The offer had caused the gremlins pause, for sure, and they eyed Miguel right back before taking a moment or two to discuss it amongst themselves in guttural, debating tones before they all seemed to come to a conclusion that that was an offer almost too good to pass up, jabbered an agreement, and fixed him with a look that made it clear they they fully expected him to make good on that offer before scampering off the balcony.

And Rosa, while feeling a little disappointed that he didn't get bit, found that she was actually mostly glad he didn't. If anything, he could have wound up thinking he was someone really annoying, and then she'd have to go and put Tightpants out in the snow, and she'd actually kind of feel bad about that.

"So, what?" she asked. "You and the gremlins are tight now?"