."

Oliver: "You praise me too much sir."

Marilyn: "Then can I have a pie."

Oliver grabs a notepad: "Which will it be, apple, pumpkin, coconut."

Marilyn makes an 'oooo' expression: "I got it, blueberry!"

Oliver bows: "Right away."

Acrobaticly hopping back into the kitchen companied by three octopuses. Seconds later, two squids elegantly walk to the tables, bottles in hand.

Squid butler: "Pop pop, pop pop pop pop."

Sin translates: "Chris says if you would like ale."

Marilyn: "No I am okay."

Sin: "No we are fine."

Squid: "Pop pop pop, pop pop, pop?"

Sin bats away its question, getting flustered by it: "NO no! She is going to live with us now, not, that."

Marilyn bugged: "What did he say? Come on let me know!"

Sin clears his throat: "Nothing of importance."

Squid squad rolls out of the dining hall leaving the two in awkward silence. 

Sin's sharp bone fingers clack against the table, ticking till the pie comes with each tap. 

Marilyn breaks the silence: "So what do you do every day?"

Sin chuckled at the question: "HAHA! Sorry, sorry. I roam the halls looking after the residents living here. Tending to five hundred thirty-six sentient beings is a pain but a welcomed one."

Marilyn raises another question: "Why did you say sentient?"

Sin pauses the tapping: "Hm, don't know why I said that. Anyway, how is your room, is it to your liking?"

Marilyn answers in earnest: "Yes! It felt wonderful to sleep on a REAL bed! It's something you don't think about until it's gone."

Sin replies back with sincerity: "Yeah, well no need to feel that way anymore, this is your home now."

Getting cut off before she can even start, Oliver bursts through the doors followed by squid squad rolling down a cart holding one serving dish upon it. Gently sliding the plate to Marilyn as they watch to see her enjoyment.

Oliver reveals the dish: "One blueberry pie cooked to perfection. Enjoy."

Sin: "You may go now."

They bow and take their leave. Turning back to Marilyn, her mouth watered at the sight.

Marilyn gets teary-eyed: "It's been too long since I had one!"

Sin: "What are you waiting for."

Marilyn holds back her savage tendencies from just jabbing the fork into the pie and eating it like that. Every bite brings a smile to Sin's face, she enjoys it thoroughly until the last delicious bite. Finished devouring the pie and waiting to catch her breath, Sin talks about the daily workings of the mansion.

Sin: "This week is forest feastia, me and the guardian of the forest help prepare for the birth of new life into this world. So everyone in this mansion has a task and role. Some get roles based on their skills others get roles on what they want to do, BUT, everyone has a fit in this mansion."

Marilyn: "Is today the day I learn where I fit in?"

Sin gestures around: "That is up to you."

Sin gets up from the chair: "Now if you will excuse me, I must help prepare. Today is your day to shine Marilyn, prove to me my trust isn't misplaced."

Marilyn nods confidently: "It isn't sir!"

Sin Strolls away: "Good."

"She will fit right in."

 

 

 

A squid arrived to pick up Marilyn's dish.

"Maybe I can be a gardener, I will have to see if they have any gardens. Uh maybe, maybe a chief! No, they have that in good hands. Geez, it's tough to choose."

A tap on Marilyn's shoulder breaks her train of thought. Turning around only confuses Marilyn more.

Marilyn blinked repeatedly: "Uh what the heck is going on."

Another Marilyn stood before her, giving the same dumbfounded stare.

Marilyn two: "Boo!"

Marilyn flinches out of her chair: "WOAH!"

The clone's head spasms forcefully, its limbs follow suit before changing into a woman in a silky golden emerald dress. Two needles hold her hair in a bun, her fingers are coated by gold claws like talons. She gives an open mouth smile while holding her hand out.

Lady in Emerald: "Sorry I do that to all the newcomers here. My name is Heather, the nurse of this estate."

Marilyn shakes her hand: "Uh wow, hi Heather. My name is Marilyn, occupation unknown."

Heather: "Glad to finally meet you. I was so burdened with work that I couldn't find the right time to meet you."

Marilyn: "Oh don't worry about it. I've just been trying to get my bearings on this whole situation."

Heather takes a seat and rings the bell: "Yeah it's a lot to take in at once. Just know that there are a lot of people who can help, including me."

Marilyn: "Thanks."

She walks out of the dining hall coming upon a gate Sin uses. "It looks like Sin hasn't closed his portal."

A flicker of the lights gives Marilyn the chills, sending her on her way to the portal. Marilyn enters it hastily, to her surprise, she stood in an oasis with desert surrounding her to no end in sight. A few houses wrapped around the little lake of water. "The portal hasn't vanished yet. Sin might still be here."

Taking the initiative, Marilyn struggles through the sand. Reaching a house she knocks on one of the doors. 

A man's voice calling out: "Coming!"

The door swings open: "Hi! Are you our new neighbor?"

Marilyn was caught off guard for a second: "Oh, hi, I'm Marilyn. I got sent here by the portal. Is Sin here."

The man was a man-sized snake that walked on two feet. His scales are a charcoal grey color contrasting his bright yellow eyes.

The man: "How rude of me! My name is Kyle."

They shake hands: "The portal you entered wasn't a portal Sin uses to travel. It's actually a portal to other rooms in the mansion."

Marilyn lets go first: "Wait, how does it work."

Kyle: "Think about where you want to go and poof! Also, there is a list of rooms in the main hall."

Marilyn couldn't feel any more dumber: "Thanks for the info. Sorry to bother you."

Kyle: "You weren't a bother. Come visit soon!"

Marilyn takes the portal back, "Main hall, Main hall, Main hall."

The liquid portal gives way back to the main hall. Turning her head the list of rooms was right there. "I am such a dunce."

Marilyn goes down the list: "Au·di·to·ri·um, bath-rooms, Col·os·se·um, kids room, li·brar·y, laun·dry room. The list goes on. Let's see, how about the war room."

A torch's flame fidgets around, disturbed by someone's presence.

"Okay, war room," She takes a cautious step into the portal, still weary of it. One limb at a time, Marilyn eventually reaches the war room without a scratch. A Slime creature amass in a wooden chair focusing on documents that are liquefying in their slime nubs.

The Slime creature lets a disappointed high-pitch whine: "Aw~ man, it's the fifth one this week! I need to ask Sin for another set of documents. And maybe a magic pair of gloves."

Marilyn lets a shy little hello to get her attention: "Hello~?"

Slime: "Oh *Slurp* hello!"

The slime glides toward Marilyn, halting a few feet from her.

Slime holds out a nub: "Hi human, I am Peru! The boss of logistics, planning, and pretty much being awesome!"

Marilyn reluctantly shakes Peru's slime hand: "Hello, well met, My name is Marilyn and I am looking for a place to fit in. Sin said to look around an find a job that I want to do."

Peru retracts their nub back into their body: "Do you have any past experiences working in the support?"

Marilyn comes off as embarrassed: "I-I didn't get much of an education. I know how to READ! But uh, writing is completely foreign to me."

Peru dismisses it: "Don't sweat it, Marilyn, if you want, we have a teacher in the mansion that helps the little ones. I can ask her to give you private lessons?"

Marilyn: "Maybe not at the moment, thanks for the offer though. Is there something else I can do?"

Peru directs her to a chair: "No biggie, you can ask me when you feel it's the right time. Alright, let's see here, how about in the field? We can always use more skilled warriors."

Marilyn glows: "That is all I been honing all my years! Even if I was no match against Sin's mentor. I know that I will be of use to you!"

Peru slams their nubs onto the desk in a fit of excitement: "You met ASH!" For REAL! And you fought him no less!"

Marilyn: "Uh yeah, why, is it bad?"

Peru keeps her passion burning: "Far from it! All I ever wanted to do was ask him questions! It's merely, Sin forbids us from interfering in his life. So you are the lucky few who get to meet him."

Peru groans: "We all want to meet Sin's master but don't out of respect for him. *Peru dismissed the conversation with a swat of their nub* Sorry let's take a step back, you say you've had experience on the field?"

A human and Slime converse amicably through the day, going over the requirements to join. Hours fly by, both tire the conversation.

Marilyn shakes Peru's nub: "It was a pleasure speaking with you!"

Peru shares the same praise: "Same here! I want you at the war room in three days at dawn."

Marilyn stands: "Will do."

She leaves through the murky portal sending her back to the hall. 

Marilyn dances in place letting out a crow: "WOOHOO! HECK YESSSS!"

She put on the moves, not realizing a hulking skeleton stood before her, holding his amusement at bay.

Sin clears his throat: "*Ahem* Marilyn, how did job searching go?"

Marilyn yelps: "Ah! Oh, Gods, you scared me!"

Sin chuckles: "We have a tendency to do that."

Marilyn regains her composure with an extended breath: "Yes I got a job. I will be under Peru's command from Deftéra and on!"

Sin smiles with his voice: "Delighted to hear! Truly glad that you are getting comfortable in my humble abode."

The human woman gives a great life-draining stretch: "Eeeeh~I am pooped! All this exploring has put a number on me."

He gives a slight nod and gestures down the hall: "Rest, the mansion and its residents will be waiting for you."

Marilyn: "Thank you, Sin."

She leaves down the hall to her bedroom. 

Sin spoke as soon as she was gone: "How did she do, was there any problems?"

Flames from the torch spazzed out erratically, the soul of the flame died out summoning Sun. The smoke from the torch spread and expanded into Moon who kneeled frailly.

Moom meekly: "Staying in a fire's shadow hurts."

A smoke aura surrounds Moon, she holds her arm rubbing it to soothe the burns.

Sun stands: "She had no problems as far as I can tell."

Moon raises a hand.

Sin: "Moon there is no need for that, just tell me."

Moon lowers her hand: "It a-appears she has difficulty reading."

An idea comes to mind: "I will have to tweak the magic translator. Maybe change a few words to help her understand."

Sun suggests: "Instead of adjusting to her needs at every call, maybe make it mandatory for proper education in order for her to get the job."

Sin protests: "But she is looking forward to the job! That would be mean!"

Sun chuckles at the sight: "The big scary lich really is a softy. Fine~ you win. She will be studying under me for Tríti, Pémpti, and Sávvato. No exceptions!"

Sin "Okay okay! Have a nice rest of your day off you two."

Shooing them on their way, Sin waddles to his lab to relax after a hard day's work. Catching a break from his busy schedule.