The building that stood before Aria looked sturdy as she noticed it was made of light pink brick that really stood out amongst the myriad of red buildings around her. She wasn't sure what to make of the large, white pillars that stood like sentinels at the corners of the establishment, but at least the black, wrought iron frame of the immense, red-windowed doorway before her looked intricate in the old, Victorian style. An "F" and a "R" was at the top of the doorway, the letters and tops of the doors made of the same black wrought iron as the rest of the door frame as Aria noticed that wrought iron rose thorns laced sharply in curly cues around the "F" and "R" and at the bottom of the doors. As Aria admired the tasteful metalwork, she really wished the designer of said doors had refrained from adding large, blue demon eyes as decorations in the middle of the doors as they followed her no matter where she stood, making her shudder involuntarily.
At the top of the building arrayed like an old-time, lit up billboard you'd find on Broadway was a red sign with a black border with white lights glittering within it. The sign read, "Franklin & Rosie Emporium" written in white paint with white skulls on either side of the word "Emporium" with white rose thorns underscoring the names. The name Franklin was crossed out with black paint on the sign, making Aria wonder if the change was recent as she wondered why the sign hadn't just been replaced. For all she knew, it had always read this way, making Aria wonder how long Rosie had been a widow.
Alastor walked with a hop in his step to the red button that rested just to the left of the massive double doors. Aria noticed his radio feed was oddly silent as he gingerly pressed said button with the end of his staff, which set off an ominous tinkling of a bell within. In only a few moments, while Aria's stomach twisted in knots with dread at what she'd encounter, both doors suddenly sprang open!
Standing before her, in a gorgeous dress with red sleeves and bodice with a mauve skirt and overcoat to match with a black belt to complete it stood a woman hardly any older than herself. Sporting a wondrously large sun hat that had black material on the bottom of it, while the top of it was a beautiful red that matched her dress, it was the cascading red and black feathers on top of it that really made the hat stand out as Aria noticed two small skulls used to complete the ensemble. Aria sighed dejectedly, knowing she'd never get used to the macabre decor as she noticed the woman had very long hair, but that it was prettily pinned up under her hat. The color of her hair was the same pale, creamy shade as the two decorative skulls on her hat. If only her solid black, feminine pair of eyes didn't look like unending pits of utter darkness, Aria thought to herself with disappointment.
"Is that Alastor at my door?" Rosie gushed with a gracious, white smile full of razor sharp teeth as she elegantly made her appearance, offering her pale hand to Alastor, who promptly took it and kissed it affectionately, making Aria look back at him in shock as Rosie's smile broadened. "Why, Hell's bells, it is you! What a wonderful surprise! What brings you to my door, you rapscallion of a man? Don't tell me you've finally found someone all on your own after all these years! Here I am, looking around all over Hell for a girl for you, and you show me up! Who's this young lady I see before me? You know, I truly thought you'd be alone forever, Alastor, what with you going along your merry way without even a whisper of a beau! Then suddenly, lo and behold, here you are and with some unknown woman, no less! It's deliciously scandalous! Could I be let into the secret of how she did it, because if she could catch you, the most eligible Overlord in Pentagram City, you can be sure I want to hear about it!"
Does accepting his deal count as catching him, or did he catch me, Aria thought to herself dryly in answer to Rosie's statement, making her roll her eyes at herself at the irony of it as she sighed, wishing again that she wasn't seen as a potential lover to Alastor just because she was with him.
"My dear Rosie, it's been too long! How are you?" Alastor answered with a warm smile on his face as he held her hands in his and looked at her from head to toe before letting go and pacing around Rosie as a bouncy, elegant tune suddenly emerged from his radio background. "Hmm! How very interesting! It seems you're glowing even brighter than usual, today! What's your secret, hmm?"
"Now, now, you shameless flatterer, I know your little game!" Rosie said with a knowing grin as she wagged a finger at him coyly before she put her hands on her hips and walked over to Aria and stepped around her until she stopped and gently placed her hands on Aria's shoulders, surprising Aria, but for the moment, Aria resisted the urge to pull away. "You might be used to talking around the point so thoroughly to distract people from their original train of thought, but you know very well I haven't forgotten about your little beau, here, Alastor. Tell me, my mysterious lady in the purple dress. What's your name and, if you don't mind me asking, what's Alastor up to these days?"
"Um...well...my name is Ariathe June, but I prefer to be called Aria, and as for Alastor...well, one of the big things he's helping out with recently is the Happy Hotel run by Charlotte Magne," Aria pointed out hurriedly, bypassing their little quest entirely as she hoped the little piece of information hadn't reached Rosie's ears, yet.
"Aria is right, my dear! An exciting turn of events!" Alastor quickly agreed wholeheartedly as the warmth of his smile never wavered, while he walked over to Aria and Rosie with his radio staff twirling periodically in his left hand as he gestured quite animatedly with his other hand. "That incredibly amusing performance on the picture show done so artfully by Miss Magne was utterly spectacular! It brought me a thrill I haven't felt since the stock market crash of 1929! Hahaha! It's truly an engaging form of entertainment, I can assure you, and Aria has kindly volunteered to help the charming Miss Magne in her pursuit for redemption for all the sinners in Hell! Of course, being Aria is rather new to Pentagram City, I figured offering my services might ensure her longevity long enough to see the project come to its inevitable end, given how ridiculous the notion sounds! For what's it's worth, however, I look forward to the amusing failures, struggles, and mayhem that will undoubtedly ensue as Charlotte Magne insists on trying to save the unsavory sinners who will undoubtedly just get themselves erased by the end of the year! As for Miss Aria being my beau, as it were, what gave it away, I wonder?"
"Excuse me!?" Aria exclaimed as her jaw dropped, completely caught off guard!
"Well, who would've thought!" Rosie said happily with a grin as she moved between Aria and Alastor to gently place a dainty hand on both their shoulders in a show of camaraderie, making Aria feel unimaginably uncomfortable. "Is that how you two met each other? What a bizarre turn of events, but also how fortuitous! I didn't even think to look there for a beau for you, Alastor, and here you've found your match before me! Sigh, and to think I'm the demon everyone goes to to arrange such things! I'm both proud and professionally embarrassed!"
"Okay, no! I can't believe you're letting her keep going on like this, Alastor!" Aria exclaimed in disbelief and alarm as she looked at Alastor incredulously as everything inside Aria violently balked every time the word beau left Rosie's lips! "Forgive me, ma'am, but I'm not interested in Alastor in any way, much less THAT way! Not that it's any of your business, but I'm very happily married and I'm just a client of Alastor's working together with Charlie to help the sinners here in Hell. That's it!"
"A client? You mean...you already made a deal with Alastor?" Rosie asked, clearly surprised as her elegant, pitch black eyes opened wide in shock, clearly not expecting this answer from her as a big, knowing grin spread across her beautiful face. "Why, Alastor! You sly old dog! Did you really try to woo her by ensuring she couldn't ever get away from you, or did she woo you by accepting your deal, ensuring you couldn't get away from her? Why, the idea to use a deal to just get closer to someone you love positively wreaks of bad romance! Huh...I wish I'd thought of it myself!"
"Oh, my dear Rosie, you know me so well! Do you want to see our marriage license? It was quite the to do to get her to agree to it, but I know how to get my way around a deal, as I'm sure you're well aware!" Alastor said with a laugh as his warm and easy smile only grew more intense as he watched Aria almost explode with embarrassment and outrage, his smile becoming so cheeky that Aria had to resist the urge to smack it off his face! "Ha ha ha! Oh, you'll have to forgive our little joke, my dear Aria! I find it amusing that you've taken our banter so seriously, knowing what you know about me! You see, Rosie's what you'd call a match-maker, organizer, financier, and meddler to those who oppose her! I, for one, find her ambitious, manipulative nature coupled with her elegant and gentle demeanor incredibly fun and sporting, to say the least! You won't find anyone else here in Hell so well connected, given her field of expertise, and no one better to put a smile on your face!"
"Oh stop! You're making me blush!" Rosie said, looking incredibly pleased with herself as she smiled at Alastor before she looked Aria over like she was admiring something beautiful and interesting as she put a strand of her auburn hair back into place, making Aria feel very uneasy as she found herself staring into those pits for eyes. "I do hope you understand I was teasing you and Alastor a little, lambkin. It's a game we've played for decades, now. He brings someone over every once in a while for me to meet and we tease each other and his guest to see how they react. Sometimes I'm the one who wins them over, while other times Alastor's the one who gets to make a deal, but all and all, it's always a delight to see him no matter who he brings along. However, despite his insistence of not being interested in having a relationship, given his natural aversion to the birds and the bees, I do have to say it's been quite a while since he brought over a woman, and one so close to him in age, no less! Really, Alastor! You're insistence on protecting your asexual reputation while you brazenly walk the streets of Hell with an unknown woman beside you for all to see is almost laughable! It's like you enjoy tempting tongues to wag, given how popular you are with the ladies, as I've warned you about more than once! The Four Sisters will go positively mad with jealousy when they hear about this!"
"Oh, my dear friend, they already have!" Alastor said with wicked delight, his laughter ringing over the streets of Cannibal Colony as he closed the distance with Aria and put his hands on her shoulders as he leaned over her left shoulder as he continued to talk to Rosie, while bringing Aria closer to his chest. "You should've seen their faces when they met Miss Aria, here! Why, I do believe there would've been another murder on the street if I hadn't been the one escorting her at the time! It was absolutely titillating to watch and I was sorely tempted to see what would've happened had I left Miss Aria then and there to deal with them herself!"
"You wouldn't!" Aria muttered out in dismay, feeling very upset by this new piece of information as she tensed and turned to look at Alastor as his eyes only narrowed with wicked glee at her reaction as a dark chuckle escaped him.
"Oh Alastor, don't tease the poor girl!" Rosie chided with a chuckle and a grin as she invited them both to follow her with a wave of her elegant hand towards the open doors of her emporium as she gracefully led the way before them! "Why don't you both come in and share a drink and tell me what I can do for you! I could tell right away that this isn't just a friendly visit! What do you need from Rosie's Emporium, Alastor? Or is it your mysterious little lamb that needs my expertise?"
"What do you have in your Emporium, Miss Rosie?" Alastor sang all of a sudden as a lovely, positive tune chirped up, making Aria realize with dread what was coming as she was suddenly swept into the Emporium by Alastor as the doors suddenly closed behind them.
"Why, I have all you'll ever need!" Rosie sang in response as she twirled into the darkness until a spotlight brought her into sharp focus as she sat upon a red and black seat with ruffles and lace accented with tiny skulls, making Aria suddenly groan as she tried to prepare herself as a familiar tune from Hello Dolly suddenly flowed all around them! "I'm the kind of demon who arranges things! For the pleasure and the profit it derives! I've always been the kind of demon who arranges things! Like death caps, expenditures, and lives!"
Suddenly, massive, black chandeliers covered with skulls, and rose thorns burst to life with red fire, making Aria blink rapidly to get used to the sudden light as they revealed a massive, two story room that was far too big to fit the building Aria had seen on the outside. The room had intricately carved, wooden filing cabinets towering at one end, handmade oil paintings on every wall, and beautiful wooden shelves that filled both floors, their shelves packed with odds and ends Aria recognized as normal household items, books, and strange objects she didn't even recognize.
"If you want your sister courted, brother dead, or slave imported, just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang as she knocked on a few black cabinets, making the contents shriek and moan as Aria desperately tried to keep her distance as she was energetically led by Alastor as they followed Rosie within her massive shop.
"If you want your wife dissected, eyeballs gouged, or wills collected,
Just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang while she brushed her hands across intricately carved display cases filled to the brim with cursed items as their malevolent powers washed over Aria with dark promises as they passed!
"If you want your husband hated, or some marriage consummated, for a rather modest fee," Rosie sang as she leaped upon a ladder designed to roll from bookshelf to bookshelf as she zoomed across the room. "If you want a husband spotted, boyfriend traced, or neighbor potted, I'll arrange for making all arrangements. Just leave everything to me!"
"Rosie, you never fail to astound me at the myriad of services you provide! Pay attention, my dear, while I help paint a picture of what Rosie can do!" Alastor declared as he left Aria twirling on a swivel chair that actually growled at her as she sat down, nearly eating her in the process as she barely escaped before the chair snapped down hungrily on empty air!
"If you want your ego bolstered, ex-wife stoned, or skin upholstered!" Alastor sang gaily as he helped Rosie off the rolling ladder as they danced around the room!
"Just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang with a laugh as she twirled in Alastor's arms in a showy display of footwork!
"Charming social introductions, expert, deadly sin instructions!" Alastor sang as he snapped his fingers, summoning a pile of books so tall in Aria's arms that the tower of books fell, almost crushing Aria as Rosie caught every book she dropped and placed them on the shelf behind her.
"Just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang with delight as she took the last book from Aria as she looked at the contents and grinned, handing it back to Aria as it started turning her hand scaley, making her fling it away from her in horror!
"If you want your vulture rounded, horns improved, or torso pounded, with a ten year guarantee," Alastor sang with abandon as he hooked an arm around Aria and Rosie as he led them into a swirling dance step that left Aria feeling dizzy! "If you want a birth aborted, collies bled, or cats distorted, she'll proceed to plan the whole procedure!"
"Just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang as she twirled out of Alastor's grip and grabbed Aria into her arms as she locked her side-by-side with her into a sidestep motion as she almost whispered the next few stanzas in her ear as she danced with Aria around the room!
"If you want a law abolished, jury rigged, or snakeskin polished, just leave everything to me! If you want your lover bested, morals swayed, and then contested, just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang softly as she pulled at a book on a random bookshelf, revealing a hidden door that promised Aria's darkest desire, making her suddenly feel very exposed and vulnerable as Rosie closed the door, again, and moved on.
"If you want your children coddled, sinners burned, and bones remodeled,
or some nice, flesh fricassee! If you want your body shifted, wedding planned, or bosom lifted, don't be ashamed, lambkin! The afterlife is full of secrets, and I keep 'em!" Rosie sang with deep amusement on her face as Aria felt positively mortified at the insinuation as she pried herself away from Rosie, only to be suddenly face to face with Alastor, his grin deep and almost ready to burst from laughter as he caught her in his grip and twirled her!
"I'll discreetly use my own discretion!" Rosie sang happily as she linked an arm with Aria!
"She'll arrange for making all arrangements!" Alastor sang as Aria felt his arm link with her other arm, trapping her between the two singing and dancing demons as she tried to not step on any toes!
"I'll proceed to plan the whole procedure! Just leave everything to me!" Rosie sang triumphantly as she and Alastor danced Aria up the wooden staircase that led to the upper levels, dropping her onto a black and red loveseat decorated with skulls and lace as the song ended, leaving both demons looming over her with wide grins and expectant faces, leaving Aria wondering what she'd just gotten herself into!
