Outside Doc Paragon's office...
"What do you mean he's not in?" The well-built young man tossed his head as his blonde locks cascaded away from his face and behind his head. "I have an appointment..."
Penny Goodweather tried her best to 'grin-and-bear-it', but it would be obvious to any onlooker that her patience was beginning to wear thin. "Mr. Paragon has stepped out for just a moment, Mr. ...?"
"Sidewinder," the man said, looking around at his surroundings impatiently. "Icarus Sidewinder."
Penny sighed and cleared her throat. "Mr. Sidewinder, Mr. Paragon has stepped out for another appointment at the moment. He should be back in plenty of time for you appointment... especially considering you're not scheduled for another thirty minutes!"
"All the same," Icarus smiled - a smarmy, arrogant smile that chilled Penny's blood while simultaneously making it boil, "I was assured an audience with Paragon upon my arrival which, while I admit is earlier than you would like it to be, is still now and I wish to see my summoner at the promised time... NOW!"
Penny was slowly becoming exasperated. This... Mr. Sidewinder was being completely unreasonable and, what's more, unbearably rude. Plus, the most frustrating part of the whole ordeal was that, despite the raising of the decibel level in his voice, Icarus seemed to be keeping his cool about the whole situation... meaning he didn't seem upset, just... self-important.
And that made Penny all the more upset.
"I'm afraid, Mister Sidewinder..." she began, beginning to lose the aura of professionalism that she'd worked so hard to build up over the course of her life. Stray hair fell into her face. Reddish hues began to adorn the whole of her face. Spittle found its way out of her mouth and onto her desk. That little vein in her forehead that hadn't been visible in years began to show...
...just as a flash of light from the front door interrupted her, mid-sentence.
"Ah, Icarus!" came Doc Paragon's jovial voice as he stepped through the portal, Mr. Drake Marshall in tow. Paragon glanced at his watch. "A bit early, are we?"
Icarus smiled. "You know me, William," he said haughtily. "I do love to make an entrance!"
"I've not forgotten." Paragon took a sidelong glance at Penny as he ushered both Icarus and Drake into his office. "I see your fondness for making an impression has not changed either?"
Sidewinder laughed and Penny was quite certain the sound was everything to her like fingernails being run down a chalkboard. "William," he chuckled, "still fond of exaggeration, I see!"
As Paragon turned to close the large wooden double doors that led to his office, he gave Penny a sympathetic look and mouthed 'I'm sorry' as the doors shut, leaving him inside with his new team.
"Good Lord..." Penny sank into her chair, practically fuming. "I've never met a more pompous, egotistical man in all my life!"
Slowly, she turned back to her desk and returned to her work.
