Scene VI - Day of Cursing.
Takes place in: Month I - Day 7.
"Rosie. My. Child. Is. SCREAMING."
Rosie had predicted this would end either this way, or with either parent trying to throttle her to get to their son.
The Overlord had to admit she respected the pair's guts. She wasn't even annoyed at the short woman looking like she was about to try and murder her. Hell, Rosie would welcome an attack. She didn't want to think she had offered help to weak mortals after all.
Both Juan and Sofia had allowed the 'cursing' that was to take place, they even allowed it to happen in their 'home', if the recently built abode was to be called such. It was still devoid of much, but both mortals seemed happy to have their own place. Almost thirty people living in a single house had been straining, even if Pilar and her husband had moved to the forest at the far end of the First Level of the Tower.
That tiny bit of satisfaction couldn't cut through the clear pained wails that came from the bedroom a skilled imp and a slowly cursed young man were sharing.
"I understand that you worry-."
"Of course I fucking worry!"
"-but this was his choice." Rosie would rarely take this kind of attitude from anyone without reason. But in this case? She'd be doing far worse if she was in the other woman's shoes. Sofia was showing a lot of trust in Rosie's choices here. Even Rosie had doubts, more so after yesterday night. Old memories came to light as she laid in bed… But she had to be resolute in front of Carlos' parents. "I told him this would be beyond unpleasant."
The lone man in the room snorted. "My son is pig headed when he wants to."
Rosie wouldn't say a thing there. Carlos' determination to keep the deal going despite her offer had shown that, when he thought he was right, he would push all the way.
The Overlord wasn't going to complain. Such a decisive line of thought process would be needed in the future if Carlos wanted to ever see the end of their Deal.
At least if he ever wanted to see it end without ending in Hell and owned by Rosie. A bit of a sad thought, but Rosie could live with it.
"I know that, you asshole! But still!" Sofia sounded almost frantic. "That little Imp did this to us, and there was just some discomfort!"
Sofia showed her nape for a second. Rosie didn't need to see it, but the mark of a curse was clear there. Not one like the family had suffered through for centuries, but a personal mark. One that would go away shortly, in a month or two at worst, even if the curse perdured. It was there to serve a function, like any other curse. Only, unlike the typical ones, gone in short order, this was meant to last for some time. Not nearly as long as the Mark of Sin, but long enough for it to aid as intended.
And this Imp was a master when it came to using curses in interesting ways such as this. Helping learn in exchange of some easily ignorable side effects? Perfect to ensure things would go smoothly. To this day Rosie hasn't had much to complain about, not since one of the man's earlier attempts, and it was the one time. Thus, she wanted not to doubt Alabaster; he was a gentleman of an Imp and very dutiful indeed.
Another scream tore through the small bode.
But Rosie would not lie here. If Carlos suffered an untimely death? Alabaster wasn't going to get away from her.
"Why is it hurting him so much, Rosie!?" Sofia turned so fast Rosie thought she'd break her neck. The mother was clearly suffering at the sound of his child wailing as if he was going through torture. Not a completely wrong analogy. "Why is he screaming in pain like this!?"
Rosie didn't like the answer. She had confidence in the Imp, Alabaster, because she had worked with him before. It was not only word of mouth that she'd trust, only experience and prior knowledge paired with previous success and cooperation. Having her new and prized hunter DEAD would not only be a hit, considering her Deal, but also a sentence she didn't want to imagine the result of.
Lucifer could make nice. He could also make others worse than dead. Fucking up his Contract was not one of Rosie's desires.
There were far more personal reasons for her desire to keep him alive of course. Those memories that she had no good reason to dig through, for example. Nothing she was going to say out loud here of course, but Rosie would gladly admit she wanted Carlos alive for selfish reasons.
"Multiple curses may not hurt, physically, depending on what they are for." Rosie began, only stopping when another scream tore through the house. "But he needs not learn. He knows English well enough. Maybe if he were to wish to learn a different language… but you know he desires something different."
"He wants to repair his body to what it was before, among other things." Juan nodded as Carlos' voice came up again. This time it was a curse of some kind, his son's voice had distorted after so much screaming. It would heal quickly, the curses were also there for that. But right now he sounded horrible to everyone present. "With how it was explained to us? I doubt a single curse would help him achieve that. And they are meant for the body, not the mind."
"Yes. He needs various curses working together. Doing this right, as it is a physical thing, will hurt. Magic is bending his body in ways it shouldn't." And another scream punctuated Rosie's words for effect. "Doing it wrong would kill him, it is true. Imps rarely have mastery of magic, but Alabaster is skilled in this field and I trust his professionalism and experience."
"If you thought this would get me to calm down, you are sorely mistaken."
Rosie hadn't expected her to be anything but neurotic at the possibility of her son passing on after all this. In fact the Overlord had expected both Juan and Sofia to be smoking like a chimney right now. It came as a surprise that neither were indulging. A small addiction to be sure, more so in Hell, even more considering none of the family members that indulged on it had wanted any brand exclusively made with elements from Hell itself to be branded as a no go.
Good, that'd make sure they didn't have more complications than needed. Hell made products could be truly hazardous for humans, but fairly innocuous to any and all demons.
… for a definition of 'innocuous' anyway.
"I am not trying to lighten the truth, if that is what you think." Rosie admitted, although she'd prefer if Sofia did relax. "This is a one time thing. That it is unpleasant will not go away. I just hope you can understand this was your son's choice to make… even if I didn't fully like it either."
Because, experience or not, familiarity or not, there was always the chance that Alabaster fucked it up. That was one murder Rosie wasn't looking forward to.
That thought parted when she felt both her hands taken from her control and into Sofia's. The woman was holding onto her like a lifeline.
"Just promise you won't have him do anything like this again? Please?"
Rosie couldn't help but find the moment tender in its own way. The Overlord loved to see mortals desperate. I mean, it generated opportunities! But this hurt in a way. The family had been nice to her despite everything, and Carlos was one of the most pleasant human men she had met. Considering many on Earth seemed to find her attractive, and a good deal all but did the most idiotic thing and compared her to a succubus, which included thinking she was less dangerous than Rosie really could be and, well… Most mortals did not last long with Rosie the moment she got tired of their shit.
Hurting most of the family here was an alien thought after the first day. Rosie wanted nothing more than to ensure they were well cared for. Not only because Lucifer basically demanded it, but because Rosie truly enjoyed people like them around to liven the place a little.
Again, selfish thoughts. Thoughts that wanted to turn into words and be spoken. She made sure to stay mum on that end.
"I swear, my dear, that I will not push him to do anything like this again." Rosie promised as she gave the woman's hands a light squeeze. And she meant it to, for more reasons than she wanted to share with the other woman.
The trembling and fear she felt were not the kind that would make Rosie's heart race and hunger flare. In this case Sofia's despair made the Overlord hurt too.
Most forgot it in Hell. The place did not allow for you to enjoy this kind of thing. But having family, or friends, rare as it was, meant that their pain, if you weren't totally numb as many souls ended up being, affected you more than anything else. A double edged sword, but Rosie had to admit that the good times, and she hoped for many, would be great with these people around.
Juan seemed to think the same as he helped his wife before she fell on her knees. "Relax, hon. He'll be alright." Then looked at Rosie with a serious expression, but not anger. "Carlos trusts you greatly, Rosie. We do too. Most of our family does, even those that didn't side with you originally. Only a few of us don't want anything to do with you." Rosie had expected that, of course. A small part of the family wanted nothing to do with Hell, and that included us. "But far as I am concerned? You are welcome to our house too, if you wish. I am sure almost everyone else will extend this invitation too." His gaze hardened ever so slightly. "Just make sure to warn us whenever our son will be in danger or pain. That is all we ask."
Rosie's smile warmed at that and her eyes softened. Technically speaking she could do whatever the hell she wanted in her territory, and, again, technically, this was hers. It was however much appreciated that she was given this amount of trust. Part of it was mandatory, for they didn't have any other choice, but Rosie had lived long enough to see when someone was kissing your ass.
The family was genuine, whether they liked her or not. They hid very little. Rosie was very happy with that. It just reinforced what was there. That part was not all good, for personal reasons, but… she would work it out.
Though the moment was slightly diminished when a knock came from the closed door.
"Miss Rosie? The ordeal is done. Young Carlos will likely be out of commission for hours, perhaps until tomorrow, but all went well."
"Thank you, Alabaster." Rosie called from where she stood, feeling Sofia's hands finally retract as the woman let out a shivering sigh of relief. "See? Everything is fine. No complications! Everything will be fine, dear."
And certainly there were none. Because Alabaster's balls were on a vice grip.
It had nothing to do with Rosie.
It had everything to do with Lucifer.
Being told to 'make sure the young lad is as virile as a horse' only added another layer to the curses the poor Imp had to lay on the mortal soul. After having an ancient curse removed not long ago! Alabaster knew this was going to bite him in the ass and, come next month, Rosie and him would have a talk when this information finally reached her.
But for now? Rosie was content and Carlos' parents could let their worries slip. Today's ordeal was done.
… It had also made Rosie notice something else though. Again, those memories. Hopefully that nagging feeling would go away soon, otherwise…
No, no. She'll get over it soon, she was sure. This was nothing important. Besides, there was much to do, much indeed.
The second she got a moment to ponder, to calm down and wonder, Rosie would find out that these thoughts were only going to get worse.