Chapter Text
Ivory was just a simple girl, she minded her business, she liked her music, and she kept to herself. She always did her work exactly how she was told to do, and never colored out of the lines. Even though she always tried her best, misfortune always headed her way.
Ivory sat alone on a bench, staring into the tall, gloomy woods, enjoying the peace and quiet. She was having a moment to gather her thoughts before she would have to start a new life with new people in a new environment. Right as she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, she heard footsteps near. “The trains here, I think we should start going” said Minutetech, a slightly too chatty individual who helped recruit for the Hemlock Family, he was escorting her to her new workplace and was going to be showing her the ropes and the basics. His visible skin was all pitch black, with an exception for his eyes, which were a bright white color, contrasting to his skintone.
After both of them settled in the train room, Ivory looked out the window while Minute awkwardly looked around. After a moment or two, he started to make small talk. “So, How are you feeling about going to Whitepine?” he asked.
Taken aback by the sudden question, she stuttered, “Uhm, I don’t know,” Minute just looked at her for a moment and breathed in.
“Okay I see, you do know whats happening though, right?” He asked, he couldn’t just let her in without some knowledge of whats going on.
“Yes,” Ivory answered, nodding. Minute looked around awkwardly again, and put his hands on his knees and said “Good, good,”
Sighing, Minute looked at Ivory and said, “The uh, the ride to Emberton will take pretty long so I’d sit tight, alright?” Ivory said nothing at this, and looked at him to carry the conversation. Minute stood up and got to the door, holding it open. “But in the meantime, I’ll see if I can find a book or something for you to read, its better to keep your mind occupied” He said. Ivory stirred a little at that, she enjoyed reading, and she enjoyed being alone with her thoughts, but what if her inability to converse had in some way annoyed Minutetech into leaving? Still, she said nothing as he left the room, and the train went on, and he did return just a few minutes later with a book on etiquette and maid duty, which she dutifully read, she even quizzed herself on it. At the end of the ride, she and few others got off the train and walked into the cold foggy city. Ivory and the other passengers crossed a bridge made of stone that overlooked the train tracks, and she watched as the others exited the station.
Ivory waited as Minute talked to the ticket agent, then silently followed him out of the station. They crossed the street in the pouring rain, getting her hair, which she has spent hours on beforehand, all wet. Nether-less, she did not say a word, and simply followed him around, admiring the nature and buildings the city had to offer.
Finally, they made their way to the gates of the Whitepine Estate. She could just barely make out the silhouette of the building as the fog had just gotten thicker and thicker as time flew on. Minute, once again, took initiative and talked to the guards outside, who upon a few minutes of chat, opened the gates for Ivory and him to go in.
Walking to the grand entrance of the Whitepine Estate, she was bewildered, taken aback, even. The huge structure made of beautiful dark wood and stone towered over her, she didn’t think it would be this large. She thought back to all those articles and newspapers talking of the awe and beauty of the estate, the ones she always brushed off, she couldn’t believe they were right.
After a bit of dilly dallying and Minute chatting with nearly every maid and guard he saw, or atleast waving to them, they got to Clown Pierce’s office. Clown was sitting on a fancy, comfortable chair, reading what appeared to be files of Ivory. He sat at a desk with drawers and bookshelves all around it, and a large window to his back, while Ivory and Minute stood on the other side, waiting. “You are… Ivy, correct?” He asked, finally looking up at her.
Ivory looked at him with no expression on her face, “Ivory, sir.” She said, trying to keep her voice leveled, and she silently hoped nothing gave away her anxiety.
Clown nodded, “Ivory. So, where do you come from?”
Minute took a step forward, slightly motioning to Ivory that he’s got this one. “I um, I found her up near Gristle”
Clown just looked at him, then at Ivory and said in a slightly bored tone, “Oh yeah, no I remember, I was just… making conversation” He cleared his throat, “You worked any jobs before?” he asked.
“Yes, sir,”
“Any jobs in servitude?” Clown asked.
“No, sir,” Ivory answered, shaking her head. Did she mess up? She couldn’t tell on Clown’s face or tone, she would just have to wait. Ivory HATED waiting.
“Alright so the owners of this house are all the Hemlocke Family,” Clown said, flipping a page in his book, “Are you willing to care for them and prioritize their every need as a maid of this household?”
“Yes, sir” Ivory nodded.
“Thank you, you can step outside now and wait in the foyer for now” Clown said, motioning to the door, which Minute opened and Ivory walked out of.
She wandered outside the office for a few minutes, she could hear them talking inside, but she didn’t want to snoop. But, It wasn’t her fault that the walls were so thin, which was strange as it was a very fancy estate. Finally, she tuned in, giving into her worries, “Just so you know, she may have a bit if trouble learning things around here. I told her to read a book just on the train and she took that as staying up all night to finish the whole thing. Maybe use a bit of care with your explanations, or she might take them too literally,” She understood that she may take things too literally, but thats how instructions and orders are meant to be followed, are they not? Maybe it was the autism talking, she never could tell. “Minute… I thought I was receiving a normal, disciplined worker…” Ivory, who always over analyzed everyone’s tones, could definitely tell that Clown was taken aback and disappointed. “Oh no, shes disciplined and seems to be a very hard worker, I just feat she may gave had something in her past or something that made her a bit stunted,” Surprisingly, to Ivory, Minute was correct, but she did not enjoy thinking or talking about the incident… Clown butted in, “Well I wasn’t prepared for this, why didn’t you say that before? I need people who can follow orders, and not be overly needy,” Ivory knew she took a lot out of the people around her, and she always tried her best to help everyone and not be a bother, but maybe she would have to try a lot more here, after all, she needed this job. “I wouldn’t worry, I actually think she’ll be perfect, and if she has a hard time understanding at first, you fan whip her into shape I’m sure” She was both comforted by those words, it was nice knowing Minute believed in her, but what about the whipping? They whipped their maids? It seemed overboard, maybe it was just a metaphor, she thought. “She really needs something stable, y’know?” Minute continued, “You aren’t going to throw her out, are you?” Her heart dropped at that, she genuinely needed this job, she didn’t know what to do other than this. She literally had nothing left, literally. nothing. “Calm down, The Hemlockes are already expecting her, I wouldn’t do anything now,” Clown said, he sounded monotone, she couldn’t figure out what he was feeling or trying to portray with that tone. “I just wish you would have told me sooner.” He continued.
Soon after, Clown and minute made their way out of the office and they all said their goodbyes as Minute left the estate, most likely to go to recruit others. Clown walked off, and Ivory followed. He went into a hallway with the right half filled with clothes and machines and buckets, and the other half just, a normal empty hallway. Clown explained the different areas and their purpose and guided her around the estate. They finally got to the room she’d be staying in, it was cozy, all made of wood, no fancy furniture or decorations other than a bunk bed to the left, who she’d apparently be sharing with someone named “Sir. Raptor”, and to the right was a simple desk and stool, with one singular candle on top. Clown gave Ivory orders to get changed and meet him downstairs, and she spent a moment in silence just taking in the room that she’d be staying in for… the immediate future, then she changed and went downstairs, just as directed.
Clownpeirce took her to a blonde person with a star mask, and explained that she was the new hire and to teach her the basics and let her shadow him for the day. The man, who seemed mildly anxious about training someone, was revealed to be the one and only, Sir Raptor. Ivory introduced herself and Serapter made some small talk about Clown.
For a few hours, Ivory followed Serapter around, asking small questions while he scrambled around trying to properly train her.
“-uh I’ll start on the left side and you start over here, okay?” Serpater said, making his way over to the left area of the bookshelves.
Ivory stared at him for a few moments before simply stating, “I don’t have a duster.”
“Shoot…” Serpater said, grinding his teeth. He decided to go to Mysticat, an assistant of Pyrosycthe Hemlocke, one of the sons of Zombie, who owns the mansion. Mytsy introduced herself while also jabbing Serapter for not introducing her to the staff.
While looking for the dusters, Ivory called him sir, which is his name, so thats what she should call him, right. “Why do you call me sir?” Serapter asked.
“Isn’t that your name?” Ivory asked, maybe she has misunderstood or misheard, she doesn’t get it.
“…what?” Serapter asked, backing away from the closet to look at her.
Ivory was starting to get increasingly more anxious, “Uh- forgive me… isn’t your bame sir raptor?” She asked, fidgeting with a ring on her finger.
“Yeah” Serapter said, leaving both of them confused. Then it dawned on him, “Oh… No no, its not Sir, Raptor, its just… Serapter” He said. Ivory just stared at him in confusion, not understanding the difference. So he clarified, “Seraptor…”
They continued to make their way around different rooms, dusting away while Serapter chatted away. While cleaning one room he asked, “Say, you don’t talk that much, do you?”
“Oh, uh”
“You aren’t, upset with me it anything right?” He looked at the other side of the room, not showing his face. “You just seem a bit, yknow. I just don’t want to bother you with all my blabbering or anything-“
Ivory slightly panicked, she enjoyed his talking, it was like a radio, a very nice, very informative radio. “No-no, no, I uh… uh- m-my… I’m just, not very good at talking” She explained.
“Ah.”
“Please keep talking. I like it. Sorry, my… my- sorry” She said, fidgeting with her duster and looking at various patterns on the carpet. (the carpet was indeed very interesting, though, it was made of expensive fabrics and colors)
“Oh no- Its okay, I get it. Yeah, thats alright, you’re one of those introverted types I guess. You okay with me talking?” Serapter asked and Ivory eagerly nodded. “Yeah, no problem no problem” He said.