'Wow...I wish I could eat more, but I'm stuffed!" Aria said with a sigh of contentment, her smile relaxed as she sat at the dining table just to the right of Alastor, who chose to sit at the head of the table as he primly dabbed his mouth with a cloth napkin.
"Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, my dear!" Alastor said happily with an upbeat, old-timey tune playing in his radio background as he snapped his fingers and made the dirty bowls and plates disappear as the last of the ratatouille and lamb bites that had been battered and fried had been eaten up as Aria sat back in her chair and sighed.
"As much as I hate to admit it, Alastor, your cooking is so good that I'm starting to think Hell isn't such a bad place if I can eat like this!" Aria admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Oh? Is it really that simple to win you over? Ha! To think that all I had to do to get you to forgive my rather rough handling of you in the kitchen earlier was to fill your stomach! I'll need to remember that for next time!" Alastor chuckled as he stood up and pushed his chair back into place as he offered his hand to her as she took it with a bewildered look on her face as he helped her to her feet before pushing her chair back against the table like a gentleman.
"Next time!? Are you planning to hurt me again, or...right, no. With what we just found out about these lockets, I should count myself lucky that I still have my arms attached to my body," Aria said with a sigh, trying to get a hold of herself as she sent a thought to her choker and realized it was already almost nine o' clock in the evening, making her dread what was coming next. "Alastor...I hate to bring it up, but...what are we going to do about...sleeping arrangements?"
"What do you mean, my dear?" Alastor asked politely, but an edge had appeared slightly in his tone, his smile a little less relaxed as he looked at her with his eyes narrowing a little as the sound of tuning rose in his radio background.
"Sigh...our rooms are pretty far away from each other," Aria said tiredly, making her rub her temples to ease the growing frustration she was feeling as she made her way to the door Niffty had disappeared behind and peeked inside the entryway to reveal a ballroom as she looked to see if the coast was clear. "The lockets will allow us to be apart as long as it doesn't exceed the length of a football field, but with how huge this building is, do I really have to explain to you why I can't sleep on the ground floor, while you sleep somewhere at the top floor?"
"No need, my dear, but I can assure you that there's plenty of room for you a few floors up, so really, is there any reason we need to have this conversation?" Alastor asked as his radio eased into a more nonchalant air as a sweeping melody floated over them, making her think of that terrible dance he pulled on her the night they met.
"I'm just not...fond of the thought of needing to poke around places I don't need to be in," Aria shared honestly as a shiver ran through her as she remembered vividly how awful it had been trying to find a room as she made her way into the ballroom.
"Ha ha ha! You still haven't gotten used to the hellish decor, and I must say, it's very entertaining to witness a fresh take on the horrors of it!" Alastor mused as he sidled up to her as he followed her into the ballroom, grabbing her left shoulder and leaning in as he summoned his staff in his left hand and gestured to the extravagant ball room complete with a morbid, bloody fresco on the ceiling depicting demons torturing humans as gold imps and skull filigree glistened in corners and edges of the room. "The torture scene depicted here is very tasteful and I'm sure you'll appreciate the authenticity of the work. Did you know that the original artist, directed by a well-known demon, used his own blood to paint the blood and gore on this historical scene before you? Of course, it was against his will, since the paintbrush he wielded would only use his blood as paint, but my, what brilliant imagination for torturing an artist! Truly stunning, wouldn't you say, my dear? You could say that it really bleeds of authenticity and realism! Ha ha ha!"
"You're changing the subject, and I really want to go to bed, so if you don't want me to accidentally pull you away from your own bed just because I have to go to the bathroom, then let's get this over with!" Aria growled, ignoring Alastor's morbid dialogue as she mentally said good-bye to her little room on the ground floor.
"Well, let's make a romp of it, then!" Alastor mused as a playful, upbeat melody bounced into his radio feed, making Aria audibly groan as he grabbed her arm and gayly teleported her back to the ground floor! "You really need to smile more often, my dear, and what better way than with a song!"
"Oh no," Aria moaned, but it was too late as his background music swelled into a bouncy melody that refused to be squashed by her groaning protests!
"First floor is the gallery,
and a bar to quench your whistle!
Don't forget the smoking room,
Where I'm sure you'd sit and bristle!
Next, we have the second floor,
Where the gym and pool reside!
Where some would come to exercise,
Though I'm sure you'd just run and hide!
Third floor is awash with many rooms,
I'm sure it's worth your wile!
Of course, their built for aquatic demons,
So breathing might be a trial!
The fourth floor is where we are now!
Where feasts and dances swell!
The ballroom and the kitchen here,
Won't help you sleep so well!"
"Have you seen the smoking room!?" Aria almost shouted as she pointed at the room as he teleported them from floor to floor! "There's dead beasts all over the walls and something smells like it died in there! The pool looks like something sinister lurks beneath the surface, and that's not and gym! It's a literal torture chamber!"
"The fifth floor has some rooms for you!
Go on and rest a spell!
Lava, Ice, and lightning rooms?
That didn't go so well!
How about the sixth floor, hmm?
I'm sure the rooms are quite a treat!
Rooms that snore, bite, ooze, and shuffle?
Their charm just can't be beat!
I'm really trying, here, my dear,
But the seventh floor's all mine!
There's only the library and my suite.
I'm sure the lava room's just fine!"
"You have a couch, Alastor!" Aria pointed out as she gestured to the piece of furniture once they poofed to the top floor. "I could just sleep there and use the shower on the ground floor. Problem solved!"
"I hardly think it is, my dear!" Alastor mused with a wide, dangerous grin as he grabbed her and twirled her until she got dizzy and refused to catch her, making her fall on her butt as the background music continued. "My room, my rules! The ice room wasn't so bad! Stay there, instead, since you insist on being as prickly as an ice field!"
"It wasn't ice! It was some sort of frozen, poisonous liquid!" Aria insisted as she remembered the strange, glowing hue and dizzying odor to the frozen room a floor below as she began to sing her protests!
"The first floor's has its horrors,
But at least one room's scare free!
You insist to have it all your way!
You expect me to bow the knee!
I can't breath underwater!
Lightning makes it hard to sleep!
Have you tried to sleep within a room
That has bloody walls that weep!?
The torture gym is crazy!
Beds of nails and a chair that zaps!
The pool may look inviting,
But there's a monster that bites and snaps!
I can't sleep in a room that dances!
One room tried to eat me whole!
Another tried to burn and flay me!
While another wanted my soul!
The ballroom is a no go!
Any stage is off my list!
Are you serious? That's the kitchen!
Do you really not get the gist!?
"My privacy is very important to me, my dear, and sharing the top floor is out of the question!" Alastor insisted as he had them reappear in the ballroom as he summoned a shadow band as the tempo picked up as he grabbed her by the waist and forced her to dance as they both sang in unison!
"A compromise illudes us
While we dance the night away!
An endless give or take
That seems hellbent to go astray!
These lockets on our wrists
Will make us want to twist and pull,
But if we don't make up our minds,
Then we will go and act the fool!"
As they danced together, Alastor twisted and pulled her into knots, making it hard for her to maneuver! She'd have to get creative as she fumbled and turned in her attempts to keep herself on track as he spun her around and around, making her dizzy! By the time the dance grew to a frenzy of footwork, Aria was left standing there as Alastor forgot her for a moment as he lost himself in the moment as he showed off his skills. When he was finished, he gestured to her and waited to see what she could do, leaving her to sigh as she answered with an awkward tap dance maneuver and twirl that were mediocre at best as she blushed scarlet at her lack of dancing prowess!
"Ha ha ha! Is that all you've got to show me? How incredibly disappointing! I feel almost sorry for you," Alastor jeered, his sneer practically dripping off his smug face as she did the only thing she could think of.
"Oh yeah? Well, watch this!" Aria demanded as she summoned her wings and flew!
The ballroom wasn't big enough for all the stunts she wanted to perform, but she managed to do an inside loop, an outside loop, an Aileron roll, a stall turn, a corkscrew, and a double loop de loop to finish as she landed in front of Alastor, smirking.
"...show off," Alastor said as though put off, but it had an air of respect to it as he pulled her in for the finale as they danced and sang in unison!
"A compromise illudes us
While we dance the night away!
An endless give or take
That seems hellbent to go astray!
These lockets on our wrists
Will make us want to twist and pull,
But if we don't make up our minds,
Then we will go and act the fool!"
"Now that that's out of the way, why don't we go to the top floor together and peruse the interesting bits about your life I had Rosie write down for me, hmm?" Alastor insisted as he linked his right arm around her left one like a vice as he cheerfully led her to the door leading out of the ballroom into the main hall. "I want to gain a better perspective on what Rosie managed to find by also gleefully watching your reactions as we unfold your most uncomfortable life experiences together! Doesn't that sound like fun?"
Aria felt cold inside at Alastor's words as, to her dismay, they were already in front of the main elevator! Unable to find the words to express the sudden horror of what he was about to find out about her, she could only find the energy to press the elevator button as Alastor hummed to himself as he forcibly escorted her into it when the golden doors slid open. As Alastor walked in after her and pressed the top button with his staff, the golden doors slid shut, boxing her in.
"Um...we still don't know where I'm going to stay tonight, Alastor," Aria tried to insist as he kept her close, the smell of shoe polish and fresh, starched linen wafting off of him as he chuckled.
"Why, my dear, weren't you listening during the song?" Alastor said with a sly grin as he squeezed her arm for emphasis. "I insisted you needed to stay on the couch in the library so I could keep an eye on you! You can't be trusted to be left to your own devices, that's for sure!"
"Wait a minute! That's not what you said!" Aria insisted in agitation as the elevator bell dinged, signaling their arrival to the topfloor as the golden doors slid open. "You insisted I had to sleep somewhere else!"
"I did nothing of the sort!" Alastor said with an amused grin as he led her to the couch and made her sit down, making her almost sit on top of a soft, red blanket and a black pillow that had a pink note on it that was scribbled in a spiky handwriting that Aria didn't recognize. "You must've misheard me! I said 'The seventh floor's just fine!' Don't you remember?"
Aria was about to get angry about his gaslighting when it dawned on her that he was giving her what she wanted, albeit in a very annoying, roundabout way. Refusing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Aria finally sighed and nodded before she looked at the black pillow with the pink note on it. Realizing it was addressed to her, Aria unpinned the note and read it to herself.
Hope you two have lots of fun!-Niffty. Aria blushed with embarrassment as the note sported a lot of hearts and what looked like a gushy cartoon that looked like Alastor and Aria kissing. Making sure Alastor wouldn't see it, she crushed it in her hand before burning it with her celestial light as she wondered when Niffty would realize she was horribly mistaken, while Alastor looked on with a curious grin on his face.
"Did someone leave a note for you?" Alastor asked amiably, making Aria struggle to figure out how to answer, not really wanting to say anything as she sat down on the couch and blushed, while an amused smile grew on his face. "Let me guess! It was a note from Niffty, wasn't it?"
"You know what? It's been a really long day, and I'm really tired, so how about we forget about that wierd report you asked Rosie for and just call it as night, yeah?" Aria asked with a smile she hoped could hide her growing unease and embarrassment as she sent a thought to her clothing as the same long sleeved, purple shirt and black pajama pants she'd worn the night before appeared on her before she wrapped herself in the soft blanket Niffty had gotten for her until she couldn't see the library or Alastor, anymore. "Good night, Alastor!"
Aria didn't hear anything from Alastor for a moment, making Aria desperately hope that maybe she wouldn't have to think about what happened that day with Rosie. As that thought passed through her mind, she groaned to herself as Aria heard the sound of Alastor get up from the couch as his shoes and cane tapped and stepped around the couch until she felt him stand near where her head rested on the couch. She hid away more deeply under her blanket, hoping he'd lose interest.
Her hopes were dashed as she heard the sound of fingers snapping as her blanket poofed out of existence!
"If you're going to try to hide from me, my dear, at least make it a challenge," Alastor said with a grin as he offered his hand to her, which she grudgingly took as he helped her sit up as she grabbed the black pillow in hopes it could shield her from his relentless pursuit to embarrass her! "This is the most pitiful attempt you've tried thus far to hide your growing desperation to stay out of a conversation you clearly don't want to be a part of, and I'm here to enjoy every moment of it, so please continue! It'll only get worse for you!"
Alastor leered at her, then, with the most wicked grin she'd seen thus far, reminding her that she was still dealing with demons as she blushed and just nodded.
"Good girl!" Alastor said, the tone happy-go-lucky as a cheerful tune came over his radio background as he settled right next to her too closely, making her unease rise. "So, am I right to assume that you think that I'll treat you differently after I peruse this copy of your personal life that Rosie kindly made for me?"
Alastor waved his right hand and suddenly, the report appeared in it, his left hand resting on his cane nonchalantly, while he gave her a teasing, careless grin. He was obviously baiting her and Aria found it impossible to resist as she suddenly lunged for the packet of papers! She knew it was a long shot, but she couldn't resist the chance to destroy the evidence of her weaknesses clutched in his hand. Her efforts left her sprawled on the couch, however, while he stood over her, chuckling at her expense.
"Ha! Nice try, my dear! Did you really think it would be that easy?" Alastor goaded her with a laugh and a smile of superiority as he used the packet of notes like a fan for a moment before taking a look at it as, to her horror, he started to read it out loud! "It seems Aria is in conflict with herself! Her subconscious obviously has a chip on her shoulder for Aria not being fully honest about who she really is. Despite admitting that she's happily married, her subconscious made some rather bold statements suggesting more lascivious intentions towards myself, despite the fact that I'm a woman! To Aria's credit, she refused to act on these attempts at wooing me from her subconscious, but it remains to be seen how many other temptations and desires Aria has sought to quell, hide, or refuse to act upon."
"What are you doing!?" Aria cried out, appalled and horrified that Alastor would read her most intimate weaknesses, desires, and thoughts with such abandon right in front of her as she rushed to stand and stop him as he put a hand on her shoulder firmly, keeping her at bay, while keeping the packet out of reach! "Don't read it out loud! What if someone hears you!? Do you want everyone in this hotel to know my every weakness!?"
"I have my own ways of knowing it's just us here, my dear, so don't get your knickers in a twist! It'll just be me reading out loud your most intimate weaknesses and chilling fears, while you get to watch helplessly as I do so!" Alastor said happily, completely unrepentant of his behavior as Aria tried to lunge at him again, but he just poofed away in a puff of darkness before reappearing on the other side of the couch, while she barely saved herself from running into a bookshelf as Aria caught herself with her levitation abilities just shy of face planting into a book titled 'Human Pies'. "I am a demon, my dear! I would've thought you'd have figured it out that juicy secrets such as these must be aired out by demons such as myself, since watching you suffer such irresistible, emotional pain such as this brings such a smile to my face!"
"You have no right!" Aria said angrily as she glared at Alastor helplessly, unsure of how to stop him as she thought of using her choker, but was afraid she'd destroy the library, limiting her options, while he stood calmly before her with that cheeky grin on his face as he adjusted his monocle before continuing to read her report out loud.
"Upon further inquiry and inspection, I was able to divulge a wealth of information! What fun! Let's see what Rosie found out, shall we?" Alastor said with growing amusement on his smiling face as the invisible audience oohed and awed, while Aria sent a thought to her choker and immediately turned into a little, black crow, dive-bombing Alastor's hand holding the notes in hopes of snatching them, but he just kept stepping out of her line of flight easily while reading her report. "Aria was bullied at a young age where she desperately sought connection and acceptance by her peers and instead found rejection and abject cruelty! This explains her need to please others to gain acceptance from others, which has made her rather pliable, to my delight, since she's been very cooperative, as delving victims go!"
"I was not!" Aria cawed out angrily before Alastor puffed his staff away and, after she tried to aim for his hand that held the packet of notes, again, Alastor suddenly lunged and, in one motion, his free hand closed hard around her, leaving her no escape as she struggled to get out of his grasp! "Let go! Let me go! You're crushing me!"
"You're incessant need to squirm is going to get your bones broken if you don't relax, my dear," Alastor said eagerly as though he hoped she'd struggle against his grip and break herself in the process, making her suddenly go still as he brought her close to his enormous face, his toothy smile huge and lethal.
Aria realized as Alastor suddenly loomed large over her tiny form that it may not have been wise to have chosen a form that could be so easily broken as she suddenly wished she'd thought through her actions more before losing her temper.
"You know, it would be so easy to just squeeze the very life out of you bit by bit until there'd be nothing but a ball of feathers," Alastor said softly as all she could see was his dark, leering smile as her tiny, black eyes held a helplessness that was all too fitting for her tiny, crow form. "Just a little pressure to your wings, and they'd pop right out of their sockets! Of course, your little heart might burst from terror, first, if you don't slow down your breathing. I could also just cut you up with my nails, and watch your life drip out of you until you turn into nothing but a husk! Really, the temptation to do something to you while you're in this vulnerable state is practically palpable!"
Aria tried desperately to force herself to calm down. She really didn't want to be tortured as the horrible memories of The Stage bubbled up to the surface. The burning of the cross on her skin, the whipping that should've killed her, and the sting of the tattoo artist's needle came to mind as she shuddered from head to toe as a tiny whimper escaped her. Even though pecking at his hand had crossed her mind to get him to let go of her, she was scared of the consequences of it.
"As it stands, I could actually deal out quite a bit of damage to you without breaking our little deal, but then there's the question of me needing to help you when you're 'in danger', as it were," Alastor explained as he jauntily walked back to the couch and proceeded to sit down elegantly before lifting her up to eye-level as his smile grew even larger, making her shrink away with anxiety as his radio background tuned a little before settling on music that made her think of an old-fashioned, silent movie. "The wording of our little deal is rather ambiguous, at best, given the interpretation of what you meant. Did you mean when you're in trouble just physically, or does that also mean the state of your emotions and attitude? If the deal includes your emotions and attitude as well, then, frankly, my dear, despite the fact that you don't want me to know about your weaknesses, did you ever consider that you're in danger of ostracizing yourself from anyone who would actually care about you and your mission because of your lack of trust? Surely you realize that's the whole point of why I sent you to Rosie."
"It's just so embarrassing, though!" Aria lamented as she looked up at Alastor helplessly as she felt her feathers ruffle.
"What is, my dear?" Alastor asked poignantly, leaving Aria flustered.
"Just...go ahead and read it," Aria said with a huff as she felt her little crow body blush, making Alastor chuckle as he looked at the report in front of him expectantly before he continued to read it at her expense.