Sal, Butter and Pepper || ONC2024

Chapter 7: Love, how troublesome!

"Hail Satan, lord and master of all things not quite human." 

"Ouch!"

"Hail Satan, lord and master of all things not quite human."

"Ouch!"

"Hail Satan, lord and master of all things not quite human."

"Ouch!"

Butter repeated the spell like a mantra- and endured the resulting pain in different parts of his body as an aftereffect- till he made it all the way back to Whistling Greens, which is when things got complicated.

The garden and the lawn were brimming with activity. Human activity. The place was swarming with the resort staff, both housekeeping and managerial. 

With so much to see, Butter’s attention wavered, and he tripped on a wire and bumped into a young man donning a blue and red uniform, carrying a plate of Chicken Tikka Masala. Though startled, the man didn't lose his footing. Unfortunately, though, the plate of goodies flew out of his hand, setting a collision course directly for Butter's face. The perpetrator watched the events unfold (in slow motion), frozen to the spot.

I have managed to find trouble before finding Pepper!

Was this foreshadowing? The kitten hoped not. 

Hail Satan, lord and master of all things not quite human.

Ouch! 

His feet left the ground and found comfort in familiar warmth. 

Salvador Hart? 

"Are you alright, little one?"

Butter opened his eyes. And yep. It was indeed Mr. Hart. But the gossip-mongers were nowhere to be seen. How come they had left their front-page material alone? 

"Meow," Butter purred and licked the man's most approachable body part: his pinky finger. 

"Awww. Aren't you a gem?" he said. Then looking at the stunned waiter who had spilled pink-colored salad on him, Butter's saviour added, "My apologies. This little guy lost his way and troubled you. I will make sure you don't get into trouble for this."

Recognition and admiration flashed in the eyes of the man in blue and red, and of those who had watched the rescue. To Butter's surprise, none approached the celebrity.

Butter blinked up at his savior. It was a pity he couldn't use human language to thank the man. Well, that was not entirely true. He could do that if Mr. Hart married his mistress! But that could never come to pass… or could it? 

"Little one, you get into trouble a lot, don't you?" Salvador scratched the kitten under the chin. "Why don't I take you inside? You will be much safer there," he spoke only for Butter's ears. 

He is handsome, rich, famous, and caring! Yes, he is the one, but… 

This was when Butter recalled Salvador mentioning that he was someone's plus one. 

Oh no! 

What was he going to do now? He didn't even have a candidate in mind for his mistress. He felt like crying. The sinking feeling in his chest returned. Suddenly, the prospect of finding a suitor for Mistress Pepper felt akin to being confronted by Mao, the prince-eating duckweed from four hundred years ago.  

"We're here." The gentleman placed the kitten on the tiled floor of what Butter recognized as the ground floor of the main complex. Right above, on the fourth floor, was where Pepper lay resting.