Chapter Text
★ - Chapter 1:
“Bloody hell, Val! That’s the fourth model this week.” Velvette tapped her heels angrily on the marble floor while Val threw another one of her employees around. “That’s it, I’m calling Vox. He can deal with all your shit.” She pulled out her phone, dialed his number, and the phone rang. Vox answered almost instantly with that big grin on his face, but Velvette was doing the exact opposite of grinning.
“Velvette! What do I owe the pleasure of speaking with you today?” Vox asked, ignoring the obvious scene going on behind her.
“Not now, Vox! Come get your boyfriend, he’s taking everything out on my models again, and I have a show to put together this weekend! Fix it now.” Velvette glared at him through the screen.
“Eugh…” Vox’s smile faded. “Fine, fine.” He sighed as he snapped his fingers, pulling up a hologram that appeared in front of Velvette. The hologram showed a coupon for a new bakery that opened up in Cannibal Town. He chuckled a bit as he watched Velvette go from confused to insulted in a matter of seconds.
“The fuck is this, Vox!?” Velvette snapped, flaring her hand at the hologram.
“Take the day off, my friend! I’ll collect Valentino, and you can go get some cake!” He snortled as he tried not to laugh in her face. “I heard there’s velvet cupcakes!”
Velvette was two seconds away from screaming again, but her expression fell when she realized Vox had hung up. She clenched her fists hard; she wanted to slap that stupid clanker. Still, when she noticed how quickly Vox had Valentino escorted out of her dressing room… it made her slightly less tense. She still had to attend that bakery, though.
About an hour after the previous events, Velvette was dropped off at the bakery. It was called Drippin’ Dazzlin’ Desserts. Hopefully, it was still in workshopping. Velvette thought herself.
She had been hesitating to walk in. It was already annoying the shit out of her that she was told to ‘blend in with their aesthetic.’ She did get away with wearing a suit instead of a dress, and that made her slightly less annoyed. Velvette finally sighed before walking inside. As soon as Velvette entered, she heard a gasp. She saw a pale blue woman with hearts in her pupils and a muted purple hairdo that looked a bit like a venus flytrap was on her head. This woman came up to greet her.
“Hello!” The poor girl stumbled back a bit. She was gonna offer her hand, but must’ve figured Velvette would never touch someone like her. This resulted in her awkwardly rubbing her hands on her pants. “I’m Melissa… I heard you were coming in today to check out some of our treats?” She gave Velvette a half smile, gesturing to the counter.
Velvette nodded. She almost felt bad for her; she needed more confidence in herself if she approached everyone like this. Either way, she cleared her throat and spoke. “That’s right, darling!” She did that fake cheery voice she always did when she was in the presence of something so horrendously bad she couldn’t help it.
“Perfect!” Melissa beamed. She started walking over to the counter. “We aren’t actually all that busy nowadays, so it’s just me.” She patted her chest with a smile.
“Great…” Velvette sighed, her fake smile fading for just a moment. “Cupcakes. I’ll have a velvet cupcake with a coffee.”
“Great! I’ll get that ready for you.” Melissa left and went to prepare the treat for Velvette.
As soon as Melissa left, she giggled to herself. This place was covered in tacky and flashy decor. It almost made her sick to be in a place like this. Melissa could use a glow-up as well. That’s when Velvette had an idea… Melissa could be pretty enough to be a model for her. She needed one anyway, after Valentino took his anger out on her employees. It was settled. She thought. Now all she had to do was convince the girl, and really, that wasn’t hard.
Melissa left Velvette alone for a good ten more minutes before getting her those pastries. “I’m so sorry, Miss Velvette. The oven kinda stopped working, then the icing wouldn’t come ou-”
Velvette pressed her fingers to Melissa’s lips with a smirk on her face. “Now, now, darling! No need to worry about me. We should be worried about you!” She began to hold back a laugh. “Just look at you, Melissa. You’re working at this tacky, run-down bakery shack when you could just work for me!” She flipped her hair as she said so. “You wouldn’t believe the benefits.”
Melissa’s eyes opened wide. She shifted for a moment, setting the plate and drink down on the counter. “That’s… a really kind offer, Miss Velvette. I’m just fine working here, though! It may not be much, but I can always turn nothing into something.” Melissa nodded and did a curtsy. “I actually made this dress myself!”
Velvette was actually surprised for a second, but she didn’t let it show for long. She crossed her arms and waved her hand. “Sort of impressive, I suppose. It’s good enough that I wouldn’t mind letting you work for me. Why are you declining a life-changing offer like this?” Velvette began tapping her foot again.
“Well, it’s nothing against you! I’d been working really hard for my own bakery since I got here in hell! I’d appreciate it if I were able to build it up at least enough to pass it off to someone before I leave.”
Velvette wasn’t very happy. She wasn’t used to quick nos like this. Besides, if Melissa didn’t come, she’d have no star to be in the show. “I’ll let you be my personal assistant, dear. Come on, I know you can’t resist!” She said in a sing-song tone. “Plus, you’d be starring in my show this weekend! It’s perfect exposure for this little bakery thing you seem to be clinging to.”
Melissa smiled brightly once again as she offered a compromise. “You seem to really want the best for me, but I’m a little stubborn about this old place… so I’ll give you until the weekend to convince me!”
Velvette sighed, but she complied. “Challenge accepted. It really can’t be hard when there’s not a soul even stepping into this place.” With that, Velvette stormed out. She didn’t even take the coffee or the cupcake. Melissa tried calling after her, but she didn’t listen. She was already fuming from earlier, and now some demon wouldn’t even listen to her? Who needed Melissa’s talent anyway? She could do anything. She could star in her own fashion show. As she was calling a Vber, someone else’s call came through. She picked up almost immediately.
“Hii babydoll!” Val’s voice came through. “I just wanted to say, like, sorry for the models and shit, you know, I get irritated sometimes. Anywaysss, where are you?? Is that Cannibal Town?”
Velvette nodded and gestured behind her. “That daft TV sent me to this fucking Bakery. It doesn’t even look good!”
Valentino gasped. “Well, did you eat something there? You know we can totally order you something. Voxxy and I were just about to get something to eat.”
“Yeah, no. I’m not really hungry anyway. Tell that wireback to send me a Vber already before I die! This entire place is gross, and everything is clashing!” Velvette screeched.
“Right.” Valentino put his phone on his lap and yelled. “Voxxy!! Babydoll needs a Vber out of Cannibal Town!”
Vox’s voice just barely could be heard. “Sending one now!”
“Thanks, baby!” Valentino grabbed his phone again. “He’s sending it now!”
Velvette rolled her eyes. “Finally, took him long enough.”
“I’ll talk to you when you get here, okay, doll? Gotta call Angel.” He giggled to himself.
Velvette nodded. “Go ahead. When I arrive, I swear I’ll-” Valentino had already clicked over. “Ugh, those guys.” She put her phone away as the car came up.