The New Salem Maul

[Atomica Servo]

"Well, that was just the BIGGEST FAIL ever!" Atomica pointed at the sparkly soda rainbow over Gryff and Cassie's heads.

"Well it was your idea!" Lin shot at Atomica.

"It was YOUR invention!" Atomica shot back.

"Well maybe next time I'LL have the idea and YOU do all the heavy lifting!" Lin responded, sticking out his tongue. Atomica responded in kind.

"FINE."

"FINE!!!"

Atomica crossed her arms petulantly. She'd lost her meat shield, Harry, and now they had to duck into another service hallway to avoid being seen by Gryff and Cassie.

"So what now, Mr. I-can-ruin-a-date-better-than-you?" Atomica asked Lin. "They're heading to the pet store. You KNOW Cassie likes fluffy little meat creature things."

"Hm...." Lin tapped a tooth with a claw as he thought. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open. "I've got it!!! Come on!"

"You've got WHAT?" Atomica asked as Lin started dragging her down the service hallway.

"The BEAST idea to ruin their date! In fact...it involves a LOT of beasts!" Lin grinned widely. Down the service hallway they went, until they came to a door labeled 'PET CORPSE EMPLOYEES ONLY." "Follow my lead!"  

[Kai Merha]

Okay, so like....

One second, Kai and Demona were walking, talking about the game they'd just finished playing and admiring the cute octoplushie Demona had gotten.

The next second, the biggest, fizziest beach break of a wave that Kai had ever seen barreled towards him, and plowed him right off of his feet in the sweetest, stickiest tsunami imaginable.

Demona MH

"oh how did this all happen? you look like a sad wet gross sticky puppy. Oh you're gonna need clothes you're gonna be so miserable oh dear."

"Wh....wh..." Kai sputtered, still a little stunned. Then, the fact that he'd swallowed about two liters of soda settled in.

*BUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRP*  

[Cassandra MH]

Gryff N

Cassie looked at the array of creatures, she then gave Gryff the papers for the animal-assisted scarerapy. Her bunny Paris didn't meet the screening criteria to help with her fangxiety treatments....and neither did the We-eat-everything-that-ISNT-food werecoon pups she kept from the mishap in the lair.

"Hi do you need help?" a worker smiled looking at the two

Cassie froze as she tried to answer but all that came out is a mutter.

"no im okay"  

[Demona MH]

Kai Merha

*BUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRP*

she gasped "OMGHOUL you did not! that was so gross and loud!"

She frowned then, and crossed her arms.

"That wasn't classy at all, can you at least say hexcuse me please?"

"Oh my ghoul are you Demona!?" a small group of young ghouls holding teen scream magazine walked over to her

"Yeah I am, Hi how are you?" she hugged them all

"Can we get a photo with you?" they asked happily their voices overlapping with excitement.

"Of course yeah, Kai do you mind?"  

[Kai Merha]

"Sure *burp* -thing!" Kai was currently a soaking wet, sticky, burpy mess...probably not what Demona wanted around her when fans of her modeling pictures popped up. Kai tried to move away...but the soda syrup stuck him fast to the floor.

"Aw -*urp* crud." Kai's shoe made a really loud SCHLLLUUUUUUP noise as he finally got it loose from the tile floor. The ghouls getting Demona's clawtograph turned and stared at him.

"Oh. My. Ghoul." The one, a three-eyed ghoul said to the other. "Look at THAT!"

"Do you know what that is, Tribecca?" The other, a werecat, asked, an eyebrow raised critically.

"It MUST be Scaremerica's Top Model's new Fashion Rehab project!" The three-eyed ghoul clapped her hands in joy. "And we're here to see the makeover magic happen!"

They looked from Kai, who burped a bit pathetically, to Demona, with expectant joy in their eyes.  

[Marianna Trench]

Melody Nocturna

"Thanks, Melody, you're the beast, all this dryness is making me feel dizzy..." It sure was nice having another sea creature around! She even knew to keep Monsterizer in her bag, something Marianna never thought about, due to the natural sleakness of her scales, but would keep in mind now! She was having a hard time opening the cap of the bottle, as it was sticking to her fins! She growls lightly between her lips in frustration.

Finally she opened the cap and some squirted out on to the floor causing to to be slippery!

Astrid Fantasy

It was in that moment that a winged angry ghoul appeared!! Out of no where!!

"AHH!" Marianna wasn't easily startled, but this ghoul did surprise her! She also felt bad for her having slipped on her Monsterizer.

"Ohh! That looked like it hurt! Are you alright!? Next time you fall like that, try to land flat on your back, and defuse the energy by smacking your hands down to the floor." Before giving her pointers on how to take a fall, Marianna, lent out a fin, helping the ghoul to her feet, and inadvertently made her even more sticky!

Recognizing the expression on her face Marianna nodded. "I know the feeling... I totally need a ba-AAHHHH!!"

Harry Herne

"YOW!! Uhhhhggg... I'm goina' be siiickk... " She yelped as she was swiftly, and suddenly carried over shoulder and turned around, that didn't help her sick feeling!

It was Harry!! How in the great seas could this lean-sea-weed have the muscle mass to lift and carry her like she was nothing more then a sea sponge?!

"You're really strong... and stop spinning now..." She wraps her tail around his waist to stop the spinning that was in her head. Moments later she felt herself falling!! Her tail tensed around his waist as she was thrown off his back, and dropped into a fountain! What a perfectly executed wrestling drop... She thought to self, momentarily imagining Harry in heart wrestling heart attire.

That faded quickly as it came, when water instantly washed away the harmful effects of soda. She was relaxed and calmed, a bit too relaxed.
"Ahh... That so much better..." She sighed with relief, "Thanks Harry, your a real fin saver...Harry? Harry?" She looks down and realized she was sitting on him!! "Harry!!" She jumps up, grabbing hold of his shoulder and pulls him out of the water, her tail had pulled him in and he was holding his breath.

She pressed the palms of her fins against his puffed cheeks and he squirted out water from his mouth.

"Heh... Sorry about that..." She gave a sheepish smile at him. "Only time I sit on boos is to pin them-- Ah! I mean... Nevermind! Thanks again Harry! Sorry you got wet... Can i buy you some new clothes?"
.  

[Tori Underbridge]

"Actually, That what WE'RE here for!" Venus said a bit too forcefully. "You can't just go stealing other monster's shopping boos like that."

"She didn't mean that..." Tori looks to Venus with a bit of frustration, she never liked conflict, while Venus seemed to bring it where ever she went. "We were just trying to get him some new clothes for the first day of the scaremester tomorrow."

Tori look to Harry, and helps him out of the fountain. While Marianna just jumps out, ringing out her long hair back into the fountain.

"Sorry about earlier, Harry, Venus is still learning when to not use her pheromones on other monsters..." She glances at an upset Venus, who looks down at the ground, sad, she must have gotten an earful from Tori. "It's a slow process. But if you'd rather fang out with Marianna we understand."  

[Demona MH]

Demona looked at the girls she was taken back by the makeover comments.

"No absolutely not! This handsome hunka hunka is my boofriend...one that got hit by a crazy soda splash...but...I would love your help ghouls"

She placed her hands on her hips looking at Kai scanning his sticky mess of an outfit

"If you approve babe, I'd like to get you clothes so that you aren't a mess and won't be stopped by security when you get to close to a clothing rack" She batted her eyelashes

three ghouls behind her shouted "PUH-LEASE!!! It's Demona she's like the coolest on flEEK ghoul in the history of forever!!" They spoke over eachother as they began to argue who was the biggest fan

"I promise I won't spend a fortune on you despite the fact that you are worth it." She teased waiting for the okay  

[Kai Merha]

Demona MH

"Guess I'd better, huh?" Kai grinned, then burped again. "Wouldn't want to disappoint your fangghouls!"

"CLAWESOME!" The three ghouls shouted in unison, and then started grimtroducing themselves.

"I'm Purrsia, and I own every tee shirt Demona wore in Sevenscream magazine." The pink-furred Catgirl purred.

"I'm Tribecca, and I slashed up all of my skirts to match Demona's style!" The blue-skinned three-eyed ghoul twirled to show off her slashed-up skirt.

"I'm Buzzby, and I have the limited-edition high-top sneakers that were only for sale for a day last year that have Demona's signature on the soles!" The Bee-ghoul kicked up a foot to show the imprint on the bottom.

These ghouls were definitely super-fans. They started circling Kai, sizing him up.

"He's actually not bad looking, once you get past the syrup coating."

"The hair is good, but that tail!~"

"Spots and scales is a pretty daring combo, I can see why he gets Demona's seal of approval!"

The bee ghoul grabbed Kai's claw and started looking over his manicure as the three-eyed ghoul tapped one of his horns. The werecat stepped back, making a square shape with her hands as she squinted one eye, trying to picture what Kai would look like after this makeover.

"Ghouls!" Purrsia got the attention of the other two. "Our Fashion Fury Freakout queen Demona has given us a MISSION! We must fleek-ify her boofriend! Are you ready?!"

"YES!" The other two shouted in unison as they gave a salute.

"Then...COMMAND US, OUR QUEEN!" The three looked at Demona expectantly, ready to dash to any store at her command.

Kai gave one last burp and grinned. Whatever was about to happen, at least hopefully he wouldn't be sticky anymore.  

[Demona MH]

Mona smiled at the three then went to the nearest store, she had decided to make this trip quick since she didn't want Kai to stand there for a really long time.

"Kai is like the beast at mixing patterns so why don't you try to find something he would die for?"

Demona suggested stopping the three from looking at a mannequin that looked like a familiar boo bander that shall not be named. As they browsed for clothes Mona was hit with a flurry of questions from the ghouls.

"Did it hurt when you got your belly button pierced?!"

"What's your favorite thing about being a model?"

"Do you have your own team helping you do your makeup?"

"ohmyghoul I can't believe you asked that of course she doesn't! she woke up like that! flawless!"

Demona looked at a shirt that resembled a tiled floor "Yes it did, the uhhmazing opportunities, and no I do my own makeup it gives me a bit more freedom to hexperiment on new looks." She looked at the pieces of clothing in their hands.

"I think we are done!"  

[Kai Merha]

Kai had found some paper towels and had managed to de-stickify most of his fur and hair while the Demona Fashion Fury Freakout Squad tore through the maul like a hurricane of Fierce Fasionista Frenzy. As he finished wringing out his ponytail, his tail started rattling.

"Whuh oh." Kai looked up to see four monster ghouls running at him, brandishing clothes and accessories like weapons of battle. His eyes got as big as saucers.

"M-maybe this wasn't the beast idea-AAAAAH!"

"GET HIM, GHOULS!" Tribecca cried. "DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!"

To be fair, Kai only started running as soon as he realized the ghouls were charging like a herd of wild were-wildebeasts, but that was only a survival instinct kicking in. Buzzby launched herself in the air, and with her powerful bee wings, she grabbed him first around the waist.

"I GOT 'IM!" She cried out as she, Purrsia and Tribecca launched their patented, three-corner fashion attack.

"HALP!" Kai managed to cry out before a shirt being pulled over his head muffled him. "I'M BEING FASHION MUGGED!"

"Quick! The hoodie!" Tribecca called out.

"The tasteful faux snakeskin belt!" Shouted Purrsia.

"Lace-up Oxford sneakers and plaid socks!" Cried Buzzby.

It was a flurry of activity, happening so fast that any lookersby in the maul would have seen nothing but a blur. These ghouls took their fashion mission as seriously as they took their she-ro worship of Demona.

The next instant, it was suddenly over. Tribecca, Buzzby and Purrsia stood back, breathless and happy.

"PURR-FECT!" Purrsia proclaimed.

Kai blinked a few times, completely bewildered. All of the soda-stained clothes were gone. His hair was groomed into a loose, tousled ponytail. He looked down at the tasteful-but-patterned orange hoodie hexpertly layered over a complimentary-but-separate plaid button down shirt. The pants were black and burnt ochre yellow with a shiny black-on-black crackled pattern that reminded him of the surface of an antique painting. Even the shoes and wristwatch were tastefully match-mismatched.

He looked up at Demona and the ghouls, who had expectant looks on their faces.

"I....I like it!" He proclaimed.

"YES!" The three ghouls jumped up and down and hugged each other. Mission accomplished!  

[Demona MH]

Demona smiled proudly and she gave Kai a big hug.

"Babe! I'm so glad you approve! I wear clothes and look pretty for a living I don't style them. I don't think I could have done it without these ghouls, they sure know their stuff"

She beamed looking at the three. Who all squealed at the thought that Demona was proud of them.

"Now babe, as I was saying earlier. Do you mind taking a photo of me and these fangtastic ghouls?"
She pulled them close for a photo. Kai had to take four photos, one for each of the ghouls phones including Demona's. Demona spent a few minutes showing the ghouls how she put up her instagrim photos, which filter and captions to use for what type of aesthetic they wanted, and how to choose the appropriate hashtag

"Don't worry about your feed, just post things that you like and everything will look cohesive, its literally not hard." She said as she tagged the three in the photo she posted.

"Oh my ghoul i just got 50 new followers!" Tribecca shouted looking at her phone.

"me too!" buzzby gasped looking at her friends phone.

"it just keeps going up!" purrsia cried

Demona smirked "What no way!" she said with fake surprised voice, looking at Kai she winked.

Kai Merha

 

[Harry Herne]

Harry's day was weird. He started out being monsternapped to the maul, then he was suddenly on a date, and then almost drowned. He wanted to go with Marianna, something about her was just interesting....

"Shiiiiiiiny.."

But Harry was supposed to be fanging out with Venus and Tori. He stepped towards them with a sad look on his face.

"Sorry, Marinara, I came with Tori and Venus. Maybe next time."

The water really made Marianna's scales sparkle so prettily. Tori and Venus lead starry eyed Harry away from the fountain.

"I think her name is MariANNA, Harry."

"That's what I said."  

[Tori Underbridge]

"So Harry, we thought of an alternative to buying clothes for your first day!" Venus sounds excited when she said this.

"Right! My mom can make you something freaky fabulous to wear for the first day of school tomorrow!" Tori said helpfully.  

[Atomica Servo]

Inside the pet store...

"There they are!" Atomica whispered to Lin as Gryff and Cassie stepped into the front door of Pet Corpse. She and Lin were peeking out from the back storeroom door.

Lin grinned.

"Boy, there sure are a LOOOOT of pets in this store, aren't there?" He asked, rubbing his claws together with glee.

"I count 30 varieties of canines, 12 types of felines, 68 - no, 72 varieties of fish, one horse, two bunnies, four flying monkeys-"

"YES, A LOT, LIKE I SAID. Sheesh." Lin cut Atomica off before she could inventory the whole store. "And now Gryff and Cassie are probably going to pet some of the fluffier ones."

"Um, duh, probably?" Atomica shrugged, not seeing where this was going. "Like, Cassie will do most of the petting, and Gryff will totally buy her something fluffy and they will fall in love even deeper and we'll all be doooooooooomed!"

"Sure, that's ONE possibility." Lin agreed, but then clapped his claws together in glee. "But the OTHER possibility is that something spooks all of these critters, and there's a sudden stampede in the maul!"

Atomica's eyes glowed bright as she considered the possibility. A pet stampede would DEFINITELY be a goremance killer! She leaned in close to Lin.

"Do tell..."